by SJD Peterson
Charlie propped herself up on her elbow and traced a random pattern through the cum on Kegan’s stomach. “I can take care of that,” she murmured and dipped her head down.
Kegan sucked in a harsh breath the instant her tongue swiped across his flesh. Her moan vibrating against his skin sent a jolt straight to his dick, causing it to twitch wildly. “Jesus.”
“Here, let me help you with that,” Trevor offered.
Kegan watched mesmerized by the way his two lovers lapped at him, sharing Trevor’s flavor with each other, smiling and laughing as they did so. Moments before, Kegan would have sworn watching Trevor come all over him was one of the hottest things he’d ever witnessed. However, witnessing the two of them as they cleaned up the mess was right up there at the top, and when Trevor ran the flat of his tongue along the entire length of Kegan’s cock, that just fucking did it.
Trevor’s rough hands and eager mouth mixed with Charlie’s soft caresses and sweet mouth were a one-two punch directly to his balls and it only took two hard thrusts and Kegan’s eyes rolled back in his head as a powerful orgasm ripped through him. Before he could open his mouth to warn them, Kegan exploded. Pulse after pulse, he came, the pleasure so consuming he was barely aware of Charlie’s cry and the wet heat against his thigh as she found her own release. Whether it was from the friction of her humping against him or something Trevor had done, Kegan didn’t know. Hell, he scarcely knew his own fucking name. What Kegan did know as he came down from his orgasmic high with two warm bodies surrounding him, the intoxicating scent of sex in the air, was that he was the happiest and luckiest son of a bitch on the planet.
Chapter Nineteen
The scent of jasmine was strong as it mingled with the warm steam rising from the large tub. Charlie breathed in the sensual aroma, absorbed it and let it calm her.
As much as she loved her big, overbearing cowboys, there was something to be said for a hot bath, scented candles, soft music and alone time. For two days, they had followed her from house to barn and room to room. They even stood outside the bathroom when she put her foot down and refused to let them follow her in. It had taken some convincing, but both Kegan and Trevor had agreed to give her some space while they went into town. They‘d reluctantly given in but only after she’d promised she wouldn’t step a foot out of the house, not that she could anyway with Cade standing guard outside. Their protectiveness was both comforting and a bit overwhelming.
The dread she felt knowing Kegan’s father could show up on the ranch hadn’t disappeared, but it had calmed some. They made her feel safe. She had learned more about them in the last couple of days than she had in all the previous time she had spent with them. They were fiercely loyal to her and made her feel cherished above all other things in their eyes. Precious.
Knowing that Kegan was in love with Trevor, and vice versa, hadn’t shocked her. Trevor had basically admitted to her that he loved Kegan, they just had a hard time accepting and understanding their feelings. Fear of each other’s reactions had kept them silent.
It made her smile to think that their relationship had a damn good chance of working out. It wasn’t just that they both loved her, but that the three of them loved each other without bounds. She had never given much thought of what it would be like to watch a man touch another, but the visual was something that had turned her on so much, it had pushed her to heights she had never imagined she could reach. And that kiss they’d shared… She definitely wanted to see more of those, and so much more. She couldn’t wait to explore new things with them as all of them settled into their relationship. A tingling sensation settled between her legs and she shuddered.
“Stop it.” She laughed at herself. She’d have plenty of time to enjoy such things later. Right now she needed to focus on her plans for the evening.
She forced her wandering mind away from the naughty thoughts and concentrated on the preparations for the night before her. Mrs. Miller had made all of Kegan’s and Trevor’s favorites and they were waiting in the oven.
Make sure to turn the oven on three-fifty at five. Check.
Gifts wrapped and ready? Check.
The special gifts she’d bought for each of them that would mark the beginning of their new lives together brought a smile to her face. Now she just needed to relax and rest up for what was sure to be the most important night of her life.
If she correctly anticipated how Kegan and Trevor would react to the news that she wanted to stay with them and work on building a lasting relationship, she doubted she’d be walking without a few well-earned aches and pains come morning.
