Chasing Tiger Tail [Tigers of Twisted, Texas 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “Oh, so it’s our ranch now, is it?” She could give as good as she got. “Last night it was Dad’s ranch. ‘You have to stay and run the ranch, Danna.’ That’s what you said. I called bullshit on you last night and I’m still calling bullshit.”

  She stormed down the porch steps. “And what about you? Why can’t you and your mates take over the ranch? Why do I have to give up my dream while you do nothing?”

  “You know why,” screamed Harriet. “My mates already own a ranch. How can you expect them to run two ranches and take care of our father at the same time?”

  Harriet had never been a nice sister, the kind of sister who supported her dreams, but Danna had never seen her so angry. “They can manage Cracked Creek while they run their own place. Hire more hands. Whatever. You can take your turn at taking care of Dad.”

  “So you want me to handle everything? Fuck that, sister dear.”

  “You mean just like you’re expecting me to take care of it all? Why me and not you?” She hated fighting in front of the men, but she couldn’t hold back.

  Harriet confronted them. “Cam? Phil? Do you own a ranch?”

  “Not yet.” Phil’s answer was tentative as though he knew he was stepping on an emotional land mine.

  “Not yet. Which means you want to.” Harriet stabbed a finger toward Danna. “See? It was meant to be. The connection brought you mates who want to run a ranch. It’s a perfect setup.”

  “This is our father’s ranch.” She felt trapped. Didn’t she have a right to find her happiness?

  “Legally maybe. But you know he’d sign it over in a hot minute. It’ll be better than letting the bank take it. All he wants to do is drink.”

  Guilt swamped her. She hadn’t told Harriet about the foreclosure looming over their heads. Once the bank took the ranch, the only problem remaining would be caring for her father.

  Leaving the ranch was one thing, but leaving her father? That was a lot harder. Still, she knew Harriet would never let anything happen to him.

  Was she being selfish? Probably. But what else could she do? She’d spent her life working the ranch and taking care of her father while Harriet did whatever she wanted. Then, once Harriet had found her mates, she was gone even more.

  Was she supposed to give up her dreams? If she did, she’d resent her sister and her father.

  Cam shook off Harriet’s hold. “Hey, hold up, everyone. We didn’t come here to cause trouble. What happens to your ranch is your decision. We came to talk to our intended mate.”

  “I already gave you my answer.” Why did it have to hurt? As much as her heart and body wanted to give into the searing electricity storming her, she had to think with her head.

  “We can’t leave it like that, baby.” Phil’s voice was low and filled with emotion.

  Baby.

  She didn’t want to, but she couldn’t help but love the sound of the pet name. She choked back a sob. Someway, somehow she had to find a way to ignore the wild sensations urging her to take back everything she’d said and welcome them into her life.

  “How can you treat them like this, sis? What are they supposed to do without their mate? How cruel can you be?”

  As if Harriet really gave a damn about the Nordstrom brothers. “I have to do what’s best for me. I’m sorry, but I’ve made my decision.”

  “How do you know being our mate isn’t what’s best for you?” Cam strode forward.

  She stepped back, almost stumbling over the bottom step. “I’ve had my life planned out since I was a little girl. I’m not changing it now.”

  “You’re a fucking selfish bitch, Danna.”

  Stunned, she gaped at her sister. Maybe Harriet was right, but it was time for her to be the selfish one.

  “Okay, listen up.” Phil moved between Harriet and Danna. “We don’t understand everything that’s going on here, but we’re not going to stand by and let you talk to our mate that way.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Harriet pointed at her. “She’s turning you down, sentencing you to a life of loneliness, and you’re defending her?” She whirled around and began stalking in a circle. “Damn it, Danna. You don’t deserve these guys.”

  “Harriet’s right.” Ralton’s tone lowered to a growl. “You’re acting like a first-class shit.”

  “Watch it, man.” Cam’s growl rolled over them like thunder over a pasture.

