Chapter Fourteen
Abbey's mind was not on her task as she laid out Audrey's clothes and helped Tanner into his. Tanner seemed to notice her distraction when she tried to shove the poor boy's head through his sleeve hole.
"Mommy!" he exclaimed impatiently.
Audrey giggled as Abbey quickly apologized and righted the shirt.
Moments later she was going through the motions and helping them brush their teeth but her mind wasn't on the task. Her mind was still down in that kitchen and the conversation she had eavesdropped on.
Joseph and Jason were dead.
Marcus had killed them to protect her and the children.
Marcus had stated, without any doubt in his voice, that he would die to keep them safe and Julian had seemed to agree. And they hadn't been saying those things just to impress her because they hadn't even known she was there.
There was so much to think about that Abbey's mind had trouble thinking of anything! There was no more Joseph. No more looking over her shoulder. No more wondering when he would finally find her and put her in her grave. No more bruises and beatings. No more fear that she would say the wrong thing, walk the wrong way, burn supper, fold his shirts wrong, talk to the wrong person in public and earn herself a few well-placed punches and kicks.
Abbey didn't realize she was crying until Audrey reached up and wiped at her wet cheek, "What's wrong, mommy?"
Abbey sniffed loudly and wiped her face clean with the back of her arm, "Nothing at all is wrong, my angel."
"Are my teeth clean, mommy?" Tanner questioned before giving her a big smile that revealed pretty much every tooth in his head.
"Sparkling, bub," Abbey tousled his dark hair. She felt lighter than she had in years which was bad considering she'd just found out that one of the men she was living with had murdered her husband and brother wasn't it?
She couldn't convince herself that it was. Joseph and Jason had been bad men; evil men. Joseph had been mean, cruel and abusive. He'd been a thief, alcoholic and drug user and Jason had covered for him, protected him, supplied him.
Jason was the reason that Abbey had never been able to get help for Joseph or for herself. She felt sorry for Kyle losing his father but not for Samantha. Maybe Abbey was just bitter but she hated Samantha. She had gone to the other woman once hoping that she would help her but Samantha had simply wrung her hands, shook her head and told her that she wasn't about to get involved in something like that.
"Mommy, are you sure you're okay?" Audrey's voice questioned again.
"Yeah, mommy's just thinking is all. How about you go down and see if Julian needs help with breakfast? I think he was cooking eggs."
"Yummy!" Tanner cried and like a couple of rockets the two children took off down the hall.
Abbey heard their feet thumping down the stairs and she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her full lips had more color lately as did her cheeks. She had to admit that her green eyes didn't look as dull as they once had and even her brunette hair seemed lighter. These last few days with Julian and Marcus had done her good...... and they'd been better for her children who were finally laughing, playing, happy and had full stomachs.
Now that Joseph was gone Abbey could enroll Audrey back into school without the fear that he would track her down. That would make Audrey happy who was one of those rare children who actually loved school.
But Joseph being gone also meant something else... It meant that Abbey no longer had any excuse to stay here with Marcus and Julian. Unless of course she accepted them........
"Abbey?" Julian's voice snapped her from her thoughts and she spun around to find him gazing at her with concern.
"What?"
Julian shifted his feet and licked his firm bottom lip, "How do you want your eggs?"
Abbey followed his tongues movement and then cleared her throat, "Scrambled is fine."
Julian stepped forward wrapped her elbow gently in his hand, "Abbey...."
"Don't," Abbey shook her head. "I need to get ready," she added.
With a sigh Julian nodded, backed away and closed the bathroom door. Abbey took her time putting on clean clothes, combing her hair and brushing her teeth. She had decisions to make and she was not used to making her own decisions. The last ten years of her life had been Joseph making all of her decisions for her.
Was she going to stay here with the twins, give in to what her body truly wanted and accept them as her mates despite what people would think about a woman with two men? How would she explain to her children that she was with two men? Or would she go back to the home she had shared with Joseph and try to pick a life back up? Or would she simply move into town here in Wyoming and build a new life with her children?
Tears of uncertainty filled Abbey's eyes.
She had no idea what she was going to do.
***
"I'm going to the barn," Marcus said as he stepped into the kitchen in a clean flannel shirt and jeans. His dark curls were wet and plastered to his head and his broken arm was slung up against his chest.
