Hungry Like the Wolf

by Hungry Like the Wolf

  Looking down at Nicole, he saw that she was awake, her eyes big and worried-looking in her pretty face. He hugged her tighter to him and carried her inside. He didn't like to see her looking concerned.

  "Put me down. I can walk," she protested.

  "Maybe, but I wouldn't get to hold you, then, would I?"

  "Take me to the kitchen then," she said quietly at his refusal.

  "Okay. You want a coffee?"

  "Please."

  He settled her on one of the kitchen stools and started to prepare the hot drink for her. "You want one, Hugh?"

  "Yes, please."

  Nodding, he prepared three cups and waited for the kettle to boil.

  Hugh pressed a kiss to Nicole's head. "What's wrong, baby? You were happy before you fell asleep," he said.

  "Do you know how great you two are?" she asked in answer, her voice catching and ultimately breaking.

  "Why, thank you," Byron teased, bobbing his eyebrows up and down in reply.

  "No, seriously, you are. I can only thank you for a great day and trying to make me feel like I have a life."

  Hugh chucked her under the chin. "Hey, you do have a life! What makes you think you don't?" he asked.

  "I work, sleep, and eat. That's all I do. I was desperate enough to try and hook you two into tempting Joe back to me. That's how sad I am, so sad and desperate that I actually wanted him back." She shook her head dejectedly.

  "Nicole, that doesn't make you desperate. It just means you're set in your ways. Hell, how long had you been married to him, something like fifteen years?"

  She nodded.

  "It must be a culture shock to not be married anymore after such a long time. Not only that, but for Durst to do it in this particular way, is very hurtful and hard on you. You're just getting used to a new life. There's no need to feel down about it."

  "I shouldn't have dragged you two into my mess," she said obstinately.

  "Baby, we wanted to be dragged into it. Do you think we would be here if we didn't?"

  "You're just being polite. I know I'm screwing up your lives. But until today, I didn't really think about it. Today I saw you as more than just two guys that I really, really like. I saw you as more than just lovers. I saw you as men, friends, and bosses. I saw your life. I had no right to ask you to help save my failed marriage. I dragged you into something that was never any of your business. I can only apologize for that."

  "Although we don't need it, if it makes you feel better, apology accepted," Byron said, confusion heavy in his voice.

  Nicole gathered her courage with an effort. "I know you tried to talk me out of it yesterday, but I think we should call it off …."

  Chapter Seven

  "Oh, for God's sake, Nicole, we're not back on that again, are we? I thought after last night and today, after all the time we've spent together in the last forty-eight hours that you would've realized that we're serious about you, that we're serious about us! Why you have to keep throwing barriers up is beyond me!" Byron muttered, totally annoyed now by Nicole's persistent attempts to break them up.

  "No." Nicole shook her head earnestly. "This time is different. I know yesterday you thought I was doing it to get back with Joe, and I know you say don't want this to end, but I'm not being selfish now, and I'm not thinking about my marriage. I'm being selfless here because there's nothing I want more than to be with the both of you. Surely you can see that, especially after last night," she finished with a blush.

  "Then what the hell is the problem?" Byron asked, completely disgruntled now.

  "Joe is the problem. I overheard you and Dave talking, and he's right. He's absolutely right. Joe's a bastard, and he will hurt you if he can. He will attempt to slander you and your business, and he'll try to damage your reputation. And that's all my fault!" she said, her voice breaking. "Do you have any idea how much I care for you? You can't. You just can't understand if you don't feel the same way as I do. That I've brought this down on you hurts me more than I can bear."

  "If you were listening to Dave's part of the conversation, Nicole, then you heard our replies. I'm not frightened of Durst and you shouldn't be either," Hugh said stiffly.

  "You should be scared of him. He's not as dense as he looks. Believe me I've learned that over the years. Sure he's an arrogant prick, but he's a clever bastard, too. His fingers are in so many pies that it's scary. He inveigles himself in any and every situation, always on the lookout for what will help him, what will further his own ends. He's like that.

