Though that information sparked her interest for about two and a half seconds, Hannah was so relaxed, all she could do was yawn and snuggle closer into Brody’s chest. “Wake me up in an hour,” she requested as her eyes fluttered closed.
She could not fight them when Brody held her while Drew reached down and pulled the plug from her ass. She was just too tired. She barely felt the wet cloth as it cleaned her up before warmth enveloped her as her two men cuddle her close. She thought she felt one brush a kiss across the top of her head and the other the top of her shoulder, but was so far into sleep that it might have just been a dream.
“Rest up, baby girl. You’re going to need it.”
Chapter Twelve
“Do you recognize this glove?” The fire chief laid a plastic bag on the city hall conference room table late the next morning.
Brody waited for a nod from the chief before he picked it up and held it so Hannah could see it without touching it. Something about it seemed familiar. He had seen the glove before, but could not recall off the top of his head.
Hannah shook her head. “No, I’ve never seen it before.”
“Where did you find it?” Brody asked since this was his area of expertise.
He had vowed to their woman that he would find the person who had burned down her house and he was determined, one way or another to do just that.
“In the field between the garage and the turnoff to the old Carlton place. There were also footprints in the field, but Jake couldn’t get a clear enough imprint to tell what kind of shoes the arsonist was wearing.”
Hannah picked up the glove and tried to manipulate it through the plastic. “These are driving gloves. Expensive ones. No one from around here would wear these.”
Brody took the bag back and this time really looked at the glove. They were fine leather gloves. Men’s gloves with exquisite stitching on the back and a silk lining. Not something that would be sold locally. Around here it was more important to have a good pair, or three, of work gloves, maybe a pair of split leather work gloves saved for going to town, but nothing like these.
Leaning back in his chair, Brody closed his eyes and brought up a picture of the only out-of-towner who had crossed their path recently. His photographic memory brought the picture up and he squinted, trying to change the focus from the man’s face to his hands.
“Brody?” Hannah touched his arm, but he did not react. He was too busy looking at the man’s hands in his memory.
“Leave him be, honey. He’s doing his cop thing,” Drew said with a chuckle.
It took another few seconds before Brody opened his eyes and looked at Hannah. “I’m sorry, baby girl, but I think it was your ex.”
“Seth? But…oh shit, he could.” Hannah fidgeted then reached for her coat and her purse. “I’ve got to get back to the Tavern.”
Before she could jump up and rush out, Brody grabbed her arm. “Settle down, baby girl,” he said, adding just enough Dom power to his voice to cut through her panic.
He stared into her eyes until she dropped her gaze and nodded. It took another moment for her to relax back into the chair. Only then did he release her arm.
“Who is this person?” the chief asked.
“Seth Winston. My ex-husband. He thinks he deserves half the Tavern because we were married for a couple of years. But I didn’t inherit it until two years after our divorce. Why would he burn my cottage and garage down?”
Brody’s mind fit the puzzle pieces together and when he looked to the fire chief, the man nodded that he had come to the same conclusion.
“I don’t think he meant to burn your house down. We found where the fire had been set in the garage. But it spread to your house because of its close proximity.”
When Hannah began to tremble, Brody lifted her from her chair and settled her on his lap without a word. Holding her close, he rubbed one hand up and down her arm, hoping to sooth her.
“So what do we do now?” Drew spoke up for the first time.
“We find Seth Winston and ask him if he’s missing a glove,” Brody answered before the chief could.
“You want to take point?”
Brody shook his head. Though he would love to take the bastard down for what he was doing to Hannah, he knew himself. “I’ve already had words with the man and he would cry harassment. Besides, if I go after him he may not make it back to the courthouse for a hearing.”
The fire chief nodded. “Good enough. You want to be there?”
This time Brody nodded. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“I want to be there,” Hannah said.
“No,” all three men said at once.
Brody had to smile when she huffed and crossed her arms. “It’s my house that burned down. Why can’t I be there?”
“Because it’s too dangerous,” Brody and Drew said in unison.
“You and Drew need to go reopen the Tavern anyway,” Brody said. “We’ll take care of your ex.”
Hannah pulled a face. “I don’t like it, but all right. You will be careful, won’t you?”
“Always,” Brody said before tipping her back over one arm and kissing her long and deep. By the time he released her, she had a hard time sitting up. Before he released her to Drew’s care, he leaned in until his lips were right next to her ear and whispered. “And tonight, after he’s in a jail cell, Drew and I will be fucking you. Together.”
“Oh, my,” Hannah breathed, her face pinking up nicely.
After brushing a kiss on Drew’s lips, Brody sent them away. He and the chief had a trap to set and an arsonist to capture.
* * * *
Since her Jeep had been damaged by the fire, Hannah rode with Drew back to the Tavern. For a man who used words for his living, he was actually a quiet man. Normally that would not have bothered Hannah, but this morning her nerves were jangling and she needed some assurances.
“Are we doing the right thing?” she blurted out as soon as he started the truck.
Drew glanced over and then looked around the parking lot to confirm there was no threat nearby. “Right thing about what?” he asked, sounding too casual.
