The Reluctant Submissive: Courage to Change [The Men of Treasure Cove 14] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Rebecca Joyce

  “Violet,” Tristan whispered gently. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m sorry,” she replied softly.

  “What for, little flower?” Sasha asked. “You did nothing wrong.”

  “I caused a scene. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  “No, I should be the one apologizing to you, Violet. This was all my fault. I shouldn’t have assumed you’d want to go to the benefit. I was wrong. I should have asked you first. Can you forgive me?” Tristan said apologetically.

  Violet looked up at him, not understanding why he was sorry. He did nothing wrong. He was the one who was kind to her. “I told you I wasn’t any good. I shouldn’t be here. I am causing you more trouble.”

  “You’re no trouble, Violet. You are perfect, just the way you are, and you are good. You are all that is beautiful and gracious in this world. Never let anyone tell you differently. I want you to stay and so does Sasha. We want to help you if you let us. I know all of this is scary and you’re in a new place, but we can help.”

  “I can’t be what you want. I know you both want me, but I don’t know why. I’m damaged. I’ll never be able to be the woman you need. Why are you doing this? Why me? I’m nothing.”

  “You’re everything, little flower.” Sasha smiled up at her. “The moment I saw you, I knew you were special. I wish you could see yourself through my eyes, because when I look at you, I see love, kindness, and joy. You are all those things and so much more. I want to help you believe in those things again. I want to be there with you when you experience them for the first time. You deserve so much more than what you already have, and I want to give them to you.”

  “There is a gentleness about you, Violet.” Tristan added. “A softness that calls others to you. I know my words earlier on the plane were harsh, but I didn’t see the real you then. I saw a scared women with no options. I shouldn’t have judged you. You are all those things that Sasha said and so much more. I saw your face when you looked upon Radio City Music Hall for the first time. I want to put that joy back on your face, forever. The compassion you showed me when I told you about the flowers was genuine and real. It’s been such a long time since I’ve felt that from anyone. At that moment when you hugged me, you gave me hope. Hope that I didn’t think existed anymore. I know we’ve said it before that we want to help you, but don’t you see, Violet, it’s you that is helping us. Just like you, we, too, have been lost for a long time. You have already given me back hope. You did that. Only you,”

  Violet didn’t know what to say. She wanted to believe them. She wanted to trust in their words. Could she help them? She wasn’t sure. They were perfect in her mind. She was the one that was broken. She knew they would help her more than she could ever help them. But looking at them, as they knelt before her, she wanted to help them. Only she didn’t know how. She could barely keep herself together. She wasn’t strong like Sasha said. She was scared and unsure. Part of her wanted to flee this place and go home. The other part wanted to stay and trust them. She was torn. She didn’t know anything anymore. All she could hear was Kelly telling her to give trust a chance. To trust in someone. To never give up. She’d heard those words for the last five years and never trusted herself to believe in them.

  So far, they had kept their word. They hadn’t made her do anything she didn’t want. So far, they’d only shown her kindness. If she was going to do this, she needed to start believing in herself and in them. She thought she’d made that decision already, but looking at them now, she knew this was the real thing.

  This was her leap of faith.

  All she needed was the courage to jump.

  Chapter Eleven

  “How in the hell do you not have any Miles Davis?” Sasha seethed two hours later, as he went through Tristan’s old records. He wanted to play something nice, something to help soothe Violet’s nerves. “And why do you still have all these old things? You have heard of CDs, right?”

  “They sound fake. Seriously, Sasha, if you’re going to appreciate good music you have to listen to it on a real LP. There is nothing better. The sounds of the record going around and around, the little needle picking up the sound, and the music.” Tristan sighed. “There’s nothing like it.”

  Sasha could think of a million things better, but he decided to keep his mouth shut. Fighting with Tristan about the merits of the technological age was a losing battle. They never saw eye to eye and never would. Tristan lived in a time that was long forgotten. A time when men were gentlemen and women were treasured. Oh, that still happened in today’s society, but rarely. Today’s women were independent and capable of taking care of themselves. They didn’t need a man and most didn’t want one.

  Plucking an album from the collection, Sasha removed the old record and laid it gently on the turntable. Pressing a button, he watched as the needle arm moved and gently laid itself down on the spinning record. Instantly a scratchy, crackling sound filtered over the surround sound as the first strings of Frank Sinatra’s “It Had To Be You” started playing.

  “Good choice.” Tristan smiled as he poured himself a brandy. Sasha had just turned to say something when she appeared and his heart literally stopped beating.

  She was stunning.

  “Want a drink, Sasha?” he heard Tristan ask, but Sasha couldn’t say anything. She captivated him. Reminiscent of a time long ago, she reminded him of a youthful and stunning Lauren Bacall as she stood there in her silver satin evening gown. Her dress hugged her body like a glove as it pooled on the floor. Her raven black hair looked smooth as silk as it hung loose in voluminous waves, pinned on one side with a silver barrette. Her arms, encased in white gloves all the way up past her elbows, were adorned with diamond bows at her wrist, but it was her face, her porcelain, angelic face, that made him want to weep. She barely wore any makeup, save for a little eyeliner and her voluptuous scarlet red lips. They were so red, they glimmered.

