“It’s no map,” Kraven glanced across his shoulder, “but I’d know that strip of beach anywhere. Only someone else who’d been there could have drawn it.”
Fernando stroked the whiskers covering his jaw and looked off into the distance. “How’d Darby get it?”
“Some woman,” Kraven sighed and leaned against the banister. “She didn’t give a name, but from my wife’s description, it sounded just like Persephone.”
Fernando stood straighter. “Persephone James? Have you told Hill?”
“There’s more.” Kraven said as he nodded. “Talk of a clean-up project.”
The phrase had Fernando leaning against the banister as well. The clean-up projects; and what they involved, were when the young men running away to fun and irresponsibility finally realized what would be expected of them.
“Are you serious?” Fernando breathed, bumps raised along his chilled skin.
“I wish I wasn’t, mate but it appears Hill’s info is prime,” Kraven shrugged. “It makes sense, you know?”
“Does Taurus know?”
Kraven grimaced. “He suspects things, but knows I’ll tell him when the time is right.”
“My family can’t handle anymore shit, Kray.”
“I don’t think it’ll come to that, mate.”
“Hell, I’m not talkin’ about my family under this very roof.”
“I thought those ties were broken?” Kraven straightened a bit from his leaning stance. “Sabella and Pike are divorced; Sabra and Smoak hate each other and Bill…”
“Exactly,” Fernando turned and squeezed his hands around the banister. “They’ve each got ties to that family that could easily become relevant again.”
Kraven turned as well. “You really think that has a chance of happening?”
“Before Yohan and Melina got back together and Moses and Johari found each other again- I’d have said hell no, but corny as it may sound- love finds a way.”
“Will you ever tell Contessa all of what happened back then?” Kraven’s voice sounded hushed.
“All?” Fernando smirked. “Never. You? Will you share it with Darby?”
Kraven raked a hand through his dark hair. “Never all-a good bit though, when she’s had one of my babies and is pregnant with the next.” He slanted Fernando a sly wink. “We should have a talk with your family then?” He asked once their chuckles had subsided.
Fernando sighed. “Indeed.”
***
Following the upset that rocked the morning, everyone relished the quiet and uneventful-ness of the day. A vicious rain down poured just before lunch and added to the somber mood of the afternoon.
Quay bit his lip and watched Tykira still hard at work in their room. When her pencil slowed and she bit on the eraser, he knocked once on the doorjamb.
“Can I have a minute?”
Concern filled her almond shaped gaze and she dropped the pencil. “Are the guys okay?”
“Yeah,” Quay waved a hand, “yeah, their fine- probably feelin’ like little kings with all that spoiling my folks and Miss Bobbie are layin’ on them and Quinn.”
Ty laughed while reaching for her pencil.
Quay braced off the jamb and moved further into the room. “Just wanted to know if you were eating lunch,” he toyed with the ponytail that flounced to the middle of her olive green T-shirt.
“Mmm…I don’t think so,” she was reverently studying the pad and only murmured the absent reply.
It was Quay’s turn to be concerned and the emotion mirrored in the onyx depth of his gaze. “You hardly touched your breakfast or even dinner last night.” He reminded her softly despite the fact that her weird mood was stroking his temper to frenzy.
Ty was smiling. “In all fairness Quay, I don’t think anybody much had their minds on breakfast.”
Quay’s grin sparked his right dimple. “Amen.” He recalled that morning’s dramatic events. “So I guess that’s a no on lunch?” He took note of her set expression.
“Sweetie, I’m sorry,” Ty sighed and tugged on the side of his saggy jeans. “It’s just these projects I’m trying to finish.”
“Smoak’s stuff?” He guessed.
“Yeah,” she reached for his hand while she spoke. “Still no specifications on the locale or anything,” she kissed the back of his hand. “How ‘bout I have half of whatever you’re having?”
