Everyone present looked at her, Jubal with appreciative relief, Jonas with suspicion, and her siblings with varying degrees of surprise.
“But—” Lauren protested.
“No, I mean it now, let’s go,” Lizabeth cut her off.
She pushed her brothers along and grabbed her sister’s hand to drag her along with them.
* * * *
Jubal watched the disappearing quartet as Lizabeth hurried them toward the house. They had a nice Acadian style house, with a large wrap-around front porch. It had several large windows on the bottom level, and dormer windows on the upstairs level. A nice big front yard, and what looked like a decent amount of land behind the house, which stretched back to a row of large pines, on what he figured was their property line.
He turned back to face Jonas after the siblings slipped into the house and out of sight.
“I guess that was my daughter’s subtle way of leaving us alone to talk for some reason. You mind filling me in on why she would be so anxious for us to be alone to talk?”
Jubal sucked up his courage. He certainly hoped Jonas would be open-minded about all Jubal had to tell him. “No, I don’t mind. Maybe I’ll start by giving you my full name. My name is Jubal Horville.”
Jonas’ face shuttered. “Are you telling me we’re kin?”
Jubal stood to his full height, which was still a couple of inches shy of his oldest brother’s height. “Yep, I’m your brother.”
“What!” Jonas’ voice blasted out.
Jubal rushed to reassure him. “I know this is a shock but it’s true. My father is Herbert Horville. He was born and raised here in Harrisburg. Used to be married to Fleur Horville.”
“Shit!” Jonas cursed and turned on his heels to head back toward his house without another word to Jubal.
“Wait!” Jubal shouted.
Jonas stopped in his tracks, but didn’t turn around.
“Please listen.”
Jonas turned back to face Jubal. But the look on his face didn’t bode well for the success of Jubal’s mission.
“Dad’s dying,” Jubal said baldly.
“Do you expect me to care?” Jonas returned bluntly.
“Look, I know you probably hate his guts for running out on you and your ma, but I can honestly tell you he’s not the same man that left here when you were three.”
“Ha! A likely story,” Jonas’ voice dripped scorn.
“I’m telling you the truth.”
“From the rumors I heard when I was young, he was nothing but a no account drunk who liked chasing the women.”
“Yes, you’re right. He told me all about when he was young. And for years after he left here, he continued on like that. When he met my mom, he was in the pits. He was as low as a man could get.”
Jonas remained quiet, and tried not to look as if he cared about Jubal’s story, but Jubal saw the interest in the dark eyes so like their father’s. It was uncanny how much alike the two men were in appearance.
“My mom, Verna, drug his stubborn ass off the street, cleaned him off, and challenged him to make something of himself.”
“And?” Jonas asked, leaning back against the side of a blue company truck with the words, Horville Construction detailed on the driver side door, his arms folded across his chest. His posture emanated stubborn anger and disbelief.
But the look in Jonas’ eyes made Jubal realize he’d captured his brother’s attention. “And he took her up on her challenge. It was either that or eventually dying in a drunken stupor. There was still a thread of spirit left in the old man.”
“So you’re telling me he succeeded?” Jonas’ voice was skeptical again.
“Yes, he did. He married my mother, had a family with her, and even started a business.”
“You’re kidding me, right?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Why did he never try to contact me before now?” Jonas pulled himself away from the truck, his stance wary and stiff, making Jubal realize he was going to be much harder to convince than he hoped.
“He figured you hated his gut—”
“He was right,” Jonas interrupted him.
“I’m here now on his behalf. He wants to see you before he dies.”
Jonas frowned, but his posture relaxed slightly. Jubal suspected he was probably torn by his feelings of hatred and by his innate desire to know and be accepted by the parent who’d abandoned him. “I would rather not. He’s never attempted to see me before now, so why should I waste my time?”
“Wouldn’t you like to meet your other brothers and sister?” Jubal tried to entice him with the thought of meeting a family he never knew existed.
Jonas looked him dead in the eye. “Brothers and sister?”
“Yeah, Luke is twenty-four, Carrie and Corey, the twins, are twenty-two.”
