God, it was so tempting. Being with them had felt like belonging. But belonging inevitably went wrong. She was better off on her own. Like always.
“Can’t take civilians on a collar.”
“Wrenn—”
“Sorry. I’ve gotta go. It’s time sensitive.” Disconnecting the call, she set the phone to silent, putting it in the cup holder so she could see if Spencer called back.
Almost immediately, the screen lit up with Jude’s number. It was going to be so hard not to answer. Despite the arguing, the sound of their voices had soothed her. If things were different… She couldn’t even let herself go down that road. Even if things were different, how could she ever choose between them? The truth was she couldn’t. And she couldn’t imagine two alpha males like Gideon and Jude willingly sharing the same woman for more than a night or so. It was best not to even entertain those thoughts.
* * * *
“She’s not answering.” Frustrated and angry, Gideon tossed Jude’s phone in the console between them as he increased the zoom on the map he was reading. Like most newer phones, Wrenn’s was equipped with a GPS device. Once he’d had the phone number, it hadn’t taken much to locate her.
Jude stole a quick glance at the laptop screen. “Can you tell where she is?”
“She just merged from interstate seventy-five to interstate six-ninety-six west. And she’s picking up speed.”
“Do you think she’s headed toward Lansing?” Jude mused.
Gideon shrugged. “Her voice seemed tighter, like something’s wrong.”
“If that’s the case, why wouldn’t she just tell us? Let us help?”
“Does she seem like someone who accepts help easily?”
They drove in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Gideon kept his gaze fixed on the computer screen as Jude sped south toward the state capital. As long as they could avoid getting pulled over for speeding, they should reach the city at nearly the same time. Provided that was actually where she was headed.
“She merged onto interstate ninety-six, still heading west.” He continued to watch the red arrow that represented Wrenn’s vehicle. “If we keep traveling at the same speed, we should be able intercept her in about thirty to forty-five minutes.
Jude nodded grimly and pushed harder on the accelerator.
Gideon’s stomach knotted with fear as they drew closer. They couldn’t lose her—not now that they’d found her. He understood the instant attraction he’d felt toward her, but the nearly instantaneous connection was something else. He wanted to take care of her, keep her safe, keep her happy. He’d never felt that way about any woman before. It was insane to think that he’d feel that way about her so quickly, but he did. He wouldn’t go so far as to call it love, but he didn’t doubt it could head in that direction. If she’d let it.
* * * *
Wrenn pulled into the lot of a business down the street from the bail bonds building. The office looked unnaturally dark as if the power had been cut. It was actually a good tactic for shifters. Their night vision was far superior to a human’s. Her hands grew clammy at the thought of walking into a pitch-dark structure where who knew how many werelions waited. She fumbled with her gun, removing the regular lead slugs and reloading silver bullets into the chamber. She doubted Spencer would let her keep the gun for very long, but if she had a chance to take a shot, she was sure as hell gonna do it.
She tucked a short silver knife into both of her knee socks, glad she still wore the stupid schoolgirl outfit—complete with saddle shoes. She’d planned on slinky heels, but the perv’s wife had insisted he’d be far more interested in the flats. Lucky for her, the rubber-soles would work to her benefit when she confronted the werelions. She couldn’t imagine trying to fight them in heels.
Tucking her phone into her cleavage, she checked her appearance in the rearview mirror. She had as many weapons as she could conceal and nine-one-one was programmed to dial at the press of a button. She was as ready as she was going to get. She had no delusions that she could take them all, but if she could give Emma a fighting chance at escape and possibly put a bullet in Spencer’s head, she’d take what she could get.
Pulling onto the road, she drove a quarter of a mile to the bail bonds office and pulled into their lot, parking as close to the streetlight as she could. She left her keys in the ignition in case Emma was able to make it out and was coherent enough to drive. Heart in her throat, she grabbed her gun and flashlight and crept toward the side door. Any attempts at stealth were likely useless since he supposedly had lookouts stationed around the building, but old habits were hard to break.
Inching her way inside, she held her breath while the cloying darkness closed in around her. Purposely, she slowed her breathing, trying to be as quiet as possible, but with their preternatural senses, it was likely a wasted effort. She hovered outside the office manager’s door, where Emma would have been working, but she heard nothing except the sound of her own terrified heartbeat. Her only comfort came from knowing Jude and Gideon were nowhere near Spencer and his psychotic rage.
She moved deeper into the building, toward the front reception area.
“Right on time. Well done, Ms. Saunders. You may as well put down your weapon and turn on your flashlight since we clearly have you at a disadvantage.”
Not taking her eyes from the direction from which the voice came, she squatted slightly and tossed the gun to the right, behind the kitchen area. “Emma,” she called, “are you okay?”
A muffled sob answered her. Turning on her flashlight, she shined it through the reception area to see Emma, duct tape covering her mouth, bound to a chair with computer cable and blood soaking though her pink blouse.
