Tabby’s reaction to the voice plagued me through the night.
Why did she wait those few seconds to say something? The guy slipped right past us. Even more concerning, Tabby insisted on going home alone. The compromise was that the guys and I were going to watch her house.
She didn’t want us taking matters into our own hands but none of us could sit back and potentially let her get hurt.
In a different circumstance I would have told her we were going to put surveillance on her but she was pushing us away, I could feel it.
A sharp contrast to how she’d given herself so freely, trusting us. If I didn’t tell her we were going to stake out her house, she couldn’t tell us not to.
Trust is vital but so is protection. The two are currently at war inside of me. Bruce and Malachi were equally as concerned. We’d talked through the night, long after dropping Tabby off.
We’re certain that she’s the one. That makes our dilemma all the harder. If we scare her by handling a situation that she asked us not to, we could run her off.
None of us know how we would survive without her. It’s hard enough to find a woman who’s willing to let three men love her, but finding the right woman could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
We also agreed that I would be the only one to contact her. After waiting hours for the sun to come up, I send her a text message.
Me: We miss you. How are you doing after last night?
I don’t expect a response right away yet my chest is heavy when it doesn’t come.
She’d told me she sleeps in on the weekends. If she’s like most people and checks her phone first thing when she wakes up, my message will be waiting for her.
The delay only makes matters worse.
I’d checked with the owners of the club, and explained the tenuous situation, but they couldn’t give details immediately.
I call them back after letting them check records. They hadn’t had any male guests that evening which meant every male in the club was a member. That would make it even harder to figure out which guy alarmed Tabby.
It’s too much of a coincidence for her stalker to be a member unless he’s new. I think back to the first night I brought her to the club. Had he followed us and joined? I explain that possibility and point out this guy could have become a member in the last week.
With the club’s strict confidentiality, they can’t tell me the names of the new members but they agree to take another look at the applications, and if I can give them a better physical description or further identifying information, they’ll pursue it.
My gut refuses to let this go, which leaves us at Tabby’s mercy.
I grab a bite to eat with Bruce and Malachi when we halt our surveillance to regroup. The guy hadn’t shown all night, which doesn’t surprise us after the close call at the club.
As if waiting for all of us to be together, Tabby texts.
Tabby: Thank you for last night. I’m fine.
I share the blunt text with them. They’re bound to be as crushed as me that she’s not more open.
Bruce says, “I’m fine? We’re getting a fucking blow off after what we had with her?”
Malachi says, “That’s harsh dude, she might have a stalker, and we’re not exactly not stalking her. Any progress on figuring out who this guy is?”
“The club owners are double-checking new memberships with who was in attendance last night but if Tabby doesn’t give us more to go on, their hands are tied.”
“And not in a good way,” Bruce adds.
Me: If you’re only fine, we didn’t do it right.
The guys nod agreement when I show them the text so I hit send.
Tabby: I’m tired
Bruce groans. “That, I believe. What’s going to happen when we all take a turn though? Will it be too much?”
“When she stroked your cock while deep-throating me and getting pounded by Jeff, it didn’t seem like we were too much.”
“She took us like a pro without seeing either of you. Damn, she’s hot. It’s not about us. She’s pulling back because of the fucker who’s singled her out.
I tap another message into my phone: Can we take you to dinner tonight?
Tabby: I better stay home and rest.
Me: We can bring take out. Just dinner, nothing else.
“Sorry I wasn’t there to help. At least she didn’t freak out when she saw Bruce is a behemoth,” Malachi jokes.
Bruce glares at him. “Couldn’t even get her hand around my dick. She knows who’s got the beef.”
“That’s probably what scared her.”
It’s normal for us to ease tension with laughter but I can’t handle it right now. “All right guys, this is serious. What’s our game plan? How do we find the prick?”
After some discussion, we don’t have a lot to go on other than the guy seems to be following her, even parking outside of her workplace. That’s where we have to be—wherever she is. We arrange a schedule to keep a tail on her at all times. Thankfully we have experience keeping people safe, but usually, they hire us.
