Fighting for Hazel [The Men of Treasure Cove 8] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Rebecca Joyce

  * * * *

  Hazel was exhausted. Her back hurt, and she wasn’t even going to think about her butt. It had gone numb four hours ago. She had tried shifting, but every time she moved, Steven would tighten his hold, keeping her in place. She tried to stem her reaction to his stiffening cock, but it was hard to miss. No matter how she tried to accommodate him, the harder he would hold her. No matter where she shifted, she felt him against her backside. He was hard, and it was growing. She knew he had to be uncomfortable. The closeness of them together wasn’t making it any better. All she could think about was his bulging cock. What would it feel like rubbing against her backside, against her ass cheeks, in her mouth, or her pussy?

  She shifted again, and he groaned.

  Relaxing against him, she gave in. There was nothing she could do until she got off the infernal beast.

  She didn’t know how long she sat upon the horse, but when she noticed the moon slowly moving overhead, she knew it had been too long.

  The air was thinner, and though they were moving briskly, she was thankful for the wool blanket that Steven had wrapped around her. It was cold. She thought she had experienced the cold before, living in town, but this was different. There was a bitterness, a tight clip to the wind as it moved through the trees. If she didn’t know any better, she would have guessed that Jack Frost himself delivered the wind directly.

  The further up they moved, the colder it got. Before she knew it, she could see her breath as she breathed out. The snow-capped mountains were getting bigger before her eyes, and the wet, cold ground slowly became covered in the white fluff.

  “How much longer?” she asked.

  “Just up ahead,” he replied, again. She had been asking him the same damn question for the last hour. And every time his reply was the same. “Just up ahead.”

  What the fuck was up ahead? A five-star fucking resort?

  She needed answers. She needed a hot bath. She needed a shot of Jim Bean, and she needed off this fucking horse.

  She still couldn’t believe she was on his horse, riding into the wilds of the Rocky Mountains, with none other than Steven Conner. Out of all the people in the world, she never would have picked him as her savior, let alone tour guide.

  It had been a shock when he walked into her little bakery. Even more that he got her out of there before the place burned down to the ground. Moreover, she was stupefied that he was still with her, trying to get her to safety. Hell, if it were her, she would have dumped his ass off at the clinic and saved her own skin. Nevertheless, she didn’t desert him.

  He stayed with her, and she stayed with him.

  Damn!

  Guess that means I’m going to have to be nice to him now.

  “I know I’m not the person you want to be with and I accept that, Red. But just know, that I will do everything I can to get you back home safe and sound,” he said, as a small cabin loomed up ahead.

  Damn, why did he have to go and be nice?

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” he replied softly, bringing his horse to a halt. Jumping down, Steven stretched then raised his arms for her. “Just slide off, Hazel. I’ll catch you.”

  “I know how to get off a horse, Steven. I have ridden before.”

  “I understand that, but we covered a lot of ground, and the elevation is higher than what you’re used to. It can be hard on the body if you’re not accustomed to riding up in these parts,” he tried to explain, but she wasn’t having any of it. He may have saved her from a bullet, but she was more than capable of getting off a horse and walking into a cabin.

  The moment she went to move her leg, she realized she couldn’t.

  It wouldn’t move.

  At all.

  Oh god! Her legs didn’t work. She was paralyzed! The fucking demon spawn from hell paralyzed her legs! Panicking, Hazel tried desperately to get her legs to move, but they wouldn’t budge. She was screwed.

  “I can’t feel my legs. Why can’t I feel my legs!” she cried, looking at him.

  “Like I said, you’re not used to riding in high altitude. Your muscles are cramped. Just fall toward me, and I’ll catch you,” he said more calmly than she felt.

  “Are you crazy!”

  “No, I am very serious. You need to get off that horse and into the cabin, before the man following us catches up and decides you’re the better target. Now fall.”

  “What man? Who’s following us?” she asked, turning around, looking at the darkness behind her.

  “I am assuming it’s the same man who shot me.”

