Becca Van Page 9

  “Well, we know that, but does Janie?” Lander asked. “Shit, we’d better hurry and join the others.” Lander took the lead out of the house.

  * * * *

  Janie sighed as she helped Martha, the team leaders’ mother, and her friend May with the dinner preparations. Most of the time the team ate dinner in the main house where Coulter, Trace, and Corbin lived with Brooke, but sometimes the others would eat in their own homes.

  Since the first night she had made love with all her men, they had only made love once more, and she wanted to know why. Both times the Garman brothers had slept with her afterward, and even though she felt safe, secure, and loved by Wolf and Lander, Seton seemed to be even colder than usual toward her. But when they did speak and he didn’t agree with her opinion, his temper flared. He was blowing hot and cold, and she just didn’t know where she stood with him anymore. She was beginning to feel as if she was causing a rift between the three brothers, and that was one thing she wouldn’t be the cause of.

  Janie loved them all so much and had pegged their different personalities fairly quickly, but she was obviously the cause of angst, and she didn’t know what to do about it. Often she would walk into a room where she would find Seton and Lander in a heated discussion, but Seton would storm out when he saw her. The same happened when she came upon Wolf and Seton. Wolf and Lander were their normal calm selves, so it seemed she was a catalyst of some sort to Seton.

  “Are you all right, dear? You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders,” Martha asked from nearby.

  “Yes, I’m just thinking,” Janie replied and set about chopping more vegetables.

  “You know if you want to talk, I’m more than happy to listen,” Martha stated.

  “Thanks, Martha, I’ll keep that in mind. Is there anything else you’d like help with?”

  “No thanks, dear. It’s a beautiful afternoon, why don’t you go out for some fresh air? It’s supposed to rain tomorrow.”

  “You know, I think I will. Just give a yell if you need any more help,” Janie said before making her escape.

  She headed for the corrals and breathed in the fresh spring air. Since the men were all in a meeting with the team leaders, Janie hadn’t had to advise them where she was going. Even though she knew those rules were in place for her own protection, in a way she resented the fact she had to let someone know where she would be. She was sick and tired of feeling like she had a collar and leash attached.

  “Hi, Janie,” Brooke called as she came toward her.

  “Hi, Brooke,” she replied. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure,” Brooke answered and stopped beside Janie, holding on to the top rail of the corral.

  “Do Coulter, Trace, and Corbin fight?”

  “Well, I’m sure they do, but if they have, it hasn’t been in my presence.”

  “What I mean is, do they fight over you?”

  “No. They sometimes have a difference of opinions, but they talk them out, and then they agree on how to approach the subject, and then they come to me. Usually it’s to lay down the law and tell me I shouldn’t be doing something, but they always present a united front,” she replied. “You look down. Do you want to talk?”

  “Yeah, let’s go and sit over in the gazebo,” she answered and led the way.

  “So what’s going on?”

  “It’s Seton. He’s been so moody. One minute he’s as cold as ice and the next he’s like a volcano ready to erupt. He argues with his brothers almost constantly, and when I enter a room it’s like he can’t get out of my vicinity fast enough,” she mumbled despondently.

  “Have you been intimate with them, Janie?” Brooke asked.

  Janie felt heat suffuse her cheeks but answered honestly. “Yes. The first time was before I left. They asked if they could make love to me, and I said yes. I ended up having sex with Lander.” She took a deep breath. “Since I’ve been back I have made love with them twice, and even though Seton is a considerate, experienced lover, it seems as though he’s disconnected from the situation emotionally.

  “God, I love them so much, Brooke. But I feel like I’m tearing their relationship apart. I told Wolf I loved them when I was in the hospital, and since then I have told Wolf and Lander of my feelings. They return them, but with Seton…I don’t know, I just don’t feel I have the right to tell him how I feel. He seems so distant all the time.”

