Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.
Rated M for several reasons.
Chapter 4 Legacy
BPOV
Reginald Royston Cooper, aka The Old Man, was often described as the last great American tycoon. Even I'd heard of him though like most people I'd never heard of the company he founded, Cask Corp. I had to look them up before I went to my interview, then wished I hadn't, they were huge. They owned companies that manufactured all sorts of things, from ships to polystyrene. The mind boggled.
But I didn't have a lot of choice at the time.
I'd never intended to move to New York but when Mom and Phil, her second husband, had their accident here it just seemed like the easiest thing to do. Phil didn't make it and Mom, well it was going to be a long time before she went anywhere. And since I didn't have any kind of life plan it didn't seem like such a big deal.
When I turned up at the Cask building in my best suit, sick to my stomach with nerves, I'd been expecting to meet some guy from Human Resources. And I have to say that as the burnished copper elevator whisked me silently up to the top floor of plush carpets and hushed whispering I was seriously impressed with the clout HR had in this company, normally in my experience they were in the basement with the IT people.
I announced myself at the forbidding reception desk and after a few minutes was ushered through an impressive set of double doors where I came face to face with the Old Man.
"You." He said in his deep voice. "Do not look like you are called Michael Strathmore."
"Um. No. Bella Swan."
"Are you on the list?"
"Um?"
He sighed and sat back in his chair.
"I don't have your resume I'm afraid. Talk me through it."
I hesitated for a moment.
"Sit down girl." He snapped. "At least if you faint in the chair someone can carry you out in it and if you're going to vomit, the waste paper basket is to your left."
It turned out HR had mixed up the interview lists. Instead of being interviewed for a junior position in Corporate Affairs I interviewed for the Old Man's personal assistant. I still don't know why he chose me over the other eminently more suitable candidates, he sure as shit never told me. On a personal level he wasn't big on revealing what was going on in his head, just the occasional pearl of wisdom gleaned from almost ninety years walking the earth.
The wretched man was fitter than me, and tall, I used to have jog to keep up with him.
And everything I knew about his life I looked up somewhere.
Never married. Never had any children. Older brother who died in the second world war, also childless. Patron of the Arts and a few select charities. He wore pin stripe suits with waistcoats and pocket watches, even at the weekends, and had a penchant for hand rolled Cuban cigars and the finest cognacs.
He never told me why he left me his majority share holding but when he got sick he made me promise to take care of Cask Corp.
So I do.
It might seem odd to some to love an old man I barely knew but I did spend almost twenty hours a day with him, almost seven days a week for a couple of years and I probably knew him as well as anybody did, except perhaps Demetri, who was his driver too. The Old Man gave me a chance that no one else would have done, and taught me things that no one else could have, I owe him a lot.
...
The electric gates on the parking garage of my building are on the fritz again so I cruise the streets until I find somewhere to leave my Panamera GTS. Nothing had better happen to it, I love this car.
The city really doesn't ever sleep so I'm not the only one on the street as I hurry towards home and my bed.
"Bella?" A voice asks and I turn automatically, coming face to face with a sandy haired man I'm pretty sure I've never met before.
"Um, I'm sorry, its late, do I know you?"
"I was hoping you'd like to have coffee with me?"
Shit. Fuck. Stranger danger. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle.
"I'm sorry." I begin, starting to walk away. "I'm expected home and I'm late . . . ."
I make it about three strides before I feel his hand on my elbow.
"Please Bella. It's the least you can do."
"I'm sorry?" I snap, yanking myself away from him. "I'm not going to have coffee with someone I don't know."
I turn on my heel and walk away again.
"Bella. Stop. Don't be coy with me. We're going to be great friends, and lovers, I'm sure of it. You just need to give me a chance."
I don't stop and I don't look back.
"I have to go, I'm sorry." I throw over my shoulder.
I'm almost at the corner of my building when he grabs me, pulling me sideways into the shadows, his hand covering my mouth.
Now I'm scared. So I bite his palm and knee him in the balls. He lets go, cursing, and I run.
But my Christian Louboutins and I weren't designed for it and my ankle twists, hurling me to the sidewalk.
"Fuck." I scream, scrabbling forward onto my knees and getting to my feet.
A hand snags in the back of my jacket and I whirl around, shoving the heel of my hand into his nose, then I'm off and running again.
"Fucking bitch." He howls. "You'll pay for that."
There goes the friends and lovers part I guess.
I round the corner and sprint for the front doors but this time when he grabs me he turns me quickly and punches me in the face. The darkness explodes into painful stars and I barely register when he hits me again, just the feel of falling through the air and my head hitting the sidewalk . . . .
...
"Lie still Bella." A familiar voice orders. "The EMTs will be here in a minute."
"Demetri?" I gasp in panic, struggling against his restraining hands. "Where is he?"
"He's over there." Demetri inclines his head indicating somewhere behind us. "Don't worry about him, he's not getting anywhere near you again."
