Nicademus: The Wild Ones (28 page)

“So you didn’t want me?”

“I was scared, Annie. Scared of us. A coward because my feelings had so much control over me. I wanted you, I still do. I just didn’t know why I did. I thought it was the circumstances. How we come together. How we fought for the town. I thought if I stayed I’d eventually want to leave. That being my father and finishing his business was what I was supposed to do. What I really needed to do.”

“And did you do it? Did you become your father?” she asked.

“I tried,” Jeremiah replied. “Went back, hired a few hands and started to farm. Even opened up an office to sell my produce. Even … even got a new girl,” he confessed.

Annabelle sat back. “You married?”

“No. NO! But I did all the things I thought I should. Annie, I never touched her. It weren’t proper because … I just … I tried to be what I thought I should be. The farm, her, everything was what I thought I should be. I’m sorry. I’m really trying to be honest with you,” Jeremiah said.

“What else happened?” she asked, but this time she couldn’t look at him. He had lied to her before. He had hidden his feelings from her before and it cost him her respect. If he wanted it back, he reasoned he had to tell her everything.

“I was miserable. I’m no good at farming. As bad as my dad was. And I can’t run a business. Never could. I was hemorrhaging money.”

“And the girl? What about her?”

“She wasn’t you.” Jeremiah reached across the table and touched her hand. Annabelle pulled her hand away. “I was wrong. It took for me to be wrong to know the right choice. I sold my business, and my land. I’m here with all that I have left because here with you in Nicademus is where I belong. I’m back to ask for your forgiveness. For another chance. We’ve been through so much, Annie. I’ll do anything to make it right.”

Annabelle sighed. “So now I heard it. Everyone tell me I should listen to your explanation and it’ll make things clear. Know what, Jeremy? It doesn’t! I trusted you. You broke my heart because you a coward. And I can’t be with a coward. I don’t have to. I got a hero now. A man. He with the 9
th
Calvary, and he ain’t afraid of my skin or what others think of loving me. He just love me for me.”

“Do you love him?” Jeremiah asked, unable to keep his emotion from his voice.

Her lips were pressed together stubbornly but her eyes told him the truth. They misted over with repressed emotion. Somewhere in her heart was room for him. He had to believe it. The thought of reclaiming what he had tossed away was all that got him through his misery. Nothing, not even her hero would keep him from trying.

“Get out. We’re done talking. I made my choice and I choose Sampson,”

“No! I’m not a coward anymore.” He slammed his fist down on the table. “I know the difference. I didn’t win that war with Tyler Shepherd. You and your people did. I didn’t avenge my father. I got my land back by default. That is why going home was the cowardly thing to do. Coming back here, to stand up for who I love, that makes me a man! You hear me, Annie? Because I’m not going anywhere. Never again. And I will find a way to make you mine.”

Jeremiah got up from his chair and Annabelle immediately stood. She backed up. “Don’t come closer. I heard what you said and it don’t change nothing,” her voice broke with emotion. “I loved you. And you threw it away. I’m mad at you! I hate you for making me feel this way. I choose Sampson.”

He reached for her hand. She was too weak not to allow him to hold it. “I don’t trust you! I don’t want to trust you and I sure as hell don’t plan on forgiving you!”

Jeremiah kissed her hand.

“You’re a liar! A bandit. A …”

He pulled her to him. “An outlaw? A bad man?” he asked.

She stared into his green gem eyes. He put her hand behind her back to keep her pinned to him. “I’ll sleep outside your door until you let me in, forgive me. And when you do, Annabelle, I’m going to spend every day making it up to you. I got money. You want to go away to that Negro college and be a nurse, I’ll send you. I’ll be right here waiting for you. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you mine.”

She blinked back her tears. “I don’t know if we belong together,” she said. “The problem is, I know we don’t belong apart.”

He dropped his forehead against hers. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to lift her in his arms and carry her to bed. Make love to her as he had in his dreams for so many lonely months. But it was too soon, and he wouldn’t make the same mistakes twice. Instead he held her and waited for her to return the embrace. When she eventually did he knew he was home and one day soon everything would be alright.

The End.

Sienna Mynx is your naughty-author of Contemporary, and Historical Multicultural Romance. Her dramatic tales of forbidden love are for readers that love the bad boys but desire to be the women to tame them. Variety is the spice of life, and each Sienna Mynx tale reflects the diversity that continues to remain colorblind. Sienna currently has 32 published books, as an indie author under her publishing company The Divas Pen LLC. A current resident of Georgia, Sienna Mynx has emerged into the e-publishing scene with spicy uncompromising tales of decadence.

Other Spicy Historical Romances written by Sienna Mynx:

Buttercup – 1940’s Prohibition IR Romance

Harmony – 1920’s Harlem Renaissance Romance

To learn more about the Battaglia Series, future releases and projects currently underway pleas visit Sienna Mynx at The Divas Pen (
http://thedivaspen.com
)