“Works for me,” he leaned close. “Gimme some,” he ordered, cupping her chin while tilting her head up for his kiss. The lazy strokes of her tongue against his had Quay seconds from dragging her to their unmade bed. Reluctantly, he pulled back and she dived into more sketching. The concern never left his dark stare.
~~~
No lights burned in the suite shared by Mr. and Mrs. Carlos and Dena McPhereson. The couple didn’t mind for they preferred to relish their solitude snuggled on the room’s massive bed which was situated before the French doors. The doors were open and revealed the pelting rain that drenched the ground and the wrought iron railing surrounding the brick balcony.
Dena sighed and smiled when Carlos hugged her tighter.
“Bored?” His clear deep voice filled the room.
“Not even…” she almost purred.
“Mmm…”
A playful frown marred Dena’s dark lovely face. “Do you want me to be?” She laughed.
“No,” Carlos kept hold of her while angling his muscular frame into a more comfortable position. “But if you were bored, it’d give me the chance to use my male wiles to entertain you.”
Dena’s resulting giggle was a mix of happiness and wickedness. “You know you can use your wiles on me regardless of my mood.”
A delicious kiss followed. Carlos lost his hands in his wife’s gorgeous bouncy locks and shivered at the mere feel of her in his arms. In spite of his satisfaction it didn’t stop him from reading her expression when he pulled back. “Don’t try convincing me something heavy isn’t on your mind, De.”
“It’s not heavy, it’s not.” She swore when his ruggedly handsome features tightened. “Just what happened with County’s family this morning…makes me wonder if you’ve stopped to ask yourself what becoming part of my family means?” She gave a one shoulder shrug that nudged the strap of her black cami. “You and Sheila are from a pretty quiet, normal bunch.” She referred to Carlos’ sister.
“Yep,” he lay on his back and tapped a hand to his chest. “Our lives were pretty uneventful before we knew you Ramseys.”
Dena shifted and looked down at him. “The things that brought us back together were pretty eventful.” Her eyes fell to the wide band around his ring finger. “We were so caught up in the past and all that happened, we didn’t stop to think of the now and the future.”
Sleek brows closed over Carlos’ deep set eyes. “What are you trying to say, De?”
“I swear I love you.” She vowed without hesitation before her expression turned uneasy again. “It’s just that right now things in my family are almost fairy-tale like with all the love and happiness floating around…such things rarely last long in my family- you know this.”
“I know,” he wished the brush of his hand across her cheek could remove the sadness from her face. “And I’d probably take what you just said as gospel except for the fact that during all our ups and downs, through all the nastiness…one thing lasted- our love.” He curved his thumb around the alluring tilt of her mouth. “Had it not lasted, we wouldn’t be married now, right?”
Dena contemplated his words but for a second. Like a fog lifting, her expression suddenly brightened. She blinked as though his words had revealed some truth that had been right before her eyes.
“See?” He spotted her spirits lifting.
“I swear I love you.” She whispered in a much happier tone before she captured his mouth in a searing kiss.
Carlos growled and flipped Dena to her back where the moment grew more heated.
~~~
Darby was dropping a frilly lingerie pie
ce into an overnight bag when two steel bands encircled her waist.
Kraven propped his chin on her shoulder and peeked over into the case. “That for me?”
“No,” she laughed and hid the piece beneath a ratty old T-shirt. “As I recall you prefer to see me out of my clothes.”
“Ah, you’re correct Lady DeBurgh.” He whispered and reached beneath her pearl blue hoody to undo her bra.
“Stop!” She ordered playfully while shifting out of reach from his nimble fingers. “We don’t have time and as I also recall you like your love scenes lengthy.”
Kraven’s rich laughter filled the room them. “As you recall? Well now I’ve got to do something to keep my love scenes at the forefront of your mind, lass.”
“Kraven…Kraven no…No!” She shrieked when his merciless tickling began. “Come on now please- I need to get this stuff packed. We’re leaving for Vegas tomorrow, remember?” She said referring to the bachelorette and bachelor parties for the bride and groom at Sabra’s casino resort.
