Free to Love (The Colson Brothers Book 8)

by Reese Madison

  “Rut ro.” I leaned over to Eve’s ear. “Do me a favor and bring me his scotch.”

  “He looks pissed.” She noted before going over behind the bar.

  I walked up to Cord and cupped his face before he could put another hole in the wall. “What’s going on?”

  “Fucking bitch cut all the wires in my helicopter.” His fist went through the wall again anyway. “I’m going to kill her. She could get someone killed by doing this!!”

  “How do you know it was her?”

  “Who the fuck else would it be?!!” He yelled in my face.

  “So, we’ll patch the wiring. I’ll help you.”

  He ran his hand through his hair and tracked snow and mud across his pristine floor to the bar where Eve already has a drink poured for him. “It’s not that simple.” He downed the first two shots and slid the glass back to her for more. “ She hacked the fuck out of them. I’m going to need new wiring harnesses or I won’t pass inspection.”

  “Can we patch it enough to fly down to do the repairs at the airport?” I asked joining Eve to find my favorite wine. We’re down to the last case so the weather better turn damn soon.

  “Larry’s looking at that now.” Cord sat on the barstool and looked back and forth between us before settling on me. “I may need to go down on horseback.”

  “Good. I’ll go with you and do some hunting.”

  “I’m taking that bitch with me. You’d be better off staying up here with Eve and day-hunting.”

  Eve let out a strange noise making us both look at her. She gave us looks like we were nuts. “Oh no.” She added the hand motion. “There is no way I’m letting that hooker spend a week on the trail with our cowboy. Fuck that, no way, not going to happen.”

  “Eve. I’m not interested in her.” He insisted.

  “Yeah, and it’s going to stay that way. Either Myk goes with you, or I go. Either way you’re not going alone.” She decided stealing the last sip of his scotch before refilling the glass.

  I poured a full glass of wine and shrugged when Cord gave me a questioning look. “Take me with you and we’ll hunt Peter on the way back up. Hell, he could already be on his way up here. It’s warmer down in the valley. It’s probably warmer in town.”

  “You are NOT hunting Peter.” Cord slammed his fist on the bar and pushed off the barstool so hard it fell over. “Must EVERY woman in my life be so goddamned DIFFICULT??!!!” He stormed off to track more water and mud into the bedroom.

  Eve looked at me and cringed. “I’ve never seen him so mad. Is he going to be okay?”

  “He’s fine, but if Denise doesn’t get rolled down the mountain like a boulder I’ll be amazed. Come on, let’s clean up this mess before he freaks out about his floors next.” Mostly she just needs something to do, and I need time to think.

  He needs to get rid of Denise, and punish her for breaking his coveted helicopter. I need to find Peter before he finds us. Evidently with good weather comes the bullshit. Can’t I just go hunting and be left alone for a few days? No. Not as long as Peter is out there trying to hurt my wife.

  Eve took it upon herself to comfort Cord so I snuck out to have a little talk with this Denise bitch. It didn’t take long to find her outside her little house shoveling out the chicken coop. To her credit that’s one suck ass job I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

  She looked up as I got out of Cord’s truck. “Come to beat me up again?”

  “Spit in my face again and the answer will be yes.” I grabbed another shovel and started on the next coop. “It wasn’t my idea to kick you off this mountain you know.”

  “So he said.” She chucked another heap of shit out into the wheelbarrow.

  “I need an honest answer Denise. Did you really cut the wires on his helicopter?”

  She stopped mid shovel and looked at me through chicken wire. “What?? Somebody cut wires on this helicopter?? Why??”

  My gut feeling was right on, which is really bad. “So it wasn’t you.”

  “Hell no!! Why would I do that??” She rolled her eyes and tilted her head back and forth. “Okay, I can see why you might think that, but no. I’m no killer.” Ouch, and she doesn’t even know it. “Look, I’m pissed. He lied. He hurt me, but I wouldn’t risk hurting him, or anyone else. Including you and your –friend.” She amended when my eyebrow went up daring her to finish that the way she intended.

