by Tamsin Baker
Lacey didn't want to hang around anymore. Something was wrong with Max, and it was raising a panic in her belly.
A park ranger walked past and she called out to him.
“Excuse me, but do you know if Ryan or Dylan Monaghan are working today?”
The older man smiled at her. “No, sorry. They've both got today off, working tomorrow though I think. Would have to check the roster.”
She smiled her thanks. “Thanks, it's not a problem. I'll catch them another time.”
She pulled a still strangely immobile Scarlet back through the entrance and towards the car.
“Are you sure you're okay, Scarlet?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I ah … think I've got enough photos for you.”
She was scrolling though the photos on her digital camera, clearly enthralled by all the images of Max she’d taken.
She couldn’t stop the sarcastic tone as she watched Scarlet. “You think?”
She opened the car and jumped in, Scarlet only a moment behind her.
“You sure you’re going to be all right tonight, Lace, when I go to work”"
Scarlet worked weekends, and Lacey often made plans to make sure she wasn't at home alone. But that wasn’t going to be a problem tonight, or for the future either, she hoped.
Her belly tightened as warmth spread between her legs. “Yeah, Dylan and Ryan are coming over tonight.”
An evil chuckle rose from Scarlet as her normal tones returned. “Then I'll make sure I slip quietly in at 4 AM and sleep ‘til noon. Wouldn't want to disturb you.”
Lacey let Scarlet's laughter fill the car’s cabin as they drove home. Tonight was going to be a night to remember.
****
“Would you hurry the hell up? We could be halfway to Lacey’s by now.”
Refusing to react to Ryan’s bitching, Dylan continued to carefully lift the container from the rear seat. As always, he enjoyed the sensation of how his palms warmed instantly from the heat soaking through from the food.
Once he had the food safely out of the vehicle, he turned to glare at his brother. “I refuse to serve Max more fish coated in bloody dirt. The two minutes it takes me to be careful isn’t going to slow us down. Especially since we’re running over an hour early to begin with.”
Dylan couldn’t see any point in sitting outside Lacey’s house waiting for her to get home from work, especially when they had other things to get done. But his brother seemed to have other ideas.
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Lacey dropped the damn fish, not you.”
He frowned over at his twin. “It doesn’t matter who dropped it. It got ruined. I’m not going to put up with the shit I’ll cop if Max runs to Mum at the end of his time to tell her I made him mud covered fish!”
Without waiting for any more commentary from his twin, Dylan headed up the path to find Max. When he reached the gate, his gut dropped, and he stilled. Something was wrong, so wrong it tainted the air. Glancing around the yard he saw Max pacing back and forth like a wild cat locked up for far too long. Every time his brother’s cheetah paused he’d growl at the fence. With a menacing tone that bordered on dangerous. What the fuck was wrong with his older brother?
Ryan came up behind him and voiced his own concern at the strange behavior. “Max? What’s going on?”
Moving forward past Dylan, Ryan opened the gate so they could both enter. No matter how agitated Max was, Dylan was confident he’d never attack his family. Not in a million years.
Dylan placed the container on the ground near the water trough and opened the lid, revealing a perfectly cooked trout, still warm and dirt free. He inhaled on a moan. The smell was delicious.
“Oi, Max! I got freshly baked fish for you!”
After a final snarl at the fence, Max prowled over to them and shoved his snout into the container where he practically inhaled the food.
Dylan grinned as his brother enjoyed his cooking and elbowed his twin. “Guess he can’t be too sick if he’s still got his appetite, huh, bro?”
Ryan had deep frown lines across his forehead. “He wasn’t like this yesterday. I wouldn’t have thought he’d be feeling the pain from not shifting yet. It’s only been a couple of days. Max? Talk to us. What’s got you this worked up? Do I need to move you to the bigger yard?”
Max stayed silent until he finished eating the entire trout, but then he lifted his head and stared straight at them.
“I saw my mate.”
