by Cyndi Raye
“Ah, yes, Marshall Montgomery. I recall him, slightly,” Ward said, his dislike for the man clearly written on his face. Byron was not a man to hide his emotions. He kept his eye on Lily. It made her nervous.
“If you’ll excuse me, I believe I’ll get some air before turning in,” Lily mentioned to no one in particular. She swung around and raced through the front door, finding herself clutching the rails of the porch. She breathed in the evening air, her heart and hands shaking like a stick on the edge of a cliff. The front door eased open. She knew it was Byron who stood beside her. “What do you want? Haven’t you done enough?”
Byron chuckled but it sounded so mean, as if he enjoyed getting people riled. “Do I need to stick around Wichita Falls for awhile?”
She turned to him, angry. “Why? I won’t tell your secret. I promised you I would never tell, to the fact I have given up the man I love. Can’t you leave here and never come back?”
Byron cackled like an old hen. “What would the fun be in that, dear Miss Lily?”
“This isn’t fun. I have to see him every day now that he has moved back. You will cause me to leave here, Byron. I’ll have to leave my home.”
Byron placed a cigar in his mouth, flicking a match against the wooden pillar, never asking permission to light up. “I never told you that you couldn’t see him.”
She placed her hands on her hips, tired of the games he played. “How do you expect me to look him in the eye every single day knowing you touched me like you did. I am ashamed. I can’t let him know that I am no longer a pure woman.”
Byron chewed on the tip of his cigar. “Is that what you think, Lily, that you are no longer pure? It doesn’t sound like anyone has ever told you about these things. Here are the facts, we didn’t go that far. I didn’t do anything to you. Not like you think. I tried, God knows I tried but it wasn’t meant to be.”
It was true, no one had ever explained anything to her when it came to being with a man. She figured when he put his hands on her, she was no longer pure. All Lily wanted to do was spit in his face. He had humiliated her, plain and simple. “You were drunk, Byron, and stumbled across my room that night. You attacked me and tried to use me to see if you could make love to a woman, which you couldn’t.” In her mind’s eye, she remembered that night too well, how his hands clawed all over her, tore her nightshirt down the front. He laid on her, tried to push her legs apart and then collapsed over her body and sobbed like a little girl. The next thing she knew he was exposing his soul to her. He was in love with a man twice his age, who also took a liking to men like him. Lily was appalled and horrified, this was totally unheard of.
When Byron finally dried his tears that night, he snuck away and Lily thought he would never return, too embarrassed to ever show his face in the saloon again. But the next night, there he was, having dinner at one of her tables.
While Lily was in the kitchen cleaning dishes, Byron had shoved her against a wall and held his hand over her mouth. He warned her then if she ever spoke about what had happened, he would kill the man she loved, Ben. If he couldn’t do it, he would have one of his men do the dirty deed.
That’s when she began to back away from Ben. She couldn’t afford for him to ever find out and knew if she stayed with him that someday she would spill the beans, even if she tried hard not to. Lily could never live a lie with Ben, he deserved so much more.
When she had told Ben it was over between the two of them, he had left back then, breaking her heart, but she couldn’t afford for him to find out. She valued his life above all else, even her own happiness. Now he was back and wanting so much more. How would she get through this? She had to make Byron see it wasn’t fair to put her in this position. “Byron, you have to take back your threat. I can’t keep such a thing from Ben. It isn’t fair.”
“Life isn’t fair, girly. I am in no position for this secret to get out. Perhaps I should take care of you instead.”
She got his meaning loud and clear. He could have her killed if he wanted to. The man had all the money in the world to hire someone to get rid of her. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Some way or another she would expose Byron for the tyrant he was. She didn’t know how she would do it, but God willing, she would find a way. “I promised to keep my mouth shut and I will. You stay away from Ben. I want your word.”
Byron took the palm of his hand and grabbed her cheek. Her head slanted to one side so she couldn’t move. His eyes were so mean and hateful it put a deep fear in her gut. He whispered in her ear so no one on the street could hear the exchange between them. “I make no promises and won’t give you my word. You just do as you’re told, Miss Lily.”
