Innocence wasn’t often found in Hollywood, after all. Jenny Carter would be a tasty treat for some bastard somewhere. It was just a matter of time .
He took Jenny's hand in his and led her out to the dance floor. For a few moments, they just danced while he got his thoughts in order. While she just stared up at him, a puzzled expression in her light green eyes. Very pretty eyes that she hid behind tinted glasses. Why did she do that ? "Sir ?"
"Jenny, sweetie, call me Rowland. I need you to do something for me. You see those women over there, the trio of redheads? Small beautiful redheads, just like you? You’ll fit in perfectly over there, won’t you ?"
"Yes ."
"Their sister Pip—she's in the restroom now, I think—is perfect for our Gretta. Yet she doesn't want to be. We need to convince her. I need you to learn everything you can about the Tylers of Masterson County. Help me find a way to convince her to do exactly what we need. No matter what you have to do, understand ?"
"Yes, sir. I'll do my best ."
"That's all I can ask." Rowland remained silent for the rest of the dance, though he wanted to ask the girl in his arms a million questions about why she did the things she did. He had a lot to think about, and he didn't need to get distracted by the press of his nerdy little assistant’s skinny body in his arms, the brush of smallish breasts against his chest, or the sweet scent of her perfume. Or how pink her lips looked. How he wished he could be the man to ultimately devour this sweet little innocent in his arms. He was such a pervert at times .
Rowland ruthlessly forced thoughts of his assistant out of his head .
He had work to do. And that was all that mattered .
36
I t took Jay a while to find her. The crowd was starting to thicken. Push against him. Some people just wanted to stare. Gossip and whisper. Damned inbred fools. They'd made his life miserable from the time he been a teenager. They probably wouldn’t stop .
He finally found her. Wrapped up in some damned Masterson's arms. The same one who'd been with her at the diner that day .
Next to her. Touching her .
Rage boiled. Jay wanted to explode, to rip the damned community center to shreds. Destroy them all for even looking at her in her green blouse and modest denim skirt. His Pip didn’t need to flash her assets to be beautiful, did she ?
Joel Masterson had taken four years of his life from him, this Masterson was not taking his future from him. Pip was his. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to get her .
Masterson’s hands were all over her. Pip was letting him do it. Why was she letting him? Just how involved were they ?
Had she slept with him ?
A man like Masterson wouldn't be content with just kissing and petting for long. Not with a woman like Pip. No, Masterson wanted to screw Pip; Jay had no doubt about that .
Most of the men who’d watched her tonight probably had that same thought. Damn them all .
Pip was his .
Jay just stood in the corner and watched her for the longest time. That damned Masterson finally left her side, headed toward the men's room. Jay fantasized for a quick moment about slipping into the restroom behind the man and shoving a blade into the man's ribs. Teaching him a lesson once and for all .
Pip was his — his .
No damned Masterson was going to take her away .
He thought about asking her to dance himself. Then thought about it again; he'd scared her so badly that first night they’d met. He didn't want to frighten her even more. Especially in front of the whole damned town .
His daddy had made that clear, after that night. Had told him that Pip Tyler was just a young innocent girl, and he should have known better than to try what he had so publicly. Should've stuck to the more experienced bitches out there. Women closer to Jay’s own age. His daddy had said that all he had done was make trouble for his father. And scare that girl. Badly .
His daddy had had to go out to their place and threaten the sisters to keep them quiet, to keep Jay out of jail on an attempted rape charge, of all things. Said that he'd scared them right good. That they wouldn't talk. For anything .
His father could be damned terrifying when he wanted to be. Jay had the scars on his back to prove it. He could only imagine what it had been like for Pip to face him that night .
She had been so young, so small. Damn it. His father shouldn’t have done that to her. And he doubted his father had stopped that night. His daddy would have enjoyed having the Tyler sisters frightened of him. Would have got off on that power .
What else had his daddy done to Pip that Jay did not know about ?
No, he was better off waiting, planning just exactly how to get to her. Still, it had hurt him to watch her dance with that damned movie director everyone was fawning over, then take off down the hall with Masterson on her heels .
It hurt him .
She should be wrapped up in his arms, not some other man’s .
He’d waited in literal hell for four years to have the woman who was meant to be his. He’d survived by imagining how sweet their life together was going to be, how she’d smile just at him when he’d come in from working the ranch. How she’d hold his sons close some day. He’d even half imagined a redheaded daughter or two, just because women liked daughters. Little girls that looked like their mother would be just fine with him .
Jay was going to give that woman everything she could possibly want. Make her see that she didn’t need that family of hers, that she would have him . And even his daddy and brother Clint. If his father hadn’t terrified her so badly she didn’t want anything to do with her future father- in -law .
Which was a possibility. Jay remembered his father’s particular brand of terrorism well, after all .
No. It would probably be best if he took Pip back to the ranch he’d inherited from his mother’s father ten years ago. It was all his and his father had nothing to do with it. It wasn’t successful yet, but Jay was willing to make it be. It was a bit run down at the moment, but that would give him something to do while he planned how to get his girl. He’d make it a home .
