Shelby's Saviors [Slick Rock 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (9 page)

Cord and Brandt had been in their office, on and off the phone, all morning. Now Brandt entered the room, giving her a smile and a wink, and began to place folders on the large table in front of the chairs. When he was done, he walked over to her, placed his hands on her waist, and pulled her in tight against his body.

“Why are you so jumpy, darlin’?”

Shelby craned her neck and quickly lowered it again as pain pulled along the tense muscles. “I don’t know. It’s just that I hate to be a bother. All of this is because of me.”

“How many times do we have to tell you none of this is your fault, baby?” Cord asked as he entered the room, leaning into her back.

Shelby shivered with desire as their clean, masculine scents assailed her nostrils and their warmth wrapped her in comfort and desire. Her breath hitched and she gasped when Cord pushed his hips against the small of her back. The action drove her into Brandt, and she couldn’t help but be aware of the bulge in his pants, pressing against her stomach.

Brandt groaned, nudged her chin up with a finger, moved back a little, and bent down. He covered her mouth in a hot, wet kiss, which set her body on fire. They hadn’t made love to her since that first time, a couple of nights ago, and Shelby was craving their touch. She appreciated the fact they hadn’t made a move on her again, since she had woken up sore, but now that she’d had their hands, mouths, and cocks in and on her, she needed to feel them again.

Whimpering with need, she tangled her tongue with Brandt’s and lost herself in sensation. If it hadn’t been for someone clearing his throat and interrupting, Shelby wondered how far Brandt would have gone. When he pulled back from her, he kept his arms around her waist and pulled her into his side. She looked up to see him grinning sheepishly at someone across the room.

“Shelby, this is Sheriff Damon Osborne and his brothers, Tyson and Sam,” Cord said.

Shelby’s head was spinning by the time the room was full of men. Some she had already met, and others she hadn’t. There was Tom and Billy Eagle from the Double E Ranch and their good friend Sheriff Luke Sun-Walker, ranchers Clay and Johnny Morten, as well as Seamus and Connell O’Hara. Sitting next to the O’Haras were Britt and Daniel Delaney, and Giles, Remy, and Brandon were seated on the other side of the table. As she glanced about the room, her gaze touching on all the men, she noted how tall, muscular, and handsome they all were. None of the men in her hometown of Bloomington measured up to their masculinity, at least none of the men she had seen.

Turning back to the urn, she filled the rest of the mugs with coffee and placed them on the table. She had already moved the cream and sugar to the middle of the boardroom table.

“Come and sit down, darlin’,” Brandt said and drew her with him, seating her between him and Cord. “Just let us talk things out, and if you have any questions, you can ask later. Okay?”

Shelby nodded and wondered what she was supposed to ask. She had no idea how this sort of stuff worked.

“I hear you have some business competition, Sam,” Luke Sun-Walker said.

“Yeah, looks like, but to be honest I’m sort of glad that Quin and his brothers have set up business. I had so much work there was a backlog of more than three months,” Sam replied.

“So you’re not worried about the other mechanics setting up business in town?” Billy Eagle asked with a grin.

“Nah. The Badons are good friends of ours. They served alongside us. I know they won’t hog business, and neither will I.”

“They were marines, too?” Brandt queried.

“Yeah. We can call on them, too, if needed,” said Sheriff Damon Osborne.

“That’s good to know.” Cord cleared his throat. “Okay, let’s get down to business, gentlemen.”

Cord and Brandt proceeded to outline the danger Shelby was in. They didn’t sugarcoat the situation. In fact, by the time they had finished, she was even more scared than she had been to begin with. Cord pointed out that even though it was Ramone Perez who was the danger to her, he could also be using his gang members to help him get to her. And as far as he was concerned, that was a problem.

The information Sheriff Percy Conan had sent them only had some information on the thugs Perez ran with. God knows how many others the authorities didn’t know about. Brandt went through the files, pointing out who would more than likely be working with Ramone, and even showed photographs of some of his cohorts, but what worried Shelby the most were the ones they didn’t have information on.

“All right, that about wraps it up, gentlemen,” Cord stated. “As soon as I get any updates from the Bloomington sheriff, I’ll pass them over, but until then we have to keep vigilant. This asshole and his gang have a predilection for harming women. They don’t care whether they are single or in a relationship, and they don’t seem to have a fondness for a particular look. Tell your women so they are more alert, and I wouldn’t let them go anywhere without one of you beside them.

“On the last sheet of paper in your folders you have a list of all our cell phone numbers. I suggest you program yours but most especially your women’s cells with them. That way they can call on any of us for help if necessary.

“The new motel won’t be leasing any rooms to anyone until this bastard is back in prison where he belongs, and neither will the club. As far as we are concerned, this town is on lockdown. If any strangers enter our home, we all want to know about it. Any questions?”

“Nos” were the answer as the men gathered their folders and began to file out of the room.

“Oh my God. What have I done?” Shelby groaned. If she’d had any idea what she was up against, she would never have agreed to stay. “I think I should leave. I can’t be responsible for anyone else getting hurt.”

“Shelby, none of this is your fault or your responsibility, sweetheart,” Sheriff Damon Osborne stated as he rose to his feet. “You are not putting anyone else in danger. That asshole is. You won’t be safer anywhere else. This town is full of military-trained men and hard ranchers, not to mention your men, who are ex-law, along with their cousins. We won’t let anything happen to you or any of the other women in this town. Just make sure you do as you’re told and are never alone. It’ll all be over before you know it, honey.”

Shelby watched as Damon left the room and slumped down in her chair. Cord reached out and lifted her onto his lap.

“Baby, stop torturing yourself. You’re going to make yourself ill. I care about you, Shelby, and even if you hadn’t decided to stay, I don’t think I would have let you leave. I can’t stand the thought of you not being here by my side.”

