Hearts on Fire 5: Loving Frankie (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “Frankie?” She heard his voice and turned around quickly.

  “Nate?”

  Her breath caught in her throat. She looked him over, and it backfired on her quickly. Shyly, she looked away to gain some composure and not give away the instant effect of his sudden appearance.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  He stared down at her as she felt a lump form in her throat. Was he going to give her shit again and accuse her of playing games?

  “I came to see you,” he said and then looked around.

  Frankie followed his line of sight and saw Charlie standing next to the bar. He gave her a nod, and Nate waved toward the door to the back offices.

  “Charlie said you were wrapping things up for the night. That you just needed to go over your money and the numbers. He told me you do that in the back room sometimes. I’ll go with you so we can talk.”

  He sounded so official and non-emotional. He was like ice, and as she thought that, she shivered with worry. But she needed to be strong. She needed to protect them as much as she needed to protect herself.

  Nate opened the door for her, and they walked into the office. She sat down at the small round table in the corner and got out her money and her note pad. Nate watched her.

  “Slow night?” he asked.

  “One party and a couple of small groups. Pretty quiet,” she said as she counted out her cash.

  When she finished, she stood up.

  “I wanted to talk to you about the other day at the house.”

  “I think you made it clear how you really feel about me, Nate. You don’t trust me. You think I’m a liar. I got that loud and clear.”

  She went to walk around him, and he grabbed her around her waist and pressed her up against the table.

  “No, I don’t think you understood.”

  She released an uneasy breath. Despite his words from the other day and the wall she was trying to keep up, Frankie found herself feeling attracted to Nate. She was aroused by his size, his leadership and control. She was in trouble here and not sure what to do.

  “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings or push you away from my brothers. I’m their protector and have always taken on a leadership role with them.”

  She felt his fingers caress her hips against the tight T-shirt she wore. His eyes roamed over her breasts.

  “I hate this shirt, yet I like it.”

  “How is that?” she replied.

  “I like how you fill it out and how sexy you are. But I hate other men looking at this body, wanting you when you belong to us.”

  She shook her head as she gripped the table behind her.

  “But I don’t belong to any of you.”

  He gripped her waist tighter.

  “We can change that tonight.”

  She looked away from him.

  “You don’t trust me. I get that. I haven’t given you enough concrete information on me for you to trust me fully. But the problem is complicated. There’s a lot at risk, and I don’t think I’m in the position or right frame of mind to give in to the attraction.”

  “Why not? Why not see where this goes, and when you feel you can trust us with the truth, then you talk to us?”

  “But that isn’t right either. Nate, you have to understand the fears I have.”

  “Talk to me. To us and make us understand.”

  “I can’t yet.”

  “You can,” he pushed.

  She moved forward, and he kissed her. He cupped her head with one hand and kept his other hand against her waist. He devoured her moans, cupped her breast, and explored her mouth deeply. She ran her hands along the large muscles on his arms and felt the strength and power he had over her already. She would be no match for his strength, and suddenly she feared the repercussions of his anger. What if he turned on her or was displeased with her in some way? Was Nate capable of violence or abuse?

  She pulled from his mouth and gasped.

  “Nate.”

  He pressed his forehead to hers, breathing just as rapidly as she was.

  “Come home with me tonight. Forget about everything. Forget about what that dick did to you and let go with us.”

  “Oh God I—”

  The door opened, and she immediately stepped away from Nate, and Nate stepped back. Lure was there.

  “Cassidy is on line four. She said it’s important.”

  Frankie walked over to the desk and picked up the phone, her head still fuzzy after Nate’s kiss as she pushed strands of hair behind her hair.

  Frankie heard the worry in Cassidy’s voice.

  “Keith found out about Peter and his brothers. He’s pissed, and he wants me back and wants to talk. I told him no and that I want nothing to do with him. I told him to move on. I think he was drunk, Frankie.”

  “Maybe you should call Peter or one of his brothers?”

  “No. I don’t want them to know about Keith. I can’t tell them about him and about the abuse. They’ll think I’m weak. They’ll think the worse.”

  “No, they won’t. They’ll understand,” Frankie said and looked at Nate, who was standing right there along with Lure. Her own words sank into her head. She was doing the same thing to Nate and the guys. She was keeping secrets and pushing them away.

  “What can I do to help then?”

  “Can you come stay here with me? Please, just for tonight?”

  “Sure. I was just wrapping things up. I’ll grab the bus and be there in fifteen minutes.”

  “Thank you so much, Frankie. I owe you.”

  Frankie disconnected the call.

  “Is Cassidy okay?” Lure asked.

  “Yes. I’m meeting her at her place.” Frankie reached for her bag.

  “She sounded upset. Is that ex of hers giving her a hard time?” Lure asked.

  “Just shaking her up a little with his push to get back together with her. But she’s involved with someone else.”

  “She’s involved with five other men. She should tell them about Keith,” Lure told her.

  “It’s new, and how do you know about them anyway? They only recently started dating,” Frankie said.

