A Price to Pay Read online

  “Jacksons?”

  Haley had hoped that her family was done with the Jacksons when Avery dumped Carter and ran off. But when Avery came back to tend to her father, who had been shot in the line of duty, a big fat belly got in the way. Now the Jacksons were relatives. This was compounded by Haley’s regular run-ins with Taylor, Avery’s social-climbing sister, who had transferred from Spelman to UCLA undergrad. To make matters worse, detective Sean Jackson, Avery’s brother and Haley’s ex-lover, the only man that had ever dumped her, decided he wanted to get his bachelor’s degree at UCLA too.

  “I’ve told you about them,” she said in disgust. “The world is just against me.”

  “Where are you going to go?”

  Haley grabbed her Gucci silver leather handle bag. “I have some unfinished business in Australia.”

  She’d spent the previous summer living the high life in Sydney, occasionally joined by her older sister, Leigh. It was a busy three months, but worth it. At least it would be in good time.

  “Hey!” He crawled to the edge of the bed just as she headed out of the room. “Can I come to the kid’s birthday party?”

  “Are you kidding me?” Haley asked in disbelief. “It’s a fuckin’ party for a six-month-old. Who has a birthday party for a six-month-old?”

  “I don’t care about the baby,” Garrett said. “I need face time with your brother.”

  Oh yeah, Garrett was also after a job at Carter’s law firm. He hated where he worked and wanted out. “You already work at one of the top firms in L.A. What do you want his rinky-dink outfit for?”

  “Chase Law is like the hottest and fastest-growing firm on the West Coast. And I want to work for a top outfit owned by a brother.”

  Haley leaned against the doorway. “I’ll make you a deal. You find out everything you can for me about trust funds and you can come.”

  “Why do you want to . . .” He nodded. “You want to get control away from your parents.”

  “Right now, I get piecemeal. The trust says I have to wait until I’m thirty to get total control. I want to know if I can get it now. Because if I can’t, I gotta make other plans. Do we have a deal?”

  2

  “This is completely ridiculous,” thirty-six-year-old Anthony Harper said as he stood next to his wife outside the front door to Chase Mansion.

  Twenty-nine-year-old Avery Harper looked at her husband, standing six feet tall and looking the role of college professor in his buttoned-up shirt and khaki pants. “Don’t start, Anthony.”

  “You know I’m right.”

  He was, in a sense. Avery knew that to anyone who wasn’t a part of the Chase social circles, all these get-togethers seemed excessive. But this was how it was with the ultra rich. They loved all the things their money could buy, but the one thing they loved the most was getting together to talk about all the things their money could buy. And the best part was that everyone else knew what they were doing and knew they weren’t invited.

  Avery shouldn’t have been invited, but fate was funny that way. When Chase Beauty decided to go into the hair salon business almost two years ago, her two stores, Essentials and Essentials II in View Park and neighboring Baldwin Hills, were in Steven’s sights. Despite her constant refusals to sell, Steven made certain that his oldest son, Carter, wouldn’t give up. Everyone knew who the Chases were and what they were capable of, but Avery had no idea of what was coming.

  She was almost killed. Carter’s insistence that she sell struck a nerve with Craig, her dangerously-in-debt partner at the time who desperately wanted to sell, and all hell broke loose. Meanwhile, Carter pursued her and at the same time her fiancé cheated on her. It wasn’t until she was head-over-heels in love and engaged to marry Carter that she’d found out that he had set up her last fiancé, Alex. It was all a game to win her over, and the lies and cover-ups to keep her from finding out gave her no choice but to leave him. He had completely broken her heart.

  Leaving Carter was hard enough, but he was determined to get her back because Chases just don’t lose. And when she found out she was pregnant, Avery got as far away as possible. But there was no escaping this family, and eventually she came back. Despite the fact that she had met and married another man and lied to Carter by saying Anthony was the father, Carter continued to pursue her. Despite a few slips, Avery had kept her vows and told the truth.

