Dwyer, Dixie Lynn - For the Love of Anna (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read online

  No one followed her inside, and the second she was there, she grabbed the box under her bed and headed toward the window.

  Carefully peeking over her shoulder to make sure they didn’t follow, she heard their laughter then an argument.

  Lifting the window open, she crept out, closing the window behind her.

  * * * *

  Anna wouldn’t look down. She just focused on surviving and putting this life behind her.

  With each step, the tears leaked harder and faster, and the pain increased.

  Finally, she made it to the first floor and jumped the last twelve feet.

  Her ankle twisted, and she bit her lip trying not to scream as her bruised and battered body hit concrete. Just her luck. How the hell could she run in so much pain?

  Someway, somehow, she limped quickly to the corner. She could smell their cologne on her clothes. Bile rose in her throat, but she pushed on.

  She waved down the first cab she saw and got in. “Go, go, go!” she yelled and constantly looked over her shoulder then behind the car as they traveled away from her apartment.

  “Where to, miss?” he asked, never looking at her.

  “The airport, please,” she stated in a quivering voice before sinking into the smelly leather seat and closing her eyes.

  Chapter 2

  “Get over here, honey. I want a good morning kiss just like you gave Eric,” Max stated as he chased Stacy around the bedroom.

  She screamed in delight as her man caught her around the waist.

  Before she could protest, his lips covered hers, and his arms wrapped around her body, pulling her against his solid chest.

  He was breathtaking. Both brothers, Max and Eric, took her breath away. A relationship with two men was the furthest thing from her mind when she arrived in Pearl. It was an amazing town filled with so many different types of people and families. She loved it instantly.

  Everyone was friendly and outgoing. They had town barbeques, carnivals, concerts, and celebrations all year round.

  Max released her lips and held her close. His gun holster rubbed against her hip bone, making her feel horny and aroused. She pressed her cheek against his chest and squeezed him.

  Stacy yawned against his chest, unable to control its release, and Max laughed.

  “You were tossing and turning a bunch last night. Something on your mind, doll?” he asked, showing off his adorable dimples.

  Stacy avoided eye contact, especially with him standing there in his deputy’s uniform.

  He was so intimidating with it on. He wouldn’t understand the bad feeling she’d had the last few days. She couldn’t stop thinking about Anna. Something was wrong.

  “Stacy,” he whispered, gently caressing her chin with his thumb.

  “It’s silly,” she whispered back, but he wouldn’t let her turn away.

  “Come on, baby. I’m not falling for that ‘nothing’ stuff, and neither is Eric. If he didn’t have to be up at dawn, he would be here right now, just as concerned as I am.”

  “I feel foolish is all.”

  “Talk to me.”

  He pulled her across the room, sat on the bed, and held her between his legs. Gently, he rubbed the palms of his hands over her backside.

  Stacy placed her hands on his shoulders and locked gazes with him now that he was sitting down.

  “You’ll think it’s silly.”

  He raised one eyebrow and looked at her in a way that said “spill the beans or I’m gonna get mad.” A mad Cantrell was a bad thing, especially when it came to Max and Eric’s cousins Charlie, Wyatt, and Ben. They were forces to reckon with.

  “You know that Anna and I are very close? We’ve always had a strong bond with one another?” She hesitated.

  “Stacy. Come out with it.”

  “I think something happened. I think she’s in some kind of trouble.”

  He immediately squeezed her and scrunched his eyes up.

  “What can I do to help? You want me to call some friends back in New York? Wyatt knows a bunch of people.”

  “I…I don’t know. Maybe I’m being foolish. If something happened, I’m down as the first person to call besides her dad.”

  “Yeah, like that asshole would even care,” he responded, and she smiled.

  “Thanks.”

  “For what?”

  “For listening these last two years and knowing how important Anna is to me. She needs to get away from her dad. She needs her own life. A better life.”

  He continued to hold her.

  “Why don’t you call her?”

