FullDisclosure

  “You both are just being stubborn.” Evan’s exasperation was plain.

  “What about you? You’re not exactly dressed for success either.” Clad in a Gold’s Gym T-shirt and gray sweatpants, both of which Mrs. Ballantyne had been kind enough to give him after the fiasco that had resulted in his clothes finding their way to a nearby dumpster, Evan had certainly seen more “put together” days.

  In fact, the three of them together made quite the rag-tag bunch of scalawags. Sadie giggled at the thought.

  “See?” said Jake through a grin. “If she’s laughing, she’s fine.”

  “I don’t know about that. She might still be in shock. You know…delusional.”

  “I’m not delusional.” Sadie reached for Jake’s hand, drew him close and planted solid kisses on both their cheeks. “I’m just so grateful to be alive, and to have the two of you. I’m just happy, is all.” She watched the approach of the plainclothes police officer who seemed to be in charge of the chaos that had sprung up around them. “And determined.”

  “Mr. Valerian,” he said as he reached them. “Are you absolutely sure about this? I’m still not sure I’m comfortable with the arrangement. We’re going in there to make an arrest. Mr. Ballantyne might be desperate—and dangerous. It’s not usual to have civilians present for such an operation.”

  Evan glanced at Sadie. She nodded, chin set. She was most definitely sure.

  “Mr. Ballantyne has no idea that we’re coming, or that he’s been exposed,” Evan reasoned.

  Rufus had sung like a canary. From the moment the police had arrived, he’d been decrying his own responsibility and declaring Cyril Ballantyne was the true villain and mastermind behind the whole thing. He was a monster. He’d paid to have his father killed and framed Sadie for it. Rufus was just a pawn. It wasn’t his fault!

  He was still screaming, tears of terror streaming down his cheeks as they pushed him into the backseat of a squad car.

  “I spoke to the captain,” Evan was saying, “and he approved it. He agreed that Sadie has a right to see the man who is responsible for her abduction face justice.” An official call to the hotel had confirmed that Cyril Ballantyne was, indeed, in residence that afternoon. The concierge had seen him arrive about four hours earlier.

  “She can see that in a courtroom,” argued the officer.

  “She’s spent enough time in courtrooms. With all due respect, Sergeant, I think this conversation is over. Shall we go?”

  The sergeant’s stare was icy, but he was obviously cowed by Evan’s credentials and level of influence. “You’ll have to follow in your own vehicle. I cannot authorize your transportation in a squad car.” With that he whirled on his heels and left.

  Evan led his two gimpy friends toward Jake’s car. “I’m driving,” he said with a glance at Jake. “Any arguments?”

  Jake shook his head, but his grin would not be tamed.

  “I’m so glad you’re on my side,” said Sadie as she settled into the passenger seat. “And you’re so sexy when you’re angry.”

  That seemed to catch Evan off guard. “Really?”

  “Oh yeah,” agreed Jake from the back seat where he’d stretched out his injured leg. “Big-time. I almost jumped you on the spot.”

  Evan pulled out into the street, following the sergeant’s vehicle closely. “You won’t be jumping anybody for a while.”

  “Well, then maybe you can jump me later.”

  Sadie piped up. “There won’t be any jumping without me.”

  The nervous banter continued as they drove. They arrived at the hotel fifteen minutes later.

  It took almost fifteen minutes for the police to get organized, but finally they found themselves on the top floor, standing outside the elite penthouse that was Cyril’s “secret” retreat. They had enlisted the help of cleaning staff, asking a young woman to knock for them, announcing herself as housekeeping in order to persuade Cyril to open the door peacefully.

  Considering the Do Not Disturb sign hung prominently on the door handle, and considering Cyril’s reputation in the hotel, she was most hesitant. But the badges finally convinced her.

  Sadie and her bodyguards stood back, waiting down the hall a good twenty feet as the scenario played out.

