by AliyahBurke
His blue eyes narrowed and clawed at her soul like talons. She stood firm. The voice that answered her was cold, as cold as absolute zero. This was the man people talked about in the news and magazines. “Why? What’s so wrong with me?”
“Nothing. I’m not getting married.”
His arms shot out and dragged her back close to him. “Yes, you are.” His tone was ruthless and had a silken edge of danger in it.
She raked his form as she boiled with rage. “What makes you so damn sure of that?”
“Have you forgotten?” he asked as if she were a fool.
“Apparently, I have. So why don’t you spell it out for me?” Her attitude was back full force.
“Have you forgotten you might be pregnant?”
Sanura blanched. She had, and he knew it.
“We will be married. You are mine.”
The day’s events had taken their toll on her and took away her rationality. Her voice was contemptuous as she spat, “So what if I am?”
Gavin’s face was a glowering mask of rage. “You think I would let my child grow up without his father?”
“What makes you so sure, if I was pregnant, that you are the father?” she sniped back in reckless anger.
His eyes were harder than diamonds as he leaned down and put his face in hers. She saw his nostrils flare and there was a very pronounced tick in his jaw.
When he spoke it was low, smooth like velvet but edged with steel sharper than any she had ever known. “If you are, you had better pray it is mine. Don’t play games with me, Sanura. You won’t like the end result.”
“I don’t like you at all right now, so what difference does it make?”
“I’ve had enough of this. We’re leaving.”
“No! I am not going anywhere with you.” She needed to rage, to vent.
“The hell you’re not.” In one smooth move she was thrown over his shoulder, and he strode in long angry strides out of the waiting room, then dropped her unceremoniously into the back of a waiting limo and slid in beside her. People there sat in stunned silence as they watched the drama leave the building.
Sanura screamed and ranted all the way back to the hotel, where he didn’t let her feet touch the ground at all. Just picked her up in his arms and carried her in. He ignored her pounding on his chest and walked up to the desk for his key. Got it and carried her to the elevator, held her and her screams tight to him, oblivious to the looks they were getting from people. One person looked like they were going to intervene on Sanura’s behalf but stopped cold when frozen by his stare and clipped words of, “My wife.”
With a little juggle he got the door to his room open and tossed her on the bed. As she gained control of her bouncing body she took heaving breaths as she watched him lock the door behind him.
He opened a drawer and pulled out some clothes and threw them at her with a snarl of, “Get changed.” The look he gave her stopped her next words in her mouth. Never before had she seen him looking so stern, so furious. He was the alpha male and he was pissed.
She growled low in her throat but slid off the bed and stomped to the bathroom to change. Sparks arched between them and neither said a word.
Gavin took a step towards her and stopped when she shrank back against the wall. He shook his head and swore low. Another step and her chin came up in defiance. Anger still radiated from his body.
She needed to hit something. Or someone. When he was about three steps away from her she launched herself at him. Arms swinging and fists pounding..
Gavin took it for a bit then finally picked her up, her back to his chest, and flopped them both on the bed, landing so he took the brunt of the fall. His arms locked around her torso as he captured her legs with his own.
He kept her pressed up against his chest as her struggles became weaker and weaker, until only the sobs remained. Gavin rocked her back and forth as he murmured in her ear. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”
Sanura woke and felt a pair of muscular arms around her, holding her to a wide chest. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself looking at the lightly-haired chest of Gavin M. Rawlins. The events at the hospital came back to her and she flushed with embarrassment.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she whispered after taking a quick glance to assure herself he still slept. “I don’t know what made me say those things. I have never been with anyone since I met you. I am not ready to get married. There is so much about me you don’t know. Things that would send you running. I love you as well, Gavin Montgomery Rawlins. I don’t know if I can ever marry you.”
* * * *
Her eyes drifted closed as sleep retook her body so she didn’t see the aqua eyes that opened to look down on her.
“I love you too, kitten.”
He placed a kiss on her head and held her for a moment before he got up and called the hospital. Her words nearly gutted him but he wasn’t about to roll over and give up.
There was no change, so he let her sleep while he ordered breakfast from the menu. After it was delivered he walked back over to the bed.
“Sanura. Come on, kitten, wake up.” He shook her shoulder gently.
She came awake with a start, bolting upright in bed. “What? What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Nothing. Just thought you would want to eat and shower before heading back to the hospital. I have already called and there is no change.”
“Perhaps a shower would do me some good.” She got off the bed without looking him in the face and hurried to the bathroom. He had French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, coffee and juice waiting when she came out.
Eyes downcast, she sat in one of the chairs and began to eat the food on her plate—not that she really ate, more like pushed the scrambled eggs around with her fork. Gavin watched her; she never lifted her face to look at him. He stared, waiting for her to look at him.
Enough was enough. He rose from his seat and walked over to her side of the table. Lean fingers applied pressure on her chin to get it to rise. “Look at me,” he commanded.
“Why?” She even sounded embarrassed.
“Don’t make me beg, Sanura. Just do it, please.”