"Why?" Julian asked as he sat a steaming platter of bacon and eggs on the table. "Don't you want breakfast?"
Marcus yanked on his boots and then scooped up a handful of bacon, "This should cover it. I gotta go see to the animals since the hands won't be back until tomorrow."
Julian sighed. Marcus was such a liar. Sure the hands weren't coming today, they only worked three days a week during the winter, but caring for the animals wasn't the reason Marcus was skipping out on breakfast.
The giant coward was leaving because he didn't want to face Abbey.
"Marcus, what about that princess movie you promised to watch with me?" Audrey demanded as she put her hands on her tiny hips and glared up at him.
Marcus forced a quiet chuckle, "It's a date tonight, little one. Popcorn, you, me and ninety minutes of fancy dresses and singing chipmunks."
"I wanna ride a horse!" Tanner spoke up as he launched himself onto a stool.
"A horse?" Marcus tapped his chin, "I think we have a couple of those. Before my movie date I'll be sure to see if I can find one for you to ride."
"Yay!" Tanner grinned and then stuck an orange slice in his mouth, managing to squirt juice all over his sister who laughed and tossed a piece of scrambled egg at him.
"None of that now," Julian scolded with amusement.
"Oh and Tanner?" Marcus stooped to pick up the truck at his feet. "From now on the toys can't be left on the floor for clumsy grown-ups to trip over."
"Is that what hurt your arm?" Tanner inquired with concern.
"No," Marcus suddenly turned away from the kids and Julian saw his throat working as he swallowed hard. "No, that's not how I hurt my arm."
(What's wrong with you?) Julian questioned.
(Abbey is gonna hate me and she's going to take them away from us.)
(No she won't,) Julian wasn't sure if he was speaking the truth but he knew he had to tell Marcus something positive. (You should stay in here for breakfast....)
"Gotta go get some work done," Marcus cut him off and then strode out the door just as Abbey entered the kitchen.
"Where is he going?" she questioned , staring at the slamming door.
"To get some work done and feed the horses," Audrey replied. "Mommy, are we going shopping today?"
"Julian?" Abbey whispered.
"Yeah, yeah I'll take you," Julian replied loading down a plate of food for Abbey and placing it in the spot she'd sat in the day before.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Abbey asked before chewing furiously at her thumb nail. Julian nodded briskly and led her down the hall to the living room and out of hearing range of the children.
"What is it?" Julian questioned.
"I heard you and Marcus this morning." Guilt filled Abbey's features, "I know what happened."
"I know," Julian replied. "I didn't know until after we'd blabbed everything to one another and I realized your scent was still strong in the hall."
"Is that why Marcus isn't having breakfast with us?"
Julian noticed Abbey was truly meeting his gaze today and it surprised him. Normally she avoided too much direct eye contact but something was different about her. "Yeah, that's why he isn't having breakfast."
"I need to go speak to him then," Abbey stated and then she surprised the hell out of Julian when she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Julian hugged her back and lost himself in the feel of her soft body pressed against his own. God she was perfect. "Thank you Julian. I'm not sure where I'm going or what I'm doing, not too long ago I was sure I was going to die so I'm still trying to get used to the idea that I'm safe now..... but thank you. Thank you for protecting me and my children and for taking such a risk for us."
"When will you understand, Abbey?" Julian asked quietly as he pulled away and held her arms gently, keeping her at arms-length.
She frowned, "What?"
"We will do anything, anything, for you and for those children. The three of you are part of Marcus and I. We're all entwined and meant to be right here together."
"And then what?" Abbey demanded in a hushed whisper. "If I accept you both and we fully mate then I'll become a werewolf and stop aging like a mortal and what will happen to my children? I won't stay young and watch them grow old and die, Julian."
"Is that what's got you holding back?" Julian shook his head and used his thumbs to caress her upper arms through her t-shirt. "It's rare for a wolf to be mated to a mortal woman who has children but it has happened so I know I'm telling you the truth. Tanner and Audrey would become ours. Our pups. Marcus and I would love them as much as any pups we had with you, hell we already do love them, and they would become what you would become by letting Marcus and I mark you. Only when bite us in return will you become a wolf. As far as the pups go they would live just as long as a wolf and age just as slowly after the age of twenty-one. They would have sharper senses but otherwise be unchanged, just as you will until you are ready for more. When they come of age we can change them to wolves if that's what they choose but that would be up to them."
