“Calm down. We’re jumping to conclusions. We need help. We need to call Chief Cummings,” Junior told them.

  “Oh God, this can’t be happening. We can’t let him hurt her. He’ll touch her, he’ll—”

  “Don’t, Louie. Don’t think it right now, it won’t help us,” Junior interrupted as they heard Stone calling their friend, the Chief of Police.

  “They’re on their way to the marina and boardwalk, where Lacey was last seen. Let’s get there, too. Maybe some surveillance cameras caught something.”

  “What if she wasn’t taken from there, but after leaving there and going somewhere else? She could have been taken at any location,” Louie stated angrily as he followed his brothers from the house.

  “It’s a start. We need a starting place. Let’s hope we get lucky and that’s where it all began,” Junior told them, and they got into the truck and headed there.

  * * * *

  It was chaos all around the parking lot. Louie at one point looked past the police cars and the large group of their friends and law enforcement and saw the lake with the sun beginning to set. Such a gorgeous place to live, and things like this just didn’t happen.

  He felt the arms go around his waist, and his mom hugged him.

  “You’ll find her.”

  “We have the surveillance, and she definitely left with some blonde woman. I don’t know who this woman is. I’ve never seen her before,” Stone said.

  They passed the print-out of the woman to the others.

  “She looks familiar,” Louie stated.

  “Oh God, that’s Caroline. That’s Tye Weathers’s girlfriend,” Suzette told them. She was bombarded by questions, but the Chief calmed everyone down.

  “Who is she, and what is the relationship with her and Lacey?”

  Suzette looked at Stone, Junior, and Louie.

  “She’s Tye’s girlfriend. She recently came to the counseling center for help.”

  “What kind of help?” Stone demanded to know.

  “I didn’t work with her. There’s the confidentiality issue, anyway,” she added.

  “Fuck confidentiality. Lacey is missing,” Junior stated.

  “I didn’t work with her so I don’t know her state of mind. I only know that she wanted to get away from Tye and that he may have been abusive.”

  “May have been? You know what that fucker did to Lacey years ago. You know what he wants now, too,” Junior stated.

  “You three need to explain this in greater detail and make it quick so I know the next move,” the Chief said. Stone began to explain, and as they got into further details, Louie realized that he remembered seeing the guy, Tye, with the blonde woman at the gala in the city. He was talking to Lacey and that’s why Suzette said to get her away from that man. He never questioned Lacey more. That night turned into the perfect evening.

  He was lost in thought and filled with concern when he heard the chief giving orders.

  “We need to take some initial steps. Brophy, you got confirmation on Jeb Calhoun’s whereabouts?” the chief asked.

  “Two officers are with him at his office right now. He’s been in meetings all day. He has numerous alibis,” Brophy replied.

  “Then our focus is on Tye Weathers and this woman Caroline Lee. We need to take precautions here. We don’t know what exactly is going on, but based on the information Stone and his brothers have provided, this man, Tye Weathers, could very well have abducted Lacey. The girlfriend could be a victim, too, considering Suzette said she sought counseling and knew who Lacey was. Maybe she went to Lacey for help. The video shows Lacey talking to Caroline and not appearing under distress as she let her into her car. Let’s handle this accordingly.”

  “I don’t like anything about the way this happened. Could Lacey have really gone with her to help her and then Tye took them both?” Louie asked Stone.

  “I don’t know. Lacey does have a big heart and she may have wanted to help the girl, but Tye found out and grabbed them. Let’s just stay close to the Chief and this operation. Junior will be with Team Venom in case they’re needed,” Stone told him.

  “My God, I don’t even want to think about all the scenarios here. He could lose it and kill her. It’s obvious by the flowers, by the way he showed up at the shop, and his response to her at the gala, that this guy is still obsessed with her,” Louie stated. Stone clutched his brother’s shoulder.

  “We’ll get to her in time. We have to rely on the chief and how he sees fit to handle this situation. Let’s stay close. Lacey is going to need us.”

