The Ramseys Boxed Set

by Altonya Washington

  “She’s a writer.”

  “And he loves her, so deal with it.”

  “You deal with it,” Marcus snapped. “She won’t be my daughter-in-law.”

  Damon’s fist clenched and he realized he could easily have snapped his brother’s neck. “And how shabbily you treated your daughter-in-law,” he cooly reminded Marcus. “Melina and Yohan might still be together to this day.”

  “You shut your mouth, Damon.”

  “What Marc? Do you intend to run off everyone who expresses an interest in your sons if they pose a threat to you?”

  “If they pose a threat to the family? Yes.”

  “And what threat did Melina pose?” Damon frowned when he glimpsed the never before seen look of sheer terror in his brother’s dark eyes. “Man, can’t you get past whatever has happened in the past? It’s over. Good or bad, it’s in the past and we can’t live in fear of it forever. That’s not living at all.”

  Marcus muttered a curse and fixed his younger brother with a scornful glare. “You’ve always been so absorbed in Catrina and those boys that you never focused on what the rest of the family was going through.”

  “Jackass,” Damon sneered, both hands now clenched into fists. “I guess you forgot all the times, all the nastiness I covered for y’all? I won’t allow my boys to live like that. You should want better for your sons as well.”

  Marcus shook his head then. The anger left his face and was replaced by an expression resembling regret. Sometimes the past and present intermingle, Mon. It hasn’t been as easy for some of us to push it aside as it’s been for you.”