  “It could be that he’s running scared,” Brooke suggested and reached out to take Janie’s hand when she saw the tears in her eyes.

  “I’ve thought of that, and I agree, but why does he have to treat me the way he does? God, this is such a mess. I can’t stay here and be the cause of a rift between them, Brooke, but I don’t want to leave. It would break my heart,” she finished on a sob.

  “You could come and stay with us. We have a spare bedroom at the other end of the house, next to Martha’s room.”

  “As much as I want to take you up on that offer, I don’t want to hurt Wolf or Lander.”

  “Have you thought about confronting Seton? You could just tell him you love him and see how he reacts. If you don’t like what he does or he doesn’t love you in return, which I doubt is the case, the offer for the room will stand.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it, but if things don’t work out then I can’t stay. It would be too painful. I’d have to go back home.”

  “Well, just let me know if you want the room. Come on, let’s go and get some dinner. I’m hungry,” Brooke said, and then they both laughed when her stomach growled loudly. “It looks like my baby is going to be a demanding little thing.”

  “Oh my God. You’re pregnant?” Janie gave Brooke a congratulatory hug. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thanks, me, too. We’d better hurry, or all the food will be gone. You know what the men are like. They could eat their way through a whole pig each and wouldn’t come up for air until it was all gone.”

  Janie made oinking sounds, which sent them both into peals of laughter. They were still chuckling when they entered the dining room. The merriment left Janie’s face when she saw Seton staring at her as she walked toward their usual table. Instead of taking her seat next to him, she picked up her plate and silverware and went and sat at Brooke’s table with her men, Martha, and May.

  Throughout the meal, Janie could feel three sets of eyes piercing her back but attempted to ignore the three Garman brothers. She didn’t really take note of the conversations going on around her, just pretended to, laughing when the others did and making noises she hoped were appropriate. By the time dinner was over she was feeling utterly exhausted and decided to have an early night.

  Wolf joined her as she descended the steps and headed toward their house.

  “What’s going on, baby?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe you could enlighten me,” she replied.

  “You’re talking about Seton and his attitude.”

  Janie looked up at him and then down again when tears pricked the back of her eyes, but she nodded her head.

  “He loves you, Janie. Please, just give him some time to come to terms with his feelings. He’s fighting them, baby. You’re his Achilles heel, and he doesn’t like it.”

  “I’m not so sure about that, Wolf. But even if it’s true, I can’t stay here and come between you and your brothers. It’s not right,” she declared.

  Wolf stopped and pulled her into his arms. “I love you, Janie. So does Lander. Please don’t leave. It would rip out my heart.”

  “Mine, too. But what else am I supposed to do?” she whispered. “I can’t stay and watch the relationship you have with your brother deteriorate because of me. I won’t cause any more of a rift than I already have. I am going to move out, into the spare room in Brooke’s house. That way I won’t come between you three anymore.”

  “No! Please, Janie. Just give him a little more time. He’ll work it out in the end,” Wolf rasped emotionally.

  “Yeah, but by th
en it may be too late.”

  * * * *

  Janie had just finished packing her bag and closing it when from the corner of her eye she saw Seton enter her room.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he snapped.

  “Packing.”

  “What the hell for?”

  “I thought that would be obvious,” Janie replied calmly.

  “You’re not leaving,” Seton commanded in a cold voice.

  “Yes, I am. I can’t stay here.”

  “Why the hell not?” Seton asked in a near roar.

  “You know why.”

  “No I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?”

  “I’m causing problems between you and your brothers. I won’t stay here and destroy your relationship.”

  “You love my brothers. Why would you leave someone you love?”

  “Sometimes love isn’t enough,” she answered and picked up her bag.

  Seton snatched her bag from her hand and threw it back on the bed.

  “You are not leaving. You said you would follow my orders. Well, this is one of them. It’s not safe for you to be alone. You can’t go back home,” he said through clenched teeth. “Until we find all the people involved in the organ black-market ring, you are in danger. You are not to step one foot off this property.”

