by Jane Jamison
The supply room had an overhead light that came on as soon as the door was opened, but that light was out. Coughing, he surged into the room, going on memory of where the hose was supposed to be hung on a large metal hook. His fingers closed over the hook just as his feet struck something hard, yet moveable at his feet.
“It’s Eva Marie!” shouted Gage. “Forget the damn hose.” Gage dropped to her side, then slid his arms under her legs and back.
William held the door open. Through the harsh smoke burning his eyes, he could see she had her eyes closed and her mouth taped over. Her head lolled backward as Gage stood up and carried her out the door and into the hall.
“This way, Gage!” William could barely see the outline of their forms. He reached out and took hold of his brother’s shirt. “This way.”
The back door they’d kicked open still hung on its hinges as Gage burst out into the parking lot. William hurried after him, coughing and dragging in as much air as he could. “Keep going to the other side of the lot.” He needn’t have bothered telling Gage. He was already running that way, coughing as he clutched Eva Marie to his chest.
Gage lowered her to the ground, then shot a worried look his way. Her face was bloody from a wound on the side of her head. Taking hold of the tape, he tore it away in one quick move. The sting of ripping off the tape should’ve gotten a reaction from her. But it didn’t.
With her eyes closed, she could’ve been mistaken for a sleeping princess, but the soft rise and fall of her chest came in short, noisy breaths. He pulled her into his arms then cupped her cheek.
“Eva Marie, darlin’, come on. Open your eyes.”
William knelt on her other side. “We’re here, baby. We’re here and you’re safe. Please, baby, open your eyes and look at us.” His jaw was set when he turned to Gage. “Call Paul and Destin. I’ve got a feeling Bob didn’t do this.”
“Why not?”
“Just do it, man.” He pulled off his shirt, took her into his arms, then started wiping the soot, grime, and blood away. The sounds of the ranch hands, alerted by the smoke billowing into the sky, came to him, but he didn’t care if the whole building burned to the ground. If Eva Marie didn’t open her eyes soon, nothing else would matter.
“Yeah, Paul, it’s Gage.” His brother paced back and forth. “Yeah. So Belinda called you?”
William lifted his gaze to his brother’s.
“She didn’t? Earl did?”
Earl was one of the hands who was rushing toward them and shouting orders, putting the other ranch hands into action to fight the fire.
“Yeah, Earl and the other guys are headed this way. Paul, someone tied up and gagged Eva Marie then locked her in the supply room. Belinda told us it was Bob, but then she took off. We need to find both of them. Okay. Let me know what you find out.”
William patted her cheek. “Gage, call for help. Get an ambulance here pronto.”
“Fuck waiting for the ambulance. We’ll take her.” Gage shoved his phone into his pocket and started for the car.
William was right behind him, then slowed his pace when she finally opened her eyes and started coughing. “Thank God. Hang in there, baby. We’re getting you help.” With Gage’s help, he got into the passenger side of the pickup. Tightening his arms around her, he vowed he’d never turn her loose.
Her coughs racked her body, the pain of them tightening her face. If he could’ve taken her pain away, he would have. “We’ve got you, baby.”
The soft smile she gave him was the best present he’d ever received. “Yes, Master William.” She closed her eyes as he cradled her against him.
* * * *
Eva Marie sat up in the bed in the medical center in the neighboring town of Hard Luck. The center wasn’t much of a hospital, but it was more than what Pleasure and the other surrounding towns had. If William and Gage could’ve had it their way, they would’ve had her transported to a major hospital in Amarillo.
“I really don’t need to stay overnight. I feel fine.” She tried to keep back a cough and failed.
“You’re staying right there until the doc says you’re okay to leave.”
Arguing with Gage was like ramming her head against a brick wall. All she’d get out of it was a pounding headache. William remained silent, but she knew he was on the same track as his brother.
“After that, when the doc says you can go home, you’re going home with us.”
Going home with them was one thing she wouldn’t argue about. She couldn’t wait to move in with the two men she loved, the two heroes in her life. The night of the festival was supposed to have been the first step.
“Everyone decent?” Sheriff Ray, the only type of local law enforcement for the area, poked his head around the door.
“Of course we are.” It was clear William didn’t like the sheriff much. Until recently, he hadn’t taken his job seriously, spending most of his time napping in the office and collecting his paycheck. “What’d you think we’d be doing?”
“Now, damn it, William, I didn’t mean anything like what you’re thinking. Get your mind out of the gutter.”
“Do you have any news, Sheriff?” She clutched the bedspread, her nerves jumping into action. Since she’d been admitted to the hospital, no one had told her anything about the club or Belinda.
“I do.” He pulled off the cowboy hat he preferred to his sheriff’s hat and clasped it with both hands in front of him.
“Did the fire do a lot of damage?” Although she knew the fire wasn’t her fault, she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. If she’d paid more attention to Belinda, she might’ve been able to prevent her from doing anything. Everyone had noticed the change in Belinda, especially in the past few weeks since the Langham men had come to Pleasure, but not one of them had suspected she’d be capable of arson and murder.
