The Taming (The Black Thunder Series) (46 page)

Kate stepped back from the door, bumping into an incoming patron
. She was in shock as her world crumbled before her eyes. His betrayal cut deeper than the blade of a sword.

Jack looked up and saw her
. Their eyes met for a split second then Kate was gone- like a ghost.

“Oh shit,” cried Jack jumping to his feet
. “Kate, wait!”

Kate ran down the wooden planks of the boardwalk, tears soaking her eyes
and blurring her vision. She made it to her car and sank in trying to turn the engine over as sobs escaped her lips.

Jack grabbed his diploma from the table and ran after her
. He chased her down the wooden planks, but he was too late. She slammed on the accelerator and sped away.

“Kate, stop,” he ran after her, but she either didn’t hear him or ignored him.

Jack jumped into his truck and went after her, barreling down the main street toward the ranch.

Kate came to an abrupt halt in front of the main house
. She ran up the porch steps and entered the house, tears and sobs mixed together as she raced upstairs to her bedroom.

She opened all the drawers of her dresser, throwing the contents on the bed
. She needed to be gone from this place, away from the memories and the man who destroyed her. Sobbing, she went to the bathroom, throwing her shampoo and conditioner into the trash can and returning to the bedroom with it, collecting her hair brush and jewelry.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Kate’s car parked out front of the main house
. He jumped from his truck and barreled in to the house.

“Kate,” he yelled checking the downstairs for her
first. “Kate,” he called again making his way upstairs taking the steps two at a time. He entered the bedroom and saw her packing her belongings. “Kate, it’s not what you think,” he said with panic in his voice.

“Then what is it,
” she yelled knowing this conversation like the back of her hand. “I know what I saw!”

“Kate, stop.” Jack moved toward her and took her arm
. “Let me explain.”

“Explain what?” she shouted and jerked her arm free
. “I saw you Jack, with that woman. Is that who you’ve been meeting while I’m at my poetry class?”

“Yes, but it’s not what you think,” he tried to explain.

Kate’s eyes blazed with fury. “How could you do this to me?” She broke down and sobbed. “You promised. You made me believe you were different.” She buried her head in her hands and cried harder.

“I never broke my promise,” he said reaching for her again.

“Don’t touch me,” she snapped and stepped back. “I can’t trust you. I don’t know what I was thinking. A man like you doesn’t change.”

Her words cut him deep
. “Is that really what you think of me?” His eyes narrowed and he stared at her as if she were a stranger.

“It doesn’t matter what I think anymore,” cried Kate
. “We’re over, Jack.”

“Like hell we are,” he exploded and grabbed her by the arms again
. “You’ve condemned me for no good cause.”

“Let go of me,” she cried harder.

“I’ll let you go when I’m good and ready,” he shouted temper flaring. “That woman you saw me with was my teacher.”

“I can just imagine what she was teaching you,” Kate snapped back.

“This is what she was teaching me,” shouted Jack as he pulled his diploma from the inside of his jacket. He slapped it into Kate’s hands. “It’s my G.E.D.”

Kate held the certificate and read
. There, in black ink, was his name etched across the top. She didn’t know what to say. Her anger dissolved and her tears dried up. New ones appeared when she realized what she’d done.

“Oh, Jack,” she sobbed as she saw the hurt in his eyes.

“We were celebrating, the whole class,” he stated. “You just happened to show up when it was only me and Hanna left. I was saying goodbye, ready to leave.”

“Oh Jack, I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“You ruined it, Kate.” Jack ran his fingers through his hair. “I was going to show you my G.E.D. tomorrow night when I proposed to you.”

“You were going to propose?” She said choking on her words.

“Of course I was going to propose. I wanted to give you it all in one big package.”

“You did this all for me?” Kate felt humbled and ashamed by her behavior.

“Everything I do is for you.” Tears filled his eyes. “But now I’m so mad I don’t know what to do.”

“I’m a fool,” she said
. “A stupid jealous fool.”

“You’ve wounded me Kate, more than anyone
.” His words caught in his chest. “You ripped me to shreds for something I didn’t do- that I’d never do.”

“Forgive me, Jack,” Kate pleaded
. “I promise I’ll make it right.”

“How are you going to do that?” asked Jack feeling lower than he ever felt before
. “It’s going to take something awful big to fix this.” Jack shook his head in defeat.

She looked at the diploma in her hands
. Jack McBride was a special kind of man, and she hurt him again. She needed to do something fast if she was to make this right. He went to walk away but Kate stopped him.

