Gradually, a couple of people left and a few more straggled in. Each one looked a little more rain-drenched than the last, but no one gave her any trouble. A couple asked where she was from, and she simply replied that she was in town from Philadelphia, waiting for her sister to come pick her up.
One thing that pleased her was the lack of sleazy pickup lines. At home, a woman alone in a bar was certain to get propositioned at least once every three minutes. The elderly man had offered to take her home with him, and a trucker type had asked if she needed a drinking buddy, but when she’d politely declined, they’d simply sat at the bar and left her alone.
At first, she replayed the fight with her sister over and over again in her mind. She’d thought she was over the angry portion of her duped-and-divorced grief, but apparently not. She wondered if she ever would be. As the tequila started to warm her, though, her thoughts turned to the cause of the fight and she almost wished she could accept the Black brothers’ invitation. It had been so long since anyone had made her feel special. A part of her did long to have someone hold her close and silence her doubts. And both men were so damned sexy.
What if she could just let go and experience what her sister had? She’d fantasized about two men before, and Sarah was getting that on the regular. No wonder her skin glowed.
But what if that wasn’t what Adam and Levi had in mind? It was obvious they were both attracted to her, but maybe they’d want her to choose one of them to…to…what? Fuck? Yeah, that had to be it. They’d only just met her and as fine as they were, they probably had women fawning all over them. She was certain they were looking for a quick fling with the new chick in town. For some reason, that idea bothered her, but a couple of swallows of tequila later and she’d pushed past that. It was silly to worry that they didn’t want a relationship when she didn’t either.
“Whatcha drinkin’, Goldilocks?”
Original. While she’d been busy wondering what Adam and Levi wanted from her, a giant of a man had taken the bar stool next to hers. Before she could even respond, he pulled his bar stool so close to hers that they practically touched. He had dark eyes and hair almost as dark as Adam’s. He was nearly as big, too, but she didn’t like the way he draped one arm over the back of her stool and set the other in front of her on the bar. It was way too friendly, and even in her buzzed state, it made her nervous. She turned to the left, ready to put some distance between them, and found herself face-to-face with another wall of a man, this one bald, brawny, and reeking of alcohol.
“Where you going so fast?” the bald guy slurred. “We just got here.”
Hell if she knew exactly where she was going, but definitely away from them. Her mind worked furiously, trying to cut through the fog the alcohol had created. Leaving was a bad idea. They might follow her outside.
“You’re not from around here, are you?” Dark Hair asked. “Where ya from?”
Seriously? There was no way she was going to tell him she was from out of town, or lost, or any fucking thing. She looked for the bartender, hoping he’d notice her distress, but he was down at the other end of the bar flirting with another newcomer, a brunette in tight jeans and a soaked T-shirt.
“I’m waiting for my husband.” She put her left hand up on the bar, so he’d see her wedding band. Maybe he’d believe she was spoken for and go away.
“He’s not much of a man if he lets his woman out on a night like this.”
Lets his woman. That rankled. As if she needed permission to go out after dark just because she was female.
“Look, he’s due here any minute, and he has a nasty temper. I appreciate your offer, but I don’t want him to catch you draped all over me like this.”
Bald Guy half-grunted, half-laughed. “Oh, he’s got a temper? He beat that pretty little ass for ya?”
Dark Hair winked at her. “Don’t worry about him, honey. We’ll be in and out before he even gets here.”
Hope stared blankly at him for a minute before she realized what he meant by in and out. Disgusting. Did they think she was just going to fuck them in the bathroom or something? The alcohol she’d consumed bubbled and burned in her stomach at the thought of either of them touching her.
“I tried being polite. Now I just want you to move. I’m not interested.” They were seriously blowing her high. She started to get up, only to find a big, meaty hand on her shoulder, pushing her back down.
“Nah, girl. Don’t run off. We’re just being friendly. The three of us, we’re gonna have us a drink. And you’re going to go back to being polite. Jay and I, we like you better that way.”