  “Why would some man want to shoot you?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “But you just said—”

  “Hazel! Get off the fucking horse,” Steven roared. Yep, she knew Mr. Dickhead was in there somewhere. He was never too far from the surface, always waiting and eager to rear his ugly head.

  “You didn’t have to curse me. I was getting down,” she muttered, more to herself than to him. Letting go of the saddle horn, Hazel leaned over and fell into Steven’s outstretched arms. Strong arms immediately came around her, holding her tight.

  He caught her, just as he said he would, but he held her off the ground, letting her feet dangle. “I need you to listen to me. The moment you apply pressure to your legs, they are going to hurt. It’s going to feel like a million bees are stinging you. It’s going to hurt, but it will pass.”

  “Okay,” she whispered. His face was so close to hers, she could smell his aftershave. She wondered what he was thinking. Was he making fun of her? Was he silently laughing at her? She wouldn’t blame him if he were. She knew she was not cut out for this type of life. That was why she stayed in town. She preferred the basic amenities. Riding a horse all day and riding rough trails were not her cup of tea. Yet, she had done it, and she didn’t complain once.

  That was one of the things she and Steven used to fight about, her inability to acquire a thick skin. Yes, she was a city slicker, and damn proud of it. Nevertheless, she managed to make a nice living for herself in a small town, too.

  She was learning to ride, thanks to Travis Quinn, who, along with Emma, insisted she learn just in case. Of course, it was somewhat humiliating that Tabitha was helping her father teach her the basic concept of Horse Riding 101, but she held her tongue. Caleb Hicks insisted she needed to learn to rope. Something about how she could never know when a good length would come in handy. Then there was the sheriff, Braxton Connelly, who was secretly teaching her how to shoot. Apparently, a single woman needed to learn how to protect herself. That was what she thought he was for, but she never said anything, and learned to shoot. The McDaniel Brothers insisted she learned to fish and what game was best to hunt during what season. So yeah, she was learning to survive on her own in the wilds of Montana. Only, she never said anything to anyone. She did it all on her own, just because Steven had said, “Once a city gal, always a city gal.”

  She had learned a lot about herself over the last year. She was stronger, and more determined than ever, and she was capable of surviving if need be. However, the second her feet touched the ground, pain sliced through her body from the tips of her toes to her hips. She screamed, her vision blurred, and the darkness took her.

  She woke sometime later to find herself alone in a two-room cabin. It looked more like a small shack, but she wasn’t about to complain. A fire was burning in the fireplace, and she was warm. She looked around and saw that the tiny cabin didn’t have much, but the basic amenities were available. A small wood-burning stove was to her left, along with a set of four cabinets that lined the wall above a counter with a sink, which served as the sparse kitchen. A folding table with two chairs made up the dining room, and one lone recliner with a simple wood side table sitting on a bearskin rug served as the living room. The bedroom was not enclosed, but open. The comfortable full-sized bed damn near filled the room. Looking to her right, she saw a door and assumed it led to the bathroom. From what she could see, she assumed i
t only housed a shower and toilet.

  God, she hoped it had a toilet. She refused to go look for an outhouse, or worse, leaves!

  Getting out of bed, she tested her legs. The excruciating pain had faded, replaced by an annoying tingling sensation. They felt as if she had sat on them wrong.

  Walking around the cabin, she felt an odd sense of peace wash over her. She didn’t know why, because this place was so beyond her scope of reasoning. Yet, something sweet and gentle, something warm filled her heart as she looked at everything. It was homey, comforting, and simple. She liked simple.

  She could tell from the two unadorned windows that a light snow had begun to fall. Shaking her head, she whispered, “Snow in July.”

  Hazel didn’t know what she was going to do. She was stuck on a mountain, with a man she didn’t like, and who didn’t like her, running from an asshole with a gun. She didn’t know who this person was, or why he was trying to shoot them. All she knew was that her bakery was gone, Steven had a bullet in his shoulder, and she was cold.

