Chapter Two

With a muffled curse, Adam caught Holly’s head as it fell forward. He quickly pulled her from the chair and cradled her in his arms. She was clearly exhausted and probably hungry to boot if her thinness was any indication.

“I’ll put her in my room,” he said as he walked toward the hall. “Ryan and I’ll go look for her car,” Ethan said.

Adam placed her on the bed and pulled back the covers. She moaned softly, an expression of pain crossing her face, but she didn’t open her eyes.

A pulse beat in his temple and he gritted his teeth. She was running from something. Or someone. She was skittish as a newborn colt, and she had so many secrets in her eyes it was hard to tell the color at times.

The bruise on her ribs bothered him. It could be from a fall, but he doubted it. It didn’t look recent. He fingered a strand of her hair, noticing the unevenness of the color. He’d bet money she was a brunette. The same color as the curls between her legs.

With tenderness he hadn’t displayed in a long time, he tucked the covers around her neck and walked quietly out. He needed a cold shower to calm his raging hard-on, but he opted to walk out into the cold and wait for Ethan and Ryan to return.

A half hour later, they drove up in the Land Rover. Adam walked to meet them. “What did you find?”

“Nothing,” Ethan replied.

Adam raised a brow. So the angel had lied. Was she not thinking clearly or had she honestly not thought they would find out?

“How is she?” Ryan asked.

“Sleeping,” Adam replied. “She needs to eat.”

Ethan looked troubled. A feeling Adam could relate to. That they had found their woman was nothing short of amazing. But it appeared she came with trouble.

Ryan shifted uncomfortably. “I never thought we’d find her. And now that we have, all I can think about is what if she doesn’t want to stay? I felt it too. I know she’s the one. Pop always said we’d know, but I thought it was bullshit until now.”

“I know,” Ethan said quietly. “I felt it too.”

“She’s hiding something,” Adam said. “She has a bruise the size of my fist on her ribcage, and I don’t like to imagine how it got there. And she’s not a natural blonde. She did a poor job dying it. A sign she was probably in a hurry.”

“You think someone’s after her?” Ethan demanded, his face darkening. Ryan clenched his fists. “Who could want to hurt such a little thing?”

“I don’t know, but one thing’s for damn certain. We can’t let her leave no matter what we have to do,” Adam said grimly.

“Who’s going to approach her first?” Ryan asked.

Adam paused. “I will,” he finally said. “It’s the way it’s done. It’s my responsibility. You two will help by making her feel as comfortable as possible. We’re going to have to ease into this or I’m afraid she might bolt.”

“Go easy with her, Adam,” Ethan warned.

Adam glared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ethan didn’t back down. “You know exactly what I mean. You dominate. It’s your nature. You’re going to have to curb that with her. I don’t think she’s going to offer her trust on a silver platter.”

Though Ethan’s words irritated him, Adam knew he was right. He was the authority figure in his personal and professional life, and he was used to getting his way. In his mind, Holly was theirs whether she accepted it right now or not.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said dryly. “Now if we’re done here, I’m going to go check on her. Why don’t you and Ryan see about supper?”

Adam slipped back inside the bedroom to see Holly still sleeping soundly. After kicking off his boots, he pulled the covers back and gingerly settled down beside her. To his surprise, she let out a sigh of satisfaction and snuggled against him.

Her breasts rubbed erotically against his chest, and his cock swelled against her thighs. As she moved against him, her shirt rode up over her hips, exposing her luscious ass. Unable to help it, he smoothed his hand over her naked hip, pulling the shirt higher to her waist.

Her dark curls beckoned him, and he slipped his fingers to the soft folds of her pussy. She moaned as he dipped one finger to her clit and began a slow circular motion. She was hot and wet, and he was ready to burst from just touching her.

Using his fingers, he separated her pussy lips further and slipped his thumb down over her button. His middle finger drifted downward, teasing her entrance as his thumb continued stroking her.

Her breathing picked up, and she moved restlessly against him. He plunged his finger into her, closing his eyes and imagining it was his dick. She was tight. So damn tight.

He bent his head and nuzzled his lips inside the collar of her shirt until he found one taut nipple. When he latched onto it, she cried out. He worked his thumb faster as he sucked at her breast. Then she tightened beneath him and clamped her legs shut against his hand as she wailed her release.

He captured her cry in his mouth as he fastened his lips over hers. Slowly, he pulled his hand from her quivering pussy. He could smell her musky scent on his hand, and he ached to taste her. Ached to bury his head between her legs and love her like she’d never been loved.

Her eyes fluttered open, drowsy, drugged looking, her lips swollen from his kisses. “Tell me I’m not dreaming,” she whispered.

“You’re not dreaming.”

Her eyes widened, and she let out a startled shriek. She scooted away from him yanking the covers over her body. “What the hell’s going on?” she demanded, her voice still husky with passion.

He watched the confusion register in her eyes as she fought against her enjoyment of what happened and her natural instinct to fight it.

