by Jane Jamison
“We can’t promise you that,” admitted Brady. “Laney’s our mate. Control is not always the easiest thing to have around a mate.” He tilted his head at Laney. “You are, aren’t you? You’re our mate?”
Had the temperature in the room gone sky-high because she was embarrassed? Or because, once again, they were referring to her as their mate? Answering, however, was difficult. Instead, she took the easy way out, buying her time to think. “I think you’d better leave. We’ve already pushed our luck. Again, Shawna, I’m so sorry. I, um, we weren’t thinking.”
“I’ll bet you weren’t. And I’ll bet you acted like the dogs you are. Did you tell her?”
Tell me? About being their mate?
“It’s our business, Shawna. Not yours,” warned Brady.
“This B&B is my business, Brady Rann, and what goes on under my roof is my business, too. Now get out of here before I do something you’ll regret.”
“Aw, come on, Shawna. Give us a break, huh?” asked Dart.
Instead, Shawna arched an imperious eyebrow then swept her finger across the air and pointed at the front door. “You three hounds get the hell out of here right now.” The finger flicked toward the ceiling as Ethan started to speak. “Not another word. Out. Now.”
Ethan took Laney’s hand and squeezed. “It’s gotten too late to do what we were planning.” He glanced at Shawna and lowered his voice. “We can pick you up in the morning.”
“No. I’ll come out to the ranch.” She did her own quick glance at the angry woman. “I don’t think you should come back for a while.”
“Fine, but only if you promise to stay inside for the rest of the night.” Brady caressed her cheek, ignoring Shawna when she cleared her throat. “Just to be safe. Promise us.”
“I promise.”
“Good.” He shot Shawna a wickedly sinful smile. “Then we’ll leave. For now.” He strode past Shawna, making sure there was distance between them.
“’Night, sugar.” Dart managed a quick peck on Laney’s cheek then hurried after Brady.
Ethan gave her hand another squeeze. “See you tomorrow, honey.”
Laney wanted to go with them and started to say so. But the look Shawna gave her had her shutting her mouth again. She repeated the only thing she dared to say. “I’m sorry, Shawna.”
Shawna had turned her back to Laney to watch the Rann men leave. When she turned back to Laney, the irritation that had clouded her face was gone. “So have you four made it official yet?”
Thrown, Laney dropped to her seat on the couch. “Official?” Did Shawna expect her to have a ring on her finger? Surely she wasn’t the type who expected the men to make an honest woman out of her. Was she?
Shawna scooted over to plop next to Laney. “Did they talk about making you their mate?”
Again she was thrown, but not as much. “Actually, yes, they did. How’d you know?”
“Oh, shoot, girl, anyone laying eyes on you four can tell. You’re made for each other.” Her smile widened. “And after what I saw, I know it’s for real.”
Was it so obvious? Yet hearing this made her feel even better about wanting them. “It’s strange, right? I mean I’ve dated men a lot longer than I’ve known these guys. And all three of them? Ménage is all right for others, but for me?”
“Do you have something against multiples involved in a committed relationship?” Shawna leaned back, irritation once again marring her features.
“No, not at all. In fact, I’ve fantasized about it.” She dared to reveal more. “About them.”
“Then you’re good with it? Do you want to be their mate?”
“Yes. I guess so. Although I’m not sure what it means to be a mate.” She tried hard not to glance down at the couch. Should she tell Shawna what they’d done on the sofa? Did she even need to?
“Girl, it means you have three men who are ready and willing to dedicate their lives to making you happy. It means you’ve found love and found it with not only one man but with three of them. Three really good men, too. It means you’re one hell of a lucky woman.”
“But it’s like being a wife, right?”
“Yes, except that you can legally marry only one of them. At least that way you can get in on his insurance and all the benefits of being married in the eyes of the law. But as far as folks around here are concerned, you’re already their mate and bound to all three men.” Shawna studied her. “Haven’t they discussed these things with you? Haven’t they told you what you need to know?”
Laney squirmed. “We were just about to when you came in.”
