“Do you know if there’s any way I can go about reopening the case?”
You’re damn right there is. “There’s a loophole in everything. I’ll see what I can do.” My eyes and ears are going to be wide open when I start work on this criminal investigation.
“I’d appreciate anything you can do.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s my job.” Snuggling his cheek against the softness of her unruly hair, he kissed her tresses. I’m going to find out who killed your mother, baby. I damn sure am.
Chapter Four
Sandella’s hands curled around the steering wheel as she made her way across town toward her home in Beaufort. She glanced over at Royce, then returned her focus to the street. She lowered the visor to protect her vision from the orange glowing sun surrounded by hues of coral blues. She could imagine herself and Braylon walking along the coast with that same sun as the backdrop. He’s such a great kisser. He makes me so hot.
Still reeling over the way Braylon had left her mouth scorching from their sizzling kiss, her nipples tingled. The lusty fantasy of his tongue leaving her mouth to lick her breasts aroused her. What a shame it was to have such sexual desires for a man who hadn’t even kissed her there yet.
Yet? Would Braylon would be her first lover? The man she lost her virginity to? The man that could put her father in an early grave if he found out about them? She shook her head to shake off the notion. I can’t let that happen. I just can’t. But how do I control what I’m feeling? How do I deny myself him if he tries to seduce me?
Fifteen minutes after crossing the bridge, Sandella steered her car into the driveway of her home and parked. “Let’s go, Royce.” She grabbed her purse, they both exited, and they started up the driveway.
As she clambered the steps to the porch, her father’s angry voice stabbed the cool evening air. What in the world is going on? She opened the creaking screen door and stepped inside. Royce tagged along behind her.
“I said get in your room! Now!” Kane’s deep voice throttled angrily. Apparently her father was having an altercation with Drew. But what in the world for? Drew was such a good kid. “Right now!”
Royce jumped. He grabbed Sandella’s hand and squeezed it so hard she thought he’d crack the bones. The shouts had him trembling.
Sandella let go of Royce’s hand and clamped his shoulders. “It’s okay, Royce. Please don’t be scared,” she said, her hands running up and down his arms.
Royce nodded in understanding. “Okay.”
The floorboards creaked, alerting her that her father was heading in her direction. Wondering what in the heck was going on she turned to face the narrow hallway. Kane’s hands clenched the wheels of the chair as he steered himself inside the living room.
Her father’s bottom lip rolled under. “That brother of yours has lost his damn mind! He’s grounded for a whole month!”
A month? She put her hands on her hips and spoke softly. “Dad, could you please lower your voice? Royce is terrified of yelling.”
Kane’s bitter voice came out low as he spoke through clenched teeth. “Your brother can’t be trusted.”
Drew isn’t disrespectful. This has to be a misunderstanding. Sandella tilted her head. “What did he do, Dad?”
Kane drew a cigarette from his shirt pocket and waved it at Sandella. “Nettie Mae called me. She told me that one of her cackling-mouth friends saw Drew over at Colonel Barton’s house playing football in the goddamn backyard. I have told him over and over not to go inside any of those Marines’ houses.”
Hearing the malice for Marines in her father’s voice sickened her. Sighing, her breath came out harsh. She rubbed her temples hoping she’d soothe away the dull pain in her head. I was with a Marine earlier today too, was on the brink of spilling from her lips.
Braylon and I don’t stand a freaking chance. “Dad, don’t you think you’re being a little hard on him?”
He held the lighter to the end of the cigarette. His brows gathered in the center of his forehead. His cheeks sucked inward as he inhaled and smoke spiraled from his brown lips. The cold stare in his round black eyes chilled her. “Your mother was killed by a Marine. For all I know Barton may be the damn killer,” he said, lowering the cigarette to the ashtray on the table by the wall.
He has to stop with all this. “The Bartons seem like such a good family. From what I hear their sons are straight-A students like Drew. It’s not good to shelter him, Dad. Isn’t it better for him to be around teenagers that are doing well, than to hang out with—”
“I’m not changing my mind, Sandy. Now follow me.” Kane steered the chair around and rolled himself down the hallway.
