“Who are you?”
Caden turned to see Trent asking that of the man standing alongside Victoria. He was nothing like the men their sister usually brought home. Where Vic usually liked her men with dark hair and a laid-back personality, this man was blond, with blue eyes and an intensity that would make a lesser man cringe. It was a good thing the two of them didn’t have that problem.
“Stop it, you two,” Victoria scolded them. “Trent, could we get some towels, please? After we’re dry and have something warm to drink, we’ll talk.”
“Why are you blonde?” Lauren blurted out, then must have realized she spoke out of turn, because a flush stole over her face. “I’m sorry. That was rude. I just assumed you would resemble your brothers.”
“They didn’t tell you I was adopted?” Vic wiped her wet hands down her jeans, although how she thought that was drying them was beyond Caden. He watched as his sister held out her hand toward Lauren. “I’m Victoria, but please call me Vic. You’ll have to tell me where they’ve been hiding you, because I’ve been on them constantly about it being time for them to settle down.”
Lauren stepped forward and shook hands with his sister, although from her expression, she wasn’t happy with Victoria’s disclosure. “Lauren Suval. It’s nice to meet you. And no, they seemed to have left that bit of pertinent information about you being adopted out during our conversations. And I’m sorry, but you’ve misinterpreted who I am. I’m the Noble they hired to find you.”
Chapter Thirteen
Lauren hadn’t known what she expected Victoria Luca to look like, but the woman sitting in the living room, snuggled on the couch in white sweats and a matching T-shirt, was not it. She was a petite spitfire who didn’t take crap from anyone, least of all her brothers.
The man she was with was introduced as Mace Lawson, the person Victoria had been with these last couple weeks. Caden and Trent immediately converged on them, wanting to know exactly what was going on and demanding answers right there on the spot. It was fascinating to watch Victoria stand her ground, refusing to say another word until they were handed towels, had time to change, and were made coffee.
Both brothers did as Victoria asked, although not happily. Trent took the time to whisper in her ear that they weren’t done with their conversation, that it was just postponed until later that evening. He could talk all he wanted, but it wouldn’t change a thing. She was going home tomorrow, end of story.
Lauren was glad she had changed into a pair of jeans after her earlier shower and hadn’t been wearing her shorts and tank top when Victoria and Mace showed up. Mace had a duffel bag with him, so Lauren assumed that was where he managed to come up with his change of clothes. He, too, had chosen jeans and a blue T-shirt.
“So, you’re a Noble?” Victoria asked Lauren while she leaned into Mace, who was sitting in the corner of the couch. Lauren could tell that small gesture bothered Caden and Trent, but they remained quiet. “Are you the one that Mace was blocking?”
Lauren didn’t answer right away and hoped the shock of what Victoria said wasn’t written all over her face. Mace was the Restrictor. Theo and Jagger were going to shit their pants. They would immediately want to talk to him, make sure he understood that, by coming out in the open, he was seriously putting himself in danger. They would also want him at the compound. Didn’t he realize he was placing Victoria at risk as well? It turned out she didn’t need to answer right away, because Victoria’s declaration caught Caden’s attention.
“Vic, you have to start from the beginning.” Caden was standing at the bar, a short glass of liquor in his hand, and rubbing his eyes with the other. “First of all, why are you here now, when you said you wouldn’t be home for another three weeks? Why are you with Mace, and why haven’t you said a word to us that you were involved with a Noble?”
“Because it isn’t any of your business, that’s why.”
“Vic, they’re your brothers. They have a right to know,” Mace interrupted. Turning his attention to Caden and Trent, Mace went on to divulge the reason Victoria needed time to herself. “To answer your first question, when we knew the hurricane would be coming directly at you, Victoria wanted to be here. She was worried about you. As for the rest, I met Victoria a couple months ago when she was getting coffee at a local shop where I live. I am a Noble, and I’m what you would call a Restrictor. I realized Victoria was having trouble controlling her power, so I stepped in to try and control it.”
