Richmond-Banks Brothers 1: A Hopeless Place (BWWM Interracial Romance) (12 page)

AMARA

Those two words: marry me. A week ago, I would’ve said no. I would’ve said this wasn’t real. We were just two lost souls taking sanctuary in one another, providing safe harbors from the rough sea of life. But something changed that week.

My mother always told me I’d know when I’d met the right guy because I wouldn’t be able to imagine life without him. That was how I knew my feelings for Bennett were real.

The thought of walking out of that mansion and never seeing him again left me with a void so deep, so black it would have been impossible to ever fill again. And the way he looked at me, the way he touched me—I knew I’d never be able to find that with anyone else.

“Yes!” I whispered, unable to contain my excitement as I nodded over and over.

He leaned over and squeezed me tight, kissing my cheek. “I’m sorry I don’t have a ring. I guess I didn’t plan this out too well.”

“I don’t need a ring,” I told him. “Honest.”

“Nonsense,” he said. “You’re getting a ring. We’ll go pick one out next week. I want the whole world to know you’re mine.”

My heart filled to the brim with warmth as I stared into the eyes of my soul mate, the man who was destined to love me, the man who had shown me I could love again.

“It’s getting late,” I said, holding my head low. The clock on the nightstand read just a hair past midnight.  “I better get to my room.”

I slid out of bed, hesitating to let go of his hand.

“I don’t want this night to end,” he said. His intense, hazel eyes honed into mine, pleading for me to stay.

“Tomorrow’s going to be a big day,” I said, my mind still reeling and trying to wrap itself around the fact that I was engaged to be married to this man sitting in front of me. “We have a lot to figure out. Get a good nights’ rest, okay?”

I leaned in for a sweet goodnight kiss and then sauntered out of his room. My bed was still made and untouched from a week of sleepovers in Bennett’s room, and it was going to be awfully cold that night, sleeping alone.

***

My alarm went off at six a.m. Saturday morning, and I hesitated to get out of bed. I knew the moment my feet hit the hardwood floor it would mean our week of bliss and splendor was officially over.

I dragged myself to the shower and then headed downstairs to make Bennett’s breakfast. I didn’t care what he said, I was still there to help him.

“Amara,” Ingrid said, cornering me by the kitchen and scaring the daylights out of me. Her sinewy frame always seemed to slink and slither around the house, popping out at the most inopportune moments. “I think we’re all going to have breakfast together today. Can you get Bennett to come down? I’ve missed him so.”

I forced a smile. They must have just returned early that morning. “Of course.”

I hurried up the stairs, excited to see Bennett, and pounced on his bed.

“Wake up, wake up,” I whispered into his ear, kissing his cheek.

He groaned as he rolled to his back and tried to pull me deep into his bed with him.

“No,” I reminded him. “We can’t do that, remember? You need to get ready. Your mom wants us all to have breakfast downstairs in the dining room.”

He groaned again. “Do we have to?”

“She said she missed you,” I said with a shrug. “Just do it. Get up. Let’s go.”

He took his time as he placed his feet on the floor, stood up, stretched his long, lean body, and shuffled his feet to the bathroom. I waited, perched on the end of his bed, until he came out freshly showered and presentable, his dark hair side-parted and slicked over with brill cream. A cloud of fog surrounded him as he walked out into his cool bedroom, and his meaty shoulders filled out his blue plaid shirt which hung over a pair of well-fitting, dark denim jeans.

I smiled and cocked my head to the side as I admired how ridiculously handsome he was.

“What?” he asked, scrunching his nose.

“You look good. That’s all.” I couldn’t have wipe the smile off my face if I’d tried, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him again.

He walked to where I was sitting and placed a single, sweet kiss on my forehead. “Shall we?”

Our hands entwined briefly, then separated as we left his room and headed downstairs to the dining room. I pulled his chair out for him in an effort to show Ingrid that nothing was going on and helped him get situated before taking the seat next to him.

“Oh, Amara,” Ingrid said, clasping her ice cold hands together from her chair at the head of the table. “This is awkward. I meant family only. No staff.”

