Arranged for Pleasure

by Lacey Thorn

  “But it’s been so long,” Juliana moaned. “I want to touch her. I want to play. Remember all the things we did last time we were together? How good it felt?”

  “Yes, I remember everything, Juliana.”

  Was that exasperation Kat heard in his voice?

  “But we can’t do anything right now. I told you to be patient, to wait for me to come for you. I just managed to get her and now you turn up. You could have been followed.”

  So, he hadn’t known Juliana escaped? And it sounded as if he wasn’t happy about it.

  “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” Juliana whined. “The door was open.” She giggled, sounding eerily like a young girl. “That silly girl didn’t realize I was there. She was more intent on stealing. So I slipped out while she was going about her business.”

  “It wasn’t a good idea. They’ll be looking for you now. Most likely here. I told you not to go after that girl. I told you to be patient. You never listen, Juliana. That’s why you were sent away to begin with. You’re too impetuous. You don’t stop and think.”

  “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Please don’t be mad at me.”

  “I’ll always watch over you, protect you.”

  “I know. I love you. You’ll always be there for me.”

  “Are you ready to play?”

  “Yes, please. Oh, yes.”

  Kat’s eyes flared wide. They were coming in. The doorknob wiggled just before the door pushed wide. A wedge of light increased as the door widened, and Juliana Marino was silhouetted in it.

  “You’re awake,” she said, and the smile that lit her face made Kat’s blood run cold. There was evil there, pure evil, and it scared her as nothing else ever could.

  “You must be Juliana,” Kat replied. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

  Juliana laughed. “I’m sure you have. I bet your friend still dreams about me.”

  “Killing you maybe,” Kat stated, watching the flare of anger that filled Juliana’s eyes. “She’s good at killing crazy Marinos.”

  “My brother was nothing like me.”

  Interesting how being compared to Raymond seemed to piss Juliana off.

  “No?” Kat taunted. “Hmmmm, you’re right. He was actually so much better. I mean he hid his crazy, didn’t he?”

  “Shut up!” Juliana yelled at her.

  “She’s only trying to get to you. Calm down.”

  Kat’s jaw dropped open. Now she knew what was off about the masculine voice. It was Juliana talking. Holy crap, she was crazier than any of them had realized.

  “I want to taste her blood. I want to touch her and make her feel pain,” Juliana cried.

  “Patience, my love. Patience.”

  It was terrifying to watch Juliana have a conversation with herself. Not only did her voice change, but her entire face and bearing. As Juliana, she seemed young, eager. As whoever else she was, there was confidence, maturity. It scared Kat to death. Her only chance was to keep Juliana here and not let the other one take over. She had a feeling that would be very bad.

  Kat wiggled her legs just a bit, making sure they were ready if Juliana charged at her, because Kat planned to keep talking until she did. If she could knock Juliana out or at least really hurt her with a well-placed kick, it would give the guys more time to get here and help her. There was no doubt in Kat’s mind they would be looking for her, and she wouldn’t give up until they found her. But how long had she been out?

  Juliana took a step into the room, and Kat spoke up again.

  “He was a decorated detective. Everyone liked him. Funny, isn’t it? How everyone loved him, and he’s the one who had you sent away.” Kat laughed. “You’re nothing compared to your brother. Nothing.”

  “Shut up!” Juliana screamed. “You don’t know anything.” She turned back into the other persona.

  “Calm down, Juliana. She’s just trying to get to you.”

  Kat gritted her teeth. “What’s the matter, Juliana? Are you afraid of me? Can’t handle me yourself? Another reason your brother was so much better. He could fight his own battles. He didn’t need anyone else’s help.”

  “Raymond was stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! He deserved to die!”

  “She’s just baiting you. Calm down.”

  Juliana lifted her hands to hold her head. “Shut up,” she screamed, but this time Kat was certain it was meant toward the voices in Juliana’s head.

  It was bizarre to watch Juliana speak to herself it two such unique voices.