Holding Wrenn’s gaze, Spencer leaned down to lick rivulets of blood off the other woman’s neck. “I just love fresh meat.”
“Let her go,” Wrenn demanded. “I’m here. You got what you wanted.”
The shifter took several steps toward her. “Not quite.”
At the far reaches of the flashlight’s illumination, she saw several figures pacing. Suddenly, one stopped and scented the air. “House cats,” snarled a woman’s voice in the near darkness.
Spencer lifted his head to sniff and Wrenn lunged for him, pulling a blade from her sock as two huge shapes raced past her, crouched low to the floor. Emma screamed beneath the tape and kicked at the floor, propelling the wheeled chair away from the werelion. He reached out to grab his hostage, but he was too late. Wrenn drove for his feet and drew her blade across the back of his right knee. With a howl of pain, his leg buckled as his claws extended, and he swiped at her face as he fell to the floor. He managed to graze her neck, shredding the front of her blouse and knocking the phone to the floor.
Growls and shrieks filled the room as the shifters fought like feral beasts. Fear nearly immobilized her as Spencer began to shift before her eyes. If he changed into his animal form, he’d be healed and she’d be dead. Holding her knife so tightly her hand shook, she forced herself closer to the transforming man and plunged the blade into his neck. Hot blood sprayed across her flesh as she pulled the blade free from his body. Gripping his hair and yanking his head forward, she exposed the back of his neck and destroyed his spinal cord. Trapped between forms, he slumped to the carpet, dead.
Numbly, she reached for her phone and called the police as a huge black panther and an equally huge cougar with bloodied muzzles padded toward her. The cats laid down on either side of Wrenn while Emma quietly freaked out in the corner. Tentatively, Wrenn stroked their big, warm heads as they placed them in her lap, both purring loudly.
* * * *
After the police had taken their statements, and they’d seen Emma safely home to her husband, Wrenn had the guys follow her back to her apartment. She’d told them she wanted them to be able to clean up before heading home, but the truth was, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to them. In fact, tears stung her eyes at the thought of never seeing them again. Maybe she was she was just overt
ired. Or maybe she was becoming far too attached to them than was healthy.
Wrenn stood in her shower under the hot spray of water, watching as Spencer’s blood mixed with the water and swirled down the drain. The hot water and soap stung her neck where his claws had caught her. It wasn’t a serious wound, but it wouldn’t be going away overnight—not like Gideon and Jude’s. As fast as some shifters healed, they might be fine by the time she got out of the bathroom. Unlike her heart which hurt far more than her neck.
Sighing, she rinsed the conditioner from her hair and stepped out of the rapidly cooling water to dry off. She wound a towel around herself and went into the kitchen where the guys were waiting with towels slung around their waists. Her breath caught in her throat as they all stared at each other. The rhythmic swish of the guys’ clothes in the washing machine was the only sound in the tiny apartment. An awkward silence blanketed the room as if they all wanted to speak and had no idea where to begin.
“So, ah…” Jude broke the silence. “What was up with the naughty schoolgirl outfit?”
Her lips quirked and a bubble of laughter escaped. It figured he’d start there.
“Not that I’m complaining.” He grinned.
“Me either,” Gideon added, laughing.
She shrugged. “I had to bring in a bail jumper from a strip club and apparently, schoolgirls are his thing.
Stepping closer, Gideon cupped her chin and tilted her head to the side, inspecting her neck. His smile faded. “I’m sorry we couldn’t get to you sooner.”
“I wasn’t expecting you at all.”
“You could have asked for help,” Jude pointed out, a frown marring his features.
“I don’t…” She didn’t know how to finish the thought.
Gideon threaded his fingers through her hair and urged her to meet his gaze. “We get that you don’t get close to people or ask for help, but we’re here, and we’re not going anywhere.”
Jude moved behind her and settled his big, warm hands on her shoulders. “We want you, Wrenn. Not just in our beds, but in our lives.”
Nervous excitement somersaulted through her stomach, but she tried to quell it. “You don’t even know me—except for the fact that apparently, I’m a big ol’ slut since all I can think about is fucking the two of you.”
“Again, not complaining,” Jude said.
Gideon frowned. “Loving two men doesn’t make you a slut, Wrenn.”
Fear, stronger than she’d felt in the office with Spencer, shook her. “Whoa there. Who said anything about love? It’s way too soon to be talking about stuff like that.”
“It is,” he agreed, “but given the chance, I believe we’ll find our way there.”
“And you’re wrong, little bird,” Jude added. “We know plenty about you—aside from your great taste in men.”
She snorted, unable to hide her amusement.
“We know that you’re one of the strongest people we’ve ever met. No one survives what you did without strength. You’re also too brave for your own good, funny, smart, beautiful.” He dropped a tender kiss on the curve where shoulder met neck. “No, we don’t know everything about you. But we want to learn.”
