Marly's Choice (Men of August 1)

Shaking her head, she adjusted the dress, then hurriedly left the bedroom.

“Cade August, I want my blue jeans back,” she bit out as she went as fast as the device up her rear would allow. “I need them.”

Then she came to a stuttering halt. Cade stood with his back to the opposite wall, his hand raised above his head as he faced the demon from Marly’s past.

Jack Jennings stood there, too real, too dangerous to accept. The threat they had fought through the long days of the past weeks could no longer be avoided. Marly’s heart jumped in terror, her throat closing, making her breath heave through her chest.

He was tall, in reasonably good shape, and watching Marly with a flushed, hollow-eyed expression that terrified her. It reminded her of the night her mother had run with her, and how much she had hurt from his touch. As rough as Cade had been with her several times, he had never hurt her, not really. This man, Marly knew, would kill her.

“There’s my little girl,” Jack Jennings sneered as Marly stared at him in horror. “Bout time you got down here to greet your daddy.”

Marly felt her body chill. He looked insane, his brown eyes as maniacal as ever as he watched her now. She could smell the stench of his evil as his body shifted, bringing him closer to her.

“Why are you here?” Marly clutched the banister desperately, feeling fear and fury overwhelming her.

He laughed low, like a monster ready to destroy.

“Why, I’ve come for what’s mine of course,” he bit out, reaching out and gripping her arm as he dragged her to his chest. “You should have known I’d be here after that little show your lover put on last week, Marly.”

She felt her knees weaken, remembering Cade’s deliberate taunting of him.

“How pretty you were, all bent over while he shoved that thing up your ass.” He gripped her breast, causing her to cry out hoarsely. “Got you all nice and ready for me, little girl.”

“You’re crazy,” she gasped, her heart wild with terror as he wrapped his arm around her, jerking her close to his body.

“That’s not nice, Marly,” he whined low against her ear, his hot breath making her stomach heave with fear. “I’ll make you pay for that later. When my dick is ramming down your throat, you’ll beg to take that back.”

She would die first. Marly knew she would die before she could ever bear to let this man take her. If he didn’t kill her, then she would kill him.

Marly shook her head desperately, tears filling her eyes as she watched Cade’s tormented expression. She had to do something. He had that gun at her head now, knowing Cade wouldn’t make a move against him if it meant her life. She met his gaze, saw his fury and denial a second before she moved.

She screamed out, ducking and ramming her hip into Jack’s crotch as she turned sideways, falling to the floor and rolling against his legs as he caught to keep hold of her. But it was too late. Cade was on him like a madman, then Rick, Brock and Tara were rushing into the house.

Rick jerked her out of the way, pushing her to Tara as he joined Cade and Brock in restraining the more than surprised Jack Jennings. He was cursing; vowing vengeance, but a fist to his jaw shut him up quickly as Rick grew tired of listening to it.

“Son of a bitch.” Cade stared at Marly in amazement.

“I took a class at college.” She shrugged uncomfortably, not daring to believe it was really over. “Cade, I really need a drink if you don’t care. I don’t feel so good.”

Adrenaline crashed around her. The edges of the room rolled and grayed, leaving her lightheaded as Cade swung her up in his arms.

“Honey, you can have the whole damned bottle,” he promised her, carrying her into the study.

She heard Rick talking to the sheriff on the phone; the cowboys’ excited voices as they realized something had happened as well and rushed into the house. Cade propped her carefully on the couch, then rushed to the bar. He mixed her drink, barely daring to take his eyes off her as he did so.

“I can’t believe I did that.” She shook her head as Tara sat down beside her, watching her in concern.

“It’s all over, Marly,” she promised as Cade helped Marly hold her drink while she sipped desperately from it. “You’re safe now. How does it feel?”

“Like it never happened.” She shook her head. “This is going to hit me later, isn’t it?”

“Most likely.” Tara grinned, rising to mix her own drink now. “I think it will take a while for it to hit any of us. You did what none of us could do, caught the bastard off guard.”

“She’s good at doing that to everyone.” Cade shook his head, his surprise and pleasure still glowing in his eyes. “Bastard got right into the house before we knew it. Twenty-five men looking for him, and Marly took him down. Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“She’s an amazing woman,” Tara agreed with him as she swallowed a large measure of whisky. “Better keep her, Cade. You won’t find another like her.”

“Oh, definitely.” He stared into Marly’s eyes. “Forever. Right, Marly?”