Strong Temptation [The Strong Cowboys of Wilde, Nevada 6] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever - Serialized)

by Chloe Lang

  “The girls are on the back porch. Follow me.”

  He led the sheriff to them.

  “Hello, Sheriff,” Charly said.

  He tipped his hat to her and then to her mother. “Ladies. Mind if I join you?”

  “Not at all. Have a seat.” Mrs. Wynn pointed to the plate that held the rest of her blueberry muffins. “Would you like some? I made them this morning.”

  “No thank you, ma’am,” the sheriff answered. “But I do have some news and some questions for you both.”

  “Don’t leave us in the dark, Sheriff. What’s the news?” Charly asked.

  “The person responsible for the murder of your dad and Sam Winters, and for the fire at the Cactus, is your half brother, Charly.”

  Charly shook her head, clearly confused.

  Mrs. Wynn frowned. “Did Charles cheat on me?”

  “No, ma’am. Preston Cromwell is older than your daughter by a few years. He’s British, so I assume he was conceived before your ex-husband came to the States. Preston’s mother was Gayle Cromwell.”

  “Mom, dad had another family?” Charly asked.

  “That’s why I’m here, young lady. I want to know what you and your mother know about Preston and his mother.”

  Her mom shook her head. “Charles never told me about another wife or child.”

  “Well, from what we’ve found out so far, your ex was never married to Gayle Cromwell. What do you know about his life before you were married, Mrs. Wynn?”

  “Not much. Charles did tell me that he and his parents were estranged. He’d only been in the States a few months when he and I met.”

  Seth’s anger welled up about the motherfucker who had shot Charly. He vowed to find the guy and make sure he never hurt her or anyone else ever again. Tamping down his rage, he asked, “What else do you know about this fellow, Sheriff?”

  “Not much. Sam Winters’s widow went through his e-mails and found one from Mrs. Wynn’s ex. Charles Wynn asked Sam to be a tour guide in the area for him and his son. Mr. Wynn had found out about Charly’s relationship with you and your brothers and wanted to investigate more. Since we found the letter, we don’t believe he wanted to harm her, but you fellows might’ve been in his crosshairs.”

  “What about Preston’s whereabouts? Are you or the state agency any closer?”

  “Some. The FBI is involved now. They’re working with Interpol to get a confirmation that Preston is in the country. On the plus side, they found Charles Wynn’s gun in a trash can in Flagstaff, Arizona, so we believe whoever the killer might be isn’t in the area any longer. I’m betting that gun is the weapon he shot you with.”

  Seth breathed a sigh of relief. Still, he wasn’t about to let Charly out of his sight, but he might accompany her on an outing to town. Maybe Norma’s. She’d been pressuring him to get out, claiming a bad case of cabin fever.

  “Sheriff, I’m so confused. I never knew I had a brother. Did he know about me? And why would he want to kill my dad? Or me? It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Motive is something we’re still trying to flesh out, Charly. Like I said, we’re waiting on Interpol and they’re supposed to give us more details on his background. Once I get that report, I will share it with you and your mother.”

  * * * *

  Preston flipped his laptop open at the local library in Kingman, Arizona. Clenching his jaw tight, he logged onto the free access Internet. Had it only been an hour since everything had changed for him?

  Pamela, one of the nurses he’d flirted with in Elko, had rung his cell. The information he’d charmed out of her during the call had displeased him, forcing a change to his plans. Canceling his flight back to London had been necessary.

  He’d worked too hard to win the fortune he deserved to leave this one loose end. Both his parents were dead, and his grandparents, too. He had only one family member left alive, and she was a half-wit, even with her degrees.

  He didn’t suffer fools.

  Though he never went to university, in primary school, his IQ had been recorded at genius level. How the hell had someone as incredible as him come from the DNA contributions of the deadbeat thug Charles Wynn and the drunken slut, Gayle Cromwell? He’d pondered that question for years and had finally come up with the only explanation—an evolutionary leap. His sister clearly had been born without the same advantage as he, remaining in the simpleton genetic cesspool of their parents.

