“He’s gone now,” Lucas whispered against her forehead before pressing his lips there.
“Did he go back to prison?” Isabella asked with a curious voice.
“No,” Emily said, glancing to the floor. “I killed him.”
Isabella gasped. “You did?”
“I had to. He was determined to get to me. He’d already shot one of Nathan’s deputies, killed a woman, and he’d sworn he’d kill Lucas too. When Adam made his way into the house, I shot him—twice.” Emily raised her chin in defiance glancing around the room as if waiting for someone to say she’d been wrong.
The room was quiet as everyone stared at Isabella waiting for her reaction. She didn’t disappoint. She nodded her head. “Good for you, sweetie.”
It was as if the entire room released a unified sigh of relief. Emily and Lucas grinned, and then Mont cleared his throat.
“Thing is though, she tossed Lucas out after that. Telling him she didn’t need him since she’d protected herself,” Mont interjected, giving Emily a mock glare.
Lucas shook his head. “Very true, the woman was downright mean.”
Mont laughed and glanced toward Isabella who was frowning and figured he’d better explain.
“Emily heard Lucas talking in the barn with the foreman of Whispering Pines, Emily and Lucas’s ranch, and she misunderstood the conversation and told him she wanted him to leave.” Mont glanced at Emily, who was looking everywhere but at him. “When she was told what the conversation she’d overheard was really about, she called all of us looking for him. He was staying with me in Cheyenne at the time so when she called me, I didn’t tell her that. I was angry with her for hurting him but once she explained what happened, I told Lucas she wanted him to pick his horse up, which didn’t make him all too happy. Lucas drove there to get his horse and Emily told him what had happened, and well, as you can see, they’re happy to be together.”
“I’m so glad you worked it out,” Isabella told Emily and Lucas.
Emily narrowed her eyes at Mont. “Mont was not very nice to me.”
Mont grinned at her. “Hey, I was angry with you. In case you haven’t noticed, all of us are closer than most brothers are. Yes, we fight and get angry, but we love each other and we’ve got each other’s backs.”
“Aww man, don’t make us sound like pussies,” Dakota spoke up suddenly.
“I realized just how short life can be, Dakota and I’m not ashamed to admit that I love you guys. I can’t imagine not having you all in my life,” Mont said with a sincerity that made his throat clutch.
No one spoke for a few minutes, and then Cooper spoke up. “If it had been up to me, Lucas wouldn’t have married Emily. I tried to talk him out of it.”
“Yes, I heard all about it, Cooper Lang,” Emily scolded him, making them all laugh.
Isabella stood and every man who was sitting stood with her, making her smile.
“Excuse me, I need to check the babies,” she told them, heading for the door.
“Could I come with you, Isabella?” Emily asked.
“Of course, you’re welcome to come too, Shelly.”
Mont watched as his future wife led the women out of the room, their discussion having already turned to babies.
“She’s really beautiful, Mont, and you seem really happy,” Lincoln said, smacking him on the back.
“Thanks, I’m very happy. I never thought I’d fall in love and I sure as hell wasn’t looking for it but as soon as I looked at her, I knew.” He shook his head. “Of course, it was the wrong place and wrong time. I could have killed Barkley when he brought her back from the mansion.”
“Look at it this way, if he hadn’t you wouldn’t be with her now, and have those babies,” Storm said, pointing out the obvious truth.
“Speaking of babies, where’s Mandy?”
“My mom has her for the weekend,” Storm told him.
“I bet she’s getting big now.”
Storm nodded. “She’s growing fast. I can’t believe she’s two already.”
“Are you doing all right, Storm?” Lincoln asked with concern.
“Yeah, thanks. It’s been almost two years. We’re both fine,” Storm said.
“Glad to hear it.” Mont turned to look at Dakota. “What about you? Are you seeing anyone?”
“Anyone I can, when I can.” Dakota laughed.
Mont chuckled and rolled his eyes before glancing at Lincoln. “You?”
