“You give me a good story, and you keep your job, give me a fluff piece, and your ass is on the curb. I’m not bringing you back upstairs until the story is finished, and if it’s good, you’ll get a two-page spread. I want you to understand something, Frank; things will be different around here in some respects. I want everyone to enjoy coming to work here every day. I don’t have a dress code, so unless you’re asked to wear some business attire, be comfortable at work. Jeans are acceptable. But no sweatpants. I hate sweatpants.”
“I’ll give you the best damn story about this paper ever, Stephanie. And thanks for this opportunity. I won’t let you down.” As he got up to leave, he turned back when he heard her call his name.
“When and if you do a great story, you and I will sit down and renegotiate your contract. If you’re as good as I think you are, I want to keep you around. Now go and apologize to Tabby and then get started.”
The next three employees were easy. She’d read their files, and the only reason they still had jobs was because of Joe’s loyalty to their families. Well, she had no such loyalty, so it was easy to fire them. They all bitched and complained and threatened her with a lawsuit, but after showing them, in their own contracts, where it stated that any new ownership of the paper would have the authority to renegotiate any contract with its employees, her negotiations with them were just short and sweet. Their services, what little they had given the paper in the last two years, were no longer required.
Shayne came into the office and said, “It’s time to stop for the day, Stephanie. You can do the rest tomorrow. I know you’re eager to get this over with, but you hired me to help you keep your life balanced, right? So I’m telling you it’s time for you to head over to Joe’s and get some rest, boss lady.”
Stephanie knew he was right and told him to tell the women that were waiting that she’d speak with them in the morning, and not to worry, their jobs were safe, for now. If she hadn’t said something to them, they all would have spent the night worrying, and that wasn’t fair to them or their families.
Chapter 4
Kane and Turk sat in Kane’s F-150 just down the street from the Kinsey Pictorial. They’d been there for about an hour, and she still hadn’t left for the day.
“It’s her first day, you’d think she’d want to get settled and rest after her long drive,” Turk said, fidgeting in his seat like a little boy.
“She’s already accepted that she’ll be moving in with us tomorrow, so she doesn’t have to unpack tonight. She’ll go to Joe and Helen’s, eat, visit, and then go to bed so that she’ll be well rested to deal with the two of us tomorrow.” Kane couldn’t wait to get his angel eyes in his bed again, only this time he wouldn’t have to hide his lifestyle from her. Shit, he was hard just from the thought of seeing their woman tied naked and available on his St. Andrew’s cross.
After their little dustup with Jenny in the diner at lunch, he could see in Stephanie’s eyes that she knew she had made a huge mistake. She’d been so young then, and although it hurt him like hell, he understood how she came to be so hurt. He was more experienced than her, and he should have seen Jenny for the conniving bitch that she was, but that realization came too late. Now that everything was out in the open and he knew she still had feelings for him, and now for Turk, too, there wasn’t anything short of a nuclear war that would keep him away from her. She was theirs, and after tomorrow she would know it.
“There’s our girl, Kane,” Turk said, pointing at the lone female to exit the building. As they watched her dig for her keys, Turk noticed a man that had also been watching for her. He slapped Kane on his arm and showed him the man he’d been watching.
“How long’s he been waiting, Turk?” Kane asked, his hand already on the door.
“He got there just after we did. At first I didn’t think anything about it, but he hasn’t moved since parking his ass at the corner. At least not until now.” Turk opened his door and stood beside the truck, watching the man as he approached their woman. They couldn’t just run up and beat the crap out of him, could they? No, it could be just an innocent meeting of an old friend.
Turk heard Kane growl as the man got closer to Stephanie. Before the person had a chance to get within arm’s length of her, Kane was on the move. They’d both seen the flash of a knife, and they just hoped they could get to her fast enough.
“Hey, Steph,” Kane yelled as he ran toward her. The person looked in his direction and took off running in the opposite direction with Turk on his ass.
