Marrying the Marine-epub (6 page)

Reddish orange leaves spiraled gracefully from the limbs sprinkling down over them. The warm autumn day and setting were perfect for kissing, sharing, and making love.
Don’t try to bed her too soon
, he warned himself, inhaling her sweet, flowery scent. 

“I haven’t talked about my mother with anyone other than my family since the day she died.”

He cupped her hands. “There’s a first time for everything. I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

A heavy sigh pressed from her opened mouth. “She was such a beautiful woman, both inside and out.”

He put his mouth to her lobe. “Yes, she was beautiful. You look just like her in the photo.”

“She loved me and my brothers and my father so much. We were her world.” Sandella’s body relaxed within his strong embrace as she told him all about her grandmother’s upbringing, and how she’d picked cotton in the fields of South Carolina for a living. 

After reliving the happy life she’d had as a young teenager, she then moved on to the disastrous day her mother had died. He hadn’t expected her to tell him at this particular moment. As she opened her mouth to speak, her body tensed. “It was raining hard the night she died,” her voice cracked. 

RAIN POUNDED
the slick asphalt as Sandella drove down the dark narrow road toward her home in Beaufort. Large balls of hail dropped from the sky, cracking against the windshield. Pressing her breastbone to the steering wheel in an attempt to see better, she flicked her windshield wipers to full speed.

Thunder boomed! She flinched. God, she hated driving in bad weather.

When she reached the cul-de-sac near her home, she noticed an army of police cars swarming her house. Even in the thickness of the heavy rainfall, red and blue flashing lights emanating from police cars blazed straight through the darkness.

With her heart drumming in her chest, Sandella hopped out of the car and bolted up the driveway. An officer standing at the foot of the porch steps stopped her from going inside the house. After showing him her driver’s license verifying she lived there, the officer let her in.

She rushed passed her brother Drew weeping pitifully in the corner, and shot straight inside her parents’ bedroom. Her heart shattered like broken glass. Her mother’s mangled body lay on the stretcher with her father by her side.

She stood on the other side of the stretcher staring into her mother’s pale face. Her eyes were closed and she looked dead. Panic rose inside her.

“What happened?” she asked, shaken, her eyes combing over the red bruises staining her mother’s face, throat, and arms.

Her father’s grim voice cracked as he said, “Someone broke into the house—”

The paramedic burst in. “She was raped and stabbed. We have get her to the hospital now.”

“Waaiitt,” her mother slowly breathed out, opening her eyes. “Saannddy.” She grunted in pain as she flexed her fingers signaling for Sandella’s hand. “Promise me.”

“Promise you what?” Sandella asked, brushing errant bangs from her mother’s forehead.

“Prrromiise.” The whispered word slurred from her mother’s swollen lips. “Take care of your brothers.”

“You’re going to be fine. I don’t need to promise.”

Her mother swallowed, closed her eyes, then reopened them. “Promise,” she whispered. Blood was caked in the cracks of her inflamed, now purpling lips. 

“Yes, Momma. I promise I’ll take care of them.” The depths of Sugar’s eyes revealed deep love for her only daughter. Sandella pecked her mother’s cold cheek.

She wheezed. “I think I’m dying.” With her lips quivering, she half smiled.

Sandella started sobbing. “Please don’t leave me, Momma.”

“I taught you everything you need  to know,” she said, “so you could fly on your own. Now fly.” Her eyes rolled closed.

“And that’s what happened,” Sandella said, blowing Braylon’s mind. “A private told my father he’d heard it’d been another Marine who’d killed her. But he wouldn’t say who. The police never bothered to question the man either.”

“Why not?”

“According to them, there wasn’t probable cause. A month late the private was found murdered in the woods.”

“He was on to something.”

“That’s how my family and I felt.”

“I’m so, so, sorry, Sandella,” he said, squeezing her.

Her shoulders sagged. “I just feel if the killer was brought to justice, my father would finally be able to relax. He worries so much about me.”

His stomach roiled in disgust.
If someone hurt her, I’ll kill the bastard.
A strong need to protect her surfaced inside him. “Tell your father that he doesn’t have to worry about you now that I’m here.”