For her .
It would be her home; she could decorate it exactly how she wanted. And he’d even get her a puppy to love. Anything that woman wanted, he’d get it .
Somehow. For her .
He would have her soon, he would just have to be patient .
In the meantime, he needed to plan on how he was going to get her away from those sisters of hers. Forever .
That was what he was going to have to do—he’d just take her to his place and keep her away from both of their families. Build a new family for the both of them. Just the two of them and their four or five children, forever .
37
A n hour into the dance, and Perci was ready to go home. She used to enjoy events like this until Jay Gunderson had attacked her sister .
Now it was just tedious. If Phoebe hadn’t needed her there, Perci would have just stayed home with the boys and some popcorn. She’d rather watch Disney then deal with the idiot flirtations the men of Masterson County were pushing in her direction .
She had some fun talking with her cousins Nicole, Maggie, Augie, Junie, and Em, and watching Pip be pursued by Matt. Perci was grateful for the time with her family, who were also her friends .
But Pip was the one who would always worry her the most .
Matt caused her quite a bit of concern. The last thing on earth she ever wanted was for Pip to get hurt. Of all of her sisters, Pip was her world, her absolute world. If something would happen to her again...well Perci just couldn't think about that .
Not that she thought Matt would hurt her sister. Matt was a good man; all of the Mastersons were, even that prick Nate. It was just with Perci that he was a real jerk. Nate had been absolutely wonderful, almost kind, with her sisters .
Pip being pursued by Matt was going to change things again. For all of them. Even Perci. S
he was mulling over one of those small problems when she finally caught up with Phoebe and Pan near the refreshments—after a particularly annoying question from a rancher who’d been on the make and pissed she’d turned down his offer to go out back to his truck for a beer .
"If one more person asks me which Masterson brother I belong to, I'm going to scream," she said to her sisters .
"I know exactly what you’re feeling," Pan said. She practically growled the words, and Perci looked at her. Pan sighed before continuing. "Apparently Levi has told several of his friends that I'm off the market . And to keep their hands to themselves. Not that I want their hands on me, but I would like to at least have the choice myself. The jerk. I don't know what he was thinking. I don't need him to play big brother. I’m perfectly capable of deciding who to date or not. If I want to even date at all. But he’s got this weird idea that I need him to protect me from every penis in Masterson County ."
Perci snickered. She didn't think it was big brother that Levi wanted to play with Pan. Far from it. More like Naked Wrestling .
Of all of her sisters, Pandora was the most innocent, naive. Even Pip wasn't a virgin, like Pan. The youngest sister hadn't even been kissed. She had no clue about how men actually were .
Living with the Masterson brothers probably wasn’t helping—they weren’t exactly normal men, after all .
If Levi Masterson was sending out those type of clues, Pandora would totally miss it. Perci's eyes met Phoebe's, and they shared silent laughter .
Still, what was Levi Masterson planning for her sister? And what did that mean for the rest of them ?
Phoebe and Joel, Pip and Matt, Pan and Levi, they were all pairing off and quickly—was it any wonder people were assuming she and Nate had arrived together? That they were a done deal or something ?
No, it wasn't. Damn it .
And it wasn't going to happen .
Perci distracted herself by studying the crowd; looking for her twin, as always. She’d kept one eye open and on Pip from the moment they’d been born .
And there she was on the dance floor, wrapped up in Matt’s arms. Again .
A hell of a lot closer than they had been the first time they had danced. As if something had shifted between them, deepened .
Oh hell, things were about to change for the Tylers again, weren't they ?
38
S he was screwing around with him. Jay had no doubt about it. That Masterson had gotten to his girl. He had taken her from him. Somehow Jay had lost her .
His Pip .
Fury unlike any other threatened to drown him. To burn him completely. She had no business wrapped up in that Masterson's arms like that. Those damned Mastersons ruined everything, took everything, away from his family .
Jay tried to bite back the anger and fury consuming him. But he couldn't do it. He needed an outlet. Before he did something he completely regretted .
Jay stepped outside, lit a cigarette, and just waited. Thought. Planned .
A trio of young guys walked by him. He recognized one of them .
Her brother. Tall, skinny, and cocky. He acted like he owned the world. He'd been there that night four years ago, but he had just been a damned kid. Jay hadn't paid him any attention .
That was going to change tonight .
"Hey Tyler, saw those sisters of yours inside. Looking just as hot as they used to. Nice to see some things don't change while a man’s in prison. Had quite a few enjoyable nights thinking of those twins in my bunk with me .”
Phoenix Tyler stopped walking. Stared at him a minute as if he was trying to place him. The kid’s mouth pulled up in a snarl. "Gunderson. Let me guess, out on good behavior? Or did Daddy talk to the parole board? How much did he pay them to let you out ?"
The boy stepped closer. Jay had to hand it to him. Most guys around here were afraid of him and stepped back instead of forward .
