Branding & Saving Lily Box Set: Books 1 & 2 (Jacob and Lily's Duet)

by Gracin Sawyer

  Her lips trembled when I stood, but not a tear fell from her eyes. “Whose bed?”

  I chuckled. I couldn’t help it. She was in the safest place in the world but she had no idea. One day I would make sure the man who did this to her would pay. “Your own bed, honey. No sharing.” I would kill any man who even tried to share a bed with her. That would be my place one day. No one else.

  Shit. I couldn’t believe how fast my mind laid a claim on her. My mouth went dry thinking of how one day my body would too. Fuck, I needed a drink. Or two.

  I looked down, mesmerized by this little bit of a woman. My mom always told me that when I met the right woman, my heart would tell me. It would come without warning, and it would be fast, but there would be no denying it.

  Hell. She was right. I wasn’t so sure about my heart, but the rest of me was already branding myself to this woman.

  “I’m gonna pick you up and carry you.” She deserved the warning. I didn’t want to scare her anymore.

  She nodded but didn’t say anything.

  Carefully, I slipped my hands under her knees and shoulders. She winced as I picked her up. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. I just hurt. It’s fine.”

  It was most definitely not fine. I held her tight to my chest, loving the feeling of her skin against mine. I hadn’t ever left her side to change clothes or put on a shirt, and right now I was glad. The contact with her was almost too much to bear as I held her in one arm to pull the blanket up and over her. She didn’t need to worry about being seen in her bra and panties around my men.

  Damn it. Her small frame fit perfectly curled up in my arms. As wrong as it was, it was so right.

  Chapter 5

  Lily

  Holy shit. Jacob Cardosa was holding me. Knox’s boss. The man who would kill me if he knew who I was.

  Jacob’s gentleness was welcoming, although my nerves didn’t know how to take it. After years of fight or flight, I didn’t know how to relax. Not that I could, or should. But my heart leaped as my skin made contact with him.

  Even though he was covered in my blood, he smelled clean and fresh. If I were able, I would have taken a deep breath and held it in to savor the scent.

  Outside, the air was warm. September in Nevada was usually temperate. His solid hold kept me from jostling around too much, but I still winced with each step he took.

  “Hey, boss, how’s she doing?” I recognized the voice from last night. He was the man who found me.

  I cringed and tucked my head into Jacob’s shoulder, afraid of seeing any of the other men. Seeking comfort or shelter from another human being was odd for me, but it was so natural with him.

  “Jax, tell the men she’s out of the house. You can go back in now.” Jacob’s voice ground out orders like melted butter. He didn’t even seem to mind me curling up closer to him.

  “I’ll let em’ know.”

  Wow. I had expected Jax to question Jacob or something, but he didn’t. Jacob told him what to do. He clearly held all the respect. And that scared me more. What would he do to me when he found out who I am?

  I shivered. Unsure if it was from nerves or a fever. Maybe both?

  Once inside the house, I unburied my face to look around. It was clean and tidy. The walls were a golden green with a brick fireplace nestled into the far back wall of the living area. Encased bookshelves filled with various pieces and art framed both sides of the wooden mantel. Dark wooden beams ran across the ceiling giving deep pockets for recessed lighting. It was definitely not a home I expected someone like Jacob to live in.

  My childhood home had been high vaulted ceilings with white pristine marble and porcelain everywhere. It was like living in a china shop. But here, I was immediately drawn into a comfortable warmth. Even though it was Jacob Cardosa’s, I felt welcomed.

  The past five years had been a living hell in a cabin as small as Jacob’s sitting area with generated electricity and barely any running water. It was basically a one-room fort. Knox had kidnapped my mother and me to use as a bargaining chip with my father, but I doubted my dad even knew we were gone. I wanted to scoff at the misuse of assets Knox thought he had taken. Garcia Ramirez was not a man to negotiate with anyone, not even for the safe return of his family.