  “I asked you a…” Tristan said, and then the sound of shattering glass filled the room. Sasha couldn’t agree more. She was breathtaking.

  Violet blushed and Sasha smiled. He couldn’t remove the goofy grin off his face even if he wanted to. She was a true flower and she was blossoming right before his eyes. Moving slowly, he walked over to her. Bowing before her, he held his hand out and asked, “Will you give me the honor of this dance?”

  Violet blushed even more as she silently slipped her gloved hand into his. Before Sasha knew what was happening, he had her in his arms as he slowly moved her around the large room. The music played softly around them, as she never took her eyes off his. She was a wonderful dancer, graceful and gentle. Her tiny hand felt so fragile in his, and he turned her. She smiled up at him, and he felt as if he could soar above the clouds.

  She was mesmerizing him.

  A soft tap on his shoulder halted him as he turned to see Tristan. “May I cut in?”

  Nodding, Sasha stepped aside as Tristan took his place. Never in his life had he seen anything more beautiful. Just looking at the happiness that shown on her face gave Sasha hope. His past no longer mattered. His future was before him and it looked to be glorious. There were things in his past he wasn’t proud of, but watching as Tristan twirled Violet around the room, just being around her made him want to be a better man.

  With that in mind, Sasha decided to let go of his anger toward Gabriel and Alexander. Nothing good would ever come of it. He knew that now. If he did to Gabriel and Alexander what they did to his sister, Sasha would never be able to forgive himself. It amazed him that just twenty-four hours ago, he was so set on destroying the men’s lives. He blamed them for the destruction of his sister. Yet, there their sister stood, smiling and laughing in Tristan’s arms, and the thought of hurting her sent a knife straight to his heart. In reality, it wasn’t Gabriel and Alexander who hurt his sister. Sasha knew that. Though at the time, he couldn’t forgive them for leading her down that path. It wasn’t their fault. Lisset made her choice and she paid the ultimate price. Sasha refused
to let Violet do the same. His little flower had been hurt enough. Hurting Gabriel and Alexander would, in essence, be the nail in her coffin.

  No, the past was done and over with. His future was before him and it was magnificent.

  It was with his beloved Violet.

  As the song ended, Tristan, twirled her one last time, then dipped her low. Her laughter filled the room. Looking at his watch, it damn near killed him to break the moment, but if they were going to get to the benefit, they needed to get going. Though he really didn’t want to go, he had to. “We better get going if we’re going to go,” Sasha said, grabbing Violet’s wrap. When she smiled up at him, he walked over to her and wrapped her pashmina around her. Holding out his arm, he waited for her to take his arm. Seconds ticked by and Sasha held his breath. But he worried for nothing, as Violet smiled up at him, placing her hand in the crook of his arm.

  Tonight was for new beginnings, and he couldn’t wait to see what fate had in store for him.

  * * * *

  Gabriel sat at his desk, nursing another shot of whiskey. He waited for any news from Alex. There had been no word regarding Violet in hours. Gabriel knew the longer she was away, the harder it was going to be to find her. To say he was worried about Violet was an understatement. He didn’t know where she was or if she was in trouble, and that thought rocked him to his core.

  Alexander had taken off to Seattle in the hopes that she returned to her old home, but Gabriel knew she wasn’t there. She may have wanted to go back there, but she wouldn’t do it. At least he didn’t think she would. The city of Seattle held too many nightmares for her. Some she was still dealing with. As much as Gabriel appreciated Alex’s commitment, Gabriel knew his brother was wasting his time.

  He still couldn’t believe that Violet Peters was his baby sister. The youngest of the Sexton children. The last of his father’s line. Gabriel never put too much stock in the Sexton line. Yet over the years, he learned one valuable lesson. That family was everything. He should have known that Violet was family. Hell, she was the spitting image of his grandmother. He wanted to kick himself for ignoring the physical signs.

  There were so many things he should have done differently, looking back. Over the years, he did what he thought was best, not for her but for him. He was such a selfish bastard where Violet was concerned. And now his little sister could be hurt and alone. She was out in the world that didn’t give a damn about her or her past. He should have said no to her leaving. He would have if he’d known about her. Then he would have had to explain, and he wasn’t sure Violet would understand.

  Hell, he was still coming to grips with it himself. He’d known for quite some time that he had another sister out there. He made no arguments about that. Ever since Alexander found out that there was another besides Hazel, his brother had spent the last two years trying to find out who the missing Sexton was. When Alex found out it was another girl, he spent most of his free time investigating every lead. Gabriel knew that eventually Alex would find her, but Gabriel couldn’t imagine they would have had her in their possession all along.

  Violet was different and Gabriel knew that. She was timid, shy, and a true submissive. Her submissiveness was what caused her horrible past, that and the bastard who sold her to the man who would break her. Though his sister was missing, Gabriel took stock in the fact that Masters was behind bars and would likely die there. He made sure of that every year, when the son of a bitch came up for parole. Gabriel was there to make sure he stayed behind bars.

