A Weekend with the Blakemores (The Blakemore Files Book 8)

by Olivia Gaines

  Chapter Thirteen – Ninjas, Secret, Doors & More

  Friday morning, wee hours– Las Tierras

  Saxton leaned back on his folded arm, his eyes focused on the ceiling as he ran through scenarios in his head. At dinner last night, when Bobby Ray mentioned the arrival of Connard, Odessa too started calculating the variables. He nudged her thigh to see if she was awake.

  “Hmmm?” she answered his nudging. “I hope you are not in the mood for some breakfast. I couldn’t even master a bowl of mush this morning.”

  “No, I am thinking about something else,” he told her. “I want to run this by you if you are awake.”

  “I’m kinda there, because I was thinking about some things too. One thing is this house. It does not look that big from the outside, I mean these guest rooms are not that big, but man, he fit all of us in this one house,” she said to Saxton.

  “And that is what is bothering me. We are all in one spot Odessa. If Elizondo Rentería or anyone else wanted to make a move on us...I feel like a sitting duck,” he said.

  “Then, after Connard arrives, let’s talk to Eduardo and make a plan,” she said.

  A light tapping could be heard as Saxton looked at the bedroom door. His eyes went to Odessa as the tapping stopped, then started again. This time it was a rhythmic knocking. Saxton jumped up, grabbing his .9mm and walked to the door. Odessa too was on her feet with her children in her arms, moving towards the closet.

  A voice was heard speaking to them.

  “Seriously Blakemore, if I wanted you dead, it would not be difficult,” Eduardo said.

  Saxton nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of Eduardo inside of his bedroom wearing a pair of black satin pajamas.

  “What in the hell?” Saxton said, looking around the man to see where his entry point had been made.

  “Calm down and put that away,” Eduardo said. “I wanted to speak with you. I am concerned with all of us in one place at one time.”

  Slowly, Saxton lowered his gun. “I was just talking to Odessa about the same thing. You think something is coming too?”

  “I can feel it. We have to be prepared,” he said.

  “As soon as Connard and Roget arrives, let’s work on a plan,” he said to Eduardo.

  Eduardo looked over the bed to see Odessa on the floor. “I am sorry if I alarmed you, Señora, but these...” he said as he touched the wall and a door silently slid open, “...are in every chamber. They interconnect throughout the house. In the kitchen, in the servant’s quarters by Mara’s room, that one leads out to the barn.”

  “So, that is why the rooms are small,” Odessa said. “I think this afternoon, we should show all the women how to access the panels.”

  “That would be wise. Once your brother arrives, I shall show all the men the weapon’s cache,” he told Saxton as he moved deeper into the bedroom. He pressed the screw on the light switch by the bedroom door which opened a recessed weapon holder, loaded with a large knife and a gun, with an additional clip.

  Saxton’s eyes were wide. “Ooooh, I want one!” he said to Odessa.

  Eduardo ignored him. “Each bedroom is equipped with the same.”

  Odessa was in a night gown still holding her sleeping children but she had to ask, she needed to know.

  “Eduardo, is my sister safe living here with you?”

  He stood firm. His feet shoulder width apart and his fist clenched at his side. “No one is going to take my family away from me. They would have to kill me first to get to any of them, and I am a very difficult man to do away with,” he told her. His dark eyes showed determination.

  “My apology for disturbing your quiet time,” he said as Austin and Robbie awoke. “Breakfast will be available soon.”

  As quietly as he entered the room through the pocket door, he exited.

  Saxton looked at Odessa who asked her husband, “You know what I am thinking hubby?”

  “Yes. Eduardo is creepy as fuck!” Saxton said.

  “No, Saxton, that is not what I was thinking, but yes you are right he is. I am thinking, we need to have a mini training camp today,” she said.

  “I am still on the creepy thing and weapons hidden in the walls,” he said. “It didn’t freak you out to turn around and see him standing INSIDE the room with us...all sinister and shit?”

  “Saxton focus please,” she said.

  “I am! I am focused on him materializing in our room like some South American Dracula. The man even sleeps in black pajamas!” Saxton said as he put his weapon away and reached for his daughter.

  “We have to be ready.”