Kegan still had trouble expressing to her and Trevor how he felt about them, but damn could the man show it over and over again. Charlie sighed and snuggled down deeper into the tub. A broad grin spread on her face as the water rushed over her and soothed her into a dreamlike state, her thoughts wandering to another place, another time.
“I think we should show her just how much we like touching her, whatcha think?”
“See that’s why I love ya, Trev. You’re a smart man.” Kegan ran his fingers down between Charlie’s breasts, slowly. “A very smart man.”
* * * *
Charlie woke with a jolt, unsure how long she had dozed, but the water had started to turn cold and she was shivering. “Shit! How long was I out?”
She looked over at the clock—four-thirty. Dammit, she only had an hour before her cowboys were due back. She climbed out of the tub and grabbed a towel as she hurried to dress.
Halfway to her closet, she froze. Dread washed over her so powerfully she had to lock her knees to prevent herself from falling. What the hell?
She looked around her room. Nothing seemed to be out of place, there was no noise other than the soft rustling of the wind against the window.
The hair at the nape of her neck stood on end and a chill ran down her spine. Something was wrong, but as she scanned the room, she couldn’t find anything amiss.
Slowly, she continued to the closet. The door was ajar and light came from within. She stared into the open door, looking for anything that would give her a hint of why her heart raced, but again nothing was out of order.
Charlie hurriedly donned the new dress she had bought for her special night—black silk of the finest blends hugged her body like a glove. The halter-style top plunged dangerously low, her ample breasts threatening to spill over the deep V. The back was nearly nonexistent as it exposed her entire back to the swells at the top of her ass and flared at the hips. The soft material teased her skin as she walked.
Three-inch stiletto heels completed the view. Underneath she wore a black silk thong with matching garter belt and stockings. Her men were lovers of soft, sexy things and she had bought the lingerie with the intent of driving the two of them completely out of their minds with lust.
Fully dressed, Charlie moved back into the bathroom, brushed her hair and left it to flow down her back. Trevor loved the feel of her hair beneath his palms when he stroked her back and Kegan loved to wrap it tightly around his fist when he kissed her.
The hint of skin exposed at her back beneath her hair was sure to get a powerful reaction. She couldn’t help but smile at the image in the mirror as she applied light makeup and daubed jasmine-scented oil behind her ears and in the cleft of her breasts. She pushed the strange feeling of dread from her thoughts.
She had to be more nervous than she’d thought. Convincing herself she was simply being a worrywart, she blew off the unease as her own anxiety. Nothing would go wrong tonight. Tonight was the start of their lives together. It was going to be perfect.
Okay, so maybe not perfect, she still had a few lingering doubts on how the three of them would make their relationship work, yet she didn’t doubt their love.
The small fear that she wouldn’t be enough for them still gnawed at her, old insecurities died hard. That had to be why she was feeling cold claws at the base of her neck. Doing her best to push those thoughts from her head, she turned out the l
ight and headed out of the door.
As Charlie left the bathroom, she gasped as a vise grip wrapped around her waist and a rag was placed over her mouth before the scream that pushed up in her throat was given wings.
Fear and confusion clouded her mind as a thick, noxious scent filled her nose, burning the delicate tissues and making her throat ache painfully. Gray fog clouded her eyes as she turned her head and stared into Kegan’s eyes.
As the blackness began to take her under, her last thought was that Kegan’s eyes seemed so tired…so old.
* * * *
“I swear, Kegan, I’m not taking you back into town. We’ll have to sell off half our stock if you keep up your spending habits.”
“I can’t help it. I’m making up for years of missed gifts.” Kegan didn’t feel the least bit remorseful that he had spent so much on Charlie. Hell, she deserved everything and much, much more.
“Well I just don’t see the point in buying her so many nighties. Between the two of us, she doesn’t get to wear them.”
