Jake frowns and looks back at the service bays. There’s work to finish, but I’m sure we’re thinking the same thing. We shouldn’t get involved in something shady and criminal like this. Every misstep from this point on is a possible parole violation. But we also aren’t gonna stand by and let someone take advantage of someone as innocent as Katelynn. Whatever’s going on with her boss and friend, it has nothing to do with her. No fucking way am I going to let her get caught in the crossfire.
14
Jake
We’re at a crossroads.
That’s my gut talking from firsthand experience. This is some serious shit we’re looking to get into. Doing time has a way of making you fine-tune a different instinct. Something primal and deep-seated. And right now, it’s going off, blaring inside of me like a five-alarm fire. Although we barely know Katelynn, we know enough. She’s the victim. Someone has to stand up for her.
Taking her into the waiting room, we guide her to a chair. “The last few customers will be here for their cars any minute now,” Hunter tells her. “We can’t leave just yet, but try to relax inside until we’re done, and we’ll drive you wherever you need to go. It won’t be long.”
She looks up at us with fear still in her eyes, pulling out her phone. “I told my boss that I’d either meet him back at work or drop off his car at his house.”
I’ve never met the guy, but just hearing his name makes my blood boil. He’s to blame for almost getting Katelynn kidnapped.
“We’ll figure it out,” I tell her. “Don’t worry.”
My brother returns from the back and starts the coffee machine. “Y’all get those last cars finished so you can get her home.”
Nodding, Hunter and I hurry to finish up the last couple cars of the day. We don’t speak while he rotates tires and I pressure wash another car’s exterior. I reckon we’re both of the same mind. We want to help Katelynn out but don’t quite know how. Neither one of us is keen on going back to jail. Ever. We haven’t done anything wrong, but our parole officers will be all over our asses if we get caught up in something shady. It’ll be too damn easy for us to look like we’re the guilty ones. Not being able to carry guns makes me feel I’m starting at a disadvantage. We can’t protect her the same as if we could legally carry weapons. It’s another fucking parole violation that would put us back behind bars in no time flat.
Jared joins us outside to help get the work done faster, and as we start to wrap up, Tommy gets back from a drop-off. He doesn’t mind the extra hours it’ll take to deliver the last cars, so it’s settled. We can leave as soon as Jared locks up. He steps out with his shotgun just in case the douchebags decide to come back. Jumping into his truck, he follows Tommy to take care of the next car on the drop-off list.
Katelynn hasn’t gotten in touch with of her boss, so I lead her to my truck while Hunter gets into her boss’ car, ready to follow behind us. What we should be doing is parking this fucking highfaluting Audi eyesore somewhere and calling this asshole to come get him his damn self. But she still feels obligated to this fucknut, and convinces us to drop it off at her workplace parking lot.
As we pull out of the parking lot, her phone beeps. She reads the message, then looks over at me.
“Brad says he won’t be back at the plant for another ten to fifteen minutes.”
I shift in my seat and stretch out my left leg as far as it’ll go. I’m antsy. “We’ll stay with you until he gets there. You can’t wait there by yourself. Hunter and I won’t let you.”
While Hunter drives behind us, I keep my eyes in the rearview mirror, preparing for if those guys show up again. I had a feeling we’d end up here again, stuck in some shady shit. I just never thought it would be because of a something this random.
Katelyn rests her hand on the seat between us, and I don’t think twice when I cover it with mine for a few long moments. It’s been years since Hunter and I shared one woman. We started hanging out a lot after high school. It didn’t take long to figure out we enjoy having a woman between us. None of those women we shared back then were like Katelynn, though. She’s so innocent, she’s almost fragile. That quality makes her fucking irresistible for some unknown reason.
I can feel her eyes on me. I glance over at her and find a slight smile on her face.
“Thank you,” she says.
“It’s no problem at all.” They may not have succeeded at taking her away, but she’s been through something traumatic through no fault of her own. “He put you in a bad situation that has nothing to do with you,” I add. “It’s the least we can do.”