  "Take our marriage. He was an unfaithful bastard. But he helped my mama cope after my daddy's death. Funded part of her life. Now, he's funding my brothers' college education! Do you know why he's done that? Not because he gives a damn about my family and certainly not out of the kindness of his heart. But because he knew that he could be lawless within our marriage, knew that he could behave however the hell he wanted because I wouldn't, couldn't say anything. By helping my mama, she's constantly on his side. I'm not a browbeaten woman, but I'm bit I don't miss it by far. My mother wants my marriage to be back on track. Do you have any idea how hard it is to go against her?

  "He's a worm and a dangerous one at that. He's a manipulative pig and it kills me that I've possibly brought his wrath down on you two," Nicole finished wearily.

  "I thought it would be something like that. I couldn't and still can't imagine Joe behaving in a charitable manner unless something was in it for him. I know what a prick he is, baby. You don't have to think I've underestimated him. I've dealt with bigger mother fuckers than your ex …."

  "You can't afford to deal with Joe now, though. I know it's taken you years to get to this stage, years for Jakman Construction to really hit it off and become a good name and have the great reputation that it has in town. I mean, Joe wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't the best. Being associated with me, and through that Joe Durst, isn't good for you. Not only that, if rumor spreads about us being in a threesome, that won't be good for you either. It would be hell for all of us. I hate to say this, but I just don't think we can stay together. Not without you two and your business getting hurt!" Nicole said brokenly.

  "Are you sure this isn't about getting Durst back?" Byron asked suspiciously, unable to believe that she was giving up on something she'd fought damned hard for.

  "No! For God's sake, I'm telling you the truth. I don't want to be with Joe anymore. I'm not sure I ever really did," she exclaimed. "I'm not thinking about myself, and I'm certainly not thinking about Joe. I'm thinking about you two. If you don't believe anything I've said, then at least believe that. I'm not sure what I'm going to do now, but I think I'll start by contacting my brothers and seeing if they can afford to carry on without Joe's support. I'll tell them what kind of man he is. They're good kids. If they can help out they will. I don't want Joe back. Meeting you two …." She spread her hands out beseechingly. "Well, you've changed my life. I realize that I don't want him back and that I never did. I wanted him back for my family and now the thought of being married to a worm like Joe just turns my stomach.

  "But at the same time, I'm aware of how dangerous he is. And because I do care for you both, I'm saying that this has to stop."

  "What if we don't want it to stop? What if we say damn the consequences?"

  Nicole's forehead creased with distress. "You don't have to say things like that to appease me. I'm fully aware that you don't feel the same way as I do."

  Hugh laughed coldly. "Not feel the same way about you? That's a joke!"

  "Stop it! You don't have to throw my feelings back in my face just because you know what I'm saying is the truth."

  "Nicole, I'm saying that what we feel for you is probably more than what you feel for us, especially considering how you keep trying to get rid of us!"

  Out of temper now, Nicole screeched, "I'm trying to protect you, goddammit! I don't want to get rid of you. Why won't you listen to me? Do you think I'm fucking mental? I don't want out of this relationship, or whatever the
hell it is. I don't want this to end! I want to be with you both. But you can't be with me! He'll hurt you. I know it, and I can't bear to be responsible for that!"

  "If we've pissed Durst off by having an affair with you, then the damage is already done. If he's decided to take revenge, then again, he'll already have made the decision and is probably plotting our business' demise as we speak. It's too late for recriminations. The damage is done and, guess what, I don't care. I don't give a shit. All I want is to be with you, and I know Byron feels exactly the same way. We've been through harder shit than this . . . like when our parents were killed."

  She covered her open-mouthed horror with her hands.

  He nodded. "Exactly. You lose two parents at a tender age, you tend to think things can't get much worse. If Durst comes after us, then we'll deal with it then and there. We can fight back just as nastily as he attacks."

  Nicole bit her lip indecisively as their words registered in her mind. "Do you really think it is too late?" she asked hoarsely.

