Precious Angel (Alpha Province #4)(12)

She was shocked when she realized it had been nearly forty-eight hours ago. No wonder she was starving and lightheaded.

"What's your last name, Kenzie?" Jordan asked.

She glanced at him and was surprised to have his full attention. She had  other men-or should that be boys?-ask her questions, but they hadn't  really wanted to hear the answer or get to know her. They'd only been  interested in trying to get into her pants, but had soon turned away  when they realized they hadn't stood a chance. Jordan seemed to be  sincerely interested in her, and from the way Jayson was glancing at her  in the rearview mirror and Jenson was gazing at her from over his  shoulder, they were just as interested.

"Howard."

"Where did you live, Kenzie?" Jayson asked as he slowed the truck and turned into a driveway.

She gasped when she saw the beautiful two-story house and surrounding  landscaped gardens. It was gorgeous and reminded her of the plantation  mansion she'd seen in the old movie Gone with the Wind, only on a much  smaller scale. "Bismarck. You have an amazing house."

"Thanks." Jayson parked the truck close to the front porch and turned off the ignition.

"So, you're a native of North Dakota." Jenson winked and then turned to get out of the car.

"I am," Kenzie blushed and quickly redirected the conversation as she  opened her own door. "What branch of the military did you serve in?"

"Marines," Jordan answered as he clasped her wrist. "Stay there, baby. We'll help you out."

She didn't have to wait long because Jenson lifted her into his arms and  carried her up the steps toward the front door. Jordan raced around  them, opened the door, and stepped aside. He was stroking the scar  running from just beneath his left eye, down over his cheek, chin, and  neck.                       
       
           



       

The entry was huge, but the living room Jenson carried her into was  massive. The ceilings were high and while she'd been hoping the house  wasn't over the top ostentatious, she was relieved to see that the  furniture, although big, was comfortable. Their home had a welcoming,  lived-in feel.

Jenson carried her over to the sofa and eased her onto a cushion.

Jayson came in and sat in the armchair across from her. When she noticed  Jordan was still touching his scar, she felt bad. He sat on the cushion  beside her, but didn't meet her gaze. Kenzie hated that she'd reminded  them of a traumatic time and the haze in Jordan's blue eyes as he  remembered being hurt. She reached over and clasped his hand. "I'm  sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

Jordan scrubbed his free hand over his face. "You didn't upset me, baby. I just hope that the scars don't turn you off."

Kenzie snorted as she tugged the blanket out from under her legs and  shoved it to the floor. She stood, turned her back to them as she tugged  the ties on her hospital gown and pulled it off her shoulders,  clutching it to her front, glad that she still had her boy-short panties  on.

"I have scars, too. Do you think less of me because my skin is marked? Do you think that changes who I am inside?"

"You told us, but I didn't think … fuck!" Jayson snarled.

"Shit!" Jordan growled.

"Kenzie!" Jenson rasped.

She pulled the gown back up over her shoulders, turned, and sank onto  the sofa. She was about to reach for the blanket, but Jordan beat her to  it and draped it over her lap. "Thanks."

"How many times?" Jayson asked in a hard voice.

"What?"

"How many fucking times did he whip you with his fucking belt?"

Kenzie brushed her hair back from her face as she met Jayson's gaze. "Too many to count. I passed out before he finished."

"He's a fucking dead man," Jenson growled as he shoved to his feet and began to pace.

"You can't kill him," Kenzie said.

Jenson spun to face her. "You expect me, us, to let someone that beats, tortures kids and women to walk the same earth you do?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Jordan shifted beside her so that he was facing her.

"Because he isn't worth ruining your life over," she said. "He isn't  worth going to jail for. Please, just let it go. He'll get his just  desserts one day. I believe in karma."

Jayson stalked over to her, took her hands in his, and helped her to her  feet. He gently pulled her into his body and wrapped her in his heat,  in his strength, his compassion. He kissed the top of her head. "He'll  never touch you again, honey. Never."

