by Marla Monroe
Men of the Border Lands 9
Their Border Lands Refuge
Owen loves Skyler so much he is willing to share her with Simon to keep her safe. Can Skyler love another man for Owen? She is confused and unsure even though she is attracted to Simon.
Simon can’t stop looking at Skyler and realizes he will do anything to keep her safe. He knows that the Border Lands with the wolves and the black market agents are just as dangerous as anywhere else. Watching over her becomes paramount, and falling in love with her is out of his hands.
Near tragedy almost claims the two most important people in Simon’s life, and he realizes that he doesn’t want to lose either of them. Will their love hold them together or pull them apart?
Skyler’s heart is torn between her lover Owen and the man he has invited into their bed to help keep her safe. How can she reconcile loving two men in her heart?
Genre: Futuristic, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys
Length: 45,451 words
THEIR BORDER LANDS REFUGE
Men of the Border Lands 9
Marla Monroe
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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THEIR BORDER LANDS REFUGE
Copyright © 2012 by Marla Monroe
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62241-735-3
First E-book Publication: November 2012
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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DEDICATION
I don’t do a lot of dedications because I’m terrified I will leave someone out that deserves my thanks. However, I have to take this opportunity to say thanks to my editor for helping me make my books their best. You’re greatly appreciated!
THEIR BORDER LANDS REFUGE
Men of the Border Lands 9
MARLA MONROE
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
Skyler looked over at Owen, her best friend and lover, as they drove down the deserted highway toward the mountains of what had used to be Montana before the year of catastrophes. Now it was a wild, untamed land full of good and evil. Mostly evil as far as she was concerned. Once the tornadoes, fires, tsunamis, earthquakes, and diseases had wiped out most of the population of the world, those who were left survived the best they could.
Some managed to hang on to their humanity, but many shed it like a snake skin and preyed on the weak. Since women were scarce in this new world they were living in, they were often bartered and sold like cattle. In the eastern part of the states, black market traders kidnapped women to auction them off to the highest bidder. If you found yourself in their hands, your fate was sure to be bleak. Many women found themselves in brothels that sprang up all over.
She and Owen had managed fairly well living in one of the ruined cities of the east, but things had changed. More traders appeared, making it impossible for women to be left alone while their men worked to put food on the table. Skyler had narrowly escaped capture by traders on two occasions and spent a good part of the day when Owen was working, hiding in the basement. It was no way to live, and Owen had gotten fed up with everything one day when he arrived home to find men ransacking the house looking for things to sell.
He had gone out the next day and returned with a travel trailer. They packed up what was left of their belongings and headed for the Border Lands. He was convinced they would fare better there than in the city. She knew it was for the best, but his plans scared her. She didn’t know if she could go through with them.
“You’re quiet over there, Skyler. What are you brooding about?”
“Nothing. Just wondering where we’ll end up.”
He let out a long breath and gripped the steering wheel tighter. His knuckles turned white. He knew what she was thinking about. She couldn’t help but worry about it. What he planned wasn’t normal.
“Sky, baby. Everything will work out fine. Just relax for now. It won’t change anything by worrying over it.”
“I can’t stop thinking about it, Owen. You’re talking about sharing me with a complete stranger.”
“He isn’t exactly a complete stranger. I’ve been writing to him for several months.”
“You’ve never met him, Owen. Writing to him doesn’t mean he’s a decent man.” She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.
She knew Owen was only doing what he thought was best, but she couldn’t help but be worried about it. Just because he’d heard that it worked out west didn’t mean it was true. Owen had been researching the possibilities for months before the day he had come home to find the men tearing apart their house. It had been the last straw for him. When he came back with the travel trailer, Skyler knew that he had made up his mind. Now she would have to live with it. Could she willingly give herself to another man in order to be safe? She just didn’t know.
Several hours later, Owen pulled off the barren road and
pulled out a map she hadn’t known about.
“Where did you get that?”
