Dare to Succeed [The Dare Series 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “So tell me about how you got started doing the stained glass. Did someone teach you? Did you take classes?” Sianne asked.

  “I’m actually self-taught. I used to read about how stained glass windows and other things were made in Europe and centuries ago. It caught my interest and I would pick up books on them and then of course techniques in making stained glass art. I loved it and it just came natural to me.”

  “Well, I have to say that I love your work, too. I know a lot of people in Austin who own galleries. I was showing off your piece you did for my sons and they loved it. They’re very interested in seeing more pieces. Do you have a portfolio of some sort?”

  “I do. They really liked it?” Alicia asked and Max couldn’t help but smile. She was so shy, so humble about her abilities. She was simply glowing and he couldn’t help but think their lovemaking only an hour ago on the construction site and the fact he told her he loved her brought it on.

  “Wow, I’d never think we’d see the day,” Colonel, his father, whispered to him. His other dads, Walt and Brook, chuckled.

  “What’s that?” he asked and Monroe and Caldwell stared at their dads, too.

  “The three of you in love. Especially you, Max.”

  “Really?” Max asked and their dads chuckled.

  “Don’t get on the defensive. I’m only teasing. I can remember a certain young blonde who snagged my attention and brought out the kindness in me,” Colonel said and looked at his wife.

  “Yup. Softened him up. People started getting away with warnings instead of tickets,” Brook teased and they chuckled. Max took over as sheriff for Chance five years ago after an election. It had been anonymous and the town was thrilled with keeping the position in the family. He glanced at Alicia. He could keep his same personality with the public and as the sheriff of the town, but with Alicia, he was a different man. She brought out something in him he didn’t even recognize. It had to be love. Staring at her as everyone conversed around them, he couldn’t help but feel worried. He had a big responsibility. To this town, to the people, to his brothers, Alicia, and his family. Having Alicia made things different. He felt even more protective of those he loved, but he also wanted a bit of what he protected and witnessed in Chance. The love and connection of family, of children, and having a wife.

  “She’ll make a good wife, Max. You and your brothers be sure not to wait too long. As Sheriff of this town you’re in the spotlight. You’re a leader of how things should be done. Keep the traditions. Be strong and be honest, and everything will work out perfectly,” Colonel said and squeezed his son’s shoulder.

  He nodded his head. It seemed his brothers and he had some planning to do.

  Chapter 8

  Alicia was exhausted. She had been working on her stained glass artwork determined to have several dozen pieces on display for the store opening in another month. She left the men’s home late this morning after spending the night with them and talking about color schemes and how Monroe and Caldwell were negotiating with a large coffee and franchise place to get them interested in setting up shop in Alicia’s store. They were going all out for her and she loved them for it. Every time she thought about them she felt her heart lift with joy and her belly feel like butterflies were in it. They were so amazing and she wondered how she had gotten so lucky. Then of course their mom had those connections with galleries and it seemed they were interested in her work. She went from a nobody, struggling to make ends meet, to someone important, someone loved. She smiled as she adjusted her shoulder bag and walked up the stairs to her apartment above the garage.

  She couldn’t wait to shower and hit bed. She had been going on empty for days now and it was getting to her. One good night sleep and she should be good for the weekend.

  She turned the knob on her door and chastised herself for the dozenth time about locking her door. Max would be so pissed off at her. She felt her cheeks warm. He would give her a spanking. She liked those.

  As she entered the room she reached for the switch to turn on the lights. Nothing happened. Confused, and never having an issue before, she walked further into the room, dropping her bag and reaching for the lamp by the table. It didn’t work either. She realized too late that something was terribly wrong.

  She heard the click of the gun and turned around, gasping.

  She couldn’t breathe. Her chest hurt and she was so shocked she stepped backward. “Tony? What are you doing here?”

