“How did you find me then?”
He blew out a breath. “Why don’t you ask Hunter? We’re already in so much trouble as it is for letting Gastron and his men take you.”
She didn’t need to ask who this Gastron person was. “Oh.”
She handed Mario her keys. She figured there was no need to tell these two where she lived. They probably already knew. “Are you going to like watch me all night or something?”
“Yes. We’ve taken care of a few of Gastron’s goons, but they’ll be replaced soon enough.”
“I guess there’s nothing I can say that will dissuade you?”
“No, ma’am.”
By the time they got home, she thanked Jeremiah. Before she got the chance to even open her own door, he jumped out of the driver side and opened her door.
She was at her front door when both men trotted up to her. “We’d like to check out the inside first.”
Their paranoia was getting to her. “Seriously?”
Jeremiah held out his hand for the key, and she handed it to him. He was taking this guilt thing a bit too far. She patiently waited outside while they looked inside. It wouldn’t take long to see no one could hide in a place that small. They exited thirty seconds later.
“All clear.” He handed her back the keys. “We’ll be outside if you need us.”
“I’m sure you will be.”
That was rude, but all her civility had disappeared the moment the two men she trusted had turned into animals.
As soon as she got inside, she closed and locked the door. She leaned back against the door and let the tears fall. Not wanting anyone to see in, she closed the curtains and stumbled over to the couch. She dropped her head. Sobs wracked her body at having been kidnapped and at the whole idea that the men she was falling in love with weren’t really men after all. How could they have fooled her like that?
She’d tossed reality out the window the moment she watched them shift. Now she couldn’t be sure what was true and what wasn’t. After a while she wasn’t even sure why she was crying. Was it because now she could never be with the men who she’d believe were perfect for her? Was she upset because someone had held a gun to her head and she’d almost died? Or was she overwhelmed because now she had the story of a lifetime and knew she should expose these wonderful men?
Her stomach grumbled, and she realized she hadn’t eaten since this morning. When she went to the kitchen to find something, the refrigerator was bare. As much as she didn’t like to rely on fast food, a pizza was the handiest thing. She picked up the phone and ordered a pepperoni pizza with olive and mushrooms. “Oh, and add extra cheese.” To hell with healthy eating. Life was too short. If she was going to be bad, she wanted to be really bad.
She looked down and noticed she was still wearing Derek’s shirt. Not needing the reminder, she changed into one of her own and left her apartment to deliver it to Jeremiah. When she tapped on the driver’s side glass, he rolled down the window.
“This is Derek’s shirt. Would you see he gets it?”
“Sure.”
“So you don’t freak, I’m letting you know I ordered pizza.”
“I appreciate you letting us know.”
These men had saved her life, and she owed them. “When it arrives, do you want to share some with me? I can’t eat more than two slices.”
Jeremiah smiled. “We’d like that. Thanks.”
That made her feel good that she could do something nice for them. She didn’t have to wait long before the deliveryman knocked. She dug through her purse for the money. When she pulled open the door, Jeremiah was holding the box.
“Ready to chow?”
“Where’s the pizza guy?”
“Gone.”
“I have to pay him.”
“We took care of it.” He held up a hand. “Don’t worry, Hunter will reimburse us. He’ll insist, so don’t give us any money, please.”
From the set of his jaw, there was no way she could change his mind. There was beer from when Hunter and Derek had stopped by before. “You guys want a beer?”
“One. We’re on duty, so that’s our limit.”
If she had known they would have joined her, she would have ordered an extra pizza. They sat at the table and ate in silence. Questions rattled her brain, but it was up to Hunter and Derek to provide the answers. She didn’t want to make these two have to break some ethical code.
As soon as they polished off the pizza, Mario folded the box and dumped in the trash. “Thanks for the meal. We appreciate it.”
“I appreciate you saving me.”
He gave her a mini salute as if it was all in a day’s work. As soon as they left, she relocked her door. Knowing they were outside did bring her comfort. With her crying jag temporarily stilled, she pulled out her computer. Diggers had asked her to write a story about Kendis Leigh, and that was what she planned to do.
For the next two hours, she wrote, refined and polished her story. Had Diggers not expected the story first thing tomorrow morning, she might have passed it by her new friend, but she knew Kendis would have been proud. Jen had worked hard at only exposing those parts of Kendis’s life that wouldn’t embarrass her. In case anything else happened to her, she e-mailed the story to her boss.
At least for a while this story about the female entrepreneur would hold Diggers. She could put off worrying about exposing Panther Cove and The Shield for the time being. Going national with the story just might garner her a Pulitzer Prize. Then again, she could become the laughingstock of every journalist and end up writing for the National Enquirer if she wasn’t careful. Was the world ready to learn about shifters and people who lived to be four hundred years old? Every pharmaceutical company in the world would want a sample of their blood to see if they could duplicate their longevity.
Right now, she needed to get some sleep if she had any hope of thinking rationally. Even as she got undressed and slipped into bed, her mind refused to stop working. After a few hours of tossing and turning, she was no closer to figuring out what was happening than when she first got into bed. She had set her alarm, but she got up before it sounded.
