Find A Way Or Make One (16 page)

“Well boys, I better get going.
Rashid is ready to go.” After hugging each of my boys and Mav, I hurry to leave to get this meeting over with to get back home to my family.

19

“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.”

Alexander Pope

Wyatt

I am in my bedroom getting ready for tonight’s meeting. Sable came through and got me a chance to meet with the owners of
RRP Shipping,
and the CEO of American operations. Not that I
would even be remotely surprised by the
persuasive measures
that I am sure that she went through to get the meeting. But to tweak an old saying my grandmamma used to say, “Better the whore you know than the whore you don’t.” And I would have never in a million years have thought in a million years that Kylee, Kye, or whatever name she decided to go by would have been so much of a whore that she would have fucked a
kid
! Getting pregnant and keeping her kid, I would expect and respect, but not fucking a kid. That was lower than low.

And to think I spent the last seven years using her to measure all women by, only to have them fall short. Hell, she didn’t measure up to even the worst of them.

***

As the cab pulls up to one of the most expensive and elite restaurants in Morocco, I get out of the cab and help Sable get out as well. Even though she tries to hold on to my arm I quickly and
so subtly that to the outside world nothing would be seen, but judging by the almost inaudible gasp of outrage followed by the slight narrowing of her eyes, I knew that Sable had understood. For the remaining time that she worked for my family’s company, I would extend the common courtesies my mamma raised me to show all women; whether they be ladies or not, but that was as far as it went. Although I knew it was illogical to blame her for all the negative realities that I have uncovered, I can’t help but feel that she has played some part in it. Maybe it is because of the bitch move she played by coming into the commons area in nothing but my shirt, but whatever it is I can’t move past it.

As we
are led through the dining area to a back room, I make out two men sitting at a table made up for six people. The man seated at the head of the table is visibly of Middle Eastern decent, even though his hair is combed back and he wears a decidedly expensive suit. I can’t tell for sure, since I have never been high on keeping up with the latest fashion, but I think it is Armani.

As I begin to take in the other man, a small grin touches my lips. I can’t decide which of the twins it is and begin to ask the tall blond haired man, he laughs. “Connor, Wyatt, I’m Connor.”

I laugh, “Damn man, the only reason that I can’t tell you apart is because it has been so long since I have seen you. After you graduated from A & M, you and
Lach
Ness went to Oxford. It has been way to long.” I give him a one arm hug that ends in a pat on the back.

“Well Wyatt, this is Murad Al Bani, and the other two will be here
shortly.” Just as soon as t
hose words leave his mouth I hear two people walk in. Somehow I knew that Kye would be there. I was right.

It is almost so soft that I don’t hear it, but I hear a feminine voice that has haunted me for seven years and made me want to forget everything I have learned say “Fuck a mother fucking duck!”

Well, evidently she must like to keep her boy toy baby daddy at home and play with the rich big boys. To think that I have lied awake at night
thinking about what it would be like to see her again makes me sick to my very core. Thank God I was able to get out of that shit storm relatively unscathed.

After we are all introduced, w
e decide to leave the business conversation till after dinner. Dinner is tense, and when we have all finished our meal, Sable stands up. “I know that I work for
Masters’ and Family
, but I don’t think that as a marketing executive my presence is
needed. I will go and spend some time with
your
companion
Kye, at the bar. Our presence would only be a nuisance.”
As she begins to stand up, Murad
, Rashid, and Connor all start to laugh. Sable is starting to get upset, and while I don’t give a good God damn, it is starting to
peak my curiosity as well.

Conner excuses himself from the table, and asks if he can escort her to the bar. She gasps and squeals out, “What about her. Why does she get to stay here?

Rashid laughs a short, dark laugh then says, “As CEO of American Operations, I think she has earned it the right to be here and voice her opinions.”

Murad
leans in to tell her, “But that’s not all. As a
..”

Suddenly, her hand raised in the air then clamped in a fist, catches my eye. “That is enough Murad; he doesn’t need to know everything.”

I stare at Kye’s face, willing her to go on. When she doesn’t, I can’t help but ask, “So did you sleep with all the owners to get that job, or just the male owners?”

Suddenly I hear a roar from the end of the table, and a strong slap from the back of a hand on my left cheek
.

One by one, the owners and the
CEO of American Shipping
and the CEO of American Operations,
file out of my room. Well, shit. Guess I fucked that up too!

20

“The ends ALWAYS justify the means, especially when the ends help me.”

Sable

Sable

Oh God. This is so, so, so fucked up. I have done everything I can to sever any emotional connection that Wyatt has with this girl; I am almost starting to think that he truly loves her. I am going to have to use the ammunition
that Zan gave me. I had really hoped I didn’t have to use it, because it makes me look weak as fuck, but “when needs must,” and all that.

As soon as we got back to the hotel, Wyatt went straight to his room and closed the door. I quickly make my way to my bedroom and open up the envelope that Zan gave me two days ago. I pull the magazine
article an out and the version of the truth that Zan supplied me with.

After a swift rap of my knuckles, and a muffled “what” from Wyatt, I ask him if I can come in for a minute. That there is something I have to show him.
Once I go in, I see a newly opened bottle of Johnnie Walker sitting on the table in front of him.

“Wyatt, I know that you know what happened to me eight years ago. And I wrestled with this a lot since I saw her standing at our door the other day, but I think you need to see this.

I hand over the gossip magazine. I know what he will find; Pictures of Christien with that woman with the article about how he had cheated on his fiancé with an unidentified woman. After giving him a minute to process what he is reading, but not really fully process the pictures, I start with my pitch.

“This girl you seem so hooked up on, is nothing more than a gold digging tramp. Eight years ago she tried to get to my fiancé by sleeping with him. Even though he saw through it, she still destroyed our relationship, and I am sure that she has tried the same thing with other rich men since then.”

