As Millie entered the thicker area of fields right before the dirt path that led out of town, she spotted Jesse’s green shirt.
“Jessie!” she called, and sure enough Jessie came out of the pathway and began walking to her.
“Millie, what are you doing out here?” she asked, looking rather surprised and a bit nervous. Millie had that uneasy feeling in her gut. Something seemed off and the best thing to do was to walk back to the ranch and call one of the men for help. She began to turn.
“Come on, let’s head back and you can tell me why you’re out here and why you missed your meeting with Cindy.”
Millie felt Jessie grab her arm.
“Wait, I can’t go back yet,” Jessie stated, and Millie turned toward her.
“Why not?”
Jessie looked back toward the fields and then to the ground.
“I can’t say, but I can’t go back yet.”
“What is it, Jessie? Tell me what’s really going on.” Millie didn’t want to let Jessie know that she knew about the girl. She was afraid that Jessie might get angry with Sally for confiding in Millie about her friend.
“I just need to go over there, at the end of the trail. I’ll come back later.”
“Who are you meeting, Jessie? Are you in some kind of trouble?” Millie asked.
“It’s just a friend of mine. You see, she’s scared. Really scared, Millie, and I’ve been bringing her things.”
“Why won’t she come to the shelter? You see how we are there? We’d be more than willing to help your friend if she needs it.”
“Like I said, Millie, she’s scared. Some guys chased her through the woods in Turbank. She got away, but it frightened her. She won’t go far, but today I got her to meet me closer to Pearl. I think if I can convince her that it’s a nice, safe place then she’ll come and you can meet her.”
“What if I talk with her? Do you think she’ll run if she sees you coming with someone?”
“I’m not sure.” Jessie looked back toward the path as if deciding what to do. Millie reached over to touch her arm. She understood her fear and Millie wanted to help.
“I won’t upset her. Why don’t you let me try?”
Jessie smiled then swallowed hard before nodding her head.
“It’s just a little ways past the end of the trail,” Jessie told Millie, and they headed that way.
The farther they walked the more uneasy Millie was becoming. She didn’t know what made her turn back to take a look at how far they walked, but when she did she sure as hell wasn’t expecting to see Frank sneaking up behind them with a knife in his hand. Millie lost her breath and her ability to scream. She looked quickly toward Jessie, concerned for her life, but Jessie didn’t look scared. She looked relieved.
* * * *
Wyatt pulled up to the Triple C by the main house. He was going to have lunch with Anna, but just as he made it up the drive, his cell phone rang. He placed the truck in park and pulled out his cell phone. In the rearview mirror he noticed Dalton’s truck approaching. He must be meeting Millie for lunch, too.
“Sheriff Wyatt Cantrell,” he answered his cell.
“Wyatt, it’s Detective Flynn. I’m glad I caught you. I just received a call from FBI Agent Michael Benz. They got a lead on Frank.”
“That’s great news. Where’s he at?” Wyatt asked.
“He’s somewhere in Turbank by now, perhaps in Pearl. They received a frantic call from the psychologist. She claims to be hiding from Frank and that he’s right outside her hotel door. They’ve got people on their way to the scene.”
“What? What the hell do you mean? He’s here somewhere?” Wyatt asked as he looked out across the fields and around the house. He was immediately concerned for everyone’s safety. That’s when he saw Anna running toward his vehicle. She looked upset.
“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in less than thirty minutes. The FBI should arrive at the ranch any time now. Wyatt, they found Dr. Sheila Perkin’s body. She’s dead.”
“Son of a bitch!” Wyatt exclaimed then looked at Anna. “Hold on one moment, detective.” He covered the phone.
“Millie is missing. She went to look for Jessie because she was missing and then Sally came back saying she saw them with some really big guy near the end of the fields.”
“What’s going on?” Dalton asked as he approached.
“Tell him, Anna,” Wyatt stated then he spoke into the phone.
“Did you hear that, detective?” Wyatt asked.
“Yes. Find her, or she’s as good as dead.”
Wyatt hung up the phone.
“Let’s take the truck, Dalton.”
“Fuck!” Dalton yelled then jumped into Wyatt’s vehicle.
As they skidded out of the driveway, Wyatt called into the station and Dalton called Hank. As they drove out, Wyatt could see Anthony and Jeremy jumping into their truck along with two more ranch hands.
Wyatt sped toward the location where Millie was last seen.
* * * *
“Give me my money and you can have your little reunion,” Jessie told Frank as Millie tried to keep a distance from Frank. She wondered what the hell was going on that Jessie was asking for payment. Did he set this up? He must have found Jessie and convinced her to help him. That was just like Frank. He was manipulative and used his looks, his charms to get what he wanted. Millie took a step back, slowly trying to inch away. Maybe she could make a run for it. Her heart was pounding in her chest.
“Don’t move, Millie,” Frank stated firmly, and she froze.
“What do you want, Frank? You know I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”
He was in her face in a flash. The hit was quick and right to her belly. She hung over, gasping for air.
“Hold on to that thought, honey, while I tie up some loose ends,” he stated calmly and before Millie could look up Jessie fell to the ground screaming.
