by Tara Rose
Racy Nights 12
Collaring Their Racy Runaway
When Teresa Rodriquez returns to Racy under mysterious circumstances, police sergeants and Doms Carson Decker and Garrett Amato discover that more than gossip followed her home. While they can’t help falling in love with her, they must also contend with a man from her past hell bent on having her at all costs.
Teresa ran away from her abusive ex-boyfriend more than once, and each time he’s found her. As she falls in love with Carson and Garrett, she’d lulled into a false sense of security that this time she is safe from him, and from her past, forever.
But during the May 3 celebration marking the anniversary of the tornado that devastated Racy one year ago, Teresa is kidnapped in broad daylight. Can Carson and Garrett find her in time? Or will they lose the woman they each cannot live without?
Genre: BDSM, Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre
Length: 59,423 words
COLLARING THEIR RACY RUNAWAY
Racy Nights 12
Tara Rose
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer.
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at
[email protected]
A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
COLLARING THEIR RACY RUNAWAY
Copyright © 2014 by Tara Rose
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62741-792-1
First E-book Publication: May 2014
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
If you have purchased this copy of Collaring Their Racy Runaway by Tara Rose from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy
This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.
The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.
This is Tara Rose’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Rose’s right to earn a living from her work.
Amanda Hilton, Publisher
www.SirenPublishing.com
www.BookStrand.com
DEDICATION
Thank you to everyone at Siren. You each are shining examples of excellence and professionalism in the publishing industry.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
About the Author
COLLARING THEIR RACY RUNAWAY
Racy Nights 12
TARA ROSE
Copyright © 2014
Chapter One
Teresa Rodriguez didn’t like police stations. They brought back memories of too many times in various states where she’d either been begging for help in obtaining a restraining order, or explaining her involvement with yet another friend who had been arrested for possession and selling of illegal drugs. Or worse. The police always had a tough time believing Teresa hadn’t known about it. After a while, even she had a tough time believing it, although it had always been the truth.
Even before she’d started seeing Julie Carruthers, Racy, Indiana’s, best psychologist, Teresa would have been the first person to admit she did not choose her friends wisely. And this last time had been no different. Only now it was far more serious than hooking up with the wrong person. Ray Hammond had followed her halfway across California, ignoring the restraining order, and Teresa had every reason to believe he’d find her in Racy.
But part of her promise to Julie this past week had been that she’d walk into the Racy police station on her own and tell detective Sean Brennan or any of the officers the entire story. It was time they knew. Sean was one of Julie’s Doms, but aside from that, Julie had explained that the police couldn’t protect her if they didn’t know all the details. Teresa knew Julie was right. She’d known it ever since returning home to Racy three months earlier, in January.
But Teresa was still afraid. She never left the apartment above the garage at her parents’ home on Ash Lane except to see Julie, who was counseling her for free as a favor to Teresa’s brothers Luke and Rafe, and her younger sister Ria. All three of them were also in the BDSM lifestyle, and Julie had explained that the community here in Racy took care of its own.
But it was also time for Teresa to face her past, come clean, and start the process of healing. And to do that, she had to give names and details. She was tired of hiding. And she was tired of listening to her parents scream at her for bad choices. She knew she’d made them. She didn’t need to be reminded daily of that fact.
She’d chosen to walk to the station because it was only a couple of miles from where she lived, but she felt exposed and vulnerable as she made her way toward Main Street. City Hall and the courthouse were nearly finished with their reconstruction. This part of Main Street, as well as most of Market Street and other areas close to downtown Racy had sustained major building damage in an EF3 tornado nearly a year earlier
on May third. Teresa hadn’t been living here then, but she’d heard about it on the news.
The town was planning a celebration on the anniversary of the tornado to dedicate the reconstructed buildings, as well as to acknowledge and pay tribute to all who had worked so hard this past year to restore the damage. For that reason, Teresa and Julie agreed this month was a fitting time for Teresa to come clean and start to put her past behind her.
