by Eileen Green
Josh headed over to grab a taxi since he couldn’t afford to get a rental car. It took almost all the money he had to get a round-trip ticket. The hundred dollars he had left in his pocket would have to do until Augusta handed over some money.
Sliding into the back seat of the taxi, he was thankful the driver believed in using the heater. A lot of the drivers in Jersey didn’t.
He gave the address of the bakery to the man behind the wheel, and they were off for the nine-mile drive to the south side of Kalispell.
Nerves overtook him the closer they got to their destination. He was flying by the seat of his pants, and he wasn’t sure what he was going to do when he got there.
There was a gnawing in his gut that he was trying to ignore. He had to get through this as quick as possible and pay off the sharks before his gut feeling landed him two broken knees, or worse.
* * * *
The bunkhouse where Augusta had been whisked off to late the night before had been used by the foreman of the Lazy R ranch and four other men. Hunter had been surprised to find out that the five men were in a ménage relationship and now all were married to the manager of the Tipsy Tavern. A large house had been built by the owner of the ranch for the new family, which was the reason the bunkhouse was empty.
It was still furnished, and the small kitchen had been stocked for the three of them. The TV, which was hooked up to satellite, was readily available, and the Wi-Fi, though spotty, was on also. The three of them all had their cell phones, and he knew that he and Trent had unlimited data. He hadn’t asked about Augusta’s, but if she needed to, she could use theirs.
Jimmy Dempsey had met them at the old ranch house, and they followed him over and got them settled in. There were three bedrooms, one with one king-sized bed, and the other two rooms had two king-sized beds each. They had set their woman up in the room with one bed, giving her a little bit of privacy.
To say that she needed privacy after they had already made love was a bit redundant, but since this was all new to all of them, they wanted her to understand that he and Trent weren’t automatically thinking she was going to sleep with them all the time.
Augusta had been in shock over her ex since they had to explain to her what kind of trouble the man was into and how serious it was. She had been the one to initiate their union the previous afternoon, which had surprised Hunter. However, he wasn’t going to complain about it.
Her body was luscious. A woman’s body that he could hold on to while he fucked her. Her breasts fit his hands just right, and she was filled with a passion that belied her daily appearance.
He was addicted to her, and not just for the sex. She was kind and caring, something that he had observed firsthand by seeing her dealing with Mrs. Kingsly and the young mother with her kids in the bakery the previous morning.
She did not deserve the problems that her ex was bringing her way, and Hunter and Trent were bound and determined to protect her while they got to know her. They had given her the choice of the three of them going into the bakery this morning or staying here. Augusta opted to stay so as not to have too many people wondering what was going on with two police officers sitting in the shop all day.
The new girl was supposed to start today, but Augusta had instructed Margo to call her when Penny had arrived. She was on the phone with the woman now.
He and Trent were sitting at the large table in the ranch house. Jimmy had moved from the house just weeks ago into a new one he had built not too far from this one for himself, his friend, and the woman they were sharing. The ranch hands still needed a place to eat, so he had the construction crew remodel the downstairs of the ranch house.
From what Hunter could tell, the large dining room was what was once the old living room and another room. There was a column that stood near the staircase, which was helping to hold up a large beam, most likely a new support beam. They had probably taken out a wall. The old dining room, if he wasn’t mistaken, was next to the kitchen.
A brunette woman was clearing the table from breakfast. The previous night when they had arrived, Jimmy had insisted the trio eat the breakfast and lunch at the main house so that they didn’t have to worry about meals. Lunch and snack foods were what filled the cabinets at the bunk house.
The morning sun was illuminating Augusta as she sat in one of the chairs out on the front porch as she made her phone calls. Her hair looked like spun gold as it danced on the breeze.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Trent asked as he took a sip of his coffee.
“Yeah,” Hunter replied right before a bit of anger took hold. “I can’t believe that prick of an ex is putting her through this. She doesn’t deserve this.”
“I know. Her heart is so big and kind. I mean, she is giving that woman from yesterday a job just so she can help her. Who else would do that?” Trent started to get up for more coffee, but the brunette beat him to it.
As she poured the dark brew into his cup, she looked out the window. “She’s a wonderful woman and baker. You two are very lucky men.”
“Thank you.” Both men spoke in unison. “And thank you from her for the compliment on the baking,” added Hunter.
“Don’t tell the boss, but sometimes I get my baked goods from her shop and pretend that I made them.” Rosy cheeks on Ruth indicated her embarrassment, but it made Hunter proud that she would go to those lengths. It spoke volumes of Augusta’s attributes as a baker.
“We’ll let her know.” Trent was smiling.
There was a knock at the door, which seemed strange since the ranch hands just entered when they had arrived for breakfast. Augusta, however, didn’t seem frightened for she continued her call.
Standing, Hunter made his way over and opened the door. Brian Hawthorne, Lucas Williams, and Cole Drake were standing on the porch.
“Hey, guys,” he said as he moved out of the way to let them in. Before he closed the door, he poked his head out and looked over at his woman. “You doing okay, darlin’?”
