Saving Courtney (Bryant Station Curves Book 4) (5 page)

Scott softly closed the apartment door.

Courtney stopped pacing and glared at him. “This is all, your fault.”

“How is this, my fault?” Scott raised his eyebrows.

“You brought me here.”

“Courtney, listen to
yourself. This is no one’s fault. The Fates have given you two mates. This isn’t something to be upset about. It’s something to celebrate.”

Courtney shook her head. “This isn’t happening.” She started pacing again. “I don’t want this to happen.”

“It is happening, and it’s not a bad thing.”

“How can you be so calm about this?” Courtney was anything but calm. Her worse fears were coming true. She did not have just one mate to worry
about. She had two. Two mates! Two men she had to worry about, because the possibilities of Jared killing them was a reality.

“Because I’m not the one who has two mates.”
Scott laughed.

“You are such a butthead. I can’t have a mate.” Courtney stopped pacing and glared at Scott again. “I don’t want a mate! Do you realize how dangerous it is for them to be around me? There is no telling what Jared might do to them?
I’m already responsible for Hagen’s death. I don’t want to be responsible for theirs too.” Courtney was all but yelling.

“You are not responsible for Hagen’s death.”

“He died because he was protecting me.”

“He died because a sick bastard is toying with your life.”

Courtney closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly she let it out.

“Courtney, my dear, you have not one but two mates, and they are going to be up here in a few minutes. Personally, I
don’t want to be here when they arrive because mates are never happy about unmated males around their females. I’m going to get cleaned up and go see Skylar and Abby.” Scott disappeared into his room.

“Coward!”
Courtney flopped down onto the couch. She wanted to run and hide, but she knew better. She could not run away. The two men downstairs would just follow her. Her best option was to convince them she was not worth the hassle.

Courtney stared at the ceiling.

Pushing them away was the only thing she could do to protect them. She could not…no she would not let anyone else die because of her. It did not matter how they made her body react. Keeping them alive was more important.

A few minutes later, Scott emerged from his room, showered and wearing clean clothes. “You’re still here?”

“And where else should I go?” Courtney raised an eyebrow at him.

“Downstairs.”

She rolled her eyes. “I thought you said they were coming up here.”

Scott chuckled. “Maybe they decided to come back later. Todd had to go home so he could shower and change too.”

“What about the other one?”

“Harrison is on duty.” Scott crossed his arms over his chest. He did not tell her Harrison was probably in the diner waiting for Todd to return. “Don’t you have some baking to do? You know…some pies and brownies to replace.”

She shrugged her shoulders. Courtney knew she was hiding from the two men. “I didn’t ruin the pies earlier. Why should I be the one punished for what you did?”

“It wasn’t just me.” Scott tried hiding his grin.

“You were half the problem.”

“And your mate was the other half.”

“He’s not my mate,” snapped Courtney.

“Besides, neither of us can bake. You
can’t hide up here, you know that. You are going to have to face Todd and Harrison sooner or later.”

Courtney glared at Scott. “Whatever.”

“Courtney.”

“Fine, but if you see them, you tell them to stay out of the bakery. I’m working and I don’t want a repeat of what happened earlier.”

“Fair enough. But I can guarantee they will be waiting for you when you finish work.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” muttered Courtney. She got up off the couch. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Scott chuckled as he shook his head. “I’m so glad it’s you and not me. I don’t need a mate right now.”

His bear snorted at his words.

*
              *              *

Someone knocked on the door.

“Go away. There’s nobody home.” Courtney rubbed her temples as she glared at the door. She had already sat in the apartment, lost in her thoughts for too long. She needed to get back down to the bakery. She did not have the time or desire to talk to a visitor.

The knocking started again.

“I said, go away.” Courtney walked to the front door and jerked it open. She blinked then frowned. No one was there.

“Courtney, let us in.”

She sighed and closed the door. “Great!” she grumbled, recognizing Todd’s voice. “They aren’t wasting any time, are they?” She closed and locked the front door.

“Courtney.”

“Go away.”

“We can’t do that.”

Courtney rolled her eyes. “Yes, you can, and it’s really easy to do. You just have to turn around and walk back down the stairs.”

A chuckle drifted through the door. “Or you could just open the door and let us in.”

“Not happening. Go deal with some bad
guys or something. I have work to do. You know…replacing all those pies you destroyed.”

“The sooner you let us in, the sooner you can get back to work,” said Todd.

“Go away. I’m not interested in anything you have to say.” Courtney took a deep breath and let it slowly out. The sound of Todd’s voice made her heart beat a little faster and her stomach quiver with anticipation. “Please, just go away. I can guarantee you don’t really want to get to know me. I’m not a nice person.”

“You know we can smell a lie, and it’s not a good thing to lie to a police officer.”

“Who says I’m lying? I’m not someone you want to get to know. So just go away.” Courtney swallowed. “Go find another girl to bother.” Just saying the words made her feel as if she had just ripped out her heart, but she knew she had to make them leave.

“Why would we want to find another girl when we just found you?
You’re special. You’re our mate.” The voice was almost identical to Todd’s but Courtney detected subtle differences.

“Harrison, you and Todd are totally mistaken about me being your mate. I’m not who you think I am.” Courtney pressed her lips together.

