Hypergeniture Bk. 02 Pt. 03

My mother liked the back and forth. "Bullshit... You may have had sex in the same room, at the same time, but Tecla and Elle have never laid a hand on each other."

"How can you be so sure?"

Eve whistled, putting her hands on her hips and looking down at all the shoes arrayed on her bed. It was clear; I had to choose what she'd wear before we spoke any further.

"The black and blue platform heels. They look nice," I remarked, feeling a slight stirring as my parent almost subserviently picked up the pair and held them to her chest.

"Thank you!" she offered, pointing her eyes at the door to let me know I had to leave so she could finish getting dressed.

We'd been talking like two normal human beings, and I wasn't quite ready to let it end. I waved a hand at the bed, and we went to sit next to each other on its edge as I searched for the right words.

"When you got pregnant--"

My mother interjected immediately. "You're going to ask me if I wanted a baby?"

"Yes."

"No," Eve answered bluntly. "Back then, there was still a slight chance I could escape your father. We weren't some naive young couple who fell in love and slipped up. He was older -- he wanted me to have kids so that he could tie me down. It made it harder for me to leave--"

"I understand--"

"No," my mother grabbed my arm, making it clear she wanted me to hear every word. "Having you made it harder for me to leave your father, but holding you that first time made it worthwhile. You may not think so, but I love you."

"I know--"

"No," my mother repeated, turning to me with a beautiful motherly smile. "You couldn't know because I've been quite shit at the parenting thing. I have a lot to make up for... Within reason, of course."

"Of course," I smiled back at her.

"Look, Olly, your father was a wicked man, but his father -- your grandfather -- was one of the greatest people I've ever known. He was very kind, but I fell in love with his son long before I knew what love was. Your dad took advantage of my innocence, my naivete... I never finished high school. Did you know that?"

"No, I didn't know."

Eve took my hand and squeezed it, and I noticed a tear in the corner of her eye that brought one to my own.

"There's a lot I never said," she confessed. "I thought I was protecting you, but any good word I ever spoke about your father wasn't about him--"

"It was about my granddad," I completed.

"Yes, but even he couldn't save me. Your father was violent, and he only got worse as we struggled for money and he discovered alcohol. Everyone was scared that he'd kill us all -- you, me and the girls -- if they put too much pressure on him."

"Mom... I'm... I'm so sorry," I mumbled, feeling defeated by inescapable reality.

My mother took my head and offered me a spot on her shoulder. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

With a mind aflame and full of questions, I tried to find the best ones and focused on Liz Wharry's part in our life story. "Did Wharry fire him after the adoption failed?"

"Yes, but not really... I never understood what she saw in him, but she hired and fired him constantly. He'd been in and out as her chauffeur a handful of times."

The revelation piqued my interest. "As a chauffeur?"

"Yes."

"She could've had her pick of a hundred chauffeurs, so why keep him around?"

Eve shrugged, unsure where I was going with this. "You like the Mexican girl--"

"Isabelle was born and raised in New York," I interjected.

"Alright-alright," my mother sighed, coming from a generation where things were said differently from how they're said today. "My point is that you can get attached to a driver or chauffeur or whatever."

I knew this wasn't the whole story, but I also accepted that Mom didn't have the facts herself. There were gaps in my knowledge -- things we had missed -- and information that might reveal why Edward Sardonis wanted me dead. I needed to get Alicia and Skylar and our hundred men worldwide digging deep and finding clues.

"Did he ever go to England with Wharry?" I followed up.

My mother seemed unsure. "Probably... He would come and go as he pleased, but I assumed he was drunk most of the time. He only became more frantic when your sisters were born, but I'll admit he was always nice enough around you."

"But distant," I remembered, thinking of the very few childhood memories I had of my father.

"I'm surprised you remember anything," Eve shut her eyes. "I did try to keep you away from him, Oliver... He... It... It was never about sex for him, but a man like that has habits that I wanted to shield you from. When your sisters were born... I knew... I started planning... I couldn't expose my girls..."

As tears started streaming down my mother's cheeks, it was my turn to hold her.

Her mood ring had turned red.

