My Forbidden Mentor (27 page)

Why a virgin, Vanessa? What could you possibly want with a virgin? Rose deliberated to herself, fishing for clues. A strange sensation came over her that made her believe Vanessa was planning some kind of mischief. With what she had learned from Robert about John and his situation, it gave her all the more reason to believe it.

Should she keep her eye on Vanessa and the lad? She couldn’t possibly watch them day and night. With her shift being over, she decided to hunt down Robert and get his opinion about the whole idea. She whirled down the dimly lit hall to her room and readied herself to go.

John had spent two weeks preparing Chief and his stable hands for the trip to Sheffield. With a couple of days for traveling and a couple more days at the track, his trip to Sheffield was calculated for up to a week, which was perfect timing to be back home and hopefully graced with Melissa’s presence, but he would think about that in a week. Right now he needed to contact Robert as he planned to leave in the morning.

John stepped into Sally’s place hoping to find Robert when instead he found his father. His body stiffened upon seeing his drunk and disorderly father seated at the bar carousing with a young lady. He tried passing by unnoticed but there was no escaping him. Even in his drunken state he recognized his only son.

“John,” his father called out, turning on the stool and almost falling off, but his lady friend helped steady him. John stopped and in reluctance turned toward him. It was better to acknowledge him than pretend otherwise as he could get loud and extremely obnoxious when ignored. “Come here and visit your old father, son. I haven’t seen you in awhile.”

John could smell his liquored breath from where he stood. John didn’t even break a smile for him and he planned to make this visit as short as possible. “How are you father?” His stomach turned as the young lady twirled his father’s peppered hair between her fingers. He still carried on as he always had, more so since the death of his mother, except the women were getting younger. This one in particular didn’t look a day over twenty-one, the same age as Melissa, he thought.

John experienced a rise of nausea as the young lady winked his way, making her flirtations brazen. It was quite clear the lady was signaling an evening with both the father and the son. John steadied his eyes on his father and kept them there.

“I’m perfectly fine, son. I heard you’ve got yourself a young lass you’re keeping all to yourself?”

Keeping his patience under control, he answered calmly, “I am well, father, and frankly my personal life is none of your business.” Even though John sounded cool toward his father, he had every right to be. Anyone who didn’t know their situation would have thought John cruel with his words but they were acceptable considering their wretched past.

Swallowing a single shot of cognac in one gulp, his father slammed the glass down on the bar and replied, “That’s my boy, always showing profound love for his father,” he said as his voice was rising in volume the longer he spoke. John saw it coming and so did Sally.

“Don’t start,” John told him under vast restraint.

Albert started to lunge forward at John but stumbled in the process, and as the dutiful son, John caught him before he reached the wooden floor.

Sally stood behind John, asking him, “John, would you mind depositing him outside? I can’t afford another of his disturbances.”

He returned a faint smile as he lifted his father up and over his broad shoulder. “Of course,” he answered. Humiliated once again, he found his father’s carriage and dumped him inside on the cushioned seat and was about to turn away when he heard his father mumbling a slurred reference.

“So son, are you gonna share this lass like you did the other one?” Albert stretched his limbs to sit in a normal position, glaring at John with dire intent.

Confusion ran through John’s agitated mind. He hadn’t a clue what his father was talking about. He never recalled sharing anyone with him. “What are you talking about?” John asked as he stepped closer to his father.

Albert chuckled. “It appears I finally have my son’s attention.” Albert paused to hiccup. “She came willingly to me John, I didn’t force her.”

John’s brows creased with added tension. “Who came to you?”

Albert was enjoying the bewildered look on his son’s face. Perhaps for once he held John’s attention long enough to continue a normal conversation. “Damned if I can remember her name, but you can’t mistake that platinum blonde hair of hers.”

The color began draining from John’s flustered features. Although he hadn’t any deep-rooted feelings for Vanessa, the thought of her with his father bothered him. “Vanessa?” he asked to verify.

“That’s her name. How could I forget the name belonging to that body?” Albert sighed.

By now John was devastated. As he glared at his father in his drunken state, he wondered if he spoke the truth or if he was testing his resistance. “So you’re saying that you and Vanessa slept together?”

Albert’s smile broadened. “We did more than sleep together, son. She’s quite a fine piece,”

John covered his ears with his hands. “All right, all right, I don’t want to hear anymore. I don’t need a detailed description.”

His father chuckled some more, catching the attention of his lady friend, and John stepped aside to let her by.

John re-entered the saloon, stumbling into Sally. “Oh, pardon me Sally.” John’s mind was so preoccupied that he hadn’t paid attention to where he was going.

“It’s quite all right, John. You can run into me anytime,” Sally said, sending a teasing smile that John knew was only to taunt.

John smiled back but his eyes searched the perimeters of the bar, finding no sight of Robert.

“Are you looking for your handsome partner?” Sally asked.

“Yes,” John answered.

“Well Rose left to find him, so I imagine he’s not here.”

“How long ago?”

“I’d say a couple of hours ago.”

“Thank you, Sally.”

“Anytime, handsome.” Sally watched John as he strode toward the door, admiring him and all of his masculine features, and thought someday he’ll make a lucky young lady very happy.

John figured Robert would be back home by now after Rose had found him and they would want their privacy, so he decided to catch him in the morning on his way out. At present, he had another mission to carry out before his departure.

John arrived at Vanessa’s doorstep twenty minutes after leaving Sally’s place and he was about to knock when he heard laughter. Apparently Vanessa had company tonight. Well, she would have to put the brakes on because he had more important matters to discuss with her.

