“No. That’s his graduating year at high school. Do you recognize any of them?”
She peered at the faces, then zoomed in on the screen. She didn’t just glance over the men, instead, she took care to really look and see if she recognized them from any sphere of her life. That that sphere was relatively small made it easier.
As she made it to the end of the row of smiling, proud faces, she closed her eyes. Blindly, she passed it to Shawn. “Enrique,” she choked off.
Shawn swore under his breath as he grabbed the tablet from her hold. “Fucking hell,” he bit off, confirming what she’d known but had hoped to be untrue. “They were in it together. That’s why I can’t get a hold of him and why he never checked in with me.”
Her bottom lip trembled and before she knew what was happening, Trip sidled up closer to her on the sofa where she was seated, and Marc got up from his armchair and huddled next to her on the other side.
Before she’d had chance to take little more than a dozen breaths, they’d surrounded her. Protected her in their bubble of love.
Gratitude filled her, and she placed her hands on their knees, squeezing gently in thanks.
“They’ve been with us a long time,” Shawn said gruffly, apparently taking note of Trip and Marc’s behavior. She could tell he didn’t know whether to be thankful or jealous.
The other three didn’t seem to have any jealousy between them, but then, as they’d all said to her at some point, they’d been raised to be accepting of this. Raised to know that without the Triad, a mate bond wasn’t possible, and therefore, they had no reason to be jealous.
But Shawn was from another culture. A culture where men didn’t share their women.
She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d flounder in the face of their easy acceptance and the gentle cosseting. It was in the nature of the beast, even if that beast was of the human persuasion, to be possessive.
That wasn’t going to be possible when she was going to have to divide her time between four men.
Jesus, talk about a full-time job, she thought ruefully.
She’d have been overwhelmed at the prospect if another more pressing need didn’t overwhelm her instead… the deep-seated to spend every single moment she had with them.
Was that the bond at play?
It had to be. She’d always appreciated her solitude. Was a loner at heart…
Just not when it came to these guys, it seemed.
“How long?” Erickson demanded.
It took a second for her to remember what they’d been discussing, her thoughts inexplicably on the day to day minute of life with four men.
“Jamie was with me for eight years,” El said softly. “Enrique for four. All that time, were they plotting something?”
“I doubt it, El,” Ryan argued. “That’s a long time to infiltrate a household. Especially when that household has no links to their brotherhood.”
She frowned. “Then why?”
Shawn grimaced. “Jamie recommended Enrique. His resume was perfect for what we needed. I passed on the recommendation to your family, and they concurred that he was a good fit for the job opening.”
Trip inserted, “It’s more likely that Jamie did Enrique a favor, El. Ryan told me that Jamie said he needed the money? Situations change, don’t they? Something can happen in our lives that can turn us from one particular path onto another one we could never have imagined taking.”
She bit her lip. “Enrique too?”
Shawn frowned down at the tablet, then slowly, like he was processing the thought as he spoke, said, “I could be wrong, but they might have gone into business together.”
“What do you mean?” Santiago pounced.
“I don’t recall all that well because they didn’t talk about it in front of me. They knew they weren’t supposed to moonlight, and I don’t think they were. I think they had another friend who they were going into business with; a partnership in a bar, maybe? Something like that?”
Erickson shot Santiago a look. “Did you see anything like that in his bank records?”
“No. But we wouldn’t if they had a company account for it. And it wouldn’t be in his name, would it? Not if they were a partnership. We’ll look into this, dig deeper into his financials.”
Ryan nodded at Erickson’s comment. “If they were in debt, then they must have seen the kidnapping as a pay day. A simple transaction for them.”
Shawn pointed out, “Enrique wasn’t called Pantera. His surname was Gonzalez.”
Marc shook his head. “That doesn’t mean anything. They usually do change their surnames, but they don’t have to. It’s not obligatory. Just a custom.”
“Okay,” Shawn said softly, then hissed again. “I can’t believe they planned this under my nose.”
