“You should have iced this more,” he reprimanded.
“Hmm, not my fault. Seems I was distracted,” she said and blushed.
Voight chuckled and Worin sat up. “You are definitely a distraction,” he teased.
“I meant all of you were,” she said to him and reached out and caressed his cheek. “I need sleep. Shower then sleep.”
“We can help with that,” Voight told her and kissed her belly right to her mound.
She giggled and then rolled to her stomach. “I have to shower and get to bed.”
“We still on for later today?” Louis asked, getting up and zipping his jeans.
“Of course. After lunch with Candice,” she said.
They helped her up and she tried covering her breasts. “No. Stay like that until we leave. I need a fantasy to dream about, and your body was made for fantasies,” Voight told her as he pulled her into his arms, kept her wrists behind her back and then kissed her before he spread those kisses lower to her nipple. He suckled and pulled and then Hunt joined in on the other side.
Worin stepped closer after the others stepped back and fixed their shirts and jeans. “You’re the first woman I’ve made out with like we just did and aren’t staying the night,” he said, sounding annoyed. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and he reached out and gently rubbed her chin. “You are special indeed, but I’m a man set in his ways, and next time we stay over, or you stay over, depending on how it goes down. Got it?” he asked her.
Her cheeks flushed. She pressed her palms against his chest and he stared at her sexy body. It was torture to not claim her tonight.
“For the record, Worin, I want you, too, but we aren’t even dating.”
“Shit, who needs dates?” Hunt said, now sounding frustrated, too.
“I do,” she replied and looked at him.
Worin pulled her snug against his chest. Her naked body felt incredible as he slid his palm along her ass and squeezed. “Sweetie, one date, tomorrow, and then the evening we make this official,” he said and kissed her head.
She pulled back and they said goodnight and she made sure she was hidden before they closed the door and left. As they did Worin looked around at the darkness. “I don’t like this fucking place one bit.”
“She has a gun. She will use it if necessary,” Voight said but he sounded upset, too.
“Just think of it this way, a few more make-out sessions and making love, then she can remain in our beds all the time so no worries,” Louis said and chuckled.
“She is not going to go for that, Louis. Mark my words, we done went and fell for a sweet little virgin who wants dates and dinner out, holding hands and lovey-dovey shit. We’re fucked,” Hunt said and they all mumbled.
The short ride home they discussed her body, what went down, and claiming her. “Well, now that that’s settled, I guess we need to prepare for the lovey-dovey and old fashioned courting of our woman,” Louis said.
“Fuck that. We mark her, take her together and she won’t care about movies and holding hands through town. She’ll want cock. Ours and all the time, just like we’ll want her,” Voight said and they laughed and continued to discuss Faith.
“I can’t believe this happened. That we got so lucky to find a woman so sweet, so gorgeous, sexy and a virgin. The gods must have been listening to our prayers,” Louis said.
“Like I said, have a little faith,” Voight stated.
“I plan to, and more than a little. A lot, all of her, and God help the guy who tries to grab her ass while we’re around,” Worin said and they agreed.
Chapter 5
“Whoever they are, they know the towns, or they frequent places around here. How else could these individuals know what homes to hit, that have something of value?” Titus asked Kane over the phone.
“I don’t get it, but you may be on to something, Titus. Without any fingerprints or any kind of information to point toward a lead, we can’t do much, but what we’re doing. Ramping up patrols, talking to other agencies to see if there’s a pattern or similar robberies taking place. I still think the ones responsible do this on a regular basis. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if there’s a line of crimes behind them.”
“I wouldn’t either. In fact, I don’t think there’s any harm in calling some of our friends in the State Police or Texas Rangers. I say we get some other backup, Kane.”
“I agree. You call your guys and I’ll call mine. We can discuss any info we get later tonight at the barbecue.”
“Yeah, Charlie is looking forward to seeing you guys and hanging out with Athena and Genesis. I hear that Louis, Voight, Worin, and Hunt are actively pursuing Faith Keller,” Titus said to him and Kane chuckled.
“It should be an interesting courtship,” Kane replied.
“You sound like you expect some trouble.”
“Not really, more like defiance. My understanding is that Faith hasn’t been too happy living in Cherry Hill. She gets shit on a lot at Harper’s and last night some guy kept grabbing her ass and she finally figured out who it was and decked him. Broke his nose good.”
Titus laughed. “Good for her. What did Louis and the team do?”
“Not much they could do. She handled it herself and we all got that idiot out of there before any of the men could wind up joining him behind bars. She’s tough for a petite thing, and young, too. Her brother and cousin run Warriors Way. That’s how she met up with Worin and Hunt.”
“Well, what do ya know. Sounds like a little fate. Well, they are kind of robbing the cradle.”
Kane laughed. “We’re all guilty of that, but when it happens, it happens.”
“Sure does. We’ll see how things go tonight.”
“Okay, we’ll be there. Take care.”
Kane ended the call and then leaned back in his chair in the office. He then called Alex Weatherson, Texas Ranger and close friend. He would ask him for some help and maybe a bit of advice.
