Victoria raised an eyebrow. “You know, Hannah, there is a fifty-fifty chance it’ll be a girl.”
“I don’t know what to do with a girl!” Hannah exclaimed. “It just can’t be a girl.”
Christopher chuckled as Hannah leaned against him.
“If it’s a girl, we’ll simply keep trying for a boy,” he promised.
The carriage pulled up at Camden Station and the group climbed down. Jamie and Sophie would be on a different train, back to Harrisburg, and the couple said good-bye before heading to the opposite platform. Quincy led Victoria and Rocky to the stable car. Rocky was much calmer this time around and Victoria felt much more comfortable about leaving him.
“It’s a shorter trip, Rebel, so he’ll be fine.”
“Rocky does seem much more calm. He’s not around, so he can’t hurt us anymore.”
Quincy kept his hand gently, but firmly on her back. The signal for ‘all aboard’ sounded and Quincy led her to join the rest of the family.
Hannah pulled her down next to her and squeezed her hand. “Are you okay?”
Victoria nodded. “Actually, I feel much more settled.”
“Good.” Hannah smiled. “I can’t wait to see your place.”
“Me neither. Quinn thinks it’ll be a complete wreck.”
“Really? Why?”
Victoria sighed. “He hasn’t been in it since the war started and he’s had tenants.”
“I guess that makes sense. But you never know. You could be pleasantly surprised.”
Victoria crossed her fingers. “Fingers crossed.”
“Either way, it’ll be fun having you stay for a while,” Hannah said. “Anything you want to do in the next few weeks?”
“I want an in-depth tour of the city,” Victoria said. “I remember going there as a kid, but I want to see the differences.”
“Deal. Christopher might let me out on occasion, provided I take it very easy.”
Obviously hearing his name, Christopher looked over at her with a smile.
“My word, he’s breathtaking,” Hannah whispered.
Victoria giggled. “I suppose he’s okay. I like my Butler better.”
Hannah grinned. “Cute.”
“So, what’s your schedule going to be then?”
“Three mornings or afternoons a week, no more.”
Victoria widened her eyes. “That’s it?”
“Yep. But, if you’re with me, I’m okay with that,” Hannah said. “As much as I love my job, I really took it so I wouldn’t be home alone all day and could be closer to Christopher.”
“Maybe we should start a charity. Isn’t that what the rich did in the olden days?”
Hannah laughed. “I actually really like that idea, Victoria. Let’s think about it seriously.”
“About what?” Emma cut in once she separated herself from Clayton and sat next to the girls.
“Starting a charity,” Hannah said.
“Ooh, good idea.” Emma rubbed her hands together.
“You could be in charge of food services,” Hannah quipped.
“No, that wouldn’t work. She’d eat all the food!” Victoria said with a laugh.
“You could be in charge of teaching English as a second language,” Emma said to Hannah.
“Was that your comeback?” Hannah snorted.
“What do you expect? I’m pregnant! I can’t think as quickly right now.” The girls giggled as Hannah pointed to her own large belly. Emma huffed. “Okay, fine. I’m just not as quick as you, apparently.”
“That’s all I needed to hear,” Hannah said.
The girls continued to plan as the train pulled into the station. When the all clear was given, Quincy and Victoria went to collect Rocky, who was perfectly calm, although obviously happy to see her.
“Ready?” Quincy asked her.
“Yes. Are we going to your townhouse first?”
“You mean, our townhouse?”
Victoria grinned. “Right. Yes, our townhouse.”
“I thought we’d get settled at my brother’s first, but if you’d like to do that later, we can.”
“I would, Gus. I want to see what we’re up against.”
He chuckled. “All right, sweetheart. We’ll go after lunch.”
“Thank you.”
They led Rocky to where Clayton’s man waited with a large carriage.
“Victoria, this is Walter. He’s ornery and wonderful,” Emma said. “His wife, Hattie, is the only one who can keep him in line.”
Victoria smiled and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, Mrs. Butler.”
