Rough Stock, the Novel

by Alexandria Hunt

  Without a word, they undid the zip ties around my wrists, left the room and closed the door, leaving me alone.

  I put my face in my hands and wondered if trespassing ever carried jail time or if I could just pay a fine.

  I watched the clock and felt each second pass as though it were longer than a minute. I tried to be stoic, I did my best, but I couldn’t help it after all.

  Fat tears welled up in my eyes and slipped down my cheeks, I gave up on trying to maintain control and finally put my face in my hands and started to sob.

  I sniffled and bawled like a baby, laying my head on the table in misery. My head still throbbed from the head trauma a couple days before and I’d never felt as completely and utterly alone.

  I looked up at the clock on the wall and only twenty minutes had passed. It felt like a lifetime.

  I heard the door handle click and my head whipped up, hoping against all odds that I would find Harley to save me.

  It was a cop in a bad suit and an even worse greying comb over. He looked like he’d just stepped off the pages of a cheesy TV drama.

  “So, Miss Reid,” he said and sat backwards on a chair on the other side of the table. “It seems you were a busy little beaver on Monday. We have security footage of you wandering all over a Bayside Properties apartment complex, and we have a shitload of graffiti following your trail. Right now you are being charged with trespassing and criminal mischief, do you have anything to say for yourself?”

  “Can I get a lawyer?” I asked in a determined tone. “I need to see somebody.”

  “If you are willing to cooperate, it’s going to go a long way to help your case. If you agree to sign a statement, I can get your sentence reduced.”

  “Sentence? Are you saying I might go to jail?”

  “That depends on your cooperation. Mister Maynard, the CEO of Bayside is willing to drop all charges if you sign a restraining order keeping five hundred yards from any Bayside property. And you need to drop your story.”

  “Are you bribing me?” I asked with sudden realization. “Are you trying to make me sign this because of my article?”

  “I’m only trying to get you to make the right choice,” he said and slid a folder of papers across the table at me.

  I didn’t bother picking it up, I wasn’t interested in lying about my work just to avoid jail time.

  I glared across at the cop and waited until he broke down first. “Well, suit yourself,” he said, got up and left, leaving the papers on the table.

  Now that I was fired up I felt a renewed confidence. I wasn’t going to be bullied into submission, especially not over something like this.

  All it did was make me feel a little stronger about my position; I knew I was getting to some very powerful people so I had to keep pressing.

  I took a deep breath and watched the hands on the clock move slowly across the face and wondered how long it would be before somebody else came to try and bribe me.

  The doorknob clicked again and I looked up, expecting another cop but I was pleased to find Mr. Monty with another, older man.

  “Oh thank god,” I yelped, jumped up and ran to hug my boss. “How did you find me?”

  “Some guy named Harley called,” Mr. Monty said, “he was frantic and asked me if we had a newspaper lawyer. He explained everything. This is so exciting!”

  “Exciting? Are you insane?” I blurted. “I could go to jail for the story.”

  “It’s exciting because there’s no way this is going to stick, and this means we’re on the right track. This could be big, the biggest story of the year!”

  “Do you think I can get out of this?” I asked him.

  “That’s for Douglas here to determine,” Mr. Monty told me, pointing at the man with him. “Let’s sit down and go over your story. We’re going to get you out of here.”

  Chapter 22

  “How long were you in the apartment doing the interview?” Douglas asked and scribbled my replies in his notepad.

  I told him again everything I’d done, for the second time, and he kept writing notes. At least he seemed prepared.

  Mr. Monty finally yawned, stretched and said, “So can we get her out of here?”

  “Let me go talk to somebody, I’m sure we can be done in an hour or so,” Douglas said. “In the meantime I’m going to get them to allow your friend in here so you can get changed and have some support.”

  “Excellent, I’m going back to work,” Mr. Monty told me. “You come in when you’re ready and we’ll go over your notes again. I’m going to take the lead on this story because I’m concerned about you.”

  “You don’t need to,” I said with a frown. I was a little defensive, this was my story and I wanted to write it. “I’m committed to getting this done. I’ll write something amazing, I promise.”

  “I believe you, Morgan,” he replied. “I just don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.”

  “I’ll be fine, I promise,” I said with renewed determination. “If I feel unsafe at any time, I’ll stop. In fact, why don’t I take one of my friends with me? Like Harley?”

  “That would make me feel better,” he said with a kind smile. “I’ll leave you to it now and see you back at the office soon.”

  He and Douglas left, but a few minutes later the door opened and Harley rushed in, his arms piled with clothes and shoes. “I didn’t know what you’d want to wear,” he said and dropped a small pile onto the table.

  “Harley, I can’t tell you how excited I am to see you,” I exclaimed. He opened his arms wide and I fell into them. He picked me up and swung me around, kissing me as we embraced.

  He set me down and I picked through the clothes he’d brought. I chose a pair of jeans and lightweight sweater to fend off the chill in the air.

  I tried to slip them on covertly, covering myself, but Harley watched me with a wolfish grin and I couldn’t help but wiggle a little bit as I pulled the jeans over the curve of my hip.

