Angels & Sinners: The Motor City Edition

by Ashley Suzanne

  Her rescuers returned her to the heavily fortified mansion of her father’s friend, Salid bin Qasim. He’d guarded her personally until Pritchard and Victoria arrived. Marcy was beaten but it was the terror in her own mind that made her feel as if she was bleeding out.

  Her first memory upon waking was Victoria shrieking, “It’s the fucking Middle East, what do you expect, Pritchard?”

  “The leader was American, the driver and the passenger were Russian, and the woman may have been French,” she managed to whisper. “None of them were Middle Eastern.”

  Her mother turned on her. “How would you know? You don’t know anything! You traipse around as if you don’t have a care in the fucking world—given far too much freedom by your father. If you’d been taken, do you know what it would have taken, what we would have had to pay to get you back?”

  A deep voice boomed across the room and made her head hurt. “That is enough! You dare to speak to your daughter, in this way? She could have been killed. Can you not pretend to be a mother for one moment? Get out of this room at once.”

  “Don’t you talk to me like that . . . ”

  “Get out of here, Victoria,” her father said sharply.

  “Pritchard . . . ”

  “You have zero emotion. Leave the presence of those who do.” Marcy remembered it as the one time her father had stood up to Victoria in such a way that put fear on her mother’s face.

  Salid sat in the chair beside the bed and said, “You are a strong young woman. My grandsons said you are a fierce warrior.”

  She didn’t know she’d started to cry until he reached out with a piece of soft cloth to wipe her face.

  “You must rest. Let the world circle the sun and heal your mind and body. It will be better in a day, better still in a month, and in a decade, you will have forgotten much of what happened today.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Why are you sorry?”

  “For her.” She swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

  “There is no need to thank me. Sleep now, little one.”

  Marcy had and it seemed, looking back, that she’d slept away the majority of several months. When she woke up, she stepped back into her life and put the entire ordeal out of her mind.

  ***

  In the middle of a high-end club in New York City, Marcy allowed everything to click into place. “I never thanked you.”

  Nuri brushed a strand of her hair over her shoulder. “After you left, we spoke to dozens of witnesses who talked about your clear thinking and refusal to put anyone else in danger.”

  “You are something of an urban legend to our people, Marcy,” Fahad told her with a smile.

  She stared between them. “How long are you in New York?”

  “We have a house outside the city. A friend mentioned your name in regards to the club and we hoped to see you for the first time in a less severe environment.”

  “You live in the States?” The thought made her heart slam almost painfully in her chest.

  “We do.” Nuri winked. “You are in the middle of a corporate restructuring and you will be working seven days a week for months. When you take breaks, we wish to see you.”

  “Entirely at your convenience, Marcy. There is no pressure to change your schedule to fit us into it.” Fahad glanced at his watch. “It is almost two in the morning. Allow us to take you home. We can meet for lunch or drinks tomorrow if you have time.”

  They stood and held out their hands. She placed hers in them and they lifted her to her feet. The three of them stood very close. She didn’t understand the smiles they gave her.

  Escorting her back to the group, Marcy made introductions. The men stood, shook hands, and sat back down.

  All of them with exception to Hudson Winters. Taller and thicker than the cousins, he held their hands for slightly longer than propriety decreed.

  Fahad said, “It is an honor to meet a man we have known only by reputation.”

  Nuri added, “A reputation that is well-deserved and respected in our circles.”

  Marcy moved to step around him and Hudson put his arm across her shoulders. “Miss Canfield is a personal friend.” He allowed the words to hang between them and there was no misunderstanding the message. “Should you remove her from this club and anything was to happen to her, it would distress me.” His smile was tight. “In fact, I would go so far as to say it would enrage me.”

  The cousins nodded. “She will always be safe with us, Mr. Winters.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.” Glancing down at Marcy, he said, “You will call tomorrow.” It wasn’t a request and his will was something Marcy had always respected and understood. She nodded with a small smile. “Excellent. It was wonderful to see you. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  He released her and the Ghonims positioned her between them. She waved at the men and women she hoped to see again and allowed the cousins to lead her away. On the way to the exit, they paused to collect their suit jackets.

  It was a necessity that made her smile.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Natalia’s eyes were wide as she passed the podium in the lobby with the cousins on either side. Hurriedly saying goodbye, Marcy didn’t stop to explain.

  Hudson would fill her in.

  Just inside the front door, Fahad took a cell phone from his pocket and spoke in rapid Arabic. She took her own from her jacket and her security team picked up instantly.

  “Fahad and Nuri Ghonim are escorting me home.” Glancing at the men, she added, “Their family has been connected to mine for many years. They have my trust but I know that won’t be enough. ”

  “We’ll follow and call for final check. Your apartment is being secured now.” There was a pause. “You’ll have a security profile on your desk tomorrow morning, Miss Canfield.”

  “Thank you.” She disconnected and followed Fahad and Nuri through the exit.

  A heavy Mercedes limousine stood at the curb and she knew it was fortified against bullets as high as .50 caliber, ground to air missiles, and explosives detonated from underneath.

  They walked through the exit and she nodded to Stav who grinned in response.