  His mother had died when he was thirteen of a drug overdose. Cow. He hadn’t shed a single tear.

  Killing his moronic grandparents had been so easy. The British authorities had ruled one death as an accident and the other as a suicide. A push down the stairs for the old bastard and a couple of handfuls of pills crushed into a cup of tea for his bitch had done the trick.

  Here in the US, things had been much more complicated.

  He’d planned on murdering his long-lost father straightaway. A brilliant strategy, but finding his dad in a motel room carrying a gun had demanded a change of plans. Thinking on his feet, he’d told Charles about the inheritance, hoping to get the guy to let his guard down. It worked but only up to a point. There was no way he was going to share his fortune with Charles Wynn or anyone else for that matter. Besides, there was no doubt that his father would squander every pound. He had to wait for a better opportunity to present itself, and lucky for him, it finally had come.

  Hoping to glean something useful, he clicked on the most recent news program from Wilde’s TV station. A gorgeous female newscaster popped on the screen. She droned on about a knife fight that had occurred in Bandit’s Hideout, the hometown of Sam Winters.

  Things had gotten even more twisted when Charles, worrying about approaching his precious daughter, had reconnected with Sam, a prison buddy, to get a little recon about the area and about Charlene.

  Preston grinned, remembering how shocked his dear old dad had been when learning Charlene was running with six local men, all brothers. Fucking slut!

  The two assholes, his dad and his buddy, wanted to ambush the brothers on their own land, to rough them up and get them to leave Charlene alone. Their idiotic plan had given him the opportunity he needed. He’d killed the two fuckers and set up one of the Strongs.

  As if on cue, the lady newscaster switched to the story of the double homicide. “According to Sheriff Davis, the two victims have yet to be identified. They are working every lead...”

  “Of course they have no leads. I’m too good.” He sighed, recalling his earlier misstep. There’d been no casualties from the blaze at the Hotel Cactus he’d set. So, he’d been forced to change tactics once again.

  Modifying his grand design didn’t thrill him, but was vital.

  Shooting his sister Charlene had been so easy. He’d seen the bullet had hit her in the chest. She’d fallen to the ground. In his mind, the job had been done, and it had been time to leave. Had he been wrong? Was there still unfinished business left in Wilde? With what Pamela had told him, he knew it was likely.

  As the news program came to an end, he closed his laptop. It wasn’t what was said on the show that gave him pause, but what wasn’t said. No mention of Charly or her shooting. That meant he needed to be very cautious returning to Wilde. Law enforcement, no matter how bumbling, would be on guard. Not a problem. His gifts of charm and cunning had served him well for his entire life. In godforsaken northern Nevada, his superior intellect would ensure success that he would ultimately receive the inheritance he was due. He would take great satisfaction killing his sister. Mr. Darwin would praise him for ridding the world of another fool.

  Chapter Eight

  Seth leaned up on his elbow and looked down at Charly, who was still asleep and thankfully naked. Once her mother had left last night, he’d swept Charly up in his arms again and carried her back to his bedroom.

  Thank God for Dr. Wayne Champion keeping Mrs. Wynn busy. It allowed Seth a chance to get busy with Charly. Making love to his dream girl for the rest of his life would be
his ultimate pleasure.

  He gazed at her perfect curves. They were what had caught his eye the moment he’d seen her, but what had won his heart was the very essence of Charlene Wynn, the woman he would do whatever it took to win for himself and his two younger brothers.

  Her eyes opened. She smiled, and then yawned.

  “Hi,” she said in a breathy tone that made him instantly hard. “How long was I out?”

  He kissed her cheek, enjoying her scent of jasmine and honey. “Long enough for me to enjoy watching you doze, sweetheart.”

  She reached up and touched his chest. “Seth, I want to thank you for saving me.”

  “I think Dr. Champion had more to do with that than I did.”

