Chances (Mystic Nights #1)

by MJ Nightingale

  Jonathan rushed the man before him, and seeing Aliya trussed up to the bed, her breasts bared for all to see, sent him into a blind fury. He charged Peter just as he was getting up, and the man sidestepped him. If he had not been moving so fast he might have sensed his actions. But instead Peter was able to get behind him. Peter grabbed him and managed to get his arm around Jonathan’s neck. He began to squeeze, but Joseph was already there too. He punched Peter so hard on the side of the head, the man’s grip loosened and a knife clattered to the floor. Jonathan was out of the headlock in a flash, and this time his fists connected with the man’s ribs, sending any oxygen he had in his lungs rushing out in an explosion of air. With Peter doubled over, Jonathan lifted his knee hard and connected once more, this time the man’s face exploded into crimson. Then he connected again, this time with his groin.

  Peter was reeling from the pain. He knew he was in a losing battle, but he would go down with his ship before he let this man, Tawny’s spawn, put him behind bars. As he backed up, with Jonathan stalking his every step, Aliya saw Peter reach behind him for something shiny on the counter. It was another knife.

  She screamed out a warning as Peter’s hand sliced through the air with the metal object. Jonathan ducked just in time, while Joseph used sheer brute force to slam the man’s hand back and the knife flew out of his grasp.

  Joseph positioned himself behind Peter and grabbed both of his arms, and held on as the man fought furiously to free himself. But Joseph knew he would not get out of this hold. Never. By that time, Jimmy was there. He was able to turn the man around enough to snap a cuff on one of Peter’s wrists, and then the other one. The man was still straining, snarling furiously in his rage, but with one more powerful punch, that no one saw coming, let loose by Jonathan, Peter finally slumped to the floor.

  And finally Aliya was able to breathe. Through the whole ordeal she had called warnings to Jonathan, and tried to let him know when danger was near through her own tears.

  Seeing that Peter was unconscious, Jonathan immediately swept his eyes towards Aliya.

  “You came?” she cried tears filling her eyes. She was beyond hysterics. She couldn’t hold back any longer.

  “I did,” he reached her. “And I’m so sorry I ever doubted you. I do love you, Aliya. I’m sorry.” He bent over her body shielding her from the others. But he held her too. Holding on to her, he couldn’t believe he’d almost lost her. Still could, if she didn’t forgive him. And he wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t.

  “I love you too,” her sobs began to soak his chest. “I love you. I’m so glad you came.” Jonathan held her and rocked her. He never wanted to let her go. Vowed he wouldn’t ever again.

  Both of them were unaware of what proceeded to happen behind them.

  Jimmy began to drag Peter’s body to the opening to bring him above board and then transfer him to the upper deck. His men were waiting to grab him and pull the still unconscious man up.

  Joseph saw the blade on the floor and quickly picked it up. Softly tapping his brother on the shoulder, he handed him the small fish gutting knife. Jonathan thanked him wordlessly. And then Joseph left to help get Peter situated on the cutter. He wanted to give his brother a bit of time to recover, and give this couple at least a few moments of privacy. He was sure there were many things they both wanted to say.

  Jonathan wasted no time in cutting the ropes using the knife his brother had handed him. When Aliya was completely free, she grasped him and clung to him once more. Though her arms stung from being above her head so long, she wanted to feel this man who rescued her. It seemed more real because she could hold him too.

  Her tears still came and Jonathan wasn’t sure if they were tears of joy or sadness. He pulled back to ascertain if she was hurt, or the baby. “Is everything okay? You? The baby? Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice full of worry and terror of what Peter may have inflicted upon her before they’d found them.

  “No. I’m not hurt. I think the baby is okay, too,” she murmured against his chest burrowing into him once more. She needed to feel close to him. “You got here in time. He hadn’t done anything else yet.” Her cries began to subside as he held her even closer thinking of all he could have lost. He continued to soothe her as best he could.

