She decided the least she could do was make some sweet tea. She had been avoiding him and his brothers for the last week, and it seemed they hadn’t expected that to be her response when they told her that Corporal explained everything to them. She felt exposed, raw, and she hadn’t even dealt with what happened to her, how close she came to being raped, how she escaped being hunted through the woods, or how she’d killed a man. Hell, she was a witness to cops being shot, Detective Brothers being killed, and now multiple men wanted her dead. Her life was in shambles.
Once she’d made the sweet tea and gathered glasses, looked out to see how he was coming along. Her jaw dropped and her heart skipped a beat as Damon pulled off his shirt and a sea of muscles and black tattoos were scattered everywhere. The man was a God. She was in serious trouble.
She straightened out her shoulders and refused to be affected by the man. She walked outside with the pitcher of sweet tea and glasses. She placed them down on the small table on the porch.
“I made some sweet tea if you get thirsty,” she called out to him. He stopped chopping, those chords of muscles glistening with sweat seeming bigger now from the workout.
“I’m good,” he barked and she was shocked at his response.
She didn’t know how she pissed him off or what exactly his problem was. Maybe he thought she should be helping in another way. She looked at the pile of wood she started and that he was adding logs to. She walked over and picked up an armful and began to bring them to the front porch to place in the wood holder. As she turned to come down the steps, he was standing there staring at her.
“What are you doing?”
“Helping.”
“I’ll do it.”
“I want to help. It’s wood for my fireplace.”
“You could hurt your ribs.”
“At this point pain is pain,” she said and bent down to pick up wood when she felt the hand on her arm. Damon pulled her up.
“You’re in pain? Where?” he asked, and reached out and placed his hand on her side.
“I’m fine, Damon, really. It isn’t anything I can’t handle and Grady said they’d be sore for a while.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. She realized in that moment as her eyes left his face and roamed over his body that his nipples were pierced. A wave of lust flushed over her and then shyness, like he was super experienced, older, and who the hell knew what he was into. When she glanced up he licked his lower lip.
“Don’t push yourself to do more. I’ll finish up the stacking.” He turned around and went back to chopping wood and she went back to stacking the wood with her mind on Damon’s body and how it would feel to lick and tease that nipple while tugging on the piercing. Her face felt flushed and her pussy spasmed. Oh yeah, she was definitely in trouble here.
* * * *
Drover was driving his truck into the main entrance of the campgrounds when he spotted Thelma. He stopped in to talk to her for a few minutes.
“How is Berlin doing?” she asked him.
“Seems to be adjusting okay. Her ribs are healing well.”
“That’s good. You men keeping eyes on her?” she asked and Drover nodded his head while he looked around at a few new faces coming to stay at the campsite.
“Hey, something going on? You hear from your cousin?” she asked, being sure not to say his name just in case. Aunt Thelma knew a thing or two about undercover operations and agents. She was married to an operative in the marines for years. Their uncle Don was killed while working undercover.
“We heard from him the other day. Got a better understanding of the situation,” he said, but his eyes landed on a few men heading onto the trails, and specifically one that would skim by the property line of Berlin’s cabin.
“You got names of all these new campers coming in?” he asked.
“Those four are businessmen from Charlotte. They usually come in the spring but had to reschedule because of personal reasons and come this fall instead.”
He nodded, accepting her explanation. He was on guard and truly didn’t want Berlin to ever suffer again.
“What did your cousin tell you?”
He gave her a sideways expression.
“Oh, come on with that bullshit. She’s an attractive woman. Men were hitting on her right off the bus by the station.”
“What?”
“Yeah, yeah, I took care of it. She’s very attractive and was banged up good. Just tell me she wasn’t sexually assaulted. She’s such a sweet young woman.”
“No, Aunt Thelma, she wasn’t, but came close enough to it and fought them off.”
“Them? Son of a bitch pigs. Is that what Corporal is worried about? Those men looking to finish up?”
“That and even more. Just be sure to keep your eyes out for anything suspicious. Because of the sensitivity of the situation and what Corporal explained, I’m going to handle any inquiries personally and with people I trust.”
“Oh crap. No sheriff then?”
“No.”
“Okay, well Berlin is supposed come down here tomorrow morning and head into town for food shopping.”
“Maybe she can go with Grady and Damon. I have a lot of work on the computer tomorrow.”
“It’s not a big deal. I’m sure we’ll be fine, and in and out quickly.”
“I’ll run it by the guys and Berlin on my way back.”
“Okay, keep me posted,” she said and Drover got back into the truck to head up the hill to the private homes. He glanced at those four men and could see them heading through the trail. At least he would be by Berlin’s cabin before they got past there.
As he pulled up, he spotted Berlin carrying and stacking wood and Damon chopping some. It looked like they’d both been at it a while. He stopped the truck as Damon hit the final pieces and then wiped his brow with the back of his arm.
“What’s going on over here?” he asked, getting out of the truck.
“I was chopping wood when Damon decided I shouldn’t or I could cut my leg off,” she said and smirked. She dumped more wood onto the pile in front of the wood holder and then lined them up perfectly.
