Captivated by the Soldier (BWWM Interracial Romance) (10 page)

“You too, brother,” Drake said deeply. “Take it easy.”

Blade thanked him and hung up though he wondered how the hell he was going to be taking anything easy what with the quandary he had on his hands.

Chapter Twenty-One

It had taken a lot for Makayla to come to a final decision.

She checked her reflection in the mirror one more time, regarding the way the ruffles fell beautifully on her snug-fitting dress. She didn’t feel particularly beautiful, though she knew that the outfit, her hair and make-up was stunning. Blade was coming to pick her up to go somewhere fancy for dinner. She hadn’t seen him for two days thanks to her trip to London on business.

She’d accompanied her boss to close a major investment deal with their UK partners. Dave had been really impressed with her contribution and had dropped hints about the company considering her for another promotion. His offer had a catch though and Makayla felt torn but that wasn’t the main reason why she was in such low spirits.

Seeing Blade again was always enough to put the wind to her sails no matter how her day or week had been. But tonight the dinner date was one she’d been dreading ever since he’d called her that morning to remind her.

Suddenly, she heard his truck pull up in front of her apartment. Her roommate, Gina was on night duty at the hospital, so when Blade came in through the unlocked door he wasted no time before tugging her into his arms and kissing her senseless.

Makayla lost herself in his taste and feel and for those few moments, life was magical. She breathed him in like oxygen and held it there, in her heart. She never wanted to exhale. But seconds later he was drawing back gently, forcing Makayla to return to the here and now as she opened her eyes slowly, almost unwilling to break from the spell of his kiss.

“God, you can’t possibly look more beautiful than the last time I saw you,” Blade rumbled, his words thick with arousal as he gazed down at her in the silky white dress with its cut-out pattern at the waist, arms and the hem ending in seductive ruffles down her hips. She’d wanted to look extra-special tonight, wanted Blade to keep a wonderful image of her after she…

“Thank you,” she returned with a ready smile even as her heart cracked within. “You look ever so dashing if I must say.” He did, too. Whenever he took the effort to be in a suit and tie he looked like a freaking sex magnet. She felt like she would dissolve into a gooey mess just looking at him with his baby-blue dress shirt setting off his dark blue eyes, his jacket fitting him like it was made for him, his shoulders as hard-packed and broad as his waist and hips were lean and tapered. His dark blonde hair was growing out and now had waves which were slicked neatly back.

“You mustn’t, but it’s appreciated all the same,” Blade said, grinning before leaning forward to kiss her forehead as he added huskily, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Makayla said on a sigh, clutching at his lapels for one desperate moment. But before he could notice any inner turmoil, she pulled back and looked up at him with a cheeky grin. “Well, since you’ve refused to let me cook any dinner for you in return for all the fabulous meals you keep whipping up for us, let’s go have our fancy night out then.”

Blade chuckled, placing his arm in the small of her back as they headed for the door. “Angel, even you wouldn’t eat your own cooking. You’re adorable, Makayla but you can’t cook.”

She made a pouty lip which ended up getting plucked in a quick kiss that stole her breath. Blade drew back, eyes gleaming dangerously. “We definitely better leave now before I give in to the urge to rip into you here and now, sexy. Besides, tonight’s extra special and that’s why I planned this “fancy night out”. Now come on.”

He was smiling warmly as he led her outside, and Makayla forced a bright smile on her face even though she balked inwardly. What did he have in store for them, she wondered? Whatever it was, she couldn’t help thinking that her own plans were going to conflict in the worst way and this made her dread the whole evening all the more.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Blade wasn’t dumb and he knew Makayla far too well not to tell that something was bothering her. Their meal arrived and she barely picked at it, confirming his suspicions. Blade told himself he knew exactly what had her in such a mood and he felt sure he also knew just what to make that smile on her face turn from phony to heart-felt.

“Makayla.”

