Free Their Kidnapped Bride (Bridgewater Menage Series Book 1) by Vanessa Vale Page B

appeared to the stage driver and any passerby that I was a modest, demure woman, although I now knew better.
    Kane had insisted I ride upon his lap as it was horses only from Simms on. I'd objected at first, but he'd placed me sideways across his muscular thighs and the discomfort wasn't as terrible. He'd held me securely in the circle of his arms, the sway of the animal lulling me. I shouldn't have found comfort as I was, but I did.
    The side of my face rested against his chest and I could hear the steady beat of his heart. He smelled good, radiated warmth and I felt...safe. With Ian riding beside us, I knew nothing could happen to me. Neither Thomas nor any other man would harm me again. And yet, was I safe from these men? They'd touched me, used me, punished me in ways I never imagined. It had all been so illicit, so carnal, so wrong. Everything I'd done in the stage was beyond my scope of imagination, but would probably be an everyday occurrence with them. The way they'd made me find pleasure in what I'd done had me confused, frightened even, by my own reactions. I'd liked it! Even after being so debased, I'd come, harder than any previous time and it had been incredibly good. All that had been missing was a cock filling me.
    We rode up to a large house built solely of logs. It was two stories and vast, with a covered porch that wrapped all the way around. Ian tied his lead to a rail then came over and helped me down from Kane's lap. Various buildings were scattered about the land in the distance. A barn, with a hayloft was attached to a longer, one story stable. A fenced paddock with several horses grazing was beside it. Further away, several smaller structures, and in the distance, set upon rises in the landscape, were other houses, discernible by their porches, stone chimneys and windows. Our arrival must have been witnessed or heard as several men approached.
    I smoothed out my dress as the men shook hands, caught up on the happenings at the ranch, too nervous to look any of them in the eye. Could they tell that I wore no drawers and had thick seed dried on my thighs? Would they know what Kane and Ian had forced me to do in the stage or that I had found my pleasure while doing so? I was certainly travel worn and unkempt, but would they associate part of that state to being on my knees servicing Ian or my head thrashing about as used my hand to make myself come?
    All my concerns were irrelevant, as I quickly became the center of attention, completely surrounded by very large, very commanding men. There was something about their bearing that was identical – shoulders back, eyes assessing and sharp, bodies honed with muscle and strength. It was quite overwhelming. I glanced at Ian and Kane, whose looks included blatant possessiveness that I found surprisingly reassuring.
    Kane moved to stand beside me and took my elbow, Ian did the same on the other side. "This is Emma, our bride."
    With this pronouncement, the men's gazes shifted to scrutiny and I felt as naked and exposed as I had on the stage. My eyes widened, realizing that Kane had introduced me as our bride. Not his bride, not Ian's bride. Not one man seemed surprised. Had they missed his very specific wording?
    "Emma, the bloke on the left is Mason." Kane indicated with his chin. "Next to him is Brody. Simon and Rhys are the dark-haired lads. You will discover as soon as they speak that they were members of our regiment as well. The last is Cross, who is as American as you are. We each own a stretch of land, but the ranch, Bridgewater, is our common goal."
    I nodded my head and gave a smile, finally reassured I would not be taken to the other side of the world.
    "Ann is expecting you two for the noon meal, although Emma will be quite a surprise." If I remembered correctly, it was Mason who spoke. He appeared a few years younger than both Kane and Ian, with black hair and a neatly trimmed beard.
    I tugged on Kane's sleeve and he leaned down. "Do they know...I