Border nodded, his mind finally starting to navigate the labyrinth that was his thoughts and emotions.
“I…I just have to go,” Jake added and stormed out of the house, taking his keys with him.
Border cursed and looked down at his clenched hands. They weren’t handling this well at all. Hell, he and Jake were going to be fathers, and they hadn’t even touched on that. Instead, he’d been so caught up in making sure Jake felt he mattered, that he’d skipped some very important steps. He had to quit doing this.
And what had he just done? He’d let Jake go off on his own after Maya.
“Damn it,” he grumped. He threw open the door, determined to catch Jake before he left so it would be the two of them finding her. It needed to be the three of them, always.
He stepped onto the newly fallen snow on the porch and the blood drained from his face. Tires squealed in the distance, and he caught a glimpse of a blue truck with gold rims and Jake’s keys and phone lying in the middle of the yard. There wasn’t much snow on the ground sticking yet, but there was enough for Border to know there’d been a struggle.
“Jesus,” he mumbled. “Jesus Christ.”
“Border? What happened?”
Border turned on his heel to see Maya running to him. He didn’t think twice, and moved to her in three quick strides, pulling her close and crushing his mouth down on hers.
“What happened?” she repeated, her voice breathy and her lips swollen.
“I think the people after me took Jake,” he bit out.
Her eyes widened, and she pulled out her phone. “We need to call the cops. They can help. Right?”
He nodded and took out his phone and pulled them both inside. He didn’t like them being so out in the open. “Call them while I call Sanchez.” He’d told her of Sanchez and his work previously, so at least he wouldn’t have to explain that. “Tell them what you know, and that Sanchez will be contacting them.”
He quickly filled Sanchez in on what he knew and took the phone from Maya so he could tell the people on the other line who he was and what he’d seen. If he closed his eyes, he could remember a partial plate. That had to be enough. He hung up on the police, gave Maya her phone back, and went back to Sanchez.
“We need to find him,” Border bit out as he relayed the information again to the detective.
“We will.” A pause. “Holy hell. There’s only one truck with that description and partial license plate in the area. A blue truck with gold rims isn’t exactly inconspicuous. I have an address.”
Border gripped Maya’s hand but tried not to get his hopes up. “That doesn’t mean they’re there.”
“No, but it’s an old farm outside of Aurora. It’s not in commission from what they’re telling me, but there’s space for lots of buildings.”
Border cursed. “Get me the address. I’m meeting you there.”
“You’re not on this case, Gentry.”
“I don’t fucking care. Get me the address.”
Sanchez let out a curse of his own and rattled off the address. “Be careful, and don’t engage without me. You got me?”
“I got you. I’m not stupid.” But if the chance presented itself, he couldn’t say what he’d do. He hung up on Sanchez and looked down at Maya, who narrowed her gaze at him and crossed her arms over her chest.
“You’re not going without me.”
Border shook his head. “I don’t think so. You’re staying here with the door locked and your phone in your hand.” He left her to go to his room where his gun safe was. He quickly put the code in and armed himself. He had a permit for Colorado as well as a license to carry because of his job. Though with Jake in danger, he wasn’t sure he’d bother to follow the law.
“You’re going in armed to get Jake, and you think you can leave me behind?”
He whirled on her. “You’re fucking pregnant with our baby! Yours, mine, and Jake’s. Don’t even think about coming with me.”
Her eyes widened, but she stood her ground. “I’ll just follow you. I won’t go in, and I won’t get too close, but there is no way I’m letting the two men I love be in danger while I stand back doing nothing.”
His heart did that weird extra thump thing at her saying she loved him, but he pushed it aside. When she said it to Jake and him again, then he’d react accordingly. For now, he knew he had a stubborn as hell Montgomery on his hands.
“Fine. You stay in the truck with the keys in the ignition and be ready to drive away if I tell you to. You do not do anything stupid, though this is already beyond stupid.” He cupped her face and kissed her hard once more. “The only reason I’m doing this is because I’m not on point. I’m only going to make sure those in charge get Jake out. This could be nothing, and he might not even be there, but it’s something.”
She nodded, and though her eyes went a bit glassy, she didn’t cry. That was his Maya. Strong as fuck.
When they got there and found Jake, the other man was going to kick his ass for letting Maya anywhere near danger, but he wasn’t sure there was another way. It was the three of them, for now, for always.
“Let’s go find our man,” he growled.
Their man.
Hell, yeah.
****
Jake’s head throbbed from where the idiot had punched him, but other than that, he didn’t hurt. Though the ties around his wrists weren’t the most comfortable. Jake knew there were legitimate and dangerous people after Border’s charge, but he had a feeling these two weren’t part of the elite crew.
Oh, they probably worked for those in charge, but there was no way these two redneck idiots were criminal masterminds. They’d taken Jake by surprise for sure, but that was it. Between the bright blue and gold truck, and the fact that both of them called each other by name—Steve and Cal—Jake hoped Border could find him damn quickly.