Her eyes met his and he smiled softly at her before he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “Good morning.” He returned to his chair.
“Good morning.”
“Let me know when you are ready to go back to the hospital.”
“I’m ready now. Look, about last night. . .”
“We will deal with that later. You have to focus on your family right now. Know I’m not going anywhere without you, Sanura. I meant what I said.”
“Okay.” She ate a little more and then stood up. “I’m ready. I need some shoes, though.”
“There are some sandals by the door for you.” He shrugged when she looked at them and back to him. “I called and had some delivered.”
“Why are you being so nice to me after what I said to you?”
And I thought I was a cynical bastard. “Because you are my heart, Sanura. I love you. I don’t know what you’re running from, but nothing will change my feelings for you. If this is all you will accept from me right now, then I will gladly give it. We can talk about this later.”
“I finally found what I had been looking for. So I took it.”
“Were you going to tell me?”
“Eventually.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze.
Eventually. That broke his heart all over again. “I see.”
“It all happened so fast and with you gone, it never came up.”
“Sure.” He slid back from the table and walked to the door. “Ready to go?”
She rose silently and slipped the sandals on her feet before following him out the door. In the hallway they heard loud voices coming from an open door down the way.
“What do you want?” It was a deep male voice. “I thought there was nothing left for us to say to one another. You made your feelings clear a long time ago.”
Th
e response came in a voice Gavin knew. It was his mother. He drew Sanura back to him, not wanting to interrupt. “I wanted to ask you why you took the money if I meant so much to you?”
“I’m surprised your son is allowed to chase after a black woman with all your jaded views on my kind.”
“Don’t think I didn’t try to stop him. But, unlike you, apparently he has real feelings for this girl.” The words were like lasers.
“Gwenie. Don’t you know anything? Didn’t you ever learn to think for yourself? Or was Daddy the only one you let make your decisions for you?”
“Don’t you dare talk to me that way! And don’t call me by that horrid name.”
“Or what? I am not some poor black man anymore. Tell me, did you threaten to cut off your son’s inheritance when he first started dating Sanura?” There was a harsh chuckle. “Never mind. Of course you did. Like father, like daughter. Did it kill you when he chose her over your money?”
“You’re an ass. Get out of my room.”
“With pleasure. Oh yeah, one last thing. I never took one single cent from your father. Not one. My fortune was carved by my own two black hands. I didn’t want his money, I wanted his daughter. I was foolish enough to believe I meant more to you than your millions. Goodbye, Gwenie.”
Gavin and Sanura bolted back into his room and peeked out a crack in the door as they watched an older black man walk out of his mother’s room and disappear down the hall. Moments later there was a screech of, “Damn you, Brandon,” and a vase flew out of the room to shatter on the wall.
“What the hell is going on there?” Sanura asked Gavin.
“Don’t know. All I know is that is the older Harris brother.”
Boy, did he have some questions.
“Well, that would explain why Harris was so interested in us. Come on, I want to get to the hospital.”
“Right behind you.” They walked quickly past his mother’s room and headed down to the waiting car.
At the hospital Gavin stayed by her side and allowed her the time to come to terms with her parents. He was more confused than ever.
She was not their biological child, that much he knew, but he was pretty sure she hadn’t been adopted. She carried their surname and that would make Bryce like her brother. There were tons of secrets that flowed around her and he wanted to get to the bottom of each and every one of them. He waited in the cafeteria for her to join him for some food and saw her in a corner on the phone. She used the payphone, not her cell, which made him even more suspicious.
Walking up behind her, he stayed silent as he listened to her end of the conversation. She was pissed and it showed in her tone. “You bastard. I’m calling you, but I will not do that. You don’t control me anymore, Ricky. Get over it. What are you going to do? Go ahead. Feel free to tell Gavin Rawlins anything you want. I don’t care; you aren’t going to do this to me anymore. I don’t care what is happening with her. She is not my mother. So what, let her die, I don’t care. You aren’t my family and haven’t been since I was six. Before I was scared, now I don’t care. Do your worst.”
Gavin stepped behind a pillar as her gaze swung around the room. He stayed hidden as she continued to hiss into the phone. “What? What are you going to do? Tell him I’m a fucking felon? Go ahead. I don’t care. I have other things on my mind right now. Don’t ever call my work again and don’t ever try to get in touch with me.” She slammed down the receiver and put her head on the cool metal.
“Lord, I hope I didn’t make the biggest mistake of my life. If Ricky does tell him of my past and he finds out that I am a felon, please don’t let him be too harsh on me.” Then she walked out the door to take in some fresh air. Well, as fresh as air in San Diego can be.
Gavin stood in shock as he registered what he had heard. Could it be true? His heart staggered to a halt. It couldn’t be.
He followed her outside and simply stopped and watched her sitting on the cement wall. Her hair was unbound and she had her face lifted to the sky. Her beautiful face was tight with strain and grief. Suddenly he noticed she was staring at him with uncertainty in her eyes. A half-smile tried to form on her face but failed.
Gavin walked down to her and sat next to her. “How you holdin’ up, kitten?”
