She's Mine (9 page)

“He said that spending time with my dad, and also taking my virginity meant that I belonged to him.” She chuckled. “I don’t know.”

“You’d say yes to him though, right?”

“Yeah, I would. How was it with Brice after I left?”

“We stayed, played some pool, danced a little, and then went home. We had sex, and then he left.”

“You don’t mind that?” Raven asked.

She wouldn’t be able to stand Drew taking what he wanted and leaving.

“Some people want different things. I like Brice. I care about him, and I know he feels the same about me. We’re not in love. One day I’ll find the man for me, and Brice and I will be friends.”

“You haven’t talked about staying together?”

“We’ve talked about it. It’s not going to happen though. Neither of us wants to have that kind of commitment.”

“I’ve packed all the kitchen,” Miranda said, coming into the bedroom. “Are you sure about this, honey?”

“Yes, I am.”

“That’s all I want to know. I’m going to hear your father cursing this man for the next couple of weeks.”

“I don’t know why. He likes Drew.”

“I know. It’s a guy thing. It’s supposed to be accepted for them to hate each other.” Her mother threw her hands up. “I don’t get it. I’ll never get it, but I guess I’m not supposed.”

They all laughed.

“What’s this I hear about some trouble at Bobby’s bar?” Miranda said, folding her arms.

“How did you even know something had happened?” Raven asked.

“You’re our daughter, and Clark likes to make sure his girl is taken care of. Also Bobby and Clark go back a long way. He called us up, said that Drew handled it, but he heard enough to say he wasn’t happy.”

“Francine giving out some vicious rumors.”

“Ah, that kind of trick. Yes, it happened to me. Your father doesn’t know this, but I know he took care of it. He hurt the man who was making sleazy suggestions.” Miranda sighed. “Women, some of us can be right bitches, don’t you think?”

Cathy laughed. “Yeah, we really can.”

“What’s Drew said?”

“Nothing much. He doesn’t like the fact that I’ve been targeted.”

“You should have seen him, Mrs. Howard. He punched the fucker right in the face. A couple of times, too.”

“Damn right he should. No one should be talking shit about my girl.”

“Mom.”

“I mean it, honey. I’m proud that you haven’t let them push you away. You love a man strong enough then you stick by him, thick and thin.”

“Like you and Dad?”

“Exactly like your father and me. I don’t promise it will be easy. In fact it’s going to be hard, but if you love someone that hard, then you stick with it. Too many people in this day and age give up when the going gets hard. That’s not the way to make a strong marriage.”

“Some people just make mistakes,” Raven said.

“Either way, you’ve made a good choice with Drew. He’s a keeper, all right.”

Raven couldn’t deny it.

She loaded up the truck for a second time, and before she could enter the apartment to grab her last few items, Drew pulled her into his arms. “Are you ready for this next step of our lives together?”

“Hell, yeah. Are you ready to go to the DIY store?”

“Why?”

“I’d like to give the dining room a lick of paint, if that’s okay. It could do with a bit of sprucing up.”

“Putting your stamp on our place.”

She got a thrill from him calling it “our place”.

“Yep, and you better get used to it.”

He pressed his lips against hers, and told her that he would.

Chapter Nine

After a whirlwind weekend, Drew went back to work Monday, ready to face the day. He started out his usual morning routine, but at nine o’clock he asked Seymor if he could leave to take care of some business.

“What business would you have if you don’t mind me asking?” Seymor asked.

“I’ve got to see a guy about a problem with his girl,” Drew said.

“Ah, the issue at Bobby’s place.”

“Going to see William, get this problem dealt with.”

“Women are funny creatures. I was always thankful my Julia had a good heart. Raven reminds me a little of her. A good heart, a good woman.”

“She moved in with me.”

“Congratulations.”

“I’ve also proposed, but I’ve got to do that a little better. I was going to ask later this week when my mom’s ring comes back, can I head back into town to propose to my girl?”

“Of course. You’re a hard worker, Drew. You never once turned your back on the ranch. Neither did Brice, and that means more to me than anything.”

Drew paused, glancing over at his boss. “Does it hurt sometimes?” he asked. “Seeing all of this, knowing she’s the reason it’s all here. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t ask.”

“Five months ago I’d have told you to get your fucking ass back to work. I’ve seen a change in you. You were a hard worker, Drew, but you were also a man living in a shell. Nothing seemed to get to you. You were closed off from everything around you. You wouldn’t look alive at times.”

He couldn’t lie. Up until Raven came back into his life, he didn’t care for anything else. The only person he wanted had been a world away. The moment she came back, that first glimpse, and it was like she’d woken him up from a long sleep.