What if Claude calls and tells him he saw me with Braylon at the restaurant on the beach? Dear God, please let this stay our little secret. With Royce behind her, she followed her father into the master bedroom. A chill enveloped her. God, she’d never get used to going inside this room, the room where her mother was raped and murdered.
Although they’d changed the furniture around, replaced the bedspread, and painted the walls a bright ivory color, she still could see the bloody images of her mother’s dying body as if she’d been killed just yesterday. Maybe if they got another house her father would be able to see things differently, be able to finally heal and move on with his life. Maybe she would be able, too. Who was she kidding? They couldn’t afford another house.
Kane hunched over in his chair and pulled open the drawer to the nightstand. He hefted a brown wooden case then turned to face her. “After Nettie Mae told me about Drew, I went out and bought you something.”
“What?” she asked.
“Close the door,” Kane ordered.
Her eyes turned to Royce. “Is it okay if Royce stays in here with us? If not, I can have him wait in the living room.”
Kane shook his head. “I don’t mind him hearing what I have to say. He doesn’t talk so I don’t have to worry about him repeating it.”
“He is talking now. And he understands more than you think he does. He’s even reading.”
“That’s good he’s reading. I’m proud of you, Sandy. Let him stay.”
Kane’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Royce. “Everything that goes on in this room remains quiet. You hear me?”
Royce didn’t answer. He just stared at Kane.
“Damn, Sandy. I thought you said this here boy could talk.”
“He does. He just doesn’t talk much. I’m still working on his communication skills.”
“Now that doesn’t make any sense to me. He can read, but he doesn’t talk. Sounds damn near crazy.”
She sighed. “Dad, please.” As much as she loved her father he was starting to get on her last nerve. As soon as she fixed dinner for him and Drew she was heading back to the estate. She might even take Drew with her if Kane agreed.
“Look here, Royce,” Kane said. “You protect my daughter if one of those damn Marines comes near her, you hear?”
Her headache had filled her entire forehead by this point.
Silence.
Kane cleared his throat. “Anyway. As I was saying…I bought this for you.” With the case sitting in his lap, he pulled back the lid.
Her heart squeezed. Inside the compartment lay a shiny black pistol. She placed a hand to her chest.
“My God, Dad. A gun? Really? A gun!”
Royce patted the top of his head repetitively while gritting his teeth. He did this often whenever he became nervous.
“You better calm down, Sandy. Your friend there is getting nervous.”
Sandella rubbed gentle circles on Royce’s back. “It’s okay, Royce. I’m sorry for yelling.” She smiled. He lowered his hand to his side, and smiled back.
Kane’s gaze shifted to the pistol then back up to her face. He extended the case to her. “I bought this here beauty for you. If Colonel Barton or any of those Marines come near you, I want you to blow their fucking heads off. Don’t even hesitate. Just shoot the shit out of them.” Dear Lord. “Starting tomo
rrow, I’m going to teach Drew how to shoot, too.”
Feeling overwhelmed, she folded her arms beneath her breasts. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting? I mean…not all Marines are bad. I’m sure there’re more good ones than bad ones.” Especially the one that nearly sucked my face off earlier…I loved every minute of it, too.
His eyes widened. After putting the case on the bed, he wheeled himself as close as possible to her, leaving hardly any space. He glared. “The day,” he bared his teeth, “you let your guard down and began to trust one of those Marines…” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple gliding up and down. “…is the day you’re going to end up just…like…your…mother,” he clipped out.
The dark malice swirling inside his pupils caused her own eyes to mist. Kane’s tremendous grief pained her. Standing before him, she mentally prayed that God someday, real soon, would heal his broken heart. She’d give anything for him to be whole and happy again. “I love you, Daddy.”
Bobbing his head, he sniffed. “I love you too, baby girl.” A tear slipped from his eye and ran down over his coarse beard. “I ain’t taking any chances of losing you or your brother, like I lost your mother. I’ll kill anybody that tried to hurt any of my children.” He handed her the case with the loaded gun.