“Holy shit! She came here to the zoo? That’s some crazy twist of fate.”
Max rarely came to the zoo for more than a couple of hours to shift and go for a run. He was a builder and was always off in some rural town or farm for a job. The chances of him being here, especially in the feeding pen, when his mate came to the zoo were extremely low.
Ryan stepped closer to Max and got serious. “Do you know who she is?”
“She came with your mate earlier today. Her name’s Scarlet.”
Dylan started laughing, visions of Scarlet and Max together making him want to grab Lacey and grab a front row seat. This was going to be hilarious!
Max apparently didn’t agree because the bugger started growling.
“What’s so fucking funny?”
“Scarlet is Lacey’s roommate. Man, she plays at a pistol club for fun. Hell, she keeps her gun safe in their lounge room! Oh, watching the two of you work this out is going to be beyond entertaining.”
Ryan thumped Dylan in the arm, hard enough that Dylan took the hint. Maybe he’d said enough, but his brother kind of deserved a mate who’d put him through the wringer and make him work for it. Scarlet would be perfect!
“Shut it, Dylan. Max, at least you know where she is and how to find her. I’ll message Dad and ask him to come visit you so you can plead your case to get an early release. We’ll ask Lacey a few questions for you, too. We’re actually heading there when we leave here. She’s never mentioned anything about Scarlet having a boyfriend—quit your growling—so I think you’re in the clear on that score.”
Dylan tried to hide his chuckle at Max’s growling by leaning down to collect the now empty and licked clean container. Feeling cheeky, he reached over to ruffle Max’s head, which earned him a snarl.
“You’re too easy, Max. If you’re still here in a couple of days, I’ll bring you another fish.” He turned to face his twin. “Hurry it up, Ryan, we’ve got our own mate to go catch.”
Chapter Fifteen
Lacey returned home after a brief trip to the shops, and she just knew that something wasn’t right. A shiver coursed up her spine as she unlocked the front door and turned the light on in the large lounge room. She wasn’t a superstitious person by nature, but when it came to trusting her instincts, it usually paid off when she followed them.
She glanced around the room quickly, before turning back to relock the solid wood door. Her heart banged against her ribs. Something felt strange, but nothing looked out of place.
“Stop it, you're being silly now.”
Shaking her head at herself, she dropped her bag by the couch. Being stalked by her ex for so long had officially made her paranoid. She needed to focus on something more pleasant.
A smile rose to her lips as she thought about her day. Her new boss had loved her story on Cameron's rescue and the photos Scarlet had taken of Max. She really had to ask the boys about what had happened that day. Scarlet had never acted like that before, and Max's behavior couldn't have been normal either.
She got a glass of water and giggled to herself as she glanced at the clock. Not quite six. The boys would be here in an hour and she'd have them both for the night.
Another giggle arose and she let it bubble out into a proper laugh. Her and two gorgeous men. Who would have ever thought?
She slapped her fleshy thigh as a reminder of who and what she was, and when no deep level of guilt or shame rose, she shrugged. It probably was time to let go of all those old hang ups about her size. If Ryan and Dylan didn’t care that she liked he
r food too much, who was she to complain?
And it was more than just ignoring her size as many of her old boyfriends had done. They seemed to really want all of her—body and soul. She’d never known such levels of devotion even existed. It was a beautiful feeling, and for the first time, she was looking into the future with hope for more of the same.
Lacey pushed open the door to her bedroom and stepped inside, her belly tightening with arousal as images of what was going to happen later tonight flashed across her mind.
The door shut behind her with a loud bang, and she spun around with a gasp as she pressed a palm over her heart, the hair on her nape prickled with warning.
“Hello, Lacey.”
She jerked as his voice ricocheted around the room from where he stood leaning against the door, the lazy smile on his lips making her skin crawl. It spoke of triumph and satisfaction. Two things she did not want him feeling anywhere near her.
“Rodney. How did you get in here?”
And why the hell are you in my room?
