Elizabeth, Peyton - Noble Yearning [Nature's Nobles 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Peyton Elizabeth

  “Don’t bring her into this. Besides, Mace Lawson told his sister Haven existed, and she still doesn’t want to go. So why are we here forcing the situation?” Ronan shoved the menu back where it belonged and then leaned back into his seat, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here. “I just don’t see the need to force someone to do something they don’t want to do.”

  “No matter what you say,” Gavin said, ignoring his comments about the Seer, “I will never believe Kala wanted to leave us. Whatever the reason, I believe she cared for each us and would never have wanted to hurt us the way she did.”

  “I already told you, I don’t want go there,” Ronan warned. “This has nothing to do with her.”

  Gavin knew it had everything to do with Kala. She was the one woman who had gotten past both of their defenses when they were young men, and that meant something. Ronan and Gavin had been part of a group of Nobles during their teen years, which included Theo and Reese Matthews, Theo and Jagger’s wife. Back then, being a Noble was almost a death sentence and groups formed together to protect one another. Kala had been a part of their group for a couple months and then disappeared, taking his and Ronan’s hearts with her.

  Gavin had had it pretty good as a teen, and had had a normal childhood, unlike Ronan. Gavin’s mom and dad still lived near Billings, Montana, and Gavin and Ronan made sure to visit them at least once every so many months. Ronan, on the other hand, had been “adopted” by Gavin’s parents, when they realized he was pretty much living on his own at sixteen. He and Ronan attended the same high school together and had become fast friends, confiding in each other that they were Nobles. Unfortunately, Ronan never knew his father and his mother had overdosed on drugs after years of addiction. Ronan had joined up with Theo’s group by the time he was nineteen, and even though Gavin had his family, he made sure to immerse himself with the others. By that time, Ronan had been like a brother, and he knew how important it was for Ronan to connect with other Nobles.

  “It has everything to do with her, man.”

  Estelle was back with their drinks, preventing Ronan from speaking, which was a good thing, because Gavin was pretty sure he was about to be told to fuck off. Anytime he brought up Kala, Ronan turned into himself and clammed up.

  Kala had been this beautiful eighteen-year-old girl, with the bluest eyes he’d ever seen in his life. The three of them had spent almost every second together for the two months that she was there. For Ronan, it was the first time he’d ever opened up to anyone other than Gavin, sharing his pain at having a drug-addicted mother who cared more for her drugs than she did her son. And then one morning they woke up to find Kala gone. She hadn’t said a word, hadn’t left a note—just vanished into thin air.

  All they knew about her was that her name was Kala and she was the most beautiful thing they had ever laid eyes on. She had never even shared what her power had been. They knew nothing about her past except that her parents had died in a car accident the year before she showed up to join their group. Gavin had gotten the feeling she felt guilty about that, but he never understood why.

  After searching for Kala for months, Ronan up and quit. Just like that, he gave up. That was the only time they ever came to physical blows, because Gavin couldn’t believe that his best friend would not want to continue searching for the girl they loved. And that’s what it came down to. Even at the age of nineteen, they had fallen in love with Kala. The fight lasted until both were bleeding and lying on the ground, too tired to move.

  Ronan might have stopped looking, but Gavin always had his ear to the ground for any word related to where Kala might have gone. It was hard for someone to fall off the map, especially for a girl alone. But no leads had ever panned out, and eventually, Gavin had stopped talking about her for the most part, knowing it made Ronan short-tempered.

  “Your food will be right out,” Estelle said, placing the little tubs of creamer on the table. They both murmured their thanks, and Gavin watched as she walked back over to where the two men were finishing their meals.

  The overhead bell gave another jingle, making Gavin look toward the door. Two women, both obviously finished shopping if the bags in their hands were any indication, were talking about the new shipment of shoes that came in at one of the retail shops. It was almost comical, the way they stopped when they looked toward their booth. Gavin ignored them, looking over at Ronan. His friend was staring into his coffee like it was a lifeline that would suck him in and take him away from what Gavin was about to say.

  “I still believe that Kala felt she had no choice but to leave. She loved us.” Gavin reached for the creamer.

  “There’s always a choice, Gavin.” Ronan picked up his coffee and, even with the steam rising from the surface, took a big gulp. Gavin winced at the thought of the burn it must have created. “She chose to leave. End of story.”

  From the time Kala left, Ronan and Gavin had pretty much stayed away from women until a couple of years afterward. Their physical needs took over, and it just seemed natural for them to share, especially since they had shared Kala, although not the way they would have liked. Sure, the three of them had been together, but Ronan and Gavin had taken her separately, not wanting to scare her that first time.

  From that moment on though, that’s how they took their women, liking the enhanced sexual experience. It was rare that Kala was ever brought up anymore, but both men had been aware that, given the opportunity, they would have loved Kala together and it would have had everything to do with the emotional aspect of it versus the physical.

  “Why the fuck are you bringing her up now anyway?” Ronan asked, slamming his mug on the table as if just realizing where this conversation was headed.

