Love All Out - Part 3 (A Stepbrother Romance) Read online

  Love All Out

  PART 3

  By Alice Ward

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 Alice Ward

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS

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  BOOK DESCRIPTION

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

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  MORE BY ALICE WARD

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  COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER

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  BOOK DESCRIPTION

  This is Part 3 of "Love All Out" - a five part New Adult Stepbrother Romance Series by Alice Ward.

  I somehow convinced myself that James and I could be together, despite our parents’ upcoming marriage. I managed to convince James too, until reality stepped in with a rude awakening. Suddenly, my love life didn’t – couldn’t – matter to me anymore. I had to focus on furthering my career and protecting my reputation.

  But James wouldn’t be deterred so easily. He pursued me, insisting that I’d never find the same kind of happiness with anyone else. And despite my best efforts to move on, I kept finding myself in his bed.

  The bond between James and I moved beyond physical as we fought against a common enemy and toward a common goal. James proved that I could depend on him and soon, I could no longer deny my feelings. I was desperate to be with him and I didn’t care what it cost me.

  As I worked up the nerve to go public with our love, tragedy struck and changed our lives forever.

  This book is intended for a mature audience, 18+ only.

  CHAPTER 1

  I stood on Eagle Point in stunned silence, staring into Bradley’s cold, arrogant eyes. I couldn’t believe what was happening. Just a few hours earlier, I’d convinced James that we’d find a way to make people accept our unconventional relationship. But when Bradley threatened to expose our love to the world, I realized that James had been right all along. No one would accept us together. We were only setting ourselves up for ridicule and heartache.

  “What do you mean, ‘as long as we do what you say’?” James growled. He stood between me and Bradley as if he could protect me from what was to come. I didn’t have to see his face to realize that he was angry. The slow burning rage in his voice told me everything I needed to know. One part of me wanted James to punch Bradley in the face again. Another part of me was terrified to anger the one person with the power to destroy our lives.

  Bradley gave us an amused grin. “I thought my statement was pretty self-explanatory, but I guess I gave you too much credit. What I mean is, essentially, you’re both mine. From this point forward, you’ll do what I say, when I say it, or I’ll let everyone know about your sick little sibling bonding sessions.”

  James ground his foot into the dirt and balled up his right fist. “Or, I could knock your fucking teeth in, delete the pictures, and you can fuck yourself.”

  “James, no,” I said, finally finding my voice. He turned to me and furrowed his brow in frustration.

  “Give me one good reason,” he replied. “Because the way I see it, this is the quickest solution to our problem.”

  I moved beside him and put a comforting arm on his shoulder. “You can’t hit him, James. He’ll press charges again.”

  Bradley nodded. “Listen to your girlfriend, or sister, or whatever the fuck you call her. She’s right. If you lay one hand on me, I’ll have your ass thrown in jail. And then, I’ll make sure your cell mates know that you like to screw family members. I wonder how they’d react to that.” He put a hand to his chin and tapped it with one finger.

  “You’re a fucking bastard,” James hissed.

  “That may be,” Bradley agreed with a grin. “But I’m a bastard who fucking owns you.”

  “What do you want?” I asked meekly. There was no denying what Bradley had walked in on and I looked to the ground in shame.

  “I haven’t decided yet. But I promise I’ll make it interesting,” Bradley answered with a wink. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to the house. I’m sure my father’s ready to leave. I’ll tell Cole that you’re finishing up here for the day and will be down soon. I’ll be in touch,” he added as he turned back to the mouth of the trail.

  “Bradley,” I called after him.

  He looked over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Yes?”

  I twisted the hem of James’s t-shirt in my hand and looked down to the ground. “It’s just… this isn’t…” I stammered. I took a deep breath and started again. “This isn’t what you think it is. That’s all.” I wanted to beg him to delete the pictures and forget what he’d seen. But I knew it would be useless and I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

  “Like I said, I’m not stupid,” Bradley snorted. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

  I watched until he disappeared down the trail and then scrambled around the blanket, gathering my clothes. I pulled off James’s t-shirt, fastened my bra around my chest, and slid the straps over my shoulders. An engine grumbled in the distance and James kicked at the dirt.

  “That bastard!” he yelled. A deep scowl spread across his ruggedly handsome face. “I knew he didn’t walk all the way up here. He took one of the ATVs, but left it down the trail. He didn’t want us to hear him coming. He was fucking hoping to catch us doing something!”

  “Yes,” I agreed as I tugged my t-shirt over my head. “And his plan worked.” I pulled on my socks and stuffed my feet into my boots. James stood and watched me, still wearing only his jeans.

