by Marla Monroe
“Do it or we’ll taze you,” one of the policemen said.
Just like that, it was all over. Jeanie and Tilly relaxed as Dax and Erik stormed into the house. The policemen tried to keep them out, but they easily pushed past them to envelop her and her sister in a huge hug.
“We’re pretty sure this is the same man who’s robbed four other homes in the area. You’re both lucky. He’s attacked the women at each of those locations and injured several people,” the officer told them after taking their statements.
“That’s it. We’re moving you into one of the houses at the mountain. This isn’t a safe place for you to live.” Dax looked down into Jeanie’s eyes with what looked like fear.
She would never have believed he could feel fear except that she was sure that was what she saw cross his face as he hugged her tightly against his chest. In that moment, Jeanie knew she loved him and Erik. She also knew she’d move her mom and sister as soon as they could arrange it. If she hadn’t been there, something terrible could have happened to them.
“Mom! I’ve got to check on Mom.” Tilly raced from the room.
Jeanie started to follow, but stopped to look up at the two men. “I’m not going to argue about it anymore. I nearly died when I saw that bastard on top of Tilly. If we’d been at the mountain, that might not have happened.”
“It wouldn’t have happened. Our men patrol that area, as well,” Erik told her.
“How soon can we move?” she asked.
“We’ll set it up for tomorrow. One of us will stay here tonight while you’re at work and until we get you moved. We’ll protect you and your family, Jeanie. They’re part of our family now.” Dax hugged her once again. “We came so close to losing you, Jeanie. My wolf isn’t going to wait much longer.”
“I’m not fighting you on it anymore. We’ll talk about it later, though. I need to see Mom. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost her or Tilly.”
Jeanie lifted up on her toes and kissed Dax and then Erik on the cheek before walking out of the room to go to her mom’s room. Tilly was sitting on the bed next to their mom, telling her all about the break-in and their struggle. Strangely, her mom hadn’t even known what was going on until the police arrived. Then she’d gotten up and put on her housecoat but had only made it as far as the hall before Tilly found her.
“You’re both okay?” her mom asked with tears bright in her eyes.
Pain tightened her stomach at the fear in her mom’s voice. Jeanie hugged her again, afraid to squeeze too tightly in case she hurt her frail mother.
“We’re both fine. You should have seen Tilly. She wrapped herself around the man like a bear using her legs and her arms,” she told her mom.
“Yeah, but you hit him over the head with my lamp. That means I need a new lamp so I can read in bed.” Tilly chuckled when Jeanie rolled her eyes.
“I can’t believe I slept through all of that. I only woke up when I heard the police yelling in the front of the house.”
“You’re on some pretty heavy medication right now, Mom. I’m surprised you woke up at all,” Jeanie said.
“I’m so glad neither of you were hurt. My heart is pounding just thinking about it.” Her mom hugged both of them again.
“We’re moving tomorrow. They guys have a house picked out that’s at the foot of the mountain and will be safer than here. I’m not arguing with them about it after tonight. Tilly, you need to pack everything you can while I’m at work tonight. I’ll help until I go to work.”
“Moving? How can we afford it?” her mom asked, wringing her hands.
“It’s all taken care of, Mom. Don’t worry about it.” Jeanie hoped her mom would leave it at that.
“How, Jeanie? You’re not doing anything illegal, are you? Please tell me you’re not.”
“Mom. It’s all right. Nothing illegal is going on. I’m serious about Dax and Erik, and they want you guys closer to where I’ll be living so I don’t worry about you.”
Her mom cocked her head. “Are you in love with them, hon? Don’t go with them just to get us in a different place if you don’t love them. It would break my heart to know you sacrificed yourself for me and Tilly. We’ll be fine.”
“You should see her with them, Mom. She loves them. I can see it in her eyes when she looks at them,” Tilly spoke up.