  “I tried but didn’t get an answer.”

  “Well, what about calling the restaurant she works in? Maybe they can give you more information?”

  Her eyes widened.

  She hugged him tight, then kissed his cheeks, his forehead, then his lips.

  “You’re such a smarty-pants, Deputy Cantrell.”

  Giggling, he pulled her back onto the bed and began moving her nightgown from her body.

  “I’ve got fifteen more minutes before I have to be at work. Why don’t y’all show me some luvin’?”

  Stacy straddled his hips and unzipped his uniform pants, smiling wide and loving her man.

  * * * *

  Anna exited the small bus, relieved to finally end her journey and get to the town of Pearl. It was completely secluded but was quite stunning. There were blocks of numerous boutiques and specialty stores as well as a large diner and a food shopping center. The school was at the end of town, and the sheriff’s department was smack in the middle.

  She walked slowly. Her injuries were far worse than two days ago. She stared at the sheriff’s department for a moment wondering if her father was looking for her. The tears stung her eyes. Foolish her. After what he did, she knew better than to think of him ever again. He was dead to her now.

  She thought about trying to remember where Stacy said she lived, but she couldn’t. She hadn’t called before she hopped on the plane. She knew Stacy was there in Pearl. She expressed her love for the place and the fact that she didn’t want to leave. Looking around, she understood why. It was a lovely town, quaint and clean. The smell in the air was fresh, unlike the city.

  She hid behind large sunglasses and a sweatshirt. It had gotten her through the airport even when people asked questions. People stared at her injuries, and she lied, saying she was in a car accident. That seemed to ease their minds. However, she used the washroom in the airport to wash away most of the blood, and she used a twenty to buy a sweatshirt to cover the bloody T-shirt she still wore. But here, she stood out. People looked at her, immediately noticing the outsider. She needed to contact Stacy.

  Anna saw the payphone and headed straight for it. Stacy would be able to help her.

  Chapter 3

  “Eric!” Stacy yelled as she ran from the house with tears streaming down her cheeks.

  Eric immediately stopped what he was doing and ran to meet her.

  “Stacy, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” he asked, rubbing his hands gently over her body. His cousins, Ben, a rancher, and Charlie, a vet, ran over to her as well.

  Stacy took a moment to catch her breath.

  “Anna’s here. She’s in town, Eric, and she sounds hurt.”

  “What do you mean ‘hurt’?” Charlie asked. Stacy allowed the tears to flow freely. These men were her family. She loved them and knew they were good men.

  “She wouldn’t tell me. She said she had a car accident. But she’s waiting for me to come get her in town. Can you come with me?”

  “Let’s go,” Eric stated, pulling Stacy along with him to his pickup truck.

  * * * *

  “There she is!” Stacy blurted out as Eric pulled the pickup truck alongside the curb near the hardware store. A petite woman sat on a bench with large sunglasses and a sweatshirt pulled snug against her body. She looked so fragile, as if she were trying to hide.

  Stacy jumped out of the truck and ran to her. Eric watched as
the two women embraced and Anna cringed and bent over. She was obviously in a lot of pain.

  * * * *

  “You’re hurt! What happened?” Stacy asked as she held Anna at arm’s length.

  “Car accident,” Anna stated in a scratchy voice.

  “Oh, my God!” Stacy froze as if she were thinking Anna’s statement through.

  “Wait. You don’t drive a car.”

  “Exactly. I was on the sidewalk. Can we talk about this later? I’m so glad to see you,” Anna stated, then pulled Stacy into another hug.

  Anna pulled away and took a few steps back when she saw the large cowboy walk toward them. He was tall and lean, and she watched as he stuck his hands in his back pockets.

  “Are you going to introduce me to your friend, honey?”

  Stacy looked at Anna warily before she introduced the cowboy.

  “This is Eric. Remember I mentioned him and Max?”

  “Of course. It’s nice to meet you, Eric.”

