by Becca Van
Tom led the way down the hallway to the bedroom, Billy, Nanette, and Luke following behind. Tom heard Luke suck in a breath as he saw Felicity’s battered and bruised face. He was glad to see she looked like she was sleeping comfortably, and he didn’t really want to disturb her, but knew it was best to get the business side of things over and done with. He knew Luke needed to question her so he could take down her statement. Tom watched as Nanette tried to wake Felicity as gently as she could. She stroked Felicity’s forehead and called her name. Felicity didn’t budge.
Tom was becoming concerned, so he walked to the bed, sat down on the side, placed his hand on Felicity’s shoulder, and gently shook her, demanding, “Felicity, wake up.”
Still, she didn’t move or make any noise to indicate she had heard him. “Wake the fuck up, damn it,” Tom bellowed, beyond worried for the small woman.
Tom sighed with relief when Felicity groaned at the sound of his voice.
* * * *
She didn’t want to wake up. She knew if she did she would only feel pain. But the hand on her shoulder and the voice near her ear bellowing at her were so insistent she couldn’t ignore them for long. She slowly opened her eyes, thankful the room was dim. Someone must have pulled the curtains over the window to keep the sunlight out. Her vision was blurry, but she could make out four people in the room. She recognized Nanette, Tom, and Billy but couldn’t work out who else was there. In the end she was too tired to care. Her eyelids became too heavy to keep open, and they began to drift closed again.
“Felicity, don’t you dare go back to sleep. Open your eyes, baby. Sheriff Luke Sun-Walker wants to ask you a few questions. He also needs to take some photos of your face and chest for evidence. Come on, baby, open those eyes,” Tom demanded.
Felicity groaned again, lifted her arms, and cradled her aching head in her hands. She just wanted to be left alone and go back to sleep, but knew Tom wouldn’t leave her alone until he had what he wanted. She opened her eyes once more, feeling sick to her stomach as everything moved unnaturally before her vision. A large man she’d never seen before was standing close to Tom’s side.
“Felicity, this is Sheriff Luke Sun-Walker. He needs to ask you a few questions about James.”
“Hi, Felicity,” Luke said in a quiet, gentle voice as he knelt down on the floor beside her. “I know you’re in pain, sweetheart, so I’ll try not to keep you awake too long. Can you tell me what James did to you?”
“Water,” Felicity croaked out from between her parched lips. She was grateful when Tom and Luke helped her to a half-sitting, half-reclining position against the pillows. Tom made sure her body was covered decently with the quilt, and Luke held the glass to her lips, letting Felicity sip a few times until she pushed the glass away.
Felicity continued to tell him all the details, up until she had hit her head. “He was standing over me, and I knew he was going to try and r–rape me, so I kicked him. He punched m–me. I don’t remember what h–happened after th–that,” Felicity finished on a sob.
“It’s okay, baby. He can’t hurt you anymore. He didn’t get to you. Jack found him hurting you and knocked him out,” Tom crooned in a soft voice as he smoothed a hand up and down her arm.
“I’m sorry I’ve had to upset you, Felicity, but I need to know more. Tom said Jack found you with your shirt ripped open. Did he hurt you, honey? Did he touch you where he shouldn’t have?” asked Luke.
“I–I–I don’t remember,” Felicity sobbed out.
“Shh, it’s okay now. That’s okay. You may remember later. I need to take some photos of your face and chest, Felicity. Will you let me do that, so I can charge James when we find him?”
“You can’t find him? Where is he?” Felicity asked, letting her fear show.
“It’s all right. Don’t you worry about a thing, sweetheart. I’ll find him, and when I do, he’ll be in jail for a long time. Will you let me take those photos, sweetheart?” Luke asked again.
Felicity clutched the sheet and blankets to her chest, curling herself into a small ball. “I…I can’t.”
“Shh, that’s okay. What if I give the camera to Nanette and we let her take the photos? Can you deal with that?”
“Okay,” Felicity agreed with a sniff, wiping a hand over her cheeks, wincing in pain as she touched her bruised face.
