Deliverance [Slick Rock 17] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Becca Van

  Now she needed to go to the supermarket and pick up the things Delta had ordered a few days ago, but that hadn’t been delivered since the ingredients had been out of stock. Maybe after that she would just hang around the diner until it was time for her shift to start. If she stayed home, she was only going to end up having another pity party over Wilder breaking up with her.

  She had no idea what she’d done wrong to make him say what he had, but she wasn’t about to beg him and his brothers to take her back.

  Violet had seen how men treated women, and while she now bemoaned her decision to try a relationship with the Sheffield men and what the consequences were, if she could do it all over, she didn’t think she’d change anything.

  Although she was hurting, she was proud of herself for taking that risky step even though everything had gone to shit.

  Hopefully, in time she’d be able to put this behind her and think of them with fond memories, but right now, she didn’t want to think of them at all. It just hurt too damn much.

  Violet glanced at her watch and then hurried from the bathroom. She needed to get out of here and fast because she had a feeling Wilder, Cree, and Nash would be knocking on her door any minute. If that happened, she wasn’t sure what she would do.

  After snagging her purse from the counter, she hurried toward the door and locked up behind her. She couldn’t seem to stop herself from glancing over at their house. Thank goodness all was quiet because she had to blink the tears from her eyes again.

  Shoring up her defenses with a deep breath, she powerwalked toward the town center and hoped that there wouldn’t be too many people around at this time of the morning. She wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be friendly, but she was determined to have her emotions under control when she got to the diner.

  Forty-five minutes later she entered the diner kitchen and began to put the shopping away and tried to ignore the looks Delta and Enya were giving her. When she was done, she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat on the stool beside the industrial-sized fridge.

  “What’s wrong?” Enya and Delta asked at the same time.

  “Nothing. Just had trouble sleeping.”

  “You look as if you haven’t slept at all.” Enya frowned.

  She glanced over to find Delta frowning as she scrutinized her face.

  “What did they do?” Delta asked.

  And just like that Violet fell apart again. Enya and Delta rushed over and hugged her between them as she cried. Great tearing sobs wracked her body and she began to feel sick again. Violet called on all her self-control and with steely determination forced the tears away. She wiped the back of her hands over her cheeks and gratefully took the paper towel Enya handed over and blew her nose.

  “Tell us what happened,” Enya demanded as she stepped back, her hands resting on her hips.

  Once Violet finished telling her friends and business partners what the deal was, they both looked mad as hell. Warmth at having such good friends surged into her heart, easing some of the pain and emptiness, but she knew that only Wilder, Cree, and Nash would ever be able to fill that hole. She was just going to have to get used to walking around incomplete.

  “If they have the audacity to come in here, they’re in for a big surprise,” Delta signed quickly. “I’m going to spread the word that they aren’t go be served.”

  Violet almost smiled at Delta’s anger. She was showing her that no matter what happened, she had a friend for life, but she couldn’t let her do something like that for her. If word spread that they were ignoring customers, the good reputation they were building would be ruined.

  “Thank you, but I don’t want you to do that,” Vi said.

  “Why the hell not?” Enya snarled. “It would be what they deserved.”

  “This is a small town and rumors spread. Our business could suffer.”

  “Shit! I hate it when you’re right.” Enya huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “This is why I’ll never, ever get involved with a man. They only ever cause pain.”

  Violet frowned when a flash of pain crossed Enya’s gaze and was about to ask if she was all right, but Kiara and Katie entered ready for their shift. She decided to finish her coffee in the office and make sure all the books were up to date so that Delta didn’t have to.

  Violet spent six hours going through emails, filling in expenses and profits, and making lists for the diner’s next delivery. When she noticed it was five minutes to one and her shift was about to start, she stood up and groaned as she stretched.

  She’d totally zoned out while she was working, and though she’d been aware of first Enya bringing her more coffee and then Delta entering with more of the same and a sandwich, she’d barely lifted her head.

