Three to Ride

Chapter Eight

The next several hours were the worst of Rachel’s life. She and Rye sat out in the waiting room of the hospital in Del Norte while Max was in surgery. The doctor told them he’d been hit by two stray bullets. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. There was a hunting rifle slug in his left arm and another in his leg. That was the easy part. The bullets hadn’t hit any major organs. His brain, on the other hand, had taken a beating. He had a concussion, and they weren’t sure about the severity of it.

By the time Rye and Rachel reached the hospital, several of the brothers’ friends and family members were already on their way. Within minutes of speaking to the nurses and settling in to wait, Rachel heard someone call out Rye’s name. Callie Sheppard and Stefan Talbot rushed in and immediately assaulted Rye with questions.

Rye had calmed everyone down by the time the doctor came out to explain that Max’s head trauma wasn’t as bad as they’d first believed. He was still in surgery for the bullet wounds and would need to stay in the hospital overnight, but the doctors were sure he would pull through.

“Which one of you is Rachel?” The doctor looked at the two women in the group with an amused smile on his face.

Rachel held up her hand, feeling very self-conscious. “That’s me.”

The doctor grinned. “Well, Mr. Harper came to while we were taking the CT scan. He’s not a pleasant man.”

Stefan and Rye laughed.

“He was insistent about seeing you, young lady,” the doctor said. “We had to promise that you would be in his ICU room when he came out of surgery. He was very difficult.”

“I can imagine.” Rye’s shoulders, which had been bunched around his neck for hours, finally settled into a more normal position. “You really won’t want to keep him here more than a day.”

Rachel could feel him calming down now that he knew his brother was out of real danger. If Max was bitching, then he was okay.

“They could sedate him,” Stefan said helpfully. Rachel looked at the handsome artist. From what Stella had told her, he was very famous and very reclusive. He was quiet every time he came into the diner. This was the first time Rachel could remember seeing him smile.

“They would have to,” Callie remarked. Rye’s admin looked very comfortable with the two men, each of whom had a foot and a hundred pounds on her.

“He’s all right, then?” a soft voice asked. Rachel turned around to see a gorgeous brunette with large blue eyes looking at the little crowd. She was stark white, as though all the blood had left her body, and there was a sheen of tears coating her eyes.

“Yes.” Rye’s face lit up, and he opened his arms. The young woman rushed into them. He wrapped her in a bear hug, kissing the top of her hair. Rachel had no doubt who the girl was.

“You must be Brooke.” Rachel took in the young woman who was Rye’s and Max’s baby sister. She looked like a willowy female version of them.

Rye kept an arm around his little sister’s shoulders and reached out to grab Rachel’s hand with the other. “This is Rachel Swift. Rachel, this is our sister, Brooke Harper.”

“Rachel is Max’s girlfriend.” Stefan enunciated each word as he looked at Brooke.

Brooke glanced from Stefan to Rye and back again. “What do you mean Max’s girlfriend? I thought you always took the cover role.”

Rye seemed eager to avoid his sister’s question. He turned to the doctor. “How long do you think it will be before we can see him?”

“Oh, a couple of hours,” the doctor informed them. He told the group to wait, and they would be called in one at a time to see him.

Rachel felt Brooke’s eyes on her as they settled in to wait.

Rachel felt very alone and awkward any time Rye got up to go somewhere. After the doctor came out to announce that Max had come through his surgery, Rye decided his appetite had come back. Neither one of them had eaten breakfast that morning, but Rachel still couldn’t stand the thought of food. Rye ambled off toward the cafeteria with Callie in tow. Rachel immediately wished she had gone with him. All during the long morning, Rye had been the one supporting her. He’d held her close while she cried and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they waited. She’d found herself holding on to his hand even after Max had been declared in the clear.

It was easy to depend on Rye Harper. He wasn’t in his uniform, so she was forced to see past the trappings of his office. Rye wasn’t anything like Tommy. He didn’t use his position to get things or intimidate people. He served the people around him, and they loved him for it. She could even forgive him for running a trace on her. If she had the resources, she would probably do the same for someone she cared about.

“So, you’re dating Max.” Brooke Harper sat on the sofa across from her, looking directly at Rachel. Now that her brother was all right, she was calm and collected.

The nineteen-year-old beauty tapped her foot impatiently against the carpet. She was dressed in jeans and a chic silk shirt. Though Rachel was thirty, she found herself strangely intimidated. Stefan Talbot was doing nothing to help her out. He sat beside Brooke. The look on his aristocratic face told Rachel he was concerned.