  “Okay,” Janie said and picked up her bag again and walked around him to the door.

  He didn’t say anything this time, just followed her out the door and across the yard. She stepped one foot on the first step to the main house’s veranda and then spun around. He was a few feet away, staring at her, but she couldn’t see any sign of emotion. Dragging in a ragged breath, she felt her heart crack in two. Tears threatened, and she turned away before he caught sight of them. By the time she reached the front door, they were streaming down her cheeks, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t stop them.

  Brooke looked up as she entered, took one look at her, and rushed over. Within moments she was in her new bedroom, sitting on the side of the bed, sobbing her heart out while Brooke hugged her. Janie didn’t think she’d ever feel whole again.

  Chapter Twelve

  The next week was one of the hardest Janie had ever endured. Every day her men would come to the main house for all their meals, and she could see Lander and Wolf looking at her with longing and sadness. Seton hardly acknowledged that she existed. He ignored her totally. Whenever his eye landed on her, he seemed to look through her, and that just added to the pain she was already feeling.

  The members of the Elite Dragons had only left the stud once, and that was to follow up a lead on another Dr. Smith, which had turned out to be a false alarm. Janie didn’t know how much longer she would be able to pretend that everything was all right in her world when beneath the façade of normality she tried to portray she felt like she was dying a little more inside each day. She missed her men so much, and even though she knew Lander and Wolf missed her just as much, they had kept their distance, too.

  One afternoon, later in the week, Janie decided a ride might help relieve some of her stress and headed for the stable. She was just entering as Seton was leaving. He didn’t even look at her, just skirted around her, being careful not to touch her in any way.

  A sob bubbled up in her chest and erupted before she could push it back down. She turned and ran from the building. Not looking where she was going, she ran directly into the path of one of the stable hands mounted on a stallion. The stallion reared, and, as if in slow motion, she saw the deadly hooves above her head and waited for the pain to come crashing down on her skull. In the next instant she was flying through the air and landed on a hard, muscular frame, the air whooshing from her lungs.

  “Ah God, Janie. Are you okay?” Seton asked with concern. He rolled her beneath him, and his hands traveled over her body, searching for injuries. Since she was still struggling to fill her lungs with oxygen, she nodded in response.

  “Are you sure, sugar? Did I hurt you?”

  “No,” she finally managed to gasp.

  “Then why are you crying?” he asked, his hands still checking her for injuries.

  “It’s not my body that’s hurting,” she answered. “Let me up.”

  “No,” Seton replied and lifted her into his arms. Instead of heading toward the main house he headed for his own home.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Home,” he growled.

  Janie looked up at him and saw for the first time how pale his face was.

  “Are you hurt? Did the horse hit you?”

  “No.”

  “Put me down. I’m okay,” she stated.

  “No.”

  “Seton…”

  “Just be quiet,” he snapped and continued on.

  Seton placed her on the bed in her old room and checked her over for injuries. Slapping at his hands, she tried to stop him, but he wasn’t deterred. He turned her around and looked her over until he was satisfied she wasn’t hurt.

  “Happy now?”

  “No. What the hell did you think you were doing? Don’t you watch where you’re going?” he asked angrily.

  “Obviously not,” she replied with rancor.

  “Don’t take that tone with me, little girl, or I’ll put you over my knee and spank your ass.”

  “Yeah right,” she replied resentfully.

  Her world spun. She hadn’t even seen him move. One minute she was on the bed, the next she was over his lap with her ass in the air. She braced herself for the first slap, but it didn’t come. Through gritted teeth, she snarled, “You have no right to lay a hand on me.”

  “That’s where you are wrong. You belong to me and my brothers,” Seton stated.

  “I don’t belong to anyone. Let me up,” she sobbed. She tried to contain her emotions and tears, but she was fighting a losing battle. Sniffling, she let him go and hung over his lap limply and cried silently.

