by Diane Leyne
Lance suddenly squatted beside her.
“Cat got your tongue?” He roughly pulled the gag from her mouth. “I’ll leave this off if you mind your manners. One wrong word and I’ll gag you again. Do you understand?”
She nodded, grimacing in pain as he pushed her back and she landed on her bound hands.
“Please, Lance. Can you untie me? I won’t try to get away.”
“Of course you’ll try.”
“My hands are numb. I think there might be some damage. Please. You can retie them in front of me.”
Lance roughly rolled her onto her stomach. A few moments later, she felt the twine give, then he rolled her back. She saw him pocketing a knife.
“Thank you, Lance.” She thought a little sucking up couldn’t hurt as she massaged the feeling back into her hands and wrists.
“Ah, here they come now. A little earlier than I expected. They must have broken land-speed records to get here. Too bad they are going to end up disappointed.
“Sit up, legs crossed, hands under your ass. You move and I’ll shoot this here dog. Understand? Understand!”
She moved into the position he demanded and watched as her Jeep moved slowly up the long driveway, coming to a stop about a hundred yards from where she was sitting, even with the fence that divided the manicured lawn around the house from the fields where the horses ran free.
She watched as Lance pulled out his phone.
“Naughty, naughty. I told you to come alone. However, I didn’t expect Blondie to allow himself to be left out of things. That’s okay. I expected this.”
She saw Murphy and Cole exchange glances before Murphy spoke into the phone.
“Yes, it does look like it is just the two of you, and the dog, of course. But you could still be armed. Step out of the vehicle, move over to your right, and stand in front of the fence. Bring the handcuffs with you.
“Good. Now strip. I want to make sure you aren’t wearing wires or guns.”
She watched her men slowly comply with the order. Boots first, then shirts and jeans. When they were down to their boxer briefs, they raised their hands.
“Good. Now each of you take one set of handcuffs and attach it to your right wrist. Good. Now attach the other end to the fence, the metal part of the fence.
He pulled Jess up by the hair and walked her down to the fence.
“Dog’s in the Jeep with the money.” Murphy announced.
“Go get them, Jess. Go!”
She wanted hop into the Jeep and just take off with Murphy the dog, but she couldn’t. Lance had Murphy and Cole, and she couldn’t figure out how to free them. As she got closer, Murphy jumped out and ran to her. She knelt and hugged him, crying into his fur.
“I’m so sorry, boy. I don’t know how to save either of us.”
“That you, Jess?”
“What the—”
“Don’t look around. We’ve got Murphy the dog miked. Don’t worry, and don’t let Dent see you reacting to what I’m saying. Big brother’s here to save the day. You’ll find the key to the handcuffs in the glove compartment along with a small gun and switchblade that you should be able to slip into your pockets. Then get the money and the laptop and take them to him. We need to get him talking so we can record his confession. We’re going to use him to get the cartel leaders.”
“You are risking Cole and Murphy’s lives, not to mention mine.”
“Dent won’t do anything until his helicopter arrives. Unfortunately for him, it’s been delayed. Permanently.”
“Jess, what’s taking so long? Get up here. My trigger finger’s getting itchy.”
“Gotta go, Tait. I hope you know what you are doing.”
“Don’t worry, sis. Aaron and the sheriff are in sniper positions. And I’ve got people delaying the chopper. Just keep him talking, and I’ll make sure that chopper doesn’t land. If it comes close, Aaron and Dace have it covered.”
“Roger that, Tait. Gotta go.”
She quickly stuffed the gun and the handcuff keys in her right front pocket and the switchblade in her back pocket. She grabbed the laptop and the bag with the money and headed back towards the man she used to love and the two men who were her future, if they could just get through the next little while.”
Stopping ten feet from Lance, she dropped the bag and the computer.
“You’ll never get away with this, Lance. The authorities will hunt you down.”
