by Sam Crescent
“It is kind of exciting,” said Opal. “I like all the attention.”
The older man with the gut stepped closer, and she had to stop herself from moving backwards. “You’re a pretty one. What’s your name, gorgeous?”
“Rose,” she lied.
“Can we be your friends too, Rose?”
Opal walked around the room, trying to take in the weapons and get a handle on the situation. Damon wasn’t tied up, so he could act if necessary. She’d rather him sit in his chair than risk getting shot.
“If you be good boys like Damon.” She leaned over and kissed Damon on the lips. Then whispered in his ear. “Caleb’s outside. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Shit, don’t compare us to him. You’re in for the time of your life. A big girl needs a capable man.” From the corner of her eye, so noticed the closer man set his rifle on the dinette table. The butt of a gun peeked out from the waistband on the big man near the door. She had to be careful.
Last month she was working her minimum wage job, falling asleep alone in her shitty little apartment. She’d been one swipe of a blade away from ending it all.
Now she had so much to live for.
Everything became clear. Thrust into this life-and-death situation put everything into perspective. She belonged with Damon and Caleb. They healed each other, broken pieces brought together to make a whole.
Thinking she could lose Damon or Caleb gave her the realization that she wasn’t just in lust with the men, but in love. They’d changed everything, gave her hope, love, and a new reality. Damon and Caleb were the first men, no, first people, to make her feel she had value. They made her feel special when she’d been drilled with negativity her entire life. The brothers were her treasure, and she couldn’t afford to lose them.
They spoke about family, and an heir they could raise with the same homestead lifestyle. She wanted the same thing. Opal never imagined herself as a mother, but they’d put that idea in her head, and there wasn’t anything she wanted more than to give the brothers the baby they dreamed of having. She’d give their son or daughter the love she’d never been shown. Opal would love it unconditionally.
“You want a drink, honey?”
Opal bit her lip. She wasn’t a drinker, but the woman she was playing probably was. “Sure. It’ll help warm me up.”
“Hey, Huckleberry, where you keep your stash?”
Damon frowned. “We don’t drink.”
“Ah hell,” said the big man. “Go get me the moonshine from the sled.”
The other man grumbled as he zipped up his overcoat and headed to the door. She liked the odds now … if only guns weren’t involved.
Opal shrugged off her coat when the man started looking suspicious. She didn’t need to plump up her cleavage when her cups were always overflowing. He stared at her tits and licked his lips.
“What are you doing?” asked Damon.
“You shut up,” the man shouted. “She’s done with you.”
Caleb needed more time. She ran her hands through her hair, sashaying around the room. “If Caleb gets back, there’ll be four of you and one of me.” She bit her lip provocatively.
“Thems good odds,” he said. The old bastard was practically drooling. “Come over here.”
She swallowed hard and walked toward him, glancing to where his gun was kept. “What is it?”
“How about a little kiss?”
“What about my drink?”
“It’s coming. Don’t you worry about that. Trust me, you don’t need liquor to warm you up.” His twisted smile made her shudder. He reached for her, hooking his arm around her waist to pull her closer. She leaned back, desperate to keep away from him. His body odor was overpowering and she felt alone and helpless.
Damon and Caleb were worth the sacrifice.
****
He felt like a caged beast, pacing back and forth in his mind, waiting to strike. Opal said Caleb was outside. His brother was capable, but Damon refused to sit back and let his woman get manhandled. Growing up, Caleb had always been stronger and able to get things done. Damon had a soft streak and would rather keep the peace than speak his mind. All bets were off when it came to Opal.
Damon had played nice, allowing these assholes to force him back to the cabin in order to give Opal time to escape. Then he’d sat on the chair with his mouth shut, biding his time. The second that nasty fuck put his hands on his woman, Damon was out of his seat with his arm around the fucker’s neck faster than anyone could react.
“Damon!”
Opal cupped her hands over her mouth and nose, fear blazing in her eyes.
“It’s okay, baby,” he said. “See that gun on the table? Bring it to me.”
She did as told while he increased the pressure on the man’s neck. His coarse beard prickled Damon’s forearm. At any minute his buddy could walk through the door, so time wasn’t on his side. Luckily size was.
The bastard started to gurgle, clawing at Damon’s arms.
“Get the gun from his belt,” he said, keeping his voice calm and controlled. He didn’t want Opal more spooked than she was. Seeing her vulnerable and scared turned something primal on inside him, something fierce and protective. She was more than sex and companionship. He loved her, needed her, and wanted to build a family together. Her safety was his personal responsibility.
Once the man was stripped of his weapons, Damon’s desire to kill was still strong. He wanted to gut the bastard for touching Opal and trying to steal from them.
“Damon, you could have been hurt,” she said, touching his shoulder from behind.
He shook his head. “Nothing can kill me, sweetheart. Get me that twine hanging by the door.”
When she gave him the twine, he got the old man bound securely to the wooden chair. “Not one fucking word out of you, got it?”
He nodded.
