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She knew someone was after her, and she hadn’t even installed new locks on her doors. What the hell was she thinking?
The Dom in Dex took firm control. He’d been gentle with Hannah. He and Slade had intended to introduce her slowly to submission. But when she allowed herself to be in danger?
Slow was no longer an option. Hannah needed a firm hand now and was going to get a quick lesson in obeying her Masters.
He stomped into her bedroom and yanked a ragged suitcase from her closet. He tossed in a couple of pairs of jeans and shirts, a bathrobe, some socks, and a pair of sneakers. Dex pushed the bathroom door open and shoved her toiletries into the front pocket before striding back out.
Her eBook reader was sitting on the nightstand. He grabbed it, then opened the top drawer of her dresser. There was a mass of pretty, frilly panties in every color imaginable. Dex shut that sucker fast, gritting his teeth. The one thing Hannah wasn’t going to need for the foreseeable future was underwear. In fact, she’d never need them again if he had his way.
He turned to leave, but paused when he heard a faint little whine. A single, small sound, like a baby sighing. Dex went to the window and opened it. There was that huge tree he’d noticed earlier right outside her bedroom window. The mighty live oak that gave easy access to her window, just as he’d suspected.
This was where the shitbag stalking Hannah sat. The branches were thick and would easily hold a man’s weight. The foliage was dense. A stalker could hide here, and she wouldn’t know.
The thought made Dex violent.
Rawwwwr.
Dex dropped the suitcase as he caught a glimpse of orange fur. Mr. Snuggles. Damn.
Hannah’s cat was stuck in the tree. Dex opened the window and leaned out, searching for the cat’s hiding place. He found her clinging to a high branch. Dex sighed as he realized her fur was covered in blood.
Maybe Mr. Snuggles had gotten into a cat fight, which would be perfectly normal. But upon closer inspection, Dex didn’t think so. Someone had tried to hurt the cat, and now she was clinging to life. And probably very terrified.
Dex sighed. He wished he hadn’t taken off his suit coat.
He reached out for the nearest branch and hauled himself up. The cat hissed, but he moved in anyway.
Damn, the things he did for love.
Chapter Three
Gavin was surprised at just how nervous he was when Hannah walked into his office, notepad in hand. She didn’t dress like an executive secretary. Ms. Rogers, his former assistant, had never worn her dark hair in anything less than a professional twist or bun. Her perfectly tailored business suits had shown off her trim figure, which she’d probably spent most of her off time honing. She would have been at home on the cover of a magazine. He could have kept ice frozen on her ass, too.
By comparison, Hannah wore a too-big skirt that couldn’t conceal the erotic flare of her hips and a shapeless blouse that hid even less. Hannah had gorgeous breasts. She wore very little makeup, and her honey blonde hair fell in pretty, loose curls. She was lovely, but never flashy.
Why did his damn heart pound when she walked in the room?
“Hi, Slade. Mr. James. You wanted to see me?” Hannah asked with her sweet West Texas twang.
Thankfully, Slade could at least say words when Hannah was around since Gavin felt incapable at the moment. Slade rushed from his seat to show Hannah to hers. Naturally, it was right next to Slade’s, so close their knees would almost touch, and Gavin was stuck behind his mammoth desk. Alone.
It was where he belonged, anyway.
“Have a seat, love,” Slade said with a smile.
She didn’t seem to mind the endearment. “Thank you. ”
She smiled up at Slade. Gavin forced himself not to move. Every instinct told him to get out from behind the damn desk and join them. Hell, he could pick Hannah up and settle her on his lap, and they could conduct this little meeting with his cock pressed against her ass. Maybe then she would start calling him Gavin. Although having her call him Mr. James in that so-sweet Southern way of hers as he rammed his cock up her pussy would be a turn-on, too.
