by Unknown
He extends his hand, and I take it. Pulling my boots out of the stirrups, I glide off the horse and into Michael’s strong arms.
He takes me to a small bubbling creek, its water running rapidly across the forest floor. “Oh, Michael, it’s spectacular, and look, there’s little fish.” I bend over, amazed at the wildlife surrounding us.
He taps me and points to a white-tailed deer. I gasp with excitement. He’s stunning.
The sounds of birds singing, the current rushing through the creek, and the animals rustling in the woods help to release all the tension from the past weeks.
“Come, my brothers and I built this bench and a small table. Please, sit, I have a little surprise for you,” he says and leaves me. He returns with a basket. He tugs out a cloth and lays it over the table. An array of assorted fruits and cheeses and a bottle of wine magically appear.
“Oh, Michael, this is perfect.” I kiss him, pulling away and gazing into his eyes. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” He carefully takes out two glasses, opens a bottle of wine, and pours the rich, red liquid.
We clink the crystal. “To us, my love.” He breathes out, looking so relaxed and serene. “Maria told me she slipped about Tania, my late fiancée. She said you were shocked and went pale,” he says as his eyes narrow expressing concern.
Oh, thank God he brought it up. I wasn’t sure how I was going to approach him about his loss. “It caught me by surprised when I found out you were engaged several years ago,” I say and place my hand over his.
“I’m sorry you had to hear about this through someone else and not me. I should have mentioned it earlier when I told you about my mother, but to be honest, I find it uncomfortable discussing her death.
“Tania was my high school sweetheart and we both studied in England. After we had graduated college, I proposed.” He closes his eyes, his lips pressed in a thin hard line. The mood changes for a brief moment as his eyebrow’s furrow expressing a deep pain within his soul.
“Oh, Michael, please don’t. It’s okay.” I hold his hand and gently squeeze it.
“You need to know. I want no secrets between us.” There was a long pause. “Two days before the wedding, she was in a car accident. A driver high on drugs hit her head-on. She didn’t die at the scene.” He downs his wine in one gulp and places his glass on the table with shaky hands.
“She was in surgery for several hours due to internal bleeding, which sucked twenty years from my life. Two weeks later they released her from the hospital. I took care of her, fed her, bathed her, and hired a nurse round the clock.”
I guzzle my wine, practically finishing it, and it gives me a little kick.
“I only had her home for a week and a half. She felt a sharp pain piercing into her head. That’s how she described it.” He poured more wine and fed me a few grapes and cheese. He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.
“I called an ambulance . . . by the time they arrived, it was too late.” He pauses for a moment, collecting his thoughts. “She died in my arms. Her brain hemorrhaged.” He winces and stiffens, his eyes shimmering with tears.
I set the glass down and gaze deep into his eyes, my vision blurred from tears. I’m not sure what to say, I’m speechless, so many losses. I pull him into arms, embracing him with all my love. I gasp when his tight grip takes hold of me, squeezing me firmly against his chest. I clutch him tighter, feeling his body trembling within me.
Tears begin cascade down my cheeks as I ache over his broken heart and the pain of all his losses. This must have been so hard for him to talk about.
His hands gently caress my back. He grazes the side of my face with his soft lips and trails a line of kisses down the side of my neck and over my shoulder, causing my body to tingle and, ache for more than just his kisses.
My breathing intensifies, and my heart starts to race. I lose myself in his scent, and everything vaporizes with the breeze. He pulls away, looking dejected and tormented from the pain. My heart shatter’s as I look into his eyes to see the demons that have tormented him for so many years and so many other mixed emotions; love, death, hate, betrayal.
“Ariana, I love you. Please, don’t ever think you’re taking Tania’s place. The love I have for you is so different from what I had for Tania. There will always be a place in my heart for her.”
He kneels on one knee, and my heart comes out of her camouflage gear, tossing the glass of wine over her shoulder and pushing the tissue box out of her way. Now she comes out of hiding?
