by Ashlee Price
I had hoped that the kids would just go with it. I was their mother after all, but apparently I had raised them to have their own mind and they weren’t going for it.
Tossing and turning all night, I had nightmares about what was going to happen if I didn’t get them to agree. I knew in my heart what was going to happen and I wouldn’t even bear the thought. I didn’t want anything to happen to my family. They were all I had left and nothing else really mattered.
***
“So?”
I sighed inwardly and swallowed hard. I had been dreading the call for some time, but I knew that it was going to come. He wanted results. Braxton wasn’t a patient man and the things he would do to get what he wanted were not hard to imagine. He would have his way, one way or another and I knew that I wasn’t going to like the way he chose. He was not going to be happy with my lack of progress.
“It didn’t go so well. I told you that they were going to resist it.”
“Well that is why I sent their mother to break the news to them. That was the whole point of this exercise. I could have come up with results already. Do I need to go to my way of doing things Elna? You know I am very good at making people see things my way.”
I blanched and looked away. He was in my office again and though I had done my best while I was at home, the children had banded together and the sale was not going to happen with their blessing. I couldn’t tell him that though. It would be the end of it.
“I just need more time Braxton, that’s all. It’s a lot for them. All of their memories of their father are there.”
“Is it worth them dying for it?”
Braxton was always like that. Even when he had first convinced my late husband to go into business together with him, Braxton had always been very pushy of his ideas. He was supposed to be a silent partner, but he had been pulling the strings all along. I know now that there was no way that I was going to be able to work things out with him. Braxton was the type to get his way. He had a lot of unsavory types that worked for him, but he was the type that didn’t mind getting his hands dirty. He enjoyed the dirt work and there was no way that I was going to let my family get dragged into all of that. There had to be another way and no matter what was happening at home, I had to keep them from it. That was all that I knew for sure.
“Stop saying that. Don’t you think you have done enough to me and my family? I don’t need to be constantly reminded of what you are capable of. I know what kind of monster you are.”
He tsked me and I wanted to hit him. As his hands moved up to my face, I pulled away. There had been a time, before I had known the truth and seen him for who he really was, that I would have melted in his arms. I had loved him at a time when I was most vulnerable, but now his very touch made me nauseated. I no longer loved him, but hated him with every fiber of my being. What he had done to me was enough to hate him for the rest of my life.
Pulling my head back to break the contact of his hand on my face, he made this low chuckling sound in the back of his throat that was almost as bad as his hand on me. He didn’t seem to be bothered by my move, but actually further amused that he was making me so uncomfortable.
“Then stop treating me like I am your husband. I will not take your sharp tongue Elna, so you need to make better choices in the way that you talk to me.”
I nodded my head and I hated the fact that I knew there was fear in my eyes. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. I knew that it wasn’t supposed to be like that and all I felt for him was numbness and fear. Nothing good was going to come from this all.
“I will do the best I can Braxton. Please stop threatening the kids. They are all I have left. You made sure of that.”
“Then remember what I can do. I will not hesitate with the children. You have to remember that your husband was my best friend and if I will do that to him, imagine what I will do to those I care nothing about. You don’t think.”
“Just give me some more time. I will go back down there this weekend and try again.”
He shook his head and I could tell that he wanted to touch me. He had a look of desire in his eyes and I couldn’t believe that he could look that way in a time like this. How could he be thinking about sex at the same time he was threatening to kill my kids? And it was all for what, a few extra dollars?
“That’s not going to be good enough, though if you do me a favor, maybe I will return it, but I am not going to make any promises.”
I knew there was no half ground with him and even if there was a chance that I could get more time, there was no way that I could be nice to him in the way that he was wanting. I could never be with him or look at him in that way again. Why couldn’t he see that?
“No favors. Just give me a couple of days, please.”
“No, you have until tomorrow evening at this time to make them see your way. If not, well you know what is going to happen.” His hand came out as I backed away from him and he pulled me close to him, my body flinging against his hard chest. “And don’t act like you have a choice Elna. If I wanted you bad enough, I would just take it.”
His mouth came down on mine and what had once given me such pleasure, now made me feel repulsed and there was nothing I could do about it. He was too strong and too ruthless. Braxton always got his way.
Chapter 8 – Gemma
I couldn’t believe mom and it seemed even stranger that after all that had happened, she was more worried about what everyone else thought, than her own kids. She had apparently already talked to Braxton about selling, though I wondered if he had thought of it first. But if that were the case, mom wouldn’t have been so adamant about it I don’t think.
“I am sorry you had to hear all of that, Billy. I guess you just got slammed right into the middle of all of that the other night.”
He shrugged. “I never really had any family, so it is interesting to me. But I have never seen your brother so upset before. Are you sure everything is alright with Elna? She didn’t seem herself at the end there. I would have never thought that she would want to sell the business. She has always seemed so happy when me and Marcus would visit her in the city.”
