Free to Love (The Colson Brothers Book 8)

by Reese Madison

  “Not until you took a wife four years ago.” I argued.

  “Women don’t count.” She reminded me. “Not like you were there anyway. Might as well be under the goddamned prison clause.”

  “Oh, you mean like the one you almost put ME under??” I reminded her of days long past.

  “Nobody told you to try and save my ass.”

  “Nobody told me to fucking pick you up out of that dumpster either. Nobody told me to marry you to save you from a killer. But you know what wife?? I fucking did it anyway. Do I need to remind you why?” Now she’s pissing me off.

  “No.” She looked out the window again.

  Eve grabbed my hand. “I can’t handle you both. Please don’t pick a fight.”

  I looked down at her hand on mine and back up. “You are a glutton for punishment.” I had to look back to the road or risk crashing. Eve is one beautiful woman. My wife has my number, she always has, but Eve is the kind of woman I could spend many hours with in my bed. Her innocence is coupled with a bravery that makes me want to test all her limits.

  I squeezed her hand so she didn’t take offense then put my hand back on the steering wheel. I need a lobotomy for taking these two back to my homestead. Larry is going to laugh his ass off once he gets a load of this shit.

  Both girls slept most of the flight north to Montana. Larry got his good laugh at my expense when Myk wrestled Eve to the floor and pinned her until she caved and finally fell asleep. The only reason I didn’t interfere was because I can tell by Myk’s actions and tone that she’s on the down side of the fight.

  We had to stop to get fuel before going up to my mountain so the girls woke up.

  Before I could open my door Eve cried out. “OW!!”

  I turned to find Myk straddling Eve with a handful of her hair pulling it hard enough to lift Eve’s chin. She bent down nose to nose and threatened the poor woman. “You ever pull any bullshit like that again and you won’t live to see the next morning.”

  “Myk, back off.” I slid out and opened the back door. “Get off her. Now.” I ordered and reached in to pull Myk out and to her feet. “Leave the poor girl alone. We both know whatever she did was your fault.”

  “Doesn’t mean she can go fuck whoever she wants to piss me off.” She argued looking past me to Eve who is sitting up holding her throat and crying softly to herself.

  I closed the door and grabbed Myk by her throat pinning her as hard as I could without snapping her neck against the rear quarter of my bird. I leaned in using my body to keep her from being able to do more than try to hurt me. “Make me tie you back up. Please.” I begged with all seriousness. Tying her up and torturing her haunts my dreams.

  “You wish.” She hissed between strangled breaths.

  “You know I do.”

  “Get off me.”

  “Are you going to behave?”

  “For now.” She conceded only because I unfastened my belt. Six years or seven, I will have my wife when and where I see fit, and she knows it. It was in our wedding vows.

  I pushed off and fixed my belt. “That was close.”

  She’s panting hard enough to put her hands on her knees. “I fucking hate you.”

  I glanced over to Larry who is talking to the guy filling the tank. “Get back in the chopper. Lay one hand on Eve and I’ll teach you a lesson like you’ve never known.”

  “I’m not going to kill her.” She confided unhappily.

  “No. You’re not.” I pulled open the door and waved her inside. “At least not before I get a turn with her.” I winked at Eve.

  She blushed and looked away.

  Myk climbed up into the seat closet to the door and pointed at me. “Hands off. She’s mine.”

  “And you’re mine. Doesn’t that make you both mine?” I waited a full second for her reply and slammed the door on her when I didn’t get one.

  The last hour of the flight was pretty quiet. Eve wasn’t speaking to anyone. Myk didn’t have anything left to say. Larry and I kept quiet unless it was to talk piloting bullshit. I’m exhausted. I know he is. The girls have had a nap, but I can see Eve is still yawning.

  We landed and Larry happily took over securing the bird while I drove the girls up to the main house. My house. People tend to come and go in it more than I prefer, but when you live the way we do it’s kind of inevitable.

  The sun is going down but you can see a good portion of my valley from the road leading up to the house. Eve’s nose is planted to the window. “Where are we?”

