“Cut the shit, Sean,” she said. “And just so you know, Bubba left me everything, the whole kit and caboodle.”
She watched as Sean’s face visibly paled. “Does Ray know?” he asked.
“Of course he does, he even tried to have the will declared invalid, but the judge saw his tricks for what they were. A last ditch attempt to get control of the ranch and its assets,” she said.
“Kianna, you aren’t living at the ranch alone are you?” Sean asked her, his face taking on a concerned look.
“Not at the moment. Ray is causing too much trouble right now for it to be safe for her to stay there, so she’s staying at the compound with us,” Alex said, his big arms crossed over his chest just daring Sean to say something stupid.
“Good, good…you have to keep her safe. I haven’t seen Ray since I got locked up, but judging from his demeanor during our phone calls, I’d say he’s as bad as Bubba ever was, if not worse, and he’ll do anything to keep that ranch.” Sean stood then and started to pace back and forth in little circles. Stopping, he looked at Kia and asked, “What information do you need from me, Kia? If I can help in any way, just name it. I caused you and your mom so much pain over the years it’s the least I can do.”
Sitting down again, he took her hand in his, this time ignoring the growls behind her, and said, “I’m not asking for your forgiveness because what I did to you can never be, should never be forgiven, but I’m asking for your understanding. You were raised in the same house as I was, but you didn’t see a lot of what Bubba did to us boys. That was something he kept his dirty little secret. Let’s just say he was a sick fuck and leave it at that. Bubba ingrained in all us boys, from the time we could walk, that women were never to be trusted and that the only way to keep them in line was to beat it into them.”
When she would have said something, she kept her mouth closed when Sean raised his hand to her in a stopping motion.
“I’ve learned a great deal in the past two years, and I’m hoping to continue to learn more as I live out my sentence here. And one of the things I learned, that Steve was lucky enough to learn years ago, is that how Bubba raised us and his views on things was completely fucked up. I’ve been working with a pastor that comes through here and, no, I haven’t gone all religious, but he has helped me understand that what Bubba did to us boys and then, in turn, what we did to you and other women, was so wrong. My being here was the best thing to happen to me. It helped me to get my head out of my ass and back on my shoulders straight. Rev. John has helped a lot in dealing with things that happened to me and to help me understand how I could do something so evil as to kill my own brother…”
Kianna could see the tears forming in Sean’s eyes and realized that the man sitting before her finally understood. He finally comprehended the horrors that he caused.
“Kia, Ray will try to kill you, little sister. Bubba and I started a lucrative business on the side, and Ray isn’t going to want to give that up. You need to keep as far away from him as possible.”
Leaning back, Kianna studied the brother sitting across from her.
“You really piss me off, Sean,” she stated plainly. “Coming here was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I was totally prepared to do battle with you to get the information I need. And you had to go and get all normal on me. Why the fuck do you have to make things so difficult?”
Kianna could feel the tears starting to form and quickly brushed them away. By now, her mates had pulled over more chairs for them to sit on and were surrounding her.
“I’m sorry, little sister. I would do anything to take the pain away. All I can do now is live my life in a healthy way and whatever you need from me, all you have to do is ask.” Sean patted her hand and leaned back, waiting.
Clearing her throat, Kianna said to him, “I need to know about the ranch. Ray says that Bubba bribed a county clerk to redo the property lines when he bought it and that the ranch actually belongs to the Featherstones. Is he telling me the truth?”
“From what I understand, he’s telling you the truth. Bubba bragged to us all one night when he was drunk how he stole all the land out from underneath the Featherstones’ noses, and they’d never be able to prove it.”
“Dammit.” Kianna thumped her fist on the table, drawing glares from some of the guards.
* * * *
Duncan placed a hand on the back of his mate’s neck and started to massage it. “Easy, sweetheart, we already told you it doesn’t matter what happened forty some years ago. That ranch is yours now.”
“It’s not though,” she cried. “It belongs to you and your pa…” She quickly closed her mouth before she said something stupid.
Sean smiled at her like he knew exactly what she was going to say.
“What?” She glared at him.
“I know all about them, Kia.”
Duncan’s and his brother’s jaws just about hit the floor. How the hell did he know about them? And an even better question was, why hadn’t he told anyone?
“What the hell are you talking about, Sean?” Duncan asked.
“The fact that you and your family are shape-shifters,” Sean said back to him as if he had just told him the sky was blue.
“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” Duncan worried that if he didn’t stop this conversation, they were going to get into things better off left unsaid.
“I understand why you wouldn’t want it to get out. And if you believe nothing else, believe me when I tell you that your secret is safe with me. I’ve known, since Kia was about thirteen, what you all were. At first, I thought I was going insane, but when I saw it happen over and over again, I couldn’t deny it any longer. At first I thought it would be a gold mine. Ya’ know, tell the world about the shape shifters. But even I was smart enough to know that no one else would believe me and telling Bubba would only make him crazier than he already was, so I’ve kept it to myself. And now I’m glad I did,” Sean said in a quiet voice.
