Beauty and the Beasts [Bride Train 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Reece Butler

  “What do you want first?” asked Luke.

  “The most important,” said Oz. He stood with his feet apart and hands on his hips, like a gunslinger.

  “I met Sarah on the road, driving the buggy all by herself. I asked her for the last time, and she agreed to be my wife. She’s going into partnership with Mary Barstow. She’ll drive herself into town with her own buggy and—”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” said Gabe. He strode over and held his arms up to her. “Let’s get you down from there first.” Luke squawked, but she went to Gabe’s arms with a smile. He kissed her tenderly. “You really all right?”

  “I am now.”

  He set her down near Oz, who gave her a quick hug and released her.

  “What the hell were you doing to let Sarah leave town all alone?” yelled Gabe at Luke. “Do I have to pound some sense into you again?”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Oz shook his head at his partners. He unhooked the horse from the buggy and began leading it around to cool down. It didn’t matter what happened between Sarah and Luke, or was about to happen between Luke and Gabe. Sarah was well, she was happy with Mary helping with her bakery, and she’d marry Luke. That’s all he needed to know. The other three had a bit to work out, though.

  “I was doing something and couldn’t get away,” said Luke to Gabe. He dismounted and stood the same way as Gabe, legs apart and hands on his hips. “Sarah’s fine, and no, I don’t need you, or anyone else, pounding me.”

  The two men stared at each other as Oz took the tack off the horse and gave it a good rubdown. When he was done he almost tripped over Oliver, who dashed out from under his feet. Daisy saw him and erupted, barking furiously. She chased the cat past the cabin, toward the tall pines beyond.

  “Oh, no!” cried Sarah. “I’ll never be able to rest if he’s caught in a tree.”

  “He can get down by himself,” said Luke calmly. He and Gabe looked at Sarah.

  Sarah grimaced. “That’s what you said before.”

  “And it’s true.” He held up his hand before she could reply. “Do you trust me, Sarah? Really trust me?”

  She stiffened and stepped back. She looked away, after the cat, so Oz couldn’t see her expression. After a moment she turned back, her head high.

  “Yes, I trust you.” She held out her arm. “Shall we go inside? Supper’s in the buggy.”

  “What about Oliver?” asked Gabe.

  Sarah looked up at Luke. She smiled into his eyes. “If Luke says my cat can climb down, then he will.”

  Gabe snorted at Luke. “And how do you know that?”

  Luke pulled Sarah into a hug. “Because the damn cat almost whipped his tail in my face as he passed me, going down.”

  “That why you were late going to town?”

  Luke nodded at Gabe, then shrugged sheepishly. Gabe snorted and turned away.

  “Going down?” Sarah frowned. “Down what?”

  Luke pointed up the hill past the cabin. “See that big pine with the white mark?”

  “That white mark is my cat,” she replied.

  “That’s the same tree he climbed this afternoon, when Daisy chased him the last time.”

  “And you climbed that?”

  Luke rubbed Sarah’s arms as he nodded.

  “Why?”

  “Because I wasn’t going to let a trio of bullies, who turned into the worst scum of the earth, dictate how I live my life.”

  “Was it hard to climb all that way up?”

  “Not at all. It was getting down that damn near killed me.” He barked a laugh, but quickly sobered. “After Oliver passed me, and I swear that cat was laughing, I had to climb down. I thought my heart would stop. In fact, it might have.”

  He pressed her hand against his chest. She hugged him.

  “But I knew if I didn’t find it in myself to climb down, I didn’t deserve your love. It didn’t matter that I would die. Everyone dies sometime. What mattered was that I’d die without having you stand beside me, as my wife. I’d never wake in the morning and see you sleeping on my pillow. I’d never hear you scream my name, as you scream with Gabe and Oz. And I’d never see you swell with a child.”

  Oz watched a hot flush blast Sarah’s face, but she didn’t look away from Luke.

  “I don’t care which of us puts that child in you, Sarah. Every one of your children will be mine. Just as it will be Gabe’s. Even Oz, though he swore he’d never be a father, will have children to love.”

