Carter (14 page)

“I’m probably not like any kid you knew at eleven.” They both laughed, and Max said he’d like to see the house. “Misha said that we could stay with them through Christmas. I’d like that if we can. He’s gone to a lot of trouble getting the house ready for us.”

“That’s fine. Next year we’ll have our own things to decorate with. And a house. I’m really looking forward to that.” They pulled into the driveway, and there were trucks everywhere. “I’m having a security system put in, as well as a gated area so that we can feel safe here. The pool is a mess, but I’ve been assured that it’ll be ready come summer.”

Murph got out with them and took his hand. She smiled at him as Max ran ahead of them. “You did that very well with him. I think if you continue to talk to him like he’s an adult, the two of you might make it work.” Carter squeezed her hand and then kissed her. “He’s going to love it here. All this space.”

“I needed to have enough room to run you down and then fuck you hard.” She looked at him and her eyes darkened. “There is nothing I’d like better than to do just that. Perhaps later we can come here while Misha watches Max, and see if we need to clean any area out there.”

“You’re on.” They entered the house, and he let her go ahead of him. There were any number of the leap around, and he knew that they’d be safe even if there wasn’t. Both of them could kick some major ass. Misha touched his mind about ten minutes later.

Her father is dead. Leila tried to reason with him for about thirty minutes before she just let him go and then let the chips fall where they wanted. He was dead before he touched her. Good riddance if you ask me.
Carter asked where Leila was now
. Cleaning house. And I mean really cleaning house. She goes into a room and a few minutes later the sucker is cleaned of every stick of furniture and the walls are pristine. I’d like to have her come down to the office sometime and do that. All the furniture is in a storage building downtown. She said we can sell it or give it away. I thought we’d see if any of the leap wants any of it before we just give it to a local charity.

Carter was pretty sure that Murph wouldn’t want any of it and said as much to Misha.
Also, there were some things that you might want to look into that I saw in his head. He’s got something on a man by the name of Charleston Grant. I’m not sure who he is, but this man is hurting badly, and Daniel thought it was great. I have no idea why that should be on his mind then, but it might be someone we can help now that he’s gone.

Okay. And the house. Are you taking it?
Carter said he’d have to get back to him on that. They were at their house now.
Carter, the day after tomorrow is Christmas. I don’t want to tell you what to do, but have you gotten either of them anything for Christmas?

Yeah, last night while they were asleep I did some shopping. You know for the right price, you can have things wrapped and delivered before the holiday.
Misha said he knew that and laughed
. Christ, I might have gone a little overboard. So if a huge truck pulls up and needs to unload, just direct them to the garage or something.

I think we can manage a few extra presents.
Carter let him think it was just a few things. He really had gone a bit over the deep end. And he’d gotten things for all his family as well. He’d never had so much fun.

We might not be home tonight. I think I’m going to take my family into town and see about celebrating a little early. The malls are open later, and the shops downtown are having some sales. We might just take a hotel room and have a night of it.
Misha told him that was a great idea.
Misha, I want Murph to work with us. I think…if we can talk her into it, I think she’d make a great addition to our team.

Way ahead of you, little brother. I’ve already had her an office put in and set her up just yesterday. I’ve been shopping too.
Carter laughed and saw Max and Murph coming toward him.
Are you ever going to call her Dane or are you set on Murph? I have to have her name plate made.

I think Murph suits her just fine.
Closing the connection to his brother, he pulled Murph into his arms. Max turned his back and made gagging sounds. “I guess not even the strongest kid in the world likes to see people kissing.”

They moved from room to room, making notes on what the room would be used for and what they might need to do to it. Three of the bedrooms needed new carpet, and there was a bathroom that needed some work done to it as well. The master suite had to have new floors put in and be painted. They made their way down to the kitchen as Max started making his own notes.

“I’d like to have a big bed. A king if I can. I’ve never had much more than a single bed. The one at Uncle Misha’s house is big, but I want bigger.” Murph told him if he wanted that, she’d see about it. “And a big desk. Not just a computer one but a real desk. Like the kind you see on television. The kind that can sit in the middle of the room and not block stuff.”

“There are five bedrooms on the upper floor. Want to make one of them a sort of office for you?” Max looked at him like he’d given him a huge amount of money. “I’ll take that as a yes. As it so happens, I got you a computer for Christmas. I tell you that so you can make plans where you want it set up. In the middle of the room might require some wiring, but I think we can—”

“Dad, I love you.”