I knew what she wanted to say, but I knew she never could because it would be too painful. She understood the kind of man my father was better than anyone else, and she knew that if he'd lived, she would've had to kill him or run away.

Anything to protect her daughters and stop them from falling foul of the same things she endured.

17 • Cardio

Another day came and went. We were making slow progress -- awfully slow at times -- but soon, we'd have an 'agreement' to solidify renewed family bonds.

With emotions running high, I retreated to a business centre we'd set up towards the back of the resort, away from the ocean. As always, Skylar insisted on being in my company and played with a yoyo she'd discovered in the hotel's lost and found as I worked.

While staff managed the practicalities of business with the help of my sisters, I studied philosophy.

The realisation that I was a man like Gedeon Daughtler -- a modern-day emperor -- had left me full of doubts. I knew there was no escaping the truth of the matter, so I had to make damn sure I knew what I was doing. I paid particular attention to ethics, ordering books and academic journals that considered both interpersonal and societal concerns. My intention was to formulate not another plan, but a vision... Not an objective with an end, but an ongoing process that would carry our family forward.

Skylar interrupted my studies as her phone pinged. "Hmm," she read the text, "your wellness consultant wants to start a new workout regiment. Now."

"My wellness consultant?"

"Natasha."

I smiled. Of course.

My cousin had decided her place in the grand design of our family was to help keep me healthy. It gave her a real sense of purpose and unified her skills learnt as a nurse with the routine she had to keep to remain drug-free.

Reaching for a folder at the bottom of my inbox, I flipped it open and read the summary. It was a document detailing options for Natasha's future in business and society. Her English heritage made her an ideal person to keep posted in London, maintaining the British pedigree of my inheritance. We would have a house on Park Lane, and she'd entertain there regularly, keeping our family name relevant.

"I've got it all worked out!" I boasted to Skylar. "I finally have solutions to every problem."

My suave blonde friend raised a skeptical eyebrow and I remembered what the psychologist in Dubai warned me against. Sure, not everything in life has an ending, but I felt so close... A few more steps, and we'd be untouchable, and the family's empire would expand forever.

"Sir," Skylar started, "I believe you should head to the gym before completing your plan for world domination."

The advice was sound, and I went to get changed. As I moved through the beach resort's long (and surprisingly tedious) halls, I stumbled on an interesting scene...

Elle had cornered our cousin. The two were unaware of my presence and spoke in hushed tones.

"Stop staring at me," Natasha giggled.

Elle was very nervous. "Should I close my eyes?"

"Do you want to close your eyes?"

"I... I don't know."

Taking a step closer, Natasha put her hands on Elle's hips, and they fell silent as they looked at each other. They held the pose for a second, then another, before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.

"Agh! Why is it so hard?" Elle asked.

"Too much thinking," Natasha diagnosed. "We need to set the mood."

"The mood? No... I... I don't want it to be that kind of kiss. It should be natural -- comfortable -- a family kiss, but with a little extra."

"A little extra spice," Natasha agreed. "But only a little..."

"Indeed."

Fearing detection, I snuck away with a grin on my face. It seemed Elle was expanding her horizons, having no doubt enjoyed the little goodnight kiss she'd shared with her twin some nights before.

Arriving at our bedroom, I found Tecla sitting on the floor. She wore headphones and had about a thousand loose papers in front of her. These were briefings, extracts from textbooks, financial statements and notes. I thought she'd slowly ease into her role as our money person, but I underestimated her brilliance and determination. She was transferring assets from the little black book Daughtler gave me into my very own; supervising the enormous admin and financial gymnastics such a task required.

My sister hardly noticed me walk into the room and get changed. For some reason, I couldn't find the right shoes. As we travelled from one place to the next -- often in fear for our lives -- wardrobes became mangled. I would ask Skylar to take charge, relying on her excellent taste. Until then, I'd have to settle for a less than ideal pair of sneakers, but they'd do the job for a light gym session.

Before I left, Tecla removed her headphones and explained she'd be going on a beach walk with our mother. "Elle might join too."

"Sounds nice," I remarked. "Just make sure security are aware, so they can clear the route and put together a detail."

Tecla sighed. "That's going to take them an hour."

