Obsessed with Fur [3xtasy Lake 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (15 page)

She waved her finger at him in warning. “Careful there, young man.”

Jessica knew that if Catherine left out information on the ladies’ reading, it was for a good reason. The last thing she needed was the big Viking to start spilling her secrets. There were lots of locals and tourists that would pop in here for Catherine to read their tea leaves. It helped keep the business in town going during the slower months. Most people didn’t want to hear about bad news in their future.

The older woman finished wiping the counter and headed over toward him. “Why not be brave boy and let me see that cup of yours today?”

Lars smiled at Catherine, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes as he finished the last sip of his tea. He carefully wiped the leaves out of his cup and crumpled them up in his napkin.

“Spoilsport.”

This time his smile did lighten his face, and the dimple appeared on his cheek. “You already know everything there is to know about me.”

“Whatever, keep your secrets then.” Catherine lifted her cheek and he leaned over the counter and pressed a kiss against her skin.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Catherine.”

He patted Jess’s shoulder on the way by. “Jessica, if you need to go out anywhere then give me a call.”

She waved at the big man. “Thanks, Lars. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Catherine shrugged slightly.

“You’ll figure him out one day, Catherine.”

“I figured him out years ago, child. He needs to figure himself out if he wants to be happy again.” The older woman gave her a smile and patted her hand. “Now eat. I’m going to go get some sausage rolls made for later.”

She went into the back but came back out almost immediately.

“I almost forgot, this was dropped off for you.” Catherine placed an envelope on the counter next to Jessica’s elbow. “I found it slipped under the front door here when I opened this morning.”

The oversized brown envelope looked nondescript, and Jessica’s name was printed in block letters on the front.

“Why the hell would someone leave something here for me?”

“Because they don’t know where to find you, I suppose. With everything that is going on, I know you have been moving around and that is a good idea. The Guardians will catch up with the man who has been harassing you, and then you won’t have to worry anymore.”

Catherine headed to the back and Jessica pulled open the envelope flap and tapped the top. Two pictures slipped out onto the counter. The first one was an eight-by-ten of her and the boys. They were sitting on the couch together. Marcario was wrapping the gauntlets on her arms and Jelani rested against her back, watching over her shoulder.

Icy tendrils of fear snaked down her back and she looked around.
This was taken yesterday.
Both Marcario and Jelani’s faces were gone. The paper looked as though it’d been stabbed repeatedly until it tore. This time
WHORE
was written over her face.

Her stomach clenched as she reached for the second picture. She gasped for a breath when she turned it over. It was a picture of her father and mother standing with Daniel between them. Jess stood to the side. She remembered the day that picture was taken. It was to be a family photo, but a moment before the shutter clicked, her mother had elbowed her slightly, forcing her to move over. Her brother had often teased her for looking so sad in that picture. He never had a clue what really went on, and she did her best to hide it from him. Daniel was a good man, and she knew he cared about her and kept their parents away from her. What really hurt was Jessica knew this picture came from her photo album. The one that no one looked at.

She gathered the pictures and slipped them back into the envelope. She had to get that photo album back. Instead of fear coursing through her veins, Jess was pissed off.
How dare he invade my privacy again.
Geoff had touched everything that she cared about and tried to wreck it. She wanted those pictures. It was her only memory of her grandparents and the good memories she had growing up. There were so many sad memories, she always tried to concentrate on the good ones.

Jessica got up and left some money on the table for Catherine. She would drive to the house to get the album and then go straight to Marcario and Jelani. It would only be a quick stop. She remembered Lars’s offer, but she could be there and back before she got over to his shop and got him. If Geoff had destroyed the album, then she wanted to gather up what she could before anyone else saw it. These were her memories, and they were private. There were only two men she was willing to trust with this.

Funny she never considered the possibility that her memory album might one day get her laid. Her guys wanted trust, and she couldn’t think of any better way to show that she did trust them. Her heart would shatter when they left but she would always be here for them. Maybe one day they would come back to stay.

It was an overcast day, and despite Catherine’s faith in the local weatherman, a light drizzle started to fall as she drove. This was spring in Ontario. Hopefully, the temperature wouldn’t drop tonight and freeze all the melted snow, making driving even worse. Her phone rang, but she didn’t dare answer it while she was driving especially in these conditions.

* * * *

Mai sat on the sofa, her legs curled up beneath her, rubbing her rounded tummy.

“Are you feeling all right, Mai? Any contractions?” Jelani had been watching her, but it didn’t look like she was uncomfortable. She wouldn’t be the first woman to have a premature baby, and if she did, he wanted to make certain that she was all right.

“Oh, I’m fine. This little one has decided to be a rugby player like the daddies.” She yawned and relaxed back into the large cushion at her back. “What was so important that you need to talk to me right away?”

Jelani glanced over at Marcario, who nodded for him to take point on this one. “We wanted to apologize.”

Mai sat up with confusion written all over her features. “What for?”

“For being shitty brothers. For not being around when you needed us. For doing the exact same thing our parents did, even though we promised each other we wouldn’t.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. You’re swearing in front of the baby again, but you’re not terrible brothers.”

His sister didn’t dispute the fact that they broke the promise they made as kids. “Mai, you were practically a prisoner in your own home, and neither of us thought to wonder why you never went anywhere.”

