Cole blinked, unsure of what he was seeing.
“Rich bachelor involved in ménage relationship,” Keira read the headline. Underneath was an image of the three of them walking along the main street of Haven. Keira was in between the two of them and they were holding her hands. “When was that taken? It’s online?”
“Yeah. That’s an L.A. gossip website,” Joel told him, watching them all closely. “It goes on to talk about this town, about Cole and the two of you. How you both used to work for him.”
“Oh my God.” Keira covered her mouth with her hand.
Cole just stared at the screen. “It’s on other sites too?”
“Yes,” Joel said sharply. “I’ve got my lawyers working to take it down, but these photos are out there now, it’s going to be hard to get it all down.”
“I don’t care,” Cole said.
Joel gave him an incredulous look.
“I don’t,” he insisted. “I don’t care who knows. I’m not ashamed of our relationship. Will people around here be unhappy that Haven is in the spotlight?”
Joel shrugged. “Maybe some. But that’s not your fault. It’s the fault of whoever sold these photos to the gossip rags.”
“Bridges,” Julian stated. “It had to be. He told us he was the one who sent those original photos. And this photo looks like it was taken that same day we saw him in the diner. He was probably pissed after that confrontation with Cole and decided on a bit of revenge.”
His jaw tightened. “That fucking bastard. I’ll ruin him.”
“Actually, I had someone look into Bridges’ after he turned up the other day,” Joel told them. “He’s nearly broke. Made some bad investments. And the CEO he put in place after you left is cocking everything up. The business is going downhill.”
“So he wanted me back to get him out of the financial hole he’s dug himself into.” It made sense.
“We can take care of Bridges later,” Joel said. “But we’ve got bigger problems right now.”
“Vincento,” Julian whispered. “He could see this. See the photos of us.”
“He could find us,” Keira cried.
Panic rushed through her, stealing her breath. He was coming for them. He’d find them. Take them back to that dark room.
And this time he’d kill them.
She couldn’t breathe.
“Keira. Take a breath,” Cole demanded.
“Kitten, you’re okay. Just breathe,” Julian ordered.
Black dots danced in front of her eyes. She knew she was close to passing out, and she welcomed it because he couldn’t get her then. She wouldn’t feel the fear.
“Little bit, calm down. Now.” Cole’s deep, commanding voice washed over her. “You are not going to faint. You are going to take a breath. Do as Sir says or there will be consequences. Take. A. Breath.”
Take a breath. She just needed to take a breath. She gasped, letting air into her lungs. The black receded from her vision. She still shook. Still felt ill. But she could breathe. She came back into the room to find herself sitting on Julian’s lap. Cole crouched in front of her, one hand against her chest and the other cupping her face.
“Good girl. There she is. There’s my good girl.”
Her breathing sounded harsh, raspy, but she was breathing.
“I won’t let him hurt you. I won’t let him hurt you.” Julian kept repeating the words, holding her tightly as she trembled in his arms.
“Sorry. Sorry.”
“Listen to me. Both of you.” Cole’s voice was stern. Unable to be ignored. His eyes burned into hers. Then he moved his gaze to Julian. “I will not let him hurt you. He may see this. He may come. But we will be waiting. And I promise, he will come out of this second best. His time is up. Nobody touches what is mine and lives.”
The words were completely over-the-top. Alpha. Neanderthal.
Yet she welcomed them.
“Remember, I am your weapon. And I will destroy him.”
Julian held Keira close to him, unable to let her out of his grasp.
You need to be stronger than this.
If not for himself then for her.
Joel’s office had turned into command central. The owner of Raptor Inc., a guy called Travis, had skyped in and was talking to Julian, Keira, Cole, Joel, and Haven’s sheriff, Jake. Julian had Keira wrapped up tight in his arms.
“We’ll have extra people there within the next few hours,” Travis reassured them. “They’ll blend into the community. Keep watch for Vincento. He could mobilize at any time. Best that we’re in place before he gets there.”
“I want bodyguards on Keira and Julian at all times,” Cole stated.
There was silence. Travis looked over at Joel, who sighed and turned to his brother. “Are you sure that’s the best move?”
“What do you mean? How could that not be the best move?”
“If Vincento can’t get to them, he might wait,” Travis stated. “He knows where they are and you can’t keep bodyguards on them forever, he could settle back and wait for a good time to take them.”
“What do you suggest we do?” Cole asked.
More silence.
“They want you to use us as bait,” Julian told Cole.
Keira let out a small whimper, and Julian drew her closer. He stared at the bunch of men fiercely. “No one is putting Keira in danger.”
“No, they’re not,” Jake said.
Joel nodded.
“Neither of you are being used as bait,” Cole stated. “I’ll be the bait.”
“He could come after you,” Travis agreed. “That might work.”
“Work better if you used me as bait as well,” Julian stated. Fuck. Shit. He just wanted this over with. He wanted Vincento out of his life.
“Not happening,” Cole stated.
“Julian,” Keira said quietly. “You can’t.”
He looked down at her, reaching out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “I have to, kitten. To make you safe. To make us all safe.”
“Julian, you will not volunteer as bait,” Cole commanded.