Carter was still standing there when Murph snapped her fingers in front of his face. He looked around for Max, but she said he’d gone back up to measure his room.

“Feels kinda good, huh?” He nodded. “Max called me da-da for about a month before I convinced him I was it for him. He got the hang of it pretty quickly after that. But he just called you Dad, and I think that calls for some celebrating.”

“Dad. I’m a dad.” He put his hands on her belly and felt the tight muscles there. “Maybe we’ll be able to add to our growing family soon, too. I think Max will love being a big brother.”

“He said that he’d leave us if we wanted him to. I told him never. Where he goes, we go.” Murph looked at him. “I was right, wasn’t I? I’m not sending my son off to some college or school where I can’t see him.”

“I don’t want that either. I’ve grown quite fond of the little guy.” As they entered the kitchen, they were met by a man and Leila. She didn’t look any happier than the man did standing beside her. “Something we should know?”

“Yeah, this guy is Dunlap. I have it on good authority that he can cook like nobody’s business. Who says things like that anymore? Anyway, he wants to work for you. Cook and butler. I’m not sure about the butlering part, but he can fill in until you get some help.” Dunlap cleared his throat, and Leila glared at him. “I’m getting to it in my own time, damn it.”

Murph laughed and put out her hand. The man put his behind his back and stared at her. That frightened Carter a little, and Leila laughed. This was the strangest hiring process he’d ever done.

“He’s harmless, but a little on the shy side of touching us. Me especially. Anyway, he worked for your father, and before that makes you want to shoot him between the eyes, he’s also working with the Feds. Dunlap here has been collecting information for them for a few months now. But now that his client is gone…Daniel is gone by the way…but Dunlap here wants to retire, and found that keeping someone’s house is what he wants to do.”

“You’re going to have to touch me soon then.” Dunlap looked at Carter, then at Murph before she told him why. “We have a son in this house too. And there will be any number of very important people coming in and out of this house all the time. You don’t let me touch you, you’re not coming within a mile of them. Not and live.”

“I told you that’s what she’d say. My daughter is very protective.” Leila laughed and went to the refrigerator, only to turn to Carter. “There’s nothing here to eat, young man. How do you expect to entertain me if you aren’t stocked?”

“In case you didn’t notice, we’re not living here. Having no furniture to be the least of it, we have some repairs to do as well. Floors need to be cleaned, Max needs his room painted, and the bathrooms need new tile. Not to mention we don’t even have any linens or kitchen wares.” She nodded and sat down. The room began to blur around him, and Carter had to sit down or throw up.

“I should have thought of that sooner.”

He had no idea what she was talking about, but put his head between his knees. Things were moving around quickly. The room was making him sick with all the motion that seemed to be going on. Carter heard Max coming down the stairs and started to stand to see what had him so excited.

“It’s perfect. Thank you, Dad.” Carter had no idea what he was talking about, but was enjoying the hug too much to correct him. When he kissed him on the cheek and started to take off again, Carter stopped him.

“I didn’t do anything.” Max laughed. “No, seriously. I have no—” Carter looked around the kitchen. “Christ, what have you done?”

The room was perfect. The countertops were filled with devices, and there were plates, cups, and other dishes sitting there in neat stacks. Pots and pans were also there in an equally tall stack, with utensils all laying out in order. The refrigerator was new, as was the dishwasher and other appliances. There was a tea maker, coffee maker, as well as a blender and mixer. Carter walked to the cabinets and wasn’t surprised to find them full to almost overflowing with food stuffs. The pantry that was just off the kitchen and had needed new shelves was now brimming with canned goods, bags of flour, as well as a freezer in the back with another fridge. Also, the pantry looked like it had a fresh paint job and new everything.

Walking to the dining room, a room that he’d wanted to expand and to put more windows in, he found it to be just as he’d imagined it when finished. The corner cabinet was filled with dishes, and the table was big enough to hold his entire family and then some. Murph and Leila followed him from room to room as he looked at all the improvements that he’d thought of, some he’d not. Standing in the living room, he looked at Leila, who had not said a word to him as he’d made his journey around the house.

“You did this?” She nodded, looking embarrassed. “How? I mean, how did you know what we wanted? What we might need?”

“It was all there.” It took him a moment to realize she’d meant in his head. “The other rooms are finished as well. The yard I didn’t see much for, but I’ll take care of it when you decide. The pool is also fixed. It might have been costly should you have started on it. I found—”

Carter raised his hand, and she stopped talking.

