by Jane Jamison
She groaned, but motioned for him to go on. Here we go again.
“You’re right. I lost a bunch of money at the track. Thing is that wasn’t the worst of it, though. I also lost money that belonged to another man.”
“Oh, Avery.” Her anger fled her, replaced by a painful sorrow. Would he ever learn?
“Yeah, well, what else could I do? I couldn’t pay him back so I took off. Hell, who would’ve figured he’d find me in this dinky little town?” He worked his jaw back and forth. Purplish bruises were scattered over his face and upper arms.
“That’s fucked up, man.” Jeff was the one who was angry now. “You brought this kind of trouble to your sister? Damn.”
“Half sister.” Both she and Avery said it together.
“Jeff’s right.” Kane dark countenance made him appear even angrier than Jeff. “That’s no way for a man to act.”
She wondered if the remorse on her brother’s face was real or just a pretense. “So he beat you up? Did you give him back any of his money? Even a little?”
Avery tracked a hand through his hair. “I gave him what I could, but it wasn’t near enough what I owe him.”
She knew what was coming next and hated to have to hear it. But there was no other way. “And what’s next? Did he give you more time to pay him back?”
Avery’s laugh was anything but lighthearted. “He gave me until the end of the week.”
“And if you don’t pay him back?” Had the air gotten thicker? Or was her throat closing up?
Avery’s solemn expression stabbed at her heart. He struggled to answer. “Either I pay him back all of the money with interest or he’ll kill me.”
Alex couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. She turned away from Avery and covered her face.
Chapter Six
Only Alex’s tearful pleas kept Kane from ripping Avery’s head off his shoulders. Jeff was by his side, ready to add his own form of bodily harm to her brother.
How could anyone related to her be such a waste of skin and bones?
Kane stalked away from the group only to pace back. He clenched his hands, forcing them to remain at his side. Jeff hadn’t moved after his initial lunge at Avery and then his promise to Alex not to harm him. But Kane had no doubt Jeff was feeling the same sense of raw fury that he was.
“Kane, please.”
He couldn’t hold back. Not even for her. “Please what, Alex? Please don’t be mad at this jerk that keeps making you miserable? Because if that’s what you’re asking me to do, then I’m sorry, but it’s not going to happen. He’s lucky he’s still breathing.”
Avery cowered next to her, his head held low and silent.
At least he has sense enough to keep his trap shut.
Kane gritted his teeth and prayed that lightning would do them all a favor and strike the man down. He even glanced skyward only to be disappointed.
“Let’s get a grip here, guys.”
Had Jeff gone crazy, too? But one glance at him dispelled that thought. Jeff was simply better at controlling his anger.
“What I’m saying is that, as much as we’d like to, wiping Avery off the face of the earth won’t help the situation. These thugs would only come after Alex for the money instead.”
Shit. I didn’t think of that.
Alarm wiped away some of Kane’s anger. But not enough that he didn’t still want to throttle Avery. “What do you suggest we do? Take them out and bury their bodies in the lower pasture?”
“Again, as good as that sounds, I think we need to come at this in a more rational manner.”
If the situation hadn’t taken such a dire turn, he might’ve thought Jeff was trying his patience on purpose. “Get to it. What do you suggest?”
Avery opened his mouth but shut it again at Kane’s grumbled curse. Alex, the remainder of her tears still sparkling in her eyes, shook her head. “I don’t have any ideas. We could pay him back, but I don’t have that kind of money.”
“How much are we talking about anyway?” Kane was sure no one had mentioned the amount of the debt yet.
“I don’t know that, either,” answered Alex. “But I figure it’s got to be more than the couple of thousand I have in my account.”
The three of them confronted Avery and waited for him to fill in that magical number. Avery cleared his throat. “Including the interest? I owe him ten thousand.”
“Dollars?” Alex’s face paled.
“Who is this guy? Some mobster?” Jeff slid his palm along her arm, obviously trying to comfort her.