Fuck. He had way more in common with his brothers than he would ever admit. Shifting in his seat because his cock was at full mast, he settled for what he hoped looked like paternal concern. “Hannah, we need to talk about something. ”
Her spine straightened, and she held her pen at the ready. “Yes, sir. ” Sir. That would be a good thing for her to call him as he forced her down on his cock. Or she could call him nothing at all, unable to talk because she was so overcome with pleasure.
Or she could be silent because she killed herself after you neglected her. Yeah, that’s more realistic.
“Are you all right, Mr. James?” Hannah sat forward, her eyes wide with worry.
Gavin forced the thoughts from his head. He wasn’t going to act on them. Hannah deserved far better than him. He briefly considered staying behind. Slade and Dex could handle her in Alaska. But if Dex left with Slade now, Gavin knew the chance that he’d ever repair the relationship with his brother would be slim. Damn.
“I’m fine, Hannah. But I do have a problem you can help with. ” Her smile practically lit up the room. “Of course. ”
Slade took over, his eyes bright with affection as he looked at Hannah. “We need you to come with us on a little business trip and play our girl Friday. ” She put the notepad down and turned to Slade, delight plain on her face. She really did have a connection to Slade. Though they weren’t touching, Gavin couldn’t miss the attraction that connected them like an invisible thread. “Are we going to Houston? I’ve never been. ” They had an office in Houston, near their refinery. It was a good bet that if they were going on a trip, it would be there. But that wasn’t far enough away from Dallas and Hannah’s stalker for Gavin’s peace of mind. “No. We’re going to our facility in River Run. ” She turned to him. “Alaska?”
Slade was on the edge of his seat. “Yes. It’s beautiful, Hannah. We have a house there with plenty of rooms. The view is incredible. I have to do some work up there, but I think we can find the time to show you around. ”
She bit her bottom lip. “How long would we be gone?”
Slade’s gaze found Gavin’s. They hadn’t actually discussed that. In the hours since finding the photos, they’d made a lot of plans. They had canceled the board meeting. They had called private investigators Burke and Cole Lenox. The former Navy SEALs were already talking to Black Oak security about getting the keycard logs and security footage for the last twenty-four hours. Slade had made the arrangements to open the house in River Run and had the corporate jet fueled. Not once had they discussed how long they’d be gone. There had been an unspoken agreement that they would be gone for as long as it took.
“A few days,” Gavin said with the smooth tones of a man who knew how to massage the truth. “You should be home on Sunday night at the latest. ”
Once they had her in Alaska and Burke had useful information, they could admit to Hannah why they’d really spirited her away. Until then, he didn’t want her to worry.
She shook her head, blonde hair swinging. “I am so sorry. I can’t be gone that long. I have a bunch of obligations. I’m supposed to have someone over this evening. My laptop is giving me hell. ”
“I’ll have IT give you a new one. ” Gavin could solve that problem easily.
“I don’t want a new one. I’m used to this one. Lyle said he can fix it, but he’s only free tonight. And I’m supposed to go home this weekend to see my grandma. I’ll tell Wendy to get ready. She would love to go. ”
Gavin didn’t like to think about Hannah driving all the way to West Texas in her beat-up Chevy. That car was on its last leg, and most of the road between Dallas and Two Trees consisted of mile after mile of nothing. If she broke down—and the way her car sputtered, that was almost a given—she would be all alone. And it would be easy for her stalker to follow h
er and possibly drive her off the road.
Gavin’s blood pressure rose with each potential hazard he imagined.
“We don’t need Wendy,” Slade insisted. “We need you. ”
She shook that off with a wave of her hand. “Trust me, Wendy has ten years’ seniority on me. She’ll be great. And she loves to travel. I’ll give her a call. How long does she have before the plane leaves? She’ll want to pack a bag. ”
“Hannah. ” Gavin tried to hold his temper in check. “The plane leaves in less than an hour.
