by Avery Gale
She heard Clay say, “Get the crackers and Sprite—fast. And a cool rag for her forehead.” She felt Cash’s cool fingers holding her hand and when Clay put the cool cloth on her forehead she really did start to feel more settled. “Just lie still, baby. You’ve had a lot of meds and nothing to eat and that’s a not a good combination. We’ll get some crackers in you and then a couple of your pain pills and then toast. I’ve been around this block a time or two, babe, so you gotta listen to me on this.” His fingers felt so good combing through her hair and Cash’s warm fingers were drawing small circles over the inside of her uncast wrist. God, she was a battered mess and it was all her own fault.
By the time she’d followed all of Clay’s advice she was starting to feel almost human even if she was feeling like she was a human balloon floating just a smidge above the bed they’d settled her in. She was fairly certain that being carried in to use the toilet and having Cash wait nearby for her was going to rank right up there with the most embarrassing moments of her life. He’d assured her that she had no reason to be shy, but she’d still hidden her face in her hands the entire time.
Lying in bed she looked at both men and could sense their unease. No doubt they were tired of her being such a clumsy pain in the ass. Suck it up, Layla, you knew this would happen. Get dressed and call Tori, hopefully she’ll let you stay with them until you can get another car and move on. She sat back up and started scooting to the edge, and then wincing when her ankle started throbbing again. “Um…if you’ll hand me my phone, I’ll just give Tori a call and get out of your hair.” I can see you all have things on your mind and I’ve been an awful lot of bother lately. She was looking everywhere but at them because if she saw pity in their eyes she was going to completely lose it, and damned she hated crying.
When neither one moved she finally looked up and saw nothing but confusion and compassion. Finally Cash reached for her and she couldn’t do anything to stop the first tear from falling. “Tell me what went through your head, my love, because for the life of me I have no idea what’s made you think you are a bother.” When she jerked her gaze to his, he smiled and nodded. “Yes, you said all of that aloud. But neither of us have a clue why.” He paused for a few seconds and she watched as he seemed to shift from lover to former SEAL before her eyes. “Your phone has been confiscated. We’ll be getting you a new phone and a new number. And we’d like you to tell us all about Uncle Nick.”
Layla felt as if the whole world had shifted…and started spinning. Both men were suddenly surrounding her and she felt their soothing touches as they laid her down flat—probably a good idea because she’d nearly taken a header off the bed. Finally focusing enough to speak, she answered, “He’s my mother’s younger brother, but he was kind of in charge because he’s really not a nice person. But he’s in prison, so I don’t really know…wait. How did you know about him? Those records shouldn’t include my name because I was so young.” Suddenly she felt like she was shaking from the inside out. If they knew about her uncle, then something was seriously wrong.
Cash lifted her chin forcing her to look at him before speaking. “Love, for whatever reason, he is no longer in prison. And it looks as though he is behind the accidents you’ve been having. Your phone kept ringing last night—literally dozens of missed calls so we checked your phone. Ilaina has called your friends so they are no longer frantic with worry–word spreads fast in a small town, love.” He’d obviously seen her confusion. How would her friends have known she’d fallen and broken her ankle? She’d never lived in a small town and kept forgetting about the sense of community having close friends inspired.
“Now, all that being said—we also noted a lot of calls from an unknown number, so we checked your voice mail message.” He held up his hand when she started to speak. “We weren’t trying to snoop. We were concerned that someone might have been trying to contact you with emergency information. What we heard was a couple of very threatening calls from a man who obviously means you harm. And in order to keep you safe, we need as much information as you can give us about the situation. When you feel up to it, we’ll take you downstairs and you can speak with my team from ShadowDance via teleconference. The sooner this is resolved, the safer you and everyone else will be.”
It just can’t be. Why would they let him out? I saw him do it…I gave up everything to testify…and they fucking let him out? Why? Those were the last thoughts she had before her mind just shut down. It was easier to just not think anymore and broken ankle or not, it was obviously time to leave. The minute her foot hit the ground white hot fire shot through her entire body and she finally just let the darkness take her.
* * * *
Clay had watched the entire scene unfold and wasn’t that surprised when Layla made an attempt to stand because she’d clearly checked out mentally. No doubt she had either forgotten about her broken ankle or had simply not cared. And he knew from experience the pain she’d felt when her foot had hit the ground had to have been devastating. He’d seen her eyes roll back and then she had just blacked out. They had caught her before she’d hit the floor, but it wasn’t the physical pain that concerned him. It was the blank look that he’d seen in her eyes just before she’d tried to stand. She had obviously not been thinking clearly and if he was guessing he’d bet she would run the first chance she had.
“One of us has to stay with her every minute, you know? Not only to protect her from her chicken shit uncle, but also to keep her from running. The minute you mentioned everyone else being safe, she checked out. She will be terrified she’s brought trouble here and she’ll try to leave to protect all of us.”
Cash nodded in agreement. “Let’s carry her back downstairs. We’ll call her friends in, too. Hopefully she’ll listen to Tori. But make sure Trace is aware of the situation as well, I’m sure he’ll want to accompany her. Same with Kat, we’ll call Alex and Zach first.”
