Beverly Jenkins (22 page)
Authors: Destiny's Surrender
She then related the moments leading up to his fiery death.
Drew raised up and his eyes were wide. “You took down a man almost a half size larger.”
She nodded.
“Where’d you learn how?”
“Had a customer when I first started in the business. A boxer named Tom. We were talking one night about his being in the ring and he asked me if knew how to defend myself. I said no, so he showed me. And Drew, his words came back to me as clearly as if I’d heard them yesterday. Tom said, ‘and when the bastard hits the ground, try and kick his heart out,’ and I did.”
She could see him studying her and wondered what he might be thinking. “I was a bit woozy after the head butt but I guess I was too mad at the time to let it bother me. I have a knot there, too.”
His fingers gently touched the tender spot hidden beneath her hair. “If I knew where to find this Tom, I’d give him ten acres of Destiny land and a thousand dollars.”
“He saved my life.”
“Yes, he did.”
Billie drifted back on the memories. “I wasn’t going to let him kill me. Not him.” She met his eyes. “I felt nothing watching him burn. No guilt, no regret. Is that wrong?”
He shrugged. “You did what you had to do to stay alive,
corazon
. That’s all that matters.”
She agreed and burrowed closer. “How about we finish this tomorrow?”
His lips brushed hers. “You go ahead and sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up in the morning.”
C
ontrary to the promise, he wasn’t, but Logan was. He knocked on the closed bedroom door. “Are you up, sis?”
“Yes?”
“Decent?”
“Just a minute.” Wondering where her husband and son were, she hurried over to Drew’s armoire and quickly grabbed down one of his robes. Once she tied the belt, she padded to the door and opened it. There stood Logan, holding a tray laden down with breakfast.
“Oh, Logan. You shouldn’t’ve.”
“I didn’t. Mrs. Volga did. Where do you want me to set it?”
She pointed him to an empty area on the short, mirrored vanity.
He obliged and after setting it down, caught his reflection. “Only Drew would have a mirror this large and ornate.”
“Has to be big enough to see all that pretty face.”
Logan laughed, then quieted. “I like you, Billie.”
“I’m glad. Things began pretty rocky for us.”
“I know. My brother loves you more than Queen Calafia and I’m beginning to see why.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Since we both love him—you as his brother and me as his wife, be nice if we got along.”
“I agree. Never had a sister before.”
“And I’ve never had a brother before.”
He stuck out his hand. “Pax.”
“Sure. Whatever that means.”
He smiled and said seriously, “Means—peace.”
“Ah. Then pax it is.”
She removed the silver tops from the plates and saw bacon, scrambled eggs, hot biscuits running with butter, apple butter and slices of orange. “Do you want some of this? Mrs. Volga always cooks for twelve.”
“No thanks, I ate earlier.”
“So where is my pretty husband and my even prettier son?”
“Out shopping. He said you needed clothes. He also told me about DuChance.”
“Ah. He’ll never hurt anyone again—that’s the most important thing.”
“Yes it is. I want you to teach Mariah to fight that way.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and when my daughter is old enough, I want her to learn too. I don’t ever want them to be in a situation like the one you were in and not be able to defend themselves.”
“You’re a good man, Logan Yates.”
“Not as pretty as my brother but I have my own charm.”
For a moment, Billie studied the man she knew to be as arrogant as a god on the outside but soft as his brother underneath. “Thank you,” she said softly and tears stung her eyes.
“What for? Why the hell are you crying?”
She dashed away the water. “I don’t know why. Maybe because you didn’t have to come in here and have this conversation with me and teach the meaning of the word
pax
.”
“I hate when Mariah cries and this isn’t any better.”
“I think sisters are supposed to tell brothers what’s in their hearts.”
“Good to know. Now stop it. Eat.”
And he left.
B
illie’s pretty husband and even prettier son returned a bit later with a strange young man carrying so many packages he appeared to be hiding beneath them.
Drew explained, “I couldn’t carry the baby and all the purchases, so the store lent me Bradley here.”
Bradley nodded. “Morning, ma’am.”
Drew directed him to set the packages on the sofa.
“Morning.” Billie took Antonio out of his father’s arms, freeing him to pay Bradley a nice tip. Beaming, the young man exited.
Logan said, “Going to go take a walk to stretch my legs. You still want to take the two o’clock train?”
Drew looked to Billie and she nodded.
“Good. I’ll be back. Enjoy yourselves.”
He departed and Billie said, “Logan is rather nice.”
“He’s good at pretending.”
She laughed. “Show me what you bought.”
There were three walking suits and three beautiful blouses to wear beneath. There was underwear. “You bought me underwear.”