  “Colsonville.” Myk complained sarcastically.

  I shot her a dirty look. “Try again asshole.” Only I can call her that and get away with it, simply because it’s true and she knows it. It’s also partially my fault she’s the way she is.

  “I don’t give a fuck what you call it.” She looked out the window away from the town she was supposed to help me build.

  “This is your town Cord??” Eve asked sounding so innocent I started to see Myk’s attraction beyond the physical.

  “Yes Miss Eve, it most certainly is. One hundred and seventy-six of us live up here. We’re self-sustained and mostly off the grid. I put internet access up here last year, but there are no landlines. Your cell phone won’t work up here, but the one I give you will. You can use it to communicate with other people up here and home. Do not, under any circumstances, try to invite anyone up here without talking to me first. They will be shot.” I educated her.

  “I don’t even know where we are. Plus there’s no one to invite.” She replied sadly.

  “Eve doesn’t have any family Cord.” Myk informed me.

  “She does now.” I glanced back in my mirror to find a slight smile on a sweet girl’s lips.

  “She’s mine Cord, not yours. Keep your hands off.”

  “That’s up to her, not you.” I put the truck in Park and shut the engine off. “Recognize your house wife?”

  “Shut up.” Myk got out and slammed the door.

  Eve pressed her forehead to the back of my seat. “I hate loving that woman.”

  I laughed. “Welcome to my world.” I got out and opened the door for her. She stumbled a little so I scooped her up like I’ve only done with one other woman. “Let’s get you into bed.”

  “Cord.” Myk scolded.

  “Oh pipe down woman. She didn’t take the same vows you did. She’s safe.” I sneered at her as she opened the door for us.

  “What does that mean? What vows?”

  “Never mind.” Myk stopped and looked around. “Shit Cord. Nice work.”

  “I know. Follow me and let’s get Eve settled in so we can talk privately.” I headed to my room and thanked god I had time to change the sheets yesterday.

  I set Eve on the bed as the lights came on. They’re attached to motion sensors. “Bathroom’s right over there. We’ll be in the living room if you need anything. The water is drinkable from the tap, and there’s booze in the mini bar over there.” I pointed. “Do me a favor and stay in here for a little while. Things could get ugly out there.”

  Eve sat up and grabbed my arm. “Don’t hurt her. I know she’s your wife, but she’s mine too.”

  I ran the backs of my fingers over her cheek as I looked into her worried brown eyes. “She can take what I dish out. Get cleaned up, help yourself to some of my clean clothes, and get some rest. I’ll come get you when dinner is ready.”

  “Thank you. You’re nice.”

  “Not really. Make yourself at home Eve. This is your home now, as it is Myk’s.”

  My wife grabbed my other arm and pulled. “Come on dickhead. I need a drink.”

  I touched Eve’s chin and gave her another wink before leaving with Mykela. After pouring us a couple tumblers of whiskey I looked my wife over. “You’ve lost weight.”

  She took down half the whiskey before replying. “More work, less working out.”

  “That’s a bad combination for you. What happened with Eve? You cheat on her?”

  “No.” She
sighed and downed the last of the whiskey before taking the bottle off the bar to refill her glass.

  “So what happened?”

  “I happened. Same old shit Cord, different spouse.” She walked over to the window where the end of the sunset filled the entire west wall.

  “You love her?”

  “If I didn’t I would have tried to kill her for fucking around with Goat.”

  I nodded knowing that feeling all too well. “She can stay, but if she flirts with me I’m not responsible for what happens. You have excellent taste wife.”

  “Shut up Cord.” She huffed then turned around to face me. “I don’t care if she fucks you. She likes men, she just has shitty taste in them. An affliction we both seem to share.”

  I raised my eyebrow at her. “You married me.”

  “Because I had no choice.” She turned back around.

  “You had a choice. You could have filed for emancipation.” I reminded her.

  “That would have taken too long. I needed out sooner. I needed out before I became him.” She was quiet for a minute. “I always wondered if you’d built this place.”