  Damon frowned at the strange melancholy in his brother’s voice. Marcus said nothing more and simply raised his hands to indicate his readiness to leave. Damon stepped aside and watched him go.

  ~~~

  “Ms. Sellars?”

  Mick heard the soft voice behind her and turned. Standing there was a lovely woman with sparkling brown eyes and bouncing silver-gray tresses.

  “I’m Catrina Ramsey, Quest’s mother.”

  “Oh!” Mick gave a start, immediately extending her hand to shake. “So nice to meet you.”

  “I have to say the same. You’re lovely,” Catrina complimented, instant approval filling her eyes. “I can see why he’s so far gone over you.”

  Mick blinked and looked down at the pale pink flip skirt suit she wore. “Thank you,” her words were hushed.

  Catrina was tickled, realizing that Michaela had no idea how lovely she was. “Welcome to the family,” she said and kissed her cheek.

  “Excuse me?” Mick whispered, clearly dumbfounded.

  “Honey, first let me apologize for my brother-in-law’s actions. Marcus speaks for no one else in this family. Actually we’re all quite relieved. We were worried that Quest was doomed to never find a woman who made him want to surrender his heart. Obviously Quaysar’s happy flitting from one relationship to the next, but I prayed at least one of my sons would have a real family.”

  “But he has a real family,” Mick pointed out though she’d already made up her mind to take hold of what she wanted.

  Catrina grimaced and smoothed her hands across the slitted sleeves of her heather-gray V-neck dress. “His own family, sweetie,” she clarified. “With a wife he adores and loves to no end. I think that would be you.”

  Michaela frowned, surprised to feel moisture pooling her eyes. “I didn’t want to come between you all. I love him and need him, but I never wanted him to lose you.”

  “Oh honey,” Catrina huffed, “we’re his family. We’re not going anywhere. We’ve been through some rough times and we’re still together. Nothing can change that. Nothing he could say or do could ever make that happen. Well...not unless he told us he was going to let you get away.”

  Laughter erupted between the two women and Catrina pulled Mick into a tight squeeze. Across Catrina’s shoulder, Mick saw something that made her gasp. She masked it with a brief cough when Catrina pulled away to look at her.

  “I’m surprised to see Quay,” Mick said.

  Catrina glanced back. “I’m sure he won’t be here too long. My youngest needs a woman to hold on to and is probably on his way to meet one now.”

  “I’m gonna go speak,” Mick decided.

  “Alright, sweetie,” Catrina leaned close to kiss her cheek. “We’ll talk later.”

  Mick smiled and then turned back to where Quay stood. She hadn’t been surprised by his presence. It was the man he stood next to. On determined steps, she made her way over to the twosome.

  “Well hey!” Quay called, seeing Mick heading his way. “While my brother ain’t breathin’ down my neck,” he grumbled while taking the liberty of hugging Mick close and kissing her cheek. Keeping her by his side, he turned to the man he stood next to. “Michaela Sellars, this is one of my closest friends. Wake Robinson.”

  Wake Robinson, Mick repeated the name in her mind as she shook hands with him. This was the man Harriet Forman had circled in the photo.

  “Mick is my future sister-in-law,” Quay explained and flinched when she slapped his shoulder. “Hey, I’m just telling the truth,” he whined.

  “Listen to me,” Mick tugged at his silver-gray tie. “I’ve got a lead on the case,” she announced.

  “Mick,” Quay breathed, his dark eyes shining with hope. He knocked his hand against Wake’s arm. “Mick’s a writer and she’s reopened the investigation into Sera’s death. You remember Sera Black, right?”

  Wake’s reaction was just what Mick had hoped it’d be. He blinked once and his easy expression quickly took on a glow of nervousness.

  “Sera Black,” he said.

  “That’s right. It wasn’t suicide by a long shot,” Mick told him before looking to Quay. “We may even have a witness who puts another man there at the room after the party was over. According to this witness, Sera was still alive when the man walked into the room. She opened the door for him.”

  “Good work, Mick,” Quay said, clearly elated by the report. The fact that someone else could know what happened- could possibly be responsible- filled him with true relief.

  Michaela was about to comment further when her cell phone rang. “Excuse me,” she told Quay and Wake, turning to answer the call.

  “Mick, it’s County.”

  “Hey girl, what’s up?”

  County paused a moment to clear her throat. “Honey, I need you to come home.”

  Mick frowned and looked around the room. “Well I’m afraid it may be a few days. I just got to Seattle and-”

  “Sweetie, I really need you here now.”

  “Why? What’s wrong?”

  “Just come home,” County urged, unmistakable firmness clutching her every word.

  “What the hell is going on back there?” Mick snapped, her friend’s vagueness only agitating her further.

  “Mick one of the girls went to your house to pick up a tape or something. She went into the den and she-she found Driggers there.”

  “What do you mean...she found him?” Mick’s fingers tightened around the phone.

  Again, County cleared her throat. “Sweetie, Driggers...Driggers is dead. They think he passed in his sleep.”

  “What?” Mick whispered, her lips barely able to form the word. The sharpest pain knifed through her and she lost the strength to stand. She was still holding the phone to her ear when she fell to the floor.

  “Mick?” County called through the line “Mick!”

  Quay was already kneeling beside Mick as he called out for his brother. Quest had been across the room, trying to pay attention to a conversation and keep his mind and his eyes off Michaela once he’d caught sight of her. When he turned into the sound of Quay’s voice and saw the scene on the other side of the room, he broke into a run to get to Mick. Questions abounded, but Quest simply pulled her into his arms and carried her out of the living room. Mick was shaking fiercely by then. Quest, thoroughly terrified, managed to keep his calm.

  Quay had Mick’
s phone and was speaking to County, who told him about Driggers. He whispered the news into Quest’s ear while they stormed the hall. Quest closed his eyes, muttering a curse while squeezing Mick even closer. When they entered the private den, he sat with her on the nearest sofa.