* * * *
Faith was a bit annoyed. She hadn’t agreed to go to this place on the outskirts of Benter she didn’t know about. There were motorcycles outside and a band playing outside on a back bar area. She knew of Harold’s but never went. It was supposed to have great barbecue food and known for its wings, but not exactly her type of place or food.
“I don’t really like this place, Candice. Can we eat next door at Cassidy’s? It’s more low key, and they have salads and lighter food.”
“You look great and you’re always running and even doing those videos you work out to on the computer.”
She pursed her lips and watched as Candice fixed her lip gloss and adjusted her boobs in the top she wore. She was acting like she was meeting someone and then it hit her. She grabbed Candice’s arm. “Are you meeting that guy Lance here? Oh my God, seriously, Candice? You said lunch with you and I alone to talk.” She placed her hands on her hips and now was concerned about the skirt and blouse she wore with the light lace camisole underneath.
“We didn’t make definite plans. I said I might be in Benter for lunch and with you. Benny was very interested.”
“Well, I’m not interested in him, or screwing around.”
“Come on, Faith. I like Lance and he’s been very nice. All we seem to do is talk about the town, about people who live around there. Fool around a little.”
“Well, that’s great for you, but if I knew you were planning on meeting him and that guy Benny, who was totally hitting on me, I would have said no.”
“He texted a little while before I picked you up.”
“So you knew and still didn’t tell me? I’m not going into that place. I’m going to Cassidy’s. You can come in there with me or not. I don’t care. Then I’m leaving.”
“I drove us. Come on and stop being so lame. You’re my friend and you can’t leave me to go hang out alone. That isn’t fair. I like him, Faith. Please, just come have lunch and hang out then I’ll drive you back and drop you off wherever.”
Faith took
a deep breath and exhaled just as the sound of motorcycles revving came along the main street in town and six men arrived. Two of them were Benny and Lance. Faith’s gut clenched harder. As soon as they got off their bikes and headed toward Candice, Faith knew this wasn’t a good idea. She was uncomfortable and felt unsafe.
“Damn, you two look incredible,” Lance said as he pulled Candice into his arms and kissed her neck. “I think you owe her big time, Benny,” Lance said and gave Benny a little punch in his arm as he escorted Candice into the bar with his arm around her waist and his hand nearly over her breast. Faith looked at Benny, and the way he looked at her and eyed over her body gave her the creeps.
“Faith, come on,” Candice said to her.
Faith walked toward the door and one of the other guys who rode up with Lance and Benny smiled at her. “You are the prettiest little thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. Like a fucking angel,” he said and reached out to touch her hair.
She stepped away and Benny pulled her close. His hard body was firm against hers. “She’s off limits, Turk. Go get us a round of beers,” Benny ordered.
“Why do I need to do it? I worked my ass off last night.”
“And you’ll work it off again tonight,” Benny snapped at him.
Faith pulled away from Benny and spotted Candice with Lance as a waitress escorted them to a table. It was actually busy in the restaurant and there was a mix of bikers and some regular looking people. She pulled out a chair instead of sitting by Candice in the booth seats. Lance sat there with her and Benny wound up taking the seat next to Candice on the other side but his eyes were glued to Faith’s chest. She pulled her blouse tighter to cover up her deep cleavage the best she could. She had picked the outfit out to look good for Louis, Voight, Worin, and Hunt. Not these lowlifes. She was feeling completely out of place as Lance started kissing Candice and then Benny leaned closer and stroked her bare thigh. Her legs were crossed, she wore a skirt and she pushed his hand off her knee. She gave him the evil eye and he chuckled, then leaned back and took a sip of his beer. From there on out they ordered food. She didn’t even want to eat. She kept looking at her cell phone, they kept drinking and talking. She was barely paying attention until she heard Lance say to Candice, “Thank you for telling us about that guy Keith.”
He stroked Candice’s jaw and Candice smiled at him. “Is your cousin going to use him for the wedding?”
“She isn’t too sure yet. There’s another photographer in Coldsberry she liked, too.”
Candice nodded. “Well, I’m sure she wants the best for her wedding day. Will you be going?”
“Of course,” he said and pressed his lips to hers. Faith could tell by the way Candice tightened up and widened her eyes that Lance was touching her underneath the table. She really wanted to get out of there and when she glanced at her phone she saw she missed a text from Louis checking in. The guys kept drinking and were definitely feeling their alcohol.
“You’re so quiet. Don’t understand why Benny’s so hung up on you,” Turk said to her as he gave her that drunken stare and teetered on the chair he sat on. She squinted at him and then looked toward Benny, who now placed his hand on her chair and leaned closer.
“You are very shy. You know what I think? I think you need a man who can understand that shyness and help bring you out of that shell,” he said.
“I don’t need any man bringing me out of any shell. Maybe I’m quiet because I don’t want to be here. I came here so Candice wasn’t alone,” she said to him.
He placed his arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer. She gasped as she nearly fell off the chair. His mouth was on her neck and by her ear. “You need discipline, a firm hand and to learn when a man speaks, you listen.”
She pulled from his arms and he gripped her thigh. Hard. She stood up, knocking over the chair, drawing attention to them. She grabbed her purse. “I’m leaving, Candice. Are you coming?” she asked her. Benny was chuckling, leaning in the booth next to her and Candice shook her head. From what Faith could tell, it appeared that Benny was touching her too or at minimum caressing her thigh.
