Cole's Mistake (Haven, Texas 8)

“I don’t want a burger. I want the special,” he growled at her.

“You really don’t want the special. This here burger is the best in the state.”

“Does that come with a guarantee?” he asked dryly.

The older woman snapped her gum. Really? Was that even hygienic? What if the gum went flying out of her mouth and into someone’s food? He shuddered.

If Fet were open during the day, he’d have gone there for lunch. Maybe he should have taken a drive into Freestown. But he hadn’t wanted to leave Haven. Even for a few hours. He needed to be close to them. Cole needed to show Joel, Julian, and Keira he’d changed. Not that he’d seen them while he’d wandered around this crazy town the last couple of days.

Haven was a town where the unusual was accepted. Where people were open about their ménage relationships. He was attracted to two people, but he’d never considered allowing it to be public knowledge. But, just yesterday, he’d watched a petite blonde walking between two large cowboys, holding both of their hands.

Seemed he’d been wrong about so many things. He’d been going to treat Julian and Keira as his dirty little secret. Something he wanted but was ashamed of.

He really was an ass.

With a sigh, he picked the burger up right as the door to the diner opened and in she walked.

Keira.

He froze, studying her. He’d been too shocked the other day to really take her in. He ran his gaze over her much thinner form, her hair, which had once been glistening with health, was lank, and her skin, once pink with good health, was pale.

His poor baby had been through something horrific. And he hadn’t been there to help her.

His finger squished through the bun of his burger. He carefully set it down and wiped his fingers on a napkin. Had she been ill? It would explain the weight loss and her fragility. But it didn’t explain Julian.

The other man stepped in behind her. His gaze roamed the diner and Cole waited for him to see him sitting there. Would they approach him or ignore him? Was he going to get another shiner to add to the one he already had?

Julian looked hard. As though he saw everyone as a potential threat. He’d beefed up. His shoulders wide, his arms thick with muscle. His dark hair held strands of gray, despite the fact he was only in his mid-thirties, several years younger than Cole.

What had happened to them? It was killing him not to know, even as he respected Joel for not telling him, he’d like to kick him in the balls at the same time.

The second Julian’s gaze found him it was like everything else faded around him. He hadn’t known what to do with his attraction to the other man at first. He’d never felt that way before about a guy. Shouldn’t he have felt something towards another man before meeting Julian?

But no, it seemed there was only one man he wanted. The one glaring at him like he wished he had the power to incinerate him with his mind. There was movement from behind Julian and another man stepped through. He was dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved shirt. Powerful body, but not nearly as big as Julian. Not that many people were. Older. Close to Cole’s age he guessed. He looked around the diner, his curious gaze hitting Cole’s as he saw where Julian was staring.

Cole straightened up. He had a fair idea of who this guy was. The Dom who Joel wanted to hook his subs up with.

Not yours. Not anymore. You threw them away.

Sure, he’d thought he was protecting them. But fuck if that meant much when they’d obviously been through hell. He hadn’t protected them, not at all. He’d let himself be manipulated. He hadn’t been strong, he’d been weak. After all, hadn’t he been willing to accept them on his terms, if they did what he wanted?

He was a fucking asshole.

The Dom leaned in and said something to them both and pointed past him. Keira lo

oked up to Julian without saying anything. Cole frowned. Since when did she look to him to answer for her?

What’s going on?

He thought he saw the other man give Keira a concerned look, but if he had, it was quickly wiped from his face. Julian nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist. He kept himself between Keira and Cole as they followed the other man through the diner. Greetings were called out to all three of them.

The other man nodded and smiled, calling out replies. Keira smiled at several people although he noticed it wasn’t her usual smile. The one that was open and relaxed. That called people to her. She’d always been the type of person who would give her shirt off her back to a stranger. He’d known he’d have to protect her from being taken advantage of, and he’d figured between him and Julian they’d have that covered. A perk to a ménage relationship. But now she was more reserved in her greetings. She didn’t stop and linger to chat as she once might have. She kept herself close to Julian, letting him lead.

Shit.

As they drew closer, he had to fight the urge to stand, to drag them both away from this other guy. He wasn’t what they needed. He wasn’t Cole.

But you don’t know what they need. You don’t know them anymore. They aren’t yours.