  “What choice did I have? You told me you were done. I wasn’t going to chase you. I’d been chasing you since I was ten years old and found your tiny body in that dumpster. Once you turned eighteen I had no hold on you.” I pushed off the barstool I’d settled on a few minutes ago as we were talking and shoved the past back where it belongs. “But I do now. You’re still my wife. You just beat the snot out of the club’s VP. The club that saved your life. You’re lucky Slider didn’t end you on the spot. You know how he feels about Goat.”

  “Yeah. Yeah.” She interrupted me. “We all know Goat is Slider’s little butt buddy.”

  “It’s not like that and you know it.” I scolded her like there isn’t seven years of emptiness between us. “I can assure you Goat is not gay, and neither is Slider.”

  “I know. Slider is like a grandfather to me. I can pick on him if I want to.” She took a deep breath then looked over at me standing to her right. “You okay?”

  I looked over to find Eve sneaking around the corner. “Come in. This is your home now, don’t sneak into a room.” I waved her over.

  She shook her head. “I need Myk.”

  I gave Myk a confused look.

  She waved me off then set her drink down on the coffee table to go to Eve.

  I followed just in case. “Everything alright?”

  “It’s fine. Go away.” Myk replied sharply.

  “I’m not leaving you alone with her. What’s wrong?” I stopped short of entering the bathroom to put my hand on the door preventing Myk from closing it. “Somebody answer me or I start getting it out of you, and I have no problem starting with the weaker of the two.” I looked pointedly at Eve.

  Myk sighed. “She can’t shower alone. I have to be in the room.”

  I nodded and stepped through. “Fine. I’ll keep my back turned, but I’m still not leaving you alone with her.”

  “Fine.” Myk echoed. “So now what? Go ahead Eve, you’re safe, I promise.” She must have had a bad experience showering alone. I can imagine that would be a tough one to live with, especially if you live alone. I’m starting to get why Eve got so frantic when I threatened to take Mykela away from her.

  “Now you live up here like you said you wanted to seven years ago. Eve stays unless she says she wants to go. I don’t care what you do, but if I come home and find one mark on Eve so help me Mykela-“

  “Shut up asshole. I’m not going to hurt her.”

  “You almost strangled her to death Myk.” I reminded her.

  “I’d have stopped.” She assured me.

  “How long has it been?” I asked knowing I won’t like the answer.

  “Not now Cord.” Oh yeah, Eve. She doesn’t know shit about our wife.

  I turned around focusing on my wife not the woman showering behind the clouded glass door and mouthed, “How long?”

  Her jaw clenched before she replied soft enough only I can hear. “You know when. That’s why I work so much. I love Eve, but she can’t get me out of my own head.”

  “Not like I can.”

  She huffed and turned away raking her fingers through her hair. “No.”

  “We’ll go hunting tomorrow. Keep your shit together tonight. How much does she know?”

  She glanced over to make sure Eve couldn’t hear before turning back to me. “Less than nothing. I don’t want her to know either. I won’t have her looking at me the way you do.”

  “The fuck does that mean?!” I asked too loud.

  “It means you’re an idiot. If you tell Eve I’ll leave again. Do you understand me Cord Colson??” Her expression iced over.

  “How do I look at you?” I leaned in backing her towards the shower.

  “Like I’m the mistake you made. Like you have to save me from myself. I’m sick of being someone’s pet project.”

  Eve opened the door and stuck her head out. “Are you guys fighting again? Because seriously, just fuck and get it over with. I promise not to be jealous.”

  I searched Myk’s eyes before replying, “You were never my project. You were my daughter. My sister. My best friend, and then my wife. You were and always will be every FUCKING thing to me!!” I broke a tile to my right far away from either of the girls.

  Myk knows me well. She very calmly pointed to the door. “Time out.”

  I hissed at her like the old days when she’d have to call me off and left the bathroom.

  3

  Mykela Colson

  Between my husband and my wife I might just lose what’s left of my sanity sooner than I thought. I mean, I knew I was well on my way to the loony bin someday, but now? Fuck. If I don’t gut a deer soon, one of these two is going to feel my wrath. And by that I mean Cord.

