Chapter Three
“Theo, I’m telling you. Someone was interfering with her energy.”
Lauren sat in the car alongside the main entrance ramp onto the highway. She was sure being parked along the side of the road was illegal, but driving at this precise time was not safe. Her hands were trembling, and if what she thought had actually happened, then Theo and Jagger needed to be aware of the situation.
Theo McKay had been her friend since their teenage years and continued to keep in touch. He was now in a ménage with his wife, Reese Matthews, and their third, Jagger Malone, who happened to be in charge of Haven. Haven was a compound located in the mountains of Colorado, serving as a safe refuge for Nobles who found it hard to live among society. She was one of the lucky ones who had total control of her power and was able to turn it on and off at will. Some were not so fortunate.
“Lauren, we’ve had feelers out for the past two years.” Theo’s voice boomed through the speaker of her phone. “If there was a Noble who had the ability to block another person’s power, we would know about it. Have we heard of a Restricter before? Yes, but not in this generation.”
“Then your men missed it,” Lauren insisted. “I have never encountered what just happened before in my life. Victoria Luca could be in trouble, Theo. Her brothers are right to be worried. Every time I would get a trace of her energy, something wiped it away.”
Lauren looked past the palm trees, which were blowing in the wind. Considering how stiff the leaves were, it was surprising that the force of the air was strong enough to make them sway. A storm was fast approaching, which had nothing to do with the hurricane everyone was talking about, and she knew it was time to get on the road before it arrived but needed to explain her situation to Theo in more detail. “Theo, I felt another person severing the connection I made with her. I think I’m going to need Jagger’s assistance on this.”
“Let me speak with Jagger and figure out where we might have missed something. He’s been trying to trace the families that were infected with the particles from the meteor that crashed, so we have some sort of lineage to follow. If what you are saying is true, then yes, we have missed something. What did you tell her brothers?”
“Not enough to satisfy them,” Lauren reluctantly admitted.
After trying three times to get a read on Victoria’s energy and losing the trace every time, she knew something was wrong—so did Caden and Trent. Lauren was glad to be able to inform them that their sister was alive, but seeing their faces cloud over with frustration when she couldn’t give them a location wiped away their initial relief. Both men had stood in front of her, demanding to know more. The white lie she told about how sometimes losing the connection meant Victoria might be traveling hadn’t set well. And in the midst of doing her job, for the first time, she had found herself distracted. Lauren had discovered her body wanted to know how the dominance within them would react to her deceit. But that is something she would never know, because she would never allow herself to be drawn into that lifestyle, let alone a vanilla one. Relationships were off-limits.
“I will call you back later tonight. Did you take a personal item with you, so you could try again later?”
“Yes,” Lauren replied, looking over at the passenger seat where Victoria’s brush and a scarf were laying over the manila folder. “They let me take a couple of items.”
Lauren wasn’t about to disclose how they had not wanted her to leave until she could tell them the vicinity of where Victoria was. They had been pretty adamant that she stay, but she was able to convince them that sometimes it was better when she was in her own surroundings. That was kind of a white lie as well, but Lauren didn’t want to alarm them needlessly. If whoever held Victoria was a true Noble with the ability to interfere with another’s power, it would be Lauren’s problem, not theirs. They were indirectly affected by it through their sister, but she would never place them directly in the path of something dangerous. That was her burden to bear.
Raindrops started to fall onto her windshield, indicating she had waited a little too long in getting started back home. She flicked the handle on the wipers, causing them to smear the water across the glass. Knowing she needed to end the call, Lauren said, “Talk it over with Jagger. Maybe I can locate Max to see if he can get a lead.”
“Your brother is young and spontaneous,” Theo replied, not telling her anything she didn’t already know. “You said yourself last week that he and his girlfriend decided to hike through Europe. If they already left, he probably won’t be back for some time, and honestly, his power is not half as strong as yours.”
“I hear you, but I’m just grasping at straws right now.” Lauren looked up into her rearview mirror to see a black Mercedes pull up behind her. Damn, someone thought she was broken down. “Listen, I’ve got to go. Please call me sooner rather than later. If Victoria is in danger, I’m not sure how long she has.”
After disconnecting the call, Lauren threw her cell phone down with Victoria’s things and looked back up into the rearview mirror. The door was opening, but she felt guilty that whoever it was, was about to become soaked with rain all because they thought her car was disabled. Contemplating just opening the door and yelling out that she was fine, Lauren saw who it was as he unfolded himself from the car, unfastening an umbrella. Shit, it was Trent Luca.
Her body immediately tingled to life, the way it had earlier. She gritted her teeth, trying desperately to stop these rising sensations. She had made it to thirty without having unwanted urges to touch a man. The fact that she met two in one day, let alone brothers, annoyed her. She would not be like her mother, letting her emotions overrule thought until she couldn’t rationalize between what was real or imagined. Lauren would keep these cravings to herself and make sure she maintained a professional appearance. She refused to act any other way.
