All Our Tomorrows (The Heirs Book 1)
Chapter 14

The next day was a wash and repeat of the previous one. Only with rain.

Piper parked as close to the front door as possible, not expecting anyone to show up. Karina wouldn’t be back until after the weekend. The groundskeepers and pool maintenance guy had come the day before and would resume a schedule the following week.

It was Piper, Kit, and a box of saltine crackers as she jogged up the steps to the house and let herself in.

Kit cleared the door in front of her and proceeded to spray the foyer with rainwater as he shook from nose to tail.

“Oh, crap.”

Piper told the dog to sit and stay before dropping her purse and keys off on an entryway table and rushing around the dog, first to disable the house alarm and then to the nearest bathroom. There, she found a towel that didn’t look like it had ever been used and returned to dry off Kit’s paws and as much of his fur as she could before allowing him to go any farther into the house. Then it was another trip into the bathroom for a second towel that she used to clean the puddle off the floor that Kit left behind.

She tossed the towels into the laundry room, considered running them in the washing machine, but decided to wait in case she needed to add more to the mix.

Once that was settled, she went in search of replacement towels.

A linen closet upstairs uncovered what she was looking for. Once the domestic chores were done, she headed into the office space and turned on a light.

For a moment, she stood in front of the windows overlooking the backyard and nibbled on a cracker. The cool air from the massive pane of glass put a shiver down her spine. Not that the room was cold at all, only the space in front of the window. She twisted around and realized that the temperature was consistently comfortable. What did it cost to heat a place like this? She tried to remember the line item on the bank statements, but they all blurred.

Everything on those spreadsheets was an enormous number. Yes, the rich made money, but they sure spent it, too.

Piper knew from all the times she’d sent flowers and gifts to Aaron’s liaisons that he thought nothing of dropping five hundred bucks on something that would die in a week. Then there were the first-class plane tickets for these women. Piper often wondered how he introduced these ladies to the management of the hotels he took them to. Not that he needed to excuse his behavior. Seems when you had that many zeros attached to your name, no one gave a second look when you showed up with someone who wasn’t your wife.

Her mind shifted to Chase.

He was nothing like his father. Even though he had a stern expression when walking the halls of Stone Enterprises, the man took off that mask with her. It made her wonder which was the real man. The one who laughed at her snarky comments and encouraged her to say what she wanted to, regardless of the fact he was her boss.

Chase didn’t feel like a boss. And she didn’t feel like she was truly working. More like helping a friend out after the death of his father. And unlike any man she’d dated or worked for, she didn’t replace herself tongue-tied and worried that she’d say the wrong things.

When he’d shrugged out of his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, she’d had a hard time looking away. Broad shoulders and tapered to his waist. Biceps . . . the man had the kind of arms that could pick you up and make you feel light as a feather.

And damn it, she shouldn’t be thinking about the muscles on the man’s body . . . or his lips and eyes, which made you stop and listen to your own breath.

Piper shook off her thoughts and opened the computer to continue where she’d left off.

“He’s your boss, Piper,” she whispered to herself. “And even if he wasn’t, you’re pregnant.” There wasn’t a man on the planet that jumped into that mess on purpose.

She flexed her fingers as if flicking away where her mind had roamed and opened Aaron’s inbox.

His email was filled with notifications of bills, advertisements from places he’d likely frequented in the past . . . the usual suspects. It was a bank notification that had her thinking.

She opened the email, this one from a bank she’d yet to discover, and followed the ball. It was a notification of an available bank statement. She clicked over, found the expected password protection, but the username popped up on its own. After following the prompts to change a forgotten password, and using Aaron Stone’s personal email to do it, she was in the bank account in less than five minutes.

It was too easy.

Once in, she quickly concluded that this was the account that Melissa had access to. There were deposits from Chase Enterprises and expenses that painted the image of a very privileged woman. The credit card associated with the account was filled with charges from restaurants, beauty salons, spas, high-end department stores, and ATM withdrawals. The balance in the account was just over three hundred thousand, which had an abrupt stop of all activity dating back to the day after Aaron Stone’s funeral. Even the credit card was canceled.

It felt harsh, even to her, that Melissa was stripped of her life with the death of her husband. Sure, a bank account north of a quarter of a million dollars used for incidentals was insane, but to have the money one day and not the next had to hurt.

Piper printed out the last several statements to show Chase and exited out of the bank site.

She absently reached for a cracker and stopped it just short of her mouth. A surge of nausea rose like a tidal wave and had her bolting out of her seat and to the closest bathroom.

Her upset stomach had plagued her most of the previous day, but after the first few hours in the morning, she’d been able to hold down the crackers. Something told her that wasn’t going to be the case today.