“I haven’t killed anyone. They can’t even prove my involvement with the cartel. It was all just some bizarre love quadrangle. But in the end, you decided you loved me and ran away with me to Mexico and parts south.”
“Damn you, Dent. You said you’d take the money and the dog and leave.” Cole’s tone was pleading.
“But there’s so much more money for me if I bring her with me. And I do love money.”
“And that’s why you sold out everything to hook up with the cartels. You are little better than a common murderer.”
“Oh, I’m very uncommon, and not a murderer. I’ve never killed anyone who didn’t deserve it.”
“What about all the teenagers that the cartels are hooking on drugs? Do they deserve it?”
“Sure, why not. If they don’t have the strength of character to just say no, then that’s their problem, not mine.”
“And now you want to use my dog to help make the smuggling easier.”
“He’s already been of tremendous help. I’ve been taking him to the cartel warehouses for the last six months. His nose is infallible. They wanted him around full-time. With his nose, they can develop foolproof ways to get the drugs across the border. If their packaging can fool Murphy, then there’s no way they’ll be detected. It’s genius.”
He squatted down and beckoned Murphy over. Murphy, recognizing one of his masters, went to him, but reluctantly. He was too well trained to disobey, but Jess could see his unhappiness in every fiber of his being.
“Then why do you need me? Murphy not working so well for you?”
“They wanted me, but there’s no way I want to live in some godforsaken jungle. Besides, as you’ve observed, I’m not Murphy’s favorite person anymore. In fact, if we head down there without you, he might even refuse to obey me, and I wouldn’t want to disappoint the cartel leader. He has a very nasty reputation. So I’ll go down and help get everything set up. You’ll be there to keep Murphy happy and working. You balk, and they’ll send their people here to Satisfaction. And let’s just say, the town will never be the same when they are done with it.”
At the sound of the churning rotors in the distance, Lance looked up. When he saw where they were landing, he ordered Jess to grab the bags while he took care of one last loose end. “Or rather,” he added as he walked towards Murphy and Cole, “two.”
Chapter 18
Jess grabbed the handle of the bag in her hand and swung on instinct, nailing Lance across the side of the head. He must have heard something because he moved at the last minute and she just landed a glancing blow.
He turned and started stalking towards Jess, who was backing up so quickly she tripped and landed on her ass. Ren rushed towards him, teeth bared. He kicked the dog to one side, his cry of pain piercing Jess’s heart. Frantically, she dug into her pocket, but he was coming too fast. At first she thought he was going to shoot her, but he reversed his grip and drew his hand back to hit her across the face.
Neither of them heard Murphy move until the big shepherd landed on Lance, his teeth sinking into his gun hand. Murphy was police trained. He knew how to disarm a suspect. He may have been reluctant to disobey his master, but now that he’d done it, he wasn’t doing it halfway. He sank his fangs deep into Lance’s wrist and shook him like a rag doll until he leg to of the gun. Then he planted himself on Lance’s chest and leaned down to growl into his face.
“Go ahead, Lance. Try to get away. See what he does.”
“The dog’s gone crazy. I never even touched you. You hit me.”
“Yea
h, but you kicked his girlfriend. Never try to interfere with true love. It’ll bite you in the butt, or rather arm, every time, Lance.
“Good boy, Murphy. Chew on him if he tries to move.”
She moved over to Ren, who wasn’t looking good. He’d kicked her hard in the side, and Jess was worried he’d broken some ribs. She gave her a quick pat and ran over to Murphy and Cole, handing them the handcuff key before returning to where Lance lay.
She could see him inching towards the gun he’d dropped. She smiled and pulled out the little Colt that Tait had left her. She straightened her arm, took aim, and fired.
The dirt kicked up to the right of Lance’s head, and he looked like he’d crapped his pants.
But then the air swirled as the chopper descended.
