by Sam Crescent
“Staying here alone is not a good idea.” Chris folded his arms and glared at her.
Troy watched the disaster waiting to happen. “How about we call her parents and let them know she’s alone?”
“I’m not a child.” Ruby cursed, rubbing at her temples.
“Then stop behaving like a child.” Chris advanced closer.
“Stop it.”
“We fucking care about you, Ruby. Do you have any idea how damn much we care about you?” Chris asked.
Troy froze, waiting to see what his friend would say.
“What are you trying to say?” Ruby asked.
“If anything happened to you, I don’t know if I can stand it. You’re wanted in more ways than just sex.”
He reached out, stroking her arm. “I agree with Chris.”
“I care about you two as well.” She smiled at each of them in turn.
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Troy reached out, sinking his fingers into her red hair. “Please, don’t argue with us.”
She rested her head against his. “I’m keeping my attitude about the fire. If I have to spend the whole time listening to everyone say how sorry they are and everything else, then I’m not going to last much longer and I’ll break down and cry.”
His heart went out to her. Looking at Chris, he saw his friend breaking his resolve as well.
“Fuck, fine. We’ll tell your parents what happened, but you’ve got to keep a phone with you at all times.” Chris relented.
“Okay, thank you.” She kissed Troy and then Chris. “I really appreciate it. I just can’t handle being in town. I love everyone, but today, it’s going to be too damn hard.”
“We’ve got your back,” Troy said.
“Thank you,” she said again.
Troy let Chris put the call through to her parents and then they were on their way to the truck.
“I don’t like leaving her alone,” Chris said.
“There’s not a lot we can do. I understand why she wants to be alone. Stone Valley is a great place, but everyone knows all the crap going on. What did her parents say?” Troy rubbed his head.
“They’re not happy about us leaving her alone, but they’re in agreement with us. It’s for the best. Roger will be calling by in an hour.”
“I’m in love with her,” Troy said, blurting out the words.
“I’m in love with her as well. I don’t want anything to happen to her. The thought makes it hard to breathe. We’ve got to put a lid on this.” Chris looked pale and Troy kept his thoughts to himself.
The drive into town was short and quiet after their admissions to each other. Troy couldn’t get the bad feeling to leave his body. He kept looking down at his cell phone, hoping for some great wave of peace to settle over him. Nothing happened. The shop looked eerily quiet as they pulled up.
Troy went through the motions, doing what he needed to keep the shop up and running.
Customers asked for information on Ruby and for them to pass on their thanks. Troy understood with every hour that passed why his woman didn’t want to be surrounded by that.
Ruby didn’t call them at all, but she sent a text message explaining that she was fine.
“We shouldn’t be here. Ruby needs us.”
“We’d drive her crazy today,” Chris said, aligning more dildos on the shelves. “There’s not a lot we can do to help her.”
The bell tinkling over the door alerted them to another customer. Troy read through the list of their online orders. He never imagined business would be booming so damn quickly.
Donald stood in the doorway and the older man looked pale.
“What’s the matter?” Chris asked.
“I’m about to ask you guys a couple of questions, and I need you to be honest with me.”
Dread curled inside Troy at the look on Donald’s face.
“When was the last time you saw Sandra?”
Chris laughed. “Is this some kind of sick joke?”
“I need you to answer the question.”
“The night she humiliated us was the last night we saw her, why?”
“I’ve just got a call from some of my contacts in London. Sandra’s body has been recovered from a lake near the city. She was stabbed multiple times before being dumped in a plastic bag.”
The news hit Troy right in the chest. “She’s dead?”
“Murdered.”
Looking at his friend, Troy didn’t know what to think or to say.
“There’s more.”
“More?” Chris asked.
“Have you heard of a woman called Francine Lowe?” Donald asked.
“Yes.” Both men spoke in unison.
“She was found in her apartment two months ago with multiple stab wounds.” Donald still hadn’t regained any color. “Those two women were shared by you.”
“You think this is a pattern?” Chris asked.
“I think someone has a problem with your women. David, my friend, believes Ruby is next.”
Troy grabbed his cell phone and started calling Ruby. When there was no answer, he tried the house phone. “Ruby’s not answering.”
“Try Roger.”
He listened to Chris reel off the number and waited. “No answer from Roger.”
“Can I ask you one final question?” Donald asked.
“Yes,” Troy said, getting impatient.
“Do you know a woman by the name of Delilah Trenton?”
“It’s Sandra’s little sister,” Troy said, remembering the mousy younger woman. “Why?”
“The knife they found with Sandra’s body was covered in prints. Delilah’s prints.”
Troy tried to remember the younger woman. He’d never done anything to hurt her. “She was always on medication.”
Donald nodded. “Delilah has mental health problems. She’s unstable and Sandra was taking care of her, but according to David, she hasn’t been taking her medication. She’s unstable, and a danger to herself and everyone around her. Is there a chance she could think she has a shot with you?”
Chris shook her head.
