Reckless River: Men of Mercy, Book 3

by Cross, Lindsay

She was trapped. “I swear, he—”

  Jared roared his fury and Sparrow wished in that instant she could run away. But she was imprisoned between the animal he had become and the bed.

  “One more word out of your mouth and I’ll tie you to the bed. Do you understand?”

  She trembled and cursed herself for the fear. Her whole life she’d been fighting bullies who tried to keep her down. And now she had to fight the man to whom she’d willingly given her body and soul. “You wouldn’t.”

  Jared collected himself, but that crazed fire in his eyes was still there when he yanked her up by the arms and tossed her onto the bed. He grabbed her wrists and bound them to the center of the headboard. Then, without another word, he turned and left room.

  “Jared! Don’t do this!” She was so angry with him, and yet what remained of her heart was breaking.

  He returned a few minutes later with more bindings. “I’ll do to you what you did to me. Let’s see how well you like it.

  He grabbed the closest ankle and she kicked out, but her efforts were futile against his strength. He bound each foot to a separate bedpost, leaving her spread eagled and half naked. “You’re going to regret this. I swear to God you’ll regret it.”

  He knelt on the bed, his grin humorless, and wrapped a gag around her mouth, effectively silencing her comeback.

  Sparrow was completely vulnerable to him. Humiliation swamped her. She’d trusted this man so much, and he still didn’t trust her. He still didn’t believe that what they felt for each other was real. And she had no idea how she could change his mind.

  But she would die before she let him see how much he was hurting her.

  “You can look at me like you want to kill me all you want. But you’ll stay like this until I’m ready to deal with you.”

  Jared strode from the room and slammed the door behind him, the ominous click of a lock snapping into place sealing her fate.

  24

  Jared shoved his hands through his hair and stormed down the hall. His mind was twisting in so many directions he felt ready to explode

  Part of him already regretted his actions against Sparrow, but part of him was still imagining her slicing her blade into his brother’s flesh. If he stopped and asked himself, really asked himself, he didn’t believe her capable of it. Not unless she was the best actress who had ever lived. Maybe those were simply his brother’s feverish ramblings…

  Jared turned the corner back into his brother’s bedroom to see Hayden James, Hunter and Ranger’s little sister, sitting on the edge of the mattress, holding Hoyt’s hand and stroking his arm and face.

  “What are you doing in here?”

  She looked up at his voice, tears streaming down her face. “Who could do this to him?”

  Jared wished he had a straight answer for her, because with every minute he doubted it was Sparrow.

  “Don’t worry. I think we’ve got her.”

  Hoyt drew in a shuddering breath, twitching even as the sedative flowed through his veins.

  Helpless agony surged through Jared, completely taking over his logic. He wanted to hurt something or someone so bad his entire body shook.

  “Her? You think a woman did this to him? Women love your brother. I can’t believe one would actually be capable of hurting him.”

  “Before my brother passed out, he all but pointed his finger at her.” The words delivered in a voice that was shaking more than he’d like, and the memory of finding Hoyt chained up in that rotten shack sent another shiver through him.

  Hayden wiped away her tears with a shaking hand, her pale blue eyes haunted. “I want to see her. I want to see the person that did this to him.”

  “No, you stay away from her.”

  “You’re not the only one that loves him, you know?”

  Her statement caught him off guard. Jared pulled his head out of his ass and studied her. She was caressing his brother with such gentleness.

  Hayden was in love with Hoyt. How had he not realized that sooner? Hoyt had been the one to stand by Hayden after her betrayal this summer. She’d been taken advantage of by one of their Team members, who’d been married at the time. And who’d also been Hayden’s brother’s best friend. Still, while Jared had known they were close, he’d assumed it was more of a big brother kind of relationship.

  Apparently, Jared wasn’t as good at reading women as he’d thought.

  “Hayden, I don’t want you near her. Do you understand?”

  Her gaze hardened. “If she really did it, I want you to hurt her. Hurt her like she hurt him.”

