Fox, Morgan - Tempted by the Moon [Moonlight Shifters 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (3 page)

“Oh yes, of course. I would never talk about this with anyone.”

“I appreciate your discretion.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to grab you something while I’m out? It’s no big deal—I’m used to grabbing lunch for Sebastian every day.”

“No, I’m fine, but thanks again.”

“Sure, no problem.” Tiffany smiled at her one last time and closed the door behind her.

Brie swiveled around in her chair to glance out the office window. The vast Dallas skyline filled her view. The bustling city below moved with fluid motions—everyone had something to do, and the cars all had a destination, and the people all had a purpose.

The hopelessness bumping around inside her heart had her wondering exactly what her purpose was. Being alone with her thoughts was never a good idea. These moments fueled pain and misery, but mostly they fueled loneliness, like she was experiencing the bonding connection between her and Sebastian splintering into a million pieces. As if the heart in her chest was only able to work at half capacity.

“Ms. Ferguson?” called a raspy feminine voice from the speaker on the conference room phone.

Eyes pinched at the bridge of her nose, she acknowledged the interruption, “Yes.”

“Ms. Tabitha Burns is on line two for you.”

Swallowing back the rise of worry that came from being cornered, Brie actually wondered what took Tabitha so long to track her down. Tabitha was a bulldog if she’d ever seen one. Mousy and timid, well, that didn’t describe Tabitha at all. Ballsy and brassy, that was a better description.

No doubt she’s going to give me a piece of her mind for falling off the map for a few weeks.

“Thank you, Lexy.”

Brie pushed line two and spoke into the phone handset, “Hello, best friend. How are you?”

“Brie? Oh my god, I’m so glad I caught you. Where the hell have you been? I’ve called your apartment like eight hundred times over the last few weeks, and you’re never there. Is everything all right?” Tabitha’s breathy words erupted from her with such speed Brie’s head whirled.

“Tabitha, I’m so sorry. I haven’t had a chance to call you. Things have been kind of crazy around here.”

“You think? You have a lunatic serial killer who wants you dead. You have no idea how freaked out I was when you didn’t answer.”

“I’m sorry, Tab. I spent a few weeks at a safe house, but you know me, I just couldn’t stay put, so now I have a full-time security detail that follows me around like a bad rash. I think they even have cameras in the bathroom now.” Trying to find humor in the situation, Brie spun back around to stare out the window. “I can’t complain though. At least they keep me safe.”

A deep sigh blew through the phone. “Right, and I’m grateful, but I want to come see you for myself. I’m prepared to clear my desk for a few weeks and come out there. What are you doing these days? Would you like some company?”

Company would be great, Brie thought, but right now was not a good time. The mating heat was too overwhelming, and explaining to her best friend how she was having sex with two men and loving it would not be easy to do. Plus, she’d have to spring that she was also getting married—to both men.

“Tab, I’d love to see you, but right now might not be the best of times. I’ve just started working on this new case, and my boss is out of town, so I’m tackling things solo right now. How about we plan for something next month?”

“Okay, but from now on when I call, you better answer, or I just might show up unannounced,” she warned.

Tabitha could be bossy and demanding at times, but Brie loved that about her. “Okay. Okay. I’ll answer, but I suggest for the next few weeks if you want to reach me, you call the office. I’m going to be here most of the day and into the night, so I’ll practically be living here.”

“I’ll do that. Shit!” Tabitha murmured. “Brie, I’ve got another call coming in. I’m closing a big deal with a property up in North Seattle, and I’ve been waiting on this call all day, so I’ve got to run, but know that I love you and I’ll call you again soon. Okay?”

“Of course,” Brie told her.

“All right, take care of yourself and stay safe.”

“I will and you, too.”

They said their good-byes, and Brie returned to staring out the window into the world moving around her, and again fought the pull of sadness that slammed against her heart as she thought about Sebastian. Something kept tugging her mind back into a deep yearning, a loneliness that filled her with a tidal wave of sadness and desperation. She prayed Jonah was soon to arrive to help pull her mind out of her sentimental hell.

Wiping away the single tear that glided down her cheek, she returned to stare at the papers in front of her, the words on the pages blurred in her watery vision. Fingers clasped against the edge of the table, she felt sick to her stomach. Her mind foggy, clawing for relief, she sucked in a breath.

“Damn it, Jonah, I need you. Where are you?” she whispered just before she collapsed back into the chair.

* * * *

Jonah’s brow furrowed as Ryken’s name appeared on his cell’s caller ID. Lowering his voice, he answered, “This is Jonah.”

“Jonah, it’s Ryken,” roared his cousin. “You need to get your ass to the ranch, like now.” Ryken’s voice was tight and intense as he spoke, a contrast from the sarcastic ass he normally was.

Jonah rose to his feet, pacing his office. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“It’s Sebastian. He’s all messed up. By the looks of him, he got his ass handed to him. And I’m pretty sure because he smells like he drank a liquor store.” The humor in Ryken’s voice subsided as he said, “He won’t stop yelling for his mate. Damn, man, he’s got it real bad. You need to get here and fast.” Chuckling, Ryken added, “Shit, the state he’s in has me scared for the livestock. He’s so fucked up he just might think one looks too good to pass up.”

