Nothing. She took a breath. While you amuse yourself, Ill go brush my teeth.
Next he leaned across her bed to finger a lacy bra and a pair of sheer panties that spilled out of her suitcase. Nothing? Taking a trip?
Her cheeks heated. Give those to me! When she tried to snatch her panties from him, he held on, stretching the elastic.
Nice panties, he said. Fit for a princess. He let them go with a snap.
IIwent to the closet to hunt for a black dressto wear today, she began in a rush, wadding her panties, throwing them at her suitcase.
Really? he drawled even as he absorbed every detail about her, every nuance of expressionreading her.
She turned her back on him and headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She wasnt about to tell him shed been like a crazy woman last night. That suddenly shed been snipping, first her best black silk, then her favorite black wool jersey, not that she could have worn anything that hot today.
Shed cut and tornuntil she had piles of tiny squares that she couldnt cut any smaller. Even then shed started shredding the remnants.
Hours later, Jet, who was a fancy lawyer now, had found her in the middle of the bed, yanking at the tangles of black threads like a madwoman.
What are you doing?
I cant cry and Im supposed to wear black. Only I cut up my best black dresses, Ritz had said. Even my slinkiest black nightgown.
Well, you wouldnt want to wear a slinky nightgown to a funeral.
Ritz had started laughing and hadnt been able to stop.
When Ritz came out of the bathroom, Roques face was hard. Every muscle in his body was like a coiled spring. No, Ritz couldnt tell him any of that.
Suddenly she burst out laughing just as she had last night with Jet.
Get a grip, he said quietly, rushing toward her. Its a good thing youre packed.
I dont understand.
Youre pregnant with my child.
No.
A very simple test will prove me right.
You wouldnt.
His hard eyes lingered on her belly. I would do anything to protect my unborn child this timeeven marry you.
IIm never ever getting married again.
Oh, yes, you are. Very soon. To me, querida.
No! Blood pounded in her head. This couldnt be happening!
Why, are you doing thisYouyoudont love me.
You couldnt get pregnant by your fancy husband, could you? he whispered, his low voice dangerously smooth. Or by any of your other lovers? You needed a stud. Someone you knew for sure could get you pregnanteven if I am a Mexican.
She began backing away from him toward her bed.
You slept around on him, didnt you?
Her stiff steps were awkward, but she didnt deny what he accused her of.
Didnt you? he demanded in a harsher tone. I was nothing to you. Then you went back to him so you could pass my kid off as his.
No.
How many others did you sleep withbefore you crawled into my bed?
Thats not what happened and you know it.
He grabbed her, crushing her arms as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Dont lie to meever again.
Her breathing was rapid and uneven.
You still think youre the princesa and Im the Mexican lowlife.
She couldnt look up at him, not even when his hand lifted her chin and she felt him stripping her with his eyes.
You used me as a studWell, querida, this Mexican stallion comes with a stud fee. And that fee is marriageto me.
But you dont want this baby. You just want the ranch.
He drew a long contemptuous breath. Do you ever think about that little grave with all the buttercups on top of it?
She whitened.
Youre not killing another baby of mine.
His voice was so sharp and hate-filled; his words cut her like blows.
She gasped. Youre crazy.
Yes, I am, he murmured, drawing in a harsh breath as he pulled her closer. Kiss me and well seal this crazy deal.
What?
Were going to be married. Man and wife. And all that that means.
II just want to be myself. Me. For once. Not somebodys wife. Never yours!
You should have thought about that before you used me to get pregnant.
She mistrusted the look in his eyes and the hardness in his voice. But before she could twist free, he crushed her body into his. Even as she fought him, his lips covered hers.
There was domination as well as the desire to punish in his devouring kiss. Always before hed been so gentle, so infinitely tender.
And yet, even as his mouth ravaged hers, underneath this assault, surely this brutal stranger was Roque. Roque whose bronzed body was made of molten flesh. Roque, who was so fantastic and tender in bed. Roque, who always made love to her for hours. Roque, who turned her into a wanton. Roque, who made her forget why their love could never be whenever he so much as touched her.
