COME WHEN CALLED #7, The Sunrise (Billionaire & Biker MMF Menage Romance Serial) (7 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

“EVIE…EVIE PLEASE.” Someone was kissing her face, and she felt a cold chill on her exposed skin. She tried to will her eyes open, but her lids felt as if they were made of lead. “Love, open your eyes. Please.” She felt soft lips murmuring against her skin as the kisses moved over her eyelids, her cheeks, her mouth. She tried to speak to tell the kisser she was okay, but all that came out was a groan that sounded as if it came from inside a tunnel.

“Thank god!” she heard a different voice say.

“Thank god,” the first voice murmured too. Then louder, “Evie, wake up!” The voice sounded heady with relief.

She opened her eyes, her pupils focusing on Ford’s vibrant, green eyes and long lashes. “Ford?” she mumbled. “Where am I?” She tried to sit up.

“Don’t move, love. Lie still for a minute until you feel better.” Ford was kneeling on the floor next to her, his face hovering over hers, his hand stroking her hair. Charley was on her other side, moving his eyes from her to Ford and back, as if looking for Ford to fix her.

“My head hurts.” She reached up to touch her hair, but he caught her hand in his.

“Don’t. Lay still, love.”

“So cold.” She felt chilled to the bone, her arms breaking out in gooseflesh. Ford lay down next to her pressing his warm body to hers, and wrapped an arm around her, using the other to prop his head up. He looked down at her. “Better?”

“Yes.” Her head clearing, she suddenly remembered the events that brought her there. She winced as a rush of anxiety created a fresh wave of pain through her head. She squeezed Ford’s hand, her eyes startled. “What happened? Where’s John? Are you okay?” Her chest was tight.

“We’re in the walk-in fridge—he locked us in here.” Ford kissed her cheek again, taking a deep breath in her hair. “What were you thinking, both of you?” He looked up at Charley, who touched Ford’s face, wiping away blood with his thumb. “Why did you come back for me? You should have left.”

She ignored Ford’s question. “We’ve got to get out of here before John comes back.” She squeezed her eyes shut, trying think.

“No.” Ford’s voice was grim. “The refrigerator locks from the outside. Charley already tried it. And it’s strong. Charley tried to kick it down.” Ford’s gave a lopsided grin to Charley, his dimples threatening to make an appearance. “Rest for a moment, Evie. I don’t know how badly you’re hurt. He hit you and you hit your head on the marble.”

Evie recalled the events, working her way backward through the morning. The pain Ford had caused her and Charley sliced through the last of her fog. She pushed him away from her. “I’m okay. Let me up.” Her voice was as cold as the temperature in the mansion’s industrial fridge. She sat up slowly, looking for her duffel bag. “Where’s my bag?”

“John took it,” Charley answered. “He had a gun. After he knocked you out, he took your bag and made me carry you in here. Then he went and got Ford.”

“Thank god you were with her, Charley. We can’t let him get her alone. God knows what he might do to her.”

Evie shook her head, and her voice dripped in sarcasm, “Don’t like to share your toys, Ford?” She met his eyes, hers defiant.

He looked at her for a moment, his lips pressed together in a thin line. Then he scooted back against the shelf opposite her and leaned against a box of produce, pulling his knees up. “So you were really leaving me?” he asked, his voice tight.

She braced her arm on a cold shelf and pushed unsteadily to her feet. Ford rose with her, reaching out to help her but she batted his hand away.

Charley moved to her side, supporting her, and she let him.

“Yes. I’m leaving.” She lifted her chin and tucked her hair behind an ear.

“For how long? You only had one bag.”

“Forever. I’m not taking the things you gave me.” She tried to keep her voice even like his.

“And your money?” His voice was cold.

“I don’t want it either. I’ll find another way to pay off John.”

He looked down and ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. “I paid him what you owed him already.” He met her eyes steadily, and he lifted one shoulder in a shrug.

