by Marla Monroe
Scope settled a pillow under her injured hand and wrist so that it was elevated. It almost immediately stopped throbbing as badly.
“Sweet pea, the doctor said you can’t work for the next few weeks. You have an appointment with a bone specialist in a week to see how it’s doing. He’ll tell you more then.” Scope watched her so closely that she squirmed in the bed under the stare until what he’d said about working sank in.
“But I can’t not work for a week, much less two or three. I can still wait tables with the splint on.” She started to remember more now and as it hit her, she jerked back from Scope. “I remember now. You and Gunner are moving me and Tommy in with you. He said you’d claimed us as yours. You can’t do that, Scope. I haven’t agreed to anything.”
“I know, Darla. Gunner jumped the gun. He was scared to death and feeling protective when he said that to you.”
“So he didn’t really mean it?” she asked, a little disappointed for some strange reason.
“Oh he meant it,” Scope told her, his brows furrowing together. “It’s just that he shouldn’t have said that to you like he did. We’ve been trying to let you get to know us better so we could spend time together, just the three of us. Both of us care a great deal about you, and wanted to give you time to fall for us as well. Then we were going to ask you and Tommy to be a family with us. The robbery sort of screwed that all up.”
“You already want us to move in with you? You don’t really know me anymore, Scope. It’s been over eight years since we last saw each other.”
“I know, Darla, but I’ve cared about you for a long time, even before I saw you again at Rizzoli’s that day. When we realized you’d been hurt, Gunner and I agreed that you would move in with us while you recuperated and hoped that by the time you were well you would be willing to stay with us and not move back. We care about Tommy as if he’s ours, and would make him ours if we could. Give us a chance, Darla.” Scope seemed to be begging, which she never would have believed if she wasn’t there to witness it.
“I—I don’t know what to think. This is too quick. We haven’t even been out, really. Not on a real date,” she told him.
“Does it bother you that both of us want you, Darla? Is that going to be a problem for you?” Scope asked.
She thought about it. It had been something she’d thought about when she’d first realized they were both showing an interest in her. In Perkins City it wasn’t really talked about. There were over five families made up of three or even four already. What was one more?
“No. I don’t think that’s really an issue. There are other ménage families here. I’m just not sure how I feel, and I don’t like being cornered into something,” she told him with a frown.
“I understand, Darla. I really do. So does Gunner, but you have to understand our state of mind last night. We didn’t know what we would find when we got to the hospital. Then to see you lying on that stretcher with your hand all swollen and purple and another purple knot on your head made us both a little crazy,” he said. “Think about how you’d have felt if it had been Tommy lying there when you walked in.”
Pain and fear punched her in the gut hard enough she gasped.
“Exactly.”
“So if I want to go back to my house right now, you’ll take me?” she asked quietly.
Chapter Thirteen
Scope winced. How the hell was he going to get out of this mess? Gunner needed his ass kicked.
“Scope?” Darla’s eyes widened as she stared up at him.
“If you want to go home right now, I’ll take you, but Gunner and I’ll be staying with you. You have a concussion and you can’t get around to do anything with a broken hand and sprained wrist. If you really want to go, we’ll set up bedrolls on the living room floor,” he told her.
He hoped she’d realize how hard it would be for all of them if they all four stayed in her little rental house together. He also prayed she’d rethink it all and realize that she needed help and they were more than willing to give it to her.
“We can’t just stay here indefinitely, Scope. Think about it. I have to consider Tommy and how that might affect him,” she said.
“I know that, sweetness.” Scope thought fast, trying to smooth things over with her while easing some of the sting of Gunner’s faux pas. “That’s why we claimed you. That way it is understood that you are taken and there is no real indiscretion. There are plenty of threesomes living here in Perkins City to excuse your situation.”
He could see she was caving but still fighting out of principal. He liked that she was feisty, but in this case, he needed her to accept that she was going to be staying there for the duration and hopefully forever.
“I don’t want anyone to give Tommy a hard time. He’s had enough problems because he doesn’t have a father. Kids know the difference between losing your father to death or a divorce and never having one to begin with,” Darla told him.
“No one will bother Tommy. Can you really see that happening with both me and Gunner in his life now? I don’t think that’s going to happen. At least it won’t happen but once. Tommy is a strong young man. He isn’t going to care what someone says unless he sees it as a threat to you. Then all bets are off,” Scope told her.
“How do you know that?” Darla asked him with a frown.
He grinned. “Because you are his everything, sweet pea. You can do no wrong in his eyes. He’ll fight anyone who dares to disrespect you in front of him. I know because I was the same way about my mom when I was growing up.”
“I don’t want him to have to fight at all. That’s part of what is worrying me.”
Scope smoothed her hair back from her forehead, careful not to touch the colorful bump there. She was so beautiful, especially when she was in protective mode. He wasn’t sure if he saw her as a momma cat, or a momma bear. Either way, she loved little Tommy fiercely.
