Chapter Five

Angel herself felt as if her world had been turned upside down then shaken. She felt like one of those snow globes people buy at souvenir shops as if everything was up in the air, and slowly falling down. Everyone watched as Angel excused herself, they knew she’d had enough drama and change for one day. Angel made her way back to the penthouse in a fog, did that really, just happen? Did that man really, just choose a granddaughter he’d never met over a nephew he’d known his whole life? It amazed her that kind of love and devotion, that man had earned her respect and her loyalty without even trying.

Hunter had been promised by the Lab he’d have the results no later than the next evening. He’d paid a small fortune for that test, but it’d be worth it if it would make her feel like she belonged. He knew she did, it killed him that he’d had a daughter for nearly twenty years and never known her. Oh, he knew most people wouldn’t believe she was his, but he knew she was. It felt surreal being barely thirty-six and having a grown daughter; it’d been a long day.

It was his phone buzzing in his pocket that drew him away from his thoughts. He looked at the text and sighed, this should be interesting. He was supposed to have met Gwen for dinner tonight and he’d completely forgotten. Gwen was his Mistress and though he’d never led her to believe so and even warned her against it, she had ideas about their future. He thought about how it would look to his daughter to have a Mistress around her. Could he seriously introduce his child to Gwen and not hate himself for it? He didn’t even have to think about that question.

He glanced up at the Denae’s and said “She’ll never stay with me; she’ll never stay with any of you. She’s too independent, if we want to have some say in where she lives and how protected that environment is, it might be in our best interest and hers for us to find her a home that meets those standards.”

He looked up as Justin entered and nodded in agreement with what he’d said. It was his father Jamison who asked the question that had been on Hunter’s mind. Jamison asked, “Why is this so important for you Justin?” Justin shook his head slightly and said “I come from there, where she lived. I’ve seen girls like her my whole life, except those girls’ they gave up. They stopped fighting, turned to drugs, became prostitutes, and their lives became the same as the person who had raised them. Angel, she’s a fighter, Antonio told me that. He said she learned to fight on the streets same as I did. I don’t think any of Serena’s men ever got to do anything to that girl. I think she’s too damn smart for her own good to be honest.”

At their startled expression, he said “Dash just called me, he’s been doing some checking. Angel finished high school by the time she was fourteen, it’s the reason she had so much time to get herself in trouble. She had college scholarships handed to her on a silver platter, but Serena refused to let her go. Letting Angel leave meant losing her money.”

Jamison asked, “She’s smart?” Justin shook his head and said, “No sir, she’s not smart; your granddaughter is a genius.” At their looks of skepticism, he continued saying “Angel has an IQ of 187, I’m not sure where she got her brain from, but hers absorbs knowledge like a sponge.” Hunter looked around the room and then said “So, what you’re saying is that we will have to supply her with something challenging to do as well.” Justin replied, “I was actually thinking she needs to go to college.” At their looks of concern being as they’d just met her, he said “There is any number of College’s here in town she could attend.” He paused but then said, “I’d give her the choice, college or work, whatever she felt she needs.”

     He held out the papers he had in his hand and said “I figured you’d want to go the house route. But I didn’t think you’d want her in a gated community with other people free to come and go as well. So, I isolated all the homes near any of you that have secure gated entrances.  “That is the listings.”  

Justin sat in one of the empty chairs and listened as the men talked. Every once in while putting in his two cents about security measures. They settled on a property Justin himself would have chosen. It was, outside of the Houston city limits in another city but close enough for a commute. It was a ranch it had a 10,000 square foot barn, and multiple little homes on the property for ranch hands, and it even had a bunk house. On the property, there was a chapel built as well. He figured after living in the city so long she might enjoy a little bit of the country. The property had a private road that was gated and plenty of acreage. He suggested they wait and let her pick what furnishings she would want. He also suggested they might want to find an interior designer who would go with whatever Angel chose, no questions asked. The property had a pool inside that had a retractable cover for when the weather was good.

It was a horse ranch he wasn’t sure if she knew anything at all about horses but, he actually knew someone who did. He’d run a tight ship and make sure no one showed up who wasn’t wanted. He explained this all-in detail to the men.

It was Michael who stated the obvious “I’m not sure Mother, Belle, Ellen, or Lillian are going to be too thrilled that we had a sit down about Angel without including their opinions. What a woman looks for in a home is different from a man.” Jamison laughed and said “I considered all of that by trying to think as Belle would. I remember every argument she had for buying a new home when we first got Lake Wood; it was about the bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen. Nothing else mattered but those things.” Hunter smiled and said evenly “I think I have a solution, if we give them a job, a purpose they will run with it. At least mother and Marigold will, they can hire any help for the home that Angel would need and line up, and any furniture stores or deliveries for groceries, appliances and utilities.

As for Lillian and Ellen, we can let them do research on any schools or projects they think might interest Angel.” Justin put in “They might want to stick to programs with women in need or children, anything with at risk people.”

Angel herself at that moment stood at the floor to ceiling windows of the penthouse and wondered how she’d made it into this world. All rational thought said it wasn’t possible to get this lucky. The odds were so astronomical that it was unbelievable. She wasn’t stupid enough to believe they’d let her walk out of their lives either. She now had a family for better or worse. She could adjust to it and accept the fact she could be loved, or she could alienate the only people who could love her.