  She reached out her hand to shake his hand, and her sweatshirt came undone. She watched as his eyes widened, and she pulled her hand away to pull the sweatshirt tighter. He probably saw the blood. Her ribs were killing her. She had yet to remove her sunglasses. When she did, Stacy would flip.

  “I’m sorry to be intruding like this. It was a last-minute decision, and Stacy has been begging for me to come visit. I’m sorry about how I look, but I didn’t get to change after the accident, and I hopped on the next available plane out here. I’ve been traveling by bus and nearly missed the one coming this way,” Anna rambled on as Stacy and Eric listened.

  “Not an intrusion at all, Anna. Stacy told us all about you. I feel like I know you already,” he stated as he placed a hand on Stacy’s shoulder.

  “Well, let’s head back to the ranch and get you settled. Do you have any luggage?”

  “Oh…no…they lost my luggage. I’m not sure I’ll get it back,” she replied, then nibbled her bottom lip.

  Eric appeared to read right through her lie, but Stacy accepted it.

  “Well, then no need to worry. I have plenty of things you can wear, let’s head home.”

  * * * *

  Anna looked out the passenger window in awe. The ranch was magnificent. There were men riding horses, cattle grazing in the pasture, and two very large, beautiful homes separated by a traditional-looking red barn. There were stables and training circles. It was so impressive. As they approached the first house, the smaller house of the two, she noticed a group of cowboys standing by the fence. Her heart throbbed in her chest. They were giants. She thought the cattle and horses were extra large, but these men were tall and built like gladiators.

  Her stomach quivered, and her hands shook. Great, now she was going to have a complex about large men. One look at Eric and she knew she better get used to it. It seemed Pearl grew their men real big. If she kept her distance, she would be fine for the little time she stayed here.

  As the truck stopped, Anna’s heart continued to pound, and her head throbbed.

  Slowly, as not to jiggle her ribs more than necessary, she cautiously exited the truck. Her movement wasn’t lost on Stacy or her man, Eric.

  Stacy took her arm.

  “You’re safe here, Anna. I promise you.”

  Anna felt the tears sting her eyes, but she swallowed hard and let Stacy help her.

  “Everything all right?” someone yelled from the group of men, and Stacy kept walking Anna into the house.

  “Honey, you two will be all right while I head back to work?” Eric asked.

  “We’ll be fine. Thanks for the ride,” Stacy said, and they headed inside.

  * * * *

  “So what’s the deal? Who’s the kid?” Charlie asked.

  Eric smirked. “That’s no kid. She’s Stacy’s friend, Anna.”

  “Well, I guess when you’re six foot four other people look like kids,” Eric teased then took a look back toward the house.

  “Damn! She a tiny thang? She the one from New York?” Charlie asked.

  Eric mumbled a “yeah.”

  “Hey, what’s bothering you?” Charlie asked, and Eric smiled. Leave it to his cousin to know him so well.

  “Not sure, really.”

  “Well, it’s obvious you’re concerned, so spit it out.”

  Eric laughed at Charlie. He didn’t beat around the bush about anything.

  “Anna has bruises and cuts on her face that she’s trying to hide behind big goofy sunglasses. She’s favoring her ribs as well.”

  “What?”

  “She said she was in a car accident.”

  “You don’t believe her, do you?”

  “No. I don’t, and I’m hoping she’ll come clean with Stacy.”

  “Do you think she’ll let me take a look at her? Maybe she hasn’t even seen a doctor.”

  “I doubt it. She was nearly ready to bolt when I showed up with Stacy and approached them.”

  “You thinking she may be in some kind of trouble?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ll see what Stacy says later.”

  “That’s a good idea. Keep me posted.”

  “Sure thing.”

  * * * *

  Stacy stood in the spare gust bedroom staring at Anna. She knew something was up but didn’t want to question her in front of Eric. It was obvious that Eric picked up on Anna’s uneasiness and the few white lies she told. Knowing that Anna would never lie to her, she knew she had to have had good reason. Now, watching Anna sitting on the bed and still wearing those goofy seventies sunglasses, she knew she needed answers.

