by Lauren Dane
The men decided to clean up after the meal and the women all headed into the living room to wait for them to discuss the whole issue of Pacific and Pellini.
Tracy took Tegan aside and asked her about the house, and as she’d predicted, Tegan was interested but insisted that she pay for it.
“Why? He was your grandfather too. He only left it to me because you all had places to live.”
Tegan rolled her eyes at her little sister. “He left it to you because you loved it and because you took such good care of him and of that house. And you’ve spent a lot of time and money on it since you moved in. He left me his ‘56 Caddy and the rest of us got things that meant a lot to us. You have a new life starting up and you’ll need the money.”
In a family of blonds, Tegan and Layla were the only ones who’d inherited their maternal grandmother’s fiery red. Her green eyes and the jut of her chin were pretty much the same stubborn set that the other Wardens had though, and Tracy sighed seeing it.
In the end, they decided to have Tegan rent to own the house and pay more as she could. Both of them felt like they’d won something in the argument and the house stayed in the family.
When all of the males came back into the room the amount of testosterone hit the roof, and all the mated females wore secret smiles and squirmed a bit.
Gabe settled in on one side of Tracy and Nick on the other. She felt utterly safe snuggled between them and Milton lay at her feet. A girl could get used to all this male adulation. She shot a grin at Nina, who snorted a laugh.
“I’d ask what that was about but I really don’t want to know,” Cade muttered dryly. “So we’ve established that Tracy, Nick and Gabe have a tri-mate bond and we’ve allowed Grandma to crow about it and I’m sure that Mom is so pleased she’ll give those of us who are yet to be mated a break for a little while.” He shot a hopeful look at his mother, who waved him off.
“Anyway, Gabe has some things to tell us about the Pellini Group before Nina tells us what she found out about the Pacific Pack bank records that she illegally hacked into earlier this afternoon.” With that, Cade shot a glare at Tracy, who gave him a discreetly raised middle finger as she scratched her nose.
Gabe sat forward instead of standing up. This was his family now and he didn’t want to push his rank. “As you’re aware, the Pellini family has found the ear of the Second in the National Pack. I’ve been more and more concerned by this in the last six months as I’ve seen the Pellini people have more of a say in Pack business. This makes me very unhappy and I’ve been concerned as I watched them get their claws into the National Pack. But I’m Third,” he shrugged, “and what the Second does is something I need to be careful over. And it’s something that Pellini has used in his whisperings to the Second. He’s made me look like a traitor and someone out to usurp the Second’s position. So each time someone comes to me worried about the situation, I have to reassure them.”
“But you don’t feel very reassured?” Cade asked.
“No. No I don’t, and my being away right now only exacerbates things because I’m a voice of reason in the inner circle. When I’m not around, it makes it easier for the Second to get to the Alpha.”
“Well, we’ve had our share of worries. As you probably know, we’ve had our own problems with the Pellini family in the last few years. We can never seem to get enough on them. Even after we had the run-in with them that got Carter executed and dumped on our land, we couldn’t prove that they were the ones behind the stolen virus or the hit. And we don’t know if they reproduced any of the virus to use later. So you can understand our concern that suddenly a murderer and criminal like Warren Pellini has the ear of one of the most powerful wolves in the country.” Lex took a drink of his beer.
“I can’t go into all of it, but there have been some less-than-ideal business decisions made because of Pellini’s involvement. People who’ve confronted him on it have been fired or challenged or threatened. I’ve been threatened but my position is more solid than a lot of others because the Alpha trusts me greatly. But he also trusts the Second.
“So what I’d like to do is find out where the Packs are on this. I’ve spoken with Great Lakes, Shasta, City of Angels and Golden Gate and they’re all with me. I hate to put you on the spot but this is a serious situation and will only get worse until we get Pellini out of there.”
Lex took a quick look at Cade, who gave a small nod. “We’re with you. What do you need?”
