Love Me Again (24 page)

“You will be giving up your family, and your way of life, Meredith. He is right about the work and solitude. If you truly love him, all that will not matter, but you must be sure. Nick will give himself completely to you. It will cause him a lot of pain if you are not in the relationship for the long haul.” The last thing Abby wanted was to see her brother get hurt. Optimism won out over her worry. Just the thought of Nick having love in his life gave her hope. “Think about it tonight and discuss it with him in the morning before he leaves.”

Chapter Eighteen

Abby laid Daniel in his crib and kissed his forehead. “Are you ever coming to bed, Abby? It is now my turn to have your undivided attention. Let’s consummate our marriage.”

Abby giggled. “Looking at our son, I would say we got a head start on consummating.” 

Cord patted the bed and tried to give Abby his most seductive look. His husky whisper caused her to shiver as memories of the last time they made love came bursting to the surface. With someone always underfoot at the McDonalds, they had not slept together since their wedding.

“Come to bed, Abby.”

Stopping mere inches from Cord, just out of his reach, Abby removed her robe revealing a dark, green silk nightgown edged in lace. He whistled loudly. His eyes blazed with intensity as he raked them over her voluptuous body.

“You are beautiful.” Cord offered his hand to Abby and she shyly put her hand in his. “Where did you ever find such a scandalous outfit?”

“Mother gave it to me.”

Eyes twinkling devilishly, he smiled at Abby. “I think I like your mother. Too bad I don’t feel the same way about your father.” 

“How can you talk about daddy at a time like this?” Abby lay on top of Cord and she caught a whiff of his scent, fresh and male. He wrapped his arms around her neck and licked the vanilla flavoring where she had dabbed it along the pulse of her neck. Abby pushed him into the pillow, her lips devouring his. Her tongue plundered his mouth, as she took control. Her hands moved to his nipple and squeezed it roughly between her fingers before she covered it with her mouth and sucked. 

“What are you doing to me, Abby?”

Abby sat up and squirmed against his hard member. “The same thing you do to me, Cord. Do you like it?”

“Oh, yes, Abby. Very much.” Cord moaned when she playfully bit his nipple. Her hand slowly inched down his belly until she held his throbbing shaft in her hand. She knew he enjoyed her touch as she heard his loud intake of breath the moment her hand stroked him. Her hand massaged him intimately and boldly. He shivered uncontrollably against her hand and arched his back. Suddenly Abby found herself flipped onto her back and Cord took control. He left a trail of wet kisses starting at her neck and
didn’t stop until he held each breast in his hand and kissed them tenderly. He rolled off of her, leaning over her as his hand slowly, sensuously explored her body stopping at the junction between her legs. Abby automatically spread her legs wider so he could gain entrance. He watched the fire in her eyes as he thrust a finger inside causing her to squirm with pleasure. Pressed against his hand, she urged him to plunge his finger deeper. Her loud moans filled the quiet room.

Quickly, Cord lowered himself onto her, pressed his body against hers, and kissed her deeply to muffle her moans of ecstasy. For a moment she lost her breath as he drove deep into her. Raising her hips in the air, Abby took all of him. They moved together as one until all their strength was drained, both exhausted, and breathing heavily. Several minutes passed before he moved away from her. He rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Abby thought he was already asleep until he spoke. 

“You have no idea how many times I kick myself for not returning to your farm when you didn’t come to town as you said you would. I think of the months we wasted because of my stubborn pride.”

Abby rested her head on his chest and gazed lovingly into his eyes. “I was stubborn also. I am just as much to blame for our being apart as you. We have the rest of our lives to be together, Cord. We will make up for lost time.” 

Cord bent and kissed Abby on the tip of her nose. “I have never been happier.” She curled against his warmth and in no time was sound asleep.

****

Cord trembled against Abby waking her. His breathing erratic, he jerked and moaned as if in pain. “Cord, wake up. You’re having a nightmare.” Placing her hand on his chest, Abby shook Cord. “Please, Cord, wake up.” After several seconds, Cord sat up and blinked to get the sleep from his head. To relieve the tension, she began to massage his back. “Are you okay?”