Jeanie looked at her sister. Could she really see love in her eyes when she was around Dax and Erik? How? She’d only realized it herself a short time ago. Yeah, she’d admitted to herself that she might be falling in love with them, but it was only recently that she’d accepted the fact that she loved them very much.
“If you’re sure. I’m so happy for you, baby. All I’ve ever wanted for both of you was to find someone to love and treat you like your father treated me before he died.” Her mom beamed at her and then sighed. “I’m tired. I guess I better lay back down now. All this excitement has taken a lot out of me.”
Jeanie and Tilly helped her mom out of her robe and settled her back in bed. Tilly insisted on sitting with her until she fell asleep. Jeanie returned to the front of the house where Erik and Dax were sitting on the couch, talking logistics of moving her family.
“How’s your mom? This didn’t cause a setback, did it?” Erik asked.
“I think she’s fine. She was really tired, so Tilly is sitting with her until she falls asleep. The excitement exhausted her. I’m so thankful she slept through most of it. If she’d tried to come and help, I’m scared it would have been too much for her.” Jeanie sank down on the couch between the two men.
“You need to sleep, as well, hon. You’re exhausted and have to be up in a few hours. Want me to call Kay and get someone else to work for you tonight?” Erik asked.
“No. As long as I know Mom and Tilly are okay, I’ll do better working. It will take my mind off everything.” Jeanie squeezed Erik’s hand and then reached over and took Dax’s in her other hand. “Thank you both for coming. I was so afraid.”
“There wasn’t anything that would have prevented us coming, sweetheart. You’re our everything. If something happened to you, we’d be lost and probably go crazy.” Dax squeezed her hand back.
“Now. Let’s get you in bed. Erik will sleep with you so you feel safe. I’ll stand guard out here just in case,” Dax told her.
“I hate for you to lose more sleep,” she said.
“We’re used to going without sleep. We patrol our lands regularly and are used to long hours. Don’t worry about it. Just get some rest.” Dax leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips.
“Come on, hon. Let’s go to bed. Dax will wake us up in time for you to get ready for work.” Erik stood up and tugged her up beside him.
For some reason, it didn’t seem odd at all to have Erik curl up around her in bed with her mom and Tilly in the same house. Though he’d taken off his shirt and unbuttoned the top button of his jeans, he remained dressed. She felt safer with him and Dax there in the house. She fell asleep to thoughts of what life might be like living with them.
* * * *
“I still can’t believe you’re here after what you’ve been through.” Kay hugged Jeanie for the millionth time.
“This is better for me. I’d be a nervous wreck sitting at home. Besides, Tilly will do better with Mom to take care of and with the packing. If I were there, she’d have less to keep her busy.” Jeanie smiled at Kay and extracted herself from the other woman’s hold. “Go mingle. I’ve got drink orders to fill.”
Kay smiled at her and nodded. “If you get tired, let me know, and you can take a break for a short nap. I can run the bar.”
“I will.”
She had no intentions of taking a break. Staying busy worked wonders for her peace of mind.
“Hey, Jeanie. Need three Bud Light drafts, a pitcher of Bud, and two whiskies neat.” Lisa dropped her tray on the bar. “How are you holding up?”
“I wish everyone would stop asking me. I’m fine. It was a near miss, but everyone is fi
ne.”
“My neighbor was broken into last month. She had to stay overnight in the hospital with a head injury. I’m so glad all of you got away without being hurt.”
“I’m glad you have your brother living with you, so maybe no one will break in on you. Now that they have this guy, maybe everyone can rest easier.” Jeanie filled the girl’s orders and waved her off.
If one more person asked how she was doing, she’d scream. Naturally Erik walked over. Before he could ask, she propped her hands on her hips and blasted him.
“I’m holding up just fine. If you ask me again, I’m going to belt you.”
Erik laughed, holding his hands up in front of him. “I hear you. No more asking.”
“I can’t believe there’ve been no fights or anything since we’ve opened. I thought the bar would be a little rowdier.”
