The Battlefield Series 6: The Ties That Bind Us (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  The Battlefield Series 6: The Ties That Bind Us

  Lori tries to break free from the ties that bind her. She's fought to gain self-confidence; to start her own new life without pressure from her large family, or intimidation from an abusive ex. She's juggling work, helping out her sister who is in a dangerous relationship, and avoiding four men who seem to have their sights set on claiming her. She can't seem to let go of the fear from her past, or accept that the four men are truthful and good. The Lawson brothers keep proving they are trustworthy and even help her to save her sister, her niece, and an unborn child from abuse and neglect. When her family shows up to comfort her sister and reveal some misinformation from Lori's past, it seems that the old ties she had to family are getting stronger, but the threat of the one who caused all the damage somehow comes along with this reunited family. Time and time again the Lawson brothers prove they are nothing like her ex. The memories of the fear and pain, plus the one responsible, are back to challenge her resolve and test the new ties that bind her heart.

  Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Romantic Suspense

  Length: 52,595 words

  THE BATTLEFIELD SERIES 6:

  THE TIES THAT BIND US

  Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  MENAGE EVERLASTING

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer.

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

  THE BATTLEFIELD SERIES 6: THE TIES THAT BIND US

  Copyright © 2016 by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-68295-452-2

  First E-book Publication: August 2016

  Cover design by Les Byerley

  All art and logo copyright © 2016 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of The Battlefield Series 6: The Ties That Bind Us by Dixie Lynn Dwyer from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Dixie Lynn Dwyer’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Dixie Lynn Dwyer’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  www.BookStrand.com

  DEDICATION

  Dear readers, thank you for purchasing this legal copy of The Ties That Bind Us.

  It is difficult to move on with your life when there seems to be these imaginary ties that bind us to our pasts, or to people who were not exactly positive influences in our lives. Getting away from those people, making changes in our lives to destroy those ties can be a battlefield of their own.

  Love is a very powerful emotion. You must learn to love yourself, before you can love others, and feel confident and secure in deserving love, compassion, and empathy in order to break free. Cutting the negatives ties that bind us is a battlefield of its own. Finding those who can support and love us make destroying the negative binds possible.

  May you enjoy Lori’s story as she fights not only for her freedom but to break the vicious struggle her sister goes through, while learning there are real men out there who can love, honor, and respect a woman.

  May you enjoy Lori’s story.

  Happy reading.

  Hugs!

  ~Dixie~

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  About the Author

  THE BATTLEFIELD

  SERIES 6:

  THE TIES THAT BIND US

  DIXIE LYNN DWYER

  Copyright © 2016

  Prologue

  The baby was crying, screaming on the floor. Lori’s sister, Evilly, held the icepack to her cheek as her eye continued to swell.

  “Where is he now?” Lori asked, bending down to pick up Cara.

  Her sister shook her head. Lori comforted the baby, rubbed her back, and then went to pour the milk she’d just brought over into the bottle. Every week she came by, drove the hour to see her sister and make sure the baby was fed and Evilly was still alive. It was sick. Why her sister didn’t leave her boyfriend, she didn’t know. She just couldn’t understand why a woman would stay with a man who was abusive. It seemed to Lori every time she came here, her sister was banged up, holding an ice pack to her face or some part of her body, and the baby was crying, looking petrified.

  “It’s okay, sweetie. Come on now and drink up, and then I can lay you down for a nap,” she whispered to baby Cara.

  “When is he coming back?” she asked her sister, and she felt scared herself. Pylo was one mean, big son of a bitch. A mixed martial artist who trained at a dojo and worked as a heavy for some loan shark. He basically got paid to beat the hell out of people who owed money.

  “I don’t know. Late tonight. He has work at the dojo and then a job to do or something. I don’t ask,” her sister said and then stood and walked to the freezer to get another ice pack. She looked so thin. That bright, beautiful smile Evilly always had was gone. It had disappeared soon after she started dating Pylo seriously.

  “Why don’t you come back with me? I can make the room for you and Cara. I can care for you better there, and it’s a safe place. He won’t find you.”

