by Leah Brooke
Stormy stiffened, methodically shredding the napkin she held. “I told you I should leave.”
“No!”
All four men spoke in unison, causing the two men who walked in next to pause just inside the kitchen.
One, who stood as tall as the sheriff, smiled and offered his hand. “Hi. I’m Clay Erickson. You must be Stormy. Your brother says that your name matches your temperament. Is that true?”
His rugged features and streaks of silver at his temples did nothing to detract from the raw power emanating from him. When he placed a hand on the back of the chair across from her, she saw that he wore a scratched wedding band that spoke of physical labor, confirming her suspicion that his obviously hard body hadn’t come from a gym.
He was obviously a man in his prime and had a confidence about him that made her wonder what kind of woman had captured his heart.
And wondering if every man in Desire looked like they could break every other man she’d ever known in half without working up at sweat.
Liking their new visitor immediately, she smiled back. “Not at all. I’m sweet as honey.”
Accepting a mug from Caleb, Clay winked at her, leaning closer to be heard over the discussion going on behind him. “Uh-huh. Heard that before. I’ve got a wife just like that. Sweet as pie when she wants to be.”
The other man with him shook his head, his lips twitching as he slid the duffel bag from his shoulder to his feet. “Yeah, well her sister is the master of sweet when she wants to be. Say the wrong thing, though, and she turns into a shark.”
Clay chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling. “You’re a retired Navy SEAL. You tryin’ to tell me you’re scared of a little thing like your wife?”
“Terrified.” His eyes softened, his love for his wife apparent. “She won’t be able to stay mad for long.” Turning back to Stormy, he held out his hand. “I’m Hoyt Campbell, by the way. Clay and his brother, Rio, are married to Jesse. Jake and I are married to her sister, Nat.”
Ace poured himself a cup of coffee with the nonchalance of familiarity. “We took a vote. You’re safer here.”
Devlin shook his head, handing Hoyt a cup of coffee. “No. Sorry, Ace. This isn’t a democracy.”
Clay pulled out a chair and lowered his large frame into it, his gaze sharpening on her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Feeling comfortable with him, Stormy leaned forward, hoping that the others, deep into their argument, wouldn’t hear her. Curious, and eager to learn more about Logan’s friends, Stormy propped her chin on her hand again and leaned forward. “How does that work—you and your brother sharing a wife? Do you get jealous of each other? Logan told me a little about this town, and I know that a lot of you are like him.”
Stormy shuddered, trying to imagine a man as big as Clay Erickson using his strength against his wife.
Clay shared a look with Hoyt. “Like Logan? In what way?”
To Stormy’s mortification, Caleb dropped into the chair next to her. “Stormy found out that Logan is a Dominant.” He stared into her eyes, his gaze assessing. “She thinks that the men in Desire are all arrogant and bossy. She thinks they abuse their wives and even beat them. Don’t you, darlin’?”
Clay’s mouth dropped open. “What?”
Ace must have been half-listening to their conversation because he paused and spun toward the table. “Who the hell’s beating their wife?”
Devlin sighed, searching her features. “We told her that it doesn’t happen, but she won’t believe us. Doesn’t seem to trust us worth a damn.”
Shaking his head, Hoyt pushed his cup aside, a muscle working in his jaw. “That doesn’t happen here. I’m relatively new in town, but I already know that protecting women is the number one priority, something I agree with wholeheartedly. You have no idea of the uproar you caused by putting yourself in danger. Every available man was on their way to you when Lucas sent out a text to say that they had everything under control.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Lucas eyed her steadily even though he spoke to the others. “We appreciate the help, but we can handle this. By the way, Stormy, if any man in town hurts their woman, he would lose his rights to her. She’d be under the protection of the men in town, and he would be forced to leave.”
Stormy smiled, not believing them. “I have internet access. I know what my brother is—the kind of things he does to women.” Her face burning, she rose, struggling to tamp down the hurt that sliced through her each time she thought about her beloved brother’s attitude toward the women he dated.
