Panther's Pride [Black Panthers 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Leah Brooke

  Leland glanced back at him. “Are you willing to take that chance?”

  Not having an answer to that, Joe dropped his head back onto the pillow, wrapping an arm around Glenna to pull her closer.

  He wasn’t willing to tell her about them.

  He couldn’t bear to see the look of disgust in her eyes.

  He had to face it. It would be better to lose her than to risk telling her the truth, in which case, they would lose her anyway.

  After several long minutes, Leland came back and curled up beside her, but it was a long time before either one of them slept.

  Chapter Ten

  Waiting for the contract to print out, Glenna smiled, her thoughts going back to Leland’s almost frantic lovemaking in the shower that morning.

  She’d teased him afterward. “You must have a thing for showers.”

  To her surprise, he hadn’t smiled back as she’d expected. Cupping her cheek, he lifted her face to his and stared down at her searchingly, as if looking for something. “It seems that even my control is no match for seeing you naked and wet. At least this time I remembered to use a condom.”

  After that, he seemed distance, and a little angry at himself.

  It was nothing she could really put her finger on, but as he’d dried her and watched her dress, she sensed it.

  Assuming that he wanted her more than he felt comfortable with, she thought that perhaps a night apart would be best for all of them.

  As they left the house, Joe slid a hand down her back. “What would you like for dinner tonight?”

  With her lips still tingling from their good-bye kisses, she paused with her hand on her car door. “I have some errands to run and some things to do tonight. I think I’ll just make myself a salad.” Glancing at Leland, she’d forced a smile. “I’m sure you’ve got things to do at the farm.”

  Leland had nodded, his lips thinning. “We do. I’ll call later to check on you.”

  The combination of relief and frustration on his face made her smile, a smile she’d hidden until she’d driven out of sight.

  If he wanted her more than he was comfortable with, it was his problem, and he’d have to work it out for himself.

  “Daydreaming again?”

  Startled out of her reverie, Glenna grabbed the contract from the printer and glanced at Dickson Melburne, wondering if he thought his practiced smile was attractive. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She tried to step around him, inwardly cursing when he stepped to the side, effectively blocking her. Lifting her gaze to his, she sighed. “What do you want?”

  “You know the answer to that. How about dinner tonight? I heard about a new Italian restaurant that opened not too far from here.”

  Biting back impatience, she forced a smile. “No, thank you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get this contract to Mrs. Clark.” She started past him again, stiffening when he grabbed her arm.

  Leaning close, he gave her another of those smiles that made her skin crawl. With his perfectly styled blond hair and designer clothes, he strutted around as if he was God’s gift to women. “Come on. What’s the matter—I’m not good enough for you?”

  Gritting her teeth, Glenna glanced pointedly at her coworkers, lowering her voice even more. “You’re attracting attention, Dickson. Let go of me.”

  She tried to shake him off, but he tightened his hold, making her wince. “You’re hurting me. Let go.” Even though Joe and Leland were much bigger and stronger than Dickson, their firm holds had never hurt her.

  Leaning closer, he nearly suffocated her with his strong cologne, his eyes snapping with fury. “Why won’t you go out with me?”

  Glancing around the office again, she saw that everyone had given up all pretense of work to witness the altercation. “Look, Dickson, I just don’t want to go out with you. I don’t think it’s a good idea to date someone you work with. I don’t want to be another notch in your bedpost, but most of all—because I just don’t like you. Now, let go of me!”

  “Don’t act innocent. What is it? You think I’m not good enough for you? You think I can’t give you the kink you need?” He grinned at her startled look. “Yeah, you act all innocent when you’re here, but you’re a real hellcat when you’re not in the office, aren’t you?”

  Glenna blinked, her face burning when a glance told her that their conversation seemed to have captured the undivided attention of everyone within a thirty-foot radius. “You’re crazy. Let go of me, Dickson, and get the hell out of my way.”

