Twin Pleasures (17 page)

The light smack on her bottom by Chase stimulated the sensitive surface, making her tense and groan.

“No, that just saved you from a more thorough scolding,” Chase commented, with a firm caress on the bruised posterior.

She buried her nose into Donavan’s chest to keep from reacting to the fondling hand.
I have become a masochist
, she thought. She also loved them beyond everything.

“I love you both.” Her declaration brought an immediate response.

She found herself hugged so tight that she squealed in dismay, only to be released and then repeated. Her laughter filled the room as they took turns kissing her and hugging her.

“Will you marry us?” demanded Donavan.

“Um, isn’t that illegal?”

“Since I’m the oldest—”

“By five minutes,” Chase interjected jokingly.

“Since I’m the oldest and more mature of the two, you will marry me, but it is understood that you belong to both of us,” Donavan said.

“I would be just as much your husband, even though there will be no paper testifying to that,” Chase said, taking her into his arms. He leaned down and kissed her, sealing the statement.

“Yes, Yes, I will marry both of you. I don’t know how this relationship will all work out, but I can’t be without both of you in my life,” Liana agreed.

She watched as Donavan walked to the bathroom and minutes later returned with a ring box. She took it with trembling fingers and opened the latch to reveal a stunning ring.

“I had this made the second day you came here. They are actually two rings entwined together,” Donavan said, placing the ring on her finger.

She saw what he meant by the two rings. The emeralds nestled into different ropes of white gold, wrapping around each other. She couldn’t see where one began or the other one ended, as if they were always supposed to be one. She felt tears trickle down her cheeks at the beauty and thought behind the construction.

Everything clicked into place inside her mind. The thought of them being hers for life filled her heart with joy. She listened as they talked about the wedding and nodded every once in a while. When the hot water hit her, she blinked to find herself in the shower, surrounded by her men. The care and detail they went about when they washed her brought a small smile to her lips. She thought of the years to come and knew she would never tire of this.

Chapter 11

Donavan wasted no time in arranging the wedding. He didn’t forget the danger and had Franklin bring in more security. She was theirs, and he wanted her married to him as fast as possible.

“Mom and Dad will be flying in tomorrow. Oh, and just to give you a heads-up, Mom isn’t exactly happy about the speed of this affair. 'I haven't even met her future daughter-in-law,' were her words. Dad, of course, is over the moon that we are finally settling down,” Chase said, stepping into the office and closing the door.

“Mom will love Liana. Did you call the justice of the peace to confirm?”

“Hmm, yes. Where’s Liana?” Chase asked.

“She asked to go check on Majesty, and I agreed, if Giovanni and Rick both went with her. The fiery look I got definitely deserves another spanking.” Donavan chuckled.

The ringing of the phone interrupted what Chase was about to say. He hit the speaker button.

“Yes?”

“Oh, my God, the barn is on fire, Donavan!” Donavan felt his blood freeze.

“Mac, damn it, Mac, where is Liana?” Donavan shouted. He saw Chase run to the door and jumped to follow without waiting for a response.

The Jeep peeled out of the driveway, showering rocks everywhere. The max speed the Jeep had wasn’t fast enough. He could see the billowing smoke in the distance, and his heart contracted in agony. He heard the sirens in the distance and was glad someone was thinking enough to call for help.

Everything was in chaos when they arrived. The barn exterior crackled with flames, and the heat radiated out, forcing the men trying to extinguish it further back. He looked over the crowd, located Mac directing some of the men, and headed in that direction.

“Mac, where is Liana?” Donavan shouted over the noise of the fire.

“The last I saw of her and those bodyguards was about an hour ago. I haven’t seen them since. We got all the horses before the fire went out of control. She wasn’t in there, I don’t think. I am sorry, Don,” Mac said hoarsely from all the smoke.

Donavan exchanged looks of terror with Chase.

Donavan let out a piercing whistle that brought every head their way. He motioned toward them and waited until a good number of cowboys surrounded them.

“Listen up. Has anyone seen Liana? She came down with Giovanni and Rick about one hour ago.”

“I saw her about fifteen minutes ago leading Majesty toward the far paddock. She wasn’t near the barn when the fire began. The two bodyguards were with her,” one of the cowboys shouted from the rear.

“I saw her about five minutes ago around the back, taking a group of horses away to...”

Donavan didn’t wait for the cowboy to finish the sentence as he and Chase ran in that direction. He rounded the corner just in time to see Liana go around the far corner. His relief was short-lived, by the sound of gunshots and scream that followed. He and Chase had to wade through cowboys and horses to get to her. What they found both confused and frightened him.

* * * *

“Stand back, or I will kill her,” Jasper screamed.

All his plans, all his dreams, fell apart at the sight of the two Marsh brothers. When he saw Liana alone, he thought his chance to get even was here. He didn’t count on the two bodyguards. Now, the Marsh brothers here ruined everything.

The two groaning men on the ground moved, clutching their shoulders. He would have killed them if not for the bitch ruining his aim. His grip tightened in fury, choking her. Her death would be his only consolation. The brothers could feel the agony of losing someone they loved just like him.

