Reckless River: Men of Mercy, Book 3

by Cross, Lindsay

  “Of course.” Jared produced a knife from his pocket and Sparrow gasped when she saw it was hers. He cut through her bindings and tucked it back in his pants.

  “That’s mine.” Sparrow gingerly rubbed her wrists.

  “Spoils of war. Come on.” Jared led her through the connecting door. Sparrow did a quick scan of his room—the exit door was shut and shutters were drawn over the single window. “They are all locked, and I have the key.” He propelled her past a large bed with a beautiful but worn quilt and led her into a bathroom as big as her living room.

  Sparrow let out a low whistle. “Fancy.”

  “I’ve already run your bath. I didn’t have any women’s clothes so I laid out another one of my shirts.”

  A black shirt lay folded in a square on top of a long gleaming vanity. There was a towel and cloth beside it. Sparrow walked over to the vanity and ran her hands over the shiny surface. She nearly squealed when she saw the bath tub.

  “The toilet is through the door there.” Jared indicated a smaller door in the corner and Sparrow rushed to it, slamming it closed behind her. Once she had emptied her over full bladder, she emerged into an empty bathroom.

  Holy crap, he had really meant it. She could have a bath in this real live movie star tub. Sparrow shucked her shirt and panties in record time. She dipped a finger in the water and almost cried. It was steaming hot and perfect. She stepped in, careful to hold on to the high sides, and sat, submerging herself up to her chest.

  Nothing in her life had ever felt this good.

  Sparrow closed her eyes and leaned back. Thoughts of Jared intruded on her peace. Why was he softening? Had Hoyt woke? She ruthlessly pushed the thoughts away, greedily wanting to relish every second. When the water started to turn tepid, Sparrow dunked her head beneath the water and grabbed a bottle of shampoo off the shelf behind the tub. She quickly washed her hair, savoring the sweet smelling shampoo. Then she grabbed the cloth and washed her body, frowning when she got to her dirty feet. No wonder Jared had wanted her to have a bath; she was filthy.

  The tub was so deep, she had to stand to wash the rest of her body. Sparrow grimaced when she skimmed her hands over her bruised hip. She was lucky that it was the worst of her injuries, of course. She could have easily broken her bones in that fall.

  “Now, that is a beautiful sight.” Jared’s voice filled the bathroom and Sparrow fought the urge to dive under the cover of water.

  “So much for a peaceful bath.”

  He scanned her from top to bottom and lingered on her hips. He strode forward and reached for her. Sparrow plopped down in the water, not ready to give up her safe haven yet.

  “Your hip looks worse.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t feel a thing.”

  Jared sighed and a look of resignation crossed his features. In the bright light of the bathroom, she could see the lines of fatigue and worry etched around his eyes and mouth. He’d trimmed his beard, leaving only a dark sexy shadow covering his jaw. “How’s your head?”

  She’d almost forgotten about that. The pounding and the headache had eased earlier today. “Terrible.”

  “That was a stupid move on your part.” He backed up, leaned against the counter and crossed his ankles.

  “More like desperate.” It had broken her to think he’d taken her virginity without feeling anything for her, that she’d let this man use her.

  Jared made a sound close to a growl. “You will not ever do that again, do you understand?”

  Sparrow dropped the cloth into the tub, knowing her time was over. “Can you just go, please, so I can dry off?”

  He shook his head slowly from side to side. “I think I’d rather stay.”

  The thought of performing such an intimate act in front of him filled her with embarrassment and longing. But when he arched an eyebrow, daring her to protest, her back stiffened. If he thought she’d cower from showing a little skin, he had another thing coming. Sparrow placed her hand on the rim of the tub and stood, making sure to take her sweet time stepping over the edge and onto the fur rug on the floor.

  Sparrow sauntered over to the towel he’d left out, making sure to bend a little more than necessary to grab it. Sparrow Pickney cowered from no man.

  26

  Sparrow bent over to grab the towel, and all the oxygen seeped from the room. Any thoughts Jared might have possessed about embarrassing her evaporated. The girl was shameless, and fuck all, he loved it.

