by Stasia Black
Shay thought she’d feel relieved to be alone. It was the first moment of solitude she’d had since before she’d broken Charlie out. But instead, the room felt… too quiet.
She glanced at the door Sophia had exited through and immediately hurried over, trying the knob. It turned easily and when she pulled on the door, it gave with no problem.
So she wasn’t locked in. Okay. Good. Her hammering heartbeat slowed, but only marginally. She went back to the bed and changed into the sleep clothes Sophia had laid out for her—an oversized shirt and some short girly boxers with hearts on them.
After changing, she sat on the bed, back against the headboard, eyes darting around at every little sound.
Sophia said her father was out conducting the lottery right now. What if Shay’s new husbands decided they didn’t want to wait for tomorrow and came for her in the middle of the night?
Yes, she was committed to seeing this through—but only on her terms.
When had any man she’d ever known been willing to let her have anything on her terms, though? Never. Not in recent memory.
Except for one.
So before she fully realized what she was doing, she was bolting for the door and down the stairs.
Charlie might be naïve but he was strong. Even after losing weight from not having a normal diet, she’d seen him working out in his cell regularly. He’d taken out that guard at the dam like it was nothing. And she’d felt it when he’d wrapped his arms around her on the four-wheeler.
And in a world where she didn’t trust anyone, for some reason, she trusted that he genuinely wanted to protect her.
Foolish probably.
Even after all these years, maybe she hadn’t learned her lesson after all.
Chapter 4
CHARLIE
10 Minutes Earlier
“So, you just, what?” Nix asked Charlie, eyes hard. “Up and walked out of Travis’s camp? Just like that?”
Charlie’s jaw was so rigid, he was sure he was about to crack a damn tooth. Reconnecting with Audrey had been more than he could have ever dreamed of.
Except.
Except for the fact that her damn husband had been breathing down their necks the whole time. Charlie had only had a few minutes alone with his sister when they first got to the Commander’s house. Nix and the Commander were stopped outside by another soldier in fatigues to discuss something. Charlie dragged Audrey into the house and asked in a rush, “Aud, tell me the truth. Are they holding you against your will? Because I swear, I can get you out. We’ll find a w—”
“What?” She’d sounded flabbergasted. “Charlie, no. I love my life here. I love my husbands.”
Husbands. Fucking plural. Charlie flinched when she’d said it but she just kept repeating that once he got to know her husbands, he’d understand.
Well, he’d spent all evening with the son of a bitch currently sitting across the living room from him, Nix, and he was no less tempted to murder him. The whole time Audrey sat on the couch opposite Charlie, the fucker had kept a hand on her knee, rubbing circles with his thumb. And every time his thumb traveled in that little looping path, Charlie fantasized ways of killing him. He could use the fire poker. Or there was that carving knife he’d seen in the kitchen. Really there were all sorts of things he could use as a weapon. A man could get inventive with enough motive and Charlie, he was motivated.
“Seems awful convenient to me, you just showing up out of the blue like this.”
Charlie shot up out of the armchair where he’d been sitting. “You got something you wanna say, just say it.”
Nix stood up too and took a step toward him. “I’m saying your story sounds like bullshit. I know Arnold Travis and no way you just walked out of the center of his encampment.”
“I never said I was in the center.” Charlie’s eyes narrowed. “What the fuck do you know that you’re not saying?”
Nix scoffed like Charlie was an idiot. “I’m the Captain of the Security Squadron. It’s my business to know about the layout of our chief rival’s town.”
“Oh yeah? Just like it was your business to fuck my sister and brainwash her into thinking she’s happy here?”
“You better watch your mouth.” Nix jabbed a finger his direction, “before I shut it permanently.”
“Aw, what’s wrong? I’m not a vulnerable, impressionable young girl, so you can’t mind-fuck me, is that it?”
“You son of a—”
Right as Nix started toward Charlie, Audrey came bounding down the stairs. “Hey guys, I’m ready to—” She paused on the last step, eyes shooting back and forth from Nix to Charlie. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”
Nix’s face, which had been hard with menace only moments ago, turned suddenly soft as he looked at Audrey. “No problem, babe. Your brother and I were just getting to know each other better.”
Audrey’s head swung Charlie’s way, like she was looking for confirmation. Charlie could see by the hope in her eyes that she wanted what Nix had said to be true. And if he was going to help her, he needed her to trust him. He couldn’t alienate her right out of the gate. It would take time to see what sort of conditioning they’d done to her so he could figure out how to undo it.
“Yep. He used to be a big Cowboys fan. Just like Dad.” Charlie slapped Nix on the shoulder a little harder than was strictly necessary. “Say, Nix,” Charlie looked over at him, “how old did you say you were again?”
“I didn’t,” Nix growled.
“Oh good,” Audrey said, either missing the tension between them or choosing to ignore it. She pulled both of them into a group hug. “Now my family is complete,” she breathed out happily, eyes closed in contentment.
Charlie and Nix just glared at each other over her head.
Then Nix put an arm over Audrey’s shoulder. “Bedtime, wife.” And he all but dragged her toward the door.
