A Weekend with the Blakemores (The Blakemore Files Book 8)

by Olivia Gaines

  “Take me Eduardo,” she whispered as his hips thrust forward connecting their bodies. The cares of the world lost to them as they moved in the dark, quietly against each other, with a fiery passion which made her want to cry out from the sweetness of his movements. He knew her body – knew how to please her. Eduardo knew how to make love to woman.

  Ryanne had no complaints as he brought them both to a hearty, lusty, and satisfying finish without making a peep to wake Isabella. Panting he lay atop her, not wanting to disengage or move. She makes me weak. She has too much power over me and my heart. This woman makes me vulnerable.

  The thoughts had frequented his mind a great deal lately, causing doubts in him about who he was as a man. Eduardo, surprised by his own actions, did something he swore he would never do again in his life – he told a woman how he felt. “I love you with everything in me,” he said in English.

  “You’d better,” she whispered in his ear.

  He laughed softly as he pulled away, lying at her side, his hand resting upon her belly. “I must leave for Peru, but I shall return before supper, sooner if I could. I have instructed Marianna to begin training you to take over the duties of the Lady of the Lands, starting today.”

  “What?”

  “Sí, we will have a house full of guests in a few days and it is imperative that you understand how to meet, greet, and where to stand as we receive your family into our home,” he said. “Your role here is important. It is time you learn your duties.”

  She didn’t know what to say. The joy of having something to do every day other than wait for him to come home nearly made her start dancing. “Okay,” she said calmly.

  He kissed her cheek as he rolled off the bed. “Yuńior will act in my stead while I am away. Should you require anything, do not hesitate to seek him,” he said.

  She frowned at the thought of going to a 16-year-old kid for help.

  “My son, is not a boy Ryanne. He is a man, far more capable than he lets on,” Eduardo said before returning to the bathroom.

  The truth of his words would come to pass in the next six days. Ryanne soon was going to learn a great deal about Eduardo Junior. A quiet young man who was not at all as he appeared to be. He was a young man trained to follow in his father’s footsteps.

  “Buenas, Seňora,” Marianna said as Ryanne came down the stairs. “There are six new births which occurred in the village over the past week. We will need to visit each home and convey your well wishes.”

  “Six?”

  “Sí. We wait one week to ensure the babies will survive,” she said flatly. Her perfectly coiffed hair pulled tightly to the base of her neck in a bun. Her skin was flawless with naturally rosy cheeks, a perfect Patrician nose, large, wide set eyes with thick lashes that most women paid loads of money to have glued to the tips of their eyelids.

  “Okayyy,” Ryanne said as she snuggled Isabella closer to her breast. “I heard something about some gold coins.”

  “Yes, Seňora, we present those to the children who live past 6 months,” she told her.

  Ryanne had more questions, but before she could ask or have them answered, Yuńior arrived with a matronly woman with kind eyes. “Señora, please allow me to present to you Gestina Morales. She will oversee the care of Isabella while we are away from la casa.”

  Ryanne’s eyebrows shot up, “I don’t know that woman. I am not leaving my baby with some stranger!”

  Yuńior decreased the space between them lowering his voice. “Gestina has been in my father’s employ since I was but a babe. She has provided care for Andres, Micah and she still provides the primary care for Angel. I trust her with the life of my little sister.” His dark eyes focused on her face as he pulled Isabella away from her arms. He had to tug at the swaddled bump since Ryanne didn’t want to let go. “She will be fine. We must depart, we don’t want to be late.”

  Ryanne didn’t want to hear it as she made a move to get her child back, but Yuńior blocked her way. A firm hand was placed under her elbow ushering her towards the door. Once outside of the door on the porch, his grip shifted and he offered her his arm.

  “Shall we?” He asked.

  “You are going with me?”

  “Sí, I will be at your side in my Father’s stead,” he said with confidence as he escorted her down the wide stairs to the waiting car. He opened the door for her, allowing her time to be seated. She sat still waiting for him to close the door. Yuńior leaned down, looking into the car at her.

