Reese Rivers Presents

Unbreak Me
 Copyright © 2022 Reese Rivers
Unbreak Me
Ebook Edition
All Rights Reserved

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in
this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Cover Art by:
Firda Graphic
 Trigger Warning
This story contains references to domestic abuse.
 
If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse, please reach out for help.
 
Domestic Violence Support at the National Domestic Violence Hotline
 
https://www.thehotline.org/
 Avery
 

His breathing is like a roar in my ear and the weight of his arm across my
body feels like a heavy chain anchoring me to the bed. I push past the ache
in my ribs the weight causes by distracting myself with the calculations I’ve
run in my head so many times that I know the figures down to the penny.
There’s ninety-two dollars and fifty-seven cents hidden in a Ziploc bag in
the lining of the couch along with a double stack of polaroid pictures that
might buy me some time. Ninety-two dollars and fifty-seven cents. It’s not
enough but now I don’t have a choice and it will have to be. We’ve been
trapped in this house for the last four years with no option to escape. He
doesn’t allow me to have a phone, a bank account, or any of my own
money. I can’t even go grocery shopping on my own. He takes care of that
by ordering online and picking it up on his way home from work.
I have no family and now no friends to run to for help and every person
who has met my husband thinks he’s the most charming man and would
never believe what he does to me behind these four walls. They see a
hardworking, successful realtor and a generous man that volunteers his
time. I see ugly put-downs, rage, hard fists, and the black and blue bruises
he puts on my body. And now, I see my five-year-old daughter’s arm in a
cast. Something I vow never to let happen again.
It’s taken me months to accumulate that little amount of money by
returning hundreds of his beer cans and liquor bottles to the depot between
our house and the school and stealing change from his pockets whenever I
think he won’t notice. Even then, it was a neighbor who made up the bulk
of my savings by paying me twenty bucks twice to feed her cats while she
was away for a couple of weekends. I had to sneak over to her place while
he was at open houses so he wouldn’t know I was helping her.
 The only reason this will even be possible is because Chloe turned that
magical age of five years old and that meant kindergarten. For the first time
since we got married six years ago, I have my own car. It’s not mine-mine,
it’s his, and he checks the odometer every day when he gets home to make
sure it never goes over the twelve miles I’m allowed to drive each day.
Three miles to the school, three miles back, and repeat for pick up. Never
further or there’s…consequences. There’s never a full tank of gas either. He
keeps it at a quarter tank at all times. It’s just one more way he has of
controlling every move I make. That brings me back to my next
calculation.  Fifty-one dollars and twenty cents should fill the tank with
today’s pump prices. That will leave me with…forty-one dollars and thirty-
seven cents. It’s not enough.
How far can I really get on one tank of gas? Will it be far enough and
then what? Not enough left over for somewhere for us to stay. We’ll have to
live in the car until I can find a job and it’ll have to be something I can take
Chloe to as I work. Forty-one dollars and thirty-seven cents to feed us…
no…her, to feed her until I can make some money somehow. I know there
are shelters and state assistance I could go to and get but that’s not an
option. The minute Chloe and I go into the system is the minute I’ll lose
her. After all, he’s a pillar of the community with the money for expensive
lawyers and I know firsthand that no one will ever believe me around here.
My mind goes around and around trying to decide if I’m doing the right
thing or not. How can I take my baby girl from her warm bed only to have
us be homeless and destitute? A flash of memory has me hearing that
nausea-inducing snap as her wrist broke when he threw her across the room,
enraged that she dared to try and stop him from doling out the punishment
of my latest infraction to his many rules. No, that can never happen again.
Better to be homeless for a while than have that or even worse ever happen
again.
When he scooped her up and rushed out to go to the hospital, I lost my
mind for a little while but then cold hard desperation pushed aside the fear
I’d lived with for so long and I started to plan, to prepare. While they were
gone, I packed as much as I dared into the trunk and the floor of the back
seat. Clothing, toiletries, spare blankets, pillows, and food all got crammed
in. As much food as I could take from the fridge and freezer as well as
canned goods and ways to cook it. It was a huge gamble that it would be
dark when they got back and he wouldn’t notice everything missing as he
started to drink. I spent most of the evening holding my breath as he drank
away the guilt he might have felt for harming our little girl that way.
I see Chloe’s glazed eyes from the pain medication the doctor gave her to
set her arm as I put her to bed and the bright-pink cast she clutched against
her tiny chest. That’s the final nudge I need to gently slide out from under
his arm and tuck a pillow where my body just was. I tiptoe away from the
bed and to the door. I don’t bother looking at his nightstand where he locks
up his wallet and phone every night. It’s like he knows this will happen one
day so I won’t be able to steal whatever cash he has in it. I swallow hard as
I pull our bedroom door closed so it doesn’t even make a whisper of noise
as it closes and then I’m moving…fast.
I race into Chloe’s room and by the dim light of her nightlight pull the
change of clothes I had stuffed under her bed as well as my running shoes
and quickly get dressed. I stare down at her small, sweet form with my
chest heaving at the panic and anxiety I’m feeling but the heavy cast on her
tiny arm has my fingers clenching into fists. I’m doing this. I leave her for
now and move out to the living room. My knees drop to the carpet in front
of the couch and I fish out the baggie of money and pictures stashed inside.
I take out one stack of the pictures and the sticky note I wrote earlier and
fan them out on the kitchen counter so he will see them when he wakes up.
My breath hitches at the images. Seeing so many of them all at once makes
me hate myself for staying so long. Each polaroid shows a different beating.
My body is covered in the damage he’s done to me in the past. Also in each
picture, I’m holding a newspaper so that the date is shown. It’s a history of
the abuse he’s inflicted on me over the years. I don’t even understand how I
became this broken and abused woman. Somehow, it crept up on me until it
was too late.
I rub my thumb over the sticky part of the post-it to make sure it will stay
in place and read the simple words that I hope will buy me enough time to
get far away.
If you come after us, I will make sure every person in this town sees
these. I have copies to share. Please, let us go.
That’s it, just a tiny threat and a simple plea. It’s all I’ve got. I turn away
from the counter and let my eyes do one last sweep around the room for
anything else I need to take but my body has started to shake in fear that he
will wake up and find out what I’ve done so I speed back to Chloe’s room
and scooped her up making sure her Bear-Bear is in the blankets I wrap her
in. She droops against me not even stirring from the pain medication she’s
been given so I hold her tight and leave the room, ignoring the strain and
the pain it causes my damaged ribs. Straight to the front door we go, where
I snag my jacket and purse as well as the keys to the car. My heart’s
pounding so loud in my ears that I keep looking over my shoulder,
convinced he’s coming after us and worried that I won’t hear him from the
roaring in my ears.
I get the door open and gently close it behind us biting my split lip until I
taste blood. I run, shuffle across the lawn with her in my arms never so
grateful that he makes me park outside so he can take the heated garage for
his BMW. If I had to open the overhead door to escape, I just know it would
wake him. When I packed the car earlier, I took the chance of leaving the
doors unlocked so it would be easier to get into with my hands full. I have
to choke back sobs of terror as I get Chloe strapped into her car seat and
ease the door closed sending another fearful look back at the house. I search
for any lights that have come on but I think he’s still passed out. It doesn’t
matter, I won’t feel safe until we leave this town and probably not even
then. I don’t think I will ever really feel safe again unless he’s dead.
When I slide behind the wheel, the keys clutched in my fist, I hover them
in front of the ignition. This is it; this is the moment that will change
everything. I brush the tears from my face with my shoulder and with a
heaving breath, jam the key in and turn it, bringing the car to life. I don’t
look to the house or wait for it to warm up in the cold November night, I
just push it into drive and ease down the driveway and onto the street with
the headlights off. When I reach the stop sign at the end of the street, I turn
left toward the freeway and only then, hit the button to turn the headlights
on. My fingers pulse with pain from how hard I’m holding the steering
wheel as I force myself to stay at the speed limit through town even though
every part of me is screaming to GO! I pass six different gas stations and
ignore them all. The quarter tank of gas needs to get me at least to the next
town before I even think about stopping to refuel.
A small sob escapes me as I get on the freeway and merge into the light
traffic heading south away from our home, away from him but my fingers
stay tight on the wheel. A glance up into the rear-view mirror shows the
peaceful sleeping face of my baby and a tiny bit of the tension in my
shoulders eases. I’ll get gas at the next town and then I’ll just keep driving
until the tank is empty. Every mile I put between us and him will get us that
much closer to safety…to freedom.
Ninety-two dollars and fifty-seven cents. It’s not enough but I will find a
way to make it enough…for her.
 Avery
 

The sun is rising, my eyelids are drooping and the gas tank gauge has just
dipped under a quarter tank when I take the next exit. Numbers fill my head
to keep myself awake as I search for a place to stop. Three hundred and
thirty-seven miles is how far I’ve driven us. Three states between us and
him. Six hours since we left him and forty-one dollars and thirty-seven
cents in my purse. My bladder is screaming at me that it won’t hold out
much longer and I see Chloe stirring in her car seat so I search for a fast-
food restaurant we can stop at and spot one up ahead that also has a play
place inside. When I put the car in park in front of it, I let my burning eyes
close for just a moment but they pop open at the small voice coming at me
from the back seat.
“Mommy, I have to pee! My arm is owie. Where are we?”
Deep breath and fix a smile on my face as I turn in my seat to face her.
“Morning, baby! I have to pee too! We are on a fun adventure trip. I’m
sorry your arm hurts but I have some medicine that will help make it feel
better. Why don’t we go inside to use the bathroom and then we can have
some breakfast?”
She gives a distracted nod as she looks around out of the windows. It
turns into a big-eyed hopeful look when she spots the jungle gym through
the large restaurant windows.
“Mommy…look! Can I play in there?”
She whispers in awe and it makes me realize that my baby has never
been to such a simple childhood staple as a fast-food play place so I nod in
agreement. I shut the car off and go to the trunk first, sliding on my
oversized, dark sunglasses to hide the black eye and shivering in the cold
morning air. I grab a backpack and fill it with a set of clothes for Chloe as
she’s in her pajamas and some toiletries as well as the children’s Tylenol.
The heavier prescription pain syrup he brought home from the hospital will
only be used at bedtime. I put in a couple of juice boxes, a coloring book,
crayons, and a blank notebook for me to write in and then slam the trunk
closed.
Chloe is bouncing in her seat from needing to pee and with the
excitement of going to a new place she’s never been to before so I quickly
slide her boots and jacket on, struggling to get it over her cast, and lead her
into the restaurant. I’m thankful for the handicapped stall in the ladies’
room with its own sink as it gives me more space and privacy to get us
cleaned up and dressed. I do the best I can to cover the bruises around my
eye and mouth with thick concealer but it will be days before the injuries
fade enough to really be covered by makeup. The scarf around my neck and
my clothing will hide the rest of them from anyone who looks too closely.
I give Chloe a dose of medicine and then take her hand as we walk up to
the counter. I know I have to order something to be allowed to stay but the
menu prices start to blur as those damn numbers flash through my mind.
“What can I get ya?” The cashier asks, breaking me out of my frozen
anxiety.
My tongue darts out to swipe at my split lip and the older woman looks
me over, switches to Chloe and spots the cast on her arm and then looks
back to me with narrowed eyes. I swallow the knot in my throat and push a
smile onto my face.
“Um, can I get a kid's pancake meal, please? And, um, instead of the
juice it comes with, um, can I have a coffee instead?”
She shrugs one shoulder and punches buttons on her screen and then
pulls an empty cup and lid from under the counter and sets it in front of me
but then pauses and looks me over once again before grabbing a second
empty cup and doubling the first.
“Coffee station’s on the right against the wall. Refills are free.” She taps
the doubled cup and lowers her voice. “Bring the second cup back if you
want next time so you don’t have to pay. Can I get you anything else?”
I shake my head unable to speak as tears well up at the small act of
kindness.
“Alright, that’ll be three forty-eight, then. Cash or card?”
I manage to squeak out “cash” and hand her the bills and coins. She nods
and calls out, “Next.” I snag the cups and lid and move over to the coffee
station to fill up. I add more creamer and sugar than I normally would take
to give me a boost of calories and when they slide my order tray onto the
counter, ask for a few more containers of syrup to add to my food supplies
in the car.
I spot a booth close to the play place and head that way, snagging a
discarded local paper from an empty table and get Chloe set up with her
breakfast. She goes to work on her pancakes after I cut them into bite-sized
pieces and I’m surprised that she doesn’t ask me any questions about
waking up in the car instead of her bed. I know I’m going to have to talk to
her about what’s happening but right now I’m grateful for the reprieve as I
suck back my too-sweet coffee. She makes it through half her plate before
she starts sending excited glances towards the jungle gym filled with
brightly colored plastic tunnels and slides and finally asks if she can go.
I smile brightly at her. “Ok, baby but try and be careful not to bang your
cast. I’ll be right here watching you if you need anything or if you get
tired.”
She slides off the bench and practically runs to the fun area leaving me
sitting alone as I watch her like a hawk for the first few minutes to make
sure she’s up to playing with her newly broken arm. I don’t know if it’s the
resilience of youth or the pain killer dose I gave her but she’s all smiles and
happy giggles as she plays. Seeing her happy and having fun, I slide the
tray that still has half a plate of pancakes and a bag of apple slices to the
side and flip open the local paper.
Greenwich, Connecticut is where we stopped. I don’t know a single thing
about this town except how many miles it is from him so I start reading. It
doesn’t take me very long to realize that we’ve stopped in a fairly wealthy
town. On the one hand, that might mean it will be a safe place with low
crime but on the other it means that I’d have no shot at affording any place
to live even if I could get a job. I glance up and spot my girl playing with
the built-in puzzles on the wall so I flip to the wanted ads and start scanning
for a possible job. Right away I have a flush of panic take over me at all the
qualifications listed for each job. I have zero qualifications to do any of
them.
I push the paper away in frustration and sip the dredges of my coffee as I
think back on who I was before him. I had goals and dreams. Didn’t I? I
can’t even remember who that person was anymore.
 My parents had me late in life. I was a surprise baby that showed up
when my mother thought she was almost done menopause. My parents
were set to retire and had plans to travel the world when I surprised them
with my arrival. They loved me so much and never once made me feel like
I had intruded on their lives in any way. My mother gave me my love of
reading and my dad taught me everything he thought a young girl should
know about being independent. I could change my own oil, a tire, and do a
budget all by the time I was sixteen. The irony is that he wanted to make
sure I didn’t need a man to take care of me after he passed.
I was in my last year of high school when my mom was diagnosed with
cancer. It was a long, drawn-out battle that she lost just after graduation. I
think dad was just too tired to go on without her. I found him a week after
my graduation in their bed holding her bathrobe. He went to sleep thinking
of her and just never woke up again. Eighteen and alone in the world, I
quickly found out that mom’s medical bills and both their funeral expenses
had wiped out all their savings and most of their life insurance. The only
thing I could do was sell the house and try to find a path forward. That’s
where I met him.
He came highly recommended as a realtor. He was so handsome and
charming and in my grief I had no defenses against him. We were married
by Christmas and in less than a year Chloe was born. I was a nineteen-year-
old wife and mother with no family and the friends I did have had all left
for college. It didn’t take him very long to completely isolate me after that
and that’s when he showed me who I had really married.
“Mommy, I don’t wanna play anymore. Is it time for school?”
Her sweet little voice pulls me from my dark memories.
“Oh! Um, well, I told you we were on a fun adventure trip remember?
So, school’s on break for a while and we’re going to do other things instead.
Look! I brought you your coloring book and crayons so why don’t you
finish your pancakes and color me a picture?”
She shakes her head, sending black curls swaying as she looks at the
book I hold out to her with her violet eyes that match mine and purses her
adorable little pink rosebud mouth.
“Kay, but only blues today. It feels like a blue day. Not hungry anymore
so no pancakes.”
I nod seriously back at her. “Blue it is. Do you want me to sort out the
colors or do it yourself?”
 She shakes her head again and starts pulling all the different shades of
blue from the crayon box.
“Can you stay here, please? I’m just going right over there to get another
coffee. I’ll be back lickety-split!”
A smile spreads across her face so I walk quickly over to the coffee
station and get a refill. When I slide back into the booth my eyes glance
over at the now cold half-eaten plate of pancakes. I know my baby well
enough to know she won’t touch them unless they were heated up again so I
pull the tray in front of me and force myself to eat every bite of the cold,
sticky food. The bag of apple slices dipped in peanut butter will make a
perfect snack later for Chloe so I slide them into my purse and get back to
scanning the want ads for some kind of job I could do.
We managed to stay put in that restaurant for almost three hours before
Chloe just became too restless to stay any longer. I load her up and with my
spare takeout coffee cup in my bag, drive around the town we’ve landed in.
It’s full of charming views and quaint homes until we drive into a different
kind of neighborhood that has huge mansions and estates behind fancy
gates. We ooh and awe over them and finally find a waterfront park where I
can park and we can get out and stretch our legs again. The sun is out but
there’s still a cool breeze coming off the water so I bundle us up and let
Chloe run along the shore and throw rocks into the water. After she slows
down, we search the beach for pretty rocks and manage to find six that meet
her high standards to keep.
We’re walking back to where the car is parked when two things happen
that freeze the blood in my veins. The first is when a very large man with a
huge dog comes very close to us as he jogs past. The dark wrap around
shades he wears doesn’t disguise that he’s looking at us as his steps slow.
He has shoulder length brown hair that’s wind tossed and has streaks of
gold in it and a full beard. The tight long sleeve t-shirt he’s wearing clings
to large muscular arms and a broad, defined chest. Chloe treats him to a big
smile and wave of her mitten hand causing one corner of his full lips to
quirk up. The German shepherd walking beside him immediately turns our
way with a lolling tongue. The man is huge compared to my slight five-
foot-four frame and I’m immediately intimidated by how much harm those
muscles could do to me and my baby. I look past him to judge how far we
are to the car if we have to run and a choked gasp escapes me at seeing a
police car slowly come to a stop behind my parked car.
 Oh God, oh God, twelve hours. We were free for a whole twelve hours
before he sent the police to take us back! I can’t, I can’t go back. He’ll kill
me for leaving and taking Chloe! I squeeze her arm tighter, ready to turn
and bolt when the giant of a man steps in front of me and blocks my view of
the police car. I don’t even realize that I’m gasping in panic until he pulls
his shades off, revealing icy-blue, concerned eyes, and leans down.
“Miss? Are you alright?”
My head is doing this tiny shake as I start stepping back, dragging Chloe
with me, causing the dog who’s plopped down in front of her to whine. I
have to run. I can’t go back. WE can’t go back! I’m in a full-blown flight or
fight panic except there’s no fight in me just flight. Dark spots start
crowding out my vision and Chloe’s starting to pull away from my too tight
fingers when the man in front of me brings his big hands together in front of
me in a hard clap. The motion and the noise is enough to jar me from the
thoughts screaming in my head to run but also has me flinching back.
“Whoa! Whoa, there, Miss. It’s ok, no one’s going to hurt you, I promise!
You’re having a panic attack. You need to slow your breathing…just look
here…focus on my eyes and breathe.” He tells me in a deep, rumbling
calming tone.
He’s so freaking big but right here, staring into his eyes, I feel the fear I
had for him leaving me as I match my breathing to his exaggerated ones.
Movement behind him has me tensing right back up again until I see the
police car continue on its way further down the parking lot. I wave of relief
gushes out with my next breath causing him to turn his head to see what
caught my attention. I drop my hand from Chloe’s arm so I can lean over
and brace them on my knees as my body goes weak. My dark sunglasses
slide off and hit the sand as I close my eyes to try and get my balance back.
“Mommy? Mommy, are you okay? Did you get another owie?” Chloe
asks sadly as she pats my face. One more deep breath and I push off my
knees to stand upright. I give her the best reassuring smile I can manage.
“No, no, Mommy’s okay. Sorry, baby. I just lost my breath for a minute.”
A low growl has my eyes flying to the dog but I realize it came from the
huge man instead that I had forgotten about for a second. His eyes have
narrowed on my face and he looks pissed right off as he takes in the bruised
and swollen eye and split lip on my face. I can’t deal with any questions he
might throw my way about my injuries so I try and pre-empt him as I bend
over and snag my glasses and jam them back on my face.
 “I am so sorry sir! I’m not sure what happened there with my breathing
but thank you so much for your help and concern. That was really kind of
you! Please, don’t let us keep you from your jogging!”
I give the dog a quick pat on its head, take Chloe’s uninjured hand, and
sidestep him with a fake smile.
“Thank you so much, again. Have a great day!” I ramble brightly as I
hurry away and I swear I hear him growl again but he lets us go without
saying anything else.
Chloe turns back even as I pull her away and calls out, “Bye Mr. Growly
Bear! Bye, puppy!”
By the time I get Chloe buckled in and collapse behind the steering
wheel, the police car is gone from the lot and I’m a wreck from the entire
encounter. My whole body feels shaky and a wave of exhaustion hits me
reminding me that I haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours. Chloe pulls her
rocks out from her pocket and tells me all about what she thinks each one
looks like giving me the time I need to put myself back together again.
 Avery
 

Once I’ve found my balance again, I leave Chloe munching on apple slices
as I get out and start reorganizing the trunk and back seat. I need to get
things set up easier for us for living in the car. I transfer what we will need
easy access to into the back and front seats and then make us peanut butter
and jam sandwiches for lunch using the top of the small food cooler I
brought. I need to make a plan, a plan for how to make this work. I’ll need
to be able to cook small meals in this car so I pull out the items I threw into
the trunk to assemble and be ready for supper later.
He often has warm hors-d’oeuvres at his open houses for clients so I stole
four of the small Sterno fuel cans from the box in the garage. Over it as a
cooking surface, I’ll use a wide, clean tin coffee can that I grabbed from the
recycling bin. It’s a silly skill I learned on Girl Guide hikes when I was
young. It should be able to heat a pot of water, warm up a can of soup, or
heat the small frying pan I brought. I’ll just have to make sure the window
is down while the fuel is lit and keep the hot surface away from tiny fingers.
I look around the interior of the car and try and plot how to make it a
home for the night. I have a sun shade screen for the front and back
windows and I can use the two bath towels I brought to cover the side
windows in the back but I’m not sure what to use for the front side windows
yet. Chloe’s car seat can be moved to the front seat out of the way and then
I can make a bed of sorts across the back with the blankets and pillows I
brought. This has to be temporary. The weather gets colder and colder every
day and there’s no way we can survive sleeping every night in this car
during full winter. There’s not enough gas left to run the car all night so I
need to think of some kind of heat source for us to use until I can find us a
place to live. I also need to find the best place for us to park overnight that
won’t attract notice from the police or anyone else.
With everything almost ready for our first night of being homeless, I start
the car and leave the parking lot to drive around and find a place that might
work for the night. My eyes constantly drop down to the gas gauge needle
but it’s holding steady at just a hair under a quarter of a tank. I can’t stop
thinking about how we will stay warm overnight so when I pass a strip mall
with a huge Dollar Store I turn in and park hoping I might spot something
inside that will spark an idea. If anything, it will burn another hour of the
day keeping Chloe amused.
My baby is enthralled by the many aisles of cheap goods in the store. It
makes me sad to know that he’s kept such tight control of our lives that
she’s never really been anywhere but the house we lived in and the school.
There’re so many things she’s missed out on because I stayed and let him
build the walls of a prison around us. After four aisles I finally spot a
possible solution and it takes me right back to my Girl Guides days again.
Mom always made me take a rubber hot water bottle to fill on campouts.
I have memories of filling it from the pot on the campfire and stuffing it
down in my sleeping bag to keep my toes warm in the tent at night. I chew
on my split lip in indecision before finally reaching out and taking four
from the rack.
That’s four dollars plus tax. If I buy these, that will leave me with thirty-
three dollars and sixty-three cents.
I clutch the floppy bottles to my chest and follow Chloe down to the next
aisle where she spots shelves of coloring and sticker books. Her eyes light
up and her small hand reaches out to grab a sticker book filled with cartoon
ponies and unicorns. When she holds it up to me with a hopeful look there’s
no way I can say no after everything she’s been through in the last twenty-
four hours so I nod my head and she hugs it to her chest as she dances and
shimmies ahead of me. I look down at the four hot water bottles I’m
holding and separate one and leave it on the shelf. Two for her, one for me.
A little bit of cold is nothing compared to making her happy in such a
crappy situation.
Another twenty minutes of wandering around the store before we pay and
that’s another four dollars and twenty-five cents gone. Back into the car we
go and a glance at my watch shows it’s only three in the afternoon and I try
and figure out what to do with the rest of the day. I can’t keep driving
around aimlessly and burning gas I can’t afford to replace. I hate that I don’t
have a phone so that I can just use Google to search up places in the area
that might work for a place to park tonight. What did people do before
Google? I feel like a total idiot when the answer pops into my head…the
library. I can go to a library and use one of their computers! I’m just
considering hauling Chloe back into the store to ask the cashier for
directions when a woman parks beside me and starts to get out. I quickly
roll down my window and ask her for directions that she’s happy to
provide.
The library is a huge modern-looking building with lots of glass
windows. We’ve barely walked through the door when an older lady
wearing a volunteer badge greets us.
“Hello! Are you here for craft and story time?” She asks with a big smile
for Chloe.
My precocious daughter immediately chimes an enthusiastic, “Yes!”
making me groan silently. I give the lady a small smile and shake my head.
“That sounds wonderful but we’re new to the area so we haven’t had a
chance to register for anything yet. I was hoping you had computers the
public can use to search out information about the town.”
The woman winks at Chloe. “Well, it’s a good thing you came in because
yes, we do have computers and there’s no registration needed for the
children’s group today. It’s a drop-in program that I’m sure your little
darling will love. She can have some fun while you do your computer
work.”
I let out a nervous laugh and try not to turn red in embarrassment as I’m
forced to ask a question.
“Um, what is the fee for it? I don’t even have a library card here yet.”
The woman waves my questions away. “Nope, no fee for the cutie at all
or the use of the computers. If you have an address here in town then there’s
no cost for your library card either. All you need is proof of address and we
can get you signed right up. Why don’t you head over to the children’s area
so your daughter can join the group? It’s just about to get started. Come find
me if you have any more questions!”
She points us in the right direction and Chloe practically drags me behind
her in her excitement. I hover around the door for a few minutes after
signing her in on a clipboard but she’s already joined a group of kids and is
chattering away so I slowly ease back and turn to find the computers. The
first thing I do is Google Earth the town we are in and zoom in on possible
places we can park for the night. There are a couple of huge service stations
by the freeway that big rig transports park overnight at that could work but
it makes me nervous. All of this makes me nervous. I feel a wash of anxiety
fill me again but I shove it to the side. There are no good choices for me
right now so I have to make do as best I can.
After I get a good feel for how the town is laid out and memorize the few
places that might work for parking, I switch to the local job ads. The more I
read the more hopeless I feel. I don’t have a resume or references to give for
any of these jobs.
Exhaustion swamps me and my eyes burn from lack of sleep so I push
back from the computer and wander around the huge library for a while
hoping to wake myself up and find some inspiration on how to go forward.
I peek into the children’s room and see Chloe still having fun as she makes
a popsicle stick house so I turn away and keep walking.
A bulletin board catches my attention so I stand and look over the flyers
for craft fairs and workshops and then I spot a flyer that has my fingers
reaching out to the cut tabs on the bottom and ripping one off. Someone
needs a babysitter and they’re offering fifteen dollars an hour. This is
something I can do and I’m betting it wouldn’t be a problem for me to bring
Chloe with me. My stomach fills with butterflies at the idea of making
money, cash money!
I race back to the computers and log back in. Without a cell phone, I need
some way to give my contact information so I set up a Gmail address and
create a Facebook account using my mother’s maiden name as my own. I
then search and join all the local mom groups I can find. While I wait to be
approved, I add posts to my new page about parenting hacks, craft projects,
and stock photos so it looks real if anyone checks it out. I don’t have any
friends to add so I join book clubs, crafting pages, and any other groups that
look interesting and then start sending friend requests out in the hopes that
some people will just add me.
By the time Chloe’s done, I’m up to sixteen new friends and I’ve found
three more listings for people in search of a babysitter. I write out all the
listings in my notebook and shut down the computer with a hopeful sigh.
This might work. I have to wait a few days for the swelling and bruising on
my face to go down before I can see anyone but we can manage with the
food and gas I have in the car for a few days.
 Chloe is filled with excitement at how much fun she had and chatters
away as we leave the library. I have the printout of all the free children’s
drop-in programs in my purse and a plan for the rest of the day. We drive
around to grocery stores and community centers to look at bulletin boards
and I find three more flyers for babysitting as well as two for casual house
cleaning. As I drive us to one of the big service stations, I make a plan for
tomorrow to go back to the library and use their courtesy phone to call the
cleaning ads. My fingers relax on the steering wheel. I can do this. I can
make this work.
 Easton
 

I shut the door behind me and just lean against it with my eyes closed and
let the tension of the day flow out of me. I ignore the vibrating phone in my
pocket. I’d rather be dodging bullets again than answer the damn thing, it’s
been that kind of day. My eyes open and I frown when I hear a crash of
something breaking deeper in the house and the cursing that follows it.
Ryker is very rarely verbal about his displeasure. He usually sticks to
growls, grunts, and death-filled looks when something is pissing him off but
he’s been in a dark mood lately. I push away from the door and drop my
Hermes briefcase onto the entrance table, frown in annoyance at the half-
wilted flower arrangement in the center of it and shrug off the cashmere
trench coat before tossing it onto the table.
I follow the sounds of bickering to the massive kitchen and find Zack and
Ryder scowling at each other. Shaking my head, I step up to the marble
island and lift an eyebrow.
“Honey, I’m home! Fetch me a martini!”
Ryker just grunts while Zack rolls his eyes at me and thrusts a hand
through his already messy blond hair.
“You’ll have to fetch it and anything else you want yourself. The agency
hasn’t sent a replacement in three days. Apparently, they now consider us to
be a hostile workplace.” He spears Ryker with a dark look. “I can’t imagine
why!” He finishes sarcastically.
I groan tiredly. “I’m guessing that means there’s no food prepared? Did
one of you at least order something?”
Zack perks up with a nod and I try not to groan again at what that means.
“Pizza? Again? You do know that there are other things you can order in,
right?”
 He shrugs his shoulders and a grin spread across his face making him
look like the grunt I met in boot camp what seems like a lifetime ago.
“What can I say? Za is life, man.”
Kanga pads into the room with a chuff as if in agreement with that
statement causing Zack to wink at the dog. His grin fades.
“Seriously, though, what are we going to do about the housekeeper
situation?”
I sigh at one more thing to add to my overflowing plate. “I’ll call them in
the morning.” I turn and spear Ryker with a threatening look. “You have to
stop terrorizing them or learn to fucking cook.”
Ryker growls low in his throat causing Kanga to cock his head. “Not my
fault they couldn’t take simple direction and squeaked in fear every time I
walked into a room.”
Zack smirks and leans back against the counter absently rubbing at his
side. “Maybe if you used your words instead of growling and grunting at
them, they would stick around longer.”
I interrupt before Ryker has a chance to light into him. “Stop, the both of
you are equally to blame and you know it.” I sigh again and rub the space
between my eyes, hoping to ease the headache that’s been nagging at me all
day. “This is going to double the cost of the standard rate just to get them to
send us another replacement. I need you guys to work with me on this!” I
glare at them both. “I mean it! You both need to dial it way back so we can
keep whoever they send for more than one day. I’ve got enough shit to deal
with right now without this to deal with too.”
They both nod grudgingly at me with a hint of guilt. They know how
stressful things have been lately with the extra contracts we’ve taken on.
Until I can hire the extra manpower we need, the bulk of it has landed on
my desk.
Kanga’s tail goes into overdrive seconds before the doorbell rings. I
swear that dog has a touch of the sight in him. He always seems to know
things right before they happen. He follows me to the door and greets the
delivery guy with a chuff and doggy grin as I pay for it and accept the three
steaming boxes. Kanga loves pizza probably even more than Zack does.
Ryker passes out beer bottles and napkins as we take seats around one
end of the island with a box in front of each of us. I flip open the lid, pull a
slice out, and try to pretend that it’s a steak or anything else that’s not pizza
as this has been dinner for the last three nights. We each pass down our
crusts to Kanga as we finish each slice and go over our latest progress on
the new contracts as we eat.
It was never even a question that the four of us would stay together after
our tours were up. We spent many nights out in the desert staring up at a
foreign sky planning out the details for the security company we have built.
With the inherited wealth that I never wanted, sitting and collecting interest,
I finally used it to bankroll our startup. I run point and am the face of the
company while Ryker handles the training and onsite security setups for our
teams to take over. Zack is our computer guru that handles the systems and
online security. We might not be dodging bullets anymore but the three of
us have been grinding hard to make sure Trident Security will be the best of
the best.
With dinner over, we migrate to the living room and settle in with an old
Top Gear episode on the TV and I try and relax and let the stress of the day
go. I glance across at Zack when he puts his feet up on the coffee table
causing the pant leg of his jeans to ride up enough to flash a glimpse of his
prosthetic. He rubs absently at his knee and I frown, wishing he was
comfortable enough just to take the damn thing off when it was just the
three of us and it ached. My fingers tighten around the bottle in my hand as
the familiar guilt sets in.
I failed him. I failed all of my team causing four of them to lose their
lives and the rest of us to be injured badly enough to end our military
careers.
My gaze moves over to Ryker and while he has less visible scars, he still
suffers daily from that last engagement. I tilt my head and watch as one of
his huge hands digs into Kanga’s fur to scratch when the sleeping dog lying
next to him twitches and whines in his sleep. Kanga also carries scars and
mental trauma from that day. As close as we are to one another, none of us
talk about it much. We each deal with what happened and the aftermath in
our own way but something has been bugging Ryker for the last day or so.
“What’s up with you, man? Something happen I should know about?”
His standard frowning resting face just deepens as he grunts and shakes
his head.
Zack smirks. “You really think Ry’s going to talk to you about his feel-
ings? Want to start a book club too?”
Ryker lets out a growl of annoyance before grumbling out an answer.
 “People suck. I ran into a woman and her little girl on my run yesterday.
Somebody had worked her over pretty good. Black eye, split lip kind of
thing. Kanga wanted to say hi to the kid and the mom basically had a panic
attack when I got too close. She was…terrified. This tiny little girl waved at
me with a cast on her arm. It just triggered me is all. Made me want to track
down whoever did that to them and do some busting up of my own.” He
drains the rest of his bottle and sighs deeply. “Like I said, people suck.”
My fingers tighten around my beer bottle as flashes of my own mother’s
black and blue face cross my mind. I push it aside and give him a nod of
understanding.
“Yeah, man, people suck.”
 Avery
 

I rub at my tired eyes as I listen to Chloe’s breathing deepen into sleep,

cozy in her backseat nest of piles of blankets and hot water bottles. This
will be our third night sleeping in the car and it gets harder every night.
The first two nights we parked at a huge service station next to transport
trucks but there were so many people walking around through the night that
I jumped and flinched at every little noise, terrified that someone would try
and get into the car. I’m beyond exhausted and I need sleep so tonight we
drove further out of town and I parked us at an empty industrial building
that has for lease signs all over it. There shouldn’t be anyone around the
place so I might actually get to sleep through the night.
This has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life and the guilt
of putting my baby into this situation is a constant weight.
Tonight is the coldest night by far and the snow has been falling for a few
hours, covering the car windows. I can still see the occasional set of
headlights sweep past on the road not far away from where we’ve parked
but they are few and far between as most people have made it home for the
night. The occasional lights give me a little comfort that I’m not all alone
out here but they also make me tense up that it will be a police car that will
swing in and check out why a car is parked in the lot of an empty building.
The two emergency candles I have lit on the center console flicker as a
gust of wind rattles the car, making me even more nervous. Their small
flames help take the chill from the air in the car but I can’t leave them lit
when I finally let myself go to sleep. I lean back into the driver’s seat and
try and relax but my brain just won’t shut down. I’m down to twenty-six
dollars and change. So far no one has gotten back to me about house
cleaning or babysitting so that means no prospect of earning any more
money to keep us going. I don’t know what to do. Everything feels so
hopeless.
Not only do I feel like the worst mother but now I feel like a criminal as
well. This morning, I had pulled into a hotel parking lot to try and kill some
time while waiting for the library to open and had watched families coming
and going through the doors with envy. I would give anything to be staying
in one of those cozy rooms with hot showers. I could tuck Chloe under the
covers and take a long hot bath to soothe the aches from my injuries. When
I couldn’t take watching all those lucky families anymore, I turned my eyes
away and they landed on the huge sign for the hotel bragging about their
free hot breakfast and pool. I stared at that sign for a good ten minutes
before something took over me and then I was in motion.
I grabbed one of the suitcases from the trunk, and with my dark
sunglasses on, I took Chloe inside that hotel straight over to the hot
breakfast stations set up in one corner of the lobby. We feasted on
everything they had on offer and I slid some yogurt cups and granola bars
into my purse when no one was looking. Not only did I steal that food
meant for paying hotel guests but I waited until a mom and her kids came
through with towels and pool toys and we followed behind them right into
the pool change rooms. I locked us into the handicap shower stall and Chloe
and I showered for the first time since we ran away from home. Even
wracked with anxiety that we would be caught couldn’t diminish just how
amazing that shower felt.
So now I’m not only a bad mother and homeless but I’m also a criminal.
I hate that my life has turned out this way, that I can’t give my baby the life
she deserves. I glance into the back seat as tears trickle down my face but
only a tuft of her dark curls can be seen from how bundled-up she is and I
wonder just how much worse it can get. I bite down on my bottom lip and
wince at the pain which reminds me that her being abused would be even
worse than what we are dealing with right now.
I turn back to the snow-covered windshield and wipe away my tears. As
hard as this is, staying would have been worse. Headlights wash over the
snow and I tense up, waiting for them to pass by but instead the light that
brightens the snow cover jerks back and forth and then gets brighter until
the whole car is lit up inside. My hands start to shake as I quickly blow out
the candles and then turn the key to give me enough power to run the
wipers. It takes a few passes to clear the snow from the windshield so I can
see and then I’m cursing under my breath.
Of all the bad luck! A car has gone off the road and slid partway into the
ditch so that the headlights are spotlighting my snow-covered car. I watch
as tires spin and spin but get no traction. Finally, a man steps out from the
driver’s side and starts trying to push the car out. I cringe when he slips in
the snow and ends up flat on his back.
As bad as I feel for the guy, this is really bad for me. If he calls the police
for help to get him out, they could investigate why I’m parked here. I need
this guy to get out of the ditch and fast. I glance back but Chloe’s still
asleep and should stay that way for the night. I could just drive away and
find a new place to park but the roads are icy and it would mean burning
more gas.
I curse one more time under my breath and then reach for my scarf, hat,
and gloves and bundle up. I get out of the car and gently close the door,
praying that Chloe won’t wake up in the few minutes this should take and
freak out when she finds me gone. I stomp through the snow and down into
the ditch until I’m a few feet away.
“Need a hand?”
The man spins around so fast that he almost goes down again but
manages to catch himself on his car. It’s an expensive car too. Some kind of
fancy high-end Mercedes. It goes well with his overall high-end look. I can
tell how expensive his coat is even covered in a fine dusting of snow from
when he fell. He focuses on me with sharp grey eyes and tries to get a look
at me but only my eyes show so he gives up with a frustrated sigh.
“Looks that way. You don’t happen to have cell service, do you? I can’t
seem to get any bars to call a tow truck.”
I shrug a shoulder in my puffy jacket. I’m not going to tell this guy that I
don’t have a cell phone.
“No, must be a dead zone. I can help you push it out, though.”
He scans me again and raises a disbelieving eyebrow. There’s no hiding
my slight frame, even all bundled up. Something about the look has me
squaring my shoulders.
Before him, I was fairly capable of taking care of myself and even though
being this close to a strange man makes me nervous, I can do this. I might
not be able to care for my daughter or myself properly right now but I can
damn well help get his car out of the ditch so I lift my chin and meet his
gaze.
“Grab your floor mats and jam them under the back tires. I’ll back you
out while you push.” I cock my head to the side. “First time going into a
ditch? It’s fairly straightforward to get out but it helps to have two people.”
I tell him in a flat tone and then glance over my shoulder at my snow-
covered car and strain my ears to listen for Chloe.
The guy follows my line of sight and opens his mouth like he’s going to
ask a question so I pre-empt him by waving at his car.
“Floor mats?”
He tries to get a look at my face again but I stay out of the direct glare of
his headlights so he can’t see much and then he finally nods.
“Yeah, okay, thanks. I appreciate the help.”
He slides through the snow to get back to the door of his car and I look
down and spot the dress shoes he’s wearing. Crap! Maybe I’ll have to be the
one to push while he drives. He won’t be able to get much traction in those
shoes.
I say as much, causing him to growl out, “No, I probably have twice the
body mass than you do. I’ll push, you drive.”
I shrug again and take one of the mats he’s pulled from the floor of his
car and make my way around to the back end with him. I drop down into
the snow and use my gloved hands to dig snow out from under the tire until
I hit brown grass and then wedge the floor mat under as tight as I can get it.
A grunt of pain escapes me when my damaged ribs protest the move but
I’m an expert at ignoring the pains of my body at this point. I’m long
accustomed to functioning with injuries. When I pull myself up using the
trunk as leverage and bend over to brush the snow from my knees, I suck in
a breath of cold air as my ribs pang hard. When I stand back up it’s to find
him studying me again with narrowed eyes.
“Are you okay?”
He asks in concern and reaches out a hand to me. I bite down on my
broken lip behind my scarf to keep myself from crying out all the reasons
that I’m not and then nod abruptly.
“Right as rain,” I tell him in a steady tone and then skirt around him to
the driver’s door and slide into the seat. Warmth soaks through my chilled
jeans as the seat warmer does its job and I almost moan from how good it
feels. I turn my head to meet his eyes and nod towards the front end. “Call
out when you’re ready and I’ll give it a little gas.”
For way too long he just stands there staring down at me and nerves start
to flood my body. I realize that the car’s interior light is giving him a perfect
view of my eyes and the swollen bruising around one of them.
I duck my head and put my hand on the shifter and say again without
looking up, “Let me know when you’re ready.”
He finally moves around to the front of the car and places his hands on
the hood and calls out, “Ready!”
It takes a few rocks and a little bit of gas but on the third try the wheels
take hold and I back it up until it’s on the shoulder of the road. I let myself
sit and absorb the heat for a few more moments as he slips through the
snow collecting the floor mats and then I climb out of the car and move off
to the side.
“You should be good to go now. Drive safe!”
“Wait,” he calls as I turn to walk back to my car and I turn back, figuring
he’s going to thank me again. Instead, he reaches into his expensive jacket
and pulls out a slim leather wallet, pulls a wad of cash from it, and holds it
out to me. “Please, for your help. I would have been stranded here most of
the night and a tow would have cost me triple this if not for your help.”
I’m frozen in place as I stare at the money with huge eyes. I’m not sure
how much is there but I can see at least one, hundred-dollar bill in the wad.
Oh my God! That money, that money would go a long way to improving
our situation. My fingers itch to snatch it from his fingers but…but I
already stole something today and how can I take money for doing a decent
thing for someone in need?
I didn’t even help him out of the goodness of my heart. It was self-
serving, to get him out of here so the police wouldn’t stop and maybe take
notice of me and my car. As much as I want…need that money, I just can’t
take it so I give my head a little shake and start backing up.
“No need but thank you for the offer. Maybe, uh, just pay it forward the
next time you see someone in need.”
I don’t stick around long enough for him to reply. I spin in the snow and
walk as fast as possible back to my car. By the time I get back in behind the
wheel and hit the wipers again to clear the snow, he’s driving away. A cold
chill shakes my body and I curse myself for not taking the money as I turn
the car on to try and warm up for a few minutes, burning precious gas I
can’t afford to waste.
Chloe sleeps through the shaking of the car as I wiggle out of my cold
wet jeans and pull on a pair of soft fleece leggings and then shimmy down
into my sleeping bag. I give it ten more minutes of the heat on high before I
shut the car off for the night. I tilt the seat back as far as I can get it to go
and snuggle down. I close my eyes and try and sleep but narrowed grey
eyes filled with judgment haunt me.
 Easton
 