  Now that Connor was here, she was tied to this family forever. Six months ago, Avery made it clear to Carter that Anthony was her husband and she loved him. He hadn’t been happy, but to her surprise, he ended his pursuit. Or so she believed. There was no way to completely trust Carter. He was a Chase, after all.

  And so was Connor.

  Avery turned to her husband and reached out to touch his arm. “Please, Anthony. Can you just be civil for me, for a few hours?”

  “It’s always on me, isn’t it?” Anthony asked.

  “You’re the one starting an argument all the time.”

  Anthony just shook his head, pulling his arm away. Avery knew what he was thinking. He wanted to point the finger at Carter, but the truth was, Carter had been great these past six months. He had stopped pursuing a romantic relationship with her and only wanted to be a good co-parent to Connor. Anthony’s jealousy, something any man would naturally have of a man like Carter, made him see things that weren’t there.

  And then there were the things that were there. The things Avery tried to hide from her husband and tried to deny she felt whenever she saw Carter. She had hoped that time would dim the fire she felt whenever he was within a mile of her, but it hadn’t. Avery was certain Anthony sensed her feelings and that fueled his anger. But that wasn’t Carter’s fault. Avery knew it was her responsibility to manage her emotions and respect her vows.

  “This family can be overwhelming at times,” she said as she pressed the doorbell to the left of the wide, double doors. “But you and I both know that it could be worse.”

  When the doors opened, Maya stood before them with a wide smile on her face. “Avery!”

  Avery reached out and hugged her. “How are you, Maya?”

  “I’m as good as anyone can be, living in this house. Come on in.”

  As Maya stepped aside, Avery was stopped in her tracks by the first thing she saw. Carter was standing in the elaborate, marble foyer with Connor in his arms. Julia Hall, Carter’s beautiful girlfriend, had one hand on Carter’s back, rubbing it lovingly. Her other hand was holding onto Connor’s as the baby, Avery’s baby, smiled into her face.

  Avery quickly composed herself, but couldn’t shake off the effect of this happy little family scene. She had spent nights praying to God to help her get over her feelings for Carter and stop being jealous of his growing closeness with Julia. But something about seeing them both with Connor, as if this was Julia’s family, filled her with resentment.

  Then he turned to her and their eyes caught, locking onto each other. Could he tell she was jealous? Could he tell how attracted she was to him? He could read her so well, and his ego never failed to let her know. In the few moments she had allowed herself to be alone with him, Avery was always afraid he could sense it and would pounce. But he hadn’t; pounced, that is. She should be happy.

  Carter could see it. He hadn’t planned on Avery stepping upon this little scene, but now that she had, he knew it only worked in his favor. And from the way she uneasily ripped her eyes from his and looked to the ground, he knew it had. When she looked up again, she had pasted a smile on her face and was walking toward them as if this was nothing.

  Too late. Julia had served many purposes in Carter’s life. She got his mother off his back, gave Avery a reason to let her guard down, and made Avery jealous. Although he hadn’t been faithful to Julia since they started “officially” dating, he considered her his girlfriend. For now.

  “Hello, Avery.”

  Julia, always perfect. She was mocha brown and as tall as a mile with long, shiny, wavy hair and a soft, full face with very litt
le makeup. Her features were perfectly sculpted. She was Carter’s type: beautiful but not flashy, sexy but not explicitly so. And as her saccharine smile lasted a few seconds too long to mean anything kind, Avery was reminded that Julia was a bitch.

  Avery nodded her hello as she reached out for her baby. “How is my little love?”

  “She was acting up a little bit,” Carter said as he handed Connor to her. In the exchange, their fingers touched. He looked at her and could see the discomfort in her eyes, knowing that she felt the electricity he did every time they touched. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait. “I think she was just missing her mama.”

  Avery focused all her attention on Connor as Anthony approached. “Let’s go outside, Anthony.”

  Anthony paused for a second to give Carter an evil glare that made everyone uncomfortable. That was, everyone except Carter. He loved it. He politely said hello to Anthony, knowing the fool wouldn’t say hello back. And the scene was set for the day. Carter was trying to be nice and Anthony was being the asshole. This guy was way too easy.