“I don’t know if we’re dating.” Rachel forced herself to look Brooke and Stefan in the eyes. She might be intimidated, but she wasn’t about to let them know. “I suppose it’s casual.” It wasn’t. Her heart was fully engaged, but they didn’t need to know that, either. It seemed to Rachel like she was about to get the “leave my brothers alone” lecture.

Brooke’s laugh was anything but humorous. “Bullshit. If it was a casual relationship, then Rye would be the cover. That’s the way they work in the outside world.”

Rachel knew she probably looked confused. Stefan leaned forward in his seat. His hazel eyes were serious as he explained some things to her. “When Max and Rye are at home in Bliss, they’re completely open about their relationships with women. It’s different in the outside world. When they leave the county, Rye tends to pose as the current female’s boyfriend, and Max is the supportive brother.”

Brooke’s arms came across her chest. “Rye is always the boyfriend. Max is always the one in the closet. He likes it that way. Max doesn’t want the responsibility.” She turned a saucy stare to her older companion. “A little like some other people I know, or has Jen finally gotten you to top her?” The last was said to Stefan with the long grin of a baby sister who knew way too much about the older men in her life.

“None of your business, Brooke,” Stefan said in a tone that allowed no disobedience.

Brooke seemed completely unfazed by his authoritative tone, but then, Rachel couldn’t blame her. She wasn’t about to let the artist tell her what to do, either. Stefan Talbot oozed authority and not in the huggy way Rye did. Rachel could tell he was a man who would be in charge of everything in his life.

“As it happens,” Stefan continued as though Brooke hadn’t mentioned his personal life at all, “Max has turned around on the whole idea of responsibility. You know they stopped sharing about a year ago?”

The last bit was spoken to Brooke, but Rachel found herself leaning in. She wanted to know what had happened.

Brooke nodded. Her glossy golden brown hair shook. “Max was brooding. He always does that. Then Rye finds a girl, and Max comes back.”

“Well, Max found a girl this time, and he’s not sharing,” Stefan said with a shrug.

Brooke’s mouth dropped open. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Did you see the way Rye looked at her? He couldn’t keep his hands off her. And Max won’t share?” Cold blue eyes turned to Rachel. “Or is it someone else? What’s wrong, city girl? Are we country folk too sexually liberated for you?”

There was something about her mocking tone that just set Rachel on edge. Deep inside, Rachel knew that one of the reasons she’d survived on the run for so long was the complete suppression of her personality. She’d become an automaton on the run. She’d become sweet and passive. She’d tried to be completely unthreatening. It was a reaction, she supposed. Tommy had always said that her forceful personality was the very thing that made him want to break her to his will. It hadn’t been hard to act sweet. She was sweet, for the most part. But now Brooke Harper was pushing all the buttons that brought out her alpha self. Rachel took a firm hold on her inner bitch and tried to be patient.

“Max is the only one who asked me out.” Rachel could feel her face flushing.

“Max believes you could never handle a ménage relationship,” Stefan said. To Rachel’s ears, it was said with an air of superiority.

“She’s obviously just some pretty girl who wants to play around with Max.” Brooke turned to Stefan, dismissing her entirely. “She isn’t even smart enough to go for Rye. Rye would buy her stuff and treat her like a princess. She’s the idiot who goes after Max.” Brooke glanced back at Rachel. “Let me tell you, sister, the first time you piss Max off, you’ll go running back home to your uptight mama.”

And just like that, her inner bitch won. Rachel watched as Brooke actually leaned back a little. “First of all, I am not your sister, and if I was, I would put you on your ass right now. You are a rude little girl who has no right to talk to people the way you just spoke to me. You don’t even know me, but you’re judging me, aren’t you? Your brothers would be ashamed of the way you just spoke to me. I haven’t done anything except spend time with Max. I care about your brother, and I care about Rye, too. He’s a good man who doesn’t need his bratty little sister running around behind his back causing him grief.”

Brooke opened her mouth to speak, but Stefan quickly covered it with his hand. “No, sweetheart, she’s summed you up nicely. Please continue with your tirade, Ms. Swift. I am utterly fascinated. She called you sexually stifled. Please address this accusation.”

