Magic of Three

by Jenna Castille

  Tim grabbed her hand and dragged her down a short alleyway to a deserted lot. Her lungs burned but she stumbled along with him as fast as her poor bare feet could run. Gravel-abused soles rated much lower than rape or torture. A nondescript sedan sat there behind a dumpster with a large Hispanic man at the wheel.

  “Hello, Ms. Harrington. Good to see you again,” the big teddy bear of a man quipped, a look of true relief in his eyes as Tim wrenched open the door.

  Lisa blinked at the thickly accented, rumbling voice. “Detective Ramirez?” she asked in grateful amazement.

  “I know,” the detective replied with a quick nod. “Not who you expected to see. Not tall or handsome enough. Just got the dark covered.”

  “Julian not back yet?” Tim asked, sliding in the backseat behind the detective, scooting over and dragging Lisa in after him.

  Detective Ramirez looked in his rearview mirror, lips pursed, face tight and tense. “Nope. We’ll give him a couple more minutes. If he doesn’t show by then I’m dropping you off at your condo. He said if anything got tight he’d meet you there.”

  “Aren’t you going in after him? You’re the officer. He’s just a security expert,” Lisa said, appalled. Not matter what her drug-hazed mind might have imagined during their sexcapades those two were dangerous. Julian had put his life at risk for her and this cop planned on sitting the whole thing out? “You’re leaving him in there with a couple of violent psychos?”

  The detective gritted his teeth and drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, looking as happy about the situation as she felt. But he didn’t budge. “They’ll explain it to you but this is one case where I’m out of my element. Julian knows what he’s doing.”

  Lisa started to ask more but Tim interrupted, pointing out the window. “There he is. He’s running. Get this car moving.”

  Ramirez peeled out, dust shooting out in plumes behind them. He squealed to a quick stop beside Julian, who dived in the passenger side, Tim reaching forward to close the door behind him. The male attacker ran close at his heels. His hand was raised but Lisa couldn’t see what kind of weapon he held. Ramirez didn’t wait to find out. Another quick, bumpy takeoff and they roared down a paved road.

  Suddenly everything crashed down on her. Her skin turned clammy, freezing under the blast of the car’s air-conditioning. Lisa started shaking uncontrollably, teeth chattering. Tim reached for her, cradling her in his arms and smoothing her hair with a gentle hand. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he crooned. “We’re here. We wouldn’t let anything happen to you. You’re safe with us.”

  “You’re just saying that ‘cause I’m paying Julian a pittance to guard my precious self,” Lisa muttered, snuggling into his comfort, tears brimming.

  “No, we’re saying that because we’re sleeping with you. We’re not done with you yet,” he joked. But he never let her go. It was as though he planned on holding her sanity together by sheer force of will alone.

  “Just ignore the married man driving,” the detective teased, glancing back in the mirror. “I’m not even here. You can talk all you want about your kinky sex life. Don’t let my presence stop you.”

  “We won’t,” Tim replied, holding her tighter.

  Lisa was beyond caring. She curled into Tim’s secure warmth. Peace, love and calm flowed from him and into her. She wallowed in the sensation before reaching out with her other hand between the front seats, grabbing for Julian.

  He took her cold hand in his large, warm grip. The two men anchored her, keeping her safe and calm.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Lisa huddled on Julian and Tim’s couch, a comforter wrapped around her shoulders and a mug of hot chocolate cupped in her frozen hands. So this is what recovering from shock felt like, cold and empty. At least she had people who cared about her with her, people who would put on soft music and tuck warm covers around her. Even if she didn’t know how to feel about the fact that she could depend on somebody to take care of her, much less two somebodies. But Tim sat close beside her, arm wrapped around her shoulder, as Julian puttered in the kitchen for snacks. Each man did what he knew best to make her feel better.

  “You’ve never been quiet this long before,” Lisa said, scrunching down in the plush couch, letting rich warm chocolate flow over her tongue.

  “I didn’t know if you wanted me to talk or if you just wanted someone to be near you,” Tim answered in the soft tones one would use with a small child or wild animal, not a lover. It was as if he thought the slightest jar would shatter her.

  “I need to be normal,” Lisa whimpered, putting her cocoa down and closing her watering eyes against memories she didn’t want to revisit but couldn’t seem to let go of. “Be normal for me.”

  “Okay, what do you want to talk about?”

  No matter how hard she tried Lisa couldn’t take her mind off what happened. She felt the warmth of the blanket and the pressure of Tim’s embrace. She smelled his spicy cologne and the hint of savory food drifting from the kitchen. She heard the soft jazz music. She should be thinking of her last night in their arms. But somehow some part of her was still trapped in that dark, barren warehouse, listening to her kidnappers fuck each other senseless and having delusions of a gate to hell opening. “How did you find me so fast?” she finally whispered. “I thought no one would find me.”

  Tim looked at the kitchen, tension and uncertainty clear on his face. “That’s for Julian to say. I came along for the ride. Backup.”

  Lisa could feel more behind his words, insincerity rolled off him. But she was too tired to confront him. She just wanted to talk out her fears, find out the details of her rescue. “Okay, how did you get in the warehouse?”

