by Lacuna Reid
“Yes…”
Gino has a mischievous grin on his face. “I’d thought you’d never ask,” he says, nuzzling against my breast. The thought of having more than one of my hot-as-hell Mediterranean soulmates pleasuring me at once sends more waves of burning desire shooting through to my pussy.
Gino chuckles. “I love a girl who knows what she wants.”
“But seriously,” I say, hitting him with a throw pillow. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I fear I’m already doing that by getting intimate with all of you.”
Gino’s expression becomes more serious, “I understand your concern, Mira, but remember the rules are different here at El Cielo.”
“But… Theo…”
“Theo needs to learn how to overcome his need for control. That is his lesson,” Gino insists. “And don’t think we haven’t discussed all this before. He knows… We all know. We are meant to be together… with you, Mira. You are our soulmate.
Chapter Thirty-One
Mira
I’m walking through the buildings of El Cielo but everything is grey… the whole ground floor is deserted and… rough somehow. I walk down the hall through to the big dining room. There are renovations in progress. I see some workers and approach them.
“What’s going on?” I ask
“They don’t seem to see me or hear me… they don’t notice I’m here.” A girl’s voice says.
“What’s happened?” I ask.
Nothing… no reply…
I walk outside and through the grounds. There are fewer trees than I’m used to seeing, and some look as though they’ve just been planted.
A girl appears in front of me. She looks at me. She’s young, wearing a light blue dress… she’s crying.
“Tiala?” I call out.
She nods.
“Tiala… what happened to you? Tell me… Show me…”
“I can’t…” she says. “He won’t let me.”
“Who?” I ask… “Theo? Was it Theo who hurt you?”
“No.” Tiala looks surprised. “Theo… not Theo. I loved him, but he never touched me. He was far too moral…” There’s bitterness in her voice, and pain… so much pain.
“Tiala, let us help you,” I say. “What happened to you?”
“I can’t…” Tiala says… There’s terror in her voice and in her eyes. “HE’S COMING! RUN!”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Mira
I wake with a start from my nightmare.
It was just a dream…
But somehow, I know that it wasn’t. It was more like a visitation. Tiala was trying to communicate with me…
It wasn’t Theo who hurt her. I’m absolutely sure now… but someone did, and she’s still scared even though the threat must surely be long-gone now… or could whoever killed her be back?
It’s possible all that fear is just the same “emotional imprint” – as Gino put it – caused by energy from the trauma that caused her death, trapped in some kind of loop for years.
I shake myself out of my thoughts and go about my day. It’s an ordinary day until the afternoon when there’s a knock at my door and someone slides mail underneath. I go to retrieve it. On top is a postcard from Lana showing picturesque views of stunning waterfalls. Below that is a familiar envelope that looks to be a student loan update. I turn the postcard over to read and something falls out. It’s a note on a single piece of paper.
“Leave this place and no one gets hurt. Keep digging up the past and you’ll be the next to be buried.”
A chill of terror runs through me. It’s not Cliff’s writing… but it reminds me of his previous ways of communicating. Could he somehow be involved? He’s known about El Cielo from the beginning even though the guys say he never visits…
I have the feeling of being watched again, but I can’t tell if it’s Tiala or my imagination spurred by this threatening note. I don’t know what to do, so I text Elias because I know him best and his sweet nature means that I trust him most, and then I message Helio because being around him always makes me feel safe. I wait a couple of minutes and then I call Gino. There’s no answer, so I leave a frantic message as I pace my room.
Where are they? Are they busy somewhere? Are they away… am I alone in the building with whoever sent this threatening note?
My thoughts return to Cliff… Maybe it wasn’t just my imagination that he was here. Maybe he has been watching me or sending people to watch me. If it is him, could he possibly have had something to do with Tiala’s death or is he just messing with me?
After a few minutes I give in and call Theo – I’m sure that it can’t be him sending me notes like this. It’s not his style at all, and I know he doesn’t want me to leave, regardless of how weird and distant he can be at times… and I know in my heart that regardless of how guilty he feels about Tiala’s disappearance, he didn’t hurt her other than through rejecting her… the dream showed me as much. So, who did?
The phone rings and Theo answers almost immediately.
“What is it, Mira,” he says, his rich voice laced with concern. “What’s wrong?”
“How do you know something’s wrong?” I respond instinctually.
“You’ve never called me before.”
I let out a deep breath. “Theo, I received a note.”
“Another note from your Ex?”
“I don’t know. It’s kind of… threatening me… telling me to stop digging – I think it’s talking about Tiala – it says I’ll be next.”
Theo’s voice becomes more strained, “Are you okay? Where are you?’
“I’m just in my apartment.”
“Stay there and lock the door,” Theo says. “I will be less than a minute.”
The door is already locked, but I doublecheck it anyway. There’s a knock, but it’s been only ten seconds.
“Who is it?” I ask.
“Elias. I got your message.”
