“Never. They would have fought to keep you because they have to present a certain picture to the outside world.”

“They hate me.”

“They fear you.”

Jake’s golden gaze jumped to his great-grandfather’s face and burned there, a fixed focus, while his heart pounded. It was true. They feared him. And they should, because someday he was going to be stronger, faster, smarter and much, much crueler than they’d ever dreamt of being—and he was going to tear their world apart.

EIGHTEEN YEARS

JAKE Fenton was dead and young Jake felt as if he were the only one mourning the man. Cathy and Ryan hadn’t bothered to go to the funeral, but they sat in the lawyer’s office, waiting hopefully for an inheritance, although both had loudly speculated that Fenton had used up every penny on acquiring more and more worthless land. When the news came, Ryan and Cathy were stunned and pleased. Fenton owned several companies and even more stocks. They inherited two construction companies outright and, between the two of them, what appeared to be the majority of stock in a chain of major hotels.

Young Jake was given three companies, a mediocre plastics plant that barely kept its head above water, a company called Uni-Diversified Holdings and a corporation that was a parent company for several smaller businesses. He also inherited Fenton’s Folly, which was a huge tract of land in Texas no one wanted, two corn farms and several tracts in other states that appeared to be swampland. Stocks were in his name as well as a sizable cash inheritance, although Cathy and Ryan received the bulk of the money.

The lawyer went on to explain that there were a couple of absolute conditions that had to be met. No one could contest the will or they would forfeit their portions immediately. Cathy and Ryan could not inherit from Jake, even if he should die, nor could Jake ever sell to them or give them anything of Fenton’s. If he did die before his fiftieth birthday and he had no children, the land, money and stocks would be put in a trust for a list of charities and an immediate investigation into Jake’s death would take place. At that time, two letters that Jake Fenton wrote would be opened that might aid the investigators.

Young Jake noted that Cathy looked quite pale, but she didn’t say a word. The tension in the room was palpable. They had lost their whipping boy. He had a place to go, he had money and he was of age. There was little they could do about it. Fenton had outmaneuvered them. Without a word to him, his enemies left the lawyer’s office.

Jake remained, accepting the letter Fenton had left that carefully detailed his future plans for his cornfields and how he meant to use them for plastic. He had specific business plans for the little plastics company. And there was one more thing: Uni-Diversified Holdings held enough stocks that, when coupled with Jake’s personal stock, Jake became the majority stockholder in the companies his parents owned. The corporation was an umbrella for several foreign businesses that were proving to be strong moneymakers. Jake was instantly a multimillionaire and well on his way to his first billion.

NINETEEN YEARS

JAKE found the Texas ranch to be a kind of paradise. The leopard could run free through the numerous trees and wild foliage his grandfather had encouraged to grow. The house was enormous, a mansion by even Texas standards, with a library most cities would envy. He continued his studies in languages as well as business, hiring his own tutors, studying each company he owned and listening carefully to those Fenton had trusted to run them.

He went out each night, running in his leopard form, the acres of land protecting his secrets from outsiders. For the first time he tasted freedom and he smelled—oil. The scent was strong beneath the land in numerous places, and he knew when he told the drillers where to dig, they would strike black gold.

Jake wasn’t content with others handling his business. He studied his grandfather’s plans for each business and where he expected to take the companies in the years to come. He found that if he attended the board meetings his ability to scent lies and fear came in handy. Very quickly Jake made a name for himself as a man to contend with. He rarely spoke; mainly he listened. But when he wanted something done, nothing stood in his way.

His developing magnetic personality and his ability to mesmerize individuals soon allowed him access to every kind of information he could want. When he couldn’t talk his way into a circle, he could buy his way in. He found he was irresistible to women and he fostered that, making certain he knew every way of keeping a woman wanting him, willing to do anything for him.

TWENTY-THREE YEARS

THE first oil well hit immediately. At the same time, his venture into plastics took off, making him a huge player in the industry. If anyone underestimated him because of his age, they quickly revised their opinion. He was ruthless and calculating and not afraid to make enemies, although he was careful to cultivate friendships and alliances.

He continued with his great-grandfather’s tradition of acquiring land, always inspecting the entire acreage first, using his leopard to scent oil or natural gas. He picked up large tracts in North Dakota, where he suspected oil, and miles of land in the Appalachians, where he scented natural gas reserves. It mattered little that everyone around thought he made bad investments; he knew the oil and gas were there for discovery, and when the time was right, he would find it.

He added to the ranch, picking up more and more land to give his leopard a sanctuary. He ran as a leopard almost nightly, needing the release, finding he felt caged. Always he studied, building his bank of knowledge, always toward the same end. Power. Money. Becoming so strong no one could ever make him a victim again. Waiting for the right moment to take down his enemies.