TATIANA: Book Three; The Trouble Sisters Saga

by Lee Taylor

  Tatiana chose to ignore the “lady killer” appellation and focused on Zane’s stunning trifecta of success with the three younger children and how he had now thoroughly captured Brooke in his lair. She breathed a sigh but couldn’t keep a smile from curving her lips. Instead, she conceded the obvious. “Yes, he is pretty darned terrific . . . on all fronts.”

  Tara hugged her. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to say another word. Your smile speaks volumes. Not to put too fine a point on it, sis, you are positively glowing.” She added to their younger sister, who’d joined them, “Isn’t she, Tanya?”

  Laughing, Tanya agreed. “Glowing doesn’t begin to describe it. Jesus, sis, your smile could power our humble burg for a month. Honestly, Tatiana, I can’t remember when I’ve seen you looking as relaxed and happy as you do now.” She added with an exaggerated wink, “Amazing what a day or two in bed can do for one’s sense of well-being . . . particularly with a hunk as righteous as my drinking buddy.”

  At that moment, Marcie, who was sitting with Max and Hunter on the floor in front of Zane, glanced up at him. She said flatly, as if she’d come to an important conclusion, “Mr. Zane, I like you.”

  Knowing everyone heard the little girl’s solemn conclusion, Zane swallowed a laugh and said as seriously as he could, “That’s good to hear, Miss Marcie, because I like you too.”

  Clearly not finished with her review, Marcie frowned and added, “You make my momma smile. She doesn’t smile very much. I wish she did.”

  Hearing Tatiana’s gasp, Zane responded thoughtfully. “Hmm, well, Marcie, maybe you and I can do something about that. Your mother has a beautiful smile. Let’s you and I make a deal. We can see who makes her smile the most. How about it? Deal?”

  When Marcie smacked his upraised hand in agreement, confirming their deal, Zane turned to the rest of the Trouble group, who were sharing uncomfortable glances. Rising to his feet, he crossed the room and sank down on the sofa next to Tatiana. “I will tell you something that I’m sure you all know. That is if there was ever a dancing fiend, it’s your sister and daughter. She literally brought a bar full of rowdy men, including the entire rockin’ seventies band, to their feet. All it took was her solo dance to one of Rod Stewart’s more provocative tunes.”

  Seeing her sisters and father exchange glances, Zane stretched his arms out across the back of the sofa, nudging one hand protectively close to Tatiana’s shoulder. He was glad when Titus broke the strained silence.

  The narrow-eyed sheriff focused a soft smile on his flushed middle daughter and waited until she looked up and met his gaze, then glanced at Zane. “I’m not surprised, Zane. One of my fondest memories is watching Tatiana dance. From the time that she was barely walking, she managed to glide, hop, or twirl across a room. There was no need to put her in dance classes. She would have taught the teachers more than they could teach her.” He pressed his lips together and breathed out a proud sigh. “In that you’ve seen her dance to rock and roll music, I don’t have to tell you she was the acknowledged star at every hip hop party this sleepy town ever hosted.”

  Grateful for Titus’s confirmation, Zane agreed. “I can believe that, Titus, and can testify that she hasn’t lost her moxie. There is a group of hungover guys who are nursing themselves back to sobriety, trying to decide if their vision of the sexiest woman alive was real or a figment of their drunken imagination.”

  Titus cocked a brow at Zane’s explicit description of his daughter, then smiled and nodded in agreement. Their shared approbation was cut short when Tanya snarled softly but unfortunately loud enough for everyone to hear. “Yeah, she was a great dancer until she married that asshole . . . ”

  Tara stood and along with Griffin quickly moved into their host and hostess roles. Gesturing to his well-appointed bar, Griffin broke the uneasy silence. Nodding to Titus, he said, “What’ll it be, Sheriff? Are you in a wine or hard liquor mood?”

  Titus forced a smile to his lips and murmured, “As if you have to ask, Griffin.”

  Griffin nodded and glanced at the other adults. “Can I assume the rest of you will join the sheriff?”

  Ryker guffawed. “Damn straight. At least I know that the district attorney and I would never turn down that righteous Bowman’s you hide on your bottom shelf. Now, I’m not sure that my feisty woman is up to that level of hard liquor, but . . . ” Laughing when Tanya punched him on the arm, he qualified, “Let me restate that. It appears that, as always, the deputy sheriff could likely drink the whole damn bunch of us under the table.”