  Hugh jerked his head forward in a parody of assent.

  "Oh God. I'm so, so sorry," she mumbled earnestly. Raising a hand to her forehead, she blinked back tears. "Do you know how hard it is to know that you've just hurt the two people who mean more to you than anything else in the world? I can't believe this is all my fault. I'm so sorry for not thinking any of this through at the start. I never thought anything about Joe. I just wanted him back for my family's sake. But I should have realized what kind of person Joe is. I was a possession to him. Even if he considers me a discarded one now, he still likes to keep his claws in me."

  Unable to help himself, Hugh stomped forward and tugged her into his arms.

  She refused to relax against him for a minute, held herself stiff within his embrace. Then on a shudder, she settled snugly within his arms.

  He dropped his chin against the top of her head. "Why is it you say one thing that makes my heart soar and the next you make it crash and burn? For God's sake, Nicole, stop it with all of this worrying," he murmured.

  "I can't help it. I know what he's like, and, if you say it's too late, then, Hell, I don't know what to do. Look, the job's done here, isn't it? It's all finished. I know there are some bits of equipment that you still have to pick up, but that can be done later, can't it? I'm going to tell Joe to come and get the cameras, tonight if possible. It shouldn't take long for him to disconnect everything and to inspect the rooms and make sure he's happy with them. I don't think it's wise for you to be here when he comes. So go home." She shook her head when they started to argue and said firmly, "Listen to me. Go home. Come back tomorrow when we're not being filmed. We'll talk more then. What you've said . . . it sounds like you're serious about us. I want to know more. I want to know how deep you're willing for this relationship to go. But before I do that, I want the house free from Joe's prying eyes. So go. I'll deal with Joe tonight and that should be the last I see of him."

  Byron walked over to her and grabbed her by the chin. He looked deeply into her eyes, trying to impress upon her how intense his feelings were for her. "Good!" he said gruffly and nodded at the dazed look on her face. Glad that at last she was coming around to their way of thinking! About damned time!

  Hugh pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Are you sure you want to deal with Durst alone? We can stay out of his way. Hell, I'll hide out in your bedroom if you want, but at least you'd know we'd be here to keep you safe," he said.

  "No, I think it's best if you're not here. Thank you, though. I really appreciate it. See you tomorrow, yeah?" she said with a catch in her throat.

  "Definitely," Hugh murmured.

  His voice full of assurance instilled confidence in her.

  "You don't need to worry about that!" He cupped her face in his palm and smiled a farewell. Watching a dainty blush cover her cheeks, he grinned before walking off through the hall and out the door. Jumping into the truck, he waited for Byron to join him before starting the ignition.

  "She was genuinely worried for us," Byron said after a long moment. A little of the awe he was feeling was in his voice.

  "Yeah, she was. That's a nice feeling, isn't it?"

  "Yeah, it sure is. It's weird to feel cared about, don't you agree? I think we've grown so used to not having a woman around, having a family around, that we forgot the nice things like being worried about and cared for. Have we underestimated him, do you think? I mean, I know he's a nasty bastard, I didn't need to be told that, but I never expected her to be so anxious about his possible wrath, for God's sake! She made him sound like the Devil incarnate!"

  "No, I must admit, I didn't expect her to be so worried. But, at the same time, I don't think we have underestimated him. I think we're probably right on track. If he's as much of a bastard as Nicole just said, then he's fully capable of burning that house down and making an insurance claim, isn't he? There has to be a reason behind continuing with the renovations when he and Nicole split up. He's loaded a lot of cash into that house, money that he might not be able to make a return on what with the property market crash."

  "God, you're right. I never thought about it that way. Either way, completed or partially completed, he was bound to make a loss if he put it up for sale. He'd probably get more than he invested if he burned it down and made a claim, the devious bastard! Talk about having to spend money to make money! If he's pissed off at us, he could lay the blame at our door, as well."

  "Well, he could do that, but what would be our motive for supposedly burning the place down?"