“Bitch! You’re too late!” Lance sat up, suddenly feeling on top of things again. “The cartel’s chopper is here. You think you have the upper hand, but you don’t. You’re going south with that dumb mutt. You’ll help them hide their drug shipments, and when the dog’s too old to work, they’ll put a bullet in his head and ship you off to a brothel somewhere. No one will ever see you again. No one. You are going to disappear forever, bitch!”
“They want the dog, right? No Murphy, no deal, right?”
“What’s your point?”
“This!” She turned towards Murphy who was nuzzling and trying to comfort Ren. “Murphy!”
He stood and walked towards her, stopping where she indicated.
Lining up the site again, she pulled the trigger and Murphy went down. She dropped the gun, sobbing, falling to her knees. She didn’t see Lance launch himself at her, or Cole take him down with a flying tackle as Murphy piled on.
She did notice the chopper started rising again as the police siren sounded in the distance. Soon the chopper was lost to sight, but she didn’t notice it go as she turned to the fighters. The men didn’t need her help. They had Lance on the ground and his face was bloody, and she was pretty sure he was missing a couple of teeth.
Murphy pushed himself to his feet and staggered over to the fence, returning with the handcuffs. Cole flipped Lance onto his stomach, and Murphy fastened the restraints before the two men stood and walked over to where she knelt, the tears of happiness pouring down her face.
They knelt beside her, wrapping her in a joint bear hug.
“We’re so sorry about Murphy.”
“He was a great dog.”
“What?”
“Huh?”
The men sputtered as Murphy jumped up, unable to hold position any longer. He circled the three people he loved, trying to get his licks in, until Ren whined and he rushed back to his mate.
“I don’t understand.”
“Me, neither.”
“You didn’t think I’d go through all this to protect my dog and then shoot him, did you?” She stood, and they stood with her. “Murphy”—she kissed his cheek—“Cole. I love you both, but you really don’t understand the female mind if you thought I’d do that.”
“Apparently not,” Cole agreed.
“First things first, though. You need to take Ren to the vet. Lance kicked her. I think he broke her ribs.”
“Not to worry, we brought the vet to her.” Murphy walked over to his sweet black and white border collie. She watched as he ran his hands lightly over her and noted that she flinched when he touched her rib area.
“We weren’t sure how Murphy’d be, so we had Doc Adams on standby.”
* * * *
It seemed like days later, but it was only later the same night that everyone had gone home. Murphy had gone with Ren to the vet while Cole and Jess had stayed with Tait, Aaron, and Dace to clear up some things before Lance was taken into custody.
It had been almost eight when Murphy got back. He immediately loaded Jess and Cole into his truck and headed out for the ranch, stating that they could get back together the next day, but he wanted to be alone with his family. He saw the other men smirk, but no one protested.
It wasn’t until he and Cole were in his den in front of a roaring fire with Jess sandwiched between them that he remembered he hadn’t shared the good news.
“It’s only cracked ribs. They should be healed in plenty of time before she gives birth!” Murphy practically shouted the last sentence.
“What?”
“Your dog got my dog pregnant!”
“Are you sure it was Murphy?”
“He’s the only unaltered male for miles. I saw how he was eyeing her. And look at the two of them.” He gestured to Ren’s basket. Murphy was lying beside it, his big head resting on the edge of the basket beside Ren’s.
“You’re going to be a grandfather! How exciting!” Jess was thrilled.
“Grandfather! I’m not a grandfather!”
“Oh, god. I just thought of something. The babies!”
“What about them, Cole?” Murphy was alarmed by his friend’s tone. “There had better be nothing wrong with my pups!”
“No, it’s not that. I mean, I was just thinking. You know how smart Ren is, and Murphy, too. Just think about the IQ of the pups?”
“Oh, god, Cole. Can we handle a bunch of little Rens and Murphies around the house?” Jess teased.
“That settles it,” Murphy thundered. “The two of you. You are all moving in with me here at the ranch. Cole, it’s not that far from your shop, and you can set up another workshop here. We can build an addition to the stable. Jess, you’re a writer. You can write anywhere. I’d feel much better if you did your writing here where I can keep an eye on you.
