Trusting Them (10 page)

“I can cook pancakes for all of us. I’m really pretty good at cooking some things.” Jeni sidestepped Brady’s attempt to stop her and continued into the kitchen.

She hadn’t seen much of it the night before as it had been dark. The room proved to be an eat-in kitchen with plenty of counter space and an industrial-sized stove and refrigerator. The shiny stainless steel dishwasher looked perfect in the oversized kitchen. It would be any cook’s dream.

“If you can get me some supplies, I’ll start whipping up the batter,” she said.

Brady hesitated, then shrugged and disappeared inside a pantry off to the left of the room she hadn’t noticed before. When he returned, he sat out cooking oil, flour, butter, and sugar. Jeni checked for buttermilk in the fridge and found a half gallon. She could have used regular milk, but the buttermilk would be better.

“How long before Brock gets back? I don’t want his to get cold.”

“Shouldn’t be too long. I’ll put on some sausage in the oven, and once it cooks you can start the pancakes,” he offered.

Twenty minutes later, Jeni poured the first circle of batter on the griddle and began cooking the pancakes. Not ten minutes later, the sound of a truck door slamming jerked her head up. Brock was back. Why did she suddenly feel nervous?

“Hey, something smells good.” She heard his voice as he opened the door.

“Come on in, brother, Jeni is making us some pancakes.”

“I’m going to go clean up, and I’ll be right back down.”

It wasn’t lost on her when he jerked his head towards the stairs at Brady that he wanted to talk to him alone. Something was up. Either the roads were passable or they weren’t. What more could there be that would affect her?

A few minutes later, both men returned to the kitchen, each looking a little less enthusiastic. Brock hugged her from behind and placed a kiss on her cheek.

“Smells good, baby. Thanks for cooking.”

“I didn’t mind. I like to cook.” She turned over the last pancake and waited for it to brown.

“These are delicious!” Brady said around a mouthful of pancake.

“You could wait for her to start, idiot,” Brock admonished.

“Don’t wait on me. It will get cold. I’ll be there in just a second.”

“Hurry on over here and get seated. We’ll serve you.” Brock pulled out a chair as she turned off the stove and carried the last of the pancakes to the table.

For the next thirty minutes, the only sounds in the kitchen were the sounds of eating and clanking utensils as they ate up. Brady finished first and picked up empty plates. He rinsed them in the sink and loaded the dishwasher. When she finished, Brock picked up her plate and silverware and did the same. By the time she was out of the chair, the entire kitchen had been wiped down and the dishwasher started. She couldn’t help but smile.

“Let’s sit back in the living room where the fire is,” Brock directed.

Jeni followed the two men into the other room and found herself sitting between them on the couch. Both men looked a little uncomfortable. She wondered what was going on.

“What’s going on? You both look upset over something.” Jeni watched them exchange glances.

“I went out and checked the roads to see about getting into town,” Brock said.

“Brady told me you were doing that.”

“Well, even with the tire chains, the snow is too deep to make it anywhere. I had trouble getting to the end of the drive and almost couldn’t get turned around in the road to make it back up here.” Brock squeezed her hand.

“When do you think we can make it to town?” she asked, still not sure what had them so nervous.

“I figure tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. There are some bad curves and a few bridges on the way that I really don’t want to take a chance on if we can wait a little longer.”

“Brock figures some of the stuff will start melting tomorrow morning since the high is going to be in the upper thirties.”

“Well, if not tomorrow, then the next day, right?”

“Right,” Brock agreed.

“Okay, that sounds good to me. I don’t want anyone to get hurt trying to help me.”

“Um, there is more.”

“More? What more can there be?”

“Seems someone found your car off in a ditch about five miles west of where we found you.” Brock watched her face.

“All right. What does that mean?” she asked cautiously.

“Well, they started a search party for you as soon as the snow let up yesterday and are going at it again today.”

Brady added, “Brock had to call them and tell them that we found you and you’re okay for now.”

“So, that is understandable. I wouldn’t want people out in this weather looking for me when I’m safe and fine.” She coughed and covered her mouth. “Well, mostly fine.”

Brock squeezed her hand. “Thing is, there are some strangers in town and they were helping look for you.”

“Oh,” was all she could think to say.

Glenn was already here. He would know where she was now, and there was no way to leave anytime soon. She swallowed as her mind went round and round in circles trying to figure out what to do.

“Don’t go getting all quiet on us, baby.” Brock picked her up and sat her in his lap. “He can’t hurt you here. No one will let him near you. I promise.”

Brady slid over and propped her feet in his lap. “There is no way we will let him hurt you again. You have to trust us.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you because I do. I honestly do, but he doesn’t fight fair. He will hurt you just to hurt you. I can’t live knowing one or both of you got hurt trying to help me.” Jeni felt the tears begin to run down her face.

“He isn’t going to hurt anyone. He won’t get the chance. I told the sheriff that he attacked you and you are running for your life from him. He’s doing some investigating and will call me back later.” Brock looked pleased with himself.

