CHAPTER 3

One week earlier

          Darius set the papers down on his desk and sat back. He was perplexed… Intrigued but perplexed. When he’d received the phone call yesterday, he’d thought it was a joke. A father couldn’t truly be serious offering his child in exchange for money.

          Though, as Darius went through the files on Alannah Miles, he was beginning to realize that Edwin Miles was more than serious. The man was willing to trade his daughter for cash.

          Normally, Darius wouldn’t give the scum of a man the time of day. His time was too valuable to waste, and he didn’t make poor business decisions. However, he was curious... What was in it for Alannah? Was she going along with her father? How far was she willing to go?

          He looked at her photograph, picking it up from his desk for at least the twentieth time. She was beautiful… well, she was gorgeous... Her long dark hair was pinned back in the photo, and her dark brown, almost black eyes, were mysterious as if she had secrets she was trying to hide from the world.

          Her nose had the slightest bend to it as if it was broken at one time, but had healed nicely, giving her face an almost softer look. Her beauty was rounded off by her high cheekbones, and the oval shape of her face.

          Darius hadn’t been intrigued in a long time over a woman, but Alannah Miles had his undivided attention. He’d placed a post a week ago, needing a new public relations representative.

          It was placed in extremely select listings as he didn’t want, nor need, the general public to apply. He wanted only the best. The call from Edwin Miles hadn’t been the call he’d been expecting. With irritation, he lifted his phone and dialed the man’s direct line.

“Edwin Miles.”

“This is Darius King. I’ve thought about your offer, and I’ve decided to accept.”

          Darius felt no need to offer anything else.

“That’s great, Darius. Why don’t you come by my house tomorrow and we can sign the papers,” Edwin replied, excitement rushing over the line.

          He was even more disgusted.

“It’s Mr. King, and I have conditions,” Darius warned, to which there was a long pause on the other end of the line.

“What would those be?” the man finally asked, not responding to the scolding of the man being too familiar with his name.

“Is your daughter aware of our… deal?”

“I’ve told her that it’s time she gets a job. She’s had it too easy for too long. It’s time she stops living off of me and learns how to make it in the real world,” Edwin said, evading the question.

          ‘She is a spoiled heiress, then.’

          Darius should just let it go and move on, but for some reason, he couldn’t. Well, he had a couple of reasons. One of which was the people Alannah Miles knew. And the second one… well, that one he still hadn’t figured out.

“Is she going to give me trouble?”

“Not at all, Mr. King. My daughter has been taught to behave since she was very little,” Edwin said with an evil laugh.

          A shudder rippled down Darius’s spine. He wasn’t even in the room with Edwin, but the man oozed filth. People like him would eventually fail. His supposed family was just like Edwin Miles… full of greed and not afraid to walk on people to get what they wanted.

“Fine! I’ll meet you at your place, but not until next week. My attorney will have the paperwork ready.”

          He hung up the phone without saying anything further. The less he talked to the slime ball, the more he’d be able to digest making a deal with the devil. Pushing those thoughts from his mind, Darius picked up the second stack of paperwork on his desk, this time a genuine smile popping out on his face.

          It was time! Finally, he had what he needed to start his takeover of the men who’d killed his parents. It was long past time. Darius’s lips turned up in what would look like a smile to the rest of the world.

“Soon… Very soon, Mother…” he whispered. “This is another step…”

          Darius was suddenly impatient to close the deal and get Alannah Miles. He thought about going after her, but he wasn’t an impulsive man, or at least with most people he wasn’t.

               His lips softened as he thought of his one and only friend, Britany. His only impulsive act, ever, had been to offer to marry her. He would’ve, too, had she said yes. Luckily, Erik, the baby’s father, had come back into her life, and not only wanted to do the right thing, but Erik was deeply in love with Britany.

          Darius didn’t believe in happily-ever-after love, but it was hard to deny that Britany and Erik were deeply in love. The way they looked at each other was almost disturbing.

          He shook off thoughts of Britany. He couldn’t carry out his plans if he thought of his best friend. She’d kill him if she knew what he was up to. He’d never spoken of his past with anyone, not even her. But he’d made a promise to his mother, on her bedside. It was a promise he intended to keep no matter what.

                                                          *****

Present Day

          Darius’s eyes followed Alannah as she sat at a small table, away from prying eyes. This was her sister's wedding reception and she looked quite tired. He had to admit she had a natural grace and beauty about her that could easily reel a man in. Darius wasn’t worried about getting too attached. He wasn’t interested in love. He’d been there, done that... no more... 

