by Becca Van
She’d met Shyann and her paramedic husbands once and while she’d liked the quartet, Niki had decided it was prudent to keep to herself. Thankfully, Kat wasn’t much into socializing either. They were both too busy trying to deal with the aftermath of living with a cruel mob boss father and his evil ways.
Niki hadn’t told Kat that their dear old dad had sold her to his second in charge. She’d explained the visible bruises away by telling her sister that their father had been in one of his drunken rages and she’d gotten in his way. That hadn’t been the case at all. The beating had come from Vinnie when he’d become angry at her trying to keep him at arm’s length. Nevertheless, she’d rather deal with the pain of a few punches, kicks, and bruises than try to come to terms with the prick raping her. He’d sexually assaulted her time and again, but thankfully, one of her father’s men or Rosita had managed to interrupt. Niki knew that Rosita’s intervention had been on purpose. The poor woman had ended up getting backhanded across the face every time. Niki wished she could help Rosita leave her father’s clutches. She’d even begged the housekeeper to come with her when she escaped, but she’d just shaken her head.
Niki hoped that her father and Vinnie didn’t take their anger out on Rosita and end up killing her. Hopefully, the two assholes would summize that she’d escaped all on her own, even though Rosita had had a hand in her flight. Since she’d been locked up in her bedroom, there really was no other conclusion, but they were likely to go into a rage the likes of which no one had seen before. She just hoped that Rosita stayed well out of their way and the bastards didn’t realize that the housekeeper had helped her. They had no proof that Rosita had aided her, but Niki was still scared that the other woman would end up getting hurt regardless.
She pushed those thoughts aside and tried to get her racing heart to slow. She didn’t even notice she was panting until Kat started talking. “Are you okay, sis? You’re panting and as white as a ghost.”
Niki nodded as she inhaled deeply, squeezing her sister’s hand. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a few bad memories took hold. You know what that’s like.”
“I do, but we don’t need to worry anymore. We’re using a different surname and have shortened our Christian names. There’s no way that bastard will be able to find us.”
Niki nodded again, hoping that Kat was right. She drained the last of her coffee and stood. “Do I look okay?” She smoothed her hands down the black slacks she’d borrowed from Kat for her interview.
“You look great. Not too professional and not too casual. Just right for an interview for a housekeeper.” Kat smiled. “Do you know where you’re heading?”
“Yeah, I looked up the directions on your smartphone.”
“What was the name of the ranch again?” Kat asked.
“The Triple L.” Niki’s heart flipped when Kat shook her head.
“I’ve never heard of it, but that doesn’t mean much since I tend to stick close to home.”
“I’d better get going. I don’t want to be late.” Niki took the car keys Kat handed her and hugged her sister tight. There was only two years between them, but sometimes Niki felt as if she were years older than Kat rather than younger than her. Kat had managed to flee from Chicago a year before Niki. While she’d been happy that her older sibling no longer had to suffer mental and physical abuse, Niki had missed her so much.
She knew that Kat still felt guilty about leaving Niki behind, and while she’d tried to convince her sister there was nothing to feel guilty about, she couldn’t change the way Kat felt, no matter how hard she’d tried. She would have escaped too if the chance had been put in her way.
Niki released Kat, grabbed her purse from the back of the secondhand stool, and waved good-bye as she headed toward the door.
“Good luck, Niki. You’ve got this.”
Niki turned, smiled, and nodded at her sister as she opened the door to their one-bedroom apartment and stepped outside. She closed the door behind her, then hurried toward the small old car her sister had managed to buy just before she arrived in Slick Rock, got in and started the engine, and drove away.
Niki hoped she got the job, but she was as nervous as hell. After what she’d been through, she didn’t like being around the opposite sex at all, but she hoped that working at a ranch outside of the town limits would be a way for her to start getting used to being around men again. Not that she was looking for a relationship in any way, shape, or form. However, she needed to bring in some cash so that she and her sister could save up just in case they had to move at a moment’s notice. Kat had told her about the job at the library on offer, but after meeting Shyann and her observant husbands as well as hearing about all the other perceptive men, sheriffs, and deputies around town, she’d turned the offer down. The last thing she needed was to be under more scrutiny. She’d dealt with that her whole life and always ended up coming up short.
She was hoping that if she got the job on the ranch, the men would be too busy working out on the land to notice anything about her.
Twenty minutes to half an hour later she’d slowed the car and pulled onto the start of the driveway. A shiver of nervous anticipation skated up her spine, but she pushed her trepidation aside. No matter what she felt on the inside, she needed to portray a calm, cool professionalism she was far from feeling. After winding the window down slightly, she sucked in a few deep breaths as she stared at the sign to the Triple L Ranch. When she was sure she had her anxiety under wraps, she put the car in gear, slowly pressed down on the accelerator, and drove toward the large ranch house, all the while praying she’d finally be able to contribute to her and her sister’s expenses.
“She’s here,” Hes said as he put the dishwasher on. There were still dishes in the sink, but at least he and Rig had had time to do some tidying up, even if it was minimal. He just hoped that the interviewee didn’t take one look at the messy, dusty house and turn tail and head back out the front door.