“We sent you dozens of e-mails talking about what we were doing but it never dawned on us that you never told us anything. We were self-centered assholes.”

“Apparently, you still are.”

Her words felt like a punch to his chest, and he was certain the pained look on Marcario’s face echoed what he was feeling.

Mai pointed a finger at each of them. “It’s pretty arrogant of you to think that either of you had that much influence over my life. I was suffering from panic attacks but it had nothing to do with whether you were around or not. That was my challenge to deal with and I did, with the help of Gaspar and Vencel.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yes, you did and stop being such drama queens.”

“Maibee, you are getting fucking mean in your old age.”

“Stop swearing in front of the baby.” She frowned at Marcario. “I’m not being mean but you two have concocted this big deal over nothing. Neither of you could have protected me from that. It’s as much my own fault as anyone’s. I could have gone to talk to someone and figured out what was causing them but I didn’t.”

“Do you know what caused it?” Jelani could still remember the wide-eyed fear in Jessica’s eyes that night. It made him sick to think that he little sister endured that as well.

“No, I don’t and it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m in a good place now and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I have two husbands who love me. I live in a town that is like one big family and I’m going to have a beautiful baby in a few months. This child will have a steady home and be able to grow up in one place and have friends and memories and a place to call home.”

That was the root of it all. He and Marcario didn’t call any one place home. They moved around all their childhood. They went to high school in one place but then went to college in another town. As soon as they graduated they, too, started travelling as their parents did.

“Have either of you ever considered that is why you like to share your women? Because it means that you stay together because if you each had a wife then you would have to be separated.”

“I’m not talking to my baby sister about my sex life.” Jelani got up and paced over to the large window. He looked out over the large snow-covered yard and wondered if his doe was nearby.

“You’re kidding me, right? I’m married to two men. I think I have some insight into this whole thing, but you’re right, you can talk to my boys about it. Getting back to the original conversation, do you two ever think you will live in one place?”

“I don’t know, Mai,” Marcario replied. “But there is a possibility that we might one day if we meet the right woman.”

We have met her.
Only they didn’t know if she would ever leave this town and he didn’t know if he and Jelani were ready to settle down in one place. But if anyone could convince them to do so then Jessica might have the best chance.

“Mai, is Jessica a shifter?”

“It’s not for me to tell you but I will tell you that being a shape-shifter doesn’t automatically make you a badass.” She rubbed her hand over her swollen tummy. “Would that bother you if she was?”

“No.”

Jelani echoed his answer and added, “I think I might know what she is, but we aren’t sure if it’s polite to ask or not.”

“Really, guys, if you’re as serious about Jessica as I think you are, just ask her. Don’t make any assumptions about anyone around here. You would be surprised by the variety of animals that have taken shelter up in these woods.”

“So you’re saying that big guy we met outside The Shack yesterday might be a bunny?”

“Looks like a Viking?”

Both he and Jelani nodded.

“That’s Lars. I don’t think anyone knows exactly what he is, but I can tell you one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Everyone has a healthy respect for him, and cute, fluffy bunnies don’t get that.”

Marcario ran through the kitchen, diving across the table to grab the ringing phone before his brother had a chance. He shot Jelani a grin when he connected.

“Hey, gorgeous, how long till you get your delectable ass back over here?”

“I don’t think my ass is the one you’re interested in, Mr. Bennett. My name is Officer Jake Campbell. I’m with the local OPP.”

“Sorry about that, officer, I was expecting a call from someone else. What can I help you with?”

As soon as Jelani heard Marcario say the word “officer,” he turned off the stove and moved closer. Marcario angled the phone so his brother could hear what was being said.

“I’m looking for Jessica Tam. Catherine told me I would be able to get in contact with her through you.”

“Yes, but she’s not here right now.”

“When was the last time you heard from her.”

“We saw her yesterday night, why?”

“Did she have one of the Guardians with her?”

“No, we made certain that her home was safe, and then we left.”

“Because, I’ve been investigating the suspicious activity going on around her. I need to know exactly where she is at this moment.”

“What’s going on, Officer?”

“Under normal circumstances I would never reveal this kind of information. But I’ve been told that both you and your brother are Ms. Tam’s mates.”

Mates?
He was curious who passed on that information but he wasn’t about to dispute that right now. “What difference does that make?”

“Her ex-boyfriend was being investigated for stalking and harassment.”

“Yes and…”

“Geoff Reimer was found dead in his apartment.”

“There’s no way Jessica did that.”

“I understand that, and I agree. The problem I have it that Mr. Reimer has been deceased for at least a month. His body was discovered wrapped in a body bag by the superintendent of the building. There is an autopsy being performed at the moment to decide on the exact cause of death.”

“What the fuck is going on? There have been strange things going on around here for the past couple weeks.”

“It’s one of two things. Either Jessica killed Mr. Reimer and is continuing to vandalize her own property in a way to draw attention to her or throw us off the trail.”

“Not a fucking chance.” Marcario didn’t believe that for a second.

“I completely agree, which means someone else is stalking her.”

* * * *

An icy-cold feeling danced down her spine the moment Jessica pulled up in the driveway of her house. She scanned the area before getting out of the vehicle, but her instincts were snapping in warning.
You’re being paranoid.
She refused to allow Geoff any more power over her, and that included her fears.