by Avery Gale
Looking to his best friend, Bryant smiled and nodded toward the small closet. “Find her something to wear and then, while I help her get dressed, pack it all, everything. She is not coming back here, it’s not safe.” Mitch nodded, and they quickly set to work.
* * * *
Trace Bartell knocked on the door to the office at the back of the small diner and said, “Tori, open up, it’s me, Trace.” He heard movement on the other side, but the door didn’t open immediately.
“How do I know it’s really you? This town is crazy…There’s the attorney who takes off a week for Thanksgiving when he knew I was on my way…no place to stay except that piece-of-shit car I rented…gunfire like the damned OK Corral or something…Christ, you could be some crazed murderer pretending to be the man I met earlier…Hell, what am I saying, you could still be a crazed murderer…Geez, I really need to sleep and I am fracking starving, too.” Trace had all he could do to keep from laughing out loud. God she was going to be fun, and suddenly his life didn’t seem nearly as bleak as it had just a couple of hours ago.
Really smiling for the first time in years, Trace leaned against the door. “Well, darlin’, how about this—I found you sitting outside the local tavern shivering in the cold because you don’t have a coat suited for a Colorado winter, and you had tears freezing on your sweet cheeks because you had no idea where you were going to sleep for the next week. But I can solve all that and your hunger problem for you if you’ll just open up the door, sweetness.” Trace heard the lock snick open, and then the door slowly opened, and he was struck again by the bolt of fire that shot through him when he reached for her and wrapped his arms gently around her trembling shoulders. “Ah, sweetness, it’s okay, just a little drama in the apartment above the tavern, but I believe both parties will be fine, so let’s not let worries about that cloud our thinking right now, hmmm?”
He was slowly walking her back toward the dining room and settled her in a booth. Sliding in beside her, he kept a hand on her at all times. When the waitress came over he ordered her a hot tea and the daily special without consulting her. In the back of her mind she thought there was some reason she should protest that, but she was just so exhausted she was more worried about being able to eat on her own and at this moment, she didn’t much care what she ate. He gently pulled her against his shoulder. “Come here. You have that chalky look that tells me you are just a breath or two from collapse, and I’d like to have you close when that happens.” He’d no more than gotten the words out when he saw her eyes roll up and she looked like a puppet whose strings had been cut. “Yep, saw that one coming…” He softly laughed as he pulled her up on to his lap and gently laid her cheek against his chest. God but she felt perfect against him, he was taking her home with him, it was just that simple. It was the convincing her he wasn’t a mass murderer that might prove to be the challenge. Looking around the small diner, he decided he was fairly sure he could find a character witness or two when the time was right. But for the next few minutes, he just wanted to savor the feel of the soft bundle in his arms.
* * * *
Rissa finally realized she was moving, and somewhere in the far reaches of the darkness surrounding her was an awareness of a motor and softly playing music. When her stomach growled loudly she heard soft chuckles and then Mitch’s voice. “I’ll call the diner when we get to Dylan’s office and have them send over something for her to eat. She’s going to need her strength to get through all the questions they’re going to have for her.”
Bryant’s voice was quiet but sounded farther away which meant he was driving. “Yes, this will likely take some time. Hell you know how this goes, they’ll ask the same damned questions fifty times to try to prompt every detail out of her.” She could hear the note of sadness in his voice. “Hell, she’ll be lucky to get to rest again for hours.” Rissa tried to open her eyes, but for the life of her she couldn’t seem to pry them open, so she decided to just rest a couple of more minutes, surely that would be all it would take to recharge her.
“Come on, baby, time to rise and shine. We need to get you into Dylan’s office so he and his deputies can ask all their blasted questions, and then we can take you back to Bry’s condo for the night.” Mitch was sure that they’d all be too spent to make the drive back up the mountain after they finished up with Dylan. Shaking her shoulder, he put his lips against hers and decided maybe arousal was the way to go. When she moaned against his mouth, he knew he was getting through to her. Pulling back, he spoke against her soft lips, almost losing himself in their silky sweetness. “Come on now, let’s get this done. Bry has already called the diner for some soup and sandwiches. Let’s get you fed and debriefed so we can go take a nice long soak in the hot tub, what do you say?”
Rissa slowly opened her eyes and smiled. “Okay, but that’s bribery, you know.” When he only smiled, she said, “I just didn’t want you to think you’d gotten away with it. I’m so tired, I don’t know what happened—it was like someone just let the air out of me all of the sudden.”
Mitch leaned closer. “Adrenaline crash, baby. I’ve seen it thousands of times—your body goes in to fight-or-flight mode and gets flooded with Mother Nature’s own Powerade, and then when it subsides, look out floor here you come!” Chuckling to himself, he thought of all the newbies he’d seen drop like stones just like Rissa had back at her studio. And speaking of that hole in the wall. “Baby, we’ve packed you up, you won’t be returning to your apartment at least until this is all resolved, it’s not safe.” He put his hand up when she started to protest. “Think about it, baby…There is only one exit, no security system, you live there alone—because God knows there isn’t room in there for another person, let alone two men the size of yours.” Grinning from ear to ear when she rolled her eyes, he went on. “Oh, baby, do that again later and I’ll paddle your sweet ass, but all things considered I think I’m going to have to make that one a freebie.” He grabbed her and gave her a big hug before setting her back on her feet. “Now, let’s go inside, I’m freezing my ass off out here. We didn’t exactly take time to dress warmly when we finally managed to find out where you’d gone.”
