Darin: The Pride of the Double Deuce - Erotic Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance (8 page)

Zach was still eating when Julia came for the platters. He went over each one with her, telling her why he liked certain ones over the others. His favorite was the same as Darin’s, the strawberry crunch. When she left them with the promise of more treats tomorrow, Darin closed the file.

“She’s at the house now. I hope she likes it as much as I do.” Zach said that she needed a car. “Mason made sure she had one for the time being. But she’s under the assumption that it’s just for work. I have no idea, as I’ve not had time to talk to Mason about it. But I can’t afford a new car right now. My truck barely starts on most mornings, guzzles gas like it’s free, and has four tires that are only the idea of being made of rubber. We need to win the lottery or something.”

“I have money. I mean, I can lend you some if you want.” He thanked his brother but declined. “I had some pretty good luck the other night. I bought a bunch of lotto tickets and a few of them paid off. I do that sometimes.”

“You do. Found money, you call it.” Zach nodded. “I’ve been putting my extra cash in a jar in my...our bathroom. There’s not much in it, couple hundred bucks. But I think I’m going to need it to pay for Bonnie’s uniforms and stuff.”

“Let me help you. I swear to you, I did really well.” Darin laughed and asked him how well he’d done. “I won two different tickets at ten grand each. And three more that were over five hundred dollars each.”

“Holy shit, Zach, that’s great.” Zach nodded, his face a little red. “You should buy yourself something nice with it. That’s enough to put down on a nice house.”

“I thought about it, really I did, but...I was actually thinking along those lines and decided that it’s just too much. You remember the house down the street from ours when we were growing up? Someone bought it a few years ago and started to renovate it. I’m not sure what happened, but they sort of stopped about halfway into the interior and now the bank owns it. I was thinking of seeing if I could buy it cheap and fix it up.” Darin told him that was an excellent idea. “Yeah, I talked to Landon and Palmer about it. Not to borrow money but because if I ask any of the others about it, they’d buy it for me and then have it fixed up. I want to do this on my own.”

“I don’t blame you. My house is...I’m lucky in that. Especially now that I have a ready-made family.” Zach handed him a sheet of paper. “What’s this?”

“The specs and the asking price. Landon is going to go with me in an hour to check on it with the bank. He promised not to pay for it but to help me with the paperwork. They’re asking too much for it, he said.” The asking price was over a hundred grand, well over what a partial house should have been. “There’s something that I didn’t know when I started this thing. Look at the amount of acres on the property.”

“Seven hundred? Wow, I had no idea. Maybe that is a good price.” Zach said he thought so too now. “Ah, so you thought that if you couldn’t afford the house, you’d just spend your money by lending it to me? If Landon wants to help you with the purchase price, Zach, you’d not be sorry. He’s a good and fair man, and this is really a good deal. I know you want to do this on your own, but that’ll help you.”

“Yeah, I was kinda hoping you’d tell me that I should think of another property.” Darin asked him why. “Because it’s going to be expensive. It’s a lot of land that I don’t even know what I’m going to do with. It’s farmland, or it was once. I actually thought of growing hay on it and some other grain to sell to the farms here. But Christ, that’s a huge amount on speculation.”

“I know how much Susie and Gerard spend on hay a week, and if you could make it work, I’m sure they’d rather pay it to you. And Mason buys alfalfa for the cattle he has, so I know that you’d have a built-in customer there.” Darin watched his brother; seeing him struggle like this made him glad that he’d come to him. “You’re being paid by the ranches now, right? I mean, you’re making pretty good money.”

“Yes. I even have managed to pay up on all my own bills and put some away. Not counting the lotto winnings.” He grinned. “I’m going to confess something to you. I have a lot more than the twenty grand that I won from the tickets. I think I have this Zen-like thing going on. I have closer to fifty. Lately it’s like I can’t pick a bad ticket.”

“Christ, that’s wonderful. Fifty grand will go a long way to making this work for you. I’m guessing that you want to keep most of that back to use as seed money?” Aunt Georgie had always told them, save your seeds for a nice planting. It wasn’t until they started making money recently that he understood how that worked. “The house? Is it in good enough shape to live in while you work on it?”

“I think so, but I’m not so sure that everyone will agree with me. There is power in it, running water and all, but no hot water and there is very little in the way of grass. Mostly it’s mud. But the good news is that the roof is in great shape, the flooring has been reinforced, and all the plumbing and electrical stuff has been replaced and updated. No furnace or other household things like a sink or fridge.” Zach laughed. “You might say that I’m living in a very nicely put together box with power.”

As they made plans to go over to the house soon and have a look, Landon showed up. The man was almost giddy to be helping Zach, and he’d already gone over to the house before coming here. When he pulled out his phone to show them pictures, Darin could see that the man wanted to buy it for Zach and then help him out with the house and land.

