by Chloe Lang
Jackson looked at Jessie. “Are you, darlin’?”
“Actually, I am, but I don’t want to leave the waiting room.”
“I’m on it.” He stood.
“I’m coming with you.” Phoenix rose from the chair. “We’ll get enough food for mom and the dads, too. I doubt they’ve eaten either. Anyone else?”
“You’re good boys. Your momma raised you right.” Maude’s tone was filled with affection. “Bring some of those cinnamon rolls and some coffee. I bet I can get your mom to eat with that combination. Your dads can always eat, so I won’t worry about them.”
“Okay, Aunt Maude,” Phoenix said. Then he, Tobias, and Jackson headed to the cafeteria.
When they were out of earshot, Maude continued with her story. “You wouldn’t know it by looking at the rugged cowboy he’s become, but when I first saw Toby, he was crying.”
“How old was he?”
“Not even two. Grant was trying to change Heath’s diaper and Greg was feeding Nate and Seth at the Horseshoe in the middle of the day. Tobias had run outside without either of these cowboys knowing it. The door to the place shut, and Tobias couldn’t get back inside. I found him sobbing at the door. I walked him back in, and these two bumblers insisted on buying me lunch.”
“Sweetheart, you saved me that day, and then you saved me for the rest of my life.” Grant kissed his wife.
“Your life sure needed changing, just like Heath’s diaper.” Maude smiled lovingly into her husband’s eyes.
Greg cupped her chin and turned her to face him. “Me, too, love. I don’t know how I would’ve ever survived without you.” Then he kissed her, too.
“Now, you’ve both got me rattled. You two finish the story.”
Grant laughed. “You could never be rattled, Mrs. Strong.”
“Oh yes, I can. Often by you.”
“Good.” He continued, “Jessie, Greg, and I lost our wives on the same day.”
“Wives?” Jessie blurted out and immediately wished she could take back the too-personal question.
“It’s okay. What you’re thinking is true. We weren’t in a plural marriage back then. We each had our own family, a wife, and two boys.”
“Heath and Nate are mine.”
Greg chimed in, “Tobias and Seth are mine.”
“I hate when you say that.” Maude frowned. “They’re all yours and mine.”
“We know, sweetheart.” Greg continued, “We’re just stating the biological facts.”
Jessie shook her head. “I wouldn’t have guessed that.”
“In Wilde, not everyone is in a plural marriage, Jessie,” Grant stated.
“I know, but your boys look so similar to each other.”
Grant rubbed his chin. “Well, we’re brothers, and our late wives were sisters.”
“Makes more sense. The twins, Dax and Drake, are yours, Maude? Biologically speaking, I mean?”
The woman nodded and grinned. “Tell her the whole thing.”
“Our wives had gone together to Elko to shop, leaving the boys with us for the day. We liked doing that for them, to give them a break.” Grant’s face darkened, as he recalled the old memory. “On the way back, a drunk driver hit them head-on. They both died instantly.”
“Oh my God. I can’t imagine how tough that was for you.”
“Horrible.” Greg shook his head. “We did our best to be both father and mother to our boys, but they were all still in diapers, and we were both in a grief-stricken haze.”
“Then about a year later, our angel came to town and our whole life changed.” Grant looked at Maude with such adoration that it made Jessie happy for all of them.
“She fell in love with the boys first,” Grant stated. “We fell in love with her the moment we met her.”
“But you’d never been in a plural marriage yourselves. How did that come about?”
Grant stated, “You’ve met Uncle Jack.”
“I have? Oh, you mean Pappy Jack. Yes.”
“Well, he and our other two uncles and aunt had been married for a few years. We were very familiar with plural marriages and how they worked. Even our cousins—Daniel, Craig, and Dillion—were about to marry Maude’s sister, Mary.”
“I’m beginning to piece together the extended family tree,” Jessie offered.
“And we both fell in love with her. Neither one of us would ever give her up.”
Greg interjected, “It took some convincing to get her on board with the idea, but we finally succeeded.”
