Now, Kelly did not know how much of that story was true or not, and nobody talked about it, but she didn’t care. She loved her aunt the most, and whenever Sophie was around, Kelly knew that it was going to be a fun-filled day, and right now, she needed some fun.
* * * *
“Sophie, shouldn’t you get her down from the table? She is getting married in a couple of days. I’m sure her fiancé wouldn’t appreciate her hurting herself before the wedding,” Violet Savage asked Sophie, who was sitting next to her.
“Oh pish! Let Kelly-belly have some fun. The girl is wound tighter than a three-peckered Billy goat. Besides, that child needs to learn to relax some or her two husbands aren’t gonna know what to do with her,” Sophie responded, laughing as she watched her niece sashay her little ass to the beat of the music.
Sophie knew her niece needed to cut loose. She held too much emotion in and didn’t let enough of it out. She had been that way since birth, a sweet child, but too sedate for Sophie’s tastes. So, when Kelly was around her, she tried to open the girl up to some fun and mischief. The only problem was Sophie realized that maybe she had gone a little overboard on the mischief part.
She had to admit it wasn’t every day that the residents of Treasure Cove saw the gentle, sweet, caring Kelly Conner drunk and dancing like a high-dollar stripper, surrounded by hollering bohunks. However, when the shy child started to unbutton her top, well, Sophie just smiled and yelled, “Go, Kelly, go!” waving a ten dollar bill in her hand.
* * * *
Micah and Daniel were putting the final additions on the downstairs bathroom when Tucker Quinn and Caleb Hicks walked into the room.
“Uh, Micah, how are you in loud public places?” Tucker asked him. Micah thought it was an odd question, but after spending the day with these two, he knew not to expect anything serious to come out of their mouths. Tucker and Caleb were the jokesters of the group, so Micah did not take offense to the question and just smiled. “I’m all right. Why?”
“Well, Caleb just got a call from the Rawhide. It’s that new bar that opened up last month between Celestial and Treasure Cove,” Tucker informed them.
“Yeah, I’ve heard of it. Proceed,” Micah said, turning to Daniel, who laid the screwdriver in his hand down on the floor. Micah was figuring it was not too bad, because whatever they needed to say seemed funny to them as they were trying desperately to hold in their laughter.
“Well, it seems Kelly has heard of it, too. In fact, the owner, Max, called and said that we had better come get her. Apparently Kelly-belly has had a little too much to drink,” Caleb said, grinning as if he knew some deep, dark secret and was just itching to spill his guts.
“Kelly doesn’t drink, and stop calling her that awful name,” Daniel said firmly.
“Oh she drinks when the mood suits her. And I’m guessing after spending the day with her mother and the girls, it suited just fine tonight.” Tucker smiled, and Caleb nodded in agreement. The way the two men were carrying on was starting to grate Micah’s nerves. He wished they would just get to the point because if Kelly needed a ride home, he did not care how bad public places affected him, he would go get her.
“Oh and don’t forget she is with Aunt Sophie,” Caleb offered.
“Kelly. What about Kelly?” Micah asked, redirecting the conversation back to the one he cared most about.
“Oh yeah, almost forgot. Max, the bartender and owner at the Rawhide, said he heard about your upcoming marriage and congratulations—” Tucker was saying when Micah interrupted him.
“Damn it, Tucker, get to the fucking point. What about Kelly?” Micah shouted.
“Damn, dude, no need to yell. Max just wanted ya to know that Kelly is drunk and making a scene. We told him that you and Dan would be there shortly.” Tucker grinned mischievously.
Micah did not have to look back to know that Daniel followed closely behind him. They were both in the truck and halfway down the road before they realized that they were being followed. Not just by one vehicle but by several.
Turning in his seat, Micah counted four trucks, following at a respectable pace, but after seeing who was in the lead vehicle, Micah knew Kelly’s family wanted to see the fun.
“I can easily lose them you know,” Daniel said, turning right as he hit the state highway.