  “You need me. I’ll protect you. I’ll take care of you. Shhhhhh.”

  “No! I don’t need you anymore. You left me to fend for myself in there. Every pill they forced down my throat. You didn’t come to me. You didn’t help me.”

  “I’m here now. Let me take care of things.”

  Juliana screamed and fell to the floor, both palms pressed into the sides of her head as if trying to contain whatever was shouting inside.

  Kat’s heart was galloping. Holy fucking shit! Nothing could prepare a person to deal with something like this, someone like this.

  “Kat!” Liam’s voice sounded from the other room.

  “I’m in here!” she screamed back, sagging with relief. They were here. They’d come for her.

  Juliana rose from the floor with a banshee scream and launched herself toward the bed. Kat had let her guard down. Her legs were too slow, and Juliana landed hard on top of Kat, knocking the air from her lungs, air she needed as hands clamped around her neck and began squeezing.

  She fought even as black dots hovered around her field of vision. She bucked, twisting this way and that as she tried to knock Juliana off or at least loosen her death grip. This was the grip used when Kat had been taken.

  Kat blinked and met Juliana’s gaze. This was the look of a killer, a protector.

  “No one hurts Juliana.” The low masculine tone matched the hard eyes, the hard hands. How was it physically possible for the same person to become so much stronger just by taking on the persona of someone different?

  Kat’s throat burned. She couldn’t breathe. She could just see movement by the door and prayed it wasn’t too late. She didn’t want to die. She didn’t want to lose the happiness she’d so recently embraced.

  “No one hurts Kat.”

  That was what Kat heard just before she lost consciousness. She didn’t know if it was Rafe, Liam, or Adrian who spoke the words. It didn’t matter. It only mattered they were here. They were here, and she was safe.

  Chapter Seven

  The next few days were a blur of activity and information. Kat spent the time in a hospital room surrounded by everyone who mattered to her. Rafe, Liam, and Adrian kept up a constant vigil, though they were never alone, which she assumed was why they had yet to yell at her for leaving. One of them was always at her side, usually all three of them. Until now. She’d give anything for one of them to walk in now and save her from the chaos around her.

  River and her three lovers—Phil, Luke and Rick—had come to see her. River waffled between yelling at Kat for being so stupid and crying at the thought she could have died. Tara was there with Charlie, Dasan, and Sam. Charlie was ordering everyone in the hospital around, threatening if something wasn’t what he expected. Kat swore the entire staff was in hiding, and she couldn’t blame them.

  “You’re coming home just as soon as you get released from this joke of a hospital,” Charlie grunted for the 900th time.

  “I’m not coming back to the ranch.”

  “Yes, you are,” Tara stated, taking Charlie’s side against Kat.

  She could tell where her best friend’s loyalty lay now that Tara was sleeping with Charlie. “Traitor.”

  “They’re right, Kat. You need to get the hell away from here and never look back. You’ve been shot and choked by two members of the same crazy ass family. Go home. Rest. Relax. Let yourself heal. Please.” It was hard to argue when River squeezed her hand and spoke with tears shining in her eyes.

&n
bsp; “Trust me,” Kat pleaded. “I’m more than ready to leave, but not to return to the ranch.”

  “No argument, Kat,” Charlie informed her as Dasan and Sam nodded in agreement.

  Kat was ready to scream, or at least as much of one as she could manage with her throat still healing. Instead, she closed her eyes and did her best to ignore them all.

  “Hey, darling, playing possum?” Liam’s voice drawled by her ear.

  She jerked her eyes open and reached for him. Rafe and Adrian stood beside him.

  “What’s wrong, mi amor?”

  “Kat?” Adrian reached for her.

  “Tell them I’m not going anywhere?” she begged.

  “She’s going home,” Charlie stated, a clear threat in his voice for anyone who cared to argue.

  “It’s time you went home,” Liam agreed.

  Rafe and Adrian both nodded, and Kat felt her heart start to break. Had they changed their minds? Did they no longer want her? Were they eager to send her away? And suddenly, she knew with heartbreaking clarity how they’d felt when she’d left them. Was this all because she’d left again?