Maude raised an eyebrow. “You wore me down.”
Grant pulled her into him. “And had a ball doing it, too.”
“Hush up.” Maude looked more like a schoolgirl at the moment than what her actual years were.
Jessie could sense the intense love and respect between Maude and her men. She longed for the life Maude and Mrs. Wilde had. Would she ever have it?
Mrs. Wilde rounded the corner with her three husbands following. “Jessie, Austin is awake and wants to see you. He’s back to normal.”
“His normal? Grumpy and bossy?” Jackson joked.
“You got it, son,” his dad, Daniel, answered.
She stood, and so did Dallas and Denver.
Mary Wilde shook her head. “Alone, boys. They need to talk.”
“Mom, we’re not letting her out of our sight. We’ve agreed that one of us will be with her at all times until the killer is found, whoever it is.”
“Fine. Go with Jessie, but stay outside the door.”
“But—”
His dad Dillion put his hand on Denver’s shoulder. “Alone. Remember, we men are better at protecting the body, and our women are better at protecting the heart.”
Craig Wilde, their other dad, nodded. “Guard the door. One of you can go outside and watch the window if you want, son.”
“We definitely want,” Dallas answered.
“Good.” Craig smiled broadly, looking a lot like Jackson.
Mary interjected, “But you both know that Jessie needs a private moment with Austin. For her and your brother, give it to them.”
“Okay. Five minutes,” Denver informed.
Jessie’s impatience to see Austin got the best of her. “You and your damn timekeeping, Denver.”
Maude laughed. “She knows him all right. The boy can’t go by a clock without looking at it.”
Thankful that their aunt had lightened the moment, Jessie looked straight into Denver’s eyes. “Let me have whatever time I want. You two bruisers can make sure no one comes in or out of the room while I’m with Austin. Not even nurses or doctors.”
Denver shook his head. “I can’t win. Take all the time you need, sweetheart.” He turned to Dallas. “You got the outside, bro?”
“Check. You cover the door.”
“Will do. Aunt Maude, if we’re not back when Phoenix and Jackson show up with the goodies, tell—”
“Tell them where y’all went.” She saluted the two cowboys. “Check.”
Jessie took Denver’s arm, and they walked to Austin’s room.
Just as they got to the door, a nurse came out. She smiled. “He’s all yours.”
“Thank you.” Jessie turned to Denver.
He nodded, leaned against the wall, and began scanning the long hallway. Jessie liked the big, muscled men protecting her. Knowing someone still had it in for her, she was glad they were here.
She gingerly pressed the door wider and walked into Austin’s room.
* * * *
Against the nurse’s instructions, Austin swung his legs to the side of the bed and sat up. The tray of uneaten food one of the attendants had brought him dangled precariously on the opposite side. An IV tube was attached from the crook in his right arm to the bag of clear liquid hanging from the metal stand.
Attempting to focus his mind, he inhaled and exhaled rhythmically. He could still sense the effects of the drugs in his system, but he was fighting them off with all his might.
When he spott
ed Jessie entering through the door, he blew out a lungful of air. “Thank God. You’re okay.”
She’s still wearing my collar.
The sight of the band of metal with the accompanying diamond around her neck added to his heavy guilt. How the hell had he let his guard down?
Jessie didn’t shut the door. Instead, she just chewed on her lip. She didn’t move a single inch toward him.
The woman he loved had been attacked, kidnapped, and in a car accident. I can’t give into my self-pity. Her needs trumped his pangs of remorse. She needed him to be strong and not a pussy.
He motioned her closer.
“Austin, I’m so relieved that you’re okay.” Closing the door behind her, Jessie walked to the side of the bed.
Austin thought about standing but knew he was too fuzzy still to try. She must only see strength from him. Besides, his ass showing from the thin hospital gown that didn’t quite tie together in the back gave off a less than Dom-like image. So, he remained sitting on the bed and patted the mattress. “Come sit by me, pet.”