My face burned hot, turning several shades of crimson as I realized I’d misunderstood her.

“Can’t she eat with us?” Bennett asked. “I’d like her to.”

“When was the last time we ate together as a family?” Ingrid said. “Is that too much to ask?”

“Father?” Bennett pleaded to his dad.

“If your mother wishes to have breakfast as a family, then we should respect that,” Sterling said dryly, his eyes fixed to the newspaper in his hands.

“It’s okay, Bennett,” I said, forcing a smile and hating the fact that my eyes were welling up with embarrassment. Ingrid sure knew how to make a person feel small. I ran out of the dining room and into the hallway.

She probably did it on purpose,
I thought.
That spiteful bitch.

Their voices echoing through the vast mansion halls, I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.

“Bennett, you look healthy,” Ingrid commented. “You’re almost … glowing.”

“Thank you,” he replied, his voice low and annoyed.

“You’ve probably put on, what, a good fifteen or twenty pounds in the last month or so?” she continued.

“Yeah, something like that,” Bennett said.

“I think the boy looks great,” Sterling said. “Whatever Amara’s doing is working. I’ve never seen him look so healthy before.”

“So, what’s her secret?” Ingrid asked, feigning innocence in her question. “What was Amara doing that the last nurse didn’t do? Why are you all of a sudden so motivated to get strong and healthy?”

Bennett laughed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. She follows your little guidebook, Mother.”

“Just seems a little unusual,” Ingrid said, her voice drawing slowly and with intention. “Do you have a thing for Amara?”

Her question was point blank. Apparently, nothing got past her.

“What?” Bennett scoffed.

“I knew it was a mistake hiring someone so young and pretty,” she said. The clinking of silverware indicated she’d abandoned her breakfast in favor of having that conversation.

“She’s a very nice young lady,” Sterling said, coming to my defense. “He’s a young man. These things do happen, Ingrid. You can’t keep him sheltered and hidden away his entire life.”

“It’s not about that,” Ingrid snipped. “I’m not saying she’s not a nice girl.”

“Then what’s the problem, Mother?” Bennett asked, seething. I could hear the contempt in his voice and knew that wasn’t a way he normally spoke to her. “Maybe… maybe I love her. Maybe we’re in love. Maybe for the first time in my life, I have a reason to live.”

“Bennett,” Ingrid said, pausing. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Well, this breakfast is just lovely,” Sterling said.

“That girl is from a poor family,” Ingrid said, emphasizing the word
poor.
“Do you think she really loves you for who you are? Or can you comprehend for one moment that perhaps she has ulterior motives?”

“She’s not that kind of person,” Bennett fired back. “You don’t know her like I do.”

“You can’t tell me some little tramp from the other side of the tracks doesn’t see dollar signs when she looks at you,” Ingrid sneered, her voice filled with hatred and contempt. “Don’t be so naïve. You’re dying, Bennett.”

“Ingrid,” Sterling said with a rare boom in his voice.

“Shut it, Sterling,” Ingrid spat back. “Bennett, it’s time for Amara to go. She has crossed the line, and she’s not the type of employee I will have in my household.”

“You’re making a huge mistake,” Bennett said through gritted teeth. “Huge.”

“Let’s not forget where the money comes from in this family,” Ingrid said. “I pay the help. I make the decisions. That’s that.”

I’d heard enough. I had to get out of there. I ran upstairs to pack my things, fighting off the tears that filled my eyes and made it nearly impossible for me to see what I was doing.

“Amara,” Bennett’s breathy voice called from my doorway a short time later. I imagined him trying to get to me as soon as he could, before Ingrid intervened.

“I heard everything,” I cried as I ran into his arms. He held me tight, burying his face into my hair.

“I bet you didn’t hear the part where I told them I was leaving,” he said.

“You said that?” I asked, pulling away and looking into his eyes. “Where will you go?”

“Wherever you’re going,” he said. “Take me with you.”

He leaned in and kissed my lips, hard.

“You won’t be going anywhere, Bennett.” Ingrid jolted us back into reality as she stood in the hall behind him. Her arctic glare sent shivers down my spine.

