Do Rely on Your Protector (Jewel Family Romance Book 4) Read online

  Do Rely on Your Protector

  Jewel Family Romance

  Cami Checketts

  Copyright

  Do Rely on Your Protector: Jewel Family Romance

  Copyright © 2020 by Cami Checketts

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Free Book

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  Do Marry Your Billionaire Boss

  Do Trust Your Special Ops Bodyguard

  Do Kiss the Superstar

  About the Author

  Also by Cami Checketts

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  Chapter One

  Breeze Cain raced through the unfamiliar forest. It was dark, only a sliver of a moon penetrating the thick pine trees and casting unnerving shadows on the ground. Her eyes had adjusted pretty well to the dim light, but she still suspected that at any minute she might slam into a tree, fall off a cliff, or come upon an animal who could rip her to shreds. Any of those options sounded better than what she’d left behind. Her heart was beating too fast and she couldn’t catch a full breath, but it felt so freeing to simply run. She couldn’t make herself slow down. If only she didn’t have to go back.

  She’d seen fireworks in the sky up ahead and it made her think of happier times. Fourth of July parties in her small Idaho hometown where people cared about her and watched out for each other. It was silly as she’d only left home a few days ago to come rescue her brother, Ridge, but the den of evil she’d been in since then was almost worse than the abuse that she and her brother had endured before their parents ultimately deserted them.

  Breeze heard voices in front of her and slowed her steps. She dodged around the side of a pine tree and stopped as she realized she’d come right up to the voices. She hid behind the tree, listening and praying whoever it was wouldn’t find her. Yet … they couldn’t possibly be worse than the men back at the mansion she’d escaped. Luckily most of the men she’d already evaded were so stoned that she doubted they’d notice her absence. The exception to that was the leader and money behind the party, Flint Brooks. He usually stayed stone-cold sober and watched her with a cold, terrifying gaze. She never showed her fear but kept her spine straight, her chin tilted up, and a look of defiance in her brown eyes. It’d worked enough to keep him from hurting her. So far.

  “Did you get all the embers out?” one of the men asked.

  “Yes, my fine-looking clone.”

  The other one laughed, loudly. “Finer-looking than you, that’s for sure.”

  “Pshaw. You’re lucky we’re identical, or I’d knock you flat on your—"

  She heard a rustle and shuffle and peeked around in time to see two well-built men rolling around a small clearing, laughing and wrestling and taking pot shots at each other. Men! Why did they act like it was fun to thump each other? The men back at Flint’s mansion seemed to wrestle nonstop. Flint Brooks. Such a stupid name for the thrill-seeking idiot. She hated him but was indentured to him until she and her brother had worked off her brother’s debt. The disgusting man insinuated that she could work it off more quickly if she’d sleep with him. She’d made it clear that she preferred scrubbing puke off toilets.

  Rubbing her arms for warmth, Breeze once again missed her warmer hometown. Here, in Jackson Hole, it was cold even in the summertime, once the sun went down. Unfortunately, all she had to wear was the t-shirt and cotton shorts that she’d arrived in three days ago.

  The men wrestling in the clearing rolled near the tree she was semi-hiding behind. Breeze gasped and shuffled backward. Immediately, she recognized her mistake as the men stopped wrestling and jumped to their feet.

  “Hello?” one called out.

  Breeze panted for air while trying not to breathe. She didn’t need more men to run from. She hated running away and feeling out of control. When she’d received the text from Ridge that he was in trouble, she’d immediately driven several hours north to the address he’d given her near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She’d raised Ridge from the time he was twelve when their mom disappeared shortly after Breeze’s eighteenth birthday. It wasn’t much of a loss. Their dad still came by occasionally, mostly to steal food and any money they didn’t hide well enough. The last name Cain was pretty appropriate for them. Devil may have worked even better.

  Breeze worked as an elementary school aide during the day and a waitress at night to make ends meet and make sure that Ridge had a better chance at life than she did. Even though the kid was a natural mechanic and builder, she was certain he was going to lose his job at a local garage since he’d turned to drugs, gambling, and extreme sports. Stupid.

  When she’d arrived at Flint Brooks’ mansion a few days earlier, the men filling it had exploded with catcalls, whistles, and disgusting offers. She’d told the idiots in a firm voice that she’d only come to collect her brother. Flint had explained that it wasn’t that simple. Ridge owed him over twenty thousand dollars and Breeze didn’t have anything close to that amount of money. Ridge was already working for Flint, maintaining and building the dirt bikes, ATVs, and side by sides that filled Flint’s huge detached garage.

  Flint offered for Breeze to stay and help her brother work the debt off quicker. She’d felt like a prisoner ever since. She didn’t know what other option she had. She couldn’t leave Ridge alone with those monsters and Flint claimed he would pay them each fifty dollars per hour, which was five times what she made at home. They had no caring family. Her friends and neighbors back in the small, southeastern Idaho town of Clifton would try to help if they knew where she was, but none of them had that kind of money either. They’d probably organize a Go Fund Me account. She gave a bitter laugh at the thought. It would take months to raise twenty grand.

