Accidental Trifecta

by Avery Gale

  Cam and Carl seated themselves on either side of her and quickly filled her plate with more food than she could possibly eat. Glancing around, she asked, “Where is Kent? Did he stay home with the babies?” She hadn’t seen him and just assumed he was back at Prairie Winds with their young twins.

  “Right here, darlin’. You didn’t think I’d miss seeing you, did you?” Kent’s deep voice and southern drawl made CeCe smile. While she like both of the West brothers, Kent was more easy going and she’d found him easier to talk to. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head before moving around to sit beside Tobi. Grinning at his impertinent wife, he asked, “I thought I heard something about punishment a minute ago—you get yourself in hot water while I was gone, sweetness?”

  “Not really, Kyle’s hearing is failing and he wants to take that out on my backside. Completely uncalled for, I need to double check the details of that cruel and unusual punishment amendment.”

  Kyle growled, “I’ll show you cruel and unusual punishment, kitten. Just keep digging, darling.” Everyone burst into laughter and CeCe felt the last of the tension drain from her as they shared a wonderful meal filled with many of her favorite foods. Stories were bantered around and she had completely forgotten why they were all together until they sat back after dessert and she saw Cam nod to Kyle.

  “CeCe, we’re all working on finding whoever is responsible for the threats to your safety. Bringing us in lets Cam and Carl focus on protecting you. The rest of the Prairie Winds team will help, but we’ll also be doing the track-downs, perimeters, etc.” He paused and CeCe knew he was waiting for her to acknowledge her understanding so she nodded. Evidently he was satisfied because he continued, “No one wanted you to feel like a prisoner here, after all, it is supposed to be a well-deserved and long overdue vacation for you. But we also needed to control as many variables as we could, so, we’ve persuaded a few of mom’s and Tobi’s favorite boutiques to open up for you at midnight. We’ll let you shop while it’s easier to protect you. Kent and I have learned from experience that allowing Tobi loose on the city isn’t wise, she tends to forget where she is and becomes quite lax about her own safety. That gets her in to a significant amount of trouble that I doubt you’d enjoy.” No shit! My Master is a real stickler about that sort of thing.

  Looking sheepishly over at Cam, she noticed his half smile. “Well, that does seem to be a sticking point for my Master as well. I’d prefer not to get myself into trouble the first day of vacation.” Can you say understatement? The last time her Master had been concerned that she wasn’t taking her safety seriously, she had found herself over the spanking bench in the club for a paddling that had forced her to stand through meetings the whole next week. And for the first time she had been grateful that surgeons stood during their often-long hours in the operating theaters.

  *****

  Carl leaned back against the chair in the corner of the large bedroom he was sharing with the Barnes’ and looked over at Cam, “We need to figure this out before we go any further, you know. It isn’t fair to CeCe. She shouldn’t be left swinging in the breeze on this.” Rubbing his hand over his face in a move sure to give away his frustration, he looked up at the only man he’d ever let touch him and wondered what he was thinking.

  “Could you love her?” Cam’s blunt question shocked Carl. Of all the things he’d envisioned the man saying, this hadn’t even been on the horizon.

  “What?”

  “Could you love Cecelia the way she deserves to be loved?” Carl watched Cam as he seemed to struggle with voicing whatever was playing through his mind. “To be honest, the idea of adding another person to what we have isn’t new, well, it isn’t new to me. I’ve seen the sparkle in her eyes as she talked about things Tobi and Gracie have shared with her. I’m not sure what we have is enough for her now that she’s seen what a ménage relationship looks like.” Carl was shocked at his friend’s words, from everything he’d read about Cameron and Cecelia Barnes, their relationship was the envy of envy of everyone who knew them. Hearing that Cam saw a weakness in the life he’d built surprised him.

  “Does she know you thought there was something missing in your marriage?” It didn’t really matter how Cam answered the question, because the truth was, Carl was drawn to CeCe in a way he hadn’t ever been to another woman. Even reading her file as he’d flown to Houston had intrigued him. Could he love her? Absolutely. Would he? Only time would tell. Was he interested in seeing where things went between them—all three of them? Yes.

