by Becca Van
She shook her head, still not quite believing what was front in front of her face. Tammy hadn’t been handing her a line. She hadn’t been lying at all. “You didn’t lie. You didn’t lie. You didn’t lie.”
“No, I wasn’t telling you lies.”
Celeste turned her gaze to Tammy. “It’s real? You weren’t lying to me?”
Tammy tugged away from Phelan and Hopper.
“No, I wasn’t lying to you.” Celeste didn’t realize she was shaking until Tammy pulled her into her arms and hugged her tight. “Everything is going to be okay.”
She nodded, but she wasn’t sure anything would ever be the same.
* * * *
Hodge’s sabear took a step toward Celeste but then stopped when he saw how pale her face was. Her eyes were wide with shock and her whole body was quaking. Her mouth was opening and closing but no sound emerged. She snapped her mouth closed, swallowed audibly and then licked her lips before turning her gaze toward Tammy. He heard every word she spoke and was just about to tell Tarik to go to her and comfort her, but Tammy beat him to it. He sighed with relief when Celeste stopped shaking after a while and drew away from her friend.
Hodge took the opportunity while she was turned away to change back to his human form and pull his clothes on. He sniffed the air nearly sagging with relief when he didn’t scent fear emanating from his mate. That had been his biggest fear when he’d volunteered to change into his animal form, terrifying Celeste enough to make her run.
She slowly turned to face him and he heard her sigh with relief when she noticed he was dressed.
“Are you okay, baby?” Tarik asked, as he took a step toward her.
He halted when Celeste held her hand out palm up in the classic “stop” position.
“I–I—” She shook her head glanced around at Tammy and then jumped off the porch. Hodge clenched his hands into fists and ground his teeth when she slowly walked away from them. His sabear roared so loudly inside him his eardrums reverberated. Tarik snapped his gaze toward him and he could tell by the tenseness in his body that he was just as upset as Hodge was.
“What the hell do we do now?” Tarik asked.
Tammy shoved Phelan aside, raced across the porch and down the two steps toward him and her brother. “You give her time to adjust. She’s just learned that everything, as she knew, has changed.”
“But—”
Tammy cut her brother off. “There are no buts, Tarik. Celeste has just learned that what she thought of as fiction exists. She’s in shock. Give her time to process what I told her and what she’s just seen.”
“I need her, Tam.”
Tammy hugged Hodge and then Tarik, meeting each of their gazes. “I know you do. She’s smart but let her deal with this startling revelation in her own way.”
“Will you make sure she’s okay?” Hodge asked.
“You don’t have to ask. She’s the best friend I’ve ever had even though we didn’t get to spend as much time together as we wanted. She’s the sister of my heart and she means the world to me.”
Hodge nodded, thankful that Celeste wouldn’t be alone when Tammy hurried after her. He just hoped that she got over her shock of their existence fast, because his animal was getting harder and harder to control. His inner beast was hankering to seal the bond with its mate and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his animal back.
“Let’s go and finish up in the shed,” Tarik said, glancing after Celeste and Tammy. Tarik sighed, scrubbed a hand over his face and then rubbed the back of his neck.
Hodge’s emotions were roiling inside of him. One minute he was so angry he wanted to shove his fist through a wall. The next he was hot and hungry, yearning to sink his hard-aching cock into Celeste’s warm, welcoming, wet heat. And lastly, his heart and soul ached with loneliness and despondency. He felt as if he was being ripped in three different directions, but if he chose a particular path, everything he hoped for would blow up in his face.
Hodge nodded. “We’re behind on the last order. We won’t be getting any sleep until we’ve finished.”
“Yeah, and having something to occupy our hands will hopefully keep us from doing something stupid.” Tarik stomped into the shed, grabbed the sandpaper and got to work.
Hodge moved to the other side and did the same.
* * * *
“Celeste! Wait up!” Tammy called.
Celeste slowed her pace but didn’t look back or stop to wait for her friend to catch up. She was full of nervous energy and needed to keep moving so she wouldn’t scream at the top of her lungs or do something else totally inappropriate. When she saw the wary expression in Tammy’s eyes as she came alongside her, she felt guilty. She stopped walking and turned to face her friend. “Don’t look at me like that. I know you would never hurt me and if you say your brother and his friend, or any of the others won’t hurt me, then I believe you.”
“Whew! You had me worried there for a moment.” Tammy grinned. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know.” She groaned and covered her face with her gloved hands. She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and eyed Tammy’s jeans, sweater, and boots. Now she understood why Tammy and the others weren’t affected by the cold. They had the innards of a saber-toothed tiger and a polar bear. They probably had natural internal insulation. “Now I know why none of you have to layer up against the below-freezing temperatures.”
“It’s definitely an added advantage.” Tammy grinned.
Celeste chuckled and then burst out laughing. It felt good after being shocked out of her mind.
Tammy clasped her gloved hand. “You need to tell my brother and Hodge about the stalker.”
“It’s none of their business. Why would I do that?” Celeste asked. “I’m over two thousand miles and eight hours by plane away.”