The men loaded the bags onto the carriage and then climbed in with the girls. The trip was quick and Victoria was disappointed that she didn’t get a chance to see much of the city.
“Victoria, we thought we’d put you and Quincy in the room you were in before. It’s larger, and faces the carriage house, so it’ll be quieter, and within shouting distance of Rocky,” Hannah said.
“Sounds good to me. I loved that room.”
Victoria led Quincy upstairs and once they were settled, they sat down for a quick lunch.
“Will you come with us to see the house today?” Victoria asked.
Hannah snorted. “You couldn’t keep me away, Victoria.”
“We should probably get over there while the light is good. We’ll want to see if there’s much damage,” Quincy said.
“Can we ride?” Victoria asked.
“If you like.”
“We’ll follow in the buggy,” Christopher said.
The couples changed and tacked up the horses. Quincy assisted Victoria onto Rocky’s back and then led her to her new home... less than three blocks from his brother’s home.
Victoria rolled her eyes. “We could have walked, Gus.”
“But, you wanted to ride.”
“Yes and I still want to.”
“I’ll take you out after we’re done here,” he promised.
“Okay,” she said, and jumped down.
She gazed up at a brick home that looked surprisingly neat. “It’s beautiful, Gus.”
Moving closer to the house to investigate the façade, Quincy furrowed his brow in concentration. “Yes, the outside doesn’t look too bad.”
Pulling the key from his pocket, he unlocked the door and then surprised his wife when he lifted her into his arms. “It’s tradition, Rebel,” he responded.
Victoria gasped as he carried her into the foyer and she took a moment to look around her. “Oh, honey.”
Quincy swore as he gently set her on her feet. “It’s a disaster.”
“No, it’s not a disaster, Gus. It just needs to be painted and fixed up. It looks as though the people took care of it. It just has some wear and tear.”
The floors would need to be sanded and there was wallpaper peeling off the walls, but it looked to Victoria as though the damage was all superficial. They turned when they heard Christopher whistle from behind them. “What a mess.”
Hannah smacked his arm playfully. “It’s not a mess, Knight. It just needs a woman’s touch.”
“Exactly!” Victoria agreed.
Hannah settled her hands on her hips and turned slowly. “Give us a month and the four of us will have this place sparkling.”
“Three weeks?” Victoria said.
Hannah nodded. “Yes, three weeks.”
“Four of you?” Quincy asked.
“Gwen’s not getting off the hook,” Hannah said. “Neither is Emma.”
“Exactly,” Victoria said with a smile.
“You’re not doing any work, Hannah,” Christopher said.
“I’ll supervise.” She smiled up at him. “From a very soft chair.”
Quincy led them on a quick tour and then Christopher informed them he was taking Hannah home. “Dinner’s at seven and the Maddens will be joining us, so we’ll see you then.”
“Thanks, Chris,” Quincy said, and walked them out.
O
nce he closed and locked the front door, he turned to face Victoria, who threw herself into his arms and kissed him. Quincy pulled her close. “What’s that for?”
“This. I love our home, Gus. It’s perfect.”
He kissed her again. “So, you are happy with the home? Do you desire to keep it?”
“Yes. It’s gorgeous. I’m at peace here, honey. I feel safe.”
He smiled. “That’s all I needed to hear.”
“Now, before we go for our ride, can we do something?”
“Of course.”
“I want to christen our bedroom,” she said, and began to lead him up the stairs.
“There is no bed, Victoria.”
“So?”
Laughing, he followed her up the stairs, and she smiled as he opened the door to their room and turned to remove his jacket.
Here she was, about to make love to the most wonderful man on earth. People who loved her surrounded her, and she felt accepted on a level she’d never experienced before.
She sent up a silent prayer of thanks and then turned back to the business at hand.
Life was perfect.
©2018 Trixie Publishing, Inc.
Rayne Green, is a major recording star and on tour to promote her latest album. Sharp-tongued and unapologetic, Rayne doesn't make friends easily and trusts only one person...her best friend, Shaye. After a concert in Chicago, an old friend from high school lures her to an abandoned building under false pretenses. She's not prepared for what he does next, and in her attempt to escape, her world goes black.