Her mouth hung open. “What?”

“He left a message on the house phone intended for you, but I got it instead and I paid him. I wanted you out of danger.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you wouldn’t have liked it. You would have felt like you owed
me
money.”

Evie thought back on the day that Ford had spanked her over his desk, and how happy he’d been with her afterward. Before he left, he’d retrieved a fat manila envelope from a drawer. The envelope must have been full of money—money he’d given John to protect her.

“Did you know about this?” she asked Charley, sounding outraged. He shook his head, his eyes wide, looking at Ford with the same surprise that she felt.

She remembered Ford’s car. “The gunshot! Ford, you came home from that meeting with a bullet-hole in the back window of your car! Did John shoot at you?”

Now it was his turn to be confused. “How do you know that?”

“I saw you come home. You were really mad. What happened?” She forgot to deny her concern for him. “He tried to kill you?” The high-pitch of her voice betrayed her worry for him.

“He wanted more than the money. He wanted you. I wasn’t going to let him have you.”

“Ford!” She uncrossed her arms and reached for him, touching one muscular, tanned forearm lightly. “Why didn’t you call the police?”

“Because he threatened to keep hunting you if I did.”

She lowered her head and closed her eyes, ashamed for all the trouble she’d brought with her decision to get involved with a man like John. It fortified her resolve not to repeat her mistakes. She had to get away from this town and these men and start over.

She dropped her hand from Ford and hugged her arms around her body. If they got out of this alive, she’d find a way to get over Ford and Charley…but she was afraid she was ruined. Being submissive to Ford’s demands had fed something in her she hadn’t known she needed. She didn’t think she could be satisfied without it.

She’d have to find a way.

She looked back at Ford. “Why did you do that? Why did you pay that money for me?” Her voice was small.

“Because I want to take care of you.” Ford said angrily, running both hands through his hair again. Looking up to the ceiling, he added softly, “Like you take care of me.”

Evie felt her heart jump, but mentally shoved it back into submission. Ford didn’t love her. She would not listen to this. He was a master manipulator, just like John.

“I just wanted to keep you safe,” Ford finished.

“Why?” Anger rose in her as his words threatened to soften her to him. He’d all but called her a whore earlier. “Is it because you have insurance for all of your precious possessions except me?”

“I don’t know why!” Ford’s voice boomed, making her jump. “I don’t know.” He finished more quietly. “I pushed you away as much as I could. I used you. I demanded that you please all of my sexual whims as callously as I wanted so that you’d know me at my worst, know what I was capable of. So you wouldn’t
love
me, and so that I would remember your place and not…” He trailed off.

Not what?

Evie stared at the floor, refusing to look at Ford.

“I prayed you both left me.”

Charley and Evie looked at Ford in unison, Evie sure that hurt and confusion reflected in Charley’s eyes, just as in her own. “I mean when John broke in. I was on my way to the garage, following you both. I couldn’t let you leave. But then John burst through the door…” Evie glanced at Charley but Charley was frowning at Ford.

“What happened?” he asked his best friend.

“John came in the front door with a key. That’s when I knew Boone was in trouble. He shot at me but missed.”

“He hit the windows?” Charley asked.

“Yes,” Ford said, “but I could see his second shot wouldn’t miss, and I was so afraid he’d follow you two that I just put up my hands and surrendered. He tied me up and hit me with his gun to knock me out.” Ford crossed his arms and shook his head, then he looked at them both with eyes as honest as Evie had ever seen them. “I prayed you’d both left and you’d never come back. I didn’t want John to hurt you, and I couldn’t keep hurting you, no matter how much I want to keep you both.” Ford took a deep, shaky breath. “I don’t deserve either of you.”

Charley was silent next to her, and she wasn’t sure any of Ford’s words even mattered if he wasn’t capable of seeing a new future with them.

“Why did you try and save me?” His question was directed at both of them and his voice held true curiosity. “Why didn’t you run?”