I hit the button on the complicated coffee machine and lean my head
against the cupboard door above waiting for it to fill my travel mug. A
shitty night of tossing and turning after waking from flashbacks of
screaming men and explosions has left me groggy and in a pissed-off mood.
My eyes slide over to the sink filled with dirty dishes and I curse under
my breath at still not having found a replacement housekeeper. I push that
to the top of my list as I turn and spot the stack of empty pizza boxes next
to the garbage can that also needs to be emptied.
When Zack and Ryker stumble in drawn by the glorious scent of brewing
coffee, I snap at them.
“You can disarm a roadside bomb and you can kill a man in hundreds of
ways but neither one of you fucktards can take out the trash or do the
dishes? Shape the fuck up! I’ll work at getting a new housekeeper but until
I do, you both need to step up and get this place cleaned up a bit. At least do
the fucking basics and I swear to God, if I come home tonight and find
fucking pizza for dinner again, I’m going to beat you with your prosthetic,
Zack! Pick…something…else!”
I swipe my travel mug and jam on the lid and then stomp out with Zack’s
“What crawled up his ass?” ringing in my ears.
I’m tired and hungry for decent food and sick to death of wearing these
suits and…I can’t stop thinking about a pair of bruised violet eyes and it’s
all pissing me off. I’m almost out the door when I stop and go back to the
front closet and snag my worn combat boots and take them with me, tossing
them into the back seat where they bounce off of the expensive leather. My
dress shoes were soaked through from pushing the car out of the ditch and
my feet were blocks of ice by the time I made it home last night. I’ll be
prepared now if it happens again.
I back out of the heated garage and sigh in relief that the snow has been
removed from the driveway. The inside of the house might be a mess but
the outside is being well taken care of by our maintenance man.
The roads are in a better state than last night now that the plows have
come through and cleared them. I pass the spot I went into the ditch with a
glance and a frown. I drive on for another mile when my foot comes off the
gas and the car slows as I process what I just saw. The woman who helped
me out last night, her car is still parked where I last saw it. I know for a fact
that the building has been empty for the last two years so she would have no
reason to be there. I make the next turn and flip around as concern builds
inside of me. What if after helping me, her car wouldn’t start and she’s been
stranded there all night? Fuck! If she had to spend the night in her car, she
could be in serious trouble!
I drive back and turn into the snow-covered lot and park beside her car.
The whole vehicle is blanketed by snow and I practically dive out to swipe
the snow from the driver’s side window to see if she’s in there but there’s an
icy layer that blocks my view so I start knocking and calling out.
“Hello! Is anyone in there?”
I feel the car rock under my hands and hear a muffled squeak from inside
causing my heart to speed up in worry. Fuck, I can’t believe I just drove
away without making sure this woman was safe! She could have
hypothermia or frostbite from having to stay in her car all night at these
temperatures.
I hear the door locks thunk open so I back away enough for her to get the
door open but it’s the rear passenger door that opens with a crunch from the
icy seal. I grab hold of it and help pull it wide open.
“Are you okay? I’m so sor…”
My voice trails off as I get a look inside the car and her scared
expression. I get a glimpse of blankets, pillows, and a little girl with a plate
of food on her lap before the woman pushes out, forcing me further back,
and quickly closes the door. I look her over and take in the mass of long
black hair framing a delicate, pale face that has a split lip and black and
blue bruising around one of her huge violet eyes. I suck in a breath of
disbelief as I realize that she’s…living in her car…with a child!
 “I can explain!” She gushes out in a scared tone. “It’s, it’s not what it
looks like!”
My tone goes as icy as the conditions this woman has put her little girl in.
“Really? You can explain what the hell you’re doing out here in the freezing
cold overnight with a child? What the hell were you thinking? Do you know
how dangerous this is?” I snap at her.
I see fear and guilt wash across her face and her voice comes out with a
whispered tremble.
“Not as dangerous as where we were. Please, just…just leave us alone.”
I scoff at that. I can’t in good conscience let her stay out here, putting a
child at risk like this, so I pull out my cell phone to call the authorities. Her
hands flash out and desperation fills her voice.
“Please! Please, I’m begging you, don’t. Don’t call anyone! They’ll take
her from me and give her back to…him! Please, please, you don’t know
what he’ll do to her, to us!”
Tears are flowing down her face as her words trigger a memory that
rocks through me. A memory of the last time I saw my own mother, her
outstretched hands reaching for me as my father dragged me away. She also
was pleading and crying for him to give me back after he found her trying
to leave with me. It was the last time I saw her. I tune back into what the
woman in front of me is saying.
“…till I get a job and make some money! It’s only for a few days!
Please…”
I cut her off as I remember her words last night after she refused to take
the money I offered.
“Just pay it forward the next time you see someone in need.”
“Can you cook?”
She flinches back at my unexpected question and then nods cautiously.
“Can you cook and clean and organize?”
I see her swallow hard as some of the fear leaves her expression and she
nods again slowly.
“I, yes… that’s all I’ve been allowed to do for the last five years.”
My cold fingers curl into fists hearing that and I notice how much she’s
shaking from the cold. I need to get her and her daughter out of here, out of
the cold.
“Good, you're hired. I need a housekeeper. The position comes with room
and board plus salary. You can start today. Follow me back to my house,” I
order her gruffly.
The fear blooms back full force on her face and I curse internally.
“Look, you’ll be safe at my house but more importantly, your daughter
will be safer than living in your car. Give it a week and if it doesn’t work
out, you are free to leave with a paycheck that’ll let you get a place to live.”
When I see her hesitate still, I play the dick card. “That or I call the cops
right now. I’m not leaving you both here in the cold.”
Her eyes drop away and her mouth trembles as she gives me a little nod
of agreement. I sigh at having to take away her choices and adding to the
trauma she’s already been through but it feels like the only way to make
sure these two are safe for now.
I reach around her, ignoring how she flinches and yank open the driver’s
door and gesture for her to get in and start her car. She won’t meet my eyes
as she slides behind the wheel and I hold the door open until I hear the
engine start with a wheeze from sitting all night out in the cold. I close the
door and then grab my snowbrush and ice scraper from the trunk of my car
and go to work cleaning her car off. A little face with matching violet eyes
peers out at me from the back seat as I see her mother leaning back from the
front to strap her into a car seat.
I blow out a frosty breath of air at how my day just upended and then get
back into my car and lead her out back onto the road.
 Avery
 

For half a second when he pulls out of the lot onto the road, I consider
turning in the opposite direction and speeding away to disappear. My
fingers are white on the steering wheel from clutching it so tightly when I
finally turn and follow his car. I don’t know this guy. I only have his word
that we will be safe in his home, safer than living in our car. I just don’t
have any other choice but to hope he can be trusted. Even if I take off, he
can still report me to the police and give them the make and model of my
car. I’m screwed if he does that.
Chloe is full of excited questions about who the man is and where we are
going but I don’t have any answers for her. We might end up in an even
worse situation here but…if he’s true to his word…this might be exactly
what we need right now. Lord knows I can cook and clean up to his high
standards so I would do a good job - but it’s the room, board, and salary that
fills me with a surge of hope. To have somewhere warm to sleep, food to
eat, and make money? That’s all I’ve been searching for.
I try and think of worst-case scenarios and my mind goes dark thinking
of all the ways this stranger can hurt us. Harsh fists and unwanted advances
are just the top two that come to mind but he said we could leave if I
wanted to so maybe I should take this chance. Maybe not all men are like
him. Maybe, maybe this is the universe trying to make up a little for all that
I’ve been through? Tears fill my eyes again because agreeing to this is the
only option I have left. Twenty-six dollars and thirty-two cents and the
temperature dropping by the day. I glance into the rearview mirror and pray
that this will work out. That we will be safe.
I follow his car as he turns through huge arched columns that anchor an
open wrought iron gate. The driveway seems to go on forever until a
massive house appears. I can’t help the wide eyes as I stare at it and then
start to doubt if I’m up to cleaning such a huge house. I press my lips
together, ignoring the flare of pain and sit up straighter in my seat. I’ll work
all hours of the day if it means Chloe will be safe and warm. The driveway
circles around to two massive doors and he pulls to a stop with me parking
right behind him. I sit staring at those doors as doubts flood through me
again until a knock on my window has me jumping in my seat.
I take a deep breath and then open the door and step out. He’s already
walking up the steps so I scurry around and unbuckle Chloe and help her
out of the car.
“Just leave your stuff for now. The guys can help you move it all in after
introductions.”
I squeak out, “Guys?” and he turns back to look down at me with a frown
and then he comes back down the stairs and I realize I don’t even know his
name.
“Yes, it’s just me and my two brothers that live here. That’s why we need
a housekeeper and cook.”
He sighs when he sees me take a step back at the idea of being alone in a
house with three men.
“Listen, we all served together in the military. We literally took an oath to
protect and serve those who are weaker than us. Every single one of us
would step in front of a bullet to protect women and children so you have
nothing to fear from any of us. You will be safe here.”
I blow a breath out in a gush, glance down at Chloe who shrugs at me,
and then nod.
“Okay, but, um, what’s your name?”
He shoves a hand through his hair with a small laugh, messing up his
perfectly groomed dark hair.
“Right, should have started with that. Easton, Cassius Easton but most
people call me East.”
He raises his eyebrows, waiting for me to introduce myself as well.
“Um, I’m Avery and this is Chloe.”
He keeps waiting and I know it’s for my last name but I don’t want to
give it to him so he finally just nods and then sweeps an arm out for us to
climb the steps.
We step into a huge open foyer that has a circular table in the middle with
a vase full of wilted flowers. I help Chloe out of her boots and jacket and
then take off my own. He takes them and hangs them in a walk-in closet
and then leads us further into the house to a kitchen that takes my breath
away. It has top-of-the-line appliances including a double oven built into
one wall as well as a marble island that could easily seat ten. As my eyes
bounce from place to place in the massive kitchen, Easton goes to the wall
and presses a button that turns out to be an intercom.
“Ry, Zack! I need you in the kitchen. Double time!”
While we wait for his brothers, Easton lays out my duties for me.
“So, cooking meals will be the main thing we need. Light housework
would be great but we have a service that comes once a week to do the deep
cleaning. You would need to do the household shopping and organizing as
well but preparing meals is the main thing.”
He pulls out a drawer in the island, fishes through it, and comes out with
a tablet and a black credit card that he slides across to me.
“You can use this for all the shopping you need to do. You can also order
whatever you need online. Zack will get you set up on all our online
shopping accounts. After I introduce you to the guys, I’ll show you your
rooms so you can get settled in. The pay is fifteen hundred a week plus the
rooms and you can just eat whatever you want from here.” He tells me
while waving a hand through the kitchen.
My mouth drops open in shock at such a high amount and I sputter some
nonwords.
He smirks. “Don’t fool yourself, you will earn it just by putting up with
us and staying on top of things.” He points at the dishes stacked up in the
deep double sinks. “All three of us work crazy hours and to be honest, we
can be oblivious to the mess we make when lost in work.”
Before I can form a reply, a gruff voice growls out from behind me.
“You! What are you doing here?”
I spin so fast I almost lose my balance as fear takes hold but Chloe
bounces in front of me.
“Mr. Growly Bear! Hi, hi! OH! Puppy too!”
She drops to her knees and throws her arms around the dog we met on
the beach, bonking the poor thing with her heavy cast. I make a desperate
move to grab her and pull her back to safety but her giggles have me
pausing and I see the dog licking at her face with what can only be called a
grin of happiness.
 All the tension drains out of me and I grab onto the island to steady
myself and finally look up to meet the dog’s owner. My gaze hits his bare
chest and I have to blink a few times as I take in the huge muscles that
cover the wide expanse of his chest. His skin is a deep bronze with a sheen
of sweat that makes the many tattoos covering it stand out even more. My
eyes track up and up and up to the towel he has slung around his neck, over
the frowning lips and finally meet his confused icy blue eyes.
I swallow the ball that’s formed in my throat at how huge this man is and
manage a strangled “H-hi?”
“Ryker, meet Avery and her daughter Chloe.”
He turns as another man walks into the room with a slight limp. He has a
shock of thick curly blond hair and questioning hazel eyes.
“This is Zack. Zack, Avery and Chloe.”
He crosses his arms and shares a loaded look with his brothers that has
the tension building in me once again.
“Avery has accepted the housekeeping position. She and Chloe will be
staying in the west wing. She’s going to need a hand bringing all her stuff in
from her car and I need to get to the office. I’ve already missed my first
meeting of the day. Show her around and help her get settled in.”
He turns to me and gives me a hard look. “You’ll be fine. I meant what I
said about that oath. I’ll see you at dinner.”
My heart’s racing and my breathing picks up as anxiety floods my
system. I don’t even know him but I desperately want him to stay. I watch
him leave the room and then slowly turn back to the two men who are
studying every inch of me.
Chloe turns shining eyes up to me and asks in her sweet voice, “Is this
our new home, Mommy?”
I send darting glances at the two men who tower over us and manage a
small nod.
“I guess it is, baby.”
 Ryker
 

What the hell? The woman and child I haven’t been able to stop thinking
about are standing in my kitchen. The little girl, Chloe, is all over Kanga
with pets, hugs, and happy giggles and it tugs at my lips to see his tail
helicoptering in glee. The mother, Avery, reminds me of a small timid
mouse staring up at two hungry lions waiting to devour her.
For me, it’s the opposite. I want to wrap my arms around this small
scared woman and promise to keep her safe from anything that could hurt
her again and that’s what’s been pissing me off since I met her on the beach.
As soon as her glasses dropped from her head and she hit me with those
big, scared purple eyes of hers, my protective instincts kicked in and I was
lost. I wanted to hunt down the fucker that put those bruises on her face and
tear him limb from limb. My eyes track down to the tiny human at my feet
and zero in on the bulky cast on her arm. I can only assume that whoever
abused this woman did the breaking of her daughter’s bones as well and it
makes so much rage boil up in me that a low growl slips out.
The noise causes the woman, Avery, to step back with a pale face but it
also has the girl, Chloe swinging her head up to look at me with a giggle
and smile.
Her voice is as sweet as spun sugar when she says, “Was your mommy a
bear? Is that why you’re so big and growly?”
Zack barks out a laugh and then said in a deadpan tone, “Yes. We also
think his father was a Sasquatch. His language skills are still being
deciphered by scientists so don’t let all his grunting, growling, and long,
drawn-out grumbles scare you off. You’ll learn what each one means
eventually.” He holds out a hand to Avery with a grin. “Welcome, we are
thrilled to have you here. We need you desperately!”
 She reaches out a trembling hand to shake his making me frown even
more.
“I, um, what, where should we go?” She asks in a timid voice.
He’s all charm and smiles as he gestures with a hand further into the
house.
“Why don’t I show you the rooms in the west wing and you can pick out
the ones that will best suit you and Chloe? After that, we can bring in your
bags and leave you to get settled. Whenever you’re ready, we can give you
a tour of the place. Sound good?”
Her eyes slide my way, dip down to my chest and then slide away just as
quickly. I had been working out when East called us in on the intercom and
now I’m worried that my size and tattoos on full display are scaring her so I
grunt Zack’s way and duck into the laundry room to pull the cleanest shirt I
can find from the piles to be washed. I make a note to run a few loads after
and go back out to join them. I should just let Zack show her around but I’m
intrigued by this little wounded pair. As I follow behind them all to the west
wing my frown deepens as I try and examine what about them has caught
my interest so hard.
I don’t like most people except for East and Zack. I mostly tolerate our
clients and the men I train to work for them. I watch as Chloe keeps one
hand on Kanga’s back as we walk down the hall and almost growl again
when I catch sight of her cast. Maybe it’s because I miss being out in the
theatre of war. Not the war part of it but the working toward protecting
people and making their lives better. I don’t know Avery and Chloe’s story
but from the little amount of time I’ve had with them, they seem to need a
little bit of that.
“These are all single rooms but I think the suite at the end would be the
best fit for you guys. It’s just ahead at the end of the hall.” Zack tells them
and then falls back to walk next to me and starts miming at me. He points at
his eye and lip with such anger radiating off of him and then makes a fist
and mouths, “find the fucker and kill him.”
I nod in full agreement just as Avery glances back. Zack’s expression
morphs from savage to charming so fast that I almost lose my balance from
whiplash.
“Go ahead, open the door! This is yours now.” He calls out to her.
When she turns back to usher Chloe and the dog through the door, Zack
hits me with another loaded look filled with promise and then we follow
them inside.
“So, this is a living space you can use to relax, watch TV, that kind of
thing. There’s a small but fully functioning kitchen tucked away behind that
wall over there.” He points out, past the couch and love seat squared up to
face the large television surrounded by bookshelves against one wall.
“There’s a small dining nook over here that looks out on the gardens. Well,
on snow right now but there’s gardens under all that white in the spring,
summer, and fall. And then there are two bedrooms on either side, both with
private washrooms. Only one of the bedrooms has a door leading back to
the hallway so you might want to take that one for yourself.” He tells her,
nodding in Chloe’s direction, who has curled up on the couch with Kanga’s
head in her lap.
The beast has rolled on his back with all four paws in the air to give her
better access to rub his belly. I cock my head at the fool dog but when he
rolls his head my way and lets his tongue loll out to one side and hits me
with big pleading eyes like he’s asking if we can keep the tiny human, a
corner of my lips twitch into a smile and I nod in agreement.
“This is way more space than we need. It’s beautiful but surely there’s
something smaller, more appropriate for a staff member?” She asks in a
small voice bringing my attention back to her.
“No. This is perfect for you both.” I tell her gruffly. My rooms are on the
other side of these and I like the idea of them being so close. I flatten my
lips when she flinches back from my tone but Zack slides right in to soothe.
“Honestly, we have way more rooms than people and East said to put you
here so…it’s yours.”
She looks around the room with wide eyes and I spot a fresh sheen of
tears start to fill them and that makes my stomach flip so I bark out, “Keys!
Uh, if you give us your keys, we’ll haul in all your bags so you can settle
in.”
She twists her fingers against each other and drags in a shuddering
breath.
“It’s…it’s not locked. The car, I mean, the car isn’t locked.”
I nod abruptly, turn and flee from possible tears. I can face down a
suicidal Al-Qaeda jihadist without breaking a sweat but a beautiful
woman’s tears? No fucking way!
Zack catches up to me just as I reach the front doors and punches one of
my meaty arms.
 “Dial it the fuck back, beast! She’s clearly afraid of men so you barking,
grunting, and growling at her isn’t helping. I don’t know where the hell East
found them but if he wants them here, he’ll be royally pissed if you scare
her away.”
I frown and grunt softly in response. He’s right. I need to try and be
less…me…when I’m around her. We both take a back seat door and pull
them open and then just stand there staring at the setup before our eyes lift
and meet over the roof of the car in disbelief. Zack whips out his cell and
taps out a call putting it on speaker and holding it out in my direction.
Easton answers abruptly, “What? I have a fucking meeting!”
Zack rolls his eyes and launches in. “What the actual fuck, man? They
were living in her car? Do you know how fucking cold it was last night?”
We hear him sigh heavily through the speakers.
“Yes, I know how cold it was because she helped me push my car out of
the fucking ditch from where it skidded off on my way home. And no, I
didn’t know they were living in it at the time. It was only when I drove past
this morning and saw it still in the parking lot that I stopped to check on
why she was still there.” He snaps out at us before his voice goes low and
hesitant. “I couldn’t just leave them there. I didn’t know what to do but
when she said it was just until she could find a job, I just hired her on the
spot. Guys, she’s on the run from whoever put those marks on her. She
needs help.”
Zack balks at that. “And you thought putting her in a house with three
damaged male soldiers was what would help her? Are you insane?”
He grunts through the phone at us, “Just get her fucking settled! We’ll
talk about it when I get home,” and then he disconnects leaving us to glare
at each other.
“Fuck it, grab some of this shit,” Zack mutters my way and then ducks
down to grab a handful of his own.
As I gather up blankets and pillows and snag the handle of a small cooler
my expression hardens.
Beaten, scared, homeless, and on the run? Yeah, this is exactly where
they need to be.
 Avery
 

I clutch Chloe’s crayons and coloring book against my chest as we walk

down the long hall to get to the kitchen and try to stop my head from
spinning from everything that has happened since Easton pounded on my
window early this morning. It feels a little like a dream how fast everything
moved. We went from being destitute, living in our car and freezing to
having a warm, beautiful set of rooms and a job that pays a huge amount of
money each week. Living in this huge, massive house intimidates the heck
out of me but not as much as the three large men I now work for.
Kanga leans into my leg as we walk like he can sense my anxiety so I
ruffle his fur as we go. Chloe skips ahead, completely confident of her place
here. Ryker and Zack had made multiple trips out to my car to bring
everything in and I was immensely grateful that neither one said anything
about how we were clearly living in the car. They just left me to unpack and
an hour later came back to show us around the place. Room after beautiful
room, my nerves tightened. Everything was so polished and expensive and
I’m terrified of what will happen if Chloe or I break something. Thank
goodness for her. She chattered almost nonstop about her likes and dislikes
and what she’s learning in kindergarten as we toured through the house,
filling all the empty silences.
Her chatter turned into squeals of excitement when they showed us the
indoor pool and she immediately started to beg for a swim. Sadly, I had to
say no. As long as she has that cast on her arm, the pool is a no-go for her.
The only thing that kept me from bolting with her out of this huge place
was remembering Easton’s words that I wouldn’t be expected to clean the
whole place. They dropped us back at our rooms so I could catch my breath
and feed Chloe some lunch from the food I had brought with me and
unpacked into the small kitchen. I killed another hour just wandering
around the space while Chloe watched some cartoons trying to wrap my
head around everything. But I was brought here for a job and I’m going to
get started right now.
I get Chloe set up on the island with her coloring book and crayons and
then turn to tackle the overflowing sinks but find them empty of the dishes I
had seen earlier. I frown and turn to where I saw a stack of empty pizza
boxes and find them gone as well. Frowning, I spin slowly around the
kitchen looking for something to clean and come up empty. With a shrug, I
decide to get to work on what Easton said was the most important thing to
him, food. I pull open the huge double doors of the built-in subzero
refrigerator and what I see causes my shoulders to slump. Most of the
shelves are empty except for the lowest one which is well stocked with beer
bottles. A tremor runs through me at the sight of all that beer as memories
of drunken rants and hard fists lashed out.
“It’s pretty bare bones, right?”
I jerk away from the voice so hard that I crash into the edge of the island
right where my ribs hurt the most and gasp in a harsh breath as the pain
almost whites out my vision.
“Whoa! Sorry! Didn’t mean to startle you.” Wide icy blue eyes filled
with concern hit me and Ryker’s gaze goes straight down to where I’m
clutching at my side. “Hey, are you okay?” He asks as he takes a step
toward me with a hand held out.
I throw up my free hand to stop him and nodding quickly, I suck in a
steadying breath.
“Yeah, I’m, I’m good! You just caught me by surprise is all.” I can’t
stand the pity I think I see in his eyes so I swing mine back to the open
fridge. “Um, yeah, there’s not much to work with in there.” I try for a smile
but it barely lifts my lips as I shift slightly to try and ease the pain in my
side.
One of his big hands comes up and rubs at his face as he looks over the
bare shelves and then down at the heavy tactical watch on his arm with a
frown.
“Shit, too late to place a grocery order today. How about we make some
lists and I’ll run us over to the store tomorrow morning? We can stock this
place up properly.”
 I glance over to Chloe but she’s focused on her coloring and not paying
us any attention. I grab a washcloth and start scrubbing at the counter to
keep my hands busy as I answer him.
“Um, it’s okay, I can do that. I mean, you don’t have to take me. Mr.
Easton hired me to take care of that kind of stuff so you all wouldn’t be
bothered.”
He chokes out a muffled laugh that has me darting a glance his way
“Hmm, sure but let’s do the first big shop together so I can show you all
the brands we like to have on hand. After that, we can set up a regular
delivery if you want.”
I chew on my lip too hard, causing me to slam my eyes closed in
impatience at the stupid split lip when it protests, and then swipe my tongue
against it to check if I broke it open again. Thankfully, I don’t taste blood. I
lift my gaze back up to meet his and see anger flash through his eyes as he
stares at my mouth. Damn it! I can’t lose this job so I nod quickly and force
a chipper tone.
“That would be great! We... we aren’t from around here so it would be
good to see where the store is that you guys like to shop at. Um, I would
have to bring Chloe with us if that’s alright?”
He grunts out an affirmative and looks Chloe’s way. “Where are you
from?”
I tense up but try and keep my reply nonchalant and then quickly change
the subject. “Oh, um, a few states over. So, I’m not sure what to do about
dinner. There’s not a lot to work with in here.”
He narrows his eyes at my non-reply but waves a hand toward the
butler’s pantry and laundry room.
“Check the freezer in there. I’m sure whatever you come up with will be
fine. As long as it isn’t pizza.”
He starts to say something else but a chime comes from one of the
pockets of his dark green cargo pants and he fishes out a cell phone.
Another grunt has him backing away with his eyes on his phone.
“Gotta go. Don’t worry too much about dinner. Just throw something
together.”
And then he’s striding away.
I blow out a gush of air as the tension drains from me, grateful he didn’t
press me on where we are from. Chloe flips to a new page in her book and
picks out a purple crayon to use so I leave her there and go to the pantry to
see what I can find in the freezer. I almost stumble over the piles of laundry
on the floor when I walk in. My eyebrows pop up in surprise at just how
much there is in different piles. Shaking my head, I go to work sorting it all
and get the first load going. I don’t know what belongs to who but getting it
washed and folded is the first step in clearing the mess. Thankfully, there
are two washers and two dryers so it won’t take as long as doing a single
load at a time.
With the washer chugging away, I go to the huge double-door freezer and
inventory the scant offerings. There’s not a whole lot to choose from but I
do find a tray of chicken breasts so I grab the tray and take it with me to the
shelves where the dry goods are. I snag a half-filled bag of wild rice and
carry it all back out to the kitchen. I find spices in a cupboard and dive back
into the near empty fridge and pull out a brunch of wilted asparagus that I
think I can bring back to life, a garlic bulb, and some butter. A glance at the
clock on the microwave tells me I have a few hours before most people sit
for dinner, so I put the sealed chicken tray in a sink filled with water to help
it defrost faster and then chop the ends from the asparagus and stand them
all in a tall glass of icy cold water to get them to firm back up.
Chloe loses interest in coloring so I grab the tablet from where Mr.
Easton left it for me and scroll through the apps and find the Netflix icon.
My finger hovers over the settings button to create a new profile. I hesitate
for a second and hope that they are okay with me doing it before setting one
up for kids. At least that way they won’t get deluged by cartoon
recommendations. I get Paw Patrol playing for her, causing my baby to clap
her hands and bounce in her seat in excitement.
I stand watching her for a minute and let mom guilt wash over me. She
should be in school. She should be learning and playing with other kids. I
have to push the guilt down before it overwhelms me. One step at a time, I
tell myself. She has a safe, warm bed to sleep in tonight. Tomorrow…
tomorrow I will start working on putting together a homeschool routine to
try and keep her on track. One day at a time, I will make a better life for my
baby.
****
I chew on my thumbnail as I study the set dining room table. The
rosemary garlic chicken I made is being kept warm in the chafing dish in
the center along with two more dishes that have wild rice and asparagus
with almond slices next to it. I’m nervous that they won’t like it. I know it
turned out well as Chloe and I had a small portion of all of it earlier. She’s
too little to eat dinner so late in the day. I sigh, I did the best I could do with
the ingredients on hand. I turn and leave the dining room and go back to the
kitchen. Chloe’s been a good sport while I worked but I can tell she’s
reaching her limit and will need a bath and bed sooner rather than later so I
wrap my arms around her from behind where she sits at the island and place
a kiss on the top of her head.
“Almost done, baby, and then we’ll go back to our rooms. You’ve been
such a good girl today.” I murmur into her hair as she tips her head back
and gives me a tired smile.
“S’okay, Mommy. I like Paw Patrol.” She wrinkles her little nose, “I like
it here better than the car. Can we stay?”
I swallow back the tears that threaten to fill my eyes and nod with a
smile. “I think so, for a while anyway.”
I hear the buzzer go from the dryers so squeeze her one more time and
then go and fold the last of the laundry. There are stacks of clean and folded
clothes all along the counter, separated by types. T-shirts, shorts, pants,
jeans, and sweatshirts seem to be the main styles of these men. They’ll have
to sort out what belongs to who but at least it’s all clean now.
When I go back to the kitchen my steps falter to find all three of the men
there. They each have a beer bottle in one of their hands but the other holds
a crayon-colored picture. Chloe is telling them in detail why she chose the
colors and what each picture represents. I twist my fingers nervously
hoping that they won’t be annoyed by her bugging them but each one of
them seems to be nodding along with her explanations so I step further into
the room and paste on a smile that only quivers a little bit.
“Hello, um, dinner is ready in the dining room. I’m, um, just leave all the
dishes and I’ll take care of it after I get Chloe down for bed.” I swallow
against my nerves. “I, I didn’t know what belonged to who but all the
laundry is, um, folded and ready for you all. Maybe, um, we could get some
different colored baskets for each of you? That way I can keep it all sorted
and bring it to your rooms when it’s done?”
They all just blink at me so I plow forward in a rush of words. “Also, um,
I’m getting groceries tomorrow so if there’s anything special you all
wanted, maybe you could make a list for me? And, and I just wanted to say,
um, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Easton, for giving me this opportunity. I
promise you won’t regret it!”
 A grimace crosses his expression while smirks fill Ryker’s and Zack’s
faces causing my stomach to flip with anxiety.
“Please, don’t call me Mr. Easton. It’s just East or even Cass if you want.
Mr. Easton was my father and we don’t want to summon that ghost back
into the house.” He jokes with a faint smile calming the queasy feeling in
my stomach.
Zack jumps in. “You did our laundry? Like all of it?” At my nod, he grins
and glances at the others. “She did our laundry! And judging by the
amazing smells of dinner, we will be dining like kings tonight. I don’t think
you’re paying her enough, East!”
A small relieved smile tugs at my lips at his praise even as my gaze
swings back to Mr…East. He nods at me and looks toward the dining room.
“Yes, well, whatever you made does smell good. We’ll have those lists
for you by the end of the day. Thank you. It’s nice to come home to
something besides take out.”
I nod again and then move to help Chloe down from the bar-height chair.
“Well, um, if there’s nothing else right now, I should get Chloe settled in for
bed.”
Ryker frowns, “Aren’t you going to eat with us? You need to eat.”
My eyes flare wide at the invitation but I shake my head.
“Oh, um, thank you but we ate earlier.” I tilt my head down to Chloe.
“This one can’t make it past five for dinner without getting cranky. So, just
um, enjoy!”
Chloe mumbles a sleepy, “Night” to them as I lead her away and I feel
three sets of eyes burning into my back until I leave the room. I hear the
dog whine and Ryker command him to stay.
 Ryker
 

“This is fucking amazing!” Zack moans around a mouthful of food and I

grunt my agreement. It really is. We are all on our second helping and all
three of the serving dishes have been scraped clean. I’m beyond impressed
that Avery managed to put all this together after seeing how empty the
fridge was. I scrape the last of the rice from my plate and lean back in my
chair, spearing East with a look.
“So, what’s the deal? How did you find them?”
He washes down the last of his chicken with a gulp from his beer and
shakes his head, telling us about how he when into the ditch last night on
the icy roads and how she came to help him.
“I can’t believe she wouldn’t take the money I offered her. Especially
now that I know how badly she needed it. She told me to just pay it forward
to someone in need.” His fingers whiten as he clenches them around the
bottle. “When I saw her car this morning, still in the same spot and covered
with snow, I panicked thinking she had been stranded there all night after I
drove away. I couldn’t fucking believe what I saw when I banged on the
window and she opened the door. I was actually getting ready to call the
cops.” His face goes hard as he knocks his bottle back down on the table in
anger. “I didn’t get much from her on the why but it was enough to know
that she’s terrified he’ll find her and take the girl. What else was I supposed
to do but bring her home?”
I pick up my steak knife and twirl it in my fingers, imagining stabbing
the fucker who did that to them.
“I’m pretty sure it’s not just her face. I think her ribs are banged up as
well. I don’t know for sure but the way she winces when she moves a
certain way and the way she holds herself against the pain? It seems like
she’s almost used to hurting and pushing through it to function.”
Zack tosses his fork down next to his cleared plate. “Somebody needs to
fucking die…painfully! What kind of loser beats on a woman, especially
one as small as her? And that kid? She’s all sunshine and sugar. How could
anyone hurt that? For fuck’s sake!”
Kanga chuffs like he agrees from under the table as Easton nods in
agreement with a faraway look in his eyes. We all know that his father was
that kind of loser so this probably is hitting close to home for him. It makes
sense that he would bring her and the girl here. He has some major baggage
where his own mother is concerned. His eyes sharpen on us as he shakes off
whatever dark place he just went to.
“I’m booked up for the rest of the week with client meetings but I don’t
want her leaving this house alone until we get a name and eliminate the
threat to them. I need you both to work on that. Probe…gently…for a last
name, where they came from. Anything that will give us a lead to find this
guy. Until then, keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn’t overdo it and
cause more damage to her injuries.” He glares at us. “She doesn’t do any
heavy lifting! Take care of it before she tries. I can’t be here all day so you
two need to watch out for that kind of thing, give her a chance to heal up.”
With that said, he pushes away from the table and starts gathering up the
dirty dishes. Zack and I grab the rest and we load everything into the
dishwasher so she won’t have anything to do later. We go our separate ways
with clean stacks of laundry to put away.
I flop back onto my king-size bed with Kanga sprawled on one side and
hold the coloring that Chloe gave me in front of my eyes. It’s pretty good
for a five-year-old. Most of the purple she chose to fill in the grinning teddy
bear riding a unicorn is inside the lines. I fold it up and slide it under my
pillow and then lock my fingers behind my head and close my eyes. In the
silence, I can just barely make out the sound of Avery singing through the
wall to Chloe. It…pulls at something inside of me that I’ve never felt
before.
A smile forms on my lips and I almost laugh out loud at how much I’m
looking forward to going to the grocery store for the first time in my life. I
let myself drift off to sleep with her soft singing and for that night,
nightmares don’t come to haunt me.
****
 “Two carts?” Avery asks me with wide eyes.
I grunt and reach down to lift Chloe into one of them with a nod.
“We need a lot for five people,” I growl at Chloe. “This one ate all my
bacon this morning.”
She giggles and gives me a cheeky smile and jerks her head, sending the
shiny black curls in her matching ponytails bouncing.
We found her and Avery back in the kitchen this morning with stacks of
pancakes and a mound of bacon waiting for us. Avery was full of apologies
that there wasn’t any fruit or orange juice and promises that she would do
better after we shopped. All three of us looked at her in disbelief as we
loaded our plates and dug into the best breakfast any of us had had in a
while. She was flushed and red-faced when she asked Easton to show her
how to work our ridiculous coffee maker. I’ll be the first to admit that the
machine makes damn good coffee but it has more buttons and functions on
it than the fucking space shuttle and even I don’t know half of what they do.
We all sat at the island to eat with Kanga at my feet waiting patiently for
his bacon tithe as Avery went over the lists we made for her. My favorite
part besides the food was when Zack pretended to try and swipe a piece of
bacon from Chloe’s plate. The tiny girl whipped her head to him and
growled at him. It came out more kitten than bear but it was cute as hell.
She then turned to me with a serious look and asked, “Like that?”
I grunted and deadpanned, “Deeper.” She tried again and produced a
sound that was a little closer to angry kitten so I nodded. “Better.”
When I looked up and over to Avery, I saw her first real smile since she’s
been here and it took my breath away. Even with her swollen lip and the
bruising around one eye, that smile sucker punched me right in the gut. A
quick glance at the others showed me that they were affected by it as well. I
stomped all thoughts in that direction down hard. Avery’s a wounded bird
that needs care and help, not unwanted advances from us.
Once breakfast was over, I ushered her and Chloe out of the house to go
shopping even as she protested that she needed to do the dishes first. A look
and nod from Zack told me he would take care of it.
It took a few minutes to get Chloe’s car seat into the back of my restored
Bronco and Avery looked very nervous while I strapped Chloe in, insisting
on double-checking my work before settling into her seat. With everyone in
and settled, I started driving to the nearest supermarket.
“Two carts?” Avery asked.
 “Who knows, we might even need a third cart but let’s start with these
two and go from there,” I tell her as I move out of the way so she can push
the cart that Chloe sits in.
We move through the aisles slowly as Avery consults with the lists and
every time she hesitates over an item, I add two of it to the cart until she
finally starts to relax and adds things on her own with more confidence. I
have her laughing by the time we reach the cereal aisle and as Chloe points
things out, I put them in the cart and then Avery removes them and puts
them back on the shelf until it’s a game.
Chloe is giggling and even Avery is smiling while shaking her head when
our game is interrupted by a voice filled with condemnation and outrage.
“Tsk! You should be ashamed of yourself!”
Both Avery and I turn and see a middle age woman with a mouth pursed
like she just sucked on a lemon and a glare filled with judgment. The
woman sizes me up with disgust and turns her hate-filled eyes toward
Avery.
“What kind of example is that to a child? Staying with someone who puts
those kinds of marks on you? I should call the police right now and report
you!”
I’m shocked stupid that anyone would hurl such bile at a complete
stranger but when I dart a glance at Avery and see all the blood drain from
her face as she starts to shake and tears flood into her eyes, my shock turns
to fury. I crowd the biddy, towering above her until she’s forced to start
backpedaling down the aisle away from the girls. I lean down real close and
growl into her startled face.
“I didn’t put those bruises on her. She did leave the one who did and fuck
you for trying to shame her for them. I suggest you mind your own fucking
business before I decide to make it mine.”
The woman scurries away with a huff of indignation and I stand there
with my arms crossed glaring until she leaves the aisle. When I turn around,
I curse under my breath at the damage that’s been done. All the smiles are
gone and Avery has slipped her dark sunglasses on to cover her eyes. She
keeps her head down and only answers my questions with short one or two-
word answers as we finish the shopping. Chloe picks up on the mood and
keeps sending her mom sad little looks as we check out.
I send them both to get in the Bronco as I load the back with all that we
bought, trying to figure out what I can do to bring their smiles back. I’m
driving us to the butcher we like to get our meat from when I spot a big,
free-standing book store and quickly change lanes and drive into the lot.
Avery darts a look my way but with her dark sunglasses covering most of
her face, I can’t get a read on her so I just grunt out, “Need some books.”
We all go in and I herd them to the back where the children’s section is.
Zack and I unloaded her car so I know Chloe doesn’t have many toys to
play with and I plan to change that right now. I wave Avery off when she
tries to get Chloe to look at educational books.
“Go ahead, grab everything you want. Everything, Avery.” I growl at her,
knowing she’ll balk at the cost. “Chloe and I need to inspect the toy
section.”
When Chloe yells “Yay!” and dashes off I get a small smile from Avery
and a nod of agreement. The toy section is filled with overpriced, high-end
brands but I don’t give a shit. The three of us have more money than we’ll
ever be able to spend thanks to the investments Zack set us up with back
when we were first deployed. We trusted him with our paychecks and he
made us all a fortune with crypto. I grab a clerk with a tablet and every
single thing Chloe shows an interest in gets added to the virtual cart as well
as a few things that catch my eye. By the time I nod to the wide-eyed,
grinning clerk that we’re done and hand over my credit card, I’ve ordered
almost everything in the toy section to be delivered as soon as possible.
Avery comes over with a small stack of workbooks and picture books and
I can see from the sales sticker on them that she only chose books from the
clearance racks so I make her go back through them with us and let Chloe
choose. The kid goes heavy on the ponies, fairies, and teddy bear stories but
I nod my approval when she holds up a few superhero books as well.
“Ryker! Please, I…I don’t have the money for all of these!” Avery
whispers to me nervously while twisting her fingers as I point out shelves
full of art supplies.
I turn to face her head on and reach out to slide her dark glasses from her
face so I can see her eyes and the tired smudges under them that go with the
bruising.
“Consider it an advance on your pay then. She’s happy, Avery, and so am
I to give her that.”
I see her melt a little at my words but then she straightens up. “Fine, but I
want the cost taken out of my first pay. I mean it!”
I hand her back her glasses and grunt, “Sure.”
 Avery
 