“Screw you, Talbot,” Rachel said heatedly. He seemed amused, and she didn’t like being an object of entertainment for him. “I am just as sexually liberated as the next woman. I don’t care that Max and Rye like to share. I wish to hell they would. That shower scene this morning would have ended more pleasantly.”

Rachel felt her face go red. She shouldn’t have mentioned that.

“Shower scene?” Brooke’s prior distaste had been replaced with an almost expectant look of curiosity.

Stefan smiled like the Cheshire Cat. “Did you hop in with the wrong brother, sweetheart? How close did Rye get to the promised land before his conscience took over?”

Rachel sighed and sat back down. Her anger deflated as she thought about how lonely Rye had looked this morning. “It was a mistake. We quickly corrected it. Max and I are together. I’m going to honor what he wants.” Even if it kills me.

Brooke sat forward and looked Rachel directly in the eyes. “I know my brothers. They won’t be truly happy unless they’re in a ménage. They need each other in ways the rest of us can’t understand. Our parents were gone by the time I was seven. Rye and Max raised me. They’re halves of a whole. They can try to find a woman and live on their own, but I think they’ll be miserable. Do you want them to be miserable? If you can’t handle it, then I think you should leave.”

Rachel leaned in and didn’t flinch. She had been planning to leave. She knew she was in far too deep with the brothers after this morning. Seeing Max lying on the ground had nearly torn out her heart. Before she had thought she couldn’t afford to fall in love with one man, much less two. Now she realized there was no way she could walk away. She’d fallen into their trap and couldn’t get out. There was no choice. She would have to work to make it all right. “I’m not going anywhere, Brooke. Get used to it. Did this little talk work on their other girlfriends?”

Brooke shrugged. “Usually.”

Stefan shook his index finger at her. “One of these days, Brooke, you are going to find yourself a man who can handle you. I live for that day.”

Brooke smiled smugly. “I’m sure you do. You’ll grow old waiting for it to happen. Besides, if my little talk with Rachel here doesn’t work, then I’m sure once she gets a load of Max’s temper, she’ll head out, and my brothers can find someone suitable. I’m already looking. I have a few prospects at my school I think they’ll like.”

Rachel stood back up and leaned over the younger woman. If she was staying, then it was time to stake her claim. “You bring those women around my men, honey, and don’t expect them to come back in one piece. As for Max’s temper, I’ve had a full dose of it. Guess what? I wasn’t impressed. Our little fight ended with him apologizing nicely and playing my slave for the evening. I can handle Max, and I can certainly handle Rye. If you want to stay on my good side, I suggest you keep your friends away from my men. If you don’t…well, I’m ready for a fight if you are.”

Brooke looked at Stefan. “Is she serious? Did she really fight with Max and win?”

“She put Max on his ass in front of most of the population of Bliss,” Stefan replied with a silky smile. “The truth of the matter is I wholeheartedly approve of her. She’s perfect for them. She just has to make them see that she can handle what they need.”

“Is there a video? Because I would really like to see Max beg.” A brilliant smile crossed Brooke’s face. It made her look younger. She popped up from her seat and suddenly looked like the young girl she was. “I’m so excited.” She threw her arms around Rachel. “I’ll start designing your dress immediately. It’s going to be perfect.”

“My dress?” Rachel was a little stunned at how fast Brooke had changed from overly protective sister to welcoming potential sister-in-law.

Brooke gestured up and down her body, indicating her very chic clothes. “I’m a designer. Mostly sportswear and lingerie, but I have an amazing wedding dress in mind for you. Sorry about the whole bad-girl routine. You have no idea how many women just use my brothers for sex.”

“It’s been terrible for them,” Stefan interjected wryly.

“Now that I know you’re the one,” Brooke said, ignoring the artist, “I can be excited.”

It was time to slow things down. Brooke wasn’t the one who had to confront the problems with this scenario. “Look, I’m crazy about Max, and I really think I could love Rye, too, but they’ve been adamant about wanting a regular, ordinary relationship. I just can’t tell them I’m keeping them both and set a date.”

Brooke looked slightly perplexed. “Why not? That’s the way life is. You say what you want, and then you go get it.”

Stefan sighed and shook his head. “She’s exceptionally young and sheltered. Rachel is right. If she tells them she wants the ménage all of a sudden, they will both be suspicious. She needs to get them to see that it can work.”

“How do I do that?” Rachel was really interested in the answer to that question.

Stefan sat back, his hands steepling in front of his chest. He was such a decadent-looking thing. “I think I have a plan.”