“You can’t have done this alone.” When she lifted her chin up and seemed to get a little angry, he shook his head. “What I meant was, you shouldn’t have done this alone. We might have been able to help you.”

“My grandson needs a home. My daughter does as well. They’ve been without because…well, we all know why, but I needed to do this for them. And for you if you’ll let me.” She flushed, and he was almost afraid to ask. “I want to put up a tree. A great big one in the front hall. Max wants it for this year, not waiting until the next.”

Carter looked at Murph, and she nodded once. He had a plan; not a solid one, but a plan all the same. “All right, but you have to give me something in return. I’d…we’d like for you to live here with us, not across town. There’ll be rules,—a lot, I would imagine—but for now I’m only going to ask that you please ask us before doing something like…well, all of this.”

Leila looked at Murph. They looked a great deal alike, more like sisters than mother and daughter. When Murph nodded to her, Leila turned to him. She had more to say, and he was willing to listen, not just give in.

“I’d like to ask that Max come to my home as well, the one where I came from.” Carter looked at Murph, who nodded too. “And I’d like to pay for his education. Anything he wants in the form of his work. He wants to be a surgeon someday, and I’d like to help with that.”

“All right.” She nodded. “We’ll have other children. Soon I think. Will you be grandmother to them too? Will you be as generous with them as you are Max?”

“What a thing to ask me.” She looked like he was in serious trouble when she came to him and smacked him gently on the arm. “I will love watching them as well. Caring for them in ways I never got to with my own child and grandson.”

“Then welcome to our home. But when you do the tree, I’d like to see you put it…you’ve done it already, haven’t you?” She flushed again, and he was laughing when she sputtered. “You’re going to be a lot of fun, Leila, I just know it.”

“I don’t think I’m going to like you overly much. But I think I could love you.” With a kiss to his cheek, she went to find Max. Murph came to him and wrapped her arms around him. Carter decided that he had to be the happiest man in the world right now, and didn’t care who knew it. His life was perfect.

Chapter 14

“Charleston Grant is on the run. All I can find out about him is that he’s been hiding for about three months now and nobody has seen him. His business was shut down about two weeks before he came up missing. I can’t find a single employee that worked there, nor anyone that might have any idea where he might be. His house, car, and everything else that was his before this complete disappearance of him is gone as well.” Misha looked at the things that Thomas had been able to find out about this person. Which was as it turned out, very little. “The house has been wiped clean too. Not a print, not a hair, not anything to give us a clue as to what or where this person is.”

“Human?” Thomas shrugged at him. “What, if anything, did Daniel Murphy have to do with this? And do we think at this point that the man is dead too?”

“Not dead. I don’t know why, but when Carter told me what he’d seen in Daniel’s head, it was as if he was looking for him too. Carter agrees with me.” Misha wondered aloud what the hell would make a man just clean everything out and go into hiding. “How about money in the bank? Credit cards?”

“The back account attached to the business, Grant Me Anything
,
is nearly cleaned out as well. There was about two hundred dollars in the account about ten days before anyone noticed that the house was empty. A moving van was spotted in front of the house late one night, but since that was a normal thing for this guy, no one noticed whether or not things were going in or coming out.” Misha asked what the business was. “A shopping service for the rich and stupid. Also, this guy did some major party gifts too. Big corporations would order huge employee baskets for a price and this guy would deliver. And before you ask, no, no one ever saw him. It was all done through online orders and delivery services.”

“Any disgruntled clients?” Thomas said not that he could find. “This is just stupid. I mean, I told Carter that I’d look while he was on his honeymoon, but there is just nothing there to make me think of foul play.”

“There might be.” Misha took the file when Thomas handed it to him. “That is a picture that was taken about a week ago. The file was marked Grant, and I can only assume that with the things in the folder, Daniel had someone searching for this guy. Read the notes on the second page.”

Misha turned to the page and started reading. He was only three lines in when he looked up at Thomas. “Is this right?”

“I don’t know. I have no reason to think otherwise. But if this guy has this book, then this guy might be looking at some deep shit. According to those notes, the book had come up missing and traced back to the shop. It looks like an employee of Daniel’s went back to get it and never returned. Now whether he was killed by this Grant person or he took the book and ran himself, Daniel believed that this Grant person stole it and is going to pay for it.” Misha asked what was in the book. “Turn to page three.”

