Love Under Three Valentinos [The Lusty, Texas Collection] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Cara Covington

  * * * *

  Kat couldn’t stop shaking. She was tired, she ached, and for the first time in her life, she was absolutely terrified.

  She couldn’t help thinking, what if Lucas had crawled onto the bed, as she’d invited him to do? What if he’d leaned over to give her a kiss when that bullet had shattered the glass?

  She couldn’t live with herself if anything happened to him. She couldn’t live with herself if anything happened to any of them.

  Now, thanks to her, the Jessops’ lovely, secluded home was overrun with officials from the LA County Sheriff’s Department.

  “Stop it, Kitty-Kat. I can see the thoughts churning up your mind. The only people to blame for all of this fuss are the sniper and whoever sent him.”

  “How can you be so calm about everything? Someone took a shot at your house!”

  “Oh, I’m upset, but not because of a bullet through a damned window. I’m upset because someone took a shot at you.”

  “We’ll have to wait for daylight to search the area, but there’s no doubt someone did indeed take a deliberate shot.” Travis had been conferring with one of the sheriff’s deputies. “We have the bullet, and in the daylight, they’ll search and find where the shot was fired from. Maybe we’ll get lucky and there’ll be some solid evidence up there.”

  “I need to go someplace safe, away from anyone who might get caught in the crosshairs of this...whoever it is who’s after me.”

  “I’m glad you see reason,” Paul said. “We do have to get you out of here, but don’t think for one minute that we won’t be with you.”

  “Here’s what I’m thinking,” Travis said. “The screenwriters, here, are about as secretive as you are about where they live. And even though you’ve had dinner a couple of times in the city and might have been spotted together, there’s no reason for anyone to conclude that you’d be tucked up here, with them.”

  “If this was a script I was plotting,” Wesley said, “and I wanted to find someone after I knew they’d been hurt, after they had visited the ER? I’d put a watch on the people I thought she might call, who would go to wherever she was.”

  “Yeah.” Travis nodded. “That’s the conclusion we’ve come to, as well.”

  “Fuck.” Kat closed her eyes. If she stayed, not only was she in danger but her family was, as well.

  “We know you can take care of yourself, but you’re still incapacitated.” Lucas put a finger under her chin and lifted her face. She met his gaze and saw worry, yes. But his heart was there, right there for her to see. “Babe, will you let us take care of you? We have resources few people know about.”

  What choice did she have, really? “What do you propose?”

  “I’m going to make a couple of phone calls,” Paul said. “And I’ll have an answer for you shortly.”

  “I told Eric to stay home, and the department has put a car on his house,” Travis said. “It makes us both sick to think we had a part in this, that we led the bastard right to you.”

  Kat closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the love seat. “I have already been lectured tonight that the only people culpable here are the gunman and whoever hired him.” She opened her eyes and looked at Travis. “You better get on this and find out who wants me dead.”

  “I promise you that we will. Your dad and your brother are both on the job. That makes you one of our own.”

  Paul came back into the room, his cell phone at his ear. “Kitty-Kat, I’m going to need the addresses of your folks, your brother, and your sister.”

  “Why?”

  “You won’t rest until you know they’re covered. The LAPD has limited resources to make that happen. We don’t.”

  The statement took her by surprise. She didn’t think that screenwriters were paid that well. But she gave him the information he needed, which he repeated into the phone.

  “Okay, thanks. We’ll be ready.”

  He hung up and looked at Travis. “We’ll be evacuated to a safe location in about four hours.”

  Travis nodded. “Don’t tell me any more than that. Let me talk to the deputy in charge.”

  Kat looked at Paul. “What do you have planned?”

  “Can you trust us long enough to let us defer that question for a bit?”

  “You’re worried that I’ll tell someone?”

  “Absolutely not. I just want to wait until it’s only us in the house.”

  Considering that someone had found her, and taken a shot at her when that wasn’t supposed to happen at all, Kat saw Paul’s point.

  “All right. Will all these people be out of here soon?”

