by K. L. Donn
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course, sweetheart.”
Now, how did she ask what she wanted to know without sounding completely insane? “Do they share women often?” Her face flamed red, the heat nearly burning her with its intensity.
His sharp bark of laughter wasn’t exactly comforting. “Neither of those boys have taken a woman alone. They don’t think I know, but I do. What they want with a woman is special. Wholesome. She needs to be strong and able to accept that while they are two separate people, they are also one unit.”
“And you think that type of relationship is one that would stand the test of time?” Could it last forever?
Jake was thoughtful for a moment before answering her. “I think with the right people, it could be. I know they plan to treat their woman like a queen, but she’ll also have to treat them as equals. No playing either against the other. They would all have to be a team.”
He made sense. Communication would have to be a major factor in that type of relationship. The more she thought about Ace and Nick, the more she wanted to know if that was what their looks of longing meant.
Chapter Five
People were fucking stupid.
The more they warned visitors away from the trails and mountains, the more Ace believed this sentiment. Those people thought because the skies were clear and the sun was shining that it was okay to do as they pleased. Little did they know, the snow was unstable further up the mountains, putting them in possible unseen peril.
He’d joined Nick in a meeting with the park rangers that morning where they declared avalanche warnings throughout the county. While fresh snow was always an incentive for tourists, right then it was downright deadly.
Now, they were once again trailing up the mountains on slippery terrain not suggesting people leave but damn well demanding it. Nick had to arrest one smartass that was trying to show off in front of the group of people he was with. Explaining in fascinating detail what would happen to them if an avalanche were to happen. That if by some miracle, they survived mother nature’s wrath, then they could get frostbite and watch as their fingers and toes turned black from lack of blood or die from exposure. And if, by some miracle, they survived all that, it was highly likely that they would lose their blackened limbs, never to recover from the worst nature had to offer.
One of the guys thought it was gnarly—as he’d put it. Luckily enough, Nick had a video detailing exactly what would happen and how. The pain and suffering they would endure during the event, the agony as the shock wore off. And finally, the emotional toll it would take on them if they were one of the lucky few to survive. He then took it one step further by showing them a man that had actually killed and eaten his friend just to stay alive, only to die from blood poisoning afterwards.
The morons had taken off running, looking like death warmed over after that little presentation. He had never seen Nick laugh so hard in their life.
“You really enjoyed that?” Ace asked.
Sobering up, Nick looked at him. “People are fucking mental thinking they know everything that happens in these mountains. They have no fucking clue.” His head was somewhere else as he answered him.
“You’re thinking about it again.” It wasn’t a question. The one case Nick could never let go of, that ate at him. When people got stupid, it was all he could think about—the one that got away.
“I had a dream about it last night. I can’t help feeling like I fell down on the job with that case. I should have moved faster.” Frustration laced his words.
Ace understood. In their line of work, there was always something they could have done differently to achieve a better outcome. “I get it, man. I really do. But you can’t keep carrying that around with you.”
He was sure the look his cousin was leveling him with was supposed to be intimidating; he really was. Except, it wouldn’t work on him. Ace was made of stronger stuff than that and had been faced with far worse.
“I couldn’t fucking find the bastard, Ace.” The pure anguish could not only be heard but felt as he spoke.
He felt terrible that there was no way to help Nick through his feelings of guilt. He knew they were being brought to the forefront again because he was stressed over finding Pepper’s attacker. Control had been taken out of his hands again, and that was something he didn’t deal with well.
Looking at his watch after lunch, Ace suggested, “How ‘bout we head back, see how Pepper’s doing and if Jake has scared her off yet or not?” The thought, while funny, could be true. If Jake felt she wasn’t good enough for them, they were in for the fight of their lives.
“Yeah, I wish we’d have known he was coming. I can only imagine how shocked and pissed she must be.” There was laughter in his cousin’s eyes as he thought about it.
Jake was a character unto himself. He had more of a sense of humor than anything else. Life was his own brand of joke, or so he said. He was always trying to make others happy in order to mask the pain he felt from losing his wife over a decade ago.
Ace had never known a better man than his uncle. He was one of the few people in his own life he could always count on. There was never any doubt that no matter how much he’d fucked up, he was always welcome at Uncle Jake’s house.
They were both quiet on the walk back to Nick’s SUV, neither needing to fill the void of silence they often fell into. It had always been that way for them. When he’d left, he feared it would drive a wedge between them, especially with how long he’d been gone and regardless of whether or not one of them took another woman to bed. He was happy to note that while they still had some things left unsaid, it hadn’t really affected their relationship all that much.
“Bitch!” He couldn’t help yelling into the cold mountain air. She was supposed to be his. She was supposed to be submissive to his wants and needs, not fight him on it. He figured showing his hand a little at a time would warm her up to what he wanted from her.
It hadn’t.
Beating on her beautiful body hadn’t been in the plan, marring her perfect tan skin, pulling chunks of her black hair out hadn’t been what he wanted. It was her fault. She’d forced him to hurt her. If only she had listened to what he had to say instead of looking at him with disgust.
