Lilac Temptress (18 page)

Chapter 7

When Sierra awakened, much to her
disappointment, Drake was no longer lying next to her. However, she
had found and read his message, which he’d left on her dresser. He
had asked that they remain apart until after his meeting with
William, and that she and Kyle be discrete about leaving
Jadesville. Once the deal was closed, she could inform William of
their departure. Until then, she was to make certain that she and
her brother were prepared to head off when the time
came.

Sierra leapt out of bed, her violet
dress still partially held up by loose back-strings. She quickly
laced up and exited her room, rushing down the hall to Adrienne’s
bedroom.

“
Adrienne, wake up!”
she pounded on the door. It eased open and out walked Mr. Jackson,
Adrienne’s only gentleman friend, who visited when she required
his
special talents
.

Sierra stepped aside, paying no
attention to his lingering glance as he passed her.

“
Adrienne!” Sierra rushed
inside the room, nearly slamming the door shut behind her. She
fidgeted, eager with enthusiasm, ready to tell Adrienne all about
Drake’s invitation.

Adrienne sat up in bed wearing very
little lingerie. She casually gathered her hair around her
shoulders, trying to look as presentable as a woman could who had
been up all night. “Honey, what is it?” she asked, languidly rising
to her feet and slipping on her dressing robe, then she settled
herself on the corner of her bed making room for Sierra.

“
It’s about Drake,” Sierra
impatiently plopped down next to her.

Adrienne realized she had never seen
Sierra so wild-eyed and frenzied. “In what regards to that
exquisite man? Have you gone and slept with him yet?” she
bantered.

“
No, but he’s asked me to
go back with him to New Orleans, and I’ve said yes, and we are
leaving as soon as his business here is done,” Sierra trumpeted in
one breath.

Adrienne’s eyes widened in shock as
she stared blankly at her young friend, trying to fathom what she
had just heard, then she asked with concern, “Have you told Wil
yet—or Kyle?”

“
As always, Adrienne,
you’re the first to know. I plan to tell Kyle this morning. The
offer extends to him as well,” Sierra beamed with
enthusiasm.

“
What about Wil?” Adrienne
asked pointedly—Wil was after all, the surrogate parent who had
cared for Sierra and Kyle practically all their lives.

Sierra sat in silence for a moment.
Drake had asked her not to tell Wil immediately, but she still
couldn’t imagine telling him at all. In truth, she was quite
frightened of what his reaction might be. “I won’t tell him until
the morning we leave. He’ll try to prevent it like he did with
Jason, and I won’t relive that.”

“
I understand, honey. But
are you sure about this?” Adrienne’s apprehension rang through in
her grave voice. While she thought it would be good for Sierra to
leave Jadesville, and suspected that Mr. McCalister might be the
only man she could trust Sierra to run off with—Sierra was still
very young and inexperienced. Moreover, Adrienne would miss her
terribly and then she would have William to deal with as
well.

“
You said it yourself,
Adrienne. There might be something between Drake and me. It’s a
chance I am willing to take,” she said with a confidence that she
hoped would ease Adrienne’s obvious worry.

“
Don’t you think I know how
different he and I are? But he makes me believe that he will be
good for Kyle and me. And you said it yourself, that one day I
might find the right man and that Drake might be the
one.”

“
Well, darlin, you know
that I only want what is best for you,” Adrienne grinned, nodding
her approval. Sierra’s mind was set, and she was likely to leave
regardless of what anyone might say, Adrienne thought, preferring
not to waste time and effort arguing.

“
I know you do, Adrienne.”
Sierra tightly embraced the madam and without warning she promptly
leapt up with excitement. “I have to find Kyle!”

* * *

It wasn’t long before Sierra was
properly dressed that she left the brothel in search of Kyle. She
found him in his usual spot—William’s stable. He was grooming his
stallion, Shadowcaster, after their daily morning ride.

“
Kyle!” Sierra called out
entering the stable, kicking up dust with her feet while rushing
toward him.

Kyle didn’t bother to glance up. It
was obvious that he was still upset with her for interfering in his
relationship with Claudine. “Kyle, please don’t be cross with me
for too much longer. I can’t stand it,” she implored breathlessly
staring at his back.

“
I don’t see how you’ve
given a damn about me since you’ve had your friend, Mr. McCalister,
to keep you company,” Kyle replied bitterly, continuing with his
work, as if she weren’t even standing there.

Sierra couldn’t tell if he was angry
with her over Claudine or if he was jealous over her time spent
with Drake, so she ignored his hostility. “Kyle, I have something
important to tell you. Please just turn around and look at
me.”

Kyle pivoted to face his sister. He
noticed something different about her—she seemed to be glowing and
he had the distinct feeling that she wanted something from him. He
narrowed his eyes at her with scrutiny. “What is it?”

“
Drake has invited us to go
to New Orleans with him!” Sierra blurted out eagerly.

“
We can’t,” Kyle stated
simply and resumed brushing Shadowcaster. “Wil won’t allow
it.”

“
What choice does Wil
have?” We’re not children anymore. We can make our own decisions,”
Sierra puffed. “Do you have any idea what this could mean for us?
Initially, we’ll stay with Drake at his home. And once we have
found employment, we can establish ourselves. We can leave his
place and—”

“
How long do you think we
should live off him?” Kyle asked harshly, interrupting her speech.
“A few weeks, months or years like we have with Wil? Look at where
it has gotten us. Wil controls our lives. How much more do you
think Mr. McCalister will control us if he is as rich as I think he
is?” Kyle didn’t feel she had thought this through.

“
Mr. McCalister intends to
own you. He covets you like so many other men and you can’t see it.
You never do.” Kyle sighed. Sierra was always so oblivious when it
came down to a man’s thoughts and actions. “Think about it, Sierra.
You and I already have nothing of our own, and I won’t have anyone
else trying to manage my life—that includes you.”