Cord dropped his head into his hands and tried to calm his breathing. Abby gave him time to come back to reality. She crawled behind him and began to rub his neck. “You are so tense, Cord. Can you tell me about the dream?”

The terrible nightmare would not leave him. Bart Langley kidnapped Daniel. He was riding away on a hideous beast with red eyes blowing steam from its nostrils. Over and over he could hear Daniel’s cries. But worst than anything he could hear Langley laughing. A horrible sound that kept vibrating in his head. There was no way he could tell Abby about the nightmare. He didn’t want to scare her, but wanted her to be aware she may be in danger. Taking her hands into his, he pulled her into his lap. 

“Bart Langley was seen in Raleigh last night. That is why Adam paid us a visit tonight. Before he murders someone else, we have to find him.”

Abby pressed her face against his chest. “Your nightmare was about Bart Langley?”

“Yes, Abby.”

”What did Bart do?”

Even though he tried to keep his voice calm, it still trembled. “Ten years ago Bart Langley and four of his men were running from a posse after they robbed a bank in Durham. Tired and exhausted, they stopped at my parents’ plantation to rest their horses.  Adam and I were away at school, so were not home.

Mom heard the confrontation between our father and Bart Langley downstairs so she was able to hide Samuel, Jesse, and Meredith before they were seen by Bart and his men.” As the terrible memories surfaced, he hesitated. Their lives had been so perfect until evil as wicked as Satan himself entered their home. He felt Abby shiver from the harrowing story of what happened to his mom and father. Rubbing his temples because he was having trouble concentrating, Cord continued, “I think mom feared if she also hid they would find my brothers and sister. She gave her life so they would not be found.”

Not wanting her to know how badly his mother suffered, he
didn’t tell her how she was repeatedly raped by the men. At least his father was killed quickly and did not have to be subjected to her humiliation and pain. Deep in his heart, Cord knew his father was probably killed because he tried to save his beloved wife. That was the kind of man his father was, honorable.

“Samuel and Jesse have always felt guilty for not trying to save our parents, but they were just children. There was nothing they cou
ld have done. If they had moved from their hiding place, I’m sure we would also have lost them too, not to mention what would have happened to Meredith.”

Abby squeezed Cord’s hand and snuggled deeper into his embrace. “I’m so sorry, Cord. I hate you have had so much pain in your li
fe. It is not fair your parents were so tragically taken from you.”

“It was harder on Samuel, Jesse, and Meredith.” The tragedy had affected everyone a different way. With only a year left of school Adam had to leave his studies to run the plantation. All of their lives changed drastically after his parents’ murders.

“Bart and his men were sent to prison for murdering my parents. They should have been hanged, but Bart’s father had connections and was able to save him and his men from the gallows. Over a year ago, there was a terrible riot at the prison and several prisoners escaped including Bart and his men. Everyone was captured and sent back to prison but Bart and his men.” The pain in Cord’s head was excruciating, almost too excruciating to continue. He closed his eyes and tried to fight the pain. “I tracked down Bart’s men and killed all of them after I left you in Tarboro. Bart escaped into Mexico. For nine long months I trailed him. Every single time I caught up to him, he slipped through my fingers.” Cord decided not to divulge how close he came to death at the hands of Bart Langley.

He knew she was terribly upset from the story of his parents’ murders. He
didn’t want to further her distress. “I was tired. I wanted to come home and spend Christmas with you. That is why I came to your farm. I was going to ask you to marry me. I wanted to stop hating and have a normal life.” He touched his fingers to her beautiful cheek. “You gave me something to hope for.” 

“Even though I was tired of chasing Bart all over creation, I could not let him live after what he did to our family. Adam and I hired a bounty hunter to track Bart and kill him. We haven’t heard from him in several weeks. More than likely Bart Langley killed him.”

Unable to hold back the tears any longer, Abby began to cry. Her voice no more than a whisper, Abby asked, “Why would Bart return to Raleigh when he is a wanted man?”

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out. Tomorrow night Adam and I will go into town and see if we can find him. Someone saw him in a saloon drinking a
nd playing poker as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He has changed his appearance, but Matthew Dunbar swears it is him.” Cord ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Langley has something he can’t hide. He has one brown eye and a green eye.”

