by Avery Gale
Well Bred
The Morgan Brothers Series – Book Five
By Avery Gale
© Copyright December 2016 by Avery Gale
ISBN 978-1-944472-34-4
All cover art and logo © Copyright 2016 by Avery Gale
All rights reserved.
The Morgan Brothers® and Avery Gale® are registered trademarks
Cover Design by Jess Buffett
Published by Avery Gale Books
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales are entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author and publishing company.
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.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue
Other Books by Avery Gale
Chapter One
Caila Cooper let her forehead bump gently against the cool plastic of the steering wheel. Her eyes drifted shut as a tidal wave of bone crushing fatigue crashed over her. She’d planned to drive all the way to Pine Creek tonight, but as soon as she realized she had to choose between two images of the highway dancing in her blurring vision, Caila knew it was time to pull over. It was foolish to risk life and limb just to get home a couple of hours sooner. The delay easily outweighed the horror she’d feel if she hurt someone else.
Spending most of the past month driving around the country had taken a toll. But she’d visited some of the most well-respected bovine and equine breeding programs in North America and applied for several jobs. Even though the trip had been successful, she felt remarkably empty inside. Caila was a small-town girl at heart, and the oppressive waves of homesickness she’d experienced made her so restless she hadn’t been sleeping well. Once she’d finally accepted the fact her lifelong dream of settling down in her hometown wasn’t going to work out, she’d been forced to reevaluate her options.
Every one of the job offers she’d gotten held a unique appeal. Hell, every ranch operation she’d interviewed with had state of the art operations and facilities anybody would be thrilled to work in. The only problem? They weren’t in Montana…they weren’t anywhere near the man who’d held her heart for as long as she could remember.
She had to let go of the dream of taking over her dad’s veterinary practice. It would be too hard to live and work so close to the Morgan Ranch. Someday Kip Morgan was going to get married and settle down, and Caila’s heart would break every time she saw him with another woman. Rolling her forehead over the hard plastic, she swallowed the lump in her throat. God, I’m just too tired to deal with this now.
Last night she’d spread all her notes over the bed in her motel room and started reviewing her options. She’d been trying to focus on rebuilding her life away from Montana as her phone buzzed with an incoming call. When she’d seen Brandt Morgan’s name on the screen, Caila had panicked. The only reason he’d call was if something was wrong. The sheriff, a retired Navy Seal, and the middle son on the neighboring Morgan Ranch, Brandt wasn’t prone to casual phone calls just to chit-chat about how someone’s day was going.
The Morgan boys had nicknamed her Calamity when she’d been just a little girl because of her penchant for creating chaos and mayhem. She’d always been accident prone, but she’d also chosen to ignore the critics and focus on her dad’s explanation. He’d sworn she was just overly enthusiastic, but over the years, she’d discovered he was more patient than he was accurate.
She could still hear Brandt’s stern voice, a blast of frigid air. “Caila, there’s a problem with your dad. I didn’t want to betray his confidence, but it’s gotten to the point it’s a matter of his safety.” The words had bounced around in her head, refusing to come together into something she could make sense of. She hadn’t heard much else he’d said because she’d been frantically throwing everything into her bags in a mad dash to get on the road. The only thing that had made sense was, “You’d better come home, sweetie.” Cripes, she didn’t even remember saying good bye before stuffing her phone into her pocket and rushing out the door.
Leaning back the seat in her SUV, Caila pulled her phone from her pocket and groaned when she saw how little battery life was left. Setting the alarm function, she sent up a silent prayer, hoping the power would hold out long enough to wake her before cars began filtering into the parking lot. The small parking area behind Mountain Mastery was the only place she felt safe enough to take a quick nap. If she could catch an hour or two of sleep, she’d be able to finish the drive to Pine Creek. The weather was supposed to turn much colder later tonight, but she planned to be well on her way before the front moved over the mountain range.
Pulling her jacket around her, she took one last glance at her phone. There were several new voice mails, but she was too tired to care. Closing her eyes, Caila let herself fall into the sweet abyss of sleep. Somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind, she was aware the air around her was beginning to chill, but the allure of blissful slumber was too powerful to resist.
Nate Ledek pulled into the parking lot behind the club later than usual and frowned when he noticed a small SUV he didn’t recognize. The car was parked in the area reserved for employees, and it was unusual for club members to take advantage of the coveted spaces. Nate wondered if the storm moving over the mountains and the threat of snow had prompted a new member to park in the more sheltered area closer to the club.
After spending the past seven hours in the mountains training with the local search and rescue team, Nate and his younger brother, Taz, were enjoying the afterglow of a productive day. Despite being bone tired and in dire need of showers, both men were pleased to have spent the day with new friends. They’d recently volunteered with the small team and enjoyed their time with the other members. Most of the rescuers had been a part of the regional group for several years, and they’d been happy to have two former Navy SEALs added to their ranks.
