The Grandmaster's Legacy (HOT Historical Suspense, Box Set)

by Taylor Lee

  Joey shook his head, staring at the ground with a pained expression.

  Wyatt stopped. He glared at him. His eyes were hard, angry. “No! You know what? Let me tell you. You’re right. That wasn’t fucking. That was something I didn’t think I would ever in my life get to feel again.”

  He tossed his cigarette and strode toward the cottage. When he reached the porch, he turned to face Joey.

  “Now will you please leave me alone? So that I can feel what I’m feeling without trying to figure it out or to know what the hell I’m going to do about it?”

  He walked into the cottage, then turned back. His voice and face were ravaged with pain. “And, Joey, you probably should be worried about me -- and Lei -- because I don’t think I am up to this.”

  He closed the door behind him.

  ~~~

  Chapter 14

  In the morning, as Wyatt left the dojo with Alex and Elena, he saw Lei. She came around the corner from what he now knew was her private residence. Both children ran to her, thrilled to see her.

  Elena’s face and voice were bright with excitement, “Lei, Lei, are you better? Can we see your tummy? Is it still black and yellow? Does it hurt?”

  Alex echoed his sister’s enthusiasm. “Can you practice? Are you going to be able to fly?”

  Wyatt laughed. “Alex, Elena. Come back here. You are going to knock Lei over and hurt her again.”

  Turning to Lei, he smiled. “I guess you have a lot of people who are glad to see you. I apologize for the children. There is nothing like an injury to get them excited.”

  Lei smiled and leaned down to give Elena and Alex a quick hug. “I am almost all better. I can’t show you my tummy now because it is all covered up but it is definitely better. Thank you both for asking. It is nice of you to be concerned about me.”

  Wyatt said, “Lei, I was taking the children back to the cottage. They are going riding with Daniel and need to change into their riding clothes. Why don’t you walk over with us? I need to talk to you.”

  Lei blushed and nodded, gazing shyly at the ground for a moment. As they walked to the cottage, the children kept up a continuous stream of questions. Lei answered them patiently. She asked each of them what they were working on in their kung fu practice. As always, they were delighted to talk about what they were doing. All too soon, they arrived at the cottage where Daniel was waiting for them.

  Lei, Wyatt, and Daniel stood on the porch talking while the children ran up to change into their riding habits. Theresa, who was Daniel’s sister and managed Wyatt’s household, joined them on the porch. She liked Lei and was happy to see her again.

  Like everyone else, Theresa had heard about her injury and was concerned.

  “I am sorry you were hurt, Lei. But at least, according to Elena and Alex, you are the bravest person they know. Apparently, you didn’t cry even when Wyatt “smashed” your ribs back in place. At least that’s how Alex tells the story,” Theresa said with a laugh.

  Wyatt responded with a chuckle. “I don’t doubt that is the way it felt to you, Lei. Alex is right. You are the bravest person I’ve seen who was hurt that badly.”

  He turned to Theresa. “Lei and I are going to my office. Can you bring us some of your special tea? And maybe some of those blueberry muffins that the children and I like so much?”

  At that moment, the children dashed out to the porch. They ran up and kissed Wyatt good bye and hugged Theresa. Then they both hugged Lei.

  Wyatt called after them. “Be sure to do what Daniel tells you. Don’t ride too fast!”

  After they cleared the porch, shouting with excitement, they headed for the stables. Wyatt took hold of Lei’s arm and led her back to his office.

  She smiled when they walked in. “Oh yes, this is where you managed to distract my father by showing him all of your toys.”

  Wyatt laughed. “We roosters have learned over time what entices our fellow roosters.”

  Theresa came in and put a tray on the table in the corner. “There are more muffins and more tea, just let me know,” she said with a pleasant smile.

