Jarrod wanted to tell her they were building the house for her, too, but Chase said it was still too early in their relationship and they might scare her off. So they had settled into building the home they always dreamed off and hoped to hell Holly didn’t hate it in the end.
“The frame was going up yesterday and the roofers were starting tomorrow. The builder thinks we will be at lock up stage in two weeks time.”
It was a slow process but they had decided to go with a builder that stuck with more traditional methods of building. They wanted to build a house for a lifetime and so they wanted the best.
“I’m doing the paperwork later today,” Mark said. “After I take your mother to town for a little primping. Is there anything you need me to order? We have enough feed?”
“Nope,” he replied. “We are well stocked.”
They tucked into the sandwiches his mom placed on the table as they continued to talk.
“Chickens,” his mother added. His three fathers looked at his mother with mirrored expressions of confusion.
“What about chickens, Mom?”
“I’ve decided I want chickens,” she answered. “I need you to get me some wood and wire. I’m going to build a coop out the back.”
“You are going to do no such thing,” Daniel said. “We will build it for you and you may choose the chickens.”
“Okay, my loves. Whatever you say.”
Jarrod watched as his three dads stood and walked from the room discussing the supplies they’d need for the coop. By the sound of it, the chickens were getting a mansion for a home.
He smiled up at his mom as she removed the empty platter and used plates. When she winked at him and moved to the sink, Jarrod knew his fathers had just been played. His mother had no intention of building the coop herself, and she had used their overprotective attitudes, and need to give her all she wanted, against them.
Sly woman. Jarrod hoped she didn’t teach Holly any of her underhanded tricks.
* * * *
Holly slowly walked around Stephie’s looking for something to do. She could only use one hand, so the owners had told her she couldn’t deliver meals or drinks on trays. So she roamed from table to table taking orders and using her one good hand to clear a few empty glasses and plates.
Yesterday she had helped Chris with the paperwork and delivering the pay slips to the staff lockers. Despite the small amount of work she was doing, by the end of the day she was still exhausted and ready for bed.
The owners were even lovely enough to give her shifts that coincided with Chase’s clinic. That way he was able to drop her off and pick her up again. There had only been one time when Jarrod had to drive in to town to get her because Chase had been called out to one of the properties with an emergency.
Holly smiled as she made another round of the floor avoiding the far side of the room. Holly had noticed Candy and her cronies sitting in one of the back booths. She really didn’t want to deal with any of her bullshit, so she left that section to the other waitresses.
Holly walked to the bar and back when she noticed Sam and Emily had sat down at one of the tables. She walked toward them when she looked over at a man in one of the booths.
It was dark in the back and Holly couldn’t get a clear view, but she swore it looked like her ex Steve. Trying to get a better view, Holly wasn’t watching where she was going.
She let out a yelp when she tripped on her own feet and fell toward the floor. She used a table for support, and her cast landed hard and sent a full glass of beer flying. Her knee hit the floor with a thud, but she was mostly unhurt.
When she looked at the occupants of the table, she groaned and put her head down. At least it hadn’t been anywhere near Candy this time.
“Shit, Holly,” Michael her boss said. “You are a walking menace.”
“It’s all right, Michael,” Wolf said. “I have recently discovered beer washes out.”
How could she possibly have this much bad luck? Out of all the people in the bar, she had to spill beer on him. Again! She surely had to be fired this time for sure.
“Drinks and lunch are on me,” Michael told them. “I think you better stick to paperwork for a bit, Holly.”
Holly stood up to face her boss and the owner of Silk Ties and Dom supreme, Wolf. She looked toward the booth where she thought she had seen Steve, but it was empty.
“I am so incredibly sorry this keeps happening,” she said. “I don’t mean it, truly I don’t.”
“He knows that,” Emily added. She and Sam had run over when she had fallen. “Don’t you, Wolf?”
“Of course, little Emily,” Wolf replied. “The defense of your friend is admirable.” He then turned back to Holly. “I hope you don’t cause this much trouble when you visit my club.”
“No, Sir,” she said. “I wouldn’t, couldn’t, I—”
“Calm yourself,” he told her. “I have faith that the Walkers won’t let you wreak havoc in my club.”
With a nod of his head, Wolf walked from the bar, Holly, Emily, and Sam all staring at his wake.
“Damned that man is fine,” Sam said. “Shame I’m not submissive. I’d like to go a few rounds with him.”
Holly didn’t even bother answering her friend. She just turned back to Michael and apologized again. Thanking him profusely for not firing her.
She was shaken up and still not sure whether the man she had seen was her ex or not. Maybe she just imagined it. He didn’t know where she was, and why would he come here if he did? He had already taken everything she had.
“I’d like to say it’s because you came back to work to soon, but we’d both know that’s a lie. Why don’t you take your break now, Holly, and relax with your friends.”
“Thank you,” she answered and moved to take a seat at the women’s table. When they were all seated, she asked them what they wanted to eat. Emily refused to let her go and place the order, doing it herself before returning to the table.
“Holly, I love you,” Emily said. “But you would have to be the clumsiest person ever.”