His knuckles rapped on the wooden door with force. A long moment passed before the door cracked open. Vanessa’s smile faded when staring into John’s features.

“Entertaining?” John asked, not holding back one ounce of sarcasm.

The door opened a little wider. “Why? Jealous?” Vanessa responded.

John chuckled. “Hardly.”

His remark caused a frown to appear on her vain expression. “Why are you here then? Are you in need of some comforting?”

“No. I’m in need of some answers, Vanessa.” John didn’t dally.

“Answers? Regarding what?” She looked confused.

“You and my father, to be specific,” John shot out.

At once Vanessa peeked over her shoulder at the company awaiting her, her company who was highly excited in his virginal state. “Who is it, love?” John heard from the background.

“Someone I know,” she called back. “I’ll be right back,” Vanessa assured him, closing her red silk robe tighter around herself. She slipped out of the door and shut it behind her. “What . . . what are you referring to, John?”

“So it’s true?” John said with a smirk, catching her at her game. He had her interest peaked enough to want privacy for their conversation.

“I haven’t any idea what you’re talking about.” Her face stayed solemn.

“Don’t you? Playing ignorant with me Vanessa is not going to work. I can tell by your reaction it’s true.”

“What is true, John?” Vanessa spoke in frustration as she folded her arms across her chest.

“You sleeping with my father.” John leaned forward to emphasize his point.

“Did he tell you this himself?” There lay shakiness in her voice.

John knew then that he had her trapped. “Does it matter? Are you that desperate?”

“You’re talking about your father here.”

“Yes, I am. You act as if you didn’t already know about my father’s character. What possessed you to bed him, Vanessa? If you’re looking for security you won’t find it with him. He has different women weekly.”

Her silence of hesitation led to an interesting testimony. “I didn’t sleep with him for that reason. You know me I like to have a good time. Your father was available at the time.”

“And what time was that?” John inquired.

“None of your business, John.” Vanessa answered with a tip of her chin.

“How many times have you slept together?” John wanted accurate information.

Vanessa gasped at his personal inquiry. “That is definitely none of your business. I don’t ask you how many times you and that country tart fornicated.”

His teeth ground together in reaction to her unnecessary remark. “Leave Melissa out of this. This is different, it involves my father.”

“He’s a man and I’m a woman, it’s natural to be attracted to each other. Besides, you should thank me for the discovery of a very promising future for yourself. Your father is a very virile man for his age, John. His stamina may pass onto you.”

John shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t want to hear about that. I want to know if you’re still having relations with him?”

Vanessa was feeling back in control now that John seemed stumped. “Well it was fun while it lasted, but no, I am not. As you predicted he has moved on, but then so have I.”

John took a deep calming breath before continuing. “So, you balled my father because he has stamina? Did you catch wind of his vigor from one of his whores?”

“Why do you care who I’ve balled, John? You’ve never shown this much concern before.”

He leaned into her again. “Because, I don’t believe you were with my father just for fun, no matter how virile he is. No, you’ve got another agenda in mind, Vanessa, and I mean to find out what it is. You can’t fool me with this facade you’re putting on.”

She hadn’t convinced him. He was too smart for his own good. She backed away from him. “Believe what you want,” she said while turning to approach the door.

John grabbed her arm with force, stalling her movements. “I want the truth and I want it now,” he said, his voice low and deep.

“John, you’re hurting me,” she cried, trying to break free of his grasp.

“Perhaps you need a little pain in your life, Vanessa. You seem to dish it out so well. The truth.” His eyes were fierce, sparkling like lightening, his voice like thunder.

“Why have you turned so cruel toward me?” Vanessa cried out of desperation.

“You have to ask? Stop avoiding the issue and give me answers,” he demanded. He couldn’t trust her after her devious actions a couple of weeks ago.

Vanessa turned vicious, losing control. “You’re reacting so violently because of that tart. If it weren’t for her you’d still be my lover and it would be you in my apartment right now, lying naked in my bed, instead of him.”

“Stop calling her that. You and I were finished well before Melissa entered the picture,” he clarified.

“Hah, you not only protect her, you defend her no matter how wrong she is. She stole you from me!”

“What?” John asked, completely puzzled.

“Yes, she’s stolen you, but there’s a part of you she doesn’t have.” Out of an urgent need to remain in control, Vanessa exposed some truth she would soon have to rectify.

Was she truly insane? “What on earth are you talking about?”

Vanessa deliberately placed a hand on her stomach, rubbing in an answering motion with a wicked smile.

John glanced toward Vanessa’s stomach and let go of her arm. “That child is not mine. Whether you verify or not, I know for a fact it isn’t mine, Vanessa.”

“Yes, John, you’re right about that. Because of you and your stronghold on contraceptive measures, unfortunately, it is not yours.”

“Will you stop speaking in riddles?”

The wicked grin came back. “Well, John, if I couldn’t have your baby, I wanted to have the closest possible to it.” She paused as if giving him a chance to guess. “I’d say your father is pretty close, wouldn’t you?”

The color faded from John’s face once again and his jaw dropped. “You must be jesting? At least I pray you are.” Now he knew for sure she was insane.

“No, John. I’m very serious.” She wasn’t smiling anymore.

“Good God, Vanessa. He can’t be a father again, he’s old enough to be a grandfather,” John exclaimed in horror.

“Obviously his seed doesn’t know any better. I’m carrying your father’s child, John. In a half year’s time you will have a half brother or sister.”