Beyond Her Wildest Dream

by Becca Van

  “While on leave, Jonah and Preston came home with me. I introduced them as the loves of my life. My brother sneered at me, looking me up and down like I was something disgusting he’d stepped in, and left the room. My mother was so shocked and horrified she burst into tears and rushed to her room. My father…” He paused to take a fortifying breath. Jonah stood, walked over, and sat beside him, placing a comforting hand on his knee giving him the strength to continue. “My father told me and my lovers to get out and never come back. He told me he never wanted to see me again.”

  Lexis uncurled herself from the corner of the sofa and crawled into his lap, her arms going around his waist. The emotional constriction banding his chest and throat eased, and he wrapped his arms around her.

  “I’m sorry your family was so judgmental and prejudiced, but they’re the ones missing out. You’re a wonderful, caring man, Adam.” She shifted her gaze to Jonah and then Preston. “You’re all wonderful men, and you’re very lucky to have each other.”

  “Do you mean that?” Adam asked hoarsely.

  “That you’re lucky to have each other?” Lexis frowned. “Of course I meant it. I don’t say things I don’t mean.”

  “That’s not what Adam meant, baby, as you very well know,” Preston said as he rose and moved closer. He sat where Lexis had been sitting, lacing his fingers with hers.

  “Are you fishing for compliments, Mister Dominance?” Lexis grinned.

  Adam chuckled when he saw the mischievousness in her eyes. Jonah laughed and Preston joined in. Then all four of them were laughing.

  Just like that, the mood was lightened, and in that moment Adam knew without a shadow of a doubt that Lexis was the woman they’d been waiting for.

  “What’s your story, Preston?” Lexis asked once the laughter had stopped.

  “My dad was a real hard ass. He believed that a man wasn’t a man unless he ruled with an iron fist.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “I wasn’t lucky enough to have any brothers or sisters. My mom didn’t seem to mind that my dad made all the decisions in their relationship. She never argued with him because she knew if she did he’d get angry, and she hated making him angry.” He clasped Lexis’s hand in his. “He wasn’t physically abusive, but he could be downright nasty and derogatory if he was in one of his moods.

  “I think my mom always knew I was a little different. When I realized I was checking out both sexes in my senior year of high school, I started to withdraw. Mom noticed. She made time from her busy schedules to sit down and talk to me. She was cool with me being bisexual, and I know she would have loved Jonah and Adam because they make me happy. My father walked in on the conversation. He’d finished work early for the first time in forever. He ordered me to go to my room, pack up my shit, and get out. My mom pleaded and begged for him to let me stay, but he took no notice of her. As I was walking out the front door, he told me that he was going to get the locks changed and that he no longer had a son.”

  “I’m sorry he treated you like that, Preston. I’m sure he regretted what he said and did to you.” Lexis squeezed Preston’s hand.

  He shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. I’ll never know. My parents were science and math teachers. An expelled student decided to go on a shooting rampage. My mom and dad were killed as they tried to protect some of the students. I was told they died in each other’s arms. I never got to speak to them again, to try and talk to my mom about my dad’s reaction, because they were murdered two weeks after I’d left. ”

  “It’s so hard to lose loved ones no matter the circumstances, but I think losing family to violent crimes is so much more difficult. One day they’re there and the next they’re not. I’m sorry you all didn’t have the support of your parents. I’m sure they would have regretted their decisions once they’d had time to get over their shock and think about things logically.” Lexis said in a husky voice, then inhaled deeply.

  “I’ve already told you about my mom and sister.” She drew in a ragged breath. “The police think Alicia was murdered by her new boyfriend. What rips me up inside is that I have no idea who she was dating and neither do the officers who were on her case. They found fingerprints and some DNA, but he’d never been arrested before. That bastard is probably living his life as if he hasn’t taken a life, destroyed my life. It’s not fair.” She covered her mouth when a sob escaped.

  Adam embraced her tighter. Preston raised her hand and kissed the back of it. Jonah caressed up and down her back.

