Victor LaCroix cursed as he slammed the gearshift of his truck into drive and sped out of Haven, Texas.

“That cantankerous cunt is making me drive fifteen fucking miles—one way—just to buy a goddamn bottle of whiskey,” he snarled. “Fuckin’ bitch.”

Of course, he wouldn’t have to make these trips if he simply apologized to Gina Scott, owner of the Hangover—the only bar in town. But Victor didn’t apologize to anyone, particularly women, and especially not that woman.

“She can suck a big, fat dick! I’d rather die than grovel to that slut,” he spat. “The bitch is crazy. No sane woman would threaten a customer with a baseball bat and throw a tactical knife at his head.”

And that’s exactly what she’d done to him, too. Six months ago, he’d walked into her bar, short-tempered and in a surly mood. Victor couldn’t remember what had pissed him off now, but it didn’t matter. The sassy bitch had no business running a bar. That was a man’s job. So maybe he shouldn’t have told her to find a man to keep her in her place, but sometimes the truth hurt. It was no excuse for the radical feminist to go schizoid.

His contemptible grudge for the woman had fed on itself ever since.

Victor could still see the rage stamped on Gina’s face, still hear her cold and brittle words:

The only things I need from a man, I can buy from the store and put batteries in. You may think I’m a weak little woman who needs to be coddled and taken care of, but I don’t. Apologize and enjoy your drink, or lift your wrinkled ass off my barstool and get the fuck out.

He’d refused to accept either offer, and that’s when things turned ugly.

Victor had spent the rest of that night at home in his trailer, sipping cough medicine instead of whiskey and plotting his revenge.

Of course, he’d passed out before he could exact said retribution, but the plan had been swirling in his brain ever since.

Pride and animosity kept him from visiting her bar again. A bruised and battered ego forced him to make the thirty-mile jaunt for booze, wasting valuable time and gas in the process.

“Women,” he barked with a sneer. “They’re nothin’ but whores.”

An unwelcome image of his mother flashed in his head.

“Especially that nasty crone. Damn demanding, alcoholic, ball-busting bitch. The only decent thing she ever did was give birth to me,” he growled.

Following on Mommy Dearest’s heels was the vision of his late wife—now resting in a shallow grave behind his trailer.

“That sick cunt should have kept her legs closed instead of offering her pussy to the town mechanic, Cletus. That whoremonger’s damn lucky he’s still alive.”

Victor’s anger and blood pressure soared.

“It’s past time for that trash-mouthed, skanky bartender, Gina to disappear, just like my snatch-assed wife.”

The vile words had no more left his lips when an explosion split the air.

His truck spontaneously swerved across the pavement.

Victor gripped the steering wheel and pumped the brakes as he watched chunks of rubber shoot into the air in his rearview mirror.

“A goddamn blowout. Cocksucker!” he bellowed.

He steered the truck to the packed-dirt shoulder. After inspecting the damage, he tossed the jack and spare to the ground.

“You’re gonna pay for this, bitch.”

* * *

Gina Scott wiped the condensation left by a bottle of beer from the bar’s surface. The tinkling sound of the bell above the door had her lifting her head in time to see the chime fall to the floor. Her attempted repair of the alert had failed again.

“Dammit!” Nash—second youngest of the six Grayson brothers—cursed as he bent and plucked the bell from the floor. “I thought you fixed this damn thing, Gina.”

“I thought I did, too.” She shrugged. “Guess I should have used thicker wire.”

Gina held out her hand as Nash strode toward her. He placed the bell in her palm and she tucked it beneath the bar. As the man sat down in front of her, she twisted the cap off a beer and passed it to him. She didn’t bother asking what he wanted. Gina knew her customers well, especially the Grayson brothers.

In fact, she knew one of the nipple-tightening, sexy brothers in a toe-curling, sexual way.

Nate Grayson was her current lover, and twelve years her junior.

Gina tried not to fixate on how she was robbing the cradle. Instead, she chose to focus on the inexplicable chemistry they shared both in and out of bed.

She’d never meant to steal his virginity either. Nate had vowed to remain pure until marriage, but after a bitter altercation with Victor LaCroix, months ago, one thing led to another. Quarrelling with the asshat had left her weak and vulnerable. Two emotions Gina loathed. Nate had offered her comfort and she’d accepted. They’d spent that night in her bed feeding on one another like animals. Sex with the young stud was earthquakes, rockets, and freakin’ volcanoes…the best she’d ever had. She couldn’t stop making horizontal magic with him even if she’d wanted to. He’d ruined her for all other men and Gina was addicted to Nate in ways she didn’t want to admit.

It would be a sad day when their affair was over. She knew it wouldn’t last forever, a reality that made her stomach twist. Nate was too young. He had his whole life ahead of him. Someday he’d want to settle down and raise a family…want all the things Gina couldn’t give him. Turning an expectant glance at the door, she hoped today wasn’t that day.

“He’s finishing up at the ranch. He’ll be here in a few.” Nash smirked.

Her eyes widened. Her heart sputtered and her throat went dry.

Busted!

She and Nate had gone to great lengths to try and keep their relationship private. Haven was a small town filled with a bevy of gossipmongers who thrived on spreading rumors. Until now, the only Grayson brother privy to her and Nate’s affair—as far as Gina knew—was his older brother Sawyer. But Nash’s comment had her suspecting all the brothers knew that she and Nate were regularly fucking each other’s brains out.

At a loss for words, Gina didn’t know whether to play dumb, ignore Nash’s remark, or thank him for the information. Opting to neither confirm nor deny a thing, she sent him a tight smile.

“You do know he’s in love with you, right?”

Love?

Nash’s declaration assailed her like a slap in the face.

With a wave of her hand, she dismissed his comment. “He’ll grow out of it.”

“I knew it,” he snarled. “You’re going to break his heart, aren’t you?”

Gina bristled.

“That’s a hateful thing to say. In case you failed to notice, Nate’s a grown man who knows the difference between love and…”

She let the words die on her tongue. She hadn’t discussed their affair with anyone. No way was she going to start now, especially with his brother of all people.

“Casual sex?” Nash supplied. His cocky grin irked her. “He’d held on to his virginity for a reason. He gave it to you because you’re special to him, even if it’s meaningless to you.”

His insult scalded and sent her hackles rising.

“Ever since Sawyer and Brea’s wedding last week,” Nash continued, “all Nate’s talked about is marriage.”

Surely he isn’t assuming that I’d be his bride…is he?

Tendrils of fear slid through her.

Gina had walked down the aisle once. It had turned out to be a living hell. She swore she’d never make another monumental mistake like that again.

“Nate will find a nice girl to settle down with someday.”

Saying the words out loud left Gina feeling as if she’d just impaled a knife through her chest.

“And you’re not a nice girl?” Nash pressed.

Gina scoffed. “You don’t take a woman like me home to meet the parents.”

“Why not?”

“Because I have a mouth like a sailor. I own a bar, and I’m twelve years older than Nate. I’m sure Norman and Nola Grayson have higher expectations for their son than the likes of me. Besides, Nate will want a family someday. My baby factory was surgically closed years ago.”

A pang of regret pierced her heart. Gina’s hysterectomy hadn’t been by choice, but a necessity, to save her life. Ghosts of her past slipped out of the dark shadows in her mind. She quickly shoved them away. Now wasn’t the time or place to revisit the gruesome life she’d left behind. Though she hadn’t found the peace of mind she so desperately needed yet, she had found safety in Haven. It was a start.

Nash leveled an angry scowl at her. “Don’t pass judgment on my folks. They’re not the pretentious snobs you paint them to be. If my parents thought you and Nate were in love, they’d welcome you with open arms. Those are your own insecurities talking.”

