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“You were supposed to stay with Celia. I can’t have you here.”
Her head reared back as if she were slapped. “Yes, I’m aware of that. Still, you can’t think to go inside?”
I glanced over my shoulder at the rustic entrance to the mine. It wasn’t fancy, a big black hole with support beams marking the opening, cart tracks leading deep into the mountain.
“It’s already collapsed. My men are in there. Spur’s the doctor, so he can treat them.”
“But—”
I put my hand over her mouth. “We will talk. Later.” I replaced my fingers with my lips, gave her a quick, hard kiss. “But I need you gone.”
Looking over her head, I spoke to Luke who stood directly behind her beside Walker. “I need you out here to run things.”
He had the Trusty mine and knew what needed to be done.
“And Walker, take care of Piper. No matter what happens.”
He nodded once. No words were necessary. He’d protect her with his life, just as we’d protect Celia if the need arose. I didn’t see their wife and hopefully that meant they won the argument. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to Celia and the baby. The men in the mine knew the dangers of their job. Celia was an innocent and I wanted her safe.
“Ready?” I asked Spur, taking a deep breath. I needed to calm my heart rate, but I knew it was impossible.
The crowd who’d responded to the whistle grew. Women were crying, hugging each other, men running about. Luke joined the foreman and got to work.
Spur nodded. “See you soon, Piper.”
I gave her one last look and pointed behind her, indicating I wanted her gone, before turning toward the mine. As soon as we entered the dark cavern, the daylight was stripped away, the warmth of the sun gone. The air was full of dust, the sound of voices echoing eerily off the walls. I paused, looked at Spur, then entered the dark hell of a mine collapse.
***
Piper
Fuck. Shit. Damn. I worked my way through all the swear words my brothers would yell when angry. I should have been worried for Lane and Spur going into a mine, one that just had a collapse. I was, but it was tempered. I was angry. Seething with it, to hide the hurt. It was much easier to be mad than sad. The men knew what they were doing and I had to trust them with that.
Overhearing Lane and Spur confirmed what Celia had said. There was a woman named Lil, a woman they shared. Fucked.
...of course I’ll keep seeing her. Said you’d continue as well. Together, if Piper can be occupied with Celia.
Jealousy burned in my stomach at the thought of them with a woman, a mistress, before we met, but I had to resign myself to that. They weren’t monks. To know for a fact that Lane had just gone to see her, during the fucking day while we had guests, ripped out my heart.
I’d known them for a day. One damn day and I was ruined. Destroyed inside. Was this what my brothers had tried to protect me from? Cruel men or the vagaries of their vows? I wanted a husband, a family. Love. I wanted devotion. I wanted fidelity. Was that too much to ask? Clearly, it was.
I didn’t have just one husband, but two. One would think with two the chances for cheating to be even less, but no. It hurt twice as much. Spur hadn’t denied he’d share her with Lane and that omission made him just as guilty.
Was I so lacking that they would keep the other woman, or was it something about her that was… irresistible? Did it matter?
Once the men were swallowed up by the mine, I spun on my heel and faced Walker. “I’m going home.”
What was the point of standing there? They didn’t want me there. Hell, they didn’t want me anywhere. No, they did. They wanted me naked and willing, eager for their cocks, although I obviously lacked some talent that Lil had. They’d slake their needs with my body, but find something entirely different with Lil’s.
Walker only nodded and followed me. While his legs were probably twice as long as mine, he gave me some room. Being a married man, he no doubt knew to give a riled woman some space.
It was good I’d never told Lane and Spur the truth about taking Patricia’s place. I wasn’t really married to them, therefore I could just walk away. I wasn’t trapped with them. If they didn’t want me fully, then I didn’t want them either. They hadn’t deserved the truth. I knew where I stood now with them, had the advantage. My brothers always said, using poker terms, to not show all of one’s cards. I muttered and cursed as I hurried back to Lane’s house.
Celia was waiting on the front porch, wringing her hands. “Are you all right?” she asked, placing one hand on her belly.
“Never better,” I snapped. Going into the men’s office, a room I’d only walked past but had yet to enter, I searched for my gun. After I’d given it to Spur in the Pueblo livery, I’d forgotten all about it. They’d certainly distracted me well enough. The discovery of my double husbands, then the epic night of wild abandon, had it slip my mind. Now though, now I wanted the damn thing.
“What are you looking for?” she asked, Walker behind her, one hand on her shoulder.