The Hasselback potatoes are browning nicely in the oven. The fresh green
beans and sliced red peppers are ready to go in the steamer and the
marinated steaks are ready to be seared as soon as Easton, Ryker, and Zack
get here. Chloe sits at the counter practicing her printing in one of the new
workbooks I got for her but every now and then, she sends longing looks at
the German chocolate fudge cake I baked and frosted that sits nearby.
As I lean against the counter watching her, I probe gently with the pads
of my fingers around my bruised eye. It’s turned a sickening greenish-
yellow but thankfully, most of the swelling has gone down. The bruises on
my torso, unfortunately, are a vivid wash of black, blue, and purple and I
know from experience that it’ll take a lot longer for them to go away. My
hand falls to my side as I take stock of things.
Today has been a really good day. Shopping with Ryker was…eye-
opening and also a lot of fun until…I shove that woman’s harsh words
aside. I don’t need guilt from a stranger when I have enough from myself.
I’ve never grocery shopped like that before with an unlimited budget. I
mean, I’ve bought groceries before but it was always just the bare minimum
of needs after my parents died and then he decided on exactly what went
into the cart the few times we shopped together before he took that task
away completely.
I squeeze my eyes closed for a minute at how stupid I was. There were so
many red flags that I overlooked. Young, dumb, and all alone in the world, I
just let him take care of me, never realizing that it wasn’t care. It was
control. I didn’t even know that there were men like Easton, Ryker, and
Zack in the world. I went from high school boys I was never really
interested in, to having a husband. He was my first and only…everything.
My whole life revolved around pleasing him and then trying to balance that
and caring for Chloe after she was born. A balance I failed at and was
punished for over and over again.
“Hello! How was your day?” Easton asks as he walks in and breaks me
from my dark thoughts.
A quick glance at the clock tells me he’s home earlier tonight so I reach
for the switch to turn on the steamer and then turn to pull the steaks from
the fridge.
“Good, thanks. How was your day?”
When I turn around with the tray of marinated steaks, I see him looking
down at Chloe and I frown. She’s pushed her workbook over to him and she
taps her pencil on the work she’s doing and then gives him a ‘what the
heck’ look.
I groan out, “Chloe…” but Easton holds up a hand, silencing me without
even looking my way.
“Show me,” he tells her and she leans over and makes a lowercase h that
looks more like an n and then looks back up to him.
“Ah, I see. You need to start from the top at the upper line. Draw straight
down and then make the hump.”
Her head goes back down to the paper and her pencil drags across the
paper with her little tongue poking out and her brow wrinkled in
concentration. When she’s done, she grins up at him and he nods and taps
the paper again with a finger.
“Good job. Keep practicing until it feels natural to do it that way.”
She pulls her workbook back in front of her and goes to work and for
some reason, I get choked up. It was nothing, really, just a simple
instruction but it just sucker punched me that he never, not once leaned over
his daughter and helped her with anything. I have to turn away from
Easton’s probing look so I focus on heating and melting the butter to baste
the steaks with and let the room fill with silence.
“When can I go back to school?”
Her simple question has my eyes flying her way and dread filling my
core.
“Umm…”
“Next week.” Easton and I say at the same time.
I send him a pointed, panicked look and then tell Chloe, “You can be
done, baby. Run your book back to our room and wash your hands. Dinner
will be ready soon.”
She flips the book closed with a grin and then latches on to Easton’s arm
to help lower herself down from the tall chair. Kanga jumps up from where
he had been laying and chases after her out of the room.
“Mr…Easton, I, um, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to keep Chloe here
with me. I think homeschooling might be a good path for us.”
I can’t meet his eyes, afraid of the judgment I’ll see there when I hear
him sigh so I slide the steaks into the sizzling butter bath in the pan.
“You’re afraid he will find her.”
It’s a statement, not a question so I don’t answer him. The steaks are
searing so after a quick baste of butter, I turn to the split baguette resting in
foil and brush melted garlic butter on the inside of it and then wrap it up
and slide it into the oven. When I turn back to flip the steaks, I make brief
eye contact with his penetrating gaze and then look down at the pan.
“It’s just safer for both of us if she stays here with me,” I whisper.
Ryker comes in from the garage right then and joins us.
“What’s up?” He asks as he slides behind me and gets a beer from the
fridge. When neither of us answers him, he growls, “East?”
I’m busy spooning butter over the steaks so I don’t look up.
“We were just talking about Chloe starting school next week. Avery
thinks it’s safer for her to stay here and homeschool.”
I can feel that they’re both looking at me and I keep my head down to try
and avoid any more discussion but if I sear the steaks any longer they will
be overcooked. I look up to shut the flame off, cover the pan with the lid,
and then slide it into the second heated oven to finish cooking.
“I need to finish setting the table,” I tell them and then practically run to
the dining room. The table is already set perfectly for three but I needed a
minute to hopefully end the conversation.
I lean against the wall and hear East tell Ryker, “Let’s go dig Zack out of
his cave. He’s been coding the MacMillan project so he probably doesn’t
even know what day it is.”
Ryker grunts and I hear their footsteps leave the kitchen so I heave in a
deep breath and go back to plate all the food. I take out serving dishes and a
tray for the steaks and then start pulling everything out of the oven and start
transferring it. I keep one steak, one potato, and a serving of vegetables
back for Chloe and me and then start carrying everything into the dining
room. I’ve just set the bread basket on the table when the guys come in.
 “Oh my God! Is that steak? Damn, Avery! You’re seriously an angel
brought to earth,” Zack gushes as he pulls out a chair and takes his seat.
Easton frowns at the table. “It’s only set for three. Did you already eat? I
came home early so it wouldn’t be too late for Chloe.”
I blink in surprise hearing that but then shake my head. “Oh! Well, I…
we, were going to take ours to the rooms to eat.”
Easton spins on his heel and leaves the room causing me to chase after
him. When he picks up the two plates I had made up for Chloe and me and
turns to take them to the dining room I blurt out, “I’m sorry! I didn’t
think…I…I’m your housekeeper! Why would you want us to eat with you
all?”
His steps falter briefly and then he’s shaking his head and moving again.
“Because I prefer it that way,” is all the answer I get from him as Chloe
comes running in after us and climbs up into a chair beside Ryker,
immediately launching into the details of what she learned this afternoon
and how Easton showed her how to fix those tricky h’s.
Easton sets our plates down leaving me no choice but to take a seat
beside Zack. My stomach is rolling at being here with them when I reach
for Chloe’s plate to cut up her half of the steak but she hands her fork and
knife to Ryker and tilts her head at her plate.
“I’m sorry, I can…”
His grunt cuts me off and then he’s cutting her meat up into tiny bite-
sized pieces. Zack passes the bread basket under my nose forcing me to
take it from his hands. I manage a strained smile at him and then take a
piece of bread for my plate and pass the basket across to Chloe. She almost
sticks her whole face into it as she takes a deep exaggerated sniff. Her
shoulders come up and her cheeks turn pink from the warm steam coming
off of them.
“Yummy!”
She declares to the table and plucks a piece out for herself and then
passes the basket to Ryker.
I can’t help but smile at her antics and say, “You goose!”
Zack laughs, “Goose?”
Chloe gives him a big nod and a grin. “Yup, when I’m being good, I’m a
duck. When I’m being silly, I’m a goose.”
He raises an eyebrow at her. “Huh, so what are you when you’re being
bad?”
 She gets a devilish grin on her face and her violet eyes sparkle when she
leans in and mock whispers, “I’m a turkey!”
There’s a beat of silence and then all three of them start to laugh. The
nerves in my stomach settle and I look down at my plate and feel the first
stirrings of hunger for the meal I prepared. I think… I think this might be
okay. I think we might have a chance at a future living here. I cut a piece of
my steak and put it in my mouth, enjoying how soft and tender the meat is.
It turned out well and judging by the appreciative sounds coming from the
three men, they think so too.
I’ve eaten half my meal when Easton brings up the school issue again,
making me slowly set my fork down as everything tightens inside.
“I have connections at a very good private school not that far from here.
We could enroll Chloe there to start next week. There’s no reason why her
attendance there would…come to light.”
I take a sip of water and see that my hand is shaking again so I set it back
down quickly. “I would need to provide her birth certificate. I…I don’t have
that with me,” I say softly while staring down at my plate.
“Not a problem,” Zack jumps in. “Just tell me what name you want on it.
Any name…at all, will work.”
My head comes up and I look around the table and then back to him
asking a silent question with my eyes. He gives me a soft understanding
look.
“Any name you want, Avery. It can be untraceable.”
Hope sends butterflies swooping in my belly. I don’t really want to know
how he can do something that would be…illegal, but technically, me taking
Chloe without her father’s permission was illegal so…
“She should be around other kids her age. It would be good for her to
have a normal routine, don’t you think?” Easton asks.
My eyes slide away from his to Ryker. He’s frowning but that’s his usual
look so it’s his sharp nod of agreement that tells me what he thinks. I keep
going and look at Chloe. Her whole face glows with hope as she clutches
her hands under her chin. The look takes all resistance out of me so I turn
back to Easton.
“O-okay, but, private school? I doubt I could afford that even with what
you are going to be paying me.”
He waves that away and simply says, “Scholarship will cover it.”
 Before I can ask any more questions, Chloe claps her hands and beams a
smile around the table.
“Yay! Let’s celebrate…with cake!”
 Avery
 

I walk Chloe up the path to the school for her first day. I clutch at her
hand as nausea rolls and sweat slicks down my back. I know this will be
good for her. She’s beyond excited to get back to playing with friends but
I’m terrified of letting her out of my sight. We’ve almost reached the glass
doors when they are thrown open and the horrible woman from the grocery
store steps out with a glare for me. Confusion fills me at why she would be
here but it’s the man who steps out from behind her that has a choked
scream falling from my lips. It’s him! He’s found us!
I try and pull Chloe away to run but her hand slips from mine as she
skips ahead to them. The woman pulls Chloe close and a sharp finger
comes up to jab my way.
“Someone like you doesn’t deserve to be a mother! You should be
ashamed of yourself!”
She drags Chloe back through the doors as he strides toward me with
clenched fists. I recognize the look on his face from many times before when
he’d come at me to punish me for breaking the rules. I toss my head in
every direction while screaming for help but there’s no one around but us.
“You thought you could take what’s mine? You thought you could leave
ME?” He roars at me as I throw my arms up to try and protect my face and
beg him not to do it, knowing it will do nothing to stop what’s coming. As
the first hard fist speeds towards my face, I scream…
The scream dies into a desperate gasp for air as I throw myself to the side
and fall out of bed, hitting the carpet on my damaged side. Pain-filled
noises escape me as I try and push past the agony in my ribs and back. I
somehow manage to get to my hands and knees and bite back the sobs that
want to spill out. I know very well that crying never helped anything.
I use the bed to pull myself to my feet and sway in place as I try and get
my balance back, looking around the room that’s dimly lit by the lamp I left
on in case Chloe woke in the night. I listen closely to see if my nightmare
has woken her but the space between my room and hers must have muffled
my cries enough for her to sleep through them.
I’m glad now that I let her
sleep in her own bed when she asked earlier. She’s already seen me at my
lowest too many times.
I tighten the messy bun I put my long hair into when I went to sleep and
brush away the sweat-dampened tendrils sticking to my face. My fingers
pluck at the sweat-soaked t-shirt I’m wearing. I feel clammy and gross in it
so I pull it up over my head and stagger over to the dresser to find a fresh
one. I only make it part way across the room when the door to the hall is
pushed open causing me to jump and squeal in fright. I almost laugh when
Kanga barrels in with a whine. He comes straight to me, nudges my empty
hand, and then licks my fingers. He leans into my bare legs as if to give me
comfort and then turns and jumps up onto the bed.
I squeeze my eyes closed tight. His actions are not a hug but it’s enough
to give me a little comfort. I hope he stays so I can curl up around him and
for the rest of the night, not feel so completely alone. A grunt of surprise
has my eyes flying back open to meet Ryker’s surprised ones in my
doorway. Shadows move behind him in the hall but I squeak again and yank
the damp t-shirt in my hand up to try and cover my bare chest and spin to
turn my back to him.
“Sorry! Kang…I didn’t mean…FUCK, Avery!”
The apology and explanation he’s trying to give turn to anger when he
swears at me causing me to cringe and peek back over my shoulder at him.
He’s not looking at my face though, he’s looking at my back and my side.
When I see the fury pass across his features, I realize he’s not mad because
I’m almost naked. He’s furious at the marks on my body. He strides into the
room as shame washes over me and I turn my head away from him as I start
to shake. I shake and tremble and let out a soft cry when I feel his warm
fingers trail down my spine over the boot-shaped bruise there and then
move to my side to gently brush down across my multicolored bruises.
“Goddamn it!” He whispers harshly, causing me to whimper and flinch
but then his arms come around me and he’s pulling me against his hard
chest. His head comes down to rest on top of mine and he starts to whisper
gruffly.
“No one, no one will ever lay a hand on you again! You have my word.
You will be safe here. Safe and protected. I’m so sorry.”
I should be terrified. I should be running screaming from the room as this
beast of a man I just met holds my half-naked body against his but instead,
warmth starts to fill me. His warmth, his huge gentle arms, and his promise
of safety all come together to give me something I’ve never felt before. He
makes me feel…like I matter.
My body just melts back against his and his arms tighten softly. He
doesn’t say anything else; he just holds on to me from behind with his face
buried in my hair and my tears falling down onto his arms. He lets me cry
and he lets me lean and it’s enough.
Eventually, he pulls back but it’s only so he can yank his shirt over his
head. I tense up, worried that he has misconstrued what has just happened
but he drops his huge shirt over my head and helps me thread my arms into
it so I can drop the sleepshirt to the floor. He nudges me to the bed and lifts
the blankets for me to slide under them and then tucks them over me.
“Kang, guard.” He commands the dog who chuffs back and then the dog
crawls up the bed and snuggles right up next to me. I feel his hand lightly
touch my hair and then his footsteps recede and the door clicks closed.
I drape an arm around Kanga and close my eyes. I should be horrified,
embarrassed. Not only did Ryker get a look at my breasts but he saw the
shame that covers my body. I search myself for the desire to run, to escape -
but with his dog guarding me and the subtle spice smell of him enveloping
me from his shirt, I find only the desire to stay. When I sleep again, there
are no more nightmares.
 Easton
 

I close and toss the file onto my desk and then rub at my gritty eyes. It’s
well past midnight and the stack of work I should have gotten through
doesn’t even have a dent in it. I’m preoccupied, distracted, and I don’t
understand why. I reach for the cut crystal tumbler half filled with scotch as
tired violet eyes and a cloud of glossy black curls flash into my mind. I
don’t understand why I feel so…invested…in her and her daughter’s future.
Hiring her was the right call, she’s already proven that with the work
she’s done in the house. It was a decent human thing to do to give them a
suite of rooms to use so they had somewhere safe to stay until they got back
on their feet. Those rooms haven’t been occupied in decades anyways.
They’ve been sitting empty since long before I inherited this house. Other
than the cleaning service and the designer who gutted and renovated the
house before we moved in, I don’t think any of us has even gone into those
rooms.
What I don’t understand is why I insisted she and her daughter dine with
us. I even came home early from work so it wouldn’t be too late for Chloe.
Avery is an employee, a damaged one but still, so why did I even bring up
Chloe’s education and me pulling strings to make it happen? For all I know,
Avery will take the money at the end of the week and run from here. I drain
the last of my drink and push away from the desk. There need to be
boundaries put in place. They have a lot of complicated baggage and the
bottom line is they are not my responsibility. I have enough on my plate as
it is.
I shut the lights off and pass through the kitchen on the way to my room
and catch a glimpse of the half-eaten cake on the counter. Baggage or not,
the woman is a hell of a cook. My feet slow as I try to decide if I should
grab another piece, knowing it will be gone by the time I get home
tomorrow. Thoughts of cake fly away as Kanga comes scrabbling around
the corner on the hardwood floor from Ryker’s room and makes a wide arc
before dashing down the hall to the suite I put Avery and Chloe into.
Ryker follows him next with an expression I don’t think I’ve ever seen on
his face before. He looks…unsure. When he spots me, his steps falter and
he turns my way while looking down the hall after his dog.
“Kang woke me. He was upset, pacing in front of my door, wanting out.”
He lets out a drawn-out grunt, “Her rooms back onto mine. I could hear her
crying and screaming.”
I rear back and then look past him in concern, my feet taking the first
steps even before my mind has registered that I’m going. Zack wanders in,
still wearing his glasses that he only wears when he’s coding, and a smirk
tugs at his lips.
“You guys after cake too?”
Ryker looks back at me with a deep frown. “Nightmares, I think.”
I nod down her hall. “We should check to be sure.”
And then we’re both headed that way with Zack trailing along to see
what’s going on. Ryker takes the lead and when Zack tries to ask a question,
I shush him over my shoulder. The last thing Avery needs is for the three of
us to invade her space, even if it is out of concern. The light is off in the
hallway but there’s dim light coming from her open door. We almost run
into Ryker’s back when he jerks to a stop and flinches back. I hear her
squeak out in surprise and then Ryker’s stumbling over his words.
“Sorry! Kang…I didn’t mean…FUCK, Avery!”
He strides into the room leaving a perfect view for Zack and I of Avery’s
slim, naked back. Her head is turned away from him and we can both see
that she’s shaking. I want to bark at Ryker to get out of her room as she
clearly doesn’t want him there but then I see his fingers trail down her spine
over the boot-shaped bruise there and then move to her side to brush down
across the swath of black, purple and blue bruises covering most of the side
of her body. Molten anger rolls through me and I take a hard step forward to
enter her room but Zack’s hand on my shoulder pulls me back.
“God damn it!” Ryker whispers harshly to her causing her to whimper
and flinch but then he puts his arms around her and pulls her against his
chest. His head drops down to rest on top of hers and at that moment I
would give my considerable fortune to switch places with him.
 We hear him whisper gruffly to her, “No one, no one will ever lay a hand
on you again! You have my word. You will be safe here. Safe and protected.
I’m so sorry.”
We both see the moment her stiff body melts back against his and his
arms tighten around her and then Zack is pulling me back and away from
the door and we disappear back into the shadows. We go back to the kitchen
and I grip the edge of the cool marble and lean over it until my forehead
rests on it for a few seconds. Zack starts swearing so I stand back up and
face him.
“Motherfucking, low life, piece of shit!” His blazing eyes meet mine.
“Did you see that? That was a fucking bootprint bruise on her back, East!
Do you know how hard he would have had to stomp on her for the tread
marks to show up in a bruise? What the actual fuck, man? Who does that
kind of shit to a woman? I mean, never mind that she’s just a tiny little
thing, who the fuck does that?”
I’m saved from trying to find answers when Ryker stomps in the room.
My eyebrows shoot up when I see he’s minus a shirt but I make no
comment. Based on the way his ham-sized fists are clenched and the
absolute fury radiating off of him, it wouldn’t be wise right now. Zack calls
out to him as he passes us.
“Where are you going, man?”
Ryker grunts out, “To hit something really fucking hard.”
Zack and I share a loaded look and then we turn to follow him to the
gym. It’s not like sleep is an option now. We might as well pummel the bags
to work it off. We can pretend it’s that fucker’s face.
 Avery
 

I wake at the first hints of dawn. I feel…refreshed. I’m incredibly warm

and cozy with Kanga’s body pressed along the length of my back. I breathe
deeply and the smells that surround me are of Ryker and that makes me
feel…safe. I feel my cheeks heat up in a blush as I remember that I flashed
him my boobs last night but it was after that, the way he gently touched me
and then held me and made promises to keep me safe that warms my cheeks
even more.
I roll onto my back and dig my fingers into Kanga’s fur. I’ve never had a
man be that way with me before. Then again, I’ve only ever been with one
man. Right from the start he was assertive with me. At the time, I was
eighteen and thought it was just mature confidence. I was so lost and alone
in the world that it was easy to just let him make the decisions. He was kind
to me, brought me flowers, and took me out to what I considered grown-up
restaurants but looking back now, I can see that it was all contrived to get
me to fall into his trap. It worked perfectly. I knew nothing about being an
adult or being in an adult relationship. I just went along, flattered that a man
of his stature was interested in me. I was a fool.
I pull the wide collar of Ryker’s shirt up to my nose and breath deeply.
He’s so, so, big! He could snap me like a twig but his large body and arms
made me feel so safe and protected. I sigh deeply, making Kanga lift his
head to lay on my chest, his big sweet eyes staring deep into mine.
“Is this going to be awkward?” I ask him. “What do I do? Do I thank him
or just pretend like it didn’t happen?”
The dog lets out a soft whine so I just nod in agreement. “Yeah, I don’t
know either.”
 Chloe comes bounding in and climbs up onto the bed with a happy
squeal. I reach out and get a hand on her heavy cast before it lands on the
poor dog.
“Kang!” She yells and burrows in next to him as he rolls and starts
licking her face as she giggles. “Can Kanga sleep with me tonight? Please?
Pretty please, Momma?”
I brush her messy curls back from her face and lean over to kiss her,
getting a tongue swipe in the process from the grinning dog.
“I don’t know, duck. You would have to ask Ryker. Kanga’s his dog.”
I roll out of bed with a wince when my ribs pang and put my hands on
my hips. “Alright, time to get up. Kanga probably needs to go out to do his
business and we need to get dressed and brush our teeth so I can get
breakfast going.”
The dog launches off the bed and goes to the door so I let him out but
Chloe has starfished herself across the bed. She rolls her head my way with
a concerned look.
“Does the Tooth Fairy know where we are?”
I crawl back onto the bed with her and lean on one elbow so I can look
down into her face.
“Of course she does! That’s how magic works.”
She rolls her lips in and her pretty eyes slide away from mine. “So, she
won’t go to our old house?”
“No. Why, baby?”
I see her lower lip give the slightest tremble before it gushes out of her.
“I don’t want her to go there! Daddy might get mad and hurt her!”
My heart lurches in my chest as I gather her up and rub her back
soothingly.
“No, baby, no! Daddy’s not going to hurt anybody. That’s…that’s over
now. I promise.”
She sniffs a few times against my chest and then squirms for me to let go.
“You smell like Ryker! Can I have cereal for breakfast?”
My mouth drops open for a few beats but then I just nod.
“Sure, duck. You can have cereal.”
****
I’m sliding ham and green pepper omelets onto plates when the guys
come in and then turn to pour out three mugs of coffee. I keep my eyes
down with just a quiet “good morning” to them all as I slide the mugs over.
Thankfully, Chloe’s chatter fills the space as she tells them all about her
new favorite cereal that has animal shapes and tiny marshmallows in it.
Zack has her giggling as he sticks his nose down almost into the milk to
inspect them. A smile pulls at my lips at how nice they all are to my girl as I
fill Easton’s travel mug. I know he doesn’t linger over breakfast in the
mornings.
“I need one too. I’ll be gone all day,” Ryker says almost directly behind
me and I try hard not to let myself flinch when his muscular arm slides past
my face to take a second travel mug from the shelf of the open cupboard. I
peek up at him from under my lashes and receive a slow wink in return,
letting some of the tension in my shoulders bleed out. Okay, maybe not that
awkward after all then. I take the travel mug from him and fill it up as well
and hand it back with a small smile.
While they all eat quickly, I get to work washing and cleaning up the
pans. My mind goes to what to make for dinner as I scrub in hot soapy
water so I call over my shoulder, “I was thinking Italian for dinner. Is that
okay?”
Ryker just grunts an affirmative. Easton says, “That’s fine,” but Zack
asks, “Lasagna?” with a hopeful tone.
The wistfulness in his tone makes me chuckle so I say, “Sure, I can do
lasagna.”
Minutes later plates are empty and goodbyes are said and it’s back to just
me and Chloe in the room. I blow out a breath and start filling the
dishwasher with their plates. That went better than I hoped it would. It’s day
three and I think I’m finding my groove here. I dry my hands with a dish
towel and get lost in thought. I fled in the night with Chloe six days ago
with next to no money and no prospects for somewhere to live or make
money. There was no world where I thought just a few days later I’d be
living in a mansion with three men. It’s almost too good to be true. I chew
on my nails as nerves flutter. I need to do everything right here. I can’t give
any of them a reason to ask us to leave. I…we need this place, need this job,
if we have any chance to start building some kind of secure future for
ourselves. Everything needs to be perfect. I need to be perfect so they have
no reason to be disappointed in my work or my behavior. It has to be
perfect.
Chloe chirps that she’s done eating so I clean up her area and then get her
set up with some easy school work. I notice a small spot of oil on the
backsplash so I get the scrub brush and cleaning spray from under the sink
and start scrubbing. I’ve made it down to the baseboards with my scrub
brush when the doorbell chimes, bringing me back to my feet.
I look around nervously but other than Chloe bent over her workbook,
there’s no one but me to answer it. I’m the housekeeper! It’s my job to
answer the door! I tell myself to get my feet moving. My hand is reaching
for the knob when a lash of fear seizes me. What if…what if it’s him? What
if he’s found us? The bell rings again causing me to jump slightly. Damn it!
It’s not him! I brace myself and slowly pull the door open a crack to peek
out. Of course, it’s not him! It’s a delivery man. His arms are full of boxes
so I pull the door wide open and offer a tentative smile.
“Morning!” He says and hefts the boxes higher. “Where do you want
these?”
“Oh, um, you can just set them inside, right here,” I tell him and move
out of the way so he can stack the boxes in the large entry.
He adds the second stack to the first pile and I’m about to close the door
when he says, “Be right back!”
There’s more? It’s none of my business but I still can’t keep myself from
leaning over slightly to read the shipping label. All these boxes are for
Ryker. I chew on a nail, wondering if I should start carrying some of them
to his rooms when the delivery guy comes back pushing a dolly stacked
high with more boxes. I move out of the way as he flashes me a smile.
“One more load should do it,” he tells me. “You guys must read a lot!”
He laughs and then pushes the empty dolly back out the door for the next
stack. As I wait for him to come back, I try and remember the last time I
read a book just for fun and come up blank. I used to devour books when I
was in high school but the only ones I’ve read since Chloe was born were
children’s books or cookbooks to make sure the meals I cooked for him
would meet his high standard. I get a pang of longing for the days I used to
get lost in an amazing story like I used to do.
“There ya go! That’s the last of it. Enjoy!” The driver tells me, tips his
hat to me, and leaves. I shut and lock the door behind him, stare at the
stacks of boxes for a few minutes and then go back to the kitchen to plan
dinner.
I let Chloe have a break from schoolwork and set her up with a My Little
Pony episode. I worry about her not getting enough exercise or social
activities as I start pulling out ingredients to prep for dinner later. I can
assemble the lasagna now and put it in the fridge so all I’ll have to do is pop
it in the oven later. A flutter of nerves hits my stomach when I can’t find
any of the flat noodles I need. I look three times for a box and even check
the fridge for fresh ones and still can’t find any. My heart rate kicks up as
panic starts to take hold. He asked for lasagna. I said I could make it. Oh,
God! I need noodles! My eyes flash around the kitchen. What am I going to
do? I said I would make it! I feel a slick of sweat raise on my back as a
surge of fear takes hold. My eyes hit the clock as I twist my fingers. Okay, I
have time. I can get noodles. It means I’ll have to leave here. Go to the
store. That brings on a whole other surge of panic causing me to dig my
nails into my palms.
A glance at Chloe shows me she’s oblivious to my mini meltdown and
still entranced by prancing ponies so I take a few deep breaths and force
myself to walk, not run like I want to, out of the kitchen and down the
hallway to Zack’s rooms. He’s the only one here I can ask permission from.
I hover in his office doorway wringing my hands and chewing on my lip.
His fingers are flying over the keyboard in front of three huge monitors and
I feel physically sick at the idea of interrupting him. The tiniest whine
escapes from me causing his head to whip around. His eyes go wide behind
his black-rimmed glasses at seeing me in his space and then he swivels his
whole chair around to face me.
“Avery? What’s wrong?”
My voice is choked as I blurt out, “I-I have to go to the store! Just there
and back! An hour…no half an hour. I promise!”
“Hey! Whoa!”
He snaps out causing me to flinch and tremble even more and then he’s
throwing up his hands as if to ward me off.
“Breathe, Avery, breathe!”
I squeak out, “I’m sorry!”
He lifts a hand to rub over his mouth and when I see pity fill his eyes, I
duck my head down and fight the burn at the back of my own.
His voice is softer when he asks, “Can you give me an hour? I’ll take
you. I just need to wrap this up first.”
My shoulders come up as I tense further. I’m inconveniencing him.
Taking him away from his important work. This just gets worse and worse.
“Sweetheart, tell me what you need?” He asks softly with a plea in his
tone making my eyes dart up to meet his.
 Concern and compassion are all I see and it makes me feel worse for
some reason. This is a nice man looking at me and I’ve projected a reaction
from a not nice man onto him.
“N…Noo-dles.” I whisper brokenly. Confusion crosses his face so I take
a shaky breath and try again. “You wanted lasagna…I…I don’t have the
right noodles.”
Understanding washes over his expression and then a small smile lifts his
lips. “Oh! That’s actually a good thing.”
I blink a few times. “It is?”
He starts nodding. “Yeah, I was just thinking about how long it’s been
since I had spaghetti. My mom used to make these huge spaghetti dinners
on Sundays and we’d have it for leftovers for like three days. I love
spaghetti leftovers!”
Some of the tension starts to drain away from my body as I start nodding.
“O-okay, I mean, yes. Yes, I have the right noodles for that. I can make
that if you prefer?”
He pumps a fist in the air with a “Yes!” and I only flinch a tiny bit. And
then his hazel eyes turn serious.
“Avery, I know this has been a bit of an adjustment for you but it’s really
important that you know that any dinner you make for us will be perfect.
You’re cooking for three bachelors. There isn’t a meal you can make that
we won’t love. I promise.”
My head jerks like I’m agreeing but he doesn’t get it. Everything needs to
be perfect. I can’t make a mistake. I can’t risk losing this job. His eyes
narrow like he can read my inner thoughts so I push a strained smile and
nod again.
“Okay, thanks. I’ll let you get back to work.”
And then I flee from the doorway and back to the kitchen.
 Zack
 

I stare at my empty doorway with a deep frown and reach down to rub my
knee, all thoughts of the code I’d been working on gone from my mind. I
saw the fear in every line of her body and all because she couldn’t make the
stupid fucking dish that I asked her to. Some motherfucker trained that fear
into her and it makes my blood boil with fury. My mind goes over the
bruising on her face, her body, and the way she flinches causing my fingers
to dig into my aching leg.
It took everything I had not to leave my chair and pull her into my arms
to try and erase that fear. She’s so fucking tiny and beautiful with those
huge violet eyes that I can’t wrap my head around how anyone could inflict
such damage on her. I grunt and slide my hand down to pull up my pant leg.
I know all about the damage fucking people can do to each other. I unstrap
my prosthetic from my leg and drop it to the side so I can massage my
stump. The damn thing needs another adjustment. I keep my eyes away
from the mangled flesh that makes up my scars as I rub some of the pain
away.
I enlisted knowing full well I could lose my life or be seriously injured. It
was a chance I was willing to take to serve my country, to protect those who
needed it. I’m pretty fucking sure Avery didn’t give herself knowingly to a
man who was going to abuse her. That little package of spun sugar that’s
her daughter sure as hell didn’t. The pain I see in her eyes and the flinching
pulls me back to how I was for months after the explosion took my leg and
left me a scared, damaged shell of a man. It took a lot of work and effort to
fill that shell back up and there’s still more work to be done. Avery needs
some help to fill her back up, to bring her back into the light and I feel
privileged to be a part of that for her. Even if it’s just reassuring her, giving
her a safe place to heal. I frown down at my stump. She wouldn’t welcome
my arms around her the way she welcomed Ryker’s, but I can be her friend.
I can be their friend.
I shove my pant leg down over my stump and turn back to my keyboard.
Somehow, I need to get a name from them. I need to find the coward who
did that to them and…disappear him from the fucking planet.
I lose myself in code. Numbers, letters, and characters are a safe place for
me where I’m never not enough. Never only a half of a man. My scared
body stops existing as the program I’m creating grows. Here, here in the
virtual world, I am a fucking legend.
“Your leg fell off!”
The high-pitched, tiny voice full of worry has me blinking blurry eyes at
the girl kneeling next to me. My gut clenches when she comes into focus
and I see her holding my prosthetic with two small hands, barely gripping it
with one arm in the bulky cast. Fuuu-ck. Her pretty eyes drop down to
study the leg she’s holding and then they jump back to mine round as an
owl’s.
Her voice comes out in whispered awe. “Are you a superhero?”
She shoots a look over her shoulder at the empty doorway and then back
to me in a sneaky look as she whispers excitedly.
“It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone. Can I see your cape? Do you have more
robot parts? Can you stomp cars flat? I bet you can run faster than the
wind!” She swishes my leg and makes a “zoom” noise and then holds it out
to me with a huge grin. “That’s so cool!”
I’m at a loss for words as I take the leg from her. Her grin just gets bigger
and she uses a tiny finger to push my glasses back up from where they’ve
fallen on my nose.
“I like your secret iden-didy glasses. Dinner’s ready!” She says before
zooming out of my office leaving me slack-jawed. I look down at the metal
prosthetic in my hands from a new perspective. I’ve hated this fucking thing
since they strapped it on me. I glance back at the empty door, shake my
head and then strap it back on with a little less hate.
I head toward the kitchen and my nose perks up when I smell garlic and
tomatoes causing my stomach to growl audibly and remind me that I
skipped lunch again. A mountain of boxes in the front entrance has my
eyebrows shooting up and my feet changing direction. A quick peek at the
shipping labels has me humming in amusement as I try and picture Ryker’s
room filled with bookshelves and books. By the sheer number and sizes of
the boxes, he could set up his own mini library. I turn away and head to the
kitchen, ready for a cold beer and a massive plate of pasta. I find the kitchen
empty so I snag a beer from the fridge and walk into the dining room where
everyone is already seated and dishing up.
My mouth floods with saliva as I spot the huge serving bowl of noodles
with a covering of thick, meaty sauce. There’s another large bowl of creamy
Caesar salad and a basket of what looks like garlic and cheese bread knots.
My eyes meet Avery’s across the table as I take my seat and I can see the
nervousness as her gaze flits from mine to the huge mound of spaghetti. It
fucking kills me to see it so I clasp my hands under my chin and bat my
eyelashes at her.
“Screw these guys, Aves. Run away and marry me? I’ll make all your
dreams come true if it means I get to eat your cooking for the rest of my
life!”
Her cheeks turn pink as a soft blush fills them and the tiny smile that lifts
her lips has something lurching in my chest. Something I know will never
be returned so I push it out of my mind and reach for the bread basket.
Chloe slurps a noodle next to me causing me to smile again. This is nice.
Having all of us around the table with a cute kid and a pretty woman makes
this place feel more like a home. I like it.
Conversation stalls out as everyone digs in. I noticed at the last meal that
Avery doesn’t eat a whole lot but she’s digging into her pasta at a decent
rate and she could stand to add a few pounds to her slim frame so I wait
until she sets her fork down to ask a question that I know will have her
nerves strung tight again.
“Avery, I need to get that birth certificate made up.” I tilt my head at the
small girl beside me who is sneaking Kanga pieces of her bread roll. “All I
need is the name you want to use and a birthdate to complete it.”
Avery freezes and she gets that deer caught in the headlights look on her
face but East speaking up has her, Ryker, and me whipping our heads his
way with surprise.
“Just use mine,” he says, reaching for another roll.
Avery sputters and starts shaking her head with big eyes. He gives her a
bland look.
“It’s just a name, Avery, but it’s a name that will cut through all the red
tape and stop unnecessary questions. I heard back from my contact at the
school this morning. Chloe can start Monday. Once I have the birth
certificate with whatever surname you wish to go by, it will be a done deal.
I’ll need your cell phone number for an emergency contact as well.”
Avery is back to wringing her hands and darting her eyes around the
room. They land on the bottle of Sam Adams Pale Ale in front of my plate
and I see her eyes move over the label. I already know what she’s going to
say when she answers East in a tentative tone.
“Uh, um, Adams? Avery…Adams? Will that work?”
East looks my way, down to the bottle I nudge and frowns but nods.
“That’s fine. Cell phone number?”
“I-I don’t have one? I wasn’t allow…”
She trails off and bites her lip as Ryker growls low in his throat. A lip
that’s just started to heal so I go for the distraction.
“Hey, Ry? What’s with all the boxes in the entryway? You starting your
own bookstore?”
He grunts. “Not mine. Chloe’s.” And then shovels a forkful of pasta into
his mouth.
Chloe looks from him to her mom with big eyes and squeals out, “Mine?
I gots mail? For me?”
He grunts and nods, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“You can open them after dinner.”
Her fork clatters down onto her plate.
“Done! I’m done!”
Ryker spears her with a look and a deep rumbling sigh.
“Salad.”
She sighs dramatically even as she’s bouncing in her chair with
excitement and starts scooping up the salad on her plate in tiny fast bites.
“Ryker? What…uh…you didn’t have to, I mean…Ryker?”
He looks up from his plate, adds another heaping scoop of pasta and
sauce to it and lifts one eyebrow at her and grumbles, “Kid needs toys.”
I can’t stop the grin that splits my face and I see East's lips twitching too.
Looks like Avery and Chloe have hurdled Ryker’s ‘people suck’ wall right
into his ‘mine’ yard. I lean back in my chair with a full belly and sip at the
last of my beer. It takes a hell of a lot for Ryker to include anyone besides
East and me in his circle. The big lug uses his grunts, growls, and
formidable size to keep most people away and at a distance. Now here he is
giving physical comfort to Avery, buying out a toy department for Chloe,
and making her eat her vegetables. When I see him glance at Avery again
and give her a slow wink, I revise my opinion. They didn’t hurdle his wall,
they smashed right through it.
My grin slides away as I watch Avery from the corner of my eye. Her
gorgeous eyes are a little glassy from the tears she’s holding back but it’s
the small spark of hope in them that makes my stomach flip and has me
adding a quick hard brace to my own walls because hope can hurt even
more than losing a fucking leg.
 Avery
 

I press a hand to my mouth to keep in the sobs that want to break free.
There are boxes, bubble wrap, styrofoam, and cardboard everywhere as
squeals of delight and excitement ring out. I just can’t get over the number
of toys filling the living room as Chloe, Ryker, and Zack unpack box after
box. I can’t take my eyes off my baby and the way she just glows with
happiness. This has never happened before. She has never been given gifts
like this…ever. Birthdays and Christmas were never more than the one
present he would allow, claiming that he wasn’t going to have a spoiled brat
in his house. This…this is like all the holidays and special days all rolled
into one for her. She hugs each item as it gets unboxed then hugs Ryker’s
thick leg, high-fives Zack, and runs to me to show me with gleaming eyes
filled with joy. I can’t believe this is happening. It’s like Chloe and I were
rescued by three musclebound fairy godfathers.
I choke back a gasp when Chloe goes and grabs Easton’s hand and drags
him from the wall he was leaning against into the middle of the disaster. I
worry that he’s going to be annoyed by the disruption in his house but he
just nods when she points things out and then starts carrying some of the
bigger items to one corner of the room and setting them up. He’s snapping
plastic doors onto the play kitchen in minutes as Chloe runs plastic dishes,
tea cups, and a play shopping basket filled with plastic fruits and vegetables
over for him to put in the cupboards.
Zack starts assembling a pink kid-size table and chairs to add to what he
now calls Chloe’s corner and Ryker is screwing together a cube organizer
for her to store all her new toys in. Kanga picks a path through it all with a
stuffed Olaf snowman in his mouth and packing peanuts clinging to his fur
with static.
 I’m overcome with emotion that these three strangers are doing more
‘dad’ things for my baby than her own father ever did. I tuck my head down
so they won’t see and start gathering up armfuls of discarded packaging and
carrying it out to the garage where the recycling bin is. On the last load, I
just lean my head against the wall beside the bin and let the shakes take
over, no longer able to contain them.
I’m so, so tired. I feel like I’m a hundred years old instead of twenty-four.
I’ve been wound tight and terrified for so many years now that this new
feeling hits me like a Mack truck. We are safe and my baby is happy.
Everything has changed in just a few short days. These three men have
taken us in, given me a job, and shown so much kindness to us. I didn’t
even know there was this much kindness in the world anymore. I let out a
ragged breath and push away from the wall, dragging my shirt sleeves
across my wet face. I can do this. I can do whatever it takes to keep us here,
keep us safe. I’ll do everything in my power to repay these men for what
they’ve done for us.
When I get back to the living room, all three men are lounging on the
huge sectional and Chloe’s curled up against Ryker’s side with a stack of
shrink-wrapped DVDs in his lap. She’s giving them a run down of the
major plot points of each movie in between yawns.
There’s a very fine line between cute, sleepy Chloe and overtired, cranky
Chloe so I call out, “Bedtime!”
She groans but thankfully doesn’t argue, telling me that she’s more than
ready for bed. I reach over the back of the couch to pick her up but she
dodges my hands and throws herself on Ryker’s chest, scattering DVD
cases everywhere. Her arms look so tiny as she wraps them around his thick
neck and gives him a sloppy kiss on his cheek. She pulls back and squishes
his cheeks between her little hands.
“Thank you for my toys, growly bear. Night-night!”
She spins around on her knees, crawls over to Zack, plants a kiss on his
cheek, and then climbs over to Easton. For him, she just sags onto his chest
and burrows in. I start to rush over to grab her when I see his frozen state
but his arms close around her and he hefts her up as he climbs to his feet.
“C’mon, then.  Bedtime, little bug,” he murmurs into her hair.
My arms are held out to take her from him but he gives a little shake of
his head.
“I’ve got her.”
 Those stupid tears are back, burning the back of my eyes as I watch him
carry her out of the room. Ryker grunts and I’m starting to learn to decipher
them so I know it’s a grunt of approval. I turn to follow them out but can’t
stop myself from pausing long enough to place a hand on one of his big
shoulders. I try and say thank you but my throat is thick with emotion. His
head tips back to meet my eyes and those icy blue ones have something I
can’t quite read in them but it makes a warm glow start in my chest. He
nods slowly and then his huge hand comes up to rest on top of mine briefly
before it drops down again.
Chloe calls for me, breaking the moment so I flash a quick smile Zack’s
way and then hurry out, down the hall and into our rooms and bounce off a
wall of muscle. His strong hands grip my arms to keep me from falling on
my butt and I launch into assurances.
“Thank you so much for everything! I promise that I’ll keep that area
neat and tidy. I’ll make sure Chloe doesn’t disturb you all or disrupt
anything!”
“Avery, if I didn’t want her to have her toys out there, I wouldn’t have
helped set up the corner.” He sighs deeply. “I need you to relax, Avery. You
are doing a great job here. We all enjoy your daughter and she’s not
disrupting anything.” His hands squeeze gently on my arms. “Take a deep
breath and let yourself settle in.” When I do and nod quickly, he drops his
hands from my arms. “Alright, I need Chloe’s birthdate for her new birth
certificate and the school paperwork.”
My hand comes up to my mouth so I can chew on my nails as that worry
floods back into me but he captures it before it reaches my mouth.
“Stop, stop worrying about that. School and a routine is the best thing for
her.”
I see a flash of anger cross his eyes causing me to tense even more.
“Listen, if you give me his name, I can make all of your fears of him
finding you go away. There are laws against what he did to you. No court
would side against you.”
I feel all the blood leave my face as my breathing picks up and my heart
races. I start shaking my head and try to pull my hand from his but he just
holds on even tighter and curses under his breath.
“Okay, okay. It’s alright! We’ll put a pin in that for now. Just tell me her
birthdate and Zack will make the new birth certificate with Adams as her
last name.”
 My head jerks in agreement and I whisper out the date she was born. He
squeezes my hand one last time and then lets go to move around me and out
the door. Chloe calls out sleepily so I lock my knees to keep from dropping
down to the floor and go into her room to put her to sleep but the threats
I’ve lived with of what he would do if I ever tried to leave him echo
through my head as I sing my baby to sleep.
 Easton
 

