by Jane Jamison
Their lovemaking was more than mere sex, more than even lovemaking. It had another purpose, a means of declaring a promise, a way to keep her safe.
She clung to them as their hands, tongues, teeth, and cocks made her theirs. She cried out as an orgasm met with each of theirs. Their hot seed flowed into her and over her. Sated, she held them to her and stared into the dense fog.
“Are they still there?”
Brady got to his feet first, his eyes a strange amber color. “Yes.”
Ethan and Dart stood, taking positions to keep her within their circle of protection.
She got up, the chilly wind drying the sweat on her body. “Am I still safe?”
Brady turned to her, his face a mask of pain. “No.”
Growls erupted out of the fog. Stunned, she whirled toward the closest sound. Something huge and dark lunged toward her.
Laney sat up in her bed, a cry of fear caught in her throat. Her heart took a while to slow down. Her mind took its own sweet time to remember where she was.
It was a dream. Or was it a nightmare? Had it been both?
A howl somewhere in the distance floated like an eerie call on the wind. She pulled her comforter to her chin and lay back down.
I’m all right. It was only a dream.
Yet she couldn’t shake the terrible feeling that it was a warning.
* * * *
The next day, Laney was more confused than ever about what to do. Harlen had gone quiet, not returning her calls or responding to her texts asking to get together and talk. Had her actions caused him harm? Had the gang followed him to Fate? If so, would they come after her?
After tossing and turning all night, she’d finally made up her mind about one thing. She needed help. Still not wanting to go to the authorities, she really had only one other choice.
People walked past her, each giving her a smile or a nod. If nothing else could be said about the people of Fate, it was that they were friendly. She recognized a few of them, knowing they’d seen her surrounded by the Rann men. A few of them had witnessed both interactions. Yet, they weren’t laughing or smirking at her. Instead, they wished her a good day.
She’d given a lot of thought on how to ask the Rann men for help. Yet when it came down to it, she’d probably simply wing it and pray they were the men she’d heard they were. Shawna had raved about them. So had Melba at the hair salon. And Sugar at the diner had told her they were terrific, too. In fact, she’d had so many people give her unsolicited opinions about the Ranns that she was beginning to wonder if they were too good to be true.
She’d find out soon enough.
She saw them before they saw her. Once they noticed her, she lifted her hand in greeting and saw their pleased reactions. “Hey, guys, can I talk to you?”
“Sure thing, darlin’.” Brady led the way for the other two as they crossed the street and almost got hit by a pickup when they didn’t look both ways. They didn’t seem to notice.
“What can we do for you, honey?” asked an eager-looking Ethan.
As it always seemed to happen when they were in public, they were being watched. “Can we go somewhere a little more private?” She blushed, realizing how she’d sounded. “To talk.”
“Yeah, sure.” Dart glanced around then took her hand and tugged her into the Wag Your Tail Barbershop. The men inside gaped at them. “Sherman, can we use your office?”
The older gentleman paused, the razor in his hand, and tilted his head at them. “No problem. Just don’t go making a mess.”
The previous blush seemed like a tiny flame of heat compared to the one heating her cheeks now. She averted her gaze.
“Thanks.” Dart led her past a row of barbershop chairs filled with customers to a door in the back. “After you, sugar.”
The room wasn’t small, but as soon as the three large men and she were inside, the space enclosed on her. Their bulk took up a lot of the room, leaving her with no option except to lean against the desk, supporting herself by flattening her hands on the top of the worn desk.
“What do you want to talk about?” Dart leaned closer, putting his face close to hers. She drew in a long, slow breath, loving the scent of his aftershave. “Us?”
“Us?”
Brady came around the left side of the desk with Ethan coming to her right. She was, once again, pinned among the three of them.
“Yeah. About us. You know we want you, right?”
She met Ethan’s deep stare and felt herself drawn to him. His lips were soft, yet masculine, just begging her to press her lips to his. “You do?”
“Come on, darlin’.” Brady’s warm breath tickled the back of her neck. “You’d have to be dumb as dirt not to have figured that out. And you, darlin’, are anything but dumb.”