“They’re Pantera,” Ryan remarked. “Shifters are used to hiding in plain sight. On top of that, they have their own dialect. It’s a form of Spanish, but it makes it hard to listen in.”
El gulped. “I’m still reeling from the fact I didn’t know Enrique and Jamie were friends before they came to work for me.”
Marc reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Why would it have come up? You weren’t friends with them, El. They were your security.”
Shawn conceded that with a nod. “You never got close to any staff after Harry died, El. We both know that. You’re only close to me because we’ve been together so long.”
The men in the room stiffened at that. Only Ryan asked, “Harry?”
“One of my guards,” she whispered, ducking her head. “He was shot while he was checking out the perimeter of my apartment.”
The Triad sucked in shaky breaths, but again, it was Ryan who spoke. “Does anyone else feel like the danger El’s constantly in has to have some source we’re not looking at?”
Shawn grimaced. “She’s wealthier than most Americans even know how to visualize, guys. That creates jealousy.”
“There are threats, and then there are threats. Her family’s wealthy. They’re not dealing with the same kind of shit, are they?” Trip pointed out.
“I’ve always been a target,” she said softly.
Shawn sighed. “Since she moved in with her grandfather. Things started to change then.”
“Any idea why?”
“She was his favorite. It was well known.”
“In certain circles. Criminals don’t look for an in with favorite grandkids,” Trip argued. “Something’s going on here. Something we don’t know about.”
Ryan asked, “Where are your parents, El? I think we need to talk to them.”
Her eyes widened. “Why do we? I already did my monthly duty and saw them on Friday.”
Marc chuckled. “Monthly duty? That much fun, are they?”
“You’ve no idea,” she commented, rolling her eyes. Then, turning serious, she murmured, “They’ll never understand and accept this… quartet thing we have going on.” When Erickson and Santiago shot each other a look, she tilted her chin high. Refusing to be ashamed of something that was fact now, and since Ryan’s demonstration, was real and tangible.
Marc squeezed her hand again. “You’ll go with Ryan to see them.”
Ryan frowned. “That’s not fair, guys.”
Trip shrugged. “It makes sense. In public, she needs to be on your arm. There are going to be times when you’re in the human society pages, Ryan. She can’t keep swapping and changing. Not without making tongues wag. Within our own world, it’s different.”
“You’re okay with that?” she asked softly, hating the deception, hating the fact they’d have to hide their bond. Even though it was all still beyond her perception and understanding, she knew how huge a deal it was for them to take this step. And even though love shouldn’t have come into the equation yet, she loved them for making that sacrifice for her benefit.
And loathed her circumstances for making a sacrifice necessary at all.
Trip lifted an arm and curled it about her shoulder. She’d never bee
n overly tactile before, but she loved how easy it was for them to touch her. It was so natural. Like breathing. It reinforced their connection, made it realer somehow. “Marc and I discussed it, sweetheart. We think it’s best.”
“But we were going to go to Wild functions together,” she said mournfully.
Marc blinked at that. “You really meant that?” he asked softly, and she knew he was touched.
“Of course. This bond between us is still insane to my mind, but it doesn’t matter. Just because my very rational brain doesn’t understand, every other part of me does. I’m not just Ryan’s. I’m all of yours.”
“Your name brings you under more scrutiny than most, El.” Shawn sighed. “You know they’re right.”
“Look on the bright side,” Marc said softly. “Shawn will be with you. He can look like a guard.”
“Can’t you all?” She turned bright eyes on Trip and Marc. “I really don’t want to have to deal with being parted from you when it comes to these kinds of events.” She sucked in a shaky breath. “Already you’re grounding me. I can feel it.”
Marc shot Ryan a look. “The bond’s coalescing faster than anticipated.”
“I know. When I called upon the links earlier, it’s three times thicker than it was yesterday.”
Marc and Trip stiffened at her side.
