Becca Van (10 page)

One Week Later

Coulter had called an impromptu meeting of the Elite Dragons team members. Seton as well as his brothers were just finishing up some paperwork and preparing to go when an alarm sounded on the computer. He moved over to behind Lander, who was tapping away on the keyboard, trying to find the source of the alert. Wolf entered the room and made his way toward them.

“What’s up?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’m working on it.”

“We’re going to be late if we don’t get a move on.”

“I’m nearly there. Besides, an alert was triggered. I’m sure Coulter, Trace, and Corbin will want to know what’s going on.”

“What the fuck?” Seton stared at the screen.

“It’s another alert on the name Dr. Smith.”

“I know what I’m seeing. My question was rhetorical. Wolf, get on the phone to the authorities and find out if they still have the man we captured in Fort Yates. He was going by Smith, but we’ve long since thought it’s an alias.”

Wolf nodded, already picking up his phone. “So there could be more than one Dr. Smith.”

“If you think about it, it makes sense. No doctor is going to use their own name if they’re looking for and helping kidnap compatible donors. If they get caught, they aren’t going to want their names linked with something so nefarious.”

“Yeah, maybe, but if they’re caught, what does it matter what name they go by? They’ll be found out in the end,” Wolf said.

“Fuck, I hate this shit. Even though I felt malevolence coming off the Dr. Smith we caught, I couldn’t feel anything else. Not even Bronsin could get a read on him, and he’s the best empath out of all of us.” Seton sighed. “Until this is over innocent women are at risk, and that just doesn’t bear thinking about.”

“We feel the same way, Seton. What is wrong with you? I’ve never seen you so emotional before. What else is going on?”

“Nothing. Just leave it be, Wolf. Come on, we have a meeting to attend.”

* * * *

“What’s crawled up his ass?” Lander asked Wolf after Seton had slammed out of the office and house.

“Not what, but who,” Wolf replied.

“Janie? She hasn’t done anything to set his unusual display of emotion off lately. She hasn’t gone anywhere without letting one of us know where she’s going or gone alone,” Lander stated.

“No she hasn’t. But he’s not used to feeling vulnerable either, and he doesn’t like it. He’s fighting his feelings.”

“Shit. Is that why he’s been like a bear with a sore head? Because he’s in love with Janie? God, we all are. Why does he have to fight it? Why can’t he just accept it and tell her how he feels? He knows that Janie loves us all. You told us and she’s told us. At least she’s told me.”

“Yeah, me, too, and I’ve let her know how I feel, and I know you have, too, but she hasn’t said those words to him yet, and I don’t think she will until she feels sure that he reciprocates,” Wolf said.

“But how could she not know how he feels? You can see it in his eyes when he looks at her.”

“Yeah, but lately all he does is frown and look through her as if she doesn’t exist. Oh, he talks to her, and vice versa, but those two seem to be in some sort of power struggle. I don’t know why Janie just doesn’t relent and give in.”

“You and I both know she loves Seton, too. But she seems to be holding out until he says it first.”

“All the goading she’s been doing has been to try and get him to lose control. Janie is testing him by going toe to toe with him over every little thing. She is going to keep pushing until she gets what she wants. She’s not going to win.”

“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 then 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.