“Good girl. We’ll leave the room and leave you in Nanette’s capable hands. You just rest up and get better, all right? If you remember anything else, you let Nanette, Tom, or Billy know and they’ll give me a call. Take care, sweetheart,” Luke stated gently. Felicity watched as Tom and Billy left the room, Luke following after handing the digital camera over to Nanette.
* * * *
Luke looked up at Nanette when she handed the digital camera over to him without a word. She turned her back on him, trying to conceal her tears, but he had seen them and was worried about what he’d find on the camera.
Luke turned the camera on and knew the other two men could see his jaw clenching with anger the more he looked at the pictures. He wanted to find that bastard and kill him but, being the law, knew he would have to do everything by the book. Seeing Felicity, so small and fragile, with bruises marring her flesh had his whole body tense with anger. He looked up at Tom and Billy to see them eying him. He handed the digital camera over to Tom and Billy, not surprised when Billy slammed his fist down on the table. He wanted to do the same thing.
“We had Doc check her out. The bruising and swelling you saw. She’s also got a concussion. Doc says we need to keep waking her every hour for the next twenty-four hours, then every four hours after that. She was sick when Doc was here, and he was thinking of putting her in the hospital,” Tom stated.
“Son of a bitch,” Luke hissed through clenched teeth. He eyed the two men and knew they had feelings for the little woman. He wanted to haul her out of here and take her to his place behind the sheriff’s station. Luke knew she was the woman meant for him as soon as he had seen her beautiful, bruised face. He just wondered if the two men in front of him had any claim over her. Luke knew the two brothers shared women and were also dominant men who liked to be in control in the bedroom. Luke was also a dominant man, but had never thought about sharing a woman with anyone before. He tried to picture these two men pleasuring Felicity in front of him while he participated. He was surprised when he began to get hard.
“Are you two dating Felicity?” Luke asked as he took a sip of coffee from his mug.
“Not yet, but we’re working on it. Why?” asked Tom.
“I want in,” Luke replied, holding Tom’s gaze with his own. There was no way in hell he was backing down. He wanted Felicity just as much, if not more, than the two men in front of him.
“Fuck it, Luke,” Tom said as he wiped his hand down over his face. “I don’t know how we are going to get that woman interested in one of us, let alone three, after what she’s just been through. She’s only been at the ranch a few weeks. We were trying to give her time to settle in before we made a move on her. I don’t know what to do now that fucking asshole has abused her.”
“I’m not going to back off. I’m not going to stand back and watch you two claim her. I want her just as much you do,” Luke stated quietly, but firmly.
Luke turned his head as he heard Nanette stomping over to the large dining table. She made him jump as she slammed down a pot of coffee and glared at him and his two friends.
“I know I am only the cook and housekeeper, but I can’t believe you three are talking this way about that little girl right now. She has only just been hurt. If I catch any of you putting the moves on that woman and scaring her, you will answer to me. Do you understand?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Luke and his friends replied then grinned at each other when Nanette harrumphed and stomped away.
“I’d better get back to the office. I’ll have an APB out on James within half an hour,” Luke said as he rose to his feet. He was about to get into his truck when he turned back to Tom a
nd Billy. “I’ll be back for dinner. You’d better let Nanette know. I’ll also be staying in the spare room from now on.”
Luke saw Tom look at Billy, but his friend didn’t reply as he got into his truck and drove away. He knew by the expression on his friends’ faces they didn’t really want to share Felicity with him, but his friends knew he wasn’t about to back off.
Chapter Three
Felicity drifted in and out of sleep over the next twenty-four hours. Tom, Billy, and Sheriff Luke Sun-Walker took turns in waking her up throughout the night. The three men made sure she had a few sips of water every time they woke her up. She was getting mighty sick and tired of having them disturb her sleep, asking her stupid questions like what her name was, what day it was, et cetera.
