The Temptation Page 14

  “So you like to give girls a little Ecstasy and force them to do things they don’t want to do?” Man Two said.

  “Huh?” Richard, thrown off by the question, stared at the man.

  Man Two grabbed Richard by his collar and jerked him forward. “You gave Rori Steele something, didn’t you,” he stated.

  Rori? This was about Rori? Richard swallowed hard. “I—I don’t know what you mean.”

  A gun was pressed against his side again from Man One. “Answer the question.”

  “Yes.” Richard rushed his words. “I did. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I swear to—”

  “Shut the hell up.” Man Two narrowed his eyes. “If you ever go near Rori again, I’m going to cut off a certain part of your body that you’re going to miss. Do you understand?”

  Richard nodded vigorously.

  “You deserve to have the shit beat out of you, but we’re not going to.” Man Two’s eyes had a deadly look to them. “This time.”

  “Now strip,” Man One from behind him said.

  Richard looked from one man to the other then started taking off his clothing, his whole body shaking.

  When he got down to his boxers he stopped. Man One pressed his gun into Richard’s side again. “Everything.”

  As soon as Richard was naked, Man Two pulled something out of a black duffel bag that Richard hadn’t noticed before. He brought out an item. When the man held it up, Richard realized it was a leather hood.

  Richard shook his head. “I’m claustrophobic.”

  “Shut up.” Man Two jerked the hood over Richard’s head.

  Richard held back a scream. His breathing came hard and fast as he tried not to hyperventilate. He told himself that the mouth, eyes, and nose holes gave him enough air to breathe.

  Just let me out of here, he begged in his mind.

  Man Two shoved a ball gag in Richard’s mouth while Man One tied it behind his head. They secured Richard’s wrists in front of him with metal cuffs. Then Man Two opened the back doors and both men took Richard by the arms and marched him out of the van.

  When Richard was on the ground, rocks poked into his bare feet. The night was cool and he trembled as he stood in front of the men. His dick shriveled. He could say nothing with the ball gag in his mouth.

  Man One tossed something on the ground. It was Richard’s wallet. “Good luck coming up with an explanation.”

  The two men slammed the back doors of the van and both walked up to the front, one on each side of the van. After one climbed into the driver’s seat and the other took the passenger seat, the van’s wheels spun in the dirt and then it took off.

  Richard watched as the taillights of the van disappeared, wishing he had never met Rori Steele.

  Chapter 26

  A little rain doesn’t mean the sun isn’t shining

  Outside the rain poured down as we waited for Mama and Daddy to return home from the doctor’s office. I stood at the window watching for them to arrive, everything in the view distorted from raindrops rolling down the windowpane. The clouds were dark and I hoped the rain wasn’t a bad omen.

  Nick put his arm around my shoulders and we waited together and looked as the rain soaked the grass and water ran down the street.

  In the background my four older brothers were watching the Red Sox as they went neck and neck against the Yankees. Rori, Willow, and my younger brother, Sean, were playing Monopoly, Sean’s favorite game. He seemed to be back from the Dark Side and I hoped he was here to stay.

  Rori and Willow didn’t watch baseball—Willow’s game was basketball and Rori just didn’t like sports. Sean would play Monopoly over anything if he could get someone to play him. He figured he could always watch the game highlights.

  Me, I couldn’t relax enough to do anything or I would have been watching the game. It had been two and a half weeks since everything went down with Bachmann and I had been healing well. My side didn’t hurt much, my split lip had healed, and the bruises on my face were gone.

  My parents’ car finally pulled up in the driveway. Daddy got out of the car and popped open an umbrella, then went to Mama’s side of the car and helped her out.

  It seemed like it took forever for them to get to the house. As they walked up to the porch, my heart pounded. This had been an important doctor’s visit that could have resulted in good news or bad.

  I opened the door for them and rain-fresh air flooded into the house. Mama walked in and wiped her shoes on the doormat while Daddy shook off the umbrella and propped it against the house on the porch. He came in and cleaned off his shoes, too.

  Everyone stopped what he or she was doing. Someone turned off the TV and the board game was set aside. Nick and I stepped back to give my parents some room.

  Daddy rested one hand on Mama’s shoulder and squeezed. She reached up and put her hand over his as she looked around the room at her brood.

  She smiled.

  I held my breath.

  “It’s in remission,” Mama said. “The cancer is in remission.”

  The cheer that erupted in the house was so loud that the neighbors up and down the block had to have heard. We all hugged Mama, one at a time, and I noticed Rori was crying. I felt something damp on my cheeks and I touched them.

  I was crying, too.

  Tears were rolling down my cheeks.

  So much had been balled inside of me and hearing Mama’s news had set it all free.

  I was crying from the joy of knowing my mother had kicked to the curb the cancer that could have taken her life.

  And then my mother’s arms were enveloping me and I cried against her shoulder. She drew back and rubbed away the tears from beneath my eyes.

  “There, there, pet.” She smiled. “Everything is going to be fine.”

  Yes. Everything was going to be more than fine.

  * * * * *

  After our family celebrated my mother beating the breast cancer, Nick drove us to my apartment. The rain had stopped and a ray of sunlight was peeking through the clouds.

