Holly's Awakening:Creek Valley, 2
Sam Crescent
Chapter One
"I need you to help her, Kade. She's dying inside, and there's nothing I can do to bring her out of it," Steven Clark said.
Kade Edwards looked over at his long-term partner and pain in the ass. He'd been with Steven for three years, and they'd been friends before that. Even after all this time together Steven could still piss him off. Their relationship was solid-apart from one little problem. Steven wasn't a submissive, and Kade needed one in his life. Also, they'd both agreed that they missed a woman. Before either of them had taken the next step with each other, they'd both enjoyed women. Kade had never lied to Steven about his need for a female in their lives, and neither had Steven.
However, getting a woman to agree to be their third was a lot more difficult than Kade had anticipated. Last year he'd seen Gavin achieve that with his lover and woman. He'd also seen plenty of couples around Creek Valley achieve it. Kade really hoped to find the woman for them.
Holly Walker was not that woman. She worked for Steven in the offices at the ranch, but she was a timid little thing. A big woman as well, her hips and tits were large, but she did have a tiny waist. She also wore big, baggy clothing. Kade couldn't recall a time when he'd seen her in anything but jeans, and not that snug fit either. And a sweater. Even in summer she wore a bloody sweater.
Holly was known around Creek Valley to those who paid attention as being the main care-giver to her siblings. Her mother was a whore who slept around with anyone who'd have her, and her father drank. In fact, both parents drank, and neither of them were responsible for the other children they'd brought into the world.
He was not looking for a timid woman.
"No, it's not happening. I'm not dealing with her, Steven. I can't even believe you hired her. Does the girl own anything other than a fucking sweater?" he asked.
"Don't be mean. Holly is a lovely girl, and she needs a firm hand. Her parents are useless. You know this. She has to handle her younger brothers and sisters," Steven said, arguing his point.
"What about the eldest brother? He works on my ranch, and I know he helps Holly. I've seen them leaving together."
"John helps her, but I'm not talking about helping her in that way. Holly needs a dominant man, Kade. She needs to have someone take away all responsibility and to simply take care of her."
Kade shook his head. He wasn't going to let this one slide. There was no way he was going to let Steven convince him on this matter.
"I said no. I want a woman who can take our passion. Not a woman who wears a sweater at all times of the year and also looks afraid of her own shadow. It's not going to happen."
Steven stormed up to him, poked him in the chest, and started ranting. "For a man who doesn't want anything to do with her you've taken into account her dress sense and the fact she leaves with her brother. What else have you looked at?" Steven asked.
"Her hips and tits are too large. We don't want a woman like that, and you can't convince me we do."
"I think you need to take a long hard think about what you're saying. If you don't want her then why the hell are you always looking at her?"
Taking a step back, Kade looked at his lover.
"I'm asking you to take your time with her. She's wound so tight, and she's submissive. If you don't take this opportunity then I know someone else will, and they may not treat her with the respect she deserves."
A knock at the door interrupted them from their conversation. Kade took a seat on the sofa along the far wall.
"Come in," Steven said.
Holly stood in the doorway. Kade tensed as he took in her face. There were bruises around her left eye.
"I'm here, Sir," she said, looking down at the floor.
"What the hell happened to you?" Steven grabbed her chin, turning her face this way and that.
"Nothing, I fell down the stairs. Nothing happened. Is there anything you need me to do immediately?"
Kade stared at her bruised eye, and anger consumed him. The only way those marks could appear on her face was if she'd walked into a fist, not down the stairs.
"Come here," Kade said.
Her glance went to him then to Steven.
"Go to him." Steven guided her over to where Kade sat. Looking at her bowed head and shaking body, Kade's heart broke. He saw the responsibility resting inside her. John, her brother, held himself in the same kind of way. On Holly it made her look broken and scared.
Standing up, Kade was struck by how small she was. She only came to his chest, and her brown hair was wound up in a ponytail. The length was short and when it was down would probably only rest mid-way down her back.
Her eyes stared at something past his shoulder. Kade watched her reactions and knew Steven was right. If someone didn't step in right away she was going to snap. Her submissiveness showed in the way she held herself. In his presence her natural instinct was to submit. Kade saw it, recognised it, and respected it.
"Remove your sweater," he said.
"What?" she asked. Her voice shook as she spoke the one word.
"Are you wearing a bra underneath and a shirt?"
"Yes."
"Then take your sweater off."
Her fingers played with the bottom of her sweater. He hated the damn thing.
Steven placed a hand on her shoulder. "Trust him. He's got your best interests at heart."
Seeing the fight inside her, Kade took over. There really was too much responsibility on her little shoulders. Taking hold of the bottom of the sweater, he tugged it over her head and threw the offending item of clothing to the floor.
She stood in front of him wearing a top that clung to her like a second skin. Unlike the sweater she wore, this shirt outlined her curvy figure. Her waist was small compared to the expanse of her hips and breasts.
He saw the outline of her nipples, which were once again large. Lust hit him square in the groin. His cock thickened with the need to taste her.
"Kade?" Steven called his name, catching his attention.
Letting go of Holly, he grabbed her sweater off the floor and handed it to her. In seconds she was out of the office. Steven stood next to the closed office door.
"Well?"
"I'll do it," Kade said. He saw no other choice but to take her and help her. Holly needed a firm hand and someone to rely on. He and Steven were those people.
****
Holly sat behind her desk and looked at the computer screen in front of her. Kade had left Steven's office several hours ago, and it was almost lunchtime. John would be outside waiting for her in a few minutes. Pressing around her eye she winced from the instant pain. She hated being hit in the face and making the same excuse of falling down the stairs. She lived in a trailer, so they didn't really have any stairs. Holly knew what it felt like to be flung down the dozen steps leading up to the front of the trailer, and not once did that leave a mark like the one on her face.
Her father hadn't liked the fact she didn't have any money, and neither did her mother. The only reason her father stopped hitting her after one hit was because John had turned up ready to take her to work. At least their father was terrified of John, as otherwise her bruising would be far worse. Her father wasn't too scared to call the sheriff if they took their brothers and sisters away from them. Holly and John had tried to do that. Their parents' threat stopped them from trying again.
Steven walked out of his office to sit on her desk. She kept typing away. Her boss cleared his throat making her stop. Hesitating over the keys she turned to stare at her lap. Both men affected her, and she hated the response they created inside her.
"Are you okay, Holly?"
He wasn't a big stickler for formality.
"I'm fine. Everything is … fine." Providing she earned enough to keep her brothers and sisters in clothes and food, the rest of the money was taken off her by her father. She had to pick them up at five from the after-school club she'd put them in that ran ‘til five-thirty.
"You're not kidding anyone when you say you fell down the stairs."
She tensed, hovering over the keyboard. "It's nothing. Please, it's nothing."
He rested a hand on her shoulder. She couldn't help but stiffen further at his touch. Holly heard him curse but didn't say anything to find out why he was cussing.
"I want you to do something for me," he said, catching her attention.
Glancing up at him, she waited for him to speak.
"Friday night I want you to come here-"
"I can't come Friday. I have to be at home."
If her father went out she needed to be home to make sure he didn't start in on the other kids. For some reason after he ranted and raved at her, he backed down and went to bed. Her mother was no use at all.