  “Janie, are you okay?”

  She didn’t answer Seton. It was impossible at that moment. Her emotions had taken over.

  He shifted, lifted her onto his lap, and tilted her face up.

  “Ah, sugar, don’t cry. God, I hate when you cry,” he whispered and pulled her into his chest.

  Janie buried her face into his chest and clung there until her tears were spent. When the tears finally abated, she slumped against him.

  “I’m sorry, Janie. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, stroking a hand over her head in soothing motions. “I was just so scared. You could have been killed. I couldn’t bear the thought.”

  Janie straightened on his lap and looked into his eyes. She let him see all the love she felt for him and then told him, “I love you, Seton.”

  “Aw, sugar. I have been such a bastard to you, haven’t I. I know I don’t deserve your love, but I’m not letting you go. Please, will you move back in here with us?”

  “Why? I don’t want to cause trouble between you, Wolf, and Lander. I couldn’t live with damaging your relationship,” she stated on a sigh and tried to push off his lap.

  “Look at me, sugar,” Seton demanded.

  Janie looked at him, and her breath caught in her throat. He was looking at her with such hunger and love that she felt the crack in her heart begin to mend. She felt hope for the first time in weeks.

  “I love you, Janie. I have loved you from nearly the first. I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you. I have never loved anyone besides my brothers before, and I didn’t like it. You made me feel vulnerable for the first time in my life, and since there is still a threat to you out there, I figured if I kept my emotions locked up, I wouldn’t get hurt,” he explained. “When you were beneath that rearing stallion, I was so scared. I have never felt such fear in my life. Then, when you were safe again, I knew that I was being a coward. It takes more courage to admit to loving someone and hanging on to it than it does to fight it and push it away. I’m sorry, sugar.”

  “Oh God. Seton, I love you so much,” she so
bbed. “And even though you have been an ass, I won’t hold it against you. Just promise to never treat me like that again. You damn near broke my heart.”

  “I promise, Janie,” he replied and looked deeply into her eyes.

  He leaned forward and kissed her softly, reverently, so full of love her heart healed and filled with hope and joy. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she opened her mouth to him as he deepened the kiss.

  Moaning with desire, she tangled her tongue with his and held on to him for dear life. The kiss was long, hot, and rapacious. Finally they drew apart to gasp in air, but instead of letting her up when she tried to stand, he stood up with her still in his arms and placed her in the middle of the bed. He tore her clothes off with urgency before ripping off his own, and she ran her eyes over his sexy, muscular body. When he was naked he got onto the bed beside her and took her back into his arms.

  She caressed over his chest with her hands, learning all the hard contours and taking note of the sighs her caresses elicited. Slowly her hand wandered down and smoothed over his hips, and finally she gripped his hard cock in her hand. He groaned into her mouth and pushed his hips into her touch. Breaking the kiss, she moved to straddle him. She kissed and licked her way down his neck, over his shoulders and pecs and torso. Using her tongue, she rimmed his navel and then dipped into the indentation, making him groan. All the while her hand pumped slowly up and down his hard shaft.

  “Janie, you’re going to have to stop. You’ll make me come if you keep that up, and I want to be inside you when I do,” he rasped.

  Janie released his cock but kept her mouth licking down over him until she reached the nest of hair framing his erection. She looked up the length of his body, gave him a wicked smile, and licked his shaft from base to tip. Just as she took the crown of his penis into her mouth, he reached down and hauled her up.

  “I can’t take any more, sugar. I have to have you now,” he gasped.

  Rolling her onto her back, he then covered her with his body and took her mouth once more. He kissed her like there was no tomorrow, and then he nipped and nibbled his way down her throat to her breasts. Seton took hold of one of her breasts and lifted it to his waiting mouth. Suckling strongly, he let his free hand rove up and down her side from hip to chest. Releasing her nipple, he then moved to the other and gave it the same treatment.