  It took another hour for the Sheriff Department’s people to finish up and clear out. There were two deputies outside, on guard. The cops thought it unlikely they’d be bothered again tonight. The fact that they’d come in, sirens screaming, practically guaranteed that whoever had fired that shot into the bedroom was long gone.

  If her attacker was a simple thinker, he or she might believe that she was also gone—and that the Jessops were, too. The house she was in was surrounded by a lot of space. Who knew who might be out, taking in target practice, maybe even drunken target practice? Teenagers out partying and blowing off steam? It wouldn’t be unheard of for the authorities to find a deserted fire pit close by with some empty beer cans, a bottle or two. After all, kids would be kids.

  “There’re a couple of hours before we leave. Do you want to sleep?” Paul asked.

  She was sitting on Wesley’s lap, with Lucas on her left. Paul sat on her right. She sighed, the pleasure of once more being surrounded by these three men making her feel cherished.

  That wasn’t a feeling she’d given much thought to over the years. Now that she’d experienced it, now that she’d tasted it, she thought it would pretty hard to do without the sensation.

  “I don’t think I could, knowing that we’re leaving soon. Where are we going?”

  “Someplace it would be very hard for anyone to find us because only a few people here in California know about it,” Wesley said.

  “We’re going to a place where we can be a bit more in control of the environment and where we can protect you better while you heal.” Paul met her gaze.

  Lucas picked up her hand and kissed it. “We’re going home.”

  “You mean, we’re going back to Lusty?”

  “Yes. And don’t worry. We have our own house there, so you won’t feel you’re under the scrutiny of others.”

  Kat inwardly shook her head. She knew the men believed that—but they were men, carriers of the dreaded Y chromosome.

  This meant that, however well intentioned, they really didn’t know much about small towns, and the women who controlled them.

  Before the sun set, everyone in Lusty would know, if not precisely why she was there, then certainly what she was doing with three studly Jessops behind closed doors.

  Chapter 10

  Despite Kat’s words to the contrary, she dozed off in the living room of the Jessops’ home in Malibu Canyon. At some point, she became aware, in that hazy, semi-asleep kind of way, that two of the men had left the love seat. The next thing she knew, Wesley was brushing a kiss against her forehead, whispering to her to wake up.

  As she rose from the depths of slumber, an unusual sound penetrated her awareness. It grew louder by the moment.

  They helped her sit up and then stand. Wesley eased the blanket off her shoulders, and Lucas held out a light jacket for her to slip into.

  “I’m still in my pajamas!” Kat looked down at the cotton Capris and sleeveless tee shirt she’d slipped on before going to bed.

  “It’s okay. We have your clothes right here.” Paul met her gaze and gave her one of his quick, heart-melting gins.

  He was indeed holding her suitcase, and the sound she’d heard finally registered. It was the sound of a helicopter, one that was landing very close by.

  Paul led the way out of the house. He nodded to the sheriff’s deputy standing beside his c
ar, watching the helicopter touchdown. He stopped long enough to give the officer a card. Then they were all making their way toward the aircraft. Lucas opened the door. Wesley got in first, even as the man behind the stick greeted them.

  “Your taxi has arrived.” He took off his sunglasses and flashed a laughing smile.

  The pilot looked vaguely familiar. His jet-black hair and aqua eyes were a stunning combination. But it was his cheeky grin as he’d spoken that clued her in that he must be a cousin to the Jessops.

  “Kat, this is out cousin, Henry Kendall,” Paul said.

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Kendall. I apologize. I don’t usually meet people in my pajamas.”

  Henry’s grin was quick. “I’m not in your pajamas, Ms. Lawson, so you’re fine.”

  She chuckled and followed Wesley into the belly of the copter. Lucas took her suitcase from his brother, stowed it, and got in behind her. Paul went around and got in the front beside Henry.

  “We’ve got a fairly short ride to a private airfield,” Henry said. “This bird’s on loan, of course, so no sticking your bubble gum under the seats, children.”