Yes, they were. Self-doubt had her by the nipples. The blades of vulnerability enveloping her scraped every inch of her flesh. But what chafed more was that the young man across from her, the one barely old enough to drink beer, possessed sage and profound insight beyond his years.

“Maybe. But you and I don’t have a stellar track record when it comes to love.”

Nash didn’t say a word. In fact, he refused to even look at her. He simply tipped back his beer and drained the bottle.

Gina inwardly scolded herself for reminding him of the woman he’d loved and lost. Nash and Megan had been high school sweethearts and had been engaged until she pressed him to set a wedding date. Cold feet, insecurities, or pure, mule-headed stubbornness had caused Nash to balk. Rumor had it that after several heated arguments, Megan tossed back his engagement ring and slammed the door in his face. The two hadn’t spoken to each other since. Even now, when they happened to cross paths at the bar, the air would turn arctic.

Of course, anyone with eyes could see they were miserable apart. But until Nash pulled his head out of his ass, misery was destined to be his only company.

“You could have Megan back in a heartbeat, you know that, right?” Nash turned his head, pinning Gina with a stony glare. “What’s wrong, pot? Don’t like it when the kettle calls you black?” She bit back a knowing smirk and twisted the cap off another beer. When Nash didn’t acknowledge her jab, Gina shook her head. “Guess I’m not the only one who needs to own up to their insecurities.”

“Fuckin’ leave it alone,” he grumbled.

“Exactly,” she bit out. “Fuckin’ leave me and Nate alone.”

She set the beer in front of him, then turned and walked away.

Inside the frigid standing cooler, Gina sucked in a deep breath. She needed to chill out, or she’d rip Nash to shreds with her vicious tongue. Her head told her he was only looking out for his big brother, but rationale did nothing to quell the flames of annoyance licking her heart like a tiki torch.

Gina shoved a keg of beer onto its side before rolling it out of the cooler. Kicking the door closed behind her, she wrangled the heavy canister around the corner. When she looked up, she saw Noble, Nate’s twin brother, behind her bar helping himself to a draw. She knew it wasn’t her lover because the familiar tingle wasn’t sliding down her spine.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” she barked, dressing him down.

Noble’s eyes widened. “Getting a beer.”

Turning on the charm, he flashed her a devilish grin. She suspected he’d used that same wicked smile to seduce the panties off every single woman in town. The tall cowboy with his striking handsome features and decadent chiseled body looked exactly like her lover in every way. The only telling difference between the twins was that Noble flaunted his suave, seductive prowess. Nate oozed his sexual confidence in the privacy of her bedroom.

Clutching his beer, Noble moved in close to her. He slung an arm around her waist and dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “Lighten up, sunshine. I knew you were busy.”

* * *

Nate had spent the day saddling, unsaddling, and grooming horses on the family ranch outside of town. He’d rotated the animals to ensure that each child who attended Camp Melody—a respite for terminally ill and special needs kids—enjoyed a fresh but not too spirited mount.

The early October weather was unseasonably warm, and Nate had sweated a storm. He was anxious to grab a shower when dinner was done and head into Haven. But his brothers Nash and Noble seized the two bathrooms first, forcing Nate to wait an extra thirty minutes before he could scrub the smell of horse from his body.

Even his lingering annoyance with his brothers couldn’t take the spring out of Nate’s step when he hopped from his truck. Pocketing his keys, he strode toward the Hangover as excitement strummed through his veins. He was seconds away from laying eyes on the woman he’d been dreaming about all day. The woman he loved, Gina.

When Nate entered the bar and found his woman wrapped in the arms of his twin brother, rage born of jealousy consumed him. And when Noble kissed the top of Gina’s head, pure possession pumped through his veins.

“Get your fucking hands off her,” he bellowed as he ate up the floor in long, angry strides.

“Uh-oh.” Noble grinned with a playful wink. “Looks like we’ve been caught, darlin’.”

Nate knew his twin was only busting his balls, but it didn’t placate the fury inside him. The Grayson boys had grown up bantering, teasing, and tormenting the hell out of each other, but this time Noble had crossed the line.

“Caught? Caught doing what?” A look of alarm crawled across Gina’s gorgeous face. As she peeled out of Noble’s grasp, she landed an open-handed slap to his chest. “Take your paws off me, asshole! I’m not one of your bed bunnies. And get the fuck out from behind my bar.”

Nate was proud of his feisty woman for taking his dickhead twin to task. Noble flashed a triumphant grin, then joined a laughing Nash on the other side of the bar while Nate fought the urge to pound Noble’s face in.

As if sensing his wrath, Gina sent him a gentle smile. “Nate, can you help me drag another keg from the cooler?”

“Sure.” He narrowed his eyes at his twin. “Touch her again, asswipe, and I’ll beat you fucking bloody. Got it?”

All traces of humor left Noble’s face. He raised his hands in surrender. “I was just messing around, lover boy. No need to get your tampon sideways.”

Nate grabbed Noble by the shirt and leaned in close to his face. Tension pulled his muscles up tight and hard. Fury rippled outward in powerful waves. “Fuck around with someone else. Gina’s off-limits.”

“Sorry, man. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Nate released his brother’s shirt.

Nash let out a low whistle and slapped Noble on the back. “You just got shit on.”

“Shut the fuck up, or I’ll shit on you,” Noble countered with a smack on the back of Nash’s head.

Ignoring the idiots, Nate locked eyes with Gina.

The rage inside him instantly melted, replaced by hunger and need. He flashed her a carnal smile and followed her to the back room. His eyes were glued to the sway of her ass and Nate moved in behind her, cupping her tempting cheeks. Gina stopped abruptly, then pivoted and pressed herself to his chest. Her tight nipples scraped the flesh beneath his shirt and he repositioned his hands on her ass. Aligning his hips to hers, Nate rocked into her, letting Gina feel his ready erection.

“I missed you, too,” she whispered.

Lifting onto her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his.

Though Nate had kissed her a million times, each time felt like the first. Sliding a hand to her hair, he fisted her mane and tilted her head back before delving his tongue deep inside her silky mouth. He ached to strip her down, slam her up against the wall, and drive balls deep inside Gina’s tight, velvety pussy. Swallowing her tiny whimpers, Nate knew she wanted it just as badly.

“Two a.m. can’t get here fast enough,” he murmured as he nipped her neck.

“Maybe it’ll be a slow night and I can close early.” Her breathless words came out low and sultry.

“I’ll be your bouncer tonight and kick everyone out at midnight.”

Her throaty laugh nearly did him in. She looked up at him with pale blue pleading eyes. “But I want you now.”

“I want you now, too.” Nate pulled the fabric of her T-shirt down and dragged his tongue over the soft swell of her breast. “Want you to melt all over my tongue as I lick your sweet pussy and nibble on your clit.”

Gina exhaled a blissful sigh. “You make it hard for me to work.”

“You make me hard, just breathing.”

Gina grinned and arched her heated pussy against him.

The air stilled in his lungs.

His cock swelled impossibly harder.

After giving his virginity to Gina, Nate understood his brothers’ fascination with sex. But he was more than infatuated with her pussy; he was obsessed with everything about her…heart, mind, body, and soul.

Nate knew all the reasons they had to keep their relationship secret, but he was tired of hiding in her room, waiting for her to close up the bar before he could show her affection. That’s why he’d decided to take things to the next level. The engagement ring he’d purchased for Gina two months ago was burning a hole in his pocket. Unfortunately, he hadn’t yet told her he loved her. A blunder he planned to remedy, tonight.

“Nate.”

Her mournful whimper made him smile.