“Do you have any?”
“Well, no.”
“Well, there.”
She said to Tonio, “Your papa’s not supposed to buy my underthings.”
“Billie, I bought you underthings for years.”
“That was then. I’m your wife now.”
“What difference does that make?”
“Society says husbands aren’t supposed to buy their wives underthings.”
“Antonio, cover your ears.”
Laughing, she covered the baby’s ears.
“Then remind me to strip them off the moment I get you home.”
“Scandalous man.”
“Damn right.”
D
ressed in her fancy new clothes and underwear, Billie and her men boarded the two o’clock train for home. As it chugged out of the station, she glanced out at the receding city, thought back on how she’d come to be there, and savored the prospect of going home.
Alanza greeted them as if they were a gold strike. There were tears and hugs and kisses and more hugs. Mariah got in her share as well, and Billie had never been loved so well by any family of any kind.
Over her groaning protests, she was ordered to bed.
“You need sleep and rest,” her mother-in-law declared. “For the next few days you are to do nothing but play at princess.”
“Princess?”
“Princess.”
“Andrew, take her away.”
Laughing, he did as he was told.
In the days that followed, she rested, refused to let her son out of her sight, and let herself be waited upon as if she had royal blood. When word got around about how Billie bested DuChance, she received numerous requests to pass the knowledge on.
“I’m going to be giving more lessons,” she told Drew that evening as they sat out on the verandah.
“What in this time?”
“Self-protection. Thanks to Logan, a lot of the men want their wives and daughters to learn what Tom taught me. Mariah has taken to calling the take-down method the ‘Billie.’ ”
“Not many women have a fighting style named after them.”
She shook her head. “I suppose I should be flattered.”
He pulled her into his side. “While you’ve been lying about, Max finished the house.”
She straightened. “Truly?”
“We can move in tomorrow if you like.”
She threw her arms around his neck in joy. “Oh, Drew! That’s wonderful! Can we really move in tomorrow?”
“Yes, ma’am, and maybe once we do, we can finally make the trip to Sacramento I’ve been promising you.”
She snuggled back into his side. “I don’t care about that. All I want is for us to be together and to be happy.” She looked up into his eyes. “I love you Andrew Antonio Yates.”
“And I love you, Mina. Forever.”
Billie decided she’d wait until they moved in before she shared the news that they had another baby on the way. It would be a perfect housewarming gift.
N
oah Yates made it home three days before the wedding. He’d met Mariah last year during his mother’s birthday celebration, but he hadn’t met his niece, Maria, nor had he any idea that Drew of all people was not only married to a beauty named Billie but had a son. In spite of the turmoil swirling in his own life, Noah was glad to be home.
“So, Noah, how’s the seafaring business?” Logan asked at dinner his first day back.
Noah shrugged. “Fine, but it’ll be better once I get my ship back.”
Everyone at the table went still.
He’d been dreading this moment.
His mother looked puzzled. “Is it in dry dock being repaired?”
“No. A pirate woman stole it from me a few months ago off the coast of Spain.”
Drew snorted with amusement. “You let a girl take the ship named after your mama?’’
“Is her name Calafia by any chance?” Logan asked with a laugh.
Noah smiled. He’d been expecting the teasing. “I’ve no idea what her name is, but I’ll be leaving just soon as the wedding is over to hunt her down. Sorry I won’t be able to stay longer, Mother.”
His mother was still staring at him with confusion on her face.
“I’ll get it back.” And he would, if he had to track the she pirate to the bottom of the seven seas.
Dear Readers,
And so ends our second visit to the Destiny Ranch. I hope you enjoyed Drew and Billie’s story. Billie was one of the most unconventional heroines I’ve ever created. It was a pleasure getting to know her. For those unfamiliar with the series please pick up the first book,
Destiny’s Embrace
—the story of Logan and Mariah—to catch up.
Up next. Noah. How on earth did he lose his ship to a lady pirate, and who is this mysterious woman? Stay tuned dear readers for the next trip to
Rancho Destino,
for a swashbuckling tale of pirates and passion on the open seas.
Until next time,
B
BEVERLY JENKINS has received numerous awards, including five Waldenbooks/Borders Group Best Sellers Awards, two Career Achievement Awards from
Romantic Times
Magazine, and a Golden Pen Award from the Black Writer’s Guild. Ms Jenkins was named one of the Top Fifty Favorite African-American writers of the twentieth century by AABLC, the nation’s largest on-line African-American book club. She was recently nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature.
To read more about Beverly visit her website at www.beverlyjenkins.net.
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