by Chloe Lang
“You’ve got an enemy in Wilde. There’s at least a dozen or more that come to mind.”
“Whatever. This is too much.” Her hands trembled. “How many lies are you going to tell me?”
“I told you, I’m done with lies.” He reached for her, but she stepped back.
“No, Dallas. Don’t.”
“Okay. But I can’t let you go out alone, Jessie. Not knowing that. You have to understand that.”
“It’s a free country. Follow me, if you like. Just don’t talk to me. Don’t touch me. If you do, I will scream my head off until the law shows up.” She hated how mean her tone sounded, but Dallas’s betrayal wounded her so much that she couldn’t help but lash out at him.
She walked out the door of the Hotel Cactus onto Main Street. As Dallas had promised her, he followed.
Sneaky Pete’s Casino was just to the right of Norma’s Cafe. There weren’t any vehicles moving on the streets of Wilde at the moment, so she crossed the street, heading straight for the distraction she needed.
Walking into the casino, Jessie realized it wasn’t like any of the casinos in Atlantic City she’d visited. Sneaky Pete’s had only ten slot machines on the back wall, one crap table near the bar, one blackjack table, and one poker table. Nothing else. Well, her game was blackjack. When she got to the table, she recognized the man sitting there playing. He worked at the front desk of the Hotel Cactus, and she’d seen him there a few times.
He looked up. “Hello, Ms. Greene.”
“Hi.” She wracked her brain for his name.
“I’m Kyle.”
“Sorry. I forgot.”
“No problem. Blackjack player?”
“I’ve played a few times. Nothing serious though.” She looked over her shoulder and saw Dallas glaring. Good. “Mind if I join you.”
“I’d love it. But I have to warn you that this dealer is not very lucky for me. I’m down half my stash already, and I’ve only been here an hour.”
“I’ll take my chances.” Jessie sat down to the left of Kyle and threw three twenties on the table.
The cowboy smiled at her. “Maybe a cutie like you will turn my luck around tonight.”
Kyle was handsome and charming, but she was done with cowboys, especially ones from this town. “Don’t bet on it.”
The dealer pushed some chips in front of her.
Before he could deal, two women sat on the other side of her. One was Austin Wilde’s personal assistant, Selby. The other woman worked at the cafe.
They took the chairs next to her, with the waitress taking the one closest to Jessie. “Hello, Ms. Greene. How’s the investigation going?”
“I’m still working on it. Your name’s Samantha, right?”
The young woman smiled broadly. “Yes it is, Ms. Greene.”
“Please, call me Jessica.” She’d never been really good with women, but right now she wanted a female buddy more than she’d ever wanted one before.
“I can do that. But I thought your name was Jessie?”
“No. Why would you think that?” The Wilde brothers called her that. She’d even begun to think of herself as a Jessie. Now, it was time to return to her old persona. Taking back her real name and letting the nickname die would be a perfect step to accomplishing just that.
“I heard Jackson call you by that one day at the diner.”
The dealer, a nice-looking middle-aged man, frowned. “Samantha, you’re not twenty-one.”
Samantha produced a license. “This says I am. Besides, I’ve played here before. There’s no Nevada Gaming Control agents in town. What’s the harm?”
He glanced at Jessie then back at Samantha. “Doesn’t matter, kid. You can’t play.”
The girl laughed and turned to Jessie. “He’s worried that you’ll rat him out if he lets me play because you work for a federal agency. You don’t care, do you?”
“Not really. That’s not my jurisdiction. Besides, I’m off duty tonight.”
“Thank you.” Samantha batted her eyes, daring the man to refuse her.
He huffed and then shuffled the cards.
Selby leaned over. “By the way, you might want to steer clear of Kyle. He’s a major player.”
“Why would you say that, Selby?” he asked.
“Because it’s true. You broke my sister’s heart, mister. And I know another half dozen women in town who you’ve done the same thing to.”