Kane grabbed her, pulling her against his body, and held her tightly. His heart had almost stopped when he’d seen the knife in the man’s hand.
“What the hell is going on, Kane? Who was that idiot, and was that actually a knife in their hand?” She couldn’t stop shaking. When she’d first noticed the stranger, she’d also seen the knife in their hand and froze on the spot like an idiot. Thank God Kane and Turk had been there.
“It’s all right, baby, I got you. I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he whispered against the top of her head.
He couldn’t stop fucking shaking.
Turk came back around the corner a few minutes later and walked straight over to Steph and pulled her from Kane’s arms and into his, sighing heavily the moment she snuggled into him.
“Did you get a look at him, Turk?” Kane asked.
“No, whoever it was had their face covered, so I didn’t get a good look. There was another person sitting on a Harley right around the corner, so I couldn’t catch them, but I got a good look at his tags.” Stephanie felt so fucking good against him, so right.
Turk kissed her forehead then her cheek before handing her back to Kane for him to cuddle for another minute.
“We’re going to follow you to Joe and Helen’s and let them know that you’ll be moving in with us tonight.” Pressing a finger against her lips when she tried to say something, he continued, “Someone just tried to kill you, angel eyes, and I, for one, am not going to give him another chance, so please don’t fight me on this. It’s a day early, I know, but there’s no pressure, baby. Turk and I can wait for you until hell freezes over, or until Turk ties you to the bed and pleasures you into admitting your feelings for both of us, whichever comes first.”
Pushing back from Kane so she could see his eyes, Stephanie was surprised when she saw no jealously, only desire. She had kept tabs on Kane and Club Kinsey, so she was well aware of what he wanted from her. She looked over at Turk as he came to stand behind her and pull her back against him, and he said quietly in her ear, “You’re not going to make us wait too long, are you, sweetness?”
“I just got here, guys. I’m not going to be rushed into any decisions,” she said, shaking her head, trying to focus. “You both make me feel things, and I don’t know what to do about it, and now with what just happened…” Stephanie had always been able to deal with anything that life had thrown her way, the loss of her parents when she was twenty and then the devastation of losing Kane, or so she thought, a few years later. But this, this was something different altogether.
“Let’s get you over to Joe’s so we can tell them what’s going on, and then we’ll head to our place.” Kane helped her into her vehicle, and then he and Turk headed back to his and pulled out behind her. Both men were very aware that the woman in the truck ahead of them was in danger and that, until they found out who had attempted to attack her, she wasn’t safe.
* * * *
Stephanie was still shaking slightly when she pulled into Kane’s driveway a few hours later. It was dark now, and after letting Joe and Helen know what was going on, she’d promised them to do what Kane and Turk told her to do regarding her safety. And their first order? That she was to wait in her truck with the doors locked until they pulled up behind her. She didn’t like feeling scared. It really sucked. Fuck, she’d only been back in her hometown a day. She couldn’t have pissed off anybody badly enough for them to want to kill her. She was lost in thought and hadn’t noticed Kane
’s truck pull up behind hers, so when he rapped on the window, she jumped.
Opening her door, she was swept up into Turk’s arms as he carried her to the front door. Giggling like a kid, she couldn’t help but be amazed at the size and strength of the man now holding her.
Once safely inside, Turk set her on her feet and helped her with her coat.
“Okay, sweetness, head on into the living room, and I’ll go and get dinner together. It’s right through those doors there,” he said, kissing her soundly on the lips and then heading into the kitchen.
He must have started their dinner earlier, because the place just smelled great.
Entering the living room, Stephanie was immediately struck by its enormity. This one room was the size of her whole apartment back in the city, and she thought she’d been pretty lucky to have had such a good-sized place at the time. Walking toward the fireplace on the far wall, she noticed a piano sitting off in the corner. She remembered that Kane played, but he hadn’t had one when they’d first been together because he didn’t have the room in his old house. This place, though, had room and then some.