Damon exhaled, the rush of adrenaline washing away. He turned to face Opal. She looked pale and shaken. He held out his arms, and she didn’t hesitate to rush into his embrace. Damon held her tight, holding her head to his chest, loving the feel of her soft curves against his hardness. He never wanted to let her go. Her quiet sobbing shook her body. “Everything’s going to be okay. I’m here, baby. I’ll never leave you.”
She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with tears. “Promise?”
“Promise,” he said. “The White men don’t take commitment lightly.”
They’d moved to the edge of the world it seemed, but they couldn’t escape trouble. Why couldn’t people leave them the fuck alone?
When she’d calmed, her breathing regular, he leaned her back. “Where’s Caleb?”
“He said to distract the men for a little while so he could figure things out.”
“You did real good. He wouldn’t have sent you if he thought they’d hurt you,” said Damon.
“I know, but I’m worried about him now.”
The other drifter still hadn’t returned with the moonshine, so something could be going down outside. He grabbed the handgun, checked to be sure the clip was full, then placed it in Opal’s hands.
“What? No.”
“Like this,” said Damon, training the gun on the man in the chair. He maneuvered her fingers and hands in the right position. “If he moves, shoot him.”
It was time to finish this, to take back their home and their land. Damon peered out the windows, then quietly slipped out the front door.
The air was frigid, the outdoor floodlight creating a cone of light over the snow out front. It sparkled like a million diamonds. He gritted his teeth, pissed off that these criminals were trying to steal his peace and happiness.
He listened for sounds, but only the hush of the evening and low howl of wind could be heard. It was too quiet for comfort. Damon trudged through the heavy snow along the side of the house, creeping into the shadows. He saw the outline of their snowmobile and sled, but no sign of the other man.
Where the fuck was Caleb?
&nb
sp; When he heard the brush of fabric behind him, it was too late. The bottle came down full force over his head, the bitter sting of hard liquor raining down over his face. He dropped to his knees, his head swimming. He fought to keep conscious, but he couldn’t get his bearings long enough to focus. Damon slipped in and out of a dream-like state, memories from the past playing in his head.
He remembered the day Caleb had found him drunk at sixteen. Damon needed to dull the pain of losing his family, and alcohol seemed the easiest choice.
“You think this is the answer?” asked Caleb.
“I don’t care.”
“Well, you fucking need to care. You’re all I have, Damon!”
“I’m not strong like you. I have feelings. I just want to forget everything.”
Caleb grabbed him by the scruff, bringing his slumped body straight. “I’m not strong. I’m a mess, Damon. But I keep going on, and do you know why? Because of you. I’m being strong for you!”
He looked at his brother. Really looked at him. In all his pain, he never considered his older brother and the same loss he’d endured. Damon had been selfish, only considering himself.
“What do I do?” Damon asked, feeling like a shell of his former self.
“You keep going. One day at a time. We’ll do it together,” said Caleb. “But no more drinking. Understand?”
His faculties slowly returned as reality began to come into focus. Damon brought a hand to his head, and he wasn’t sure if the wetness was booze or blood. Maybe both.
****
It was time to get shit handled. Caleb cocked his rifle, the muzzle right at the man’s temple. “Drop the bottle and step back. Nice and slow, asshole.”
He dropped the broken bottle neck and put his hands halfway up as he complied. “You must be Caleb.”
“You know my name. That doesn’t bode well for you. I like my privacy.”
“Nothing personal. Just a job.”
“You fuck with my brother, it’s personal,” said Caleb. “Stand there. Don’t move.”
He reached down and helped Damon to his feet. His brother was a brick house, so to see him swaying on his feet showed how hard he’d been hit on the head. “I’m sorry, Caleb. I won’t drink again.”
He frowned. “Damon, snap out of it.” Caleb gave his brother a little slap on the cheek. “Where’s Opal?”
Hearing her name seemed to bring some sense back to his brother. “Opal. She’s in the house.” Just then a shot rang off inside the cabin.
“Fuck.” Caleb grabbed the arm of the trespasser and pulled him along as he raced to the front of the house with Damon. Once on the wraparound porch, he shoved the trespasser into his brother’s arms. “Here, hold him.”
Caleb got his rifle at the ready before kicking the front door in. He froze in place when he saw the fat bastard lying on the floor and Opal still holding a gun with her arms outstretched. It was an eerie scene, but he still felt the flood of relief seeing Opal alive and well.
He set his rifle down and took the handgun from her, prying her fingers apart one by one. “Opal, look at me.” She was in shock, her body rigid and eyes glazed over. “Opal, it’s okay now.”
Caleb cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lips.
“I shot a man.”
“I’m sure he deserved it.” He kissed her again before leading her to the sofa to sit down. She was shaky and needed time to come to grips with the horror of what she’d been through.
Caleb used his boot to roll the body over. The pig had a bullet wound to the shoulder, but he’d live. At least Opal wouldn’t have to live with any guilt that she was a murderer.
“How’d he get out of the chair, baby?” asked Damon.
“He had a pocket knife. When he stood up I just shot him without thinking. I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry,” she said.
