Marrying the Marine-epub (16 page)

“Don’t come out until I’ve had a chance to speak with him,” Braylon warned Sandella. He stepped out the Hummer into the thick smoky air.

Kane’s cold dark eyes surveyed Braylon like a wild animal about to tackle his prey. “Are you Braylon Wexler?”

“Yes sir. I am.”

Frowning and glaring up at Braylon, Kane bared his teeth. His hands curled around the arms of the wheelchair. “I don’t care who you are, Detective. No daughter of mine is dating a Marine. Do I make myself clear?” Giving orders to a lawman, apparently her father had lost his mind.

“Yes, you do, sir. I’ll promise to leave your daughter alone, but only under one condition.” He pushed his hands into his pockets.

Kane gritted his teeth. “Sandy is not up for negotiation.”

Sandella came and stood next to her father. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Will you just please hear him out?” she asked, praying that Braylon could talk some sense into her old man.

“Let me try and calm my damn nerves first.” Kane lit a cigarette. Smoke spiraled from his full lips. “This better be good.”

Braylon glared down at Kane. “I’ll give you my word to leave Sandella alone for now.”

Sandella’s heart ping-ponged in her chest at his surprising words.

Coughing, Kane’s brows shot up. “For now?”

“I’ll leave her alone for now…
if
you promise…to give us your blessing to continue our relationship
after
I find your wife’s killer.”

Tears wet Kane’s eyes. A muscle flickered in his jaw. “That case was closed a long time ago.”

“It’s been reopened.”

“By who?”

“Me.”

Kane pulled his misty gaze away to think. Nodding, he returned his focus back to Braylon. He blew out a ragged smoky breath. “I feel like I’m making a deal with the devil to save my own soul.”

Sandella stooped in front of her father’s chair to look into his eyes, caressing her hands over his. “He’s not the devil, Daddy. He’s a great man, with a good heart,” she choked out.

“So do we have a deal?” Braylon extended his hand to Kane.

“If you find my wife’s killer,” a tear rolled down his cheek, “I’ll give you two my blessing.” He shook Braylon’s hand. “Now let’s go, Sandy.”

To keep peace, Sandella decided it’d be best for her and Royce to leave as her father had instructed.

BRAYLON STOOD
at the rear of the truck watching Sandella disappear beyond the cloud of smoke filtering the air. Walking beside her father, she clasped Royce’s hand, then glanced back over her shoulder at him. She mouthed, “Thanks.”

It broke Braylon’s heart to turn away from her. As he strode across the lawn toward Theresa he thought of how she didn’t need to thank him for being respectful toward her father. He’d been raised to respect his elders. Never in a million years would he drive a wedge between a father and his daughter by continuing to date her without the man’s blessing. As precious as his Sandella was, she deserved a man who was willing to earn her father’s respect. And bring union to her family, not division.

I don’t care if it takes me forever. I’m going to bring Sandella and her family peace.

“How are you holding up?” Braylon asked Theresa.

“I’m terrified, Detective.” Her fearful eyes scanned over the perimeter. “Somebody wants me dead.”

“You’re not safe here. Do you have a family member out of town you can stay with until this is over?”

She nodded. “Yes. But I’m not running away, I’m staying right here. I am going to send my son to live with his aunt, though.”

Wanting to shake some sense into the stubborn lady, he ground his molars instead. “Theresa. You don’t know who you’re dealing with. Whoever killed Sugar and Marc wants you dead too. And they won’t stop until they succeed. You need to leave Beaufort tonight, definitely no later than tomorrow morning.”

Theresa folded her arms under her breasts. Just as she parted her mouth to speak, a detective walked up to her. “Mrs. Jackson. Do you know anyone by the name of Simon?”

Simon?
Braylon’s ears perked up.

Shaking her head, she said, “No. Why?”

“Because someone by the name of Simon dispatched 911 right before your house caught on fire to report a man lurking around your bedroom window.”

Shaking her head, Theresa clenched her chest. “I don’t know anyone by the name of Simon.”

Braylon asked, “Did this Simon guy get a description of the man or his car tag number?”

The detective shook his head. “Unfortunately, Simon stated there wasn’t a tag on the car. As far as a description of the man, the only thing Simon told dispatch was that he thought the perpetrator had worn all black. It was too dark to see anything.”