"You go anywhere near one of my sisters, and I'll show you how my daddy taught me to fish. Using your own insides. Understand me? You'll never get near my sisters again. Ever. Your daddy's not the sheriff to threaten people into keeping quiet anymore. Keep that in mind. The sheriff’s on our side now ."
Jay just smirked. He wanted to pound the shit out of the kid, but the boy had a point. If Jay laid a finger on him, it would be back to prison. Then this kid would win .
Masterson would win .
He’d have all that time with Pip that Jay wouldn’t. And Jay would lose Pip forever. The time would come when he could take care of the rest of the Tylers one by one, if needed. But it wasn’t now .
"Tyler, you’ll give my best to little Pip, won’t you? I saw her inside. She's looking mighty good, better than Perci could ever hope to. Makes a man just want to flip that skirt of hers right up and see what’s beneath. She still favor pink panties ?"
That was exactly what he needed to say. Phoenix Tyler swung, his fist connecting with Jay's face .
Jay attacked .
Unfortunately for him, he'd forgotten Phoenix Tyler hadn't come to the dance alone .
Two Tyler cousins jumped right in. Jay went to the ground .
39
R owland watched everything that happened with mild curiosity; people watching was his favorite past-time, after all. It was a great way to get fodder for the movies .
He watched the older man provoke the boy and he watched the boy and his friends rise to the bait. Why had the guy done that ?
There was more there going on. Rowland was half tempted to figure it out. But he had other things to do .
Pip was inside. He wanted to dance with her at least one more time without Masterson getting in his way .
The doors opened, and two men stepped out .
Mastersons .
Of course. It was always Mastersons in this county, wasn’t it ?
The sheriff pulled the young guy off the older man. "Back off, Phoenix. Before I have to take you in. Probation, remember?” The boy's nose was bleeding, but he'd given better than he’d gotten. Of course, that could have been because of the two young guys who had helped him .
Rowland just watched .
Sheriff Masterson reached down and pulled the older man to his feet. "Gunderson. I should've known. Phoenix, what happened ?"
The second Masterson brother stayed silent, just crossed his arms over his massive chest; he was the big one, then. The physician. Rowland didn't remember his name. Something biblical. All the Masterson brothers had biblical names .
Rowland just stayed where he was, and observed .
"He said something about my sisters. About Pip. About her underwear, Joel. He's never to look at her again. He's never going to hurt her again. If he does, I will kill him myself ."
The mention of the woman Rowland wanted had his attention sharpening .
The sheriff smacked the boy upside the head. Rowland got it now. The kid was a Tyler, making him family to the sheriff. Pip's brother? The resemblance was certainly there, though the lights of the parking lot were not the greatest. "Watch what you say, Phoenix; words have power, too. I'd hate for you to get into more trouble because of a damned Gunderson. You leave this guy to me. He won’t be getting near Pip ever again. I can promise you that. Your sisters are inside, you might get in there. Warn Perci and the others that some trash has blown through the parking lot. Tell my brother Matt especially, understand? Make it clear to him that Jay Gunderson's back around ."
"Why?" the boy asked. Apparently, he wasn't the brightest of the Tylers. Rowland had certainly known what the sheriff had been getting at .
"Just do it," the sheriff said. "Pip came with him tonight, understand me? And he takes anything to do with Pip very, very seriously ."
That's the way it was. Rowland had just gotten his suspicions confirmed. Before he was going to get to his Gretta, he was going to have to get to Matt Masterson first .
H
ow the hell was he supposed to do that ?
40
T he rest of the dance was practically idyllic in Pip's experience—until Phoenix came rushing in. It was obvious he been fighting with someone, and Pip felt trepidation run through her. Phoenix was a magnet for trouble and she understood why. That didn't make it any easier for them to deal with .
Since Phoebe had hooked up with Joel, Phoenix had been a bit more manageable. It wasn't her he was looking for; it was Matt .
"Masterson, your brother told me to tell you that Gunderson's back. He's here tonight .”
Cold went straight through her. Pip's hands tightened on Matt's arms where he held her. She fought to keep the tremors from tearing her apart. She’d finally found her resolve to put Jay Gunderson behind her and get on with living a real life without the fear .
The only reason she had been able to come tonight was with the understanding that Jay Gunderson was still in prison. That he wouldn't be there tonight .
That his father and brother most likely wouldn’t be there tonight, either. Clint, Jay's older brother, hadn't been seen much since his wife had died two months ago giving birth to their daughter. She’d never had a problem with the older Gunderson brother—not many people did. He wasn't like his father .
Clive Gunderson made a point of glaring at her every time she walked by him in town, reminding her of everything he'd threatened that day .
Pip fought to hold onto her composure, to not let the world around her see the fear. It seemed like she’d been fighting that same battle for more than four years now .
Suddenly it wasn't her brother in her view, it was the man holding her. Matt scooped her off of her feet, and held her pressed against his chest. Her fingers tightened on the cotton of his shirt. "You're okay, baby. He's never going to hurt you again. I promise that. No matter what I have to do, he’ll never come near you again ."
Discovering the Doctor (Masterson County Book 2) Page 9