The last time theyd made love, hed kissed every inch of her skin from the hollow beneath her throat to the tips of her toes.
On a shudder she nestled closer to him, opening her lips to his endlessly, inviting his tongue. When she arched, his body tensed. He groaned. In the next breath, he ripped his mouth from hers.
Always, always he made her want and ache and need. She sighed, starved for more, so much more, and yet hating herself because she felt that way.
Marriage is the only way I know how to stop you, he said hoarsely, warningly, as if he despised both her and despised himself.
You cant be seriousabout this. Aboutus.
His fathomless eyes bored into hers. Are you going downstairs to tell them our happy news?
When she hesitated, his gravelly tone grew ever more bitter with sarcasm. Or do you want me to do it?
Nobody could peel their eyes off the white marble staircase. But like any audience when the stars go offstage, Joshs mourners were getting restless.
simply awfulher up thereall this timewith him
today of all days
I really need to pick Chispa up at the groomers before he closes. If I leave her there too long she always potties on the front seat.
We cant just gonot without telling her goodbye. How would that look?
As if she cares about that?
The idle chatter caused a mad rushing in one persons ears.
Then a door clicked open upstairs, and two tall, black-clad bodies appeared on the white marble landing beneath the glittering Murano chandelier and stood there for a long moment, waiting.
The voices and laughter died abruptly and a brittle hush settled over the house. Everybody, especially the observer, was impatient for the final curtain of Ritzs little farce.
Something was dreadfully wrong.
Blackstones dark hand gripped Ritzs as he dragged her forward to the railing. Her yellow hair had come loose and spilled like butter over her shoulders. Her stricken eyes glowed like dying purple stars in a porcelain dolls face. She was so white. He was so dark.
She was the perfect tragic queen.
Beautiful. Spellbinding.
Even if she was heartbroken, Roque made her come alive. She seemed ablaze.
Beautiful. Spellbinding.
Even if she was heartbroken, Roque made her come alive. She seemed ablaze.
Had the horny bastard screwed her up there in the bedroom? Did he think the Triple K was already his?
Blackstone. The name alone made the observers flesh crawl. But a practiced smile masked the wild hatred as well as the other dark emotions that flare so easily in the damaged soul.
Without further preamble, Blackstone said, Were getting married.
When a look of terror flashed across Ritzs face and she tried to free herself, Blackstone yanked her closer.
His triumphant eyes roamed, meeting the observers ever so briefly, causing as always that involuntary little shudder of fear before the rage took over.
Had he seen what was there?
No. Ritz wasnt the only one who could pretend.
The smile, the perfect facade was in place.
Nobody suspected. Not Ritz. Not Moya.
Nobody woulduntil the killings started again.
Then it would be too late.
Book 1
O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?
William Butler Yeats
1
South Texas
Border ranch lands
1990
Do you want to see a naked boy? Jet whispered, her giggles sly and excited, her breath hot and tickly against Ritzs ear.
Ritz shivered when she remembered the boy, not a boy really, a man, dancing by his campfire on the beach last night. Hed sensed her there in the darkness. Hed moved away from the fire, held out his hand. Her blood had beat like a savages. Shed wanted to dance, too. But shed run. Not that she was about to admit last night to Jet.
First the sheriffs puma! Now a naked boy! Ritz said offhandedly. Mothers always saying youre a born troublemaker.
Oh, she is, is she? But, Im fun, and youre boring. It didnt take much to talk you into sneaking off to see the puma!
Therell be hell to pay when I get home, though!
The two girls were riding bareback. Ritzs skinny, sunburned legs dangling lazily in front of Jets more shapely denim-clad limbs as Buttercup clopped along.
Ritz forced herself to think about cats instead of the boy last night, so she wasnt really listening. Pumas, to be exact. Very large pumas that followed the rivers up from Mexico just to eat little girls in Texas. Especially now, cause the Mexicans down in the Yucatán were burning off their crops.
Or at least thats what she thought Sheriff Johnson had said.