  “Who’s there?” the other man’s voice came, even closer, startling Breeze back to her present predicament.

  Did she back slowly away, turn and run, or act like a normal, unsuspicious person and say hello? She wasn’t naïve or stupid, despite the situation she was in. She was alone in the woods and these men could easily overpower her if they had malicious intent.

  As she debated, she felt movement far too close when one of the men said, “Are you okay?”

  Breeze screamed and jumped at the same time. She would’ve turned tail and run but they were quickly both in front of her. She backed into the scratchy pine tree, fighting for oxygen as her stomach plummeted, somersaulted, and threatened to launch itself up her throat.

  She stared at the men. They were a matching set: tall, lean, and muscular both with extremely handsome faces and startlingly blue eyes. Twins. The good Lord must’ve decided when he’d created perfection like this he should double it.

  The one on her right held up his hands as if soothing a small child. “Hey, it’s okay,” he said in a deep, sonorous voi
ce that instantly relaxed her. “We won’t hurt you.”

  Breeze’s gaze darted back and forth between them. She had no reassurances besides his deep voice and the kind look on his appealing face, but somehow, she believed him. Her shoulders relaxed, her heart slowed, and she didn’t feel like she was going to spew.

  “I’m Seth,” he said slowly. “This is my brother, Caleb. Are you in trouble? Are you hurt?”

  The brother rolled his eyes. “Stop talking to her as if she’s slow.”

  Seth glared at him. “I’ll give you slow.” He punched him in the shoulder. He focused back on Breeze. “Sorry, my twin’s an obtuse idiot.”

  Caleb laughed as if the insult meant nothing to him. Breeze and her brother were very nice to each other. Their parents had belittled them plenty so they’d both taken an opposite track.

  Seth held out his hand. “Seth Jewel,” he said, as if they were meeting at the local grocery store. His name and face were somehow familiar. Was he a movie star? He was handsome enough to be that’s for sure.

  Breeze somehow knew touching this man would complicate her already messy life further, but she bravely put her hand in his. The warmth and safety conveyed by his large hand closing around hers made her feel grounded yet invigorated. She tried to recall feeling something like this before but couldn’t. As if he could and would protect her from all the evil she’d seen throughout her life. She’d never let anyone protect her; always pretending she was tough and in control.

  She pulled in a slow breath and focused on his eyes. She’d never studied eyes that blue and beautiful. “Breeze Cain,” she managed.

  Seth smiled, probably relieved that she wasn’t mute, but his smile made her knees tremble. She recognized she was behind the dating curve as the only time she left her small town of two hundred was to go to the big town of Preston and wait tables, but she knew for certain they didn’t make men like this back home.

  “Cain?” the brother asked. “Like Cain and Abel or cane sugar?”

  “You are such an idiot,” Seth said, releasing her hand to push his brother into the closest tree.

  Breeze shuffled away, hoping they weren’t going to start rolling around on the ground again, but luckily the brother just laughed and said, “Testy, testy.”

  Seth turned back to her, ruffling his hand through his golden-brown hair. “Sorry. I can’t take him anywhere.”

  Breeze found herself smiling. She’d had so little to smile about, especially the last few days. It felt awkward, and really, really nice. “Has anyone ever told you two you act like you’re twelve-year-old boys?”

  Caleb threw back his head and laughed. “Only our beautiful mother, every other minute.” He looked to Breeze. “You good? I’m going to head back to the party.”

  Seth cocked an eyebrow at her. “Are you comfortable being left alone with me?”

  She nodded, tilting her head toward his brother and pointing at a fire extinguisher that lay near the edge of the clearing. “It’d be better than being left alone with him. I get the feeling he might start me on fire just to see if he could put me out again.” She smiled to show Caleb she was teasing.

  Now Seth was the one laughing.

  “I wouldn’t blow you up or anything, but if I … accidentally set you on fire,” he winked, “I could put you out easily.” Caleb lifted the fire extinguisher as if saluting her with it.

  “I feel very reassured,” she teased, feeling like he was the older brother she used to dream about. Funny, a bit crazy, but he’d have your back in a fight. Sometimes it was hard being the oldest.

  Caleb waved and pumped his eyebrows as he walked away. “I won’t wait up,” he called to his brother.

  Breeze ignored that insinuation and gestured to the extinguisher his brother carried. “What’s really up with that?”

  Seth shrugged, looking boyishly irresistible in a tough man’s body. “We may have started a little fire with our fireworks display.” He grinned. “Don’t worry. We’re experts at putting fires out.”

  So they were behind the fireworks. Yet as she looked at him it hit her. Something about his voice and that appealing grin. The reality slammed into her of where she’d seen him. On the televised motocross races that Ridge couldn’t get enough of. “Seth Jewel?”

