No more. She wanted the Conner brothers. She wanted them both, and she was not going to let her fear of what could happen destroy her chance at happiness. If they were willing to fight for her, then by God, she was willing to learn. She may not be the best damn rancher’s wife, but she was going to try. Her mother always told her that life was a journey. However, it was the adventure that made it exciting.
Throwing back the blankets, she tried once again to stand, ignoring her sore muscles. Shifting her weight back and forth, she pushed past the pain. Rummaging through the drawers, she found some clothes and got dressed. Thank god she still had her bra and panties, because the jeans and T-shirt she found engulfed her body. She didn’t know which brother the clothes belonged to, but judging by the brand name of the shirt, she figured that it was Steven’s.
Grinning, she found a belt and rolled up the jeans. Dressed, she left the bedroom.
The house was quiet as she hobbled her way down the hall until she entered a large living room connected to the kitchen. Beautifully decorated, the living room was wide open, with log pillars separating the living room from the kitchen. Light hardwood floors spanned the vast area. A large stone fireplace took up one wall. Dark leather furniture filled the room. With its cream-colored walls, she would have thought the dark wood would have made the room gloomy, but the many windows, unadorned, let in plenty of light. The room was warm and soothing, almost as if it welcomed her.
Turning, she gasped when she saw the fully functioning, state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen.
It was a masterpiece.
Marble counter tops, stainless-steel appliances, a double oven, with a stone pizza oven against the far wall. The cabinets were open, and everything in them neat and in its place. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling as six stools lined the bar. Whoever designed this kitchen loved to cook, and she wanted to meet this person badly.
Not many people she knew would take the time to invest in something like a modern chef’s kitchen, but whoever designed this house not only took pride in cooking, but pride in everything else. Anyone could cook, but the real work came from creating the masterpieces that made mouths water and tears come to a person’s eyes. She’d liked to do that once.
Long ago, she had that pride, but now it was gone, all because she trusted one man. She made that mistake once, and she vowed never to fall for it again. It wasn’t easy to walk away from everything she knew, to start over from scratch and learn to live life over again. Still, the worry and constant looking over her shoulder never eased. He may have taken everything from her, but she managed to take the one thing that he wanted the most.
She walked away with her life.
Hazel knew it wouldn’t be long before her ex-husband would make a play for her. She feared for that day. When he got his hands on her, God only knew what he would do. She shuddered even just thinking about it. She needed to move on before anyone else got hurt. She had lost so much already—her mother, her home, her bakery—she didn’t know how much more she could take before she just gave in and let him do what he wanted.
However, until she hit that point, she was going to keep fighting with everything she had in her.
The back door slammed.
She jumped, turning around quickly. She lost her balance and grabbed for the counter before she fell. Strong arms came around her. He lifted her into the air and placed her on one of the stools at the bar. She looked up and smiled. “Steven.”
“Hey, Red, Neil said you were upset,” he questioned.
“It was nothing. I was just letting go of some stress,” she said, looking around the room.
“Well, if anyone is allowed to cry, it’s you. Feel better now?”
“A little.” She smiled.
“Good.” He grinned. Leaning against the bar, he continued, “Neil said that Mom and Kelly were coming out later. Some girl time might help. We did kind of monopolize you for the last couple of days, didn’t we?”
“Steven, you saved my life. I wouldn’t call that monopolizing. I would call that being very heroic and special.”
“We’re pretty isolated out here, and it can get lonely. Having Mom and Kelly around should put a smile on your face. By the way, those U.S. Marshals arrived. They’re taking over my ranch hands and organizing a security detail, and your micromanaging asshole brothers showed up with them.”
“Hey. They aren’t that bad,” she sighed.
“Oh, yes they are! Especially Gabe, love him to death, but, man, if he tells me one more time how to make this ranch more economical, I swear I will put him on his ass in that thousand-dollar suit he is wearing. Alex isn’t too bad, but when he starts using words like ‘sue,’ ‘liquidation of assets,’ and ‘defamation of character,’ well, I wanted to punch his smug face. He is out in the barn right now, threatening Neil with the full weight of the law if one hair falls from your pretty little head.”
“He isn’t!”
“Yep, and Gabe is just standing back and letting that overgrown oaf do all the talking. You should see him. He is acting like Master of all he sees. I swear I don’t know how Annie puts up with him.”
“He has always been sweet to me. When I needed him, he was there.”
“You never did tell me. How is it that you are related to Gabriel and Alexander?” Steven asked, sitting on the stool next to her.
Hazel knew this would come up once she told them. She hoped to have time to prepare for it, but there was no time like the present. It was all bound to come out eventually. “After Mom died, and I got away from Sean, I sought out the FBI. I talked for days with them, giving them information they never had on Sean. I also found out that they had been investigating him for years but never could pin anything on him. After giving my testimony to the attorney, they decided to put me in the witness protection program. That’s where I met Garrett and Zac. They have been with me since the beginning. They stayed with me through everything, even through my divorce. I had signed a pre-nup, so when I divorced Sean, I was only allowed to take what I entered the marriage with. I was fine with that. I just wanted to be rid of him.”
