Commando Cowboys Entice Their Beauty [Wyoming Warriors 6] (20 page)

She heard the front door crack open. A hand holding a bouquet of yellow roses waved through the small opening. She waited to see what would happen next. Another hand popped through the crack and held a small white box.

“Come in, whoever you are,” she called out.

Aleron, holding the box, and Raoul, with the flowers, pushed the door wide open. They were smiling. She searched along their bodies and saw no bandages.

“You are both all right?”

“We couldn’t be better, darlin’,” Aleron said. He strode across the room and kissed her.

Raoul swept her a deep curtsy and handed her the huge bouquet of yellow roses. “For our beauty.”

She looked at him skeptically. “This is a change from a few hours ago.”

“I tend to explode when I’m upset and regret my outburst later. I guess we’ll both have to get used to each other.”

“Raoul told me what happened. We understand you will need to join in and help when you feel it’s necessary. We don’t like it, but we understand.”

“Neither of us wants to lose you,” Raoul said. “And when we have children, we feel the loss would be even worse. They could lose their mother.”

“I told you I’m not ready for children yet.”

Raoul flashed his wicked grin that made her knees weak. “We hope to change your mind in the near future.” He told her about Caitlin. “I’d love to have a daughter or a son.”

The soft look on his face almost made Jewel weaken and say “all right.” Instead, she frowned at him.

“Sweetheart, we’ll hire a lady to help with the housework and to be sure you have time during the day to paint. We’re going to build a house big enough for us and our future children. There will also be a large room for your painting,” Raoul emphasized.

Jewel visualized having a son and daughter. Her men were so handsome the children would be lovely, and she did like children. She just wanted assurance she’d still have time to paint. They certainly seemed determined she would.

“I’ll think about it,” Jewel said.

“Good. Why would we want you to stop painting? You’re very talented. And I want to see the paintings you do of us,” Aleron said.

She couldn’t keep the smile back. They were so earnest and had worried expressions on their faces until she grinned.

Aleron had one hand behind his back. Jewel looked at his arm and then him.

“What are you hiding?”

“Before I give you this box, Raoul and I have something to ask you again.” Aleron and Raoul went down on bended knee. “Will you make us the happiest of men and marry us soon?” Aleron asked.

Jewel blinked the tears away and sat on the edge of the sofa. “I most definitely will,” she said.

Raoul whooped, and Aleron picked her up in his arms and swung her around. When he sat her back down, he gave her the white satin box.

“We asked Cad to do this special for us,” Raoul said. “If you don’t like it, we’ll get something else.”

She popped the lid up, and inside was a beautiful, large, yellow diamond with a line of smaller rubies on each side. Raoul took the ring out and slid it on her finger. It fit.

“It’s the most beautiful and different ring I’ve ever seen. I love it.”

“We asked Cad to use those stones. They were the closest we could get to the brilliant colors in your hair,” Aleron added.

“When’s the wedding?” Jewel asked.

“Tomorrow if we can arrange it,” Raoul said. “Then we’ll head off on our honeymoon.”

“I’m all for that.” Jewel stood and hugged first Raoul and then Aleron. “The doctors said I’m all well. We’ll have to hurry with our planning if we want our special day to be tomorrow.”

Mitch and Daren were greeted at the door by Sara holding their son and Caitlin hanging on to her leg. They all hugged each other tight.

“We can’t ever thank Raoul enough. He brought Caitlin right to me,” Sara said. Tears ran down her face.

“It’s all right, Mommy. I loved riding on the doggy.”

Mitch squatted down to face his sweet daughter. “You weren’t scared?”

“I was scared of Mr. Phillip. He was a bad man.”

“Yes, he was at the end. He had been our friend.”

“My doggy told me he’d take me home to Mommy. I liked him.”

Daren squatted down beside Mitch. “How did he tell you, honey?”

“I heard him in my head.” She glanced from Mitch to Daren. “Is that bad, Daddy?” she asked them.

