“Got everything in a poke sack in the barn.” Thad had found his voice again, weak and wavering though it was. “We were in here lookin’ for food to take with us.”
“Yeah, we was gonna run away, Myrt. I’m glad you found us, though.” Luke stepped back and grinned down at her, Myrt’s first realization her younger brother had passed her in height. “Woulda had a hard time of it if we’d made it to the woods proper.”
“I’m glad I found you, too. My friends Bane and Gunny helped, and they’re gonna make sure we all get outta here, safe and sound.” She rattled Thad side to side. “I’m so proud of both of you.” Bending down, she stared into his face. “I understand everything, and you don’t have to worry, okay? I’m going to keep you safe. You’re safe now.” Like a watery memory, she held on to the feeling she’d had inside when Bane told her those words. Relief and gratitude. Belief and trust. “I swear to you…you are safe now.”
Thad held her gaze, and she watched him fight a myriad of emotions. Fear and sorrow, and so much anger. The rage inside him nearly boiled over, scalding her with the heat of it as he held it inside. He wrestled with it and bested it, and finally, the only feeling she could see was relief, that sweet respite of knowing someone else was willing to carry whatever burden it was, in this case the safety of his beloved brother, his worst fear being something bad happening to Luke.
“Let’s get your bag and skedaddle on outta here.” Bane slid in beside her, his arm naturally going around her waist in a movement Thad didn’t miss. “I’m Bane.” He stuck out his hand, holding it steady until Thad gripped and shook it up and down once. “You gotta be Thad. She’s talked about you a lot.” He turned his attention to her other brother, trying to become invisible in the shadows behind Thad. “Luke, it’s good to meet you. She’s had a ton of stories about you, too.” Instead of holding out his hand, he gave Luke a wave, and Myrt knew it was because he’d read the boy’s body language, currently screaming discomfort. “We’ve got to get back to town. There’s a hotel room with your name on it, and a pool for swimming.” Bane’s fingers dug into her side, the action telling her this was somehow important. “Myrt’s going to be there with you. We’ll order pizza or something, and you can tell her what all went on here. Eat, swim, do whatever.” He’s going to hunt Sallabrook. She couldn’t find any sorrow inside her at the knowledge. No matter the details of what he’d done to Thad, the fact he’d done anything was too much. If he’d been here right now, she would have gladly taken the gun from Bane’s hand and shot him herself.
“There’s nothing in the house that’s yours?” Both boys shook their heads in the negative, and Myrt looked around the small two-room cabin, paying close attention to everything she could see. “Nothing of mine, either.”
Seven years spent in this house, and no one would ever know. She didn’t have a book or Bible, no papers stowed in a box at the back of a closet, no secreted treasures under a floorboard. Nothing to show for the hard life of pain and anguish. As Luke and Thad walked past her, heading outside, she let her hand slip low on her belly, palm pressing against her flesh there. Only one thing, she thought, and turned to see Bane studying her closely.
“You okay?”
Myrt nodded, not trusting her voice.
“No, really, Myrt. Are you okay? It can’t be easy being back here, even knowing it’s for a limited time.” His palm curled around the side of her neck, fingers tangling with the braid at the back of her head. “It’s okay to be sad. Or mad. It’s okay to be however you feel, because this is a hard reminder of an incredibly shitty time in your life.”
“It really is.” She caught the sob halfway up her throat, choking on it and forcing it back down. “I never realized how bad it was here.”
“Pretty fuckin’ shitty, you ask me.” His forehead thunked gently against hers, his face so close she could see every expression, no matter how fleeting. “But the thing is, you’re a survivor. And now that you’re past that survivin’ phase, you’re gonna be a thriver.”
“Thriver isn’t a word, Bane. You make words up a lot.” His lips pursed invitingly, and she obliged, closing the distance between them to kiss him quickly. “I find it amusing, Mr. Crow.”
“Oh you do, do ya?” His lips curled and she got a flash of that elusive chin cleft before her eyes fluttered closed as he took his turn to kiss her, longer, and with the delicious sliding and twining of tongue that always seemed to curl her toes.
