Hypergeniture Bk. 02 Pt. 03

BOOK TWO • PART THREE

Author's Note: This is the last part of Book Two. I hope you've enjoyed this installment in the series and look forward to your feedback. Book Three will be ready before the end of the year (probably in October at the latest). Please rate and comment to let me know what you think!

All sexual activity is between characters that are 18 or older. This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to real persons, places or events is purely coincidental. The below is not intended to serve as a guide for real-life sexual encounters or relationships. Stay safe, happy and healthy! :-)

----------------------------------------

14 • Peace Talks

We made a resort in Bali our Camp David as the family engaged in what could only be described as negotiations. The aim: Make ourselves whole and repair things with our mother.

Styled classically, the yellow building that accommodated us had two wings hugging a massive pool with gazebos, loungers and pristine lawns. The restaurant, gym and other facilities were in a separate building, laid out at an angle to maximise views of the pristine coastline.

The land belonged to Gedeon Daughtler and would soon belong to me.

Elle was my chief diplomat and took the job seriously. The family would dine together at least twice each day. Most of the talking happened in our brunches, while dinners were reserved for bonding as we tried to catch up on wasted decades.

It was unlikely we could ever forget, but I had a feeling we could forgive.

Three days passed, and we were sitting underneath a thatch-roofed gazebo with island sounds and the seascape creating a sense of tranquillity. Everyone was relaxed, or so it seemed, until the flames rose from old embers and our progress nearly turned to ash...

"So, what are you going to do?" Tecla asked with an edge.

"Do?" Eve quirked an eyebrow.

"Work, charity, chores... You have to do something. You can't just expect to hang around without contributing."

Reaching out, I squeezed my sister's hand in a futile attempt to calm her down. A lifetime of neglect filled her with a sense of rage she'd bottled up for far too long. But our mother didn't understand how deep the scars ran.

"Do I really need to contribute?" she asked. "I'm your mom, after all."

"You're our mom?!" Tec scoffed. "You want me to call you Mom, Mommy, or some bullshit like that?"

"Tec--" I tried to interject.

"Fuck that! I'm leaving."

My sister sprang to her feet and stormed off angrily with her point made. Shortly after, Eve did the same and headed off towards her room in a huff, leaving myself and Elle to pick up the pieces.

I was stunned. "Where did that come from?"

Elle pitied my ignorance and probably despised it just a little. "Tec doesn't talk about it, but she's angry. There's all the stuff from way back, and then there's the way Mom reacted when she found out about us..."

"She was in shock," I defended. "When it came down to it, she never told us to stop, only to be safe."

With a shrug, my sister stood up and kissed me on the cheek, promising that she'd speak to Tecla later. I felt it wasn't her responsibility -- that as much as I needed her help, I also needed to remain the leader of our family. It was my duty to take care of us and keep us together.

I took a few deep breaths, collecting my thoughts before heading to our bedroom.

Walking through the epic -- empty -- beach resort was a surreal experience. We'd booked the whole place, and its over 200 rooms were all ours. Here and there, a security officer or other staff member loitered in the background, but they hardly filled the place. It seemed abandoned, but it also seemed safe and private.

As well as his investments, I'd been purchasing Gedeon Daughtler's extensive global infrastructure. Before all that, I was rich and powerful, but this new partnership would propel me to levels few people could imagine. It was a necessity, of course, but it also made me feel good, and I'd taken a real shine to feeling good.

As I got closer to the presidential suite, located at the heart of a private garden and beyond the resort proper, I heard crying and moved faster. The sound of my sister in despair drove me to rush, speed ahead, and race to console her. Throwing open the door, I found Natasha and Tecla sitting on the bed, with our cousin holding my weeping sister.

"It's fucked up!" Tecla swore, barely able to speak.

"I know," Tash soothed.

"I never wanted her back!"

"She's your mother."

"No, she isn't! She never was and never will be. Olly is the only person who ever took care of us."

Natasha held my sister to her chest and patted Tec on the back as she let it all out. Our cousin was a godsend -- closer in age to the girls, a female role model and companion that could offer them things I couldn't. At the end of the day, I was still their big brother, and little could replace that, but she was an incredible help.