“Uh-huh. Which means you four didn’t do much talking before I showed up.” She laughed when Laney cringed yet again. “Don’t worry about it. I know how hard it is to keep the blood from boiling. It’s all natural and good. Even if they are part of the Garrett Pack.”
Laney jumped on the chance to ask. “What is it about this pack thing around here? Are you saying they’re in a gang?” Like my brother almost slipped out. “They’re not involved in anything shady, are they?”
Shawna eased back, thoughtful. “So you know about the pack, but that’s all? Nothing more?”
“What more is there? Please, tell me.”
“It’s not my place to tell you.” She took Laney’s hand, her expression earnest. “But I can tell you this. A pack is not like a gang. Not the way you’re thinking. A pack is like family. It’s a group of folks who are closer than some blood relatives I’ve known.”
“Like a brotherhood?”
“Yes and no. But don’t go thinking a pack is like the Mafia or something. It’s not sinister or shady.”
“And the Ranns are part of the Garrett Pack?”
Shawna drew in a breath, obviously giving herself time to think before answering. “They are. Unfortunately, their pack’s not the best one around. Don’t get me wrong. There are some good people in the pack. Right now, though, Moses and Carl Garrett are running things.” She scowled. “I wouldn’t trust them with taking out my trash. In fact, a bunch of us are hoping you’ll get them to leave the pack for good. To either join another pack like the Shadow Ridge Pack or just go it on their own. But it’s real hard to leave a pack like the Garrett Pack.”
“I met them earlier. Moses and Carl, that is.”
Alarm sparkled in Shawna’s eyes. “You did? What happened?”
“I don’t know. They told me that the Rann men were in a pack. I don’t remember what they said exactly, but they led me to believe that being in the pack was like being in a gang.” She’d resisted the urge to say something before, but now she couldn’t hold back. “Like my brother.” Guilt hit her. She’d brought trouble into Shawna’s home. “My brother is part of a gang and he’s selling drugs for them.”
“You mean like the duffel bag full of pills in your room?”
“Yes.” She couldn’t get the accusation out of her tone.
“Now don’t go getting mad, but I was vacuuming under the bed earlier and kind of pushed it out.” Shawna wrinkled up her nose. “I unzipped it and took a good look. It’s snooping, yes, but this is my place and I had a feeling you were in trouble. Why else would you show up with only a duffel bag and nothing else? Then when your brother showed up, I figured it was time I got some answers.”
She should’ve been angry at Shawna for violating her privacy, but she wasn’t. How could she when she was a guest and bringing trouble to Fate? “Harlen was here? When?”
“He sure was. I told him to skedaddle and to not come back. I laid into him, telling him I had places to be this afternoon and couldn’t hang around to listen to his sorry ass. I’m sorry, girl, but that boy’s not good for nothing.”
“He’s not so bad.” But there was only so much support she could give Harlen. “When he’s not using.”
“I’m sorry you have to deal with him. I could tell from his enlarged pupils that he wasn’t in his right head. Just tell me you’re not involved in selling drugs, too. You’re not, are you?”
“No. I’m trying to get him out of trouble, so I took the drugs from him and left Atlanta. I didn’t really have a plan. I didn’t really expect him to follow me, but then he showed up and demanded them back.”
“Easy, girl.” Shawna rubbed Laney’s shoulder. “I get it. He has to either sell the drugs or give them back. If he doesn’t, then the gang’s going to hurt him. Makes sense. You’re in a tough spot. Even tougher than before.”
It felt good to have someone listen. “If I give the drugs back, the gang might go ahead and hurt him anyway. Then they’ll sell that poison on the street. But if I get rid of them, they’ll probably still come after him to make him pay for their loss.” Her vision blurred with her tears. “I don’t know for sure if I’m doing the right thing, but it’s the only thing I can think to do.”
“And what’s that?”
“I decided to burn them with the help of the Rann men. But do you think I’m doing the right thing?”
“I don’t know.” Shawna stood, taking Laney with her. “He wanted me to let him in to your room. I told him that was your decision. He wasn’t happy when he left. Said he wanted to meet you at The Wolf’s Den later this afternoon. To talk. I said I’d pass along the message.”
