BAM-The Beginning (Vested Interest) Page 4

“Amen to that,” I breathed.

  “Bent, this is awesome,” Aiden exclaimed as we walked through my new house.

  I had found the piece of land by accident. Out for a run one night, I turned down a different street and discovered the empty, pie-shaped lot. Though it was overgrown and neglected, I knew it was exactly right for me. We did some digging, found the owners, and I made an offer to purchase it. I worked with an up-and-coming young architect I had discovered, and he designed a house that fit the odd shape perfectly, even giving me the indoor pool I wanted. It was small but had the added bonus of being a lap pool. The land overlooked a ravine, was located on a quiet, dead-end street and the only request my elderly neighbors had was that I left the old trees that lined the edge of the property. I was happy to do so since they gave me another layer of privacy. All the windows were tinted for the same reason. Four stories high, it had an elevator that took you from the entrance all the way up. I usually used the stairs, but it did come in handy at times.

  Maddox and Aiden had seen the plans, walked through the site with me on a few occasions, but it was the first time they had been in since it was completed. I’d had all my parent’s furniture removed from storage and restored—small memories of a life from long ago scattered around my house. It gave the house a formal feel some people wouldn’t like, but I was comfortable with.

  My favorite floor contained the sun-room with the pool where I spent a great deal of time, and now the latest area was finished—the theatre room. I opened the door and stuck my arm out with a flourish. “Ta-da!”

  Maddox whistled as he took in the rows of deep theatre loungers. Aiden whooped with delight over the popcorn machine and built-in kitchen complete with beverages and snacks. They gazed in rapture at the huge screen and peeked at the hidden electronics that ran everything.

  “I’m moving in,” Aiden stated.

  I laughed. “How about you just use your code to get in.”

  He flung himself into a seat in the third row. “Okay. Hang a sock on the door if you’re busy.”

  I chuckled. The way my life was going, there was a slim chance of that happening. I was too busy with the company to try a relationship. The last one I’d had was a disaster. I was, apparently, “a bore” and far too involved in my career. She was right. I found business far more stimulating than her company and had been secretly grateful when she ended the short relationship. I had no time in my life for that. None of us did.

  Maddox crossed his arms with a smile. “Not moving in, but I’m looking forward to some game nights in this room.”

  “Movies too. In fact, fire one up, Bent. We need some relaxation. Either that, or I’m getting in the pool.” Aiden winked. “And I don’t have a suit with me.”

  “Ugh, I am not looking at your naked ass again,” Maddox grumbled. He took a seat in the row in front of Aiden. “As it is, I need to sit in front of you to see around your big head.”

  “The ladies like my big head.”

  Maddox stood. “Jesus, put in a movie, Aiden. Can you make some popcorn and shut him up, Bent?”

  “On it,” I said.

  “Get me a Coke while you’re at it. You got butter for the popcorn, Bent?” Aiden grinned.

  I headed to the kitchen area, chuckling. I knew they would love this room. Having my brothers here was the main reason I’d built it. Despite seeing one another every day at the office, we still enjoyed time together after hours. The banter and constant ribbing were what we needed after the stressful hours we put in.

  “Make his extra buttery—he’ll eat more. He can’t talk with his mouth full,” Maddox muttered.

  “Wanna bet?” I laughed. “Remember the night you challenged him to see how many cheeseballs he could stuff in his gob and still talk? I was still picking bits off the wall days after from when he started to laugh and sprayed us with the mess.”

  Maddox chuckled while he filled the massive cups with Coke and ice as the popcorn popper began shooting out kernels of hot, fluffy goodness. I added a huge dollop of butter into the top, watching as it began to melt. I rarely ate butter or drank soda, but tonight was about having fun and I was making an exception. I’d do extra sit-ups at the gym tomorrow.

  “I recall,” he said dryly. “Only Aiden.”

