by Jan Springer
“I know.” He smoothed his hands over her hair, cupping her ears. “And they aren’t apart. They’re together. Jude made it happen. He and Cate took our boat, the Outlaw Lover and they sailed away.”
The look of anguish on her face slowly disappeared.
“Cate’s gone? She’s with Jude?”
He nodded. “Laurie stepped in for Cate.”
“Why? It’s insanity.”
“I don’t know the whole story. Only Laurie, the Barlows and the government know the agreement. But from what I’ve heard, Laurie volunteered to take Cate’s place. I’ve never had a chance to verify the story. It was why I went to the Barlow ranch that night and…she didn’t look like she was there against her will.”
There was more to it than that. He should tell her the rest.
“And you found them together?”
He nodded.
“I know there isn’t any good blood between you and the Barlows, but why would they shoot you?”
“They thought I was an intruder. They didn’t know who I was until after Seth pulled the trigger.”
“Why did she do this? I thought she’d gotten over Tyler being MIA. She must have snapped or something.”
At the mention of his youngest brother, Luke stiffened. She immediately saw his reaction and shook her head in denial.
“What? There’s more to this, isn’t there?”
He’d promised his brothers and the Barlows he wouldn’t tell anyone about Ty. But keeping secrets from Callie wasn’t a good thing. If he ever expected her to trust him then he would have to trust her with this delicate information.
“Tyler is alive.”
“No.” Callie closed her eyes and he could feel her sway.
“Are you okay?”
“I thought he was dead? The preacher told me he was dead.”
“The Barlows know different. They know where he is but they aren’t saying.”
“What do you mean they aren’t saying? Force it out of them. And Laurie knows this? She can’t know. She’d never in a million years go near a Barlow if she knew Ty was alive.”
“As far as we know she knows nothing about Tyler.”
Callie ripped herself away from him, wildly brushing away her tears from hope-crazed eyes.
“Well then, we’ll just have to tell her, won’t we? She has to leave them. She can’t stay with them.”
“And how do you propose we do that? The Barlows know where my brother is. If you go and tell Laurie, then Ty’s as good as dead, isn’t he? They wouldn’t have any reason to dangle his life over our heads anymore. We’re stuck, Callie. After the deal with Cate fell through, the Barlows told me they would think of something else for us to do in order to free Tyler. They also said if anyone breathed a word to Laurie, Ty was a dead man.”
Callie swore under her breath and pressed her fingers to her temples.
“I’m getting a headache.”
“Join the club.”
She gazed up at him and his heart clenched at the helpless look shining in her eyes.
He knew how she felt. Helpless. Alone. Angry. Scared.
“What do we do?” she whispered.
“I don’t know,” he admitted, and curled his arms around her waist, holding her tight. “I don’t know.”
* * * * *
The confirmation that her baby sister was the woman who’d been claimed by the Barlow bastards had hit her like a Mack truck.
And now with the news that Tyler was alive and the Barlows knew where he was, it felt like a double whammy.
She’d wanted to ask Luke more questions about her sister and about his brother but their fight, if that’s what she could call it, had worn him out.
After she’d checked his wounds and tucked the sheet around him he’d lain silent, staring up at the ceiling with his hands clenching and unclenching in anger.
She understood his frustration. She was just as helpless when it came to her sister.
That night the nightmare that had been haunting her since she’d escaped the government labs swooped over like a vulture, tearing her mind apart. Only this time there was a new twist. Instead of the mad scientist coming to her secluded compartment to ask her the familiar questions of how she felt after the latest experiment and all the other redundant crap that followed, Luke had replaced him in her dream.
He looked dashing in a white lab coat as he settled down on the bed where she was lying.
“How are you feeling today, Callie?” his husky voice shimmered over her in seductive waves making her tremble with want.
“Horny,” she admitted.
He grinned. “I knew you’d be. That’s why…” He unbuttoned his lab coat and pulled the sides apart revealing his nakedness beneath. His cock was thick and long, and so unbelievably huge it made her nipples harden and her pussy so wet, the stickiness dripped along the insides of her thighs.
“You look beautiful when you’re horny,” he whispered, as his head descended and his moist lips slid seductively over hers. “I’m going to fuck you so long and so hard you’ll be spoiled for any other man who wants to claim you.”
Callie’s body hummed with approval at his words.
“You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted, Luke,” she murmured against his hot mouth.
“Luke? Who is Luke?”
Callie gasped as Luke’s face transformed into the mad scientist who’d tormented her the last few weeks she’d been in the labs.
His thin lips twisted in a snarl. “I’ll never let you go, Callie Callahan. You’re going to be my bitch, always. You’ll never escape this lab.”
His laughter rang evilly in her ears.
No! It wasn’t true. She wasn’t in the labs.
Please, don’t let me be back in the lab!
Callie awoke on a strangled gasp, her heart pounding. In the holder beside the sofa, the lone candle she allowed herself during the night flickered, casting eerie shadows over Luke.
