Her Twin Wilde Cowboy Masters [Wilde, Nevada] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Chloe Lang

  “Let’s go, boys.”

  * * * *

  Mac steadied her breathing, though her heart was racing like mad in her chest.

  After weeks of trying to get some shred of evidence about where Trent might be, she was about to get some real answers. She sat in the middle of the truck’s cab between Wyatt, who was driving, and Wade, who was holding her hand. In the strangest way, it felt natural and seemed so right.

  As Wyatt killed the engine, paranoia tugged at her. There were almost no cars in the lot. Clearly this was Austin’s doing. He was a man of few words and deliberate actions. Why had he closed his club tonight? She’d learned early on it never closed. Was Austin’s news so bad he’d turned away paying members so they could have a private meeting? What if Trent was just as dead as the other fellow? She couldn’t bear the thought, but she knew it was a possibility.

  “You ready, Mackenzie?” Wyatt asked.

  She took a deep breath. “As ready as I can be.”

  After opening the door, Wade extended his arm to her. She placed her arm in his. Wyatt came around from the other side of the truck and offered his as well. Was this act of chivalry the brothers’ prestrike attempt of enticing her into a three-way with them? She doubted it, though she believed having a ménage with her was always in the back of their minds.

  Their gallantry clearly wasn’t about seduction tonight. They wanted to be here for her in every way, however she needed them to be. No other man had ever put her wants first. Every second she spent with her cowboy protectors, the more of her heart they claimed.

  Self-reliance had seen her through a lot of close calls, but Mac didn’t want to face this terrible mission alone any longer. Thankfully, she didn’t have to. Like a princess being escorted by two noble knights, though instead of armor they wore cowboy hats and jeans, they walked arm in arm to the entrance of The Masters’ Chambers.

  Whatever she was about to face, Wade and Wyatt would be with her.

  She prayed the new evidence Austin had uncovered would lead them to Trent. It must.

  * * * *

  Wade scanned the parking lot with only Austin’s car and the sheriff’s. He hoped Mackenzie didn’t notice.

  Austin had been known to close the club at a moment’s notice. Wilde’s most prominent citizen probably had done that again tonight, but until he knew for sure, Wade was going to make sure the beauty holding his arm remained safe.

  Tough as she was, which was just one of the many things he loved about her, she was still fragile, no matter her skills and experience as an investigative reporter.

  Wyatt, too, was taking stock of every shadow or crevice that might house a killer. It still wasn’t clear what her brother had gotten himself into, but it was becoming clear that at least one man had died for it. Those responsible likely didn’t even know Mackenzie existed, but he or Wyatt weren’t going to lessen their vigilance or protection of her until they knew for certain.

  “Wade, are you sure Austin can be trusted?” Mackenzie whispered as they entered the club.

  “I’m absolutely sure. You’ll see.” Such devotion to finding Trent amazed him. She was fearless and heroic, but she was also reckless and foolish. He wished she’d come to him and Wyatt the second she’d arrived in town. Perhaps there would’ve been a chance of finding her brother alive. Now, he didn’t believe there was any. Three months was far too long to believe otherwise.

  Mackenzie would most certainly fall apart from a bottomless and pulverizing grief once the truth about what really had happened to her brother came to light. He’d be there to pick up the pieces, to console her through her anguish. Wyatt would, too.

  He may not have spoken vows to her yet, but he felt them in his bones. In sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow, he and Wyatt would be there for her, always. She was the woman of their dreams, the woman they would spend the rest of their lives with.

  * * * *

  As they walked into the club past the unmanned front desk, Mac squeezed the Masters brothers’ arms. “I guess Austin is losing money tonight. A lot of money.”

  They both shrugged.

  Wyatt released her from his arm. “Keep her here. I’ll go check things out.”

  Wade nodded.

  She watched Wyatt head down the hall to the main rooms of the club.

  “You guys think something is wrong?” she asked Wade.

  “No. Just taking precautions.”

  After a few minutes, Wyatt returned. “All clear. Let’s go. They’re waiting for you, Mackenzie.”