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, trying desperately to blink away the tears spilling from her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I just wanted this all to be over. I needed for the four of us to be free of any threat hanging over me. I love you.”

  “What the fuck?” Adrian breathed, obviously affected by her tears. “What do you have to be sorry about? We knew you’d try something.”

  “You’re pretty damn predictable at times, Kat,” Liam stated with a grin.

  “You were thinking with your heart,” Rafe crooned. “None of us will blame you for that.”

  “I didn’t want to leave you.” Kat shook her head in frustration as she tried to explain. “I didn’t leave you. I just needed to do something. I was so scared, but I kept telling myself you’d find me.” She stopped and swallowed, moistened her lips. “How did you? Find me.”

  “We had a tracker in your shoe,” Adrian said without remorse. “I was at the police station all day speaking with the lead detective. I was worried you’d do something dangerous.”

  Liam looked pointedly at her. “Like leaving on your own.”

  “Planning to end things one way or another because you were finished waiting,” Rafe added.

  Kat bit her lip. She felt horrible, but the soft looks in their eyes, the lack of anger, and the love so readily expressed told her more than their words. They loved her, all of her, even the impetuous parts. “I’m sorry. I screwed up.”

  Adrian shook his head and anger finally spilled through. “We’re the ones who fucked up! We could have lost you in there. Last time we do the right thing and involve the red tape of the police department.”

  “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Detective Drake Robbertson spoke from the door, but there was a grin on his lips.

  “If you’re here to tell us something else has gone wrong—” Liam began, but the detective’s laugh cut him off.

  “Do you see backup?” he asked, then glanced down at Kat. “How’re you feeling?”

  “I’ve been better.”

  He nodded his head. He looked tired. Kat remembered him vaguely, but mostly as someone she saw in passing. He tended to run in a different circle than the cops Kat, River, and Tara had known and seen in social settings.

  “Juliana Marino is in custody and has been handed over to authorities. She’s being transported to a new, secure facility. She won’t be escaping again.”

  “Thank God,” River whispered as her men surrounded her.

  “Thanks to your friend here, we know she worked alone.”

  “Can she leave?” Charlie interrupted, bringing Kat back to the earlier conversation and the fact Rafe, Liam, Adrian were ready to be rid of her.

  “Yes. Just make sure you leave a number where you can be reached.”

  “Thank you,” Kat whispered.

  He nodded. “I’m sorry we weren’t there sooner.”

  “You were there in time,” Kat replied, but she was looking at Liam, Rafe, and Adrian when she spoke.

  “It’s a good thing they know you so well,” Detective Robbertson said, holding the tracker up for her to see before dropping it into his pocket. “Well, I’ll leave you guys to it then.” With a nod to the room in general, he slipped back out the door.

  “I’ll go get things ready for you to leave,” Charlie said.

  “I’ve already done that,” Rafe replied.

  “Thanks. I’ll just make arrangements to get the plane set.”

  “We’ve got that covered,” Adrian said.

  “You’re taking me back to the ranch?” Kat asked.

  “We’re taking you home,” Liam replied. “Who said anything about the ranch?”

  “What?” Charlie exploded, voicing the scrambled thoughts going through Kat’s mind.

  “She’s going home,” Rafe stated, his tone daring anyone to argue. “Home. With us.” He nodded toward Liam and Adrian. “I’d say we’ve waited long enough to claim what’s ours.”

  “What are you saying?” Kat’s eyes were glued to them, steadfastly ignoring everyone else in the room.

  “I’ve been chasing you around since we were kids, Kat. I love you. I know you love me, love us. I want you to come home with us, marry us. I want you to make the forever type of promises. We want to make them to you.”

  “Oh, my God!” She sobbed, relief allowing her shoulders to droop. “I thought you were sending me away, that you were all done with me.”

  Liam had the audacity to laugh. “Never in a million years, darling.”