Just then, one of the guards came over and told them that visiting time was over. Standing, Sean looked at Duncan, an expression of concern evident on his face, and said, “You need to get Ray out of the picture, and fast, and there’s only two ways to do it. Put him in here with me, or put him in the ground because he’s going to keep coming after her until he finishes the job. I have a safety deposit box at one of the local banks back home that holds enough information to put Ray away for a very long time. Not just for the poaching and smuggling, but for a murder he committed a few years back. I’ve had the gun and some other stuff tucked away as insurance. He already tried to take me out in here once by hiring my cellmate at the time to shank me.” Sean lifted his shirt and showed him a six-inch scar on his left side.
“I told him, if I die, all the information goes straight to the cops. I’ve had permanent bodyguards ever since.” Sean nodded his head over to the table beside them where two big inmates sat watching them.
Duncan watched, fully alert, as Sean took his hand from his pants and laid a small key on the table.
“Be very careful around him. He’s a hell of a lot more dangerous than Bubba ever was.” He gave Kianna a sad smile and turned to head back to his cell.
“Sean?” Kianna called out. “Can I come back and see you again?” In that moment, Duncan was so proud of his mate.
“Anytime you want, little sister. I have a lot to make up for with you, and if you give me a chance, maybe we can be friends one day.”
Taking her hand, Duncan started walking back out through the guard posts to the truck. No one said a word as they walked the long corridors and across the parking lot.
At their vehicle, Duncan pulled Kianna into his arms and held her as she started to shake. He had been waiting for her meltdown. He could feel the confusion and tension radiating off their mate after their visit.
“Why can’t I stop shaking?” she asked quietly, her face pressed against his chest.
“You’ve just had all your p
reconceived ideas of your older brother shot to hell. You’ve found out that the ranch you inherited was acquired originally through theft and that one of your other brothers is trying to kill you. I’d say you have every reason to be a little shaky.” Duncan kissed the top of her head and nodded to Teaghen to take her while he opened the doors and got things ready to leave.
Duncan watched as Kianna wrapped her arms around Teaghen’s neck as he lifted her into his arms. Alex gently stroked up and down her back trying to calm her shaking. Walking around the passenger’s side, Alex opened the door and got in the back. Teaghen held Kianna a little bit longer, kissed her cheek, and then placed her in back on Alex’s lap. The ride home would be a quiet one, Duncan knew that for sure. Kianna had had so much to process in the last few days he was surprised she hadn’t blown a gasket before this.
“We’re going to stop up ahead and grab some dinner, baby,” he said to her, their eyes meeting in the rearview mirror.
“I’m not hungry, Dunc. We can wait until we get home,” she quietly responded.
“No way, kitten, you haven’t eaten since breakfast, and it won’t help you any if you get sick.” He knew he was reaching, but he wanted to get some food into her to help keep up her strength. She was going to need all the energy she had over the next little while if she was going to take on Ray.
* * * *
Alex loved the feel of his mate sitting on his lap, her body curled up against his. He hated the fact that her whole world had just been rocked by the realization that the one brother who had tormented her the most during her childhood was not the monster that she remembered. She had to come to terms with the fact that not only did Bubba abuse her, but he also abused the boys. He wished that Bubba Deacon was still alive so he could beat the shit out of him. He and his brothers had known about some of the abuse near the end, but had they know about all of it, Bubba Deacon would have been dead years ago.
“He’s changed,” he heard her say quietly.
“Yeah, he has, baby. He’s been away from the family for a while now and been able to get some help to understand what Bubba had done to him so he can accept it and move forward.” Alex brushed the hair back from her face and looked into her eyes.
“He knows what he did was horrible, both to you and to Steve. Steve, he can never say sorry to, never bring back, but with you, he can try to make amends, if that’s possible. It’s up to you whether you want to accept his apologies or not. No one would blame you for cutting him out of your life, but I really don’t think that’s what you want, is it?” he asked.
“I don’t know, Alex. I just don’t know. Part of me wants to forget he ever existed, but after hearing what Bubba did to him and seeing the change in him, it makes it harder. Maybe I’ll talk to the pastor from the prison and see what he has to say.”
“That would be a great idea. Then you’ll know whether or not Sean is for real. I think he is, but for your own peace of mind, you need to be sure.”
They pulled up in front of a little diner and all got out. Teaghen took Kianna’s hand and led her into the restaurant.
“We’ll grab something light here, and then when we get home, I’ll make you my special omelet. Duncan will run you a nice hot bath, and you can try and get a good night’s sleep. Things will take on a whole new light in the morning, baby,” Teaghen said, kissing her temple as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
They found an empty booth in the back corner of the diner and sat down, making sure to keep Kianna between them. Sean had made it crystal clear exactly how far Ray would go to get the ranch back.
The one thing that stuck in the back of Alex’s mind though was why Ray would tell them about the property theft if he was going to kill Kianna because he wanted her land?
Ray must be aware that if something were to happen to Kianna that he and his brothers would look to him first and that, because of his comments about the ranch, they would move to take back their land. He had to be up to something. They were just going to have to make sure that whatever plans he had that their mate was protected at all costs.
“So, baby girl, what do you feel like eating?” he asked.
