Cowboy Rescue [Men for Hire 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (13 page)

“Okay. When do we leave?”

Brad pushed the button for the nurse. “As soon as we can get you discharged. Mike, head over to her apartment and pack her a bag. Grab her computer, too.”

“Will do.” Mike was up and moving toward the door and almost ran over the nurse pushing it open.

Brad took her hand much as Mike had done. “Don’t worry. We won’t get caught off guard again. I swear it.”

* * * *

“Are you Grangers out of your ever-lovin’ mind?”

Although Gabriel was older, he could still intimidate Jack. If push came to shove, he was certain he could take the big man, but Gabriel had a way of making himself seem bigger, louder than he really was. Besides, Jack, along with his brothers and the rest of the crew at the ranch, respected Gabriel not for his brawn, but for his intelligence and take-charge attitude. And like all the rest, Jack would lay down his life for him.

Maybe that was why it hit him hard in the gut whenever he or his brothers disappointed Gabriel. When the older man’s face turned red and he could almost see steam pouring out of the big man’s ears, Jack wanted to put more distance between himself and their furious leader. Instead, he stayed where he was, standing shoulder to shoulder with his brothers. He was ready to take whatever Gabriel dished out because Maria was more than worth it.

“What part of
we do not bring clients to the ranch
did you guys not get?”

“Gabriel, we didn’t have any other choice. This was the only place where we knew without a doubt she’d be safe. After what happened, that was all that mattered to us.”

For one of the few times in his life, Jack was glad Brad was the oldest and took it upon himself to speak for them. Brad appeared unaffected even when Gabriel put his face only a few inches from his. Jack wasn’t sure he could’ve kept from stepping back.

Gabriel blew out a breath, reminding Jack of a bull’s snort right before he charged. “You had choices. You could’ve done your damn job better and kept her secure in her home. What the hell were you thinking letting her go back to work?”

Brad didn’t flinch, but Jack could sense the guilt flowing off him.

“That was a mistake. I admit that. I screwed up. But I’m sure this is where she belongs.”

Gabriel snorted again then stalked to stare out the window. “And where is she now?”

“She’s waiting in the living room.”

“By herself?” Gabriel gave them a look that showed he thought they were crazy.

“No. Cash and Bernhardt are in there.”

He hadn’t expected the man to go from furious to laughing so fast. “You seriously left her alone with two of the biggest players in our group?”

Shit. I didn’t think of that.

“They won’t bother her.”

Gabriel crossed his massive arms. “And why wouldn’t they? Because you asked them nicely? Did you say the magic word
please
? Tell me, boys. Did you take a stupid pill today?”

Jack took a glimpse at Brad, wondering why he hesitated. Any other time and Brad would’ve gone ballistic at the verbal jab. Even when it had come from Gabriel.

“They won’t because I told them that she’s ours.”

The only part of Gabriel that moved was his eyebrows as they shot up. “She’s yours? What are you talking about?”

Jack stood taller, prouder. He was ready to claim her, too.

“She’s ours because she’s the one we’ve waited for. She’s going to be our woman once all this shit is over.”

Gabriel edged closer, his anger replaced by suspicion. “Tell me you didn’t mix business with pleasure.”

“I didn’t.”

Brad told the truth, but not the whole of it. But Gabriel wasn’t easily fooled.

“Aw, shit. Maybe you haven’t, but I’ll bet your brothers here have taken her to bed. That’s a direction violation of our rules.”

Brad shifted on his feet, and Jack did the same. If he didn’t get to move more than that soon, he’d bust a gut trying to hold back the energy inside him.

“You’re right. I haven’t. But Jack and Mike have.” Brad kept going even as Gabriel narrowed his gaze at Mike then slid it to Jack. “But if I’d had the chance, I would’ve done the same thing.”

Gabriel was too quiet for too long. Jack wasn’t sure what he would say or do next.

“Wait a second. Are you saying this is more than a good lay? What? That you three lugs love her? And what does she have to say about it?”

He felt himself nodding as Brad and Mike both said they loved her. Jack had to add his own declaration of love, too. “Yeah, me, too. But we haven’t said as much to her. At least not all of us. Not yet anyway.”