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No, not at all,” Ryan soothed. “It’s just… you might be right. Having to hide the bond in public will take a very deep toll on you. More than we could have foreseen.”
“This still isn’t sounding like a good thing.”
At her wary statement, Trip chuckled a little. “It’s a great thing. It means that the rational part of you that thinks this is nuts is going to be drowned out soon. Your head is only a single part of you. Your heart and soul two other different things.”
“Does this mean you’ll pretend to be guards to stay with me?”
“It means we might not have a choice to do anything else,” Ryan told her.
“We’ll need to curb back on travel too,” Marc pointed out.
“No, I don’t think so. The hiding and the secrecy will exacerbate her insecurities. Not if we have to travel.” Trip tightened his hold on her. “You’re a strong little bit, baby, aren’t you?”
“Well, I thought I was,” she said ruefully. “Now the fact I want you to hold my hand when we go to events is changing that.”
Santiago broke into their conversation by clearing his throat. “Sirs, we don’t mean to interrupt but this should probably be a private discussion.”
Ryan blinked. “You’re right. Apologies. What is your next step?”
“We’re looking into any reasons why the Pantera would want to mess with Ms. Forsythe-Drew’s family. Any links there would explain a lot away. Also, we’re going to start looking into what Mr. McNamara just shared. We need to figure out if the two men acted as individuals or as part of the Pantera collective.”
Ryan nodded. “Keep me posted.”
“Of course, sir.” Erickson’s smile was tight. “We’ll be in touch, and, er, congratulations.”
The Triad murmured as one, “Thank you.”
As the cops traipsed out, El murmured, “Well, that was creepy. You all speaking at the same time like that.”
Marc snorted. “Seems you have a thing for creeps then. That happens a lot.”
She wrinkled her nose. “It does?”
Trip chuckled. “It does.”
“Great.”
At her glum tone, Ryan smiled, then murmured, “El, we really do need to visit with your family.”
Her glumness reappeared in a great wave. “We do?”
“Sooner rather than later, sweetheart.”
“And with them, you’ll have to just tell them about Ryan, but Marc and I can come as hired muscle.” Trip joked around by lifting his arm and tensing his bicep. “I always wanted to be a bodyguard.”
She giggled. “You can guard my body any day of the week.”
When heat flared in his gaze, she felt a responding inferno blossom inside her. The reaction took her by surprise, and she pressed a hand to her throat without thought.
Though she was gradually becoming accustomed to their bond, she knew there was still a whole world of surprise waiting to rain down on her.
She just hoped she didn’t drown in the deluge.
Chapter 9
Shawn rubbed his chin as he watched El depart for the bathroom. She was nervous and had gone to hide. He’d seen the signs too often before. The involuntary hand to her throat, the biting of her lip, the little tick beside her right eye, and finally, the stuttering.
She was as easy to read as a kid’s book.
Well, she was to him. But then, they’d been together for fifteen years.
What he didn’t know about her was the only aspect he’d ever refused to explore. An aspect he suddenly had permission to seek out.
Marc cleared his throat, drawing Shawn’s attention to him. He was the tallest of the bunch, had russet-colored hair, and eyes so green they were a bit discomforting. He had a habit of staring at people in a way that should have been unnerving, but made a man feel comfortable. It was beyond weird.
He was, like the other two, heavily muscled, but he wore his strength easier. Lithe rather than coiled, as it were.
“I think we need to work this out alone. Without El around to get upset.”
“She’ll be gone a while,” Shawn said softly. “She gets lost in the bathroom when she’s nervous.”
Trip chuckled. “I shouldn’t find that funny, should I?”
Ryan sighed. “No, but because you’re you, you will.”
Trip flipped him the bird and, to Shawn, said, “We should welcome you to the family, I suppose, Shawn.”
“I don’t expect that,” he admitted, honesty weighing down each word. “I’m a spanner in the works.”
“You are,” Marc agreed, “but you make El happy.”
“You can’t be happy about this.”
