Lang, Chloe - Wilde Love [The Brothers of Wilde, Nevada 6] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) (6 page)

“But you’d never been in a plural marriage yourselves. How did that come about?”

Grant stated, “You’ve met Uncle Jack.”

“I have? Oh, you mean Pappy Jack. Yes.”

“Well, he and our other two uncles and aunt had been married for a few years. We were very familiar with plural marriages and how they worked. Even our cousins—Daniel, Craig, and Dillion—were about to marry Maude’s sister, Mary.”

“I’m beginning to piece together the extended family tree,” Jessie offered.

“And we both fell in love with her. Neither one of us would ever give her up.”

Greg interjected, “It took some convincing to get her on board with the idea, but we finally succeeded.”

Maude raised an eyebrow. “You wore me down.”

Grant pulled her into him. “And had a ball doing it, too.”

“Hush up.” Maude looked more like a schoolgirl at the moment than what her actual years were.

Jessie could sense the intense love and respect between Maude and her men. She longed for the life Maude and Mrs. Wilde had. Would she ever have it?

Mrs. Wilde rounded the corner with her three husbands following. “Jessie, Austin is awake and wants to see you. He’s back to normal.”

“His normal? Grumpy and bossy?” Jackson joked.

“You got it, son,” his dad, Daniel, answered.

She stood, and so did Dallas and Denver.

Mary Wilde shook her head. “Alone, boys. They need to talk.”

“Mom, we’re not letting her out of our sight. We’ve agreed that one of us will be with her at all times until the killer is found, whoever it is.”

“Fine. Go with Jessie, but stay outside the door.”

“But—”

His dad Dillion put his hand on Denver’s shoulder. “Alone. Remember, we men are better at protecting the body, and our women are better at protecting the heart.”

Craig Wilde, their other dad, nodded. “Guard the door. One of you can go outside and watch the window if you want, son.”

“We definitely want,” Dallas answered.

“Good.” Craig smiled broadly, looking a lot like Jackson.

Mary interjected, “But you both know that Jessie needs a private moment with Austin. For her and your brother, give it to them.”

“Okay. Five minutes,” Denver informed.

Jessie’s impatience to see Austin got the best of her. “You and your damn timekeeping, Denver.”

Maude laughed. “She knows him all right. The boy can’t go by a clock without looking at it.”

Thankful that their aunt had lightened the moment, Jessie looked straight into Denver’s eyes. “Let me have whatever time I want. You two bruisers can make sure no one comes in or out of the room while I’m with Austin. Not even nurses or doctors.”

Denver shook his head. “I can’t win. Take all the time you need, sweetheart.” He turned to Dallas. “You got the outside, bro?”

“Check. You cover the door.”

“Will do. Aunt Maude, if we’re not back when Phoenix and Jackson show up with the goodies, tell—”

“Tell them where y’all went.” She saluted the two cowboys. “Check.”

Jessie took Denver’s arm, and they walked to Austin’s room.

Just as they got to the door, a nurse came out. She smiled. “He’s all yours.”

“Thank you.” Jessie turned to Denver.

He nodded, leaned against the wall, and began scanning the long hallway. Jessie liked the big, muscled men protecting her. Knowing someone still had it in for her, she was glad they were here.

She gingerly pressed the door wider and walked into Austin’s room.

* * * *

Against the nurse’s instructions, Austin swung his legs to the side of the bed and sat up. The tray of uneaten food one of the attendants had brought him dangled precariously on the opposite side. An IV tube was attached from the crook in his right arm to the bag of clear liquid hanging from the metal stand.

Attempting to focus his mind, he inhaled and exhaled rhythmically. He could still sense the effects of the drugs in his system, but he was fighting them off with all his might.

When he spotted Jessie entering through the door, he blew out a lungful of air. “Thank God. You’re okay.”

She’s still wearing my collar.

The sight of the band of metal with the accompanying diamond around her neck added to his heavy guilt. How the hell had he let his guard down?

Jessie didn’t shut the door. Instead, she just chewed on her lip. She didn’t move a single inch toward him.

The woman he loved had been attacked, kidnapped, and in a car accident.
I can’t give into my self-pity.
Her needs trumped his pangs of remorse. She needed him to be strong and not a pussy.

He motioned her closer.

“Austin, I’m so relieved that you’re okay.” Closing the door behind her, Jessie walked to the side of the bed.

Austin thought about standing but knew he was too fuzzy still to try. She must only see strength from him. Besides, his ass showing from the thin hospital gown that didn’t quite tie together in the back gave off a less than Dom-like image. So, he remained sitting on the bed and patted the mattress. “Come sit by me, pet.”

Jessie hopped up next to him. His failure to protect her weighed on him like an anchor. Still, he smiled and cupped the woman of his dream’s chin. “Are you okay?”