  Stacy closed the bedroom door and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

  “Fess up, girl, or I swear I will tear you a new one!”

  Anna clutched the sweatshirt to her chest and slowly pulled off the sunglasses. Anna began to sob.

  “Oh, my God, Anna, what the hell happened, and don’t tell me any bullshit about a car accident.” She rushed to kneel in front of her and pulled her into an embrace.

  Anna moaned in pain and pulled away. The pain obviously took Anna’s breath away.

  “You’re hurt badly, aren’t you?”

  Anna tried to explain in between sobs.

  “I don’t know. I’ve been running on adrenaline. I just had to get out of there. It was so terrible.”

  “Shhh, honey, slow down. First things first. Do I need to call the sheriff? My Max is a deputy?”

  “No! No police, no sheriff, no law.”

  “Okay, we’ll discuss that later on. Now, have you seen a doctor?”

  Anna shook her head.

  “Damn, woman! What the hell are you thinking? You haven’t received any medical attention, and you flew here from New York? Didn’t anyone ask about your injuries or your clothes?”

  “Car accident.”

  “And they believed that bullshit?”

  Stacy stood up and began to pace.

  “Was it your father? Did your father do this to you?”

  “Please, Stacy. I can’t. I just don’t want to think about the whole thing. I had no place to go. I had to run and get out of there before they…”

  Stacy began to cry as she saw Anna cover her face and sob. It was such a tormented sound. Her heart ached for her best friend.

  “Okay, honey, first let’s see the damage and get you cleaned up. No offense, but you kind of need a shower or something.”

  Anna laughed as she wiped her eyes, then lifted her arms to smell her pits.

  “You’re right. I do.” She sniffled.

  They both laughed, but Anna was serious immediately.

  “I’m sorry to do this to you. Eric is real handsome, and I can tell he loves you.”

  “Don’t apologize for anything. I’ve been trying to get you to move out here for years. Listen to your older and wiser best friend and let me take care of you.”

  “You’re only two years older than me. That’s not that much.”

  “It’s enough, so you listen to me and let me take ca
re of you.”

  “I love you, Stacy.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Stacy hugged Anna.

  “Now, show me the damage, and I’ll determine whether you need to see a doctor.”

  Stacy stood back as Anna slowly rose from the bed.

  When she unzipped the sweatshirt, Stacy saw the blood.

  She tried to stay calm, but anger shot through her veins.

  As Anna painstakingly removed the sweatshirt, she saw the bruises and hand marks on her skin. Then she removed the shirt, and Stacy covered her mouth and cringed.

  “Anna! Oh, my God, Anna.” Stacy shook her head and began to cry.

  Neither said a word as Anna tried to speak.

  “I’m alive, Stacy. That’s all that really matters right now.”

  * * * *

  Stacy headed downstairs and into the large kitchen. She told Anna that she needed to see a doctor, and of course, she refused. So Stacy threatened her, and Anna finally agreed to let Eric and Max’s cousin, Charlie, take a look at her injuries. Despite the fact that he was a veterinarian, Charlie had served in the war as a medic. He handled all the first aid around the ranch.

  Stacy let the coffee brew and stared out the window over the sink.

  She watched the men riding horses and saw Charlie and Ben.

  The tears welled up in her eyes. What the hell happened in New York? She’d never seen Anna so frightened or so unwilling to discuss it with her. And those injuries were so bad. How the hell did she travel like that?

  “Hey, darling, didn’t you hear me?” Eric asked as he entered the kitchen.

  Stacy jumped at the sound of the raised voice. She was so deep in thought that she hadn’t heard him.

  As soon as they locked gazes, the tears rolled down her cheeks. Eric was immediately in front of her, pulling her into an embrace.

  She sobbed against his chest, and he held her tight.

  “Talk to me, baby. How’s Anna really?”