“Where did you learn how to do that?” he asked and Damon walked closer to the porch.
“Do what?” she asked, pouring Damon a cup of sweet tea and handing it to him to drink.
Drover was surprised at the feeling he had seeing them comfortable with one another. He missed a lot in the last few hours.
Damon hardly even spoke to him and his brothers. Had he been speaking with Berlin?
“He means not slopping them on the rack but layering them perfectly,” Damon told her. She looked up at Damon and then toward Drover. “I like things nice and organized, and other things I don’t really worry too much about.”
“You really shouldn’t be doing all that work with your ribs still healing,” Drover said to her as he looked at her body and nearly drooled. She had some figure on her. The tank top showed off how well-endowed she was, and the hem barely covered her belly. He wished the bandages weren’t there so he could see her skin again like he had when they helped Grady wrap her ribs.
She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and her jeans were snug and hugged her curves.
“I’m fine and feeling a lot better. Actually, I’m going to be removing the bandages. I don’t need them anymore. It’s too uncomfortable and feels worse with them against my skin.”
“You need to let Grady decide when you can take them off. It’s for your wellbeing,” Drover told her.
She took an unsteady breath, her pretty pink lips parted and he wondered how she might taste. How those lips would feel against his.
“I think I know what’s right for my wellbeing, Drover.”
“I’m not trying to boss you around,” Drover added.
“Hmm,” she said and turned to walk away.
“One more thing,” he said and she turned and exhaled like she was annoyed with him. Why that fact got under his skin, he didn’t know. She was to
ugh.
“What would that be?” she asked, tilting her head as if pacifying him but not really caring what he said. He noticed Damon put the plastic cup down and then reach for his shirt and put it back on.
“Thelma said that the two of you are heading into town tomorrow. I think you should go with either Damon or Grady.”
“Thelma said we would be quick. You guys have your own work to do and I don’t need a babysitter. I think we’ll be fine.”
“I’m not taking any chances,” he said and then they heard voices. When he looked past her and to the side of her cabin, he saw the four men walking and talking. She turned to look and Damon wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. Drover felt a series of things. Arousal at seeing his brother’s instant, protective move over Berlin. Desire to feel her in his arms, hell between them as they explored her. Concern that the four men were casing out the place and seeing if she were there. But as he watched them, they didn’t even look at them or the cabin.
His eyes landed on Berlin and Damon. How petite she was compared to his brother, who was filled with muscles and six-foot-four.
“Who are they?” she whispered, holding onto Damon’s arm, looking scared.
He stepped closer and cupped her cheeks.
“Your safe here with us. They’re campers following a trail that leads up this way. I saw them on the way in. They didn’t even look this way.”
Her breathing was rapid, her lips parted and her eyes wide. “How can you be sure? Did you investigate them? Do a background check? Find out where they came from, when they arrived, when they might be leaving? Did you?” she rambled on and it shocked him to see her fear. The curtain of strength and independence dissipated in the face of potential danger.
“Shhh, you’re okay. Damon and I were right here and ready to protect you.”
“With what? An axe? Your bare hands? With what?” she asked, her voice quivering.
He released her cheeks and lifted his shirt. Her eyes landed on his Glock.
She exhaled, closed her eyes, and relaxed.
His brother slowly released his hold on her and she opened her eyes and glanced over her shoulder at Damon.
“Thank you, Damon,” she whispered. Damon stared at her lips, her breasts, and then her eyes.
“Grady will go with you to the store tomorrow,” Damon said and then stepped back and walked away, heading up to the hill.
She stared at his back and then turned to look at Drover.
“Did I anger him?” she asked.
Drover shook his head and licked his lower lip. “No, sweetie, Damon is a quiet man who keeps to himself and doesn’t really socialize. I was surprised to find him here helping you.”
“I don’t think he was happy about it. Plus, he demanded I stop. Is he okay, or does he suffer from PTSD?”
He was shocked, narrowing his eyes at her. He was instantly protective of his brother, of their personal lives.
“I’ll tell Grady to be here early to accompany you to the store. He’ll confirm a time with Thelma.”
He walked away and headed to his truck. When he glanced back at her she looked shocked, maybe a little angry as he took in the sight of her narrowed eyes, and he felt bad, but also protective of his brother, his family, and the fact that he didn’t know all he needed to know about Berlin to trust her, despite his demand that she trust him and his brothers. As he drove up the hill he was filled with mixed emotions. Something was brewing here. It felt like the sanctity, the protection of their way of life, their need for privacy, for protection of their hearts, their emotions, to focus on being her protectors was at risk. She enticed him in other ways where he thought of nothing more than kissing her, exploring her body, being as close as possible and claiming her as their woman. Holy shit. Damon and Grady were feeling it, too. Did Corporal send her here because he wanted her to belong to all of them?
As he pulled into the driveway and parked the truck by the detached garage, he stared at the small unkempt garden by the cabin. It was out of control and neglected. A reminder of Mel and her insistence that she would love to garden, until she was presented with the responsibilities and tasks associated with such a hobby. He and his brothers had to maintain it. It was one of the small signs of her fake personality, of how she manipulated their minds and made them believe she was someone she wasn’t.