  Over the next hour, the convivial group of friends, particularly the three brazen former special operatives, kept the conversation at a raucous pitch. Tatiana admitted she couldn’t remember when she’d sat in a loquacious group like this and didn’t feel out of place. She wasn’t surprised that Zane held his own among the skilled raconteurs. After all, she’d seen him bring a ballroom of jaded legal professionals to their feet in admiration. Most surprising was how his arm stretched across the back of the sofa comforted her, made her feel a part of the group, although, as usual, she said little. In the back of her mind, she was trying not to dwell on Tanya’s telling reference to her ex-husband.

  Unintentionally or not, at a lull in the conversation, her hard-bitten younger sister once again put an unwanted spotlight on her. “Damn, Tatiana, it’s a good thing you were gone for a couple of days.” At Tatiana’s questioning frown, she barreled forward. “I wasn’t surprised Savannah Jenkins is back on the street. There’s no way that stoned-out lush could have stayed at the Sanctuary. But from what Gretchen Samuels said, you had a heck of a time getting her to leave. Seems she scared the bejesus out of your staff. They were convinced that the crackhead was going to physically attack you.” She frowned. “You know, sis, every once in a while you might think about calling me if you get in over your head. I could just drop by, flash my badge, not make a big scene or anything.”

  Tatiana felt Zane’s body stiffen and quickly filled the pregnant silence following Tanya’s admonition. She sniffed and said in a tight voice, “You make a scene, Tanya? How unlike you.”

  Hearing the rebuke in Tatiana’s ironic response, Tanya shrugged. “I know you like to go it alone. But no kidding, Tatiana, Savannah is on a real bender. She was lit up like a fucking Christmas tree at the B n’ T last night. And, sis, hate to tell you, but her target seems to be you.”

  Later, as they were preparing to leave, Zane saw Titus make his way over to Tatiana, who was gathering Max’s toys and helping Marcie pack her overnight bag. Seeing the intent on the sheriff’s face, Zane moved in their direction. Not caring that he was eavesdropping, he heard Titus say, “You know, independent daughter of mine, your sister is dramatic but she has a point. And, honey, when you need me, you know I’m a phone call away.”

  Tatiana shook her head, then leaned up and kissed her father’s cheek. “I know you are, Dad. And if I need to, you know I will call you.”

  Titus’s furrowed brow and ironic response confirmed a number of points that Zane had surmised. Putting his arm around his daughter’s waist, Titus lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “I only wish that were true, Tatiana. I would sleep better at night if I thought you would call me when you need to.”

  Zane met Titus’s troubled frown over Tatiana’s head and didn’t try to hide the fact that he’d overheard their exchange. Titus’s slight shrug acknowledged Zane’s unspoken question, confirming that he didn’t mind sharing his concern about his daughter with the guy who was obviously front and center in her life.

  Chapter 20

  I dunno, Ryker, it’s easy for you. You and the dynamic deputy are essentially shacking up together. Knowing the two of you, it likely takes both of your pads to handle all your shenanigans. Try two separate houses. And given her schedule, I’m only going to be able to see the woman I’m crazy about every three days or so, at the most. And as adorable as they are, you don’t have two of the cutest kids alive living in the house with your woman. Which ensures
that even a good night kiss has a chance of being observed or truncated.”

  “Ah, come on, Zane. Every kid at the party yesterday was going apeshit over you. And not only Marcie and Max. My Hunter is a card-carrying Avengers fan. After that strong-man exhibition of yours, he swears that Auntie Tatiana’s ‘friend’ looks exactly like Thor.” Griffin’s grin widened. “Trust me, the last thing Brooke wants to do is agree with her little brother on anything, but she insists that you are even ‘handsomer’ than Chris Hemsworth.”

  Zane laughed and conceded, “Yeah, you’re right. Those kids—all of them, yours included, Griffin, are over the top. It was good to have an opportunity to be with all of you. To see Tatiana as an integral part of the tribe instead of an occasional add-on at the B n’ T.”

