Dixie Lynn Dwyer (11 page)

She had no idea what time it was, but she did hear the buzzing sound of someone’s cell phone on the bedside table.

Richie turned away from her to reach over and grab his phone. He looked at her, smiled, then glanced at the caller ID.

“Holy fuck, it’s noontime.” That seemed to arouse Carl now, too.

She snuggled closer against Richie’s chest as Carl wrapped his arm tighter around her waist.

“Who’s on the phone?” Carl asked.

“I missed like seven calls. I guess it’s time to get up.”

“We didn’t go to sleep until five,” Juliet whispered then kissed Richie’s chest.

He caressed her hair.

“Sorry about that,” he teased.

“No you aren’t,” she replied, and Carl began to press kisses against her shoulder as he chuckled. His warm breath collided with her skin, and she absorbed the sensation.

“We’ve got some planning to do. The guys will be coming over in about an hour.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“Okay,” she replied then slowly began to get up with him. Richie stared at her breasts as she stretched. The sheets fell to her waist, and Carl took that moment to cup her breasts then roll her to her back underneath him.

She gasped as Carl pinned her arms above her head and maneuvered between her thighs.

“Good morning, sunshine,” he whispered then kissed her.

Richie chuckled.

“Get a move on it. You’re in charge of the food situation,” Richie teased.

Reluctantly, Carl released her then rolled off the bed and offered his hand to help her up. As she rose toward him, he pulled her against his chest and covered her ass with his hands.

“You’re one sexy hot woman, Juliet. This ass is precious.” He squeezed it, and she hugged him to her. She felt so feminine in his arms. His hands were big, his body so much larger, and she felt safe. She kissed his chest as she held him tight.

* * * *

They finished making sandwiches and waited for the others to arrive. There were three men outside, guarding the house. She recognized them as Warriors, but she didn’t know their names. Carl was standing by the back door, looking off the porch, and waved to one of the men.

“They’ll be here in about five minutes. BJ just called.”

Juliet came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

A moment later his body jolted back.

“Get down!” she heard someone yell. Strong arms pulled them both back, and suddenly she fell backward to the kitchen floor while Carl lay in the doorway. Richie looked wild. His eyes were open wide and his face firm with anger. More yelling was happening outside, and then she heard gunshots.

As she looked in astonishment toward Carl, she saw him holding his shoulder, and blood covered his hands. The reality that he had been shot sank in.

“Oh God, Carl!” she screamed then crawled to him.

“Don’t worry, baby. It’s okay. I’m okay,” he stated through clenched teeth, and he let his head fall back to the floor. He was in pain. He was fucking shot.

“Take this. Apply pressure to the wound.” Richie handed her a towel.

A man appeared in the doorway dressed in camo.

“Is he okay? Holy fuck, Richie, that was a fucking sniper shot. Who the hell are these assholes?” the man asked, and then two more came into view. Dressed in camouflage pants and armed with guns, they looked like soldiers.

Richie was shaking his head as he spoke into the phone. She heard him mention Carl being shot, needing an ambulance, and security at the women’s homes, and she was immediately scared.

Robert did this
. Robert was going to kill Carl and Richie. He would kill her friends, too, if she didn’t cooperate.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as the sound of sirens echoed in the distance.

I won’t let Richie and Carl die.

* * * *

Richie looked at his brother. He was bandaged up, and lucky for him, the bullet went straight through the tip of his shoulder bone and skin, doing little damage. Carl was pissed off and so was he. That bullet could have killed him or Juliet. Carl insisted that as Juliet hugged him and he turned, it caused the shot to miss his head and instead hit his shoulder, shredding straight through his muscle and hitting the kitchen wall.

The search team found the sniper’s location in the distance behind the estate as well as ATV tire marks. These fuckers were resourceful, just as Michael had informed him earlier.

Juliet was being awfully quiet now. The sure expression of fear and panic on her face as she realized that Carl had been shot was enough to take some years off of Richie’s life. Right now she stood over Carl, caressing his hair and fussing over him. Carl’s hand remained plastered over Juliet’s jean-covered ass cheek in a possessive manner.

She was bent over, laying her head across his belly, her long red hair cascading over the pristine white hospital sheets. A bit of her skin could be seen where the waist of her snug-fitting hip-hugger jeans barely met the green sweater she wore. Carl looked over her shoulders at Richie and held his gaze.

“Any idea where this sniper was holding out?” Carl asked, and Juliet raised her head and stood straight up.

“Yeah, the guys found it as well as tire marks from an ATV.”

“Shit! We need to up our security.”

“It’s done. You just worry about healing.”

“I’m good. It’s amazing that he missed.”

“Surprising is more like it considering how fucking huge that head of yours is,” Richie teased, and Carl chuckled then cringed as if in a little pain.

“How can you two joke around at a time like this? How can you be so uncaring about your lives and about what just happened? He could have killed you. He wants you both dead and out of the way, can’t you see that? God, you don’t get it.” Juliet began to walk away and head toward the door. Richie grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

“Whoa, sweetheart, calm down, will you? We’re just kidding around.”

She pulled her arm from his grasp and stared at him. He saw how angry she was. He could see her shaking.

“It’s not a joke, Richie. He’ll kill you like he killed Danny. It’s all my fault,” she stated, and he quickly grabbed her and pulled her against his chest.

“Calm down, baby, please. I didn’t mean to upset you. We know this is serious. We’re taking precautions, and we’re making plans. Just trust that we know what we’re doing.”

“You’re underestimating him. You don’t know what they’re capable of. You’ve never seen what they can do.”

“Well why don’t you tell us what this guy Robert is capable of? Give us more information and trust us fully instead of holding back,” Carl stated.