Dominated.
Folding her arms over her chest against the sudden chill, she backed away from the table. “You all claim to be protective of women, but I think that’s only an excuse to be chauvinistic. None of you say anything about respecting them.”
Caleb stiffened as Stormy abruptly left the room and jumped up to follow her, shaking his head at Devlin as he attempted to do the same. “Let me talk to her.”
He found her sitting in the chair by the fireplace, staring at the window.
Irritated that she wouldn’t look at him, he lowered himself to the end of the sofa across from her.
“I think you have the wrong impression.”
Leaning back, she closed her eyes as if the day had been too much for her. “Do I?”
“You do.” Crossing one leg over the other, he waited silently for her to look at him again, determined to get her to bed as soon as possible.
He couldn’t forget how much she’d been through in the last few days, more than any woman should ever have to endure.
When she finally opened her eyes, the pain in them knotted his stomach. “Are you a Dominant, too?”
Knowing that getting closer to her would only upset her more, Caleb inclined his head, holding her gaze. He wouldn’t lie to her. “Yes.”
The flash of fear in her eyes nearly had him rushing to her, but he strongly suspected that any advance would only scare her more.
Swallowing audibly, Stormy twisted her hands together on her lap. “You were so gentle. Is that how you lure women in?”
Tuning out the argument that continued in the kitchen, Caleb leaned closer, turning on the light to see her better. “Do you think Dominants can’t be gentle?”
Frowning, she pursed her lips and looked down again. “No. I think they enjoy hurting women and use protecting them and giving them pleasure as an excuse to do it.”
Caleb’s gut clenched at the growing suspicion that a man had hurt her.
Badly.
Watching her closely, he rose and began to approach her, almost stopping when he saw the flicker of alarm in her eyes.
He kept moving, though, determined to get to the bottom of her issues so they could move forward.
Holding her gaze, he knelt in front of her, purposely positioning himself lower than her, and took her hand in both of his. “Who hurt you?”
He kept his voice low to appear as non-threatening and intimate as possible, his position keeping her from escaping as well as enabling him to see her better. Because he held his thumb over her inner wrist, he felt her pulse quicken.
A long pause followed, and braced for her to jump up, he continued to stare into her eyes.
Blowing out a breath, she pulled her hand away. “A man. A man who had the power while I was vulnerable. I swore to myself that I’d never allow myself to be that vulnerable again.”
Glancing toward the kitchen, she allowed a small smile at Ace’s low curse. “It sounds like Lucas is getting his way. So, what’s the plan?”
Caleb lifted her hand to his lips, bending over her as he rose. “This discussion isn’t over.”
Lifting her chin, Stormy gave him one of the fake smiles that pissed him off. “Yes, Caleb. It is. Are you going to tell me the plan or not? I hope it’s that I can leave because I don’t want anyone hurt because of me.”
“We’re all leaving within the hour.”
A glint of light appeared on the wall, the glin
t of the setting sun reflecting off of an approaching object.
Caleb spun and pulled the gun from his waistband at the small of his back, just in time to see four men with automatic weapons jump out of the black SUV that skidded to a stop out front.
“Incoming!”
Spinning again, he knocked Stormy, chair and all, to the ground just as the front window shattered.
Chapter Twelve
Having the breath knocked out of her, Stormy struggled to get air into her lungs. “Get off of me. I need to get my gun.”
A rush of activity and curses came from the kitchen, followed by the sound of the back door being shoved open while boots appeared in her line of vision and raced past her.
The top half of Caleb’s body eased off of her slightly, allowing her to lift herself to her elbows and take a deep breath.
“Four.”
“Got it.” Devlin’s deep voice came from the front door behind her. “Ready?”
Hoyt’s deep voice came from somewhere behind her and to her right. “Go.”