  “I have to say I didn’t think you were that kind of person. Listen, can we call a truce here? I didn’t mean to steal your man.” This goes against my usual form, but it’s for Cord, and for Eve. Not only that but tossing Denise out of her home just doesn’t seem fair considering the circumstances. I must be getting soft in my old age. Of course I’ll only admit out loud to wanting the truth.

  “He was never mine. He was using me. I guess I was using him too. He told me it would never be any more than sex, but I got attached at some point without realizing it.” Her confession didn’t come easy.

  “So we’re cool?”

  “Only if you finish that coop and help me dump this over there.” She pointed to a clearing behind me.

  “When we’re done I want you to tell Cord to his face you had nothing to do with those wires. He’s a pretty good lie detector. If he sees your face he’ll believe you.”

  “I can do that. So, if it wasn’t me, who do you think could do such a thing??”

  I made a long story short about eve’s brother Peter.

  Cord stood right up off the barstool at the kitchen bar when I walked in the front door kicking snow off my boots with Denise in tow. “The fuck is she doing here?”

  “Down boy. Denise didn’t cut those wires.” I started then motioned for her to take over.

  She backed up because he’s already on her with his hand around her throat.

  I grabbed his wrist and waited until he looked at me. “Hear her out. It wasn’t her.”

  He let go and backed up readying himself for an interrogation. “Then who did?”

  “I think Peter made his way up here already somehow.” I motioned to Denise. “Read her face Cord.”

  He looked at her. “So help me if you lie I’ll see you never leave this valley alive.”

  She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head up at him. “I didn’t cut those wires. I hate you, but I don’t want you dead. I know what that bird means to you, and to this valley. If I wanted to punish you I’d push your truck off a cliff.”

  “Don’t touch my fucking truck.”

  She looked at me. “I give up. Let me know if I can help. And… well, in the spirit of keeping our truce, I’m sorry I spit on you. That was low even for me.”

  “I think I’ll live.” I assured her. “Come on, I’ll walk you out.” Once out by her truck I asked, “Can you shoot?”

  “The fleas off a dog at four hundred yards. Why?”

  “I’m going to go looking for this guy. I want you to be my eyes here at home. Cord can take care of himself, but I worry about Eve. She can be a little flighty running off by herself after a rabbit or chicken. Just, keep your gun nearby, and one eye on her. I’ll help you finish cleaning the coops if you can help me out.”

  “You’ll clean all the coops.” She climbed up into her truck. “And I want ten pounds of potatoes for next winter. I can’t seem to get mine to keep.”

  “Probably planting too early in the season. I’ll hook you up. Thanks Denise. I appreciate this.”

  She rolled her eyes putting the key in the ignition. “You better. Man stealer.”

  “Trust me, you can find a nicer dickhead.” I waved and went back inside.

  Mykela Colson

  “Forget it Myk.” Cord is following me around while I go through his sheds of camping gear, guns, and traps. “I won’t let you do this. Not alone anyway.”

  “I don’t remember asking permission.”

  He grabbed my arm and slammed my back to the side of the shed I just left. Familiar blue eyes drove hard into mine. “No. I will tie you up goddammit
. I’ll drug you, tie you up, and go after him myself.”

  “Then go with me.” I offered wrapping my legs around his waist.

  He knows what I’m doing and gave me that daring look I haven’t seen since our last argument about Peter. “Don’t do it Myk. I’m a lot stronger and faster now than I was seven years ago.”

  “Prove it.” I grabbed his jacket by the lapels. “That muther fucker is coming after our wife. You know what he did to her. Stand in my way and I’ll mow you the fuck over Cord.”

  He blinked a couple times. “You just called Eve ‘our wife’.”

  “You’re going to stay here and take care of her while I go out and take care of Peter. Let me do what I do best. I’m warning you Cord, you don’t want to fuck with me when it comes to Eve. I’ll lay down and die for that woman, just like you would for me.”

