by Zoey Marcel
His brother had beads of sweat on his forehead, and his gray wifebeater had wet spots from physical exertion.
Greyson drew in a deep breath. The long past due apology would be somewhat difficult.
Emmett paused to look at him before resuming his punching. “What do you need?”
“I just wanted to talk to you. Don’t worry about stopping.”
Greyson crossed his arms and leaned against the weight rack. The clunk of the round, heavy plates behind him made him adjust his stance for comfort and to keep the image of the plates tipping in disarray behind him out of his head. They must be uniform, damn it.
“I wanted to talk to you about what happened to Tasha.”
Emmett’s fist slammed hard into the bag and then he froze. The iron hardness that dropped over his face would fool anyone into thinking he was angry or indifferent about the topic. Greyson knew better.
“What about it?”
“I don’t blame you for what happened. I never did.”
Emmett turned to look at him. Now his expression trumpeted his irritation without pretense. “Then why the hell did you resent me all those years if not for getting the woman you loved killed?”
“I never loved Tasha. I only got engaged to her to try to erase what I felt for…someone else.”
“You mean Diego?”
Greyson nodded. “Yeah. When she died, I didn’t have a shield or an excuse anymore. It forced me to take a good hard look at myself and who I really was. That’s why I resented you.” His head bowed and his mellow pitch dropped to an even softer one. “It was wrong of me. I’m sorry.”
Emmett didn’t say anything, but the slight incline of his eyebrows conveyed his astonishment.
“You cared more about her than I did.” Greyson peeked down at his hands moving slowly over each other pointlessly. “I should have just let you have her all to yourself.”
“We’re better off without her. She cheated on us. That’s why I was driving her to the airport that day.”
Greyson looked up at him calm and unfazed by the news. “I’m not surprised. Our relationship with her started out with deception on her part. It made things awkward between you and me, too. You backed off despite your feelings for her, and I shared her with you so you could have the woman you wanted.”
Emmett’s stone features eased into something warm and made of flesh. “That’s why you shared her with me—so I could be happy?” His lips tugged at one corner when Greyson nodded. It was a draw as to who the winner was—Emmett or the smile he tried to conceal. “I always thought you did it for her.”
Greyson wrinkled his nose. “No. I’d better be enough for any woman of mine. If I let her sleep with my brothers and my best friend, it’s just an added bonus and only if I know she’s trustworthy.”
Emmett’s head bent down and his lips cocked to one side. “That’s…it means something.”
“Well, I should hope so.”
Both men smirked and gave themselves over to the comfortable silence that followed.
“I didn’t feel anything when she died,” Greyson confessed with mild guilt. “All I felt was relief. I felt like shit because of it.”
Emmett folded his arms. “She used you for money and you used her to hide your bisexuality. It wasn’t a healthy relationship for any of us. Relief at its close is understandable.”
“You were pretty cut up by it. I should have put aside my selfish feelings long enough to help you through your grief.” Greyson looked over at him, the guilt getting replaced with unadulterated shame.
“It’s not your job to make me whole. Happiness should come from within and then be shared with the ones you love.”
“My happiness has always been dependent on others.”
“That’s why you’re unstable and critical of others when they let you down. Everyone is different, though. No one is judging you for loving differently.”
Greyson nodded in reflection. “Thanks. I’ll let you get to it. No boxing gloves?”
Emmett shook his head with a teasing, crooked smile. “You’re not a man until your knuckles bleed.”
Greyson grinned.
Emmett extended his hand to him and they shook. “If it’s any comfort, Melanie means far more to me than Tasha ever did.”
Greyson felt aglow inside when he thought of their beloved. “Same here. I didn’t think the right woman existed for all of us to share. I was wrong.”
“You weren’t alone. I had my doubts in the beginning as well. She proved us wrong.”
“She sure did.” After a pause and only the splatting sound of Emmett throwing punches at the swaying bag, Greyson asked “Do you know where Hunter is?”
“In the stable, I believe.”
Greyson started to head out. “I appreciate that you always call it a stable instead of a barn.”
Emmett wore a lopsided grin and sniffed as he swung his arms to and fro to loosen up and stretch. “I never understood how difficult it was to remember the difference either, though the lines blur sometimes.” When Greyson turned, Emmett added “I’ve always admired you, you know. Not just when we were kids. You have a good head on your shoulders. I respect that, and you work like a masochistic ox.”
Greyson smirked. “Diego thinks I need to relax more.”
“It wouldn’t hurt.”
He smiled, feeling close to his sibling. “Thanks, Emmett.”
Emmett nodded.
Greyson walked away, feeling light on his feet, better. He and Emmett had more in common than he’d given his brother credit for all these years.
* * * *
Upon entering the stable, Greyson found Hunter moving bales of hay onto a pallet.
“Shit. The shipment was today? Why isn’t anyone helping you?”
Why aren’t you helping him, you dumb fuck?
“I don’t mind. Work is relaxing.” Hunter smiled at him. “Everybody is off doing other things. Besides, I’ll have a healthy appetite and sleep real good tonight.”
Well, that was having a positive attitude about things. If it had been him he’d have been bitching about lazy brothers and how if he wanted something done he’d have to do it himself.
