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

by Rebecca Joyce

  He was finally going to return to the place of his birth.

  * * * *

  Hazel stood off to the side as Steven and Neil loaded up the horses with everything they would need to make it to Celestial. She still didn’t understand why they couldn’t go around the pass and back to Treasure Cove. Since she wasn’t familiar with the mountains, she decided to trust them.

  Learning to trust Steven was becoming easier the more time she spent with him. He was different away from everything and everybody. Up here on the mountain, he relaxed enough, letting his guard down. He was very caring, which stumped her. Used to his gruff nature and domineering attitude, she really didn’t know what to make of his personality change, but whatever caused this change, she liked it.

  She had tried a couple of times to ignore his previous attitude when they were dating. Nevertheless, his stiff demeanor rubbed her the wrong way, and before long, every time they were together, she correlated Steven with her ex-husband. Though Steven never laid a finger on her, it was the way he looked at her and his tone of voice when he spoke that scared her.

  Hazel knew it was wrong to judge a person by another’s past actions. The two men were not the same. Yet, she couldn’t help herself. Therefore, she kept her distance, never letting herself get too close. Their relationship compounded even more when she fell head over heels for Neil. Unlike his brother, Neil was gentle and sweet. Something she rarely saw in a man. It was refreshing, and she enjoyed her time with him. Like most relationships in treasure Cove, she knew that the Conner brothers wanted a ménage life. They wanted to share a wife. Only she couldn’t do it. She refused to put herself in the same situation she was running from.

  She loved Neil, but didn’t trust Steven.

  That was, until the fire. She never liked fire. Even as a young girl, the bright, red flames and searing heat scared her to death. So when her little bakery started to burn, she froze. She stood there and watched the flickering flames dance around and consume everything she had worked hard for. If it weren’t for Steven, she probably would have burned in that store. She could still feel his strong arms come around her, lifting her up, getting her to safety. He stayed with her, never leaving her sight. As the flames raged out of control, Steven moved her back away from the heat of the fire. He was the one who calmed her when all she wanted to do was scream. He was the one who stepped in front of a bullet so she wouldn’t get hurt, and he was the one who got her to safety when the chaos got out of control.

  Through it all, he never yelled, never screamed, and never barked orders. He talked to her calmly, explaining why he did what he did and where they were going. Of course, at the time, she was scared shitless and too afraid to do anything but follow, but he protected her when her world collapsed all around her.

  Even when Neil showed up at the cabin, Steven may have gotten angry, but he didn’t take it out on her. He talked to her.

  Steven was not the man she remembered.

  He walked up to her carrying a large fur coat in his hands. “Baby, Neil found this in the closet. It should keep you warm. I know it smells, but it’s all we have.”

  He was right. The coat smelled deplorable. Smiling, she took the coat. “It’s all right. At least I won’t freeze to death.”

  “We should get going. It gets very dark up in these parts. The more ground we can cover, the better.”

  She nodded as she put the coat on. When she took his hand, he led her to his horse. Steven helped her up, not saying a single word. Mounted behind her, he grabbed the reins and lightly nudged his horse. They were moving further up the mountain.

  The little cabin at Pear Peak, with its warmth and serenity, slowly faded as a distant memory.

  By nightfall, they had made it to Starlight Pass. Hazel thought Pear Peak was beautiful, but Starlight Pass was magnificent. Looking up at the night sky, she never felt so close to the stars before. She felt as if the universe had opened up, showing her its heart. Twinkling lights sparkled brightly as Steven moved his horse toward another small cabin in the distance. But she didn’t care. Enthralled by the sheer opulence of the night sky, she sat mesmerized, as if hypnotized by its beauty.

  “If you think this is pretty, wait till Neil and I show you what’s so special about this place,” Steven whispered in her ear, sending a shiver of wantonness through her system.

  Neil walked over after tying up his horse. Holding his arms up, he said, “He’s right, baby. We got just the perfect place for you to look at the stars.”

  Letting him help her, she found herself wrapped in his arms, her feet never touching the ground. She loved when Neil carried her. He made her feel small and delicate. “Come on, Red. Let’s go get you warmed up.”

  “I’ll take care of the horses. I’ll be there shortly.” Steven smiled.

  Hazel didn’t know what Neil was talking about. All she wanted was to stretch out her aching muscles, take a nice hot shower, and sleep. She had never been so damn tired before in her life. Who knew riding a horse could be so exhausting?

  Letting him carry her, she noticed that he was heading away from the small cabin at Starlight Pass. Looking back, she saw Steven grin as he led the horses to a small lean-to next to the cabin. “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “It’s a surprise,” he replied.

  Not knowing what could be so special up here besides the stars, Hazel chose not to ask. She generally loved surprises. Of course, she preferred them with happy endings and not hidden agendas. Her ex-husband was never good with surprises. He tried once, telling her that he had something special for her. A set of new handcuffs and a ball-gag were not what she would consider a special surprise. However, for him, her special surprise effectively did what he intended. That night everything surprised her, but not in a good way.