  He grabbed my shirt and slammed my back against the wall a little too hard. “I don’t want to do this Mykela, but I will best you in order to keep you alive. I love you. I’ve lost you one too many times over the years.” He shook me against bruising my shoulders as he got in my face. “What do you think it’s going to do to Eve is you go to prison, or worse?”

  “What do you think it’s going to do to me if Peter gets his hands on our wife? Either you let me take him out or I go through you. I won’t risk her. I won’t.”

  He stepped back and shoved me to the ground. “You’re starting to piss me the fuck off.”

  I watched as he headed back up to the house. Once he rounded the corner I reached back and rubbed my shoulder. “Ouch.” I may not be able to go through him after all, but I can damn sure go around.

  The main problem with being in a relationship with so many people is they fucking outnumber me. Eve stopped speaking to me all together. She’d curl up with me at night, but she refused to say one word no matter how hard I tried to trick her into giving it up.

  Cord has a different approach, one I’m not unfamiliar with. I shook my head at him once more as he walked towards me with handcuffs. His threats are almost amusing. Not only can I get out of any grip he can put me in if I really want, but I can kick his ass. Well, I used to be able to, not so sure anymore, but I’m damn sure not going to tell him that.

  “Guess what?” He asked as I avoided putting my back to any wall.

  “Don’t even think about it Cord. I will hurt you.” I promised as Eve entered the room looking oddly bolder than usual. Oh this can’t be good.

  “Come here Eve.”

  My eyebrows twitched as she walked over offering him her wrist.

  He clamped one end of the cuffs on her delicate wrist making me tilt my head. The only reason it took me so long to figure it out was because he distracted me by physically staking his claim on my wife.

  That hesitation was just enough I missed getting away. Cord slapped the other half of that cuff on my wrist and stepped back barely missing me breaking his nose.

  “Asshole!!” I yelled at him.

  Eve jerked hard on the cuff drawing my attention.

  I whipped my head back. “Traitor.”

  “No. Not traitor. Wife.” She tapped her chest. “Wife who loves you. Wife who doesn’t want to lose you to some prison cell, or worse.” She held up our wrists with a more powerful movement than I thought she capable. “Now you can’t go after Peter without me, and we all know you won’t take me with you.”

  “I can cut these Eve.” I informed her.

  “Cord said you’d say that. He also said those are made from a titanium nothing up here will cut without taking your wrist with it.”

  I turned to look at Cord. “Give me the key.”

  He laughed. “Not going to happen. You’re going to stay here and protect Eve. You’re fully armed, and like I already told you, the glass in this house is bulletproof. I’ll go take care Peter, one way or another. The first will be to try and strip him of those pictures and scare his ass out of our lives. If that doesn’t work the rest will be on me and me alone.”

  “Cord-“ I started for him.

  He put his hand up palm out. “Don’t. Your kiss ass bullshit isn’t going to work this time Mykela. You said it yourself, she’s our wife. That makes me your husband. Both of you. As your husband it’s my job to protect you, especially from yourselves.”

  I pulled Eve with me as I grabbed for his collar. I missed the first time but he let me catch him the second time. “This is my problem, not yours. Eve is my wife. It’s my fault she’s up here.”

  He twisted his hand up between us and dug callused fingertips into my jaw as he ground out in my face. “You are my wives. Forget that again and I’ll tan your ass like you were twelve and stole my fucking bike.”

  I cringed. That one hurt. Granted I earned it. You just don’t steal a man’s bike. I think that was the last time I saw him this pissed.

  “That’s right.” He pressed a hard kiss to my lips the shoved me away. “I’m leaving now so you can’t kill me in my sleep. There’s a cell phone in the junk drawer you can use to keep in touch. If you come after me I’ll literally chain you to this house, which we both know is not smart.”

  “If anything happens to you I’ll kill you.”

  Eve smacked my arm. “That didn’t even make sense.”

