Finding Happiness Read online

  Molly reached out and squeezed her hand. “That’s a blessing, and it will help her get through the pain that man caused her. My sons are pretty damn special. They’ve never shown any interest in any woman, and they are resourceful. With Manderine and Aldreck working in law enforcement and around town or nearby, she’ll be extra protected. Plus my men, the sheriff, and other men in Cherry Hill will be made aware of the danger,” Molly added.

  Bridget smiled and nodded her head. “When we tell her, she’s going to be worried about May. I don’t know what she’ll want to do.”

  “Well, she can’t go there.”

  “No, she definitely can’t, and May’s sons are on edge, taking extra precautions in case Connor shows up.”

  “Well, May has guns, and she knows how to use them. A Marine’s wife and all,” Molly said and winked.

  “So, honestly, you think they’re good for her? Think they’ll treat her right, take care of her, and help her heal fully?” Bridget asked her best friend.

  “My sons have never even looked at a woman like they look at Autumn. I could tell that first day when Aldreck introduced himself to her. There was something there. They were staring at one another. Manderine and Flex don’t smile, are always hardcore, but gentle and caring. Aldreck set his eyes on her the moment she drove into town, and it hit him hard. Hill focuses on work and can be pretty demanding, but they know how to treat a woman right. They’re older, more seasoned in a lot of ways, and obviously they already love her.”

  “Love her?” Bridget asked, and Molly nodded toward the door as it opened and the bell chimed. Hill and Flex walked in, their gazes locked on Autumn and hers on them, and the three of them smiled as she went running toward them, accepting kisses and hugs from them in front of the café filled with people. They would protect her. She was safe in Cherry Hill. Safe from Connor Row.

  “What are you guys doing here? I thought you had a meeting with the sheriff or something with work?” she asked and then got them sweet teas.

  “We do, in about twenty minutes. Figured we would stop in here say hello, sneak a few kisses,” Hill teased her.

  She chuckled. “Hmmm, I don’t think we should do that. I’m already getting enough attention with word spreading that you’re my guardians, and that you and your brothers belong to me,” she said, pointed to herself, and then winked before she turned around to deliver some food that came up. When she passed by with the plates of food, both men were trying to hide their smirks. They were definitely tough shells to crack. They didn’t smile much, but it seemed she had a knack for making them smile. She went about delivering food and taking orders, noticing Bridget and Molly earlier talking kind of serious, but now they were smiling and making their way over to Hill and Flex. She walked back over as the conversation continued.

  “I think we’re the lucky ones to have snagged this gorgeous, sweet woman right here,” Hill said, sliding his arm around Autumn’s waist and pulling her between him and Flex. She hugged his shoulder, and reached out to Flex and squeezed his hand.

  She felt Hill’s palm slide a little lower toward her ass, and she quickly sidestepped and gave him a tap. “You watch it. Isn’t it time for that meeting?” she asked.

  He chuckled drank the rest of his sweet tea and then stood up.

  “Later.”

  They all said good-bye, and Autumn watched them leave. She was smiling, when she got a funny feeling in her gut. It must have shown on her face because both Molly and Bridget looked concerned.

  “You okay?” Bridget asked her.

  She swallowed. “Just got a bad feeling that’s all.”

  “Bad feeling why? You three looked super happy,” Molly said to her.

  She looked at them. “I don’t think I’ve ever really known what being or feeling happy was like until now. Kind of feel like something will go wrong. Just a little bit of the ghosts, I guess.” She forced a smile. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry,” she said, but both women looked upset. That gut feeling came back, but before she could ask the bell rang, indicating more orders were up and ready to be delivered.

  As she went to get the next table’s food, Candice came over and placed the ticket onto the order ring for the guys to start working on. “So, does this mean you won’t be able to hang out with us Wednesday after work and go shopping? Because I really need a good outfit for the summer concert Friday evening,” Candice asked and winked at her.

  “I’m sure I can go shopping with you ladies. Where to?”

  “Just to Central Valley, the town over. They have bigger stores and this boutique that has different things in it. I would hate to show up for the summer concert wearing the same outfit as some other woman.”

  “God forbid,” Autumn said sarcastically, and Candice chuckled. So did autumn. “I’m only teasing. That would definitely be a fashion nightmare. I’ll let the guys know. Will we leave from here?”

  “We can. Might smell like food, but who cares.”

  Autumn agreed and then went about delivering the orders.

  “I don’t like it. He will definitely go there looking for her. How the fuck can this guy get away with this?” Hill asked. They were all in the sheriff’s department meeting room—him, his brothers, Bridget’s men, Shay, Ken, and Brady—and they were all concerned.