She tried to wrench herself away, but Dark Hair only tightened his grip on her shoulder. “Take your hands off me.”
“Aww, Glenn, she’s got her back all up. That’s okay though, we know how to bring her back down again.” Bald Head’s laugh disgusted her. She’d left her pepper spray in the car, but if he kept laughing like that she’d have another weapon to use—vomit all over his dirty-ass sneakers.
“Hey, man. It doesn’t look like the lady’s interested.” She looked up with relief to see that someone had noticed what was going on. It was the surly guy who’d been in the bar since before she arrived. “Let the lady alone. Let her wait for her sister in peace.”
Dark Hair—Glenn—ignored her defender and chose instead to confront her with her lie. “Your sister, huh? Thought you were waiting for your husband. It’s okay, though, it’ll be double the fun when she gets here.”
Hope felt a tug on her hair and realized the repulsive animal called Jay was touching her hair, petting her like a cat. She cursed herself for drinking. She’d taken self-defense classes. Well, she’d gone for two months before getting too busy with clients and quitting. There were some moves she could use to defend herself, but her reflexes would be slow because of the alcohol. Then there was the fact that Glenn had to have well over a hundred pounds on her. She didn’t even want to think about how much the other one might weigh.
“I don’t want any trouble in here.” It was the bartender. He’d finally woken the fuck up and seen that she was in distress.
Glenn didn’t back down. He leaned in even closer to her, speaking loudly a couple of inches from her face. “Don’t start none, won’t be none.
It felt like the beginning of a bad dream. There was a feeling of dread along with a certain lack of reality. Was this really happening?
The bartender held up his hands. “I don’t wanna have to call the police.”
Hope swatted at Jay’s hands as he went for her hair again. “Please do. Call them right now.”
The room grew tense and silent as the man in work boots got up off his stool. Hope stared at the bartender, silently pleading with him to call the police, but he just stood there.
Glenn tightened his grasp on her shoulder then, gripping her so tightly she knew it would leave a bruise. “That’s not very friendly of you, now, is it? We’re just lookin’ to have a little fun and here you are acting like a bitch. I’ll tell you what, though. I’ma forgive you. Why don’t the three of us just get out of here and I’ll let you make it up to me?”
It was then or never. He clearly wasn’t going to take no for an answer, and she didn’t want to end up on the late-night news. Trying desperately to remember what she learned in self-defense class, Hope quickly grabbed the pinky of the hand holding her shoulder and bent it back the wrong way until Glenn yelled and she heard a crack that could only be his finger breaking. Jay yanked her backward by the hair so hard her scalp felt like a fire had been lit to it, and Glenn, clutching his wounded hand, raised his foot to kick her.
Everything happened quickly then. The man in the boots went barreling into Glenn, and Jay let go of her to join the fray. The bartender scrambled behind the counter and came back up with a gun, yelling, “Stop that right now! I don’t want that shit in here!” He didn’t look steady enough to aim that thing and shoot the right person.
“Call the fucking police!” Hope yelled, making fo
r the back of the bar and someplace she could lock herself into. Glenn grabbed hold of her ankle and yanked, pulling her to the floor. She screamed and kicked out at him, fighting with everything she had. He only had the one good hand, but he used his body weight to pin her. She couldn’t see what was happening with the only person who’d come to her defense or that stupid-ass bartender. He hadn’t even fired a warning shot.
Terror coursed through her veins, but Hope would fight until Glenn either knocked her out or killed her. His weight crushed the breath out of her as she struggled to free her arms with the intention of digging her nails into his eyes. Her efforts meant she felt more of his disgusting body than she wanted to, but there was no hope for it.
Hope had just managed to free one arm when a furious male face appeared in her line of vision, its owner yanking Glenn off her and throwing him against the bar. She scrambled to her feet, prepared to snatch the gun from the bartender if she had to, but he was nowhere to be found.