  H
er sister kept her back to her. Lori glanced down into her arms, and she saw that Cara was sound asleep. She stood up and walked to the small bedroom with the crib and placed the baby down. Cara shivered a little, seeming to be scared even in her sleep. Lori swallowed hard, stopping the tears from flowing.

  She was getting tired of this. It was taking a toll on her. The worry, the fear, and the fact her sister wouldn’t leave Pylo.

  She walked back into the kitchen.

  “She’s resting. He doesn’t hurt her, does he?” she asked, despite knowing how her sister would react. Evilly swung her head around to glare at Lori.

  “Never. He would never hurt his own baby.”

  “Oh, what a great guy. He won’t hurt his baby, but smacks the shit out of her mother on a daily basis,” she replied and walked over to the counter to put the other things she’d brought away. Bread, some chopped meat for burgers, rolls, and eggs and fruit for the baby to eat—something good other than just bottles of milk, which weren’t even in the refrigerator.

  “Please, Lori, don’t,” Evilly whispered, and Lori’s heart ached some more.

  “This is my niece, my flesh and blood. You’re not taking good care of her.”

  “I am, too,” she replied, and Lori went to the refrigerator and pulled the door open.

  “Really? Really, Evilly? I see a shitload of nothing in there, except what I just brought over. The baby needs to eat good food. Eggs, fruit, even vegetables and whole milk.”

  “She does. Pylo picks up the groceries. He gives me money, and I go shopping.”

  “When? I come here once a week and on different days and the refrigerator always looks like this. Beer is in there, though, ain’t it?”

  “I have all the jarred baby food.”

  “She needs actual food now. She has teeth coming in and needs to keep them strong by chewing, having milk, and fresh vegetables and fruit. You live near a bunch of farms and can get all the fresh groceries, eggs, milk—better everything. What the hell? You need to focus on Cara.”

  “I am focusing on Cara. It’s why I’m still here. He’s her father.”

  “You’re his punching bag. It isn’t right or fair. You deserve better.”

  Evilly started crying. “I love him, though.”

  “Why?” She raised her voice.

  When her sister looked at her with her face all battered and bruised, her eye swollen, she just felt so helpless.

  “What do you want me to do, Lori? What?”

  “Leave the bastard. Take Cara and go. Come with me. I’ll take care of you. I promise.”

  Her sister shook her head, and the tears fell from her eyes. She looked like hell. Pylo had such a hold on her. There was no self-confidence. Not even an inkling of a fight in her sister.

  “I can’t,” she whispered. “I can’t.” She started sobbing, and Lori couldn’t help it. She started crying, too. She closed the space between them and pulled her sister into her arms and hugged her tight.

  “Goddamn it. Hell, I don’t know what to say or do anymore. I don’t,” she said as Evilly cried.

  “Just don’t stop coming, Lori. I need you to help me get through this.”

  “I love you, Evilly. Remember that.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Chapter 1

  Chloe got into the car with Lori, and Lori stared straight ahead. Lori had been late to pick her up at her cottage, and she was never late.

  She could tell something was bothering Lori, as she was driving faster than usual.

  “What’s going on?” Chloe asked.

  “Nothing,” Lori said.

  “I heard Brooklyn is letting Forest and his band play at the Filling Station tomorrow night. Word is spreading quickly. I guess they have a big following. You’re working the bar, right?” she asked.

  “Yeah, so I guess it will be a busy night for me.”

  “That’s a good thing. You’re not still looking for another job, are you?” Chloe asked.

  “I think I work enough,” she said, sounding rather snappy.

  Chloe couldn’t take it any longer. She turned in her seat, pushed her ponytail behind her shoulder, and demanded information.

  “Okay? What the hell is wrong with you? You’re being a total bitch.”

  “What?” Lori asked, turning to look at her and then back to the road. “I’m not.”

  “You are. I get it. I know that for some reason Mateo and his brothers make you nervous, but it’s their dojo that offers the self-defense classes and kickboxing classes. Plus, they’re friends with Cesar and most of the men we know who are in law enforcement. Hell, their brother Leif, who is super freaking hot, is a cop in town. I don’t understand why you fear them so much.”

  “I don’t fear them,” she snapped again, looked at Chloe with a dirty expression and then looked back at the road. She gripped the steering wheel.