  Since then, she became a little apprehensive when someone told her they had a surprise for her, but knowing Neil, she could only imagine what the surprise was. He wasn’t one who gave something and expected anything in return.

  That was not his style, even if he had a style. That was another thing she found so endearing yet odd about Neil.

  The man was in serious need of a makeover.

  Out of the brothers, Neil cared about his appearance as well as an eight-year-old boy took to bathing every night. He didn’t care. When she first met him, she thought that maybe he was a regular ranch hand, but Macie told her differently. Then, she figured he was just a poor rancher, and she felt bad for assuming what she didn’t know. But she was wrong again. When she learned that the Double Deuce was a thriving cattle ranch, run by prominent members of the original founding families, she wondered if that was just the way ranchers were.

  Not only was their ranch thriving, they were extremely wealthy, which made her wonder if something was wrong. If Neil was so well off, why did he dress like a bum? Was he a hoarder, a spend thrift, or just a typical male without the guidance of a female? It was hard for her to correlate the differences between the brothers because they were so exceptionally opposite.

  Remembering what it was like being married to her ex-husband, she never once saw him unpolished. Of course, she knew that living in a sprawling mansion in South Miami, and with her husband’s criminal activities, looking the part of the bad guy, took a lot of work. But even when he was lounging at home, he was still well-groomed.

  She felt bad, comparing one of the sweetest men she ever knew to the rat bastard she divorced, but for some reason it was niggling her to death. Unable to wonder anymore, she asked, “Neil, why do you dress the way you do?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you and Steven own a cattle ranch. Though I have never seen the place, I have heard it’s rather big. Macie told me once that your cattle are sought after by some of the biggest grocery chains in the United States.”

  “And you’re wondering why I don’t wear my wealth?”

  “I didn’t mean to pry, but yeah.”

  “Money is nothing to me, Hazel. It never has been. Yeah
, it’s great to get things when I need them, but if my jeans or shirts aren’t falling apart while I’m wearing them, then I don’t feel the need to replace them. My dads told Steven and me when we were younger that just because we have money, it didn’t mean it grew on trees. They raised us to take care of what we had because we never knew when it was going to go away. I guess I don’t wear nicer clothes because I never felt the need to. Steven generally gets newer things more often than I do. If it weren’t for Mom and Kelly, I would probably still be wearing my clothes from high school. I prefer to be comfortable. Beside, do you know how hard it is to break in a new pair of wranglers? Those suckers are stiff, and don’t even get me started on boots. Man, if I could just wear sneakers out on the range, I would.”

  “Do you know how sweet you are, Neil?”

  He smiled at her. “Yeah, but tell me anyway.”

  Hazel laughed.

  * * * *

  Listening to her laugh was one of the sweetest sounds. It was music to his ears. She rarely opened up and allowed herself the freedom to just relax and just laugh, so for her to feel so comfortable with him now warmed his heart.

  “This is what I wanted you to see,” Neil said, reluctantly setting her on her two feet. When she gasped, he could tell it was a happy gasp. “Ever skinny dip in a hot mineral spring?”

  “No,” she whispered.

  “Then I think it’s about time you did,” he said. The instant Neil removed the coat, the cold air hit Hazel, sending chills through her body. Neil hurriedly helped her remove her clothes. She slowly sank her body in the hot waters of Starlight’s mineral spring. Watching her relax, he shed his clothes and joined her.

  He savored the feeling of the heat rising through his body. Laying back into the corner, he closed his eyes and let the heat relax his muscles. Riding the trail was rough, even for a man, so he could only imagine what Hazel felt like. He wanted her to have this moment, something special that she would remember forever.

  Neil still wasn’t sure that his brother could keep it together and not scare her away, but for now, he was going to enjoy every second he had with her. She was something special, and he prayed that somehow, someway, she could forget the past and welcome a life with him. He still loved her tremendously, and the thought of her turning her back on them again pained him.

  She settled back, her eyes closed, as the steam surrounded her. Neil stared at her.

  He had so many questions he wanted to ask her. For so long, she closed herself off from the world, never letting anyone in. He felt as if he barely knew her at all, and yet his soul knew her intimately. “Hazel?”

  “Hmm,” she murmured.

  “What did he do to you?”

  She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. For a minute, he thought he had fucked everything up. He wanted her to relax, not make her more anxious. However, when she sighed and looked away, he heard her clearly when she replied, “He broke me.”

  Neil knew what she meant. Working with horses his whole life, he knew what it took to break and train a horse. To take some free spirit and tame it broke his heart, but it was a way of life for him and his brother on the ranch. Hazel was not a horse. She was a beautiful woman who needed love and support. He wanted to kill the son of a bitch, yet for some reason he envied the man. That bastard knew Hazel when she was at her best. He had the most perfect woman in the world, and he made her into some timid, scared, outer shell of her former self.

  Yep, when he saw the bastard, he was dead.

  Neil listened as she talked about her former life. He tried to be nonchalant about the whole thing. Nevertheless, when she started talking about how her ex-husband slowly changed, his fist clinched tightly. He knew some men were just bastards looking for someone they could pick on to make them feel better about their own inadequacies, but this bastard, he was just pure evil.