“Don’t leave, Faith. We want you to come back to the house and party with us. Will be a real good time,” Lance said and licked Candice’s neck as he held her gaze.
“Never going to happen. Candice, come on. Now,” she said.
Candice shook her head. “You can go, I’m staying,” she said and Faith walked out of the bar restaurant, with filthy guys whistling at her and even trying to grab at her to make her angry or to see if she was easy and turned on. She was pissed. When she came outside, she looked around and tried to figure out who she could call and how she would get back to Cherry Hill. She was so angry at her, and then came the realization of the danger Candice placed her in. Obviously she didn’t care about herself but what about Faith? She didn’t ask for this.
She was angry when she felt the hand on her shoulder. “Where ya going, beautiful?” Turk asked her as two other guys came up the steps looking at her. She stepped away from him and headed down the steps and started walking. She headed to Cassidy’s and stood by the side entryway, pulling out her cell phone. She was shaking now, and angry. Who could she call? As she thought about the men, about Hunt, Worin, Voight, and Louis, she thought they would flip out and who knew what they would do. Maybe go into Harold’s and fight. She felt even worse, and as she looked around the town she was shocked to see Deputy Seren Fortane’s brothers, Shane and Quincy. They owned an auto body shop and ATV center in Cherry Hill, and were Jade’s men.
She hurried toward the storefront they stood by, talking to some man. Their conversation ended and she called out to them. “Shane, Quincy.”
Both men turned toward her, squinted and then smiled. “Hey, Faith, what are you doing in Benter. Shopping?” Quincy asked and both men gave her a kiss on the cheek hello. She was shaking still and bright red.
“No, uhm, long story. Please tell me you’re heading back to Cherry Hill,” she said to them and glanced over her shoulder toward Harold’s. She saw that guy Turk standing there watching her and smoking a cigar. Then she saw Benny leaning against the pole by the front of the restaurant just watching them.
Quincy grabbed her arms gently. “Sweetie, is something wrong?” he asked her.
“It’s a long story. I just need a ride home. A ride back to town.”
“You can come with us. We’re heading there now,” Shane said to her. They headed down to the truck, they got in but she noticed that Quincy and Shane both looked at Benny and Turk, plus Harold’s. She fixed her skirt, placed her bag on her lap and exhaled as Quincy pulled the truck out of the parking spot.
“So something went down, spill the beans. Do we need to call the Sheriff?” Shane asked.
“No need to,” she said as her phone made a noise indicating she had another text message. She forgot to text Louis. “Shoot,” she said aloud.
Then her phone rang. “Are you going to answer it?” Shane asked her. appearing concerned.
“I don’t want to yet. Damn,” she said. She knew Louis would be angry and she didn’t call them because she was afraid they would react and come speeding to Benter ready to fight. She put the phone to her ear. “Hi, Louis, sorry I missed your text messages.”
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’m actually heading back. I’ll just get my car.”
“Why don’t you have Candice drop you off at our place? We can drive you home later,” he said to her.
She pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose. “I’m not with Candice.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, uhm, there was a bit of a situation.”
“What situation?” he asked in a hard deep tone.
She glanced at Shane and Quincy, who obviously picked up on the phone call. “Well, it’s a bit of a long story, but I’m safe, and actually getting a ride home from Quincy and Shane Fortane. They were in Benter and I saw them and asked for a ride.”
/> “What the hell happened that you needed a ride from them?”
“Louis, please, I didn’t call you because I didn’t want you and the guys to freak out. Next thing ya know you would be coming into town ready to kick ass and take names later. I handled it. I’m safe and on my way back, so please, we can discuss the particulars later, okay?”
“Oh, no, it is not okay. Put one of them on the phone.”
”Seriously?” she asked and Shane held his hand out, obviously hearing the conversation and Louis’s firm voice. She leaned back and felt the tears in her eyes and a headache forming.
“We don’t know, Louis. She did flag us down, and she is safe with us. She hasn’t explained. We just saw some guys by Harold’s watching her. Yeah, the biker place. I don’t know.” He looked at her. “Is Candice in there and is she safe?”
“She didn’t want to leave so the answer would be it’s her decision, and she refused to leave with me.”
“There ya go. Sure, we can drop her off at your place. We didn’t know you were staking a claim? The whole team?” Shane asked and then chuckled. “Yeah, well, nothing a firm hand can’t relieve. Here she is.”
She wondered what the firm hand remark meant but then she took the phone from Shane. “Yes,” she said.
“They’ll bring you here. Be ready to explain things. Fully,” he said in an authoritative, deep tone she didn’t recognize and he ended the call.
During the ride back her headache got worse. She rubbed her temples.
“You should be ready to explain to your men exactly what happened back there in Benter and why you were all alone,” Shane said to her.
“Uhm, Shane, they aren’t my men. Things are new, and I don’t even know what to think right now. I’m not stupid. It wasn’t my fault, and believe me, it won’t happen again,” she said to him.
Have a Little Faith Page 7