by Jan Springer
Agonized groans spilled from him followed by a gurgled cry and then hot jets of his sperm spurt deep into her.
When they both had finished climaxing, he kept his thick cock buried deep inside her pussy and guided her down onto the bed where they remained joined and lay gasping.
“I want you to say it to me every day for the rest of our lives,” he breathed.
The rest of their lives. That’s all she ever wanted. All she’d ever dreamed.
* * * * *
“Callie?” His fingers wiped the tangles of her damp hair off her perspiring face.
They’d made love over and over.
And now they were both spent.
His shoulder was aching like a bitch, but Luke’s mind was racing.
He was getting stronger. Fucking her senseless proved it.
Soon they would have to leave their little love nest.
They needed to decide what to do and where they would go.
“You awake?” he prodded.
She moaned and her eyes blinked open.
“We have to talk, sweetie.”
Confusion etched her flushed face. “Talk? About what?”
“We can’t live here forever. It isn’t safe for you. I’ve been thinking that we should maybe go back to the main farm and get a truck and try to escape to Canada.”
She stiffened, a deep sadness washing into her blue eyes.
“Canada?”
“I’ve been there on several fishing trips when I was younger. We could find a way to cross the border. My brother Cade, he’d have some contacts with the authorities. He’s a bounty hunter now. He could get us some false papers. We could head north into the Canadian wilderness. There’s not much of a population deep in the northern woods. We could live off the land. We could build our own log cabin, just like this one.”
The more he talked the more he liked his plan.
“But what about your brothers? You all are so close. What about Tyler? We have to find a way to help him. And I can’t leave Laurie to those Barlow bastards. And the Outlaw farm? Who will help Colter and Mac and Cade run it, if you take off? And what about our ranch? What will happen to our house?”
Shit! He hadn’t thought about all that stuff.
“It’s too dangerous for you here with this new Claiming Law, Callie. We can’t hide you forever out at the farm. People come and go all the time. It’s a business. And you can’t hide in the house all the time. You’ll go nuts. Someone will see you. The government will take you away. I can’t fight them. I’m broke, and the farm and this land is mortgaged to the hilt. I won’t lose you, Callie. I won’t lose you again.”
Anxiety at losing her only made his heart beat frantically. Made his wounded shoulder stiffen with pain.
She reached up and stroked his chin. The sadness in her eyes only deepened, and it sent shards of alarm racing through him.
“Luke…we… I have to tell you something. I…”
He brushed his lips along her mouth stopping her cold. From the anguish twisting her face, he instinctively knew he didn’t want to hear what she wanted to tell him.
“Don’t, Callie. Don’t say a word. I don’t want to know.”
Desperation slammed into him.
Maybe he should tell her about his alternative plan. It had been kicking around at the back of his head. It was something dark and yet oddly exciting, too. Something he’d never actually thought he’d ever hear himself say.
“There might be another way to keep you protected. I could ask my brothers to help me to claim you.”
He held his breath, cursing silently for bringing up the subject.
She stared back at him. Emotions brewing in her eyes he just couldn’t put a name to.
Maybe he’d just lost her with that suggestion. Maybe he was idiot for even considering giving into the Claiming Law.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
She touched trembling fingertips to his lips. A look of utter devastation flooded her eyes.
“I can’t…not until…”
His fingers quickly found her engorged clitoris and his lips breezed across her mouth again.
“Just relax and enjoy this,” he whispered.
He didn’t want to hear it. Not now. Not ever.
She closed her eyes and nodded.
It took him very little time to put a sensuous smile back onto her face.
Chapter Seven
Their last lovemaking session had been even more beautiful than the ones they’d shared earlier in the day and last night, Luke thought as he dipped the bucket into the cool stream then hauled it out. He winced as a wicked pain nudged through his wounded shoulder reminding him he still had a long way to go before his shoulder healed.
Fucking Callie hadn’t helped his wound, but it sure had helped his aching cock.
He grinned despite the pain in his shoulder and focused his thoughts onto Callie. There was a primitive wildness in her.
A carnal eroticism he’d unleashed inside her.
And there was something troubling her, too. Something she wanted to tell him.
He didn’t want to know.
He wanted them to be happy.
He’d give her a little time to get used to the idea of a possible Claiming. Of course, there was that major drawback of a one-month waiting period where any other groups of available men could fuck her, but that wouldn’t happen.
If she agreed to the Claiming, he had a plan to get rid of that one-month waiting period, and keep her safe from the government’s clutches.
The water washing against his hand as he allowed the bucket to fill, reminded him of her pussy juices.
The way it always gushed down her channel and onto his tongue and into his mouth was unbelievable. She had so much pleasure juices to give him. And the taste of her cream was even sweeter than he’d recalled from years back.
She tasted as sweet and as thick as honey.
No, she tasted better than honey.
His brothers would be very pleased.
That is, only if she agreed to a Claiming.