She was as desperate to soar to the heavens as he was.

“What’s wrong, baby?” he taunted, grinding his cock against her cunt.

“I’m as wet as you are hard.”

“I know,” he growled. “I can smell your tart juice and it makes my mouth water.”

Gina stared up at him with that sexy pleading gaze that always turned him inside out. Her cheeks were flushed. Her breathing was shallow and ragged. He couldn’t wait to tease and torment her body…couldn’t wait to hear her scream his name as she exploded all over his dick.

It was going to be a long fucking night.

“If you two are going to stay in the cooler doing the nasty, I’m going to fetch myself another beer,” Noble yelled from the other room.

“Fucking asshat,” Nate mumbled under his breath.

Gina giggled before kissing him quickly. “I need to go back out there. The sooner I get everyone liquored up, the sooner I can lick you up…and down, and up and…”

Nate issued a guttural groan. “You’re killing me, woman.”

He begrudgingly pulled away from her. Her nipples were hard like gumdrops as they poked from beneath the fabric of her shirt. It took all the willpower he possessed not to drag the material off her body and latch his lips onto them. Gina dipped a glance to his cock and instinctively her pink tongue swiped at her bottom lip.

“Which keg do you need me to haul out for you?”

Dragging her gaze from his body, she pointed to the silver cylinder in the corner. Nate hefted the heavy barrel onto his shoulder and headed out of the room. While Gina poured Noble another beer, Nate placed both kegs inside the small cooler beneath the bar and tapped them. He loitered on his haunches, staring at her ass, dreaming about the night to come before rising and joining his brothers.

Nate’s hopes of long, sweaty hours dragging orgasm after orgasm from Gina’s hot body were dashed as the place filled with customers.

Megan unexpectedly sidled up beside Noble. Nate hadn’t seen her arrive. Ignoring Nash altogether, she flashed Gina a smile. “Rum and Coke, please?”

“Are you married yet?” Nash asked, staring at Megan’s reflection in the huge mirror behind the bar.

She sent him an irritated scowl. “You know I’m not.”

Her tone was curt and clipped.

“Why not?” Nash smirked. “When you tossed your ring back at me, you said you were going to find someone else to marry. What happened?”

Nate watched the exchange with a sideways glance. He wanted to smack his brother upside the head for being such a prick. When Megan’s chin started to quiver, he wanted to do a whole lot more than smack the dumb shit. Now he wanted to beat the fuck out of Nash.

Tension filled the air.

“Make it a double, please,” Megan called out.

Gina nodded and filled the glass three-quarters full with rum.

“You plan on walking home tonight, right? We both know you rarely drink and that one alone will surely knock you on your ass.” Nash finally turned to face his ex.

“How I get home or who I go home with is none of your business.”

His brother bristled and clenched his jaw. Nate knew exactly how deep the teeth of jealousy sank into the skin. Anguish flared in his stubborn brother’s eyes. But instead of trying to make amends with the woman he loved, Nash simply stood. He tossed a wad of bills on the bar, then turned and leveled Megan with a sardonic sneer.

“Just make sure you have a ring on your finger and a wedding date set before you let some fucker crawl on top of you. We wouldn’t want your pristine reputation tarnished by some dickless prick knocking you up and skipping town, now would we?”

Megan tipped back the glass and emptied the contents as she flipped Nash the middle finger. She slammed the empty tumbler on the bar, turned on her heel, and stormed off to join her friends at a table near the jukebox.

“Fuck,” Nash spat. “I need one of you to be sure she gets home safe. All right?”

Nate exchanged a quick look with Gina, who gently nodded.

Dammit! Instead of taking care of his own woman, Nate was going to have to babysit his brother’s ex-girlfriend.

“I’ll take care of her,” Noble announced with a wolfish grin.

“You touch her…you die.” Nash glared.

“What is it with you two?” Noble chided. “I’ve never seen more possessive bastards in my life. I’m not going to poach, even though I should. Someone sure as fuck needs to make you wake up and smell the fucking roses…force you to open your damn eyes and stop being such a hard-headed prick. You keep fucking up, and you’re going to lose her for good.”

“I already did.” Nash stomped away and blasted out the front door.

“And this is why I’m never falling in love.” Noble shook his head in disgust.

“It’s not so bad.” Nate flashed Gina a smile.

A look of terror slid across her face. The glass of white wine in her hand slipped from her fingers and crashed to the floor.

“Fuck!” Grabbing a towel, she dropped out of sight behind the bar.

“Need any help?” he asked.

“No. I-I got it.”

There was fear in her voice. Nate worried his fingers over the ring in his pocket. Maybe he was moving too fast, but he shoved the notion away. They were made for each other, and dammit, he loved Gina.

When she stood up once again, she looked frazzled and nervous. She dragged a hand through her hair, sent him a tight smile, and went back to work.

Nate could watch her all night, and often did. While some saw Gina as brash and crude, he saw past her façade and recognized the graceful, poised, and independent woman beneath. Everything about her turned him on. She was a self-assured and strong woman who needed an even stronger, self-assured man. Nate was that man.

At eleven thirty, Noble called it a night. Taking on the brotherly duty assignment on his own, he hauled Megan and a couple of her inebriated girlfriends home before heading back to the ranch. Nate stayed perched on the barstool taunting Gina with murmured sexual innuendos. He liked watching her blush, liked seeing the hunger flare in her pale blue eyes, liked the way she bit her bottom lip and squirmed at the dirty things he promised to do to her.

An hour later, after most of the customers had left, Nate slipped upstairs to Gina’s apartment, unnoticed. Lying naked in her bed—cock stiff, throbbing, and weeping—he breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her close and lock the front door.

When she entered the room, a broad smile spread over her sinful lips. “I just love coming home from work to find a naked man, with a massive hard-on, in my bed.”

Shucking off her clothes, she crawled onto the mattress beside him. His cock leapt and leaked. He’d been waiting all night for this. Nate fisted a hand in her strawberry-blonde curls and pulled her lips to his. The kiss wasn’t slow and sensual, but fierce and possessive. He couldn’t drink her in fast enough, deep enough, or thoroughly enough.

“Wrap those pretty plump lips around me, baby. I need to feel your wicked mouth.”

He guided her head down his body as Gina dragged her tongue along his flesh. He basked in her kitten-like moans as she nipped at his hot skin. Pausing, she swirled her slick tongue around his nipples and flicked the tips. He sucked in a hiss.

“Paybacks are going to be hell on you tonight, baby.”

“I’m counting on it, cowboy,” she purred.

Nate’s laugh morphed into a groan when she wrapped her luscious lips around his pulsating dick. Silky, wet heat surrounded him. The swirl of her tongue and the sublime suction pulling at him made Nate’s eyes roll to the back of his head.

“I love the things you do with your mouth,” he murmured.

I love you. Nate wanted to say the words, but he was too lost in the sensation of Gina working her magical tongue up and down his aching shaft. She was burning him alive with her wicked skills…sucking, laving, and gently scraping her teeth over each thick, throbbing vein.

All too soon, his balls were churning…his seed was boiling. He commanded her to stop in a hoarse and raspy voice. But she didn’t. He yanked on her hair, pulling her off him, only to be met with a sly grin stretching over her wet, swollen lips.

Gina arched her brows in a manufactured look of innocence. “What’s wrong, sugar?”

“I’m going to explode in your mouth if I don’t take a minute to settle down.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Nothing you do to me is bad.”

“Wanna bet?” She shot him an evil grin before sliding a finger inside her mouth.

