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  Cherry Hill 14: Some Kind of Wonderful C.C. is taking care of her cousin Elsie and Elsie's son, Aiden. She has a lot on her plate and has given up on true happiness and love. That some kind of wonderful that many of her friends have found, but not her. Getting involved with four soldiers isn't logical or smart, especially after nearly becoming a victim of a gang rape by her ex-boyfriend and his fellow soldier friends. Trust issues galore, a debt owed to the man who saved her cousins' life, and all that lays in her future is work, work, work.

  However, Birdie, Freddie, Conan, and Axel, all soldiers, all hardcore men, trying to adapt to civilian life and finally settle down, aren't taking no for an answer. C.C.'s kisses are too sweet, her femininity and personality too hard to resist, and they want it all with her. When they finally break those walls down, the man she owes a debt to reveals his true intentions, and now C.C. feels forced to comply in order to save her lovers as well as Elsie and Aiden.

  Genres: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Romantic Suspense Length: 42,628

  CHERRY HILL 14:

  SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

  Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  Cherry Hill 14: Some Kind of Wonderful Copyright © 2019 by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  ISBN: 978-1-64243-849-9

  First Publication: June 2019

  Cover design by Les Byerley All art and logo copyright © 2019 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.

  W A RNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

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  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  For all titles by Dixie Lynn Dwyer, please visit www.bookstrand.com/dixie-lynn-dwyer

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  CHERRY HILL 14:

  SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Epilogue

  CHERRY HILL 14:

  SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

  DIXIE LYNN DWYER

  Copyright © 2019

  Prologue

  C .C. Myer was exhausted. It had been a long night at Harper’s. The last month had brought on extra hours since Cherise was in the hospital, and it didn’t look like Ivy would be coming back any time soon. Harper was hiring a few more waitresses and asked C.C. if she knew how to bartend. Boy did C.C. know how to bartend. Her ex-boyfriend and his family owned one of the biggest bars in Texas. In fact, they owned multiple. She sighed as she unlocked the door and walked inside. That life was behind her and so was Bennet. She swallowed hard, and wondered why it still hurt to think about him. He was older, set in his ways, and military. When he came back from serving he was different. On a path of destruction just like her cousin Elsie’s boyfriend, Dylan, except Bennet wanted to share her with his friends. Elsie’s boyfriend wanted to kill Elsie. Now that was a mess in a half. C.C. could have wound up in just as bad of shape as her cousin did, but she didn’t. She got out. Then she was forced to do the unthinkable.

  She quietly closed the door and noticed that the lamp was on in the living room. The place was small and a three bedroom, but the third bedroom was tiny but had enough room for the toddler bed. Aiden was getting bigger and bigger every day, and soon he would be starting kindergarten. Having lived in Cherry Hill now, right on the border, she was glad to be sending him to one of the small schools in the district. He needed special care, and getting him to leave his mamma’s side was going to be a process in itself.

  She worked out the schedule already. How she would get him to the school, and then pick him up before she needed to get to Harper’s for work. She also started talking to Molly, one of the owners at the Cherry Hill café, and she said she could put her down for subbing in during the week. It would be tough, but she could do it. She wanted to save more money. Her cousin’s medical bills were going to be around longer if she didn’t start paying more.

  She placed her backpack down and then thought about the money she was making and saving. She would get them out of debt soon enough. Would have those hospital bills that Cobus paid off for them paid back to Cobus in no time. She opened the refrigerator door and saw all the fruits, yogurts, and other things. A full refrigerator, finally. Only took the better part of two years. She felt hungry, but she was used to that feeling. She didn’t need to ration things out. No, they were past that. Aiden was her responsibility. Even though Elsie was doing much better, she was still unable to walk correctly, and was in a lot of pain. Her physical therapy was decent, but like everything else money bought better things, and that included better rehabilitation care.

  Dylan was a big man, and a capable soldier. His violent behavior got worse and worse, and she wished her cousin or even Aiden had confided in C.C. about the abuse, and the man’s promiscuity with other women. She gulped down the lump of emotions, remembering that day so clearly, yet not wanting to think about it, or how she found Elsie being strangled to death, and Aiden begging his father to stop as Dylan struck Aiden, knocking him out cold. She closed her eyes and felt the shiver run along her spine.