"Look who's here," Tash whispered, directing Tecla's attention to me.

My sister's lips were shivering as she walked over and embraced me. The way she felt in my arms was an awful realisation, and for the first time, I accepted just how much hurt was in her heart.

"I..."

I wanted to say I never knew Eve had such an effect on them. Clearly, I wasn't the only one between us who tried to hide my feelings from my siblings. I guess we all wanted to look strong for each other. Tecla used my shirt as a tissue, but I didn't mind. I wanted to do everything I could for her, but I also had to insist we continue with the peace talks. She didn't see the point, and I could hardly blame her.

Making a truce and charting a path forward was a son's impulse (no matter what his mother did). I knew daughters felt the same in their hearts of heart, but it simply took them longer to realise, and it was harder for them to forgive.

"This is to help keep us safe," I started. "Keeping everyone together is better for security. Plus, I think--"

"We can be one big happy family?" Tecla grumbled, letting go of me. "You think we should live with her?"

Sensing she could better help elsewhere, Natasha excused herself. We watched her leave before my sister went off to blow her nose, straightening her top and speaking as steadily as her strained voice would allow. "I like her," she remarked about our cousin. "She's another woman, so I should be jealous and bitchy, right?"

"Not necessarily," I countered.

"Okay... But face it, you expected it from us. Or, at least from Elle. Thing is, we like her -- we like having her around."

"I like that too."

"She knows her place," my sister concluded, turning to the closet and retrieving a bikini so she could go for a swim.

Having been half their parent and half their brother, I'd learnt to do a little mind-reading when it came to my sisters. The remark about Natasha 'knowing her place' was more about our mother than anything else.

The girls saw me as their parent, and since we were committed to each other, they did not need a mother. They were sisters and wives, their own mothers and their male protector's lovers. Psycho-analysts would've had a field day with it all, pointing out the nuances and complexity of an Electra-complex fulfilled by a sororal ward instead of a daughter.

All of this was foremost in my mind. It made me emotional, and I didn't hide it, but I also had to be rational. We were fighting for our lives and a better future.

We were as much a global organisation as we were a family.

"Ugh... I love watching the wheels spin," Tecla remarked, snapping me out of my trance.

I'd somehow missed her changing into a tiny black bikini and tying her mile-long hair into a ponytail. She knew I was in a world of my own with the naughty little smirk on her face inviting me to come back to reality as she offered her sexy body up for my admiration.

"You know you're hot," I smiled.

"Only because you look at me like you do," she kissed my cheek. "You could have any woman in the world, but we'll always be your best girls, favourites, and number ones. If you offered me exclusivity, I wouldn't take it... I'd much rather have you fuck around and always come back to Elle and me. It makes us feel so special."

"I'm blessed," I said, more to myself than anyone else.

"And don't you forget it," my lil' sister giggled, grabbing my hips as we met for a daring French kiss. My hands trailed down her body and grabbed her ass, squeezing the soft cheeks as her tongue melted in my mouth.

She hadn't been in the pool yet, but Tec was already soaking wet.

I was rock hard.

We knew things were about to get out of hand, and we knew the rules. Whatever we did, we all had to do it together, and we could only go so far without Elle in the room. It was excruciatingly difficult, but we managed to tear ourselves off each other after minutes of intense kissing. Tecla growled like a lioness, denied her meal and ravenous for more as we parted.

"Tonight, I'm going to ride your cock until it breaks... I have some frustration to get out of my system."

"But you'll keep trying to make peace with Mom?" I countered.

"Sure. I guess... If you kiss me in front of her."

"Haven't I already?" I asked, searching my memory.

"You have not. So, before I make any more deals with her, I want to be sure she accepts us. You're going to kiss me in front of her. Then I'm going to be so turned on by the naughtiness of my big brother sticking his tongue down my throat in front of our bimbo mommy that I'll milk your cock all night long."

I stammered as if there was any response other than to reignite our kiss and squeeze Tec's tight ass as we twisted tongues. We spent a minute indulging before moving on to our next adventure.

One of my flaws is my inability to swim, but watching Tecla splash around offered vicarious pleasure, and I followed her to the pool.

