Sine Devi closed her almond shaped violet eyes; inhaled the heady aroma of her ranch and feels immediately at peace with her life. The sweet fragrance of freshly cut hay and the stronger scent of the horses always helped in creating the homey feeling Sine strived for. Her life had not always been as free as this. In the past, her life was a special kind of hell thanks to her father and she tried hard to forget all of tortures she was forced to live through.

Sine loved this time of year, when dense fog blanketed the peaks of the mountains that cradled her ranch, signaling the snow that will soon come and make everything clean and fresh. The trees around her sprawling ranch and through the mountains were starting to show off their brighter side in crimsons, golds, and saffrons. Best of all Sine loved knowing that most of her mares were carrying the next generation of prized Friesians.

The weather was turning cooler and the ripened apples from the orchard could be scented in the gentle breeze that combs its fingers through Sine's wavy fiery red hair. She stood next to the corral watching her prized Friesian stallion as Luc Garrett, her ranch supervisor and ex-bull rider champion, cooled him off from the long run he had taken him on.

Sine counted her blessings where Luc was concerned. She was on the verge of loosing the ranch when he came to her looking for work. His qualifications were overwhelming and if she was honest with herself, she knew that he could easily start his own breeding ranch and do just fine without her. People from all countries came to her ranch to buy breeding rights and lay claim to unborn foals. All of this because of the quick minded man cooing to the huge beast in the ring.

She watched as Luc walked with a slight limp around the corral and as he pulled the lead tighter and brought the midnight beauty to a stand still. Black Majic came to Hyde Friesian Ranch five years ago from an elderly couple in Europe. It had taken many late night phone calls, emails, and tears before her dream of finally owning the glossy stallion came true.

Majic stood sixteen and a half hands tall and was made of pure muscle. Watching him run always sent shivers down Sine's spine. The glossy black of his coat rippled as the hardened muscle moved under his exertion. His wavy main and tale reminded her of her own hair, only black and with a slight feathery appearance. This was the horse that people came looking for when they wanted purity that guaranteed a winning bloodline and he had been a busy boy this year.

Sine placed one boot-encased foot on the bottom rail and pulled her tall body up, so that she could sit on the top bar and watch Luc work Majic. There were only a handful of men that Sine was willing to be alone with and Luc was one of them. She guessed him to stand about two inches over six feet, if she used Majic as a ruler and just over two hundred pounds. As big as Luc was, Sine knew without a doubt his gentle side is what allowed him to calm even the most skittish of creatures.

Taking in the view before her, Sine could admit that Luc was as much of a stud as the horse he was handling. His white sweat soaked t-shirt was stretched and sticking to his ebony torso as he moved with the horse. Letting her eyes travel down further, she smiled and shook her head at the sight of his jeans. The man had a killer ass, but his pants always sported holes in places there should not be holes. One hole in the back was just below the crease between his dark muscled thigh and his flexing butt, causing his flesh to give tantalizing glances of what was hid beneath the dirty jeans.

The man carried himself in a way that lesser men would give him wide berth and stupider men would quickly learn to follow their lead. His closely cropped black hair held the tight curls that most African-American are blessed with and Sine could only dream of her own hair being tamed so easily. Sine knew that Luc was a danger to men, but good God he was more than lethal to a woman's heart. She had witnessed many women fall for his icy blue eyes and work toned body, but she had only seen him fall once for a woman. However, that topic was off-limits to everyone who valued his or her own life.

Luc must have felt Sine's violet eyes boring a hole through his back, because he chose that moment to turn his cerulean eyes on her and grace her with his wide brilliant smile. "You staren' at my ass again boss?" His southern timber teasing her, as the sun induced lines at the corners of his eyes deepened.

"You wish. I was just thinkin' that maybe I don't pay you enough. Seen as how you can't afford to buy yourself pants without holes in them." She laughed as she jumped to the ground and approached the sun kissed pair.

"Uh huh. Sure that what you were thinkin'. What would that boyfriend of yours say if he knew that you were ogling my stragically placed holes." Luc's blue eyes brightened as he watched a blush rise from Sine's chest and spread to her face.

