by Sue Lyndon
The sunlight highlighted the dusting of grey in his hair she hadn’t noticed last night. She thought it only made him more handsome and distinguished, and her fingertips itched to touch his hair much the same way they’d itched to graze his stubble last night.
“Thanks for the medicine,” she said, feeling a blush stain her cheeks. His nearness sent tingles up her back and pulses of pleasure quaking between her thighs. His deep, authoritative voice vibrated through her, inciting her desire and leaving her trembling for his touch. She recalled the feel of his warm, calloused hands on hers. She wished he’d hold her hands again—or better yet, hold her.
“Your car is hidden in the garage, Emily. No one will have a clue you’re here so long as you keep a low profile and don’t leave the ranch. My brother, Trevor, arrived home about an hour ago as well. I told him the same story you told me, but I have a feeling he’s going to want to question you himself.”
“Why? Doesn’t he believe me?” Worry flashed through her, but Daniel’s reassuring smile and shake of head calmed her fears an instant later.
“I’m sure he’ll believe you. Speak of the devil…”
Emily’s breath left her. A tall, hulking figure that resembled Daniel stood in the doorway. As she studied him, she realized he was indeed younger than his brother, but not by much. He too had a dusting of grey around his temples, but it wasn’t as noticeable as Daniel’s. Instead of dark brown eyes, Trevor glanced upon her with startling blue eyes that darkened as he entered the room. She fidgeted under his gaze, and the room felt cramped, with one brother sitting beside her and the other standing above her, both of them staring at her. She wasn’t used to this kind of undivided attention.
“Hi, Emily. I’m Trevor. Daniel’s much wiser and better looking younger brother.” The lines around his eyes crinkled as he smiled, and she reached to grasp his offered hand and reveled in the warmth of his firm shake.
“Oh, please,” Daniel said, leaning closer to Emily with a mischievous look that gave her a thrill. “He’s adopted. Mom told me so.”
She laughed at their jokes and relaxed against the pillows stacked behind her. The medicine must be taking effect already, because her limbs no longer felt as achy and stiff as when she awoke minutes ago. Trevor walked around the bed, the light reflecting off the silver star on his shirt. Her heart thudded as he sank down on the bed next to her, and she glanced from brother to brother as she squirmed under their intense gazes.
Trevor pulled a small notebook and a pen out of his pocket, all the while not breaking eye contact with her. She gulped and suddenly felt dwarfed as she sat between them, and she jumped when a hand landed on her forearm.
“Hey,” Daniel said, rubbing his hand up and down her bare arm. The skin to skin contact heightened her senses as goose bumps traveled up both her arms and up her neck as well. Once again, his touch had sent her endorphins into overdrive.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m still scared. I keep listening for the sound of sirens pulling up outside.”
“There’s absolutely no way anyone will be able to track you here,” Trevor said, flipping the notebook open. “Even if someone saw you get off the highway, you had to drive a hell of a ways from any well-traveled road to end up here. Please try to relax, sweetheart.” He winked at her.
She nodded and forced a smile. Just as she’d instinctively trusted Daniel, she instinctively trusted Trevor. Truly they were a godsend. Daniel had been able to tend her wounds and keep her out of a hospital, and now Trevor meant to use his resources as a Texas Ranger to help her get out of this mess.
She thought of George, and her stomach twisted. His slicked back blond hair that always appeared greasy. His overpowering minty breath that somehow smelled sickening. The repulsion she felt each time he looked at her. She’d been lucky to escape last night. She shook the images of what could’ve happened away and focused on the two caring men whose concern for her left her baffled. She was a stranger. A nobody from a little town far away. Yet they’d treated her with the kindness of a family member or a lifelong friend.
“Do you like coffee, Emily?” Trevor asked.
“Y-yes.”
“Cream and sugar?”
“Yes, please.”
The younger man nodded at his brother, and Daniel patted her arm and promised to return shortly.