I watch her hand shake slightly as she slides French toast and some bacon
on a plate and then sets it in front of her uniformed daughter. Today is
Chloe’s first day of school and Avery is holding on by a ragged thread. The
dark circles under her eyes that she came here with are starting to show
again, telling me she hasn’t slept well for the last few nights.
Chloe’s uniforms and backpack were given to her on Saturday and
Avery’s been a bundle of nerves, more so than usual, ever since. It infuriates
me that she’s so scared all the time and I have to stop myself from yelling at
her to stop feeling that way.
I bounce back and forth between wanting to yell at her or crushing her
against me and promising to protect her and kissing her senseless until she
has no more room for fear. Fuck. The woman doesn’t need either of those
things and I need to pull my head out of my ass and get some distance from
her because neither do I.
She slides a plate in front of me and I try not to swear. Zack and Ryker
are both out of town on a job and won’t be back until tonight so it leaves me
to handle her and her stress. That means taking Chloe to school.
I took them to the academy on Saturday so they could have a tour and get
Chloe’s schedule. The woman barely spoke to the principal through the
whole thing. It was only on the way home that she squeaked out questions
about the cost of her daughter going to such a high-end private school. I
brushed her off with vague answers about scholarships covering it. I think
she was too afraid to call me on that bullshit and just thanked me in a
whisper.
I watch her now while I eat the food she’s made for me, wondering what
she would look like without the fear. I try and picture Avery’s violet eyes
flashing and snapping with anger and it makes my lips twitch. When an
image of those same eyes glossed over in pleasure hits my mind, I almost
choke on a piece of syrup-soaked bread. Fuck. Appetite gone, I take my
plate and scrape it into the garbage and then set it in the sink.
“Alright, ladies, time to go!” I tell them after a glance at my watch.
Avery darts all over the place - grabbing Chloe’s new backpack, adding
her lunch to it, and then helping get her jacket on over the bulky cast. She
slides her own jacket on and then boots, hats, and mittens and then turns
those huge, scared eyes my way. I usher them out to the garage and into the
car, strapping Chloe into her car seat. When I shut the door and reach for
Avery’s to open it for her, my hand goes to her shoulder instead.
“It’s going to be fine. She’s excited to go. They took us through the
security protocols at the school. I promise, Avery, she’ll be safe.”
I see her swallow down hard with a few blinks so I drop my hand and
pull her door open and then close it once she’s in. It’s a quick fifteen-minute
drive to the school and the staff have drop-off down to a science so the flow
moves quickly.
Avery keeps a brave face through it all even when Chloe zips away with
a quick, “Bye!” It’s as I start to drive away that she finally breaks letting out
a strangled sob. I make a fast turn out of the driveway and park us in the
staff parking lot. I don’t want to be driving if she has a panic attack.
“I’m okay!” She almost yells when I turn to her and then lets out a harsh
laugh and takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry! I’m okay. I’m good.”
She sounds calmer but I know she isn’t. This is going to be a really long
day for her until Chloe comes home. She needs a distraction so I pull the
white envelope from my inside pocket and thrust it at her.
“Here. It’s your first week's pay. It’s cash but you should look into getting
a new bank account.”
Her fingers tighten on the envelope as she stares down at it. I can’t read
the expression on her face so I just plow on.
“The cleaning service comes on Mondays so you have the day off to do
any personal errands you need to.”
It starts with a huff and then a gasp and then a slightly hysterical laugh.
“Hey now, it’s okay! Breathe, just breathe. Talk to me Avery, tell me
what’s wrong.”
I’m so out of my depth here but when she turns those eyes on me and I
see the small spark of anger, I’m totally at a loss from the shift. She lifts the
envelope and kind of shakes it.
“Do you know how much money I left that house with?” She doesn’t
give me a chance to respond. “Ninety-two dollars and fifty-seven cents.
Ninety-two dollars and fifty-seven cents! Less than half that after I had to
fill the empty tank with gas. That’s how far away we got. One freaking tank
of gas! There’s over a thousand dollars in here in cash, isn’t there?”
I cautiously nod my head and it causes her to squeeze her fingers around
the envelope even more. She turns and looks straight ahead with an empty
expression and I wish she would go back to being mad.
“Do you know I’ve never had a job before? My parents…they wanted me
to focus on school. There was a savings account. You know, just to put
birthday money and allowance into. By the time their estate was settled, he
already controlled it all. Had it transferred into his name and I just…let
him.” Her brow crinkles when she frowns but it looks more like confusion
than sadness. “I’ve never had a credit card. I had a cell phone for two years
before it was taken away.” She huffs out a humorless laugh. “I don’t even
know if my driver’s license is valid.”
She turns her head my way again but she’s not really seeing me and her
voice goes soft and quiet.
“This is more money than I’ve ever held in my hand before. I have a day
off. I don’t even know what that means. What do…I do?” She blinks a few
times and I see the minute she focuses on my face. I see the embarrassment
and shame cross her expression when she realizes all that she’s just told me.
I can’t fucking stand it.
“You left. You wanted a new, better life, right?”
The tiniest of nods with a lip tremble is her only reply.
“Alright, so what does that mean? It means change, right? So, what else
do you want to change? Anything? Anything at all that you want to
change?”
Her brow furrows as she thinks it through and then slowly her hand
comes up and touches the long, thick black braid hanging over her shoulder.
“I…I think…I want to cut my…hair.”
It’s like she’s thrown me a life ring and I grab on to it eagerly. My
thoughts from this morning of putting distance between us are gone as I
whip out my cell phone to send an email to my assistant to reschedule my
day and start googling up hair salons. I have no fucking clue which one is
good so I go by the number of 5-star reviews and then put the car in gear.
 “Let’s go get your hair cut.”
The salon and spa we go to is in one of the bigger malls in town. Her feet
slow as we get to the entrance and her hand comes back up to touch her
braid. I give her time and wait beside her as she works through it. When she
finally looks up at me, I see one corner of her lips lift in a small sad smile.
“I…I wasn’t…allowed…to cut it.”
I give her a challenging look, careful to keep the anger off of my face.
“Fuck him.”
She chews on her bottom lip for a few beats and then breathes out,
“Yeah…okay.”
The waiting area is empty as we walk up to the front desk and a thirty-
something woman with perfect makeup and an edgy red hairstyle smiles at
us. Avery is still clutching at her braid with her head down so I take charge.
“Good morning. Do you have any openings for a haircut?”
One perfectly sculpted eyebrow goes up as she scans Avery and then
turns that cool gaze my way.
“What were you thinking? A full style or just a trim?”
“Full style. Uh, and anything else that needs doing?” At her amused look
I shrug. “Sorry, not my area of expertise. Avery is looking for a makeover.
She wants a change. Can you help?”
She clicks away at her keyboard and then nods. “You know what? I love
a good makeover. I’ll handle it myself.” Her hand comes across the counter.
“Cicely Saxton, I’m the owner.”
I shake her hand with a relieved smile. “Perfect. Avery, you good?”
She nods timidly. “W-what, how should I…what style should I get?”
My hands go up in a stop motion. “No, I have no clue on that kind of
thing but I’m sure Cicely has plenty of ideas. Let’s leave it to the expert.”
Cicely’s eyes narrow as she gets a better look at Avery’s face and the
fading bruises. I see her fingers go white against the counter but her
professional smile stays fixed in place as she reaches under it and brings out
a stack of magazines and slides them across to Avery.
“Here ya go, sweetie. Take a seat at the first station right over there and
look through these for inspiration. I’ll be right with you.”
Avery takes the offered magazines, sends me a nervous look but goes
where she’s directed to. When she sits down and flips open the top one, I
look back to Cicely and meet fire-filled eyes.
“Yeah, you want to fill me in on the situation I’m dealing with here?”
 I pull my wallet out and slide my black Amex across. She makes no
move to take it, just stares me down.
“No, it wasn’t me,” I tell her with a scowl. “She left him. This is the next
step for her.” I tap the card when her stance softens. “Avery’s going to want
to pay for this herself but that’s not happening. So, your salon is having a
holiday special. You give her anything she wants and convince her to do all
the things she won’t think of but goes towards a full makeover. Tip to toe,
and it’s all going to come in at fifty dollars. The rest goes on this.”
A cagey smile spreads across her face. “I like how you think, mister.”
She glances over to Avery briefly and then waves a tall stylish man in his
twenties over and then turns back to me. “This will take hours for the full
works. If you really want to go the distance, tip to toes as you said, then you
need to do clothes too. How are you with women’s clothing? Do you have a
good eye?”
She laughs at the fear I feel crossing my face.
“What’s up CC?” The young man asks while taking a good long look at
me with approval in his eyes.
“Christian, your first client isn’t until noon. How would you like to play
fairy godmama?”
His eyebrows shoot up wiggling the two hoops above his left eye.
“Girl, you know that’s my favorite trope! How can I help?”
CC laughs even more when my fear of women’s clothing turns into terror
at the personal shopper she just assigned to me. She plucks my black card
from the counter and swipes it and then hands it back with a gleam in her
eye.
“Not me, him. Go ogle that angel at my station until you’ve nailed her
sizes and then go with…” She looks at her screen, “Mr. Easton to outfit her
from the skin out.”
Christian flutters his eyelashes at me.
“It would be my pleasure!”
A bead of sweat rolls down my spine. What the fuck have I gotten myself
into?
 Avery
 

I’m completely exhausted as we wait in line to pick up Chloe. My fingers

keep reaching up to touch the ends of my new hair. I think…I think I’m
happy with it but fear is a constant passenger that suppresses me. He would
make me pay in the worst possible way if he saw what I’ve done. My new
hair hits a few inches past my shoulders; I was too scared to go any shorter
than that. With the weight of the length cut off, my natural curls have
bounced up and it’s as glossy as midnight. That alone was a lot for me to
take in but then there was eyebrow waxing, a makeup tutorial, and a mani-
pedi. The last time I looked anything like this was for my prom in high
school. I don’t recognize this woman. She looks stylish and polished,
confident. I wish that my insides matched the outside more than anything.
I left the salon with two bags full of beauty products and makeup that
they used on me and I know that the fifty dollars CC said the total bill came
to was a lie. I might be out of touch from being locked away for so many
years but I know all the services I had today were a heck of a lot more than
that. I slide a peek at Easton but his face is set in a frown as he looks
straight ahead out of the windshield. He paid for all of this and I don’t know
how to bring it up without seeming ungrateful.
I lift a hand to chew on my nails but force myself to stop when I catch
sight of the pretty sparkly nude polish on them. Geesh, I wish I understood
men better. I can’t read Easton at all and it keeps me in a constant state of
anxiety, worrying that I’m going to do something wrong and jeopardize our
place with them. One minute he’s cold and blunt and the next he’s talking
me down from a breakdown and paying for a makeover.
I came out of the salon hoping to see some approval for my new look on
his face but all I got was a stony face and a curt, “Let’s go.”
 I hate that I inconvenienced him today. He was forced to wait all day for
my treatments to be done and I’m positive he’s annoyed that he didn’t make
it to his office all day. The car moves up in the pick-up line and I dart a
glance his way. The tense silence makes my skin crawl with nerves until I
can’t stand it anymore.
“Mr…um, Easton, I mean. I just wanted to thank you for today and, and
everything you’ve done for Chloe and me. I know it’s been a…hassle…
with getting her into school, dropping her off and picking her up like this.
Missing a day of work because of me. I promise you won’t have to do it
again. I can…will handle everything going forward so as to not be a bother
to you. But, thank you, thank you so much for, well, for everything!”
His head turns slowly my way and he hits me with his cold grey eyes that
have darkened to slate causing me to swallow the lump forming in my
throat.
“Avery, no one forces me to do anything. You are a bother to me but a
bother I choose to handle. As for school drop-off and pick-up, one of us will
be taking her every day. At least until your…situation is resolved, one of us
will be escorting you everywhere you need to go.”
My mouth gapes open for a moment at his harsh words but then it snaps
closed and I’m back to looking down at my lap. I can’t chew on my nails so
I go to work on my bottom lip instead. I hate how insecure I am. Not being
able to figure out if he’s mad at me or not just makes me feel like I’m still
trapped. I don’t want to feel this way anymore.
The car slides forward bringing my head back up to look and there’s my
baby. She’s grinning ear to ear as the monitor opens the back door of the car
for her to get in and with a chirpy, “Hi!” buckles her in, waves and slams
the door shut.
We pull away from the school and I turn in my seat to look back at her
but she doesn’t give me a chance to ask how her day was.
“Mommy! I love this school! I have three new friends - Zandara, Peyton,
and Emily. Miss Nicole, my teacher is sooooo nice! And we have a class
pet! A hedgehog named Spike and…”
She rattles off every detail of her day with so much enthusiasm that I
catch Easton’s small smile out of the corner of my eye. I nod along and
make all the right expressions. I might not be able to read him when it
comes to me but he definitely has a soft spot for Chloe and that’s what’s
really important. I don’t care what happens to me. As long as she’s safe and
happy I can withstand anything.
Chloe is still chattering away when we get back to the house so I just
follow behind them carrying my bags of beauty supplies. We find Zack with
his head stuck in the fridge searching for a snack and when he hears Chloe’s
bright and happy voice, he shuts it with a grin and reaches to take her
backpack off her slim shoulders. I drop my bags out of the way and pull a
container of homemade cookies from the pantry and hand it to him. He
glances at me with a smile of thanks and then does a double take with wide
eyes that have a flash of heat in them as he takes in my new hair and
makeup. I blink a few times but the heat I thought I saw is gone so fast that
I shake my head.
“Wow…just…wow, Aves. You look amazing!” He tells me with a
friendly grin.
I can feel the blush on my fair skin as I murmur a soft, “Thank you.”
Chloe reaches for the cookies so I intercept her. “Come on, duck. Let’s
go get you changed and put your backpack away. You can have some
cookies after you’ve washed your hands.”
The promise of cookies ends her complaints and I herd her from the room
with one last look over my shoulder at East. I frown in confusion when I
see him and Zack glaring at each other and hope it wasn’t anything I did.
Chloe’s squeal of excitement has me racing into our rooms when my feet
come to a dead stop in shock. The small living room is filled with too many
glossy shopping bags for me to count.
“Look, Momma! More presents!”
Chloe yells in glee as she dives in and starts pulling things from bags.
She starts grumbling when all she comes out with is clothing and it
unfreezes my feet. I dash forward and save the gorgeous violet cashmere
sweater that she’s about to toss on the floor and bring it up to rub the
softness of it against my cheek. I’ve never felt anything like it before. Chloe
dives for the next bag.
“Stop! Baby, go change out of your uniform and then wash your hands,
please.”
She pouts and grumbles about boring clothes but does as I’ve asked. My
eyes track over the bags and the few things my daughter tossed aside in
awe. He…he…bought me clothes? I don’t even know how to process this.
First the makeover and now these clothes? I shake my head at how this
generosity clashes with how cold and abrupt East can be at times.
I give up trying to understand and let the small part of me that’s filled
with girlish excitement free but hold back my own squeal of excitement. I
snatch the closest bag to me and rip out the tissue paper to peer inside with
a wide smile of excitement only to slam the bag closed abruptly. My eyes
go wide and my cheeks fill with red heat. It doesn’t matter that the only bra
I own is on its last legs or that my few pair of underwear is worn with holes
around the waistband. It doesn’t matter that I desperately need what’s in this
bag that I clutch to my chest because…Cassius Easton…bought…me…
lingerie and I have no idea how to deal with that.
In the end, I decide to pretend that he didn’t have anything to do with it
and avoid the whole issue by keeping Chloe in our rooms for the rest of the
afternoon. It’s still my day off and Easton told me I wouldn’t need to make
dinner so I stay in and hang the incredibly beautiful clothes that he bought
me up in the mostly empty closet. I’ve never owned such expensive things
before and I’m almost afraid to wear any of them but God do I want to. I
finally drag myself away from the luxurious fabrics and move to put
together a small dinner for Chloe and me when there’s a sharp knock on our
door.
Chloe beats me to it and throws open the door and is almost knocked
backwards when Kanga plows into her causing her to squeal out a laugh.
My eyes meet Ryker’s and my stupid fair skin turns pink again when his
expression turns intense as he studies my newly made over look.
It almost seems like he shakes himself when he finally grunts, “Looks…
nice.”
My hand comes up to touch the ends of the big curls and I offer a small
smile of thanks.
“Dinner’s here.”
He growls and then disappears from the doorway before I can tell him
that we can just eat on our own tonight. I sigh in acceptance when Chloe
cheers and chases after Kanga out the door and down the hall. I thought I
would have more time before I had to see Easton again. I take a deep breath
and square my shoulders. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. I’ll just quietly
thank him for the new clothes and there will be no mention of all the satin
and lace. None at all.
 Avery
 

The house is quiet. Too quiet. Chloe’s gone to school, breakfast has been
cleaned up, the laundry is done and the house is spotless from the service
that came yesterday. I’ve already placed the online grocery order to be
delivered tomorrow and now I have nothing to do. I lean against the island
counter and try and think of something…anything that I can do to fill the
rest of the day before I need to start dinner and come up blank.
My mind circles back to everything that’s happened since I ran away
with Chloe ten days ago. I went from homeless and broke, in constant fear
to having a home, a job, a thick pile of cash in my purse, and feeling…safe.
It scares the heck out of me. After everything I…he put me through, I can’t
help but be constantly alert for the shoe to drop.
I rub gently on my now healed lip with a frown. What happens now?
How do I move forward from here? Do we stay and just…hide? Or would it
be better to wait for a few more weeks until that pile of cash grows and then
run further away from him? A few more weeks of pay and I would have
enough to drive across the country. I could find a small town that’s more
affordable and start a brand-new life. Chloe and I could get a small place
for ourselves. We could build a new life…alone.
I push off the counter and grab the wash sponge and mindlessly start to
clean out the sinks. Is that what I want? Do I want to run away from this
house too? Run from the three men that have taken us in and made us feel
safe? I try and see a future where it’s just me and Chloe out in the world all
alone and nausea rolls my stomach. Except for the three days we lived in
the car and the few months after my dad died, I’ve never been on my own. I
never got the chance to learn how to be independent, to be an adult. I hate
that I’m so scared of everything now. I hate that he put this fear inside of
me and that I let him rob me of so many rites of passage that would have
prepared me to live out on my own.
I toss the sponge down harder than I should when I feel a spark of anger
and then glance around guiltily to make sure no one saw it. I let out a deep
sigh at that ingrained fear. I turn away from the sinks and glance at the
clock on the microwave. It’s almost noon and I still have hours left until
Chloe gets home. I could make some lunch.
Lunch! Zack didn’t come in for breakfast this morning. He must be
starving. I know from the others that he gets lost in his work when he’s
building a program.
I pull out all the fixings to make a thick deli sandwich and get one made
up for him and a smaller version for myself and then add some kettle-
cooked potato chips and cut veggies to his plate. I pour a can of soda over
ice to go with it and carry both plate and glass to his office. Even though his
door is open, I still hesitate in the doorway, nervous about interrupting him.
“Z-Zack?”
He spins around so fast that I jerk back and almost lose the chips on his
plate as they slide. His eyes are huge and round behind his glasses as they
focus on me.
“Avery? What, what time is it?”
He asks in confusion and then turns his head to look at the clock on the
wall with a groan.
“I-I’m sorry to interrupt you! You…you just didn’t come for breakfast
and I thought you might need something to eat,” I stutter out while holding
the plate and glass in his direction like a shield. He frowns, drags off his
glasses, and rubs at his eyes before looking back at me. His gaze slides
from my face to the items in my hands and then a grin slowly forms on his
lips.
“You made me lunch? Damn, Aves, you’re truly an angel sent from
heaven! I’m starving!”
I let a breath of air out in a gush and some of the tension eases from my
shoulders as I step into the room to hand him the meal. His eyes get big
again as he takes in the thick sandwich and he groans in pleasure as he rips
a huge bite from it. I start back out of the room but he holds up his free
hand to stop me. I wait as he swallows the food in his mouth.
“This is fucking amazing. Thanks, Avery, seriously. I’ve been working on
this code since last night and I think I’ve finally wrangled it to where it
needs to be.” He rolls his shoulders to ease some of the knots that must be
in them after being hunched over his keyboard and nods toward an empty
chair. “I could use a break. Will you hang out with me while I eat?”
I chew on my bottom lip in indecision but his earnest expression has me
nodding in agreement and I step over and sit down on the edge of the seat.
He shoots me a wide grin that has both of his dimples flashing as he takes
another bite of his sandwich. A long drink from his soda and a few nervous
finger twists from me and he asks me something I’m not sure how to
answer.
“How are you feeling? With everything, I mean?” He waves his hand
vaguely around to encompass the house. “I imagine all this is a pretty big
adjustment from what you…er…left?”
I drop my eyes down to my lap as a wash of shame passes through me.
I’m…embarrassed that these men know a little of what I went through. I
swallow it down to answer him.
“Um…good?” I peek up to see his face hoping that’s enough of an
answer but he’s nodding encouragingly so I sigh and give a little more.
“It…it is a big difference and you three have been very kind to us. It’s
honestly pretty hard for me to believe how much has changed and I’m so
incredibly grateful so, so thank you.”
He leans back into his chair with his own sigh and fidgets with some of
the chips on his plate.
“Avery, you can talk to me, you know. If you’re open to it, I can be a real
friend. East, Ryker, and I just want to help you. You’re safe here. You don’t
need to be afraid of us. Talk to me, sweetheart?”
Even as my stomach rolls with anxiety, a surge of want, of need, to have
a friend fills me up. I roll my lips in and look up at him. All I see is
kindness and encouragement in his face so I blurt out the first thing that
comes to mind.
“Is Easton mad that I’m here?”
My hand flies up to my mouth like I can pull the words back as Zack
frowns but it’s too late.
“East? Why do you think he doesn’t want you here? He’s the one that
hired and brought you here.”
He doesn’t seem mad that I asked, just confused so I try and explain.
“He did and it was such a gift for Chloe and me but…but sometimes he
seems so nice, like when he took me to get my hair cut and bought me a
bunch of new clothes and he’s really good with Chloe but then other times
he’s really cold and blunt and…and…I don’t know how to act!”
Zack sets his plate aside on his desk and reaches for my hand and I only
tense up, not flinch.
“Sweetheart, I’m going to tell you something that I need you to fix firmly
in your mind. YOU are not responsible for anyone else’s moods. If East is
being a dick, that’s on him, not you. You aren’t responsible, you didn’t
cause it and you don’t have to deal with it. Let me say that again. You don’t
have to deal with his moods. You can ignore him and just walk away or
better yet, tell him to piss off.”
I feel my eyes go huge in my face as my head starts shaking but Zack just
tugs tighter on my hand.
“Stop, stop whatever you’re thinking Avery. We aren’t him. No one in
this house is going to lash out at you, hurt you or abuse you in any way. You
are allowed to have feelings here and if one of us pisses you off then you
get to tell us without worrying that you’ll get hurt for speaking up.”
I see anger, frustration, and sadness cross his face but then he’s pulling
me out of my chair and across into his lap and wrapping his arms around
me.
“Sorry! I’m sorry, Aves, but I need to fucking hug you right now. This is
what friends do. They hug each other when they want to give comfort and
I’ve never met anyone who needs comfort more than you.”
His words are muffled in my hair where he’s buried his face but they
strike a chord deep inside of me that’s been hollow for so long and my body
just unclenches to lean into him. I soak up that hug like a starving woman
and for just that moment feel almost whole again. It’s over too soon as he
moves me back to my chair and I almost smile when I see the blush on his
cheeks. He turns his head away from me and grabs a carrot stick to crunch
on and then clears his throat.
“Alright, steps one and two of friendship have been engaged so on to the
next! Time for some advice!” He spears me with his pretty hazel eyes and
runs a hand through his messy blond curls. “Value! You need to learn that
you have value. What you do, how you feel and your opinions all have
value. They matter, Avery. You need to start believing that right down to
your bones.”
He grabs both my hands again.
 “You’re an amazing mother and you did a really brave thing by getting
yourself and Chloe out of a horrible situation. Now you need to show her,
set the example that you have value. You never deserved to be treated that
way to start with and I hope one day you trust us enough to let us resolve it
permanently but until then, you have to show that little girl that you are
strong in all areas and that you value yourself enough to stand up and be
counted. I can’t make you not be afraid, only you can do that but please,
try? Try and believe you are safe here and that you matter to us.”
He stares deep into my eyes and something starts to shift inside me so I
nod and whisper, “Okay.”
That amazing grin of his is back with dimples flashing.
“Good! So, that means no more worrying about our moods, no more
being scared that you’re going to do something wrong and try, try Aves, to
enjoy some of the good things that have come into your life because you
deserve them and so much more.”
Tears prick at the back of my eyes and my throat is thick with emotion
but it’s not the scared, nervous emotions I usually feel. It’s gratitude and…
something else I don’t know how to name.
“Zack…th-thank you. Thank you for being…my…friend. It’s, it’s been a
really long time since I had one.”
He shoves another hand through his hair and then yanks me back across
to stand between his legs. His arms go around my waist and his face leans
against my stomach and this time I don’t tense up or flinch. This time, I hug
him back. My fingers smooth down his messy tangled curls and then I pull
away and walk out the door, too overcome with emotions to stay.
 Avery
 

Zack’s words stay with me for the next few days as Chloe and I fall into an
easy routine in the house. She’s loving everything about her new school and
she loves telling the three men we live with all about her day. I feel…better,
more in control of myself. I still worry about doing something wrong and
jeopardizing our place here but it’s not the same claw of fear wrapped
around my throat that it was before I talked with Zack.
I think about what Zack said again as I unload the clean dishes from the
dishwasher. I have value. I matter. What I do, think, and feel…matters.
He took so much from me but that might be the worst of it. He made it
clear that I didn’t matter. It didn’t matter if I was perfect, if I obeyed all his
rules, he still found fault and punished me for it. The only feeling he ever
wanted me to have was fear and the only thing he wanted me to think about
was pleasing him. A hard frown settles on my face as I think about that. I
was not a person to him, I was a possession, a pet on a leash for him to
control and train with ugly words and hard fists.
I lift the stack of dinner plates into the cupboard and my wedding ring
glints back at me causing my frown to turn into a scowl. I hold my hand up
in front of my face and stare at the simple gold band that was the anchor to
his leash. He put this band on my finger and it might as well have been a
brand melted into my skin for what it represented. Possession, not love but
ownership.
I glance around to make sure I’m still alone and then whisper, “You don’t
own me anymore.”
And then I yank that ring right off. I start walking over to the garbage can
to throw it away but my steps slow and my fingers tighten on the ring until
it bites into my skin. A tremble goes through me. If he finds me, us, and I
don’t have this ring…I clench my teeth, trying to force my hand open to
drop it in the garbage but I just can’t do it. I make a strangled whine and
instead shove the ring into my pocket and turn back to the rest of the clean
dishes waiting to be put away.
I stack the mugs in the cupboard and tell myself that it’s okay. I might not
have been able to throw it away but I took it off my finger and that’s a big
step. I just need to keep taking steps and one day, one day I’ll get to where I
need to be.
I pull out the bottom rack and lift the glass bowl that I had used for a fruit
trifle last night and set it on the counter so I can grab the three-rung step
stool and get it set up where I need it. The cupboards in this kitchen go all
the way up to the ceiling and I’m way too short to reach the top shelves.
I climb up to the top step and reach for the bowl. I’m going to keep
taking these small steps until I can show my baby a role model she can look
up to. I stretch up onto my tiptoes to slide the glass bowl onto the shelf I
had found it on. I tip it up to slide the edge of it onto the shelf and a huge
hand comes flying past my face to push it the rest of the way.
The reaction is instant and without thought. My elbows tuck down to box
my head in an effort to shield my face even while my upper body sways
hard to the side away from the coming blow it’s anticipating. That’s all it
takes for my balance to disappear and I’m falling from the top of the step
stool. Everything clenches, bracing for the hard landing I know is coming
when I hit the floor but my breath whooshes out of me when I’m jerked to a
hard stop by strong arms banding around my middle.
My damaged ribs scream in agony and make it impossible to drag a
breath into my lungs. There’s a roaring in my ears as my heart beats at a
frantic pace and I try and pull air into my starved lungs.
“Avery! Avery! Look at me!”
His hard command breaks me from my panicked cage so that I can peel
open my tightly closed eyes. Recognition dawns as I meet his concerned,
icy-blue eyes and it unlocks the grip of fear and pain around my throat
letting me drag in a breath of air. When I exhale, it comes out as a mournful
sob that I have no control over and it breaks a dam inside of me that I’ve
been holding back for so long. The sobs come hard and fast as my fingers
dig into his bare chest for an anchor to keep me from drowning in the pain
and despair flowing out of me.
“Fuck…Ave…baby. Don’t…I got you. I got you.”
 He stutters out the words in a growl as he crushes me against his huge
chest and then he sweeps my legs up from under my knees and starts
moving. My face is pressed against his chest so hard as it all pours out. The
pain from my injuries, the years of loneliness, pain, and fear, and my
inability to function like a normal woman. I’m completely out of control as
it all overtakes me and I’m lost to my misery.
When it all slows down and my mind starts to clear again, I realize that
I’m sitting in Ryker’s lap with one of his arms wrapped around my middle
and his other hand is buried in my hair cupping the back of my head to hold
it against him. My arm is around his back so I can hold on to him and the
other hand is pressed hard against my mouth like I was trying to hold it all
inside. I feel drained and empty as my muscles unlock and I just melt
against him and his warmth. I blink my swollen, wet eyes open enough to
see the hard, tattooed chest I’m resting against and inhale a jagged,
stuttering breath.
I’m so tired and empty that I can’t even summon up the embarrassment I
know I should be feeling right now. I just…need…his warmth, his strength
right now, no matter how inappropriate it is to be sitting in his lap like this.
His fingers start massaging my scalp as his other hand starts rubbing slow
circles on my back.
I let my eyes flutter back down as I soak up the comfort that he’s offering
me. It’s the kind of comfort and care that I haven’t experienced since my
parents died. I didn’t even know how desperately I needed or craved it until
right this minute. I should push away from him, get to my feet and
apologize for my outburst but I can’t. I can’t tear myself away from this
poor man who doesn’t deserve to have such a mess of a woman cry all over
him. I need this. I need him.
“Sorry I scared you. Hate that I did this to you,” he growls into my hair.
I feel his lips press against my head. I can’t let him think that but I also
can’t stand to look at him yet so I press my face harder against his chest and
use my free hand to press against his warm skin over his heart.
“Y-you didn’t…do…this. It’s, it’s me. I-I’m broken.” I whisper sadly
against his skin and I feel him tremble slightly even as his arm tightens
around my hips to pull me closer.
“No. Not broken. Just dented a little, maybe. You’re strong. Strong
enough to leave, to protect the little one.”
 A shudder goes through me and I try and shake my head but I’m pressed
too close to his chest.
“I was too late. He…hurt…her. It’s my fault.”
A new stream of hot tears pour out against his skin at the heavy guilt that
I will carry for the rest of my life for not leaving soon enough. His low
growl rumbles against me and then he’s gently pulling me away from his
chest and forcing my chin up so I have to look at him.
“No. Not your fault…ever! His fault for being a scumbag. Tell me his
name, baby. Tell me his name and he’ll never hurt anyone ever again.”
Ryker’s expression is fierce and hard and I can see the restrained
violence in his eyes but I find no fear inside me because of it. Instead, it
makes me feel safe. I hardly know this beast of a man but there’s no doubt
inside me that he would protect me with everything he has. A warmth
blooms in my chest and without thought my fingers come up to trail gently
over the hard line of his lips to try and soften them even as I shake my head
in answer to his question. The anger leaves his eyes as one of his big hands
comes up and captures my wrist. I feel a blush creep up on my cheeks that
I’ve touched him in such a way and try and pull my hand back but he holds
it in place and kisses my fingers.
“Don’t want you afraid anymore. Want you happy. Want your smile and
your laugh.”
His words vibrate against my fingers and it makes butterflies take flight
in my stomach. I can’t stop looking at his mouth against my fingers even as
he kisses them again. I shift on his lap and wince when my ribs twang
reminding me that they took another hit even if it was to save me from a
fall. Ryker’s expression goes hard again when he sees the pain cross my
face and then with one powerful move, he’s pushed up on his feet with me
still cradled in his arms against his chest causing me to gasp in surprise.
“Hate that you hurt.”
He growls as he carries me out of the room. I’m starting to feel self-
conscious that he’s carrying me around and it only ramps up when he kicks
open the door to the pool room. The warm humid air falls over me like a
blanket as he strides across the tile and gently sets me down on one of the
chairs near the hot tub. He stares down at me with his hands on his hips.
“I was going to soak after my workout. Went to get a drink in the kitchen
to take with me when you fell. It will help your ribs to soak.”
 My eyes go from the bubbling hot tub to him and back as his words
process through my brain and then I’m shaking my head quickly.
“Uh…no, no thank you?” I squeak out but he just growls at me.
“Yes. I’ve had broken and bruised ribs many times. Soaking in the heat
will help.” He holds out his hand to me. “Trust me?”
I slump in the chair at that. I do, I do trust him but…
“I, I don’t have a swimsuit, Ry.”
He grunts an amused sound.
“So? No real difference between a bikini and underwear. You’re safe with
me, Avery. Trust me?”
 Ryker
 

She stares up at me with those fucking killer violet eyes and nibbles on her
bottom lip. I know I’m putting her on the spot but I want her to feel better
and a soak in the hot tub will help with that. I drop my waiting hand and
turn my back to her in hopes that will help.
“Won’t look.”
I grunt at her like the fucking caveman I seem to become whenever I try
and talk to her now. The longer she lives here the more I want her for my
own and it makes words hard for me to get out.
“O-kay.”
I hear her whisper behind me so I go over to the cart and grab a stack of
towels and one of the thick terry cloth robes that hang from the row of
hooks for her. I wait patiently with my back turned for her to get undressed
and get into the tub but when I hear her hiss in a pained breath I can’t stop
myself from spinning around to check that she’s ok. I see her slowly sliding
deeper into the water with a pained expression and I move over to the tub,
dropping the towels and robe beside it. I step down into the swirling water
and even though I said I wouldn’t look my eyes are like lasers on the
mottled black, blue and purple bruising on her side that’s just starting to
yellow on the edges.
I have to work hard at not punching the tile beside the tub at the sight of
the damage done to her. I force my eyes from the damage and sweep over
the white lace and satin covering her beautiful breasts. I have to drop
quickly down to the underwater bench to cover up the evidence of my
hardening cock fucking beast, that I am. She’s fucking hurt! I pull my eyes
away from those sweet mounds and up to her face that’s pink from the heat
and probably embarrassment that I was looking at her like an animal.
 “You okay?”
She gives me a small nod and looks away. We sit in silence except for the
sound of the hot tub jets and swirling water and watching from the corner of
my eye I can see from the set of her shoulders that she is relaxing, bit by bit.
“Ry-ker? I’m sorry. I’m sorry I fell apart like…that. I’m, I’m trying to
control my…reactions better. Th-thank you for catching me and, and…”
She trails off, unable to say anymore so I just grunt a reply. She’s nervous
and I hate that so I try to change the subject.
“Tell me…” I stop, take a breath and try to do better. “Please, will you
tell me a bit about your life, from before?”
Avery slides deeper into the hot water like it will shield her from the
question and I curse myself again for making her uncomfortable. I just want
to know her better but it feels like everything about her from before she set
foot in this house is off limits. When her eyes finally meet mine, I see her
straighten up and try.
“My…parents, they died when I was eighteen.” She stops there and I’m
afraid she won’t say anything else but my girl takes a deep, brave breath
and continues. “I didn’t have any other family. I had just graduated high
school and I didn’t…I didn’t know anything about how to go forward.” She
swallows hard and her eyes lift to mine before sliding away again. “He…
kind of swooped in and, and took, took over and…fixed everything with the
house and the estate. We were married in just a few months and then Chloe
came right away and then…it started and I was…trapped.”
When I see that she’s done, I try and keep my tone soft even though I
want to swear and rage at the sick fuck who moved in on a young, grieving
girl. She never had a fucking chance! I do the math in my head. Chloe’s five
so that means Avery is twenty-four or twenty-five depending on when her
birthday is. Fuck! She’s never had the chance to be anything other than a
brutalized wife and mother. I catch her peeking nervously at me so I nod.
“But you got away. You saved yourself and her. You’re strong.”
She sighs and trails her small fingers through the foamy bubbles. Fingers
that touched my lips so sweetly.
“I wish I felt strong.” Her eyes meet mine and her forehead creases. “I’m
so tired of being afraid all of the time. I want to put it all behind me, be a
normal woman, have a normal life. I want to be a good example for my
daughter. I just don’t know how.”
 My fingers clench into fists under the water to stop myself from dragging
her back into my lap and kissing the uncertainty away. I want to kiss her so
hard that there’s no room left inside of her for fear. I want to sweep my
hands over her body and show her how a woman should be treated,
cherished…loved. Fuck! She hasn’t even been here two weeks yet but there
it is. I want her…all of her and the tiny little girl that came with her, to be
mine. Her eyes drop down to the water again when I don’t reply and I see
her twist slightly to stretch her side. I can’t help it, I need her closer so I
reach out and catch one of her hands to pull her through the water to me.
“Let me look? Please? Just to make sure? I need to know you’re okay,
that your injuries are healing.”
Her nervous expression softens but she turns her face away as she rises
from the water enough so I can see her torso. My hands slide up the outside
of her thighs slowly until they reach her hips and then I gently turn her so I
can see her side. I keep one hand holding her hip and use the other to softly
probe at each rib. Her wet, warm skin is like silk under my fingers as they
move up her side.
Her voice is a choked whisper when she says, “They’re not broken I
don’t think. I’ve had broken…before.”
It takes everything inside of me not to tense my fingers against her,
hearing that. Instead, I pull her closer between my legs and press a soft,
gentle kiss against her damage. I hear her suck in a shaky breath and I know
I’m crossing a line I shouldn’t right now but I can’t help myself. I want to
kiss all her pain away.
“Never again, baby. Never again.”
I growl against her smooth skin and then shift her again so I can take a
look at her back. The bruise there looks like someone took a black sharpie
and drew a partial bootprint. I probe gently against it and hear the tiniest of
moans slip out of her. The sound goes straight to my cock and I want to
hear it again desperately so I go to work massaging the tight muscles
around the bruise until her legs start to shake. I’m a second away from
replacing my fingers with my mouth so I wrangle the beast inside of me
with all my willpower and help her move to the bench beside me so she can
sit down again. I keep my eyes from hers so she won’t see the blazing need
for her in them.
“That should help. The heat will do the rest. Should feel better.”
 Avery sags back against the wall of the tub and the slickness of the tile
has her sliding into me so our arms press against each other. She pulls away
quickly with a glance down at my big arm but then makes a small sound of
despair.
“Ryker! What happened to your arm?” She asks as her fingers come up to
slide over the jagged scar on the back of my deltoid muscle. She makes a
sound of worry in the back of her throat that has my lips tugging up that
she’s concerned for me.
“Meh, it’s nothing. Shrapnel.”
Those purple eyes go big as she darts her gaze from mine to the healed
wound.
“This isn’t nothing! It must have been a terrible injury to scar like this.”
I huff out a bit of a laugh and lift my arm to show her what a terrible
wound really looks like and reveal the zig-zagging two-inch scar that runs
down my side. It’s the worst of the lot but my body carries many more of
the damage that war inflicts. The scars don’t bother me. I’d take hundreds
more if meant I could have brought all the men in our unit home.
Her soft whine of dismay breaks me from dark memories of what could
have been. She hovers her wet fingers over the thickest portion of my scars
and then darts in and places a soft kiss on it just as I had done to hers. A
deep growl escapes me at having her sweet mouth on my body and she
flinches back as her cheeks turn pinker in a blush.
“I’m sorry! I-I shouldn’t have done that!” She squeaks.
I grasp her wrist and pull her close until her thigh presses against mine
under the heated water.
“No. You don’t apologize to me…ever. There’s nothing you could ever
do that needs an apology.” I pull her hand to my mouth and kiss the back of
her fingers. “You can say anything, do anything, touch anything and I
would welcome it. Anything, Avery.” I rumble out at her.
Her eyes are wide and the blush on her face deepens but it’s the hint of
confusion in her eyes that has me cursing myself so I guide her back down
beside me on the bench and make sure to leave a few inches between us so
she’s more comfortable.
“Rest. Let the heat soak into your muscles.”
We sit again in silence as I swear internally for making her
uncomfortable with my forwardness. She’s delicate, fragile and the last
thing she needs is me pushing my desires onto her. Avery needs time. Time
to heal and grow the confidence she needs to move on and if I’m the
luckiest beast on the planet, one day she will want more than friendship and
comfort from me. When the timer clicks off and the jets die, I glance over at
her and see her eyes are half closed and her body relaxed. I jerk my eyes
away when I see the white fabric of her bra has gone sheer from the water
and there’s a hint of pink where her nipples press against the saturated
fabric. Fuck me.
I have to clear my throat from the thick need for her before I can ask,
“How do you feel?”
Avery lets her head roll on her neck and a small smile tugs at her lips.
“Good, really good. Kind of loose? Really sleepy.”
I give her a drawn-out grunt of approval.
“Need a nap. Best thing to do after a soak. Helps with the healing.”
She chuckles softly. “I can’t remember the last time I took a nap. High
school, maybe?” She sighs. “I need to get Chloe from school soon anyway.”
I stand up and let the water slide off of me and then step out to grab a
towel for her. I hold it open and turn my head so she can get out without me
ogling her. When I feel her step close, I wrap the towel around her and then
grab the robe and drape it over her shoulders so she can slide it on. Once
she’s completely covered, I grab a towel for myself and wrap it around my
waist so she won’t see the effect she has on me.
“I’ll go get the little bear. You go nap. Medic’s orders, Avery.”
Her sleepy eyes widen a bit in interest at that but I growl out “Nap!”
before she can ask any more questions.
She nods slowly and I love seeing her all soft and sleepy like this.
There’s no sign of the tension she usually carries herself with.
“M’kay.”
She leans over to gather her clothes and walks slowly to the door with a
little sway in her stride. When she gets to the door, she looks back over her
shoulder at me. Her eyes dip down and slide over my bare chest for a
moment with that hint of confusion in them but when they lift to meet mine,
all I see is gratitude in them.
“Thank you, Ryker…for everything.”
I grunt back at her, “Nap!”
She gives me a tiny smile and then pushes out the door. I stand there
staring at the open door for a few minutes and then shake the water off of
me and head to the shower. I feel like the biggest asshole but my hand fists
my rigid cock as soon as I step under the spray. As I pump it hard and fast, I
picture those gorgeous violet eyes looking up at me as her mouth trails heat
over my skin. A low deep groan falls from my lips and I pray to God that
one day, it might be a possibility.
 Avery
 