He lay quietly on the bed, his eyes closed, his hands clasped together over his bare chest in a peaceful sleep.
She heaved a sigh of relief.
She was here with Luke. Here at their tiny ranch cabin. Safe and sound.
Throwing away the remnants of the nightmare, she smiled as she got up and remembered the part of the dream where Luke had shown up in the white lab coat and she’d confessed she was horny.
Tiptoeing she walked over to where Luke lay sleeping. Temptation was great to slide the sheet aside and fondle his cock until it was lusciously long and thick. His hard flesh would soothe the constant throb she’d had between her legs since she’d caught him out of bed.
His hard, red cock swollen with a need just as great as hers.
What would he do if she woke him up? Asked him to have sex with her?
Or, better yet, simply whipped the sheet off him, climbed on top and sank herself onto his hard shaft?
She took a step toward him and stopped, reality sinking in.
Despite her horniness, she couldn’t fuck him. She couldn’t risk ripping open the bullet wounds.
It was too soon.
She inhaled a deep breath and steadied herself.
If the electricity hadn’t been disconnected she could have taken the edge off with a cold shower.
An alternative idea swiftly came to mind.
She’d masturbated many times over the past several weeks since escaping the labs. She could do it again, but not here.
Outside. In the pond.
Grabbing a bar of soap from the kitchen, she headed outside, leaving the door wide open to allow fresh air inside for Luke.
As she headed down to the nearby pond, she cast peeks over her shoulder at the log cabin. It looked eerily beautiful illuminated beneath the blue-gray moon-glow with the tall rocky cliffs as the backdrop.
The boarded windows, made the cabin look deserted, as if no one had been here for years, and that’s exactly what she wanted to portray should any unwelcome visitors be wandering around.
&nbs
p; She sighed her relief when she reached the pond.
No need to test if the water was too cold. She knew it would be blessedly cool because she’d done all her bathing and her masturbating here.
Striping off her sticky shirt, she slid her damp panties down her legs then stepped into the water, her toes sinking into the wonderfully cool mud.
Perfect.
She waded further, relishing the refreshing liquid as it washed around her hot legs and thighs. When it tickled her aching clit, she gasped at the pleasant sensations.
Immediately she drew Luke back into her thoughts.
She wondered if he knew how much she needed him, and how hard it had been keeping her emotions and the truth buried deep inside over the past few days.
According to the preacher, they were married. She had every right to seek sexual gratification from her husband. Unfortunately, he’d been so drunk that night he couldn’t remember what had happened.
She could simply tell him. Or produce the wedding ring she’d slid off her finger and stashed in the underwear drawer with the other ring.
Or she could wait until he got better, and leave like she’d originally planned. And go where?
Maybe go to Laurie and beg her to come with her to join the resistance. But if Laurie ran from the Barlows, it would mean Tyler’s life. She didn’t know if she could live with herself if she caused the death of her sister’s one true love.
Besides, running away with Laurie would mean both of them would be looking over their shoulders every minute of the day.
Perhaps it was selfish of her, but it wasn’t something she really wanted to do.
Unfortunately, she had no choice in the matter, did she?
She was an unclaimed woman. Free for the taking by any group of men who caught her.
And it was all legal.
Callie shivered in the cool night air.
Getting claimed by strange men would be the death of her, literally. She would kill herself before she’d let a man she didn’t want touch her. Of that she was sure.
But if Luke decided he wanted her, with the help of his brothers…
Callie blew out a sharp breath at the unexpected idea.
To her surprise, a zip of arousal coursed through her.
From the strong way Luke’s cock had reacted when he’d seen her clothing clinging to her every curve the other night it proved he was on the mend faster than she’d ever expected.
And if his brothers were built like Luke…
Her nipples tightened at that thought.
How would it be to have several men’s hands all over her or their cocks plunging inside her?
Callie shook her head and splashed some water on her hot pussy.
She had to stop thinking like this.
She couldn’t give into this newly evoked Claiming Law no matter how much she wanted to stop running and no matter how much she craved protection and safety from the mad scientist who was after her.
Staying here put Luke in grave danger.
And yet…how could she part with him now that he’d found her?
She gazed longingly at the open doorway of the cabin wishing he would walk out of there right now. Walk naked in the moon-glow toward her, his large cock swollen with need, his balls hard and full. He’d drag her from the pond throw her onto the ground and ruthlessly fuck her until she was screaming her love for him.
She shivered as she remembered the way he’d looked at her that night he’d first arrived at the cabin. His hot gaze had awakened long dormant desires that had only gotten worse over the past few days.
If you leave, I’ll hunt you down until I find you and rest assured I’ll make you mine in every sense of the word. Do you understand what I’m saying, Callie? You’re mine.
His hot promise rang in her ears and she suddenly imagined that she was running through the woods, Luke hot on her heels.
She could hear his aroused breaths, the pounding of his feet hitting the ground as his powerful legs carried him closer.
She knew she couldn’t outrun him. Knew she wanted him to catch her.