  “It’s been ten years, Ronan. We’ll eventually need to move on, leave her memory behind.” Gavin faltered over the words, knowing he would probably never really be able to do that either. But living with a ghost that followed them around wasn’t cutting it anymore. “I want a life, Ronan, with a woman to love us. I want a family.”

  “Let’s just focus on finding our target.”

  “Here you go,” Estelle announced. “Two house specials.”

  “You seem like a nice woman, Estelle.” Gavin figured he wasn’t going to get anywhere with Ronan right now. And they definitely weren’t going to get anywhere finding their artist if they didn’t push things along. So, it was time for a new tactic. Estelle looked at him warily, obviously wondering exactly where he was going with this conversation. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret. As you might have guessed, we aren’t here to purchase art. But we are seeking the artist who lives here. You see, her life is in danger and we were sent here by her brother to make sure she is okay.”

  Estelle’s eyes widened at the word danger, and her hand went over her heart. Gavin bit back a smile, knowing he had her right where he wanted her. Nothing got to a woman more than thinking that someone might be in danger.

  “If we don’t find her, and these bad men figure out where she is before we do, it’s not going to end well for her. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “I—I don’t know whom you’re talking about,” Estelle stammered, looking confused as to what she should do. “But let me think who you might be looking for and I’ll be right back.”

  Gavin knew that the minute Estelle made it to the kitchen she would place a call to the woman they were searching for. And if she didn’t have her number, Estelle would try to find a way to get the information to their target. Unfortunately, if he let that happen, the Seer might actually run and they would never find her. Before he could stop Estelle, the bell above the door jingled again, doing it for him. He looked up and realized that he might have jinxed this entire mission. The man who walked in appeared very similar to him and Ronan, wearing black clothing and a light jacket that no doubt hid a firearm. Giving Ronan a nudge underneath the table, he reached out to place his hand on Estelle’s arm.

  “Estelle, I need you to listen to me very c
arefully.” Gavin noticed that Ronan had turned his head slightly to the side to see out of his peripheral vision and knew the minute he noticed the man. Ronan’s jaw was square, and whenever he tensed up during a situation, his muscle stood out, like it was doing now. “Time has run out. Do not give this guy one bit of information, no matter what he says. You need to give us her address, or trust me, this guy will find her first.”

  Gavin wasn’t positive, but he would bank on this man being a Noble. Unfortunately, he or Ronan didn’t have the ability to figure out which kind. So that left them with little to go on and not enough time to waste. How the hell had someone else found their target at the same time they did? He needed to call Jagger immediately. Something had gone wrong, and now the shit was about to hit the fan. He watched as Estelle carefully took out her pad and wrote something down on the paper. Tearing it off, she said, “Here’s your check. I hope you enjoy your dinner.”

  Gavin watched as Estelle walked over to the women and took their food order, while the stranger sat next to the two men at the counter. He reached for the check and saw directions written down on the back. Bingo.

  Chapter Two

  “Mace, we’ve talked about this. I’m happy here and have no desire to move to Colorado.” Devyn Lawson held her cell phone in between her ear and shoulder while she put away her oil paints. She had cleaned her brushes with turpentine during the first half hour she had been talking with her brother. This was the longest conversation they had had in months, but it was getting tiresome and she wanted it to be over. “Besides, at this point, there are probably too many people at Haven for me to be comfortable. Every time I would brush up against someone, I’d see something in their future and struggle with the issue of telling them or keeping it secret. I’d rather not deal with it.”

  “Devyn, you’re not listening to me. Jagger says there have been rumblings of the Fray working on their own, without the government’s blessing. If this is true, you’ll be their first target.”

  “No, Reese would be their first target and you know that.” Devyn finally finished arranging the tubes by colors the way she liked. She wasn’t really worried about what Mace was saying, especially because no one knew where she was. It had taken her years to find the perfect hideaway, having constantly been on the move. The only one who knew her location was her brother.

  The Fray was a group of people who wanted to wipe out the Noble race, or better yet, use their powers for their own gain. The government made sure to shut them down, but from what Mace was saying, they had started an underground army.

  “Reese has the power to kill by just a thought. She’s the perfect weapon and the one they want. Besides, no one knows where I’m at or that I even exist. A lot of people think I’m a myth, and that’s the way I like it.”

  The silence on the phone had Devyn stopping in the middle of her living room. There was no way her brother would have given her location out, not even to Jagger Malone. He knew how important it was for her to live the life she had chosen.

  “Mace?”

  “Devyn, I don’t want you to get upset, but I did what I thought was in your best interest.”

  She felt the air leave her lungs, and fear had her trembling. Devyn looked around her at the tiny log cabin she called home. Her oil paintings were stacked against the far wall, getting ready to be shipped off to New York for one of her showings under the name of Felicity Jewel. She had different names for every little thing she did, and even in this faraway place, she had a different name.

  The red cedar walls were decorated with her favorite works, blending in with the creams and burgundies of her furniture. The open area was warm and inviting, just the way she wanted. She cherished this place and the comfort it gave. And now her brother was telling her it was gone.