  I expected Jacob to set me down on the couch, but he kept walking. Instinctively, I tensed. He said my own bed, but I hadn’t believed him.

  “Don’t worry, we’re almost there.” He walked up the stairs and down the hall. Pushing open a door, he carried me to a bed covered in a soft blue blanket. The room was bare except for the bed, nightstands, and a dresser. “This room is across from mine so if you need anything, I’ll be right here.”

  Compared to the table, the bed was like resting on a marshmallow. My head sank into the pillow like a cloud. He pulled the covers down and picked me up one more time to place me under them, taking the other blanket and tossing it in the corner of the room.

  The sheets were as warm and soft as butter. Every inch of my body hurt but began to relax into the foam top of the mattress. It was like heaven. I’d almost forgotten what a soft bed felt like. The old tattered mattress my mom and I shared had barely held together the last few years. My eyes filled with tears thinking of my mom. I thought for sure we would both escape, but it was just me in this queen-sized bed.

  Jacob sat on the edge of the bed and moved my hair off my face. His touch sent bursts of heats through my skin. But it was his eyes and their intense gaze that pinned me to the mattress. “I’m gonna have Doc come look at your stomach, then see about Flapjack getting you some food.”

  “No.” My heart raced at the thought of someone else seeing me. “Please.” I gripped the covers like a lifeline. I didn’t care if I died of infection, dying was the whole point. I didn’t want to be a showcase for everyone to look at.

  “Hey, I told you, you’re safe here.” Jacob gently took my hand in his.

  “Just you.” I couldn’t believe I said that. I should want Jacob Cardosa of all people as far away from me as possible. Once Knox tells him who I am, it will be the end of the safety he keeps telling me about.

  His eyes narrowed as he knit his brows together. “Honey, I promise I will be right here. He won’t be alone with you.”

  My fingers froze to the blanket thinking of more people seeing me. What if they knew who I was?

  Jacob got up, leaving me alone in the room. I tried to sit up, but the pain in my stomach sent my head reeling. Acid rose to my throat but I choked it back down, afraid to vomit on the bed. How did I not succeed in killing myself? It should have worked. Damn men. If they hadn’t found me, I’d be out in the woods dead. And Knox wouldn’t be able to find me.

  It didn’t take long before Jacob came back, walking through the door slowly. “Doc is with me, okay.”

  Was he asking permission?

  My muscles tightened painfully as he came closer, an older man with white hair close behind him. A man I knew. My heart skipped a beat.

  The other man’s sweet face lit up in a smile. “Hey now, it’s good to see those beautiful blue eyes awake. You had us all scared last night.”

  He walked slowly to the bed and I worried he didn’t recognize me.

  “So, Jacob here tells me you couldn’t wait to see me.” He took another step closer, inching his way to my bed. “I’m Doc. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Everything inside of me plummeted as my grandfather confirmed he didn’t remember me. After all this time, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised he moved on. He probably assumed I was dead. I should have been. Before I could call out to him and tell him who I was, Jacob touched the top of the blanket. “I’m gonna pull this back for him to look at your wound, okay, honey?” The way he kept calling me honey caressed my broken soul.

  With the blanket gone, my entire upper body was exposed to both men.

  I was mesmerized by my grandfather’s deep wrinkles and concerned look as he studied my stomach. He looked much older than I remembered, but it w
as possible I was wrong and this wasn’t him. Jacob said his name was Doc, and the man I remembered was Roger. Five years was a long time and it was likely both of us had changed too much.

  He barely touched where I stabbed myself and pain erupted throughout my body. I couldn’t stop myself from crying and begging him to stop. It hurt so bad, I thought I would pass out again.

  Doc frowned. “It might be getting infected. We’ll have to watch it. I have some leftover antibiotics from Gunner’s last fight with a gun. I’ll go grab them just to be safe.”

  “Please don’t touch me again,” I begged through tears.

  “We aren’t, honey, it’s okay.” Jacob pulled the blanket back up over me.