“I’m pregnant, Jack!”  Jack turned and looked at her.
“I’m pregnant,” she said again.

“You’re pregnant
?” The words came out in numb disbelief.

“Yes, I’m pregnant
.” A tear rolled down her cheek.

“When were you going to tell me?” He said feeling his back prick and his temper rise.

“I was going to tell you this evening but you never came home.”

He stared down at her seeing her beautiful tear stained blue eyes and wanted to smack his own fool head
. She was right. He never came home. God, he felt like an idiot. No wonder she went looking for him. He would have done the same thing too. He was just as much to blame for this misunderstanding as she.

“Ah, Kate,” he said as he ran his fingers through his hair now feeling like a heel
.

“I did two pregnancy tests and they both came out positive
.” Kate went to the dresser drawer and pulled out the tests. She handed them to him. “Jack, we’re going to have a baby.”

Tears started streaming down his face while he stared at the two plus signs on the tests
. He placed the pregnancy tests on top of the dresser then wiped his pooled eyes away with the back of his hand, but the thought of life being created, and he being a part of it, moved him so deeply, that he couldn’t stop the tears.

Kate placed her hands on his cheeks
. Jack clenched her hands and sweetly bestowed kisses to her palms. He broke down, taking her into his arms and held her while he wept. Kate folded into him, sobs escaping her own lips.

“Oh Jack, I’m so sorry,” she wept
. “Don’t leave me, please.”

“Shhh,” Jack whispered in her ear, stroking her hair
. “Don’t cry, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Oh, thank God
. The thought of losing you would break my heart,” she moaned. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too,” he held her tighter
. “Only you, always you!”

Jack stepped back and knelt down on one knee
. He removed a silver velvet box from his pocket and opened it displaying the most beautiful diamond ring Kate ever saw.

“I love you, baby,” his words were like a benediction
. “Please Kate, be mine always and forever. Marry me?”

“Yes,” she smiled through her tears
. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Jack placed the ring on her finger
. Kate dropped to her knees and knelt beside him. Jack took her in his arms and held her for dear life. “I promise baby, I’ll never give you cause to worry again.”

“No more secrets, Jack.”
She half-laughed in spite of her tears.

“I guess it did kind of backfire on me,” he grinned at her
. “I promise, no more secrets.”

“Are you happy?” she asked
. “About the baby, I mean?”

“Happy
? Hell, I’ve been trying to get you knocked up from the start,” he laughed. “I told you I was the man for the job.”

“You did at that, Jack,” she laughed back.

“So does this mean you’re going to quit teaching and stay at home?”

“No, I like teaching,” said Kate.

“How can you teach, take care of me and all our babies at the same time?” he asked.

“Babies?” she tilted her head and gave him a questioning look
. “One baby!”

“Oh that’s where you’re wrong, Barbie doll,” he grinned
. “You and I have a family to build, and I’m not stopping at just one.”

“Jack McBride, you are scheming again,” Kate giggled.

Jack stood and lifted her to him. “I’m not scheming,” he said scooping her into his arms and carrying her to their bed. “I know

what
I want and I ain’t stopping ‘til I get it, and that’s that. You got that, baby?” He lowered her onto the bed and slid her beneath him.

“Yes, Jack,” Kate smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck
. “Whatever you want.”

That was all Jack needed to hear
. He took her in his arms and kissed her sealing the deal. For that was just the way Jack McBride was, he lived hard, he played hard, and he loved hard, and Kate was grateful for it all.

Coming Soon!

The Black Thunder Series Book TWO

The Price

The saga continues.

After the birth of their first child, life between Jack and Kate McBride couldn’t be more perfect. That is until Kate’s mother appears and threatens to tear their world apart.

Jack has met his match in Marnie St. Clair, the scheming and all controlling mother in-law who is determined to pull her daughter away from the crude and overbearing cowboy and re-unite her with her sophisticated ex-husband.

It could cost Jack more than his sanity as deception yields a deadly hand, not only threatening his relationship with Kate but also threatening her life.

This is a heartwarming tale about love, sacrifice, and the price of a man’s soul who will do anything to save the woman he loves.

EXCERPT

Kate saw a vulture soaring over a cluster of trees just as her mother’s car pulled up alongside the main house.
It was an omen
, she shuddered, walking down the porch steps to greet the woman she hadn’t seen in over two years. She felt a masculine hand on her shoulder as she came to a stop beside the car. Jack gave her a re-assuring squeeze.