“No, darlin’.” Daren picked her up in his arms, and Mitch stood upright beside them. “That’s good. It means you are very smart.”

Mitch took his son in his arms. “Are you doing all right, buddy?”

His son hugged Mitch’s neck. “I love you, Daddy.”

“Can we go riding, Daddy?” Caitlin asked Daren.

Daren, Mitch, and Sara all laughed. “It’s wonderful how children can bring us back to reality,” Sara said.

“We have to leave you all for a few minutes, but later we’ll see about riding. We’ll be in the office,” Mitch said. He and Daren put the children down, and they ran off toward their playroom.

Sara shook her head. “I’m still a mess, but she seems fine.”

Mitch hugged her, and Daren kissed her cheek. “We’re expecting some of the men. We need to have a debriefing meeting. Come get us if you need us,” Mitch added.

Once in his office, Mitch sat at his desk and Daren sprawled in one of the lounge chairs. Mitch still had trouble accepting Phillip as the leader of their enemies. He’d been like a member of their family, and his father and grandfather before him.

“Phillip was good at disguising himself,” Mitch said. “I never had a hint he was not our loyal friend.”

“I don’t think he was our enemy all those years. They must have gotten to him somehow. Maybe through Nate’s wife,” Daren said.

“I’ll never understand.” Mitch looked off in the distance for a minute. He tried to picture what they had missed. “I have mixed emotions about his death. On one hand I’m certainly glad, because it saved Caitlin, but on the other I feel some grief over the loss of the friend I thought he was.

“You know, I believe Nanna and Aleron suspected him the other day. I don’t think they told us because they knew we’d never believe he was our traitor. That’s why Nanna wanted the time of the attack changed and why she instructed us about who to tell and who not to. But how did she know we still wouldn’t mention it to Phillip?” Mitch asked.

“She knows we’ve always followed her suggestions to the letter. She and Aleron took a chance we’d do the same this time.” Daren shrugged. “We wouldn’t have believed it was him. We’d have confronted him, and he would have given us a satisfactory explanation.” Daren shook his head. “I understand your feelings. I’m experiencing the same discord inside me. Anyway, I’ll have his rooms searched, and maybe we’ll find something that gives us an idea of why and if we have anything else to expect.” Daren looked toward the door. “I think I hear our men.”

“Yes, it’s time to relax for a few minutes and celebrate, then we’ll do the debriefing.” Mitch stood, and he and Daren headed toward the large foyer.

* * * *

Gala stood at the kitchen door and watched as Tessa greeted the conquering heroes. They were laughing and slapping each other on the back. She’d overheard one of the men tell Mitch that Phillip, her father, was in the morgue at the hospital.

Silently, she promised to get revenge on his killers. Luckily, she’d had time to get in his rooms earlier and remove his papers and his journal, as he’d told her to do if things went wrong. With all the excitement about Caitlin’s return, no one noticed her slip off to get them. She’d known her dad had to be dead for Caitlin to be brought back by someone other than him.

She’d wait and bide her time, but eventually she’d have her revenge. They’d never know who took them down. She especially wanted to get the two sharpshooters. Everyone was bragging about their excellent shooting after one of the shifters, Aleron, distracted her father. Gala heard Mitch tell his wife how Jewel and Raoul saved all of them in the tent, especially Daren, who had a gun pointed at him.

Oh, yes, Gala had patience, and best of all no one knew she was Phillip’s daughter. Her mother’s affair had gone undiscovered all these years.

She’d start with that woman sharpshooter, and then Payton. But, before she was finished, she’d kill all the ones who ruined his plans and helped kill him. She didn’t care if she died in the process as long as she got the last one of them first.

Gala went back in the kitchen. She’d love to put poison in their coffee. But she’d wait. She wanted them to worry and suffer first.

* * * *

Jewel called the Priestess right after getting her ring. “Aleron, Raoul, and I would like to be married tomorrow. Would that be possible?”

