Anita's Triple Temptation [Men of Montana 4] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) (31 page)

Inside was cold as per his instructions. Gwen, his secretary, knew better then to run the heater. He didn’t care how his employees thought of him. He only cared about not spending money that he didn’t have to and he wasn’t going to spend it in this god-forsaken place.

The woman sat at her desk, donning a blue-and-white coat, a light blue beanie along with a matching scarf wrapped high around her neck. Black fingerless gloves sheathed her hands, which were busy inputting data into the computer from the previous days’ reports from the workers. He insisted on daily reports even from those deep in the interior of the property as to keep a tight rein on the finances. He didn’t care who he inconvenienced to keep an eye on his money.

Gwen looked up from the computer monitor long enough to greet him with a slight smile before turning back to the illuminated object. Virgil could tell her lips were blue from the cold as her face itself was pale.

He knew she didn’t like him. Being his father’s secretary before he died, she had expressed a concern to the man that she didn’t think Virgil could handle the company. She had the audacity to suggest that the elder Cantrell think about leaving the company to the workers in stock options. Thankfully, the man died before he was able to make that happen.

“The sheriff’s deputy called me back late yesterday afternoon,” the mid-thirties brunette said, her eyes never leaving the screen at this point as Virgil made his way to his office. “He is insisting on getting Scotty’s paycheck, so I left the information in your tray. Just let me know when you fill out the check and I can make arrangements to have that delivered to him.”

Hand stilling on the doorknob, Virgil tried to calm his rising panic.
Damn, that was happening a lot. Calm yourself, man.
“I’ll take care of getting it to the deputy, Gwen. Don’t worry about it.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, her voice tinged with exasperation, not bothering to even look at him.

He knew she hated him, but she was a single mother trying to put her son through college. She needed this job. Boy was she going to get a surprise in the next few weeks!

Unlocking the door and flinging it open, Virgil grabbed the papers Gwen left in his tray along with a stack of mail, entered his office, and closed the door behind him. Going to his desk, he sat down and switched on the small space heater under the desk. Yes, he was going to be comfortable even though his employees weren’t.

Virgil didn’t have to look at the papers Gwen had accumulated to make out Scotty’s final paycheck. He bristled as he made out the check. Anger surged through him at the thought of that idiot leaving everything to Anita like it was his job to provide for her. It was Virgil’s job to do that. She just didn’t know it yet.

Virgil had plans for his Anita. Big plans. She deserved to live in style in the city, not some backwoods town. He would give her everything she could ever want, silently compensating her for all the losses, now and in the future. Jeremy was going to have his work cut out for him to make sure Virgil got exactly what he wanted and what he wanted for Anita. Oh, yes, she was going to be sad for a while but she would get over it. He’d make sure of it.

Completing the check, he slid the piece of paper into an envelope and tossed it aside. Opening the lower drawer of his desk, he pulled out a folder. Pulling out a photo from within the card-stock sheets, he smiled as Anita appeared on the glossy paper.

Unaware she was being photographed, Anita was smiling at something someone had said to her as she took someone’s order at the Tipsy Tavern. The woman didn’t know how sexy she was in her tight black jeans and the black T-shirt she wore tied up under her full tits. Her hips flared out from her waist and slimmed down to nicely shaped thighs. She was a vision for him.

Virgil had taken the picture with his phone while at the bar one night and then printed it out here at the office. He had several pictures of her besides the video he had taken of her. Voyeurism was big on Virgil’s list of kinks. The idea of watching people fucking each other had always turned him on. He knew he was going to enjoy watching Anita being used and fucked by his men when he allowed it, but that would be very seldom. He believed in rewarding good work but didn’t like to overcompensate, otherwise the men would get lax in their duties and still expect to be rewarded.

He would take her to clubs and show her off as he watched the envy on men’s and women’s faces at the beauty on his arm. A smile crossed his features as he thought perhaps one day he could get his woman to get it on with another woman.
Now, that would be hot!

A knock on the door sounded and he guiltily shoved the picture back in the manila folder. Acting as if he was putting it back in the drawer, he bade entry to the intruder. “Come in!”

The door opened and Jeremy’s large frame appeared through the opening. “Hey, boss,” he said as he closed the door behind him and took a seat on the beat-up faded green couch that sat opposite the desk. The piece of furniture groaned in protest at the man’s muscular bulk and Virgil hand to wonder if it was going to hold up until he left hell hole.

“Thanks for coming in, Jeremy. How are the plans coming along?”

The man in question brought one booted foot over the opposite knee as he settled into the couch trying to get comfortable. “The shed is ready for your guest. Just give me the word on when you need me to handle the takedown. Are there any more details you need me to handle?”

Leaning his elbows on the desk, Virgil tented his fingers. “There are two loose ends I want taken care of. I need you to take care of them and dispose of discreetly. No one finds them this time.”

Jeremy had the nerve to flinch at the insinuation that he had messed up, Virgil noticed. It didn’t matter that Scotty was dead as long as the man used what he was supposed to in order to make it look like natural causes, but he didn’t. Virgil had been so angry the previous day he refused to talk to Jeremy. He feared if he even saw the man he might try to kill him with his bare hands. Now, it irritated him that the man was sitting across from him.

“Look, man,” Jeremy started, a touch of a whine in his baritone voice. “How was I supposed to know that old man was going to have a gun ready when I broke in? He surprised me. I had to shoot. I know it wasn’t what we had planned, but there was no way around it.”

Virgil knew the man was right, but he just didn’t want to admit it. He needed Jeremy by his side to take care of the dirty work, at least for now. The man had said it was shoot or be shot, so Virgil guessed he had to do what had to be done. It just didn’t go with the plan.