I nodded, it was exactly how I felt, but all of us were just left there with our mouths open and wondering what had just happened. It was not like my mother at all and I had to think that there was something else going on, something else amiss in all of it.
“So when do you go back out on the platform?”
“I got another week actually. I was only going to take a week off, but I figured that the weather has been so nice and the days so interesting, that I was think of staying another week. You don’t mind do you?”
I didn’t mind. He had been a nice companion to have around and though I figured that he would be put off with the family drama, it didn’t seem to bother him in the least bit. Billy had even been helping me with some of the chores around the ranch. I had decided to go ahead and do what I had said I would do at the table. I quit my job the next day and it had afforded us all the time in the world to get to know each other.
Marcus had been pushing me towards him and even with everything going on at the ranch and Leanna, he still had time to play matchmaker, though he wasn’t very discreet about it. He kept leaving us alone, like today when we were off on a slow ride on the horses. It was getting later and the sun was starting to go down on the right side of us.
“Of course I don’t mind if you stay. I think I would rather take some more time off as well. I just quit my job and I feel like I should do something before I start work at the ranch. Is Marcus staying off for another week too?”
He shook his head that he was and that made me feel a little more relief. It meant that I would have more time with all of my brothers except one and Marcus had always been my favorite. “So what are your plans for your week off?”
“I am not really sure, but I know that I want you to be part of it.”
I felt myself blushing. He was always saying sweet things like that and I cou
ld tell that his silvered tongue was hard to ignore. Billy knew the right things to say and though we hadn’t kissed or even really touched in a way that was inappropriate and sexual, I wanted him to. He was holding back I figured because of Marcus, but Marcus had made it clear to me in his comments that he thought that we would be perfect together.
“Well I am just here at the ranch now. I have to go home eventually to get some spare clothes. I haven’t been home in days and I can’t wear Leanna’s clothes anymore.”
He looked over at me and I could feel too much of my flesh revealed. The light skirt that I was wearing was high on my thigh and I could tell that his attention was there. “Do you want to come over for a while and have some lunch or something while I change?”
“I kind of like what you are wearing.”
I sighed. “I bet, but I am tired of being afraid to move. She is a lot shorter than me, so I am sure that it fits a lot better on her.”
His dark green eyes darkened even further to a jade color and he didn’t have to say anything, I already knew what was on his mind. It was most likely the same thing on my mind. “I doubt that very seriously.”
“Me, look at you. You have become a proper cowboy since you came to stay here. I think the ranch might be rubbing off on you.”
He nodded his head. “I don’t think that it is the ranch that affects me so much.”
“Than what pray tell, is affecting you?”
Billy stopped his horse and pulled it back around so that he was instead looking at me. “You are the one that has changed my thinking.”
“And what thinking is that?”
“That I don’t want to go back on the platform. It all just seems so lonely now. I like the way things are here. You have all your family together and it is all so warm and inviting. You are warm and inviting Gemma.”
He leaned in suddenly close and I closed my eyes as I felt his lips brush ever so softly against mine. The horses didn’t like to be so close together though and mine pulled away, leaving my lips still moist from his tongue, but he was gone so suddenly and then the moment was broken. I turned to go back to the ranch with Billy following behind. I knew that he wanted to finish what we had started as much as I did.
***
We got back to the ranch around the time the sun was at the highest point in the sky. It had been a good ride, but my body was still buzzing over the kiss. It had only been for a few moments, but there was nothing that could be done. Two of my brothers were in the house when I got back in and I waved hello, wondering a little guiltily if they knew what I was just doing with Billy. He followed me to my room where I picked up a few things and then we had both agreed to have lunch at my place. Anticipation was high in my mind that something more was going to happen, but I didn’t want to say anything out loud to jinx it.
“You know, we could just stay at your place this evening too.”
“What did you want to do?”
As soon as I asked the question, I knew I couldn’t take it back. There was something about the way he looked at me that made me shiver inside. “Hey, sis!”
I sighed to myself. It didn’t seem like us doing anything else was going to be in the agenda. There was something holding us back from doing what was wanted and I was trying hard not to see it as a sign. “What Marcus?”
He looked from me to Billy and had this smile on his face that I wanted to slap off. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt something.”
“You’re not.”
“Then go.” I looked over at Billy who had said something at the same time, though his request was far different. I tried to ignore the looks I was getting. “What’s up Marcus?”
“Mom is going to be back home this evening and wants us all to come to the ranch for dinner. I just wanted to make sure that you were here as well.”
“Okay, thanks. I was going to go get some of my own clothes. Your wife’s clothes are a bit too tight and short for me.”
He just nodded. “Billy?”
“She is making me lunch. You know that I can’t say no to a good meal.”
