Читать книгу To Love a Stallion - Deborah Mello Fletcher - Страница 5

John stood facing the slammed door, the walls still seeming to vibrate from the violation. His hands were pushed deep into the pockets of his slacks; his thoughts had followed after the woman when she’d stormed out of the room. The roar of laughter from the table behind him pulled at his attention.

“Yo, John, what just happened? Looks like you might have met your match. I thought you were more persuasive than that?” Mark Stallion said with a deep chuckle.

“You surely don’t see that every day,” Luke mused. “Edward was right about his daughter.”

John shook his head from side to side. “It would seem that we have a problem with that project of yours, Mark,” he said, changing the subject.

Mark nodded. “It would seem so. How do you think we should handle it?”

John paused, reflecting on the brief moments he’d just shared with the stunning Ms. Briscoe. The three men at his side sat watching him intently, curious as to what was on his mind.

The woman had spirit and John was rarely afforded an opportunity to be in the presence of a woman who wasn’t fawning for his attention like a lovesick puppy dog. Clearly, this woman was a force to be reckoned with. Not only had Ms. Briscoe not overreacted to their time in the elevator, but she’d barely given him a raised eyebrow as she’d thrown down her challenge. He was intrigued as he found himself imagining what it might be like to get to know her better.

His mouth lifted into a full grin. “I think I’ll handle this one personally,” he said finally. “Leave Ms. Briscoe to me.”

In the parking garage below, Marah was still shaking with anger as she pushed the speed dial on her cell phone. Three rings later her twin sister Marla picked up the line.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me.”

“Marah, where are you? Daddy is having a fit.”

“Downtown. I’m just leaving Stallion Enterprises.”

“What did you do?”

“I told them Daddy’s not selling the ranch.”

“Marah, honey, you can’t…”

“Don’t start, Marla. You know as well as I do that Daddy shouldn’t sell that land. He and Mommy spent their entire lives building that business. I’m not going to sit back and do nothing while John Stallion tries to steal it.”

As she mentioned his name, Marah found herself breaking into a cold sweat. Admittedly, whether it had shown on her face or not, the good-looking man had unnerved her. But she was on a mission and not even a man as fine as that one was going to get in her way. And admittedly, John Stallion was one fine specimen of maleness.

Marla called into the receiver. “Marah? You still there?”

“Sorry. What did you say?”

“I said you better come on home so we can all talk about it. Eden is already here.”

Marah nodded into the receiver. “I just have one more stop to make then I’m on my way.”

“See you soon,” Marla responded, disconnecting the call.

Pulling out of the garage, Marah stared up at the Stallion Enterprises logo that marked the front of the building. She heaved a deep sigh. John Stallion might be laughing now, she thought, but she promised herself he wouldn’t be laughing for long.

An hour later, Marah pulled into the circular driveway of the Briscoe Ranch. As she stepped out of her Lexus sedan she allowed her eyes to roam the landscape, taking in the familiar sites that always reminded her that this was her true home. Even the sleek, three-story, penthouse apartment she owned on McKinney Avenue with its spectacular downtown views didn’t give her the sense of homecoming she felt when she stepped back on the wealth of property that had been her parents’ dreams come true.

Briscoe Ranch was well over eight hundred acres of working cattle ranch and an equestrian center. Back in the day, her father, Edward Briscoe, had been one of the original black cowboys. Not long after the birth of their three daughters, Edward and his wife, Hazel Briscoe, had expanded his Texas longhorn operation, adding an entertainment complex that specialized in corporate and private client services. The ranch now housed two twenty-thousand square feet event barns and a country bed and breakfast. With the property being central to Austin, Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth, Briscoe Ranch had soon made quite a name for itself. Marah couldn’t begin to imagine her father ever giving it up.

Familiar chatter greeted her at the front entrance, her father’s booming voice calling her name from the kitchen. Marah could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn’t so happy with her. Before she could make her way into the family room, her older sister Eden appeared at her side, her head waving from side to side.

“I swear, Marah! Why do you have to keep Daddy riled up?” she said with a hushed breath.

Marah shrugged. “Don’t start, Eden,” she answered, her eyes rolling as she followed on her sister’s heels.

Her twin was seated in the kitchen at the center island, shaking her head knowingly at Marah. The two women were spitting images of each other from the wealth of their curls to their warm café-au-lait complexions and thin lips. The only physical attribute that separated one from the other was the last of the excess baby weight Marla still carried around her hips and midsection.

