The Ramseys Boxed Set

by Altonya Washington

  “Ohhh…” Sabra tried to act as if the memory of it all had lost its power to shred her heart. Trailing all ten fingers through her lengthy tresses was simply an act to appear strong instead of sad. “What didn’t happen? Lots of ugliness. Lots of misunderstandings. He thought I betrayed him…I didn’t try to correct his thinking. Pride and all…” she winked but the gesture held no amusement. “When I tried to make it right, he wouldn’t listen.”

  Mick turned onto her back. “So you…you just let him go?”

  Nodding, Sabra finally acknowledged the tear clinging to her lashes and smoothed it away. “I’d already lost him. I could see it in his eyes. Maybe if I had faced all the lies right off…” She shrugged. “I don’t know. Just…Mick please don’t let this go on too long, alright?”

  Mick kept a promising smile in place until Sabra left the room. It faded once she was alone with her thoughts.

  ***

  Yohan leaned against the passenger side of his Jeep and watched his brothers and cousins turning into the driveway of Quest and Michaela’s home. “It’s been two days, maybe he left town.” He noted when Quay left his Hummer.

  “Nah, Quincee’s with my parents and with Mick gone, he wouldn’t just leave without tellin’ ‘em somethin’.” At least I hope he wouldn’t. Quay shook the thought from his mind.

  The group headed for the front door. Quay used his key to let them inside. He called out to his brother but expected no answer. The guys fanned out into the house all calling Quest’s name.

  It was Quay who emerged the victor when he found the man in the nursery. He came and sat next to Quest against Quincee’s crib. Quay grimaced when he noticed Quest with the copy of “Royal Ramsey” in one hand and a bottle of Hennessey in the other.

  “She sat right there.” Quest looked at the rocking chair three feet away. “She sat there and told me I’d lose her if I didn’t stop tryin’ to run rough shod over everything-if I didn’t learn to stop being so… ‘my word is law’ with her.” He rolled his eyes away from the chair and took a healthy swig from the bottle. “I looked right at her and said I’d try. She was right to call me a liar.”

  Quay noticed Yohan, Fernando and Moses at the nursery door and raised a hand to urge them to keep their distance. When they were gone, he gently eased the liquor bottle from his brother’s hand and replaced it with his own. “You tried, man. You tried.”

  “I didn’t.” He jerked his hand from Quay’s and began to rub it methodically across a jean clad thigh. “It took me no time and no remorse at all to tell Moses and the others to bury what they knew.”

  “Hell, Q you were trying to-”

  “Protect her. Yeah, that’s the problem. She doesn’t want or need me to.”

  “She does but…” Quay rubbed his fingers across the dark waves covering his head and tried to choose the best words. “It’s…the way you do it. That ask no questions, I’ll take care of it crap that worked so well for us doesn’t play with her. She’s used to knowing the worst of it- no need to sugar coat shit for her. She’s gotta have that control. Without it, she’s lost.”

  Quest smiled and looked down at the book. “Probably why she wrote this.”

  “Good, huh?”

  “Damn good.” Quest was unaware of the love and pride evident in his voice. “I gotta admit I’m surprised you read to the first chapter.” The beginnings of humor lurked in his words and eyes when he turned to his twin.

  “Try chapter eight.” Quay boasted with unmasked haughtiness in his voice. “And I’ve got my page marked, so don’t mess with it.”

  “I didn’t.” He weighed the book in his hand silently lamenting the fact that he’d allowed it to cause so much trouble. “It’s yours to take. I’m done with it.”

  “And Mick? You done with her?”

  “Never. But I’m not ashamed to admit that I haven’t got a fucking clue what to say to her. The way she looked at me…probably won’t believe a word that comes out of my mouth.”

  “Forget about that. You’ve been strong and pro-active your whole life. Now is definitely not the time to punk out.”

  Quest ran both hands across his face and groaned. “I don’t even know where she is.”

  Quay grinned “Vegas baby and we’re on our way.”