  Sighing, he took another drink of his whiskey when his office door opened. Gabriel looked up into his sister’s eyes and crumbled before her. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. He knew she would come. She was a true Sexton, smart, beautiful, and cunning like the rest of them. He said nothing as she quietly closed the door, walked over to him, and wrapped him in her embrace. He didn’t know what to say to her. He remembered the first day he saw her and she still took his breath away. She was scared and running, and he helped her. So when her arms tightened around his neck, he held on to her for dear life and whispered, “I’m sorry, Hazel.”

  “We’ll find her, Gabriel. She couldn’t have gone far.” Hazel cried with him, hugging him tighter. Gabriel felt as if he let her down. He’d promised her long ago that he would find their baby sister and protect her. And what did he do, he let her slip right through his fingers.

  “I should have stopped her. I knew she wasn’t ready to leave. I could have said no, but I didn’t. Why did I let her go?”

  “Because you thought it was what she wanted. You’ve always done that, Gabriel. You’re a good man, a good husband, father, and you’re a damn a good brother any girl could ever ask for. If any of us ever want for anything, you move heaven and earth to give it to us. There is nothing wrong with trying to make us happy. That’s why we love you. That’s why I love you. We’ll find Violet, and when we do, we’ll bring her home. We’ll make sure she is happy and safe. She’s a smart cookie, I know she is. She didn’t survive that horrible life for nothing. Trust that she can take care of herself. I do.”

  “She’s just too fragile, Hazel. I shouldn’t have let her go. I almost said no, but when I looked into her eyes, for some reason I couldn’t say the words. She looks so much like grandmother, and I never put it all together. If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself.”

  Hazel held on to her brother, consoling him as he poured out his soul to her. She’d never seen him like this, and she was humbled that he allowed her to see this side of him. There were so many great things she could say about Gabriel. He had a wonderful heart, a sweet, giving nature, a fierce protectiveness of family, but it was the love he felt within that made him the man he was today. Her brother was a true man among men.

  From the first moment he barged into a dingy hotel room in South Florida, she knew that nothing, not no one, would ever stop him from getting to her. Since that fateful day, he had been there, helping her, supporting her, reassuring her that she would always be safe, that he would never allow anyone to hurt her again. And she believed him.

  Even when she and her men were holed up on top of the mountains, with her ex-husband trying to kill her, Gabriel braved the weather and his life to get to her. For that alone, she would always love Gabriel. He was more than her brother, he was her best friend.

  She remembered meeting Violet for the first time. Her sister was a shy little thing who refused to look anyone in the eye. The only people she would allow near her were Gabriel and Matthias. But over time, and with the help of Kelly and a few others, they were able to bring Violet out of her shell. Though Gabriel never really told her the complete truth of what happened to Violet, Hazel knew it must have been something really bad, and deep down, Hazel knew she didn’t want to know. But now things were different. Alex could have blown her over when he called her early and told her that Violet was their missing sister. All this time, their baby sister had been living right under their noses, and none of them figured it out. However, when Alex told her that Violet was missing, well, she couldn’t stay at home any longer. Alex had told her what happened, and Hazel knew that Gabriel would be blaming himself. She dropped everything and rushed to him.

  It broke her heart to see him like this, knowing the only thing that would make him better was having Violet home, safe and sound. Until that happened, Hazel wasn’t leaving her brother's sight. She wanted to be there when he got the call, and if need be, go with him to pick her up. Until that moment happened, she was content holding Gabriel in her arms while he cried as he held her so many years ago.

  A ringing phone broke them apart.

  * * * *

  The Merrick Foundation Benefit was being held at the Trump Towers in downtown New York City. The crème de la crème of society had been invited and the foundation had spared no expense. It was an evening of reflection and giving. Tristan had already escorted Violet into the main ballroom and promised to keep her close to him at all times. Sasha wasn’t worried about Vi
olet, he was worried about all the other people making her feel uncomfortable. He still wasn’t sure that this was the right thing for her, but neither him nor Tristan wanted to leave her alone. Though Violet assured them both that she was okay, Sasha knew tonight was going to be a huge test for her. She had informed them after they left that large crowds still frightened her, but she was willing to give it a try. They had agreed before entering the ballroom that at any time Violet felt scared, their night would immediately end. Tristan promised her he would whisk her out of the benefit before she could blink.

  While Tristan introduced Violet to people he knew, Sasha took out his cell phone and made a call. It wasn’t one he was relishing, but if he wanted to help Violet, he needed to know everything he could about her, and with his limited knowledge, he decided to call the source. It wasn’t going to be an easy conversation, but for Violet, he was willing to do anything, even let his hatred go. Violet was still a fragile flower and he refused to see her crushed by something he could control. The second the line picked up, Sasha took a deep breath, ready for anything her brother might throw at him.

  “Sexton.”

  “Gabriel, it’s Sasha Merrick.”

  “Have you found her?” Gabriel asked anxiously and worried. It was an emotion Sasha had never heard from Gabriel before. Taking a deep breath, Sasha took a leap of faith and told Gabriel everything. From the first moment he saw Violet to her stowing away on Tristan’s plane. He knew if there was ever going to be a future with her, he needed Gabriel and Alexander’s acceptance. Without it, it was going to be a battle he’d never win.