“I made you come,” he said simply.

“I—you…” She trailed off, her mouth opening and closing in rapid succession.

He put his hand behind her neck and pulled her to him. “In case you’re wondering,” he said as he kissed her long and hard, “I plan to do it again. Soon.”

She jerked away and gaped at him. “But—”

“You want me,” he said matter-of-factly. “And I want you more than I’ve ever wanted another woman. I’m going to take care of you.”

Holly stared at him in shock. Her heart was beating double time. Not only had she experienced the most mind-blowing orgasm of her life—okay, the only orgasm of her life, and if this was normal, she had no idea how a woman survived it—but his declaration cut straight to her heart.

She couldn’t believe him. It was her naiveté that had gotten her in this situation to begin with. Her yearning to be loved and cherished. The mere thought of how stupid she’d been made her want to puke.

His expression softened. “Who hurt you, baby? Who put that fear in your eyes?”

She swallowed nervously. This guy was too perceptive by far. How on earth could she be lying almost naked next to a guy she hadn’t known for more than a day? She closed her eyes. This wasn’t happening. It was all a dream. A wonderful dream, mind you, but a dream all the same. Any minute now, she’d wake up and be back in the horror that was her life.

“Let me go get your clothes for you,” Adam said, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. “You need to eat something.”

A few seconds later, he returned with her jeans and sweater. He dangled her underwear on the end of his finger and she hastily snatched them away from him.

“I’ll be in the kitchen. Come on out when you’re done.”

When he’d left, she scrambled out of bed and quickly pulled on her underwear. Her pussy still throbbed from the explosive orgasm. Her fingers lingered near her crotch, and she slipped her hand underneath the silk of her panties.

She flinched when her finger made contact with her swollen clit. God, the man was lethal. Reluctantly, she pulled her hand away and reached for her jeans.

When she was dressed, she walked to the door and stood hesitantly with her hand on the knob. How could she face him after what happened? Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. He was going to think she was a complete slut.

Drawing in a deep breath, she opened the door and slipped down the hall toward the kitchen. The smells emanating from the stove made her mouth water. It had been too long since her last good meal.

The three brothers looked up as she slid onto a barstool. She looked down self- consciously, hoping Adam hadn’t seen fit to fill his brothers in on what happened.

Ryan moved closer and rubbed a hand over her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

She shivered, horrified by her reaction to him. Surely she was still on edge from the orgasm she’d experienced just minutes ago. She was losing her mind. Slut didn’t even begin to describe her. She was lusting after three men.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled, flinching away from his touch.

Ethan put a plate in front of her. “I’ll dish it up in just a sec. You hungry?” Her stomach growled in response. “Starving,” she admitted.

“How long’s it been since you ate?” Adam asked, his expression pensive. “Don’t remember,” she said vaguely.

He exchanged glances with his two brothers, and she hoped she hadn’t raised their suspicions even more. She needed to disappear as quickly as possible before anyone figured out where she was. Or who she was.

A few minutes later, Ethan heaped bacon, eggs and a slab of ham on her plate. Her hands shook slightly as she cut into the food with her fork.

Adam stood back, his arms crossed over his chest. He watched while she shoveled food into her mouth as quickly as she could. “Slow down, baby. You’re going to make yourself sick.”

She flushed and set her fork down on the plate. Ethan plunked down a glass of orange juice next to her, and she smiled slightly at him before drinking down half the contents.

A loud knock sounded on the door, and Adam frowned. “Who the hell could that be?” He swiveled around as Ryan and Ethan both started forward.

“Hold up,” he ordered. “We don’t know who’s out there.”

They all turned around to where Holly was sitting, only she was gone. Adam swore.

She’d run scared the minute she heard the knock.

“I’ll go find her,” Ethan said, his tone suggesting he’d take care of her and for Adam and Ryan to take care of the outside threat.

To their surprise, the door opened and Lacey McMillan stuck her head in. “You in there?” she called out. She stopped when her gaze rested on Ryan and Adam.

Adam relaxed. Lacey was the county sheriff, and she paid a call from time to time to see how things were in the high country. Tall, lanky and redheaded. All the things Holly wasn’t. At one time, Adam had thought Lacey might be the one, but his brothers hadn’t shared his attraction.

She removed her Stetson as she walked further into the cabin. She threw Adam a saucy grin. “Aren’t you glad to see me?”

Ryan scowled and sat back down at the bar.

“What brings you out?” Adam asked, folding his arms and affecting what he knew to be an intimidating stance. Normally he wouldn’t mind shooting the shit with Lacey, even doing a little light flirting, but that was in the past. Now he just wanted her to be gone as soon as possible.

Lacey slid onto a barstool beside Ryan, hitching her long legs up to balance on the lower rung of the stool.

“Where’s the third stooge?” she asked, looking around for Ethan. “Around,” Adam said.

She arched a brow but didn’t comment further on his being so close-mouthed.

