Crime & Punishment 3: Theirs to Share (18 page)

“That’s not very comforting,” she grumbled.

“Don’t get me wrong. They will catch their man the majority of the time, but there’s also an awful lot of red tape, an awful lot of greasing palms, and definitely a lot of turning of backs.”

“Meaning they know it’s going on, but they choose not to act on it,” she repeated for clarification.

“Exactly,” Parker replied as he took a seat and reached for one of the buns.

She glanced around the table. “We forgot drinks.”

Grayson nodded. “There’re some drinks in the small fridge behind you under the wet bar.”

Cheyenne turned to look and spotted it instantly. She grabbed three drinks and headed back to the table.

“So, back to the apparently dirty organization you guys work for,” she said.

Grayson grinned. “It’s not really dirty. We make it sound a lot worse than it really is. We’re both very jaded with work at the moment. Have been for a while.”

She placed a spoonful of potato salad on her plate before passing it to Parker. “Do you not like your jobs anymore?”

“No,” they both replied in unison.

“What else would you do?” she asked.

“Well, I have a master’s degree in psychology,” Grayson replied. “I could probably do something with that. Parker has one in forensic anthropology.”

She looked at Parker in surprise. “Really?”

He nodded before taking a bite of his burger.

She smiled. “I guess when you told me you could tell me all the best places to shoot a man, you weren’t kidding.” He smiled around his bite, making Cheyenne chuckle. “Interesting. So, with those degrees, how did you end up as cops? You were detectives first, right?”

“A friend of ours was murdered during our last year of college,” Grayson replied. “They didn’t find his killer, and we wanted to do something about it. So, we became cops. As cops, we took a look at the cold case file, and after a couple of years of digging, we solved it. The department was so impressed, they offered us detective slots.”

“Wow,” she murmured.

“As detectives, we met up with the FBI, and the rest, as they say, is history,” Parker added.

“But now you don’t like it.”

“I don’t think it’s that we don’t like it,” Parker said. “I think it’s we feel as though we got more done as detectives. Made more of a difference.”

“You could always go back to that.”

“We could,” Grayson agreed. “But we’re still undecided.”

Cheyenne had a sneaking suspicion they were waiting on her. If she said she wanted to try, would that mean they would leave the agency? Do something else? What if she said no?

She was reading way too much into this. She needed to stop. They weren’t waiting on her; that was just her overactive imagination, or even worse, wishful thinking.

Two men, one woman, a lifetime together. It was nuts. Pure and simple. Just plain nuts.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Grayson walked into the houseboat and spotted Cheyenne by the sink, a cup of tea in her hand, her gaze glued to something out the window. She looked worried and lost in her own troublesome world.

He wished he could take those worries away for her, but he knew he couldn’t. Her life was about to change, hopefully for the better, but in her mind, it might not be.

He couldn’t think about the future without thinking of her. It was insane to become so attached to someone so quickly. She was unlike anyone else he’d ever been with. He frowned, wondering if their mothers had done something else—something they hadn’t mentioned. Had the spell they’d cast on him and Parker included a mate? Was that why sex between the three of them felt so…perfect?

Had they not only bound him and Parker but also bound the two of them to an unknown female? One who would be revealed at a later date?

He sighed and lowered his gaze, watching Cheyenne through his lashes. They hadn’t told her about any of that. Should they? Or should they leave it be and see what happened?

Parker had said she was nervous and had been thinking about their future. He could understand the hesitancy. Two men all the time would be a bit much. Even he could admit to that, but there were things they could do to ease some of that.

They could take turns. Grayson enjoyed having her all to himself. But the intensity of the three of them was most definitely addictive too.

He walked up silently and put his hands on her shoulders. He wanted to run them up the short skirt of the sundress she wore but decided to keep things chaste. They’d bombarded her enough as it was.

She jumped and turned her head to stare at him from the corner of her eye. “Grayson. You startled me.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” He kissed her temple, and she melted back against him, fitting in his arms as though she were poured just for him. He rubbed his chin across the top of her head and inhaled the vanilla scent of her hair. “You feel up for a swim?”

“I was just thinking that. Can you read minds too?”