As much as I want to slide in under the covers and take that nap that Ryker
insisted upon, I can’t bring myself to leave my wet undergarments on the
floor so I drape them over the bar in the bathroom and then I crawl in
between the sheets…naked. I let my loose, warm body melt into the sheets,
loving the way the soft material feels against my skin. I’ve never slept
naked before. I always had to be on guard for…him. I push those thoughts
away, not wanting to ruin the glow of contentment I’m feeling right now.
For the first time in a long time, my body doesn’t hurt. I know it’s only
temporary as I still have a lot of healing to do but the hot soak and Ryker
massaging the tense muscles in my back have given me the gift of a few
hours without pain.
I lift my fingers to my mouth as thoughts of Ryker flood in. God, he’s
beautiful. My eyes pop open at that unexpected thought. He’s so kind to me,
so caring but there was something about the way he touched me, looked at
me, that makes me think there might be something…more? I practice one of
his growls but it comes out silly.
I’m projecting something onto him that’s not there and I need to stop it
right now. He’s my friend…that’s all. Just because I wondered what it
would be like to have a man want me for me and not for an object to be
controlled and abused doesn’t mean he has any interest in that direction.
God, I’m a mess. I don’t know anything about men but I’m pretty sure no
one would be interested in a broken, bruised disaster like me. I sigh and
burrow deeper under the covers. Just because my belly was filled with
butterflies when he put his hands on me doesn’t mean anything more could
happen. I don’t ever want to have sex again. It hurts so much and leaves me
aching for days down there. A man like Ryker would want more than
cuddles and kisses and that isn’t something I want to ever experience again.
I need to keep any of that out of things, no matter how much I liked the way
his fingers felt on my body.
Drowsy turns to sleep and dreams like I’ve never had before fill it.
Hard hands rub softly, gently up and down my body, turning the
butterflies feeling to ash as heat takes their place. I want more, something I
can’t name as I’ve never felt it before. I ache but in a good way for
something that’s missing. When wet lips glide over my skin, it gets closer
and closer. I strain for what’s missing. A deep need, want, desire for more,
but it stays just out of reach. My hips lift, searching for something and a low
growl of approval has heat flooding between my legs as the glorious ache
intensifies. Oh God, I want it so bad. I wish, wish I knew what it was. My
heart is racing in excitement and a touch of fear of the unknown I’m
reaching for. My breath comes in pants and I want to beg, plead for what I
need even if I don’t know how to name it. Hot hands and fingers stroke me
everywhere but where I need it the most and I squeeze my thighs together to
try and stop the ache inside me. I need him. I need him to touch me, touch
me there…
I wake with a gasp as my eyes fly open. My heart is racing and I squeeze
the pillow I’m clutching to my body making it jerk between my legs and the
rasp of it against my bare mound has a moan escaping me into the
darkening room. I shove the pillow away in shock at the sensation I’ve
never felt before and stare wide-eyed at the wall.
What the heck was that? The dream has the heat of embarrassment filling
my face but it’s the low ache between my legs that has me completely
confused. It’s never, never felt like this before and I don’t know what it
means. I roll slowly onto my back and take stock of my body. My breasts
are achy like when I’m about to get my period. My hands come up to cup
them gently but when my fingers brush over the sensitive peaks, a soft gasp
leaves my parted lips at the way the feeling pulls at the ache between my
legs. Like it has a will of its own, my hand slides down over my naked
stomach and gently cups my mound. My mouth drops open when I feel
how…wet…I am.
Something’s different. I’ve never felt this way before. The pressure from
my hand feels…good between my legs and it startles me so much that I
press down causing a flare of heat to clench and another gasp to fly from
my lips. I lay there staring up at the ceiling trying to understand what’s
happening to my body because more than anything, I want to keep pressing
between my legs. I want to feel that feeling again.
An image of Ryker’s big hand between my legs has me jerking against
my fingers and one slips inside of me, making my eyes almost roll back in
my head from how good that feels. Oh my God! The slightest movement
from the finger inside me has my hips lifting against it, wanting more. I
slide my finger against the sensitive wet heat and bite back a moan. I’ve
never masturbated before and now I’m wondering why if this is what it
feels like. I could never understand the big deal.
I had been nervous but excited on my wedding night. Ready to finally
experience what all the girls at school had whispered about but it ended up
being incredibly painful. Thankfully, it was a brief experience that didn’t
last very long. Later, it became another punishment he could use to hurt me.
Heat builds the more I move my finger, especially in a certain area. My
breathing picks up as my muscles tighten in a delicious way and I feel like
something’s getting closer, something…
Chloe’s high pitch squeal of glee from somewhere out in the house has
me snatching my hand away from that part of me as guilt and a hint of
shame flush my heated skin. What am I doing? I roll from the bed and look
frantically at the bedside clock, groaning at the time. Darn it! I overslept, I
need to get dinner going!
I push aside the frustrating feelings coursing through my body and ignore
the ache between my legs as I quickly get dressed. I duck into the bathroom
to wash my hands, soaping my fingers like I can wash away the guilt of
what I had been doing. I shove all thoughts of the new feelings in my body
aside to tame my hair and splash cold water on my face.
I can’t believe I slept away the afternoon and all my duties that they’re
paying me for as well as my responsibilities as a mother. All the looseness
from the hot tub and nap go away as tension tightens my muscles at how
careless I was. I need to be more careful, more mindful of…Ryker’s big
hand between my legs flashes through my mind from the dream and I
almost choke on my own saliva. Good God, Avery! Get it together!
I turn away from my reflection and the deep blush staining my cheeks
and race out of the rooms and down the hall. I fly into the open space
between the kitchen and living room and my eyes lock onto my daughter.
My steps slow and come to a stop when I take in what she’s wearing.
She’s got a princess costume over her school uniform, a plastic tiara on her
head, and fairy wings on her back over top of what I think is a satiny red
superhero cape. It’s an interesting mash-up but what really makes me pause
is the bandolier of nerf gun bullets crossing her chest, the nerf gun in her
hand, and…is that tin foil covering her cast?
I try and stifle my laugh as I ask, “What are you doing, goose?”
She sends me a cagey grin. “I’m playin’ with the boys, Mama!”
I look around with my eyebrows raised. “What boys?”
Movement catches my eye and I turn toward the couch and see Kanga
pop up from the other side. The dog has a sparkly purple feather boa
wrapped around his neck and a headband with rainbow-colored balls
bouncing on springs anchored behind his ears. He also has the biggest
doggy grin I’ve ever seen on his face. I bark out a strangled laugh and shoot
Chloe a big-eyed look.
“Baby! Did you ask Ryker if you could dress up his dog? He might not
like that!”
The sound of a throat clearing has me turning back to the couch as Ryker
slowly raises himself from where he must have been hiding. The higher he
goes, the more he’s revealed, the bigger my eyes get.
Ryker has his own plastic tiara, comically tiny fairy wings, and a
rainbow-colored tutu that is stretched to its breaking point and sticks
straight out from his waist. He also has a double set of crisscrossed
bandoliers of foam bullets across his wide chest and the biggest nerf gun
I’ve ever seen in his huge hands.
I’m completely at a loss for words as I stare at him in surprised shock.
His eyes are filled with amusement as he sends me a slow wink and shrugs
one of his huge shoulders.
His mouth opens like he’s going to explain but Chloe cuts him off when
she shrieks, “Contact!”
And then foam bullets are flying past my head. I duck down and spin and
that’s when I finally lose it. Zack is sliding across the marble floor on his
knees while firing foam bullets past me at Ryker from two monster nerf
guns. He has a headband with a glittery unicorn horn sticking out of his
forehead and neon pink fairy wings on his back that match the tutu around
his waist. I crouch down in the middle of the war laughing so hard I’m
afraid I’m going to pee my pants.
“What the hell is going on in here?”
 Is bellowed from behind me, bringing a stop to the action. All laughter
dies in my chest as I scramble to my feet and spin to face Easton. He’s
glaring at all the participants of the war and a hard knot forms in my
stomach.
“Mr…Easton! I am so sorry! I…we…we will clean all this up, I
promise!” I stutter, as possible quick dinner options fly through my head.
He tilts his head at me with a deep frown and then he’s rushing toward
me. I manage a strangled squeak before he ducks down and flips me up and
over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. I get a quick glimpse of Ryker
whispering in Chloe’s ear before she turns her gun my way.
“Sorry, Mommy! You’re col-ad-ital damage!”
And then my back and butt are being hammered with nerf bullets by her
and Ryker. I give an outraged screech.
“You turkeys!”
But then I’m giggling too hard to form any other words. Easton carries
me over his shoulder into the hallway out of the line of fire and then flips
me back onto my feet with a huge grin. If my giggling hadn’t of stole my
breath away, that smile would have. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him
smile like that and it changes everything about him. He grips me by my
arms and gently pushes me back against the wall.
“Stay behind me, ma’am. I’ll protect you. I’ve been trained for this!”
With one more grin at me he spins back around yelling, “Gun!”
Before I can even blink, one of Zack’s huge plastic guns slides right into
the entryway of the hall and Easton has it up and seated to his shoulder and
firing. I lean out enough to see the action and watch Ryker take down Zack
with a foam bullet to the head. Zack does a dramatic death scene causing
Chloe to scream with laughter and cheer. Ryker’s next to meet his nerf
maker and the man should win an Oscar for the dramatic chest clutch,
gurgle, and then long drawn-out growl before he flops to the floor. I’m
laughing so hard now that I have to slide down to my knees when he pops
up long enough to finger shoot Kanga who then plays dead too before he
‘dies’ again.
Only Chloe and Easton are left on their feet but Easton steps out of the
hall right into a stream of Chloe’s bullets and then he’s going down too, suit
jacket flapping and half off one arm. And then my darling, bloodthirsty
daughter dances between the corpses pumping her tin foiled cast into the
air. I finally manage to catch my breath and use the wall to pull myself to
my feet. I step out into the quiet battlefield, place my hands on my hips and
shake my head even though I can’t stop smiling.
“Alright, I surrender but you all now get to clean this up while I figure
out what to make for supper.”
I get shot in the butt for that statement causing me to spin and glare at
Zack but I end up laughing when I see him back to being dead. Zombie
Zack rolls his head my way with a grin.
“Na uh, there’s only one thing to feed wounded soldiers to heal them up
and that’s…pizza!”
Ryker and Easton groan hearing that but Kanga comes alive in a
scramble and plops his butt down in front of me with big, pleading brown
eyes and Chloe asks, “What’s pizza?”
 Avery
 

All eyes turn Chloe’s way in disbelief and then they all turn my way. I
duck my head so as to not meet anyone’s gaze as sadness starts to steal
some of the happy. Am I supposed to tell them that he wouldn’t spend his
hard-earned money on something like pizza when it was my job to cook for
him every night?
“Zack!” Easton snaps.
“Already ordered, man!”
Then the three soldiers and one tiny girl scramble around the floor
picking up foam bullets. I leave them to it and head into the kitchen to pull
down plates and napkins for when the pizza arrives and then grab three
beers from the fridge, open them and set them on the counter. I pour a glass
of juice for Chloe and myself and then the doorbell is ringing. Zack and
Kanga run toward it before I can even think to answer the door so I help
Chloe take off her costume and help her up onto a stool.
Zack comes back with five huge pizza boxes and lays them out side by
side while flipping open the lids, filling the room with glorious smells.
Saliva pools in my mouth. How long has it been since I had pizza? High
school?
He tells Chloe what each pie has on it and I have to stop her when she
chooses one of each kind even though Zack is loading a plate for her. As the
guys dig in, I cut a small piece from each type and put it on her plate so she
can sample them all.
I practically inhale a slice of sausage and green pepper and feel a blush
spring up on my cheeks when I moan at how amazing it is causing all three
of the guys to zero in on my mouth. I duck my head in embarrassment but it
doesn’t stop me from reaching for a loaded meat lover’s slice. Chloe
rambles on about her day and how they made handprint turkeys with finger
paint and glued on feathers. I’m so invested in my pizza that it takes me a
second to realize she’s asked me something. I swallow the bite down and
ask her to repeat it.
“Pie? Are we going to have pumpkin pie too?”
I blink at her in confusion. Why would we have pumpkin pie for dessert?
My pizza slice drops back down to my plate when the pieces come together
and then I’m darting my eyes around the kitchen.
“Date? What’s the date?” I mumble and then spot the tablet on the other
end of the island. I practically lunge for it, swipe it open and look for the
calendar app to see the date.
“Oh! Oh no!”
I start patting my pockets looking for my keys. Thanksgiving is two
freaking days away! I need to go to the store!
“Avery? Hey!”
Easton snaps my way, knocking me out of the spiral enough to focus on
him with pleading eyes.
“I need to go to the store! I…I forgot! I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying
attention. Thanksgiving is in two days and, and, and, I don’t even have a
turkey! I need to go to the store!”
His hands come up in a stop motion.
“Whoa, calm down, Avery. It’s not a big deal. We don’t need a big fancy
dinner. I can’t even remember if we had Thanksgiving last year.”
My mouth drops open hearing that and my eyes flash to Zack and Ryker
who both just shrug.
“But…what about your families? Don’t you celebrate with your
families?” I ask in confusion.
Easton answers for all of them. “It’s just us. We don’t have any relatives
to get together with.”
A soft “Oh” is all I can say to that. They’re like me then. No family. I
straighten my shoulders in determination. It’s all the more reason for me to
get to work on giving them all the best Thanksgiving dinner I can create. If
ever there was a year to celebrate all that I’m thankful for, all that they’ve
done for us, it’s this year. I open up my grocery app and start making a huge
list of everything I’ll need to make it happen.
Zack laughs and snatches the tablet from my hands setting it off to the
side and replacing it with another slice of pizza.
 “Eat, Aves, I’ll take you to the store tomorrow.”
I nod and go to work on the slice in my hands glancing over at Chloe to
see how she’s making out on her plate. I’m surprised to see that it’s almost
empty and she’s eyeing the boxes like she wants to go in for more. She’s
usually such a dainty eater but it looks like pizza was the key to unlocking
her appetite.
I look her over and can’t help but smile at how happy she looks but when
she starts peeling the foil from her cast, I have to ask, “Baby, why did you
cover your cast with tinfoil?”
She grin’s Zack’s way as she answers. “I wanted to be a superhero like
Zack!”
My gaze swings his way with a questioning look and all of a sudden I
feel tension in the air. He keeps his eyes down as he tears part of a crust into
pieces to slip down to Kanga.
“I, uh, I’ve got a prosthetic leg.” He mutters.
When I realize he’s not going to say anything else, I gush, “Wow! You
really are a superhero!”
His eyes dart up to meet mine and I can see the uncertainty in them so I
push as much admiration into my expression as I can. I’m assuming that he
lost his leg in the service. I reach across the counter and place a hand on his
arm.
“Thank you, Zack. Thank you for fighting for us, for making the world a
better place.”
His eyes stay steady on mine for a few beats and I see a question in them
that I don’t understand before they drop back down to the crust he’s pulling
apart. I don’t want to make him self-conscious so I turn to glance at the
others.
“All of you, thank you for fighting for us.”
The words have a double meaning for me. These brave beautiful men
fought to make things better for the world and also for Chloe and me. She
breaks the awkward silence.
“I’m going to be a soldier when I grow up! And a ballet dancer and a
pony rider!”
Zack laughs. “Hey! How old do you think the little bug needs to be
before we can take her to play paintball?”
Ryker grunts, “Ten.”
Zack asks, “Eight?”
 Easton points a stern finger at him. “Twelve!”
Chloe counters with, “Now!”
And I just melt. These men are planning a future. A future that involves
my baby. I look at each one as they tease and bicker over all the things they
want to do with Chloe as she gets older and my heart…my heart just falls
for all of them.
 Easton
 

I step out of the shower and dry off after my evening workout. Something
I’ve had to ramp up now that Avery’s plying us with home cooking and
various baked goods. I shake my head as my thoughts go back to her…
again. The woman lives rent free in my head these days and as much as I
wanted to keep her at arm's length, put boundaries between us, it’s a losing
battle.
When I came home yesterday and walked into the nerf gun battle and
heard her laughing, saw that incredible smile on her face, a surge of
jealousy that my brothers gave that happiness to her had my tone coming
out harder than I meant to. The way her laughter came to such an abrupt
stop and the flash of fear I saw in her eyes gut-punched me. I had a
desperate need to make her laugh and smile again. I need her to not be
afraid of me and I also really wanted to shed the trappings of work and join
the fun. The very brief moment I had her in my arms as I ambushed her and
carried her out of the line of fire told me that fighting these feelings I’ve
developed for her is fucking pointless. Not only do I want her in my arms
again but I want her laugh and smile and the happiness she and her daughter
have brought to our house.
I wipe the steam away from the mirror and frown at my reflection. When
we were talking about doing things with Chloe as she gets older, I saw the
look on her face. The look of longing, of hope, and that just cemented it.
She’s ours, they are ours now and I have to make sure it stays that way and
that means dealing with her cunt of a husband. He needs to be taken
completely out of the picture so he’s no longer a threat to her.
The law is a fickle bitch but it should be on her side. I’ve had my lawyers
looking into domestic laws and the different options Avery has and it’s not
as black and white as I’d hoped. She’s right to be nervous about going to
the police. Without a history, a documented history of abuse, that fucker has
parental rights to Chloe. There’s no way in hell I’ll ever let that man near
them again so it will have to be carefully planned when we finally make a
move to dissolve her marriage and put the fucker behind bars.
I pull on grey sweatpants and a well-worn t-shirt and head out to the
main living area of the house. I’m looking forward to having the next few
days off with the holiday. I need a break from work, or at least as much of a
break as I can get. Spending some time with my brothers and the girls
should give me the reset I need to go back strong and focus on the many
pies we have cooking at the moment in the business.
Speaking of pies, I came home today to a kitchen filled with piles of
ingredients on every countertop. Even though I told Avery that we didn’t
need a fancy dinner, she has other plans. The woman was a small tornado as
she mixed, chopped, and stirred to get ready for the feast tomorrow. All that
and there was still a pork tenderloin with roasted root vegetables for dinner
on the table. The funny thing is, I would have paid her even if she was a
terrible cook just to get her and Chloe out of that car they were living in.
Avery has earned every cent she’s been paid so far and I’m beginning to
think she needs a raise with how well the house is being run now.
I find her in the kitchen still working away even though it’s after ten at
night. I stay back and just watch her as she works. Her soft black curls are
tucked up in a messy mass on top of her head with a few loose curls that
have escaped it framing her face. She’s rolling something out on the counter
with a rolling pin and the dusting of flour on her cheek just adds to her
appeal. I watch her small curvy body as she moves and I’m pleased to see
that she’s not carrying herself with the tight tension she came here with. I
hope that means she is healing, at least a little. The house is quiet so I can
hear that she’s humming a song to herself. It sounds nice.
She reaches for a pie plate and gasps in surprise when she sees me
lurking so I step into the light and move toward her with a smile that I hope
will set her at ease.
“Hi, it’s pretty late for you to be so busy, isn’t it?” I ask while scanning
everything she has set out on the counters.
“Oh, um, well, I’m a little behind with preparations for tomorrow’s
dinner. I wanted to get the pies done tonight so I could focus on the main
course. Is…is that okay?”
 I give her another reassuring smile, hating how uncertain she is around
me.
“Of course, I just want you to know that we don’t expect you to slave
away like this for us. You work too hard, Avery.”
She huffs out a small laugh and looks away. “Don’t be silly. You hired
me to cook for you all and take care of the house and…and, I enjoy it.” Her
eyes come back up to meet mine. “I really do enjoy it. You all have done so
much for Chloe and me so it’s nice to give this back to you.”
I make a “hmm” noise in my throat and scan the counter again. “Just how
many pies are you making? This looks like enough to feed an army.”
That small laugh again has me stepping a little closer.
“Have you seen how much Ryker and Zack can pack away? We’ll be
lucky if there’s any for leftovers!”
I tilt my head in agreement at her point. “Well, I’m here to help so why
don’t you show me what you’re doing so I can get my hands dirty?”
Her sweet lips make an O of surprise and I can see she’s about to turn me
down so I hold up my hand to stop her.
“Wait! We need the right provisions to do this.” I tell her and step past
her to pull a bottle of wine and glasses from the cabinet. Once I have both
glasses filled, I tap on the sound system and soft music fills the room. I
hand her a glass filled with the deep burgundy wine but her hand hesitates
for a beat before accepting it. I lean a hip against the island and watch her
take a small sip. Her face goes through a range of expressions making me
laugh.
“You don’t like it? I have white if you prefer.”
She keeps her eyes down, looking into her glass as her brow creases.
“No, I, I think I like it? It’s just not what I expected.”
“Not what you…Avery? Have you never had wine before?”
A soft blush fills her cheeks as she shrugs one slim shoulder. “Um, no.
I’ve actually never had any alcohol before.”
When I just stare at her in surprise, one corner of her mouth lifts in a sad
smile.
“I was only eighteen when I got married and I wasn’t much of a party girl
in high school. By the time it was legal for me to drink…it wasn’t really an
option.”
She takes another, bigger drink of her wine and gives me a real smile. “I
like it. It has a lot of different flavors.”
 Jesus, she’s such an innocent in so many ways and it both makes me
furious at all that was taken from her and also glad that I’ll get to introduce
her to so many things. Thoughts of all the pleasures I can introduce to her
body have me turning away from those eyes and focusing on her work
instead.
“So, tell me what you’re doing here.”
She takes another drink and then sets the glass aside.
“Okay, I’m making three types of pie. Apple cranberry, cherry and of
course, two pumpkin. I’ve got the shells rolled out so all I have to do now is
lay them in the plates, fill them and then roll out and cover them with more
pastry.” She turns to me. “You really don’t have to help with it all.”
I nudge her shoulder. “Drink your wine, woman, and watch me become a
master class pie maker!”
That gets me a giggle and she waves her hand at the pastry and picks her
glass back up with an amused smile. I wash my hands quickly and then pick
up the first rolled-out shell to transfer to the plate and immediately poke
holes in the delicate dough with my clumsy fingers. Avery tries to hold back
her laughter when I try and pinch the holes back together and end up
making it even worse. She drains the last of her wine and nudges me aside
with her hip to show me how to reform and then roll it back out. It takes a
few tries but I eventually get the hang of it and she’s halfway through her
second glass of wine and laughing when we manage to get all four of the
pie shells onto the plates.
I stand up straight and beam at my accomplishments, having never baked
anything in my life. When I tell her I am now an expert and she’s fired as I
don’t need her anymore, she snorts the cutest fucking laugh I’ve ever heard
so I flick flour at her in revenge. The wine has made her loosen up and a
little silly so I’m not surprised when her eyes flare with challenge and she
flicks flour right back at me.
“Oh! It’s on!” I tell her and then flour is flying back and forth and her
laughter fills the kitchen. When she scoops up an entire handful of the white
dust, I rush in and trap her wrist in my hand to stop her and cage the rest of
her body against the island. She’s still laughing and threatening me with
retaliation so I move even closer until her body is pressed between mine
and the counter.
“Drop the ammunition, sweetheart. You can’t win this war!” I tell her in a
tone that gets huskier the longer I feel her body against mine. I need to back
the fuck off of her but I can’t seem to force my body away from hers and I
see the exact moment it registers in her eyes as her smile changes.
Her gaze drops from mine to focus on my mouth that’s way too close to
hers and I feel the slight, sharp inhale of her breath. My fingers around her
delicate wrist loosen and my thumb brushes over her pulse point in a soft
sweep. Her eyes never leave my mouth as she tips her hand and lets the
flour pour out onto the counter.
“Good girl,” I whisper, unable to take my eyes from the shifting emotions
on her face. I should back off now, free her - but instead my fingers slide
from her wrist up her soft skin until they reach her shoulder. I see her
swallow and then slowly lift her hand to my face and finally her eyes meet
mine again. I see hesitation, caution, and a hint of confusion and then…glee
as they crinkle into a smile when she wipes her flour-coated hand down my
cheek. I can’t help it, that fucking smile of hers has me leaning in and with
barely a hint of a touch across her cheek I move to her ear and breathe out,
“You win.”
And then I let her go and step back before I cross any more lines with
her. A soft blush fills her face as she turns back to the pies and I hear her
clear her throat.
“We better get these done so I can clean up this mess. It’s going to be a
full day of cooking for me tomorrow.”
I squeeze my flour-coated fingers into fists to stop myself from reaching
for her again and nod.
“Tell me what comes next?”
 Avery
 

The scents filling the house smell like holidays and for the first time since
my parents died, the feelings of holidays are there for me too. I’m confident
that the three incredible men I work for will be pleased with the feast that I
prepared for them. There will be no anxiety for me fearing that something
in the meal is not up to his impossible to reach standard. There will be no
tense silence over the dinner table. No fear of being punished for doing or
saying the slightest thing wrong and no terror as too much alcohol is
consumed.
I stand at the window and stare out at the view that’s filling me with joy
and mending the damage to my heart. Everything is ready for dinner and I
should call them in but I need to just absorb what I’m seeing and store it
close to my heart for a few more minutes.
All three of them are outside with Chloe, bundled up and playing in the
fresh snow that fell overnight. There is a family of snowmen watching over
the group as snowballs sail through the air and laughter and giggles ring
out. Kanga bounces back and forth, covered in snow, as he tries to catch
every snowball that gets thrown. Ryker lifts Chloe up high so she can dump
two handfuls of snow over Easton’s head and she screams with laughter
when he falls straight back into the snow with his arms and legs wide apart.
For the first Thanksgiving in years, the tears in my eyes are from happiness.
In the two and a half weeks we’ve been here, these men have interacted
and played with Chloe more than her father ever had in her whole life. She
was just a possession to him. He never played with her, read her a story,
colored with her…he never did anything with her. Chloe had learned
quickly as a toddler to stay as quiet as possible and not to bother him.
 Another first takes me over. My smile drops away and my hands turn to
fists. He didn’t have to be that way with her. He didn’t have to treat me the
way he did. We could have had such a love-filled home. Easton, Ryker, and
Zack have shown me how easy it is to be kind, to care in such simple decent
ways. I…I hate him. I hate him for all that he stole from me and his
daughter.
I turn away from the window and force my tense shoulders to relax.
Today is about being thankful and I have so much to be thankful for. I go to
the back door and call them all in and am rewarded with cheers for turkey
and pie from Chloe and Zack. Once everyone has taken all the snow-
covered layers off we all troop into the dining room and take our seats.
“This looks incredible, Avery,” Easton tells me with a smile as he fills a
wine glass and passes it over.
Zack and Ryker also compliment me on how beautiful everything looks
and I feel a warm glow of satisfaction and contentment fill me as I sit back
and watch them pile their plates high. Ryker adds a bit of everything to
Chloe’s plate and then cuts up her meat into small bites before digging into
his own heaping plate.
“Miss Nicole says we need to say what we’re all thankful for, Mommy. I
want to go first!” Chloe announces halfway through the meal.
I swallow down the sweet potatoes in my mouth and glance around at the
others but they’re all smiling so I nod at her.
“Go ahead, baby. What are you thankful for this year?”
She grins real big and sits up straighter.
“I’m thankful for our new house, Kanga, Ryker, Zack, and Easton. And
I’m also happy you don’t have any more new owies!”
I almost choke on the wine I had just taken a sip of when she tacks that
on the end. My face flushes red but I force myself not to look at the others
and just push a smile on my face, even if it feels incredibly brittle.
“My turn!” Zack calls, breaking the beat of tense silence. “I’m thankful
for being here when so many of our brothers can’t be. I’m also incredibly
thankful for Chloe sharing her toys with me and Avery for feeding me the
most amazing food I’ve ever eaten.” He pauses there and I start to look to
Ryker but Zack rushes in with, “Also, pie! I’m most thankful for pie!”
It makes me laugh and clears the last of the embarrassment caused by
what Chloe said from my face so I turn to Ryker and then Easton with a
smile.
 Ryker hmm’s in his throat and then growls out, “Thankful for our
family.”
When he doesn’t say anything else, my gaze goes to Easton. His eyes
meet mine and he lifts his wine glass and tilts it my way like he’s making a
toast.
“I’m thankful I slid into that ditch.”
The heat swims back up into my cheeks as flutters fill my belly and I
quickly look away.
Chloe bounces in her chair. “What about you, Mommy? What are you
thankful for?”
I breathe in deep and the smile that lifts my lips is true when I look to
each person at the table and simply say, “You.”
The rest of the dinner is filled with easy chatting and laughter but by the
time all the plates have been cleaned, Chloe is looking grumpy and she
starts dragging her cast against the edge of the table.
“Baby, stop! You’re going to damage the wood.”
Her bottom lip pouts out even more. “It’s itchy! I wannit off!” She cries.
I push back from the table and stand to take her to our room but Ryker
beats me to it and plucks her into his lap.
“Let me see.” He tells her and then holds her arm straight out so he can
see into her cast. He squints one eye shut and screws up his lips making my
pouty girl smile again and then blows directly into the space between the
cast and her tiny arm. Her eyes pop wide and her lips form an O.
“It doesn’t itch! How did you fix it?” She gushes.
He blows into her cast again and then tells her, “It’s just hot and sweaty
in there from playing in the snow. A hairdryer set on cool works better but
this should help for now.”
I send him a grateful smile as Chloe leans back against him, completely
content to stay right where she is.
“When can she have it taken off?” Zack asks as he snags another roll
from the almost empty basket. The simple question has shame smacking me
in the face again. My fingers start twisting together and my eyes drop down
so I can’t see how bad they must judge me from the only answer I can give
them.
“I don’t know. I…I…he…took her to the doctor. I…wasn’t allowed…”
“No problem.” Easton interrupts me and then leans over to top off my
glass with more wine. “I’ll make an appointment for next week with my
personal physician. He can get an x-ray and let us know how much longer it
needs to stay on for.”
My head shoots up to stare at him as panic courses through me. Doctors
mean paperwork, records, and history but Easton reads my mind and flashes
me a reassuring look.
“Trust me, Avery. We won’t leave a trail and we’ll make sure she gets
looked after.”
I swallow the panic down and slowly nod because I do, I do trust him. I
trust all of them. I blow out a breath and let the fear and tension go from my
body and then push to my feet to start gathering the empty dishes to take
back to the kitchen. Zack and Easton jump to their feet and Easton takes the
dirty dishes from my hands.
“Uh-uh, you did all the work creating this feast so we will do the clean-
up. Why don’t you take your wine and go relax in the living room with
Chloe while we take care of all this?”
A denial sputters out of my mouth but he’s already steering me out of the
room after handing me my wine glass.
“Go on. Let us do this, Avery.”
I have no choice but to do as he says when Chloe grabs my free hand and
drags me to the living room. I can’t help but send nervous looks toward the
kitchen as the two of us sit at her tiny table and work on a puzzle together.
When I start hearing laughter and banter from them, I finally relax enough
to take another sip of wine and focus on my daughter. Ariel and Sebastian
come together and smile back at us from the completed puzzle in no time
and then Chloe is clamoring for pie so we go into the kitchen just as the last
dish is being dried by Zack and Ryker is wiping down the counter. I smile
my thanks to them all as the warm glow from the wine spreads through my
body.
The pies are a hit with all of them and it’s not long after that when Chloe
starts to droop sleepily. She’s curled herself up against Zack on the couch as
he flips through a picture book with her about a superhero puppy. There’s a
football game playing on the TV that Ryker and Easton are watching and
the mood is calm and sated from the big meal. My own eyes start to droop
from the late night, full day, and the wine.
When I blink my eyes back open sometime later, it’s to a set of sleepy
brown dog eyes. I’ve somehow ended up leaning against Ryker with Kanga
leaning against his other side. One of his huge arms is around my shoulders
and his fingers rub gently in small circles against my arm. It makes me feel
things I probably shouldn’t, considering I work for him. My eyes slide to
the other end of the couch and see Easton and Zack both watching me with
looks I don’t understand so I drop my eyes to Chloe and see her sleeping
against Zack’s side. I sit up away from Ryker causing him to lift his arm
and I mumble “Sorry.” And then I rise to scoop up Chloe and take her to
bed. I pause before leaving the room and glance back.
“Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you…all of you, for everything.
Goodnight.”
 Ryker
 

It’s just about the most perfect Thanksgiving I can ever remember.
Surrounded by my brothers, making snowmen, having snowball fights with
an angel, filled with the best meal, and topped off with having Avery slowly
slide against me as she fell asleep. It’s a far cry from the holidays of my
childhood where the turkey came on microwaved trays between my
overworked mother’s split shifts through a cloud of cigarette smoke.
It wasn’t that she was a bad mother, she just wasn’t very maternal,
especially after my father walked out and she had to take on two jobs just to
support us in the crappy one-bedroom apartment that was all we could
afford. There wasn’t a whole lot left over for me when she dropped
exhausted on the couch at the end of the day. She died a few years after I
enlisted, leaving me without any family until the one me and my brothers
built.
Avery and Chloe have only added to that family in my eyes but judging
by the looks East and Zack had been sending her sleeping form against me,
a conversation was in order. So I do my best form of communicating once I
hear her door close and growl out, “Mine.”
East’s eyebrows pop up and then a challenge fills his eyes as he snaps
back, “Mine!”
We both turn our gazes to Zack who throws up his hands. “I wish!”
When we keep him pinned with our stares, he rolls his eyes.
“What? You think I’d ever have a chance with her like this?” He points at
his leg where his prosthetic is hidden by his pant leg.
I growl out a sound of dismissal and East scoffs, “Fuck off. That
wouldn’t mean shit to her. Stop being a martyr. If you want to lay claim,
fucking do it. Cards on the table time.”
 Zack shoots a look my way and when I give him a sharp nod, he sighs.
“So, how’s this supposed to work then? We all try and charm her, date
her when she’s ready? Are we really going to make her pick who she likes
best?” He huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, that’s not going to turn out well at all.”
He scrubs at the scruff on his chin. “This is a bad idea. First off, she’s
barely stopped flinching whenever we move too fast near her. Second, are
the two of us that don’t get picked going to be just fine on the sidelines
watching the girl we want locked down and loved? Cause that won’t cause
resentment…at all.” He says sarcastically. “It’ll end up being a Yoko Ono
thing if it develops into something with a future and I for one don’t want to
break up this band. I mean, I know that eventually we might find partners
and move to our own homes but…”
The frown deepens on my face the more he talks, pointing out things I
hadn’t considered. I want her and I want Chloe but I don’t want to lose my
brothers, my home with them. I see the conflict on East’s face and before I
even know what I’m saying it comes out.
“Doesn’t have to choose.”
Two sets of eyes spear me with looks like I’ve lost my mind so I cross
my arms over my chest and sent out the challenge.
“She doesn’t have to choose. She can have us all.”
East’s expression morphs from disbelief to amusement to finally
consideration but Zack starts laughing.
“Man, I know you’re part animal but really? People don’t just form packs
and share mates! That’s fucking crazy!”
“Is it?” East breaks in rubbing his jaw while studying me. “It would be
the perfect solution for us. None of us want to separate into different houses
or lives. We all work different hours so one of us would always be around
for them, never leaving them neglected. And if I was ever going to share a
woman with anyone, it would be with you two, so…”
I rumble my agreement as Zack’s wide gaze darts back and forth between
us. He throws his hands up again and shakes his head when he sees that
we’re seriously considering this.
“Fine, let’s say that could actually work with…someone. But do you
think Avery’s that someone? Come on, guys! She’s been through so much.
She’s…fragile. If you go to her with this, who's to say she wouldn’t go
along fearing that she’ll lose her place here if she doesn’t? You can’t put
this on her when she’s still this damaged. Never mind that her fucker of an
ex is still out there somewhere just waiting to find her. Fuck!”
I grunt to acknowledge his words. Fuck, he’s right. I would never want
Avery to feel pressured into something out of fear or even obligation to us
for taking her in so I rumble out a sigh.
“Put a pin in it for now. I’m tired of worrying about that dick. Need a
name!”
“I have a name and an address.”
East drops it like a fucking bomb between us causing both Zack and I to
surge forward in our seats, eager to finally have a direction to focus our
anger on.
“She fucking told you?” Zack asks incredulously.
East shakes his head, drains the last of his wine, and stares at the empty
glass with a frown.
“No, she didn’t.” His eyes lift to meet ours and I see the banked rage in
them. “Do you know she had never had wine before yesterday? Never had
any type of alcohol. She married him right at eighteen. She never had any
kind of life after that. Never did any of the stupid shit a person’s supposed
to do to figure out how to be an adult. Just wham, wife and then mother
locked in a fucking cage.”
His fingers turn so white around the stem of the glass I expect it to break
at any moment and slice his hand. “Last night, after I helped her make the
pies, I was taking out the empty bottle to the recycling and her car caught
my eye. It’s been sitting there in the garage since I brought her here and it
got me thinking that we should dump it somewhere far away. Eliminate that
thread in case he’s reported it stolen. And then I walked over to it, opened
the passenger door, popped the glove box and there it was. Name and
address on the registration slip.” He breathes out and gently sets the glass
down on the coffee table. “She’s from Augusta, Maine. That’s where we
find him and end this.”
Zack pushes to his feet with a steely look in his eyes. “Send me the name
and address and I’ll start digging. As for the rest, leave it be for now. She’s
not ready.”
He turns away and goes to the kitchen and pulls what’s left of the pies out
of the fridge. I turn my eyes back to East and he gives me a small nod.
“Yeah, pin it for now.”
 Avery
 

Easton is true to his word and the visit to the doctor’s office goes smoothly
with next to no questions asked. There was one tense moment when Chloe
blurted out that her daddy made her go whoosh against the wall but he was
really sorry. My throat closed and choked off my breath when Dr. Morgan
merely patted her leg and sent me a small, pitying smile. The only thing that
kept me from bolting from the room with Chloe in my arms was the hand
Easton rested on my shoulder keeping me in place.
They let me go with her for the x-ray and my fingers ached from twisting
them by the time the doctor came back in with the results.
“I have very good news! It wasn’t a severe break. It’s a stable fracture,
what we call a buckle fracture and it’s healing great. I would recommend
coming back in a week to ten days for another x-ray and if it all looks good,
we can take that cast off.”
Chloe bounces excitedly in my lap. “Yay! Then I can go swimming? We
have a pool!”
The doctor chuckles and nods. “Swimming is a great way to get that arm
back to normal.” He meets my eyes and I can see that his are filled with
compassion. “She’s going to be just fine. You did the right thing.”
He leaves it at that so I don’t know if he means bringing her in or if
Easton told him about our situation and he means me running away. Either
way, I’m grateful for his discretion.
We drive Chloe to school and I take her in and hand her off to the
monitor to take her to her class, having missed the first part of the day due
to her appointment. Chloe barely says goodbye as she chatters away to the
monitor about the doctor taking pictures of her bones. By the time I make it
back to the car, the tension has drained away and I melt into the butter-soft
leather seat with a tired sigh. She’s going to be okay, we both are.
Easton hands me an envelope and I realize that it’s been another week
and today is my day off. I tuck it away in the lining of my purse along with
the rest that he’s paid me so far and it causes him to sigh and lift an
eyebrow at me.
“We really need to get you a bank account. It’s not good to carry around
that much cash, Avery.”
My fingers tighten around my purse. I know that but I can’t bring myself
to leave the money at the house. If he finds us…if we have to run, I need
this money with me. As for the bank account, I let them forge a birth
certificate for Chloe so she could go to school but I can’t let them or myself
break any more laws. I’m already a criminal for taking Chloe, I can’t do
anything else to add to that. Easton sighs again like he’s disappointed in me
causing my shoulders to tense up as he puts the car in drive and pulls away
from the school. When he turns back toward the city instead of the house, I
shoot him a nervous look.
“I thought it would be nice if someone else did the cooking for you for a
change. I’m taking you to lunch.”
My mouth opens to immediately tell him he doesn’t need to do that but I
pop it closed at the smirk that forms on his mouth. Protesting will get me
nowhere so I guess we’re going to lunch.
The restaurant is beautiful with large vases of fresh flowers everywhere
and warm wood accents. It intimidates the heck out of me. I chew on my
bottom lip as I scan the menu and swallow hard at the prices listed. When
the waiter comes and recites the specials, Easton picks one so I quickly
agree that I’d like the same. I’ve never had sea bass before so I hope I like it
but even if I don’t, I know I’ll force down every bite. Once our drinks are
served, Easton leans closer across the table.
“It’s been three weeks now that you have been at the house. Are you
happy with how things are going? Anything you want to talk about,
change?” He asks me.
I can’t stop the smile that forms. “No! Everything is perfect. Chloe and I
are so happy with everything. I’ll never be able to repay…”
“Stop!” He cuts me off with a shake of his head. “There’s nothing to
repay. You work hard and have made all of us very happy, Avery. You and
Chloe coming into our lives has been a true pleasure.”
 My cheeks heat up in a blush at his words but no matter what he says, I’ll
always feel the need to repay them in any way I can. They rescued us and
gave us a home, a safe place to start healing. I’ll always be grateful for that.
“So how do you see things going forward?” He asks me after taking a
drink from his water glass.
“Um, forward? What, what do you mean?”
He sets his glass down and reaches across to take one of my hands which
makes my stomach do a fast loop.
“Avery, you will always have a place in our home. I want to make that
clear. We don’t want you to leave but you need to think about yours and
Chloe’s future.”
I try and pull my hand away as tension floods me but he just squeezes it
tighter.
“Sweetheart, stop, you’re safe. I know it scares you to think about that
but it’s important. You lived in a prison of pain and fear for years and you
were brave and strong enough to escape it but, Avery, living in hiding is just
another kind of prison. Don’t let him dictate the rest of your life. You
deserve so much more. You and your daughter deserve freedom.”
I blink back the hot tears that sting my eyes and keep my gaze on the
strong fingers gripping mine. I know he’s right. I know that I can’t hide
forever, always afraid that he’ll be around every corner. Afraid to do
something as simple as opening a bank account but I don’t know how to
change that. I’m terrified that he’ll find us and take Chloe away from me. I
can’t ever risk that. Easton pulls my hand up and across to him so he can
brush a soft kiss across my knuckles making butterflies swarm in my
stomach and then lets it go.
“I’m a very, very wealthy man, Avery. We all are. We have the resources
to make this go away for you. We have the skills to protect you. Inside and
outside of the law. Will you trust us to help you? Will you let us give you
back your freedom so you can have choices again?”
My breath catches in my throat at the idea of that. To be completely free,
to do anything I want is a dream that has been too big for me to dream. I try
and picture what that would look like but all I see is Easton, Ryker, and
Zack’s faces smiling at me in my mind. I see them playing with Chloe…
guiding and teaching her as she grows up. I see them and me… I try and
shake those thoughts from my mind. These men are the kindest people I
have ever met but they will want their own families and their own children
one day. Where would that leave Chloe and me?
Easton’s right. I do need to look to my future and I can’t do that as long
as I’m in hiding. So, I square my shoulders and meet his gaze.
“What…how, would I do that?”
Easton’s shoulders relax and he hits me with a smile that has those
thoughts of a future with him, with them, flooding back in.
“Good girl, Avery. I’ll have my lawyers draw up divorce papers as well
as the paperwork for him to sign over all his parental rights. It will be made
clear to him what will happen if he ever comes near you or Chloe ever
again. Trust me, trust us to make sure you two are safe.”
I blink a few times as I process that. Would it really be that simple?
“I…I wouldn’t have to see him? He wouldn’t know where we are?”
He shakes his head. “No, it will all be done through the lawyers.
However, you will have to give a statement recounting the abuse he
inflicted on you and Chloe. It needs to be documented.”
The waiter comes at that moment and sets our meals in front of us but my
stomach is rolling with nausea at the idea of putting all he did to me on
paper. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to relieve each moment of pain,
each blow inflicted. The noise of my baby’s arm breaking sounds out in my
head and I know that I have to. I have to do this to give her the future she
deserves so I pick up my fork, swallow hard and meet his eyes.
“I…I have pictures. A lot of pictures.”
 Zack
 