  “Willow, we are not playing his game,” he insisted. “You’ve spent the last three days trying to convince me that we can be together. You said it yourself; this doesn’t have to be a big scandal. I’m sure some people will be shocked, but once they get to know us…”

  “They won’t want to get to know us,” I snapped. “You were right all along. I was naïve. I was stupid. Once people find out about our… situation, they won’t want to have anything to do with us. We have to give Bradley what he wants, James. I can’t afford not to.”

  James clenched his jaw and turned away from me, fury coming off him like waves. I packed up our ATV while he got dressed.

  “Are you ready? We need to get back,” I told him as I stowed the rolled up picnic blanket on the backseat.

  “We need to talk about this, Willow,” James insisted, his face as serious as I’d ever seen it. He sat down on a tree stump and folded his hands in his lap. I could tell that he was trying to stay calm, but my patience was wearing thin.

  “There’s nothing to talk about, James.” I leaned against the ATV and crossed my arms ov
er my chest. “You were right. We can’t be together, not now that our parents are getting married. People may grow to accept us eventually, but I can’t afford to wait for eventually. With the attention I’m getting from the Derby, my program has been put on the fast track to becoming one of the best in the country. There’s not a doubt in my mind that Mondo will win Preakness and I won’t be surprised if he takes the Triple Crown. If that happens, nothing will be able to slow me down. Nothing but…”

  “Me. A taboo sex scandal,” James finished with a sigh of defeat. He dropped his head and stared down at the freshly cut grass. “That didn’t matter to you so much a few hours ago,” he reminded me softly.

  Guilt flooded every cell of my body and a single tear fell from my eye. “I know. I’m sorry.” I wanted to say more. I wanted to comfort him. But I didn’t have the words.

  James stood up and cleared his throat. “I guess risking everything you’ve worked so hard for is easier said than done… especially with Bradley’s imminent threat hanging over your head.”

  I felt my cheeks flush hot with shame. I was filled with so many emotions I wasn’t sure which one to feel first. I was terrified of Bradley, terrified that he’d expose our secret. And the thought of losing James made my heart ache with a pain I’d never felt before. But every instinct I had told me that I had to protect my career. I’d worked too hard, sacrificed too much, and all of my dreams were about to be realized. I couldn’t let anything stand in the way of my success, not even the man I so desperately loved.

  “I’m sorry,” I said again, unable to look James in the eye. “Should we head back?”

  James shook his head and walked to the ATV. He lifted the cooler off of the utility rack and set it on the ground. “You go ahead and go home. I’ll stay a little longer and get some more of these plants in the ground. Tell Mom and Cole that I’m going in to town tonight and I’ll see them at breakfast.”

  I knew it was irrational, but I was hurt that he was staying behind. “Are you sure?” I asked. “We can come back early tomorrow and catch up on the planting.”

  James shook his head again and pulled the shovel and hoe out of the backseat. “I just want to be alone, Willow,” he replied.

  “James, I’m so sorry,” I said again. “You were right. I should have listened to you in the first place. Then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

  James pushed the shovel into the ground and leaned against its long handle. He stared at me with sad, frustrated eyes. “You’re the one who was right,” he said through tight lips. “I never wanted to let you go, but I wanted to do the right thing. And throwing in the towel because Bradley Miller spouted off bullshit threats isn’t the right thing. I understand that you’ve got a lot going on right now, so I’m not going to push this for a while. But I’m not going to give up on us, Willow. I love you.”

  It was the first time he’d said those words. I looked into his eyes and my heart leapt to my throat. I’d never felt so euphoric and miserable at the same time. I wanted so badly to say “I love you, too” and jump into his arms, but fear held me back.

  “Please, James,” I begged. “Don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”

  He gazed back and a calm look spread across his face. “Willow, I intend to make it incredibly hard for you to walk away from me… impossible, even.” He pulled the shovel from the ground, walked towards me, kissed the top of my head, and then turned away just as quickly.

  “I’ll see you at breakfast, Willow,” he said over his shoulder as he walked back to the rows of plants.

  I slid behind the steering wheel, turned the key in the ignition, and reluctantly set off for home.

  ***

  Matt chewed the cap of his ink pen and studied the resume of Mason Tanner, who sat nervously across from us at my kitchen table. It was early Thursday afternoon and Matt and I were interviewing applicants to work in the thoroughbred stables. My office wasn’t big enough for three people, so we were holding the interviews at the house. Mason’s resume said that he was twenty-six, but his baby smooth face and small stature made him look more like a child.

  “So, you already have quite a bit of experience working with racehorses,” Matt observed. He leaned back against the wall and the two front legs of his chair rose off the floor.

  Mason nodded. “Yes sir, all of it back home in Kentucky.”

  “How long have you lived in Colorado?” I asked. I scanned his resume, but didn’t see a local address.

  Mason looked me straight in the eye. “I still live in Kentucky, ma’am. But I’m more than willing to move here, if I have the opportunity to work with you.”