I understood my sister's frustrations. She was eighteen going on nineteen. I'm sure she didn't want her first year of adulthood to be lived under lock and key. Even though she got to see the world, it was often from a limited perspective, surrounded by armed guards.

Hiring someone to handle my sisters' protection would give them more freedom. Isabelle was in charge of the search for candidates and had team leaders lined up for my mother and cousin's security details. However, we couldn't find anyone who met our high standards for the girls...

I would have to make a plan, but I left that for later as I made my way to the gym.

Natasha stood waiting with her arms crossed. Her cotton shorts were skimpy, and her tank top was tight. I immediately knew what kind of exercise I wanted to do, but my cousin put a hand on my chest and held me back.

"Down boy, we can save that for later."

I grumbled a little but welcomed the chance to work up a sweat and stay fit. Little did I know... Oh, little did I know how hard my cousin planned on pushing me!

Plank saws, pushups, squats, and that was just the beginning. Barbell hip thrusts and deadlifts with a hex bar followed before she put me on a treadmill, made me workout with a kettlebell, do some lunges, and then cool down with moderately challenging stretches. It was 60 minutes of the harshest training I'd ever endured, and I felt properly beat!

"I... I think I'm going to die..."

Tash smirked, passing me some water as she patted me on the back. "Good job, lad. I knew you had it in you."

"I should call Skylar. Clearly, you want to kill me."

"Oh, c'mon," my cousin pouted, "you handled it very well. Have you been keeping in shape without me?"

"I have been doing one kind of workout on a pretty much daily basis."

"I see... Well, your sessions with me will improve your performance and enhance your output."

My heart rate was normalising, and soon it was pumping blood to my cock as post-exercise endorphins aroused me. "There's one thing I could use specific training for," I offered, sticking out my tongue.

Natasha bit down on her lip, striding over to one of the benches and straddling it. "I'd be happy to help you exercise that particular muscle, dear cousin."

"Then lay back and pull those shorts down -- the others are out, and we have the place all to ourselves."

Natasha complied, pulling down her clothes to reveal pink lips, glistening. The sight made me drool and I wasted no time getting on my knees, placing my hands on her thighs and bringing my mouth to her. The immediate feeling of my tongue on her sex was a knockout punch. It was like I could close my eyes and relax, lulled into a daze by the feelings.

Running my tongue between Tash's pussy, I made her exhale contently. I kept it up, easing her into ecstasy with slow and precise laps, up and down.

"Very good," my cousin complimented, playing with my hair. The feeling of her nails against my scalp made my spine tingle, and I pressed my tongue flat against her sex, leaning forward as my lips left a sloppy kiss.

Tash giggled. "That's nice..."

I kissed her pussy, again and again, going mad as I did, leaving love bites inside her thighs and dancing around her clit until the very last moment. As I teased her, her body moved -- mostly her shoulder, twisting, and her back lifting ever so slightly. When the tease was over and the moment was set, I made my move on her sensitive little bundle of nerves and offered a firm bit of suction.

"Mmm," Natasha crooned, but I could tell there were more avenues to drive her into paradise.

I started doing little circles around her clit with my tongue's tip, which seemed to excite her even more as she began thrusting her hips against me. I took it as a cue to do more of the same, just faster and with more determination.

"Ah! Ah!" she cried, releasing her grip on my hair as she grabbed the sides of the bench and drove herself against me. Suddenly, she yelped... No, someone else did -- a third voice -- and that thrill of being discovered drove my cousin to her apex as she came all over my mouth!

I lapped it up, losing myself to the moment, but her grip on my hair was softening and her heart began racing for all the wrong reasons...

For a second, we were frozen solid. Someone was standing by the door -- possibly a member of staff. Whoever it was, we could feel they didn't know the nature of our relationship, and perhaps they even found it revolting.

Eventually, we turned our heads in unison, and a wave of relief mixed with terror washed over us.

It was my mother.

Eve may have known about the twins and me, but she didn't know our cousin was involved in the incestuous tangle. I saw the shock it invoked, but I also saw more -- three kinds of shock and three kinds of intrigue. Yes, it was the revelation of yet another taboo relationship, the discovery of two people having sex, and something else...

