“Yes. In fact, I can’t think of anyone better for the job.” Michael had a pleased expression on his face, and I couldn’t help but notice that even though he was sitting on the table in front of us, he maintained a perfect posture.
“Agreed. We’ll have such fun.” Ian’s cheerful grin had my eyes narrowing.
“I’m not so sure. What constitutes babysitting? What if he gets into trouble and I can’t stop him? He is a grown man after all.” I directed my questions at both of them, and watched Ian raise an eyebrow toward Michael.
“Mostly, I ask that you accompany Ian on his daily activities, perhaps persuade him to try different tourist destinations. I assure you Ian will not allow any harm to come to you nor take you anywhere inappropriate.” He flicked a warning glance at Ian. “Isn’t that correct, brother?”
“Of course. You are safe with me, love. We’ll consider the summer your education in the worldlier ways.”
I made an indiscriminate noise in the back of my throat as I felt my eyes widen at his words. I couldn’t begin to imagine what Ian considered worldly, but I had the feeling it was more than I could handle.
“You know, let us consider a trial run, shall we? You won’t have an opportunity to speak with your parents until Sunday, correct?” My nod had Michael continuing. “Then we have the week to see how this works out. If you don’t think it’ll work or Ian’s behavior is such that you don’t wish to remain, then I’ll happily see you taken care of in whatever way you and your parents decide.”
Ian made to interrupt, but a quelling glance from Michael stopped him. Whatever Michael said about Ian, he listened to his brother. They seemed devoted to one another, and I wondered again, what difference my presence made.
Their eagerness for me to stay was apparent, and it wasn’t as if I had any other options lying around, so I gave a reluctant nod. I didn’t want to admit that my reluctance had more to do with my intense desire to stay and less to do with any fear of their actions. I could already tell they were about to turn my life upside down.
Chapter Three
“If this is going to work then we need rules,” I announced, determined to set ground rules and find a way to protect my heart while I was at it.
I held up my hand and used my fingers to mark the rules off as I said them.
“One. No swearing.”
“Two. No drinking.”
“Three. No sexual innuendoes.”
“And last, no female companions wandering around in their underwear!” I nodded sharply and released the breath I’d been holding.
“Except for you,” Ian mentioned with a wicked grin.
“What do you mean?” My forehead furrowed in puzzlement. “I don’t drink or swear, and I won’t be making innuendoes.”
He glanced down at my robe and rubbed his hand across his chin.
“I do believe you are walking around in your birthday suit under that robe. I, of course, have no problem with your attire, and if you wish to break that rule, I’m all in favor.”
“Ian,” Michael chided as I flushed at the truth of his statement.
“Special circumstances! I will wear clothes.” I trailed off as I said, “When I have some.”
“Then we shall make that the first order of business,” Michael promised. “Now, as to the drinking rule; perhaps you meant no drunkenness? I assure you, we will behave with the utmost decorum.”
“Speak for yourself, brother.”
“Ian, that’s not helpful.” Michael clipped his words in irritation, his accent sharper.
“No. I meant no drinking.” My reply drew their attention back to me. “Alcohol changes the way a man acts. It’s terrible for your health, and being around a man who is impaired is dangerous.” The memory of the last man who attacked me caused me to shudder. I didn’t think either of the brothers were capable of what that man planned but I didn’t want to take the chance. Michael insisted Ian behaved badly on occasion, and maybe alcohol was to blame. My father often preached the evils of alcohol in his sermons.
Michael rolled the now empty glass between his hands and sighed. I was sure it had contained alcohol, and the ease with which Ian had finished it off during the telling of my story made me wary.
“You are correct, and we will refrain from drinking.” Michael’s head jerked up at Ian’s words, shock written clearly upon it. Ian’s ease at making the concession made me suspicious. “However, Michael is a businessman who on occasion goes to events at which alcohol is served, and I believe a single drink would not be undue?”