“It isn’t a matter of being happy,” Ryan explained. “It’s a matter of accepting what we can’t change. The Mother works in mysterious ways.”
“How many other quartets are there?” Shawn demanded, a tad irritated by their acceptance when he was still in shock.
“None.”
He wanted to pounce on the admission, but there was no fire to Marc’s retort. He shook his head. “Aren’t you jealous? Of each other? Of me?”
Ryan murmured, “We were born knowing we’d share a woman. The only doubt was when, not if.”
“But with me? Aren’t you angry?” He couldn’t understand that.
“Are you?”
He blinked at the simplicity of Marc’s question and tried to process exactly what the fuck he was thinking. What he was feeling.
For so long, he’d had to channel his feelings for El into her safety. He couldn’t love her like she needed to be loved, couldn’t show her how much he felt for her, but he could keep her safe. And he’d focused all he had on that.
Apparently, that wasn’t enough if they’d had two sons-of-bitches working under his nose, but he’d tried, dammit. A man couldn’t do more.
Now, however, to be allowed to feel something for her? For it not to have to be a dirty secret he kept rammed inside… Releasing a long breath, he whispered, “No, I’m not jealous. I’m relieved.”
“Why?”
At Trip’s question, he answered, “Because I can have a piece of her when before I had nothing. Not even crumbs.”
“Exactly,” Ryan said softly, then, he explained, “Marc, Trip, and I have been waiting three decades for El. Marc was alone for a long time before he met Trip, and they were seeking me for decades too. The amount of time that has passed for us to reach this moment? We’re grateful that we hit the destination, and we’re not worried about what happens now we’re here. Does that make sense?”
He nodded. In a weird way, it did.
“You’re going t
o have to get used to the idea of being around us though. You’re going to have to open up to the fact that our say in her life is as prevalent as yours. Our opinions matter.”
“Basically,” Trip stated, interrupting Ryan who scowled at him, “you have to learn to share.”
Shawn blinked. “I can do that.”
“It will take practice at first,” Marc pointed out. “And patience. It’s all a learning curve though. We were always going to have to adjust to one another.”
“The truth is, if the whole fucked up mess with Jamie hadn’t happened, I really doubt El would have been so accepting of this, so the time we have to play with is to our good fortune. Most human females don’t accept the fact they’re mated to three men easily. And they usually respond negatively to the fact we can turn into Lions too.”
Marc and Trip nodded at Ryan’s statement.
“The danger she was in, and the ease in which Ryan handled it and secured her, works in our favor. I wish that weren’t the case. I hate that she’s in danger, but what can we do except dig for the source?”
Ryan murmured, “Marc’s right. I have to ask, Shawn, while she’s out of the room, what’s really going on with her family?”
“They’re a bunch of bitter bastards,” he said easily and felt no guilt at the harsh opinion. “They’ve treated her like shit nearly all her life. I was hired when she moved from her parents’ place to her grandparents’, so I didn’t see her early years, but I saw the aftermath of her grandfather’s will. It wasn’t pleasant. Her father continually tries to find ways to undermine the trusts James put into place, but they’re iron-clad. There’s no getting into them, and when he realizes that, he treats her even worse.”
“You don’t think the threats come from them, do you?” Trip asked Ryan, scowling at the man who was the Pride version of a governor.
Ryan wriggled his shoulders. “I don’t know what I believe,” he confessed. “I just feel like something shady is going on. It’s a weird coincidence that Pantera were her guards. There’s no way they would have known to capitalize on her presence in our world. That date was only arranged on Thursday, and it takes a hell of a lot more time than three days to arrange an abduction. Santiago was trying to make out that they knew she was important to us because we agreed to go on a first date.” Ryan shook his head. “That makes no sense. First dates aren’t common, granted. But there’s no guarantee they’ll work out. It’s still a first date, not a declaration of more.”
Finding Luna: A Lion Shifter Reverse Harem Romance (PRIDE Book 1) Page 13