  When she turned and began drying off, her movements sensual, he rubbed a hand over his mouth, fighting to keep the groan inside. All the blood rushed from his head straight into his cock. She was an enigma. He’d taken her virginity, proof she’d never experienced another man’s intimate touch, and yet she moved like a seductress. Punishing him by turning his plans on him. Before he knew it, Jared was crossing the room, his feet taking him to her of their own accord.

  When he finally stood before her, she clutched the towel between them, and it was then he saw her hands shake. Not so bold after all.

  Her hair hung long down her back, and her freshly scrubbed skin soft and silky to the touch. “You’re driving me crazy.”

  She stiffened. “I’m not trying to. All you have to do is release me. You’ll never have to see me again.”

  “Never.” The thought of losing her now sent a wave of fear through him. She belonged with him. “You’re mine.”

  He drew her to him, slamming his mouth down over hers. She gave a weak protest and then wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him down to her. The towel fell to the floor between them, and then her naked chest was pressed into his, driving him past reason.

  Jared cupped her ass, lifting her and wrapping her legs around his waist. He turned and set her on the bathroom counter, closing his lips over her nipple, his eyes sliding shut in pleasure. “We shouldn’t do this, but God I want you so bad.”

  She arched into him, panting. “Don’t stop.”

  He stood and ripped off his shirt, needing to feel her flesh against his own. “Never.”

  He slipped a hand between them, and when he found her wet and hot for him he nearly came in his pants. Jared knelt before her, pushing her knees wide as he lowered his head between her legs and licked her clit with long, slow movements. Sparrow gasped, her fingers digging into his hair. Fueled by her response, he sucked her clit between his lips, lapping at her until she arched into him uncontrollably. He took her like that until she cried out and he tasted her juices as she came.

  Feeling as if he would die if he didn’t bury himself inside her, Jared stood and ripped off his pants. Then he yanked her off the counter, turned her around and drove into her from behind in one deep thrust. “Jared!” She screamed and slapped a hand on the mirror in front of her, the other grabbing onto the counter for support.

  All he could manage was a growl as he gripped her hips and slammed into her over and over. He watched her in the mirror, watched her eyes grow heavy lidded and her mouth open with a whimper each time he thrust. He was so close, and he could see she was too. He reached around her and flicked her sensitive clit until she convulsed around him, milking his own orgasm free.

  Jared fell forward, catching himself on his arms to keep from crushing her. Sparrow laid her cheek against the counter and closed her eyes, breathing hard. Seeing her so replete from pleasure filled him with a sense of contentment and intensified his feeling of possession.

  “You’re so responsive. So beautiful.”

  She smiled and hummed when he skimmed a finger down her back. Although he wanted to stay there all night, Jared forced himself to pull out. He handed her back her towel, wanting to cry when she wrapped it around her body. Then he heard her stomach growl and realized he hadn’t fed her. “Put on your shirt. I’ll get you some food.”

  “Okay.” Sparrow pulled on his T-shirt, and seeing her in his clothes did something strange to his insides. He buttoned up his pants and pulled her into his bedroom, through the connecting doors into hers.

>   Her eyebrows swooped down in confusion. “I thought we were getting food?”

  “I’ll get you food. I’ll be back in just a minute.” At least he hoped he had food, he hadn’t explored the kitchen yet to see if it was stocked.

  “Can’t I go with you?” She was looking up at him, her eyes luminous.

  “I’m sorry, but no.” He watched her hopeful expression fall and the relaxed curve of her smile drop. His anger surfaced. What did she expect him to do? Just forget everything? Forget Hoyt’s accusations? He had to know for sure, it was the only way…

  “Jared, how long are you going to keep me here?”

  The question caught him off guard and he answered without thought, “Until Hoyt wakes up.”

  She wrapped her arms around her middle. “And what’s going to happen when he tells you I wasn’t involved?”

