“Haven’t we come a long way, Lord DeBurgh?”
Instinctively, Kraven cast a glance across his shoulder. “Hill.”
“I heard you were trying to revamp your family home.” Hilliam Tesano’s laughter was a long standing accompaniment to his words. “It’s good to hear Krave. I know how long you’ve wanted to leave our ugly lifestyle behind.”
“Mmm…and have you done the same?”
Hill laughed outright that time. He sounded as if he had no better chance of that happening than of hell freezing over.
“Why have you called Hill?” Kraven tired of the brief walk down memory lane.
“You heard about the goings on of Cufi Muhammad.”
Intrigued now, Kraven kicked his study door shut. “Get to the point.”
“There’s talk of a cleanup project.”
Kraven’s heart sank, followed by him sinking into the nearest chair. ‘Clean up project’ had only one meaning in their world and it was nowhere near honorable. “Who?” He growled.
“The lovely ladies- children,” Hill clarified with unmasked distaste coloring his voice then, “once under Mr. Muhammad’s care.”
“Jesus…when?”
“Once they’re located.”
Kraven realized his hand had numbed from the fist he’d clenched. “Can it be stopped?” He asked, hearing Hill sigh over the line.
“A few months ago, I’d have said ‘not likely.”
“And now?”
“Now? Well now things are being set in motion that could change that. I need to know if we can count on you when the tide turns?”
Kraven tugged at the bow tie that seemed to be choking him. He told himself he was done with all that. He wanted quiet now. He needed it.
“Krave?”
“Call me.” He said and clicked off the phone.
***
“You think it’s all connected?” Carlos McPherson was asking Moses when they met for late drinks at the condo Carlos kept in Seattle.
“Can’t be sure,” Moses said and tilted back the rest of his whiskey grimacing at the satisfying burn working its way down his gullet. “Until we find out more I say it’s best to keep our guard up all the way round.”
Carlos focused on the pushups he made with his fingers. “How’s Dena?” He asked.
Moses winked. “Don’t you know?”
“I’ve been tryin’ to give her space.”
“Ah…right. Space. And how’s that workin’ out?”
“Not well.”
“Then forget it,” Moses stood to freshen his drink. “As long as she’s here, you keep an eye on her. As close an eye as possible.”
Carlos nodded. “I plan on doing just that.”
***
“Stop being such a fool, dammit!” Darby told herself just after another clash of thunder sent her screeching in terror. She was rocking back and forth on the living room sofa when the door knocker cracked and the sound echoed loudly. She jumped but took pride in the fact that she didn’t scream.
Drawing strength from someplace deep she padded from the living room and down the corridor toward the front door. She prayed it might’ve been Nile and Taurus returning early from the ball. The last thing she expected was to open her door to the dark stranger she’d met earlier that afternoon.
“Mr. DeBurgh?” She queried softly.
Kraven grinned. “Ms. Ellis.”
Before Darby could ask what he was doing there, another clash of thunder sounded. She screeched and jumped close to Kraven.
“Sorry,” she murmured thoroughly embarrassed while looking down at her fingers curled around the lapels of his cloak.
Kraven was quiet for a moment, taking time to inhale the floral scent of her honey blonde curls. A wave of possessiveness surged through him so fast it might have been imagined. “Are you alright?” he managed to ask.
“What are you doing here?” Darby searched his entrancing green eyes with her own.
“I um…” Jesus what’s wrong with me? He wondered and then glanced past her. “Could I come in first?”
Taking note of her manners, Darby eased her bruising grip on his clothes. “Please,” she said and stepped back to allow him entrance. She watched him shrug out of the cloak but concern shuddered through her before her mouth could go dry at the sight of him in the tux. “Nile and Taurus?” she questioned moving close. “Are they alright?”
Kraven shook his head. “I’m sorry for making you worry. They’re fine. I’m here to check on you.”
Darby stepped back. “Check on me?”
“Nile wanted to leave when the storm started,” he explained, “she was worried knowing how terrified you get.”