Sine felt her face flame with self-conscious heat at the mention of Cole. "He's not my boyfriend Luc. He's not my anything, so keep you ideas and your strategically placed holes to yourself." She snapped in frustrated embarrassment.

Luc immediately regretted the teasing remarks and tried to calm Sine. "Okay, okay. You know I don't mean nothin' by it. Besides I'm just a simple ranch hand, what the hell do I know?" He busied himself with Majic's harness as he spoke.

Sine knew that she had no cause to snap at Luc and besides she was angrier with herself for not being brave enough to go after Cole the way she wanted to. "No, I sorry Luc." She sighed as she placed a forgiving hand to his sun-warmed arm. "I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm just feeling a little ... I don't know." She laughed bitterly. "I don't know what my problem is." She confided dejectedly.

Luc slipped one of his strong arms around her thin waist caringly and led her to the gate as Majic's heavy footsteps thumped behind them. "We both know what's been eaten at you. It's the same thing that been buggin' Cole and I think it's time one of you take the first step and put the other one outa' their misery."

Sine looked at Luc out of the corner of her eyes as he spoke and noticed him looking at the ground as he called her bluff. "You shouldn't be talking so openly with me Luc. I am your boss you know." She said as a smile curved her full pink lips and a sparkle crept into her eyes.

At that, Luc threw back his dark head and gave a deep laugh as he turned to look down at Sine. "Boss my ass. More like pain-in-the-ass little sister." He said as he tugged on Sine's flowing red hair.

Sine tried to look shocked as she looked up at him, but in the end couldn't hold back the laughter bubbling up from her throat. "I should have known you would try to out grow your position here." She teased as she slipped one of her slender arms around his thick middle. "I am lucky to have you here. I hope you know how much I appreciate you being in my life. And to be honest, I like the idea of having you as an older brother. A much older brother." Sine laughed even harder at the shocked look on Luc's chiseled face and jumped back from him when his arm lifted to swat at her.

Luc growled playfully at Sine and landed a hard smack on her backside as she jumped from him. "You jus' wait'll I get Majic set up. I show you what older brothers do to their bratty little sisters when they tease em'." His smile broadened, making him appear younger and more carefree.

Sine turned quickly from a laughing Luc, holding her stinging backside and ran into what felt like a brick wall, which caused her to sprawl out onto her smarting bottom. Sine brought her hand up to shade her eyes as she tried to look into the face of the man she ran into. Her smile quickly fled as she looked into the anger-hardened planes of Cole face.

Cole could hardly believe his eyes when he pulled up the drive of the Hyde Friesian Ranch. The woman he couldn't get alone to save his life, stood next to her fucking foreman and fucking flirting. He felt the blood in his veins boil when he watched the other man put his arm around Sine and had to fight off the urge to kill when the dust and sweat covered cowboy actually slapped Sine's little ass.

"You two seem awfully familiar with each other. Do you always manhandle your boss Garrett?" Cole gritted out at Luc, as his smoky-gray eyes turned as black as Majic's beautiful coat.

Sine slapped her hand down into the dust she was sitting in and stared in shock at Cole's arrogant tone. "Don't you take that rude tone with Luc, we didn't do anything wrong. Besides, it's not as if either one of us spoken for or anything. If he wants to manhandle me than I do believe it's my decision to tell him to stop or not." Sine stood and backed up until she press her back against Luc's sweat covered chest.

"Sine..." Luc and Cole warned at the same time in low voices. Both men knew she had just made a bad move. Only for different reasons. Luc liked Cole and knew that he loved Sine, so he would never intentionally step between them. Cole on the other hand was making sure that he established his possession of Sine and he did not intend to let another man come between them.

Sine's face paled as her eyes widened at the double warning. She felt panicked at the thought of having both powerful men angry with her. With no thought of being graceful Sine bolted under the belly of Majic and ran into the long barn where the other horses were already settled in for the night.

