“Rest, we’ll be right outside finishing up quietly.”
“Can you lock up when you leave?” she asked, and then pulled a pillow over her head. She heard them say something and it sounded like they said they weren’t going anywhere, but her head ached and she just wanted to focus on calming it down and getting rid of it entirely. So she closed her eyes and hoped the ibuprofen kicked in fast.
* * * *
Milton’s phone was buzzing as it sat on the counter. He went to it as Jesse quietly started cleaning up the rest of the place and the mess they made fixing the window.
“Hello?”
It was Cesar.
“Hi, Cesar. Yes, she just got here. She’s lying down though. A really bad headache.”
He listened to what Cesar was telling him and about how Milton and his brothers really needed to watch over Carina, make her feel safe and to trust them. She was in danger, and he couldn’t get into the details because it was her story to share with them. By the end of the call he was feeling pretty on edge and worried. He disconnected the call and relayed the information to Jesse.
“Shit, that sounds serious, and especially if Cesar told Carina that she didn’t have a choice in us being her guardians.”
“She needs protection. We have to get Nevin and Jack here.”
“They’ll be here later. Let’s clean up then take showers. We have those changes of clothes in the truck.”
“Sure. We can even make some dinner for all of us,” Jesse said and Milton nodded and then looked down the hallway toward Carina’s bedroom. What in the world went down in her life to put her in danger? Was that cop soldier ex-boyfriend hunting her down? Was that what the danger was? He wasn’t sure but he was going to find out. Carina was going to have to trust them and confide in them if they were going to be successful in keeping her safe.
* * * *
Nevin looked up from his desk in the doctor’s office. He just saw his last patient of the day and was looking forward to seeing Carina. There was a knock at the door and there stood Cesar. Nevin was surprised as he stood up and Cesar shook his hand.
“We need to talk,” Cesar said to him and Nevin came around his desk.
“Police related issue you need assistance with?” he asked Cesar and then leaned against his desk. Cesar walked back to the door and closed it. He turned around to look at Nevin and took a deep breath and exhaled.
“Your special connections may be needed.”
“Shit,” Nevin stated. He had a good life here in Repose. Saw a lot of bad shit while serving in the military in a special unit, but that special unit also connected him to some pretty resourceful people.
“What’s the deal?” he asked.
“The thing is, I debated about asking you to assist and lead or asking Leif and Mateo, but you all have worked together in the past on other touchy situations.”
Nevin squinted his eyes at Cesar. “So, it must be something pretty touchy where snooping around has to be on the down low and pretty much invisible, so no one suspects anything, otherwise you would have chosen those two bad ass psychos instead of me,” Nevin said and gave a smirk, but Cesar only slightly smirked.
He licked his lower lip and rested a hand on his gun and holster.
“The touchy part is that this involves Carina.”
Nevin felt the unsuspecting jolt of fear hit his gut. He didn’t move though, or really show too much of an effect as his mind began to think of a bunch of questions for Cesar.
“She came to see me today, along with Antonia and Amber. Now, she also asked that I not tell a soul about what she confided, but also explained that the situation needed to be taken seriously.”
“Is she in danger?”
“Yes.”
“How bad? Wait, scratch that. It has to be bad if you think my connections and my assistance is necessary.”
“I took it upon myself to use my small connections to just check out this sheriff and the town Carina came from. What I got without sending any signals up was that something strange is definitely going on. I also got a call from a friend I served with. He’s with the Feds, and very politely, basically told me to back off.”
“Not liking the sound of that, Cesar.”
“Nor did I. So obviously this is something major, and you know as well as I do that when the Feds are involved with something they have tunnel vision. They’re after one person or group of people and everyone else is collateral damage.”
“Well, what did Carina tell you? How involved is she in this? Did she do something illegal?”
“This is the tricky part about confidentiality.”
“Wait, if Carina, the woman my brothers and I are set on making ours, is in some sort of serious danger, then that whole confidentiality bullshit can go out the window.”
“Well, it’s not my right to share what happened to her, and in all honesty, the four of you are going to need to really take your time and be patient with her. Be sure that you want her, because there won’t be going backward. It would destroy her if you guys used Carina, got tired of her, or just plain dropped her.”
“That isn’t going to happen. If we even thought that for a moment we never would have asked to be her guardians. Hell, from the moment I met her I knew. My brothers and I are older. We understand the commitment and we’re more than ready.”
“Good. Then I’m going to give you the next several days to try and get her to confide in you and tell you her story. Then we’re going to gather some of the others and make a real plan of action. Just know from what she told me, that I believe she is in danger. That the men who hurt her and caused her to run are likely to come looking for her.”
“What?”
“Yes. Talk to her. I already expressed where I stand with allowing you and your brothers to be her guardians and for her to trust you.”
Nevin ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled. He felt all his muscles tense and all he wanted to do now was to get to Carina, hold her in his arms and make her feel safe.
“I’ll call you in a few days, unless something changes before then,” Cesar said. Nevin stood up and they shook hands. As soon as he left he called his brothers. Milton and Jesse were already at Carina’s cottage and cooking up some dinner. Jack was on his way. Not knowing what exactly the danger was with Carina made him really feel on edge. He knew he would have to hide these emotions from her and just focus on gaining her trust. He couldn’t wait to get to her and see her.
* * * *
“Do you hear that?” Jesse asked Milton as he covered the chicken he made in a sheet of foil.
Milton scrunched his eyes and could hear the moaning sounds and then crying.
“I’ll go check on her.”
