Shannon's Fairy-Tale Foursome (33 page)

Jared grimaced. “Mary. This is not the time or place—”

“No,” Mary screamed loudly, stomping her feet like a child. “You two are mine, damn it!”

“No, we aren’t,” Drew disagreed quietly as he stood up. He seemed so calm, so composed that Shannon was slightly envious. She wanted to smack the loony tune, and he somehow managed to keep his cool. “We never were, and I’m sorry for that. We shouldn’t have led you on.”

Mary snarled at them. “You’re
sorry
? You’re fucking
sorry?
No, you’re not, but you will be.”

Every eye in the restaurant turned on them, and Shannon’s blood pressure went through the roof. Her face heated, and she felt herself snap. This woman was not going to ruin
her
night with
her
men. “I warned you that they were mine, Mary. If I recall correctly, I also told you not to forget it, so let me remind you.”

Shannon got up from Jared’s lap and moved closer to Mary, crowding her. “They. Belong. To. Me.” She leaned over Mary in a threatening stance and spoke sharply, “Do you understand me? I don’t want to be a bitch, but I will be if I have to be. They may share me, but I won’t share them with anybody, especially not a fruitcake like you.”

Mary shrank back from Shannon, but none of her fury faded from her nearly purple face. “I understand you perfectly,” she sneered, “but you’re about to learn how to understand
me.
”
Then she wheeled around and stormed away.

Not a muscle on Shannon moved. She remained locked in place, despite the adrenaline crashing through her system. Jared grabbed her and pulled her into his strong arms. She went to him willingly, letting his nearness soothe her rage. He rubbed one large hand up and down her back while his other hand dove into her hair.

Jared tipped her chin up with his finger, angling her head so that he could kiss her gently. When he pulled back, he asked, “Why don’t we have Mel wrap up our dessert?” He brushed her lips with his, whispering against the sensitive flesh, “We can go back to your place and do whatever you want.”

She shivered, partly from Jared and partly from Mary. The woman was seriously certifiable, and Shannon had just pushed her completely over the edge.
Not good, not good at all.

Jared stroked her cheek. “Shannon?”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” she agreed. “It sounds good to me.”

* * * *

Camouflaged by thorny bushes, a man waited patiently for Shannon’s corrupt evening to come to a close. Peeking carefully through a window at Dolce Serenità, he checked on Shannon once again.

As she stood to leave with her three vile beasts, he knew the time had finally arrived. Embracing the darkness, he concealed himself in it once again then turned around slowly and stepped out of the shrubs. And it would all begin tonight.

* * * *

Shannon rode tensely through the middle of downtown in Jared’s new SUV with one man on each side of her and one behind her. An hour had passed since Mary had stormed out of Dolce Serenità. As soon as she had gone, they’d waited for Mel to wrap up their desserts then headed out the door to Jared’s onyx-black Yukon Denali. They’d gotten in the SUV and started out of the parking lot when Shannon had asked if they minded stopping by the local bakery to pick up some coffee for their desserts. The men had agreed and driven there instead of heading straight to her apartment.

Arriving at The Sweet Spot, Jared had pulled into a parking spot out front before he got out of the car and went in for the coffee. She’d waited patiently for him with Drew and Randy for a few minutes when she’d spotted a sign advertising a new adult movie at the sex toy shop next door.

Inevitably, she’d ended up shopping in The G Spot, which always perked her up, but her good mood was short lived. The moment they had turned the Denali toward her apartment, she’d felt like something was off. She didn’t know how or why, but something wasn’t right.
Calm down, Shannon. She couldn’t have already done something to you. It takes time to plot some crazy-assed revenge. Right?

In the backseat, Randy unbuckled his seat belt then moved up behind her. He didn’t touch her, just leaned over her shoulder. “Your breasts are beautiful.”

She heard the smirk in his tone and shot back, “Romeo, I know you like my breasts, but that isn’t going to work.”

