Protecting Lexi (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (5 page)

* * * *

Something had awakened Kane later that night. Ever since they had returned home from serving their time in the Marines, Kane slept restlessly. Maybe he woke himself up because he was having another one of his nightmares? He sat there quietly for a moment waiting to hear the noise again before he got up. The sound was now clear to him. It was Alexis’s cry from her room. Kane slipped out of bed, pulled on his sweat shorts, and padded down the hallway toward her room.

He almost ran into Max as they headed down to Alexis’s room. Max must have heard the same thing. “Sounds like she is having a nightmare,” he said as they stood by her closed door.

Kane could hear her scream loudly through the door, “No. Please don’t shoot. I won’t tell anyone, I swear.”

He turned the doorknob and entered her room to see her thrashing her head on the pillow. The covers were kicked off to the foot of the bed. She was clad only in a pair of turquoise-blue boy-cut underwear and a thin, matching camisole. With her hair spread wild and untamed against the white pillow, she was a vision.

Max and Kane sat on the bed on either side of her body. “Should we wake her?” Max asked as he looked at Kane from across the bed.

“I think we should. She seems to be having a bad dream about that night. No one should have to forcefully live that nightmare again and again as they sleep.” He then shook her shoulder and said, “Alexis, wake up, honey, you’re having a bad dream. Come on, darlin’, we need you to open those pretty eyes now.”

Kane watched as her body relaxed and she slowly opened her eyes to look at the both of them.

“What’s wrong?” she said as she looked at each of them. “Was I having a nightmare or something?” she asked as she sat up to lean her back against the headboard.

“We heard you shouting and crying from our rooms. We came in to wake you up,” Max said as he patted her bare leg.

“Thank you. I’m so sorry to have disrupted your sleep. I’ve had a hard time sleeping through the night since it happened,” she said in a low voice.

“Don’t worry about it. Nowadays, Max and I don’t sleep through the night much anyways. Go back to sleep, Alexis. We’re within earshot if you happen to need anything.” He saw her pull the sheet up and curl her arms around the pillow before Kane closed the door behind them.

“It’s going to be difficult for her to get through this ordeal. She seems to be tough enough to surpass it. Let’s get back to bed. I have a feeling we may have a few of these nights ahead of us while she’s with us.”

“Good night, Max. We’ll talk more about it in the morning after we have all gotten some rest,” Kane said as he walked into his room. He closed the door behind him and stared at his empty bed. Alexis was beautiful. He was so enamored by her beauty that he had been taken aback by her appearance as she lay entangled in her sheets. It was a thing of sheer beauty. He wouldn’t have minded climbing into bed with her to soothe her as she fell back to sleep.

Kane climbed into the cold bed once more and tried like hell to will himself back to sleep. Morning wouldn’t come soon enough for Kane as he lay there thinking of the woman who had invaded his mind as he drifted back into a slumber.

This is going to be a beautiful day
. Alexis could hear voices coming from the kitchen. She entered the kitchen to see Maria filling up Kane’s cup of coffee. They all turned and looked her way.

“Good morning, Ms. Alexis. Did you sleep well last night?” Maria asked as she pulled another coffee mug from the cabinet.

“Yes, I did, Maria. Thank you for asking,” she said as she sat in the chair next to Max, across from Kane’s chair. Maria filled her mug with coffee and walked to the refrigerator.

“What can I fix you for breakfast? My boys have already had theirs. I can make you some scrambled eggs and toast if you’d like?”

“Thank you, Maria. That would be wonderful.”

Kane looked at her before asking, “Did you have any trouble sleeping after we last saw you?”

“No. I slept just fine the rest of the night. Thank you, again,” she said before hiding her face in her cup.

After she finished her breakfast and thanked Maria, Max and Kane took her to the barn and introduced her to their horses. Alexis was most intrigued with Blossom. She was the mare they were talking about yesterday. Alexis had brought out some carrots to feed to the horses. She figured since she would be seeing them every day that she might as well make friends with them.

When Max and Kane had left her alone for a moment to talk to Billy, she walked over to greet Blossom.