  “Tying up some loose ends, you little slut.” The strike to her jaw with the butt of the gun came so fast she couldn’t duck. She fell to the rug, holding her jaw, only for him to press the gun to her throat.

  “You stupid bitch. After all I did for you and you cheat on me with three men? Three?”

  “Tony, why are you here? You left me. You cheated on me,” she cried. He struck her again and she felt her lip split.

  “Get up. You’re coming with me.”

  “No. No, I’m not going anywhere.” He grabbed her by her hair. He was stronger than her, much bigger, and she had never seen him so irate. She had to do something. No one would know that Tony took her. She had to fight him.

  She tried pulling from his hold and he struck her again and again. She couldn’t focus. Her eye instantly swelled and her ribs felt so sore.

  “Get up and cooperate, or your boyfriends will suffer.”

  “What? How?” she asked, slowly getting up and knocking over the lamp. When someone came looking they would know there was trouble, a break-in, and they would send help. She had to be smart. Tony obviously lost his mind.

  He grabbed her hair and shoved her to the door. He held the gun to her side. She looked to the distance. Lights were still on at Dr. Anders’s place, but Lisa Marie was pregnant. She didn’t want her or the baby to get hurt. She couldn’t make a sound. They had children in the house. She had to cooperate and wait for a better opportunity.

  Tony shoved her into her car. “You drive,” he told her and she started the car, pulled out, hands shaking, eye so swollen she could hardly see between that and the tears rolling down her cheeks. She ached everywhere. As they headed out of the driveway, down the dirt road and to the main roadway, she felt the hand on her thigh moving under her skirt. She slowed the car down and kicked at his hands.

  “Don’t touch me.”

  He pressed the gun to her neck and eased against her. His fingers grazed her panties and she tried pressing her thighs together but he forced his hand between her legs. She cried out. “Don’t touch me. What do you want from me?”

  “What you’ve been giving up to those three dicks. We’re going to have some fun, Alicia. Now that I know you’re not so fragile and like a cock in every hole.”

  She gasped.

  He caressed her jaw then ran his hand down her blouse and over her breast.

  “I saw you fucking them.”

  She glared at him and then back at the road. “That’s right. On the construction site. Looks like you played them well. You getting your own store?”

  “Fuck you,” she spat at him. He chuckled and her anger grew.

  “I’ve got some papers for you to sign. Then you can go do whatever you want whoring your body out to three men. You know they don’t give a shit about you.”

  “They love me and I love them.” She raised her voice and he slammed her head so hard it hit the side of the window and she lost control of the car a moment. He grabbed the wheel.

  “Focus. We’ve got a short time to get this done.”

  She was crying, feeling dizzy and in pain as she tried to focus on the road.

  “What do you want?”

  “Your signature on some papers and…”

  She felt his hand ease between her legs again.

  “One last screw, and nothing is off limits. After all, I was your first. How did your men feel about that? Or didn’t you tell them the truth?”

  She stepped on the gas and began going faster. Hatred filled her gut and she wanted Tony dead, gone, and ou
t of her life. Things were perfect. Everything was going great and he was going to destroy it all. She wouldn’t let him touch her. She wouldn’t sign ay papers for him. She was done with him, with feeling this pain and being used.

  “Slow down before a cop sees you,” he yelled.

  “Are you afraid, Tony?” she asked and he wedged the gun against her throat. She slowed the car down.

  “I’m not afraid of anything. In fact, I’ll fuck you then kill you so you can never see your men again. How’s that for scared? Now drive. We’re limited on time. Usually those men are always with you. Their mistake and my good luck. Drive.”

  Alicia felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. She was shaking now. The fight within her was weakening. He had a gun. He would do like he said and rape her then kill her. She would never see Caldwell, Max, and Monroe again. Why had she ever fallen for his charms? Why?