“I know. I’m not sure what to make of that bunch, but it seems they get a lot of laughter our woman’s expense. Not sure I appreciate that trait in her family very much.”
“Well, I fucking hate it. They don’t know what an angel she is. She does everything for them, and they take her for granted,” Daniel added.
“Good thing she has us. We can take care of her now.”
“Got that right, brother, we take care of our own.”
Neither said anything during the rest of the ride. They both were of the same mind where Kelly was concerned.
They arrived at the Rawhide and quickly parked the truck. Micah knew this was going to be a test for Daniel. He did not do public places well, especially with a high noise volume. Hell, even he had issues from time to time, but nothing like Daniel.
Micah knew he did not have to ask Daniel if he was going in with him. There was nothing either of them wouldn’t do for Kelly, and if she needed them, they would gladly walk through the flames of hell to get to her.
Micah and Daniel silently entered the bar. The place was larger than it looked from the outside, and from the way the place looked on the inside, the owners spent a decent amount of money starting up the club.
The Rawhide looked and felt like a typical country and western bar, but it was the sleek black tables, high-backed steel chairs, and the dress code of the waitstaff that gave the club a more modern northern feel. The music was loud and the customers were happy, and that made for good business. If the place wasn’t so crowded and noisy, Micah might actually enjoy bringing Kelly here occasionally.
Scanning the bar, he found her, dressed provocatively and having a merry time. The short skirt she had on barely covered her firm ass, but damn it accentuated her long, shapely legs. The white tank containing her abundantly full breasts looked ready to spill out and play peek-a-boo, and from the look of her, he would bet his ass that she was not even wearing a bra. Her long silky locks that she always wore in a ponytail were loose and free, cascading in curls down to her waist. Under the bright lights of the club, her hair shimmered like fireflies in the night sky.
She was stunning.
There was something about her tonight that begged him to protect her, to look after her, to care for her. She looked lost in a sea of vultures, even though she tried hard to give the crowd what she thought they wanted. However, the lonely look in her eyes spoke volumes and tugged at his heart.
Micah never took his eyes from her as he walked leisurely toward her. The moment he stood near her, he froze when their eyes locked. Her soft blue eyes glowed, but it was the sorrow within those sad eyes that drew him to her. He knew what she was feeling, for he, too, felt it every day. So much anger and frustration fueled her, a weariness that ate away at her until she collapsed. She adhered to her daunting day-to-day activities just to maintain some sense of normalcy, but it was the hurt and pain that drove her. Someone had hurt her bad, and like him and Daniel, she tried desperately to hide it from those she loved.
Simply holding out his hand for her, he waited. The confusion and regret washed over her face, but it was the relief that tugged at him. She never said anything as she placed her hand in his. Pulling her into him, she wrapped her arms tightly around him, hiding her head in his chest.
He stood there holding her, oblivious of the music and the loud crowd around him. She was once again safe in his arms, and nothing ever felt so wonderful. Micah didn’t know what happened to her tonight to cause her this much grief, but whatever it was, he knew she wouldn’t talk until she was ready, and right now all he wanted to do was get her away from all this chaos and let her just be herself once again.
“You rea
dy to go home, honeybee?” he asked as a man walked over.
“You ain’t taking her anywhere,” the inebriated man shouted, pushing through the crowd with his friends in tow. Micah looked over his shoulder and found Daniel already weaving in and out of the crowd, along with Kelly’s cousins.
Two club bouncers were already near them, trying to calm the rowdy cowboys, offering them free drinks, but when one of those cowboys reached for Kelly, Micah could not stop Daniel quick enough.
Daniel came out of nowhere, rushing into the fray, and started punching and hurling men aside. Quickly moving Kelly out of the way, he set her near the club’s emergency exit and went to help Daniel.