I turned to grab my bag off the bed as Bennett’s eyes pleaded with mine.

“I’ve called a nursing agency and they’re sending someone here first thing tomorrow morning,” Ingrid said.

“That won’t be necessary,” Bennett said. “I’m not living here anymore.”

Ingrid smirked at his challenge. “Don’t tempt me, Bennett.” Her gaze turned my way. “One phone call, and her career is over. You wouldn’t want to do that to her, would you?”

I ran past both of them, unable to get out of there quick enough. I burst through the front door as I fished around for my keys, appreciating my rusty, red set of wheels more than ever before. I started the car and took one final gaze at the Richmond-Banks mansion. Behind those impenetrable brick walls was the one and only thing that mattered to me, and it had been taken away in an instant.

I shifted the car into drive and slammed on the gas pedal, propelling myself further and further out of that neighborhood and back to my side of town. As I drove, I composed text after text to Bennett’s phone. All went unanswered.

AMARA

“Sweetie, what’s the matter? Why are you home right now?” my mother asked as soon as I stepped in the front door.

“I got fired,” I blurted between sobs. “Bennett and I fell in love.”

“What do you mean you fell in love?” she asked, half disbelieving what she’d just heard.

“It’s complicated,” I said, wiping my cheeks. “It was unexpected. I don’t know what else to say, but he wants to marry me, and I said yes.”

“I thought he was sick?” she replied, her hand resting on my back.

“He’s doing better now,” I said, raising my eyes and adding, “A lot better, actually.”

“Okay, but…” My mom studied my face.

“The moment Ingrid found out something was going on between us, she fired me. She told Bennett I’m from a poor family and I’m just after their money.”

My mother’s face twisted into a scowl. “That wicked, evil woman. I ought to just call her up right now and give her a piece of my mind. No one talks about my daughter or my family that way.”

“No, Mom,” I said, placing my hand on her arm. “Let it go. She’s threatening to destroy my career. I don’t want to test her.”

“What the heck is going on?” my father said as he walked in, scratching his bald head. “You get romantically involved with that boy?”

“You fell in love with that rich kid?” Alexis said with a nosy smirk as she popped in from around the corner.

I scowled at her. “Grow up.” I have go get out of here. I shouldn’t have come.”

I didn’t need an interrogation. I needed to be held and understood. I needed Bennett. I flew out the front door and climbed back into my car, heading to the one person I knew would have my back.

Minutes later I was running up Cherish’ stairs, my bag over my shoulder and my mind overflowing with thoughts.

“Cherish!” I said as I knocked repeatedly. She was known for always having ear buds in her ears. That girl couldn’t go two minutes without listening to music. “Cherish! Open up.”

“Whoa,” she said as she pulled the door open, an ear bud hanging from one ear while the other was still plugged in. “What are you doing here?”

I threw myself on her sofa and blathered away about Bennett, Ingrid, my family—everything.

“It’s Saturday night,” Cherish said in response to it all. “Let’s get you good and drunk and you’ll forget all about this for a while. That’s what I think you should do. And in the meantime, you can stay at my place. My roommate just moved out, so the place is yours until you get your stuff figured out.”

“I don’t have a job anymore,” I sighed. “I can’t pay you any rent.”

“It’s okay, Ev,” she said gently. “I know you’d do the same for me.”

“What would I do without you?” I said, standing up and throwing my arms around her shoulders. Cherish was the one person I could always count on when the chips were down.

We painted the town that night, she and I. And just as Cherish promised, all my problems began to fade away with each throat-burning shot. Before long, I’d completely forgotten that Bennett hadn’t texted me back. I’d forgotten that I had no way of texting him. I’d forgotten that the wonderful future he had lain out for me so beautifully the night before was now lying in a gutter somewhere, a dream that would never become a reality.

***

The smell of bacon and eggs wafting from Cherish’ kitchen woke me the next morning.

“How are you functioning right now?” I asked as I stumbled out of my room and down the hall. I could taste the night before, but I sure as hell couldn’t remember a damn thing about it.