The front door opened with a crash, and Caleb covered her completely again. “Stop squirming. Stay put, damn it!”
“Get the hell off of me!” She used her elbows to pull herself forward, listening to the gunfire coming from the front and side of the house. “I want my gun.”
“It’ll be over before you get it.” He pulled the chair between her and the front of the house. “Stay here. There’s glass everywhere.”
The shooting ended as abruptly as it had begun, not lasting more than a minute.
Caleb rose to his feet just as Devlin came rushing back in. “Did you get all four?”
“Yeah. Ace is calling for an ambulance now.” Devlin appeared at her side, crouching next to her and running a hand over her hair. “You okay, darlin’?”
Stormy nodded, sucking in a breath as he helped her sit up. “I’m fine.”
Running his hands over her, he frowned and tilted her forward to run his hands over her back and sides. “Are you sure?” Sitting her up again, he ran his hands over her breasts and down to her thighs. “Caleb did a good job of keeping you from getting glass all over you.”
Sucking in a breath, Stormy trembled when the hand at her thigh lifted again to her waist. “Yeah.”
She gripped his forearms, her breath quickening when he leaned closer, his hand sliding under her shirt.
Cupping her breast, he ran his thumb unerringly over her nipple, his eyes flaring at her gasp. “You really are incredibly responsive.”
She slapped his hands away, her face burning as hotly as the rest of her. “Stop that.” Stunned by the sharp awareness, she pushed at him. “Move so I can get up.”
Devlin moved back, giving her space, but instead of letting her stand as she’d expected, he bent and lifted her over his shoulder.
“Hey!” Having never been in such a position before, she slapped at his back, trying not to admire his fine ass. “Put me down.”
A sharp slap stung her bottom, her instinctive panic and feminine outrage giving way to erotic curiosity when his hand remained, rubbing her bottom affectionately as he pressed his lips against her hip “Behave. There’s glass all over the floor.”
He bent again, lowering her to one of the kitchen chairs with a gentleness that made her smile. “Don’t move.”
Tired of being bossed around and made to feel incompetent, Stormy snorted inelegantly. “Kiss my ass. You’re all too damned bossy.”
Devlin smiled at her over his shoulder while already making his way back toward the living room. “Darlin’, I’ll take you up on kissing your gorgeous ass the first chance I get, but for now, stay where you are.” He narrowed his eyes, the devious glint in them making her heart beat faster. “You have no idea how much pleasure my bossiness can give you.”
“Not happening.”
His lips curved, the decadent promise in his smile beading her nipples. “As soon as you realize you can trust me, your curiosity won’t let you resist finding out the pleasure you’re capable of.” With a slow wink, he turned away.
Stormy stared after him, unable to keep from admiring his ass and wide back as he disappeared into the other room.
Restless, and disconcerted to find herself sexually aroused by Devlin as well as Caleb, she rose and moved slowly to the window.
Gripping the counter on either side of the sink, she closed her eyes and bowed her head, the ice that had formed around her heart melting a little with each slow breath.
Feelings she hadn’t ever expected to have rose inside her, so intense it hurt.
Caleb, and then Devlin.
Each had a disturbing effect on her that she hadn’t expected, one that shook her foundation and ripped at walls that had protected her for most of her life.
The way Devlin talked about her accepting, and even enjoying, his bossiness led to the assumption that he was also a Dominant.
She should have been repulsed.
Wondering why the hell she wasn’t, she opened her eyes and lifted her head again to look out the window.
Watching Lucas, Hoyt, and Ace watch over the injured men, Stormy sighed.
How could someone who’d endured what she had ever hope to submit to a Dominant?
Her breath caught when Lucas lifted his head, pinning her with his sharp gaze.
Raising a brow, silently asking her what was wrong, he kept his gun trained on the man sitting on the ground in front of him.
Swallowing heavily, she shook her head, her attempt at a smile failing miserably.