  “I don’t want to hurt anymore,” I whispered to myself, but I know he heard me. I didn’t care. I was exhausted and tired of the pain.

  His jaw flexed and his shoulders visibly tightened. Instantly, I realize I shouldn’t have said anything. Pissing him off was not something I wanted to do.

  He didn’t say anything but gave me one last look before leaving with Doc and the room was once again empty. I honestly didn’t know how I was going to live through this.

  Chapter 6

  Jacob

  Once outside her room, I stopped Doc. “How bad is it?” I had to know. Her last words had me reeling.

  “I’ve seen worse.” He gazed at her closed door. “I have to say, this is much harder than I thought it would be. She looks so much like my Lily that I nearly rushed to her and hugged her.” He straightened and met my stare. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

  It wasn’t the answer I wanted. Blowing out a breath, I ran a hand over my mouth. “I’m sorry. It’s got to be hard. But are you sure it’s not her?”

  He shook his head. “No. But, I can’t see how it could be. She’s been gone for over five years now. There’s no way she’d end up this close to home.”

  I clamped a hand on his shoulder. “You’d be surprised. A lot of women are taken across the border, but some of them end up being in the house down the street. I know it’s been a long time, but don’t lose hope.” It was my famous speech I gave everyone who has lost a loved one. I rubbed a hand down my face. “I’m gonna go get cleaned up. Have one of the guys come up and stand outside her door in case she needs something, but no one is to go in her room.” My words lingered with a threat, daring anyone to cross me.

  Doc assured me he would find something for her pain and left to search through his bag of medicine.

  Just beside her door, I paused. I wasn’t sure of the draw this woman had over me. Maybe it was only the lack of sleep and adrenaline causing me to feel attached.

  And memories. Not of her, but of my mother. My father would beat her too. One night it went too far and my mother didn’t make it. My old man made me help bury her. At seven, it was difficult to process the emotions as I tossed dirt on my own mother’s once beautiful face.

  The rage inside me couldn’t be contained and I broke. I raised the shovel and whacked my old man across the back of the head. It was the first time I ever killed. My aunt took over my care, keeping the family business running until I was old enough to take over.

  I had vowed then never to hurt a woman like my father. And by damn, if I ever saw another man hitting a woman, he would pay. And many had.

  But this was worse. This woman wasn’t just being hit, she was tortured into thinking she had to kill herself as the only way out. I had no idea the extent of how deep her wounds went, or how long it had been going on. I knew nothing about her.

  I left her door alone and went to my room. My bed was still unmade from when I jumped out last night.

  It was a large room with a door to the bathroom. Windows filled the far wall giving me a perfect view out the front of the house, over the smaller houses where my men lived and a barn. And trees. Lots of trees.

  I placed my Glock back on the nightstand and sat down on the bed.

  Stretching, I laid back and stared at the ceiling. The woman had stiffened when I introduced myself, so she had to know who I was. But who was she?

  I rubbed my hands down my face, the harsh stubble scratched at my palms, reminding me how much I needed to clean up.

  Grabbing clean clothes, I headed to the bathroom and stood in front of the large mirror that went the length of the wall. Her dried blood on my chest and stomach was a reminder of the night.

  I would never forget the way the rod felt as I shoved it into her stomach to stop the bleeding. I shuddered.

  I had to shake it off. I did it to save her, not torture her. I’d rather place the hot poker in my eye than hurt her again.

  Stepping in the shower, I braced myself against the wall and let the hot water run down my back. The water mixed with the blood and trailed down the drain in red swirls.

  This woman, whoever she was, had already intertwined herself with my future. I may not know much about her, but I knew I would die protecting her.

  Chapter 7

  Lily

  I listened as the sound of water sprayed the wall. It had to be Jacob. But the thought of him standing naked in the shower made my stomach flutter. It had been a long time since I’d had a crush. But now I wasn’t a young teenager, I was a young woman. Could I even use the word crush anymore? Too many years had been taken from me and I was confused.