“I'm smart. You know that. I’ll always find a way to get to you, babe.”
She nodded and backed away as he pushed off the door and took a few steps towards her. Where’d I leave my phone? By the front door! Fuck!
The backs of her legs hit the bedside table, and she froze, assessing her options. Her heart started to pound in her chest, and her mind raced. She wasn’t getting on her bed if she could help it, but Rodney was a big guy. If it came to an actual physical fight she didn't think she would fare too well. But she sure as hell wasn’t giving up without a fight.
Keep him talking. Hopefully my men will come early and they’ll know how to handle him.
“I know you're smart, Rodney, you always have been. Buy why’d you sneak in? Did you want to talk to me about something?”
Rodney stopped advancing on her and grabbed the chair by her dressing table, dragging it over to the door and jamming it up under the handle, effectively blocking her best exit. There was still the window, but it was key-locked and he’d probably grab her before she climbed out it even without having to stop to undo the damn lock anyway.
He chuckled, the sound low and menacing. “I've been trying to talk to you since you broke up with me, but you wouldn't respond. Now … we're going to have that talk.”
She swallowed hard, her belly quivering in her abdomen. Bile rose, but she swallowed it down and ignored it. Dylan and Ryan would be here in a while, an hour at the most. Could she keep him talking for that long? They’d do something, surely? Even if it was just to distract him so she could get away.
“Of course. Tell me what you want to talk about.”
“Us of course. I don't know why you turned against me, Lacey. I loved you, and you broke my heart.”
Oh please. There was only room for one love in Rodney’s heart, and that was all for himself.
She kept her voice as calm and soft as she could manage. “I didn't mean to make you feel that way, Rodney. Honestly, I didn't.”
“Then why break us up, Lacey?”
He sounded so reasonable she began to relax, her knees bending so that her butt sank towards the bed.
No. Don't let him get under your guard.
She straightened again. “I didn't think we suited, Rodney. Our goals were so different and…”
“That's not true.” His tone had darkened. The menace was back. Lacey reached for a lie.
“You deserve so much better than me, Rodney. Someone with more brains, like you. I barely passed my course last year.”
That was true, but it wasn't due to lack of brains. Stress and a lack of sleep had severely affected her ability to study.
She bit her lip hard as denial filled her whole mouth. He was an abusive asshole who she wished she’d never met, let alone shared a bed with.
Rodney reached into a black duffle bag at his feet and pulled out a bundle of rope.
Oh fuck no. Dylan! Ryan! Where are you? I need you! Please, please, please get her soon!
“Now, we're going to sit here all night if necessary and sort out our issues. I don't want to tie you up, but I will if I have to.”
Scarlet's gun safe! It was in the next room, and the keys were in her dressing table.
They weren't loaded, but he didn’t know that. If she could just get to them, it may give her the advantage she needed to get Rodney out of her house.
“You don't need to tie me up, Rodney. I'll listen to you.”
He stood up and looked at the ground, shaking his head like he was disappointed.
“No, I know you, and you'll run away when things get a little rough. You always do.”
He stepped closer, and she dashed away from her bed.
“No, please don't, Rodney. You're scaring me.”
“There’s no need to be scared, Lacey. You can trust me, but I can’t have you running off to be with those two zookeepers.”
She swallowed hard, her hands quivering as she twisted away from him and dove for the door, grabbing the chair and throwing it clear before reaching for the handle and pulling hard.
Rodney’s hands came down, slamming shut the door and then slapping her across the face with enough force that she stumbled away and tripped. Landing on the bed.
The strike had fire exploding across her cheek, her neck had cracked with the impact, and her head was spinning.
His huge body was suddenly on top of hers, lifting her arms above her head and tying her wrists with the rope he held before she could think to react. Her brain was still settling from the vicious blow.
Her chest was being squeezed so tightly she could barely breathe, her heart pounding so loud against her ribs she was afraid it would burst through.
