Gaining Hope Read online

  A Total-E-Bound Publication

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  Gaining Hope

  ISBN # 978-1-907280-10-8

  ©Copyright Lacey Thorn 2009

  Cover Art by Anne Cain September 2009

  Edited by Claire Siemaszkiewicz

  Total-E-Bound Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing.

  Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

  The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

  Published in 2009 by Total-E-Bound Publishing 1 The Corner, Faldingworth Road

  , Spridlington, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 2DE, UK.

  Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has been rated Total-e-burning.

  The Debtor’s Daughters

  GAINING HOPE

  Lacey Thorn

  Dedication

  To Michelle, Chris and Carol: May this be just the first of many

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Levi’s: Levi Strauss & Co.

  Prologue

  Shawn O’Grady looked at his mother and shook his head in disbelief. She couldn’t possibly mean what he thought she did.

  “Oh, quit looking at me as if I’ve gone daft Shawn Michael O’Grady! Did you really think that you were keeping any secrets from me?” Maureen O’Grady was still a force to be reckoned with though she was heading into her sixties. She had outlived both her husband and Shawn’s older brother Robbie. She was small in stature, barely five feet tall but no one would dare think that meant that she couldn’t hold her own with anyone. And today Shawn was feeling the full force of his mother’s attention.

  “I’m not sure what you mean,” was all he could think of to say to her. Nothing else was computing in his brain right now.

  “You know exactly what I mean.” Maureen fired back. “You’re just embarrassed because I called you on it.” Her expression softened as she stepped forward and hugged Shawn tight. His mother’s head barely reached his chest as he loomed over her at six feet three inches.

  “It’s not that easy Mom.” He relented enough to tell her.

  “It’s just that easy.” She replied. “You and Tommy have been together since you were boys. You’ve shared a lot in that time, some things that even a mother doesn’t want to know about.” This last was added almost under her breath but Shawn heard it and blushed to the roots of his black hair.

  His mother glanced up and laughed before patting his cheek and stepping back. “You go after him and tell him that he was right. Patty wasn’t for you because she couldn’t accept that you and Tommy were a pair, a matched set if you will. Some day the right woman will come along and she’ll accept you both. Destiny has a true mate for you. You’ve only to be patient and let the fates bring you all together.”

  “Mom, you know that Tommy and I don’t…” he broke off, unsure of exactly what his mother thought they did do. He didn’t want to plant any ideas in her head if they weren’t already there.

  “I know that you and Tommy don’t share a physical love with one another if that is what has you all twisted up inside. But I do know that you love each other as brothers. I know that you two have shared your women since you were fifteen and snuck out to meet the widow visiting down the street.”

  Shawn lowered his head and felt his mother’s tinkling laughter wash over him. “Not much you can get past me, Shawn Michael, and best you not forget it. Now go find Tommy and together you’ll find your destiny.”

  Shawn kissed his mother and grabbed the duffel she had put together for him. It was time that he head back to his home anyway. Business would be booming and hopefully Tommy would be there, keeping the office running smoothly. How he had ever fancied himself in love with a selfish woman like Patty, he would never know. He could only pray that he hadn’t lost his best friend and blood brother through his stupidity.

  Hope hid in the hallway listening to her father on the phone. She couldn’t believe he was already agreeing to wedding terms when her birthday was still three months away. But he was. There was frustration in his voice and she wandered at it. She’d love nothing more than to hear both sides of the conversation. But the only thing that she was sure of at the moment was that she needed to finalise her plans to get the hell out of this town and the life that waited for her here.

  Her father slammed the phone down and let a four-letter word loose that almost had her laughing. He would be so angry if he knew she was standing there listening. Sometimes she hated him and sometimes she wandered if any of them even knew him at all. She had caught him with odd looks on his face, almost as if he felt sorrow or pain or some other tender emotion that seemed beyond him on a good day.

  Faith had escaped three years earlier, the night before her wedding. Now it was up to Hope to take the place of the bride. It was something that she didn’t plan on doing. She still wasn’t sure exactly how her sister had managed to escape. She’d had word that Faith was married now and happy with a guy who once visited their town. They lived on the east coast somewhere. Hope had a postcard hidden in her room with the address. Once she made it out of this town, she’d find them and see her sister again.

  Her one shot was the fair coming to town. She planned to slip away during the festivities and if luck was with her she should make it to the Gulf and from there to safety. All she had to do was find a boat to sneak onto and somehow manage to hide out there until they were too far out to turn back. She’d just go with them and eventually make it to Faith. She’d search for a nice older couple. Hell, anything would be better than the guy who was eagerly awaiting their honeymoon. She’d swim the entire Gulf of Mexico first!