* * * *
Kelly felt like screaming. She was ashamed of herself, and she was definitely ashamed she let her aunt talk her into this folly. She knew it was not Sophie who forced her to drink, and she could have said no, but she didn’t. It was just that every time she was with her aunt, something always happened, and generally she regretted it afterward. Moreover, true to form, here she was again, regretting ever coming to this club. She allowed her mother’s interference and her cousins’ dominant personalities get to her once again, and now Micah and Daniel saw her at her worst, but more than anything, they were defending her poor judgment.
She did not deserve them. She wanted to crawl under a rock and hide in shame, but instead, Micah threw a punch right into the jaw of one of her many admirers. The large, burly man stepped back, but quickly reciprocated, punching Micah square in the mouth. She gasped when he fell back into another cowboy who was trying desperately to stand his ground with one of the bouncers.
Just as she was getting ready to move, a cool hand grabbed her arm. Kelly tried to shake it and lost her balance. She screamed, falling backward into the arms of Clovis Dickson.
Oh, shit!
Clovis was a big man. Standing roughly about six foot two and weighing in close to three hundred pounds, he was not what she would call handsome. If anything, Clovis looked the part he portrayed in real life, a pig farmer. The smell of him alone was curdling her stomach, but when his chubby, roaming hands began to slither their way up her rib cage, grabbing her chest, that was making her gag.
Fighting him as hard as she could, she tried desperately to remove herself from his hard embrace. “Oh, girly, I sure does love a fight in a filly. Fight me, bitch. I know you want me.”
“Let me go, you stinky-ass bastard!” Kelly screamed. Using all her strength, she was able to slide out of his slimy grip, but the greasy pig was fast. Grabbing the front of her shirt, she heard the rip and tried desperately to fight him off as a sharp explosion hit her face. In that instant, Kelly no longer cared about her shirt. The immense pain she felt knocked the wind from her as her hand reached up to cup her throbbing cheek.
Disoriented and feeling sick, she stumbled back, losing her footing. The feeling of falling should have brought her to her senses, but the fast darkness engulfed her, turning her world black.
* * * *
Daniel saw Kelly trip and fall into the arms of Treasure Cove’s only pig farmer. The screaming and cursing that emanated from her lush, rosy lips made him smile as she fought hard to get away from the overweight pig.
Angel wasn’t so sweet, he thought, just as he saw Clovis’s hand reach back. Daniel rushed the man, but was too late as the pig farmer’s hand made contact with Kelly’s face. Reaching her before she hit the hard floor, Daniel picked her up and handed her over to Caleb, who just happened to see the hit. “Get her out of here!” Daniel shouted over the fighting, and turned when a large hand landed on his shoulder.
“Where are you taking my bitch, you cocksucker!” Clovis spat as he lunged for her.
“She’s not your bitch, you fat fucker!” Daniel shouted as he drew back his hand and landed a punch right to Clovis’s nose. Blood oozed from the broken nose. Daniel stared at the vibrant red liquid as it flowed freely down his chubby face, and everything evaporated around him.
Gone were the loud music and the rowdy crowd. All he saw was the blood. So much blood, and then the screams started. He heard his team members screaming for help as he ran down the hill, shooting and killing as many insurgents as he could. He no longer cared who was hostile and who was friendly. He needed to get to his buddies. Fighting his way toward them, blood covered everything. There was no more brown, only red. As he reached the gunny, he stopped for a second to check for a pulse. There was none. Picking up the gunny’s weapon, he quickly moved on, firing and leaving a trail of death behind him.
“Stand down, Corporal!” a shout vibrated around him, but he kept firing, trying desperately to save his friends.
“Corporal Meyer! Stand the Fuck down!” the voice sounded again, only this time Daniel looked, trying to find Micah. What was Micah doing here? he thought as he stood listening and looking at all the blood.
“Daniel?” Micah’s voice sounded again. “Corporal Daniel Meyer. You are in a bar, in Treasure Cove. You are home, Marine. Do you understand?”
