by Reece Butler
At the very least, she would be able to find peace within herself.
“I’m not like whoever hurt you,” murmured the deep, erotic voice into her hair. “I want to command and care for you, not control you.” He squeezed her, just enough. “From your perspective it might seem the same because I expect you to obey me. But I do it for your benefit, rather than mine.” He chuckled, though it sounded forced. “Though the thought of blindfolding and restraining you, then kissing every inch of your delectable body while you squirm against your restraints and beg for more, drives me mad.”
She shivered at the image of lying exposed and bound as he touched her. She would not be able to deny him. She would cry out from his touch, not in pain and fear this time, but in eagerness.
“You mean that?”
She barely recognized the hoarse, pleading voice as her own. He rested his chin on her head, hugging her to him as he exhaled.
“I don’t know what it is about you, Jane, but every cell in my body is telling me to strip you naked and drive you wild for hours, giving you one orgasm after the other, until I finally sink into your heat and explode.”
She moaned at the possibility. Her pussy throbbed, swelling. She clenched, hard. Her breasts ached for his touch. She inhaled the cool wind off the water, but it didn’t reduce the waves of heat that came from within.
“You’re not fighting to escape, or screaming,” he murmured dryly. “I’ll take that as a good sign.”
She caught her breath. “A very good sign,” she croaked.
He groaned, low and guttural. She tried to pull away rather than tell him she wasn’t ready for sex, or why. Certain smells, such as a certain aftershave, turned her stomach. Concentrating on school helped her forget for weeks, even months at a time.
She’d thought she was doing well until she was arrested the day after her last college exam. Spending those nights in jail had terrified her. The events following it had her so emotionally beaten down that her father believed she’d be incapable of going against his wishes.
“Jane, your heart is pounding again. Tell me why.”
She couldn’t tell him about that, but she needed a reason for her reaction. She knew what he thought of drunk drivers. Everything depended on his reaction. She chose her words carefully.
“I have a record for driving under the influence of alcohol and assaulting a peace officer.”
Chapter 12
Jane had driven drunk then assaulted a cop?
Travis found his head shaking in denial even before he’d digested her words. Something didn’t add up.
“Repeat what you just said,” he ordered.
“I pleaded guilty to driving drunk, then attacking the arresting officer. I was sentenced to work at a soup kitchen and homeless shelter for three months.”
Okay, Jane had a record because she admitted guilt. But how could a woman so controlled by her father get drunk, get the keys to a car to drive drunk, and then get arrested? Why wasn’t the charge made to go away, as he’d heard happened with other children of the wealthy?
She trembled in his arms. She was his woman, and he would trust her word.
“Did you do it?” he asked calmly.
“I told you, I admitted that I did.”
He sighed, pulled her resisting body to his and rested his chin on her head. She was as stubborn as Lila, though shorter and with less muscle. Otherwise he might be on his ass in the sand rather than holding a squirming woman. Why did Jane expect him to believe the worst of her?
“I asked you a simple question, Jane. Did you do it?” She struggled harder, so he released her.
“What do you think?” she demanded.
Her stormy eyes flashed at him. She’d been hurt, badly. What dreams had she given up, knowing she would have a police record?
“I don’t know who was guilty, but it wasn’t you.” When her chin trembled like that he wanted to haul her into his lap. But she needed to be strong. “Who was the driver?”
“My sister took my license and the keys to one of my father’s cars while he was out.” She spoke, cold and blunt, as if reading a statement. “Sissy was twenty, underage. She handed over my identification. My father’s lawyer got her home quickly. The next morning I was told what I had supposedly done. I was to plead guilty to all charges to save my sister’s reputation.”
Travis hauled back his sense of outrage. He’d take out his anger on Riley later. They could both use the exercise.
“Why?”
“My sister is engaged to the son of a seemingly upstanding, morally corrupt old man. Any scent of scandal and he would cancel the arrangement. He has something my father wants, and the price is my sister. By the time I was told about it, Sissy was on her way to Europe to stay with friends who would insist she’d been there for days.”
So, Jane wasn’t the only daughter to be bartered.
“What does your sister think of the arrangement?”
“She likes her fiancé, and agreed to the plan.”
But the man had not discussed his plans for Jane with the bride. Why the difference between one sister, and the other? That was for later.
“Why wasn’t your sister fingerprinted when she was brought to the station?”
“When you’re by far the largest employer in a small town, you have a lot of power.”
Travis swore under his breath. Climax was a small town, and Sheriff Josh Gibson might adjust things now and then. But it would be for good reasons, and no one would be hurt.
“Why didn’t you tell the truth?”
Jane barked a sarcastic laugh. “If I didn’t go along with his plan I would find myself made an example of. I’d end up somewhere nasty where male guards would watch my every moment.”
She shuddered. He got the impression something bad had happened to her, something sexual.
“Would your father really send his pretty daughter to jail? You’re educated and wealthy. You’d get pushed around, maybe even assaulted, by the other prisoners.”
