Lainey blushed at the thought of sharing their secret. “Do you think we can wait to do that?”
“Why, kitten?”
Lainey looked at Spence and smiled softly. “I want to keep it a special secret between us for now. Just until I feel the babies moving, okay?”
“Are you worried about something happening?” Tim asked her gently.
“I guess I’m just afraid that something this wonderful is going to be taken away from me,” Lainey admitted. “I was going to tell Becca this morning and make an appointment with Dr. Andrews to make sure everything is okay.”
“We’re going with you,” Spence told her immediately.
“You want to go with me?”
“Every time,” Tim said firmly.
“Okay,” Lainey whispered. “I would like that very much.”
She smiled as both men nodded, satisfied that they would be a part of their babies’ lives every step of the way. As if she would say no to something so wonderful.
“I think we should still have the family meeting, though,” Spence said gently. “Deuce, Luke, and John should tell all of our family just exactly what happens to the mating marks when a pregnancy occurs. Everyone should know about it.”
“I agree,” Lainey said softly. “Okay, let me know when you talk to Deuce.”
“You’re going to have to get Becca and Claire to come to the meeting,” Tim told her gently. “I know it hurts them to be near Rafe and Jake right now, but you know as well as I do that they’re meant to be their mates. They need to be here.”
Lainey nodded, thinking about her sister and Claire, knowing what Tim said was correct. But how was she going to make the two women come to a dinner that would only cause them more pain from being rejected by their mates?
“I’m going to have to think about this,” she told them gently. “I don’t want them to hurt any more than they already do.”
“Okay, kitten, we’ll ask Deuce to have the family meeting tomorrow. Do you think you’ll be able to get Becca and Claire to show up?”
“I can try.”
“Okay, sweetheart. One more thing before Spence and I leave for work,” Tim told her softly.
Lainey looked up at Tim, waiting. When Tim lowered his body over hers and settled against her stomach, something caught in her heart as he kissed her belly tenderly and rested his cheek against her hip.
“Daddy loves you both very much, babies.”
His voice was tender and his face held such open love, Lainey could barely contain her emotions at the beauty of him. Before she could even speak, Spence settled himself at her other hip and kissed her belly just as tenderly.
“Pa loves you both, too, kids,” he added. “Now you be good for your mother and don’t make her too tired today.”
With one last kiss to her belly, her men eased up her body. They kissed their way up her naked torso and teased her breasts and nipples before taking deep kisses from her mouth. By the time they pulled away, she was a mindless puddle of feelings.
“Have a good day, Lainey,” Tim told her softly, kissing her forehead before pulling away and standing beside the bed.
“Don’t do too much today, kitten,” Spence warned her, nuzzling her neck one last time before joining Tim at the side of the bed.
“Go away,” she told them, trying to sound angry but failing miserably. “Controlling men!”
How could she be angry when their thoughtfulness and caring made her feel so loved? When she saw the satisfied smirks on their faces, she couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“Oh, don’t be so arrogant. Go to work, cowboys. I’ll see you later and we’ll discuss this. Love you, Pa. Love you, Daddy.”
Seeing the happiness that her words gave them, she made the conscious decision to always make them know just how much she valued them and adored that they were the fathers of her babies.
* * * *
Lainey turned the sign on the front door of the diner so that it read closed. She was about to turn the key in the lock when she jumped in surprise. Jenkins Hughes stood on the other side of the door with the most intense expression of anger she had ever seen.
Hesitating a moment, she weighed her options. If she locked the door and walked away, she might cause his anger to spike, and he might do something foolish. If she opened the door and talked to him, she might be able to dissuade him from bothering Tim again. Without thought as to what he might say to her, she opened the door wide but stood in the way so that he couldn’t enter the diner.
“We’re closing, Mr. Hughes,” she told him firmly.
“I know that, girl,” he sneered at her. “I also know you’re screwing my son and Spence McKade.”
“What do you want?” Lainey asked, her voice barely containing the anger and contempt she had for him.
“I want three thousand dollars,” he told her bluntly. “Timothy owes me.”
“In what delusional universe do you live where Tim owes you anything?”
“I raised him,” Jenkins defended himself. “I taught him how to be a man.”
“You taught him what a man shouldn’t be,” Lainey cut him off. “Tim became a good man despite you, Mr. Hughes. He owes you nothing, and I won’t help you get anything from him.”
“You little whore,” Jenkins Hughes seethed, stepping toward her and lifting his hand as if to backhand her.
“Go ahead, Mr. Hughes. Hit me,” she challenged him. “That’s all you know how to do—use your fists or your belt to bully people. Well, not anymore. Get out of my diner and leave Tim alone.”
Jenkins Hughes looked at her silently and with such hatred she had to force herself to remain still and stay strong before him. She wasn’t about to allow him to see her fear or use her to hurt Tim. Without realizing she did so, she covered her belly with her hands as if to protect their babies from the hatred of the man before her.
“This isn’t over, girl,” he told her as he lowered his hand and clenched his fists at his sides, his voice deep and determined. “Tim will come around and give me what I need. It would be a shame to have to teach him what will happen to him or the people who help him when he defies me, but I guess that’s the only way this will have to go. He’ll learn his lesson the hard way.”
