Authors: Paige Cameron
Tags: #Romance
“I tried to pick up on the gender. Our traitor here on the ranch may be a woman.”
“What clues brought you to that conclusion?” Rae asked.
“It’s not conclusive. But when he or she talked, there was a sense of anger, jealousy toward you. The speech was more like how a woman would speak, especially a scorned woman.”
“Darlin’, what woman’s man have you flirted with lately?” Garth said, a teasing grin on his face.
“No one unless one of you has a woman you haven’t told me about.”
“Not since we saw you.” Cad stood, pulled her up, and lifted her into his arms. “Enough talking. We’re going to bed. All of us.”
He carried her to her bedroom and sat her on the side of her bed. Already in the process of undressing, Garth followed them. As soon as Cad sat her down, Garth came to her side to start taking her clothes off one by one.
When he uncovered her breasts, he knelt and cupped each one in his hands. His lips brushed across the pink nipples. Raising his head, he leaned forward and captured her mouth with his. His fingers rubbed across her sensitive nipples. Shivers of desire flared in her lower abdomen and spread throughout her body.
Cad came to their side. He had undressed and sheathed his large cock. Garth stopped what he was doing, and Rae murmured a protest.
“Give us a moment to get you in place for both of us, darlin’.” Garth lifted her onto the bed and removed the rest of her clothing. He turned her face toward his as Cad pulled her legs wide and separated her lower lips.
Garth ravished her mouth. Cad sucked on her nub and licked her juices flowing from her aching pussy.
“Sugar sweet, and you smell so delectable. I can’t get enough of you, sweetheart.” Cad flicked his tongue inside her opening. Rae’s pussy clenched with the need to have him fill her.
“Go in me,” she demanded.
“In due time.” Cad continued to taste and tease her most sensitive areas.
Garth bit her full lower lip, bringing her attention back to him. “Focus, darlin’. We both need attention.” He nibbled at her earlobe. Her breathing became more erratic as heat and pleasure flashed from one spot to the other.
Her body rose to meet Cad’s mouth, and her chest exploded with delight when Garth licked around her nipple, and then he suckled her breast.
Garth slid off the bed. He went to his shirt and pulled a small jar out of his pocket. “One of the husbands of Sara’s friends handed me this a while back. He said we might enjoy using this special relaxing cream sometime. Apparently it does more than just relax you. We don’t need anything extra, but I’d like to see its effects. We won’t use much. Are you game?” he asked Rae. Cad had raised his head. Both nodded yes.
Garth put a small amount in Cad’s and his hands. Cad ran his fingers across her rib cage to her stomach, around the edge of her pelvic area, and down her legs.
Garth slid his lotion-coated hands across her breasts and nipples. He nuzzled her neck.
The cream gave the sensation of liquid heat flowing in her veins. Rae felt herself sinking into the soft mattress. But then, an unknown urgency swept across her and her desire built like a roaring fire deep in her core.
Cad had massaged her feet, kissed her ankle, and moved his lips up her leg to the sensitive spot behind her knee. She wanted him to take her or at least put his seductive mouth and tongue on her pussy lips and nub. When Garth suckled her breasts, she screamed and bucked with a desire for more. He rubbed his tongue across each nipple and suckled each breast.
Cad sucked on her nub. Her body splintered into a thousand pieces as her orgasm hit. Cad quickly positioned himself at her opening and plunged into her tight, wet pussy. He rode her fast and hard.
Garth quit kissing her breasts and moved his firm cock to her mouth. She opened and took him in as deep as she could. Lips tight, she moved her head up and down and then sucked on his dick just as Cad went in deep one more time.
Her orgasm hit every cell in her body. Vaguely she heard Garth and Cad groan in satisfaction. She licked Garth’s cock and swallowed his salty essence. Her pussy trembled with satisfaction around Cad’s cock.
The two men rolled to the side. “Damn, I don’t think we need to use that very often. It’s explosive,” Garth said.
“Yes, but it does give an extra edge to the whole experience. We’ll keep the jar for special occasions,” Cad said.
“What do you think, darlin’?” Garth asked and leaned up on one elbow to see her face.
“Wow.” Her breathing was ragged, and spikes of pleasure still occasionally rolled across her body.
“I think she liked it,” Cad said.