“When was the last time you caught sight of the creep?” Tammy asked.
Celeste frowned as she tried to remember. Everywhere she went the asshole turned up and she’d been so busy her days had started running together. “I caught sight of him at Sea-Tac after the Hawaii shoot. I had to meet with my manager to make sure he hadn’t signed me for other contracts.”
“I’ll bet he was pissed.” Tammy slanted a glance her way as they resumed walking.
“That’s one word for it.” Celeste grinned.
“You’ve been his bread and butter for the last four or so years.”
“I have. I was.”
“So, are you really going to quit?” Tammy asked.
“Yes. I’ve had it up to here with that lifestyle. Do you know how hard it is to try and disguise myself so I can walk down a street and not get mobbed?”
“Ah, yeah. Remember when we went to that pizza place just down from the college campus?” Tammy nudged her arm.
“I’ll never forget. The paparazzi were worse than a plague of locusts.”
“The cops sorted them out right quick.”
“Mhmm. Maybe I should dye my hair.”
“Why should you have to change how you look?” Tammy asked. “If you stay here you won’t ever be bothered by the media or reporters again.”
“Funny you should say that.”
Tammy stopped and stared at her. “Yes?”
“I was thinking of maybe asking you if there was any land for sale. I could have materials and contractors shipped in and build my own house.”
“Uh—” Tammy glanced away.
“What are you hiding?”
“N–nothing.”
“Now that was an out and out lie, Tamara Parks.”
“You won’t need a house of your own.”
“Why the hell not? I’m not going to sponge off your brother and his friend for the rest of my life. Or you or the rest of your family.”
“That won’t be a problem.”
“Explain.” Celeste pointed at Tammy.
“You’re Tarik’s and Hodge’s mate.”
Celeste shook her head, not sure she
really understood what Tammy was trying to tell her. Mate? As in wife? She needed clarification. “Mate?”
“Their better half. The other half to their souls. Wife.”
“Now I know you’re pulling my leg.”
“No, I’m not.” Tammy smirked. “Don’t tell me you aren’t attracted to them because I could smell your desire.”
“So, you said earlier.” Celeste narrowed her eyes.
“Tarik nearly had a fit when he carried your unconscious self from the plane wreck. You were supposed to be staying with me and my parents but big brother knew as soon as he scented you that you were his mate. He put his foot down and wouldn’t hear about you staying with me.”
“And you let him?” Celeste cringed when her tone became strident.
“No, I didn’t let him.” Tammy huffed. “Tarik is the alpha of this stealth. I argued but he just ignored me and carried you to his house. I even tried to get Mom and the dads on my side but they know how important it is to find one’s mate and wouldn’t get in the middle.”
“Your dads are just as stubborn and arrogant as your brother. I don’t know how your mom puts up with them.”
Tammy laughed. “You’ve got that right.”
“Shit. I didn’t mean any offense.” Celeste apologized. “They have good hearts and worship the ground your mom walks on. They’re so sweet it’s almost sickening.”
“And you’ve only been in their presence twice so far,” Tammy said. “Try and imagine what it was like for me and Tarik being around them all the time while we were growing up.”
“I would have loved seeing that.” Celeste sighed wistfully.
“Oh. Sorry.” Tammy hugged her arm and they started walking again. “You don’t have to worry about Tarik and Hodge pushing you. They’ll give you time to get used to being—”
“I can’t, Tammy. I don’t want or need a relationship with one man let alone two. What’s up with that anyhow? Why are two men…mated to one woman?”
“We think it’s part of our seclusion. There aren’t that many people here as you know and the men outnumber the women three to one. We’re all very close. Tarik and Hodge have a special bond, just like you and I do. They don’t need to be blood brothers to care for each other. It makes sense that their sabears chose you as their mate.”
Celeste blew out a frustrated breath. She could probably talk until she was blue in the face, but had a feeling she could get more results talking to a brick wall. Tammy might be hearing her, but she wasn’t really listening.
“I don’t even have a man in my life and I’m still having man troubles, Tammy. I don’t need to add to the load already on my shoulders.”
“Tarik and Hodge would deal with your creepy stalker if you told them about him.”
“No. Shit. They’d probably end up killing the bastard.” Celeste sighed. Her insides were roiling but not because she felt ill. She felt as if she was being pushed from pillar to post, undecided on which way to turn. The thought of Tarik and Hodge locked up behind bars for murder had bile rising in her throat. She quickly swallowed and pushed that thought away.
“Were you serious about wanting to move here?” Tammy asked.
Celeste was glad for the subject change. She didn’t want to think about Tarik and Hodge right now. It was already difficult keeping her mind from wandering back to them, and now that she’d seen Hodge naked, she kept trying to imagine what Tarik would look like without any clothes on, too. Her pussy pulsed, sending another slew of cream soaking her already damp panties. Maybe relocating from the hotel room she’d been occupying in Seattle wasn’t such a good idea. Maybe she should move to another country instead. Then she wouldn’t have to see her creepy stalker around every corner and she wouldn’t end up making a fool of herself in front of Tarik and Hodge.
