Rise of the Notorious (14 page)

Grant and Linc looked at each other again, clearly wondering the same thing. What was going to happen to their hotels when Shaw came out with this information—a month, three months, even a full year from then? It would surely rehash everything they were working to bury again. This would, as Shaw had so callously put it to Lynette, really bring hell to their family.

“I appreciate you meeting with us, Senator, but we really must get back to the hotel,” Grant said suddenly, rising to his feet and extending his hand to Shaw. Linc got up as well, rubbing the back of his neck wearily as he watched his brother shake hands with the man who was cheerfully putting politics over their family’s reputation. When Shaw reached out to shake Linc’s hand in turn, Linc hesitated, meeting eyes with the man instead.

“I get what you’re trying to do, Senator. I really do. And I don’t blame you for trying to win your election. But I hope you think twice about what this is going to do to Lynette. She doesn’t want us to be at war with each other, but if you go public with that information and consequently fuck over my family, I will consider that a declaration of war.”

He accepted Shaw’s hand, shaking it a bit harsher than normal.

“My daughter has decided to be in your care now, Linc. If anything happens to her, it will fall on you, not me.” Shaw smiled and released Linc’s hand. “It’s just politics, son. Don’t take it so personal.”

“Enjoy the rest of your stay in the city,” Grant cut in, placing his hand on Linc’s shoulder in warning as he pulled his brother away from Shaw. The murderous look in Linc’s eyes was not helping the situation.

As they turned and left the restaurant, Linc clenched his hands and shoved them into his pockets, his body vibrating with fury. Beside him, Grant felt more worry than anger, more apprehension than rage.

They pushed through the doors and out into the midday sunlight, neither noticing the unmarked, window-tinted van sitting across the street, the men inside carefully watching their every move.

She cooled down
after the rehearsal, stretching her tired muscles on the smooth, wooden floor of the ballet studio. Her breathing began to slow, her heart settling back into its normal rhythm as she let her mind slip into the satisfied calm that always followed vigorous activity.

Lynette smiled to herself, her eyes closing as she began to relax. Her thoughts drifted to Linc and her heart filled beautifully.

Regardless of what was happening with her father and with the scandal Linc’s family was facing, she knew without a doubt that these last few months had been the happiest of her life. At last, it seemed, she had nearly everything she had ever wanted. A rewarding career, a loving boyfriend, a new friend in Quinn…the only thing that seemed to be in chaos was her relationship with her parents. Funny how it seemed she had to give up the old things in her life in order to welcome the new and exciting. But, perhaps that was just the way it had to be.

And having Linc, the charming heir of the Vasser Hotel dynasty…well, that was enough to satisfy nearly every want, every need, every desire she had ever had.

But even he could not repair the broken pieces of her relationship with her family. In her eyes, it was easier to just ignore her father and move on, but Linc was insistent that there was something more to her father’s words than she assumed.

The two had met with each other earlier that day. She had yet to hear from Linc just what her father had to say. Perhaps it had been, just as she supposed, nothing.

Contenting herself with that thought, she got to her feet and began to stretch her quad muscles.

Across the room, a few of her fellow ballerinas turned on the radio and began flipping through the stations, searching for music to listen to while they wrapped up for the night. Lynette was only half listening to them as she began to gather up her belongings, but when she heard her father’s voice, she froze.

She blinked as she looked up, expecting to see him in the studio. Confused, she glanced around, only to realize that his voice was coming from the radio.

Before one of the girls could change the station again, Lynette rushed forward and silently stopped her. Her eyes widened as she listened in to what her father was saying.

“I’ve heard just this afternoon from a viable source within the Vasser family that it is Madison Vasser who is responsible for her father’s death. Now I know some of y’all believe it to be a typical suicide, but my source tells me that the drugs Win Vasser had consumed the night of his death were altered in such a way as to make him crazy, which in turn is what killed him.”

“Who is the source, Senator? And why are you getting involved?”

“My source insists on anonymity for obvious safety concerns, especially since Madison Vasser should be considered a suspect. And I was approached on this matter by the source, who had nowhere else to turn because they knew of my involvement—albeit distant—with the Vasser family.”

“Your only daughter is dating Lincoln Vasser, is she not, Senator?”

“Yes, though my daughter has assured me that she has plans to leave New York City and return home soon. I don’t expect the relationship to continue on after that.”

As the host thanked him for coming on the show, the other girls turned and stared at Lynette with wide eyes, unsure what to make of what they had all just heard. She stood perfectly still, her lips parted in startled alarm as she stared at the radio.

How
dare
he, she thought wildly, suddenly clenching her fists at her sides as she filled with outrage. And who in the hell was this
source
he’d been talking to? And for what purpose had he gone public with such heinous lies about the Vassers?

She blinked back angry tears from her eyes, her mind reeling with disbelief at the madness of it all. After this, he’d be lucky if she ever even set foot in South Carolina again, much less to visit him. He could go straight to Hell.

Without a word to the others, she took off out of the studio, racing down the steps to the street and hailing a cab. When she was safely inside she told the driver to take her to the Vasser Hotel, then she let the tears of anger fall down her face.