Hunter, on the other hand, was patient and didn’t cast blame at others, particularly when they probably were unaware that the load of hay bales would arrive today. Life on the ranch was busy and if things didn’t get written down, sometimes it slipped their minds. Greyson smiled. Good thing they had him to keep them in line…except for today where he totally spaced it and forgot about the damned load.
“Let me help you with that.”
Both brothers transferred the rectangular bales of hay from where they’d been dropped off to various wooden pallets.
“You don’t mind if we talk while we work, do you?” Greyson asked.
Hunter cracked a half smile. “Just so long as you don’t sing to me while we work.”
“No worries there. You know I hate musicals.”
“Go for it then.”
“It’s about me actually. I probably should have told you sooner, but I wasn’t sure how you’d take it.”
“What’s that?”
He cast a sideways glance at his brother nervously while they worked. “I’m bi.”
Hunter looked over at him, but never missed a beat as he lifted the bales. “Oh yeah?”
Greyson waited for his eyes to bulge or some kind of awkward attempt to accept something many religions considered taboo. None of the like came. His brother kept working, and while he seemed surprised by the news, he didn’t appear scandalized in the least.
“Yeah, with Diego actually. I’ve had a thing for him for years.” He stood and scratched his head.
Hunter bent over to get another hay bale. “He’s a good guy. You both are a lot alike.”
Greyson got back to work, feeling unexpected trembles of relief shoot through him. “That doesn’t offend you?”
“Why would it?”
“Because you’re Catholic.”
Hunter stopped and wiped his brow off on his forearm and sniffled from the hay dust floating in the air. “So?”
“It doesn’t bother you that I want a man that way?”
“It’s your business. I don’t want any part of it, but if Diego makes you happy and you both are committed to each other, then I think that’s beautiful, and I wish you both happiness.”
Greyson smiled. “What about your former disgust with Emmett?”
Hunter rolled his eyes and got a little smile on his face before bending over to relocate another bale. “That was different. Before Melanie he was running around like a horny hyena drugged with an aphrodisiac. Promiscuity is repulsive to me, but commitment is sacred. It doesn’t matter if it’s between a man and a woman, two men, two women, or a ménage like we all have with Mellie.”
“That means a lot coming from you. I thought things would be awkward between us once you knew.”
“Nah. I don’t give off that kind of judgmental vibe, do I?”
“No. You’re very supportive. You always have been. You know me. I always assume the worst.”
“Well, that’s true. I’m glad you finally figured yourself out. You were unhappy for too long.”
“I was.”
Now that he had Melanie, admitted to his feelings for Diego, and had some kind of unity with his father and brothers again, Greyson couldn’t be anything but happy.
* * * *
Mellie couldn’t stop smiling when Greyson led her into his room and then shut the door. “So what is this surprise?”
“You’ll see. Shut your eyes.”
She closed her eyes, still beaming. “How am I supposed to see with my eyes closed?”
“Cute. Get down on your knees.”
Her heart skipped a beat as she obeyed. “Aren’t you supposed to be the one on your knees?”
“Who said I was proposing? That’s something I’m gonna do with the others. Open.”
She opened her eyes and gasped in delight when she saw the beautiful antique looking silver collar he held. It wasn’t very wide and it was simple in design like she’d requested. The center in front had a circle around a beautiful Celtic cross. The rest of the collar had squiggly engravings all on it like discreet but elegant snakes. The design wasn’t based on serpents, but the fancy Celtic squiggles were similar in shape.
“Oh, Greyson, it’s beautiful.”
“I know it’s not really elaborate, but you said you wanted something simple and tasteful. I designed it myself.”
“It’s perfect. Thank you.” She threw her arms around his legs and hugged him. “It kind of matches the slave bracelet Hunter gave me.”
“That’s what I thought.” Greyson smiled down at her and fastened the collar around her neck when she moved her hair out of the way. “It locks on. God, you look stunning, slick.”
“Let me see.” She bounded to her feet and peeked at herself in the mirror attached to his dresser. “Oh, I love it! Thank you so much.”
“You don’t have to wear it all the time. I’m not anal about it or anything. Just wear it while we’re doing a scene and at least fifty percent of the time outside the bedroom and I’ll be happy. The other fifty percent of the time you can wear whatever kind of jewelry you want.”
She winked at his reflection in the mirror. “That fifty percent isn’t an estimate is it? You’ll go crazy if I wear this sixty-forty, won’t you?”
He laughed. “You caught me. Just abide by the fifty percent rule to help minimize the stress in my life.”
She grinned and spun around to embrace him again. “Anything to please you. This means so much.”
“Well, you mean so much to me. If the collar had been made of what you’re worth, I’d have adorned it with diamonds and so many other fucking gems you’d never be able to stand.”
She giggled and pecked a kiss on his lips. “Silver is perfect for me. I’m not a gaudy jewelry kind of woman. I want to show the others. This is so wonderful. I feel like I belong to you guys.”
“Damned right you do.”
She dashed out of the room and rushed down the stairs to find Emmett and Hunter in the living room. “Look what Greyson gave me! Isn’t it beautiful?”
