by Lana Dare
He could hurt her so easily, and he was only one of the men who now had the right to do whatever they wanted to do to her.
Being alone with them had made her realize just how vulnerable she’d be. She hadn’t seen a single person or building since they left Tulsa, the open wilderness filled with dangers she’d never dare face on her own.
Dangers that her husbands seemed to handle with ease, but that she wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving.
She would be helpless here, and would have to count on them for everything—just as she’d always had to count on Rose and her mother. Reminding herself that they couldn’t be worse than Willy, she grimaced at the memory of Willy’s stench and the evil in his eyes.
Phoenix frowned at her, his eyes dark with concern. “Sarah?”
Sitting up abruptly, she looked away, trying to remember what he’d asked her. “No.” Finding her gaze drawn to his hands again, Sarah shook her head. “If I’d told her that I was leaving, she would have told Rose. I’d like to write to her to tell her that I’m safe, but if I tell her where I am, she’ll tell Rose.”
Shifting the reins to one hand, Phoenix reached out the other to cover hers. “And Rose will tell Willy.”
Pulling her shawl more firmly around herself despite the warm, humid morning, Sarah nodded. “Yes. Rose will do whatever pleases him, and won’t stand a chance if he starts hitting her.” She glanced at Hawke and Blade before lifting her gaze to Phoenix’s. “If he finds me, he’s going to cause trouble. A lot of trouble. He’s a dangerous man. I feel so guilty for bringing trouble with me to your ranch. Hawke, Blade, and you are going to be on guard and looking over your shoulders all the time.”
Phoenix raised a brow. “The way you are now?” Patting her hand over the silver ring she’d been turning on her finger, he smiled. “Don’t worry. My brothers and I have been looking over our shoulders our entire lives. We’re used to it. We watch over ourselves, each other, and the women.”
“If he hurts any of you or anyone else at the ranch, I’m never going to forgive myself.” Shifting restlessly, she shivered despite the heat, so nervous that she trembled. “Do you think the other women will like me?”
Phoenix shrugged. “I don’t see why not. We all try to get along at the ranch. We all depend on each other, so fightin’ amongst ourselves makes life dangerous for all of us.”
Not quite believing him, Sarah gripped the bolt of material tighter, her hands chilled now that he’d removed his. “What are they gonna think about me when they know I brought trouble to the ranch?”
Phoenix grinned. “You think you’re the only one who ever brought trouble to the ranch?” Looking forward again, he shrugged. “You’re our responsibility now. Just do what we tell you to do and everything’ll be fine.”
Shifting restlessly, and aware that Blade and Hawke listened to every word, Sarah glanced behind her again. “I guess when you went to town, you didn’t plan on comin’ home with a bride.”
With a hand at her back, he urged her to look forward again. “No. We didn’t, but life tends to make decisions for us that we hadn’t expected.” He turned to her again. “You should know that better than anybody. Don’t worry. Willy’s not going to get the drop on us. I have good hearing, but my brothers are nothing short of amazing. No one could ever sneak up on either one of them.”
Grinning, he nudged her. “Not even me.”
Blade chuckled, shaking his head and sharing a smile with Sarah. “But, that doesn’t keep him from trying.”
Her face burned at the intimacy in his smile, and she felt herself relaxing at the tenderness in his eyes. She pulled the bolt of material closer, marveling at its softness. “It’s real comforting to have a man’s protection. I didn’t think any man would ever marry me.”
Her face burned hotter at the admission, but she’d brought her problems to them and they’d been so generous, that she felt she owed them honesty.
Phoenix’s features hardened. “We didn’t really expect any woman to marry us, either, so I guess we’re all in the same position.”
“Why wouldn’t you think a woman would marry you?” She lowered her gaze again, her face burning as she twisted the ring around her finger again, the weight of it filling her with a sense of warmth. “You’re all so handsome. You’re kind, and you’re strong. Most men aren’t kind, and their strength just makes them mean.” A chill went through her at the memory of what Willy wanted to do to her. “It’s hard to be so defenseless.”