“He’ll try and talk me in to giving him the drugs. Oh, Shawna, what should I do?”
The woman pulled Laney into her embrace. “Beats the hell out of me. Maybe you should get rid of them then have your brother get the hell out of here. Or maybe you should hold on to them. The gang hasn’t killed him yet in hopes of getting the drugs back. The only thing I’m sure of is that you can’t give the drugs back to him. If you do, I don’t think you’ll be able to live with yourself wondering every day if someone took the pills and ended up dead.”
“I’m supposed to take them to the men’s ranch later.”
“Then that’s what you do. Go and talk to your brother first. Try to make him see the light. If not, at least you can give him a heads-up and give him time to think about what his next move will be.”
Laney wiped the tears away. “Okay. Maybe you’re right. Besides, I want to see him and make sure he’s still in one piece.”
“Then you’d better get going. He said to meet him around three today, and it’s almost three now.”
* * * *
Laney was still angry enough to wring Harlen’s neck when she stormed up the steps and into the B&B. Her brother hadn’t shown up at The Wolf’s Den. No one had seen or heard from him since he’d tried to coax Shawna into letting him into Laney’s room. Unable to tolerate waiting for him, she’d given him fifteen minutes, and then she’d left.
Damn him. He’s wasting my time.
Why would he ask her to show up at the bar and then not meet her? Was it a trick? Or was he hurt and unable to come? She shoved the awful idea away. It was better to be angry at him than to worry about him. More than likely, he’d conned her, getting her to go to the bar so that—
She froze, her hand on the doorknob.
It was a diversion.
Shit.
How stupid could she have been? Harlen had used the same tactic in the past whenever he’d wanted her out of the house.
A noise from upstairs propelled her into the house. She had no doubt that the sound had come from her room. Bounding up the stairs, she shoved open her door. Harlen was bent over the duffel bag, rifling through its contents.
“Damn it, Harlen. Now you’re adding breaking and entering to your list of crimes?”
He gave her a quick glare then zipped the bag up and threw it over his shoulder. “It’s not a crime to take what’s mine.”
“It is when it’s bag full of illegal pills.” She lunged at him, grabbing for the bag, but he darted away from her. Going around her like a football player escaping from the opposition’s line, he whirled away from her frantic attempt to snag his shirt. Her fingers slipped off the material, and he ran out of the room.
“Harlen, come back here! Please. Don’t do this!”
“Stay out of this, sis.” He took the stairs two at a time, something she’d never been able to do.
Hurrying after him, she groaned as he disappeared out the front door. “Harlen!” She jumped over the bottom stair, dashed to the door, then burst outside.
The next thing she knew she was being jerked backward by her hair. “No!” Suddenly, she was pulled down the porch steps. Two black cars with tinted windows waited at the curb. Two hard-looking men had captured Harlen between them as another man yanked the duffel bag away from him. A young girl, dressed in short-shorts and a barely-there halter-top leaned against the other car, her face a study in boredom.
“Hey, Harlen, it’s about time we caught up with you.” A young man, probably in his mid-twenties, sneered. Even with the sneer, his face was beautiful, unblemished tanned skin accenting the deep black eyes. A frame of wavy black hair surrounded the boyish face. If he’d been wearing a choir robe, he would’ve fit in perfectly at church.
“Jackson,” pleaded her brother, “I was bringing them back. I swear it.”
“Sure you were.” Jackson patted Harlen’s cheek. “But tell me this, my friend. How did you lose them in the first place?” He glanced at Laney, his gaze sliding down her body then back up. “And losing them to your sister? Damn, man, that’s just plain sad.”
“Please, you don’t understand. I can sell them in no time. I promise. Just give me a chance. I’ll make good buck for them.”
“Of course you will.” Jackson pretended to reconsider. “But it’s really strange, man. Word on the street says you were planning on selling them and running off with the cash. A man could do a lot worse than with the amount of coin you’d make.”