  “We make it our business to know all about our staff, especially the ones we like.” He winked.

  She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and both men squinted at her.

  “Well, I need to head over there, and the bus comes in ten minutes.”

  “I’ll drive you.”

  “You don’t have to, Nate. I can take the bus.”

  He reached for her hand.

  “I’m driving you. There’s no need to take the bus, and I’ll get you there faster.”

  He had a point, and Cassidy had sounded freaked out.

  “Fine. Goodnight, Lure. I’ll see you Friday night.”

  Lure gave her a kiss on her cheek.

  “Call me if you or Cassidy need anything. Got it?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Ooh, I kind of like that. Watch this one, Nate.”

  Nate’s expression was hard and unemotional as they exited the office.

  * * * *

  “So what’s with this ex-boyfriend of Cassidy’s? Has he been harassing her?”

  “He’s a jerk, and it took a lot for her to drop him. He was bad for her,” Frankie told Nate.

  Nate’s chest tightened, and he felt his concern and anger grow.

  “Abusive?”

  Frankie didn’t answer.

  “I won’t repeat it. You can trust me.”

  Her silence made him understand her a little better. She was a good friend and one who kept promises. He didn’t like thinking that Cassidy had been smacked around and mistreated. It pissed him off.

  “Would this guy try to come to her place and push her to get back together?”

  “Not sure, but that’s why I said I would come over. I don’t want her to be alone, just like she doesn’t want to be alone. I know he scares her.”

  “She should get an order of protection.�
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  “She has one. Besides, he hasn’t done anything since they broke up.”

  “I should walk you in,” he said as he pulled up in front of Cassidy’s small house. It was one of many little cottage-like homes rented out all year round. There were usually two to three apartments in them, depending on the size of the home.

  She opened her door, and he debated about walking up with her.

  “You sure you don’t want me to come up?”

  “No. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “I can pick you up here. I can come back around noon time?”

  “Nate.”

  “Frankie, we need to talk and work this out.”

  She was silent a moment, and he truly felt she was legitimately concerned.

  “Okay. Tomorrow at noon.”

  He gave a nod, and she closed the door and headed up to the front door. She opened it and headed inside.

  He wasn’t sure what made him look back at the house, but just as he made it to the corner and was about to turn, he saw some guy dressed in a hoodie approach the front door. His heart pounded in his chest as the man eased the door opened and walked inside.

  * * * *

  Just as Frankie put her purse down on the counter and pulled Cassidy into a hug, the front door opened. Keith stood there.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Cassidy yelled.

  Frankie looked at her purse. She couldn’t reach it, and her gun was in there. Cassidy held on to her.

  “I came to talk. To work things out. What the fuck is she doing here?” he asked. His eyes were bloodshot, and he slurred his words.

  “I told you that I have nothing to say to you. Please leave,” Cassidy told him.

  He stomped forward. “You’re going to listen to what I have to say. Sit down, bitch.” He shoved at Frankie, pushing her to the couch, and then he grabbed Cassidy.

  Frankie was shocked when he struck Cassidy across the cheek. Cassidy screamed, and Frankie ran toward him to stop him, but he grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her into the wall and mirror. The mirror shattered, and she felt her shoulder stinging with pain.

  Cassidy cried out. “Stop it. Don’t do this.”

  But Keith went to attack her.

  Frankie was shocked as the front door burst open, and there was Nate. He grabbed Keith by his hoodie and pulled him off of Cassidy then punched him twice in the face. Keith fell to the floor, out cold as Nate pulled out his cell phone.

  “Are you two okay?” he asked, and Frankie nodded as she crawled to Cassidy and pulled her into her arms. Cassidy’s cheek and eye were swollen and her lip bloody.

  “It’s going to be okay.”

  Cassidy cried out, “I can’t believe he did this. I can’t believe this.”

  Frankie felt the stinging in her shoulder and knew she had been injured, too, but all she could do was look at Nate. He hadn’t just left as she’d told him to. He’d stayed and must have seen Keith come through the front door. The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance, and she locked gazes with Nate as he kept watch over Keith.

  “Thank you, Nate.”

  She heard the squeal of tires, and then police officers came through the open doorway. There were Peter and his partner, Todd, both in uniform. He ran to Cassidy and Frankie.

  Nate explained what had happened as Peter looked over Cassidy.

  “Jesus, baby, what the hell was this all about?”

  She continued to cry, and he held her until the paramedics arrived.

  Todd reached for Frankie.

  “Shit, Frankie, you’re all cut up and have glass or something in your skin.

  “Why don’t you cuff this scumbag, and I’ll take care of my woman,” Nate said to Todd, and Todd immediately stood up and pulled out his handcuffs.

  Nate helped Frankie stand up. He brushed his thumb along her lower lip and held her gaze without saying a word. She felt the tears fill her eyes. Nate had saved them both. Nate really did care about her.

  He went to look at her wound, but she pressed her face against his chest and held him with her one good arm. She was afraid to lift the other one. She knew she’d hit that wall hard.

