Dania's Destiny (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Dace Everan

  Keenan laughed, shaking his head. “Ah no I would rather listen so they don’t catch me by surprise,” he shared.

  Dania rolled her eyes tugging on his arm. “Come on.” She grinned as he slid from the chair and followed.

  Link shot Tank a pointed stare when the two had left. “What the fuck was that?” he demanded.

  Tank shrugged. “Wanted to see if he would answer me? You notice he blushes a lot. Dude’s nervous,” he pointed out, rinsing the fork off, washing his hands, grabbing the towel, and wiping his hands, his eyes on Link.

  Link glared at him. “Dania likes him. You should at least make an effort to be nice,” he uttered.

  Tank nodded. “I’m cooking the dude supper, how much nicer can I get?”

  Link growled. “Tank, if you didn’t want him here you shouldn’t have made the invite,” he pointed out.

  Tank shook his head. “Nope, I want to know who our Dania is hanging with.”

  Link stared at him, our Dania repeated in his thoughts. What the hell were they doing? Shit, she wasn’t theirs. She was her own person. It was why she had pursued Keenan on her own. Shit, finding out she had been having lunch dates with him had struck his heart in a bad way. He’d spent a lot of time convincing himself it was best to leave Dania alone to do her own thing.

  “Be nice, Tank,” he grumbled.

  Tank chuckled grabbing his arm pulling him close. “Stop being jealous,” he teased.

  Link grunted. “Not jealous,” he replied, glancing out the French doors, his gaze landing on Dania and Keenan sitting at the patio table deep in conversation. “Think she’s actually happy with him?” he asked.

  Tank’s gaze fallowed and studied the two. He shrugged. “He’s the first she’s brought home, still in the beginning, heck he might fuck up and cop a feel and he’ll meet her good old right knee?” he offered.

  Link smirked. He couldn’t wait for that day… wait, what the fuck was he thinking? In order for Keenan to meet her right knee meant he would have pushed her past her limits.

  * * * *

  Dania closed the door and turned nearly smacking into Tank. Her heart near leapt from her chest. Her hand immediately covered her thudding chest.

  “So did he have fun?” he asked.

  Dania chuckled, heart calming. “I don’t know, want me to call him back and ask?” She ducked around him and scooted away, grinning to herself at the close proximity Tank was taking with her.

  Tank grunted, following her back to the kitchen. “We already cleaned up, Tiny,” he pointed out.

  Dania bypassed the kitchen and settled on the couch next to Link. “’Kay, guys, get it out. What do you want to know?” she mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest waiting for the onslaught of questions.

  Link shook his head. “Nothing here,” he replied, draping his arm over the back of the couch.

  Tank grunted, plopping down next to her, mimicking her.

  Dania grunted at him. “Acting like a child, Tank,” she pointed out.

  Tank reclined his head. “I don’t trust him,” he admitted. He had gotten a weird vibe off of the man the first night he met him. Tonight he had tried to look past it but with the way he acted around Dania it bothered him. “Tell me Dania… wait you don’t have to but… does that dude even kiss you?” He blurted the last part. That was what bothered him. Keenan never really touched her, unless it was in a comforting way. It unnerved the shit out of him.

  He glanced at Link. “Don’t you think it’s weird he not once made a move on her?”

  Dania rolled her eyes. “You make him nervous, Tank. He knows you’re a cop.” She looked at Link. “And he knows you’re a lawyer,” she shared.

  Link nodded. “I know Tank’s a cop and it doesn’t stop me from doing shit I shouldn’t do,” he replied.

  Dania sank further into the couch. He had a point. “It is weird isn’t it… how long does a normal dude wait before making moves?”

  Tank snorted. “I would have been all over you already. How many lunch dates have you had?”

  Dania shrugged doing a mental recap. “Twelve, I suppose… four dinners.”

  Link raised a brow. “And he doesn’t make out with you?” he uttered.

  Dania shrugged, then shook her head. Shit, Keenan really didn’t like her, did he? Did he honestly just want to be friends? She supposed that could be it. It wasn’t like they were exclusive or anything. There was most certainly no sexual relationship. She furrowed her brow. Crap, the more she thought about it the more it struck her that they were just friends.