  “Enjoy the show?” I asked and dropped my pyjamas on the table. I slid my feet into a pair of runners and bent to tie them up, making sure I gave him a good look at my ass in the process.

  “Definitely,” he growled and reached for me, pulling me into his lap and wrapping his arms around me tightly. “I wouldn’t mind a little private show next time we’re alone.”

  “I think we’re alone now,” I laughed and looked around. “Do they have cameras in here?”

  Harley chuckled against my neck and nibbled my flesh. “I don’t think we should find out. I’d hate to think of all those cops out there watching your gorgeous body and wanting you as much as I do.”

  “Ew, that’s a bad visual,” I giggled. “Now I wish we could get out of here, this room smells stale and it’s depressing. I can’t believe the owners of Bayside thought they could scare me off that easily.”

  “You think the owners did this?” he asked, looking intently at me. “They set this up? Jesus, Morgan, who are they?”

  “It’s one family,” I told him. “The Maynards. They’re richer than god and they’re incredibly petty it seems.”

  “I’m not leaving your side,” Harley said. “I know I can’t convince you to drop this, but at least I can keep you safe.”

  “Thank god,” I replied with a grin, “I didn’t want to have to ask, but I wouldn’t mind having you along.”

  “Anything for you, Morgan,” he smiled. His pride was obvious, he wanted to look after me and that warmed my heart and made my stomach do a little flip-flop. I’d never had anyone who wanted to care for me like this before.

  I sat on the chair next to his, he took my hand in his and we chatted until the door opened again and Douglas popped in with the same cop as earlier.

  “Officer Mclean here just had to do some paperwork, but he wanted you to know that you’re free to go and they apologize for keeping you so long,” Douglas said with a smug grin. “So yes, gather your things and let’s get the heck out of here, my dear.”

 
“Fantastic!” I exclaimed and shot Officer Mclean a smirk. “This is the good thing about being a reporter, we’re allowed to do our jobs in spite of angry and powerful men.”

  Harley helped me gather my clothes, took my hand and we walked past Officer Mclean and left the station.

  I climbed into Harley’s truck and started to cry tears of joy as he drove me home.

  “You all right, Morgan?” he asked as he guided the truck through traffic. “You’re free now, you know.”

  “I know,” I said, “it’s just a little overwhelming. I didn’t realize how scary it was to lose my freedom until just today.”

  “You’ll never have to go through that again,” he said and reached out across the truck seat to take my hand in his. “I promise you that. And if you’ll have us, you will have four men who would do anything to keep you safe, Morgan. Four of us to fight for you and watch over you.”

  “Four?” I asked as it dawned on me what he was saying.

  “I think you know what’s up,” he said with a cocky smirk and gave me a sidelong glance.

  The light changed and he needed both hands for the wheel, so as he accelerated I unbuckled my seatbelt and slid over into the middle seat. I snuggled against him as he took me home, away from harm and the police and the fear I’d just had.

  And he drove me straight into the potential future, where I might end up with my fantasy after all.

  Four cowboys to dote on me and take care of my every need. What had I done to deserve such a thing?

  Chapter 23

  “I’m sure your boss would let you have the rest of the day off,” Harley said as I organized my notes and put them in a folder.

  “I know, but I need to keep pushing this while I’ve got the momentum going,” I told him and shoved the folder into my oversized purse and slung it over my shoulder. “So are you going to give me a ride? Are you my full time bodyguard now?”

  He chuckled and pulled his jacket on, extended his hand in front of us and said, “After you, ma’am.”

  “Thank you,” I laughed and walked out of my apartment.

  He drove me to the office and like Charlie, kissed me like crazy in the elevator on the way up.

  His kisses were hot and sweet at the same time; he was so poignantly into me that it made my heart soar every time his lips met mine.

  The elevator came to an abrupt stop and we broke apart, I smoothed down my blouse where Harley had just had his hands under it, exploring and touching me in a way that was so not appropriate for my work.

  When the doors slid open I was relieved to see the old office, business as usual, with everyone doing their best to look busy or actually rushing to and fro.

  “Holy shit! Morgan!” Selena’s screech pierced my ears and made me wince. She leapt up from her desk and jumped in front of me. “You don’t look half bad for surviving an attack!”

  “And jail,” I laughed. “Did Mr. Monty tell you about that?”

  “Jail? What the hell?”

  I rolled my eyes and said, “Yup. They owners of Bayside Properties had me arrested for trespassing. Can you believe it?”

  “Did you make a statement about your assault at least? You’ve got to get that on record,” she said.

  “I did,” I replied, “but the police say there’s really nothing they can do about it. I gave them a description of the attacker but what do they really have to go on?”

  “So they arrested you even though you were attacked?” Selena asked with disbelief.

  “It’s crazy,” Harley said, standing next to me protectively. “They have their heads up their asses.”

  “And who’s this fine specimen?” Selena asked and instantly flipped her switch into seduction mode. I didn’t blame her, she’d seen me with Charlie, not Harley, and probably thought Harley was fair game.

  Now how would I ever break it to my oversexed friend that I was claiming all four of them for my own? I couldn’t wait to see her face when I let her know.