“It’s new. The new will wear off, and there’ll be some fights break out. Don’t ask for what you don’t want, Jeanie.” He smiled and reached across the bar to tweak her nose. “I talked to Dax, and everything is fine there. He and Tilly are entertaining your mom and packing things up.”
“Great, thanks for telling me. I’ve thought about calling, but every time I start to, I get a drink order. They’re really okay?”
“Yep. They are.”
“Tilly was so brave. I’m not sure I could have dealt with it as well as she did.”
“She’s a strong woman. You still see her as your little sister, but she’s a grown woman, Jeanie.”
“I know. But like you said, she’s my little sister. I worry about her.”
“You always will.”
Jeanie reached across the bar and laid her hand on Erik’s arm. “Thank you for everything, Erik. I really appreciate you and Dax.”
“Appreciation isn’t what we want, Jeanie. I think you know that.”
“I know. We’ll talk after the bar closes down,” she said.
His eyes darkened then lightened again. He smiled and walked back toward the door where he kept watch. One of the other wolfen remained near the back of the bar so that together they could keep the entire room in view.
Jeanie looked out at all the people in the room, talking, dancing, and shooting pool, and was surprised that she couldn’t quite envision the way the place had looked months before. She was glad. That part of her life was over, and it almost felt as if it had all been a terrible dream. The nightmares she’d had after her attack had disappeared once she’d seen Erik shift into his wolf. She no longer feared that her attacker would return.
She knew that Tommy was confined to the pack’s lands, but she’d soon be living there and wondered how she’d react if she saw him again. She prayed she could keep it together for her men—her men, that sounded so good to her. She didn’t want them to attack Tommy and get into trouble because of her.
They’d talked about how hard it was for them to control their wolves when men touched her. Jeanie didn’t want them to hurt anyone on her account. She made sure not to spend too much time talking to anyone and kept well outside of reach in case one of them wanted to get handsy. They’d assured her their jealousy would improve once they were mated, but somehow Jeanie wasn’t convinced.
They’re so focused on me. I can’t imagine them being anything but jealous if a strange man tried to grope me.
That happened at bars all the time. The waitresses had already had some trouble with a few of the men after they’d had a little too much to drink, but so far, all they’d had to do was reprimand them and they kept their hands to themselves. Jeanie felt like that would change as more strangers frequented the bar.
Am I really ready to be their mate? I love them, but can I handle both of them?
She sighed. Her body remained on board. They satisfied her in ways no one ever had before. Her heart believed them to be her perfect men. But her mind still questioned the sanity of being with two men at one time. She knew they wouldn’t force her to mate them, but she also knew it was getting more and more difficult for them to wait and for her to resist. It was time. They needed to seal the mating as soon as her mom and sister were safely moved to the base of the mountain.
Chapter Thirteen
Dax moved the last box off the truck and set it on the floor in the living room. The girls had marked each box according to what room it went in, and they’d packed the furniture so that the last on the truck would be what went in the back of the house as they moved forward. They’d had so little it had bothered them. He couldn’t believe that a family of three only had a small moving truck of things. That would change. He’d make sure all of them had everything they could possibly want.
“That’s the last of it,” he told everyone.
“Time for the unpacking,” Tilly announced. “Guys, since the furniture is where it needs to be, you can take the truck back while we work on unpacking everything.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Erik said with a sharp salute.
Tilly giggled and waved him away. “Silly.”
“We’ll bring back pizza and something to drink. You’ll probably be ready for a break by that time,” Erik told them.
“Sounds like a plan.” Jeanie hugged both men and then walked into the kitchen to begin unpacking their meager belongings.
“I guess our job here is done.” Dax jerked his head toward the door. “Let’s go, muscles.”
Erik chuckled. “Feeling unwanted?”
Dax grinned. “Yep. They’ll miss us when we’re gone. You’ll see.”