He chuckled. “Not sure I would want to. But I can read body language and facial expressions. You looked a bit bored and maybe a little troubled. I thought swimming would get your mind off whatever it is.”

She tilted her head back and smiled. “Are the two of you always so attentive?”

His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer. “Well, I could say yes, but you would probably think I was lying.”

She snickered and took a sip of tea.

“We try to be, but I’m sure there would be times when life and worries get in the way and we become distracted.”

“Yeah,” she sighed sadly. “Life can definitely get in the way.”

“Come on,” he coaxed close to her ear. “Come skinny-dipping with me.”

She made an unladylike noise in her throat that sounded very much like a snort. “Skinny-dipping?”

“Sure. Why not? We’re the only ones in the cove. Chicken?” he teased.

He saw the corners of her mouth tilt up. “When I was a kid, I used to hate it when someone called me chicken. I would go out of my way to prove I wasn’t. That got me into an awful lot of trouble.” She turned her head so her cheek rested against his shirt. “I have a feeling you’re a bad influence.”

“Parker’s the bad influence. I’m the good guy.”

She harrumphed. “I think both of you are bad.”

Grayson nipped at the curve of her shoulder. “Very bad. So how about it?” He kissed the side of her neck, right below her ear, and felt the tremor that skimmed under her flesh. “Wanna have a little fun with some bad boys?”

“How can I say no when you ask like that?” she replied, her voice low and throaty, exactly how Grayson liked it. She sounded so sexy when she was turned on.

“Exactly,” he purred.

He took her hand and pulled her with him out to the front deck. Cheyenne glanced around the cove with a nervous expression.

“It’s only us out here,” Grayson said as he unbuttoned his shirt.

CHEYENNE’S GAZE MOVED to Grayson’s chest as he tugged his shirt off. His tan skin and muscular chest was a perfect distraction, but should they really be distracted? They were so out in the open here. Anyone could come up, and that left her feeling way more exposed than she liked, and it had nothing to do with skinny-dipping.

Grayson’s hands froze on the button of his jeans. “What’s wrong, Cheyenne?”

“They found Steve,” she whispered. “What if they find us?”

Grayson frowned and lowered his hands. “What brought this on, baby?”

She glanced around at the cove. Although surrounded on three sides by hills and trees, it felt way too open. “I don’t know. I’m not sure I feel as safe here as I did at the cabin.”

Grayson walked up, his eyes brimming with compassion as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “I know it’s scary, but we’re probably safer here than most anywhere else. This boat isn’t in the agency system. Even if there is a mole, he wouldn’t know to lead anyone here.”

He cupped her face and lifted it so he could look into her eyes. For some reason, the second their gazes locked, she felt better. She knew she could trust him, and if he swore he would keep her safe, she would believe him.

“We’re going to be fine,” he whispered.

She nodded, determined to relax a little more. He leaned forward and kissed her brow, then the tip of her nose. Her heart sped up, fluttering in her chest like untried wings of a baby bird desperate to stay in the air. She wanted him to fully kiss her, make her forget, just like he and Parker had earlier.

During their erotic play, she’d never once thought about the mob or her questionable future. All she’d thought about was the pleasure they gave her. What did that say about her? It would be so easy for someone to sneak up on them while they were…otherwise occupied. What was the matter with her? What was the matter with them? They were supposed to be keeping her safe, not screwing her. Unfortunately, when it came to these two men and the way they looked at her, they could make her forget everything, even her common sense.

Just as his lips were about to touch hers, Parker’s voice stopped them cold. “We’ve got company.”

Grayson pulled away, and Cheyenne’s heart nearly stopped.

“Who is it?” Grayson asked.

Cheyenne turned to see Parker checking his pistol. “Don’t know. But be ready.”

Grayson pushed her into the house and headed to the kitchen. He reached into one of the drawers and pulled out two guns. One he handed to her. Her fingers trembled as they wrapped around the handle. Had they found them? Was this it?

The feel of Grayson’s warm palm as he cupped her cheek calmed her. She put her hand over his and gave him a hesitant smile.

“You’re gonna be fine,” he said.