“I’m up here to find out if y’all have seen a young woman. Early twenties. Brunette. Short, maybe five two. We’re dealing with a possible abduction, though she may have escaped. We found an abandoned car at the base of the mountain, and we’re checking out the area. Maybe you saw something?”

Adam shook his head then fixed his gaze on Ryan. “You and Ethan see anything when you were out?”

“Nope.”

He turned his attention back to Lacey. “You think she’s still in the area?”

Lacey shrugged. “Dunno. Could be, though if she’s on her own, I don’t imagine she’ll last long in the backcountry. City girl from what I gathered. Got a bulletin from the Denver PD and the Feds wanting our department to be on the lookout. Seemed to think she might be headed this way.”

“Do you need trackers?” Adam asked, knowing if he didn’t offer, it would seem odd. He and his brothers had tracked missing persons before for the sheriff’s department. Last summer, they had found a little girl who had wandered off from her parents’ campsite.

Lacey shook her head. “Nah. Like I said, I’m just checking out the possibility anyone saw something. We don’t even know who the car belongs to. Teddy’s running the plates as we speak. Could be she never came this way.”

Adam itched to ask more questions. Who did Holly belong to and who supposedly kidnapped her? But he knew it would arouse Lacey’s suspicions, because if nothing else, the Colter brothers kept to themselves and didn’t borrow trouble from anyone.

“Well, let us know if we can help,” he said shortly, dismissively.

Lacey chuckled then rose from the barstool. “There was a time when you were more welcoming,” she said softly as she brushed by him, letting her full breasts rasp across his folded arms.

He stepped back, only anxious for her to be gone so he could question Holly.

“I guess I’ll see you around,” Lacey said, a resigned expression on her face. She replaced her hat then walked to the door. “Let me know if you see anything, okay?”

“Will do,” Adam said.

When she shut the door, Adam let out his breath. Ryan glanced up, his expression brooding.

“She was looking for Holly,” Adam said, a frown twisting his brows.

He turned and strode for the bedroom, Ryan following close behind. An invisible hand squeezed his chest when he saw Holly huddled on the bed, her knees hugged to her chest. Ethan sat beside her, rubbing a soothing hand up and down her back, but she barely registered his presence.

Adam cursed under his breath and knelt down on the floor in front of the bed. He reached a hand for hers and pried it away from her legs.

“Baby, listen to me. You’re safe here. That was just our sheriff.” Holly’s eyes widened in alarm, and she shivered in fear.

“No police,” she croaked. “No police,” he agreed.

“Promise me,” she said, her voice coming out in a pathetic squeak.

“You can trust us,” Ethan said quietly. “We won’t allow anyone to hurt you.” She relaxed a tiny bit, leaning more into Ethan’s caress.

Adam still held her hand in his, and he brushed his fingers over her upturned palm, trying to infuse his calm into her. “Listen to me, baby. We need to ask you some questions.”

She let out a panicked moan. “No, no questions. Please, let me go. I need to leave.”

Ethan’s hand stilled on her back, and beside Adam, Ryan stiffened. Adam knew he had to handle this just right. He couldn’t chance her running. They couldn’t keep her safe if she ran.

He exchanged looks with his brothers. They were all united in this cause. They were not going to let her go. And they sure as hell weren’t going to let anyone hurt her.

He stood then sat down on the bed beside her. “Honey, you can trust us. We aren’t going to hurt you. We aren’t going to let anyone else hurt you. But we need to know what’s going on. What happened to you.”

Panic flared in her eyes. Fear spread out like a forest fire over her face. “Y-y-you don’t understand,” she stammered out. “No one can help. No one can stop h-h-him.” She said him like she spoke of the devil himself.

“Who, baby? Who are you talking about?” Adam whispered.

She shook her head, her agitation increasing with each second. On the other side of her, Ethan shook his head, a warning to Adam that he was pushing too far. She looked about ready to shatter.

“Why don’t you get some rest?” Adam said, though he wanted very badly to have all the answers to his questions.

Ethan gently pulled her to him then lifted her up off the comforter. He stood beside the bed while Adam and Ryan turned back the covers. Then Ethan laid her down and pulled the sheets over her. “We’ll be right outside if you need us,” Ethan said, bending down to kiss her forehead.

Her eyes were closed before they even left the room.

The brothers assembled in the kitchen, all of them wearing grim expressions. “What did Lacey want?” Ethan asked.

Adam quickly filled Ethan in on all Lacey had to say.

“So someone kidnapped her?” Ethan asked incredulously. “That doesn’t make any sense. Wouldn’t she be more than willing to spill the story and go to the police?”

“I agree it makes no sense,” Adam replied. “Which is why we aren’t going to tell anyone about Holly. At least not until we have the full story from her. She’s scared to death of someone. A man. The son of a bitch has hurt her.”

“She’s attracted to us,” Ethan said. “All three of us. It confuses her, but her reaction to us is there.”

Adam nodded, satisfaction filling every inch of his body. After so long of waiting, they finally had the woman they would spend the rest of their lives with.

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