  He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. There wasn’t a chance in hell he could hurt Sparrow. Not even if Hoyt woke proclaiming her guilt. He was in too deep. “I’m not sure how long you’ve been here, but I think it’s time for you to go home.”

  “I’m not leaving him.”

  What the hell was up with all of these stubborn women in his life? “Do I need to call your brothers? You know they’ll listen to me.”

  “You can call the entire police force of the state of Mississippi, cause that’s what it will take to drag me from your brother’s side.” Dammit, tears were building in her eyes again and that vulnerable little tremble started on her chin. A chin she poked out stubbornly.

  “Your dad then. You shouldn’t be here.” But he hadn’t chosen the right words. He knew that instantly from the triumphant gleam in her eyes.

  “Daddy’s the one who told me to stay as long as I needed.”

  Motherfucker, the girl was good. “You could give your brothers a run for their money, you know?”

  She nodded and sniffled. “They say the same thing.” And then her gaze softened. “Why don’t you go take a shower and clean up? Not to be indelicate, but you look like hell.”

  For the first time in the last forty-eight hours, Jared took notice of his appearance. He’d been traipsing through the woods for days without a shower or bath. He didn’t need to take a big whiff to guess how he smelled. But he didn’t want to leave his brother.

  Hayden must have sensed his thoughts. “I’m not leaving his side. If anything changes, I’ll come get you, but I think you’re pretty safe to take a quick shower. Besides, do you want him to see you like that when he wakes up?”

  She was right, but still…

  “I don’t care if I’m in the shower, come and get me if anything changes in the least. I’ll leave the door unlocked.”

  “I promise.”

  Jared stepped out of the room and turned down the hall. Merc had said his bedroom joined up to Sparrow’s. He strode past her door without stopping, resisting the urge to lean in and check on her. She was fine. He’d done no worse to her than she had done to him.

  He entered the next door on the left to find another sturdy wooden bed, just like the one to which he’d bound Sparrow, half naked and helpless. His gut tightened with lust.

  He needed a cold shower to take his mind off his captive. His mood was skating the line between lust and blind fury, and every little thing that happened threatened to tip him in a different direction.

  His bag lay on the bed and Jared quickly dug into it, pulling out toiletries and a change of clothes. Once he had what he needed, he headed for the shower.

  The bathroom boasted a claw bathtub beneath a sunny window, a long granite vanity with two sinks, and a large tiled shower. He stripped and turned on the water, stepping beneath the spray. Jared leaned forward and placed his forearms on the cold tile wall, letting his head fall between his hands.

  His chest tightened like a vice. He’d failed to protect Hoyt. He’d failed his brother. The violent swirl of emotions struck hard and warred within him, needing an outlet.

  He took a deep breath and tried to get under control. The last time he’d acted on his emotions, he’d nearly killed them all.

  *

  Sparrow wasn’t sure how long she lay alone in the dark room, but it was long enough for her bladder to shrink to the size of a tiny balloon. She hadn’t tho
ught of bodily functions on the trip here. She’d been too concerned with simply functioning. Period.

  She yelled, but the sound was muffled by the gag. Part of her hated Jared Crowe. Hated him for what he’d done to her, for the fact that he still refused to fully believe her, for the way he’d treated her like a whore. But another part of her, for which she felt nothing but disgust, felt mercy for him. On some level, she even understood.

  God what a weakling you are.

  She’d allowed what she felt for him, what they’d done together, to steal her reasoning and turn her mind into a puddle of mush. And now she was actually making excuses for his behavior. She was sick.

  She’d caught a glimpse of his brother laid out on the bed, as white as the sheet covering his body. It was obvious that despite the scar running down the side of his face, Hoyt was a very handsome man. Or he used to be. Sparrow cringed, knowing just how much Jimbo had enjoyed destroying that pretty face.

  But what hurt her even worse than seeing Hoyt in such pain was the agony etched into Jared’s features as he stared down at his brother. He truly loved Hoyt—with a depth that Sparrow envied. She’d wanted a relationship like that her whole life, longed for someone to share such a deep connection.