  “It’s not fair, sweetie. I’m sure the police did everything they could to find the fucker, and I have no doubt that they’ll never give up looking. We wouldn’t,” Adam stated emphatically.

  “We can contact someone and see if there are any updates if you’d like us to,” Preston said.

  Lexis covered her mouth as she yawned and shook her head. “I’ve called periodically. So far, they have nothing.”

  “Whatever you want, sweetie.” Adam kissed her temple and smiled when she sighed. She snuggled into him and closed her eyes. He and his lovers took in her face as the tension eased from her features and she fell asleep in his arms.

  Having Lexis fall asleep on his lap gave him hope that she was beginning to trust him and his boyfriends. Hope that she’d want to spend more time with them and eventually agree to be a part of their lives.

  Being careful not to disturb her, he rose with her in his arms and strode toward the master bedroom.

  Maybe tomorrow they’d be able to up the ante and teach her more about their lifestyle.

  He just hoped that their somber discussions didn’t end up causing Lexis to relive the nightmare of finding her sister dead all over again.

  Chapter Seven

  Lexis knew she was dreaming, but once the nightmare began, no matter what she did, she couldn’t stop it and had to let it play out.

  She entered her sister’s apartment, calling out to let her know she was there, but Alicia didn’t respond. The place was quiet, eerily quiet, and even though she wanted to turn and flee, she kept placing one foot in front of the other as she walked toward the bedrooms. Seeing her old room as an office made her smile. Her sister was a graphic design artist, and while she worked for a prominent marketing company, she also did freelance often working from home.

  Lexis entered Alicia’s bedroom and gaped at the mess. It looked as if a bomb had gone off or there been one hell of a fight. Sweat sheened her skin and her heart pounded hard and fast, making her pant for breath. Her sister was nowhere to be seen. She nudged aside a pile of clothes out of the way, and when she was near the bathroom doorway, she lifted her hand and slowly pushed the door wider.

  Just as she stepped across the threshold, she heard a whisper of a sound coming from the vicinity of her sister closet. Lexis turned to glance back over her shoulder, wondering how her trembling legs were able to bear her weight, and her gaze landed on the mirror of her sister’s dresser.

  She glimpsed a man’s face in the reflection but thought she was imaging things, so she blinked. When her she looked into the mirror again, there was no one there. Turning back to the bathroom, she walked further into the room.

  That was when she saw Alicia, naked and bloody, lying on the base of the shower. Lexis screamed as she rushed toward her sister. Sobs erupted from between her parted lips and tears rolled down her face as she fell to her knees just inside the open shower. Her sister’s face was blue, her sightless eyes staring up at the ceiling, and her flesh was sliced apart.

  Lexis screamed and cried until her throat hurt.

  * * * *

  Preston was on his feet before he had his eyes open. When the second agonized scream broke the silence of the night, he ran toward the tormented sound. Jonah and Adam were right behind. He cursed himself for not grabbing his gun and hoped one of his lovers had theirs.

  He shoved open the partially closed door to the second master suite they never let anyone use before and rushed toward the bed. Lexis was fighting the sheet and covers as gut-wrenching cries
emitted from her mouth.

  In seconds, he was on the bed with Lexis and lifting her into his arms. “Shh, baby. It’s okay. You’re safe. Open your eyes, Lex.”

  Preston glanced at Jonah as he checked that everything was secure, gun in hand. Adam climbed up onto the bed, crooning to Lexis as he caressed a hand over her head and hair, trying to help him calm her down.

  Jonah sat on the edge of the mattress after nodding that everything was okay and smoothed a hand up and down her thigh.

  Lexis gasped in air, hiccupped, and sighed. “I’m sorry for waking you all.”

  “Hey,” Preston grasped her chin lifting her eyes to his. “Stop apologizing, baby. You have nothing to be sorry for. We have nightmares, too, sometimes. We saw some terrible things in the SEALs, and we still do since we’re all cops. We know that some of the terrors have to come out someway.”

  “I had a feeling our discussion was going to stir up painful memories for you, sweetie.” Adam rubbed a hand over his face. “If anyone should be apologizing, it should be us.”