  * * * *

  Max was in the office. It was getting late and he wished he could head home to Alicia, but she was stressing out and trying to get pieces ready for the shop when it opened. He smiled. They kept her occupied this afternoon when they all met for lunch at their place. An hour break had turned into two hours, and he was ready to say screw it and stay with her in bed. He talked to his brothers about how difficult it was leaving her at night. They were getting angry about not holding her in their arms in bed every night and about how more changes needed to be made, but she had so much going on. He didn’t want to overwhelm her by asking her to move in with them. They were with each other more often than not. In fact, tonight was the first time in weeks that one of them wasn’t with her. It gave him anxiety as he finished up his work and prepared to leave the office. Maybe he should stop by to make sure she was okay?

  He smiled to himself as his cell phone began to ring. It was Caldwell calling.

  “Hey, bro, what’s going on? How did the meeting go?”

  “It went great. We have awesome news for Alicia. Is she with you?”

  “No. I’m still in the office. I was just getting ready to leave.”

  “Her car isn’t by the side of the garage, and there aren’t any lights on in the apartment. Wait, Monroe is going up to check it out. So listen to this, we talked with the CEO of the company and he wants in. Thinks the location is great and sees the potential for growth and income. Plus, we worked it out so that Alicia gets paid for use of the building and the traffic. By the terms he placed on the table, she’ll be getting a nice monthly income that not only will pay her mortgage but also give her a nice nest egg for retirement. We’re going to hook her up with our financial guys next week. God, I can’t wait to tell her.”

  Max smiled. Alicia would be thrilled. His brothers were really looking out for her on the financial end. It made him feel more protective of her and like his responsibility would be protection, security, and love.

  “What?” Caldwell yelled.

  “What’s going on?” Max asked. He could hear the concern in Caldwell’s voice.

  “Shit, Max, Monroe said that the electricity is out in Alicia’s apartment. There’s things knocked over. He thinks someone broke in.”

  “What? I’m on my way. I’m calling it in. Don’t touch anything.”

  Max stood up and grabbed his keys. As he headed to the door he saw some of the deputies on break and a few others coming in and out.

  “Who’s out on Blanchard or in the vicinity?” he asked.

  “Deputy Taylor Dawn should be. What’s going on, Max?” Deputy Williams asked and he explained.

  “We’re on it. What do you need us to do?”

  “Keep me posted of any suspicious activity. Put out an APB on Alicia’s car.”

  He headed out of the building, his gut twisting and turning as he thought about what could be going on. He didn’t feel right and instantly he thought about Alicia’s ex-boyfriend and her brother. He called into the station.

  “I need you to also look up these individuals and find out where they are. Have the local police departments send someone to their residence to see if they’re home and to question them.”

  “Who are they, Max?” Williams asked.

  “Tony is Alicia’s ex-boyfriend and the other is her brother. Both are trouble and could have something to do with this. It’s the only lead I’ve got.”

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  Max got to Alicia’s to find two other deputies there already and Monroe and Caldwell looking very pissed off. He got out of the patrol truck.

  “What do you have, Taylor?” he asked the deputy.

  “Definitely suspicious. Looks like a struggle took place in the living room by the front door.”

  “We’ve got cut utility wires in the back,” Deputy Harris added as he came around the front with a flashlight.

  “Son of a bitch. Anyone could have her,” Monroe said.

  “I had Williams put out an APB on her vehicle and also find out where Tony and Alvin live and get some patrol units over to question them.”

  “You think her ex showed up or her brother and did this?” Caldwell asked.

  “I don’t know what’s going on but that’s all we have as possibilities right now. Nothing like this has ever happened in town before. No break-ins, no abductions by strangers. Well, except for the Marlena situation and that was resolved. So I have to cover all the bases I can think of right now, Caldwell.”

  “Fuck. What if it is him? What if her ex came here to take her back?” Monroe asked.

  “Then from the looks of the apartment she put up a fight,” Taylor said.

  The radio went off and Max answered.

  “Where?” he asked. “I’m on my way.”