“What?” Randy asked innocently.
Too innocently.
“I was just saying…”

She peered over her shoulder at the sexy devil, their faces so close she could feel his breath against her lips. She trembled but ignored her body’s response to his close proximity and gave him the most serious face she could manage. “You’re trying to distract me, and it won’t work,” she informed him then, a heartbeat later, wiggled her eyebrows. “At least not that way.”

Randy chuckled. “I like the way you think, baby doll.”

She jumped with a squeal when Randy’s hand slid down her chest and under the top of her dress. “Oh, Romeo, I needed that,” she murmured as he found her breasts with both of his sizable hands.

Drew chuckled. “His plan worked after all.”

Shannon swung her head to the right and scowled at Drew. “Why don’t you bite me,” she sassed, receiving a pinch to her throbbing nipples from Randy. “Fuck,” she moaned. “I–I–I can’t help you three are grown-up horndogs.”

Jared growled. “Princess, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

Shannon shuddered dramatically. “I’m
so
scared—” She paused midsentence when she spotted Katie-Anne’s jewelry store. “Oh, my God!”

Jared slammed on the brakes, repeating her exclamation as he apparently saw Pure Fluff, too. At the same time, Drew cursed. And Randy jerked his hands out of her dress with a curse of his own then slid across the seat and threw open his door.

Shannon didn’t wait for any of them. She jumped over Drew, who tried to grab her, flung the door open, and tore across the street toward the ravaged building and the woman sitting on the steps with her head in her hands. Shannon’s legs moved faster than they ever had, but she still felt like she travelled in slow motion.

She reached Katie-Anne and threw her arms around her. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay? What happened? How bad is it inside? What about our apartment?”

Katie-Anne’s head came up, and Shannon saw the tears running down her cheeks. Her best friend’s whole body shook with her sobs.

“God, Katie-Anne,” Shannon breathed, checking her friend for bodily injuries. “Please tell me you’re okay. Are you alright? Are you hurt? What can I do?”

“Call Landon and Shane,” Katie-Anne requested in a thick voice that sounded nothing like her normal self. “I need them.”

“I’ll call,” Jared offered as he reached in his pocket for his phone and started dialing.

Drew squatted down next to Shannon and Katie-Anne. “Do we need to call the police?”

“No,” Brooklyn said, walking up behind them with her friend, Josie. “We’ve already taken care of it. Mama woke up and demanded we call Belle. She and Ash are on their way here, and Kegan is headed over to Jaycee’s.”

“What,” Drew demanded in a voice deadly enough to cause Shannon to cringe. “Why in the hell would Kegan need to go to Jaycee’s?”

Svetlana appeared as if from thin air. “Someone put an ax through front door and drive away in
green
car,” she answered, staring at Shannon and emphasizing the color of the getaway car. “They leave note for her. It say, ‘You next, bitch.’”

Randy cursed. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. That was fast.”

Shannon shook her head, the movement shaking a distraught Katie-Anne in her arms. “No. Mary couldn’t be in two places at once. She had to have someone helping her.”

“Son of a bitch,” Randy swore. “You’re right.” He pulled out his cell phone and stalked away from them with his phone attached to his ear.

Drew surveyed the area with his eagle eyes. He stood without a word to her and walked over to Jared, who hung up his phone. Whispering back and forth, they began to explore the damage.

Shannon dropped her eyes to Katie-Anne’s face, refusing to look at what her men were seeing. She knew without having to look. The giant store windows had been smashed to smithereens with a fairly large object and someone had put bullet holes in the door then pushed the door wide open. She couldn’t even imagine what the inside looked like, other than the small fires randomly dispersed around the room that she’d seen when she walked up.

Katie-Anne murmured, most of her words incoherent, but Shannon caught bits and pieces. “Fucked…Too much…Money…Call Deke…Lainey…Sell…”

What the hell?

Two separate sirens drawing closer to them distracted Shannon, and she didn’t get to ask Katie-Anne anything before a police car and a fire truck pulled up. They arrived at the same time, stopping directly in front of the store and throwing their doors open.