Darby’s lashes fluttered and she leaned against the wall in defeat.
“They were having such a good time, I volunteered to come instead.”
“Good grief,” Darby moaned wishing she could shrink beneath the folds of her pale blue terry robe and disappear. “Now I’m both sorry and embarrassed.”
“You were also frightened,” he reminded her coolly, “that outranks sorry and embarrassed any day.”
“It’s pathetic.” She grumbled shoving her hands into the robe’s pockets. “A stupid childhood fear I should’ve gotten over long ago. I’m thirty-two for heaven’s sake.”
Kraven’s smile accentuated the lush curve of his mouth. “I’m thirty two as well and the sight of a spider still scares the living shite out of me.”
Darby couldn’t help but laugh when he shivered. The phrasing and accent were a truly amusing combination.
Kraven winced. “Sorry.”
She shook her head. “It’s funny to imagine someone like you being terrified of something so small.”
Kraven would’ve loved to have known what she meant by someone like him but satisfied himself with believing it was something flattering.
“I’ll make you a deal,” he sighed and stepped closer. “If we see a spider you take care of it.”
“Deal. And what do we do about my storm fear?”
Kraven offered his arm and winked when she accepted. “Talking always helps. If we find a good topic, the time could fly right by and the storm will be over.”
“True,” Darby agreed with a slow nod. “But the storm could go on for hours and aren’t you busy bribing the townspeople at your ball?”
Kraven chuckled even as Darby tensed over her words.
“That sounded better in my head,” she regretted, “I should’ve left it there.”
His face held a look of playful surprise. “Why? That’s precisely what I’ve been doing and it’s worked beautifully so the rest of my night is free.”
Tapping a finger to her chin, Darby pretended to be in heavy concentration. “I’ll have to remember that a ball is the real way to win friends and impress enemies.”
“That and having Nile Becquois in your corner,” he cautioned. “Everyone loves her so,” his devastating features softened. “The fact that she’s my best friend’s girl, gives me the edge.”
Again, Darby nodded. “Yeah she’s one of a kind.”
Another crash sounded and she clutched Kraven’s arm. The feel of his unyielding bicep beneath her fingers seemed to steady her somehow.
Kraven steered them into the den where he had her sit with him on the sofa.
“You’re worried about her.” He determined.
Darby wouldn’t deny it. “Always,” she admitted, “She’s…so closed off about things she thinks no one would understand.”
“Aye, that could be true for most of us,” Kraven noted while unbuttoning his jacket and settling more comfortably on the sofa.
“Nile’s one of the lucky ones though. She’s got someone there to draw strength from-someone she can tell her secrets and fears.” Darby dragged a hand through her curls. “I just don’t want her to lose that.”
Kraven hugged her close. “You needn’t worry; I seriously doubt my friend’s going anywhere.”
Darby closed her eyes, allow
ing herself to take comfort in the embrace. “She can be stubborn as an old mule. I can’t count how many men she’s sent packin’ without a second thought.”
Kraven gave her another squeeze. “Let’s not forget love, my man’s a Ramsey.”
Laughter flowed between the two of them as the storm gradually subsided.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
They didn’t head inside upon returning from the ball in the wee hours of the morning. Instead, Taurus drove to their favorite hillside and took in the arrival of daylight which broke to find them cuddled on a dry blanket atop the hood of the Land Rover. There, they silently observed the atmosphere and the emotion between them.
“I love you,” Nile told him and snuggled back in his comforting embrace.
“You have all of my heart,” he murmured into the top of her head. “But you won’t stay,” he knew.
“I can’t.”
“How do you know?”
There was silence for a while. Nile toyed with the cuff of his cream shirt and gathered her resolve. “All that’s happening with your family…I’m so sorry. You need to take care of them- family’s important. Sometimes it’s hard to know if protecting them is worth all of the headache.”
“No truer words have ever been spoken.” Taurus agreed with a humorless chuckle. “I thank God that at least I know what to do to protect them this time. My father’s…dead. What’s left is to find and bring down my uncle and that son of a bitch Muhammad.”
