Danny’s eyebrows shot up. “You’ve worked hard for it?” How? On her back? Again, Danny widely kept that thought to himself. “I thought this money was meant to take care of me.”
“Darling, the amount of money that actually went to your care over the years doesn’t even make a dent in the amount these two idiots sent to Charles. We’re talking millions here.”
“Really?” Danny blinked, baffled, before turning to look at Ben and Abe. “You sent millions of dollars to take care of me?”
“We inherited a large trust fund when our father died. We arranged for a portion of that money to be released to Charles for your care every quarter. We sent every spare penny we could,” Abe said. “It was important to us that you were taken care of.”
Ben shrugged. “And we wanted you to have the very best.”
Danny felt tears spring to his eyes at the flush filling the two men’s cheeks. They were embarrassed. It was adorable. “Thank you,” Danny whispered softly enough that he hoped only Ben and Abe heard him. His words were for their ears alone. “I am going to spend the rest of my life paying you back.”
“Danny, we don’t want you to pay us back,” Ben said quickly. “This was something we wanted to do for you because we care about you.”
Danny hoped his grin conveyed what he couldn’t say with others listening in on their conversation. “I didn’t say how I was going to pay you back.”
“Unless you have the money in your pocket, that’s going to be very hard to do.” Mariana cocked the pistol in her hand. “The rest of your life is about to come to a stop.”
Danny swung around and glared at the offending woman. “Do you mind? We’re trying to have a moment here. Give us a minute.”
Mariana gasped. “You can’t talk to me like that.”
“I just did.”
Danny realized his mistake the second Mariana pulled the trigger. Later, he would swear he watched the bullet leave the chamber of the pistol and fly across the foot or so between him and the end of the barrel. When it slammed into him, the force threw Danny back into Ben’s arms.
Before he could even take a breath—which hurt like hell by the way—Danny heard a loud roar, and then a scream. He expected Ben or Abe to have gone after Mariana so he was a little surprised when they both leaned over him.
“So, we’re not going to tell anyone how stupid I was, right?”
Wow, he could talk.
“We promise to keep it to ourselves, Danny,” Abe said as he whipped his shirt off. Danny screamed in agony when Abe pressed the shirt against his shoulder. “But you have to promise to keep your eyes open. Deal?”
“I’ll think about it,” Danny said between pants. “Oh man, that really hurts.”
“Bullets do that, little man.”
Danny blinked for a moment as he stared past Ben and Abe to see two rather large men standing there. He looked at them carefully, noting the miles of muscles, the walnut-brown hair, and the amber eyes so like the eyes he was falling in love with.
“I don’t need another set of twins,” Danny explained to the two men who he doubted were total strangers. “I’m perfectly happy with the ones I got.”
One of the men chuckled. “Not to worry, Danny. It’s one set of twins to one human. You’re safe.”
Danny blew out a relived breath. “Okay, great.” He immediately realized how rude he was being when the two men chuckled. “Oh, I’m sure you’re both very nice but I like my twins.”
“Mates, baby,” Ben said. “You call us mates, not twins.”
Danny cocked his head as he raised his eyes to Ben’s face. “But you’re a twin, too, so…”
“It’s mates, Danny,” Abe said, never releasing pressure on Danny’s wound. “Did someone call the cops?”
“And tell them what?” Ben asked.
“You tell them to get a fucking ambulance here before Danny bleeds to death!” Abe’s speech started off normal but by the time he was done, he was shouting.
Danny reached up and pressed a finger to Abe’s lips. “No shouting.”
“Sorry, Danny.”
Danny felt the morning air fill his lungs as he drew in a deep breath. He didn’t know if it was the huge lungful of air or the pain in his chest or the adrenaline crash, but he was finding it harder and harder to keep his eyes open.
“I may…” Danny licked his lips, trying to get moisture to them so he could continue speaking. “I may not be able to keep my promise.”
