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

you.”
    “How can I believe you? Everything you’ve told me so far has—”
    “Been to protect you,” he finished. “ Scharlie , I knew all about what happened between your stepfather and Harlow. How you were hurt, badly, and how he defended you. Is it so hard to believe now that Cassidy and I wouldn’t continue to protect you as much as possible?”
    She shook her head as her tears spilled down her cheeks. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”
    He cupped her face and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. “All you need to think about is this.”
    His mouth swooped down and landed on hers. His kiss was gentle, yet firm. As his lips moved over hers enticingly, she seduced with her own, inviting him in. Her body came to life as he mastered her with only a kiss. And even though she wanted to throw away her doubts, the truth burned its way into her brain, forcing her to remember that this man was no good.
    When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers. “I love you, Scharlie Thorn.”
    She broke away and looked up at him with very sad eyes.
    “Get out of here.”
    She saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “What?”
    “I said, get out of here. I don’t want to see you again. You or Cassidy.”
    And then she turned and walked away from him, trying to ignore how her heart was breaking.

Chapter Eleven

    Scharlie lay in bed that night, unable to sleep. She had patched up the mattress as best as she could and turned it over, since the bottom side hadn’t been damaged. Once she had heard Cassidy and Garrett leave, she had cleaned up the mess in her house, refusing to cry. She refused to let the image of some horrible, faceless man immobilize her. She may not know what Breaux Cox looked like, but did it matter? A monster was a monster.
    Now she stared at the ceiling, though she couldn’t see anything in the darkness. She hadn’t been able to watch Cassidy and Garrett ride away, to gather their belongings and disappear. Forever.
    Forever?
    Of course it had to be forever. They had desecrated her memories. They had taken Harlow away from her. She could never forgive them.
    She sighed and rolled to her side, tucking her hands under her chin and bringing her knees up. Every part of her hurt, as if she had fallen off a cliff and every bone in her body had broken.
    And now she couldn’t sleep. All she kept thinking about was Garrett’s eyes when he’d begged her to understand and the devastation she saw in them when she told him to leave. If truth be told, she really believed him in that moment.
    But still, the facts were clear. Cassidy had even admitted it. They were outlaws. Harlow was an outlaw.
    Damn them.

    * * * *
     
    She was awoken by the pounding on her front door. Scharlie opened her eyes and sat up, unfolding her cramped limbs that had gone stiff in the middle of the night. She still wore the same clothes as yesterday. Her hair was hanging limply on her shoulders. She rubbed a hand over her face, trying to wipe the last vestiges of sleep away. The pounding on her door came again, and Scharlie hurried from the bedroom.
    “Who is it?” she called through the wooden door.
    “Cassidy. And Garrett. Scharlie , can you open up?”
    She leaned her forehead against the door. “Why should I?”
    “Please, Scharlie , just listen to us.”
    “Why should I? For all I know, you’re still working with Cox!”
    He was silent for a moment. “Do you really think that after what we shared?” he asked in a quiet, subdued tone.
    “I don’t know what to think,” she admitted. “You’ve completely shattered my world. I was so scared last night, so angry.”
    “Did you think we wouldn’t stay around to protect you?” Garrett asked through the door. “ Scharlie , please, you’re in danger.”
    “Am I really? From my point of view, you’re just as dangerous as Breaux Cox.”
    “We’d never hurt you,” Cassidy said.
    Anger rose quickly and sharply inside her. She unlocked the door and yanked