  Several knocks and calls yielded no response at all. Obviously relieved, the maid was excused and the police took over. The sergeant knocked loudly and called, clearly announcing his presence and intentions. But again, after several efforts, there was no response.

  This now warranted a call to the manager who had to come, view the warrant, and finally provide a key.

  Sadie was beginning to worry that Cyril had disappeared, perhaps fled the country. But how he had gotten wind of the police involvement was beyond her. Rufus had been unable to contact him, and none of the messages he’d left on Cyril’s service had indicated anything other than a wish to find him and bring Sadie to him as requested.

  At last the manager opened the door and the police burst into the room. Sadie’s grip on Jake’s and Evan’s hands turned fierce, her heart rate skyrocketing as she waited to hear Cyril’s cry of outrage. But instead all she heard was a fierce cry of “Shit!”

  Sadie wanted to run forward and see what was wrong, but Jake held her back. “No. Wait. They’ll come get you when they’re ready.”

  It was an agonizing five minutes, but finally the sergeant exited the room, mopping his brow with a tissue as he walked toward them. “He’s dead.”

  Sadie felt as if she’d been socked in the gut. “What?”

  “You heard me. There will be no final confrontation. I’m afraid your chance to face the man who ruined your life has evaporated. You may as well leave.”

  “But…but how?”

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s irrelevant. You may as well leave. We’ll be here for hours gathering evidence and—”

  “No!” In a flash Sadie ripped herself from Jake’s and Evan’s grip, darted around the sergeant and was inside the hotel room before anyone found the presence of mind to stop her.

  She pulled up short at the sight that greeted her. Shock and disgust warred within her, but she couldn’t turn her gaze away. She felt Evan and Jake move in beside her, and was vaguely aware of Evan taking up her cause with the officer yet again. “Just give her a minute. For God’s sake. One minute and then we’ll be out of here and you’ll never have to lay eyes on us again.”

  “Autoerotic asphyxiation,” mumbled Jake beside her. “Jesus. He fuckin’ killed himself with sex.”

  And so it seemed. He was strung up from a hook that appeared to have been permanently affixed to the ceiling. A smooth nylon rope was looped tightly around his neck and an array of towels laid out beneath him. He was nude, a patch of urine and feces beneath him, yet Sadie barely noticed the stench.

  The bed nearby was in disarray, two glasses and an empty wine bottle set out on the night table. A mirror, straws and small bag of white powder sat beside it. Dildos, rope, handcuffs and other sex toys littered the floor. An inadvertent glance at Cyril’s penis made it apparent that Cyril had been very busy that day. It was raw.

  At last Sadie turned away. “Okay. I’ve seen enough.” She wrapped her arms around Evan’s and Jake’s waists. “Take me home.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  One Week Later

  Sadie rolled over and snuggled up against a warm body. Evan drew her in close, wrapping his arm around her waist and drawing her back against his chest. His breath was warm on her neck, and judging from the deep, steady rhythm of his breathing she guessed that he was still sound asleep. The act of drawing her into himself had already become so automatic that he even did it in his sleep.

  In the beginning, during the first few days after finding Cyril’s body, both men had been extremely protective. Barely leaving her side, constantly touching, kissing or hugging her, as if to reassure themselves that she was there, safe and close should anything or anyone try to come between them.

  At first she’d relishe
d it, wallowed in it. Considering her ordeal, she’d welcomed the feeling of security and protection that it had given her. But it had soon begun to suffocate her. She’d actually had to sit the men down and inform them that she was not going to break. No one was going to swoop in and steal her away from them. While she certainly appreciated their attention, she also needed her space. And they needed to get the hell back to work.

  Reluctantly and with relative good humor, they had agreed. Once the focus was off herself, however, Sadie had realized that perhaps, there was another, less obvious reason for their attentions. Or at the very least, for Evan’s.