Clay laughed. “I know just the thing. It’s supposed to snow tonight so let’s ask Lainy to arrange a get-together for the girls. While they are enjoying the beach room, we can have a strategy session.”
Cash agreed and the minute Clay explained things to Lainy she was on-board as well. In less than an hour they had everything arranged and they’d be hosting a beach party the next afternoon. And in the meantime, they’d make sure Layla wasn’t left alone. Not that she had much hope of escaping when they’d conveniently “lost” her crutches and all the keys to vehicles had vanished as well.
Chapter 19
Layla sat at the bar in the kitchen chopping up veggies and mixing up dips for the beach party. She’d woken up feeling a thousand times better this morning and once they’d figured out a way for her to wrap up two casts so that she could take a quick shower things had seemed even better. Now she was sporting a pair of long running shorts and a cropped tee-shirt so she was ready for the beach party. She had opted for a flip-flop since she still hadn’t located her crutches. But sometimes wisdom was about choosing your battles and all things considered being carried around by gorgeous hunks wasn’t exactly a hardship.
Layla watched as Lainy went completely rigid when the guys mentioned Noah Drummond would be attending their little strategy session later. She wanted to ask, but knew the time wasn’t right. Maybe after they’d had a few drinks. She hadn’t realized she’d stopped chopping until she looked up to see Collin standing close and looking at her thoughtfully. “Sweetness, are you okay? I spoke your name twice before you came back to me.”
“Oh, really? Drat, sorry for that, I was just sort of lost in thought I guess. I missed you last night. What time did you finally come upstairs?” She leaned forward and rested her cheek against his chest.
“It was too late to come in and disturb you, so I just went to my room. I don’t require much sleep so there will be times when I’ll work through the night so I can spend more time with you during the day when Cash and Clay are busy elsewhere.” He’d wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head then
leaned down and moved her curls aside so he could speak against her ear. “Now, people are going to start arriving soon, but I haven’t had any alone time with you yet. Do you feel up to a little bit of play before your party?”
Yep, panty-soaking moment. Feeling his warm breath against her ear was enough to make her pussy flood with cream. “Yes, please,” was all she managed to squeak out before he’d scooped her up and started down the stairs.
“I’m going to make a huge exception to my own rule about you being naked before you enter the play room for two reasons. First, I’m not sure I can wait long enough for us to juggle around those casts out here in the hall. And second, the sooner you are settled on the table the sooner I can fuck you.” He chuckled at her gasp as they made their way into the dark play room. He had her clothes stripped off in seconds and then he was securing her to the large padded table they’d used before. “I’m going to strap you on to the table, sweetness, I want you safe.” He grinned at her and for just a second, she got a glimpse of the ornery boy she was sure he’d been. “I’m not sure you can handle another accident just now.”
Ha ha, everybody’s a comedian. She just smiled and nodded, no sense messing up the promise of sex in her opinion. And getting smart with a Dom hadn’t proven to be a really wise choice previously. She gave herself a mental high-five for learning, albeit slowly, how to play this game.
Drawing his fingers through her wet folds he smiled down at her. “You’re very wet for me aren’t you, sweet sub? That makes me very happy. Let’s see if I can’t come up with some kind of reward for you.” She heard him open a drawer below her but she was quickly losing focus on anything but his fingers trailing from her rear hole to just shy of her clit. When she tried to tilt her hips to force his fingers that last bit further she nearly growled with frustration. He chuckled. “All in good time, sweetness.”
She could feel her entire body flushing with desire and her breathing was little more than panting. Holy shit, the things he could do with his fingers was enough to make her go insane. “Talk to me Layla, I want to hear your voice. We are in this room mostly because I wanted access to the—shall we say accessories? And unless you are told to keep quiet, it is my pleasure to hear every soft sigh and sweet moan. I relish each whisper and I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure your needs are not just met, but are exceeded. I’ll cherish you—body and soul if you’ll let me, pet.” His lips locked over her clit and he sucked it between his teeth and she felt her body come completely apart. It was as if she had gone from near zero to Mach one in a fraction of a second. The intensity of the orgasm caused her to scream and then chant Collin’s name until she was barely able to rasp out a sound.
When she finally managed to open her eyes he had spread her legs wide. Still strapped to the wings of the table he was able to step right up to her still-pulsing pussy. He was sliding the head of his cock through the wet folds of her cunt and smiling at her. “You are so fucking beautiful and when you come, you literally glow from the inside out—it’s a radiance that wraps itself around my heart and fills my soul with light. You are a gift straight from the Great Spirit. I’m going to sink into you and take you right back up to the top again.”