  Kat had her headset in place and had heard the last comment. “Of course.” She’d thought it an odd thing to say.

  “Morgan and I came in on the Lear, and that’s how we’re all going home. He’s at the airfield, waiting for us.”

  Kat sat back, feeling secure tucked in between Wes and Lucas. Paul turned around and looked at her, eyebrow raised, as Henry spoke to someone, likely an air traffic controller.

  She knew Paul was asking, in his way, if she was all right. She nodded, and smiled, and never let on this would be her first ever helicopter ride.

  And then they were taking off, headed, as Henry had said, toward a private airfield. Kat tried not to think about how...precarious it felt, being in the belly of this flying bubble. That was the only description that fit, and she barely resisted giving a squeak when Henry Kendall executed a banked turn as if he did so all the time.

  He likely does do this all the time.

  Lucas slipped his arm around her and invited her to lay her head on his chest. Despite the bulkiness of the headset, she did just that.

  Less than five minutes later, she realized Henry was setting the helicopter down a short distance from a metal building. There, not too far away, looking white and shiny and sleek, a small jet awaited them.

  “I didn’t tell my family I was leaving.” It was a strange thought, but the first thing that occurred to her as they began their walk toward the plane standing on the tarmac, boarding door open.

  “Travis is going to tell them that you’ve been moved to a secure location,” Paul said. “Mel Richardson, the security consultant I mentioned earlier, has some people lined up to sit on the house. They’ll also see to it the window is replaced.”

  “So you don’t want me calling home, is that what you’re saying?” They climbed the few steps up into the aircraft.

  “No, not at all. Connor Talbot, Mel’s partner, is setting up a secured system so that you can, once we’re home.” Lucas stashed her suitcase in a cupboard just inside the door and to the right.

  Kat was having a bit of trouble taking everything in. Likely a side effect of having had most of the crap beat out of her less than twenty-four hours before and the rest scared out of her earlier.

  The interior of the craft defined posh. Rich wood grain, beige and brown carpet, and beige upholstery. She counted. Aside from the “sofa” along one side of the cabin, there were six single seats.

  Henry was the last of them to board, and he closed the door behind him. Kat realized they’d soon be taking off.

  “Wait a minute, guys. Where’s your luggage?”

  “We don’t need any, Angel,” Wesley said. “We’ve clothes and laptops and...stuff back in Texas.”

  “Huh. Well, that certainly makes moving back and forth easy.”

  “We took a lot of luggage with us when we went home for the holidays,” Paul said. “Then we left most of it there because it had been a few years since we’d gone home.”

  “Are we all here?”

  Kat turned to the new voice, a man who looked a little like Henry, but with brown hair and eyes so dark they were really quite striking.

  “My brother, Morgan,” Henry said as he headed toward the cockpit. “And, yes, we’re all here.”

  Morgan nodded. “Welcome aboard, Ms. Lawson. We’ll try to avoid turbulence. I understand you’ve had enough of that already.”

  Kat smiled. “Turbulence. That’s a very creative way of looking at it. I appreciate your concern, Mr. Kendall, but I’ll be fine.”

  He nodded then looked at the Jessops. “Buckle up, girls. And once we’re up...”

  “Yeah, yeah, flyboy, you want us to play stewardess and serve you coffee,” Wesley said. “We know the drill.”

  Morgan laughed. “And don’t forget those cute little napkins between the cups and saucers. It’s such a quaint, feminine touch.”

  Kat shook her head, appreciating the attempt to put her at ease. It had just occurred to her as she took a seat on the sofa between Paul and Lucas that all of this—the helicopter, the jet—had all been arranged to rescue her.

  “This must be costing you a fortune.”

  The brothers exchanged looks, and Kat wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that they were actually communicating telepathically. Then, because Wes and Luc did, she turned her attention to Paul. I bet he’s the oldest because his brothers inevitably look to him to speak on their behalf.

  “You remember when we toured the museum back in Lusty? That our ancestor Warren Jessop set up the Lusty Town Trust?”