Myrt was shocked to find herself heating up, the flush traveling up her chest to her throat, then inviting itself into her cheeks, blazing hot. His arms wrapped around her, one hand settling low on her hip, the other sliding high to grasp her braid. With a steady pull, he tipped her head back, exposing her neck. Myrt bit back the sounds threatening to rush out of her as his lips worked their way down the column of her throat, teeth nipping and tongue soothing.
Bane stood tall and groaned, the rough noise rattling through her as Myrt pressed her cheek to his chest, getting as close as possible while still upright and clothed. She blinked and opened her eyes, shocked to see they were still surrounded by the wreckage Sallabrook had left in his wake.
Here, in the place where her worst nightmares had lived, Bane had found a way to make her forget about everything.
***
Bane
Exiting the cabin, Bane hustled Myrt towards the barn where the boys’ voices echoed. They were loud but didn’t sound angry, simply excited. Gunny was nowhere in sight, so Bane knew whatever was going on likely involved the man.
Going from bright sunshine into the darkness within the barn, he took a couple of seconds for his eyes to adjust, but once they did, he burst out laughing. “Good Lord, Gunny, what the hell, man?”
Gunny was halfway up a ladder bolted to the side wall of the barn and had Thad on his shoulders. The boy had leaned far back, arms over his head as he worked at something tied to the rafter. One of Gunny’s hands was on the ladder, and he had the other arm wrapped around Thad’s legs, holding the boy in place. Luke stood in the middle of the barn floor, head tilted back as he watched his younger brother, anxiety clear in every line of his face, arms curled around his middle defensively.
“Put a hustle on it, kid.” Gunny’s arms bulged with his efforts. “And shut up, Bane. Kid’s gettin’ his shit.”
“How the hell did it get way out there?” The rafter was narrow, about a ten-inch beam. “No, don’t tell me, I’m pretty sure I know.” Bane shook his head. Myrt walked past him, her fingers trailing along the back of his hand for an instant as she moved to where Luke stood. “Thanks for helpin’ out, Gunny.”
“Wasn’t about to let the kid go beam-walking thirty feet above ground.” Thad had to use his hands on the rafter to bring himself back into position above Gunny, eliciting a grunt from the big man. “Seemed the best way. Give it to me, kid.” Thad extricated himself from Gunny’s shoulders, climbing higher on the ladder as Gunny moved downwards as if in a choreographed movement. He passed over a large sack that clanked as Gunny got to the last few rungs and jumped off, landing heavily. “Broke a sweat. Not a fan of heights.”
“You were on a ladder.” Bane watched Thad scramble down until he could emulate Gunny, jumping from higher. He landed awkwardly but rolled and came up to his feet, hands already stretching for the bag in Gunny’s grasp. “Wasn’t like you were on a tower or anything.”
“Kid scared the shit outta me. I didn’t even think, just went up after him. Reminds me of Kitten. Fearless.” Gunny brushed his palms together. “We ready to roll, brother?”
“Yeah.” He raised his voice, not that Myrt and Luke were far away, but they seemed engrossed in a conversation. “Come on, y’all. Let’s get loaded up and risk the death trails they call roads around here.”
The rescue had all gone much easier than expected, and Bane was pleased for Myrt that things shook out this way so far. Still, he’d have unfinished business when they rolled out of the clearing with the cabin. If he’d heard the boys right, Sall
abrook was even more evil than he’d believed, discarding the older boy for the younger. Didn’t matter if he’d molested the boy or not, even threatening to do anything to either of them had earned the man that death sentence Bane was gonna be happy to pronounce.
He gestured at Gunny to wait, and they hung back in the barn while Myrt, keys in hand, walked towards the van with the boys.
“I called Blackie earlier while I was out from the hotel. Not that you give a shit, but from my quick convo with him we’ve got full backing from the FRMC of whatever we decide to do. Rolling in here, I noted fresh tracks headed out. Boys didn’t say for sure, but I don’t think he’d been gone long when we got here.” Bane took a moment to appreciate the view as Myrt bent slightly, leaning into the van to get the boys settled into the back seat.
Gunny interrupted his thoughts with a dire prediction. “He’ll be back. Before dark. How you wanna play this?”