She looked back at the man who’d pulled Glenn off her and froze. Did her panicked brain recognize him? It took another few seconds before she could place him. It was Adam pummeling Glenn up against the counter. The brute fought back with his one good hand, but he lost the fight when Adam landed an iron-heavy punch to his jaw and sent him sprawling to the ground.
The man in work boots was bloody, shaken, and barely standing, but he’d been relieved by another man. She could only see his back and the color of his hair as he traded blow for blow with Jay, but it had to be Levi.
Hope watched the fight with a sick feeling in her stomach. Jay was just as tall as Levi and much heavier, so each blow he landed made a sickening thud. As much as she just wanted to run away or hide out somewhere until the police arrived, she couldn’t leave him to fight that tank of a man alone. She looked desperately for a weapon, anything she could toss him to help even the battle. It wasn’t that Levi was losing. He was more than holding his own. It was just that Hope didn’t know how long he could keep that up. He’d tire, and then Jay’s size would give him the upper hand.
Seconds later, Levi put an end to her worries. He landed a solid blow to Jay’s face and followed up by bringing a chair down on his head. She watched in surprised relief as the foul man crumpled at Levi’s feet.
* * * *
Adam exchanged a glance with Levi, and his brother read his intentions perfectly. Levi went to work looking for something with which to bind the subdued men, and Adam approached Hope. She was obviously shaken and with very good reason. Anger and shock seeped from her pores, but fear lingered as well, and Adam wanted to take that away. He knew it was too soon, but he approached her deliberately and crushed her to his chest.
She immediately stiffened and Adam thought she’d push him away, but after a heartbeat or two she came apart in his arms, shaking and crying. His embrace wasn’t gentle. He wanted her to feel his strength and know she was safe. As sobs wracked her body, he held her close, repeating over and over again that she was safe with him, that he wouldn’t let anyone harm her. He found it difficult to stand still. He wanted to simultaneously comfort her and beat the men who’d hurt her into the floor. He calmed himself with the thought that comforting his mate was the priority. He’d rip them apart later.
As her sobs began to slow, Adam hazarded a change in embrace and began to stroke her hair. Having found rope with which to bind the men who’d assaulted her, Levi gave Adam a chastising look. Yes, it was much too soon for this and she could balk and push him away, but she didn’t. Her hair felt like spun silk in his fingers and her softness felt right in his arms. He just wished he held her under better circumstances.
Eventually, the moment came when she did push away from him. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually such a mess.”
“Don’t apologize. You handled yourself surprisingly well.” It wasn’t flattery. He was impressed with the way she’d been fighting her attackers off. “Are you hurt? Physically? Beyond the bumps and bruises?” Her eyes were red and puffy, her shirt torn. He could see a couple of scratches near her shoulder blade and what looked like the beginning of a bruise in the same area.
“No.” She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. “You got here just in time.”
Adam didn’t have to ask what they’d been after. This little town had a reputation for attracting the worst types, and he wasn’t surprised only one person had tried to help her. All except the man who’d been fighting the bald guy had scuttled away like insects as he and Levi joined the fight. This sort of thing just didn’t happen in Silver Spring or River’s Bend.
He looked over to where Levi was helping the construction-worker type to his feet. Then his gaze fell on the dark-haired fucker, who was now lucid and nursing his hand.
“Did you do that? Break his hand?”
“Just his finger.”
Adam couldn’t help but grin at that, and he thought he saw the ghost of a smile touch her lips. He wanted to give her a high five or something. “Like I said, you handled yourself very well.”
She looked embarrassed and quickly changed the subject. “I was lucky you just happened to be here.”
“It wasn’t luck. We were out looking for you. Sarah called us. She was worried when it started getting dark and she hadn’t heard from you.”