Millie was shocked and she wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but blood gushed from Jessie’s belly.
Millie screamed then stumbled toward the ground as she attempted to run.
The large hand grabbed her hair, pulling her back up. She felt the slice to her arm, the sting of pain as she turned and pulled from Frank’s grasp.
He stood before her, arms wide, the hunting knife in one hand and the most evil, dark expression on his face. She wouldn’t pull her eyes from him to look at the gash to her forearm. She knew it was deep and she knew she would need stitches if she made it out alive.
“Don’t run, Millie. I really want to spend some time with you before I kill you.”
“You’re sick, Frank. You need help.”
“I need you, Millie. You’re my one and only lover and we belong together.”
She had to keep him talking. By now, Sally would have gotten back to the ranch and they would all be looking for her and Jessie.
“That’s not what I hear.”
“What?” he asked as he slowly walked toward her and she sidestepped. They were circling one another and he was about to pounce.
“I heard you were sleeping with your doctor, Frank. You cheated on me,” she stated, not knowing why she said that. She was rambling and trying her hardest to not reveal her fear of him. Her voice chattered no matter how hard she tried to calm herself. She was going to die. He just stabbed Jessie, he killed Clare and Stewart and who knew who else.
“I had to do that so I could get to you, don’t you see that, baby?” Frank replied.
She shook her head. “It’s not right.”
“No! What you’re doing isn’t right. You fucking five men, Millie. I heard about them. I know about them and they’re as good as dead. One of them already is.”
Her eyes widened in shock. Dalton, Anthony, Jeremy, Hank, and Marco? Oh God, he killed one of them?
First she was filled with fear, but then anger arose inside of her.
“You’re a fucking liar. They’re better than you and you wouldn’t ever be able to get to the
m.”
He lunged for her and she struck her injured arm out, banging him over the neck.
He faltered then quickly turned around to come back at her with the knife.
She remembered what Dalton and Hank had taught her. She would tire him out. She had been training and could do this. Her life and their lives depended upon it.
He lunged the knife at her and she kicked at his wrist.
“You’re going to come with me. We can do this the hard way if we have to,” he told her.
“I’m not going anywhere with you, Frank. This ends here and now.” She was so scared she felt as if she weren’t even in her own body. Frank was here. He had killed one of her lovers and she didn’t know which one. It hurt so badly inside she didn’t care if she lived or died.
“You’re mine, bitch, and your men are going to die one by one. Only four to go.”
He lunged again and again. She countered then struck him hard in the face. Her knuckles burned and her arm dripped with blood. He caught her leg with the knife. She stumbled back and he came toward her. Quickly she sidekicked, knocking the knife from his hands but losing her balance as he fell on top of her. Immediately, she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his ribs and squeezed. He reeked of sweat and cologne. He growled and yelled in her ear as he pounded his body against hers, making her lose her breath with every pounce against the hard ground. She screamed and tightened her hold and he lost his breath for a moment. She did it again and he rolled her to the side. They rolled and rolled and he was crushing her. Before she knew what he was doing, she caught the reflection of the metal blade in the sun. He was trying to get to the knife. She wiggled and squirmed as he got to all fours with her still wrapped around him like some winter scarf.
“I was hoping to fuck you first, but I guess I can kill you then fuck you.”
She fell to the ground and he reached for the knife. She swung at his arms, scrambled to her feet, and kicked him in the face. She turned to reach for the knife and her legs came out from under her. She screamed as Frank pulled her ankle and calf. Her belly scraped against the ground and she wiggled her body to roll to her back. He was crawling up over her, his mind now set on raping her instead of slicing her.
Her eyes darted around. She got her bearings, saw the knife, and reached for it.
He tore her shirt open. Her arms were raised above her head, her fingers on the handle of the hunting knife.
He was so out of it. His focus was on her body, her breasts. The bastard thought she was still weak, a victim ready to falter from her attacker’s assault.
“Mine.” He yelled as he squeezed her ribs with his hands on either side of her waist. The move hoisted her up and she gripped the knife tighter.
“No. Don’t!” she screamed. She could feel the bruising where his fingers dug into her flesh. Then he let go and began to rip the button of her jeans open.
She kicked her legs and he grabbed her and shook her.
“Lay still and take what you deserve. You’ll never be with another man. You’re mine, bitch, and then you’re dead.”
“No. Never again!” she screamed.
“Stop, police!”
Millie lunged the knife forward with all her might as Frank turned toward the loud male voice.
The blade slammed into his neck and he froze above her as blood shot from where the blade stuck out.
She shoved him over and scrambled backward, crying in fear.
When she felt strong arms touch her shoulders, she screamed and fell backward onto the ground.
“It’s okay, baby, it’s me.” She looked up toward Dalton. He had tears in his eyes and he looked as white as a ghost.
“Oh God, Dalton!” She jumped up into his arms and he held her against him, rubbing her back as she sobbed.
She could hear sirens, lots of voices, and Wyatt’s voice. “He’s dead, the piece of shit.”
She lifted her head off of Dalton’s shoulder to look back to where Wyatt was and to see for herself that Frank was dead.
