Silent Tears [Liberty, Wyoming 3]

by Lara Jones

  

  Liberty, Wyoming 3

  Silent Tears

  Mora Whitlaw has had to hide her personality, be someone she wasn’t, most of her life. A tragedy had to occur for her to finally be set free of the emotional bonds that has trapped her. But watch out. Once lose, she makes up for lost time, causing mayhem and a source of frustration to two men who are set on keeping her no matter what. Can she give herself to them as she tries deal with her heartbreak, too?

  Liam Grier and Dylan Jacobson are two Dom’s and cops, determined to train the fascinating little woman. They’ve never met someone quite like her and even with their experience they can’t figure out how to keep her out of trouble.

  But for God’s sake, don’t tell her that, you might just get more than you bargained for. She might come in a little package, but don’t make the mistake of underestimating her.

  Genres: BDSM, Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre

  Length: 46,214

  Silent Tears

  Liberty, Wyoming 3

  Lara Jones

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  Silent Tears

  Copyright © 2018 by Lara Jones

  ISBN: 978-1-64243-267-1

  First Publication: June 2018

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2018 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

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  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  DEDICATION

  To my family who put up with my late nights and distracted awareness of the world around me. To my mom and sister who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. Most importantly, to my fans who make it possible for me to do this for a living.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lara Jones lives with her husband and children in the Midwest. Lara started writing for her own enjoyment when she was a teenager. Recently she was encouraged by others to publish some of her work, so she did and was surprised people wanted to read it.

  When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, horseback riding, her dogs and cats, gardening, doing anything outdoors, and, of course, reading romance novels.

  For all titles by Lara Jones, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/lara-jones

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Silent Tears

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Silent Tears

  Liberty, Wyoming 3

  LARA JONES

  Copyright © 2018

  Chapter 1

  “Are you expecting someone, Clay?” Royce yelled from the front door.

  Clay came out of the kitchen, followed closely by Isabel. “No, I’ve never seen that car before.”

  Both men jerked around when Isabel let out a high-pitched squeal and raced between them and out the door before they could catch her.

  “Isabel, wait, baby. Slow down, or you might fall,” Royce said as they moved swiftly down the front steps. Both were still on high alert for anybody coming around they didn’t know because of what Isabel had gone through. There was still the trial, and so they were suspicious of who it might be.

  They watched as the car door opened, and a young beautiful woman stepped out and was instantly engulfed in a hug. Both women clung to each other, cried, and hopped around so much the men worried they’d trip themselves.

  Clay and Royce waited patiently, close enough to catch them, but off to the side for the women to wind down and notice them.

  Both women laughed and tried to get their breath back when Mora turned around. Shocked, she whispered close to Isabel’s ear, “Holy shit. Are these yours? The ones you’ve been telling me about?”

  Isabel laughed and kept an arm around her friend. “Yes. This one is Royce, and this one is Clay. Guys, I’d like you to meet Mora.”

  Clay smiled. “We kind of figured this was the amazing Mora. It’s very nice to finally meet you,” he said and held out a hand.

  Mora’s eyebrows went up. “Amazing, huh? Wow, I don’t think I deserve that title, but I’ll take it.”

  Royce stepped forward and held out his hand. “We have wanted to meet you for a long time.”

  Mora laughed. “Likewise. I hope it’s not a problem for me to stop by out of the blue. I just came into town and since it was still early, thought I’d stop and try to see Isabel.”

  “Mora, you are welcome anytime. Anything that puts that smile on Isabel’s face, we’ll take. Where is your suitcase so I can bring it in?” Clay started for her car.

  Mora put out a hand. “No, wait. I have a room at the motel a town over.”

  Isabel’s eyes widened, and she gasped in outrage. “Mora, you have to stay here. Why would you get a room?”

  Mora rolled her eyes. “Isabel, I’m not going to crash into a family without any notice and expect them to change their schedule for me or take me in. I’m perfectly fine at the motel, and it’s not that far away. I’m planning on staying for a few days at least so we’ll get to see each other.”

  “No…” Isabel cried, shook her head, and turned to Royce and Clay with her hands on her hips and her bottom lip pushed out. “Make her stay. I want her here, and I want her to stay as long as she can.”

  Royce chuckled and slid his thumb down Isabel’s cheek. “She’s right, Mora. There’s no way we’re going to let you stay at a motel when we have plenty of room here. Besides, it wouldn’t be safe for you.”