First thing she did was peek out the window. The Panther Cove car wasn’t there, but she spotted another really nice vehicle and hoped it belonged to the good guys.
If she’d had Hunter’s phone number, she might have called him to ask if he’d sent a replacement car. After she dressed, she stepped outside her place, looked right then left before getting into her car. Since the kidnapping, walking anywhere would have to be put on hold. Being bold, she waved and they waved back.
Shit. Would she have to worry about another repeat kidnapping for the remainder of her stay in Delight? That would so suck. While being tailed gave her some sense of security, she didn’t like being deprived of her privacy. Maybe if she stopped seeing Derek and Hunter, The Sword contingent would look for a new target.
The trouble was, she didn’t want to stop seeing them. Damn.
When she arrived at work, no sooner had she gotten her coffee and sat down than Mr. Diggers came over.
“Got your article on Kendis Leigh. I loved the title.”
She wasn’t sure if “Making Tea Out of Quarry Stone Rubble” was too over the top or not. “Thanks.”
“You really captured the emotion and essence of this young lady. Nice job.”
The reassurance that she hadn’t messed up meant a lot to her. She had a few ideas for other stories, but there was no telling what he wanted her to do next. She thought he’d walk away, but he focused his gaze on her. “Yes?”
“Any progress on the Panther Cove case?”
Her stomach flipped, and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. Had he heard about the kidnapping? Mario had said the men who’d taken her had been dealt with. What exactly had he meant? If a few local citizens permanently disappeared, would the authorities connect them to Derek and Hunter?
“Not yet.”
His lips pressed into almost
a sneer. “Your résumé said you used to swim on the high school team.”
“Yes.”
“I’d like you to cover the C. Douglas High School swim team. There’s a fourteen-year-old phenomenon who the scouts are watching closely for Olympic potential.”
“Wow. In Delight?” She tried not to exhale too hard. Maybe he hadn’t heard about her near-death experience.
“Can you believe it?”
“I’ll be happy to check her out.”
He gave her the girl’s name along with the name of the coach. “They practice from 5:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. but you might be able to catch her after school.”
“I’ll give it a shot.”
“You can check out a camera from the locker if you want to augment your column with some photos.”
“Very cool.”
Mr. Diggers left and she started her Internet search for more information about this young swimmer. Before she knew it, it was lunchtime. Due to her frazzled state of mind, she’d forgotten to pack a lunch, not that she’d had much in the way of food. Damn. Buying lunch everyday would eat up her paycheck in a hurry. Instead, she decided to head to Delightful Teas and chat with Kendis if she wasn’t too busy. A nice, spicy tea would be just what she needed.
As she exited the building, she scanned the streets and spotted the same car that had been in front of her apartment. Since she’d probably have a tail for a while, she might as well know who they are. She crossed the street. Halfway there the men jumped out of the car. Worry laced their faces. She smiled and held up a hand.
When she reached them, their shoulders seemed to relax.
“Is something wrong?” asked a true giant of a man.
If they were this worried, these had to be Hunter and Derek’s men. “No. If I knew your names, it might not be so creepy that someone’s following me.”
The driver gave a quick glance to his partner. He held out his hand. “I’m Hercules Drake, and this other good man is my brother, Casius.”
“I remember you. You dressed up as monks when I first came to dinner.” It was hard to forget those names.
Their smiles lit up their faces. Were all panthers exceptionally handsome and virile men?
“That’s us. Out of curiosity, where are you headed?”
“To the tea store on Willow.”
“Thanks.”
They seemed like such nice young men. She mentally paused, thinking they were probably over a hundred like Hunter and Derek. Her spirits lifted after learning their names, and she had more pep in her step as she went to visit Kendis.
Inside, she was happy to see two customers sitting at the counter, though at noon, Starbucks in Raleigh would have been jammed. Her friend smiled as soon as she saw her enter.
Jen studied the exotic and intriguing names on the canisters. Since she needed the highest caffeine content, she stayed with the blacks. Strawberry Mango seemed interesting and she ordered that.
“Coming right up.” Kendis pulled the silver can from the shelves and went over to the hot water machine. “Not that I was spying, but I happened to see two really sexy guys pull up to the triplex last evening. Was that Hunter and Derek?” She winked.
It was almost as if someone had pricked her balloon and the air slipped out of her lungs. “I wish. Those were two bodyguards, Jeremiah and Mario. If you look outside, you’ll see two different ones. They’re Hercules and Casius. Can you imagine naming your kid Hercules?” She was babbling, but her heart was beating fast.
“No, but if he lives up to his name, he should be able to handle himself.”
“He does.”
Kendis leaned over the counter and studied her. “What’s wrong? Last time we talked you were riding high.”
Do not cry.
She bit her lip. Announcing to Kendis that Derek and Hunter were panther shifters was not an option, nor was telling her about the kidnapping. She needed time to think about how to handle exposing them. Telling her life’s story in a tea shop wasn’t a good plan either, especially when the couple sitting but a few feet away could be members of The Sword. Hell, Kendis could be one, too. At least she knew her new friend didn’t shift.