  “I’m going to take you to Antonio’s.” Nick parked in front of the trip.

  “I love Antonio’s. We haven’t been there for a while.” I opened the door to his SUV. “That means changing into something a little more appropriate.”

  The corner of his mouth curved. “You look awfully cute in that T-shirt and those jeans.”

  I stuck my tongue out at him.

  The joy of knowing my mother was going to be okay had me feeling like I was bouncing on air. I was ready to go to the restaurant within fifteen minutes. When I walked out of my bathroom, I was surprised to see Nick dressed in a black collared shirt and black jeans. I hadn’t realized he’d brought anything with him.

  He took my hand as we left the apartment and returned to his SUV. We drove to the restaurant and I felt like humming.

  It turned out he had reservations and we were seated almost immediately in the busy restaurant.

  Dinner was fantastic and the wine Nick picked out was excellent. I did not intend to pass up dessert, so I’d held back on eating too much of the bread that had been served at the beginning of the meal.

  While we were waiting for dessert to be served, Nick took my hand on the tabletop. The seriousness in his eyes threw me off a little. Then he released my hand and got to his feet. I figured he had to go to the men’s room so when he just stood and looked at me, I said, “What gives?”

  And then he got down on one knee.

  A warm flush washed over me as he reached into his pocket and brought out a ring box. Hair prickled on my scalp and my heart beat so fast it felt like it was slamming against my chest.

  He opened the box. Inside was a simple diamond solitaire. It sparkled in the room’s light and I felt mesmerized by the glittering stone. Then I looked up into his gaze, my lips parted.

  “I love you more than I ever imagined I could love anyone,” he said. “You’re headstrong, a real pain in the ass, and you drive me crazy sometimes. But most
of all, you help make me whole.”

  I just stared at him, unable to say a word.

  “Lexi,” he said. “Will you marry me?”

  More warmth rushed through me. For a moment I still felt too stunned to speak. So many things went through my mind. He had moved to Arizona with his only family, Kristen. My career and family were here in Boston.

  But I loved him.

  I swallowed.

  “I’m not asking you to leave Boston.” His gaze held mine as he answered my unspoken thoughts. “My life is with you, Lexi. And if that means moving back to Boston then that’s where I belong.”

  Tears rushed to my eyes again and I realized my hands were trembling.

  “That’s not fair to you.” I found it difficult to speak. “I don’t want you to feel torn between me and Kristen.”

  “I’ll go to Arizona for an extended weekend every month to spend with my sister,” he said. “She’ll be all right. She’s strong and she’s happy.”

  He gave one of his adorable smiles that I loved so much. “Now give me the answer I want to hear. Will you marry me?”

  “You drive me crazy, too,” I said. “But I love you more than I ever thought possible. So yes.” I smiled as I spoke. “I will marry you, Nick.”

  I was vaguely aware of the entire restaurant bursting into applause as he slipped the ring onto my finger.

  Nick brought us both to our feet and kissed me in the most amazing kiss ever. My heart bubbled up with joy and I kissed him back with the same intensity.

  In the next moment we were sitting and my whole body felt flushed with heat as the applause died down. He held my left hand and the ring sparkled.

  A server showed up with a bottle of champagne on ice, presented the bottle to Nick and then poured us each a glass.

  The golden liquid frothed at the top and Nick raised his glass. “To a crazy wonderful future together.”

  I raised my glass and clinked mine to his. “To us.”

  Epilogue

  Sunshine was warm on my body as I reclined on a towel on the beach of a private island in the Bahamas next to my husband, Nick. Lexi Steele Donovan. That’s me.

  We hadn’t messed around waiting to get married and we tied the knot two weeks after Nick proposed to me. The ceremony had been simple and we’d kept it small. If all my relatives had been there, we would have had over a hundred guests and that was the last thing we’d wanted. As it was, Nick’s sister, my six siblings, my brother’s wife, and Mama and Daddy had been there when the pastor pronounced us husband and wife.

  My family had put together a surprise reception the following day, and that’s where my countless relatives and our friends and even some coworkers had mobbed us. That had all been day before yesterday, and my head was still spinning.

  But now, peace and quiet with the man I loved.

  At our feet the crystal blue ocean lapped the white sand, the gentle rush of water a peaceful sound. A light breeze brushed over my body, drying some of the perspiration on my skin. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sun on my face. In places sand stuck to my fair skin that I’d coated liberally with sun block and there was more sand on my towel.

  “What about a family?” Nick caught me off guard as he broke the silence.

  Warily, I opened my eyes and turned my head to meet his gaze. “What about a family?”

  The corner of his mouth quirked as he placed his palm on my flat belly. “Kids, the whole mess.”

  I tilted my head to the side. The thought of having Nick’s baby had been on my mind a lot. I was both excited and scared to death.

  “That depends.” I gave him a solemn look. “If you want a family as big as mine, you’re out of luck. But if one or two will do for you, I’ll check my schedule and see if I can fit it in.”

  His little smile turned into a big grin and he leaned over me and kissed me hard. “One or two will do just fine.”