Too many loose ends that could end up hanging him.

Placating the man, Virgil held his hands up in resignation. “Okay, okay. That could still go in our favor, but these two could become an issue and I need them gone.”

Jeremy nodded his understanding. “I’ll take care of that tonight. Any more visits from the cops?”

“No, though I wouldn’t mind seeing that little deputy again. She was a tasty little thing.”

“Word around Polson is she lives out at the Circle G, also. She’s the owners’ woman,” the muscle said with a smirk on his face.

“What!” Virgil couldn’t hold back on his surprise. It was bad enough that Anita was shacking up with three men, but that sexy little deputy was, also? Hell, what was going on around here?

“I don’t know, but it seems there are several more relationships that are like that, all stemming from the Circle G,” Jeremy offered. You don’t suppose it could be a cult, do you?”

Thoughts began to run rampant through Virgil’s head. He knew exactly how he was going to play this out. A low chuckle began in his throat until it burst from him. Jeremy must have thought along the same lines because he began to laugh, also. This was going to be great.

* * * *

Standing in front of the mirror in her bathroom, Anita applied a bit of makeup to her eyes and cheeks though the faded bruising was still there. A light layer of tinted lip gloss was dabbed onto her lips before she combed her hair back into a ponytail. She straightened the pink cable-knit sweater she had donned, smoothing down the lower part over her curvy hips clad in black jeans, she switched off the light and stepped into the bedroom. Finally, she sat on the bed where she put on her black booties before smoothing out the spot she had sat upon on the bed and then left the room.

As she began to turn the knob on the front door, her cell phone rang in her purse. Digging for the device, her hand found it and pulled it from the worn out bag. Glancing at the display, she groaned. Internally debating she decided to ignore it and made her way out the door and closed the door behind her, realizing at that moment she didn’t have a key. Shrugging, she figured they were on the ranch and the place would be safe.

Walking out to her car she got in and drove the short distance to the main house. She figured that the work that needed to be done on the house she would need the guys for so why not go and help Martha with lunch for the men.

Parking in the rounded driveway out front of the Goodalls’ house, she got out as her three men came running up to her. Before she could close the door, they were all talking excitedly, asking questions. Once she was able to discern what they were trying to ask, she smiled before standing on tiptoe and kissing each one of them lightly on the lips.

“I’m fine,” she assured them. “I just felt like getting out of the house and thought I’d come over and help Martha with lunch.”

“You don’t have to help out, darlin’,” Dave said, pulling off his dusty gloves and tucking them into his back pocket.

“But I want to,” Anita assured them. “The stuff that needs to be done at the house is stuff I need help with. I just can’t sit around doing nothing.”

James kissed her lips briefly. “You get to be a lady of leisure in our home.”

“I have to do something. Plus, I miss the boys,” A somber sigh escaped her.

“Tomorrow we will go into town and register them at school there and then we can bring them home in a couple of days,” Kevin spoke as he caressed her hand. “We’ll bring them home and then start our life as a family.”

“Ok,” she said eagerly. “But, I’d still like to help Martha. I’m sure she can use an extra hand with all these hungry men.”

“I’m sure she’d appreciate it,” Dave said, taking her by the hand and leading her to the house.

They entered through the front door, Dave knocking twice before entering without waiting for an answer. They walked through the living room, which Anita had been in once before on New Year’s Eve, and into the kitchen where they found Martha frying chicken in the portable fryer.

“I have a helper for you today, Martha,” Dave announced before turning to Anita and kissing her chastely on the lips. Then he directed his next comment to his woman. “I’ll see you in just a little bit.”

After Dave left, Anita helped the Goodalls’ housekeeper finish up the lunch she was preparing, her own stomach growling at the delicious smells emanating from the food. When the food finished cooking, Martha set up the rectangle table next to the main table in the kitchen that sat in the bay window overlooking the western snow clad mountains. Anita set up the folding chairs while Martha set the bowls and platters of food on the table along with the plates and silverware. A cooler sat near the door so as the men began to file in, they were able to choose the bottle of soda or tea they wanted before they found a seat.

Storm and Austin took a seat near the window at the table where they normally partook of their meals while Dave, Kevin, and James sat the end of the rectangular table with the former at the end. Anita began to wash dishes while the men ate, aware of three sets of eyes on her at all times.

Listening to the men chatting about the work they were doing on the ranch, laughing and joking, made Anita feel warm inside. She wasn’t from a big family but being around these men made her feel like she was in one now.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been doing dishes when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning the water off, she turned to find Kevin standing there, a sly smile on his face. He handed her a towel to dry her sudsy hands which she accepted. When she was finished, Kevin took her hand and led her from the house.

As they walked the distance between the house and the smaller barn that housed the extra grain for the animals, Anita was excited and confused. Kevin’s arm held her around the waist so their bodies never separated which warmed her heart.

Entering the building, Kevin released his hold on Anita and turned to close the sliding door. A loud resounding click as the lock slid closed, barring them from the rest of the ranch, sent a thrill rushing through her body. Nipples puckered under her sweater while the tiny lace thong she had bought while she and Lyndee had gone shopping was turning wet beneath her jeans.

Enough light filtered in the building from the windows that ran the length of the building along the cupola above them and as Anita turned to look at Kevin, she found his milk-chocolate eyes hooded as he looked her over from head to toe.

* * * *

Kevin watched Anita standing amongst the sacks of grain through his lust-filled eyes. Crystal blue eyes gazed back on him as her chest rose and fell quickly. Even though the aromas of the different types of feed in the room were pungent, he could still smell her arousal which called to him.