  “I wasn’t ready for Drug Czar Ninja Master to just pop up beside the bed. I don’t know what else we can do other than seeing his weapons room to assess what we are working with first, then we can prepare,” he said.

  Nothing in Saxton’s Blakemore’s life could have prepared him for the next 48 hours, starting with the arrival of his brother’s current love interest, the bar-b-que from hell or the rest of the weekend. This would go down in his head as a life changing moment he would never forget. Nor would anyone else.

  Chapter Fourteen – ...And Twirl, Stop, Sashay and Twirl

  Friday Morning– Las Tierras

  Everyone was speechless.

  No one could utter a single a word.

  Lips were pressed closed together as Eduardo, The Lady of the Land, and Yuńior stood on the porch to welcome the arrival of Connard, Belva, Jason, Grandma Patsy, Sue Ella, Dusty and Marecus Roget. The first sign that the day was going awry was the joy on Roget’s face to see Eduardo Delgado.

  “Man,” Roget said. “Man...!” Was all he said, followed by, “Can a brother get a drink?”

  “Marecus, it is 9 am,” Eduardo said.

  “Shiiiiit, wait for it,” he said. “Shiiiiit, you are going to pour one for us both. I may be able to only see out of one eye and for a second there, I wish I couldn’t.”

  He shook Ryanne’s hand, nodded at Yuńior, looked at Tonda and said it again. “Shiiiit, I need a drink. Saxton? Saxton?” he started yelling as he stepped around the welcoming line to enter into the house calling again for his longtime friend.

  Belva came up the stairs next, her long black hair flowing behind her as perfect lips were tinted with just the right amount of color. The beautiful silk skirt she wore billowed in the morning wind as she seemed to float up the stairs. Tonda’s breath caught at the sight of her which was audible enough to be heard, drawing her attention to him.

  “Señor Delgado, thank you for having us in your home,” she said with her trademark syrupy Texas drawl.

  “Señorita Blakemore, welcome,” he said to her.

  She winked at Ryanne then looked at Yuńior. “Aren’t you a handsome little chip off the old block,” she said. Belva, who traveled often, was out of the country when Eduardo and his family came to the ranch for the christening. This was also her first time seeing Tonda.

  “Good Lord, is all of that one man?” She asked, stepping around Yuńior to stand next to Tonda. “I bet you are as rock solid as you look,” she told Tonda placing her hand on his muscle bound chest.

  “Good grief, you just go on for days,” she said looking at his feet and moving up his body with a slow, seductive glance which reached his face and reddened his cheeks. “And you are blushing. I am too on my insides imagining the wrong things that a woman of impeccable breeding should not be doing!” She told him as she patted him again.

  “Get thee behind me Satan,” she said with a faux giggle as she walked into the house following Roget.

  Dusty limped his way up the stairs followed by Sue Ella who had no smiles, nothing to say as sour faces greeted their hosts.

  “What do you think is wrong Eduardo?” Ryanne leaned in a slightly to ask. The answer was revealed. Out of the Suburban stepped Jason McNally in a Hawaiian print dinner jacket with lime green pants, a faux hawk with blond ends, and purple cowboy boots. Eduardo remained quiet, Yuńior did not.

  “What the hell
is that Papa?”

  Jason did not walk up the stairs, he danced his way up, reaching the landing, twirling in place three times, stopping to spread his arms wide as he inhaled deeply the clean air.

  “This place is amaze-balls!” Jason said. He then turned his attention to Eduardo. “Gracias Señor Delgado for having me.”

  Eduardo did not move as Jason’s promenaded across the landing, from one end of the porch to the other, taking it all in, commenting, grinning and sashaying.

  “This house, the green fields, oohh look, a little man on a donkey. Is he picking cocaine balls?” Jason asked.

  Eduardo had not moved nor flinched as he watched him flounce back and forth, stopping in front of the cartel leader.

  “Oooh, you are all dark and swarthy and intimidating and scary and fierce,” Jason said. “That hair, oh my G-G-G, you have got to let me get my hands in those thick, black, tressesssssss, ahhhhh.” The last part was added with enlarge rounded eyes and punctuated with a lip smack.

  Eduardo reached for his knife.