“Really?”

“Cord’s right, darlin’,” Brandt stated. “So stop beating yourself up for something that is out of your control. You’re where you’re meant to be. With us.”

“Now why don’t we head on over to the diner for lunch. I can hear how hungry you are.” Cord grinned when her stomach rumbled.

Shelby laughed and felt her cheeks heat slightly. “Okay. I could use something to eat. I was too worried and nervous to even look at the stuff I set out for breakfast.”

“We noticed,” Brandt replied, helping her up from Cord’s lap. “Come on then, let’s get some food.”

* * * *

Cord watched as Shelby devoured her toasted sandwich and iced tea. He relaxed back in the booth and watched the tension she had been carrying around dissipate. He was glad that she was finally able to let her stress go. It had helped having Damon reiterate what he and Brandt had already told her.

Maybe now she would let them build on their relationship. Even though he and his brother had made love to her once already, Cord knew that Shelby had been holding part of herself back from them. Hopefully now she would let go and enjoy their time together more. As far as he was concerned, she was the only woman that would be by their sides for the rest of their lives.

Now all he and Brandt had to do was convince her that she was the love of their life and wouldn’t be going anywhere. But that would have to wait until after she was safe once more, because he knew she wasn’t going to commit to anything while her life was in danger.

He had worked her out so quickly. Shelby was hiding her true nature. She was an independent, sassy little thing but too scared to show her real personality. He’d seen glimpses of who she was, but now that the threat of the bastard and his thugs had spread, she was going to continue to hold herself inside. Their little woman was more worried about others than her own safety, and as far as he was concerned that had to change. She was the light of their lives. It didn’t matter that she didn’t really understand that fact right now. Eventually she would and come to accept that she was first in their relationship. If she wasn’t happy, then how could he and Brandt be happy?

“Hey, Shelby,” Felicity Morten called from across the aisle, where she was sitting with her husbands, Clay and Johnny. “When are you coming back out for another horse-riding lesson?”

“Um,” Shelby started to reply and then looked to him and Brandt. Cord was glad she was looking to him and his brother for their opinion and direction. That was the only way they would be able to keep her safe.

“How about we come out Friday afternoon?” Cord suggested to the Mortens. “I think by the end of the week we’ll all be glad for a bit of fun and relaxation.”

“That sounds good to me,” Felicity replied with a smile and looked to her men. “What do you two think?”

“That’s fine, honey,” Clay said. “Do you want to invite anyone else?”

“Ooh, I think that’s a good idea. Why don’t we make it a big get-together? That way Shelby can meet the other women. Leave it all to me, Shelby, and I’ll give you a call.”

When Clay leaned down and whispered in Felicity’s ear, Cord knew he had said something dirty to his wife by the way her cheeks turned pink and she squirmed in her seat. He almost blew it right then and there by telling her how he felt when he saw the longing in Shelby’s gaze as she watched the three people interacting but pulled himself back just in time. Now was not the time or the place. Holding in a chuckle as the Mortens called for their check, he watched as Johnny paid the bill and, with Clay’s help, rushed Felicity out to their truck.

That’s exactly what Cord wanted to do, but he and Brandt had too much work on their plate to play hooky for the rest of the day.

But tonight was a different story.

Chapter Nine

Brandt leaned back in his chair, replete from a great meal, and sipped his coffee. Shelby had cooked a great chicken casserole with fried rice as a side dish, and he had enjoyed every mouthful. Now all he wanted to do was take her to bed and love that sweet body. And if the look on Cord’s face was an indication, his brother was feeling the same.

“Why don’t you let Cord and I clean up, darlin’? Go and have a relaxing soak in the tub. When we’re done we’ll give you a massage and help you relax even more.”

“Okay. Thank you,” Shelby replied and left the kitchen.

Cord waited until she was out of earshot before he said, “She’s still not talking, is she?”

“We can’t let her keep hiding from us, Cord. You and I both know underneath that pleasant façade is a feisty vixen with a temper.”

Cord nodded his agreement.

“I just wish she would trust us enough to let her out.”

“I don’t think it’s us she distrusts. It’s herself.”

“Hmm, you may be right,” Brandt speculated. “So what are we gonna do?”

“There’s only one way I can think of,” Cord stated as he loaded the last dish into the dishwasher and began to wipe down the counter.

“You mean…”

“That’s exactly what I mean.”

“Then what are we waiting for? We have a woman to love,” Brandt said and headed out with Cord close on his heels.

Shelby was still in the bath. They could hear water splashing as she moved, and so Brandt and Cord began setting up for a night of lovemaking. While Cord placed towels on the bottom sheet to protect the material from any oils they used while they massaged her, he set up the fragrant candles around the room and lit them. The massage oil he had already placed on the bedside table along with a tube of personal lubricant. First they would make sure Shelby was relaxed, and then they would begin to caress and tease her sexy little body.

She would have to be prepared for what they had in mind, because Brandt wanted her to feel no unnecessary pain when they brought her to the brink of release over and over again. Hopefully she would get so frustrated she would become her feisty, normal self.

Once the room was ready Brandt went to the other bathroom and took a fast shower. Shelby still hadn’t emerged by the time he came back.

Brandt was getting antsy and was just about to knock on the bathroom door when he heard the water draining from the tub. He concentrated on taking a few deep breaths to control his raging libido. This wouldn’t go as planned if he made Shelby nervous with his intensity.

The door to the adjoining bathroom opened, and Shelby came out wrapped in a robe. She glanced about the room and smiled shyly. Stepping forward, Brandt took one of her hands and led her over to the bed.

“Are you ready for your massage, darlin’?”

“Yes. I’ve never had a massage before.”