  “Don’t minimize the coup you pulled off, dude. Ryker and I can testify that you not only hit it out of the park with the kids but you captured the toughest trio I know—that being the Trouble clan. Hell, man, they were lying in wait for you. All it would have taken was a hint that Tatiana was unhappy to put you so far behind the chains you would never have made it past the twenty-yard line. Instead, as both Tara and Tanya noted, your woman—and I feel free to call her that—was absolutely glowing. Christ, it even made my not easily buffaloed heart happy to see her smiling for a change.”

  “Griffin’s on target, Zane. That Pied Piper shtick with the kids, as Tara called it, was a ten-strike. But the money ball was the sheriff. You made serious bank on that front, Zane. Titus actually said to me, on the down-low, of course, that he never thought he’d say it but he’s glad you’re in Tatiana’s life. Quite an admission for that protective hard-ass. Although I’m the first to admit when it comes to his daughters, in addition to being protective up the wazoo, the sheriff is a softie. Those young women are at the center of his life and always have been. And by the way, they return the favor.”

  Zane was quiet for a moment and then decided to broach the issues that had his gut in knots. Fuck it, if anyone should understand, it was these two men. Both of them had survived the fearsome fray that was a given when courting one of the Trouble sisters. He took a healthy swallow of his Maker’s Mark, then faced his friends, who were studying him. “Look, guys, it’s gotta be obvious that as much as I enjoy your company, I had an ulterior motive in dragging your asses here tonight.” Gesturing with his chin to the high-priced bottle he’d ordered Dante to put on their table, he added with a grunt, “Not to mention paying for the booze. But then, given that you have both managed to traverse the obstacle course involved in capturing one of Titus’s chosen ones, your advice is worth the cost.”

  “Hmm, thought that might be your motive, dude, and to be truthful, if you hadn’t called, I planned to shanghai you. At the instigation of my babe, no less.” When Zane raised a questioning brow, Ryker continued. “Yeah, buddy, the deputy sheriff has more than her panties in a bunch. Simply put, she’s worried about her sister and, no, not the fact that you are in her life. Rather, like her father, Tanya’s damned glad that you’ve managed to scale Tatiana’s formidable walls.”

  Griffin raised his glass in agreement. “Ditto on the concern from my home front, dude.”

  Zane blew out an audible sigh, then shook his head. “I guess I should be glad I’m not just acting like the possessive, paranoid SOB that I am. But the fact that you two and, for Christ’s sake, Tanya and Tara share my concerns must mean that my misgivings are warranted.” He quickly added, “I trust I don’t have to tell you that I have no misgivings when it comes to how I feel about Tatiana.”

  “Like the fact that you are ass-over-elbows in love with her?”

  Zane nodded to Ryker and snorted. “I’m that obvious?”

  “Yeah, you are. But don’t apologize. Both Griff and I have been bitten in the ass and elsewhere by a Trouble babe. While it’s painful at times, neither one of us would trade the privilege of being in love with our remarkable women for a world of riches.” He quaffed a healthy slug of the Maker’s Mark and shrugged. “No need to be mysterious. The reason her family is climbing the walls ain’t because of you, Zane. Rather, it’s the issue, make that issues, my brazen babe raised yesterday in her usual bulldogged way. Which unfortunately got the expected reaction—that of making Tatiana more defensive than ever.”

  Zane met his gaze. “Would those issues be the fact that some drugged-out lush has Tatiana in her sights and that her ex-husband is an asshole?”

  Ryker shrugged. “As you might have guessed, both.” He blew out a sigh as hard as Zane’s, then looked to his comrade for support.

  Griffin nodded and entered the huddle. “Look, Zane, it’s a given that Tanya and the sheriff are hot under the collar when they are convinced that Tatiana is in danger. And while it is unlikely that Savannah Jenkins will actually hurt her, the shit she was shoveling the other night in this very bar raised all of our hackles. And yes, Tara is as concerned as the dynamic duo is and she’s not a law enforcement professional. But she knows her sister inside and out. What you need to understand is that while both Tara and Tanya are fiercely independent, they are babes in the wood compared to Tatiana.”

  Not able to hide his surprise, Zane sputtered. “What the hell? As shy, as contained as Tatiana is? You’re saying she’s more independent than her hard-assed sisters?”