Charley and Evie looked at each other, knowing what the other felt. Finally Charley answered for both of them. “There was never a question. We weren’t leaving without you. We love you.” Suddenly Charley stepped close to Ford. “You told us you loved us. Do you? We might not make it out of this. I have to know if we could’ve tried to make it work. The three of us.” Charley’s voice held desperation. “Do you love us, Ford?”

Ford looked from Charley to Evie, and his eyes held something new…surrender. He reached for them. Suddenly the refrigerator door banged open, and Ford and Charley stepped in front of Evie protectively.

CHAPTER FIVE

JOHN STOOD AT the door, training his gun on them. He smirked, “Isn’t this cozy. Look at the heroes. Don’t you know you’re supposed to protect worthy damsels? Evie’s just a slut.” He craned his neck upward in an exaggerated effort to see Evie.

“Evangeline,” he drawled her name out, relishing in the power he had over her at that moment. “So you’ve been here all this time, sucking Ford Hawthorne’s dick? His too probably. Am I right?” he asked, gesturing at Charley. She couldn’t help it when she felt her face grow red. “Holy shit. Him too? Evie, my god. I thought I was a better judge of character than that, but I underestimated you. You’re twice the whore I thought you were.”

Charley lunged at John, but John jumped back, cocking his gun. “Now, now, gentlemen.” When he felt in control again he turned his small eyes back to Evie, smiling at her pleasantly. “I can’t say I’m surprised. You always did suck dick like a pro.”

“Fuck you, John!” she screamed at him, and Ford put a restraining hand on Charley’s arm, the man barely staying under control.

John laughed, and then his voice turned serious. Apparently he was done tormenting Evie. “We’re moving to the library. I’ve been through rich boy’s desk, but I can’t find what I need, so we’re all going in there so you can help me. Move along now.” He gestured with his gun for them to exit the freezer.

Evie looked around frantically for something to help them, and her eyes fell on the cheese platter. Five cheeses and one sharp, well-balanced, all-steel knife. Ford complained every time she’d put the platter back into the fridge with the knife still on the tray. Relief for her irresponsibility washed through her.

As the men slowly moved forward in single file out of the fridge, hatred in their stiff postures, Evie grabbed the knife, tucking it quickly into the waistband at the small of her back, hiding it with her shirt.

When Ford and Charley were in the kitchen, John kept his gun on them until he grabbed Evie by the arm, putting the pistol to her head. Charley and Ford both stiffened, looking like panthers coiled to spring on their prey.

“Turn around, boys,” John growled. “Move nicely into the library and your hooker won’t get hurt.

Evie jerked her arm out of John’s grip. “The gun can touch me, but I don’t want you to.” She marched into the library behind the two men. John made Ford and Charley sit on the two chairs facing the desk and pushed Evie around to the other side.

“Here’s the situation,” John announced. “You’re going to transfer twenty million dollars into my bank account.” He gestured at Ford. “And then I’m going to take Evie and leave.”

“No!” Ford lunged out of his chair, but John aimed the firearm at Evie’s head again. “Do you think I have anything to lose?” he asked. Ford stopped, fists clenched again at his side, a murderous look on his face.

Ford’s eyes flicked from John to settle on Evie. Their eyes locked, and Evie saw the crack in his armor, the acquiescence to what he would do. “I can get you more if you leave Evie. Enough to disappear forever.”

Evie narrowed her eyes. What was he doing? She was leaving. If they got out alive, she was still leaving. She turned to John. “No, take me with you.” Her voice was unwavering.

John raised his eyebrows at her. “Excuse me?”

“Evie, no!” The plea came from Ford.

Evie raised her chin and squared her shoulders. “I know his passwords. He left me alone all the time—long enough to do all the snooping I wanted to. Do you think I was here for the sex? I can get you fifty million.”

“No,” Ford’s voice held all the betrayal she knew it would. Charley gaped at her.