When she pulled it back out, her digit was covered in glistening saliva, just like his cock. Pulling against his hold, Gina swallowed his shaft once more and cradled his balls in her palms. She massaged his sac, applying the perfect amount of pressure and friction, inside and out. Nate couldn’t hold back. He grunted and rocked his hips. Pumping in and out of her mouth, he gripped her hair tightly as Gina swallowed him to the back of her throat. Releasing his sac, she traced the wet finger around the gathered rim of his ass.

The sensation startled him but felt fucking good. “What are you—”

His question morphed into a yell when she thrust her finger deep inside him.

She rubbed some magical spot that sent a burst of fire to engulf him.

Flames exploded up his spine.

Lights flashed behind his eyes.

Every muscle in his body grew taut.

With a feral roar, he jettisoned down her throat like a goddamn geyser. Thick ropes of come exploded from his cock, showering her hot mouth.

Gina issued a guttural moan as she sucked and swallowed every creamy drop.

Consumed in a blinding ecstasy he’d never felt before, Nate rode the mind-bending orgasm as she milked him dry.

She slowly eased her finger from his ass and lifted from his cock before flashing Nate a wide grin. “Bad things feel pretty damn good, don’t they?”

Unable to form words, he simply nodded and stared at her in awe. While he wasn’t sexually savvy like his brothers, Nate was more than willing to let Gina teach him all the naughty things she knew.

“Are you okay?” She softly chuckled.

“I think so,” he choked out. “That was… Why didn’t you warn me you were going to stick your finger up my ass?”

“Would you have let me?”

He shot her a scowl. “No. Probably not.”

“That’s why I didn’t warn you.” She laughed. “You’re not mad, are you?”

“Mad? No. How could I be mad after that?”

“Good. If you want to, you can play with my ass.”

“Oh, yeah?” Intrigued by her offer, he arched his brows.

“Uh-huh.” She nibbled her bottom lip and gazed at his cock. “You’re really big, but if we take it slow and use lots of lube, I think I can fit you up my ass.”

That prospect had his sated cock growing hard again. “You want me to fuck you in the ass?”

She nodded shyly.

Oh, hell yes!

“Do you have lube?”

“Yes,” she whispered softly.

Gina climbed off the bed and walked to her dresser. Bending, she opened the bottom drawer. Nate glanced at the condoms he’d placed on the nightstand, then rolled to his side and lifted onto an elbow. From his vantage point, he spied a virtual treasure trove of sex toys.

“You’ve been holding out on me, woman. Bring some of those babies over here. I wanna melt your spine the way you just did mine.”

She turned, wearing a deer-in-the-headlights expression. A deep red blush painted her cheeks. “Wha…which ones?”

“Your favorites, of course.”

Her blush grew a deeper crimson.

Nate chuckled. “Sweetheart, you just had your finger up my ass and invited me to work my dick into yours. We passed shy a long time ago, don’t you think?”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes. Are you?”

She pinched her lips together and nodded.

He’d never seen this timid side of her before, but Nate liked it. She woke a sleeping primal beast inside him and the damn thing roared to life. Climbing out of bed, he bent and lifted Gina into his arms. He kissed her hard as he carried her back to the mattress. His salty seed still stained her tongue, but he didn’t mind. A whole new feeling of sexual empowerment had him by the balls. He was ready to take charge.

Easing her feet to the floor, he smiled. “Climb back onto the bed and get on your hands and knees. I’m taking you to the stars.”

Excitement zipped across her eyes.

Yes, she wanted him to take control.

Nate wouldn’t disappoint her.

Striding back to her secret toy chest, he selected a thick rubber dildo, a pretty pink vibe, and a tube of lube. When he turned around, he nearly swallowed his tongue. His brave and amazing Gina was positioned exactly how he’d instructed. Her swollen and glistening folds had his cock stretching and growing painfully harder. Nate stared at her tiny puckered opening and wondered how in the hell he was going to squeeze his dick through such a small and fragile hole without tearing her apart. The idea of causing her pain made his gut clench.

As if sensing his reluctance, Gina glanced over her shoulder and sent him a tender smile. “I know you haven’t done this before, but—”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t. I trust you, Nate.”

He trusted her, too, trusted that if she couldn’t accommodate his cock, she would tell him to stop. Nate set the items on the edge of the bed before quickly tearing open a condom. He smoothed the latex over his aching cock with one hand and caressed her supple, warm butt cheeks with the other.

Without a word, he dragged his fingers up her center, then dipped inside her hot tunnel.

Gina gasped and softly purred at his touch.

The scent of her heated spice filled his senses.

His mouth watered.

Nate’s cock jerked, eager and ready.

The hungry beast within broke free of its chain. He gripped Gina’s ass. Spreading her cheeks apart, he lunged his mouth over her inviting folds. Using the flat of his tongue, he lapped and licked as her familiar spicy flavor coated and ignited his taste buds. He wanted to eat at her all night, but the invitation to explore her dark, forbidden passage urged him to move forward.

While he explored her smooth, slick cunt with his fingers, Nate dragged his tongue up and over her puckered hole. The muscles of her pussy clutched around his digits. Gina bucked and groaned as he teased her tiny passage.

“You like being my dirty girl, don’t you?”

“Yes.” Her breathless cry went straight to his cock.

Nate couldn’t wait to feel her tightness strangle him. Easing back, he removed his fingers and watched as her tunnel clutched at the emptiness.

“Easy, my nasty little princess. I’m going to fill you up…fill you full and stretch you tight…make you shatter for me,” he assured in a soft growl.

“Nate,” she wailed.

He watched a shiver ripple through her and smiled as he picked up the vibe and turned it on. Dancing the tip lightly over her clit, Nate teased and tormented her swollen nub before burying the wand inside her needy pussy. Gina whimpered and rocked her hips, sensually riding the pseudo cock like she rode him night after night. His dick jerked as if jealous of the plastic phallus, but Nate tempered his impatience. Soon, he’d be wedged inside the heavenly, tight splendor of her ass.

After pulling the vibe out, he placed the bulbous head of the dildo to her pussy lips. He coated the rubber tip with her glistening juices before he began working the heavy slab in and out of her clutching tunnel.

“Take the vibe and press it to your clit for me,” he instructed as he passed her the wand.

Like a good girl, she settled the buzzing toy atop her sensitive nub. The walls of her pussy gripped the dildo and held it in place. Nate coated his fingers in lube, then slathered the cool gel over her crinkled opening. Sliding the dildo in and out of her pussy, he pressed the tip of his finger through her tightly gathered flesh.

“Yes. Yes. Oh, god. More! Please, Nate. I need more.”

Adding more lube, he drove his finger deep inside her ass. Her smooth liquid heat engulfed him and when her velvety muscles started to suckle his digit, Nate wanted to howl. But it was Gina’s desperate keening cries that nearly did him in as he drove his finger in and out of her blissfully tight ass.

“Oh, god. I’m— I can’t…” She screamed and shattered.

Bucking and wailing, she gripped at his knuckle. Nate wanted to rip the dildo from her cunt, plunge deep inside her pussy just to feel her walls spasm around him. He feared he wouldn’t recover as quickly if he came again so soon.

“That’s it. Come for me. Come long and hard. I’m going to wring you dry of orgasms tonight.”

“Yes. More. Stretch me. I need your cock,” she gasped. “More…more fingers.”

Sex with Gina had always been incredible, but this…this was amazing. She’d never been so wild and uninhibited before. He loved it…loved her for showing him how unrestrained she could be.

“I’ll work you wide so you can take every inch of me. I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t sit for a month…make you scream until you won’t be able to talk.”

“Please…” she moaned.

It was both torture and bliss as he worked two, then three fingers into her taut dark hole, thinning her fragile tissue. Nate’s dick stood at attention, throbbing and aching in demand.