Julian wished he could read Abbey as easily as he read Marcus. He knew that when they were fully mated it would be easier to pick up on her emotions but right now those green eyes, and the emotions they kept hidden, were a complete mystery to him.
"When we go into town to go shopping I would like to look into enrolling Audrey back into school here"
Julian felt hope flare to life in his chest, "So you're wanting to stay around here then?"
Abbey bit her full lip and looked at his chest, "Yes. Yes I want to stay here." Before Julian could fully express his overwhelming relief at hearing her say so she was speaking again, "I'm really not hungry this morning, I think I'll go talk to Marcus, do you mind?"
"No, no I don't mind," Julian replied, knowing his brother needed to talk to Abbey as well. "We'll head into town after the kids finish breakfast," Julian added while pushing her hair behind her ear.
"Sounds good. I need to pick up a few things for the kids but I..." Abbey bit her lip.
"What?"
"I don't have any money... or at least not enough. I'll talk to Ernest's sister about that job at the diner. Maybe she'll give me an advance..."
"Don't worry about that. Marcus and I will pay for whatever it is you all need"
"No, I couldn't ask you to do that!" Abbey exclaimed.
"You didn't, I offered."
"Julian when I said I wanted to stay here I didn't mean here with you... I mean I'm still not sure if... I just don't know..."
Julian's heart sank but he forced a gentle smile, "No matter what you decide we'll get you what you need today." He rubbed her arm tenderly, "Now go talk to Marcus. I think he really needs to hear you don't hate him."
***
Marcus growled and tossed the bale of hay from the barn loft to the ground below. He had done what he had to do. Those men had to die. Joseph would have never let Abbey live in peace and Jason had known too much. Even if Joseph could have been persuaded to let Abbey leave him he would have fought for at least joint custody of the pups and Marcus would be damned if he'd have let that jackass lay one single finger on Tanner or Audrey.
He only wished that doing what he had to do hadn't ensured that he'd push away the very person he most wanted to be close to.
It wasn't until Marcus tossed the second bale off the loft that he realized Abbey had stepped into the cold barn and was going to be hit.
Marcus leapt off the loft, spun in the air and kicked the bale to the left before landing with a thud on two feet directly in front of a startled Abbey.
Her heart was racing, he could hear it, and her green eyes were wide as she covered her flush cheek with her hand, "You saved me from a hay bale."
Marcus shrugged and flashed a toothy grin, "I can't take the credit for that since I'm technically the one that threw it at you."
Abbey laughed and the sound was like a soothing balm over Marcus's soul. She couldn't hate him and laugh at what he said... could she?
Fuck! He wasn't used to giving a damn what anybody thought of him and he decided that he didn't much like it!
Abbey's laughter faded slowly and Marcus saw the look in her eyes turn more serious and yet somehow tender, "Marcus, we need to talk."
"Aren't those words bad?" Marcus questioned as he looked toward a mare stomping impatiently at the floor. She was hungry and letting him know about it. He growled at her and she tossed her head but stopped her stomping.
Abbey seemed to struggle for words for a moment as she chewed at her nails and then without warning she threw her arms around Marcus and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest. With his good arm, Marcus held her tightly in return. He kissed her brunette hair, "Thank you," she mumbled.
"It was just a bale of hay."
"No, not that," Abbey sniffed against his shirt and Marcus realized she was crying. He rubbed her back hoping to keep the cold at bay as he kissed her hair again. "For what you did, Marcus. For stopping him. They would never have stopped. They made my life a nightmare for so long."
"You do know that I killed them both, right?" Marcus asked cautiously.
Abbey paused and her hold on him tightened, "Yes," she finally whispered. "For ten years I lived in fear of Joseph and unable to get any help because of Jason. Now, thanks to you, I don't have to be afraid anymore."
Marcus pulled away from Abbey and looked down into her eyes, "You're welcome. But you don't have to thank me. I would never allow anyone or anything to harm you or the pups. Julian and I will protect the three of you with our dying breaths and honestly taking care of those two was a breeze."
Abbey's gaze turned skeptic, "You fell off a mountain."