“Oh,” Audrey said, and then giggled and swatted at his hand when he pinched her ass. Right there in front of Charlie. Fucking bastard.
“See you tomorrow, Charlie,” Audrey called over her shoulder. Then she was gone, the door shutting behind her with a resounding slam.
Charlie dug his hands into his hair and pulled, leaning over to growl in frustration through clenched teeth. This was so goddamned infuriating. To be so close to his sister and then for her to be acting like, like…
He shook his head. He couldn’t believe this was how he found her after all these months. Was he glad that she was healthy? Of course he was. But while she might be in great physical condition, her mental faculties were another story entirely.
What in the holy fuck had they done to her? Okay, so she had seemed normal enough all evening. Over dinner, she’d laughed and joked just like she was… well, the old Audrey.
But she couldn’t be. She’d been married off to five… Jesus, he couldn’t even wrap his head around it. And they thought they were gonna do the same thing to Shay? Over his dead fucking body.
His eyes went to the stairs. The house was quiet. He had no idea what time it was. It had been dark for hours. The Commander had gone out a while ago and who knew when he’d be back. Could Charlie sneak up there, grab Audrey, and get out, or were there soldiers on guard outside the house watching in case they tried to do just that?
I know it all seems weird and too good to be true, but it’s real. Audrey’s words from earlier came back to him. At which point he’d looked at her like she was crazy. One woman having to marry five guys was not his idea of ‘too good to be true.’ The fact that she was even saying that shit was worrisome. Then she went on, I’m not saying it’s perfect here or some kind of utopia, but these are good people.
Yeah, well, he’d feel better with a knife strapped to his belt just the same. He slipped into the kitchen and looked through the knifes in the block on the counter. The butcher’s knife might be a little bit overkill, but he grabbed it anyway, along with several smaller steak knives. He stowed the butcher’s knife underneath
the couch cushion and then made up the couch with the sheets and blankets Sophia had brought down earlier.
One knife he put under his pillow, the other underneath the couch, still easily accessible. Only then did he turn out the lights. He’d scope out the situation in the backyard in a few hours. If it was all clear, then he’d go get Shay. The bastards had shoved a black bag over his head on the way in to town, but they obviously had horses, and those shouldn’t be that hard to find—
A noise had him sitting up straight and reaching for the knife under his pillow.
Until he saw the feminine figure coming down the stairs by the light of a single candle still burning on the mantle.
A feminine figure wearing only what looked like a long t-shirt.
Charlie gulped.
“Shay?” he whispered. When she didn’t answer, for a second, he was horrified that it was the Commander’s daughter coming to, like, seduce him or something.
But then Shay’s soft voice came through the darkness. “It’s me.”
He relaxed but only for a moment. “You ready to get out of here? I haven’t had a chance to scout the grounds yet, but if you just give me a second, I can check the yard and see if—”
“Shh,” Shay said, coming and sitting down on the couch beside him. “Lay down.” Tentatively, she extended a hand and touched his shoulder. Then she ran it down to his elbow. “I just…” she trailed off, pulling her hand back like she’d suddenly been burned. “It’s stupid but…”
“What? What is it? Did something happen up there? I swear, Shay, I’ll—”
“No, no, nothing like that.”
Then she grabbed his hand and after another second, tentatively toyed with his fingers. Charlie’s skin felt electric everywhere her skin touched his. And not just because she was a beautiful woman… or because of all the years it had been since touching a woman was even a possibility.
Touch from Shay seemed like a privilege. Every time she touched Charlie, he got the feeling it was a big step for her somehow. There was always a hesitancy to it, like she was proving something to herself or pushing a boundary.
So he kept his own hand slack, not wanting her to pull back like a skittish deer.
“I just didn’t like being up there alone,” she whispered it like she was confessing a personal failing. “I mean, I spent plenty of time alone in Travisville. But now that I’m here, it’s different. I don’t know how to explain.” Her head twisted as she looked back and forth from the front door to the doorway that led to the kitchen.”
Charlie was close enough to her that he felt the small shudder go through her body. She dropped her face. In the darkness he couldn’t make out her features but he could imagine the distress on her lovely face.
“Do you think I could… I don’t know. Maybe sleep with you down here tonight?”
“Oh.” Charlie swallowed. The truth? Her being so close already had him fighting a stiffy. Which made him the world’s biggest douchebag. Especially because as soon as she’d sat down in just that t-shirt, her long legs on display in the light of a sputtering candle on the mantle, he’d had the overwhelming thought: she said she’ll marry you. Which means you might get to have sex with her sometime soon.
“Shay.” He shook his head, shifting so he could sit up—but her hand shot back to his forearm to stop him. Her grip was so forceful it took him by surprise. This time when she looked at him, the angle was just right that her eyes caught and reflected the candlelight.
And he could see the fear there. Real, terrible fear. “Please. Can’t we just lie here together tonight? Leave everything else till the morning?”
Her looking so afraid had taken care of his hard on at least. But it ripped his chest open to know terrible things had probably happened to her to put that fear there.
“Yes.” He shook his head and laid back down, opening his arms. “Yes, of course. Whatever you need.”