Milton made his way down the hallway and when he got to Carina’s bedroom and opened the door she was tossing and turning on the bed, crying and looking distressed.
“Carina. Carina, wake up,” he said to her as he approached. She moaned again and then he sat on the edge of the bed and placed his hand against her cheek.
She gasped and shot up. Milton grabbed her arms. “Whoa, slow down, you’re okay. It was just a bad dream.”
Her eyes were wide, the tears flowed, and she stared at him as if she hadn’t expected him to be there. He caressed her arms and then shocked him by throwing herself against him and hugging him. He shifted on the bed and pulled her on top of him as he lay down, holding her.
“I can’t take it. I can’t stop them. I don’t want to feel their hands on me anymore. I don’t want to hear their words, or feel the fists against my skin. Oh, God, Milton, don’t be disgusted with me. Please don’t hate me.”
“Shh…baby, I don’t hate you. I would never hate you.” He heard the floor creak and saw Jesse there looking upset. Behind him were Jack and Nevin.
Milton rolled her to her back and lay partially over her. He caressed her arm and she stared up at him and then glanced to the side. “You’re all here?” she asked.
“There’s no place else we want to be but with you, Carina,” Nevin said and moved into the room. He knelt on the other side of her bed then reached over and squeezed her hand.
“We’re here for you. Let us in, baby. Trust us to take care of you.”
“Trust us,” Jack said and he and Jesse stood at the end of the bed.
She looked at each of them and swallowed hard.
“I want to. I really, really want to.”
“Then do it. Talk to us. Explain what you’re feeling,” Milton said and used his thumb to stroke over the exposed skin on her hip.
Tears filled her eyes and she got all choked up. “I’m embarrassed, ashamed, and so scared of getting hurt again. I don’t think I could handle any more pain.”
Nevin brought her fingers to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Do you know what I love, what makes me feel happy?” he asked her. She shook her head.
“Seeing you smile. That beautiful bright, gorgeous smile of yours lights up my heart, Carina. Did you know that?”
“No.”
“Okay, yeah, and your gorgeous blue eyes, how expressive they are, and mesmerizing. You’re a stunning young woman, Carina,” Milton told her and leaned down and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes so he kissed one eyelid and then the next.
“I love how petite and feminine she is. How perfect she fits in my arms. I could just hold you for hours, baby,” Jesse said.
“I love your strength and determination,” Jack said and she squinted at him.
“Me, strong?” she asked.
He nodded his head and smiled.
“I’ve watched you from afar, Carina. Seen how hard you work at the Filling Station, how good of a friend you are to Antonia and Amber, and how determined you are to be stronger, to train at a dojo and learn self-defense to better protect yourself. As much as I’d rather you see my brothers and I as your protectors and guardians, it turns me on knowing you’re working that body, getting all toned and sexy, and I want to explore every inch of you and make you my woman. I hope that doesn’t scare the hell out of you.”
Her cheeks turned a nice shade of red.
“Maybe that was a bit too much,” Milton said and they chuckled.
“No. Not too much, it’s how we all feel, I think.”
“We know we want you,” Jesse said.
Again she got all flushed and looked like she was trying to hold back tears.
“I’m so scared. I’m afraid to open up my heart, never mind my body.”
Milton caressed her cheek.
“Baby, could you tell us what happened so we can help you heal?” Milton asked.
She looked at each of them and Jesse and Jack got comfortable, and sat on the edge of the bed by her feet.
Milton looked at her and could see the struggle in her eyes. He ran his palm along her belly and let his thumb caress under her breast line. She was well endowed, sexy, petite, and so lovely. He licked his lips. A protective, possessive feeling began to consume him.
Nevin moved onto the bed next to her on the opposite side of Milton.
He leaned on his forearms and stomach and looked at her.
“Trust us,” he whispered.
“I was involved with a guy back in Missouri.”
“Missouri?” Nevin asked, squinting his eyes at her.
“Yes, it’s a small town, and for the most part everyone knows everyone else’s business. I met Steven when I was in high school and he was home from a tour from the Army. My grandparents were pretty protective of me, especially after my dad left for the service on another tour and didn’t return. I kept to myself and studied a lot because I was hung up on Steven and waiting for him like he asked me to.”
Milton clenched his jaw. He never had a relationship with a woman while in the service for exactly that reason. He didn’t want to have her on his mind where he couldn’t concentrate and worry about her feeling lonely or if another guy was hitting on her or taking her away from him. It was easier to be single and have no commitments or burdens like that. Then again, he hadn’t met any women like Carina. Maybe his thoughts would have been different. Steven was one lucky bastard to have this gorgeous bombshell waiting on him. Now Milton felt a little envious of the man. His emotions were killing him.
“Before I knew it high school was a blur and I was looking into colleges and my grandparents were pushing me to go away.”
“They didn’t want to take care of you anymore?” Jesse asked. She looked at him and shook her head.
She licked her lower lip. “I didn’t understand why, but I figured it out later, that they were trying to save me from making a mistake and getting stuck in Starling Grove, the town I grew up in. But I fell in love with Steven. I waited for him,” she said and tears filled her eyes. Milton felt his heart ache and his chest tighten. He was surprised by the amount of jealousy he felt hearing Carina say she was in love with a man. It wasn’t right for him to feel that way.
“We started dating and got pretty serious. I gave him my virginity,” she said and a tear fell from her eye.
Nevin reached up and wiped it, giving her a smile.
“I’m sure he loved you and it was special to share that with him. You trusted him.”
“With my life,” she said and another tear fell. Nevin squinted and Milton glanced at his brothers, who all seemed on edge, too.