“He’s not a mobster. At least not the way you’re thinking. He’s an ex-friend who isn’t so friendly anymore.”
Kane forced down the urge to punch Avery. “You’ve got some shitty buddies.”
“Yeah, well. That’s the kind of guy you meet at the tracks.” Avery shrugged.
“What’s his name? When and where are you supposed to pay him back?”
“His name is Enrique Valquez and I have to pay him back on Saturday.”
Kane was glad when Jeff took hold of her. She looked like she was about to pass out. “Do you have any of the money left?”
Alex sounded lost. “No, he doesn’t. He had to borrow money from me the other day. Oh, hell, Avery. How could you do this?”
“I’m sorry, Alex. Really I am.” He reached out for her, but she cringed into Jeff’s arms. “I swear, if you can help me out of this mess, I’ll never gamble again.”
“I’ve heard that one before.” She turned away from him and put her head on Jeff’s shoulder.
Kane wished that he had been the one to comfort her. “All right, so we have until Saturday to come up with a plan. Don’t worry, Alex, Jeff’s good at this kind of thing.”
He’d surprised Jeff. “I think that’s the first and only time I’ve ever heard you give me a compliment.”
“Don’t let it go to your head.” Kane pointed back to his pickup. Daisy had tied the horse to the back of the trailer and taken the kids inside the house. “Let’s get to the ranch and put our heads together. Maybe Gabriel will have an idea.”
“No.” She pushed away from Jeff. “Don’t tell Gabriel. Or anyone else for that matter.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want anyone to know about my brother.”
“Half brother.” He and Jeff answered at the same time.
The tiniest of smiles came to her lips. “Right. But if Avery’s telling the truth about cleaning up his life, then I don’t want him to start out on a bad note with anyone around here.”
“It’s okay, Alex. I deserve whatever they think.”
“He’s got that straight.” Still, Kane wished he hadn’t have said as much, even if that’s how he really felt. His harsh statements only seemed to hurt Alex more.
She took his hand and then Jeff’s. “I know I don’t have any right to ask this, but please, keep it quiet. This is Avery’s last chance. Let’s make sure it’s his best chance, too.”
“Whatever you say, Alex.” Kane motioned for Avery to head toward his truck. Once he had, Kane grabbed her by the arm and pulled her against him. “Jeff and I’ll be back tomorrow to load up the Johnsons’ belongings. But after that, I’m going to want more time with you.” His gaze darted to Jeff and back. “Got it?”
She started to crane around to see Jeff, but he took her by the chin and kept her facing him. “I’ll ask you again. Got it?”
She got on the tips of her toes and kissed him sweetly on the lips. “Got it.”
Pulling away from him, she took a step toward the house when Jeff grabbed her in much the same way as he had done.
“Same goes for me, baby.” Jeff pressed a deep kiss on her, and she melted into him. “And don’t worry about Avery. We’re on it.”
Kane was jealous that he hadn’t taken his chance to kiss her good.
Dang you, Jeff. Always having to get the last word in.
* * * *
Jeff hadn’t spoken to Kane about Alex. Not yet, anyway.
But he couldn’t put it off any longer. He looked out over the green land. The bay horse snorted then tugged on the reins, wanting to nibble at the grass. Jeff gave him the slack he needed, then leaned back in the saddle.
He’d known Alex was special the first moment he’d seen her. Yet he’d had no idea how much he’d come to care for her in such a short time until her brother’s gambling problems had come to light. The thought of anyone hurting her made his blood boil.
Yet care wasn’t a strong enough word. He not only lusted after her, but found that he wanted to know everything about her. From her wayward half brother to her favorite foods, he wanted to know it all.
Was it strange that he could love her without getting all that information first?
Love.
He straightened in the saddle as realization hit him.
Yeah, that’s the right word. I don’t just care for her, I love her.
“Well, I’ll be damned.”