There were three substantial pools -- and probably a few smaller ones -- in the massive complex. We knew Skylar preferred one of them, and we liked to grant her some privacy. The other was indoors, walled off by seamless windows that offered views of the whole island.

We were heading to the third pool, hand in hand. It was the largest, looking out over the ocean and located at the heart of the resort. As we arrived, we spotted Tash and Elle sitting on the far side of the pool with their backs to the junior suites (where our mother's room was). The space was so huge that there were probably sixty meters of water between us, with rocks and statues dotted around. Right on cue, our parent emerged from the far end, causing Tecla to grunt, let go of my hand, and dive into the water.

Our mother had spent the last few months undergoing almost a dozen cosmetic surgeries. Yet, even as she stood there in a bottle-green bikini, I could hardly tell the difference. She seemed exactly as I remembered her -- incredibly attractive and faithful to her name -- an encapsulation of femininity, fit and beautiful.

Spotting Mom, Elle called her over. The two seemed to have a quickfire conversation, with Natasha adding something towards the end. Elle took our mother's hand and looked at her nails while speaking quite urgently. Eve turned around and returned to her room in response, but she didn't seem upset.

I took a seat on one of the nearby loungers, suddenly feeling heavy. You see, it was about 27 celsius and far too warm for a young Canadian who spent a large part of his life in Switzerland. Wealth had seen us skip winter, with my sisters' bronzed skin attesting to the fact. Our massive plane and access to top accommodation meant we would always be able to choose our environment. Well... For as long as we stayed rich.

Luckily, I had the right person working on the financial side of things. She was in the pool, swimming angry laps up and down, unburdening herself after the day's family dramas.

I also trusted Cassandra Nash in London, and it was time to call her again. She'd been a little unreachable of late, and my own priorities and anxieties saw us postpone critical talk.

"Mr Chairman."

"Cassandra."

"Still alive?"

I smiled, always enjoying the dryness of our conversations. "How's my business doing?"

"Remarkably well. After Elizabeth's death and your inheritance, there was some... Instability."

"People didn't want to work for me," I reminded us both. "Women who joined Pellinore because it was a uniquely feminine business run by Liz Wharry decided to ditch when a young dude took over."

"Indeed," Nash confirmed. "You don't have to worry about that anymore."

"How so?"

I could hear the old titan of industry exhale contently. "The Orwell sisters are becoming iconic in the city. People have heard you're giving your siblings some responsibility for your private holdings, and they're very impressed with the strides being made. My bridge partner even told her useless granddaughter to be more like Tecla Orwell."

As a proud brother, I could hardly contain my excitement. "They're really making waves in London?!"

"More than waves, Mr Chairman. Though, let us set that little matter aside for now... Your people started asking me about Sian Thomas. They want to find her."

"You know her?"

I could sense Nash calculating on the other end of the line. Searching. She was balancing interests, trying to find the best way forward.

This was dangerous territory for both of us.

"Sian Thomas," Cassandra murmured, letting her thoughts wander.

"C'mon," I encouraged.

Nash waited for a second longer before starting. "I know about Sian Thomas, but I never knew her personally."

"Who is she?"

"She's a baby someone had to give away. She's a story that got covered up and a girl who lived a life less than she deserved. But the Sian Thomas I knew about died years ago."

I could tell that Cassandra's slow and methodical speech wasn't a distraction tactic. She was reliving a long-forgotten memory, thinking of a tragic story that society had collectively decided to bury. All I could do was listen as she carefully remembered the details...

"Decades ago, a burglar set out to rob an old manor in the countryside. He thought the place was empty aside from the staff sleeping in their nearby housing. But there was a girl, the daughter of the home's owner, and he encountered her as he was looting the bedrooms."

I anticipated more from Cassandra, there was a pause, but as the seconds ticked on, I knew she wouldn't be able to muster the rest of the story. She cut past the most horrifying bit and told me about the consequences of that terrible night.

