by Piper Stone
Only we weren’t friends and we certainly weren’t lovers.
I swirled the new glass in my fingers, feeling guilty that I’d allowed the other one to slip from my hand. I’d never had enough money to worry about fine china or crystal and even the time spent with Michael hadn’t given me a need for anything other than the basics.
However, what I craved more than anything was a real home, complete with a working stove and a refrigerator that didn’t crap out every other month. It would even be nice to have a washer and dryer inside the house. I bit back a laugh. Simple pleasures.
Not fancy cars.
Diamonds.
Furs.
A closet full of expensive clothes.
Just a little place that I could always feel safe in, one where maybe one day I could raise a family of my own. Sadly, I figured that was just a pipe dream.
I heard the door open behind me and had no idea what to expect. Neither Wade nor Dylan had said more than three words to me after Crockett had left. They’d avoided me as if they truly believed I was some kind of enemy.
“Wade’s going to build a fire. You should come inside. It’s still supposed to get cold tonight,” Dylan said as he approached the railing, leaning over, a drink in his hand.
“It’s beautiful here.”
“Yeah, it is. Never really spent that much time in Georgia before.”
I glanced in his direction, noticing the pensive look on his face. “Where did Crockett go? He refused to tell me.”
“And he had his reasons for not telling you.”
“You don’t trust me. None of you do.”
He shook his head. “It’s not about trust as much as it is about staying alive.”
“I’ve heard that several times. Why would three guys, who obviously aren’t the best of friends, agree to stay in a cabin for an undisclosed period of time?” I knew I was pushing his buttons, but my instinct continued to tell me that whatever they were involved was nothing they’d entered into easily.
“You only need to know that the business we’re in is just as treacherous as Crockett may have led you to believe. I may not seem like the aggressive one in the bunch, but I’ve done things in my life that would make you sick. I suggest you remember that.” Dylan shifted away from the railing, his exhale full of tension.
I was sick of all three men touting how horrible they were. “You know what? Keep telling me all of you are deplorable men until I believe it. I’m only trying to pass the time, to get to know my captors.”
“Why, so you can use it when you talk to the police?” he snapped then instantly hissed, shaking his head. “That was uncalled for.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. I have no intention of going to the police, Dylan. I have my beliefs that Michael has a few of them on a puppet string. Plus, I’m no fool. When I entered into such an unscrupulous deal, I did so because I don’t have any other choices. I’ve exhausted them. What I plan on doing if I can get to Virginia isn’t exactly legal, but I don’t give a shit. It’s what I have to do.”
He studied me intently. “You’re a very brave woman to do what you did, risking everything to leave him. That takes the kind of courage few people have.”
“We do what we have to when necessary.” I closed my eyes, visions swimming in my mind.
Sighing, he remained where he was, staring out at the beautiful back yard. “Unfortunately, you’re right.”
“I’ll come inside in a few minutes and don’t worry. I’m not running away. Crockett was right. I have nowhere to go.”
He chuckled under his breath. “I’m not worried, Kelly. I saw the way you looked at Crockett a couple hours ago.”
“Fury. Hatred?”
“Nope. I might be a good ole boy from Texas, but I know an instant attraction when I see one. You two have sparks flying like an electric storm in a minefield. Kinda makes me jealous.”
I realized I was smiling hearing his words. “Does that mean you’re attracted to me?”
He took a gulp of his drink, swirling the glass afterwards before answering. “It doesn’t really matter if I am. If circumstances were different, Crockett wouldn’t allow Wade or me within two miles of you. He’s a one-woman to one-man kind of guy.”
“I’m glad you know him better than I do. I certainly don’t think he knows what he wants.”
“He knows, Kelly. He just can’t forgive himself.”
“For what? What happened to him?”
He shook his head. “Nope. I swore to our president I wouldn’t say a word and I spouted off something I shouldn’t have today. You might not see it, but I’m a man of honor, this bullshit we’re dealing with aside.”
“President. You make what you’re involved in sound so serious. Are you a member of a bikers’ club? Is that what this is all about?”
“What this is all about is settling a score and maybe trying to do the right thing, although Mr. Law Man doesn’t see it that way,” Dylan said then sighed. “We’ll be lucky not to spend the next twenty years behind bars if you ask me. Don’t tell Crockett I told you that.” He laughed. “It’s not what any of us signed up for, especially Crockett.”
What were the three men involved in? I couldn’t wrap my brain around it. “You can talk to me. I’m certainly not in a position to tell anyone.”
“If you want any answers, Kelly, you’re going to have to ask Crockett. He’s the man in charge while we’re here.”
“But you don’t like him very much.”
He turned to face me, shrugging. “Actually, I do. One hell of an intelligent guy. However, he’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of a damn boulder. We all have a past, but whatever he was into before made him shut down. The only time I’ve seen him relaxed to any degree is around you. He’s sullen, nasty, and has never let anyone get close to him. But I will say this. That man is loyal. Some say he owes our president his life. I don’t know, but I wouldn’t want Crockett on another side, if you know what I mean.”
“President.”