No one said a word, as everyone was stunned into silence. Victoria was a Noble? Lauren looked over at Caden and Trent, who were both standing still by the bar, and noticed their faces had lost a little color. It was evident they hadn’t been aware Victoria had powers, and Lauren felt a touch of compassion for what they must be feeling. Victoria, on the other hand, appeared mad that Mace had told them of her ability.
“Guys, it wasn’t like I kept anything from you. And I know that’s what you’re thinking.” Victoria scrambled to her feet and walked over to her brothers. Hugging each one, she stepped back. “You know that I would always get these funny feelings when something bad or good was about to happen. It’s not strong, just a feeling.”
“Vic, why would you think that makes you a Noble?” Caden asked, placing his glass on the bar top after having embraced Victoria. “Hell, our mother used to get those feelings all the time.”
“Not like me, Caden. Think about it,” Victoria urged, “do you remember when their plane crashed? Do you remember me calling you hours before telling you I was scared and to come home?”
“Yes, but—”
“And do you remember when Trent crashed his old Mercedes? How I kept telling him for a week beforehand that he needed to be careful?” Victoria turned and walked back to the couch, sitting beside Mace. “Mace helped me figure out that I do have Noble blood in me. He felt it come over me in the coffee shop that day. It turned out a car accident was about to happen outside on the street. But when this overwhelming feeling of dread came over me, I couldn’t move. Mace immediately blocked the feeling for me, so no one would notice. Whoever my biological parents were, one of them must have had some type of power. Mace and I figure since my power is on the weaker side, only one of them must have had Noble blood. We aren’t sure what, because we’re still digging around and all the files are closed. But I will find out who they are. And when I do, I can figure out what type of power I have.”
Lauren let them discuss things while she mentally reviewed everything that was laid out before her. The only questions remaining were why Mace was in Florida when no one knew he existed, and why he chose now to come forward. Looking over at Mace, she realized he was watching her with those penetrating blue eyes. It was like he could see right through her.
Unfolding himself from the couch, Mace said, “If you three will excuse us, Lauren and I have some business to discuss.”
“Hold up there, Noble,” Trent warned, walking over to where Lauren had risen from the chair, eager to find out what Mace wanted to talk to her about. “Whatever you have to say to Lauren, you can say in front of us.”
“No. Mace and I need to speak privately and—”
“Lauren, it’s okay.” Mace held up his hands as if in surrender. “It’s obvious they care for you, and I would feel the same way about Victoria.”
“Our relationship is not like—”
“If you say one more word, I swear I will have you hung up on that St. Andrew’s Cross in two minutes flat,” Trent whispered in her ear, making her shiver with the intensity of his words. “Mace, whatever you have to say, do it quick. We have some important matters to attend to.”
Lauren could tell from Trent’s stance against her body that he meant every word he said. A tremor went through her at the thought that this night would change her life. Either she would be able to walk out of here tomorrow, with her heart intact, or they would convince her that what she was feeling was real—even though it couldn’t be. Love didn’t exist.
“I was real
ly just going to say that I would like Lauren to set up a meeting with Jagger Malone and Theo McKay. There are some things that I need to discuss with them regarding my family. They need protection, and from my understanding, Jagger and Theo can provide it.”
“I can do that, Mace,” Lauren said, finally finding her voice. “I will call first thing tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Lauren.” Mace turned and held out a hand to Victoria, who took his and rose from the couch. “And as much as I know all of you have additional questions, we’ve been driving for hours, and Victoria needs to get some sleep.”
“Vic,” Caden said, strolling over to the couch, “no matter who your biological parents are, you will always be our sister. Noble blood or not, we love you anyway. I’m just sorry you felt like you couldn’t come to us.”
