The Last to Die. Beverly Barton

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      She struggled against his hold, but he was bigger and stronger and she couldn’t escape. Sheridan Willis growled, bared her teeth and opened her mouth. She could bite him. Bite him hard. That’s what he deserved. But, God, it would be such a shame to put him out of commission, even temporarily. She licked her lips, then placed her tongue on the tip of his sticky, deflated sex and licked off the mixture of their combined juices.

      Chapter 5

      “She’s insane even to consider going through with the marriage,” Andrea Willis told her husband in the privacy of their guest quarters at the Upton home.

      When Laura had told them at lunch today that Jamie had explained—to her satisfaction—about his sudden absence from the engagement party last night and that the wedding was definitely on, everyone seemed as shocked as the bride’s parents. Although a sweet, sometimes even docile child, Laura had always been difficult to understand. God knew Andrea had tried to bond with their eldest child, but it had proved an impossible task. Of course she loved Laura. Who wouldn’t? But having to deal with the girl’s ongoing emotional and mental problems often proved too much for Andrea.

      “Never, ever use the word insane when you refer to Laura!” Cecil Willis glowered menacingly at his wife, his lightly tanned face splotching with color.

      Andrea felt herself pale as she realized why he had gotten so upset over her use of the word insane. Most of the time she didn’t think about that reason, preferring to wisely let the past stay buried, but apparently the past seldom left her husband’s mind. Especially not where Laura was concerned.

      “Cecil, I did not mean to imply that Laura is actually crazy, the way…Laura’s just emotionally fragile. She’s a true purebred, like her father.” Andrea patted her husband’s shoulder soothingly. “All I meant by my remark is that I find it incomprehensible that she’d actually marry Jamie knowing he went to another woman the very night of their engagement party. Not when the entire town knows where he was.”

      “I intend to talk to her, but I doubt it will do much good. I’m afraid if I forbid her to marry him, it will only make matters worse. She’s been doing so well these past few years. I’m afraid if I press the issue, she might have a breakdown again.”

      “We’re definitely in a difficult situation,” Andrea agreed. “If we forbid her to marry him, it might push her over the edge. But we both know that if she marries him, sooner or later his philandering ways will destroy her emotionally.”

      “If this was another century, I could call the bastard out, challenge him to a duel, and kill him,” Cecil said.

      So like her husband to consider a once legal solution to protecting one’s honor and acquiring justice when a family member had been wronged. Cecil was an old-fashioned Southern gentleman to his very core. Generations of good breeding went into making that kind of man, just as generations of good breeding produced the Kentucky Derby-winning thoroughbreds the Willis Farm produced.

      “If I thought killing Jamie Upton would solve the problem, then I’d load the gun and hand it to you.” Andrea sighed. “But we know what his death would do to our Laura.”

      Something alerted Andrea that they weren’t alone. She wasn’t sure if she’d heard the door open or not, but when she glanced at the threshold, she saw her daughter Sheridan standing there. Beautiful, vivacious Sheridan, with her big brown eyes and chestnut brown hair so like Andrea’s own. Her baby girl was a wild hellion, but as mentally stable as they came. No temper tantrums. No crying jags. No emotional breakdowns. Sheridan was made of tough stuff. And like her mother, when she saw something she wanted, she reached out and grabbed it.

      “Whose death are you referring to?” Sheridan asked.

      “How long have you been standing there, young lady?” Cecil frowned at his daughter.

      “Long enough to know that you two were discussing murdering Jamie Upton.”

      “We were doing no such thing,” Andrea told her.

      “He is a total bastard, isn’t he?” Sheridan grinned. “And much too much man for our sweet Laura.”

      “Despite the fact that we all agree on Upton’s unworthiness, it doesn’t alter the fact that Laura’s in love with him,” Cecil said. “I had so hoped she would find a nice young man, someone who would appreciate her and—”

      “And take care of her,” Sheridan finished her father’s sentence.

      “Yes,” Cecil replied sadly. “Someone who would take care of her.”

      “She doesn’t need a husband for that, Daddy. Not when you do such a great job of it yourself.”

      “Sheridan, don’t start with that nonsense,” Andrea warned. Since childhood, Sheridan had been jealous of Cecil’s relationship with Laura, and no matter how much she tried to persuade their younger daughter that her father loved her just as much as he did Laura, she refused to believe it.

      Cecil looked pleadingly at Sheridan. “You know full well that Laura needs—”

      “Oh, yes, I know. Laura needs more attention. Laura needs more love. Laura needs more praise. Laura needs everything and I need nothing. So that’s what you’ve given me, Daddy, absolutely nothing.”

      “That isn’t true and you know it.” Cecil reached out for Sheridan, but she easily sidestepped him. “Sweetheart, I’ve adored you since the day you were born. I’ve always been proud of you for being such a bright, strong, competent young lady.”

      “That’s me all right. Strong and competent. And what has it gotten me? Not your time and attention. If I’d been more like Laura—more emotionally and mentally unstable—maybe you’d have paid attention to me.”

      “Don’t ever refer to your sister as mentally unstable!” Cecil bellowed.

      “Why not? That’s what she is, and we all know it. She’s had more than one nervous breakdown. My big sister is looney tunes, and that’s a fact.”

      Cecil Willis lifted his hand to strike his daughter. Andrea stepped between him and Sheridan just in time to prevent disaster. Realizing what he’d been about to do, Cecil dropped his hand to his side and hung his head.

      Andrea turned to Sheridan. “Your father is overwrought. He would never strike you. We’re both very concerned about Laura marrying this terrible young man.”

      “Would you be so worried if I were the one marrying him?”

      “Yes, of course we would be. What a silly thing to ask.”

      “Mm-hmm. Well, don’t worry, Mother. After Laura marries Jamie and has a severe nervous breakdown within six months, you and Daddy can pick up the pieces and try to put Humpty-Laura together again.”

      Before Andrea could reply, Sheridan whirled around and left the room.

      “We’ve failed both of them,” Cecil said. “And it’s all my fault.”

      Andrea put her arm around her husband’s slender waist and hugged him. She loved this man more than anything on earth. There had never been anyone else for her.

      “You СКАЧАТЬ