  “Someone reported a speeding vehicle heading toward the construction site on the edge of town. They believe it was Alicia’s.”

  “Let’s go. We can get there in five minutes.”

  Caldwell and Monroe jumped into Max’s truck and the other deputies followed in their vehicles. He prayed that Alicia was okay and that they got to her in time. He didn’t know what her ex was capable of, but obviously he had been watching her and waiting for an opportunity. Why was he bringing her to the constructions site?

  * * * *

  Alicia headed into the construction area too fast. Tony yelled about slowing down and not being able to see. She didn’t care what happened to her, she wasn’t letting Tony touch her and make her sign papers. She turned the wheel, making a hard right, and didn’t see the debris in the way. The vehicle lifted and bumped up and down as she hit the brakes, spun out, and then crashed into the machinery. She felt her neck jerk hard and her forehead hit the steering wheel. Stunned, she smelled and saw through smoke coming from her car and glanced at Tony. He was holding the side of his head. The gun wasn’t in his hands. She tried opening the door and it wouldn’t budge. She started climbing out of the window. She needed to get as far away from Tony as she could.

  As she began descending toward the dirt she felt the hands on her legs and heard him yelling.

  “Not so fast. I’ve got you. You can’t get away from me.

  She kicked at him, heard the grunt, and then fell to her knees. She landed against the front tire and the debris cutting her side but she didn’t care. She needed to run. She headed toward the construction site and by the buildings. It was dark. So dark she couldn’t see a thing as she banged into something, knocking over tools or nails.

  “You can’t run, Alicia. I’m going to finish what I started,” he yelled at her and she was shaking with fear. Could he see her? She couldn’t see him. She reached out with her hands, her fingers hitting cold concrete and the openings of unfinished windows. She lowered down, thinking if she kept her back against the wall that she would see him coming if he charged. She continued to scoot around and could hear him getting closer.

  In the distance she heard the sirens and she knew they were coming. Somehow Max and the others knew she was in danger. She waited to make her move when the light came upon her. Tony held his cell phone at her with
one hand and the gun pointed at her with the other.

  “I win,” he said, and she took a deep breath and ran to the right.

  The construction site filled with lights and the sound of gunshots went off around her. She screamed and tried running through the buildings when she felt the sharp pain to her shoulder. She fell forward, hitting her face on the concrete and then feeling the hands on her, ripping her top and turning her over. She couldn’t move her arm as she tried fighting Tony off with one hand.

  He was striking her when suddenly another gunshot went off. Tony instantly stopped ripping her clothes and fell to the side. Men grabbed him, handcuffing him as flashlights illuminated her body and her face.

  “Jesus, baby. Oh God we need an ambulance. She’s been shot,” Caldwell yelled out. Him and Monroe looked at her and checked her over carefully.

  “That fucking bastard. Is he dead, Max? Did you kill that fucker for what he did to her?” Monroe yelled.

  “He’s alive. He’ll suffer every day for the rest of his life. I’ll make sure of it,” Max said as he looked at her.

  Alicia was shaking and crying. “How did you find me? How did you know something was wrong?” she asked as Monroe pulled off his shirt and applied pressure to the gunshot wound on her shoulder.

  “We were coming to tell you some good news. We couldn’t wait until tomorrow, baby,” Caldwell said and caressed the dirt from her cheeks.

  “Thank God we did. When we saw your apartment and realized someone broke in we were so scared. Max figured out it was your ex. What the hell happened?” Monroe asked her.

  “I hurt everywhere. My shoulder is throbbing,” she cried.

  * * * *

  Max felt sick.

  “We’ll talk about it later. The ambulance is here. You’re safe now, Alicia. We’ve got you,” Max told her as the paramedics moved them out of the way.

  Max watched in horror as their friends tended to her injuries. Her clothes were ripped. Her ex abducted her, beat her, shot her, and tried to rape her. He felt sick, angry, and he wanted answers.