“Hey there, girl, I brought you something to nibble on.” Alexis waved the carrot in front of her mouth. The horse was skittish and seemed to be wary of the carrot she held. “It’s okay, girl, no one will hurt you here.”

“She’s a pretty mare, isn’t she?” Kane said from behind her.

Alexis turned to look over her shoulder at him and then turned her attention back to Blossom. “She’s just scared. She probably is unsure of her environment. Maybe she isn’t sure of where she belongs. Sometimes it takes us a while to get accustomed to new surroundings we are placed in.”

Kane looked like he wasn’t sure if she was talking about herself or the horse. “You are probably right. She will get used to us eventually. Now, we have a horse saddled and ready when you are. Are you ready to go on your first ride?”

“Sure.” Alexis followed Kane out of the barn after she left the carrot on the ground in Blossom’s stall. Max was waiting for them beside a black horse, holding onto the reins.

“This is Mr. Blackwell. He’s very gentle. Don’t mind his size. Like they say, the bigger they are, the softer they are on the inside.” He winked at her and then looked sideways at his brother.

Alexis just hid her smile and giggles when she heard Kane say to himself, “Humph.”

She was so happy to have not made a fool of herself getting on the horse. Alexis was able to pull herself up on her first attempt. Kane and Max rode on either side of her. They showed her where their property line began and ended. She was surprised to know how much land was theirs.

She was amazed by the country scene. Beautiful trees were scattered across the rolling hills, and she was even pleasantly surprised by all the wildlife she witnessed while on their outing. She saw bunnies, squirrels, and even some coyotes from far away. “It’s such a beautiful day. I can see why you both love it here so much.”

Max turned to look at her. “We never planned to live anywhere else. This is the only place we have considered home. Even when we were away on our missions, we dreamed of this place.”

Alexis looked out the corner of her eye to see Kane looking serious and very quiet. Did he ever unwind or loosen up? Was he always so rigid and uptight?

“We better get back. I’m starved. And I told Peter I would give him a call this afternoon,” Kane said as he steered his horse back toward the house.

* * * *

Lenny Cook sat in his jail cell. The guard had just brought his lunch to him on a metal tray. The shit he just placed at his cell door looked like some kind of fish sticks and mashed potatoes with a piece of bread. He still didn’t have an appetite. The drugs were wearing off, and he felt clammy and sick to his stomach.

He still couldn’t believe that some dumb bitch had caused him to end up back in jail. He had to think of a way to get himself out of there. He wasn’t going to do time again. When he thought of a way to get himself out, he was going to find Alexis Brooks and finish her off before she had a chance to testify against him.

One way or another, Alexis Brooks was a dead woman.

* * * *

Alexis sat on the porch swing. Buddy lay on the porch at her feet. Max had assured her that Buddy was trained to alert them of any trouble and to come and get one of them. When they went on the horseback ride, she noticed each of the men had carried a shotgun in their packs. They had assured her it was only for protection. They had encountered mountain lions in the past, and they couldn’t be too careful. She knew it was also because of her, but they didn’t want to alarm her.

“Hey, want some company?” Kane said from the bottom of the porch stairs.

“Sure.” She scooted over so that he could sit next to her. Alexis noticed that he was holding a bottle of beer. She watched him look down at his hand.

“Sorry I didn’t think to ask you if you wanted one. Do you want me to go get you one?” he said as he started to get up.

“No, thank you, although I do enjoy having a beer once in a while. I’m fine right now.”

It was quiet for a while before Kane finally spoke, “I’m sorry I’ve been acting so rough around the edges around you. I definitely don’t want you to be frightened of me—that would just crush me, knowing I could cause you to feel that way. I just get into the defense mode and my demeanor changes. Please don’t take it personal.”

Alexis could tell he had something on his mind and wasn’t done with what he wanted to say.

“I talked to Peter earlier. He said there was nothing new.” Kane picked at the label on the beer and then shifted in his seat and turned to face her. “Do I frighten you, Lexi?”