“Yes…I realize that now. Still, thank you. You’ve been a big help. All of you.”
Her words cause my chest to tighten. I don’t fully understand the effect she has on me, but I know to pay attention to it. If Hunter and I weren’t slammed with work, we’d take her straight home. I’m talking about our place, not wherever she lives. But will she still think we’re great when she finds out every sordid detail about our pasts? Hunter already told her we did time, and if she asks what it was for, I won’t keep the fact from her. Hopefully that information won’t change anything.
We arrive at the building where Katelynn works to find the parking lot empty. Hunter pulls up next to my truck.
I roll down my window. “Her boss isn’t coming back for a while,” I tell him and look over at Katelynn. “We should just leave his car here and one of us can get you to work on Monday.”
She nods. “Yes… sure, okay.”
“Good.”
Katelynn scoots over and Hunter climbs in next to her. I can’t begin to describe what having her between us is like. And I’m so fucking hard. I have to avert my eyes from the sight of her hands resting on her lap whenever I adjust the stick shift as she gives us directions to her house, which happens to be just blocks from our place.
As we pass along a street lined with only one story ranch-style homes, she tells me that we’re close. It’s a nice neighborhood, full of hard-working families with kids and pets playing outside. Before my conviction came down, I couldn’t see myself ‘settling down’. But since I got out and started living at John’s place, I kind of get it. That life has its own share of stresses, but it’s nothing like dodging the law and always having to watch your back.
“That’s it,” she says, pointing to a brick house. I pull up to the curb and leave the engine running as I throw it in neutral. The driveway is empty.
“Is anyone home?” Hunter asks.
“Right. No, they’re not,” Katelynn says. “I forgot that my folks are out for supper with friends tonight. My younger brother and sister are probably out with friends.”
Running my hand over my jaw, I look around. There’s no sign of the black SUV, but you never know. I look over at Katelynn from the corner of my eye. Her eyebrows are pinched together, forming a deep worry line.
“We could...” I start, but trail off as I see how afraid she is. Her expression of terror stops the words that were about to come out of my mouth. I planned on suggesting that Hunter and I can wait with her until her parents get home, but something else entirely comes out of my mouth. “You’re coming home with us,” I announce.
The offer isn’t just for her sake. Leaving her alone here doesn’t sit right with me. I need to know she’s safe for sure.
Hunter lays his arm across the back of the seat. His fingers graze across Katelynn’ shoulder. “We’ll make you supper, and you can wait there until your parents get home.”
“Okay,” she whispers.
I feel better driving away from her house. Today must have been crazy for her. And she needs to be around people, and we’re not about to run away at the first sign of trouble. Not anymore. I can’t remember the last time someone really depended on me or put their faith in me. Knowing that she’s willing to trust us so quickly gives me a strange sense of purpose I can’t remember ever having in a long time.
We get to our place, and instead of taking her up to our apartment, Jake shows
her to the main house. The place should make Katelynn more comfortable while we start supper, if John hasn’t already started. We discover he isn’t home yet, so Hunter grabs some steaks from the deep freezer in the garage and starts the bar-b-que in the backyard. I get started on mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Neither one of us is much of a cook, but we’ve learned to make a few basics since getting out.
I take a few minutes to have a one-on-one with Hunter while he’s in the backyard.
“So, you’re the one bringing this trouble into our laps this time,” I say lightly.
Hunter laughs, flipping the steaks before closing the bar-b-que hood. “It’s been a long while.”
“Yes, it has.”
“Got any second thoughts?”
“Nope. Get me a beer when you go back inside, will ya?”
With a nod, I head back inside.
He’s in.
And I’m not going anywhere.