Her smile was brilliant as she nodded. He blew her a kiss and then closed the door. Out here on the ranch, it was hard for anyone to sneak up on the buildings due to the amount of people moving around. They wanted to protect Augusta, but they didn’t want to smother her.
The three new arrivals were removing their jackets as they got ready to sit. “What’s up, Bri?” Trent asked, concern written on his features.
“Just as a precaution due to who we’re dealing with, we’re going to add a two-officer detail here on the ranch. Lucas and Cole will be your daytime backup.” Brian glanced toward the window. “How’s she holding up?”
“Augusta’s worried, naturally,” Hunter responded. “The worst part for her is the disbelief that her ex is the cause of all this. She’s also come to the conclusion that he didn’t love her but married her for what she was going to inherit.”
“That’s got to be difficult to accept,” Lucas said as he looked down the length of the table.
There were still plates of food sitting out since the ranch hands had left not too long before the other guys arrived. He was a big guy, about the same height and weight as Hunter. Since it was barely eight in the morning, he had to wonder if these guys had time to eat.
Before he could say anything, Ruth entered from the kitchen with three coffee mugs and a pot of coffee. As she glanced up at the new arrivals, she paused. She shifted her gaze between Cole and Lucas while a healthy glow colored her cheeks.
Looking over at the guys, Hunter could see that they were a bit flummoxed also. Interesting.
Hunter knew that look, or at least he thought he did. It was how Trent looked when they first saw Augusta, and Trent said that Hunter looked the same.
Needing to ease the tension in the room, Hunter moved around to Ruth and gently took the mugs from her. That brought her out of her thoughts, and her blush deepened.
He went back to his seat near the fireplace and handed the mugs down to Brian, Lucas, and Cole. Ruth finally moved and went
to fill up the cups.
Cole and Lucas had large smiles on their faces as she stood between them to pour the coffee. The blush that graced Ruth’s cheeks remained, but a small smile played on her lips.
“I’ll get you some plates, so you can eat if you wish,” she finally said, her voice sounding breathy.
Hunter glanced over at Brian who was sitting back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest, and a Cheshire cat grin on his face. He knew what his boss was thinking.
Manners finally presenting themselves to Hunter, he cleared his throat. “Ruth, these gentlemen are with the state patrol. Brian Hawthorne.” Hunter indicated the man with a gesture before continuing. “He is our supervisor, and then you have Lucas Williams and Cole Drake. Gentlemen, this is Ruth…sorry, I don’t know your last name.”
There was a hesitation from the woman, whether from not wanting anyone to know it, or she was still fascinated by the two men before her. Then, she finally spoke. “Brewer. Ruth Brewer. It’s nice to meet you guys, and I remember Officer Hawthorne from when that lunatic held me captive.”
The coffee mugs of all three men were topped off before Ruth hurriedly made her way to the kitchen. She returned with three plates and set them before each of the men. Meanwhile, Hunter and Trent pushed the remaining dishes of food down toward the new arrivals.
Hunter was amused as he watched Ruth look at Cole and Lucas one last time before she rushed from the room. He glanced over at Trent and smiled knowingly before looking back at Brian.
“Any news on Josh?” Trent asked as he turned his mug continually with his right hand, a sign of his nervousness.
“The officer we have staking out the airport says the flight should land at 9:15 a.m. He took in a hopper from Helena,” Brian explained before taking a muffin from the plate. “He’s waiting for the plane to land.”
“I would have loved to have been there,” Hunter commented as the front door opened. He watched Augusta walk in, a surprised look on her face. Damn! I should have kept my comments to myself!
There was a piece of him that wanted to meet up with Josh Kirby and beat the shit out of him for what he had done to Augusta. He also didn’t want to hurt her in any way. She had been hurt enough.
Standing, he made his way over to her and enveloped her in his arms. “I’m sorry, baby,” he whispered in her ear. “My anger at the man is getting the best of me.”
Her arms tightened around his waist. “Thank you for caring so much about me, Hunter.” She had whispered those words to him, and he felt as if they were laced with love.
They had only been together for a few short days, but Hunter knew he was in love with Augusta Manning.
Finally remembering that they weren’t alone, Hunter released her and then escorted her over to the chair that sat empty between his and Trent’s. The two sat down.
The testosterone in the room was evident with five large muscular men sitting at the table. Of course, an hour ago, there were a lot more. Augusta had to wonder how Ruth did it.
“Augusta, this is Lucas and Cole, and they work with the three of us. They are going to be your daytime guards here. There will be two at night also, at least until we know that the Jersey guys are gone,” Brian explained.
Cole and Lucas both nodded at Augusta in acknowledgment. She nodded back.
* * * *
The whole spectrum of what was happening was overwhelming. She was a small-town girl that had the mob after her because of her asshole of an ex-husband. On top of that, she was sitting between two men that she had only met recently, and they had already made love.
A glance at Trent had her insides warming. Love, compassion, and lust lit up his gray eyes, now the color of the storm clouds that were playing peek-a-boo with the sun. It looked as if another storm was coming to pay a visit, and she hoped it wasn’t as severe as the previous days’. She didn’t need the electricity going out again at the shop.