  She should’ve seen it coming. Weretigers had a short fuse on their tempers. In the next moment, Cam and Phil started shifting. Ralton and Edward snarled and let their tigers rise to the surface.

  Fangs broke from their gums to replace teeth. Fingernails morphed into claws. Fur spread over strong jaws. In another minute or so, she’d have four angry weretigers tearing each other apart.

  “Stop!”

  The men froze, shocked by the tone of her voice. They turned, their transitions paused in mid-shift, and stared at her.

  “No one’s going to change. No one’s going to fight.” She stalked up the steps, and then confronted them again. “I don’t give a damn what any of you think. This is my life and my choice. Now back the hell off, all of you.”

  She didn’t care if they heeded her or not. Instead, she stalked into the house, thankful none of them followed her.

  * * * *

  Danna stared at the bedroom ceiling, watching the moon-cast shadows dance. She could imagine the shadows changing into all kinds of shapes. Yet when they changed, becoming silhouettes of two strong men, she closed her eyes, determined to block them out.

  Like that would ever happen.

  Her mates had found her.

  Believing in the bond between mates was one thing. But she’d never really thought they’d come. At least not before she’d made it into law school.

  Was she kidding herself about making it into school? She’d already gotten one rejection. She might get three more. Even then, how was she going to pay for her education?

  No, she wouldn’t go down that path again. She’d keep on keeping on, getting more scholarships and grants. Loans if she had to. Provided anyone would give her a loan. But, suddenly, another problem had arisen. One she had to meet head-on.

  She groaned and rolled onto her side. Turning down her mates was the hardest thing she’d ever do. And yet, she could make it through the pain and the feeling of loss. After all, it was her choice to turn them away. But she wasn’t the only one getting hurt.

  She’d never thought about the men’s feelings before. Now it was almost all she thought about.

  Choosing not to mate was her right. But in doing so, she’d be forcing her mates, the men who had a primal need to have her to either live without a mate or find another woman who would never have the intense primal sexual and emotional bond she had with them. Now that they’d experienced the connection, losing their mate would be like tearing their hearts out. She was forcing them into a lonely life or, at best, a second rate relationship.

  “Shit and double shit.”

  If only she’d hear from the other three law schools soon. Wouldn’t her choice be made for her then? If she was accepted, she’d take it as a sign that her planned future was the correct one. And yet, if she didn’t get in, could she give up her dreams?

  She couldn’t have mates and attend school. Mating, even when based on a shifter bond, was hard enough. The people involved still had to work at it and sometimes they failed. How could she live with herself if she gave up her dream only to have their union fall apart? Look at how her parents’ marriage had died. Marriage was a gamble, whereas no one could ever take away her license to practice law.

  She flopped onto her other side and stared out the window. Why did they have to show up now? Was it fate stepping in? Or simply bad timing?

  Suddenly, she could see them as clearly as if they were standing in front of her. Tall, lean, yet powerfully built, they couldn’t look any better. Their bodies and their faces were so similar. Their gray eyes had latched onto her, imploring her, telling her they weren
’t about to give up on her, no matter what she said.

  They were so much alike and yet she could sense the differences between them. They were an intriguing mix of commonalities and contrasts.

  Cam’s body language said he was more laid back than Phil. His black hair was longer than his brother’s and swept away from his face in a haphazard way, as though he never used a comb. His hair fell naturally into place.

  Phil, on the other hand, had an intensity that tightened his body. His dark hair was cut short, almost military in style.

  She moaned, absently sliding her hand under her long sleep shirt. As Ralton had guessed, just seeing the Nordstrom men had made her pussy wet. Thinking about them now was making her wet again.

  Slipping her finger between her folds, she started rubbing. Her juices flowed over her digits, warm and slick. Yearning for Cam and Phil filled her, spinning heat to race through her. She quickened her pace, closing her eyes again to picture them even better than before. Imagining Cam at her breast, she pinched her nipple and spread her legs for Phil to get to her pussy.

