Filed to story: Young Girls Forbidden Love Series: My Best Friend’s Daddy
Aubrey: Lin, keep packing; you only have a few more weeks. Shelby was packed forever ago!
Lin: Don’t sound too sad to have us go, lol!
Aubrey: You know I am going to miss you two like crazy, but I know you will panic pack at the last minute and forget half your underwear drawer. I am not shipping your panties to you, Lin!
Lin: You know me too well, Aubs.
Shelby: I love that every time I check my phone, I have messages like these! Nothing exciting today. We have been at sea all day on our way to Lauren’s dad’s mansion in the Bahamas. I went down to the employee’s quarters and played cards and got a lot of dirt on Lauren’s mom.
Lin: Okay, I’m going to need pictures of this Bahama’s Mansion and details on her mom!
Shelby: Lauren’s mom left her dad for another man because she thought it would help her climb the social ladder. Turned out he wasn’t as rich or well off socially as she thought, and when he died, she did a paternity test, and here we are.
Shelby: We are going to her dad’s mansion for Lauren and Todd’s engagement party…
Lin: It sounds like Lauren is the spitting image of her mother.
Aubrey: Not only did you have to witness their engagement, but now you have to go to their engagement party too?
Lin: I swear, Shelby, you have the absolute worst luck on the planet.
Shelby: You don’t even know the half of my bad luck on this trip.
Lin: What do you mean? What else has happened?
Shelby: Well, I don’t really fit in with the rest of the group.
Aubrey: But I thought you said you were making other friends? Michael right?
Shelby: I am.
Lin: So, what do you mean by bad luck?
Shelby: Michael is Lauren’s dad.
Aubrey: Why is that a problem? I have a lot of friends in my classes who are like double my age.
Shelby: It’s a problem because I’m falling for him. Absolutely head over heels falling for him.
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*Michael*
Once I’m in the hall, I open the text message that interrupted my conversations with Shelby
Lucille: Do you know someone named Blaine?
That simple sentence made my stomach drop. He was now contacting family members.
I made my way back to the privacy of my office for the second time in the same night. I closed the door behind me before dialing my cousin Lucille’s number.
“Michael, I am so glad you called me. I just had the strangest conversation with someone named Blaine. I was just getting out of the bath when I got a call from an unknown number. Now, usually I don’t answer the phone if I don’t know the number, but I gave my information to this adorable man at the coffee shop earlier today, so I figured it was him.”
“Lucille, this is important; I need you to tell me exactly what Blaine said to you.” I had to keep Lucille focused on the topic; she’d always been a talker, but at that moment, I couldn’t politely listen to all of her stories in their excruciating detail.
“Oh, right, the call from Blaine! He told me I needed to meet his demands or else.”
“What were his demands?”
“He wants me to send half a million dollars in a box to an address in New Jersey. I’m sure it is just one of those scam callers that has nothing better to do with their life.”
“Lucille, if you thought it was a scam, then why did you ask me if I knew him?”
“Well, that’s what I found so strange. He knew all about our family tree and how we are related. I just thought it was a little more information than scammers normally have. However, who knows? With the Internet, I’m sure people can find out all kinds of information about our family. We aren’t exactly flying under the radar.
“Oh, did you see that latest news article in the paper? Apparently, you are about to agree to an arranged marriage to the Princess of Thailand.”
“Lucille, I’m afraid this isn’t a scam. But the arranged marriage definitely isn’t true. Have you left your house since you got this call?”
“No, why? Michael, you’re making me nervous.”
“Okay, don’t leave your house. I’m sending some of my security team over there now. Do not open the door for anyone else.”
“What should I do about Blaine’s demands?”
“Just ignore it.”
“Michael, who is it we are dealing with?” Lucille asked. She was clearly nervous now.
“You don’t have to deal with anyone, Lucille, I promise. I will take care of everything. Don’t answer any unknown numbers, and do not go anywhere without one of my men with you. I will get this figured out.”
“Okay, Michael. Just be careful.”
“I will be. Call me if you need anything.”
I hung up the phone and slammed my palm against my desk, even though I wanted to punch something instead. I allowed myself a few seconds of anger before picking up my phone again and calling my head of security.
“Hello?” a burly voice sounded on the other end of the phone call.
“Bruce, I need you to send two men over to my cousin Lucille’s home in the West Village. Her address should be listed in her file.”
“Of course, sir. Has there been an incident?”
“A man named Blaine Blake. He is blackmailing Lucille at the moment. I am not sure what he is capable of, but he is a threat to the entire family. I need your best men on this.”
“Two men are already on their way to your cousin’s, sir. Do I need to send a team to you?”
I knew I’d hired Bruce for a reason. He was extremely efficient and always one step ahead of everyone else. He was exactly who I needed to help me take care of Blaine.
“No need at the moment, but I will keep you posted. Oh, and Bruce?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Keep your ear to the ground, and let me know anything you find out about this Blaine Blake. Any information that you find needs to be kept under wraps. Some of what you may find has the potential to ruin my family’s public image.”
“On it, sir. Everything will be done with the utmost secrecy.”
“Thank you, Bruce. Have a good evening.”
I hung up the phone and set it on my large oak desk.
Unconsciously, I had been pacing my office while I was on the phone, so I slumped down into my leather armchair and swiveled it around so I could watch the ocean. It was so dark, it was hard to differentiate the water from the sky.