by Avery Gale
* * * *
The left side of Kat’s chest and her shoulder felt like it was on fire. Damn, something must have bit her. Damn, but she hated it when shit bit her. And what was all that noise? Geez, if she could just get her eyes open, she could figure out what the hell was going on. Where had all these people come from? Even though she couldn’t see them, she could hear them. And were those sirens she was hearing? This had to be the weirdest dream she’d ever had, and she’d had some doozies. Swearing she’d never drink Jenna’s margaritas again if she got out of this crazy dream, Kat felt Alex and Zach touch her and knew it was okay to just let herself slide in to sleep. They’d take care of it, whatever it was…Yeah, she’d just take a little nap, and it would all be gone soon.
* * * *
“Shit, she is losing a lot of blood! Where the fuck are those paramedics with that equipment?” Zach had been their team’s medic, so he’d grabbed his med-kit on the way past his room, but it didn’t have everything he needed. Christ, he knew it was a through-and-through injury, and based on the entrance and exit wounds, he was fairly certain it hadn’t done any major damage, but they wouldn’t know for sure without getting her to a hospital quickly. He couldn’t ever remember being this scared. There just wasn’t that much he could do besides keeping pressure packs on Kat’s chest and back until he had more to work with. Jesus Christ, someone had shot her! If she’d been steady on her feet, he had no doubt the bastard’s shot would have gone straight through her heart, she’d have been gone before she’d ever hit the floor. Even though the alcohol had likely saved her by making her unsteady, it was also making her bleed a lot more than she would have any other time. “Those paramedics need to get up here right fucking now!”
* * * *
Alex was shouting orders to their security team, getting them headed up the mountain to see if the shooter had left anything behind, because he was certain the bastard was long gone by now. Thank God Kat and Jenna had been sitting on the floor, if they’d been on the sofa, the guy would have had a clear shot much earlier, the way it was, he’d had to take a shot as Katarina had gotten to her feet, and the fact that she’d faltered had been her saving grace. He’d been more than a little annoyed all evening as the reports of their increasing intoxication made their way to the three of them, but he sure wasn’t going to be complaining about it now. He could see Zach working to stop the bleeding and had seen the signal he’d flashed earlier, letting him know the injury wasn’t life threatening, but she was still losing a lot of blood. He’d just heard Colt say the paramedics were making their way up the front staircase, so he’d started clearing a path for them immediately. Colt had gotten Jenna out of the way, and she was sitting like a statue, they’d need to assess her for shock right away also. To use one of their team’s favorite expressions, this had gone completely FUBAR—fucked up beyond all recognition—in a heartbeat. Jesus, they’d sworn they’d protect her, they’d promised her she’d be safe if she just stayed in her suite, the only thing keeping him from feeling like a total failure was his determination to make the son of a bitch responsible pay, and pay in a big way. Calvin Robertson had just signed his own death warrant as far as Alex was concerned; a sentiment he was quite sure his brother would second.
Chapter 18
The Climax hospital might be small, but it was as technologically advanced and well equipped as most big-city trauma centers, thanks to the generous donations of the Lamont family. Those donations had been made to help their community, and they had never been more grateful they’d made them than at this very moment.
Doc Woods met them in the ER. He might be old, but he’d seen it all, and he had Kat poked, prodded, scanned, and stitched up in no time. She’d been moved into a private room and was sleeping peacefully despite all the activity around her, no doubt compliments of the powerful pain meds she’d been given.
Nurse Ratchet, as the men had nicknamed her, had eventually threatened to throw them all out if they didn’t move their “loud-mouth selves” to the waiting room. Wicked woman was really starting to piss Alex off, and the worst part was she didn’t seem to be intimidated by him at all. What the fuck? He must be seriously losing his touch, first Jenna and now this nurse. Finally, Dylan Marshall, the local sheriff, had interceded and led her off down the hall. He was currently charming her with that bogus Texas good ole boy routine he’d perfected when he’d done so much undercover work during his time with the DEA. His name was an endless source of embarrassment for Dylan and had provided all of his friends with hours of teasing material when they’d been kids. And their teasing had reached a fever pitch when Dylan had decided to follow his dad into law enforcement. To this day, just the mention of the television show Gunsmoke wound him up like an eight-day clock.
After several years with the DEA, he left the agency just as his dad decided he’d had enough and wouldn’t be running for sheriff again. Technically, the investigation into the shooting would be under his jurisdiction, but Alex knew Dylan would be happy to work with them, they had resources his local budget wouldn’t ever support, and they weren’t limited by probable cause, warrants, etc. The thought that they’d be able to pull together information that wasn’t available through legitimate sources was the first thing in hours that had brought Alex anywhere near a smile.
* * * *
Zach stood by Kat’s bed, holding her small hand in his and thanked God, again, for another chance with her. She looked like a sleeping flower sprite, long blonde curls framing her sweet face on the pillow. She was still way too pale, but with the transfusions and IVs, she was regaining some color in her cheeks. She stirred but settled again when he brushed the backs of his fingers down the side of her face, she responded to both him and Alex even in her sleep, a sure sign that she belonged to them, they just had to make sure she knew it on a conscious level also. He knew Alex was haunted by their failure to protect her, but he wasn’t going to waste even one moment of his time with her focusing on regret. Alex would come to the same conclusion, it would just take him a little time. Alex had always taken his role as the oldest—even though he was only two minutes older than Zach—way too seriously in Zach’s opinion.