“Any objections?”
Murphy glanced at the love of his life and his best friend and then glanced over at the dogs and softened. Damn, a week ago, he’d lived here alone. Now he had a full house. It felt good.
“Are you sure we aren’t moving too fast? I mean, Murphy, Cole, we only met a few days ago. I know it feels like a lifetime, but…”
“But what? But you have doubts? Jess, the first moment I laid eyes on you and you yelled at me and called my ass flea-bitten, well, I don’t meant to rhyme, but I was smitten.”
“Me, too. You could have ordered me to, I don’t know, put on a dress, and I’d have done it if it would make you smile.”
Murphy watched her smirk as she turned to his friend.
“And no, that won’t work anymore. Well, maybe Halloween, but only if you are really, really good.”
“I’m always good,” Jess purred.
Murphy just laughed and stood up and pulled her to her feet.
“Time to go to bed.”
“Not quite, Murph, Cole.”
She looked at her men as they gazed back at her. “Time to go home.”
* * * *
Jess saw Cole looking at her and then over at his best friend, and sighed and laughed out loud. A moment later, Murphy joined in.
“What’s the joke, guys?” She was puzzled. That wasn’t the reaction she’d expected.
They laughed harder. Jess put her hands on her hips and glared at them, but they just kept laughing.
“You know, if this was a romantic novel, that would have been your cue to sweep me off my feet and carry me up the stairs and make passionate love to me, not sit there and laugh!”
“Murphy, I do believe that she thinks she can distract us from the fact that she’s earned another spanking for disobeying a direct order and putting herself in danger like that!”
“I agree, Cole. You went first last time, do you mind if I get to spank her ass first this time?”
“Not at all, Murphy. Please, be my guest!”
“Ha, ha. You two think you are so funny. Laugh all you want. I’m going back to Candy’s to sleep. Think about that, fellas. Laughing at your girlfriend is not generally considered to be foreplay.”
She glared at them, but she could feel the growing arousal churning within her. This afternoon, with Lance, the violence had been real and scary. This, this was teasing, and it was foreplay, not that she would give th
em the satisfaction of admitting it.
“Girlfriend. Cole, she thinks she’s our girlfriend.”
“Another spanking, I fear.”
“What do you mean? If I’m not your girlfriend, what am I? Just someone you fuck, someone you share for sex? That’s it. I’m leaving.”
“Oh, Murphy. I think that’s another punishment. I wonder if we should take our woman to the Whips and Spurs? You know, Jess. That’s what you are. You are our woman, and don’t you forget it. We’ve claimed you, and we don’t share, except with each other.”
Jess deliberately ignored the second part of his statement, even as it thrilled her. She was theirs and they were hers, not that she was going to admit it just yet.
“I’ve been to the saloon. You’re getting senile in your old age, cowboy. That’s where we met.”
“I’m talking about the BDSM club in the back. There’s a spanking bench and a flogger there that I think has your name on it, sweetheart.”
“Just try and use a flogger on me and I’ll stomp on your nuts so hard! Wait, spanking bench? What’s that?”
“Something you are going to become extremely well acquainted with. In fact, I think we have enough room for one in the bedroom. I’ll have to check the measurements. But that’s for tomorrow. We have other priorities tonight. Cole, did she or did she not just threaten me? I think that’s another one.”
“I’m starting to think that life with the cartel might not have been so bad after all,” Jess whined. “At least I wouldn’t have two stubborn cowboys trying to order me around.”
“Get used to it, baby. Cole and I plan to spend the rest of our lives ordering you around.”
“Absolutely. Hell, Jess, if you’d let us order you around, if you’d told us what was happening, we could have protected you and then we wouldn’t have had to suffer through watching Lance try to kidnap you.”
“Yes, well, I was trying to protect you guys. How was I to know that Lance had found me and what he was planning? Next time I find drug money or I think my ex is involved with drug cartels, I promise to come straight to you two.”