  The next few minutes were brutal. Eve’s wrist was bruised and cut while I tried to prevent Cord from making a huge mistake. I screamed and cussed until his taillights were a distant memory.

  Eve is crying silently waiting for me to pull my shit together.

  I took her more gently over to the sink and ran cool water over her wrist before wrapping it in a soft towel. “I’m sorry.”

  “You suck ass.” She sniffled then wiped at her cheeks mopping up tears.

  I tried to hug her but she slapped me hard across the face. “Why are you always so fucking difficult?!!”

  “Good question.” This time she let me pull her in for a hug.

  11

  “Myk, stop.” I snatched the phone from her hand and shoved it between my legs.

  She reached for it and got her hand smacked, hard. “What the hell??” She asked unused to me getting violent.

  “You want that phone you’re going to earn it.” I had to smack her hand again.

  “Earn it how?” She’s been possessed since Cord left yesterday.

  “Take me down to work with the horses. You have to get your mind off Cord for five minutes.”

  “I don’t have to do shit.” She held up the handcuffs that bind us. “What I have to do I can’t with you in tow. I need to get these damn things off and go find Cord.”

  “Cord can take care of himself.” I argued.

  She pointed at the phone I held out of reach. “Give me that. I need to know he’s okay.”

  “So you do still love him.” I accused playfully trying to distract her.

  She tackled me and sat on my stomach to get the phone back. “Both of you are going to drive me into an early grave.”

  “If you keep bugging him he’s going to be distracted. Leave the poor guy alone!!” I yelled at her earning a raised eyebrow. “Sorry, but you’re obsessing bad Myk. Peter can’t get to me up here, we’d see him coming a mile away. Literally.”

  “I won’t take any chances.” She’s so used to being the one in control this is driving her insane.

  I snatched the phone and slid it across the floor. “Enough!! If he’s on the fucking phone texting you every five minutes you’re going to get him killed!! JUST STOP!!”

  She grabbed my wrists and pinned my hands over my head as her eyes darkened from hazel to more of a brown. “All you’re doing is turning me on.”

  “Good!!” I tried to bite her and got attacked.

  Finally! We both needed the down time from the worry.

  Two days later Cord sent us a text to lock the doors and stay in the house. We’re down in the stables shoveling shit from the stalls. We’re still handcuffed together, but with four arms working we can clean a stall in no time, when we’re n
ot tripping over each other.

  Myk all but dragged me into the truck when she read the message. While she drove us back up to the house while I sent Cord text messages trying to figure out what’s going on.

  What happened? Is Peter headed this way?

  He’s following me. I’m out of food and can’t hunt with him so close. Talked to Larry, we’re setting a trap.

  What kind of trap?

  The kind that requires my wife’s assistance. Remember where I put the key?

  I don’t like this.

  Me either. Get the key and unlock her. Tell her to meet me at the side door in half an hour fully armed. You’re to stay in the house. I’m sending a couple guys up to guard the house.

  I’m going with you. No way I’m sitting up here like a fucking target.

  I didn’t look at the following incoming message before handing Mykela the phone. “Don’t try to stop me or I’ll go out on my own the second you leave.”

  She put the truck in park and read our messages. “Son of a bitch. You knew where the fucking key was the whole time??” Oh great Myk, that’s what you choose to stress about??

  “Just for emergencies, like a fire or some shit. I promised him I wouldn’t use it unless it was life or death.”

  “I’m going to kill you both.” She all but pulled me out of the truck further bruising my already aching wrist. “Get the fucking key. Now.”

  I planted my feet in the mud and jerked her back to me causing skin to break on my wrist. The look on her face was priceless. I leaned in and for the first time ever stood up to her. “I’ve had enough of you barking at me all in the name of protecting me from my psycho brother. Ask me nicely, give me a kiss, and say you’re sorry for being an asshole, then I might think about showing you where the key is.”

  She grabbed my face and kissed me with more passion than I’ve ever known from anyone. Cord comes close when he’s feeling frisky, but this is different. She tastes of anger, desperation, and a hint of fear.