  “He hasn’t done anything illegal. Yet,” Kane said to them.

  “He looked up the woman’s information in the computer,” Aldreck said.

  “And if it is pointed out by anyone, then he will know that May knows where she is. That whoever reacts will alert him to her location,” Flex said.

  “Shit, so we can’t do a thing but wait and be prepared,” Hill said.

  “Exactly. His next move will be to look for other relatives through the system or to take a trip to Pennsylvania and see for himself that Autumn isn’t there,” Shay said.

  “But what if he tries to hurt May or demands information?” Manderine asked.

  “May is tough. Her husband was a Marine who died of a heart attack just a couple of years back. Her sons are all tough men. Two are law enforcement. They’re aware of the situation and are all taking precautions. We can’t do much,” Ken, Shay’s brother, added.

  “Autumn will be upset when she hears about this,” Hill said to them.

  “She will be, but we’ll all reiterate the importance of being vigilant and aware, and that May has protection, too. You four provide that guardianship, that protection your way, and she’ll feel safe and trust your judgment and ours,” Kane sad to them. They all agreed, and the only thing they could do was to wait to see what Connor’s next move was. He wouldn’t be breaking any laws going on a trip to Pennsylvania. Hill recalled the conversation Manderine had with them about his talk with Autumn the other morning. She was hurting inside, dealing with a pain and an abuse she needed to put behind her, and they could help her do that. He loved her already, and knowing that Connor was seeking her out, searching to get her back, made him more determined to keep her close, and prove to her that their love was real, and her pain was over forever.

  Autumn couldn’t help the tears that flowed. She was instantly worried about Aunt May, but they all explained what was going on. They told her everything that they knew.

  “So her sons will protect her then? They’ll make sure that Connor can’t hurt her?” she asked.

  “Yes, they’re on board. Now Shay believes that there’s some kind of investigation going on by the feds with that department. Some kind of corruption,” Flex said to her.

  “So are they looking into Connor? Do they know about the illegal things he does?” she asked.

  “What illegal things?” Flex asked. She swallowed hard and wrung her fingers together as she paced a little in their living room. They were going to make dinner together, and she would spend the night like she had been the last several evenings.

  “Autumn, what do you know?” Hill asked her. She thought about Connor’s threats to her. How she blocked out listening to him making deals, taking
bribes for things. It started out with free meals at dinners, concert tickets, some trips with friends for the weekend to Vegas. She didn’t ask, and she tried not to pay attention. If she heard what he said he would threaten her and not just with words. She was shaking when Manderine touched her hip. She gasped and turned to look up at him. He had a scowl on his face.

  “You know something about this, don’t you?” She stared up at him. She couldn’t help but to remember the hits, the threats, and the pain. She closed her eyes, and he caressed her arms. “You can tell us. It could help with stopping him from ever bothering you again,” he said to her.

  “Goddamn it, Autumn, he wants you back. You tell us right now what you know so we can protect you,” Flex said in a hard tone.

  “Easy brother,” Aldreck said, and she looked at Flex.

  “You’re scared of him still. Despite us making love, claiming you, claiming guardianship of you, and knowing how safe you are in our arms, in our presence,” Flex said and stood up.

  “I’m trying, Flex,” she said and her voice cracked.

  “God damn it.” Flex stepped closer and pulled her into his arms and hugged her. He ran his hands along her back and squeezed her to him.

  “I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at him, and I don’t want him near you. Don’t want him having control over you in any way.”

  “It’s not control. It’s me trying to unlearn behavior enforced upon me by violence and abuse. His threats were not just verbal, Flex. If he thought I overheard something, or thought I knew information, then he made sure I would never tell a soul. He was big, and capable,” she told him.

  Flex pulled back. He had his hands against her shoulders and neck. “I understand you still fear him, and the things he said and did to get you to comply, but what you need to do now is to trust us, to trust your gut, your instincts, because we have your back. We aren’t going anywhere, Autumn. We love you. Do you realize that?” he asked. She shook her head.

  “We do, sweetie, with all our hearts,” Hill said, and then they all gathered around her, placed hands on her.

  The tears rolled down her cheeks. “I love you guys, too. You’re part of me. You’re the reason why I can even talk about things, can express the fears.”

  “Then talk to us now. It could truly help,” Manderine said.

  “Okay, but could I get a few kisses first?” she asked, and boy did they kiss her, and pretty thoroughly, before Flex picked her up and sat down on the couch, and she told them anything she could remember about Connor’s illegal dealings.

  “No,” Hill said with his hands on his hips.

