Free Carter, Beth D. - Lawless Hearts (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Unknown

the steps, onto the porch, and pushed open the door. He went inside.
    “No one is in there now,” she whispered. “But someone had been while I was working in the garden.”
    Cassidy’s arm tightened around her.
    In a moment, Garrett came back out and walked toward them. A grim slash flattened his lips, and a frown marred his forehead.
    “Cigar smoke,” he told Cassidy.
    “Fuck!”
    Scharlie jumped from the venom in Cassidy’s voice.
    “We have to tell her.”
    “No,” Cassidy said.
    “We don’t have a choice. He’s here.”
    “What’s going on?” she cried. “Who’s here?”
    Cassidy and Garrett stared at one another. They seemed to be speaking to each other without words, and their silence stretched all her nerves to the breaking point.
    “What is it you’re not telling me?” she yelled, demanding, pulling out of Cassidy’s arm and glaring at them.
    “ Scharlie —” Cassidy began.
    “No!” she interrupted. “My house has been violated! Someone came in and destroyed my things, so it’s time you told me everything.”
    He sighed and ran a hand through his curls. “Breaux Cox smokes cigars.”
    It took a moment for the words to sink in. “Oh my God. Is he the one who did this? Is he here, in Rock Ridge?”
    They didn’t confirm her question, but then again, she wondered who else it could be.
    “He killed Harlow . What does he want with me?”
    “Shit,” Garrett swore, running a hand through his hair. “They must have followed us.”
    She looked back and forth between them. “Who are ‘they’?”
    “Cox rides with two men named Mitch Cautling and Lee Barnes,” Cassidy answered.
    She blinked. Dread washed through her body. “What do you mean by that? And how do you know their names?”
    When he hesitated, Garrett answered. “Because we rode with them.”
    She shifted her attention. “Rode with them. You and Cassidy.”
    “And Harlow .”
    “No!”
    Garrett grabbed her shoulders, but she shook him off and backed away.
    “Outlaws,” she whispered, eyes wide. “You’re telling me all of you…you’re outlaws.”
    “ Scharlie —”
    “Yes,” Cassidy answered.
    “Cass!” Garrett protested.
    Cassidy pinned him with a hard glare but answered her. “It’s complicated, Scharlie . Harlow, Garrett, and I met up with Breaux Cox and his men, and we all figured six was a good round number.”
    “You make it sound so ordinary,” she replied bitterly. Tears welled up in her eyes. “Why did you come here? Why did you let me know about Harlow ? Why did you make me—”
    She stopped and abruptly turned away. She wouldn’t, couldn’t, reveal that she had fallen in love with them because they didn’t deserve that type of respect.
    “You’re bad men,” she said sadly.
    “Breaux Cox is a bad man,” Cassidy told her.
    She spun, angry. “You’ve killed people, haven’t you?”
    “I told you, it’s complicated.”
    “The truth, Cassidy! You’ve killed people. You’ve hurt people.”
    It seemed to take forever for him to answer. “Yes.”
    Scharlie felt her heart crumble. Tears coursed down her face. “And what was I? Did you like hurting me? Taking advantage of me?”
    She saw his jaw lock as he turned away.
    “No,” Garrett answered for him. “It’s not like that.”
    “Garrett!” Cassidy replied in a warning tone.
    “I won’t have her thinking we used her, Cass!” Garrett reached out and grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Cassidy. She stumbled after him, trying to keep her footing. Finally they came to the new barn, and he let go of her hand, only to spin around and pin her with his dark, turbulent eyes.
    “I can’t speak for Cassidy, even though I know he feels the same as I do. I can only tell you what’s in my heart.” He touched his chest. “But I’ve known you for so long. Harlow would tell us stories about you, share the letters you wrote to him when they caught up with us, and every time he said your name, I fell more and more in love with