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Ravishing Raine
Copyright © 2009 Bonnie Rose Leigh
ISBN: 978-1-55487-331-9
Cover art by Martine Jardin
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
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Ravishing Raine: Tarot – Ten of Cups
By
Bonnie Rose Leigh
Dedication
I’d like to dedicate Ravishing Raine to all my readers, first and foremost. If you weren’t there to read my stories, I’d probably still write, but I wouldn’t have nearly as much fun creating my worlds as I do. To my editor, Janet, thanks so much for catching my booboos and being such a pleasure to work with. Finally, to Chris, my real life hero, you make every day better than the last. Thank you so much for your love and support. It means more than you can even begin to imagine knowing that you’ll be there at my side no matter what direction the future takes us.
Author’s Note
Please note: Some scenes in Ravishing Raine are written to coincide on the same timeline with scenes that took place in Two for Twila.
Chapter
Raine Nolan, Serenity’s newly promoted Fire Chief, looked at the burning diner and felt her heart twist. Twila Wakefield was a good friend and this would hurt her when she found out that someone had deliberately set her building on fire. The foul odors of melting plastic and burning rubber couldn’t cover the smell of gasoline that the arsonist had used to coat the inside of the diner walls and floors to set the blaze. She didn’t need to go in the burning building to investigate to know this would bear out to be arson, but she would investigate it. It was her job. She’d find the son of a bitch who’d done this and bring the bastard in. On that, she’d swear an oath to the Goddess herself.
While she directed the first- and second-responding trucks on where to aim their hoses, Raine kept her gaze on the bystanders, looking for anyone suspicious hanging out amidst the rubberneckers. Oft times, arsonists would remain at the scene of the fire to be close to their baby, blending in with the crowd of onlookers just to stay near it for as long as possible. Unfortunately, she didn’t sense that today was one of those days. Even so, she’d ask the police officers patrolling and taking witness statements to take photographs of the gawkers as well. She might get lucky.
When the Sheriff’s SUV pulled up, she waited for Ben Marcum to make his way to her side. She didn’t have to wait long.
“Hell of a wakeup call, isn’t it?”
Raine shrugged. “Do you think you can have a couple of your people take some pictures of the crowd for me, Ben? Maybe have your deputies ask around if there’s been anyone suspicious hanging around the diner?”
“You suspect arson then, Raine?”
“Yes, yes, I do. I can smell the gasoline they used to douse the place. It wouldn’t surprise me if we find they came in through the back, covered the walls and floors with the shit, and lit it up. The whole area reeks of car fuel, gasoline most likely. But they didn’t want anyone hurt. Someone called in a bomb threat first. Everyone ran out of the building and down the street. Less than two minutes later, the night staff—a cook and two waitresses—saw the smoke billowing up into the sky and went running back up the street toward the burning building. That’s the story I was told when they called the fire department anyway.”
“Where are Ernie and the two waitresses now?”
“The paramedics took them to the county hospital. They took in quite a bit of smoke. They went inside to make sure that the bathrooms were empty and no one was trapped inside. A brave but stupid thing to do.”
Ben nodded. “Are they going to be okay?”
“Yeah, they have some smoke in their lungs but should be fine. They need some oxygen and some rest. They’ll probably be kept overnight. Ernie’s wife called Twila. She should be here any minute.”
Ben pointed toward the parking lot. “There she is now.” Both Ben and Raine turned to greet Twila when she reached them. “What happened here?” she asked, her voice quivered, full of unshed tears.
Raine nodded toward the burning building. “It looks like arson. I’ll have to wait until I can get in there and investigate, obviously. But I can smell the accelerant they used pretty easily. I don’t think they were trying to hide what they were doing.”
Twila’s head snapped up. Her eyes widened. She staggered then reached out for Ben’s hand. “Send a deputy out to my house, Ben. Make sure my mama and Emily are safe, please.”
Raine watched as Ben didn’t question her frightened friend, just reached for his phone and dialed his office. After relaying his instructions, he closed his phone. “What’s going on, Twila?”
“I think the fire was set to get me out of the house. To leave Emily unprotected.”
Sheriff Marcum squeezed Twila’s hand. “Then we better return to your house and make sure that everyone is safe. I’ll leave Raine here with a few of my deputies to gather witness reports for her arson investigation.” He turned to the Fire Chief. “Is that okay with you, Raine?”
“Of course. I’ll send you a copy of my report as soon as I have it ready.” Turning toward Twila, she gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before stepping back. “I hope everything is okay at home. Emily is a beautiful little girl.”
Choking back a sob, Twila nodded. “She is,” she whispered.
Raine wished she could be with Twila right now, but she could help her more by finding out who had trashed her place and putting that person behind bars, especially if that person burned Twila’s diner as a distraction for something more nefarious—like the kidnapping of an innocent child.
