Silent Daughter 3: Owned by Linnea May, Stella Noir

Chapter 1

    LEONARD
     
    The luncheon does not take as much of my time as I feared. I am able to excuse myself less than two hours after my arrival without being impolite.
    There was even a chance for me to exchange a few words with William in private. That guy never remains sober for long at these occasions, and I made sure to be close to him when I noticed his face turning red and his words starting to slur. They say kids and drunks are the most honest people, and I agree with that statement. If there is anything that Will is not willing - or allowed - to share with me, moments like these are the perfect opportunity to find out. Considering the kind of people that he is working with at the other end, I would not be surprised if there were some hot details that he was told to leave out when talking to his newest business partner. I’m his broker, and I’m trying to save his ass from making an immensely bad decision.
    As it turns out, I was right to be suspicious. Our Mexican partners see their precious deal in danger and have every right to do so. If it were up to them, he would start a joint venture, investing in a new luxury hotel complex. Generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with such a venture and investing in that specific hotel complex is a smart choice in my eyes. However, a joint venture with those guys would be William’s downfall. He has no idea who he is dealing with, and it is my job as his broker to make sure that he does not go down that road but invests in the hotel complex directly and without them involved.
    They are bad guys. The kind of guys I used to work with. I know what they are capable of, and I know what their intentions with the Bishop’s fortune and name are - but William is clueless.
    I have a score to settle with those guys, not them in particular, but their kind. This is the perfect opportunity if I get William to play along.
    It should be sealed and done soon, and as soon as it is, I’m out of here. Once again leaving everything behind - including the little fairy I keep locked up inside my home. Only under these circumstances has it ever been possible for me to keep her there the way I do—my captive, my sexy little pet.
    I have never been able to stay in one place for too long. This has been my life for years, ever since I left my terrible foster home and became the protégé of a questionable nightclub owner whose business included a little more than staging parties for drinking and dancing. I started out as a minor henchman, but even at the tender age of eighteen, I managed to outsmart most of his associates and soon made a name for myself. He told me that I have a talent, a good business sense and no moral obligations that restrict my actions.
    "You can make something of yourself," he said. "If you just stick to your gut and don't get confused by the nice guys. They're doing it wrong."
    It was the first time that someone believed in me and in a twisted sense I like to think that my birth parents would be proud of me, if they were still alive.
    My thoughts are interrupted by William’s son Pete, who shakes my hand in that strong and welcoming manner he must have learned from his father. His betrothed, Sandria’s handshake feels spineless and weak, so different from her sister’s.
    “Mr. Clark,” Pete says as we are standing in the door. “If you don’t mind, I would love to meet you for a coffee some day. Or lunch! Whatever is good for you.”
    I nod. “Sure.”
    “I mean… it’s err,” he stutters. “I just thought it would be… you know, since my father said I could learn from you and-”
    “Sure,” I repeat, interrupting his helpless uttering. “I’m quite busy this week, but we can arrange for something at a later time.”
    “Absolutely!” he exclaims. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to bother you, it’s just that-”
    “It’s no bother,” I assure. “I will have my assistant call you.”
    He swallows hard and nods. “Yes, sure. Thank you.”
    I turn