“A man without love is only half a man. You make me whole, Ariana. You are my world, the hub of my universe, the blood that pumps my heart, and the air that brings life into my lungs. From the moment our eyes connected, so did our souls, along with a powerful force of energy that ignites around us,” he expresses, kissing my hand. “I love you, Ariana,” he chokes out.
His eyes glimmer with a deep affection. He takes my face between his hands and presses his soft, silken lips over mine, kissing me with a never-ending passion and love. He jerks away, his eyes blazing with fire, and he flashes his brilliant smile, making me all giddy inside. He pulls a small box from the basket, opening it with the utmost care. I gasp. My heart begins to race. Oh my God, is that ring huge.
“Will you marry me? Be my wife, the mother of my children?” He asks with a soft tenor, his eyes glowing with an endless love and devotion to me.
Both my heart and soul cheer me on, screaming yes, yes, yes. This man is in love with you, scars and all. Go for it girl, say yes!
I nod frantically, not giving it a second thought. “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you, you big bully,” I cry out with tears cascading down my cheeks, my heart overjoyed. I feel alive, cherished and loved.
Michael jumps up with pure elation. He embraces me, swinging me with blissful happiness. He sets me down. “You just made me the happiest man on earth.” He kisses me on my nose, forehead, cheeks, and lips. With shaky hands, he takes the ring out of the smooth, velvet box and slips it over my finger. It’s a pear-shaped diamond nestled in a platinum setting and looks to be at least five carats. “God, I hope it fits. Joanne and Blake helped me out.”
I stare at him, bemused. “Those little stinkers,” I murmur. They knew all along and not once even gave a hint of what Michael was up to. Wait until I get a hold of them.
“It fits perfect. It’s stunning, so elegant and simple, thank you, thank you, thank you.” He swings me again, and I laugh and giggle with glee. I can’t believe I’m marrying Michael. I’m beaming with excitement, and my heart and soul are dancing beneath the sunshine.
Michael pulls a portable iPod player out of the basket and my favorite song, “Thank You for Loving Me” by Jon Bon Jovi, begins to play. How did he know? He didn’t, it was the universe. I gaze up into the mysterious sky and thank them.
He takes my hand, and we dance under the lush greenery of trees. The birds sing and soar over us to the music.
I’m sobbing like a baby, saturating Michael’s poor shirt with my tears. He lifts my chin and licks them off my face. I giggle, and suddenly everything stops. Our eyes meet, our souls unite, we take one last breath before our lips connect, and we kiss beneath the rays of the sun cascading over us in vibrant colors as the future Mr. and Mrs. Grayson.
He pulls away from my lips, and he flashes his magnetic smile. “We need to go back to the ranch,” Michael says excitedly, grinning from ear-to-ear, his head leaning against my forehead.
I hesitate. This is the first time in my life I ever felt so at peace and free from the outside world. I gaze over the forest of evergreens, exhilarated as we stand in the middle of God’s creations. I’m sad, in a way, because I don’t want to leave this part of heaven.
“Come on, Ariana. Everyone is dying to know if you said yes.” He smiles and starts packing the basket with urgency.
“You mean everyone back at the ranch knows you were going to propose to me?” I ask surprised and overjoyed.
“Yes, so we better go before
they have a search party out for us. They have no patience.” He laughs, and I laugh with him.
Chapter 33
The Barn
As we approach the ranch, Michael’s beautiful mansion comes to view; standing tall and proud, nestled in the center of the sprawling property. Its pristine stonework and large picture windows give you a home sweet home feeling.
I giggle as I see Maria rushing into the house with a big grin over her face. Seconds later, the family are all standing outside waiting impatiently for our arrival.
“Well, son, what’s the verdict?” his dad yells out.
“She said yes,” Michael shouts with glee, flashing his sexy grin as he’s jumping off Thunder and then helping me off Daisy. The whole family erupts with cheers.
I hate to admit it, but I enjoyed riding on Daisy. I should have listened to my grandfather years ago. I missed out on so much. It was a joyous experience. I saw everything in a different perspective. I’m seriously thinking of taking horseback riding lessons.