  The three of them walked to the end of the hallway into the large cavernous main room of The Masters’ Chambers.

  She looked around the massive space. “Where’s Austin?”

  “In his office.” Wyatt sounded grim. She didn’t like that.

  Her dread thundered to the surface with each step closer to whatever news Austin had for them. They arrived at a door at the end of another hallway. It was open. Inside was Austin, behind a big oak desk. The acting sheriff was there, too. So was Jessie, which was a nice surprise.

  “Hi, Mac.” Austin’s wife rushed to her. “I’m here for you. We all are.” Then Jessie wrapped her up in a big hug. She melted into her friend’s embrace. “It’s going to be okay. You’ll see. We’ve gotten out of worse messes than this.”

  “What have you heard?” Mac’s legs felt like they could give way any moment.

  “Have a seat,” Austin said, pointing to the leather sofa.

  Jessie kept hold of her until they both sat down on the couch. Wade sat down next to her, opposite Jessie. He pulled her in close. Wyatt remained standing but kept glancing her way with grim eyes. He was obviously expecting the worst from Austin and the sheriff.

  “Enough stalling.” The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. “What have you got for me? Do you know where Trent is or not?”

  Austin spoke first. “Your brother and I were working together to bring down Malcolm Winters.”

  “The president of the bank…you think he had something to do with Trent’s disappearance?” Her heart was racing.

  “Yes, Ms. Green,” Champion said. “After we linked Winters and Nardozzi, I was able to get a search warrant to Malcolm’s home.”

  “How did you know they were linked?”

  “From the text message that was sent to Winters from a cell we found in the car in Vice. We’ve got enough evidence on him now to put him away for a very long time.”

  Then why were they all standing here? Why wasn’t the bank president in jail? “So where is Winters? Where is Trent?”

  “We don’t know yet,” the sheriff answered. “Malcolm has skipped town.”

  Anxious unshed tears filled her eyes. “Did you find anything that will help me locate my brother? Is that all you have? He’s the reason I’m here, guys. Finding him is all that matters to me.” Her ever-present companion of worry banged on the inside of her head. No Trent.

  Austin leaned forward in his chair. “We found your brother’s business card in Winters’s basement.”

  Hope sprung up inside her. Trent might be alive. She looked him directly in the eyes. “You think Malcolm has him?”

  “Probably.” Austin paused for a moment as if unsure what to say. “But there was a lot of blood down there, too.”

  Mac’s jaw dropped and her tears could no longer be held back.

  “Austin, please. God, you can be so insensitive.” Jessie took her hand and squeezed. “Mac, we believe your brother is alive. The asshole was in a hurry to slip away. There’s no way he would’ve taken the time to load up a body. Doesn’t make sense. Trent’s alive. You’ll see.”

  Mac squeezed her hand back. “Thank you for that.” Jessie’s logic did have some merit. The odds weren’t great, but at least there was a slim chance Trent was still alive. She mentally grabbed onto that belief with all that was left inside her.

  Wade put his arm around her. “Every lawman in Nevada is on the lookout for Malc
olm. Mackenzie, we will find him and your brother.”

  She shifted beside him and opened her clutch, pulling out the napkin. “Austin, do you know what this means? I found this at Trent’s apartment. Two. Six. One. One. Two. Zero. U. Four. Three.”

  Austin’s eyes narrowed. He came around the desk. “Let me see that, Mac.”

  She handed him her brother’s note.

  Austin read it aloud several times. “Two. Six. One. One. Two. Zero. U. Four. Three. Could it be?”

  “Could it be what?” Jessie snapped. “Don’t keep us in the dark, husband.”

  “If ‘U’ means unit, I think I might be able to solve this mysterious note of Trent’s.” Austin went back to his desk and typed something into his computer.

  Mac held her breath, praying he was onto something.

  “Well?” Jessie’s anxiety seemed to be growing as fast as hers.

  “Still looking, pet. Hang on.” His fingers punched his keyboard again and again.

  She squeezed Jessie’s hand and closed her eyes.

