Last Bride, Last Man (Book Three of the Red River Valley Brides Series)

by Hestand, Rita

  "I know that. And I do need you. More than you know. But…"

  "But what?" She cried out her frustrations.

  He sat up on the edge of the bed and wiped his face with his hands. "Nadine, I seen this many times in the army. Bad things happen. You can't erase the death of our child with another. Each child should have it's time to be born. When we come together…I guess our love is so powerful we make a baby. Your body, has been through a tremendous shock. You need time to heal, inside and out. To make a healthy baby. You got bruises on the inside, the doc said. You can't see those bruises, but they are there. You've been hurt, honey. If I got you pregnant now, you might get sick and I don't want to risk losing you when we've got all the time in the world."

  "I feel like you don't want me, because we lost our child. That you blame me for the loss…"

  "Oh honey. You aren't to blame for anything. We both know that. And…I want to love you. I want to now more than ever, to show you how powerful a love we have. If we can withstand this, then, we have something most folks just dream about.

  "You've been hurt, by Martina."

  "Don't say her name."

  "What?"

  "Don't say her name in my house." Nadine got off the bed and paced the room. "I don't ever want to hear her name again."

  "I understand."

  "Don't tell me you understand. When I'm like this, unreasonable, don't patronize me by agreeing with everything I say."

  "Alright. Look, I put her in jail. She won't get out for a long time, Nadine, maybe never, for what she done. And you are going to see to that. But…we can't erase what happened. We have to face it and go on. We have friends and neighbors that care. We have a new home. A new chance to make something of this place. But we cannot go forward if we look back all the time. Don't you see we have so much to be thankful for."

  "I can't just forget what she done."

  "Neither can I. If you knew how I felt when I saw her standing over you like that, and you curled up in a ball, holding yourself." He cried, turning to look at her now. "I never wanted to murder a person in my life, but that night, I came close to it. But we have some healing to do yet, Nadine. We need to allow ourselves the time to grieve and the time to celebrate. And…we have to forgive in our hearts and go on." He insisted. "You don't want to become bitter over it. That means she would win."

  "You can forgive her?" Nadine frowned at him.

  "No…not yet. Maybe when I see that she will never get out of prison, I'll be able to. But not yet. But I don't intend dwelling on what happened. You are alive, I am alive, and we got this place and we can go on. Oh baby don't you see, this is what life is all about, the ups and the downs. It's like a test to see if we can get through them. And we can…"

  "Somewhere," Her voice was low, "Down deep inside, I know that what you say is true. That you are right. But all I want is to have your babies. It' s all I think about. Having your baby. Make a family…and you won't touch me. I need that touch. I need you Gabe."

  "No, you haven't faced it all yet, honey. You're rushing into this hoping another child will replace the one we lost. It won't. But it will eventually make us a family and a happy one at that. It's too soon, darlin'. Just too soon." He cried. "Do you really think I don't want to. It takes all I got not to make love to you all night long, but you've been hurt. And hurts have to heal. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever been with. I love looking at your body, touching you, kissing you. I enjoy you. And I will always want you…"

  "Then take me!" She begged him.

  "I can't do that to you…" And he got up and walked out of the room. He looked back over his shoulder at her. "I'll never hurt you Nadine."

  ~*~

  Nadine stared at the closed door between them. His words resounded in her head. But even understanding him wasn't enough. She needed him, and she needed him now.

  Tears cascaded down her cheeks.

  Was she going mad? Had she lost more than just her baby? Had she lost her mind. Deep inside her, she knew he was right. But right now, she needed him close, and he was walking out on that.

  How was she going to go on? How could she face losing her baby, and maybe Gabe too?

  Tears washed her face now. Tears for her baby, herself and for Gabe.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Martina's trial began on a muggy, rainy day in a courtroom full of people. She came into the courtroom with her head hung. Her pregnancy was showing now and there were whispers everywhere. She turned on the people with a huge frown and muttered something Spanish under her breath.

  The judge banged the gavel several times to restore order.

  The court was crowded as some of the black community came to see the trial too. They stood at the back and listened.

  People were fanning themselves, it was so hot. The air in the courtroom barely seemed to move, even though the overhead fan moved slowly around the ceiling.

  "Order in the court." The officer of the court demanded.

  Everyone got quiet.

  They called Nadine to the stand early on. She was calm and collected. She stared at Gabe for strength. He smiled at her and nodded his approval.

  "Now would you tell the court what happened on the day Martina attacked you."

  "Objection."

  "Over-ruled. It is evident Mrs. Lewis was attacked." The judge nodded to her. "Go on. Tell us in your own words."

  She stared out at the people watching her. She folded and refolded her kerchief. She tried to close her eyes and compose herself for what she had to say. "Our home was burned to the ground, so Gabe had gone into town to see about a loan to get our house back up and going. I was in our yard, cooking when Martina showed up. She started making accusations, then threatening me. She said she even burnt our house down. At first I didn't believe it, but the more she talked, the more I did. Before I knew what she intended, she threw me down on the ground and sat on me, beating me in the stomach. She kept pounding me until….I guess I passed out."

