Sheriff Whittington was the sheriff of Triple, and he’d been the first one on the scene, followed by an ambulance. When Bryn, Duke, and Des had insisted they thought this was the serial killer, Sheriff Whittington immediately called the state police. Unfortunately, after hearing what they had to say, the state police weren’t so willing to believe it.
“If he is the serial killer,” Sheriff Whittington said, holding up his hand to ward off Des’s protests at the word if, “he’s not following his normal MO. At least, that’s what the lead detective said.”
“Normal? She’s a fucking twin of his murder victims, Sheriff! He took her from her car. What more do they want?”
“Des, it’s okay,” Bryn said in a low voice, grateful no one else was in the waiting room. “We aren’t one hundred percent sure he’s the serial killer, either. It’s just a hunch.”
“Damn it, Bryn. That guy held a knife to your throat. He stabbed Duke and threatened to come back for you. That deserves twenty-four-hour protection.”
“Des, Bryn has already said she’s going to Tucson in the morning. The police can’t afford to have someone follow her around, city to city.” Sheriff Whittington placed his hat on his head, covering up a healthy amount of white hair. His eyebrows and mustache were a matching color, while his blue eyes stood out like shining headlights. He was handsome for an older gentleman in a way that Bryn would label distinguished. “Now, if she were to stay in Triple for a while, we’d be able to keep a close eye on her. Or maybe if she went back to Phoenix, Detective Flynn would assign someone to check in on her.”
“Then she’ll stay with us,” Des announced. “Bryn will be out at our place, once we get Duke released in the morning. We’ll take care of her there, but would you have Luke do some drive-bys to make sure the area is clear?”
“Why are you two talking about me like I’m not here?” Bryn asked, irritation setting in. “Sheriff, I appreciate the advice, but I have a life to lead and a job to—”
“Wouldn’t you like to be alive to live it?” Des asked, anger lacing his tone. Obviously, he was overly tired, too, Bryn thought. “Damn it, Bryn. We sat for three hours getting to know one another and then in the blink of an eye, you run.”
“Run?” Bryn was starting to have trouble keeping up with the multiple conversations. She rubbed her hands over her face, trying to keep herself awake. “I’m not the one who suggested I stay at the B and B. If we were hitting it off so well, what was so wrong with your place?”
“Uh, Des, I don’t think—” Sheriff Whittington tried to get a word in edgewise, but Des wasn’t even paying attention to the older man.
“You thought we suggested the B and B because we didn’t want you to stay at the house? Are you fucking kidding me?” Des asked, his green eyes widening in disbelief. So maybe she’d been wrong, Bryn thought, but that didn’t give him the right to curse at her.
“Don’t you dare cuss at me, Destry Winslow,” Bryn said, shaking her finger in his face. “I’ve been through enough tonight without having you throw words like that in my face. What the hell was I supposed to think when you and Duke suggested the B and B? Huh?”
“Maybe you two should talk about this another—”
“We were trying to be gentlemen, Bryn,” Des replied, his impatience shining through. Bryn had to tilt her head up when he took a step closer to her. “What would you have done if we’d suggested you spend the night with us? You know damn well that we’re attracted to you, but this could be something so much more. We didn’t want to screw it up by moving too fast.”
“I think I’ll just head back to the station and—”
“Did you ever consider that I’d have said yes?” Bryn asked, shaking her head in amazement that men could be so slow. “I’ve never in my life talked to someone for three hours and felt as if only five minutes had passed. And after what happened tonight, has the thought that maybe taking things slow would just be wasting time?”
Bryn wasn’t a virgin by any sense of the imagination, but when Des leaned down and claimed her mouth, it was like being kissed for the first time. Those previous butterflies now felt like popcorn, her breathing went shallow, and her pussy started to quiver in a way that she’d only felt when using her vibrator. His lips melded to hers as Des’s arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her up on her tiptoes. Her breasts were pressed against his chest, causing her nipples to stand to attention. All of the night’s fear and stress went out the window in the safety of his arms.