Come on, Jonas, want to meet them, come on.
Jubal could imagine it had been hard on him, having to be an only child. That could be part of the reason Jonas had a decent size family of his own. It was great to belong to a family. Hell, Jubal thought of having a large family himself. Maybe even six. The thought of Lizabeth, her petite figure swollen with his baby flashed into his mind. Damn it, Jubal, focus!
“I wouldn’t mind meeting them, but as far as the old man is concerned, forget about it,” Jonas told him, his tone emphatic.
Shit! Jubal could see a mulish look on Jonas’ face. He was dead set against seeing the old man. It made Jubal sad that he wouldn’t even give the old man a chance. For all he hated him, Jonas was his father’s spitting image. Herbert Horville had the same soulful black eyes and pitch colored hair. They were even approximately the same height. And if this reaction was anything to go by, the same mule-headedness. Jubal guessed he would just have to hang out around Harrisburg until he could wear down Jonas’ resistance.
The old man didn’t have much time left; the cirrhosis of the liver was in the advanced stages. A picture of him as Jubal saw him yesterday flashed in his mind. His abdomen distended; it looked like the stomach of a pregnant woman nine months into it. The doctors had been about to tap it yesterday, trying to get the extra fluid out, when Jubal had taken his leave to head to Harrisburg. He’d thought about waiting until they finished; but his father and mother had insisted that Jubal go on to try to convince Jonas to come to the hospital.
But shit, Jubal certainly wasn’t having much luck. He hated the thought of going back without Jonas.
“Why don’t you come on back with me?” Jubal suggested. “We all live close by my parents in Couteau. Actually, we could probably see them all together at the hospital in Lafayette.”
Jonas gave Jubal a disgusted look. “Forget it. I won’t be going to the hospital. Nice try.”
Jubal smiled. “You can’t blame a guy for trying.”
Jonas actually returned his smile. “You hungry?”
“Hell, yeah.” In fact, Jubal just realized he hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
“Come on in, then. We’re having steak in a gravy tonight, and my wife always cooks enough for an army,” Jonas informed him.
Jubal’s stomach rumbled in hunger. The guys looked at each other and busted out laughing. Jonas turned back toward the house, followed closely by Jubal.
* * * *
Lizabeth watched from the living room window as Jubal and Jonas headed toward the house. She’d smiled when both men laughed. Was her dad going to see his father? Would Jubal succeed in his mission so quickly? Would he go away again and forget he ever met her? Oh, God, she hoped not. Now that she’d found him, she dreaded letting him go. She wanted him. And she realized that although the sex smoked, something drew her to him on another level. A soul-deep level. Her heart leapt in her chest at his happy expression. His happiness made her happy.
Could this be love? If not at first sight, then it was pretty damn close. She hoped he felt the same way she did.
“Lizabeth, Mom wants you,” Lauren careened into the living room with her usual joyful
exuberance.
“I’m coming,” Lizabeth replied faintly. After a wistful last look at the men as they came up onto the porch, she turned to follow Lauren.
When Lizabeth turned, Lauren popped out with, “What’s wrong? You sick or somethin’?”
“What?”
“You gotta funny look on your face,” Lauren said, her nose crinkled.
“It’s nothing,” Lizabeth assured her, and hoped her little sister wouldn’t press the subject, especially in front of Jubal.
Sure her mother just wanted her to set the table, Lizabeth headed toward the kitchen. To her annoyance, Lauren trailed closely behind her. When they got into the kitchen, Nikki turned toward them.
“Lizabeth...” she started, then stopped abruptly and said, “What’s wrong?”
Shit! Were they all going to ask her what was wrong? What kind of expression did she have on her face? She smiled, hoping to alleviate her mother’s concern.
“Nothing’s wrong, Momma. I’m fine, really,” Lizabeth assured her.
“I asked her that too,” Lauren piped in.
Lizabeth scowled at her little sister. “And I told you the same thing, now get yourself upstairs to clean up before supper.”