Jacob picks me up and swings me around in circles. “Welcome to the family, daughter,” he says, all teary-eyed.
I choke on my own tears from his sweet endearment. “Thank you . . . Dad,” I whisper.
Jacob swallows hard, and one teardrop runs over his cheek. “Thank you,” he murmurs.
I smile, still embraced in his arms. I’m overjoyed by the abundance of love this man gives to his family, friends, and everyone who steps into his life. I wipe the lonely tear from his face, and I’m gifted with an angelic smile.
“We have a real celebrity in the family,” he bursts out, and everyone erupts into fits of laughter.
“Dad, you can put her down now,” Michael calmly orders.
“Fine, son, have you set a date? I want grandkids and lots of them. Who knows when these two playboys will find someone like Ariana? So I’m counting on you.” He points to us.
Both Michael and I pale, and our eyes grow wide. “Dad, let’s take one step at a time. We need to decide on a wedding date,” Michael explains.
The rest of the afternoon was filled with congratulations, hugs, and kisses. I called Joanne, Blake, Jonathan, and Sean with my blissful news.
I stand in Michael’s bedroom, staring out into space, gazing at the heavens above. I thank God and the universe for bringing Michael and his family into my life.
After the death of my parents’ and sister, I felt alone and abandoned by God. I stopped believing in him, lost all faith. Besides my grandfather, Danny was the only person left on this earth that I cared about. He picked up the pieces after I crumbled at the wake. He handled all the details of their funeral and made the call to my grandfather. My grandfather was on his plane before Danny even finished giving him the details of the accident. He insisted I fly back to Monaco with him. I refused. I wanted to stay with Danny.
After college graduation, Danny convinced me to marry him. I hesitated, but then realized, why not? We’d been dating since high school and I loved him at the time. We had our difficulties, but he always treated me with respect, showered me gifts, flowers, and long weekend getaways. He always had a slight problem with jealousy, but I thought nothing of it.
I was twenty-two when we married. However, nothing prepared me for the night we became husband and wife. That was the first time he beat me. He claimed I was flirting with the waiter at the restaurant. I didn’t waste anytime. I packed my bags, ready to move out, when he begged me not to leave him. He apologized profusely, sent me flowers, and said he loved me so much he would make it up to me for the rest of our lives. He kept his word . . . for a few months, and then it started up again. Nothing major at first, a few slaps, berating and belittling me to the point I began to believe everything he said about me and my self-esteem took a nosedive.
I had to admit I stopped believing in God. Nevertheless, everything changed the day I had the courage to see a lawyer and walk away from Danny for good. I had to get away from the negative poison around me. That was the first day of my freedom and independence.
Yes, I carry many scars, internally and externally, but I fought hard to keep them at bay. I followed my dream. Things became clearer. The more I surround myself with negativity, the more negativity possessed me. It’s like a magnet. It also works the other way. The more positive energy I project, the more I receive. Love is the ultimate power and being grateful for all you have will bring more.
God was right. Seek and you shall find, ask and you shall receive.
My life made a complete one-eighty. It’s as if the heavens opened up, showering me with their unconditional love. This was when I realized there is a God, a powerful force in the universe. The more positive energy I sent out, I reaped a hundred times more. Life can be beautiful when I just believe and work towards my goal. I give back to those who are in need, love everyone around me, and never judge others.
I blow a kiss back to God and head for the showers to get ready for another beautiful family dinner, but before I head for the dining room, I need to get Michael’s gift, which I hid in the barn. Cheyenne was kind enough to take me into Houston earlier. I wanted to pick up something special. With Cheyenne’s help, I purchased the perfect gift for him. It’s the Imperial Hotel by Lego Architecture. I hope he likes it.
“Ariana,” Michael calls out my name. Ah, I’m caught as I head towards the double French doors of the library.
“Yes,” I answer.
“Where are you going? The dining room is this way sweetheart.” He smiles and his eyes glimmer with life.
“The powder room,” I say, with a beaming smile. Michael nods his head.