And ever since theyd left the courthouse in Carita, Ritzs eyes had been fixed on the fence lines on either side of the ranch road the Kellers were forced to share with the Blackstones. Particularly, she watched the Blackstones ten-foot-high electric game fence. The grass over there was so much higherhigh enough for a big cat to crouch in.
As usual, shed forgotten her hat, a mistake Jet, who was careful of her pale skin and more fragile beauty, never made. If Mother would be mad theyd sneaked offshed really be in a rage that Ritz was sunburned.
It was a six-mile ride into town. So, it was a six-mile ride back. Which meanttheyd been in the sun way too long. And since they were nearly home, facing Mother was a growing worry. Not that Mother would punish, but shed tell Daddy.
So every so often, Ritz forgot about cats for a second or two and licked her blistered lips, but that only made them sting worse.
I said I know where theres a cute naked boy!
This time Jets lascivious challenge penetrated.
Did she know about last night?
You wanna see him or not?
Ritz burst into nervous giggles. Then she hid her face in case Jet might suspect.
Not just any boy, Jet persisted.
Who?
Promise you wont tell your mother
Do I ever
Roque Blackstone.
Oh, God! Ritz clamped a hand over her mouth. She knew. Somehow she managed to make her tone innocent. Imagine! Just like the pumaRoque Blackstone is up from Mexico!
Jet lowered her voice. And his thingy is almost as big as Camerons.
No! No way! Youre kidding! Surely she would have noticed that last night.
Cameron was Ritzs daddys bad-tempered blood bay stallion, the very same horse that had tried to kick her brother, Steve, and four cowboys to death two days ago.
Well, youll just have to sneak into the forbidden kingdom and see for yourselflittle girl, same as I did. Then youll know for sure.
More giggles. More pretended innocence. You didnt sneak over there!
Did, too!
When?
Yesterday afternoon. The day before that, too. He swims there every afternoonat five.
Wow! Thats just like youto sneak over there and watch him every day. What if he saw you
Ritz remembered the firelight flashing on that strong bronzed arm hed held out to her before shed run.
I was sorta hoping he would.
Jealousy stabbed Ritzs heart. Not that she knew why she felt pain.
They were nearly to the forbidden Blackstone gate. At least it had been forbidden ever since Uncle Buster had lost all his money and shot himself right in front of the funeral home out of consideration for Aunt Pam. Less than a month later his widow had repaid his consideration by marrying Benny Blackstone, the man who had driven him to suicide in the first place.
It was Ritzs lifetime ambition to end the feud between her father and Benny Blackstone and become another legendary Keller lady and have her portrait hang in the family gallery beside her ancestors for the next hundred years.
Only Ritz wasnt thinking about the dumb feud or her saintly Uncle Buster or even her own grand ambition.
She was thinking about the magical boy last night and about Camerons gigantic thingy. Not that the cowboys had called it that. They had a dirtier word, a word Ritz had memorized on the spot. Not that she dared repeat itever.
It had taken three trainers and Steve to lead the muscular stallion into the breeding room, and his thingy had nearly dragged the ground. The moment hed seen the mare in full heat, the aroused stallion had gone wild, kicking and screaming. First off, hed bitten a hunk out of the mares shoulder. Then hed wheeled loose from the trainers, rearing, nearly kicking the stall door to pieces in his rage. Hed even taken a run at Irish, the foreman, Jets daddy.
When Cameron had mated, the noise in the stall had nearly deafened Ritz. All that male energy and fury and power. All that charged, animal excitement. The stallion had reared and bitten and plunged. Ritz had put her hands on her ears and clamped her knees around the rafter. Eyes wide-open, shed watched him knock the mare down and mount her. Maybe Ritz would have still been there, shocked as all get-out but excited, too, if Daddy hadnt come in and yelled up at her to get.
The beautiful boy last night hadnt seemed nearly so cruel.
Ifif hes II mean if its as big as Cameronsdoes it make him mad like it does CameronI mean when he sees a girl?
Both girls got real quiet for a moment as they remembered the blood streaming from the mares shoulder after the crazed brute had finished with her.