McKenzie, Cooper - Thanksgiving in Sanctuary (Welcome to Sanctuary 5) (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Cooper McKenzie Read Free Book Online
Authors: Cooper McKenzie
through the deep shadows. He saw a shadow in the corner that he could not identify the origin of.
For only the second time since college, Martin wondered if maybe he should have taken up one of the martial arts for protection. Sure he could outtalk everyone he knew, but he was a runner and a swimmer, not a fighter. Looking over his shoulder, he made sure Robert and Anna were out of view. Then he stepped closer to the shadow, needing answers.
He took one step and then a second. On the third, he made out with relief that the shadow in the corner was not a wild animal that had found its way into the building. Two more steps and he stood beside a pile of pillows and blankets tucked securely around one, two, three very small, sleeping children.
“What the fuck?” he whispered then winced as the one on the left shifted in his or her sleep. He waited until the child settled before he turned and hurried to the kitchen.
“Did you see anybody when you came downstairs?” he whispered when he reached the kitchen doorway.
Anna and Robert turned from perusing the contents of the refrigerator to look at him. They shook their heads in unison.
“What’s up?” Robert asked with a frown.
“I found what are either three leprechauns or three abandoned children sleeping in the library.”
“Abandoned children?” Anna asked. She closed the refrigerator door and turned to frown at him “Where are they?”
“Corner of the library.” Martin pointed over his shoulder into the main room.
* * * *
Immediately Anna’s mothering instincts kicked in. Pushing past the two men, she hurried toward the area set up as a reading corner just on the other side of the front door. She heard the men following, but her focus was on seeing for herself the children Martin claimed to have found.
She turned on the first lamp she came to in the cozy reading nook. Once she had light, she looked to the corner and found the pile of blankets and pillows. Turning to the men, she held her hand out. “Stay there,” she ordered in a whisper.
The men froze, though neither looked very happy about it. But she could soothe their ruffled feathers later. What she did not need right now was them waking up the children who would no doubt be scared out of their minds to be faced with strange people in a strange place.
She slowly moved closer to the sleeping children and checked on them. They looked to be about two years old and identical. Triplets, she surmised as she stepped away from them. Looking around, she found two large duffel bags sitting farther along the building’s sidewall with a smaller bag sitting on top of them.
Moving closer to the bags, she saw a manila envelope sticking out of a side pocket of the smaller bag. Pulling it free, she turned and headed back the way she had come. She blinked in surprise when she saw the men were still standing at the edge of the carpeted area, watching her closely as she turned the reading lamp back off again.
She held a finger to her lips as she walked past them and back to the kitchen. Though she was still hungry, solving the mystery surrounding the sleeping children came first. Once they were all in the kitchen, Martin pushed the door closed.
“Here, see what’s in there,” she said, handing the envelope to her husband.
Martin looked at the envelope. “It’s addressed to Winter and his boys.”
“Open it,” Anna instructed.
As he opened the envelope and sorted through the paperwork, she went around the kitchen and gathered bread, peanut butter, and jelly. After making three sandwiches which she placed on paper towels, she pulled a glass bottle of milk out of the refrigerator and poured three glasses.
“Holy merde,” Martin muttered as he glanced through the papers.
“What?” Robert asked, trying to see over his brother’s shoulder.
“Seems Winter, Garrett, and Hawk have been named the guardians and granted full custody of those three little girls,” Martin said. “Cassie, Jessie, and
For only the second time since college, Martin wondered if maybe he should have taken up one of the martial arts for protection. Sure he could outtalk everyone he knew, but he was a runner and a swimmer, not a fighter. Looking over his shoulder, he made sure Robert and Anna were out of view. Then he stepped closer to the shadow, needing answers.
He took one step and then a second. On the third, he made out with relief that the shadow in the corner was not a wild animal that had found its way into the building. Two more steps and he stood beside a pile of pillows and blankets tucked securely around one, two, three very small, sleeping children.
“What the fuck?” he whispered then winced as the one on the left shifted in his or her sleep. He waited until the child settled before he turned and hurried to the kitchen.
“Did you see anybody when you came downstairs?” he whispered when he reached the kitchen doorway.
Anna and Robert turned from perusing the contents of the refrigerator to look at him. They shook their heads in unison.
“What’s up?” Robert asked with a frown.
“I found what are either three leprechauns or three abandoned children sleeping in the library.”
“Abandoned children?” Anna asked. She closed the refrigerator door and turned to frown at him “Where are they?”
“Corner of the library.” Martin pointed over his shoulder into the main room.
* * * *
Immediately Anna’s mothering instincts kicked in. Pushing past the two men, she hurried toward the area set up as a reading corner just on the other side of the front door. She heard the men following, but her focus was on seeing for herself the children Martin claimed to have found.
She turned on the first lamp she came to in the cozy reading nook. Once she had light, she looked to the corner and found the pile of blankets and pillows. Turning to the men, she held her hand out. “Stay there,” she ordered in a whisper.
The men froze, though neither looked very happy about it. But she could soothe their ruffled feathers later. What she did not need right now was them waking up the children who would no doubt be scared out of their minds to be faced with strange people in a strange place.
She slowly moved closer to the sleeping children and checked on them. They looked to be about two years old and identical. Triplets, she surmised as she stepped away from them. Looking around, she found two large duffel bags sitting farther along the building’s sidewall with a smaller bag sitting on top of them.
Moving closer to the bags, she saw a manila envelope sticking out of a side pocket of the smaller bag. Pulling it free, she turned and headed back the way she had come. She blinked in surprise when she saw the men were still standing at the edge of the carpeted area, watching her closely as she turned the reading lamp back off again.
She held a finger to her lips as she walked past them and back to the kitchen. Though she was still hungry, solving the mystery surrounding the sleeping children came first. Once they were all in the kitchen, Martin pushed the door closed.
“Here, see what’s in there,” she said, handing the envelope to her husband.
Martin looked at the envelope. “It’s addressed to Winter and his boys.”
“Open it,” Anna instructed.
As he opened the envelope and sorted through the paperwork, she went around the kitchen and gathered bread, peanut butter, and jelly. After making three sandwiches which she placed on paper towels, she pulled a glass bottle of milk out of the refrigerator and poured three glasses.
“Holy merde,” Martin muttered as he glanced through the papers.
“What?” Robert asked, trying to see over his brother’s shoulder.
“Seems Winter, Garrett, and Hawk have been named the guardians and granted full custody of those three little girls,” Martin said. “Cassie, Jessie, and
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