I’m not getting anywhere with this code. I’m distracted and unsettled by
what’s happening today and pissed that I’m not a part of it. It took me less
than a full day to dig into that fucker’s life and unearth every single thing
about him right down to the secret offshore bank account he’s been
funneling the money he steals from his firm into. It’s a decent chunk of
change but it won’t help him once we are done with him.
The fancy New York law firm took a week to get all the paperwork
drawn up and it arrived by courier this morning. That was all East and
Ryker needed to hit the road and head to Maine. They are caravanning up
there to take Avery’s car back and dump it at the guy’s office parking lot.
They plan to hang around until he comes out, let him know how things are
going to be going forward and make him sign off on everything. Once that’s
taken care of, the Feds will move in and scoop him up for his creative
accounting thanks to a favor owed to us by our contact with them. Once all
the paperwork is filed, it will be a minimum of sixty days before everything
is finalized.  And then, Avery and Chloe will be free for…
Fuck, that part unsettles me more than nailing the prick does. Free to
what? Start a new life somewhere else or here with one of us? I hate both of
those ideas. Avery and Chloe have only been here for a month but I’ve
already fallen so fucking hard for both of them. There is no way I could sit
on the sidelines and watch her pick one of my brothers to share her life
with. So that only leaves what Ryker suggested. She doesn’t have to choose.
She can have us all. Three men to protect her, care for her…love her.
I push away from the computer and desk and mindlessly massage my leg
with a scowl on my face. How the fuck would that even work? We set up a
schedule for who gets her each day? Fuck that, this is stupid and a waste of
time. As if Avery would even be interested in something like that or be
interested in me at all for that matter. She deserves someone better,
someone…whole. I carry too much damage, inside and out. She’d never
want…
“Wow, I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you with an angry
expression. Is…everything okay?” Avery asks from the doorway of my
office. I wipe my expression clear and paste on a smile for her. It becomes
easier when I see the plate in her hand stacked with sandwiches. I keep my
tone light and easy. She doesn’t know what’s happening today. We knew
she would be wracked with worry and anxiety if we told her. If everything
goes to plan, we will present her with the signed paperwork and her path to
freedom.
“There’s my favorite lunch lady! Thanks, Aves but I told you that you
don’t have to make me lunch.”
She rolls her eyes at me and my smile turns into a grin at how far she’s
come from the scared broken bird that first came to us. She moves further
into my office to set the plate on the desk and frowns down at my hand
that’s still massaging my leg.
“Zack, I thought you were going to make an appointment to have that
adjusted.” She leans slightly and places her small hand on top of mine. “I
hate that you’re hurting. What can I do to help?”
I flip my hand in hers so I can thread our fingers together and it’s the best
fucking feeling ever to hold her hand.
“It’s nothing, more of a habit than anything at this point but I promise I’ll
book that appointment soon.”
The frown is still fixed on her face as she sighs and spears me with an
exasperated look.
“Hey, you guys took care of me when I was hurting, you have to let me
do the same! I can bring you an ice pack or…oh! I know, Ryker made me
soak in the hot tub to help my ribs. It made so much difference. You should
do that too. Go soak in the hot tub and try and relax for a bit. I’ll even go
with you if you want!”
My fingers tighten around hers and my grin dims at the idea of her seeing
me without my prosthetic. The last thing she needs to see is how lacking I
am. I’m shocked but I shouldn’t be when Avery drops to her knees in front
of me with a disappointed look on her face. The more confident she is, the
more she’s picking up on our moods and can read us better. She pulls her
fingers from mine and nudges my hand aside to gently place hers on my
knee right above my stump. Her eyes are steady as she holds my gaze.
“You don’t want me to see it? Is that it?” When I break our stare and look
away her fingers press down slightly on my knee and she sighs. “Why?
Why would you think I would be bothered by this? You are a hero in my
eyes, Zack. This doesn’t make you less, it makes you more.”
I can feel the heat flooding my face as my eyes move back to hers and
my voice is raspy when I say, “I don’t want you to pity me.”
A range of emotions passes over her face until her lips twitch and then
she’s laughing.
“After everything…you saw the condition I was in, still am in some
ways, and you think I would pity you because you are a warrior that has
some damage?” She leans back on her heels and shakes her head. “I admire
you. I wish I could be more like you. Darn it, Zack, how could you ever
think that I could pity someone as strong as you?”
Her words fill me with a warm glow and I see the truth shining in her
eyes. My grin comes back as something strikes me and I have to ask,
“Avery, do you ever…swear?”
Her cheeks go pink and her eyes drop as she shakes her head but not
before I read the why in her eyes. So many things he controlled to beat her
down. Well not anymore.
“I’ll make you a deal. I’ll go soak if…if…you say…fuck.”
Her eyes fly back to mine and it only takes a beat before amusement is
dancing in them.
She scrunches up her nose, purses her mouth and then says “Fudge!”
before bursting out in giggles.
I can’t help but laugh too because she’s the cutest damn woman I’ve ever
known. I help her back to her feet and spin her towards the door.
“Go get your swimsuit on, you degenerate. I’ll meet you there in twenty
minutes.”
I stare at the empty space for a few minutes going over her words and
finally shake my head. She’s fucking perfect and I’d do anything, including
sharing her if it meant she could be mine.
I beat her to the pool so I wait beside it and steel myself for however she
reacts to seeing my scars. The stump isn’t even the worst of it. The flesh on
the outside of my leg running from the stump to my hip is a tangled mass of
scar tissue and it’s not easy to look at. My board shorts cover a good portion
of it but I know it’s there so it still makes me cringe that she might see it.
Avery comes in with Kanga following her and I can see right away that
she’s back to being nervous. She’s wearing a very modest, navy-blue, one-
piece suit but it still gives me a perfect view of her sweet curves and makes
my mouth water for them. Her face is filled with a pretty pink blush and
she’s twisting her fingers. I’m not having it. I want to hear her laugh again
and I haven’t seen her wince in pain for the last few days so as soon as she
gets close to me, I wiggle my eyebrows.
“Looking kind of hot there, Aves. You should probably cool off in the
pool first.” And then I push her off the edge into the deep end of the pool.
Avery comes up sputtering and laughing. She slicks her hair back over
her head and wipes the water from her eyes before spearing me with a glare
of outrage just as Kanga jumps into the water next to her, splashing her all
over again. When she finally clears the water from her eyes a second time,
they are dancing with laughter.
“Oh, it is ON! Get in here or I’m coming to get you!”
I reach down and unstrap my prosthetic but don’t remove it yet. I put my
hands on my hips and tilt my head at her.
“Nope, still waiting for my swear word. C’mon, any swear word will
do.” I tease.
Avery floats up onto her back giving me a perfect view of…and she starts
throwing out non-swearwords at me.
“What the fork! Son of a duckling! Cheese and rice! Frig, fridge, freak!”
I’m groaning so hard at her ridiculous curses that I kick off my prosthetic
and cannonball next to her to get her to stop with the nonsense words. The
wave that creates swamps her and turns her words into a squeal. The water
fight that follows is one of the best times I’ve had since I can remember. It’s
a close tie to the recently fought nerf gun battle. We chase each other
around the pool for a good twenty minutes throwing a plastic ball for Kanga
to swim after before she starts to tire. For me, being in the water makes it
easy for me to forget what my body is missing and I can’t stop grinning.
I get close enough to splash her again and as she pushes through the
water with her hands to get me back, I duck under and surge up right in
front of her. I’m so close that her hands land on my chest and it’s the most
natural thing in the world for me to scoop her against me. With her body
pressed against mine, my cock goes marble hard in an instant. She’s still
laughing as her legs float up and it’s an easy adjustment to have them wrap
around my waist. I bob us in the water and the steel pipe in my shorts fits
perfectly in the juncture of her legs.
Avery’s laugh chokes off and her eyes go big and wide as she freezes
against me. Our gazes are locked as I wait to see how she’s going to react to
this but then I have to bob again in the water to keep our heads above it.
The movement has my cock rubbing against her center. Her pupils blow
out and a drawn-out, “Fuuuuuck” escapes from her mouth in a breathy way.
It’s so fucking hot to hear coming from her that it snaps my good intentions
and control and my mouth surges against hers. She breathes in a small gasp
giving me the opening to slide my tongue in against hers. She has the
sweetest damn mouth I’ve ever tasted and now that I’ve gotten a taste, the
only thought in my head is…more.
I keep one arm banded around her hips and use the other to slide into her
wet hair so I can anchor her head to deepen the kiss. I almost come right
then and there when she lets out a soft moan and her tongue hesitantly
meets mine. She digs her fingers into my shoulders so she can press against
me, causing her pussy to grind against my aching cock and the only thing
that stops me from pulling her suit aside and diving into her heat is the
water that keeps dragging us down. I never want to stop the sweet torment
that’s her lips and tongue but we will end up drowning if I don’t get us out
of the deep end.
I wrench my lips from hers and she makes this tiny whine of need that
almost makes me decide drowning is worth it after all but I hold myself
back and steer us toward the shallow end. And then I’m cursing inside
because that break is all the space Avery needs to come back to earth and
freeze up on me. Her hands that were clutching at me seconds ago now
push me away. Her legs let go of my waist and she uses the momentum
from the push to swim away.
“Avery! Aves, baby, it’s okay…”
I try and tell her but she’s already climbing out of the pool. She dips
down to snag a towel from the pile on the way to the door and disappears
without a backward look.
I stand with my chest heaving and hands fisted in the water and swear a
blue streak at myself for what I might have just ruined. And then I curse
Ryker and East for making me think that I could have had a shot with her to
begin with. Kanga paddles up next to me and whines in the direction of the
door then hits me with a look that practically screams “Dumbass”. I sigh
and send a wave of water at him because he’s right.
 Avery
 

I leave a trail of wet footprints through the house as I run to my room.

There’s a hard ball of panic in my chest that makes it hard to breathe. What
have I done? How could I be so stupid? I race through my room to the
bathroom and hit the shower, turning it to hot. As the heated water blasts
over my head, I sink to the tiles and drop my head into my hands as I try
and think of a path forward that won’t jeopardize Chloe’s and my place
here.
How could I be so stupid? I WORK for him! That was so incredibly
inappropriate. I’m such an idiot. Zack has been so nice to me from the start
that I started to see him as a friend more so than an employer. To kiss him
like that? I groan in mortification. What must he think about me now? I’m a
married woman, an employee! Just because he’s fun and flirty with me
doesn’t mean he would want…Oh God, the way he felt between my thighs,
the noises I made, it reminds me of what I felt after I was in the hot tub with
Ryker and I vow to never get into the water with a man again.
I don’t know how to deal with this, navigate these waters. I’ve now had
a…moment…with all three of them. First Ryker in the hot tub, then Easton
while we were making pies and now, I’ve kissed Zack in the pool. This is
destructive! Am I that starved for attention, affection, that I…okay, I am but
I’m also not the kind of girl who would do something like this…no matter
how good it felt to be kissed and held like that!
I’m ruining everything and I have to find a way to fix it. It doesn’t matter
that I’m starting to develop feelings for all of them. It doesn’t matter that
I’m desperate to feel what it would be like to be…touched…loved by men
like them. Going down that road would lead to major complications.
Complications I can’t afford. Not just with mine and Chloe’s place here
with them. It would change the dynamic of the whole house and I don’t
want that. I love it here, I love the way they all treat me and Chloe. The…
the friendships that I’m starting to have with them all. I know I work for
them, that I’m an employee but they are so kind to me, so understanding
and…and…it’s been so long since I had a friend or friends that I don’t want
to mess this up!
I heave myself up off the tiles and strip the new swimsuit off my body
and do a quick wash and shampoo. I have to make this right with Zack,
apologize for what happened, and draw a clear boundary line so nothing
like that happens again…no matter how good it felt to be kissed and held
like that.
Even though I know I have to do it, it takes me a while to build up the
courage to face him so I spend the next few hours locked away in our rooms
mostly pacing and trying to come up with the right words to say to him. My
fingers ache from wringing them and my bottom lip feels shredded from
how much I’ve chewed on it when there’s a soft knock on my door.
I jump and a small squeak falls from my mouth and that…that makes me
mad. Dammit! I don’t want to go back to being so afraid all the time so I
take a deep breath and force myself to stride to the door with a confidence I
don’t feel. My fingers grip the knob and with one last steadying breath, I
yank it open.
Zack is braced against the frame with his head down and a miserable
expression on his face. When his head comes up and his eyes meet mine, I
see sadness fill them and all my nerves disappear. We speak at the same
time.
“I’m sorry!”
“I’m so sorry, Aves.”
A beat of silence has us staring at each other and then one of his dimples
flashes as he tries out a small smile.
“Avery, I shouldn’t have…”
I cut him off.
“No, it was my fault. I…I crossed a line.”
He blinks at me in surprise and then his eyes crash closed as his head
jerks down for a moment. He starts shaking his head and looks back at me.
“Baby, I was the one who kissed you. I’m the one who crossed the line.
You didn’t DO anything wrong.” He scrubs at his face. “Can I come in…to
talk? I need to go get Chloe from school soon and I don’t want this hanging
over us.”
I back up to let him in while saying, “I can go get her! You don’t have to.
I’m sure you have work to do.”
He leads me over to the couch and pulls me down next to him.
“Avery, I’m going to get her. You can come with me if you want but one
of us will always pick her up, you know that.”
I nod so he takes my hand in his and gives it a small squeeze.
“You need to know that you didn’t do anything wrong in the pool. It was
me, I kissed you, I crossed the line. I’m sorry.” His thumb rubs circles on
the back of my hand and I force myself to ignore how that makes me tingle.
“Zack, I…I just don’t want to um, ruin…anything between us.” My eyes
drop to my lap as embarrassment fills me but I push on with a whisper. “I
know I work for you but…it, it feels like you’re also my…friend.” I peek
up at him and the softness I see in his look fills me with warmth making it
easier to say, “I really need a friend, Zack. I don’t want to wreck that.”
He brings my hand up to his mouth and kisses my fingers with an
understanding smile but there’s something that looks like resignation in his
eyes that makes what he says next seem hollow.
“I am your friend and I always will be, Avery. You never have to worry
about that changing.” He sighs and sets my hand down, patting it a couple
of times. “Let’s just chalk up what happened in the pool as being caught up
in the moment of fun. We’re not going to let it change anything between us,
promise.”
He pushes to his feet and smiles at me but it’s missing something, it’s
dimmer somehow.
“I’m going to go grab the little bug from school. Don’t forget the guys
won’t be home for dinner tonight so whatever you want to throw together
will be fine.”
I nod as confusion fills me and watch him walk out the door. He said all
the right things but now I’m the one who feels hollow.
 Easton
 

I pull Avery’s car into an empty spot in the parking lot and Ryker’s Bronco
pulls in next to me. I pull my holstered handgun from inside my suit jacket
and double-check that it is loaded and ready. I don’t foresee needing it but
it’s always best to be prepared. We’ve got this loser boxed in from all sides
with his embezzlement activities and the threat of turning him in should be
enough for him to sign away all his rights to Chloe and Avery. Once that’s
done, my contact at the FBI, Bishop, will come in with his team and scoop
him up and that will be the last of any threat he poses to the girls.
The only problem that might throw a wrench into the plan is Ryker going
beast and tearing the guy apart before we can make it happen. I’d be happy
to see this fucker bleed but right now, that’s not the smart play. Seeing
Ryker behind bars for killing this fuck won’t make any of us happy,
especially Avery. I need him to rein in his inner beast so this doesn’t go
sideways.
A large shadow blocks the sun from the window and I turn my head to
peer out at him before pushing open the door to Avery’s car and sliding out.
I glance over at the building our target works in with a grim expression.
We’ve timed this so the guy should be coming out in the next five minutes
or so. I toss the keys on the seat and shut the door and then turn to Ryker.
“I need you to hear me on this, man. As much as we’d all like to tear this
guy to pieces for what he did to them, we need to stay cool. We need him to
sign off on the paperwork. Tell me you will be able to control yourself.”
Ryker growls low in his throat with his lips pressed into a scowl but he
gives me a sharp nod so I’ll take that as his agreement. He shoves the large
envelope with the legal papers at me and I fish a pen from the inside pocket
of my suit so I’m ready to get this over with as soon as the guy shows his
face. Zack’s digging gave us a picture of him and the type of make and
model of his car so he’ll have to walk past us to get to it from where we
parked. Now all we need to do is wait.
Ry leans against his Bronco with his huge arms crossed and I flick
through my phone checking emails as we wait. Even though I’m staring at
my phone, I don’t see the screen. All I see is the stack of pictures Avery
handed over to the lawyers. Each one showing damage done to her over the
last four years. The more I think of her creamy sweet skin being covered by
the bruises he inflicted, the more my jaw clenches with rage. What kind of
man does that? Avery’s all sweetness and light so what kind of monster gets
off on breaking that? Ryker stiffens beside me making me glance up and
here’s my answer. This, this fucking loser walking toward us is that kind of
monster. I push off the car and step towards the trunk, lifting my hand in
greeting and it takes everything I have to keep the rage from my expression
as I call out to him.
“Excuse me! Hi, is this your car?”
The guy is average in height, with a medium build. There’s nothing
special about him, brown hair cut short and slicked back and a pair of grey
eyes that look dismissively in my direction. He starts to shake his head but
glances down at the car next to me and it causes his steps to freeze. My
gaze is zeroed in on him so I see the way his jaw clenches even as his feet
turn our way.
“That’s my wife’s car. It was stolen a month ago. Where did you find it?”
He barks in a harsh tone.
I wait until he’s only a few steps away before answering him with my
own harsh tone.
“Nowhere you will ever know. You can have the car back but you will
never see Avery and Chloe again.”
He rears back in a jerk and then steps hard in my direction as fury crosses
his face and spits at me, “Did my wife spread her whore legs for you? Is
that why she sent you?”
All my control slips away and it’s me I should have been worried about
losing control because I have a fistful of his suit clenched in my hands as I
drag him in between the cars and slam him up against Ryker’s Bronco in a
split second. My tone promises him pain and death as Ryker growls low and
hard next to him.
 “You piece of shit, if you want to make it out of this parking lot alive,
shut your fucking garbage mouth, right fucking now!”
He must see his death in my eyes because a tremor of fear shakes through
him and his eyes start darting around for a path to escape. I slam him
against the car again.
“This is how this is going to go. You’re going to sign all the paperwork
we brought. No more wife, no more daughter, and then you’re going to
scurry away like the coward you are and never think of them again.”
His eyes dart to Ryker who’s baring his teeth in a feral look and he
swallows hard before focusing back on me.
“Or what? You’re going to beat me up?”
I smile menacingly. “Yes, with so much fucking pleasure and when we’re
done, I’ll hand you over to the Feds for embezzlement. We know all about
your offshore account. Or, you sign away all your rights, never so much as
think about them again and walk free, here and now. What’s it going to be?”
A sneer forms on his lips. “I’ll sign. You can have the cunt. She and the
kid are useless anyway.”
Red fills my vision and the fists holding his suit let go to wrap around the
fucker’s throat. I squeeze and squeeze and his face turns a pleasing shade of
purple until Ryker finally tears me off of him leaving the weasel gasping for
breath. Ry pushes me away before stooping to pick the envelope and pen up
from where I dropped them on the pavement and thrusts them both at the
douchebag.
“Sign!” He snarls.
The guy takes it from him and pulls out the documents and starts
scrawling his signature on page after page as I lock down my temper to a
low simmer and Ry breaths menacingly down his neck. When he’s done, I
snatch the papers from him and go through them all making sure it’s
complete.
At my nod, Ryker’s lips twist into a sneer and then his huge fists plow
into the guy’s ribs in four brutal hits. Pleasure washes through me at the
pained grunts as each hit lands. This is what Avery felt when he went to
work on her delicate body but it just doesn’t feel like enough so when
Ryker steps back, I pass the paperwork to him to free up my hands and slam
my fist first into his mouth and then once more into his eye. The guy
crumples to the pavement moaning in pain and it’s a beautiful sound to me.
Let this fucker have a little taste of his own medicine.
 I straighten my suit jacket and then lean over, pick up my pen and use it
to wack him between his eyes to get his attention.
“This is the end of it. As far as you’re concerned, you don’t have them,
know them or even think of them again or we will be back and it won’t end
in a few fists. It’ll end with your life. Do you understand?”
I see the hate in his eyes when he nods his agreement and then Ryker’s
dragging him to the front of the cars and out of our way. He throws him
back down and stomps one of his big feet right into the guy’s back and it
reminds me of the boot print on Avery’s skin but I need this to be done now
or I won’t stop. I’ll kill him. With one more glare at the sniveling mess he’s
become, I open and slide into the Bronco and shoot a quick text to Bishop
letting him know we are done and his men can pick up the trash. And then I
dismiss that waste of space from my mind as Ryker pulls us out of the
parking lot and drives away.
 Him
 

I use that bitch’s car to drag myself back to my feet with a groan. The way
the bones grind in my side tells me at least two of my ribs are broken. I take
a shallow breath to not aggravate them and swipe my thumb across the
blood dripping from my mouth as I watch them drive away.
That fucking whore is dead.
I stagger over to my car and get in as fast as my injuries will allow. I peel
out of the parking without a backward glance at the office I’ve worked at
for years. I won’t be back. I’ve had an exit strategy ready to go for the last
few years that would allow me to disappear without a trace. The plan was
always to walk away from this job and the useless wife and kid but this
changes that. The fact that she defied me this way, tried to dictate terms to
ME? That can’t stand so she will need to learn one final lesson before I
ghost away.
As I catch sight of the Bronco those two fucks who dared to lay hands
and fists on me drove away in, I hang back and follow. A grim smile pulls
at my bleeding lip when I picture her violet eyes bulging from my hands
around her neck. Imagining the fear, the terror, and then finally acceptance
as the light leaves them has my dick going rock hard. I wipe the blood from
my busted lip with my tongue and revel in the taste. Oh, yes, she’s going to
learn the biggest lesson of them all and I can’t wait to deliver it.
 Avery
 

“What do you mean he’s fucking gone? We practically gift-wrapped the

guy for you!”
I hear Easton yelling as Ryker and I walk into the house after dropping
Chloe off at school. I’m surprised he’s still here as he usually leaves for the
office before we take her to school. Harsh swearing cuts off abruptly when
we enter the kitchen and he catches sight of me. I watch him rush out of the
room with his phone to his ear after sending a hard look Ryker’s way and
my shoulders tighten up at the tension suddenly filling the room.
I look between Zack and Ryker nervously before busying myself with
cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast and I spot the slight tremble in my
fingers as I reach for the dishcloth. This is the first time I’ve felt this kind of
anger and tension in this house since we came here and it brings back way
too many feelings from before. I know it has nothing to do with me, I
haven’t done anything wrong but years of walking on fragile eggshells have
me hunching my shoulders as if a blow will be coming at any moment.
Ryker’s big arms come around me from behind and he kisses the top of
my head.
“Stop. You’re safe.” He rumbles, and some of that tension, that tightness
flows out of me. I know I shouldn’t but I lean back into him. It’s so darn
nice to have someone hug me this way. Someone to reassure me. Someone
to care. I just can’t help myself. He makes me feel so safe and like…I
matter. His arms tighten briefly before he lets me go and steps to the side.
My eyes lift from the sink and meet Zack’s where he sits across from me at
the island and I don’t understand the wistful look in them before they clear
and he flashes me a dimpled smile.
 “Yeah, East can get pretty heated when things don’t go right at work. You
can’t let it bother you, Aves.” He tells me, so I let the last of the tension
drain away and nod with my own small smile.
He’s right. No one in this house has ever given me a reason to be afraid. I
need to start trusting them more. I’m safe here. We’re safe here and I need
to start believing that fully so I can start to heal. So when Easton comes
back into the kitchen with a grim expression I swallow past my nerves and
offer him a tentative smile. I’m just about to ask him if he has a preference
for what he would like for dinner when he holds out a thick, legal-sized
envelope to me.
“These are for you, Avery. He signed everything.”
My mouth forms a perfect O of shocked surprise as I stare at the
envelope. My heart surges with joyful relief but my head tells me it can’t be
that easy. My hands shake as I take it from him and clutch it to my chest.
“He…he…signed…everything? Th-the divorce papers and…and…”
“All of it. He signed away all his parental rights as well as the divorce
papers. I’ll send them by courier to the lawyer today and they’ll get them
filed with the courts. It’ll take a few months for a judge to sign off on them
but after that, you will be free. You’ll be free to do anything or go anywhere
you want.”
Hot tears prick the back of my eyes at it being over, at being free but it’s
so hard to believe it. It will take time to process it all but right now I know
one thing for sure.
“I don’t want to…I don’t want to go anywhere. Can…can we stay here?”
Easton’s expression softens and I catch a hint of relief in his eyes before
he nods firmly.
“The last thing we want is for you to leave. You and Chloe have come to
mean a lot to us. This is your home, Avery, for as long as you want it to be.”
I squeeze my eyes closed as happiness and relief flood through me but
when I open them, I catch Easton sharing a dark look with the other two
causing a shiver of dread to race down my spine.
“What? What is it?” I ask with a hint of panic in my tone. When they
don’t answer me, I start shaking my head. “Don’t! Please, don’t hide
something from me like that. What aren’t you telling me?”
Easton comes around the counter and rubs my arm. “It’s okay.
Everything is fine, I promise.”
 I step away from him and shake my head as I twist my fingers and
swallow down the uncertainty coursing through me.
“Tell me.”
He searches my face for a beat and then shoves a hand through his hair.
“We, Zack, did some digging on him and found out that he’s been
stealing money from the firm he works for. We turned the information over
to federal agents and had a plan that they would scoop him up and arrest
him as soon as we got him to sign the papers. Apparently, something came
up and they were late getting to him and now he’s…missing.”
My legs start to shake and my eyes dart over to Ryker and Zack before
landing back on Easton. “What does that mean? He’s missing? What does
that mean?” My voice gets shriller with each question and Easton reaches
out for me again but I back away with another shake of my head.
“What does that mean?”
He breathes out a deep sigh. “It doesn’t mean anything, Avery. It just
means that the feds don’t know where he is right this minute.”
My body goes cold as panic surges through me. He, he, he, he…could be
anywhere. He knows now. He could find the lawyers. He could track us. HE
could be HERE! My chest tightens so I have to gasp for each breath and I
spin away, spin away from them and lunge for my purse. The money! I
need the money to escape. I need to get Chloe and we need to RUN!
Kanga starts to whine, picking up on my panic but huge arms wrap
around me and lift as Ryker growls in my ear, “No!”
My purse strap falls from my fingers as he turns and carries me from the
room but my eyes are blurred with hot panicked tears so I can’t see where
he’s taking me. It doesn’t matter, I need to go, I need to get Chloe and we
need to run. As soon as he puts me down, I’ll run. We’ll go further,
disappear somewhere he can never find us. I…need…to…run!
Ryker finally sets me back on my feet and my eyes dart in every direction
searching for an escape route. My terrified expression bounces back to me
from the mirrors that cover every wall in the gym he’s brought me to.
There’s a sound coming from my throat that shocks me into silence. It’s the
sound a cornered animal might make. All the progress I’ve made, all the
happiness I was finally starting to feel drains out of me and I’m back to
being that small useless woman he trained me to be and that…that makes
me furious.
 “Yes, that’s it, baby. Don’t run, get mad. Fight!” Ryker growls at me in
approval.
I shake my head in frustration. “How? How can I fight? I’m weak…
I’m…nothing.”
He growls and turns me toward a large punching bag hanging from the
ceiling. “Start here. Hit, punch, kick it. Channel what you’re feeling and let
it all out on the bag. We’ll work on style later. For now, just let it out, baby.”
I glare at the bag and let the swirling, toxic emotions erupt and then I
charge it and let loose. My pathetic little hits barely make the damn bag
move but I don’t care as I get lost in the fury that’s taking me over.
Hate…hate…HATE HIM! Years of trapped emotions pour out of me.
Every harsh and demeaning word, every slap, hit, and kick he laid on my
body. It all comes out until I’m rage sobbing and my arms become too
heavy to hit the bag anymore.
Ryker pulls me away and sinks to the mat-covered floor with me in his
lap. He arranges my legs to wrap around his waist and one of his big hands
cups the back of my head and pushes my face into his chest. I cling to him
like a life raft in a storm-filled sea as the last of the tears fall. When I finally
come back to myself, I feel…drained, almost empty like I’m ready to start
again. Ready to fill myself up with something new. I’m still afraid he will
find us but the raw, wild panic is gone. I want…I want…
I lean back slightly so I can look up into Ryker’s eyes and what I see in
them steals the breath I’ve just managed to get back. His gaze is solid,
steady, and I think…full of love. His big hands cup my cheeks and he uses
his thumbs to brush away the wetness from my face.
“Tell me what you want, baby.” He rumbles.
You! The word, you, springs to my lips but it’s more than that, more than
just him so I take in a shuddering breath and tell him.
“I want…you and Zack and Easton and to stay here and…” I swallow
hard because I have to tell him what happened. “I kissed Zack! And, and
something happened, maybe, with Easton and, and, I don’t want to mess
anything up!”
A low rumble fills his chest against mine as one corner of his lips
twitches up. “And…me,” he says.
I nod slowly. “And you, but, I work for you all and it’s, it’s not
appropriate. I don’t want to ruin everything. I’m so sorry.”
 His hands slide from my face down to my shoulders and then further
around to my back and down until they cup my bottom. He pulls me closer
until my center is pressed snugly against his hardness. His eyes are filled
with heat and our lips are so close I can feel his hot breath wash over my
skin.
“You could never ruin anything, baby. We all want you. We all want
more with you.” He rests his forehead against mine. “You’re fired. Now
stay and be with us all. Be ours, baby. Be our girl.”
My eyes crash closed in defeat and I make a tiny shake of my head.
“I…I can’t. You all deserve so much more, will want so much more.” My
eyes open and I stare into his icy blues. “I…I don’t…don’t like…sex. It…
it…hurts.”
His fingers flex on my bottom as a groan rumbles through him.
“No. That was just another thing he took from you. We would show you
how it’s supposed to be. How a man is supposed to love his woman.”
I gasp at his words, the shocking idea of that then his lips slide over mine
and there is no more thought, there’s only heat and an ache for more. My
arms are around his neck and then my fingers are in his long hair as I moan
into his mouth. A low growl of approval from him has the ache intensifying
as he slants his lips across mine and I feel his tongue brush against the seam
of my mouth. It sends sparks through me that I’ve never felt before.
I know I should pull away, stop what’s happening but I just can’t. My
mind, my body, and my soul crave touch, love, desperately and I’m so tired
of the aching loneliness inside. I’m going to take what he’s offering and
trust that it won’t jeopardize mine and Chloe’s place here with them.
I open my mouth to give him access and meet his questing tongue with
my own. Everything inside me soars at the feelings coursing through me.
He possesses my mouth in every way and my hips move against the
hardness of him causing a whine of need to slip from me. His hands come
up to cup my head and he pulls back from my mouth.
“Baby, please, let me show you. Let me worship you?”
I don’t know what that means but it doesn’t stop my head from nodding.
I want more of how this feels. I want him in any way he wants to have me.
Ryker lifts me to my feet in one strong move so I’m standing in front of him
and then my jeans are stripped down to my ankles leaving me in just pale
pink briefs.
 My nerve endings are firing in a way I haven’t experienced before and
the look of awe in his eyes as he looks at me has me placing my hands on
his shoulders. He leans into me and his hot mouth slides across my lower
belly and trails into the hollow near my hip bone. The ache between my
legs flares and I move a little closer to his face. The dream I had about him
flashes through my mind and I remember how it felt when I touched
myself…there…after and how good it felt. I want him to touch me, I want
to feel it again.
Through the thin fabric of my panties I can feel the heat of his mouth and
my knees start to shake when he kisses the center of me. I have no control
as my body takes over and presses my mound against his mouth. When his
tongue sweeps out and licks me through the fabric a wanton-sounding moan
flies from my mouth. Ryker growls against my delicate flesh and then his
hands are back on my bottom and pulling my mound tight against his mouth
as his tongue licks me through my panties.
Oh! Oh! I’ve never…it feels…oh God, please don’t let him stop! As if he
heard my thoughts, he pulls back causing a choked sob of disappointment to
fly out of me.
He looks up at me with a gaze that’s scorching with desire and groans
out, “Baby, please, let me taste you? I need to feel you on my tongue.”
Words are just not possible for me so I just pant and shake against him
with my fingers digging into his shoulders and that must tell him what he
needs to hear because he strips away my underwear and buries his face
between my legs. His hot tongue licks through my folds and the shock of
ecstasy that shoots through me has my knees giving out. His big hands
catch me and gently lower me to the mat and then he’s spreading me open
and staring at my most intimate place. My cheeks flame red and I try and
close my legs to hide from him but he holds me open and looks up my body
to meet my eyes.
“So beautiful, baby.” My legs relax hearing that and his expression turns
possessive. “Mine!”
And then his head dips down and takes me. I can’t even think as he
explores every part of me. His tongue slides into my entrance and without
thought, one of my legs lifts to hook over one of his huge shoulders. My
hips are lifting with every thrust of his tongue, searching for more. His
hands lift my bottom higher and I grind against his mouth, lost in a stream
of pleasure that I’ve never felt before. How, how could I not have known
this is how it’s supposed to feel? His tongue moves from my entrance and
goes higher and brightness shatters my vision when he sucks against me
and then flicks in a steady rhythm that builds …something. Something’s
coming, something I know I want but don’t understand. The feelings are so
intense that I’m moaning and begging for…something.
“P-please! Ryker, please!”
I don’t know what I’m asking for but he does because he slides one thick
finger into my channel and thrusts it in and out, never stopping the pressure
of his tongue licking against me and that’s it, that’s all it takes for the world
to explode. I cry out mindlessly as my whole body clenches and pleasure
that shouldn’t be possible spasms through me. My fingers are locked in his
hair as my hips grind against his mouth trying to keep what’s happening
going.
I don’t know how long it goes on but when my body starts to calm I’m
sobbing. Ryker nuzzles softly against me as his hands stroke down my
thighs. When I melt back onto the mat in a puddle he lifts himself from
between my legs and comes to lay beside me, scooping me up and settling
me on his big chest. His hand goes into my hair to cup the back of my head
and his other one cups my bum to hold me in place. I lay on him as hot tears
soak into his shirt and try and process what just happened.
 Avery
 

“Okay?”
He rumbles out in question so I tip my head back to meet his eyes.
“I’ve, I’ve never…what you did, how it felt…I didn’t know that could
happen.” I tell him in a voice filled with awe.
A look of pleased satisfaction crosses his face and he holds me tighter.
“A gift to me to be your first. Everything about you is a gift to me, baby.
Thank you.”
More tears come at his words so I drop my head back to his chest and let
my fingers scrunch his shirt into fists full of fabric like I can hold this man
to me and never let go. He is the gift. They all are. Without them…my
shoulders tense with nerves at the thought of Zack and Easton. What will
this, what we’ve just done, mean to them? How will this change the
dynamic between all of us? Ryker must feel me tensing up because his
fingers in my hair, around my head start to rub, to soothe.
“Stop. Everything is going to be okay.”
I let out a shuddering breath. “What, what does this mean for the others?"
He grumbles and the vibrations through his chest against my face is
oddly soothing. Ryker sits us up and maneuvers me to sit in his lap. Heat
fills my face again when I realize that I’m naked from the waist down and
he’s still fully clothed. That makes me think about what he just did to my
body and I wonder why he didn’t try to have sex with me. His fingers
soothingly caress my bare thigh as he starts to speak.
“It only changes things if you want them to. We all want to be with you
and have feelings for you but there’s no pressure on you for anything.
You’re in control, baby. You choose what happens with one or all of us.”
 My teeth go to my bottom lip and start worrying at it. I don’t understand
how that would work. I don’t even know how a real, healthy relationship
with just one man would work, let alone three.
Ryker leans in and kisses me softly, slowly, and then pulls back.
“Tell me what you want. Tell me what your perfect world looks like,
Avery.”
I stare at his beautiful mouth as I try and see what that would be but all I
come up with is more of his mouth on me. I curse my fair skin as two
bright, red hot spots form on my cheeks and Ryker chuckles.
“Besides that. You can have as much of that as you want.” He growls and
kisses the side of my head. “For your future. You’re free now so what does
the perfect life look like for you?”
I don’t let myself overthink it, I just blurt out, “You! You and Zack and
Easton and me and Chloe here together as a family.”
The smile that blooms across his face releases some of the tension in my
chest but not all of it.
“What, how, how would this work? I mean, with, with three of you and
only one me.”
He strokes my back making me want to snuggle back into him.
“You choose. You are in charge every step of the way, Avery. We all want
you but you decide who you want to be with. We would never pressure
you.”
I think about what just happened with Ryker, kissing Zack in the pool and
Easton pressed against me in the kitchen when we were making pies. I’ve
felt something for each one of them, something more than just friendship
but…
“Is it wrong?” I ask him hesitantly. “I don’t have much experience with
men. Is it wrong to have feelings for more than one man? To have…be…
intimate with…is it wrong?”
His lips slide over mine again, soft, loving.
“Does this feel wrong?” He asks me and when I shake my head he nips
my bottom lip making me squirm in his lap. “It’s only wrong if you don’t
feel comfortable, safe. We all want you, baby, but it’s not just about sex. We
care about you and want to be with you. We would never want you to be
uncomfortable or feel pressured into anything.”
It sounds like a dream to me. For so long I just wanted to be…wanted, to
matter to someone besides Chloe. I just want to be loved. To have not one
but three men give me that? It feels selfish somehow.
“You all would really be okay…sharing…me? But for how long? What
happens when one of you wants to find a wife or have children? I have
Chloe to think about! It would be so easy for her to see you all as father
figures. What happens to her when you decide to start families of your
own? I…I don’t think I can risk that, risk her heart.”
He lifts my chin and sweeps his thumb across my cheek with a low
growl.
“Not going to happen. I want you and Chloe to be my family, to make a
family together.” A gleam comes into his eyes. “Happy to add more kids to
that…if you want that.”
I suck in a breath at his words. I’ve always wanted more children but
once I realized what a monster I married, I knew I could never let that
happen. Ryker is laying out all the dreams I didn’t think I could ever have at
my feet but I’m scared, scared that this kind of fairy tale could never be
true.
I swallow the uncertainty down and ask again, “The others? They would
be okay with sharing me?”
A low rumble of approval soothes the ache of want inside of me. “Yes,
we will give you everything you could ever want, baby. Just say yes.”
Hot tears burn at the back of my eyes. God, I want it. I want to be happy,
safe, loved. I want Chloe to have a home filled with laughter and play. A
father…fathers…to care for her, love her and guide her as she grows. The
emotions overcome me so much that words aren’t possible so I just lean in
and answer with my lips against his instead. His arms tighten around me
and his mouth devours mine to seal all the promises he’s offering me.
The kiss is so deep and heated that my core heats up and the ache
between my legs blooms again with need. I press against him with a moan
but he pulls back.
“Want you in a bed, naked and laid out for me to worship properly. Our
first time won’t be on a gym mat, baby.” He kisses me one more time and
then lifts me to my feet and helps me dress. A thrill runs through me. I can
picture it, his hard beautiful body above me and now that I know the kind of
pleasure he can bring me, I want more of it, more of him.
I glance over to the punching bag and it reminds me of what brought us
in here to begin with. My shoulders go tense and my fingers clench. He’s
out there somewhere and I can’t forget it. I turn back to Ryker and take a
deep breath.
“Will he find us?”
His expression goes hard and fierce. “Doesn’t matter even if he does. If
he comes near you or Chloe…I’ll kill him.”
I should be shocked, even scared at his words but instead they fill me
with warmth. I think of the expensive kitchen knives I’ve been using since
we moved in here and how sharp they are. Not once did I ever fight back
when he came at me before but that changes now. If he does come for us, if
he threatens us again, Ryker won’t have to kill him because now that I can
see the amazing future ahead of me and Chloe, now I’m ready to do it
myself.
 Zack
 

