Demanding Satisfaction [Bride Train 9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (17 page)

“She couldn’t do that,” whispered Sophie. Tess snorted and kept working. “Tell me she couldn’t.”

“Abby wants Ruby’s Saloon,” said Tess as they worked. “She’d sell her virgin baby sister for that.” Tess looked Sophie up and down and shook her head. “The way you look, and being fresh and all, even the good men won’t stop her. Hell, they’d be lining up the stairs to take a poke at you.” Tess straightened, big hands on her hips, and stared Sophie in the eyes. “You get uppity and you’ll be on your back with your legs spread for any cock that wants you.”

Sophie shook her head, mouth gaping. “But, I’m just a dancer! I said I’d never—”

“That don’t amount to a hill of beans, girl. If Abby sells you, you’d best go along, or he’ll beat you afore he rapes you. And so will the next, and the next. By the time morning comes, you won’t be able to walk for a week or more.”

Sophie saw the pain in Tess’s eyes and knew she spoke true. Many men had already told her they wanted a piece of her once she got off her high-falutin’ ways and spread her legs like a whore should.

Her stomach cramped. She fought nausea, made worse by the stink of the room. She’d vowed to do whatever she had to. If Sarah and Molly could survive, so could she.

* * * *

“But why did Sophie have to go after Isaac now?” demanded Max. “I planned for us to get Smythe out of the way first. If he is Isaac, then Sophie won’t have to put herself in danger.”

Max furiously scratched his head in frustration at Sophie jumping in and ruining his plans. He’d have to comb his hair again, of course. Being neat and tidy proved he could control his world.

The small hotel room was crowded with Sin, Trace, Ross, and Ranger in addition to his brothers. Finding the Tanner’s Ford men already in town was a surprise, but not as bad as hearing about Sophie and Lily’s ridiculous plan. A plan that he had to go along with no matter his misgivings. If Sophie really could lure Mr. Isaac out of hiding, he might even agree the women had a good idea, though they were going about it all wrong. There were too many things that could go to blazes and get Sophie in bad trouble.

“We’re not happy about it either,” drawled Ranger.

He leaned a shoulder against the wall, arms crossed. He was three inches taller and a lot stronger. With his attitude it would be close whether he or Josh won in a fight. Max would put his money on his brother, of course.

“We don’t want Isaac to disappear again,” continued Ranger. “We have plans for him.” His hazel eyes seemed to glow from within. His smile was one found in nightmares.

“The man Josh hauled off Sophie wants revenge,” said Ross quietly. “He boasted about ‘sticking it to that high-falutin’ whore.’ Abby’s jealous and is eager to put Sophie, or Queenie,” he corrected, “in her place. And that means selling her upstairs.”

“One of us has to buy Queenie’s services,” said Sam.

“I’ll do it,” said Josh, too quickly for Max’s peace of mind. “She knows me, but not in connection to you.” He smoothed back his ragged moustache with his finger and thumb. “She’s a great dancer.”

“No,” said Max. Seven pairs of eyes trained on him. Josh looked surprised, but the other six seemed amused. Max ignored them and concentrated on his youngest brother.

“You don’t look like you’ve got enough money to buy a nickel of whiskey, much less a woman,” said Max. “You’ve been drinking rotgut—”

“And spilling it so I didn’t get poisoned,” Josh interrupted.

“—and if you had gold, you’d have used it already.”

“No one’ll say a thing in that joint if a rough-looking man pulled a poke out of his pocket,” said Sam. “Here.”

Josh caught the leather bag Sam tossed at him. The two of them shared a look and the bottom dropped out of Max’s stomach. He knew his brothers and what they planned. Josh was a stranger in town, and he obviously wanted Sophie as much as Max and Sam did. As long as one of them protected her, it shouldn’t matter who. Josh wouldn’t touch her unless she wanted it. He and Sam already knew she had an itch. Josh had the method to scratch it without anyone knowing who she was. The look Josh shared with Sam suggested the two of them would take care of Sophie as much as they could.

Max had an itch as well, but he’d learned not to even think of scratching it. Sophie would be safe. That was all that mattered.