Samuel Powell is the head of an exclusive prison, housing the worst of the worst in the country’s treasonous realm. A night with friends is cut short when the sheriff summons him to the local jail. Sam finds a woman, drugged and scantily-clad, causing a general ruckus. His heart is lost the moment he meets her, but her refusal to tell him who she is and where she's from raises questions Sam cannot fully comprehend the answers to.
Once the truth is revealed, will he be able to convince her to stay? Will she be willing to give up the old life she knows for the new love she has found?
CHAPTER ONE
Chicago, Illinois
July 2018
FEET STOMPING THE ground, voices raised in unison, the crowd roared back to life after a moment of calm. Rayne Green stood backstage and listened to the large mob yell for an encore while her best friend and tour manager, Shaye, talked over her headset, frantically giving instructions to the concert staff bustling around them.
Having just delivered a two-hour sold-out concert to a highly receptive crowd at the Allstate Arena just outside of Chicago, Rayne waited backstage for Shaye to give her the cue to perform the encore.
“Rayne! Rayne! Rayne!” the excited crowd screamed to the beat of an imaginary drum.
“Time to go.” Shaye pushed Rayne back onstage.
Sprinting to the middle of the stage, Rayne faced her fans. “Thank you, Chicago! You’re a great crowd.”
The arena erupted in applause. Motioning to her band, Rayne waited for the music to start and launched into her latest number one hit, “You Had Me.” Having slid one of her in-ear monitors out earlier, she was barely able to hear herself above the crowd. She didn’t care and smiled with satisfaction. She lived for this.
As she finished the song, Rayne looked stage right to see if she could do another. Shaye held up one finger, so Rayne turned back to the crowd with a smile. “We’re going to play something brand new for you guys. It’s going to be on my next album and I hope you like it.”
She signaled the band to start the song and smirked as her drummer missed the beat. He recovered quickly, but she couldn’t wait to give him hell later. Her band referred to him as the living metronome and it was rare for him to screw up.
The encore was a slower number and she almost laughed out loud as cell phones, instead of lighters, went up in the air. As the song ended, the crowd went wild, demanding one more, but Shaye motioned it was time to go.
“Good night, everyone. Thanks for coming. I love you!” Rayne ran off the stage as the crowd went wild.
“Great show, Reggie,” Shaye said as she handed her a warm towel. “Time to meet and greet, then off to the hotel.”
Shaye had given Rayne her nickname in high school when she’d found out Rayne was a baseball fanatic and her initials were R.E.G. Rayne had quickly retaliated and called her Shaye Butter.
“What’s tomorrow again?” Rayne wiped the sweat from her face and quickly scowled. “This is lavender scented, Reg.” She held the towel out. “It should be jasmine. Can that idiot never get anything right?”
Shaye pushed the towel back towards Rayne. “Seriously? You wanted lavender, Rayne. You asked Tasha to change it a week ago. Now, get over yourself already.”
Rayne groaned. “When did I ask for lavender?”
Shaye lowered her clipboard with a huff. “Crew meeting, Wednesday, five-fourteen p.m.”
“Right.”
“You said to Tasha that you’d like to see if lavender would be more relaxing—”
“As a suggestion!”
Shaye rolled her eyes. “You don’t suggest, Rayne, and half the staff walks on egg-shells around you as it is. So, give her a break and wipe your precious face with the lavender towel. I will have her change it back to jasmine in time for the next show.”
“Which is?”
“House of Blues tomorrow night, then it’s off to Akron. Here comes Tasha. Be nice.”
“Fine, Butter. What else is on our schedule?”
The make-up girl arrived and fixed Rayne’s lipstick as Shaye confirmed her itinerary. “The foundation wants to meet with you as well if you have time. I can fit them in over lunch tomorrow, but only if that’s okay with you.”
Three years ago, Rayne had started a charity to help battered women and children escape from their abusers, and part of the proceeds of every concert went straight to the foundation.