Taz had slept most of the way back to the club, so Nate planned to let him take the first shift when the club opened in less than half an hour. “What the fuck? We’ve sent out more email warnings than I want to think about, and some asshat still parks back here?”
Nate’s phone started ringing, but before he could answer, he heard Taz say, “Hey, why are the windows fogged up?”
Pulling his phone out of his pocket as they walked toward the vehicle, Nate answered, “What’s up, Brandt?” Nate shrugged when Taz sent him a questioning look. Listening as Brandt Morgan told him why he was worried about Caila Cooper, Nate struggled to hold back his laug
h. He knew full-well Brandt’s brother, Phoenix, was more than capable of tracking Caila’s phone, so there was no doubt why Sheriff Morgan was calling.
“Oh yeah? What’s she driving?” Listening as Brandt described the small SUV he was standing alongside, Nate grinned. “Will check and advise.” Hanging up before Brandt could answer, he turned his attention to Taz. “I’ll call him back after we’ve had a chance to talk to the Mistress of Mayhem. I want to find out what the sweet vet has gotten into this time. I’d already heard she wired Kip Morgan up tight when she left Pine Creek. Brandt mentioned he’d called her home because of some problem with her dad, but he didn’t elaborate.”
“Makes me wonder what sort of mess she’s heading into. Where was she when Brandt called her?” Taz’s brows were already drawing together, and Nate didn’t figure his brother was going to be any happier when he heard the answer.
“Texas. From what he said, she was about as far south and west as you can get and not need a passport.”
Taz was already checking the doors, but they were locked.
“When?” Taz’s voice was practically a growl now, and Nate wanted to laugh at his over-protective younger sibling. The only time he ever saw Taz angry was when a submissive’s safety was in question, and then he could go off-chain faster than anybody Nate had ever known. Hell, Taz paddled one of the club’s unattached subs last week because he’d seen her jaywalk in town a few days earlier. Now, Nate understood the inherent dangers associated with jaywalking, but poor Brinn probably hadn’t sat comfortably until mid-week.
Opening the door was laughably easy, and Nate chuckled at Taz’s colorful cursing. “Fuck me. Did she really think she was safe sleeping in her car because she’d locked the doors?”
“My guess is she felt safe because she was here. Remember, Caila’s a sub, and if she’s hurting, she’d seek a Master’s protection—even it wasn’t a conscious decision.” Even if Nate and Taz weren’t her Masters, the submissive inside Caila would instinctively have known they’d take care of her. What worried Nate was how hurt she’d been by Kip’s nonsense. She’d needed his support after she’d shot Barry Orman. The incident last month had shaken the little sub to her core. It didn’t matter she’d made the right decision in a split second. For a sweet sub like Caila, the thought of hurting someone else would go against the very fiber of their soul.
Nate assumed part of the responsibility, because he hadn’t taken time to call Kip and coach the younger man through the quagmire he’d found himself stuck in. The Morgan brothers had been busy with the fall out of losing the man who’d shot Aspen, and Kip didn’t have the experience to deal with Caila’s post-traumatic stress response. No doubt she’d relived every second of those few minutes over and over again. She’d have been looking for any flaw in her thinking or decision, despite her mind telling her she’d done the right thing. Her heart wouldn’t have been convinced. He’d never met a soldier who couldn’t tell you every detail of the first life they’d taken—including how they’d struggled with the aftermath.
The first time he returned home after a mission, his Native American grandmother had pulled him outside and made him sit beside her, both leaning against a tree. “The tree will ground you, Nathanial. Its roots will hold your spirit steady while the leaves of your troubles dance in the breeze. The clean air will blow the dust of sadness from their sweet green surfaces. The sparkles of sunlight will chase away the cloud that surrounds you.” She’d waited for a few minutes, letting the Earth weave its healing magic before she’d finally spoken. “Taking a life is never without consequences, no matter how noble the cause.”
He shouldn’t have been surprised that she’d sensed his distress. Hell, she’d always been incredibly connected to everyone around her. But he hadn’t been prepared for her to see his pain so clearly. When he’d asked her why he was struggling when he’d done what he was trained to do, she’d sat quietly for several minutes before answering. “When the Universe is jolted by the sudden shift in a soul’s energy, it’s like dropping a rock in a clear mountain lake…the ripples are the most intense at the center.”
Grandmother Nala had taken his large hand in her small, wrinkled one and held it for long moments before speaking again. “The only ones who don’t feel the aftershocks are the soulless. Never wish for that. But you’ll eventually learn to brace yourself for the backlash, and when you do, you’ll know it’s time to walk away.” She’d been right on both points. After nearly a decade as a SEAL, Nate realized he’d grown almost blasé about the lives he took in the line of duty. The day he became frustrated with a new member of his team because the kid was shell shocked after his first kill was the day he made the decision to resign his commission.
