The Ramseys Boxed Set

by Altonya Washington

  None of those words helped. Hell, it was easy for Moses, Taurus and Fernando to offer such advice, Quest thought. He knew they loved his wife as much as he did. But it wasn’t the same, of course. Everything inside them wouldn’t shatter as they told Michaela she’d been cast aside so that her mother could run off with a monster and raise his child. Everything inside them wouldn’t shut down as they watched her-watched her heart shred and her soul be reduced to nothing.

  A bit over the top? Quest pondered, studying the rhythm his fingers tapped along the steering wheel. Perhaps it was over the top. Many would think so. After all, Michaela Sellars was a tough as nails beauty. It was one of the million and one things he loved about her. But this… this was different. This was a thing he’d watched her struggle with since he’d known her. All that toughness she’d used to pad her soul diminished like mist when she thought of her mother and the life she’d been forced to live when the woman abandoned her.

  Now, he was supposed to give her more ugliness to add to the story. How the hell was he supposed to do that?

  She’ll hate you if she finds out and discovers you knew and didn’t tell her.

  Quest’s lashes drifted close over his deep-set stare and he nodded.

  He knew Mick loved him as insanely as he loved her. But would that even be enough to keep her from hating him if he kept quiet?

  Besides himself and four others, no one else knew. While County was the wild card, he believed she’d agree that this would devastate Mick far too much. As for his cousins…they’d never dare cross him on this.

  What of his lovely wife? Quest pondered and leaned his head back on the rest. Without a challenge to occupy her time she’d dig into her task of finding out every aspect of the story. That is, unless she had another something else to occupy her time. Grimacing, he started the ignition and sped from the parking lot.

  ~CHAPTER ONE~

  Following the breathtaking beauty of Taurus and Nile’s nuptials in Scotland, the marriage bug bit everyone in a big way. Moses and Johari were married in a quietly exquisite ceremony on their special stretch of beach in Marin County, California. A week later, Fernando and Contessa set a date in the following year for their wedding.

  Contessa figured she’d done all that was required by setting the date. Therefore, she left the planning and other tiresome details to Michaela-her matron of honor.

  “Idiots!” Mick hissed while slamming down the phone on her desk.

  Quest was walking in just then and witnessed the outburst. “Problems?” he teased, spotting the bridal magazines covering the office. It didn’t take many guesses to figure the wedding of the year was the topic of the ill-fated phone call.

  “Stupid flower people,” Mick grumbled and stabbed a pad with the ball-point of her pen. “How the hell do I know what flowers compliment the theme of the wedding?”

  “Ah come on, everyone knows how to figure that out.”

  Mick didn’t bother to spare her husband a glance. “Bite me,” she suggested dryly in response to his tease. “I don’t know why County chose me for this mess. Why can’t she and Fernando have a quiet wedding like everybody else?” she wondered while flopping back against her desk chair.

  Quest grinned and offered a flip one-shoulder shrug. “Because she’s Contessa Warren?” he tried.

  Mick sent him an airy salute in agreement. “And I just had to be her best friend. I knew there was a catch. So glad I insisted she pick out her own damn dress.”

  Quest wouldn’t dare celebrate before his wife. Still, County’s pre-marital requirements offered Mick much needed time-consuming duties in his opinion. Of course, Quest knew his wife. In spite of all the duties involved with the planning of an elaborate wedding, they wouldn’t keep Mick preoccupied enough for his liking. Especially if she’d doing the bulk of it in Seattle, he acknowledged silently and studied his wife who now stood in the middle of the magazine cluttered office and listed all the things on her plate besides the wedding.

  “…I don’t even know when I’ll get around to picking up all the things parents are supposed to buy for their child’s first Christmas.” She groaned.

  Thinking of his baby girl then, Quest smiled and crossed the room to Mick. “What if I told you I think there’s a way we can do all this together?” he said while drawing her over to the mocha suede sofa in the corner.

