Monroe, Marla - Their Broken Lady (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (19 page)

Amber realized that dating both of them really hadn’t disrupted her life near as much as she had believed it would. Whoever was after her had caused more problems than anything. Maybe being part of a ménage relationship wasn’t that bad. She could easily see herself living with them.

She decided that if they asked her again, she would really consider it. She knew she loved them. The idea of never seeing them again turned her heart upside down. She didn’t want to even imagine not having them with her.

“What do you want to wear home, Amber?” Bryan asked. “I’ll go pick it up when Tanner comes to stay with you.”

“I have that green lounging pants outfit that Tanner got for me. I like the way that feels.”

“I know the one. I’ll bring that back,” he said with a smile.

“No bra, though. I can’t stand anything across my chest yet.”

He frowned but nodded. She realized he hated thinking about anything that hurt her. He was so sweet to her.

“Bryan?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Did I tell the police that the man who ran me off the road was wearing a ski mask and driving a really big truck?”

“Yeah, baby. You told them.”

“I think he was there when I was stuck in the car, too. I think he tried to choke me. That’s why my throat is so sore.” She watched Bryan’s face. He paled then swallowed.

“No. You didn’t tell them that. Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I can remember him walking up to the car and breaking the window. I couldn’t move, so I honked the horn. That’s all I can clearly remember, but I think he choked me.”

“We’ll tell the police about it, baby. You just stop worrying about it. I don’t want you upset.”

Tanner walked in the room with a great big smile.

“Hey, Tanner!” Amber held out her arms for his hug and kiss.

“How are you doing, honey?”

“Ready to go home. Why do I have to wait until tomorrow afternoon? I’m ready now.”

“Just one more night so they can watch you.

“Yeah, one more day to charge her insurance another night of room and board,” Bryan said with a wink.

Tanner frowned at him but shook his head. He sat on the edge of Amber’s bed and squeezed her hand.

“So, Bryan said you did really well sitting up to eat lunch today. Ready for dinner?”

“If you don’t get me out of this bed soon, I’m going to scream.”

Tanner chuckled. “Don’t go stirring up the nurses, baby. They already think we make out in the bed.”

“Tell me about it. When they help me sponge off they ask me what it’s like to have two hunky men in my bed.”

“You’re kidding,” Tanner said. “I was just kidding.”

“I’m not. They are so jealous of me.” Amber grinned.

“I’m going to steal Bryan from you for a few minutes. You behave while we’re gone,” Tanner said.

She waved them off and switched on the TV. She would catch the weather. It was supposed to get much colder over the next few days. She was secretly hoping for snow, but not before she got to go home. The doctor said that if the weather was bad he wouldn’t let her go home.

When the weather was over, she switched the channel and found a movie that had just come on. She watched it for a few minutes, then closed her eyes. She was tired, but really wasn’t sleepy. She would just rest her eyes for a few minutes.

The sound of the door opening made her smile. They were back. They’d be real quiet so as not to wake her up. She was used to them by now. A sound near the bed told her one of them was looking at her. When a pillow lowered over her face and pressed down on her, she realized it wasn’t her men. She fought the hands trying to suffocate her. She tried to scream, but the pillow muffled her yell. She began grabbing at all the controls on the handrails in hopes she would press the nurses button. Finally, she grabbed above her on the wall and pulled something that made a loud noise.

The pressure was suddenly gone from her face and there were sounds of fighting. She tried to move the pillow off her face, but didn’t have the energy. A loud crash followed soon after a grunt. She kept shoving until finally the pillow was off her face.

“Bryan, see about Amber. Bryan! Dammit. Stop it and see about Amber. Amber!”

She looked over to see Bryan hitting on someone familiar to her, then he was running for her. He threw the pillow across the room and pulled her up into his arms.

“Aw, baby. I’m so sorry we left you. Oh, God, be okay, baby.” He hugged her and squeezed her until she was fighting him to breathe again.

“Bryan, you’re choking her, man. Ease up.” Tanner pulled him away from her. “Amber, are you okay?”

“Yes, he tried to kill me. Who is he?” she asked.

“Do you recognize him?” Bryan asked. He grabbed the unconscious man from the security officer and held him closer to her.

“That’s Ted, my ex-boyfriend from Memphis. What is he doing here?”

“Get him out of here before I kill him,” Bryan said.

Tanner pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I never dreamed he could slip in right under our noses, honey. We were literally right outside the door.”

“It’s okay. I’m fine, and now he’s going to jail.” Amber sighed with relief that now maybe things would settle down in her life.

“The police will put him in jail and when his fingerprints match those on your car and the window at your house, they’ll convict him of attempted murder,” Bryan said.