"God I'm glad you're here."
"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner." He murmurs, studying me intently.
"Has he spoiled the pretty?" I ask nonsensically, wondering if the pain in my face bodes ill.
"No Bella." Demetri barks out a short laugh. "I don't think he's permanently damaged the 'pretty', but you might want to stay in for a few days till the bruising fades."
"Can I get up?"
"Not until the EMTs get here."
"But I'm fine, the sidewalk's freezing and you know I don't like fuss."
"You were out cold. So, no, you can't get up."
I sigh theatrically and he rolls his eyes at me as the ambulance pulls up.
...
"Holy shit!" Char exclaims, dropping Pete's hand and rushing to my side. "Fuck. Are you okay?"
"Of course I am." I grumble. "They say they're just keeping me in overnight for observation. Keeping an eye on their profits more like."
"He hasn't damaged your inner grump then." She laughs in relief.
"He never got that far, by some miracle Demetri was there."
Hmm.
"Charlotte Whitlock, explain the shifty eyes please."
Behind her Pete chuckles and she turns to scowl at him.
"Okay. We kind of knew you'd acquired another stalker and after all the grief you gave us last time we decided to just let Demetri keep a closer eye on you."
"We?"
"Steve Nichols and I."
"What the fuck has a random crackpot got to do with Steve, he's head of corporate security."
"And you're the head of the body corporate so you're his responsibility as well."
"Fine." I sigh, closing my eyes. "Remind me to thank him in the morning."
"Are you mad at me?" She asks.
I open my eyes again.
"No. And thank you too. But please, tell me next time, okay?"
She nods and we share a smile.
"Did you bring my clothes?"
"Yes. But the Doctor says you should stay here."
"I want to go home. Please."
"Fine." She huffs. "Pete, out."
"Yes ma'am." He drawls at her throwing me a salute as he ambles away.
...
Promising to be round first thing in the morning Char hugs me and then Demetri settles me carefully in the car and drives me home.
"Will you come in?" I ask him, feeling awkward, but he nods and takes the keys to open the door for me. "I'm desperate for some coffee, want some?"
"Please." He replies, perching on the couch.
I bustle around the kitchen for a few minutes, gathering my thoughts and then join him in the living room with our coffees. Demetri's always been as tight lipped as the Old Man but I've gotten to know more about him over the years and I respect him, he should not be following me around all hours of the day and night while I fritter my life away.
"Are you going to be in any trouble?" I ask him. "The policeman who interviewed me said the guy was in a bit of a state."
"No." He shakes his head. "He attacked me when I pulled him off you. Self defence."
"Thank you. I can't tell you . . . . I was so scared. Thank you Demetri."
He nods and sips his coffee.
"You want to know why don't you?" He asks.
"Yes. Please."
"The Old Man hired me to be his driver because of my military background. No one that rich or visible is ever truly safe, he understood that better than most. I was always his Driver cum Bodyguard. When he got sick he told me that he was leaving the company to you and he asked me to look out for you too. He thought you were too soft and too trusting to think of it for yourself."
"Please please tell me that you haven't wasted your time following me about all these years. That's not fair, you shouldn't have to do that."
"I haven't, I'm with you most of the time anyway and it wasn't a waste of time, I made a promise."
"But I'm not even paying you for that." I object.
"How much do you think chauffeurs get paid Bella?" He laughs. "You've always paid me for my other skills whether you realised it or not."
"Some CEO I am." I huff.
"You shouldn't have to know everything that goes on in the world Bella, the Old Man didn't want you to lose all that innocence, he just wanted me to keep you safe."
"I feel . . . . stupid."
"You're not that." He says gently.
And for some really inane reason hot tears start rolling down my face. I scrub at them angrily but they won't fucking stop and the pain in my poor abused face is nothing compared to the one in my chest. What the fucking hell is wrong with me?
Demetri sets his mug down, taking away mine, and silently gathers me in his big strong arms.
Which really doesn't help, in no time at all I'm sobbing against him like a child, relieved that he doesn't ask me why, because I'm pretty sure I can't explain it. Maybe it's the fact that someone's been watching out for me all this time and I was completely oblivious.
When I finally calm I pull away from him with a whispered apology and he gets up without a word to finish his coffee.
"Bella." He says as he hovers in the doorway on the way out. "I know you promised the Old Man too, but he wouldn't hold you to it, not if you weren't happy. He loved you."
I manage a wan smile as I close the door behind him and the tears start again.
...
Frightened of going to sleep after the lecture the Doctor gave me when I discharged myself, I roam the apartment crying and eventually fetch up in my study.
My laptop is on so I idly scan the web, choosing to ignore that I'm still sniffing and sobbing since I don't seem to have a clue why, or be able to stop.
There it is and it's not even eight in the morning yet.
'Swan Stalker. Bodyguard saves La Belle Bella from violent attacker.'
There's even a picture of me, face swollen and streaked with blood, leaving the hospital with Char and Pete.