“And,” continued Evie, ignoring both the other men, “I can work for you instead, if you want. Now that you’ll be rich like him. I can provide all the same services that I do now for Ford and his friend.” John raised his eyebrows, his eyes widening. She made her voice low and seductive, without a hint of tremble. “And in return, you’ll take care of me in the manner to which I’ve become accustomed, right?”

John appeared delighted. His cruel laugh boomed around the room. “How unexpected! Ford, it looks like Evie’s not as attached to you as you are to her! She’s so willing to trade you in for another sugar-daddy.”

Evie glanced around, assessing everyone’s positions. Ford and Charley were across the desk. Too far to do anything that would be faster than a bullet. She was their only hope.

She looked at John and tried to swallow her disgust. Dropping her shoulders and cocking her hip, she made an effort to sex up her voice. “I can give you a free sample if you want. I’ve been practicing.” She smiled, and this time the smile was genuine because she was picturing her knife stabbing through his gut.

“Evie,” Ford whispered, sounding like he was in physical pain.

“Why?” she heard from Charley, the word almost inaudible.

John ignored them, sounding intrigued. “You really are quite the enterprising little slut, aren’t you? I might not have cut you loose so quickly, had I known.”

Evie made sure her smile didn’t falter.
Jackass
. She’d dumped him, of course.

John slid his eyes down her body, making her skin crawl. “What have you been learning since you left the firm, Eves?”

“You’d be surprised,” she drawled, keeping her words slow and seductive, her eyes intently locked to his. “Let’s get out of here, and I’ll show you.”

Tearing his eyes from her, John directed a nasty laugh in Ford’s direction.

“Well, Ford, your precious Evie appears to be ready for an upgrade!”

Evie risked a glance at Ford. He had the look of a wounded man. The damage Evie was doing to him was evident. She swallowed and refocused on John, trying to soothe her dry throat.

John unbuckled his belt with one hand, an ugly sneer on his face. “I’m interested in your proposition, Evie, but I want a sample now,” he snarled. He stood and kicked the desk chair out of his way, gesturing to her with his gun. “Take off your clothes. I’m going to try out your new skills right here.”

“No!” Ford lurched forward, his fists pounding on the smooth mahogany. Charley simply said, “Evie, stop,” in a voice that smacked of betrayal.

“No, John,” Ford repeated. “I’ll give you the fifty million, just leave Evie alone. Please!”

John cocked his head to Ford, eyes narrowed. “But she doesn’t want you anymore, pretty boy.”

“I know,” Ford’s voice held all the bitterness of someone badly beaten at his own game. “But I’ll do what you ask. Take my money. Just don’t take Evie.”

If Ford or Charley made a move, they’d get shot. No way they’d get over the desk before John could fire a round. Evie needed to maintain control of the situation if she wanted to save them. “No!” Evie glanced around, noting the number of steps between her and John. “I want to go, John. I’m tired of him. He’s no fun at all. I want something different—something more exciting.” John’s attention was back on her.

Knife throwing was useless in hand-to-hand combat. The odds of Evie standing at just the right distance away, her target not moving, and her aim being dead-on were all exceptionally slim. But she had to try—she had to get Ford and Charley out of the situation.

“Convince me.” John gestured to Evie’s clothes again.

“I’m going to take my shirt off.” Evie showed him her hands and moved them slowly to the hem of her shirt. With trembling fingers she pulled it over her head. She kept her body angled so John couldn’t see the knife.

“Evie, please” Ford moaned, but she ignored him. A lecherous smile spread slowly over John’s face.

“I’m going to unhook my bra,” Evie’s voice trembled slightly, and she held her breath, hoping no one had noticed. Her hands were shaking. She was never going to make the throw.

Not taking her eyes from John, she concentrated on settling her core, visualizing her move.