She nodded, but she didn’t feel as confident as he did. She felt terrified all the way to her bones. She glanced toward Parker, who stood at the sliding glass door watching the small fishing boat that slowly approached. His tense shoulders suddenly slumped and a curse flew from his lips that made Cheyenne jump, her nerves frayed to the point of frenzy.

“What?” she asked.

Parker glanced over his shoulder. “It’s Josh.”

“Who?” Cheyenne asked.

Grayson took the gun from her. “It’s someone we work with at the FBI.”

She reached for the gun. “But it was an FBI mole who alerted them to Steve’s location.”

He held the gun out of her reach. “It wasn’t Josh. I can promise you that.”

“Besides, Josh was just released from the hospital in Atlanta two days ago,” Parker said over his shoulder. “It’s not him, Doc. There’s not enough money in the world to make that guy go bad.” Parker turned to wave at Josh. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Cheyenne stepped out as well and studied the tall, muscular man in the boat, but stayed behind Parker, well hidden in the shadows. A ball cap covered Josh’s eyes, but she could see his strong jaw and full, sensual lips as he tilted his head to look up at Parker.

“Doing the mandatory recovery bullshit. I recognized the boat and thought I would stop by. I actually thought it was Grayson’s dad and not you guys. You two on vacation?”

“Come on in and we’ll explain.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Josh replied drily as he tied his boat to the back of Grayson’s and climbed onto the deck.

He spotted Cheyenne and stopped. “Hello, beautiful. I interrupted something, didn’t I?”

“Nothing that can’t be picked up later,” Parker said as he slapped Josh on the shoulder and ushered him into the boat. “Cheyenne, this is Josh Barnes. He’s an FBI agent also, currently on medical leave after being shot in the chest.”

Her eyes went wide and lowered to the still-healing scar she could see above the opening of his button-down, beige shirt.

“Josh, this is Cheyenne Willis. She’s a cardiologist who found herself in the middle of a mob hit.”

“Ah,” Josh said with a grin and a nod. “Witness protection.” He held his hand out to Cheyenne. She took it with a returning smile of her own. “Nice to meet you, Doc.”

Her smile widened at his easy personality. “You too. How long ago was this surgery?” she asked, studying his pale cheeks. Now that he was inside, he looked a bit tired and slightly gaunt.

He let go of her hand and took the soda Grayson handed him. “I look a little rough, I know. Strength isn’t coming back as easily as I would like, and I’m not the best at sitting still.”

She pointed a finger at him in warning. “That will set you back if you’re not careful.”

“Are you up here staying with your dad?” Grayson asked as he sat on the arm of the leather sofa.

Josh took the chair across from it while Parker and Cheyenne sat on the couch. “Yeah. At least here I have a little company for conversation, whereas at home I’d be by myself. That was way too boring for words. How are things going here?”

“Good, so far,” Grayson replied.

“Good,” Josh said with a nod. “I’d offer to help, but right now, I’m not sure I could save my own ass, much less someone else’s.”

Cheyenne snickered. “It will get better, but it will take time.”

“That’s what they keep telling me.” Josh’s stare moved to Parker. “You’ll never guess who I heard from.”

Parker stretched his arm across the back of the sofa and lightly touched the back of her neck with his fingers, sending a flare of heat down her spine.

“Who?” Parker asked.

“Your mother. She wants me to go to Tennessee and help a friend’s daughter remodel an old plantation home. Since I’m on leave for a while, mind you,” Josh added, making both Parker and Grayson chuckle. “Which one of you yahoos told her anyway?”

Grayson nodded toward Parker, who shrugged innocently, although not one of them believed the act. “Hey, she asked how you were doing. I told her. She likes you, and you and I both know what that means.”

“She mothers,” all three of them replied in unison.

Cheyenne bit her lip to keep from laughing. It would be nice to have a mother like that again. She missed hers terribly.

“Was the girl’s name Jennifer?” Parker asked.

Josh pointed at him. “That’s it.”

“She’s hiding from an abusive ex-husband. I’m sure Mom just wants to make sure someone is there to help if she needs it and is using the house as an excuse.”

Josh nodded. “Makes sense. I told her I would head down there in a couple of days. Although, in this weakened state, I’m not sure what I can help her with.”