  “That isn’t a fair question, because I didn’t feel as if something was missing or lacking, I merely wondered if what we had couldn’t be enhanced. Surely you have heard Kent and Kyle talk about the advantages of a ménage.” When Carl simply nodded, Cam continued, “So often the strongest women are the most adept at concealing the feelings her Dom most needs to know, but with two men seeing to a sub’s needs it is much more difficult for her to conceal anything. Also, consider the differences in Kent and Kyle’s personalities—they aren’t so different from the way you and I are in temperament, they each meet very specific needs for Tobi. There are other benefits as well—obviously, but I’m most interested in providing Cecelia with the emotional intimacy I’m not able to give her.” Carl knew that admission hadn’t been easy for Cam, hell, it wouldn’t have been easy for him to admit either.

  Carl wasn’t as worried about being able to connect with CeCe as he was re-connecting with Cam. He’d always carefully avoided anything resembling the relationship he’d had with Cameron Barnes. Maybe avoided was the wrong word because he’d never even been tempted. And heaven only knew how many nights he’d passed the time under the stars of some godforsaken hellhole of a country whose name most people couldn’t even pronounce wondering why Cameron Barnes had been the only man to draw him in. Was his disinterest due to the disastrous way things had gone down that night? But the more likely explanation was that he’d simply never found another man with whom he been so physically and emotionally drawn to. The connection he’d felt back then had been so strong it had been impossible to resist—the two of them had been like atomic magnets, and their relationship had filled a part of Carl’s soul he hadn’t even realized was vacant. Over the years he’d convinced himself that time in his life had been a unique mix of circumstances and the attraction was an aberration he had outgrown. He’d been so certain that if he were to meet Cam again, the attraction would have disappeared, or at least faded. He’d been wrong.

  Taking a deep breath, Carl spoke, “The short answer is yes—CeCe is definitely a woman I could love, but I think you already knew that.”

  Cam studied him for long minutes, not saying anything, just swirling his Glenfiddich around in his glass before lifting it and draining the last of the expensive Scotch in one swallow. Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, even watching his throat muscles flex is arousing. What the hell? “Is it true? What you told Cecelia about not being with any other man since we were together—is that true?” Carl wasn’t thrilled that Cam was questioning his honesty, but there was a thread of vulnerability in his voice that kept him from lashing out at the perceived insult.

  “Yeah, it’s true. I don’t lie. I may tell you something isn’t any of your fucking business, but I won’t lie to her or to you. Ever.” His response had likely been gruffer than necessary, but he wanted to make a point. Honesty was something he had always prided himself on—hell, it was what had sent everything into a tailspin that night at St. Andrew’s. If he’d just gone along with Cam’s version of the story, he would have walked away virtually unscathed, but he hadn’t been able to do it.

  “Good enough. And just for the record, I wouldn’t have expected anything less than your complete candor.” Cam paused as he poured more Scotch into his glass before speaking again, asking the obvious question, “Why?”

  And there it was—the same question he’d just been considering and had asked himself thousands of times over the years. Why was it only this man? Hell, he’d ne
ver been remotely attracted to any other man, but from the moment he’d walked into Cam’s office, Carl had been almost hobbled by a lust-fueled erection. He couldn’t even count the times he’d had to remind himself he was here on assignment. CeCe’s safety had to remain his number one priority, his chief responsibility was to the lovely woman sleeping peacefully just a few feet away, but they needed to clear the air as well.

  “I don’t know.” And not for lack of consideration, I assure you.

  Chapter Ten

  The soft sound of rustling sheets drew both Carl’s and Cam’s attention to the lush curves of the woman laying nearby. CeCe had pushed the dark Egyptian cotton sheets off just enough to reveal the gentle curves of her toned back and the top half of her sweetly rounded ass. God the woman was almost glowing in the moonlight that was streaming through the window. Her pale skin was a contrast to her dark hair and Carl made a mental note to make sure they had plenty of sunblock when they got to the island. He was going to enjoy applying the lotion to every exposed inch of her and he was certain all of those delicious inches would be exposed most of the time.