Tommy Lane watched as his woman clung to another man. He stood in the shadows because it wasn’t time yet to let his presence be known. Liz looked bad. He didn’t like the way she’d changed her hair. When he had her back, he would force her to return to her natural color. The reddish blonde made her look like a whore.

Of course, the asshole she’d been holding hands with earlier made her look like a whore, too. Tommy felt his gut churn as he watched the tall man with brown hair return from the cafeteria. He took a seat beside Liz, and she immediately wound her fingers through his. The man looked surprised at first, but then settled beside her. His pleasure in the touch was obvious. When she’d rested her head on his shoulder, Tommy could feel the other man’s satisfaction as though it was an actual physical thing.

He hated the way the other people in the party smiled and whispered. They obviously liked the fact that Liz was cuddling against the man for comfort. They approved. They couldn’t possibly know she already belonged to someone else. She had lied again.

When, Tommy wondered, was she going to learn?

She belonged to him. He’d known it the moment they met. She’d looked at him with her big green eyes, and she’d wanted him. She’d played hard to get. She was that type. She was a tease. She’d gone out with him, let him spend money on her, and then when it was time to pay up, she’d pushed him away.

Tommy remembered it like it was yesterday.

“Thank you for the evening,” Liz said politely. She stood at the door to her little townhouse.

She was trying to play it cool, but Tommy had seen the way she looked at him. She wanted him. “You’re welcome. It doesn’t have to end, you know.”

“I’m afraid I have to be up early for work,” she said.

But her eyes were telling him yes. Tommy pulled her close. Her body was delicate against the rough hardness of his. She was a soft woman, and she needed a man to tell her what she wanted. She needed a man to keep her in line. She struggled, but that was just what women did. They liked to tease a man.

“I want you,” Tommy said, making his intentions plain. He was a straightforward guy. “You belong to me.” He covered her mouth with his. She tried to keep her mouth closed, but he was stronger. She tried to pull away. She didn’t realize that just made him hotter. Or maybe she did. He loved how hard she fought and how easy it was for him to hold her. He couldn’t wait to get between her legs. She would know she was his once he’d fucked her.

Liz cried out, the sound sweet to his ears. He shoved her against the wall and rubbed his hard cock against her, letting her know she had some work to do. It was a woman’s job to satisfy a man, and he intended to make sure she did her job.

“Are you okay, Liz?”

Tommy’s head came up. He saw that two of her neighbors were standing on the sidewalk looking up at them. It was a couple walking their dog. The neighbor was a big man, but the large dog at his side was what concerned Tommy. Liz was able to push away from him.

“Hello, Claire, I was hoping to talk to you,” Liz said suddenly in a shaky voice.

The woman practically ran up the walk. The man stood and watched.

“Let’s go inside and talk,” Claire said, holding Liz’s hand. “You can show me that website you told me about.”

“Good night, Thomas,” Liz said. Tommy could hear her voice trembling with passion.

He’d been forced to make a strategic retreat that first night, but he’d thought about her all night. He’d gone home and masturbated just thinking about her soft body.

Then the bitch had stopped taking his calls.

It was just like a woman. She’d used him and then moved on. Someone should have warned her that no one moved on from Tommy Lane. Unfortunately, the ones who had tried in the past couldn’t talk anymore.

Liz Courtney had proven to be a stubborn bitch. She’d sent back his gifts, so he’d shown her. He had left that little yipping thing she called a dog on her doorstep one night with its throat slit. That was when she’d gotten a restraining order. It had effectively put his career on hold. His partner, Eric Weldon, had tried to talk him out of pursuing the luscious Ms. Courtney further, but he’d understood when Tommy told him that he needed closure. Besides, Eric was dirty as the day was long. Tommy had a load of shit on him. He wouldn’t get trouble from his partner. Eric had been the one to alert him that someone in this piss ant town was looking for her. He would get his closure.

She was holding the hand of one brother while the one Tommy had almost managed to kill lay in a hospital bed. He’d decided to kill the cowboy when he’d seen him kiss Rachel. She was staying at his house. God, she was such a whore.

He was going to kill her, and then she wouldn’t have this hold on him anymore. He could move on once she was dead.

Of course, he thought with a smile, he’d fuck her first. She’d know what kind of a man he was then.

Tommy sank back into the shadows. His first attempt at taking out her lover had failed, but he’d try again. Now it looked like he’d have to kill both brothers, and then little Liz would be all his.