Jessie hopped up next to him. His failure to protect her weighed on him like an anchor. Still, he smiled and cupped the woman of his dream’s chin. “Are you okay?”
With tears brimming in her eyes, she nodded.
Austin pulled her in to his chest. “You are safe. Understand?”
“Sure,” she stated flatly.
He stroked her hair. She didn’t need any physical dominance from him at this moment. She needed his firm reassurance. “You. Are. Safe. Understand?”
“Yes, Austin.” She began to tremble.
He squeezed her, melding their bodies together. He watched her warm tears stream from her eyes, dampening his hospital gown.
“I–I th–thought he killed you.” Jessie sobbed.
“He didn’t, sweetheart. I’m perfectly fine.”
“It’s all my fault.”
“Don’t be silly, pet.” He knew Jessie needed to see the steady, powerful Dom he’d shown her, so he fought back his shame and regret. “Just tell me everything. Mom told me the little bastard is in a coma.”
“Yes. He wasn’t working alone. Someone put him up to it.”
Austin’s entire body tensed.
“Master?”
Austin wasn’t about to alarm her more, so he intentionally relaxed every muscle. “Who, pet?”
“I don’t know. Paul King’s dead. His wife, too. I need to look over my notes again. There’s something I’m missing. A connection? I don’t know what or who.”
“Shh. You’ll figure it out. I’ll help you. We all will.”
“We?”
“My family. My brothers. Everyone. Everything will be okay.”
She shook her head. “How can it be? I give up. I can’t win.”
Austin had once believed it would’ve been best for Jessie to leave Wilde and go back to DC. Not anymore. Whoever was behind these attacks wouldn’t be satisfied with her exit. They clearly wanted her completely erased. He needed to get through to her to stay in Wilde.
He stroked her soft auburn hair. “Not if we don’t try. Sure it’ll be hard, pet. Very hard. But isn’t achieving the impossible worth trying?”
Austin saw she didn’t look convinced. There was no way he would let her leave town, even if he had to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to his house.
He gently pulled on her hair. She tipped her head up to face him. “We got knocked down, lost our touch.” Austin challenged her. “So what? Are you too much of a city girl to get back up on the saddle?”
Austin spotted a little spark of anger in her eyes. Good.
Then the spark faded, and she closed her eyes tight. “Rich is just a kid. He’s in a coma because of me, Austin.”
“He’s no child.”
“Maybe not. Still, I rushed my investigation. I missed something critical that would’ve shed some light on this. It’s my fault.”
Austin put both hands on her shoulders and made her face him. “That’s enough, sub.”
She bit her lip.
“No one would’ve seen that coming. We all thought Paul King was behind everything.”
“There’s still someone out there that wants me dead.” Her entire body started to quake.
Austin kissed Jessie, savoring her sweet, trembling lips. He felt her body relax against his touch. “You are safe with me, sweetheart. I won’t ever let anything like that happen to you again. Understand?”
“Yes, Master.” She looked at him, and the love he felt for her nearly knocked him over. A loud crash sent Austin into protective mode. He jumped up between Jessie and the entrance to his room before spotting the mess on the floor. The tray of food that had been on the other side of the bed had fallen.
The door opened, and Denver rushed in. “Everything okay?” His eyes narrowed.
“We’re fine,” Austin answered. “Give us a minute.”
Denver didn’t leave, which pissed him off.
Austin was about to walk over to his brother and say so, when he heard Jessie’s sweet voice. “Please, Sir. Do as he says. It was only his food tray.”
Denver shook his head. The look on his face said he wasn’t happy with the situation. “Okay, Jessie. I’m just outside if you need me.” He left, closing the door behind him.
“Lucky for my brother you convinced him to leave.” Austin sat back down on the bed. “You’re too much. I’ve never seen any woman have such an impact on him.”
“I hope that’s a good thing, Master.”
“It is.”
“I’m going to let you rest now.”
“The hell you are. You’re not leaving me until we catch the fucker who’s trying to kill you. Understand?”
