Three

Grayson

I watch as Mackenzie turns out of the parking lot kicking myself for how fast I moved with her, I had planned to take my time but the way my brothers were looking at her pissed me off and I needed to stake my fucking claim before they got it in their heads that they even had a chance. Possessiveness like nothing I have ever felt before slammed into me and I needed to know she felt the same, I felt the way her body melted into mine and it took everything in me not to throw her over my shoulder and take her home with me. Shaking my head at myself I need to pull my ass in line and work out a way to make her believe she won’t be just another notch in my bedpost. No fucking way will that happen she will be the one and fucking only from this moment on.

Now I just need to work out how I’m going to convince her.

“Fuck,” I grumble raking my hand through my hair as I make my way back inside wanting to kick my brother’s asses and make sure they know to stay the fuck away from my girl. Fuck it’s been years since I have had a girlfriend I work too damn much and my last girlfriend decided spreading her fucking legs for some other fuckwit was a better option. But I have never felt this need to claim anyone before and I know Mackenzie is the one and without her saying a fucking word I know that she felt the exact same thing.

Pushing through the glass doors I stop in my tracks, folding my arms across my chest as three shit eating grins stare straight at me.

“That’s one fine piece of ass brother,” Tanner comments nodding his head towards the glass windows. A low growl rumbles in my chest when he calls her just a piece of ass. Seeming to like my reaction he throws his head back on a deep laugh.

“A piece of ass that seemed to race out of here like the hounds of hell were chasing her down,” Phoenix chuckles spiking my anger more I’m walking a fine line right now and I’m about to fucking snap just as Maverick opens his big fucking mouth.

“She must have a sweet pussy to have you looking like you’re ready to kill,” before he can utter another word I have him pinned by the throat to the wall, photos shake from the impact. But right now, I’m not thinking clearly.

“Shit brother,” Maverick gasps reaching up and grabbing my wrists trying to pull me off him while Tanner and Phoenix try to pull me back.

“Fuck brother we were only fucking with you,” Tanner grunts out.

“What,” I grit out.

“Grayson we ain’t fucking stupid you had the same look on your face that dad gets when he looks at mum,” Phoenix grumbles.

Loosening my hold around Maverick’s throat a little I take a few deep breaths trying to calm my ass down.

“What the fuck,” I grunt.

“Mum told us about Mac coming in today and we wanted to see how fucking serious you were considering we have to work with her if you fuck this shit up,” Tanner shrugs his shoulders not finishing like what he is saying makes perfect fucking sense as the other two dipshits nod their heads like a bunch of bobblehead dolls.

“She’s mine,” I growl out “She ain't just a piece of ass or some fucking pussy so watch your fucking mouths,” I grunt letting Maverick go as the pricks start laughing their asses off.

“Then why the fuck did she race out of here like someone was chasing her,” Maverick grunts rubbing his throat. Running both my hands through my hair I pull on the ends a little remembering what she said before she peeled out of here.

“She doesn't want to be another notch in my bedpost,” I grunt repeating her words getting pissed she would even think that.

“Who the fuck said she would be,” Tanner asks

“Fuck knows,” I answer. “She said she just got into town and that’s why she wasn’t dressed more appropriate for the interview so it’s not like she had time for someone to talk shit to her about me,” I mumble.

“She was dressed just fine to me,” Phoenix quips and I reach over and punch him in the arm making him grunt “Watch it brother,” I growl, he smirks but wisely closes his fucking mouth. This is nothing new with us we always give each other shit and me being the eldest I’m usually the worst one but right now I don’t have time to fuck around I need to work out how to get her to believe this isn’t just a one-time deal this is a life fucking sentence.

“How did she know about the interview if she just got into town today,” Tanner asks to no-one in particular and it slams into me why she would say that.

“Fucking Mick” I growl in frustration.

“Mick Johnson?” Maverick asks

Nodding “yeah it’s her fucking brother. Fuck I should have put two and two together he warned me on the phone not to fuck with his sister he must have planted some shit in her head that I’m some kind of fucking player or some shit,” anger wells in the pit of my stomach, nothing could be further from the truth.

“Well big brother looks like you have your work cut out for you,” Phoenix says patting me on the back chuckling.

“Fuck,” I blow out a hard breath.

“Look let’s deal with this shit later right now we have a case so let’s track this fucker down before we lose our 20k.”

Following my brothers towards the back I know I need to get my head in the game and work this shit out with Mackenzie later I cannot afford to have my head elsewhere while we hunt.

“Name is James Parsons aka The Ringmaster,” Tanner says as he starts writing on the whiteboard attached to the back wall as Maverick starts up his computer so James arrest record flicks up on the 60-inch flat screen that’s mounted on the wall next to the whiteboard. My father has this old school way about him when it comes to the whiteboard but with so much technology around these days my brother’s and I prefer to use the flat screen but god forbid we got rid of the whiteboard my father may be semi-retired now but that doesn’t mean we would disrespect his ways and the ways we were taught. Phoenix and I lean against our desks that line both side walls.

“Current Charges,” I ask looking at the Wanted A4 poster sized displayed on the screen.