“Right now, nothing. I’m hoping this will be bloodless and reasonable. If I can go to the Alpha and show him that the Packs of the nation are concerned about Pellini and want him out, I believe he’ll make that happen.”
“Okay. We’ve got your back.”
He turned to Nick. “And Pacific?”
Nick shrugged. “I can’t speak for the Pack, obviously. But if you’re asking what the Enforcer thinks, I think the Pellini Family is bad news and they endanger all of us. If the humans had any idea there was such a thing as werewolf organized crime it could lead to some very frightening times. Ben was antsy about it the other day. Asked me to feel Cascadia out about the situation. But he said he didn’t want to take sides. In my opinion, it’s a bad idea. But we haven’t discussed it as a Pack. With things so bad right now, I don’t know what to say.”
Gabe scrubbed his hands over his face. “I understand your predicament, Nick, I really do. But it is important. For precisely the reasons you bring up. The humans are suspicious of us as it is. This is something I’d like you to look into soon.” He sighed.
“Well, this is probably a good time to bring up what I found today.” Nina pulled some papers out of a file folder on the low table near the couch. “I did a basic search through the transaction records for the past three years. I looked into Pack accounts and the personal accounts of Sarah and Ben as well.”
Nick looked up sharply but said nothing.
“I’m sorry, Nick. I just thought it would be wise to cover all the bases. I looked at yours as well.”
“Nina!” Tracy objected. “I didn’t ask you to do that.”
“I know you didn’t. But damn it, you’re in danger down there and there will be an accounting. And I don’t feel guilty about watching your back, I’m your best friend and big sister and that’s what we do. In any case, Nick is all clear. He’s a very nice prospect, Trace. He pays his bills on time and has a very nice nest egg. Way to go.”
Tracy lost the edge of her anger and rolled her eyes.
“But I can’t say the same of Ben and Sarah. Or rather, I can now, but about eighteen months ago things got very tight. They have a nice living. She brings in nearly two hundred grand a year and he pulls in about the same from the Pack. But there’d be times when there was nothing in the account and they were overdrawn. She took out large cash advances on their credit cards until she maxed them out. Then everything was fine for a few months and she’d pay back the credit cards and the accounts and then it would happen again. Only, Pack money began to ebb and flow on her schedule.” Nina handed the papers to Nick, who stared at them, shocked.
“And then, about six months after that, huge amounts of money started moving through the Pack accounts. And then payments made to three different companies. Always the same three companies. In really large amounts. I haven’t been able to find out much about these companies, though. One is a place that makes plastic. Can’t imagine why the Pack would have paid nearly half a million dollars to a company that makes plastic in the last nine months. Can you?”
“I don’t know what the hell any of this is.” Nick stared at the paperwork in front of him. “I’ve never heard of any of these companies. They aren’t Pack businesses.”
“Well, and I don’t mean to brag, but I’m pretty slick at finding things out and I hit a major brick wall here on these outfits. They look like fronts and well, naturally my mind jumps to who we all know who runs front businesses.”
“You are so bent,” Lex murmured, a gleam in his eyes as he spoke to h
is wife.
“Easy there, Scooby. Let me finish here.”
Gabe laughed as Lex snorted before kissing her neck and leaning back to listen.
“Are you saying my Pack is doing business with the mafia?” The anguish in Nick’s voice was clear.
“I’m sorry, Nick. Even more specific, I’m saying your brother and his mate appear to be laundering money through the Pack’s accounts for the mafia.”
“How can you know? You’re a gardener!” Nick stood up and began to pace. Lex growled but Nina patted his thigh.
“I am now, yeah. But let’s just say I have a colorful past and leave it at that. Enough color to know what this is.” Nina looked to Gabe. “Not enough to prove it in a court of law, of course. But common sense can tell you something that you need to back up with months of investigation.”
“This can’t be happening. Things were so simple a week ago.” Nick sat back down.