“Yeah, it hurts. This was Julia’s home. She stayed by my side when cattle was failing, and I couldn’t pay the bills. One morning, after I’d drunk myself into oblivion, she dumped my ass in the shower, made me wake up. Next I knew we were in my office, and she had a large file of the other business ventures I could go into. Cattle wasn’t the only thing a rancher could do. She had a vision, and through that vision, she saw how good the O’Donald ranch could be. I believe she’d be proud at what she sees, at what I’ve achieved here. It’s all because of her.”

“You never had any kids?”

“No. Julia couldn’t have any, and we couldn’t adopt either. Having kids is expensive. We had each other, and that’s enough.”

“I’m going to head on out.”

“Hey, Drew,” Seymor said.

“Yes, sir.”

“How do you feel about training to take over the reins of this place?”

“Me?”

“Yeah. Your father and I talked about it a few times, but we never got to talk with you. Do you think this is something you’d like to do?”

Drew glanced over and couldn’t believe it. “I’m going to have to think about it.”

“You think about it, and we’ll talk more when you’re ready.”

He was blown away, and didn’t have a clue what to make of it even as he drove into town. Avoiding passing the bakery, he made his way into the Connor building, and parked up. Climbing out, he entered the reception. The woman behind the desk looked him up and down, the disdain on her face clear.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“I’m here to talk to William.”

“Mr. Connor only takes appointments.”

“Tell him he needs to see me. It’s about his wife. I’m not going anywhere. He’ll see me.”

She huffed out and picked up the phone. “Mr. Connor, I’m so sorry to bother you. I’ve got a gentleman,” she covered the phone, and asked for his name, “a Mr. Drew Reynolds is here to—” She paused going bright red. “Oh, I see. Yes, sir.” She put the phone down. “He said to go straight through.” She pointed toward the door, and he nodded.

“Thanks.”

Making his way toward the door, he entered the office, saying Connor’s name.

William was behind the desk, and the moment he came in, he hung up the phone, and got to his feet.

“I’ll be damned, Drew Reynolds. I knew you worked at the ranch, but I thought you had forgotten who I was. I’ve been back in town six months, and nothing.” William came around the desk, and held his hand out, shaking it.

Drew noticed there was no wedding ring.

“I’m afraid this wasn’t a social visit.”

“I figured as much,” William said, sighing. “What’s going on?”

“Are you married?” Drew asked, staring at the finger with no ring.

William cursed. “Yeah, as per my father’s will, I had to marry that fucking viper, Francine Luderman. Fucking hate her. If I could change it, I would. My heart belongs to another.” William shuddered. “I heard you were fucking Francine all the way up to the wedding.”

Drew stilled. “Okay, this is not going the way I imagined it would. If a man was touching my woman, he wouldn’t be standing before me right now.”

His old friend sighed. “Look, I married Francine because I had to. This is my fucking company. I earned this. However, in my father’s will, he made sure, the fucking bastard, that I had no option but to marry the woman of his choice. Believe me, I don’t have any love for Francine. I couldn’t even stand to be in the same room as her. Marrying her was just business.”

“Well, your ‘just business’ has an issue with the fact that I’ve moved on, and that I’ve found love.”

“Raven Howard?”

“Yeah, you heard?”

“I heard that you’d made a claim. She belongs to you, and no man was to touch. She’s a good woman, a good girl. Kind of reminds me of my own.”

“Huh?” Drew said, confused again.

William pulled out his wallet and opened it up. “Clara, she’s mine. Met her when I was in college. She was a waitress. Fell in love, and we have two kids together.”

“How are you married?”

“My father’s will states I only have to be married to Francine. I have nothing to do with the woman. I don’t touch her, I don’t care about her. She sickens me, Drew. I’m a man, a businessman. Clara is who belongs to me. Now, if you’d been banging my real girl, you’d be dead on the floor.”

“I want you to get Francine and her vipers to stop hurting my woman, William. You know what love is. I can see it in your eyes when you look at that picture. Imagine a woman from your past making her life a living hell.”

“I wouldn’t stand by.”

“I don’t know what you can do—”

William held his hand up. “I may be a businessman, but I’m also her meal ticket as well. The only reason she can hold her head up high is because of me. Don’t worry, I can put Francine in her place. I’ll even make sure her little group knows as well.”

Drew went to speak, but the woman’s voice from the front desk alerted them that Francine was in fact there.

“How would you like to see me strip her down, verbally that is, right here? That way, you’ll know it has been done.”

Drew took a seat as William gave the order to send her in.

Francine stormed into the office and threw down the plastic credit card. “This is used up. I need another.”

“Another?” William asked, taking a seat behind the desk.

“You’re not fucking me, William, the least you can do is pay for stuff I want,” Francine asked.

“Ah, I see, we’ve got a problem. You know Drew, don’t you?” William said, pointing toward him.

