Sarge growled at the other woman surprising Lila because the friendly mutt seemed to like everyone.
“Excuse me?” Lila asked. What was she talking about?
“Born from a whore, become a whore,” the girl sang. Was she a few screws loose?
“You’re not his girlfriend, you know,” the woman continued. “He’s just using you. And no amount of lingerie or spa treatments is going to turn you into something you’re not.”
“Who are you talking about?” Lila asked.
“He might take you dancing, you might live in his home and answer his phone, but he’s going to be mine forever.”
Suddenly Lila remembered where she recognized her from. She was that waitress from Dirty Delights, the one who had spilled a drink on her.
“You were at Dirty Delights the other night. Who are you? Are you following me?” Lila asked, growing alarmed.
The other woman ignored her questions. “When I met your precious mommy a few weeks ago I couldn’t believe my luck. At first I couldn’t understand what he saw in you, but after meeting your mother, I now understand. You’re his whore. You’re not his woman; you service the three of them. This is just a phase he needs to go through before he settles down with me. I understand. Then he’ll come back to me, where he should be. You know, you should just cut your losses now, they’ll never marry you. Do you even know your father? I suppose your mother could hardly narrow it down, could she?”
Lila was shocked, speechless. Her stomach had dropped at the mention of her mother. Which one of Lila’s men was she talking about? She took a good look at the woman standing before her. She was dressed a lot nicer than the other night in black slacks and a white shirt. Was she even a waitress?
“How did you meet my mother?” Lila finally asked.
“She was asking questions about you. I was happy to answer. How do you think she knew you were at Dirty Delights that night?” the other woman scorned. “Because I called her of course.”
“Who are you?” Lila asked again.
The other woman sneered. “None of your business, whore. I just came to deliver a message. Get your dirty whore hands off my man.”
“Listen, I don’t know who you are, or which one of my men you think is yours. But I am no whore. They are mine. So just stay away from me and them.” Lila opened the driver’s door and quickly jumped in, slamming and locking the door before she backed out of the park and drove off.
About twenty minutes out of town, her phone started ringing. Pulling safely over, she dragged it out of her bag, sighing with relief as she saw Trace’s name.
“Hey, where are you?” Trace asked.
“About twenty minutes out of Freestown.”
“Freestown?” Trace asked, sounding surprised. “What you doing there?”
“I got some groceries, we were nearly out,” she explained. “I left a note,” she added quickly. After her accident, when she’d nearly ended up spending the night in the open by herself, she’d been very careful to make sure they knew where she was going.
“Oh, right, here it is. Sorry, I didn’t see it. I was going to get groceries this afternoon. What vehicle are you driving?”
“Clay’s truck.”
“Goddammit, that’s too big for you to be driving around in. You better not be driving right now,” he warned.
“No,” she said with exasperation. “I pulled off the road, Trace. I’m not stupid.”
“Well, good,” he replied. “I’ll wait at the house for you to get here and help you unpack.”
“I’m fine,” she told him. “You can go back to work.”
“I’ll see you soon,” he said, ignoring her. “Drive slowly and carefully. If you run into any trouble I want you to call me. We really need to get you a car. See you soon.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too, sugar lips.”
Rolling her eyes, a grin on her face, she drove home. Trace walked towards the truck as she pulled up. Opening her door, he caught her with a surprised chuckle as she launched herself at him.
“Now, that’s a greeting a man could get used to,” he told her, squeezing her tight. “You all right?” He stared at her in concern.
“Yep, fine.”
“You’re pale and stressed looking,” he said. “You didn’t run into any trouble while driving the truck, did you?”
“No. I really am all right. I do have something to talk to you about, but later, all right? It’s nothing urgent.”
He watched her for a long moment before nodding. “You go on inside,” he insisted. “I’ll haul these in and you can unpack.”
Grabbing her handbag, she stuffed the bag with the sexy nightgown she’d bought into it and went inside to hide it in her room.
Fifteen minutes later everything was unpacked and she and Trace were sitting in the living room, each with a glass of iced tea.
“Right,” he said, leaning forward with a look on his face which had her bottom clenching. “I’ve sat here waiting for you to speak and you haven’t said a word. So are you going to tell me what you’re fretting about or am I going to put you over my knee and start spanking until you start speaking?”
Her jaw dropped at his words. This wasn’t Trace. Trace was the sane, calm one. That sounded more like something Gavin would say.
“You can’t spank me to make me talk. That’s torture!” she protested indignantly.
He snorted. Then his eyes turned devious. “Well maybe there is another way to get you to talk, how about erotic torture instead?” Reaching for her, he easily pulled her over her lap, holding her as she wriggled and swore.
Goddammit, why couldn’t she have fallen for a weakling? Someone she could have overpowered?
“Let me go, Trace!”
Trace chuckled. “I don’t think so, I like you here like this, at my mercy, open to my touch.” He raised her skirt and tugged down her panties.
“Trace!” she groaned.
“Part your legs, Lila.”
She hesitated and he slapped her butt cheeks.
“Ow,” she cried splitting her thighs apart. “You don’t have to do this; I was going to tell you.”