  Ryanne placed her fingers on her husband’s knuckles, pushing the knife back down into his pants pocket. This action caused him to turn his attention to Ryanne.

  “Look at you, all beautiful and glowing like a black Barbie doll. Girl you are rocking that dress, but you have got to let me deep condition, moisturize and trim those ends. You can’t be all ‘look at me bitches’ and have dry ass ends,” Jason said.

  He looked at Yuńior, who shook his head no at him.

  “Why you shaking your head no at me lil’ mini Dark and Swarthy, looking just like yo’ daddy spit you out,” he said to Yuńior.

  His eyes fixed on Tonda and his mouth dropped. However, before he could make any statements on the guard’s size, Bobby Ray came out of the door.

  “What is all this noise I am hearing before my first cup of coffee?” Bobby Ray asked.

  “Daddy!” Jason screeched.

  Bobby Ray froze in his spot. His mouth dropped open as Tonda reached over and pushed it closed. Tonda’s had not taken his eyes off the dancing little happy man.

  Jason began, in a sing-songy voice, “Bobby Ray Blakemore as I live and breathe. I am ever so happy to finally, finally make your acquaintance. Connie and I have been together for so long, I thought your son was ashamed of me or something. I am finally, after ALL of these years getting to meet his family. Should we hug or something to welcome me into the family?”

  Eduardo pressed his lips tightly together to keep from laughing.

  Bobby Ray reached for Tonda’s gun.

  Tonda pushed his hand away.

  Bobby Ray reached behind Tonda’s back to get his knife.

  Tonda pushed his hand away.

  Bobby Ray again reached for Tonda’s gun.

  Tonda smacked his hand.

  Lucille walked out onto the porch and spotted Jason speaking to her husband. She tried to get away and turn to go back into the house.

  “Is that the grand diva herself Lucille Sterling Blakemore? Ms. Lucy, I am Jason. I am so happy to meet you,” he told her, doing a mock curtsey in front of her.

  Not quite awake, hungry, and not in the mood, she said what everyone was thinking. “Bitch please, it is far too early in the morning for your twirling and sashaying. I am stone cold sober, and you are not about to drive me to drink. Calm the hell down and go have a seat somewhere,” Lucille told him.

  “Oooh,” Jason said. His hand flew to his chest to actually clutch the set of pearls he was wearing.

  Big Sarge came around the corner, spotted the twirly bird and said, “Aww hell naw. I am going back to bed!”

  By this time, Grandma Patsy had made it up the stairs aided by Connard, she was in about the same mood as her daughter. “You think that is bad, trying being locked up on a plane with it for 8 fucking hours! I need a drink and don’t you give me any shit about it being 9 am Eduardo Delgado. At one point it would have been a blessing to see my grandson stick something in his mouth just to shut him the hell up!”

  Connard said nothing as he looked at Eduardo then at his father.

  Eduardo spoke first, “Welcome to Las Tierras Verdes de mis Antecedents, Connard. Mara is waiting inside to show you and Jason to your room.”

  Ryanne chimed in, “Breakfast is ready in the kitchen, the morning ride is coming up, and it is going to be a fun weekend.”

  “Thank you,” Connard said. The two words carried more meaning than he was able to voice. Sad eyes went to his father for the harsh judgement he was expecting to follow. Bobby Ray sighed deeply.

  “Son, I thought you would never get here. That woman in the kitchen has been cooking up some stuff, I swear, my ass has spread since Wednesday. There are some really green processes Eduardo employs here on this land that I want to discuss with you, Saxton and Dusty about implementing on the Busy B and outlying remote branches,” Bobby Ray said.

  Connard stood in front of him, his shoulders squared. “Daddy, we are here. I am looking forward to this weekend with my family and Jason. He is a very real part of my life.”

  “I see that son,” Bobby Ray said.

  “Daddy, you can’t just ignore him or treat him as if he doesn’t exist,” Connard said with determination in his voice.

  “How can I ignore him Connard? He is twirling and twisting all over the damned place sprinkling magical pixie dust and threatening people with deep conditioning,” Bobby Ray said with taut lips.

  “I am asking you to accept him; to accept me,” Connard said.