Kianna smiled at him, and Alex could have sworn that all the blood from his brain just rushed to his cock. He loved her more and more each day and wanted to keep a smile on her face for the rest of her life.
“I just want a small chicken Caesar salad for now. Remember you promised to make me your special omelet when we get home, so I don’t want to fill up too much.” She leaned against Teaghen and closed her eyes.
Alex and his brothers looked at one another and were concerned by the waves of fear and confusion emanating from their mate. Her brother had caught her completely off guard during their visit. He just hoped that he stayed true to his word because if he ever caused Kianna any more pain, he didn’t care what it took, but Sean would pay with his life.
“Sean really threw you for a loop, didn’t he, kitten?” Alex asked, brushing the hair back from her face. Alex grinned as she opened her eyes and gave him a weak little smirk.
“Ya think?” she said sarcastically.
He had to fight to keep the smile that wanted to cross his face from emerging. Alex noticed that both his brothers were also fighting their laughter. It seemed that even when she had her feet swiped out from underneath her, their little mate came back quickly.
“Watch the tone, kitten,” he chastised. “I don’t want to have to turn you over my knee the first thing when we get home.”
From the defiant stare that she leveled at him, he knew he had hit the mark.
“You wouldn’t dare,” was all she had a chance to say to them before a grandmotherly looking waitress came to take their order.
“Well now, sweetie.” She smiled down at Kianna. “Aren’t you just the luckiest little lady to have three such handsome men lookin’ all droopy eyed at you?”
Kianna’s face flamed red at the waitress’s assessment of her relationship with the three men.
“Aw, now honey, don’t be going and getting all embarrassed on my account. I’ve got three of them at home myself.” She winked and turned to Teaghen and began taking their order. Gathering up their menus, she patted Duncan on the shoulder and giggled as she headed back to the kitchen.
“That’s Maisy, Kianna. She’s the mate of three of the elders of our pack,” Alex told her. “You’d be surprised at how many women in our pack have more than one mate.”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me she was part of your pack? And this whole mate thing is still new to me, so excuse me if I’m having a little trouble dealing with it.” Kianna gave Teaghen a shove, indicating she wanted him to move out of the way so she could get out of the booth.
“I have to go to the washroom,” she whispered. “So unless you want me to pee on your foot, I suggest you move out of my way, Teag.”
* * * *
The minute Kianna was out of earshot, all three men burst out laughing.
“She’s gonna be a wildcat, Alex. You know that right?” Teaghen said through his laughter.
“Yeah, but think about all the fun we’ll have trying to tame her,” he replied.
“Shit, guys, I don’t want to tame her. She’s perfect the way she is,” Duncan said.
“I said it will be fun trying to tame her. We don’t have a hope in hell of doing it, but it’s still gonna be fun,” Alex said.
Teaghen couldn’t wait until all this shit was behind them, and they could get started on their lives together with Kianna. He couldn’t wait until her belly was big and round with their pups. He imagined she’d be cranky at times, but between him and his brothers, they’d be able to keep her comfortable and happy for the rest of her life.
As he sat there, he was pulled from his daydream by the sound of the bells chiming over the door. Three men walked in all wearing very expensive business suits. His senses perked up immediately. They didn’t take a seat right away. They just stood at the door surveying the inside first. When one o
f them noticed him and his brothers in the booth, the stranger leaned over and said something to the two other men, who then also turned to glance in their direction.
“Wake up, boys, we could be in for some trouble,” Teaghen said to his brothers, his eyes never leaving the three men at the door.
Alex and Duncan turned to look at the three men and their hackles went up also.
“I don’t like the smell of them, Teag,” Duncan said in low voice.
“Alex, head toward the washroom, and wait for our mate. I don’t want anything happening to her, and I don’t trust those three,” Teaghen said to his brother.
As Alex began walking in the direction of the washroom, Teaghen noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that all three men watched his brother closely, and even though the distance wasn’t far, Teaghen worried until Alex was standing just outside the washroom. Once Alex was posted waiting for Kianna, he relaxed a little and became aware of Maisy going over to the strangers’ table.
As he observed her taking their order, he closed his eyes and let his wolf’s sense of hearing free. Their hearing was elevated in human form, but if they concentrated, it increased to their full wolf hearing for a short span of time.
“Do you know those three men over in the far booth, ma’am?” one of the men asked Maisy.
“Well, I’ve know those boys since they were babies,” she replied.
“Did they come in here with a young woman, with light-brown hair?” one of the others asked.
Teaghen opened his eyes and looked across at Maisy, seeing that she glanced back at him with a smile on her face. He closed his eyes in concentration once again.
“They came in here with a good friend of theirs, and she does seem to fit the description you gave. Do you know her? She’s the cutest little thing I’ve ever seen. Why, I remember her when she was just a little, tiny girl and the way she followed those three boys around. They think of her as their little sister and…” Maisy paused for a second, leaned in close to one of the men, and in a whispered voice, knowing that Teaghen could hear her, she said, “They wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone who tried to harm her in any way.”
Kianna and Her Three Alpha Wolves [Featherstone Pack] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) Page 13