Kenzie wrapped her arms around his waist and breathed him in. The aches  and pains in her body dissipated as her frame heated with desire. If her  belly hadn't grumbled so loudly right then, she might have reached up,  tugged his head down to hers, and kissed him.

"What do you want to eat, Kenzie?" Jayson asked as he lifted her against his chest and carried her toward the kitchen.

"Oh my God," she whispered in awe as she stared about the kitchen. "This is amazing. Do you cook?"

Jayson grinned down at her and nodded. "We cook all the food at the pub."

She glanced over his shoulder at Jordan and Jenson. "All of you?"

They nodded. She smiled. "I like to cook, too, but it became a chore when I had to cook for him."

"Well, you don't have to worry about doing anything but healing from now  on, baby." Jordan pulled a stool out from under the counter and Jayson  lowered her onto the seat.

Jenson sat on the stool next to her while Jayson and Jordan began to  pull fresh ingredients from the huge double door fridge before placing  them on the counter.

"Do you like omelets or would you prefer something else, honey?" Jayson  glanced up from chopping the bell peppers with the efficiency of a chef.

"I like pretty much anything," she answered.

"Do you prefer sweet or savory?" Jenson asked.

"Both. The only thing I really can't take to is Brussels sprouts."

"Tell me it isn't true." Jordan placed a hand over his heart in a dramatic display while grinning.

"They're awful. Bitter and yuck."

Jenson shifted closer to her, draped an arm around her shoulders as he  said, "I'll bet you've never had them with applesauce or creamy-mustard  cheese sauce."

She shook her head and replied breathily, "Can't say that I have."

"You're in for a treat then, honey," Jayson said as he placed a large  pan on the industrial sized cooktop. "We'll make both variations for you  at some time and if you don't like them we promise to never cook them  again."                       
       
           



       

"Don't do that. I'd hate for you all to miss out on something you liked just because I don't like them."

Jenson removed his arm from her shoulders, rose, and hurried around the  counter to the fridge. He grabbed a jug and some glasses and then  carried them over to the table behind her.

"Do you want some juice, tea, or coffee, or is water okay?" He asked as he came to stand beside her.

"It feels like forever since I've had a coffee, if it's not too much trouble."

Jenson bent down and kissed her softly on the cheek. "Nothing is too much trouble for you, sweetie."

Minutes later they were all sitting at the table eating delicious fluffy  omelets and drinking coffee. Kenzie was astounded that she was so  comfortable and how right it felt. It was intimate but in a non-sexual  way. For the first time in her life, she felt as if she might belong.

She liked Dusty, Pixie, and Emmy and knew that if she stayed, they would  end being great friends. She'd never had that before. Before long she  was so full, she could barely keep her eyes open. Kenzie had eaten more  in this one sitting than she had in the last week. Her face and ribs  were hurting and all she wanted to do was crawl into a bed, curl up into  a ball, and sleep. Nonetheless, she wasn't sure that was such a good  idea.

She was scared.

Scared that the pimp and the Triad guy would find her. Scared that the  continuous nightmares would hound her. She wasn't sure she'd ever be  able to sleep the night through again. Because of the man posing as her  father over the last ten years had beaten her constantly, she dreamt  about the pain and violence almost every night.

For some unfathomable reason, she didn't want to upset these three men.  She knew it would tear them up if she screamed and begged in her sleep.  How she knew that, she had no idea. She just did.

"You look worn out, baby." Jordan reached for the jug of water and  poured some into a glass before setting it down in front of her. "You  need to take the pain pills Broden sent home with you."

She shook her head. "I don't like taking medicine."

Jayson shoved his chair back as he stood. "That's too damn bad, honey.  We can all see and smell how much pain you're in." He hurried over to  the kitchen counter, grabbed the box of pills and walked up behind her.  "Hold your hand out, mate."