“I know, but this is more fun.”
“Urgh, what’s happened to you? Before you sounded just like Gavin and now you sound more like Colin.”
Trace laughed and parted her bottom cheeks, running his finger up and down her crack before pushing it further down to her wet folds. He swirled his fingers in her juices, pushing two fingers deep inside her to thrust gently.
“Oh God,” she cried out, arching back in reaction.
“Like that, baby?” he crooned.
“You know I do,” she cried out.
“Good, then start talking,” he demanded. Dammit, she wasn’t used to this dominant side of Trace.
“Trace! Couldn’t we, you know, and then we’ll chat?” He pulled his fingers from her pussy to tap her sensitive clit. She needed to come. Now!
“I don’t think so,” he said slowly, drawing his fingers back just as she’d been about to explode. “Talk to me then I’ll let you come.”
Lila groaned, unable to believe the depth of his cruelty. Part of her wished she’d just opted for the spanking.
Trace parted her bottom cheeks again, pressing one damp finger against her asshole. Lila clenched her teeth, her legs twitching as need flooded through her.
“Trace, no,” she groaned.
“Oh yes,” he replied. “Have I told you how much I love this ass? It’s firm, round and so very sexy. I could stare at it for hours and not grow tired.”
Her face was on fire even as her insides stirred, arousal building. Which was crazy, she shouldn’t be turned on by this, should she?
A slap landed on her bottom, then Trace rubbed the slight sting, its heat spread from her ass throughout her body.
“Do you know a woman about half a head taller than me with long, dark brown hair and blue eyes?” she said quickly. “Slim build.”
Tra
ce pushed his finger further inside her asshole. “Possibly, sounds like a few women I know.”
“I’ve never met her before, but she was waitressing at Dirty Delights the other night. She spilled a drink on me and I don’t think it was accidental. Then today in Freestown she came up to me as I was about to drive home. She said she was the one who told my mother I was at Dirty Delights that night. She seems to think she has a claim on one of you and that when you grow tired of me you’ll get rid of me for her because I’m a whore like my mother.”
Trace swore and turned her over to hold her on his lap. “Baby, you know that’s not true, don’t you?”
“Course I do,” Lila said indignantly. “I’m no whore and I know you guys love me, but this woman is obviously deranged and I’m worried about you guys. What if she tries to hurt one of you?”
“You’re such a doll to worry about us, but you’re the one she seems to be fixated on and I don’t like it one bit. I’m not sure who she is but we’ll talk to Gavin and Colin about her tonight, see what they think. I’ll give Devon a call as well and get the names of all his waitresses.”
Devon Fletcher owned Dirty Delights and had been a friend of Trace’s for years.
Lila shook her head. “That’s just it. I’m not sure she does work there. I didn’t really think about it before, but don’t all the waitresses wear little tank tops with the bar’s logo on it?”
“Yeah, they do.”
“This woman’s top didn’t have a logo. I think she was just pretending to be a waitress to get close to me.”
“I don’t like this one bit. From now on, you go nowhere alone, do you understand me? One of us will take you wherever you need to go.”
“Trace,” she began.
“No,” he told her sternly. “This is not up for negotiation. You’re under our protection. You break this rule, darling, and I will make any spanking you’ve received so far look like love taps.”
Lila nodded.
“Answer me in words, Lila.”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied.
“Good girl,” he murmured. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you.”
“I know you will.”
He grinned. “And right now I think you need some very special care, don’t you?”
She answered his grin with one of her own, squealing as he stood and swung her over his shoulder. With a slap to her butt, he raced up the stairs to her bedroom, where he took very, very good care of her.
*****
Lila followed her men into the living room. Gavin and Colin sat on the sofa, while Trace took the armchair.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Gavin asked in concern.
Trace answered him. “Lila has something to tell you both. Go ahead, honey.”
She took a deep breath. “All right, just don’t interrupt me until I’m done, okay?”
Colin and Gavin nodded. She paced, telling them about her encounter with the fake-waitress the other night and seeing her again this afternoon. Gavin went to interrupt a few times, but managed to stop himself.
“So,” she finished. “Do either of you have any idea who this woman is?”
Gavin shook his head. “She could be any number of women from her description except for the fact that she’s crazy. You don’t go anywhere by yourself from now on, understand me?”
Damn, she was going to be spending a lot of time at home. She wanted to argue but knew they were right, there was something wrong with this woman.
“Devon emailed me a list of waitresses at Dirty Delights,” Trace said. “But we couldn’t figure out who it might be. The only waitress with long, dark hair is Missy and she’s not exactly slim.”
“Colin?” She stared at Colin, worried by how pale he was. “Are you okay? You’re awfully quiet.”
“This woman, did she happen to have a necklace on? A locket with a gold chain?”
Lila screwed up her face in concentration. “Yeah. I think she might have. Why? Do you know her?”
“Know her?” He laughed derisively. “I gave her that locket. Of course, she had short hair back then.”
“Fuck, why didn’t I think of that,” Trace said. “Sara.”
Colin nodded miserably, running his hand through his hair. “This is my fault. I brought this on us.”