He turned without another word and walked away. Lainey closed the diner door and turned the key in the lock, her hands shaking slightly as she pulled the key free and turned to walk back to the counter. She jumped in surprise when she saw DelAnne, Becca, and Claire standing right behind her.
“Geez, guys! You scared the heck out of me,” she told them, laughing slightly.
“Are you okay?” Becca asked quietly. “You don’t look so good, Lainey.”
“I’m fine,” she insisted, attempting to walk past them.
Instead of being able to walk around them, she suddenly found herself being surrounded by their arms and held tightly. She was about to protest their support, but it just felt too damn good. She was barely holding it together.
“I can feel your pain, Lainey,” Claire told her gently. “But I can also feel incredible happiness. Focus on the happiness and allow the evil of that man to fade away.”
“It’s okay, Lainey. We won’t let him come anywhere near you,” DelAnne promised. “My sister Zoey will be here in about twenty minutes to pick me up. We won’t leave until we’re sure you’re okay and Mr. Hughes doesn’t come back.”
“Do you need me to help you let the past go?” Becca asked her quietly.
“No, Becca,” Lainey told her quickly. She knew how much it took out of her sister to use her abilities, and she wasn’t about to add to Becca’s stress. She had enough of it dealing with the pain in her hip that was always present.
Becca looked at her silently for a minute, trying to judge her sister’s need. “Okay, honey,” she said finally.
Lainey closed her eyes and leaned against the three women who gave her the support and caring that she needed right then. Rubbing her belly gently, she knew they were right. She
had to focus on now, and all the good in her life.
“I think we should probably contact Sheriff Sturgess and tell him what just happened,” Claire suggested.
“I agree,” Becca spoke up. “At least he should know in case Mr. Hughes tries to pull anything.”
Lainey nodded and headed to the counter to pick up her purse. Pulling out her cell phone, she scrolled through her contacts and found his name and number. She touched the display to connect the call, waiting patiently for it to be answered. Closing her eyes, she took a calming breath, doing her best to settle her nerves.
“Sturgess,” the response came across the phone, pulling Lainey out of her musings. “Lainey?”
“Hi, Sheriff Sturgess.”
“Is something wrong, Lainey?”
“Actually, I think there might be,” Lainey answered him honestly. “Jenkins Hughes was just at my diner. He wants Tim to give him some money, and he basically threatened anyone who helped Tim if he didn’t get the three thousand dollars he’s asking for.”
“Do you feel like the threat was directed at you?”
“I do. I also think it’s directed at Spence.”
“Do you feel that there’s an immediate threat? Do you want me to send squad cars right now?”
“No. I don’t think that’s necessary. I just wanted to let you know what happened in case Mr. Hughes decides to do something stupid. I want it on record that he came here and said he was going to make sure Tim and the people he cared about pay for not helping him.”
“Okay, I’ll send one of my deputies over as soon as I finish up some paperwork. That should be in about ten or twenty minutes.” There was a rustling of paper before he came back on the line. “I’ll be sending Bryce Fletcher. He’ll be in uniform. He’s a good guy. Don’t let his size scare you.”
Lainey laughed. “Sheriff Sturgess, you do know my mates, right?”
The soft sounds of the sheriff’s laughter made Lainey relax even more. The fact that people all but forgot about the massive heights and musculature of her men attested to the fact that each man’s kind and caring nature was what everyone remembered.
“Right, I guess that didn’t even cross my mind,” Franklin admitted. “Okay. Bryce is a pretty big guy, but he’s very understanding. You can trust him to take care of you.”
“Spence and Tim will have a problem with that,” Lainey teased.
“I just keep putting my foot in my mouth,” Franklin admitted. “What I mean is, he’ll make sure you’re protected until we can put some paperwork in place to protect you. Are you alone at the diner right now?”
“No. Becca, Claire, and DelAnne are here. I was just about to tell everyone to go home. I’m just going to stay for a little while to finish up the daily paperwork and deposit.”
“We’re not leaving,” Becca spoke up for all of them.
“We’ll just make sure everything is cleaned up and ready for tomorrow and then we’ll just sit in the back room until you’re ready to go,” Claire added.
“Zoey and I will wait to go to my mom’s,” DelAnne told her. “Neither one of us is looking forward to a night of her telling us what disappointments we are.”
Lainey laughed and returned her attention to her phone. “I guess I’ll be sufficiently protected until Officer Fletcher arrives. Tell him he doesn’t have to hurry.”
“Okay, Lainey. Make sure your diner is locked up tight. I’ll send him over as soon as I can.”
“Thanks, Sheriff.”
Lainey ended the call and turned to face the three women who were so good to her. None of them said a word as they turned to do their jobs and give her the space she needed to get her work done in relative peace.
Walking to the small office behind the kitchen, she got to work tallying the daily sales and prepared the money for the bank deposit. In a matter of moments, she was so immersed in her work, she completely forgot about Jenkins Hughes or his threats.
Looking at the clock, she realized that she wasn’t going to make the deposit that night. It would have to wait until morning. She just wanted to get home and cuddle in her mates’ arms. She was so incredibly tired, she could barely keep her eyes open.