“‘Fucking bastard will return it. Notes. I need my notes. Crappy meeting without them.’” There were all kinds of references to what was going to happen to Grant when Daniel got the book back, but it wasn’t until the last few lines that Misha knew he might have run as well. “‘That fucking bastard has all my contacts and the amount they owe me.’”

“Yeah.” Misha watched Thomas pace. “There is a book out there with every name in it that owes Daniel money. And perhaps what they did to owe him money. You have to think it’s big or this guy wouldn’t have run like he did. I mean, huge big.”

All Misha could think about was how this was going to affect his family. Hannah was due in a few months, and Thomas had his duties to perform at the castle. Those would be finished soon, but he’d have to be able to go back and forth to do them. Carter was away on his honeymoon for another week, and now this. When Thomas said his name, he looked at him.

“We’re going to be all right, Misha. We’ll help this person if we can find him. If not, we tried. But we’re doing well as a family and that’s what matters.” Misha nodded and leaned back in his chair. “Linyah and I are going to travel a lot less than we thought. Nic is going to help us out with that, and we’ll be here a great deal more than you can more than likely stand us.”

He thought about Christmas, the one they’d just had. It had been an affair that he’d never forget. It hadn’t been about the gifts, and there had been plenty of those, but about being a family…a whole and very blended one. Kings and queens, Doran and human. There were cats and wolves, even a vampire and a bear. They were one and many.

Hannah and Max had their first Christmas in this house, one that he was sure they’d never forget. It had taken them hours to open the gifts. Not like in the past when he and his brothers had been little and tore through gifts like it was a mission. But they had each opened a gift from someone and felt the love and caring that went into each item, and Misha wondered how they were going to top it next Christmas. He was looking forward to finding out. And next Christmas, he and Hannah would have their child here with them to celebrate too.

“I want you all here.” The phone started ringing, and he almost didn’t want to answer it. “It’s the business line. I told the service that we’d take on a couple of calls right now, but not huge unless it was an emergency.”

He picked up the phone and the woman on the other end of the line started giving him information. Flooding. Cars filled with families on the highway were being swept away. Hotel in trouble. Forty-four dead and counting. While he took the information, he heard Thomas making flight arrangements, and more than likely calling in the rest of the family. They’d only call Carter if it was necessary. Nic and his father, a constant lately when they went out, were standing in the room before he hung up.

Grabbing up his gear, he called for his mom and Hannah. They met him at the door with his bag, coat, and a few things that were always in need when they missed dinner like this. Kissing them both, he told them where they were headed and what was going on as they waited on the rest of them. Jackson came into the room with a large thermos and a cooler.

“Sandwiches should you need them. Water is already on the plane, and there are bags of fruit to pass out to the victims. I’ve made arrangements to have someone come in with a truck load of water and energy bars.”

Misha kissed Hannah again. She was really getting good at this, and he loved her for it. Fifty-five minutes after the call came in, they were loaded up and headed to the airport. They’d be landing in an hour and wanted to hit the road running.

Misha reached for Carter to let him know what was going on. It had been a promise he’d made to him when he’d left on Friday. They were having a great time, he’d told them last night. The amusement parks were full but not too bad this time of year. And he told him that Max was having the best time he’d ever had, staying in hotels and being waited on hand and foot.

