Ashes Of The Hidden Heir

CHAPTER ONE Rain lashed against the windshield of the black Rolls-Royce the narrow road to Blackthorn Estate. The jagged lightning split the evening sky, illuminating the fortress-like mansion crowning the cliffs above the Atlantic. From afar it appeared magnificent. It looked like a place where hope came to die. Kael Draven Ashcroft leaned back quietly... anytime he returned to the estate, it was like walking into a cage he'd spent years trying to get out of. He'd built businesses in three countries, politicians, and stared armed rivals in the eye without flinching. But nothing rattled him like walking through his father's front door. His phone buzzed and his face relaxed when he saw the name of the caller. Lena. He picked playfully. She laughed playfully. "You finally remembered that I exist.’’ “I’ve been stuck in meetings.” That's the fourth time you've used that excuse this week. And it was true every time. “I’ll decide else, I believe else" Her laugh was like nothing else and it warmed his heart. With Lena he was not Damien Ashcroft’s heir. He was not the ruthless businessman newspapers admired and enemies feared. He was only Kael. “The baby kicked again,” she said gently. “I think your kid already likes to cause trouble. "Our child? Kael said softly. "Don't blame it all on me. Oh? Then where did the stubbornness come from? He laughed. "Surely from the mother." She gave a dramatic gasp. "You'll pay for that one. I'll gladly take my punishment. For a few glorious seconds the storm outside ceased. No bodyguards, no criminal empire, no dangerous family. Just a man and the woman he loved. Then the car slowed before the mansion, and reality returned. “Lena,” "Hmm?" "If anyone comes looking for me… don't open the door." She was quiet for a moment. "Kael, what's wrong?" "Nothing." "You only say 'nothing' when something is very wrong." He closed his eyes. "I'll explain everything soon." "You've been saying that for months." Guilt settled heavily in his chest. He hated lying to her, and he hated even more that the truth could get her killed. "I love you," she whispered. His grip tightened around the phone. "I love you too." He ended the call before she could hear the fear in his voice. The chauffeur stepped out and opened the door. "Welcome home, Mr. Ashcroft." Home. Kael nearly laughed. The massive oak doors opened before he reached them. Servants lined both sides of the entrance hall, heads bowed in complete silence. No one greeted him, and no one dared to. The polished marble floors reflected the glow of crystal chandeliers, while portraits of generations of Ashcrofts stared down from the walls, every face carrying the same cold expempire—somey generation had expanded the family eeempire—someusiness, others through murder. At the end of the hallway, beside a roaring fireplace, stood Damien Ashcroft: tailored charcoal suit, silver hair brushed neatly back, a crystal glass of whiskey resting comfortably in one hand. At sixty-two, he still carried himself like a king who expected the world to kneel before him. He didn't smile. "You made me wait." Kael glanced at the antique grandfather clock. "I came at just the time you said. Damien sipped slowly oftentimes. Whiskey. "I'll decide when I'm 'on time'. Timing had changed — not the rules, not the man. A chessboard sat between two leather chairs. “Sit.” Kael slumped into the chair opposite his father. Damien pulled the white pieces toward himself. "You first. Kael lifted an eyebrow. "You always play white. "This is different tonight. This was enough to put him on his guard. Damien never varied his routine without a reason. Kael pushed forward his king's pawn. His father replied immediately. The game went on in silence, the only sound to break the room being the faint click of wooden chess pieces. Five moves later, Damien finally opened his mouth. “I’m hearing interesting things. Kael’s eyes were stuck to the board. "What like?" "You’re becoming hard to find. We have expandsaw,"Damien said, taking final operations. "So I saw." Damien took a bishop. "But... business isn't what keeps you busy after dark. Kael said nothing. His father was studying him hard. There was a woman. It was not a question. Kael glanced up. "You've had me followed. “I got you covered.” “It’s not the same.” Damien lay back. “The difference is I decide.” Kael tightened his jaw. I am thirty-two years old. "And still, my son. “I’m a man myself too. Damien smiled a little. That’s "No Kael. His voice remained calm. That what you think. The door to the study opened suddenly, and in came Victor Rofixer, Victor had been Damien’s adviser, fixer and executioner when diplomacy failed for more than thirty years. The older man's face was usually unreadable; tonight, it was. He looked shaken, and Damien saw it at once. “What was it?” Victor hesitated. “Our shipment to Rotterdam never arrived at port. Damien didn’t move a muscle. The police? Victor shook his head slowly. "Not." Kael glanced between the two men. If the cops didn’t intercept the shipment, someone else had. Someone bold enough to steal from the Ashcroft empire. Someone dumb enough to start a war. Victor swallowed. And that’s not the worst of table,Damien put his whiskey down on the table but his eyes stayed on Victor. Explain. Victor coughed. The trucks had been left outside Rotterdam. All the drivers were dead." The room was silent. Kael studied Victor’s face, looking for any sign that he was overdoing it, but there was none. The men who worked in the Ashcroft empire understood the risks. They were expecting jail. They were expecting bullets. Execution-style killings, though, were something else. 