Valiant Williams could only remember that her life has been of chaos and utter tragedy.FLASHBACK: AGE 3 - Author's POVA housefire burns wildly at the old house on a hill, destroying everything in its path. Pictures and clothing and toys for a girl toddler. A little red wagon sits untouched in the dirt front yard as the firemen work to control the inferno. Valiant watches on with curly brown pigtails and tears in her deep brown eyes. "God dammit," her grandmother spits to Valiant's mother Phylicia, "you bastards are going to be the death of me!" Zenobia watches as her house burns and her other grandkids along with neighbors and passers-by are littering the sidewalk in amusement because this is nothing new. "I have been trying to help out you worthless children, and you just keep destroying your lives! I deserve better children than this. At least one of my nine children made something of themselves!" She's referring to Joan, the eldest child and most successful. Zenobia was twice m
I got to the airport early, checked in and and got through TSA. Absent-mindedly, I moseyed over to the off-duty store when I saw a glimpse of someone that I wanted to see so badly that it hurt. I hurried along with the only bags I had, a small duffel and my structured shoulder purse. I walked closely behind the person of interest, hoping to just talk with him. I needed to talk to him to tell him that I was ready.My face showed signs of distress, and the tears made it more dramatic. Dressed in a boyfriend style blazer, dark skinny jeans cuffed at the ankle, a fitted white tee, and a pair of Tieks, I could have been shooting a movie. One of the terminals had just released its passengers, and the rush of business professionals darted out along with children on summer vacations dragging their parents to the bathrooms flooded the walkways. I was losing my target, so I pushed until I thought I had him cornered. I was chasing a skilled killer, one who could off me and hide the body foreve
Reece's POVValiant had returned to the ranch a few days ago and I had taken my son from her. I didn't want to talk to her, I mean I couldn't talk to her. I looked at my baby Regal Vincent Shields, he was strong and determined much like his mother and me. When he had fallen asleep, I knew I had to do some more soul searching. The woman I loved and disliked the most kept me in a constant cycle. She'd been hurt the most in her life but she loved to see others treated well and succeed. All others except me. "Fūck it." I murmured, stepping back from the crib where my little heart. my saving grace laid sleeping on his back. I turned on the baby monitor, checked the water levels on the humidifier and set the air purifier before walking out of the door. Funny how I could condition his atmosphere in this way and still harbor this unease for his mom. Making my way to my room, I slipped into my black tactical shirt, pants, boots and gloves readying to head out to what me and the guys called
Valiant's POV "Sweetheart?" I heard Papa calling out to me. "Where did you go? I have been here for over ten minutes, watching you. Are you okay?"The memories were pushed back to the dark recesses of my mind as I dropped my eyes to my feet. I don't want him to see me like this his face reminded me of the one I wanted to hold. "Listen darling, it doesn't look like you two have reconciled. I'm gonna take Buddy and the guys out hunting for a few hours. Madre has Regal, and you should take that time and head into town.""The guys?" I stammered. I hadn't seen them in well over a year and hadn't spoken to them in about four months when they called to congratulate me on having the baby. I missed them so much, especially Todd. "Yeah, they got in a few days ago but had some things to sort out with Reece. They are staying a few more days. Maybe you'll see them before you ship." He earnestly replied, not knowing that I needed their support to help me. It was strange that Todd hadn't at least
Roman's POVIt's been a few days and I was at a loss. Val had finally left me, I knew it was coming. I waited with bated breath for her to tell me sooner than later of her plans to disconnect. Even before we moved from Georgia to Texas, I knew she was in love with Reece and only with me out of obligation. He was the good guy, everyone loved him and he was great at everything. Of course, she would fall for him. It was evident that Valiant couldn't resist his charms. He had told me about her before I had seen her with Jonas. Reece came into my apartment one night smelling of whisky and sex rambling about how he'd try to get her out of his mind. That night, he was with a girl he'd been dating for a few months, but he couldn't finish the do with her because his mind was clouded with this new woman. He'd broken it off with his constant, telling her he was interested in someone else. Needless to say, it didn't go over well. There was a big fight. Anyway, fast forward a few months, and I
Roman's POVThat night, I took her in every position testing her limits and when she said that she couldn't, I adjusted. I needed her for more than the one reason I sought her out. When I was done with her, she'd passed out from the multiple orgasms I had given her. I looked at her tangled hair, sweat laced body and her deep and settled aura of sated desire. Beyond gorgeous, a bevy of emotions washed over me. The next morning I dictated to her what my expectations were, assuming my unspoken position of authority as her boyfriend. I would fūck her into submission if she challenged me now knowing how she responded to my efforts on last night.Her kinks were whatever mine were and whatever her body could handle. This was too easy. Over breakfast I announced, "I'm meeting your family today, so call them and let them know." Her complexion paled and she protested. "I think we should wait, I'm not ready for you to meet them." The sass that dripped off of her made me batten down my domin
