Stranded with My Stepbrother Chapter 157

McKenzie

Ike chose a cute yellow sundress with daisies on it for me. It appeared after Will and I got back from our third foray into the grotto Saturday morning. After my CT scan, the doctor had reluctantly admitted that my concussion had improved a lot, though he had still been adamant about not overexerting myself.

Will took this to mean we could only have sex three times a day. I didn’t correct him. I liked that interpretation, too.

Now, however, we were doing the unavoidable. We were going to see the man himself—William Masterson Sr.

“He picked out some flats,” Will pointed out while I sat nervously next to him in the back of the Mercedes, being driven once again by Rafael.

I knew he was trying to put me at ease, but I was practically trembling. With rage or fear, I wasn’t sure. Probably both. “Yes, Ike is a real gem.”

He snorted. “We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one. I’m just hanging on to how grateful I am for them taking care of Bran. I figure it might get me through at least an hour sitting face-to-face with Grandfather after everything that’s happened.”

“No shouting. We’re playing nice,” I reminded him, though I was the one who might end up shouting, and I was sure he knew it.

Will squeezed my hand. “No shouting,” he agreed. “Neither one of us is going to start screaming at him.”

“I’m going to have ‘play nice’ going on repeat in my head the entire time we’re there,” I said. “I’m hoping it’ll help.”

“Me, too.” He kissed my hand, and then the car stopped.

We’d been driving for an hour. But, as we sat outside the Faribault, Minnesota, prison, I realized that hadn’t been nearly long enough to prepare. A year probably wouldn’t have been long enough.

“Breathe,” Will whispered while Rafael opened my door.

I scooted out of the car while Will opened his own door and came around to the other side so he could take my hand. I tried to concentrate on my breathing, but I was more nervous than I’d ever been in my life.

“The car will be ready when your visit ends,” Rafael said with great professionalism.

“Er… thanks,” I replied.

“We’ll only be an hour. That’s the limit,” Will told him.

“Very good, sir.” Rafael got back in the car.

I gulped as Will led me into the facility. We passed through security then were shown to the visiting room.

Masterson was already there, sitting, waiting. He smiled as we approached.

I wanted to slap him. “Playing nice. Playing nice,” I murmured under my breath.

Will squeezed my hand before settling me in a chair across from his grandfather. Then he sat down next to me. “Grandfather.”

“Will. It’s so good to see you. It’s been a while,” Masterson said with a smile.

That smile was positively chilling, even though I’m sure it was meant to put us at ease. I tried to remind myself this older, gray-haired grandfather was just a man. Just a man.

But he exuded power like it was a strong cologne, and considering everything he’d done, that scared the shit out of me.

“I wanted to thank you for clearing up that situation we had,” Will said, noting my stiffness and squeezing my hand under the table. “It was… the perfect solution.”

“I’m nothing if not good at balancing the books.” He turned to me. “McKenzie, you look lovely. You’ve grown into a fine young woman. I still remember when you were rolling around in the barnyard mud, throwing handfuls of the stuff at your parents. They were quite indulgent, but then, it’s in their nature.”

I stared at him, my jaw on the floor. “How…?”

“Grandfather, please be nice.” Will frowned at Masterson. “I’m sure you have plenty of footage somewhere of McKenzie growing up. You don’t have to scare her.”

“I might. I might not.” He winked. “The walls have ears here, you know.”

“I know the feeling.” Will sounded pissed.

“Playing nice,” I whispered, recovering myself.

Will took a deep breath. “You wanted to see us?”

Masterson looked smug. “I did. I just wanted to congratulate you on your upcoming engagement and nuptials. I should be out by the time the wedding happens, but, sadly, will likely miss the engagement party. Unfortunately, Bran will no longer be able to host, but I’m working on other ideas. It seems he had an accident.”

“Terribly unfortunate,” Will replied with a flat affect.

“Oh yes, that’s right. You were there. It must have been awful to witness.” Masterson clucked his tongue.

“Truly awful,” Will said with the same affect.

Masterson chuckled. “How about you, McKenzie? What did you think?”

“I thought it was… well, whoever was behind it was very thorough. They still haven’t found the woman in black,” I responded.

“It’s good to be thorough.” Masterson sat back in his chair with a self-satisfied smirk. “I’ll have to have Ike send him some flowers.”

“He’ll probably appreciate that,” Will said.

“There are a lot of things Bran needs to learn to appreciate. But now he has all the time in the world to reflect on himself,” Masterson replied. “Now then. Will, you will be returning to the office on Monday and learning more of the ropes from Ike. No more languishing at your desk, waiting for the next party to attend.”

Will nodded, though he wasn’t happy about it. “I figured I’d be going back soon.”

“Good instincts. McKenzie, I’ve heard you want to finish school. That’s an excellent ambition. Have you decided which school you’d like to attend? And a major?” Masterson asked.

“I… was going to the U of M…” I said, wondering why he was asking me about schools.

“I know. I just thought you might want to go somewhere a little more ambitious. It’s a fine school, don’t get me wrong. I was just thinking, now that you’re with Will, Carleton College might be a better fit. Of course, I’d prefer to send you to Harvard, Stanford, or some such, but Carleton is a decent school with a good Political Science and International Relations program. You could become a great asset to Will.” Masterson gestured to his grandson. “Will was a passably good student at Yale—a Master’s in Business, of course. But he didn’t really have the drive for it. You strike me as a young lady with a lot of fire. I think you would be excellent in a program like that.”