Layla felt each and every ridge of his cock as he slid into her swollen channel and every inch was pure bliss. She tried to keep her eyes open and locked on his, but the feeling was so incredible she suddenly realized her eyes had rolled back and her head was tilted back so far the only thing he’d be able to see was the bottom of her chin. She forced herself to find his gaze again and nearly came when she saw love and lust vying for supremacy in his eyes. “Oh my God, you feel so unbelievably good inside me. Your cock is velvet over hot steel and it’s so…oh, so huge…it fills me so full and pushes in so far and I can feel every glorious ridge caressing me.” He started with long, slow strokes but was picking up the pace and she lost any hope of coherent speech. When he tilted his hips up so that he slid over her G-spot it was as if he’d launched them both into space. She felt her muscles clamp down with an intensity she didn’t even know she possessed a heartbeat before she screamed as the joy of their combined release assailed her. It was made all the more intense by the feel of his cock pulsing deep inside her.
Layla was still basking in the afterglow when she felt Collin wiping off her sex with a warm wet cloth, when she reached for it he laid his hand on her lower abdomen. “Be still, I love taking care of you. Please don’t deny me the honor.” He carried her into the bathroom and helped her freshen up and then get re-dressed before taking her into the beach room and settling her in one of the lounge chairs and elevating her ankle. He picked up a remote and suddenly the room was filled with the sounds of the ocean and the faint sound of Caribbean music.
She laughed. “Oh it’s so perfect. It sounds as if I’m just down from a real beachside bar. You are brilliant and so sweet. I don’t think I told you the other night how much this room means to me. It’s amazing and the fact that you really listened to me and remembered…well, it touches my heart…I want you to know that.”
He leaned down and kissed her with an intensity that surprised her considering they had both just had “shake me to my core” orgasms. When he pulled back, he smiled and brushed his finger down her nose. “Eventually, you’re going to understand just how important you are, sweetheart. But until then, we plan to keep reminding you. Now, I want you to lie back and rest a bit before your guests arrive.”
“But I need to help Ilaina with the rest of the food. It’s not fair to expect her to do all the work.”
“You’re kidding, right? She is in seventh heaven up there bossing around two of her brothers. Now be a good girl and catch a few minutes’ rest before the wild-women of ShadowDance Mountain descend upon you.” He covered her with a soft throw and dimmed the lights a bit and her last thoughts before she drifted off were about being the luckiest woman alive.
* * * *
Nick Lang sat down the road from Red Clouds Dancing and watching as a half dozen trucks made their way past the new business to head down the lane leading to the men’s home. He had to laugh, some special ops agents these jokers were. Not a single one of the drivers had even given him a second glance. He’d planned to check out their house tonight, but now it looked like that was going to have to wait. He’d hit their little dance hall and find himself a distraction later. Hell it was the almost the weekend, there ought to be at least a few women to pick from. Not that he was overly particular after having been mostly celibate while in prison. There had been women willing to fuck the inmates, hell, there had been male staff willing to provide services as well. Never let it be said that prisons weren’t subject to all the same temptations as the streets—the economy was just exaggerated.
He’d done some research and it appeared the Red Cloud brothers were an interesting group. And that middle one was a rich bastard, too. Maybe he should just kidnap Layla and collect a few million before he sliced her up. He’d give her back alright, every piece. He laughed at his own joke and settled in to wait. It would be a few hours before the dance club was hopping, no need to be seen driving all over town and risk being noticed. No, he’d just kick back and rest a bit, no need to tempt fate.
* * * *
Alex escorted Kat in the front door of the Red Clouds’ home and watched as his brother and Jamie Creed disappeared into the trees along the creek. Kat looked up at him and frowned. “Did you see that? They just fuc…um, I mean they just disappeared. Did you guys have to take a class in that or something?” She smiled at Alex sweetly, but judging by his frown, it didn’t seem to be working. Damn, she really was losing her touch lately.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Close, but not close enough, my love,” and gave her a sharp swat. Okay, so maybe this evening had some potential for later after all. They hadn’t really seemed interested in punishing her for anything recently and she had even made an effort…more than once…to push them. She tried to look contrite but wasn’t sure she’d pul
led it off.
“Come on, girlfriend, before you get yourself in more trouble than you can handle. Cash says we should head on downstairs and follow the music. That sounds like it has potential so let’s get a move on.” Tori Bartell was dragging her down the hall before she’d even gotten a kiss, damn it anyway.
“Okay, but I just got cheated out of a kiss I’ll have you know. Damn, who lit a fire under your ass anyway?”
“Hush, I have to pee again and if Trace sees me, he’s going to be on me like white on rice.” She glanced around quickly and then asked, “Is Mitch going to be here?” When Kat nodded, Tori cursed a blue streak as they made their way down the stairs. “Shit, you have to promise to keep him away from me.”
Kat dug her heels in the minute they got near the door. “Why?”
Tori sighed and just dragged her in the room. “We’re here, finally. Sorry, but we had to wait for Kat to get her ass swatted before coming downstairs. You know how greedy she is.” The other women giggled and Kat just rolled her eyes. Jenna was already reclining on a lounge chair with a large glass of what looked like orange juice with fruit in it. Her sweet friend and sister-in-law was due any minute and the little “warrior fairy,” as her brothers liked to call her, looked like she had an extra-large beach ball stuffed under her shirt. She also seemed stressed and Kat made a mental note to find out what that was about…as soon as she got her drink.