AUTHOR'S POVWhile Roman considered all that had transpired up until he found out her secret, he was angry at himself. All in his life was being upended because he was too gullible and sloppy. The same people he was trying to either evade or placate stay close to him. So close that they were his shadows. He had considered all the ways he had tried to woo Valiant Williams and make her submit to him completely, but she was too intelligent. The woman was older than her age and wiser than any tree owl. She had book and common sense, and her background made her a triple threat by making her street wise. The o lnly thing missing was her exposure to it all in the real world, and thanks to Ro, he was showing her how to get her credit hours. The natural way she made friends and deciphered her enemies was too scary. It was like God had given her His eyes, and she could disrupt rules while making new ones that everyone had to abide by. There were no decisions that she made without having a go
Valiant's POV My body had started to ache while laying on the cot, the mattress was unbearably thin causing my body weight to sink into the sharp metal coils. I laid there exhausted from fear and lack of patience waiting to be discovered as missing and rescued by the man who currently resented me. In my head and before my eyes that were closed, I cursed Roman in my head. He was the reason I was caught up with Lettie in the first place. She was the one he cheated on me with right before he discharged the army. She was the other woman. I was incredibly incensed and outrageously pissed off at the whole scandal. They literally made my sins look like white out and plain printer paper. This crazy bịtch was the bain of my existence and my dislike for her was turning into hatred. The kind of hatred that would cause a person to go Norman Bates, functional and psycho all in one slaying. Lettie's only goal in life was to annoy the hell out of me until I banged my head on the pavement in a
Valiant's POV I watched all of the madness unfold before me three weeks ago. Shocked to say the least by Roman and Lettie showing up. A great day had turned very quickly red. Reece still hadn't made any moves to deal with the female just yet knowing that her male counterpart wouldn't want to jeopardize her life for the sake of their son. Our lives continued progressing toward bliss though. We closed the house and moved in. The boys all picked their rooms in the guest house. Papa and Madre purchased bigger golf carts that could accommodate the kids in their car seats. In just a few hours, we'd all be gathering to host our formal wedding ceremony to the world. The live stream would just for the frills. The groom said that he wanted us to have a fairy tale wedding with beautiful pictures and grand memories. The event would also signify Reece's most recent breakthrough as an independent tech firm supporting only private clients and a few military operations. We both agreed that I'
Roman's POV I watched the happy couple for weeks. I saw them go in and out of two homes, several offices, and many restaurants. Sometimes they were solo, sometimes they were together and sometimes they carried their son. They were popular in their small town which was sitting off the cusp of the major city. They never met a stranger and it infuriated me. And then one day, I followed them to the most peculiar place, a place that I hated to imagine. What was supposed to be my reality was theirs. My months of incarceration had brought them close. Lettie's failed revenge pulled them closer and bound them to a certain fate. They would became who and what I didn't want. Ever. I had resented Reece, since meeting him and I thought that somehow we could be equal. He wasn't this arrogant rich up front and once getting to know him, he was just annoyingly brotherly. None of us in his group with the exception of bald headed Todd knew he was rich. Reece could do all things well and he'd only
Author's POV The day was on them. The fellas had travel ahead into time and the jet lag was already pressing them...they had lost two whole hours and they already knew that Reece was going to be annoying as hell. When the plane landed on the private air strip not too far from the ranch and the new Shields' residence they all off boarded and took their luggage to the sleek army green pickup truck Reece left for them. He was a thoughtful asshole. He had painted the lift gate with "Bestest Men" and it caused them a lot of headaches with all the cars honking at them. When they pull up onto the ranch they blew the horn loudly and Papa came out to the porch. Leaning over the rail he yelled back in his morning, thick German accent, "Blow your nose and you'll get something out!" All the men laughed and went up to hug their surrogate father figure. Todd was the last to greet the old man and he kissed the top of his bald head as a show of affectionate acceptance. "Papa, I am glad to see th
Reece's POV I was so elated, knowing that we were expanding our family. I literally looked at my woman sitting around my brother and my parents and I was shouting on the inside. This was a dream come true albeit, I never thought I'd fall in love with a cheeky curly haired black girl from the south. She blew my expectation of what I thought I wanted in a partner. Valiant became my best friend. She is my rib. Sure she was pissed when she realized that my first and fifteenth paychecks from the military was pocket money for me. She didn't want me for my money. There was no hounding me for more than I wanted to give, she was actually more conservative with us hanging out before we got intimate and certainly afterwards. I loved how she could be polished, prim and proper one moment and then she was on that beat your ass shit the next. Her conversation scaled from politics to bioscience to business or from interpreting the geezers hanging at the corner stores. One thing was for certain.