* * * *
What the hell was she doing parked along the entrance ramp with no hazard lights on? Did she not realize what a dangerous situation she had put herself in? His hand burned at the need to teach her to take better care of herself. If Lauren were his, she would have that reminder every time she sat down for a week to not place herself in unsafe situations. Trent took a deep breath before approaching her window, trying to curtail his immediate reaction. It was bad enough his sister was out there missing, but now he was finding that this slip of a woman was burrowing underneath his skin.
The window rolled down halfway, letting him see her without the distorted glass. Her beauty mesmerized Trent, just as it had when he had first laid eyes on her. Her features appeared so delicate, while her attitude suggested something else entirely. He took in the white knuckles on her hands as she placed them on the steering wheel. She might be trying to sustain decorum, but she wasn’t as immune to him or his brother as she let on.
“What are you doing sitting here without your hazard lights on? Do you realize how dangerous that is?”
“I was just placing a call and didn’t want to be distracted,” Lauren answered, not meeting his gaze. “I appreciate you stopping, but I’m fine. I’m pulling back out now. But I promise to call you or your brother the minute I have anything concrete on your sister.”
“You’re not driving in this storm.” Trent opened her door and brought the umbrella closer to the hood of her car. He ignored her huff in frustration. “Come. I will take you back to the house and we can wait out the storm.”
“That’s really unnecessary. I’ve lived here for years and know how to drive in the rain.” Lauren had leaned back a little, causing him to realize that his groin was close to her face. He smiled. His erection had not eased from their earlier encounter and judging by the small blush on her cheeks, she noticed. He watched as she licked her lips before speaking, causing him to smother a groan. “I will touch base with you soon.”
She had no idea how soon, but Trent didn’t say that out loud. Instead, he bent his knees and leaned down until he was at eye level with her, extending his arm up
to make sure the umbrella kept the rain from hitting her. “Lauren, you’re not driving in this rain. It’s bad enough that Caden and I have to wonder if Victoria is okay, but to think you could have an accident and be hurt in this storm is something I can control. Now hop on out, so I can walk you to my car.”
“Mr. Luca—”
Trent leaned over, knowing his arm was brushing against her breasts, and turned the key in the ignition to off. Feeling her nipples against his skin pebble into hardened nubs made him want to close his eyes and savor her response. Instead, he palmed the jingling mass of keys and sat back down on his heels and waited for what he knew would be an outburst. What he hadn’t counted on was her physically reaching for her keys, which he held away from her, causing her to almost fall out of the car. She had to place her left hand on his knee to catch her balance, but quickly pulled it away.
“Give them back.” Her silver eyes were sparking with anger and he almost wanted to just sit back and enjoy the view. Unfortunately, the rain was coming down a little harder than before, and thunder was now making itself known. “This show of being chivalrous is appreciated, but unwarranted. I’ve been taking care of myself for my entire life, and a little rain isn’t going to hurt me.”
Lightning chose that moment to light up the sky, followed by a big clap of thunder. The angry wind pulled the umbrella against her car, the metal rod clanking against her hood. He knew exactly how the wind felt. “Show? It’s who I am, Lauren. And while you have done a fine job of taking care of yourself, when someone wants to lend a hand, it does behoove you to take what is offered. You are not driving in this rain. For one, I would worry. Two, my brother would never forgive me. We thought you would be in front of the storm system, not sitting in it, or we never would have let you leave to begin with. Either you walk yourself to my car, or I will carry you. The choice is yours.”
“I am not one of your women at the club, Mr. Luca.” Lauren held out her hand, as if she expected him to just hand over her keys. He fought down a chuckle at the sight of her raising her palm to gather his attention. “I’m doing a job you hired me to do, and I can’t very well do that if I’m hiding at your residence because of a little rain.”
“You really do not want me to reply to what you just said, Lauren. I repeat, it’s your choice.” Standing, Trent placed the keys inside his jeans pocket. He was a tolerant man. She would eventually cave and give herself over to his care. That probably wasn’t how she viewed it, but it was how he perceived it. Trent wasn’t sure what it was about her that drew him in, considering she was as vanilla as they came. He and his brother had lived the lifestyle of BDSM since their college days, finding their way through exploration. There had been many women, all who had docile personalities, needing to take what they offered. Lauren wasn’t quite on that level, so it would stand to reason that there would be no attraction on an emotional level. But something pulled him to her. Something drew his brother to her as well. She might come across as independent, but underneath, there was some quality of submissiveness that lay soundless. He wanted to let it out to sing.
Lauren quietly reached for her purse, placing all the items that were on the seat beside her inside of it. Pulling the strap up over her shoulder, she placed her feet on the ground and purposefully ignored his offered hand. He bit back a smile at her childish behavior, while he closed her car door.
“That’s two, just so you are aware I’m keeping count.”
Lauren’s step faltered as she turned to walk toward his car. He placed his left hand on her back, bringing his right hand across his chest to make sure the umbrella covered them both. He felt her stiffen, but she said nothing until they were at the passenger-side door of his Mercedes. She lasted longer than he thought, but before Lauren actually sat inside the door he held open, she finally voiced her curiosity.