“Too late.”
Cole leaned in to whisper into his ear. “You do this, and I will paddle your ass.”
He straightened his shoulders. “I’m doing it.”
Cole just glared at him.
“Cole, I have to.” His gaze pleaded with the other man to understand. “I want this over with. We can’t use Keira, and you might not be enough to tempt him to make a move.”
Cole turned away, paced across the room then back again. Finally, he came to a stop and let out a breath. Julian knew he’d been running every scenario through and coming up with a plan.
“All right. Fine. You can do this.”
Well, he hadn’t actually been asking for permission.
“But, one, you are with me at all times. Two, you follow my orders. At all times. Three, we always have guards close by but hidden.” He stared over at Travis, who nodded at that.
“Oh, God,” Keira cried.
Cole moved closer to them, running his hand over her back. “I’ll keep him safe, baby.”
“And you? What about you?” She looked from one to the other. “Nothing can happen to either of you. I won’t stand for it.”
Julian kissed her head. “I’ll keep him safe. We’re in this together, kitten. The three of us. This time, he doesn’t get to win.”
32
He was furious.
And petrified. His fear fueled his fury. He knew he had to calm down. He was shaking. He felt out of control. So unlike himself, it wasn’t funny.
How dare Julian volunteer to put himself in danger? How dare he risk himself when Cole had just gotten them both back?
“You’re putting yourself in jeopardy too,” Julian pointed out after making certain the alarm was on and the door locked. “What I did was no different.”
“It was very different!” Cole roared.
Keira flinched, and he cursed himself. He kissed her forehead
in apology. Then he started pacing up and down the living room as Julian and Keira stood and watched him.
“Why?” Julian asked.
“Because it’s you! Because my job is to protect you! Because I love you!”
“And I love you. And I love Keira, and I don’t want anything happening to either of you. I want this over with, Cole. Just like you do. You know this is the best option. We’ll both be well protected. If we wait, if he goes into hiding then we’ll never be safe.”
Keira watched them both worriedly.
Cole thought it through. He ran it through his head, searching for another option. None came to him. Fuck. Fuck.
He paused in front of Julian. “You will stay safe.”
“I will. I promise.”
“I still want to spank your ass.”
Julian grinned, relief filling his face. “Then do it.”
Cole narrowed his gaze. Did he think he wouldn’t? Because he was going to be sorely surprised if that was the case.
“Little bit, go and get the plug, paddle, lube, and a condom for me,” he ordered Keira.
He waited until she left the room. Then he drew Julian close, hugging him tightly. “I can’t lose you.”
“I know. I can’t lose you either.”
“No matter what, we protect Keira,” he told Julian.
The other man drew back and nodded. “Protect Keira.”
“Good. Now strip.”
Julian pulled off his clothes, folding them tidily as Cole did the same. Keira walked back into the room with everything Cole had asked for. He kissed her gently.
“Thank you, baby. Put them on the coffee table then get naked. I want you to sit on the couch with your ass at the edge and your legs spread.”
In typical Keira fashion, her clothes went flying, staying where they landed. She quickly got into position. Once Julian was naked, Cole tugged him down for a rough, hard kiss that soon had Cole’s pulse racing. He reached down and wrapped his hand around Julian’s cock, tugging at it until it was hard and thick.
“Turn and bend over,” Cole commanded. “You’re going to lick Keira’s pussy while I plug and punish you. Then I’m going to fuck you.”
Julian groaned but didn’t protest.
“What’s your safeword?” Cole asked as he coated the butt plug with lube. He parted Julian’s ass cheeks, studying his asshole. Fuck. He was already hard and aching.
“Red.”
“Good. Take a deep breath in, now let it out.” He slid the plug slowly and steadily into Julian’s ass. “Use it if you need to.”
“I won’t,” Julian stated before diving into Keira’s pussy. She let out a gasp, her head flying back, her gaze meeting Cole’s.
“Good, little bit?” Cole asked her.
“Oh, yes,” she groaned.
“You have no restrictions. Come as often as you want.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Sir.”
He stood to the side of Julian and swung his arm back, smacking the other man’s ass. That was a fucking amazing sight. Julian bent over, the plug in his ass, Cole’s handprint leaving red patches on his ass.
“Do not ever volunteer as bait again, understand me? You are everything to me. I won’t have you hurt,” he snarled. Fuck. Fuck, he hated this.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
“M-maybe he feels the same about you, Sir,” Keira stated.
He glanced up, met her pale blue gaze. “Maybe he does. That’s not saving him from getting his ass paddled.”
She grinned. “Oh, I won’t complain. I think it’s hot.” She grew pale and pensive. “Even though I’m scared.”
“Don’t be scared, little bit,” he told her. “We’ll protect you.”
“I’m not scared for me,” she whispered.
Julian was right. They needed to take care of this quickly. Which is why he had agreed to Julian being bait as well. But that didn’t stop him from being terrified for the man who had his heart.
He slowly pulled out the plug, putting it on the floor then reached for the paddle right as Keira came. Her head flew back, low, whimpering moans escaped her mouth. Fuck. She was so beautiful.