In normal circumstances, Jonah might have laughed, but knowing that his brother was a drunken werewolf suffering with mating heat just before a full moon was absolutely not funny.

“Brie and I will leave immediately.” His deep voice vibrated into the phone.

“Good. Luken and I will babysit him till you get here.” The line went dead, and Jonah stared at his phone.

What the hell was he going to do with his brother? He only imagined Sebastian was drunk because he’d used the alcohol to numb the pain of being away from Brie, but why had he been in a fight? Had he found Mason? Did that mean he found out about the virus Mason was infected with? He had no idea, but he was going to get Brie and find out as quickly as possible.

Pushing back from his desk, he inhaled her scent. Jonah knew just where to find her. Following his noise, he opened the door to the conference room and found Brie with her head in her hands, her shoulders hunched forward. He guessed the separation from Sebastian was taking its toll on her as he now knew it was doing the same to his brother. He closed the door and moved around the table and knelt in front of her.

“Brie?”

She sniffled, tilting her face up to stare at him. Her golden hair tumbled over her shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face. “I’m sorry, Jonah. I’m just not doing so well today. I feel like I’m dying inside. I don’t understand what’s happening to me.”

He smiled softly at her, feeling his heart squeeze tight in his chest, knowing that what she was feeling must be like walking through Hell.

He’d felt that unmistakable torture before his brother had taken the chance to discover that she belonged to them. He’d been tempted on more than one occasion to take her for himself, but he knew his brother would have killed him.

“Oh, baby girl.” He held her in his arms, rising to his feet, drawing her up against him. “I hate that you feel so much pain. I should’ve fought against Sebastian when he suggested being apart from you, but I honestly didn’t realize what you’d be going through.” He pressed a tender kiss to her lips. “But I’m about to fix everything.”

She eased back, staring into his eyes. “What do you mean?” she asked him, a shred of hope lingering in her voice.

“We’re going to the ranch. Sebastian is there, and he needs you.” Cradling her face in his hands, he kissed her forehead. “Take only what you need from the office. We need to leave now to pack only the essentials, and then we’re on the road.” He stroked her damp cheek, “The sooner we get there, the better.”

Glaring at Jonah, she asked, “What else are you not sharing with me?”

“Nothing,” he promised, kissing her lips again. “I got a call from Ryken that Sebastian was at the family ranch and needed you. I’m sure the mating heat has been just as hard on him.”

A quick flash of panic filled her eyes. “But Jonah, I had you. He hasn’t had anyone.” A gasp sprung from her lips. “Or has he?”

He clasped her shoulders, stroking up and down her arms in a comforting way. “Brie, stop doing that,” he warned. “Sebastian wouldn’t cheat on you. He’s figured out a way to deal. He’s very resourceful, and you know it. And since when have you become so insecure?”

She shook her head as if she didn’t want to admit she revealed insecurities. Eyes glistening, Brie argued, “Even so, what could he have done to dull this kind of pain? It’s killing me, Jonah. What do you think it’s done to him, a full-blooded alpha werewolf?”

Combing her hair back with his fingers, he told her, “I know. Let’s not worry about it. Let’s just get to the ranch as soon as possible, and then you can talk to your mate yourself. Okay?”

Please be okay, because I really don’t know what else to tell you.

Bottom lip quivering, she nodded and began gathering her files and papers. Jonah leaned forward and picked up one of the loose papers from her stack.

“What’s this?”

“It’s some of my notes from the Jarvis case. I’ve got a few questions I like to ask you. Normally I’d spend time going over these files with Sebastian, but he’s obviously not around.” She sounded annoyed and a little on edge as she continued, “Sebastian was the one I did most of my brainstorming with. He was my sounding board and now he’s just—”

“Brie,” he spoke her name in a warning.

Frustration and anger blazed through her eyes, making them an intense sky blue. “I know,” she said turning to face him. “But I can’t help feeling like he abandoned me. I’ve never needed someone so much as I need him, and he just left, decided it was the best thing for us and left.” She forced her hands to her hips. “Damn it, Jonah, I’m so mad at him right now I wish I could resist the urge to see him. I want him to suffer for leaving me, for making me feel so...alone.”

Jonah cupped her face in his hands, stroking the soft skin of her cheeks with his thumbs. “Brie, I know this has been hard on you, but what you don’t know is that Sebastian’s been drinking, and I personally think that’s how he’s been coping without you. He hasn’t cheated on you. I’d bet my life on it. But you need to trust that what he did, he did for you. If given any other choice, he would’ve chosen to be with you.”

Brie’s eyes watered. Head leaning forward against his chest, he held her close, stroking a gentle hand over her back. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed and he let her cry as much and as hard as she wanted to. He knew the prideful woman in his arms needed to get her emotions under control before she confronted Sebastian. She wouldn’t stand before her alpha with any chance that she would burst into tears. She had to prove she was strong, even if inside she was nothing more than the soft woman he loved more than life itself.

“Grab what you need. You can brainstorm with me all you want on the way to the ranch. I’m not Sebastian, but I think you might find my legal skills are just as sharp as his.” He winked, holding her gaze. “Maybe even a little sharper.” He grinned and wiped away her fallen tears.

Sniffling, she smiled softly. “I’m sure you’ll surprise me with your brilliant legal mind.”