  “What have you done, Mace?” Devyn whispered, still not able to draw in enough oxygen and feeling panic settle in the pit of her stomach.

  “What needed to be done.” His voice came across the phone with all the confidence in the world. She wanted to reach through and strangle him. She wanted to scream, rant, and cry. But she could do nothing.

  Devyn could still hear him talking when she pulled the phone away from her ear and disconnected. She stood a little while longer, staring into space and contemplating her options. She didn’t have many, did she?

  Her phone started to ring again, but she just ignored it. She wasn’t sure how long she had before someone showed up in town. She probably should have asked Mace that, but in the end, it didn’t matter. She needed to leave.

  The only saving grace was that her brother didn’t know the name she was using here. Even though they spoke on the phone once a week, Devyn hadn’t seen her brother for close to eleven years. Now, she was doubly glad he didn’t know she went by Phoebe Lewis. The only reason he knew what town she resided in was for emergencies. At least it would make the people looking for her have a harder time locating her and give her a chance to pack and leave. She would figure out a way to get her paintings to New York since it was her livelihood. Right now, she needed to get moving.

  Déjà vu set in, making her realize she had only ever felt like this once before, but Devyn quickly pushed aside the feeling and shoved her cellphone into the front of her jeans pocket. She wasn’t going to think about the past and what she had to give up.

  She made her way into the bedroom, its entrance opposite the kitchen. Entering her walk-in closet, she reached up and pulled the suitcase that had been sitting on the upper shelf, collecting dust. Hauling it behind her, she entered the bedroom and flung the luggage on the bed.

  “Don’t think, Devyn. Just do it.”

  Unzipping the standard black case, she flipped the lid. Going to her dresser, she started going through each drawer and dumping its contents into what would now be her travel closet. She fought back the tears that wanted to spill over, knowing they wouldn’t do her any good.

  While she went about gathering miscellaneous items from the bathroom, Devyn tried to tell herself that Mace had done what he thought was best. But no matter how many times she repeated that to herself, it didn’t stop the ball of anger that formed in her throat, making her want to scream.

  He had no right to mess with her life like this. She might not be able to see her own future, but that didn’t mean it gave him the right to make decisions on her behalf. She had managed to survive on her own for years. Her brother had no justification for what he did, even if he was given information about the Fray starting up again. Everything about her life was her decision, and hers alone. She had fared well when the Fray was a working unit, and she’d survive their half-assed attempt at one now.

  Finally finished, Devyn pulled the lid back down and zipped the case shut. Leaving it on the bed, she went back into the closet and leaned over the gray safe that sat in the corner. Entering the four-digit code, she waited until she heard the click before pulling on the handle. Inside was over ten thousand dollars, various identifications along with matching birth certificates. She’d paid a hefty price back in the day to make sure all information could pass as legitimate.

  Reaching on top of the safe, she grabbed the black duffel bag she kept there for emergencies, never thinking she’d literally have to use it. Ignoring her shaking hands, Devyn started to fill up the bag with the safe’s contents. The only thing left inside was a handgun and an extra clip of ammo. Not giving herself time to think about it, she picked it up and shoved it in the front of the bag, along with its clip. Zipping both pockets closed, Devyn didn’t even bother to shut the safe and instead stood up, slinging the duffel over her shoulder and walking back into the bedroom.

  Before she could haul the suitcase off the bed, Devyn heard a knock at her front door. No one had ever knocked on that door in the years she’d been living here, and she knew that she’d finally been found. The only question was if they were Mace’s men or the Fray. She would guess they were Nobles, since the Fray hadn’t a clue as to where she was, and that they were working for her
brother.

  Letting the bag fall off of her shoulder, she let it rest on the bed and unzipped the front pocket. Grabbing the gun, she looked down to make sure the safety was off and then reached around, lifting her white painting T-shirt she liked to wear, and made sure it was tucked in between her waistband and the skin of her back. The metal was cold, but she ignored the feeling and walked out of the bedroom.

  Another knock came, this time more insistent. She had no windows by the door for her to look out to see who it might be, so Devyn walked to the where the door knob was and placed one hand on the brass and another flat against the wood, leaning her body into it. She tried to muster the energy it would take to deal with who was on the other side. She would tell them Mace made a mistake and that she wasn’t going with them. Unfortunately for her, it still meant she’d need to leave and find another place to live.

  Devyn wished her ability was able to pick something up through the wood, but she had to be physically touching someone to see images of their future. Throwing caution to the wind, she threw open the door and came face to face with her past.

  Time stood still.

  The past she had tried so hard to forget now stood in front of her. Her heart instantly raced for a different reason, and the trembling in her hands had nothing to do with anger. Memories of the three of them came back to her, just as clear as any future vision ever could. The two men were exactly how she had seen them in her mind when she was eighteen. And she had had many visions of their future back then.

  Gavin Keller stood six feet tall, with his blond hair short enough to spike itself, his blue eyes staring at her in disbelief. His face hadn’t changed, with his high cheekbones and thinner lips, but she knew from experience that they were the softest things to touch hers in her lifetime.