  I glanced at the massive man sitting in the lounger, eyes intent on the screen as he chose a movie for us to watch. His physical presence was overwhelming to most people, but I knew under that immense bulk beat the heart of a kid still looking for his place in the world.

  Just like Maddox and me.

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “Only Aiden.”

  Chapter 4

  Present Day

  I wandered around the house, my head full and my feet restless. I couldn’t settle, no matter how hard I tried. The day, the week, the past few months weighed heavily on my mind. I entered the kitchen, thinking maybe I needed to eat dinner. It had been a busy day, and the last thing I remembered eating was an energy bar after my workout with Aiden. Maybe it would help me feel better.

  Andrew, my houseman, rose from his seat at the table. “Sir?”

  I smiled at him. Andrew ran the house for me, made sure the place was cleaned, looked after all the bills, and oversaw the maintenance. He was a quiet man who came from a busier household but, after a heart attack, had to slow down. He was a perfect fit for my needs and guaranteed the house ran smoothly without having to do the work himself. He was an old-fashioned cook, which suited my tastes. He usually left dinner for me to heat up or take from the fridge before he retired to his suite at the back of the house on the main floor, but on occasion, we shared a glass of his preferred port and battled over the chessboard.

  “Sit, Andrew. I was looking for a bite to eat.”

  “I prepared you a Cobb salad. There are fresh rolls in the pantry. Shall I get it for you?”

  “No. I can do it myself. Thank you.” I indicated the journal he was working on. “Everything shipshape with the house?”

  He nodded as he tapped the book. He recorded all maintenance and expenditures in his neat cursive and left it on my desk every month where I could go through the items and ask questions if needed. That was rare since he was so thorough with his dealings. “The pool was cleaned and the pump checked today. The windows will be done once this rain stops. You should find it all in order.”

  “I expect nothing less, Andrew.” I pulled out the bowl of salad, eschewing dressing, instead grinding some pepper on the top. “Are you seeing your grandkids this weekend?”

  He beamed. “Yes. Jason is in a recital tomorrow night as well. My daughter is picking me up to go and watch him perform. She tells me his piano lessons are coming along very well, and his teacher feels he is quite gifted.” His voice was drenched in gratefulness. “His sister has started lessons now. The piano you gifted my family is being well used and loved.”

  I returned his smile. My mother’s piano had sat unused for years and I had no inclination to ever try to learn to play and had no idea what to do with it when it came out of storage. I had overheard Andrew discussing trying to find a reasonably priced one for his grandson, who had expressed an interest in learning, with his daughter. I’d had the piano tuned and delivered the next week and I’d paid for the first year’s lessons for his grandson as a thank-you to Andrew for his service. He and his family had been thrilled.

  “I’m glad to hear that.”

  “Perhaps, if it is not overstepping, you might come hear him one day.”

  I clapped him on the shoulder. “I would enjoy that, Andrew.”

  He smiled. “You may want to hold off hearing little Jenny for a while. She is still more about pushing keys than playing.”

  “Noted.” I picked up the salad. “I’m heading to the sun-room. Work on your ledgers tomorrow, Andrew, and retire. I don’t want you overtired. You have a recital to attend tomorrow.”

  “Thank you.” He paused. “Is everything all right, sir? You seem distracted.”

  I shook my head, forcing a
nother smile. “Just a long day. The food and some sleep will help. Good night.”

  “Good night, sir.”

  I headed upstairs, the short conversation somehow adding to my mood. I had been fighting melancholy all day. It was an odd feeling for me.

  Why was a mystery.

  Everything was going well. Better than well. Business was booming—we could hardly keep up. Earlier today, Aiden, Maddox, and I had sat down and reviewed the year, the upcoming plans, and the finances. The company was solvent, with a very healthy bottom line. We treated our employees well, and turnover was minimal. The building was solely ours now and filled with staff. We had warehouses that housed what the building could not contain for flips, extra machinery, and storage. Every department ran efficiently. Sandy was still with us, Max beginning to show more signs of his disease, but he was handling it with grace and a determination to overcome.