  Bobby Ray instead of a glib response, pulled his son into his arms, squeezing him. “If he makes you happy, then be happy, but remember the brand you represent,” he said in his ear before letting him go.

  “Whoooo, I am hungry enough to eat a pig’s ass,” Bobby Ray exclaimed. “Let’s get some breakfast!”

  He dragged his son into the house, his arm around Connard’s neck. Eduardo placed his hand on Tonda’s arm, holding him back as Ryanne passed them both. He watched Bobby Ray avoiding Jason, who continuously reached for his hair.

  “Tonda, have my plane moved to the secured hangar as well as the Blakemore jet. I will call Argentina for my children to remain there this weekend,” he told him.

  “Sí Jeffe. You think there will be trouble this weekend?”

  “Yes, Tonda I do,” he said looking at his longtime assistant. “I also want you to avoid trouble as well. Señorita Blakemore is off limits.”

  “Jeffe, I wasn’t going to touch the woman,” Tonda said.

  “I am making certain you do not. The last man that touched and hurt her, I do not think when the Saxton was done, they found his body. If the Blakemore kills you, then I would have to kill him and my wife will stop speaking to me. I do not want my wife to stop speaking to me Tonda,” he said.

  “I don’t want that either Jeffe,” Tonda said.

  “Good, we are clear,” Eduardo responded.

  “No, Jeffe we are not,” Tonda said. He lowered his head. “I do not understand these North Americans. The brother, is so strong. He too is a powerful man. Why would he want...?”

  Eduardo turned his gaze out to his fields. “When a man has everything, the only thing he longs for at night is someone to love him unconditionally, for who he is. We cannot help who we are drawn to, and we cannot help who we love.”

  Mary Jean walked by the door. Her eyes on Tonda.

  Tonda’s eyes focused in on the large red ant which sat in her hair. The ant covered blouse was low cut and the bra she wore sat her assets up high, making them jiggle like loose gelatin as she walked. A pair of tight black jeans clung to everything the heavens had blessed her with leaving Tonda nearly speechless.

  “Suddenly, I am very hungry,” Tonda said softly.

  “By all means, eat, eat,” Eduardo said.

  “Sí, Jeffe, as you command,” Tonda responded.

  Chapter Fourteen – An Elegant Evening

  Friday night– Las Tierras

  Ryanne was having difficulty finding somet
hing to wear. The first dress was too much. The second dress was too tight across her boobs and the third dress made her look as wide as a whale. She was almost in tears.

  “Ryanne,” Eduardo said. “You will look beautiful in anything you put on.”

  “Tell that to my ass,” she said turning in the mirror. “It looks huge!” He stepped forward, wearing only his briefs and socks, but she held up her hand.

  “Eddie, would you please get dressed and head down without me, I will be along in a few,” she told him.

  Her few took twenty-five minutes. She was breaking Eduardo’s rule of being late, but she needed more time. It worked perfectly, giving her husband an opportunity to spend time with the men. The ladies, with the exception of Odessa, was enjoying the rare vintages of wine Eduardo had brought up from the wine cellar. Jason opted for staying with the women.

  “Gentlemen,” he said quietly. “Por favor, come with me.” He took all of the gentleman into his office. Marianna and Tonda were standing by a wall which was bare sans one painting.

  “I am concerned that with all three families being in one place, this may be an ideal time, for someone to...feel courageous,” he said with a weak smile. “If such a situation should present itself, I would like for us all to be prepared.”

  He explained the faux walls in each bedroom.

  Tonda explained how to access the panels to open the hidden doors.

  Marianna went over how to get from the house to the barn.

  Kevin Jr. spoke up, “All that is fine and good, but sometimes you have to stand and fight. We need some weapons!”

  Every man in the room turned to look at him.

  Carlos spoke up first, “why don’t you just try to not be kidnapped if something pops off?”

  “Man, you lucky my Daddy is standing here,” Kevin Jr. said.

  Big Sarge laughed, “If I wasn’t here you still wouldn’t do anything but talk trash.”

  Most of the men laughed with the exception of Saxton.

  “As much as I hate to admit this, Kevin is right. I brought my piece, and I think Odessa has one, but that may be it for fire power,” he said.