“It’s got to be connected. Pellini is working to expand his power. Damn it! It’s hard being away right now. The other wolves in the inner circle are very concerned and I’ve gotten calls from some of the other Packs I mentioned, they’ve seen an increase in the presence in certain problems associated with the Pellinis. Just like this one. I need to get back out there and continue to monitor this.”
Tracy closed her eyes as guilt speared through her. He was there because of her. If it weren’t for her, he’d be back in Boston taking care of business. Nick was going through this because of her presence in his life. She fought back tears of frustration, not wanting to lose it in front of her family.
“Excuse me a moment.” Gabe turned to her and took her chin in his hand. “What is it?” His voice was gentle in contrast to his normal voice of address, which was more formal and cool.
Tracy blushed red. “Nothing. God! Don’t let me interrupt you.” The last thing she wanted was to be a bigger distraction than she was already.
“Don’t lie to me. I can feel that you’re upset.” His eyes bored straight into hers.
“I can feel it, too. Come on, baby, tell us,” Nick tried to coax her gently.
“She feels guilty!” Nina said it like any idiot could have figured it out.
“Why on earth would she feel guilty?” Gabe turned back to look at Nina.
“Hello? I’m sitting right here and I’ve just said I didn’t want to interrupt you. Get on with it, we have a lot of stuff to cover.”
“Don’t get pissy with me, Tracy. I’m not going to say another word until you tell me what the hell is wrong.” Gabe loomed over her.
Tracy raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. “Pissy? Let’s talk about this later. In private.”
“What? No. There’s obviously something wrong! Talk to me, damn it. Talk to us, we’re your mates.”
“Oh for cripes’ sake!” Cade exploded. “Even I can see it and according to Nina I’m a blind jerk. You said that your being here was a problem. You’re here because of her. Nick’s Pack’s business is being uncovered in light of the whole shitstorm from the Pack house the other night. Ergo, she feels like she’s responsible in that totally insane way that women have about shit like this.”
Gabe got up and dragged Tracy out of the room. “We’ll be back in a few minutes,” he called over his shoulder. Nick followed.
Milton yawned and padded over to Nina, who leaned back against the couch, absently scratching behind his ears and feeling mildly sorry for Gabe and Nick.
“Well, I suppose a plus of having two males to one female is that you’re not the one always on her shit list. Unless you’re our sister and manage to be upset with both of them.” Lex chuckled.
“Hmm, maybe I need to look for another mate then,” Nina shot back and that shut Lex up.
* * * * *
Gabe hauled Tracy downstairs and out onto the back deck overlooking the wilderness behind the house. “First of all, when I hurt your feelings, I’d like it if you told me when I ask you directly. It’s not fair of you to be hurt and not let me try and fix it.”
“Why do you always have to be so fucking reasonable, Gabe?” Tracy stormed off to the other side of the deck where Nick stood. She sighed and leaned against the rails.
“Why do I have to be reasonable? What kind of question is that? I’m a reasonable man, it’s what I do. It’s who I am.”
Nick moved to stand in front of her. He tipped her chin up with a fingertip. “Baby, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad in there. There’s plenty of guilt to go around, but none of it is yours. My brother and Sarah have that dubious honor. And me too. I’m the Enforcer and I missed that. You’ve done nothing wrong. You’ve been good and loving and strong for me. A true mate and partner.”
Gabe spoke, watching her from across the deck, “And yes, I need to get back to Boston but that doesn’t mean that you’re impeding me. I want to be here with you. I love you. I have a job that makes this complicated and well, the whole tri-mate thing makes it even more difficult to work around, but certainly we will. We will because it’s how we’ll have to be. In order for this to work we all have to do our part. That means you have to tell us when you’re upset and we’ll do the same and all of us have to try to accommodate each other.” He pushed himself away from the railing and went to her.
Tracy nodded up at him. Nick put his arm around each of their waists. “We’ll make this work. One step at a time.”