Nile bristled. “From what I hear he’s a real monster.”
“Bad as they come.” Taurus confirmed. “But if we find the daughter, we’ll have him in a heartbeat.”
“Daughter? Do you believe she’s…in contact with him?”
“At this point, who knows? But we’re pretty sure she’s the key-literally to bringing the man down.”
“Sounds like a foolproof plan.”
“Hmph. That would depend on the daughter. And whether she’s a decent person or a twisted idiot like her father.”
Nile closed her eyes while struggling to swallow past the lump of emotion in her throat. “You… you sound like you’ve made up your mind about her.”
Taurus tightened his hold about Nile and set his chin into the crook of her neck. “My cousins think she’ll cooperate. I’m not so sure-a woman lives a life like that influenced by an animal like that, we can’t just assume none of it rubbed off.”
Nile chose her next words carefully. “It doesn’t have to be the case-regardless of what he was.”
“She lived her life-much of her adult life watching her father peddle children. I’ve got no sympathy or benefit of the doubt for a woman like that.” He said, ignoring the thoughts that said just the opposite. After all, his father was just that sort of man and he hadn’t seen it-never even suspected. Besides, wasn’t it vital to him that he not be judged because of Houston Ramsey’s twisted needs? To cast this woman off as unworthy seemed beyond cruel.
Unfortunately, Taurus’ silence told Nile just what she’s suspected. He’d never understand and; ironically, her reluctance to tell him would only make it look like she was trying to protect her father and what was assumed to be her lifestyle. In truth, all she’d really wanted was to hold onto the man she loved just a little longer. What a mess she’d made of things.
Taurus snapped out of his own deep thoughts and took note of her shivers. “Let’s get out of this morning air, hmm?”
Nile let him bundle her back into the SUV. She cast a long last look across the land knowing she might never see it again.
~~~
Darby inhaled deeply and woke with a start once the aroma of pine and an unfamiliar yet fabulously scented male cologne filled her nostrils. Blinking madly, she pushed a tumble of curls from her face only to have them fall back in her eyes when she realized who she’d fallen asleep upon.
“Kraven?” She blinked, checking to see if she was dreaming. She had her answer when his dreamy Scottish brogue touched her ears as he greeted her good morning.
“God,” she moaned, closing her eyes when his opened.
Darby was so unnerved that she missed the completely unnerving manner in which Kraven studied her. He felt as though he’d been struck, but couldn’t lock in on what had done it. Of course that was understandable since there was so much about her that had fascinated him in the few hours that he’d known her.
“What’s your hurry?” He asked when she tried to ease off him.
“I’m so sorry,” Darby looked as miserable as she sounded. “I never intended to keep you here all night because of my silly fears.” She hissed.
“Please don’t apologize to me again,” his deep set greens traced her face in a manner that was almost hypnotic. “There was nowhere else I wanted to be. Please believe that.”
“What about the ball?” Darby prayed the swell of emotion in her throat wouldn’t choke her.
“Ah the ball,” Kraven gave a playful wince while dragging a hand through the wavy black of his hair. “Well let me think, yes, yes…I recall they were laughing, drinking and had their main squeezes in hand when I left.” He fixed her with an adorable lopsided grin. “I’d say it was a successful gathering, wouldn’t you?”
Darby released some of her tension and laughed with him. Still, she couldn’t help but take stock of their position; relaxed on the sofa where they’d fallen asleep while talking the night before. Awkwardly, she tried to tug close the lapels of her terry robe while pressing away from him.
“We should be moving. I wonder if Nile and Taurus are back?”
Kraven of course made no move to relinquish his comfortable spot on the sofa. His hand remained in its proprietary position on Darby’s hip and kept her from venturing too far.
“With the storm, I hope they accepted my offer to stay the night.” He snuggled deeper into the sofa and smiled contentedly as his eyes closed again. “I’m sure most everyone else stayed over.”