“I’m totally fine,” she laughed as she turned the spattering bacon, trying hard not to get burnt by the hot grease. “You forget I do this every week. You, on the other hand…”

“Good point,” I conceded, taking a seat at the table. Cherish placed a plate in front of me. “Bennett still hasn’t texted me back. I don’t know what’s going on. Either his mom found it and took it away, or he believes his mom that I’m only after their money.”

“Or he doesn’t want her to ruin your career,” Cherish suggested. “Ever think he’s just trying to protect you?”

I smiled at the thought. It did seem like the most plausible answer. “I just hate not being able to talk to him. I want to know what he’s thinking right now—if he misses me as much as I miss him.”

“Duh,” Cherish said with an eye roll. “Does he have email, or anything?”

“I’m sure he does, but we never talked about it. I wouldn’t even know what it is,” I said with a frustrated sigh.

“Can you just drive by his house?”

“Ha. With my extremely loud, bright red car? That wouldn’t be obvious,” I laughed. “I’m sure the moment his mom sees me around, she’ll slap a restraining order on me. I’m lucky she hasn’t turned me in to the Board of Nursing for having inappropriate contact with a patient.”

My phone buzzed on the table.

“Oh, my God.” I grabbed it and hoped it was Bennett. It was from Spencer.

SO UR ENGAGED NOW?!

“How does Spencer know I’m engaged?” I asked Cherish.

She laughed. “Are you serious? You made sure that everyone at the bar last night knew that you were off the market. A couple guys tried to buy you drinks and you said your fiancé wouldn’t be happy about you accepting drinks from other men.”

“I said that?”

“Oh, yeah,” Cherish replied, grinning from ear to ear. “You also went up to Spencer’s friend, Robbie, and told him he could tell Spencer to kiss your ass and that you were marrying Bennett Richmond-Banks and that Spencer could never be half the man Bennett was.”

“Apparently, word travels fast in this town,” I said, shoving around the food on my plate. “Actually, I think it’s funny that Spencer found out so quickly. Serves him right.”

“Don’t even respond,” Cherish said as she sat down next to me. “He’s not worth it. You don’t owe him anything.”

“You’re right,” I said, placing my phone back down on the table.

A minute later, my phone buzzed once again. I rolled my eyes, expecting to read yet another text from Spencer. He always hated when I didn’t respond right away.

“It’s Bennett,” I said, my heart pounding hard in my ears as I read it aloud, “ ‘I miss you. I love you. How can I see you again?’ ”

My hands trembled as I texted him back.

I NEED TO SEE YOU SOON. CAN YOU SNEAK OUT OF THE HOUSE TONIGHT?

“See, I told you he still loves you,” Cherish said with a mouthful of eggs. “I’m always right.”

Bennett replied in an instant.

MEET ME TONIGHT IN THE ROSE GARDEN AT ELEVEN. MY PARENTS WILL BE ASLEEP BY THEN.

My heart fluttered as I replied, telling him I’d be there. I sunk back in the chair, reveling in the fact that all was going to be well once again. We were in this together, and that was how we would figure this out.

By eleven on the nose that night, I found myself tiptoeing through the English garden toward the Richmond-Banks prized rosebushes. Time stood still, and every rustle of the leaves or odd sound commanded my attention as I waited for Bennett.

“You showed up,” a woman’s voice said, sending chills down my spine. Stepping out from behind the shadow of a tall oak stood Ingrid, her pale blonde hair glowing in the moonlight. “I knew you would.”

“Ingrid,” I said, jumping and clutching my hand over my neck.

“I found Bennett’s little secret cell phone,” she sneered as she walked closer. “I’m going to cut to the chase here, Amara. If you agree never to speak to my son again, I won’t destroy your career and I’ll give you twenty-thousand dollars.”

“That’s absurd,” I snarled, brows furrowed.

“Fifty-thousand dollars,” she said, arms crossed and face determined.

“I don’t care about money,” I said, insulted. “As much as you might think otherwise, I love him.”

“Amara,” she said, ignoring my declaration of love. “I will give you
seventy-five thousand
if you agree never to talk to him again.” She placed her hands on her slender hips and looked me square in the eyes. “Final offer. You’d be stupid not to take it.”

