Read Along Came Merrie for Free Online

way,” Leo assured.
    She offered him a fleeting smile, although she didn’t feel any amusement. “Teasing. Remember?”
    He winked at her, which lifted her spirits a tad.
    “We also want to call the authorities in Cheyenne,” Braden said, after throwing Leo a strange look.
    Merrie realized she was having a hard time interpreting the enigmatic Braden McClintock. One minute she melted under his touch and the next he was formal and in control.
    “Since there’s a possibility the Destiny Sheriff’s Department might not be completely trustworthy, we thought the police in a different city might help us out.”
    “Us?” she whispered. “You can dump me on them, dust your hands of any further involvement. I’d understand, Braden.”
    He shook his head. “I made a promise to keep you safe and until we figure all this out, Leo and I will take care of you.”
    Tears gathered in her eyes again and she rapidly blinked them away. This might be one of those psychological problems that arise when a patient starts to develop feelings for her rescuers, but damn if she didn’t feel a spark for both men. Gratitude? A big hell yes but also something more, something…tangible.
    “Thank you,” she said, clearing her throat.
    Leo took the tray and set it aside while Braden helped her out of bed once more.
    “Can you help me with the T-shirt?” she asked him.
    A muscle ticked in his jaw but he only nodded. He grabbed hold of the shirt and carefully took it off her. Both Leo and Braden’ narrowed their eyes as they looked at her body. She turned to look in the vanity mirror.
    Holy hell, she looked worse than she thought. Her chest, sides and abdomen were one big black and purple bruise. The rounded part of her right shoulder reminded her of a large, black plum. Stitches poked out like railroad ties on her shoulder and thighs. Scabbed abrasions covered the rest of her skin. This time, she couldn’t hold back the tears. Leo gently gathered her in his arms and she buried her head in his neck.
    “Shh,” he soothed. “It’s going to be all right. You’re okay. You’re safe. You hear me, Merrie? You’re safe with Braden and me. We’re going to protect you.”
    Even though she was naked, he held her tenderly, gently and made her feel protected and she thanked whatever divine intervention had led her to the doorstep of her guardian angels.
    After she’d finally gathered her emotions, she posed for the photos. Leo took them in a way that managed to capture the horror her body had gone through while not showing her breasts or anything below the navel—for which she was grateful.
    Braden helped her with the T-shirt then fluffed the pillow against her back as she eased back into bed. Even that little bit of movement exhausted her and she closed her eyes as she relaxed into the comfortable folds of the bed. The coolness of the sheets against her heated and swollen skin brought a measure of relief.
    “Do you want some more pain medicine?” Leo asked her.
    She cracked an eye to look at him. “I don’t want to get addicted to the stuff.”
    “I think one more dose wouldn’t hurt,” he assured her. “You need a good night of rest and you’ll not be able to do that if you’re waking up constantly in pain.”
    “I slept most of today away. Why am I so sleepy now?”
    He patted her hand then held it lightly. “This is normal. Your body uses a lot of energy to heal itself.”
    “Okay,” she said. Truth be told, she desperately wanted to dull the overwhelming ache pulsing through her body. She watched through half-closed eyes as Leo prepared another new syringe, drawing the medicine up through the rubber stopper then easing the needle into her arm. She’d never been a fan of needles or the slight sting as one penetrated her skin, but compared to everything else, she didn’t even feel it go in this time.
    Braden moved her hair off her shoulder. When she turned her head to look at him, her vision swam. The pain med had already