“No,” she told him, moving over to sit on his lap. Colin pulled her close and rocked her. “None of this is your fault. Can you honestly tell me that you thought she would do this?”
“Hell no,” he said emphatically. “She said I was disgusting. Why the hell would she think I was still interested in her after what she did?”
“She’s obviously got problems,” Gavin said in a low voice.
“None of this is your fault,” Lila told him gently. “Was it my fault my mother came here, threatening us?”
“No,” Colin said with a frown. “And I don’t want you thinking that way.”
“And I don’t want you thinking this way,” she told him.
Colin nodded and rocked back and forth, holding her tight.
“I think we need some extra security,” Gavin said. He rose. “I’m going to go ring Matthias. He and his brothers can install an alarm.”
“Do you think that’s necessary?” Lila asked. “I mean, all she’s really done is spill a drink on me. Well, and maybe she’s been following me too.”
The men looked at her.
“I just remembered what she said about Colin taking me dancing and my going to the spa. She must have been watching me.”
Gavin stared at her. Hard. “She’s obviously delusional if she thinks she and Colin have something going on. Who knows what she will do as time goes on and you’re still here with us? I won’t risk your safety, Lila.”
Colin clasped her face in his hands. “Just let us take care of you, Lila. Please. I’d never forgive myself if she managed to hurt you.”
Lila melted. “Okay, I promise. I’ll do what you guys think is best.”
Chapter Fourteen
Gavin stood, stretching with a yawn. “Time for bed.” He held out a hand to Lila.
She shook her head. “I’m going to wait up for Colin.”
Trace ran his hand over her head. “He could be gone all night, shorty.”
Colin had been called out to a mare having trouble giving birth a few hours ago. Lila wanted a chance to talk to him alone, though, so she was prepared to wait.
Since her encounter with Sara a few days ago, Trace and Gavin had been around a lot more. Sometimes she was lucky to use the bathroom alone. Colin, though, seemed to be avoiding her.
Yesterday, Matthias Simons had shown up with his two brothers, Beau and Jonty, and installed a state of the art security system. She hated to think of how much it had cost, hated that her men had spent more money on her. Although she had a plan to pay them back.
“You need your rest, Lila,” Gavin said worriedly, running the tips of his fingers over her cheek. “You’re exhausted, baby girl.”
“I know,” she said. “But I’ll sleep better if I can talk to Colin; he’s getting even less sleep than I am.”
Gavin and Trace looked at each other before Gavin sighed and leaned down to kiss her while Trace left the room.
“All right, but get some rest while you’re down here, okay?” Gavin ordered gruffly. She saw the caring in his eyes and her body filled with warmth.
Trace returned with a pillow and a thick blanket which he tucked around her before placing a kiss on her forehead. “Night, baby.”
“Night,” she replied sleepily.
*****
“Shit! Goddammit!”
Lila awoke with a gasp, sitting up as she heard a loud thud followed by more swearing.
“Hello?” she called out. “Colin?”
“Lila?” Light flooded the room and she groaned, placing her arm over her eyes.
“Shit, sorry baby, keep your eyes covered while I turn the lamp on instead.”
When he sat beside her, she turned to him, lowering her arm slo
wly.
“What are you doing down here, Lila?” he asked, worry in his eyes. He cupped her face. “Are you feeling okay?”
Lila nodded. “I was waiting for you. I wanted to talk.”
Colin frowned, tapping her nose in reproach. “You could have talked to me in the morning. You should be in bed, you won’t get a good sleep down here and I could have been gone all night.”
“I know, but it seems like I never get a moment alone with you now. Are you avoiding me?”
“Yeah, I have been,” he admitted. She stared at him, aghast. “Hey, Lila, no. Shit, I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.” He pulled her onto his lap and wrapping the blanket around her so she didn’t get chilled.
“H-have you decided I’m more trouble than I’m worth?”
Colin glanced down at the precious bundle in his arms and cursed himself. They were always telling her how important communication was and here he was, shutting her out. And she’d assumed it was somehow her fault.
“Hey now, you get that thought out of your head right now. I am not avoiding you because of anything you’ve done or because I’m sick of you or any other nonsense like that. I was trying to keep my distance because,” he sighed, “I was hoping to draw Sara out. I thought she might approach me if she saw I was alone. Although she’s had plenty of chances to approach me in the last eight months so I’m not surprised that she’s stayed hidden. I’m going to go to Hocken tomorrow, well, today actually.” He glanced up at the clock which showed it was just after three in the morning.
“By yourself? No way,” she said emphatically.
“Baby, I’m hoping that I can talk to her, convince her that there is nothing between me and her.”
“And what if she won’t listen?” Lila demanded. “What if she pulls a gun on you?”
Colin smiled slightly. “I hardly think she’s going to do that.”
“You don’t know that,” Lila insisted. “You guys think she’s dangerous enough to watch me like a hawk, to install an expensive alarm system and yet you’re just going to go and confront her alone? I don’t think so.”
Colin stared down at her, wondering how he’d gotten so lucky. He brushed her silky hair back off her face. “How the hell did I get someone as wonderful as you?”
Lila's Loves Page 17