The cab pulled up to the hotel several minutes later. She tossed some cash at the driver before tearing out of the car, her breath catching in her throat as she stumbled past the doorman at the entrance and made her way to the front desk.

Before she got there, a man she didn’t recognize stopped her.

“Aren’t you Linc’s new girl?” Cy asked, visibly drunk and swaying on his feet. She eyed him with disdain and considered just pushing past him. But he stood purposely in her way, forcing her to address him.

“Yes, I am,” she mumbled, knowing she looked like a train wreck with blotchy, tear stained cheeks and her hair frayed from rehearsal. “Please, I need to talk with him.”

“Slow down, babe. What’s your hurry?” Cy chuckled, reaching out to run his hand down her arm in a move that was decidedly flirtatious. “I’m his cousin, Cy. I run the Vasser Hotel in L.A. You ever been?”

“I hate California,” she spat, irritation flavoring her tongue even though she didn’t really mean the words behind it. “And don’t touch me.”

Instead of heeding her request, he moved in closer so he could place his hands on her waist. His breath stunk of liquor and his green eyes seemed lazy and unfocused as they met her own. “A Southern girl like you just doesn’t get what L.A. is all about. You’ll have to come on out and I’ll show you a good time.”

Before she could slip out of his grasp, Linc was throwing him off her with surprising strength, violent heat in his eyes.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Linc roared, shoving Cy in the chest. Cy stumbled back, only to double over with hysterical laughter.

“So fucking
touchy
, slick. God, I was just talkin’ with your girl. No harm, no foul,” Cy said in between laughs, fighting to catch his breath.

Linc turned away from his cousin in disgust and went to Lynette, reaching up to touch her face gently. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, her body vibrating with adrenaline from the confrontation. Her voice was shaky as she spoke. “I have to talk to you.”

“Okay.” He leaned in to give her a quick kiss. “Just give me one moment.”

He turned around and grabbed Cy by the collar of his shirt, pulling him in until they were eye to eye. “Blood or not, I’ll kill you if you touch her again.”

Cy waved off the threat easily, laughter still bubbling out of his throat. “Whatever, fine. I was just being friendly.”

“Sure you were.” Linc released him roughly, wishing they were in a more private setting so he could clock the bastard. As it was, there were already hotel guests staring curiously in their direction.

“You guys have been having all the fun up here in New York, Linc,” Cy said abruptly with a markedly cagey smile. “I think it’s about time you let the big boys take charge. You’re a little out of your league, here.”

“We’ve been over this. Madison is not stepping down,” Linc growled, fists clenching at his sides.

Cy only continued to grin, the liquor giving his already loose tongue an even sharper bite. “After tonight, she may not have a choice.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Lynette stepped forward, putting her hand on Linc’s shoulder. “We need to talk, Linc. I know what he’s talking about.”

He tilted his head to look her in the eye, then turned back to his cousin. “Stay out of trouble, Cy. I mean it.”

He wrapped his arm around Lynette and led her around the front desk and back to his office, where he shut the door and locked it. He motioned for her to sit down, then rested his hip against the edge of his desk.

“Alright, let’s hear it.”

Lynette let out a shaky breath as she nodded, only to suddenly scrunch her nose and stare around his tiny office. “Why does it smell like cigarettes in here?”

Linc snorted out a half laugh. “You don’t want to know.”

She frowned, but decided against pressing him on it. There were more important things to worry about at that moment. “So I was just at rehearsal, and one of the girls turned on the radio. I heard my father’s voice and listened in…he was on one of the local talk shows, discussing your family.”

“What did he say?”

Tears sprang into her eyes as she hesitated, unable to look at him any longer. Shame and guilt raced through her as she realized that if it hadn’t been for her, her father would have never gotten involved.

“Lynette?” Worried by her silence, Linc reached out to tilt her face up to his, alarmed to see her tears. “What is it?”

“He claims that a source from within your family came to him with information…the source says that Madison is responsible for your father’s death. That she tampered with the drugs he used that night. Then he said that he’s spoken with me, and that I told him I plan on leaving New York.”

A sob escaped her throat as she started crying, unable to help herself. Linc kneeled down before her and pulled her against him. He absorbed her words as he listened to her cry, rage building within him like an awakened volcano.

So the man had been lying through his teeth when he’d said that he didn’t intend to hurt his family, Linc thought indignantly. Clearly he intended to do whatever he could to destroy them, and in turn drive Lynette away.

The very nerve of it set his blood boiling, and it took all he had to not stand up and punch his fist right through the wall.

“It’s all my fault,” Lynette managed, her throat aching miserably as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, needing his comfort. “If I wasn’t here, then he would have never had a reason to get involved.”

“That’s not true,” Linc retorted heatedly, his mouth set in a grim line as he pulled her away so he could look at her. “This has nothing to do with you, Lynette.”

“How is it not because of me?” She wiped at her tears, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. “I’m your only connection to him.”

“Actually, you’re not.” Linc reached for a tissue from the holder on his desk and handed it to her before placing his hands on her knees. “When I met with your father earlier today, he told me a little secret that I probably shouldn’t be sharing with you, but I feel you should know.”