My phone dings again and we each jerk our attention to the screen.
Tabby: That’s a nice offer but I need some time.
Anger and frustration rear in my chest. We all must be feeling the same thing and nobody speaks for a moment.
Bruce’s voice is barely audible, “We can’t lose her.”
I add, “Not as our woman or to this creeper.”
Malachi asks, “Stick to the plan and make sure she doesn’t see us?”
“I don’t see much other choice.”
Me: We’re here for you Tabby, even if you just need to talk about what this is.
Tabby: Thank you
No one says a word.
Monday, I take my shift outside the call center and it’s uneventful. I use the time in my car to make calls, taking advantage of different parking places so as not to look conspicuous. I even went for a refreshing walk.
I told myself it was a good thing the guy didn’t show but it didn’t solve the problem of whether she had a stalker or not. I had one intent—keep Tabby safe.
Then my day found its glorious high point. She walked out of the building with her friend from the club that first night, Valerie. That woman’s a firecracker to be sure, and I have a hard time believing she hasn’t found a guy yet, but it will take a strong man to handle her. Or maybe more than one. Has Tabby told her about Club Sin?
They walk slowly, a pace I recognize from my time with Tabby. The voyeur in me is having a field day witnessing my pussy cat when she doesn’t know she’s being watched.
Both women survey the area, clearly looking for him but he’s not here. I’d wanted the asshole to show up on my shift. My need to protect her, not just know she’s protected, ran deep.
The women smile and laugh as they cross the parking lot.
The first thing I realize once she starts driving is that she’s not going home. The shocker comes when she stops at a real estate agency a few minutes away. I park at a neighboring business.
Is she moving?
This could be tricky and as much as I hate to not be able to personally carry out every part of my plan, I call Malachi. She hadn’t seen him. Per our plan, he’d been designated as my backup and was at a coffee shop nearby in case something came up.
I explain the scenario as he drives to the agent’s office. We make a plan based on our hunches that Tabby might be looking for a more secure location so Malachi is going to pretend that he’s helping his sister find a home. It’s going to be tricky but we can’t lose Tabby.
Thankfully she chose a single real estate agent, not an office with many. Malachi pulls into the parking lot within minutes and heads into the agent’s office.
I text her while she’s inside.
Me: Thinking of you.
When Tabby’s finished, she gets into her car and starts it but instead of backing out, she must be checking text messages because my phone dings.
Malachi remains inside working his magic on the real estate agent.
Tabby: I don’t think the club thing is for me. I’m sorry. I can pay you back for the membership.
What the hell? A brick plunges from my chest to my stomach.
I stare at her car. Is she waiting for me to respond?
Me: If the club is the problem, let me take you to dinner so we can talk.
Tabby: It’s more than that.
My fingers clench as she figuratively slips from our grasp. I can’t let this happen. And I can’t send another text. I jump out of my car and stride to her.
I’m relieved that her door is locked and as I knock on her car window, she startles. The look on her face is not one I ever want to see again. She’s not just surprised but angry.
I motion for her to roll her window down.
She’s tearing into me before she even gets it halfway lowered. “What are you doing here? Are you following me?”
“Yeah, because from what you said, that’s already a problem. Someone’s threatening you. We can’t let anything happen.”
“There are no threats. I’m fine.”
I glanced at the building she’s parked in front of.
“Fine? Is that why you’re moving?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“Yes, it is. I don’t take just anyone to the club. You’re special. I don’t know how to say that to you except that I can’t get you off my mind. Malachi and Bruce feel the same way. We’re not going to let anything happen to you.”
“I can’t be the woman you need. I barely keep up with my own cooking and cleaning. I can’t add sex toy to the list. And you don’t have to worry about keeping me safe, I’m moving to a gated community.”
She backs out of the parking space and I let her go. For now.
Malachi, Bruce, and I meet later to discuss our problem. The good news about her rant is that she revealed enough for Malachi to know which house she’s seriously considering. The realtor had shown him a listing for a small house in a gated community.