“Let’s just say we’re taking a break. They have a complicated life and I’m not sure I want to join them.”
Kendis placed a hand over hers. “I totally understand.” She stepped away and returned with the brewed iced tea. “Here you go. It’s on the house. Having man problems is the worst.”
That got a smile out of her. “Thanks.”
“Did they do something illegal like my man did?” Kendis cocked a brow.
She shook her head. “No. It’s nothing like that. These guys are noble to the core.”
“Then why not be with them?” Kendis straightened. “Is it because they’re so freaking rich and you’re, well, not?”
She chuckled. “No, though I suppose that could be an issue if I’d stayed with them.”
“Do you think you love them?”
The tear that she’d held at bay finally fell. “Yes, but I was sent to do an expose on them. I did find something, but if I report it, it might harm the men.”
“What do they say about it?” She clasped a hand over her mouth. “You don’t think they’ve been nice to you because they want you to keep quiet?”
She shook her head. “It had entered my mind, but not anymore. They care for me. In fact, they might be close to loving me.” That might have been the hardest concept to deal with.
“Give it a few days. You’ll figure out what’s right. Just follow your heart.”
“You sound like my mother.” She swiped the tear on her cheek.
Kendis smiled. “Then I know what I said struck a chord in you.”
Jen sipped her tea and felt marginally better after getting that off her chest. “Thanks for everything.”
“Anytime.”
When she left, she crossed the street and knocked on Hercules’s window.
“Yes?”
“Since you’re just going to follow me anyway, would you mind driving me to the high school? I have to check out a young lady.”
He smiled. Some lucky lady would cross his path and be very happy.
Chapter Fifteen
By the week’s end, Jen had written the story on the swimmer and had even done a follow-up on the local college swimming program. Neither Derek nor Hunter had called, which made her heart ache even more. She told herself they were giving her some space to sort out things, but it was hard not knowing if they really wanted her after all that had happened.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the couch, trying not to feel too sorry for herself, but the fact was, she lived in a dingy one-room apartment and owed more college loans than she’d earn in five years. If she didn’t turn in the story she’d written about the panther-shifting, long-living Black brothers, her hope for glory and fortune would fade fast. Yes, the story just might garner her fame, but her heart would never heal if she exposed them.
She’d left out the part about the great sex, assuming the readers could figure out how she extracted the information. There were also certain aspects of the kidnapping she left out, too, like how Jeremiah and Mario took care of Gastron’s men. Since she saw nothing, she decided she shouldn’t write about it.
While she had witnessed both Hunter and Derek shift into panthers, she didn’t want to be labeled as a crazy person if she told the world about this alternate life-form. After all, there had been a ton of witnesses to UFO stuff and yet not one source had been deemed reputable. The slant of her article had been about the good Shield and the bad Sword members and their goals for the world.
The big question was whether she should turn it in. Perhaps an even better question was whether she could turn it in and still live with herself. If she exposed the men, the media would descend on Panther Cove, and their nice calm life would be over. It almost wasn’t right to punish men who were out to do good.
Shit. It came down to her job versus what felt right
in her heart. Think! This was her chance to maybe make it big. It was what she’d racked up that big college debt for—to be a journalist extraordinaire.
But you love them. Can you really do this?
She blew out a breath and buried her face in her hands. After another cry, she got up, and as she stretched, she spotted the stack of mail she’d received but hadn’t opened. When she sorted through each envelope, she noticed one was from her father. He was an eloquent man, but he rarely wrote.
Curious, she brought the letter back to the sofa and opened it. It started out with him saying that he had found a better job and that things were looking up. That cheered her. He then mentioned that Mom had quit her job. Again.
“Grr.”
Why couldn’t her mother just suck it up and work? Jen kept reading until she got to one passage that really struck a chord. She read it out loud.
“I know what you’re thinking right now. You’re saying that your mom should try harder to contribute to our income. Don’t judge her, darling. I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world. We do have our ups and downs, but loving your mother is worth having to work ten jobs if need be. I hope you’re fitting in well in Delight and like your job. Do call when you get the chance. Love, Dad.”
She reread the letter a few times and all of a sudden it hit her. Derek and Hunter might not truly love her, but one thing she had learned from this experience was that she now knew what love felt like.
True love meant having a higher priority in her life than getting ahead in her job. Even if she spent the rest of her life covering swim meets, tea shops, and town fairs, she could have been happy if she had men like Hunter and Derek in her life. Having a true connection with another person, like her dad had with her mom, was worth every sacrifice.
The question now was whether her men still wanted her. She’d basically crumpled in front of them. Were they waiting to read about their shifter abilities in the paper? Or did they hope she loved them enough to keep their secret?
The answer was now clear.
You need to tell them how you feel.
Yes! It was as if the pressure of success had been lifted from her shoulders. She rushed over to her chest of drawers and stuffed an extra pair of underwear, sexy ones of course, into her purse. Since she wasn’t positive if she’d be allowed in the compound, she decided to let Casius and Hercules bring her.
Protecting Their Mate [Panther Cove 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 12