  “Good.” I turned and propped my head on my hand and looked at him. “Because I have some news for you. In about eight and a half months, you’re going to be a daddy.”

  Shock crossed his features as he stared at me. “Are you kidding?”

  “Nope.” I smiled and felt a kind of joy bubbling up inside me. “Took the test the day before the wedding. Seems the Pill decided to quit working once you proposed to me. We’ve just become a statistic.”

  He took me into his arms, pulling me onto his chest. He was grinning and the sight of his broad smile sent a warm tingly feeling throughout me.

  “This isn’t going to be so flat much longer.” He placed his hand over my belly again. “When were you planning on telling me?”

  “Tonight.” I trailed one of my fingers down his chest. “I figured I’d wait to spring it on you when we were at dinner. But since you brought it up…”

  “Wonderful.” He brushed strands of hair from my face. “Everything is wonderful.”

  I rested my head on his chest as he brought me closer to him. I no longer had the nightmares that had plagued me most of my adult life. I’d come to terms with my past and had accepted it for what it was. It was more than time to move on.

  A bright future lay ahead. Oh, I knew it wasn’t going to be perfect, but that was perfectly fine with me.

  Lexi Steele was finally happy with life and the part she played in it.

  I smiled.

  # # #

  Also by Cheyenne McCray

  “Rough and Ready” Series

  Silk and Spurs

  Lace and Lassos

  Champagne and Chaps

  Satin and Saddles

  Roses and Rodeo

  Lipstick and Leather

  “Altered States” Series

  Dark Seduction

  “Dark Enforcers” Series

  Night’s Captive

  Lexi Steele Novels

  The First Sin

  The Second Betrayal

  The Temptation

  From St. Martin’s Press:

  Night Tracker Series

  Demons Not Included

  No Werewolves Allowed

  Vampires Not Invited

  Zombies Sold Separately

  Vampires Dead Ahead

  Magic Series

  Forbidden Magic

  Seduced by Magic

  Wicked Magic

  Shadow Magic

  Dark Magic

  Single Title

  Moving Target

  Chosen Prey

  Anthologies

  No Rest for the Witches

  Real Men Last All Night

  Legally Hot

  Chicks Kick Butt

  Hotter than Hell

  Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romances

  Mammoth Book of Special Ops Romances

  Cheyenne writing as Jaymie Holland

  “The Auction” Series

  Sold

  Bought

  Claimed

  Taken

  “Taboo” Series

  Taking it Home

  Losing Control

  Alluring Stranger

  Taboo Desires: three Tales of Lust and Passion

  Playing Rough: three Stories of Sensual Submission

  Paranormal Single Title

  The Touch

  Come to Me

  Excerpt… Roses and Rodeo

  Cheyenne McCray

  “He sure is one sexy bull rider.” Danica Cameron looked at her friend Kelsey then nodded toward the chute and the next cowboy preparing to ride a bull. “What’s his name?”

  “Darryl Thompson.” Kelsey sighed and twirled a strand of her long blonde hair around her finger. “Only two dates and I think I’m in love.”

  “Then I hope he’s Mr. Right.” Danica glanced at the bull rider before moving her gaze back to her friend. “I really don’t want to see you get hurt again, Kels.”

  Kelsey smiled. “Darryl’s different than any guy I’ve ever dated. He’s a real man.”

  Danica returned her friend’s smile. She’d known Kelsey for a couple of yea
rs now and she’d grown to care for her like a sister. They’d met at the local gym where Danica worked out three times a week and had started working out together. Eventually they began meeting outside of the health club and had become close friends.

  With a smile, Danica turned her attention to the upcoming rider.

  They had seats that hugged the arena, with a perfect view of all the action at the May Las Vegas professional bull riding competition. The air smelled of dust and animals and the announcer’s voice carried over the loudspeakers along with medleys of tunes to go with the high-energy crowd in the arena. The intro to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama blared from the speakers followed by a burst of Loverboy’s Working for the Weekend and then a partial tune Danica didn’t recognize, all in close succession.

  Like other bull riders, Darryl’s protective vest and his shirtsleeves were covered with patches from various sponsors.

  The announcer shouted out, “Darryl Thompson riding Killjoy, one of the rankest bulls here today.”

  The gate to the chute swung open and the crowd cheered as the bull flung itself out and the cowboy started his ride. The bull bucked and twisted round and round, trying to throw its rider off as cheers and shouts rose up from the crowd.

  Kelsey stood and screamed, “Go, Darryl!” as he hung on for the full eight seconds and then the horn blared.

  The bull bucked Darryl off before he could dismount and he landed on his hands and knees, and scrambled to his feet. The cowboy clowns—who were now called bullfighters—distracted the bull to keep it from going after its rider and they got the bull to exit the arena through an open gate that they shut behind him.

  Even Danica, who didn’t know a hell of a lot about bull riding, knew enough that she was sure it had been a really good ride.

  Danica tilted her head to the side. “I always wondered how they get the bulls to twist in circles like that.”

  “Did you see that strap around the bull’s flanks?” Kelsey said. “It’s called a flank strap. That’s what makes the bulls kick because they’re trying to kick it off. The rope that the cowboy holds onto is called a bull rope.”