Lauren watched as Caden pulled Victoria in for another hug, his affection for his sister written all over his face. Victoria pulled back and gave her big brother a smile. “It wasn’t that I couldn’t come to you. But finding out I’m a Noble was just a lot of information to take in all at once, without having to tell you guys on top of it. Mace has been with me every step of the way, though. I haven’t been alone.”
Victoria walked over to Trent, who released Lauren and bent down to hug his sister. “I love you, too, you big lug. Maybe you and Caden can get some of your friends to help me out. Apparently, sealed records are harder to get released than I originally thought.”
“No problem, Vic. We’ll make some calls tomorrow.”
Victoria turned to face her, and to Lauren’s surprise, pulled her into a hug. Turning her face into Lauren’s hair, Victoria whispered, “They are good men. I can see they care about you very much. Please don’t hurt them.”
Lauren didn’t know what to say, so chose not to say anything. Didn’t Victoria realize that it was they who would end up hurting her? Pulling back, she watched as Victoria crossed back to Mace. They exited the room, using the hallway that would apparently lead them to the room Victoria usually stayed in when she visited.
Lauren finally got up the courage to look over at Trent, who had walked over to Caden. They spoke a few words that she couldn’t hear, and then she almost took a step back when Trent turned back to her. A look of determination settled over his features, and he strode over to her, bending at the knees and placing his hands around her thighs. As he stood up, Lauren found herself hanging upside down staring at his nice, firm ass. And she did the first thing that came to mind. She bit him.
* * * *
“Son of a bitch!” Trent exclaimed when he felt her teeth sink down through his jeans and into his skin. “Caden, we’ll be in the spanking room. Can you get my bag?”
“No, he cannot get your bag!” Lauren said, her voice muffled because she was hanging upside down. “Caden, you’re the reasonable one. Tell him this isn’t the way adults talk about their issues.”
“Maybe if you talked about yours, Caden and I wouldn’t have to resort to such drastic measures,” Trent said, gritting his teeth at the pain from her teeth.
Trent walked up the stairs, down the hallway, and into a bedroom, which was his favorite by far. Its theme was spanking, and inside, the colors black and white were dominant. The massive bed sat up against the back wall, the comforter having swirls of the two colors, making it seem like a never-ending spiral was at the center. In the middle of the room sat a spanking bench, similar to the one in the common area. This one was arranged with a longer body portion, so the person buckled to it would be able to rest their chin comfortably if they were sucking cock. He planned to use it tonight, but right now, the chain links with leather cuffs lined in fur hanging from the ceiling would do the trick.
Setting Lauren on her feet, he quickly grabbed her wrists and secured them snugly, before she had a chance to realize what he was doing. He tested to make sure they weren’t too tight, and that her circulation wasn’t being cut off. Stepping back, he walked over to the wall to grab the spreader bar that was hanging on a couple of hooks. It was a metal bar with an ankle cuff on each side, also lined with fur so it would feel soft against her skin and cause her no discomfort.
“Don’t even think about it, Trent. This has gone too far.”
Trent noticed that there was no actual fear in her voice. Instead, her nipples were poking through the green shirt she wore. Walking over to her with the bar in his hand, he ended up throwing it on the bed. Using his hands, he cupped her face and made sure she was looking him in the eye. He needed her to see how serious he was about what was about to take place.
“You’re right, this has gone too far,” Trent agreed, seeing her eyes widen with his agreement. “Caden and I never expected someone like you to walk into our lives. Never mind that it’s been days and not weeks, months, or years—we know you are meant to be with us. You know it, too, or you would never have agreed to come here. We can help you past whatever is holding you back if you just trust us, giving us your heart, body, and soul. So I’m giving you one chance, Lauren, to end this right now. Say the word ‘stop’ and I will take you down and carry you to another room where you can stay until tomorrow. And then I will take you home, like nothing happened. You can return to your safe world, where nothing touches your heart, and live the rest of your life in your sterile apartment. Or you can say the word ‘yes’, and just let yourself melt into our hands and let us take care of you.”
