On My Own [Liberty, Wyoming 2] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) Read online

  She stopped and turned to them with a scowl puckering her brow. “Listen, I know you’re protective and always suspicious, but I need you to trust me on this. I don’t want you to scare her. She’s in trouble, but I don’t know yet what kind and frankly I don’t care. I’m going to do what a friend did for me when I needed help, and help that sweet woman and child. I’m telling you, that woman is on her last bit of energy, and if she doesn’t get help, she’s likely to find herself in the hospital. Now come here and use your abundance of muscles and help me with these bags.”

  Royce chuckled. “Yes, ma’am,” he teased and stepped back when she swatted his arm. After checking the trunk of the car and finding a bag of toys and books, the men grabbed the bags and followed Carol up the stairs.

  * * * *

  They wanted to meet this woman, and needed to know more about her besides the fact that she was beautiful, had a sick child, drove a wreck, and apparently needed help.

  Both men stopped at Carol’s “Oh my.” They stepped around her and set the bags down on the couch, not able to take their eyes off the beautiful woman asleep on the stool, with her head laid on her crossed arms on top of the counter. Her caramel-colored hair was in a fat braid falling down the middle of her trim back. When they noticed her in the restaurant, she looked small, but up close, she was incredibly dainty and way too thin. She wore old faded jeans that were too baggy on her and a T-shirt and tennis shoes. Her face was round and delicate, her nose small and straight, and her eyes were large even closed. She was very pale and had dark circles under her eyes, showing the lack of sleep and the possible stress she’d been under.

  Both men were stunned at the intensity of their attraction, and their overwhelming instincts to protect and claim this woman. They looked at each other, not surprised to find the other seemed to feel the same way and looked back at her, not able to keep their eyes off her.

  * * * *

  Carol was rubbing Isabel’s back, waking her slowly, trying not to frighten her. She sat up carefully, like she was in pain, making them all frown.

  Isabel was sliding off the stool to stand, reassuring Carol when she noticed the men and gasped, holding a hand to her heart, taking a step back. She paled. Fear, stark and intense, colored her eyes.

  * * * *

  These men were enormous and the ones that had been staring at her in the café.

  The top of Carol’s head only came up to their chins, and Isabel was smaller than that. Both had short dark brown hair that matched their hats, five o’clock shadows on their faces, and green eyes, although the man’s eyes on the right were lighter. He also had a bump on his nose suggesting it had probably been broken at one time. Both wore faded jeans, light-colored button-down shirts, and cowboy boots.

  “Oh, hun, it’s okay. They’re friends of mine. This one’s Royce, and this is Clay Jacobson. They helped me bring your things up.” She indicated the bags on the couch.

  Isabel tried to smile but was shaking too much. She swallowed and took a deep breath and tried to pull her tired, fear-scattered thoughts together. “Thank you for the help.” She gave a shaky smile and took a small step forward, holding out her hand.

  * * * *

  Jesus Christ, Clay thought. At first sight downstairs he felt attraction, but seeing her up close and hearing her voice made her even more appealing. He knew he was staring but couldn’t pull his eyes away. Clay grasped her hand when she started to lower it self-consciously. He caught her shaky hand gently in his, reluctantly releasing it when she tried pulling her hand back. Whiskey. Her eyes were a golden-brown color that reminded him of whiskey.

  * * * *

  Royce grunted and pulled her hand from his brother’s to grasp and held it gently in his. He also continued to stare at her. He knew he was making her uncomfortable but was unable to tear his eyes from her. Only when Carol cleared her throat did Royce release her and look away.

  Carol hid a small smile. “Can we get you anything else tonight, hun?”

  * * * *

  Isabel shook her head slowly, not taking her eyes off the men. They were both so ruggedly handsome, but something else about them drew her in.