* * * *
Ryker Murphy watched Raine lead her men, working the hose when her team needed help, taking witness statements when everyone who lived in town seemed to have seen something suspicious and wanted a report taken right away, watched her sway when fatigue nearly knocked her down for the count after being on the scene for nearly twenty hours straight. He watched her for hours while she battled the fire until only embers burned and it was safe enough for her to enter and determine the exact cause of fire—arson, exactly as she had thought. What she hadn’t expected—and neither had he—was to find a message written on paper that didn’t burn inside the ruins, a message to her. A message that shouldn’t have existed at all, because no one should have been able to enter the fiery hell of the diner to place it there. No one but a demon lord, apparently. A message that read, Raine! Raine! Why don’t you come out, come out, come out and play! I may have lost one, but I’m definitely not done. I’m coming for you. So be ready to pay. You have been warned. ~Leonard
When the blood rushed out of Raine’s face and she turned ghostly white, Ryker thought he’d have to catch her, but just as quickly, she sucked it up, steeled her spine and her brown eyes went dark and hard. She t
ransformed from scared to pissed in a nanosecond and it looked gorgeous on her. From the corner of his eye, he watched his brother Drayven also stiffen in reaction.
For weeks, ever since the day of their arrival in town, they’d known that Raine was their mate, but they wanted to get to know her before making their claim on her and let her get to know them. Seeing her react negatively toward the message Leonard had left her had their beasts in an uproar. It wasn’t wise to tempt the lion when it was this close to the surface, leashed as it had been for the last few weeks while they tried to get to know their mate.
What is she reading that has her so upset, Ryker.
I’ll show you when we get back to the station.
You better.
Ryker rolled his eyes. Like he’d really hide anything from his brother—or even could. Right now, they needed to worry about Raine. It looked like the Demon Lord Leonard had picked his next victim to play with. This time, the Demon Lord wouldn’t simply walk away like he always had in the past. He’d go back to Hell where he belonged, but he’d stay there this time. Permanently.
Raine needs protection around the clock. If he’s focused on Raine exclusively now, that puts her in more danger while he toys with her.
Why did the Demon Lord choose her? He wanted Raine for a reason. What that was, Ryker didn’t know, but he’d find out and he’d see to it that the Demon Lord didn’t harm one hair on Raine’s head. Or anyone’s for that matter. His brothers would be right at his side—both of them. Besides, Jakob was the one brother out of the three most willing to cross the line when it needed to be crossed.
It’s time to call in Jakob. He should have been here when we first thought Raine would complete us. Our time has just run out.
Drayven’s head snapped up. It’s that serious?
When Ryker gave his twin a hard mental slap across the back of his head, Drayven gave a slight nod of acknowledgement before returning his attention to the woman he was questioning.
Ryker stepped away from Raine and out in to the parking lot where a light drizzle fell. He felt confident that Drayven would keep an eye on their mate while he made this call. His brother knew as well as he did that they’d need to call Jakob in to keep Raine safe. Besides, what were the odds that he and Drayven were Raine’s mates and Jakob wasn’t? Slim to none, so Jakob had just as much at stake keeping Raine safe as they did. If he knew his brother as well as he thought he did, Ryker figured Jakob would roll into town sometime within the next forty-eight hours riding on the back of a Harley wearing nothing but the clothes on his back but packing some serious weaponry—just what they needed.
When all he got was Jakob’s machine, Ryker left a message, tucked his cell in his side holster then went back into the burned remains of Twila’s diner. It would take a miracle to get the diner cleared of rubble and up and running before summer, but if he and his brothers could help in their off time, they’d pitch in. They saw how torn up their mate had felt to see Twila’s livelihood literally go up in smoke and they’d do whatever they could to help ease their mate’s heart, even help a stranger in need, especially a single mother, though if the rumor mill was right, she wouldn’t be single for much longer.
Chapter
Drayven Murphy, a detective partnered with his brother Ryker within the Serenity Sheriff’s Department, watched his mate’s hands shake as she once again read over the note she found lying amidst the rubble of the burned-out diner. It was the oddest thing about that paper. It looked like it was in pristine condition from where he stood, not a charred or smudged corner. No smoke damage, no curled edges from heat damage. Nothing at all. He could even make out ink and legible writing. He just wished he could read it so he could see what had made her skin turn pasty white when she’d read it. Somehow, whatever she’d read had frightened her and that he couldn’t—wouldn’t—allow.
Closing up the notebook that he’d been taking Mrs. Mortimer’s statement in, he excused himself and headed in Raine’s direction. The first thing he noticed when he reached her side was how she stiffened the second she felt him approach, then she quickly shoved the note inside her jacket pocket, potentially destroying any evidence the paper may have contained about the perpetrator who left it.