“That’s what we call Hawk, our leader. He’s in charge of Hell’s Fury. And don’t go off half-cocked thinking you understand who or what we represent. We’re not just about violence and criminal activities. Sure, there’s been some, mostly in the past, but we actually support nonprofit organizations, providing support where we can.”
I had no understanding of their lifestyle, other than what I’d heard on the news for several years. “And what’s your story?”
Laughing, he dropped his head, staring into his glass. “My past. Well, I’m an ex-army ranger specializing in surveillance equipment and tactical strategies. However, once you get out, there aren’t a lot of jobs for guys like me, unless I wanted to become a spy. Thanks, but no thanks. Tried my hand at ranching and sucked at it. I took a drive to the East Coast, deciding Florida would be a nice change of pace and somewhere along the line, I realized I had no clue who I was any longer.”
“Florida is a nice place to find yourself.”
Dylan chuckled. “There isn’t a place where you don’t find a rat race. I’ve done pretty well working construction, enough so I found a little place of my own.”
“Like Crockett.”
“That’s where we met. It wasn’t until months later that he joined the club. The man does know his Harleys.”
“Club. I’m intrigued to learn more.” All three men seemed to be more than they wanted anyone to know.
“That’s not going to happen right now, Kelly. We swore an oath.”
“Understood.”
“You asked me about my life. Now I need to ask you why you settled for someone like Michael Capatelli. He’s bad news, in case you haven’t figured that out.”
“And I’m certain you heard every gory detail from Crockett. I don’t have any viable explanation other than he appeared in my life when I felt very low. I’d moved to be closer to my sister when she was going through a nasty divorce and I couldn’t get any kind of job other than at a diner. Don’t get me wrong, it’s honest w
ork, but nothing like what I was doing before. It’s not as if being a secretary to a corporate mogul was glamorous but it certainly paid better.”
Remaining quiet, Dylan seemed to be studying the sky, taking a few sips of his drink. “Family is important. I get that. I haven’t seen my sister in several years, but I’d do anything for her.”
“That’s exactly the way I feel. Ashley is all I have. Our mom died recently, and it was a devastating blow, especially for my sister. They were so close.” I couldn’t help but wonder if Ashley was even alive. The thought gave me another moment of anger filtering into my system. I’d never told Michael about her, but I’d had a terrible feeling for months that he’d tracked her down in the same wretched way as he’d done me. “Maybe that makes me weak.”
“That makes you a very strong woman in my book,” he said quietly. “My sister and I were inseparable as kids. Divorce has a way of fixing that.”
“I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head. “We all have stories from our past, things that we’d rather not remember. At least I know she’s happy, found the man of her dreams.”
“As if those really exist.” I heard the glitch in his voice as soon as I’d made the statement. “I mean, it can happen. I just know it’s never going to be that way for me.”
“Why? Because you’re unlovable? If you think that’s the case, you’re lying to yourself.”
I took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air filtering into my lungs. “I just don’t think I have any idea what a real relationship looks like. Obviously, I’m a bad judge of character.”
“Well, families aren’t the same as they used to be. I think if you can find someone you trust and love with all your heart, it doesn’t matter what obstacles you face. You learn to adapt, even if that relationship isn’t traditional in the eyes of others or even God.”
“Wow. That’s interesting coming from you. Do you believe in love? Do you want to have something special just for you?” I wasn’t even certain why I was asking.
“Why interesting? Because I don’t deserve to have a life?”
“That’s not what I meant at all.”
He inched closer, leaning in as he stared into my eyes. “Has anyone ever told you that you have the most gorgeous eyes of any woman on this planet?”
“And you’re attempting to change the subject.”
Grinning, even in the waning light, I could see amusement in his eyes. “Why, yes, ma’am. In case you haven’t figured out, I’m not comfortable with answering questions about myself.”
“And Wade? He’s so angry.”
Dylan threw a look toward the door. “As I said, we all have our share of problems. He has his reasons for being closed off. We’ll just leave it that he’s had a rough life. By the way, has anyone ever told you that you ask too many questions?”
“More often than you have any idea about.”
“I’m serious about your eyes. They are incredible. You have the ability to melt a man down to a puddle of goo by just looking at him.”
“Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you?” My breath was scattered, my heart racing almost as much as when I’d been with Crockett earlier in the day. The three men were entirely different, each with their own way of handling things.
However, they were all dominating, refusing to back down to anything.
Reckless. I knew they’d rush into a risky situation without thinking.
Sexy. There was no denying the fact all three made my mouth water.
Maybe I was a danger junkie or a woman craving raw passion. Whatever the case, my legs were trembling.
He lowered his head, whispering in my ear, “I’ve been told I have a lot of charm, but I am a man who does know what he wants. What do you think about that?”
“I think,” I said as I pushed him away, kneading his chest through his shirt, “that you also hide behind that aw-shucks thing you have going on.”
“You sure about that, lady?” He rubbed his knuckles across my cheek, easily pushing my arm back in my direction as he crowded in closer. “There are a lot of untruths that have been flying around, but I am a homegrown Texas boy. We take what we want and right now, I want you.”