“You got a problem with that plan, big brother?” asked Josh softly.

The mild tone didn’t fool Max. Josh had braced his legs and set his shoulders, ready to fight. It had been years since the two of them had gone fist to chin. Josh had gained a hard edge in that time. An edge, a couple of inches, and a few dozen pounds. All of it added up to Max not taking it further. At least not now, in front of others. Not only were there more important things on the table, fighting Josh wouldn’t solve a thing. Max gave in to the inevitable.

“Do it,” he muttered.

Josh nodded and slipped out of the room. The others, all but Sam, followed.

“You got it bad,” said Sam after the door closed. He sat on the chair and balanced on the back legs. “That bad and you haven’t even seen Sophie’s charms.”

“You think he’ll bed her?”

Sam snorted a laugh instead of bothering to answer. Max scowled and gestured for Sam to answer the question. Sam slammed the chair flat. He leaned forward and set his elbows on his knees.

“Josh will have to make a good show of hauling her away against her will. Once he gets her upstairs he’ll tell her who he is, and that we know about her plan. Then he’ll let her set the way. If she wants him, he won’t say no.” Sam raised an eyebrow. “Would you?”

Max blew out his breath. “No, I’d take her up on her offer.”

Sam stood up and opened the door. He turned back at the last moment, his eyes twinkling in mischief. “Didn’t Lily say Sophie was jealous of the other wives having three men in their beds?” His chuckles followed him down the hall.

Josh blinked at the tips of Queenie’s hair sweeping her bottom as she walked. He’d wanted her even before that so-and-so put his hands on her. Dancing with her made him ache. Not just in the long-ignored shaft between his legs but deep in his heart. When she laughed with him, free and easy rather than with a simpering woman’s practiced tinkle, he’d lost whatever sense he might have once had.

He watched her swirl her body sideways to avoid the grubby hands of a man well gone in drink. Josh’s fists curled and his heart pounded blood through his body as his need to protect her almost overwhelmed him. Part of that need, and blood, was reflected by the nine inches of flesh throbbing between his legs.

He hauled stinking air into tight lungs and looked away from temptation. The other women either slunk around, beaten down in their body and soul or, like Abby, acted with bravado. He couldn’t help finding Queenie again. His low chuckle wasn’t heard past his lips. She held her head high and shoulders back as she returned the men’s stares. Most of them pulled their horns in and dropped their eyes. They were bullies, eager for a woman to cower before them.

Sophie didn’t cower. But if Abby had her way, she’d force a brute on her to destroy her spirit. Josh would do anything to stop that.

“Queenie! Where’s my drink?”

She turned at the yell, twisting so fast her breasts almost erupted from her dress. Josh swore. These swine didn’t deserve to see those swells of perfect flesh. He watched her glide toward the demanding man. She gave him the bright practiced smile of a working woman. The man leered in return. He held up a coin and, when she handed over the bottle, he dropped it between her breasts.

Josh looked for Abby rather than see what happened next. She wasn’t far, and had spotted the pair. Her eyes narrowed to vicious points. If he didn’t act now, it could be too late. He shoved to his feet and staggered his way to Abby’s side.

“Fella at the door said to speak to ye.”

Abby checked him over quickly, dismissed him, and looked back again at Sophie. Her lips curled down in a deep scowl.

“How much gold do ye want fer that skirt in blue?”

That got Abby’s attention. She gave him a closer look. He kept the fingers of his right hand curled as if hiding dirty fingernails. With his left he fiddled with the doeskin bag in his pocket. Abby set a fist on her hip and leaned her head back to see his face.

“She’s new. Ain’t been touched yet, ’cept by some loose hands when dancin’. But you know that. Got a hankerin’ for her, do ye?”

He leered, licking his lips in a vulgar manner. “She kin dance. Bet she’d be a handful in bed.” He turned to Abby with a knowing expression. “A man don’t wallop a woman while dancin’. He gets her alone to teach her to behave right.”

“You gonna teach her?”

“I got gold says I will.”

Abby’s smile widened. “You like it rough?”

He shrugged, smirking. “I like my woman knowin’ who’s boss. Seems like that one needs a man’s hand on her bare arse to start. Take her down a mite.”