  She had no idea how she was going to get through the afternoon and night, but since she didn’t have a choice, she forced herself to walk toward the kitchen.

  When she heard the rumble of a familiar voice, she spun on her heels and raced back to the office. Her heart was beating a hundred miles an hour and aching all over again, and while she wanted to see Wilder’s handsome face again, she wasn’t ready to face him yet. She felt like a coward as she stood just inside the doorway to the office and wished she was a little closer so she could hear what he was saying, but again, she wasn’t ready.

  He’d hurt her and she wasn’t sure she could ever forgive him. How was she supposed to stay in Slick Rock and see him, Cree, and Nash every day and not fall apart? If she hadn’t signed a rental lease on her small cottage house or a contract as part owner of the diner, she wouldn’t hesitate to pack up the few things she had and move.

  Maybe in time she’d be able to think about them without the piercing pain and knee-buckling grief, but she had a feeling it was going to take a long, long time.

  Violet startled when Enya entered the office, with Delta on her heels.

  “Who’s cooking?” she asked.

  “The meals can wait a few minutes,” Enya answered.

  “Violet, I think you need to hear them out,” Delta signed.

  “Why would you say that? Wilder doesn’t want to have anything to do with me. I’m not about to hang around like a bad smell or come between triplets.”

  Delta held her hand up and then took a deep breath before she began signing again. “I think all this is just a big misunderstanding.”

  “I agree,” Enya said.

  Vi frowned at them. Enya had just contradicted her earlier statement of how she wanted nothing to do with the opposite sex.

  “Wilder looks as if he’s grieving, Vi,” Enya said. “Cree and Nash look just as bad.”

  “That doesn’t change what he said.”

  “It doesn’t,” Delta replied. “I’ve spent a little time with them since they’re friends and cousins with Major, Rocco, and Ace. They’re not the type of men to lead a woman on. Most of the guys in this town are up front and honest. Maybe something bad happened at work, but there is no way Wilder and his brothers would walk away from you after they’ve told you they wanted a relationship with you.”

  “You don’t know that.” Violet frowned.

  “Actually, I, we do.” Delta pointed toward Enya. “You need to hear them out, Vi.”

  “What have you got to lose?” Enya asked. “You’re already in love with them. Isn’t it worth trying to work out your problems?”

  “How do you know I love them?”

  Delta and Enya glanced at each other and smiled before turning to look at her again.

  “You’ve been so damn happy over the last week it’s almost sickening.” Enya winked to let her know she was yanking her chain, mostly. “When you talk about them, I can hear the love in your voice each time you say their names. And then there’s the dreamy look on your face, and the way you smile every time you think about them.”

  “Give them a chance, Vi. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. They love you, girlfriend. They wouldn’t be grieving for you if they didn’t, nor would they be trying to
set things right.” Delta squeezed her hand before turning and leaving the room.

  “I’m the last person that would be trying to set you up to be hurt by a man, or in this town’s case, men. They really do love you, Violet. Let them explain, apologize, and then get on with your lives. Don’t let your pain and anger ruin what could be your one and only chance of a lifetime of happiness.”

  Violet stared at Enya’s back as she hurried back to the kitchen. Enya hardly ever said boo about anything unless it was cooking or the diner. And while she was worried, she also knew that the other women were right. She needed to give Wilder a chance to explain and then she would make a decision on whether she was going to forgive him or not.

  * * * *

  Wilder was glad for once that he didn’t have to ride in the patrol car with his brothers. The tension in the house between the three of them had been so thick, he could have cut it with a knife. They were all worried about Violet. He’d gone over to her house that morning just after seven to apologize, but she hadn’t answered his knock on the door. He’d been so concerned about her, he’d peered in the windows only to find she wasn’t home. He’d called her cell phone and left texts, but she hadn’t responded. It had been hard for him to sit on his hands and not go looking for her, but Cree and Nash had talked him into giving her some time alone to cool off after his hurtful words.

