Her Rebound Men (18 page)

“I always knew I’d be good
for my cock.”

They sat around his sitting
room, drinking coffee, and not talking.
Kev
was
thankful for that. He couldn’t think about Heather right now. He was too damn
happy. His life had been given back to him, and there was a woman in his life.

When it got late he carried
Kate through to his bedroom. They showered together with Nate. His brother’s
nakedness never bothered him. Their attention was always on Kate.

Once the shower was
finished,
Kev
took Kate back to the bedroom. Setting
the alarm, he wrapped his arms around her and stared up at the ceiling. Within
minutes Kate went lax in his arms, and Nate’s small snores could be heard.

Alone with his thoughts
Kev
allowed himself to bask in the new knowledge. Not
sharing Heather with Nate was not the cause nor was his own change of feelings
toward her. The fault was not entirely his. There was a time when he thought he’d
loved Heather, and he had wished he could give her what she needed, but he was
relieved with the truth being out in the open. With the truth he’d gained so
much. He’d gained his freedom he felt he lost. His brother was back in his
life, which was a huge relief.
Kev
had missed his
brother even though he’d been the cause for them not seeing each other as much.
And there was Kate, the precious raven-haired woman who’d entered his life, and
there was no way in hell he was letting her go.

Closing his eyes he let
sleep take hold of him.

Chapter Twenty

Kate put the last grocery
bag in her car and headed home. Over the last week she had been spending as
much time with
Kev
and Nate as possible. They were
getting to know each other better, and although their relationship was far from
conventional, her feelings for them had been swift and consuming. She knew that
it was still the beginnings of something very special, and she wanted to know everything
about them and vice versa. If Lilly, or anyone else for that matter, had told
her she would fall in love with two brothers, let alone in such a short amount
of time, she would have laughed in their face. Kate had never seen herself in a
relationship like that, but life was certainly like nothing she expected. After
being with Jeff and how everything between them spiraled so out of control and become
volatile, Kate hadn’t believed love as a possibility. She certainly hadn’t
expected to be with anyone else for a long time.

But here she was, finding
that with
Kev
and Nate she was healing and believing
that she was actually worth something. Until she met the twins she hadn’t realized
how little she had thought of herself. Their kind and gentle words, sweet
touches, and overall presence had helped her more than they would ever realize.
That was but one of the reasons she loved them so much, and she knew that with
time that love would only grow.

She pulled onto her street,
feeling very optimistic about where her life was headed. Kate planned a nice
dinner for them and didn’t expect them for a couple of hours. Tonight she
planned on telling
Kev
exactly how she felt and what
they both meant to her. It wasn’t just about those three little words. It was
so much more, and she needed them to realize they were important to her. Even
if she had already said it to Nate, she wanted him to know again. Kate’s home
came into view, and her heart did a little skip of hesitation when she saw
Jeff’s car parked out front. For a moment she contemplated just driving by, but
she wasn’t a coward any longer, and Jeff wasn’t going to intimidate her.
Besides, he already saw her and climbed out of his car. The smile on his face
was saccharine, and she sighed heavily. Why was he so interested in her now
that she was taken? Pulling into her driveway and shutting the car off, she
played through her mind how to get rid of him. It was broad daylight, and a few
of her neighbors were outside doing yard work and various other things, so she
wasn’t worried about him starting a scene. Besides, he was far too prim and
proper and cared too much on what others thought of him to make a spectacle.

Kate climbed out of the car
and grabbed a few bags. She didn’t need to acknowledge him because Jeff was
right beside her in the next second.

“Hey,
Kate.
Need some help?” His over-enthusiasm to help her with
her groceries got on her nerves.

“No, Jeff. Thanks anyway.”
She made her way to the front door and unlocked it before turning and pegging
him with a cold stare. “What do you want? The last thing I remember is you
saying my home was rundown and you were too embarrassed to be seen here.” The
memory of when he told her that played through her mind, but there was no
sadness or hurt over the thought like there had been weeks ago. She really was
feeling better about herself and not letting the words of a dick hurt her
anymore. She turned to head into her house and shut him out of her life once
and for all, but when she went shut the door his hand stopped it from closing.
Looking over her shoulder she narrowed her eyes. “Jeff, just go home. There is
nothing more to say. I’ve moved on, and this is really growing tiresome and to
the point of harassment.”

Before she had time to
contemplate what he was doing, she was on her ass was on the hard ground in her
foyer. Jeff loomed over her, his gaze fierce and dark. He kicked the front door
shut, and the sound was deafening in the small confines of her home.

“Get the fuck out, Jeff, or
I’m calling the cops.” Kate pushed herself up, her ego bruised more than her
bottom, but she wouldn’t let Jeff see her fear.

His laugh was deep but held
no humor. “I don’t think so, Kate. I’m sick of your bullshit. You’ve turned
into quite the little slut, and I think that needs to be rectified.” He took
hold of her arm in a bruising grip and steered her into the living room.

Kate pulled away, trying to
get to her cell that was in her purse on the foyer floor, but Jeff’s hold on
her dug all the way to her bone, and she cried out in pain. “Jeff, please. I
don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you’re really hurting me.”

He might have emotionally
and verbally abused her, but he hadn’t physically hurt her. Something in him
had snapped, and it was like a stranger was in her home. Maybe this is who Jeff
really was, and she had gotten out just in the nick of time? Either way, she
needed to get to her phone, or better yet get outside.

“If you don’t let me go,
I’ll scream.”

He turned on her so quickly
that she reared her head back, but it wasn’t fast enough. His fist connected
with the side of her face, and pain exploded in her cheek. Tears immediately
came to her eyes, and blood filled her mouth.

