“I decided to attend the community college and I moved into a small apartment with some friends just to get the whole living on my own experience, plus I could see Steven whenever I wanted to and not have to deal with my grandparents making me feel guilty for loving a man they obviously didn’t trust. The girls were friends from Starling Grove. Two of them I had known for years. Anyway, things were great,” she said and her nose got red, her eyes welled up with tears and she sniffled.
“Go on,” Nevin whispered and caressed her hair from her cheeks.
She looked at each of them.
“I loved him. I truly thought he was perfect and that he made me happy and we could have everything together. He was a little older, and we talked about getting engaged and getting married. We were with one another all the time. He supported me when I graduated and got a job thirty minutes from home. We worked it out and he was proud of me. Things were great and then things just seemed to change.”
“What happened to make them change?” Jack asked her and caressed her calf while he held her gaze.
“Well, there were these parties and overnight events that a bunch of big shots in town went to. It was a guy thing but like the sheriff went, the head of the town board, the mayor and other young men who were part of the group of friends. Anyway, I never really knew what they did wherever they went, but I heard things. I chose to ignore things,” she said, lowering her eyes.
“What do you mean?” Jesse asked.
“I was stupid. I didn’t want to question Steven but it was like suddenly those girlfriends of mine were reporting back to Steven on what I was doing when I wasn’t with him. I complained to my friends about these two guys who always seemed to show up when I was doing laundry. They were nice, but they were flirty. I didn’t like it and I didn’t tell Steven, but somehow he found out about them. There was a general laundry room in the basement of the apartment we rented and I didn’t like going down there at night alone but it was the only time I had to do the laundry and didn’t want to try and use my grandparents’ place all the time either. So Steven told me to go to his house and use his. So I started doing that.”
“Was he abusive, Carina?” Jack asked her.
“He never struck me, but he was controlling and it got worse and worse. So when his partner and friend Collin started showing up at his house whenever I was there alone doing laundry, I told Steven Collin made me feel uncomfortable. Then it was like Steven got funny.”
“How so?” Nevin asked her.
“Collin began to tag along with us.” She started breathing a little differently and her chest got all blotchy and she started talking a little faster.
“There was this party and all our friends were there. My roommates, they started telling me that I wasn’t being a good girlfriend and that Steven wouldn’t marry me unless I obeyed him and did whatever he wanted. They told me I was being resistant to the ways of Starling Grove.”
“What did that mean?” Nevin asked.
“At the time, I didn’t really know. When I think back, I was so far gone head over heels for Steven and trusted him completely that nothing else mattered. I figured he would always protect me, be my rock, my own soldier and police officer,” she said and swallowed as more tears fell. She looked at Jack.
“It’s okay. I understand.”
“It’s the uniform, Jack, not you.”
Jack squinted his eyes and looked emotional about that statement but before Jack could speak Carina began to ramble.
“So when we were at this party and Steven kissed me, I felt a second set of hands on me from behind and knew it was Collin. When I went to pull back, I not only felt everyone watching us, as if they were waiting for my reaction or to see me accept Steven and Collin touching me, but Steven pressed harder, making it difficult for me to pull away. So when I felt Collin’s mouth on my neck and then his hand move under my skirt to my panties, I freaked out.”
“Holy shit,” Jesse whispered.
“What did you do?” Milton asked her.
She looked at him. “I got away from them and I ran out. Steven caught up to me and he was pissed off. He started telling me that I was to do what he said. That this relationship of ours, and this town had rules. He was out of control and drove me home. When we got there he pressed me up against the door and warned me. He said that changes were coming and that I needed to accept them. He said the order would step in and it wouldn’t be pleasant for me.”
“The order? What is that?” Nevin asked.
She shook her head.
“I didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. I cried when he yelled at me and told me that I needed to accept Collin, too. That they would both take care of me and I would be theirs.”
“No,” Jesse said.
She nodded her head.
“I was so angry but also so hurt. How could he do something like this? I mean, I didn’t see any signs. We dated for more than two years, how could I not see that he would want to share me with another man. I just didn’t understand it. I cried myself to sleep. I didn’t change, or do anything. I collapsed to the bed and passed out from exhaustion.”
“That must have been terrible. To feel so betrayed like that,” Jack stated.
She looked at him and more tears fell.
“I was sound asleep when suddenly I realized there was someone in my bedroom,” she whispered.
Oh fuck no. Please God, no.
Milton squinted his eyes and held her gaze as she explained about the noises and then the hands on her throat and her body being straddled.
“It was Collin,” she cried. “I tried to fight him off but he held my throat so tight as he ripped my panties and forced himself between my legs. I was begging him not to do this, that I was going to tell Steven and Steven wouldn’t want this when…when Steven appeared in uniform and he joined in.”
“Motherfucker,” Jack exclaimed and Carina clenched her eyes closed and cried hysterically. They couldn’t do anything but caress her skin and listen as she explained every detail, every strike and threat to her life and the things they said to her as they raped her one after the next and then cuddled with her in bed as she moaned and cried.
Milton saw red and Nevin pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. He caressed her shoulders, her back and her arms as her body shook. Milton ran his hand over his mouth and jaw and looked at Jack, who was breathing through his nose and standing at the end of the bed with his fists by his sides. Jesse stared at Milton, no words said. None needed. His brother was already contemplating a visit to Missouri, to Starling Grove to kill the two fuckers.
When Carina finally settled down Nevin asked a few more questions and it made Milton realize that he was getting information from her. He had called and said Cesar met with him. The things she said indicated that something more complicated and despicable was going on in that town. They would get to the bottom of it, and make these men all suffer for what they did to Carina.