“Let’s go take a look,” Rig said before he left the room.
Hes followed his younger-by-minutes brother from the kitchen toward the living room. They both peered out the window as the woman got out of the car and gazed about, then started walking toward the porch and the front door.
“Holy shit!” Hes said.
Rig let out a low whistle. “Brent’s gonna be pissed when he sets eyes on that sexy siren.”
“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Hes said. “Besides, we haven’t hired her yet. She has to get through the interview first.”
“Since she’s the only person to answer the ad, I think we should hire her anyway,” Rig said. “We can always let her go if she doesn’t work out after a two-week trial.”
“Hmm.” Hes rubbed his chin and nodded. When Rig stepped back, he moved out of the way. “Where are we going to do the interview?”
“I thought the living room would be the best place. There might be dust on the shelves, but she won’t be able to see the mess that’s still in the kitchen,” Rig answered.
“Good idea.” Hes stared at the door when he heard the woman walking up the steps. He frowned since she didn’t knock and wondered what the hell she was doing. He was just about to go and answer the door when she finally rapped her knuckles on the wood. She didn’t knock loudly or in quick succession like a person usually did. She sounded almost hesitant, and he wondered if she was nervous. He stepped toward the door and opened it.
She stared at him, gape-mouthed for a moment and then she took a step back, wringing her fingers so hard he wondered if she would end up breaking them. Her face went from pale to a bright pink, and for the first time in forever, he wished he knew what a woman was thinking.
She drew in a deep breath, dropped her arms to her sides, raised her chin, and locked gazes with him. “Hi, I’m Niki Gilmore and I’m here to interview for the housekeeping job.”
Hes offered his hand. “I’m Heston Lyndon, and this is my brother Rigby.”
She shook his hand for what seemed li
ke less than a second before quickly tugging away from him, glancing nervously toward Rig, before meeting his eyes again. His breath hitched in his throat as he stared into her gorgeous green eyes. Niki Gilmore was stunning with her long, wavy blonde hair, blemish-free milky skin, and sexy body. His cock twitched and while he tried to stop the boner in his pants from forming, it was a losing battle. Hes just hoped that their guest didn’t notice. She was already as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof.
“Please, come on in.” He moved aside to allow her entrance and swept his hand toward the living room.
“Hi, Niki,” Rig said, proffering a hand as soon as she stepped over the threshold. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
Niki licked her lips, drawing his attention to the lush pink Cupid’s bow. He could just imagine having her lips wrapped around his dick and sucking him off. Knock it off, you jerk, Hes told himself. After Niki shook Rig’s hand, pulling away just as fast as when they’d shaken hands, Rig guided her toward the living room.
She sat in the corner of the sofa and though he knew from the longing glances Rig was giving her that his twin wanted to sit right next to her, he gave her some space and sat on the opposite end of the sofa. Hes took up position in the armchair across from them.
“So, have you had any experience as a housekeeper?” Hes asked.
Niki sucked in another deep breath before answering. “Not professionally, but I’ve had a lot of experience keeping house for my father and his goo—colleagues.”
“How long have you kept your father’s house for?” Hes rubbed his hands together.
“As far back as I remember. I used to help the housekeeper cook, clean, wash the clothes, and do the grocery shopping.”
Hes frowned. She’d stuttered over the last two words, and he wondered if she’d just lied, but she kept hold of his gaze as he stared at her, so he gave her the benefit of the doubt.
“Where are you from?” Rigby asked.
“Chicago.”
Why the hell did she just go so pale? “Why did you move to Slick Rock?” Hes frowned.
“My sister lives here. I missed her so much I decided to move her, as well.” Niki smiled.
Hes glanced at Rig and his brother’s eye twitched letting him know that he’d been aware the smile hadn’t reached Niki’s eyes.
“Are you planning on staying in Slick Rock, or are you and your sister intending to move on?” Rig asked.
“We’re both staying. I’ve only been here just over a month, but from what I’ve seen, I really like this town. Everyone is so friendly. Totally different from living in a city.”
“Who’s your sister?” Hes asked.
“Kat Gilmore. She works at the library. She loves her job and really likes Shyann.”
“I’ve heard of her and even seen her a time or two.” Rig nodded.
Heston shoved to his feet, frowning when Niki sank back into the corner of the sofa as if trying to get as far away from him as possible. There was a niggle in the back of his mind that something was seriously wrong, but for the life of him he couldn’t bring the fermenting thought to the forefront. He pushed his concern aside for the moment and asked, “Would you like something to drink? Coffee, tea, water?”
“Water, please.”
Hes nodded as he hurried toward the kitchen. As he set about making Rig and himself more coffee and getting their guest a glass of water, he couldn’t help but wonder what Brent would make of their potential housekeeper. He knew without a doubt that their older brother would be just as attracted to her as he and Rig were, but whether he’d act on it was another question. They’d all watched from afar and close up as their friends and newly arrived residents to their small rural town found the women of their dreams. He had a feeling deep in his gut that Niki was that woman for him and his brothers, but he had no idea if she even knew about the polyandrous relationships in and around Slick Rock.
