“Never heard of her,” Draegan said, sliding around to the edge of the booth and pulling Serena with him. Now if Bane wanted to take a seat and sit next to his woman, he’d make a show of sliding all the way around the booth, too.
Apparently the man had little pride. As soon as he fetched their drinks from the corner bar behind them, he set them on the table and walked around to the far end of the booth and slid all the way around.
“I could’ve passed your drink down,” Draegan said smugly.
Serena nudged him with her elbow. “So are you the only one who took Ms. McQueen up on her offer?”
“A couple of the guys from the early shift stopped by to take a look around but so far, it looks like it’s just me. Most of the guys on the force are family guys.”
“But not you,” Draegan said tightly, remembering a recent picnic when Bane had been the very bane of Draegan’s existence. He and Draegan had acted like children. They’d tried to one-up the other one throughout the night, each working extremely hard to win Serena’s favor.
“So you were the McCall to finally do it, huh? You broke the McCall code of conduct?”
“I didn’t realize the McCalls had a code of conduct.” Draegan slipped his arm around Serena’s shoulder.
“Me either,” she said, smiling up at him.
“We don’t,” he informed her.
“But you do,” Bane said, twirling his forefinger in the air as if he’d had an ah-hah moment.
Dumb fucker.
“I’m all ears, buddy,” Draegan said, sipping his whiskey.
Bane winked at Serena and the little honey blushed. Draegan decided he would later spank her and explain precisely why he’d dished every last lick. He was half-hard thinking about it. Then again, he’d been fairly stout since he’d dipped his fingers down the back of her skirt and felt the thin strap at the top of her crack.
“Are you going to tell us about this code?” Serena asked, sipping her margarita and fluttering her eyelashes far more than Draegan found acceptable.
Draegan lazily ran his fingers through her soft locks. “I’m curious, too.”
“Every McCall I’ve known shares a woman,” Bane said.
“This one doesn’t.” Draegan might as well put that out there. “And I doubt you know all the McCalls.”
“I’ll look forward to meeting them all at some point.”
“You say that like you plan to spend more time in Trouble.”
“And you say that like you don’t want me to get any ideas.”
“I’d hate for you to get ahead of yourself.”
“What kind of detective would I be if I didn’t look for opportunity?”
“Looking in the wrong places for such opportunities seems like such a waste.”
Serena stared at Draegan and thinned her lips. Then, she looked at Bane. It was, after all, his turn for a rebuttal.
“I don’t waste time, McCall. I see something I like and I pursue her.”
“We have that in common,” Draegan said, pulling Serena tighter against him.
Serena blew out a hard breath and her bangs shimmied against her forehead. “So much for a first date.”
“No complaints here,” he said, resting his tongue in the corner of his mouth.
“That was some show I missed from what I hear.” Bane took a sip this time.
“You weren’t invited.” Draegan wanted to elaborate but he was a gentleman after all and Serena, even though she could give head like a whore, was an adorable lady. And he respected her.
Bane thumbed the air over his shoulder. “You’re the one driving the ‘Vette?”
“Trouble plates give it away?” Bastard could pretend he hadn’t seen them, but he’d walked in the club a few seconds after they’d arrived there. He’d seen their car. Hell, the obsessive fucker had probably watched the whole damn show.
“Maybe I should excuse myself,” Serena butted her hip against Draegan’s.
“You’re fine where you are, honey,” Draegan said, patting her leg. “Besides, I don’t want you to go to the public restrooms here.”
“Was there a problem?” Bane looked concerned.
“Apparently the new owner wants cops here but she keeps a few service people around in the parking lots, too.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Bane said. “I’ve never been one to take advantage of ladies in public places.”
Draegan’s nostrils flared. All right, he mused. He’d let the detective have that one.
Bane took a drink of his whiskey and made an “ah” sound. He grinned at Draegan as if he’d just made the racket as a victorious sidebar.
“So what brings you out tonight?” Serena asked, stirring her drink.