“No more worrying. That’s for me and Gunner to do from now on. Your only job is to rest and get well. We’ll take care of everything while you heal.” He hoped that was the end of it, but she had another concerns he’d hoped she would forget.
“I can’t just lay here and not work, Scope. I have to pay bills. We’ve got enough for a month in savings, I think, but after that, I’ve got to get back to work.”
“Darla. You heard the doctor. No doing anything for at least a week or two, and you see the specialist in a week to find out just how long you’ll have to be off work. He said these things usually take six to eight weeks to heal in the best of situations.”
“It doesn’t matter. I have to work. I’ll manage. I always do,” she said in a tired voice.
“If you go back to work too soon you won’t heal, and if you accidently reinjure the hand, you may have to have surgery to be able to ever use it again. Are you willing to risk that? Then where will you be?” Scope hated sounding harsh, but she had to face the fact that she couldn’t work for the foreseeable future.
The tears that finally broke free and slowly rolled down her cheeks broke something inside of him. He knew he had to make her understand, but being part of the cause of them sucked. His chest tightened to the point he had to fight to take a deep breath.
“Hell, Darla. Please don’t cry. Everything will be fine. Trust us to take care of you.”
“It’s not your job to take care of me and Tommy. That’s my job,” she said with a sniffle. “He’s my responsibility.”
“I know, but we can help while you need it. We care about you and Tommy. We care a lot more than a little. We’ve been trying to give you and Tommy time to get to know us before we got hot and heavy with pursuing you, sweetness,” he said.
“I–I know you’re interested in me and I was willing to see where things went, but this is much more serious than just dating and all,” Darla pointed out without looking at him.
Scope walked over to the dresser where there was a box of tissues and carried it over to Darla. Then he sat on the bed next to her and carefully pulle
d her against his side.
“We weren’t just looking to date you and have a fling. You’re much more important to us than that. We’ve been working toward claiming you all along. We want you and Tommy as a forever family.”
* * * *
“Family?”
Darla’s heart stuttered in her chest, even as the air left her lungs. She nearly choked trying to regain her breath. He wanted them to be a family? Together?
“Yes. The four of us would be a great family. Gunner and I already love Tommy as if he were ours. He’s a wonderful kid with a good head on his shoulders, just like his mom. You know Gunner and I are attracted to you, but what I don’t think you understand is that we genuinely like who you are and enjoy spending time with you.”
She stared at him, pushing against him so she could look up into his eyes. He was serious. She’d always been able to tell when Chester had been lying or trying to hide the truth when they were growing up. She wondered if that held true now that they were both grown and so much had happened to them both. He looked sincere.
“I won’t speak for Gunner. That’s for him to talk to you about, but Darla, I’ve been half in love with you for a long time. That last year here before I left scared me a little. I thought you were too young and innocent to be able to really know if you felt the same about me. Then when I was overseas, I just didn’t know how I felt anymore. I was afraid to come home and see you for fear I wouldn’t want to go back.” Scope smiled at her and pulled her back against his side. “When I saw you again at Rizzoli’s that day it all came rushing back as if it had never really left in the first place. It was like it had been buried somewhere inside of me and seeing you released the old feelings with newer meaning.”
Darla couldn’t think with him so close to her. She needed to figure it out.
He loved her? I can’t believe it. After I finally put how I felt about him behind me he tells me he’s loved me all along. What do I do? It’s not just him now. I have feelings for Gunner as well.
“Say something, Darla. Do you think you could come to care about Gunner and me one day as much as we do about you?” he asked.
“I–I already do care about you, about both of you. I just don’t know if this can work. You’re both bossy and expect me to just do what you say without question. Gunner is even more so than you, but both of you act as if I don’t have a say in anything,” she said. “Let me tell you something, Scope. If it involves me or Tommy, I make the decisions concerning our lives.”
Scope chuckled, sending her temper into the red zone.
“Don’t you dare laugh like I’m blowing smoke, Chester!”
“Aw, sweetness. Stop with the Chester. It’s Scope. I’m not saying you don’t have a say in anything. Yes, we’re bossy, but it’s because we care about you and want what is best for you. Keeping you and Tommy safe, healthy, and happy comes before everything else in our lives. Taking care of you is what we want to do more than anything. We aren’t going to take away your rights, Darla. We would never make unreasonable decisions about either of you. I love you, Darla,” he told her.
It hit her then. It had been staring her in the face for weeks, but she’d ignored it. She pushed away from him again, but this time she managed to get off the bed. When he started to reach out for her, Darla shook her head and held out her good hand to ward him off. She walked carefully across the room to where there was a chair and eased down to sit. Now that she had some distance, she could think better and study the man she’d grown up with. It had been there even back then. The bossiness and “know better” attitude.
“You’re both Doms, aren’t you?” she said.
The slight tick at the corner of one eye told her all she needed to know. She really shouldn’t be surprised. Taylor had mentioned that they’d talked to Max about joining Golden Shackles, the local BDSM club. The town was filled with Doms, so it wasn’t strange at all that they were as well.
