by V. A. Dold
“How are you holding up, sweetie?” Kensie asked Carol as she took the open seat next to her.
“I know they’ll find him guilty, but I can’t seem to convince my nerves of that.”
“Hang in there. In a few minutes it’ll be over.”
The judge entered and called the session to order. Then he called for the jury’s verdict.
“On the charge of attempted kidnapping in the first degree, how do you find?
“We the jury find the defendant Lawrence Smith guilty.
“On the charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, how do you find?
“We the jury find the defendant Lawrence Smith guilty.
“On the charge of murder in the first degree, how do you find?
“We the jury find the defendant Lawrence Smith guilty.
Joe sighed in relief. With each guilty verdict, Carol’s tense body relaxed into his side a little more
“Lawrence Smith, you have been found guilty of all charges. I sentence you to life in prison without the possibility of parole.” The judge banged his gavel loudly on his bench, and Larry was led from the courtroom.
Carol collapsed into Joe’s arms, shaking from the stress she’d carried for so many months. Stress that was now lifted from her shoulders.
Kensie rubbed circles on Carol’s back. “Thank goodness that’s over with.”
“Let’s get out of here. I need a little air,” Joe whispered into her ear. He raised his head and caught Lucas’s eye. “We’re heading to the parking lot.”
“Excellent idea. Courthouses make me itch like I have fleas.”
Kensie swatted him playfully. “They do not.”
“They do so. I swear I need to take a shower with flea soap.”
Stepping from the courthouse, Carol raised her face, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The sunshine had never felt so good.
“Lucas, the courthouse doesn’t have fleas,” Kensie said in an exasperated tone as they caught up to Carol and Joe. “I swear that man is nothing but a large child.”
She looked at Kensie’s disgruntled expression and Lucas’s grinning face and busted out laughing. “I love you guys. I really needed a good laugh today.”
“Are you saying you could use something happy, exciting, and fun today?” Joe asked, waggling his eyebrows.
Carol put her hands on her hips and frowned at him. “Are you seriously talking about sex right now?”
He frowned and looked at Lucas with a confused expression on his face as if Lucas would answer her question for him.
Lucas must have taken pity on him because he actually stepped in. “What Joe meant to say is, he would like to do something special for you. A surprise that will please you and make you so happy you will forget about the past few months.”
She glanced from Lucas to Joe and threw her hands in the air. “Why didn’t you just say that?”
Joe scratched his head and grinned. “I’m not as eloquent as Lucas.”
“Is that a yes to the surprise?” Kensie asked excitedly.
“Yes. I would love a happy surprise.”
Kensie grabbed her hand and pulled her toward her car. “Then you’re coming with me. We’ll meet up with Joe and Lucas in an hour.”
They got to the car and Carol refused to get in. “What the heck is going on and why are we leaving without the guys?”
Kensie shrugged. “Because we have to get you ready and Joe can’t see you.”
She scrunched up her face and tilted her head. “What? That makes no sense.”
“It makes perfect sense. Now get in and buckle up, we only have an hour.”
Carol gave up and got in.
A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of the Four Season’s Hotel. “What,” she pointed to the hotel and then at them in the car, “are we doing here?”
“We need a place for you to get ready. This is a nice place. Hurry up. We’re wasting time.”
She was hustled to the elevator and about stroked out when Kensie pushed the button for the Presidential Suite on the top floor. Kensie grabbed her hand and dragged her through the door.
“Mom!” Tracy squealed and threw herself into Carol’s arms.
“Hey, what are you doing here? And why are you wearing your bridesmaid dress?”
“Because you’re getting married, silly.”
“I’m,” she swallowed hard. “I’m what?”
“Marrying Daddy.” She took Carol’s hand and pulled her toward the end of the suite that looked more like a million dollar apartment than a hotel. “Come on, we have to get you ready.”
That was when she saw Krystal waiting by a table set up with every stitch of makeup on the face of the earth.
“Hi, cher. I’m doing your makeup and Kensie will do your hair.”
“But I don’t have my dress?”
Tracy spun circles in the middle of the room. “Sure you do. We brought everything.”
A half-hour later, Carol didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror. “Wow.”
Krystal paused from packing her makeup case. “Thank you.”
Kensie pulled her dress, shoes, and jewelry from the closet. “Okay. Let’s get you dressed.”
By the time their hour was up, they were walking into the courthouse again, but this time they entered on the other end of the building where happy things happened, like weddings.
Krystal held the door to the little room used for weddings and waited.
“You go in first, Tracy. Just like we practiced,” Kensie whispered in the little girl’s ear and handed her a basket filled with rose petals.
Once Tracy was on her way, Kensie handed Carol a beautiful bouquet of white roses. “You didn’t think I would forget about the flowers did you?”