Grabbing him a beer, I take it to him and head back inside to check on the vegetables. From my spot at the stove, I can see Katelynn in the living room across the double doorway to the rest of the open concept space. She’s trying to relax on the living room sofa, flipping through TV stations and checking her phone screen every so often. I can tell she’s not watching anything she stops on. Her mind is elsewhere as she stares at the screen. I’ve seen that look before. The girl is in shock, probably reliving the moments those men showed up and grabbed her. It’s not just nerves.
Just like this tension in my chest might be a warning.
It’s not over.
The chaos in her life is just getting started.
15
Hunter
As John hasn’t made it home yet, we decide to have supper in our apartment. It’s a small, two-bedroom place, with a nook of a kitchen and two bay windows looking down on the street in front of the house. She’s so distracted, she barely looks around once she’s inside. We don’t talk much during the meal. There’s no place for smalltalk after the day Katelynn has had. I can tell that she’s trying to be cheerful. The fact that half of her meal is on the plate after we’re done tells me it’s an act. She’s still shaken up.
“You should have a shower and try to relax,” I tell her as Jake begins to clear our plates.
She raises her eyebrows. “Thanks…I don’t have any spare clothes.”
“You can wear something of mine while I’ll get your stuff cleaned.”
“Sure.”
“Go ahead, if you’d like,” I tell her. “I’ll put something on the hook inside the door for you.”
She manages a small smile as she gets up from the table. She kicked her heels off earlier but her hips still sway as she walks to the bathroom door, which closes with a click behind her.
“I’ll do these dishes downstairs,” Jake says. “Be back in a bit.”
“Cool.”
“It’s a good thing we were there,” he reminds me.
I grunt in agreement. Thinking about what might have happened if Jake and I weren’t at the shop makes my vision go red. If I focus on it for too long, I’m liable to punch something, and that never does a lick of good.
Going to my room, I find a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, and open the bathroom door partway to hang it on the hook for Katelynn. She can use some time to herself, so I head down to the main house with some sweatpants, and use the shower there. Jake follows suit after putting the kitchen back in order.
Later on, we head back upstairs. The shower is off, but Katelynn hasn’t come out of the bathroom yet. Jake plop down on the couch and switches on the TV, but like Katelynn, he just mindlessly flips through channels. The bathroom door opens a few minutes later and Katelynn enters the main room wearing the clothes I left for her and pads over to us. Damp hair sticks to the back of her neck. The scent of my men’s body wash floats my way. Turning into it, I breathe in the way it mixes with Katelynn’s feminine scent and makes her smell infinitely better.
Halfway to the couch, Katelynn stops. She just stands there, picturing her completely naked. My breathing stops mid-inhale. Curves and softness and toned areas. She’s so perfect, even with goosebumps dotting her legs and arms. Next to me, Jake lets out a groan like he’s in pain. Katelynn takes a few slow steps towards us, and when she’s close enough, I reach out and take her hand. Her eyes lock with mine. Her fingers hold on tight. Keeping our gazes sealed together, I pull her onto my lap.
Her knees press into the cushions next to me and her forehead drops. I press my lips to hers and gently kiss her. A shuddering sigh leaves her throat. I don’t know if she’s turned on from my kiss or still a bit shaken up over the incident at the shop, or afraid that those men will be back for her, but I want to promise her nothing bad will happen to her tonight. She’s safe here with me and Jake. We’ve done a few things we aren’t proud of, but we always look out for the people we care about. No exceptions.
I press my hands into Katelynn’s lower back and bring her weight down to mine. Her ass is pressed up against my dick. Between us, there’s only the boxers she has on and the sweatpants I’m wearing. Just knowing that has my mouth dry and my fingers itching to get rid of these layers of clothes. Resting my palm into her back, I pull her close, and she wraps her arms around my neck as we lean into the kiss. She tilts her head to the side and parts her lips as my tongue passes over her teeth. I shift my weight forward and move her into Jake’s lap, resting her legs on mine. Katelynn doesn’t resist at all. Right now, she trusts us. Completely.
