Table Of ContentDIABLO BLANCO CLUB:
UNFAIR ADVANTAGE
Qwillia Rain
www.loose-id.com
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Diablo Blanco Club: Unfair Advantage
Qwillia Rain
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Published by
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Copyright © January 2009 by Qwillia Rain
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Chapter One
“Bryce. My office.”
The ring of Jacob Halsey‟s voice greeted Bryce as he exited the elevator. Despite the
irritation and disgust riding him, he deferred to his father‟s tone and position as the CEO of
Halsey Unlimited, Incorporated. He might be the oldest son and next in line to run the
company, but in the office he was still just an employee. The headache that had started with
the incident at the restaurant intensified behind his left eye. When he had the time, he‟d
deal with it.
Catching a glimpse of himself in the glass doors leading into the reception area of his
father‟s office, Bryce paused to straighten the maroon silk tie he‟d loosened in the elevator.
The emotions nagging at him were not visible in his green eyes or on his face. He grimaced
at the length of his white blond hair. Having missed the appointments to have it trimmed, it
now curled over his collar onto his shoulders and brought to mind the shaggy style he‟d
sported the summer before his stepmother died, when he was teaching her and Michael how
to surf. Shaking off the memories, he nodded at his father‟s admin, and then stepped through
the open door and into his office.
Once inside, Bryce knew the situation was worse than he‟d suspected. Besides his
father, four other chairs around the small conference table were occupied. Victor Prommer,
one of the company lawyers, relaxed in his seat next to Bryce‟s personal attorney, Dixon
Jeffers. The company‟s head financial analyst, Becka Swinfield, tapped perfectly manicured
nails against the beige file folder in front of her. She met his gaze for a moment, then looked
away. Richard Bennett, Halsey‟s director of mergers and acquisitions, who, as vice president,
shared joint authority with Bryce in running the company, leaned back in his chair, his gray
eyes devoid of emotion.
2 Qwillia Rain
Definitely not a good thing if Richard was shutting down. With his father at the head
of the table, it left Bryce to fill the chair directly across from Jacob. Feeling like the fattened
calf being led to slaughter, he took his time settling into his seat and nodded an
acknowledgment to each of the others.
“We have a problem,” Jacob began.
A casual toss dropped a magazine in front of Bryce‟s fingertips. He didn‟t bother
looking at it. He‟d shoved a prerelease copy into the garbage can at his home two weeks
earlier. Knowing that his image was plastered across the cover with the ridiculous headline
BILLIONS? YES. MARRIED? NO! in bold red letters above it, he addressed the problems
related to the article. “I‟m aware of the issues IT is having with voice and e-mails due to the
increased traffic the article created from women trying to get my attention.”
“And the problems with security?” Jacob asked.
Bryce didn‟t allow his frustration to show; he nodded. “I‟ve spoken with the head of
security. Extra men have been placed on all shifts to reduce the number of non-business-
related visitors into the building.” The throbbing behind his left eye increased.
“It goes beyond the minor inconveniences, Bryce.”
“It‟ll blow over.” He shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “It has before.”
“It isn‟t just the magazine,” Richard added. “With the recent cuts in government
spending, one of our military contracts has been eliminated, and two other contracts have
been suspended pending Department of Defense budget negotiations.”
“Frieda and Lionel Makepeace, Frans Heilbeck, and Jonathan Reynolds have voiced
some concerns.” Jacob rose from his seat. Pushing back his suit coat, he tucked his hands in
his trouser pockets. His gaze turned to Becka.
After flipping open the folder, she read off a series of figures. The faces around the
table grew grim as she concluded, “If our losses continue, cuts will have to be made in a
minimum of two departments. Manufacturing and services are the divisions that would bear
the brunt of the staff reductions.”
Bryce watched his father‟s face before scanning the others around the table. This was
serious and not just rooted in a silly magazine article. “What can we do about it?”
“We‟re working every angle possible,” Richard assured him.
“Fortunately, the Conlin merger is still progressing.” Victor smiled.
Becka nodded. “And the investment in King Enterprises of Australia should see some
ship construction and cargo contracts come our way.”
“But the most important thing we need to address is the situation with you, Bryce.”
Jacob gripped the back of his chair.
Bryce leaned forward and pushed the magazine back to the center of the table.
“Beyond this article, I don‟t see how I can be held responsible for problems with the
company. Most are a result of downturns in the economy and reduced defense spending.”
Diablo Blanco Club: Unfair Advantage 3
“It‟s been suggested I delay my retirement.” The knuckles of his father‟s hands went
white with the force of his grip.
“Why?”
“In order to find a suitable replacement.”
It took everything in him to keep from protesting. Holding his father‟s gaze, Bryce kept
his tone flat, emotionless. “I‟m sensing there‟s more.”
His father nodded. “Frieda and some of the other board members have requested that
you tender your resignation once a candidate has been selected.”
Bryce‟s gaze turned to Richard, but the slight shake of his friend‟s head could have
meant not to say anything or that he wasn‟t in the running for the position. Turning his gaze
back to his father, Bryce held himself still as he asked, “And when do I have to make my
decision?”
Jacob ignored his question. Instead he turned to the others. “Thank you for your
information.”
Although Dixon remained in his seat, Victor, Becka, and Richard rose and exited the
office.
When only the three of them remained, Bryce shoved back his chair and stood.
Thrusting his hands into his trouser pockets, he glared at his father. “Hell of a way to ambush
me, Dad. Thanks.”