“Assault - Reckless Grievous Bodily harm on his ex-girlfriend he missed his court date yesterday so we need to find him now,” Tanner grits out pissed so I’m guessing this was his bond. “He’s looking at 10 to 14 years in a cell so he fucking ran.”

“Fuck, scum of the earth hitting a fucking woman,” I grit out feeling adrenaline spike through me wanting to get this piece of shit. My brothers all murmur their agreement, we were brought up to treat women with respect and to never raise a hand to them and it grates my fucking nerves hearing this shit. My father may be big and scary as fuck but when it comes to my mother, she is the motherfucking boss and no-one messes with her because if she doesn’t get you my father sure as hell will.
“Who co-signed his bail?” Maverick asks swiping his fingers over the keyboard of his computer.

“His roommate, Nathan Wills” Tanner reads off the file in his hands.

“Do we know why they call him The Ringmaster,” Maverick asks running his fingers through his beard he always does that when he’s thinking..

“Apparently he runs his own crew drugs, weapons, prostitutes anything he can get his hands on,” Tanner shrugs.

I study the picture again taking in every little detail not wanting to miss a thing. The picture makes him look like he’s coked off his brains, wild dark eyes, he has a scar across his eyebrow and he looks like he stuck his finger in a powerpoint as blonde hair sticks out everywhere.

“So, he's a badass motherfucker,” Phoenix chuckles.

“Yeah but we’re fucking meaner brother,” Maverick laughs bumping knuckles with Phoenix.

“Phoenix call Nathan and see if we can get a lead on James’ whereabouts.”

Nodding, Phoenix rounds his desk and starts to dial the number. Phoenix is one of the best to get information out of anyone, he could talk shit till the cows come home and there is something about him that has people spilling their guts.

“Hello,” comes over the speakerphone.

“James?”

“Nah mate this is Nathan.”

“I need James man, where’s he at?” Phoenix sounds like he is jonesing for a hit.

“Who dis?”

“Jimmy, we used to kick it, we go way back but I’ve been in the joint and just got out and I’m jonesing man,” Phoenix makes a pained noise.

“He not here, he down at the park. What you need?”

“Fuck man, I need a gram which park he at?”

“Down by the foreshore.”

“Thanks, man,” Phoenix groans out before clicking off.

“Fuck I swear you love fucking with people’s heads,” Tanner chuckles making a shit-eating grin spread across Phoenix’s face.

“Alright let’s get this shit done,” I grunt needing to fill my head with something other than the taste of my girl on my tongue. Pushing away from my desk I head towards the wooden cupboard against the far wall that holds our shit.

“Let’s get strapped up,” I say grabbing my belt with my mace, handcuffs attached. Grabbing my radio, I clip it to the top of my bulletproof vest. We are all licensed to carry guns but we keep them locked in the safe we choose not to use them as we would rather bring the jumpers in without serious injury plus the four of us ain’t small by any means, we keep in shape and know how to bring a guy down.

“Boys,” my mother’s sweet voice fills the room and I turn around and see my father studying the board as mum walks over and hugs us all in turn. My mum is as sweet as pie but tough as fucking nails nothing gets past her and she proves me right when she makes it to me and pulls me into a hug before pulling back with a huge smile on her face. Even at the age of 55 she is still beautiful with long brown hair with strands of gray hair the only sign showing her actual age with kind sharp brown eyes and she is a tiny thing barely making it to our shoulders whereas we get our height from our dad. Tanner and I got his black hair and green eyes but Phoenix and Maverick got mums brown hair and brown eyes.

“What,” I ask smiling. Her smile is infectious and you can’t help but return it no matter what mood you’re in.

“I heard you found your girl today,” she places her warm palm against my cheek she has done that since we were kids and it never fails her from getting what she wants. Looking over her head I eyeball my brothers as they try to cover up their smirks. Dumb asses the lot of them. Fuck, wait till they are in my position bloody mummy boys the lot of them.

“Mackenzie,” I answer bringing my attention back to my mother.

“Isn’t that the girl that came in for the interview today,” she smirks already knowing the answer.

“Yep,” I nod clenching my teeth as dad chuckles and pats me on the back.

“Your world fell apart out from under you didn’t it?” he smiles waiting for me to tell him he’s right and as much as it sucks to admit it, I find myself smiling.

“Sure fucking did dad,” I chuckle making him laugh harder.

“‘Bout fucking time,” he says as he makes his way towards the front office.

“Grayson, you treat this girl right, you’d better have given her the job I’m getting too old for all this stuff on my own,” her face and tone of voice is stern now and I know not to fuck with her.

“Yep I sure did and I plan on it mum, she’s it for me,” I kiss her cheek before she walks away towards the office my father went into.

“Fucking pack of bitches the lot of you, can’t keep your fucking big mouths shut for five minutes before you’re ringing your mummy and gossiping like old women.”

“Us? what about you,” they laugh “You could have told her no,” Maverick says.

“Fuck no and get caught lying, fuck that I would rather go head on with a hundred of these pricks then face her wrath,” I point to the flat screen at the wanted image and we break out into laughter before they agree completely. You don’t lie to our mother unless you are prepared to take the hiding she would give you if she found out and in this family nothing stays a fucking secret for long.