She walked into the station and glanced around, her heart racing and her palms suddenly damp. They all looked alike, no matter which state or town they were in. They smelled the same, too. Old furniture and paper. The man behind the main desk had his back turned toward her, talking to someone in a uniform, and when he realized she was there he turned around.
Teresa swallowed hard. She tried to take a step forward but it felt as if someone had bolted her sneakers to the tile floor. She’d never seen such a drop-dead gorgeous man in person. He was tall, with muscles his uniform couldn’t hide, and an aura that screamed sexy. She let her gaze travel over his thick, dark hair and ice blue eyes. A slight shadow of stubble graced his chin, and she couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like against her skin.
She swallowed again as he raised his eyebrows and asked what she needed. “I’m here to see…um…Sean Brennan.” Julie had told her to ask for Sean, but if he wasn’t there, she could tell her story to anyone. Why hadn’t she thought to call ahead to see if Sean was working tonight? She’d only met him once briefly, a few months ago. She’d feel more secure telling this story to someone she’d met first.
“He’s out on a call right now. Can I help you with something? I’m Carson Decker, the desk sergeant.” His voice was deep and authoritative, but not cruel. He sounded like every other cop she’d ever spoken to, but Teresa caught an undercurrent of kindness as well. Sean’s voice was like that, too. But then, this was Racy, and if she remembered one thing about her hometown it was that the residents cared about each other, no matter how tough they acted on the outside.
She didn’t remember Carson, but then she had been gone a long time, and had never paid too much attention to people she had no direct contact with every day. She’d been a loner all through school, and had lived for the day she graduated so that she could leave Racy. If only she’d made a different decision all those years ago.
Carson watched her carefully. He was waiting for an answer, and Teresa didn’t want him thinking she was a nut job or had something to hide, so she nodded. It was difficult to look away from this man’s penetrating gaze. “I have a story to tell. And I need help with…with keeping someone from my past from finding me again.”
“You’ve come to the right place.” He pushed a button and the door buzzed, causing Teresa to jump slightly. She followed Carson to a room that looked like every other interrogation room she’d ever been in. Industrial green paint on the walls, peeling in some places, plain, metal furniture, and the obligatory one-way mirror.
“Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
She admired his very nice ass as he walked back into the hallway, grateful that he’d left the door open. Would someone watch them from behind that mirror as she told this story? It didn’t matter if they did. It was the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as they said on TV. And Teresa hoped it would mark the end of an era, and the beginning of a new life for her.
Racy was her home, but she’d only lived here intermittently since graduating from high school eighteen years ago. She barely knew anyone outside her immediate family. But she was here to stay now, hopefully. She’d already asked Luke about hiring her at his bar. Ria had told her that Luke always needed extra help, but Rafe told her he’d ask around as well. There were plenty of jobs available in Racy.
If she could find a job that paid more than minimum wage, she could move into her own apartment, and at least that way she wouldn’t have to endure her parents’ constant criticism. Teresa knew she’d screwed up for nearly two decades. But that was over now. She was here to make a fresh start.
When Carson returned, he was joined by Sean. Teresa smiled, grateful to see a familiar face.
“Why is she in here?” asked Sean. “Come on, Teresa. We can talk in the detectives’ office. It’s a nicer color. I’ve been waiting to hear this story for three months.” Sean gave her a sharp glance. “At least, I think that’s why you’re here, right?”
“Yes. Julie said I should talk to you.”
“Do you mind if Carson sits in on this?”
“No. Not at all.”
She swore the corners of Carson’s mouth turned up, and her heart gave a little lurch. Teresa had never been involved with a guy who hadn’t turned out to be on the wrong side of the law. Not beyond a couple of dates, at any rate. What a nice change of pace it would be to date someone who didn’t have outstanding arrest warrants he’d never bothered to tell her about.
Sean led them to a room that wasn’t much larger than the interrogation room, but he was right about the color. It was beige instead of green, and consequently the tiny office was less depressing. He pointed toward a chair and she sat, then tried to keep from staring at Carson as he perched on the edge of Sean’s desk. Sean gave him a droll look. “We may be here a while. Pull in another chair, okay?”