“The fire inspector from Amarillo was out this morning. Like you told us, she used gasoline to start it. But we got lucky. She started the fire at the end of the hallway. Once it got going, it sent a lot of smoke down the hall, but it also set off the automatic sprinklers as well as the fire alarm connected to a monitoring station in Amarillo. They were the ones to phone the ranch hands and get them in motion. Then they alerted all the volunteer fire departments in the area. That being said, the private rooms caught most of the damage as well as the supply room. You boys got her out of there just in time.”
She’d almost died. And for what? Because Belinda hadn’t found a man to love her?
“And what about Belinda? Did they catch the bitch?” Gage strode to the side of her bed. “She’s got to go to prison for the rest of her life. I’ll make damn sure of it if it’s the last thing I do. It was assault, attempted murder, and arson, but I’m hoping the district attorney in Amarillo can find a shitload of other charges to bring against her, too.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Why not?” They couldn’t let her go. If they did, she’d never feel completely safe. Except, of course, whenever she was with her men.
“They found her body this morning.”
She reached out, seeking Gage’s hand, and found it. William came closer, sensing she needed both of them. “She’s dead?”
“She is. Looks like she went home, threw some things together, then drove out of town as fast as she could. She took a turn way too fast and flipped her car. By the time the state police found her she was already dead.”
As much as William and Gage hated Belinda, even they were quiet. The death of anyone, even someone who had tried to hurt her, was a loss. Yet the real Belinda, the kind woman she’d known, had died long before the accident.
“And what about Bob?” asked William. “Was he involved?”
The sheriff shook his head. “Nope. He went on a bender. Fact is, one of the ranch hands spotted him at the festival and took him home an hour before the fire started. He couldn’t hardly stand up, much less set a fire. I guess that was another one of Belinda’s lies.”
&nbs
p; “Then it’s over? Eva Marie won’t have to go to court or anything?” William enclosed her hand in both of his.
“Yep, it’s over.” The sheriff gave her and the men a quick nod. “If you three need anything else, you let me know. I’m glad you’re all right, Eva Marie.”
“Thanks, Sheriff.”
Once he was gone, William sat on the edge of the bed. “Stop beating yourself up.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The hell you don’t.” It was Gage’s turn to admonish her. “We can see it written all over your face. There’s no way you could’ve known what she was up to. None of us did.”
“I know you’re right. It’s just—”
“No just about it.” William brought her hand to his lips.
Even with all the sadness, even as tired as she felt, she thrilled at his gentle gesture. She forced her mind onto something more pleasant than Belinda’s death. “I guess I missed our big night.”
“Yeah, but don’t worry about it.” Gage’s anger had dissipated. “We’ll have a lot of big nights in our lives. As long as you’re still moving in with us. You are, aren’t you?”
“If you still want me to.”
“Of course we do. Now more than ever. Right, Gage?”
“You’re stuck with us, darlin’. And we won’t ever let go.”
Unexpected tears sprang to her eyes. “Neither will I. But there’s one thing that’s bothering me.”
“What’s that?” asked William.
“I really need to ask you.” She bit her upper lip. “Am I just your submissive? Or am I more to you?”
They glanced at each other, and Gage was the first to answer the emotion-packed questions. “After the past two weeks, how the hell can you ask that?”
William looked at her as though she’d gone out of her mind. “Baby, are you asking us if we love you?”
“Yes. I guess I am.”
“Darlin’, how can you not know? We love you more than life itself. Hell, girl, there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for you.”
The tears came then, freely and filled with love.
“Yeah, baby. Gage said it. We love you with everything we are and will be. Is that enough for you? Do you want us, too?”
She laughed, surprised that all three of them hadn’t realized the depth of their love for one another until now. “Yeah. I want you, all right. As my exclusive Doms and as the men I love with all my heart.”
“Then it’s set. You’re ours and we’re yours.” Gage started to cup the back of her neck, then stopped. “I’d kiss the hell out of you if I wasn’t afraid I’d hurt you.”
“You could never hurt me.” She took her hands from theirs to grip the front of their shirts. “Give me a kiss for now, but once we get to your place, I’m going to show you just how much I love you.”
Chapter Ten
“What’s going on? I thought you were taking me home.” Eva Marie checked her surroundings as she rode in the middle between William and Gage. After finally getting released from observation at the medical center, she’d been more than ready to go home. Home to the men’s house, home to the house where she planned on living for the rest of her life. She couldn’t wait to get their lives together started.
“We have a little surprise for you first.” William smiled at her, then put his attention back on the road.
She feigned a grimace. “I don’t know if I can handle any more surprises. The last time we had a special night planned, I ended up locked in a burning building.”
“Don’t remind us,” grumbled Gage.
She checked the area again. “Why are we headed toward Pleasure Ranch? I’m not sure I’m ready to see the damage the fire did just yet. This is supposed to be a happy day.” Rebuilding was already in motion, but she didn’t want to see it until it was finished.
“We’re not going to the club.”
“Okay, William, spill. Where are we—” And yet, she didn’t have to finish her question as he made a right turn onto the small gravel road she knew so well. “We’re going to the pond, aren’t we?”