  Oz’s heart pounded at the thought, but he didn’t interrupt the exchange.

  Luke laughed. “I love you, Sarah. I’ve loved you since the first moment I saw you.”

  “I know that, you idiot. Even when you made me furious, I couldn’t help wanting you.” She poked him with her finger. “Are you going to kiss me properly?”

  “Damn right! I’m going to prove that I’m at least as good a lover as my partners.” He brushed a kiss across her lips.

  “Are you up for the challenge?”

  Luke groaned a laugh at her question. “You’ll have to answer that in the morning.”

  Chapter Forty

  Luke lifted her and walked toward the front door of the original cabin. Though the evening was growing cool, every inch of her skin burned with need. Her pussy throbbed, hot and damp. She rubbed her breasts against Luke. He turned her sideways and carried her into the cabin. Light shone into the back of the cabin.

  “You cut the door through!”

  “Yep,” said Gabe. “None of us could sleep, so we got the job done. We still have to frame it, so be careful not to get splinters going through.”

  “The door is cut, but it’s going to be closed. And locked,” said Luke. “So is this one.” He set her down, keeping her close. “This is my wedding night, and we’d appreciate some privacy.”

  “Sure thing,” said Oz. He gave her a sizzling look as if wondering where he’d start when he did touch her. “We’ll empty the buggy. You said something about supper?”

  “Yes. Be careful because there’s a few pies which I don’t want dropped.”

  Oz rubbed his belly. “You take as long as you want with your weddin’ night. Gabe and me, we’ll introduce ourselves to some of your wife’s baking.”

  “I’m not Luke’s wife yet,” she said.

  “Give me ten minutes and all that will be missing is a few words by a preacher,” whispered Luke.

  “Ten minutes!” Oz laughed as he pushed Gabe out the front door. “I hope that’s only the first time, or this lady is going to be mighty disappointed in her husband. But that’s fine with me, ’cause then we can show her the right way to make love.”

  Luke locked the front door and covered the window, then shut the new door between the old and new cabins. While the walls were of thick logs, the door was composed of boards.

  “You realize every sound we make will be heard on the other side,” said Luke.

  Sarah started on her buttons. “Then we’d better make sure we make lots of noise. They’ll be so jealous…”

  Luke strode over to her. He rested his hands on her shoulders and smiled down at her. “I like the way you think.”

  He leaned down, his dark eyes shining. She smiled and opened her mouth to him. His kiss was gentle to start, just a brush across her lips. She touched his tongue with hers. He put his hands on her cheeks and held her still as he slowly, thoroughly kissed her.

  “It’s been a long time,” he said when they broke apart to breathe. “I’m not going to last long.”

  “Good,” she whispered. “That means we can do it again, right after.”

  “God, I hope so,” he moaned. “I want to see your body. All of it.”

  “Then help me get all this off.”

  His fingers took over from her. He went so fast she thought he yanked a few stubborn buttons right off her dress. He groaned when he found she wore a shift underneath.

  “I had to wear all sorts of clothes in town,” she explained. “I’ve even got drawers
on.”

  “Not for long.”

  Within moments he had her down to nothing. “I want to see you in the light,” he said as his clothes flew off. “But that will have to wait until tomorrow.”

  She looked at his bruised body and winced. “I think you need me to kiss it better.”

  He licked his lips. “Which ‘it’ do you mean?”

  She stepped close enough for her erect nipples to brush against his chest. That meant his cock touched her belly. He closed his eyes, fists clenched at his sides, and groaned. She lifted one fist and turned the knuckles up.

  “This one here,” she whispered, and kissed a scrape. “And this one.” She pressed her lips against the yellowing bruise on his ribs. “And this one looks really swollen.” She dropped to her knees and took the bulb of his cock in her mouth.

  He inhaled a hiss and then exhaled a groan.

  “If you do that, I won’t be able to stop, and I want to come inside you the first time.”