  * * * *

  “You seem stressed, Tye. May I suggest we go downstairs together? I know you like to play down there,” Caroline told Tye as he undid his tie and stared at her while leaning back in his chair. He eyed her over.

  “Not right now, Caroline. I have things on my mind.”

  She knew what things he had on his mind. He had her, Lacey, on his mind. He was getting more and more distant with Caroline. His new obsession with wanting Lacey and staring at her picture was a daily ritual. She’d caught him rubbing his cock last night as he stared at the iPad. He wanted her still and Caroline needed to bring that to an end.

  She ran her hands through his hair, then down to his shoulders, massaging them.

  “You can use the handcuffs. You can use any of the toys you like. I think you’ll enjoy what I have waiting for you down there.”

  He grabbed her wrist tight and pulled her up and over his lap. She squealed and he held her tight.

  “What do you have waiting for me, Caroline?” He looked over her body and licked his lips. He shook her by her wrists when she didn’t answer immediately.

  “Come with me and find out.” She went to stand up, but he held her tight and covered her mouth and kissed her. She was turning him on. Not Lacey. Not Lacey’s big boobs and big ass. It was all about Caroline. Tye would finally realize how committed she was to him and to what lengths she would go to prove she was all his.

  He bit her lower lip, drawing blood as he released her. It brought tears to her eyes, but she held firm. She would take his punishments, his control and abuse of her body, just as long as he only thought of her and not that bitch downstairs.

  She smiled and licked her lip, the taste of blood too familiar.

  “Come with me. You’ll love this.”

  She rose up and reached out her hand. He looked at her as if he didn’t trust her, but she could see his cock harden beneath his dress pants. She did that to him. Not Lacey.

  She opened the door and he had her wait, now taking the control momentarily. He locked the door, then gripped her hair and head and brought his lips down onto hers roughly. She nearly lost her balance and fell down the stairs. But he held her. Tye loved her and wouldn’t let anything happen to her. He was going to be so surprised.

  They descended the stairs and before he could even switch on the light, she heard his intake of breath, and then his hand squeezed hers tighter.

  “She’s for you.”

  Tye looked at Lacey lying on the bed nearly naked, gagged, and handcuffed to the bed. Caroline could see the blood dripping from her wrists. She must have tried to escape. Stupid bitch.

  “What have you done, Caroline?”

  She looked at Tye, uncertain if he were angry or pleased.

  She lowered to her knees.

  “You never got to finish completing your fantasy. I tried to be her substitute, but it didn’t work. I need you, Tye. You’re my everything. I can’t live without you or survive without you, but you need to get Lacey out of your head.”

  “Caroline, what do you mean?” he asked her as he caressed her cheek.

  “I want you to fuck her one last time. Do what you want, and then I’m going to kill her so she can never get between us again.”

  He stared at her. His eyes grew darker and she worried that maybe she made a mistake and maybe he would hate her or want to pick Lacey over her. He looked back toward Lacey, who was crying and struggling with the handcuffs. Her mumbled cries sounded like hoarse grunts.

  Tye looked back at Caroline and cupped her cheeks as he stared down at her and held her gaze with such intensity she felt the tears well up in her eyes.

  “You’re my everything Caroline. You’ve proven your commitment to me, and that I own you, body, heart, and soul, as you own me. I’m shocked.”

  Caroline looked toward Lacey, who stared, wide-eyed and crying.

  “Fuck her and be done with her. After today, it’s only you and me. No one else ever again.”

  He leaned down and kissed her deeply. He lifted her up and she straddled his body and rocked her hips against his. Tye had never kissed her with such deep emotion and love, and he did love her. She had been right. This proved it all.

  When he released her, he ran his hands over her ass and gave her a spank. She smiled.

  “Are you staying?” he asked her.

  “It’s your choice.”

  “Stay.”