Phoenix gave her another reassuring smile. “You’re not defenseless anymore. Hell, you even took Hawke on.”
Fascinated by the blue highlights in his shorter ink-black hair, she studied his features. “Why do you wear clothes like other men, but both Hawke and Blade wear buckskins?” She glanced at Hawke, who rode on her side of the buckboard, her fingers itching to sink into his thick, almost waist-length hair that gleamed in the early morning sun.
Phoenix sighed, glancing at Hawke, bending his head to whisper in her ear. “They don’t want anyone thinking they’re pretending they’re white. Hawke’s got a chip on his shoulder about it.”
Hawke turned his head, glaring at his brother before turning away again.
Surprised, she glanced at Blade. “With the sound of the buckboard, I’m surprised that he heard you.”
Phoenix’s lips twitched. “No much gets past either one of them, but Hawke sees and hears things that no one else does.” Turning his attention back to the horses, he gave her a warning look. “Don’t try to hide anything from him. It just makes him mad.”
Sarah gasped at the sight of riders approaching, crying out Hawke’s name as she turned to him. “Someone’s coming! Oh, God! Are you gonna shoot them?”
Phoenix stilled, slowing slightly as he looked down at her hand gripping his arm. “Take it easy, honey. That’s just Hart and Gideon Sanderson. They work at the ranch. No cause to shoot anybody.”
Yanking her hand back, she pulled the material and her shawl closer, her heart pounding nearly out of her chest. “Oh.”
His eyes narrowed, making him look even more like Hawke as he watched the other men approach. “We were due back at the ranch by now. Eb and Jeremiah must have sent out a search party.”
Keeping an eye on the approaching men, Sarah noticed that both Hawke and Blade moved closer to the buckboard in a protective gesture she greatly appreciated. “Do you mean your boss would send someone out to make sure that nothing happened to you?”
Phoenix frowned, turning his head to glance at her. “Of course. I told you that we all watch out for each other.”
* * * *
Phoenix shifted slightly, uncomfortable as hell. He’d been hard ever since he saw her that morning, and riding beside her and breathing in the clean, fresh scent of her only made it worse.
Her hair, no longer dirty and matted, gleamed like gold in the sunlight, making his fingers itch to sink into it.
He wanted to run his fingers through it as he held her close, and use his fingertips to spread the silky looking waves over his pillow while he covered her naked body with his.
Every gust of wind blew her waist-long hair against his back, surrounding him with the scent of her.
His woman. His wife.
She probably didn’t even realize the sensuality she emitted by her small gestures, but he did.
His cock swelled even more each time she closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun, her obvious enjoyment in the warmth of it on her face enthralling him.
Her smile had to be the most beautiful thing he ever saw.
It was a smile of pleasure and of sensual delight.
A look he would very much like to see on her face as he took her.
She looked at Hawke now, who’d moved closer at her soft cry. Leaning away from Phoenix and toward his brother, she covered herself again with the shawl, hiding her beautiful hair.
It was apparent that she trusted Hawke. She gazed at him as if the sun rose and set with him, her habit of lo
oking toward his oldest brother and moving closer to him whenever she felt threatened creating an unfamiliar clenching in Phoenix’s stomach.
Accompanying it was a slow, simmering anger and the almost overwhelming desire to grab her arm and yank her back against him.
Jealousy.
The look in Hawke’s eyes stopped him, the change in his oldest brother nothing short of astounding.
Hawke had always been quiet, usually answering with one word or a grunt whenever possible. He spoke to Sarah in a crooning voice, though, using the same tone he used when dealing with the horses.
Hawke watched her almost constantly, the usual hard glint in his eyes absent, replaced with concern, fascination, and a possessiveness Phoenix never would have believed if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes.
As Hart and Gideon approached, Phoenix glanced at Blade to see if he noticed the change in their brother, only to find Blade moving closer to the buckboard and staring at Sarah.
Blade looked slightly dazed, his eyes glittering with emotion as his gaze settled on Sarah’s face.
He glanced at Phoenix before quickly looking away, all emotion gone by the time he faced the approaching riders.
