by Becca Van
Jonah laced his fingers with hers, drawing her attention. “It’s more than okay, love. We wouldn’t have offered if we didn’t want you in our home.”
“I’m glad that’s settled,” the doctor said. “One of the nurses will bring you some pain relief and the discharge papers shortly. You’ll need to visit your own GP to get the stitches removed in seven to ten days. If the headache doesn’t dissipate within forty-eight hours, you need to come back. Understood?”
“Yes. Thank you,” Lexis replied.
The doctor nodded, turned, and hurried away.
“Is there anyone we need to contact for you, baby?” Preston asked. “Your parents, friends, or other family?”
“No,” Lexis answered quietly. Grief and sadness shot into her heart when she saw the speaking glances between the three men. She closed her eyes with a tired sigh. “What are you all doing here?”
“We were nearby when the call came over the police band,” Adam said. “We were the first officers on the scene.”
“Marcus told us what happened,” Jonah said. “If he hadn’t stabbed one of the perps with a knife, you would have ended up with a bullet in you. You saved him, but he saved you right back.”
“So, he’s all right?”
“He’s fine,” Adam answered.
“Thank God.”
“What were you thinking, Lexis?” Preston asked angrily. “You could have been killed.”
“I don’t know. I just sort of snapped when I saw one of the assholes holding a gun to my boss’s head. He’s such a gentle man with a huge heart. I just couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to him.”
“Are you in love with your boss?” Adam asked.
Lexis opened her eyes to glare at him but ended up squinting instead. “No, of course not. He’s had a partner he adores for over five years.” She looked at Preston when she thought she heard him sigh, but his expression was stoic and unreadable. The silence in the room was getting to her, as was the way all three of the men were watching her so intently. Thankfully, a nurse entered the room moments later.
“Here we are,” she said, a smile on her face as she gazed at Preston, Adam, and Jonah. She blushed and licked her lips then she fluttered her eyelashes. Lexis snorted at the woman’s flirting, but all three of the men seemed to be totally unaware of her come on. Or maybe they just chose to ignore her because they weren’t interested.
The nurse handed her the small cup of tablets and a cup of water. Lexis down the pills quickly and took the paperwork she handed over. “As soon as you’ve filled that out and signed it, you can leave. Just hand the papers to any of the nurses manning the desk station,” she stated professionally before leaving.
Lexis gazed about for a pen but there wasn’t one on the bedside table or anywhere else.
“Here you go, love.” Jonah tugged a pen from his shirt pocket and handed it to her.
“Thanks.” She concentrated on filling in the necessary details and hoped like hell she wasn’t about to get a huge bill sent in the mail, but she couldn’t deal with that right now. She’d get by like she always did, and if she had to take double shifts at the diner for a month she would do so.
As soon as she’d finished, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her aching head protested, but she ignored the pain as much as she could while she tried to search out her shoes.
“Stay still, baby,” Preston said as he bent over near the foot of the bed. She was glad to see her shoes in his hand when he straightened. Jonah, who’d stood when the nurse had entered the room, sidestepped to allow Preston to walk closer. He crouched down near her feet and pushed her shoes on for her.
Lexis was feeling very vulnerable with the three men practically surrounding her, but she told herself to get over it since she was about to go home with them. She just hoped that she didn’t have to stay at their place for more than one night.
The sooner she got back to her own home, the better off she’d be. If she hung around them for too long, they were going to notice how much they affected her on a visceral level. They might already know that she was attracted to them, but hopefully they didn’t realize how much she was lusting after them.
It was going to be difficult to keep her desire for them hidden the longer she was with them, but she was determined to get back to her normal boring life rapidly.
If they twigged on how hot she was for them, Lexis had a feeling that they’d never let her go back to her own place ever again.
Chapter Five
Adam had managed to get into the back of the truck before Jonah could. He’d been hoping to snuggle and talk with Lexis on the way home, but it wasn’t to be. Frustration ate at his gut, but he didn’t know how to reach the closed-off woman staring out the side window.
He’d tried talking to her, but she’d only answered with yes or no. Preston had been driving with one eye on the road and the other on the rearview mirror, and from the way he was frowning, he was clueless, too.
Jonah was the most outgoing of the three of them, and even he looked stumped on how to reach out to Lexis.
He was hoping that after a good night’s sleep Lexis would open up with them more. Even though she hadn’t been communicative, he knew she had no family. It was tempting to do a search on her life and find out the answers to the questions swirling around in his brain, but that would be betraying her trust. The only way they would gain her respect and faith was to go at her pace.
He’d also thought of a plan that might get her to open up, but he needed to talk to his lovers first. Tonight when she was tucked up in bed, they were going to map out a plan of attack.
There was no way he was letting Lexis slip through his fingers without finding out if she was the perfect woman for him and his boyfriends. No way in hell.
They just needed to discuss how they were going to inveigle her into their lives without losing her forever.
Fifteen minutes later, Preston pulled into the driveway and turned the truck off. Adam got out of the vehicle and hurried around to help Lexis out. When he saw how pale her face was and the dark circles under her eyes, he felt guilty for feeling so frustrated and thinking of himself.