Luc pulled his black cowboy hat from his head and slapped it on his thigh in angry frustration, sending up a cloud of dust. "Damn it all to hell Cole! What the fuck is wrong with you? You know how easy she spooks." Luc said angrily at Cole.

Cole was a more than stunned when Sine ran from him. She had to know that he would never hurt her. Why the hell did she run? "Shit ... This is all your fault Luc. What the hell were you doing touching her ass that way?" Cole ran an agitated hand through his salt-n-pepper hair as he turned to Luc as his anger got the better of him.

Luc released his hold on Majic's lead and curled his big hands into tight fists at the sides of his tense body. He didn't want to fight with Cole, but he'd be damned if he would take any blame for someone else's stupidity. "You know damn well her running off ain't got nothing to do with me. If you could keep your jealous side in control, none of this woulda' happened." Luc growled.

Cole watched as the man in front of him prepared to defend himself and instantly felt his misdirected anger melt away. At the same time, he felt like a complete jerk. He knew all to well how hard Sine had to work at trusting men and here he was pissing on that trust. "Shit, Luc I sorry man. I can't seem to help myself where she's concerned. I don't think I be able to deal with it if she gets hurt right under my nose again." Cole said guiltily.

Luc uncurled his hands and took up Majic's lead. He studied the length of rope in his hand before speaking again. "Listen Cole, I know you might not want to hear this, especially coming from me. But, she's a good girl and has lived a rough life. She deserves to treated with respect and understanding. More than that, she needs to be wooed." Luc laughed quietly at that. "Shit, who the hell woos a woman any more?"

"You're right I don't want to hear this coming from you." Cole grudgingly admitted to Luc.

Releasing a long breath Luc holds out Majic's lead to Cole. "I'm tired man. You know what needs to be done and it don't include gettin' shitty over the few friends Sine actually has."

Cole took the lead from Luc and gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder. "Thanks ... And Luc just one more thing. If you ever slap Sine's ass again you're not going to have to worry about how much skin those jeans show off, because there won't be anything left under them to hide." Cole laughed half-heartedly as he headed into the barn to find Sine.

After she ran into the barn, Sine crawled into one of the stalls filled with clean sweet smelling hay and curled into a small ball in the corner. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears as her breathing came out in short gasps. The tremors that ran through her body caused her to shake uncontrollably and she thought she might be sick from the tight knot in her stomach.

Sine couldn't believe she had run from Cole and Luc. What was she thinking? They would never hurt her and she knew that, but for a second all she could see were the faces of her father's friends as they stood above her pain-filled body laughing as they hurt her.

Their hate filled faces stormed into her mind as she fought the memories of those torture-filled years. She could still smell the stale liquor and cigar smoke on their breath as they left slimy wet kisses on her young untouched body. The feeling of hard, rough hands pulling and bruising her pale flesh caused her stomach to heave.

At the age of nineteen, Sine was a hopeless romantic and wanted to gift her virginity to the man she dreamed of marrying. Eleven years later the evil sound of her father's laughter as he watched his friends hurt her, still had the power to shatter her dreams all over again. She could still see him as he stood in the corner of her bedroom touching himself as he watched her beg for help.

Sine's memory took complete control of her when she thought of the many times her father would jerk himself to release on her bedroom floor as she cried beneath one of his rutting friends. Her skin felt unclean and her stomach threatened violently at the memory. Bile rushed up her throat as she ran out the back entrance of the barn and emptied the burning contents of her stomach on the ground.

The touch of large male hands on the back of her neck threw Sine into a blind panic. Her arms lashed out at the intruder, as she ran stumbling towards the apple orchard. "No! Don't touch me!" She screamed as she ran.

She could hear the heavy sound of footfall behind her and she pushed her body forward faster. Tears streamed down her face making it difficult to see where she was going, but she knew that she would rather die before she let anyone hurt her again. As those thoughts rushed through her mind, she felt herself being tackled from behind.

"Nooo!" Sine's voice came out in a panicked shrill as her body slammed to the ground, knocking the air out of her lungs.