  Maddox had prepared personal finances for us as well, and my net worth was now well over a billion. Three years ahead of the schedule I had set in my head. Although it was only a number, it was six years of hard work, dedication, and a one-track mind-set. When he had handed me the file and I looked at the number, I had felt a strange indifference to the figures. I was happier knowing my friends, my partners—my brothers—were set and stable. It pleased me to know I had helped make their life that way and they would never again worry about finances.

  BAM was the success I had always envisioned.

  Yet, the melancholy and disconnect persisted all day. I glanced around the sun-room, the darkness outside reflecting in the dim lighting bouncing off the glass. My favorite room in the house felt empty tonight. The entire house felt echoey and strange. My breathing seemed loud in the otherwise silent rooms.

  The quiet was deafening.

  I wondered briefly if the constant rain had anything to do with my strange mood.

  My phone ringing startled me, and I hit the speaker button.

  “Aiden.”

  “Hey, Bent.”

  “What’s up?”

  I heard his huff of air. “That’s what I’m wondering.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “Are you okay, Bent? You were quiet all afternoon. Withdrawn. Maddox was worried you were upset over the figures we discussed.”

  I barked out a laugh. “He can stop worrying. Our numbers are solid. Professionally and personally.”

  “It’s been longer than just today, if I’m being honest. You haven’t been yourself for a couple of days. Is it the situation with the Lancaster deal? The photos?”

  Someone had been sending photos of me taken on various occasions. They arrived at the strangest times and, to this point, had been untraceable. Aiden was more concerned over their appearance than I was.

  I sighed, rubbing my temples. “I don’t like the fact that someone is after the same parcels of land, but no, it’s business. I still think the photos are simply someone trying to piss me off. And before you can ask, I know you’ve added the extra security measures as a precaution. I dislike it, but I get it.”

  “But?” His question hung in the air.

  I had no idea what to tell my friend. How did I explain that the loner of the group, the man who preferred silence to conversation, an evening poring over business plans to the company of another person, was feeling…lonely? How it felt as if I had achieved every goal I set out for myself, yet something was missing? That the house I had built felt like a place to stay and not a home? How did I explain it when I didn’t understand it myself?

  “Nothing,” I sighed. “I think I’m just tired.”

  “I’ve never heard you say that. Ever.”

  “First time for everything, Aiden.”

  “You want me to come over? We could watch a movie or something.”

  “No, I’m going to do some laps in the pool and go to bed. We have that early meeting tomorrow with Greg.”

  “Yeah. Thanks for the reminder.”

  I chuckled. “I can go without you.”

  “Nope. I’ll be there with Frank to pick you up.” He paused. “You sure you’re okay, Bent?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Thanks, Aiden.” I hung up and stared into space. I was grateful for his concern, yet unable to articulate my odd mood. If I couldn’t identify it, I doubted Aiden could.

  Finally, I stood and slipped the uneaten salad into the fridge in the theatre room. I shut off the lights and headed to my master suite. Forgetting about the laps, I stood under the multiheaded shower, letting the hot water pour over my shoulders, loosening the stiff muscles. I slid into bed, the king-size mattress feeling cold and empty.

  With a sigh, I shut my eyes. I was being ridiculous. I had everything I had ever wanted—ever dreamed of. My own company, money, power, and a small but trusted circle. I drove an expensive car, lived in a fabulous house, and could buy anything I wanted. Most people would kill to be in my position.

  Yet, I felt a void.

  A memory of my parents came to mind. The love they had for each other. For me. The laughter that rang out in the home where we lived. The hugs, kisses, and affection. How I had missed that more than anything when they were gone.

  That was the last memory I had of being truly happy and content.

  But it was something I would never have again.

  Love wasn’t something even I could buy. And it wasn’t something I was capable of feeling. There was no point in dwelling or giving in to such ridiculous emotions. I needed to put it out of my mind.

