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Legacy
Până la Chanta Rand
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Începeți să citiți- Editor:
- Chanta Rand
- Lansat:
- Jan 16, 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781370033881
- Format:
- Carte
Descriere
In 1930s Detroit, Jackson Chandler owns the most successful speakeasy in Black Bottom, one of the city’s poorest sections of town. Born into a family of wealth, he’s lived most of his life trying to distance himself from his uncle, a notorious cathouse owner. But with prohibition, a spoiled fiancée, and his family’s nefarious reputation, he’s got his own problems. When his club’s rumrunner is murdered by mobsters, things go from bad to worse. He needs a replacement, fast. With his legacy at stake, Jackson will do anything to protect his name and his club—including offering the job to someone no one would expect.
Jolene Edwards has seen her share of hard times. With a terminally ill grandmother to support, she does whatever is necessary to survive during the nation’s Great Depression. When an opportunity to become a rumrunner lands in her lap, she leaps at the chance to make enough money to lift herself out of poverty. The stakes are high. Transporting liquor illegally means danger, possible imprisonment, and dealing with Jackson Chandler, a man she can’t stand, but one she fights her attraction to from the moment they meet.
When the two realize they both have a connection to the same gold locket, they begin to see each other in a new light. One night, a near-fatal accident throws them together and forever changes their destiny.
Informații despre carte
Legacy
Până la Chanta Rand
Descriere
In 1930s Detroit, Jackson Chandler owns the most successful speakeasy in Black Bottom, one of the city’s poorest sections of town. Born into a family of wealth, he’s lived most of his life trying to distance himself from his uncle, a notorious cathouse owner. But with prohibition, a spoiled fiancée, and his family’s nefarious reputation, he’s got his own problems. When his club’s rumrunner is murdered by mobsters, things go from bad to worse. He needs a replacement, fast. With his legacy at stake, Jackson will do anything to protect his name and his club—including offering the job to someone no one would expect.
Jolene Edwards has seen her share of hard times. With a terminally ill grandmother to support, she does whatever is necessary to survive during the nation’s Great Depression. When an opportunity to become a rumrunner lands in her lap, she leaps at the chance to make enough money to lift herself out of poverty. The stakes are high. Transporting liquor illegally means danger, possible imprisonment, and dealing with Jackson Chandler, a man she can’t stand, but one she fights her attraction to from the moment they meet.
When the two realize they both have a connection to the same gold locket, they begin to see each other in a new light. One night, a near-fatal accident throws them together and forever changes their destiny.
- Editor:
- Chanta Rand
- Lansat:
- Jan 16, 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781370033881
- Format:
- Carte
Despre autor
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Legacy - Chanta Rand
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Prologue
True love has no boundaries.
It knows no space or time.
Human or immortal, true love will always find you.
Legend spins a tale of Korinna, a beautiful witch. With loving parents who doted on her, she wanted for nothing. On her fifth birthday, tragedy struck when her mother became ill and was suddenly taken from her. For two years, it was only Korinna and her father, until one day he fell in love. Her father married, and their family grew. Korinna’s copper curls and wide violet eyes were a contrast to her four siblings’ raven locks and emerald gazes. Men showered her with attention while ignoring her sisters, stealing their chances for love and marriage.
On her eighteenth birthday, her resentful stepmother placed a curse upon her. Korinna would forever walk the earth, never finding her own true love. Her desire to help others sent her time traveling through exotic lands, collecting keepsakes along the way. With her treasures in hand, she placed an enchantment upon each of them. It is said whoever possesses one of these trinkets will be blessed with true love.
So remember, the next time you step into a small shop, take a close look around. Do you sense the magic? If you happen to spot a beautiful redhead with sparkling violet eyes, it just might be Korinna, setting up shop in your town. Take care, for the enchanted keepsake that whispers to you—to lift it from its resting place and take it home—could lead you straight to your one true love.
Chapter One
Detroit, MI 1932
Jolene jumped out of the way of a speeding Packard barreling down the dark street. Its whitewall tires barely missed a pothole, and instead clipped the curb, spattering one side of her coat with filthy slush. The threadbare thing was already in rough shape. The sleeves were too short and the buttons were mismatched. With no money for a new one, she’d have to make due until winter was over in a few more months. She muttered a string of curses at the red taillights that disappeared around the corner into the night. She didn’t recognize the sleek, fancy vehicle. It was a rich man’s car—something she didn’t see often. She was a long way from her side of town.