To claim her.
His hot hands wrapped around her naked waist, grabbing her, pulling her to the cool ground.
“I’m going to claim you, Callie. I’m going to slide my cock into you and spoil you for any man who dares to try to claim you.”
Shivering at his words, she whimpered as his long fingers slid her pussy lips apart. A calloused thumb grated the tense bundle of nerves making her cry out.
Her vaginal muscles clenched and she slid a finger between her labia and began a slow torturous massage of her clit.
Oh, yes, this feels so good.
Throwing her head back, she gasped into the mild night air.
Her thighs tightened as she imagined wrapping her legs around Luke’s waist.
Her belly quivered as she pushed her stomach against his.
Water splashed around her as her finger quickened upon the swollen bundle of nerves.
The familiar stirrings of lust deepened.
Then Luke’s cock would slide into her.
One deep thrust was all she would need. He’d bury himself to the hilt, his hard balls slapping her flesh.
Callie whimpered at the vision of Luke’s thick penis disappearing into her tiny slit.
She tensed.
Oh, yes! Luke! Yes!
Her fingers were slick with the warmth of her pussy juices making it easier to slide over and over her aching clit.
Quickly slipping her other hand between her legs, she thrust two fingers inside her wet vagina.
The climax was instantaneous.
Washing over her in a brutal wave of lust, making her cry out at the sudden violent impact.
When it was over, Callie’s breath burst harshly from her lungs.
Masturbating had taken off the edge.
But she knew it wouldn’t last. Already the familiar ache for another release was building deep inside her.
Soon she’d want Luke.
And she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop him if he wanted her back.
* * * * *
Luke groaned his frustration as he spied on Callie masturbating in the pond. Something had awakened him earlier and he’d opened his eyes just in time to see her open the door and slip outside.
He’d cursed his slowness as he’d struggled out of bed and had managed to get to the doorway just in time to see her slipping naked into the pond.
She glowed like a goddess in the moonlight.
His abdomen had clenched as her hand slipped between her legs and she thrust her head back to cry out her release.
Oh man. She needed to be fucked good and hard. That would put an end to her midnight escapades to the pond.
But all he could do was watch helplessly as she brought herself off.
Soon though. Soon he would be strong enough to have her.
* * * * *
Callie noticed immediately that Luke was acting strangely the next morning.
As she checked his bandages, he inspected her more intensely than usual. And when she brought him breakfast in bed, he struggled into a seated position and fed himself as if he hadn’t been seriously injured only a short time ago.
Strength was returning to him faster than she’d anticipated.
“Heard you get up in the middle of the night,” he said after he polished off the feathery scrambled eggs and two fat slices of her homemade bread.
“I was hot.”
He grinned with amusement.
Oh, shoot—bad choice of words.
“Did you go for a swim?”
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Easy girl, don’t panic. He’s just asking you a simple question.
“Actually, yes.”
He nodded and helped himself to a third slice of bread, which she’d liberally spread with the last of the butter and sprinkled with sugar.
“Was it nice?”
“What?”
“The swim. Wh
at did you think I was talking about?” His grin widened and she held her breath, as his eyes turned a lusty black.
“You know, I was just thinking,” he continued, his gaze capturing hers. “I never realized what a wonderful view we have from the door of our cabin.”
He knew!
He’d watched her masturbate last night!
Heat fused through her veins and she wanted to rip her clothes off and straddle Luke.
“And those night noises sound awesome.”
Callie cleared her throat trying hard to break his mesmerizing gaze upon her. She couldn’t.
“I…I hadn’t noticed.”
Liar!
“Maybe tonight I can join you…for a swim.”
Oh. My. Goodness. That was an invitation if she ever heard one.
“It’s too soon.”
Too soon to fuck? His eyes seemed to question.
Desire roared inside her. The desire to kiss him. The desire to make love to him and tell him they were married.
Only she couldn’t tell him. He’d never believe her. He’d laugh at her and think it was a cheap trick to get him to have sex with her.
“I…I have to go and get some more water. You rest.”
Rest for tonight? A tiny voice whispered in her ear.
Before he could say anything else, she grabbed the tray with the breakfast dishes, practically threw them onto the counter, seized a couple of empty pails and rushed outside.
Shutting the door behind her, she dropped the pails and wiped away the perspiration beading her forehead.
Gosh! Was she reading too much into things? Had he in fact seen her masturbating in the pond?
He hadn’t said so, but the way he’d looked at her and the way he’d talked insinuated that he had.
Oh, boy.
And he’d said he wanted to go for a swim tonight.
What exactly did that mean?
That he wanted to swim? Or, to fuck?
Her pussy burned with the idea of finally having Luke between her legs. Her mind however screamed it was too soon.
There were secrets between them. Secrets she needed to explain.
In the end, she growled her frustration, grabbed her pails and headed to the nearby stream.
Chapter Five
Luke chuckled and leaned back against the pillows, trying hard to ignore the twist of pain lancing through his shoulder.
