Accepting Eva [Slick Rock 8] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (16 page)

Eva watched Quin back up a few steps through fuzzy eyes. She wanted to reach out and touch him. She hadn’t even told her men that she loved them and now she may not get the chance. There was no way she was going to die with regrets.

“I love you,” she blurted.

“See? She wants to be with me as much as I want her.” Tim spoke calmly this time.

Eva wanted to scream that she wasn’t talking to him but to Quin. She opened her mouth, but her words were cut off before she could speak.

“Is that how you treat the woman you love?” Quin took a slow step forward. “Look at her, Tim. She can barely stand. Let her go so we can get her some medical attention.”

Eva cried out when Tim pulled her head back by yanking on her hair. His eyes ran over her face and he frowned down at her.

“Why did you have to fight me, Evana? Why did you run?”

The gun left the underside of her jaw, and even though she couldn’t see where it was now pointed, she was in too much pain to care. Her legs buckled, and the grip Tim had on her hair released. She moaned as her bruised and battered body once more connected with the ground.

A loud explosion sounded, making her ears ring, and then she knew no more.

* * * *

Gray and his brothers followed the tracks leading to Eva. His heart was racing inside his chest with fear for their woman, but he pushed his terror aside and used the skills he had learned while in the military. Quin signaled him and Pierson to split up. He was to skirt around to the east while Pierson came in from the west. He knew that Quin was going to walk into the line of sight of Tim once they found him to distract the bastard. Just as they came to a small clearing, the fucker came up over the ridge of an incline.

Fear and worry pierced his chest when he saw Eva in the bastard’s clutches. She was bruised from head to foot, and welts stood out lividly on each pale cheek where the prick had slapped her. As he crept around behind Tim and Eva, keeping cover amongst the trees, Quin began talking to Tim.

He cursed silently when he saw blood on the back of Eva’s shirt. He couldn’t see where it was coming from, and although he wanted to rush in and pull her assailant away from her, he knew he had to bide his time. Tim was now using Eva as a shield against Quin, and even though he had a clear shot, he wasn’t about to jeopardize his woman. If he shot Tim and the bastard jerked his trigger finger while he held his weapon beneath her chin, then Eva would die.

Gray caught sight of Pierson on the other side of the clearing but knew his brother wasn’t in Tim’s peripheral vision. Quin was trying to talk the fucker into letting Eva go, but Gray didn’t think the bastard’s obsession with their woman would let him release her.

He signaled to Pierson with his hand, letting him know what he wanted Pierson to do. Just before Pierson moved forward into Tim’s sight, he moved the gun from beneath Eva’s chin and began to aim toward Quin. Eva collapsed to the ground just in the nick of time. Three guns fired simultaneously. Tim didn’t even manage to pull the trigger. Quin must have moved lightning fast, because Gray hadn’t even seen his gun in hand.

Three shots to the head was more than any human could survive. Tim fell and didn’t move. The reverberation of their shots rang through the woods, then all was silent.

Gray and his brothers rushed to Eva. Pierson pulled Tim’s body out of the way and then they all checked her over for injuries. The worst one was the cut on the back of her head and the one on her lower right leg.

“Call for an ambulance,” Quin demanded as he whipped his T-shirt off over his head. Gray did the same and then they ripped their shirts into strips. Carefully moving Eva onto her left side, he and Quin began to patch her up as best they could. He undid and removed her boots and caliper then slit the pants of her jeans so he could dress the wound on her calf. Using a thick wad of what had been his shirt, he covered the deep gash and then tied a strip around her limb to hold it in place. Quin did the same to her head injury.

Just as they’d finished, Damon Osborn and Luke Sun-Walker arrived on the scene.

“Shit. Is she all right?” Damon asked.

“I don’t know. She has a laceration to the back of her head, another on her leg, and she is covered with bruises.”

“An ambulance is on the way, but I told the dispatcher we would meet them. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner our woman can get the medical attention she needs,” Gray said through clenched teeth.