Felicity finally woke up around lunchtime the next day, feeling tired, groggy, wrung out, and sore. Her face was hurting like a bitch, but at least her head wasn’t throbbing as much anymore. Felicity climbed out of bed, took a shower, got dressed, and went to the kitchen looking for some coffee. She wasn’t hungry, but coffee was definitely in the cards. She walked into the kitchen to see everyone crowded around the dining table, eating their lunch. She was surprised to see Sheriff Luke Sun-Walker sitting in the chair closest to the doorway, sharing a meal with her employers. She hadn’t met the sheriff until she had been hurt, and now it seemed he was spending all his time with Tom and Billy. She had a hazy memory of Luke waking her up during the night, asking her questions, and giving her water to drink.
The chattering in the room stopped as all eyes turned toward her. Felicity felt her cheeks heat and lowered her eyes to the floor. She looked up again when she heard the scrape of a chair, and then she was being led to a spare seat beside the sheriff. Nanette bustled over, handed Felicity a mug of coffee, and placed an empty plate with utensils in front of her. She gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder before hurrying back over to the kitchen.
“How are you feeling, baby?” Tom asked from across the table.
“I’m fine,” Felicity replied automatically.
“Well, you look like death warmed up. What are you doing out of bed? Doc said you had to take it easy,” Billy asked from beside her.
“I’m fine, really,” Felicity reiterated with a smile then winced as she felt pain pull at where her lip had been split.
“I think you should be back in bed, honey,” Luke stated. He gently placed a finger beneath her chin and tilted her head toward him. She saw him studying her face and frowning as he looked at her. Felicity pulled her face away from the sheriff, lowered her eyes to the table as she picked up her mug of coffee. She tried to hide the wince of pain as the hot fluid connected with her split lip.
“Jack, I want to thank you for helping me. Tom told me what you did. So thanks,” Felicity said as she looked at her foreman.
Jack didn’t reply, just gave her a smile and shrug of his shoulders then looked away again.
Felicity felt like an intruder. Ever since she had walked into the dining room, the men had stopped talking, and they were all staring at her. She picked up her coffee, stood up, and headed to the back door.
Luke grabbed her wrist gently, stopping her progress, then asked her, “Where are you going? You haven’t had anything to eat. You should eat something.”
“I’m not hungry, and I was just going to the back veranda for some fresh air. Not that it’s any of your business,” Felicity replied coolly, pulling her wrist from Luke’s grasp and heading out.
Felicity sat down on the large bench swing seat, breathing in the fresh country air, her eyes wandering over the beautiful Colorado countryside. She finished her coffee, lifted her legs up, curled them beneath her, and let the sway of the swing comfort her. She didn’t feel her eyes close as exhaustion from her head injury had her sliding into sleep, yet again.
Felicity screamed at James as he grabbed her. “Let me go, you son of a bitch.” Instead of letting her go, he slammed his mouth down on hers, thrusting his hips into her stomach. She whimpered as she struggled to free herself, then gagged as the bastard shoved his tongue down her throat. She bit down hard on his tongue. She had just enough time to turn her head, spit his blood from her mouth, before pain exploded across her mouth and cheek as he slapped her. She cried out as her head hit the timber on the side of the stall. His hands gripped her shirt, ripping it open, exposing her breasts to his lecherous eyes. She tried to kick and scratch him. She saw his fist coming from her peripheral vision and knew she was in real deep trouble.
“Felicity, wake up,” a loud voice demanded.
Felicity opened her eyes, still whimpering as the remnants of her dream slowly faded away. She became aware of the fact that she was sitting on Sheriff Luke Sun-Walker’s lap, his arms banded around her arms and waist as he rocked her gently. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks. Felicity tried to bury her head into Luke’s chest to hide her fear and embarrassment from him, but he wouldn’t let her. He moved her back slightly and gently lifted her eyes up to his. She caught sight of Tom and Billy sitting on either side and knew they had seen her tears. She took a few deep breaths, getting her emotions back under control, and wiped the tears from her cheeks as Luke loosened his hold on her. Then she lowered her head again.
“Sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for, baby. None of this was your fault,” Tom stated firmly.