Bryant flanked her other side and leaned close to her ear and whispered in a comical imitation of Snidely Whiplash, “We’ll be addressing that small issue later also.” She couldn’t help herself, she laughed out loud at their antics. You had to love a couple of Doms who could make you laugh about being in trouble after a drunken psycho bitch tried to kill you because she was tired of waiting on the Russian mob to snatch you up as a sex slave…Yep, that seemed to sum up her current situation just about right.
Chapter Twenty
Mitch and Bryant had been right when they had warned her that the debriefing might be more interrogation than interview. God how had she forgotten about the hours she’d spent answering questions after Dylan and Mia had rescued her? Shaking off her mind’s meandering, she refocused on the issue at hand, and that was the fact that at least one member of the Russian mob was already in Climax and he was waiting for at least one more, if the bat-shit-crazy Rachel Sutton was to be believed. Evidently she’d had plenty to say on her way in to surgery. Rissa had told them every single word the looney Domme had said while in the small apartment, and honestly, their altercation hadn’t lasted all that long. Rissa suddenly wondered about how all this was going to affect poor Doc Woods, sighing to herself, she knew she was going to have to talk to him about what she had recently learned about their relationship. She’d been trying to stall because the whole idea of him being her grandfather kind of freaked her out and the idea that her Granny had never told her the truth in all the years Doc had been visiting as her dear friend really didn’t sit all that well with her heart either.
After what seemed like forever, but in reality had only been a few hours, Rissa was released and assured there wouldn’t be any charges filed against her or the deputy in what had clearly been a self-defense situation. Dylan promised to keep her apprised of Rachel�
�s physical as well as legal situation, he had also laughingly told her she would have been done much sooner if her friends back at ShadowDance, including his sweet wife, would have left him alone long enough to ask his questions without calling and texting him every five minutes checking on her. “I told them you were doing fine, but I assure you they are going to want to hear that from you personally, so please call them as soon as you get to Bryant’s and let them know I didn’t drive bamboo shoots under your fingernails or use the water torture or anything. Damn but my wife was wired for sound the last time she called. Hell she was with Jenna, who threatened me with the full weight of the Lamont legal team if I didn’t let you out of here within an hour.” Dylan chuckled as he stood up and helped her to her feet. Dylan stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her in a brotherly hug. “Go on now, get some rest.” When she started to pull away, he stopped her with gentle hands at her elbows. “You did great, Rissa, I’m so proud of you. And not just in how you handled things this evening, but in the way you have rebuilt your life, and I know it hasn’t been an easy road.” She considered the Sheriff one of her closest friends, and his admiration melted her heart.
Rissa felt tears fill her eyes, his kind words meant more than he could ever know. Her life had taken so many turns the last few years she sometimes felt she wasn’t driving the train, but was just trying to hold on to the runaway engine as it barreled around blind corners and through dark tunnels. Finally finding her voice, she said, “Thanks, Dylan…that means a lot to me.” Grabbing his hands, she added, “I am so glad you and Mia are back together. You deserve every bit of the happiness you’ve found.” She squeezed his hands before turning to Mitch and laid her face against his chest and sighed. “I’m so tired. Can we go now? I’m not sure I’m going to make it much longer.”
Mitch quickly tossed Bryant the keys he’d been holding and scooped Rissa up in to his arms. “Absolutely, baby. Let’s get you out of here and someplace warm and comfortable.” As they walked quickly out of the small sheriff’s office and settled her in the car, Mitch whispered words of praise against her ear. “Bry and I are so proud of you, baby, you are our little warrior pixie. Hell, you’re gonna give Jenna a run for her money at this rate.”
* * * *
Trace held Tori against his side, enjoying the feel of her snuggled up close, he let her rest until their food arrived. “Come on, sweetness, let’s get some food in you then talk about accommodations.” He gently shook her awake and made sure she was eating before turning to his own plate. Once she’d known there was a hot meal in front of her, she come full awake in a heartbeat. She made short work of both her meal and two different desserts before finally saying she was full. Damn but he loved a woman who wasn’t afraid to eat. “I’m proud of you for eating so well, sweetheart.”
For some reason his simple statement warmed her all the way through, something was odd about the way he’d said it, too, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it, and all that food was starting to settle in, and she could feel her eyelids getting heavier by the second. “Thanks. Boy, I’m getting really, really tired. Did you say something about knowing where I could get some accommodations for a few days? I obviously can’t stay in the house on the ranch I inherited, hell I don’t have any idea what I’m going to do about that. Did you know my uncle?”