“
Kyle, I promise you that
we won’t stay with him for long. I’ve got some money saved up—and I
had hoped that you would have jumped on this opportunity.” Sierra
frowned, disappointed. She needed Kyle, but she had decided that
she would leave on her own if she had to.

“
McCalister is a fool for
getting involved with us, and you are an even bigger fool if you
think he will expect nothing in return!” Kyle bit back.

“
Look me in the eyes and
tell me you are not refusing this offer because of Claudine!”
Sierra retorted. “I won’t give you up to her!” she
cried.

Kyle paused briefly and glared at his
sister. “Claudine and I are finished.” He resumed his work, without
saying another word.

Sierra attempted to conceal her
satisfaction, relieved that Kyle and Claudine had ended it. And she
didn’t want to agitate him further, so she made no remarks about
the breakup, and continued to share her plans with him. “I am
leaving with or without you,” she voiced solidly.

“
Kyle, won’t you consider
it?” Sierra grabbed his shoulders, demanding his attention. He had
grown to be so much taller than her and strong from his riding.
Sometimes she hated that he was becoming more of a man, and she
feared that this might be the day that he decided he didn’t need
her anymore.

Kyle calmly removed her hands and
heaved a sigh.

“
Please, Kyle. Please don’t
make me go without you! There’s nothing for you here!” Sierra
pleaded.

“
Why let it come to this,
Sierra?” Kyle shot the question at her. “You’re not just talking
about moving a few blocks down the road to live with Adrienne. Why
do you want to separate us for good?” Kyle knew she could be as
stubborn as a mule when her mind was made up and he had no doubt
that she would leave. He couldn’t imagine what his life would be
like without her there with him.

“
Kyle, I’ve never tried to
separate us and you know that it was not my decision to leave
you!”

Kyle pulled Sierra into his arms and
hugged her tightly. He didn’t want to argue with her anymore and
holding her was all he could do to keep from shaking her back to
her senses. “What have you gone and done, agreeing to this without
considering me first? My God, Sierra, you don’t even know this
man,” he voiced his frustration, “and, you are the most selfish
woman I know. I might try, but I don’t think I can stop you from
leaving me behind.”

“
I accepted his offer so
that we might have a better future,” Sierra said, speaking into his
chest, trying to help him understand her motivation.

“
No, no you didn’t. You
accepted for yourself. You’ve wanted to leave this town all your
life. If your decision was meant to improve both our lives, then
you would have talked to me before you agreed to go with
him.”

“
Perhaps you are right and
I am being selfish, but I need you to think about what is best for
us. Please, don’t stay angry with me,” she said, not wanting to
reveal to Kyle that she was losing her mind while living in
Jadesville, and that Pete and Quinn’s assault had cemented her
decision to break away. The town was stifling her, sapping the life
out of her, eating away at her spirit.

“
It was a decision we
should have made together.” Kyle slightly nudged her back, his eyes
meeting hers. “But you’ve really left me no choice but to go with
you,” he supposed. He didn’t know Drake well enough to just let him
disappear with his sister. When Sierra was going to run away with
Jason, it had been different—Jason had intended to marry her
first.

Kyle knew that he was the only one who
could take care of Sierra because he knew her better than anyone
else, and after all she had protected him all his life, and had
suffered her share of heartache while living in the town. It was
time for him to repay her, he thought.

Sierra’s radiant smile, met her
brother’s relenting eyes.

* * *

Drake strolled down the stairs into
the lobby of Casa Bayou Inn and picked up a town newspaper off the
clerk’s counter. Two days had passed since he had last seen Sierra
and he longed to see her again, but he wanted to protect her.
Spending more time with her than necessary could jeopardize her
safety and his upcoming deal.

No sooner than Drake glanced at the
paper, he heard a recognizable voice coming from behind.

“
So have you gathered your
wits? Are you ready to get the hell out of here this afternoon?”
Girard sauntered toward his friend.

Drake grinned at Girard, pleased to
see a familiar face. “There is more excitement in this town than
you could ever expect,” he responded, patting Girard on the
shoulder.

“
Yes, like that little
red-haired beauty down at the tavern.”

“
You remember her,” Drake
said, not surprised.

“
What man could forget
her?” A curve lined Girard’s lips. “I’m sure you’ve enjoyed the
pleasure of her company by now.”

Drake laughed
lightheartedly. “You know me well, but the pleasure I have shared
with her is not what you think, I might add. The woman is a
difficult conquest,” he exhaled, “
and
she and her brother are coming
with us when we depart this afternoon.”

“
I see.” Girard’s grin
changed to a dramatic frown.

“
We can’t speak of it
here,” Drake said glimpsing the clerk returning to the front desk.
“Come upstairs with me to my room, and I’ll tell you more, but
first, please inform me of business matters,” Drake instructed as
they headed up the staircase.

“
Gavin Jones and Jackson
Holton are here to represent the company,” Girard paused to clear
his throat, “with a small consortium of accountants, lawyers and
henchmen. They are extremely pleased about the transaction and are
staying in rooms down the hall. We arrived late last night and I
told them that we’d meet with you this morning. Daniel is here,
too.”

“
Daniel?” Drake said,
surprised.

“
He was in New Orleans. It
was a week since his return from up North, but as soon as I sent
word to him about this transaction, he made his way to New Iberia.
In the letter I told him how difficult William was. He didn’t want
you to botch things up,” Girard laughed.

“
Daniel would think such a
thing,” Drake said grinning.

“
Indeed, but you continue
to amaze us.”

“
There should never be any
doubt that I won’t succeed,” Drake boasted. “Please,
continue.”