  “What is it? I mean you look freaking awesome. Your arms are all defined and toned, your legs, too, never mind those super abs. I’ve been at this longer and I still don’t have abs like yours,” Chloe stated.

  “I work out and do other things besides this dojo,” Lori replied.

  “I know you run. Bucky and Hobbs said they saw you running at five o’clock in the morning.”

  “I’m an early riser.”

  “You leave the bar at closing most nights at four in the morning.”

  “Sometimes I can’t sleep. Too wired, so I go running when I get off. Exercise relaxes me. It helps clear my head,” Lori explained.

  “Well then it’s a good thing we’re doing the kickboxing class today because something is on your mind ticking you off,” Chloe said and exhaled.

  Lori pulled into the parking spot and turned off the ignition.

  “I have some stuff on my mind. I’m sorry if I was bitchy. I need this workout today. A hard workout to get my brain to stop thinking.”

  Chloe reached over and touched her hand.

  “Anything I can help with? You know that me, and a lot of other people, have your back, don’t ya?” she asked.

  Lori nodded. “It’s just something personal I can’t talk about. I know you’re all here for me, and I appreciate that. Are you ready?”

  “I am if you are. My legs and ass may have a different response when the session is done,” Chloe said, and Lori chuckled.

  “You’ll be fine.”

  * * * *

  Marco had his eyes on Lori the entire workout session. A quick glance at his brother Kyran and he noticed Kyran did, too. She was fired up, almost angry as she worked out until she couldn’t punch the bag or lift her leg to kick it. He wondered what was up with her. He always did. Marco wanted to know why she barely said two words to him or his brothers and never made membership payments herself. Instead she got her friends or Chloe to do it. It was like she avoided them and any possibility of talking to them.

  Well, she had to talk to him now, as she lay on the mat spent and breathing heavily. He lowered to a squatting position, taking in the sight of her. Long, dirty-blonde hair, muscular arms, a firm, tight belly, she was in excellent physical condition. From the way she did these workouts, ran all the time, and even came to the self-defense classes, she could probably teach.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  She looked at him and lifted up to her elbows. Sweat dripped down her neck and into the deep cleavage of her breasts. Her tank top was a thin, see-through, white material that revealed more of her toned, perfect body. She was so damn sexy he could hardly control his body’s reaction.

  Her lips parted.

  “I’m fine. Just need a minute and then a long, cold drink,” she said.

  Her friend Chloe took that moment to come over and hand Lori a large water bottle. Marco moved away.

  * * * *

  “Here ya go, killer. I swear I don’t know where all that hostility comes from. You’re so sweet,” Chloe said, and Kyran squinted at her and wondered what she could have hostility toward. He knew very little about her
, and she definitely kept to herself.

  “No hostility, just enjoying a good workout,” she replied.

  She went to stand but then sat back down. When she attempted a second time, Kyran held out his hand for her to take. He pulled her right up, and the attraction he felt touching her hand and staring into her eyes seemed to have affected her, too. They locked gazes, and then her expression changed. She seemed pissed off, or maybe disgusted. She pulled away from him and turned toward Chloe.

  “You ready?” she asked. Chloe looked at Marco and Kyran, gave them sympathetic smiles like she knew they were attracted to Lori, but Lori wasn’t having anything to do with it.

  “Thank you. I’ll see you Thursday,” Chloe said to them.

  “How about you, Lori? When do you plan on coming next?” Kyran asked.

  “Friday morning. I am supposed to meet Antonia here with Damon,” Lori told him.

  “Damon is going to run that small class for us while we have the competitions going on in the big room,” Marco added to the conversation.

  “Competitions?” Chloe asked.

  “Yes, our dojo is one of many that holds the semifinal competitions for tae kwon do, jujitsu, sword fighting, kickboxing, and grappling,” Marco told them.

  “A lot of people attend, so if you are coming to that class Friday morning, get here a little earlier. There won’t be any parking out front,” Kyran said to Lori. She nodded and didn’t seem too interested in the event.

  “That will be the Filling Station parking lot Friday night. Hunter and his band are playing,” Chloe told them.