The Lost Collection, Volume 1
(Beaumonts’ Brand & Amanda’s Texas Rangers)
Erotic Romance, Historical, Western, Menage a Trois, MFM, HEABeaumonts’ Brand
Alone in the wilderness, Victoria Fowler hides as men stop at her camp. Ben and Wade Beaumont have been away for months driving cattle to their ranch in Montana. When they catch someone stealing food from their chuck wagon, they’re stunned to discover it’s a beautiful woman. This is no place for a woman alone. Both enthralled with her, they each think she’ll make a wonderful addition to their ranch. They offer to wed her.
Tory’s alarmed to discover they want to share her and even more alarmed that she’s even considering it. The two brothers are not what she’s used to and it isn’t easy to live in a harsh world she doesn’t understand–a world where a man will use whatever other men hold dear in his quest for revenge.
Amanda’s Texas Rangers
Amanda Keller’s only goal was to help her mother and sister escape her father’s abuse. She certainly didn’t need the two hard-nosed Texas Rangers meddling in her business.
Texas Rangers Zane Owens and Rand Sloane have their own mission. When they catch the raven-haired beauty about to shoot a man, they don’t believe a word of her lies but have no choice but to let her go. Once they find her again, however, all bets are off.
Amanda has no option but to lie to them and escape, only to find herself in more trouble than she bargained for. Soon, they not only rescue her, but outmaneuver her and make her an enticing offer of their own, one that would give her the escape she’s looking for.
But feelings have a way of sneaking in when she least expects it, turning her world upside down. In a town where their relationship isn’t accepted by all, living the way they are could be risky indeed, especially when men are willing to do whatever they have to in order to satisfy their greed.
Excerpt
Beaumonts’ Brand:
Ben came awake in an instant, his gun already in his hand. His hat hid most of his face as he saw the small figure work his way clumsily to the chuck wagon. Aware of Wade’s alertness beside him, he remained silent as he watched the figure look around nervously while stumbling forward.
Wearing pants rolled up several times and a shirt that hung down to his knees, the figure looked like a boy in his daddy’s clothes. Moving almost, but not quite silently, he continued to make his way closer and closer to the wagon, staggering like a drunk. The fire burned too low to see the boy’s face clearly. With the kid’s hat pulled so low, Ben wondered if he could even see. Once the boy got close enough to the wagon, he held on as though for support, and it took him three tries before he made it inside.
Ben waved back the hands that stood when he did, putting a finger to his lips as he and Wade moved forward. Tucking his gun away, he approached from one side while Wade approached from the other. Aware of his men moving in behind him, he waved them back, not wanting anyone to accidentally shoot the kid.
Wondering if this kid had anything to do with the four dead men, he shot a glance at his brother and nodded. Wade pointed his gun skyward and reached up with his free hand to grab the kid’s ankles, pulling him from the wagon.
The feminine squeal shocked the hell out of him as the small figure fell to the ground with a thud, drawing a knife that Wade quickly grabbed away.
Kneeling and holding on to her arm, Ben glanced over his shoulder. “Red, bring me a lantern.”
The small figure began thrashing. “Let me go. I didn’t do anything.”
He and Wade looked at each other in surprise. It was a female, one who sounded weak and breathless. He let go, not wanting to add to her obvious fear.
She staggered to her feet, backing away. Her hat fell off and a long, blonde braid now hung down her back. “Please don’t hurt me. I’ll go away. I didn’t steal anything, I swear. I just wanted some food.”
Red came running with a lantern and held it up, allowing them to get a good look at her.
John Dodge laughed, the sound of it making Ben clench his jaw. “Well, looky what we got here.”
Ben heard several gasps from behind him as the men realized it was a woman, one with a dirty, sunburned face. “We won’t hurt you.
Were you with those men we found earlier?”
Amanda’s Texas Rangers
“Oof!” A hard body landed none too gently on top of her, knocking the air out of her lungs as strong hands wrenched the rifle from her grip and another equally strong hand covered her mouth against her instinctive cry.
“Quiet!” The cold venom in the low tone whispered furiously against her ear had to be the most frightening sound she’d ever heard.
Pressed into the ground by the heavy weight on top of her, she whimpered as the rock at her hip dug in even more painfully, bringing tears to her eyes. She struggled for air, barely able to breathe through the large hand covering her mouth and nose.
Another voice sounded next to her other ear, barely a whisper that she had to struggle to hear. “Be still and be quiet. We’re going to back away from the edge slowly. If you resist, Zane, here, will break your neck. Do you understand?”
Amanda nodded once, her vision blurring from lack of air. Oh, God. There were two of them, and they were going to kill her. Her eyes flew open when she felt the hard bulge press at her bottom.
Or worse.
She’d heard stories about men who kept women alive for days, using them over and over until they’ve had enough of them. Then they’d kill them. She’d rather be killed outright than to have to endure that.
Even in this heat, a shiver went down her spine as fear clawed at her, along with something else, something decadent and dangerous. The man holding her didn’t smell sour the way her father did. He smelled like soap, leather and sweat, and the hand covering her mouth was free of grime. Even the slight beard brushing her cheek was soft, and she barely resisted the urge to rub against it. The strength of the body covering hers was apparent, his movements controlled and sure. Hard-packed muscles pressed over every inch of her back and legs, holding her so firmly that she couldn’t move at all.
He bent close, tightening his hand threateningly over her mouth. “I’ll take my hand away a little so you can breathe. If you make one sound, you’re dead.”
Amanda nodded again, gulping in air as soon as his hand moved away, trying her best to be as quiet as possible so he didn’t cover her mouth again. She found herself lifted slightly and pulled back from the edge, the man handling her as easily as he would a rag doll. Not until he’d pulled her several feet back and out of Rafael’s sight did he loosen his hold, still gripping her arm as he led her down the back side of the rocky ledge to the bottom where she’d left Midnight. The second he let her go, she spun and started backing away, stopping in her tracks when she got her first good look at them.
Holy hell. “Who are you?”
The one who’d just released her put his hands on his hips, his gaze hot as it moved over her. He looked just as muscular as he felt pressed against her. “We’re Texas Rangers, ma’am. What were you doing back there?”