Alexis was surprised at his question. “Why would you ask me that, Kane? Of course not, I feel like I’m in safe hands with you and Max. I’m the one who feels out of place around you. I feel like you don’t want me here.” Kane looked as though she has slapped him in the face with that statement.

“When did I ever give you that impression? I’m sorry, Lexi. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve been calling you that. It seems to suit you.”

She looked down at her lap and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t mind. I like you calling me that. No one has ever called me that before,” she said as she looked into his eyes.

Kane actually smiled for the first time since she’d been there. God, he was so gorgeous. Alexis felt her panties grow wet. He had a dangerous smile when he allowed it. She wondered what else he was hiding that he was lethal with.

“I came out to tell you that dinner’s in the oven and Max is starving. Maria has already left for the day. Let’s go eat before it gets ruined or Max starts to eat before us. He can be a bear when he’s hungry.” He helped her off the swing and followed her into the house.

* * * *

Kane was sitting out on the back porch drinking a beer after dinner. Max and Lexi were cleaning up. He could hear them laughing and joking around inside. He wished he could be the one to make her laugh and smile more. It upset him that he actually cared what she thought of him. He had never felt as strongly about a woman as he felt for Lexi.

Lexi was smart, beautiful, and she had the ideal body any man would kill for. The one thing that was stopping him from taking her upstairs with Max was the fact that she was there under their protective custody.

Max and he had always talked about what they wanted in a woman when they finally were ready to settle down and share their wife. How would she be in the bedroom? Would she let them control her body and orgasms? They weren’t easy men in the bedroom. They needed complete and utter control. Would Lexi give up her control to them? Could it be possible that she was the one they had waited for all their lives?

Kane had lain awake last night, thinking of the black-haired beauty in the room next to his. He wondered how it would feel to sink his cock into her. He knew Max was as interested in Lexi as he was. He caught her sneaking glances at them when she thought they weren’t looking. While in the military, they were taught to watch for body language and listen for certain sounds out of the ordinary. Yeah, he could tell that Lexi was definitely as smitten with them as they were with her.

Kane was brought out of his thoughts when Max and Lexi walked through the door. Max sat in the chair, and Lexi sat in the swing. They both had a beer in their hands.

“What a beautiful night it is out here. Is it always this clear?”

“Yes, we like to come out here on the evenings and relax like this,” Max said as he looked out.

Kane walked toward Lexi and sat next to her on the swing. He was quiet for a moment before he spoke.

“Did you get a hold of your manager, Caroline, at the store today?”

“Yes. She told me not to worry. Everything was fine. I brought my laptop with me, so I could work from here, too. I was also able to call my parents on that secure phone you allowed me to use so it wouldn’t be traced to your ranch.”

“Well, I’m glad your parents know you’re safe and you can talk to them securely,” Kane said.

“Would you mind if I took a treat out to Blossom? I think if a woman gives her some attention, maybe she’ll start opening up and come out of her shell.”

“Sure, sugar. We’ll come with you.” Max watched as Lexi went inside. “What’s up with you, big brother?” he asked as he watched Kane follow her ass inside.

“She sure is beautiful, isn’t she?”

Max just laughed. “I knew she had you all tied up in knots from the minute she got here. Shall we see if she wants to play with us while she’s here?”

“I want to see if she can handle the two of us first. She already knows we share our women. Let’s see if she’ll let us share her while she’s here. It will be easier to keep an eye on her, especially when she’s in our bed at night.”

Lexi was surprised when Blossom walked up to her and took the carrot out of her hand and ate it.

“Oh my goodness, did you see that? I think she likes me.” She turned around to see the smiles on their faces.

“That’s progress coming from Blossom. She doesn’t let any of us come close to her without putting up a fight. Maybe she’s comfortable around you. I still want you to stay away from her. She isn’t trained, and I don’t want her to hurt you,” Kane said.

“See, Blossom just needed a little woman’s touch, I guess.” She smiled.

Kane and Max stepped closer to her. They were now in her personal space. Lexi felt her juices flood her panties. Oh God, these two were so big and intimidating. Normally she wouldn’t let anyone crowd her like that. At this moment, Lexi was more than turned on.