Page 9 of Where We Bloom (The Blackwells of Montana #3)

Chapter Four

CONNOR

I didn’t want to be at home alone tonight, so I came into town to the Wolf Den. Thought I’d have a drink at the bar, watch the game, and sit among humanity for a few hours.

What I found when I got here put me in a bloody foul mood.

Billie was with my sister and their friends for a while. They seemed to be having a good time, and I hung back, just to make sure they were safe. I thought about calling Miller in to look after them as well, but then decided that they were fine, and there was no harm in the fun they were having.

Then my angel, my bumble bee, walked over to flirt with two men, and I almost went out of my fucking mind when it looked like she might leave with them.

Are you kidding me?

It’s one thing to know that she’s not mine, but it’s another entirely to watch her be propositioned by not one but two wankers at the same time. They looked at her like she’s gorgeous, which she is, and they wanted to get their dicks wet.

Fuck that.

But, to my surprise, she walked away with a laugh, then filled the girls in and shook her head.

Interesting.

Even more so when the woman I know as Alex leaves with said two men. What I don’t understand is why Billie didn’t leave with them. Why did Bridger and Beckett collect my sister and Dani, then leave my girl here alone?

Why the fuck didn’t they give her a ride home?

I’ll be giving the Blackwell boys a piece of my mind the next time I see them.

Billie walks up to the bar, just about four stools down from me. She hasn’t noticed me here, and I’d like to keep it that way.

I’ll make sure she gets home safely, then I’ll call it a night.

“One more,” she says to the bartender, then pays for her drink and takes a sip.

Of course, the arsehole on her right starts to talk to her. A new song comes on the jukebox, drowning out most of their conversation, but I see her wrinkle her nose at him in disgust, and it makes me grin.

I love that my girl doesn’t have a poker face.

She starts to cough, and then they talk for a few more minutes—which I tolerate … just —and then that prick has his arm around her, and he’s escorting her out of the bar .

What in the actual fuck?

I notice her phone is on the bar, so I grab it and slip it into my pocket as I hurry after them. When I get outside, he has her cornered against a truck, his hands and mouth on her, and Billie looks … limp.

He.

Fucking.

Drugged.

My.

Angel.

The fuck?

Seeing red, I yank the piece of shite back by the collar and punch him in the nose, breaking it and sending blood spraying all over the place. He moans and covers his face with his hands.

When I glance back, I see Billie sliding down the truck and sitting on the concrete, and I want to kill this arsehole.

“Hey!” he cries out, waving one hand out in front of him. “What the fuck, man!”

“Did you fucking drug her?”

“What we’re doing is none of you?—”

I pull him up by the shirt and punch him in the jaw three times, satisfied when I feel it give under my knuckles. It’s either broken or dislocated.

He moans again, his eyes rolling back in his head.

“Answer me, you worthless piece of shite.”

“She wanted me,” he mutters as blood runs down from his nose and into his teeth. “Fucking slut wanted it. ”

Grabbing his wrist, I twist it and feel the bones give, ignoring the keening wail this idiot lets out in response.

“I should kill you.” My voice is calmer than I feel as I let go and watch him drop onto the concrete, twisting in pain. “But my girl wouldn’t like that.”

With him writhing on the ground, I turn and pick up Billie and carry her to my SUV, get her settled in the passenger seat, and buckle her in.

I kiss her forehead and brush the hair back from her face with shaky hands.

She moans, and pure rage and helplessness consume me as her eyebrows pull together and she whimpers.

“Sick,” she says.

“Are you going to be sick, angel?”

She nods, and I unbuckle her in time to pull her over the side of the car. She throws up, barely missing my shoes.

Not that I give a fuck. She could retch all over the car, all over me, and I couldn’t care less. It’s the fact that she’s hurting at all that has me out of my bloody mind.

“Good.” I use my shirt to wipe off her mouth. “Good girl, you need to get that poison out of you. Did you drink the whole thing, baby?”

She whimpers again. Her eyes are closed, and I need to know how much she drank.

“Billie. Can you look at me?”

She forces her eyes open and scowls. “Connor?”

“It’s me. You’re safe, angel. Did you drink the whole drink?”

“No. Few sips.”

Thank Christ .

“I’m taking you home, bumble. I’ve got you.”