  The question brought him back a step. This question of her innocence had kept niggling at him lately. At some moments, he felt so certain. At others, less so. But if it were true, if she really hadn’t done it, he’d kidnapped her for no good reason. “We’ll know what happened when he wakes up.”

  Her eyes deepened from gold to amber. “And what will you do if he doesn’t wake up?” She was looking at him like a wounded bird.

  When he didn’t respond for a good long while, she looked at him—through him—and said, “You’re scared he’ll wake up and tell you it was a big mistake. You can’t face the fact that you screwed up.”

  “My brother doesn’t lie!” he shouted, frustrated, and pulled her to him again.

  She rose on her toes, meeting his challenge. “He might not have lied, but he was delirious. And deep down inside you know I’m telling the truth!”

  She planted her palms on his chest and pushed, but he didn’t budge. A fact that only seemed to make her angrier. “You can’t keep me here forever!”

  Jared’s shoulders and neck tensed to near snapping. “I can…and I will!”

  Jared stomped from the room and slammed the lock home. Their pleasant interlude had turned into a disaster. And all because he couldn’t stop thinking about her. All because he desired her so much that he was willing to overlook his continued confusion about what she had—or hadn’t—done.

  Jared roared and punched the wall, smashing a fist sized hole in the hallway.

  “Jared?” Hayden stood in the door of his brother’s room, her eyes wide. “Is everything okay?”

  His shoulders heaved as he attempted to regain control. But his stomach was so tight he thought it might snap his spinal cord. Jared extracted his hands on the wall, unable to gentle his voice. “Fine.”

  “Oh, okay,” she stammered.

  Hayden looked afraid of him, and yet he hadn’t even yelled at her. Sparrow had screamed right in his face and punched him in the chest. The differences between the two women were striking. The gentle breeze of Hayden didn’t hold a candle to Sparrow’s roaring flame.

  “I need to get some air. I’ll be outside if anything changes.” Jared stormed out of the house and slammed the back door behind him, sucking in huge gulps of fresh air.

  He stared up at the night sky, trying to reign in his feelings and failing miserably. Sparrow’s questions haunted him. If she really were innocent, he would have to live with the fact that he’d mistreated a girl who had done nothing but try to save him.

  27

  A full three days passed without Jared coming to her room. At first she was furious. He’d used her again, and just like before, she’d fallen for his touch.

  Merc was her only contact with the outside world. He’d brought her brand new clothes to change into and some books and magazines to help pass the time. He even brought her a radio, so she could listen to music. Three times a day, he would bring her trays of food and escort her to the bathroom, and that was it. She flinched at the cold contact whenever he touched her. And unlike Jared, he looked at her with lifeless eyes completely detached and unfeeling.

  She couldn’t really complain about her circumstances. They’d fed her more in the space of three days than she usually ate in a week. The clothes she wore now were brand new – she’d pulled the tags off them herself. Sparrow smoothed her hands down the soft cotton dress. She’d never worn clothes that hadn’t already belonged to someone else.

  Her bed was soft, the sheets even softer and the bedroom was the size of her whole trailer. But no matter how luxurious her room, it was still a cage.

  Sparrow had to face facts; she had feelings for Jared Crowe. Deep feelings. Feelings that he was intent on destroying.

  Sparrow had survived for years on her wits and on the land. She hadn’t had many friends outside of Squirrel. So conversation wasn’t a necessity for her, but day after day of being locked in that little room with only the low glow of a small lamp was wearing her down.

  And as much as she hated to admit it, she missed Jared.

  At least he hadn’t ordered her to be chained the bed again. As the week went by, her nerves grew more and more taught as she kept thinking about Jimbo’s betrayal.

  She knew she was missing something. She thought hard about the week before. Everything about it had seemed so normal. Miss Kay had ordered Sparrow to make her rounds, collecting money from their distributors and girls. Checking stock at the bars, making sure none of the bartenders were stealing liquor.

  Jimbo and Bob were in charge of collecting money for the dope. They pretty much stayed out of each other’s way altogether unless Miss Kay called them in. Nothing had been reported stolen or missing. Jimbo’s movements had been as predictable as the sun rising. When he was done with his chores, he would grab Geraldine and disappear into his house.