He smiled, already knowing I wouldn’t refuse such a reasonable request. I didn’t feel the need to admit I’d gotten lost in the cadence of his words and would have agreed to anything he asked. My parents may have sheltered me, but I wasn’t completely naïve. Ian was dangerous.
“I must say, Ian. I do believe we’ve been wasting your talents. I should have you at the table negotiating.”
“Sounds bloody dull, brother. I have much more interesting ways to pass the time.” I felt the weight of his stare as he smiled.
“No cursing, remember?”
“What? I didn’t curse.” He was all wide-eyed innocence as he asked, “What word did you consider a curse word?”
“Bloody.” My voice was a whisper as I uttered the word, mortified I had to say it, but unwilling to back down from the challenge in his eyes.
“Oh, that’s not a curse word, love. It’s just our way of emphasizing. You should try it. Repeat after me .... My parents are bloody idiots. You’ll find it quite satisfying. I promise.”
My mouth dropped open at his reply, but I couldn’t deny a tiny desire to do as he said. They were bloody idiots!
“Come now. You know you want to. Break out of that shell. You’re halfway there already, sitting here in your unmentionables, chatting with us. Once we get a British accent on you, it’ll be complete. You’ll be one of us.”
I smacked his arm as I said, “You’re the bloody idiot.”
They laughed and Ian replied, “You’ll do just fine.”
“I do believe we promised you clothing,” Michael commented after they stopped laughing. “Ian can take you tomorrow to purchase a new wardrobe, but for this evening, perhaps something of ours will do. So, you can discard the robe,” he added, gesturing to the aforementioned robe.
I nodded, ready to put on clothes. The robe was modest, but still felt intimate, especially in their presence. They’d been absolute gentlemen, but clothing felt like necessary armor at the moment.
“I’ll go poke around my closet. Anything of yours, Michael, would swallow her whole.” Ian stood up at the same time as Michael, highlighting the differences in their height. Michael was about three inches taller than Ian, and Ian had at least six inches on me. He was right. Anything of Michael’s would be excessively large.
Michael nodded and settled back down in the space Ian had vacated.
As Ian went to one of the doors I’d noticed earlier, I decided it would be wise to mention what I considered acceptable to wear.
“Something modest, Ian,” I warned him as he turned back with an exasperated expression and I continued, “Long, nothing short.”
“Your diabolical plan is working, Michael. She’s already ruining my fun.”
He opened the door to reveal a bedroom. They were staying in a suite, and I took a moment to consider the evening’s sleeping arrangements. I saw three doors, one which led to Ian’s bedroom, which left the other two as mysteries. That left me … where I wasn’t sure … the couch perhaps? Michael interrupted my thoughts as he said, “You’re good for him.”
“Am I?” I was startled by the thought, seeing as we’d only met a few hours ago. It seemed premature to think I’d had any effect on him, besides that of a nuisance.
“You cannot see what I can. He is considerate of you, protective. Things I have not seen from him in years, especially not with a woman. Ian used to love women, believing they were the greatest creatures on earth. He adored them.�
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“And that’s different? He flirted with the waitress and took care of me. How is that not an example of his love for women?”
“Yes, he flirted with the waitress and then you, the difference occurred when he insisted on paying for your lunch. He didn’t expect anything in return, and that is unusual for him. Then, when you needed help, he raced to your rescue. An action I never would have expected from him in recent years.”
“What changed him?” I had a feeling that was the important point in our discussion.
“I don’t know.” He appeared upset at the admission, and I patted his arm. He gave me a faint smile, a long-held sorrow in his eyes. “Ian is four years younger than I. He was the most charming child. Light hearted and fun. Everyone found him irresistible, and we were always close. Our parents …” He paused, taking a deep breath. “They were indifferent. Still are. He always wanted their attention, and I admit so did I. We just had different ways of going about it. I worked to please them, and he just wanted attention, no matter how he got it. He was fourteen when I left for university and without my presence, his existence was lonelier than ever. He did everything he could to garner their attention: Fights, drinking, and mouthing off. Any attention was better than none.”