The conversation with her accountant and then her lawyer just now told her that she was good on money. Up until now, she hadn’t touched her father’s money, which had been her goal. She only wanted to use it if things got bad financially. So far, the bakery provided her a decent living.
After letting Penny know that something had come up and she wouldn’t be able to start right away, and until Augusta was back at the shop for training, Penny would need to stay home. However, Penny would get paid, which of course the young mother balked at.
The delay would give Augusta’s attorney and accountant time to talk with the day care operators in the area and then get the paperwork set up for the scholarships. This way, Penny wouldn’t have to worry about watching her kids while at the bakery, and she didn’t have to shop around for the cheapest preschool.
At least that part was going her way. That, and Hunter and Trent.
She hated that she didn’t have any control of what was going on in her life. Having to live in a foreign house with guards was not something she had ever foreseen for herself.
Brian’s voice registered in her mind, and she turned her attention back to him. “We have city officers keeping an eye on the shop. Now, as for your house, we’d like to know if we could plant one in your house so that it looks like you’re living there. It’ll be a woman, of course, someone that looks like you so if your house is being watched they’ll think it’s you.”
“Sure,” she said, no inflection in her voice at all. This was becoming too much for her. Her life was spiraling out of control, and she was holding on for dear life.
Both men reached out and placed a hand over each of hers as if they knew her emotions were beginning to spin. Hunter cleared his throat. “We’ll do whatever needs to be done to keep our woman safe, Bri. We know how you guys come together for each other in times of need.”
“It’s called being neighborly,” Brian Hawthorne countered.
“Going up against the Irish mob or a deranged abuser and murderer isn’t just being neighborly,” Cole said sarcastically. “Of course, the Irish mob was to save your own woman.”
Augusta had heard stories, but she discounted most of them, yet sitting here listening to these guys talking, she was realizing they were true. She also had heard that these people were fast and true friends.
Those friends were so close that they chose to hold a group wedding, which was how Augusta had met Brian and his wife, Siobhan. He shared his wife with his brother, Ray, and they all seemed quite happy. In fact, all the ménage relationships she had met were content and friendly.
With a glance at Trent and Hunter, and then over to Brian, Augusta knew that if it weren’t for these men, she would be up shit creek with this situation. She couldn’t help the smile that crossed her lips.
“We took those bastards down,” Brian proudly said before a darkness swept over his features. “Unfortunately, Siobhan’s father was one of them.”
“This area has seen a lot of mob activity of one kind or another. Seems strange,” Lucas pointed out. “I heard someone say not too long ago that main office was calling us mob alley.”
The guys laughed. It was funny, but Augusta felt a little guilty for bringing yet another faction to the area.
She knew it wasn’t her fault that Josh had turned out the way he had. However, there was a part of her that thought if she had waited to get married that perhaps Josh would have gotten disinterested or she would have seen more of the bad in him.
As if he perceived what she was thinking, Trent leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You know none of this is your fault, right?”
Turning her head, she was inches away from him. It still made her stomach warm and fluttery when she looked upon his handsomeness. Knowing he was right, she nodded.
Surprise filled her when he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers in a quick kiss. She felt her face heat up for she had never been part of PDA. Josh refused to kiss her in public and was very selfish on hugs also. Perhaps that should have been a sign.
“Augusta, I don’t want you going anyw
here without one of your men, or the men I allocate to you. Since the two guys, which have been identified, have already gotten a hold of uniforms and a police car, I don’t want to trust anyone that I haven’t personally assigned to you.” Brian was thorough.
“All right,” she agreed. “I really want to go into work, but I don’t want my girls in danger.”
“How is Margo going to get along there alone, precious?” Trent asked as he poured coffee into Augusta’s mug.
Wrapping her hands around the ceramic cup, she savored the warmth on her hands. It was cold outside, but this whole ordeal was creating a chill within her body that wasn’t going away.
“Crystal agreed to come after her lunch at school. She’ll get school credit. The principal was very understanding when I explained the situation to her.” Augusta took a deep breath. “I was supposed to have Penny start today. I told her not to come in but that I would pay her since I promised her the job.”
“I know this has made your life a little difficult,” Brian offered. “But I’m glad you have some people you can depend on. Also, if you need any help, let us know. We have several ladies we can send in to help out wherever you need it.”
“Thanks, Brian. Depending on business, I might need some help here and there. I can’t work my girls seven days a week.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t take that long.” Hunter hugged her close as he spoke. All the men nodded their agreement.
* * * *
The bakery had been busy all morning. The brunette behind the counter was frazzled as she seemed to be the only person working.
Sitting at a table in the corner by the window, Albert was watching the comings and goings since Tony had dropped him off there around seven. Tony was supposed to be out scouting the airport for Kirby’s arrival.
Occasionally, someone would look over at him with curiosity or distain. He wasn’t sure which one it was since it had been something that had happened all his life. He had a scar across his left cheek that he had gotten as a kid, plus he had so many acne scars that had gained him the nickname of pizza-the-hut.