"Baby Sian Thomas was delivered in secret, hundreds of miles from her mother's home. She was given to a decent Welsh family who'd always wanted a child, though it was said they'd have preferred a boy. It was alleged that she was among the victims of a freak tornado that killed two people, and that's when some journalists cottoned on. The story would've hit the press, but a High Court injunction prohibited its publication. Years later, a different newspaper managed to get a new angle and argued there was a public interest in publishing it... They were prevented from going forward after receiving a D-Notice."

"D-Notice?" I queried.

"A government request to refrain from publishing a story on national security grounds."

Shaking my head, I didn't know what to make of these new facts. Based on my dreams, I expected to have a familial relationship with Sian Thomas -- some kind of blood tie -- but it seemed impossible. My father may have been a beast, but he was no burglar and certainly didn't stalk the English countryside. Then there was the matter of the story's suppression: I understood a civil injunction on privacy grounds, but a national security order?

Why?

"How do you know all of this?"

"Everyone knows, Mr Chairman. The family involved are very prominent, and nothing can be hidden from society for too long. I know the apparent mother -- the biological mother who had to give up her child -- but we've obviously never discussed it."

"Could you?" I asked. "I know it's fraught, but I need to track down Sian Thomas and find out how we're connected. She might be dead or alive, but knowing more about her could save my life."

Nash hesitated, but not for long. "Okay. I warn you, though, this might blow up in our faces."

"May I know the mother's name?"

"Not yet. Let me look into it first."

I agreed that it was premature, allowing Cassandra to protect this woman's privacy for the time being. "Thank you for helping."

"Well, I'd rather you not die... It would be awful for my retirement fund," Nash joked, cracking an audible smile on the other end of the line.

We ended our call with me staring at the phone for a while. The conspiracies were stacking up. I now knew a little bit about a handful of mysteries. They were all interconnected, but I couldn't see how. Not yet.

Sardonis was a banker to spies and Liz Wharry his lover. She valued money more than him, and he needed a way out after betraying his clients. So, Pellinore took on the underlying assets Western intelligence agencies used to generate funds for their operations. The British wanted me to take over Pellinore fast, to avoid instability, and the Americans found me a liability. But Daughtler neutralised them, at least.

So, why did Sardonis want me dead, and why did the secret daughter of a tragic night help him spy on me... And why the hell couldn't I stop dreaming about her?

Looking around, I enjoyed seeing the girls have fun.

They were colour-coded with Natasha in white, Elle in pink and Tecla in black. Those three bikini sets cost $2,500, and it was money well spent. I wanted nothing more than to see the girls rich and prosperous -- especially the twins. After all, every father figure wants his princesses to be a little bratty and very-very spoilt.

The thought of myself embracing a dad-persona made me crack a smile. I suppose it had always been my role in their lives, but our recent negotiations made me realise it more.

If Eve stepped up as their mother, I suppose that would have made us mum and dad.

I snorted so hard that I almost choked before laying back on my lounger. I could've walked over to Tash and Elle but figured girl-time was something to be encouraged, not something to be interrupted.

After a few minutes, our mother re-emerged. There was something different about her, and it took me a second to realise...

She'd gone to change -- that's why Elle had sent her away! My sister noticed Mom's red nails didn't match her original green bikini, so she made our parent go back to her room and pick a two-piece that coordinated better. She also must've told her to put on shoes because Eve now had on a pair of Louboutin wedges that lifted her two inches, forcing her into a more refined, if not suggestive, posture.

I respected my sister's power-play, and judging by Tecla's face as she approached me, she did too.

"The plastic surgery really has made her look like a bimbo."

"You think?" I asked dumbly, unable to take my eyes off our mother.

"Bigger boobs, fuller lips, a rounder ass... I'll confess it's subtle, but she looks more like a Playboy bunny than a mother."

Shaking my head, I snapped out of my trance and focused on Tecla. My darling sister was soaking wet and had washed clean the argument from earlier. I grabbed her without thinking, pulling her on top of me and kissing her hard, not holding back an ounce of passion.

We kissed and kissed and kissed, and of course my eyes were closed for most of it -- my soul reducted to the atomic exchange of heat and sexual desire. But I did open them eventually... Just to peek at our mother.

She was trying to avoid looking, crossing her legs as she failed. Go figure...