  “I can take care of myself.” She shook her head. “No, I just wouldn’t feel right…”

  Isabel pleaded, “I don’t care, you’re staying. Please.” Isabel needed Mora close. She was even more worried seeing Mora in person. She could tell her cheerfulness was forced, and when you saw her eyes, you got a glimpse of deep despair in their depths. Mora was also thinner than Isabel had ever seen her and her skin an unhealthy pale color.

  Mora snorted and shook her head when Isabel crossed her arms. “Still a brat, I see?”

  Both men chuckled.

  “You have no idea,” Clay grumbled under his breath.

  Isabel gasped and drove her elbow into Clay’s side, satisfied when she heard him grunt. Her eyes narrowed on Mora. “You’re really calling me the brat? You are so much worse than me. You were always getting us into troub
le.”

  Mora rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Right, is that the way you’re going to play it?”

  Isabel grinned. “Hell yeah.”

  “Language,” Royce growled.

  Intense astonishment touched Mora’s pale face as she snorted out a laugh. “Do you really think you’re going to get her to stop cussing?”

  Clay stepped forward and slid his hand threateningly over Isabel’s bottom. “We’re working on it. Right, baby?”

  Isabel slapped at Clay’s hand. “Leave my ass alone.”

  Both men’s eyebrows went up before they crossed their arms over their chests.

  Mora’s eye widened, and she took a slow step to Isabel and whispered, “Hell, woman. Why are you poking at them so hard?”

  Isabel crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her chin up, keeping her eyes locked on both men. “Oh, I think they’re fine.”

  Mora shivered at the utter dominance that rolled naturally off these two. “You’re crazy, girl.” Although she was intimidated, she also had to admit she’d been looking for a man just like them. One who was strong enough to deal with her, because she had to admit, at least to herself, she was quite the brat.

  Royce cupped the back of Isabel’s head and smiled at Mora. “It’s all right, Mora. Our woman here is just asking for a little extra attention. Right, sweetheart?”

  Isabel just rolled her eyes and bit back a smile when both men growled a warning. “Come on, girl. Let’s go inside while the guys get your suitcases, unless you dropped them off at the motel already?”

  Mora looped her arm through Isabel’s and let herself be pulled toward the house. “No, they’re in the car.” She turned her head back and shivered at the high levels of love and dominant male aggression on the men’s faces as they watched Isabel walk away from them. Mora felt slightly concerned for her friend but, had to admit, slightly envious also. To have men like that love you like that? Damn.

  Mora suddenly felt the vast volume of emptiness her life had become. Even if she did find a man like them, was she ready to move on from losing her child? And she still hadn’t gotten a grip on how to feel about her husband’s death. She would never admit to anyone that she’d been slightly relieved to hear he was gone. As horrible as that sounded, she knew it would have been the only way to get away from him. Either her death or his, because divorce had not been an option yet for several years.

  Mora shook her head. She could feel the weariness dragging her down. Would she ever be able to just take a few steps forward, instead of moving backward in her recovery? Her mind and body had shut down after the accident, to deal with the huge amount of pain from Davey’s death she’d had to deal with. The numbness and helping Isabel had gotten her through the first couple months.

  After that, she’d let herself grieve, letting her mind find some peace but not enough to move forward. Her body hadn’t felt anything, had stayed unnaturally deadened. Except caring for Isabel, Tommy, and her brother, everyone else seemed to unconsciously exist for her. She’d met so many men during the last year, which had shown her interest, and none of them had made her feel anything.

  Mora was afraid something inside of her was broken. Losing her son, losing Isabel and Tommy from her life for a while, the rage she’d felt for Allister at the accident that took her son, and her own accident that nearly killed her had all changed something crucial inside her she couldn’t explain, much less figure out a way to fix it.

  She might need to come to terms with the fact she might be living her life alone. She had her friends and her brother, she didn’t and never would count her parents, and she would find other things to make herself happy. She had to because moving forward feeling half-frozen wasn’t an option she wanted to consider.

  Mora also needed to decide about her job as a social worker. Her mouth lifted to one side as she remembered the looks on her parents’ faces when she told them she was going to be a social worker. She thought they would have welcomed anything other than their children becoming blue-collar workers. The funny thing was, both their son and their daughter, their only children, took that path. She was a social worker and her brother as a cop.

  At first, it had been exhilarating helping the people that really needed it, but now, it wasn’t making her feel like she was actually doing something worthwhile anymore. It was affecting her state of mind so badly it almost scared her.

  It’s like her personality had taken a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. She knew her personality had taken a hit with her marriage, but she felt everything else had made her spirit hollow in a way that scared her.

  She didn’t know herself anymore, and that was what this trip was all about. She planned to see Isabel and Tommy and then drive the country, see parts that she’d never seen before.

