Chapter 1
Alexander Knight sighed, his ulcer reacting to the story he was reading in the trashy newspaper he held in a vice-like grip. Why had things gone so badly? He knew they had spoiled the boy rotten, it came with him almost losing both the boy and his mother the first time and only worsened when he did lose her when she was adamant they had to try for a daughter. He had to stop him before he killed himself but how? The door buzzed and in walked his favorite accountant.
" Excuse me sir, sorry to bother you but I found it!"
Angela Carson was the same age as his son Xavier to the day. He had met her father while his wife Emily was in labor with Xavier and unfortunately, Angela's mother gave her life to bring Angela into the world. He had held her father, Anthony in his arms as his entire world caved in on him. The man had found the strength to somehow carry on and Emily had cared for the little girl up until she was five. Then it had been Anthony's turn to comfort him. They had bonded over tragedy and yet the children had never really gotten along. Xavier had been overseas at various boarding schools and so had Angela. She was the polar opposite of his son, Xavier. She was driven, kind, innocent and soft spoken, even with all that glorious red hair. Xavier on the other hand was a spoilt brat, inheriting his first billion with his mother's death, he had rarely had to work hard for anything in his life. School had also come easy since he was rated at genius IQ. There had never been anything to really ground him. Now, according to this latest article, he had a death wish and was set to hang glide off a cliff in Mexico after his latest break up with the latest bimbo.
" Sir?"
Angela's dulcet toned voice broke him out of his reverie.
" Sorry, my dear and who are you calling sir?"
" Sorry, Uncle Alex, you know how I feel about nepotism in the work place..."
" I know, I know. What did you find?"
" It's Bartley, he's been siphoning money in small increments but I caught the little weasel."
He grinned at her, she was the daughter he never had...
" That's it!"
" Sir? What..."
He pulled her into a fatherly hug, her arms going around him easily. He knew what he had to do.
" Ange, great job as always, you know what to do."
He rushed her out of his office and dialed his bestfriend's number.
" Tony we need to talk its about the kids."
" I've been thinking about them too, Lex. I'm dying and I don't want her to spend her life alone or spend it mourning me."
" Fuck man, why didn't you say something, you stubborn, prideful son of a bitch?"
" You have done enough for us over the years, more than enough.."
" Just shut up! I will deal with you later. I think it's time we did what we should have done years ago."
" You want Ange and Xavi to marry."
Alex sighed in relief, he had planned to convince the hell out of his best friend in the world, thankfully Tony was on the same page.
" It's long overdue wouldn't you say?"
" I would but what about Xavi, how will you get him to agree?"
" I have my ways, leave him to me, you work on on Angela."
" Ange is the good child, easy pickings."
Valle de Bravo, Mexico
" Senor Knight, telefono para ti."
He pushed the goggles off his head and grabbed the phone quickly, only his father knew where he was and he had been acting funny of late.
" Pop? You al..."
" Sir, your father has been admitted to the hospital, he has had a heart attack. Sir? Are you there?"
Xavier felt what little feeling he had left in his cold heart shiver to life. He could not lose the old man, not now when all they did these days was fight. He had to get to New York ASAP!
" Where is my father?" he demanded hotly, glaring as the nurse stared star struck up at him. He was so tired of gold digging groupies. He ignored her and walked inside the room in front of him and froze. A beautiful redhead sat on his father's bed, her eyes red rimmed, his father's hand in hers.
" Who the fuck are you?"
" Hello to you too, Xavier, I wish I could say, nice to see you but I'm not that good a liar."
He was speechless, he knew that acid tongue anywhere. Little Angela Carson, all grown up. He knew they were the same age, twenty six but the last time he had seen her she had been a geeky eighteen year old with mega braces.
" May I have a moment with my father, if its not too much to ask?" he snapped drily.
She bristled but said nothing as she quietly left the room. He had never really liked Angela for all that their fathers had become bestfriends the day they were born. She always had to one up him in front of their dads. Little know it all, no wonder she was all but a nun, which poor sucker would be able to bear the brunt of her scathing tongue.
" Xavi? That you.."
" I'm here, Pop, you alright?"
" I'm not so sure, my boy..." His father began to cough and Xavier felt tears prick his eyes. He could not lose him, not like this...
" I want to say something to you, son. I know I was a lousy father.."
" Pop, you were the best father a son could have, please.."
" No, I may not have much time, we can be honest, look I just want you to do one thing for me, if you can't I will try to..."
" Name it!"
" Are you sure? I don't want you to have any regrets after.."
" Whatever you ask, it will be done, Pop."
" I want you to marry, Angela. Time is short and I want you kids to find what Tony and I found with your mothers."
Xavier felt all the blood leach from his face, from his entire body, He steeled his resolve and found a smile for his father.
" I will, Pop, for you, I will."
He could hear the sound of arguing coming from outside his father's room. Then the saddest sigh he had ever heard followed by a very resigned...fine.
He walked into a hug from Uncle Tony that made a lump lodge in his throat.
" Been awhile, son. Don't you worry about the old geezer, he'll be just fine. You kids catch up while I go talk to my..."
His voice broke, the laughter almost finding its way out as he looked from his daughter's repulsed face to his soon to be son in law's resolve. He let himself into the room, listening at the door like the horrible father he was.
" What's going on?" Alex Knight whispered eagerly.
" You are going to hell, that's what and taking me right along with you. They are dancing politely around the elephant in the room."
" Hundred bucks says she blurts it out," Alex teased chuckling quietly.
" I will take that bet. My daughter is pissed off enough but your boy got her beat," Tony teased back.
" Look are we going to talk about this or are you just going to play your usual role of Ice Queen?"
Angela bit back the retort that was on the tip of her tongue. She would not stoop to his level, the ass, she thought waspishly.
" You know nothing about me. If Uncle Alex wasn't..."
" Exactly, so are we going to try to do this ...for him."
" Fine!"
She stomped out of the private wing of JFK Hospital fit to be tied. It was bad enough she had to deal with her father's cancer returning, now she had to contemplate marriage to that Jerkweed Xavier too! She closed her eyes and remembered Uncle Alex's pasty face and sighed. She could do this, she had to, her family owed everything to his and she paid her debts.