Alone with Trevor, Emily felt the panic rising in her throat. What if he didn’t believe her? Oh God, she didn’t want to go back to Remsfield. She feared having to face George again. Knowing him, he’d try to finish what he’d started. In fact, she recalled with a shudder, he’d yelled that he’d visit her in jail and fuck her until she couldn’t walk. He’d want to punish her in every way possible. In his mind, prison wouldn’t be enough. She repressed another shudder and searched Trevor’s eyes.
She couldn’t look away. He had the same prominent nose and strong square jaw as Daniel. The resemblance between them was striking.
“So, you’re a ranger?”
His lips turned up and he nodded. “Texas Ranger Sergeant Trevor Anderson at your service, ma’am.” He tipped an imaginary hat.
She smiled and glanced down to study the floral designs on the quilt, needing to break the tension. Except for the Maccabee’s, no one ever spared a minute to talk to her, and she didn’t know how to react to such attention. She wondered how long she’d have to stay at the Twisted River and if she’d ever get used to being in Daniel and Trevor’s presence. Alone, they were each magnetic, but together, they were a force unlike anything she’d experienced. If she spent too long in a room with both of them, she feared her heart would beat out of her chest.
“So, I guess you want to hear my story again?” Emily didn’t feel like telling it, but the sooner Trevor heard it from her lips, perhaps the sooner he’d believe her. She wanted nothing more in this moment than to earn his trust, despite how difficult it would be to retell the harrowing ordeal she’d gone through.
“Yes, Emily. From the beginning, please.”
She took a calming breath and launched into the same story she’d told Daniel last night after he’d so gently bandaged her cuts. Trevor glanced down intermittently to jot into his notebook. To her immense relief, he didn’t cringe or look at her judgmentally when she mentioned her prior arrests. If anything, his gaze and demeanor spoke of compassion and understanding, just as Daniel’s had last night when she’d sobbed in front of him while describing all that had happened with George.
Daniel appeared in the doorway, a steaming mug in hand, and she ceased speaking. He brought her the coffee and lingered over her, stroking her hair.
“I have some work to do this morning on the ranch, but I’ll be back soon. Stay in the house, and don’t try walking down the stairs by yourself. You’re still pretty banged up from last night, and I don’t want you falling.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, leaving her speechless.
She gawked after Daniel, not quite believing he’d displayed such tenderness toward her—and in front of Trevor no less. Perhaps she’d imagined the kiss. But no, the pressure of his lips on her forehead lingered, and she longed to touch the spot he’d kissed but dared not in front of Trevor. Instead, she took a sip of coffee and placed the mug on the nightstand before picking up where she’d left off in her story.
Once again, Trevor took notes and his expression betrayed no hint of judgment. After she concluded with the car crash and meeting Daniel, he stared at her in silence for a minute.
It was the longest minute of her life. Her throat burned as she held his gaze, praying he’d believe her and offer his assistance. She had nowhere else to turn, and with her car totaled, she had no way to escape the Twisted River unless she stole a car or left on foot. Neither option sounded appealing.
Trevor placed the notebook and pen on the nightstand, then reached for her trembling hands. “Relax, sweetheart,” he said. “I believe you.”
Chapter Four
Daniel glanced out the front window and spotted Trevor pacing the porch, t
alking on his cellphone. He’d pause now and then to jot into that notebook he always carried around, and then he’d say goodbye to whomever he was speaking with, only to make another call immediately upon hanging up.
Daniel knew his little patient was getting antsy upstairs. More than once she’d asked to come downstairs, but he’d told her to rest for a while longer. In truth, though, he just needed the extra time to speak with all his cousins and make sure they understood the situation. He didn’t tell them the full details of Emily’s story, but he did tell them she was being falsely accused of a crime and that Trevor was aware and working to help clear the charges against her. None of his cousins questioned him or batted an eye over his orders to keep quiet about the matter. If any of the ranch hands asked who Emily was, Daniel had instructed his cousins to say she was his girlfriend.