  “Of course I’m thankful for what he and all the staff in Elko did for me, but I’m not talking about what happened after the incident.”

  He liked her choice of words, calling the shooting “the incident.” In an odd way, it kept the horrific memory at arm’s length, emotionally speaking. He couldn’t shake seeing Charly fall to the ground. Like a movie clip playing over and over, it filled every second of his day and night in the back of his mind. “Baby, we don’t have to talk about this right now.”

  He knew he was overly protective with her. Given what he’d learned from the sheriff about her psycho brother being spotted so far away from Wilde, perhaps it was time to settle back a bit. Sounded easy, but was actually quite difficult for him. Maybe if he used her words for the worst moment of his entire life the next time his gut clenched and his temples pounded with the playback of...the incident, he could find a way to relax.

  She leaned into his chest. “You and Tobias reacted so quickly when the gunshot rang out.”

  Fuck! Changing the name of the tragedy didn’t soften anything in his mind. He pulled her in tight and squeezed. “Honey, let’s talk about something else.”

  “No.” She pulled away from him, and her eyelids narrowed. “I’ve put this off long enough, fearing what you might say or do. No more. It’s time. I could’ve died, Seth.”

  “Yes, you could’ve. But you didn’t.”

  “That’s right. But something did change inside me, Seth. Now that I carry a bullet inside my body, likely for the rest of my life, I have a new perspective on things. I’m not going to stall when I need to talk about something. You know what I mean?”

  He considered going full-on Dom with her, but resisted. That wasn’t what she needed at the moment, even if he hated where this line of conversation was likely headed. “I’m listening.”

  “I want to talk about you and Heath and what happened in the past that ripped you two apart.”

  His old wounds ached. He hated that Heath had gotten into the mix with her. “You’ve heard about all that.”

  “But not from you. I want to hear your side of the tale.” She touched his face. “Please.”

  He sighed. Digging up old bones wasn’t something he cared to do, but he couldn’t deny her this one request. “My side? You may not like what I have to say.”

  “Maybe not, but I still want to know how you feel about what happened.”

  “Heath betrayed me. Hell, not just me, but all of us.”

  “Us?”

  “Me and my brothers. We were close. All of us. Heath fucked us all over.”

  “When he slept with Gabby?”

  Ancient rage welled up inside him. “Goddamn right, when he fucked Gabby and made sure I saw them in the bed together. I wanted to marry her, make her mine forever.”

  Charly’s eyes widened, and then she looked down at her toes. “You were right. We shouldn’t be talking about this right now.”

  He cupped her chin. “Look at me.”

  She did.

  “You opened up this topic, and by God, I’m going to finish it.

  “You don’t have to do that. I know more than enough.”

  “No you don’t. Did you know that Heath and I were really close?”

  She shook her head.

  “Actually, I was closer to him than all my other brothers, not that I cared for any of them any less. It was just that he and I had so much in common. We liked to fish and hunt more than our other brothers. We’re crazy about Mexican food and have a wicked addiction to West Coast rap.”

  “Then why can’t you forgive him, Seth?”

  “I know you think a life with all six of us would be a bed of roses, but, baby, those roses have thorns—a ton of them.”

  “Yes, I was hoping for that life, Seth.” She shook her head and closed her eyes. “It’s true, God help me.”

  He grabbed her hands and squeezed. “You don’t understand. Even if Heath and I could bury the hatchet, his nutty idea would never work. This town is open to a lot of things, but six men and one woman is more than even they can stomach.”

  “That’s not what your parents think, cowboy.” She pulled her hands free of his. “You should talk to them. They’re not afraid of bucking old ways of thinking.”

  “Charly, there’s more to this than you know. You’re new to Wilde. You can’t really understand.”

  “I understand plenty.” She swung her legs off the bed and leaned down, scooping up her discarded clothes from last night.

  “Listen to me.”

  “Why? You’ve made it really clear how you feel about everything, Seth.”