Her head jerked up guiltily when he said her name softly. He took her hand over the table cloth, eyes pinned to hers. “You’re troubled, I can tell.”

Her ensuing laugh was shaky. “I’m maybe a little nervous tonight, I guess.”

“That’s funny because so am I. But more than a little.” He was grinning when she frowned in puzzlement even as she smiled.

“I’d never have imagined you being nervous about anything,” she said in a low tone.

“You’d be surprised,” he murmured, taking a sip of wine to wet his suddenly parched throat. He hadn’t been joking – he was worried as hell. What if she said no? What if he wasn’t convincing enough? What if…

“So what’s making you nervous?” he asked, cutting off those worrying thoughts and perking his eyebrow at her. “Is it about your last trip to London?”

“Uh…something like that. But, you first. Why could you possibly be nervous?” Makayla asked quickly, obviously buying more time.

A smile tilted the corner of his lips, his hold on her slender fingers tightening warmly. “Maybe you already guessed. I’ve not exactly been too subtle about it. I mean here we are, having a romantic dinner in a classy Italian restaurant.”

Blade broke off, snagging a breath. Damn! He’d staked out loads of life-threatening missions on his own; faced the barrel of a weapon face to face more than once, and spent the last ten years living the life that the toughest guys out there only dreamed about but couldn’t survive in. So he should be the last person getting nerves right now. And yet, this wasn’t combat, this was his heart on the line this time. And the woman before him could shatter it to smithereens with just one word.

Looking up at her raptly attentive face, he said simply, “I love you, Makayla. I don’t have any other fancy way to say it. Or to do this.”

He pulled his hand from hers to retrieve a small box from his inner suit pocket. He heard her gasp out loud when he opened the box to reveal a dazzling engagement ring. He placed the open box in front of her and nodded.

“Try it on; see if it fits. It was my mother’s,” he said, grinning. “Okay, just a warning though that trying it on is almost the same as accepting because then I’m going to be really bossy and never let you take it off once you wear it.”

“Oh my God, Blade,” Makayla breathed, staring down at the ring, her fists clenching on either side of her dinner plate. “It’s so beautiful. It’s…perfect.”

“That’s why I’m offering it to the right person,” Blade said quietly, all humor gone as he gazed into her now pale face.

Her expression was pained as she looked up at him and suddenly Blade’s heart stopped because he knew exactly what was coming next.

Chapter Twenty-Three

No, I’m not the right person
, Makayla wanted to say;
Jessica is. And Jamie.

But her voice felt choked in her throat.

Hearing Blade say he loved her had given her a jab of pleasure-pain that had her feeling ripped in two. She wished she could tell him she loved him too since that was the truth. And yet she’d held back, only to get one more shock when he’d unearthed the gorgeously set diamond ring.

It physically hurt her to look up into his face and prepare to tell him that she couldn’t marry him. And she couldn’t tell him the real reason. She didn’t want him to feel any more guilt than he’d already suffered.

“I’m sorry,” she hushed, trembling inside at the effort it was taking to do this without caving in. “I can’t accept the ring. I can’t marry you, Blade.”

Before he could ask why, she started speaking quickly, ignoring the pain and shock etched on his handsome face.

“I’m…it’s very hard for me to make the decision but don’t think I haven’t taken time to even consider it. I don’t need more time. I’m leaving, Blade. I’ve been offered a higher position in London and it’s a great opportunity for me. I’m going to take it.”

“Tell me this is a joke,” Blade said, his voice toneless.

Makayla had to keep herself from choking on a sob, willing back the hot tears threatening to spill. “I’m not joking. I’ve always only dreamed of getting this chance. I can’t afford to blow it after I’ve worked so hard to get here. The pay’s fabulous and my chances of reaching the top in record time have doubled. I was hoping you’d be happy for me.”

“Oh, I am,” Blade said thinly. “I’m happy you’re set to achieve your dreams. Too bad I thought those dreams would somehow happen to fit me in somewhere. Guess I was wrong.”