Kyle’s cell phone rang, and he looked at its screen. “Excuse me. Jessie. It was wonderful seeing you again.”
She turned her head and smiled so Dallas would see. “Same here.”
Kyle walked away. “Hello, this is...”
As he walked to the door, she saw Dallas stop him. The two exchanged some words but weren’t loud enough for her to hear. Still, it was clear they weren’t sharing pleasantries. Dallas shoved Kyle, who came back at him and pushed him. An elderly man was next to them in a flash, pointing to the door. They both nodded and left the casino.
“Pete took care of your two boyfriends,” Selby said.
Jessie looked back to the two women, who were ignoring the blackjack dealer. Instead, their gazes were locked on the door that Dallas and Kyle had walked through.
“Who do you think will win in that matchup, Sam?”
“Dallas. He’s got more brawn than Kyle will ever have.”
“They’re not my boyfriends.” Jessie turned her attention to the dealer.
“Ladies, are you playing or not?”
“I am,” Samantha answered. She put a five-dollar chip in front of her.
Selby put her bet on the table and chimed in. “Me, too.”
Samantha turned to Jessie. “How about you?”
Jessie took one of her chips and put it on the felt. “I’m in.”
The dealer nodded and dealt the cards. After several rounds of play, Jessie was down about twenty bucks. She looked at Samantha’s pile of chips. They’d grown quite a bit. Selby’s was about the same.
“I’m done.” Samantha cashed in her chips. “How about you girls? I could use a drink.”
Selby nodded and pushed her chips toward the dealer, who exchanged them for cash.
Jessie considered joining them, but thought it might be best to return to her room. When she looked over her shoulder and saw Dallas walk back into the casino, she changed her mind. A little female companionship was exactly what she needed right now.
“I’d love to.” Jessie pushed her chips forward, and the dealer gave her twenty-two dollars back.
The three of them went to the bar. Samantha flirted with the bartender, and he didn’t hesitate to serve her. Three tequila shots later, Jessie was feeling warm and a bit better.
“Jessie, it’s nice to get to know you outside of work.” Selby downed her fourth shot. “You’re not half bad.”
“You either. Off the record, how is it working for Austin Wilde?”
“Awful. Amazing. Crazy. Wonderful.”
Samantha frowned. “If you ask me, he’s a total jerk.”
Jessie took her fourth shot of tequila. “I agree with Sam, here. He’s an asshole.”
“You two just don’t know him like I do.”
Jessie answered, “I know him well enough. He’s the kind of guy that breaks one woman’s heart before breakfast, another after lunch, and still another during dinner.”
Dallas walked up behind her. “Jessie, have you eaten anything today?”
She stood up and felt the liquor go to her head. “None of your business, Mr. Wilde.”
“Maybe not, but drinking tequila on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster.” He placed his hand on her shoulder.
Jessie jerked free of his touch. “No. You are. Get lost.”
Samantha stood up next to her. “Dallas, leave her to us. We’ll take care of her.”
“Neither of you are in shape to take care of anyone. I should call your mother, Samantha.”
The woman put her hands on her hips and frowned. “This poor girl do
esn’t have a friend in town. I don’t know what you did to her to get her so mad, but she might want to talk to someone about it.”
Jessie nodded and folded her arms over her chest.
Selby got on the other side of her. “Dallas, did you punch Kyle?” There was glee in her voice.
He didn’t answer, but Jessie thought he might’ve. She knew she shouldn’t hope for him to be jealous, but she did.
“You don’t need another drink to talk. No more, Jessie.” His tone didn’t leave room for negotiation.
She shrugged. “Fine. Now, can you play bodyguard back at the corner you came from? This is girls’ night out. No men allowed.”
“Especially not any Wilde brothers.” Samantha laughed, and Selby joined in.
His face darkened. Without another word, he walked away.
I’m being such a bitch to him. Sure, he’d held back the truth. Maybe he deserved it, too. Still something inside her screamed to forgive him even though she knew that would be idiotic.