“Austin, stop. You’re in no condition to play bodyguard now. Besides, your brothers are overprotective of me now, lock, stock, and barrel. Please, let them take over until you’re on your feet. By tomorrow, you’ll be back to normal.”
His gut clenched with the guilt of his misstep. She could have died because he failed to keep her safe. “Okay. I trust my brothers completely.”
Her smile got to him. In some strange way, it melted his cold heart.
“Master, about what you asked of me at your tree,” she said timidly.
“Sweetheart, nothing has changed about what I’m asking of you.” He hated how her shoulders sagged when he told her that. But he couldn’t lie. Not to her. “I’m not trying to be an asshole, but I know what won’t work.”
“Then help me understand why, Austin. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Okay. You deserve that. You do.” He took a deep breath and looked her directly in the eyes. “You saw Denver rush in here like a bodyguard?”
“Yes.”
“Why do you think he blasted in here like that?”
“He’s on edge. All of your brothers are. There’s someone out there that still wants to harm me. Once Rich wakes up, the sheriff will find out who that person is, but until then, those four are hypervigilant.”
“Yes. That’s all true. But he knew no one else was in here but you and me. Right?”
Her eyes widened. “Yes, but—”
“And I’m sure that one or more of my other brothers are outside the window. True?”
“Dallas is.” She seemed confused by the track he was taking.
He’d never told anyone why he couldn’t be a part of a plural arrangement with his brothers, and he’d never expected to fall for the same woman as them. But he had. He continued, knowing Jessie had a right to know the truth. “Think, pet. Why did he rush in?”
She shrugged.
“The reason is he doesn’t trust me alone with you.”
She frowned. “That’s not true.”
“It is. You know it. Denver is an amazing Dom, but he’s not twenty-four-seven. I am. He can be tender and soft. That’s not in me.”
“But you’ve been—”
“Shh. Let me finish. My brothers and you imagine a future with all of us living
in a beautiful house with a white picket fence.”
“It’s the future I pray for.”
“I believe you need the bite of my whip and the strength of my firm hand. My brothers would all say that they would have no problem with my ways, but in time, they would. First, Jackson would step up to urge me to back off. Phoenix would be next. Dallas would follow. And even Master Dom Denver would eventually demand I ease up. I can’t. Softness isn’t in me. Hardness is.”
“That’s not true.” Her eyes were wet again.
As much as Austin hated giving her the ultimatum, he knew he must. She needed him to be strong. “So you see, pet, why you have a choice to make.” I may have failed to protect you, but by God, I’ll never fail you again. “You’re like no woman I’ve ever known. You’ve touched me, and I’ve touched you. You can’t deny that. I am the right choice for you. We fit. Jessie, you must choose me.”
Chapter Six
“Listen to me, Austin Wilde.” Jessie felt anger well up from deep inside her. The shock of the past twenty-four hours had stripped her of any restraint.
She left his side and stood in front of him, and still she needed to tilt her head up to gaze into his eyes. The man was a giant. “You say you don’t have any softness, but that isn’t true. I know for a fact it isn’t.”
His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t speak.
She couldn’t hold back the flood of emotions that had cracked her timidity. “I never dreamed that I could fall for five men. It’s absolutely crazy but true. And I won’t say that I wish the things that I love about each of you were inside a single man. That definitely isn’t true.”
“Go on, pet.”
Jessie sensed the edge of anger on his lips, but still she continued. “Merging you five into one man would result in disaster and someone I couldn’t love. I want each of you for different reasons.”
He commanded, “Tell me what they are.”
“The reasons? Sure. Jackson can be so funny and spontaneous, and yet when necessary can be serious and focused. He makes me laugh and helps me to relax. Phoenix is like a brave knight from a fairy tale, even though he wears a cowboy hat. He makes me feel adored and beautiful, like a princess. Dallas is the most open of all you Wilde brothers. He’s charming and so very giving. When he says I’m gorgeous, I know he means it to his very soul. Denver is powerful and protective. I feel so safe and loved with him.”