Lifting her shirt and placing her hands directly on her belly, she felt the warmth of her twins pressing against the palms of her hands. She thought about the babies and wondered who they would look like. It was a good possibility that the babies would look like all of them. The thought of Spence’s and Tim’s coloring and features gracing their babies’ looks was a soothing thought.
The Great Spirit had blessed their babies and had placed their babies’ links on all of their necks, giving her hope that everything would work out somehow. They were a mated trio who would make, raise, and love all of their babies together.
Getting up slowly, she stretched her hands over her head and arched her back to get the kinks out. Walking out of her office, carrying her purse and the deposit bag, she smiled as she saw Becca asleep on the cot, Claire asleep in the chair beside it, and DelAnne curled up on the floor next to the two of them.
“Hey, sleepyheads,” she called to them, smiling when none of them moved. “I’m going to put the deposit in the safe and then we can head out as soon as I call Sheriff Sturgess.”
None of the women answered her so she headed toward the safe that was tucked away under the front counter. She placed the deposit bag and the daily receipts into the safe, shutting the safe door and securing the handle. She spun the dial of the combination lock and sighed with exhaustion.
Standing up, she reached for the counter to steady herself as dizziness swamped her. Shaking her head slightly, she turned to walk back through the kitchen when the room spun around her. She reached out to grab for something to stop herself from falling, but she was too weak to grab the counter and hold on to steady herself. Her strength ebbed as consciousness left her, and she slammed down onto the floor, her head connecting with the very edge of the counter as she fell.
* * * *
Officer Bryce Fletcher looked in through the glass door and scanned the front of the diner. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the empty scene before him. Sheriff Sturgess had told him to head to the diner and make sure that Lainey Markham McKade was safe. Sturgess was sure that Jenkins Hughes was determined to hurt her and Bryce was in complete agreement. He had never trusted Hughes. He had grown up with his son Tim and had seen how Hughes had treated him. Despite his father’s cruelty, Tim had always been an honest man and a good guy. He had never known Tim to be anything but kind and helpful to everyone.
Bryce was glad that Tim had found happiness with Lainey. It was a bit unusual for there to be a mating between three people, but Bryce wasn’t bothered by it. What was meant to be was meant to be, and the Great Spirit had blessed the three of them with the mating mark that was unique to the pairing. Sheriff Sturgess had officiated at the commitment ceremony and had seen the mating mark himself.
Spence, Lainey, and Tim had always been best friends. It made sense that they were destined mates. Bryce could only hope that one day he would find the woman who was meant to be his mate. It was something he prayed would be realized someday. He hoped it would be soon. He didn’t know how much longer he could go on without the kindness and love he desperately needed to be a part of his life. He wanted his mate. He needed his mate and the love she would give him and the children she would gift him with.
“Is no one coming to the door?” a feminine voice pulled him from his thoughts.
He turned and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. She stood five feet seven inches tall, had light brown hair the color of the most beautiful beach sand, and eyes a beautiful mixture of several hues of brown. She had a figure that made him drool—full breasts and beautifully feminine, flared hips, and long legs that he could picture wrapping around his hips as he plunged into her. She had delicate hands with fingernails just the right length that were painted with adorable pink polish and adorned with tiny white flowers. He wanted thos
e hands touching him, caressing him, and holding him close.
“No, no one is coming to the door,” he said finally, pulling himself together and willing his libido under control. “Are you here for a reason?”
“My sister DelAnne works here,” she told him, her voice strong. “I’m supposed to pick her up. We’re going to my mother’s house for dinner—unfortunately. My name is Zoey Branson.”
“Bryce Fletcher,” he introduced himself, extending his hand in greeting and smiling when she immediately reached out and shook it firmly. The warmth of her skin against his sent a rush of peacefulness through him. He felt an immediate connection that made his gut clench with desire. He couldn’t let her pull away. It felt too right to hold her hand. He put just the right amount of pressure in his handshake, squeezing her hand tight enough to prevent her from letting go.
In that moment, he had a flash of a vision of this beautiful woman in his arms, smiling up at him and kissing his lips lightly before pulling back to take his hand and placing it to her belly that was heavy with their child. He saw himself covering her belly with his hand and laughing as he felt their child kicking against his palm. Zoey covered his hand with hers and pressed it tightly against her belly, laughing as Bryce wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, twirling her slowly as he leaned down to cover her lips in a tender kiss. When he pulled back, she was looking up at him with the most incredible expression of love he had ever seen. The fact that it was directed at him, and Zoey was obviously his, made Bryce’s heart race with happiness.
Zoey jerked her hand from his quickly, clearing her throat and stepping away from him nervously. He wanted to take her into his arms again to see if the vision would return. He wanted to see her looking up at him again with the look of happiness and love that just briefly fluttered through his mind. He wanted to feel the baby inside of her move again and know that it was his child that she carried. The vision was a gift he wanted repeated. Stepping toward her to touch her again, he hesitated when he saw the fear in her eyes and felt the panic she was experiencing as she took another step away from him.
Claiming Lainey [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 36