After Gabe had taken that phone call, Archie had known they were going to need some help. The cost of a PI was way too much.
“We’re going to have to do things our way,” Gabe said. “We go backward. We know her landlord was approached and threatened with a similar inspection. So we start to find a path, we further the evidence, and when the time comes, we shut the stepfucker down for good.”
“Stepfucker?” Archie asked.
“He doesn’t deserve a name.”
“I like it. It fits.” He nodded, repeating the word over and over. “You want me to head out and go and talk to the landlord tonight?” The sooner they started this, the quicker it would be over.
“No. He’ll be expecting that. We’ve got to give it a couple of days,” Gabe said. “Let me come up with a plan, and we’ll handle this our way.”
Annalise came to the front door. “Dinner is on the table.”
“Woman, you work miracles,” Archie said.
She smiled. “Is everything okay here?”
“Peachy,” Gabe said, going to her, pulling her in his arms.
“I’m so sorry about what happened.”
Gabe pressed a finger to her lips and shook his head. “No, do not apologize for what Vinny did. You were scared, and he protected you. I got no problem with that. You’re not allowed off the ranch until I say so, though.”
“Wait, what?”
“We’re going to protect you, and that, babe, is an order.”
Archie didn’t like the idea of her stepfather going after her. Not that he could blame the asshole. Annalise was fucking everything, but it also meant if they weren’t careful, they were fucked.
****
It didn’t take a genius to work out the problem was her stepfather. Annalise felt so guilty. The next day, she shoved her trowel into the soft soil, digging back a hole in order to plant a brand-new bean plant that was ready to go into the ground.
She didn’t realize how much she loved gardening until she came to the ranch.
With the five plants of beans dug into the earth, she put the trowel to one side, slowly pushed the soil in, careful not to compact it, and secured the bean.
Vinny had made the frame for the beans to grow up, and it was going to be a big, mighty fine plant.
She got to her feet, went to the water pipe, and filled the two canisters. Lifting them, she walked carefully across to the beans and gave them a good watering.
In a couple of weeks, or months, they would have some fresh beans for meals. Just the thought of turning a bunch of them into a spicy stew made her mouth water.
Until then, she had to harvest what was available. She went into the small greenhouse and saw an abundance of ripe tomatoes. The basket was on the counter, and she began to hum as she picked each beautiful fruit. Annalise never wasted a thing, but modified her menu based on what was available.
Her men weren’t big on salads, but she was in the mood for something light and fresh.
She had a nice hot chili in the oven. Super spicy. All she needed to do was finish off the cornbread batter, and of course grill up some corn when the time was right.
After the tomatoes, she went to the herb garden. It would all need washing. She picked a selection, then gave everything a good wash, feeling the heat of the sun blaring down on the back of her neck.
Gabe had taken his time this morning to apply plenty of sunscreen to her body. Being a natural redhead, she also had pale skin that burned easily. He’d told her he didn’t want her to get sunstroke, which was why she wore the large straw hat.
She loved how they cared. It felt good to matter to someone.
After living for so long with people who liked to pretend she didn’t exist, their attention meant the world to her.
He’s going to take it all away.
Annalise paused, holding her bounty and feeling a wave of fear run down her spine at the very thought.
Her stepfather had taken so much from her, and she knew he was intent on destroying Gabe, Vinny, and Archie. The man was a control freak who always had to win. She wouldn’t let that happen. There was no way he could get away with this.
He was a monster.
She stepped into the house and gasped as she was suddenly picked up and pressed against the kitchen table.
At first, she thought her stepfather was there, but as Archie’s scent surrounded her, she calmed her pounding heart and smiled up at him.
“Archie, you scared me.”
He spread her legs open, and then she felt exactly how excited he was to see her.
She arched up, gasping.
The skirt she wore didn’t hide anything, and as he pressed his face against her neck, his palm went between her thighs, touching her.
“Are you wet for me?” he asked.
She hadn’t been aroused, but his touch, his scent, that was all she needed. It pushed all of her bad thoughts out of her mind, and she was totally focused on the now with Archie.
That evil bastard from her past was not going to spoil another moment of her life. She wouldn’t let him, not for a second.
Archie slid his fingers beneath her skirt, stroking over her clit, and she cried out.
“Oh, fuck, you’re so wet, baby. I’ve struggled to do any kind of work, thinking about this.” He slid his tongue across her neck, biting down on her pulse, and she whimpered. His finger traced across her clit, once, twice, a third time, before sliding down, going to her entrance.
He circled her opening, and then slowly with the tip of his finger, he pushed inside her.
Annalise whimpered.
“You’re so fucking tight.”
He pushed his finger deeper inside her, and she sank her teeth into her lip, trying to hold in a gasp.
Archie set her on fire. All three of her men did. All it took was a single touch, or even a kiss, and she was ready for them.
She sat up on the table and placed her hand on his chest, feeling the rush of his heart. Nerves threatened to take over, but she ignored them as she traced her hand down his body, going toward his pants.
The hardness of his length surprised her.
“Yeah, baby, touch me.”
She loved the sounds he made.
He stepped away, and she watched as he worked over the front of his jeans and slid his zipper down, being careful as he brushed it over his dick.
Licking her lips, she waited and then moaned as the fullness of him was exposed to her view.
The tip was already wet with his pre-cum, and he worked his fist up and down the length. His entire body was hard and ripped with muscle. She couldn’t believe this was the same man who’d been bullied as a child for being a runt.
“Do you like what you see?”
She nodded.
Climbing off the table, she went to her knees before him.
“Oh, fuck.”
“I want to taste you, Archie.” She put her hands on his, matching each of his strokes in time. “Will you show me?”
“Yeah, fuck, yes.”
She couldn’t resist licking the tip and letting out a moan at the taste of him.
“Now that’s a pretty sight,” Vinny said.
Annalise didn’t look toward the new voice. She was too lost in her own lust, covering Archie’s dick with her lips and slowly sucking him into her mouth. She loved the feel of him as he slid inside.
Another groan, this time coming from Gabe, and she opened her eyes, not realizing that she’d closed them. All three of her men looked down at her with wonder in their eyes.