  Four men met them at the top of the stairs and escorted them to the door that was held by their driver. There was no doubt that he was as highly trained as the other members of the team.

  Once inside, the silence was heavy as she was settled snugly between the warm men.

  Marcy had the uncontrollable urge to laugh. The cousins joined her. “Presidents have no concept. They are grown when this sort of security becomes second nature. I was five the first time I was taught to aid in my rescue.”

  “It was the first of many lessons that you retained with remarkable clarity.”

  Meeting Fahad’s eyes, she nodded. “Thank you.” Turning to Nuri, she asked, “Did you ever read the Incarnations of Mortality that we discussed?”

  “All of them.” He chuckled. “We had never seen anyone read so much. You carried a book with you everywhere.”

  “There are so many, I’ll run out of time before I can read all the ones I want to.” She glanced down at her folded hands. “I’ve had less time to read in the last few years.”

  “Once the current project is complete, perhaps you will find a bit more time to breathe.” Fahad lifted her hand and held it in both of his. “You know this stage is the worst of it.”

  “Removing the infighting and counter-purposes will help me speed the process along.”

  Turning his body more toward her, Nuri asked, “Will you tell us what has happened since we last saw you? We follow any news of you we can find but it does not provide the entire picture.”

  For the twenty-minute drive, Marcy answered their questions about school, work, and her personal life. As they pulled to the curb in front of her building, she said, “I’d love to hear about your lives the next time we meet.”

  “A story we will be glad to tell.” The cousins’ security team assembled on the other side of
the glass and she moved to get out. They held her in place long enough to lift her hands and kiss the backs. “Until we see you again, may your dreams be filled with light and beauty.”

  On impulse, a sensation that never affected her, she kissed their cheeks in turn. The skin beneath her lips was warm and firm. She thought they inhaled deeply before she pulled back.

  “Goodnight and thank you for seeing me home.”

  Fahad tapped on the glass and the door was opened. When she was standing on the pavement in the midst of their security, she glanced back and gave them a smile.

  “Goodnight, Marcy.”

  ***

  December 2014

  Over the next two months, Fahad and Nuri managed to find ways to spend time with her. She began to suspect that they were in league with her personal assistant, a woman who’d been assigned to her full time upon high school graduation.

  Finally, she had to know. When the woman with delicate features and ash-blonde hair entered her office to get signatures, she asked, “Daria, are you feeding my schedule to the Ghonims?”

  “Absolutely.” The bluntness of the answer shocked her. “You’re so much more relaxed after taking a bit of time to enjoy a meal with them. You smile more. You’re so young, Marcy. It’s good for you to be able to smile and laugh with people your age.”

  “I spend time with you and Adam every day.”

  “Pet, we are almost double your age, as is most of the board. Outside of the support staff, I think the youngest person you’ve seen in weeks is Mr. Winters.”

  Walking to the window that looked out over Manhattan, she thought about the quick trips for coffee, the lunches at nearby restaurants, and the dinner she’d had to rush through to make her flight to San Francisco. Though she had limited time, the cousins didn’t pressure her for more or make her feel bad about her responsibilities.

  They were the first men in her personal life that didn’t and she appreciated their ease with her. She hadn’t enjoyed herself so much in years.

  Glancing over her shoulder at Daria, she smiled. “Thank you. Please continue to let them know when I’m available.”

  “That’s the spirit.” With a wink, she left Marcy alone.

  An hour later, she was deep in the financial summary for one of their subsidiaries when a splitting headache slammed into the back of her head. Making her way to the couch, she lowered herself to it.

  There was a soft tap on her door but she felt nauseous and didn’t answer. The scent of them reached her before a sound. She kept her eyes closed and focused on her breathing. With her elbows on her knees, she tried to ignore the way the room spun.

  “What is it, Marcy?” Fahad asked softly as he sat beside her. Nuri knelt between her feet.

  “H-headache. It came out of nowhere.”

  Warm hands settled along her neck. Gentle pressure that steadily increased was applied to an ache she hadn’t noticed at the back. One of them removed the pins that held her hair in a snug chignon and fingers worked along her scalp, massaging deeply from her temples to the base of her skull.

  “When is the last time you scheduled a massage?”

  “I’ve never gotten one unless I was with Victoria. She insists. They don’t help.”

  “Considering the company while you received it, this does not surprise me.” Nuri took his cell phone from an inner pocket of his jacket and spoke to someone on the other end in his native tongue. “Keep your eyes closed and focus on each muscle in your body. Allow each one to loosen and relax. Start in your feet and each toe . . . ”

  For several minutes, he talked her through meditation as he returned to applying pressure to her temples. Fahad maintained his attention at her neck and before long, she felt the worst of the pain ease away.

  Opening her eyes, she gave them a small smile. “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome, Marcy.”

  She leaned back on the couch and Nuri sat on her other side. There was a possibility she dozed off. When she opened her eyes, a young woman was setting up a portable massage table.

  Turning to the three of them, she gave a small bow. “Hello, Miss Canfield. My name is Laura. Please allow me to assist you.” Holding out her hands, she helped Marcy to her feet. She led her to the full bathroom in her office and handed her a fine silk robe.

