"Hey, sis, you ready?" John walked through the door halting her conversation.
"John, how are you?" Steven asked. He didn't look away from her as he spoke to her brother.
"I'm good, Sir. I'm here to have lunch with my sister."
"You're a hard worker. Kade and I value hard workers."
"Thank you, Sir."
His gaze still hadn't moved from her.
"Also, I was wondering if you'd be able to look after your siblings Friday. I need Holly here, and I don't want her worrying about her family."
She turned her attention to her brother. John wouldn't mind having the kids. The instant he'd turned eighteen he'd started working for Kade and moved into a new apartment. He would have taken all of them with him, but his place wasn't big enough to house them all, and their father's threat had hung over their heads stopping them from moving forward. Beside her and John there were three brothers and two sisters. She didn't know how her mother had managed to carry seven children, but she had. Holly had also heard all the rumours surrounding her down to the fact they were not all from her father.
"I've got no problem at all, Sir." John smiled at her.
"Good. I'll pay for any expenses. Thank you." Steven stood, shook her brother's hand, and then made his way back to the office.
Taking her sandwich out of her bag she followed John outside. There was a small grassy area outside of the ranch where they sat to each lunch. They rested under a tree getting as much shade as possible. Some of the other ranch hands waved at her in passing. She waved back and opened her brown lunch bag. Chicken paste sandwiches with an apple waited for her.
"He's still taking most of your wage?" John asked.
"I have no choice, John."
"He's a fucking bastard who needs to be put down. Why don't you come live with me? You don't have to stay there with the kids."
She'd graduated high school two years ago, but she couldn't leave the others. With her around there was someone for him to take his anger out on. If she wasn't then he'd start on the others, and Holly knew it was only a matter of time before he ruined one of her siblings. Some damage couldn't be repaired, and she refused to let him win.
"I can't, and you know that." John helped when he could, and she accepted his help. "You don't have to take care of them if you don't want to. I know you're a man now and chasing all sorts of women." She bumped his shoulder trying to change the topic.
"Don't start, and you know family comes first. You guys will always come first. I love you, sis." He kissed her head. "Speaking of love, I think the boss has a thing for you."
Holly froze. What did she say to that?
"I don't know what you mean?"
"Steven has a thing for you. His eyes go all intense, and Kade is always watching you. Both of them have a thing for you."
"That's crazy talk, and I don't want to hear another thing from you." She took a bite of her sandwich.
"It's not crazy, and I know it."
She knew it. There were plenty of couples around town, but she never thought anyone would be interested in her. Especially not two gorgeous men who could have any woman they wanted.
Steven watched Holly out in the far field with her brother. It was the only time she ever relaxed.
"She's still wearing that bloody sweater," Kade said, coming up behind him.
"I know. She's going to pass out one of these days with the heat." Steven saw several of their men pass by. John gave them a wave while Holly merely smiled. The smile never reached her eyes.
"That shiner had to have come from her dad," Kade said.
"Yep, the bastard is a mean one sober and drunk. I've heard he causes way too much trouble at the bar in town." The stuff Steven heard about her parents scared him. He hated the moment she left the ranch every night. Steven always knew there was a risk she wasn't coming home, but there was nothing he could do. He was looking into it, but the sheriff and lawyer he'd hired advised he tread carefully.
"I'm going to pick up the pace and start hassling the sheriff. I'm tired of hearing the shit I hear, and knowing he's hurting her is not acceptable. It wouldn't be acceptable for anyone." Kade wrapped his arms around Steven's waist.
Leaning against his lover, Steven inhaled his unique scent. Kade smelt of the earth and sweat, and it was a heady combination.
"She's the one, Kade. I know it."
His lover didn't say a word. Kade's arms tightened around him.
"I know."
The words were whispered against ear.
"You agree then?" Steven asked.
"I can't deny it. I'm always looking at her, and I hate watching her leave." A sigh brushed his ear. "If we take Holly on we've got to take on her whole family. Are you ready for that?"
"They're like Holly and John. I've seen them in town. None of them want to be anything like their father. They sneer at him when he's not looking."
They both paused as John helped Holly to her feet. She was a thicker woman, but she was a lot shorter than a lot of women. Her weight was highlighted by that.
Kade and Steven turned away as the couple made it back towards the offices, which he kept at the side of the house. The ranch both he and Kade owned was one of the largest in Creek Valley. The next largest one was run by Gavin Powell.
"I'm going to take a trip into town to visit the pleasure shop."
The pleasure shop, which was run by Callie Sampson, was the only sex shop in town. She'd opened it three years ago, and the place had become an overnight success. Steven had a lot of respect for Callie. She fought hard to get her shop open and worked even harder to keep it running.
"Bring back lots of condoms. I'm only going to be able to watch for so long," Steven said. He got hard instantly whenever Holly was around. She turned him and made him forget who he was at times. Steven didn't understand the control she held over him.
Kade grasped his arm and turned him. Steven looked into Kade's dark brown eyes. There were times they looked black, they were so dark.
"You're doing that thing again," Kade said. His voice thickened.
"What?"
"Staring at me like you want to fuck me."
Steven smiled. "I always want to fuck you, Kade. That's never been a problem."
"No, the problem starts when you won't do as you're told." Kade groaned, taking his lips in a searing kiss. Steven broke away when he heard the door open.
"I told you, I'm not doing as I'm told when you won't do as you're told," Steven said, arguing with him.
They were the same kind of men: dominating, controlling, and both in need of a submissive to balance them out. Holly knocked on the door once again.
Kade slammed his lips down on Steven's stopping him from responding to her knock. He imagined her standing there outside his door waiting.
"Remember, it's about what we both want," Kade said, breaking the kiss.
"I would never forget." Their love was shocking and powerful. "Holly is what we both want and need, and you can't deny that."
"I won't." Kade cupped his face. "I'll see you after five."
Steven watched his lover walk to the door. Holly stood waiting. She glanced up at Kade, blushed and looked down at the floor.
"He's all yours, sweetheart." Kade cupped her cheek, tilted her head back and brushed his lips against hers. Steven watched and got instantly hard. "Take care of him for me."
Holly was bright red by the time she walked into his office.
"I-I-I-"
"Don't worry about it, baby. Kade knows what he's doing."
"I-I didn't encourage him."
His heart went out to her. Wrapping his arms around her, Steven pulled her close and inhaled her strawberry scent. She always smelled like strawberries to him.
"I know you didn't. Kade's his own person, and I'm not going to have a problem with that at all."
She frowned glancing up at him. "I don't get it."
"You'll get it soon." Stroking her cheek, Steven was caught again by her shyness and her submissiveness. Holly was perfect for both him and Kade. He'd spent the last couple of years watching her.
When she'd left school she worked at the small supermarket in town as one of the cashiers. Steven always made sure he shopped when she was working and stood in line for her to serve him.
He'd been the one to suggest she work for him. That was a year ago. For the last year he'd observed her working and couldn't stop his feelings from developing.
Steven had noted Kade's attention toward her. His lover might hate the way she dressed, but he'd taken more note of her than he had of any other woman who'd tried it on with him. They hadn't taken a woman since they'd become exclusive. There was a time when they were only friends sharing a woman between them. That soon changed as their attraction developed between each other.
Handing Holly some paperwork, Steven couldn't tear his gaze away from her retreating figure.