“Not very well, I hope Bryce gets here soon. She can’t last much longer.”
“Tell me how they came to be your parents.” One hand brushed back her hair and tucked it behind her ear, exposing her panther earrings. Gavin had become to discover that the panther held some sort of strength for her.
“I was kicked out of my home at the age of six because I didn’t like stealing. Not that it was much of a home, but at least it was a roof over my head. For the next two years I lived on the streets and learned how to take care of myself. Not an easy thing to do, but I managed. I was in fights a lot and got the scars to prove it.”
That would explain the scars he saw on her body. Gavin took one of her hands in his and began to rub it as she spoke.
“One day I was stumbling down an alley after a fight when a guy touched me. I tried to fight him off but he was too strong, so I passed out from fear or something. Probably loss of blood. When I woke I was in his apartment. It was Bryce. He was eighteen and I thought he was going to kill me or worse. All he did was see to my wounds and give me some food and drink. Gave me his bed and slept out on the couch.” She shuddered before she took a deep breath.
“For a few months we had a battle of wills as he tried to get me to talk but I wouldn’t, nothing more than my name. One day the police came to the door and were looking for a child of my description in the area. Bryce let them in and when he opened the door to the bedroom he told them that the only person here with him was his younger adopted sister, visiting for the week. Since I was cleaned up and wearing new clothes I guess they believed it. Well, afterward they called to confirm it with his parents, who agreed without blinking an eye. Bryce set me up to go to school and made sure I did. I stayed with him for six years, which was when he was leaving on his first deployment. Then I went to stay with his parents.”
Sanura tipped her head back.
“I met Allison in school and we became fast friends. I had some problems and chose to leave home so I didn’t embarrass my family and haven’t been back since. Till now. I tried to sever all my ties but Bryce wouldn’t let me. He and Allison were there for me with all my failed relationships and my penchant for finding trouble. That’s when we came up with the thing of us being a couple, for there aren’t many who would wish to tangle with Bryce. I never thought I would actually be back one day. I was always part of the family, even though we told everyone I was adopted. It was obvious since they are Italian and Irish and I most definitely am not. They made me feel like I was their daughter. And all I did was hurt them.”
Sobs racked her body as she tried to keep talking.
“Some daughter I turned out to be. They would have been better off if Bryce had left me in the alley to die.”
Chapter Sixteen
Her pain was so strong he could taste it, thick and ugly in his mouth. “Don’t say that. They love you, Sanura. It’s obvious.” He gathered her into his arms and held her close as her tears subsided.
“Sanura?” The voice reached them both. It tore his heart out to see how quickly she left his arms to get to the man that called her name.
It was Bryce. He was in utilities and looked exhausted but he was there. She flew into his embrace and sagged against him.
“How is she?”
“She won’t make it this time, Bryce.”
“Are you sure?”
“You should go see her.”
“Come with me.”
“No. You need some time alone with her and your dad.”
“They are your parents as well, Sanura.” He kissed her cheek and wiped her tears away.
Gavin nearly felt like an intruder watching and listening, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave them.
“I have already had
my time. I will come up later. You go.”
“Sure?”
“Go, Bryce. I will stay here with Gavin.”
As if noticing him for the first time, those tired black eyes settled on Gavin’s form. “Okay. I want a word with you later, Rawlins.”
Then with one last hug, he jogged into the hospital as Sanura sat back down by Gavin. They sat in silence outside until Salvador, her father, came down to get them. Gavin’s mind was spinning over the information he had gotten from her and what he had overheard. He stayed by the door as the family gathered around the bed and said a prayer together.
“Gavin?” Sanura beckoned to him. He slowly approached the bed to stand next to her and looked down at the dying woman on the bed.
“Do me a favor,” Mona’s voice rasped. Her hand latched onto Gavin’s strong one. “Take care of her. Please.”
“I promise.” His words were sure and strong as his gaze drifted toward the woman that made his heart continue have a purpose to keep beating. Her chin trembled as she fought back tears, but she laced her hand with his, seeking his strength.
“I need a word with Sanura. You guys leave us for a bit,” Mona grated out. The men hesitated before doing what she asked. As they left, Bryce grabbed Gavin and took him off to talk to him in private.
Mona Angela McKie died that evening surrounded by her family. She went home with the angels carried on the wings of the pure tones of Ave Maria, sung by her daughter. The funeral was quickly arranged and Bryce left immediately after, with a hug for his father and sister. He shook Gavin’s hand and the men shared an understanding look as they glanced down at the woman between them. He took with him a letter for Allison and the others over there.
Sanura went with her father to get him settled in his empty home. She stayed with him for a few days before she had to go back and get to work. Gavin remained at the hotel wanting to be as near as he could.
Sanura was silent for the flight back and he felt her pulling away. After they landed she hugged him tight. “Thank you so much for everything.” A brief kiss to his cheek and she drove off.
During the next two weeks Gavin never saw her. He remained busy with interviews and promoting the new company, where inevitably someone would ask him about his dating status. He would say he had a girlfriend, but never elaborated further.