  Mick watched him suspiciously as she straddled his lap. “You’re gonna help me plan a wedding?” she asked, the skepticism evident in her voice. Her brows rose when Quest began to laugh.

  “Not exactly,” he sighed trailing a finger along the scoop neck of her candy pink Henley sweater. “I’m talking about helping you with shopping for Quinn. Maybe we could go away for it.” He explained hoping she’d take the bait. Though Christmas was over two months away, shopping for their only child would offer a perfect excuse to get away for a while.

  Mick was shaking her head. “Boy, she really does have you wrapped around all ten of her little fingers.” She teased and fiddled with his silver belt buckle. “Don’t you think that’s a bit much? You know she’s not even a year old-it’s not like we’re gonna have to fight the crowds for the latest Cabbage Patch Doll.”

  Quest threw back his head and laughed. “Thank God,” he bellowed and appeared to shudder at the thought. “Ms. Bobbie had to do some serious hustling when Ty said she just had to have one.” He reminisced, referring to his sister-in-law and her mother.

  “Well then,” Mick sighed, coming down off her own bout of laughter. “I don’t think this merits an elaborate trip, do you?”

  Quest shrugged focusing his hazy gray stare on his thumb where it caressed the outline of her breast. “Shopping’s the best reason for going but it’s not the only reason,” he admitted with a slight wince.

  “Ah ha,” Mick breathed linking her arms about her husband’s neck. “Out with it Mr. Ramsey.”

  “Nothin’ much…some meetings I should take in person. I’ve put ‘em off for a while-with everything going on…”

  Mick frowned a little then. Tilting her head, she took in Quest’s dark features. Beyond the beautiful chocolate-dipped exterior she could see the hint of weariness. His incredible deep-set gray stare mirrored it clearly and Mick was stunned she hadn’t noticed it before.

  “You know, you might have a point,” she said them and snuggled deeper into his lap, “I guess we could both use some time off.”

  Quest’s expression seemed to lighten. “So you’ll come away with me?”

  “On one condition.”

  “Name it.”

  “Don’t leave all the shopping to me while you have fun with all your power meetings.”

  Quest chuckled. God, he loved her. How many women would prefer a boring conference to shopping? “Come on, I know I’d never get away with that,” he said his words taking on a serious tone. “I want you with me every minute-for everything.”

  Mick tilted her head again. “Baby are you okay? I’ll admit you’re looking drained, but is that all?”

  Quest tapped one hand against Mick’s bottom while the other continued to cup her breast. “I miss you is all,” he admitted.

  Mick’s concerned frown cleared and understanding eased in place. “Well I’m sure we can take care of that too while we’re away,” she promised softly.

  Quest’s sleek brows drew close and he focused then on undoing the tiny buttons along her sweater. “I’d rather take care of that now.” He murmured and handled the remaining buttons with little effort.

  The moment was steamy and sweet. Quest ground Mick upon the ever-stiffening ridge of his sex while inhaling the fragrance of perfume clinging to her skin. The scene stopped just short of becoming torrid when the sound of a waking Quinn through the monitor, interrupted the couple.

  “Surprise, surprise…” Mick whispered against Quest’s temple as he groaned.

  “I’ll get her.” He decided before Mick could move. Squeezing her hips he kissed her jaw. “Thanks for agreeing to this,” he
spoke against her skin.

  Mick felt her heart thud with anticipation of time alone with him and realized how much she needed an escape as well.

  Quest gave her one last kiss before he set her aside and left the office.

  ***

  Near Invernesshire, Scotland

  “Are you sure you don’t want to stay? We can always visit Montenegro another time.” Taurus told his wife while resting his head on her chest.

  Nile smiled, raking her fingers through his gorgeous hair. They were sprawled across the tangled bed trying to catch their breath following yet another delicious honeymoon romp.

  “That’s where it all started for us,” she sighed and snuggled into him. “I think it’s only right we christen it properly.”