  “God. I’m so thankful I made it.” When he no longer heard her cries, he pulled back to look into her tear stained face. He wanted her not only to hear his words but to feel them. “You are mine, Aliya. You and our baby. Forever. I’ll never let anyone hurt either one of you again. I love you, Aliya. Please forgive me.” He knew he was begging. But he needed to. He owed her that.

  Her answer was a simple smile. “I love you too, Jonathan. For always.” She sniffled once more before she pushed herself towards him. And then his lips found hers, and he knew he was where he had always been meant to be. With her. In his arms.

  “I am yours,” she repeated breathlessly when the kiss broke.

  “Forever,” he added before he captured her lips once more.

  Chapter 24

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  A week later, Jonathan was once again explaining to his mother what had happened. She’d been home only two days, but as soon as she stepped off the plane, he knew she had heard. Her grim face spoke volumes.

  “You should have called me,” she chastised. “I was so angry when I saw the paper at the airport in Honolulu.” She was shaking her head. Her family meant everything to her, and not to be here when they had all been in danger because of her, she felt ashamed. She always knew Peter would one day do something stupid. But she had never expected this.

  “Mom, I told you. There was nothing you could have done.” Jonathan stood before her. Strong. Smiling. He was different. She could tell. He was in love.

  She made that disappointed clicking sound with her tongue. “Family sticks together. And if I knew any one of you were in trouble I would have hopped the first plane back.”

  Jonathan stepped closer to her. His mother was as tough as they came. She’d stood her ground many a time. In the courtroom. In the boardroom. Heck even in the state and country’s capital. But he hadn’t needed her this time. He would have worried about her too. He took her hands and pulled her towards him. He saw her eyes glittering with emotion. “Mom, Aliya is on her way up, and so I’m excited for you to finally meet.”

  “I don’t know why I couldn’t have seen her yesterday.” Again the disappointed click. Aliya had been kept in the hospital over night. Then her mother had insisted she spend at least one day at home recovering with her. But she had wanted to go with Jonathan yesterday to see her.

  “You were jet lagged and she still needed time to recover.”

  Excuses she thought. She rolled her eyes. When did her children grow up and not need her? When did they stop confiding in her? She didn’t like it. Not one bit.

  Her mother’s eye roll did not phase him. He’d seen it too many times. He gave her a laugh and quick hug before pulling back.

  She made a small snorting sound, but smiled at her eldest son. “I would have come home.” She repeated it one more time for good measure.

  He sighed. “I know you would have. But you work so hard. So hard. You are tireless. Fearless. This vacation you take every year, well, it renews you. I didn’t want to take that away from you. You always come back ready to face anything.” He kissed his mother gently on the top of her head. “And I’m sure there will be plenty of things going on soon enough to keep you busy.” He was waiting for Aliya to arrive before he told her about the baby. But he couldn’t resist dropping just one little hint. She was going to be beyond ecstatic.

  “Don’t patronize.” It was his mother who broke the embrace. “But, next time call. If any of my kids are in danger, or if there is anything serious happening at the casino, I want to know.”

  “Understood,” he replied with equal strength in his own voice.

  Just then there was a soft tap at the door. Both of them turned as Glenna opened it and Aliya, looking lovely
in a plum silk dress, entered the room.

  “Aliya Chance,” Tawny greeted her soon to be daughter-in-law. “Welcome to the family,” she offered the words sincerely. She was thrilled one of her children was finally settling down even if it was under such crazy circumstances. Jonathan had confessed his love for the girl, and had told her yesterday about it. She had been thrilled when he told her he loved her, wanted to marry her, and had used the words, the one.

  Aliya heard the genuineness in Tawny’s voice, and it helped to soothe her frayed nerves. The gorgeous woman, just forty-eight, looked remarkable. She knew her in passing, but had never done more than exchange polite words of greeting. She had been just a tad worried about meeting the matriarch of this powerful family. And they had yet to inform her of the pregnancy. She wanted to be there when that announcement was made. It was one of the reasons they hadn’t told her sooner. They wanted to be sure everything was okay at the hospital. And then Aliya’s mother wanted to do some of her own coddling.