  “What? Why not? It’s with Candice and Leeann. It’s right in Central Valley,” she said to him after telling them about her plans for after work this week.

  “It’s the worst possible day. We all are working. Flex and I will be out of town for a meeting on another security event next month.”

  “Aldreck and I are working. Maybe we could do a drive-by through town. It isn’t like I don’t do that already when on patrol. It’s a little break from the highway,” Manderine said to them.

  “See, it will be fine, and Leeann and Candice said that Central Valley is a lot like Cherry Hill.”

  “Not exactly. It’s three times the size,” Hill said and he started to lift her top up over her head. They were getting ready to make love.”

  She ran her palms up Hill’s bare chest as Flex unzipped her skirt and pushed off her skirt and panties while he kissed her back. Aldreck tapped a tube of lube in his hand. “Let’s talk about it tomorrow,” he said and that was it. The conversation was over as her bra was removed. Hill lowered to the rug by the edge of the bed as Flex placed her onto the edge, and he and Manderine spread her thighs wide.

  “Dessert wet and ready, I see,” Hill said and lowered his mouth to her cunt as Aldreck slid onto his belly and kissed her. She closed her eyes and absorbed the way they made her feel. How their touches, their licks and suckles drove her wild with need, and how much she loved them.

  “Please, Hill.” Se moaned when Aldreck released her lips. She gasped when she felt Hill’s tongue slide back and forth over her pussy and ass, and then screeched as both Manderine and Flex tugged on her nipples hard.

  “Bottom,” Flex said and then all hands and mouths stopped. Flex lifted her up onto his body, and as he wiggled to the edge of the bed, he pulled her down for a kiss and widened his thighs, causing hers to go wide. A finger to her asshole full of lube, and she moaned into his mouth. She rocked her hips, and Flex released her lips. “Take me, baby. Baby, take me now,” he said and she lifted up, feeling as desperate as he sounded. She lowered her cunt over his thick, hard cock. All while Hill slid fingers of lube to her asshole, and Manderine and Aldreck took her hands and placed them on their cocks. They were together on the bed. She moaned when they released her hands only for Aldreck to pull her down so she could suck his cock. She did immediately, craving it, wanting to feel that ultimate fullness and connection. A moment later, with heavy breathing all around her, Hill slid his cock into her asshole, and they all moaned.

  “Rock those hips, woman. Fuck my brothers good. Feel those thick hard cocks claiming every fucking hole.”

  “Fuck, I’m there. I’m fucking there.” Hill roared and came in her ass.

  “Move the fuck over. I’m coming in that ass,” Aldreck said, and she gasped as Aldreck pulled from her mouth and a moment later took Hill’s place and slid right into her well-lubricated ass. She was on fire. Felt so wet and wild as Flex thrust his hips upward so hard that as Aldreck thrust into her asshole she gasped and lost her breath. They were relentless in their strokes, and finally Aldreck came and Flex followed.

  “Mine!” Manderine grunted, and as they pulled from her body, Manderine wrapped her up tight, placed her back on all fours, and shoved into her cunt from behind. As he thrust and thrust she gripped the comforter, hung her head, and felt her asshole spasm with need. When he slid a finger into her asshole with one hand and gripped her hip with the other, she started moaning louder.

  “More,” she exclaimed.

  “Fuck yeah,” Manderine said and pulled his finger from her asshole and smacked her ass cheeks consecutively, stinging her flesh and then kneading the sting away. “I love spanking this ass while I’m fucking this pussy. You know what I love even more? Do you, Autumn?” he asked.

  “No. Oh God, Manderine, I’m so wet,” She said and he pulled out of her cunt and then slid his cock into her asshole. “I love fucking this ass and spanking it. Fuck!” He spanked her ass as he thrust into it and then came with a roar. He was shaking behind her. And then he pulled out and hugged her so tight she felt her like she was part of him. “I love you, Autumn. Love you so damn much.”

  “I love you, too. I love all of you.”

  May heard the car pull up along her driveway. Immediately she pulled out her cell phone and grabbed her husband’s Glock. She placed it into her hooded sweatshirt as the tall, good-looking guy got out of the car. He stretched out a bit as if he were driving for some time, and then looked around the place. “I think Connor is here. I’m going to handle it like we discussed.”

  “Mom, be careful. I’ll drive up.”

  “No, if he sees you, then he’ll know we know where she is. I’m prepared.”

  “Shit,” her son said, and then she kept it on speaker so he could hear.

  As he approached the front steps, she opened the top part of the window. “Can I help you?” she asked.

  “Oh, yes, ma’am. The name is Connor Row. I’m looking for Autumn McCainely.”