They walked outside after making sure the women knew to lock the door behind them. He drove the rented truck while Erik drove their truck. Once they’d dropped off the rental, the two men checked on a few things before driving to the next town to get pizza.
“What do you think, Erik? Is she ready?” Dax asked as they rode.
“I think she is. She’s just waiting for her mom and sister to be safe and set up in their new home. She acted as if she wanted to talk when you got home last night, but was too tired. She pretty much fell asleep before she even got in bed.”
Dax nodded. “Yeah, she was exhausted. I hate seeing her that way. I wish she wouldn’t work at the bar, but that’s not happening any time soon.”
Erik chuckled. “I don’t even want to broach the subject with her.”
“No kidding.”
“I love her so damn much it scares me.” Erik sighed. “My wolf is driving me crazy.”
“Same here. She’s perfect for us, and our wolves don’t understand the human side where we have to give her time and coax her into agreeing. They just see mate and think that’s it.”
“Well, we’ll talk tonight no matter what. It’s her night off, so we’ll have plenty of time to discuss it. I hope she’s ready.” Erik pulled into the parking lot of the pizza parlor.
They both got out and walked inside to place their order. Dax remembered what kind of pizza Jeanie had eaten at the bar when they’d been working on it before it opened and ordered a large of that and two other large pizzas so there’d be a variety. It took them twenty minutes to make them so that they returned to the house nearly an hour later.
“Yum. Pizza!” Tilly pounced on the two men, grabbing one of the boxes and setting it on the island separating the spacious kitchen from the living room.
“I take it you’re hungry,” Dax said, trying to hide his smile.
“You don’t know the half of it. We’re starving.” Jeanie grabbed another of the pizzas and placed it next to the first one. “What kind are they?”
“One pepperoni only, one with everything but olives, and one meat lovers. Take your pick or mix it up,” Dax said.
“Mom, what kind do you want?” Jeanie asked.
“Give me a piece of the one with pepperoni only. I doubt I can eat more than one piece.” Jeanie’s mom smiled and settled herself in a chair in the living room.
“There’s plenty, so if you decide you want a second piece later, there’ll be leftovers.” Erik carried the plate over to her after Jeani
e placed a slice on it.
“Thanks. We’ll see,” she said.
“The moving tired you out, didn’t it?” Dax sat down on the coffee table across from her. “I’ll carry you back to your bedroom as soon as we’re through. You probably need to rest.”
“Goodness. You don’t have to carry me. I can walk. I’m just slow.” Her wide smile held only a hint of sadness, but he could see it.
“Carrying a pretty woman is never a problem. I live to carry them.” Dax winked at her.
While they all dug in, he watched how Tilly and Jeanie interacted and the love they showered on their mom. This was what he and Erik had wanted for so long, a family. Even if they never had pups of their own, they’d have them. It was closer than they’d ever been before.
* * * *
Jeanie sighed. It had been a long day, but a fruitful one. They were settled into their new home, one that was much nicer than their old one. Most of the boxes had been unpacked and their contents put away. The rest would follow soon enough. Her mom had been exhausted but had looked relieved at the new place. They’d helped her to bed just after they’d eaten, and she’d slept ever since.
Tilly was in her new room sitting up in bed reading and had promised they would be fine if she spent some time with the guys. The locks on their new home were new and state of the art. She didn’t think anyone would be able to get past them. It gave her a measure of comfort that her family was safe.
“How are you doing, honey?” Dax asked.
“Good. The house is perfect, and Mom and Tilly really seem to like it.”
“What about you? Do you like it?” Erik asked.
“I do. It’s perfect,” she said.
“They’ll be safe there. You won’t have to worry about them when you’re at work or with us,” Dax told her.
“I know you’re wanting to know if I’m ready. I can feel it in the air like a live wire. You’ve been so patient with me when you said your wolves were riding you hard. I’m sorry I’ve been so resistant, but I can’t help worrying about my family and about what this mating will mean for me.” Jeanie held up her hand when Dax started to speak.