She sat down on one of the overstuffed chairs by the fireplace and realized just how exhausted she was. Driving almost straight through to Kinsey hadn’t been one of her better ideas, but she had wanted to get home so badly she didn’t think about it. Slipping off her shoes, she tucked her feet under her butt and curled up with her head against the armrest. She’d just close her eyes for a minute, and then she’d feel much better.
* * * *
Walking into the room, Kane felt immediately like someone had kicked him in the guts. Stephanie had curled up on one of the overstuffed chairs and was fast asleep. It felt so right having her here with them. He just hoped that she would want to stay with them.
“Dinner’s ready, buddy,” Turk whispered beside him.
“You go wake her up, and I’ll set the table,” he said to his friend, a deep frown on his face.
“What’s up with you, Kane? You should be over the moon now that Stephanie is in our home, not frowning and acting like you’re never going to forgive her for leaving.” Turk always knew just what buttons to push to piss him off, but tonight he really wasn’t up to having a knock-down-drag-out with him.
“Just wake her up and bring her into the kitchen, asshole.” He growled and started moving to the kitchen.
Kane knew he had forgiven Stephanie for not giving him a chance to explain ten years ago. That wasn’t the reason he couldn’t go near her right now. He couldn’t go wake her because he remembered what she was like when she first woke up. She was all cuddly and soft, and there had been many times he’d awoken her just to have her snuggle against his body in her sleep.
Trying to push the memory of her softness out of his mind, Kane grabbed the plates and silverware and started setting the table. When they’d built this place five years ago, he’d hoped that someday they would share it with Stephanie. Kane knew that Turk would fall for her once they had a chance to meet, and even if she hadn’t come home, Kane had known where she was and was getting ready to go and bring her back, but thankfully, fate stepped in, and he wouldn’t have to explain to Turk why he was bailing him out of jail for kidnapping.
“Hey there, angel eyes,” he said, smiling the minute he saw her. Damn, he knew she’d look all soft, and his dick knew it, too, because it was pushing hard against his zipper trying to get to her.
“I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you guys. I guess with all the travel and then the emotions of the day, everything just caught up with me.” She yawned and sat down on the chair Turk had pulled out for her.
“There’s no need to apologize, baby. We just want to make sure that you that you get some dinner into you. After you’ve eaten, we’ll all head up to bed…to sleep,” he clarified.
“Whatever it is it smells wonderful,” she said shyly.
“Turk makes a mean stew, let me tell you. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be eating at the diner every night ’cause I can’t cook worth a damn.” Spooning some of the delicious-smelling stew into the bowl in front of her, Kane kissed the top of her head and then handed the utensil over to Turk.
“What…? You aren’t going to serve me and kiss the top of my head?” he asked with a smile.
“You’re too big and ugly for me, pal, sorry.” Kane had to laugh as well because when they’d first moved in together, a lot of people in the town took it as they were a couple. No one bothered them about it. They just assumed that he and Turk were lovers. They had quickly nixed that little rumor.
“Oh my fucking God, this is the best stew I’ve ever tasted, Turk.” Stephanie closed her eyes and moaned loudly as she chewed and swallowed the savory beef dish.
* * * *
Turk could feel the warmth rising to his face at her compliment. He’d always loved to cook. It had been his one saving grace during a time in his life when there wasn’t much else good around him.
Garth “Turk” Delray had grown up on the streets. His parents had died in a police shootout when he was ten, so he was sent into foster care. Most of the foster families that he was sent to didn’t give a shit whether or not he went to school or robbed a bank. They were so caught up with their real families and spending the money the state gave them for him that they didn’t care what he did. The only family who had cared about him was the Delrays. They’d been the last foster family that he was placed with, and by that time he was a hardheaded sixteen-year-old with a record. But Karen and Juan Delray had been patient and loving no matter what he’d thrown at them. Karen had taught him how to cook, and he loved to surprise them with special dishes. When the state asked if they wanted him removed, after being brought home by the cops for the umpteenth time, they said no and continued to love him. One night after he’d snuck out to a party at one of his friend’s houses, Juan showed up to bring him home. His friends had tried to beat on Juan, but he’d stepped in front to protect him, and that was the moment that changed everything in his life. He started going to school daily, and he found that he was a great student. When he was called into the principal’s office about a week before his graduation, he was terrified that something had happened to his parents. By that time, they had officially adopted him and changed his last name.