“That’s nice of you to say.”

“I didn’t say it to be nice. I said it because I meant it.” Braylon didn’t understand the newfound gentleness tugging at his heart for the damn woman. 

“Do you know if there’s any way I can go about reopening the case?”

You’re damn right there is.
“There’s a loophole in everything. I’ll see what I can do.”
My eyes and ears are going to be wide open when I start work on this criminal investigation.

“I’d appreciate anything you can do.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s my job.” Snuggling his cheek against the softness of her unruly hair, he kissed her tresses.
I’m going to find out who killed your mother, baby. I damn sure am.

S
andella’s hands curled around the steering wheel as she made her way across town toward her home in Beaufort. She glanced over at Royce, then returned her focus to the street. She lowered the visor to protect her vision from the orange glowing sun surrounded by hues of coral blues. She could imagine herself and Braylon walking along the coast with that same sun as the backdrop.
He’s such a great kisser. He makes me so hot.

Still reeling over the way Braylon had left her mouth scorching from their sizzling kiss, her nipples tingled. The lusty fantasy of his tongue leaving her mouth to lick her breasts aroused her. What a shame it was to have such sexual desires for a man who hadn’t even kissed her there yet.

Yet? 
Would Braylon would be her first lover? The man she lost her virginity to? The man that could put her father in an early grave if he found out about them? She shook her head to shake off the notion.
I can’t let that happen. I just can’t. But how do I control what I’m feeling? How do I deny myself him if he tries to seduce me?

Fifteen minutes after crossing the bridge, Sandella steered her car into the driveway of her home and parked. “Let’s go, Royce.” She grabbed her purse, they both exited, and they started up the driveway.

As she clambered the steps to the porch, her father’s angry voice stabbed the cool evening air.
What in the world is going on?
She opened the creaking screen door and stepped inside. Royce tagged along behind her.

“I said get in your room! Now!” Kane’s deep voice throttled angrily.  Apparently her father was having an altercation with Drew. But what in the world for? Drew was such a good kid. “Right now!”

Royce jumped. He grabbed Sandella’s hand and squeezed it so hard she thought he’d crack the bones. The shouts had him trembling. 

Sandella let go of Royce’s hand and clamped his shoulders. “It’s okay, Royce. Please don’t be scared,” she said, her hands running up and down his arms.

Royce nodded in understanding. “Okay.”

The floorboards creaked, alerting her that her father was heading in her direction. Wondering what in the heck was going on she turned to face the narrow hallway. Kane’s hands clenched the wheels of the chair as he steered himself inside the living room.

Her father’s bottom lip rolled under. “That brother of yours has lost his damn mind! He’s grounded for a whole month!”

A month?
She put her hands on her hips and spoke softly. “Dad, could you please lower your voice? Royce is terrified of yelling.”

Kane’s bitter voice came out low as he spoke through clenched teeth. “Your brother can’t be trusted.”

Drew isn’t disrespectful. This has to be a misunderstanding.
Sandella tilted her head. “What did he do, Dad?”

Kane drew a cigarette from his shirt pocket and waved it at Sandella. “Nettie Mae called me. She told me that one of her cackling-mouth friends saw Drew over at Colonel Barton’s house playing football in the goddamn backyard. I have told him over and over not to go inside any of those Marines’ houses.”

Hearing the malice for Marines in her father’s voice sickened her. Sighing, her breath came out harsh. She rubbed her temples hoping she’d soothe away the dull pain in her head.
I was with a Marine earlier today too,
was on the brink of spilling from her lips.

Braylon and I don’t stand a freaking chance.
“Dad, don’t you think you’re being a little hard on him?”

He held the lighter to the end of the cigarette. His brows gathered in the center of his forehead. His cheeks sucked inward as he inhaled and smoke spiraled from his brown lips. The cold stare in his round black eyes chilled her. “Your mother was killed by a Marine. For all I know Barton may be the damn killer,” he said, lowering the cigarette to the ashtray on the table by the wall.