  She slipped quietly down the hall, peeking into her three younger sisters’ rooms along the way. She hated to leave them behind. But sometimes life presented you with hard decisions and you just had to do what you could and hope for the best. She was leaving…and hoping for the best for those she left behind.

  Chapter One

  Hope waited in the shadows of the early night fall, watching the older woman move about the boat. It looked as if she was preparing it to set sail and that was just what Hope had been searching for. The woman was sixty if she was a day and was humming as she worked. She would definitely help Hope get away once they were far enough out. Hope had no doubts that she could talk her into what she needed. A man would be different. She’d been ogled enough by men to know that her full breasts and curvy body filled most men with lust.

  Hope watched the woman leave the boat and head up the dock and knew that her moment was fast approaching. It was now or never. Once the woman was out of sight, she crept out from behind the storage building she was using for cover and sprinted down the dock to hop on board the boat. It rocked a little and Hope held her breath praying no one else was on board as she cautiously crept down the stairs below deck. She had to find a place that she could hide for an adequate amount of time. It wouldn’t
do her any good if she was discovered before they even left.

  She entered a large bedroom and marvelled at the beauty within. The furniture was gorgeous and decidedly masculine. It was also immaculate. Hope had only seen the woman on the boat and with the condition of the room she wondered if it was even being used. Doing a fast search of the room she finally found what she was looking for in the closet. There were several blankets haphazardly thrown on the floor and she was able to make a small nest with them. The clothes hanging up helped to hide her.

  She snuggled down into the blankets and by pulling one up and over her, she was completely hidden from view. Hopefully, it would still just look like a pile of blankets. At five foot three she wasn’t all that tall anyway so she should be okay. She’d just stay here for as long as she could and when enough time had passed with the motor going, she would come up with a way to be discovered and take it from there. She’d always had a great imagination. She’d wait and create her story when the time was at hand. She was fairly good at that. For now she’d just take a little nap.

  Shawn and Tommy stood on the shore watching the water of the Gulf lap the sand. It was a beautiful sunset. In the last three months, they had managed to mend the rift caused by the woman Shawn almost married and both agreed never to let a woman come between them again.

  “You really think that we’ll find a woman who will want to spend the rest of her life with both of us?” Tommy asked, his hands deep in the pockets of his worn Levi’s.

  Shawn sighed and ran his fingers through thick hair already blown about by the breeze. “I hope so. Mom seems to think that we will. Destiny and fate and all that blarney.”

  Tommy laughed and shook his head. “I don’t even want to think about your mom knowing about our sex life. I’m seriously glad that I wasn’t there for that conversation. And you’re just as Irish as your mom is. How can you call it blarney? You seemed to believe it well enough when you sold me on it the first time.”

  Shawn laughed and started to say something when he noticed something floating in on the tide towards them. “What the hell is that?”

  “I see it too,” Tommy said and they both stared as the object bobbed closer and closer to shore. “Can you believe the way that people just throw stuff out anywhere today? Some day we’ll have no resources left because of all the pollution.”

  “I know what you mean. It looks like a glass bottle or something.” Shawn almost laughed when Tommy impatiently tugged off his shoes and pulled his shirt off before heading out to retrieve the bottle. No way was Shawn getting in that water. It was only April and the water was still a little too cold for his blood.

  “Hey,” Tommy called as he grasped the bottle and waded back “There’s something in here. Looks like a paper and some type of jewellery. A necklace or bracelet of some sort.”

  “Let’s take it to the boat and have a look,” Shawn suggested and bent to get Tommy’s shoes and shirt for him. “Do you think Mrs. Davis is still cleaning and stocking?”

  “Nah, she’ll have headed home by now.” Tommy shook his mane of brown hair and water sprayed everywhere. “She’ll have everything cleaned and put away and all the supplies stocked for us. We should be able to leave anytime.”

  “Good, I’m ready to head out of here. Ready to get back to the office and see how things are going.” Shawn still wasn’t sure about leaving his younger brother in charge while he was gone. Patrick was still young and inexperienced but Tommy kept pressing that they had to give him a chance to prove himself.

  “I’m sure Pat is doing fine. He’s twenty eight now. Served ten years in the Marines. If anyone can handle the office while we’re gone it’s him.” Tommy was always sticking up for Patrick. He liked the fact that Tommy liked the kid and viewed him as a younger brother as well. Shawn just didn’t have Tommy’s confidence in Patrick.

  “Yeah but things aren’t the same in the private sector. We’re a security company and you have to use finesse in some situations and not just go in and take action. You know how hot-headed he’s always been.”

  “So were we when we were all kids. Pat has grown up a lot in the last few years. I’m sure he saw a lot while fighting in the Gulf.” Tommy leapt over the side of the boat as he made this last comment and stepped out of the way to make room for Shawn to join him.