“I want to take them down to the hotel and get them settled. Then I want to come back up here and wreak vengeance, brother. I want to be the smiting angel who gets to deal with the gigantic sack of shit.” He watched Myrt climb into the van, turning around to give him a tiny wave. “Deal with all that shit, and then go back home to my beauty.”
“Angel of death, then sleepin’ with an angel.” Gunny grunted. “I can see things your way.” He nodded. “I can see it, meet it, and get the fuck behind it. Let’s haul ass out of here so we don’t run the risk of your woman seein’ anything she can’t unsee.”
“Sounds good. But you should know she says she’s behind the idea.” He started walking, his footsteps echoed by Gunny’s beside him.
“It’s one thing to say it, but seein’ it? That’s a whole different ballgame.”
“One I’ve been playin’ for a long time.” He split from Gunny and walked to the driver side, slamming the door behind him. Hand out, he smiled at Myrt. “Keys, darlin’.” She gave him that tiny smile and dug in her jeans, coming up with the fob. “We’re out of here.”
A quick three-point turnaround and they were headed back down the mountain, a trip that seemed to take half again as long as the one up. He was on edge with every turn and curve, waiting to see Sallabrook’s face behind the windshield of a vehicle on the way back up. If they were to meet him, Bane didn’t know what he’d do for sure. The urge would be to turn around and deal with business now, putting the things threatening Myrt behind them. The saner response would be to continue on his way, hauling his woman—ain’t that a sweet, sweet thought—and her brothers down the mountain to safety.
Fortunately or not, he didn’t have to make a decision; there was zero traffic on the tiny mountain roads. Branching off on the slightly larger state highway, he drove into town and out the other side, parking below their rooms. In the mirror, he watched Myrt’s interactions with the boys, their eyes growing wide at the sight of the hotel and pool.
“Let’s get everyone set up.” Bane turned and caught Myrt’s gaze, giving her a wink that made her cheeks go pink. “Get a little cleanup done and y’all can swim until dinner.”
“Really?” Luke’s eyes were shining as he gave Bane a broad, guileless smile. “That’d be great.”
“Really, really.” He opened his door and swung out, seeing Gunny already headed inside. Sliding the side door of the van wide, he offered his hand to Myrt, who accepted the assistance with a duck of her head. “We’ve got clothes and stuff for you guys, and I’m pretty sure we threw in some swim trunks, too.” Luke was behind her in exiting the vehicle, followed by Thad. “Hopefully we guessed your sizes okay.”
“You’ve both grown so much since the last time I saw you.” She ruffled Luke’s hair and pulled him in for a sideways hug. “I’m glad Bane had the idea of getting…well, everything.”
Thad shrugged and stepped between Bane and Luke. He didn’t make a big deal about it, sliding in sideways before he gave Bane his back, and then took a step backwards, forcing more space around his brother. It was the kind of move a protector would make, done on instinct, following years of practice. A glance at Myrt said she hadn’t noticed. It told Bane a lot about the homelife these boys had lived before being forced to take Myrt’s place at Sallabrook’s farm. School, community, or home—one of those places had trained Thad to be aware of even potential danger to his brother, and given the way he moved, Bane thought Thad had probably backed it up pretty well for a not-yet-teen.
He did it again in the upstairs hallway leading to the rooms. Myrt and Luke were out in front, walking shoulder to shoulder, heads leaned together as they talked, and Thad trailed behind by a couple of feet, carrying the burlap bag filled with the few treasures the boys had. Bane brought up the rear of their little progression and, on a whim, decided to try to pass Thad. The boy faked a believable stumble, lurching into Bane’s way and keeping him separated from Luke and Myrt. That was more deliberate than the move downstairs, and Bane stared at the back of Thad’s head, considering. Then the boy turned his head to glance over his shoulder, and the expression on his face was filled with so much rage that Bane slowed his pace, allowing the three to gain a larger lead.
What the hell have these boys been through to warrant that kind of anger?
Gunny poked his head out of the second room and waved them forwards. “Boys, you’re in here with me.” Gunny looked past the siblings and gave Bane a chin lift. “Shifted the luggage and shit around already. I’ll get them started with showers, and you and Myrt can call in some grub.”
