Forced to Love (Historical Romance Collection) The Fires of Love & Hate

Chapter 2 Cutting Ties

With her voice holding an indignant tone, Rebecca retorted, “Given your reputations, I wouldn’t be surprised if you did steal it.”

Jess’s smile quickly faded as he walked toward her angrily.  “And what is that supposed to mean?”

Narrowing her eyes, she tapped her foot disgustedly.  “You heard me.  Don’t play like you don’t know what I’m talking about.  You have been involved in enough shady, underhanded deals since we’ve been married to last five lifetimes.  And don’t you think for one second that you won’t have to face up to what you’ve done.  Believe me, you will be judged.”

Abner, loyal to his father, rushed to defend him.  “Oh, what do you know, Mother?  You can’t prove anything.”

Rebecca smiled, as she knew she had them right where she wanted them.  “Really?  Well, if you two would be kind enough to accompany me to my study, I think you’ll be quite interested in what I have prepared to show you today.”

As she turned to exit the kitchen, Jess and Abner looked at each other confused.  Abner leaned toward his father and whispered, “What’s she talking about, Pa?”

“I have no clue, but she better watch herself because I don’t intend to be made to look like a fool.”  Catching up to Rebecca in the grand foyer, Jess turned his wife to face him.  Glaring at her, he threatened, “You better watch yourself, Woman, because I sure would hate to see anything bad happen to you.”

Staring back at him with ice cold eyes, she didn’t back down.  “Save your threats, Jess.  I am in no mood.  Now, keep walking.  I want to get this over with as soon as possible.”

In that moment, Jess thought about leaving but decided to go along with Rebecca’s charade out of sheer curiosity.  He wanted to see what she had up her sleeve.  Had he truly known of the events about to transpire, though, he never would have entered that study, for the pampered life he had become accustomed to was about to come to an abrupt end.   

Entering Rebecca’s well-adorned study behind his father, Abner was surprised to see Hattie sitting behind his mother’s hand-crafted mahogany desk.  Turning to his mother, he asked anxiously, “What the hell is she doing here?”

“I’ve asked Hattie to come live with me until the wedding.  I thought it would be best if we got to know each other better, and as my mother always used to say, ‘you don’t really know someone until you’ve lived with them.’”  Then, with a simple hand gesture, Rebecca pointed for Jess and Abner to have a seat in front of her desk. 

As they sat down in a couple of high-backed chairs opposite the desk, Rebecca closed the double doors then slowly made her way to Hattie, all the while contemplating the words she intended to use.  She knew that the way she handled the next several minutes would be crucial and that Jess and Abner were not going to like what she was about to say.  Folding her hands in front of her, she made sure she had their full attention before beginning.  Then, with a calmness that could only come from God suddenly enveloping her, she began.  “Jess, contrary to what you believe, I have been aware for many years that you are a scoundrel.  My father, God bless his soul, knew it too.  That is why, before his death, he instructed me to have private investigators watch over your activities so that, if the time came, I would have enough evidence to free myself of you.  I believe I’ve done my father proud, as I’ve got enough dirt on you to put you away for life, and believe me, if you don’t follow my orders to the ‘t’, I’ll do it.”

Enraged at the accusations being placed on him and alarmed at the thought of being followed, Jess rose up out of his chair.  “You’re lying!” he yelled as he pointed at Rebecca.  “I’ve never noticed anyone following me!”