“You
stupid fucking cunt.”
Spit landed on
her face as he sneered out the words. “I knew you needed a firm hand back when
you were mine. I was too soft on you. Now you’ve turned into their whore and
have forgotten your place.”

He threw her onto the couch
and her head snapped back and landed on the wooden carved arm. The pain was
indescribable, and stars danced in front of her eyes. Jeff paced in front of
her like a caged animal. He speared his hands in his hair, messing up the
perfectly styled strands, an act so unlike him. Usually he was always in
control and always put together no matter what. He turned on her, his face red
and his anger clear.

“Those assholes think that
just because I took a step back they could move in on what is mine.” He went
back to pacing, and Kate grew more and more worried. Things were spiraling out
of control quickly, and she needed to get out of here.

She stood and placed her
hands up in surrender. Playing along was her only chance of getting out of this
alive.

“You’re right, Jeff.” He
stopped pacing and looked over at her. “How about we go into the kitchen? I’ll
make us some dinner, and we can talk about this, and work things out?” She
needed to get to the door. If she could get outside she could call for help.
Screaming might be an option, but if no one heard her it would only piss Jeff
off more, and things could go from bad to horribly wrong. He’d already hit her,
and she was afraid to see what else he would do if she really angered him. He
was delusional and manic, and she needed to stay calm and think clearly.

For several long moments he
didn’t move or speak, just stared at her with his dark, sinister eyes, as if
trying to read her true intent. Kate prayed he couldn’t see that her hands
shook, or that sweat beaded along her brow. She was scared shitless but needed
to stay in control.

“You want to make me
dinner?” He looked and sounded suspicious, but Kate plastered a smile on,
surprised that she could form one so easily, and nodded. “All right, but try
anything and I’ll make you
regret
it, Kate.”

Her heart was beating a mile
a minute and sweat pooled between her breasts and ran down her spine. He walked
toward her, and it took every ounce of strength she possessed not to flinch
when he placed his hand on her shoulder. Steering them out of the living room
and toward the kitchen, she knew she would only have a split second to act. If
she didn’t do it the first time there wouldn’t be a second chance.

They walked into the foyer,
and she glanced at the door through the corner of her eye. His hand tightened on
her shoulder, and just as they passed it she made her move. Lunging out, she
gripped the handle and wrenched the door open. Opening her mouth to scream as
loud as she could, the only sound that came out was a muffled noise. Jeff had
been too quick, and now his hand was slapped over her mouth and he used his
other one to grip a chunk of her hair and yank her backward. A cry left her,
and tears slid down her cheeks at the pain. She could see her neighbor across
the street mowing the lawn, but he didn’t notice her.

Jeff slammed the door shut
and threw her across the room with a strength she hadn’t known he possessed.
She bounced off the wall with enough force to have darkness sneak up around
her. With blurry vision and pain slicing through her head, Kate tilted her head
back and looked into the rage-filled face of Jeff.

“Didn’t I tell you to behave
or you’d regret it?” He took a step closer and slammed his buffed and shiny
dress shoe into her side. She cried out in agony and clenched her ribs. The
clock that hung to the left of him showed
Kev
and
Nate would be at her house in a little over an hour and a half, but the real
question was would she be breathing by the time they arrived? Jeff dropped to
his haunches and smiled sweetly at her. “You know I hate hurting you, but you
haven’t been a very good girl, Kate.”

He took a chunk of her hair
and pulled her head forward. Slamming his lips down on hers he kissed her until
their teeth clanked together, and discomfort spread through her. He pulled away
but kept his hand in her hair. “Now tell me you love me.”

Everything inside of her was
disgusted by the request. But the survival part of her said she needed to do
exactly what he said if she wanted to walk away from this alive and intact. She
must not have responded quickly enough because he slapped her across the other
cheek. She felt her tooth slice the inside of her lip but kept her whimper to
herself.

“I love you, Jeff.” The
words were hard to get out, but his smile told her he was pleased she complied.

“Yeah, you always were a
good little slut, weren’t
you.
” He didn’t pose it as a
question, and it sounded more like he spoke to himself. He hauled her up and
pulled her close to his body. The smell of liquor was strong on his breath, and
she wondered how she had missed it before. “We’re going to have a lot of fun
waiting for those two pricks to arrive.” Shock filled her at the knowledge he
knew they were coming over. “Oh yes, darling, I know all about them coming over
here tonight. Maybe this will come as a surprise to you, but I’ve been watching
you, following you around and seeing the good little bitch you’ve been with
them.”

With his grip still in her
hair he pulled her head back, exposing her throat. “By the time they come here,
they are going to see exactly who owns you.”

Chapter Twenty-One

“Please tell me again why
we’re going to Kate’s when she gave us a strict time of when to turn up?”
Kev
asked.

Nate smirked at his brother.
Ever since the revelation of Heather had come out, his brother had started to
hang out with him more. He’d finally confessed to
Kev
about the success of his software and how he was probably worth more than
Kev
now. Fortunately,
Kev
didn’t
seem all that phased by it.

“What’s wrong with being a
little adventurous? Besides, I like to surprise our woman, and it will her keep
her on her toes.” Nate navigated the traffic and offered
Kev
a quick smile before turning his attention back to the road.

“Kate can be a little scary
when she’s pissed, and I should know. She’s been pissed at me plenty of times.”

Chuckling, Nate pulled up
outside of Kate’s house. They’d spent plenty of time with Kate and her friends.
He enjoyed watching Lilly make Kate squirm. Whoever fell for Lilly would have a
fight on their hands. She wasn’t going to let anyone tell her what to do. Nate
climbed out of the car and walked around in time as
Kev
was getting out.