  "And were you examined by a doctor afterwards?"

  "Yes. My husband found me and brought me to the docs."

  "And what did that examination show?"

  Nadine felt her face flush, but another glance at Gabe gave her the courage to say it as tears rolled down her cheeks.

  "That I'd been beaten in the stomach, and lost my baby."

  The crowd got louder, demanding justice be done.

  "Did Miss Martina show any remorse for what she did to you?"

  "No…none. Not then, and not now."

  "Thank you…"

  When the prosecutor called Martina to the witness stand, she glanced all around, then her gaze landed on Gabe. She raised her nose to the air and sent him a sexy smile.

  "Do you swear to tell the truth, so help you God?"

  "Si." Martina shot Gabe another look. She seated herself so she could see him at all times.

  "Now if you will, we've heard testimony from the victim, we'd like to hear your side. In your own words."

  "I came to see the house that burnt. I'd smelled smoke for a while and thought I'd see it for myself. I was curious."

  "And then what happened?"

  "I found her in the yard, making food, with a smile on her face, like it didn't bother her that her house had just burned down. I thought it strange. We began talking, and she was hateful to me. She wanted me to leave."

  "Go on…"

  "We had words. I told her that my baby belonged to her husband, and that she should know it. She became hostile at that point."

  The crowd got loud again.

  "And then what happened?"

  "She attacked me."

  "How did she attack you?"

  "Well…she slapped me."

  "Go on."

  "So I threw her on the ground and started hitting her."

  "Were you aware that you were hitting her in the stomach?"

  "No, of course not, I was too angry. I just wanted to hit her."

  "Liar!" Nadine shouted.
/>   "Order!" The judge banged his gavel once more.

  "So you didn't know she lost her baby because you hit her in the stomach?"

  "By the time I was through, I didn't care…I wanted her dead for the things she said. She knew Gabe was mine. She knew this baby was his. And she knew he loved me…"

  The crowd shouted at her.

  "Hang her!" One man shouted from the crowd.

  "That will be all…" The lawyer looked at her and shook his head. "I can't defend you properly unless you shut your mouth."

  The doc was called to verify what Nadine had said about his examination. There was a loud ruckus from the back.

  The doc verified what Nadine had said. He said he'd never seen a woman attacked in that way.

  "What do you mean, in that way?" The judge asked.

  "Like she wanted to kill the baby…not Nadine."

  The crowd became loud once more and the judge banged his gavel at them. "We will have order."

  Later the jury was out of the court for only about an hour. When they came back in, the judge asked them if they'd reached a verdict.

  "Yes your honor. We voted guilty. We didn't have a problem with finding her guilty, but more what to do with her instead. At first we voted to hang her. But since she is with child, we amended the recommendation for life in prison. It wouldn't be so harsh but she admitted she burnt the house down too. And we didn't want her hung, because the baby is innocent." The lead juror said.

  "Very well. The prisoner shall rise."

  Martina stood up, casting her head high, proudly. She sent a scorching glance at Nadine.

  "You've been judged guilty, you got anything to say to this court?"

  "No!" She hung her head. "I only wished I had killed her." Martina shouted and lunged toward Nadine. Harry ran to prevent her from attacking Nadine once more.

  More shouts rose, but the judge kept banging his gavel at them.

  "Then by the power vested in me, I sentence you to life in prison. With no hope of parole. Your baby shall be taken away as soon as it is born and given to your next of kin. Take her away. Get her out of my sight."

  "No…no!" Martina cried aloud.

  Harry took hold of her and drug her away.

  Nadine turned to Gabe. "Thank God. It's over."

  "It all worked out." Nadine mumbled.

  Still, Nadine wrestled with what had happened. She thought when the time came, she'd be happy to see Martina go to prison for life. She knew they wouldn't hang her in her condition.

  "What's wrong?" Gabe asked her as he got her home that day.

  "Nothing I guess. I don't know." Nadine fisted her hands several times as she paced the kitchen. "When it first happened I wanted her dead. I really did. But now, seeing her…and listening to her lying in front of everyone, I just felt a tremendous pity for her. Because…she lost her baby too."

  Gabe nodded. "Yes, she did. I knew you'd feel compassion, you are that kind of woman. And that's why I love you so much."

  She looked at him and smiled.

  "I realize now, that in the end, she got a lot more than I thought she would. But to have her baby taken away from her, that's something. She lost as much as we did. I can't grieve for her, but I recognize how she feels, at least."

  "It's harsh, but it is just, honey. Harsh but needed." Gabe declared. "Besides, prison don't accommodate babies. Her father will probably raise it, since John's not going to do the right thing and claim it."

  "At one point I thought he would…" Nadine said. "I thought I'd gotten to him the last time I spoke to him. I told him he should claim it since he said he wanted children so bad. That was part of what drove him to seek other women than his wife. She could not have children."

  "He had a lot to lose by doing so." Gabe shook his head. "His wife…his money, his reputation."

  Nadine bowed her head, and tears ran down her cheeks.

  "Don't cry, honey." Gabe came to hold her.

  "It's just that…life takes so many turns. If I hadn't listened to you about John…I might have been in a fix like she is."