The expected admiration passed through both men’s eyes quickly before their pupils dilated with concern. The way they gaped at her and then glanced at each other was somewhat alarming. They looked spooked for some reason.
“Fuck,” Emmett breathed.
“What’s wrong?” Mellie asked.
Hunter cleared his throat, clearly attempting to mask his worry. “It’s beautiful, Mellie.”
Emmett looked past her, probably to Greyson who walked up to them from behind her. “What the hell did you do?”
“The fuck is your problem?” Greyson threw back at him. “I collared her as my submissive. You got a problem with that?”
“Frankly, I do. We planned on talking to her tonight about you know what,” Emmett informed him.
Mellie glanced back at Greyson, who looked perplexed and shrugged.
“She knows we want to marry her. You might have filled me in that you wanted to propose to her tonight.”
“We do plan to propose to her, but not before sitting her down and explaining some things to her,” Hunter put in. “You know, about the town.”
Silence fell before it was breached by a muted “shit” from Greyson. “You mean you idiots haven’t talked to her yet?”
“No. We wanted to wait until we were sure you had feelings for her,” Hunter explained. “None of us figured you’d collar her so quickly and without telling anybody.”
“I do whatever the fuck I want,” Greyson reminded them. “Jesus, did it ever occur to anyone to fill me in? I thought she already knew about the town curse.”
Mellie’s ears perked and she kept throwing glances between the three of them, hoping for answers. “What town curse?”
Emmett shook his head with a scornful expression on his face. “You just fucked it up for everyone, didn’t you?”
“I’m not the idiot who didn’t tell her up front what she was getting herself into,” Greyson shot back. “After going through four men, I would think that one of you geniuses would have the decency to tell her about how things work in McKenna Downs.”
“I think we’re all to blame,” Hunter said.
“What the heck is going on?” she demanded. “Somebody tell me.”
Emmett looked at Greyson and rolled his eyes.
“The women in town are expected to submit to their men,” Greyson replied.
Melanie shrugged. “I already know that. I don’t have a problem submitting to any of you. It makes me really happy.”
“There’s more,” Greyson said dryly.
Hunter stepped forward with a defeated sigh. “We really were gonna tell you tonight, angel. None of us wanted you to find out this way, though. Not like this. The women in town who are claimed by their men become bound to them.”
She smiled. “That’s sweet.”
Emmett snorted. “Not when you can’t leave town.”
“What do you mean?”
Hunter inhaled, face guarded and eyes cautious. “There’s a town myth that says there were a few men who loved the same woman back in the nineteenth century. They founded this town, but she couldn’t make up her mind between them. Someone—and the stories are mixed on this part— cast a spell on the town. The men agreed to share the woman, but the drawback for her was that she had to submit to them in all things and she could never leave. No one knows for sure who cast the spell, but there were a few men in town with women they wanted to tame. The women agreed to it.”
“That’s an interesting legend, but it’s just mythology,” Mellie protested. “Stuff like that isn’t possible. Women leave this town all the time.”
“Single women leave town,” Greyson corrected her. “The women in committed relationships can only leave temporarily with their spouses’ or Doms’ permission.”
�
�So what happens if they leave town without permission? Do they get a spanking?” The smile drained from her face when she saw the deathly seriousness on the men’s faces. “What?”
“They can’t leave, Mellie,” Hunter said quietly. “Not without permission.”
“But what if they do it anyway?”
Emmett rubbed his face, seeming frustrated and worried. “You don’t get it. Greyson collared you as his submissive. That qualifies as a permanent commitment in this town. Now that he owns you, you can never leave. If you try, an invisible wall will keep you from leaving town.”
She scrutinized their faces hard for the signs of jest that were startlingly absent. “But what if I want to go to another town to shop or run errands? What about vacation?”
“You can leave with any of us just fine, or alone if we give you permission,” Hunter told her. His green eyes grew vulnerable. “But you have to come back.”
She swallowed. “What happens if I don’t?”
“Why the hell wouldn’t you?” Greyson grabbed her arm tight. “We need you, damn it. If you love us, then this stupid stipulation shouldn’t matter to you.”
She couldn’t breathe and started to tremble. “What happens if I don’t come back?”
“You mean if you choose to leave us?” Hunter asked sadly.
She nodded, gulping down her grief at the mere idea she couldn’t cope with.
Greyson squeezed his eyes shut as if in pain and let go of her.
Emmett held eye contact with her while he spoke in a solemn tone. “Most women never want to leave, but the few who did without their partners’ approval…died.”
“What?” she shrieked.
“It’s not enough to get one partner’s permission if your intent is to leave forever,” Emmett explained. “You would need permission from all your men to be let go. Only then could you part from them and this town forever without dying. If the five of us choose to ever move with you, then you’d be free to come with us and leave this town safely.”
“There’s also a rumor that everyone who stays inherits eternal life,” Hunter said, “but that part sounds sketchy to me.”
“To all of us,” Emmett agreed.
Mellie blinked, feeling a heavy weight crushing down on her chest as she looked at Greyson. “Tell me you didn’t collar me just so you could live forever.”