  “It’s all right, though. I got away from him. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I am learning to live again. I am learning to return to the things I once loved. It was hard at first. I was afraid of angering the men assigned to protect me. After a while, I realized they didn’t care what I did, as long as I was safe. That was a change. I didn’t have to ask for permission to do anything. I could just do it. Looking over my shoulder became too much for me. I knew if I was ever going to live again, I needed a clean break from everything. Running away from the U.S. Marshals was hard, but I had help, and I before I knew, I was here in Treasure Cove.”

  Neil never said anything, letting her talk. He was happy that she was finally opening up. He was happy that she felt comfortable to share that part of her life with him. He only wished there was something more he could do. He wanted her to forget about her past, but Hazel wouldn’t be Hazel without it. She was who she was because of what she went through. She was a strong woman who was determined to make a new life for herself. He fell in love with that woman. He wanted that woman for his future children.

  She scooted next to him. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. Together they sat there in the hot mineral springs, letting the heat from the mountain ease the tension from their bodies as the night sky above them twinkled brightly.

  * * * *

  Steven had just removed the last bag from his horse when a twig snapped off in the distance. Reaching for his rifle, he removed the safely and slowly turned around. He walked quietly away from the cabin.

  Another twig snapped.

  His heart rate picked up. He really didn’t need this shit. He had enough to worry about already, protecting Hazel. If that bastard was still following them, he was going to put a hole in his gut. Steven didn’t know who he was, but enough was enough. Neil had told him earlier about his run-in with the fucker as he came up the Pear Peak pass. Steven, already shot once, refused to let this bastard anywhere near Hazel. Thank God Neil had her up at the hot springs. Steven knew she would be safe up there. With only one way in and one way out, Neil could protect her effectively.

  Moving closer, he heard the rustle of bushes and wet leaves.

  Someone was stalking them. Raising his rifle, ready to shoot in an instant, Steven entered the tree line. The darkness of the forest made it damn near impossible to see anything. Relying on his other senses, he cautiously moved forward. Raised on these mountains, Steven knew the dangers that lurked behind every tree, as wild animals roamed free. It could be anything or anyone.

  Movement off to his right caught his attention. Stopping where he stood, he aimed his rifle and shot into the darkness.

  Bang!

  “You bastard! You almost took my head off,” the familiar British voice shouted.

  “Gabriel?”

  “No, it’s fucking Santa Claus, asshole. I’m not coming out until you put that gun away,” Gabriel shouted from behind one of the trees.

  Flipping the safety back on, Steven shouldered his rifle. “It’s a rifle, Gabe, not a gun. A gun is something small, which fits in your hand. This is Thelma. She’s a Smith & Wesson, bolt action, high-powered rifle. She is a beautiful piece of machinery.”

  “It shoots bullets, it’s a gun,” he said clearly, stepping out from behind the tree. “Where is Hazel?”

  “She is safe. What are you doing up here? I closed the pass.”

  “Yeah, about that, asshole, thanks for making it harder for us to get up here. I haven’t been hiking since I was a young kid. You can come on out, Alex. It’s safe!” Gabriel shouted. Alexander Ellis, Gabriel’s half-brother and partner to Annie, made himself known.

  “Crimey, that bloke has good aim. Remind me to never get on his bad side.”

  “What the hell are you two doing up here? Neil told Braxton that we would take care of Hazel,” Steven asked.

  “They’re here for me,” her soft voice said, coming from behind him. Steven turned to see her standing next to Neil, who had his rifle at the ready, just in case. She looked tired, and thanks to the unwanted British invasion, Steven knew he wasn’t going to get to spend any time with her in the hot spri
ngs.

  Fucking British bastards.

  Gabriel and Alex both dropped their backpacks they were wearing and walked over to Hazel. They engulfed Hazel in their embrace, as Steven walked over to stand near his brother.

  “Are you okay?” Gabriel asked, checking her arms and face.

  “You’re not hurt, are you?” Alex asked, hugging her again, kissing her forehead.

  “I’m fine, guys. Really I am. Just a little tired,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

  “You should be resting. I’m sorry we couldn’t get to you sooner. The town went crazy, and I had to coordinate with Matthias at the Cave. Everything has calmed down now. We left Antoinette with her brothers. She knows. I hope you don’t mind. Don’t you worry. We will take care of everything. We can get you a new identity and help you start over. We won’t let him get near you,” Gabriel said.

  Steven looked at Neil, not understanding what Gabriel and Alexander were saying, but what they heard they didn’t like. With one look, they both aimed their weapons at their best friends. “Step away from our woman,” Steven ordered.

  “He’s serious. If you both know what’s good for you, I would get away from Hazel,” Neil said, backing him up.

  Hazel gasped and stepped in from of Gabriel and Alexander. “Put those guns down now.”

  “Not until they move away from you,” Steven insisted.

  “See, I knew this was going to happen. I told you she would have been better off back in England. But oh no! You wanted her close. Now look what has happened. She has two hotheaded ranchers aiming guns at us. If I get shot, I am telling Annie it was your fault,” Alex shouted, moving away from Hazel.