With tears brimming in her eyes, she nodded.

Austin pulled her in to his chest. “You are safe. Understand?”

“Sure,” she stated flatly.

He stroked her hair. She didn’t need any physical dominance from him at this moment. She needed his firm reassurance. “You. Are. Safe. Understand?”

“Yes, Austin.” She began to tremble.

He squeezed her, melding their bodies together. He watched her warm tears stream from her eyes, dampening his hospital gown.

“I–I th–thought he killed you.” Jessie sobbed.

“He didn’t, sweetheart. I’m perfectly fine.”

“It’s all my fault.”

“Don’t be silly, pet.” He knew Jessie needed to see the steady, powerful Dom he’d shown her, so he fought back his shame and regret. “Just tell me everything. Mom told me the little bastard is in a coma.”

“Yes. He wasn’t working alone. Someone put him up to it.”

Austin’s entire body tensed.

“Master?”

Austin wasn’t about to alarm her more, so he intentionally relaxed every muscle. “Who, pet?”

“I don’t know. Paul King’s dead. His wife, too. I need to look over my notes again. There’s something I’m missing. A connection? I don’t know what or who.”

“Shh. You’ll figure it out. I’ll help you. We all will.”

“We?”

“My family. My brothers. Everyone. Everything will be okay.”

She shook her head. “How can it be? I give up. I can’t win.”

Austin had once believed it would’ve been best for Jessie to leave Wilde and go back to DC. Not anymore. Whoever was behind these attacks wouldn’t be satisfied with her exit. They clearly wanted her completely erased. He needed to get through to her to stay in Wilde.

He stroked her soft auburn hair. “Not if we don’t try. Sure it’ll be hard, pet. Very hard. But isn’t achieving the impossible worth trying?”

Austin saw she didn’t look convinced. There was no way he would let her leave town, even if he had to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to his house.

He gently pulled on her hair. She tipped her head up to face him. “We got knocked down, lost our touch.” Austin challenged her. “So what? Are you too much of a city girl to get back up on the saddle?”

Austin spotted a little spark of anger in her eyes.
Good.

Then the spark faded, and she closed her eyes tight. “Rich is just a kid. He’s in a coma because of me, Austin.”

“He’s no child.”

“Maybe not. Still, I rushed my investigation. I missed something critical that would’ve shed some light on this. It’s my fault.”

Austin put both hands on her shoulders and made her face him. “That’s enough, sub.”

She bit her lip.

“No one would’ve seen that coming. We all thought Paul King was behind everything.”

“There’s still someone out there that wants me dead.” Her entire body started to quake.

Austin kissed Jessie, savoring her sweet, trembling lips. He felt her body relax against his touch. “You are safe with me, sweetheart. I won’t ever let anything like that happen to you again. Understand?”

“Yes, Master.” She looked at him, and the love he felt for her nearly knocked him over. A loud crash sent Austin into protective mode. He jumped up between Jessie and the entrance to his room before spotting the mess on the floor. The tray of food that had been on the other side of the bed had fallen.

The door opened, and Denver rushed in. “Everything okay?” His eyes narrowed.

“We’re fine,” Austin answered. “Give us a minute.”

Denver didn’t leave, which pissed him off.

Austin was about to walk over to his brother and say so, when he heard Jessie’s sweet voice. “Please, Sir. Do as he says. It was only his food tray.”

Denver shook his head. The look on his face said he wasn’t happy with the situation. “Okay, Jessie. I’m just outside if you need me.” He left, closing the door behind him.

“Lucky for my brother you convinced him to leave.” Austin sat back down on the bed. “You’re too much. I’ve never seen any woman have such an impact on him.”

“I hope that’s a good thing, Master.”

“It is.”

“I’m going to let you rest now.”

“The hell you are. You’re not leaving me until we catch the fucker who’s trying to kill you. Understand?”

“Austin, stop. You’re in no condition to play bodyguard now. Besides, your brothers are overprotective of me now, lock, stock, and barrel. Please, let them take over until you’re on your feet. By tomorrow, you’ll be back to normal.”

His gut clenched with the guilt of his misstep. She could have died because he failed to keep her safe. “Okay. I trust my brothers completely.”

Her smile got to him. In some strange way, it melted his cold heart.

“Master, about what you asked of me at your tree,” she said timidly.

“Sweetheart, nothing has changed about what I’m asking of you.” He hated how her shoulders sagged when he told her that. But he couldn’t lie. Not to her. “I’m not trying to be an asshole, but I know what won’t work.”

“Then help me understand why, Austin. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Okay. You deserve that. You do.” He took a deep breath and looked her directly in the eyes. “You saw Denver rush in here like a bodyguard?”

“Yes.”

“Why do you think he blasted in here like that?”