Piper washed her hands and rinsed out her mouth. Her color wasn’t its normal rosy shade, which she suspected was caused not only by the nausea but also by her lack of sleep. Even though she felt exhausted, she wasn’t getting through the night without bad dreams waking her at least twice. She ran a hand over her flat stomach and wondered how long it would be that way. Truth was, the jeans she was wearing seemed looser than normal. How was she going to gain twenty-five to thirty-five pounds if she couldn’t keep down a cracker? Was the lack of food hurting the kid? Just because she wasn’t going to keep it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to do what she could to give it a healthy start.

Her mind raced back to the bank account that paid for pedicures and facials and wondered if things would be different if she had that kind of money. It wasn’t that she didn’t want kids.

Piper shook her head, tried to clear the thoughts away.

The best chance this kid had was a family that had the financial security she didn’t. Not to mention two people that wanted a child more than anything. Or even one person . . . so long as they could do all the things a parent needed to do to care for it. A single mom with the kind of resources in that bank account Melissa had control of. Only even she had that yanked out from under her. What if Piper kept the baby and then lost her job . . . again?

She buried her head in her hands and reminded herself that adoption was the best solution.

The sound of Kit panting at the open bathroom door brought her thoughts back to where she was and what she was doing there.

It was close to noon when Piper needed to get away from the desk.

Lunch was still not going to happen, not with her stomach on edge. The steady headache that came midday and didn’t leave until she kept a decent amount of food down was firmly nestled between her temples.

After a brief pause outside, watching Kit water the already overwatered lawn, she went upstairs to search Aaron’s bedroom for the missing keys and maybe a hidden safe.

She started in what she thought were the obvious places, bedside tables and containers sitting on shelves. All she found was ChapStick and pocket change.

In the closet, she found Aaron Stone’s stash of expensive watches . . . an entire drawer full of brands she’d only heard about. She recalled noticing them on his wrist from time to time but didn’t put much thought to it. Here, with at least two dozen of them pampered in a crush of black velvet, they were hard to ignore. Only one space seemed to have a missing watch. She wondered if that was the one he’d been wearing when he died.

She pushed the morbid thought away and kept poking around. Plenty of dress shoes and several casual pairs as well. Golf shoes and snow boots, which she found funny since it didn’t snow in Beverly Hills. Probably for skiing in Aspen or at a chalet in Switzerland.

It was nuts.

Designer suits that wouldn’t be worn again. At least not by the man who bought them.

Chase had to be a good three inches taller than his father, not that Chase would ever wear something his father once owned.

Maybe the watches, though . . .

She shook her head. “I doubt it.”

Piper found a drawer filled with wallets, and another with sunglasses.

But no keys.

And no safe.

Kit, who had jumped up on the bed, something Piper recognized she shouldn’t allow but did anyway . . . snapped his head off his paws and let out a low growl.

Piper immediately looked in the direction of the door and held her breath. “What is it, Kitty?”

She heard noise from downstairs and followed it. “Chase?”

Kit scrambled off the bed and stayed at her side on full alert.

“Chase?” She lifted her voice a little higher.

When no one answered, Piper walked with a little more caution.

Someone was in the house and not answering her.

At the top of the stairs, movement from below had Kit barking.

“What in the hell?”

Piper let out a breath when she recognized the person. “Melissa.”

“What are you doing in my house and with that . . . thing!” Melissa Stone stood looking up at Piper, hands on hips and venom in her voice.

Piper signaled for Kit to stay at her side as she walked down the stairs. “I’m here at the request of Chase and Alex. What are you doing here?” Just asking the question felt wrong. This was the woman’s home . . . or had been.

Melissa looked between Kit and Piper and back to Kit.

When Piper made it to ground level, Melissa took a step back, eye on Kit. “Does it bite?”

“Yes.”

Melissa took another step back.

Kit, sensing the retreat, barked.

“You better be able to control that thing.”

“Melissa, I don’t think you’re supposed to be here.”

She glared now, eyes fixed on Piper. “I forgot a few things, not that I need to explain myself to you.”

Melissa sidestepped, indicating she wanted to go upstairs.

Kit growled again.

“Get that thing out of my way.”

Piper weighed her options. Let Melissa do whatever she was there to do. As long as it didn’t involve a gas can and a match . . . or demand she leave. Not that Piper knew if she had any authority to do that.

Piper took the first approach and stepped away from the staircase and brought Kit with her.

As soon as Melissa was out of sight, Piper told Kit to stay before running to the office to retrieve her cell phone.

On her way back to the foyer, she typed in a quick message to Chase. Melissa is here.

Chase didn’t respond right away. She considered calling him but decided against it. How earth-shattering could Melissa’s presence in the house be?

Piper glanced outside through the windows framing the front door and saw a Range Rover parked behind her car.

She debated checking on Melissa to see what it was that she’d forgotten.

With one foot on the stairs, Piper’s phone buzzed.