  She found a blanket draped over the recliner and wrapped it around herself. Looking at the kitchen, she sighed, wishing she were back in her chef’s kitchen in South Florida. She missed that kitchen. Rummaging through the cabinets, she found it relatively stocked. Whoever owned this little piece of heaven was prepared, and she was eternally grateful. Just as she grabbed for a tea bag, the little cabin shook. Hazel lost her footing and fell to the floor, landing hard on her ass.

  * * * *

  “Hit me again,” he slurred, looking at his empty glass.

  “Neil, I don’t think you should have another. Miz Raven makes these pretty strong,” a beautiful woman with inky-black hair said, smiling at him.

  Neil didn’t care. He was banking on the toxicity of Miz Raven’s purple concoctions to eradicate his memory of her. He didn’t want to remember anything about her. He couldn’t. He knew if any memory lingered, he would never be able to move on.

  He needed to forget.

  He had heard the rumors. He knew that for some, the fruity, purple drinks had the ability to make grown men forget their very existence, while others just simply lost days. He was hoping for a total mind-wash of Hazel Montgomery.

  “Damn, I can still remember her name,” he muttered. “Hit me again!”

  “Neil, you’ve had half a bottle. Don’t you think that’s enough?”

  “No! I can still smell her perfume.”

  “That’s because you love her. She is your soul mate. Drinking her memory away isn’t going to change the fact that she is the other half of your soul.”

  “She doesn’t want me. Steven messed up, and I am being punished, again.” He huffed, leaning back in the comfortable moon chair.

  I need one of these. Man it’s comfortable.

  “The universe has a plan, Neil. You can’t rush things. Everything will happen when the Gods deem it and not before.”

  “Natalie, I love you. You have been my best friend since the sixth grade, but you’re wrong. The universe is cruel, and the Gods are laughing their asses off right now. They’re enjoying my misery. Just help me forget her. I know you can. Please,” he begged.

  Neil watched his best friend look questioningly at him. He knew Natalie didn’t believe him. Hell, he didn’t believe himself, but he couldn’t do it anymore. He needed to move on.

  He loved Hazel so damn much his heart ached just thinking about her. She was the moon and stars all wrapped up into one, and she wanted nothing to do with him. He had tried everything, but she had made her decision. He needed to accept that, and that was why he was sitting in Miz Raven’s den.

  For as long as he could remember, spending his free time running around with Natalie Marks was the best time of his life. The granddaughter of Celestial’s Matriarch, Natalie, or Moon Goddess as she was referred to by the people of Celestial, had been his best friend since she stuck up for him when Apollo Humperdinck decided to put a curse on him and his brother Steven.

  Of course, at the age of eleven, having a curse put on him was a big thing. Steven just ignored Apollo, but Neil, he believed. If it weren’t for Natalie and her reversal spell, Neil was damn sure he would be walking around with three eyes, a set of knockers, and a mouse-tail for the rest of his life. Yep, that day, Natalie saved him, and since then, she was his go-to gal for all things important, which was technically everything.

  “You’re so soft, Neil,” she groaned, pouring him another drink.

  Swallowing it in one gulp, he replied, “Am not. I’ll have you know I cut my finger the other day, and I didn’t wince once.”

  “Uh-huh, and which Band-Aid did you use? The Batman & Robin one or the Thor?” she asked, looking at him directly with her “I fucking know you” stare.

  He hated that stare. Grumbling, he muttered, “Thor.”

  “Please tell me you at least cleaned it before you put Thor on your boo-boo.”

  “I licked it.” He smiled, and she moaned. He didn’t stop her when she grabbed his left hand and ripped the Band-Aid off in one swipe. “Ouch! That hurt!”

  “Shut up, Neil,” she whispered. She looked at his cut. It wasn’t that bad. However, it was kind of red and puffy. When she touched it, it oozed.

  “Oh God, I’m gonna be sick,” he said, turning away.

  “Like I said, you’re too soft,” she said, cleaning his cut. Neil knew she was right. Natalie was always right where he was concerned. She knew him like no other, and he never kept anything from her. She knew every dream, wish, and dark secret he had, and yet, it wasn’t enough to get her to erase his memory of Hazel.