He shouldn’t have left like he had. He should have waited five minutes to make sure Border was okay before having them both go find Maya. Of course, if that had happened, Border might have ended up right next to him in this old barn with his hands tied behind his back.
Jesus, there was something really wrong with the way things tended to turn out around the Montgomerys when they found the one they loved. Between gunshots and car accidents, it seemed never ending.
He just prayed he could get out of this relatively unscathed.
“What do you mean, that’s not Border?” Cal asked, his voice high and whiny.
“I’m sure,” Steve panted. He wasn’t the smallest of guys. Seriously, Jake was a little upset with himself for getting caught by these two. But they’d had a gun, and it wasn’t like Jake was used to fighting for his life. He was a sculptor, after all.
“Who is it then?”
“I don’t know. Some loser twink Border likes to fuck.”
Jake set his jaw. He’d show him who was a twink. If he could get out of these zip ties that was.
“I thought he was with that tattooed bitch?”
“He’s with both. Guy likes to get around.”
Jake let out a breath through his nose while he tried to work on his bindings. It would do no good if he got shot because he opened his mouth to curse at these two idiots.
“So what are we going to do with him?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think Border would have told this one where he left the kid.”
“And didn’t Boss say the kid might be moved by now?”
Steve sighed. “Yeah, he did. I don’t know why he told us to follow Border then.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t think he’ll be too happy that we got the wrong guy.”
Cal shifted from foot to foot. “Maybe we should just let him go.”
“He’s seen our faces, dumbass. We can’t just let him go.”
Fear crawled up Jake’s spine, and he worked harder on his zip ties, not that it was working. The damn things were made to keep him in custody until someone could cut him free and he didn’t have a knife or sharp object near or
on him.
“Well, what are we going to do?”
A loud commotion sounded from outside, and Jake instinctively ducked.
“Come out with your hands up! We have the place surrounded!”
Jake let out a curse as both of the idiots reached for their weapons instead. This was going to end ugly unless someone made a careful move.
“We don’t want to go to jail!” Steve called out.
Cal sighed. “Good one. Let them know we’re in here.”
“They already know! They called to us.”
Jake was surrounded by idiots. Idiots with guns, but idiots nonetheless.
Everything happened pretty quickly from there. The police stormed the building while Cal and Steve went to their knees, their guns on the ground and their hands up in the air. Not a single shot was fired, and Jake was damn glad.
A man with dark hair came up to him, knife in hand and a frown on his face. “Jake?”
Jake tried to sit up and failed. “Yeah, it’s me.”
“Name’s Sanchez. I worked with Border. Let’s get you loose and outside so you can see him. He’s going to be in a right state once he sees that bruise on your face.”
Jake let out a hiss when Sanchez cut him free and helped him to his feet. “Border’s out there?”
“Yeah, and your lady, too. They weren’t happy they couldn’t come see you, but we have to at least try to follow some protocols.”
Jake froze. “Border brought Maya with him?” he screeched. “What the hell? What’s he thinking?”
Sanchez took a step back and held up his hands. “From the look of it, I don’t think she gave him much of a choice. Let’s get you checked out while you see them. I’ll need a statement and all of that, but first, Border and this Maya of yours.”
Jake let out a breath and followed Sanchez out of the old barn. The sight of Border standing at the edge of the driveway with Maya in his arms almost brought him to his knees. Before he could make it halfway to them, Border and Maya were in front of him, hugging him close and kissing him for all they were worth. He was fully aware they were getting stares, and a few people were taking photos, but he didn’t give a shit right then. All he wanted was the man and woman in his arms, and to know they would always be there.
Sanchez cleared his throat and nodded toward an ambulance at the edge of the street. “Take it there if you want some privacy,” he said with a wink.
Border pulled them both toward the side of the ambulance and Jake waved off the paramedic.
“I’m fine,” he said.
“You got hit in the head,” Maya said as her hand hovered over his bruise.
“Give us a minute or four,” Border said to the paramedic. “Okay?”
Jake didn’t even bother paying attention to what the paramedic did because he could only look at the two people who mattered more to him than anything.
“What the fuck were you thinking bringing Maya here?” Jake asked, trying to keep his voice low.
Maya kissed his chin. “I wouldn’t let him leave me. I was never in any danger.” She kissed his chin again, and he lowered his head so he could kiss her fully. “You were the one in danger, idiot.” Her voice broke. “Never do that again. I don’t like crying, and it seems to be all I’m doing lately.”
Jake gripped Border’s hand as he used his other to cup Maya’s face. “I’m so sorry I was an idiot before when you were telling us you’re pregnant. I never should have let you leave.”
She shook her head. “It was a shock to all of us, and not a single one of us handled it well.”
Jake kissed her again before kissing Border. “I love you, Maya. I love Border, too. I can’t wait to have this baby. I know it wasn’t in the cards, but we’re going to do this. I want to watch you get bigger and grow round. I want to be by your side through it all, and I want Border with us. I want you to move in, and I want us to take the next steps.” He winced. “And I just said I want a lot.”
Maya started to cry then, and he cursed. “I want all of that, too,” she said through a laughing sob.