“Don’t, baby,” Dalton whispered with his hand against her cheek.
“Millie, my God, are you okay?” Jeremy asked as he knelt down on the ground next to her. He brushed the hair from her cheeks and she nodded.
“You’re bleeding, baby. You need medical attention,” Anthony stated as he joined them.
They were all concerned.
Marco now stood above them. He was out of breath and looked madder than hell.
“Holy shit, Millie. He could have killed you,” Marco stated as Dalton stood up and helped Millie to stand. They looked her over. Her body throbbed, but mostly her arms stung and her legs were shaking.
“Is he dead?” she asked, still in a fog from the events that took place.
“Don’t look, Mill,” Marco whispered to her as he cupped her cheek while Anthony pulled her shirt closed so no one could see her breasts. She was so numb with fear she didn’t even care. One of them zipped up her jeans.
She saw Wyatt standing over Frank’s body. To the right, she saw other men in suits. They were looking over at another body.
“Jessie?” Millie gasped then covered her mouth.
“She’s dead, Millie.”
“Oh God.”
“She helped him find you and get to you. I wouldn’t think twice about her, either,” Anthony stated firmly.
“Millie, let’s get you to the hospital, honey,” Wyatt said.
“Is he dead, Wyatt? Is he really dead?” she asked, and he nodded his head. “You did real good, Millie. You fought hard to survive and he won’t be able to hurt another human being ever again.”
Dalton lifted her up and carried her out of the fields and to the awaiting ambulance.
Chapter 19
Millie was lying on the bed, sleeping. Her bandaged arm lay across her belly. She moaned a lot in her sleep and Marco, Dalton, Anthony, Jeremy, and Hank took turns lying around her, keeping her from rolling onto her arm. Right now Hank and Dalton lay with her while Anthony, Jeremy, and Marco cooked breakfast.
Dalton stared at the bandage on her thigh. She didn’t need any stitches there, so she shouldn’t have a scar. Her arm was a different story. Over three hundred stitches and a lot of healing to do, but she was alive. Her ribs were bruised, her belly scraped up from her struggle. Dalton took a deep breath then leaned down to kiss her skin.
“It will all heal, Dalton. She’s tough and she survived,” Hank whispered then pulled the sheets up higher so her breasts were covered. Millie moved and the sheets fell down. Hank re-covered her again. This went on a few more times until Dalton chuckled. “I think our little angel is awake.”
Millie smiled then opened her eyes.
“How can I sleep when you two are staring at me and kissing my belly?”
Hank ran the palm of his hand down under the sheets to her belly. The sheet went down with his hand and revealed her beautiful breasts.
Both Hank and Dalton leaned forward and licked a nipple.
“Oh, now, you are so going to have to give me more than that,” she stated, and they continued to feast on her breasts. Both men lifted their heads and blew warm breath against her nipples.
“Please touch me,” she begged.
“Doctor Jones said to take it easy. We don’t want to open up those stitches or make you feel any pain from the bruising on your body,” Dalton reprimanded then cupped her breast.
She turned toward him. “You better do something or I’m going to get very angry.”
“What’s going on in here?” Marco asked as he entered the room.
His eyes zeroed in on her breasts and Dalton smiled.
“Seems our little woman is quite horny.”
“Fuck, baby, we’re all fucking horny,” Marco stated.
“I need you guys and you’re not being fair.” She pouted.
“Doc said to take it easy so the stitches don’t open up,” Marco said.
Millie lifted her arms above her head, causing her breasts to l
ift up toward them and the sheets to fall lower, almost revealing her mound.
“I promise to keep my arms above my head.”
“Fuck, that just ain’t fair,” Dalton stated then cupped her breast. Hank ran the palm of his hand from her breast down her belly to her pussy.
Millie moaned and then Marco pulled the sheets down as he climbed up between her legs while Hank pressed a digit up into her pussy.
“Oh!” she moaned.
Dalton swallowed hard as he watched Hank finger Millie. He looked toward Marco, who had somehow removed his jeans in a flash and now sat back between Millie’s thighs.
Marco ran the palms of his hand up her thighs, his fingers expanding over her skin.
“So sexy and hot,” he whispered.
“So needy,” she chimed in, and they chuckled.
Hank pulled his fingers from her to help Dalton spread her thighs a little wider as Marco lowered to his belly. Marco smiled up at Millie.
“You keep those arms above your head, Millie, and if we hear a sound of pain coming from you, we’re stopping. Understand?” Marco asked, and Millie nodded.
He swiped his tongue over her pussy then latched on to her clit. Dalton and Hank kept a hand on her thighs so she couldn’t close them and she thrust her hips upward in frustration.
“Please, more. I need more,” Millie told them.
“More you’ll get, sweetness,” Dalton whispered then leaned up to kiss her mouth.
* * * *
It was exquisite torture being spread like this in front of her men. Now all she needed was for Anthony and Jeremy to join them and she would be very happy.
Marco moved his mouth and sucked along her inner thighs. The aches and pains in her body subsided with every touch, caress, and stroke from her lovers. Even if she felt some pain, she sure as hell wasn’t going to tell these men. They had willpower beyond hers.
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