We’ve already placed your name on the passenger list with the FAA. And don’t worry about packing a bag. We’ve taken care of everything. ”
Slade’s hand came out to cover hers. “It’s going to be fine. Your grandmother will understand. You can call her when we get there. ”
Hannah pulled back. “I can’t just up and leave. ”
Gavin forced a placid smile on his face. “It’s going to be all right. Let’s talk about your other responsibilities, and we’ll make sure they’re handled. ”
The door to his office came open with a crash. Gavin looked up, ready to yell at the intruder.
“Dex?” Slade stood, staring with his mouth open. “Dude, what the hell happened to you?” Dex was carrying a battered pink suitcase, but that was the most normal thing about him. His dress shirt was shredded and his arms covered in scratches, as though he’d gotten into a fight with a chipper-shredder and taken the worst end of it.
Hannah stood, and her notepad fell to the floor. “Oh, my…Dex, you’re hurt! We need to clean you up. Do you need to go to a hospital?” She frowned. “Is that my suitcase?” Dex set the luggage down and turned to Hannah, his dark eyes laser-focused on his target.
“Maybe a mental hospital, darlin’. As for the damages, well, let’s say I got into a little tussle with your pussy. I discovered that it has claws, rather like her owner. But I won’t make the same mistake twice. ”
“You found my cat?” Hannah’s voice was a hopeful whisper.
“Found, fought with, and saved,” Dex confirmed. “She’s at the vet being taken care of. Now it’s time for round two. ”
Dex strode up to Hannah and didn’t hesitate. He bent and shoved his shoulder in her midsection, his bulky arm curling behind her knees. She was over his shoulder in an instant. Her blonde head came up, and she looked at Gavin.
“This isn’t company protocol, Mr. James. ” She said it so primly. Gavin would have laughed if he wasn’t so perplexed by his youngest brother’s behavior.
Dex turned around so all Gavin could see were her perfectly shaped calves and a backside to die for. “If you two are done pussyfooting around, I believe we have a plane to catch. ”
“Dexter Townsend, you need to put me down right this instant! I am not going to Alaska. ” Dex’s free hand came out and slapped that perfect backside. The short smack resounded through the room right before Hannah’s outraged yelp drowned it out. “I don’t like to be called Dexter, darlin’. And you are definitely going to Alaska. Is the car here yet?” Gavin wasn’t sure if he should punch his youngest brother or congratulate him for doing what he and Slade had seemed incapable of. “Dex, you better set her down. You’re going to scare her. ”
“Am I? Really? Why don’t you look at the folder in the side pocket of her suitcase and tell me if she seems afraid enough. We’ll be out in the car. And Hannah, if you give me any trouble, I swear, I will tie you up and leave you bound until we get to Alaska. ” Gavin walked to the suitcase and pulled out the manila file folder. Hannah’s head came up, and she looked to Slade for help.
“You have to stop him. I can’t go, and Dex’s caveman ways aren’t going to change that. Now you tell your Neanderthal brother to let me down this instant or I am going to scream until the cops come. ”
Slade merely looked to Dex. “We should gag her, too. ”
“You jerks!” Hannah tried to kick, but Dex merely tightened his arm around her legs. “You let me down. ”
She was still yelling as Dex walked out the door, Slade following behind. Gavin thought seriously about taking off after them and forcing Dex to let her go. They couldn’t just kidnap her.
She could call the police.
Then he opened the folder and realized that Hannah had already called the police. Several times. His hands tightened as he read the incident reports. Hannah had known about her problem for over a month. And she’d never said a word.
Gavin closed the folder. He picked up the phone and quickly advised his private investigators. They would get all the reports and follow up on their end. Gavin picked up Hannah’s sad little suitcase. His own luggage had already been delivered to the airport.
He walked out of his office with a new sense of purpose. If Hannah didn’t have the sense to protect herself, she’d just found three men who did. Gavin checked his apprehensions at his office door. He could handle this. He might not be good for Hannah, but maybe his brothers were. It would be an odd relationship, but he loved all three of them. He wanted them to be happy.