  ~CHAPTER FOURTEEN~

  When Michaela woke that morning, she thought she was still dreaming. Slowly, she inched up beneath the covers and frowned at the women and conversation filling the bedroom of her spacious corner suite at Sabra Ram’s.

  Contessa was first to spot her friend awake and trying to sit up. “Well it’s about damn time.” The fabric of her plum wrap skirt swished softly as she came to perch on the bed. “Get your ass in the shower so we can get out of here and have breakfast.”

  Mick was massaging the heel of her hand into her eye. “What are you doing here?” Still in the midst of waking, she was more than a little stunned.

  Country shrugged. “Since you’re not answering your cell, I had to come in person to tell you.” A deep breath was required first. “I’m sorry. So sorry,” her brown eyes filled with the tears she’d tried to stave off for the past few weeks.

  “Oh Honey, don’t,” Mick soothed and pulled her friend into the tightest hug.

  Contessa only squeezed back and cried harder when she felt Mick kiss her cheek.

  “What are you guys doing here?” Mick scolded the other women in the room as she watched them across County’s shoulder. “Don’t you have a new husband to take care of?”

  Johari waved off the question. “He’ll be alright.” She chose her spot on the massive bed.

  Melina was next to take a seat and reclined a little on the satiny black comforter. “You really need to get dressed because we’ve got a full day planned.”

  “And Sabra already reserved our places at the spa.” Tykira shared, leaning next to Mick against the headboard and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

  “Can’t believe y’all came all this way to see about me,” Though she abhorred crying, Mick didn’t begrudge the tears in her eyes.

  Johari found Mick’s foot beneath the covers and squeezed. “You’re our girl,” she drawled.

  “And we’ve all been through our share of…issues with the Ramsey men,” Ty added.

  Mel raised her hand. “The Ramsey gods as the society pages and a great many of their female employees call them.”

  County laughed. “If they only knew!”

  Everyone’s laughter filled the room then.

  ***

  “You’re all telling me to talk to him. What you don’t seem to get is that I don’t know how. He’s so angry-he looked so fierce in that office he tore apart, all the while damning me…” Mick closed her eyes on the memory while she absorbed the relaxing steam in the heat of the sauna. It was a welcomed treat following a full day of sight seeing and shopping.

  “I think it all finally got to him Mick.” County spoke from her prone position on the wooden slab in a far corner of the foggy area. “I think he was carrying so much inside, so much he wouldn’t or felt he couldn’t tell you. I think he just lost it.”

  Mick pulled away a wet curl clinging to her cheek. “I’m sure my surprise visit didn’t help much either.”

  A round of outrageous laughter mingled with the sauna’s steam.

  “I would’ve paid good money to see you throw that vase across the room.” Johari could barely talk amidst her giggles.

  Ty was thinking of her husband. “I’d have paid good money to see Quay trying to hold you back.”

  “When all is said and done Mick, you just have to ask yourself if letting this thing continue to cause you pain is more important than forgiving Quest and moving on.”

  Mick smiled at Contessa’s words. “It is County. It is.”

  ***

  Later that evening, Sabra secured the best tables in her highly publicized gambling/nightclub Ace of Sabra. Everyone chuckled over the woman’s weakness to vanity for having everything she owned bearing her name.
Sabra accepted the digs good naturedly and assured them the trend would continue.

  The table of beauties drew massive amounts of attention. A varied array of men visited more than once in hopes of sharing a drink, dance or something more pleasurable. They were turned away with a soft ‘no thanks’ followed by voluminous laughter when the gentleman left defeated.

  Melina and Johari ventured off to try their luck at the slots while Mick, County and Ty stayed talking at the table. They were laughing over one of County’s bawdy comments when a man stepped up behind Michaela and covered her eyes.

  County smiled and slanted Ty a reassuring wink.

  Michaela pulled away the hands before her face and looked up to find Raegan Crawford smiling down at her. A squeal eeked past her lips seconds before she jumped from her chair.

  “What are you doing here?” Mick pulled back to search his handsome face before leaning in to hug him again.

  Rae scanned the crowded club and grinned. “Scouting for a possible move. I can’t take many more Chicago winters. What’s up Count?”