  * * * *

  Tye walked closer, his heart racing, his shock nearly making him dizzy. Caroline really loved him. She knew he suffered because of Lacey. She wanted to bring him closure and get her out of his head finally. He was touched, and filled with a sudden desire to have Lacey one last time and then be the one to help end her life. She had caused him pain for years. She had taken away so much from him and denied him what belonged to him. Her, and this body.

  He slowly went to sit down on the bed when, suddenly, Lacey’s foot came up and socked him in the nose. She kicked and screamed through the cloth tied across her mouth as Tye jumped up and held his nose.

  He jumped as he heard the gunshot, then turned to see Caroline pointing it at Lacey and the bed. The first shot hit her upper shoulder, cutting the skin.

  Lacey lifted her belly upward and shook and screamed in anger and pain combined.

  “Shut up and take it, or I’ll kill you right now. He can have your body warm or cold,” Caroline screamed out.

  Lacey’s eyes were red and the fear obvious.

  Tye wiped the blood from his nose and shook the burning pain away. Then he sat back down and looked over her body and her eyes. She was bruised all over her face. Blood oozed from her shoulder and the pillow had a hole in it from the bullet.

  He reached for her breast, more than a handful, and his mouth watered. She tried shaking him off and he raised one of his eyebrows in challenge.

  “She will kill you, Lacey. Just relax. You can’t tell me that you forgot my touch or who is always in charge in bed.”

  She shook from side to side and tried kicking him again. Her legs were free and he grabbed for them and began to strike her against her thighs.

  One knee came up and struck Tye in the eye and, stunned, he panicked, only for her to kick him in the head. Lacey was out of control, and then he heard the two gunshots.

  “No, Caroline,” he yelled at her, and then looked back at Lacey, who lay still. He looked over her body and didn’t see any blood, just the bullets to the side of her thighs. An inch closer and she would have hit Lacey in the thigh.

  He stared at Lacey in anger, then struck her across the mouth.

  “Lay still and take what’s coming to you.”

  Lacey’s eyes widened and she cursed through the gag.

  Tye stood up and began to undress.

  “No more wasting time. I’ll shut her up and then it will be you and me, Caroline.”

  He shoved his pants down just as the door upstairs burst open.

  “Freeze, police!” someone yelled out. He could see the men in black descending the stairs. One of them even jumped over the railing, gun drawn. Then he locked gazes with Caroline just as she pulled the trigger, shooting up the room.

  He felt the bullets hit his body and more bullets went off, shooting her. Something large nearly knocked him out of the way and went flying by him. There was chaos and yelling and his eyes caught sight of Lacey before he fell to the floor. One of the men in black was covering her body with his. He saw the blood on Lacey’s arm. He heard the roar of the man on top of her, and then just darkness.

  * * * *

  Junior felt the hits from the bullet even though he wore the bulletproof vest and SWAT gear.

  He could see blood as he eased up off of Lacey.

  “Lacey? Oh God, baby.”

  He lifted up, looking her body over as Miles and Nikko joined him.

  “You crazy bastard. That was insane,” Nikko yelled at him as Miles checked the wound to Lacey’s arm.

  “She took a hit to her arm and shoulder. Unlike you,” Miles said in a strong tone.

  Junior started to feel the pain from the hits to his bulletproof vest. He rolled onto his side next to Lacey as Nikko carefully un-cuffed her wrists.

  “Looks like she fought like hell,” Nikko whispered, anger in his voice.

  Miles undid the gag around her mouth.

  “You’re safe now, Lacey. They’re both dead,” he told her, and Lacey continued to sob. She was shaking so hard.

  “Paramedics are coming down now,” Big Guns told them, and helped Junior.

  “Are you hurt anywhere else, baby?” Junior asked her.

  She shook her head and he lowered his head to her thigh as Jay Bird placed her blouse over her body to hide it from everyone’s view. He gave Jay Bird a nod as the paramedics came in.

  Miles helped Junior stand up as the paramedics looked Lacey over and wrapped her arm to stop the bleeding. He heard them say the bullet went straight through.