Quin leaned in and carefully lifted Eva before Gray could. He made sure her head was supported and then followed his brother back toward the road and their truck. Pierson stayed behind to give the two sheriffs a statement.

Gray got into the driver’s seat after helping Quin get Eva into the back with him. He took off and pushed the truck hard, heading back toward Slick Rock. Just as he turned onto Highway 141 he spotted the ambulance racing toward him from the opposite direction. Flashing his headlights to get the driver’s attention, he slowed down and finally stopped, preparing to transfer Eva to the paramedics’ care.

Once Eva and Quin were on their way to the clinic in town, Gray climbed back into the truck, racing after them. He needed to make sure their woman was going to be okay and knew he wouldn’t relax until he heard it from the doctor’s mouth.

Beeping noises penetrated Eva’s consciousness, causing her to frown. She wrinkled her nose at the clinical smell of disinfectant. She moaned with pain as she moved, aches and pains on her body making themselves known as she shifted. Her head was pounding.

Opening her eyes slowly to mere slits, it took a few blinks until she could get her eyelids to cooperate and open fully. Looking around the unfamiliar room, she realized she was in a hospital or clinic of some kind. Just as she pushed up on her hands, trying to maneuver into a more upright position, the door to her small room opened.

“Eva, you’re awake,” Quin said as he rushed to her side. “How are you feeling, baby?”

“Okay,” she answered, her voice sounding dry and raspy.

The door opened once more and Gray and Pierson entered her room.

Quin poured some water from the jug on the table next to her bed and then handed her the cup. She took it gratefully and sipped until her thirst was quenched and her dry throat lubricated once more. Quin removed the cup from her hand and placed it back on the table and then took her hand in his.

“You have no idea how glad I am to see you awake, baby. We were so worried about you.”

Gray and Pierson moved in close on the other side of the bed. Gray took her other hand and Pierson placed his on her thigh.

Eva couldn’t remember how she had come to be in a hospital and was just about to ask her men when the memories of being abducted by Tim returned with startling clarity.

“Where’s Tim? Did you get him to the sheriff’s office?” She gripped the hands holding hers, fear and adrenaline racing through her system and making the heart monitor she was attached to speed up.

“Shh, calm down, darlin’.” Pierson stroked her thigh through the cotton blanket covering her. “You’re safe. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

She looked to each of her men and slumped in relief. “What happened?”

Quin explained how all three of them had shot and killed her old neighbor, and even though she was sad he had lost his life, she didn’t feel guilty. Tim had brought everything that had happened upon himself. Not once in all the time she had known him had she teased him or strung him along. She did, however, feel sorry for his mother.

“Shit, I have to call my mom. She’s going to begin to worry if I don’t contact her again soon. I was supposed to call her last week when her and Jack got back home.”

“Take it easy, sugar.” Gray pushed against her shoulder gently when she tried to sit up more. “We’ve already called your mom. She and Jack are on their way here even as we speak.”

“How long have I been here?”

“Since yesterday, darlin’. The doc wanted to keep you in overnight for observation. He was a bit worried about your head injury.”

“God, I want to shower. I feel like yesterday’s garbage.”

“Okay, but how about you clean up when we get home? That way we can help you and you will have clean clothes to put on,” Quin suggested and then said a little sheepishly, “We forgot to bring you clean clothes to wear.”

“I don’t think I can wait that long. I feel so dirty. I need to wash away his touch.” She cursed her weakness when tears leaked from her eyes.

Quin moved closer and gathered her in for a hug. “Shh, baby, we understand. The doctor said you could go home as soon as you woke up. Now that you are awake the nurse will come and unhook you and we can get out of here.”

Just as Quin finished speaking, the door to her room opened once more. Quin released her and stepped back when the nurse approached her bed.

“You’re looking much better today, Eva. Now just let me unhook you and then you can get dressed and leave. Your men have already signed the release papers for you.”