“How long were you married to him?” Steven asked.
“Just under two years,” she replied, then continued, “When I got my belongings, I found Mom’s diary. I never thought she kept one. The only thing written in the diary was a phone number. She had written to call that number in case of an emergency. Things got rough for me after the divorce was final. There were death threats, and twice Sean hired someone to kill me. I got desperate. I didn’t like hiding anymore. I got tired of the different rooms and locations. I figured, why not? My life couldn’t get any worse, so I called the number. The next day, Gabriel showed up. He charged in on his white horse and took me away from all the chaos.
“We were on a plane headed for England when he told me why Mom had his number. I wasn’t expecting anything life altering, but when he explained that we shared the same father, I was shocked. I never knew my dad. All I ever knew of him was that when Mom was in her early twenties, she liked to travel around. She told me that she met my father abroad but wouldn’t tell me where. She did say that she loved him dearly, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Gabriel showed me a picture of his father with a young woman. It was my mother. All Gabriel knew was that our grandfather found out Mom was pregnant with me. She tried to get a hold of my father, and when she couldn’t, she wrote to grandfather. My grandfather wrote my mother a check and told her to leave. She destroyed the check and returned to the States immediately. Apparently, when Grandfather died, Gabriel inherited everything, including all of Father’s indiscretions.
“When Gabriel and Annie bolted to England, all of the Sexton family secrets came out. I wasn’t shocked to find out that Alex was also my brother. They look a lot alike. However, Gabriel said there is one more of us out there. He is still looking for her.”
“And I will find her, sweetheart. I promise I will,” Gabriel said from the living room. She hadn’t heard him come in. He walked ove
r to her and placed his arm around her, hugging her.
Hazel looked up at him and smiled. “I know you will.”
“So he really is your brother, then?” Steven asked, groaning.
“Yep.” She smiled.
“Damn. Does that mean I have to ask him for your hand in marriage?” Steven asked, pointing his finger at Gabriel.
“Technically, you have to ask the oldest, and Alexander is older by only one month.” Gabriel grinned.
“But first you have to get me to say yes, and that was not a proposal,” Hazel replied dryly.
“I was afraid you were going to say that,” Steven moaned as Hazel and Gabriel laughed.
* * * *
She was gone. The fucking bitch vanished in the middle of the night like some fucking magician. He would have had her if it weren’t for her protective detail hovering around her as if she were some fragile piece of glass. He was so god damned close.
When the fucking cowboy tried to get him to go back to Treasure Cove, he knew something was up. His instincts had never let him down before, and he was right. Going in the opposite direction, he happened upon Freakville, USA. Talk about a fucked up city. He would have to remember this place. He could make a lot of money here. The women were beautiful and free with their affections. He wasn’t in town more than five minutes when two women, scantily dressed, hugged him, welcoming him to Celestial. He knew of several European men who would love to get their hands on some of these women.
His business was tricky, acquiring special women who wouldn’t be missed and who could fill a particular order, and that wasn’t easy to do. However, he did it. He was the best acquirer of human delicacies on the eastern seaboard. He just needed to boost up his stock again and let his contacts know that he was back in business.
Right after he reacquired his wife.
Gaining the information he needed from the town was easier than he thought. He had learned a lot about this town, more than he really needed, but when someone by the name of Aries told him that the cowboys he was looking for had a cattle ranch just on the outskirts of the city, well, he thought his luck had picked up.
He was wrong. The ranch in question was a sprawling ten thousand acres, with over fifty armed men running around. Add in the two U.S. Marshals and two British men, and well, he was fucked. He knew there was no way he was going to get his hands on his wayward wife and make it out of Deliverance country alive. He needed help. A lot of help.
It didn’t take him long to make the call. In the meantime, he decided to taste the delights of the town. There were too many delectable beauties to choose from. If they serviced him well, he just might make them an offer they couldn’t refuse. Time was money, and for the time being, he needed to inspect his future stock.
Walking down the street, he played his part correctly. It was easy to look lost and new. Before he knew it, a young woman smiled, approaching him. “Are you lost, mister?”
She was stunning. Her golden-yellow hair glimmered in the afternoon sun. Like most of the town, she wore barely enough clothes to cover the pertinent parts. Her breasts were firm and bountiful, her body shaped like a perfect hourglass, and then she spoke. “My name is Cinnamon Stone.”
“Hello, dearest. Yes, I am lost. Could you tell me where I might find Coral House?”
“Oh, you’re looking for Coral. That’s too easy. I am going there myself. You can walk with me if you like.” She smiled up at him.
“I would love the company.”
He didn’t stop her when she placed her hand in his. He learned rather quickly the town’s residents were very friendly. She talked about everything as she guided him to the place he was staying. He knew the way, but she was what he wanted. He had time to kill.
His little, flighty wife was going to get a few more days of freedom. However, when his crew arrived, her time would be up, and before the end of the week, he would have her ensconced on his private island, chained to a bed, servicing him like a wife was made to do. Moreover, if she knew what was good for her, she would make sure it only took the one time to get pregnant, because if she made him wait as she did before, her time with him was going to be anything but fun.