  “Señora, for safety reasons, you are to slide to the other side of the seat, so that I too may enter on this side of the vehicle,” he told her.

  Ryanne didn’t know anything about this. She and Eduardo had not traveled since they had been married other than to the Busy B for the twins christening. Tonda and all the kids had traveled with them so she gave it no thought. She slid over in the car noticing a very large man, who resembled a gorilla in size, arm length and mannerisms, sitting in the driver’s seat as Marianna took to the passenger seat of the Range Rover, Yuńior closing her car door.

  “Who is that?” Ryanne leaned over in the seat and whispered to Yuńior.

  “That is Gunther, my...assistant,” he said.

  “Your assistant?”

  “Sí, Seňora,” he said. “Vamos, Gunther.” The vehicle rolled down the graveled road. Marianna turned in the seat handing Ryanne a green notecard.

  “These are the six families we will visit.” She handed her a yellow toned card. Marianna continued, “These are the three children whose families will receive the gold coins.”

  “May I ask why they are given the coins?”

  Marianna’s lips were tight. Her eyes went to Yuńior who nodded his consent for her to share the information. “Hugo, the Señor’s eldest brother, had a nasty habit of visiting the villages late at night, pulling young women from their homes. Their parent’s helpless against him as he became more violent and vicious each time he returned to Las Tierras. Each year, his appetite grew for younger and younger girls until Señor Delgado banned him from the farm,” she said lowering her lashes as if she too bore the shame.

  “It also did not help that Andres made sport of the young women, choosing three at a time for his personal...what is the term?”

  Yuńior spoke up, “Harem.”

  “Ah...sí, his harem,” she continued. “The saddest part was that when the young women’s bellies were swollen with his child, he would discard them and choose another for his...uhm... training program.”

  Ryanne’s face was distorted in disbelief.

  “For many years, the villagers did not have any children,” she spoke softly. “It greatly impacted the work force and after the death of Andres, Señor Delgado offered incentives to the villagers to have more babies. After one family bore a child, he paid a visit to the home to welcome the new babe to Las Tierras Verdes. Still for many months, there were no more births. At the six-month period he returned to that family and presented them a gold coin. Word spread and suddenly, every woman of child bearing age had conceived. The visits to the homes were planned a week after the child was born.”

  No expression adorned Ryanne’s face as she stared out the window. Aberrant thoughts shot through her mind wondering, worrying, and fretting if her husband too, had taken advantage of a helpless pool of women at his disposal. She found it ironic that she could find it in her heart to forgive Eduardo for taking a life, but if she discovered that he was taking advantage of women in the village, that would be unconscionable. Lost in her thoughts, she jumped when warm fingers touched her hand. Her eyes were misty when she looked at Yuńior.

  “Señora, please know that I do not have any siblings in any of the villages. Cousins, yes, siblings, no,” he said.

  “Oh Yuńior...that is not what I was thinking,” she lied.

  “Yes, you were,” he responded. “I know you were because when I found out about the cousins, I asked my father directly if there were any siblings. He assured me there were none, not onl
y in the villages, but anywhere else as well. Papa may be many things, Seňora, but a liar is not one of them.”

  Her hands gripped his fingers, squeezing them tightly. No words were exchanged, but a smile for his thoughtfulness to assure her of something that was going to keep her up at night until she had discovered the truth. She did not want the other set of ears in the car to hear that she had doubts about her husband. Loving the Czar was not an easy task especially when also trying to assimilate in his world. It was going to be a trying day as she learned to take on the duties of her role as the Lady of the Lands. The unwritten rules were a major concern for her as she learned several in less than 15 minutes.