I make my way to him to offer him some “support,” but he flinches away. “Thank you Sable for letting me know the truth, but I need to be alone right now.”

I wait until my face is facing toward the door, away from him before I let my smirk completely cover my face. My job is as good as done.

21

“
How could one mother fucker be so mother fucking dumb?
”

Cale

Wyatt

I have been up all night, trying to make sense of everything, but I just can’t. I would never have believed that Kye, my
Darlin’ Princess
, would be such a mercenary bitch, but the proof is right here before my eyes. Damn, I feel like such a dumbass, but it all makes perfect sense now. Of course she didn’t have any qualms with leaving me and finding not one but
two
men to father her children, one of them being a fucking child. I meant nothing more to her than a second place meal ticket.
Evidently, I had been e
asily replaceable and utterly forgettable.
Hell, now she is a high level employee of a major shipping company and has the male owners eating out of the palm of her hand. She doesn’t need me.

The pain I feel at realizing that all I was to the girl that was my world is an easy mark is almost more than I can stand. There is only one emotion that can bank this kind of pain; anger. Anger is so much easier to handle than pain, so I proceed to get gloriously, and blindingly angry. By the time that the rays of the rising sun filter into my room, I have worked up an anger of epic proportions.

I rush into and then out of the shower, with one purpose on my mind; to confront Kye. I quickly and quietly get dressed; I so do not need to put up with Sable’s bullshit. I quickly leave the suite, and go do
wn to the lobby to call a cab.
I give the driver directions to the warehouse.
Once we get there, I heavily tip him and promise that I will double that if he is still here when I am ready to leave in twenty minutes, so of course he agrees.

I walk into the warehouse, and don’t even stop when Chip tries to stop me, but I
just throw a punch and continue on walking. I walk in and look around for Kye. After a minute, I see her talking to her boy toy, T, Toby, whatever the hell you want to call him. The kid stands up and once again I am struck by the fact that he is at least four inches taller than me.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Kye and her
little
piece on the side.” I see the kid instantly take a menacing step towards me. “Oh don’t worry,
boy.
I am not referring to your size, just your age. I hope you realize that all you will be is her dirty little secret, and quickly forgotten once she lands one of the
men she is working and no doubt angling for. But don’t worry; I am sure she will come back to you eventually. After her little game of cat and mouse she came back to me. Just make her work
fo
…” I am so busy sneering at
Kye;
I don’t see the fist flying at me. The next thing I see is stars.

***

The next thing I am aware of is the feel of a splash of water hitting my face.
I instantly start to protest. When the water stops and I am able to wipe my face, I look up from my position on the floor and see Cale looking down on me.
As I sit up and rub my sore jaw, Cale is squatting down so that we are eye to eye. “I told you mother fucker. I told you not to hurt her, but you just couldn’t stop yourself, could you? It’s amazing how fast your ‘I love her and have always loved her’ turned
in to ‘she is such a whore.’ Care to tell me what changed your mind?”

Cale rises to a standing position and steps back, giving me space so that I can do the same. After I reach a standing position, I look at Cale then look off to the side. “Because she has two children by two different daddies, and I was told last night that she is the reason that my marketing assistant’s engagement to some prince ended. She is just a gold digging whore that I was stupid enough to fall in love with.”

Even as I say this, I know that it was a huge mistake. Cale looks furious at me, and takes a menacing step in my direction, with his fist raised. He takes a deep breath turns his back to me. After a moment, he starts to speak. “Ok, I am guessing that your assistant, Sable
had a story to tell you?”

“Yeah
she did. S
he had pictures and a whole fucking article written up in some sleazy tabloid.”

“Right, well if you are interested, I think I can shed some light on the subject, and I will. I just need you to do one thing.”

Realizing that I have nothing to lose, I concede. “Alright, I’ll bite. What do you need me to do?”

Cale sizes me up. “Meet me here tomorrow night at eight. Oh yeah, bring your
tramp, I mean assistant. If
I am right, she is going to want to be there, if only to defend herself.”

“Look man, I know the truth, but what the hell? This ought to be good for shits and giggles at the very least.”

Cale looks at me with a look I have never seen before, at
least directed at me I hadn’t. Pity is written all over his face. After shaking his head, he slowly walks by me.

“Tomorrow; eight o’clock; you and the president of Sluts R’ Us
.” Then
he mumbles something that I can’t quite make out.

“What did you say?”

He stops and turns to look at me. “I said, ‘Damn. How can one mother fucker be so motherfucking dumb?” Then he just turns around and walks out.

22

“I would have loved you anyway.”

Trisha Yearwood,
I would have loved you anyway

Kye

I just stood there and watched in amazement as
Tiarnan knocked Wyatt out. It wasn’t until Cale, Chip, Crow, and even Sunny started clapping that I snapped out of it. “Shit T, I think I need to get you home before he wakes up. I really don’t want to
watch you fight with him or anyone else.”

Tiarnan let me lead him out of the warehouse, to our car, and then he let me drive us home. During the ride home, Tiarnan is uncharacteristically quiet. When we get to the house, I started talking to feel the empty space between us. “I am sorry Tiarnan, I should have explained that you were my son to Wyatt the very first time that he made that asinine insinuation, but honestly I was so damn insulted I really just didn’t give a damn what he th
ought. Now he seems to think
you are basically my gigolo. I will meet up with him later tonight and tell him the truth.”

Tiarnan stares at me without really seeing me for a long moment. Finally, after clearing his throat, he turns his back to me and begins to speak. “No Mamacita,
you don’t have to call him. I could care less about what he thinks. But I have finally realized that I have to tell you the truth about me and Cian.”