Hart’s eyes remained hidden beneath his hat, but the flash of surprise in them was unmistakable when he saw Sarah. Facing her, he touched the brim. “Ma’am.” Averting his gaze, he moved to ride on the other side of Hawke. “Wondered what was takin’ you so long.”
Hawke nodded, but said nothing, his lips twitching.
Gideon tipped his hat in Sarah’s direction, grinning as he took a position on the other side of Blade. “A real beauty. You kidnap her, Blade, or did Phoenix win her at a poker game?”
Amused, Phoenix glanced at Sarah, delighted that even with the shawl covering part of her face, he could see her flush. “Neither. Hawke found her at the train station.”
Gideon’s smile fell, his brows going up. His eyes sharpened with interest as he turned to get another look at Sarah, blinking when Phoenix shot him a dark look. “No kidding. Is she one of the brides Eb and Jeremiah advertised for?”
“Sure is.” Phoenix glanced between Gideon and Hart to see their reactions. “Ours.”
When both men whipped their heads around to face him, Phoenix grinned, aware of Hawke and Blade stiffening on either side of him. “We married her last night.”
Gideon turned back to Blade, his eyes wide. “All three of you?”
Blade nodded. “Yes. Her name’s Sarah. Sarah Royal.” His voice held pride, but also a hint of disbelief, and he kept glancing toward Sarah as if expecting her to disappear. “We’re expecting trouble—a man looking for her. We’ll let everyone know about it when we get to the ranch.”
Hart grunted. “Trouble ain’t nothin’ new to us. Give us a chance to practice our aim.” He turned to half smile at Sarah. “Looks like you three are the ones who are in trouble. Remind me to hide next time Eb and Jeremiah want to send someone to town. Matrimony seems to be contagious, and if it got Hawke, none of us is safe.”
Chapter Six
Sarah clutched her bundle close, grimacing at the rough wool blanket from her bed beneath her hands instead of the soft material she’d held most of the day.
She followed Hawke, pausing on the small wooden porch when he held out a hand in a silent command for her to remain there.
He’d done the same thing when they’d entered the hotel lobby the night before, and Blade had also walked into the hotel room ahead of her.
It was a little thing—a stupid thing that shouldn’t have mattered, but she’d seen men open doors for women and allow them to go first back in Waco.
She’d seen it everywhere except in the saloon, and the rooms upstairs. She’d asked her mother about it once, and been told that men did that sort of thing to show his respect for the woman he was with—a respect the men who visited the saloon didn’t have for the women working there.
Just minutes ago, the ranch bosses, Eb and Jeremiah Tyler, had opened the door for their beautiful wife and kept an arm wrapped around her as they led her outside, the two men obviously anxious to see what had kept Hawke, Blade, and Phoenix so long.
Their wife, Maggie, had been very welcoming, and had even taken her to the large building where they stored their supplies for the ranch.
Giggling, Maggie looked back toward where the men unloaded the buckboard. “I just wanted a chance to talk to you alone. It’s nice to see another woman around here, but I have to tell you, I didn’t expect the Royal brothers to ever get married.”
Sarah liked the other woman immediately, and hoped that she’d found a friend. “They said as much. I don’t know why they married me, but I’m glad they did. Are there any other women around here?”
“Just one. Savannah. She was my best friend back home.” With a smile at her husbands, she stood aside as the men started toward the supply building. “We’d better get out of the way before we get run over.”
Despite the fact that his arms were laden with bags of flour, Eb bent to nuzzle his wife. “I’d never run over you. Sometimes I wish I could stick you in my pocket to keep you safe. Go back to the house. You can talk to your new friend tomorrow. Hawke and the others look anxious to be with her.”
Jeremiah slapped Maggie’s bottom as he passed her. “We’ve been out on the ranch all day, and I’m anxious to be with my wife, too.”
Stepping aside, he let her pass, the love shining in his eyes making Sarah feel like an interloper.
The two hard-looking men who owned the ranch obviously loved their wife, their affection for her apparent in every look. Their smiles for Sarah made her feel welcome, and they moved aside so she could pass through the doorway before them.
