Taming Travis [Wolves of Climax 4] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) by Stacey Espino

TAMING TRAVIS
    Wolves of Climax 4
     
    STACEY ESPINO
    Copyright © 2012
     
     
     
     
     
Chapter One
     
    “I don’t know what to do!” Cassidy covered her face with her hands, emotion clogging her throat. If she let Patrick and Matthew head out to find the other men, she risked losing them, too. But it was selfish of her to worry about being left alone when lives could be at stake. The forests covering the lower mountain ranges were dense, rarely traveled country. Her men were out there somewhere with only the clothes on their backs.
    Patrick joined her and Matthew in the clearing. His features were set hard, his muscles taut. “There’s no decision for you to make, little one. Matthew’s too weak to fight. I’ll be going after them alone.”
    “What?” She bolted to her feet, rushing over to him. “You can’t go!” Cassidy looked up at his face, her palms resting on his chest. The meager light filtering down from the forest canopy highlighted his red hair and blue eyes.
    “I promise I’ll be back.”
    “You don’t know that. Look what happened to Matthew. He was missing for a month.”
    Patrick smirked, all confidence, and brushed the stray hairs from her forehead. “You don’t give me much credit. I’m capable of protecting myself.”
    She savored his touch, the heat of his skin under her palms, and the aura of pure masculine strength he radiated. But as capable as he was, he was just a man. How could he compete with thousands of acres of forest and mountains, not to mention the man-killing wolves running rampant?
    “I won’t let you go alone,” said Matthew, his voice deep and final.
    “Brother, stay with Cassidy. You need to regain your strength. You’re skin and bones, and your mind is still weak.”
    “Don’t even try it, Red. I’m not an invalid.”
    She knew in her heart that she wanted the two men to stay with her in the cabin, love her, and ease her worries. But that was selfish. Garret, Evan, and Travis were out there in the great beyond fighting a battle that didn’t need to be fought. They needed to be informed that the Rockford miners weren’t responsible for Matthew’s disappearance. Garret had yet to lay eyes on his missing friend. She couldn’t wait for the reunion.
    In her perfect world, all her men would be with her, but nothing seemed to go as planned in Climax.
    “You’ll both go. But I’m coming with you.”
    “No!” they said in unison.
    She pulled away from Patrick and paced the small clearing. “I won’t sit here doing nothing, wondering if you’ll ever return. I’d be sick with worry until you came back. But I can’t just ignore the fact that the others are still out there somewhere.”
    “Cassidy, it’s no Garden of Eden where they’re heading. It’s rough country, the likes you’ve never seen.” Matthew turned her around to face him. “It’s dangerous.” His green eyes pleaded with her to change her mind, but it was already set. They should know by now how determined she could get when she made a decision.
    “You’ll both keep me safe,” she reassured. “We’ll find Garret, Evan, and Travis, tell them the truth, and then come home together.” Like a family. It may be wishful thinking to assume she’d get her happily ever after with all five men, but she wouldn’t give up her dream just yet. The two most stubborn were Patrick and Travis. They seemed resolute to keep their emotions behind tight guards, whereas the other three were more accepting of a long-term ménage relationship.
    “No way!” Patrick frowned, but in her eyes, he only looked sexy as hell. He could never threaten her with a look or tone of voice, not after everything they’d done together. Even under the barrage of problems facing her, he still managed to spark her libido to life. “You’re too delicate for such a trip. It’s out of the question.” She raked her gaze over his body. He only wore some worn-out Wranglers, low on his hips. The dark tattoos running down