As she laid down, head in the crook of his arm and back against his chest, he vowed, “Always. Whatever you need, I’ll always be here for you.”
This was one vow he swore he would never break.
Chapter 5
HENRY
Henry had a picture of the life he wanted for himself. Riches, wealth, and a beautiful woman standing by his side.
A beautiful woman he was only moments away from meeting.
He swallowed hard. Damn, was he nervous? When was the last time he, Henry Sutherland, had been nervous about anything? He’d faced down the meanest mob bosses, traded with MC presidents, had even traveled to the Mexican front and made a back deal with a colonel of the 5th Mexican brigade to smuggle solar panels into the country. So no, he was not afraid of meeting his future wife.
Then why on earth was his hand shaking as he lifted it to the brass knocker?
He stood up straighter and banged on the door.
Sophia opened it, standing there in her pajama pants and an oversized pink t-shirt with a picture of a kitten on it. She grinned huge with surprise when she saw Henry.
“Henry.” Her voice was full of pleasure. “What are you doing here at this time of day?”
Henry smiled back in amusement. She was less than subtle about her schoolgirl crush on him. Never mind the fact that he was the same age as her father. Granted, he and her dad, Eric, were only forty-one, but still, math was math.
“I come bearing breakfast.” He held up the basket he’d prepared.
Her eyes got even brighter.
Oh dear. He softened his voice, knowing there was no real good way to break the news to Sophia. “For my betrothed. I was one of the lottery winners.”
Sophia’s face went pale so fast Henry thought she might pass out.
“Sophia,” Henry reached for her when she stumbled sideways.
“Oh,” she gasped, regaining her balance and waving him away. “I’m fine.” She kept her face averted. “Fine. She’s— Shay is— that way.” Sophia pointed toward the living room and then fled up the stairs.
“Sophia,” Henry called, stepping into the house but all he heard was the sound of light footsteps and then the slam of a door.
He sighed and wiped his feet on the welcome rug. Poor girl. There was nothing he could do about it. He’d tried to dissuade her affections over the past few years but this was probably the only thing that was going to do the trick.
“Um, hello?”
Henry’s attention turned to the living room and—
Good Lord. The most gorgeous women he’d ever seen stood up from the couch and Henry couldn’t help the grin from stretching across his face. “Why hello, beautiful. I come, your humble suitor, bearing gifts.” He held up the basket and bowed slightly.
“Who the fuck are you?”
Beside the beautiful woman popped up a man’s head. He was a decidedly less pleasant sight, and not just because his hair was mussed and he had a dark, tangled beard.
Still, deciding that discretion was the better part of valor and all that, Henry dipped a small bow to the man as well. “Henry Sutherland, at your service. I am betrothed to this beautiful young woman. If you are Shay Monroe, that is.”
The woman nodded, eyeing him warily. Shay. Henry grinned. She was beautiful enough to be a queen. She would more than do.
Henry had always liked the finer things and it wasn’t something he’d apologize for. He’d worked hard every day of his life because that was the promise he’d been fed all growing up—work hard and you can achieve whatever your heart desires.
Well, his heart desired a winter chalet in Paris and a Jaguar XLJ and he’d worked his ass off to get them. From the trailer park to a chalet. He couldn’t count the number of people who’d told him his dreams were ridiculous. Impossible, even.
He’d proved them all wrong. Every. Single. One.
He’d had it all. He worked at the most prestigious investment firm in Dallas. Headhunters from New York were always trying to scoop him up, but like he told them whenever they did, Texas was his home. Where else did churches
only barely outnumber strip clubs? Sin and hellfire and tits and ass were the Texas way. Hypocrisy and bacon, mmm, they just tasted like home to him. If there were other reasons… well, he preferred not to dwell on the past, even if it meant he had a connection to this land he couldn’t seem to shake no matter how many vocal coaches he’d hired over the years to help him get rid of his white trash twang.
So yes, he’d turned down every New York offer and stayed in the Lone Star State, doing what few could ever claim—living the life he’d always dreamed of. He finally made top partner at the firm, which meant the years of eighty-hour work weeks were at last behind him. He could enjoy his success at last.
Then, one week later, the first cases of Xterminate were reported.
Cause life was a bitch like that.
“I brought spinach omelets. I suggest we hurry to eat them. Actually having eggs only to eat them cold would be a tragedy too great for words.”
Henry strode into the house and set down the basket on the dining room table. The house had an open floor plan, with the dining and living rooms visible from the kitchen. Henry busied himself with checking cabinets and pulling down plates and silverware.
“Gabriel is working and will not be here until later,” Henry said conversationally, not looking over his shoulder to see where Shay was or if she was watching him even though he was dying to.
He certainly wanted to stare at her for hours like he used to at the expensive artwork he collected in his past life. He doubted he’d find a single imperfection and even if he did, it would only serve to make her more unique and precious.
A woman truly worthy of the man he had been and strove every day to become again.
“But I do not know where Jonas and Rafael are.” Henry looked down at his watch and frowned. “Rafael is a former Air Force pilot and—”
A clumsy knock sounded at the door, cutting him off. The door pushed open before anyone could move toward it, and there stood Jonas in the rectangle of morning light.