“I bet we could sneak another round without Mr. Overprotective seeing us,” Samantha whispered.
“I don’t think Dallas misses much.” Jessie shook her head. “No more for me.”
“You’re really into him?” Samantha asked.
“I guess I am.”
“You do know the score about the Wilde brothers, Jessie?” Selby asked. “It’s a bit different.”
“I know. Dallas confessed some of it. I got a call from a guy earlier today that filled me in on the rest.”
Selby asked, “Who was he?”
“Don’t know. He didn’t let me ask any questions before he hung up. It’s just so strange to me.”
Samantha shrugged. “Probably some disgruntled miner who wants you out of town.”
“Does everyone in town know I’ve been spending time with the Wilde brothers?”
Samantha shrugged.
Selby answered, “Most do.”
“Damn.” Not only did Jessie feel like a fool, now all her credibility was gone.
Samantha put her arm around Jessie’s shoulders. “You poor thing. Those brothers sure do know how to hurt a woman.”
“Yes, they do.”
* * * *
At four in the morning, Jessie crawled into her hotel bed, still feeling the effects of the tequila. Though Dallas had offered to walk her back to the hotel, she’d let her two new gal pals do it.
Jessie wasn’t quite ready to let Dallas off the hook, but she was close after talking with Samantha and Selby. Each of them came from similar families as the Wilde brothers. Samantha’s mother had two husbands and Selby’s had four. When they talked about it, she actually started seeing the logic in such an arrangement.
She looked up at the ceiling of her room. How could she even consider marrying the brothers? Sure, she had fallen for Jackson, Phoenix, and Dallas. But she barely knew Denver. And what about Austin? Every time she thought about him, her anxiety grew. Her meeting with him had gone terribly. He had a dominating demeanor that unhinged her. No. It could never work.
Buzz. Buzz.
The sound came from her cell phone. Where is it? She’d been in such a rush earlier that she’d forgotten to take her cell to the casino.
It was on the desk by the window. Jessie crawled off the bed and grabbed it up.
The caller ID told her that she definitely did want to answer it.
“Hey, Michael.” Her tongue felt thick from the tequila.
“Jessica? Where the hell have you been?”
“At th-the c-casino.”
“You’re drunk?”
She giggled. “I guess so.”
“Well, Wilde seems to be having a real impact on you.”
“It certainly is.”
“So, what about the cowboys you told me about? How’s that going?”
She wasn’t sure if it was the tequila or that she was so tired, but she told him the whole story about the Wilde brothers and what the cowboys wanted from her.
“Wow, Jessica. I travel the world for craziness, and you find it in rural Nevada.”
“It is crazy? A woman marrying so many men?”
“Maybe. Most would say so. But who cares what others think. I don’t. Not anymore.”
“I’m glad you finally decided to be yourself, Michael.”
“Me, too. You should do the same. Stop worrying about what others think and go with your gut. Let me ask this. Do you love them?”
She sighed. “I think I am falling in love with at least three of them.”
“What about the other two cowboys?”
“I don’t know. Denver, maybe, though he’s pretty intense at times. Austin scares me.”
“Doll, you deserve happiness. Why not just see where this takes you?”
“You really think so?”
“Sure. Besides, I want to be there when your dad gets the wedding invitations.”
Jessie laughed. “You’re awful.” He always knew how to cheer her up.
“Listen to Dallas. He told you to stay in the here and now. I think he’s right. Now, you go to sleep. I have a feeling you’re going to be quite hungover tomorrow.”
“I don’t have hangovers, remember?”
“I remember. Night, doll.”
“Night, Michael.”
Chapter Six
Norma’s Cafe was filled to the brim. Jessie saw the line of customers that continued out the door. The aroma of King Cakes, bacon, and fresh coffee deliciously filled the air.
“Thanks.” Jessie nodded at Samantha as she refilled her cup.
“How about another stack?”