It was now or never.

A ripple slid down his spine as he fisted lube over his cock. Coating the condom thoroughly, he moved in behind Gina and removed his fingers. He aligned his fat crest to the opening of her ass and gently pushed against her snug rim.

Gina cried out and Nate instantly pulled away.

“No,” she wailed. “Don’t you dare stop! Fuck me, Nate. Fuck my ass, dammit.”

His sweet, snuggly kitten had turned into a full-blown hellcat.

It turned him on even more.

Sweat dripped down his face as he inched his thick crown through her narrow ring. He was instantly surrounded in her hot, tight heaven. Gina moaned and Nate growled.

Adding more lube, he painstakingly fed inch after inch of his strangled dick inside her. It seemed to take forever before he was finally fully seated within her scorching tightness. It took all the will he possessed to keep from fucking her silky nirvana with a frenzy, but Nate persevered even when her molten walls fluttered and gripped, adjusting to his invasion.

With the vibe still pressed to her clit, Gina’s shoulders slumped to the mattress. Reaching between her legs, she began fucking her cunt with the dildo. Nate bit back a roar as the fake dick rubbed against him against the thin membrane inside her.

Gripping her hips, he closed his eyes and sucked in a trembling breath as he fought to hold back the pressure of his mounting orgasm.

“Faster, dammit!” Gina rasped. “You’re burning me alive.”

Without thinking, Nate drew back his hand and slapped her ass. “I’m in charge now, sweetheart.”

Gina yelped first, then began to purr and moan. When she wiggled her hips as if silently begging for more, Nate couldn’t help but grin. “You need me to spank you like a bad girl, don’t you?”

“Oh, god,” she mewled.

Nate landed another swat before he eased back and shoved inside a tiny bit harder.

“Answer me.”

“Yes,” she answered in a long-suffering moan.

Oh, hell. This just keeps getting better by the second.

He could barely contain himself. Picking up the pace, he began fucking her in earnest as he alternated between drawing his palms over her orbs and slapping her supple flesh. Nate couldn’t keep from moaning each time she tightened around his dick.

Driving in and out of her ass, Gina’s heightened cries told him she was close again.

“Such a sweet dirty girl.” He grunted. “That’s it…take my cock…take it up your ass, my gorgeous, nasty princess.”

“Nate,” she cried out again.

“You want to come for me again, don’t you, sweetheart?”

“Yes. Oh, god. Yes!”

“Me, too. Come for me, Gina. Shatter all over me, baby.”

She screamed his name as she bore down and fragmented, taking him with her. Her muscles clamped around him with such force that Nate saw stars. Gripping her hips in a vise-like hold, he slammed in and out of her as he exploded with another spine-melting orgasm.

She might very well be the death of him, but he couldn’t think of a better or more blissful way to go than balls deep in her ass.

* * *

Gina lay in a boneless heap on the bed. Quivering aftershocks rippled through her sated body. Nate had eased both his cock and the dildo from inside her. He’d taken the vibe and turned it off before returning to her with a warm, wet cloth. His murmured praises echoed in her ears as he cleaned her up. All Gina could do was softly purr. She couldn’t even form words yet to thank him.

Slowly, her brain cells began firing once again and a wave of embarrassment slid through her.

I did not just do that with him, did I? Yeah, I fucking did. Son of a bitch!

With an inward groan, she closed her eyes, wondering if she’d scarred him for life.

Gina had planned to introduce the innocent boy to a little ass play, slowly, not give him the whole damn lesson at once. She’d wanted to work him up to a bit of slap and tickle before moving onto bondage with some silk scarves. Never had she intended to baptize him by fire so soon, but to her delight, Nate had adapted well and even taken full control. And it was her fantasy come true. While she wasn’t into the whole Master/slave thing, she liked a bit of spice here and there. He’d more than welcomed her hidden kinky side.

Nate joined her on the bed. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he rolled to his side and cradled her against him.

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. “Are you all right?”

“Mmhm,” she answered sleepily.

“Yeah, me, too. That was amazing.”

She grinned, relieved that she hadn’t totally freaked him the hell out.

“I’m going to enjoy making love to you like that every night of my life.”

“What do you mean…every night of your life?” She lifted her head and raised her lashes.

“I mean forever, Gina. You and me…forever.” He stroked his hand up and down her arm. “I love you. I want to marry you and make you my wife.”

No. No. No. This can’t be happening!

The happy, sated glow suffusing her instantly vanished.

Ice chugged through her veins as a foreboding wave of panic swelled within.

You’re going to break his heart, aren’t you? Nash’s premonition merged with Nate’s misguided vow of love and marriage and echoed in Gina’s brain. No matter how gently she tried to let him down, Nate was going to be crushed. She was sure to devastate him.

“Nate,” she began softly, unable to mask the sorrow in her voice. “I’m much too old for you, sugar.”

“No, you’re not. Age is just a number.”

“It’s not only the difference in our ages…it’s…”

She felt as if she were running naked through a minefield while trying to dodge bullets.

“What else is there?” His tone was harsh and defensive.

Gina struggled to choose the right words. “I know you think you’re in love with me, but—”

“I am in love with you, goddammit!” He sat up quickly and pinned her with an angry glare. “Are you saying that you’re not in love with me?”

“I-I-I like you…like you very much. We’ve had a lot of good times together, but—”

“Good times?” He launched from the bed and jerked his jeans off the floor. “Is that all this has been for you…good times? Christ, was this all some kind of premeditated plan? Did you what…one day decide to take my virginity, have some good times, then kick me to the curb? ’Cause I gotta tell you, this isn’t much of a good time for me right now. Was I nothing but a challenge, or just a convenient boy toy for you to play with?”

His accusations were stripping the flesh from her bones.

“No. You’re my friend…a good friend.”

A humorless scoff rolled off his tongue. “How many other good friends in town have you fucked, Gina?”

The pain in his eyes and the disgust lining his face sliced her heart in two.

Letting him go shouldn’t hurt this badly…why was her soul breaking inside? If she was honest with herself, she already knew the answer. She simply didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that she’d fucked up and had fallen in love with him.

How?

How could she not? Nate was kind, funny, honest, and treated her like a queen.

When?

She couldn’t hide behind lies anymore. Gina knew she’d started falling for Nate from the very beginning. She’d foolishly believed that her vow to never love again would supersede emotion. She’d been wrong.

Gina had no one to blame but herself for the two hearts that were breaking tonight.

While she desperately wanted to wrap her arms around Nate’s rugged neck and pledge her love to him for all time, she couldn’t. Couldn’t steal any more of the compassion and tenderness he’d so generously given her. Couldn’t saddle him with a commitment he’d one day loathe and regret.

Though it felt like a white-hot knife through the heart, she knew it was better to hurt him now than chain him to a lifetime of misery. Somehow, Gina had to find the strength to end her affair with Nate, tonight.

“A few, but they didn’t mean anything…not like you, but I-I can’t do permanent relationships. It’s not you, Nate, it’s—”

“Spare me.” He pinned her with a feral sneer as he buttoned his jeans. “Don’t feed me that ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ bullshit. Tell me the truth. What the hell were we doing together? Fucking? Is that all you thought this was? I didn’t. I thought we were learning about each other so we could build a life together. Obviously, I’m just a living, breathing form of another battery-operated boyfriend you have shoved in your goddamn drawer.”

“You were always more to me than that.” Biting back tears, she crawled out of bed, tugged on her robe, and cautiously moved toward him.

Nate shook his head, held up his hands, and took a step back. “Answer me. What the hell have we been doing together?”