  She rose to her feet, letting his cock drag against her breasts and belly. There was no table in the room anymore, but a sturdy chair sat by the stove with a cushion on it. She strolled over and looked. Black-and-white short hairs proved who’d been using the cushion. She bent over and rested her hands on the chair seat. She turned her head and gave Luke a welcoming smile. It took him a minute to notice that her face, as well as her posterior, looked his way.

  “I’m ready, if you are. Hot, and wet, and needing your cock right here.” She waggled her bottom at him and spread her feet a bit farther apart. She arched her bottom high in added encouragement.

  Two steps and his hands grasped her hips. He guided his cock into her in one slow, steady push. He was big, like his partners. She’d gone without for two days, and it felt like the first time. She was at a fever pitch, having anticipated hot sex since that morning. All day, and especially while jouncing in that buggy, her pussy had begged for a hard cock.

  He pulled out, equally slowly, and back in again. She moved her feet so her thighs were together and squeezed. She wanted him fast and hard, not tantalizingly slow.

  “Sarah,” he growled, “if you do that I’m going to explode and you won’t get your pleasure.”

  “Oh, yes I will,” she purred.

  He reached around to her clit and toyed with her, his finger touching, and then releasing. She arched her back to change his angle. His cock rubbed against that spot. She shuddered once, and then it hit.

  “Dammit!”

  Luke grabbed both her hips and slammed into her. She gripped the edge of the chair seat and held tight as he pumped.

  “Oh, yes,” she ordered. “Harder!”

  Luke growled and reached for her breasts. He kept pumping his hips while he pinched her nipples. It set her off again, and she clamped down on his cock. He roared and hauled her hips against him, pulling her hands from the chair. He stood and yanked her onto him again, and again, and then bellowed her name.

  After a moment he leaned over.

  “Sarah?” he said, panting. “Don’t ever leave us. I know I can be an ass, but don’t give up on me. On us.”

  He pulled out and turned her around for a hug. She clung to him just as hard. A drop landed on her forehead. She opened her eyes and saw his tears.

  “That was incredible. You are incredible. I can’t imagine how I could live if I lost you. The only way would be if we had children. Then I’d have to stay, for them.”

  “I don’t want you to die, either,” she said. “But if what we just shared didn’t make a baby, we’ll just have to try again tomorrow.”

  He kissed her nose. “Tomorrow? Why not now?” He guided her hand to his cock. “I’m ready right now, only this time we’ll use a bed.”

  She saw the love in his eyes, a love that she’d never seen before meeting these men. She could not let them think she’d been brutalized like Luke’s sisters. She had not been violently attacked by men she knew, her clothing ripped from her body before being taken repeatedly, and then murdered.

  No, she’d been touched by strangers who wanted a shy but willing maiden of their own for a night. She acted the part and gave them what they wanted. Other than Mr. Isaac, they hadn’t hurt her body.

  “There’s something I have to tell you. All of you.”

  “That sounds serious.”

  “Hey! You in there!” Oz pounded on the door. “Are you coming out, or can we finish the rest of supper?”

  “Shut up, Oz,” said Gabe just as loudly from the other side of the door. “Luke’s only come once. Let him catch up to us.”

  “Nah, Sarah must be hungry for food. That right, angel?”

  Sarah laughed and pulled away from Luke. “Give us ten minutes, you rascals!”

  “Ten minutes? The pie might be gone by then!”

  “If it is, I know two men who won’t be very happy tonight.”

  Silence, followed by scuffling.

  “We were only joking about the pie,” said Oz. “There’s lots. Or some. But there won’t be any if you don’t get your sweet ass out here so we can help celebrate our wedding.”

  “Our wedding?” called Luke. “I’m the husband here.”

  “And I’m the best man!”

  “Oz!” yelled Gabe from the other side of the door. “I’m the best man. You’re the second best.”

  “Let Sarah decide!”

  She dropped her forehead on Luke’s chest. He chuckled and rested his chin the top of her head.

  “I think we’re going to spend the rest of our lives trying to outdo each other,” said Luke. “Let’s tidy up and get some food in your stomach. I think it’s going to be a long night.”