“I’m not sure,” Celeste answered. “My mind is in a whirl.”
“Just don’t make any rash decisions until you have your mind straightened out,” Tammy said.
She nodded in response but had a feeling that was easier said than done.
Chapter Eight
Brendan sat back with a smile after sending the text. He laughed as he imagined the fear on her face as she read his little message. She’d thought she could escape him but he wasn’t some dumb schmuck with no brains.
Brendan Donald was a highly-trained IT executive and could hack into any system he wanted. It had been so easy to bypass the firewalls to the bank she frequented and pull up her credit card statement. He knew she was loaded and could probably buy her own island if she wanted, but his woman was surprisingly frugal. He, on the other hand, was lucky enough to have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth and a hefty trust fund that didn’t necessitate him working a day in his life. However, he had a busy mind and liked to use the brains he’d inherited from his parents.
He grimaced just thinking about the people who’d created him. They had no emotions whatsoever. He had no idea how the hell he’d been conceived when they could hardly stand the sight of each other. Neither his mother nor father had ever hugged him or told him they loved him. Brendan had been brought up by the servants. When he’d been a kid, their cold aloofness had hurt, but over the years he’d pushed the pain away and closed his emotions down. When they’d died a couple of years ago, he hadn’t shed a single tear or had to fight to keep his grief under control. He’d felt absolutely nothing when their coffins had been lowered into the ground.
In a way, he was thankful for the lessons his parents had taught him—to not let his emotions rule. He had a fast brain and was able to think about things without letting emotion cloud his judgment.
That had been until he’d spotted a prominent magazine cover with the most stunning woman he’d ever seen gracing the front. Her light blue eyes had drawn him in with their innocence and when he’d perused her bikini-clad body, he’d become aroused faster than he could blink. No other woman he’d seen, met, or fucked had ever affected him the way Celeste “Celestial” Marsden had. He’d known in that moment that he had to make her his.
He’d tried approaching her at a party other famous people had attended but she’d barely spared him a glance. He’d been filled with rage until he noticed her brushing off other men when they’d tried to come onto her. Intrigue had surged through him, and with his computer skills, he’d searched into every nook and cranny of her life. What he’d found had astounded him but also made him more determined.
That’s when he realized that Celeste didn’t just look innocent but indeed was.
Brendan hadn’t thought virgins still existed in this day and age, but the craving to be her first and only had grabbed hold of his heart and soul. Celeste was meant to be his and he wasn’t giving up until she was at his side.
Because she was so inexperienced with the opposite sex Brendan had decided to get her used to having him around, but she hadn’t taken the bait so far, and he was getting impatient and frustrated.
When she’d dropped off the radar he’d become angry. He’d hacked into her email and found the messages to her manager ordering him to not book anymore photo shoots. He’d also seen the regular emails from her friend Tamara Parks and her offer for Celeste to visit. Celeste hadn’t replied but Brendan figured the two women probably texted each other regularly as well. He’d tried hacking into her phone account but she had great security and he hadn’t been able to bypass the firewall script. However, he’d once more gotten into her bank’s system and seen the credit card payment for a flight destination of St. Lawrence Island in Alaska.
He’d thought about following her but after some research decided against it, at first. Nonetheless, he was seriously thinking about changing his mind. Celeste had been gone way too long and he was getting antsy. He needed to see her beautiful face, gorgeous smile, and sexy body.
Brendan was smart and though the population of Savoonga wasn’t large, he could change his clean-cut appearance to blend in. The problem was there was nowhere to stay. No hotels or motels. The only wa
y he could stay on the island was to camp. He frowned as he tried to come up with a way to stay on the cold remote Alaskan Island without having to freeze his balls off.
His lips curved into a smile. He’d just pay someone to rent out their house. A thousand dollars would be like striking it rich to someone living so remotely.
He shook his head. Being such a small community word would get out and that was the last thing he wanted. No, he needed to find another way to stay warm and safe while searching out his woman. Going to the island by air was out. A stranger arriving out of the blue would stand out like a sore, swollen thumb. The best option would be crossing the sea.
Brendan rubbed his hands together and began to plan.
* * * *
Celeste had hardly slept a wink. She’d spent the light night hours tossing and turning, unable to get her busy mind to turn off. When she had managed to get a few minutes of shut-eye, she’d had some very strange dreams. She’d dreamt of Tarik and Hodge kissing and touching her and woken up gasping for breath and drenched in sweat. On the other side of the coin had been scary dreams of her creepy stalker finding her on St. Lawrence Island. She shivered with trepidation. She would hate to be the reason that other people ended up in danger because of someone obsessed with her.
Although she had no doubt the men of Savoonga could protect themselves. She would never be able to live with herself if something happened to Tammy or her mother, Jenny. She’d met Tammy’s and Tarik’s parents briefly and liked them instantly. Royal, Talon, and Jenny looked at each other with so much love, she’d felt as if she’d been intruding on a private moment. However, when Tammy had rolled her eyes and sighed, Celeste figured that this was the way the trio behaved all the time and she’d shrugged it off.