“I take it this means she’ll be staying for a while?” Sheriff Whittington asked.
* * * *
Duke woke up to Bryn’s voice rambling on about her meeting in Tucson, her mother, and her job. Des was probably getting a word in for every twenty that Bryn was sputtering out. She was safe. That was all Duke could think about. They’d finally found someone who they connected with, only to have her almost abducted and probably murdered by some psychopath. He felt the anger rise up in his chest all over again. Duke vaguely remembered talking to the police and giving them his statement.
Seeing Bryn being held at knifepoint against her will had been hell. While they had waited for the ambulance to arrive, Bryn had told them what had taken place. The phony cop had tapped on her window, asking that she step out of the car. Bryn said that she’d been on the phone with her mother and immediately thought she either hadn’t placed money in a meter or that she’d been parked in one spot for too long. Maybe if she hadn’t been so distracted, Bryn would have realized that a police officer didn’t ask you to step out of the car for something as simple as a parking ticket. He could tell that Bryn was kicking herself over it, but hindsight was always twenty-twenty. Bryn recognized something was wrong when the guy started to pull her toward his unmarked car. Once she started questioning the guy, he became angry and turned on her with a knife.
“Did they catch him?” Duke asked, although it sounded as if he had marbles in his mouth. He tried to swallow, but his throat was too dry.
“Duke!” Bryn exclaimed, grabbing his finger and holding on to it tightly. Duke was glad it was his right hand, as the ache in his left shoulder started to make itself known. “Des, you need to get a nurse.”
“No nurse,” Duke said, his voice hoarse. “Just water.”
“They haven’t found him yet,” Des answered as Bryn reached for the plastic blue pitcher. She poured him some water as Des continued talking. “The surgeon repaired the muscle in your shoulder, while Bryn and I gave them our statements. He said you’ll be as good as new in a few months, but will probably need some physical therapy.”
“Did you tell him that we’re ranchers?” Duke asked and then took a sip of water that Bryn held up to his lips. He noticed the small Band-Aid on her neck. “I’ll get my physical therapy working with our horses.”
“I figured you’d say as much,” Des said, chuckling. “The state police aren’t too sure it’s the serial killer they are looking for, but obviously have still put out an all-points bulletin on this guy. Sheriff Whittington will work closely with them on this case while Bryn stays with us for a while. The doctors should release you this morning. Bryn and I got a few hours of sleep when the nurses realized we weren’t leaving and rolled us in two chairs that converted into beds.”
Duke looked up at Bryn in surprise. How had Des talked her into coming to the house and staying with them? She had drawn her hair back at the base of her neck with one of those black thingies. She was so petite that with her hair pulled away from her face, she looked like a teenager. Yet, as he slid his eyes down her body, he thought her curves were so feminine that she couldn’t be mistaken for anything but a woman. His cock jerked, finally waking up. A measly wound from a knife to the shoulder couldn’t keep him down.
“I told you that I’ve rethought that,” Bryn said in a huff. She knew how to totally deflate a guy. “Once we get Duke home and into bed, I’ll be heading to Tucson.”
Chapter Five
Bryn followed behind Duke’s truck as
Des drove it on some backcountry road that reminded her of a Monet painting. The sun was shining, the air coming through her sunroof was warm and smelled like spring, while the colors were vibrant and the ambiance was that of a love story. If only that were true, she thought ruefully.
It must have been four o’clock in the morning by the time she and Des had made it to Duke’s room and another half hour after that before they had the chairs rolled in. But it was the sight in the hospital bed that took her breath away. For such a masculine and virile man, Duke wasn’t meant to be lying motionless with machines beeping all around him.