Fear was evident in Theresa’s shaky voice. “Why didn’t this Simon guy just stay and talk with the police? What was he doing here in the first place?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out.”

Braylon said, “We’ll do our best to find Simon and the person that destroyed your home.”

“I still can’t believe this is happening,” was all she had to say.

AT THE FIRST
sign of daylight
,
Sandella rolled out of bed at her father’s house and dragged herself to the bathroom across the hallway. She’d tossed and turned throughout the entire night and now fatigue threatened to zap the little strength she did have. She washed her hands and lathered her toothbrush with toothpaste.

The bristles of the electric toothbrush rotated over her teeth.
Royce hates it here. He kept me and Dad up all night asking to go home.
She gargled the minty flavored mouthwash.

Although she knew he disliked it there, she had no choice but to bring him home with her, especially after everything that had occurred last night. Not only had someone put her life in jeopardy, but Braylon had promised her father that he’d leave her alone until he found her mother’s killer. How likely was he to keep his promise? Better yet, would she be able to keep her hands off him? Already she missed him. Missed his big arms around her… missed his manly lips kissing her…missed his tongue flicking over her nipples. Her body tingled from the sensual thoughts.

“This is not going to work,” she said quietly, making her way down the hallway. When she reached the living room and spotted her father sleeping by the window with a rifle across his lap, sadness mixed with pride touched her heart. With his head bowed, he was snoring like a grizzly bear. Knowing him, he’d stayed up guarding the house all night, and hadn’t fallen asleep until just recently.

“Dad,” she called.

Kane’s body jerked awake swiftly. “Huh?” Bewilderment settled on his face. His eyes were puffy and red like he’d cried off and on throughout the night.

Sandella put a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you go to bed and lie down?”

Grief clouded his black eyes. “Do you really think that detective friend of yours can help us?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know for sure, Dad, but I do know that Braylon will do his best and try.”

Still grieving his wife, her father was desperate for justice to come to his family and so was she. He nodded. His lips trembled as if the horrible memories of her death were still haunting him. “We begged them damn fools, the damn police to help us, and they just ignored the shit out of us. It’s about goddamn time somebody did something sensible on our behalf. “That friend of yours…” his voice trailed off.

“What about Braylon?”

“I saw it in his eyes.”

“You saw what, Dad?”

“Trust. Sincerity. He’s gone find the son of a bitch that killed my Sugar. I saw pure determination in his eyes.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Me too.” He yawned. “I’m going to go and get some sl—”

Suddenly, the door cracked open.  Kane cocked his weapon and aimed it at the door. “Get in the back, Sandy,” he grumbled.

“Dad! Sandy!” Sandella’s brother called out. “It’s me, Aric.”

“Damn, boy, why you ain’t call before bursting in here like a robber?” Kane lowered his weapon.

Aric emerged inside the living room wearing a pair of blue jeans and a red sweater. Usually he’d smile when seeing them, but today his lips settled in a thin line. He threw his arms around his baby sister and squeezed her tight. “I did try calling, but the line was busy.”

Kane shook his head. “Royce kept talking on the phone last night and done went and left it off the hook.”

Sandella smiled. “He was probably trying to call Willa to come get him. Right after I make breakfast, I’m going to head over to the island.”

“Are you okay?” Aric quizzed, giving her an endearing stare. 

She put her hand over her heart. “I’m fine. You didn’t have to come all this way to see about me—”

“Yes, he did. And I did, too.” Chandler came through the door with a huge smile on his face. He dropped the black suitcase to the floor and spread his arms open for her. 

“Chandler!” Sandella shouted, running up to him and throwing her arms around his waist. “You guys are too much,” her voice pitched as she nuzzled her head against Chandler’s chest.

Wearing a long-sleeve, navy cotton shirt with matching bottoms, Drew emerged from the hallway yawning and rubbing a knuckle over his eyeball. “Next time y’all need to come after noon. A brotha is trying to get his rest so he can be ready for the ladies.”

“Be quiet, big head.” Aric gave Drew a bear hug.

With one hand wrapped around Sandella, Chandler held out his fist to Drew. “How about some football later?”