  He knew on some elemental level that she couldn’t do it. He knew it was all some hokey thing that she believed in, but he didn’t care. He wanted to believe in her right now. He needed it. Looking out the window, the night sky illuminated Pear Peak. He loved those peaks. His granddaddies built a small cabin up there to warn the residents when the pass would close. Built back in the late 1890s, his granddaddies were up the mountain trapping when an avalanche barricaded them from the town. According to the family history, it took them five months to make it back to town. After that, the citizens of Treasure Cove decided there needed to be some kind of alert system to warn the residents the pass was closed. So his granddaddies built the small cabin above the pass, and once a month, someone would head up the mountain to make sure the pass was still clear. If it wasn’t, they would blow the whistle, alerting all of those within hearing that until further notice they would be on their own. It was a small cabin, and he wished he were there right now. God, what he wouldn’t give to be stranded up there with her right now.

  It had been years since he’d taken off and just spent some quiet time up there. He knew Steven stayed up there often, especially after the wedding fiasco, where Steven had ruined any chance they had, with Hazel.

  Damn, he just thought about her again.

  Moaning, he closed his eyes, just as the ground rumbled. Looking out the window again, he sat up when he saw the clear sky over Pear Peak turn hazy. Walking over to the window, he waited. He knew it would come soon. It always did.

  And just like all the times before, a loud whistle blew.

  “Natalie, thanks for the drinks. I’ve gotta get going.” He moved away from the window, grabbing his jacket from the door hook.

  “You want me to come?” she asked.

  “No. You’re safer here. Tell Pisces and the rest of the boys that I will check it out. It’s probably nothing. If I need help, I’ll radio them.”

  “She is safe, Neil, but Steven is hurt,” she whispered, looking at the mountains.

  “What?” he asked, grabbing her arms, turning her to face him. “What are you saying, Natalie?”

  “They’re up there. At the cabin. They’re in trouble,” she muttered. Her eyes took on a glassy look, as if she were far off somewhere else. He never believed that Natalie had the second sight. It was just too crazy to comprehend. He knew there were times when she would know things before the
y happened, but he always chalked it up to luck. But this was different. Something in the way she spoke had his full attention.

  “Natalie! Snap out of it,” he said, shaking her a little. When she blinked, she smiled at him. Her hand gently touched his face. “The universe is converging. Your time has come. Don’t question it, Neil. Just feel your way. Mother Earth will guide you. Follow her lead, and she will show you what you seek.”

  Neil didn’t even think about asking her what she meant by that. Kissing her cheek, he left the small cabin, heading for his truck. He needed to get home, saddle up, and make sure the pass was still open. If it wasn’t, the town of Treasure Cove was going to be cut off for the foreseeable future.

  Chapter Three

  Steven stood a good distance away when he blew the charges. He didn’t know of any other way. With the stranger still trailing them, he needed to stop him before he caught up. Rocks, mud, and snow quickly filled the pass. He knew that the vibrations would alert both Celestial and Treasure Cove and the sirens would soon go off. And he also knew that they would be sending someone up to investigate.

  With both towns nestled in the valley between the mountains, there were only two paths out of Treasure Cove and Celestial, and he just eliminated one of them. He didn’t have any other choice. Now all he had to do was get Hazel and head toward Starlight Pass. It was over twenty miles, through rough terrain, but he didn’t have any other choice. He was hurt. He could not protect Hazel adequately from the stranger following them. He needed help.

  Turning, he walked back to the cabin and hoped he could keep his temper in check when Hazel shouted at him for what he just did.

  Relying on his training and everything Matthias had beaten into him, he hoped it was enough. He knew dealing with his unpredictable temper was what caused the troubles between him and Hazel. He worked hard to learn to curb that anger, which dwelled deep within him. After humiliating her in front of the whole damn town, he felt so bad, he ended up drinking himself into a stupor. Then to add insult to injury, he walked into the Pleasure Cave and demanded a woman, any woman. It was there that Justice and Quinton Hightower found him spouting profanity and being a total jackass.