“Yeah, but you have to admit, there is something about tearing them off that hot bod of hers that makes the cavemen in us roar.” Kegan felt his erection stir and rise at the thought of ripping off the sexy lingerie he’d just bought for Charlie, especially the red corset-styled one. The image of it lifting Charlie’s perfect breasts made his mouth water.
“Damn fine point, my man.” Trevor’s laugh sounded just shy of evil.
Kegan’s smile faded as they pulled into the drive and doubt assailed him. “What if she doesn’t stay?”
“She’s gonna stay. She loves you, and I know she cares about me. Not sure if it’s love yet, but I know she will come to love me as much as I love her. If she just gives it time, I know it’ll happen.”
“But what if she doesn’t?” Kegan had felt something twist in his gut all afternoon. Something like dread kept taking over his thoughts and he wasn’t sure if it was his old man he was fearful of or Charlie leaving.
He kept going back over every minute of the last thirty days, trying to find something that might make Charlie want to leave them, but couldn’t think of a thing. Well, other than the fact that she had to deal with two very possessive and demanding men. The trust between them all was growing, each settling into their new role of committed partners with ease. He was happier now than he’d ever been, knew Trevor was as well, and he believed Charlie was truly happy with them.
So why the hell did he feel like something bad was waiting in the wings?
“I swear you’re gonna grow old before your time if you keep this worrying shit up. I can see the hairs turning gray on your head before my eyes.” Trevor pulled up to the house, turned off the truck, then looked at Kegan, his face serious. “Look, I know you’re worried, but there’s really nothing we can do if she decides to leave, right? If she does, we won’t give up. Charlie belongs to us, whether she’ll admit it now or later, I know she’ll figure it out eventually. Besides, you know how persistent I can be when properly motivated. And I am so very, very motivated, so stop worrying, will ya?”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Kegan rubbed the aching spot across his chest as he stepped out of the truck and followed Trevor toward the house.
They rounded the corner to the back porch and the pain in Kegan’s chest exploded. “What the fuck!”
They both bolted up the steps at a dead run to the body lying in a heap on the porch.
“It’s Cade. Call the sheriff,” Trevor barked, but Kegan had already pulled out his cell and had begun dialing before the words were out of Trevor’s mouth.
“Nine-one-one emergency.”
“This is Kegan Colburn out at Trev-Ke Ranch. I need an ambulance and a cruiser now!”
“Sir, what is your emergency?”
Kegan trembled. He had to find Charlie. “Just get the fuck out here,” he roared then disconnected the call.
Trevor bent down over Cade and placed his fingers to his neck. “He’s breathing. Looks like someone hit him…”
The rest of Trevor’s words died off as Kegan ripped open the back door. “Charlie!”
The kitchen was empty. “Charlie?” The dining room was set for three but she wasn’t anywhere in sight.
“Goddammit, Charlie, where are you?” Kegan needed to get a grip on the anger and fear clouding his thoughts. Maybe she was just sleeping or something. He took the stairs two at a time and continued to scream her name at the top of his lungs.
The uneasy feeling that plagued him all afternoon threatened to destroy him. He fought to keep his shit together until he found her. He entered their bedroom and called out to her again. He searched the bathroom and the closet, but came up empty.
“Kegan!”
Kegan shot from the room. The sound of pure anguish in Trevor’s voice as he called his name caused ice to form in Kegan’s veins. He knew in that instant that he’d found Charlie. He nearly ran into his friend as he came down the stairs. “Where is she?”
“He took her!” Trevor bellowed. “That sick fuck took her.”
Kegan didn’t have to ask who Trevor was talking about. He fought to control the bile that rose in his throat. The knowledge of what his old man was capable of and the thought of his hands on Charlie had Kegan seeing red. He grabbed Trevor’s arms. “Where the hell did he take her?”
Trevor handed him the note clenched in his fist. Fuck, both their hands shook.
Damn boy, you have some fine taste in women. I came by for a chat about that money and a place to stay but found something so much sweeter. I’ll be in touch.