I let him in. His ocean blue eyes are full of worry and he’s wearing a blue shirt that matches them along with worn jeans. He looks delicious even with that haunted expression on his face. He steps towards me to hug me and he’s practically bowled out of the way by Helio, who’s hot and sweaty and shirtless because, obviously, he ran here.
“Where’s the note?” Helio asks.
I pass it to him, and just as Elias goes to close the door, Theo appears. He doesn’t look upset that he’s not the first one here or that I called the others; he just looks relieved to see me and that I’m safe. He comes to me and wraps his arms around me. I sigh and collapse into him. I’ve missed you….
“Put the note down,” Gino says from the doorway. We turn towards him, surprised. Helio and Elias are currently holding the small rectangle of paper in question. “There might be fingerprints,” Gino explains.
Elias puts the note on my kitchen counter. We all stand around it and read. Gino calls the police. He speaks to them over the phone in fluent Spanish. I don’t understand a thing he says. I just look between the note and these guys, feeling equally frightened and something else… grateful… that there are four gorgeous men here because they care about me and want to protect me.
I walk towards them and lean into both Helio and Elias. They both put their arms around me. Theo clearly notices, but he doesn’t respond. Progress… at least he hasn’t stormed off. I reach for him and he takes my hand. Gino finishes his call and I hold out my other hand for him. We stand there a moment in a slightly awkward, slightly unusual five-way hug. Despite the circumstances… despite the note and the fact that there’s someone clearly threatening to kill me… something feels right about this moment, with all the guys here, all touching me, all connected, all together… all of my soul mates.
I pull them all closer into the group-hug, trying to make the most of this opportunity. Something wells up inside me; it feels strangely like hope, joy… completion. We stand here for moments longer than an ordinary hug should last, and then the spell is broken – by Theo – of course. He
breaks away and then turns to Gino and asks if he will check the security footage to see who came and left the note. I want to tell him to stop, to wait… I’m not ready to let go of this feeling of connectedness.
I try to explain about my dreams, about the ghost… but it all just comes out in a garbled mess and I’m not sure anyone understands it, not even me.
Theo’s face darkens and he steps further away. Theo… who always has to be in charge, who has to be in control… I look at him in his crisp white shirt and I want him to take control of me… I want the blindfolds and the silk wrist ties, and more… something deep within me feels like it’s calling me towards this… as if it will unearth the emotional baggage I need to deal with and in order to heal… and of course, I don’t just want Theo with his silk ties, I want all of them – all these men, pleasuring me at once. Heat runs through me and the look in Helio’s eyes suggest he can read my mind. He winks at me and I blush.
I wish I could suspend time and keep them all here, but Gino leaves to check the security footage, and Theo goes to prepare to meet the police and insists that we follow him down to the lobby, which is not quite as sexy as being in a bedroom together, but I need to stop thinking about sex for a little while – I know – we’re in a crisis. Pull yourself together, Mira.
There’s just something about the guys all being in the same room that sends me into a pheromone-induced high. I can’t help thinking about it as I pull on a sweater and follow them downstairs. I knew I wanted them… all of them, but I didn’t realize how much I wanted them all at once. My mind flashes back to the night I heard the music box and all the guys came to my rescue… the night that I had both Gino and Elias in my bed… the morning when we almost, almost started something between the three of us. How can I get them both into bed again? I know it’s hardly the time, but I can’t seem to stop my brain from plotting… and next time, I’ll make sure there are no interruptions!
The lobby is empty. Elias heads over to the bar off to the side of the lobby and begins mixing drinks.
“Elias, it’s hardly the time for that,” Theo says. “The police will take us more seriously if we’re sober.”
Elias stops what he’s doing and looks at me.
“Actually, I could do with a drink,” I say.
“One drink isn’t going to make us drunk,” Helio says. “Carry on maestro.” He salutes Elias.
Theo looks as if he’s about to protest, but then he catches my eye and stops himself.
“I’m sorry, Mira. You’re right.”
I’m not used to hearing Theo’s voice sounding so soft and gentle and close to breaking. This situation must be taking quite an emotional toll on him. “Have a drink,” he says. “Just don’t have too many before the police arrive.”
Elias puts on some gentle Greek acoustic music in the background and brings us each a drink that looks like lemonade and smells like licorice. Theo puts his down on the counter without taking a sip.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Ouzo lemon spritzer,” Elias responds, his blue eyes twinkling at me. “If you don’t like it, I’ll make you something else.”
I take a sip. It’s unusual – lemon and anise. I’m not sure it’s my favorite combination, but it’s fragrant and refreshing and I’d basically drink anything alcoholic right now, even a Martini.
“Thanks,” I say. “It’s good.”
“That’s because it’s Greek,” Elias jokes and Helio scoffs at him.
“The Spanish have better cocktails,” Helio says. “But this isn’t bad.”
A car pulls up outside. It’s white with a yellow stripe along the side and a blue checked pattern. Even without the lights on top, it is obviously a police car even though they look so different in New York.
Two officers walk in, one man and one woman. They ask us a bunch of questions and then take the note and place it in an evidence bag.
“You think this is some kind of threat?” the male police officer asks us.