'They left a message,' said Victor. Damien's face remained expressionless. "What message?" "They put your family crest on"It of the stealing;s." Kael frowned. " It wasn’t stealing, it was a challenge. Someone wanted to make sure Damien knew exactly who he was dealing with. Damien picked up a black knight and turned it slowly in his fingers. “Whose fault was it?” "Nothing. "Then find out." "We have already sent teams headed to Europe." "Send more. Victor nodded, but stayed where he was. There's a further problem. Damien looked up. What now? "Our surveillance unit picked up unusual activity around Miss Lena Okoye." Kael stood, the chair scraping loudly against the marble. What was that you said? Victor looked at him and answered. "Three unknown vehicles have been watching her apartment since yesterday. Kael's heart hammered. “Why wasn’t I told?” "You have ignored every security procedure that has been given to you for a month," Damien said quietly. "You’ve made the father possible. Kael turned to face his father, People were looking at her. "I had you covered. You invaded her life. I preserved my bloodline." “You don’t get to run my family.” Damien got up slowly from his chair. "No Kael. His voice was low, and it chilled the room. “Once you make it, your family becomes this family. Kael stepped forward. Lena doesn't belong in this empire. “She has everything to do with it.” Victor wised up and backed off. There has been a lot of confrontations in this room and none of them had turned out well. Damien walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked out at the storm. "When your grandfather chose my wife, I obeyed. Kael glanced at him. "Never asked," "I didn't ask if you did." Damien turned. “You were born into a life of duties. Love was never one of them.” "I'm not going to swap her." "You already did. Those words hit harder than any punch. Kael's mind went back to Lena's worried voice on the phone: *You're frightening me.* Knots of cold formed in his stomach. He picked up his phone. There were no messages, no missed once, then He punched in her number. It rang once, twice, then went to voice mail. He tried again, but nothing changed. Something didn’t fit. He took his coat without a word. "You'll aren't down," Damien said. I’m done. We ain't finished yet. "Yes, we are." Kael moved toward the door. Two armed guards stepped into the hall, barred his way. He paused. And this is what we? Damien clasped his hands behind him. “I’m preventing you from acting emotionally.’’ "I am going to the woman I love.’’ "You're going to reveal your biggest weakness." Kael's eyes grew hard. "No." He looked his father in the eye. "I'm going to save my future." Damien’s face changed for the first time that night. Not anger, disappointment. “You sound just like your mother.” Kael was frozen. The words reverberate. “Mom?” No one said her name - not the servants, not Victor, not Damien, not even Damien. They said she died when Kael was six years old, and every question about her had been met with silence. Kael turned back slowly. "What was it you said?" Damien looked at him. “She believed that love could transform powerful men.” Kael moved closer. "What did happen to her, anyway?" There was a long pause. Victor looked aside. Finally Damien answered. "She made up her mind." "What option?" "Wrong one.’’ Kael was about to ask for more when his phone rang. Number not known. He answered insteadly, his heart pounding. Lena? Instead he heard soft breathing, then the frightened voice of a small girl. “… are you Uncle Kael?’’ His chest grew tight. Who is this? “I’m Mia.” "I don't know any Mia." Next door Where isAuntie Lena. Kael's blood froze. "Where is she at?’’ The little girl started crying. “Men came. Some.’’ His grip tightened around the phone. Which men? “They busted the door,” His breath began to come in ragged gasps. Mia, listen to me. Is Lena hurt? I.. I don't know. There was a loud crash on the call. The child breathed. “They’re coming back!” "Mia, get out of sight." I am in hiding. Another crash. Loud footfalls. Voices. Then a woman shrieked. Kael recognized the voice immediately. "Lena!’’ He called her name over the telephone. No reply — only chaos. Then a deep cold, and voice cut through the noise, calm, cold, deliberate. "Tell Damien Ashcroft... The stranger halted. “...that old debts are coming due at last.” The line went quiet. Kael stared at the blank screen, his heart honking loudly in his ears. Without thinking he pushed one of the guards aside and ran for the entrance. The second guard lunged for him, but Kael threw a fist in the guy's jaw, knocking him into a marble column. Victor moved, but automatically, and Damien held up a hand. "No." Victor halted. They watched Kael fade into the storm. The front doors slammed shut and neither man spoke for a few moments. Finally, Victor spoke. "Shall we send a party after him?" Damien returned to the chessboard. The game wasn't over yet. He glanced down at Kael’s king, now completely surrounded, and with one slow movement, he tipped the piece onto its side. "No." Victor frowned. "Sir? Damien's eyes turned dark. "The people that took the girl weren't after Kael. He took up the fallen king and shut his hand about it. “They were after me.” Outside, thunder shook the cliffs as Kael’s car disappeared into the rain. Neither father nor son had any idea that somewhere in the city Lena was not the only captive. She opened her eyes slowly. Beneath an abandoned cathedral was a woman that everyone thought died twenty-six years ago. And upon hearing the name Kael Ashcroft, she son..."d one sentence. "They found my son...".