Promises of Mercy(Montana Promises-Book 1)

by Vella Day

  “Sounds wonderful.”

  “Do you want me to wrap your arm in plastic wrap so the bandage doesn’t get wet?”

  Jamie shook her head. “I’ll just remove it.”

  “Suit yourself.” Amber always carried plenty of first aid supplies as Chris was constantly injuring some part of his body. She pushed back the memory. “Take your time.”

  She went to the kitchen to prepare some sandwiches. To her delight, Cade had put her groceries away last night. Those two were unique men who were perfect for her. Mostly they’d witnessed a sad woman working hard to cope with what life had thrown her. With Ben behind bars, maybe she could move on and be the type of woman they deserved.

  Amber fixed sandwiches along with some snacks. When Jamie finished showering, she came out looking refreshed.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Outside better. Inside the same. I’m still in shock.”

  Amber brought the food over to the coffee table. “Let’s eat here.”

  They both dug in. Even though the stitches and bruising made it a bit painful to chew, Amber managed to eat. Right after she’d finished half a sandwich, she leaned back. “We never got to talk. How about you start from the beginning?” Her last phone call with Jamie had been about her breaking up with Ben.

  Jamie heaved a heavy sigh. “I feel bad not telling you sooner, but I wasn’t proud of what happened.” She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her good arm around them.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Benny and I have been dating for three years. He was my best friend. I really did love him.”

  “I know. When you and he used to come over, and we’d all watch TV and laugh, I couldn’t imagine you with anyone else. What changed your mind?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Benny had no ambition. He was becoming more and more dependent on me to make all the decisions in the relationship.” Jamie stretched out her legs and leaned back. “I want a man who will take charge—at least in the bedroom.” She looked over at her. “Maybe seeing the way Cade and Stone treated you made me realize what I wanted.”

  That made Amber smile, though a hint of guilt snuck in. “Be careful what you wish for.”

  Jamie nodded and a small smile lifted her lips. “I can’t say when I noticed it, but Benny kind of got weird right before Emma died.”

  Amber bit into the other half of her ham and cheese even though her stomach was doing all sorts of acrobatics. “Weird how?” Poor Jamie. She must be thinking she could have stopped him had she known.

  “He’d become distracted when I was talking to him. Once he even yelled at me for no good reason. Right after Emma died, he actually shoved me. That wasn’t the Benny I fell in love with. He used to be the most gentle man alive, one who couldn’t hurt a fly.”

  “Did you ask him what had changed?”

  She nodded. “He said his supervisor was talking about letting go a few of the techs. He was really scared it would be him.”

  “I’d be nervous, too. Do you think that was what caused him to go off the deep end?”

  Jamie wove her fingers together and shook her head. “Not directly. I believe it was when I told him I didn’t love him the same way he loved me.”

  Amber’s breath caught. That would destroy Benny. She tried to put the pieces together. “He told me he wanted to prove to you how much he loved you. How could he think if he killed people who upset you, that you’d love him again?”

  “I wish I knew.” She looked up and grabbed Amber’s hand. “He loved Chris. That death had nothing to do with me. I’m certain of that.”

  “You have to listen to me, and listen good. None of the deaths are your fault.” She inhaled. “Ben was unstable.”

  Jamie’s chin wobbled. “I keep telling myself that, but it’s not working.”

  Amber squeezed Jamie’s palm. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” She worked hard not to sound accusatory.

  “Like I said, I was embarrassed.” She bit down on her bottom lip then released it. “It might seem like I was stringing him on, but I swear I wasn’t. I loved Benny until he weirded out on me.”

  “Hey, you had to do what was right for you.” Amber sipped on her Coke. “When you called me yesterday, were you planning on telling me you suspected Benny of the mercy killings?”

  “Shit no. I never would have guessed in a million years he would harm anyone.” Jamie picked up some chips and stuffed them in her mouth. “I called because two nights ago Benny asked me to marry him.”

  That was not what Amber expected her to say. “For real? Even after you told him your feelings for him weren’t as strong anymore?”