“Are you kidding? I’m glad you did it.” Damon shoved the other man to the floor beside his friend, but nearly toppled over himself. He was covered in blood, his face stained red.
“Damon, sit with Opal. You have a concussion and you’ve lost a lot of blood.”
Another shot rang off, making Opal squeal. Caleb nodded, pleased with his handwork as the second man fell down and grabbed his knee. “That’s my insurance policy. Neither of you move a fucking muscle until the cops get here.”
He got on the phone and called the cops. It would take them at least a couple hours to get to their neck of the woods, but they had the time. There were only two trespassers, so now that they were debilitated, Caleb was in control again. That was the last time he made a town run on his own. He’d brought back enough supplies and batteries to get them through until spring.
“Who hired you?” he asked, aiming his gun at the skinny man’s good knee.
“I don’t know. It was just some guy at the dock. He was paid a pretty penny to get rid of you two. Said he’d give us a thousand dollars if we took care of it for him.”
“Why us?”
“I don’t know.”
Caleb twisted the end of his rifle into the fresh wound. The man squealed like a pig. “You better know something.”
“Something about trees! Fuck, we just wanted the easy money.”
“If you were willing to kill two innocent men for cash, then you both deserve to rot in jail for the rest of your lives.”
It was the damn loggers. They’d been trying to buy off their land since their parents were alive. Since they’d moved back home over a decade ago, they’d been harassed into selling off their land countless times. It only served to piss them off.
No price was good enough. This was their home, their land, and they wouldn’t be bullied into giving up their legacy.
Caleb set his weapons aside and hogtied both men securely.
Opal left for the bathroom and came back with a damp washcloth. She wiped Damon’s face, taking gentle care of him. He watched for a moment, realizing they all had the same agenda, and their mutual love for each other was growing stronger. Everything didn’t have to fall on his shoulders because they were a family, a team.
He tossed a couple more logs into the fireplace and continually checked the windows to ensure there weren’t more of them lurking around. Caleb thrived on the responsibility of caring for Opal and Damon. It gave him purpose. He’d always loved his younger brother, and now he had a woman in his life. That missing element they both desperately needed.
“I’m going to hook up the new battery, then I’m running you a bath,” he said to Opal. “After what you’ve been through, you need to relax.”
She shook her head. “I’m okay. Damon’s the one we need to worry about.” Opal continued to wipe the blood from his face and neck.
“No arguments, sweetheart. I’ll take care of both of you.”
Chapter Eleven
It had to be the most frightening night of her life, but the cops came and handled everything. They dealt with the men, taking them away in cuffs, and Caleb and Damon had a lawyer come up to the cabin. Opal didn’t understand a word of what was being said, but figured it was important, seeing as her men seemed to understand.
A company had paid to have them killed so they could take the land and start cutting down the surrounding forest. There was a lot of money to be made, and seeing as the Whites hadn’t sold, the logging company wanted them out of the way. She’d never seen a lawyer look so excited at the thought of going head to head with a large company before, but he told Caleb and Damon not to worry about a thing. There was a lot of evidence and the crazy trespassers were ready and willing to spill their guts to the cops.
She had given her statement, and from there, nothing else had happened, which she didn’t mind. It was better to forget that nightmarish day and focus on the positive.
One good thing came out of the crazy night. One of the police officers found Bear on one of the trails miles away. He must have been spooked or disoriented. She knew the brothers were worried about him, so it was good the dog was home safe and sound.
One evening, nearly two weeks since the incident, after making sure the stew was just right, she made her way toward the bedroom. She’d already picked out the dress that she hoped would totally blow away her men. The straps were thin, and didn’t leave room for her to wear a bra.
She wanted to set the mood, and one thing she loved about both Caleb and Damon, they loved her curves. Whenever she was near with minimum clothing on, they couldn’t resist her, and she was more than ready.
With the dress on, she stared at her reflection. Opal had always thought her breasts were too big and sloppy, but seeing herself through the brothers’ eyes made her fall in love with herself.
The dress clung to every single curve, and with it, the outline of her panties, which she didn’t want. Wriggling out of her panties, she felt sexy, and maybe a little naughty. She’d never done anything like this in her life before, and it felt … good.
Tying her hair up, she stared at her reflection one more time, and didn’t even bother with makeup. Out here, makeup didn’t have a place, and her men loved her exactly the way she was—all natural.
She had no doubt of their love. Not only did they tell her every single night, but their actions spoke a hell of a lot louder than any words. The way they looked at her, touched her, and it wasn’t just about sex either. It was about the little things. Like the way Caleb couldn’t seem to resist touching her hand as he passed.
He’d take hold of her, and give it a gentle squeeze, or Damon would touch her neck. There was nothing sexual in the act. It was comforting. At nighttime she snuggled between the two of her men, and they held her close.
Those moments when she woke up and was able to turn her head either left or right, and watch them sleep, were the best of her life. Their love and warmth surrounded her, and there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for them. Her loneliness was finally gone.