He has to stop with all this.
“The Bartons seem like such a good family. From what I hear their sons are straight-A students like Drew. It’s not good to shelter him, Dad. Isn’t it better for him to be around teenagers that are doing well, than to hang out with—”

“I’m not changing my mind, Sandy. Now follow me.” Kane steered the chair around and rolled himself down the hallway.

What if Claude calls and tells him he saw me with Braylon at the restaurant on the beach? Dear God, please let this stay our little secret.
With Royce behind her, she followed her father into the master bedroom. A chill enveloped her. God, she’d never get used to going inside this room, the room where her mother was raped and murdered.

Although they’d changed the furniture around, replaced the bedspread, and painted the walls a bright ivory color, she still could see the bloody images of her mother’s dying body as if she’d been killed just yesterday. Maybe if they got another house her father would be able to see things differently, be able to finally heal and move on with his life. Maybe she would be able, too. Who was she kidding? They couldn’t afford another house.

Kane hunched over in his chair and pulled open the drawer to the nightstand. He hefted a brown wooden case then turned to face her. “After Nettie Mae told me about Drew, I went out and bought you something.”

“What?” she asked.

“Close the door,” Kane ordered. 

Her eyes turned to Royce. “Is it okay if Royce stays in here with us? If not, I can have him wait in the living room.”

Kane shook his head. “I don’t mind him hearing what I have to say. He doesn’t talk so I don’t have to worry about him repeating it.”

“He is talking now. And he understands more than you think he does. He’s even reading.”

“That’s good he’s reading. I’m proud of you, Sandy. Let him stay.” 

Kane’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Royce. “Everything that goes on in this room remains quiet. You hear me?”

Royce didn’t answer. He just stared at Kane.

“Damn, Sandy. I thought you said this here boy could talk.”

“He does. He just doesn’t talk much. I’m still working on his communication skills.”

“Now that doesn’t make any sense to me. He can read, but he doesn’t talk. Sounds damn near crazy.”

She sighed. “Dad, please.” As much as she loved her father he was starting to get on her last nerve. As soon as she fixed dinner for him and Drew she was heading back to the estate. She might even take Drew with her if Kane agreed.

“Look here, Royce,” Kane said. “You protect my daughter if one of those damn Marines comes near her, you hear?”

Her headache had filled her entire forehead by this point.

Silence. 

Kane cleared his throat. “Anyway. As I was saying…I bought this for you.” With the case sitting in his lap, he pulled back the lid.

Her heart squeezed. Inside the compartment lay a shiny black pistol. She placed a hand to her chest.

“My God, Dad. A gun? Really? A gun!”

Royce patted the top of his head repetitively while gritting his teeth. He did this often whenever he became nervous.

“You better calm down, Sandy. Your friend there is getting nervous.”

Sandella rubbed gentle circles on Royce’s back. “It’s okay, Royce. I’m sorry for yelling.” She smiled. He lowered his hand to his side, and smiled back.

Kane’s gaze shifted to the pistol then back up to her face. He extended the case to her. “I bought this here beauty for you. If Colonel Barton or any of those Marines come near you, I want you to blow their fucking heads off. Don’t even hesitate. Just shoot the shit out of them.”
Dear Lord.
“Starting tomorrow, I’m going to teach Drew how to shoot, too.”

Feeling overwhelmed, she folded her arms beneath her breasts. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting? I mean…not all Marines are bad. I’m sure there’re more good ones than bad ones.”
Especially the one that nearly sucked my face off earlier…I loved every minute of it, too.

His eyes widened. After putting the case on the bed, he wheeled himself as close as possible to her, leaving hardly any space. He glared. “The day,” he bared his teeth, “you let your guard down and began to trust one of those Marines…” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple gliding up and down. “…is the day you’re going to end up just…like…your…mother,” he clipped out.

The dark malice swirling inside his pupils caused her own eyes to mist. Kane’s tremendous grief pained her. Standing before him, she mentally prayed that God someday, real soon, would heal his broken heart. She’d give anything for him to be whole and happy again. “I love you, Daddy.”