“She missed the part where you said you were here on cop duty.”
“Detective,” Bane said, winking at Serena. “We’ve talked. She knows the difference.”
“Detective Brice—Bane—started out as a street cop and then he moved to vice and then—”
“Yes, everyone in Trouble knows all about Bane Brice’s career.”
“Let the lady talk, Draegan. She’s full of information.”
“And I wonder who’s been whispering sweet nothings in her delicate ears.”
“Don’t wonder,” Bane said. “Just ask.”
“Okay, that’s it.” Serena wiggled free of Draegan’s grip and stood.
Draegan looked up at her, halfway expecting her to rip into him for being a jackass. Instead, she moved around his knees and stood on the other side of the table with her hands on her hips.
“Something on your mind?” he asked, dreading what came next.
“Yes,” she replied, nodding her head rapidly. “I’m in love with you.”
Draegan stretched his arms across the back of the sofa and breathed a sigh of relief, giving the detective a nod for good measure. “Is there a reason why you wanted to tell me now?” Not that he was complaining. As far as Draegan was concerned, she had picked a fine time.
“Listen,” Bane said, waggling his fingers at Serena and sounding like that old Southern preacher Draegan used to watch on television. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Tell him.”
Draegan felt his chin drop. Without realizing it, he’d removed his arms from the booth, too. He leaned forward with his hands clasped in between his splayed legs. “Tell me what?”
“I’m attracted to Detective—Bane—I’m attracted to him.”
Draegan nodded his head a few times and processed. This didn’t come as a surprise to him. The surprise had arrived at the barbeque a few months ago. Detective Bane Brice had stopped by to share the good news. The Vance brothers were going away for a long time, with one exception. Apparently the younger Vance brother, the one Markie had hooked up with back in the day, caught a lighter sentence.
Trouble’s residents had thrown a hell of a party. The good detective had stuck around, acting like he was just there to observe the life and times of those living in Trouble.
Truth of the matter was, he’d hung around Trouble for a reason—he was interested in Serena. Now, to make matters worse? Serena was professing a same or similar interest.
“Well, looks like we have a small problem.”
“I guess it’s all in how you look at it,” Bane said.
“I’m looking at it from about every angle,” Draegan remarked, giving Serena a good gaze-groping and wishing like hell he’d turned that car around the minute he had that gut feeling something wasn’t quite right.
“Look, McCall, I’ve been around enough to know and paid attention, too. I’m smart enough to realize that you’re not letting Serena go. I’m not asking you to.”
“Good thing. I’d hate for ya to waste your breath.”
Serena blushed. Draegan gave her a heated look, wondering if she’d known Bane was going to show up there all along. Deciding she couldn’t have known, since she hadn’t known where he’d planned to take her, he turned his attention to the annoying detective, the one who apparently wanted Draega
n to think he’d done his homework.
“Code of conduct for McCalls,” Draegan muttered. “What a crock of shit.”
“I simply meant—”
“It’s understood what you meant,” Draegan said, standing.
“Draegan.” Serena grabbed his arm. “Just listen to him.”
“I’ve heard plenty,” Draegan said.
Bane and Serena swapped a glance. Draegan shook his head. “Wait a minute. Have you two been talking on the sly?”
“On the sly?” Serena seemed offended. “You wait months before you ask me out and yet you’re really going to suggest I’ve been doing something behind your back?”
“Have you?”
“Did you pay attention to the question?” Serena tapped her foot.
Damn if he didn’t hate that. Every woman Draegan had ever known tapped her blasted foot when she was in a huff. Hell, even Ellie tapped her foot.
Then again, he couldn’t blame Ellie. After all, she was an angel for living with his brother Allister. Shoving aside all other thoughts, he let everything register.
So while Draegan had been dragging his feet, taking his own sweet time and trying to decide whether or not he would give up his days as a bachelor, Serena had—what, been talking to the detective and forgot to mention the fact?