She pushed her sturdy cloche over her ears and shoved her hands deeper into her coat pockets. The brisk steps of her leather oxford shoes carried her the rest of the way. She couldn’t wait to ditch her itchy wool leggings for the smooth silk stockings she would wear later tonight. She only hoped she wasn’t frozen stiff by the time she arrived.
The bitter, howling wind tore through her as she crossed the street. The eerie sound was nothing compared to the memory of Grandma Orlean’s hacking cough echoing in her ears. The old woman would need to go to the doctor again, soon. But they could barely afford to pay him, much less buy the expensive medication he prescribed. Though Jolene had two jobs, her income still wasn’t enough to pay the bills. She hoped her no-good boss, Vincent, promoted her to head hostess like he’d been promising. Only the head hostess got to mingle with the VIP clients, who gave plenty of fat tips. Her destiny was in Vincent’s hands—a man so tight-fisted, if someone shoved a lump of coal up his ass, he’d fart diamond dust.
Up ahead, the dark outline of a store loomed in front of her. Despite fresh snow flurries gusting in the air, she could still make out the words of the colorful sign in the window. Enchanted Keepsakes Antique Shoppe. She’d come to this part of town looking for an answer to her problems. Could this be it?
The bright red door beckoned her like a lighthouse in a dark sea. The place seemed kind of old world, like one of the classic books Mrs. Findley kept in the library of her palatial home. The home Mama used to clean before the accident. Jolene submerged the depressing thought back beneath the dark waters of her mind, where it belonged. There was no use dredging up old, painful memories. Mama wouldn’t want that. It was best to concentrate on the present—a time period she had some control over.
Jolene glanced at the sign again. Enchanted Keepsakes. She needed some enchantment in her life right now. No, make that a miracle. If she was going to help her family, she needed a powerful, ‘fix the world and everything that was wrong with it’ kind of miracle.
Her heart dropped at the thought of what she had to do. She’d been debating it for a week now, but this is what it had come to. If she had to give away her beloved treasure, this place looked like it would take good care of it until she could get it back.
It’s only temporary, she told herself. You’ll have it back within a week.
A bell jingled and the scent of Patchouli teased her nostrils when she opened the door. Crossing the threshold was like entering into another world, one complete with oddities she could only wonder about. She stamped the slush from her shoes on the welcome mat, and then stared, open-mouthed, as her eyes adjusted to the dim interior. Turkish lamps hung on delicate chains from the ceiling, their elegant, metal scrollwork patterns casting an ethereal glow over everything. There was so much to see. Sun-bleached seashells. Carved statues. Shelves lined with rusted old coins. A multitude of glass bottles in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Exotic looking rugs with ornate designs stretched haphazardly across the hardwood floor. Old maps and paintings covered the walls. Stacks of leather-bound books crammed every surface. A collection of dolls, ranging from cloth and straw with black buttons for eyes to milk-white porcelain painted with ruby lips dominated a nearby table. An antique cherry wood desk with a faded wingback chair dominated the center of the room. A cut glass lamp balanced on the desk’s edge. Prisms of the colorful pieces splayed across the floor like a geometric rainbow. She could get lost among these treasures for days.
Can I help you with something?
a voice asked.
Jolene whirled around to see a stunning woman with a fiery red mane and the most incredible eyes she’d ever seen. Something between indigo and violet. She couldn’t be sure. She didn’t want to stare too hard, for fear the woman would become offended and not give her what she wanted.
At that moment, the enormity of her situation gripped Jolene and held on tight, damn near squeezing the breath from her.
What am I doing here? I have no business in this part of town. This woman seems kind, but will she really help me in my time of need? Probably not. I better get my tail outta here before I get thrown in the slammer, or worse. I’ll be no good to Orlean locked up or dead.
Don’t worry.
The woman patted Jolene’s shoulder. Orlean is going to be alright.