  He’d needed something to focus on, someone else to concern himself with—something to take his mind off the fact that he’d lost his one and only daughter. The only offspring he was ever likely to have. She’d flown back to British Columbia to be with her mother. Noah had stopped by and told them about his visit with her at the airport. And it had just about killed Evan.

  Although he’d made the right decision and knew he’d truly had no choice, it seemed to be little consolation in the face of what he’d lost. So Sadie had turned from patient to nurse in a heartbeat. And although her heart wept for Evan on a daily basis, she couldn’t deny that she enjoyed the change of roles.

  It was good to be the one who had something to give for a change, rather than the one who always seemed to need something.

  She could smell the coffee that Jake was brewing in the other room and knew it was almost time to get up. They had an appointment down at Karey’s office later that morning and she didn’t want to be late.

  The investigation into her kidnapping, Rufus’ crimes and Cyril’s death was still ongoing, but it was apparent that most of the questions had been answered and that little new information was likely to come to light.

  The police had located Cyril’s assistant, Taylor Brandt, and confirmed that the second wineglass, as well as fingerprints on much of the furniture and toys in the room, had belonged to her. She had told a tale of sexual perversions and coercion that had chilled Sadie to the bone.

  Taylor confessed to intending to use the good favor earned through sex for her own career advancement, but that she had decided it had gone far enough when Cyril hauled out a whip and had proceeded to beat her that fateful Sunday afternoon. He’d been in a rage, apparently high on cocaine and worry over what Sadie was up to, and had decided to take it out on Taylor. The welts and cuts on her back had lent credence to her story. As well as the testimony of a dozen of Cyril’s former secretaries and assistants. Even his wife had told of his disturbing tendencies toward extreme sexual experimentation and sadism.

  The hotel staff had confirmed seeing Taylor leave almost two hours before Cyril’s estimated time of death.

  It all made sense. Frustrated with the refusal of his current plaything, Cyril had taken matters into his own hands. His judgment impaired by too much wine and cocaine, he’d lost control—and ultimately his life.

  It was unfortunately an all too common tale. And an end that Sadie had to admit seemed fitting. Today she was going to sign a few final papers and pick up a rather substantial check. Her rightful settlement from the life insurance policy that Cyril had been trying so hard to cheat her out of, along with a supplement offered to her very graciously by Cyril’s widow.

  Ellen was mortified by the injustices her husband had wreaked on Sadie, and it was her small attempt to make amends.

  Sadie had refused at first, but it had seemed so important to Ellen that she had relented.

  That money would pay for her schooling and leave a nice chunk left over for her to invest in Jake’s wine business. They were going to be partners and they were going to expand their market into Europe. She was going to have a career. She was going to have a business and she was going to travel. She couldn’t be more excited.

  But truly, what made it all so satisfying and exciting was the fact that she was sharing it all with two men whom she loved and adored to distraction, and who loved and adored her right back.

  They loved her so much in fact, that that weekend Evan was hosting a little party here at the condo. It was to be the equivalent of his “coming out” party, and as such he intended to introduce her and Jake to all the people in his life that he considered friends. It was to be a sort of…culling. If people disapproved and chose to judge him, then they could “kiss my ass,” as he put it. He would shed no tears for the parting of those who couldn’t accept the real Evan Valerian.

  Sadie truly hoped that his friends would be supportive, and eventually become her friends as well.

  Everybody needed more friends.

  She rolled over and planted a soft, languorous kiss on Evan’s lips. Finally roused from his sleep, he responded in kind. His arm circled her waist more tightly, drawing her breasts to his chest and nestling his morning erection against her mound. She wrapped a leg around his thigh, pulling his hips to hers and opening herself to him.

  When he entered her, she sighed with satisfaction. How was it that she had been denied this kind of joy for so long? But maybe that was why the joy was now twofold. The intimacy with Jake was no less special, no less intense. And there was no jealousy between them. It didn’t seem to matter whether all three bodies were engaged in the physical intimacy or, if there were only two, which two it happened to be. No matter who they were with or where they were, the trust and emotional intimacy was complete.