Jessie had enjoyed spending time with Samantha and Selby at Sneaky Pete’s Casino. They’d told her a lot about the Wilde brothers and their family she’d not known. “I don’t think I could eat another bite.”
Samantha grinned. “King Cakes can become addictive.”
Jessie patted her belly. “You’re telling me.”
“You should try our biscuits and gravy. They’re to die for. And our waffles are as big as a table.”
“Hush. As it is already, I’m going to have to eat only bread and water starting the instant I get back to DC.”
Samantha smiled. “Hey, why don’t we go to the Horseshoe tonight?”
Jessie looked over at the booth where Dallas sat staring. She didn’t believe the strange family makeup of the Wilde family could work when it came to her. Still, she was ready to let her cowboy off the hook. He’d suffered enough. Dallas had been honest with her—up to a point. And how could he have told her the entire truth? Any sane woman would’ve been out of town the second she’d learned about the Wilde brothers’ needs.
“No. While I’d love to, I have to get up in the morning early. I found out that to get to the old line you have to go on horseback.”
“Or motorcycle,” Samantha informed. “Well that’s a shame. I thought I might introduce you to some men in town who were more along the one-on-one variety.”
Jessie sighed. “I’m not sure I could ever go back to the norm after being with the Wilde brothers.”
“Suit yourself. Would’ve been fun.”
“Maybe next time, Samantha.”
“Sure thing.” The woman winked, turned, and went to another table to take their order.
Well, best to get this over with right now.I’ve been bitchy to him long enough. Jessie slid out of the booth and walked over to Dallas’s table.
“Mind if I join you?” she asked.
Dallas smiled broadly, his relief evident on his face. “Please, have a seat.”
She took a deep breath. This was going to be awkward. “I need your help.”
“Anything. You know that.”
“I need to go to the old mine. I understand the only way there is by horseback or motorcycle.”
He shook his head. “It would be difficult to get to the mine by motorcycle. The old creek washed out last spring.”
“Will you help me?”
“Love, I would do anything f
or you.”
Jessie felt tingles spread through her body. She reached across the table and took Dallas’s hand in hers. “I want you to know I’m not mad at you. Actually, I kind of understand why you did what you did. But no more lies, Dallas.”
“Agreed.”
“But you have to know that this is all new to me. I’m not sure if I can really be what you want me to be.”
He squeezed her hand. “Sweetheart, you already are. I know there’s a lot to take in. My family is…not like others. I want you to know one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“If a plural marriage isn’t something that you can wrap your head around, I’d like you to consider a more traditional proposal. If you’ll have me, I’d like to be your one and only.”
Her heart slammed in her chest. She couldn’t believe her ears. “If I understand what Selby and Samantha told me, if you don’t share a wife with your other brothers, you lose your inheritance. Is that right?”
Dallas shrugged.
My God, would he really do that for me? Somehow she knew he would. “Well, let’s just take it one day at a time. Stick to the here and now, as someone pretty smart told me one time.”
“Love, we’re good?”
“Green, Sir. We’re green.”
A familiar voice came from behind her. “Jessica!”
She whirled around and saw Michael pushing his way through the line of customers.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said loudly, hoping he could hear above the din.
She grinned, knowing that what he was wearing had likely never been seen in this small mining town ever before. Actually, she doubted purple jeans and silver shirts had been seen since the seventies. Even his sunglasses were massive, pointing back to the disco era. Jessie jumped from Dallas’s booth. Her ex-fiancé walked over and gave her a big hug. She melted into his embrace. Gay, yes, but Michael had muscles to spare. He was tall, too. Six-three. Being held by him felt good and peacefully familiar.
Dallas stood and glared at him. “I think that’s enough. Get your paws off of her, now.”
“He’s my friend. Don’t be jealous.”
Michael’s eyebrows went up, but he didn’t let go. “Wow, Jessica. You really did trade up.”
Dallas grabbed Michael’s shoulder. “I said let her go.”