LAKE
“Lake Winston.” Gabe Linden grinned, the owner and chairman of Osmium Resource Group, one of the largest private military contractors in the world, who also happened to be a good friend. Osmium had a futuristic building that London called a donut. He may not have a Braddson blood, but he was a family.
“Linden.” I held my hand out, but he pulled me into a bear hug instead.
He looked at me for a moment, and when he did that, he knew I needed a favor, and it was something important.
Linden started the Firm, a startup private investigator agency, from the ground up in a small studio room with his friends. Now, he ran a multi-billion dollar company, yet he remained down to earth.
“What do you want, Winston?” He opened the door to his office.
“Wow. Is that how you treat a client?” I stalked inside.
“A client? A fucking Braddson-Winston is a client, huh?” He slumped his ass on his chair.
“Just shut up and hear me out for a second.” I took a seat across from him.
“Well, I’m a busy man. Just spill it. What is it this time? Not a kid, I hope.” He smiled in the end.
“Fuck you.”
“Use a condom, Winston. For a guy like you, people will always take advantage of your sperm.”
“A guy like me? Seriously?”
“I’m waiting. Is this a security matter? We have people at your disposal. Does Boss know?” He was referring to my uncle. “I’ll inform Yue.”
“Don’t tell uncle.”
“Oh boy.” He rested his back, shaking his head. “What did you do this time?”
“Why is it everyone thinks I’m a black sheep?” I felt offended, but I knew Linden had a good intention and was nothing but a good friend, like a family since he and Striker were tight.
“You’re not, Winston, but be careful to give your trust, especially when someone just came out of nowhere.”
“This is personal, okay. And I want a qualified, experienced-”
“I know. These guys are well-equipped to handle whatever you ask me to do.”
“Right. Last week, I asked OB to dig into someone’s past.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“I want your man to find out more about Florence Bates, 40s. She lives in Chicago.”
“Okay. What else did you know about this woman?” He began typing.
“She has a daughter, Augustine Bates II.”
“Yeah, I remember the pretty girl who bartends at the Bazz.”
My eyes narrowed. “Pretty girl? What would Estelle say when she hears you say pretty girl?”
“My wife trusts and loves me, Winston. And I’m hers forever.” He scoffed. “What do you want to know about Florence Bates? Why is it so important to you?”
“I wanna know the sperm donor.”
“Why?”
I sighed deeply as I raised my hand, showing him my wedding band.
“What the fuck, man?” His eyes widened. From a serious face a moment ago, he barked out, laughing into my face. “What the-? Well, shit. Now I’m offended that I was not invited.”
“Fuck you.”
He stopped laughing abruptly. “Wait a minute. Did you and the pretty girl elope?”
“No.” My eyes narrowed. “We got married at the city hall.”
“Does your parents know? Your uncle? Jesus, they’re going to be so pissed, man. Does Cade know?”
“You’re asking a lot. It’s a contract marriage.”
“Fuck.” He ran his fingers through his brown hair. “For real?”
“My uncle and Strike don’t know, but my mother knows I should find a suitable bride to marry since months ago. My father wouldn’t give me the CEO seat unless I’m married. For whatever reason or plan he has for me, I don’t know, man. I’m utterly confused.”
“I’m not.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “What do you mean?”
“Parents wouldn’t just do that, forcing their children to get married. In your case, he let you find a woman your own, so this is not a-”
“A business alliance. Nope.”
“Bingo. He wanted you to plant roots, settle down, establish a core, a relationship because, trust me, in my experience, marrying Estelle is the best thing that has ever happened in my life.” He gestured a straight line. “I wasn’t that person before I met my wife. Now, I get up early, kiss my wife, take care of my children, and then come to work. I find a reason to work hard for my family and our future and still have time to take my wife and my kids on family vacations or dinner dates. Life may not be perfect, but trust me, it’s way better than sleeping around with multiple women.”
“Why he’s so hard on me, Linden? I always feel like I was born a mistake. Wallace doesn’t and never loves me. He pushed me hard and humiliated me, and when I did something good, I couldn’t even get a compliment from him. He’s a fucking bully.”
“Tough love, Winston. Isn’t it people say every bully has a bully? At least you have Beatreigh to hold you and pick you up when you fall. Me? Try a single father raising his children, but I’m grateful. Unlike your parents, who have money, Pops worked hard at the restaurant. You never experienced ditching a school activity because you can’t afford to buy a freaking tutu. My sister did.”
“I’m sorry, man.”
“This is not about me and my sister. Your father wants you to have a backbone and stand on your own without the Braddson and Winston attached to your name. Trust me, I know the struggles of carrying a huge family name. Cade sometimes feels it’s a burden, a curse to be Moses Braddson’s son. That’s why your father is tough on you.”
“Thanks. That means a lot coming from you.”
Now he grinned. “Tell me about your wife. What’s the lucky pretty girl’s name?”
“Shut up. This marriage is only for a year. After that, we get a divorce, and she will get her money.”
“Fuck. Who chose the bride?” He stared at me with a burning curiosity.
“OB has been searching for candidates.”
“Aren’t you like dating someone?”
I snorted. “You sound just like her.”
“She seems a nice, fine young lady.” He smiled genuinely.
“Stop it. She’s my wife, asshole.”
Linden laughed again, making me shake my head. “I think I know what’s going on here. If this is just a contract marriage, you wouldn’t have come here, asking me to dig deep into a woman’s past. You like her, don’t you?”
“I just want to help, okay.”
“Cut the shit, Winston. What’s wrong with liking or having a crush on your wife? You wouldn’t just pick her because she has a pretty face. You must have seen something in her that triggered an emotion inside you. I don’t mean to be intrusive, but did you sleep with her already?”
“Fuck no.”
“See?” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “No one can escape from Lake Winston’s charm, yet you’re not even trying to get her into your bed. I mean, she’s your wife, for fuck’s sake. So why not? And please, don’t tell me about the arrangement or deal she made with you. That’s a load of shit.”
“You’re saying?”
“You have a lot of respect for your wife. I know where this is heading, Winston.” Linden smiled. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but man, we’re all cursed. Cenric, Mykel, Striker, and Me, and now you. Rome fell in love before they married, so I don’t consider it an arranged or contract marriage, but man, you’re not doomed. I bet my lake house, you’ll fall in love with your wife before this contract ends. Trust me.”
“Just cut the bullshit. Are you going to help me or not?”
“For a man about to fall hard, fuck yeah.” He stood up and extended his hand. “Welcome to the club?”
“What club?” I shook his hand anyway.
“You’ll find out soon enough. And I wanna meet the wife.”
“Her name is Maverick.”