  She’d been to so many different countries and cities around the world like Paris, England, Jamaica, Italy, but she’d never been to Yellowstone Park or the Grand Canyon in the US. It was the perfect opportunity to see these places, be by herself, and make some heavy decisions.

  “So how long can you stay?”

  “I’m not sure.” Mora shrugged then chuckled and lengthened her step to keep up with Isabel as she dragged her into the house. She wasn’t ready to make a decision yet, so she changed the subject. “Where’s my tugboat?”

  Isabel shook her head at Mora but didn’t push it. “Tommy’s at a friend’s house but will be dropped off before supper tonight.”

  “I miss that little dude.” She turned and pulled Isabel into her arms and held her tightly. “I missed both of you so much.”

  Isabel sniffed, and she tightened her own arms. “We missed you, too. You were the only thing that kept me sane all those months, Mora.”

  Mora leaned back and wiped the tears from her own face as she laughed. “Now that’s scary. When have we ever depended on me to be the reasonable, stable one?”

  “I said sane, not idiotic.”

  Mora grimaced. “Ouch. Not nice.”

  Isabel’s laugh quickly turned into sobs that racked her body.

  “Hey,” Mora wrapped her arms around her. “Everything’s okay now. The bastard’s behind bars where he’ll rot for the rest of his life.”

  They stood for several moments just holding each other, letting the men skate around them into the house.

  Isabel sniffed and wiped her eyes. Mora was different somehow. There was an emotion beyond sadness or grief and dulled her personality. She’d have to spend time trying to pull it out of Mora because she’d never been one to talk about things, but she was going to make her talk one way or another. “Come into the kitchen and help me finish supper.” Isabel stopped suddenly. Mora almost ran into her.

  “What’s wrong?” Mora asked concerned.

  “I just forgot we have company tonight.”

  “Why is that bad? If it’s too much for me to be here, I promise to come back tomorrow.”

  “No, there’s no way I’m letting you go. It’s only Royce and Clay’s brother and a friend of the family. I would have wanted you to eventually meet them anyway.”

  Mora’s brows puckered. “Then what’s the problem?”

  Isabel shook her head. “Nothing. I think you’ll like these guys.”

  “I’ll look forward to it.”

  Isabel turned and started toward the kitchen again with her lip bit between her teeth. Dylan and Liam were both intense men, Dylan more so, but they were great men, ones she’d trust with her family. It was the fact they were looking for their own woman that bothered her a little. Meeting them could be a good thing because it might keep Mora around or bad if they were too domineering and ran her off. But she didn’t have any control over the situation right then so decided to relax and enjoy her friend.

  Chapter 2

  “Hey, Dylan, Liam. We’re back here,” Clay yelled when he heard a truck pull up in the front of the house.

  Royce grimaced and chuckled when Tommy jumped on Mora’s lap, causing her to abruptly fall back into t
he grass. He shook his head and smiled when Mora rolled and started tickling Tommy, making him screech.

  “Do either of you need a beer?” Royce asked when he caught sight of Liam and Dylan coming around the side of the house, as he held the door open to go into the kitchen.

  Liam nodded.

  “I’ll take one.” Dylan raised a hand.

  Both men froze when their eyes caught sight of the woman that was rolling around on the grass with the boy, giggling and hooting.

  Royce came back and handed both a beer.

  “Who’s that?” Liam asked, tilting his head toward the group under the large shade tree.

  “That’s Mora. Isabel’s friend from Dallas.”

  “What’s she doing here?” Dylan barked out gruffly.

  Royce’s eyes shot to Dylan’s, and he frowned at how harshly his brother asked. “She came to visit. Is that a problem?”

  Dylan took a long drink from the can while he tried to figure out what was happening to him. He hadn’t meant for the question to sound so abrupt. He shook his head. “No, I just wondered.”

  Liam and Royce watched and chuckled when Clay tried to catch Tommy as he dodged around him, making Tommy laugh uncontrollably and almost trip over his own feet.

  Both women sat on the grass, egging Tommy on and laughing. When they caught sight of the other men, Isabel stood and grasped Mora’s hand to pull her up.

  Isabel hollered at Clay and Tommy. “Come on, you guys. Supper should be done, so let’s eat.”

  Liam and Dylan stood transfixed as the woman drew closer, her arm looped through Isabel’s, smiling at something she was saying. They moved out of Clay’s way as he passed with a giggling Tommy over his shoulder.

  Royce stopped the girls. “Hey, Mora, I’d like you to meet my brother Dylan and our friend Liam.”