Less than a minute later, the nurse had her unhooked and then gave her a friendly pat on the hand and left without a backward glance. Eva still felt a little wobbly when she stood up and was very thankful her men were there to help her. In fact she didn’t have to do anything, because her three men dressed her in the borrowed hospital scrubs and then Pierson carried her out to their truck. A quick glance around told her she was still in Slick Rock, which meant it wouldn’t take long for them to get home.

Pierson eased her into the backseat and then got in beside her. Gray and Quin got into the front. Quin adjusted the rearview mirror slightly until he could see her and then he started the ignition and headed toward home.

Pierson once more carried her from the truck and in through the house. He didn’t stop until they were in the bathroom adjoining Quin’s bedroom. Sitting down on the edge of the tub with her on his lap, he reached out and turned the faucets on. As the bath filled with water he began to remove her clothes.

Gray and Quin walked into the bathroom just as Pierson pulled her last piece of clothing from her body. Quin undressed very quickly and then stepped into the tub. Pierson handed her over to Quin and then he sat down with her across his thighs as Pierson and Gray stripped.

Eva was still feeling pretty lethargic after her ordeal and injuries but was determined to wash the last effects away. She reached up behind Quin for the sponge and bath gel, but they were gently extricated from her hands.

“Let us do that for you, sugar,” Gray stated and poured some of the liquid soap onto the sponge. He moved up next to her, lifted her arm, and began to wash her body. Pierson grabbed another sponge and began to wash her, too.

Once she was clean, she picked up one of her lank tresses. “Am I allowed to wash my hair?”

“Yes, baby. You only have a small cut on the back of your head and it has a small waterproof patch covering it. Will you let me wash your hair, Eva?”

“Please,” she sighed.

Once done, the three men helped her from the tub and dried her off. When she was wrapped in one of their large robes, Gray blow dried her hair and Quin and Pierson exited the bathroom.

“Do you want to lie down in bed, sugar? Or would you rather go out to the sofa?”

“Sofa,” Eva replied and snuggled up to Gray when he lifted her up into his arms.

The sofa had already been set up for her. There was a pillow near the end as well as a spare quilt. Gray eased her down onto the couch and then pulled the quilt up over her. “Just rest, Eva. We’ll bring you something to eat and drink.”

As she watched Gray turn toward the kitchen, her heavy eyelids closed.

A loud knock startled her awake and she jerked up into a sitting position. Quin reached for her hand, drawing her attention. He was sitting on the sofa with the pillow on his lap where he must have cradled her head while she slept.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s the sheriffs come to get your statement.” He caressed a finger down her cheek. “Pierson, Eva’s awake. Bring her some food and drink.”

Footsteps sounded in the hall, and Eva looked to the sound. Gray led Sheriffs Luke Sun-Walker and Damon Osborn into the living room.

“How are you feeling, sugar?” Gray asked as he walked toward her and kissed her gently on the head.

“Much better. My head doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Eva. Are you up to giving a statement?”

“Yes. I just want to get it over and done with.”

“Ma’am, I’m Sheriff Luke Sun-Walker and this is Sheriff Damon Osborn.”

“I know who you are, but thanks.”

“Do you mind if we call you Eva?” Damon asked.

“No, please do.”

“Okay, Eva, tell us how you were abducted and what happened.”

Eva began to recite her story. She must have tensed up or gripped Quin’s hand, because he pulled her up onto his lap, cuddling her with one arm while rubbing her back in a soothing caress with his free hand.

When she had finished her story, the sheriffs thanked her and left. Quin asked gently, “Are you all right, baby?”

“Yeah, but I’m glad that’s over.”

Eva sighed and rested her cheek against Quin’s chest. She felt so loved, protected, and content, she didn’t want to move. Another knock sounded at the door, but she was too tired to care who else had come calling. She heard Pierson open the door and then footsteps followed. When Eva looked up she was shocked to see her mother. “Eva, thank God you’re safe.” Her mom rushed over and hugged her carefully. Tears pricked her eyes and she closed them as her mom’s love enveloped her. Her mother finally let go and stood up straight.