  However, he’d decided to try and catch her at the diner before he started his shift, and while he was relieved to find out she was there and safe, Delta and Enya had told him to leave, that Violet didn’t want to see him. Her rejection had hurt worse than anything he’d ever felt before—even taking a bullet in the arm while serving in the Marines—but he wasn’t giving up. He was going to get her back even if he had to go down on his knees and beg while kissing her feet.

  He’d been patrolling the county for over four hours and was scheduled for his meal break soon, so he made a U-turn and headed back to town. Hopefully, Violet would give him a few minutes of her time so he could explain his uncharacteristic behavior the night before. As he drove toward town he tried to figure what he was going to say and wondered if he should tell her everything or just say he’d received some bad news. He didn’t want her getting more upset than she already was when she still had to deal with the dinner rush hour. He shook his head.

  If he and his brothers were going to build a solid relationship with Violet, there couldn’t be any secrets no matter how upsetting the news was. Wilder was going to have to come clean about everything. Including the fact that one of the male cult members had managed to dodge being arrested since he’d been missing.

  Just thinking about that sick fuck running around the streets of America was enough to turn his stomach. Wilder, his brothers, the sheriffs, and the other deputies were all on the lookout for Virgil Kennedy as were the other men in town. Everyone was on alert and an MMS message had been sent out with the asshole’s license photo on it, but the picture had been taken almost ten years ago. Wilder was worried that the fucker could have changed his appearance and was already in town. The hair on the back of his neck had been on end since last night, and no matter how hard he tried to push the disconcerting feeling aside, it wouldn’t budge.

  Hopefully, after he’d apologized he and his brothers would be back in Violet’s good graces, and she would be back in their arms where they could keep her safe.

  Half an hour later Wilder pulled into a parking space just up from the diner and got out. When his gut tightened with anxiety he glanced around but he didn’t see anyone watching him so he pushed the feeling aside and strode toward his woman. He nodded to a few men he knew and waved to Major, Ace, Rocco, and Delta, but he didn’t detour to do the niceties. He was a man on a mission. The most important mission of his life and he wasn’t leaving until he had the results he wanted. Violet back in his arms.

  His gaze zeroed in on her as soon as he entered the diner kitchen, and after making sure they were alone, he slowly moved toward her. She must have seen him from the corner of her eye or she’d felt his eyes on her, because she spun on her heels, stirring spoon in hand.

  As soon as she met his gaze her expression blanked and her face paled even more, if that was all possible, and his heart slammed against his sternum.

  He’d planned what he was going to say while he was driving, but that all went out the window when he noticed her beautiful mauve eyes were bloodshot and the dark smudges beneath them she’d tried to conceal with makeup.

  Wilder didn’t think about what he was doing, but went on pure instinct and took to his knees. “I’m so sorry for hurting you, sweetness. I’m sorry I took my anger out on you and I’m sorry for what I said. My ire had nothing to do with you, but I took it out on you anyway. Can you ever forgive me?”

  Violet set the spoon into the spoon rest and then crossed her arms beneath her breasts as she gazed down into his eyes. A flash of pain crossed her face but was quickly gone again. “Why? Why did you do and say that?”

  Wilder got back to his feet, clasped her hand in his, and started explaining. When he’d told her about Luke’s late-night phone call after his boss had received an email from the IA undercover cop, and what had transpired in Werner, Minnesota, she swayed on her feet.

  He didn’t hesitate to pull her into his arm and hold her as she gasped for breath and then started crying. He didn’t say anything to placate her, just simply held her. After a few moments she sniffed, scrubbed at her face, and drew out of his arms. She turned to the stove, turned the heat down, and then said, “I need a couple of minutes to clean up.”