I didn’t so much as give it a second thought. “No.”

“Well, then,” she said, sticking her narrow nose in the air. “I forbid you to see him. Stupid girl. Should’ve taken the money.”

She began to walk away as I called out, “He’s a twenty-four year old man. You can’t control him. You can’t tell him not to fall in love.”

She turned slowly to face me. “As long as he’s living under my roof, he’ll do as I say.”

“Then let him move out!” I screamed at her, barely recognizing the shrill desperation behind my voice.” My blood boiled hot as adrenaline coursed through me, peeling away any remnants of a filter. “Bennett!”

I screamed his name as loud as I could the second I saw a light switch on in his room.

“He can’t hear you through those thick windows,” Ingrid said with a menacing laugh.

“Why won’t you let him grow up and be a man?” I pleaded. “Let him live a normal life, for once. You’re his mother. Look what you’re doing to him. You’re taking away everything he deserves. Who knows how long he has?”

“Exactly,” she said coolly. “He doesn’t have very long, and you know that. Stay away from my family. If I see you again, I’ll report you to the Board of Nursing for improper relations with a patient. I’m not bluffing, Evelyn.”

She vanished into the shadows of the night, ending our conversation right then and there and stealing the last word. Hot tears clouded my eyes as I worked my way back to my car, running as fast as my legs would carry me.

“Psst!” a voice whispered the second I passed the service entry in the back of the house. “Amara!”

I caught a glimpse of light shining through a cracked door and a hand waving toward me.

“Bennett?” I whispered back, looking around to make sure Ingrid was long gone. I ran closer to the door and saw his tall figure standing there. “Oh, my God. I thought I’d never see you again.”

I threw my arms around him and kissed his face with a passionate, desperate hunger.

“Take me with you,” he whispered. “Right now. Take me with you.”

He hoisted a packed duffle bag onto his shoulder and looked out toward the lawn.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here,” he said stepping past me. “I’m ready. I’ve been waiting. I knew you’d come back.”

He took my hand as we snuck across the grass and walked down the sidewalk toward my car. I couldn’t start it fast enough. I had Bennett, and I wanted to get the hell out of there before Ingrid came running out with her threats again.

He grabbed my hand as we sped away, bringing it to his mouth and placing one sweet kiss on it. The moment we approached a stop sign, he reached over and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pressing his lips against mine.

“I was so worried,” I sighed between kisses.

“Me too.”

“Let’s never leave each other again.”

He cupped my cheek with his hand and looked into my eyes. Time slowed around us as we savored our sweet reunion, but the moment was soon interrupted by the honking of an impatient car behind us.

“Oops,” I laughed. The tension of the moment faded. “I’m staying with Cherish right now. You’re going to love her.”

***

“Oh, my God,” Cherish squealed the second we returned. “Is this Bennett? Amara told me you were handsome, but she didn’t tell me you were freaking gorgeous.”

She stood, staring as she blocked the doorway.

“This is him,” I said, proudly showing him off.

Cherish wrapped her arms around him. “I feel like I know you already. Amara’s already told me so many things.”

He smiled, saying very little and almost seeming nervous, though he clearly tried to hide it. I was sure he wasn’t used to meeting new people, and he was definitely out of his element here.

“I’m going to help him get settled,” I said, grabbing the crook of his arm and leading him back to my room.

Bennett took a seat on my bed and looked around. The room was small, and the full-sized bed took up most of it. The white walls contrasted against the plain, oak dresser, which served as the only other piece of furniture in the room.

“Not what you’re used to, I know,” I said.

“No, it’s fine,” Bennett insisted, scanning the room. “Just taking everything in.”

I took a seat next to him and he slipped his arm around me, pulling me close as we sat in silence.

“I never want to be apart from you again,” he said. “That was the worst twenty-four hours of my life.”

“I can’t believe your mother,” I said. “She tried to pay me seventy-five thousand dollars never to speak to you again.”

“I bet it just infuriated her that you couldn’t be bought off,” he said with a smirk as he shook his head. “She really believed you were just after our money.”

“Never,” I said, leaning over and kissing him. “You didn’t think that, did you?”