  The car pulled up in front of a small, clean cottage with a thatched roof. The window glass was scrubbed clean as Yuńior tapped on the frame of the door waiting for the Peña family to open the door to allow them entrance. Gunther entered first, followed by Yuńior who introduced Ryanne to the Peña daughter, who was married to a skittish young man in tattered pants, holey shoes, and a shifty gaze. The announcement was made that the “Lady of the Lands” had come to welcome their new addition. The young husband, unskilled in social graces, spoke too fast in Spanish. Ryanne caught the word negra, but the rest she missed. Yuńior missed nothing, grabbed her by the arm and escorted her out. The new mother began to bawl while throwing items at her husband as she called him stupido. Evidently, he spoke when he should not have to the Lady and said a term of offense. Their child would not receive favor from Señor Delgado. They also would not receive the gold coin in six months which meant their child would not be given preferential work for the Señor.

  The second home they visited was not much better in social graces. Unfortunately, the second son of the field worker found Ryanne to be too tempting. He paced the floor like a caged animal at her presence, touching himself in front of her. His father, insistent he remain still, was hurt when Yuńior pointed at him before again ushering The Lady from the house. Loud voices could be heard from the father, yelling, knowing that his daughter’s child would not receive favor from the Señor.

  The third house, Yuńior was tense when they entered the crowded home. Gunther stood close to his boss while Yuńior’s eyes scanned the group for potential threats as a young man, in his teens reached for Ryanne’s hair. What happened next transpired so quickly that Ryanne’s breathing nearly stopped. The young man reached for her hair, but before his hand could make contact, Yuńior had an extremely sharp blade to his throat.

  “You forget your place,” Yuńior said with extreme calm as he pressed the blade into the young man’s skin drawing blood. “...Had your fingers made contact with the Lady, I would have removed your hand.”

  The father, a nervous wreck dropped to his knees to beg for mercy and to spare the life of his son. With his left hand, Yuńior pointed at the father, and the man ceased his pleas but the tears rolled down his cheeks. The mother, who had stood so quietly next to their daughter, who had just given birth, spoke exceptional English. “Please forgive him Señor Delgado, he is but a boy, so young. He has never seen a woman as dark and beautiful as The Lady of the Lands.”

  “I shall spare his life, but he knows better and shall be punished,” Yuńior said as he flicked the knife, cutting deep into the skin of the young man’s arm. “He will have to wait until The Fer de Lance returns in order to get the anti-venin. Until then, he shall writhe in pain thinking of his transgression. You may want to spread the word to the other villagers that The Lady of the Lands will be making the visits from this day forward.”

  The young man held his arm close to his chest, knowing the blade had been dipped in fer de lance venom. The fear in his eyes was evident when his father asked the obvious question.

  “When does the Fer de Lance return Señor Delgado?” He asked Yuńior.

  “I don’t know,” Yuńior said calmly, taking Ryanne by the arm leading her out the door.

  The last stops were uneventful as she finally had the chance to actually touch three of the children, welcoming the small babies to Las Tierra Verdes, and bestowing the gold coins upon the fathers of the two six month olds. The ride back in the car was silent as her stomach roiled. Ryanne knew not to question Eduardo’s son in front of Marianne and Gunther, but she had questions when they returned to the house. In her chambers, Isabella in her arms, she sent for Yuńior. He tapped on the door frame waiting for her to bid him to enter. He stood in the open doorway, not coming completely inside of the room.

  “Your father returns this afternoon,” she told him softly.

  “Sí, I am aware,” he responded.

  “But...,” she started.

  “I want the young man to worry Señora. He should worry. He had no right to even believe he could lay his hands upon you for any reason. The sheer act of doing so would have resulted in his death. I took it easy upon him. The flesh on his arm will rot and be forever scarred to remind him of his stupidity. Had it been my father standing next to you, he would not have made the attempt.”

  She pondered his words. “Did he think you were weak?”

  “Señora, he did not think,” Yuńior said. His dark eyes fixed, showing no emotion.

  Ryanne changed the subject. “I sent for you because I was curious about what do you do for fun?”

  “Fun?” he asked with an arched eyebrow.

  “Yes, what do you do in your down time to relax? You know like with friends, a girlfriend, or your mates?” she inquired, turning her back to him as she lowered her blouse allowing Isabella to attach to nurse.

  Yuńior had not moved from the spot.

  “I do not have any,” he responded.