  Eve can’t handle me. She’s too delicate. Too sweet. And that of course is why I love her. I need her to keep the sweet in my life, because my sour is always threatening to take over.

  Then about a year ago I started taking on more hours at work. More surgeries. More blood. More challenges. More more more.

  The result? Less sweet. Less sanity. Less Eve.

  I didn’t need to take on the work. I don’t need the money. I don’t know what I need, and the last time I got like this, my fucking jackass of a husband somehow knew exactly what I needed. He always has, and with my luck, probably always will. The fact that he offered to take me in the woods with a loaded gun told me more than just the fact that he once again gets me. It also means he trusts me. Trust I don’t deserve.

  Cord has no reason to trust me. I’m insane. Hell, he half made me insane. Between him and my adopted father it’s a wonder I’m not locked up and strapped to a bed being sentenced to a life of electro-shock therapy. Do they still do that?

  Eve is curled up in my lap under a blanket fast asleep.

  Cord is staring out into the night and lights in his valley below.

  I’m counting the minutes until I can be myself. Four hours. We’ll leave at four. Three hours and fifty two- one-seconds. I made a clicking noise I haven’t used in years.

  Cord turned his head automatically, then furrowed his brows.

  I nodded to Eve and mouthed, “Bed.”

  He nodded and set his drink down to come get Eve.

  I can carry her, but I’m tired and he’s here. Cord is the only man big enough and agile enough to best me. He also taught me most of what I know when it comes to fighting. I’m his wife. If I tell him to carry my wife to bed he should do it. My brain is skipping again.

  I waited until she was tucked in then turned to him. “I’m going to get some sleep too. Wake me up when it’s time to go. And don’t let me oversleep. I need this.”

  “I know.” He pushed me so I sat on the edge of the bed. “You get middle tonight so she doesn’t freak out. After tonight that spot belongs to me.”

  “She’ll crawl over you to get to me.”

  “I loo
k forward to it.” He shooed me over and tucked us both into a spoon under the comforter. “Then again this isn’t bad either.”

  “Keep your wandering hands to yourself.” I found a pressure point on his wrist putting an end to it’s ascend up my shirt.

  “I just flew twenty out of the last twenty-four hours. You’re my wife. Either give me some tit or I make you recite those vows.”

  “You can’t-“ He pinched me just hard enough I closed my eyes. “Fine, but that’s it.”

  He cupped one at a time with calloused hands before settling on the one closest to the mattress and falling asleep.

  The alarm didn’t wake me up, but wandering hands did. Oddly it wasn’t hard callused hands, they were the hands of my soft warm wife searching for forgiveness with a tender touch.

  Because I know I owe her at least that I eased her into a kiss and set about to satisfy her needs. What followed was needed by both of us. She came twice to my hard to reach one before Cord grabbed my ass.

  I swatted him away. “Forget it.”

  “That was just an excuse to grab your ass. Time to go if we’re doing this.”

  “Shit.” I cupped Eve’s face. “Stay in this house. Do not leave for any reason other than it catching on fire. We’ll be back in about five hours.”

  “Where are you going?? What if somebody knocks on the door??” She dug her fingernails into my shoulders.

  Cord slid over and moved her hair off her face. “Remember Larry from yesterday? My copilot?”

  She nodded looking over at him. “Yeah.”

  “I’m going have him sit out front while we’re gone. He’ll take care of anyone who comes looking for me, or tries to get in the house. Unfortunately people do kind of come and go here, but you’re safe. You can trust Larry. If you don’t want to be alone just invite him in. He’s married with three kids up here. In fact I’ll send her up with some food. She’s a great cook.”

  “Cord.” I interrupted.

  He looked at me. “What?” Damn those blue eyes. They’re even worse when they’re full of sleep and lust.

  “Put Larry by her side, and get me a couple cell phones so she can text me. Not the wife. Eve shouldn’t be responsible for answering questions about the three of us by herself.”