“I don’t think. I know you’re our mate.” Harrison’s voice was soft but full of longing.

Tiny shivers rippled through Courtney. “What you don’t know is I love expensive stuff. I owe a lot of money because of my shopping addiction, because…because my last husband
didn’t leave me with any money. I am…looking for a new rich guy. Do you know anyone who would be interested in me?” Courtney cringed. She so sucked at lying. She held her breath.

Not a sound came from the other side of the door.

She slowly let out her breath.

“Between what Harrison and I make, I really think we can cover your…spending habits.”

Courtney covered her eyes with her hand. They just would not take a hint. “You want the truth, you got it. I am a murderer. That’s right! I killed someone. If you want to live, you need to leave and forget about me.” She bit her bottom lip to keep herself from crying. She did not want them to go, but she did not have a choice. No one else was dying because of her.

“Courtney, let us in.”

She shook her head, afraid to speak. She knew they could not see her gestures, but she figured they would understand the silence. Hopefully, they would get the idea and walk away.

“Fine.
You don’t leave us much choice.” Todd’s voice was hard.

Courtney closed her eyes. She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying. It was for the best. They were safer without her.
But are you safer without them?
A little voice in the back of her brain asked.
Will you be happy without them?

Courtney wrapped her arms around her waist as she walked away from the door. She blinked several times, trying to stop the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. It is ridiculous,
she told herself. She had just met the twins and her body and heart were already reacting to their loss.

Taking several deep breathes, in an effort to gain control of her emotions, she closed her eyes as tight as she could, but several tears leaked out and rolled down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry, baby. Don’t cry.” Todd wrapped his arms around the beautiful woman and pulled her tight against him. The warm, inviting scent of honey and cherries tickled his nose. Todd inhaled.

Cherries.
Mine.
His bear sat up and rubbed its massive head against Todd’s ribcage.
Want mate.

She is ours. We just have to convince her,
he told his bear. Todd rested his chin on the top of her head and looked at Harrison.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”
Todd's shirt muffled Courtney's words.

“Why aren’t we supposed to be here?” Harrison put his hand on her shoulder. Her
cherry and honey scent was driving him and his bear crazy.

“It’s dangerous to be around me, and I don’t want you to get hurt.” Courtney could not get the tears to stop. The scents of vanilla and chocolate wrapped with the musky scent of male caressed her senses. With the strong arms wrapped around her, she felt safe and wanted.

“The only thing that hurts us is not being with you.” Todd kissed the top of her head.

“You belong to us. We are your mates.” Harrison leaned toward Courtney and kissed her shoulder.

“You don’t understand.” Courtney looked up at Todd with eyes filled with fear and sorrow. “You won’t live if you’re around me.”

Todd leaned down and captured her lips with his.

His lips on hers stunned Courtney. Her brain told her to push him away, but she could not do it. She kissed him back.

Encouraged, Todd deepened the kiss.

Liquid warmth flowed through Courtney’s veins. She moaned against his lips. She had been kissed before, but it was nothing like this. Todd’s kiss was a promise of more, much more—hope…dreams…family. All the things she wanted and more, but knew she could never have because of Jared.

Todd felt the change in her mood. He felt her starting to pull away. His hand moved up to the back of her skull, buried itself in her short strawberry blonde hair. He teased her lips with his tongue.

Courtney lips parted. She kissed him back. Wanting more. Demanding more.

Gently Todd broke the kiss. “That was beautiful.”

“That was hot! It’s my turn to taste those luscious lips.” Harrison turned Courtney around to face him.

Still reeling from Todd’s kiss and her reaction to it, Courtney did not fight Harrison. She did not want to fight him. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to fill his lips against hers.

She wanted both men touching her—loving her.

Harrison pulled Courtney tight against him, molding her against his body. “You are beautiful.” He rubbed his cheek against hers. His lips trailed down to hers.

The scents of vanilla, coffee, and male musky engulfed her. Courtney turned to Harrison’s lips, giving him full access to her mouth. His kiss was not soft and demanding like Todd’s. It was edgier. It spoke of wild pleasure and things she had only read about in the romance novels she used to buy.

Another set of hands cupped her ample rear as another set of lips touched her neck. Desire flowed through her. She wanted them with an
intensity that frightened her, and she knew they wanted her. Their hard cocks pressed into her from both directions.

S
he had to protect them, and that meant she could not be with them. Jared would kill them just to get to her. Courtney pushed at them, trying to break away from both men.

Reluctantly Harrison and Todd released her, and Courtney slid out of their embrace. The sudden loss of their warmth caused her to shiver. She desperately wanted to go back to them, to feel their arms wrapped around her.

“What’s wrong, baby?” asked Todd. He saw the emotions playing across her face.

Courtney shook her head. “We can’t do this. You have to leave.”

“Honey, we are not leaving. We just found you.” Harrison took a step toward Courtney but stopped when she jumped back two steps.

Courtney stared at the twins. She licked her swollen lips. The taste of vanilla, chocolate, and coffee lingered on them. She saw the bulges in their pants and wondered what it would be like to run her tongue up and down their cocks. Courtney bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from moaning with her need for them.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Harrison fought the urge to grab her. He wanted to feel her body plastered against his again.

Our mate.
Want our mate.

Even his bear agreed, but something was not right. He glanced at his brother.