“I’m down with that,” Drew said, bumping his fist.

“Home. Home,” Royce said, coming out of the kitchen, walking up to Sandella.

She caressed his arm. “Okay, Royce. I’ll take you home. Give me a second to get dressed. Okay?”

His face split into a handsome smile. “K.”

Aric’s brows set in a straight line. “Do the police have any leads or idea who was trying to kill you last night?”

“Not yet. At least not that I’m aware of.”

Kane cleared his throat. “Should I tell her or you?”

“What?”

Aric’s face was serious, his lips set in a straight line. “We came here to get you and take you back to DC with us.”

Sandella placed her hands on her hips. “DC? Get me? What do you mean?”

Chandler cupped her shoulders. “Look, Sandy. We’re not about to let the same thing that happened to Mom happen to you. You’re coming home with us.”

“I’m not leaving here to go to DC.”

Chandler frowned. “Yes, you are…even if I have to drag you out of here. You’re going.”

“I can’t leave even if I wanted too.”

“Why not?” The brothers asked simultaneously.

“Well, I was going to wait to announce it, but I guess now is as good as ever.”

Kane rolled his eyes. “Lord Jesus. If this here girl says she’s getting married, I’m gone stroke right on outta here.”

Sandella laughed. “Dad, you’re so funny. I’m not getting married.”
I wish.
“But I can’t go because I started a bakery business…SugarKanes.”

Kane’s eyes widened. “What’s the name of the bakery again?”

She smiled. “SugarKanes.”

“You have a bakery named after me and your mother?

“Yes.”

“Oh, Sandy. This just melts my heart.”

“SugarKanes sells assorted desserts, but our specialty is my caramel pecan pies. I’m meeting with a realtor next week to discuss renting out some space near the island. And if business keeps booming like it presently is, I’m going to open up a bakery right here in Beaufort, too.”

Tears settled on Kane’s lashes. “SugarKanes? I’m so glad you named it after me and your mother.  I’m so proud of you.”

“Yes. But I can’t take all the credit. Braylon thought of the name for me,” she admitted, bashfully. “He even helped me set up my online bakery, distribution and all. If it weren’t for him, SugarKanes wouldn’t be happening.”

Kane sniffed. His gaze dropped to his lap. He slowly lifted his head. “Just go ahead.”

“Go ahead? Huh?” she said.

“You have my blessing to date the damn man,” Kane growled.

“You’re giving her your blessing to date a—”

“Marine!” all three brothers shouted in unison.

Sandella’s lips curved into a big grateful smile. She eased into her father’s lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and nuzzled her forehead against his. “Thanks, Dad.”

T
he torturous events that’d occurred last night had taken Braylon on a helluva roller coaster ride. Getting very little sleep, he fought hard as hell to keep his eyes open while working. He raked his fingers over the keyboard as tension coursed through his body, his watery eyes strained.

An expletive entered his mind. “This is useless,” he said, reclining in his chair. He swiveled the chair to stare out the window.

A set of cumulus clouds floated over the shining sun. Across the street, CMC General Davidson led a unit run. The trainees trekking behind him were clad in their green track suits with gold and scarlet “Marines” lettering. As the unit started to disappear into the distance, Braylon’s eyes honed in on the man jogging and carrying the American flag.

“Rough night, I heard,” a female said from behind. He recognized the sassy voice immediately. 
Alyssa.

He turned to find the officer pinning him with a sexy stare. Alyssa strode into his office dressed in a long-sleeve midnight blue coat with medals consolidating over her left chest area, a blue skirt, and a pair of navy pumps. Her brunette hair was pulled tight to the back of her head in a low bun, revealing the creamy texture of her flawless white skin.

“I don’t know if
rough
is the right word to use to describe last night. So you heard all about it, huh?” Was it possible that Alyssa was Simon? Every time he turned around here she was.

Without his permission, she closed the door. “Yes, I did. And that’s why I came to see you.”

“Oh.”

She closed in on him, stopping when she reached the other side of his desk. “Rumor has it that you’re dating Sandella Summers.”

He clasped his fingers on his desk. How in the hell did she know this? he wondered
,
sizing her up, thinking Alyssa more than likely was Simon. “My personal life is just that Alyssa…personal.”