“Yes, Darla. Gunner and I are Doms. Does that bother you? Have you ever been in any type of relationship with a Dom before?” he asked, as if it was something he discussed every day.
“No, but that doesn’t matter. When were you going to tell me? Where you going to seduce me and make me fall in love with you before you sprang it on me? That’s kind of late, don’t you think?” she asked bitterly.
“Darla, we were going to talk to you about it once we’d been able to take you out without Tommy. That wasn’t something we could very well discuss with him present. How can you believe we’d trick you into something like that? I thought you knew me at least, better than that.” Scope stood up and paced over to the far wall and back until he was less than a yard away from where she sat. “Do you really believe that we’re that devious?”
Darla sighed and shook her head, wishing she hadn’t when pain hit her between the eyes. She immediately grabbed her head.
“What’s wrong? Is your head hurting again?” Scope knelt next to the chair and caressed her cheek with the palm of his hand. “It’s been long enough, if you want me to get one of the pain pills for you.”
“No. It’s going away. I shouldn’t have moved my head like that.” She sighed. “I don’t think that you and Gunner would intentionally try to trick me into anything. I’m sorry I said that, but it shocked me when I realized what I should have already figured out.”
“You work so much that it’s a wonder you can think at all, Darla. You shouldn’t have to work like that. Gunner and I don’t like seeing you worn out all the time. We want to take care of you, feed you grapes by hand, and massage your feet at night. We want to coddle you and pamper you like the queen you are. Is that so bad?”
“I’m no queen,” she mumbled.
“To us you are. Give us a chance to show you how much you mean to us. This is the perfect time to get to know us while you’re injured. After a few weeks, you’ll see that we’re serious about you and Tommy. That’s not going away,” he told her.
“Neither is being a Dom, Scope. You can’t just turn that off, and I’m not sure I can be who you need. I’m so used to taking care of myself and Tommy that I’m not sure I can change and allow someone else to take over like that.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Scope, I’m not even sure I want to.”
“You’re making some assumptions about me and Gunner without giving us the chance to talk about it. How you see us being Doms with you probably isn’t what we envision, Darla. Let’s just take it one day at a time and get through the first part. Then we can explore the rest together,” Scope said.
“I–I want to, but I’m scared to get close to the two of you and then find out it won’t work. If I fall in love with the two of you, how can I logically make a decision as important as how I plan to live the rest of my life?” She was afraid that if she fell in love before they talked, she’d try to conform to what they wanted, and it would end in everyone hating each other. Darla couldn’t live with that.
He sighed and ran one hand over his face before looking at her again. “I get what you’re talking about, Darla. It’s not cut and dried though. I tell you what. Let’s wait until after you’ve seen the specialist about your hand, and once he’s told us where you stand, we’ll sit down and talk about everything. Will that work?”
It was only a week. She didn’t have to make major decisions for a week. And besides, he was right. Until she knew what to expect in the future with her hand, she couldn’t do anything anyway. She could wait.
“Okay. You’re right. I need to find out what’s in store for me where this”—she lifted her splinted hand up—“is concerned. Thanks, Scope. I know I’m over reacting some, but I’m scared. I have Tommy to think about and right now, I can’t work, and I’m probably going to lose my job.”
“If you believe one thing I’ve said, sweetness, believe this. You have nothing to worry about. We will take care of you and help you get back on your feet, even if we decide it won’t work between us. I promise you that, and you know I keep my promises.” He grinned and waggled his
brows.
She blushed and shook her head. “I can’t believe you still remember that. I was mortified when you kept that promise, Scope.”
“Hey! I’m a man of my word, and if I had let it slide, you wouldn’t have believed me the next time I told you something. Besides, I’d wanted a kiss from you that entire summer. When you stuck your tongue out at me after I’d told you not to, there was no way I was going to pass up the chance for a kiss when I’d already warned you I would.”
Darla remembered that kiss. It had been quick and just a quick, chaste brush of lips, but it had made a huge impression on her despite how embarrassed she’d felt at the time. He’d done it in front of all of her friends.
“I know you’re a man of your word, Scope. Part of me is worried what promises you’ve made about me to yourself.”
Scope smiled at her and placed a soft kiss across her lips, much like he had all those years ago.
“And I always keep my promises.”
Chapter Fourteen
“We need to talk, Scope,” Gunner told his friend as they unloaded what he and Tommy had brought back from the rental house.
“Yeah, we do.”
“As soon as we get all of this unloaded and everyone settled after dinner, then.” He wanted to know what the sparkle in his friend’s eyes was all about.
Leaving Scope alone with Darla had seemed like a good idea at the time. Maybe he should have thought harder about that. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the other man, because he did—with his life. It was that Scope tended to get him into things he’d rather not be in. He also had a knack for nudging things into motion when they would have been fine on their own without his help.
Fuck it. I’ll find out soon enough. Stewing about it is only going to make me scowl, and surely. I don’t want Tommy to be uncomfortable around me right from the start.