When Lauren sailed out of the kitchen, Nikki asked, “Okay, now she’s gone, tell me what’s up?”
“Honestly, Mom, nothing is wrong,” she lied.
Nikki looked skeptical, but let the matter drop. Lizabeth knew she’d try to get it out of her later, though. They heard the men coming into the house and the rumble of their deep voices.
“Who’s here?” Nikki asked Lizabeth.
“You’ll see.”
Jonas came into the kitchen with Jubal behind him. She saw her mother’s bewildered expression when she saw the similarity in the men’s facial features.
“Nikki, I want you to meet Jubal, my brother.”
“What!” Nikki’s surprised voice rang out.
Jonas smiled at his wife’s reaction. “Jubal, this is my wife, Nikki.”
When the boys and Lauren joined them, renewed introductions were seen to—as their uncle this time. Lauren took to Jubal right away, pestering him with her incessant chatter. Derrick and Brock shot questions at him left and right. He answered them with great patience, as if he enjoyed getting to know the family.
Lizabeth couldn’t help watching his interaction with her family. They accepted him so easily. That made her happy. If she were contemplating any kind of a future with him, she would have been devastated if her family and him did not get along.
Jubal caught her gaze on him and smiled. Lizabeth could feel the heat in her cheeks. She turned away, hoping no one had noticed her reaction to his smile. But her gaze caught that of her mother’s. Nikki had seen the whole thing. Hurriedly, Lizabeth dropped her gaze to the tabletop. When she looked back up, she saw her mother’s concerned frown.
Damn it! Lizabeth could expect a game of twenty questions with Nikki later.
Chapter 6
Ida Mae Dugas knocked on the door of her husband’s study, waiting for admittance with anxiety.
“Come,” the voice she expected called out.
She carefully opened the door and let herself into the room. Gary Breaux, her husband’s second-in-command, sat behind the large mahogany desk.
“What is it, Ida Mae?” the handsome blond man looked up from his work.
“I need to talk to you.”
“I hope this is important.”
“Well, if you think Ben’s increasing interest in getting to know his daughter important, then yes, it’s important,” Ida Mae informed him sharply. She knew she courted a backhand by talking to him with that tone, but she blamed her worry.
Gary had been her and her husband’s sexual Master since she was eighteen. Her husband, Benjamin Dugas, had been the boss at work, but in this house, Gary ruled them both...usually.
“What have you heard?”
“He’s been talking about meeting her, getting to know her.” Ida Mae felt no qualms about betraying her husband’s confidence to Gary. He had that affect on her.
Gary leaned back into the chair behind the desk and looked speculative. “Why are you worried about this, Ida?”
“You know he’s been feeling old lately. I do my best, but he’s been having a hard time keeping it up. He’s probably figuring his time’s running out.”
“Come on over here,” Gary motioned her to join him behind the desk, “I’m not having any trouble. I need to think about this, so come on, you little slut, help me clear my head.”
Ida Mae felt her cream flood between her thighs. Gary knew just how to work her up. She could expect him to put her through her paces tonight, especially if he found out what had her so concerned. Which would be just fine with her. Ben was getting too frail to give her any satisfaction these days. Only her interludes with Gary helped with her sexual frustration. She was ready to bring in another third into their relationship. Ben no longer held his position. Because of that, Ida didn’t know what the relationship between her husband and his former lover was. She couldn’t imagine Gary still being turned on by her husband’s frail, wrinkled body. It was all Ida Mae herself could do to pretend she still loved him; she only did it to try to stay in his good graces until he bit it.
Ida Mae eagerly moved around the desk to stand in front of Gary. She recognized the look that burned in his eyes. She’d spent countless hours since she was eighteen exercising to keep that look burning there.
“Come on, strip for me,” Gary encouraged, and watched her as Ida Mae began her strip tease.
She’d sent their housekeeper home early and made sure her husband was asleep, so this would be the result to this conversation. Ida Mae couldn’t wait for Gary to work her over.