“It’ll be fine,” he leaned over and whispered in her ear.

Jack watched the flaxen haired woman emerge from her vehicle. She was attractive, dressed in a stylish cream suit with bag and shoes to match. She was tall and of slender built. Seeing her beside Kate, Jack could not dispute the strong family resemblance but where his wife was more down to earth, her mother was quite the sophisticate.

“Hello Kathryn,” said Marnie, brushing a polished kiss to her daughter’s cheek.

“Hello, Mother,” said Kate as she exchanged the same formality.

“You must be Jack,” said Marnie, moving away from her daughter and extending her hand for Jack to shake.

“Nice to finally meet you, Ma’am,” Jack was polite but firm.

“You make me sound like Kathryn’s grandmother,” she replied as she sized him up, from the spurs on his boots all the way up to his
Stetson hat. “I insist you call me Marnie.”

“Marnie, it is!” said Jack as he shook her hand
. “Welcome to our home!”

Jack removed her overnight bag from the car and headed up the porch with mother and daughter following behind.

“You didn’t tell me he was so good looking,” Marnie leaned over and whispered to Kate as they entered the house. “I must say, I am surprised by your taste in this one.”

Kate bit her tongue but on the inside she was rolling
. She wasn’t here for thirty seconds and already placing judgment.

“Mother, can I get you a cup of tea?” asked Kate as she showed her in to the living room
. “Or perhaps you might want to freshen up after your trip?”

“A cup of tea would be delightful,” said Marnie as she acquainted herself with her surroundings
. “I must say, you did a marvelous job at decorating this place. Did you hire someone or did you do it yourself, Jack?”

“I did it myself,” Jack stated matter of fact but Kate could tell he took great pride in her
faux compliment.

“It shows,” she muttered her distaste and Jack’s eyes narrowed in recognition
. “And so clean,” she continued, swiping a finger across a piece of woodwork shined to perfection. “You must have a wonderful housekeeper because I am sure you are aware that my Kathryn is not famous for her cleaning skills.”

“I disagree,” said Jack seeing
the weight of her mother’s words make Kate’s shoulders droop. “Before Kate and I got hitched, she was my housekeeper.”

Marnie’s brows lifted high and her chin drooped low like a funhouse mirror distorting her face
. Kate slid into one of the leather chairs and prayed for invisibility.

“You were his housekeeper?”
She cringed hearing her mother’s tone. “I paid for eight years of education to have you work as a servant?”

“It was only for a summer.
” She tried to explain though why she was explaining she didn’t know. “Remember, Mother, teachers are off during the summer months.”

“It was a packaged deal,” said Jack hiding his grin
. He couldn’t resist sticking it to Marnie a little with her highfalutin ways. “Kate was employed on the ranch in exchange for living accommodations.”

“I rented the carriage house,” Kate interjected
.

“But that didn’t last too long
. It took a month or so and she was shacking up with me,” Jack winked at Kate. “Isn’t that right, baby?”

Kate faded into her seat further.

“Kathryn, is that true?” Marnie glared at her daughter.

“Where are my manners
? I promised to make you a cup of tea,” said Kate ignoring her mother’s stares. “I’ll be right back.”

Kate shot out of her seat
like a bronco rider being tossed from its saddle and disappeared into the kitchen.

“That does not sound like my Kathryn,” said Marnie addressing Jack
. “She has never been the impulsive type. My daughter is more pragmatic and cautious when it comes to life changes.”

“I am
well aware of your daughter’s traits,” laughed Jack thinking about her opposition the day he moved her in. “But I am a hard man to say no to.”

“So you are a man who get what he wants?” she raised a brow.

“Always!” grinned Jack. “And I wanted Kate.”

“Even at the expense of my daughter’s happiness?” she questioned
.

“I know what Kate needs in order to make her happy,”
he said. “Even when she doesn’t know it, herself.”

“Be careful Jack, one might get the impression you’re confidence borders on arrogance.”

“I make no apologies for the kind of man I am.” Jack gave her his famous grin.

“Well aren’t you the devil?”
She exclaimed understanding the unspoken boundary her daughter’s husband was laying out for her.

She was actually surprised to see that Jack McBride was more than a two bit cowboy
. She couldn’t deny he was a handsome man with his startling green eyes and sand colored hair that hung wild like he just came back from a hard day’s work and a body to match.

Her eyes fell on his strong arms, muscles pressing against his tan t-shirt
. She had no doubt her daughter got lost in those arms and a few other places too.