“Yer jest gonna spank her?”

Josh put the full force of his determination into the look he gave Abby. Her eyes widened. “Nope.” He hardened his eyes. “I got lots of plans. Figger I’d need her for a week to get ’em all done. I want her to be mine. Day and night.”

He could see Abby’s mind turning over, seeking a greater profit. She waved her hand around the room.

“You see how busy it is. I need her workin’ tables when ye ain’t with her.”

He scratched at his chin stubble, frowning as he thought it over. “Can’t fuck her day and night nohow. Gonna need time out for drinkin’ and all. She kin work tables. Long as she’s mine when I want.” He took Abby’s hand in his. He pinched the fleshy part between her finger and thumb in warning. “All mine, ye hear?”

Abby gave an abrupt nod. Josh released her.

“It’ll cost a lot fer Queenie to do more than dance. You don’t look like you got enough.”

Josh pulled the leather bag out of his pocket and weighed it in his hand then tossed it up a few inches and caught it. He expected it was the money Lily Thatcher had paid to find Mr. Isaac. A decent grubstake for any man. He took another look at Sophie. A big man tugged her arm and leered at her breasts.

“She won’t like bein’ taken upstairs,” said Abby with a satisfied smile.

“Good. More she screams and fights, the better I like it.”

Josh’s muscles tightened as he fought not to haul the man, now standing, off his woman. Abby couldn’t go against her boss no matter how much she wanted to get back at her. Josh knew about Ruby’s threat. If she hit someone…

The man holding Sophie bent over and plastered his face on her lips. She did something with her knee which made the man grunt and double over. Satisfied that Sophie’d taken care of the issue, Josh looked at Abby.

“Looks like she needs takin’ down a few pegs. You want this gold, or do I walk?”

“Hammer will take the gold. And he’ll check it before her clothes come off.” Abby caught the eye of the bouncer and held out her hand to Josh. He gave over the bag. The mountain of a man nodded back. He would be easy to remember due to the large, round dent in his forehead.

“You can have her for the rest of the week,” said Abby. “Do whatever you like. Use her hard. I know someone who can show her how to behave, if ye want.”

“I don’t want another man’s cock—”

Abby put a finger on Josh’s lips. “Mr. Isaac won’t fuck her. But he does have a way to make a whore realize her place.”

Josh frowned as if he had to think about it. “Might take ye up on that. But I’m gonna do some taming of her first.”

Hammer held Sophie’s arm in one hand, the man she’d kneed in the other. Both struggled to get loose. Josh waded through the crowd betting on what would happen next. Hammer shoved the bully at his friends. He turned Sophie to face Josh.

Before she could recognize him Josh bent and hauled her over his shoulder. She screamed and fought, but he held her legs tight so she couldn’t kick. She walloped his lower back and arse with her fists, but that didn’t hurt much at all. Not compared to the hard, eager cock fighting to get out of his pants. Grinning men moved back as he headed toward the stairs.

“Hey, how come you git ’er?” yelled one of the groaning man’s buddies.

“He paid,” said the bouncer. For a big man, his voice was surprisingly high.

“No! I’m a dancer!” screamed Sophie.

“And ye’ll be dancin’ fer me all night,” yelled Josh just as loud. He smacked her bottom with his hand. She shrieked and struggled. The men roared with laughter.

“Help!” She tried to wiggle around to see who carried her. Josh smacked her upraised bottom again. Her shriek nearly punctured his eardrums.

“You jest settle down a mite while I carry ye up them stairs,” he said. “Then ye can scream all ye like.”

He suddenly realized he was enjoying himself. He’d wanted to kiss Sophie from the moment he saw her. Wanted to put his hands on her breasts, to suck her nipples deep into his mouth, and then lick her pussy until she screamed.

Sam said she wanted a man or three in her bed, and had already started with him. Josh would be her second Gibson. He’d be careful with her, but if she wanted hot sex, she’d get plenty.

“Ye’d best stop kickin’,” he roared. “Don’t want ye to bang yer head or nothin’. I want ye awake and kickin’.”