"Condescending old prick." Ford threw back the aged scotch and motioned for the bartender to refill his glass. Several hours had passed since Ira's attorney Cameron Morgan had laid out the conditions listed among the old man's last wishes, but every time Ford thought about it he got angry all over again. "Mr. Big Shot attorney wouldn't be so bold in a dark alley, would he now?"
Ford was in his favorite bar, The Watering Hole. At one time it had been an unsuccessful antique shop, but two years ago it had been purchased and rebuilt to mimic a British bar the owner frequented during travels for his advertising company.
Britain was where Ford had learned to drink. He'd fallen in with a rowdy group of delinquents not long after he and his mother had ridden some rich man's coattails across the waters to Europe. The eleven boys, the closest thing he'd had to friends, had introduced Ford to drinking, stealing, whoring and violence. It was the best, and worst, time of his life.
Ford swallowed his refill in a single swallow. "That's it." He waved away the hovering bartender. His thoughts were becoming maudlin, a sure sign he'd reached his drinking limit. "Here," he threw several bills down on the bar,"keep the change." Ford was aware of the bartender's scrutiny as he made his way out of the bar. The man needn't have worried. It took a lot more than four watered-down scotches to set Ford on the path to intoxication.
A light, misty rain had begun to fall outside. Rather than return to the bar and call for a cab, Ford turned up the collar of his lightweight jacket, hunched his shoulders up around his ears and set out on the nine-block journey home. Correction... Elizabeth's home.
Acknowledging that fact left a bitter taste in Ford's mouth. It wasn't that he disliked Elizabeth. As women went, she wasn't bad... easy on the eyes, an actual brain in her head and a nice, tight pussy. No, what galled him about the entire situation was the knowledge that it all should have been his. He was Ira's heir! It all should have come to him.
Ford flashed back to the day Ira had had ten-year-Ford and his mother DeeDee thrown out into the streets after nearly seven years at the mansion. All because Ford had dared to assist his mother in liberating a bit of cash from Ira's safe. It wasn't as though the old man would need it. He had more than enough to go around. Still, despite his love for young Ford, Ira was unyielding in his decision. That same Cameron Morgan, much younger and so eager to please Ira, had personally supervised their forcible ejection.
He and his mother had discovered - the painfully hard way - how far reaching Ira's influence was. Legal avenues were closed to them, and Ira even went as far as to dissolve the adoption decree that had made Ford his son and heir four years earlier. It was as if Ford's adoption had never taken place. DeeDee could not find a single one of Ira's friends or associates who would even admit to ever having seen Ford, much less known of the adoption.
Ford suspected that Ira had included the 'no contest' clause in his will because after all this time someone might be willing to step forward...given sufficient incentive, of course.
Crafty old bastard.
Ford really thought that Ira would have left him something in the will. When he'd approached the old man six years ago, he thought he'd seen a spark of reluctant affection still there in Ira's gaze. Ira was old and without a family. There would never be a better time for Ford to remind him of the love he'd once had for the child he had given his last name. If he had to do penance by serving as Ira's butler, then so be it.
Then along came Elizabeth to ruin it all.
Nothing prepared Ford for the news of Ira's marriage. The old man hadn't given Ford a single clue that he had met someone, much less decided to marry her.
He should have abandoned his efforts to gain back Ira's affections the moment the old man mentioned raising his salary in exchange for 'servicing' his new wife. Ford wasn't shocked by Ira's offer; while over in Europe he had done far worse for substantially less money. Ira's only conditions for the arrangement were that Ford only go to Liz upon Ira's command, and that Ford detach any emotion from the sexual act. That meant no kisses, caresses or tender words.
Ford figured the proposal was a test. After being banished from Ira's life for taking something that was not his to take, he figured Ira was attempting to see if Ford had learned anything during the separation.
It hadn't taken long to realize that the proposal was born of Ira's genuine, albeit twisted, desire to ensure that all Liz's needs were met. The fact that the old man put aside his pride and admitted his shortcomings in the bedroom told Ford all he needed to know about the truth of the marriage. As much as he was capable, Ira loved his young bride.
With a start, Ford found himself standing before the gated entrance of the mansion. He could see Attorney Cameron's silver Mercedes parked outside the front door.
It was decision time. Would he stay and be nothing more than a servant in a home that should have been his, or would he just cut his losses and start over somewhere new?