“You guessed it. Gage and I thought it’d be cool to go back to where we first met you.”
“Aw, that’s sweet. But we’re still going to go to your house right after?”
“Our house. You might as well start thinking of it that way.”
She figured Gage had earned a quick kiss on his cheek for saying so. As much as she wanted to get to the men’s home—their home—she was ready to see what they had planned. They wouldn’t just drive by and look at it. They had to have a surprise up their sleeves.
By the time they’d pulled to the same place where she’d parked her pickup the first day she’d met them, she could feel their excitement. She peered through the windshield at the large checkered blanket spread over the ground. A picnic basket rested in the middle along with a silver bucket with a bottle chilling in it.
“Wow.”
“You like?” asked William.
“How’d you manage this?” She hoped they hadn’t left the basket sitting out in the hot sun too long. If so, then the food had probably already spoiled.
“Remember the call Gage made a few miles back? We called Georgia to let her know we were on our way. She ran over here and set this up for us. That’s twice now that she’s helped us plan our time with you. And this one’s going to take.”
“Remind me to thank her.” She’d already been planning on doing just that, even though she hadn’t made it to the romantic setting Georgia had helped prepare at their house.
“Come on. Let’s pop the champagne before all the ice melts in the bucket.”
For a moment, it was a tug of war between them with her as the rope until, at last, she scooted toward Gage. Taking his hand, she started to walk over to the blanket, but he held her up.
“Shoot. I almost forgot.” Instead of moving there, he pushed her toward the rear of the truck and let the tailgate down. “William, get the music going.”
“What are we doing?”
“Sub, we need a show.” William turned on the radio, then switched it to a sultry song just as she’d done that first day.
“Now?”
“Can’t think of a better time. Can you, bro?”
William shook his head, his hungry gaze already undressing her. “Nope. The food and drink can wait.”
“Is that an order, masters?”
“Sure is, darlin’.”
“Fine. Then get ready, boys.”
Gage landed a swat on her butt. “No more calling us boys . We’re your masters and don’t you forget it. Now give us what we want.”
Instead of her waitress uniform, she wore a simple T-shirt and shorts. Swaying to the music, she pushed her hair up and let it fall around her shoulders. “Do you like what you see, masters?”
“You bet. But I want to see all of you.” Master William skimmed his tongue along the seam of his lips.
She worked her body as she did so well. Each move was calculated to give them pleasure. Unlike before, she wouldn’t tease them. Teasing them would’ve driven not only them, but her crazy.
Gage groaned in appreciation as she tugged her shirt over her head, then whipped it around in a circle and slingshot it toward him. He caught it and brought the material to his nose to sniff.
“You smell so fuckin’ hot. Keep on going. We want you bare ass and ready to please, sub.”
Undulating, she pushed the button of her jean shorts free, then hooked her thumbs under the waistband. Using the rhythm as her guide, she eased one side down an inch, then followed it with the other side. Back and forth she went, taking the jeans over her hips a little at a time. When it had reached the level of the triangular patch of her thong, she paused, gave them a come-hither look, then let the shorts fall to her feet. A couple of kicks later and she was free of both shorts and sandals.
She played her hands over her hips then up to pinch and rub her nipples. Cupping both breasts, she brought her nipples
to her mouth and sucked on them. William and Gage moved closer.
“Masters, are you ever going to touch me?”
“You bet your sweet ass.”
In the next moment, they were on her, bringing her arms behind her back and tying her wrists together with short leather strips that had been softened so they wouldn’t scratch her skin.
William tore away her thong, then pushed her back against the truck. He reached into his back pocket and brought out a spur. “Baby, if you’re going to work on our future ranch, you’re going to have to learn what a spur feels like.”
“A spur?” The members and staff of the club were creative in their use of household items and other things to use in play, but she’d never seen anyone use a spur. The tines sparkled as the sunlight glinted against the steel.
He pressed the spur against her neck, causing her gasp as it poked her flesh. If he used any harder force, he’d break her skin and make her bleed. “Be careful, Master William.”
Gage had left them for a brief time and was back. He hopped into the bed of the truck, then taking her under the arms, pulled her up to sit on the tailgate. He tore off his shirt as William did the same thing.
Their sun-bronzed skin made her mouth water. They were rock-solid, cowboys-turned-godlike with powerful arms that could tame any beast. Yet all she wanted was for them to tame her.
Feeling Gage tugging on his jeans, she craned her head around and came face-to-face with his erect cock. She opened her mouth as he eased the tip toward her, then laughed and dropped to his feet behind her.
“Hey, no fair.”
Gage reached around and tweaked both her nipples at once. “Watch how you talk to us, sub.”
“I’m sorry, Master Gage.”
The day was a scorcher, but its heat was nothing compared to the burn firing through her. Just as her mouth had watered before, her pussy flooded, ready and aching to have them.
William trailed the spur down her neck to make its way between her breasts. His gaze was glued to it as he rolled the spur over her stomach, then around one side of her mons. “Spread your legs, baby.”