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Chapter One
Standing in the hallway that served as passage for the offices of The Masters’ Chambers, Jessie Greene clung to her purse like a life raft, but her shaking didn’t ease up. The closed door mocked her even though surrounding her were the very protective Wilde brothers—Jackson, Phoenix, Dallas, and Denver.
All four of the men had professed their love to her over the past few weeks, and she’d fallen completely head over heels for each of them. But they weren’t the cause of her current nervousness. The person responsible for her violent trembles was on the other side of that oak door.
Austin Wilde.
With her job finished in Wilde, Nevada and the culprit for the accidents at the mine on the run, her boss had agreed to her request for time off. But what she was considering wasn’t going to be like any vacation she’d ever taken. Once she actually entered Austin’s office, there would be no going back.
Jackson, who had been her first, cupped her chin. “Darlin’, you don’t have to do this.”
He wore a tight black shirt and Levi’s, revealing his muscled powerhouse underneath the fabric. Normally lighthearted, tonight Jackson’s piercing blue eyes held only concern.
“That’s right, lil’ bro.” Phoenix stroked her hair. “Sweetheart, just say the word and we’re outta here.” The intensity in his hazel eyes caused her to blink.
Greek god or cowboy? Either way, with Phoenix being the tallest of the brothers and with his ripped frame, she always felt totally protected next to him.
Jessie took a deep breath and considered the two youngest brothers’ suggestion, recalling what had brought her to this very moment.
After she’d learned that Austin’s intentions had always been to leave Wilde and the entire family behind, she and the four had concocted the plan to get her ready to win their reluctant eldest brother over. Denver’s coaching in the nuances of BDSM play had been amazing, but there was so much more to learn. But Austin’s sudden appearance at her first attempt of public exhibition had cut her training short. Had she and the brothers been too naive?
With Austin clearly pissed about the situation, why should she take his offer to be with him exclusively for an entire week? The answer was obvious to her. Because the men she loved so much adored their brother, and she had only this break, hopefully a lucky one, to keep them and Austin together.
Dallas hit the wall, and the accompanying bang pulled Jessie from her thoughts and her attention to him. He vibrated with an anger that set her on edge. Not wearing his white cowboy hat tonight, he reminded her of a military juggernaut with his shaved head and sun-soaked muscles.
“Dallas, my state is green.” She hoped her words would calm him.
“I doubt that.” Dallas didn’t uncurl his fists. “Besides, Austin has no right to ask this of you now, love.”
“You’re right, bro.” Denver’s face darkened as he looked at the time shown on his cell. “Austin will just have to wait until you have more training. If he doesn’t like it, then so be it.” He turn
ed to her.
She stared into Denver’s eyes, which strangely looked grayish instead of their familiar pale blue. He leaned in and kissed her, settling some of her nerves but still making her toes curl. When their kiss ended, Denver’s gaze made her tremble. She touched his cheek with the scar that didn’t detract one iota from his handsome face. Actually, it enhanced his male beauty.
Jessie realized that they were all willing to forgo attempting to bring Austin into the fold just so she could feel safe. Their selflessness and devotion to her deepened her love even more for each of them, filling her up with courage to follow through with the plan.
“Guys, I must do this.”
Denver placed his hands on her shoulders. “I love you, Jessie, but this is way too much to ask of you.”
“I love you, too.” She turned to the other three. “I love you all, very much.” I’m going to do this for my four cowboys. “I’m perfectly calm,” Jessie fibbed.
“Not by a long shot, angel.” Phoenix shook his head, and she knew he was right.
Austin had been a thorn in Jessie’s side since she’d come to investigate the Wilde mine, yet thoughts of the eldest brother had swirled inside her from the very moment she’d met him. Then after learning about how plural marriages worked in their family, she couldn’t get the tall, dark, and oh-my-God gorgeous man out of her head.
When Austin had made it clear moments ago that she must report to his office at The Masters’ Chambers in five minutes or she’d lose any chance to be with him, her mind had started swirling like stormy gusts. Now, internal hurricane winds blasted her every thought.
She tried to sound confident. “So what if I’m nervous? No big deal.”
“Wrong,” Dallas stated gruffly. “A very big deal.”
“Guys, we’ve already come this far. I have to go the final lap alone. It’s now or never.” Feeling like Little Red Riding Hood, she knocked on the door and braced herself.
A second later and the Big Bad Wolf, wearing a black cowboy hat, occupied the doorway. Austin Wilde filled the threshold with his presence, his eyes staring at her with a cold ferocity. Though her four men didn’t leave her side, there wasn’t an inch of her, inside or out, that wasn’t shivering.
Austin raised an eyebrow. “It’s still not too late to change your mind, Ms. Greene.”
She was well aware that she was crossing that metaphorical line of sand Austin had drawn. Reining in her fear, she folded her arms over her chest. “Not happening.”
Jessie pulled away from Austin’s brothers and took a step closer to him. Then she stopped and looked back at her four cowboys. Their eyes were filled with concern for her.
I must make this work. “Relax, guys. I’m going to be perfectly fine.”
“Austin, this really pisses me off.” Jackson’s tone let her know how much.
“It should, lil’ bro.” Austin seemed completely calm.
Nothing about his demeanor gave her a clue into what he thought about all of this, unlike earlier when she’d revealed what she knew about him being tied to the tree so long ago. Then, his rage had boiled to the surface. He obviously didn’t care for being manipulated, which was exactly what she and his brothers had attempted. Now, he was neutral as a Swiss diplomat. She hoped it was a pretense and that he really did want to give her a chance.
Jessie loosened her grip on her purse. Even though the facts had proven Austin had nothing to do with the attempts on her life, the brooding, sexy cowboy still made her very uneasy.
“Forget this.” Dallas stepped forward and pulled her to his side, away from Austin.
“Enough, Dallas and the rest of you.” It was time to start acting like the woman she’d become being with the Wilde brothers. Nothing else mattered. “I’m going with your brother.” Jessie wiggled free of Dallas’s hold. “I’ll talk to you in seven days.”
“You’re more than I could’ve ever imagined, sugar.” Denver stepped next to her, leaned down, and kissed her. Then he nodded, and turned to Austin. “You best—”
“I’m done debating this. She’s said yes. She isn’t wearing a collar, and she’s agreed to submit to me.” Austin grabbed her hand and pulled her next to him, causing her heartbeats to race.
“Cool it.” Denver glared at his eldest brother. “Why are you rushing this? You know she’s not ready.”
“I’ll be the judge of whether Jessie’s ready or not. If you don’t want me to take her with me, now’s the time to speak up, brothers.” He waited but never loosened his hold on her.