She didn’t feel right settling into that huge bed in the master suite, so she’d found a comforter and made herself a bed up on the couch again. She was beyond worn out, but her brain had refused to shut down. She had missed her daily exercise routine so began doing crunches and push-ups to equal herself out. After a quick shower, she pulled on a pair of yoga shorts and a tank top and climbed in her makeshift bed. She felt so out of her element.

It was the ringing of the penthouse bell that woke her the next morning. A quick glance at her watch told her, no it was afternoon and she’d slept all day. Over sleeping, always made her feel a bit groggy. She checked the monitor display as Justin had taught her before opening the door. It was her family, all of them to her shock. She quickly opened the door, not even thinking about the fact she hadn’t brushed her hair. One look at her and they knew they’d woken her up, everyone began to apologize, Angel smiled and said “No, you’re good come in. Over sleeping, always makes me a bit groggy.

Just bear with me, a little bit of caffeine and I’ll be perfectly fine.” She headed to the kitchen perfectly aware that they were all following her. That was the good thing about these new coffee pots you could make a single cup of coffee in a couple minutes. Once she had her coffee and they were all seated around the dining room table the talking began. They asked her many questions about herself and she answered them, despite the fact she wasn’t used to anyone caring. When the doorbell rang again, she glanced around, realizing she’d been wrong her whole family wasn’t here, her father had been missing.

She checked the monitor and was shocked to see it wasn’t in fact her father standing there but a woman she didn’t know. She called for her grandfather just as the doorbell pealed again through the penthouse. When her grandfather said, “She has nerve.” She looked over her shoulder to see her other grandfather Jamison had joined him. When they opened the door, she noted the guard hadn’t left his post but was staring anxiously at the woman. When the woman saw her, she said angrily “You…” but before she could say another word the elevators dinged and out walked Justin and her father.

Justin took in the situation with one look and threw a withering glance at his guard, before saying coldly “Micah, escort Mrs. Markham off the property, she is not to be admitted again.” He saw the younger man blanch at this news. But the kid did his job of escorting the screeching Elisabeth Markham, also known as Harrison’s sister off the property. He listened as they explained to Angel that she was Todd’s mother. It was three in the afternoon and looked as if she’d just rolled out of bed. Justin took his leave; he needed to make sure there would be no more mistakes like that again.  

Hunter held up the envelope in his hand holding it out to Angel. She stared at it quizzically and asked, “What’s that?” Hunter motioned for her to precede him inside as he said “Results.” Angel walked back to the table in a fog, either this would prove Hunter was her father or she was back at square one. Slowly she opened it; she knew all their eyes were glued to her. Angel read the paper fully in stunned disbelief before passing it to Hunter. She’d never expected to have a family much less two such large ones. Looking across at her father, that word still surprised her, even though she’d known what the results would say. He looked too young to have a child her age. When she looked at him Hunter said simply “I’m not the one who needed the test to believe it.”

It was her grandfather Harrison who said “We’d like you to continue staying here.  The thing is you are without a doubt my daughter’s only child.  As such all that she possessed while alive reverts to you.  That includes her trust funds, her business interests, property.  In a sense, you’re already a very wealthy young woman.” At Angel’s narrowed eyes he said, “I know you don’t want anything that belonged to Stacia, but everything she had she got from our family.” He paused then continued saying “You don’t expect anything from our families but as a member born to this family you are entitled to certain things whether you want them or not.  

We have taken into consideration that you are used to being on your own. And we have found a place not too far from the city but far enough and private enough that you’d have your own space.” He held up a hand when she would have interrupted and said “I know you don’t want anything but listen to me here Angel, bear with me. My daughter, my flesh and blood did this to you. Let me, let us all try as ineffectually as we can to make up for all of that.”

It was in that moment she realized though she didn’t want anything from these people who were her new family that she couldn’t stand to see how this situation was ripping at them from the inside out. She’d accept whatever they wanted to give without complaint because it would hurt them if she did not. They must have seen the look of resignation in her eyes as he passed her the listing on the house they had chosen.      

Angel looked the place over with an objective eye, not that she could complain any place was better than nothing but this, this was a palace compared to where she’d come from. She was speechless. She didn’t know a lot about horses, she was a quick study though, and if it would make them happy for her to do this then she’d learn all she could, and she would live there for them.

Hunter said “The ranch is called Wild Creek Ranch, until recently it has been used for horse breeding and racing. You can make it operational again, or you can leave it be. It is completely up to you.” Angel found herself nodding as she once again read over the material presented to her. She would do some research see what she could learn and decide.

It was her grandmother Belle who said “Don’t go thinking what Stacia has is all your entitled too. I know you don’t know it, but my family before I married Jamison setup a fund for their future grandchildren and great grandchildren alike, myself and Jamison followed in that tradition ourselves.” She glanced at her daughters then back at Angel and said, “My daughters bless their hearts are so much like their father business wise they’ll never take time off for marriage or kids.” To which both women gave her loving looks then turned their attention back to Angel.

Belle continued saying “What I’m trying to tell you dear is that you could never work another day in your life, and you’d never go broke, no matter how wild you went spending money. You don’t know us that well so, we’ve had our attorney’s call around to try and find you legal representation. You will get to choose which firm you go with, but you will have a meeting setup to interview them all tomorrow at the ranch. We’ve taken the Liberty to have the Utilities turned on so that we can take you out to the ranch tonight to view it. Also, Justin has a friend who is a horse trainer, he is ex-military and Justin would like you to hire him to handle training the horses.”