It blows my mind, but there it is.
Jake winds his hand in her wet hair and as he kisses her, I notice she has her hand at the waistband of those boxer shorts, pushing them down past her hips. Electric energy shoots across every inch of my skin. Pulling out from under her legs, I scoot over and help her get them off. A glance up at Jake, and I see he’s lifting her shirt over her head.
She’s completely naked, yet strangely at ease.
As he kisses her, his hands cup her breasts, forefingers massaging both nipples. I part her legs and hook them over my shoulders, lowering my head between them. Fuck. Her shaved pussy is slick, with wicked heat radiating out, pulling me in. Stretching out my tongue, I take a taste. She quivers from my touch. I slowly flatten my tongue along her clit, then down past her folds, moving it in lazy, deliberate circles and long, teasing strokes. Her muscles clench beneath my lips and tongue, and her hips start to roll with an increasing rhythm. Jake moans and I know why, His dick is getting the benefit of what I’m doing to her tight virgin cunt.
She’s so fucking sweet to taste that I can’t stop myself from stretching her opening slightly with my fingers and burying my tongue inside of her. Katelynn cries out, locking her ankles around my neck as she comes on my face. I slow down, make each lick count as I extend her explosion. She cries out in desperation, but I don’t listen. I keep going, with each movement slow and deliberate. She comes again, so I speed it up. She deserves this pleasure. She needs it, and I need to give it to her. We’re not just going to keep her safe. I plan to take care of her every need.
Katelynn whimpers out her pleasure and soon, she comes against my mouth. Her tremors vibrate on my lips. Fuck, I’m harder than granite as I lap at her folds and lick her clean. Then Jake taps my shoulder. As I lift my head, he pulls her away from me, using one hand to push off the back of the couch. Getting to his feet, he carries her to my bedroom. He remembers our rules. My girl, my room. I stand up, shuck off my pajamas and shirt, and follow them.
Inside, Jake sets Katelynn down in the middle of the bed. While Jake gets his clothes off, I cross the room and find my stash of condoms out of the dresser drawer. She rolls onto her stomach, gazing at me. Her toned curves glow under the moonlight coming in through the slant between the curtains.
My Kitten.
I doubt she remembers that I was there when her coworker friend called her by that nickname that first time she walked into the shop. She flinched back then, but fuck, after I’m done with her, she’s g
oing to love that name.
She’s so fucking hot, I can watch her like this all night.
But that body of hers wasn’t only made to look at.
It was made for touching.
16
Katelynn
I’m in Hunter’s bed.
And Jake is here too.
I don’t want to think about how messed up my day has been so far. I’ve been grabbed, shoved and ordered around for no good reason by men I don’t know.
I need to erase that harrowing five minutes.
Starting right now, with these two men who saved my hide. What I know is that I’m drawn to them. I excite them too, and am almost certain it’s not just because of my virginity. If I weren’t so scared that night at the saloon, I wouldn’t still be a virgin. Now that they’ve been so kind to me, so protective, I want them to have it.
I need them to take it from me.
Although I haven’t been looking to lose my virginity to just anyone, it’s not like I’m not one of those chaste girls who saves herself for marriage. I do want the experience to be special, but I also know it can’t be perfect. I haven’t been waiting for my soul mate. Just a decent, good guy.
Or two good guys.
Just that salacious thought causes my desire hits the gas pedal and bursts through the roof. Something I never knew I wanted is right in front of me. I walked away from them before. There’s no way I’ll make that mistake again. I’d be an idiot not to grab hold of what they’re offering, now that I have a second chance.
Hunter’s fingers dance across my lower back. “Are you sure you want this?” he asks in his raspy voice that rumbles deep in his throat.
“I do. I really do. I just...” I suck in my lower lip. There’s too much to say. I can’t put it all into words. The close proximity of two large, sexy men isn’t helping any, either. “Yes. I want you both.”
Ex-Con Times Two Page 7