For whatever reason, and despite the fact that the state police weren’t convinced, Bryn truly felt that the man who had tried to abduct her last night was the serial killer they were after. He had every intention of killing her. And the last thing he whispered in her ear was that he would come back for her and anyone that tried to get in his way. Bryn had relayed all of this to police when she gave her statement, and Des and Duke were aware of the threats, but she didn’t think anyone was taking them as seriously as she was. Which meant it fell on her to protect them.
Brrriing.
Bryn kept an eye on the road while her thumb hit the answer button on her steering wheel. Des didn’t look as if he were turning off the road anytime soon, so Bryn figured she would have enough time to speak with her mother. And she knew it was her mother, because her friends never bothered her when she was on a business trip. Well, she would be soon, as soon as she helped Duke get settled into his bed. Bryn had called her mother when they’d arrived at the hospital to tell her that she was fine and that the police were handling matters. She might have left out that she’d been targeted by a serial killer. There were certain things that a mother shouldn’t know.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Brynny, did you arrive in Tucson yet?”
“Not yet,” Bryn replied, looking to her left and seeing a large fenced-off area with horses. They were nibbling on the grass and basking in the sun. What a life. “I’ll be heading out of Triple in the next hour. I had to postpone my meeting this morning.”
“What did the Sheriff say? I think it’s horrible that some man would pose as a police officer. Do they think he was going to rob you?”
“Who knows?” Bryn hedged and tried to move the conversation along before her mother realized she was lying. Sometimes they had an innate sense of when their children weren’t telling the truth. Bryn had been racking up the white lies lately, and it was bound to catch up with her. “The police have all of the information, and now I just have to gas up, buy some munchies, and then head out of town.”
“Well, then, call me when you get there. I’m going to attend the afternoon yoga class that Mrs. Miles is instructing.”
“Mom, can I ask you a hypothetical question?” Bryn couldn’t stop the question from coming out of her mouth. If she could have, she’d have kicked herself in the ass. But as much as she kept things from her mother, the woman was always right about certain things. “Say you know for a fact that by doing something, it could cause harm to someone else. But if you chose a different path, that person or persons wouldn’t get hurt.”
There was a silence on the end of the phone that had Bryn shifting in her seat. If her mother asked her to expand on that line of thought, Bryn would have to change the subject or end the call. She knew it didn’t make sense and probably gave a heads-up to her mother that there was more going on than what she’d divulged, but she needed confirmation that leaving was the right thing, because she didn’t really want to.
“That all depends, Brynny,” Frances replied in a soft voice. “Every person has a choice, even the person who is liable to get hurt. If you’re talking about a child, then the choice is clear because it is your job to protect them. If you are referring to an adult, every adult should have a say in something that affects their life.”
Bryn frowned. That wasn’t the answer that she thought her mother would give. Frances Russell had made numerous decisions without ever consulting her, although she had noticed that her mother had prefaced making a decision for a child. Bryn thought about that as she continued to follow Des, seeing that his right turn signal was on. She mimicked his motion and proceeded to slow down in order to make the turn.
“You weren’t a big help, Mom,” Bryn said. Frances chuckled on the other end, as if knowing her answer would just confuse Bryn more. Her mother always did have a weird sense of humor. Bryn wished she’d been able to tell her mom the truth about Des and Duke, but knew what Frances’s reaction would be. Bryn didn’t want to deal with that quite yet. “I’ll call you later today when I arrive in Tucson.”
They said their good-byes, and Bryn disconnected the call. Her eyes were glued to the scenery. It was downright peaceful. Their ranch seemed to be in sections, with wooden corrals dividing the land in squares. Horses were grazing, while some picked up their heads as if to ask who was invading their territory. Their coats of fur, some dark brown and some white, shined in the sun. Their tails beat at the flies that were bothering them. There were a few ranch hands milling about, which had Bryn wondering exactly how big their spread was.