Troy cursed, looking at his best friend. “We helped her out that one night before it ended with Sandra.” Turning to Donald, he explained. “She cut herself real bad. We helped take care of her. Could that have given her cause to think something was there when it wasn’t?”
“Yes, she’s not stable, and I think she’s in town,” Donald said.
No one was answering the calls.
“We need to get back home.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ruby watched her men leave, pleased they were not pushing her to have to deal with the town of Stone Valley. There was only so much pity a girl could take. Rolling her shoulder, she tied the bottom of her shirt together and went back into the house. With her staying at their place, she was going to show them how good it would be for her to remain with them.
Love.
She paused.
Love.
The word kept rolling around her head, making her pause whenever she tried to get something done. She wanted to have a nice, warm meal cooking in the oven, as well as a cake. Her had mother taught her how to cook and she did love being in the kitchen.
Love.
Cutting the thought off, she began peeling some potatoes and getting the root vegetables ready to be cooked. The slow cooker would work wonders on the food, especially the meat she was going to use.
Her cell phone buzzed. Wiping her hands on the towel, she checked to see who it was.
Troy: Ur dad, Roger, is coming round 2 c u!
Ruby: I don’t need a babysitter.
Troy: Please. 4 us.
Ruby: Fine.
Troy: I’ve got something 2 say 2 u when I get home.
Ruby: Looking forward to it.
Troy: <3
Ruby smiled and sent him back a love heart as well. How could she not be charmed by his concern?
Putting the cell phone aside, she continued on with the vegetab
les and meat. Once they were in the pan, cooking away, she started on the dumpling mix. The time passed and she was more than happy to be humming her way around the kitchen with the radio on loudly.
Glancing at the clock, she frowned when she realized two hours had passed. Daddy Roger should have made it home by now. Grabbing her cell phone, she made a call to her mom.
“Hello, dear, is Roger there?” Angela asked.
“He’s not here.” Going to the window, Ruby frowned when she saw his van parked outside the house. “Wait, I was too damn busy listening to the radio.” Ruby pressed the button, turning the radio off. “I’ll go and see what’s keeping him.”
“Call me when you’re done, honey.”
Putting the cell down, Ruby tensed as she heard a door opening in the house.
“Hello?” she asked, calling out.
No one made a sound. The distinctive sound of steps creaking sent goose bumps erupting along her skin.
“Hello?” She shouted the word again. There was still no reply.
With her heart pounding inside her chest, she headed out of the kitchen and stopped when she saw a very thin, pale, brown-haired woman carrying a baseball bat. Frowning, Ruby looked at her.
“Who are you?” Ruby asked. “What are you doing in my house?”
“Your house.” The woman spat the words out.
Ruby had never seen anything so ugly in all of her life. The hatred coming off the mystery woman shocked her.
“This is not your house. This is Chris and Troy’s house and you’ve got no right to be here, whore.”
Okay, Ruby never thought she’d be called a whore in all her life.
“Look, I don’t know who you are, but I think you need to leave.” Glancing in the kitchen, she saw her cell phone on the table. Crap, she knew she was in trouble. The wild look in the mousy woman was letting her know her situation.
“You’re just a slut. A redheaded slut. They never see the real you. They’re just happy that you’re spreading your legs for them. I know the real them.” The bat was raised in the air. “If you’d listened to me, you wouldn’t be here, but you’re like the rest of them. You always think you’re better, but you’re not.” Her voice was getting louder and louder. “The letter should have been enough, and then the brick, but no, you’re too fucking thick to see what’s right in front of you.”
“You’re the one who did all those things?” Ruby asked. Her anger replacing the small bite of fear she’d started to feel.
“Slut!”
“You fucking bitch. You burnt my house down.” Ruby couldn’t see past the anger at what this woman had done.
“I wished you’d been inside it, but now I get to hurt you myself.”
The woman charged at her and swung the bat. Ruby put her arm up and cried out as the bat smashed into her arm. She was sure she heard a bone break. The short, thin, frail-looking woman had a lot of strength behind her.
Before Ruby could react, the woman slammed the bat into her stomach. Ruby went down, gasping.
The pain was unbearable. She couldn’t believe this woman was intent on killing her.
“Chris and Troy will never look at you again, slut. They’ll see what every man sees.”
“I love them.” Ruby screamed the words, using the other woman’s hesitation to her advantage.
Charging the woman, Ruby pushed her away seconds before heading toward the front door. Crashing open the door, she gasped. Lying in a heap on the floor was her father. Blood oozed out of a cut on the back of his head. The music had been too loud for her to hear what was happening.
Tumbling to her knees, she tried to shake her father awake.
“Daddy, wake up. Please, wake up.”
So consumed by her fear for Roger, she didn’t see the woman had caught her up before everything went black.
* * * *
Ruby groaned. Her head felt like it was on fire. She tried to touch her head, but her hands were tied down. Opening her eyes, she tried to focus on everything around her. The rough bark at her back made her realize she was tied to a tree.
The woman who’d been throwing around a baseball bat stood, smiling at her.