She turned to look at him. “Next time, you won’t be so lucky. Robert doesn’t make mistakes. To him, this is a game. He likes the chase as much as the kill. I’ve seen him hunt men down, harass them until they nearly go insane with fear. I’ve heard about men disappearing and no one ever figuring out that it was Robert that made them disappear.”

She was adamant about Robert’s capabilities, and as Richie was about to ask more questions, the nurse entered the room.

“Well?” Robert asked Teddy as he entered the hotel room in Robert’s executive suite.

“He’s not dead, and it wasn’t the security guy, Richie, that you thought.”

“What? Who is her boyfriend then? Someone different?” Robert asked.

Teddy was hesitant. Teddy was never diffident. He never screwed up, so Teddy had nothing to fear or be overly cautious about.

“I’m afraid your gal is into some double penetration.”

“Does that mean what I think it does?”

“Yes. She’s fucking two guys.”

At first, Robert was shocked. Juliana was a very sexy and voluptuous woman. She had always been timid, shy, reserved, and almost blind to her own beauty. It seemed that the shy little virgin from the past wasn’t so fragile anymore.

He rubbed his chin, felt the slight dusting of whiskers as he thought about his next move. Perhaps taking her now would be too difficult. There were military types in the town. The sheriff was ex-military. That was why he sent Teddy to do a sniper’s job. He was better trained, and he knew how to not get caught.

“What are you thinking, sir?” Teddy asked.

He glanced up at the man. He had remained by his side for many years. He was loyal, trustworthy, and was sticking around.

“I’m a little concerned.”

“I would be, too.”

“Not so much about the ménage thing. I’m worried because I thought she was dead. Juliana knows too much. If you recall, Teddy, she did witness lots of illegal acts.”

Teddy’s eyes widened. “She wouldn’t tell anyone anything. You scared the crap out of her last night. You could have taken her then and she wouldn’t have put up a fight.”

“Yeah, well, I let my own desires get in the way. I don’t think I should have. She watched me torture then kill her boyfriend.”

“Then she’ll know not to talk.”

“That wasn’t the only murder she witnessed. You should remember the night she escaped. That underage redhead the boss was fucking never went home. Juliana witnessed Pierce fucking her, beating her, then killing her, and she knew that was how she would eventually wind up. I was too busy cleaning up the fucking mess and getting rid of the body. That’s when Juliana made her escape.”

“The morning before is when you killed her boyfriend in front of her.”

“Yep. That’s why Pierce was so pissed. Pierce knew that she lost her virginity, and he took out his anger about Juliana and her boyfriend by fucking the redhead, imagining it was Juliana before he killed her. I’ve never seen that sick fuck so outraged. It took hours to get that room cleaned up.”

“I remember that. He’s going to lose it when he finds out she’s alive and fucking two guys.”

“That’s where a new plan has to come into motion. Pierce is going to call me soon about Dixie Chix and whether it’s something to invest in and buy out. Under normal circumstances I would say hell yeah, but if and when Pierce finds out Juliana is here and has two men, he’s going to declare war on every individual in her life. I checked out the town and got some inside information on Dixie Chix. That sexy blonde married to the sheriff is not one of the owners. The blonde and her six friends are the owners, including Juliana.”

“Oh fuck.”

“‘Oh fuck’ is right. When I give all the information to Pierce, he’s going to start blackmailing, manipulating everything from alcohol deliveries to the club to board of health inspections and fire hazard violations. It’s how he’s landed a lot of his investments, by practically destroying them then taking over when the owners know it’s sell or go bankrupt.”

“He was nearly busted in that international deal a few months back. Maybe he’ll be more cautious and just want to grab her and run.”

“Naw, you should know Pierce as well as I do. He’s too conceited and arrogant to do things under the radar and with finesse, especially when he has an obsession like the one he has for Juliana.”

“So what do you want me to do? Should I go back and knock off the two lovers?” Teddy asked.

“Nope. I think we should stay low. Avoid the club tonight.”

Just then his cell phone rang.

“It’s Pierce,” he stated toward Teddy then answered.

“Yeah, boss, they’re at the hospital. Flesh wound. Juliana is a total mess. She’s standing in the waiting area now. Is there anything you want me to do?”

He thought about that a moment. He needed to break down any defenses she may have left. By hitting her now, while one of her lovers was hospitalized, he should be able to get to her.

“Yeah. Make a phone call to the front desk. Ask to speak with her then pretend that you’re me and tell her that I’m watching her, I’m coming to get her, and when I do, she should be ready, or I’ll kill both of her lovers and her friends one by one.”

“Got it.”

Robert hung up the phone.

“What do you think she’ll do?” Teddy asked.

“She’ll come to me.”

“How will she know where you are?”

“The sheriff and his men already know that we’re staying here. Now that an attempt was made on their friend’s life, I think I’ll have a shadow for quite some time.”

* * * *

Juliet ran to the bathroom after taking the phone call. How the hell was he able to see her, to remain undetected under everyone’s noses? There were ex-military surrounding her and her friends. She felt so sick to her stomach, and she couldn’t stop shaking. He was going to succeed. Robert would kill Carl and Richie and perhaps her friends, too, if Juliet didn’t go willingly with him when he came for her.

She was filled with a mix of emotions. She couldn’t let others suffer because of her. She closed her eyes and sat on the closed lid on the toilet in the bathroom. Instantly, she saw the images pop into her head. She covered her ears. She could almost hear the sounds of pain as Robert and his goons tormented and beat Danny as she was restrained in front of him. She never forgot the look in Danny’s eyes. The way he pleaded for life and promised to never touch her again as long as he could live. He begged and cried out with such fear and pain, she had nightmares about him.