  If Mason had been our first interview of the day, his answer would have surprised me. But out of the eight other people we’d spoken to, only two had been locals. When I decided to hire more help for my barn, I called a few of my local racing friends and asked if they knew of anyone looking for work. Word that we were hiring spread fast. People came from across the country for a chance to work in the barn that had produced the last Derby winner.

  “That’s incredibly flattering, Mason. Thank you,” I told him, meaning it.

  “I know you’re talking to a lot of applicants,” he said, his green eyes shining with confidence. “And I know you probably have older applicants with more experience than I have. But you’ll never find anyone who works harder or is more motivated to learn. I want to be the best and to do that, I need to learn from the best. I’ve done my research. This is where I want to be. And for the record, I knew that before the Derby.”

  I took a sip of my coffee and studied Mason for a moment. “Do you mind if I ask what you weigh?” I was worried the question would offend him, but Mason gave me a bright smile.

  “One hundred and twenty-six pounds, ma’am,” he replied proudly. “Yes, that’s on purpose and yes, I have some jockey experience... training, too.”

  One hundred and twenty-six pounds, that’s the exact weight requirement for racing. This may be a sign…

  Matt raised an eyebrow, silently asking where I was going with my questions. I hadn’t shared my new plan with him yet.

  I pushed my chair away from the table and rose to my feet. The guys followed my lead and I extended my hand to Mason.

  “I’d like to offer you one of the open positions in the barn,” I said, surprising myself with the words. Mason beamed with delight while Matt scowled with annoyed confusion.

  “Thank you so much, ma’am,” Mason said. He was obviously excited and continued shaking my hand up and down as he spoke. “I promise you won’t regret this. I have tons of experience, but I’m also ready and willing to learn new things.”

  “You don’t have to sell yourself, she’s already hired you,” Matt reminded him with a tense smile.

  “Right,” Mason laughed. “My apologies.”

  “No problem,” I said, pulling my hand free from his grip. “How long will it take you to relocate? Your salary includes lodging. The bunkhouse isn’t fancy, but it has a full kitchen, cable television, and two full size bathrooms. It was built to sleep eight people, but Huck and Colton are the only ones living there right now. If you prefer to live offsite, we’ll understand.”

  “No ma’am, the bunkhouse is just fine for me,” Mason assured me. “I don’t have much, so I don’t need a lot of room. I flew in from Kentucky last night and I’m scheduled to fly out this evening. I can be in my truck and on my way back here by tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Perfect,” I told him. I walked out of the kitchen and through the front door with Matt and Mason close behind me. “Travel safely, and we’ll see you in a few days.” Matt and I shook Mason’s hand again and walked him to his rental car.

  “Thank you again for the opportunity, ma’am,” he said as he slid behind the steering wheel.

  “You’re welcome. And please, call me Willow,” I insisted.

  “I’ll see you soon, Willow. Thank you both.” Mason nodded and closed his door. Matt and I watched in silence as his car moved dow
n the driveway. Once it had disappeared, Matt turned to me with his hands on his hips.

  “What was the point of me sitting in on the interviews if you were going to make the decision without discussing it with me?” he asked. He tapped his foot on the ground, impatiently waiting for my reply.

  I let out a long sigh and gave him a weak, hesitant smile. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I should have talked to you. And not just about hiring Mason, but what I’ve hired him for.”

  Matt’s arms dropped to his sides and he stared at me with narrowed eyes. “What do you mean ‘what you’ve hired him for’?”

  My stomach grumbled and I looked back towards the house. “I’m starving. Let’s go inside and have lunch, and I’ll explain everything.”

  “Fine,” Matt agreed. “I’m hungry too.”

  “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since I came home from Kentucky,” I said as we walked back to the house. I was relieved that Daddy and Renee were in town for the day. I wasn’t quite ready to let the whole family in on my plan.

  “Thinking about what?” Matt asked as we stepped into the kitchen. I walked to the refrigerator and pulled out leftover meatloaf from the night before.

  “Do meatloaf sandwiches sound alright to you?” I asked. I popped the glass dish into the microwave and set it for two minutes.

  “That’s fine,” Matt said with a dismissive wave. He leaned against the counter. “What have you been thinking about?” he asked again.

  I was nervous to tell him. I was certain he’d tell me I was crazy. I wrapped my arms around my chest and looked down at the floor as I spoke. “I’ve been thinking… that maybe it’s time to expand the program.”

  Matt’s body relaxed and curiosity spread across his face. “Expand how? Do you want to build a bigger barn? Keep more horses?” He seemed excited by the idea, which filled me with relief. I looked up at him and smiled.

  “I want to expand everything. I want to add on to the barn and increase the breeding stock,” I told him. “I’m keeping Clementine’s filly and Glory’s colt. Liberty and Snowball should be coming into heat any day now. We’ll breed them to Locomotion and raise the foals to breed with Thunder’s babies.”