  “She is beautiful, isn’t she?” Cam’s expression was as soft as Carl had ever seen it, but he had the impression his friend was apprehensive about his relationship with CeCe. “I was in the front entrance the first night she walked into Dark Desires. I don’t believe in coincidence. Things happen for a reason, but I have no idea why the Universe thought me deserving of such an amazing gift.” Carl saw the same haunted look in Cam’s eyes that he’d seen in his own and each of teammates over the years—the vacancy that spoke of the things they’d seen and done. “But like any former operative, I’m an opportunist. I wasn’t about to let her walk back out the door with her application packet without talking to her. And I damned well wasn’t letting any of the newbie Doms that had suddenly found their way to the reception area get their hands on her.”

  Carl didn’t speak, he simply waited as Cam seemed lost in the memory of that night. “I know you have probably heard about love at first sight and like me, you probably scoffed at the idea. Don’t. It’s real. From the moment I looked up and saw her standing in front of me, she was mine. I fell in love with her as soon as our eyes met and I swear to you I felt lightning race up my arm when she shook my hand.” Carl wanted to laugh at Cam’s pained expression, “Christ, I sound like a fucking Hallmark card, but I’m telling you it’s true. I kept her here that night for hours, helped her fill out her packet, she’d already done a physical so all that remained was the background check. I didn’t play with her that night, but it took every ounce of restraint I possessed. Hell, Fischer would have had a stroke if I hadn’t followed my own rules.” Cam’s laugh was strained and Carl nodded in understanding. Kyle and Kent hadn’t let either he or Peter play until their background checks were done and they’d been teammates and friends for years. Not that a background check on a Navy SEAL is going to tell you jack shit, but it looks good on paper if anybody wants to question it.

  “There is something about the threats you received that bothers me. They are worded more to gain your attention than to really show intention to harm CeCe or Chloe.” It was an understatement and they both knew it. The threats were seriously lame and definitely focused on Cameron rather than the intended “victims”. Carl’s best guess was that it was some woman Cam had failed to “notice” and she would eventually show herself—but he certainly wasn’t willing to bet CeCe’s or Chloe’s life on it.

  “Jax and Micah drew the same conclusion, but I haven’t seen that yet. I’m not sure I am able to look at it objectively, I’m terrified of losing either Cecelia or Chloe, but my instincts tell me Cecelia is more of a target, which leads credence to your observation.” Carl respected Cam’s admission that he was unable to be objective in his analysis, many Dominant men wouldn’t admit to being fallible. But Cameron Barnes had been an agent for a lot of years, and survival in that world depended on acknowledging your own weaknesses—so you could compensate for them because it often meant the difference between life and death. Cam’s willingness to request the help of a seasoned team of security specialists was testament to how seriously he was taking the threats.

  “The envelope just showed up on your desk? And your security feeds don’t show any activity in the area during that time?” Carl knew what was in the report, but after seeing all the surveillance equipment at Dark Desires, he had trouble imagining anyone eluding all the cameras and making their way into and out of the owner’s inner sanctum without drawing attention.

  “Yes. And no. Well, the security feeds for the entire building show plenty of activity for those minutes, but not anything particularly useful.” Cam snorted in frustration, “We have a particularly interesting five minute segment of Debbie Does Dallas spliced in to the same time frame for every camera in the building. So whoever we’re dealing with knows what they are doing and just how long it would take to make their way to my office and get out.”

  “Did you walk it through?” Timing would be an important element. Whoever tapped into the security feeds wouldn’t have wanted to leave the porn film on any longer than necessary.

  “Yes. And from the front door, it takes three minutes and from the side entrance that is used by staff, it would take four.” Carl was betting his friend had a theory, so he’d wait to hear the rest of what Cam had to say before offering his own opinion. “Personally, I’d put my money on the side entrance. The front entrance is caught in a sweep from the street cameras which are not connected to our system, and the side entrance is hidden by landscaping as a part of the design.”