Carson did, and then once both men were seated, Sean behind the desk and Carson at a right angle to her, Sean took out a legal pad and a pen. “Okay. What do you want to tell us?”
She sighed. “I’m not sure where to start. I know there are plenty of rumors circulating about me. Julie didn’t tell me any of them, but I’ve heard them from my parents and siblings.”
“Why didn’t Julie tell you?” asked Carson.
Sean snorted. “Because Julie is a pro. She holds secrets about most of the people in this town but she never breathes a word of them.”
Carson narrowed his eyes at her for a second, then he nodded. “Now I remember you. You’re one of Magdalena’s sisters. She and I were in the same grade.”
“Yes, that’s right. Only she always goes by Maggie now.”
“And where do you fit in there?”
“Rosa is the oldest, then Maggie, Rafe, me, Luke, Ria, and Peppi.”
“Maggie works at Notus, right?”
“She’s head of marketing in this area for them.”
“You’ve been gone a long time.”
“I left Racy right after I graduated. I’ve been home off and on, but mostly I’ve been on the run.”
Sean gave Carson a curious look and then tapped his legal pad. “Which is why we’re here. From what and whom have you been running?”
“Um, okay. Let’s see…I went to Chicago and worked at a bar after high school. The owner paid me under the table because I wasn’t twenty-one yet, and that’s where I first met Ray Hammond.”
“Is that the man you ran away from in California?”
Teresa nodded. “Yes. But let me back up to eighteen years ago and go from there. I don’t want to miss anything. Ray worked for the owner of the bar, but I didn’t know back then that he was into illegal drugs and the numbers racket. They all were, but I was naïve. I had no clue.”
“Did you end up mixed up in that as well?” asked Carson.
She shook her head. “No. Those are the rumors flying around, but I swear to you both I never got involved in it. About a year after I moved to Chicago, I followed Ray to Denver. We weren’t dating or anything like that. Chicago was expensive to live in, and Ray said I could make a lot of money by working in a place in Denver for a friend of his, and that the cost of living was cheaper, so I went. They taught me how to mix drinks, and again they paid me under the table until I turned twenty-one. And actually, they kept paying me that way.”
She averted her gaze from Carson’s sharp glance. “Look, I know what I did was really stupid. But I hated this town and I thought the only way to experience real life was to move out of it. When you grow up the way I did, with hypercritical parents who think none of their children can d
o anything right, it’s hard to believe you have a future unless you make a clean break. And it’s even more difficult to love your hometown when nothing you do pleases them.”
A shadow of pain crossed Carson’s face, but Teresa wasn’t sure why. She didn’t remember him at all. Had something she said about her parents triggered a bad memory for him?
Sean cleared his throat slightly. “It’s all right, Teresa. We understand. Not everyone grows up with idyllic childhoods. What happened in Denver?”
She swallowed hard. “I stayed for four years and eventually Ray and I were…we became physically involved. But as time went on, I grew afraid of him. Maybe afraid isn’t the right word. Suspicious and wary. Those are better words.”
“Why?” asked Carson, leaning forward, his face full of concern. “What did he do to make you feel that way?”
It touched her that someone she didn’t remember would care at all. “Little things that grew into larger things. He stopped telling me where he went or what he did when he’d leave home at odd hours. On some level I knew things weren’t right. We moved around a lot, from one rental to another, and from one suburb of Denver to another. One day I got a call from a hospital. When I got there, Ray had been badly beaten up. He insisted it had only been a misunderstanding, but I knew he was in big trouble. Shortly after he came home, I left him the first time.”
She took a few deep breaths before continuing. The only other person who knew this entire story was Julie. “I was afraid for my own well-being after that incident. The phone would ring late at night, or people would show up at the house, and he’d always send me out for snacks or beer or something. I was never in the room with them. But I didn’t like the looks in their eyes, or the way they’d glance at each other when I walked into the room.”