Gabe leaned down and brushed his lips over hers and that familiar fire sparked and caught Nick with a gasp. Suddenly his mouth was hot on her neck, just below her ear, feasting on her hammering pulse.
“Turn around, hands on the railing,” Gabe murmured into her ear.
“What? My parents are inside!”
Nick spun her and reached around, unzipping her jeans around her slapping hands. “They’re not coming out here, we’re making up from a fight. They won’t want to interfere. And you were told to do something, Tracy.”
“Hey! You can’t tell me what to do. This isn’t a cave or the Dark Ages!”
Nick leaned in, his body against the long line of her back, while Gabe yanked her jeans and panties down. The cool of the evening caressed the bare skin of her thighs. “But I can. Gabe can. What’s more, Tracy, you like it.” He reached down and slid his fingertips through her pussy. Finding her slick, he chuckled. “Tell you what, let’s be blunt. You like to be dominated and we like dominating you. It won’t go past sex, we won’t tell you what books to read or who you can go to the movies with.”
“But when I tell you to turn and grab something and spread your thighs, you’ll do it. And we all know you’ll like it.” Gabe’s lips moved against her ear and the sound of unzipping flies brought a shiver of desire through her and she moaned softly.
“First, I’m going to fuck you. Hard and fast so those sweet breasts jiggle the way I like. Then Gabe’s going to fuck you. Your job is to come. A lot.” Nick underlined this with a long, hard thrust into her until he slid in to the root.
Gabe ducked under where her hands grasped the railing and faced her. “Now,” he said quietly as Nick began to move into her body at her back, “let’s get started with your part, shall we?”
He leaned in to kiss her while his hands found her nipples under her sweater. She arched her back, pressing into his palms.
Coherent thought escaped her. She should be scandalized, having sex out on the shadowy deck with her parents in the house behind them. She should be outraged that her mates just ordered her to fuck them. But she wasn’t. God, she was turned on beyond all bearing. So turned on she’d have to feel ashamed of herself later because all she had was endorphins racing through her system and pleasure intoxicating her as their hands and mouths were on her and Nick’s cock filled her over and over.
Nick reached around and found her clit swollen and slick for him and circled it slowly, ramping up the need, pushing her desire higher and higher. Knowing that someone could walk out at any moment was a dark thrill and her first orgasm slammed into her when G
abe’s teeth closed over the tendons in her neck.
Writhing between them as she came, she was only barely cognizant of Nick’s climax as his hand at her hip convulsed and her name came as a hoarse sigh from his lips.
Nick pulled out and Gabe picked her up. He sat on one of the Adirondack chairs, putting her on his lap reverse cowgirl. Her body faced away from him and she locked eyes with Nick as Gabe’s cock filled her cunt, still fluttering from climax.
Nick knelt before them both and looked into her eyes. “I love you so much, Tracy. You’re so beautiful and sexy.” Shoving her sweater up, he licked over her nipples until she made soft sounds of entreaty and squirmed against Gabe.
He kissed down her belly and spread her open, exposing her clit. She looked down at him, at the top of his head. His glossy black hair was soft between her fingers as she moved her hands to caress his skull between her palms.
She did feel beautiful and sexy. Loved, cherished and desired. Despite the ugliness of what they’d found out and the uncertainty of that part of the future, she felt assured of her place in the world with these two men at her side. It didn’t matter where or how, she just knew, accepted for a certainty that things would be all right because they were meant to be.
Gabe held her hips tight, pressing her down on his cock. He wasn’t so much thrusting as circling himself into her, pulsing deep.
Nick certainly knew his way around her pussy. The flat of his tongue slid over her even as Gabe held her tight against him. The dual sensation of being filled with Gabe’s cock and Nick’s tongue on her clit shocked through her, singeing her senses until she fell into another orgasm.
“Oh, damn, yes. You feel so good, Tracy.” Gabe’s words were against the back of her neck. Strained, as he worked toward his own end. Which he found some moments later.