“I bought it off one of the supply trucks that came through.”
“And you trust it?”
“Skyler. Don’t start.” Owen returned to looking over the map before folding it back up and pulling out on the road again.
Less than thirty minutes later, he turned off the road onto another road, following it until he reached a four-way stop. He turned left and continued down that road another four or five miles before turning right. This road wasn’t in as good a shape as the previous ones. Skyler couldn’t help but wonder if he knew where he was going. She loved him with all of her heart, but times like this, she wasn’t too sure she liked him. She was positive he was getting them lost.
Finally, he stopped at the end of a drive and looked over at her. She could tell by the expression on his face that she wasn’t going to like what she was about to hear.
“We’re here, Skyler.”
“Where is here?” She looked around but only saw tall dying grass and a gravel road ahead of them.
“It’s going to be our new home. This is where Simon lives.”
“I don’t see anything but grass and gravel.” She didn’t look at him because she didn’t want him to see the tears in her eyes.
Skyler felt betrayed. Never mind that Owen was doing what he thought was best for both of them, it still hurt that he would willingly share her with another man—a stranger.
“The house is at the end of the drive. I need you to be strong, Skyler. I know this is hard for you. It’s hard for me, too. Do you think I want to admit that I can’t take care of you by myself anymore? This is killing me, but I don’t know what else to do.” Owen sounded close to tears himself.
Skyler swallowed down the bile creeping up her throat and looked over at the man she had fallen in love with nearly ten years ago. So much had happened in the last eight years. He looked almost gaunt now with all the stress he had been under. He looked much older than twenty-nine. At six feet two inches, he towered over her by a good eight or nine inches. His deep blue eyes and light brown hair that reached his collar made him a striking man to look at. There were lines etched into his face that shouldn’t have been there at his young age. He had obviously lost weight in the last couple of years from working so hard, and all the worry heaped on his broad shoulders.
She sighed and reached out for his hand. They were scarred and calloused from working in the cleanup crews in the city. Maybe having another man around would help remove some of the stress from his shoulders. Maybe he was right and everything would be okay. She had to put on a brave front for him. He didn’t need her hysterics along with everything else he was forced to deal with.
He clasped her hand in his, and pulled her closer for a gentle kiss. His lips brushed across hers before he straightened up in the seat and changed gears. They started up the gravel drive toward their new life. She could only hope the man waiting on them would be a good one.
* * * *
Simon leaned on the hoe as he surveyed the garden. It was late, but there was still enough sunlight that he could work a little longer. Of course, that would mean cooking in the dark by a lantern. It wouldn’t be the first time and likely wouldn’t be the last time.
For a while, he had hoped that Owen and his wife would move out there from the east, but he hadn’t heard from Owen in several weeks now. Either something had happened to him or he had decided against moving. They had never met each other, but he had liked what he’d read in Owen’s letters. The man seemed sincere in wanting what was best for his young wife.
Simon had advertised in one of the circulars back east for someone to help on an established Border Lands farm. He hadn’t gotten any inquires until Owen’s letter arrived back at the beginning of the winter. They had exchanged letters over the next six months, and for a while, he had believed Owen might actually decide to move out and give it a try.
He guessed that the other man had given up on that idea for some reason though nothing in his last letter would have pointed to that. Something probably happened to him. It was a dangerous time they were living in. He wondered what had happened to his wife, Skyler? She had sounded pretty from his description of her.
Huffing out a breath, Simon returned to hoeing weeds. There was no use in worrying over it. There might be a letter the next time he ventured into Barter Town. One never knew.
The sound of gravel crunching out front jerked him back from his thoughts. He carried the hoe over to where he’d left his rifle and picked it up after dropping the tool. He didn’t have a clue who would be venturing down his drive, but chances where it wouldn’t be anyone he knew. Most of his neighbors were in relationships and kept their distance from him since he wasn’t. A single man was considered to be a danger to their women. He didn’t blame them, but it sure made his life lonely.
