by Marla Monroe
He wouldn’t have really hurt her. She realized that now, but for a moment, she’d been back at the brothel and panicked. What did bother her was that she couldn’t do anything without one of them there to watch her. She felt like a possession more than a human being sometimes.
She heard footsteps on the stairs and knew it would be Bolton. The bed dipped and he laid a hand on her back and rubbed light circles around it in a soothing motion.
“Heather? Are you okay?”
She just sniffed and refused to answer him.
“Honey, Brandon was scared to death someone had snatched you. I was scared to death.”
He sighed and smoothed her hair from her face.
“Don’t be mad at him, Heather.”
“I’m nothing to either of you but a piece of your property. You don’t really care about me. You just want to protect what you own.” She felt the tears begin anew.
“That’s not true.” Brandon had come upstairs now. “You mean more to us than that.”
“It doesn’t feel that way. I’m not supposed to go anywhere or get out of your sight. I don’t feel like I’m really part of you.”
“Don’t blame us for how things are. We can’t help it that the world is like it is. If you get out of our sight, anyone can take you, and we couldn’t do a damn thing about it. We would have to fight to get you back and there would be no guarantee we would ever find you,” Brandon said.
She heard him spew a string of curses before he stomped back down the stairs. She heard the front door slam.
“You don’t really believe all that, do you, Heather?” Bolton asked.
“I can’t help how I feel. You treat me kind and give me what I need to take care of the house, but you are always telling me don’t do this and don’t go there. You keep reminding me that I’m not a person because I can’t think or do anything on my own. It hurts, Bolton. I want this to be home to me, too. It doesn’t feel like my home. Sometimes it feels like a prison.”
How could she tell them that all she needed to feel a part of them was for them to tell her they loved her and needed her? She shouldn’t have to tell them. They should want to tell her that. The fact that they hadn’t only proved that they didn’t, as far as she was concerned.
Bolton sighed and got up from the bed. He seemed to hesitate, then turned and walked away as well. She felt truly alone now. After several minutes of feeling sorry for herself, she got up and rinsed off the ravages of her crying jag and went back downstairs to do something for supper. It was her job, after all. She saw the berries sitting where she’d dropped them and picked the bucket up, tempted to dump them in the trash.
An hour later, she had supper ready, but neither of the men showed up to eat. After another hour, she fixed them a plate each and left them on the stove, and went to bed.
Chapter Four
The next morning she awoke with the knowledge that they hadn’t come to bed during the night. She looked at the clock now sitting by the bed to find it was only five in the morning. She hurriedly dressed and tiptoed down stairs to start their coffee and breakfast. She figured they had slept in their old rooms. She hated that, but it was their prerogative.
An hour later, they clomped down the stairs and entered the kitchen. No one spoke. She served them their breakfast as usual with their coffee, but didn’t sit down to eat with them. She didn’t have a stomach for anything. When they had finished eating, they got up and walked to the door and left her in the kitchen. She felt a tear slip from her eyes, but she refused to let them take over.
She set up the kitchen to put up the blackberries as jelly. When lunchtime came and they didn’t return, she took their sandwiches out to the field where they were cutting hay to put up for the winter. She didn’t see them, so she called out. After a while, Bolton came up from the field. He looked at her with such sadness she wanted to hug him, but knew it wouldn’t be welcomed. She handed him the sandwiches and turned around to walk back to the house.
“Thanks.”
She turned around and smiled before heading back to the house. After that, things returned to normal for the most part. There was a wedge between them still, though, and she knew she was responsible for it. She didn’t know how to fix it, and wasn’t sure it was hers to fix.
One evening, Brandon announced they were going to Skylineto salvage again. He reminded her she needed more boots, and they needed to find her a coat for the winter coming up. He carefully laid out the rules to her. She was to stay with one of them at all times, and never go outside of one of the buildings alone.
“Do you understand why, Heather?”
“Yes. The wolves, and someone might snatch me,” she answered in a dull voice. She hated having them remind her of that.
“Okay. We’ll leave at dawn to make the most of the time we have. It gets dark earlier now,” Brandon said.
They went to bed earlier as well, so that when it was time to get up, they had been rested. They were on the road before the sun was up. Bolton put his arm around her in the truck and hugged her.
“We’ll find you some boots, and a coat, and some girly stuff.”
“I don’t need girly stuff. I don’t have anywhere to wear it. We need to stick to useful stuff like soap and shampoo.”
“Maybe I’d like to see you in some pretty things sometime,” he told her.
“You’re talking about lingerie?” She should have known.
“That would be nice, but maybe a pretty dress, too.”
“If she doesn’t want to wear it, don’t make her, Bolton.”
She noticed that Brandon gripped the wheel until his knuckles turned white. Did he not want her to dress sexy? Why? Maybe he was tired of her now. He still had sex with her and they still pleasured her, but he didn’t cuddle with her as he had before. It hurt. She supposed she’d screwed everything up by being honest about her feelings.