“He’s done worse.”
She shrugged as if it meant nothing to her. What had the bastard done that was even worse?
“As part of my community service I was to live in a run-down rooming house. I would be free of him for three whole months.”
“And?”
Her tension dropped away. A ghost of a smile flashed over her face.
“Working in that soup kitchen was the best thing that could have happened to me. It changed my life. I wouldn’t be here, otherwise.”
Living in a rat-infested rooming house, working long hours with the dregs of the city, was a good thing? What hell did she have at home? He kept his voice calm. Maybe he’d need to swim a few miles to cool off before he and Riley went at it.
“What work did you do?”
They looked out over the water as she talked, more to herself than to him.
“I was there to be punished, so I got the worst jobs. But I didn’t complain. I worked as hard as I could, staying late until I finished. It was exhausting, but I loved being useful.” She tilted her head up to him. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to be nothing but an ornament? I was to be silent unless spoken to, and then I was allowed to reply in pleasant tones as long as it wasn’t anything controversial. I was to always agree with the man I was with.”
“Arm candy.”
“Exactly. The women are interchangeable, as who they are doesn’t matter. Just what they look like.” She looked out over the water again. “But at that soup kitchen, I was someone. My work made a difference. Even if I just peeled a bushel of potatoes for stew, I made sure it was the best-peeled bushel ever. My brown roots grew out, my hands got rough, and I got muscles. I discovered a different view of what life could be. It made me realize I could live, rather than merely survive.”
Now he understood. Without that view of reality, Jane would not have escaped her father’s clutches. She tensed again.
“Now you know I have a record. If you want me gone, I’ll—”
“No.”
“No?” It was little more than a whisper.
“You did what you had to do, both in pleading guilty, and in escaping him.”
Her forehead dropped. The wind blew her hair, exposing the back of her neck. He’d never realized how erotic that vulnerable part of a woman’s body could be.
“You’re an intelligent woman, Jane. You have a good heart, and a caring nature. Any decent man would be proud of you.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll add beautiful to that list, but I don’t just mean the outside. Your beauty comes from your soul. When you laugh, it shines like a beacon of pure, white light.” He forced a chuckle. “I sound like my old English prof in college. He would spout poetry over any dang thing.”
* * * *
Travis’s words filled a part of her soul she hadn’t realized existed.
He believed her, and didn’t judge her for what she was forced to do. Maybe he would believe other things as well.
She’d built thick walls to protect herself from her father’s insults, humiliation, and shame. She used those walls to keep the world at bay, protecting against further attack. It also protected her from false hopes, dreams of a life like those she saw in the lighthearted movies she was allowed to watch.
“It doesn’t matter where you came from, what’s happened to you, or where you’re going,” said Travis. “I care about you, and would be honored if you’d trust me to help. I want to be more than a friend, but I’ll listen and hold you, and ask for nothing but your trust.”
Travis believed in her. He wanted to comfort her. She had strong defenses against attack. She’d not prepared a defense against hope. She struggled to keep calm.
“There’s something else you should know. I’m…not very experienced.”
“Jane, honey,” he finally said, much too quietly. “Are you a virgin?”
Her lungs wouldn’t work. Her throat tightened so hard she had to tilt her chin down so it didn’t hurt. She couldn’t speak, so answered by shaking her head. His long sigh blew past her head.
“Something tells me it wasn’t your choice.”
She choked, unable to answer. He held her, saying nothing.
“I wasn’t attacked,” she said when she could speak. “I just…didn’t enjoy it.”
“Aw, sweetie, let me hold you.”
He turned her around and pressed her head against his pounding chest.
The event had been so humiliating Jane hadn’t even told her doctor. She’d been quietly hysterical until she was sure she hadn’t got pregnant or caught a disease. She didn’t think the football star even remembered taking her upstairs.
“Whatever happened,” murmured Travis, “you’ve kept it inside you a long time.”
She nodded, rasping her forehead against his shirt.
“If you’re ever ready to accept me as more than a friend, I’ll show you what a man can give his woman.”
His kind words and gentle hug blasted through her defenses. She cried out, and crumpled.
Chapter 13
Travis caught Jane, sweeping her into his arms when she collapsed. She didn’t struggle, so maybe he hadn’t totally blown it.
Idiot! The woman just told you her darkest secret and you asked for sex!
He continued his mental cursing as he carried her to the edge of the sand dune. They’d be protected from most of the wind and prying eyes. He sat, cradling her in his lap. He held his precious bundle tight against him, rocking her as she continued to sob. She curled into his chest like the lost little girl she was.
“That’s it, Jane. Let it all out,” he murmured. “You’re a good girl. Your father didn’t deserve a daughter like you.”
She was not going anywhere. Not until he was sure she was strong enough to stand tall. Even if she didn’t choose to travel with them to Montana when they were finished the job, he and Riley would make sure she got everything she needed first. Hugs, kisses, cuddles, and more.