  Wyatt walked over and closed the door. He leaned his back against the door. Lei stood across the room. She gazed at the floor, then with a shy smile she met his gaze. She was flushed and her eyes were shining but he saw the fear on her face. He wondered if the anxiety he felt showed on his face. Just looking at her made his cock swell and he smothered a groan. Pushing down a wave of desire, he took a deep breath. He shook his head, smiling at her anxious face.

  He said in a soft voice, “Come here, Lei.”

  She slowly moved toward him. He reached out and pulled her close. He felt her tremble and wanted to reassure her that everything was all right. But words that usually flowed easily for him did not come.

  Lei sensed the difference and stepped back. Her voice was shaking.

  “Is everything okay? Is it something I did last night?”

  He smiled, gently stroking her cheek. “Yeah, it is something you did last night. You scared the hell out of me. Lei, I don’t know how to say this to you so that you don’t misunderstand…Wait, let me finish.”

  He saw her face blanch and knew he would have a hard time making her understand what he didn’t understand himself.

  He tried again.

  “Lei, last night was a miracle. You are amazing. My God, your beautiful body and, honey, I will never in my life forget the way you responded to me. You drove me crazy. I was supposed to make you crazy, remember? I know I did. But I wasn’t planning on feeling the way I did. I gotta tell you, Lei, it scared the shit out of me.”

  She frowned. Her face was still pale, anxious. “Does…does that mean we can’t do… it again? Maybe I could do that coming thing less...”

  He roared, his uncertainty banished by his laughter. “Oh, don’t you dare! First of all, I won’t let you. Hell, honey, wait until we can spend the whole night together. Three times will seem like sloughing off. Second, I unleashed a filly last night who has been itching to run wild. From my experience, once a filly runs wild she’ll never accept the bit again.”

  She hesitated. “Then, we…we can do it again…Soon?”

  He grinned. “Oh, yeah. Soon and often.

  “Wyatt.”

  “Yes, Lei.”

  “I was scared last night, but when you talked to me and touched me I forgot about being scared. You made me feel safe. Like you wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me. And then this morning, I was scared again. But now that you are here, I think I am okay.”

  A wry smile crossed his face. “‘Out of the mouths of babes.’ I think you’re on to something, Princess. Now that you are here -- going crazy doesn’t seem like a bad thing. If you‘ll come a little closer, you will see all the evidence you need that I have overcome my fear of you. Christ, the problem’s going to be how to keep my prick in my pants and my hands off of you every time I see you.”

  He pulled her close to him and pressed the hard ridge of his cock up against her. She gasped.

  He laughed. “See what I mean? Do you think Joey and the other students will understand if I take you down with a terrific move, but then climb on top of you, rip your clothes off and fuck the hell out of you?”

  She giggled. “I think the students will like it. I’m not so sure about Joey!”

  “Oh, hell, he’d love it. He’d pretend he didn’t, but you know what those old Chinese guys are like. They pretend not to have any emotions, but are the horniest fuckers around. Except for Indians, that is.”

  He dragged her up against him. He kissed her eyes, her mouth, and then started nibbling and sucking on her earlobe. Soon she was squirming and twisting beneath him.

  “Wyatt, I have to go. Joey is expecting me. You know how strict he is about sparring times.

  “I know, honey. Do you mind if I come and watch you two for a while? I have to go to Cheyenne around eleven, but I want to see how you are doing with some of the new moves. I promise I will only watch.” He grinned, “Unles
s I can’t keep from making suggestions.”

  “You better not. My sensei has a strict ‘no roosters allowed in the dojo’ policy!”

  Laughing, they headed out to the dojo. Lei looked up at him, excitedly describing the latest strike technique she was learning. Wyatt listened intently, his hand resting on the small of her back.

  Theresa watched them from the kitchen window with a smile, nodding her approval.

  ~~~

  The next weeks were blissful for them both. Each night, after he put the children to bed, Wyatt came to Lei’s room. He stayed until dawn, then slipped out to practice in the dojo before returning for breakfast with the children.