He left her standing on the porch, her body shaking like a leaf. She was coming to the conclusion he enjoyed frightening her. It was part of his weirdness.
She sighed. When Lily turned, she saw someone standing next door. Since the boarding house was next door to the staged house, she figured it was someone from the open house. But when she looked closer, she realized it was Ben. He saw the whole exchange.
<><>
“I have no clue what the two of them were doing, but they looked like a loved-starved couple who hadn’t seen each other for months.” Ben paced back and forth in his brother’s office.
“Maybe things aren’t what they appear to look like,” Dawson offered.
“If that’s the case, he was pretty darn close to her. Lily didn’t back away but allowed him to get closer. She didn’t seem to mind or care what anyone thought, standing like that on Miss Addie’s front porch. What am I going to do?”
“Stand up and fight for her. You aren’t going to let him take her away from you, are you, brother?”
“Hell no!” Ben roared, his voice booming so loud Grace opened the door and peeked in.
“Is everything alright here?” she asked, her tired face smiling anyway.
Dawson stood. “Grace, honey, go lay down. Everything here is fine. You’ve put in a long day.” He went to his wife’s side, wrapping strong arms around her. She smiled up at his brother with so much love, Ben noted a bit of jealousy ripping through his gut.
This was what he wanted for him and Lily. But she was obviously torn between two men. Anger filled his heart as a rage he didn’t know existed hit him like a rock grazing the side of his head. The anger was for himself. If he hadn’t gone away there wouldn’t have been time for her to meet Byron Ward. Ward was one of the richest men in the area and he flaunted his wealth like nobody’s business. Ben couldn’t believe Lily would want a man like him.
He wasn’t about to let Ward have Lily, not without a fight. Not even with a fight. He was going to claim her if it was the last breath he ever took.
Dawson turned to him before directing his wife through the door. “Ben, you have a hotel to run. Don’t you think it’s time to get started?”
Ben stopped dead in his tracks. “Yes. Yes, I do and I’ll be needing someone to fix it up and decorate.” He knew Lily loved to do such things. He slammed the door on his way out, its bell jingling as he walked down the side walk towards his hotel. In the morning, he would make his Lily an offer she could never refuse.
<><>
“Why, Good morning to you, Mr. Sloan. What brings you here so early? Come now, have some coffee with us.”
“Why, thank you, Miss Addie. I’m afraid I can’t come in. I have a hotel to run and it’s time I get started. I’m here to offer Miss Morgan a job. One that will be hard for her to refuse.”
“A job? Oh, that would be wonderful, Mr. Sloan. Please, do come in and stay for a while. The hotel can wait thirty minutes.”
She held the door wide open, expecting him to enter. Ben walked through since he couldn’t ever refuse anything Miss Addie insisted upon, just like every other person in the town. She had a way with words and it was downright rude to refuse her. He sighed, not wanting to offer Lily the job in front of Byron Ward but he had to get her away from the boarding house whe
re Ben knew Ward was staying while in town. The man could afford his own place here and yet he stayed at the only boarding house in Wichita Falls. Didn’t make any sense unless he was here to woo Lily. A slow smile curved his lips. He would make sure Lily wasn’t around to be courted by Ward.
“Mr. Sloan, please sit down and have a cup of coffee. I insist.” Miss Addie took a cup off the table against the far wall and set it in front of him while she fixed his coffee.
“Thank you, Miss Addie.” He looked around the table, seeing some unfamiliar faces. They all came in with Ward, he assumed. Two men who had trouble written on their faces stared hard. It didn’t make Ben uncomfortable though, not much ever did. He was only here for one purpose and it wasn’t to start a brawl in Miss Addie’s boarding house. “Is Lily here?”