Myrt slowed, breaking free from Luke’s grip on her hand as she turned to face Bane. In her eyes he saw heat; then her lids dipped as she looked down, her innate shyness taking hold. Clearly she was remembering the same thing he was—the moments before Gunny had shown, the sweet touches and hungry kisses that had moved them both.
Luke went with Gunny willingly, but Thad—predictably—paused in the hallway. Bane gestured towards the doorway. “It’s okay, Thad. There’s a door connecting the rooms. You can see Myrt whenever you want.” Hand on the doorknob, he swiped the room’s keycard through the reader and pushed the door wide. Myrt stopped beside him and leaned in, her shoulder hitting his ribs as she molded herself to his side. “Myrt’s not goin’ anywhere. Promise.”
“It’s just…we barely got her back.” The boy’s pain bled through his words. “I can’t—I don’t want to lose her again.”
“You won’t, Thad. You and Luke didn’t only regain a sister today.” Bane gestured towards Gunny, who was watching Luke explore the room while keeping one eye on their exchange in the doorway. “You’ve got protectors now, too. Think of us as older brothers. We’ll do anything needed to keep you safe.”
“Thad,” Myrt said, her voice soft and low, vibrating with intensity as she leaned towards her worried brother. “It’s okay, I promise. I trust Bane and Gunny beyond anything.”
“It’s been bad.” The emotions playing across his face were a mix of hurt and fear. Thad stared at Myrt before turning his gaze on Bane. “But I believe you, Myrtie.”
Bane let the boy hold his gaze for a breath, then jerked his head at the door. “Go on, get Luke settled, check out the stuff we got you. Remember, Myrt is right next door.” He dropped one hand to the small of Myrt’s back, not missing how his touch made her lean into him more. “Get used to holdin’ on to that belief, Thad. It’s going to be okay.” He gazed down at Myrt, who was staring up at him with an open expression of adoration. No lie, makes me feel ten feet tall. “Come on, darlin’. Let’s us find some grub.”
Without looking back at Thad, Bane ushered Myrt into the room and closed the door firmly behind them. A quick sweep of the room showed a courteously closed connecting door and he made a note to thank Gunny later. Spinning her, he crowded close, using his body to flatten hers against the wall. “First things first.” One hand on her jaw angled her face up for a kiss. He brushed side to side, nibbling on her bottom lip until she made a tiny noise at the back of her throat, hands clutching his shirt under the weight of his leathe
r vest. “Been hungry for you for hours, woman.” He murmured the words as he moved along the edge of her jaw, lips finding and latching on to her earlobe. The move pulled another noise from her, this more impatient. “Need me a taste to carry me through.”
Sliding a hand down her side to rest at her waist, he felt a shiver run through her at his words. She turned her head away and arched her neck, giving him greater access he immediately put to good use. Lips to her throat, he felt the way her heartbeat pounded through her. The curves her clothing hid pressed against him, and Bane let loose a groan that made her shiver again.
“Baby, you feel so good.” She shifted and lifted to her toes as he stood upright, and he complied with her clear demand, taking her mouth in another deep, wet kiss. “Wanting is a natural state around you. Need is too. Want you any way I can get you, babe. In my arms, my mouth on you.” He dusted a series of kisses across her cheek as she buried her face against his throat. Mouth to her ear, he gave her a little more truth. “Wanna make you mine, Myrt. Want that in the best way. Know I’m not the right man for you, but fuck all if I can find it in me to turn away. Want to see you spread out on my bed, kiss you from your toes to your pussy, lick you until you scream.” The noises she made now sounded rough, feral, and she was twisting against him. Afraid she was pushing him away, Bane pulled back, rebounding instantly when she cried out at the distance. “You want that, too, don’t you, Myrt? Want to feel me against you, inside you. I’d get you ready for me with my fingers, give your clit a tongue-lashing you won’t forget. Bury my face between your legs, only come up for air when I can’t go anymore.”
There was a thud against the wall, and Thad’s voice could be heard, the words indistinguishable. A barbershop tattoo of knuckles against the connecting door snuffed out the brilliant edge of desire Bane had built up. Myrt slid sideways, head already turned away from Bane. “I need to check on them.”
Laughter sounded, high and sweet, and Myrt relaxed at the reassurance her brothers were okay.
In Search of Solace (Rebel Wayfarers MC) Page 13