  Her body’s yearning took over, giving in when she tried to hold back. The sensation of them against her, bred from the connection that would never leave, brewed higher, pushing her to rub harder and twist her nipple until the sting of pain became almost too much to bear. Yet just when it was too much, it morphed, sliding over her skin in a rush of pleasure.

  Her body undulated. She whimpered, then moaned. Keeping her eyes tightly closed, she focused on her ghostly lovers and let her climax tear her apart.

  She was still shuddering when she finally realized that the moans she was hearing now weren’t her own.

  “Ooh, yeah, hot stuff. Harder. Harder!”

  She rolled out of bed. At once, her body’s climax died, her body going cold.

  Please, no. Not tonight.

  She should go back to bed. After all, she knew what was going on. Yet she couldn’t resist taking a peek.

  Shit. I knew it.

  Harriet was out to pay her back in her own special way. Her sister and her two mates wrestled together in the back of Edward’s pickup. Their naked bodies glistened under the moonlight. Thankfully, the moon wasn’t bright enough to show everything.

  Danna had no doubt that Harriet was hoping she’d open the window and yell at her. She’d done it before only to have Harriet laugh her ass off. But tonight she didn’t have it in her. Besides, what good would it do? Her sister was her sister. She’d never change. Instead, she flopped back on her bed and covered her head with her pillow.

  Cam and Phil once again filled her mind. Her hand slid between her legs again, her need for them once more taking control. But her hand would never be enough. Would anyone be able to take their place? Or would she, too, settle for a second-rate life?

  I am so screwed.

  * * * *

  “Welcome to the Bank of Crosston. I’m Georgia Gill, the manager.” The beautiful, dark-haired woman took Cam’s hand and gave it a good, strong shake.

  She was the type of woman he would’ve been attracted to before meeting Danna. She had a smokin’ body with a nice-size rack. Her dark, oval-shaped eyes twinkled with a subtle sexual allure. Her skin was a smooth cocoa color that spoke of a mix of races. She was the type of woman he might’ve jumped on and had a fling with before moving on to wait for his future mate. But now? While he could appreciate her attractiveness, he wasn’t interested.

  “Hi. I’m Cam Nordstrom.”

  “And this is your brother Phil.” She laughed at his surprise. “And you’re twins. Not identical, obviously. You’re from a small town in Tennessee, although Twisted makes it look like a major metropolitan city.”

  “I see you’ve been talking to Lena.”

  “Was it supposed to be a secret?” She led the way into her office. “I think people in small towns talk more than folks elsewhere. We’re curious whenever someone new shows up.”

  “No secrets here. We’re an open book,” answered Phil.

  An open book? Cam wouldn’t go that far and shot his brother a look that said as much. He settled into one of the chairs in front of Ms. Gill’s desk.

  She rested her forearms on the smooth surface and clasped her hands together. “So? What can I do for you?”

  “You mean you don’t already know?”

  Good one, Phil.

  “We’re looking for a ranch to buy. No rush, but we’re thinking not many come up around here. When one that fits our needs does, we want to be ready to pounce on it.”

  “You’re right about the scarcity of available land. Especially when you’re looking at properties closer to Twisted. Now, if you’d consider farther out, maybe in Crosston, then you can add a few more to the list.”

  “We’d rather stay near Twisted, but if the place is worth it, we would consider going farther out. From what we’ve gathered, there aren’t any ranches up for sale right now. Still, we wanted to drop by and get the ball rolling.”

  She nodded then turned to her computer and brought up some information. “What happens a lot around here is that a ranch may not be for sale—at least not officially—but the owner could be convinced to sell if the price is right. What are you looking for?”

  Cam let Phil outline their criteria for the ranch. Georgia listened, typing occasionally, and tossing them sultry looks every once in a while. Although he wouldn’t sniff to find out for certain—many cats considered it rude to do so—he had no doubt she was a shifter cat of some type—probably a black panther—and let her inner feline influence her human side. She kept nodding as Phil finished outlining their wish list.

  “Actually, you may be in luck.”

  He leaned forward, eager now that they’d gotten down to business. “Yeah?”

