Chapter 2
James Calloway stopped on his way home to take a break and to smoke his last cigarette since he didn’t smoke when he was home. His best friend, housemate, and unofficial partner, Chad Hardin, didn’t like it when he smoked, and the only time he did was when he was away from home on a job. He was tired, but he was at least close to home now for the first time in a little over two months. Traveling while tired was one of the drawbacks to the freedom that his construction job offered. He really did appreciate his downtime since it usually came in the form of weeks at once.
He turned his head and looked at the small woman coming out of the girls’ room as he took a good drag off the cigarette and studied her as she tried to study him. He knew she would have trouble really taking in any of his features due to the lack of lighting where he was standing, but he had no trouble looking at the tumble of honey hair, the wide green eyes, or any of the bruises that littered her arms, face, or neck. This girl was in trouble. That much was obvious to anyone who would actually look at her.
Before he could have really said anything, she darted toward her car and slid into it. That confirmed that she was running, most likely from the person who had decorated her body in such a brutal way. He couldn’t stand guys like that. In southern Louisiana, guys didn’t brutalize the women, and if they did, the other guys around would take them out and have a nice, long talk with them that ended with the punk getting a taste of his own medicine. That was just how they were raised. A man did not raise a hand to a woman. James really itched to take a few good swings at the guy who would hurt someone who had to be smaller than him. She was rather on the small side, and that made guessing her age a challenge. He felt absurdly protective of this girl, especially since he didn’t even know her name or much else about her. Her eyes were captivating though. He felt a tightening in his groin as he studied her.
He decided not to move as she sat there for awhile. She was scared. That much was as plain as the dark-purple bruise that traced the right side of her face. He had noted that the tags on her car indicated she was most likely running from New Mexico.
When she finally cranked her car and got back on the highway, he went toward his truck and started heading home. He knew Chad would still be at work. His long-time friend had been working the night shift more and more as an orderly at the hospital closest to where they lived. He was attending school on and off, trying to decide how far he wanted go.
James almost wished he could have talked to that girl. She was tragically attractive in spite of her current beaten state, but it was more than that. There was something that had been written in the stiff line of her back that stole his attention, and it wasn’t only her shapely ass. Although, it was probably for the best that he hadn’t been able to approach her or talk to her because that was all he could ever have with the undefined, in-limbo relationship he shared with Chad. He knew that Chad had always completed him in a way, but James also knew that he wanted more. He just kept those thoughts to himself though.
He smiled as he thought about Chad. It may have been a slightly odd relationship since it was still undefined, but he really missed the closeness they shared whenever he was gone. They had been best friends since they had both been old enough to wander down the road. James’s family had lived three houses down from the small, clean, old home where he had lived as they grew up. Now, they both lived in the house that Chad had inherited once his adopted parents passed away following his sophomore year in college.
Since then, they had enjoyed renovating a bit here and there to make it more their home. They had bonded even closer during this project and discovered that there were some buried feelings they had never examined that had exploded in a tense and passionate display. They hadn’t acknowledged the relationship outside of their home yet and even occupied separate rooms at times, but there was no denying it between themselves. It was something that James wished would be the real deal for them. Neither of them had ever been in a relationship with another man though. It was something he could hope they would acknowledge and accept after they confronted whatever their relationship was.
The screeching of tires and the crunch of metal hitting wood startled him as he quickly pulled over where he saw red taillights. His truck was in park and he was running to the little green car he had just seen at the rest stop before he even registered what had happened. He jerked the car door open and dropped down on a knee to survey the damage.
“Are you okay?” He yelled his question at her. His rough tone didn’t seem to faze her at the moment, but his touch on her shoulder did.
Her only response was a nod and a groan as if she was still processing what had happened. Her whole body was shaking as she started to try to tell him what had happened. “There was a deer, and it just came out, and it was just standing there. I tried to swerve, but it freaked and started to run…and…and…I wound up here.”
She was really spooked. It was in her eyes, and he knew that she was in even more pain than earlier. The look in her eyes reminded him of a wild animal. Her next words caused his forehead to pucker in confusion. “No police, please. Don’t take me to the hospital, either.”
“You’ve had an accident, and you’ve got to report it. You also need to make sure you didn’t hurt yourself, so you need to be checked out, darling.” He reached in and undid her seat belt and started to pull her out once he saw for sure that she was moving her head on her own, leading him to believe that she at least hadn’t damaged her neck. Thank God Chad made him take those CPR lessons!
Her frame was very tiny in his hands, and the feel of her appealed not only his dominant male side but his protective instincts as well. He heard another groan from her body as she seemed to lose consciousness. He knew this was not good as she slumped against him. He had to get in touch with Chad, but he needed someone who would be able to help at the moment. The only way Chad could help was if they went to the hospital. He tried to think of someone to call. He pulled out his phone and began dialing Jackson’s phone. He would and could help while keeping it all hushed until they knew this girl’s story.