“I must have done something to make him think I wanted his touch. I think I should leave. I can get a job anywhere,” Felicity said with a shudder.
“You will not be leaving from this ranch. You signed a twelve-month contract, and I’m not letting you break it,” Tom replied, his voice hard as steel.
Felicity knew she didn’t have a leg to stand on. She had signed that contract, and if she broke it, her two employers had every right to sue her for breaching it. She felt utterly mortified that she hadn’t tried to get off Luke’s lap and pushed against his arms, surprised when he let her go immediately. She turned to face the three men on the bench swing to apologize again for the trouble she’d caused with James. She didn’t say anything. The three men were staring at her with so much heat and hunger in their eyes she felt a blush creep up over her cheeks, heating her bruised flesh. She opened her mouth to say something, snapped it closed again when words failed her, turned on her heel, and stormed back inside.
* * * *
Felicity recovered over the next few days. She was feeling much better and wanted to get back to work. Her employers and the sheriff wouldn’t let her until she had the all clear from Doc. Felicity had no idea why the sheriff was staying at the Double E Ranch, but didn’t think it was any of her business, so she didn’t ask.
Felicity felt as if she was going stir crazy by the end of the week. She had a bad case of cabin fever. She wanted, no, needed to get out of the house and off the front porch before she blew a fuse. She knew Tom and Billy were in their office catching up on paperwork and the sheriff was in town at work. She quietly walked into the kitchen, told Nanette she was going to drive to town for a few female necessities, and took off. She gave a sigh of relief, her tension draining away for the first time in a week. The three men currently residing in the ranch house were beginning to get to her, and she was looking forward to the time away from them. Every time they came within reach, they would stroke her hair, arms or back. She was becoming sexually frustrated and relished the idea of an afternoon of freedom. She wondered what they would do if they knew she was beginning to crave their touch. Probably run away after she gave them what they wanted. She wasn’t stupid enough to think they wanted any more from her than her body. She was just as determined not to give in to them.
Felicity had been raised by an elderly aunt, after the death of her parents in a boating accident. Felicity had been so young she couldn’t even remember her parents. Of course she had photos of them, but she couldn’t actually remember them herself. Her Aunt Sally had been fifteen years older than her mom and hadn’t had an affectionate bone in her body.
She had given Felicity every materialistic thing she had ever needed, but the one thing she had pined for had never been forthcoming from her spinster aunt. She had never hugged her or told her she loved her. By the time Felicity’s aunt had died at the age of sixty-five, Felicity had just turned seventeen. Felicity had thought she would always have a home with her aunt, but had been surprised to find out the elderly woman had been destitute on death. Unbeknownst to Felicity, her Aunt Sally had spent her days at a casino, gambling away her money. She realized Aunt Sally must have been as lonely as Felicity had felt and had tried to compensate the lack of people in her life with the thrill of gambling. If Felicity had known, she may have made more of an effort to touch her aunt’s heart.
Felicity pushed her thoughts away as she pulled into the parking lot of the local pharmacy. She collected the items every female needed, paid for them, then decided to take a stroll up and down the main street. She looked into shop windows, sighing over feminine clothing items she knew she would never have the chance to wear. She was heading back on the opposite side of the street and saw the local diner was open. She pushed the door open, entered, and took a seat in a secluded booth. She ordered a glass of lemonade as she watched the citizens of Slick Rock, Colorado, go about their daily chores. She had always loved the country and knew there was no way she would ever survive living in the city again. She hated the hustle and bustle of the city, as well as the smog and garbage, which always seemed to be strewn about.
Felicity had just finished her glass of lemonade when she saw the sheriff’s car pull into a parking space outside the diner. She wondered what he was doing here. She watched him get out of his truck and scan the interior of the diner, his gaze stopping on her. He pinned her with his eyes as he walked toward the door. Felicity could tell by his gaze and clenched jaw as he strolled toward her that she was in trouble for something. Luke didn’t take the seat across from her like she expected. He scooted her across the seat and sat beside her.