Carol hugged Kensie tightly, took a deep breath, and walked through the door. And stopped. Joe took her breath away. He was smoking hot in a black tuxedo, black felt cowboy hat, and brand new black cowboy boots. Kensie gave her a little nudge and got her feet moving again. Her cowboy was waiting with Lucas, Troy, and the judge at the front of the room. Waiting to marry her.
A civil service is very short and in only a few minutes, the judge smiled at them. “You may kiss the bride.”
Everyone hooted and hollered as Joe dipped her and gave her a kiss bordering on public indecency.
He brought her back to her feet and turned to accept congratulations from their friends and family. Finally, he took Carol’s hand again and said, “Are you ready for one more surprise?”
“There’s more?”
“Only one more. Come on kids. We need to step into the judge’s chambers for a few minutes.”
The judge settled behind a huge oak desk that looked ridiculously large for the single sheet of paper that lay on top with a pen beside it.
They each took one of the four chairs that were set up opposite the judge.
“Tracy and Troy, I have one question for you before I sign this document. Would you like Carol Duffy, now Christian, to be your legal mother?”
Carol gasped and silently cried.
“Yes.” they both said so solemnly, Carol was sure Joe had coached them.
“In that case,” he scrawled his signature, “Carol Christian you’re officially the mother of Tracy and Troy Christian.”
Tracy jumped from her chair onto Carol’s lap and hugged her tightly as Troy left his chair and hugged her from behind.
“I can’t believe I get to be your mommy. I love you both so much.”
The End
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V.A. Dold
Continue reading for and Excerpt
SETH
SETH
Le Beau Series
Book 7
Prologue– The Plan
Then Isaac and Emma would ensure whichever son was matched to the disclosed mate was in the right place at the right time to meet her in person. Once they saw each other and experienced the draw of one mate to another, the unique scent one had for the other, nature would take its course. A very simple plan that had worked five times. And not only had they found mates for a few of their own children, but a niece and step-grandson as well.
It all started with Isaac’s fear that his sons would go through their long lives as shifters without experiencing the incredible love enjoyed between mates. Without children to love and cherish. Which would in turn mean no grandchildren for him. That was not allowed to happen. He wanted grandchildren, dang it.
It hadn’t taken long for Emma, a powerful voodoo priestess, to learn the name of the first destined mate. Luperca, the Wolf Goddess told her their oldest son Cade would meet his mate Anna at the Crescent City Brewhouse. She would be there for lunch on a particular date and at a specific time. It was a rather simple matter to trick Cade into being there at the same time.
Isaac arranged for Cade to meet him for lunch at the Crescent City Brewhouse and then called and cancelled at the last minute. That left Cade free to have a long, leisurely lunch with Anna. The love affair and happy ending took off from there.
Sure, there was a bump or two in the road, but what great love hasn’t had them. Harassing ex-husbands, dangerous crime bosses, and suspicious adult children have nothing on a Le Beau. Just look at Romeo and Juliet or Hermoine and Ron as examples of famous love affairs. Well, maybe not Hermoine and Ron. But you get the picture. Isaac and Emma were thrilled with the results and the boy never knew what hit him.
Then a few months later, the Goddess disclosed the next name. She had decided Simon had suffered more than necessary and gave them Rose’s name as his mate.
She was conveniently Anna’s best friend in Colorado and it was easy enough to get her to come for a visit. That was happy ever after number two.
Isaac was over the moon, and best yet, Anna announced she was pregnant with his first grandchild.
It wasn’t long and they were given the next name. They couldn’t believe how quickly the Goddess was disclosing them. Not that they were complaining. They now knew that Stefan would meet his mate El at a charity ball that Simon was hosting. Stefan and El’s courtship was a hard and very rocky one. But in the end it all worked out and now they were happily mated and married.
When a couple months later the Goddess told Emma their step-grandson Thomas would be mated to their niece Julia, they were both surprised and overjoyed. Thomas may be a grandson by Anna’s and Cade’s marriage, but he was theirs through and through. In their minds, he was as much Le Beau as any other family member. And Julia was one of Isaac and Emma’s favorite relatives. It couldn’t have worked out better.
While Thomas and Julia were dealing with his good for nothing father and her bat-shit crazy mother, Lucas returned home from traveling the world. The timing couldn’t have been better.
The Goddess had just told Emma that Lucas would meet his mate at a ranch he was about to purchase in Texas. Bam! Another son happily mated.
After that, Isaac and Emma were sure one of the other boys would be given their mate, but the Goddess had other plans and gave Emma the name of Richie Major’s mate. Richie was a very good friend of the family, and Anna’s best friend in New Orleans long before she met Cade. Not to mention their adopted son, Seth Le Beau’s best friend in the world.
When they thought about it, it only made sense that they would help him meet his mate. Now Richie and Piper are happily mated and living in the Garden District.
Seth had only recently returned home after a century and a half of service to the Wolf Goddess as one of her elite rogue hunters. He’d shown up while Richie was busy winning Piper over as his mate.