  Tank draped an arm around her shoulders. “You ever try to make out with him?”

  Dania blushed. She wasn’t going to share that! And according to her recent epiphany she’d been living in an unrealistic world of thinking he and she were actually a couple. Dah, how stupid was that, she and Keenan, a couple who never had sex, never made out. What the hell were they?

  Link chuckled. “Oh yeah,” he guessed.

  Dania groaned in embarrassment. “That’s not fair,” she grumbled.

  Link chuckled. “Who said life was fair, seriously though, he doesn’t kiss you back or what?”

  Dania covered her overheated face.

  Tank hugged her closer to his side. “Nothing to be embarrassed about Dania,” he assured.

  She snorted. “Yeah there is! Oh fuck what the hell! He’s just not into me like that I guess,” she grumbled, trying to rise.

  Tank held her in place. “You did tell him we were all roommates, right?”

  Dania nodded. “Yes! Why would I say anything otherwise?”

  Link furrowed his brow in thought. “But you talk a lot about us?” he asked.

  Dania shook her head. “I did, but thought maybe I shouldn’t… you guys don’t like me talking about him, so I figured he wouldn’t want to hear about you.” She paused, a frown covering her face. “But he does ask a lot about you guys,” she offered.

  Tank raised a sceptical brow. “What kind of questions?” he asked.

  Dania shrugged. “The normal how long we’ve known each other, how we met, yadda, yadda ya…”

  Link nodded, that seemed totally normal. “Maybe we’re all just looking too deeply. Maybe he’s actually one of those nice guys who won’t shove himself on you.”

  Dania snorted. “A little shoving wouldn’t be so bad, would it?” she mumbled.

  Link chuckled. Impatient Dania was showing, and how he loved it.

  Tank grunted. “As much as I don’t like the guy I agree. He shouldn’t be leaving you wanting,” he agreed.

  Dania sighed. “You know I think he’s gay… no offense. Like I know you guys like chicks but him…” She screwed up her face. “He hasn’t tried a thing. Not cop a feel, even you guys do that!” she uttered, eyes widening.

  She grabbed the front of Tank’s shirt. “You’re the biggest pig I ever met! Not pig in the sense of cop but the other night when I was sleeping I woke up and your hand was in a place it shouldn’t have been!” she accused.

  Tank’s eyes widened. “I did no such thing!”

  Link grinned. “You’re a grabber and holder. You had your hand all over her pussy.”

  Tank grunted. “Well shit…” He made a face Dania didn’t recognise. Was that an apology?

  Dania lowered her lids and peeked at him. “I don’t think anything will ever happen with me and Keenan. Am I rushing out of it too quick? Should I give him more time?”

  Tank snorted. “No, you shouldn’t, you should make a comfy place for my hand every night,” he declared, relaxing back.

  Dania giggled, slapping his chest. “Funny. Link has a place for you, I’m sure.”

  Link smirked. He had long since pushed Tank’s grasping hand from him.

  Dania scrambled from her favorite men and offered a pixie of a smile. “Off to bed for me, I’m gonna attempt my own room,” she decided. She couldn’t always sleep with them. They needed their time. Shit, as far as she knew they hadn’t had sex in weeks.

&nbs
p; Chapter Eleven

  Dan glanced around the busy office cringing. Shit, he hated cop shops. The constant talking, ringing of phones, yelling at the far end of the large, spacious, yet crowded office. He groaned, scanning the crowd. How hard could it be to miss the big fucker that lived with Dania?

  “Hey can I help you, sir?” asked a slim-looking woman in uniform.

  Dan stopped himself from rolling his eyes. “Yeah I need a—” Fuck, he forgot the dude’s full name! It wasn’t Tank, couldn’t be. What idiot would name their kid Tank! “Tank Kiln?” he mumbled.

  The woman smiled, pointing across the loud department. “Closed door at the end,” she offered before turning on her heel and disappearing into the rest of the crowd dressed in blue.

  Dan cringed. Shit, he hated this place. No good memories from here, that was for sure. He started his trek across the office making sure not to make eye contact with anyone.

