When Kat's Away [Sequel to Anna Doubles Down] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (21 page)

“Call out her name like you did back then.”

Kat looked up at David and grimaced. She pulled at her collar, rubbing her neck, and cleared her throat. “Anna, where are you?”

Timothy watched the wall and cursed. “There had to be something else you said. Something must have triggered it.”

“I don’t remember saying anything else. It just opened on its own.”

“Think, damn you,” Timothy screamed. “Think hard.” He pulled Eva close and slipped his hand over her shoulder, his hand settling over her breast.

“Don’t touch me.” Eva tried to pull away.

“Maybe if I entertain your friend here, it’ll help bring your memory back.”

“I don’t think I said anything else. Leave her alone, you pathetic asshole. Don’t you think I’d help you if I could? I don’t wanna see anything bad happen to the people I love.” She took two steps away from her men, glaring at Timothy. “I wish the portal would open and take you away from us,” she screamed.

“Oh my God,” David cried out. “Look!”

Kat looked back to see him pointing toward Timothy. A small red circle had appeared in the center of the wall. “Oh, no.”

Timothy turned around and gasped. He pulled Eva back from the wall as the circle grew larger. “I knew it was here. You were right, Pa.”

Kat took another step closer, Win and David pulling at her shoulders. She pushed their hands off. “Timothy, listen to me. Just because the circle is here doesn’t mean it will take you to the future. It might not even be here for you. Maybe it came back for me or Anna.”

“No!” David grabbed Kat’s hand. “We’re not letting you go.”

“It doesn’t matter who it came for, because I’m the one that’s going.” Timothy pulled Eva closer to the wall.

Kat pulled her hand away from David’s grip. “You can’t be sure it’ll take you to the future. What if it only goes back in time? You could end up in the past when only the Indians lived here, or worse, maybe as far back as the dinosaurs. Do you really wanna take that risk?”

He didn’t appear to be listening, moving slowly forward, his gaze riveted on the growing circle.

“Timothy, please, let Eva go. Nobody will stop you if you wanna go through the circle.”

He shook his head, his hand firmly clamped on Eva’s arm, the gun still pressed against her side.

Suddenly, the room felt cold, and the air seemed to be drifting away. Kat felt dizzy as the circle doubled in size. Timothy moved forward with Eva, and Kat knew she had to make one final effort to save her.

She pushed forward, jumping to grab hold of Eva’s arm. The air seeped from her lungs as she was pulled toward the wall. Her eyes burned as she grabbed hold of the young girl’s arm, her fingers curling over her shoulder, as a bright light flashed.

“No,” David yelled. “Don’t go.”

Kat felt herself fall as blackness closed around her.

* * * *

David felt as if everything was happening in slow motion. Kat moved forward and grabbed Eva’s shoulder, and then he couldn’t breathe. He tried to move forward, but his feet seemed nailed to the floor.

“Kat,” Win called out. He looked frozen as well, a look of utter anguish on his face.

He turned back and watched Timothy, Eva, and Kat disappear into the glowing, red mass.

She’s gone. I can’t believe she’s gone.

He couldn’t move his feet, but he could feel tears sliding down his face. Then, a bright light flashed, and an unseen force moved through the room, knocking him to his knees alongside Win. Before he could cry out, Kat came tumbling back through the circle, landing in a heap on the cold ground. The circle glowed brightly, seemed to swell in circumference, and then quickly shrank back down to nothing, fading completely away.

The air was still, the room silent, except for their labored breathing. When David could move, he hurried over to Kat’s side. She was still breathing but unconscious.

“Is she alive?” asked Win.

“Yeah, she’s alive. I don’t see any injuries. I guess we’ll have to wait until she wakes up before we know if she’s all right.”

“Where do you think Eva is?”

David shook his head and wiped his arm across his eyes. “I have to think she’s safe. Maybe it took her to Kat’s time.”

“Do you think she’ll be okay?”

“Mom told us stories of her time all our lives. She’ll at least have an idea of what she’ll find if that’s where she is.”

“What about Timothy? He’s with her.”

David scooped Kat into his arms and moved toward the stairs. “There’s no point worrying about what we can’t change. Grab the lamp and let’s get her upstairs so we can check her over good.”

“Then we have to find a way to tell your parents about Eva.”

David nodded. “This is gonna kill my mother.”

“No, Anna’s strong. What we should worry about is Kat. She moved toward the circle to save Eva, but did she really want the circle to take her home?”

“She told us she loved us before the circle came.”

“Yes, but I don’t believe she thought it would come. If she really wanted to go home and she missed her chance, she might be inconsolable.”

“We’ll cross that bridge if and when. Let’s just love her and hope she’ll wanna stay with us.” David turned and started up the stairs.

* * * *

Kat snuggled down into the comfort of sheets and blankets that smelled of sunshine. Slowly her eyes opened, and she blinked, recognizing David and Win’s room.

Damn, I feel exhausted. Where are the guys?

She could see the night sky through the window while a lamp burned brightly on the dresser.

Why do I feel so bad?

She lay very still, trying to remember what had happened.

She heard a small sob and turned to see Anna sitting in the rocking chair beside the bed, her face buried in her hands. Suddenly, she remembered.

“Eva,” she cried.

Anna looked up and sobbed. “Oh, God, Kat, you’re awake.” She sat on the side of the bed and took Kat in her arms, hugging her close.

“I’m so sorry, Anna. I tried, but I couldn’t stop him. I couldn’t save Eva.”

Anna rocked her back and forth. “Hush, now. It’s not your fault.” She leaned back and gave her a small smile. “Do you remember what happened?”

“Yeah, Timothy went through the red circle and pulled Eva with him. I tried to stop her. I grabbed her shoulder, and it pulled me through too.”