Cole was shocked at Sine's reaction to him touching her and feared that she would hurt herself if he let her continue her wild run. "Sine! Stop! You need to stop!" He shouted as her flipped her over onto her back and pinned her thrashing body down.

Sine felt pressure along her body and knew that she was being held down. "Oh, God don't do this. Please don't hurt me." Sine begged as she stopped fighting the men who haunted her memories.

"Sweetheart, please don't do this. Please Sine I can't take your pain. Come back to me sweetheart. Come back." Cole voice broke with emotion as he lowered his face to her tear-wetted neck.

From far away Sine heard Cole as he begged her to come back to him and followed the ragged sound of his voice out of the memory-induced darkness. "Cole?" She whispered as her heart slowed from its marathon run.

Cole lifted his head and studied her slightly dazed face for some sign of recognition. "Ya, it's me. Keep talking to me sweet." He said softly as he released her wrists and framed her dirt streaked face with strong hands.

Sine felt sheltered by Cole's hard body as he stroked her tear-streaked cheeks with his thumbs. Her breathing slowed further as her emotions crashed down and she felt exhausted from reliving her nightmare again. "Make it go away. Just make it stop Cole. I'm so tired." She whispered. Sine knew Cole would keep her safe, so she allowed her heavy eyelids to close even as she silently prayed the nightmares would stay away.

Cole lowered his forehead to hers and closed his stormy eyes to give himself a moment to gain composure. As he lay there, he heard footsteps stop behind him and knew that Luc had witnessed Sine's panic. "You can't say anything to her. She would be embarrassed if she knew you saw all of this." He said quietly as he rolled off Sine's now sleeping body.

Luc watched as the older man scooped Sine up into his arms and cradled her protectively against his chest. "This doesn't happen during the day usually. Mostly I hear her fighting herself at night, but she won't let me near her when that happens." He sighed as he ran his hands over his sweat covered face. "She can't keep living like this Cole. I just know this is slowing eating away at her." Luc whispered painfully.

"I know. We'll get through this. There's no way I'm letting that bastard continue to hurt her." Cole said sadly, as he walked towards the big white and yellow Victorian style home Sine lived alone in.

Cole gently laid Sine down in the middle of her big brass bed and stood back to look at her sleeping face. He couldn't remember another time when he felt so violent. The only thing he could think of doing was calling in a few favors and having her father taken care of permanently. If it were not for the fact that he was going to spend the rest of his life in prison, Cole would undoubtedly kill the man himself.

He remembered all too clearly the day Ivy had told him that Sine was in the hospital hemorrhaging because of what her father's friends did to her young body. To this day, he could not understand how Mike Devi could allow anyone to hurt his little girl. The evidence of her past was and still is all over Sine's pale body, making it impossible for her move on.

Cole's body trembled with rage as he continued to stare at Sine as she slept quietly. She looked so small lying on top of the pale blue comforter and his need to shelter her rose to the front of his mind. Pulling his thoughts back to Sine, he walked to the foot of the bed; unlaced, and removed her brown leather boots. After the boots, her socks quickly found their way to the floor. He wanted her to be comfortable, but at the same time, he didn't want to embarrass her by removing her clothes.

"I can see you thinking." Sine signed sleepily as she looked into strong angles that made up Cole's handsome face.

Cole smiled gently as he moved to the head of the bed and sat down on the edge, being careful not to touch her. "Sorry, sweetheart. Did I wake you?" He asked quietly as not to startle her again.

Sine felt guilty for her reaction towards Cole and knew that he was trying not to make any sudden moves around her. She didn't want him to tiptoe around her, it made her feel helpless. "You didn't wake me. I can't sleep until I get the day off of my skin." She blushed as she spoke.

His body hardened at the implication behind Sine's words, and Cole had to take a deep breath in order to get control over his body. He didn't want to worry her any more than she already was. "I'll start the shower for you; just tell me if you need any help with anything." He said as he stood from the bed and turned for the connecting bathroom.

Sine swung her long jean covered legs over the edge of the bed and placed her bare feet on the cold hardwood floor. Her head felt as if it was swimming and for a second she thought she was going to be sick again. When the feeling passed, she stood up on shaky legs and felt herself falling to the floor.