  Tank glanced up as the door opened. “Dan! Hey how’s it going?” he stood, holding out a hand.

  Dan smiled, shaking. “Good, really hate this place. Got some stuff to show you.” He removed his backpack, glancing up at Tank and seeing the cop’s eyes watching him with cop eyes. He hated cop eyes. So serious and convicting, always measuring your each and every move.

  Tank frowned watching as Dan brought out a thick envelope handing it over. “And what exactly is this?” he asked, opening it and going silent as photos of Dania spilled out, along with letters written in a shaky messy cursive. . Whoever was writing these was either uneducated, scared, or trying to hide their true cursive. Tank opted for the last. He would have a specialist go over them anyway.

  “I was looking for a specific blue and I knew Dania had some and I found those in her drawer at work. Freaked the shit out of me, that handwriting, didn’t look right. I know it’s not right looking at her shit but that was fucking creepy.”

  Tank nodded skimming through. “Yeah, creepy shit, when in the hell did you find this?” he demanded.

  Dan shivered. He hated cop voice. “Yesterday, I couldn’t leave the shop till today, Dania would have figured it out, and I couldn’t show up at your place. Shit, that Keenan dude showed up to take her out for lunch. She was clear for the afternoon so I told her to take the afternoon off so I could sneak down here.”

  Tank nodded. “Shit. Have you touched all of these?” He’d have to get Dan’s prints to make sure he wasn’t nailed for something he didn’t do. Or at least take him off the list of suspects. Not that he thought Dan was the one behind anything. Although they did need to figure out who delivered these.

  Dan nodded. “Yeah I realised I fucked up after.”

  Tank’s stomach twisted. She had been being threatened at work and never said anything! He was so going to spank her, no threat this time. He was so spanking her ass when he got home, then he would tell Link and Link would spank her then the two of them would kiss her booboos all better!

  Tank picked up the phone and after a few curt words turned his attention to Dan. “Thanks for bringing this in, Dan. She should have said something to us. Fuck…” He ran his hands through his hair. Fuck!

  He looked at the dates. She had received it her second day on the job. “You know of anything else, any suspicious characters?”

  Dan shrugged. “I run a tattoo shop, lots of suspicious characters.”

  Tank snorted. “Okay any commons?”

  Dan grinned. “Besides that Keenan guy… nope.”

  Tank frowned. “You don’t like him either, hey?”

  Dan offered him a dry look. “The dude is a prude. Fuck, I’ve been more intimate with her and I’m not even trying to get into her pants. Fuck, I think a stump shows more affection,” he replied, wiping his sweaty hands on his jeans.

  Tank sighed, noting the nervousness. Either the guy was hiding something or he had a past with the force and he wasn’t comfortable being here. Tank grunted, opting for the second. Dan seemed decent and usually he was good at reading people and Dan seemed good.

  Dan glanced around the room. “Can I go now? I know it’s not right to come, drop this shit off, and run like this but this place gives me the he-bee-gee-bees.”

  Tank nodded. “I would like to get your prints.”

  Dan laughed. “Look for Daniel Inklage,” he offered. He’d done enough stupid shit in his youth that he should still be on file. “You may have to look in young offenders,” he offered. Not since he turned of age did he do stupid things. That last jaunt in juvenile detention had done him in.

  Tank chuckled, jotting his name down. “Thanks Dan… Hey if you notice anything, absolutely anything, call me.” He held out a card to him.

  Dan looked at the card, nodding. “Dania’s an awesome girl with a lot of talent… whoever this creepy fuck is needs to get the fuck out of her hair. It’s fucking with her skills and her mind,” he grumbled.

  * * * *

  Dania stared at Tank and Link. Both stood, legs spread shoulder length apart, their arms crossed over their chest and glaring at her. “What’s wrong?” she dared ask. Surely she hadn’t done something wrong? In all the years she had lived here neither had looked at her like that, let alone at the same time.

  Tank growled and it shook Dania with fear. Whoa, she had done something very bad. Her mind swam with thoughts. There was only one thing that came to mind and there was no way they had gotten ahold of the threats! She hid them at work. No one knew about them.