“This isn’t what I came here to talk about.” She dared putting a palm to Dart’s chest and pushing him back a little. But only a little. If she hadn’t been prepared for the onslaught of sudden emotions, she would’ve been overwhelmed. As it was, her pussy came alive, and the heat from her face paled in comparison.
“Okay, guys, back off. Let her tell us what she really wants.”
Why did everything they say sound sexual? What she wanted, truly wanted, was to shove all thoughts of her brother and the pills away so she could concentrate on the incredible men around her. She swallowed, hard. “I need you to help me burn a bag of illegal drugs.”
Their expressions, still locked to her, still intense in their scrutiny, didn’t change. She’d been right. They’d seen and heard everything last night. Yet had she or Harlen actually said the word “drugs”?
“They’re your brother’s drugs, aren’t they?” Dart put his hand on her leg then slid it higher.
She stopped his upward progression before he got too close to the inferno between her legs. “I know you were watching us last night, but I don’t remember calling him my brother or saying the word drugs. So how’d you know?”
“Let’s just say that nothing stays secret for long in a small town.” Brady’s fingers trailed along her shoulder.
There was no way anyone else in town could’ve found out. She hadn’t even contacted Maddie Connor, fearing she might tell her more than she should. “I don’t buy that. The only person who could’ve possibly found out anything would’ve been Shawna. But I still don’t know how unless…”
“Nothing gets past Shawna,” replied Ethan. “Especially when it happens inside her home.”
Had Shawna spied on her? Anger struck, compelling her to forget how she’d wanted to approach them. “She had no right to pry into my private affairs.”
“You’re staying at her place.” Ethan said it warmly but firmly. “I kind of think that gives her the right to poke her nose around, especially if she thinks something’s not right.”
“I’m a guest. I have a right to privacy and—” She stopped, determined not to get sidetracked. “Forget about Shawna for now. I wanted to talk to you guys so I could ask you a favor.”
“Anything you want, sugar,” Dart’s grin equaled the sun. “That’s all you have to do. Just ask.”
Gone were all the times she’d practiced what to say. Gone was her plan to lay it out so that what she wanted them to do wouldn’t seem so outlandish. Or dangerous. “Like I said before. I want you to help me get rid of a bunch of baggies filled with”—she paused, almost afraid to say the word again— “drugs.”
“You mean the drugs in your duffel bag.”
“Yes, Brady. The drugs in my duffel bag.” Was there anything these men didn’t know? Did they know that her brother was a drug addict and someway, somehow, she’d have to get him back into rehab? Did they know how she could ever afford treatment now that her parents had finally written him off? But the answers to those questions didn’t matter. Not yet anyway. Right then, she needed to hear one and only one answer. “So? Will you help me?”
“They’re your brother’s drugs, aren’t they?”
“We went through this already.
Yes, they’re his. He’s mixed up with a gang and selling the drugs for them.”
“So how did you end up with his bag of pills?”
How did a question like Ethan’s sound so damn sexy? It was only a question. “I took them so he couldn’t sell them.”
“And then you ran off to Fate?” Brady chuckled, but the sound was mirthless. “What did you think you’d find here? A small town full of druggies?”
She gave him a not-so-funny look. “I got out of Atlanta and ended up here. There wasn’t a lot of planning involved. It was more of a spontaneous decision.”
“Lucky us. You just happened to wind up here. At least, we’re the lucky ones.”
She would’ve taken what Dart had said as sarcasm, but he looked as though he was deadly serious. After what she’d told them, did they still think they’d gotten lucky meeting her? “I’d heard about Fate from an acquaintance named Maddie Connor. Maybe I figured it would be easier to figure things out in a small town. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just took the bag and ran.”
“Stella’s sister.”
Judging only from his tone, she could tell that Brady liked Stella. But nothing more. She didn’t detect any real interest in Stella. Probably not even in Maddie. “That’s right. Although I haven’t run into her yet. Anyway, I took off with his pills, and now he’s shown up wanting them back.”