  The minutes stretched into hours. The need to pee grew until it was strong enough to make her squirm. Sparrow had no way of knowing what time it was or how long she had been there. They’d boarded up the window so tight that not even a hint of sunlight filtered through. Even the table lamp was turned off, enclosing her in complete darkness. But she didn’t mind the darkness, not really. What bothered her was the not knowing. Would Hoyt be okay? Would he ever wake up? Or would Jared hate her forever? God, why did that thought hurt her so much?

  What she wouldn’t give to be back in her own trailer hanging out with Squirrel. Maybe even helping him check traps. No matter how awful her life was in the mountains, it was still her home. The only home she’d ever known.

  In the space of one day, she’d been forcefully torn from everything she’d ever known and thrust into a hopeless future.

  Fatigue pulled at her eyes. She’d been through so much. Her head hurt and her hip ached. Maybe if she got some sleep, she’d see a way out of this mess. And tomorrow, she could face the day with perspective. The kind that didn’t involve panting over Jared.

  25

  Sparrow jerked awake, her heart beating fast enough to crack her sternum, sensing a presence in the room. She couldn’t see anything in the darkness, but she knew someone was there. She tried to talk, but the gag muffled her voice.

  Without any ability to move or speak, she was forced to listen to the person’s footsteps as they walked around the bed. She craned her head in the direction of the sound, fear choking off her air. If it were Jared, he would have already spoken.

  No, this was someone else.

  The lamp clicked on and Sparrow blinked, temporarily blinded. When her vision cleared, she stared up at a young woman, about her own size, with long blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. Eyes that were filled with loathing.

  “You are the one? You hurt Hoyt?” Her voice had a strong southern accent, but it was soft and melodious.

  Sparrow tried to respond, but the gag silenced her.

  The girl reached for it and pulled it out of Sparrow’s mouth. “Thank you.” Her mouth and throat were parchment dry, her lips cracked from being stretched, but at least she could talk.

  “I didn’t do it for you. Answer my question.” The girl crossed her arms.

  “Could you get me some water? My mouth is really dry.”

  “Not until you tell me. Did you hurt him?”

  Sparrow watched the tears forming in the girl’s eyes, knew from how red rimmed they were that she’d been crying. Sympathy tugged at her conscience. “No. I didn’t touch him.”

  “Then why did he say you did?”

  “I don’t know. He was out of it. I was standing there in front of him…maybe I’m just the first thing he saw after he came to.” Maybe Sparrow could talk her into freeing her. “What’s your name?”

  “Hayden. Hoyt doesn’t lie.” Hayden’s cheeks stained pink and she briskly wiped at her tears.

  She would have to play her cards just right. Hayden was young, and most definitely vulnerable. If Sparrow could just get her hands free she could use her to escape. “I didn’t say he did. I think he was disoriented. Do I look like I could do that?”

  Hayden studied her for a long time. “You don’t look like you could, but I know enough to realize that doesn’t mean anything.”

  “Please, can I have a sip of water?” Sparrow pleaded, hoping she sounded pathetic enough to get her way.

  Hayden sighed, “Okay. I’ll be right back.” She left and returned a moment later with a bottle, which she uncapped and held to Sparrow’s lips. Sparrow drank greedily, savoring each drop. When she’d gotten enough, she nodded and Hayden set the bottle aside.

  “What happened to your head?” Hayden indicated Sparrow’s temple.

  I was rash and stupid and almost got away. “I fell and met the wrong end of a rock.”

  Hayden winced and Sparrow felt an inkling of hope. The girl seemed sympathetic enough. “Hayden, I haven’t gotten to pee since yesterday. Any way you could take me to the bathroom?” Maybe this could be her way out.

  She backed up immediately, and Sparrow knew she’d pushed too fast. “No. I can’t. I’ll get Jared.”

  “No! Wait. Don’t get him.”

  “Why not? I’m sure he’d let you go to the restroom.” Hayden hovered near the bed, leaning toward the door.

  Come on, Sparrow think. Why would she not want him to take her there? “I-I can’t go in front of him.” Sparrow did her best to look frightened and embarrassed.