  “Ok then, I’ll check on you in the morning. Now eat something and get some rest. I’m going to write down my number in case you need anything.” She moved into the kitchen, opening a drawer, pulling out a pad of paper and pen. Carol scribbled her number and starting to hand the pad to her when Clay took it and the pen from her and wrote down their numbers.

  “These are our numbers just in case you need anything,” he said and handed the pad to Isabel, his voice gruff.

  “The apartment is fully furnished with everything you should need, but if you think of anything, let me know.”

  Carol looked worriedly at Isabel. “Would you like someone to stay with you, hun? Because I certainly can…” She stopped when Isabel shook her head then gave her another quick hug, thanking her.

  Isabel watched as Carol left then turned to look expectantly at the men and waited. Royce was the first to move. “Night, honey, don’t hesitate to call. We have good people in this town, and everyone looks out for each other, so I want you to know you’re safe here.”

  “We’ll check on you tomorrow, Isabel. Try to get some sleep.” Clay’s gaze pierced her.

  Isabel shook her head and wrapped her arms around her waist. “Oh, you don’t have to do that.”

  Royce smiled gently. “It’s no trouble at all. Night.”

  She was staring at the closed door when a voice came through. “Lock it, Isabel.” She ran and locked it quickly, hearing Clay’s deep “Good girl,” and then footsteps going down the steps. She leaned against the door.

  What the heck just happened? Her heart was having trouble slowing down, and she decided she must be more tired than she thought. She knew fear ran through her body and had for months, but she could also feel the heat of arousal. What confused her was that not one, but both men were causing the feeling, and that scared her. Was she that needy for affection?

  She relaxed her shoulders when she realized it didn’t matter at that moment. She would be gone tomorrow and never see them again. She ignored the irrational feeling of sorrow that spread within her at the thought of never seeing them again. It was ridicules. She’d only just met them, and she and Tommy were running for a reason. That’s what she needed to concentrate on, not what her body was screaming for.

  She couldn’t stay in any one place, and bringing any more people into the situation was unimaginable. Two people had already died trying to help them. The only person now she depended on for information was her friend Mora.

  It was hard having her involved when she had so much to deal with. Mora lost her whole family. Both Mora’s husband and son were in the same crash that took Isabel’s husband, Evan. Isabel had always felt guilty that her son had been spared in the car crash, but not Mora’s.

  Mora was the sweetest, most beautiful, and bravest woman Isabel had ever known. Mora had protected Tommy until they found a way to get Isabel out of the mental institution Allister had placed her in. After her rescue from that mental prison, Mora was there with a huge amount of cash and a car for Isabel’s and Tommy’s escape. Isabel had sold the car for more cash a month ago.

  Allister hadn’t threatened Mora like the others that tried to help her. Mora’s brother was a cop, and her dad was a judge. Isabel assumed that’s what kept Allister from taking that step. Too many questions would be asked if Mora was hurt or killed, and her family, mainly her brother, would stop at nothing to find her killer.

  Isabel needed to check in with Mora tomorrow or the next day, or she’d think the worst and bring hell down on Allister any way she could.

  A noise down the hall jerked her out of her thoughts and had her hurrying to the bedroom to check on Tommy, relieved he was still asleep. She checked with her hand to make sure his temperature wasn’t higher. Isabel put the food away, too tired to eat, and took a quick shower, hoping to wash away some of the grime of
traveling and somehow soothe the distressing feelings that bombarded her. She changed into her nightgown, and after brushing her teeth, she climbed into bed next to Tommy. She sighed, laid a hand on Tommy’s arm, and fell asleep instantly.

  Chapter Three

  The next morning, Isabel laid Tommy back down on the couch when someone knocked on the door.

  Isabel had to swallow the fear that automatically raced through her. She hadn’t had anyone knock on a door of hers in three months. “Who’s there?”

  “It’s us,” came the gruff reply.

  Oh, God. She laid her head against the door, trying to breathe. She didn’t know if she could handle seeing them right now. Tommy had slept fitfully last night, making her sleep restless. The lack of sleep made it harder for her to hide her emotional state from them.