“Jasper, what the hell are you doing?” Donavan shouted.

“You take everything from me. Remember Robin? She was mine, you assholes. With your perverted ways, you stole her from me. I was going to marry her if not for you two. I thought killing your horse would be enough revenge, and of course making sure Robin regretted her choice, but you went and replaced the damn horse with another one better, and you flaunt your whore everywhere.”

“Please, Jasper, we can discuss this. We’re friends,” Donavan said.

“We were never friends, asshole. Everything's been handed to you on a silver platter. Money, women, anything you wanted, just given to you both. I worked hard for everything I had, and now it’s all gone. They are foreclosing on my ranch, and now you ruined my revenge. I was going to kill this horse too, but this bitch let him loose.” He tightened his arm, liking the choking sounds that came from her throat.

* * * *

She couldn’t believe this was happening. The last fifteen minutes had been beyond hellish. When Jasper aimed at her two men, all she could do was struggle and hopefully center the attention on her. The breath squeezed from her throat caused her to intensify her struggles. She didn’t care what happened to her, but the thought of anything happening to them sent terrorizing chills throughout her body.

The crazy accusations spewing from his mouth gave testament that sanity had long since passed. She tried to focus on keeping her men alive. The angry fire created a billowing heat that bombarded her body ferociously. The living flames seemed to head toward them eerily, creating a macabre specter of added terror and fear. She flinched when his gripping hand dug deep into her neck, breaking the skin. She felt the trickles of blood head toward her breasts.

Every time he pointed the gun away from her head, she tried to buck her body.

“Liana, stop moving,” Chase shouted. She probably was going to get a spanking for disobeying him when she bucked again, bringing Jasper’s focus back onto her.

When she felt the world shift, she gasped in fear. The heavy weight of Jasper slammed her into the ground. She feebly struggled to get out from under the crushing weight when, suddenly, it lifted and she found herself in the arms of Donavan.

She looked over and saw Mac with a shovel and Jasper on the ground, unmoving. The barn chose that moment to collapse onto itself.

Everybody scrambled away from the inferno. Mac helped Giovanni and Rick while Chase grabbed Jasper and pulled him to safety. Donavan held onto her tightly, and she felt almost suffocated, though this time with love.

The firefighters swarmed over the area, getting everybody away from the overgrown bonfire that used to be the barn. She trembled and clutched desperately to Donavan’s neck when he went to put her down. She relaxed a little when Chase came up and leaned into her from behind creating a security blanket between their combined bodies.

Everything started to fold back on her as the terror and panic resurfaced making tears fall rapidly from her eyes. So close did she come to losing them that she had no control over the emotional onslaught. This relationship, this future, nothing mattered except being with them forever. Whatever she had to do to make it work, she would figure out.

This nightmare was finally over. She looked around at the destruction one man could cause and shook her head slowly. She thanked God that her men were safe and here, surrounding her. She clutched at them to keep them near. When the fire marshal came over to discuss the fire, they just adjusted their position to still hold onto her and talk to the man at the same time. She appreciated their thoughtfulness because she didn’t think she could stand the separation at this moment.

“Don, Chase, the entire barn is gone, and my men are controlling the perimeter, making sure the flames don’t jump. From what Gus says, all the horses were saved and are being taken over to the induction barn. I will keep a man here for a while tonight to make sure we have no flare-ups,” Captain James reported before moving off at the shout of one of the men.

Donavan watched the sheriff secure Jasper and again couldn't believe that the man who had terrorized Liana had been his friend. He tightened his hold on her and thanked God for her life.

The sheriff made his way over. He paused to talk to Captain James before continuing this way.

"Well, Jack. It looks like we found who tried to kill Liana and who killed Starlight. I can't believe he was so close," Donavan commented.

"Don, Chase, Liana. That is only partly true. Jasper probably did kill Starlight, and we will get his confession to prove that, but he wasn't the one who tried to kill Liana with the truck. I was headed over with the news when the call for the fire came in. We actually arrested the person for the attempted murder. She made a complete confession after the owner of the truck came to the station to report what had happened. Apparently, she borrowed the truck from an old boyfriend, and when the boyfriend found blood on the bumper, she tried to say she hit a dear. Needless to say, the man didn't believe her and finally got up enough nerve to come to the station after hearing about Liana," Jack said.

"Who, Jack," Chase demanded.

"Diana Worthington," he said.

Donavan felt shocked to his core. He met Chase's equally shocked gaze and sadly shook his head. He couldn't believe he had let his guard down to such a degree that not one, but two so-called friends were almost able to destroy those that he loved. He glanced down at the precious gift he was holding and made a vow to protect her with every fiber of his being.

“Liana, I’m calling the doctor, and I don’t want any arguments from you,” Donavan whispered into her ear.

She sighed softly and nodded against his shirt in reluctant agreement. Chase’s hand stroked up and down her arm in a constant, soothing rhythm. Her entire body ached from the ordeal, and she knew the doctor was needed, not only for her, but also for the men who fought the fire and her bodyguards, whom she needed to thank for risking their lives for her. She wanted the doctor here mainly for them, though.