Rae cuddled into Cad’s shoulder. Garth moved behind her and snuggled against her backside.
“Sleep. When you wake we need an answer to our question.”
They didn’t need to know she’d made up her mind earlier today. She’d let them worry a little while longer.
Rae reached out. The sheet beside her was cold.
She opened her eyes and looked around. Cad and Garth had gone. The house was quiet. She’d shower, dress, and go looking for them.
She turned the water on cool to fully wake her. She’d slept deeply, better than in a long time. After pulling on a clean pair of jeans and a bright-red shirt, she went to the kitchen.
A note sat beside her coffeepot. The trucks were arriving. When she finished breakfast, they hoped she’d join them. They hadn’t had the heart to wake her, Cad had added at the bottom.
The coffeepot was hot. They hadn’t been gone long. She’d have toast and coffee then go find the big trucks.
She sipped her coffee and thought of last night. She’d known when she watched and listened to Garth and Cad at the meeting that she’d lost her heart to them. Her mind had finally accepted the fact her body had long known. They were her men. Her heart jumped with happiness imagining their expressions when she said yes.
Rae headed out to her car. She put her keys in the car door as another vehicle parked behind her. George, one of Nick’s workers, who helped build and keep up the facilities, stepped out.
“Good morning, Rae. Your brothers told me to come and get you. There’s something they want to show you in one of the trucks that arrived.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I can drive myself.”
George shrugged. “I’m here now. You might as well ride with me.”
Rae hesitated and then walked around to the passenger side of George’s car. “I’ll get someone to drive me home. Thank you for taking time from your work.” She slid into the seat as George got behind the steering wheel. He pulled an object out of his pants pocket and turned to her.
A flash of darkness in his blue eyes had Rae moving back, but she was too late. The needle sank into her arm, and George pushed the liquid quickly under her skin.
Immediately Rae’s world spun. She tried to fumble with the door handle.
“Lean back and enjoy the ride,” George said in a sneering tone. “It’ll be your last one.” Rae’s world went black as the car backed out of her driveway.
* * * *
Cad glanced at his watch. “I expected Rae to be here before now.”
“Me, too. I’ve got a prickle under my skin. Something isn’t right.” Garth ran to their truck with Cad right behind him.
Daren rushed to their side. “I heard your conversation. I’m going with you.” He jumped in the backseat, and Garth tore off up the street and around the corner toward Rae’s house.
“Her car’s in the drive.” Cad got out first and went to the car while Garth and Daren headed to the back door.
“No need looking in the house,” Cad called out. He held up her keys. “I found these in her car door. Whatever happened occurred right here in broad daylight.”
“He or she knew we’d all be at the trucks helping with the unloading,” Daren said.
“Get in the truck,” Garth said. “I’m going to shift. I have a good nose for tracking. Follow me.”
Daren went to the driver’s side. “I know the area best. We’d better stop at our house and get guns.”
He swerved across the road, parked, and ran inside. In minutes, he and Phillip came out with guns and rifles. “Phillip is a good shot, and we don’t know how many we’ll be facing.”
Garth shape-shifted as they got in the truck. Daren drove toward the first gate. Garth paced behind and to the side, keeping out of sight of the guard.
Daren stopped. “Have any cars or trucks left the ranch this morning?”
“Not here,” the guard said. “And I haven’t had any reports from the other gates.”
“Better contact each one by radio. Call me if one is missing,” Daren said. Daren waited until the guard turned, walked back, and took out his phone. Then he gunned the motor. The white leopard sprang in front of the truck. Once they were out of sight, they slowed.
Garth put his nose to the ground. Impatience beat at his nerves. His leopard wanted to surge forward, but he hadn’t found any trace of her scent. He’d sniffed the ground behind her car and identified a different vehicle, but he had no success in that area either.
Daren leaned out the window. “We’ll head to the next exit. Can he understand me?” he asked Cad.
“Yes, but he can only reply telepathically. I can communicate with him. He’s agreeing with your idea.”
This time Daren led the way. Garth stayed to the side of the truck as they got closer to the gate.
“He says to stop right across where a vehicle would come in or out,” Cad informed Daren.
“Right.” Daren slowed, pulled crosswise to the entry, and stopped. His cell rang. “Yes, at the second gate. We’re here at the entrance. I don’t see anyone. I’ll check.” He snapped his cell shut. “The guard posted here hasn’t responded.”