  “Isabel, open the door. You’re safe with us. We have some things for you, for Tommy. Carol thought they would come in handy.”

  Isabel took another breath, unlocked the door and stepped back, letting both men in. Her breath caught, and her body tightened at the sight of them. They were so large, so handsome, so male.

  She jerked when her baby’s soft voice came from the couch. Isabel raced to Tommy, afraid the men’s presence would scare him. Sitting down beside him, she gathered him into her arms and snuggled him close to her body.

  Isabel let out a puff of air in a silent sigh and pulled her eyes from the men. “Tommy, I want you to meet Clay and Royce Jacobson. They helped us last night with our suitcases.”

  Both men studied her. Neither liked the stained look on her face. They could tell she was beyond tired, but also extremely stressed. If she were theirs, she wouldn’t have to worry about anything. They both wanted very much to get to know her and her son. As irrational and egotistical as it sounded, she and her son’s life had changed when she drove into town, only she didn’t know it yet.

  Tommy stared wide-eyed, not frightened, at the huge men. “Who are they, Mommy?”

  She looked at the men silently, not knowing what to say. She swallowed when Royce came and crouched down in front of them. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. “We’re you and your mom’s new friends. We’re here to help you.”

  “You’re going to keep Unc—”

  Isabel paled, gasped loudly and interrupted him. “Hush, baby. They were here last night. They helped bring up our bags.” How had he come up with that? She’d tried so hard to keep the real reason for their trip from Tommy, or adventure as she was calling it. He was too damn young to worry about it. She couldn’t look at the men, afraid they’d read the stark fear in her face.

  The men looked at each other, but neither voiced their questions or concerns, wanting to wait until they had her alone and she trusted them enough to talk to them.

  Clay walked up and sat carefully next to Isabel. “How’s the little man doing?”

  She tried to smile but looked tired and concerned. “He still has a low-grade fever and a sore throat, but I think he’s a little better. I think he’ll back to normal tomorrow or the next day.”

  Royce watched her carefully, concerned they might have to take her to get medical help for herself if she got worse. “And if he isn’t, we’ll help you take him to the doctor.”

  Her stomach tightened. How was she going to pay for a doctor? If he got worse, she would have to find an emergency room that took people with no insurance. She wanted to prevent that because then their names would be in the system, and she had to assume Allister had resources everywhere. She rubbed her forehead. She’d do whatever it took to take care of her son. “We’ll see how he feels.”

  Clay placed a few bags on the couch table. He smiled at her questioning look. “These are the supplies Carol thought you’d need for Tommy. Tylenol, tissues, cold medicine, and food to get you by for the next few days.”

  “Hey?” Royce asked worriedly. “What’s wrong?”

  How had she found this place? Her luck had turned when they rolled into this town. Only then did she realize tears were slipping down her face.

  She sniffed embarrassed, wiped the tears, and tried to smile. “You all have been so nice to us. I don’t know how I’m going ever to be able to repay you.”

  Clay was shaking his head. “You’re not repaying anything. This town has always looked out for each other. That’s what makes it great.”

  “Mommy?” Tommy asked worriedly when he saw the tears on his mom’s face.

  Isabel smiled brightly, not fooling the men, she guessed from their scowls, but making her son feel better. “I’m okay, sweetheart, I’m just a little tired.” She hugged him to her. “How about I lay you down for a nap? You need sleep to get better.”

  “Where will you be?” Tommy raised his arms and asked, clearly worried.

  “Oh, sweetheart, I’m always going to be right here with you. Never worry about that.” She stood and bent to pick him up, only to have thick, tanned arms come around her middle, freezing her in place. She watched as Clay stood with a giggling, sleepy Tommy and headed toward the bedroom.

  When was the last time she had help with him? She turned to follow when Royce’s voice stopped her.