  It didn’t matter how many times he touched her. Each time was as if it was brand new. Wyatt promised her he would show her places on her body she didn’t know she had. Every night, he made good on his promise. He reveled in her excitement, in teaching her the erotic lessons he knew so well.

  But it was different. He was different. No longer the aloof, practiced connoisseur sampling a variety of erotic treats, he was an active participant. Greedy, wanting, needing everything she had to offer. He was as hungry for her as she was for him. Gratefully, he gave in to the lure of her astonishingly beautiful, responsive body.

  And at least when he was with her, he was able to stop thinking about what it all meant.

  When they were well into their second month of daily and nightly lovemaking, Wyatt returned from Cheyenne late. He came to her looking exhausted.

  Lei helped him remove his jacket shaking her head at his weary expression. “Wyatt, why don’t you sit down and let me take care of you for a change? Don’t you know that Chinese women are Geishas at heart? Our only goal in life is to please men.”

  Wyatt scoffed. “Yeah, right! You are about the least subservient woman I have ever known. Shit, if I got out of line, you’d break my balls with one swift kick.”

  “No I mean it, let me fuss over you,” she said pushing him down in the arm chair. She poured him a glass of bourbon and brought it to him. She took one of the cigars out of the humidor. With a suggestive smile she licked it, lit it and handed it to him.

  Wyatt started, a tiny frown creasing his brow. “Christ, honey, where did you learn that?”

  She huffed. “That’s what you do every night. Then you smile that smile you know makes me crazy. Before I know it, you are doing something to me I never thought was possible or would feel as good. And now I’m going to do something to you that I know will make you crazy. Everyone thinks mistakenly that Geishas are only found in Japanese. I can assure you the tradition of the Geisha is alive and well in China.”

  He looked surprised, then shook his head and grinned. “Have at it, Princess.”

  She went to the bathroom and came back with two hot wet towels. Kneeling in front of him she pulled off his boots and socks. She wrapped each of his bare feet in a hot towel and then stood up behind him. With expert fingers she rubbed the knots in his neck, kneading them until they loosened.

  Wyatt leaned back and sighed. She knelt on the floor in front of him and removed one of the towels. Within minutes, he was moaning with pleasure as she expertly rubbed his feet working through years of tension.

  “God, baby, if I’d known that feels so good, I would have hired a live-in Geisha years ago! Tell me, when I rub your feet and then your back and neck does it feel this good?”

  “Before we made love and you did that to me, it was the most erotic thing I had ever felt. I was afraid you might be able to tell how it made me feel.”

  “Hmm, I seem to remember that you fell asleep.”

  “That was in self-defense. I was protecting myself from you. And from me.”

  She giggled and added, “I used to do this for my father when he came home exhausted. Ri and I would fight to do it because he would pay us with a special gold coin. Goodness, I hope he wasn’t feeling what you are feeling now.”

  “Remember what I told you about those unemotional Chinese men. But no, honey, I am confident what your father felt was relief. Grateful he had a place where he could let down and be loved by two adoring children.”

  “Wyatt, what do you do all day in Cheyenne? I know you have a lot of business, but are you always this busy?”

  He leaned back in the chair and puffed on his cigar. “Yeah, I am always this busy. Interestingly enough, what I am involved in now has more to do with politics than business. Although they’re always mixed up with each other. I’ve always been involved in politics – kinda from the sidelines. But when you are putting up the money that gets someone elected or kills off the other candidate, I guess that’s not really the sidelines, is it?”

  “Are you what they call a kingmaker?”

  “Well, since we don’t have kings, not exactly. Let’s just say anyone I decide should be elected to a given office is going to be elected.”

  He grinned. “Hell, it’s a big responsibility. But if money talks--and it does--I’m gonna make sure it says what I want it to. In the process, I wanna get rid of some of the assholes who have been ripping off the people of this state for years.”

  Lei frowned. “I thought things were getting better now that Wyoming is a state.”