  “I saw him this time.”

  Preston wiped the tears from her cheeks and brushed the hair from her face. “Saw who, baby?”

  “I think I saw my sister’s killer.” Her breath hitched, and she exhaled after swallowing audibly. “This is the first time I remembered hearing a noise and seeing him, but I’m not sure if what I saw was real or if I imagined it.”

  “Are you up to walking through it with us, love?” Jonah clasped her hand between both of his.

  “What if it’s not real? What if I made the face up because I’m desperate for her murderer to pay?”

  “That’s certainly possible, sweetie,” Adam said. “However, it’s also highly unlikely.”

  “You would have been traumatized and in shock, baby. Maybe now that the grief isn’t so intense, you’re starting to remember more,” Preston said.

  “Preston’s right, love,” Jonah said. “We can get all the details from you after you’ve had some more sleep.”

  Lexis shook her head. “What time is it?”

  “Just after five.” Jonah squeezed her hand.

  “I know I won’t be able to go back to sleep, and I want to give you a description while it’s still fresh in my mind.”

  “Whatever you want and need.” Preston hugged her tighter, kissed her on the top of the head, then helped her up. When he and his friends stood, Lexis gaped at them as she eyed their nearly naked bodies up and down. He closed his eyes when she licked her lips but opened them again when he heard Adam groan. Following Adam’s line of sight, he swallowed when he saw Lexis’s nipples were hard and poking against the front of the T-shirt he’d given her to sleep in. His cock twitched and started to engorge even more.

  “Meet us in the kitchen, baby. Make sure you put the robe on so you don’t get cold.” That wasn’t the only reason he told her to cover up. He was having a hard time keeping his gaze from roaming her body, and the urge to sweep Lexis up in his arms and kiss her senseless was so strong, he had to get away from her. He was worried he would scare her off if he lost control and did what he wanted.

  Making love in the privacy of their bedroom last night had taken the edge off, but Preston was so hungry for Lexis he was bound to do something stupid. He turned and hurried back to their room.

  “I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to keep my hands off her,” Adam rasped as he entered behind him.

  Preston nodded his agreement as he pulled on his discarded jeans and a clean T-shirt.

  “You have to, Adam.” Jonah sat on the edge of the bed after he’d dressed.

  “Yeah, I know.” Adam nodded.

  “She might be fighting it, but she wants us as much as we want her.”

  “Fuck, Preston. Don’t say things like that.” Adam rubbed the back of his neck.

  “I have an idea,” Jonah said.

  “What?” Preston and Adam asked simultaneously.

  “Why don’t we put on a show for her?” Jonah suggested. “She got so hot and bothered at the club she climaxed when you told me and Adam to. Maybe if she just happened to come upon us while we’re getting a bit frisky, she’ll be so turned on she’ll ask to join in.”

  “As much as I want to say yes, I think she needs more time,” Adam said. “She’s still getting over a concussion and has stitches in her head.”

  “Fuck! I hate it when you’re right.”

  “I do, too, Jonah. I do, too.” Adam hugged Jonah, kissed him on the lips, and sighed as he released him. “I have a feeling we’re all going to have a case of blue balls before this is over. No matter how many times we make love or jack off, we’re not going to be satisfied until we’ve made love with Lexis, too.”

  “As much as I hate to admit it. I think you’re right again,” Preston said. “Let’s just concentrate on Lexis and what she remembered about that night her sister was murdered.” After giving both his lovers a kiss and a hug, Preston led the way out of the bedroom.

  * * * *

  They were all sitting around the dining room table with steaming mugs of coffee.

  Lexis was at the end of the table with Jonah and Adam on either side of her. Preston was sitting next to Adam.

  “Close your eyes and concentrate on what you saw, love,” Jonah said. Lexis closed her eyes and pictured what she’d seen in her dream. The face in the mirror came into focus, and she clenched her hands tightly around the hot mug of coffee. “Tell me what the man looks like, Lexis.”

