Rescued (Three's Allowed, Book 2)

By Laura Harner

Elizabeth Ashford tries to escape her wife-beating husband before he kills her, by running into the wilderness near a highway rest area. Michael Enwright is a self-made millionaire and expert in high tech security. At the first rest stop of his long overdue sabbatical, he sees the fleeing woman and intervenes, saving Elizabeth’s life, while nearly losing his own.

When Michael’s help is misinterpreted, he ends up handcuffed and face down in the dirt before Elizabeth can set Sheriff Graeme Kennedy, her former lover, straight. In order to protect Lizzie, Graeme is forced to work with Michael and brings both of them to his cabin for protection.

Now Graeme finally has Elizabeth under his roof, right where he’s always wanted her. So why is he jacking off to visions of the drop dead gorgeous and take-charge Michael? Some things never change.

Warning: Each book in the Three’s Allowed series is an erotic romance between one sexy woman and two smoking hot men. The series contains graphic material that is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18, including M/M/F, M/F, and M/M sexual encounters, and mild BDSM. Suspense included—no extra charge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laura Harner
• Release date: Nov 11, 2011
• ISBN: 9781937252076

Laura Harner

Laura lives on waterfront property in Arizona because she's always wanted to be an oxymoron. She once enjoyed hobbies such as gardening and travel—now the characters in her head compel her to tell their stories, so she writes. (It doesn't actually help quiet the voices—but it keeps the folks in the white jackets at bay.)She shares her home with an ever-revolving cast of characters—some of whom are actually real—and is living her dream of building her own version of the Willow Springs Ranch.With over fifty published novels and novellas, Laura is an international bestselling author of erotic romances, romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and Highland romances. Her books can be found at all major online retailers.Connect with her online at:http://lauraharner.com

Book preview

Rescued

Three’s Allowed: 2

Laura Harner

Copyright

Rescued: Three’s Allowed is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2010 by Laura Harner

All rights reserved.

Smashwords Edition Published in the United States by Hot Corner Press

ISBN 978-1-937252-07-6

Warning: All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any many without written permission, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

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Dedication

To every the day heroes who work to keep others safe.

A special thank you to DWS Photography for the beautiful cover image.

Table of Contents

Copyright`

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

About the Author

Also Available

Chapter One

Graeme fumbled for the phone in the dark. He hated middle-of-the-night calls. He’d thought he’d escaped them when he’d traded his Phoenix detective shield for the small-town sheriff’s badge, but a quick glance at his clock showed it was two thirty-one in the morning, which meant someone was probably dead.

Kennedy, he said, already turning on the light, ready to write down the location of the scene.

Sheriff, it’s Sally. Sorry to disturb your…sleep, she said.

He noticed the pause, knew she was fishing. She’d been trying to dig into his personal life ever since he’d arrived and had made it known she was available, if he was interested. He wasn’t.

What is it, Sally? he asked, keeping his tone neutral.

Got a strange report of a domestic at the rest area. Tim is just south of Flag, tied up with a motor vehicle accident. He’ll be there at least another hour. There’s a fatality involved. You said to give you a call before I called in Department of Public Safety. Do you want to check it out? It’s probably just some kids. The caller hung up and didn’t leave many details.

I’ve got it. Send what you’ve got to my unit. I’ll be on the road in five.

* * * * *

Oh God. How could this be happening? Elizabeth wiped the blood from her eye and examined the car, trying to figure out the safest way to help.

The driver had saved her life, and now he was unconscious with the front tires of his SUV hanging on the edge of the precipice. It was a clear drop of a hundred feet to the red rocks below. She needed to make the vehicle stable and then get out of there before anyone found her.

If she could prevent the SUV from rolling forward until he regained consciousness or until help arrived, the stranger could get out. He would be okay. He had to be.

She limped forward, carrying the biggest rock she could lift, and lodged it in front of the rear tire. She returned again and again until both rear tires were wedged tight.

Her head whipped around at the sharp snap of a twig behind her. Then a soft, purely evil laugh sliced through the cold night air.

Looks like you’re fresh out of Prince Charmings again, Elizabeth. Funny how they all seem to disappear on you. I wonder why that is? I think it’s fate. You’re mine, and no one else is allowed to have you. Not ever. Come on now, Elizabeth. It’s time to go home. We can kiss and make up.

