Alpha Billionaire Series

HOLDEN

The cotton button down and jacket combined with the climate control in the building was making my skin itch. I didn’t know how anyone worked in those conditions. I needed air, lots of it. I didn't care if it was laced with gas fumes or fresh— fresh was better— but anything was better than that sterile personality-free environment.

It smacked of the same homogeneous neutrality the lawyer's offices had where I had spent my morning. I had refused to wear a tie for the lawyers. I couldn't imagine voluntarily wearing one on a daily basis. Every man I saw walking in and out of the building had worn one. I shrugged my shoulders trying to get comfortable on the elevator ride up. The height didn't bother me, everything else did.

I gave my name to the receptionist and then stood, waiting. Mentally I paced back and forth, while actually I stayed in one spot leaning on my crutches. I didn’t bother sitting because I didn’t want anyone to watch the struggle of getting back to my feet.

Travis came around the corer, moving like he was on wheels. His suit jacket buttoned; a red power tie knotted at his throat. I suppressed a shudder. This was no kind of working situation for me, but he seemed to revel in it.

“Holden, I was surprised when they announced you were here. Let's have a seat” He had a wide smile on his face and was al charm and personality. He gestured at the lobby couch.

I'shook my head. “Some place with a little more privacy, I think”

“Sure, sure. I didn’t want you to have to walk too far. You made it all the way up here, I thought you might be tired.”

He oozed insincerity. I didn't trust him, but I needed his help. I was exhausted, my leg ached and my arm throbbed from having to support my weight on the crutches. I wasn't going to let him know any of that. He already had me at a disadvantage.

He leaned over the receptionist desk and said something. She smiled and with a coy tilt of her head and fanning of her eye lashes, she looked something up on the computer in front of her. Travis had to have been pleased with what she told him. H hit her desk with a double tap and turned to me holding an arm out.

“We can use one of the small conference rooms right over here. My office is on the far side of the floor. No need to make you walk more than we have to."

He waited until I was inside the conference room to speak. I bounced on one foot, pulling a second chair to me while trying to balance the crutches against the table. It was a dance I wasn't well versed in, and the crutches slid in my way more than once.

“What are you doing here, Holden?” He stood by the door with his arms folded over his chest. That was the Travis I knew anc hated.

“You said you wanted to fix things. I haven't heard from you in days.”

“You could have called,” he scoffed.

“Yeah, I could have. I was already in the city so I decided to swing by and see what you knew."

“What has you brought you to New York, if not to see me?” He unbuttoned his jacket and finally sat down.

I tapped the table and thought about how much I did want to tell him. How much could I trust him after all these years of building resentment? I took a long look at him; he had been my best friend for years.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“You really want to regain my friendship?”

He nodded.

“I haven't been able to run after Makenzie because there is a situation with my father's estate I'm juggling. AllI know is she i out of town, and she hasn't come back yet. I need your help in locating her”

He nodded. “That's easy enough. She's at home with our parents.”

“You know this for certain?”

“I spoke with my mother last night. She wants me to stop picking on my sister,” he scoffed.

“Travis, I wouldn't exactly call what you do picking on her”

I fumbled with the crutches and cussed when I dropped one of them for a second time. I was back on my feet without some. struggle. I took a step to leave.

“Where are you off to now?”

I paused before I reached the conference room door. “'m headed to your parents’ to get Makenzie”

Travis stood and buttoned his jacket like a reflex. “Let me drive. I messed up, I owe you both and should help to fix this. You can tell me about the problem with your dad's estate on the drive.”

I expected Travis to drive something low, sleek, and bright red. I was surprised when we walked up to a luxury vehicle in the parking garage. He adjusted the seat in the back and held the crutches so I could get in and sit behind him. For a moment it was like having my old friend back.

We didn't talk for the first part of the trip as he navigated out of the city. Once we were on the freeway and traffic thinned, h opened up the engine and let his car go. I understood why he drove this car, the speed, the smoothness of the ride, the quie power of the engine. It was understated and in control. Pretty much how I thought Travis wanted to be seen as.

“Why were you in New York, Holden? What's going on with the estate?”

I laid everything out. I saw no reason to hold back. The investigation contractors had a hot lead we needed to follow up with in person. It involved a safety deposit box.

“There was this big production, we had to exchange passwords. Mom found a key in Dad's things. It smacked of intrigue and felt so unreal, like it was some kind of movie”

“So, what happened?”

“Not a damned thing. It was a dead end. The box held a few savings bonds, and a copy of my dad's birth certificate. We're talking about five hundred.”

“Five hundred what? Grand? Million?”

I laughed. “No, five hundred. Five zero zero. He paid more in rent on the thing over the years than what he was keeping secure inside it. It's back to the beginning on the investigation.”

“So, you're saying your dad had to have some investments or secret accounts where he was syphoning funds off to? Have yo considered that he spent the money?”

“Of course, but the amount of money we are talking about, and his spending habits don’t match up. Hell, Mom's spending habits don't support what we're talking about.”

“Your dad didn’t have a girlfriend, did he?”

“Travis, you knew my dad, did he seem like the type to have a side chick?”

“I think we never truly know people, especially when they want to keep something a secret. I had no clue about you and Ma} until she said something. And we lived together. How the hell would I know if your dad had an entire second family he was hiding?"

He had a point.

“I'm pretty good at sniffing out money. I could help”

I did not doubt that for a minute. It's not like he could do any more damage than what Dad had done. We— the company, me and Mom~— were already paying back taxes. Discovering the location and having access to the missing money wasn't going tc hurt any worse than we already were.

“I'll put you in contact with the team at Clay and Silverstein. Let them know I'm bringing you in. I should also put you in contact with Penny. She's on the legal team at the company.”

“Penny? Sounds like an old lady."

“Penny, as in don't even think about seducing her, I like her and want to keep her in my employment. I'd have to hate you all over again if you fucked that up”

“It sounds like you haven't stepped up into running things at your old man’s company.”

“I haven't. It's too soon.”

“Too soon, or you aren't ready?”

“I can barely walk, I sure as hell am in no shape to be in an office. Too soon, not ready, or don't f*****g want to, it's all the same.”

The conversation drifted back to silence once Travis reached our destination.

“How do you want to do this? I can go straight to the house, or..."

“I think neutral territory would be best. Let's find a restaurant or a hotel where you can drop me, and then see if you can get her to agree to come talk.”