“I’m not clumsy,” Holly replied. “The floor just hates me.”
Emily’s snort could be heard clear across the room. Sam’s mouth flapped open and closed but no words came out.
“It’s a skill to be that bad,” Emily added.
“Thanks.” Holly was glad that at least they could have fun and make light of the whole thing. If she didn’t do that, Holly would probably break down and cry.
She hoped Chase and Jarrod didn’t hear about today’s little mishap. They would never let her leave the house again. She had to put her foot down, as it was for them to let her come back to work and that didn’t go down well with two Doms like them.
She wouldn’t tell them that she had thought she saw Steve either. They would probably think she was going crazy, and she didn’t want them to think she still had a thing for him.
She was out of luck when the bell on the door jingled and Chase walked into the bar. He stopped by the door and scanned the room, his face lighting up when he saw her.
“Damned,” she said. “I’m in trouble.”
* * * *
Chase finished up at the clinic early and decided to have lunch at Stephie’s with Holly. When he walked from the bright light into the darker interior, he had to stop and let his eyes adjust.
He spotted Holly sitting at a table and smiled. Walking over, he greeted her with a toe-curling kiss that had his cock hard in his work pants.
“Ladies,” he said, nodding at Emily and Sam. “Are you on a break, Holly?”
“Something like that,” Holly answered, looking at the table. He narrowed his eyes at her. What was going on? Widening his stance and crossing his arms, he waited for her to look up at him.
When her eyes finally rose to meet his, he arched an eyebrow in question.
“I might have tripped a little,” she said. “And spilt beer on Wolf again.”
“Are you injured?” he asked, c
oncern for her the only thing he cared about.
“No, I’m fine. Michael said I should have a break and grab something to eat.”
Chase scooped Holly up and sat down in her seat with her on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. How she managed to be so clumsy was beyond him, but he loved her anyway.
He kissed her forehead and then her cheeks, before her mouth. He didn’t tell her that he wanted her to come home with him and forget about work, because he knew she would get mad. But he was certainly thinking it.
Chase wanted her out of harm’s way, and this bar was a death trap for her. Holly had too many obstacles to maneuver around, not to mention the plates and glasses she had to carry. He wanted to wrap her in bubble wrap and tie her to his bed, so she couldn’t hurt herself anymore.
“I just need to use the ladies’,” Holly said, jumping from his lap and making her way to where the restrooms were located.
Chase continued to stare at the hallway that Holly disappeared down. He didn’t even turn his head when he heard Emily’s voice.
“Did you want me to place an order for you?” she asked. “Holly’s having steak and veggies.”
“Please,” he answered. “I’ll have the burger and veggies.”
Chase sat quietly and waited for Holly to return. Emily returned to the table and she talked nonsense with Sam. Chase wasn’t really listening and he knew he was being rude, but he was worried about Holly.
When minutes ticked by and she still hadn’t come back, he decided to go and investigate. Without a word, he got up from the table and walked toward the restrooms.
As he approached the ladies’, he heard muffled voices from within. Still wanting to give other patrons their privacy, Chase opened the door a crack until he could clearly hear the voices within.
“Go away, Candy,” Holly said. “I really don’t care what you want.”
“You are such a dumb bitch,” Candy said. “Do you really think men like Chase and Jarrod want a clumsy, fat loser?” Chase almost threw the door open and stormed in, but something held him back.
“Well, Candy,” Holly replied. “I’d have to say, yes. Chase and Jarrod want me. I am more than confident about that.” Good girl, Chase thought to himself.
“But for how long?” Candy asked. “I heard your last boyfriend couldn’t stand you, so he took off with all your money.”
“Steve was a serial wanker. You two would have got along.” Chase almost snorted at Holly’s comeback. She was keeping her cool and not letting Candy’s mean words get to her.
“Bitch,” Candy snapped.
“Why don’t you go back to your little followers and find someone else to harass?” Holly said.
“I think I will. I have to get ready for the club tonight. Wolf is going to do a scene with me, and then after I let him and Hawk fuck me, and make me theirs permanently, all you little sub bitches will have to watch out.”
“Candy, you’re deluded. I don’t have to go to the club to know Wolf and Hawk are never going to touch you. They want Emily. You really need to get your claws out of other women’s men.”
“Shut up, bitch. It’s a shame you only broke one wrist when I tripped you over. Next time, I’ll make sure you are hurt more.”
“I knew it—” Holly’s words were cut off with a slap. Chase had heard enough and barged into the room, pulling Candy off Holly. She had her arms up and was trying to fend off Candy with her cast arm.
With one flick of his wrist, Chase flung Candy behind him and pulled Holly into his arms.
“I wouldn’t get up again if I were you,” Chase said, pointing down at Candy where she was sprawled on the floor.
“That bitch attacked me,” Candy demanded, letting the waterworks flow.
“I was outside the door and heard everything,” Chase told her. “Don’t try and play me for a fool.” Chase reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He had every intention of calling Blake the sheriff and getting him to charge Candy with assault.
“What are you doing?” Holly asked.