  “No, Lei. You don’t get rid of the level of corruption that was rampant in this territory just by changing the name. It’s going to take years and blowing the lid off some serious scandals. It’s not as bad as in New Mexico. But, hell, we have a budding scandal here that if it’s the size of what I think it is, it’s gonna put New Mexico and New York to shame.”

  “Can you talk about it?”

  “Not yet, honey. I know I can trust you. Right now, I’m collecting the puzzle pieces. I can only tell you that there are some candidates running for office that are soon gonna have more reasons than they know to despise me.”

  “Are you talking about Martin Kendrick, Jesse’s husband?”

  “Yeah, I am.”

  They were quiet. Wyatt leaned back and closed his eyes giving in to the pleasure of her strong hands and probing fingers.

  Several minutes later he said, “Speaking of politics, how would you like to go to a big time political shindig?”

  She looked surprised. “Where? When?”

  “In a couple of weeks. In Cheyenne. Governor Benton is putting on a big dinner. The guests of honor are the two candidates running to fill his seat. Given that my candidate, Bernie Catron, is one of the two guests of honor and I’m his principle backer, I need to go.”

  “Is the other guest of honor Martin?”

  “Yep. What do you think? You want to hobnob with the assholes? Give all of them something to jerk off to for the next year or so?”

  “Wyatt!”

  “Come on, Lei. You have to know the effect you have on men.”

  “No, actually I don’t. Most men are afraid to look at me because they know it might get them killed.”

  Wyatt roared. “Yeah, I guess that stony faced bastard—excuse me, rooster -- with the eyes of steel and a twenty person armed guard would put the damper on most men’s ardor. Good thing I’m not easily intimidated.”

  He lit a cigarette. “How about it? Will you go with me?”

  “I don’t know, Wyatt. Will there be a problem – you know with me being Chinese?”

  “Lei, let me tell you something. I’ve spent nearly twenty years shoving my red skin up their asses. Nobody keeps me out of anything or anywhere. Honey, if you’re with me, you go where I go.”

  “Can I get dressed up and wear something gorgeous?”

  “I insist on it. I want every person there to know that the most beautiful woman in the room is with me.”

  “Even more than….”

  “Don’t say it, Lei. Let it go. Please.”

  She blushed and looked down.

  “We’ll need to go in that morning, unless you need to shop. If you do we can go in the night before.”

  Lei laughed, her eyes bright with excitement. “Are you joking? Look at this room. Can you imag
ine the clothes that I have at my father’s California complex? If you are really serious about me going, I will have one of his servants box up some of my best things and meet us in Cheyenne.”

  “I am most serious, Princess. I will be honored to have you as my guest.”

  ~~~

  Chapter 15

  Lei couldn’t believe how excited she was to go to the party. She told Wyatt that it would be the first party she went to that wasn’t put on by her father. It was also the first time she wouldn’t be surrounded by Sing Leon guards.

  Discussing it with Chief and Joey, Wyatt commented, “What do you want to bet that Wan Chang has already found the whitest looking guys he has to infiltrate the party?”

  Joey arched an eyebrow. “How many white looking Caballeros have you rounded up to make nice with the big guys?”

  “Interesting you say that, Joey. I am intentionally bringing some of our Mexican and Indian Caballeros. Hell, I’m even bringing Chief, aren’t I?” he said grinning at Chief.

  “I want to give these pricks a sense of what their state looks like when you move beyond the one percent of the population that controls ninety-nine percent of the resources.”

  Lei went in to Cheyenne the day before the party. She wanted to look through the clothes that her father had sent and decide what she wanted to wear. Wyatt was confident that at least some of the innocent looking businessmen at the hotel were in truth hard edged Sing Leon killers. He wasn’t taking any chances. He sent Alono and two other Caballeros with Lei. They stayed in an adjoining room at the hotel.

  Wyatt got to the hotel late. Rather than interrupting Lei when she was dressing, he joined Chief and Alono. The three of them amused one another guffawing at how they looked in the required formal evening attire.