She wanted to learn more about them too, even though she’d already discovered the most important things, and being shifters wasn’t on the list. That didn’t matter at all. These men were everything she could ever hope to find in a potential mate…or mates.
“Will you give us that chance?” Gideon asked, his amber eyes bright as he searched hers.
Slowly, she nodded as she realized that, more than anything, she wanted what they offered. Love and a place to belong. And more importantly, she discovered that she wanted to give them the same things in return. The knowledge made her slightly giddy.
Rising up on her toes, she pressed her lips to Gideon’s. He immediately deepened the contact, sweeping into her mouth with a soul-stealing kiss. She melted against him as Jude pressed open-mouthed kisses to her back, dragging his lips along her spine and inching her towel down as he went. Gripping her hips, he turned her to face him as he tugged her against his now bare body, his hard cock pressing insistently into her belly. Her insides turned to liquid as his callused hand slid over the curve of her waist to cup her aching breast.
“Let us love you,” Gideon murmured in her ear.
The hot, silky skin of his erection pressed against her ass, startling a groan from her. “Bedroom,” she managed.
Laughing and stumbling, they made their way down the hallway and into her lilac-colored room. She flopped down on her bed.
Jude stared in surprise at delicate violets dotting her comforter. “I guess I was expecting more handcuffs and leather and less Martha Stewart.”
“Hey, badasses like pretty things, too. Besides, the handcuffs are on the dresser with the rest of my gear.”
Jude followed her onto the bed. Her pulse jumped as the mattress sank underneath his weight. It raced nearly out of control when she saw the cuffs in Gideon’s hands. She licked her suddenly dry lips, watching as he drew nearer.
“The first time I saw you, I imagined you cuffed to my bed, spread and at my mercy.” His husky voice raked over her nerve endings. She tried to swallow, but she couldn’t. His lips curved upward in a small smile. “I know you don’t trust us enough to try that now, but someday, I hope you will.”
Feeling Jude’s gaze on her, she drew in a shuddering breath as Gideon turned to put them away. Until he’d asked for her trust, she didn’t realize that she had it to give.
Extending her arms toward him, she placed her wrists together, offering herself. “I trust you,” she whispered.
When he didn’t move, she laid back and gripped the spindles of her headboard, and looked at each man. “Cuff me or don’t, but I’m not moving.”
Raw lust tightened Gideon’s jaw and Jude’s eyes darkened with desire. Cuffs in hand, Gideon straddled her, his cock brushing against his stomach. His muscular thighs warmly bracketed her torso as she offered herself in supplication.
It took every ounce of will not to let go of the headboard and wrap her hands around his thick length.
He dragged the cool metal over her peaked nipples, tightening them further. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. If it excited him this much, she was sure to enjoy it. She shifted, her pussy slick with desire for them.
“I want to hear you say it,” he practically growled.
“Tie me up and fuck me.”
Jude groaned, dragging his fingers through her gathering cream as Gideon prowled up the length of her body and fastened one of the bracelets around her wrist before threading the other around the spindle. The panic she’d expected to feel was curiously absent. Instead, there was trust and affection, but most of all, there was desperate need. It clawed through her body as Jude drew an aching nipple into his mouth. Gideon settled on the other side and mimicked the other man’s action.
Restrained, she could do nothing but accept.
“This is only the beginning,” Jude released her long enough to murmur. She knew from the intensity in his gaze, he was talking about more than sex.
She trembled as their fingers danced over her parted folds. “Good, because I don’t want to give up either of you. Ever.”
“We’re yours,” Gideon whispered. “And you’re ours.”
Nodding, she closed her eyes and gave herself over to her cats.
About the Author
Bronwyn lives in Michigan with her wonderful husband, two amazing sons and six somewhat-psychotic cats. When not tormenting her characters, she can usually be found helping with reading and writing projects in her sons' classrooms as well as providing childcare and tutoring for several daycare children. Besides writing, she also enjoys reading, knitting, sewing, cross-stitching, pottery, drawing—basically anything that helps her avoid cleaning and cooking.
Bronwyn loves to talk to her readers and can be found at www.bronwyngreen.com.
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Handcuffs and Lace
Resplendence Publishing’s Erotic Romance Line of Law Enforcement Themed Stories
Handcuffs and Lies by Bronwyn Green
Sometimes promises to friends are the hardest to keep. Undercover police officer, Michael Tanner, promised his dying partner that he’d take care of the man’s little sister. Trouble is, after her brother’s death, Doctor Tori Spinelli wants nothing to do with Michael—or any other cop for that matter.
Tori has always fought against overprotective men and deception. Forced into protective custody with Michael, she’s now faced with both in the same package. Despite their differences, Tori falls in love with him, but how can she trust a man who lies for a living?
Cuffed and Dangerous Page 6