“No. I’m too damn busy with the ranch,” Lincoln told him.
“You all need to get yourselves a wife,” Mont said.
The men stared at him for a few seconds, and then burst out laughing. Mont quickly joined them. It was good to be home.
* * * *
Isabella changed the babies, handing them off to Emily and Shelly because they wanted to hold them. Shelly smiled, rocking the baby in her arms.
“I don’t know how you did it, Isabella. I mean, raising one baby alone would be hard enough, but two?” she remarked with amazement filling her voice.
“Well, I have to admit I had some help from my parents after they were first born. My mom came to stay with me for two weeks, but there were times I thought I was going to go insane. It didn’t last long because anytime I looked at them I fell in love a little more. They were a part of Montgomery and I held on to that with both hands.” Isabella wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes on a sigh. “I still can’t believe he’s alive. I missed him so much, and now he’s here.” Her words caught on a sob.
Emily moved close and hugged her.
“I’m so happy it worked out for you. I can’t imagine what you went through. I know how crazy I was when I made Lucas leave, but to think he’s dead…” Emily shook her head.
“I’m just glad Nathan’s a sheriff in a small town. Not much goes on around here, except with you and Lucas, Emily. I’m still afraid every time he goes out on a call no matter what it’s for,” Shelly told them.
“Montgomery quit the FBI and I’m so glad. I’d go crazy with him going on assignments.” Isabella said, gently rubbing one of the twin’s soft fuzz-covered heads. “He doesn’t know what he’s going to do, but I’m sure he’ll figure something out. In the meantime, we’re fine with our finances. I have a savings account, the book’s selling well, and he has his pension. I just can’t see him sitting on the couch all day,” she said with a shrug, and the other women nodded in agreement.
After settling the babies in their cribs, the three of them returned downstairs to the men. The men stood when the women entered the room, and Isabella couldn’t help but think they may have been bad boys in their youth, but they’d grown up into good men. Montgomery came toward her with an expression of excitement, taking her hand and pulling her close.
“Nathan’s offered me a job as a deputy. What do you think?”
“If it’s what you want, I’m fine with it,” she said in response, knowing her voice wasn’t as supportive as it could be. Catching her tone, Montgomery frowned down at her.
“I won’t do it if you’re uncomfortable with it.”
Realizing he had need of her approval, she smiled. “I’m fine with it. I just want you to do what you want.”
“It is what I want, Bella,” Montgomery told her.
“That’s good enough for me then.”
A few hours later, everyone began leaving. When Storm hugged her, she squeezed back in a tight embrace. He seemed so lost to her. He needed a good woman in his life and as gorgeous as he was, she was sure there were plenty of women out there who’d want him. After she closed the door behind the last of them, she turned to Montgomery, hugging him.
“Storm seems so sad,” she whispered against his chest.
“I know, princess, but he’s much better than he was. He fell apart when Tracy left him but she wasn’t the woman for him. I believe that with all my heart, but he fell in love. They got married and seemed happy enough until she found out she was pregnant. She told Storm she never wanted
to have children and that she hated living on the ranch. Tracy apparently had ideas of getting him to sell the ranch and move away from Dry River.” Montgomery squeezed her tight to him. “He’ll never leave here. It’s his home. His grandfather left him the ranch and he loves it. He sells the best Arabians in the states. Tracy knew all that when she married him.”
“It just wasn’t meant to be,” she said, inhaling the scent of him, which had filled her dreams for so long. “I believe everything happens for a reason. Storm may not understand it now, but he will someday.” She leaned back and gazed up at the man who made her heart soar. “Just like as bad as it was when Barkley took me with him, it was because of him that I met you. I hated him for his murderous threats, and his hatred, but it was because he involved himself in my life that we fell in love.”
“That’s a hell of thing to say.”
“No, it’s not. It’s true. Think about it, if I hadn’t gone with him when he came to the mansion, we never would have met.”