  “Isabel, I know it will take time, but just know, you can trust us to help you two. I know you’re probably thinking just because we say it doesn’t make it true, but give it time.” He took a step closer to her and lightly smoothed a hand over her head. “In the meantime, we’ll be here as much as possible to help you.”

  She was shaking her head, not looking at Royce but watching the hallway for Clay. “No, I can’t ask you for anything else. When Tommy’s feeling better, we’ll be leaving.”

  He turned her and tilted her head up with his fist. “Why? Where will you go?”

  She was speechless, staring at him. When he quirked an eyebrow, she swallowed and lowered her eyes. “We are going to visit relatives, um, out east?”

  “Funny, Carol told us you said you were headed north?” She was a horrible liar and so easy to read, which in the long run would make life easier for him and Clay.

  Her gaze flew to his, then down. A red tinge spread across her cheeks. “I meant north,” she stuttered.

  Royce sighed. “Right now, let’s worry about getting Tommy better, then we’ll discuss everything else.”

  She opened her mouth, only to close it at the determined look he was giving her. She nodded her head tentatively. She wasn’t going to worry about it because she wouldn’t be around to talk.

  He watched her go, watching her sweet, heart-shaped ass, and almost groaned. God, he wanted to get his hands on her so desperately but knew it would be a while before that happened. He headed toward the bedroom, adjusting himself as he went and grimacing in discomfort.

  Royce leaned his shoulder against the door frame and smiled at the perfect picture in front of him. Clay was leaning over Tommy on one side of the bed, and Isabel was sitting on the other, tucking her son in. Tommy’s eyes were already starting to close when Clay shut the heavy blue drapes, making the room darker, before leaving.

  Both men watched from the doorway as Isabel smoothed his hair, checking his forehead for a temperature.

  She stood and turned, her smile falling when she found both men blocking the doorway and taking up the room with their large frames. A profusion of fear suddenly shot through her. She had no defenses against these men at all. They could hurt her and her son so easily.

  She started toward them slowly and sighed in with relief when Clay stepped aside. She looked behind her to see Royce closing the door quietly and then followed them.

  They walked into the living room. Royce took a chair, and the other two sat on the couch. She sighed a little and tried to relax, waiting for one of them to talk.

  Royce made sure he had her attention. “I’m aware you don’t know or trust us yet, and that’s perfectly understandable. But please know, at no time do you have to worry about one of us hurting you or Tommy in any way. Okay? I also want to tell you a little about the town, so you get to
know us a bit.”

  Isabel was curious. “All right.”

  Royce explained. “It’s a very interesting town, and we’re all very protective of each other. We’re close with each other and know we can depend on each other. This town has been around for over a century. It was built because of the gold rush and started off as an average town. But in the late sixties, early seventies, you know, during the hippie and free love period, there were different types of families that started making this their home and so it began. This was a place you could come where no one would judge you. There are many different types of families that live here now. Some are regular families, some are gay couples, others are Dom/sub relationships, and some are ménage.”

  At her confused frown, Clay drew her attention. “A ménage relationship is usually between two men and one woman.”

  Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open and then closed sharply. The thought aroused and confused her at the same time. “How is that possible?”

  “There are actually quite a few families like that in town. Royce and I grew up here. We have two fathers and one mother. They all three married and live happily with each other in this town for most of their lives, still do, but now they live in Arizona. Eventually, we would take one woman and share her for life.”

  Still she was confused. “But why?”

  “There are a lot of reasons,” Royce replied. “One of them is, we love the thought of loving the same woman, taking care of her. It’s how we grew up, what we’re familiar with. And if, god forbid, one of us is injured or worse, she isn’t left alone. There’s more to it, but we’ll get into that later.”

  Isabel swallowed as tears stung her eyes. She couldn’t wrap her head around what they were saying. She’d been trying to just concentrate on keeping the feelings, which she’d put off dealing with since she lost her husband and what happened after his death, buried deep until they were safe. For some unknown reason, these men made her feel safe.