“Why can’t she go to Harvard or Stanford?” Will cut in.

Masterson chuckled. “Because of you, my dear boy. What are you going to do while she’s off on one of the coasts? You’ll sit here pining your heart out, and you will be absolutely useless to the company.”

“I’d be useless without you, too,” I whispered when Will scowled, unable to argue the point.

“Of course you would,” Masterson said, having heard me anyway. “Now, I know your credits from last year will transfer. All of them. And you won’t be penalized for missing this semester. I have made sure of it.”

“So, basically I’m going to Carleton College,” I replied, my stomach twisting at how this man already had my future all laid out for me.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “After you’ve finished your degree, we’ll talk about you continuing at Harvard for an advanced degree. You’d be invaluable as an International Trade Specialist. Of course, you will also need to learn a few languages. Chinese will be a must and Spanish. I’ll consult with Ike to see if there are any others that will be absolutely critical to your role.”

“My role?” I echoed faintly.

Masterson shrugged. “You can decline, of course. You just don’t strike me as the kind of person who likes languishing at home, waiting for her man to show up every night.”

He wasn’t wrong there. Playing nice. Besides, it could be a nice way to pass the time until Will and I escaped.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll do it.”

Will looked startled. “McKenzie, you really don’t have to.”

“No, I want to. If I’m being offered a top-notch education instead of wandering around an empty house every day, I’m going to take it,” I told him.

“Smart girl.” Masterson was very pleased with himself. “This has been a most productive meeting. I look forward to seeing you next Saturday.”

“Next Saturday?” Will repeated.

Masterson nodded. “Of course. Every Saturday until I leave this hellhole. Then, I’ll be home, and back in the office. We’ll have family dinners, it will be lovely.”

Will had gone pale, and I was sure I was the same. I felt the blood completely drain from my face.

Masterson laughed loudly. “You’ll get used to it. Pretty soon, we’ll be one big happy family.”

“Grandfather… with respect…” Will began.

“Playing nice,” I mumbled, though my guts were twisted with horror.

“Yes, Will. Let’s remember to play nice,” Masterson said. “I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but this is going to work. We’re going to make it work.” He shook his head sadly. “It could have gone so well with Jacey, Caleb, and your father. People are usually just too stubborn for their own good.”

Will’s father? I glanced at him, worried. What would he think of his grandfather bringing Will Jr. up this way? So… casually?

I was right to be concerned. Will was shaking. “You sonofa—”

Grabbing Will’s arm, I stood, tugging him up after me. “It’s been so nice to see you, Mr. Masterson. I’m looking forward to next Saturday.”

“I’m sure you are.” Masterson grinned.

I began pulling Will away from the table. At first, he wouldn’t budge, glaring at his grandfather. If looks could kill, Masterson would have been a steaming pile of ash.

“Will,” I whispered. “Let’s go home.”

He stood still, immovable, for another minute, then turned his back on his grandfather. “See you Saturday,” he bit out.

“Oh, and McKenzie?” Masterson called sweetly after us.

Dread sank like a stone from my throat to my stomach. “Yes, sir?”

“I’m sorry about your parents,” he said, his voice dripping with false sympathy.

“Yes, well, we all make mistakes,” I replied sweetly. “Will, let’s go.”

Will stopped me. “Grandfather, what have you done?”

Masterson’s eyes widened innocently. “Me? No. They still don’t know who it was. They’re still figuring out the wreckage.”

“Wreckage?” I asked. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“That’s right. You haven’t been watching much television. Busy, busy, busy,” Masterson said.

“Grandfather.” Will pulled me back to the table and leaned over it. “What have you done?!”

Masterson shrugged. “Nothing, of course. Nothing at all.” But his eyes danced with mirth. “Someone blew up an FBI safehouse in Oakdale, however. They haven’t sorted everything out yet, but….”

My heart seized. Will grabbed me just as I was going to leap across the table and throttle the old sonofabitch.

“Where are my parents?!” I screamed.

Will’s arms banded around me like iron, and he put a hand over my mouth. “Shh. He’s just playing with you. Don’t let him.”

This was rich coming from the guy who’d nearly decked Masterson for talking smack about his father. But, as a guard walked over, I understood that now was not the time or place.

Besides, like Will said, Masterson would only play with me some more. We’d have to get our information from a more reliable source.

“What’s going on over here?” the guard asked gruffly, hands on hips.

“We just received some bad news, that’s all,” Will replied, rubbing my shoulders.

“Yeah, well, keep it down,” he said.

Will nodded. “Sorry. We were just leaving, anyway.”

“I’ll have him put back in his cell.” He motioned to some other guards.

“Good,” Will said with a touch of darkness.

I felt the same way.

When we got back to the car, I turned to Will, but he’d already knocked on the partition. “Rafael,” he said, “call Ike, then give me your phone.”

“Sir, I think Mr. Freeborn is busy—” Rafael protested.

Will slapped the transom between us. “I’m not asking, Rafael!”

He swallowed and pressed a contact on the phone mounted to the dashboard. Then he took it out of its dock and handed it back to Will.

“Rafael? What’s the problem?” I heard Ike’s clipped tone even as Will put the phone to his ear.

“Where are the Killeens?” Will demanded.