Chase responded with, Why?

She said she forgot something.

Three dots blinked on her screen for over a minute. Did she bring a moving truck?

Piper smiled. No. Should I watch her? She’s ticked that I’m here.

No. Chase’s response was instant. Leave her alone. I’m on my way now. 20 minutes out.

Piper replied with a thumbs-up and left the foyer to take up residence in the living room, where she could see the stairs and the front door.

Kit sat at her feet, eyes intent on the foyer.

While she waited for either Melissa to leave or Chase to show up, Piper googled locksmiths and made a call. She spent some of Chase’s money and requested an emergency call, and yes, they knew how to change the coding on electric gates. They’d be there in two hours.

Fifteen minutes later, Melissa hustled down the stairs with an oversize bag, like one you’d bring on an airplane as a personal item, in her hands.

Kit growled.

Piper made a point of staring at her phone, her legs crossed, as if she was uninterested in whatever Melissa was doing.

“Are you watching me?” Melissa asked.

Piper didn’t bother looking her way when she answered. “Crossword puzzle. Name a country in Europe with five letters.”

“This should have been my house.”

Piper glanced up. “You won’t get an argument out of me.” The words should have deflated Melissa’s anger. Instead, they fueled them.

“You were one of them . . . weren’t you?”

Piper sighed as if she was bored with the questions, even though her heart rate started to climb. “One of what?”

“Them? The extra women. I knew about his affairs.”

That hurt. “I’m sure you’re not alone in the club of rich men’s wives that ignore their husband’s indiscretions.”

“You did screw him.”

Piper’s stomach churned. “Don’t make me sick.”

“And now what? You’re going after his son?”

Piper turned her head away and focused on her phone even though every nerve in her body was on high alert. This woman wanted a fight, and Piper didn’t want to play. “Italy! A country in Europe with five letters.”

“If there’s something I know about Chase Stone, it’s that he won’t take sloppy seconds after his father. He hated the man.”

Seriously, her stomach was churning.

The back of her neck started to sweat, and her palms grew clammy.

Piper dropped her phone on the couch and lurched off the sofa to the nearest bathroom.

Melissa chased after her. “You can’t screw the boss and have a job for long.”

Piper only heard her heart pounding and her brain telling her to hurry.

She got there in time for the cold water and crackers to come up.

With short gasps of air, Piper wiped her mouth with tissue once her stomach was empty.

Kit was glued to her side, facing the door.

Sure enough, Melissa stood there watching her with disgust. “What is wrong with you?”

“Leave me alone.”

Kit let out a bark.

“I know . . . the memory of him touching me makes me sick, too.”

“I swear to God, Melissa.” Piper had held her cool but was about to unleash her inner bitch if the woman didn’t stop.

Kit lunged forward, barking, his lips pulled back.

Melissa squealed and jumped. Her back hit the wall in the hallway.

“Get out!” Chase’s voice boomed.

Piper quickly flushed the toilet and gave a command to Kit to hold back.

Kit walked backward until his hind end bumped Piper’s leg, all the while barking at what he saw as a threat.

Maybe it was the dog, or Chase looming over Melissa, but the woman couldn’t hide the scare in her eyes.

“That dog tried to kill me.”

It took everything in Piper to hold Kit back.

Chase moved in front of the bathroom door, his back to Piper. “Leave. Or I’ll call the police.”

“Kit, quiet,” Piper said as quietly as she could and still be heard.

With a whimper, Kit did as he was told.

The sound of Melissa’s heavy footsteps filled the hall as she marched away.

Chase followed.

Piper used the privacy to rinse her mouth and splash water on her face.

By the time she walked into the foyer, Melissa was gone. Chase stood in the doorway, looking out as his stepmother drove away.

“That was ugly.”

Chase turned around, slammed the door behind him, and was at her side in a heartbeat. “Are you okay?”

Kit once again took up position in front of her, the hair on his back on end.

“Kit, back.”

He listened and sat.

“I’m fine.” She was far from fine.

Chase moved closer, reached out, and put his palm on her face. “You don’t look okay.” His voice was soft.

Piper found it difficult to breathe. The desire to lean into him and accept his concern collided with the things Melissa had said. “I’ll be okay,” she whispered.

“You’re shaking.” His hand moved from her face to her shoulder.

Their eyes caught.

Piper swayed in his direction as if her body had a mind of its own and needed to move closer.

Melissa’s words circled in her head. Sloppy seconds. Had Chase heard that? Would he believe any of her accusations? Piper’s stomach rolled, and every beat of her heart was a loud thud in her head that brought along a hammer against her temples.

Piper took a step back and lowered her eyes. “I could use some cold water,” she managed to say.

Chase dropped his hand. “I’ll get it.”

When he disappeared in the direction of the kitchen, Piper slid onto the couch and put her head in her hands.