Marcus shrugged, "That had more to do with my giant size than anything."
They stared into each other's eyes and Marcus felt his hunger for her growing. He knew he was supposed to be moving slowly with her but it was killing him. The wolf in him was raging with desire and didn't understand why he was holding back when this was the mate. The one and the only.
"I'm going to town with Julian soon...." Abbey stated awkwardly as she took a step back.
Marcus could smell her desire and he stepped forward to match her pace and avoid distance between them, "Hurry home," he growled.
A delicious little tremor washed over Abbey's body and Marcus heard her sharp intake of breath, "The kids and I might be finding a place in town...."
"No," Marcus's voice was sharper than he had meant it to be as he took another step toward Abbey and had her backed against the barn wall. He used his large frame to trap her in and surround her. "No, you and the pups will be coming back here. This is your home."
"M..Marcus.." her voice was shaky but Marcus could smell no fear. Only a raging desire that matched his own and fueled his passion. He pressed his body long against hers knowing she would feel the bulge in his jeans as it lay against her stomach.
"You want to come back to us, Abbey. Stop denying yourself what you want. I have to have your sexy little body writhing beneath me with that sweet little ass stuck up in the air. I have to kiss you, taste you, drink you in or else I'm going to go completely mad."
"Please..." she gasped, pressing her breasts against him and closing his eyes. "Please do something about this heat I feel.. I can't take it any longer."
Marcus growled with hunger but was not about to deny the woman what she wanted. With his good hand he grabbed her hair gently and tipped her head back before crushing her lips with his own.
The meeting of lips was hot and searing. Marcus felt as if Abbey were a branding iron and he had just been marked as her own, though he had already been only hers since the night he and Julian had found her unconscious in the snow.
Marcus felt Abbey's hands run up his back and his muscles bunched and coiled beneath her touch. He tore his mouth from hers and began nipping and kissing his way down her neck. He was aware of the moment that Abbey's legs weakened and he held her up with his good arm.
She moaned and whimpered as Marcus braced her against the wall, securing her in place with his hips and allowed his hand to run up her side and brush against her breast. He felt her nipple harden in response and growled low in his throat before sucking her neck hard. Marking her just as much as it seemed as though she were marking him.
Marcus longed to truly mark her, to sink his teeth into her skin, but he wouldn't do that here. Not now. That was for him and Julian to do together.
Marcus dropped to his knees and undid the button on her jeans, "What are you doing?" Abbey gasped, grabbing his hair and attempting to lift him up.
Marcus growled at the pain that only served to further arouse him and yanked down her pants, blowing hot breath against her already heated core. "Tasting you."
Placing a firm kiss to Abbey's light blue cotton panties Marcus could taste her tangy sweetness and the heady scent of it was more intoxicating to him than whiskey. When she cried out his name, Marcus had had enough waiting. He yanked Abbey's panties down her creamy thighs and buried his face in those curls between her legs.
Using his fingers, Marcus spread apart her quivering lips and lapped at the sweetness that he found inside. He took her quivering nub into his mouth and suckled, causing Abbey to cry out again and nearly collapsed with buckling legs.
Her hands buried themselves deep in Marcus's hair as he continued licking and sucking every ounce of sweetness that Abbey had to offer. Her breath came in panting bursts and Marcus knew she was getting close.
When he felt her beginning to tumble over the edge Marcus suckled harder and greedily drank down every last bit of juice she had to give him.
As he pushed himself to his feet, Abbey collapsed against him, her body trembling and shaking. The sound of the children getting into the truck wafted into the barn and Marcus sighed. He pushed Abbey's hair away from her flushed face as she stared at him through very contented and heavy lidded eyes, "Have fun in town, sweetheart, and get whatever you like just so long as you come back home where you belong afterward."
Abbey looked like she wanted to speak but couldn't and Marcus grinned before giving her a quick kiss, pulling up her clothes and fastening her jeans, "Have fun, Abbey."
She gave a little nod and Marcus watched her leave the barn on shaking legs. He adjusted his uncomfortably tight jeans and sighed. So much for the romantic hands off approach. If it took romance to hook a mate then Marcus figured that would be up to Julian because Marcus had every intention of getting Abbey alone and fucking her senseless just as soon as he opportunity presented itself.