Alex moved back inside Kat’s room and handed a duffle to Zach. “Here, go clean up and get changed, you don’t want her to wake up and see you like that.” Alex knew Zach probably hadn’t even realized he was still covered in Kat’s blood. Zach passed her hand to him, it was a symbolic move and its significance wasn’t lost on Alex. Zach then he took the bag and moved silently out of the room. Alex had just spoken with Doc Woods, ensuring Katarina’s name would not appear in any hospital records. Even though her location had already been compromised, one of the things he knew was that there was never any reason to hand your adversary information you did not specifically want them to know. She’d told them that Robertson had made it very clear that he felt she belonged to him. Knowing the man would rather see her dead than with someone else was almost more than Alex could comprehend.
“Katarina, love, you need to open those beautiful blue eyes. Doc Woods has said you will be released into our care as soon as you wake up and he gets a last ‘look-see,’ to quote the old fart.” Alex was fond of the old doctor. Doc Woods had been a fixture in Climax forever, hell, he’d delivered most of the town’s current residents. Doc had always claimed they’d built the town around him, and Alex wasn’t altogether sure that was an exaggeration. Alex had assured Doc they’d be providing Katarina with round-the-clock medical care, and despite the fact she’d been shot while in their home, it would be much easier to secure her at ShadowDance than it would be in a public hospital. “Katarina, you are racking up a lot of punishments, my beautiful sub, don’t think we aren’t keeping count. Now, I’ve given you an order that expect you to follow without hesitation. Open your eyes for me, love.”
Something in Alex’s voice pulled her back up to the surface of consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked at the bright light above her bed. Alex quickly dimmed
the light and smiled down at her, God, he was so relieved to have her awake, he’d lost ten years off his life when he’d heard that rifle shot. The few seconds it had taken them to sprint up to her suite had been the longest of his entire life. If she thought they’d been overprotective before, she was about to find out just how restrictive they could be when it concerned her safety. “Welcome back, sweetheart. Glad to see you decided to rejoin us.” Alex’s voice nearly cracked with emotion, he was just so incredibly overwhelmed by the way she was looking at him as if he had the answers. God, he loved her so much.
Of all the things Alex had expected Katarina to say, her whispered “I’m so sorry” would never have even made the list.
“What?” Disbelief at what he’d heard had him asking, “Katarina, what on earth do you have to be sorry for? We’re the ones who failed to protect you! Zach and I are the ones who should be begging your forgiveness. Oh, love, please don’t cry. Tell me what you think you have done wrong.” Alex was being completely undone by her tears, he couldn’t imagine what on earth she was thinking.
“I’ve brought you nothing but trouble. I really need to leave Climax before someone I care about is hurt because I’m here. Please just let me go so you and your family are safe. I could never forgive myself if something happened to one of you because of me.” Kat knew she shouldn’t cry, she hated to cry, but things had just gotten so out of control. How had she made so many bad decisions? She just couldn’t see any other way but for her to leave. She was sure her heart would break in to a million pieces, but if it kept Alex and Zach safe, it would be worth it.
“Not happening, love. Now, let’s see what we can do about getting you out of here.” And with that, Alex turned and was out the door, cutting off any protests Kat might have voiced.
Chapter 19
Kat stood in front of the glass doors leading to the gardens, hugging her arms around her. It was a gesture of comfort more than an indication of being cold, but Zach stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “Cold, kitten?”
“No, just thinking.”
“Talk to me, kitten, what’s bothering you?” Zach had always been the more approachable of the two brothers, but Kat wasn’t sure she could even explain how she was feeling.
“I guess I’m just suffering from cabin fever. I’ve been out of the hospital for a week, and I haven’t even been allowed outside, much less off ShadowDance Mountain.” Kat knew she was going to start jabbering again, but she just couldn’t seem to stop it. “There hasn’t been any indication that I’m still in danger, and Jenna’s gone back to work somewhere in bum-fuck Egypt, and you and Alex are busy all the time, and you won’t let me go to The Club with you, and I’m bored out of my mind. You don’t even want to sleep with me; it’s the scars isn’t it?”
By the time she’d stopped for a breath, Kat was almost in tears, emotionally, she was still reeling, but she knew she didn’t dare mention that or she’d never get to leave the house. Sighing softly in resignation, she added, “Can I at least get my computer back? I could work, that would help. Besides, I need to put the finishing touches on a couple of projects for clients so I can get paid. I need to get back to work, I need to find an apartment in town, and I’ll need money to start over. I’m sure my studio in Vegas has been picked clean by now. It wasn’t exactly in the best neighborhood, I’m sure the only reason I hadn’t been robbed before was because I worked from home and rarely left for more than an hour or two. Anyway…I can’t just stay here and live off you and Alex, I’ve intruded long enough. Do you suppose you could bring my car up front sometime today?” Kat hadn’t missed the fact that Zach’s arms had tightened around her as she spoke, and she knew neither he nor Alex was going to be happy with her decision to move out, but she really needed to get back to work, and if they weren’t going to let her out of the house, she didn’t think she’d be able to take being cooped up much longer.