“Rodney! Get off me!”
He lifted his leg and released the pressure, and she gasped out, struggling against the bonds, kicking her legs at him.
“Untie me now! How dare you! This is illegal!”
She was puffing and panting, white spots forming at the edges of her vision. She fought to breathe deeply, pushing unconsciousness away.
She inhaled through her nose and breathed out through her mouth. She lifted her head and stared at Rodney, glaring at him with all her might.
“You will regret this.”
He chuckled and pulled the chair back in front of her door, sitting down on it with all the calm of a person who had all the time in the world.
“The only thing I regret is waiting so long to tell you how much you mean to me. But by the end of tonight, you’ll know.”
Lacey shuddered and lay back, letting her arms relax, despite their awkward position. She needed to store her strength for later. She had no idea what Rodney had in store for her, but it was off to a shitty start.
****
Ryan’s muscles were tense with anticipation. Each time they’d seen or spoken to Lacey during the week, she promised she’d make her decision by Friday. Well, today was the day, and Ryan had high hopes that she’d decided to mate with them.
“You don’t think she’ll try to pick one of us, do you?”
Dylan’s confidence when they’d left the zoo had evaporated, and now he sounded worried. While Ryan understood his twin’s concern, it was totally unnecessary.
“I think if we’d pushed her too hard in that first couple of days, she would have tried to take just one of us, or neither of us. But after having those separate dates with us, she seemed to get that we’re two halves of a whole. I’m certain she realizes we’re a package deal at this point.”
Dylan just grunted in response.
Ryan tried again. “Bro, seriously. If she was thinking like that, why was she kissing us both all week? Whenever one of us gets her all hot, she always stops to make sure we’re both with her. Hadn’t you noticed? She knows that she needs both of us.”
A rough laugh came from Ryan’s twin. “I hadn’t paid that close of attention. Okay. So, she’s going to say yes to being our mate. Do you think she’ll have packed her stuff up?”
Ryan jerked in his seat. “What the hell are you on about?”
“Well, if she’s our mate, she lives with us, yeah? I want to move her in tonight. We can load up her stuff onto the tray and take her back with us. That’s why I brought the ute. Then we can mate her in our bed. Do it all properly.”
Ryan shook his head on a laugh. His twin really was a caveman. “You’re welcome to try, brother. But I doubt it will be that cut and dry. She works in the city, about to have her first big story published—remember? I’m not sure she’s going to want to live out in the country right now.”
Dylan’s look of horror made him laugh. “That’s bullshit. Of course she’ll want to be out there with us. Clean air, no traffic, surrounded by nature. What chick wouldn’t want that?”
Ryan gave up on his clueless brother. Lacey would have to tell Dylan how she wanted it to work.
“Well, we’re here now so maybe you should ask Lacey how she feels about moving, rather than simply planning it all out for her.”
They opened their doors at the same time, and instantly Ryan knew something was wrong.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!”
Clearly Dylan had picked up the same vibe.
“You can say that again.” Ryan paused to take another deep breath, trying to get a better feel on what was up. “Her ex is here.”
The scent on the air was too fresh. The bastard had to still be here. Without another word, Ryan reached to grab his go-bag. They kept a bag in each of their vehicles with a change of clothes just in case they needed to shift, and they ended up destroying what they were wearing. He slung the bag over his shoulder, and they moved silently from the car, following the scent trail. When it led to a busted out window at the back rear of the house, Ryan’s belly filled with hot anger. He wanted nothing more than to keep following the trail inside to see exactly where he was. But he stopped himself, breathing deep to calm himself.
“Why’d you stop? That bastard is inside! I can smell Lacey. He’s in there with her.”
“I know, Dylan but think for a second. What if he has a gun on her or a knife? We go barging in he’ll hurt her! Let’s go back to the car and ring Eli. Tell him the situation and that we’re going in. We need back up here. Especially if she’s hurt, Eli can get medical help on its way just in case.”