Looking around him, concentrating on Micah’s voice, the blood began to disappear, and Daniel found himself standing in the club as the club goers went about their business.
“I’m in a club,” he whispered.
“That’s right. Are you back?” Micah asked, looking him in the eye. Daniel knew what he meant. He wanted to know if his head was still back in Afghanistan.
Nodding, Daniel replied, “I’m back, Lieutenant.”
“Good. We have to go now. Someone called the cops. They are on the way. Follow me, Marine.”
Daniel did as ordered as the DJ started the music again and the dance floor once again began to fill. Daniel walked with Micah as they headed for the front door where he saw Tucker holding an ice pack to Kelly’s angelic face as she lay unconscious in Caleb’s arms. Pushing past Micah, Daniel reached for her, brushing his hand against her soft cheek. “Damn it, angel,” he cursed, closing his eyes.
“She’s gonna be okay, Daniel. Come on. Let’s get out of here before Braxton shows up,” Caleb said, handing Kelly to him. Daniel was still shaking after having a public flashback, but having his angel in his arms felt good. Following Micah, they all walked out into the cool night’s air.
Chapter Seven
It had been two days since the bar incident, and neither Micah nor Daniel had mentioned anything. Their silence on the matter was driving her crazy with worry. She already felt bad enough for putting herself in such a position. She knew there was nothing either of them could say to make her feel worse. She just wished she knew what they were thinking.
After spending the day at the clinic, it was time for her to head into Silver Springs for her weekly counseling sessions with the wounded warriors. She enjoyed her weekly visits with the men. It was humbling to realize that no matter how bad she thought her life was, there were others whose lives were much worse. Concentrating on those souls helped put her life in perspective, and after the last couple of days she had, she truly needed some perspective.
After spending the next hour listening, laughing, and helping the veterans, Kelly picked up her bags and locked up the community center as a feeling of relief and understanding filled her mind. She was still worried about her men, but after listening to the warriors, she received a better perspective on how their minds worked and what to expect. Like any man, they talked when they are ready, and if they didn’t, then her wild night apparently wasn’t a big deal.
Dead on her feet, she walked into the house only to stop in her tracks when she saw Micah and Daniel sitting in the living room waiting for her.
“Well, look at what the cat finally dragged in,” said Micah. “Sit down, honeybee. Daniel and I would like to talk to you.”
Oh, here it came, she thought, dropping her bags near the front door. She walked into the living room and flumped down in a chair and stared at the floor. Kelly knew it was bound to happen, and just when she found clarity and resolution, Micah and Daniel picked tonight to call her on her crap. She cou
ld not remember a time when she had been more embarrassed. After a few moments, she raised her head and looked at the smiling men. Kelly could not imagine what they were thinking, let alone what they thought of her. The whole situation was embarrassing to think about. To make matters worse, she was supposed to be marrying these men in less than a week. What kind of wife was she going to make if she lost control? Then there was Molly. She was not prepared to for the responsibility of a five-year-old, let alone how to teach her to be a young woman, especially if she was out getting drunk because she could not tell her family no.
“It seems there’s a whole side to our little honeybee that we didn’t know about. Is that right, Daniel?” she heard Micah say.
“Yes, sir. Angel apparently likes to spread her wings every now and then, but she isn’t careful where she spreads them. That could be dangerous. Isn’t that right, Lieutenant?”
“Very dangerous. What should we do about that, Corporal?”
“I believe Angel needs to learn a lesson.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, looking away, too ashamed to even face them. “I’ll just gather my things. I understand if you don’t want to marry me. I’ll tell my family we decided it would be best if we just went our separate ways.”
Kelly never looked when Micah came over and sat next to her, taking her hand in his. “Kelly, we’re not upset that you went out, or that you had fun. We are concerned because of why you did it. Please talk to us. If you need to talk, that’s what Daniel and I are here for, just like you here for us. Please let us help you,” Micah softly said.
Kelly's Heroes [The Men of Treasure Cove 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 11