“This you, me, and Brody thing. I’ve watched the others in the poker club as they claimed their women and worked through the differences, but…”
“You’re worried we won’t be able to keep you happy?” Drew asked. His voice sounded too bland, and void of all emotion.
Hannah’s head turned so fast she felt her neck crick. Her heart began to pound when she saw his expression had gone blank, much like Brody’s did when he shifted into Dom mode. “No, that’s not it at all! I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep the both of you happy.”
She became confused when Drew began to chuckle. “Sweetheart, not speaking for Brody, but for me, all you have to do is breathe and smile and I’m a happy man. Having you in bed between us every night will be better than anything I could have dreamt up, and I’m a professional dreamer upper.”
The nervous knots in Hannah’s stomach untwisted just a bit. “What about Brody?”
“Hannah, if he didn’t want you in our bed, in the middle of our relationship, he would never have brought you home with us after the fire. We might have stayed with you upstairs in one of the rooms, but you would have never seen the inside of our bedroom. And he certainly would not have allowed me to buy you any of those toys. Speaking of which, we need to swing by the house before we head to the Tavern.” Drew put the truck and gear and pulled out.
“Why?”
“Because I have a feeling that once Seth is behind bars, Brody is going to want to celebrate,” Drew said cryptically.
“What does that have to do with us going by the house?” she asked as he turned onto their block.
Drew didn’t answer until he parked. Then he climbed out, came around the front of the truck, and helped Hannah out and into the house. He did not answer until he had the door closed behind them. “Because I need to put your plug back in that sexy ass of yours, an
d to pick up my briefcase.”
Hannah was so stunned by his matter-of-fact statement that she did not fight when he pulled her down the hall behind him. She could not speak until he had pulled her jeans and panties to her knees and pushed to her lay over the edge of the bed. While he retrieved the medium size plug from the bathroom, she finally found her voice. “I can’t wear a plug now. I’ve got a business to run.”
He appeared wearing a grin that set Hannah’s nerves to humming. “And you will work, but you’ll do it with this stretching those tight ass muscles.”
Her breathing stopped when he showed her what he was going to use on her. “I…I…no way.”
He grabbed the lube and generously coated the pink plug as he moved around the room to stand behind her, pushing her feet further apart so she could not move too much. “This is the plug you wore last night. A couple hours from now we’ll trade it out for the bigger one.”
Hannah wanted to argue, wanted to stand up and run away, but the slicked up finger pressing through the muscles of her back hole stopped her. That, plus the fire of need that began to burn brighter just behind her clit. “I’ve got to be crazy to just let you do this,” she murmured as she tried to relax as Drew pulled his finger and pushed the tip of the plug into her.
“Welcome to the club, sweetheart,” Drew said. He leaned over and kissed her neck where it flared into her shoulder. “And you’re not crazy, you’re submissive. Big difference. Now, arch your back and spread those legs as wide as you can. Oh, and play with those pretty tits.”
“When did you get so bossy?” Hannah asked even as she moved into position. Her nipples were already hard and begging for attention as she cupped her hands over them.
“I’m a switch. Which means that while I’m totally submissive to Brody, I’ll take control over you in a heartbeat, but only for our mutual pleasure. Or if you’re in danger.”
“Uh-huh. Oooo, okay,” Hannah moaned as the plug filled her until its base settled between her ass cheeks.
Before she could form the words, begging Drew to fuck her, he pulled her panties and jeans up and smacked her ass. “Okay, sweetheart, let’s go to work.”
Pushing to her feet, she zipped and buttoned her jeans. “But Drew, I need—”
“Later, sweet girl. When Brody joins us this afternoon maybe we can talk him into going to the club room and double teaming you.”
Hannah moaned as the plug shifted in her ass as she followed Drew to his office where he picked up the messenger bag he used as a briefcase. “But I need now,” she whined.
Drew cupped his cock with one hand and made a face at her. “Later, sweetheart. Right now we have to go to work.”
Chapter Thirteen
Brody growled in frustration when the desk clerk at the Loving Motel informed them that Mr. Winston had checked out early that morning. “Any idea where he might have gone?” Captain Mitchell, the police officer now in charge of the investigation, asked.
“No, but he did mention that he would be taking over the Tavern soon. I didn’t realize Hannah had been looking to sell,” the clerk said.
“She’s not,” Brody growled before whirling and stomping out of the motel. He wanted to punch someone, namely Winston, but without knowing where he was, there wasn’t much he could do. Taking deep breaths, he slowly calmed, until his cellphone rang.
“Brody Markham,” he barked without checking the identity of the caller.
“This is Seth Winston, Mr. Markham,” the familiar slightly smarmy voice said. “Hannah and Drew would appreciate it if you would join us. We need another witness for her signature on the transfer of deed paperwork.”
Brody’s heart stopped for a moment, then started up as his cold, controlled Dom side charged forward. “Let them go, Winston, and run away now.”
“Now why would I do that when I’ve decided to take this place off Hannah’s hands. Sure, the town isn’t much, but there are compensations to living in a small town,” Winston said before giggling like a little girl.