First thing tomorrow morning she would end her budding relationship with Braylon. Of course she’d still be cordial to him. But she wasn’t going out with him anymore.
Why me? If her father hadn’t been sitting there, she’d slap the hell out of her forehead.
“Another thing. After Drew graduates, I’m selling the house and moving to an apartment.”
“You’re what? What about me?” she asked, though she knew she could take care of herself.
“I know you’re taking college courses online, but I want you to finish your last year on an actual campus, like you’d been planning to do before your mother died. I don’t have much money, but the little I do have, and whatever I get from the house, will be yours.”
Sniffing, she pressed her hands together in a prayer symbol over her mouth. “Dad, I can’t take money from you. You may need it someday.”
Kane rolled his eyes. “You will take the money and go to college. It’s an order, not a question, Sandy.”
After she got her business degree, maybe she could go to culinary school and become one of the world’s greatest chefs. Perhaps her caramel pecan pies would become a hit like Braylon had said they would. Although she had no intentions of taking money from him, she wrapped her arms around her father and squeezed him tightly.
“The Wexlers had an emergency and had to leave town. After I talk with Drew and make dinner, Royce and I will be heading back to the estate.”
“Whew! Thank God y’all ain’t staying here. The last time they went out of town and he stayed here, he was up all night scraping his nails against the walls. I didn’t get any sleep.” With an elbow on the arm of the chair, he touched his forehead. “He scared me half to death.”
“Do you have to be so animated all the time?”
Kane’s brows arched. “Me. Animated? I thought that there boy was going to whoop my ass that night.”
“Ass. Ass,” Royce mocked Kane.
“Well, I’ll be damn. He can talk. He likes curse words, I see.”
She smiled. “You’re too much, Dad.” A light chuckle escaped her as she turned and headed out the door.
“Good seeing you, Royce. And thanks for taking care of my daughter,” Kane said, after them. “And don’t worry about cooking, Sandy. Drew and I can eat a frozen dinner or something.”
When Sandella entered Drew’s room, she found him sitting on the bed propped up with a pillow. He looked as gloomy as ever. “Hey, Drew. How’s it going?” She sat on the mattress next to him.
He sucked his teeth. “It’s not going. I’m tired of Dad being mean and judging people because of their jobs. We are surrounded by military families. He put me on punishment for going over to Troy’s house. Troy is a great dude. There’s nothing wrong with him. Or his brother. Or his father and mother.”
“Me either. Just so you know, I disagree with Dad.”
“I can’t wait to get out of this house. One more year, and I’m getting as far away from Beaufort as I possibly can. Just like Aric and Chandler went to college, I’m going, too. And like them, I’m never coming back.”
She nodded.
“I’m glad you see things my way,” Drew said.
“Dad is still grieving Mom. Don’t be too hard on him.”
“We all are still hurting over Momma. But we have to go on. We can’t stop living our lives. She wouldn’t want us to do that. Not even Dad.”
“You’re right, Drew. You’re absolutely right.”
Drew sucked his teeth. “Momma raised us to love all people, not to be prejudiced. Men and women are in Iraq protecting our country and Dad has the nerve to be judging them.”
Sandella said, “I think he’s depressed. I’m going to see about getting him some counseling.”
Drew burst out into laughter. “If you think his stubborn behind is going to get some counseling, then you’re more naïve than I thought.”
Sandella joined him in his bout of giggles. “You’re right. Dad is stuck in his ways. It’d be a cold day—”
“In hell before he goes to see a psychiatrist.” Drew threw his hands up in the air. “Staying in the house for a whole month is going to drive me up the wall.”
Apprehensive about the sudden decision to alter her father’s ruling, she nibbled on her bottom lip. “I have an idea.”
“What?”
“I’m going to convince Dad that it’ll be better for you to volunteer at the community center than to sit home and play the PlayStation when he’s not watching. That way, you can still be around your friends after school.”
