“You sorry son-of-a-bitch!” She heard Kane scream and several punches were thrown.
Evan’s buddy from high school rushed in with his gun drawn and held it on him. “Evan, damn it, cuff him for me. Get his hands behind his back. I’ve called for backup.” He tossed his cuffs to the floor as arms drew back and one hit after the other connected with the man.
No doubt, he caught the hell found behind an obsessive man’s uncontrollable anger. And he caught it from three separate cowboys.
“Kane! Braden! Stop this!” Peyton screamed fearing they’d beat him too death and then be charged with murder. She cried out in agony as she doubled over. Stephen had knocked the hell out of her, and every time she tried to move, she felt her breath catch in the center of her chest.
Evan and Braden brought Stephen to his feet and held him. Kane’s upper lip curled in defining rage, the kind of fury even a stupid man would see headed his way.
“Peyton, look away!” Evan screamed.
“No! I will not! Kane! Stop!”
Kane threw one punch to Stephen’s lower jaw and then another and then one more for good measure.
Stephen’s head rolled from side to side and Pete stood back helpless. “He’s had enough, Kane.”
Evan shook his head. “No, hell, no. He fucked with our…”
Stephen’s evil laugh filled the room. “That’s about what I thought. Sweet piece of pussy like-”
“Kane!” She saw the final blow but couldn’t stop it.
Kane carried her inside. Braden and Evan beat them home. Kane, since he threw the punches-all of them, according to him-had to stay and answer questions. Peyton also had to talk to several detectives and give a full report. She was coached, by Kane, and told to inform he was the only Cartwell who threw a few left hooks.
Once Stephen had finally regained consciousness, the police on the scene had to remove him from the room. He’d continued to make empty threats to Peyton. He’d wanted her to know she needed to live her life looking over her shoulder.
Kane threatened him as well, and the whole verbal war continued until Kane kicked Stephen’s feet out from under him and stepped on his chest. The cops finally separated them but it wasn’t a moment soon enough. Peyton saw a side to Kane she hoped she never saw again.
“I’ve got your bed turned down,” Braden said.
Kane started up the steps with her, and the other two followed. She rested her head on his shoulder and with her arm bent around his neck, she felt so safe and secure, she didn’t know why she had to finally cry. She’d resisted the urge until right then. Right when she needed to feel the most secure, she started bawling like a baby.
Picking up his pace, Kane carried her to his room. He knelt down on his bed. “Peyton, honey, what is it?” He brushed her hair away from her face as she looked from one brother to the next.
“I’m…just…I’m just…”
“You’re tired, baby.” Evan scooted closer to her and wrapped her in his arms. “You’re safe now, Peyton. We’ve got you.”
“Some of the cops said if you hadn’t thought as quickly on your feet as you did then…” Braden shuddered.
“I was scared,” she said.
“You were brave, Peyton,” Evan said. “Very brave.”
Kane stood up and walked over to his window. He glared down at the lawn like he was watching for someone. His rigid body drew her naked eye, and she was afraid to look away. He had something to ask, and she fully expected it. In fact, she was surprised it took this long.
“Did he touch you inappropriately?”
She closed her eyes as she remembered Stephen’s hands on her knees a few times, trailing up her thigh once and smacking her so many times, she lost count. “No, he didn’t.”
Braden gathered her in his arms and kissed her cheeks and forehead. “You’re sure, Peyton?”
“I’m sure.” But she knew they didn’t believe her by the looks exchanged. She didn’t sound too convincing either.
“I need to talk to her,” Kane said.
“Kane, I think we all need to be with Peyton right now.”
Braden touched her face. “Can I get you anything, baby?”
She shook her head.
“I need five minutes alone with her and then you can stay all night. Give us five minutes,” he demanded. When he turned around, they were gone.
Kane propped his ass on the windowsill and acted like he waited on some sort of full confession. His eyes were misty, moist with more than the natural gleam from his pupils.
“I love you, Peyton. I will never love anyone the way I love you.”
“Kane…”
“No, let me finish.” He turned back to the window and took a deep breath, held it and finally let it go with a huff. “I would love you if-”
“Kane, he didn’t touch me. Not really.”
Kane marched over to the bed and gripped her shoulders. He shook her but it didn’t hurt. “No games, Peyton. Did he touch you or didn’t he?”
She swallowed tightly. “I’m assuming by the way you’re acting right now, he’s a very lucky man because if he had, if he had raped me, I see now you would’ve killed him.”
“And I still might. I want you to tell me where he touched you and how.”
“Kane he only touched my knee.”
His lips pursed and his lips curled into that dangerous sneer she hated. “And…”
“He slapped me a few times but you already…”
“And…”
“He…uh, that’s it.”
“Peyton?”
“And my inner thigh but I swear it, Kane that was it. He never touched me anywhere else.” She hit the high points and the low ones, what else did he want?
He squeezed her shoulders and started to release her but instead clutched her tighter and held her against his chest. “I thought I was going to lose you.” He caressed her back and held her head tightly against him. “If I’d lost you, Peyton, I don’t know what I would’ve done.”
“I’m right here, Kane. I’m always going to be right here for as long as you want me.”
She shivered as she moved away from him. “I think I’ll go back to my room so you can get some rest tonight.” She touched his cheek and saw the disappointment in his eyes. “Unless you want me to stay in here tonight.”
“I want you to stay,” he said. “With just me tonight.”
Evan poked his head in the room. “Pete called. We’re going to have to run down to the station and answer some questions too. Seems the fellow is going to file a civil suit since we beat him up pretty good. Pete said if Braden and I come on down and answer questions tonight, it might help us if he actually makes it to court with such charges.”
“All right. Be quiet coming back in. We’re going to bed now, and Peyton has to get up early for exams tomorrow.”
“How’d you know?” she asked.
“I know everything,” he said.
“Vicky told him,” Evan said with a grin. “Oh that reminds me. She was here earlier but her mom drove out to pick her up. Seems her dad didn’t want her out here all by herself while this was going on, and I don’t blame him. She called a few times though, and I guess you know she came right out here right after that creep grabbed you.”
“Yeah, that’s Vicky for you.”