  Austin slapped his hands together, and the sound shocked her eyes open.

  He shook his head. “Son of a bitch. Your brother was smart, Mac. Very smart.”

  She stood, unable to sit still any longer. “What have you found?”

  “Trent’s last e-mail to me mentioned something about several storage units that he’d gotten a tip Winters was renting in Denver. He was going to check them out and get back to me. After Trent vanished, I’ve always believed he’d found something that would’ve put Malcolm away that day. My contacts checked with every storage facility within a fifty-mile radius of Denver, but not surprising, none of them had Winters listed as renting from them. I didn’t have an address or a unit number that could help me find where Trent had gone, until now.” He turned his laptop around so the screen faced all of them. “The Drop and Dash Storage Units located in Denver at 2611 20th Street. I’m betting 43 is the number to the storage unit. Trent probably uncovered the proof we needed on Winters.”

  “And someone made sure that evidence never saw the light of day,” Champion chimed in.

  Mac took a deep breath. “Malcolm Winters has my brother.”

  * * * *

  Malcolm had always known he would eventually say good-bye to the town he’d grown up in. Good riddance was all he could say. He’d been working long and hard to bring the whole town of Wilde to its knees one day. All he’d ever needed to realize his dream was enough money and power. But it was far too late for that plan to work out, now, thanks to several motherfuckers.

  No sense in crying over something lost. He was too pragmatic for that.

  It hadn’t been hard to get the jump on his thick-skulled ex-lieutenant, but his ex-bosses had better-skilled killers than the recently dead Lester in their employ. The clock was ticking.

  One more loose end for him to deal with, and after that, he would make his getaway.

  His new identity had already been set up for over a year. Money, property, and mountain of copious luxuries would be his to enjoy for the rest of his life.

  Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, he would soar once again. Before he exited Nevada, he had one little item he wanted to accomplish.

  He stirred the special ingredient into the dessert he was whipping up. He could hear Trent’s moans in the other room, which was music to his ears. Why hadn’t Green done the smart thing and turned a blind eye to Malcolm’s part of his little landscaping business? The fucker had teamed up with Austin to try to bring him down. They might’ve, too, if he hadn’t been several steps ahead of them. It wasn’t hard. One of Green’s longtime employees was more loyal to Benjamins than to the meddling bastard. The two grand Malcolm had paid the snitch was well worth the money. Lester was inside the storage unit when Trent showed up.

  Another of Green’s moans thrilled him. God, he would miss torturing him. They’d been together for three months. He would miss Trent. The guy was close to death. Trent might even be dead once he got back from his last trip to Wilde. If not, he would have to put a bullet in his head, along with his new visitors. As sweet as it was tormenting Trent, he had to travel fast and light. Once on the island he’d chosen to be his home, he would find new playmates. It wouldn’t be hard. The leaders had an extremely healthy respect for rich people, and he would be one of their richest citizens.

  What a shock it would be for the acting sheriff to find five bodies here in Sam’s cabin. Right now, it held none. The first throat he’d cut would be the pretty little waitress’s from Norma’s. Turned out he did have time and need for Danielle. She was unconscious but still alive. He’d held a gun to her black and blue face, forcing her to scribble a note for him.

  Game on, cowboys, he thought. Game on.

  Chapter Twelve

  When Wyatt heard Mackenzie start the shower, he turned to his twin. By the look on Wade’s face, they were about to have a heated discussion. He wasn’t looking forward to this talk, not one damn bit.

  Wyatt poured them two whiskeys, and then handed Wade a glass. “Something on your mind, bro?”

  “You bet it is, and you know what, too.” Wade looked grim.

  Wyatt nodded his head. “I suppose I do. But do you think now is the time to talk about it with all that’s going on?”

  “What the fuck are you thinking, Wyatt?” Wade yelled. “You want Mackenzie for yourself, is that it?”

  I guess he did think it was time. “Tell me you haven’t thought the same thing.” The acid at the back of his throat burned. He gulped down half the liquor in his glass.

  “Goddamn it, this is nuts.” Wade swallowed his whiskey in one monstrous swig. “We’re not from the outside, bro. What’s wrong with us?”