  His smile, pure evil, sent a chill through her. “Crazy, huh? You think I don’t know that you’ve been spending your nights fucking men two at a time.”

  Several of her coworkers gasped, while a few just smiled, all of them seemingly enjoying the drama that played out in front of them.

  To her horror, her boss stood just behind them, eyeing her with disgust.

  Mrs. Clark had taken over the business when her husband died over a year earlier. At almost sixty, she was as straight-laced as they came, and didn’t tolerate any scandal in her business—or with her employees.

  Mortified, Glenna turned away, pausing only long enough to lift her chin to glare at Dickson. “You’re a pig. What are you doing, stalking me?”

  Dickson threw his head back and laughed, but to her relief, released her. “Name calling? That’s rich coming from a woman who has two men spending the night at her house. Every night.”

  Moving to her desk, she reached into a drawer for a file folder, her hands shaking as she stuffed the contract into it. A glance at her boss made her stomach clench, and she started to get a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Thank God I never went out with you. You’re disgusting.” Trembling with fury, she shoved at him. “Stay away from me.”

  Mrs. Clark straightened, tossing the file she held onto her secretary’s desk. “Mr. Melburne, Miss Harrison, I’d like to see both of you in my office, please.”

  * * * *

  Her face still burned with both anger and embarrassment as she drove home.

  She couldn’t believe she’d lost her job just when she needed money the most.

  It was small consolation that Dickson had also been fired.

  She had no idea why he’d decided to make a scene, but he’d not only gotten her fired—he’d embarrassed her in front of a room full of people.

  She wished she could call Joe or Leland just to hear their voices, but they would wonder why she would be calling them in the middle of the workday.

  Besides, Leland didn’t look too happy when he left that morning, and the last thing she wanted to do was burden him or seem clingy.

  They cared about her. She could feel it.

  But, there was a distance between them that neither man seemed to want to close.

  Dickson had made what she had with Joe and Leland sound cheap and sordid, when it was anything but.

  With them, she felt desired. She felt loved.

  She’d never known it was possible to be this happy.

  Blinking back tears, she headed for home. She’d take a long shower, fix herself a tall glass of iced tea, and start scanning the want ads.

  * * * *

  She’d already circled several possible leads when the phone rang.

  Pressing a hand to her stomach, she looked at the clock, surprised to realize that several hours had passed.

  Getting to her feet, she looked at the display, smiling when she saw her sister’s number.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, honey. I just thought I’d call and check on you. I have to work a double shift so I won’t be home until late.”

  Glenna frowned at the tension in her sister’s voice. “Is everything okay?”

  After a pregnant pause, Fiona laughed softly, but even over the phone, Glenna could tell it was forced. “Of course. I think I’ve finally found an apartment I can afford. How was work?”

  With a sigh, Glenna dropped back into her seat and told her sister everything.

 
“What? Oh, Glenna. What are you going to do?”

  Smoothing a hand over the newspaper, Glenna shrugged. “I’m looking at the want ads now. I’m going to stay home tomorrow and work on my résumé. I’ll be fine.”

  Fiona’s voice lowered, becoming a furious whisper. “What the hell are you thinking? If either one of them cared about you, they wouldn’t put up with the other. They’re using you, Glenna. Look, why don’t you ditch both of them and come up here? If you’ve lost your job, there’s nothing keeping you there. Mom and Dad can sell the house and we’ll make a new life for ourselves here.”

  Shaking her head, Glenna blew out a breath. “No. I can’t leave. Hell, Fiona, I think I’m in love with them.”

  Oh, God.

  She didn’t realize until she’d said the words out loud that it was true.

  She’d fallen hopelessly in love with both of them.

  “I’ve never felt like this before. They’re so incredible.”

  She didn’t think it prudent to add that both men seemed determined to keep a wall between her and them.

  “What?” Fiona cursed, something she only did when she was upset. “You can’t be in love with two men. What are you thinking? They’re using you. Who are these assholes?”