  He nodded, looking a little concerned about her mental state. He would be a lot more concerned if he knew what she had to go back to.

  “You’re the guy who is like nuts on motorcycles and snowmobiles. X Games superstar.” She couldn’t believe she hadn’t connected that immediately when he said his full name.

  Now he was grinning again. “Yes, ma’am, that’s me.”

  “My brother idolizes you.”

  He looked slightly embarrassed but mostly proud. “Thank you.”

  Her brother. She needed to get back. If Flint discovered that she’d disappeared, he might lash out at her brother. Ridge had some cuts and scrapes on him when she’d arrived. She’d seen several of the men hit and belittle him. It made her sick. Two more weeks, if they both worked long hours, and they could get out of there. She just prayed they both could stay safe for that long.

  “I need to go,” she murmured, brushing past Seth and retracing her steps.

  “I’ll walk you back,” he said, falling into step with her. She flinched in surprise. His words were a statement, not a question, which made her spine stiffen. She wanted to protest simply on principle. She didn’t take handouts or let men take charge of her. Yet Seth didn’t seem as if he were trying to control her. He was obviously a gentleman and she felt safe around him. If only she could swallow her pride and beg him to help her out of her current predicament. No. She and Ridge could handle it. She hoped. She wasn’t about to involve an innocent stranger, and her brother’s hero at that, with the likes of Flint Brooks.

  “Where are you coming from?” he asked.

  “A cabin about a mile east of here,” she said. She was good with directions and could easily use the moon and the mountains to retrace her steps. “What about you?”

  He pointed the opposite direction of where they were going. “My parents’ cabin is a few hundred yards that way. We’re having a party tonight to celebrate my brother Luke’s marriage.”

  “Hence the fireworks.”

  He smiled. “Caleb and I have always liked to blow things up.”

  “My brother, Ridge, and I used to love to make dry ice bombs when we were younger,” she commiserated.

  “Ah the dry ice bomb: clean, simple, effective.”

  She laughed. It felt amazing. Though now that she wasn’t running, the chill night air penetrated through her thin t-shirt. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Seth stepped in closer and his strong arm wrapped around her back as his large palm covered her upper arm. He was warm, muscular, and the feel of that arm and being pressed close to his abdomen and chest made her want to turn in to him and hug him tight. Flint and his awful men couldn’t touch her in these arms.

  Her gaze darted up to Seth. He was looking down at her and murmured, “Is that okay? You seemed cold. I could go back to the house and grab you a sweatshirt.”

  She licked her lips and admitted, “It’s okay. It’s nice. Thank you.” It was miles past “nice”. She’d never felt so comforted yet excited. “I don’t need a sweatshirt.” Though she found herself thinking like a groupie and wishing she had something of his to keep after they separated and never saw each other again. Ridge had long idolized Seth, and Breeze had simply thought the images of him were extremely attractive. Up close and personal, she thought he was worth idolizing.

  They walked in silence for a few seconds. She allowed herself to enjoy being close to him and pushed away the dread as each step took her closer to the cabin of nightmares.

  “Are you here on vacation?” Seth asked.

  “No.” Definitely not a vacation, not that she’d ever had one. She wondered what she should share with this handsome and impressive man. She didn’t want him to think she was a partier like t
he men and few women in that cabin, so she said, “I’m cleaning and cooking for a large private party.”

  “Oh.”

  If his family had a house in this area, they were obviously wealthy. It was already obvious to her that he was light years out of her league. Not that it mattered as she wouldn’t see him after tonight.

  “So, your brother got married?” She wanted to know about him. Nobody would want to know about her lame life.

  “Yeah, crazy guy went and eloped in Hawaii.”

  “Wow. I used to dream about going to Hawaii. Have you been there?” She realized her mistake immediately as he glanced down at her with surprise in his blue eyes.

  “Um, yeah.” He seemed to feel almost guilty about it. He’d probably traveled the world. She’d been to Idaho, Utah, and now Wyoming.

  “So … do you like his wife? What’s her name?”

  “Marietta. She goes by Mar.” A smile played at his lips and Breeze found herself wondering about a woman fabulous enough to marry this man’s brother. This Mar was extremely lucky. Probably a supermodel or a successful businesswoman or a doctor, lawyer, politician, philanthropist, or influencer of some sort. Breeze would’ve loved to go away to college, but she had no money to and had been working nonstop and raising her brother. Fat lot of good that did her. Ridge had told her when she arrive at Flint’s how awful he felt now and promised her that he was done with drugs, but it was too little, too late to save them both.

  “She’s great,” Seth said. “Super feisty and fun. I don’t think she’s five feet tall and she’s always wearing these spike heels.”

  Heels? Breeze had fantasized about wearing a fancy dress and heels. She had a dress for church but only some black flats she’d found at the thrift store.