“He probably has to get them back or pay the gang what they’re worth.” Brady’s dark eyes deepened. “I’m guessing payment can be in money, in drugs, or in his hide. Maybe two out of the three. Am I right?”
“Yes. I didn’t think about what the gang might do to him. All I could think was that if someone died because of some shit he sold them, I know he’d never forgive himself. He’s a good guy. He really is.”
“He has to be since he’s your brother,” added Dart. “Although being part of a gang doesn’t say much good about him.”
“Anyway, I have to know. Can you help me or not? Will you help me?”
“Sure we will.” Brady sounded so confident, giving her exactly what she needed. “We’ll go back to Shawna’s and grab the bag. Then we’ll take it from there.”
Relief made her knees weak. Or was it his touch? Any time they were near her, her body went into overdrive as though they’d struck a match and placed it on the libido-soaked kindling inside her. She wanted them, ached for them as she had no other. But she couldn’t give in to her emotions or to the wildly spinning sensations. She had to keep her head, for Harlen’s sake if not her own.
Still, what if I did give in? Just this once? Maybe the fire for them would burn out and let me think straight.
Ethan got even closer and slid his hand along her arm. Her nerve endings jumped to attention. Her mouth went suddenly dry. Her pussy, however, was wetter than ever.
“Now that we’ve got that settled, let’s talk about us.”
“Us?”
Brady’s chuckle was deep and rich enough to give her a small climax. “I think we’ve gone through this already, too. In fact, I think we’ve done enough talking.” Taking hold of her shoulders, he pulled her backward until she had no choice but to lie down. Soon she stared up into his dark eyes, eyes filling with amber.
“Your eyes.”
“Our eyes change when we’re turned on like crazy. And you, darlin’, drive us crazy.”
She’d never heard of eyes changing color when sexually aroused, but then again, at that moment, as he bent over her, his mouth moving ever closer to hers, she didn’t care. “Brady, what are you doing?” Yet instead of trying to get up, she stayed where she was, transfixed by his seductive gaze.
He kissed her then, at first barely more than a brush of his lips over hers. She gasped, bringing in the masculine aroma of his breath. Her hands flattened on the desk as his hands slid up her legs.
Oh, shit. I should stop them, but I don’t want to.
Brady’s kiss grew stronger, needier as she welcomed his tongue inside her mouth. Moaning, she reached for him but found her arms pinned to her sides. Ethan’s and Dart’s hands found their way under her T-shirt and then her bra. Each found a nipple and caressed it, bringing the already taut buds to an aching throb.
Get up. You need to get up.
But again, she ignored her logical side, giving in to her desire. She’d take the chance now to be with them, the future too uncertain to believe in.
Someone began undoing her jeans. Brady’s kiss became harder, more demanding, and she answered his demand with her own. When, at last, Ethan freed her arm, she grasped Brady by a clump of his hair and kept him with her. A whimper of lust escaped her as she slipped her tongue into his mouth and tasted his flavors.
A kiss on her stomach startled her, but the quick flash of surprise was gone in the next instant, replaced by the yearning to spread her legs wide and have Dart kiss her there. Needing to breathe, she yanked Brady back and stared into his eyes as they filled with even more amber.
“Your eyes.”
“Darlin’, if you keep talking about my eyes, you’re going to spoil the mood.”
Ethan eased her jeans lower, over her hips. “Forget his eyes. I want to see your sweet, pink pussy.”
She sucked in a hard breath as Ethan had his fingers do the looking first. He played with her clit, massaging it with his thumb, then skimmed lower and plunged his fingers into her pussy. She cried out, but not for long.
Dart placed his hand over her mouth. “Remember where we are, sugar. We wouldn’t want all those men to hear.” He narrowed his own amber eyes. “Or would we?”
Yes. Yet she couldn’t. Not and be able to walk back through the barbershop. Instead of letting the wild sensations rushing through her take complete and final control, she took hold of his hand and pulled it away from between her legs.
