"Sonuvabitch," Travis growled.

"Travis?" Kylie questioned, her hand wrenching out of Gage's grasp as her back went stone still.

"Fuck." That was Travis' only response.

Very articulate he was.

Gage stared blankly at Travis, ensuring his face remained impassive. The recognition in the man's eyes was exactly the response Gage had been going for when he made the decision that morning to come back home to Coyote Ridge.

One thing he prided himself on was his ability to do his job. Not only could he protect those he cared about, he also had an uncanny ability to uncover dirt that other people tried desperately to hide. Travis' dirt had been hidden better than most. In fact, it had taken Gage almost three months, but he'd finally accomplished what he set out to do.

Gage had finally found what Travis apparently didn't want anyone else to know about.

There was only one question left to be answered...

If Travis had been looking to bury his past, why hadn't the man ever gotten a divorce?

Chapter Three.

There was only one person to blame for these recent urges to do serious bodily harm. Unfortunately, the only person Travis wanted to get his hands on was Gage Matthews and the son of a bitch had disappeared altogether. The murderous rage continued to escalate as each hour ticked by, and it was a damn good thing Gage had the brains to flee. If he hadn't, Travis would've hunted him down, and at this point, he couldn't ensure that Gage would walk away unscathed.

Not after what he'd done.

Apparently, Travis' brother Kaleb knew what Travis was capable of because no matter how hard he had tried just short of begging, which Travis would never resort to his brother wouldn't give him any information. Not even Gage's phone number. Then again, since the beginning he hadn't been able to get Gage's number from Kaleb. Since Kaleb had been too curious for his own good, Travis had given up on asking after the first time. So now, just short of hiring a private investigator to find Gage, Travis was at a loss on where the man could be.

Each morning, Travis woke up wondering if he would have the pleasure of wrapping his hands around Gage's neck. And as each night cloaked their small town, he realized the opportunity had slipped by again. He had some serious connections, but despite his repeated attempts, he could not find Gage.

And Travis had doubled his efforts ever since he realized Gage had managed to skip town shortly after the fiasco that ensued at Kaleb's house. The very day Gage had the fucking balls to dangle the one woman Travis never expected to see ever again right in front of his face.

Brass. No, make that steel. The man had balls of fucking steel, and he had proven it by waltzing Kylie Prescott although she was technically still Kylie Walker in through the front door without even a hint of warning.

Ever since that day, Travis hadn't been able to sleep or eat. Hell, he could barely stand to be around himself which he knew wasn't faring well for his brothers.

He was beginning to worry about the tension that was pulling at him these days. Part of him wanted to attribute his desire to self-destruct to what Gage had done, but he knew it was more than that. The insurmountable stress he put himself under was beginning to take its toll and Gage's little scene was just the icing on the cake.

The bastard.

Ten years.

Ten long, fucking years, damn it.

All for nothing. The suffering and pain he'd put himself through trying to get over her was all for nothing because the second he laid eyes on Kylie, every damn thing he'd ever felt for her came flooding back like a tsunami threatening to take him under and drag him against jagged rocks that were a serious threat to his wellbeing.

Memories.

Pain.

It was all so intense, making him wish for things he knew he couldn't have because Travis was too fucked up to have something as sweet and pure as Kylie in his life. It didn't stop those devastating memories from overwhelming him, threatening to level him flat when he least expected it.

Son of a fucking bitch!

Just seeing her once brought back a torrent of feelings that Travis hadn't wanted to lay claim to for a solid decade. If he had given himself any credit for being over her, well, he undoubtedly learned his lesson that day.

Every time he closed his eyes he saw big, cornflower blue eyes, pouty pink lips, the satiny luster of creamy alabaster skin, long, glossy, honey-gold hair. She looked the same, only prettier if that was even possible. The most sensually beautiful woman Travis had ever laid his eyes on. And so fucking touchable, he found himself wishing for a few more minutes with her.

But that wasn't going to happen.

No matter what he did or didn't do, Travis couldn't have Kylie. She deserved someone normal, not someone like him. She needed someone whose sole purpose in life was to put her up on a pedestal and worship her with love and attention. Not someone whose love was distorted and whose attention was divided at best.