  “I think maybe you should have Micah re-run the background checks on each of your employees. He still has a lot of military contacts, their systems are more difficult to skirt. Do you by chance remember anyone whose record appeared almost too clean?” Everyone knew that a created background was usually squeaky-clean and therefore highly suspect, but for some reason those didn’t always flag, so they often eluded investigators. Cam simply nodded and began typing into his phone. When he had finished, Carl met his gaze and asked, “What about you? Anyone since we were in school?” He hated how needy the question sounded, but he deserved an answer—it was only fair.

  Cam’s eyes dilated as their eyes stayed focused on each other, the lust Carl saw in Cam’s eyes felt like a blast of heat blowing through the room. “No.” Carl hadn’t known how much the answer meant to him until he felt his body let out the breath he’d been holding. Cameron’s answer had almost been too forceful, so Carl just continued to watch him closely. Carl knew there had been rumors around the school that he wasn’t the only one Cam had topped, but he’d never taken any of the stories seriously. The two of them had spent so much time together, Carl wasn’t sure when his friend would have had time to see anyone else. But over the years, Carl had learned most relationships don’t remain exclusive forever. Hell, almost every couple he’d ever known had dealt with the subject of infidelity, and it didn’t matter if they were in a traditional marriage, ménage, or same sex relationship.

  Cam had just opened his mouth to speak when they heard Cecelia gasp as if someone had frightened her followed immediately by a blood-curdling scream Carl was sure would bring the entire team bursting into the room. Before he and Cam made it to her side the door was flung open and men with guns drawn ran in tracking the entire room before settling on the three of them.

  It wasn’t a surprise to anyone when the team’s newest member, Mitch Ames, was the first to speak, “Well damn, nobody to shoot? What am I supposed to do with all this adrenaline now?” He grinned at Kyle, “Boss, this job may not work out if’n I don’t ever get to shoot anybody.”

  Carl saw the mortified look on CeCe’s face ease when Kent’s snort of laughter broke the ice, “I better get back to Tobi, she was spittin’ mad as a wet kitten when I locked her in the closet in our room. Unless of course Mitch here wants some excitement after all.”

  “Nope. I may be an adrenaline junkie, but my mama didn
’t raise me to be suicidal or stupid. Wet kittens are lots more dangerous than gators.” Mitch Ames could play that poor southern boy routine until the end of time and Carl wouldn’t buy it. The man might have been raised in the bayou, but his mama and daddy were anything but poor, they owned one of the largest oil companies in the south and God only knew how many off-shore rigs they owned as well. Mitch had joined the Army after a night of drinking during which he’d gambled away his car and his girlfriend had shoved him out of the cab too close to a recruiter’s office. His family’s money could have gotten him out of the commitment he had signed, but that wasn’t Mitch. The man had excelled, becoming a Ranger then a Green Beret. He was the Prairie Winds' team newest member.

  “Coward.”

  “Damn skippy.” The exchange hadn’t taken long, but Carl could feel CeCe’s muscles relaxing under his hand and he was grateful for Mitch’s insight. The man was going to be a huge asset to the team, his easy manner might appear effortless, but Carl knew better. Mitch had chosen to leave the Special Forces because he’d been disillusioned by all the restrictions and limitations he felt prevented his team from being as effective as they could have been. From what Carl heard, Mitch’s team had gotten to a young female hostage too late because they’d been held up by administrative red tape. Kyle told the team that Mitch’s re-enlistment paperwork was shredded and returned to his commanding officer within hours of his team’s return to Fort Bragg.

  The room emptied and Carl could practically feel CeCe’s adrenaline crash coming on. Hoping to get some answers before that happened, he turned so he was facing both CeCe and Cam. “Want to talk about it?” He hoped to vanquish whatever demons had brought her awake screaming as if the hounds of hell were chasing her. To his credit, Cam just held her hand offering his support, but not giving her an out to answering the question.