  Just then, she snapped to. Instantly, she began to struggle against Quest. She twisted to and fro, attempting to escape his hold. Finally, she pounded her fists against his chest and shoulders.

  “Let go,” she grumbled, “let go Quest, Drig…” she moaned.

  Quest held her fast, tightening his grip the more she struggled. He whispered soft soothing words in her ear and tried to rock her as she fought him. Eventually, her attempts at pounding his body eased and slowly the fight left her.

  “That’s it, that’s it, babe,” Quest kissed her temple and cheek. Over the top of her head, he locked gazes with his twin. “Get one of the jets ready. We’re going to Chicago.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Chance Driggers Morgan was laid to rest on a Tuesday in the most elaborate of services. Driggers had no family, but his friends were numerous. Quest was proud to consider himself among that group and he spared no expense to arrange for the beloved man to be put to rest in the finest.

  “Hey,” he found Mick in her den. No one in the procession had seen her since returning to her home following the funeral.

  Mick had the heavy drapes drawn in the room- which was only lit by a single, small lamp. She didn’t turn when Quest called out to her.

  He said nothing more, knowing her hurt was deep and would have a long stay. Pulling her back against him, he held her in a slow rocking embrace.

  “Excuse me?” A hushed voice broke into the silence sometime later.

  Quest and Michaela turned to find a thin, Caucasian man standing just inside the room.

  “Drake Bynum,” the man approached the couple slowly. “I was Mr. Morgan’s physician.”

  “Physician,” Mick repeated, her expression relaying her surprise.

  “I’m sure he never spoke of me, Ms. Sellars,” Dr. Bynum acknowledged. “He spoke of you so often, I feel I’d know you anywhere.”

  “Drig,” Mick whispered, moving closer to the doctor as though she expected Driggers to step out from behind the man.

  “You were like his own child. He said it all the time,” Dr. Bynum mused. “He knew you’d have questions today.”

  “Why?” was all she could muster.

  The doctor smiled. “I suppose I was like Mr. Morgan’s surrogate psychologist. He talked to me about the things he could tell no one else.”

  “How could he have been so sick?” Mick blurted, her lower lip trembling.

  Taking her hands, Dr. Bynum led Mick to a sofa and joined her there. “I was so stunned when those tests came back. I had them redone so often my lab people thought I’d gone mad.”

  “What was it?” Mick squeezed the doctor’s hands.

  “A form of colon cancer,” the doctor explained. “Mr. Driggers was a man who didn’t believe in seeing a doctor if there was nothing hurting.”

  “That was Drig,” Mick agreed softly. “Why did he come to see you then?”

  The doctor took a deep breath. “He found blood in the toilet. Deep down, I think he always knew something was wrong, but he was-”

  “Stubborn, proud and strong- physically and mentally.” Mick supplied.

  “Exactly,” the doctor chuckled a little before the amusement faded and was replaced by something more solemn. “The cancer had done so much damage by the time he...Chemo and other treatments may have eased the pain he’d started to feel near the end, but he said he didn’t want anything to take more life out of him than the cancer already had. He didn’t want you to be suspicious in any way. When you went off to research your book in...Seattle, I believe it was, he could finally put down the strong front.”

  Mick could barely see the doctor’s face through her tears. “When I’d call and get the voicemail, I just assumed he was out and about.”

  Dr. Bynum patted her forearm.

  “Why didn’t he tell me? I could’ve taken care of him until…” her sobs gained volume.

  “You’d lost so much in your life- those you loved. He didn’t want to think about you being alone again. In truth, I think he felt guilty about it. I think it’s why he tried to hold on so long.”

  “Until the cancer won,” Mick said.

  “And I believe even that was a decision he made.”

  Mick sniffled and rubbed the back of her hand across her cheek. “He decided?””

  Dr. Bynum looked over to Quest, who stood behind Mick where she sat on the sofa. “He knew you were reluctant to tell him about everything going on in Seattle. He had his suspicions though and then he was given confirmation.”

  “Contessa,” Mick guessed.

  “After meeting Mr. Ramsey, sensing the good in him and the love he had for you, he told me he didn’t worry that you would suffer alone- forever afraid to take a chance on having a real life for yourself. He felt content that you would be fine without him.”

  Mick expressed no comment, and after a while the doctor felt he’d left her with enough information to satisfy her questions. Giving her hands a final squeeze, he rose from the sofa and went to speak briefly with Quest. Then, he was gone.

  “Michaela?” Quest whispered, when they were alone.

  “How could he think I didn’t need him anymore?” she asked, sobs tumbling forth.

  “Hey…” Quest drew her near.

  Mick accepted the closeness as her tears flowed freely. They soaked the lapel of Quest’s dark suit until they were spent. Mick was so drained she rested her head on his thigh and took solace in his hand stroking her back.

  ***

  After that day, Mick was unable to do much else. She was at first in denial, and then the shock returned. Everyone was very concerned by the quiet detached persona she displayed. County was so worried, she opted to stay with Mick for at least a week. Quest kept his distance, fearing his presence might in some way upset her further.

  But when yet another week came and went, everyone’s worries increased. Michaela made no move to pull herself from her disassociated state. County called Quest to intervene in any way he could. He found Mick in Driggers’ room one afternoon. She was staring out the window overlooking the back lawn and barely responded when Quest called to her.

  “He loved the view from up here,” she said after long moments of silence.

  Quest took a step toward her, his gray eyes also focused past the window.

  “He was probably enjoying one of those dance rehearsals,” he said, taking a chance on teasing and his heart soared when she laughed.

  “He was all I had,” she told him, pushing her hands into the pockets of her nylon joggers.

  Quest bowed his head. “He was, but that’s not true anymore...is it?” he risked a sideways glance toward her.

  Slowly, Michaela met his gaze. She started to shake her head as the tears arrived. Quest drew her close, holding her as she wept.