The fact that Gage had thrown her to the wolves, so to speak, spoke volumes about how well Gage actually knew her. Kylie was so damn innocent, it made Travis' heart break just thinking about the pained look on her face that day. When his eyes raked over her, categorizing every luscious curve, every delectable inch of her beautiful body, it was like a salve for some of those gaping wounds he'd grown accustomed to over the years.

Now that the old memories and feelings had been resurrected, there was no such hope of putting her in his past where she belonged.

He could still see the way her compelling blue eyes lit up like a gas flame the moment she saw him. Forgiveness wasn't an easy thing for a woman as reserved as Kylie, and it was clear from her surprise that she hadn't let him off the hook for what he had done to her all those years ago.

The moment her initial shock wore off, that unbridled anger she apparently never released came spewing out of her. Only her ire hadn't been directed at him as he expected. With a deep, aching regret swirling in his soul, Travis had waited for the tongue lashing he deserved, yet she had never given him.

That never happened.

Having always been the one to keep her emotions close to her chest, Kylie had sucked in a deep breath, holding everything inside because heaven forbid she speak her mind. Rather than lay into him, or even Gage, she had turned and simply walked away.

It was a miracle that Travis and Gage were still in one piece after that one. Between Kylie's piercing death glare and Beau Bennett's barely restrained anger at seeing the woman so upset, they were both lucky to still be walking with their nuts in the same shape as before she realized what was going on.

As for Beau, well, Travis learned right-quick not to ask the man questions. He'd grown quite fond of his own fucking head, thank you very much, and that behemoth of a man looked ready to rip his right off of his body.

Surprise wasn't quite the word Travis could use to describe that day. If he hadn't been waylaid by the mere sight of the most beautiful woman to have ever graced his life, he'd have beaten Gage to dust right then and there. Finding him since had been impossible because Gage managed to run far and fast from Coyote Ridge. Travis knew when it came down to it, he would have to go in search of him rather than sit back and wait. Since he still didn't know where he was, he'd opted for a different approach.

If only Travis would allow his emotions to control him, he would be on the road heading straight to Kylie's. He suspected that's where Gage was and as much as he longed to confront him, to ask him just what the fuck he was thinking, Travis wasn't willing to go back in time. He'd lived through it once, but he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to walk away from Kylie again.

So, in true form, Travis had set out that morning for something much more expected of him. He didn't do emotion. He didn't fall in love, and he damn sure didn't hold it all in. Rather than feeding his emotional needs, Travis was more interested in fulfilling other urges that, no matter how hard or how often he tried, couldn't be sated. He would never stop trying because it sure beat the alternative.

His self-destructive tendencies were calling his name and the only way he could function was to attempt to ease the physical ache. The emotional pain would never be soothed, so he much preferred engaging in something that wouldn't require him to feel anything other than unique, exquisite, mind numbing pleasure.

Club Destiny was calling his name.

For the last three weeks, he'd been practically dancing with Tag and McKenna and quite frankly, a rendezvous with them seemed more than appropriate. Considering he'd been waiting a long time for this day to finally come, he somehow forced himself to rebury all thoughts of Kylie, and toss those of Gage right alongside them, in the colossal black hole in his chest.

The day would come when that little situation would be rectified in one way or another. Until then, Travis was on his way to Dallas.

By the time Travis reached Club Destiny, three hours north of his hometown of Coyote Ridge, he had managed to work himself up over the events the day was leading up to. A brief conversation with Tag during his drive had settled the plans and to Travis' surprise, the day was actually looking up.

He was looking forward to a couple of hours of pleasure that would take his mind off of things better left forgotten. That included Gage and the way the man had kissed him back with a ferocity that threatened to burn them both to a crisp. He might not expect that same intensity from what was to come with the twosome he was about to engage with, but he knew it'd be explosive in its own right.

Sitting at the bar inside of Club Destiny, waiting for Kane to pour his Southern Comfort, Travis glanced around the large, airy bar, wondering where everyone was. This time of the evening, the place was usually packed, but tonight seemed fairly manageable.

As he was looking around, his eyes landed on the fiery red hair of a woman that had caught Travis' eye ever since he first saw her. The big, burly man standing next to her also caught his eye, but Travis had learned right away exactly how uninterested Tag Murphy was. At least in him.