“We have to find her. Do you have any fucking idea what he’ll do to her?” Rage and pain twisted him inside and out as it surged through every cell of his being. Sirens blared in the distance and he ran to the back door.
Cade was propped up against the porch rail, eyes shut, but breathing.
Kegan knelt down and grabbed hold of his shirt. “Where the fuck did he take her?”
Cade’s eyes fluttered but didn’t open.
“Goddammit, Cade, wake the fuck up and tell me where he took her.”
Sirens blared, lights flashed and a car screeched to a stop in front of the porch as Trevor pulled him away from Cade. The sheriff and a deputy jumped out.
“Shit, Kegan, knock it off, he’s hurt.” Trevor cursed as he held tight.
“I don’t give a fuck if he’s hurt. He was supposed to protect her.” Kegan tried to scramble back to Cade. He wanted blood, and if he couldn’t spill his old man’s at that moment, Cade would be the next best thing since he’d let the son of a bitch take his Charlie. The deputy and Trevor held him in a steel grip, refusing to let him go.
“He’s been beat in the head and drugged. He doesn’t know where she is. He probably doesn’t even know his own damn name or who did this to him. Your old man must’ve hit him from behind,” Trevor pointed out.
“You know who did this?” Sheriff Johnson asked as he bent and checked Cade’s wounds.
Trevor tugged Kegan to his feet, the grip tight on his biceps as he pulled him farther away from Cade.
“My old man did this and took Charlie. Trevor, what the fuck are you waiting for? We have to find her.” He struggled against the two men holding him. His heart was breaking and he could barely breathe.
Trevor wrapped his arms around him in a bear hug from behind and pressed his cheek against his. “Shh, shh… You beating the shit out of everyone that’s here to help us isn’t gonna find her.” Trevor nuzzled his neck in an attempt to soothe him. “We have to get our heads together. She needs us, and if we can’t think past our rage, we won’t be able to. C’mon, big man, take some deep breaths. We can do this.”
Kegan knew Trevor was right and was having difficulty keeping his own rage under control. He could feel it in Trevor’s tense and twitching muscles against his back, heard it in the rasp of his voice.
He had to try for Charlie. He needed to get his shit straight and think. Where the hell could the old man have taken he
r? Think, dammit, think!
He allowed Trevor to lead him to one of the chairs on the porch and push him down into it.
Thoughts and images raced through his mind as the ambulance arrived and started tending to Cade. Kegan buried his head in his hands, tried to block out the images of his father and the women he’d abused. He shook inside, and despair clawed at his heart.
He was aware of Trevor and Sheriff Johnson discussing what had taken place, what Trevor knew, something about tracking dogs and forming a search party, but Kegan couldn’t focus on what was going on around him. He couldn’t stop the images of Charlie tied to a bed, his old man over her, hurting her.
As the image of Charlie’s pleading eyes filled his mind, Kegan jumped to his feet. “We need to check the abandoned homesteads, now!” He headed down the stairs before any of them had a chance to stop him. He had to find her. His old man wouldn’t have any money, didn’t know anyone in town. The only place he could have taken her to would be one of the abandoned homesteads, barns or sheds scattered out around town. He didn’t know where to start, didn’t know if it would do any good. But he couldn’t sit here with the thought of her out there with that sick fuck while he sat in a damn rocking chair and did nothing.
“Trev, either get in the goddamn truck now or I’m leaving you here.” He didn’t have to turn around to see if he was being followed, didn’t rightly care if Trevor came or not. He couldn’t get the images of what Charlie might be going through out of his head and they ripped his soul into pieces.
“Kegan, you need to wait until we get a full statement and the crime lab out here,” Sheriff Johnson yelled.
“I don’t need to wait for shit,” Kegan bit out. “You sit here and wait. I’m going after Charlie.”
He was in his truck and had put it into gear before Trevor caught up and jumped in just as he peeled out of the driveway.
* * * *