“Everyone always underestimates me. They think because I’m not fat, I can’t do anything. You’ll be surprised what I can do.”
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she looked toward the porch to see her father still lay crumpled on the ground.
“I get it. You’ve got an issue with me being with Chris and Troy, but my father has nothing to do with this. Let him go.”
“No. He was here to check on you. It’s his own fault for having a slut for a daughter.”
Ruby finally registered the other woman’s English accent. “You’re from England?” Ruby asked.
“Yes.”
“You knew Chris and Troy in London?”
“We were in love.” The woman brandished the dinner knife Ruby had been using.
Fuck, this woman was seriously disturbed.
“They love me but, whores like you keep driving them away. I’m not going to let that happen again.”
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Ruby prayed someone would come looking for her. Whoever this woman was, she had the upper hand. There was nothing Ruby could do to stop her.
She wouldn’t cry or show any weakness. Taking a deep breath, Ruby listened to her rant and rave. All the time she talked, Ruby thought about her feelings for the two men. She was totally in love with them and if she died now, she’d never get the chance to the tell them.
Pain in her heart replaced the pain in her head. She needed to tell Chris and Troy that she loved them.
The woman in front of her pointed the knife at her face. “Are you listening to me, slut?”
Ruby opened her mouth to answer.
“Delilah!”
Chris’s voice followed by Troy’s had her gasping. Her two men looked deadly as they climbed out of the truck. She looked past them to see the Sheriff’s cruiser parked a little down the way.
They’d come. Her men had come to save her.
* * * *
Seeing Delilah holding the knife so close to his woman made Chris stop and look at her. He needed to get Delilah away from Ruby, not closer. Stopping several feet away, he heard Troy hiss at him.
“We need to get her to us and away from Ruby,” Chris said as quietly as he could.
“You’ve come for me. I knew you’d come for me.” Delilah stepped toward them.
“Come to us, Delilah. Talk to us, what’s going on?” he asked.
Trevor could hear everything that was being said.
“I’ve got to take care of this whore first. She’s got you blinded and I need to finish what she started, and then we can talk.” Delilah turned around, holding the knife.
“What happened to Sandra?” Troy asked, shouting the words.
Delilah turned to them, a frown marring her features. “She had to be punished for what she did to you. Sandra didn’t love you the way I loved you.”
“You killed her?” Troy asked.
“She was a bitch and she didn’t love you. I love you and you know that.”
Chris felt sick to his stomach. He’d never given much thought to Sandra’s sister. She seemed sweet and nice enough, but Sandra always kept her at a distance, warning them that they should do the same.
“She’s a whore, just like all the women you’ve been with. I’ve been getting rid of them so we can be together. We have to be together.”
Troy shook his head. “You’re sick, Delilah. There has never been anything between us. You need to come away from Ruby. She’s got nothing to do with this. You want us.”
Chris stared at Ruby. Tears had filled her eyes, but none of them spilled out.
He tried to give Ruby strength. She was going to get out of this alive and then they were going to have a long discussion about their feelings.
Delilah stared between them. He saw the hope in her eyes as she looked at them. Chris couldn’
t do it. Glancing past her shoulder, he looked at Ruby and felt all the love he’d kept bottled up come out. It was all directed at Ruby, not at Delilah.
“You’re lying. You’re in love with this whore. I’m not going to let that happen.” Delilah raised the knife and stepped toward Ruby. “She’s going to die like the rest of them and then you’ll see what’s right in front of you.”
“No!” Chris screamed the word, charging at Delilah.
She was too fast, but Troy was faster than him. Troy tackled Delilah to the ground.
“Get the fuck off me!”
Chris ran for Ruby. Cupping her face, he kissed her lips.
“Get me out of this, please.” The tears finally fell out of her eyes.
“I need some help over here,” Troy said.
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw blood covering Troy’s shirt on his stomach. Waving his arms, Chris signaled to the Sheriff. They’d done what they could.
“Get off me. I’m going to fucking kill her. You’ll never know any real peace. You were supposed to be mine. All mine.” On and on, Delilah ranted. Chris listened to her talk as he released Ruby from her tight bondage. Her arms wrapped around him tight.
“I love you,” she said.
His heart stopped. “What?”
She chuckled. “I love you and Troy, so damn much. I couldn’t stand if something were to happen to me and you two didn’t know the truth of how I felt. I love you both and I couldn’t handle it if I never got the chance to tell you.”
Troy stumbled over to them, holding his side. “I love you, too, love. So fucking much.”
“You need to get to an ambulance.” At Ruby’s words, the sound of the sirens reached them.
Delilah was being cuffed by Trevor. She would be tried for the murders and arson. The Sheriff told Chris she’d probably end up at a psychiatric unit, being monitored daily.
“I love you as well.”
They headed over to the ambulance. The wound on Troy was a small knick. Delilah hadn’t done any real damage. Watching Troy get fixed, Chris kept his arms wrapped around his woman. He was never letting her go. Never, ever.
Roger had woken up during the arrest. The ambulance crew checked him over as well.