  He touched her shoulder, and she turned and faced him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. God, he hated how this was making her feel. But she had to know the truth.

  “I know this is hard for you, and I really wish there was a way to make it easier. You want the truth and you deserve to hear it. My brothers and I were all close a long time ago. But we aren’t now. Even then, we were split—three and three—by our parents, the ones who are suddenly open to a six-and-one relationship. That’s their way of grasping at any chance that things will heal between their sons, especially between Heath and me.”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing, I suppose, except there is no way it would last, sweetheart. If I agreed to share you with Heath and the others, it might rock along for six months, even a year, but then it would end. That’s a fact. There’s too much bad that has happened to get over. I would end up losing you.”

  Charly closed her eyes and shook her head.

  He stroked her hair, praying she would really hear him. “I know you care for my older brothers, but I promise you that being with me, Drake, and Dax would make you happy. We would cater to your every need and whim, baby. And best of all, our new family—you and us—would last for the rest of our lives.”

  “I can’t, Seth. It’s not possible. I’m in love with your older brothers, too, including Heath.”

  “Sweetheart, you’ll see I’m right. Heath and I can barely be in the same room at the same time.”

  Charly’s eyebrows shot up, and the hint of a smile appeared on her face. She leaned in and kissed him. Had he reached her, helping her to see what was possible and what was not? He hoped he had, but something about her demeanor told him he still had his work cut out.

  Chapter Nine

  Charly’s insides were quaking, though she was trying to hold it in. She didn’t want to tip off Seth about what was about to happen.

  “About done, baby.” Seth flipped their steaks on the grill.

  “Can’t wait.” For the steaks or the guest about to arrive.

  Sitting on the back porch, she looked up at the stars, though her attention was on sounds more than sights. Still no truck approached. Surely he was coming.

  She’d gotten her mother and Jessie in on her conspiracy that had come to her this morning while talking with Seth.

  Actually, his words had been the inspiration of her plan. “Heath and I can barely be in the same room at the same time.”

  Like a thunderbolt, it came to her what she needed to do.

  Seth hadn’t told her he loved her, but his actions had definitely let her know he did care for her. Heath had confessed his love. She was already
halfway there.

  Her training and degrees would take her and the two brothers the rest of the way. Call it an intervention or mediation or counseling or all of the above, but she was about to put her years of university to the test. On the line was her heart, but by God, she was willing to risk it. Even if Seth and Heath couldn’t see a way clear to forming a family together with her, if they could see past their old hurts and renew their brotherly love, it would be quite gratifying. But of course she prayed for her own dream to come true, too.

  “You need another margarita?” Seth asked.

  She looked down at her empty glass. Even though a clear head might be desired for the job ahead of her, she couldn’t resist another. “Yes, please.” A little courage from Miss Margarita might be helpful.

  Seth winked at her and walked to the table with the pitcher of light-green, icy yumminess. He filled her glass. Then he pulled a beer out of the ice chest. “You want to eat inside or out?”

  “Out,” she answered.

  He walked back to the grill. “Good choice.” Pulling the steaks off the grill, he placed them on the platter he’d brought. “I’ll get these inside and plate them up with the baked potatoes and rolls.”

  “Sounds wonderful, cowboy.”

  Seth walked into the house, and she let out a long sigh.

  Where was Heath? Why wasn’t he here yet? Then her ears picked up on an engine sound that was slowly getting louder. It had to be the cowboy she’d asked to come under the pretense of being ready to change temporary residences and leave Seth’s home behind. Guilt swept through her, fanning a lack of confidence in her plan. What had she been thinking? A disaster of her making was about to happen.

  Seth walked out carrying their meal. He tilted his head to the side. “Stay here.”

  “Wait, Seth. I know who it is,” she confessed.

  “That’s not Dr. Champion’s car that just parked in front of my house, baby. That was a truck.” He sat the plates down on the table and grabbed his holster with his pistol that rested on the ledge by his back door.