The moment he said the word, she came through the door in a beautiful red gown. Lily’s dark hair was covered by a small, dark hat on the top of her head and a veil that dropped slightly to cover part of her face. She had a brown knit shawl around her shoulders, as if she were going out.
“Lily, dear, Mr. Sloan is here to see you.” Addie’s words were not missed by the man who followed Addie to the table. Byron Ward sat down, not bothering to look at any of the guests. He could care less, it seemed, until he heard Sloan’s name mentioned. His head came up as eyes darted back and forth until they fell upon Ben.
“Ward.” Ben nodded, turning to his cup on the table. He didn’t feel like getting in to a conversation or any light talk with Ward. Not today. Today he had one mission and that was to get Lily out of here and in to his hotel. A place where he could show her his love every single moment of the day. Sooner or later, she would see how much he did care.
“Ben,” Ward mumbled, then focused on his plate. He ignored everyone at the table, which Ben didn’t mind at all. Ben knew even though he acted as if he wasn’t listening, Ward wasn’t stupid. He became a rich man overnight and it wasn’t because he didn’t pay attention.
The thing Ben wanted to know was why he wanted Lily so bad when he could have any woman in town or in the whole territory? Why Lily?
Ben sighed. He knew why. Lily was more beautiful with her dark hair and eyes that drew you in to their deepest depths when she looked at you. Lily seemed to draw a person deep inside, as if you were the only man in the world she cared about. It was no wonder Ward fell for her.
He didn’t realize he was clutching the coffee cup until Miss Addie mentioned the fact. “Mr. Sloan, I’m not sure why every man in town wants to crush my fine china, but if you don’t ease up on that cup, it will break.”
He set the cup down. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I must go but may I have a word with Miss Lily first?”
He stood up and offered his arm to Lily. She hesitated, looked at Ward before turning away so fast no one in the room seemed to notice. But Ben did. He didn’t miss a thing. Why did she feel she had to get permission from Ward? More determined than ever, he walked to the door and opened it for Lily to go first.
When they were on the porch, he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her good morning, but he didn’t. Instead, Ben took her hand. “I have a proposition for you, Lily. I need your help. Actually, I need your expertise. I do truly understand you want us to be friends. So, as a friend I am asking for your help to decorate my new hotel. I’m no good at putting up the décor. I’m good at buying the buildings and that’s as far as I go.”
Lily stared at him, her dark eyes wide and beautiful this morning. He wanted to bend down and kiss each eyelid, bring a sparkle back to her face.
“Ben, you can hire anyone to do that. Why me?”
“Because you love to decorate things, Lily. I remember how excited you were when they asked you to decorate the parish before the preacher and his wife moved in. The townsfolk all said what a fine job you did. Remember?”
She nodded. “Ben, is this a way to keep me in your sights? If so, I can’t do that and you know this.” She turned to go back inside but he wasn’t about to give up.
“I’m not only offering you a great job but you can have a room at the hotel and when the décor is finished, I’ll keep you on with a salary. Lily, I need you. I want to make this the finest hotel west of the Mississippi.”
“But Miss Addie hired me to help her here. I can’t just walk away from a good, steady job.”
“Yes, you can. Miss Addie gave you a job so you don’t ever have to go back to the saloon. She doesn’t really need the help.” When Lily looked surprised, he took his finger and placed it gently over her mouth. “Shh, I know what happened at the saloon, Dawson told me everything. He said the owner kicked you out and Miss Addie came to your rescue.”
“Dawson had no business to tell you, Ben. Nothing I do is anyone else’s business, including yours.”
Ben leaned in to Lily, closing in on her ear. He offered her such a large amount of pay that her eyes widened and she pushed him back. Her hands flew to her hips. “Ben Sloan, that is preposterous! It’s too much! Why, I would work for half that amount!”
“Done! I’ll see you at work in thirty minutes.”
“I didn’t agree to do this, Ben. Wait! Don’t walk away now! I’ve not agreed to work for you!” He was already down the street, his back to her.