I nodded, seeing it. My parents had always smothered me with attention as their only child. On occasion, it had felt like I would suffocate, but the moment their attention stopped, I felt like I’d lost my rudder. When they’d shuffled me off to stay with strangers, essentially ignoring me for their own purposes, I’d felt betrayed and lost. I couldn’t imagine growing up that way.
“He was still Ian, though. Nothing he did was so terrible or unforgiveable. He could charm anyone, except for our parents. They felt he reflected poorly on the family name. They could never understand why he did what he did.”
“But something happened?” I asked, tilting my head.
“Yes, when he was nineteen. I have no idea what, but the brother I loved disappeared then. He became dark, violent, and angry; using and discarding women, getting arrested, and expelled from university.”
Michael paused and stared at me searchingly.
“Until today. Today, I saw the brother I thought was lost. When he’s with you, I see the man that loved women, the man who believed they should be cared for, and I don’t want to lose him again.”
His words were vaguely desperate and only served to intimidate me. I had no idea what it was about me that had brought this behavior out in his brother, and I was afraid it had nothing to do with me, which would cause Michael to be disappointed when Ian reverted.
“I don’t see how I could be the catalyst for his behavior. Maybe something else happened?” I was drawing at straws and taking a risk Michael would decide my presence was unnecessary, but I couldn’t believe I was the reason.
“No, there was nothing else. You are the reason. I can see it even now. As he speaks to you, cares for you, it’s obvious to me.” He rested his hand on mine, the warm touch making my body react in surprising ways. “I don’t mean to put pressure on you or make you feel uncomfortable. I just ask that you stay. Spend time with my brother, be yourself. That’s all.” His intent gaze should have made me uncomfortable, but it had the opposite effect of relaxing me. His words were sincere, and I could easily read his love for his brother on his face. Both disarmed my objections, and I noticed with surprise that he was equally as charming as his brother. They had completely different methods of getting what they wanted, but both were successful in their efforts.
The sound of Ian’s return had Michael removing his hand as he stood. The absence of his touch left me cold, and I curled my fingers in so I wouldn’t be tempted to reach for him. Ian held up two scraps of clothing, which didn’t look large enough to fit me, much less him.
“Here we are, love.” A light toss and the clothing landed in my lap. I held up a tank top and boxer shorts. My lips pursed as I tilted my head.
“I think not. Next.”
A half smile pulled up one corner of his full lips, and he proceeded to toss the other clothing he had held behind his back toward me.
“Give a bloke his fun. You could at least model them. I’m sure they covered all the necessary bits.” I rolled my eyes at him as I headed to the bathroom to change.
Chapter Four
Ian
I watched her move to the bathroom, noting even in the shapeless robe the sway of her hips. As the door closed behind her, I noticed Michael’s gaze lingered on her as well. He gave me a curious glance as he said, “You’re taken with her.”
It wasn’t a question, so I ignored his words, unwilling to admit how thoroughly she’d captured my attention. When I’d first seen her in the restaurant, her despair had called to me, but I’d managed to soothe my conscience by paying for her lunch and then leaving. Her later screams though had shredded me.
I was lucky Michael had been there to calm her when I lost all reasoning and went after her attacker. Only the whisper of my name on her lips had drawn me out of the rage that consumed me after witnessing the man beat her. She had lit an unexpected desire to protect her inside of me. It had been so long since I’d felt anything besides bitterness and anger that I wasn’t sure what to do with this new emotion. I wasn’t willing to discuss any of this with Michael though.
“You got the name she mentioned?” I asked instead, knowing he would have. That was Michael’s way; to gather the details and plot. I was more the quick to react sort, which had not always stood me in good stead. Michael and Buster had cleaned up more than one of my messes because of it.