She had to go for John’s stomach or neck—if she went for the chest, there was too much of a chance of the knife bouncing off a rib, causing only a superficial cut. That wouldn’t do. She chose the abdomen, knowing it wasn’t a killing blow, but hoping it would incapacitate him for the moment they’d need to subdue him.

She prayed Ford and Charley would act just as quickly in the confusion. Ford was the closest to John. If he didn’t get to John fast enough, before John could recover enough to use his gun, at least one of them would be dead.

They had to be of the same mind, and she wondered if it was too much to hope that they were.

Her fingers brushed the cold steel of the knife in her waistband. She glanced at Ford. Even with blood on his face, his hair matted with it, his clothes disheveled, he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Even in his defeat. With the betrayal playing out before him, she knew it was her, not John, who’d defeated him.

Ford did love her. She could see it in the pain on his face. She was sure of his love, now that she’d broken his heart in front of these other men. She took a deep breath—she’d fix it, somehow. She needed him, needed his deep voice commanding her, his strong hands forcing her. It was the only thing that made her feel safe. She would get them out of the situation so he could possess her again.

Her hand closed over the hilt of the knife, her mind doing mental calculations as to the distance between her and her target. She took a step forward, estimating the pirouette of the blade, trying to ensure it hit John blade-first, not hilt.

She struck.

Her concentration unwavering, time slowed. She crouched and whipped the knife from behind her, throwing it underhanded—not a method she’d practiced much, but quicker than raising it above her head. She only had a millisecond to get it right.

So many things happened at once. The knife struck John in the left side of his stomach, sinking home as accurate as any throw she’d ever made. He crumpled, crying out as blood bloomed on his shirt.

Ford dove across the desk and grabbed John’s gun hand, twisting it around to his back. “Drop the gun,” he hissed in John’s ear, pulling his arm painfully higher. John let go of the gun. It clattered to the floor without discharging, to Evie’s relief.

Ford pushed John to the floor, where he writhed in pain, and Evie kicked him in the face. “Don’t move, dickhead, and you won’t bleed as much.”

Charley slammed his body down on John’s, holding him in a choke hold. “Go get help! Take my truck.” He threw the keys at them. And then in spite of the chaos, a huge grin broke out across Charley’s face. “Hot damn, don’t we make a great team?” He beamed up at Evie and Ford. Ford took Evie’s hand, hesitating only a moment before wrapping her in an embrace that lifted her off her feet. He smothered her face in kisses of relief.

*****

Charley and Ford came to Evie, who sat on the outside sofa near the pool. Ford settled next to her and Charley knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. Ford put an arm around her and hugged her to him.

She clutched Ford’s hand. “I don’t really know your passwords, Ford. I never snooped. Even if I knew them, I would never betray you like that.”

Ford chuckled and smoothed her hair off her cheek. “I know, love. I figured that out when you knifed John.” He laughed and kissed her forehead.

“You okay? Are you hurt?” Charley’s face was a mask of concern. His eyes travelled over her, taking inventory of all of her unbroken parts.

She nodded. “I’m okay.”

“You’re more than okay, baby. You’re a bad-ass.” Charley grinned, touching her cheek with his paw of a hand. Evie smiled, bathed in his warmth. Charley had never called her “baby” before. She liked it.

Evie suddenly looked up. “Boone?”

Ford’s voice held genuine relief. “He’s okay! He was tied up and has a nasty lump on his head, but he’s going to be fine. He’s already demanded a raise,” Ford grumbled, his eyes twinkling with good humor.

“Thank god,” Evie breathed. “Did the police leave yet?”

“Yes. The ambulance took John to the hospital, under police escort, of course, and they finally got Charley to shut up long enough to wrap things up.”

“I had a long statement to make!” Charley pretended to take offence.

Ford grinned down at Charley, his dimples making a reappearance that nearly melted Evie’s memory of the horrible day. “Charley tried to talk them into making us all honorary deputies.” A deep laugh rumbled in Ford’s chest.