He would’ve bet everything he owned that he’d never fall in love. And yet, it had happened when he’d least expected it.
Should he tell her how he felt? And what about Kane? She’d let him have her. Strangely, that didn’t bother him as much as it would’ve a few days ago.
Not for the first time, he took out his phone and started to punch in her number.
“Are you calling her? Have you talked to her before now?”
He shoved the phone back into his hip pocket and twisted around to see Kane riding up. They’d agreed to meet at the location far from the bunkhouse for the sake of privacy.
Black hair, black hat, black eyes, and riding a black horse. Still trying to play the bad guy, Kane?
Unlike he normally would have, he kept the jab to himself. “Yes to the first and no to the second question. Have you?”
Kane shook his head. “I don’t know what it is about her, but every time I think about calling her, I can’t do it.”
Jeff had never seen Kane in such a reflective mood. “Yeah, I know. It’s almost like she’s more of a dream than a reality.”
“And if you pick up the phone and call her, you might just wake up.”
Will wonders never cease? Kane and I having the same thought about her? That’s just freaky.
“So.”
Kane nodded. “So.”
“We need to decide how to handle this.”
“We can’t let Avery’s mess wind up hurting her.”
Jeff hadn’t been able to get it out of his mind, either. “There’s only two ways to keep that from happening. Either we take the guy out—”
“Or we pay him back.”
“I’m thinking I’d rather pay him the money than risk going to jail.” He figured Kane would rather take the man out, but he didn’t want to see Kane going to prison for it, either.
Although with Kane up the river that would leave the door open for me and Alex. Or would it make him a hero in her eyes?
He shook off the ridiculous thoughts. No one was getting hurt if he had any say in it.
“Same here.”
“Good. Then it’ll get paid back and soon.”
“Exactly.”
Jeff didn’t bother telling Kane that he’d already started making plans.
“There’s the other problem.” Kane cleared his throat, but it sounded more like a groan.
“Yeah, I know.”
“I have a suggestion.”
Jeff figured he knew what was coming, but he took the plunge anyway. Besides, he guessed that he’d probably come up with the same idea. “Let’s hear it.”
“You back out of the picture.”
Jeff laughed, not so much at Kane as with him. He’d had the same idea, all right, but with Kane being the one to back out. “I was thinking it’d be the other way round.”
Kane managed a slight smile. “Sorry. Not happening.”
“Yeah, I figured as much.”
They sat, two riders gazing out at the land they loved, thinking about the woman they loved. Jeff had no doubt that Kane felt the same way as he did about Alex.
“She has to make a choice.”
As soon as he’d said the words, a pain ripped into Jeff’s gut. What if she didn’t choose him? Was he willing to lose her for good? He couldn’t imagine staying in Destiny and seeing Kane and Alex together. If she didn’t choose him he’d not only lose her, but his home and job as well.
“She told us to get used to both of us with her.”
Jeff shifted in his saddle. “I remember. But we’re on the same page about that, right? To make her choose between us?”
“Seems like the only reasonable choice since we’re not like the others.”
Jeff let Kane’s remark speak for itself. Many of the men on Second Chance Ranch had chosen to share one woman. But those men were sharing one woman with their brothers or cousins or, at the very least, their close friends. Kane and he weren’t related and they sure as hell weren’t good friends.
But could they be? For the first time ever, he gave it serious consideration. Weren’t they already friends in a strange kind of way? Kane was a burr in his butt, but he also admired Mr. Tall, Dark, and Irritating. When they put their differences aside, they worked well together and made a formidable pair.
Was that enough to share Alex for a lifetime? Even if he could agree to it, he doubted Kane would ever go for it.
“Then we tell her to pick one of us.” The pain in Jeff’s gut grew stronger. Could he go through with it? Did he want to take the risk for all or nothing?
“Agreed. And whichever one of us she doesn’t choose has to leave it alone. Hell, he has to leave us alone.”