When he eased his mouth over mine, I was swept up in the moment.
The beautiful sunset.
The cool breeze.
The treacherous element.
And the taste of him, tangy yet sweet.
He pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me, jutting his hips forward until I was able to feel the hard throb of his cock pressing against his jeans. I’d seen enough from the caustic ruckus he’d had with Crockett to know there was bad blood between all of them. Maybe in Crockett’s absence this was nothing more than a chance to lay a claim.
But why bother?
This wasn’t about forever.
I pressed both hands against him, hating the fact I remained in dingy sweatpants and a flannel shirt while he was the epitome of a rugged cowboy fresh off the ranch. I tangled my fingers in his shoulder-length hair, arching my back in an effort to get even closer. I moaned into the kiss as he swirled his tongue around mine, holding me cautiously.
When his grip became firmer, his hand snaking up to fist my hair, I could feel the tension in him increasing. He dominated my tongue, the passion that erupted sending sparks across my field of vision.
I shifted my arms down his back, yanking his shirt from the tight confines of his jeans. The second I slipped my hands underneath, his body began to shake, the touch igniting another round of passion. I allowed my fingertips to dance across his skin, savoring the feel of his muscular back.
He rolled one hand to my buttocks, cupping my bottom as he dragged me off my feet. I was thrown by the desire racing through me and although it was entirely different than I’d experienced with Crockett, the sensations were equally powerful.
I was barely aware that he’d taken several steps, even opening the door and taking me inside until I heard the guttural sound coming from Wade’s throat.
“What do we have here?” Wade asked as he walked in our direction.
“What we have is a girl asking too many questions,” Dylan answered.
“Then I think we need to do something about that.” He took a deep breath before closing the distance until he was standing only a few inches away. “And I know exactly what to do.”
He yanked me away from Dylan, lifting me several inches off the floor, holding me with ease. When he lowered me down, he slid his hand behind my neck, his grip firm. There was no denying what he hungered for given the bulge cradled in his tight jeans or the raggedness in his breathing. The tight tee shirt he was wearing only accentuated his broad chest and sculpted arms, creating another wave of shivers trickling ever so subtly down my back.
As his eyes danced back and forth across mine, his upper lip curling, I could see he had so many questions in his mind, ones I couldn’t answer.
“Yeah, I think she’s one mischievous woman. Don’t you, cowboy?” Wade asked as he wrapped his hands around my arms.
“I think she’s having serious difficulty behaving as every guest should,” Dylan chuckled. “Maybe both of us need to teach her a valuable lesson, Big Daddy.”
Wade pretended to contemplate Dylan’s advice before dumping me over his shoulder.
“Let me go!” I squealed, pummeling my fists into his back.
“Not a chance, sweetheart. Crockett is the nice one of the group, but we’re done with playing games.” Wade laughed after saying the words, yet there he wanted me to believe that he was dominating in all things.
Butterflies churned in my stomach, my nipples scraping against the dense fabric of the itchy shirt as excitement surged through me. I should chastise myself, should feel guilty, but it was impossible. I only longed to have Crockett here.
Crockett, the surly man with a hidden heart of gold.
The sexy rogue with eyes leading to a broken soul.
The roughhewn bastard who refused to allow
anyone to get close.
I continued to struggle, my punches brutal.
The large man didn’t budge, turning as if in formation and walking toward the stairs. With every step he took, he smacked my bottom, the sound echoing in my ears.
There was no use in fighting, no sense in begging for release, but I continued to smack him, knowing I’d likely pay for my sins.
He took long strides down the upstairs hallway, kicking open the half-closed door to another bedroom. He wasted no time tossing me onto the end of the bed and before I had a chance to crawl off, he yanked me back by the waistband of the sweatpants. “If you think you’re going to get away, you’ve got another think coming.”
His husky growl wasn’t the only savage thing about him. When he delivered six or seven hard cracks against my backside, yelps floated from my pursed lips.
“I’d be careful if I were you. She’s a practiced fighter,” Dylan teased as he jerked his shirt over his head and shoulders, tossing the material several feet away. “I think it’s a good idea to tie her down on the bed.”
“Yup. A very good idea,” Wade answered. He leaned over, his hand still clutched around the dense cloth. “I wouldn’t mind keeping you there permanently. That is, if you learn to obey all three of us.”
“She’d gnaw her way through the rope,” Dylan muttered as he finished undressing, unable to take his eyes off me.
I appreciated every inch of his rugged body, including the scars I hadn’t noticed before. He had a quiet calm, although I had the distinct feeling there was also another side rarely seen by anyone.
“Then we’ll use steel,” Wade growled before reaching around me, grabbing both sides of the shirt.
After the buttons popped from the shirt, he dragged it off my shoulders, immediately brushing the rough pads of his fingers down my back. The socks were next and as I attempted to scramble toward the headboard, he dragged me back with ease.
“Not so fast, little princess. We both need to satisfy our cravings.”
I moaned, clawing at the bedding as he struggled to lower the sweatpants, smacking me several times when I wouldn’t calm down.