Where the twins were the spitting image of their father, older sister Eden had taken after their mother with her deep chocolate-brown complexion, large, round, blue-black eyes and jet-black hair. Every time the family looked at Eden they were reminded of the woman, a thought which sometimes brought joy and sometimes dropped a cloud of melancholy over their spirits, knowing that Hazel Briscoe wouldn’t be there for times like now when one or the other needed to be kept in line.

“What?” Marah said, tossing the other women an icy glare.

“You know what, young lady,” Edward said, turning from the pot of chili he was cooking on the stovetop to face her. “What did you think you were doing?”

“Stopping you from making a big mistake.”

“Munchkin,” he said, calling her by the pet name he’d christened her with when she’d been just weeks old. “My selling this ranch is not a mistake.”

Marah rolled her eyes, moving to take the empty seat beside Eden. She leaned into her sister’s shoulder. “Which one of you told on me?”

Eden shrugged, tossing a look toward Marla.

“Well, I didn’t,” Marla said. “Daddy was the one who called to tell me.”

Marah looked toward her father, an air of defiance painting her expression.

“Don’t you worry about how I found out, girl. Just know that I did. Now what did you do with dem papers I needed to sign?”

Marah said nothing, her gaze dropping to the floor.

Edward waved a spoon in her direction. “Don’t make me ask you again, Marah Jean.”

“I gave them back to the Stallions.”

Edward rolled his eyes, shaking his head from side to side. “I swear!” Dropping the spoon onto the counter he wiped his hands on a cotton dishcloth, them moved out of the room toward his office. When he was well out of earshot, both Eden and Marla started to laugh.

“Did you really just barge into their board meeting?” Marla asked.

“Kind of.”

“So what was he like?” Eden asked, curiosity pulling at them all.

“Who?”

“This John Stallion guy. I’ve heard he’s a real business shark.”

Marah suddenly blushed, a rush of color heating her cheeks. She stammered, searching for words. “He…well…he was…”

Before either of the Briscoe women could say another word, Edward moved back into the room. A wide smile filled his face as he cuddled Marla’s two-month-old son in his arms.

“Look who was wide awake,” the man gushed, nuzzling his face into the infant’s neck. “He was just laying there waiting patiently for his mama. This here’s one good baby. Boy wasn’t even crying.”

Marla extended her arms as her father passed her the child. Marah grinned, moving from her seat to her sister’s side. “He gets bigger and bigger each time I see him, Marla,” she said, pressing her lips to the baby’s forehead.

“And heavier and heavier,” Marla chuckled.

Edward fanned a hand in her direction. “You need to feed that boy some real food, that’ll fatten my boy up.”

Marla rolled her eyes skyward. “He’ll get real food soon enough, Daddy. Breast milk is just fine for now.”

Her father scowled. “You kids don’t know nothing. Need to give him a real bottle with a little cereal in it. That’s what your mama and I use to give you three.”

“And I’m still trying to get the weight off my hips!” Eden exclaimed.

They all laughed as Edward moved back to his pots. He peered in quickly, giving the concoction another quick stir.

They all fell silent for a quick minute as they watched Marla and the baby, marveling at the new life that had blessed their family. Edward broke the quiet.

“You need to get dem papers back, Marah.”

“But, Daddy…”

“But nothing. I’ve made my decision, honey. It’s time. I’m tired and running this ranch takes more out of me than I have to give.” The man let out a deep sigh.

“But, Daddy, if Marla and Michael keep running the day-to-day operations and I know Eden and I would be more than willing to take over some of the other responsibilities.”

“Munchkin, for all you know Marla and Michael might have other plans. Marla needs to be thinking about little Mike there, not this place. She’s got a family now and Eden needs to be thinking about having one with that new husband of hers. And you don’t need any more distractions keeping you from finding your own man. This ranch has just become an excuse for all of us to not go on with our lives. Besides, if you and Eden want to see that new business of yours do well, then you two will need to invest all the time and energy that you have there and not be worried about this ranch.”

Marah persisted. “I don’t think that’s fair, Daddy. This ranch is our lives, too. You haven’t even asked us what we wanted to do. I really think we should all talk about it.”

“I don’t need to talk about it. I’ve made up my mind,” the man said, his expression showing that he had no intentions of discussing it further.

“But, Daddy—”

Edward held up his hand and stalled her words. “Just get dem papers, Marah. That’s all you need to do.”

The family had all gathered for lunch, not another word spoken about the Stallions or the sale of the family home. After excusing himself to go take a quick nap, Edward had retired to his room and his children had discussed their options. Marah was only slightly dismayed by her sibling’s attitudes: Eden and Marla not wanting to rock Edward’s boat, but all agreeing that none of them wanted to see what their parent’s had built sold away—and definitely not to a corporation that didn’t have a clue.