Jeni wasn’t so sure he understood the lengths Glenn would go to get what he wanted. Namely, her. Brady kissed her toes and smiled when she giggled.

“You’re ticklish there, aren’t you?” he said.

“So? Don’t go thinking you’re going to hold me down and tickle me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of telling you that. I’ll just do it without telling you.” Brady held on to one foot and began tickling it unmercifully.

Brock held her around the chest so she couldn’t use her arms or hands to push him away. She laughed until she cried and, finally, they let her up and then bolted when she vowed revenge. It dawned on her when she chased after Brady that she hadn’t had this much fun since she had been a teenager. In fact, once she had married Glenn, she hadn’t had much fun at all.

Once again, Glenn was draining all the life out of her. She would have loved to have stuck around to see where whatever they had going on between them took them, but she couldn’t now that Glenn knew where she was. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted—her dead, if not back in his bed. She would die before she willingly went back to him. He was one of the cruelest people she had ever met.

She had fallen in love with him at the age of twenty-one and they were married by the time she was twenty-two. The first few months were wonderful to her. He seemed the attentive groom at first. Then he slowly changed into something mean and dangerous. She learned he had a cruel streak quickly and found out it was best to do what he said as soon as he said it to avoid the punishments. They were severe. If he couldn’t get you to abide by his wishes with threats, he made threats against people you cared about. She soon quit caring about anyone, so he couldn’t hurt her using them.

The first time she ran away, she made it all the way back home. He was waiting for her there, though, and explained that if she didn’t return with him he would ruin her brother-in-law’s business. He had enough money. He could do it. She couldn’t bear to see her sister’s expression when Glenn informed them he planned to drive her husband out of business. Instead, she had dutifully returned with him and taken her punishment.

The second time, she didn’t even make it out of the grounds. He’d hired more thugs to watch her. They were good at their job and had her back inside in her room within an hour. They were kind that time and didn’t tell her husband that she had run off again.

Brady finally let her corner him in the kitchen in the pantry. She laughed when he waggled his eyebrows at her in a suggestive fashion.

“I’ll let you have your wicked way with me,” he said.

Jeni giggled and shook her head. “Nope, that would be rewarding you instead of punishing you.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“I think I’ll make you dry my hair after I wash it. It’s long and takes forever to dry. You’ll have to brush it for me.” She smirked at him.

“I’ll do one better than that, I’ll help you wash it.” It was his turn to look smug.

“Nope. I don’t trust you to keep your hands to yourself.”

“Now what would be the fun in that?” Brock asked from the doorway to the kitchen.

“Don’t go interfering, big brother. I earned my punishment fair and square.”

Brock shook his head and snickered. “Punishment, right. What happened to a few quick licks of the belt?”

“Is that what you deserve for holding me down?” Jeni asked Brock.

Brock grimaced and shook his head no. “I was thinking more along the lines of drying your magnificent body when you get out of the shower.”

“Hmmm. I’ll think about it while I take that shower. Both of you stay out of the bathroom until I call for you.”

Jeni nudged past Brock, making sure to brush her nipples past his chest as she did. It was probably more torturous to her than to him, she decided. They ached now as she climbed the stairs to the bedroom. Sure enough, when she began undressing, they were hard and poking out waiting for someone to touch them.

The water felt wonderful flowing over her body as she soaped up a cloth and began scrubbing her body down. Two days of sweat and fever washed down the drain as she lathered up her hair and gave it a good washing. After rinsing it several times, she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her hair. Then she opened the bathroom door and called out to Brock. He was instantly there with a towel to dry her body.

“You have the softest skin I’ve ever felt,” he murmured against her ear as he patted her back dry.

Jeni could only moan as his hands worked around under her breasts to gently rub the water from her body. She leaned back against him as he dragged the rough cotton towel over her nipples slow and sure. Then he began patting his way down her abdomen and to her pelvis, where he swirled the towel around and around her belly button. He turned her around and had her stand with her legs spread as he knelt between them to dry her legs. His hands patted at her legs, then higher, and then he drew the towel between her vaginal lips back and forth until she swayed with need towards him. He blew against her curls then stood up and wrapped the towel around her body and knotted it over her breasts.

“Better get dressed so Brady can dry that pretty hair of yours.” Brock smiled a devilish smile and walked out of the room.

The fact that he limped a little didn’t help the ache she felt deep inside her. He’d teased her and left her bereft. Brady wouldn’t do that though. She was sure of him. He wouldn’t be able to tell her no if she asked.

Jeni pulled on the socks and oversized T-shirt they had left for her. The shirt came to just above her knees so she was adequately covered, but they all three knew she didn’t have anything on under the shirt. It was a silent tease for all of them. Especially her, as she knew it would be so easy for them to touch her there. And as excited as she was right now, it would only take one touch to send her screaming over the cliff.