He landed the paddle with a sharp smack. Julian let out a deep groan. Another smack. Another groan. Slap! Smack! His ass was a deep red by now and Cole threw the paddle down. Enough. He had to have him.
The condom went on in record time. He covered his dick in lube then started to press his way inside Julian’s ass. The other man drew his face away from Keira’s pussy. By now, her cheeks were flushed, and sweat coated her skin in a soft dew.
“Just take me already,” Julian demanded. “I won’t fucking break.”
Cole slapped the side of his ass. “I’ll take you at my pace. Behave and get our girl off again.”
Julian returned his face to her pussy, eating her out, making her cry out loud as Cole thrust his way into Julian’s ass. He drew back, drove forward. Harder. Faster. His need became all-consuming as he heard Keira cry out again.
He roared with his release, driving himself deep, feeling Julian’s ass tighten around him. Shit. Shit. He could barely breathe, couldn’t think. Blackness covered his vision for the barest of seconds. As he came back to Earth, he tugged Julian up and reached around, wrapping his hand around the other man’s cock. With his cock still in Julian’s ass, he used firm, long strokes of his hand to jack the other man off. Julian shook in his arms, his breath growing faster, until finally he let out a deep moan, that filled Cole with satisfaction.
Mine.
They were his. And he would protect them.
33
The wait was killing him.
Julian stood and stretched. Five days had passed since those photos came out and nothing. No Vincento. Maybe they were wrong, and he wasn’t coming for them. Maybe he hadn’t seen the photos.
Maybe he’s dead.
Whatever was going on, he just wished he knew. He and Cole had worked on the house each day, hoping he’d confront them there. Outside, some of Raptor Inc.’s men were stationed around the house in outbuildings and hidden in the trees. Both he and Cole wore wires.
And nothing had happened.
Fuck. He couldn’t take it much longer.
He knew Cole was stressed as well. None of them were really sleeping. They took turns lying with Keira at night while the other kept watch. At least Joel was taking care of Bridges. Julian knew Cole would rather do it, but Joel had pointed out that he had enough of his plate. Plus, Joel seemed to be enjoying the hell out of ruining the man professionally and financially.
Bridges would suffer for what he’d done.
“We need to leave soon,” Cole told him. “Keira’s shift started half an hour ago.”
One of Jake’s deputies would be watching in the restaurant while two of Raptor Inc.’s men would be outside Fet. He hated to think what all of this was costing Cole.
“Yeah. Okay. Let’s get a move on.”
They both looked up in shock as Theo one of Raptor Inc.’s men ran inside, his face frantic.
“It’s Keira!” he yelled. “He went after Keira.”
Julian’s heart stopped then he turned and ran.
Keira looked through the restaurant, checking that no one needed her. She was shocked that Cole and Julian weren’t here already. Despite the added security from Raptor Inc and the sheriff’s department, they still liked to be here during her shift.
She sighed, wishing everyone didn’t feel like they had to protect her. She wished she was stronger, that she could help do something to find that bastard, Vincento. She knew that Cole and Julian thought that protecting her was the most important thing, but she wanted to protect them as well.
She stepped into the kitchen, looking around for Renard.
“Renard? Renard? Are you in here?” Keira stepped into the large pantry, looking for the grouchy chef. She gasped as she saw him lying in a crumpled heap on the ground. What happened? Had he collapsed? Had a stroke? “Renard!”
“He’s all
right,” a dark voice drawled. “It was just a knock on the head.”
Keira turned with a gasp, stumbling back as her worst nightmare stepped towards her. Where had he come from? How did he get in here?
“Vin-vincento,” she stuttered out. “What are you doing here?”
She glanced around. He must have somehow snuck past security and have hidden himself next to the doorway, using Renard as bait to lure her in there.
“Why do you think I am here, Sacha? I came for you. My little bird who flew the nest.” He suddenly slapped her. Pain lit up her face and she took a quick step back, her knee protesting the sharp movement.
Sacha? Who the hell was Sacha? Was that his wife? Had he gone insane?
“That was very naughty of you and you will have to be punished once I get you home. But I’m sure you were influenced by that evil bastard who stole you from me.”
Stole her? Did he have her confused with his wife?
“I’m not Sacha,” she said quietly. “I’m Keira.”
Rage filled his face and she gasped in a breath, stumbling back further.
“I know you’re Keira! Do you think I am insane? I know that Sacha is dead. I took care of the people who hurt her. Just as I’ll take care of the people who took you from me, little bird. And that includes Julian. I miscalculated with him. I thought he was a good way to break you without permanently causing you harm, but I never should have kept him alive.”
Her stomach bubbled with nausea. Her body flushed with heat.
Don’t faint. Do not faint. If you faint, he will take you.
“How did you find us?”
“I’ve been searching for you both since you left.” There was a glint of madness in his voice, his face. “I tried to track down the servant who helped you. Somehow, he and his family had already disappeared.”
Thank you, Joel. She knew he’d helped relocate Luis and his Abuela.
“So I hired investigators to track you down. One of them found that helpful little article online and here I am. You should have hidden better, little bird.”
Cole's Mistake (Haven, Texas Book 8) Page 30