Jeff chuckled at Kane’s attempt to slide the idea past him. Although he didn’t feel like chuckling. “Us as in Alex and me.”
“Dream on, man. She’s going to want me.”
“And you’re so sure of this because…”
“Because I’ve already shown her what a great lover I am.” Kane kept his gaze front and center. “Once they go Kane, they never complain.”
Jeff groaned at the horrible line. “Funny. But I heard it was the other way round. Once they go Kane, they never remain.”
To his credit, Kane gave him a short snort of laughter. “Man, you are delusional.”
“I wouldn’t count on that. I can do more with my tongue and fingers than you can with that tiny stick of yours.”
“The hell you can. Your stubby tongue can’t hold a candle to my cock. It’s sad that you’d even think so.”
“I didn’t hear any complaints about my finger work, either.” He let his grin spread. “Don’t you get it, Kane? She came both times with me. Imagine how she’s going to scream when I finally use my cock on her.”
Jeff almost laughed at the frown on Kane’s face. He was thrilled when the frown turned into a worried look.
Kane mumbled a curse under his breath. “Dream on, little man. Now that she’s had me, she won’t even give you a chance to do anything else.”
“She will. But you know what? That won’t even matter. The way into her heart isn’t through her pussy. And on that point, I’m light years ahead of you.” Jeff laughed, adding the mocking sound to put a cutting edge to his answer. Kane’s frown deepened.
Another period of silence came after that, leaving them both to their thoughts.
“I have an idea.”
Wow, two in one day. But Jeff resisted the temptation to verbally jab at his favorite victim. “What’s that?”
“Let’s invite her to a special dinner right there at Daisy’s. With the Johnson family gone, the place is empty and we can ask Daisy to make herself scarce for the night.”
“Okay. So who’s cooking?”
It was obvious Kane hadn’t thought about that. “We’ll pick up some food from the diner, but we can add the…” He stumbled as he searched for the right word.
“Ambience.”
“Right. We’ll add the ambience. You know, candles, white tablecloth, flowers, the kinds of things women li
ke.”
He wouldn’t have imagined that Kane would’ve thought of all those special additions. Maybe he was deeper than he gave him credit for. “Yeah. I like it. And after dinner, we tell her that she has to pick one of us.”
“Right. Then once you’re headed out of town, I’ll take her upstairs and show her how a real man uses his tongue.”
Jeff’s horse stomped at the ground. “Like you said, big guy. Keep on dreaming.”
“So we’re agreed?”
“Yeah, we are. I’ll handwrite a note for her if you’ll call Daisy and fill her in. Once we’ve got things set up, I’ll slide it under her door.” He tugged on the reins, bringing the horse’s head up. “The rest will be up to her.”
* * * *
Alex stretched out on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She hadn’t slept well, and although she’d managed to get the Johnson family into their new rented home, her worry for Avery had kept her pacing back and forth all night. Other than the men showing up yesterday to move the family, she hadn’t heard from Jeff or Kane.
Whenever she wasn’t with them, the doubts came flooding back. How could two men who looked like they did be interested in an overworked, underpaid, chubby woman like her? Especially when she had a no-good half brother as part of the package? She was intelligent and that was a turn-on for some men, but for most men it often boiled down to a physical thing.
She slid her hands over her breasts, remembering how their hands had felt on her. Would she feel that way again?
She hadn’t given much thought to why they were so eager to help out. But now the questions wouldn’t stop.
Had they helped because that’s what the people of Destiny did for one another? No matter what other reason they might have, that had to be a part of it. Still, that didn’t explain why they were willing to help Avery.
Did that mean they cared about her? Would any man go to all that trouble just for sex? Jeff hadn’t actually fucked her yet. But the fact that he’d been the first man to go down on her made him special. And Kane? He’d taught her what it was like to have a real man take her.
She rolled onto her stomach and hugged the pillow. Did she dare dream that she could have both of them? That two men cared and wanted her for more than just sex?