  They moved about with the easy rhythm of friends who had spent a lot of time together. They both headed below deck to the galley and Shawn grabbed two beers from the fridge while Tommy worked at uncorking the bottle.

  Shawn saw that the bottle was old with thick clear glass and there was definitely something inside. He felt the hair on his nape prickle with chills. Somehow he knew that whatever was in that bottle would change their lives forever.

  “Wait,” he started to say but the cork slid out just then and the paper and a necklace spilled out onto the table.

  Tommy picked the necklace up by its silver chain and held it up to the light. “Damn, can you believe that someone put this in a bottle and just threw it out into the water?”

  It was beautiful. If he was not mistaken, and the Irish in him was pretty sure he wasn’t, the necklace was Connemara marble set in the silver setting. The silver cradled the stone, almost in a lovers’ embrace. And the silver had either been recently cleaned or was treated in something to make it appear so. There wasn’t a bit of tarnish on it anywhere.

  Shawn jerked his head up when he heard Tommy laugh softly.

  “You need to read this,” Tommy said and the smile on his lips sent another tingle down Shawn’s spine. Shit.

  He took the parchment from Tommy’s hands and rolled it back open. He couldn’t believe it when he read the words.

  A stone that’s blessed by lovers’ hands

  To bless the wearer with a love that stands.

  Through time and toil, no stopping fate

  As lovers unite, no hand can break.

  So take this token and wear it true,

  Destiny awaits with love for you.

  A favour I ask from you to me

  Once blessed return my gift to the sea.

  For others await the hand of fate

  My blessing to love’s true mates.

  “Hell,” Shawn said. “If I didn’t know better I’d say my mother sent this.”

  “Yeah,” Tommy laughingly agreed. “It sounds like something she would say. You want to throw it back?”

  “No, I…” just then there was a crash from Shawn’s bedroom and they both jumped up and ran that way.

  “What the hell?” Shawn muttered as he took in the scene before him.

  The closet door was hanging open and the bar appeared to have been pulled from the wall. The shelf that rested on top of the bar had been tipped and books and boxes lay in shambles on top of what appeared to be blankets. But that wasn’t what drew the two men’s attention. No, it was the woman who lay partially hidden beneath the chaos. Her face was beautiful surrounded by a cloud of thick blonde curls and Shawn felt a tightening in his groin. One glance towards Tommy and he knew that his best friend was feeling the same thing.

  “How the hell do you think she got here?” Tommy murmured softly. “And what do you think caused that shelf to fall?”

  “Have no idea on either count,” Shawn muttered. “Let’s move her to the bed and then head out.”

  “Heading out to where?” Tommy questioned as he squatted down to help pull stuff off of the woman.

  “Heading out to sea. Getting the hell out of here.” Shawn grunted.

  “You plan on taking our stowaway with us?” Tommy questioned. They both bent down in front of her, just staring.

  “Well, what do you think she’s doing hiding in this closet? She was stowing away on this boat to get away from something.” Shawn shook his head, his thoughts tumbling through his head with numerous scenarios.

  “Or someone,” Tommy added, putting to voice what they were both wondering.

  “She was obviously planning on getting out of here for some reaso
n. We’ll wait ‘til she wakes up and then find out what or who she is running from. By then we should all be far enough away that she can relax and talk.” Shawn immediately began to gently move the stuff on top of her away, uncovering her body inch by delicious inch. She had long tanned legs and high firm breasts, both of which sent another surge of blood to his cock and set his mouth to salivating. Fuck! He wanted her bad!

  “Yeah, I’ll go get started on that,” Tommy said as he stood up but his eyes were glued to the woman being uncovered and his feet were unmoving on the floor. “Need help moving her?”

  “Nope,” Shawn replied.

  “Coming up soon?” Tommy queried.

  “I’ll be up as soon as I get her settled on the bed.”

  “We’ll have to talk about what you want to do with her.” Tommy continued.

  Shawn heaved a sigh. “I know. Just get this boat moving and I’ll be right up.”

  Tommy and Shawn met each other’s eyes that spoke volumes with just a look.

  “I won’t touch her, Tommy. Not yet,” Shawn added and only after Tommy nodded and walked away did he add the rest of his thoughts. “Not without you. Not without knowing that she’ll have us both.”

  Hope almost gasped out loud at the words of the man who was lifting her into his arms. Just what had she gotten herself into? Were they gay? Damn it! Why were all the gorgeous men either gay or married? And if they were gay what did they want with her? What did he mean that he wouldn’t touch her without knowing that she would have them both? And why were her nipples growing hard at the mere thought of having sex with both men?

  He eased her down on the bed and pulled one of the blankets over her. He ran his fingers down her hair, smoothing it away from her face and she wished that she had taken the time to really do her makeup before she left earlier in the day. But she hadn’t wanted to waste any of the precious time that she had left. Escape was all that mattered.