Phillip, Daren, and Cad took rifles and walked toward the gate. Garth ran past them. He slowed, put his nose to the ground, and roamed down the fence to a place where the grass was taller. Garth shifted. He stood, legs spread wide, disgust on his face.
“Here’s what’s left of your guard. He’s mangled pretty bad by the birds. I picked up the smell of the car that had been in her driveway at this entrance. They headed toward town.”
Daren called and gave Mitch the information. “We need two men at each gate, and call the sheriff. Tell him about the kidnapping and we’ll be in touch shortly.”
They went back to the truck. Garth, who had shape-shifted back to his leopard, led them down the road toward town.
Fear for what he’d find when he got to Rae made Garth angry and determined to rescue her and make the kidnappers pay. His anger was partially directed at himself. He and Cad had failed at their most important job, protecting Rae.
He lost the scent just outside of town. He stopped and went back, sniffing on each side of the road. Daren parked on the shoulder and they spread out, looking for tire marks.
About a quarter of a mile back, Garth picked up the scent again at a narrow dirt road. He’d ignored it at first because the scent went on. Clever, they must have backed up. Tire marks barely showed in the hard ground. He ran back to the truck, shape-shifted, and got in bedside Cad.
“They’ve gone down that road. I’m going to shift back to my leopard and have you follow me. But we’d better think about our plan when we find them.”
Daren flipped his cell phone open. “I’ll call the sheriff. He’ll have questions. I’ll answer them as honestly as possible without making him suspicious. I’d rather not involve him, but this is off the ranch property in his territory. We can’t leave him out.”
* * * *
“Where could they be going? I don’t see anything but flat, empty land,” Phillip said.
“Garth says follow him,” Cad motioned to the white leopard as it sped across the barren ground.
“I know where.” Daren turned the truck to follow Garth, who was like a flash of white fur in front of him. “A mile from here just after the road turns left is an old building. The town’s been discussing tearing it down for ages. They must be hiding her there.”
“Yes, they’d keep her alive to get us to follow. We’re all targets. What she saw and heard last night makes sense.” Cad told Daren and Phillip about the meditation session.
“But they said her first?” Daren asked.
“Yes.”
“Then we have to go in quietly and not let them see us too soon. They might want to kill her in front of us. I know a back way to the building. Tell Garth to return to the truck.”
Daren saw the blur getting bigger coming in their direction. Garth shifted at the truck and got in the back.
“We’ll turn left about a mile from here,” Daren said. “This truck has four-wheel drive. We can go across the rough terrain and end at the back of the building. I’ll park far enough away, and they won’t hear the motor.”
Phillip handed a gun to Garth. Cad had a rifle. They were silent, watching for any indication they’d been spotted.
“Let’s hope they underestimated us as we did them.” Garth growled. Phillip glanced his way. “Sorry, when I’m angry my leopard side and my human side get a little mixed.”
“I see the building,” Garth said.
“As soon as I see it, we’ll slow and find a covered place to park.” Daren drove another half mile, and the others saw the building still a good distance off. “Those tall shrubs are a good place to hide the truck. We’ll walk from there.”
They crouched low and moved slowly toward the back of the large, wooden building. Nothing stirred. No wind and thankfully no birds to be disturbed.
Garth stopped and waved to the others to do the same. He took a deep breath.
“Damn. I smell gasoline. They’ve got the place ready to burn up at a drop of a match or a bullet hitting the wrong spot. Let’s pull back.”
Carefully, they crept further away. “What do you suggest?” Daren asked.
Cad spoke first. “We’ve got to call the sheriff again and tell him to notify the fire department. We’ll give them a quick rundown of the situation we’ve found. A fire truck has to be close and ready to put out the fire before we let them know we’re here. Then Garth and I will surrender. We’ll pretend we’ve come alone.
“At the first sound of a bullet or sign of a fire, storm the place.”
“I agree.” Daren had already dialed the number for the sheriff. He quickly told him what they needed and that it had to be soon. “We’ll be waiting. Come to the back. No sirens or noise.” He closed his phone. “We’ll stay at this position. They won’t be long. Town is less than four miles away. The sheriff said he had his men ready to go.”