“Danny,” Ben said as he leaned closer. “Keep your eyes open, Danny.”
“Trying.” God, he was trying. It just seemed so damn hard.
“I have a secret, Danny. I won’t tell you unless you keep your eyes open.”
Danny panted for a moment and then forced his eyes open so he could see Ben’s face, frowning when he spotted the tears streaming down the man’s cheeks. “Don’t cry.”
Ben grabbed Danny’s good hand and pressed it to his cheek. “Do you want to know my secret?”
“What?” Danny asked.
“I love you.”
Danny smiled. “That’s not a secret.”
“Abe loves you, too.”
Danny glanced at Abe, his smile growing when the handsome man nodded. “That’s not a secret either,” Danny insisted. He could see the love the two men had for him shining in their eyes. Over the last few days, he was starting to see that everything they did was because they loved him.
“I love you, too.” Danny met Ben’s tear-filled eyes and then Abe’s. “Both of you, and just as soon as Doc Jones lets me, I’m going to prove it to you.”
Ben frowned. “Dr. Jones?”
“Just take me to City General. They’ll know what to do for me.”
“Do they know you that well?”
Danny started to chuckle but grabbed his chest when pain racked through his frame. “Oh man, that hurts.”
“Careful, babe,” Abe said as he applied just a little more pressure. “No laughing.”
“Ca–can’t help it. Ben wondered if the doctors at City General knew me well.”
“Do they?” Abe asked.
Danny lifted his injured arm, waving the cast back and forth. “I’m a klutz.”
Abe grinned, and for the first time in his life, Danny didn’t feel like a freak because he was clumsy. “That’s not a secret, Danny. That’s part of being who you are, and we even love that.”
Danny’s eyes rounded. “You two are glutton for punishment then.”
“No, baby.” Ben leaned down and brushed his lips over Danny’s. “We’re bear-shifters. We can handle anything, even a clumsy human.”
Danny laughed lightly as the heavy weight in his eyelids started pulling them down. “I think this clumsy human is going to be the one handling two bear-shifters.”
* * * *
Ben’s heart did a funny little flip when Danny’s eyes dropped closed. He shot Abe a worried look. “Is he…?” Ben couldn’t even finish what he was saying. He’d gladly pick up the gun Mariana had been holding and put it to his head if Danny died.
“He’s just unconscious,” Abe said as he blew out a breath and removed his fingers from the pulse beating in Danny’s throat. “Where in the hell is that ambulance?”
“It’s coming, bro,” Gabe said as he stepped up next to Ben. “It should be here any minute.”
“Did you call Dad and Pop?” Abe asked.
Gabe nodded. “They’re on their way.”
Ben glanced from Gabe to Mike. They were dressed in military fatigues. Usually when they came home, they changed into street clothes. “Not that I’m not glad to see you or anything, but what are you two doing here?”
He was grateful to see his older brothers but they were Navy Seals. They didn’t make it home very often. In fact, last he heard, they were supposed to be shipping out to the Middle East for a tour of duty there.
Gabe glanced at Mike before answering. “We were coming home for a visit before we headed out. Pop called and said you were having some trouble and asked us to see if you needed any help.” Gabe nodded toward the two bodies on the ground just feet from them. “I’m guessing you do.”
Ben appreciated the fact that his older brothers had taken time to come help him, but that was what family did. If Ben knew the rest of his family, the entire clan, was on its way to the city to help protect Danny and be with Ben and Abe while they waited for Danny to be seen by the medical professionals. They would stay until Danny got to go home with them all.
Danny was going to be shocked that so many people had come to his side in his time of need. As much as Ben hated seeing Danny hurt in any manner, maybe this was a blessing in disguise. It was about time the man learned how important he was.
“Can you book us some rooms at a motel close to City General?” Ben asked as he glanced up at one of his older brothers. “I think we’re going to need them.”
“Mike’s already working on it.”