  “Yes, and trust me, I was shocked he asked. Maybe he thought I wanted a commitment or something. That I’d change my mind if he showed me a ring.”

  “If I’d been Benny, I might have gone that route, too.”

  Jamie shifted in her seat and winced. “When I said no, he got really, really mad.”

  Amber leaned back. “He must have wanted to blame someone and came after me.”

  “It’s possible. I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault.” She seemed to be saying that a lot.

  Jamie closed her eyes for a moment. “I still can’t believe Benny really killed those people, especially Stephanie Osmond.”

  “I know. Her death made no sense. There had to be a point when he stopped thinking clearly.” Wasn’t that a kind way of saying Benny had lost his mind?

  “Yeah.”

  Amber finished her sandwich, her mind speeding. She was sick how Ben had taken Chris’s life in his own hands, but nothing could be done about it now. “My boss suggested I get some counseling, so I might go see Zoey.”

  “Seriously?” Jamie snagged another handful of chips even though she hadn’t finished her sandwich. “Maybe I’ll speak with her, too.”

  She was happy her friend agreed to receive some guidance. “I could probably spend a few months with her given all the shit that’s happened in my life.”

  Now it was Jamie who placed a hand on her arm. “Speaking of shit, what are you going to tell your mom?”

  Crap. Amber hadn’t thought about that. “I’m not sure it will matter if she knows who killed her son, but I will let her know.” Would her mother say it was Amber’s fault for having chosen unstable friends? “All I know is if I’d killed someone, I’d never have been able to get up in front of a crowd of mourners and sing his praises.”

  “Amen.”

  More than anything, Amber wanted to put this in the past and move on.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  For the next five days, Stone or Cade stopped by her house to keep her company, but other than a kiss, the men kept their distance. The bruising on her face had all but disappeared and just this afternoon, the doctor had finally removed her stitches. She couldn’t wait to tell the men the moratorium on cuddling and making love was over.

  On her way home from work, she called Cade, since his schedule seemed to be the most difficult to coordinate.

  “Hey, sugar.”

  “I’ve been given a clean bill of health.” She smiled at the excitement in her own voice. She’d told them about the appointment.

  “Fantastic. Stone and I have everything planned. Tomorrow, we’re going to take you someplace special.”

  “Just the three of us?” This would be a dream come true.

  “Yup. Away from our cells, too. We’ve decided to drive to Glacier National Park. Might even hit the Canadian side. Our jobs can’t reach us there.” He paused. “I have to do a lot of catch up work tonight in order to take the time off, but tomorrow morning we’ll pick you up at eight sharp. Can you be ready?”

  “You bet.”

  * *

  Amber bundled her coat tighter around her shoulders and gazed at Mount Gould looming over Swiftcurrent Lake. “This is amazing!”

  The drive along the Going-To-The-Sun Road had been an experience of a lifetime, affording her spectacular views. But th
en again, any body of water near mountains always took her breath away.

  This past week had moved both too fast and too slow. Waiting until she could spend quality time with Cade and Stone seemed to take forever, yet she’d been so busy at work time had flown by. Between seeing her patients and checking on Jamie, she hadn’t had a minute free. Jamie had been a trouper despite being on the mend. After three days of staying home, Jamie had gone back to work, albeit in a limited capacity. She wasn’t allowed to lift anything.

  Stone placed a hand on Amber’s back. “Let’s head to the car, and we can drive to one of the trail heads.”

  Cade didn’t seem as enthusiastic about running around outdoors, but with time, she bet he’d be as gung ho as Stone. Once they reached the beginning of the path to Iceberg Lake, they parked and grabbed their gear from the back. When they told her it was a five-hour round trip, her biggest fear was that by the time they returned to the hotel, she’d be too wiped out for sex.

  You will find the strength.

  Cade patted her butt. “Let’s not dawdle. We’ve got a big night planned.”

  That helped her pick up the pace. They’d hiked for about an hour when Stone stopped. “Look up on the mountain. See all the sheep?” He wrapped his arms around her from behind, and pointed to the animals walking precariously on the overhangs.