I get her buckled back in, then spare a look at the idiot on the ground. He’s sitting up, cradling his wrist against his chest. I rush around to the driver’s side and pull out of the car park, watching Billie closely as I navigate through town.

“I live ten minutes away,” I assure her as I reach over and press the back of my hand to her forehead. She doesn’t feel warm, but her breathing is shallow, and she keeps whimpering. “Billie, can you hear me? I need you to talk to me, angel.”

“Thirsty.” She licks her lips, and her head moves back and forth against the seat as if she’s agitated. I wish I could pull her into my arms and comfort her.

“Okay, it’s okay, gorgeous, we’ll get you some water. It’s not far now.”

I should have killed that motherfucker. I’m going to ruin his life.

The gate at my property recognizes my vehicle and automatically opens, and I drive down the long driveway to my house.

I bought this ten-acre property earlier this year when I decided to buy the ski resort that had burned down last Thanksgiving and rebuild it as a Gallagher Hotels property.

I knew I’d be here for the entire build and didn’t want to live in a hotel.

For once in my adult life, I wanted a home base.

And this house suits my needs well. It’s more of a mansion, with mountain views and a lodge aesthetic, but the best part is, it’s private, with a guesthouse for Miller and other men I might have with me at any given time .

The lights are on inside, and I scoop Billie into my arms and carry her in and through to the family room off the kitchen, where I spend a lot of time. It’s comfortable, with a deep sectional sofa, and I can grab anything she might need from the kitchen.

“Here, a stór ,” I say as I settle her into the corner of the sofa. “I’m getting you water. Do you feel sick again?”

“Tired,” she mutters, nuzzling against the back of the couch. “Sleep.”

“Let me get some water in you.”

I rush to the kitchen and grab a water bottle from the fridge. I help her take a few sips before she lies back and seems to fall into a restless sleep.

“Fuck me,” I mutter, rubbing my hand over my neck.

I call her brother Blake. Ironically, I have all of her brothers’ contact info, but I don’t have hers.

Having hers would have been too tempting.

But the Blackwells have brought my sister into their family, and I needed to know how to reach any one of them in case of an emergency.

Blake’s phone rings three times before he answers.

He wasn’t sleeping. He’s breathing too hard for that.

“What?” he barks into the phone.

“I need help,” I reply. “Your sister was roofied at the bar tonight, and I want to make sure I’m doing everything right.”

“Fuck,” he growls. Then I hear him say, “Sorry, baby, I’ll be right back.”

“Sorry to interrupt.” My voice is as dry as the desert, and Blake doesn’t acknowledge it .

“Tell me everything,” he says, his voice hard.

“I didn’t see him slip it in her drink. I happened to be at the bar, keeping an eye on her.”

“Not creepy at all.”

“Fuck you. This guy started hitting on her, she had a coughing fit, and then sipped her drink, and things got weird. Pretty sure that’s when he slipped it in the glass. He took her outside, and by the time I got there, he already had her pinned against the side of a truck.”

“Jesus Christ. I'm on my way.”

“No need. I beat the shite out of him and brought her home with me, Blake. She threw up before we left the car park.”

“This is my sister, Gallagher. I need to examine her and make sure she’s okay.”

“I hear you, and if she hadn’t thrown up, I would have taken her straight to the hospital.”

He’s silent for a few beats, and I can imagine he’s extremely torn right now. The Blackwell brothers love their baby sister and are very protective of her.

I’ll take her to the hospital if she needs it, but right now, I wonder if she’s better here where it’s quiet with soft lighting. But I don’t fucking know if that’s the right thing.

Blake sighs. “Do you know how much she drank?”

“She said a few sips. She’s been agitated, and she was confused. She’s sleeping now.”

“How’s her breathing?”

It was fast in the car, but as I stare down at her now, she’s breathing in long, slow breaths, like in normal sleep .

“Actually, fuck this.” Blake’s suddenly ringing through with a FaceTime call, and I accept. His hair is a mess, and he’s not wearing a shirt. His jaw is tight. “Show me.”

I turn the camera to my angel and get closer to her.

“Her breathing looks normal to me. She asked for water.”

He’s quiet for a moment, obviously listening to her, and I watch her as well. Christ, she’s beautiful. I fucking hate that this is happening to her.