Isaac and Emma only had him home for a week or so when Emma had another visit from the Goddess.
“Blessed be, my daughter,” Luperca greeted her in her soft, peaceful voice.
“Blessed be, Mother. I would like to thank you again for your continued blessings of my family and our friends.”
“You are more than welcome. It pleases me to see my children happily mated and starting families of their own. That is in fact, why I am here.”
Emma became alarmed. “Has something happened?”
“No, my daughter. Everything has gone as planned.” Luperca laughed softly. “I have another name for you.”
“You do?” Emma asked excitedly.
“Yes. Seth, your adopted son has done a great service for me and as such has suffered. He has closed himself off from all human and shifter contact and I fear for his personal safety. He needs his mate to complete and heal his ragged heart and soul. Killing rogues, a few who had been his friends and family over such a long period, although necessary, has taken a terrible toll on him. The least I can do is assist him in finding his mate. I am only sorry he didn’t find her sooner,” the goddess said sadly.
“What would you like me to do? How may I be of service?” she asked in rapid succession.
“Seth is destined to meet his mate Sara Adams in Minnesota. A rogue went on a killing spree June tenth and killed Sara’s brother. She’s a murder investigator with the Richfield police department, but as a family member of the victim, she has been denied access to the investigation.
“She’s a tenacious woman and has taken it upon herself to find the killer on her own. Seth must go to Richfield and help her take down the rogue before she gets herself killed. If she dies, all hope to save Seth will be lost.”
“So if I am understanding you correctly, you would like Isaac and me to get Seth to go to Minnesota after the rogue. Other than getting him to Richfield is there anything we should do?”
“In order for him to meet her, he must agree to work with her to kill the rogue. He has never worked with a partner and definitely never a human. It won’t be easy. He will want to hunt the rogue on his own and return home.”
Emma thought about that for a bit. “I think I know how we can force him to take her as a partner in this. Leave it to Isaac and myself, we will get it done one way or the other.”
The Goddess’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “I believe you will. I leave this in your capable hands. Blessed be, daughter, and good luck.”
“Thank you. I’m sure we will need a little luck this time. Blessed be, Mother.”
Emma watched her fade from view, chewing her lip worriedly. How are we going to pull this one off?
She needed Isaac and fast. The last time she’d seen him, he was heading for his study, hopefully he was still there. “Isaac!” she called and she hustled down the hall.
“I’m in the study, cher,” he called back.
She plopped down into an overstuffed chair next to him, huffing and puffing from her exertion. When he opened his mouth, she held up one finger to silence his questions while she caught her breath.
“We have a problem,” she finally panted out.
“What kind of problem?” he asked, leaning forward, concern etched into his features.
“The Goddess gave me another name and this one is not going to be easy.”
“Who?”
“Seth.”
“Holy cow,” he breathed out and sat back in his chair. “I didn’t see that one coming, not that he doesn’t deserve his mate like all the other boys. But as a hunter, I assumed he’d never have a mate. It’s extremely rare for the elite to settle down.
Of course, I didn’t expect him to turn up on our doorstep talking about quitting the hunters either.”
“I was rather shocked myself. And here’s the kicker, we have to convince Seth to allow his mate to partner with him in a rogue hunt.”
&nb
sp; “Shit. That’s never going to happen,” Isaac growled.
“I’m pretty worried as well, but I might have an idea. It’s going to require a lot of steadfast parental tough love to pull it off, though,” she said sadly.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, leaning forward again and taking her hand.
“We could make it a condition of him coming home and living on the plantation. It’s going to break my heart to force him to do something he is dead set against in order to come back home, but I can’t think of any other way,” she said with a tear rolling down her cheek.
Isaac scrubbed his palms up and down his face, racking his brain for other options. He had nothing. “I think that might be the only way. I’m going to have to put some thought into how we’ll present it to him. I don’t want to drive him away and screw the whole thing up.”
“I already thought about it and I think the only way we can do that is to tell him the Goddess requested him specifically for this last hunt and she added the requirement that he must work with the human. She specifically wants him to help her avenge her family, not just take out the rogue. We could tell him the Goddess has a plan for her and has tasked him with keeping her alive.”
“That just might work. We’ll emphasize the Goddess made it a requirement in order to force his compliance. Seth would never go against the Goddess’s wishes.”
He grinned, his eyes twinkling with excitement again. “He’s gone to help Richie protect his mate at the cabin, when he returns, we will inform him he is heading to Minnesota.”
SERIES
K.I.S.S Series
LUCAS: Prelude to a K.I.S.S.
Book 1 First K.I.S.S.
Le Beau Series
Book 1 CADE
Book 2 SIMON
Book 3 STEFAN
Book 4 THOMAS
Book 5 LUCAS
Book 6 RICHIE
Book 7 SETH (Coming Soon)
Book 8 ETIENNE: Romance with BITE (Coming Soon)
And don’t miss the follow up Le Beau HEA’s