He pushed the thoughts away, not wanting to think about her indiscretions, lies, cheating ways, or drug addiction. They were trying to save her, but she hadn’t wanted to be saved.
He swallowed hard. Berlin was in trouble and they needed to protect her. Was she using them, too? Using Corporal? He couldn’t help but be suspicious and suddenly uncertain of her true personality and integrity. She seemed different. Sincere, real, but the way she focused in on Damon’s PTSD was odd. He was certain Corporal gave her no information that was personal. He hadn’t even said they were his cousins. Could she be trying to manipulate them, too? Was it just their luck to be attracted to another user? The thoughts didn’t sit right with his gut at all. He now felt guilty, weak, and incapable of reading her. His emotions, the attraction, and her appeal were fucking with his head. His slammed the door closed and headed into the house. He would focus on work and let Grady handle her trip to the grocery store tomorrow. Maybe distancing himself from her would clear his head. Immediately, he knew it wouldn’t work. Berlin was a gorgeous young woman and she snagged the attention of him and his brothers and Corporal. Drover couldn’t help but wonder if she could bring them all together once again and make their dreams, their desires of sharing one woman and being a family, become a reality.
Chapter Seven
Berlin was impressed with the small town and shopping center. People seemed very nice and it was a breath of fresh air compared to the city that she grew up in.
As she walked around the supermarket with Thelma, Grady remained outside in the truck. “I’m going to go around to the pharmacy to pick up some vitamins. I’ll meet you by the register?” Thelma asked her.
“Sure. I’ll wait for you,” she said and smiled. As she finished picking up a few things, planning her meals for the next few days knowing they weren’t coming back to the store until the weekend, she inhaled the scent of homemade apple pie and got the idea to bake. She knew a few things about baking and cooking. She had taught herself how to do both, but since she lived alone, she didn’t really need to make a lot. She cooked her food up in batches, like grilled chicken, chicken cutlets, marinated steal, vegetable sides and rice and things, so it was easier when she got home from work to pop the individual containers into the microwave to heat up. That was her Sunday ritual until Corporal came into her life. They started to hang out together, his idea of training her in case she was ever caught in a bad situation. She thought it was his way of flirting. Nothing had come of it. He would get close, place a hand on her shoulder, maybe inhale her shampoo, and then pull back like he was spooked or something. It kind of reminded her of Damon and Drover’s behavior yesterday. There was definitely something in their pasts that made them weary or hesitant to get too close. Not Grady so much. Grady had nearly kissed her over a week ago.
“Well, lookie here.” She heard the deep voice as she stood in line at the cashier. Turning around, her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed at the sight of Curran, the young guy from the bus station. He was closer to her age, or at least she thought so.
“I thought I was never going to see you again.” He eyed her over with a big smile. She turned as the cashier asked if she was ready. As she put her things on the counter the woman began to scan the items.
“Tell me you’re sticking around for a while and make my day,” he said, standing there with his one hand in his pocket and the other leaning on the counter. He was standing pretty close to her. She could smell his cologne and her body reacted to his. He was a very attractive man, but then her mind flashed to Grady, Drover, Damon, and, holy crap, Corporal, too.
She ignored him and packed he
r bags, then paid the woman at the register. She had three bags and went to grab all three when Curran intercepted, grabbing one. “I’ll help you. That way you can give me your number and we can make plans for a date.”
“I don’t think so.”
“The name is Curran, and you’re Berlin, right? I think that was what Thelma called out at the bus station,” he added just as she panicked a moment.
“Curran, you seem like a really nice guy, but I’m not interested.”
“Boyfriend?”
“No.”
“Thank God.”
She chuckled. “I’m not interested in dating anyone. I’m not staying in town long, and I’m here to relax and regroup.”
“Sounds like you’ve been through something stressful.” He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. She couldn’t move because she had two grocery bags in her hands.
“You are stunning, and those eyes, they’re gorgeous.”
“Thank you.”
She glanced at the register and saw Thelma standing there smirking and paying for her things. Curran glanced her way.
“Why don’t you join me for lunch, then I can drive you back up to the campsite, if that’s where you’re staying with Thelma?”
She swallowed hard. “I can’t. I have plans.”
He looked into her bag. “Baking apple pie? I love homemade apple pie,” he said and she chuckled. He was relentless.
“Hello, Curran.”
“Hello, Thelma. How are you today?”
“Hmm, pretty good, and yourself?”
“I’d be a hundred percent better if Berlin here says yes to joining me and my brothers for lunch,” he said.
“Brothers?” Berlin asked, shocked at his words. He gave her a wink.
“I know you aren’t from around here, beautiful, but we do things a bit differently.”
“Differently?”
“Ménage relationships. Men sharing one woman, dating one woman, committing to one woman.”
Berlin thought she was going to faint. Thelma laughed.
“Not too smart to scare the hell out of the young woman, Curran, besides, she won’t be staying here long and is on a sabbatical.”
In the Line of Fire [Love on the Rocks 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7