  Aliya hoped Tawny was still as welcoming once their news was revealed.

  “I love her, Mom,” Jonathan confessed once more. “I’m so pleased that you approve.”

  Tawny clucked her tongue. “Why wouldn’t I? That’s all I’ve ever wanted was for my children to settle down here in Lantern Hill. Make babies and watch my family grow.”

  Both Aliya and Jonathan exchanged a shy look.

  Tawny saw it. She saw everything. “What?” she exclaimed her hand instinctively coming up to her mouth. Her heart beat picked up a notch. She knew that smile.

  Jonathan nodded. And he saw the tears forming in Tawny’s eyes as she looked from one to the other. A grandchild? “She’s pregnant, Mom. You’re going to be a Grandmother.” Jonathan then pressed a kiss to Aliya’s cheek as he also watched his mother’s reaction go from one of shock and surprise to joy in the blink of an eye.

  “No? Really?” Tawny couldn’t help but beam. She’d be a migitjoo.

  Aliya nodded, and Tawny reached for her hand.

  “I couldn’t be happier than I am right now in this moment,” Tawny confessed. “When do you want to marry?” she asked the couple.

  Jonathan and Aliya looked at each other. They had discussed this only yesterday. Both turned to Tawny and simultaneously and gave her their answer. “After the baby is born. In September.”

  Tawny did the math in her head. Her future daughter in law was further along than she’d thought initially. It must have happened that very first night.

  Tawny nodded and reached for Aliya’s hand. She respected their wishes to wait. “Okay, then September it is. But you’re going to have to let me throw you an engagement party, and we can announce the baby then too.”

  Jonathan looked down at his fiancée, who nodded her head to his mother’s request. “Okay,” she said softly.

  Holding her future daughter-in-laws hand, she noticed she had no ring. “Where is the ring?”

  “I haven’t had time for that. It was . . .,” he stammered and looked sheepishly first at his mother, then Aliya.

  Again his mother clucked her tongue. “Go get this girl a ring. Now. I very well can’t announce this engagement and have a party if there isn’t one. Jonathan, you’ve always done things a little backwards, but this takes the cake.”

  Aliya laughed and Jonathan joined in the laughter. “Yes, Mother.” He replied like the chastised child he was.

  “Now go. I’m home. You have the day off. Go spend it with your fiancée, but bring her to my home tonight for dinner. I’ll invite the others. We will announce your engagement then. The party will be in two weeks. Now, go because I have a lot to do.” His mother was back holding the reins and issuing her commands, and she would have it no other way.

  Tawny watched her son leave, so tall, and handsome, like his father, she thought wistfully. She was happy that he would settle down and marry this woman. She was perfect for him. They would be very happy together. And a baby! And with her children’s happiness in mind, she went to her office across the hall from Jonathan’s.

  Her casino, her people, her reserve, were good now. And she was back. She looked at the pile of papers waiting on her desk and reached for them. She gathered the papers as she sat at her desk. Yes, it was good to be home, she thought. She knew her purpose. Knew her mission. Keep the family together, keep the family and the bigger family strong. Keep them happy. It was always for them. That had been the sole focus of her life for thirty years even if a small part of her heart always remained elsewhere.

  Chapter 25

  (The Epilogue and the sneak peek into Book 2: Triple Diamonds)

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  Aliya danced in her fiancé’s arms. The smaller ballroom in tower one had been decorated festively for the engagement party Tawny had planned.

  “Are you sure you want to wait until September?” Jonathan asked as he effortlessly twirled Aliya around the dance floor.

  She laughed. “I didn’t want to rush it. You?” she confessed. She’d been having those same thoughts all week.

  “I didn’t want to rush you. When you said, let’s wait for the baby . . . I just thought that’s what you wanted.”

  “Well, it’s all happened so fast, and then I thought to give your family time. . .”