“Clearly,” Theo says. The female officer is looking at her colleague as though he’s an idiot; I get the impression she’s often got that expression on her face if this guy is her partner.
Just then Gino returns with the CCTV recordings and gives a copy of them to the police. They take our fingerprints to check against any that are on the note, leaving an inky stain on my hands. Then they pull us each aside into the small office room off to the side of the lobby, and question us individually.
Before the police leave, they ask for details of the other staff who would have been at the front desk.
“Victor is visiting family and Marina is off sick today,” Gino says.
I hadn’t even thought about the staff here. Sure, Victor has always been an arsehole, but I don’t think he would have enough interest in me to harass me, and besides, he’s away… and Marina… is she really sick? What would she possibly have to gain from something like this? Unless she’s jealous? I wonder if she could be a suspect. She’s been so nice to me recently. Is that just a ruse when she really wants the guys all to herself… would she stoop as low as to leave me a threatening note to spook me… scare me away from this place?
Stop being paranoid, Mira. The police are just doing their jobs. They want to talk to anyone to see if there’s been suspicious behavior, that’s all.
I shake myself.
“Thank you for reporting this,” the female officer says in her thick Spanish accent. “Too often people try to take things into their own hands.” She eyes Theo closely, as if sizing up whether he’s the kind of person to seek his own justice rather than get the law involved, clearly not… otherwise why would we have called the cops… or perhaps she knows Theo, maybe there’s some other secret past that I’m not aware of.
Stop being paranoid.
After the police leave, there is a moment when it’s just us, standing there in the lobby, with my imagination running wild... but there are much more serious things to attend to.
I finish my drink turn to Theo.
“I need to talk to you about Tiala…” I say. “All of you,” I look around the room. “We need to figure out what we know.”
For a moment Theo looks frozen, as if he’s not sure whether to run away or argue. “How do you know her name?” he looks around at the others.
“I’ve been trying to tell you, Theo. She’s been communicating with me.”
Theo looks stunned, and even with that expression he’s drop-dead gorgeous.
“How?” he asks, his voice a husky whisper.
“She’s been coming to me in my dreams,” I say.
Theo’s surprise turns to a look of defeat, he slumps his shoulders. “Let’s go to my study,” he says, “everyone.”
As we traipse the stairs to Theo’s study, I can’t help but notice Elias and Gino are right behind me. I reach out for both of them and, to my delight, they both take my hands at once, sending an exhilarating jolt of desire through me.
This could get interesting… I just need to get them both alone again.
We are still holding hands when we enter Theo’s study. Surely, he must notice, but he doesn’t say anything. The room is cozy and warm from the fire. There are embers still burning in the grate, that Theo tends, so that they ignite again, setting fresh firewood alight. There’s something so soothing, so relaxing about a fire, so long as it’s contained and not burning the house down or anything. I don’t like open flames… I died in a fire in the French life… I’ve never thought much about it before, but maybe that’s the reason I hardly ever light candles and why I’m cautious around fires…
I pull Gino and Elias down onto the big couch to sit either side of me, and they seem only too willing. Theo ignores this. He remains standing, while Helio sits down in the big green velvet armchair by the fire, stretching his arms behind his head and reclining back.
“Alright, Mira,” Theo says. “Tell us about your dreams.”
“I will,” I say, “as long as you tell me everything you know about
Tiala. We need to figure out what happened to her.”
“We’ve tried for years,” Theo says. “Why do you think we can solve this now?”
“We have to,” I say. “Because… I think she’s trying to tell us who killed her.”
“It was my fault,” Theo says, and there’s so much guilt in his expression that I want to go to him, to hold him, to use my body to soothe away his pain.
“No, Theo,” Helio says. “You didn’t hurt her.”
“I sent her away,” Theo says. “I yelled at her to get out.”
There’s a breeze in the room.
“I don’t think her death was an accident,” I say. “And I have a theory that whoever is behind her disappearance is the one who’s after me – who sent me that note.”
All eyes in the room turn to me.
“Someone here…” Theo says, pacing. “…someone at El Cielo fifteen years ago. And you think they’re still here?”
“Either that or they’ve come back to try to keep the past buried.”
“It could be one of the staff,” Gino says. “I had a quick check through the log on the front desk, and fast-forwarded through the security footage before I gave it to the police. They have interviewed the staff member who delivered the mail, but as far as I can tell, there’s nothing to lead them to be suspicious about her. No one new arrived today… but then again, this could have been organized some other way. The note could even have been slipped into the mail before it reached El Cielo, carefully attached to your other letters.”
“It could be your creepy ex,” Helio suggests, reclining on the rug by the fire and resting his hands behind his head. “…Since he keeps sending you packages.”
The thought of Cliff makes me shudder.
“Clifford Maxwell was here – right at the beginning,” Theo says. “I don’t understand how or why, but he contacted me soon after I bought the place and offered to invest as a silent partner. He visited a few times.”
“That’s so strange,” I say. “That was a long time before I even met him… It seems like too much of a co-incidence. Do you think he was here when Tiala and her family were staying?”