Marcus had a look in his eyes and I wanted to slap him again. “I hear ya. Well just be back before night.”
I nodded and left the room and the strange scenario that there was. Billy was behind me a minute later and I knew him and Marcus had talked about something, but I refused to wonder what it was. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
We got in my car and I drove across town to my house. I was feeling the pressure of him sitting next to me and when we got towards the house, I had a strange feeling, but I just blamed the man next to me for the feeling and tried to ignore it.
Billy followed close behind me on the short staircase as I went for my keys.
“I don’t want to wait anymore Gemma.” He moved forward and kissed me again. This time there was more passion and force though. His body pushed me against the door and it pushed open. I almost fell over if he hadn’t been there to catch me.
When I looked behind me, I stopped. Everything in my house was broken and there was a message on the wall. “Do as you are told or next time you will be home.”
I stared at the letters scrawled on my white wall. What the hell was going on?
Chapter 9 – Billy
“There is something that I have to tell you all. Billy, I am sorry you have been dragged into this, but you are like family, so here we are.”
“It’s no problem Elna.” I wanted to know what was going on just as much as everyone else there. Gemma’s apartment had been completely ransacked, but nothing was really taken. By the message on the wall, it was clear that it was meant as a sign, not an actual robbery. I wanted to know why someone had done it and I was afraid that she was not going to be safe.
“What is it mom?” I looked over at Gemma and though she was trying to hide it, I knew she was upset over what had happened. It was her house that was destroyed, her personal belongings sifted through and it was her that had been threatened.
“Braxton wants us to sell the ranch. And if I don’t sell the ranch, he is going to do worse than what he did today. He had already done so much worse.”
Everyone was silent and no one knew what to say. I only knew that Braxton was one of the founders that had started the company years before with Marcus’ dad. He had talked about him a few times, wondering if he and his mother got together after his father died.
Elna seemed to be having trouble finding the words and she took a drink of the glass in front of her. Her hand was visibly shaking on the glass and my heart went out to her. There was something that she had to say that I didn’t think anyone was going to like and I wanted to comfort Gemma who was still as upset as her mother. The boys were more stoic, waiting for the news so they could figure out a way to fix it.
“Braxton is the reason your father died. I didn’t know that for a long time, but I found out a few days ago when he came to me with a sale proposal. He has said that if we don’t sell him the ranch and the business for a very small amount, he is going to start picking all of you off. And all I can tell you guys with certainty is that I know he will do it. Braxton will do far worse than he did to dad.”
I sat back as I think everyone in the room took a collective intake of breath. I looked over at Gemma and her eyes were watering. “I knew that it all was wrong what happened to dad. Why don’t we call the cops and get him thrown in jail? He deserves to rot.”
Elna nodded her head, but I could tell that it was just not that simple. Life never was that simple. “Because I can’t prove it Gemma and even if he did go inside, there would still be people out here that would carry out his orders. You can’t stop Braxton from getting what he wants.”
Marcus stood up and he was as angry as the rest of the Callahan men.
“The hell he will. It seems pretty clear to me. We kill the bastard and then we don’t have to worry about any of it.”
Elna just shook her head. “And then you go to jail? No. That is not the way. Really
guys, how much more do we need?”
“It’s not the money mom. It’s the principle, the fact that he killed dad! That is reason enough right there. I don’t care what you say he will do. I will end him and end this all in a few minutes.”
The older woman stood up and her face was scowled. “You will do no such thing Marcus!”
“I have a son to worry about and no one is going to threaten my sister, your daughter and get what he wants. This is father’s company and I am not going to have a man like him in it any longer.”
I watched my best friend walk out of the room and while I sympathized with the rest of them, I agreed with Marcus. Some things couldn’t be handled with the law and peace, some things had to be handled the hard way and Braxton sounded like one of those things.
“Gemma, we are going to stay at Marcus’ for the next few nights, so why don’t you get anything you need…”
I stopped, everything that she owned was gone now and I saw the look in her eyes. “Why I don’t I drive you over there? You have had enough for the day.”
I stood up and almost expected her to tell me to piss off, but she didn’t. Instead she got up with me and we started to leave. I didn’t want her to hear any more of it, but I knew that Marcus needed some time to plan and talk to his brothers. There would be a plan in place by the time he made it back to his house and I just wanted to make sure his sister and the rest of his family was safe. That was my job now. I had seen it in the look and nod he had given me before he stormed out. It wouldn’t be the first time that the two of us had to take care of something that was a little unpleasant.
***
The plan was not so much of a plan, as more a readiness. Paul and Scott were covering the houses at the ranch with Marcel and Elna, while Marcus and his family were at his house with Gemma. They didn’t sleep that night, the two men waiting up for the problems that were to come. The deadline had been by that evening, so as Elna had said, he was going to strike one place. We just had to be ready for them when they did.