“I want it, too,” Border added as he wrapped his arms around both of them. “I love both of you. Just so you know.”
“And I love the both of you.” Maya laughed, this time, a little less wetly. “We’re freaking crazy, but I know if we try, we can make this work. I can’t imagine my life without either one of you, and I don’t want to even try.”
“Then it’s a deal,” Jake said softly. “The three of us. We can do it.”
“We’re going to do it,” Border added.
Jake kissed them both again, his body slowly coming down from the adrenaline. He had the two people he loved most in the world in his arms, and he was going to be a father. He was so damned happy, and it didn’t even matter that he was standing in a field where some freaking asshat had kidnapped him. He, Border, and Maya were going to make it work, together.
That’s all that mattered.
Though now other people were starting to come closer, and he knew he needed to bring up the levity just a bit so they could get home in one piece and love each other to the full extent.
“I guess that means we can’t miss the Montgomery dinner in a few days,” Jake said dryly.
Maya slapped his side. “You never want to miss free food. Plus, Tabby is organizing this one so we just need to show up. Now let’s get you checked out so we can cuddle.”
“Just cuddling?” Border asked, his voice deep.
Maya rolled her eyes. “For now, big boys. Let’s check our Jake here to make sure he’s healthy.”
Jake kissed her again and gripped Border’s ass. “Sounds like a fine plan to me.”
And it did because he had Border and Maya in his life, and soon, a new one to join them. He had more than he ever thought possible. And all it had taken was him falling for his best friends.
Both of them.
TABBY
For Tabby, there was nothing better than organizing to calm her nerves. Though her palms were a bit clammy and her stomach hadn’t fully settled in months, she was as soothed as she was going to be.
Making sure things were in their place allowed her brain to quiet so she didn’t have to think about certain things that she’d rather not think about. Thankfully, between her job with Montgomery Inc. and the multitude of Montgomery dinners and events, she could organize and plan to her heart’s content.
Of course, being near the Montgomerys was why her hands were clammy, and her stomach hurt in the first place, but it wasn’t as if they knew that.
They didn’t know much of anything about her.
And she was fine with that.
That was her plan, after all.
Today would be the first event with all of the Montgomerys on this branch of the tree. She’d done other gatherings that included some of the smaller branches, but it had been a while since all eight Montgomery kids were able to make it.
Actually, it had been since Miranda and Decker’s wedding.
She remembered that day vividly. As did many of them since what happened that afternoon had altered the course of the family dramatically.
Today, though, today would be happy and perfect if she could arrange it. And if there was one thing she was good at, it was arranging things. Today, Miranda and Decker had something they wanted to announce, though Tabby wasn’t sure what it was. She wasn’t sure the youngest Montgomery was pregnant yet, but she could be wrong. Maya was pregnant, she knew, since the other woman had blurted it over the phone. They planned to announce today that the three of them were having a baby, and Tabby couldn’t wait for the rest of the family to find out. The Montgomerys were anything but traditional, and a new baby within a triad relationship was just par for the course. That baby would be loved so hard, and he or she would never feel alone. What more could anyone ask for?
The Montgomery gathering was also special for another reason.
It would be the first one Alexander Montgomery would attend after his stint in rehab.
She prayed everything would work out for him. She prayed for that often.
Tabby ran a hand through her hair and sighed when she remembered that she hadn’t put it up in its normal ponytail that morning. Apparently, she’d been really off-kilter. She was just about to put it up again when the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
She wasn’t alone in the Montgomery house anymore. The elder Montgomerys had gone out for a walk and left Tabby to her own devices. But someone was with her now.
She turned on her heel, yet she already knew who stood there. She’d always known when he was near. It was a fault of hers, not so much of a gift.
“Alexander,” she said softly before clearing her throat. “I didn’t know you’d be coming early.”
He stared at her, his gaze holding that dark depth of loss she’d never been able to fully decipher. “I thought I’d help.” His voice was low, a gravelly sound that did horrible things to her.
“Oh, you don’t have to. I have it handled.” She could have slapped herself for putting that hurt look on his face, and she quickly backpedaled. “But I’m glad you’re here. I might have it handled, but help is always appreciated.”
He smiled at her then, but it didn’t reach his eyes. It never did. “Thanks, Tabitha. Just tell me where you need me.”
He was the only one who called her that; just like she called him Alexander while everyone else called him Alex. She wasn’t sure why, but she’d never wanted to shorten it.
When he kept staring at her, she found herself unable to breathe again. But that wasn’t too surprising. After all, she could never catch her breath around Alexander Montgomery.
That’s what happened when you were near the person you loved—the one you knew didn’t see you. At least, not that way.
Breathlessness.
Epilogue
“Fuck me, yes, that’s it, right there!” Maya arched her back, one leg wrapped around Jake’s hip, the other stretched over Border’s shoulder. She was on her back, spread very carefully so she could wrap around both men. Thankfully, Border currently had his cock deep inside Jake’s ass so they were pressed back to front and Maya was able to have them both between her legs. She never knew there were so many positions that could get her off.
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