When he walked around the side of the house, it was to find a large travel trailer parked in the drive. He kept the gun loosely pointed in that direction and waited for someone to emerge from the cab. Finally, the door opened and a man stepped out and held his hands up.
“I’m looking for Simon McKenzie.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Owen Smith.”
Simon lowered his gun and stared at the man. No wonder he hadn’t received a letter in a while. They had been on their way there. He smiled and stuck out his hand as he walked up.
“I’m Simon. It’s good to finally meet you face-to-face, Owen.”
The relief that crossed the other man’s face was amazing. He looked ten years younger than when he’d stepped out of the camper. He was sure it hadn’t been an easy trip to make. Looking over the other man’s shoulder, he wondered where his wife was. He didn’t have to wonder for long.
“Skyler. Come meet Simon.” He walked back over to the door and opened it.
A petite but curvy woman emerged from the camper, allowing Owen to help her to the ground. She looked to be about five feet three inches with strawberry blonde hair and the prettiest blue eyes he had ever seen. She didn’t look to be twenty-five years old, but Owen had said she was.
“Simon, this is my woman, Skyler Reynolds. Skyler, Simon owns this place. He’s invited us to live here with him.”
The pretty woman tentatively held out her hand with a strained smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was scared and unsure. He completely understood that. She didn’t know him at all and had just left a dangerous place to land in one she knew nothing about with its own dangers. Simon wasn’t sure how much Owen had told her about The Border Lands. He knew from their earlier letters that the other man hadn’t even mentioned to her that he was writing to Simon. How long had she known about him? What had Owen told her about him?
“Why don’t you come on inside and I’ll show you around. The house is enormous. I keep most of it closed off during the winter to keep the heat in one place.” He led them up the porch steps and into the darkening house.
Grabbing a lantern, he lit it and beckoned to them to follow him into the den. Then he led them into the kitchen where he set the lamp on the table and started making coffee. He figured they needed to talk some.
“I didn’t realize you were on your way out, Owen. Did something happen?”
“Yeah. I came home from work one day to find that my house was being looted and my woman had been hiding downstairs in the basement all day. It was no way to live. I took a chance that you were serious about letting us move here and loaded up and came on.”
“You’re more than welcome to live here. There’s more than enough room for you and plenty of work to keep us busy.” He risked a glance over at where Skyler sat perched on the edge of the chair as if she would fly off at any moment.
“Thank you. We appreciate it, and we’ll pull our share of the load. Skyler is an excellent cook and good with canning and such.”
He poured coffee for all three of them and sat down across the table. “Why don’t we
get you unloaded and settled in, and then I’ll fix us something to eat for dinner. I’m sure you could use an early night after the trip you’ve had. We can talk about everything in the morning.”
“Skyler can fix us something to eat while we unload, can’t you, Skyler?” Owen smiled over at the pretty woman.
“O–Of course. Does the stove work?” She glanced at it across the room.
“Sure does. I have gas and running water. No electricity out this way unless you have solar power. I’d like to put in some panels and a generator, but there’s too much to do around here just to survive.”
He sipped his coffee then stood up. “Let’s get your stuff unpacked.”
Owen stood up with him. He wanted to get them under his roof before they changed their mind. Until they had arrived a few minutes before, he hadn’t realized how much he wanted them there for the company even more than for the help around the place. He glanced over at Skyler as she stood up, looking a little lost. She was a beautiful woman who he would love to be with, but he held no illusions there at the present. She was scared, and he would never force himself on a woman. Only time would tell if there would be any affection between them.
Chapter Two
Skyler stood in the middle of the kitchen squeezing her hands together. It was all happening too fast. She had done nothing but worry and think about this over the last week. Now that she was there in the stranger’s house, she wasn’t sure how she would deal with it. Panic threatened to get the best of her. She swallowed down the sob that nearly overtook her and reached out with shaking hands to pick up the lamp. She would need it to see what was available. She would take one minute at a time for now.