Ben glanced up when he heard sirens. He knew along with the ambulance, the police would be arriving. “Abe, you go with Danny. I’ll stay and talk to the police.”
Abe glanced at him, his eyebrows drawn down low over his eyes. “You don’t want to go?”
“I do, but one of us has to stay here and deal with this mess and Danny needs someone with him that will protect him in case this isn’t over. I’d feel better if it was you.” Abe was fierce, deadly, and very protective of those he cared about. He’d kill anyone that tried to hurt Danny again.
“You’ll join us as soon as you can.” It wasn’t a question. Ben would join them the second he could get free of the authorities and the mess Mariana had caused. It was pretty sure it was going to take a while.
“I will.” Before Ben could say more, the alleyway became a flurry of activity. Flashing light from the ambulance splashed lights onto the brick walls of the buildings. Police officers moved in, some with guns drawn, others asking questions.
Ben immediately sought out the man he felt was in charge and headed toward him. After introducing himself, he began explaining what had happened. As much as he felt she deserved it, he was glad that Gabe and Mike had merely knocked Marian out instead of ripping her to shreds. Explaining to the police how a bear had attacked a woman in the city wouldn’t go over very well.
“We’re leaving.”
Ben glanced toward his twin. He felt like his heart was leaving with the ambulance. He could barely breathe from the lump forming in his throat.
“Keep him safe, Abe.”
Abe nodded.
“With my life, bro.”
Watching Abe climb into the ambulance with Danny and then watching the ambulance pull away, disappearing down the street, was probably one of the hardest things he ever had to do, next to letting Danny go all those years ago.
“Do you know the victim, sir?”
Ben glanced at the detective taking his statement. “Yes, his name is Daniel Lake.” He didn’t care if they hadn’t gone through the official commitment ceremony. Danny was his and Abe’s and he dared anyone to say otherwise. “He belongs to me and my brother.”
Abe glanced up when the door to the semiprivate waiting room opened. His heart sank when he saw his fathers walk in, followed closely by his brothers and Danny’s grandparents. While he was glad to see his family, he had been hoping it was the doctor. Danny had been taken away to surgery over five hours ago. Abe was starting to go insane not knowing what was going on with his mate.
“Son,” Jacob Lake said as he sat down next to Abe. “Any word?”
Abe stared down at the cold cup of coffee held between his hands as he shook his head. “No. When we reached the hospital, they rushed him into surgery. That was almost five hours ago. No one’s come in to tell me anything and the nurses at the nursing station keep telling me that they don’t have any updates.”
Abe blinked furiously to keep his tears back as he raised his gaze to meet his father’s. “What if they haven’t come to tell us anything because—”
“Abraham Lake!” Jacob snapped. “Do not buy trouble. Gabe said that Danny had been shot. Maybe there was more damage than they thought but that does not mean that something happened to him.”
“Yeah, but—” Abe pressed his lips together when a sob welled up in his throat. “I love him, Dad. He’s everything I could have dreamed of in a mate and more.”
Jacob chuckled. “Fate’s funny that way.”
“Danny doesn’t like the idea of fate choosing mates,” Ben said as he moved to the chair next to Abe. “He doesn’t mind fate bringing us together but then he thinks fate needs to butt out and let us fumble through getting to know each other on our own.”
“Smart man,” Jacob said.
“He got it from my side of the family,” Maggie Flynn said as she slowly lowered herself into the empty chair between her mates, Arthur and Douglas. “All the women in my family are smart.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Ben snorted. “A woman put Danny here.”
“Bah!” Maggie waved a dismissive hand. “She wasn’t family.”
“She was married to Charles,” Abe insisted.
Maggie Flynn was probably one of the sweetest women he had ever met in his life. She baked honeycomb cookies that melted in your mouth and sang lullabies that put many a baby to sleep. She kissed booboos and gently scolded when someone misbehaved. She was the grandmother everyone wished that they had.
In that moment, Abe was eternally grateful he wasn’t named Charles.