Originally, Tag also hadn't been interested in a tryst with a third person, but much to Travis' surprise, that had apparently changed. According to Tag, it was a one-time only deal because his fiance was clearly interested in being the object of two men's attention for one night. Not seeing a downside for any of them, Travis had easily accepted the invitation.

After the night when he witnessed the sexy reporter on her knees giving Tag a blow job that damn near blew Travis' mind, he'd been hoping this day would come. Never having been the type to expect anything, Travis had seen a hint of interest in Tag's eyes that night. Tag might not have any desire for Travis to fuck his woman, but he damn sure felt a spark from having an audience. Travis was at the point where he didn't give a damn which role he played. He just needed something to take his mind off of more pressing things weighing him down.

At the time of the little peep show, Travis had been more than interested in getting in on that action, but he figured he was more likely to see pigs fly than to get a personal invitation from the bald giant of a man who liked to rock designer suits. The same guy heading up the stairs to the second floor suites at the moment.

"I figured you'd be going upstairs, too," Kane said as he set a squat glass in front of Travis.

"For?" Travis was stunned by Kane's forwardness. He couldn't imagine that the guy knew Tag had personally invited him there tonight.

"It's Tuesday night."

It took a second for Kane's reference to sink in. Sure enough, it was Tuesday night, and as of last week, Luke had reopened the private section of the club. In previous weeks, only those with an apartment were allowed to linger and interact, so the inclusion of all members was causing the playroom to see increasingly more action these days.

Sliding a twenty dollar tip in Kane's direction, Travis grabbed his glass and headed up the stairs, noticing that McKenna and Tag weren't that far ahead of him. He followed behind them, fully expecting them to go into Tag's apartment, but when they continued down the hall, his body came to life instantly.

Hanging back a little, he waited until they made their way down the main hall and disappeared into the playroom. Although he had been to one or two, Travis didn't usually attend the weekly orgies. Tag's and McKenna's appearance was even more unlikely.

It would seem that the extremely reserved Tag Murphy was beginning to open up a little. Travis couldn't help but wonder whether that was mostly McKenna's influence or if the man had just managed to dislodge the stick from his ass. After Tag had been fairly adamant that he wasn't sharing McKenna with anyone, Travis was a little surprised to see them going in because what they were moving toward went way beyond sharing.

Curious to how they would react once inside, Travis followed without hesitation, remaining on the periphery of the room as he worked his way toward a section in the back. Taking in the sight of sweaty, writhing bodies as he went, Travis realized no one seemed to be wasting any time tonight.

Maybe that was because they were eager to get to the good stuff, or because most of the members had been relinquished of their contractual obligation. Or in layman's terms, they'd been thrown out on their asses. Which meant those that remained were familiar with one another, at least on a first name basis, so easing into the hardcore aspect of play might be slightly easier for some.

He didn't react to the group of people in one corner taking up every available spot on one of the oversized couches. They were in a state of near nakedness at this point and oblivious to anything around them. Nor did he let his eyes linger for long on the sexy, raven haired woman currently strapped to the wall on a St. Andrew's cross, with an equally beautiful blonde woman on her knees with her tongue buried deep in her pussy.

In the opposite corner of the room from the orgy taking place on the couch, sitting in a red velvet chair was Logan McCoy. His appearance anywhere near the playroom was both unexpected and quite intriguing. His wife Samantha didn't seem to have any qualms about making an appearance within the masses either, which shocked the shit out of Travis after what had gone down several months back.

It was this very place that had gotten the club into trouble after pictures of Samantha McCoy were used to blackmail Luke and Logan. She didn't seem at all concerned at the moment because she was currently sitting on Logan's lap, her gaze roaming the room almost as quickly as Travis'. Although, he would have to say, she was rather reserved in her interests. At least for the moment.

As Closer by Nine Inch Nails how very appropriate began playing on the hidden speakers in the ceiling, Travis caught sight of Tag and McKenna once again. They were standing on the farthest side of the room, Tag against the wall while McKenna stood in front of him, her back pressing against the burly man's chest. Maybe they thought they were being discreet, Travis didn't know, but he noticed the way Tag's hands drifted upward, just beneath the hem of McKenna's shirt.

I want to fuck you like an animal.

Yes, definitely an appropriate song.