He was hoping the “more” might include long nights of passion, but that was up to Jane. Her choice or not, she’d been hurt, bad, by her first experience. They’d have to start off slow. He’d asked for her trust, and by God he’d prove he and Riley were men to ride the trail with.
She needed help to heal. Once she was ready, they would help her discover her sensual nature. They’d take their time, making sure she wanted every kiss, every touch.
The scared child inside her needed to learn how good it felt to be held and comforted. She would learn that when she said she needed a hug, they would provide it without expecting more. She also needed them to help her talk about her past and her fears so she could move on.
He’d talk to Riley and get him on board. Though he often played the fool, his older brother could get down and dirty when the situation called for it. Between the two of them, Jane would emerge from their time together with the confidence and stability that came from knowing one’s worth.
He wished he could flay her father within an inch of his life. How could he treat his child with such contempt? The man who’d given her life, who should have nurtured and guided her to be the best she could be, had done so much to destroy the precious gift he’d received with her birth.
Jane finally sighed, relaxing against his chest. He held her snug, content at her acceptance. It didn’t last long. He reluctantly released her. She stared down at him defiantly, as if daring him to make a comment.
He ducked his head to hide his smile and climbed to his feet. Yep, this feisty woman would keep him from getting bored for a long time. His arms and chest felt cold and empty without her. He stuck his hands in his pockets to stop them from reaching for her. He gave her another moment to look at the waves and settle herself.
“Time to go home,” he said.
They left their sandy shoes on the small excuse for a patio out front, and walked in. He sank into the couch, pulling Jane onto his lap. She didn’t resist, cuddling up to him, coat and all. Buster, not wanting to be left out, jumped up as well. He licked Jane’s ear, making her giggle.
He slumped in relief at the joyful sound. It might take a while, but Jane was going to be okay.
“Christiana?” he asked, teasing. He hadn’t thought of a four-syllable name that started with the letter B.
She shook her head, but at least she was smiling at him. The door behind them opened and Riley came out of the bedroom. He looked at the three of them, and padded to the kitchen.
“Tea?” he asked.
Without waiting for a reply he filled the kettle and set it on the stove. Travis noted the kitchen had been cleaned while they were gone. Jane shifted over to hug Buster. It might take a while, but one of these nights the dog would be banished and he’d share her bed instead.
“You cleaned the kitchen.” Jane frowned at Riley. “Who are you and what have you done with Travis’s nasty brother?”
“Nasty?” repeated Riley in a huff that Travis knew was fake. “I already did the apology thing. It’s over.” He crossed his arms, moving them crosswise like a referee denying a down in football. “Done. This is who I really am.” He blew her a kiss, then turned to Travis. “The fridge only has breakfast stuff. Let’s all head into town, look around, and get supplies.”
“Translation,” said Travis to Jane, “there’s no beer.”
“Bingo,” replied Riley, pointing his finger at Trav. “You up for a drive, Jane?”
She dropped her head. “No, thanks. I, uh, need to sleep. I was up early.”
Travis cleared his throat in warning. She looked up.
“I told you, no more social lies. You’re too sore now, but in the future you’ll be punished for not speaking the truth.” He waited a moment, staring her down. “All of it,” he added.
“I can’t be seen,” she said, avoiding talk of punishment.
“Jane’s worried her father will come after her and haul her back East,” said Travis to Riley. “The bastard wants to marry her off to someone almost as old and just as bad as he is
.”
“What the fuck?”
“That’s another five bucks, Riley.” He turned to Jane. “Rye needs to know the truth.”
He met her glare with his own, and she backed down. She’d better, as he wore the pants in this family.
“Anything you need, Jane?” asked Riley.
“Yes, please. A box of brown hair dye and some scissors to cut my—”
“No!”
Both Travis and Riley roared the word at the same time. She flinched, then set Buster aside and stood. Fuming, she tossed her coat on the couch. Her cheeks and ears were red.
He sat back and enjoyed her display of passion. If he played his cards right, someday soon he’d let her explode like this, then haul her over his lap and spank her until her bottom matched her ears. And then he’d put his fingers and mouth on her pussy until she screamed her release.
He winced, deciding to wear sweatpants as much as possible.
“How dare you! It’s my hair!”
She grabbed a fistful at the back of her neck. He winced as his cock jumped again. He wanted to do the same thing, only he’d haul her head back to attack her mouth with deep kisses. She would not be cutting that hair. No way, no how.
“I need to change the way I look,” she ranted, “and cutting, then dying my hair is the fastest way.”
“You heard us, Jane. The answer is no.”
She opened her mouth to blast a reply. He held up a finger in warning. She closed her mouth, though she huffed and crossed her arms, sharing her glare between the two of them. Her reaction showed her innate desire to follow his orders. It also proved whatever had been done to her in the past, had not broken her spirit.
Jane would fight back, making him prove his worth before she gave herself to him. He got the impression she could be a brat as well as a submissive. That was very good, as he’d enjoy spanking a disobedient woman’s bottom. Her expression demanded that he explain their refusal.