She was also as skittish as a green horse, and he wasn’t sure if she was that way around all men or just them. That was something else he was going to have to find out.
Hes had a feeling that Niki had been badly hurt. There were dark shadows in those beautiful green eyes, and she didn’t like it when he and Rig got too close to her. Was she intimidated by their muscles and their sizes, or was there some other reason she was so uneasy around them?
When he had the mugs filled with hot coffee and a glass of water in hand, he turned from the kitchen, but paused when he saw Brent from the corner of his eye. His brother was heading toward the house from the barn, and while Hes was glad that Brent was hopefully about to set eyes on their prospective new employee, he hoped his brother’s stern visage didn’t send Niki running for the door.
He gave a shrug. If she was that scared of Brent, then maybe she wasn’t the right woman for them after all.
He just hoped that both of his siblings agreed to give her a chance and approved hiring her on.
Only time would tell.
Chapter Two
Niki was having a hard time concentrating. She found herself staring at Heston’s and Rigby’s handsome faces and muscular bodies over and over again. They were both well over six feet and were packed full of muscles, and while she found the twins extremely handsome, she wasn’t about to get involved with them or any other man for that matter. She’d wanted to remain free and make her own decisions instead of being controlled and told what to do every single minute of every single day.
As far as she was concerned, she’d remain single and celibate for the rest of her life. Men weren’t worth dealing with other than for work. She just hoped that Heston and Rigby Lyndon weren’t dictatorial. She’d had more than enough of others ruling over her without caring about what she wanted or needed.
“Here you are,” Heston said as he passed her the full glass of water.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Heston handed Rigby a steaming mug of coffee.
Niki was surprised that she could tell the identical twins apart. Rigby had a scar dissecting his left eyebrow, but even if that mark hadn’t been marring his face, she was sure she’d still be able to tell who was whom. There were a few subtle differences. While both brothers’ eyes were brown, Rigby had a few gold flecks in his irises, and Heston’s nose had a slight bump in the middle as if it had been broken.
“What hours are you willing to work?” Rigby asked.
“Whatever you need me to,” Niki replied, then lifted her glass toward her lips. She noticed her hand was trembling slightly and hoped that they weren’t aware of how nervous she was.
“How does eight till five sound?” Hes asked.
“Sounds good.” She glanced from Heston to Rigby and back again. “Does that mean I have the job?”
“Yeah. We’ll give you a month’s trial. After that we’ll renegotiate,” Rigby said.
“When do you want me to start?” she asked.
“How about right now?” another deep voice answered.
Niki gasped, startled at the sound of the new voice. When she turned to look over her shoulder, her heart flipped in her chest. The man leaning against the doorframe to the kitchen was inches taller than his twin brothers and even more muscular. There was an air of authority about him that had her heart thundering loudly in her ears.
She turned away from him when he pushed off the doorjamb and strode toward her. The sound of his cowboy boots on the hardwood floor seemed to echo throughout the room. He stopped right in front of her, and she blushed when she realized that her eyes were on level with his crotch. Taking a deep fortifying breath, she raised her gaze up to his, meeting his intent brown-eyed gaze.
“I’m Brentley Lyndon.” He held his hand out toward her. “And you are?”
“Nikit—Niki Gilmore.” She took his hand, trying to ignore the sparks zapping from him to her and back again as they shook hands. Niki tried to tug her hand free, but he clasped her fingers more firmly. She pulled harder, a little frantically, as she tried to put some much-needed space
between him and her.
Niki had no idea what was wrong with her, but she didn’t like the way her body reacted when all three of the men had touched her. It was as if she’d been struck by lightning, and while the sensations coursing through her body, her blood, were pleasurable, she didn’t like them one little bit.
If she was going to work for these three men, she was going to have to be on guard the whole time. There wasn’t a chance in hell she was letting on that she was attracted to one man, let alone three.
Niki had had more than enough dealing with the opposite sex and was going to keep as far away from them as physically possible.
“Pleased to meet you, Niki,” Brentley said in his deep, rumbling voice.
“Likewise,” she replied and hoped that none of the Lyndon men had heard the breathless quality of her voice. When she jerked her hand from his, she sighed with relief when he released her, but stopped breathing when he sank into the sofa cushion right next to her. He was so close she could smell his soap or deodorant and the clean smell of his sweat. There was something about the way he and his brothers smelled that called to her, and Niki began to wonder if maybe she should have taken the position at the library after all.
For the first time in her life, she hoped this job didn’t work out. She had a feeling the more time she spent around the Lyndon men, the harder her attraction to them would be to disregard.
Brent hadn’t been able to stay away from the house. He’d heard the car in the driveway, and while he’d tried to keep his curiosity at bay, it had gotten the better of him. After he’d finished up mucking out the stalls in the barn, laying fresh hay, and feeding and watering the horses, he’d been halfway toward the house before he’d even thought about what he was doing.