Karen and Juan were sitting in the office with huge smiles on their faces, and when they told him they had just received a call from Harvard and he’d been offered a full scholarship, he couldn’t believe it, but he also knew he couldn’t accept it. He’d made a decision to join the Marines after high school and had already signed the papers. When he told his parents and principal, they didn’t yell or scream at him, his mom cried, but both his dad and the principal had these proud smiles on their faces and shook his hand, telling him they would stand behind him one hundred percent.
He’d gone through basic training easily. He had always kept himself in good shape, so when he was assigned to a unit, he wasn’t pleased to find out he wouldn’t be deployed to any hot spot. That was what he had signed up for. He wanted to fight for his country, but because of some stupid test he’d taken during basic, he was more useful to them in intelligence.
After fifteen years of using his brain as well as his brawn, he had decided to retire. He’d met Kane after he signed up with a private security firm that was run by some of Kane’s old military buddies, and the rest was history.
Now here he was sitting at the table looking at the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen and blushing like a schoolboy.
“Thank you for the compliment, sweetness, my mom taught me to cook a long time ago. She had hoped it would keep me out of trouble, but I was too stupid to see it at the time. It wasn’t until years later, while in the Marines, that I got back into it. My mom and dad love it when I come home to visit because I love trying out new recipes on them.” Turk smiled shyly and quickly filled his mouth with food before he said anything else.
“One thing I’m curious about, Turk?” Stephanie asked as she swallowed anot
her bit of stew. “Is Turk your real name or a nickname?” She smiled and continued eating.
“It’s a nickname we gave him years ago because of his obsession with the Big Turk chocolate bar.” Kane grinned. “He always had a bag of them no matter if we were in the best hotel room or the middle of a hot jungle somewhere. He always had those flippin’ chocolate bars with him.” Both men laughed at the memories.
“My real name is Garth Delray, sweetness,” he told her.
“I like the name Garth. It suits you somehow, so maybe I’ll call you Garth instead of Turk. I think the name is very sexy. I don’t know why, maybe it’s because I had a thing for Garth Brooks a few years ago.”
Leaning over, he took her hand, and with his voice sounding deep and full of desire, he said, “You can call me Garth all you like, baby. I can’t wait until I hear you scream it when I’m buried balls deep inside you.”
It suddenly seemed really warm in the kitchen to Steph. When she glanced over at Kane, he had this big grin on his face, and his eyes, those gorgeous gray eyes, were filled with passion.
“All righty then,” she sighed, pushing back from the table. “Can one of you show me where I’ll be sleeping?”
Both men rose from their seats, and without a word, each took a hand and led her upstairs to the master bedroom. Once inside, she noticed that most of her suitcases where already in the room. One of them must have gone and gotten them while she was napping.
“This is a beautiful room, and the bed is huge. I think it’s even bigger than a king-size.” Moving over to the bed, she lifted one of her smaller cases onto it and started looking for her pajamas. She was exhausted and wanted a shower and a good night’s sleep. The shower she was assured of, but the good night’s sleep? She hadn’t had one of those in a very long time, so she was hoping that, now that she was back home, she’d be able to sleep better.
“You go take a shower, and Turk and I will go and shower in our rooms. We’ll see you in a few minutes, baby.” They both turned and left the room, leaving her with a huge question. Were they sleeping in here with her?
Bailey, Debbie - Stephanie's Homecoming [Men of Kinsey 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 5