  After being held against Jacob’s chest in his strong arms, I had a taste of security, no matter how fleeting, and craved it. I shouldn’t think that way of the man who would kill me once he found out I ran from Knox, but my body reacted on its own, careless of the consequences.

  With him out of my room, I pushed through the blinding pain and sat up, but had to hold my head to stop the room from spinning. I needed to move. I needed to know I could run, and this time either succeed in hiding or at the very least, killing myself. But with each movement I tried, the pain rendered my body immovable.

  The room got dark and I closed my eyes against the waves of an unconscious void beckoning me to surrender. I wanted to scream and cry, but it wouldn’t do any good.

  The dizziness got stronger and I tried to lie back down but fell from the bed. I couldn’t control the yelp of pain as I hit the floor. The wood was cold, hard, and unforgiving on my wound as I lay on my stomach.

  Instantly, the door opened and a man came in. “Boss!” Great, he hollered for the one man I both wanted and needed, yet shouldn’t be around.

  The man, who I presumed to be a guard for my door, limiting my escape, rushed to me. He reached out to help me but was pulled back by large hands.

  “I said no one was to enter her room.” Jacob was there, grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt and pushed him out the door, slamming it shut.

  I winced, seeing a part of his anger scared me more for my future. Not that being kicked out of a room was all that bad, but what would happen to the man later?

  Jacob’s hair was still wet, but he was fully dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt, complete with boots. Crouching down, he scooped me up and cradled me to his chest. He smelled of fresh soap and aftershave.

  It was sad that I was exactly where I wanted to be, but scared that I was too close at the same time.

  Instead of setting me on the bed, he sat with me, holding me tightly on his lap. His heart hammered in my ear as I leaned my head against his chest. “What happened? Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  Why was he so concerned about me?

  I shook my head. “I fell. He just came to help.”

  The wound in my stomach pulsated, sending throbbing pains throughout my abdomen. I winced and bit my tongue to keep from crying. If I did, he would move me and I wasn’t ready for him to let go yet.

  He relaxed a little bit and leaned his chin down on my head. “I don’t know why, but when I saw him in here next to you, I kinda lost it. I told you that you were safe here and I meant it.”

  Why did this man have to have such an effect on me? The concern he showed me seemed so genuine, t
hat I almost believed him.

  He got up and placed me back on the bed, returning the covers over my nearly naked body. It was strange wearing only my bra and panties. Red crept up my face, warming my cheeks. I glanced away from Jacob, but his thumb gently touched under my chin and turned me back to him. “Don’t hide from me. I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

  I sucked in my lips, pursing them together, afraid of my mouth saying something it shouldn’t.

  “What’s your name?”

  I gulped. He would find out sooner or later. But maybe later would buy me enough time to escape. “Rachael.” Using my mother’s name might not have been the smartest, but it was all I could give him.

  He stared at me, his eyes narrowing on me. “My gut says you’re lying.”

  I gasped and held my breath, watching him with wide eyes, wondering how he knew. Maybe he already knew who I was and that was a test?

  His face softened. “One day, you’ll tell me everything. Including your name.” He stood and left the room.

  Shit. What was I going to do? Every nerve flared to life, anticipating what would happen next. He knew. He had to know. I gulped. If he knew, why hasn’t he killed me yet? And where in the hell was Knox? Surely he would want to watch his precious asset be murdered by a notorious cartel cowboy.

  Chapter 8

  Jacob

  The woman lied to me right to my face. I saved her life and she still didn’t trust me. The way she said Rachael was too slow as if she had to think about a name. She didn’t deny the lie when I confronted her either.

  Downstairs, I found Flapjack in the kitchen preparing dinner. “Hey, boss. How’s the girl doing?”

  “Doc said he’s seen worse.” I marched to the coffee pot and poured a cup. It had been a long night and day so far and it didn’t look like it was going to ease up anytime soon. “I need you to make something for her to eat, like soup or something. I don’t want anything harsh on her stomach.”