Zach turned her around so that she was facing him and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. “No, kitten, I’m afraid I can’t do that. As for not wanting to sleep with you, nothing could be further from the truth. But we knew you needed to rest and heal, and there was no way we could sleep with you and not spend the entire night inside you.
“As for the scars, you’re going to be in a lot of trouble for thinking we’re so shallow that we’d see those rather that the beautiful woman that you are, I’ll be adding that to the rather long list of punishments you have coming, kitten. But let’s see what we can do about getting you some fresh air, what do you say? Why don’t you head upstairs and change. Wear a sundress and nothing else. I’ll pack us a picnic and we’ll find a nice, secluded, sunny spot in the gardens.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and despite her best efforts, Kat giggled. Leave it to Zach to soften his refusal to bring her car up to the house with promise of some quality time together. As Kat headed up the stairs, Zach speed dialed Alex. “Seems our woman is in need of some attention. Meet us by the waterfall in twenty.”
* * * *
Kat loved the feel of the sunshine on her face, God, it felt good to be outside again. Walking along the stone path that meandered through the gardens hand in hand with Zach, she had enjoyed seeing all the hidden elements of The Club’s newest feature. She loved discovering all the little things that were tucked into small alcoves. There were a lot of benches in secluded spots, and she’d noticed they all had rings imbedded in them, for restraints no doubt. Smiling to herself, she thought about how it had felt the night Alex and Zach had restrained her, rather than frightening her like it had with Cal, she’d found it thrilling with the two of them. She saw several things that she wasn’t familiar with but decided it was probably wise to keep that information to herself for now. She had also noticed a lot of electronic monitoring and security equipment, it wasn’t always easy to spot, but it was obvious the safety of their members was a Club priority. She heard the sound of rushing water just before they rounded a corner, and Kat saw an amazing natural stone waterfall. The water rushed over the top and cascaded into the pool below. It was truly breathtaking, she couldn’t even move forward, she just stood and stared, completely captivated.
“So, what do you think, kitten?” Zach had turned so he could see her reaction, and he hadn’t been disappointed, her stunned look of awe had told him how much she liked the gardens’ centerpiece feature. The look on her face alone made all the frustration they’d faced getting this one piece of the project completed worth it. Her eyes flashed something close to pure childlike wonder as soon as she took in the waterfall and reflecting pool. “Hope you still like to swim, the water is kept at the perfect temperature year round, and I’m told the bubbles created by the waterfall add a little extra to the experience.” His sexy grin told her he knew exactly what that “little extra” was, too. “As soon as I get this blanket spread out, I want to check to see that you followed my directions. Since you mentioned going to The Club, I thought we spend this afternoon making sure you are ready for that.” As he spread out a blanket she hadn’t even seen him pick up, he continued talking. “Because you are ours, there will be some members who will have particularly high expectations for you, we want to make sure you are fully prepared. Remember, there are strict rules that need to be followed, we don’t want you to be inadvertently put in a position where you could be punished by another Dom. We don’t share well.” Zach’s smile might have looked easygoing, but the look of possession in his eyes told Kat he was quite serious. She tried to suppress the cold shiver of fear that ran up her spine at the thought of anyone but Alex or Zach touching or, God forbid, punishing her.
Chapter 20
Kat stood to the side of the blanket, arms down to her sides while Zach walked around her slowly. “You need to get used to being inspected, kitten. It will always be our right to view what is ours. This afternoon is going to be about making sure you fully understand what an evening at The Club might look like. Now, remove your dress, move your feet shoulder width apa
rt, and leave your hands at your sides.” Zach moved back several steps and stood with his bulging arms crossed over his chest, feet apart, watching her intently. Kat looked so apprehensive he had to resist the urge to smile. While he didn’t want her to be afraid, a little apprehension would enhance her sensations and the experience in general.
He’d noticed her looking around to be sure they were alone, and he was sure she’d noticed the cameras they used for surveillance. Zach didn’t intend to tell her he’d called the Crow’s Nest before they’d left the house and had Grayson shut down this sector. She’d need to be as proud of her body as they were, she’d often be in various stages of undress while at The Club, but he knew she was still very self-conscious of the lash marks on her back that hadn’t fully faded yet, not to mention the wounds from the rifle shot. Even though Doc Woods had done an amazing job of stitching her up, the scars on her chest and back were still red and angry looking against skin that looked like ivory satin. “Kitten, hesitating will get you punished. Remove the dress now.”
* * * *
Boy oh boy, this was it. Taking a deep breath, Kat slowly lifted the dress over her head and laid it aside. Spreading her legs apart as Zach had told her to, she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Zach raised one eyebrow at her and asked, “What were my instructions to you, kitten?”
“Um, you said to wear a sundress. This is the only sundress I had, isn’t it okay?” Kat was nervous, he didn’t look happy, and she wasn’t sure what she’d done wrong.