Looking up ahead, Bryn was startled to see a large, white two-story farmhouse with a wraparound porch. Hanging plants gave the house some color as their healthy green leaves draped over the pots. The windows had elegant white lace curtains hanging in the windows that made Bryn feel as if the house contained a woman’s touch. She lowered her brow as the thought sent a few pangs of jealousy firing through her system. Bryn huffed as she slowed to a stop behind Des. It wasn’t as if she had the right to be jealous. What was her problem?
“Bryn, can you get Duke inside while I talk to our foreman?” Des asked her as she stepped out of the car.
“Sure,” Bryn replied, closing her door and walking to where Des stood near the tailgate of Duke’s truck. She was hesitant to request the favor she needed, but decided to ask anyway. “I hope this isn’t too forward, but would you mind if I took a shower before heading to Tucson? We never got a chance to clean up, and I really just want to wash off what happened and change into a new set of clothes.”
“Of course,” Des responded, lifting a hand up and brushing away a strand of hair that had come loose from her hair tie. His touch took her by surprise, and she couldn’t help but close her eyes at the warmth of his fingers. “Bryn, please rethink your decision. You’re in danger, and we have the means to protect you. But if you leave, you’re opening yourself up to a lunatic and basically saying that we mean nothing to you.”
“Des, we just met,” Bryn said a little desperately, needing him to understand why she had made the choice to leave. She opened her eyes. “It’s not right that this guy might target you for protecting someone you barely know.”
“Is that how you see us? Two men you barely know?” Duke asked angrily, causing her to take a step back from Des. Bryn had been so wrapped up in Des’s touch that she hadn’t known Duke had gotten out of the truck. Though his movements were a little stiff, his presence was still very intimidating. “In the two weeks that we communicated through e-mail, we know more about you than any other woman we’ve been with. Is that sad? Hell, yes! But during those exchanges, we saw in you something that we’ve been missing—a woman who is honest, compassionate, and downright intelligent. But maybe we’re wrong about that last part, because if she doesn’t realize that she’s got two men who would gladly give their lives for her, she can’t be too bright. So you go right ahead and travel to Tucson. Don’t let us keep you.”
Bryn watched as Duke stormed off, heading for one of the corrals instead of the house. She hadn’t meant to make him angry. Couldn’t he see things from her perspective? They were in danger because of her.
“Duke—”
“Let him go, Bryn,” Des said in warning.
“But he shouldn’t be out here. He’s recovering from a knife wound, which is my fault, I might add,” Bryn said angrily. “He should be inside, resting.”
“Bryn, go take your shower,” Des said in a resigned tone. She missed his touch and remembered what it was like to be held in his arms last night. She wanted that feeling to continue. “We’ll be in shortly to see you off.”
Why were they making her feel guilty over a decision she knew to be right? Des walked away, following in Duke’s footsteps and leaving her standing by the vehicles. She put a hand on her forehead, trying to keep the sun out of her eyes as she watched both of them walking away. Bryn took a deep breath. She would take a shower and, before she left, try one more time to get them to see things her way.
Chapter Six
Duke stood outside the bathroom, hearing Bryn move around as she finished getting dressed. He was tired, his shoulder hurt like hell, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about the ache in his heart at the thought of Bryn leaving. Hell, both of his shoulders now hurt. Not once during their e-mail exchange had she come across as hardheaded. In other circumstances, Duke would have found that to be somewhat endearing—but not in this situation. If their relationship were at the next level, Duke wouldn’t have thought twice about tying her to the bed and loving her until she changed her mind. Of course, there was also the paddle or flogger in his nightstand—they could do wonders to change her mind, too. As it was, there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about her decision to leave.
Duke rested his head against the doorframe. Exhaustion was setting in, and he knew that his body was ready to collapse. Fuck it, he thought. If he spoke with Bryn now, he might make it to where she would never come back. It was better to let Des say good-bye to her. He’d heard the water shut off in Des’s bathroom, so his brother would be dressed in plenty of time before she left. He stood straight and backed away from the door. He had only taken two steps when the bathroom door swung open.
Potential Match [Ménage.com 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 4