  “Rae…” County stood to hug him when he rounded the table. She kept her arm linked through his and gestured toward Ty. “Raegan Crawford, Tykira Ramsey Mick’s sister-in-law.”

  “It’s a pleasure.” Raegan moved over to take one of Tykira’s hands in both of his.

  “So have you decided where you’d like to set up shop in this town?” Ty asked in a teasing fashion.

  Rae grinned. “No where near this place, that’s for sure. More business here than anywhere I’ve seen yet.”

  The women laughed.

  “Sabra’ll be pleased to hear that.” County predicted.

  Rae brushed a hand along Mick’s bare arm. “How ‘bout a dance?” He took her hand when she nodded.

  Tykira and Contessa continued their conversation, but it wasn’t long before they were interrupted by another wave of gentleman callers. The second round however seemed a bit more persistent than the first.

  “That’s very nice of you to offer to pay for my room, but I still can’t accept.” Ty swallowed the ball of laughter as she sweetly but firmly dismissed the very interested gentleman who tried to turn her on by leaning in close every few seconds as though he were inhaling her perfume.

  “I like a woman who enjoys paying her own way.”

  Smoothly, she extracted her hand from his. “Actually I know the owner.”

  “Ah convenient…do you suppose we could arrange for adjoining suites?”

  Ty put a phony apologetic look in place. “I doubt she’d go for it, her being my husband’s cousin and all.”

  “Ah…married.”

  “Mmm… Very.”

  “Vegas is no place for such a beauty on her own.” The man had to be all but blind not to see the tired, unimpressed glare Ty focused his way. “Tell me, where is your husband?”

  “Funny you should ask.” Ty had glanced towards the club’s entrance and did a double take. Amused shock tap danced along her spine when she found herself looking right at her husband. “You’re really gonna have to excuse us now,” she snapped her fingers to gain County’s attention. “Looks like our dates finally got here.”

  County waved to urge silence from the man trying to talk her into bed. It was hard not to spot Fernando entering the club with his brothers and cousins. The smile curving her mouth enhanced the sparkle in her warm brown eyes.

  “Tough break guys,” Laughter hugged County’s words when her interested suitor cast a yearning last look at her bosom alluringly encased beneath the lace-up bodice of her aqua blue jumpsuit.

  “Just in the nick of time, I see.” Fernando was already pulling his fiancée back against his chest as the disappointed suitors hurried from the table.

  “We were just letting them down easy.” County exchanged an amused look with Ty and then shrieked when Fernando pinched her bottom.

  “Likely story,” Quay hooked a finger inside the push-up bodice of Ty’s stunning emerald green wrap dress and pulled her close.

  “It’s true,” Ty deliberately heaved her breasts to envelope more of his finger. “I told you I’d be a good girl.”

  “Right. Shut up and kiss me.”

  While Tykira followed her husband’s orders, County told Yohan and Moses where they could find their wives. When they strolled off, she saw Quest. He was clearly pensive and obviously in no mood to be part of the glitzy energy surrounding him.

  “Hey Quest,” County spoke in a hushed tone and heard his soft absent reply in turn. She was about to explain Michaela’s absence but there was no need.

  His gray stare had already strayed across the room toward the dance floor. Mick dancing slow in another man’s arms rendered him weak- from rage or despair he couldn’t be sure. He appeared as lost as a little boy whose favorite toy was in another child’s possession. Still, he couldn’t look away even though the familiar manner in which they held each other threatened to stop his breath.

  “We’ve known him for years, Quest.” County shared from her snug position in Fernando’s embrace. “Mick’s known him since she was a kid.”

  “Name’s Raegan Crawford and he’s only a friend.” Sabra was adding as she waltzed over to hug Quest. “Why don’t you go cut in?”

  He shook his head easing one hand into the deep pocket of his midnight blue trousers while the other flexed methodically against his thigh. “I don’t want to upset her.”

  “She won’t-” Sabra ceased her argument when she caught Quay’s meaningful eye. “Listen, how ‘bout somethin’ to eat?”