Francine paled and looked a little aghast.

“Yes, I’ve heard about him.”

“Don’t try to pretend you weren’t fucking him, dear,” William said. The sarcasm in his endearments was clear to hear. “He doesn’t want your rotten pussy, just like I don’t.”

“How dare—”

“You will leave Raven and him alone. Is that understood?” William asked. His voice was dripping with pure hate.

“Why the hell will I do anything you say?”

There was a pause, a brief silence.

William flicked the credit card on the desk. “Okay, you’re right. You shouldn’t listen to me. That will be all.”

“Credit card,” Francine said. “I need one.”

“Excuse me, but no.”

She laughed. “Stop being an ass.”

“I suggest you get one of your bitch friends to buy dinner, and to take you to that spa that costs me a couple of grand for all of you.”

“No!”

William got to his feet. “Why should you do as I say? Because I’m the one that controls what you buy. You think people will look at you the same when I take away your house? The money you spend, none of it is yours.”

“I’ll tell Daddy.”

“Go ahead. He’s got no control over what I do. Think about it, Francine. Money or no money. I don’t care if I live in a trailer. What will it do for you?”

****

“What did she say?” Raven asked.

“Francine caved. Called him a bully, but he’s told her until he knows for certain she’s going to stop, he’s limiting her account, and that he’d canceled the spa date.”

“I bet that didn’t go down well.” She handed him a drink and took a seat beside him. Neither of them could do anything as today she’d gotten her period, and had told him so. She was in pain with the cramps. He pulled her toward him, and started to rub her stomach.

“It didn’t. She’s not going to cause any more trouble for us. I can guarantee it. Money is all she cares about.”

“Money can do a lot of bad things to people, don’t you think?” she asked. “It makes them … different.”

“Yeah, it does. I’m just glad he took care of it.”

“Did you think he wouldn’t?”

“I don’t know. It was a long shot to be honest.”

“I didn’t know you even knew William.”

“Back in high school. We weren’t close, but we were friends. He went away to college with big dreams, and he came back home. Poor fucker had to actually marry her when he’s got a woman and two kids he loves more. Doesn’t even touch her.”

“That’s just … sad. Don’t you think?” she asked.

“Sad, hell yeah.”

“Spending your life with a woman you can’t stand, while the woman you love has to know that you’re married to someone else. I don’t think I could ever go through something like that.”

“Me neither, baby. I couldn’t stand to be associated with anyone but you.”

She closed her eyes, enjoying the way his fingers caressed over her stomach. “I’m glad you did it.”

“Me, too. I couldn’t stand to have any more shit happen to you because of me.”

Raven didn’t know what to say, so she stayed quiet. “It’s okay.”

“It wasn’t okay. I should have learned to keep it in my pants.”

“I don’t want you to keep it in your pants.” She winked at him. “I like having you use it.”

“Oh, baby, when we can, I’m going to show you how good it can be when you let me play with you.”

She giggled.

“Would you like to go out with me tonight?” he asked.

“To the bar?”

“Yeah. I want to take you out. I don’t care what people think.”

“I’d like that.”

Raven got to her feet and rushed to get dressed. She settled on a pair of jeans and a figure-hugging shirt. She felt as sexy as she could given the circumstances. Drew was waiting for her by the door, and they left the house, to climb into his truck.

It didn’t take them long to arrive, and considering it was a Monday, it was very busy. Drew climbed out first and moved around the truck to help her out. With the door closed, he pressed her against the metal and claimed her lips.

“Fuck, I love you, Raven Howard.”

“Ditto, Drew Reynolds.” She kissed him back, knowing she wanted to do all kinds of dirty things to him, but having to wait.

“Come on, let’s go inside.”

He took her hand, and they made their way inside Bobby’s bar. Several people turned to look at them, but no one said anything.

Making their way toward the bar, they both ordered a beer.

“You’re not going to cause trouble tonight, are you?” Bobby asked.

“Not at all. I wanted to take my girl dancing.”

There were some slow moves going on, and Raven wanted to be part of it. She’d never danced much growing up. Boyfriends hadn’t really been her thing.

Taking a sip of her beer, she gave a little sigh as Drew wrapped his arm around her waist drawing her up close against him. It was nice to get out of the house, to have a little alone time with each other.

“Is there something you want?” she asked.

“Yeah, I want to dance with you.”

Finishing their beers, he took her onto the dance floor, where there happened to be a slow song playing.

“What’s going on, Drew?” she asked. “Something tells me you’ve got something on your mind.”

“I want to ask you a few questions.”

“Okay. I’m ready.”

One of his hands held hers close to his chest, and the other he rested on the base of her back.

“I was wondering what you had planned for the next fifty years?”