  “We don’t plan to ever let you sneak away again, baby,” Adrian informed her.

  “Come home,” Rafe begged her. “You remember the farm I bought? The one I took you to that night?”

  She knew exactly the one he spoke of. That had been the place she’d run from after the first encounter with all three of them. It was on the other side of town from her brother’s ranch. Close enough for the occasional visit, but far enough to allow freedom from her brother’s sometimes smothering love.

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, you remember, or yes, you’ll come?” Adrian asked for clarification.

  She laughed despite how it hurt her throat. “I’m hoping I’ll do a lot of coming.”

  “Mhhm-mmm.” Charlie cleared his throat, reminding her of their audience and making her cheeks blush pink.

  Rafe grinned. Liam chuckled again, and Adrian just looked cocky.

  “Are you sure?” Charlie asked.

  She nodded her head, never taking her eyes off of her men. Funny how some things came full circle. She hadn’t been able to run away fast enough last time. Now, she couldn’t get back there quick enough to suit her. “Can you make the arrangements?” she whispered.

  Rafe leaned close. “I’ve been arranging for your pleasure our whole lives,” he vowed. “I’ve just been waiting on you to accept it.”

  “I don’t deserve you,” Kat whispered.

  Rafe just grinned and bent to kiss her softly on the lips. “Yes, you do.” He rose up and turned to face the room. “The doctor is going to be here to give Kat another look over before we get her out of here. Why don’t we take the rest of this conversation somewhere else and let the ladies talk for a bit?”

  “Charlie,” Kat called her brother to her bedside. She knew what Rafe was doing. He was taking Charlie out to talk to him, to assure her brother they would watch out for her.

  Her brother nodded at Rafe before moving to her bedside and sitting down while the others began slowly filtering out of the room. His fingers brushed hair from her forehead. “Damn Kat, I’m getting tired of seeing you in a hospital bed.”

  “I’m getting tired of finding myself in one.”

  One side of his mouth tugged up, but he heaved a sigh and held it in as he looked deeply into her eyes. “Are you sure? You can come home if you want. I promise I won’t smother you.”

  She snorted. “
Yes, you will. You love me.”

  “I do.”

  “But I’m sure, Charlie. I love Rafe. And Liam. And Adrian. And as weird as it sounds to confess that, I know you’ll understand because of what you, Sam, and Dasan share with Tara.”

  He blew out a hard breath and nodded his head. “If you change your mind…” He let the offer trail off.

  “I know.”

  He bent low and pressed his lips against her forehead. “I love you, sis.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He sat back up and looked at her. He must have seen whatever he was looking for because he nodded and stood, stopping to kiss Tara and whisper something to her before slipping out the door and leaving them alone.

  River came and sat on one side of the bed while Tara took a seat on the other side.

  “Charlie’s not the only one who doesn’t want to see you in a hospital bed again,” River sighed.

  Kat reached out her hands to her friends and gave them each a squeeze as they threaded their fingers with hers.

  “I can’t believe it’s finally over,” Tara whispered.

  “I know,” Kat agreed. “This crazy mess is finally over.”

  “And we can get on with our lives.”

  Kat and Tara both nodded.

  “So, are you staying with them?” Kat asked River.

  A smile spread over River’s face. “Yes. Honestly, I can’t see myself ever wanting to leave.”

  “I know what you mean,” Tara agreed. “Even when one of them pisses me off beyond belief, I wouldn’t trade what I’ve found with them.”

  “How crazy is it that we’ve all found love with groups of men?” River asked with a laugh.

  “Leave it to us to require three men a piece to satisfy us,” Kat retorted.

  Tara turned to face River. “You’ll visit, right? Kat will be close enough for me to pop in on every now and then. But you’ll be further away.”

  “I’ll keep in touch. I’m not hiding from anything now.”

  “None of us are,” Tara said with a pointed look at Kat.

  “I’m not hiding or running anymore,” Kat admitted.

  “So, do we stick with the idea of keeping Angel Investigations open and running?” Tara asked.