She’d been through hell, was in pain and exhausted. Her needs came before any of theirs, and right now, it was their job to get her inside, into bed, and watch over her while she recuperated.
He needed to open the door to help her out, but if he did that without her awareness, she was likely to fall out of the truck.
Thankfully, Preston saw his predicament. “Lexis, we’re home, baby.”
She opened her eyes, blinking a few times, which made Adam think she might have dozed off. When she saw him standing outside her door, she lifted her forehead off the window.
Adam opened the door, reached in to undo her seatbelt, and scooped her up into his arms.
She gasped. “What are you doing?”
“I’m helping you inside, sweetie.”
“I can walk.”
“I know you can, Lexis, but I can see how much pain you’re in. Just close your eyes and enjoy the ride, sweetheart.” Adam was grateful she didn’t quibble but gave in with a sigh as she rested her cheek on his shoulder.
He carried her toward the front door and waited for Preston to unlock and open it. As soon as he stepped over the threshold, Lexis raised her head and gazed about through heavy-lidded eyes. He tried to see their home from her point of view and was glad that they hadn’t settled when they’d built the house five years before. It was modern with an open plan living room, kitchen, and dining room. The master bedroom was huge, with two large walk-in-closets as well as a modern en-suite bathroom. There were two bedrooms with a semi-en-suite bathroom between them, leading from another short hall near the middle of the house, and another three bedrooms at the opposite end with a main bathroom. The house sat in the middle of a two acre tract of land, and the trees and bushes along the border of the property gave them plenty of privacy. The gardens were landscaped, and out the ba
ck they had a solar heated pool. A hot tub was on the timber deck, and they had a wrap-around verandah. All in all, Adam was glad they hadn’t scrimped and made do when they’d commissioned the build of their home.
“You have a nice home,” Lexis said.
“We’re glad you like it, baby,” Preston said as he came to stand beside them. “Would you like to nap in bed or on the sofa?”
“I don’t mind. Wherever’s convenient,” Lexis said.
“That’s not an answer, love,” Jonah said as he skirted around Adam and Lexis until he was standing in front of them. “Where would you be more comfortable, Lexis?”
“I’m struggling to keep my eyes open, so I think it would be best if I went to bed.”
Adam turned in the direction of the master bedroom and walked down the hallway. Preston and Jonah were right on his heels. He shoved the ajar door open with his foot, strode toward the bed, and lowered Lexis onto the mattress.
“I’ll get you something to change into,” Preston said, before hurrying away.
“Let me help you with your shoes, love.” Jonah knelt and tugged her flat worn shoes from her feet.
Adam scooped her back up into his arms while Jonah pulled the quilt and sheet down. He’d just seated Lexis on the side of the mattress when Preston returned with a large black T-shirt. “Is this all right, baby?” Preston asked as he handed her the shirt.
“Yeah. Thanks.” Lexis took the shirt.
“Do you need help getting undressed, sweetie?” Adam asked. He had to bite the inside of his cheek when pink crept into Lexis’s cheeks so he wouldn’t smile. After hearing how she’d taken down an armed burglar and tackled another, he couldn’t believe she was behaving shyly now. Lexis was an enigma that fascinated him, but she also got his blood pumping as no other woman ever had.
He couldn’t wait to learn more about her and find out what made her tick.
“No. I can manage on my own,” she said emphatically.
“We’ll leave you to it then, love,” Jonah said, then left.
Preston gave her a lingering longing look, sighed, and hurried out.
Adam walked toward the door, paused, and gazed at her from over his shoulder. “Just yell out if you need anything, Lexis. Okay?”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Adam pulled the door closed but not all the way. He wanted to be able to hear her call out if she needed them. He walked toward the kitchen to join the others.
* * * *
Jacob Swank had been on the run for just over two years. He’d been using aliases and had changed his appearance as much as possible by keeping his head and face shaved and wearing different clothes than what he used to.
He’d been searching for his deceased girlfriend’s bitch of a sister for the last twenty-four plus months, but the slut managed to stay one step ahead of him. Just when he thought he had her in his sights, he’d lose her.
That night he’d murdered her sister had given him such a taste of power it had been addictive. He’d left a trail of death in his wake, but so far the cops had no clue who they were looking for. Jacob wanted to keep it that way.
He’d gotten with away with murder over and over again, but he had a feeling if he didn’t find the sister, his days of freedom would be numbered.
Jacob had just finished killing his date when he’d heard the bitch’s sister calling out as she’d entered the apartment. He’d had just enough time to slip from the bathroom to the closet in the bedroom and hide. The temptation to kill the sister had been overwhelmingly strong, and he’d been about to follow her into the bathroom to take care of her, but then she’d started screaming loud enough to wake the dead.
When he’d heard her screaming into the phone for an ambulance, he’d run. He’d been so intent on getting away without being caught he hadn’t even been aware he was still clutching the murder weapon.