  As they walked away, Carter’s smooth lips curved into a smile. Anthony would be rigid and uncomfortable all afternoon. Everyone would be polite, but they wouldn’t pay any particular attention to him. He would feel somewhat invisible and an overwhelming sense of being in the way. Since he was outnumbered at the party, he would wait until he was alone with Avery to vent his anger. She would get pissed and tired of him. Yet again.

  “Carter?” Julia called, sounding farther away than she was.

  When Carter turned to her his smile faded. Julia wasn’t a fool. She had told him several times that she felt disconnected from him whenever Avery was around. He would tell her it was nonsense and buy her something expensive. Still, she caught the side glances and tension-filled stares between him and Avery. He imagined everyone did.

  The look on her face and the question in her voice begged for him to remember she was there; to show her some attention and ease her insecurities. He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. She wanted to kiss longer, but he pulled away. He was always the one to pull away. He wanted her often, but not when Avery was around. When Avery was around, Avery was all he could think of.

  “Let’s go outside.” He took her hand and led her toward the family that she so hoped to be a part of that she was willing to ignore the fact that he didn’t love her.

  The Chase family held formal events in the immense great room of the house. Pictures of such events appeared regularly in society magazines all the way to the East Coast. However, when it was a family event, or just family and very close friends, they entertained out back by the pool.

  The Chase backyard looked like a paradise. The Rainbow Stone deck was welcoming, with fluffy lawn chairs, tables, and a piercing blue vanishing-edge pool made of tumbled marble that looked magical at night with the shimmering lights along the edges. There was also a basketball court equipped with two official NBA basketball backboard rims, and baskets and a large garden Janet tended to that grew carnations, roses, daisies and orchids. Behind the garden was a two-thousand-square-foot guest house that Janet, drawing on her former life as an interior decorator, was changing from a Caribbean theme to an English cottage theme.

  The fifteen-foot outdoor kitchen with a roof was made from red stone and equipped with everything from a refrigerator to a gas grill, rotisserie, wok, and barbeque pit/smoker. The area between the kitchen and the rolling, makeshift bar was where most of the family gathered.

  The backyard was Avery’s favorite part of the house. She felt less penned in there, and with the twins able to run around, the atmosphere was just lighter. That is, for everyone except for Anthony, who stood somberly at the bar making himself a drink.

  “How many is that?” Avery asked as she reached him.

  Anthony smiled. “I have a drinking problem now?”

  “No, but I don’t want you to develop one. Especially over nothing.” She glanced back at Connor, who was being held by her Aunt Leigh, Carter’s younger sister.

  “What’s nothing?” he asked sarcastically, putting the drink down as his wife wanted. “Being stuck with this self-important family of elitists for a few hours? It may be nothing to you, but not me.”

  Avery sighed. “Baby, I need you to be . . .”

  “A good little boy?” he asked. “I’ve had the speech a thousand times, Avery. If this family was going to punish us for trying to keep Connor away from Carter, they would have done it by now.”

  “Don’t be so sure,” Avery said. “They’re patient.”

  This was Avery’s fear, even more so than her fear of giving in to her feelings for Carter. While living in Florida, hiding away from him, Avery married Anthony because he kept her from feeling alone and she didn’t want to be unmarried when she had her baby. He was the opposite of Carter. He wasn’t overwhelming. She could control herself when it came to Anthony. Most of all, she could trust him.

  But Anthony’s lie made Avery fear that Carter could use it against her if he ever decided to take Connor away. Every time she was around the Chases, she got the sense that they believed Connor belonged more to them than her. If Carter wanted to take her baby away, with all his family’s money and power, Avery knew that she couldn’t fight him.

  Avery was the one who had exposed the lie. Once Connor was born, the love that she’d felt wouldn’t allow her to continue such a lie. To rob Carter of this love was more wrong than anything he had done to her. So Avery told him the truth. Not everyone was as forgiving as he had been. He was blinded by his love for Connor, but Steven and Janet were very angry that she had attempted to keep “their” grandchild from them. This was the problem with the Chases. Everything belonged to them and anyone who might suggest otherwise would regret it eventually.