After telling his brother that he’d call him again if they needed him, he told the family what was going on. By the time they were on the ground, the truck of supplies had been dispatched, and Hannah and Mom were manning the phones at home. They were in business now.

~~~

Murph could tell that Carter wanted to be there for his family, and she told him they’d go. But he shook his head and looked around the room they were staying in. The big house had been available to rent and they’d taken it for the week. It was not as nice as their home, but it was really comfortable.

“Max is having a great time, isn’t he?” Murph nodded and stood up to go and sit with Carter on the other couch. But when she was close, he pulled her into his lap and turned her so that she was straddling his lap. “I want you. Will you ride me?”

They had had sex in every room in this house. Not Max’s room, of course, but it had been really close when they’d gone in to make the bed for him. And right now the thought of riding her new husband was making her wet.

“What about Max?” Carter said he’d have to find a woman of his own. “Not funny. He’s eleven.”

“He’s growing up. Murph, I love Max, but I don’t want to talk about him or his sex life right now.” She giggled. “Take off your shirt for me.”

Pulling the shirt that they’d gotten at the park today over her head, she dropped it on the floor. It had been fun, but she thought for sure that this was going to be a great deal more relaxing. When he unsnapped her bra in the front, she moaned when he cupped her breasts from underneath. His thumbs were doing amazing things to her nipples, and she tilted back her head and held onto his shoulders.

“I love the way you tease me.” His mouth grazed over her breast, and she realized that he’d bared them to him. “Carter, please take me into your mouth.”

“Oh, I’m going to. Just as soon as you’re naked and riding my cock.” He pushed her off his lap and put his hands on either side of her jeans. “They’re not going to survive.”

Nodding to him, Murph nearly came when he ripped them off her, the seams at the sides and the zipper no match for him. When he pulled her forward again, she did cry out when he buried his mouth over her pussy and sucked at her through her soaking wet panties. She came twice this way until he tore them from her too.

He lifted his hips up and began to pull his pants down. But she dropped to her knees in front of him and when he exposed his cock for her, she took him into her mouth. He nearly choked her when he started fucking her mouth hard.

When he pulled her back and told her to stand, she was dizzy with her need to come. This man could do to her what no other had, make her incapable of thinking beyond one thing. And right now, all she could think about was having him fuck her. When her panties were nothing but scrap material on the floor, he pulled her forward again and she sat over him. His cock, thick and full, was between them, and she wanted him.

“Ride me.” She nodded and sat up on her knees. When he held his cock, the stream of precum dripping over his hand, she licked her lips and he moaned. “You’re killing me.”

Lowering herself over him, she held onto his shoulders. He seemed thicker, wider to her as she moved down. When she was seated over him, taking him as deeply as she could, Murph sat still, just enjoying what she was feeling as her hips tightened when she moved forward.

Murph rode him slowly, taking her time, coming twice before he seemed to need more. When he moved her, nearly jerking her to and fro, she came again, crying out his name when he rolled her to her back on the couch.

“Christ, I love you, Dane Lanning.” He took her hard, seemingly not caring if she came or not. She did, several times. But when he sank his teeth into her neck and bit down, she was glad for the pillow close by or she might have woken up the neighborhood with her final peak.

When she got up the next morning, Max was in the little kitchen having a bowl of cereal. Murph knew that Carter was in the shower, so she got her a bowl of the sugary concoction herself. Max handed her a cup of her favorite tea after getting up and putting his bowl in the sink.

“What are we going to do today?” He sounded so dejected that she wondered for a minute if she’d forgotten something. “Are we going back to that park?”

“Do you not want to?” He shook his head. “Well, is there anything else you’d like to do today? I mean, we’re not doing anything by a schedule right now.”

Carter came in and kissed her on the mouth. Max had been rolling his eyes at them when he did this, so she smiled when Max did it again. Carter asked if she wanted more tea before he sat down and with a plate of toast and some eggs. Murph had noticed that he rarely ate the boxed kind of food.

“To be honest, I want to go home.” Carter had a fork halfway to his mouth and looked at Max when he spoke. “I mean, this is fun and all. But…well, I’d really like to sleep in my own bed. Unless you guys would rather stay for the rest of the week.”

It was only Wednesday and they were set to stay here until late on Sunday. But if Murph was honest with herself, she wanted to go home too. She’d never really had one before and missed getting used to it. This was their fifth day in the sunny state, and she kind of missed the cold and snow.

“My brother would expect me to go back to work with him when we got back. I’d love to help him, but I don’t want you to think we can stay in a life of leisure there.” Murph looked at Max while Carter continued. “He won’t make me, that’s not his style, but…well, I miss working with him and my brothers too. I was going to suggest that maybe we cut things short too.”

“Really?” Max looked so excited that when he looked at her for confirmation, she nodded too. “Oh gosh, that’s great. I just need to go and get stuff for Grandma and Grandma. And the baby. I need one thing for the baby.”

As soon as he took off for his room to no doubt make a list, she looked at Carter. He winked at her. She knew that he didn’t care if they left or not, but the story about work and life of leisure was a little over the top.

“You know that he can read your mind, right?” Carter nodded. “So why lie to him? I mean, if you want to stay he would enjoy himself.”

“I didn’t lie, really. I want to go back too. And while I know that he can read my mind, he and I have a deal. We don’t pry unless we absolutely have to. It’s our code between men.” Murph nodded. She and Max had the same deal, and it worked well for them. “Besides, this weather is nice and all, but I miss the cold. So does my cat.”

Murph would start her new job soon too. Working for the Lanning men was going to be fun. They were being really great about her being a former cop and having this sort of cop mentality, but they still gave her a rough time. Then there was her mom.