Valiant's POV Three months later... I stared down at the one two lined plastic stick, the one 'positive' digital plastic stick and the one white and black diagnosis. And finally, the one black and white 3D ultrasound. Great job Reece! He has won again. Greedy bastard. Dylan was kind of enough to do this for me and keep it in the family since the news of the pending wedding was set at a rapid rate of speed. Every major news outlet was trying to get any new sensational news. I sighed in both relief and defeat as I collected all my evidence in a clean clear zip lock bag. My very soon to be husband is laying in the bed waiting on me to come back to him. He gave me more than some "be good" and I have proof that it only made me a bad actor. I couldn't resist being worse toward him. This man did not complain. Throwing the bag on his bare chest I heaved a deep breath and waited for his reaction. "Baby?" I didn't answer."Baby...I know you hear me." He poked my shoulder, he's so child
Valiant's POV After Reece and Val spoke intensely about the home, her plans and his desires they came to a compromise. She agreed to close the deal and purchase the house and if she wasn't pregnant in six months then she'd leave off to the Air Force. This was a trap. Her endeavors to go to the military would fizzle out with her impending pregnancy. This was all Reece wanted, he needed to see his family growing and prospering. Alas, she spent no tears or loss no sleep over the deal she struck with thus guy. He had such good business acumen and had a knack to negotiate fiercely. No wonder she ended up on a dinner date in a another city staying at a hotel and giving him a go a little over a year ago with a baby to prove it all happened that way. Still, there was a feeling stuck to the back of her mind as they drive out to meet Asher Valencia. The guy weirded her out and gave her pause when speaking with him. He was the kind of guy that she never want to be in closed quarters with.
Continued from previous chapterRoman's Flashback POV "This motherfūcker has some nerve! Get his aşs up!" Angelo roared. Two minutes later two of the men were dragging my hungover and bewildered ass out to the living room. Gerald grabbed a chair from the dining table and plopped me on it. Angelo gave me a cup of black coffee to wake me up. "What what's this? Why is everyone here?" I asked even more confused. "Caleb and Valor are in route, it'd be best if you start explaining wat the hell is going on with you before they get here." Todd was speaking so low that it sounded like a feral growl. "Too late." Angelo revealed.Caleb and Valor, Valiant's older brother came into the house only Caleb didn't stop until he got to me. Standing right in front of me, toes touching Caleb had transformed. "Quit talking in fūcking circles man! You got some explaining to do and I don't wanna hear nothing but the damn truth!" He was leaned down into my face but I was unfazed as my mask slipped down i
Roman's POV "She's fine man! Exotic with her big curly hair and deep brown almost eyes. Bro, her lips and the way she speaks....I almost came on myself when I saw the way those jeans hugged her." "I'm telling you, she is what dreams are made of but the men that surround her are nightmares. I'm not afraid to throw hands but c'mon let's be reasonable, you can't expect me to keep going around them." The phone was silent. "Think less with your dick, and do your fucking job. I am not your bro. I'll be there in soon." Click. Roman sat with his head in his hands while his driver drove him. His domestic bank accounts had been emptied and there were notifications of attempted access of his off-shores. All of his other assets, investments and retirement funds frozen. He had funds and resources hidden in all kinds of places and his people always come through for him. He was linked with some of the biggest political figures a
Author's POV 3 weeks later "Thanks Deej!" Val hugged her future cousin-in-law as he handed her the cleared for duty paper work with her medical file and x-rays. "Yeah, pretty lady, no problem. Now, you take care of yourself so that you can go do greater things." "I sure will and hopefully, we'll see you for dinner soon?" He pecked her cheek and left out of the door with her in tow. Todd and Gerald were sitting in the waiting room watching some videos that Reece, Papa and Angelo had sent of a new property Reece wanted to acquire. Caleb was gone again, he was set to go off to school to become an officer and he wanted to see his family and girlfriend before he boarded his plane. Dylan hadn't been coming around much after the engagement was announced he mostly avoided his cousin and future cousin for obvious reasons. He liked Valiant. He liked her so much that for days after the airport encounter all he thought about was her. He'd hoped she would use his number and call to have