Trace was uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going, he’d been trying to buy the land she’d just inherited for years and had been planning to meet her at the attorney’s office today to make an offer. It wasn’t a coincidence he’d been in town today, but the minute he’d laid eyes on Tori, his entire world had shifted. Now he just wanted to get her inside his home and take care of her, and any talk of land and sales could wait forever as far as he was concerned. “Yes, sweetness, this is a very small community, we know everybody. And just as a fair warning, the way we show people we care about them is to be all up in their business.” Laughing, he added, “I’m only partially kidding about that by the way.” He looked at her with a soft expression before continuing. “Now, I want to tell you that I have a very large ranch house with plenty of space for visitors.” Holding up his hand when her eyes went wide, he went on. “There are plenty of people in here who know me, and I’d be happy for you to check with them, they’ll tell you I’m not a mass murderer. I’m a local rancher who lost his sweet wife to a drunk driver a couple of years ago. I live alone in the main house, but there are ranch hands living on the property. There is a guest suite that is kept fully stocked and ready for company, and you’re welcome to use it for as long as you like.” He finally stopped and looked down at his hands, he couldn’t believe how nervous he was. Fuck, I feel like a nerdy teenager asking out the homecoming queen.
Tori leaned back and watched Trace’s expression, something about him called to her. His lonely spirit seemed to speak directly to her own. “I have absolutely no idea why I’m agreeing to this—it’s crazy on so many different levels, but…” Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she continued. “Okay, I’d very much appreciate having a nice warm place to sleep.” Smiling up at his relieved expression, she asked, “Should I just follow you in my car? It has everything I own in it, and I don’t want to leave it unattended.”
“Let’s go take a look at it. I’d rather you didn’t have to drive on the roads tonight. I doubt you are experienced in mountain driving, and the road conditions are really rough right now, and it’s dark, so that makes it even more dangerous. I think we should concentrate on getting the things you need most moved in to my truck, then I’ll have the guys from the local garage come move your car to their secure storage, so your belongings will be safe.” He slid out of the booth and helped her to her feet. She swayed once but seemed to recover quickly as he steadied her with his hand on her elbow. “You’re dead on your feet, let’s get this done.”
Trace made short work of moving everything in her small car in to his pickup. Damn, this is everything the poor woman owns in the world? Christ, what kind of life has she led? As soon as they’d passed the keys to one of the young guys working at the garage down the street, Trace helped Tori into his truck, and reaching over her to secure her seat belt, he spoke softly to her. “Let’s get you home, darlin’.” He didn’t even stop to think about the implications of what he’d said. He just brushed a soft kiss over her lips and then quickly moved around the truck. When he’d backed out and was heading down the highway, he glanced over to find her looking at him, her eyes wide with wonder. She seemed as stunned by his words as he’d been. Well good, I’d hate to be the only one here feeling completely blindsided.
Chapter Twenty-One
By the time Bryant had driven to his condo, all three of them were laughing about the chorus of their growling stomachs, vowing to eat a quick snack before hitting the shower then crashing. When it had become apparent that the food they’d had delivered to the Sheriff’s office was going to be cold long before they’d be able to get to it, the men had put it out for the staff who had been called into work despite the fact they all had families home for the upcoming holiday. Both men knew that Rissa was beyond exhausted and that her body needed fuel in the worst possible way. While they’d been at the cabin, she’d told them that she had to eat small meals regularly or she tended to “hit the wall” and drop like a stone.
Mitch had been listening attentively as she’d been debating between her need for food and her desire to just drop onto the first cushioned horizontal surface and fall into a dead sleep. He’d already rounded the back of the truck and scooped her up in to his arms the minute she opened the back door of the SUV. “Come on, baby, we’ll get some food in you quickly. Some crackers and peanut butter for you while we’re making something more substantial, what do you say? We’ll get you some carbs and protein right away and then work from there.”
His sweet smile warmed her heart, and she reached up and cupped his jaw with her hand. “You are the sweetest man, Mitch Grayson. You take wonderful care of me, even when I
don’t really deserve it…and I want you to know I really do appreciate everything you do…both of you.” He stopped walking and simply looked down into the pools of grass green that were her eyes and wondered what he’d ever done to deserve her. He’d been a kick-ass soldier and had done things he shuddered to think about her ever finding out about, but despite all of that, he held her in his arms, and he thanked God above for the precious gift that was Rissa. As he started walking again, he barely heard her whispered “I love you—I love you both so very much…”
Mitch though his heart would burst from the joy. As they crossed the threshold, he looked to Bryant to be sure he’d heard her soft confession, and one look at his expression confirmed he was as overwhelmed as Mitch. Setting her gently on his lap at the kitchen table, he pulled her into his arms and buried his face against her neck, inhaling the sweet smell of her shampoo. When he pulled back, he could see that Bryant had knelt in front of them, and he was the first to speak. “Clarissa, I want you to know that I love you with every beat of my heart, and hearing that you love me, too, makes this just about the most humbling moment of my life.” Bryant smoothed his palm down the side of her face before leaning over and kissing her sweetly on the lips. Standing up and moving into the kitchen, he set about getting snacks in order while Mitch spent a couple of minutes with Rissa.