  ~~~

  When Mick opened her eyes, she was lying cuddled close to Quest’s chest. They were on the furry dark carpeting that covered most of the bedroom floor. She yawned and blinked several times to get her bearings. At last, she focused on the glitter before her eyes. Her lips parted when she realized the effect came from a ring.

  A smile tugged at her mouth and she shook her head once. “You knew he was the one, didn’t you Drig?” she asked and could have sworn the ring gleamed brighter in response.

  “Do I have his permission to ask?”

  Mick heard his voice and raised her head to look directly into Quest’s unforgettable gaze. “You do,” she confirmed.

  Quest trailed his fingers around the curve of her dark face and cupped her chin. “Will you marry me, Michaela Sellars?”

  “I will,” she accepted in a tone of fierce certainty. “I will,” she whispered then, her amber gaze searching his face until their lips met to seal the
promise.

  ***

  The incredible view from the balcony of Quaysar’s penthouse apartment had Mick spellbound. Inside, the place was alive with conversation and laughter. Outside, she and Quest were in their own little world there on the spacious, vine-covered balcony.

  Sighing her contentment, Mick rested her head back on his chest. The steady beat of his heart made her feel cozy and delighted. Quest smoothed his hands across her arms bared by the thin knotted straps of her multicolored silk dress.

  Mick’s lashes fluttered when she felt his hands cupping her breasts. His thumbs were barely grazing the firming nipples. “Quest…” she warned.

  “When can we get out of here?” he murmured against her temple.

  “For the fifteenth time, we can’t leave.”

  “Why? No one’s paying attention to us.”

  “This is our engagement party, man. Quay went all out for us,” Mick pointed out.

  Quest wasn’t softened. “He’ll get over it,” he toyed with the zipper at the back of the dress. When Mick wiggled, he switched tactics and lowered his hands to the hemline of the curve-hugging frock.

  “Quest…”

  “What?”

  “No,” she brushed at his hands while pulling the hem back into place.

  “Damn it,” Quest turned his fiancée around to face him. “At least let me kiss you.”

  Laughing, Mick stood on her toes. “That I’ll do,” she decided she’d be safe with a simple kiss.

  Of course, a simple kiss was far from what Quest had in mind. His tongue thrust deep and Mick eagerly met the throaty lunges with a fire of her own. Their moans mingled in the night air as desire surged in an almost intolerable wave of need.

  Mick curved her fingers around the open collar of Quest’s maple-brown shirt as he hoisted her against his chest. He was preparing to place her on the balcony ledge when knocking rose from somewhere behind them.

  “Break it up,” Quay sang, a devilish smile on his gorgeous face.

  Quest’s lashes fluttered close as he turned back to Michaela. “I really hate him sometimes.”