  Jonathan interrupted her. “What’s one more surprise,” he nuzzled her neck. “They’ve gotten to know you better these past two weeks, as have I with yours. Let’s just do it.”

  “Really?” Her eyes flooded with emotion.

  He pulled back to gaze into their depths. “Why not? I know this is forever. Plus, I really like the thought of us being married when this little one arrives. He reached down to her flat stomach which was just starting to expand with his child.

  Aliya nodded through her tears. “When?” she asked. She had been regretting the decision to wait as well. She was thrilled he had suggested it.

  “Next week,” he stated bluntly. “Well keep it small, just our families.”

  “Do you think your Mom will be okay with that?”

  “Most assuredly.” He glanced at his mother across the room. Dawn and Eve were both by her side. He waved at her and she waved back watching her son proudly. Joseph was approaching and took his mother’s hand, indicating the dance floor.

  Tawny graciously accepted and they joined some of the other couples. Joseph smoothly maneuvered his mother so they danced near Jonathan and Aliya.

  “Mom,” Jonathan craned his neck in his mother’s direction. “We decided not to wait. Small wedding. Next week. Just the two families.”

  His mother shook her head and laughed. “Of course, Jonathan. Anything you say. Still full of surprises.” She had secretly hoped they would change their minds.

  Tawny happily allowed Joseph to twirl her under his arm. He too was an excellent dancer. Both her sons were. Just like their father.

  Joseph congratulated the couple, and when the song ended he brought his mother back to where she had been standing before with his two sisters.

  She thanked him for the dance. “I guess your next dance will be as mother of the groom,” he teased her. Both Dawn and Eve gave him questioning looks, and Tawny quickly filled them in on what the couple had decided.

  Both girls were ecstatic, thrilled to have Aliya and their new niece or nephew as part of their family.

  They headed to the dance floor together when the next song started. It was a fast one, by Lucas Stryker. And they both loved his music.

  Joseph stood beside his mother, watching his sisters join Jonathan and Aliya on the dance floor.

  “You did an excellent job with the party. The food was fabulous tonight, wasn’t it? The new chef did a superior job.”

  “Yes, he did. And that reminds me. I have not thanked him yet. Can you go do that for me, son? I want to stay a while longer. It makes my heart glad to see these two starting their life together.” Her eyes were fixated on the young couple whose lives were finally headed in the right direction. A life she’d never gotten the ch
ance to live. She hoped her other children found their mates soon.

  “Of course, Mom. I’ll be back in a bit,” Joseph stated as he bent to give her cheek a quick kiss.

  He left the ballroom and headed through a door in the back that led to one of the many kitchens at Mystic Nights. The noise of the clean up was well under way. He found the new head chef calling orders, and directing some of the night staff as to what needed to be done to be ready for tomorrow. He was very imposing, but effective, too. The kitchen bustled with activity.

  Joseph stopped to thank several of the workers, until he reached Louis, the French chef they had hired three months ago.

  “It was my pleasure to cook for the family tonight,” Louis bowed slightly and accepted the compliments Joseph extended on behalf of his mother graciously. “My new sous chef, well, she is quite talented. She helped make everything a smashing success.”

  Ah yes, Joseph remembered he had requested after only one week that the old sous chef be sent to one of the other kitchens. He couldn’t work with him. They feared they had hired a Prima Donna. But since, there had been no further incidents in the kitchen. Louis wanted to hire someone of his own choosing to fill that position. Joseph hadn’t met the woman yet.

  “Then I should thank her, too,” Joseph stated as he shook the older Frenchman’s hand in parting.

  “She is near the back,” Louis stated dismissing him as he turned to finish coordinating the cleaning of his kitchen. The man was exacting and precise. The hotel’s cuisine was getting even more rave reviews since he started, and he was drawing in food critics and new business.

  Joseph then made his way towards the refrigerators which were near the service entrance and where the deliveries were made for all of their produce and food. He noticed the door ajar to the outside, but did not see the new sous chef anywhere. He didn’t even know what she looked like.