He wasn’t about to let her get away with that. He would protect her. She was his mate. She was his responsibility, even if she didn’t know that—yet. And he wasn’t about to let her hide any evidence that may lead them to the person who set this fire, using it as a distraction to kidnap a child, no matter how it might affect the woman who would complete the three Murphy brothers.
Anything that had the by-the-book Fire Chief going against protocol had to have a serious reason—either something that would harm the child if the clue was followed up on immediately rather than sit in an evidence collection unit’s hands or repercussions on their mate herself.
He would protect her—they would—and they’d find out just what Ms. Nolan had tried to hide from the proper authorities. But none of that would happen until he got her out of here and to someplace where she’d have no choice but to tell him and his brothers everything about that note. Eventually she’d tell them all they wanted to know about her, but for now, the threesome would settle on discovering just what Raine didn’t want anyone else to know.
Jakob couldn’t get here quick enough for him. If anyone could find out what had Raine wound so tight, so scared her knuckles had turned white while she gripped the leather-like paper and her doing the one thing no one would have ever expected—hiding potential evidence—his older brother, Jakob, was that person.
When Raine tried to turn her back on Drayven as he approached, he kicked his lips up into a smile. She had no idea just who—or what—she tempted with such a reaction. There was nothing he or his brothers liked more than a challenge and Raine had challenge stamped all over her. It would be a true pleasure to try to tame her. Not completely. They didn’t want a floor mat but, instead, a woman who would respond to their touches, their voices, even the looks they gave her, her body responding whether the timing was appropriate simply because the passion in their touches, the promise in their eyes gave her no choice but to respond.
Smiling again when Raine turned her back on him completely, pretending to look at the evidence surrounding her, Drayven couldn’t help but think about later when Jakob arrived and the three of them escorted their mate to the private place the brothers had purchased years ago when they first sensed that this place, this town, would be where they’d eventually settle down with their mate. Though they’d torn down the main house to rebuild, he hoped she would fall in love with the home they provided for her. Every room had been decorated with a mate in mind—with her in mind.
They’d been coming here for years on breaks, vacations, whenever they could steal a weekend to turn their humble home into a place their mate would have no choice but to fall in love with. They’d all quit their last jobs for the council several months ago, knowing the time to come home had arrived—finally. Only Jakob couldn’t get out of his job quite as easily, he still had a serial killer to apprehend. Jakob had called several days ago to inform them he’d finally closed his serial killer case and that with his final job done for the council, he’d turned in his resignation and would be arriving soon, after the closing on the house he and his brothers had been raised in.
As the eldest, Jakob had taken responsibility of the family homestead, making sure a new family, one who would love it as much as they had would purchase it rather than just let a realtor with only thoughts of the commission he’d make, sell it for them. It had taken much longer to sell it that way, but none of the brothers regretted the decision, not once they’d found the perfect family, according to Jakob, to purchase the place—no one had regretted it until now, anyway.
If their mate was in danger or planned to put herself in any, then it was long past time to announce their intentions toward her and either talk her out of whatever foolishness she planned or make sure they had her back if she decided
to go through with it anyway.
Now, instead of welcoming the new family into their home, Jakob would have to leave the keys with a family friend they could depend on and come to Serenity immediately. Their time to let their mate get to know the gentler of the two brothers before meeting the more dominant of the trio had just come to an end. He couldn’t wait to see her reaction to Jakob and his brother’s reaction the first moment his gaze landed on Raine.
As the eldest lion-shifter sibling, Jakob’s reaction to Raine’s scent would be much stronger than theirs had been and it had taken everything they had not to abduct her from the pub the moment they’d scented her after they’d permanently moved to town. Drayven almost rubbed his hands in glee. This would be one weekend he couldn’t help but look forward to.
Even with an arsonist out there and their mate hiding something that could possibly be dangerous—to her and everyone else—he couldn’t help but look forward to their mate’s reaction to the house and to the one room designed to bring her the ultimate pleasure, pleasure so great she’d agree to do anything they wanted while inside it. No, he couldn’t wait.
As Raine continued to scour the crime scene looking for evidence, Drayven stepped away, still staying within visual distance of his mate but far enough away, he wouldn’t be overheard. Time to give big brother another call.
* * * *
Jakob Murphy leaned against the column of the house he’d grown up in and contemplated the new family that would soon make it their home. He didn’t know why exactly he felt he needed to be here to hand them the keys personally.
All he did know was that until he turned over these keys, watched them pull their moving truck into the driveway, it wouldn’t feel quite real to him. That was until the cell phone in his jeans pocket started to vibrate. He hated the damn things and the only people who knew this particular number happened to be his brothers. If they were calling him here, now, knowing what today meant, then something had happened on their end. He wouldn’t stand here waiting on the new family if anyone in his own family were in danger—it just went against every instinct in his body. If his family needed him, that’s where he’d be. To hell with closure.
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