Her friend’s brother indicated she was submissive, that she would be perfect for what he needed. That son of a bitch had been wrong.
After he had tossed her body off that mountain, he figured she’d be dead for sure. Now, he had some Podunk fucking cop looking into who she was here with. It was only a matter of time. He knew he should get out of town. Leave, and never come back, but he had to have her.
If he couldn’t, then no one else should get her either.
“Looks like they’re back,” Jake called to Pepper from the front porch as she was getting her boots and coat on to join him. She needed out of the house so bad. Cabin fever was setting in, and pretty soon, things were going to get ugly. Jake had promised to take her for a walk around Nick’s land, show her some of the true beauty in the mountains.
Standing on the top step as Nick and Ace pulled in, her fingers played nervously, hoping they’d still let her go. She wasn’t sick anymore. Her body ached a little but nothing too fierce like it had when she’d woken up.
She watched as Nick climbed from the driver’s side. His entire presence was commanding; he demanded respect when he walked into a room. His dark hair and scruffy face made him look sinister; ironically, he was anything but that. He was one of the nicest men she’d met in her life. She didn’t need her memories to realize that.
Ace was no less commanding when he stepped out of the vehicle. His light hair and comedic attitude were fronts for what she believed to be a man who experienced life intensely. She imagined that when he loved, he would love hard.
Between the two of them, they had her emotions on a roller coaster she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to depart. Having these incredible men dote on her the way they did was like her ow
n little fairytale. She just had to take the leap into paradise. Show them she was ready for them. That she could be what they wanted for themselves and each other.
The more time she spent with them, the more she was sure they would all be together in time. They had so much to learn, not just with her past, but with each other as well.
Neither man said a word as they walked up the steps towards Pepper, her nerves on high alert as they sandwiched her body between them. Their moves in sync as they each put a hand on either of her cheeks.
“How you doing, Pepper?” Ace leaned down to whisper in her ear. His voice was like sex on a stick.
“G-good,” she stuttered. Taken off guard by their seductive move.
Leaning down, Nick lightly kissed her cheek, leaving a tingle of pleasure in its wake.
“You boys get off her, now,” Jake called from his post by the wood shed. “We’re on our way out. You wanted her, you shoulda left the poor girl a note,” he complained to them. “Leaving her alone with a crotchety old man like me; what were ya thinking?”
The confused looks on their faces were something else. “Going where?” Nick demanded.
“For a hike, you damn fool. What you think?” Oh, she liked him even more now.
“You can’t hi–” Ace cut himself off once he got a look of the older man’s face.
“She’s getting restless. We’re just going for a walk. You boys go ahead and get started on something to eat, and Ace, for crying out loud, don’t burn the damn food!”
Before either of them got a word in edgewise, she kissed each on the cheek and ran down the steps towards Jake and Roxie. Exhilarated to get some exercise and fresh air.
Smiling at the more senior Kelly man, she asked, “Ready?” as they began to walk.
“You bet, kiddo. Let them men wait on you for once.” His wink made her blush. He couldn’t possibly be implying what she thought he was, could he?
The silence surrounding them was interrupted by the snow crunching under their steps and Roxie prancing around like a newborn fawn. The dog’s pure joy with the fresh powder was such a delight and added to her own happiness.
Pointing to the sky, Jake told her, “Up there, you see that?” She vaguely saw a large shadow at the tip of a tree.
“What is it?” she asked curiously.
“Bald Eagle nest,” he whispered in awe.
“Wow.” The animals surrounding the mountains amazed her. There was always something new to see.
As they approached a clearing, Roxie’s ears perked in alertness, apparently sensing something they didn’t. Seeing movement on the other side of the field, she encountered a family of deer vigilantly move out into the open in search of fresh grass.
The entire scene reminded her of the movie Bambi and the first time the young buck pranced in the snow. Witnessing such a touching moment, all of her troubles melted away. Enjoying the splendour around her, her mind closed off to the all the horrible things that could have happened to her.
“Do you believe everything happens for a reason?” she quietly asked Jake as they stood in the silent forest.
He didn’t say anything for so long she feared he wasn’t going to answer. “I believe God has a plan. It may not always be clear and decisions may be tough to handle. In the end, though, I think we make things happen for ourselves. No one controls our fate but us.”
Unsure if that was the answer she was looking for or not, she remained quiet. Pondering on his words about fate, Pepper wondered if she somehow did this to herself. What if there was no dark force that hurt her? The injuries suggested she was assaulted, but there was always a possibility she’d done it falling off the mountain or from landing where they found her.
“What are you thinking, girl?” Jake startled her with his question.
“I don’t know.” She lied, terrified that if she voiced her doubts, they’d be true. “I just wonder if it’s really worth it to look into who I am? What if I’m better off with a fresh start?”
“Bull hickey,” he spat out. Raising her eyebrow in question, he continued, “You’re not better off, girl. You need to know what happened, if you have someone waitin’ on you at home, or if you have family looking for you. You checked in with some man at the Kicking Horse, doesn’t it strike you odd that he hasn’t gone to the sheriff yet?”