Cole slid open the glass shower door before he turned on the hot spray of water. After testing to make sure the temperature was perfect, he hung a fluffy green towel on the hook next to the shower before walking back into the bedroom. There he watched as Sine stood and quickly began to fall. Rushing over to her, Cole quickly wrapped his arms around her slender waist to keep her from falling to the floor.

Sine tensed automatically when Cole's powerful arms wrapped around her. She jerked her startled violet eyes to his calm gray eyes searching for any sign of aggression and immediately regretted it after seeing the look of hurt on his boldly chiseled face.

"Sorry." She whispered as she ducked her head to escape his injured look and forced herself to relax in his warm embrace.

Cole hugged Sine tighter to his large body and rested his chin on top of her tousled red hair, causing the silky strands to catch on the light stubble of his chin. "You have nothing to apologize for sweet. Just don't shut me out; I won't be able to take that from you." He kept his voice low as his hands rubbed soothingly over Sine's back.

A shiver ran through Sine's body at the feel of Cole's big hands caressing her back through her thin t-shirt and in that moment she wanted to know the feel of his gentle hands on the rest of her sensitive flesh. Pulling out of his embrace, Sine looked longingly into Cole's slowly darkening eyes. "Cole..." Her pink lips trembled as she whispered.

Cole smiled down at Sine's brave attempt to overcome her fears and tangled his hand in her silken hair. "Not now sweet ... Let's just get you in the shower and tucked into bed."

Relief and longing filled Sine at Cole's words. She wanted to be with him, but fear kept her from taking that next step. Reaching up she untangled his hand and brought it to her lips. "Thank you." She said as kissed the center of his broad hand.

Cole lowered their still entwined hands and pulled her towards the steam-filled bathroom. Once inside he turned and without waiting for permission, he unbuttoned her jeans and slid the zipper down.

Sine wanted to push Cole's hands away and tell him that she could do this by herself, but she knew that he needed to do this for her. So she stood perfectly still and examined his face for any sign of disgust as he slid her dirty work jeans to the floor. She watched as if in slow motion as Cole went to his knees and gently took hold of one ankle, then the other and lifted her foot in order to remove her pants.

Cole's body tightened further as he unwrapped Sine's delicate looking body. The hard work from the ranch gave her long, lean muscles that were quivering under his careful hands. After removing her jeans, Cole sat back on his heels and took in the sight before him.

Toenails painted in a light pink. Beautifully long sculpted legs. Legs he had no trouble imagining wrapping tightly around his waist as he took her over one peek after another. A dusty bright yellow t-shirt that came to a stop at the top of simple pink cotton boy-short panties. The silky red curls covering her perfect heaven showing through the pink panties. Her pale toned arms wrapped protectively around her middle. The freefall tangle of fiery red hair cascading to her shoulder blades and a face that would make even angels envious. She nibbled on her full lower lip with bright teeth and her violet eyes held more than a hint of insecurity as she looked down on him.

"Show me more." He breathed out on a silent prayer, as he watched the rise and fall of Sine's chest increase its tempo.

Sine looked down at the strong man at her feet and felt a rush of heated blood flood her body at his whispered request. She wanted to be brave for him, wanted to be the strong woman he deserved and decided in that moment that she would not allow her fears to destroy her chances of happiness with Cole.

Cole knew the moment Sine had made the decision to trust him when her violet eyes darkened to a heady shade of rich merlot. His breath caught in his chest as her long graceful fingers curled under the bottom of her shirt and slowly revealed her bellybutton and the silky expanse of flat stomach.

The further Sine inched the shirt up, the more she felt she exposed her own shame. She knew what her body looked like and prayed that the look of disgust would not enter into Cole's eyes. Sine closed her eyes as the shirt slipped over her head and her hands fisted at her sides.