  He shrugged, tension draining from his frame. “That’s an easy one,” he answered with a self-deprecating laugh. “You know, before meeting Julian I lived on the streets. I did some things I’m not proud of, learned some things normal people wouldn’t know. I had to break into abandoned buildings sometimes to get off the streets at night. Worste came to worst I coulda picked that lock. Not too reliable if you ask me. Shoulda called Julian to set up their security.”

  As he talked Lisa looked down at his designer jeans and brand-name sneakers. “I can’t picture you on the streets.”

  Tim gave her his boyish half-smile and shrugged. “What can I say? Living with Julian, having money, it’s easy to get used to. He keeps me in a style I’ve enjoyed becoming accustomed to. I don’t think about the other side much, not unless I have to.”

  “That bad?” she whispered.

  “Worse.”

  Tim looked so sad, lost in his own dark memories, that Lisa regretted pushing him to talk. Even if it did go to show how little she actually knew about either man or their lives. She let loose of one side of her blanket to reach out to him. “Sorry, didn’t mean to drag you down to my level. Seems to be a night for life sucks.”

  But Tim wouldn’t let her get away with her maudlin attitude. She might not know him very well but she realized somber and Tim didn’t often mix. “Hey, better than the alternative. You’re here with us contemplating life suckiness. Could be a hell of a lot worse.”

  Lisa shook her head but tucked her blanket around herself and snuggled closer. “I don’t understand why this is happening, any of it. I didn’t know either of them. The man wasn’t the same one as before. What are the chances of two random attacks happening to the same woman in less than a week? Why would people be after me? I’ve never known anyone to go after a chef if they didn’t like their meal. Sue or threaten to, yes. Call the media, yes. But try to kill her, no.”

  On that note Julian stepped in, carefully balancing a heaping tray of drinks and finger foods. He eased it on the table in front of her.

  She stared blankly down at the array, her stomach twisting at the mere thought. Now here’s a new diet to try, shock. Lose weight quick. Makes even bland cheese and crackers look repulsive. “I’m not hungry.”

  Julian gave an understanding smile, reach
ing for a cup and handing it to her. “At least drink more. I made hot tea. The warmth should settle your nerves.”

  “Hot tea?” she asked. But she took the cup with a shrug, trying a sip of the flower-scented concoction. “Whatever floats your boat. The cocoa was better. Hell, a stiff drink sounds great.”

  “It might block out the memories but it wouldn’t do much to help you. Believe me, been there, done that. Never works,” Julian murmured, sitting on her other side and wrapping his arm around her.

  Won’t cry. Won’t cry, she thought as she shook in the embrace of these two strong men.

  “It’ll be okay,” Julian whispered into her hair before covering her cheek with what should have been light, electrifying kisses, if she could feel anything past the bone-deep cold.

  “No, it won’t. It won’t ever be okay again. Why me? Why can’t they leave me alone?” Lisa sobbed, trying to hold it together but failing miserably. Vulnerability left an aching hole in her chest. So empty and so cold. “I don’t even know why they picked me.”

  Tim pulled her across his lap and stared pointedly at Julian.

  Julian sighed, running his fingers through his short dark hair. “I know why,” he muttered, unable to meet her gaze. “You won’t believe me. You won’t like it. You might even think I’m crazy. But I know why they’re targeting you.”

  “What?” Lisa asked, struggling to pull herself out of Tim’s comforting arms. Tim held tight, anchoring her even as he forced her to listen. “You know? Your company must be even better than I thought. Do you know who they are? Have you told the police? Is that why Detective Ramirez was with you? Is this going to be over soon?”

  “This will be over soon, one way or another,” Julian replied, still not meeting her puzzled stare. Something in his manner tugged at her heart at the same time. She’d never seen the man so unsure of himself, so insecure. What wasn’t he telling her? “But I haven’t involved the police,” he continued. “They would have less reason to believe than you.”

  Lisa blinked, forcing her brain to process what he was saying and come up with some answer. But nothing made sense. And Julian looked worried, very worried. More worried than he had in the car, or even when he’d come over to check out her apartment. Almost afraid. His brow creased and she could see the lines of tension crinkling around his mouth and the bags under his eyes that she hadn’t noticed before, so wrapped up in her own fears. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  Julian opened his mouth but Tim held up a silencing hand. “Maybe you should show her. I didn’t buy any of this shit, not really, until you showed me.”

  Head jerking up, Julian’s mouth dropped open in shocked realization. “I didn’t show you until weeks after you moved in with me. Are you telling me you moved in with me thinking I was a complete nutjob?”

  Tim gave a dark laugh, the sound grating against Lisa’s nerves in the somber atmosphere. “No. I moved in with you thinking you were a kind, hot as sin, loaded and generous nutjob. Your tight ass and six-pack abs had quite a bit to do with it too. Add to that the fact that you’re a maestro in the bedroom and I wasn’t budging. I figured I’d be the one keeping you anchored in reality. Then you pulled the big magic show and I realized I’d be doing a hell of a lot more than that. Not that I’m unhappy with it or anything.” Tim ran his hands up and down Lisa’s sides, barely grazing her breasts. “It definitely has its perks.”