  Sitting back in her chair, Glenna lifted her feet to another. “Fiona, these two could have any woman they wanted. They’re not using me, and as for who they are—you’ve never met them.”

  She explained how she’d met them, and where they lived. “They didn’t even let me pay for having my car fixed.”

  Fiona sighed. “Glenna, they’re using you.”

  Her own insecurity regarding her relationship with Leland and Joe made her defensive. “No. Damn it, Fiona, it’s not like that.”

  Fiona’s sigh made her feel bad about snapping. “Well, there isn’t a damned thing I can do about it from here, anyway. Oh, Glenna, please be careful.”

  It’s too late for that.

  “I will.” Getting to her feet again, she went to the window. “Fiona, I can’t believe how much they mean to me. They make me feel beautiful. Desired. They treat me as if I’m precious.” A giggle escaped as emotions bubbled to the surface. Grinning, she twirled in the middle of the kitchen floor, her insides fluttering with happiness. “Damn, they make me feel so good.”

  After another pregnant pause, Fiona sighed again. “I can hear it in your voice. I want you to be happy, honey. I hope this works out for you, but something tells me that there’s trouble ahead. Just promise me that you’ll come to me if there’s trouble.”

  Glenna smiled. “You worry too much. I know that having two men can’t last forever, but I won’t regret a single minute I’ve spent with them. My only concern is that they’ve ruined me for other men. You just don’t meet men like Leland and Joe every day. Hell, even their friends are great. They’re not as compelling as Leland and Joe, of course—”

  “Of course.”

  “But they seem so nice, and they just have this sexy and dangerous aura about them.” Frowning, she went back to the table and took a sip of her iced tea. “I can’t explain it, but it’s there. They’re just so different from other men.”

  Although she could easily imagine them causing a scene if the mood struck them, she couldn’t imagine either one of them acting the way Dickson had earlier. “There’s something about all of them that’s so compelling.”

  Shrugging, she went back to the window, looking out but only seeing Leland’s and Joe’s faces. “I’ve never felt like this before. It’s like when I’m with them, nothing in the world can hurt me.”

  Realizing how ridiculous she must sound, she rubbed a hand over her burning cheek. “I sound silly, I know.”

  Fiona laughed softly. “Not silly. Just in love.” She sighed again. “So you’ve met their friends?”

  Shrugging again, Glenna made her way back to the table. “Well, not all of them. I met two of them when they helped me with the car, but I haven’t met the others yet.”

  She didn’t want to admit that she didn’t even know how many other men lived on the farm with them.

  “What do they do for a living?”

  Glenna swallowed heavily, her stomach knotting. “Uh, they rescue people.”

  She hated lying to her sister, but she didn’t understand exactly what they did, but they had mentioned rescuing people from kidnappers.

  “Like firemen?”

  “Something like that.” Desperate to change the subject, Glenna sighed. “They live on that road we took to the airport.”

  “What’s the farm like? I’ll bet it’s beautiful with that view of the mountains.”

  Glenna traced a droplet of moisture down the outside of her glass. “Well, I haven’t actually been there.”

  Not wanting to admit to her sister that she hadn’t yet been invited, or how jealously they guarded their privacy, she tried to sound nonchalant. “We’re usually here.”

  “Doesn’t that seem a little strange to you?”

  Inwardly wincing at the sarcasm in her sister’s tone, Glenna stiffened. “Well—”

  “They could be growing pot up there, or have a meth lab.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “I’m not the one being ridiculous.” Fiona cursed and blew out a breath. “Hell, I’m sorry. Bad day. I’ve got to go. Just promise me that you’ll be careful.”

  Her sister’s voice held a weariness she hadn’t expected, especially after Fiona had been so excited to start her new job. “I will. Fi, what’s wrong. You don’t sound very happy.”

  Fiona sighed again. “Nothing, honey. Just a bad day at work. I have a feeling that taking this job was a mistake, but I’ll figure it out. I have to go.”

