Black Rose - NRoberts - G2 Black Rose

As advertised, the crying stopped, and Lily’s head began to droop before they were down the lane to the main road.

“Works like a charm,” Hayley said.

“Always did with mine, too. She looks so sweet in her pink party dress.”

“Everything looked so beautiful. If I ever get married, I want it to be just like that. Springtime, flowers, friends, shiny faces. I always thought I wanted a big church extravaganza, but this was so romantic.”

“Just right for them. It’s nice to—Slow down. Stop the car!”

“What? What’s the . . . oh, my God.”

They looked over at In the Garden. Roz had closed for the day so everyone could enjoy the wedding. But someone, she could see, had been there. Someone, she thought, still was.

Several of her outdoor displays were overturned, and a car was parked sideways, crushing one of her beds.

“Call the police,” Roz snapped and was already out of the car. “You and the baby get out of here now. Go back to Logan’s right now.”

“Don’t. Don’t go in there now.”

“This is my place.” And she was already running.

Her flowers, she thought. Plants she’d started from seed or cutting, babied along, nurtured and loved. Destroyed, beaten down, ripped to pieces.

Innocent, she thought as she took only a moment to grieve for the loss and waste. Innocent beauty crushed to nothing.

There would be payment made.

She heard glass shatter, and charged around the back of the main building. She saw Bryce, swinging a baseball bat at another window.

“You son of a bitch.”

He whirled. She saw the shock first, then the rage. “Thought you were busy today. Figured I’d be done before you came by.”

“You figured wrong.”

“Doesn’t matter a damn.” He slammed the bat into the next window. “Time you learned a lesson. You think you can humiliate me in public? Set the cops on me?”

“You humiliated yourself, and if you don’t put that down and get the hell off my property, I’m going to do more than set the cops on you.”

“Such as? Just you and me now, isn’t it?” He slapped the bat against his palm, took a step toward her. “Do you know what you cost me?”

“I’ve got a general idea, and it’s going to be more. Trespassing, destruction of property.”

He didn’t use the bat, though she saw in his eyes, just for an instant, that he considered it. But he swung out with his hand, cracking her across the cheekbone and sending her sprawling.

That was all it took. She was up like a flash and launching herself at him. She didn’t use nails and teeth as Mandy had. She used her fists, and took him so by surprise, he fell to his knees before he managed to block her, and strike out at her again.

But the blow didn’t land.

The wind came up so fast, so cold, so furious, that it flung Roz back against the building. Her head rapped sharply against wood so she had to shake it clear.

When she did, she saw Amelia sweeping across the ground, dirty white gown flying, hands curled like lethal claws. Murder in her eye.

And so did Bryce.

He screamed, a single high-pitched shriek of terror before he began to claw at his throat and gasp for air.

“Don’t. For God’s sake.” Roz tried to push forward, but was slapped back by the pressure of the wind. “Don’t kill him. It’s enough, it’s enough! He can’t hurt me. He won’t hurt me.”

Gravel spat and spun, and the figure in white circled, vulturelike, over the man collapsed on the ground raking his own throat bloody.

“Stop. Amelia, stop. Great-grandmama.”

Amelia’s head lifted, turned, and her eyes met Roz’s.

“I know. I know I come from you. I know you’re trying to protect me. It’s all right. He won’t hurt me now. Please.” She pushed forward again, managed two steps with an effort that sucked her breath out of her lungs. “He’s nothing!” she shouted. “A bug. But he taught me some important lessons. And I’m going to teach him some hard ones. I want him to live so he pays.”

She fought forward another step, holding her hands out, palms up. “There will be payment, I swear to you. For me, and on the blood we share, I swear there’ll be payment for you.”

He was breathing again, Roz noted, short, harsh breaths, but air was wheezing in and out of Bryce’s white, white lips. She crouched down, spoke calmly. “Looks like it wasn’t just you and me after all.”

The wind began to die, and through it she heard shouts and running feet. When she straightened, Amelia was gone.

She staggered back on rubbery legs as Harper flew around the side of the building two strides ahead of Mitch.

“I’m all right. I’m fine.” Though she felt her head circle like a carousel. “But this one might need a little medical attention.”

“Fuck him. Mama.” Harper grabbed her, feathered his hands over her face. “Jesus Christ. Jesus, he hit you?”

“Sucker punched me, but I got him back, believe me. Got him worse. And Amelia finished him off. I’m all right, baby, I promise you.”

“Cops are on their way.” She looked over at the tremble in Mitch’s voice, and saw from his face it was partly from fear, partly from rage. “Hayley called them on her cell on the way back to get us.”

“Good. Good.” She was not going to faint again. No matter what. “Well, we’re just going to press all sorts of charges.” She brushed at her hair, then her dress, and noticed a tear on the skirt. “Goddamn it, I bought this especially for today. All sorts of charges.”

She drew in a breath, struggling with temper and giddiness. “Harper, honey, will you do me a favor and take this worthless piece of trash around front, you and Mitch wait for the police. I don’t want to see him for a minute or two. I might finish what Amelia started.”

“Let me haul him up first.” Mitch bent down, yanked Bryce up on his buckling legs. Then with eyes burning green, he glanced toward Roz.

“Sorry,” he said before he plowed his fist into Bryce’s face and sent him sprawling again. “Hope you don’t mind.”

“Not a bit,” Roz told him, and despite the churning in her belly found her lips spreading into a wide, wide grin. “Not a damn bit. Harper, you mind taking it from here? I’d like a word with Mitch.”

“Happy to.” He dragged Bryce off, and shot a look over his shoulder. “Mama, you sure can kick ass.”

“Yeah.” She drew in a breath, let it out. “If it’s all the same to you,” she said to Mitch, “I’m just going to sit down right here until I get my feet back under me. That ass-kicking took something out of me.”

“Wait.” He peeled off his jacket, spread it on the ground. “No point in messing up that dress any more than it is.”

She sat down, then tipped her head onto his shoulder when he joined her. “My hero,” she declared.

EPILOGUE

SHE SAT QUIETLYuntil her heart rate slowed to normal, until the tangle of nerves, of rage, of reaction in her belly eased a little.

Broken glass glittered in the sunlight. Glass could be replaced, she reminded herself. She’d mourn her flowers, but she’d save some of the wounded, and she’d grow more.

She’d grow an abundance of more.

“How’s your hand?” she asked Mitch.

“Fine. Good.” He all but spat it out. “He’s got a chin like a marshmallow.”

“Big strong man.” She turned to wrap her arms around him, and didn’t mention Mitch’s raw, scraped knuckles.

“He must’ve gone crazy to think he could get away with this.”

“A little, I guess. I imagine he planned to be done wrecking my place before the reception was over. He’d figure we’d blame it on kids—or the police would. And all I’d have was a mess on my hands. A man like that doesn’t have any respect for women, doesn’t believe one can best him.”