Next step…buy the house.
We keep following her and it wears on me that this mystery guy hasn’t turned up.
I’ve resisted texting her but give in after a few days because it’s killing me that she doesn’t trust us.
Me: To be clear, we will take care of you in every way. You’ll never have to cook or clean again.
A message pops up from her but it’s a voice message instead of a text. I’m ecstatic at the thought of hearing her sweet voice again.
Once I listen, my mood changes.
Tabby says, “I can’t go back to the club. The creeper guy that calls me at work is calling again. Yesterday he said, ‘You don’t get a happy ending if I don’t’, and today, ‘Too bad you couldn’t see me, at least I know your kink now’.”
My world stops. My gut had been right. As had hers. The guy at the club was her caller.
I dial her number and she doesn’t answer. I text and there’s no reply for several minutes.
I can’t get her off my mind. Tabitha had so beautifully turned herself over to us and when she asked me to carry her out while still blindfolded, I thought we’d accomplished the perfect evening.
When a text finally comes from her it clarifies that she is at work and is putting her phone away.
It’s not my day to follow her but I let Bruce know that I’m adding myself as backup. Her stalker’s upset and getting cocky, which means he’s about to make a move.
Malachi and I end up piling into Bruce’s SUV temporarily so we can discuss how to bump up our plan and keep her safe even if she doesn’t want us in her life. We all pretend that we’re strong but I know each of us is breaking.
We’d bought the house with cash and planned on letting her know it was a gift and would give it to her once we had the insides fixed up but it’s time to get her in and safe.
We’re in the back corner of her parking lot and Malachi and I are parked close by in case we need to get in our own cars quickly. If something goes down Bruce can drive this SUV as good as anything.
Tabby and Valerie step outside of the building and pause, contrary to their usual casual nature that carries them through the parking lot.
They scan the side street and Valerie’s holding Tabby’s hand. This can’t continue. Nobody should make a woman feel threatened.
The guys and I have been watching the parking lot and the side street just as the girls have now done and everything’s fine.
They proceeded past the rows of cars and I’m frustrated with Tabby for not getting a police escort since this asshole has now made it known he’s following her. She works in the same damn building as the police.
A dark SUV parks on the street and my gut tells me something’s up. Is that the stalker? I point it out and the guys agree it looks suspicious.
Tabby gets to her car uneventfully, they part ways, and Valerie drives away. The dark vehicle doesn’t move. Tabby pulls out a minute behind her. It still doesn’t move. False alarm?
Malachi and I are about to bail from Bruce’s vehicle so he can follow her to her house when a van speeds from around the corner slamming its brakes in front of her car.
I bolt out, my heart choking my throat. It’s him.
A guy jumps out of the driver’s seat as his large side door opens. He has a tire iron in his hand and runs to her driver’s door. Her tail lights come on but he’s bashing the window in.
I’m running toward them while Bruce and Malachi tear through the parking lot in Bruce’s vehicle.
I’m yelling at the asshole to stop, to get away from her, and I can’t wait to take him out.
Tabby’s scream rips my heart from my chest.
He has the door open and is trying to pull her out as I get to the vehicle.
I glance at the tire iron which he dropped but it’s too far away. I can’t waste a second. My hands are reaching for him as I approach and the second I can wrap my hands around his arm, I’m throwing him to the side.
Bruce slams on the brakes to avoid hitting him but quite frankly I wouldn’t have cared if he did. I might have preferred it. The dark SUV races up beside him and two police officers jump out.
Tears stream down Tabby’s face as she stares at the man face down on the ground. The pounding of my heart shakes my body as I assess that she’s safe.
Bruce is on top of the guy, pinning his arms behind his back, while Malachi monitors the situation from a slight distance.
I reach for Tabby’s hand, silently begging for her trust, lifting gently, and she lets me guide her out of the vehicle. I wrap my arms behind her, lifting her to my chest and cradling her to keep her safe, then carry her from the scene.