  “This is Harley, he’s on of the Huntington Four cowboys. He lives on the ranch with Charlie.”

  “Do they get better looking as you go down the line?” Selena purred. “I’ll have to meet them all one day and find out.”

  “Definitely,” Harley smiled and put his arm on my shoulder as if to signal his lack of availability to Selena. “We’d love to have any friend of Morgan’s out to the ranch. We could have a big barbeque if you want to spend the weekend some time.”

  Selena caught his gesture and her eyes widened as she looked at me with a question in her eyes. I shrugged and smiled and led Harley past her towards my office.

  I picked up a few more things and decided to investigate three more projects Bayside Properties had been involved with, three more they had made deals with to save loads of money and get paid for social housing units.

  I had a feeling they were in this deep — they wouldn’t have come down so hard on me unless they were protecting their other interests.

  I guided Harley to the first building and admired the smooth way he handled the pickup truck in traffic. There was something sexy about a man who didn’t get flustered in the middle of city traffic, something he wasn’t used to.

  “Tell me about your family,” I said as we navigated the streets. “Why did you need Charlie’s grandpa to help you out?”

  “Well, there’s not much to tell. My father was gone before I could remember and my mother wasn’t much of a mother at all. Charlie’s family was more important to me than my own, and I guess that’s all I’ve got. Now tell me about yours” He smiled and glanced at me.

  “Overbearing mother, distant father, and that’s about it,” I laughed. “I guess neither one of us has much to talk about in that department.”

  “I guess not,” he chuckled. “I’d rather talk about us anyways. I think that’s the more interesting topic.”

  “Us as in you and me, or us as in me and the four of you?” I asked with a grin.

  “Either or, it’s all the same to me,” he said and found a parking spot in front of the first building I wanted to investigate.

  “You guys are unusual, you know that, right?” I said as he cut the engine.

  “You’re special, that’s all it is,” he replied and pulled the keys out of the ignition.

  “There’s not much special about me though,” I laughed. I was incredulous that they really believed it.

  “If you could see yourself through our eyes, you’d never say that again,” Harley replied and hopped out, came around to my side and helped me out. The look in his eyes let me know his words were heavy with truth, his truth and the truth of the men he lived with.

  One of these days I might believe it too.

  Chapter 24

  We had a busy day of photography and interviews, and true to his word, Harley was there the entire time.

  I was more than convinced that I was on the right track with the story and asked Mr. Monty for a couple days off to work on it from home. He suggested I take the rest of the week off and I happily agreed. I suspected he was nervous about agreeing to let me stay on this story and was happy to see me go. I was a constant reminder that he might have made the wrong choice, so it was up to me to make damned sure I did my best.

  “So where to now, ma’am?” Harley asked and bowed dramatically as we exited my office building. “Dinner, perhaps? Can I cook you something?”

  “That would be nice,” I said, “I’m exhausted. It’s been a long and crazy couple days. Normally my life is pretty boring, I’ve never had this much drama to deal with.”

  “I hope you like steak,” he replied. “I’m kind of a meat and potatoes kind of guy.”

  “Anything I don’t have to prepare is good with me,” I smiled. “Seriously, pamper me by cooking for me and I’ll follow you anywhere.”

  We stopped by a little market and I followed Harley around as he selected the things for dinner. He gave the butcher a run for his money; Harley was kind of a meat snob, it turned out. It made sense,
running a cattle ranch and all.

  Harley insisted I lounge on the sofa at my place while he buzzed around in the kitchen. I sipped my wine and watched him at work, his lean muscled body moving like an animal in its element. It was so sexy, not just because he was such an incredible man, but somebody taking care of me was strangely arousing. I’d never thought about it much before, but now I was certain it was one of my biggest turn ons.

  “What’s life like out on the ranch?” I asked, watching him without bothering to hide the hunger in my eyes. “I mean day to day.”

  “It’s good,” Harley said and sliced potatoes into a frying pan. The steaks were in the oven and the smell was driving me wild, my mouth was watering like mad. “We get up early, before dawn, and try to get our morning chores out of the way before breakfast. Then it depends on the time of the year, but we ride out and check on cows, move young stock around, maybe set up for branding and sorting. Other times we have to plant the fields or cut hay.”

  “How many acres are there?” I asked, trying to imagine the kind of life I’d have being out there with them.

  “About a thousand with double that in lease land for grazing,” he replied.

  “Jesus, that’s a lot. How to you guys manage it all?”

  “With help,” he chuckled. “Everything from hired hands and cattle dogs to good old fashioned horses and equipment. I’ll have to teach you how to run a tractor. You can help out with haying.”

  “Me drive a tractor?” I laughed at the thought. “I’m a city girl though, I don’t know if I can handle anything bigger than my little car.”

  “You’ll learn, Morgan,” he replied and started frying the potatoes. The smells were making my mouth water even more, I swear I had to wipe drool…from both the scent of his cooking and the sight of his ass packed into his tight jeans.

  “You’ll get used to it when you’re out at the ranch.” He smiled and turned off the stove. He opened the oven door and pulled the pan out, set it on the counter and turned to serve the salad he’d bought.