The leather chair behind the desk squeaked, protesting the big man’s size as Gabriel lowered his body and groaned. “So you three are in love? It’s hard to believe she’d take you up on it, but who am I to hold you back from trying?”

“That’s the truth of it. But here’s the deal, Gabriel.” Jack didn’t have to check with his brothers to know they’d back him up. “If she goes, then we go. For good.”

“Fine. Do what you need to do to keep her safe. Until then, I’m sending another team back to her place. They’ll pick up the trail and start fresh.”

“You’re replacing us?” Jack couldn’t keep the astonishment out of his voice. They’d never had another team take over one of their cases.

“You can’t be here and there at the same time. Put her in one of your rooms, and two of you can double up. But understand this.” He pointed a finger at them. “She’s your responsibility. Keep her away from the others and them away from her. And you three stay away from her, too. Once she’s settled in her room, tell her to stay put. If she doesn’t like it, then cuff her sweet ass to the bed.” He reached into the side drawer, pulled out a set of fur-lined cuffs, and tossed them to Brad.

Brad held up the red-furred cuffs but didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. They were all thinking the same thing.

“My wife—” Gabriel stopped, then snarled. “Just don’t fuckin’ ask.”

“She’s not going to go for that.” Jack cringed and wished he could take the words back, but it was a done deal.

“At least not the staying in the room part,” added Mike.

What does he mean by that?
He cast his brother a questioning look that got him nowhere.

Gabriel reached for a bottle of whisky, and Jack had to wonder if it was from the case he’d sent to replace the one they’d taken.

“Well, shit and damn, I’m glad you told me. We wouldn’t want anything to upset the princess. By all means, if the princess doesn’t like it, then we won’t do it. Please, ask her what we can do to make her stay more comfortable. Should I send for her handmaidens? Perhaps throw a party in her honor?”

Jack didn’t respond. Gabriel had mocked him, but he wasn’t joking. The older man’s expression darkened.

“Get this, Jack-o. If I see her running around the ranch, it’s going to be your ass that pays for it. Now get to her before Cash and Bernhardt do something we’ll all regret.”

* * * *

“You’re kidding me.” She gaped at the Granger brothers. “I have to say inside this room like I’m your prisoner?”

All three of them looked sheepish, but at least Brad had the guts to answer her. “That’s what Gabriel wants.”

“And who does this Gabriel person think he is that he can boss me around?”

“He’s the one who put us on the job.”

She rolled her eyes at Brad. “I know that. And that means I’m the client. Aren’t you supposed to help the client? And as the client, don’t I get a say in what happens?”

Brad’s dark eyes shone with humor and more. Her breathing quickened when she recognized the lust in his as well as his brothers’ eyes.

“Yes and no. We brought you here—”

“And I still don’t know where here is.”

They’d blindfolded her once they’d left the hospital. She’d gone along with it, trusting them, but now she wondered if her intuition about them had led her astray. She studied them again and saw their concern for her.

“It’s better that you don’t know.”

“Why? It’s not like I’m going to tell my stalker.”

“It just is.” Brad set her suitcase down next to the dresser.

“And what if I don’t agree? What if I demand that you take me back home?”

“Then Gabriel told us to use these.”

Maria gaped at the handcuffs Brad dangled by the tips of his fingers. “You’re going to cuff me to keep me in my room?”

Brad tossed the cuffs on top of the dresser. “If that’s what it takes.”

She moved toward the door, but Mike blocked her way. “Sorry, Maria, but Gabriel calls the shots. Tell you what. If you’re a good girl and stay in your room for the first couple of nights, I’ll see if I can’t talk him into letting you out. As long as you stay on the ranch, of course.”

Mike opened his mouth to speak, but she lifted her hand. If she could’ve brought him to his knees with her glare, she would’ve. Who did they think they were? “Don’t you dare tell me that it’s for my own good.”

He had the decency to appear sheepish. “Okay, I won’t. But it is, you know.”

She fought to keep her cool. Had she put her faith in the wrong men? Had she jumped from one fire straight into another? “Fine. I don’t have much choice in the matter, so we’ll try it your way. But I better not have to stay here for long. I can’t take that much time off from my classroom.”