Cole raked his dark eyes over the glorious sight before him and not for the first time prayed for control of his body. She wore a lacy pink bra that lovingly cupped her small breast and allowed her rose-colored nipples to peek through, causing his mouth to water in anticipation. Between her quickly rising breasts rested an unadorned silver locket that hung on a delicate silver chain. The long expanse of flesh between the lace of her bra and top of her panties was covered in small white scars. It looked as if someone had taken a scalpel and had marked the days off as they tortured her, using her perfect skin as a prisoner would use his cell walls to pass the days.

Emotions crashed through Cole as he continued his exploration of Sine's body. Outrage, love, determination, pride, fear, and passion all fought for his attention. Cole stood slowly and circled around the woman in front of him, until he reached her back, where he came to halting stop.

Even though Sine couldn't see Cole, she could feel his smoky eyes sear her flesh as he walked around her. Her heartbeat so fast she was certain that it would burst free from her chest. She knew the exact moment his eyes fell to her lower back and could no longer hold back the silent tears that slipped past her closed eyes.

Cole stared in disbelief at Sine's back and the round marks that covered it, obviously made from someone using her as their personal ashtray. Disbelief turned anger as he looked lower and to the word WHORE that was carved into her body. Rage flooded his body and his fists ached to damage the pieces of shit that had done this to her. Sine's shoulders began to tremble with silent tears and Cole could no longer resist wrapping his arms around her slender body. As his arms surrounded her, he buried his face in her sweet smelling neck and filled his lungs with her fresh scent.

The sobs Sine had been holding back escaped at the feel of Cole's strong arms wrapping protectively around her damaged body. She leaned back into the warmth of his embrace and opened her eyes as her hot tears streamed down her flushed face. The steam from the shower cast the bathroom in an unnatural fog that brought goose bumps to her skin and caused her to shiver with cold.

Cole felt the shutter run through Sine and turned her in his arms so that he could look into her tear-streaked face. "You are beautiful. Never doubt that you will always be perfect for me." Cole whispered as he let his hands drift up her back and to the small clasp of her bra.

Looking into her wide brilliant eyes he released the clasp and slid his warm broad hands down her long back and back up, letting his thumbs caress the sides of newly exposed breast. Slipping his hands further up until his strong fingers hooked the thin silk straps of her bra and slowly pulled it from her shaking shoulders.

Sine knew that Cole was giving her time to stop him. Giving her time to trust what she could read in his desire darkened eyes and feel in his gentle hands. When she felt him pull the straps off of her shoulders, fear suddenly clogged her throat and her hands snapped up to hold her lacy cups in place.

"I can't do this." She whispered in a voice that bordered hysteria as she shook her head and tried to back away from Cole.

Cole did not intend to force her into anything she was not ready for, but he was also not going to allow her to continue to hide from what they were both feeling. His fingers tightened on the fine silk in his hands, which stopped her retreat.

"I'll not force you into this Sine, but understand this. I have waited longer that any sane man to love you and I won't let you run from what you're feeling." As Cole spoke he let the silk of her bra slip from his fingers and turned to leave the steam filled bathroom.

Sine stood in shock at the slight threat Cole had made and knew that her days were numbered. Oddly enough, she did not feel panic as she assumed she would, but instead felt warmth pool in her womb at his fierce tone.

Before walking out of the bathroom, Cole turned his molten silver eyes back to a shocked filled Sine. "Make no mistake Sine. You will be mine." He said just before he left the moisture-filled room.

Sine quickly showered after Cole left and changed into a comfortable pair of soft yellow fleece sweat pants and an embroidered dark blue tank top with a Friesian colt in mid-jump. A braid held her damp dark red hair that fell to the middle of her back and swayed lightly as she walked barefoot through the kitchen.

She had the house remodeled a few years ago and the kitchen was one of her favorite rooms. With its cherry cabinets and the sand colored granite counters. Thanks to Ivy's advice, all of appliances were that of chief standards, and the floors running throughout the Victorian house were made of pecan colored bamboo. Sine loved her home; it was the one place that she truly felt showed the real her.

Opening the cherry cupboard above the black front dishwasher, Sine took out her favorite mug and filled it halfway with ice before pouring in cranberry juice, and topped it off with a healthy dose of raspberry vodka.