When they arrived at Skyline, they headed for the Walmart first. Brandon pulled right up at the doors in the back. The three of them climbed out of the cab of the truck and carefully made their way inside. She let them lead her through the back into the main part of the building.
“Okay, Heather, grab a cart and go to the shoes first. Then go after whatever else you need or you think we need. We’re going to be looking for some supplies in the automotive and hunting gear.” Brandon pointed her to the cart they’d used last time.
She found three pair of boots that fit, and grabbed heavy socks as well as all the thermals and warm-ups that would fit her. Then she headed back to the pharmacy area and loaded up on shampoo, deodorant, and other supplies. She searched for a coat, but could only find jackets. She wandered through the lingerie and picked out a few things. There wasn’t much to choose from in that department.
Bolton found her looking through the canning supplies. She had loaded another cart full of them and was struggling to pull one cart while she pushed another one.
“I’ve got this one. I’m glad you remembered the canning supplies. I had forgotten about them.”
If he noticed the underwear she’d picked out, he didn’t say anything. They made their way back to the double doors leading to the outside.
“Where is Brandon?”
“He’s already out loading up what we found.”
They eased through the back and loaded everything into the tubs they’d put there for that purpose. Then Brandon appeared and helped Bolton carry them to the truck. They left her in the back of the building to wait on them. The dark closed in around her, and she was tempted to slip out and get into the truck, but they’d been very clear she was to wait in the building. Finally, Bolton came for her.
“Remember, don’t run. Walk slowly to the truck and climb in. We have company.”
“Oh, my, God.There are wolves out there?”
“Just trust me and walk slowly to the truck.”
Heather nodded and followed him outside. He grabbed her off the landing and stood her on her feet. They slowly walked to the truck and c
“You okay?” Brandon asked.
“Yeah, they just scare me.”
“Did you find a coat?” Bolton asked.
“No. I did find boots though, and I got thermal underwear.”
Brandon maneuvered them around the deserted town until he pulled into a sporting goods parking lot. He pulled up close to the door.
“I’ve never been here, but they are bound to have coats here. Won’t hurt for all of us to have extras,” Brandon said. “Heather, stay in the truck until we get the doors open. Then one of us will come back after you.”
She nodded and watched them climb out of the truck and make their way toward the front of the store. They used a crowbar to pry the door open. Then they checked inside before Bolton came back to get her.
“Remember. Walk, don’t run. I don’t see anything around us, but they’re probably just hiding.”
Heather followed Bolton and walked into the store. It was dark inside toward the back because there were no windows. Brandon appeared with a large flashlight that actually worked.
“Looks like all the coats are in the back. Bolton, I have her. You go get all the guns and ammunition and load them up.”
Brandon took her to the back of the store where she tried on coats until she had three that fit. Then she grabbed thermals, figuring she couldn’t have too many of them.
“Grab gloves, and a hat or two as well.” Brandon pointed them out to her with the flashlight.
They backtracked to the front, and Brandon took everything from her to the truck. Then he helped Bolton finish gathering all the guns and ammunition. Heather saw the knives in the case and waited for one of them to come back in. Brandon and Bolton both walked back in for one last look.
“Can I have a knife out of that case over there? It could come in handy.”
The brothers looked at each other and shrugged. Brandon ushered her over to the case and let her pick out two. They each got a couple as well.
“Better load up and grab a few batteries and get on the road. I don’t want to be too late getting back,” Brandon said.
After they loaded up on batteries out of an Auto Shack, they turned toward home. Heather realized she had thought of it as home. Maybe it was, and she was being silly about needing them to want her for more than just the physical part of a relationship. Maybe she’d just caused an unnecessary rift between them.
As soon as they drove up, they began unloading. Heather did her share, but they stopped her from unloading the guns, ammunition, and batteries.
“Go and put up your new clothes. We have the rest of this.” Bolton turned her in the direction of the house.
Secretly, she was glad. She hadn’t wanted to deal with the guns and stuff. She didn’t much like them. Instead, she put away her things, fingering the silky underwear and wondering when she would feel up to wearing it for them. Maybe she would feel more like it later in the week. She heard the men downstairs, and waited on them to lock up and come upstairs. She needed them tonight and hoped they wanted her as well.
They took their shower together, and when she went to her knees in the shower to suck them both, they smiled down at her. She took turns sucking each cock deep in her throat until she could swallow around them. She licked up and down them like lollipops, and nipped the undersides of each of them until they were beginning to pant. When she fondled their balls, she could feel them draw up. She loved being able to manipulate their pleasure. It made her feel in control for once.
Brandon held her head still as he pumped in and out of her mouth, then Bolton took over and did the same thing. When they pulled out she whimpered, wanting to swallow their cum. Instead they each pumped their cocks and shot streams of cum along her breasts, then rubbed it in. For some reason, they liked to mark her, and it was one more reason she felt more like a possession, but she would never again say anything about it.
They gently cleaned her up and dried her off. When they began to play with her, she stopped them, saying she really wanted to snuggle. She’d lost the mood in the shower. Bolton pulled her into his arms and laid her across his chest. Brandon, though, just rested a hand on her ass and fell asleep. It hurt, but she was the cause of it. Maybe one day he would want the intimacy again. She prayed so, because it was killing her.