The idea of pretending she was indeed his girlfriend excited him. For reasons he didn’t fully understand, Daniel felt protective of Emily and liked having her in his house. He ached to quell the loneliness he saw in her expressive blue eyes. His heart had shattered when she explained that she didn’t have any friends who would be worried about her. She’d explained that she’d distanced herself from the group she used to hang out with because she wanted to stay out of trouble and none of them had tried contacting her since her last arrest.
Even once the charges against her were cleared, Daniel hated the thought of letting her go. She didn’t have much of a life to return to. Perhaps she’d jump at the chance to start over, far away from the pain she’d endured. A place like the Twisted River. He pushed his hopeful thoughts away, knowing that she needed to get to know him better.
He heard the shower running upstairs and hurried to prepare lunch. He’d promised Emily she could join them for lunch and dinner today, and if she felt up for it, he’d take her on a short walk too. She’d refused all pain medication he’d offered this morning, and he suspected she was feeling better already. She was one tough little girl, he’d give her that.
A short while later, he heard footsteps on the stairs and strode out of the kitchen, annoyed his patient hadn’t heeded his instructions. She paused with her hand on the railing, looking positively guilty as their gazes collided. Her hair was still damp, and she wore a pair of shorts and a snug blue t-shirt that accentuated the swell of her large breasts. She bit her lip and lowered her head as he approached.
He cleared his throat and grasped her hand, leading her back up the stairs and into her bedroom. He crossed his arms and frowned down at her with one eyebrow raised.
“Little girl, what did I tell you about the stairs?”
“Oh, come on. I’m fine. I can handle walking down steps by myself. I don’t need a babysitter.” She rolled her eyes and moved to walk out the door, but he directed her to sit on the bed. With another roll of her eyes, she sank down atop the covers and glared up at him.
Naughty. She was being naughty. His groin tightened and his balls tensed, and he shifted his stance to accommodate his enlarging cock as it pressed against his jeans.
“You’re right. You don’t need a babysitter. But you do need a spanking for disregarding my request and for getting sassy. I can tell you’re not used to following rules, Emily. That’s about to change. As soon as you’re all healed up, your butt is mine.”
She paled and squirmed in place. “You can’t be serious.”
“Try me,” he said. “Now get your naughty fanny downstairs. Lunch is on the table.”
Her eyes widened and she stared at him for a moment with her eyebrows pinched together, as if trying to determine whether or not he was joking around. He suspected she’d test him soon.
“By the way,” he said as she rose to her feet, “if you roll your eyes at me again, I’ll take you over my knee on the spot and spank your bottom bright red. Do you understand, little girl?” He reached for her hand, drawing her to stand directly before him.
“Yes, I understand.” Face still pale, she regarded him with her mouth agape. Obviously no one had ever given her rules or boundaries before. He suspected she’d thrive under such conditions, and he was prepared to deliver on his threats.
“Yes, what?” he prompted. “I expect you to answer me respectfully during a scolding or when I’m telling you to do something.”
“Yes, sir,” she quickly amended. “I’m sorry for not waiting for you. I’m afraid I became impatient, and I knew I could handle the stairs on my own. My legs aren’t even sore anymore. Just my back, but it’s not so bad.”
“Apology accepted,” he said, cupping her face. Longing reflected in her eyes, despite her obvious unease in his presence. He wasn’t oblivious to the effect he had on her, but he wasn’t about to give in to his impulses so soon. He didn’t want to scare her off. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Emily. Now, let’s go get some lunch. I made chicken salad sandwiches.”
With an arm around her waist, Daniel walked her downstairs. She didn’t wince once, and he noted she’d torn all but one of the bandages off her arms and legs. The cuts were healing rapidly, and he didn’t think the bandages needed to be reapplied. A bruise marred her left cheek, and another purple bruise had risen on her forearm, but that was it. She’d had a guardian angel watching over her the night of the accident, no question about it.