It hurt to realize that neither Hawke nor Blade seemed to feel that Sarah deserved that kind of respect.
Her mother had told her that men came to the bordello because their wives didn’t like sex.
It made her wonder if that was the only kind of woman men respected. So if she didn’t like sex, maybe Hawke, Blade, and Phoenix would eventually come to respect her.
“Is something wrong?”
Startled by Hawke’s deep voice, Sarah jolted, whipping to face him. Surprised to find his eyes filled with concern, she took a steadying breath and forced a smile. “No. Of course not.”
Hawke’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t care to be lied to—especially from my wife. Come on inside so we can get you settled. I thought you trusted me.”
Not knowing what to say, she nodded, her face burning. Trembling, she followed Hawke past another large building and to a small cabin that set back among the trees. Her stomach clenched when Hawke strode through the door ahead of her.
“Something wrong?”
Shaking her head, Sarah walked through the door Hawke held open for her, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the darker interior.
Once her eyes adjusted, she looked around the small cabin, immediately feeling right at home. The walls, made of thick wood, appeared to be strong and heavy enough to withstand even the harshest storm.
Several lamps sat on various wooden tables, tables that appeared to have been handmade.
She’d bet anything that her husbands had made them themselves.
One table held a ceramic bowl and pitcher, painted in a variety of bright colors instead of the plain gray chipped one she’d had back home.
Besides the heavy-looking kitchen table and chairs, there were three stuffed mattresses on the floor.
Wondering where she would sleep, she averted her gaze, her face burning. “It’s very nice. Very clean.” It was very much like the men themselves. Sturdy and warm. Solid.
Blade went to the other side of the room and came back with a large basket. “Here’s a basket for your things. We’ll pick up another one the next time we’re in town.”
Finding herself alone with them in such confined quarters, and aware of their sharp scrutiny, she pulled her shawl more closely around herself. “Thank you.”
Hawke ra
n a hand over her hair, sending a shiver through her. “It’s even silkier than I thought it would be.”
Her nipples tingled in reaction, and fighting the urge to lean into his touch, she pulled the bundle tighter against her chest. “It feels good to be clean again.”
Carrying her new bathtub, Blade and Phoenix followed her inside, glancing at her before settling the tub in front of the fireplace. Blade straightened and strode toward her with a smile. “We’ll fix a bath for you later. I know I could use one.” Reaching out, he slid his fingers through her hair, lifting her chin with his other hand when she tried to avert her gaze. “It is soft.”
Bending, he touched his lips to hers and, to her surprise, took the bundle from her arms, tossed it aside, and slid a hand over her breast.
Gasping at the shock of pleasure, she jerked away, right into Hawke’s solidness. Meeting Blade’s look of surprise, she shifted restlessly and crossed her arms over her chest. “I-I’m sorry. You surprised me.”
Raising a brow, Blade smiled. “This time you won’t have that as an excuse. I’m going to touch your breast now.” His eyes narrowed, his smile sending a shiver of pleasure through her, one that she desperately struggled to hide. “You’re very responsive. I want to see how sensitive your nipples are. Seeing them poking at the front of your shirt is making my mouth water.”
Sarah couldn’t believe he’d noticed, especially with the bundle in front of her, but she’d begun to understand that her husbands missed very little.
Trembling with anticipation, she held her breath, the tingling sensation in her nipples nothing short of wicked. Instinctively lifting her hands to cover them, she sucked in another breath when Blade caught her wrists in his.
“No. I’m your husband, and it’s my right to touch you. It’s my right to see you. I won’t hurt you.” Surprising her further, he took both of her wrists in his and held them behind her back, making it impossible to protect herself. “You’re going to have to get used to being touched because you’re going to be touched often, and by all three of us.”
Instead of covering her breast with his hand the way he had the first time, he unbuttoned several buttons with a slow confidence that made her heart race. “I wanted to watch you take your bath last night, but you were scared and tired. Tonight, I’ll bathe you myself. You need to get used to my touch.”