  “I’ve got you, baby,” he said, and she remained against his chest until the paramedics arrived along with Turbo and Jake. She could hear the sirens, the echo of police radios going off as her shoulder stung. It was total chaos.

  * * * *

  “Holy shit. Thank God you went to see Frankie at Prestige and looked into that rearview mirror,” Turbo told his brother as they stood in the waiting room for Frankie to be released.

  They had to pull shards of glass out of her skin and do X-rays to make sure that her shoulder and arm didn’t have any broken bones.

  “I know. My heart was pounding with fear when I saw that dick push open the front door as if he owned the place. When I heard the scream and things banging around, I just went flying in there.”

  “Yeah, and did a number on that dick. Don’t be surprised if he tries to charge you with assault.”

  “Good fucking luck with that.”

  “I can’t believe they haven’t let her out yet. How long?” Mike asked as he paced the waiting room.

  “Any minute now. Unless she sustained any broken bones,” Rye said.

  “Fuck,” Turbo said, and just then Frankie emerged with Catalina, a nurse who worked at the hospital and who was a friend of their friends.

  “Here she is. A bit medicated for the pain and badly bruised up but no broken bones, right, Frankie?” Catalina said as Mike reached for her.

  He cupped her cheek and placed his hand on her waist. “We’re going to take care of you.”

  “My purse, I left it at Cassidy’s,” Frankie said, sounding worried about it.

  “I have it in the truck. Don’t worry about a thing,” Nate told her, and Turbo watched as Nate approached.

  Frankie snuggled into the crook of his arm. He caressed her waist and thanked Catalina.

  “You’re in good hands, honey. Take care of her.” Catalina handed the paperwork and things to Rye, and they all headed out of the hospital.

  Turbo was upset, seeing Frankie hurt and emotional. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her she never had to be alone again. He anticipated getting her home to their place and taking care of her. But then she stopped by Nate’s truck.

  “Nate, thank you for being there for Cassidy and me. If you hadn’t come there…”

  “Shh, you don’t have to keep thanking me. I’m glad I was there, that we talked at Prestige. I know we have a lot to work out, but we’ll take it slow.”

  She shook her head and stepped back.

  “I should go back to my place. I shouldn’t go with you. It will just make it harder.”

  “What do you mean?” Turbo asked.

  Nate took her hand.

  “Make what harder?”

  Turbo watched her eyes fill up with tears, and she choked on what sounded like a sob and then covered her mouth. She winced at the pain.

  “Easy, baby, just calm down. There’s no need to go to your place and be alone. We promise to take care of you. We’ll go slow,” Mike told her.

  ‘”I can’t do this. I can’t go with you and try not to… not to need you.”

  “What’s wrong with needing us?” Rye asked her.

  “I can’t, Rye. I can go through what Cassidy did. I can’t stand the thought of something like that happening to me.”

  “Happening to you? You think we would break into your apartment, and assault you?” Nate asked, raising his voice.

  Turbo shook his head and grabbed hold of Frankie’s hands.

  “No, Nate, she means the guy who hurt her back in Chicago. The guy she had to leave her perfect job for and disappear out of fear,” Turbo said.

  His brothers all asked “what?” at the same time, and Frankie stared up at Nate in shock.

  “You know? How do you know? Pease don’t tell me you called there. Please don’t say he’s coming for me.�
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  Turbo shook his head.

  “I talked to someone in human resources at the agency where you worked. They said you disappeared. They have a couple of paychecks for you. They have no idea where you are and I didn’t divulge any information.”

  “I did some investigating myself. We’ll talk about it later. All that matters right now is your safety and recovering from tonight’s events,” Nate told her.

  “We’ll make time to discuss it. I was up to my neck in the investigation I’m involved in. Let’s get her to our place and help her to rest.” Turbo wrapped his arm around Frankie’s side and helped her to get into the truck.

  He closed the door, and Nate, Rye, and Mike were there, appearing angry and concerned by the grim expressions on their faces.

  “What the fuck? You don’t call me or let me in on the fact that you’re investigating Frankie?” Mike asked in anger, pointing at Turbo with Rye right behind him.

  “I was at my wit’s end and thought what could it hurt to find out where she came from. I wasn’t expecting to see her name and picture on an advertising firm’s website and to learn she was making her way up in that firm, dressed all professional and sophisticated, fresh out of college, and then disappeared. It didn’t make sense, so I dug a little more and found out about her leaving her job without notice. She left her apartment without paying off the lease, and she withdrew all her savings, closed her accounts, and closed all her credit cards. Everything indicated she was running from something or someone and feared for her life. That’s all I got.”

  “So you put two and two together, and this ex-boyfriend, a cop, had something to do with it?” Rye said.

  “It’s what I’m thinking, but I didn’t want to search more and red-flag her in case this guy is looking for her. We’ll talk about it later. Maybe now she’ll open up and tell us all about it,” Turbo said and then walked away toward his patrol car.

  Rye and Mike got into the truck with Nate and Frankie.

  * * * *