“Talked to the banker too. Nice man, but he’s a stickler for rules. Don’t know if that works all the time, but in this one, I’m thinking you won’t get a good deal.” Zach started to stand, his hand out, thanking Landon for his help. “Now hold your horses a bit there, boy. I didn’t say it wasn’t doable, just not through the bank. I’ll lend you the money. And hear me out before you start shaking that head like it’s got a crick in it or something.”

“I really wanted to do this on my own. You know, I’m young, stupid, and have nothing better to do with my time than to work a farm I have no idea if I can work or not.” Darin could see how painful this was for his brother, but Landon laughed.

“You’re a lot like your momma. Anyone ever tell you that? Can see her sitting right there where you are and telling me that it’s her job or something, and that I should butt out. Lovely woman, your momma was, but she’d tell you to do this. If for no other reason than I’m a good man.” Zach looked at him, then back at Landon. “You know I’m an honest man.”

“Of course I do. We all do. But like I was saying—”

“That banker is gonna charge you an interest rate that will pull you under. He’s right in it…you have no collateral, not much in the way of money, and you got a job that depends on your brothers. I know that you can make it work because I know you. He doesn’t. I’ll lend you the money at less than half the rate he would. There won’t be any fees or anything that you don’t know up front. Oh, and I done talked to him there. He’s gonna let me take it off his hands for sixty-seven thousand. That’s a mite less than we thought. The man was glad to have it gone off his books.”

“You bought it. What will you sell it to me for?” Landon told him what he paid for it, sixty-seven. “You’ll sell it to me for less than you paid for it and at a lower interest rate on top of that. What do you get out of this?”

“Nothing. I really...have I told you what it’s like for me not to have to go out and worry over the ranch anymore? Not that I did much worrying anyway, but I did feel like I had to go out and see to things. Since your brother took over we’ve already made a bigger profit this year than we did the last five total. He’s a good man.” Darin wasn’t sure were this was going, but waited on Landon to continue. “Since he’s been working the ranch, I’ve invested in a girly catalog, worked out the plans to have a homeless shelter put in, with the help of your brother Jace. Got me a soup and salad kitchen going in to supplement them out-of-towners that sister of yours is bringing in, and we’ve made some little bitty plans on putting in a second gas station. One that will feed them big trucks when they come in. Diesel. I’ve been talking to some of the downtowners, and we’ve decided that we wanna make the town come back. And I think we will. But I’m bored if you want to know the truth. Helping you boys is...well, it’s like I’m helping family. And you are my family.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Landon told him to say yes. “Yes. I... yes, I’ll let you sell me the ranch. But I’m telling you right now that I’m going to need more than just this kind of help. I’m thinking of becoming a farmer, too.”

“Holy shit, boy. Why would you want to go and do a fool thing like that?” Landon wasn’t mad, and Darin could tell that Landon liked the idea. His mind was already working on a tractor for Zach, he’d just bet.

Chapter 8

The offices were perfect, and she had a long list of things to get done today before her day was even to begin. But all she could think about was making love to Darin all night last night. He’d been so romantic and so loving. Darin had made her cry, it had been so amazing.

When he got home, he brought his brother Zach and a dozen roses for her. Zach, it seemed, had wanted to take Bonnie to his house with his aunt to watch movies and have pizza. Bonnie had been so excited to go that she had to come back to the house twice to hug her. Darin had planned well, it seemed.

“This will work out really well. I wanted to go over some of the changes we might need to make in the house. And before I forget, Emma told Bonnie she could have all the things in her old room so long as she took care of them. I don’t think that’ll be a—”

The kiss took her breath away. In mid-sentence he pulled her body to his and kissed her like he’d been holding onto it all day. Holding onto his shoulders, she buried her nose into his neck. Then he picked her up in his arms and started toward the master bedroom she’d seen earlier. The man held her in his arms like she was so precious to him.

After standing her on her feet, he proceeded to take her clothing off. Not in a hurried way, but slowly and reverently, kissing her flesh as he exposed it. Touching her too, just a brush of his fingers here, then a gentle touch there. When he had her blouse unbuttoned, he didn’t remove it but left it hanging on her as he made his way to her pants, socks, and shoes. Standing before him in just her blouse and bra pantie set, she felt loved, worshipped even, as he stood watching her.

“Do you have any idea what I think of when I see you this way?” She knew in her heart that he wasn’t talking about sex, but of something more. “Love. This is, in my heart, what love is like. I don’t think there are words out there to tell you or anyone how I feel about you. It’s more than just love. It’s everything to me. Seeing you standing here exposed to me shows me that no matter what, you love and trust me.”

“I do. I didn’t know that until just now, but I do love you, Darin.” He nodded and touched his finger to the area that her blouse didn’t cover. “I want you to take me. I want to feel you inside of me. I need to touch you like you have me.”

