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“Hmm.” Sebastian could only imagine what awaited them.
“Sit.” Fernando waved his hand to the two red leather chairs in front of the desk that sat prominently in front of the high, wide windows overlooking the rich green pastures that spread out from the hacienda.
Fernando De Loren was in his eighties, not that he was willing to give in to age. His black hair was silver now, his dark brown gaze eagle sharp, and his mind just as calculating as it had ever been. That mind often gave Sebastian and his cousin pause.
“It’s early, Grandfather,” Sebastian stated as he and Shane took their seats. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Early?” Fernando’s silver brows nearly lifted to his hairline. “No more than a few months before you were still partying at the time you were texted. Or making your rounds about the globe in your quest for your next adventure. Now it’s early?”
The mocking surprise Sebastian decided to let slide.
“Nevertheless, now it’s early,” he stated. “What couldn’t wait until we arrived tomorrow to help Lucien with the new colts?”
Lucien’s horse-breeding enterprise was a highly profitable venture for the De Loren family.
“This is what could not wait.” The large manila envelopes were tossed to them, his grandfather’s anger glittering momentarily in his brown eyes. “Be certain to read the letter included, if you don’t mind.”
Opening the envelope and pulling the contents free, Sebastian felt everything inside him explode in rage. A rage he kept carefully contained, silent, as he stared at the eight-by-ten photos.
They were taken from inside the apartment Landra had given Alyssa for the summer. Explicit, damning photos of the three of them. In each, Alyssa featured prominently between the cousins. Naked, her expression tight with sensuality and such love for them that even now he felt humbled by it. Humbled and filled with a murderous rage that anyone would invade their privacy in such a vile way.
“What is the meaning of this?” Lifting his gaze to his grandfather, he could feel the violent fury gathering in him.
“Read the letter, Sebastian,” his father demanded, his compassion in no doubt. “It explains everything.”
Pulling the single sheet of paper from below the photos, he read it. He had to reread it to be certain he’d read correctly.
It would be a shame if these pictures of the eighteen-year-old senator’s daughter were sent to various porn sites that would undoubtedly pay a generous sum for them. It is understood that the De Loren political interests would be adversely affected once the men with her are identified.
All association with the girl will cease immediately. She will return to the United States, in no doubt that the grandsons of Fernando De Loren have been doing no more than enjoying a summer romance. Should they, at any time, be found or suspected to be involved or attempting to become involved with Alyssa Hampstead again, then the pictures enclosed will be sent to the above-mentioned sites.
A payment will be made, monthly, to the overseas account listed on the back, in the amount stated. Should a payment be late, the pictures will be sent to those sites.
At no time will either Shane Connor or Sebastian De Loren be seen in her company. Should it be learned the authorities were contacted or any investigation into the demand be made, then the pictures will be sent.
Decide for yourself if allowing such to happen is in your political best interests.
Sebastian could feel the world crashing around him, destroying him. The implications of the letter as well as the pictures couldn’t be ignored, nor could the danger to Alyssa.
It would destroy her, her family, and everything she knew. The cyberworld and journalists far and wide would spread the news of her humiliation with such a public announcement of it there would be no doubt she’d be destroyed.
With her shy innocence it would break her before she ever had a chance to realize what was happening around her. It would break all of them. What it would do to all three families would be catastrophic.
“The family will ensure the payments are made as demanded until the blackmailer is identified,” Sebastian’s father, Alberto, stated as Shane tried to assimilate the hell he could feel his life becoming. “Landra has volunteered to make the first payments, with your parents, Shane, making the second, I and Sebastian’s mother, then your other aunts, to Fernando, while we quietly attempt to learn who this is.”
“The demands will be followed precisely,” Shane’s grandfather stated with no room for argument. “The sum we will pay to protect this woman who is nothing to us. No blood to us—”
“She’s something to us,” Shane stated, fighting to hold back his fury. “She’s everything to us.”
“Then you forgot, Grandson, how easily such a weakness can be used against you.” Fernando slapped the table furiously. “You share your women, and I have warned you repeatedly of the impact of such a thing. I have warned you how easy it will be for others to use this against you or the lover your hearts grew fond of. And you refused to heed my warnings, did you not? Now, this threatens not just her father’s political aspirations, but the political connections of this family as well. Do the two of you forget our financial stability is directly tied to our ability to export the products we ship to the U.S.? Exports that took us decades to implement? Do you think we will hold on to the favor we’ve acquired with U.S. politicians in recent years should her father’s rise to the White House be destroyed?”
“We’ll return immediately and explain—”
“You will not.” Outrage filled Fernando’s voice. “Read the letter again, Grandson. Does it say you will return and explain anything? It says from the hour the sun has risen the demand is in effect. Why do you think you were called here at such an early hour?”
Shane could feel the rage building, burning, and could find no outlet to release it.
“I had two of my own people waiting when you left,” Lucien said then, “women with the training and experience to enter the apartment and gather all your belongings, as well as pictures or items that could be used to prove your association with her, once she slept. A letter will be left informing her the summer is over and she’s to return to her home. Once we’ve neutralized this threat and we have the negatives and copies in hand, then you can decide if you will attempt to explain this to her.”