Drew’s face lit up with a smile. He snatched the controller from the dresser, and clicked on the television. “And play basketball, and pool, and lift weights. Thank God you’re here to look out for me. I hope you don’t leave until after I’m gone.” His fingers shifted the control keys on the PlayStation’s control.
“Aw, don’t mention it.”
“Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes.”
For dinner Sandella cooked a good southern meal consisting of Cajun butterflied fried shrimp, fried catfish, and a big bowl of spicy southern potato salad. After washing the dishes, she helped Drew with his homework, then she and Royce headed back to Hilton Head Island.
Driving along the road in the thick of the night she shifted in her seat. For some reason she felt she was coming down with something. Perhaps she had a virus, or was getting the flu. Her head ached, and her body felt warmer than normal. Maybe she wasn’t sick at all. Maybe her dad’s negative attitude toward Marines had her more upset than she cared to admit. She turned the air conditioner to full blast in an effort to cool off.
Glints of the full bright moon cast a sensual glow through the windshield. Before speaking with her father this evening, she probably would’ve been able to imagine herself and Braylon sitting in the backyard at the estate under the tree, sharing another passionate kiss, and eventually making love. But now the only thing she could imagine was Braylon running away from her father with a gun pointing at his back.
I’ll have to apologize to Braylon for misleading him.
AFTER GETTING ROYCE to bed, Sandella stood at the window in the guest bedroom on the second level of the mansion. She drew back the red velvet curtains and peered down at the cottage. A single light gleamed brightly inside the bedroom. He’s finally home.
A few minutes later she stood at the cottage’s door going over the script she’d rehearsed inside her head. While I enjoyed our kiss, I’m sorry for misleading you. Because I know it’ll lead to nothing but trouble, it can’t happen again. Of course, her practiced speech sounded downright stupid, but she had no choice but to let him know that they couldn’t engage in anything of the sort ever again.
Just
as she raised her hand to knock on the door it peeled open. The foyer’s bright light shined down on Braylon and he looked like a handsome, fine warrior. Admiring the tight grey fabric spreading across his brawny chest, she felt the color drain from her face. She mentally slapped the hell out of her forehead a dozen times as air clogged her throat.
“I was just coming to see you.” His deep voice sent chills up her spine.
Lordy Jesus. He’s hot. “You were? Why?”
“I wanted to know if you’d like to watch a movie on demand with me. I heard White House Down was pretty good.”
“We need to talk.” She walked straight past him into the living room. As he closed the door a cinnamon fragrance streamed up her nose. I wonder what it’d be like to smooth cinnamon icing over his chest and lick it off his nipples? Or better yet, his penis. A cinnamon penis? Mmmm. Her tongue involuntarily darted out of her mouth, wetting her lips.
He towered over her. “So what do you want to talk to me about?”
Okay, what I have to say will sound stupid, but I can do this.
She cleared her throat. “After much thought I—”
“Please sit down.” He gestured toward one sofa then flopped down on the one opposite it.
Sandella took a seat across from him then crossed her legs at the knees. As she sought the words to end their romantic friendship, she took in the masculinity of his olive-skinned face.
Gliding his arms along the curve of the sofa, he spread his legs wide open. A huge knot pressed against the fabric of his cotton black shorts, sending the inside of her mouth to salivating. Oh, my now. Look-a-there. Look-a-there.
“Sandella.”
She snapped her eyes up to look at his face once more. That thing looked huge!
“What were you saying?”
Her head spun with confusion. She’d never come close to wanting a man like this before. She steepled her fingers in her lap. “I’ve been thinking and…”
Nausea rose in her stomach. My dad doesn’t want me seeing you. How childish does that sound?
Now that she was sitting here in front of him, she knew if she told him that she didn’t want to see him again, or kiss him again, or touch him again…it’d all be one big lie. Right now, more than anything, she wanted him to hold her, and tell her everything would be okay, and they’d live happily ever after. She’d really lost it now.
Marrying the Marine-epub Page 5