  Again Lisa tried to pull out of Tim’s embrace only to have him hold her tighter, rocking her against his body. She felt his arousal hard against her but didn’t stiffen or pull away. Deep inside she knew he wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want. It was a feeling of confidence in another person she’d never experienced before. She stopped fighting her feelings, relaxing into his hold as she asked, “What’s going on?”

  “Do you trust us?” Julian asked, voice and face serious as he leaned toward her, reaching out to take her still-cold hands in his.

  “I’m here, cuddling with you two, after being kidnapped and held prisoner in an empty warehouse for hours. I let you bandage my ankle and fix me cocoa and tea to make it all better. What do you think?”

  Julian moved both her hands to one of his as he cupped his other hand around her cheek. He rubbed his thumb against her lower lip. “I think what I’m about to tell you is going to strain that trust. You might turn from us. You’ve done it before.”

  Lisa rolled her eyes, snuggling closer to Tim’s warmth. “I know I don’t have a good track record with trusting you but I promise I’ll try.”

  “You’ll see,” Julian whispered, uncurling from the couch and reaching for her hand.

  Tim hopped up to take her other hand helped her stand, still clutching her blanket around her shoulders. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he promised, seeing her doubtful expression. With a single finger he tipped her face up to give her a gentle kiss. “It’s not as bad as you think. Creepy, a little world-altering, but not like you think.”

  Lisa grimaced but took both men’s hands. She let them lead her down the hallway to the door Tim had said was Julian’s office. In the dim light, with the escort, Lisa felt like she was walking death row. The men’s heavy expressions did nothing to change the impression. She could feel the importance of the moment in the air.

  What could they possibly know that had them so worried? The entire condo felt weighed down with their concern, it filled every crevice, pounded through her with each beat of her heart. Were they the reason someone was after her? Were her attackers actually after Julian and Tim, using her to hurt them? Could that be the answer?

  Lisa almost felt relieved to realize there was a reason, nothing random to what happened. Random violence was worse, with no way to predict or protect against it. But that wasn’t enough to prevent the butterflies from beating against her stomach as Julian opened the door. At least she was getting some answers, some control of her life back.

  As Julian opened the door Lisa caught her first glimpse of his inner sanctum. The room surprised her. After Tim’s tour of the other rooms she expected a theme den, despite the fact that this was Julian’s territory, not Tim’s. A Thirties art-deco office that reflected a sense of style and history came to mind, or a Victorian library with a faux fireplace and tumblers of port.

  Warmth was the only unifying theme she could see here. Comfort. Dark, shiny wood lined the walls. Brightly painted landscapes brought out color and a sense of nature. A plethora of candles dotted every surface, their woodsy aroma lingering in the air. Crystals, different sculptured objects and a multitude of dusty books sat on low shelves along the far wall. A deafening silence enclosed the room as the door swung shut behind her, a testament to the miracle of soundproofing.

  In the center sat a round table covered with dark blue satin trailing the floor. Only a crystal ball graced it, with three chairs completing the tableau.

  “Okay,” Lisa said as Julian stared at her expectantly. “Not what I expected. A little Romanian Gypsy chic. Into the whole New Age stuff, huh? Pagan, Wiccan, something like that?”

  “Yes and no,” Julian replied, pulling one chair out for her as Tim helped her sit without tripping over her blanket. The two men tucked it neatly around her and scooted her in as Julian continued. “My beliefs are a bit older and not as well-known. But if you’re asking whether my religion is a bit left of the norm the answer is yes. Much of my belief system goes against the Christian majority. I find some similarities in the Eastern religions, reincarnation being the strongest one.”

  Lisa raised her eyebrows. Vegas was close to California and its flighty wackiness but flaky hippie stuff hadn’t bled over. Too much blatant capitalism and self-interest to get a foothold in. Julian was the first person she’d met who actually confessed to believing in reincarnation and wasn’t Hindu or Buddhist. “You think you’ve lived before? Alexander the Great or King Richard the Lionheart?”

  Julian grinned at the image, puffing up slightly at her assumption even as he denied the connection. “No, no one a histo
rian would know of but thank you for the compliment. Two of history’s greatest warriors. I like your image of me. No, the first life I remember was that of a priest.”

  That finally dragged a grin to her face. Priest. Right. This from the man who’d ridden her ass so hard the night before that she had trouble sitting without twitching. “I’m in a threesome with a priest? I’m either going straight to hell or I’m building up some serious time in purgatory.”

  Tim snickered, his mischievous mind easily following her train of thought. “He wasn’t that kinda priest, sweetheart. Think pre-Christianity. No celibacy required.”

  “Oh.” Lisa nodded, playing along. Julian looked so sexy when he got all huffy, his strong jaw tightening and his eyes darkening. It made her want to lick those tight lips into submission. “Fertility rites. Standing over steaming bowls of entrails and speaking to the gods of nature. That kinda priest.”