His caustic tone sent a shiver through her. Gina dragged a hand through her riotous curls and let the lies that would ensure him a happy life roll off her tongue. “We were having fun.”

Nate clenched his jaw. His nostrils flared. And his whole body turned rigid as he pinned her with an icy glare. “Having fun. I see. Well, it has been fun. And now that I’ve made a fool of myself, it’s time for me to go. Thanks for everything. I’m sure you’ll find another friend to have fun with in no time. Take care of yourself.”

As he turned and headed toward the door, Gina wanted to stop him. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and beg him not to go. Tell him that she loved him, too, but she couldn’t. All she could do was stand there and try to keep from coming apart at the seams as he stormed out the door, slamming it behind him.

Tears filled her eyes.

Her body trembled.

And Gina felt her heart shatter once again.

She flopped down on the edge of the bed, covered her face with her hands, and cried. Consumed by the pain of losing Nate, and the guilt of hurting him so deeply, she sobbed like a child. She held on tightly to keep from falling back into the bowels of hell she’d once clawed and scraped herself out of. The price of reclaiming her soul and discovering her own identity—after the mental abuse delivered by her ex-husband, Barrett—had cost her dearly.

She’d struggled to survive his emotional torture and often wished that Barrett would lose control…take his abuse to a physical level. Then she could show the world what kind of pain he was inflicting on her psyche. He’d finally fulfilled that wish, but it had cost her the precious life growing inside her womb when he’d kicked her down the stairs. The emergency hysterectomy saved her, and when she was released from the hospital, she packed her bags and left to find a new beginning.

But losing Nate paled in comparison to that nightmare. She hadn’t loved Barrett, not the way she did Nate.

The walk down memory lane singed her soul.

Drying her eyes, she stood and made her way downstairs to the bar.

After pouring a double of Jack on the rocks, Gina sat down at one of the tables and tipped back her glass. She welcomed the burn, hoping it would extinguish or at least ease her blistering heart.

* * *

Victor peered out from the alley between Toot’s Café and Dresher’s Hardware, keeping his eyes locked on the Hangover. Even though the lights had been turned off over an hour ago, he was biding his time. He knew Nate Grayson—the pussy-whipped, ass-licking twit—was still inside. No doubt he was slapping his dick inside Gina’s sloppy cunt that very moment. The thought made Victor’s stomach sour. He’d taken a blast of shrapnel to his crotch in Vietnam. Though they surgically reattached his dick, he could piss, but his cock never got hard again. Victor held a great deal of contempt for men who could still get it up.

Suddenly, the door of the bar flew open. The Grayson kid stormed to his truck and took off out of town. Victor narrowed his eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of the bar owner, but the lazy slut hadn’t even mustered the courtesy of walking her meat-maggot to the door.

“This will be like shooting fish in a barrel,” Victor snickered.

Darting a glance up and down the street to ensure he was alone, Victor patted the hankie in his pants pocket—the one doused in chloroform, and slowly eased from his hidey-hole. Keeping close to the buildings on Main Street, he quickly worked his way toward the bar.

“No more driving thirty fucking miles. No more flat tires. No more cunt to contend with,” he spat under his breath.

Gripping the doorknob, he gave it a gentle twist. Much to his surprise and joy, it was unlocked.

I just hit the fucking lottery.

Biting back a cheer, he quietly pushed the portal open and eased inside. Careful to keep the latch from snapping out against the strike plate, he held the knob and quietly released the mechanism. It slid into place without a sound.

The neon beer sign behind the bar cast an eerie shade of red over the room. Scanning the area near the bar, Victor was delighted to see Gina sitting in a chair, alone. An empty glass lay on the table in front of her. Her eyes were rimmed red. If Victor could have gotten hard, the sight of her distress would have given him more than a chubby.

Aw, looks like the lovebirds might have had a quarrel. Bitch is going to suffer a hell of a lot more before I’m done with her.

Inching closer, Victor inadvertently stepped on a squeaky floorboard. Gina snapped her head his way. A look of shock and a hint of fear glided over her face.

He flashed her a horrible smile.

“We’re closed, LaCroix. Go home.”

Victor slowly advanced, intently studying her body language. He could see the tension drawing up her shoulders…watched her slide a gaze to the bar. He knew she wanted Martha…the Louisville Slugger she kept tucked away there. The same weapon she’d threated him with months ago. Moving in a wide arc, he blocked her path. She’d have to go through him to retrieve the ominous bat.

“I said we’re closed.”

Her voice didn’t hold the same level of irritation. No, Victor could hear her fear…smell it in the air. It made his heart race, his gut flutter, and his mind fill with all the agonizing pain she’d endure for him.

“I didn’t come here for a drink, you stupid slut. I came here for you.”

As he lunged toward her, Gina launched from her seat, shoving the wooden table onto its side to block him. Like an Olympic sprinter, she raced up the stairs to the second floor.

“You can run, you evil cunt, but you can’t hide. Not from Victor LaCroix.” He let out a maniacal laugh as he climbed the steps two at a time. “I’m going to catch you, you miserable bitch. And then we’re going to have a party…a pain party. You’ll be the guest of honor.”

He reached the entrance of the room she’d disappeared into and was met with a door slammed in his face. Victor stepped back, raised his leg, and kicked with all his might. The hollow wood splintered.

Gina screamed as she raced toward the nightstand by the bed. Unsure if she was going to pull a gun on him, Victor ate up the distance between them.

“Get away from me, you crazy son of a bitch,” Gina yelled.

But it was too late. Victor wrapped his arm around her waist and yanked her back flush against his chest. He reached inside his pants pocket and withdrew the chemical-laced handkerchief and pressed it over her face.

She fought like hell and he enjoyed it immensely.

The sound of her muffled screams made his blood sing.

She kicked and writhed, pulling the sheets off the mattress. He heard the lamp tumble to the floor and shatter.

Victor laughed in her ear as he turned his head to keep from inhaling the toxic fumes.

“Fight all you want. It ain’t gonna change nuthin’. You’re mine now…all mine, and may God have mercy on your soul, bitch.”

* * *

Nate sat in his truck parked on the driveway of the family ranch. Fueled by fury, tears stung his eyes. But he refused to bitch out and cry. Instead, he gripped the steering wheel and tried to calm his ragged breaths while mentally wrapping a tourniquet around his bleeding heart.

His plans of happy ever after with Gina had been destroyed. He’d been an idiot to believe she’d loved him, too. But dammit, the time they’d spent together meant something to her. He saw it in her eyes. What he didn’t know was why she insisted on dismissing her feelings for him so vehemently. Confusion swirled in his brain.

“You’re not going to solve anything tonight. Best to go back and talk to her tomorrow,” he mumbled to himself.

Climbing from the truck, Nate trudged toward the house. His feet felt like cinder blocks, his eyes like sand. The acrid smell of smoke on the wind had him scanning the fields. Turning his attention back toward the house, he spied Nash sitting on the deck, cigarette in hand. Nate scowled and hurried toward his younger brother.

“What the hell are you doing? If Mom catches you smoking, she’ll tan your hide.”

“Ease up off me. I ate enough shit tonight from your girlfriend.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Gina…your fuck buddy. She was busting my balls about Megan earlier.”

“First of all, she’s not my girlfriend or my fuck buddy. Second of all, you should listen to her and pull your head outta your ass and patch things up with Megan. You two are so pathetically miserable without each other it’s ridiculous. Both of you are in a contest to see who can hold on to their stupid pride the longest.”

“Get off my dick. Better yet, take yours back to town and stick it in Gina.”

Nate grabbed his brother by the front of his shirt, hauled him off the porch, and slammed a fist into his jaw. Nash flew backward and landed on his ass in the yard.