He remembered the soft velvety feel of her pussy lips as he’d sucked the throbbing flesh into his mouth. Loved the way she’d whimpered and moaned when he’d attached those nipple clamps to her rock-hard tips. Most of all he loved the erotic tightness of her pussy due to the butt plug buried in her luscious ass.
After making love to her for the rest of the day, he’d left her tangled in the sheets, whispering to her to keep that butt plug buried in her ass until he told her to remove it. It would keep her muscles wide, stretched and prepared for him.
And for the Claiming.
Hoisting the heavy bucket from the stream, he headed back toward the cabin when he saw it.
Behind the cabin.
On the top of the cliffs.
A metallic glint.
He froze.
Someone was up there.
* * * * *
Callie wrapped the sheets around her nakedness and stumbled out of the bed to pick up her clothing.
She couldn’t believe she’d actually been able to keep the two one-inch scars on her abdomen hidden from Luke. He’d tried touching her abdomen a couple of times but she’d managed to distract him. He’d even pulled the sheets off of her.
She thought he’d see them but thankfully he hadn’t. But it was only a matter of time before he did. Then the questions would follow. And the devastating betrayal he’d feel.
Callie sighed heavily.
She didn’t want to tell him what happened to her in the lab. But she had to.
If she agreed to the Claiming, the government would probably have records about what the scientist had done to her during that last experiment.
Luke would find out.
She had to tell him.
When he came back from the creek, she’d confess.
She’d confess everything.
If he still wanted her then she’d agree to the Claiming.
A shive
r of excitement nudged away her fear.
Being fucked by Luke and his brothers had been something she’d never imagined she would do.
Sure, she’d fantasized a ménage à trois.
But it had only been fantasy.
She’d never taken it seriously.
Until now.
Luke’s sharp curse as he burst through the door made shards of fear slice up her spine.
“We’ve got company,” he said as he stomped over to the back door they’d opened earlier to let some cool air inside the cabin.
“What do you mean, company?” Callie gasped as she rushed over to join him.
“Stay to the side. I don’t want him to see you.”
Sweet Lord, please let Luke be wrong.
She took a peek out the door and immediately relaxed.
“I don’t see anyone.”
“He’s there. I saw a glint off a rifle.”
“Are you sure?”
“Seen enough glints off metal when I’ve been out hunting with my brothers.”
“Do you think it might be one of your brothers?”
“Can’t think of a reason they’d be up on the cliffs. They’d be coming in from the front. Most likely by the road.”
“How many do you think are up there?” She braved another look at the gray cliffs and still saw nothing.
“Just one… I hope.”
Terror washed over her. All she could think of doing was running. Getting as far away from here as possible.
“Should we leave? Maybe head for your brothers’ farm?”
“From that vantage point he’s got the perfect layout of the cabin, the yard and the surrounding meadows. If we run, he’d pick me off as if I was a turkey at a turkey shoot. And you… Where’s your gun?”
Callie frowned. Her knees trembled.
Shoot! Where had she put her gun? She’d been so involved with their lovemaking she hadn’t even given her gun a second thought.
Quickly she gazed around the room and spotted it on the night table.
“I see it.”
He nodded, and then looked back up at the cliffs.
“Where’s your gun?” she asked.
He lifted the back of his shirt and she saw it pressed against his lower back, the gun handle sticking out from where he’d jammed it into the waistband of his pants.
Thank goodness, he wasn’t careless leaving it lying around.
“So, what should we do? Sit here and wait for him or them to come and get us?” Callie gripped the sheet tighter around her nakedness. “That plan won’t work for me. I’d rather chance us getting shot. Go to the Outlaw farm.”
She knew she wasn’t thinking straight, but she couldn’t stay trapped in here not knowing who was up there.
“If we got away, they’d hunt us down within hours. We’d never be able to make it to the farm.” His voice was so cool and calm. It made her even more nervous. “We stay put, Callie. We don’t know how long he’s been there. Could be minutes. Maybe I saw him before he could get a glimpse of me. If that’s the case and we go out there, or if we close this back door he’ll know we’re here for sure, and he’ll know we know he’s here. It’ll be dark soon. Then I’ll slip out—”
“You’re not going out there!”
“I have to see what we’re up against. It could just be a hunter.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she admitted.
He reached out and slid his arm around her waist pulling her close.
“Let’s not jump to conclusions.”
Despite his words, she read the worry in his eyes. He was thinking the same thing she was thinking. More than one man could be up there. And if they were, they wouldn’t waste too much time in coming down to claim her.
* * * * *
It seemed to take forever for the sun to set as Luke peered out the back door watching for any sign of movement. He hadn’t seen a thing since that one metallic glint earlier.
Maybe he’d been mistaken?
Maybe it had just been a reflection off an old pop can or something.
Or maybe someone really was up there.
“Check how many bullets we have for the guns, would you?” he said to Callie who’d quickly gotten dressed and now looked as if she might bolt at a moment’s notice.
