Triple Dog Dare [Triple Trouble 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Tymber Dalton Page B

their house and the police answered and told me they’d died.” He choked back a sob. “Another pair of deaths that’s my fault.”
    Cail watched as Elain started crying, too. She stood and went to kneel beside Liam, putting her arms around him and holding him.
     
    * * * *
     
    After a few minutes, Ain cleared his throat. “We don’t hold you responsible for our parents’ deaths, Liam.”
    Liam looked up from where he and Elain still embraced. “Thank ye. I doubt I could be as charitable if I was in yer position.”
    “What’s important,” Ain said, “is that you’re here for Elain now. Both of you are here,” he said, meaning Carla. “And family is what’s important. We take care of our own. And as far as I’m concerned, you’re both part of our family. Our pack.”
    Liam looked at Carla, who sat on his other side. “I can’t begin to thank ye enough for all ye’ve done.” He let go of Elain with one hand and wrapped his other arm around Carla. “Thank ye for being her mother and taking such good care of her.”
    That finished Carla. She started crying, too, and that’s when Ain decided the three of them needed some time alone. Silently, he motioned to everyone to file outside to the lanai to give them privacy.
    Once out there, Lina hugged Ain. “You’re a good man. All three of you. Elain will keep you on your toes, but she needs all three of you to keep her grounded. This is going to fracture her sanity for a little while.”
    Brodey’s face darkened. “I hate seeing her so upset.”
    “Join the club,” Cail added.
    Lina patted him on the shoulder. “I know you do, Brod, but she has to go through this. Just be there for her. Expect her to feel a little crazy. Cut her some slack when she needs it. Always stand strong for her.”
    “Is that why you guys showed up early?” Cail asked.
    She nodded, her expression growing grim. “It’s getting bad again. Really bad. It’s good Liam showed up tonight. I was thinking it’d be another day or two before he got here, but we need to draw the family in close. Now.”
    “Spill it, Lina,” Zack said. “What aren’t you telling us?”
    She looked at him, Kael, and her mates before returning her attention to Ain. “Keep Micah and Jim here with you. Don’t let them leave and go off on their own. Fat Boy is desperate, but I don’t know why yet. Everything is going to get really, really ugly before everything calms down again.” She patted her belly. “Now, would you mind if I hit your bathroom? I don’t want to walk through the living room and disturb them, but I’m about ready to wet myself.”
    Brodey smiled and walked her to the sliding glass door that opened directly into the master bedroom. “There you go, kiddo,” he said as he pointed at the dark bathroom doorway. “The switch is inside, just beside the door. On the right.”
    “Thank you!” She quickly waddled through the bedroom and ignored the sound of Brodey closing the slider behind her. When she reached the doorway, she fumbled for the switch but soon found it. As she was relieving herself on the toilet, she glanced up at the long, mirrored vanity.
    The woman from the plane stared back at her.
    Lina clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her startled scream.
    Now, however, Lina knew who she was. She looked just like the picture in Maureen’s letter to Elain.
    “Holy crap, Maureen! Will you quit doing that!” Lina whispered at the mirror.
    The woman’s sad expression didn’t change. “You have to help her,” Maureen said. “Please.”
    “I am, but could we do this at some other time than when I’m sitting on the crapper?” Lina finished and got her pants pulled up. She waddled over to the vanity and washed her hands. All the while, she stared at the woman. “I didn’t know my freaky powers were going to include talking to ghosts.” In fact, what she had learned about her powers would barely fill a shot glass.
    The ghost of Maureen Alexander didn’t reply.
    Lina