“The sun went down and I realized I didn’t have my phone, which actually has a GPS on it. Then I got lost and when the rain started, I just thought it would be better to wait it out in here. It was stupid…I should never have—”
“Stop. None of this is your fault. None of it.”
Her eyes suddenly looked brighter and Adam realized she was trying to blink away fresh tears. He reached out and took her in his arms again, intending to keep her there until she believed him.
* * * *
Hope was surprised at herself. Not only had she already cried twice in Adam’s arms, but she’d let Levi hold her hand and stroke her hair while she recounted the entire story to the police officer who’d shown up to collect the vermin who attacked her. The brothers hadn’t seemed too pleased to see the officers, and Hope wondered what that was about, but they put their full attention into making her feel as comfortable as possible as she shared her story with the police officers.
Before the officers had even arrived, Adam had torn the bartender a new one for failing to help her and then gone behind the bar himself to prepare a hot drink for her. She wasn’t even sure what it was, but its heat somehow helped stabilize her.
Levi had bandaged her scratches with something bordering on tenderness. What amazed her most was the strength she seemed to draw from the men, despite the fact that she barely knew them. Then there were the intense feelings of lust that jolted through her body whenever they touched her. Even as she’d cried in Adam’s arms, she’d been aware of it. As inappropriate as it was, talking with the police officers hadn’t dampened it, either. Her panties were practically soaked from it, and all she could attribute that to was shock from her ordeal.
Maybe it was the stress of the day, but she actually felt a pang each time Adam or Levi walked away from her. When Adam walked to the door to guide the EMTs over to Jake, the guy who’d tried to fight those monsters for her, she felt almost a physical need to have his arm around her again. When Levi walked away to speak with Sarah on the phone, she felt the same intense desire to have his hand cradling hers once more.
Hope had talked to Sarah and reassured her that she was none the worse for wear, but Levi was considerate enough to call again to provide an update once the police officers had left with her attackers.
Coming back to sit beside her, Levi stroked her hand in a rhythm that seemed to match the gentle throbbing she was trying to ignore in her clit. “The storm hasn’t let up and our place is closer than Sarah’s. You’re coming home with us tonight, and we’ll take you home in the morning.”
“What?” She snatched her hand away in surprise at his words, and then immediately wished she’d managed a smoother way to extricate hers
elf. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she was shocked by what he’d suggested and more than a little embarrassed. Could he sense her arousal? That was ridiculous, but somehow she couldn’t shake the feeling that he could, that both of them could. “No. I can’t. I don’t even know you. I mean, thank you. Really, I could never thank you enough, but I can’t go home with two men I’ve only just met.”
Adam leaned closer, his male scent teasing her nose. “We’ll never hurt you or let anyone else harm you. Nothing will happen at our home that you don’t want to happen.”
That last part set her heart to racing. What she wanted to happen was part of the problem. As his eyes searched hers, she could swear he knew exactly what she was thinking.
“Do you trust us?”
As illogical as it was, she trusted them with her life. And it wasn’t just the fact that they’d swooped in to save her. Somehow, the feeling that they’d protect her with their own lives came from somewhere deep inside her.
“Yes.” It came out as a whisper, but they both heard her. Levi squeezed her hand while Adam broke into a grin so bright it could light a stadium. Her heart did flip-flops at the sight of it. When she turned to Levi and saw a similar smile on his face, she knew she was in trouble. These men were just too damned good-looking for their own damned good.
“Good. Let’s get you home.” Levi gave her a hand up, and Adam guided her out the door with a hand on her waist. Somehow, their touch just felt right.
Chapter 3
It took everything in Levi’s power to keep from manhandling Hope to the floor and taking her right inside the foyer. Having his mate in his home was almost too much. If she were already a wolf shifter, he’d have taken her already, but they had to move slowly with their human mate. And she was worth waiting for. Her tantalizing smell told him that, but his wolf wouldn’t stop growling and panting with need.
Claiming Hope [Wolves of River's Bend 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 3