  “As a means of protecting the town from incursion by self-righteous assholes.” Kat nodded. “Yes, I remember that.” She smiled. “I remember thinking that was a damn smart move because self-righteous assholes are everywhere.”

  “Well, the Trust did more than that, as there was a financial side to things. Over the years, the portfolio of the Lusty Town Trust has been managed exceedingly well.” Paul tilted his head to look at her. “In addition, individuals within the families have one more thing in common—above and beyond blood and family ties and alternative lifestyles. And that is a talent for making money.”

  “So this…” Lucas looked around. “This is just standard operating procedure. The families actually own two Learjets, as well as a helicopter, and they’re available on a first-come basis to anyone who needs them.”

  “The families also own major hotel and apartment complexes in Houston, Dallas, Austin, and a few other cities.” Wesley sighed. “I’m afraid the sad truth is that we’re all nothing more than a bunch of trust-fund babies.”

  Kat laughed. As the sound of the engines rose, as the sensation of the jet speeding down the runway told her they were about to leave Los Angeles County behind, she laughed so hard it hurt.

  “You don’t believe us?” Paul didn’t sound the least bit affronted.

  “About the fortune? Of course I believe you. I’ve got eyes.” She met each man’s gaze in turn. “About your being nothing more than ‘trust-fund babies’? That one is pretty unbelievable. There’s not a stuck-up or entitled bone in any of your bodies.”

  Wesley grinned. “I hate to repeat myself, but I see I must. You’ve met our mother, right?”

  “She would have knocked us into next year if we ever copped that kind of attitude.” Paul reached down and took her hand in his, knitting their fingers. “But we really do all have very impressive trust funds. We’ve been lucky beyond measure. We don’t often tap those funds, but we are all aware that they form a pretty good safety net for us. Enough that coming out to LA and venturing into screenwriting wasn’t really a risk for us at all, at least not financially.”

  “And, as we said, use of this jet is available to anyone in the family who has a need. The flyboys up there will tell you that it’s good for aircraft to be used on a regular basis.”

  “We’re at altitude.” The vo
ice over the speaker was Henry’s.

  Wesley unfastened his seatbelt. “You seem a lot steadier this morning, Kat. The washroom in back is roomy and has a shower. We’ll be a few hours. Why not freshen up?”

  “Yeah, why don’t I?”

  She had to give another round of kudos to the brothers Jessop. They’d hustled her out of their house and were taking her to Lusty without so much as a by-your-leave. Now they were offering her time alone to process.

  She vowed to spend some time, once they were on the ground, to get to know not only their mother but their fathers as well.

  Those three people had done an outstanding job turning out exceptional sons. She wondered if they’d share their secret.

  * * * *

  Paul heaved a mental sigh of relief as soon as the Lear touched down at the Lusty airfield. There were a lot of things to see to now that they were on home turf. He knew that Mel and Connor would be over a bit later to give them all an update. Later would also be soon enough to let Kat know she had an appointment with their cousin Dr. Robert Jessop tomorrow.

  They wanted Kat to heal, and they wanted to provide whatever resources and aid they could to help her discover who was out to get her.

  None of them would feel safe until that person, or persons, were behind bars—or dead.

  “Well, here are the movie moguls, back again so soon. Your SUV is in the parking lot, gentlemen.”

  Paul grinned at his cousin Adam, who was waiting at the base of the jet’s stairs when they deplaned. Behind him, he felt Kat stiffen. It took him a moment to recall that the last time their woman had seen the sheriff of Lusty, Adam had been threatening to toss her in jail and leave her there for a couple of days.

  Adam touched his hat as he nodded to her. “Good to see you again, Ms. Lawson.”

  Kat gave only the slightest nod. “Sheriff.”

  Paul turned and held out his hand, and Kat accepted, her grip firm, as if she needed to feel secure with her hand in his. He took a moment to look at her. She met his gaze but wasn’t able to hide her exhaustion, or her apprehension. He gave her hand a squeeze and looked at Lucas, coming down the jet’s steps, Kat’s suitcase in hand.