“Leave him alone.” Fear laced her body, but Laney kept the fear out of her tone.
Jackson sauntered over to her then took her chin in his hand. “Harlen never told me how hot his sister is.” He nodded, approving of her. “Yeah, bitch. I’d fuck you any day of the week.” Chuckling, he cupped her breast then turned to the other four men. “Maybe when I’m done, I’ll let the rest of you fuck her.”
Cheers erupted. The man who had hold of her tightened his grip on her hair as he shoved her toward the car.
“Put her in the back, Meno, along with her thieving brother.” Jackson waved his hand at Harlen. “Let’s get out of here.”
Laney fell onto the back seat, shoved in roughly by Meno. Harlen was forced into the middle of the seat from the other side as one of the men holding him settled next to him. He held a gun at Harlen, an eager-to-pull-the-trigger grin spreading across his face.
“Try and make a run for it. Do it, Harlen. I know you want to.”
Jackson got into the car along with Meno as the driver. Holding the duffel bag in his lap, he motioned for the driver to get going. “Let’s move.”
Harlen glanced at Laney then lowered his gaze to his clasped hands. The fear she saw was made even worse by his silent plea for forgiveness. “It’s okay, Harlen. We’re going to get through this. It’s going to be okay.”
Somehow, she even managed a smile.
* * * *
Laney didn’t know the area around Fate so she had no clue where the gang was taking them. At one point, she thought maybe they’d passed the road leading to the Rann men’s ranch, but she couldn’t be sure. Every time she tried peering out the window, the gang member next to her brother would tell her to sit back and look straight ahead.
Were they taking them home to Atlanta? Or would they stop somewhere along the way, bringing their trip to an abrupt and possibly fatal end? The fear overtaking her brother trembled out of him and into her. She couldn’t tell him that they’d be all right. She simply couldn’t bring herself to lie again.
A pop then a thudding sound heralded a bumpy ride. Cursing, Meno pulled the car to the side of the road.
“What the fuck’s going on?” Jackson snarled at his driver then eased his window down before peeking over the side. “Fuck! A flat tire?”
“Yeah. A fuckin
g flat tire.” Meno stopped the car then bumped his shoulder against the door, shoving it open.
“Get it fixed now, asshole.” Jackson shifted around to sneer at the other man. “Ripper, get out and help him.”
“What about these two?”
Jackson’s sneer grew. “You think I can’t take care of them? Get the hell out.”
“Sure, sure.” Ripper did as he was told. Holstering his gun, he shot Laney and Harlen a warning look then slammed the door.
A quick glance put the idea of making a hasty getaway out of her mind. The men from the other car had already exited their vehicle and were crowding around a still-cursing Meno as he hauled the spare tire out of the trunk.
“Please, let us go. You’ve got your drugs back.” It was a lame attempt, but she had to try.
Jackson laughed. “Well, shit. Why not? It’s not like you can go to the cops or anything. If you do, then sweet little brother there will end up in the cell right along with me.”
“Exactly.” Hell, she had to try. “We can’t go to the cops, so we won’t. I swear it.”
Jackson studied her, amusement written on his face. “Your sister’s funny. She really thinks I’m going to let someone like you, a fucking low-life punk, steal from me and let him go free and clear?”
The tiny spark of hope died. “Look, it was my fault. Harlen was planning on selling the drugs, but I took the bag and ran off. I’m the one who stole from you, not him.”
Jackson feigned understanding, nodding his head and pretending to consider her words. “Yeah. I can see your point.” Anger returned fast enough. “But it doesn’t matter to me. He fucked up and let you get away with them. Nah, babe, you’re both to blame and you’re both going to pay.”
Meno tapped on the hood of the car above Jackson. “Hey, man.”
“What?” It seemed Jackson’s surly mood wasn’t only for Laney and Harlen.
“This is going to take a while, and it’s going to get hot sitting in the car. The guys spotted a shed in the field. If you want, we can haul their asses over there.” He shrugged, his gaze darting to Laney. “Why not have a little fun while you’re waiting?”