“Oh, darlin’, I don’t believe that. We’re meant to be together, Bella, we would have met some way.”
Isabella laughed. “You are one hardheaded man, Montgomery Bradford.”
“You know it,” he whispered before pressing his lips to hers. “I need you so much, Bella.”
“I need you too,” she whispered back gazing into his eyes—his blue eyes. She smiled up at him.
“What are you smiling about?”
“Your eyes are blue,” she said with a flirtatious tilt of her head.
Montgomery grinned at her and chuckled. “Well, I am a little turned on right now.”
He scooped her into his arms, and carried her upstairs to their bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and settled in beside her. His lips pressed to hers and she opened to him.
Isabella slid her fingers into his thick dark hair, reveling in the feel, and pulled him closer. She felt his hands at the snap of her jeans and heard him open her zipper but when his hand snaked inside, and his fingers moved down between her wet folds, she moaned.
“Mont, please…”
Montgomery raised his head and stared down at her with wide eyes. “You just called me Mont.”
She blew out a laugh. “Oh, shut up and kiss me…Montgomery.”
When he growled and buried his face in her neck, she wanted to purr.
He pulled her shirt off over her head and unclasped her bra, freeing her breasts. Cupping the fullness of her breast in his hand, he rubbed his thumb over the nipple, making it peak. He moved his mouth to her neck and nipped her skin gently with his teeth making her clutch at him tighter. He slowly raised his head and gazed down at her with such desire in his eyes, she thought she’d die from it.
“I dreamed of you while I was working hard to get my strength back. I’d go to sleep hard and wake up hard—so hard, I ached. There were times I took matters into my own hands thinking of you,” he whispered. “I’d cry out your name when I’d come, but it was never enough, I wanted you every day, every time, just like I want you now.”
Isabella groaned. “Yes, please…I want you inside me now.”
Smiling, she watched him climb off the bed and undress. His hard cock was straining against his boxer briefs, eager for her, so she scrambled to her knees, pulled the cloth away, and wrapped her fingers around him. When she kissed the head before sucking him into her mouth, a guttural sound tore from his throat. She peeked up at him and smiled.
“Did you dream of this too? Of me taking you deep into my mouth and sucking on you?”
Montgomery’s hands tangled in her hair.
“Yes,” he hissed as she licked his length.
“Then let me make your dream come true,” she whispered before taking him deep in her mouth again.
Her hand cupped his balls and kneaded them gently. His hips pumped and he groaned and clenched his jaw trying to stay in control. Suddenly, he grabbed her, lifting her and tossing her back onto the bed. Sliding his hands up her legs, Montgomery pulled her to the edge of the bed and just as he had done once before long ago, he sunk to his knees and buried his face between her legs.
Isabella moaned as his tongue moved over her clitoris and when he rubbed his teeth against it, she fisted her hands in his hair, pulling him closer. She started panting as her orgasm took hold of her and the waves of pleasure began crashing over her. Just as she floated down, Montgomery pulled away from her and began pressing into her, inch by glorious inch, filling her and making her moan. She wrapped her legs around his waist while his hands grasped her hips and he pulled her tighter against him. Standing alongside the bed, he pounded into her harder and deeper. It wasn’t long before Isabella felt those wonderful feelings again and soon she was crying out as she came.
Opening her eyes, she watched Montgomery. He was watching her, his jaw clenched, his chest heaving with the strain, but then his head tipped back and he groaned out her name as he came, and then he fell to the bed beside her. Both of them laid there trying to catch their breaths.
“If I live to be a hundred, which is questionable at this rate, I’ll never get enough of you, princess.”
Isabella rolled toward him, laughing. “Same here.”
Pressing a kiss to his damp chest, she gently raked her teeth across an erect nipple, enjoying the way he groaned. “I’m only hoping sex really is good for the body and we live to be a hundred because I want to do that over and over again until we’re too old to survive it.” She laughed when he groaned again.