Shannon spotted Belle first. The petite, dainty, blonde woman emerged from the police car, her face set in stone. Belle was an all-business sheriff when on duty, but the minute she punched out, she was everyone’s kindest friend.

On the other side of the car, Ash stepped out. The tall, broad man with dark hair and even darker eyes didn’t hesitate. He approached the wrecked building, moving swiftly and menacingly. He followed closely behind Belle, hovering over her as he barked orders at the firefighters to get the fire put out so they could start their investigation.

Another couple of cars sped toward them, the tires screeching as they stopped. Landon scrambled out of his car without turning off the engine and barreled toward them. A pale-faced Sarah emerged from the other side, the tears in her eyes glittering in the moonlight.

Smart enough to know that Landon and Katie-Anne needed each other, Shannon helped her friend up and propelled her into Landon’s arms. He embraced her, his arms encircling her and pulling her tight.

Shannon moved a few steps away to give Landon and Katie-Anne a bit of privacy. When she noticed Sarah standing by herself off to the side, Shannon walked toward her.

As soon as Shannon reached her, Sarah murmured, “I’m so sorry. I want to go over there, but I don’t know what to say to her.” Covering her face, Sarah sighed. “I want to help her. I really do. It’s just that I’m no good at dealing with this.”

“Me neither,” Shannon told Sarah. “Me neither.”

Sarah said something, but Shane’s car drowned her out. He pulled up behind Landon with Deke and Adam in tow. He jumped out of the car, leaving his brother and his brother’s partner in the dust. But, when Shane saw Landon and Katie-Anne wrapped around each other, he halted. Instead of going up to them, he turned and spoke softly to Deke and Adam. Then he and his brother joined Drew and Jared on the front steps.

Adam, on the other hand, went in the opposite direction. He strode straight for Sarah and Shannon. Without acknowledging Shannon, he focused on Sarah. “I know you’re still embarrassed about the other day,” he told her in a firm but tender tone. “Don’t be, sweet pea. It was no big deal.”

Blinking up at him, Sarah smiled shyly and nodded her head.

“Good,” Adam said. “I know you’re worried about Katie-Anne and the others, but you need someone to help take care of you. That way you can take care of them.” Slipping his arm around Sarah, Adam started to guide her to Katie-Anne and Landon’s side. But Sarah stopped him long enough to say good-bye to Shannon. Then they were gone.

Standing by herself, Shannon felt awkward and uncomfortable but mostly scared.
Why me? I finally get my fairy tale, and another fucking villain shows up to tear it away.
She shook her head.
No, I get two villains this time. Who the hell is Mary’s accomplice?

Appearing out of thin air, Svetlana said, “You know who.”

Startled and confused, Shannon turned to face the mysterious lady. “No,” she disagreed with a shake of her head. “I really don’t.”

“Yes, you do,” Svetlana said vehemently as she tapped the side of her temple. “You must think. I have to go to Jaycee. She upset.” Svetlana ambled away, her limp as pronounced as ever.

Brooklyn placed her arm on Shannon’s back. “Don’t forget. You and your men must stay away from the green car,” she reminded Shannon, using words similar to what her mother had in August, then walked away with her friend.

Shannon was perfectly aware of who they talked about, but she refused to believe them. Her uncle was dead. He had to be.
Or we are all fucked.

Walking up to her, Drew said in an odd voice, “You need to stay with us for a while. There was some damage to your apartment.”

“Damage,” she croaked, her fear skyrocketing. Instead of allowing him to tell her, she dashed into the store and ran up the stairs to her apartment. All three of her men chased after her, but they weren’t quite fast enough with her head start. She jerked the wooden door open then stormed inside.

“Oh, my God,” she screamed as the shock of what she saw froze her on the spot. The intruder had demolished their apartment. Every single thing they owned had been beaten, torn, or bloodied.
Blood?
“No! No! No!”

She ran down the hallway to her room, but arms coming around her waist stopped her. “You don’t want to go in there, Shannon,” Drew told her, keeping a hold on her as she fought like crazy to get away.