“There’s two packages of bullets for my gun buried in the flour canister,” she said quietly.
“Hmm, I guess that’s what I must have sunk my teeth into the last time I ate some of your home-baked bread.”
His attempt at humor rewarded him with a stony smile. His gut clenched as he realized that god-awful hunted look was back in her eyes.
“Sorry—just trying to see that pretty smile of yours. I kind of got used to it over the past few days.”
“That’s because I let my guard down. It won’t happen again,” the steeliness in her voice rattled him.
He didn’t want her to be this way. Cold and bitter. Looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life. It was no way to live. When they got out of this mess he needed to think of something to bring back the old, carefree Callie, and if she didn’t agree to the Claiming, he needed to find another way to keep her safe and protected.
“How are we for food?” he asked.
He’d expected her to go look through the cupboards and do an inventory. It was a desperate attempt to keep her occupied.
His attempt didn’t work. She didn’t move from his side.
“Aside from a few days worth of canned food in here, I’ve got one week of cans that the preacher brought me. I buried it in a hole in the backyard.”
The backyard which was in full view of whoever might be up there. He sighed wearily and glanced back up at the quickly darkening cliffs, half expecting movement.
He saw nothing.
Impatience gnawed at him.
If they knew there was a woman down here, they wouldn’t wait long. They would come in tonight.
“It’s dark enough now. I’m going up there,” he said and reached for the gun he kept nestled against the small of his back.
“We discussed this already,” Callie hissed.
“No, you discussed it. I didn’t agree.”
“Luke, no.” She grabbed a hold of his arm and held on so tight he grimaced at the pain of her fingernails digging into his flesh.
Fear flashed brightly in her eyes and he ached for her.
“Callie, listen to me. I just want to go up and scout around. Maybe I didn’t see what I thought I saw. If that’s the case it’ll save us a lot of anguish. We can’t sit around here and wait for help. My brothers are obviously not coming. The preacher isn’t coming either. I have to go and see what we’re up against. In the meantime I want you to lock yourself inside the cabin and keep both guns.”
He made an attempt to hand her his gun and she pushed it away.
“No! You’re not going up there unarmed. If you go. I go with you.”
“C’mon, Callie. Don’t make this hard for me.”
“Screw you,” she spat and raced over to the kitchen counter.
Lifting the lid to the flour canister, she dug out two flour-covered boxes of bullets and shoved one box in each of her back jean pockets.
When she reached his side again, she had her gun firmly in one hand and a butcher knife clenched in the other.
His gut twisted at the sight. It was the same knife she’d said she would have used on herself the night he’d first come to the cabin and taken away her gun.
“Ready?” she asked him, determination flaring in her blue eyes.
“Can we argue about this?”
“No.”
Shit!
“Okay, just stay close to me and do as I say.”
She tilted her head slightly in a most endearing way. “Don’t I always?”
He almost laughed but stifled the urge. There were more important things to do right now than to afford himself the luxury of laughing.
* * * * *
The cabin and the surroundin
gs were in almost complete darkness when they sprinted to the cliffs. She half expected to hear the zing of a bullet and see Luke fall to the ground, but nothing happened. As they reached the rocks, pure adrenalin raced through her making her want to sprint up the trail and come out on top shooting at anything that moved. She would have, too, if Luke hadn’t been here with her.
Luke pointed to the eastern horizon where she noted the full moon shining through the trees.
“We’re going to have to move fast before that moon clears the trees and catches us in the open,” Luke whispered.
She nodded and followed closely behind him as they ascended the dark track that would ultimately lead to the lookout where she’d enjoyed her time alone just this morning.
Gosh, it had been a close call.
What if the person or persons had come along this morning while she’d been up there?
She would have been in big trouble as she’d sat there debating whether to tell Luke her secrets. Anyone could have snuck up on her. As she’d told Luke earlier, she’d let her guard down over the past days. She couldn’t allow that to happen again.
Her fingers tightened around the gun and the knife, and she trudged silently through the cool darkness.
They were almost to the top when she noted Luke’s pace had slowed significantly. It was a good thing they hadn’t tried to make a run for it. He was hurting more than he’d let on, and she wished she could call a halt to this insanity of coming up here. But the moon was rising steadily and it wouldn’t be too long before everything became illuminated.
The urge to grab him and pull him back down to the safety of the cabin was so great she almost did it. But then they hit the crest of the cliff and Luke halted.
A cool breeze blew against her making her shiver as she looked around. Up here the moon-glow had already arrived. Everything was illuminated in an eerie blue glaze that sent shivers rippling up her spine.
“Look,” Luke whispered.
She followed his pointing finger and barely made out the lone silhouette of someone sitting with his back against a gnarled pine tree, about thirty feet away. The intruder was facing the area where their cabin was located but his baseball cap was pulled over his eyes as if he were asleep. She didn’t miss the rifle cradled in his arms.
Luke had been right. Someone was up here.