  And it worked. Hayden approached the bed again and Sparrow’s heart leapt into her throat.

  “I’m sure he’d give you privacy. He’s really not a bad guy.”

  Sparrow shook her head, “No, he wouldn’t. He made me go in the woods with him standing there.” She held back her snort—as if she’d cared. When Mother Nature called, you answered. Plain and simple.

  Sparrow chanced a peek to see Hayden put her hand around her throat, her stance shifting from foot to foot. Time to drive it home.

  “Please, I was so mortified. I’ve never done that before, ever. I-I-I don’t think I can take it.” Sparrow squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head, as if fighting back tears.

  “Oh, no. I don’t know. He’d kill me if I untied you. I mean…”

  “No, I wouldn’t kill you. But I’d be fucking pissed.” Jared’s deep voice startled them both. Sparrow jerked around to look at the door and Hayden jumped a clear foot.

  “Hayden, didn’t I warn you to stay out of here?” Jared walked into the room and took Hayden’s hand. A wave of jealousy overtook Sparrow. What was she to him anyway?

  “I’m sorry. I just had to see for myself.” Hayden glanced at her then back to Jared. “I’m not so sure she could have done it, Jared. She’s so petite.”

  Jared cupped Hayden’s cheek and it was all Sparrow could do not to scream. He obviously felt something for the girl. His touch was too familiar. Too gentle. Dammit, why did she care if he was in love with another woman? He certainly didn’t seem to care too much for her.

  “She may be, but she’s deadly.”

  “No, Hayden, you’re right. There is no way I could have done that to a grown man,” Sparrow said.

  “Shut up,” Jared snapped and then turned to look at the beautiful blonde. Sparrow saw red.

  “Go on back to my brother’s room. I’ll be there in just a minute,” Jared said, gentling his voice.

  Hayden bit her lip and looked at Sparrow again.

  “Don’t leave me alone with him, please!” Sparrow asked.

  “Enough! Hayden, get out of here. I’ll deal with her.”

  Tears appeared in the girl’s eyes and she ran from the room. Sparrow watched in sorrow as her one chance at possib
le escape slipped away.

  “You took advantage of her,” Jared shut the door and then came to tower over her. He’d showered and changed clothes, his clean scent filling her nostrils.

  “Can you blame me? She was an easy mark, plus, you haven’t really left me a choice have you? I’m not going to just lay here and let you hurt me.”

  Jared put his knee on the bed next to her and the mattress dipped under his weight. “Who said I was going to hurt you?” He placed a hand on her exposed knee and traced it lightly up her thigh. Chills raced after his touch and Sparrow clenched her jaw, fighting the sensation.

  “You did. Many times.”

  Jared switched to her other leg, tracing just high enough for her to feel the heat from his hand near her core, but stopping before he actually touched her there. He repeated the motion, softly caressing her thighs and barely avoiding her core. “I was angry.”

  He lifted the hem of her shirt, exposing her belly. Sparrow started to shake. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m touching you.” He continued with the light circles around her navel. She sucked in, hollowing out her stomach in an attempt to escape his touch.

  “Stop. I don’t want this,” Sparrow said.

  “Then why are there goose bumps across your skin?” Jared continued.

  “I’m cold.” That was a lie. His fingers were setting her on fire.

  “Maybe you would like a hot bath to warm you up?” Jared held her gaze.

  A bath would be heaven on earth. She was coated in dirt and sticks and dried blood. She could almost imagine how terrible she looked and smelled. But why would he offer her such a luxury? “What do you want?”

  “I want your cooperation. I will untie you and let you take a bath if you promise not to try and run.” Jared continued to caress her belly, sending little waves of pleasure rippling over her flesh.

  Sparrow licked her dry lips. “That’s it? Just promise not to run? Done. Now untie me.”

  Jared’s smile was too secretive, too knowing as he stood and untied her feet and then her hands. Tingles of blood flow licked her fingers when she finally lowered them. Jared helped her up, but he left her hands tied together. When her feet were on the floor, Sparrow said, “My hands.”