  Dylan had shot Elsie. The damage to her spine was permanent, and the doctors hadn’t been sure of whether or not Elsie would even walk again. That lousy bastard. How could he do that to his woman and his own son? She closed her eyes and willed the tears away. The flashbacks came back instantly. Dylan shot at C.C. as she entered the house. She jumped to the rug, army crawled along the inside part, and then quickly came behind him as he headed the other way, thinking she would cower and just lay there so he could kill her. She jumped up, tackled him down low around his knees, making him fall and lose his grip on the gun. She kept hitting him and slamming her fists against him before he threw her off of him. She was short, petite, and no match for a man his size, but as she grabbed the gun and he started punching her in the back, in the ribs, and then turned her over, and struck her, she pulled the trigger. He was shocked, and paused a moment but then grabbed her by her throat. The blood oozed from his chest, and she was so scared and couldn’t breathe. She thought she would die there, by this madman’s hands. Another man using his size and strength to control her and force her to do what he wanted. No. She pulled the trigger until he released her neck, and until the gun was empty.

  She was shaking now, tears spilled from her eyes, and she quickly used the back of her hand to wipe them. She hated this. Hated when she was so exhausted she had these flashbacks and, worse, had nightmares that gave her very little sleep. She turned off the light and headed down the small hallway. She glanced into Aiden’s room. The turtle nightlight illuminated the room in a light green glow. She tiptoed in. He was snoring and out cold in his Spider-Man pajamas. She smiled. She loved him like he was her own son. She lifted the teddy bear that lay facedown on the dresser by his bed so that when he awoke in the morning he would know she�
�d gotten in safely. She swallowed hard. The counseling worked well for him. She would need to make sure that the counselor in the elementary school and kindergarten section was well aware of the danger he had been in and how he handled what he saw. In a way it was good that he was still unconscious when C.C. fought off his father and then killed him. She wouldn’t have wanted Aiden to see that.

  She then walked by her sister’s room. Saw that the light was on low, her sister lying up in bed. “Hey, it’s late. What are you doing up? You need something?” C.C. asked. She could see the exhaustion in her sister’s eyes, and the sadness.

  “I had some pain. I didn’t want to take the painkillers because Aiden might need me,” she said, and C.C. could tell her sister was suffering.

  She opened the prescription bottle and then grabbed the glass of water by the bedside table. “Take them now. I’m home. I’ll leave my door open.”

  “You work so much and have been so tired. I don’t want to need them.”

  “That’s out of your control, and especially after physical therapy. You’re always sore that night and the next day. Take them, Elsie. I’m here now,” she said, and Elsie nodded and gave her a small smile but with tears in her eyes. Her cousin felt so worthless and was discouraged by her physical handicap. C.C. didn’t want to remind her about how close Elsie had come to dying and even being paralyzed. It had been a damn miracle, and with the top doctor in the hospital in Dallas. That was why C.C. was still paying the bill. The best cost the most, but her cousin was alive, and walking with a cane. She would get better.

  C.C. helped her cousin get comfortable and then gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Light on or off?” she asked.

  “On is fine. I’ll make sure Aiden is quiet in the morning.”

  “No worries. I don’t need more than four hours. Talk to you later.” She headed out of her room and right to the shower. As she undressed she felt the exhaustion hitting her. When she stepped underneath the spray of water and hung her head, the tears filled her eyes and she cried. Her birthday was coming up. Twenty-three years old. Where had time gone? Why did life have to be so hard, so rough? She instantly thought about Aiden. She exhaled, rinsed off, then turned off the shower. She would do anything for that baby. Anything to ensure he had a safe and happy life with no more danger ever again.

  Chapter 1

  “Holy shit! You’re alive, and well, mostly in one piece. Jesus,” Birdie said as his cousin Axel stepped off the commuter bus in Benter. He drew him in for a hug, and Axel grunted. “Shit, sorry, bro. How was the trip?”

  “Sucked,” he mumbled, looking exhausted, and beaten up. He had a bruised cheekbone, a black eye, his arm in a sling.