“Shit, man. Look what you made her do,” complained Dart.
Brady caressed her cheek. “Don’t let him go ruining this.”
“Yeah, sugar. Listen to Brady and not my big-ass mouth.” Ethan tried to put his hand back under her panties, but she pushed him away.
She sat up, using all her remaining willpower to get off the desk and move them away from her. “I have to get rid of the drugs first. My brother, his safety, comes first.”
“First? Does this mean we can take up where we left off afterward?” Dart adjusted the bulge in his crotch.
She did her best not to look. “Guys, I’m here to get rid of the drugs. This—” She dared to glance at them one at a time and found her lust heating up again. She looked away. “This is not what we should be doing.”
“I’ve got to disagree, darlin’. It’s exactly what we should be doing.” Brady held up his hands, giving in. “Still, I get that you want to do the drugs first. But the drugs are only half the problem. We need to make sure your brother will be safe, too. Getting rid of the drugs won’t take the heat off him. The gang is going to want retribution.”
When she’d taken the duffel bag, she hadn’t had a plan. Harlen had probably bought time by telling the gang he’d get the drugs back, but once the drugs were gone, he’d still be in trouble. She hadn’t realized just how much until she’d had time to think. Time to realize that her plan may have put her brother into even greater danger. “What can we do to help Harlen?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out.” Ethan touched her cheek. “I promise.”
“Thank you.” It was ridiculous to put so much faith in men she barely knew, but she had no choice. No choice and a gut feeling that she was doing the right thing by getting them involved.
“Afterward, we’re going to show you just how much we want you.” Dart wiggled his eyebrows, making her smile.
“Yeah, honey,” added Ethan. “We’re going to show you what it’s going to be like being our mate.”
“You’re what? Your mate?” Where had that come from? Fast with the Rann men meant faster than any speed she’d ever imagined. She pulled her clothes together. Strangely, she wasn’t embarrassed by
anything they’d done. Hell, she’d wanted them to do so much more.
“Too fast, man,” warned Brady with a searing stare. “She’s right. We take care of her problem first, and then we talk about us.”
There’s that word again. Us. Still, it’s a pretty nice word.
“Then let’s get it done.” Dart grabbed her hand, opened the door, and led her back through the barbershop.
She tried hard not to notice the smirks and lust-filled stares of the shop’s patrons, but she refused to act as though she were doing the Walk of Shame. Instead, she held her head up high.
“Hey, Brady, did you get some afternoon delight?”
Brady motioned for her to keep going. Right before he pivoted toward the man who’d spoken, a flash of white peeked from between his lips. Lips that were pulled back into an animal-like snarl.
She faltered a step or two. Where had the sudden aggressiveness come from?
“Did you want to say something more, Mitch?”
The man quickly backed down, dropping his gaze and tucking his chin, cowering much like a dog before its master. “No. Sorry. I was just joking around.”
“Then apologize to the lady.”
Mitch lifted his gaze only long enough to meet hers then lowered it. “I do apologize, miss.”
“It’s okay.” She’d spoken softly, but he seemed to hear her.
Brady turned back to her and started for the door again. “Let’s go.”
Once outside on the sidewalk, she said, “Okay, so how do we do this? You’re coming back to Shawna’s with me, right?” If Harlen was there, they’d be able to keep him from getting the drugs. Hopefully, her hiding place in her bedroom behind the vent would trick Harlen even if he broke into the B&B. She wouldn’t put it past him to break and enter.
Suddenly, the air thickened, but not in a good way. Instead of answering her, all three men tensed and came to a halt. Their attention was no longer on her. She followed where they were looking but didn’t see anything other than more people milling around, going about their day. “What’s wrong?”
Ethan forced a smile. “Nothing, but I think it’ll be better if you go back to Shawna’s and get the bag on your own. Once you get it, head out of town and keep on the main road. About five miles out, you’ll see a sign for Rolling Hills Ranch. That’s our ranch. Turn in, open the gate, then drive on down to the house. Go on inside and wait for us. The door’s unlocked.”