Madison Layle - Falke’s Captive

Axel nodded with a frown and stared at an envelope in his hand. “I suspected you’d be making the trip sooner rather than later, but…” He held out the envelope. “I hope this might change your mind…about Seattle.”

“Axel, we’re not—”

“What is it?” Kelan asked, cutting off Reidar’s denial that the trip was anything more than temporary. They were going regardless of what was in the envelope, but he still wanted to know what Axel was up to. That frown worried him.

“That’s the deed to Old Darcy’s gas station and a check. I figure once you do some remodeling, that big ol’ garage will be perfect for a warehouse. And the check’s your startup capital.”

Kelan’s knees went weak, his head a little light, when he pulled out the papers and saw all of the zeroes on the check. He looked over the first page of the deed, but his eyes wouldn’t focus.

“Seriously?” he asked Axel.

“Yeah, seriously. It’s what you wanted, right?”

Kelan nodded, unable to say more.

“You two showed your commitment to this family, and our dads told me your biggest concern was the babies. You made me proud. I’ve been waiting for you to grow up. Looks like it finally happened.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Kelan folded the papers and stuffed them and the check back into the envelope.

“I do,” Reidar said. He gave Axel a quick, back slapping hug. “Thank you.”

“Yeah,” Kelan said. “Thank you, brother.”

“Now, that’s not free money,” Axel said after Reidar stepped back. “I’m not charging you interest, but that is a loan, and you will pay me back in a timely manner. It’s all in those papers.” He motioned toward the envelope. “There’s a contract between the three of us. Don’t try to cash that check until it’s been signed.”

“We won’t,” Kelan reassured him.

“And I still expect help with Catamount Outfitters when we’re busy,” Axel said, motioning toward the front of the store where Sindre was helping a group of tourists sign up for a weekend trek to Red Dog Ridge. “But we’ll work out a schedule so you two can focus on the warehouse and online store. And I’m going to be hands on. I’m keeping a share of it.”

“That’s in the contract too?” Kelan asked, but he already knew. His brother was giving them some leash, but if they fucked up, Axel would take over and save the day. That was his way.

“Damn straight it is,” Axel said, but then he grinned. “I expect you two to do great things, though. Don’t let me down.”

Both Kelan and Reidar shook their heads. “We won’t,” Kelan promised. “It’s a deal.”

“Good.”

“But we’re still going to Seattle this weekend.”

Axel’s frown deepened. “About that. I know you want to go, but…well, I sort of promised…That is…”

“Spit it out,” Kelan grumbled.

“I sort of promised you two would take a very important client on a camping trip along Icicle River.”

“Damn it, Ax!” Kelan slammed a fist on the counter.

“Axel,” Reidar tried. “You knew we had plans. We’re supposed to be off this weekend.”

“I know! I know, and I’m sorry, but there’s always next weekend, and this client was…insistent. I couldn’t say no, and there’s no one else who can do the job. I’m sure you can make it up to Beth.” He gave Reidar a pat on the shoulder and glanced at his wristwatch. “The client will be here any minute.

I’d suggest you hurry and get ready.” Before they could argue further, he turned and headed back up the aisle. “Remember, we have a deal.”

“Fuck,” Reidar said. “Didn’t see that coming.”

“Me either,” Kelan said. “Leave it to Ax to find a way to give a great gift all wrapped up in barbed wire.”

“Yeah, now what?”

“We’ll just have to tell Beth the truth, and as soon as we dump off this client, we’re headed straight to Seattle, damn the consequences.”

“What’s so important that you have to rush off to Seattle?”

Both brothers turned at the familiar feminine voice to see Beth walking up the aisle. She stopped a few feet from them, looking gorgeous in denim cutoffs, hiking boots and a bright green, curve-hugging tank top. Axel peered around the shelves with a smirk on his face.

“ You’re the client,” Reidar guessed, and she nodded.

You asshole! Kelan said telepathically, sending his eldest brother into a fit of laughter.

Reidar tossed his big brother a huge grin over Beth’s shoulders as he pulled her into a tight bear hug. Thanks, Ax.

Anytime. Enjoy the camping trip.

Kelan vaulted the counter and waited for Reidar to let go so he could snatch her into his arms.

“God, you’re a sight for sore eyes.”

She chuckled, blinking at him from behind her glasses. “Back at ya, hon,” she teased, using his pet name for her.

He laughed and lifted her off her feet, swinging her in a circle. “You’re back.”

When he set her down, she pushed her glasses up her nose and grinned. “Where else would I be when the two best guides in the Wenatchee forest are here?” She ran her finger down Kelan’s shirtfront, turned and winked at Reidar. “I just hope they don’t charge too much because I’m a broke student struggling to finish some research so I can finalize my dissertation.”

“What are we waiting for?” Reidar asked. “Let’s go camping.”

“Uh, don’t you think we should put up the tent first?” Beth asked, shrugging out of her backpack. She watched her lovers, who’d already dumped theirs on the ground, unzip and spread their sleeping bags over a soft spot between towering pines that shaded the fragrant grass from the late afternoon sun. “Or build a fire?”

Kelan straightened and began to walk—no stalk —toward her.

“Uh, guys?” She took two steps back for each one he made, but failed to hide the smile tugging at her lips. A thrill zinged through her at the dark look of lust in Kelan’s eyes, the set of his mouth, the way his body moved with smooth grace toward her. “I’m supposed to be out here to gather research,” she reminded him.

“Which you can do tomorrow,” Kelan said, his voice low and rough.

To hell with research. She wanted what he had to offer. They’d all been apart way too long. She’d missed their playfulness, their laughter, the domineering way they had about them that could make her purr.

She loved them so much; every moment of those weeks apart had been sheer torture. She hadn’t known them long, but she had no doubt where she belonged.

Circling around a tree, she put the thick trunk between her and Kelan and kept up her protests.

“But we still have some daylight left.”

“And I know just what to do with it,” Reidar said from her left, startling her into a giggle and a run. She didn’t get far, not that she’d tried all that hard.

“Gotcha,” Kelan said, tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“No fair! There’s two of you.” She laughed amid mild grunts as she bounced against his rock-solid shoulder during his trudge back to camp.

“And you’ve kept us celibate long enough,” he said, laying her down in the middle of their makeshift bed with the utmost care. It was surprisingly soft with the layers of sleeping bags, and she grinned up at Kelan who had a wicked smile on his face that promised every one of her needs would soon be met, filled, surpassed.

As Reidar dropped down on her other side, opposite his brother, she grinned. “Celibacy is overrated.”

“Very,” Reidar agreed before he dipped down to kiss her with a lingering thoroughness that revved her pulse.

As he kissed her, she felt Kelan shift lower to untie her hiking boots, pulling them off one after another. She broke from Reidar’s kiss and tilted her head, allowing him better access to her skin, when he continued to nibble along her neck. Kelan unzipped her shorts and tugged them down. Reidar slipped a hand under her cotton tank to fondle her breasts.