  Think, Sparrow, think. There had to be something else. But the only theory she’d come up with was that he’d hidden Hoyt in that shack without Miss Kay’s knowledge because he hoped to steal the deed. And that worried Sparrow more each day.

  The only thing that broke up the monotony was hearing Hoyt’s intermittent screams. Not exactly a peaceful break. Each time it would catch her unprepared and she would leap to her feet, her heart racing, and rush to the door to press her ear against the smooth wood, trying to pick up on what was going on.

  By the last day of the week, Sparrow thought she was losing her mind. She could only sleep so much and most of the time ended up pacing the confines of her room. If something didn’t change, she would lose it. She needed the outdoors, the sun and the wind on her face. She needed to do something, to be useful.

  When Merc brought her breakfast that morning, Sparrow snapped. “You can take that food and shove it up your ass.”

  Merc just grunted and kicked the door shut behind him. He went to the bed, taking the same path he always did, and placed her food tray in the same spot as before.

  Sparrow stopped him, and crowded his personal space. She didn’t even flinch when he stood to his full height and towered over her. “You have to let me out of here. I’m losing it. Just take me outside for five minutes, that’s all I need, I swear.”

  Merc stared down at her and Sparrow held her breath, hoping that he might speak to her, say anything. Instead, he just turned and walked to the door.

  In a rage, she grabbed her tray of food and slung it as hard as she could. Merc ducked sideways at the last minute and glared at her.

  “Talk to me, dammit!”

  He glanced from the scattered food to her. Then he opened the door and simply walked out, ignoring her completely. When she heard the lock slide into place this time, she collapsed to the floor a sobbing mess. This was what Jared wanted, probably, to break her spirit. She would do anything to get out of this room.

  Sparrow jumped to her feet and ran to the door, pounding on it with all her might and screaming at the top of her lungs. When no one came, she ran to the dresser and started ripping out drawers. They were empty, she’d discovered that on the first day, but she needed to destroy something.

  When she finished with that she’d started on the bed stands, she mo
ved on to the bed, tearing the single fitted sheet off in a rage. She was in the process of stomping over to the drawer on the floor, intending to throw it, when the door slammed open and Jared stood in the doorway.

  “What the hell are you doing?” He looked terrible. He’d lost weight, his eyes were bloodshot, and his hair was tangled like he hadn’t slept or eaten all week. She ruthlessly crushed the concern she felt for him beneath her heel. He’d abandoned her.

  “I need out of this room! Now!”

  “You’ve lost your mind. Did you destroy the dresser?” Jared stared around incredulously.

  She ripped the drawer off the floor and chucked it at him with all her pent-up fury. “Not yet!”

  Jared ducked sideways, the drawer barely missing is shoulder, and slamming into the wall behind him. “Don’t do that again.”

  Sparrow picked up another drawer, pulled it back over her head, and hurled it with all her might, smiling in satisfaction when it bounced off his solid chest.

  Jared grunted from the blow. “Stop it! Don’t you dare pick up another one.”

  “How could you leave me alone this whole time?” she asked, her voice cracking. “How could you not come back?” Sparrow’s chest heaved with the pressure of her feelings. He’d made her feel things for him and then left her high and dry. Again.

  “That’s what this is about? Because I’ve been gone this week?”

  “I could care less if you were dead in the street.” Not true. She’d stayed awake at night craving his touch. He’d driven her mad with his absence in every way possible. Sparrow picked up another drawer and held it at the ready.

  “Sparrow, put that down right now.” He pointed a finger at her, his eyes starting to glow with anger.

  “Gladly!” She chucked it again. Only this time Jared ducked and dove for her, his shoulder slammed into her stomach as he tackled her to the bed. Sparrow struggled, slapping and scratching and punching anything she could. She landed one good solid smack against his cheek and savored a surge of satisfaction. But not for long.

  Jared trapped her wrists in his hand and shoved them over her head, pressing them into the mattress. “You really have lost your mind.”