  “Oh, wow. That’s incredible.” He let her watch for a bit. The animals maneuvered across the landscape effortlessly.

  He squeezed her shoulders. “Let’s go. Don’t freak if we yell or clap. It’s to let the bears know we’re around.”

  “Seriously?”

  “I’m afraid so. Just stay with us and you’ll be safe.”

  “Right. You probably brought me along so if a wild animal attacks, you can run and leave me for him to eat.” Of course, she was joking, but the quick shot of fear that skated across Stone’s face made her chuckle. “Kidding.”

  He ruffled her hair. “You’ll pay for that.”

  For the rest of the trip, the scenery mesmerized her, in part because it was so diverse. One minute they’d be walking through a pine grove, and the next they were hiking around piles of snow interspersed with the prettiest patches of wildflowers she’d seen in a long time. Cade pointed to a moose off in the distance, and Stone spotted a grouse.

  They finally arrived at their destination—a lake where icebergs bobbed in the water. She ran up to the edge to gaze at its beauty. “It’s so blue.”

  Cade sidled up next to her. “It’s really something.”

  Stone pulled off his pack. “Let’s enjoy the view from this rock and eat lunch. I’m famished.”

  The day was clear with the sun high in the sky. After hiking at a good clip, she unbuttoned her jacket to cool off. She settled next to her men and inhaled the sweet mountain air. The peace and quiet had been fantastic until another group of tourists arrived. “Ugh.”

  “It happens,” Stone said. “This is a really popular spot.”

  They finished eating and headed back to hopefully something even more thrilling. Between the company of her men and the glorious vistas, she couldn’t have asked for a better start to the day.

  As soon as they reached their vehicle, she was sweating. Cade helped her into the front seat.

  “I, for one, need to shower,” Cade said. “From the pictures on line, the bathroom at the hotel looks like it might hold two of us.” He raised his brows.

  “No you don’t, buddy. It’s all three or none at all,” Stone shot back.

  Cade burst out laughing. “I’ll wrestle you for it.”

  She remembered what Zoey said about the two men she’d dated and how they always fought for her attention. “I’m up for a little squishing if you two hunks don’t mind me rubbing my body against your muscled chests.” And down your asses.

  Stone glanced at her. “Oh, no. Not rubbing.” He traced a line from her waist to her knee.

  Amber lifted her chin. “How do you think you’re going to prevent me from touching you in the shower?”

  Cade placed his hand behind her shoulder and tugged her close. “We have our ways.” He looked over at Stone. “You did bring the rope, paddles, nipple clamps, and chains, didn’t you?”

  “Funny, funny,” she said.

  “Fuck,” Stone said with an exaggerated emphasis on the word. “The chains. I forgot them. Maybe we can find a store around here that has some.”

  They had to be joking. Right? When Cade grinned, she relaxed.

  Less than a half-mile later, they pulled up to the Many Glacier Hotel. Wow. “This place is huge.”

  “From the pictures, the inside is even more impressive,” Cade said.

  She liked that they were exploring someplace new together. Stone parked. When she struggled dragging the suitcase on the gravel road, Cade helped. “I’ll do that, sugar.”

  Her men were so nice.

  When they stepped inside the hotel, she stood there for a minute, mesmerized. Wood was everywhere, shooting up three stories. At one end of the main room stood a mammoth fireplace, and in the center was a huge sitting area. “This is stunning.”

  “I can’t wait to see our suite,” Cade said.

  “Suite?” These men were spoiling her.

  Stone leaned over. “It was the only room with a king-sized bed. I figured we’d need it.” He grinned and her insides fluttered.

  Once they checked in, they headed upstairs. Jittery excitement filled her. Tonight would be her initiation into the world of a full-fledged ménage. While she’d had a plug in her ass, she imagined having Cade’s thick cock in her butt would be a totally different experience. Adding Stone’s dick might burst her to smithereens.

  Stone let them in. The room was simple. A quilted spread topped the bed and the corner desk looked handmade.