I rush off. I burst through the library and the glass doors in the back, excited about the gift. I’m greeted with a beautiful half crescent moon, casting its shimmering glow over the green meadow.
As I approach the barn, the outside lights come to life, casting its soft glow over the beautifully landscaped property. Goose bumps surface over my exposed skin when a cool breeze whips through the atmosphere causing the tree’s to dance. I start when a loud thump catches my attention. I hesitate for a moment and realize it may be one of the horses.
I flinch as I push open the door and an eerie creaking sound makes me quiver. I ease my way in, feeling a bit nervous and shaky. “Hello,” I say in case one of the hands is still inside.
I peek inside and get a glimpse of the tack room, filled with saddles, bridles, bits and a few pitchforks for hay. When I step into the barn, my anxiety level rises, turning my gut into knots. My neck begins to prickle, the hairs on my arms stand and all my senses begin to scream for me to get out.
“Well, well, well. Look what the wind blew in. You made this too easy for me to catch you, baby doll. I didn’t have to come sneaking into the house tonight.”
My heart nearly explodes when the all-too-familiar phrase “baby doll” echoes in the barn, causing my adrenaline to spike. I try to scream, only to have the air adhere to my lungs. The blood begins to pulsate rapidly through my veins thrusting loud in my ears. I go weak in the knees. I want to run for my life, but every muscle in my body turns to stone.
“Turn around, baby doll.”
I swallow hard. Brief flashbacks of Alden come surging through like lightning. You’re losing your mind, Ariana. This is all a hallucination. Maybe Michael and his brothers’ are right. I do need a therapist. I say to myself.
“Turn around I said,” the raspy voice demands.
I shift around, coming face-to-face with a taller, slim, well-toned woman in her late forties. She has long blond hair and a familiar look to her, and then it clicks. She’s my housecleaner. “Melinda,” I manage to choke out her name.
She laughs wickedly, which has my skin crawling. She nods as she approaches me. “I’m more than a housecleaner,” she retorts. “I’m your ex-mother-in-law. Surprise.” She snickers, waving a gun in my face, causing me to recoil. “Don’t look so surprised, baby doll.” She moves closer.
I shuffle back a few steps. “I don’t . . . ”
I’m dumbstruck. What is she talking about? Danny’s mother died a year after we married. I was at the funeral.
“I’m Danny and Alden’s biological mother. My parents’ made me give them up. I hated them for that, so I killed them by burning the house down with them in it. The police didn’t suspect a thing. I was young and didn’t know how to turn the stove on.” Her eyes gleamed with such evil. I swear the flames are dancing in her pupils.
“It didn’t matter. I have always watched them from afar, especially Danny,” Melinda confesses. She walks around me, inspecting me as if I’m some sort of insect under a microscope. “My Danny was a sick one. I knew he’d turn out to be like his papa, but he wasn’t as sick as Alden. That boy had some serious problem, so much hate in him.” She snickers.
What does she want from me? Is she here for revenge? Moreover, how the hell did she know where to find me? “Are you looking for money? You can have whatever Danny left behind.” I say, fighting the urge not to tremble.
“No, darlin’, Danny gave me and Alden plenty of money when Alden reunited the three of us.” She stares at me with the same icy-cold eyes as Alden. She flips her long blonde hair behind her shoulders and sighs loudly. “And then Alden had to go and kill Danny. I don’t know what got into that boy. Rage, jealousy, who the hell knows, but I was not happy.”
She shoves the gun in my face, playing with the trigger, smiling. “At first I wanted to kill him, but he started crying, telling me how much he wanted you and begged me to forgive him because of the sorry-ass life he lived. He asked if I would help him capture you like some animal. You should see the cage he built for you. I had no choice. I love my boys, and I’d do anything for them.” Her eyes go vacant, as if she is in deep thought. She shakes her head and glares at me.
She touches my hair, wrapping a few strands around her finger repeatedly. “Such nice soft waves and a pretty face too. My Danny always had good taste in women. It’s too bad I’m going to have to blow your face off.” She sticks the gun to my mouth, and every part of my body goes numb. My life flashes before me.