That third something could best be described as confusion, and my brain immediately concocted a theory. Did she not know women can experience oral sex?

It sure seemed like the thought was on her mind as she waited a few seconds before spinning around and excusing herself.

I stuttered, "I... I... I quite liked that."

"Her walking in?"

"Her walking in as I made you cum..."

"Yeah... It must've felt really good... Like, you were showing off for her? For your mom, I mean..."

"Yeah."

Getting to my feet, I offered Natasha a hand after she'd slipped her shorts on again. She looked at me with wide eyes and a half-smirk.

"Join me and the girls for a sleepover, tonight," I offered.

"Will they let me?"

I nodded, taking Natasha's hand, drawing her closer as we kissed. "They'll love it. We can stay up all night and eat snacks, play games... That sort of thing. A proper sleepover."

"Sounds fun," Natasha agreed, kissing me on the cheek as we parted. "I can't wait."

Interlude • The Adventurer

It had been a while since Krisha Laghari fired a gun. Nevertheless, she was self-assured, if not cocky, and emptied the magazine of her chrome-plated Tokarev pistol. Her performance was adequate, which she thought was perfect, releasing her lush dark hair from a ponytail as she set the firearm down and turned to her evaluators.

"Not bad," Skylar remarked, stepping over to the target to get a better look.

Alicia disagreed. "Not good enough."

Isabelle was the person who'd been tasked with finding candidates. She didn't invite Krisha for her proficiency as a shooter or even as a fighter. Instead, she wanted the person charged with protecting Eve Orwell to be balanced above all else.

"Tell them your history, Krisha."

The daughter of an Englishman and an Indian mother, born in Mumbai, Krisha was a police bureaucrat for the first eight years of her working life. She took her grandmother's maiden name for some unknown reason, becoming rather mysterious despite her rather pedestrian job.

She didn't carry a firearm or make arrests. Nonetheless, she played a critical role in keeping her city safe and developed an appetite for something more than sitting behind a desk. When her force needed a female undercover, she twisted some arms and got the assignment (mainly because there was no other woman to take it).

She spent three years in the criminal underworld, building a case against some very serious thugs. During that time, she learnt the skills of a thief and scavenger, developing traits unique to crooks, but using them for good... Most of the time.

Krisha's moral compass wasn't in any doubt. She had an impeccable record and was deeply spiritual. After her stint in the police, she joined humanitarian efforts in Africa and South America before backpacking through Europe on a pilgrimage of sorts.

"She's very well rounded," Skylar remarked, with Isabelle nodding in agreement.

Alicia wasn't convinced. "She never had formal training. The only tactical skills she has are those she learnt from criminals."

Never reluctant to speak her mind, Krisha defended her reputation. "The skills of a criminal are far more practical than the skills of a bodyguard, police officer or soldier. I can talk my way out of any situation, and there's no one better at surviving in the real world."

"Unfortunately, there's certain theoretical knowledge you simply don't have," Alicia insisted. "Everyone on the team knows how to open a car door properly and where to stand when we move in formation."

"And I know how to stay alive," Krisha countered. "I may not be the best at anything in particular, but I'm adaptable."

At this stage, Alicia was being slightly won over as she saw genuine determination in Krisha. It was odd, she thought, that this daredevil seemed so interested in a job that was far from exciting (most of the time).

Executive security -- even for Oliver Orwell -- entailed a lot of standing around and watching. Action was to be avoided and risk something to be bypassed instead of pursued. So, why did a woman who made a habit of chasing adventure want to settle into a far less frantic world?

"Working undercover gave me a glimpse into the ugliness of people. Drugs, human trafficking, murder... Then, when I went to work for aid agencies, I saw the horrors of war and famine. I developed an addiction to suffering -- a desire to seek it out. Not as a perpetrator, but as an unwilling spectator, stuck watching as things fall apart and I could do nothing to change it. Now, I want to make a small difference and earn a good salary. Nothing special."

Skylar had been on Krisha's side but didn't want her to be under any illusions. "We're not really in the business of making a difference. Your principal is troubled, but you're not going to be her saviour. As for the boss, Mr Orwell... He's not preoccupied with changing the world. There's a massive threat to the family's safety -- that's everyone's priority."