The Love Of Money - Episode 211
01-08-25 (08:02)
"Deal," I sald
"I want it in writing tonight so my lawyers can review
it."
"Chandler?"
"I'll have our people start drafting it immediately."
"Good," Hiro said with a small, satisfied smile.
After we were done in my study, Hiro and Chandler left
with me, and I found Erin and Chloe waiting just
outside my door as we emerged. The five of us rode
the elevator and emerged on the rooftop once more. It
was still going pretty strong, though it looked like the
crowd had thinned out a little, considering it was
approaching midnight. Some of the people I'd invited
were getting a little long in the tooth, after all.
Getting tired. Mr. Tanaka decided to find his wife and
head home for the evening, giving me a slight bow of
respect that I returned. Once he was gone, I breathed a
sigh of rellef that we'd sealed the deal with Hiro, but it
doubled as a sigh of frustration that I'd lost Ashlee in
the process. "How the hell did VanCamp know his
daughter was here?"
Chloe glanced at Chandler. "We're good?"
"Yeah," I said. As far as was concerned, Chandler had
proven himself trustworthy and deserved some
answers after I had left him hanging for nearly half an
hour in my study with one of the most powerful men in
Japan.
"He's probably keeping track of her using her phone. He
knows who I am, so when he saw me, I think he just
made an educated guess that you were in there with
her. He seemed surprised when it was just her and
Erin."
"Wait," Chandler said. "What's this about VanCamp?"
"Ashlee was with me in Vegas when I got nabbed," I
said. "She knows something about it. Maybe even
helped make it happen."
"My word" Chandler muttered. "You have been busy,
haven't you?"
Unsure if that comment was pointed at the attempt to
find out who my kidnappers were or about my sex life,
I decided to ignore it.. "Did Ashlee seem happy to see
him?"
Erin shook her head. "No. It's weird. She seemed almost
relleved to leave but didn't look thrilled to leave with
her dad."
"What about Helen?" I asked.
"Helen looked like she knew she was about to become
roadkill any minute," Chloe sald.
"Fuck. Do you think they're in danger?"
"Of being yelled at?" Chloe asked. "Yes. Of being killed
or abused? I doubt it."
"Can we put someone on them?"
Chloe shook her head. "Not one of my guys, but I
figured you'd want someone to keep an eye on the
situation. I texted Henry. He's on it."
As usual, Chloe was good at anticipating my needs. She
really had been a godsend. "Thanks."
"Just doing my job, sir."
"Nothing we can do in the meantime," Erin said, "You
should get back out there and mingle."
"Gonna be hard to do with everything that just
happened."
"Think happy thoughts," Erin said.
"She's right, my boy," Chandler said. "You're about to
outmaneuver seasoned businessmen and take the helm
of one of the biggest, most influential companies in the
United States. Take some time to celebrate the victories
as well as the losses."
I nodded. Maybe they were right, but some of the
things Roger said bothered me. I'd been blindsided by
accusations of taking advantage of poor people in third-
world countries and profiteering... not to mention him
knowing about Bobbi. I shouldn't have been surprised;
Helen had said as much, but hearing it from someone I
hated was a sting that was hard to recover from.
Especially when he used it against me like that.
"I'll try."
The next half hour flew by, and despite the weight of
what happened, the mixture of friends, family, and a
splash of alcohol did a lot to buoy my spirits. I danced
with Honey, Rose, Erin, and Danni. I did a couple of
shots with Dillon, Jonah, and three giris I didn't know.
Jonah and I argued over public education in the US until
we were shut up by Honey-who straddled Jonah and
planted her lips on his and Rose, who crawled into my
lap and stuck her tongue in my throat. I would have
been a little concerned about my parents seeing this if
it weren't for the fact that we were back in the garden.
Considering the relative privacy. I enjoyed a few
minutes of her grinding her crotch against my half-hard
cock as we made out like a couple of high schoolers.
The sound of wet smacks nearby told me Jonah was
still enjoying himself.
When we parted, Rose leaned in and scraped her teeth
along my jaw as I slid my hand under her skirt and
pawed her dark chocolate ass. "Is the only hot tub the
one out near the pool?" she breathed before taking my
earlobe between plush lips and sucking on it.
"No." I said. "There's one here in the garden, too."
"Good" she breathed in my ear between soft kisses.
"Find us there when things have calmed down a little
more."
We continued necking and making out for another
minute before I got up, adjusted the steel bar in my
pants, and headed back out. On the way, I caught
Vikram and Venus making out and grinned, happy for
the guy. He was a hard worker, and I suspected he
didn't have much of a social life. I wanted to reach for
my phone and text him that he should find a room, but
then I remembered that I'd destroyed my phone.
Emerging from the garden, I ran into my parents, who
looked a little tipsy. "Marcus!" my mother said and
pulled me in for a hug. "Thanks for inviting us! This has
been amazing!"
"Are you guys leaving?" I asked, feeling guilty that I
hadn't spent more time with them.
"Yeah," Dad said. "We're too old to stay out much later
than this. Richie and Megan wanted to stay longer,
though. Would it be okay if they stay the night?"
"We have the room," I said. "Do I need security on
Megan to keep Richie from trying anything?"
Mom dismissed my question with a wave and a snort.
"Try the other way around. Anyway, that ship has
sailed, Marcus. We let them do it in the house as long
as they use condoms. Just don't let them drink." Don't forget to leave a Comment 
