Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

“Don’t you dare be too ashamed to look me in the eyes.” Dustin moved to stand in front of her, lifting his knuckles to her chin to lift her head higher. “The person who did it is the one who should be ashamed. He’s not fit to walk on the same ground as you, much less touch you. That’s why the sick son of bitch had to do it when you were unconscious and couldn’t fight back. When we find out who it was, there isn’t a man in this county who won’t want the chance to kill him, so he’s living on borrowed time.”

He softly cupped her cheek. “I’ll bring Logan over around four. That good for you?”

“Yes,” she managed to whisper through her clogged throat.

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

Jessie walked toward the porch, seeing the kitchen window curtain twitch as she went to the door. Her brothers were in there, pretending to put the groceries in the cabinets while giving her wary glances.

She went behind the counter and started to pull the contents out of another bag.

“Did you get the chips?” she asked conversationally.

“Yes.” Asher opened one of the grocery sacks, taking out four bags of potato chips.

“Where are the barbeque ones?”

Holt’s and Asher’s mouths dropped open as they stared at her with frightened expressions.

Jessie couldn’t help laughing. “I’m just joking. I didn’t ask for the barbeque ones.”

“Thank God.” Holt gave Asher a disgusted look. “I thought you were about to make Asher piss himself.”

Asher rolled his eyes heavenward. “Like you weren’t, too.” He took a beer out of the carton they had bought.

Jessie shifted through the empty bags. “You put the tampons in the bathroom for me?”

Asher’s eyes widened over the lip of the beer bottle that he had lifted to his mouth.

“I left a bag in the truck. I’ll be right back.” Holt grabbed the keys off the counter before practically running out the door.

“Why did he take the keys …?”

Jessie could hear the gravel from inside the house as the loud-pitched squeal of the truck being floored out of the driveway sounded.

Asher froze as she leaned across the counter to take the beer out of his hand, giving him a satisfied smile when he flinched as she chose one of the bags of chips and ripped it open.

“You’re lucky you didn’t forget the chips.”

13

“How do I look?” Jessie dipped her head to the side so her hair would fall forward, hiding the side of her face.

Holt turned a page of the newspaper he was reading at the kitchen table before raising his gaze to her. “I’ve told you three times already that you look good.”

“But do I look the same? Can you still see the swelling?”

“You can’t see anything under that makeup you plastered on.”

Jessie went to the round mirror in the living room, where she critically studied her face. Despite what Holt had said, she felt like herself with the makeup camouflaging the skin that was still red and puffy. She was going against orders not to wear makeup, but she couldn’t bear for Logan to know that she had been hurt badly enough that the effects were still visible. Nor was she willing to admit to herself that she wanted to look pretty for Dustin, which was why she put on a pair of light grey jeans and a cute pink and gray striped shirt that had long sleeves.

“Where did Asher go?” Turning from the mirror, she picked up Holt’s boots that he left by the couch, placing them beside the door.

“He went into town. He’s meeting up with Bubba and Bud.”

Straightening the chairs at the dining room table, she stopped to sit next to Holt. Bubba and Bud were their cousins. The men hated going into town unless it was to get supplies.

“Why is he meeting them?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Please don’t tell me not to worry about something. I don’t like it.” Holding her temper in, she straightened the pretty placemat that she only set out when company was coming over.

“There isn’t much you do like anymore.”

“What does that mean?” Puzzled, she took the newspaper away from him and folded it neatly.

“It means that you have me and Asher walking on eggshells to keep you happy. And don’t tell him I’m telling you this, but he’s a little afraid of you.”

“Afraid of me? Why?”

“It’s hard for a man to relax when he’s constantly worried about you shooting him.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“No, you’ve been outside, target practicing every day in the backyard. You’ve got guns stashed everywhere … By the way, did you make sure you put the guns back in the safe with Logan coming over?”

“Of course. You know me better than that to think I would ever endanger Logan.”

“I’m just checking … A man can’t be too safe.”

Holt rose from the table, leaving her alone.