He helped her into a seat at the dining room table. “I’ll be right back,” he said, stroking the back of her head, unable to stop himself from caressing her.
“Finish your call and get your ass inside, Trevor. Lunch is ready, and we have a guest today,” Daniel said, sticking his neck out the door.
Trevor glared at him but tied up his conversation, jotting a few notes down before hanging up and shoving his phone into his pocket. “Can’t keep the pretty lady waiting,” he said, smirking at Daniel.
Daniel sensed Trevor’s interest in Emily, and he knew Trevor understood he had feelings for the girl too, but despite their mutual interest, there didn’t seem to be any animosity between them. If anything, their mutual interest in Emily strengthened their bond. They both wanted what was best for her—to keep her safe and make her feel welcome for the length of her stay.
Emily smiled as they entered the dining room. Daniel sat at the head of the table, while Trevor took a seat across from her. As they ate, Trevor talked about the information he’d uncovered about George so far. Another woman had made allegations against him over a year ago, according to a woman who used to work in the sheriff’s office, but the paperwork and evidence had gone missing. The woman in question was now married with a kid and refused to discuss the incident. Trevor suspected even if he visited the woman’s home, he wouldn’t get her to speak about it. The good news was that no one suspected Emily’s true location.
“How long will it take to build a case against George?” Emily asked, picking at her fruit salad.
“Weeks. Months. I’m afraid I don’t know, sweetheart, but we’ll get him. Don’t you worry.” He reached across the table to squeeze her hand.
“Months?” She scowled at them and glanced out the window behind her. “I can’t put you gentlemen out for that long. It’s not that I don’t appreciate your help. I just don’t want to be a burden. I can’t possibly stay here for that long.”
Daniel straightened in his chair and shot her a scolding look. “You will stay here that long, Emily, and you will not be a burden. Once you’re all recovered from the accident, you can start doing chores around here. Since you can apparently walk down the stairs without help, your days of being waited on and served meals in bed have come to an end, I’m afraid.” He grinned and nudged her foot playfully under the table.
The soft flicker of doubt in Emily’s eyes told him she still wasn’t entirely comfortable accepting their help. He hoped her feelings changed after a few days and her instinct to run faded. If her car were still drivable, he’d worry about her leaving, but he didn’t think she’d be stupid enough to steal a car. The nearest bus station was also an hour away, and he doubted she’d risk showing her
face in public.
According to Trevor, her face hadn’t been plastered all over the news, but there was still a warrant out for her arrest and one of the local news stations had picked up the story. A short article on the third page of the Remsfield Daily also mentioned her assault against Officer George Patrick. All in all, the news coverage could have been a lot worse.
Sorrow washed over her features as Trevor paraphrased the news report and the newspaper article. “Nothing I’ve done before was ever reported by the news,” she said, staring at her plate.
“When we get this all straightened out, Emily, the news outlets will be buzzing over Officer Patrick and his misdeeds. Not you.”
She looked up but avoided both their gazes. “And then what? The news outlets will report on what George did to me and tried to do to me?”
Daniel leaned over to squeeze her shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. “They won’t mention your name the second time since it’s a sexual assault and the media doesn’t reveal the names of victims in these cases. People in your town will put two and two together, and that can’t be helped. But you’re a strong girl, Emily, and you’ll get through this.” He tried not to think about her having to testify against Officer Patrick during a trial and opted not to mention it until later.
Picking at the food on her plate, she peered up at them from under her lashes as she worried her lower lip. Her hair had dried quickly and now spread over her shoulders in silken waves. “You guys are seriously willing to put up with me for weeks or months? How am I going to repay you for your kindness? I—I don’t know about this.”
Trevor patted his mouth with a napkin and pushed back from the table. “Sweetheart, a serious crime has been committed, and it’s my responsibility to help you. Besides that, I want to help you, Emily, and so does Daniel.”