“Yes, that’s totally fine.” Rayne handed her towel back to Tasha. “Let’s go meet the vultures.”
Shaye led her to the press area. Their head of security, Trevor, followed close behind.
“Rayne, how do you like Chicago?” one of the reporters asked.
“I love Chicago, are you kidding me?” Rayne grinned. “It’s one of my favorite cities, even with the humidity.”
“What’s going on with Shaunessy?”
Without missing a beat, Rayne said firmly, “We’re just friends.”
“So, no truth to the rumor you’re pregnant?” another reporter asked.
Rayne laughed. “Not with him or anyone else.”
“What’s your reaction to the critics who say you aren’t as good as Pink?”
Rayne rolled her eyes. “The critics would be correct. Pink’s amazing! She can sing rings around me.”
“What about a romance?”
“With Pink? Didn’t someone just ask me if I was pregnant?”
The reporters laughed.
Shaye put a hand on Rayne’s shoulder, effectively stopping any other answers from the star. “Time’s up, folks!” she interrupted. “Rayne has a tight schedule.”
Amidst disappointed rumblings from the reporters, Rayne followed Shaye from the press box into the hallway, where she shook hands and signed autographs. A group of local contest winners were a little rowdy tonight, so Trevor and his staff were working double-time just to keep hands from grabbing at her.
“It’s a good thing you’re not wearing anything loose,” Shaye whispered. “This crowd would rip it straight off you.”
Rayne’s skintight, patent leather pants sat low on her hips and a black lace bustier pushed her full breasts up and left her navel, complete with piercing, exposed. Her steel-toe, black leather boots stopped just below the knee, zipper and buckles working together as both form and function, finishing the outfit.
The tattoo of Pegasus on her left shoulder blade was the perfect accessory, as was the diamond-studded snake wrap that wound her
shapely bicep. She had a small diamond stud in her nose and large gold hoops in her ears.
“I thought you hated what I was wearing,” Rayne whispered.
Shaye smiled. “I don’t hate it. It’s just a bit revealing and something I could never wear.”
Rayne laughed. “You could so wear this, Shaye, you just wouldn’t.”
Shaye scrunched up her nose. “Oh, please! I’d reveal the muffin top from hell in those pants.”
Rayne groaned. “Quit with the fat talk, missie. You have a killer body.”
“Says the woman with zero body fat and the courage to show her belly ring.”
Rayne let out a mock gasp. “You’re such a prude, Shaye Butter. It’s a wonder I keep you around.”
“I’m the only one who calls you on your crap.”
Rayne nodded. “Oh, right. I forgot about that.”
“You might want to hand me those hoops, Reg.” Shaye held her palm out. “Someone could rip them out.”
Rayne removed the earrings and placed them in Shaye’s hand just as an eager fan separated from the group and made an attempt at them. Trevor grabbed the man by the throat and pushed Shaye out of the way simultaneously.
“Shaye! Watch what you’re doing. The vultures will grab you to get to Rayne,” Trevor reprimanded as Rayne grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to the group of bodyguards.
Trevor moved away from the fans and pushed the girls down the hall. People lined the walls all the way to the limos and buses waiting outside.
“Hey! Raining cats and dogs!”
The girls turned and, while Rayne chuckled, Shaye scowled in disgust. The familiar man rushed toward them. Tattoos and piercings covered his body, and his Mohawk was dyed several shades of red.
Trevor moved to grab him, but Rayne stopped him. “Jared? What are you doing here?”
“I followed you, babe. Wanna get out of here?”
Shaye squeezed her arm. “Rayne, we should get back to the hotel.”
“Don’t you have a church service to go to?” Jared sneered.
“Jared, be nice.” Rayne sent him a look of admonishment.
He snickered. “Maybe you’ve got some injuns you need to save.”
“Jared!” Rayne scowled. He held his hands up in surrender. “I’ll be back before midnight, Shaye, I promise. Come with us?”
The Rebel Bride (Civil War Brides Series, #5) Page 31