  “You don’t have any girlfriends Yuńior? A good looking kid like you. The girls must be fighting over you,” she said. Ryanne was uncertain if his response meant he didn’t have any girlfriends or any friends.

  He said nothing.

  “Yuńior, you must do something to have fun. I mean you are a teenager, just a kid,” she said feeling sorry for him.

  “I have never been a child Señora. I do not have time nor the desire for girlfriends and I have no friends, for my own safety, and for that of my father’s,” he said with determination in his voice.

  Her brow crinkled as she stepped towards him, reaching with her right hand as she held Isabella in her left. He side stepped her hand. Looking at it as if it had baby poop on it.

  “Do not attempt to comfort me Señora. I have no sadness for my life. I shall inherit these lands, those villages and ensure, that if anything happens to my father, that you and Isabella are safe. I shall care for my brothers and raise them to care for Welcome to Las Tierras Verdes de mis Antecedents. It is my birthright. It is my legacy. It is my duty,” he said solemnly.

  “But you are only sixteen,” she said, with far too much emotion in her voice.

  “I have been a man since I was 12,” he told her. “I am the eldest son of Eduardo Benicio Castanza de la Marta Delgado, his heir and his namesake. I can either be a childish burden or his successor.”

  The last words haunted her as he turned, stepping back through the opened door. Over his shoulder he spoke, “I shall see you at dinner. If you require anything, please let me know.”

  “Thank you,” she said softly.

  He nodded his head and left her quarters. This weekend, she was going to make sure that Yuńior had a chance to spend some time with Kevin and have fun. If it was all she could give him, it would be a weekend of fun.

  Fun was the last thing Odessa was having the next day in Texas.

  Chapter Eight – Birthrights, Boys and Oh Boy!

  Tuesday – Busy B, Houston Texas

  Odessa was more nervous than a steer in a cattle car on the way to the processing plant. Austin and Robbie, who must have felt her angst, responded by throwing up on her twice, each pooping on her once, while Saxton watched her with mild curiosity. This is going to be awful. I just know one of them are going to say something to piss me off and I am going to get my gun and shoot someone
. I don’t want to do this.

  “I don’t want to do this,” she said aloud this time.

  “It won’t be so bad. It doesn’t last more than a few hours,” Saxton told her.

  The look on her face made him choke on his coffee. He checked his watch knowing he needed to be in the barn for the foaling of the new pony. It concerned him that he saw fear in his wife’s eyes. She wasn’t even afraid when she gave birth or faced a room full of bad men wanting to kill her. Odessa Trodat Blakemore didn’t even show fear when a giant green anaconda tried to eat her brother. These things he reminded her as he attempted to hold her in his arms.

  “To Hell with that. I may not be afraid of any giant snakes, giving birth or a room full of gun wielding henchman, but a room full of rich white women who are expecting your mother and getting me...shit, I am calling in sick,” she said with frown.

  Saxton placed his hands on her shoulders. “My beautiful wife...no woman is more competent to handle a room full of hostiles than you. Take a minute to get centered, breath and calculate your chances for a successful outcome,” he said with a smile.

  “You can calculate my butthole Saxton Blakemore! I should serve them up an amuse bouche of your grandmother’s chili,” she said with wide eyes.

  “I will do a couple of other things to that little brown eye and make it wink at me, but calculate it is not on my list,” he said grinning at her.

  She threw a diaper at his head as he laughed and ducked. “I gotta go check on Mrs. Fieldstone, the mare. She’s foaling. I will try to be back in by the time it starts,” he told her. Kissing her check before heading out the door.

  Great. Just effing great. As many times as I have come to his rescue, he is deserting me in my time of need. Odessa changed into the third dress Grandma Patsy’s tailor had brought over. Of the three dresses, this one was her least favorite, but the other two had been soiled by the babies. She knew better, but they had been crying. Her attempts to console them were more focused on her efforts to console herself, but she had to be a grown up and deal with her new reality. The twins were now settled in their cribs as she headed downstairs, leaving the new nanny, Donna, in charge of the babies.