  “Take your time. This is about your comfort and wellness.”

  Stepping out of her shoes, she undressed and slipped on the robe. Raking her fingers through her hair, Marcy returned to her office. Laura smiled and gestured her closer.

  The cousins stood and Nuri lifted her chin with the side of his finger. “We will return. Allow her to work the knots from your body and sleep if you are able.”

  “It’s the middle of the day . . . ”

  “There is nothing so urgent that your health should suffer, Marcy,” Fahad said. “Take an hour or two to rest and recuperate so you can keep going.”

  In her bare feet, she was shorter by a few inches and they bent in sync to press their lips to the corners of her mouth. A second was delivered to her jaw and a third to the skin just beneath her ear. Hands that were warm through the thin silk stroked from her shoulder to her low back.

  The simple touches caused a full body shiver. Straightening, they smiled. “Until later, Marcy.”

  Then they walked away. She stared after them until the door of her office clicked into place. Exhaling slowly, she looked at Laura with a half-smile.

  “Let’s give you a fresh start, Miss Canfield. You’ll feel like a brand new woman when I’m done.” She patted the top of the table. “I promise.”

  A deep tissue massage and an unexpected nap did exactly as promised. When she was dressed again, she tried to give the massage therapist back the robe.

  “No, ma’am. It was given to me downstairs by one of their security staff. It’s a gift for you.” She packed up her table and supplies and refused a tip. “I’ve been well compensated and will see you in two days.” At the look of surprise on her face, the young woman grinned. “The Ghonims scheduled you for an hour three days a week. I’m to coordinate the times with your assistant.”

  “That’s a lot, isn’t it?”

  “Considering the tension you were carrying in the muscles of your neck and shoulders, I say let them pamper you and you’ll have more energy than you ever dreamed.” Pulling the thick straps over her shoulder, she added, “Have a beautiful rest of your day, Miss Canfield.”

  “Thank you,” she managed to answer.

  Daria appeared at the door to her office. “I suggest we knock down the wall between your office and the empty one next door. It can be a permanent spa space for you.”

  “I don’t . . . ”

  “Consider it done. You do nothing for yourself and this can happen even while your insane workload carries on. Don’t be stubborn.”

  Alone again, Marcy took her phone from her pocket and dialed Fahad.

  “Marcy. How do you feel?”

  “Better, thank you.”

  “Shall I ask you if you’re free for dinner or just harass Daria?”

  She laughed. “I’ll make time.”

  “Excellent. We will see you in a few hours.”

  They hung up and she dived back into the stack of papers on her desk. She hadn’t felt so energized in months. When they picked her up for dinner, she greeted them with light kisses on their lips and got into their limo with a wink.

  Day by day, they became part of a life she never imagined would truly fit one man, much less two. They were brilliant, funny, and kind.

  ***

  January 2015

  When she told them she needed to make time to have lunch with her new friends, they arranged a private room at an exclusive restaurant in Manhattan. The four women arrived moments after she did and they stood staring at the stunning space.

  At the end of the meal, they were informed by the manager that a limo was waiting to take their group to the spa. He handed her a card and bowed before leaving the room.
<
br />   On heavy linen stationary was written, “Try a spa day with better company. Enjoy and we’ll see you tomorrow.” Their names were signed at the bottom.

  Tawny glanced over her shoulder. “Those two understand how to get to you. Giving your busy ass plenty of space and freedom while pampering you like nothing I’ve ever seen.” She shrugged. “They’re good.”

  Meeting her eyes, Marcy smiled. “They really are.”

  It was the first time she’d spent a day with other women that didn’t feel like some sort of test. They drank too much and laughed too loud. A combination practically insisted on by the redhead.

  Brie moaned when they were lined up on massage tables. “Please give my sincere thanks to your gentleman callers, Marcy. Damn.”

  “Gentleman callers . . . ” Tawny snickered.

  Going up on her elbows, Natalia said quietly, “Hudson has run every possible check on both of them. You know how he can be.” Marcy nodded. “He can find nothing derogatory and with his contacts, that means quite a lot.”

  With a heavy sigh, Riya mumbled, “I made some inquiries with a couple of the members in Switzerland.”

  Her best friend snorted. “Your fan club . . . ”

  “Shut up, bitch. I’m far too relaxed to beat your ass.” Another sigh. “Where was I? Oh, the cousins are well liked. Apparently, there was speculation that they weren’t actively searching for a woman there.” She wiggled her brows. “They became members to understand the ménage lifestyle.”

  Turning her head, she added in a dramatic whisper, “It seems they already knew who they wanted, you know, between them.”

  “They better not be virgins,” Tawny hissed.

  “They aren’t,” Marcy assured them. The others all looked at her. “I asked and they gave me references.” She stared at the intricate design on the ceiling. “The women are all over the world. It was made clear that the relationships were purely physical. There hasn’t been anyone for a year.”

  The silence drew out for more than a minute when Tawny said loudly, “Holy shit! They’re going to fuck your brains out for a solid month once they finally get you buck ass naked!”