  “Like I mentioned before, this ranch isn’t officially for sale. However, foreclosure is imminent. If the former bank manager hadn’t been friends with the owner, the ranch would’ve already gone into bankruptcy.”

  Crap. Profiting on another man’s bad luck sucks. Still, someone’s bound to buy it.

  “That’s the only one? I’d hate to take advantage of someone else’s hard luck.”

  “I’m with Cam. Taking another man’s ranch leaves a bad taste in the mouth.”

  She leaned back, her expression going safely serene. Her dark eyes, however, flashed. “You’d have no reason to feel badly about it. They’re going to lose their ranch no matter what you do or don’t do. That part of the equation is a done deal. Trust me. If you don’t buy the place, someone else will. If you pass on it, you’ll have lost a damn fine piece of property.”

  She hit a few more buttons and brought up another screen. Leaning forward, she gave them more information about the ranch, including a description of the house and barn located on the acreage.

  “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to look at it.” He glanced at Phil and got a nod. “As long as we don’t have to deal with the owner. He’s still living there, right?”

  “He and his daughters. However, I’ll give him a call and let him know you’re coming. There shouldn’t be a problem. Would you want to go and see it right now?”

  “Shouldn’t” be a problem. Not won’t. Meaning there might be a problem.

  “Yeah, okay. But we’d like to do it on our own. Give us directions and we’ll check it out.” He stood, wanting to get away from the woman as soon as he could. He liked aggressive women, but Georgia Gill was more than merely aggressive. He sensed an underlying meanness about her. Taking the slip of paper with the address on it from her, he thanked her for her time and heeled his way around.

  Phil must’ve had the same thought since he beat him out the office and stalked toward the exit like a rabid dog was nipping at his heels. As he should’ve expected, Georgia hurried to catch up with them and flanked them all the way out to their pickup.

  “Thanks again, Ms. Gill.” What would it take to shake her?

  “Call me Georgia. We don’t hold to formalities around here. Besides, I intend to call
you Cam and Phil.” She slid a palm along his arm.

  He slipped behind the wheel and shut the door, making her step back. “Okay, Georgia. Thanks again. We’ll get in touch if we decide it’s the right place for us.”

  She stayed where she was with the same sultry smile plastered on her serene face and waved good-bye. He didn’t bother waving back. Pushy was pushy and he didn’t go for it.

  Phil let out a sigh. “Damn. For a minute there, I thought she’d sink her fangs into us.”

  Cam relaxed when he could see Georgia in the rearview mirror. “You can say that again.”

  Phil glanced once over his shoulder then faced front again. “So what do you think? Would you want to buy a foreclosure?”

  “I know how it feels, but Georgia’s right. It’s not like we caused the guy to lose his place so we might as well check it out. Can’t hurt.” Cam handed him the paper with directions going from the bank to the ranch. “Here. Keep me on track.”

  With Phil directing him down side roads, it didn’t take long before they were driving along the south end of a pasture. A small herd of cattle dotted the land along with a couple of horses.

  “Isn’t this close to Danna’s house?”

  “Yeah.” Cam shot Phil a worried look. “But this can’t be her father’s ranch.” At least, he hoped it wasn’t.

  “I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Let’s go ahead and check it out.”

  “The land looks pretty dry.” Cam pulled the truck off to the side of the road. “That’ll change once it rains. How many acres did she say it was?”

  “Close to eighteen hundred.”

  They’d actually hoped to find a larger ranch, but eighteen hundred would do. If the bordering ranches came available in the future, they could grow the ranch. Failing that, they could rent part of another man’s ranch if they needed more grazing land.

  Cam leaned his arms on the steering wheel. “Let’s walk it.”

  “Okay.”

  He bumped his shoulder against the door, pushing it open, and strode toward the barbed wire fence. They helped each other slip through the barbed lines easily enough and started walking toward the center of the pasture. The cattle, expecting to be fed, moved toward them, mooing their hunger. He passed a hand over several of them, talking softly to calm them while watching out for any cow that might decide to kick.