His eyes narrowed in disapproval, his lips thinning in impatience as if he knew she wanted to hide something from him.
She couldn’t let him see that he intimidated her, so lifting her chin, she tightened her hands into fists on the edge of the sink, determined not to be the first to look away.
Both of his dark brows went up, a small smile tugging at his lips before his eyes narrowed again.
His gaze sharpened, lifting slightly over her head just before warm hands closed over her waist.
“It appears Lucas is becoming just as enthralled with you as Devlin and I are.” Caleb rested his chin on the top of her head, his hands moving from her waist to her hips and back again.
Resisting the urge to lean back against him, Stormy stiffened, still watching Lucas. Regretfully turning away from the window, she looked from him to Devlin, who leaned against the doorway, both men watching her intently.
“You’re like Clay and Hoyt, aren’t you? You share women.”
Caleb inclined his head, his hand fisting on the edge of the sink. “We do.”
Nodding, Stormy forced a smile, her dreams of taking a lover dissolving into nothingness. “Lucas, too?”
Something flickered in Caleb’s eyes. “Yes.”
“And you’re all Dominants, of course.”
Caleb took a step closer, stopping abruptly when she hurriedly took a step back. “Yes, but you have no reason to be afraid of us. We would never hurt you.”
Wrapping her arms around herself, Stormy laughed humorlessly. “You won’t get the chance. I have no intention of falling for the smooth words you use to get women to submit to you no matter how good looking you are.”
Devlin’s eyes narrowed. “Glad you think so.”
Surprised that he focused on the compliment and completely ignored the rest, Stormy headed for the back door. “I’m not blind, and I’m sure as hell not stupid. I need some air.”
She made her way outside and to the corner of the house, leaning against it just as the ambulances pulled into the yard.
Impressed when Lucas, Hoyt, and Ace seemed to immediately sense her presence and turned as one, Stormy let her gaze slide over each of theirs.
Her breath caught again when she looked into Lucas’s eyes, and she found herself looking at him far longer than she’d intended before she finally got the willpower to look away.
Two other cars pulled in, capturing her attention.
One was obviously one o
f the sheriff’s deputies, who glanced at her, inclining his head in acknowledgement and respect before looking away to take in the scene before him.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him approach the sheriff but found her attention drawn to the man who got out of the other car.
With his shoulders back, he strode leisurely toward the others as if he had all the time in the world. Glancing at her, he inclined his head, a small smile playing at his lips.
Another fucking Alpha.
Hell, the town appeared to be full of them.
He strode straight to Lucas, gesturing in her direction before reaching into his pocket and producing a small box.
Lucas glanced at her and accepted the box, tucking it into his pocket with a frown, and replied to whatever the other man said.
She continued to watch the body language of all five men and couldn’t help but smile at the easy way they interacted, despite the fact that each of them moved and carried themselves as the Alphas they were.
If Sam Kline moved and held himself the way the men in Desire did, he would have had more respect from the men he dealt with.
With a sigh, she watched the ambulances pull away, wondering how many of the men in front of her would be hurt before it was over.
She found her gaze drawn to Lucas again, wishing she knew what he and the other man spoke about so intently, especially when Hoyt walked over and joined them.
Soon, the three of them were deep in conversation, their occasional glances in her direction telling her that she was the subject of their discussion.
She had a strong suspicion that if she walked over to them, their conversation would end, so she decided to watch them for a while to see if their body language would tell her anything.
Or give her any clues of how she could get away from them before one of them got hurt.
* * * *
Lucas tucked the box into his pocket, glancing at Stormy. “Thanks, Jake. I appreciate you bringing this over.”
Jake waved a hand dismissively. “It’s nothing. Christ, I can’t believe she’s got so many people out to kill her.” With his hands on his hips, he glanced back at Stormy. “I have to admit, though, that I’m curious about the ankle bracelet. It’s gaudy as hell—not your usual style.”