  “Love. Plain and simple.” They’d never been in love before. It had changed them both.

  “How did our parents, specifically our dads, get through this possessive craziness?” Wade’s timbre shook with unspoken worry.

  They both were thinking the same thing. Would their love for the same woman rip them apart? Wyatt finished his remaining whiskey and then refilled their glasses.

  Wyatt wished it was as easy as his dads had made it look. “I don’t know how. I love her, Wade. I’ve never loved anyone like I do Mackenzie.”

  “Me either,” Wade said quietly. “Crazy.”

  “Yeah,” Wyatt agreed. “That’s how it feels. Insane. Nuts. Cuckoo.”

  “In my entire life, I would’ve never thought a woman would come between us. Ever.” Wade rocked his hand holding the glass back and forth, causing the amber alcohol to spin. He gazed at it as if hoping to find an answer within.

  “Me either, bro.”

  They sat in silence for a bit, sipping their whiskey.

  Suddenly, Mackenzie appeared from the hallway, dripping wet, a towel wrapped around her curvy body. “There are the two men I need. The shampoo bottle is empty. Do you have another?”

  Neither of them answered, the weight of her words becoming the beacon of light to show them the way they could share this amazing woman. …the two men I need.

  Wyatt turned to his twin. “Did you hear what I heard?”

  “Damn right I did.” Wade smiled. “We can do this, bro.”

  He held out his hand to Wade. “She needs us, and by God, we’ll be there for her.”

  Wade shook his hand and smiled.

  All the jealousy vanished in the blink of an eye. Mackenzie was theirs, now and forever. She needed them.

  He turned his attention to Mackenzie, who stood in the hallway dripping. She shook her head. “Guys, you have to shake hands to get me shampoo? That’s a bit formal, isn’t it?”

  Wyatt laughed, feeling lighter than he had in days, and went to find their woman some shampoo.

  * * * *

  Wyatt sat on the edge of the chair watching Mackenzie pace in the living room. She was on the brink of breaking down completely. Still no word had come from Champion that the warrant had been granted to get into the storage unit in Denver.
<
br />   “Wyatt, maybe we should feed her something.” His twin was standing by the door, also watching the woman of their dreams unraveling more and more with each passing minute.

  “I’m not hungry,” Mackenzie snapped. “Have you checked your phones?”

  “Just two minutes ago,” Wyatt answered, pointing to the sofa. “Sit. Now. You’re wearing out our rug.”

  Mackenzie stopped pacing and took a deep breath, as if trying to find patience. “I can’t sit. I’m too uptight. We should be headed to Denver with Austin.”

  “No.” Wyatt shook his head. “Besides, you know your brother was here in Nevada recently. He’s probably still in Nevada. There’s no way Malcolm Winters can get out of the state with all agencies on the lookout for him.”

  “I can’t stand this waiting.” Mackenzie started pacing again. “It’s killing me.”

  “I have an idea,” Wade interjected.

  Wyatt knew that tone well. It was his brother’s push-the-envelope timbre. “And?”

  Wade left his post at the door and walked toward their woman. “Mackenzie, you’re wound up tight. Under these circumstances, no wonder. I think a warm bath is in order.”

  She shook her head. “I just had a shower. Besides, I can’t. Not until I know something more about Trent.”

  “Excuse me,” Wade said in his Dom voice. “Did you think I was asking your permission?”

  “What? I’m…confused.” Mackenzie seemed to melt when she heard Wade’s tone.

  “Yes, you are. Very. I saw how you were at the club that first night.” Wade was standing in her path now. “How about a little BDSM lesson to keep your mind occupied?”

  “Wade, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but you said it yourself. I’m too wound up.”

  Wyatt stood. “The exact reason you would benefit from some instruction. Look at me,” he said in his most commanding voice.

  She turned toward him.

  “You know a little about D/s play, right?” Wyatt hadn’t been at the club that night, but he’d saw how she’d responded to his commands in bed. “You looked into it when you were undercover investigating Austin, right?”