  Chapter Forty-One

  “You were smart to go along with what they demanded, and survive,” said Luke. He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed her. “Thank you for telling us. I still have nightmares thinking about what my sisters must have gone through.”

  Sarah licked her finger and picked up the last few crumbs of pie crust from her plate. She’d eaten lightly, but couldn’t resist trying one of Mary’s pies. It was wonderful having someone else sharing the load. She looked around the table. Even better was having three men to love, who loved her. They knew about her past, but cherished her anyway. Just as she did them.

  “We need to find them, so we can kill them,” said Oz. He used a matter-of-fact tone, as if discussing whose turn it was to wash dishes. “Both the one who pretended to be your husband, and the one who calls himself Isaac.”

  “Miss Lily’s hired the Pinkertons to find Mr. Isaac,” said Sarah.

  “You’ll sleep better knowing he’s dead,” said Gabe.

  “Not just for myself,” she said. “But to stop him from hurting any more women. The first man was cruel, but Isaac is a vicious beast who makes Sheldrake look like a petulant child.”

  “I talked with Sophie a while ago,” said Oz. “That couple who brought Florence’s mother-in-law, Mrs. Johnston, are the same Pinkerton agents who came looking for Emma and Johnny last fall. They’re still hanging around so they can gather as much information as they can.”

  “Did you talk to them?”

  Oz nodded at Luke. “They knew I had a particular interest in this lady, here.” He winked at Sarah. “Seems they heard that I’m the best kisser in a hundred miles.”

  Gabe snorted. “If they believe that, they’re useless as agents.”

  “Well, maybe they heard it from me.” Oz ducked, but Gabe’s hand slapped his head. He rubbed it and sent daggers at Gabe, who laughed. “Anyway, they’re also looking into a few other things happening out here. The railroads have their own people investigating, but they’re sharing some information. Smythe was named, but they don’t know if he’s one of the big bugs, or just wants to be.”

  “What’s that to do with Sarah?”

  Oz flapped his hand at Luke. “Give me a minute, I’m getting to it.”

  He cleared his throat and waited for his partners to pay attention. Sarah held back a smile
at his enjoyment in pushing them.

  “They are very interested in the man calling himself Mr. Isaac. They’ve been chasing him, or someone like him, all the way from the East. There’s a trail of murdered women who all have a certain brand on their left hip.”

  “Just the one brand?”

  Oz winced at Luke’s question. He shot a look at Sarah. “I’m trying to keep things light here.”

  “It can’t be worse than anything I heard while I was locked up,” she replied.

  “You sure you want to hear this?”

  “No, but say what we need to know.”

  “The only thing the women had in common was the one brand. Some had other…burns, and many had broken bones and, ah, injuries.” Oz rubbed his hands over his face, grimaced, and leaned forward. “He needs killing, in the worst way. I said Ross MacDougal might be interested in talking with them about his bit of difficulty. It was a while ago, but there might be a connection. Those types tend to find each other. They’re worse than jackals. They work together to get what they want, and then kill to keep it all and destroy the evidence.”

  Oz stood up and hauled Sarah from her chair. He sat and held her close. “Hold me, angel. Just thinking about those sons-a-bitches touching you, Molly, or any other woman or child, makes me hurt to the bone.”

  She held him, for her sake as well as his. After a few moments she leaned back. She looked at Gabe and Luke. She wanted to change the mood. It was almost her wedding night, and she had three men who loved her.

  “You want help getting rid of those nasty thoughts so we can all sleep?”

  The sudden silence was tense for a second before their arousal hit.

  “Sleep?” Gabe’s eyes devoured her. “I hope you weren’t planning on sleeping much tonight.”

  The quick orgasm she’d had with Luke was a distant memory. A trickle of awareness, one which hadn’t even gone out while she was away for two days, increased to a thin stream.

  “We got plans for you, angel,” said Oz. His eyes seemed to look through her thick cotton nightgown.

  “I’m going to prove your husband is also your best man,” said Luke confidently.