“Besides,” she changed gears then and pushed her husband to their bed. “I was wondering when you might tell me the truth about that painting of mine.”
Kraven’s grimace narrowed his jade stare. “I thought that might have to be the one secret between us as man and wife?” He asked in a hopeful tone before his expression dimmed. “It’s not my fondest memory. More like a nightmare.”
Darby sat astride him. “About those islands in Scotland? The boys you met there?”
“Partly. All this happened later.”
She fiddled with the heavy silver buckle of his belt. “You met Fernando there?”
“Aye, knew him long before his cousin.” He was referring to Taurus then and smiled. The gesture faded though as memories returned of the horrors he and Fernando Ramsey witnessed as boys.
When his vibrant greens clouded over, Darby knew. “You aren’t gonna tell me, are you?”
“Sorry love,” he pressed a ragged kiss into her palm. “In time, but for now it’s best this way.” He tugged her down to lie prone against him. “Do you trust me?”
“With my life, Lord DeBurgh,” she vowed and then proved it in the strength of her kiss.
~~~
“Is that romantic, or what?” Johari tucked a wayward sandy red lock behind her ear and hugged herself. She and Melina were chatting and found their way into the sitting room. There, they caught sight of Taurus and Nile outside on the patio. The couple slow danced in the rain to a melody only they could hear.
“Exquisitely romantic,” Mel agreed, sharing the arm of the chair her cousin occupied. “Think we could persuade the guys to do that?”
Johari’s silver stare narrowed wickedly. “I did with Moses well…almost…the rain caught us outside while we were arguing.”
Melina burst into laughter and Jo couldn’t help but follow suit.
“So what about Yohan?”
“Mmm…” Mel waved a hand. “Once you’ve made love in a weight room…little else comes close.” She shrugged and glimpsed her cousin watching her in awe.
“I do believe I’m offended.” Jo toyed with the back tie of her striped tee. “I haven’t been privy to the details of that little escapade.”
Mel bumped her shoulder. “Not sure those are details you can handle.”
Simultaneous laughter erupted before the somberness set in.
“Dammit,” Johari cursed and blinked back sudden tears, “I wish Zara could have had just a little of this- just a little before…”
“Shh…” Mel turned fully and enveloped Johari in hug. “It wasn’t fair- not a damn bit of it, but somehow…somehow it all had to happen just the way it did.”
“I know,” Johari sniffled in a somewhat refreshing manner. “Doesn’t mean I have to understand it, you know?”
Melina kissed the top of her head. “I know.”
The two were still hugging when their husbands found them and hustled them out onto the rainy patio to share the dance space with Nile and Taurus.
***
Michaela was seated before her bathroom vanity, fresh from a shower and applying lotion to her face and neck when she looked up and saw Quest through the mirror.
“Some anniversary, huh Mr. Ramsey?”
He pushed off the doorjamb and closed the distance between them. “Aren’t they all?” He asked, throwing a leg across the overstuffed seat she occupied and settling down behind her.
“Complaints?”
“Not a one.”
“Ah, come on, you can tell me.” She reached for the lotion again only to have him hold it out of her reach.
“Not a one,” he said when her amber gaze met his gray one in the mirror.
Michaela gave a little shrug. “There’ve been some not so good times in there.”
Quest bowed his head, trailing his nose along her shoulder. “Without them we wouldn’t be as strong as we are.” He murmured into her bare skin.
Mick gave a saucy toss of her head. “We are kinda strong, aren’t we?”
“Damn strong.” He took the lotion and set about massaging the creation into her shoulders.
Mick leaned back when his hands moved in front to work the lotion into her breasts and stomach. She linked an arm up and around his neck. “So tell me, what does a captain of industry such as yourself, do for his wife to celebrate three years of wedded bliss?”
“Hmm…” Quest set the lotion to the vanity and pretended to concentrate. “Let’s see…with a house full of black folk-”
“And one Scotsman.”