“You aren’t in a hurry, are you?” Elle teased.

“Yes, I am, because then we can leave on our honeymoon, and we have the perfect spot picked out.”

“I know Mitch wants to have a big celebration party and discuss all three tribes joining together. I don’t see why we can’t start the party with a wedding. I’ll check with him, but I expect he’ll agree. What will you do about a dress?”

“I’m going to ask the dressmakers if they can get one done real quick. Maybe several of them will work together and I’ll pay them extra.”

“See what you can do. I’ll get back to you.”

Jewel snapped her phone shut. Aleron and Raoul were giving her a hungry look. “No fun today. I have to get tons done so we can marry tomorrow.”

“You mean we have to wait until we get to Oregon?” Raoul asked.

“If you want the wedding in one day, or we can take this day to relax and marry next week.”

“No way,” they both protested.

Jewel grinned. “That’s what I thought. I’m on my way to the dressmakers’. Aren’t you expected at the ranch house?”

“I suppose we might as well join the others.” Raoul pulled her into his arms and thoroughly kissed her. Her face flushed with heat. Raoul smiled. “Now you’ll really miss us, too.”

Aleron took his turn and wrapped his arms around her. He cupped her butt in his hands and brought her abdomen close against his hard cock. “Feel what you’re missing?”

Laughing, Jewel stepped away. “You two are bad.” She waved and went toward the truck. “Aren’t you going to drop me off on your way?” she called out.

Grinning, they swaggered out and got in the truck. “Anything for you, sweetheart,” Raoul said as Aleron drove toward the main street.

When they let her off, Jewel waved good-bye and headed into the dressmakers’ shop. She knew just the color she wanted for her dress. She was filled with excitement. Who would ever have believed she could change her mind so quickly in regards to marriage? Rae had warned her, and she’d been right. Once Jewel found the right men and quit fighting her feelings, saying yes had been easy. And they were all shape-shifters. They’d understand her need to shift and be alone at times.

After some fast talking, Jewel convinced the seamstresses to make her dress in one day. She stepped outside in the bright sunshine. Fluffy white clouds floated on a cool breeze. It was difficult to believe twenty-four hours ago they feared for the lives of the people on the ranch.

With a light heart, she took off, walking briskly toward Rae’s house. Rae would help her with the rest of her plans for her men.

“I’m so glad to see you,” Rae said when she came to her back door. “Come on in. I guess Aleron and Raoul are at the debriefing meeting, too.”

“They are.” Jewel held out her hand.

“Wow, you’re engaged. Your ring is beautiful.” Rae hugged her tight. “I knew they were the ones for you, but like me you needed to discover it for yourself. Sit and have a cup of coffee.”

Jewel waited for Rae to sit and join her. “I’m so excited. We’re trying to arrange the wedding for tomorrow. I’ve just been to the dressmakers’, and several of them are going to work together to get my dress done. Next, I’d like to see Cassie. She makes exceptional jewelry.”

“She does. Cad taught her.”

“Cad designed and made my ring.”

“I know. He swore me to secrecy. He worked on it every spare moment he had.”

“I love it, and I want to have something made special for Aleron and Raoul. I’m not sure just what, though. I know Cad is busy, but I hoped maybe Cassie could make something for me to give them.”

“I’m sure she can, but if you want to be married as soon as tomorrow and want it for a wedding gift, you may have to choose something she’s already done.”

“Can we go to her shop?”

“She does a lot of her work at her workshop in her house. I’ll call and see where she is and the best place to meet.”

Rae dialed Cassie’s number. “Hi, I’ve got Jewel here with me. She’s just gotten engaged to Aleron and Raoul. She’d like a piece of jewelry for each of them. Should we come to your house? We’re on our way.” Rae shut her phone.

“She’s at home. She said she has a few pieces you can look at, but, as I said, she wouldn’t have time to do anything new before your wedding.”