“Blade…”

“But maybe I wasn’t so wrong,” he cut in with a musing tone. “I mean, from the start I told myself that I’m not really your type. I was sure this was all just an exciting diversion for you considering I’m no hotshot Wall Street tycoon with four degrees. I’m just a soldier with some pretty fucked-up issues and who the hell was I to expect you to want to deal with that?”

“Blade, I know you’re mad, but please…”

“I could never be mad at you,” Blade said with far more composure than Makayla had expected and yet she felt chilled by the icy rim within his blue eyes. “I should have known; I had to see this coming but I was blind even though it’s not the first time. I’m used to certain women wanting me to keep them warm in bed but when it comes to making me a part of their lives, they decide they want to go for something
better
; more conformed to their fancy level.”

“I never thought I was fancy…”

“You don’t have to,” Blade said with a twist to his lips. “It’s just enough that you are. You’re accomplished, ambitious and beautiful. You don’t deserve a man like me; you need one of those country club types with the kind of background to ensure you don’t get embarrassed trying to introduce him to your co-workers and friends.”

“If you believe I could ever be embarrassed by you then you don’t know anything about me,” Makayla said, eyes flashing as he hit a nerve. “You’re a well decorated former Special Ops who served his country faithfully and I’d be proud to think I ever had you in my life.”

“But it still wasn’t good enough to keep me there, was it?” Blade murmured calmly, retrieving the ring and placing it safely back in his pocket.

“I’ve told you my reason, Blade,” she said on a ragged sigh.

“Well I don’t believe you,” he replied in that same calm tone. “But it doesn’t even matter. Not anymore. Are you ready to leave?”

Makayla could only nod dumbly. Her legs felt shaky as she realized what she’d done and that she couldn’t take it back. And yet many times during the silent, tense drive back she opened her mouth to do just that – tell Blade she’d made a mistake. That she was crazy and would never leave him because of some stupid promotion overseas.

But deep inside she told herself she’d done the right thing and couldn’t back out now. She needed to save her strength for the long night of painful tears which would be the first of many in the lonely weeks to come.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Makayla heard the doorbell ring and was reluctant to go answer it. She figured it was any of her friends or even her sister Evelyn, as always eager to drag her out to some club or party in the hope of lightening her dreary outlook over the past several weeks.

Staying at the apartment was getting gloomier especially now that Gina was away more often planning her Bahamas wedding. Makayla was glad when Gina finally picked her younger sister Veronica as a bridesmaid because Makayla knew she was in too much of a sorry state to be anyone’s maid of honor for the wedding taking place in two weeks time.

The bell kept ringing incessantly and Makayla finally had no choice but to drag herself off of the sofa where she’d been watching re-runs of her favorite series just to keep herself from tearing out her own hair.

She tugged open the front door with a scowl which disappeared into a surprised look at the strange woman standing there. It was a beautiful brunette who looked just a few years older than Makayla. She was dressed casually in jeans and a brightly colored blouse. Makayla was sure they’d never met before.

“You must be Makayla,” the woman said with a tentative smile, and something about her voice reminded Makayla of someone. “I’m Jessica.”

The name clicked with the voice and Makayla’s eyes widened. Jessica, here? Oh Jesus! Now what?

“Is there a problem? Because Blade isn’t here. We broke up,” Makayla said mechanically.

The woman’s smile turned wry. “I know. Can I please come in?”

Makayla reluctantly stepped back to allow the woman into the apartment. She was half-curious, half-dreading whatever Jessica thought they needed to talk about.

Jessica gracefully declined Makayla’s offer of refreshment or even a seat as she stood in the middle of the living room. Jessica clasped her hands in front of her as she faced the puzzled Makayla.

“I won’t take up much of your time. Jamie’s due for pick-up at the day care center but I just thought I had to see you and set some things straight.”