  * * * *

  Still thinking about her sister’s call, Glenna sat staring at the television, too distracted to follow the plot of the movie she’d turned on.

  She turned it off, tossing the remote aside as she picked up her glass and headed back toward the kitchen.

  She couldn’t stop thinking about her sister’s mood, and couldn’t get over her anger and fear at losing her job. She’d made several attempts at writing her résumé, but couldn’t concentrate.

  The phone rang just as she stepped into the kitchen. Turning her back on the newspaper with several ads marked, she picked up the receiver, forcing a smile. “Hello?”

  “I miss you.”

  Her forced smile became a real one at the tenderness in Joe’s voice.

  “Hi. I miss you, too.”

  “Did you get your errands done?”

  “Most of them.” Uncomfortable with the lie, she changed the subject. “Did you get a lot done at the farm?”

  “Yeah. Why do I feel like you’re lying to me? Is everything okay?”

  Squirming at his sharp tone, Glenna forced a laugh. “Of course. I’m just tired.”

  “Something’s wrong. I hear it in your voice. I’m coming over.”

  Jolting at the unmistakable click that told her he’d hung up, Glenna blinked, staring down at the phone. “Well, damn, Joe.”

  Warmed by his concern, she smiled and hung up the phone, her hand shaking as she placed it back on the base.

  Bubbling with excitement at the thought of seeing him again, she did a little dance in the middle of the kitchen floor, stopping abruptly with a curse when she saw the want ads and several attempts at writing her résumé scattered over the kitchen table.

  If Joe found out she’d lost her job, he would want to know why, which would lead to a conversation she didn’t feel up to having.

  Rushing to clean everything up, she stilled when the phone rang again. Wondering if Joe had changed his mind about coming over, she looked at the display, inwardly groaning when she saw that it was one of her coworkers, the only one she considered a friend.

  With Joe only minutes away, she didn’t feel like talking to her, but she knew that if she didn’t answer now, Tammy would just keep calling.

  Grabbing the phone from the base, s
he answered as she hurried to the front window. “Hello?”

  “Glenna, it’s Tammy. I’m sorry I didn’t call you earlier, but I had to work late.”

  Glenna grimaced, moving the curtain aside as she tried to look down the street. “Because you had to finish my work. Sorry about that.”

  “Hell, it’s not your fault. You should have seen what happened after you left. Dickson threw a fit. Several of the girls were fighting because they’d been out with him, and they were all mad because he kept hitting on you.”

  Tammy laughed lightly. “I think you’re the only one that ever said no to him. Anyway, Mrs. Clark put her foot down, and made it clear that anyone caught dating a coworker would be fired on the spot.”

  Glenna shrugged, leaning over the back of the sofa to watch for Joe. “Good policy. So, Dickson threw a fit? Did anyone mention to him that he was the one who started the whole thing?”

  “Besides you? No. He seemed to think that he was being unfairly targeting for bringing your, uh, extracurricular activities out in the open.”

  Gritting her teeth, Glenna straightened, her pulse tripping when she saw Joe’s truck pulling into her driveway. “What I do outside the office is no one’s business. Look, Tammy, I have to go.”

  “Is it true, Glenna? Do you really have two lovers at the same time? I’ve heard about—”

  Heading toward the front door, Glenna looked down at herself, wishing she’d had the time to change into something sexier. Not caring what her friend thought, she figured she might as well give her food for gossip. “Yes. I’m seeing two men. They’re gorgeous. Sexy as hell, and can’t get enough of me. We make love all night. Now, I really have to go.”

  She clicked the button to disconnect, still holding the phone when Joe knocked insistently at the door.

  Opening it wide, she saw that he was alone. “Hi.”

  “Hi, yourself.” He stepped inside, crowding her back to close and lock the door behind him. Running a hand over her hair, he turned her to face the light coming from the kitchen. “What’s wrong?”

  Surprised that he seemed so attuned to her, she wrapped her arms around his waist and lifted her face for his kiss. “Nothing now. I missed you, too.”