Imprisoned Match [Ménage.com 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Peyton Elizabeth

the pocket of her jacket. Before rushing out of the bedroom, Anna had thrown on a pair of jeans with a black turtleneck sweater. She’d snatched her jacket before quietly sneaking out. Elliott hadn’t been so lucky and stood in front of her without a coat.
    “Who was murdered?” Elliott asked, having missed her part of the conversation that Mitch was privy to.
    “Her family,” Mitch answered, looking over her shoulder. Anna knew someone must have been coming toward them, because Mitch adjusted his stance. Without taking his eyes off of her, Mitch addressed Elliott. “Take Anna to our house. Do it now and be quick about it.”
    “But—” Anna was about to turn around to see who was behind her, but Mitch grabbed ahold of her shoulders, making sure he had her attention. Didn’t he realize that she could handle anything on her own?
    “Listen to me. Now is not the time to do this. I understand you would want retribution for your family, but we won’t allow it to be at your expense. Go with Elliott. I’ll say you went to see Doc Jones and he told you to take a couple days off. We’re running out of time. Go!”
     
    * * * *
     
    Mitch knew she’d figured out that Sam was walking toward them. Sam—a local, a business owner, and who some considered a friend. He knew that the other citizens would have believed Sam was innocent, being accused and judged by an outsider. But they didn’t know Anna. Hell, neither did they really, but Mitch knew she was telling the truth. The despair in her blue eyes when she had turned at his voice said it all. For whatever reason, she believed Sam to be guilty of murdering her family.
    The relief he felt when Anna walked away with Elliott, without even looking backward to verify that someone was coming their way, was astronomical. It spoke volumes to the amount of trust they’d garnered in the short time that they’d known her.
    “Mitch, good to see you. Was that Anna Valdez with you?”
    “Yeah, Sam. She just got out of Doc Jones’s office. She’s not feeling well.”
    “Really? She’s my new waitress.” Sam was watching Anna and Elliott cross the street to the garage, where Elliott’s truck was parked. If Mitch hadn’t been watching his face closely, he would never have noticed the way the skin around Sam’s eyes tightened. “She just started yesterday, and I must say, that’s not a good way to start off on a new job. You know what they say about outsiders.”
    “Well, you know she’s not faking it if she went to see Doc Jones,” Mitch replied. “I’m sure Anna will show up for her shift tomorrow, if she’s feeling up to it.”
    Sam finally took his eyes off of Anna and Elliott, switching his attention back to Mitch. “You sound like you’re getting to know her rather well, Mitch. Have the three of you hooked up? I know that Elliott had signed you up for that dating service, but I guess if a pretty woman falls into your lap, why waste time with an online dating service, huh?”
    “Something like that,” Mitch replied, giving Sam a tight smile. Since Mitch wasn’t the smiling type, his attitude certainly wouldn’t seem odd. “I better head back to the garage. You have a good evening, Sam.”
    “You, too.”
    Mitch turned and crossed the street. He could feel Sam’s eyes on his back as he walked away. Mitch needed to hear from Anna exactly why she thought Sam was involved with the murder of her family and why the ATF was involved. If there was a chance she could be sent to prison for her hand in trying to bring those responsible to justice, Mitch needed to find a way to counter that possibility.
     
    * * * *
     
    Elliott had done as Mitch requested and made sure that Anna was safely squared away inside their home. Elliott and Mitch had bought an acre of land off of their parents’ ranch, building themselves a nice one-story family home. Their two dads weren’t thrilled when Elliott had decided to open the garage in the heart of town, hoping he would work