  Ryker and Griffin exchanged a glance, then Ryker spoke up. “Come on, Zane. You’re in love with her. You have to see the protective, titanic shell she’s sheathed herself in. Sorry, man, but at base, Tatiana is the most heavily armored of the three Trouble sisters.” He added with a shrug, “You might recall that I warned you, man. In my view and I’m sure in Griffin’s as well, Tatiana is a walking minefield.” He paused. “Which brings us to the other issue that surfaced at our get-together.”

  Before Ryker could finish, Zane spit out, “Would that be who Tanya called Tatiana’s asshole ex-husband?”

  “Yep, that would indeed be the ultimate asshole, her ex, Arnold Loomis.”

  Remembering the ugly things Tatiana had told him Loomis had said to her, Zane appealed to his friends. “Look, I know from what I’ve gleaned that their marriage was a troubled one.”

  “Ya think?!” Ryker guffawed. “Wonder what it would take to make a twenty-two-year-old woman, who was also six months pregnant at the time, divorce her husband? Not to mention that she was also the mother of a two-year-old toddler.” He continued before Zane could ask. “Among other things, according to Tanya and, yes, Titus, Loomis was possessive to the nth degree. Add the booze, the designer drugs, and losing a fucking fortune, and you get a sense of what a true asshole Loomis was and is. And of the strength it must have taken for Tatiana to boot him, given her circumstances.”

  Zane’s chest was so tight, it hurt to breathe, but he forced himself to suck in a deep breath. Gazing at his clearly concerned friends, he shook his head and muttered, “He told her that lingerie was . . . perverted. That . . . only ugly sluts wore it.” Swallowing the bile that was threatening to choke him, he groaned. “Christ, can you imagine someone sick enough to say that to one of the most beautiful women who ever walked the earth?”

  Griffin’s hard sigh echoed Ryker’s. “Yeah, buddy, unfortunately, I can. According to her sisters, that was the usual shit that spilled out of the mouth of a one thousand-percent certified asshole named Arnold Loomis.”

  ****

  “I don’t know, Zane, I’m not sure I have anything to wear. I . . . guess I could wear the dress that I wore to the opening dinner in Tucson. Tara gave it to me. She said she’s never worn it and insisted that it was made for me. The problem is that Marjorie Cabot, the president of the ABA, saw it. I don’t know if you should wear the same dress twice . . . with the same people.”

  “Listen to me, sweetheart. You could wear that gorgeous dress every night of the year and I would never tire of it. In fact, I would be as wowed as I was the first time I saw you in it. Regarding Marjorie Cabot, our organization’s president, she specifically asked me if I planned to inv
ite you to the party tomorrow night. She said if I didn’t, she would invite you. That’s how much she wants you there. Whether you admit it or not, Tatiana, at this moment, you are the brightest star in the ABA gallery. Marjorie is determined that you will keynote the national ABA meeting in D.C. in June.”

  “Good God, Zane, I could never do that!” She hesitated, then couldn’t suppress her snarky response. “Besides, can you imagine what Chloe Reynolds would do when she found out? She might truly throw a tantrum and shred one of her skintight jumpsuits. Which would be a pity . . . ”

  Zane roared. “My goodness. I thought remarkably well-behaved women didn’t make fun of other women who are understandably green with envy and more than a little unhinged.”

  “Is that how you see me, Zane? Well behaved? As in boring?”

  Grabbing hold of her, Zane held her at arm’s length and regarded her with a thoughtful frown. “Hmm, let me think. How do I see you? Well behaved? Yes, most of the time you are well behaved, exceptionally so. How about studious? Intense? Smart as hell? Determined? Independent? Yep, you are all of those things, including the fact that you are also surprisingly shy. Which, by the way, is an attribute that has my barely contained alpha dog running to the rescue.” Unable to squelch the surreptitious grin tugging at his lips, he added thoughtfully, “But those are characteristics you show to everyone. I’m more interested in the fact that you are a hell of a dancer and brought a bar full of jaded men to their knees with your uninhibited exhibition. And how about your other personae, the ones you show me in private? For example, you are the single sexiest woman I’ve ever known. Damn, sweetheart, just remembering you begging me to take you harder, deeper has my cock rising to the forefront, frantically searching for my woman.”