“We’ll just have to be careful not to break a hip,” Montgomery told her, chuckling against her hair.
Isabella kissed his mouth. “I’m sure we’ll do what we can.”
She sat up, pushing her damp hair back from her face. “I need to check our babies. It’s almost time for them to eat.”
“I want to help. Go grab a shower and I’ll see if they’re awake yet.”
Isabella nodded and headed for the shower before he changed his mind, although she had faith he could handle it or at least, he’d learn to.
Chapter Eleven
Mont walked quietly into the nursery and gazed down at his children. His heart ached at how much love he felt for these two tiny human beings. He softly rubbed his hand over Colt’s black hair and Randi’s red hair. Both had hair as soft as down.
“I’m so sorry I missed your arrival. I wish I could have been here to welcome you into the world and been with your mama when she was carrying you. I’m sure she looked beautiful,” he whispered, his heart overwhelmed with love.
“I was as big as a whale,” Isabella said in a quiet voice from the doorway.
Mont turned to look at her and smiled. “I still wish I could have seen you.”
“You’ll see me explode into whale mode the next time.” Isabella held out her arms as if to demonstrate her size, puffing out her cheeks.
He walked toward her and reached out, capturing a few strands of her hair between his fingers. Gazing into her eyes, he only regretted the time lost.
“You are the best thing in my life, Bella...you, and our babies. I love all three of you so very much. No one could have told me it was possible to love this much.” He watched her blink back tears, and cupped her cheek in his hand. “I never want to bring tears to those beautiful eyes ever again.”
“These are happy tears,” Isabella told him, gazing up at him. He read only love there.
“Did you cry a lot over me when you thought I was dead?”
“I did. At first, it was so hard accepting you were gone. My parents were so worried about me, and then I found out I was pregnant. It helped me so much just knowing I had a part of you with me.” She laughed. “Imagine how I felt when I found out I was carrying twins.”
He shook his head wishing he’d been here for her. “It had to be hard on you though.”
Isabella stepped into his embrace wrapping her arms around his waist.
“I was fine. I couldn’t wait to have them, and they’ve been little angels ever since, although Col
t does tend to get cranky more often than Randi does. Typical male, I suppose, he wants all the attention.”
Mont grinned at her. “Like father, like son…I want all the attention from you too.” He kissed her quickly. “I think we need to make wedding plans and the sooner the better.”
Isabella nodded. “I agree. It doesn’t have to be a huge wedding. I just want to marry you and live my life with you.”
“Sounds good to me, darlin’,” he said, kissing her, only to have the babies interrupt, demanding attention too.
Mont picked up their daughter while Isabella picked up their son. She quickly changed him and handed him to Mont so she could take Randi, when he shook his head. “No, I want to learn how to change them.”
Isabella laughed resting Colt on her hip. “Okay, if you’re sure?”
Mont nodded, and so she stepped back a step, directing him to lay their daughter on the changing table. Once he’d done so, she instructed him on what to do.
“Good Lord! How can one little girl make such a mess?” Mont exclaimed, gagging and trying not to let Isabella see him doing so. He seriously thought he was going to throw up.
Isabella burst out laughing. “Sorry, you need to learn anyway. Come on, Daddy, change the diaper.”
Mont grumbled the entire time. After he put a fresh diaper on his daughter, he put clean pajamas on her, and picked her up, cradling her. “Maybe a clothespin over my nose would help next time.”
“You’d still see it,” Isabella reminded him, even as she tried not to laugh.
He groaned. “I’ll get used to it…I hope,” he muttered.
Later as evening descended with the sun beginning to set outside, they sat together in the living room. Mont watched television while Isabella skimmed through a magazine looking for a dress for the wedding. Every time she’d find a dress she liked, she’d show him, but Mont would simply shrug. He didn’t care what she wore as long as she married him. Finally, she tossed the magazine down and glared at him. He raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what he’d said, or not said, to upset her.
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