  “Let us through, damn it.”

  Junior heard Stone’s angry voice and before he could respond, Miles was calling out to let Stone and Louie through.

  “Oh God, she was shot?” Louie asked as he stood behind the paramedics.

  “She’s going to be okay, thanks to Superman over here,” Nikko told Louie and Stone.

  “When were you going to inform your commander that you could fly?” Miles asked him.

  He looked at Lacey, then back at Miles, Nikko, his brothers, and the rest of Team Venom.

  “I didn’t even think. I just had to get to her before she was shot and killed.”

  He felt the slaps to his back and his team’s support.

  “That was fucking awesome,” Striker said, then shook his head.

  He cringed from the pain he was in.

  “Now sit your ass down and let the paramedics look you over, too. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll make you fill out the entire report at the department instead of spending time with your woman at the hospital,” Miles ordered.

  “You were shot, too?” Stone asked, placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder and assisting him to sit down.

  “Nothing could get me to leave her side right now, Miles. Nothing.”

  Junior stared at Lacey as the paramedics prepared to load her on the gurney.

  Chapter 13

  “Damn it, Lacey. What did I tell you about lifting anything? You’re not even supposed to be back at work yet.” Stone raised his voice and hurried across the room to grab the box from her hands.

  She stood back up, leaving the delivery box on the floor and placing her hands on her hips.

  “Really, Stone? I told you that I’m fine, and the doctor said I could return to doing normal activities.”

  “Well, we didn’t,” he told her, referring to him, Louie, and Junior. It had only been two weeks since the incident. She hated lying around and it killed her to think of the potential clients she would lose because of the wound to her arm. The bruises she could deal with, and even explaining to customers how she sustained them, though most people already knew. The story made the papers because Tye was so damn wealthy. Never mind the fact that he’d left her money in his will, the sick bastard. That had been another moment where her men were very angry.

  Stone placed her arm carefully back into the sling.

  “The doctor said to wear that for a reason.”

  “I don’t really need it anymore. I’m appeasing you guys,” she snapped at him, then turned away and walked toward the counter.

  They could be so frustrating. She tried to accept their overprotectiveness, and especially Junior’s need to ensure she was okay. It had been traumatic for him to come onto the scene as an officer and see his girlfriend practically naked, handcuffed to a bed, beaten, and then shot at.

  She closed her eyes and willed the memories away. Thank goodness for Suzette. She had been like her own personal therapist the last two weeks. Lacey felt at ease with Suzette and trusted her thoroughly. So did the guys. She just needed to work on having Junior talk with Suzette a bit more to ease his anxieties. She smiled. Her big, bad SWAT officer did not like looking or appearing weak. She loved him so much.

  “What’s wrong? Are you okay? Did you hurt your arm trying to lift this?” Stone asked, obviously seeing her close her eyes. She raised one of her eyebrows up at him and crossed her arms in front of her chest despite the slight ache.

  Stone gave her one of his wise-guy expressions and she had to hide her smile. She couldn’t get mad at him, or them. Maybe a bit annoyed that they were constantly pacifying her, but as Cass had explained, her sons truly loved her and could have lost Lacey forever. That brought tears to her eyes. She had never been so scared in her entire life, but it also helped her to make the right decision about the million dollars Tye had left her in his will. She signed the check over to the nonprofit organization Suzette worked at that helped battered women and their children. The money would be used in various ways that helped women who were victims of domestic violence and abuse.

  Lacey watched Stone as he walked the box over to the counter and opened it up.

  She stared at him and the tattoos on his arms and big muscles she loved so much. He looked up, his expression serious, and she shot from the hip.

  “You should work here with me.”

  He looked back down and pulled out some other smaller boxes of wrapped items.

  “I do work here with you.”

  She chuckled and reached out to place her hand on his arm. Her breasts swelled and her belly tightened. She loved him and his brothers so much. Just touching them aroused her and had her thinking of making love to them.