“Where did it take you?”

Kat sighed. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“I was frozen. I knew I was in the circle, but I couldn’t breathe. I remember thinking that I didn’t wanna go back.” She looked up into Anna’s eyes and felt tears slide down her cheeks. “I thought about David and Win, and I knew I didn’t wanna leave them.”

“Then what happened?”

Kat closed her eyes. “I felt Eva being pulled away from me and I was thrust backward forcefully.” She looked at Anna. “The next thing I knew I was waking up here.”

“You made a conscious decision to stay with us.” David walked into the room, Win close behind him.

“But I lost your sister. How could I have let that happen? I should have wished for her to be sent back.”

Anna grabbed her shoulder and shook her gently. “No, don’t you dare say that. I’m not happy my daughter’s gone, but I’d be just as sad if you’d gone away.” She gave her a hug. “I know my boys love you, and now I know you love them just as much. I want you to be happy, Kat. I want you to make my boys happy.” She stood up and smiled down at Kat.

“What about Eva?”

Anna sighed, folding her arms across her stomach. “I have to believe my daughter will be all right no matter where she is. She’s been fascinated by the idea of time travel since she was a little girl and I told them where I came from. She’s gone down in the cellar hundreds of times trying to figure a way to make the circle come back. Win’s always said you can’t change fate. If I know my little girl, she’s having the time of her life. Besides, the circle brought me the loves of my life. Maybe it’ll do the same for her.” She turned toward the door. “You boys need to take care of your woman. I’m expecting the three of you to make me a grandmother someday.” She walked out without looking back once.

The men rushed over and sat on each side of the bed. David hugged her close while Win pressed a kiss against her shoulder.

“Are you all right?” asked David.

“I think so. I just wish we could’ve stopped them. I wouldn’t feel so bad if Timothy hadn’t gone through with Eva.”

Win rubbed his hand up and down her back. “There’s nothing we can do so we might as well not worry. Anna has the right idea. Let’s only think that good things are happening to our little princess. I think it was fate that did this. Maybe Eva is supposed to live her life in another time, just as you and Anna were meant to live your life in this time.”

David scooted closer. “Did you really make a wish that you didn’t wanna leave us?”

Kat nodded and then sniffed. “Yeah, but I didn’t mean for Eva to pay the price.”

Win leaned in close and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “She isn’t paying the price for your happiness. She has to find her own destiny. Who’s to say she won’t return to us someday?”

David took Kat’s hand between his own. “You’ve admitted you love us. Will you go one step further and marry us? We wanna have a family with you and share our lives.”

Kat bit her lip and looked at the two men. She’d never imagined she’d have two such wonderful men fall in love with her. “I don’t know how good a wife I’d be, or how well I’ll adjust to life in the Old West, but I’m willing to give it a try. I’d love to marry you on one condition.”

David glanced at Win and then back to Kat. “What’s the condition?”

“You don’t make me wear those awful underclothes anymore.”

Win laughed and pulled her into his arms. “It’s a deal. I’m happy if you don’t wear underclothes at all.”

She laughed and pulled back. “We also have to stay living here in case Eva is able to find her way home.”

David kissed her fingers. “Agreed. Can we get married right away?”

Kat giggled. “Agreed.”

“Promise me and David you’ll never go away again.”

She winked. “Absolutely, ’cause when Kat’s away, her men might play.”

David laughed. “Us? Never.”

“Come on, guys. Where are we going for our honeymoon?”

It had been three weeks since the fateful night in the cellar, and they’d finally had their wedding at the courthouse in Treasure City. There hadn’t been any trouble since Anna, Beau, and Zeke had been their only guests. The judge hadn’t even raised a brow when asked to unite three people in holy matrimony. Anna had explained it was because there were so few women in the West, and the men were used to sharing. The only shadow on their celebration was the uncertainty of Eva’s future. They’d had a lovely dinner at a local diner, and then David and Win had whisked her away in a wagon, complete with a cushioned pillow on the seat. They’d taken turns with the reins, driving her almost to a frenzy.

Now, they’d blindfolded her, because they wanted her honeymoon to be a surprise.

“Don’t be so impatient. We’re almost there.” David patted her on the knee, letting his hand slide up her thigh.

She sighed and sat back while Win nibbled on her ear. In just a few short minutes, she felt the wagon turn onto a rough road. She reached out for Win’s arm to steady herself.

“Just a couple more minutes and we’ll be there,” David promised.

She clung harder to Win’s hand.

“Whoa, boy.”

The wagon came to a stop, and Win released her hand and jumped down. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the edge of the seat. “Hold on, love.” His hands went around her waist and lifted her to the ground. She felt David walk up beside them. “Are you ready for your surprise?”

“Yes, please.” Kat blinked a few times, adjusting to the light, when the blindfold was pulled from her eyes. She frowned when she recognized the little cabin. “You brought me here for our first married night together?”

David smirked. “Never judge a book by its cover, Mrs. Bennington-Martinson.” She’d taken David’s last name since Win didn’t have one. David took her arm and guided her to the cabin’s door.

“Are you ready?” asked Win.

She sighed and nodded. David swept her off her feet and carried her through the door. Someone had been cleaning and redecorating the little cabin. A huge bed with a metal headboard stood against one wall, covered in a wedding-ring quilt and four fat pillows. There was a polished table with three chairs sitting next to the fireplace, and shelves added to the wall that held various dishes and pans for cooking. A cupboard in the corner seemed filled with canned foods.

“Mom stocked the cellar with meats and vegetables, and there’s a cake she baked over there.” David pointed to a corner cabinet next to the fireplace.

Win grinned. “Anna, Beau, and Zeke worked on this so we could have some private time to get used to being married. They wanted you to have a special memory.”