“Don’t ever talk like that about her again. She’s not a whore.”

“Hit me again and I’ll throw you a beating you’ll never forget, you little bitch.”

Nash stood, flicked his cigarette butt in the air, and brushed off his jeans before storming into the house. Nate seethed as he watched his brother’s retreat.

Both of them had demons to battle now.

He trudged into the house and crawled into bed. It seemed he’d been asleep but a minute when his alarm sounded. Rolling over, Nate turned off the annoying buzzer and groaned as he rolled out of bed. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he stumbled to the bathroom. When he glanced up in the mirror, the haunted reflection staring back made him cringe.

“This is going to be a long-assed day,” he grumbled and climbed into the shower.

As predicted, the day dragged on and on.

When dinner was done, he carried his plate to the sink where his mom, Nola, was loading the dishwasher.

“You’ve been quiet all day, sweetheart. Something troubling you?”

“No, Ma. Everything’s fine,” Nate lied.

She set the pan she’d been rinsing down and picked up a wooden spoon, then smacked him on the ass with it.

“What the hell was that—”

“Lying isn’t allowed in this house,” she scolded. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s personal, Ma.”

“That’s all you had to say.” She lifted onto her toes and kissed his cheek. “If you need to talk, I’m always here for you, son.”

“I know. Thanks. Dinner was great.”

She sent him a smile but concern still lingered in her eyes. As he turned toward the hallway to claim one of the showers, Noble and his youngest brother, Norris, shoved him out of the way and raced into the bathrooms.

“Goddammit!” he spat.

Thirty minutes later, Noble exited the bathroom wearing a towel around his waist and a taunting grin curled on his lips. “I’ll be happy to keep Gina company for you until you haul your slow ass to the bar.”

“You put one hand on her and you won’t live to see tomorrow.”

Noble threw back his head and laughed. “You couldn’t give me a black eye, pussy, and we both know it.”

When Nate drew back his fist, Noble ducked and raced to his room.

“Now who’s the pussy?”

As the hot water pounded at his aching muscles, Nate rehearsed the things he intended to say to Gina.

He’d done everything wrong last night. She’d hurt his feelings and instead of manning up and talking things through, he’d done what all the Grayson brothers did…he’d lost his temper and lashed out. He needed to knock the chip off his shoulder and find out why Gina was afraid to love. In the wee hours of the morning, he’d finally realized there wouldn’t have been such hurt in her eyes if she didn’t love him. The anguish he’d seen told him the time they’d shared was more than simple fun.

She’d lied to him and Nate aimed to find out why.

“And if I don’t get my ass moving, I’ll never get the answers I need,” he griped to himself.

With a towel wrapped around his waist, Nate gathered up his dirty clothes and hurried to his bedroom. He could feel the cell phone in his jeans vibrating and hastily pulled the device out as the call ended. Hoping it had been Gina, he checked the display only to discover he’d missed six calls from Noble.

What the fuck? Nate wondered as he quickly dialed his brother back.

“You spend more time in the shower than a woman,” Noble spat.

“You call more than a nagging wife. What the hell do you want?”

“You need to get your ass over to the Hangover. Gina’s gone.”

“What do you mean gone?” Nate’s heart sputtered and then began thundering like a drum in his chest and ears.

“I mean someone’s taken her…kidnapped her. There was some kind of struggle because the place is a wreck. Jasper’s here now, but dammit, man…someone’s got her…taken her against her will.”

The room spun. The drumming in Nate’s ears grew into a deafening buzz as his stomach threatened to purge the supper he’d just eaten. Swallowing back the bitter bile rising in the back of his throat, Nate trembled.

“I’m on my way,” he barked.

Panicked and filled with fear, he threw on his clothes, tugged on his boots, and then ran to his truck. In a cloud of dust and gravel, Nate barreled down the driveway before skidding onto the paved road. Slamming his foot down on the accelerator, he sped like a bat out of hell toward Haven.

A block from the bar, the street and sidewalks were crowded with people. News of Gina’s abduction had traveled fast. Gripped with terror, Nate bolted out of the truck and ran toward the building. Before he could reach the bar, his older brother Sawyer, and his new wife, Brea, intercepted him. Sawyer gripped Nate’s arm and dragged him into the alcove of the flower shop four doors down from the Hangover.

“Get your fucking hands off me,” Nate spat. “I need to get down there.”

“No. You need to chill out if you don’t want the whole damn town knowing about you and Gina. It’s not only your reputation you need to protect,” Sawyer tersely explained. “Noble called me when he couldn’t reach you. Brea and I arrived on the scene the same time as Jasper. He’s still inside doing his cop thing, but he asked us if we knew if anyone had a grudge against Gina. I drew a blank then, but I have a sneaking suspicion who took her. I’ll need to talk to—”

“Who the fuck would want to…” The nasty confrontation she’d had months ago careened through his brain.

“Victor LaCroix,” the two men said together.

“But that was ages ago. It doesn’t make sense. Why would he wait until now to… Fuck! I need to get over there.”

Before he could take a step, Sawyer’s strong hand splayed over Nate’s chest, pinning him against the wall.

“You’re not going anywhere near that demented prick’s trailer. Let me talk to Jasper and tell him to drive out to Victor’s place and look for Gina.”

Sawyer was out of his fucking mind. Gina could be dead by the time the cop decided to pay LaCroix a visit. If her life was to be spared, it had to be now! Sawyer knew Nate wanted to haul ass to the bastard’s mobile home, and would no doubt hog-tie him to keep him in Haven. Nate had to choke down the urgency rising inside him and pretend he was on board with his brother’s suggestion.

“You’re right. LaCroix might kill her if anyone but Jasper shows up.” Nate hoped his act was at least partially believable. “Go tell Jasper about the scene we witnessed at the bar. Tell him now. Light a fire under his ass.”

“Okay,” Sawyer replied. “You two wait here. I’ll be back.”

As his brother walked away, Nate glanced back at his truck. It was only a couple of yards from him. If he could distract Brea, he could sprint away and be out of town before she could alert Sawyer.

Dragging a gaze all around, Nate looked for someone or something to draw Brea’s attention. That’s when he spied Emmett Hill, the town’s slightly delusional Bigfoot hunter and World War II veteran, hobbling toward the crowd. The old man’s coveted 1945 Browning A5 shotgun was slung over his shoulder.

“I’ll be right back,” Nate announced to Brea. “I want to ask Emmett if he saw anything unusual.”

“You mean besides Bigfoot?” Brea asked wryly.

“Yeah.” Nate forced a chuckle, then turned and ran toward the elderly man.

“What’s all the ruckus down yonder?” Emmett asked.

“Not sure,” Nate lied. “Mind if I borrow your shotgun?”

“What fer?”

“I-I…”

“You saw him! You saw that big, hairy bastard, didn’t you? Where is he? Where is the pesky Bigfoot?” Emmett slid the gun off his shoulder and peered down the alley through its scope.

“No. I didn’t see Bigfoot, but I need to save Gina. Someone kidnapped her from the bar and—”

“Goddamn bikers. I heard ’em…heard a whole mess of them loud-assed motors rumbling through town yesterday. Damn Devil’s Angels or whatever they call themselves. I bet they took her and—”

“It wasn’t bikers,” Nate exhaled, trying to hold on to his quickly evaporating patience. “I think Victor LaCroix has her. I need your gun. Mine are back at the ranch.”

“Never leave home without your weapon, boy. Didn’t your daddy ever—”

“Emmett!” Nate cut him off. “Are you going to give me your gun or not?”