  Taurus began to drop kisses along Nile’s body working his way up her lovely dark frame until they were face to face. “Why does everything you say make me want to kiss you?” he asked and proceeded to ply her with another kiss.

  Nile whimpered when he freed her lips. “It’s the accent,” she explained with a wink.

  “Must be,” Taurus agreed and leaned down to help himself to another taste of her.

  Nile eagerly participated thrusting her tongue as languidly as she moved against him. “Nooo,” she moaned when he pulled back.

  Taurus wouldn’t oblige. “Now that we’ve got our travel plans in place, why don’t you tell me what’s wrong? Is it your parents? The truth,” He added quickly spotting the uncertainty in her dark eyes.

  Nile’s gaze had indeed clouded over. The unease surging through her was an emotion she’d not felt since before she told Taurus the truth about her father.

  “I’d like to know,” he whispered, his long brows drawing close as he grew more concerned by her silence. “What is it? Now,” he insisted cupping her cheek to keep her from looking away.

  “I…um…my mother wanted to leave when she found out what my father was really into.” She blurted when he gave her chin a warning squeeze. “Cufi Muhammad was a master manipulator though. He-he could think up the best stories, the best…reasons to explain how what he was doing was…okay-not harmful.”

  Taurus closed his eyes regretting then that he made her speak of it. “Baby shhh…” he soothed, kissing her forehead. “You don’t have to-“

  “No-no you see um…his talent for reasoning was how he got all those girls to come with him.” Nile went on, holding onto the sheet as she scooted up in bed. “That’s how he got most of them to become part of his disgusting lifestyle. He pacified himself with the thought that those girls were there because they wanted to be-because they’d been rescued from horrible lives, taken from people who didn’t understand them.”

  Taurus couldn’t help but think of Jahzara Frazier.

  Nile read his thoughts without having to ask for confirmation.

  “She’d been through a lot before she was…taken. When Zara killed herself, I couldn’t help but wonder.”

  Nile reached out to stroke his cheek. “About what?”

  Taurus rested back on the pillows. “If her being rescued and coming back here was worth it or if she regretted the day we found her.”

  “What my father was…the things he’d done…I never believed my mother was fully on board with any of it.” Nile confessed and turned over in bed to stare at the flames licking the hearth.

  Taurus stifled his grimace. The last thing he wanted was his wife pitying a woman who did more than help a monster peddle and destroy young girls. Yvonne Wilson had destroyed her eight year old daughter’s life with no help from Cufi Muhammad. Tugging on the sheet, he pulled Nile against him.

  “Why are you doing this to yourself, hmm?” He asked, trailing his fingers along her brow.

  Nile bit her lip and debated only a second. “I know you won’t approve…”

  “What?” He prompted when she quieted.

  “I want to help her. I want to help my mother-provide counsel, something…it may sound strange to you but I owe her.” Nile kept her eyes on the embroidery lining the edge of the top sheet. “She’s saved my life three times already-at six when she came to be my new mother, at eighteen when she sent me to California and then just weeks ago when my father tried to kill me.”

  Taurus nodded. How could he fault her for that? If anything, he loved her even more for wanting to offer her support. “We’ll get her the best.” He promised and pulled his wife into a hug.

  ***

  The phone rang just as Contessa was heading into the shower to join her fiancé. Recognizing the name on the faceplate, County glanced across her shoulder before answering. “Alan,” she almost whispered greeting Alan Claude head of Contessa House’s shipping department.

  “Hey Contessa, hope this isn’t a bad time to call?”

  “No uh, no Alan,” County glanced across her shoulder once again. “It’s not a bad time at all.”

  “Well you wanted to be contacted when the books arrived from the printer.”

  “You’ve got them?”

  “Yep. ‘Royal Ramsey’ hot off the presses and ready to go.”

  County clenched her hand in a triumphant fist but managed to keep too much glee out of her voice when she addressed her shipping manager.

  “I want you to contact Jenean Rays in the fact-checking department. She’ll know where to go from there.”