Not on the sly, he reminded himself. She hadn’t been unfaithful. In fact, if anyone had been untrue, it had been Draegan. He’d known from the beginning that he was falling for her, so what had he done? He’d taken off on a last run, tried to sow his wild oats and when that didn’t work—because a man had a rather difficult time getting it up when only one woman made his dick hard—he threw himself into his work, convincing himself Serena needed time to heal.
She’d healed, all right. Apparently she’d been playing Bane and Draegan this whole time.
“I ought to turn you over my knee,” Draegan said tightly.
She blushed like crazy.
“If you do, I’m watching.”
Draegan sneered. Fuck. Damn it to hell. And fuck.
He hadn’t planned on sharing Serena. He didn’t want to share her.
“This was never part of the plan.”
“Actually it was, Draegan,” Serena said, her face full of mischief. “Think about it. Why would any woman in Trouble want only one man when she’s used to seeing the women around there pampered and doted on by four or five?”
“Four or five?” Now Bane wasn’t so doggone cocky.
“Yeah, buddy,” Draegan drawled. “Like you said, it’s a McCall code of conduct. Guess you haven’t met my cousins from Memphis. As a matter of fact, they’ll be coming through sometime later this year.” He smirked at the little minx, now plumb pale by the mention. “You did say four or five. Right, darlin’?”
“I was just making a point, Draegan.”
“Were you?” He wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered at her ear. “Then how’s this for a point.” He cupped her breasts and groped her right in front of Bane, watching as the detective’s eyes became hooded and dark, practically mesmerized. “See, baby, this is where I have a slight problem with sharing you. The detective—Bane—isn’t used to our way of life. He hasn’t been around for the shows or seen the way the men in Trouble ‘dote’—as you pointed out—on their women.”
Her arm curved around her head and his neck. “He’ll be a fast learner.”
“Do you think so?” Draegan asked, sliding his hand down the front of her skirt and watching as Bane’s face turned red and his eyes became heavier. “See, I’m worried about Bane and I’ll tell you why.”
Serena’s body swayed one way and then another. She played with the wisps of hair at his nape. “Why?”
“Because it’s hard to share someone you love. It’s difficult to stand by and watch another man take what it is you want.” He thrust his fingers inside her wet pussy and loved it when she rocked against him, her ragged breaths and subtle whimpers filling his blasted head. “And I don’t think Bane has what it takes to watch me fuck you. But we’re gonna find out real soon.”
“Soon?” Bane leaned back and gave Serena a heated look. “What’s wrong with now?”
Chapter Six
Serena was dumbfounded. She paced the length of her small living room cottage at a loss for thoughts, let alone words. And yet she needed to talk to someone.
As soon as Draegan had dropped her off, she’d called Ellie Hunter, a close friend and resident at Trouble. She wanted Ellie’s advice. If anyone knew how to juggle relationships, Ellie did. She lived with four men.
Apparently sensing how much Serena needed a friend, Ellie had promised to come right over. Now here she was walking back and forth, gnawing on her thumbnail and watching Ellie sip and savor her glass of wine like it was an award-winning vintage from 1999.
“Want to talk about it?” Ellie asked gently, left to probably assume the worst.
Beyond a quick hello, Serena hadn’t opened her mouth since Ellie had arrived there. She really didn’t know where to start.
Ellie patted the seat beside her. “Come sit down, hon.”
Serena released an exaggerated breath. “I can’t sit.” She walked another pace of two. “This is worse than I thought.”
“Maybe it’s not as bad as you think.” Ellie gave her a warm smile. “How about I start for you?”
Serena nodded, relieved that Ellie had offered. Serena didn’t have a lot of girlfriends. Her ex had made sure of it. He’d cut her off from her friends, family, and the rest of the world. In fact, he’d made her very suspicious of other women, simply by parading his working girls in and out of their home.