“My cat wants to taste you as well.” Her body warmed. The thought of his great cat touching her with his mouth made her wet, heated, and swollen for him. “He can smell you. We both can. The way your pussy is ready for him. When he drinks from you, he’ll bring you quicker than I will be able to and drink you down.”

“Yes.” Almost as soon as the word left her mouth, his cat took him. Mercedes felt a little nervous. He was so large, his body much bigger than she’d realized. “I’m a little afraid of him. I know that he won’t hurt me, but he’s bigger than I am in some ways.”

He will never hurt you.
Nodding, she stood there. He’d told her about how they could speak like this earlier that morning.
He wants you. Take off your clothes for him and he’ll show you how much.

Her blouse came off first. She dropped it to the floor, letting it slide from her fingers as she watched his cat. Then her bra. It was new, lacy, and sexy, but she knew that for now the big cat was only wanting one thing from her. Pulling on the strings at the sides of her panties, she let the silk fall slowly, hiding herself until the last minute. As soon as she was naked, Darin’s cat lunged at her and licked her clit with his rough, hard tongue.

“Darin.” Mercedes hadn’t been able to speak much more than his name around the emotions, all of them tight within her. She held the big cat, more to stand steady than to keep him there. But oh the things he’d done to her, the way he kept her coming over and over. Then he lifted his head, and she realized how weak he’d made her.

Go to the bed and lie down.
She did so on wobbly legs and closed her legs tightly when his head sat on her knees.
He can feel your need, Mercedes. The same as I can. Let him have you. Then I can take you too.

Opening her legs for him, she lay back on the bed. His tongue swiped over her thigh first, then into her pussy. Mercedes hadn’t known what to expect to have him like this, but his tongue was thicker than Darin’s, longer too. As soon as he fucked her with his tongue, she came four times in a row while he drank from her.

Every time she came, Mercedes was sure it was going to be her last. But the more he took her over the edge, the more the cat gave her. And when she screamed out her release once again, she felt the magic in the room and looked down her body to see Darin there. He lowered his head to her pussy slowly, never taking his eyes from hers.

“Mercedes?” It took her several seconds to bring herself from her memories and realize that the woman in front of her was someone she knew. When Susie laughed, Mercedes felt her entire body heat from embarrassment. “Yeah, they can make you forget that you’re out in public, can’t they?”

“I don’t know what to.... He’s like this....” Her face heated more. “I was thinking about him and got lost in it. Do you ever do that?”

“All the time.” Susie sat on the chair that she’d only just put together. “I wanted to talk to you about something. We have two children coming out today that are going to need some special care. You don’t have to do anything with them, but I wanted to give you a heads up that they’ll be here. We usually only bring them out one at a time, but Bobby only has a few weeks to live and he wanted to come to the farm.”

“I heard that you did this. I think it’s the most wonderful thing in the world that you do this for so many children and their families. Some of these children, they’d never get the chance to see a real horse if not for you.” Susie said nothing but watched the doorway. “When are they coming out?”

“Jack is on his way. Bobby is here now.” Mercedes went to the doorway with her. “He’s a lot worse than we were told. I don’t think the parents want to see it yet.”

“I don’t know what I’d do if it were me.” Susie said nothing. “What is it that he wants to do today? I mean, he must have a list of things he wants.”

“He wants a pony ride. I’m not sure he’s strong enough to make that work.” They both watched as the young man struggled to hold his hand up to pet one of the gentler horses. Bride was there as well, watching them closely. “I think Bride knows that he’s ill and wants to help him out. It’s funny how animals have a sixth sense about things like that, don’t you think?”

“Yes.” Mercedes looked around her offices. “Susie, did you know that among the things that were sent here today that one of the things was a harness? A person to person one.” Susie said she’d ordered it. “If Bride will let me, I’ll ride with Bobby on the front of me. I’d say that you could do it, but I’m taller and might have an easier time of it.”

Susie looked at her, then back at the boy and his family. Mercedes could see her mind working and wondered what she was going to say. When she told her to get the harness, Mercedes started to have second thoughts. What if the boy got hurt? Or the horse threw them both. Before she could voice these fears, Susie took off to the corral and to the big mustang.

The instructions were fairly easy to understand. She put it on first, then strapped the young man to her. The problem was, he was weak and heavier than she’d thought. It took both Mason and Landon to lift him to the saddle with her and then to buckle the harness around them both. Bride stood still for them as if he’d done this a million times before.

Mercedes had expected some objections from Bobby’s parents, but they stood by, holding each other while their son was moved around to ready him for his first ride on a big horse. She knew that it hurt him. His cries of pain nearly had them all backing off. But he kept telling them to do this. He wanted to ride. As soon as Bride took his first walk around the fencing, she knew that this was the right thing to do. Bobby loved it.