Nate looked over at the young woman now nestled in Taz’s arms and shook his head. Damn, she was beautiful. She was also smart as a whip, but awfully young. “If Kip Morgan doesn’t yank his head out of his ass, maybe…”
Taz interrupted before Nate could finish his suggestion they spend time with the sub they’d both dubbed sweet vet. “She isn’t the one. It wouldn’t be fair to her. She’s not a toy, and Kip needs to stop playing around.” Oh yeah, Taz was definitely in protector mode, and Nate hoped for Kip’s sake he figured out what a treasure Caila was. Nate thought it was blatantly obvious the younger man had feelings for Caila. The question is, why is he fighting it so hard?
Chapter Two
Caila felt like she was floating and, for a few seconds, let herself linger in the sensation. When she’d been younger, Caila had been convinced she could fly, but the leap of faith she’d taken out of the big oak tree behind the Morgan’s house hadn’t worked out well. Even though she was still in grade school, she’d known she was lucky Colt Morgan had seen her fall. It would have been nearly impossible for her to make her way back home with a broken leg. When he’d carried her to his truck, she’d experienced the same floating sensation she was feeling now. When that realization sank into her sleep dazed mind, Caila struggled to sit up.
“Hold still, little vet. You are already in enough trouble.”
Trouble? Why am I in trouble? She recognized the deep voice, but couldn’t figure out why Master Taz was angry. Fighting the brain fog of sleep, Caila tried to remember what she’d been doing before she’d fallen asleep. And why am I so damned cold?
“You’re lucky we found you before you froze to death, little sub. The temperature is dropping much earlier than they predicted. In another half hour, you’d have been in big trouble.”
Oh yippy-fucking-skippy, two mad Masters for the price of one. Nate Ledek didn’t sound any happier than his brother, and that didn’t bode well for her. She hadn’t belonged to the club long, but Caila had been warned by other submissives about the protective nature of the two owners. Compromising your own safety was, by all accounts, a line you didn’t dare cross.
“Wait. I locked my doors. How did you get into my car?” She tried again to squirm out of his hold, but his arms were bands of steel that tightened every time she tried to break free.
Taz look down where she was cradled in his arms and raised a brow in question. “Seriously? We’re SEALs. Door locks do not apply.”
“I thought you were former SEALs. Don’t you have to turn in your lock picking kit when you leave or something?” She was reaching for straws, but damn, it was easy to see this wasn’t going to end well for her if she didn’t neuter some of their argument.
Master Nate snorted a laugh. “I don’t remember being issued a lock picking set. How about you, brother? You remember getting a lock picking kit in BUD/S?” Caila rolled her eyes at his sarcasm and fought the urge to remind him that it was the lowest form of wit. Oh yeah, that would go over like a lead balloon for sure.
The warm air inside the club felt so good as it moved over her exposed skin. Master Taz set her on a plush sofa facing the fireplace as it flickered on, the flames sending a rush of heat into the room. As a veterinarian, Caila was aware of the importance of maintaining core temperatu
re, but her rebellious spirit hadn’t been willing to admit her error in judgement until she started to shake so hard her teeth rattled together. “Fuck.” Master Nate’s one-word curse as he returned to stand in front of her sent tears streaming down her cheeks.
How had she been so careless? She continued to shake as the Ledek brothers pulled her coat off her shoulders. Nate’s warm hands slid under her sweater, and he cursed colorfully when he encountered frigid skin. They made short work of her sweater and jeans, leaving her in nothing but her bikini panties and demi bra. Master Nate pulled his own shirt over his head and tossed it aside before pulling her against his warm chest and settling her on his lap. Caila shut her eyes, hoping to block out the humiliation. This screw up was going to be added to her long list of calamities. Dammit, she was never going to outlive that nickname.
Nate hissed when Caila’s frigid skin pressed against his warm chest. He and teammates had been forced to share body heat a few times in the mountains of various skans, but none of those guys ever felt as soft as the little sub sleepily burrowing herself against him now. Her body was seeking the warmth even if her mind resisted being nearly naked in his arms. Thank God he’d left his jeans on, because his little head wasn’t listening to all the reasons it shouldn’t be standing up to salute.
Looking up at Taz, Nate rolled his eyes. “Christ, she’s so fucking cold. I swear I’d paddle her ass just to warm her up, but I’m afraid she might shatter. Call Brandt and give him an update. We’ll watch the weather and advise.” Taz’s smile let Nate know his younger brother was going to enjoy sharing the details of Caila’s current position. Great, his little brother planned to throw him under the bus and enjoy every minute of it. Asshole.
“No problem. Happy to help.” Taz turned and walked from the room. Nate wanted to groan; his phone was going to light up like a fucking Christmas tree less than a minute after Taz hung up. Rolling his eyes, Nate finally realized he was grinning like a fool. Fucking hell, when do little brothers stop being a pain in the ass?