  She’d never known anything like this before. She never knew it was possible.

  Evan’s kiss deepened along with his thrusts. As the pleasure intensified Sadie arched her back, breaking the kiss and exposing her throat. He bit her neck, just hard enough to let her know he meant business but not hard enough to cause pain. Her nails dug into his back in reciprocal pleasure.

  She heard the door to the bedroom ease open and then snick shut once again. Jake had come in but there was no need to stop. He would either join them or watch and allow them to finish, as he saw fit. Either way, knowing he was there merely added to the pleasure.

  She was pleased when he slid into bed, spooning his body against hers and neatly forming the “Sadie Sandwich,” as they had so aptly named the position. His chest was firm against her back, strong and reassuring like his presence in her life. His arms encircled her, one hand across her waist in a sign of possessiveness that she relished, the other sweetly cupped her breast in a show of tenderness. His rigid cock nudging her ass was a signal that could not be confused with any other.

  Evan, his cock momentarily stilled within her pussy, glanced quickly at Jake before asking a question that had already become familiar. She nodded, allowed her head to loll back against Jake’s shoulder as she opened her thighs still farther to permit Jake’s lubricated cock to ease into her alongside Evan’s.

  The process was slow and strangely succulent, momentary discomfort giving way to an intense sense of fullness and intimacy that didn’t come with any other form of lovemaking. For the three of them this was the ultimate in sharing, the ultimate way to express their love.

  Once they were both embedded to the hilt, it was up to her. It was her hips and muscles that controlled the thrusts, dictated the movements. She moved very slowly. With this intensity of tension and excitement there was no need for haste. The momentum built gradually yet steadily—sweetly. And when the climax finally came for all of them it was more like a blooming rose than exploding fireworks. The result more delicate yet just as breathtaking.

  They lay together, their bodies and emotions intimately and inextricably entwined as they allowed their heart rates to calm and their breath to mingle.

  When the men had, at last, naturally withdrawn from her, Jake spoke for the first time since he’d come in. “We really should get up.”

  “Oh?” Sadie allowed herself a luxurious stretch. “What’s the rush?”

  “Well, we’re expecting company in a couple of minutes.”

  As if on cue, the doorbell rang. That startled both her and Evan. “Huh?”

/>   Evan blinked in surprise. “We are? We weren’t expecting anyone.” He looked to Sadie. “Were we?”

  She loved how they had fallen into this living arrangement so naturally. “I” had transformed into “we” and no one had even noticed. She shook her head. “Not that I know of.”

  Evan asked, “Who is it?”

  “Quick, get something on and come out to see.” Jake had already rolled out of bed, grabbed his robe and headed out the door. “I’m cooking breakfast for everyone.”

  “Everyone?” asked Evan as he slipped out of bed and headed to the en suite bath to wash off the evidence of their lovemaking. Apparently there wasn’t time for a shower. “How many guests are we talking about, anyway?”

  “Everyone could be just the three of us plus one guest, you know.”

  “I don’t know. There was something about his tone.”

  Sadie looked at him as if he was crazy, and then confirmed it. “You’re nuts.”

  “I just don’t like unexpected guests, that’s all. I never have.” He slipped on his robe and handed Sadie hers. Damn, she was sexy. She was still a bit too thin, and he could still make out the marks and bruises that were evidence of her ordeal, but she was definitely on the mend. She was happy and healthy, and he’d had something to do with that. He took pride in that fact.

  Sadie accepted his complaint in silence, following him and the scent of coffee out into the main living area. There were two figures seated at the island, their backs to Evan as they sipped from enormous mugs of Jake’s famous brew.

  At his approach they turned around—and froze Evan in his tracks.

  He blinked, not believing what he was seeing. “Rachel? Wh-what are you doing here?”

  “Hi, Daddy.” Rachel’s voice was barely a whisper, and tears brimmed in her eyes. “I figured out it was time to come home.”