Read Online A Stirring from Salem by Sheri Anderson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sheri Anderson
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about ten minutes, she was startled when the door opened again and Vince exited with the three models in tow.
The young blonde was luminescent, though a bit vacant, and the African-American was radiant. And the redhead? She was not only drunk, she was… Scarlett O’Hara , Charley gasped to herself.
Vince put his hand on the small of Scarlett’s back and led the wobbly supermodel past Charley, the other models following.
“Everyone, meet my new assistant,” Vince said, echoing his earlier introduction as they walked past her.
“Charley,” she offered.
“Brigitta.” The blonde nodded sweetly, and then hiccupped.
“I’m Nikki.” The raven-haired beauty smiled as they moved on in sync.
“Don’t I know you?” Scarlett slurred as she checked out Charley through her haze.
“Not really,” Charley said, trying to keep from stirring the pot.
You knew me when I was nine, Charley mused. When you dumped my brother.
Steve was nursing a beer in front of the TV, watching the Rose Bowl game from Pasadena, when a news bulletin broke in.
“Police have arrested eleven suspected members of a major rhino-poaching ring. They have been linked to a number of incidents, including one last night in which five rhino were apparently killed in the Timbavati, their horns severed.”
“Whew!” Kayla said as she entered from Joe’s room, interrupting the broadcast. “Joe is sleeping like a baby.”
“Shhhh!” Steve said, silencing her.
Kayla froze in her tracks as the news account continued.
“According to Johannesburg police, the suspects include two well-respected Kruger National Park rangers and a game farmer. They are expected to appear in court on Wednesday to face charges including assault, defeating the ends of justice, fraud, corruption, malicious injury to property, and illegal possession of weapons and ammunition. It is the largest arrest made since the war against the poachers escalated in the past six months. We will bring you more details as we receive them…”
The bulletin ended and the football game returned to the screen just as Wisconsin scored a touchdown.
“I didn’t mean to shush you, Sweetness. I’m sorry,” Steve answered as he was pulled out of his reverie.
“Don’t be,” she answered. “It’s still so amazing to me that all that danger is really out there.” She pointed to the vastness that was just outside their doors.
“Try being a guy wanting to make sure his wife and son are as safe as they can be.”
“If I were a rhino, maybe you’d need to worry,” Kayla answered. “But these despicable creatures couldn’t care less about us, unless we get in their way. All they care about is the money.”
“You do feel safe here, don’t you?” Steve asked.
“With you by my side, absolutely,” Kayla offered gently. “If we didn’t need to get Joe back to the States for school when he’s older, I’d live here forever.”
“For the people,” Steve said. He knew his wife and how committed she was to offering aid to the thousands of villagers.
“They need us,” she said, agreeing.
“But you are happy about John and Marlena coming in?” He grinned.
“I am so excited to see them,” she admitted.
“I know you are, Sweetness,” Steve said.
“Aren’t you?” she said, intrigued by his tone.
He was actually torn; he was excited to see them, of course, but he had a strong feeling that the secret he was keeping was about to get bigger. Since Bill didn’t want Kayla to know about the likely fate of the clinic, he would most likely keep John and Marlena in the dark, too. Bill was a man of tremendous pride, and a handout was the last thing he’d ask for.
“It’ll be great to see them, yes,” Steve nodded.
John and Steve had been two of the strongest, most romantic and charismatic men Salem had ever seen. They were both alpha males on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Steve “Patch” Johnson was the quintessential bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and
The young blonde was luminescent, though a bit vacant, and the African-American was radiant. And the redhead? She was not only drunk, she was… Scarlett O’Hara , Charley gasped to herself.
Vince put his hand on the small of Scarlett’s back and led the wobbly supermodel past Charley, the other models following.
“Everyone, meet my new assistant,” Vince said, echoing his earlier introduction as they walked past her.
“Charley,” she offered.
“Brigitta.” The blonde nodded sweetly, and then hiccupped.
“I’m Nikki.” The raven-haired beauty smiled as they moved on in sync.
“Don’t I know you?” Scarlett slurred as she checked out Charley through her haze.
“Not really,” Charley said, trying to keep from stirring the pot.
You knew me when I was nine, Charley mused. When you dumped my brother.
Steve was nursing a beer in front of the TV, watching the Rose Bowl game from Pasadena, when a news bulletin broke in.
“Police have arrested eleven suspected members of a major rhino-poaching ring. They have been linked to a number of incidents, including one last night in which five rhino were apparently killed in the Timbavati, their horns severed.”
“Whew!” Kayla said as she entered from Joe’s room, interrupting the broadcast. “Joe is sleeping like a baby.”
“Shhhh!” Steve said, silencing her.
Kayla froze in her tracks as the news account continued.
“According to Johannesburg police, the suspects include two well-respected Kruger National Park rangers and a game farmer. They are expected to appear in court on Wednesday to face charges including assault, defeating the ends of justice, fraud, corruption, malicious injury to property, and illegal possession of weapons and ammunition. It is the largest arrest made since the war against the poachers escalated in the past six months. We will bring you more details as we receive them…”
The bulletin ended and the football game returned to the screen just as Wisconsin scored a touchdown.
“I didn’t mean to shush you, Sweetness. I’m sorry,” Steve answered as he was pulled out of his reverie.
“Don’t be,” she answered. “It’s still so amazing to me that all that danger is really out there.” She pointed to the vastness that was just outside their doors.
“Try being a guy wanting to make sure his wife and son are as safe as they can be.”
“If I were a rhino, maybe you’d need to worry,” Kayla answered. “But these despicable creatures couldn’t care less about us, unless we get in their way. All they care about is the money.”
“You do feel safe here, don’t you?” Steve asked.
“With you by my side, absolutely,” Kayla offered gently. “If we didn’t need to get Joe back to the States for school when he’s older, I’d live here forever.”
“For the people,” Steve said. He knew his wife and how committed she was to offering aid to the thousands of villagers.
“They need us,” she said, agreeing.
“But you are happy about John and Marlena coming in?” He grinned.
“I am so excited to see them,” she admitted.
“I know you are, Sweetness,” Steve said.
“Aren’t you?” she said, intrigued by his tone.
He was actually torn; he was excited to see them, of course, but he had a strong feeling that the secret he was keeping was about to get bigger. Since Bill didn’t want Kayla to know about the likely fate of the clinic, he would most likely keep John and Marlena in the dark, too. Bill was a man of tremendous pride, and a handout was the last thing he’d ask for.
“It’ll be great to see them, yes,” Steve nodded.
John and Steve had been two of the strongest, most romantic and charismatic men Salem had ever seen. They were both alpha males on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Steve “Patch” Johnson was the quintessential bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and
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