  “Well, no need to worry. We got a room for you on the ranch, and you’re going to love Cherry Hill. We weren’t too sure about it when Rome informed us about things, but then since we came here over two months ago, and started getting used to retirement, it’s been amazing. We’re rested up, working at the MMA gym with the guys, also doing some construction work and volunteer work locally. It’s a good life. You’ll see.”

  “Not sure about that, but I’m here and didn’t have any place else to go.”

  “We’re family. Of course this would be the place to go. The whole team together again the way it’s supposed to be. Come on. I’ll show you a little bit of Benter, but Cherry Hill is the best.” He took his bag and then brought it over to the truck and placed it into the back seat. His cousin grunted as he gripped the hand rest and pulled himself up into the truck seat. He was just as big as Birdie. Six feet four, big muscles, wide shoulders, and tattoos along his chest and arms. No more military haircut. No, his hair was longer and tied back at his neck. His beard was full, and those dark blue eyes looked hard and on guard like the rest of him appearing battered and bruised up, but still ready to defend. A true badass Marine and then some.

  They headed out, and Birdie was relieved his cousin was finally out of the danger zone.

  “How are Freddie and Conan?”

  “They’re doing well. Running the late class, but then they’ll be back home. They can’t wait to see you and help you get adjusted,” Birdie told him.

  “I’m not really up for socializing and shit. Maybe just something to eat, a shower, then bed for a few weeks,” he said as he closed his eyes.

  Birdie snorted. “Know that feeling. Whatever you want. You’ll love your room. It’s new, and part of the addition to the house we started working on. You’ll need to share the bathroom with Conan for a few more weeks, but then you’ll have your own.”

  “It sounds like heaven. I never even had my own bedroom, never mind bathroom. You know that, Birdie.”

  “Yes I do, and I remember the old house in Fort Worth. We were just kids when we got the hell out of there and enlisted.”

  “They only took us because of our sizes, our shooting capabilities, and our muscles.”

  “Muscles? You were a bit scrawny.” Birdie teased.

  “Me? I had ten pounds on you and was a black belt.”

  “Ten pounds my ass, and I was a black belt, too,” he said, and Axel snickered.

  “I was always better at sparring than you, cousin.”

  “Well, when you’re all healed up I’ll clear those imaginary thoughts from your head and prove you’re wrong on the mats.”

  “Yeah? Okay, big shot, or should I say big bird, since that’s really why we called you Birdie.”

  “You’re so full of shit. Jesus, don’t even joke around about that or people will think that’s true.”

  Now Axel laughed a little louder and then grunted, and held his side. “Fuck.” Axel cursed, he squinted his deep blue eyes.

  “I get the feeling you didn’t divulge all of your injuries to us.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Hmm, well, rest up. Your chauffeur will have you at the estate in twenty minutes.”

  “Estate, huh, and chauffeur? Not our style at all.”

  “Don’t get your hopes up. The ranch isn’t an estate. It’s a fixer upper, and only because the guys wanted to rebuild it, expand it, and make it into the type of ranch we all can be proud of. As soon as you’re better, you can pick up a hammer and start pitching in.”

  “I’ll get there, don’t you worry. No freeloading for this Marine.”

  “Like we’d let ya?”

  “No, and especially not Conan. Cousin or not, him and I tend to bash heads about him thinking he’s in command. He giving orders all the time and taking charge still?”

  “What do you think?”

  “Ah hell, I may regret moving in with all y’all after all.”

  Birdie chuckled, and he was relieved that his cousin was in one piece and retired from the service. Now they could finally all settle down and maybe start working on obtaining the things their friends had. Like a woman to call their own, and a family to take care of the right way.

  C.C. felt the bed dip, and then Aiden snuggle up against her. She was so tired, but she rolled over and saw him holding onto his teddy bear and his blanket. She pulled him closer and he snuggled up. “I won’t wake you,” he said.

  “It’s okay. Rest,” she said and then fell back to sleep.

  It felt like only minutes had passed when she awoke again to the sound of a loud noise and things falling. She threw back the covers, jumped up, and ran toward the hallway. Aiden was crying. Elsie was yelling about her inability to make breakfast. C.C. saw the pan on the kitchen floor along with the whole carton of eggs. All smashed.

  “It’s okay. What are you doing anyway? It’s nearly noontime,” C.C. asked as she walked over to grab paper towels and to start cleaning up.