I pace back and forth in front of the kitchen island causing my stump to
ache. I really do need to get that adjustment done but all I can think about
right now is the wild panic on Avery’s face. The whine of terror that came
from her mouth was almost harder to hear than the screams of wounded
soldiers that fell beside me. My stomach is in knots with anxiety and all I
want to do is go wherever Ryker took her and pull her into my arms. I want
to promise her that she and Chloe will always be safe, always be protected
and fuck…always loved. I can’t lie to myself. I’ve fallen so damn hard for
those girls and I know it’s going to fuck me up more than I already am
when she doesn’t choose me.
I swipe through my hair that’s already standing on end from pulling on it
so much and dart another glance at the hallway Ry took her down. My
nerves break and I turn that way to just go, go and find them but East stops
me.
“No, leave them!”
Fuck…fuck! I hit him with a glare. “What the fuck happened to Bishop’s
team? They were supposed to move on him as soon as you guys were clear.
How did they fuck this up?”
East drops his phone onto the counter and throws his hands up with a
pissed-off look.
“That was the plan but another high profile case had a development that
pulled them all away. Trust me, I’m just as pissed off as you are about this
but a serial killer takes precedence over an embezzler. You’ve seen the news
about that guy they are calling the Scalpel? Apparently, the Scalpel picked
another victim but this time, she fought back and managed to escape. It’s a
huge break in the case.” He rubs between his eyes like a headache is
brewing and shakes his head. “Listen, I’m just as upset as you are and I hate
seeing Avery this way but this guy, he’s not a threat. I was face to face with
him. The loser’s a bully and a coward and we put the fear of God into him.
My bet is that he’s already out of the country. From the things he said, he
doesn’t give a shit about his wife and daughter. They were just convenient
punching bags to him and part of an image he cultivated. Go check the
money trail and I bet you’ll see he's on the move.”
I look away, back to the hallway and shake my head. “I’m not going
anywhere until I see that she’s okay.” I cross my arms over my chest and
blast out a hard breath of frustration. “Even if he’s not a threat, she doesn’t
fucking deserve to have to go through this. Damn it, East! She was just
starting to find her feet. She was relaxing, laughing. I hate that this might
set her back again.” I scrub at my face. “I just want her happy. She deserves
to be fucking happy!”
His expression softens. “She does, they both do and we are going to give
them that, I promise. You need to calm down, Zack. I don’t want her
coming back in here and seeing you all worked up and worried like this. It
will only stress her out even more. We need to present a strong, united front
for her. Let her know she has nothing to worry about, that we’ll take care of
them.”
I shove my hands through my hair again and blow out a long breath. He’s
right. We just need to make her feel secure and safe. Keep supporting her
and encouraging her to help build her confidence. I just hate seeing her
scared like that, ready to run at the drop of a hat. I’ve fallen so hard for
these girls in such a short amount of time that it feels unreal some days.
But it isn’t. Everything I feel for Avery and Chloe is one hundred percent
real. When I think of her leaving or running away it makes a cold sweat
break out down my back and leaves a sick feeling in my stomach. It doesn’t
even matter if she doesn’t feel the same way back. If the only thing she ever
wants from me is friendship, it would be enough. I want so much more than
that but I know I’m not the man I once was. I’m no prize for a woman with
the damage my body has sustained so I’ll take what I can get from her and
just be happy that they’re in my life.
I catch Easton straightening up from the corner of my eye so I look to the
hallway and see Ry leading Avery back into the kitchen by her hand. Kanga
goes straight to her and leans against her legs to offer support. As she
reaches down to scratch between his ears, her eyes dart between East and
me and her cheeks flush with a pretty pink blush before she looks away. I
know right then that something has changed. Either something has
happened between Ryker and her or he told her that we all want to be with
her. She chews on her lip and twists her fingers and then takes a deep breath
and lifts her eyes to us again.
“I’m…I’m sorry I freaked out. I…we aren’t going anywhere. I, I trust
you…all of you to protect us…and…I want to be here with you. All of
you.”
She blushes again dropping her gaze so I pin Ry with a sharp questioning
look and get a slow nod in reply. Easton moves over to her and pulls her
against him in a hug, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. When I see her
arms creep up slowly to settle around his waist, my heart squeezes
painfully. She’s going to stay and that fills me with relief but I know it’s not
me she wants to be with in that way so I nod and turn away. I head to my
office to dig into that fucker’s money trail. If he’s on the move, I want to
know where. I need to make sure it’s far, far from her.
 Ryker
 

I sit at the counter and work from my phone as Avery flutters around the
kitchen, preparing food for tonight’s dinner. Every time I glance up and
catch her eye, she blushes and looks away as if she’s remembering what
happened between us in the gym. I keep my expression blank and let her do
her thing so she can settle and work through everything.
It’s a real fucking challenge because all I want to do is drag her out of
here to my room and ravish her body again and again. I can still taste her
sweetness on my tongue and hear her little whimpers and gasps from when
I had my head buried between her legs. I swear I almost came in my pants
when she cried out my name as she clamped down on my finger when she
orgasmed. It was the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced, giving her that
first taste of pleasure and I can’t wait to fucking do it again and again.
My cock is still aching with the need I feel for her but I need to go slow
here. I need to let her instigate the next step, let her set the terms going
forward. Avery needs to have a taste of being in control, something she’s
never really had in her life. She needs the self-esteem boost that will come
from having that control. I can’t wait to see the woman she will become as
she comes into her own and I plan on being with her every step of the way.
Avery and Chloe are endgame for me.
I steal another look across at her and see that she’s making some thick
chocolate dessert. As she pours the batter out into a pan I notice a smear of
chocolate near her mouth. Her little pink tongue sweeps out to swipe it
away and a low grunt escapes me when my cock goes rigid imagining that
tongue sweeping over me. Her head jerks up and she must see the heat on
my face because she fumbles with the bowl and it clatters to the counter. I
shove off of the stool and circle around to her. I can’t fucking wait one more
second to have my mouth on her again.
I lift her into my arms causing her to grab tightly to my shoulders and
kiss her with all the heat inside of me. A growl of approval rumbles out
when her lips open for me and she kisses me back just as desperately. When
I finally pull back, breaking the kiss, she’s panting and her eyes are hazy
with desire.
“Need to go get Chloe from school. Be back soon.” I tell her and she
blinks a few times before nodding. I set her back on her feet, kiss her
forehead and tuck a strand of her silky black hair behind one ear. I need to
go but I can’t seem to take my hands off of her so I brush her bottom lip
with my thumb. “So damn sweet.” And then I force myself to move back
and leave to go get Chloe from school.
Chloe chatters all through supper telling us about the upcoming
Christmas pageant and how her class gets to sing two different Christmas
carols for it. Her happiness and enthusiasm help to fill the awkward silence
coming from both Zack and Avery. It makes me want to slap him on the
back of the head to knock him out of his denial. Instead, I ask Chloe what
she wants for Christmas. The little girl freezes in place with big eyes and
then shoots a look at her mom.
Avery’s first real smile since we sat down blooms on her face as she nods
encouragingly at Chloe.
“It’s okay, bug. This year is different. You can make a list of what you
want most.”
Chloe’s big violet eyes turn my way. They’re wide with excitement.
“Really? For reals? I can pick more than one thing? But, but, Daddy said
only one is allowed or I get spoiled-ed.”
“You’re too cute to be spoiled,” I tell her with a wink. “Not only will
Santa bring you a present but all of us will as well,” I smirk over at the
others. “Lots of work to be done if we’re having a proper Christmas this
year.”
Zack’s expression finally cracks into his normal grin as he starts nodding.
“Yeah, lots of work! Chloe, we’ll need your help with picking out the
perfect Christmas tree and all the decorations we’ll need for it. Do you
think you can help us with that?”
The little sweetheart is practically vibrating in her seat as she bounces up
and down in excitement and yells out “Yes! Yes! Yes!” She turns her
shining eyes to her mom. “Mommy! We’re having a tree too! Can I help do
the decorating?”
Avery laughs. “Of course you can, duck. You can help with everything.”
She turns grateful eyes my way. There’s something so hopeful in them that I
vow to make this the best Christmas they’ve ever had.
“It will be more than just that. We will go to the Holiday Festival, go
look at all the Christmas lights, go ice skating and tobogganing.” East tells
her with a smile making Chloe’s eyes get even bigger. “There’s also the
Nutcracker. Have you ever been to the ballet, Chloe?”
She shoots a quick look to Avery who just smiles and then shakes her
head sending her black curls bouncing. “With real live ballerinas? I want to
be a ballerina! Can I wear my tutu?”
East laughs. “You can if you want to but I think the first time you go to
the ballet deserves a new fancy dress to wear. What do you think? Do you
want a fancy Christmas dress to wear?”
“Yay! I’m going to be a ballerina princess!”
She can’t contain herself in her seat any longer so she hops down and
starts to spin and dance until she reaches East and then she throws herself
against him in a hug. He scoops her up to sit on his lap with her tiny arms
around his neck and she plants a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
“I love it here! Here is the best place ever.” She tells him and then
wiggles down from his lap to scoot around the table to Avery. “Can I be
done? Please? I want to go practice my ballerina dancing!”
Avery smooths Chloe’s hair back and presses a kiss on her forehead and
then nods that she can go. We all watch her skip and twirl out of the room
with smiles as Kanga prances around her feet. Avery lets out a happy sigh
and glances around at all of us.
“Thank you, for all of that. Christmas, well, it wasn’t always the happiest
holiday for us.” She looks down and I see her fingers tighten into a fist
instead of twisting and it fills me with relief. “He made a lot of things that
should have been filled with happy memories and traditions difficult for us.
I’m so grateful to you all for…everything.”
East reaches for her hand and lifts it to his mouth to run his lips over her
knuckles. “You don’t have to thank us, sweetheart. We all want to give you
and Chloe a better, happier life.” His brow furrows. “I don’t have very
many happy memories from my childhood Christmases so I’m also excited
to create new ones.”
 I watch her face soften and her fingers tighten on his. “I can’t wait to fill
your house with holiday spirit, Easton.”
“Our house, Avery. This is our house, our home.”
A smile tugs at her lips as she nods and then pushes to her feet. “Well, I
have brownies for dessert if any of you want them. I can bring them in here
after I clear if you’d like.”
I clear my throat with a rumble snagging her attention. “Nope, you’re
fired, remember. We will clear this. You go dance with your daughter.”
Her smile turns into a full fledge grin and then she set the serving bowl
she had picked up back down. “Alright, my pirouettes do need some work.”
After she’s left the room, East raises an eyebrow at me. “You fired her?
What does that mean?”
I sit back with a smug look. “She didn’t think it was appropriate to be
with us as an employee. So, I fired her and then I gave her her first orgasm
ever.”
Zack practically chokes. “Her first?”
I cross my arms over my chest and glower. “Yeah, she didn’t think we’d
want her because she doesn’t like sex, said it hurt. I should have killed that
fucker when I had the chance.” I send them both hard looks. “You need to
go easy with her, give her control. She doesn’t have any…good…
experience with a man.”
East curses but Zack snorts in disbelief. “Well, I’m sure you both will
take care of her and treat her right. Just please, spare me the details.”
I growl across the table at him. “Dumbass! I told her that we all want to
be with her and she told me that she kissed you. So, what the hell’s your
problem?”
His mouth drops open. “She told you that? No, I kissed her! We were
playing around in the pool and it just kind of happened but I’m the one who
kissed her. It freaked her out and she took off. After, she told me that she
wants to be friends. She doesn’t want me like that, Ry. I’m okay with that.
I’m head over heels for those two girls and I’m just happy to have them in
our lives.”
East chuckles. “So, she says, she kissed you and you say, you kissed her.
Sounds pretty mutual to me. He’s right, you are a dumbass, Zack. Get out of
your head, brother. Don’t let your insecurities cause you to miss out on
what you want. You deserve…we all deserve to be happy. Grab the brass
ring. Don’t fuck it up.”
 When Zack just glares down at his plate, we stand and start clearing the
table. You can lead a horse to water…
 Ryker
 

I lie in bed with my hands up behind my head and Kanga sprawled out at
my feet, staring up at the dim ceiling thinking about her. I can’t get the way
she cried my name out of my head when she came for the first time on my
tongue. I want to hear it again desperately. It’s been years since I’ve been
with a woman and now there’s only one that I want for the rest of my life.
My size usually either intimidates women or has the more daring wanting
to climb me like a tree. It’s not that I don’t like sex, it just always seemed to
be missing something, a connection of some kind that always made it a
somewhat empty release. For the first time in my life, I finally feel that
connection with someone and it takes all my willpower not to go to her
room and show her how much I want her.
Kanga’s tail starts thumping on the bed causing my brows to furrow
seconds before there’s a small knock on my door. My cock goes rock hard
because I know it’s her even before the door cracks open and she peeks
inside.
“Baby, come in.” I rumble out but stay in place in the bed.
The fact that she’s come to me makes me want to lunge across the room
and strip her bare but I need to let her be in control so I just tighten my
fingers in my hair behind my head as she steps into the room and gently
closes the door behind her. She presses her back against it, frozen in place
as she loses her bravery. I take in the small sleep shorts and tank top she’s
wearing and the baby monitor clutched in her hand, her fingers white at
how tight she’s gripping it. Her voice is low and breathy when she finally
speaks.
“Hi…I…”
When she trails off without saying anything else, I growl, “Come here.”
 When she doesn’t move, I finally sit up causing the sheet to drop down.
Her eyes land on my bare chest and slide lower as she bites her lip. That’s
about all I can take.
“Baby, get your sweet ass over here so I can love it!”
She sucks in a sharp breath but does as I say, setting the baby monitor on
the nightstand when she reaches the side of the bed. I can still see the
hesitation on her face so I lay back down again and lift my lips into a small
smile.
“Baby, you’re killing me here. I’m yours. You can do anything you want
to me and I’ll do anything you want to you. Tell me what you want and it’s
yours.”
Her eyes go hazy and I know she’s remembering my tongue inside her so
I hold out my hand as my cock throbs. Kanga decides to hop off the bed
right then to go curl up on his huge dog bed in the corner of the room with a
chuff of annoyance and it makes her smile, breaking her insecurities. She
takes my hand and lets me pull her down onto the bed where I settle her on
top of my chest. I bury my nose in her beautiful hair and breathe her scent
of wildflowers and vanilla deep into my lungs.
“You feel so damn good in my arms. I would keep you here forever if I
could.”
She melts against me and I feel her sweet lips brush against my hot skin
causing me to groan.
“Touch me, baby. I’m all yours.”
Her eyes peek up at me and the want I see in them almost has me spilling
my seed against the sheets. Her eyes drop back to my chest and then her
soft little hands start sliding over my muscles, quickly followed by her
sweet mouth. She tentatively explores the planes on my chest and sides and
then inches slowly lower. Her lips kiss over my abs and my cock twitches.
“You’re so…big…Ry…but so gentle with me.”
She murmurs against my skin. As much as I want her to keep exploring
my body, I need her mouth on mine so I pull her back up to taste her with
one hand deep in her hair and the other arranging her so her legs fall on
either side of me with my cock pressing against the heat of her center. I
keep the kiss slow but deep as my tongue tangles with hers and seconds
later she’s moaning her pleasure as her hips press down against my cock.
God, I want to give her the control I think she needs but it’s like torture to
not have more of her so I slide my free hand up and under her tank top to
feel the smooth curve of her waist and then further so my fingers can brush
against the soft side of her breast. Avery’s mouth crashes harder against
mine and I swallow down the whine of need she lets out.
The sound snaps part of my control and I sweep the tank up and over her
head, baring her breasts to me. They’re fucking perfect. My hands pull her
up further so my lips can capture one perfect pink nipple. My rumble of
satisfaction vibrates against her softness as I suck and lick the little bud.
Avery’s gasping and panting in pleasure but I want to hear her cries so I
drag down her sleep shorts and settle her back on the bed beside me so I can
look my fill at her beauty. She’s…everything. She’s perfect. My hands
sweep down her skin in long caresses until she’s quivering with need and
only then do I replace my hands with my mouth. I kiss and lick every part
of her from the hollow at her neck to the back of her knee and then she
starts begging.
“Oh! Ry…Ryker, please!”
Her hands are in my hair, tugging, clenching.
“Where, baby? Tell me where you want my mouth?”
All of Avery’s self-consciousness is gone as she pulls my head down
between her thighs and that makes my cock harder than ever. She’s taking
control, taking what she wants and deserves. So I give it to her. I feast on
her sweet pussy, licking through her folds, sucking her clit until she’s
thrashing under me, begging me. I need to feel her come undone. I need to
feel her clamp down on my cock and milk me as she comes so I pull away
and slide up her body until the weeping head of my cock nudges at her
entrance.
Her eyes fly wide open in surprise so I pause there and take her mouth
again and slide a finger through her wetness to circle her clit until the
tenseness leaves her body. Her hips lift slightly and it’s all the
encouragement I need to slowly slide another inch into her.
She’s so fucking tight, I’m afraid I’m going to hurt her so I murmur
against her lips, “Open for me, baby. Let me give you what you need.”
Avery lets her thighs fall apart granting me access so I go slowly,
agonizingly slow to let her body stretch and get used to me until I’m finally
seated completely in her heaven. Her tight pussy grips my cock like a vise
and I stay completely still, afraid that if I move even the smallest amount I
will go off like a rocket. I stare down into her gorgeous eyes that flutter
open to meet mine.
 “Okay?”
She makes a hmm noise in her throat as she gets used to me being inside
her even as sweat breaks out on my back from holding myself back. I want
to rut, thrust, and pound into her but this time has to be all about her being
in control so I wait and I wait and then I thank all the gods when she
whispers, her voice thick with need.
“Ry…I need you to move…please…”
I pull slowly out and that first real thrust almost sends me over the edge
when she cries out in pleasure and she arches up against me. I try, I really
do, to keep it slow and steady but she’s making these little whimpers and
her hips jerk up to meet my every thrust and I’m just a weak, weak man that
can’t hold out with her underneath me.
“Hold on, baby.”
I tell her as I roll us over so she’s straddling me with my cock still deep
inside her.
“Ride me, sweetness. Take your pleasure. Take it all.”
Her pupils blow wide and her head tilts back as she rolls her hips against
me. I growl out at how fucking good she feels and latch onto her hips,
helping her to move, to find the rhythm she needs. Avery grinds against me
with every roll of her hips, her body in control now, searching for the
friction to build her pleasure. I keep one hand on her hip and move the other
to splay my fingers out over her belly and let my thumb find her clit to give
her what she needs. She hisses out at the contact and then moves faster, hips
rolling and one delicate hand braced against my chest. She’s fucking
glorious. She’s mine!
I can feel her tightening around me. Her hot satiny channel gripping my
cock as she gets closer and closer to her release and it drives me mad.
My hips snap up from beneath her and she lets out a cry of “Yes!” So I
take control and pump into her from beneath in hard, sharp thrusts and then
she’s screaming my name as her slick pussy squeezes me and throbs. Her
release triggers mine and I’m pumping into her with a guttural roar. I pull
her down onto my chest and kiss her hard before holding her close with her
head on my chest. God damn, I would burn the world down for this woman.
I’m never letting her go.
 Avery
 

“No! Not that one, that one!” Chloe points aggressively at the large gold
star that she wants on top of the newly decorated Christmas tree that’s being
added to the living room. Ryker just grunts and lifts her onto his shoulders
as Zack hands her up the star so she can place it on the top. She claps her
hands in glee when Ryker steps back so they can get a good look at the
finished product.
I sigh in happiness as I lean my chin on my hand from where I stand next
to the kitchen island. It’s been three days since I went to Ryker’s room and
I’ve gone every night since. I can’t get enough of the way he makes my
body feel. I can’t get enough of him period. I love everything about him,
from his growly, grunty noises to how he handles me like I’m the most
precious thing he’s ever had his hands on. The way he treats Chloe just tips
all those feeling over into flat-out love. I love him and I don’t even care that
I’ve only known him just over a month. I love him.
A hand runs up my back making me shiver and that tells me in itself how
happy I am here because it was a shiver and not a flinch.
“The tree looks beautiful, Avery. You guys did a great job.” Easton tells
me as he pours two glasses of wine and hands one to me. I accept the glass
and turn to face him completely with a smile.
“You’re home! How was your day?”
He cocks his head to the side at me and a slow, sexy as heck smile hits
me that has butterflies swooping through my center.
“What?”
He snags the hem of my sweater and pulls me closer until I’m forced to
tilt my head back to look up into his grey eyes. He moves slowly so I know
what he’s going to do but when his lips brush across mine it still steals my
breath away.
“This…this is the best part of my day. Coming…home…to you.”
He tells me and I feel the heat of a blush spread across my cheeks. My
heart almost swoons at not only our first kiss but how ridiculously romantic
his words felt. We haven’t talked about what Ryker told me in the gym that
day and neither Zack nor Easton has made any advances toward me so I
was beginning to think he might have been wrong. The desire that fills his
eyes now as he stares at my mouth tells me Ryker was telling the truth.
My voice comes out a little breathy when I tell him, “I’m happy you’re
here, Easton.”
His thumb swipes slowly over my lips as his grey eyes darken.
“Cass. Please, Avery, call me Cass.”
My brows pop up in surprise at that causing him to chuckle.
“Cassius Easton, that’s my full name.”
“Cassius, that’s a beautiful name.”
He stares down at me like he wants to devour me and I forget to breathe
for a minute but then Chloe’s giggles erupt, breaking the moment. I glance
over to see her and Ryker decorating Zack like he’s a tree with all the
leftover decorations and I have to dive for my phone to take a picture. I’ve
been taking a lot of pictures lately of them. Sometimes it feels like all of
this can’t be real and I have to go into the gallery on my phone to look
through them as a reminder that all this really is happening. We are safe, we
are cared for and I’m in love.
East…Cass, brings my attention back to him when he taps a thick
envelope against the counter for me to take.
I lift my brows and ask “What’s this?” as I take it from him and flip open
the top. My mouth drops open in shock when I see the fat stack of bills
inside.
My words stutter out, “W-what is this?”
He sips his wine and shrugs one suit-covered shoulder. “It’s your pay as
well as your Christmas bonus.”
I start to shake my head, sending a look over at Ryker.
“B-but, no, Cass! I can’t take this! I…Ryker…he fired me!”
He throws his head back and laughs and then pulls me up against him.
I’m still getting used to being randomly touched like this without it hurting
but I can’t help but press a little closer to him and breathe in his rich-
smelling cologne.
“Good Lord, you’re so damn cute. You do a lot of work around here,
sweetheart. You deserve to be paid for it. Being with us doesn’t change
that.”
I shake my head and set my shoulders trying to push the envelope back
toward him. “No, you guys give us everything we need. I’m not going to
take your money. Not now that…”
He smirks and my blush blooms again.
“We are going to take you to the bank and set you up with your own
account. You’re carrying around way too much cash to be safe, Avery. It
will be in your name only and I can have your pay deposited in it every
week instead of giving you cash.”
When I still protest, he takes my chin between his fingers and his
expression turns stern.
“Yes. You spent way too many years being controlled by that man. You
will have your own money to do with and spend as you please. I promised
you freedom, Avery, and this is part of it. If you never cook another meal
here or wash another dish, I will still put money in your account for you to
use.” His expression softens and his fingers holding my chin turn to a
caress. “I don’t want you to leave. I want you, all of you. All of us want you
and Chloe to stay and be our family but I won’t ever have you feeling
trapped again. Don’t spend it if you don’t want to, blow it all on one
purchase. I don’t care, but the money is there for you if you ever feel like
you need it.”
My heart feels like it’s going to burst. This man…I lift up onto my toes to
reach his mouth, trying to tell him what that means to me with a kiss instead
of words but he takes it to a different level with pure heat and desire and my
knees go weak as he claims my mouth. My skin tingles and heat blooms
between my legs as he presses his hard body against mine.
This is so different from when Ryker kisses me. It’s hard and primal and I
feel like I’m burning from the inside out. When he finally breaks the kiss
and pulls back from me, my heart is pounding and I feel a little dizzy. A
smirk forms on his wicked lips.
“Glad we settled that.” He says in a low amused tone and then sidesteps
me. “Chloe! I think Zack needs more tinsel.”
 I clutch at the cool marble of the counter until my legs stop shaking and
then turn and join them to help finish the Zack-mas tree they’ve created.
 Avery
 

“Aves, we got to go or she’ll be late for school!”

Zack is calling me from the front foyer. I twist my fingers around the
strap of my purse. I know I have to go but…I haven’t left the house since
they told me he’s missing. It’s stupid and irrational. He doesn’t care about
us, he’s probably long gone like the guys told me but I just can’t shake the
feeling that our freedom cannot be this easy. I know him. I know how
punishing and vindictive he can be. My eyes land on the chef’s knife block
and without hesitating, I pull a wickedly sharp blade and slip it into my
purse and then run to the garage door. Just in case…
We wait in the dropoff line, moving up every few moments, getting
closer to the door. I keep sneaking looks Zack’s way but he keeps his eyes
firmly ahead. Something’s changed with him and I can’t quite put my finger
on it. His smile lately has seemed just a little bit dimmer. I rarely see his
dimples flashing my way anymore. I glance down at his knee that’s
bouncing under the steering wheel and worry that he’s still in pain and
that’s what’s caused him to pull back from me. So as soon as Chloe hops
out of the car with waves and blown kisses, I turn back to him.
“Zack, um, I was wondering if, um, after we go to the bank, you would,
um, like to go…do something with me?”
His hazel eyes dart to me and then back to the road. “Yeah, whatever you
need to do, Aves. I’ll take you anywhere you need to go.” He tells me and I
try to not sigh with frustration.
“Oh, I don’t have anywhere in mind really. I just thought it might be nice
if you and I did something…together.” I swallow hard. “Like a…date?”
His head jerks my way and the look of shock I see in them confuses me.
Why would he be surprised by that when Ryker told me…
 The world explodes around us. Glass shatters and metal shrieks as the car
spins. My head slams into the passenger side window even as my eyes are
locked on Zack jerking around like a rag doll against his seat belt. Blood
pours down over one of my eyes but the car is still moving, keeping my
arms pinned in place so I can’t reach up to wipe it away. Horns are blaring
and brakes are shrieking and then it all starts to fade as what’s left of my
vision goes fuzzy and starts to dim.
The window my head is resting on smashes and brings me back to
awareness as something rips at my hair, pulling hard against my scalp. I
scream in terror because I know this pain. This is the pain of him fisting my
hair to drag me somewhere to punish me and I’ve felt it way too many
times before.
My hands scramble for my purse as he hauls me up and out through the
window but I manage to get one finger hooked in the strap so it comes with
me. My body hits the icy pavement and a moan of pain gasps out of me.
Seconds later he’s dragging me by the hair across the road and up onto a
snow-covered sidewalk but I push past the terror, past the pain, and keep all
my focus on the purse trailing on the ground behind me. I pull and pull and
pull the strap until I get the body of the purse in my hands and then dive my
fingers into it until they hit cold steel. I force myself to ignore the sting as
the blade slices two of them. Doesn’t matter, it won’t only be me bleeding
in a minute.
“Stupid cunt! Thought you could leave me? Take what’s mine and spread
those whore legs for another? You’re going to be begging me to kill…”
His tirade cuts off with a yell of pain when I twist around enough to slash
the wrist of the hand fisted in my hair. He drops me but I don’t stop
slashing. I’m growling and grunting as I scramble through the snow to get
closer to him. He takes and takes and takes but I’m not letting him TAKE
anymore. I’M NOT HIS! NEVER AGAIN! Is all that screams through my
mind as I slash and stab at him even as he tries to back away from me. I
ROAR up at him and the fear I see cross his face has me baring my teeth in
satisfaction.
“FUCK YOU!”
I scream, lunging to connect the knife with any part of him but hard
hands grab me and haul me back, and then voices are yelling and hands are
holding and trying to pry the knife from my hand stopping me. He turns
with one last hate-filled look and runs away. I clutch the knife tighter in my
grip, throw my head back and scream.
****
“Avery? Sweetheart? Can you hear me?”
“Get these fucking cuffs off her right now or I swear to God…”
“Baby, I need you to come back to me.”
I float. I float in darkness and it’s a safe warm place. I like it here…glass
shatters, metal shrieks…NO! I push those sounds away. I like how I float
here. The darkness is comforting. Bright light blazes through the darkness
causing me to jerk my head to the side. Stop it! Leave me alone.
“Avery! Chloe needs you to wake up!”
Chloe? Chloe’s at school. Is it time to pick her up? Wait! He’s here!
Dragging me! Stupid cunt! I scream and there is blood and I gasp a deep
breath of air and the darkness fades away as my vision comes back sharp
and clear.
“Zack!” I scream. Zack was in the car with me. He’s hurt! My head snaps
side to side sending spikes of pain through it but I don’t care. I need to find
Zack.
“There you are. Baby, you fucking scared the hell out of me.” Ryker
rumbles against my neck as he pulls me closer. “I thought we lost you.”
I push away from him and wince at the pain coursing through my body.
“Ry? Ryker! Zack, Zack was hurt. Where’s Zack?” I cry.
“Shh, it’s okay. He’s okay. He’s in the next room getting looked over but
they think he’s going to be fine. Are you okay? Where does it hurt?”
I shake my head causing me to wince again. “What happened? We
dropped off…Chloe!” I push against him, struggling to get him to let go
because now I remember, I remember everything that happened and if he
can’t punish me then he’ll go after her. I need to get my daughter!
“Stop! East just left to go pick her up. He’s bringing her back here right
now. She’s safe. I promise, baby. Chloe’s safe and so are you. He won’t get
to you again.”
A desperate whine escapes me because that’s what they said before. They
said we would be safe but today proves that to be a lie. We aren’t safe and
we never will be until he’s dead. I turn to face Ryker and clutch my fingers
around his face leaving smears of blood from my sliced-up hands.
“We are not safe. He’ll NEVER stop! I need a gun. Can you get me a
gun?”
 His brows furrow and sadness fills his eyes but he nods. “I’ll get you one
and I’ll fucking teach you how to use it too.”
At that statement, the curtain is ripped back showing two scowling police
officers. The one on the left steps forward and pulls his handcuffs from his
belt with a hard look.
“Let’s go. Time to put the cuffs back on and we’re taking you to the
station.”
Ryker sets me on the bed and then rises to his full height, stepping
between me and them and crossing his big arms over his chest. I start to
shake even more than I already am. Oh, God! They’re going to arrest me.
I’m going to lose Chloe! Ryker’s hard bark has me flinching back even
further.
“No. She’s not going anywhere. She hasn’t even been seen by the
doctor.”
The one who stepped forward smirks. “She looks fine to me and we’ve
been waiting long enough. She was healthy enough to wave a knife around
and attack someone. Assault with a deadly weapon trumps a few scrapes
and bruises, buddy.”
My eyes are bouncing in every direction looking for a way out as an
older man in a very expensive suit walks up behind the officers and clears
his throat.
“And her attorney trumps that easily. Gentlemen, remove yourself from
my client’s vicinity. She is a victim of domestic violence and was protecting
herself from her abuser. What progress have you made in capturing the man
responsible for the accident and attacking her?”
When neither officer answers him, he shakes his head slowly with a look
of contempt on his face.
“Ah, I see. You took the easy, lazy option to not investigate what the
situation actually was. You may wait in the waiting room until I’ve
conferred with my client and she has received medical treatment. Only after
the doctor clears her will she make herself available to make a statement.”
He steps back and swings his arm wide in a gesture to get them to leave
causing more scowls but they do as he says and move away. My breathing
is rapid and my whole body is shaking as Ryker spins around and scoops
me back into his arms, holding me tight and murmuring assurances into my
hair. Hot tears soak his shirt. I’m a mess, but now that I’m not about to be
hauled away all I can think about is Zack. His body jerking around in the
car like a rag doll. I push back from Ry’s chest and blink wet eyes up at
him.
“Zack, please, Ry. I need to see him. I need to see that he’s okay.”
His arms tighten around me. “You need to see a doctor, baby.”
“I will! But please, I need to see him!”
His chest rumbles in disagreement but he picks me up and carries me out
of the draped area and down to the next one yanking the curtain aside. The
breath in my lungs seizes when I see Zack laying on the bed with his eyes
closed. He has a brace of some kind on his left arm and a thick bandage
wrapped around his head. He’s so pale and still that my stomach rolls with
nausea. Oh, God! I did this. This is all my fault! I make a whine full of
despair that I’ve caused such damage to him and the sound has his eyes
flying open and pinning me in place with one hand reaching out to him.
He leans toward me with a wince. “Give her to me!” He barks out to
Ryker and then I’m in the bed with him and his arms are around me in a
death grip. The relief is overwhelming. He’s okay, he’s going to be okay. It
takes me a minute to process the words he keeps crying into my hair.
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry. Please, Aves, please forgive me.”
I rear back in shock and press my hands to his face shaking my head side
to side.
“What? No! No, Zack. This is my fault! All of this, I brought him right to
your door. I should have run. I should have left so you would be safe!”
His arms squeeze tighter as a shudder runs through him.
“Avery, oh, sweetheart. Please don’t say that! The thought of you and
Chloe out there somewhere all alone makes me feel physically sick. I’m
begging you, please don’t run! We will keep you safe.”
Ryker’s growl of agreement comes from behind me. I rest my head back
on Zack’s chest as hot tears burn at my eyes. I’m so selfish because I don’t
want to leave them even though I know I should to protect them. The
curtain is pulled back again stopping me from replying.
“Miss Adams? Mr. Easton called me in. He said you were in a car
accident? Let’s take a look at you and get you treated.”
It’s the same doctor that we took Chloe to for her broken arm and I feel a
little better seeing someone familiar who knows some of my history. Ryker
helps me move to the end of the bed so the doctor and a nurse can examine
and bandage me but he never lets go of my hand. They’re just finishing up
when Easton comes in with Chloe in his arms.
 “Mommy! Oh no, you gots more owies!” Her lower lip starts to tremble
as she looks around with big shining eyes. “Did daddy gets you again?” She
asks in a tiny scared voice.
My heart just breaks at the fear I see on her face and the way she tenses
up in Easton’s arms so I flat out lie to her.
“No, baby, no! It was just a car accident. Some silly person wasn’t
watching properly where they were driving and bumped into us. I’m okay.
See? Just a little bandage on my head and one on my hand.”
She sniffs her little nose but that bottom lip is still poked out even as she
tucks her head into Easton’s neck. I watch his lips brush at the top of her
hair as his hand strokes her thin back.
“Just a couple bumps and scrapes, pumpkin. Mommy’s okay.”
East’s gaze goes to the doctor.
“Anything we should be worried about, Dr. Morgan?”
The doctor peels off his gloves and tosses them in the waste bin.
“She’s fine. Mainly just shaken up. You’ll want to keep an eye out for
any signs of concussion or shock though. I used some surgical glue on the
small head wound and the cuts on her palm. Try to keep them dry for a few
days and they will be fine.” His expression softens as he reaches out and
taps Chloe’s nose. “We have an appointment in a few days to remove this
one’s cast but if you feel up to it, we could do it now if you’d like. Save you
bringing her in later.”
I force a brightness I don’t feel into my tone. “What do you think, duck?
Are you ready to get that stinky cast off your arm? There’s a brand new
swimsuit waiting for you at home to use in the pool.”
Chloe perks up in Easton’s arms hearing that and starts to jerk her head in
big nods. Ryker squeezes my hand again and then reaches for Chloe.
“I’ll go with you, little bear. Mommy needs to stay here to do some
paperwork.”
She doesn’t even hesitate to go to him as Easton transfers her to his arms.
She chirps, “Bye, Mommy!” to me, already forgetting her fear from a few
minutes ago. As soon as they leave the curtained area, my whole-body
droops.
Easton drags me against his chest and his voice is rough when he speaks.
“Fuck, Avery, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. I didn’t believe he was a threat
after meeting him. I screwed up but he’s not going to get a second chance at
you. You have my word. I have a security team on the way. They will cover
the house and travel with us every time we leave the house until we catch
him. He will never, never get to you again.”
 Easton
 

It takes everything I have to keep the fury out of my tone and off of my
face as I try to reassure her. I’ve fucked this up badly. I really thought he
was too much of a coward to come after them and now Zack’s hurt and we
almost lost her. When I got to the hospital after receiving Zack’s frantic call,
I almost threw up my breakfast at the state Avery was in. The blood on her
head and hand was bad enough but the way she sat there unmoving on the
bed with those blank empty eyes just destroyed me.
I was a split second away from dropping to my knees from the pain of it
when I spotted the handcuffs on her delicate wrists. The instant rage that
consumed me battled aside those broken thoughts and gave me a focus so I
didn’t break down in front of her. I was so close to beating the hell out of
the police for putting those cuffs on her, Ryker made me leave to go get
Chloe.
“Mr. Easton? The detective is here and wishes to speak to you all.” My
attorney calls through the curtain and I gently let go of Avery, calling back
that they could come in.
A tall, well-built Hispanic man in a leather jacket meets my gaze with a
concerned look when they pull the curtain back. He thrusts a hand my way.
“East, good to see you, man. Sorry it’s under these circumstances,
though.”
“Calvin, thank you for coming out. When the officers said they were
going to arrest Avery, I lost my mind a little bit.”
He smirks and looks past me to nod at Avery and then Zack who’s pulled
her back up to the head of the bed and anchored an arm around her waist.
“Ma’am, I’m Calvin Alverez and I’ll be overseeing your case. You can
rest easy. You will not be arrested or charged with anything.” He turns back
to me. “The truck that hit them was stolen sometime early this morning.
Witnesses report that the driver deliberately drove into them and then went
straight to the passenger side door, broke the window, and hauled her out by
her hair. He was dragging her away when she started to fight back.” He
leans past me again with a grin. “You did good! We’ve had time to take
some witness statements and the onlookers said you were slashing that
knife at him like a demon possessed. There was blood on the scene so you
clipped him at least once. I’m not supposed to say this, but off the record,
well done.”
Avery flushes red at his praise and tucks her head down to her chest. I
can’t help the pride that rushes through me. She fought back. She fought
back and won.
“We haven’t found the guy yet but we have a description of the car he
fled in so it’s only a matter of time. Your attorney has shared the history
there as well as the photo documentation so you don’t have to worry about
any fallout on your girl. It’s going down as pure self-defense. If you guys
are up to it, I’ll take your statements myself and then if the docs have
cleared you, you can get out of here.”
A little of the tension releases from my neck at hearing that so with Zack
and Avery’s agreement, I leave them to it and step out to make a few calls.
The four-man security team will be here any minute and going forward will
stick to us like glue anytime Avery and Chloe aren’t in the house. I’ve got
every available agent I employ working on tracking this fucker with strict
instructions to notify me when they get the slightest lead. As much as I
appreciate Calvin taking point on this, it won’t be the police or the feds that
deal with him when we find him. It will be me and I’m going to make him
beg for death before I’m done with him.
Ryker brings Chloe back just as Calvin finishes up and leaves. She’s all
rainbow bubbles and sunshine as she flashes her skinny little cast-free arm
around to show everyone. She’s so precious - they both are. They’re mine
and I’ll burn the whole fucking world down to make up for my mistake and
give them the life they deserve.
As soon as the security team arrives, we move out. There will be no more
car accidents with us in between the two security team vehicles. I place an
order for food to be delivered to the house, not wanting Avery to even think
about cooking. She needs to rest and heal from what happened this
morning, preferably in my bed and arms. I still have that sick feeling inside
whenever I let myself remember the blankness in her eyes at the hospital. I
never want to see her that way again.
She sits quietly in the back with Zack on one side and Chloe on the other
as her daughter chatters about school. She nods and murmurs a response
now and then but I can tell she’s not really present. The sick feeling turns
even more sour as I study her. She’s thinking hard on something, planning
and I think, I think Avery’s getting ready…to run.
 Avery
 