Down in the stables, Marah groomed Brutus, the chestnut gelding that had been gifted to her on her twenty-fourth birthday. Her mother had been the one to select the horse as well as the palomino that Marla had named Chester. The stables and the animals that dwelled there had been her sanctuary for so long that Marah couldn’t begin to image her life without them. Somehow they had to make their father understand how important the ranch was to them all.

Hearing her name being called, Marah stroked the horse one last time, then headed out of the barn. Looking toward the homestead, she couldn’t miss the black sedan that was parked in the yard or the man standing in conversation with her father. She could feel her body tense as she stood staring in their direction.

Directly ahead of her, Eden and Marah were making their way to her side.

“If I wasn’t already in love and married,” Eden chimed, a wide grin filling her face.

“That brother is one good-looking man,” Marla exclaimed, giggling with her older sister.

“What’s he doing here?” Marah asked, her palms gripping the sides of her waist.

“He came to speak with you.”

Marah tossed Eden a quick look. “Me?”

The other woman nodded. “We assume you’re the Ms. Briscoe he wants to speak with.”

“And Daddy says to not keep Mr. Stallion waiting. Something about him being a busy man,” Marla said with another giggle.

Marah sneered as they all three headed in the direction of the house, but as they approached the two men, she was suddenly conscious of the fact that she reeked of horse and barn, and her face and hands were smeared with dirt and grime. Marah couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She brushed her palms against the front of her jeans, willing the dirt away.

John Stallion turned as she approached, his eyes widening with amusement as she drew near. He nodded in greeting.

“It’s very nice to see you again, Ms. Briscoe,” he said with more emphasis on the Ms. than necessary.

“Mr. Stallion.”

“John came to talk to me about your meeting this morning,” Edward said, eyeing his daughter with raised eyebrows.

Marah found herself wishing for a hole to crawl into as her father continued, turning his attention back to the man at his side.

“Marah is just like her mother—headstrong and stubborn as a mule. Did you meet my other girls, John?”

“No, sir. I haven’t yet had the pleasure,” the dark prince said, his tone full and deep. He extended a hand toward Eden and then Marla as Edward made the introductions.

“This is my oldest girl, Eden Waller and this is Marah’s twin, Marla Baron. Marla and her husband Michael just gave me my first grandbaby. As you know, they run the daily operations here. Girls, this is Mr. John Stallion.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” John said.

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” Eden chimed.

Marah rolled her eyes at her sister, crossing her arms over her chest. Her gaze fell back on John, who was watching her intently, his stare more than obvious.

“Ms. Briscoe, I was telling your father that since you’re not happy with the details of our preliminary offer that it might be in his best interest if you were to participate in the final negotiations.”

“Excuse me?” Marah cut her eyes from one man to the other.

John smiled, the beauty of it sending a torrent of heat straight into Marah’s southern quadrant. “That’s right. Your father has agreed that you should handle his end of the negotiations.”

Marah tossed her father a shocked look. The old man was grinning in her direction. He nodded his head.

“That’s right, munchkin. I still plan to sell, but I’m going to trust you to get me a deal that will make everyone happy.”

“But, Daddy—”

He interrupted, changing the subject as he turned to face his other daughters. “Marla, we have five weddings here this month and my grandson needs a diaper change so you’ve got work to do. Eden, don’t you have a business of your own to run?”

“Yes, sir, Daddy,” both chimed simultaneously, following behind the man as he headed back into the house.

Both women tossed a quick look and grinned at the duo standing toe-to-toe.

When her family was out of earshot, Marah blasted him. “You really are an arrogant ass, Mr. Stallion. I told you he’s not selling.”

“And I told you that we have a deal on the table that will go through, with or without your approval, Ms. Briscoe. But your father has decided he would like your approval and I support that.”

“I just bet you do.”

John stepped in, his thumb brushing against her cheek. “You really are quite beautiful when you’re angry,” he said, his voice dropping two octaves.

Marah stammered, rage flashing across her face. “I don’t believe you just said that,” she hissed, her tone incredulous.

“Well, I did.” The man moved back in the direction of his car, that smug grin filling his dark face. “The executive board is having dinner tonight to discuss the Briscoe acquisition. I’ll send a car to get you. Be ready at seven. And, Ms. Briscoe?”

“What?”

“Please wash. We’ll be in black tie tonight,” he said with a quick wink before sliding into the driver’s seat of the vehicle.

Marah watched as he pulled out of the gate and onto the main thoroughway. When he was finally out of sight she allowed herself to relax, stalling the shakes that had taken control of her muscles. For some reason things weren’t going at all the way she’d planned.