She’d suffered outright abuse from her stepfathers—all four of them—and then moved in with Thorn, thinking he was the answer to all her problems. After years of abuse, mostly mental, she had moved to Trouble in hopes of living a stress-free and happy life.
At the moment, she wasn’t exactly miserable but she wasn’t jumping for joy. And she was stressed to the hilt.
“I’ve told you my story, or at least most of it. You know why I ended up here. What I’ve never really told anyone is why I didn’t end up with Allister, Ryan, Derek and Bradley right from the start.”
“You went to high school with them. Right?”
“Yes I did. And I had a mad crush on Allister McCall. I always thought of him as the one who slipped away, and not because he wouldn’t have wanted me then but because I let my parents steer me in a certain direction.
“Even still, I can’t blame them entirely. I was young and impressionable but headstrong, too.” She paused and then her smile faded. “And I was terrified of my feelings for four men. The feelings I had for each man were so similar and real.
“Ultimately, I didn’t follow my heart, Serena. I followed what society deems acceptable. Beyond Trouble’s gates, it’s not politically correct to sleep with four men at one time, let alone commit to that many.
“It’s not okay to go on vacations or be seen in public showing affection for four guys instead of just one. The truth is, while I’ve seen the looks of contempt from others, I’ve also seen the stars in many a woman’s eyes. Sometimes it starts at curiosity, but inevitably it ends up as either contempt or envy and I’ve seen the jealousy stamped upon plenty of faces.
“But none of that really matters. Ya know?” She sipped her wine and Serena watched her as she settled her back against the sofa cushion. “In the end, Serena, what matters is your happiness. What matters is what you feel inside. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.”
“Not even Draegan?”
Ellie opened her mouth to speak. Suddenly, she was seemingly at a loss for words. She leaned forward and poured another glass.
“Go ahead. Drink the whole bottle,” Serena said, taking that seat next to Ellie then. “You’re gonna need it.”
* * * *
Somewhere away from Trouble, Markie stared up at his bound, bloody wrists. He’d fought the hard fight, the losing battle, and now he
re he was strung up like an animal, wavering back and forth as he tried to see clearly enough to figure out if he had a way to save himself.
He suspected where he was being held, given his captor, but he couldn’t say for sure. The last time he’d been held against his will, he’d been in the depths of a musty well somewhere on the Vance property.
Irony sure was a cruel bastard when a man was brought full circle.
A rickety door opened and closed. A few flashes suggested someone had entered long enough to take some pictures.
Markie immediately relaxed, as much as one could given his current status. From the moment he’d arrived there, he’d feared he had seen the last of Trouble’s gates. He was convinced he’d been brought there for one purpose—a murderer’s plan, a killing agenda. His captor had kept muttering something about an “eye for an eye” and Markie had feared somewhere down the line, he’d cost some poor son-of-a-gun his sight.
He still had both his eyes but given the slash marks to his torso, he had seriously wondered if his assailant meant to carve out a rib.
Bound and gagged, bleeding and in tremendous pain, Markie tried to focus on the imaginary light at the end of the tunnel. The flashes suggested the bastard holding him would soon hit up the McCalls for ransom.
The McCalls would pay. Then they’d come for retribution. That’s the way they operated. If Markie could just hold on.
One day soon, he’d enjoy dishing payback. He just needed to hold out for hope and wait for Draegan and the others. Justice would soon be served. Revenge would be delivered.
A day of reckoning was coming.
Chapter Seven
“I didn’t expect to see you here.” Allister entered the office, took a seat, and threw his booted feet up on the edge of Draegan’s desk.
“Well, here I am.”
“Grouchy as ever, too,” Allister pointed out. “Wanna talk about it?”
“I do not,” Draegan said, scribbling some notes down for the morning shift. He paused and looked up. “How many loads of cattle came in today?”
“Fourteen,” Allister replied, dragging his hand down his face. “Any particular reason we’re shipping ‘em in and out faster than we can get ‘em fed and watered?”
Trouble Travels in Threes [Trouble, Tennessee 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 4