Jackson was a good friend on his crew who was married to a veterinarian. He knew that she was in major trouble if she would beg him not to take her to the hospital after having a wreck, especially since she was hurting pretty bad. He still couldn’t believe he was doing this, as he hoped that she wasn’t running from the law, dragging him into a mess of trouble. Looking at her face again, he couldn’t believe that she could be in that type of trouble ever. She looked too innocent and trusting and beguiling. He then started planning to remove as many traces of her as possible. They would have to come back pretty quickly to get her car away from the tree if they hoped not to attract the attention of anyone official.
“Jackson, I have a huge favor to ask. I’ll meet ya and your missus outside of her clinic in about thirty. Yeah, I’ll explain then. I know. Big favor. Just please be there.” He ended the call before his friend could even respond. He hoped that he could explain.
He settled the woman in his passenger seat and laid it back some before fastening her seat belt. He ran back to her car and found the ragged, colorful bag he had seen slung over her body earlier before snagging her keys from the ignition and locking the car. He checked the damage on the front of the car again, and he knew that it wasn’t too bad. Her whole front end would have to be replaced, and her engine would have to be checked thoroughly for any damage that was sustained. He also noted that her airbag didn’t deploy. That was a problem that would have to be fixed.
He studied the car and looked back at his truck. If she had been going full speed, he knew she wouldn’t be alive right now.
He quickly ran back to his truck before cranking it and heading toward the vet’s clinic where his friends would be waiting. She barely stirred during the trip, despite being jostled some, which he made in just over twenty minutes. He tried to take the rough roads as easily as possible, but driving smoothly over potholes was not going to hap
pen.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his friend’s truck and his wife unlocking the back door of the clinic.
His little beauty would now get the attention she obviously needed.
Chapter 3
James laid the woman down where Jackson’s wife, Selena Barns, had indicated. She looked at him with a brow raised before stating rather emphatically, “You had better do some good explaining for this! First, I’m checking her out.”
He was shooed out of the back room before Jackson looked at him curiously. “Who is she?”
“Come on, man. We’ve a car to go get. I don’t know everything, but she hit a tree while avoiding a deer. She was already bruised up pretty good before that, though. Most of what I see on her was done before the wreck. She begged me not to get the police involved or take her to the hospital. I know she is running from someone or something, but I don’t know what…yet.” He was practically dragging his friend to the other truck while checking for towing chains before heading to his own and checking for his own chains. He was still hoping that this wouldn’t came back to bite him in the ass.
Jackson looked at the wreckage once they arrived, and whistled. “It’s not nearly as bad as I expected it would be from the way you were carrying on. Well, let’s get it out of here before highway patrol comes along. I bet this shit is something you don’t want to have to explain to them.”
They set to work, chaining and pulling the car out. It only took one truck, and Jackson began trying to fix some of the damage caused by the wheels of the small car by using his boots to push down the sides of the ruts from where her tires had cut into the soft ground. If they were going to conceal the accident to help her hide, they may as well do a good job of it. With a nod, Jackson followed James as they started hauling the car to their construction yard where all of their equipment was stored. The car could hang around back until its owner decided what to do with it.
Nearly three hours had lapsed in their brief adventure by the time they pulled into the parking lot of the clinic. James couldn’t quite explain the feelings he was experiencing as he stepped in the back room and saw the woman still sleeping. He took more time to study her.
She was beautiful and sexy even with the bruising. That just added a tragic quality to her looks. He knew that her smile wouldn’t be perfect, and her lower lip was fuller, resulting in a cupid’s bow that he wanted to suck between his teeth and torment until she begged him to tease her body in other ways. The pout she had in her sleep was adorable, tempting any man to kiss her, and he found himself wanting to be that man. That only served to make him want to kiss her more. Her skin was really pale considering that he now knew she was from Taos County, New Mexico, according to the tags on the car she was driving. He caught his hand as it reached for her hair and snatched it back, sliding it in his back pocket as casually as he could. Two sets of eyes noticed the movement, though.
“Do I need to take her to the hospital?” he asked as he considered the fact that she was still not conscious.
“I would prefer if she went, but I think I’ve got her patched up pretty damn well for the time being. I gave her a tranquilizer meant for some of the larger animals since she needs some good sleep, and I needed her still.” She stopped at the looks she got from both James and Jackson.
James started to say what was on his mind when Selena stopped him abruptly. “Yeah, I know. But it’s that or nothing unless she goes to the hospital. Ya mind?
“Your girl has gotten herself a lot of bruising from someone else, but there is only the one from her seat belt forming. Her ribs are bothering me. She took a side hit from something fairly big, and it wasn’t from that wreck either.
“I secured them with an ACE bandage, and she needs to be careful for a little while with how she moves around. They need to be bound for awhile. They aren’t broken or cracked, from what I can tell with my equipment, but they are really bruised. I could be wrong about not being cracked, though. I want you to try to convince her to go to the doctor when she wakes up. I don’t have anything that can tell me definitively at the moment about them being cracked since all of my X-ray equipment for large animals is being repaired.