“I want to go home, Tanner.” Amber clung to him.

“I know, honey. We’ll get you home tomorrow.”

* * * *

“This is your house,” Amber said when she sat up straight after dozing on the ride from the hospital.

“You can’t stay by yourself for a few days. You can stay with us until you’re able to be on your own,” Tanner said.

“Oh.” She had hoped they were going to tell her she wasn’t going back home.

She wanted to live with them now, but she wouldn’t say anything. They had to still want her, and she didn’t know if they did. Right now she was afraid that they were just being good to her because she had almost been killed.

“Do you mind staying with us?” Bryan asked.

“No! I like staying with you. I just didn’t realize I would be, is all.” She smiled and waited while Bryan unfastened her seat belt then picked her up and carried her up the steps to the porch.

“Let me down, Bryan. I want to walk.”

“Tanner?” Bryan asked.

“She can walk. Just watch her in case she gets tired.” Tanner unlocked the door and opened it for her.

They filed inside and Amber went straight for the fireplace. Sure enough, there was a fire going. She stood in front of it holding out her hands.

Bryan picked her up once again and sat down on the couch with her on his lap.

“I don’t want you to get tired and fall into the fire. I’ll hold you.”

“You just like holding me,” Amber teased.

“Yep, I like having your supersexy body up next to mine.”

“Suck-up.” She laughed at him.

“How about a sandwich with your soup, Amber.” Tanner called from the kitchen.

“I’m not hungry right now, Tanner,” she called back.

“You’ve got to eat to get your strength back, baby.” Bryan stood up with her and carried her to the kitchen. He settled her on a barstool and took the one next to it.

“I guess I’ll eat a half of a sandwich with a little soup.” Amber really wasn’t hungry.

“Sounds good to me,” Tanner said, eyeing Bryan when he started to argue.

They ate and talked about the prediction of a snowstorm coming their way. Tanner and Bryan argued over how much snow they were likely to get, and Amber just laughed at their crazy predictions.

“You watch and see, Amber. We’re going to get at least a foot of snow,” Bryan said with a big grin.

She yawned and stretched, wincing as it pulled on her side. She was still sore.

“Looks like you could use a nap,” Tanner said.

“I’m a little tired. I think I’ll just relax on the couch.”

“Nonsense, we’ll go take a nap on the bed. It’s more comfortable,” Bryan said.

Amber rolled her eyes but let him help her down from the bar. She waved bye to Tanner as she was gently pushed out the kitchen door toward the stairs. She made it halfway up before she had to stop and rest.

“Want me to carry you the rest of the way, baby?” Bryan asked.

“Naw, I want to do it. I just had to catch my breath.” She continued up the stairs and was secretly glad there were only a few left. As it was, making it all the way down the hall wore her completely out.

She didn’t say a word when Bryan undressed her. She honestly didn’t have the strength. He undressed as well and pulled her into his arms under the covers. She dozed off and on for nearly an hour before she realized that Tanner was in the bed with them. She hadn’t remembered him getting in the bed. She rolled over and cozied up to him.

“You’re awake,” he said.

“I’ve rested enough. Kiss me.” She poked out her lips.

Tanner laughed and kissed her.

“That’s not what I want. I want a real kiss,” she said in her sultriest voice.

“Honey, you’re not well enough to get too frisky.”

“Are you turning me down for sex?” she asked overdramatically.

“As much as it pains me to say it, yes. You’re not healed enough, Amber.”

“But I want you, Tanner.” She pouted.

“Maybe by the weekend. Let’s see how you do. The doctor said no strenuous activity for the next forty-eight hours.”

“What does he know?” she asked, running her hand down his body.

He grabbed her hand just before it made contact with his cock. Then he shook his head and grabbed her other hand when it snaked toward Bryan.

“Don’t tease us, Amber.”

“I’m serious, Tanner. I need you. Please.”

“Give it another day, Amber, and we’ll see. Now are you ready to get up or do you need to sleep a while longer.”

“I’m ready to get up. I’m tired of being in bed if I can’t have any fun.”

Tanner kissed her on the nose and helped her out of the bed.

“What about Bryan?” she asked.

“Let him sleep. He was up a lot watching you when you were in the hospital. He needs the rest.”

Amber nodded. She grabbed her clothes, and they dressed outside the bedroom in the hall. Then he helped her down the stairs. It was a lot easier going down than it had been going up. She sat on the couch while he made coffee. Then they drank it, watching the fire without saying much of anything.

Almost an hour later, Bryan came running down the stairs. He looked frantic until he saw her sitting on the couch with Tanner.

“Damn, I was scared something had happened to you. I looked all over the bedroom and bathroom for you.” He sat on the couch next to her and wrapped an arm around her.