  I punched my pillow and rolled over.

  Tomorrow was a new day, and I would face it the way I faced every other day.

  Determined.

  Intense.

  I began to drift, and another word floated through my mind.

  Alone.

  What happens the next morning?

  Watch the tycoons of Vested Interest fall

  Continue reading for a sneak peek of Book One in the Vested Interest series.

  Vested Interest #1

  I stepped outside and inhaled a lungful of air. After the past four days of steamy, oppressive heat, the rain that soaked the ground and broke the humidity had been a welcome relief. In the early morning hours, it was cool and fresh.

  “Your paper, sir,” Andrew, my houseman, said.

  I nodded and took my copy of The Globe and Mail, looking down the street, pleased to see my car approaching. As usual, Frank was on time, a fraction early, actually—the same as me.

  The car rolled up to the curb, and the rear passenger door opened. Aiden Callaghan, my head of security and right hand, eased his massive form out of the seat, and waved his arm with a flourish.

  “Your ride, Eminence.”

  Ignoring his tone and usual jibe, I slid into the back seat, snapping on the seat belt. I unfolded the paper, the newsprint still crisp and unblemished. Often, if Aiden grabbed the paper before I did, it was creased and smeared, the edges dark with coffee stains or sticky from whatever donut he was shoving in his mouth at the time. The man was an endless pit, it seemed.

  “Mr. Tomlin’s office, sir?”

  “Yes, Frank.”

  I began to study the financial section, when Aiden’s finger bent over the top of the paper.

  “Not even a good morning, asshole? Thanks for being here so early? Nothing?”

  I rolled my eyes and snapped the paper back into place. “That’s what I pay you for.”

  There was silence.

  With a low groan, I folded the paper. “Good morning.”

  He leaned back with a grin, resting his arm along the top of the leather seat. “Morning, sunshine.”

  “Don’t push it.”

  “Can I ask why we’re heading to a meeting at the crack of dawn? You own the company you know. You could schedule meetings for times not typically seen only by night owls and prostitutes.”

  I bit back my smile at his dig. “I have a full day.”

  “I think you like to piss off Greg and get him into the office extra early.”

/>   I glanced out the window. It was early. There was next to no traffic, which for Toronto, was unusual. I preferred early morning meetings. I rarely slept past five, and I liked to start my day not long after I woke.

  I lifted one shoulder in a dismissive action, then grinned. “For your information, Aiden, I’m certain night owls and prostitutes have long since headed to bed. Besides, I did tell you I didn’t need you to be there this morning.”

  He shook his head. “Nope. I told you, we aren’t taking any chances.”

  With a sigh, I brushed a small piece of lint from my pants. “They were idle threats. Nothing has come of them. You’re being overly cautious.”

  He bent forward, all traces of levity gone. “Whoever it was, threatened your life, Bent. I don’t take that as idle. They mentioned the deal you’re determined to finish, so they know something about you. Until it’s done, I’m sticking like glue.” He sat back. “Plus, it gives me a chance to piss off the big shot lawyer, too.” His grin returned, wide and wicked.

  Aiden and Greg seemed to have a love/hate relationship. Aiden respected Greg, yet there seemed to be a constant push and pull between them.

  I’d met Aiden when we were at university. When I opened my business, I brought him and another friend of ours, Maddox, on board. They’d been with me ever since.

  Greg became my lawyer six years ago. He was an odd man, his personality dry and cool, but brilliant. He was what I needed in a lawyer. Emotionless, in control, and always wanting to win.

  My phone beeped as we arrived at our destination. I glanced at the screen with a grimace.

  “Greg is running late. His car wouldn’t start. He’ll be about forty-five minutes.”

  “Great. Breakfast then? The place over on Queen?”

  I peered out the window. “I’m not overly hungry. You go. Take Frank and get breakfast. I’ll grab coffee in the shop over there.”

  “Bent,” he warned, “not alone.”