  “Alright,” Alan said while jotting down Jenean’s name, “and will she call Spivey or should I-“

  “Listen Alan, Spivey Freeman is not to be notified on this do you understand?”

  “Well yes, but-”

  “Alan if I find out Spivey was contacted-that he’s got any idea those books are there-the next thing delivered to the shipping department will be your pink slip.”

  Alan cleared his throat in recognition of the threat. “It’ll be handled just like you asked.” He promised, stifling any and all interest in why the publisher was cutting her senior editor out of the loop.

  “Good. Thanks Alan, I’ll be in touch.” County said and set the cordless back to its set. She’d delved into a few moments of deep thought when she was tugged back against a massive frame.

  “Thought we were gonna shower together?” Fernando growled deep into her shoulder.

  County hooked an arm about his neck. “Well if that’s all, then no,” she purred.

  Fernando chuckled. Effortlessly, he lifted her across his shoulder and carried her into the waiting shower.

  ***

  “Now, I want you to tell me right now if this will be a problem?” Mick was saying to the young woman who sat on the other side of the coffee table.

  “It won’t be any problem at all Mrs. Ramsey. I always look forward to working for you and Mr. Ramsey.”

  Mick smiled and focused a soft yet stern look upon Sonja Worliss the sitter who’d take care of Quincee while she and Quest were away. “You’re sweet to keep your schedule open for us but we’ll be gone a while longer this time,” she cautioned.

  “I promise it won’t be a problem.” Sonja insisted, smoothing her hands across the suede fabric of the loveseat she occupied. “I love sitting for Quinn. I never consider it a chore.” She confessed unable to hide the dreamy tinge from her eyes as she gazed around the elaborately designed home office.

  “Well we really appreciate it,” Mick said while leaning over to top off Sonja’s coffee. “I just want you to be aware that this won’t be the same as the other times-your time with Quincee will be quite lengthier and involved than an overnight stay.”

  “Quincee’s a dream.” Sonja declared.

  “Give her a night or two.” Mick grumbled.

  Sonja had to laugh. “I promise we’ll be fine.”

  Mick leaned back on the sofa. “I apologize for sounding like a stressed out mom here, but this is the first time we’ve left Quinn for so long-she’s still very young.” She cautioned once more, wanting the young woman to understand the importance of the job.

  Sonja nodded and came down a bit off her high. “Your dau
ghter is secure with me Mrs. Ramsey. The same care and attention I give Quinn for one night will be the same care and attention I’d give her for one hundred.”

  Mick laughed then feeling a few more shreds of her angst drift away. “Well it won’t be that long regardless of how much fun we’re having.” She swore and added a bit more cream to her coffee. “Besides, Quinn’s grandparents will probably come by more than once a week over the next few weeks to take Quinn off your hands for a night or two. That could be true for any of the other ten people on that list.” She noted while tapping a finger to the list of family members lying on the edge of the coffee table.

  Sonja leaned forward to take the sheet and nodded.

  Mick enjoyed a few sips of coffee and gave Sonja time to read over the page. Afterwards, the two delved into discussions on what else Sonja would need to know during her time with the baby.

  Michaela was waving Sonja goodbye just as the phone rang. Checking the name plate, she laughed and greeted her publisher.

  “What’sup?”

  “What’sup is you sound too happy to be planning a wedding.” County snapped. “I thought it was supposed to be stressful-precisely why I didn’t want to do it.”

  “Well trust me, it is stressful.” Mick confirmed on her way back to the office where she’d been meeting with Sonja. “But if I sound happy, it’s because I’m doing more than planning a wedding. Quest is taking me away,” she announced and gave her friend a quick run through of the trip.

  “Damn,” County uttered in an adoring fashion. “I hope Fernando will be so romantic when we’re an old married couple.”

  “I take offense to that.” Mick said in spite of her laughter. “Anyway…I’m glad he suggested it. He’s seemed so drained lately. I don’t know if it’s business or family mess…all I know is he looks like he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders.”