Chapter Ten
The sun had begun to set and Hazel absolutely refused to stay one more minute in bed. She had given up after Steven and Gabriel insisted she rest more. Now, she just didn’t give a damn. She was bored just lying around doing nothing. Besides, she wanted to get her hands on the beautiful kitchen.
Getting up, she walked down the hallway. The house was quiet. She wondered when the boys would be coming in for the night. Looking at the clock, she noticed the time. She knew that working a ranch was hard work, and after a long day sweating in the sun, they shouldn’t have to come home and cook themselves dinner, too. So, she took it upon herself to help ease their burden.
Since first seeing the kitchen, she had been dying to work and cook in it. Walking over to the fridge, she checked to see what ingredients she had to work with. She knew the men would be hungry when they finished working, and since they were protecting and letting her stay, cooking them a good meal was the least she could do.
Spying salmon fillets, she grinned, grabbing them and placing them on the counter. After rummaging in the cabinets and pantry, she had all the ingredients she needed and set out to make them a meal she hoped they would enjoy.
After preheating the oven to 400 degrees, she took a small bowl from the cupboard and mixed together mustard, butter, and honey. Grabbing another bowl, she threw together the breadcrumbs, pecans, and the parsley she found in the pantry. Looking around the kitchen, she opened up the cabinets below and found a baking sheet. Lightly greasing it, she seasoned each salmon fillet with salt and pepper and then placed them on the baking sheet. Looking through the countless drawers, she found a baker’s brush. Grabbing the bowl with honey-mustard mixture, she lightly brushed each fillet, coating them good. When she was done, she covered the top of each fillet with the breadcrumb mixture.
Setting the salmon aside, she went back to the fridge, grabbed the fresh greens beans, and placed them on the counter. Looking around for a pot, she smiled when she found the one she was looking for. She reached for the copper pot hanging on the rack above the island. Adding sea salt and a dash of lemon, she went to work snapping the green beans and setting them to simmer on the gas stove.
Remembering she saw a bag of baby red potatoes in the pantry, she walked over and took them. She grabbed a colander from one of the cabinets. Placing the colander in the sink, she counted out the potatoes she would need and then proceeded to wash and clean each one. When she was done, she took a stockpot from the cabinet where she found the colander, placed the potatoes in it, and filled it with water. After placing it on the stove, she cleaned up her mess.
It felt amazing to be in a real kitchen cooking real food once again. She loved her little bakery, but her heart was never really in it. Oh, she baked sticky buns and other treats that she knew would sell, but her dream, her desire was creating wonderful meals that people could only dream about.
She missed the creation of something new.
She cleaned the kitchen and checked on the green beans and potatoes. Looking at the clock, she figured they needed another ten to fifteen minutes before she could pull them from the water. Walking over to the table, she stood there and wondered. Spying the hutch against the wall, she opened the top drawer and found a white tablecloth and napkins. Quickly removing the table’s centerpiece, she spread the white linen cloth over the table and sat down, folding each napkin. When she was done, she removed the plates she would need and set the table.
Stepping back, she smiled, looking at her handiwork.
Checking the time again, she walked back over to the stove and turned the burners off. Grabbing the salmon fillets, she opened up the oven and placed the tray in. She knew it was only going to take ten minutes for the salmon to cook, maybe less because of the altitude, so she set the timer for seven minutes and would check
every minute after until the salmon was cooked to perfection.
She found the serving platter and bowls in the pantry, and as she finished garnishing each dish, she placed it on the table with a lid over it to keep it warm. With both side dishes ready, she checked on the salmon and smiled.
They were done.
Quickly taking them out, she grabbed a fork and checked, tasting their moistness on her lips. She almost felt like crying, they tasted so perfect. She heard the men talking and looking out the window, she saw that they had finished for the day. Quickly placing the salmon on the serving platter, she garnished each one with lemon wedges. Putting the lid on, she placed the platter in the middle of the table and quickly lit the lone candle she’d found. After another quick glance, she did what she could to ease their burden today.
Tomorrow she would think of something else.
She had just grabbed the pitcher of water when the back door opened up.
The men were arguing, again.
“I don’t give a flying fuck what you say, Garrett, I won’t allow it,” Steven shouted, slamming his hat on the kitchen counter.
“It’s not your choice. It’s hers,” Zac said, defending his partner.
“But, she is in my house. I love that woman. There is no way I would allow her to be bait so you can catch this asshole. Ain’t happenin’,” Steven adamantly said. Neil walked over and stood next to his brother, agreeing.
“You are not using my sister as bait. As much as I hate agreeing with Steven, he is right. You gentlemen will have to think of something else,” Gabriel advised.
For the next five minutes, all six of them argued back and forth. Not a single one of them even looked at her or the table she set. She understood their need to protect her, but their manners were another story. The kitchen smelled wonderful, and all they cared about was who was right and who had priority over her.
Fighting for Hazel [The Men of Treasure Cove 8] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 17