“Of course, I’ll find out everything about them in short order.”
“Good.” My frown was ferocious as I stared at the door Jane had gone through. “You’ll let me know when we go.” I wasn’t asking and he understood as he gave me a short nod.
“You surprise me. The brother I know would have stormed out in the midst of that telling to beat the living hell out of the first person he came across.” Michael paused, his voice hesitant. “You showed restraint.”
Michael’s admiration caused the faintest hint of a pleased smile to cross my face. He was correct. If it hadn’t been for Jane’s obvious discomfort, and the hint of shame I’d sensed during the telling of her ordeal, I might very well have left to go beat the man who’d attacked her, perhaps to death. But she’d needed me, and that knowledge had been enough to hold me back.
“Simply beating them won’t be enough,” I warned Michael, and he nodded.
“No, we’ll destroy every aspect of their lives. Make no mistake. They will pay for hurting her,” Michael assured me.
“And her attacker?”
“Buster is handling it now,” Michael replied nonchalantly.
I nodded; reassured that he would be methodical in his destruction.
“Her parents?” I wasn’t sure if Michael would go so far, but I needed to know.
“I will investigate them thoroughly. From her words, I anticipate they will be innocent of any intentional wrongdoing, just foolishly naïve.”
It was the best I would get from Michael, I knew, and it would have to be enough. My desire to hurt her parents for leaving her defenseless was strong, but I didn’t want to cause her further pain and it was apparent she loved her parents.
My reluctant nod seemed to satisfy Michael, though his next words served as a warning.
“She is under our protection. I will not see her suffer from your callousness.”
The words stung, but weren’t unexpected. I wanted to protest that I wouldn’t treat Jane as I had other women, but knew the words would be meaningless. I’d shown with my actions how I felt about women over the past few years, and his warning was understandable. I would have to prove to him that Jane was different.
Why she was different I’d yet to figure out, but I wouldn’t see harm come to her, not even from myself.
I tilted my head in acknowledgement.
“I have to say these are comfortable. A littl
e big, but much better than the robe.” Jane shuffled from the bathroom, the hem of my pajama pants dragging. It appeared she’d rolled the waistband, but there were still a couple of inches at the bottom. She was also wearing one of my undershirts and a pair of my socks. Both overly large, but she seemed content.
A shot of visceral pleasure went through me at seeing her wear my clothes, one I didn’t dare think about too closely. Michael cleared his throat, and I tore my eyes from her.
“You look lovely,” he told her, ever the gentleman.
“Yes, you wear my clothes better than I do,” I added, not to be outdone by the brother most women considered dashingly handsome.
Her eyes brightened at our compliments, and again her beauty struck me. It was unnerving. She was not my type, nothing like the women I usually consorted with, but something about her drew me in completely. When she’d come from the bath and I’d seen her hair down, I’d immediately wanted to touch it. Play with it. Watch it drape over my chest as she straddled me. When she’d allowed me to pull it over her shoulder and I’d felt the silky strands against my fingers, clinging as if they didn’t wish to let go of my hand, heat had flashed through me, my body attempting to betray me like a schoolboy’s.
Her face flushed, no makeup to mar the pink of her cheeks, and her hazel eyes were huge. The absence of mascara and eye shadow were a welcome relief as it allowed me to see her.
She was a tiny thing. I was only five eleven, but she was shorter than I by several inches. Her body was curved, but I couldn’t see the details because her clothing didn’t flaunt it. I’d never thought that would be appealing, but it was. I knew she had a shape, because I’d felt it when she’d leaned against me in the elevator.
She was a contradiction, one I wished to figure out. She’d been attacked, yet maintained her good nature. She’d found herself in our midst and would rather be employed than allow us to just provide for her. She’d even demanded rules. My smile widened at the remembrance of her demands and the fact that she’d even managed to take Michael by surprise.
Charming Jane_A Reverse Harem Romance Page 5