He’d kept to the shadows since the sun had set and ran until his legs burned and his lungs hurt from laboring. The moment he’d seen the homeless man sleeping on the ground near a Dumpster in an alley, he’d wiped his prints from the knife handle, snuck up on the sleeping man, and put the blade on the ground next to him. The guy stank of body odor and booze, and though it turned his stomach, Jacob had bashed him over the head with an empty bottle and stolen his clothes. He’d left his blood-soaked jeans and shirt draped over him, and then made his way back to the dilapidated apartment he’d been leasing. As soon as he was inside, he’d stripped out of the pungent clothes, dumping them into the trash, and headed toward his small, dingy bathroom.
Even though he was fairly certain the sister hadn’t spotted him, he wasn’t sure that her dead sister hadn’t talked about him. Jacob had a full black beard and mustache, as well a shoulder-length hair. As he’d stared at himself in the mirror, he’d realized how distinctive his looks were. Decision made, he’d rummaged under the sink for the hair trimmers he’d bought to groom with and set to work. When he’d finished, his beard and mustache were almost gone and his longish hair was strewn about him on the bathroom floor. He’d lathered up and taken care of the rest of his whiskers, turned the shower on, and scrubbed his body from head to toe to make sure any blood on his skin was washed down the drain.
After he’d dried off and dressed in clean clothes, he’d swept up all his hair, dumped in the trash, and taken the garbage outside.
Although he’d done everything he could to protect himself, Jacob hadn’t been able to settle. Every time he’d heard a police siren he’d tensed up, waiting for the cops to come bursting through the door and arrest him.
All through the long night, he’d been worried his freedom would be taken away, but he’d also remembered what a rush it had been to take the life of another.
As the first rays of the sun had lightened the sky, Jacob had decided to go after the sister. The first reason was because he was scared his ex had told her sister who he was, and the second was because now that he’d killed for the first time, he had a taste for it. It had been empowering to stab that bitch, hearing her beg and plead for her life. But the ultimate moment had been when she’d breathed her last breath.
He’d nearly climaxed when her soul had left her body.
The rush had been so addictive, he couldn’t wait to do it again and again.
When daylight had brightened the sky, Jacob had packed up the few belongings he’d had and called a cab. There’d been no sign of the cops at his victim’s home other than the yellow crime scene tape across the front door of her apartment. After paying off the taxi driver and watching the cab drive away, Jacob had gone around the back of the apartment building to the back door. The door had been locked, but he’d spied a partially open bedroom window. Making sure the coast was clear of any prying eyes before making his move, he’d opened the window and climbed inside. Going through his victim’s things had given him everything he’d needed. He’d found out the sister’s name and that she was a college student, boarding in the dormitories.
Staking out the college campus had been easy enough since his usual attire of jeans, a T-shirt, and a hoodie were the norm amongst the students, and he’d blended right in, but it had ended up being a waste of time. He’d never once spotted the slut’s sister.
Day in, day out for a week he’d walked around amidst the young men and women, but he hadn’t sighted his quarry. Frustration had led him to asking someone if they knew Lexis, and he’d hit jackpot. He’d found out which dorm she’d been housed in and even the room number. Jacob had managed to get inside and up to her room. Knocking on her door had been a waste of time. The woman next door to Lexis’s room had been on her way out to class, and when he’d asked after her neighbor, the girl had told him that Lexis had dropped out of school.
Rage had permeated him to his bones. How he’d held his shit together, he had no idea. He’d left the college and gone to her sister’s apartment, but he’d been too late. The place had been empty, and there had been a rental agent’s sign out the front advertising that the apartm
ent was up for lease.
Jacob had been chasing her ever since, and after two years of trying to catch the bitch, he was getting desperate. The anger was also getting difficult to control. It seemed to simmer in his gut and boiled up every now and then. When it got out of control, he ended up killing again.
But no matter what, he wasn’t giving up until he’d taken his first victim’s sister out.
* * * *
Preston was happy that Lexis had agreed to come home with them, but he was still worried about her. He hated that she’d been in the midst of an armed holdup, and he still couldn’t get his mind around how she’d fought one of the men when he’d been holding a gun.
He, Adam, and Jonah had just finished clearing up the dinner dishes. Jonah had peeked in on Lexis when the food had been ready, but she’d still been asleep. He’d kept a plate of food for her in case she woke up later, hungry.
“I’ll get it,” Adam said when someone knocked on the door.
Preston had just grabbed three beers from the fridge when Adam came back with Ana and her men in tow, so he grabbed a few more bottles. “Would you like a beer, Ana, or would you prefer a glass of wine?”
“White wine if you have it, please?” Ana frowned.
“What’s wrong, honey?” Layton wrapped an arm around Ana’s shoulders pulling her against his side. “Where’s Lexis?”
“She’s sleeping,” Preston replied. “The doctor said she would sleep a lot because of the concussion.”
Adam glanced at the clock. “It’s time for one of us to wake her again.”
“Can I do it?” Ana asked.
“Sure.” Preston nodded and followed Ana toward the master bedroom. “I need to make sure she’s okay, too.”
Ana nodded, pushed the door wider, and stepped into the dim room. The light on in the hall made it easier to see Lexis asleep in the middle of the bed. She looked so small and fragile curled up in the fetal position. Preston wanted to strip off, climb into bed with her, and hold her against him.