“She did wake up. She must have thought she was in a hospital because she tried to get up and get out of here lightning quick. Princess’s name is Treasure Patience Lane. It took me a bit of soothing to get that much. That and I found her ID while checking for any clue that she would have any medical allergies and anything she might be currently taking.
“You had better get her somewhere before I decide to take her to the hospital myself. She’ll probably need to see a doctor for some antibiotics and all of that as well as a good X-ray. I hope you are prepared for the trouble you know she’s bringing because I am betting she has bagfuls.” Selena finished stating her piece with a firm look and double-checked that everything had been cleaned back to its bright, shiny sterility. She was a reticent woman when it came to talking to others about problems, but when she had something to say, she didn’t hold back. She always made herself quite clear, even if she had to snatch an ear down to her level.
“Thanks. I owe you both a good cookout and a hell of a lot of work on that back deck y’all’ve been planning.” He grinned and began to scoop up the little woman. He knew that he owed them more than that for not ratting him out to Jules Rodes. That deputy was a letter-of-the-law kind of man. Since James didn’t yet know what she was running from, he didn’t want to do something that he couldn’t take back later.
“Oh, you owe us, all right! I’ve a mind to have a cookout in a day or so now that Jackson is back, and I expect you, Chad, and Little One to make an appearance as well as bring plenty of contributions. I will also expect something sweet and chocolaty,” Selena quipped. A smile lit her face and shaded her brown skin with a pretty flush. “I also have some ideas for that back deck that I need designed when folks have a chance to get around to it. No rush though. I know y’all won’t forget about that.”
“No problem. See you day after…today since it is one in the morning.” James made a show of checking the clock hanging high on the wall across from them, and grinning widely. He stretched out his muscles that were screaming how tired they were despite the fact that as soon as he touched the sleeping woman, his cock hardened in anticipation. He willed it under control.
Jackson yawned. “Well, I’m heading home. I barely made it there before you called. Although, I am glad you stayed and did all of the closing paperwork this time. I intend to enjoy the two or so weeks of downtime we have coming now. The last ten weeks felt as though they would never end.” He leaned over and kissed his wife on her cheek.
James found himself alone again with Treasure.
He lifted her into his arms and slid her into the passenger seat of his truck, tucking her in carefully.
Chapter 4
James pulled up in his driveway and parked in the carport behind the house. He slipped around the truck to pull Treasure out of the passenger seat. He was exhausted and looking forward to getting some sleep in a few minutes after a long, hot shower. He didn’t know where to put this woman. The little sounds she made in her sleep hadn’t given his cock much of a chance to go down, and his jeans were starting to chafe. He knew that Chad wouldn’t get off work for another three and a half hours. Maybe he would just join James in his bed, and she could use Chad’s. He had a feeling that she wouldn’t appreciate waking up next to a guy. Although, he had a feeling he would like to wake with her snuggled into him. James’s bed was bigger than Chad’s since James took the master bedroom, and when they did share a bed, it was always his. A grin lit James’s face when he remembered Chad insisting he didn’t want to change rooms. They knew then that it didn’t matter who had which room because they would be sharing. Yeah, Chad’s bed was probably the best place for her to sleep.
He laid her on the bed and went back to his room, grabbing one of his clean T-shirts and a clean pair of sweats since he didn’t think she would appre
ciate waking up either really uncomfortable or nearly naked. He pushed down the thought that he wouldn’t have a problem finding her naked next to him in his bed. It kept creeping into his mind over and over again. If she knew the thoughts that were occurring to him, she would really believe him to be a pervert and not the Good Samaritan he was trying to be. He was sure of that.
Her shoes and socks came off easily, and he tugged her jeans down her legs as carefully as he could. He noticed the patches of bruises that littered her legs. Some were a fading yellow and green. There were others that were really dark that would start fading soon, and there were some that still were somewhat red from being dealt to her really recently.
His mood quickly soured as he gently put the sweatpants on her, and the erection he had been trying to suppress was no longer an issue. He still really wanted to beat the bastard who would do something like that to a woman, especially this small woman. He took her tank top off and studied the bandage that was tightly wrapped around her middle. Her bra followed. He sucked in a gust of air as the sight of erect, sweet, pink nipples greeted him. In those tight berry peaks, little silver rings glinted in the dim light of the lamp. As gingerly and swiftly as he could, he began to pull the T-shirt over her head before he gave in to temptation and sucked and played with those peaks. He had to get out of there and get a shower fast. His cock was hard and leaking without a single touch and mostly likely gaining a permanent imprint of his jeans. He felt almost dirty from thinking the thoughts that were trying to push their way into the forefront of his fantasies. She was drugged and injured and completely at his mercy. Only a terrible man would try to take advantage of that.
Saving Treasure (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 2