  Wilder rubbed at the back of his neck as he watched her hurry out and hoped that when she came back into the kitchen, she’d be ready to forgive him. The whole time she was gone, he was on tenterhooks and felt as if he couldn’t breathe.

  When she returned, she walked right up to him and poked him in the chest. “I understand you were angry, upset, but there was no need for you to take it out on me.” She paused to clear her throat, and when she drew in a deep breath, he felt like a real asshole when her lower lip trembled. “When you said, ‘I can’t deal with this shit,’ I thought you were referring to me. I thought you wanted to break up with me.”

  “Fuck! Never, sweetness. I never thought that. How could I when I love you so damn much?”

  “You love me?” Violet asked with wonder.

  “Yes. More than I could ever tell you, Vi. You’re my heart and soul, sweetness.”

  Wilder wanted to scoop her up into his arms, carry her out of the diner, and spirit her away to his home where he could spend the rest of the night making love to her and telling her with his body how much she meant to him, but that wasn’t possible since they both still had to work.

  Violet reached up and cupped his cheek in her small, soft hand. “I love you, too, Wilder.”

  He groaned as he wrapped an arm around her waist while he gripped her ass with his other hand and lifted her off her feet, and then he kissed her passionately.

  If Jaylynn hadn’t entered the kitchen and cleared her throat, Wilder wasn’t sure he’d have been able to stop.

  Violet pulled from his arms, blushing up a storm, and he was glad to see the happiness back in those beautiful lilac eyes.

  “Cindy’s half an hour late and I’m worried. She’s never late,” Jaylynn said.

  “Have you tried calling her cell phone?” Violet frowned.

  “Yes, and her house phone, but no one answered.”

  Violet turned her gaze to his. He could see the concern in her eyes.

  “Do you have her address on file, sweetness? Wilder asked.

  “Yes, in the office.” Violet rushed toward the door and he followed.

  She rifled through the filing cabinet. When she found what she was looking for, she handed him Cindy’s personal details.

  “I’ll call as soon as I find out what’s going on.” Wilder pressed a quick kiss to her lips and strode out toward his patrol car. He hoped that Cindy was okay, but from the way hi
s gut was roiling, he wasn’t sure he was going to have good news to give to Violet.

  Chapter Sixteen

  It had been half an hour since Wilder had left, and while she was happy that he’d apologized and they were okay again, Violet was very worried about Cindy.

  When her phone vibrated in her pocket, she sighed with relief, dropped what she was doing, and tugged her cell out. After activating the screen with a swipe of her finger, she touched the message app icon and started reading.

  Fear skittered up her spine when she read the text. It was from Cindy’s phone, but she knew that the teenager hadn’t sent her the message.

  I have the girl. If you want to save her, come to the abandoned warehouse behind the motel. Don’t tell anyone where you’re going or what you’re doing if you want the slut to live.

  Violet had no compunction about leaving the diner full of people waiting for their meals. While no names were mentioned, she knew deep in her gut that “the girl” was Cindy. Nothing mattered but getting her back. She had no idea who’d sent the message, and while she wanted to forward it to Wilder, Cree, and Nash, she didn’t want to put Cindy’s life in jeopardy.

  No, she had to do this alone. There was no way she was going to do something that would get Cindy hurt. Or worse, killed.

  “Jaylynn, I know this is asking a lot, but I need to rush to the store. Can you cover things while I’m gone?”

  Violet didn’t need to be a mind reader to know the other woman was taken aback. Thankfully Katie was still serving and taking orders out front, so hopefully no one waiting for meals would be the wiser. Everything that was listed on the special boards was simmering or being kept warm in the ovens. The only thing Jaylynn would need to cook was steak if it was ordered and hamburgers.

  “Why don’t tell me what you need and I’ll go to the store?” Jaylynn suggested.

  Violet mentally cursed. Why did Jaylynn have to be smart and come up with a logical suggestion? Her mind was blank, and while she hoped she wasn’t showing her anxiety, she was frantic and scared inside.