Something was off with this guy, though Brody had yet to figure out exactly what. Why would he want half of Hannah’s business, and then burn down the garage and her cottage? And what made him think that she would simply sign the deed over to him without a major battle?
“I can be there in an hour,” Brody said, needing to stall long enough to get people in place in case something bad happened. “I’m in the middle of something right now.”
“You have thirty minutes,” Winston snapped before the line went dead.
Brody pulled up Carter’s number as he headed for the SUV. By the time he had returned home, geared up and driven to the Tavern, he knew the others were close behind him. All he had to do was keep Winston from looking outside while they got into place and stormed the building. His job was to keep Hannah and Drew safe while disarming Winston.
He parked directly behind Winston’s car, which was once again parked directly in front of the front steps. Stepping out, Brody looked around, but did not see anything out of the ordinary. Taking his time, he approached the front door, Drew’s handgun in his left hand held behind his back. Seeing his service weapon strapped in its holster would pacify Winston into a false sense of security.
As he walked up the steps, he heard the sound of a number of vehicles racing down the road though he could not tell exactly how many. His focus was on the Tavern’s front door and what lay behind it.
He only hoped Drew had not tried to play hero as he was sometimes want to do. He was a writer, damn it, not one of the demi-god alpha types he wrote about.
He noticed someone had done a lousy job picking the lock, leaving scrapes and scratches all around the keyhole. Closing his eyes, he waited a few seconds for his pupils to dilate before opening the door and stepping inside.
“Right on time, Mr. Markham,” Winston’s smarmy voice said from across the bar.
Brody opened his eyes and swept the room, immediately noting Hannah and Drew sitting at a table in the center of the room. Winston stood between them looking unkempt and slightly wild. He held a small can of lighter fluid in one hand and a lighter in the other.
Meeting the fear-filled gazes of first Hannah and then Drew, Brody did everything in his power to assure them that he had everything under control even though he wasn’t sure he did.
“Come, Markham, join us so we can get this nasty bit of business over with and I can be on my way.”
“Can I ask a question?” Brody said as he eased closer, keeping his body positioned so Winston would not see his left hand.
“Certainly. After all, you were kind enough to show up on time and alone,” Winton said, sounding magnanimous.
“Why did you burn the garage and shed down?”
Winston giggled, a slightly maniacal sound that went with the crazedly happy expression on his face. “That was an accident. Well, at least the cottage was. I only meant to burn down the garage as a warning to Hannah. Sometimes she needs motivation to do as her betters tell her to do.”
Brody nodded as his eyes flashed to the kitchen window where Captain Mitchell stood. The captain nodded, the universal signal that everything was in place and he had Brody’s back.
“Like the beatings you gave her when you were married?” His full attention returned to Winston.
“Of course. Sometimes women just need a good thrashing, and Hannah seemed more headstrong than any woman I had ever bedded before and therefore needed more.”
Brody blinked. So, not only was Winston a womanizing son of a bitch, he had also abused his baby girl. Which, looking back, explained quite a bit.
“So, what are you going to do with the place once Hannah signs it over to you? Are you really wanting to run a small town tavern like this?”
“Of course not. I’ll be using it as collateral for a loan. Without the outbuildings it might not get as much, but it will still be enough for me to get away from the men who are looking for me.” Winston gave a little shiver. “Not nice men who just don’t underst
and that sometimes investments need to be written off.”
Suddenly everything became clear and with a nod from the captain, he began to sidle around the table, hoping to take Winston down without shooting the place up.
“Ah ah ah. Stay right there. Don’t want you to get caught in the spray if I have to set this one on fire,” Winston said, flipping the can of lighter fluid open and pointing it at Drew. “Well, Hannah, now that we have all the necessary witness, it’s time to sign on the dotted line, so to speak.”
Hannah ignored him and turned her fury on the man holding her hostage. “How many times do I have to tell you, Seth? I am not signing the Tavern over to you. This is my inheritance from my grandfather and he would rise up and come after me if I gave it to an asswipe like you.”
Brody watched as Winston’s attitude changed. The monster that Brody thought he had seen lurking in his eyes surged forth. Dropping the lighter, he grabbed a big butcher knife from the table where it sat on top of the paperwork as a macabre paperweight. Before he could raise his gun and fire, a shot rang out from the kitchen and Winston froze. Time seemed to go into slow motion the man fell forward onto the table.
Brody’s brain and body continued working in half time as Drew jumped up from his chair, stepped around Winston, and pulled Hannah from hers. Then they were both in his arms, Hannah pressed tight between them as the two men hugged each other.
Only as Drew reassured him that they were indeed unharmed in any way, did Brody’s brain reengage and get back with the program. He looked to the kitchen, but Captain Mitchell wasn’t there, he was approaching the body, his gun still in hand.
“Take your family out of here, Markham,” the captain ordered.
Without any further provocation, Brody gave his loves one last squeeze before lifting Hannah into his arms. He waited while Drew pulled his keys from his pocket then followed the man up the stairs. He admired the man’s tight ass, showcased in faded jeans that looked painted on.
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