“Great.” Jack pulled back the curtains. “I know it’s not much to look at, but the moon and stars are clear out here away from town.”

“Really? Cool.” She’d always enjoyed stargazing. “All I need is a telescope.”

“We can get you one, if you like. Or most anything else for that matter.”

Brad’s offer didn’t make her feel any better about being a prisoner. She stared out the window at the flat land spreading out as far as she could see. Still, what else could she do but make the best of it? “Maybe you could get me some magazines? Or even books? Or do you guys read?”

“It is a ranch, after all, so we’re kind of busy. But yeah, we read.” Brad gestured for his brothers to leave. “We’ll let you get settled in then come and get you for dinner.”

“Oh, so I get to leave the room to eat?” Once she saw his wince, she hated that she’d spoken so bitterly. He had, after all, risked his life for her. “I’m sorry I snapped. I know you’re just following orders. Do I get to meet the great and powerful Gabriel?”

“It’s understandable. You’ve been through a lot. And yeah, he’ll be at dinner. This is his place.” Jack brushed his hand along her shoulder.

His gentle touch thrilled her from her arm all the way to her pussy. She glanced at the cuffs. What would it be like to be cuffed while a man took her? Or three men?

She swallowed then jerked her gaze away from the handcuffs when Jack’s found hers. “I don’t suppose you dress for dinner?” She was pretty sure she knew the answer, but she had to say something. Anything to get her mind off the vision of the Granger men licking her body with her hands cuffed.

Oh, shit, but that would be soooo good.

“Dress for dinner on a ranch? With a bunch of cowboys?” Brad laughed, his hand on the door. “Not a chance. It’s jeans and T-shirts around here. You know. Our standard attire.”

“Okay. Jeans it is.”

They left her alone then as she plopped onto the bed and struggled to keep her fear at bay. They wouldn’t hurt her. She was sure of it. And maybe they were right in bringing her to the ranch.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and grabbed her suitcase to toss it next to her. Flipping it open, she was surprised and not a little relieved that Mike had managed to put a variety of things, including underwear, into her suitcase.

“At least he didn’t bring only lingerie.”

She started unpacking, folding the haphazardly thrown clothes into drawers. She paused, then gathered the green material at the bottom of the suitcase. Since it was on the bottom, did that mean he’d chosen the dress first? If so, why? It hadn’t been anywhere near the front of her closet.

She lifted the dress and held it in front of her to check her image in the mirror hanging over the dresser. The bright green brought out the color of her eyes, and, although she hadn’t had many places to wear it, she’d always loved the dress.

Pushing her hair back from her face, she imagined the men’s admiring gazes as the skirt floated around her legs as she walked. “T-shirt and jeans? Uh-uh. Guys, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Like her room and what little she’d seen of the rest of the house, the bathroom was nothing fancy, but it was all she needed. A plain white soap and a few towels had been placed on the corner of the tub-shower combination. A toothbrush and toothpaste rested on the plain white tiled countertops. Using the soap as a shampoo, she did her best with what she had.

She took care getting ready. Even then, she still ended up sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped in her lap to keep from biting her nails. Putting her hair into an updo had taken a lot of patience, but her efforts had resulted in a shape that flattered her face.

If I’m lucky, I’ll have help in taking my hair down.

She bit her lower lip. She’d come a long way as far as sex was concerned. And it was all due to Mike, Brad, and Jack. But how much longer would she have with them? She’d experienced a moment of relief when they told her they hadn’t gotten King and were taking her to their place. Who knew what could happen between them now?

“Damn, I wish Mike had thought to put in my makeup and toiletries.” She’d have to ask Gabriel if she or one of the men could do a little shopping. They couldn’t expect a woman to subsist on Ivory soap and nothing else.

A knock had her jumping to her feet and flying to the door. A joy she’d rarely known leapt to her heart as she reached to take the doorknob.

Hold up. Don’t show them how eager you are to see them.

She paused and waited for another knock. When it came, she took a deep breath, steadied her nerves, and opened the door. Jack’s smile left his face as his gaze dropped to her dress.

Oh, hell, he doesn’t like what he sees!