Abby sat up and peered into Cord’s face. “Please let the authorities handle it Cord. What will happen to Daniel and me if you are killed?”

Pulling Abby to his bare chest, Cord rested his chin on her head. “You have to understand, Abby. Adam or I will avenge our parents’ murders. I should have finished him off when I was so close. I should never have come home until the deed was done.” Now he feared more people would die at the hands of Bart Langley, maybe even someone close to him. He didn’t need to tell her that he feared Langley would harm her or Daniel. She knew his fears. “It’s probable he is here to kill Adam or me because he knows we will not rest until he is dead. I will never be content until he is six feet under.”

****

Only half listening, Abby moved her food around on her plate. Worried about Langley, she couldn’t focus on Adam and Cord’s conversation. Little had been said about their plans to go into Raleigh tonight to search for him. Most of their conversation centered on farming. Without a doubt, both men didn’t want to cause her even more worry. Thoughts of one of them not surviving left her feeling weak and nauseous. Even Cord admitted Langley was very skilled with a gun.

Lucy entered and placed a bowl of scrambled eggs on the dining table. To relieve some of the tension, Abby replied, with as much enthusiasm as she could summon, “Breakfast is delicious, Lucy.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Sutton.” She fretted over the flowers in the center of the table for a second before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Propped up in the basket at her side, Daniel cooed to get her attention. Mouth wide open like a baby bird, he demanded more eggs. She scooped some of the warm eggs from the bowl onto her plate. As she watched him gum the soft food, she smiled. One thing about her son, he loved to eat.

“We have an announcement.” Shock showed on Adam and Cord’s faces when Meredith and Nick arrived for breakfast arm in arm. Obvious from the glow on Meredith’s cheeks she fancied herself in love with Nick. In a strong, forceful voice, she said, “We are getting married.”

Both sat dumbstruck as Abby jumped up almost upsetting her chair, squealing with delight. “Congratulations.” Hugging Meredith and then Nick, she could hardly contain her excitement. “I’m so happy for you.”

Adam’s ominous voice broke the spell of excitement. “Have you lost your mind, Meredith?” Standing, he placed both of his hands on the table and snapped angrily, “Do you have any idea what life will be like on his farm? I’ve seen it. The house is no bigger than your bedroom. Nick is a dirt farmer. You wouldn’t last a week.”

Abby paled. She looked at her husband. “Say something, Cord. Don’t let him say those things about Nick. Tell him what a wonderful husband Nick will make Meredith.” At first he said nothing, so she hissed, “Cord!”

“I’m sorry, Abby. I agree with Adam. Have you forgotten how hard you worked? Have you forgotten the calluses that covered your hands?” He stood and moved toward her. Gently, he took her hands into his and rubbed them. “Meredith has never had to do a day’s work in her life. She gets up when she wants to and goes to bed when she wants too. She is spoiled. You were raised on the farm. It was the only life you knew until your circumstances changed and Uncle Taylor took you in.”

Neither Nick nor Meredith said a word. They stood listening to everyone talking about them as if they were not in the room.

Pain crossed Abby’s face. She let out a cruel laugh. “You don’t think Nick is good enough for Meredith. What is it Adam called him, dirt farmer?” She jerked her hand away from Cord, and stepped back. “If my brother is not good enough for your sister, then why did you marry me? I was raised a dirt farmer’s daughter. What is the difference?” She fought to keep the tears at bay, but lost her battle. She roughly raked her hand across her cheek to wipe the tears away. A deep sorrowful sigh filled the silence. “You married me because you wanted your son. If not for Daniel, you would never have proposed to me.”

Cord reached for Abby, but she moved out of his grasp. “Honey, you know not what you’re saying. Have you forgotten last night so quickly? I love you.”

Nick intervened. “Abby, calm down. Let’s all sit down and talk about this rationally.” Facing Adam and Cord, Nick stated, “Meredith and I stayed up half the night talking. I was honest with her and she knows how much her life will change. I promised her I would hire someone to help with the cooking and cleaning. Thanks to the farm equipment you gave us, we have a surplus of money.”