There was nowhere to run. He would catch her, and this time he would kill her. She was sure of it.

Movement from inside the SUV caught her attention. She glanced down in time to see a strong hand raise a gun through the broken window. In one smooth motion, the man aimed toward the brush and fired.

The SUV slid forward. Ears ringing from the gunshot, she didn’t hesitate. She yanked the door opened, then pulled the man’s arm with every bit of strength she possessed. He came free from the crushed metal and tangle of seat belt just as his vehicle lost the war with gravity.

*

Michael tumbled out of his SUV and bowled the woman over. Rolling fast, he covered her with his body, gun pointing into the brush, eyes searching for the source of that disembodied voice. He could hear nothing after the retort of the gun except the sick crunch of his custom hybrid Tahoe as it died a humiliating death at the bottom of the canyon. Shit. He’d just bought that car!

The trip had started so beautifully, his new beginning. No more working all night, no more losing track of the days, no more heart attack waiting to happen. Thirty wasn’t old; he was just overworked in an obsessive-compulsive kind of way.

Enwright Security had grown to be the top high-tech security business in the country and had nearly eaten him alive in the process. Not that he hadn’t loved every bit of starting his own company. He had. But when one of his top technicians died at his workbench after another fourteen-hour shift, Michael knew it was time to make a change.

A little over two hours ago, he’d loaded a suitcase, laptop, and a few other gadgets into his Tahoe and headed north from Phoenix with no particular destination in mind. He’d stopped at the Sunset Point rest area, resisted the temptation to call the office and check on the production statistics, and just stood gazing into the gathering darkness. No destination meant no reservations, no plans. He felt lost. With a sigh, he’d gotten back into the car.

He’d noticed the woman first. She’d burst from the backside of the restrooms, running toward the brush with quick looks over her shoulders. A moment later, a man dressed all in black gave chase.

Her face had been a mask of terror, and Michael hadn’t hesitated. He’d pushed the four-wheel drive into action and barreled over the curb and into the brush surrounding the rest area, following the path of the man. He’d figured it was a domestic dispute and reasoned if he could get to the man, he could calm the situation. If not, he’d knock the asshole out. Either way, he couldn’t sit by and watch a man chase a woman into the wilderness.

The gunshots came as a complete surprise. Four bullets right to the windshield. The bullet-resistant glass did its job, but the stars splintering across the front effectively blocked his view. The Tahoe pitched over a boulder, and Michael had a terrifying glimpse of the edge of the world before his head slammed into the door frame and the lights went out.

All that had led to his current predicament. He was lying on top of a beautiful woman, his gun in his hand, looking into the night for a rat bastard he now planned to kill.

Sheriff. Drop the gun, and lock your hands behind your head, motherfucker, the voice a low growl behind his ear.

Michael turned his head slightly only to find the barrel of a gun pressed against his temple. He dropped the gun. The woman beneath him whimpered.

*

Graeme’s heart rate was nicely elevated. He cuffed the suspect where he lay, needing to secure him before he risked a look at the woman. Jerking the man’s arms, he dropped him unceremoniously and was rewarded with a muffled thud as the suspect’s face hit the ground.

Ma’am, are you okay? I need you to stand up slowly with your hands to the side where I can see them.

He wasn’t taking any chances. They could both be assholes, and he was out here without backup. The woman got to her knees and pushed herself up from the ground, careful to keep her hands in view.

Turn around, he directed.

She turned slowly, her long sweep of dark auburn hair hiding her face. It didn’t matter. There was only one head of hair like that. Elizabeth Ashford. Fuck.

He reached her in two strides, brushed the hair back from her face, and saw the bruises and blood. Elizabeth, honey, are you okay? Where’d you come from?

He walked her over to sit far enough away from the suspect and lowered her to the ground. Kneeling beside her, he said, I’m sorry, Elizabeth. He’s not going to hurt you anymore. Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ve got you now. Can you talk? Can you tell me what happened?

Beat me, she gasped and then she pulled away from his arms and ran a few steps into the woods and vomited.

He figured she’d want a few minutes to recover, so he sauntered over to the bastard that beat the most beautiful woman he knew and the only one he’d ever loved. He grabbed a fistful of hair as dark as his own