  “You were receiving threats at work and you never thought to fucking tell us!” Tank growled.

  Dania cringed. Ah fuck she knew she should have taken those out of her station. She bit her lower lip trying to think of any excuse possible to get out of this oncoming lecture or whatever it was they were about to do to her. Link’s top lip twitched and it sent a shiver down Dania’s back.

  “This man isn’t messing around, Dania… you think you could just go on with your life and ignore his threats? Fuck, in the second letter he quoted your goddamn schedule! He knows what you’re doing every day!” He yelled the last part.

  Dania flinched at his booming voice. She had never heard Link yell, not at her, not at anyone. “I will not walk around scared!” she argued back.

  Tank clenched his fists, taking a step at her. “You won’t be living very much longer if you keep acting like an idiot!”

  Dania’s eyes widened. He just yelled in her face and called her a name.

  Link placed a hand on Tank’s shoulder. “Ease up,” he ordered. Bad enough he yelled at her. She didn’t need both of them playing bad guy tonight.

  Tank shook his head. “No! Dania needs to know how fucking serious this is!” He turned back to her, stalking her.

  Dania’s insides cried out at the predatory look on Tank’s face. She didn’t realize she had been stepping away from him till she bumped up against the wall, a squeak escaping her.

  Tank grabbed her by her upper arms, pinning her and lifting her little frame up the wall. “You think when he gets his hands on you he’s gonna be nice? You think he won’t do what he threatens in those letters! He has fucking picture of you all over the place! Pictures of your friends, your associates! You think he won’t hurt them to get to you?”

  Dania whimpered, tears rolled down her face. Her throat constricted, burning as a cry tried to escape. Why was Tank being so mean? She shook her head. No one would get hurt. This guy would back off.

  Link nearly stepped forward at the tears, but he knew she needed to hear this. As much as it pulled at his heart she needed to know how serious this was.

  Tank’s nostrils flared and he narrowed his eyes. “You think he’s gonna drop a dead cat in the front door of the shop? No, he’s not going to do that! He’s gonna get you, Dania. He’s gonna hit you and scare the shit out of you till you’re scared and he’s gonna break you down till you trust no one!” He could just imagine the fucker sending someone to the shop for ink and threatening her. There would be nothing scarier for her than to be hit in her haven, person to person.


  Dania sobbed, shaking her head. “I won’t let him!” she cried.

  Tank growled. “You have no fucking choice!”

  Dania struggled in his arms. “Let me down!” she demanded in a broken voice, tears rolling all on their own down her face.

  Tank laughed. “Is that what you’ll ask him? Let me down? You will already be down!” he yelled.

  Dania’s whole body shuddered in sobs. “Tank, let me down!” she yelled, struggling against his grip.

  He gave her a shake. “No!”

  Dania looked to Link for help. He shook his head.

  Tank grasped her jaw. “He will not let you go, Dania! He will not let you down or up or anything! When he gets his hands on you he will dig his claws in and never let go!” He inhaled a few ragged breaths, face softening. “How the fuck are we supposed to help you when you won’t even let us know what the fuck is going on… Those pictures of you Dania… fuck.” He eased his grip on her and let her slide back down the wall till she was on her feet again.

  “He had pictures of you walking into the house… walking alone…” He let go of her completely. “You have no idea how much you mean to us… If this fucker gets you and we could’ve avoided it… it would haunt us for the rest of our lives.”

  Dania wiped at the tears, lip trembling. She hugged herself. “I didn’t want to worry you,” she whispered.

  Tank released a breath. “You need to tell us, Dania.”

  Dania glanced at Link. “I didn’t think… I’m safe with you guys… You would never let anything happen to me…” she hiccupped, wiping the tears away hugging herself tighter. “I only walked alone once… Keenan’s always with me. If not him, one of you or someone at work.” She sniffled.

  Tank groaned hugging her close. “Ah fuck, Tiny, scared the shit out of me when I got that package,” he rumbled.

  Dania broke down in sobs, her knees giving out. Tank lifted her and Link followed as they settled on the couch.

  Chapter Twelve