Chloe bounces into the house full of excitement about finally being able to
swim. My mind is going a mile a minute processing all that happened and
what I should do next even as my body cries out to just stop and rest. The
thing about being a mother is that I don’t get that luxury with an active five-
year-old. So instead, I smile and nod and take her into our rooms to get her
changed into her new little mermaid swimsuit and blow up the neon pink
floaties to go over her arms.
The last thing I want to do right now is go swimming but she’s so excited
and been waiting for so long to use the pool that I push down everything
else and head to my bedroom to drag on my own suit. A knock on the door
has my feet changing direction to answer it. I find Ryker in board shorts and
miles of gleaming bare muscle on the other side of it. He moves straight
into me as soon as the door opens and lifts my chin to brush his lips over
mine.
“I got this. You need to go to bed.” He rumbles and then pulls back when
Chloe runs into his legs with a shriek.
“We’re swimming, bear!”
With no effort he has her up and anchored at his hip, her pink floaties
smacking him in the face as she tries to wrap her arms around his neck with
a beaming smile.
“Kanga and I are swimming with you, little bear. He wants to show you
how to doggy paddle in the water. Mommy’s not allowed to get her
bandages wet for a few days.”
She bounces against him and yells, “Bye, Mommy!” I choke back a
laugh at how that’s the second time today my daughter’s thrown me over
for Ryker without the slightest bit of hesitation.
 “Wait! Chloe, you listen to Ryker. Stay in the shallow end and when he
says swim time is over, no tears or fighting. Ryker’s the boss, got it?”
Instead of answering me she rubs her nose against his and tries to growl,
“Boss bear”, making his small smile spread into a grin that makes my heart
lurch. I can see it in his eyes. He loves her. When he turns those icy blues
my way, that love intensifies in them. Us, he loves us. Any thoughts I had
of taking Chloe and running trickle away. I’m not going to let him
take
anything else from me.
Ryker’s brows furrow as his grin dims like he can read my mind and I get
a slow nod and a rumbled, “Mine.”
I step up to them both, plant a kiss on Chloe’s cheek and then with the
slightest hesitation, turn my head and lift my face up to his. I see the
moment he understands. I’m offering him a kiss in front of my daughter and
that is a huge sign of trust for me.
“Gonna kiss your mommy, little bear. That means you’re both mine
now.”
Chloe sighs contentedly and tucks into his neck like she knows what that
means causing him to rumble his happiness and then he gives me the
sweetest, softest kiss that promises me the world and I give him the same
promise right back. His free hand flexes on my hip and then he juts his chin
toward my bedroom door.
“Bed!”
I do just that as they head to the pool. Now that it’s been a few hours, the
aches and pains that I’ve been ignoring have flared to life. I swallow down
two over-the-counter painkillers, not even looking at the prescription
strength bottle Dr. Morgan sent home with me. I learned early on that those
kinds of pills knock me for a loop and they offer a hazy film over
everything that’s too tempting to escape into. Besides, pain’s an old friend
of mine that I’m used to carrying with me.
I slide between the sheets and rub softly at the ache in my scalp from
where he used my hair to haul and drag me. It’s always been his favorite
way to handle me and more than once I thought to just shave myself bald
and remove that option.
I push those thoughts aside. That will never be an option again for him. I
picture the knife slicing into his wrist and the way he screamed at the bite of
pain. The shock on his face that for the first time I fought back. It makes
something primal unfurl in my chest. Something that wakes up and takes a
look around.
The fear I saw when I slashed at him with that knife, when I roared at
him…when I fought back…It feels good…amazing. I’m not the same
woman I was when I crept out of that house like a scared little mouse. I
know there is still a lot I need to work through, to get past - but I feel
stronger, more capable and most of all I feel like I’m right where I’m
supposed to be. These men that took us in, showed us kindness and care
have changed everything and I owe them the courage to be the woman they
deserve.
That makes me think about Zack. The damage done to him, how pale he
was, and how guilty he felt. Something’s been off with him for the last few
days and now I’m afraid it will get even worse. I throw the sheet back and
get back out of bed. I know I’m not going to be able to rest until I talk to
him. I need to make sure he’s alright. That we are alright.
I don’t bother getting dressed again. My sleep shorts and the soft t-shirt
that I stole from Ryker cover me well enough so I just head to his room.
I’m pleased when I pass his office and see that it’s empty. He needs to be
in bed resting, not hunched over a computer. When I get to his room, the
door is cracked open a few inches so I peek in before knocking and spot
him sitting up in his bed leaning against the headboard. The laptop and
horror on his face at whatever is on the screen has my breath hitching and
me pushing the door open.
“What is it? What are you doing?” I ask in concern causing him to jerk
and slam the laptop closed with a guilty look my way.
“Aves? What are you doing here? You should be in bed!”
I stride across the room and crawl right up next to him, pulling the
computer off his lap and setting it aside.
“What were you looking at? You looked upset.”
His guilt-filled eyes drop causing me to say his name with a bit of mom
tone in it. He shrugs one shoulder.
“Traffic cam footage…of the hit.”
I suck in my breath at that. Having it happen was traumatic enough,
watching it on video would just make it even worse. I reach up and cup his
cheek.
“Enough of that. It’s over. You don’t need to watch it again.”
 He leans forward and rests his head against mine, his hazel eyes more
green than brown right now and so filled with anguish that I can’t stand it.
His voice is a choked whisper.
“I d-didn’t even s-see him coming. And then he just…took you.”
“Oh, Zack, please, stop beating yourself up over this. No one could have
predicted what happened. It’s not your fault. And he didn’t take me. He
tried to but I stopped him. I’m right here and we are both going to be fine.”
He leans away from me and turns his head, unable to meet my eyes.
“You don’t understand. They could have lost you. Chloe and Ry and East
could have lost the family you are starting to build together and it would
have been all my fault.”
Everything inside me freezes when he names everyone but himself. Is
this why he’s been off with me lately? Does he not want to be a part of…
us? I snatch my hands from his face and chest and scoot back on the bed.
My face feels like it’s flaming red as I sputter out, “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t…
Ryker said…I thought…” I slap my hands up over my face in humiliation
and grind out. “I’m an idiot. You don’t want me that way!”
The room goes dead silent and after a few seconds I can’t stand not
seeing his face so I slide my hands away from my face and let them drop
uselessly in my lap. I don’t understand his expression. It’s part shocked,
part hopeful. He finally sucks in a breath and shakes his head.
“Aves, it’s not that. You…I’m…I’m broken. What could I possibly offer
you?” He rasps out waving toward his leg.
My head tilts to the side as I put the pieces together. Zack might not have
been abused the way I was but he’s locked in the same type of cage I lived
in for so long. The bars of the cage are made up of, unworthy, unwanted,
unlovable chains that make you feel like that’s all you deserve. I won’t have
it! Determination washes through me, bravery. I want the life Ryker spoke
about where all three of them and me and Chloe make a family. After
everything I’ve been through, I feel like I might deserve it so instead of
having things taken from me, I’m going to do the taking.
This sweet, funny, kind, and gorgeous man needs to be freed from that
cage he’s in just like I was so I reach out and break the chains.
My fingers come together in the sheet covering him and I claw it back,
exposing his lower half. He’s wearing a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. The
shorts leave his leg bare and his stump in full view. I ignore the noise he
makes as he tries to pull the sheet back up, lean over and place my lips on
the scar that covers his stump and kiss it like it’s the sexiest part of him.
I’ve learned a few things about a man’s body after being with Ryker. An
agonized groan has my lips curving against his skin. I’m going to show him
what he has to offer me. I’m going to unbreak him.
 Zack
 

My cock goes marble hard when she places her lips on my biggest shame
and there’s no stopping the groan that falls from my lips. Fuck, fuck this
can’t be happening. She…she wants me? Avery’s hot mouth kisses every
inch of my scar-covered skin and then starts working its way further up,
pushing my boxers as she goes. I can’t even fucking breathe. It’s been so
damn long since a woman has had her mouth on me and the feeling is
exquisite, more so because it’s her, the woman I’ve fallen in love with.
When her fingers brush against my cock through my shorts, I choke on my
saliva. My voice is hoarse like I’ve just run ten miles.
“Avery, are…are you…sure?”
Those fantasy purple eyes of hers look up at me from my lap and what I
see in them, the heat and desire, the love, has me flipping her up and onto
her back so I can cover her body with mine, ignoring the pain in my
sprained wrist. I settle between her thighs, my aching cock dragging against
her center’s heat. Her head falls back and she arches into me like she’s
desperate for more contact. I hold still in place and rasp out, “Say it again,
sweetheart.”
She knows exactly what I want to hear. It’s the word from her lips that set
me off last time in the pool and she doesn’t disappoint me. Her hips lift to
grind against me and the long, drawn-out word fills the room in her sweet
voice.
“Fuuuuuck!”
“That’s my girl.”
And then my mouth falls on hers and I consume every inch of it. She
tastes like sweetness and light and when her nails dig into my back to pull
me closer…it feels like home.
 I want more. I want it all. My hands slip down and lift the shirt she’s
wearing up and over her head, baring her breasts to me and they are
perfection. They fit so perfectly in my hands that they could have been
made just for me. I dip my head to take one pretty pink rosebud nipple
between my lips and roll my tongue around it, sucking, licking, and then
pulling on it until she’s writhing beneath me.
“Zack, Zack, Zack, ple-ase!”
She chants and hearing her needy voice say my name like that is
ev..er..y..thing! I rip her little shorts off and trail a hot wet tongue down over
her stomach until I get where she needs me most. Where I need to be most.
My tongue dips into her sensitive folds and I lick all the sweetness waiting
for me there. Her thighs come up to hold my head in place and her fingers
grip my hair carefully to not disturb the bandage on my temple as she
grinds up against my mouth making my cock weep precum all over my
shorts. I need to feel her come apart so I slide a finger into her and gently
thrust. Her cries and moans tell me it’s what she wanted so I add another
finger and work her perfect little pussy until she’s bucking against my face
and clamping down on my fingers. It’s the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever
felt before and I want to do it all over again. Avery melts back onto the bed
as the last waves finish so I kiss the inside of her thigh and slowly move up
to join her. Her cheeks are flushed the prettiest pink and her eyes are glazed
with satisfaction as she pulls my head to hers to kiss my mouth.
“Every part of you is beautiful to me. I want all of you, your body, your
smile, your dimples, and your…heart.” She tells me. “You’re not damaged
to me, Zack. You’re perfect.”
I run my thumb over her kiss swollen bottom lip.
“I love you, Aves. You and Chloe? You’re all I want…for life. Be my
girl?”
She nods seriously but then a gleam comes into her eyes and she’s
pushing me back on the bed and tugging my boxers off. She sucks in a
shaky breath as she stares down at my rock-hard cock. I’m a split second
from pulling her away, afraid she’s not ready but then she bites her bottom
lip and dips her head down to lick the wetness of my crown with a moan. It
fucking wrecks me and I can’t wait, I need to bury myself inside of her so I
grab her hips and pull her wet folds across every ridge of my straining
hardness and then thrust up into her. We both groan at the amazing rightness
of our bodies joined together. I help her roll her hips until she finds the
perfect rhythm.
“Ride me, sweetness. Take what you need from my cock.”
Her pupils blow out at my words and her hips move faster, grinding
down on my pelvic bone with every pass. I want to feel her cum. I want her
to clamp down on me and milk my orgasm out of me as she squeezes. I
reach between us and find her clit and tease, flick, and rub until she’s
bucking all over my cock making the wild cries of a woman close to
ecstasy. I can’t stay still any longer so I piston up into her as she falls over
the edge, taking me with her with a roar of primal rightness.
Avery collapses down onto my chest in a boneless heap and my arms go
around her. As her breathing evens out, she burrows deeper against me and
lets out a tiny growl.
“Mine.”
 Avery
 

The next few days blur together as I learn to live as a fully-satisfied-by-

two-men woman…under guard. Easton’s security team tries to stay out
from underfoot but their presence is a constant reminder that he’s still out
there, still a threat. As much as I wanted to lock Chloe down with me in the
house, the guys convinced me to let her go back to school to try and keep
her routine as consistent as possible.
The school has been notified of the situation and a separate security team
is on the grounds at every entrance to be sure that there will be no
unauthorized visitors. That gives me comfort but it doesn’t change the gut-
wrenching fear that threatens to paralyze me every time she leaves the
house. Everyone agrees that he most likely won’t try the same car ramming
trick again knowing we will be on guard for it but that doesn’t stop me from
holding my breath for the fifteen minutes she’s in a vehicle each way to and
from school until whoever drives her calls to let me know she got there
safely or when they bring her home.
Even though we’ve tried to keep it from her, Chloe feels the tension in
the house. She’s been quieter since the accident, more subdued and clingier.
The only thing she shows her excitement for is the Christmas pageant that’s
coming up at her school. It’s coming up fast with only a week and a half left
before school breaks for the holidays and it makes me so nervous. The
pageant is held in the evening and it will be filled with parents and
grandparents. With that many people coming into the school anyone could
slip in, he could slip in. As much as I want to just cancel going to it, I know
it’s something Chloe needs to go to. She’s had so much upheaval in her life,
so much fear and sadness that I just can’t bring myself to take this small
thing away from her.
 “Miss?”
The single, simple word from Ryan, one of the security team, has me
jumping and whirling from the roaster chicken I’m rubbing with rosemary.
“Sorry to startle you,” he says with a winced smile. “There’s a delivery
here and I just wanted to check where you want it. There are quite a few
boxes.”
“Oh! Um…I’m not sure. Let me wash up and I’ll come take a look at the
labels.”
I quickly wash my hands and then follow him to the front entry. When I
see the stacks of boxes waiting to be brought in, all with the distinctive logo
of a well-known toy store, I groan and then laugh. Christmas isn’t very far
away and by the looks of these boxes, someone has gone way overboard
and needs a talking to or my sweet girl will end up spoiled rotten. Even so,
it makes my heart warm and giddy that they want to give and do things with
Chloe.
I direct Ryan and the delivery guy to a spare room for now and then go in
search of the mad shoppers. All three of them have been working from
home since the accident and as much as I hate the reason why, I kind of
love having them all here all day. I find all three of them in the gym.
My intention is to give them a stern talking to about over gifting but my
feet come to a standstill just inside the door when I take in three gleaming,
muscle-filled bare chests. My mouth goes dry, my heartbeat picks up and
my mind goes straight to the dirtiest fantasy I could ever imagine that
involves all three of them with their hands on me. My face flames red at the
idea and I start to think that Zack and Ryker’s attentions in the bedroom
have turned me into some kind of sex-crazed nymphomaniac. Heat blooms
in my stomach as I picture how that would work and quickly spreads to
between my thighs. The loud clank of weights being slammed down in their
bracket brings me back to reality and I have to peel my eyes away from
East…Cass’s rippling abs.
I die of shame and almost self-combust in embarrassment when I meet
his eyes and see the intense heat-filled look in them. I can’t even swallow to
find words as he starts nodding.
“The answer is yes. We would…if that’s what you were thinking about
just now.”
The ache between my legs goes nuclear with a painful throb but my
embarrassment shuts that down even as Zack starts to grin deviously and
Ryker rumbles.
I slap a hand over my mouth to stop the YES that wants to fly out and
instead manage to squeak out in a way too high voice, “Delivery! There’s a
delivery of WAY too many boxes from a toy store.”
Cass smirks but lets me off with the change of subject.
“Good, we were worried they wouldn’t get here before Christmas.”
I push the last of the filthy thoughts from my mind and slam my hands on
my hips, giving them all a stern look.
“You guys went overboard! Chloe’s not used to having so many toys or
gifts for that matter. She’s going to be overwhelmed and she will end up
spoiled rotten if you keep this up.”
None of them seem very contrite about it so my hands leave my hips to
cross over my chest and my stern look turns into a glare.
“I’m serious!”
Cass tosses the towel he’s using to wipe sweat from his chest making me
swallow hard and then strides across to me and lifts my chin with an
amused look.
“You can’t be mad at us, Avery. None of us has had a daughter to spoil
before. Of course, we’re going to get carried away. Get used to it or you’ll
be very upset when you see how many presents we bought for you.”
My heart melts into an ooey-gooey puddle at him calling Chloe their
daughter and I blink up at him with little cartoon hearts floating from my
eyes until I track that last part. My gaze slides past him to the others but
they just stand there looking smug.
“You…you guys got me…gifts?”
Zack laughs and straightens the brace on his arm, distracting me.
“If you think Chloe’s gifts are too much, you’re in going to lose your
mind over what we got you, Aves. It wasn’t hard to check your online
browsing history.”
I tilt my head at him and go back to being stern, letting the whole gift
thing go…for now.
“What are you doing in here? You were just in an accident, Zack! You
should be resting!”
Ryker grunts and moves to pull me away from Cass. Picking me up
against his chest so my feet dangle. “Leg day, for him.” And then he hits me
with a scorching kiss that makes me want to wrap my legs around his waist
and hump against him. When he finally lets me back down on my feet I
sway dangerously, causing him to smile. “Don’t worry, this will be the best
Christmas…ever.”
As I stare up into his icy blue eyes filled with love for me, I believe it
could be. I believe until I remember he’s still out there and he could hit
again at any point.
Ryker lets out a low growl. “Not going to happen. Stop thinking about
him, baby.”
I give Ryker a smile but I can feel how flat it is. It’s not that I don’t trust
them to try and protect us. It’s years of conditioning that he always gets
what he wants and I’m the one who pays if he doesn’t.
I turn away with a small nod and leave them there to get back to prepping
the chicken for dinner. There’s nothing I can do but wait for the moment he
comes for me again and I know deep in my soul that it will happen but I
also know that I’ll fight back just as hard as the last time. He’s not taking
this from me, from us. He thought he broke me but he doesn’t understand
that love can unbreak someone and make them stronger.
 Easton
 

I shut down my office for the night and swing past the kitchen to grab one
of the Christmas cookies Chloe and Avery made this afternoon together. I
love how happy the house sounds now with them filling it. There are a lot
of dark memories haunting this house but every laugh and every shriek of
girlish joy has slowly been chipping them away. I feel like I was barely
breathing, knocking off day after day with work and more work until they
came. Now I’m grateful for every deep breath that fills my lungs with baby
soft shampoo, wildflowers, and sugar cookies.
I snag a cookie from the plate but freeze with it halfway to my mouth
when I spot Avery standing in the dark with her back to me, looking out at
the snow-covered yard through the big windows of the living room. I’m
surprised to see her there so late at night.
Ryker and Zack have been trading off nights with her after Chloe goes to
sleep. I ache for her to be in my bed as well but I don’t think she’s ready for
me…yet. She needs softness, sweetness, and care. Something I can’t offer
her in my bed. My father burned all the softness from me years ago with his
harsh ways and occasion hits.
No, if I take her to my bed, I will dominate her body and scare her. She’s
been through too much of the wrong kind of domination and I would never
do anything to hurt her. One day, she will be healed and ready for the
pleasures I can offer her but for now I can only show her how much I care
about her out of the bedroom.
I drop the cookie back on the plate and move silently to her until I’m
pressing up against her back and cradling her with gentle arms. I don’t
speak, I just rest my chin on top of her head and stand with her watching the
bright moonlight shining off the snow. Avery sighs and melts back against
me, her small hands coming up to rest on my arms.
“Will you tell me why you don’t have good memories from your
childhood Christmases?” She asks softly.
My jaw clenches as images from my childhood fill my mind. When I
take too long to answer her, she turns in my arms and brushes soft fingers
over my jaw in fluttering strokes.
“Cass, I hardly know anything about you. Won’t you share with me?”
I look down into her violet eyes. She’s wide open to me right now and I
can’t help but be the same to her so I lead her away from the windows and
pull her down onto my lap on the couch. I press her head against my chest
and share.
“I do have a few good ones. My mother was a lot like you. Soft, sweet,
and loving to me. She tried so hard to deflect my father’s brutality from
affecting me. She took the brunt of his anger and expectations and bore the
bruises because of it. He was a hard and ruthless man. Money, image, and
power were the altars he worshipped and he expected his family to obey
him in all things. Like you, my mother tried to run, to escape with me when
I was eight but he was too powerful. He found us and had her committed to
a mental hospital. I never saw her again. She died there before I was old
enough to find her and free her.”
Avery makes a sad noise and tilts her head up to kiss my neck but doesn’t
offer a comment so I go on.
“After…this house became extremely cold and was always filled with
tension. There was no love left between these walls only expectations and
punishments when those expectations weren’t met to his satisfaction.
Somehow, I survived and when I turned eighteen, I went against
everything he demanded of me and enlisted in the army. When he told me
he was disowning me, it was the most freeing day of my life. We cut all
contact and it wasn’t until four years ago when his lawyers contacted me
that I found out he hadn’t disowned me. He died of a massive heart attack
and left his entire fortune to me.”
I sigh and run a hand up her slim back causing her to snuggle closer.
“I didn’t want any of it so I just signed all the paperwork and then
ignored it all. I was content with my team and what we were doing to make
the world a little bit safer. I didn’t need his money or the power that came
with it. When Zack, Ryker, and I started to talk about leaving the military
and what we would do after, we came up with the idea to start our own
security company. It was a natural fit for us so I finally started to make use
of the money. I had this house gutted and renovated to erase all traces of my
father. We didn’t plan on retiring from the service as soon as we did but we
were discharged when…our team was ambushed. Only the three of us made
it out. So here we are.”
Avery leans back and cups my face, her eyes filled with compassion.
“Thank you for telling me. Is what happened to your mother why you
helped me?”
I run a thumb across her bottom lip and nod.
“Probably. At least partially. I was too young to help her. When I saw you
in that car with Chloe, I couldn’t not help you and it was the best decision
of my life. I’m so thankful you came home with me that day, Avery.”
She pushes up until her mouth is a breath away from mine.
“Not as thankful as I am.”
Her soft lips touch mine and I can’t resist taking a small taste of her. My
tongue licks into her mouth to find and mate with hers. I try to keep it soft
and sweet but she swings her legs around until she’s straddling me and then
threads her fingers into my hair. When she tugs the strands to deepen the
kiss with a moan, some of my control slips. My fingers bite into her ass so I
can drag her heat across my hard cock. She’s so fucking tempting, too
tempting. I push her back from my chest and clench my jaw.
“Sweetheart, you should go to bed.”
My words have uncertainty and a hint of hurt sliding into her eyes. Fuck,
I can’t have that so I explain in a way that will warn her off.
“If you don’t get off of my lap, I’m going to strip you down, spread your
legs, and fuck your pretty little pink pussy until you beg me to stop. You’re
not ready for the kind of passion I want from you, sweetness. Stick with Ry
and Zack, they will treat you with the care I’m not capable of giving you.
You’re…fragile, delicate right now. One day, you won’t be and then you
will be ready for me.”
Her eyes flare wide but it’s not with fear like I thought it would be, more
like curiosity. It makes me groan and lift her off my lap onto her feet but I
hold on to one of her hands and bring it to my mouth so I can kiss her
knuckles. She needs to know I’m not downplaying this so I tell her exactly
how filthy I like it in a husky tone.
 “Avery, I’m the type of man who will order you to your knees and fuck
your sweet mouth with my cock until tears are rolling down your face.”
She flinches back slightly hearing that so I nod.
“The next time you grind your sweet cunt against my cock, make sure
you’re ready for what I have to offer. Now go, go to bed, sweetness.”
She hesitates for a beat and then gives me a shaky nod before turning and
almost running out of the room. I lean back and adjust myself to try and
ease the painful ache she’s left me with, hoping that I haven’t scared her off
forever.
 Avery
 

I toss and turn with the sheets twisting around me like knots. My skin feels
too sensitive, my body unsettled and my mind is a constant carousel of
thoughts. The things Cass said to me…were shocking, dark. But it was the
way he said I was too delicate, too fragile that is keeping my mind spinning.
He's out there somewhere, waiting for his chance to get to us and it
terrifies me but underneath that is simmering anger that’s borderline rage.
That man stole so much from me and the fact that he still has that power
over me makes me furious. All the pain, all the suffering he inflicted on me
did so much damage to who I am as a woman but being free of him, being
loved, that has changed me too. I ran, I fought back, I’m not broken
anymore. I’m not delicate or fragile, not anymore. Piece by piece, Ryker,
Zack, and Cass have worked to unbreak me but I want those last missing
pieces.
I let my mind picture Cass ordering me to my knees. I picture him
murmuring filthy, filthy words in my ear as he moves my body exactly the
way he wants it. His strong fingers digging into my skin and leaving bruises
of passion, not pain. I picture him treating me like the woman I’m
becoming and wet heat throbs between my legs. I want it. I want the
sweetness and care the others give me but I also want what Cass is offering
me too. I want everything they are willing to give me and then, then I
want…more.
I untwist the sheets and throw them aside, grab the baby monitor, and pad
soundlessly through the house until I’m hovering outside his closed door. I
stand there and force myself to remember all the horrible things he
did to
me that made me dread sex. Everything he did was about control,
punishment, and pain, and then I let it go. I trust Cass. I trust him not to hurt
me the way he did so I lift my hand to knock but before my knuckles hit
wood the door swings open.
He pins me with such an intense, heat-filled look, his eyes a dark grey
slate, that I can barely swallow.
“You have to be sure and you have to ask for it, sweetness.”
His voice is rough and almost harsh in a way that sends a bolt of pure lust
straight to my core so I breathe deeply and grab onto my courage with both
hands before I speak.
“I want you to fuck my pretty little pink pussy until I beg you to stop and
then…I want you to do it again.”
I don’t have a chance to worry about the dark blush that fills my cheeks
at saying his words back to him because he yanks me into the room and
tosses me on the bed. He takes the monitor from my hand and sets it on the
dresser, checking to make sure the volume is up before he turns to scan my
body. His gaze is like being hit by the sun and my skin ignites in
anticipation of just what he’s going to do to me.
“Clothes off, now.”
He barks at me in such a demanding tone that the first flutter of worry
that I might be in over my head turns my stomach. My hands are shaking
and I do as he says until I’m laying back completely naked and trembling.
He stands there taking in every inch of my body and then pulls his shirt off
and sweeps his pants down leaving him just as bare as me. The hard length
of him juts out fully erect and when he fists it with one hard hand and
strokes it, I have to keep myself from wiggling as need fills me.
“Are you wet for me, sweetness? Is your clit swollen and needy for my
touch, my…tongue?”
My cheeks couldn’t flame any more red than they already are but that
doesn’t stop the ache between my legs that throbs in time with my
heartbeat.
“Answer me, Avery.”
I swallow past the dryness in my throat and give a little nod causing him
to smirk slightly.
“Spread your legs. Show me what’s been driving me to the edge.”
I shake and tremble but I spread my legs wider. A gasp flies from my
mouth when he latches on to both my ankles and spreads me even wider.
Cass runs his fingers up my legs, tracing teasing circles on my inner thighs
and then cups my pussy. My body responds on its own causing me to arch
my back to press the sensitive area against his palm.
He chuckles darkly and then those fingers slide between my folds and dip
inside of me.
“You’re soaked for me, sweetness.”
He thrusts hard and deep, stroking me, inflaming me and then he curls
those fingers and rubs against my channel and I buck against him with a
wild cry.
“You want my cock inside you? Filling and stretching you as I fuck you
hard and fast? Is that what you want?”
I nod frantically, too overcome to form words. He pulls out of me causing
me to whimper a desperate sound.
“Use your words, Avery. I need you to say it. Say what you want. Tell me
what you need.”
It’s too much to bear so I pant out, “You! Your cock! I want it, need it in
me!”
He runs wet fingers over my lips until they part and rest on my tongue.
“Good girl. Now taste how much you want this cock while I give it to
you.”
My mouth sucks down on his fingers and I taste my arousal and it’s so
sinful that it just makes me want him even more. With his fingers in my
mouth, he thrusts hard and deep inside of me with one snap of his hips. I
moan around his fingers until he pulls them out to dig into my hips. The
feel of him stretching me feels so, so good even with the tiniest hint of pain
and all I can think of is…more so I tell him.
“More! Please, Cass…”
His teeth clench on a growl and then he destroys me. Hard, fast, brutal
thrusts drive me into the bed.
“So fucking tight, angel. So fucking hot and wet.”
My nails dig into his shoulders as my hips lift to try and meet him thrust
for thrust but soon, I’m mindless to everything but the pleasure building
inside of me. I feel my inner muscles clamp down as the first flutters of my
release start. He groans and pulls out of me so fast that I’m left crying and
begging for him. Cass ignores my pleas and flips us so I’m on his chest and
then he uses his strength to haul me up his body.
“Hands on the headboard, sweetness. You’re going to sit and ride my
face while I eat this tight little pussy. The first time I make you cum, it’s
going to be on my tongue.”
I’m in such a state of need that I don’t even hesitate to move to where he
directs me. His hands bring my hips down until his mouth latches onto the
throbbing need between my legs and all I can do is brace against the
headboard as he feasts on me.
My head falls back as wild animal noises escape my mouth at how he’s
licking and sucking at my most intimate area. It isn’t long before I find
myself mindlessly grinding down against his mouth searching for the hard
friction that will give me what I need. When he groans his approval, the
vibrations hit the bundle of throbbing nerves and it pushes me over. Wave
after wave of pleasure flows through me and he never stops licking me
through it as I scream his name.
Cass moves me back down onto my back and I lay boneless and dazed as
he stares down at me but then he’s kissing me so savagely that everything
starts heating up and aching again. I’m completely shocked that even after
the most amazing orgasm of my short sex life, I’m ready for even more. His
mouth moves down to my neck and I shiver when his teeth drag over my
pulse point. He’s gentle as he gets to my breasts, squeezing and caressing
them until his lips close around one pearled nipple and his teeth bite down. I
gasp at the shock of the sensation and arch hard against his lips even as he
licks away the sting of the bite and then does it again.
I’m moaning and clutching his head against me, fingers buried deep in
his hair but he tugs away and moves further down my body, licking and
sucking and biting small nips as he goes. When he makes it to my feet, he
flips me over and strokes a hard hand over my bottom.
“Up, on hands and knees, sweetness. My cock is weeping for this peach
of an ass.”
I do as he says even as his big hands slide over my bottom, caressing and
squeezing. He runs one hand up my spine until he can wrap his fingers
around the back of my neck. I feel his hot chest brush against the damp skin
of my back and then his mouth is right beside my ear.
His voice is low and raspy and so damn hot when he tells me, “Hold on,
sweetness. This is the part where I fuck you senseless.”
And he does. He’s like an animal inside me. Hard, deep, fast thrusts steal
every thought from my head and push me higher and higher.
“So fucking tight. This cunt was made for my cock.”
 He fucks me like I’m not broken, not delicate and certainly not fragile
and then when the second orgasm hits me, I roar out his name like he’s a
god for giving me this gift. Even as my arms give out and my front
collapses so my face is pushed against the bed, he holds my ass up in the air
and takes even more with grunts and growls.
“You take my cock so well, angel. Keep milking me with that pussy.”
The orgasm seems to go on and on and I float through it until his clever
fingers slide around and start working my folds again. I whine at the
overstimulation that is too much and not enough all at once.
“One more, sweetness. Give me one more. Cum on my cock!”
His demand speaks directly to my core and I clamp down on him again
as my vision goes black with sparkly colors going off like fireworks. His
thrusts become jagged and rough as I pulse around him and then I feel his
heat spreading deep inside of me as he chokes out my name like a dying
man.
Cass’s weight against my back is soothing as our breathing synchronizes
and slows. When he finally rolls to the side he holds me close in his arms
and strokes my hot skin.
“Avery…”
It’s the first time I’ve heard hesitation in his tone, like he’s worried he
took it too far. I peel back from him until I can run my fingers through his
hair and look into his grey eyes which are now more blue than slate.
My gaze is steady on his when I whisper, “I didn’t beg you to stop. You’ll
have to try harder next time.”
His fingers dig into my skin as he yanks me back against him and
savages my mouth once more and to me, it feels like I’ve been waiting for
him my whole life.
 Avery
 

“We can’t be late, mommy!”

Chloe whines as I zip up the garment bag that has her angel costume
pressed and ready to go. I fold it carefully over my arm and wave her
toward the door.
“I’m ready! Go get your boots and jacket on. The boys are waiting for
us.”
She zooms out of the room but I pause and glance at my reflection in the
full-length mirror. I look…good. The red dress fits perfectly and floats
around my knees in a pretty swirl. I bypassed the matching heels that came
with it for black ballet flats. No one will know that I chose them in case I’m
forced to run. My glowing face and bright eyes cover the constant fear that
has only built today as the time to leave for the pageant got closer and
closer. I can feel it in my gut. I don’t know why but I know he’s going to
make a move tonight somehow.
The guys assure me over and over that we will be covered, the school
blanketed by security but it doesn’t ease my worry. Maybe because
everything else is so incredibly perfect. My relationship with these men
feels solid and deepens every day. I never dreamed I could be this happy.
Maybe that’s why I know he will come and try and take it from me.
Chloe calls for me from further in the house, breaking me from my dark
thoughts so I swipe up my purse, double checking the knife Ryker gave me
is tucked away inside and then head for the door. He’s taken me to the
shooting range twice since I asked for a gun but as much as I want one on
me to protect us, I don’t feel right carrying a loaded weapon into a building
full of children. Maybe if I had more practice, more skill, but not now.
Besides, there will be enough weapons surrounding us with all the security
that will be there.
I rush into the entryway and push a smile out for the guys waiting for me
but I know it must come off brittle because Ryker drags me against him and
rumbles into my hair, “Safe, baby. He won’t touch either of you.”
I pull back and he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear so I force my smile
brighter and then turn to the others.
“Ready?”
“Yes! Finally!” Chloe sasses, making Zack laugh.
The ride to the school through the dark snowy streets has tension
thrumming through me. It doesn’t matter that two big black SUVs travel
with us, one behind and one beside. The cold knot in my belly just keeps
getting tighter.
When we get to the school, Easton pulls right up to the doors and his
security people surround us as they move us into the building. My eyes scan
in every direction constantly looking through the crowds of parents and kids
filling the halls. When we get to Chloe’s classroom to drop her off, Zack
has to peel me away from her when I cling a little too long. She darts into
the room without a backward glance, happy and excited for her first school
event. I hand off the garment bag with shaky hands to her teacher who gives
me a reassuring smile filled with compassion and understanding. All the
staff know what’s going on and my cheeks would be bright red with shame
and embarrassment if I wasn’t wound so tight.
The guys pull me along to the huge auditorium and we quickly find our
seats. They had reserved four, halfway down and on the outside of the row
so if anything happens, we wouldn’t be trapped by the other parents filling
the row. My fingers don’t stop twisting until Zack takes one and Ryker the
other. I’m practically vibrating in my seat by the time the lights flash three
times in warning that the program is about to start. When the lights go
down, so do my eyelids. I don’t know why I know something’s going to
happen but when it comes to him, I have a deeply bred instinct born from
pain and fear.
I’m so lost in my fear that I miss most of the concert and skits until Ryker
squeezes my hand.
“There she is.”
My eyes fly to the stage and even in my current state, my smile blooms
huge for my tiny girl in her angel costume. The halo over her head bobs
comically when she spots us and starts waving as she dances in place. Three
phones are held up to film as the children start singing the Christmas carol,
Up On The Housetop. It’s such a dad thing for them all to do that my racing
heart steadies and some of the sickness in my stomach eases. Chloe and her
class make it through both of their songs and my cheeks hurt from smiling
all the way through it and my palms sting from clapping so hard for her.
I settle back into my seat as the class is led off the stage and I turn to
share a grin with Ryker when I hear it. My whole body freezes in place at
the pop, pop, pop in the distance.
There’s a moment, a beat when all four of us stay still and then as one we
are on our feet. Easton and Zack run for the back doors leading out of the
theatre and Ryker and I run down toward the stage.
My purse is clutched in my white-knuckled grip. I want to get the knife
out but I wait, knowing it will cause a panic if anyone sees it. We pass row
after row of families waiting for the next class to come on stage. None of
them have any clue what those distant popping noises were. But I know, I
know those were gunshots and I know he’s here.
Ryker drags me through a door beside the stage and up a set of stairs. We
wade through milling children and I have to stop myself from screaming
her name. I finally spot her teacher and make a beeline to her, being careful
not to shove tiny humans out of the way. She glances up and whatever she
must see on my face has hers paling.
“Chloe! Chloe Adams, eyes on me, please,” she calls out.
I see her wave her hand in a come here gesture and then finally my eyes
land on my baby as her teacher gathers her close and turns her to face me.
She’s glowing with happiness and pride for her part in the concert and I
hate the idea of him stealing that away from her so I push a smile back onto
my face.
“Baby! You did so good! I could hear you singing all the way back in our
seats.” I nod with a jerk at her teacher and reach for Chloe. “Come with me
now, pumpkin. We have to go.”
Chloe frowns but takes my hand and then beams up at Ryker.
“Could you hear me too, bear? Did you like my song?”
Ryker growls in agreement, lifts her up, and sets her on my hip.
“Stay with mommy, little bear.”
“Mommy, too tight!” She pouts when I latch on to her so I ease off and
let Ryker lead us to a room backstage that was set up by security as a safe
room. I only breathe again when the door is closed and locked behind us
and two guards take up a position on either side. I want to keep Chloe in my
arms but she wiggles to be let down so I set her on her feet and let her
explore the mishmash of props in one corner.
Ryker’s eyes stay steady on mine but he knows there’s nothing he could
say right now to calm me down so he just lets me pace back and forth as
every minute drags by. A small cry slips out of me when one of the guard’s
walkie-talkies chirps at the same time Ryker’s cell goes off.
Chloe comes racing over to me and finally picking up on the thick
tension reaches to be picked up. I’m happy to have her in my arms again
with her head tucked in against my neck and her baby soft shampoo filling
my nose.
Her little chest hitches against mine and she whispers, “Is it Daddy? Is
Daddy here? Is he mad-mad?”
My throat seizes with the scream of rage I trap in it but it’s Ryker that
answers her with a big hand on her back and his icy blues meeting mine.
“No. He’s gone and he will never come near you again, little bear. He’s
not your daddy anymore.”
She twists in my arms and throws herself at him. Ry easily catches her
and holds her close as she pats his cheeks with her tiny hands.
“Promise? I want you to be my daddy. I don’t like him!”
His growling rumble is loud and filled with approval but he looks my
way before answering her. Hot tears burn at the back of my eyes as I nod at
him.
“Promise. Me, Zack, and Easton, we’re your daddies…if you want that,
little bear.”
Chloe makes an oversized nod. “Good!” and then snuggles into his neck.
His huge hand cups the back of her head and his eyes are brimming with
love as he meets my stare again.
“It’s over, Avery. You’re free.”
My knees go weak as all the hard tension in my body lets go. It just flows
right out of me and I know that can only mean one thing. He’s dead. He’s
dead and we are finally safe. Safe and free.
 Avery
 

I sip at my eggnog and laugh as Chloe and Kanga bounce through the
massive mound of crumpled wrapping paper making an even bigger mess
than the living room already is. There are boxes and toys everywhere
making the room look like a looted toy store. I laugh again as three
confused males watch Chloe playing with the paper and empty boxes
instead of any of the toys they bought for her. Being a parent is a learning
curve but they all are so far around it just by how much they love her
already.
All three of them crash down next to me on the couch looking completely
exhausted and I take another sip of my drink to cover the grin I can’t hold
back. We were all up late last night as they insisted on assembling as many
of the toys they were giving her today as possible, from a pink bike to a
princess castle fort. No matter how many times I told them it was all too
much they insisted and pushed through until every last toy was assembled
and every gift was wrapped.
I had to pull them away from the overflowing tree with the promise that
she would love every single thing they got her…eventually. With Christmas
finally ready, they started arguing about who would get me for the night on
our first Christmas and that led to an experience I will never forget. Three
hard, hot bodies pressed, touched, and handled me until I was begging them
to stop. I’ve never felt such passion or such love as they worshipped me
together. They worked as a team to bring me to orgasm over and over again
until I was as limp as a wet noodle. I’m a little sore from all their attention
but just thinking about it has heat building and a pulse throbbing between
my legs.
“One last gift, sweetness.”
 Cass tells me as he runs a hand up my thigh. His eyes gleam and he
smirks, knowing exactly what I’m thinking about. I groan.
“No, no more! You guys already gave us too much.”
He looks past me at Zack and Ryker and nods so Ryker swoops over and
plucks Chloe out from the paper and box mountain and then brings her over
to sit on my lap. Cass hands her a thin, long box but keeps his hand on hers
so she doesn’t pop it open.
“We have a really big question to ask you and your mommy, Chloe. We
need you to think hard about your answer before you say it, okay?”
Chloe wiggles in my lap but gives him a nod. He keeps his eyes on her
and blows out a big breath.
“Okay, here goes. Would it be alright with you if Zack, Ryker, and I
married your mommy and adopted you so we would be your dads?”
It’s a heavy question that stills my heart but for a five-year-old, not so
much. She chirps out a high-pitched, “Sure!” and then wiggles off my lap,
drops the box, and dashes away to play with Kanga again. My hands reach
out to capture his let-down face.
“Oh, Cass, it’s okay! She’ll get it in a few years. She’s just too young to
understand right now.”
I pick up the box and flip the lid open and my mouth drops. Inside are six
rings. Each ring is a different type of gold. There’s rose gold, white gold,
and gold gold. Three of them are adult sized and three of them are child
sized. My eyes well up at how beautiful they are. Not the rings, but the men
who gave them to us.
Cass takes the box from me and pulls out one of the rings and takes my
hand.
“Will you marry me, Avery? Be my wife and mother to our children?”
I’m too choked up to answer so I just nod eagerly and he slips the ring
onto my finger. He leans forward and crushes my lips to his with all the
love and promise he’s offering.
I’m dizzy when he moves back to let Zack kneel in front of me. Zack hits
me with a smile full of dimples.
“Avery, I never dreamed I’d have a chance to be with someone as
incredible as you. Will you marry me and make all my dreams come true?”
This time I manage to croak out “Yes” through my joyful tears as he
slides the second ring on my finger next to Cass’s.
 Ryker doesn’t kneel, he just hauls me over into his lap. He growls his
question out, “Mine?”
I rub my nose against his.
“Forever yours,” I tell him and the last ring slides onto my finger.
The three of us cuddle together on the couch as the snow falls outside
and the lights on the tree twinkle. Chloe and Kanga roll around through the
mess of paper and as I watch them with a smile, I let myself dream of all
the holidays to come with these men and the family we’ve made. I search
inside myself but only find overwhelming love and happiness. All the
breaks that used to fill me are gone.
The End
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 Also by Reese Rivers
 

Dying To Love

662 – Days since the dead rose up

413 – Days since I’ve spoken to another living human
 4 – Men who have climbed my fence looking for safety
1 – Last chance for Love
Kelsey survived the start of the apocalypse and thrived in the new world
with help from her friends but now they’re gone. Alone for over a year and
mentally broken with high anxiety, she pushes through every day trying to
find the will to keep going. Until three sweet, sexy men and one hot
a**hole climbs her fence looking for sanctuary.
With her best friend, Tara, haunting her with outrageous antics, she needs
to decide if she wants to keep dying a little bit day by day or if she can grab
on to what these sexy men offer her and maybe find love.
Also, zombies make a few cameos.
This isn’t a blood and gore zombie novel. It’s full of comedy, over
protective men that just want to take care of her and a ton of sexy steam that
happens behind a set of double fences.
Enjoy this great standalone RH here:
Dying to Love
 Time After Time
A Time Travel RH 3 Book Series

How do you survive time travel to 17th century France…while wearing a

bathrobe…with nothing to help you but an iPhone? How do you avoid
being burnt at the stake as a witch for possessing that ‘magical’ evil
iPhone?
Start by being rescued by 4 hot AF men. Accept that vampires and wolf
shifters are real and then make peace with the fact that you can have them
all.
Eden Kelly’s life is in ruins. Traumatized and alone, she struggles to keep
living every day until she stumbles through a magic mirror that sends her
hurtling back in time to 1667.
Sebastian, Luca, Finn and Cade are completely captivated by the woman
that appears in front of them as they go into battle. Her modern ways, smart,
sassy mouth and stunning beauty has them entranced and filled with desire.
They recognize the damaged soul and anguish she tries to hide as they all
have similar pain that they live with. It has them aching to tend, care and
soothe her as she unknowingly does the same for them.
Can a modern woman find love and happiness with these men or will
time end all things and suck her back to her desolate modern life?
Get started on your next great series here with Book 1 in the Time After
Time series!
Catch Me
 YA Post Apocalyptic Titles Written as Theresa Shaver

The Stranded Series

Land – A Stranded Novel, Book One
Sea – A Stranded Novel, Book Two
Home - A Stranded Novel, Book Three
City Escape – A Stranded Novel, Book Four
Frozen – A Stranded Novel Book Five
The Endless Winter Series
Snow & Ash – An Endless Winter Novel, Book One
Rain & Ruin – An Endless Winter Novel, Book Two
Sun & Smoke – An Endless Winter Novel, Book Three
Fire & Fury – An Endless Winter Novel, Book Four
Scorched – A Dry Earth Novel
The Flare Series
The Journey – A Flare Novel, Book One
The Line – A Flare Novel, Book Two
The Bridge – A Flare Novel, Book Three