          She was just another piece of the puzzle to the grand design of his life, to the purpose he’d practically been made for. He could succeed without her, but… why should he? He liked what he saw, and with such an appealing package up for grabs, Darius figured, why not?

          Alannah was almost meaningless… almost. She just happened to have a best friend who was a part of the family he was close to taking over. With her father so easily trading his daughter, who was he to refuse?

          The meeting with her father hadn’t been pleasant. The man was the lowest kind of scum, but Darius figured he was doing Alannah a favor getting her out of there. Not that she seemed to be in a hurry, from everything he’d learned so far.

          While watching Alannah Miles slowly walking away from the wedding party, Darius’s mind drifted as he thought about his conversation with Edwin Miles.

“Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. King,” Edwin said, obviously pleased at having Darius in his office.

          The man was practically drooling as he waited for Darius to sign on the dotted line. Darius was silent as he towered over the guy. He wasn’t there to make friends with Edwin. He was there for a business transaction.

          He had done his research. He knew Edwin was in deep enough trouble that he needed the deal they were making. Mr. Miles still had the rest of the world fooled, planning a huge, over-the-top wedding for his daughter, living large in his huge mansion, driving his luxurious car… but Darius knew Edwin was close to bankrupt. He’d made poor business choices, and had lost billions of dollars.

          The man was practically a slithering idiot at the opportunity to do business with Darius’s corporation. Darius owned thousands of properties throughout the world, making only the finest of wines. He knew how to choose the land, pick the vines, and staff the property to make wine in which royalty was on stand-by for.

          He seemed to have the Midas touch because every venture he invested in, every dollar he made, ended up tripling. He couldn’t seem to lose when it came to financials, but it was never enough. None of it was. Only retribution could soothe his troubled soul.

“To be honest… Edwin,” he stressed the name, letting the man know that even though Edwin couldn’t address Darius informally, Darius certainly would take the opportunity to do so to Edwin, “I wasn’t going to take you up on your offer, but then I did some research… It made me change my mind. I’m absolutely intrigued by why on earth you’d basically sell your own child.”

          Darius left the words as a statement, seeing if Edwin would fill in the blanks.

“You placed an ad. I just happen to have a solution. I’m looking for investors, so it seemed a mutually beneficial deal. I’m a very private man, though, and the terms of our agreement are to stay between us… I hope,” Edwin replied, showing a bit of the backbone that had made him billions of dollars.

“I’m a private man myself, Edwin.”

          Edwin gazed at him for a few silent moments. Darius could see the man was trying to decide if Darius was for real or not. Though Darius’s passion was his vineyards, he was well-known throughout the world as a smart investor. It was common knowledge that he never invested in a losing company.

          Darius knew he’d most likely lose every dime of the money he sunk into Miles’ enterprises but it didn’t matter. This wasn’t about making money, it was about payback, and Darius didn’t care if he lost millions. It was unimportant to him.

“Fine... It looks like we’re both agreeable. Are you going to accept the offer?” Edwin finally asked, sitting back, trying to portray a man with confidence, who was slightly bored, but he wasn’t pulling it off.

“Well… I’m willing to invest ten million into your project.”

          He paused, letting his words sink in.

“But only if your daughter is… willing to cooperate.”

          Edwin waited for more. Darius said nothing else.

“How… willing?” Edwin finally asked, his eyebrow beading with sweat as he nervously waited for Darius’s reply.

          It was obvious the man didn’t think his daughter was worth ten million dollars. In reality, he was most likely right. The only woman Darius knew was worthing that kind of money, even more, was already taken.

“Do you really want to know?” Darius mocked.

          Darius was still standing, towering his six-foot-plus frame over the small man. He bent down, his knuckles grazing the desk. He knew intimidation was his best tactical maneuver.

“I can’t make any guarantees about her attitude, but I’ll make sure she works hard,” Edwin replied slightly, the perspiration starting to drip from his eyebrow.

“I wouldn’t be too concerned about her attitude. From everything I’ve learned about her, your daughter seems to be quite… accommodating,” Darius mocked.

          He watched as Edwin blanched, but didn’t back down. The man was truly selling his daughter, even with Darius leaving the impression that he wanted her for nothing more than a sex slave.

          Darius wanted to turn and walk from the room, dismissing the entire deal, but the more he sunk into this twisted family, the more he desired to know about Alannah Miles. But he’d have his answers soon enough.

          His cold green eyes showed none of the emotions raging through him as he pulled the pen from his breast pocket. He signed the paper before looking into the greedy eyes of his newest investee. It was the first time he’d signed a deal that made him almost throw up.