“Well thank you so much for stopping by.” She bit her lip and focused on her hands splayed across his chest. The crisp white shirt worn with the tux was partly unbuttoned and Darby blinked away from the sight of the bronze slab of chiseled muscle beneath. “Thank you for staying.” She added when she realized he’d caught her staring.
Kraven gave into his needs and reached out to allow his fingers a dance across her brow. Silently, he wondered at the unease on her face. “One day, you’ll have to tell me what sparked that fear.”
Darby cleared her throat on the hint that there would be a ‘one day’ between them. “It uh…it isn’t the happiest story.”
He tugged on a curl. “Most stories about fears aren’t, love.”
Melting then, Darby let herself slide back into bliss when his hand delved into her hair and his fingers massaged her scalp. The key scraping the lock caught their attention and next they heard Taurus and Nile’s hushed voices.
Darby sent Kraven an apologetic smile. “Thank you,” she whispered and waited for him to ease his grip on her hip before she pushed herself away.
While everyone shared morning greetings out in the great hall, Kraven massaged his eyes and made no move to leave the sofa.
***
Following the emotional scene with Nile earlier that morning, Taurus didn’t think laughter would be anywhere within his realm of accomplishment that day. Still, he couldn’t recall when he’d last laughed as hard as he had when Kraven told him during breakfast that he not only intended to turn the castle into one of Europe’s premier hunting lodges but to devote time to cultivating the land.
Taurus would never affix the label ‘Farmer’ to his brooding friend. Kraven’s confirmation of becoming just that had his eyes filling with tears of laughter.
“Alright now, seriously.” Taurus gave another short laugh and wiped his eyes. “What in hell made you add this to your list of goals?”
Kraven shrugged, scratching at his chest beneath the billowing fabric of the mocha shirt he wore. “Not all together sure….I mean, for a long time I int
ended for the castle to be my main focus.” He stood from the table and cast a guarded look across the rolling green of the never ending hills. “It’d be a welcome change after a lifetime of frustration.” He trailed a thumb across his lips when they curved into a smile. “Then I meet Darby and…”
Taurus’ amusement curbed as intrigue settled in. “Darby.” Silence took hold while he added one more spoonful of sugar to his black coffee. “Love at first sight?” He eventually guessed.
Kraven cocked his head. “Cliché.”
“It happens.” Taurus grinned, thinking of Quest and Mick, himself and Nile…
“I don’t rightly know T,” Kraven turned to lean back against the stone wall enclosing the deck. “All I can be sure of is that I don’t want her going back to L.A. Not yet…”
Taurus only nodded. He could very well understand that and thought of the woman he was trying to keep for a lifetime.
“Damn it all…what a fucking time to get a call from Hill.”
Losing taste for his coffee, Taurus sat a little straighter. “Hill? Tesano?”
“One and only.”
Taurus didn’t need to ask why he’d called. He could read Kraven’s expression all too clearly. Besides, his friend wouldn’t talk about it in depth. He never had in spite of what he knew regarding Ramsey involvement with the Tesanos.
“Is there anything I need to know?” He had to ask.
“Not yet.” Kraven slanted Taurus a meaningful look when he glanced across his shoulder.
***
Kraven seemed to enjoy his job as host, for following breakfast that morning, he invited Taurus, Nile and Darby on an excursion that carried them into the Scottish Highlands.
Nile and Darby agreed that nothing in books or even with a tour group could compare to an authentic showing of the country by one of its own. Kraven had a story for everything and every place. It was past nightfall when the foursome returned to the castle.
~~~
“So I’ve been meaning to apologize.”
Darby tucked a curl behind her ear and frowned at Nile. “Apologize?”
Nile kept her eyes on Kraven and Taurus who had walked on ahead. “About this morning. We didn’t mean to interrupt.” She glimpsed the bewilderment on her friend’s face and giggled. “Oh please Darby, did you think we didn’t notice you sharing the sofa with our charming, gorgeous host?”
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