* * * *
Bolton spent more time around Heather, hoping to show her how much he cared about her. He had even told her he cared, but he was afraid it wasn’t enough. Though she assured him she was fine and was happy, he still felt there was a part of her that wasn’t. He knew that Brandon’s behavior was a part of the problem, but he couldn’t get through to his brother that he was making things worse.
Autumn turned to winter, and the first snow of the season descended on them. It was only a foot of snow, but Heather played in it like a child. Bolton even saw Brandon smile a couple of times at her antics. When she made snow angels, he fussed at her that she would end up sick if she got too wet. She just stuck her tongue out at him and continued. He stomped off and didn’t return until suppertime. It hurt Heather’s feelings. He could tell by the tremble to her bottom lip. Bolton didn’t know what to do about his brother’s attitude.
* * * *
The snow began to melt and turn the yard around them into mud. She fussed about cleaning mud up off the floor all the time. Soon they were shucking their boots at the back door. Bolton seemed amused by it, but Brandon growled and stomped through the house. Bolton had gone so far as to call him a spoiled brat. It hadn’t gone over well.
“I need to go out and pull some greens for supper tonight. Do you want to go with me?” Heather asked.
“Naw, I’m staying in where it’s warm. I’ll watch you from inside. Don’t be out too long. It’s cold.”
“I won’t.”
She pulled on her coat, hat, and gloves, and grabbed a dishpan. Then walked out the back to the garden and pulled what she needed for a meal. As she turned to go back in, someone grabbed at her. She thought at first it was one of the brothers, but his smell hit her. She screamed and tried to kick out at the man. He covered her mouth with his hand and she bit him. He backhanded her and tried to throw her over his shoulder, but she hit him over the head with the dishpan and screamed for Bolton.
The next thing she knew, Bolton and Brandon both were on the man, pulling him off her.
“In the house, now,” Brandon yelled.
Heather ran for the house and slammed the door, locking it as well. She peered out the window to let the boys in as soon as they came up on the porch.
“What the hell happened?” Brandon demanded.
“I went out to gather some greens for supper, and he came up behind me.” Tears streamed down her face.
“I’ve told you not to go anywhere by yourself.”
“Don’t fuss at her. I told her she could go out by herself. I was watching her, but I turned away long enough to get a cup of coffee. When I came back she was screaming. It’s my fault.” Bolton slammed his hand against the door.
“Where did the man go?”
“He escaped out into the woods. I didn’t want to chase after him in case there was anyone else snooping around.” Brandon ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck, look at your face. The bastard hit you.”
Heather touched her face and winced. She was sure it was red, and would be blue by the morning.
“I’m sorry, Brandon.”
“Hell, it’s not your fault. Fuck!” Brandon grabbed a cloth and wet in with the cool water from the sink. He handed it to her. “Put it on your face, maybe it will keep the swelling down some.”
Bolton wrapped his arms around her and led her to the other room, where he tugged her down into his lap. Brandon stomped back outside. Heather couldn’t stop the tears. Whether they were from the fright and the pain of her face, or because Brandon had left her, she didn’t know. All she knew was that they were growing farther and farther apart. It was breaking her heart. She knew she loved them both, and Brandon’s withdrawal hurt.
They still had sex, but he wasn’t in on it quite as much. She got the feeling he wasn’t as pleased with her as before, and she didn’t understand why. She tried hard to please him, but it didn’t seem to be enough.
“Hey, honey. You need to calm down. It’s over with now. We aren’t going to let anyone hurt you again.” Bolton held her close and kissed her temple, avoiding her bruised face.
“Why doesn’t he like me anymore, Bolton?”
“He does like you. He just has a lot of stress right now. The weather is going to get worse before it gets better. It gets tough out here in the winter once the snow sets in.”
“That’s not all it is. He doesn’t want me sexually like he used to. It hurts, Bolton.”
“I know, honey. Give it some time. He’ll come around.”
* * * *
Brandon stomped out into the backyard where the guy had disappeared. He’d almost gotten her. If they’d been much later, he might have made it. He felt like a failure. He hadn’t been able to protect her like he’d promised. It wasn’t right that they had to worry, and she had to be watched like a hawk. No wonder she felt like a piece of meat being pulled along in every direction. She deserved better than that. She’d called herself a possession. She was much more than that. She was his life. He could finally admit to himself that he loved her. She would never believe it if he told her. She felt like he was the one keeping her captive. Well, she could think that way, and latch on to Bolton as her friend.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. They deserved each other. Maybe he needed to pull back all the way and let them bond. He would help protect her, but he wouldn’t put pressure on her for sex. He was sure she felt like he was just using her.
The idea of letting her go stung, and nearly took his breath away. How could he live with them like that? If it weren’t safer for all three of them to be together in one bedroom, he’d go back to sleeping in his old room. Even with the locks on the door, a thief would have no trouble breaking in. Especially if he knew they had a female.
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