“What do you mean, two?” Her eyes held a wariness that he wanted to wipe away, but knew would be there. This attraction obviously came at the wrong time, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t right.
“Spankings.” Trent watched as her silver eyes dilated and the pulse in the contour of her neck sped up at hearing the word. Nothing pleased him more than knowing that word excited her. “When a woman of ours doesn’t take care of herself, we feel it’s our place to remind her. We want her safe.”
Lauren cleared her throat, and he saw her fingers tighten on the straps of her purse. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m only helping you find your sister, isn’t it? Count away, since it won’t affect me at all.”
Trent finally showed the smile he had been hiding as she settled herself into the comfortable leather seat of his vehicle. Once she was safely inside, Trent walked around the front of the car. The minute they found Victoria, all bets were off. He would speak about it with Caden, but he was positive she was the one for them. Lauren was the one they had been waiting for.
Chapter Four
Lauren was glad Caden and Trent had left her to her own devices. She seemed to think more clearly without them around. Trent had brought her back to their home, only to say that he had to take a conference call, replacing it with the meeting he had been going to when he came upon her car. She wanted to point out that he wouldn’t have been late if he had let her continue on her way home as she’d intended, but thought better of it. She would let him feel like he had done the gentlemanly thing by bringing her here to wait for the storm to pass, and then be on her way.
Caden had been in his office when she and Trent had arrived back at the house and was still locked away with whomever he was meeting. She couldn’t help but wonder who it was, since it obviously had something to do with their club. The thought brought her back to the present, where she found herself standing at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the club level. She wondered where their bedrooms were. Did they stay upstairs? Or did they have private quarters on the main level?
Lauren glanced up the staircase, wondering what the hell was prompting her to sneak upstairs and take a peek. Was it a basic curiosity to see how they lived? It wasn’t like she didn’t have time to kill. She had placed a few other calls and was waiting to hear back from her contacts. Detective Troves was doing her a favor by investigating Paul Compton. All she really wanted to know was if he was a Noble. Sure, she kept her ability under wraps, with the exception of Joe. But would Compton be able to hide it, being part of such an exclusive community? Caden and Trent might not be aware of it, but others might be clued in.
Joe had ignored her calls for the most part after their initial morning meeting. During her quick trip to his office, he had explained that Caden and Trent were friends and he felt she was their best hope. By friends, did that mean that Joe and his wife were involved in this lifestyle? She shook her head to clear that thought. It was hard to picture one of them tied up to a piece of equipment.
The house was quiet, and she heard nothing, except for her breathing, which had picked up its pace. Her curiosity was getting the best of her. Lauren stood there for a few moments, contemplating whether she should run up and take a look around. Mentally shrugging her shoulders, Lauren started up the staircase. The white walls gradually turned to beige, the black mingling until it all melded together. It was quite beautiful and created an intimate atmosphere.
Lauren finally reached the top of the staircase, and what she found made her heart race. Why did some wooden and leather pieces of equipment set her body on fire? She slowly made her way to the quaint sitting area that surrounded an unlit fireplace. Stylish burgundy couches and chairs were set up, facing each other. The fabric looked like velvet, and she couldn’t help but slide her hand over the material, finding it as soft as she’d thought it would be. Around the entire outer area, furniture she knew must be related to their lifestyle sat unused. A lot of equipment hung from the ceiling, and all had some sort of buckles or chains attached in the corners. Lauren randomly picked a piece that was on the floor and walked over to where a black wooden X stood, heavy chains dangling from each tip. Seeing scratch m
arks in the wood, Lauren traced their path knowing that someone had either received pain or pleasure on this wood, leaving their mark. Heat bubbled over her skin, making her feel like she was out at the beach on a hot day. Did the woman who left these marks trust the man who caused her pleasure or pain? What would it be like to trust someone like that?
Purposefully stepping away, Lauren turned to a leather item that looked like a long rectangle, sort of like a bench, bolted to the floor. On either side, there were two square slots with some sort of buckle attached to each. Images raced through her mind, but Lauren wasn’t ready to compute what position this contraption might be for. Knowing she had made a mistake coming up here, Lauren stepped back, only to have her body come into contact with solid muscle.
Spinning around, she found that Caden stood there, his hooded eyes smoldering with something she didn’t want to name. Since he hadn’t backed up when she turned, Lauren had to place her hands on his chest to maintain her balance. His chest was a solid mass of muscle.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were here.” Lauren had no idea why she was apologizing, but the same feeling she had gotten when she was looking at the equipment was crawling back over her skin. It started in her chest and bloomed outward, making her feel as if someone had lit an internal furnace she wasn’t aware she had.
“Your mind was occupied with other things,” Caden said, finally lifting the corner of his mouth up with a small smile. Lauren wasn’t too sure she appreciated that it was at her expense. Was he making fun of her? Almost immediately, her body cooled at the thought, and when she would have taken her hands off of his chest, he set his hands on her back. “I’m not trying to embarrass you—only point out that the forbidden is the most alluring.”
Noble Release [Nature's Nobles 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 3