“Thirty minutes, Lily. It will be the best job you ever had. Just think, you have free rein to decorate the entire hotel. Who wouldn’t want this job?”
<><>
The others must have heard his loud voice from the street because in a heartbeat Miss Addie and Byron were on the porch. “Did I hear Ben right? He offered you a job?” When Lily just nodded in shock, Addie clapped her hands. “Oh, honey, this is wonderful. He can pay you so much more than I can.”
It was in that moment Lily realized Miss Addie had been going out on a limb for her. She could be renting out the room Lily was staying in and making money, except she was letting Lily have it for working in her establishment. Ben was right. The older woman was being kind, doing the Christian thing and it was only fair for Lily to consider his job offer. She’d be a fool to turn and walk away, even though it was an offer from Ben Sloan. Miss Addie grabbed her skirts to rush back inside. “Excuse me please, I have something important to do.” That quick she was gone from the porch.
Byron snorted. “I see this as an opportunity for you, Lily. I’d be curious to see how Ben plans to make the hotel so great. It would help if there was someone from the inside to indulge me that information.”
Lily couldn’t believe her ears. “You want me to spy on Ben?”
He laughed out loud but to Lily it sounded awful. Like a wild animal caught in a trap. His whiny voice grated on her ears. “You don’t have a choice, if I recall correctly. Not if you want good ol’ Ben to survive. Go on and take the job, Lily, or Ben could have a fatal accident right in that hotel of his. I’m going back to my ranch today but I’ll be back in a few weeks. You can report to me then how well he is doing. Who knows, I may build a hotel myself, right beside his.” He laughed out loud again before slinking back inside. Lily cringed at his hideous voice.
After he was gone, Lily stood on the porch, her gaze towards the hotel that overlooked the upper part of town. It was a large, three story building, its ominous size evident to every traveler who entered Wichita Falls.
If she spied on Ben, Ward would know all his secrets and build a better hotel. It could cause Ben to go bankrupt. No matter which way she turned, Lily was caught in a trap that was spiralling out of control. If she told anyone about Byron’s discretions, he would kill Ben. If she refused to work for Ben, Byron will kill him. No matter what she did, Ben could die.
Lily had no choice.
She had no choice but to work for Ben for now. Byron would be gone for a few weeks. She had until then to find a way to stop him. Ben’s life was at stake. She had to do something once and for all.
She just didn’t know what to do.
Chapter 3
Lugging two suitcases full of her clothing was rather a stupid
thing to do. Lily was huffing and puffing by the time she got to the hotel’s front door but she didn’t want to ask anyone for help. She set them down on the ground for a moment. Half bent over in the street, she looked up at the huge towering building. Clutching the handles, she hoisted them back up and tried to climb the few steps to the hotel, stopping half-way up to catch her breath.
The large, ominous door flew open and Ben strolled out, his shirt cuffs rolled up as if he had been working. He came at Lily, bold and brazen and removed her hands from the carpetbags. “Let me, Lily,” he offered, picking up the bags like they weighed no more than a feather. “You should never lift something so heavy, darling. I can help you.”
Lily stood, placing her hands on her hips. She blew at a wisp of hair from in front of her face. “Ben Sloan, don’t make this harder on me than it already is. I am here as your friend, nothing more, nothing less. If you call me darling one more time, I’m going to take my bags and march right back to the boarding house.”
Ben was halfway up the set of steps. He turned with a crooked smile. “Whatever you say, Lily. I can’t have you going back to the boarding house.”
Lily thought that was an odd thing for him to say as she followed him in through the door. She stopped when she got a good look at the hotel. A wide smile crossed her face. Hands still on her hips, she twirled around in the large, empty space. “Oh my! This is delightful!”
Ben set the bags down while she danced across the floor. She knew he had his eyes on her but she couldn’t help herself. This space was hers to decorate any way she liked. At least that was what he told her. Excitement ripped through every single inch of her body. Her shoes made a tap, tap noise on the floor as she pranced across the perimeter of the vestibule. It was huge, with so much potential.