Trent widened his legs to bring him down to eye level with Lauren. She seemed to have stopped breathing from the minute he’d agreed that this had gone on long enough. Her body had become still, and her silver eyes were glistening with unshed tears, making them appear bright and translucent. Her hands above the cuffs were now tightened fists, the whites of her knuckles showing her strength. If he thought giving her time would work out any trust issues she might have, he would have happily given that time to her. But something deep inside of him was saying that if they let her walk away tomorrow, Lauren would build back up her defenses and they might never get another chance.
“What you want doesn’t really exist, Trent,” Lauren whispered, with an almost begging quality to her voice. “You want to believe it’s real, but tell me, what happens when one of you decides you don’t want to care for me anymore? What happens to me then? You want me to hand you over everything inside of me, what makes me…me.”
“You mean love you?” Caden asked quietly. Trent had been aware that he had walked in the room a while ago. Caden had stood to the side, listening to them talk, and hopefully knew words or promises he could add that Trent hadn’t. Walking toward them, Caden continued, “Each day, that love will grow and grow. Each day, it will become stronger until we are stronger. But what we are asking of you, we will give back to you tenfold. You will know our hearts, like we will know yours. You will know our dreams, and they will become one with yours.”
Trent felt Lauren take an unsteady breath when Caden came up behind her, melding his body with hers. Caden buried his face in the curve of her neck, where it met her shoulder. Lauren closed her eyes, whether at the intimacy Caden was creating, or to give herself time to gather her thoughts, he didn’t know.
“Lauren, look at me.” Trent waited for her to open her eyes, feeling an arrow break through his heart at the apprehension he saw there. Letting go of her face, so her decision wouldn’t be affected by his touch, he took a half step back. He noticed Caden do the same. “You decide where we go from here. Caden laid out everything on the table. It’s time to either trust us, or walk away. What’s it going be?”
Trent noticed that Caden had gone completely still, and knew he was feeling the same foreboding as he was. He would keep his promise to take her home in the morning and let her live her life, if that is what she wanted. It would emotionally kill him, but he would do it. He never would have envisioned that in the span of three days, he would fall madly in love with a woman who was scared of the one emotion that he and his brother needed from her. Only she could choose to love them, as they couldn’t do
it for her.
“Yes I trust you,” Lauren breathed, so softly he could barely hear her. The relief that settled over him was so immense that he had to take a second to close his eyes. Trent knew this could have gone either way, but was also aware it was now or never. With trembling hands, he wrapped his arms around her and, for a brief moment, just absorbed her heat. Feeling her shake, he knew the depths of her fears were coming to light, and he made a vow to be there to help her banish them.
Trent stepped back, making room for Caden. Both of them started to touch her all over, just letting her know they were there. It wasn’t so much a physical thing as it was an emotional connection. Since Trent was in front of her, he was the one to feather her face with light kisses, licking away the falling tears. Nipping her lip, he continued on, brushing his against the curve of her jaw and down her neck. Using the back of his fingers, he caressed her arms down and up, bringing them over her breasts and doing the same with her nipples, and down her rib cage. Following along with his mouth, he used his tongue to trail behind his knuckles, bending to his knees. He kissed each contour of her hips, going lower until he was tracing her thighs and feet, only to start back up.
Caden had been doing the same with her back, hopefully making her feel secluded inside their affection. He wanted her to feel safe enough to let go. Even with the word “yes,” she needed to know they would be here to catch her. Finally standing, Trent left her in Caden’s capable hands and, as quickly as he could, assembled the black harness that would keep her suspended with her legs apart, letting him and Caden be able to concentrate only on her. Once Trent had everything hooked securely, he grabbed the black silk blindfold and walked up to Lauren, who was now naked. Caden had undressed both of them, and was still murmuring reassuring words to make sure she felt safe.
“Lauren, I want you to just feel. No sight, and no thought. We want you to turn into yourself and let us be here to catch you.”
Noble Release [Nature's Nobles 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 11