  "Who the hells knows, but I'm sure it's within his capabilities to fabricate some excuse, so long as we get punished for it. I expected our name to be dragged through the mud, Hugh, but I didn't expect this kind of crap!"

  "No, neither did I," Hugh said. He fell deep into contemplation, scratching one hand across the stubble on his jaw as he pulled into their driveway.

  Jumping out of the cab, he and Byron entered their house and headed directly for the living room. Grabbing a soda from the mini-fridge they stocked in there, he took a long sip. "The pisser is that we don't actually know if there's any truth behind what we're saying. I mean it's okay for us to say that he was asking dodgy questions about the house's fire safety, but that can be looked upon in two ways. One, that he didn't want the house to burn down."

  "True. But we know differently, don't we? And, you're right, they were dodgy questions. At the time, I didn't think anything of it. But now that we're talking about it, I feel that you're right. There was more than just an interest in safety there. There was a need to know. I find that odd. Out of all the house renovations we've ever done, no one was more interested than Durst about fire safety."

  "No, that's correct, but again, it's not proof of anything."

  "I suppose not. Maybe we're just being overcautious?"

  "Maybe," Hugh said with a tired sigh. "Who the hell knows? What with Dave and now Nicole, I'm as edgy as fuck."

  "Yeah. Looking for monsters in the shadows is making me paranoid." Byron checked his watch. "If she called him straight away, then Joe could be there by now."

  "It shouldn't take him long to take those cameras out, should it?"

  "No. No time at all. He just has to disconnect the wires and collect all the gear that went with them. I'd say ten to fifteen minutes max. I can't imagine he wants to make small talk with Nicole."

  "In twenty minutes, we'll give her a call. Maybe he's not going to burn the house down anytime in the near future, but it doesn't stop him from trying to hit her or hurt her, especially if he's unhappy with her for being with us, now does it?"

  "You're right. We might be looking for problems where there aren't any, but we know for a fact that he's been handy with his fists. There's no reason to say he wouldn't do it again. Let's make it fifteen," Byron muttered edgily.

  Hugh nodded in agreement. "Hell, I'd make it ten, but I don't want to add to any problems she might be having if he's still there."

  "No, me neither." Byron stood up and
began to pace the length of the room.

  Hugh sat down and broodingly studied the carpet that covered the floor.

  Both men checked their watches incessantly for the following ten minutes and both sighed in relief when fifteen minutes had passed.

  Lunging for the phone, Hugh immediately dialed Nicole's number and once more sighed in relief when she picked up the phone.

  "Hello?"

  "Nicole! Is everything OK?"

  "Hugh? Sure, everything's fine. Joe is still dismantling some of the cameras. I managed to pester him into coming straight away. He's taking the cameras out of the third floor conversion and taking his time looking at it."

  "Has he hurt you or said anything abusive?"

  "No, actually, he's been very cordial. It's strange really."

  "Why do you say that?" Hugh asked, concern evident in his voice.

  "Well, it's out of character for him! Hang on just a minute, Hugh," she said, a little flustered.

  He heard her place the phone down against the table and heard her footsteps as she walked somewhere. Then he heard her speak again, although it was muffled because of her distance from the phone.

  "Joe, are you alright? Something smells funny. Joe? Joe?" she yelled.

  He heard running footsteps then her hurried breathing on the phone.

  "I think I smell gasoline, and Joe's not answering. I have to go. I'll call you back in just a minute." She slammed the phone down before he had the chance to make any reply.

  "She says she can smell gasoline."

  "You're fucking with me," Byron said hoarsely.

  "No. We'd better get our asses over there."

  Nodding in agreement, they both rushed out of the house and jumped into the truck. Hugh was determined to half the already short journey time, damning the consequences of a fucking speeding fine.

  "Did she say Joe was still there?"

  "Yeah. She said he was acting out of character and that it was weird. Then she put the phone down, and I heard her yell up to him. She said she could smell something funny."