“Victor LaCroix, you say?” Nate nodded. “Never have liked that sum’bitch. He’s got lifeless eyes, like a shark. Never trust a—”

“Emmett!” Nate growled. “I need your gun.”

“To hell with it. I’m going with you. If anyone’s gonna put a bullet in that bastard LaCroix, it’s gonna be me.”

Nate suspected that the old coot couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn anymore, but there’d be time on the drive for him to figure out a way to claim Emmett’s gun.

“Great. Get in my truck. Let’s go,” Nate instructed.

Darting a nervous glance Brea’s way, he was relieved to find her staring at the still-growing crowd. He’d get an earful from both Sawyer and Jasper, but Nate didn’t care. Gina was all that mattered. Nate would move mountains and give his own life to save her.

Victor LaCroix was a dead man.

* * *

Gina had woken several times, briefly. Each time, Victor had pressed the cold, chemical-filled cloth to her face. When she floated to the surface again, sunlight streamed in from a gap in the curtain.

Her head was pounding.

Terror thrummed through her veins.

A vile-tasting rag had been shoved into her mouth, and duct tape covered her lips.

She lay tied to a dirty, sweat-stained mattress.

Her fingers were numb, but circulation was the least of Gina’s worries.

Victor LaCroix paced back and forth at the foot of the bed. His features were twisted in rage.

Gina was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack as her fear mounted. She didn’t know when the crazy fuck was going to snap and physically unleash his hatred on her. God only knew what kind of terror he had in store for her, but she was certain it was going to be brutal.

When he stopped and gazed down at her with an evil smile, her heart nearly leapt from her chest.

“The weather forecast isn’t calling for rain until next week,” he announced.

What the fuck? He knocked me out, hauled me to his filthy trailer, and tied me up to talk about the goddamn weather?

“Not much of a chance, only thirty percent for Monday and forty percent on Tuesday. Guess I’m gonna have to keep you around and play with you over the weekend.”

Gina struggled to align meaning to his cryptic statement.

Victor laughed, obviously pleased that she didn’t understand.

“You ain’t the brightest cunt in the bed, are you?” he snarled. “I didn’t think you were to begin with. Let me explain it to you, nice and slow. See, we’re going to have to wait for the rain to come so it’ll make the ground nice and soft. That way, I can dig you a big ol’ comfy grave right next to my cunt-faced wife, Mable.” Hatred gleamed in his cold, brown eyes. “After I slice you up, I’ll toss you in beside her, and you two worthless bitches can spend eternity next to each other. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

Panic surged like lightning through her. Dread tingled up her limbs and down her spine. Gina closed her eyes and inhaled a shallow breath through her nose as a loud knock came from the other room.

Victor jerked his head toward the sound. Rage crawled across his face once more.

“You make one sound, whore, and whoever’s out there is gonna be added to your grave. You got it?”

Gina nodded. She sent up a silent prayer that someone had come to save her.

Victor leveled her with a warning glare. “I’m not fucking around, bitch. Not a goddamn peep.”

She nodded again, sending the pounding in her head to a sickening level.

The knocking from the other room increased.

Gina released a mighty exhale through her nose as Victor turned and walked away.

“I’m coming. I’m coming. For fuck’s sake, keep your boxers on. Can’t a man live in peace?”

Gina heard the squeak of a door. She held her breath and listened intently.

“What the fuck do you want, you crazy ol’ fool?”

“I see old age hasn’t taught you any manners yet.” The old man’s voice was hauntingly familiar. Gina closed her eyes and tried to place it with a face.

Emmett Hill.

She didn’t know what the crazy but sweet old man was doing at Victor’s trailer, but Gina hoped it wasn’t to get himself killed.

“Manners are for pansies. You didn’t answer me, Emmett. What the fuck are you doing here?” Victor barked.

“What I always do…hunting Bigfoot, you stupid buffoon.”

“Well, he sure as fuck ain’t here sipping tea with me, so go away.”

“Now wait a cotton-pickin’ second,” Emmett squalled. “Did you see anything strange out here last night?”

“What do you mean?” Victor’s tone was laced with fear.

“I mean this.”

Gina didn’t know what Emmett was talking about, but then again, she seldom did.

“What the fuck is that?”

“It’s hair off a Bigfoot, you igit,” Emmett scolded. “I found it over yonder on that tree branch.”

“You stupid sum’bitch. That’s nothing but dog hair.”

“Oh, really? Well, then what’s that?”

All of a sudden there was a huge explosion. The trailer shook and Gina’s muffled scream resonated in her ears.

“Don’t move, cocksucker, or I’ll blow your brains out!”

Gina knew that voice by heart.

Nate!

Oh, thank God.

She screamed beneath the gag and thrashed on the bed. The ropes cut into her flesh, but Gina didn’t care. All she wanted was to make enough noise to draw him to her.

“You’re a dead man, Grayson. Nobody breaks into my house and holds a gun to my head,” Victor bellowed.

“Go… Check out this filthy piss hole,” Nate said.

“I’m on it,” Emmett replied.

“Where’s Gina? I know you took her. You’ve got five seconds to tell me where she is before I shove this shotgun down your throat and blow your fucking head off.”

Pull the trigger! Pull the fucking trigger! her mind screamed.

Emmett poked his head into the room. His smoky blue eyes widened before they filled with sorrow. “I found her. She’s alive.”

“Get back out here,” Nate yelled.

“Let me free her first.”

“No. Come help me tie this fucker up. Then I’m going to need you to keep this gun at his head,” Nate yelled.

“Sorry, sweetie, but I think your boyfriend wants to rescue you.” Emmett shot her a wink and hurried away.

In the distance a siren wailed.

Tears spilled from her eyes.

Relief flooded her veins.

The terror slowly began melting from her body.

Long seconds passed before Nate rushed into the room. He stared at her and paled. Then his features turned stormy and his eyes filled with tears as a howl of rage and anguish tore from his throat.

He rushed to her side and yanked a knife from his pocket.

“Hang on, baby. I’m going to cut you free,” he whispered.

Nate made quick work of the ropes before he gently cradled her against his chest. Gina couldn’t feel her limbs and she struggled to peel the tape from her mouth.

“Let me,” Nate whispered. “I’m sorry, love, this is going to hurt.”

He quickly yanked the duct tape off. Gina spit the rag from her mouth. She let out a cry and pressed her numb fingers to her lips. She wasn’t surprised to find them bleeding, but she didn’t care. Nate clutched her, burying his face against her neck as she sobbed.

“I was so fucking scared.” His voice cracked and Gina knew he was crying, too. “You’re safe now, baby. I’ve got you. I love you…love you so much.”

“Oh, god, Nate. I love you, too,” she wept.

He pulled back and sent her a watery smile. “I knew it! I fucking knew it!”

“But—”

“Shhh. Not now. We’ll figure the rest out later. Right now, I just want to hold you.”

He wiped her tears with the pad of his thumb, then bent and placed a feather-soft kiss to her painful lips.

“Did Victor…did he…”

“No. He didn’t rape me. You saved me before he could”—a tremor racked her body and another flood of tears spilled free—“cut me up and bury me next to his wife.”

Nate cupped her cheeks and gazed into her eyes. “No one is ever going to hurt you again. I promise.”

Gina closed her eyes and nuzzled against him, drinking in his vow, his warmth, and his love.

“Come on, baby…let’s get you home.”

He wrapped her in the sheet, lifted her off the bed, and carried her out of the room. They passed Emmett and Jasper—who was slapping handcuffs onto Victor’s wrists—and stepped out into the cool evening air.

Nate had saved her from death…saved her from a life void of love. Gina had found her peace of mind…found her future, right here in his safe, strong arms.

And she was never letting go.