His eyes reflected anger, but his voice sounded worried. Maybe he was right? Maybe she’s just too chicken to find the truth for fear of having to leave the quiet life and two men she’d found peace with.
Nick was on pins and needles waiting for his father to get back with Pepper. Her being out there alone without him or Ace wasn’t sitting well. He was afraid of having her out of his sight and something happening.
Her wounds were almost healed, just some minor bruising left, but the thought of her hurt and unable to stop it was weighing heavy on his mind.
“Dude, you’re worse than Mom was that night we went to Canyon Hot Springs for senior prom.” Ace’s laughter made him smile.
It was the year Nick had graduated high school. All their lives, they’d been best friends, and the small age gap hadn’t deterred him from inviting Ace to the exclusive senior event. Their moms had been pissed when they found out Ace, who was sixteen, was going to be around a bunch drunk girls heading off to college.
“Your mom was livid.” He recalled the phone call they had gotten when she found the note saying he’d gone with Nick. Their parents didn’t know then that they hadn’t been with a woman yet, nor that they wouldn’t be that evening. It wasn’t until two years later that they’d finally shared a woman and figured out what truly made them tick.
It was only weeks after that night that Ace’s folks had died, and his cousin had been devastated. Ace was never the same again after that. Nick always thought that was part of the reason he had such wanderlust. Seeming unable to settle down in one spot.
Which begged the question. “Are you staying, Ace?” His eyes met his companion as he waited for an answer.
“What do you mean?” Ace countered, but he had a feeling he knew.
“I mean, is this it? Are you staying here, or am I getting my hopes up of you finally settling down.” They weren’t normally so deep with their conversations, but Pepper presented a whole new world for them both. He didn’t want to get invested with her if Ace was just going to abandon them; ultimately, hurting any chance they would have together.
Without answering, Ace walked over to him. Gripping Nick’s shoulder, he said, “I’m ready, man. I wasn’t before. I needed to get some things out of my system, and I’m not even sure what it was. But, fuck, am I ready. And I think,” taking a breath, he looked out the window, a smile creeping on his face, “I think Pepper could be it. She could be ours.”
Before Nick had a chance to respond, the front door opened, letting in a cold breeze, a hyper dog, and a smiling, delighted Pepper. Her laughter akin to the tinkling of a wind chime. A sound he could definitely get used to as her grin beamed at him.
“Hi,” she murmured as he walked closer. He noticed her eyes were lighter, her smile genuine. Happiness radiated from her pores.
“Have fun?” he asked, helping her out of her coat.
“It’s so beautiful out here.” Her voice was wistful. “I don’t know how you ever leave the property.”
As she spun around to face him, Nick couldn’t help himself. Pulling her body into his, he slowly lowered his head to hers, intent on tasting her lips. Going slow enough that she knew his objective and had the choice to push him away. He was pleased when she sighed, closing her eyes.
As their lips touched, an ember burned bright inside of him, igniting a flame of need for her. When she moaned quietly against him, he deepened the kiss, sweeping his tongue into her mouth. Tasting. Devouring everything she would give him and more.
His hands swept up and down her back in a soothing motion, lulling her into compliance. Nibbling her bottom lip, she reached out with her tongue, lightly licking across his as well
. Silently begging for more.
He was all too happy to give it to her, too.
If only a throat clearing didn’t interrupt them. Followed by, “Get a room, will ya?”
Pulling away regretfully, he barked, “Go home, will ya?” to his father.
“And miss out on such a lovely dinner companion? Not a chance!” The old man’s laughter faded as he walked down the hall.
Gazing down at Pepper, he saw the blush lighting her cheeks from his dad’s comments. “I’ve been dying to do that,” he whispered in her ear, hoping to ease her embarrassment.
“You have?” She sounded genuinely stunned.
Kissing her cheek, lingering there, he told her in a voice only loud enough that she could hear, “So has Ace.”
Peeking over his shoulder at the aforementioned man, she darted a glance back at him, questions in her eyes. “We’ll have that talk real soon, baby,” he promised, letting her pull away.
She didn’t miss the longing on Ace’s face as she went to walk past him. Grabbing his hand, she stopped beside him, laying her head on his shoulder for a moment and taking a deep breath. As if to breathe him in.
“Promise?” she whispered aloud.
Running his hand through her hair, Ace replied, “When you’re ready,” as she walked away to her room.
After an exhausting dinner, Pepper went to bed early. Enjoying the sounds of Nick, Ace, and Jake laughing and talking about days past. Observing them all interact in such a fun-loving way made her envious of their relationship.
She hadn’t an inkling of a clue if she had that type of bond with anyone in her real life, and more than ever, she wished her mind would heal. It had only been a week since they found her half-dead, but her impatience was making itself known as she waited on something to happen. Wondering if someone wanted her dead was the worst part of the whole ordeal. It was hard to go outside not knowing if she should expect a bullet to the back of her head or if she was truly free to enjoy the surrounding winter wonderland.