* * * *
Carina pulled back slowly and stared into Nevin’s blue eyes.
“I’m sorry. I know this must be difficult to listen to and learn about me,” she said.
He squinted at her and then rolled her to her back and cupped her cheeks.
“Sorry? Why are you apologizing to me when you’re the victim? You’re the one who was betrayed by the man who you thought would love you and protect you from harm. What he did was criminal, despicable and my brothers and I will make sure that neither man can ever lay a hand on you again.”
“How, Nevin? How, if there’s some sort of cult, or army of men in that town that do things like this to women, or worse?”
“That’s not going to be your worry, baby. It’s ours, and Cesar’s and our friends.” He used his thumbs to caress her jaw and she felt so in tune to him and trusting. Now that she told them everything it was like a huge weight was lifted off her chest and she could breathe again and process everything again.
As she absorbed the scent of his cologne, and being in Nevin’s arms with Milton now pressed up against her back, she felt safe.
She closed her eyes and snuggled closer to Nevin. Her mouth and nose were against his shoulder and neck, the scent of his cologne consumed her and she reacted. She kissed his neck and his hands stopped moving.
He tilted his head, giving her better access to his neck and skin, perhaps indicating that he liked the way it felt to have her kiss him. So she continued a pathway along his jaw and then opened her eyes to see him watching her, holding her hips. Behind her Milton shifted closer.
“You’re safe with us. Always,” Milton said and she closed her eyes the moment his lips touched her bare shoulder and neck.
She forced the memories of the attack by Collin and Steven out of her head. They had no place here. Not with her and these men. She opened her eyes and lifted higher so she could get into a better position to kiss Nevin. In her peripheral vision she saw Jack and Jesse watching and surprisingly, it turned her on.
“Your pace, Carina. You’re in control,” Nevin whispered and she felt relieved, scared, but totally aroused. She wanted so much. She was tired of pushing these men away when they made her feel so good, so right and safe.
She pressed her lips to Nevin’s and explored. She cupped his cheeks and moved over him, pushing one thigh between his legs. She tightened only a moment when she felt his palm over her lower back and then to her ass, shifting her slightly. He moaned into her mouth, giving her more confidence in being in control of this kiss, this moment with Nevin and his brothers. So when a second set of hands began to caress up her calf and then over her ass squeezing, she didn’t panic, instead she moaned into Nevin’s mouth.
She was feeling so out of control she thought maybe she was being too brazen and needed to slow things down. As she pulled from Nevin’s mouth he opened his eyes just as she did and he smiled. Then his eyes moved slightly to look over her shoulder.
“I think my brothers need some kisses, too.”
She turned to look at Milton and he leaned over, ran his hand along her waist as she shifted the other way and she kissed him. Now she was on her back, running her fingers through Milton’s hair as she kissed him and he pressed over her slightly. She lifted her leg up and he released her lips and smiled softly. Then she felt the palm moving along her ankle and inner thigh. She glanced down and there was Jesse.
Milton moved to the side and Jesse crawled right up between her legs, spreading her thighs wider as she ran her fingers through his hair and waited for him to get close enough to kiss. He lifted up and then gave her a wink right before he kissed her.
Jesse let her lead, and she took her time, focused on the scent of his cologne, the feel of Jesse’s muscles and knowing that the others were close by. It helped her to get through that uneasy feeling of having a man between her legs with his weight weighing down on her. These were all big men. Muscular, capable men. That thought had her slowing down the kiss just as Jesse’s hand cupped her breasts and she felt his thumb smooth over her nipple.
Her lips parted as she released his.
“Jesse,” she whispered.
He held her gaze and she absorbed those dark, sexy eyes of his, the black whiskers growing along his chin and jaw that made him look rugged and sexy. He had an ultimate fighter kind of body. Thin, fit, muscles with mega definition.
“I love your body, and I’m so happy to be here with you right now,” Jesse told her then leaned down and kissed the bridge of her nose.
She smiled as he eased up and then she looked at the edge of the bed. Jack was kneeling there with his hands on his thighs, his feet tucked underneath him and such a serious expression it made her feel like her heart skipped a beat.
She lifted up, and the others gave her room to kneel. She smoothed out her skirt and stared at him.
“Jack?”
“If I remind you of him, of them, then I don’t want to ruin this,” he said to her and swallowed hard. She immediately shook her head and crawled to him and then knelt in front of him. She placed her hands on his shoulders.
“No, it was just the uniform, and me being silly. I know you’re not like them,” she said to him.
He reached out and ran a palm along her hip, pulling her closer.
“How do you know? How can you be sure that the fact I’m law enforcement and a soldier, and my brothers soldiers, won’t make you hold back and fear us? I don’t want you to fear me, baby,” he said softly and tears filled her eyes.
“I don’t want to fear you either. I’m here right now, aren’t I? I’m trying, Jack. I’m so scared I’m shaking, but I’m trying.”
He licked his lower lip and once again she realized just like his brothers he was giving her the lead, and letting her make the moves. She stared up into his dark brown eyes and then lifted up to kiss his lips. When their lips met, everything was perfect. She kissed four men one after the next, she let them care for her, stroke her, and she wanted more. As Jack began to lower her back down to the bed, she shifted her legs and he slid between them. She ran her fingers through his hair as he deepened the kiss. He shifted lightly to the right and that’s when she felt the palm of his hand slide up her thigh under her skirt to her hip.
He pressed his tongue deeper and she moaned into his mouth. She was turned on, feeling ready to push her new-found courage a little further. So when he lifted up and ran a finger along the thin string of her panties and then her groin, she didn’t stop him. She gripped his shoulders.