She saw his careful observation of her actions. He licked his lips when she dispensed with her shirt and lacy white bra. She knew he relished the sight of her nipple rings. He’d proved his fascination with them repeatedly. Ida Mae started to unzip her skirt when Gary leaned forward quickly and hooked his forefingers in her rings. Ida Mae gasped and hurried to let him pull her closer to him. If she hadn’t, he’d have ripped the rings from her nipples with his brutality.
“You love this, don’t you, bitch?” Gary demanded.
Ida Mae closed her eyes and panted, “Yes, Master.”
Gary sucked one of her peaks into his hot mouth. He suckled her with more pressure than he had in a long time. Ida Mae let herself drown in his excruciating ministrations. The tip of his tongue threaded through the ring; Gary pulled her nipple taut, and bit down when she whimpered.
“Arghhh,” she yelled, which prompted Gary to slap the shit out of her to shut her up.
“Shut the fuck up, slave. You want to wake Ben?”
“No, Master,” Ida said in a whisper and moaned at the pain he’d inflicted on her.
“Hurry up and get the rest of your clothes off, slave.”
Ida Mae didn’t need any other prompting. She shimmied out of her skirt and panties, while Gary continued his concentrated efforts on her jugs.
He let his mouth’s hold on her tit go so he could unzip his pants. He leaned back in his chair, released his large rod, and gave her the signal to kneel between his legs. She dropped to her knees before him and took her place between his outspread thighs, her silver blond hair falling forward as she teased his dick with her studded tongue. He pulled her hair up so he could get a good look at her mouth sucking his cock. Ida Mae gazed up toward his face, trying to gauge his enjoyment as she continued her onslaught on his swollen flesh.
Ida Mae could tell he was on the verge of exploding. He grabbed her under her arms to push her up onto the desk, driving upward to slice into her pussy. A loud groan escaped her. She held on to the edge of the desk while Gary grabbed her nipples and rings and jerked her forward onto his shaft. When her internal muscles quaked around him, he leaned over to give her a punishing kiss while she screamed her release into his mouth. Followed closely on the heels o
f her climax, Gary groaned his own explosion into her mouth.
Gary pulled away from her and sat back into his chair. Ida felt his gaze on her as she bent down to retrieve her clothes.
“Now, tell me what’s worrying you, slave,” Gary commanded her as he zipped up his trousers.
“Ben’s interest in Lizabeth.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“Well, in his frame of mind, don’t you think he might make some changes that we might not like?”
“As in?”
Ida paced in front of Gary. “As in, what if he decides he should give all his money to that little slut daughter of mine?”
Gary leaned forward, pulling her hand nearest to him and stopped her. “Has he said anything to that effect?”
She shook her head. “Well, no, but I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
Satisfied with her reply, he let go of her hand and leaned back in his chair, looking up at her with the confidence of a man who knew his place in the world, he even laughed. “Ida, Ida, I don’t think you really have anything to worry about.”
“You don’t?”
“Let him meet his daughter if he wants to.”
She resumed her worried pacing. “You’re not worried about him deciding to hand over everything to her?”
“No, don’t you think I’d know if I’d lost control of him?”
“Well, I wasn’t sure, Master.”
“I’m telling you, girl, we can give him this much. Let me take care of it. You haven’t lost confidence in my ability to control, have you, slave?” Gary’s tone made Ida Mae shiver in fear.
“No, Master, no!” Ida Mae hastened to reassure him before she had to pay the consequences for her doubt. Ida was happy to turn over her worry to him. Her Master would take care of everything. Since he’d always held so much sway over Ben, she was probably just overreacting to her husband’s request. But she just couldn’t let it go.
“What will you do if he decides to do it, Master?”
Ida Mae saw that impatient expression cross his face. He probably thought she was a pain in the ass, but she couldn’t help it; she was scared. She’d invested so much time into that old goat, and she didn’t want to lose out to the child she’d given up, so long ago, without regret. Ida Mae had had an exciting life as the only female in a ménage à trois. She enjoyed spending as much money as she could ever want. And she wasn’t planning on losing out to that little brat she’d given over to those two hypocrites, Jonas and Nikki.
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