“Again.” She nodded as she moved around the circle again. Each time they got near some of the hands, all of them on the fence to watch, Bobby would wave at them. One of the men, she thought his name was Dick, took off his cowboy hat and handed it over to her. She put it on Bobby’s head, to his great delight.

They made four trips around the yard. Each time she could feel him getting weaker, but he didn’t want to stop. Finally, he told her when they were nearly halfway around the last time that he wanted her to stop. She did and waited for him to tell her to go again.

“I’m going to die. Today.” She nodded. Mercedes knew that this was going to be his last day on earth the way he’d wanted this so badly. “My mom, she’s going to be broken and I’m scared for her. Dad too, but he isn’t always with me like my mom is. She’s going to take this hard. But I’m really tired and need to just let go.”

“She’ll have today and your happiness that will bring her through. Don’t you think?” He nodded, his head leaning heavily on her shoulder now. “You did this for her, didn’t you?”

“Yes. My mom and dad have given up so much for me and I wanted to see them smile again.” She knew on some level that he understood that they’d done it for him no matter what. “When I die, will you do me a favor? Will you call my mom and tell her that I loved her more than anything in this world? My dad too?”

“Yes. I’ll do that, but they know that already, I think.” He nodded and told her to go. As Bride started to walk around the fence again, she thought of something else. “Bobby, would you mind very much if I had a picture made of the two of us? I’d like to hang it in my office to remember you by.”

“I’d like that very much.” When they got to the men who were to help him down, they looked at her when they lifted him off the horse. Bobby was considerably weaker than he’d been before. With a small shake of her head, she got down off Bride and hugged Bride for what he’d done for them all today. The horse had given them both just what they had needed.

The picture was taken, and she told them that she enjoyed herself as much as he had. Dick told the young man to keep the hat, that he’d been thinking of getting himself a new one for a while now. Tears were filling everyone’s eyes when he was lifted to the wheelchair and put in the back of the van. Bobby was going home today.

Mercedes worked the rest of the day on the opposite end of the ranch from Jack. It was not that she didn’t care about him, but she wasn’t sure her heart could have taken much more today. And when Bonnie came by after school, Mercedes hugged her a little tighter than she might have normally. By the time she’d seen her last horse and worked up his medical record, Mercedes felt drained.

~~~

Nash was pissed. Every time he spoke to one of the people in this town, each and every one of them had told him to shove off. One of them had even told him that he’d be fucking with the wrong people if he tried to get Mer back. He’d been ready to kill him too, when two people from the store came out and stood behind him. He looked over at Rocky when he cleared his throat.

“Do you think they know that you’re here?” He looked over at Rocky and gave him a questioning look, as if to say,
really?
“I’m sure they know I’m here, but do you think they know you are as well? I mean, that could be a little bit of an issue for you should they find out. You’re not supposed to be leaving the state and all.”

“This is my wife we’re talking about.” Rocky didn’t say anything about them being divorced. He’d done that before and had nearly been killed when Nash beat him to shit. “When I have her, and I will, then I’ll go back home and pretend that none of this ever happened. She should know better than to think she can get away from me, and I’m going to make sure she knows that it’s over when I say it is. I know that it won’t be long after we get back, but in that time, she’s going to learn that what I say is law.”

“She’s not going to be coming back easy. You know that, don’t you?” Nash said he was hoping she wouldn’t. “Ah, you want her to fight you, do you? Well, that’s all well and good for you, but I’m telling you right now, there are some big men on the property where she’s supposed to be staying. And yesterday I thought for sure I was going to be killed by a pack of wolves. Motherfuckers knocked me down several times before I got off the property. And it was like they knew it, too.”

“So you said. I doubt very much that the wolves, if that was even what they were, had any idea where the property lines ended. Perhaps you just tired them out running like a little girl.” Rocky said nothing. “Speaking of which, have you had any luck getting that brat? I want her here so I can dangle her dead body in front of her mother. That’ll be incentive enough to keep her in line, I think. And once the kid is dead, it’ll be one less thing I have to be worrying over all the time. And that dad of hers too. But if you’d like, you can kill him wherever they have him hiding out. That motherfucker should have been dead long ago. Who the fuck wants a cripple in the house? I don’t.”

“She lied to you. I still can’t believe that. The fucking bitch lied right to your face. Why do you think she thought that she could get away with that?” Nash said he was going to find out the answer to that as well. “Well, about the girl. I have a lead on her too. There’s this school that she goes to that is really off the beaten path. I’m going to be there when she gets out tomorrow and take care of her. Well, I was gonna. Now I’ll just bring her to you. We’re gonna dart her and whoever is with her, and when they scramble like we know they will, we’ll make our way in and nab her. She’ll wake up about the time she’s ready to be killed, I figure.”