  Appreciating her concern, Quest brushed a soft albeit dismissive kiss to Sabra’s forehead. “I’m just gonna head up to my room. I’ll just catch her later.” He cast another wilting glance across the club and blinked away from the sight of Mick’s fingers curled trustingly around the lapels of her friend’s sport coat while the man stroked her bare skin through the dress straps crossing her back.

  Sabra wasn’t giving up. “Well before you head up we’ll just make a pit stop by the front desk and get you a key to your wife’s suite.” She nodded when Quest absently acquiesced and let her escort him from the lively establishment.

  ~~~

  “I knew something was wrong when you looked up at me. Why’d you have to go digging around in this, dammit?”

  Mick had shared the dramatic events that had transpired since their phone conversation. Raegan scolded her promptly and she absorbed it as they danced.

  “I just felt like I had to know.” The pitiful argument made her grimace at her own stupidity.

  Raegan took pity and kissed her forehead. “How long you gonna torture your husband before you forgive him?”

  Mick fidgeted with a button on Rae’s dark shirt. “I’ve already forgiven him, but I’m terrified that it’s too late to tell him so.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “No one does, but me.”

  “Is she that important, Kayla? Is finding Evette that important?”

  Mick’s amber gaze glistened with certainty. “Not near as important as fixing things with Quest.”

  Rae gave her a tiny shake. “That a girl.”

  Mick tugged on his jacket lapel again and sighed. “I think I’m gonna call it a night.”

  “Want me to take you back to the table?” Rae’s heavy browns drew close as he scanned the club. “Although it looks empty over there. I think maybe your girls deserted you.”

  “S’okay. I’m gonna take the long way back to my room-need to think alone for a while.” She graced Rae’s cheek with a playful slap. “I’ll see you before I leave?”

  “Count on it.”

  ***

  A girl’s day out was the plan for the following morning through late afternoon. Everyone had successfully hidden from Michaela the fact that her husband along with his twin and cousins were in Vegas and sharing the same hotel.

  Catrina had given a call shortly after breakfast to tell Mick they’d have Quincee for a few days. Mick ordered herself not t
o ask about Quest and simply thanked her mother-in-law for letting her know the plan.

  From there, the day was filled with strolling the strip, shopping and taking in shows-a few of them quite lurid thanks to County. Mick sent up more than a few prayers of gratitude for the friends who filled her days with laughter and excitement. They refused to allow her to wallow in anything heavy and solemn which resulted in a much needed spiritual lift for Mick.

  The exciting day ended on an even greater high when the ladies returned to the hotel and received a dinner invite from Raegan Crawford.

  ***

  That evening, the piano bar Sabra’s Keys seemed to be the preferred Ramsey hangout. The guys had chosen to dine there as well. The crowd was light that evening, making it easy for Quest to spot his wife arriving in the dining room on Raegan Crawford’s arm.

  “Son of a bitch.”

  Quay heard his brother’s muttering and drew his dark gaze in the direction Quest glared. Seeing Michaela with her childhood friend brought a wicked tilt to the sculpted curve of his mouth. “Ty told me he seems like a pretty good guy.” The look Quay received in turn told him his remark wasn’t appreciated. Sliding down a bit in his chair, he re-focused on the menu in hand.

  “Man, why don’t you just go talk to her?” Fernando whispered, having heard Quay’s words.

  “She’ll realize we’re all here sooner or later.” Moses added.

  Quest blinked and lowered his eyes to the table as though he seemed to be considering his cousin’s words. He took another look at his wife. It had been so long since he’d seen her that way-the animated look as she laughed and chatted with Raegan Crawford…He knew the second she saw him, that look would fade- unease and sadness would set in.

  “You’re bein’ a fool, man.” Yohan’s unhurried baritone slipped in and he rolled his eyes when Quest shook his head.

  “She won’t want to hear anything I’ve got to say. Not now.”

  “Man, don’t assume that shit.” Moses leaned forward to hiss the words.

  Dejectedly, Quest shook his head again. He brushed his fingers across the silverware lying before him. He’d never felt so stifled. What’s more, he’d never felt so unable to do anything about it.