  “He appears to be in his early to mid-thirties. His hair is a sandy brown color, and his eyes are green. He has a full bushy beard about half a foot long and a thick mustache. His hair is touching his shoulders.”

  “Tell us about his eyes, baby,” Preston said. “Are they deep set? What about his nose? Is it long and pointed? Wide and flat?”

  “His eyes aren’t deep set, but they look so cold.” She shivered as fear skittered up her spine. She startled when Preston scraped his chair over the tiles when he stood.

  “Take a few deep breaths for me, Lexis.” Preston stopped beside her and held his hand out to her. She clasped it and frowned up at him when he helped her to her feet. Then he sat in her seat and pulled her into his lap. She sighed with relief, feeling safe wrapped up in his arms with his body heat warming her cold skin. “Just remember that you’re safe. No one can or would hurt you here. They’d have to go through us to get to you.”

  “Damn straight,” Adam said.

  “We’d take down anyone with nefarious plans in mind before they got through the door, love.” Jonah nodded.

  “Close your eyes again, Lex,” Preston said.

  Lexis closed her eyes, inhaled and exhaled a few times, relaxing her shoulders, rolling her neck to ease the tension in her muscles as she concentrated. “His nose is long and thin but doesn’t appear too big for his face. The part of his cheekbones I can see are prominent. He’s wearing black jeans and a black button-up short-sleeved shirt, but he’s tugging at the collar as if he’s not used to wearing it.

  “How tall do you think he is, sweetie?”

  “How tall are you, Jonah?”

  “Six-two.”

  “He’s not quite as tall. Maybe six feet. He’s got muscular biceps. There’s something…”

  Preston shook his head when Jonah opened his mouth to say something. He didn’t want his lover distracting Lex and making her lose her concentration.

  “There’s a watch on his wrist.” Her eyes popped open and she clutched Preston’s arm. “He’s got a tattoo of an eagle just below his right bicep, and there are letters on each of his fingers.”

  “What are the letters, love?” Jonah asked.

  “H.A.T.E.”

  Adam stood, rushed to the counter where his smartphone was charging and started tapping at the keyboard. “According to the Internet. H.A.T.E stands for Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort or Hostile All Terrain Encounter.”

  Preston sucked in a breath. He had no doubt that the acronym was for the second
and not the first, but now that they had a description and a picture thanks to Jonah’s artistic skills, they’d be able to pass the information and image onto the police in Lincoln. He hoped this would help the Lincoln PD capture the man who’d killed Lexis’s sister.

  Lexis opened her eyes, blinked a few times, and then she gasped when she saw the picture Jonah had drawn. “Oh my god.” She covered her mouth and blinked again, this time trying to dispel the moisture in her eyes. “That’s the man I saw in the mirror.”

  Preston caressed a hand up and down her back, trying to get her to calm down. She was breathing way too fast, and she was trembling. “It’s okay, baby. He doesn’t know where you are. You’re safe with us.”

  Jonah reached over and clasped her hand. “Do I need to change anything, love?”

  Lexis sucked in a deep breath as if shoring up her defenses, or courage, or maybe both just before she scrutinized the drawing. “His nose is a little wider. His bottom lip was fuller, and his eyes were a little rounder.”

  Jonah lifted her hand to his mouth, kissed the back of it, and made the changes.

  “That’s him how I remembered.”

  When she shivered Preston wrapped his arms around her to share his body warmth. She gazed up at him. “Do you think I imagined seeing him? What if I was just scared and made him up?”

  “You didn’t, sweetie.” Adam clasped her other hand. “From our experience as cops, shock has a way of blocking memories, not conjuring up things that aren’t there. You saw your sister’s killer, and now we’ll be able to get a picture of his face countrywide. It might take months, or even years, but eventually that asshole is going to end up behind bars.”

  “Thank you,” Lexis said hoarsely, meeting each of their gazes. “Thank you for caring so much.”

  “We do, you know,” Preston said, cupping her chin, raising her eyes to his. They could worry about dealing with her sister’s murderer and sending his picture to the Lincoln PD later.