  “There’s a second bedroom back there,” Stone pointed, “but I’m thinking we all might want to share this one.” He nodded to the king-sized bed.

  “Totally,” she said. What would have been the purpose of coming if not to spend the night deliciously pressed against one another?

  The exposed pipes in the ceilings gave it a very rustic look. Right now, the big bed looked divine, but she figured the men weren’t thinking about resting or sleeping. Stone and Cade placed their suitcases on the bed and placed hers on the luggage stand.

  Because her pants were wet from hiking through a few piles of snow, she was a little chilled. She rubbed her arms up and down.

  As soon as she warmed, she sat on the desk chair and tugged off one boot, looking forward to the hot shower.

  Stone glanced over. “Your feet are red and look cold. Let me help.” He knelt in front of her, and with strong but gentle hands, massaged her insoles.

  “Ahh. That feels divine.” She wiggled her toes, loving how he made the tired muscles relax.

  Stone smiled and worked on the other foot. When her feet were no longer chilled, he stood. “We could warm you up faster if you’re naked.”

  She could do that. “How would you boys like a strip tease?” She’d never done one before, but it wouldn’t matter if she was good at it or not. Stone and Cade would like her act no matter what.

  “Yes! We’re going to get a show.” Stone moved back to the bed.

  Cade pulled the chair from behind her and sat. “Go ahead, sugar. Make us want you even more.”

  She walked up to Cade and leaned over, flaunting her chest. “Do I receive a big reward if by the end of my act your cocks are hard?”

  Cade leaned back and grinned. “The biggest.”

  “If I had music,” Stone said, “I’d play it for you. We can’t sing you a tune because, well, we can’t sing.”

  After Katie’s happy birthday song, she could attest to that. She didn’t care. She loved them no matter what.

  Amber inhaled a deep, cleansing breath and stepped to the side so both men could watch her. All of a sudden, heat rose to her cheeks.

  “Go on.” Cade motioned with his hand. “We don’t judge.”r />
  To set the scene, she slowly rotated her hips as if she was trying to keep a hula hoop going. At the same time, she lifted her shirt inch by inch. If she knew how to belly dance, she would have fluttered her stomach. Stone smiled, but Cade’s expression remained fixed on her face. She wanted to break him. Make him grab her.

  What a shame she wore another not-so-sexy sports bra, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it now. As soon as her shirt cleared her breasts, she tossed the material in the air. She thought it would land between the two of them, but Cade reached out and grabbed it before it hit the floor. He brought the material to his face and inhaled.

  A smile emerged, and his dimpled cheeks caused her panties to dampen. Keep going. To remove her hiking pants, she turned around, unbuttoned then unzipped them. Slowly, she eased the material over her butt. Since Cade seemed to be more of an ass man than Stone, she bent over at the waist and wiggled her rear for him. When she glanced behind him, she caught the grin. This is working.

  Keeping her gaze on one then the other, she pushed down her pants and stepped out of them. As if they had some secret signal, they both stood and approached her.

  “I call bottoms,” Cade said.

  Stone waved a hand. “Your loss. I get her glorious tits.”

  “I’m not done.”

  They didn’t seem to care. In a flash, her panties and bra disappeared. Stone swung her up in his arms, walked her to the tiny bathroom, and then drew back the curtain. “Start without us. We’ll be in there in a second.” With that, he set her down then closed the door.

  She stood for a moment trying to figure out what just happened. She thought her little performance had gone well, or had those wonderful adventures been a figment of her imagination?

  No. They weren’t.

  Since she only had a short window to use the shower by herself, she turned on the water, and when it warmed, stepped in. The soap smelled like fresh mint. “Mmm.” She’d just lathered her hands when Cade pulled back the curtain. Gloriously naked, he and Stone got in. So that was what they were doing.

  Stone stood in front of her, the water bouncing off his back, and Cade was at the far end. They were so large they took up almost the entire tub. Cade picked up the shampoo and nodded for Stone to lift the handheld showerhead.