“Calling the sheriff,” Chase said and scrolled for the number.
“No, Chase,” Holly said. “I don’t want to trouble the Sheriff.”
“Trouble.” Chase was incredulous. “She tripped you and broke your wrist.” He was getting worked up and he wanted payback for the hurt Holly had received.
“Yes,” she said. “But a lifetime ban from Silk Ties will hurt her more.”
“You can’t do that,” Candy yelled. “Wolf will never allow it.”
Chase could see that Holly was right, from Candy’s reaction. If she really thought that Wolf would give a shit, then Holly was correct and she was deluded.
Chase looked for Wolf’s number instead and called him. When he told Wolf what had happened, he demanded that Candy be sent to him straight away and he would be more than happy to give her what she deserved.
When he let Candy know Wolf wanted her down at the club pronto, she wrongly thought she had won and walked from the restroom with a smug look in her face.
Chase wanted to follow, so he could see Wolf wipe it from her face, but Holly came first. She was acting as if what just happened was no big deal, but he was worried when the adrenaline dissipated that she would crash and need a good cry.
“Let’s get out of here, baby,” Chase said. “It’s over.”
“Candy is going to be one angry lady soon,” Holly said. “We might want to stay out of her way.” That was true. Chase would have to make sure Holly was watched when at work. He didn’t want Candy looking for revenge.
He walked her through the bar and sat her at the table with her friends. She started to pick at her food, as Chase devoured his burger. Emily and Sam listened as Holly told them what had happened.
They were both surprised that Candy would do something so mean and vicious. They agreed that banning her from the club would hit Candy harder than any assault charge would.
When they had finished their lunch, Holly had gone back to work and Emily and Sam had left. He was reluctant to head back to the clinic, but had appointments and the town depended on his service.
He would give Jarrod a ring when he got back to the clinic. Maybe he could come down and watch her until she finished. Wolf was smart enough to not let Candy storm back here today, but you could never be too careful.
Chapter Fifteen
Holly stood in the kitchen at the MC ranch, stirring the pot of spaghetti sauce. It was her grandmother’s recipe and she was a little nervous about sharing it with Chase and Jarrod.
She had never been much of a cook, but this recipe was one she had made a hundred times over. Surely nothing could go wrong. The heat was down low enough that it wouldn’t burn on the bottom, and she had added just enough sugar to remove the tartness of the tomatoes, but not enough that it would be sweet.
Now that her wrist was healed and her cast was off, she could move about the kitchen with ease. Thankfully, she didn’t have to cook for Helen and her three husbands. They had headed into Helena for the weekend, leaving Chase, Jarrod, and Holly all alone.
When Helen had said good-bye, she had given Holly a wink and told her to look after her sons. Then she had threatened Chase and Jarrod to clean everything after they had used it or else. Holly hoped that she wasn’t talking about after sex.
She was mortified to think that Helen and her husbands would think that she’d have relations with their sons around her pristine home. That was put to the test less than an hour later when Chase and Jarrod had stripped her naked and had their way with her on the kitchen table.
She would never be able to sit down to a meal with their family again. Not after the things they had done. Just the thought made her blush all over and her body tingled in the most delicious of places.
Filling a large pot with water and putting it on the stove, Holly then stirred the sauce once more. Chase and Jarrod were out on the ranch completing the chores before they settled for the night.
&nb
sp; It was starting to get dark outside, and Holly wondered how long the brothers would be. A large black cloud moved in, and Holly knew a storm was brewing. Maybe she should go and see if they needed her help.
Chase and Jarrod told her to stay in the house, but what if they were in trouble? What if their cells weren’t working and they couldn’t call for help? The storm had moved in quick, and it wouldn’t be long before the winds picked up and rain poured down.
Holly decided she would secure the house first, and if they still weren’t back, she would take one of the ranch work trucks and go and look for them.
Turning off the stove and placing a lid over her sauce, Holly went over to the window and slid it shut. It had been a warm spring day, and so most of the house was open to let in the warmer air.
She quickly ran from room to room, closing windows and pulling down the blinds. Then she ran upstairs to the bedrooms and did the same. Holly wasn’t sure whether or not to close the storm shutters. She didn’t know how bad the storm would be and hadn’t seen any warnings on the TV.
She closed and locked the front door and then slipped on her boots on her way out the back. The wind caught her hair and wiped it around her face. The cold washed over her and she shivered.
Holly grabbed the remote used to close the storm shutters on the top level of the house. When they were down and secure, she manually closed the shutters on the bottom level. Better safe than sorry.
There was still no sign of Chase and Jarrod, and the wind was picking up. It rattled the trees and shook the shutters she had closed moments before. The open barn door banged back and forth with the force of the wind.
Running back inside, she dropped the remote on the table, grabbed some truck keys, and threw on her jacket. Closing the back door behind her, she ran to the barn and secured the door, before making her way behind it to where the trucks were kept.
Holly had chosen keys to the oldest, most battered truck they owned. She contemplated running back inside and swapping them and then decided against it. She didn’t have time and she needed to find her men.
The Trouble with Holly [Merricks, Montana 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 12