  "No…I don't believe that for a minute. Good people can get into trouble, yes, and can make mistakes, but in the long run, their heart and their God, keep them from going the wrong way. Now let's stop frettin' and have some supper."

  She squeezed him tighter for a minute, then she turned loose, and grinned as she turned to leave the courthouse She glanced back over her shoulder.

  "Justice was done." She murmured.

  For the first time in a long time they talked about things. It was heartwarming to Nadine.

  Chapter Twenty

  When they went to bed though, Gabe pulled her against him and kissed her hotly on the lips. When they came up for air, he took her face and ran his knuckles over her cheek. "Did anyone ever tell you that you have a beautiful face? I loved that face, the minute I saw it. I wasn't ever gonna tell you this, but I was in love with you the minute I laid eyes on you. There was just something about you."

  She shook her head. "You sure didn't act like it."

  His eyes kissed her, hovering over her.

  Nadine seemed to wait for his next kiss with anticipation.

  "I held back my feelings. You were a stranger, a beautiful stranger." Suddenly his mouth covered hers with a hunger she obviously hadn't expected.

  He lifted his head, as his tongue traced the curve of her lips. "You taste better than a fine wine. Like a touch of salt and a lot of sugar." He whispered against the delicate corner of her mouth.

  His lips brushed over her eyes, nose and back to the waiting lips that enticed another kiss.

  Her breath was short lived as his lips moved down the delicate curve of her neck and shoulders. He could build a fire inside her in seconds.

  He continued to pleasure her with his featherlike touches until he reached the opening of her gown. His nose nudged the material away, and his lips sought to caress her nipples, ever so slowly. He felt her shudder beneath him, and smiled.

  "You like that?" He whispered against her.

  "Of course…I like everything you do. You're so gentle with me, so unexpectedly gentle." But her words were cut short as he suckled her, first one then the other nipple.

  "I think maybe you've healed enough now…" He whispered, raising her just enough so he could take her cotton gown and pull it over her head, throwing it on the floor.

  "We don't need that between us. I love looking at you." He whispered.

  Her eyes opened and closed slowly at each touch of his mouth.

  "Oh Gabe…" She cried and snuggled against him.

  His kisses became urgent and even more exploring as he romanced her body. She shivered with the anticipation of a woman in love.

  His hands moved slowly over her, first down her side to her hips, then under her shoulders to bring her breast up against his lips. For a long time he lingered there, pleasuring her until she moaned softly.

  Night had fallen and the crickets buzzed about making their music.

  "You know a woman's breasts are the soft mountains of life." He whispered as his tongue sought to massage them gently. She bucked against him then, her control obviously slipping as he continued to make love to her body and whisper words of fire in her ear.

  His lips teased and taunted deliberately seeking her response.

  A heat rose between them now, as she raised herself against him.

  He easily flipped her over so she was on top. Her breast dangled against him and he raised his head to capture them, drawing them one at a time as deep into his mouth as they would go.

  "No man has ever set me on fire like you do…" she whispered into the night. "You play with me like a toy, when all I can think of is you being inside me, big and thrusting inside me."

  He smiled against her mouth.

  His hand went down her belly and hovered over her thigh. Then ever so gently he massaged her gently over the tops of her thigh, and separated her so his hand could explore further. His hands continued to search
for all her pleasure points, making her move against him in a rhythm as old as time.

  He raised up and kissed her gently between the legs, spreading her slightly with his tongue.

  "Oh Gabe…please take me…" she murmured.

  "It'll be my pleasure my sweet…" He murmured against her there, sending her to the edge as his tongue found the delicate part of her that brought her to a semi-climax. Her body shivered with delight, her breathing was labored, her hands eager to explore him too.

  Then without haste, he slowly entered her, blazing his way inside until she wreathed and took him in. Moans of pleasure echoed through the house.

  The next morning they cuddled against each other. "I don't want to get up," Nadine protested when his hands strayed over her breast creating a heated reaction.

  He watched as her nipples puckered at his touch. "Lady you have no idea how hard it was not to touch you. I've wanted you every night. And now…I want you all day long…"

  She smiled playfully. "How can someone with an angel's name be so wicked."

  "It isn't wicked to make love to your wife. Besides, your little body seems to crave my touches. So it goes both ways. I love you, Nadine. Never doubt it again."

  Nadine laid on the bed, stretched out, beautifully naked and smiled. "We've come a long way, haven't we?"

  She stretched herself erotically before him, offering and tempting at the same time.

  "We sure have. And I promise you this house will be filled with love and lots of children." Gabe smiled. "And you can go back to just wearing your dress. I sure like looking at you like that. Seeing you through those thin dresses you have. Seein' your breast pucker when I look at you. Watchin' your hips move in that slow sway you have about you."

  "I've never met a man like you. You can make me want you just with your words, a look, or a touch."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I mean…you can just look at me, and I get all mushy inside, hot and bothered. So disturbed I can't do anything but think about us, in bed like this, making love. Your eyes, they make me melt inside."

  He smiled and rewarded her with a kiss that threatened to have them in bed all day.