With his body stiff as hell and in desperate need of release, Travis didn't wait any longer. He downed the rest of his whiskey as he watched the couple before setting the empty glass on a nearby table.

I want to feel you from the inside.

Movement across the room caught Travis' attention, and he turned to see the group on the couch. A beautiful woman with long, black hair and creamy, dark skin stripped completely naked at the command of the enormous, linebacker-sized man sitting at one end of the couch.

I want to fuck you like an animal.

They didn't seem to be part of the group that was already there, but it looked like the twosome was looking to rectify that situation. It was the type of activity that usually took place in the playroom. The motto seemed to lean toward "the more the merrier".

You bring me closer to God.

Travis continued to divide his attention between the pulsing beat of the song, the attractive couple on the couch, and the pale red head on the other side of the room. Such a contrast, yet here in this place, everyone was exactly the same, wanting only one thing: pleasure.

As it should be.

I want to fuck you like an animal.

Tag must've sensed his presence because the hair on the back of his neck prickled and when he looked up into those intense green eyes peering at him from several feet away, he couldn't help but smile. A barely perceptible nod was obviously the man's way of acknowledging that this was going to happen. Travis was not complaining, that was for sure. Three hours were a long fucking time to drive only to end up disappointed at the end of the night.

As far as Travis was concerned, the party was just about to get started.

It didn't take long for the room to heat several degrees and more clothes to disappear. The group in the corner was by far the boldest in the room: three women standing behind the couch with three men sitting side by side in front of them. One man knelt on the floor at their feet, servicing each of them in turn. If he had to guess, based on the slight discomfort on the faces of all three men, they were straight as an arrow. That didn't mean they weren't enjoying the fuck out of being blown by a dude. Not that they would admit as much, but in the same sense, not one of them seemed to be pulling away.

A blaze of lust splintered in Travis' bloodstream as he blatantly watched the display. A sudden vision took root in his brain, and he was no longer seeing the group but rather Gage on his knees, his lips wrapped tightly around Travis' throbbing cock while Kylie stood behind him, her hands wrapped around him as she watched.

His cock twitched, and he forced himself back to the present. It wasn't the first time he'd had random thoughts that involved the two of them. At least not since he saw them at Kaleb's.

Realizing he needed to get his head back on his shoulders and not off in dream land, Travis turned his attention to McKenna who was standing just a foot away. In the last few minutes, Tag got a little bolder with his movements and his brawny hands were now cupping McKenna's beautiful breasts, her silk blouse riding up high on her chest, the black lace of her demi bra peeking between Tag's splayed fingers.

Nine Inch Nails morphed into Kings of Leon as Sex on Fire queued up. Well, at least someone was on their game. If nothing else, the music was going to inspire some of the folks tonight. Travis wondered whether that's what spurred Tag to get a little reckless with his hands. Again, Travis wasn't complaining because the passion on McKenna's face was a fucking turn on.

Moving in closer, Travis kept his eyes focused on Tag's hands and the rise and fall of McKenna's chest as she squirmed and moaned beneath his touch.

"You looking for an audience or participation?"

When McKenna's exotic eyes met his, Travis didn't need to hear her answer. But he wanted to.

Her breaths were coming hard and fast, and Tag's cardiovascular system seemed to be getting a workout as well, although the tough, powerful man was playing it off as his hands firmly kneaded McKenna's soft, plump tits.

"Answer me, McKenna," Travis demanded, wanting to ensure she realized he wasn't here to play games.

Either this was on or it was off. At this point, it didn't make a damned bit of difference to him because the room was full of possibilities. Not that he was particularly interested, but Travis knew he could easily find the satisfaction he was looking for. In another five minutes, he'd be committed, and he didn't want any lingering doubts in McKenna's mind.

"Both?" The single word came off as a question and Travis purposely took one step back.

"Either you're sure or you're not. I need to know. Do you want me to watch? Or do you want me to touch you?"

McKenna's eyes slid closed as Tag growled low in her ear, his approval evident. The lawyer might be all tough when he had to be, but he was quickly caving to the possibility of where this was going to go.

"Touch me," she moaned, opening her eyes and meeting his stare once more.

Moving closer, Travis eliminated what little space had been between them as he met Tag's gaze just over McKenna's shoulder. He wasn't sure what the parameters of this little sexcapade were, and he needed the limits defined before he touched her.