“Right,” the left dimple flashed when he grinned. “A house full of folk- hungry, rained in and agitated by the day’s events… order pizza and get drunk of course.”
Mick giggled so hysterically, she tumbled right off the seat and landed on her bare bottom.
“I love it!” She cried while her husband simply laughed at her.
~FOUR~
Wednesday~ Las Vegas…
Parties were the order of the day-or rather evening and pre-dawn. The group traded their Chicago digs for the flash and dazzle of the Vegas realm.
Sabra stood atop the roof of her first tower and watched her cousins and their wives exit the choppers that had carried them from the jet strip to her hotel.
“Thing of beauty,” she sighed, one hand in the pocket of her almond brown cargo Capris, the other at her brow to visor the beaming late afternoon sun. She refused to acknowledge the slight wrench of her heart whilst she took in the blatant love and desire that was almost tangible between each of the eight couples. The bride and groom were first to approach and envelop her in hugs.
“Congratulations!” Sabra called over the whipping wind courtesy of the helicopters.
“Are you sure you can’t come back with us for the wedding? Just for the day?!” County used her purse as a visor against the sun while yelling the question.
Sabra was already shaking her head. “Sorry girl, but I’m expecting a group of record label execs and their clients!” She shrugged. “I like to be on hand for those arrivals-let them fools know I don’t tolerate no shit on my premises!”
“My cousin the watchdog!” Fernando laughed and kissed her cheek.
Sabra brushed him off and waved to the rest of the group. “There’s a buffet spread!-” She rolled her eyes toward the choppers when they finally slowed and silenced the air about them. “There’s a late lunch waiting in your suites.” She spoke while accepting hugs and kisses from her guests.
“Everything’s all set for your parties.” She grinned at Fernando and Contessa then turned to the two men and three women in uniform. “These folk will be on hand to see to anything else you may need.”
“Pretty classy, girl,” Quay was saying. “I’d have never expected all this from you.” He winked.
The group burst into laughter when Sabra tapped her bottom once in a silent request for her cousin to kiss it. Everyone dispersed soon after and Tykira walked on ahead with Sabra.
“Are you sure ab
out not coming back with us?” Ty asked. “Looks like everyone’s gonna be there.”
“No offense Ty,” Sabra let down some of the happy guard she’d erected, “watching all of you in love and lust for one night’s gonna be more than enough for me.”
Ty took Sabra’s elbow, stopping their stroll from the rooftop. “How long will you let him get you down like this? The two of you aren’t even in the same state for cryin’ out loud.”
“Sometimes I just get the feeling that it’s not all finished between us.” Sabra’s head tilted when she glimpsed something in Ty’s mahogany stare. “What?” She probed, stepping closer. Even when Tykira shook her head, she studied her for a few additional moments before they followed everyone else inside.
***
“Whoo Hoo!” Contessa pressed a hard kiss to her fiancés’ cheek when he turned his head and grinned back at her.
Shortly after settling into their suite at Sabra’s, Fernando asked County to accompany him. The last thing she expected was for him to whisk her away on a motorcycle for a ride across the Mojave.
The sun, not quite as potent just then, combined with the wind hitting her face. It lifted her clipped locks and was like a dash of freedom that coursed over her body and washed away the agitation of the last few days.
~~~
“Not that I’m complaining Ramsey, but what the hell possessed you to do this?” County was asking once they’d left the bike to take up residence on a towering boulder. From there, the plan was to enjoy a glorious desert sunset.
Fernando reclined on the rolled sleeping bag he’d packed and pulled County down to him.
“Thought you could use the time away,” he pulled off his sunglasses and set them in the gloves placed next to a knapsack.
Content then, she snuggled into his massive frame and she was quiet for a while. “You want the real story on my family, don’t you?” She asked later.
“Absolutely,” he shrugged, “but who am I to badger you about giving it to me?”
County sat up, wincing when she pulled away her shades to perch them atop her head. “The Warrens are nothing like the Ramseys.”
The Ramseys Boxed Set Page 151