Jolene’s heartbeat stuttered as she met the woman’s gaze. How did you know…? I never told you about Orlean.
Sure, you did. You said her name only moments ago.
Jolene shook her head. As sure as she knew the sun rose in the east and set in the west, she knew she hadn’t spoken aloud about Orlean. She studied the woman’s kind face with its flawless milky skin. Was she a mind reader? There was no way to be certain.
Are you looking for anything special?
the lady asked, clasping her hands in front of her floral dress. I have something for everyone.
Her proud smile did a fine job of loosening the knots that had suddenly raveled in Jolene’s stomach. You have such beautiful things here,
Jolene told her.
I’m afraid I’m a collector of sorts. I never seem to sell anything. I only seem to accumulate more.
Jolene nodded as she fingered the treasured object in her coat pocket. I wish I could afford some of the stuff in here, but I’ve come to add to your collection—only temporarily. I have a proposal, if you’re interested.
Chapter Two
The woman’s mysterious eyes sparkled. I’m always interested in acquiring new treasures. What do you have?
Jolene placed a gold heart-shaped locket into the woman’s open palm.
Exquisite,
the woman mused, running her fingers over the raised relief of flowers adorning the locket’s surface. Where did you get it?
Jolene blinked back tears. She thought she was prepared to part with this piece of her past, if only for a few days. But the waves of emotion crashing through her gave her second thoughts. This was part of her legacy. Her daddy had given it to her mama before he was killed. And then Mama passed it to her before she died. Now, she was handing it over to a stranger. Surely, Mama would want her to part with it to help Orlean.
It belonged to my mother.
Is this her?
The woman had opened the locket to reveal two sepia-colored photos. Her parents faced each other on opposite sides. Jolene swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked away from the photos. She never knew her father, but she’d memorized every detail of the handsome man’s face and uniform. The image of her mama was branded into her brain; she looked at it every day.
Jolene wanted to snatch the locket back and tell the lady she’d changed her mind. She would have done so if she didn’t have others who were depending on her.
How much will you give me for it?
Jolene asked. I need to take out a loan against it for about a week.
I don’t have anything like this in my shop. What do you think is a fair price?
Jolene mentally calculated the price of the medicines her grandmother needed plus a few additional expenses. Though the locket was priceless to her, she realized she had to give the woman an amount. I believe it’s worth at least thirty dollars.
She tensed, waiting for the redhead to blanch at the price. Thirty dollars was an outlandish sum in many people’s minds. After all, this was the depression. Men stood in lines that wrapped around city blocks every day, either looking for jobs or handouts. In the West, severe drought had baked the ground to brittle dust, crushing all hopes for more crops to feed the hungry. In the South, race relations were tenuous. Just last month, the lynched bodies of two men swinging from the oak trees near Second Baptist Church sent an eerie reminder of that fact. In Detroit, things were slightly better. The auto industry was holding steady, but only union members with money to pay dues got those prime jobs. And now, with Prohibition being crammed down everyone’s throats, poor folks couldn’t even drink their troubles away.
I’ll be back in a moment,
the woman said.
Only after the lady had walked to the back of the store, disappeared behind a black curtain, and returned, did Jolene release the breath she’d realized she’d been holding. When the woman placed the bills in Jolene’s hand, she battled back tears that threatened to fall.
I’m coming back for my locket,
she vowed. I just need this money for a short-term loan. When I get my promotion next week, I’ll be able to buy it back.
The woman nodded. I can tell you have a deep attachment to it.
Jolene had a much deeper attachment to her grandma. Orlean had raised her since Mama died twenty years ago. The old woman had made sure Jolene and her cousins, Clover and Calvin, all ate well and attended school each day. Now, at age twenty-four, Jolene tried to take care of Orlean the best she could. She slid the money into the deep pockets of her dress as she thought about the medicine this would buy. This would give her some time until she could figure out her next move.
The bell jingled at the front door.
Hello!
a man’s voice bellowed. Anyone here?
Excuse me for a moment,
the woman said to Jolene.
Jolene wandered near the back of the store, her eyes sliding across a bookshelf loaded down with oddities. Old paper fans. Engraved metal boxes. A tall lamp in the shape of a parrot. This shop really did have something for
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