  Janet had warmed to her again, but Steven barely spoke to her. He had never liked her since the poison of the way she was introduced to this family set her place in stone with him. They butted heads constantly and the effort to keep Carter from Connor was the last straw for him. This was why Avery needed Anthony to be . . . a good boy . . . whenever they were around.

  “If he doesn’t mess with me,” Anthony said, “there won’t be a problem.”

  She smiled, rubbing his arm in hopes of comforting him. Avery knew this wasn’t easy on him and she loved him for trying, but he made it harder on himself, and everyone else for that matter, than it had to be.

  “Hey, Avery!”

  Avery grinned at the cute little face looking up at her. It was Evan, Carter’s nephew, and she missed seeing him and Daniel regularly.

  “Hey, honey.” She ran her hand over his head. Both boys were getting big, but they still had a little baby in their faces; in those fat cheeks. “Where is your brother?”

  Evan shrugged as he looked over at Anthony. “Hey, Mr. Uhm . . .”

  “Harper,” Anthony offered. “I told you you can call me Anthony, Evan.”

  “Daddy says no.” Evan was shaking his head vigorously. “I should call you Mr. Harper.”

  “But you call me Avery,” Avery said.

  He looked at her, smiling wide. “But you’re family. He’s not.”

  “Great.” Anthony turned and reached for the drink.

  Avery knelt down to come face-to-face with Evan. “Did your daddy say that?”

  Evan nodded, then his smile quickly faded and was replaced by an angry frown. “He makes me so mad.”

  “Why?” Avery had an idea why, but wanted to ask.

  Evan leaned in to whisper. “He’s so mean to Mommy. He yells at her and stuff and he never lets her come with us anywhere. She stays home and cries all day I think.”

  Avery sighed, trying to control her emotions for Evan’s sake. “I’m sorry, dear. I’m sure things will get better. I’ll go visit your mommy tomorrow, okay?”

  “He doesn’t let anybody come over to see her. Especially you. He don’t even let her talk on the phone. He yells at her if he catches her.”

 
Avery stood up straight. This was insane. Over the last six months, Kimberly had continued to tell her that things were getting better while still refusing to reveal what had made them worse. Kimberly had gained back some of the weight she’d lost over stress, but she was very depressed and withdrawn and no one stood up for her.

  Sending Evan to go play, Avery searched for Michael. When she saw him, she started right for him. He was standing near the kitchen, leaning against a pole, chatting very nonchalantly with Carter. The two of them had a bond that Avery had tried, but couldn’t, get her hands around. They shared everything, including all the bad stuff; the stuff neither of them ever chose to tell the women in their lives. They fought like hell, but stood up for each other without question. But Avery wasn’t going to let that scare her.

  Even though they were in the middle of a discussion, Avery didn’t excuse herself. She lit right into Michael. “You clearly don’t care what you’re doing to Kimberly, but do you know what you’re doing to your children by the way you treat her?”

  Michael stood up straight, angrily. “What is your problem?”

  Carter turned to Avery. “Avery, don’t.”

  “Don’t what?” she asked. “Stand up for Kimberly? No one else does. You get off on it, don’t you, Michael?”

  “Mind your own business, you little . . .”

  “Hey,” Carter warned sternly.

  Michael looked at his brother and laughed. He knew Carter was still in love with Avery. He had seen through this whole farce with Julia a long time ago. He knew his brother better than anyone, and whatever hold this bitch had on him was still strangling him. She was the only woman that Carter ever sided with over Michael. That was part of the reason Michael couldn’t stand her. Her nosy ass was another.

  “Don’t you have a husband to look after?” Michael asked. “Stay out of my marriage.”

  “Your son was near tears a second ago because of how you make his mommy cry.” Avery noticed that Michael swallowed hard for a second. This was getting to him. So why didn’t he stop? “You may hate Kimberly for whatever reason I can’t see, but they love her. She’s their mother and everything you do to her, you’re doing to them.”