“This is your only wake-up call, Bryce,” Jacob snapped back. He was still an imposing
figure. Standing just two inches shorter than Bryce‟s own six feet four, his body reflected the
care he‟d taken with exercise and diet in the last three years since a heart attack had almost
killed him. Very little gray showed in his dark brown hair and his brown eyes were as sharp
as a man twenty years his junior.
“What do you mean „wake-up call‟?”
Dixon‟s ebony eyes held Bryce‟s for the longest time. “He‟s right, Bryce. More than just
the four board members he mentioned have been bitching about you and your lifestyle for
the last five years.”
“My lifestyle? If you‟re talking about the Diablo Blanco Club, how is my membership
any different than yours?”
“They really don‟t care about your sexual practices, son,” Jacob scoffed. “If they had,
my own membership would have been discussed years ago. What they object to is the
number of women you‟ve escorted and the image it represents.”
“For God‟s sake, didn‟t that attitude go out with the nineteenth century?”
“Apparently not, or I wouldn‟t be asked to suspend my retirement five weeks before
I‟m supposed to hand the reins over to you.” Shaking his head, Jacob settled into his chair
and motioned Bryce to take a seat again.
4 Qwillia Rain
From the expression on Dixon‟s face and the tension visible in the fingers interlaced
and resting on the file in front of the attorney, Bryce began to grow concerned. The older
man was the epitome of a cautious lawyer, with his close-cropped, wiry hair sprinkled
liberally with gray and his dark skin that contrasted with the white silk shirt he wore
beneath his charcoal suit. If Dixon was uneasy, Bryce knew he had serious problems.
“You have to understand, Bryce, that when Jacob suffered his heart attack, the board
was understandably shaken.” Dixon‟s voice carried the barest hint of disquiet, further
worrying Bryce. “Even the company stock took a bit of a hit. Although the board members
were reassured when you and Richard stepping in to run the company while your father
recovered, they weren‟t completely at ease until Jacob‟s prognosis included a full recovery”
“How does this figure into my resignation?” Bryce fought the urge to press his fingers
to his eyes. The throbbing had increased. Every sound was like a hammer blow against his
skull, forcing him to concentrate on what was being said.
“They‟re running scared,” Jacob admitted.
Dixon agreed. “They see the drop in values, the reduced income from the lost or stalled
contracts, and worry what other disaster is waiting.” He tapped the magazine. “Then
something like this comes out and disrupts the smooth running of the company, and they
panic even more.”
“The incident during the contract negotiations with Conlin didn‟t help,” Jacob snapped.
“Right, Dad. Like I enjoy having desperate single women throwing themselves at me?”
His mind reran the incident at the Stone House just an hour earlier. “Was it Heilbeck or
Reynolds who came whining to you?”
“Reynolds came to me,” Jacob admitted. “Heilbeck probably ran to the Makepeaces.”
“Either way,” Dixon interrupted, “your sudden celebrity bachelor status is counting
against you in the estimation of the board.”
“What?”
Jacob continued where Dixon left off. “Simply put, they see you as some rich playboy
who‟s more into revolving-door girlfriends and kinky sex. Every minute of negative publicity
is just one more bit of ammunition Frieda and Lionel can use against you with the board.”
“That‟s bullshit,” Bryce snarled. “I spend most of my free time working with the
different interests in this company, Dad, and you know it.” He forced himself to stand still
and not pace the carpet like a caged lion in a zoo.
“Hell, most of the board knows that, but with Frieda and Lionel stirring the pot, son,
you haven‟t a snowball‟s chance in Hawaii of ever replacing me.” He nodded at Dixon.
Dixon pulled a paper from the manila folder he‟d left on the table. “Each of the board
members has mentioned receiving the same letter from Frieda and Lionel.”
Diablo Blanco Club: Unfair Advantage 5
Bryce read the letter, his lips twisting as he realized how the woman was ruining
everything around her to gain revenge. “So how do I fix this? What do I have to do to
convince the board that the Makepeaces are wrong?”
“Get married.” As if rehearsed, Dixon and Jacob spoke at the same time.
“Get married?” Bryce nearly laughed.
“Yes.” Jacob nodded. “Get married.”
Dixon added, “She has to be someone the board, the company, and the world are going
to view as dependable, solid, and loyal.”
“Not one of your typical women.”
“And if I choose not to take your advice?”
Jacob‟s brown eyes held his for the longest moment. “If you can‟t find it in yourself to
marry a woman and stay married to her long enough to gain the board‟s confidence, then
you need to prepare yourself to walk away.
“This company has built ships and transported cargoes around the world for nearly two
hundred years, son. I can‟t see you, the namesake of the man who started it all, blithely
handing it over to a complete stranger.”
“What about Richard? He‟s more than capable --”
Dixon shook his head. “Also single and known to frequent the DBC, as well as share
partners with you. The board wants stability, Bryce.”
“This is blackmail.”
Jacob laughed for the first time, the humor in his voice dark. “No, son, this is business.”
Standing up, he concluded the discussion. “Think about it, Bryce. Think about someone
whom you‟ve built a relationship with. Who understands the business and its priority in
your life and who can withstand the scrutiny of the board members without losing her cool.”
“How long do I have?”
“No more than five weeks. Be engaged or married by the time I‟m supposed to retire, or
I‟ll have to demand your resignation.”
* * * * *
Leaning back in his desk chair, Victor Prommer pressed a button on his cell phone and
waited.
“Yes?” The southern drawl was pronounced and aggressive, just like the woman
herself.
“It looks like he‟s on his way out.”
“Looks like or is?”
