“No worries, ma’am.” Brad turned to Ian, pumped his hand, and slapped his shoulder. “These two are good friends, and they know they can call me at any time. Gray did inform me of the location of your vehicle, and I have a crime scene unit processing the scene. I’ll take a walk over there myself after I take your report.”
“Well, I’m not sure how much I can add to what you already know.”
They had all taken their seats, but Gray made sure that Brad took the chair so that he was able to sit beside Shea. Her light lavender scene was intoxicating, and he took a deep breath. She must be wearing some type of lotion, because he had never smelled a perfume so perfect.
“Then let me start by asking you a few questions.” Brad pulled out a small pad from his breast pocket, along with a pen. “What time did you arrive in Chicago?”
“My meeting with Ian and Gray started at ten o’clock, so I arrived around nine forty. I wanted to make sure I had a little leeway in case I couldn’t find a parking spot.”
“Did you notice anything unusual when you parked? Or anything out of the ordinary when you walked from the garage to the building?”
“No, nothing,” Shea replied, shaking her head. “It wasn’t until Ian walked me to the parking garage that I saw the words sprayed across my car.”
“I know this is a personal question, but it would help us in determining who might have done this. Is there an ex-husband or an ex-boyfriend who might be responsible?”
“Gray has already asked me that, and the answer is no. I have never been married, and my last serious relationship was over two years ago. We haven’t been in touch since.”
“What about a coworker? What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a writer. And the answer is no, there is no one who would do this. I write with two other authors, and we are the best of friends. As a matter of fact, both have left the state. Elise has gone to Phoenix, and Cyn is heading to Indiana.”
“What do you write? Is there a chance a fan might be angry with something you wrote?”
Gray was curious as to how Shea would answer. On one hand, she seemed reserved about her profession, but on the other, he could see the pride she had when she spoke of her stories and her idea of a ménage dating site.
“I write erotic romance. And to my knowledge, there are no angry fans. We have a website, the three of us, and Elise monitors it closely. She would have told me if there were any threatening messages.”
“And you don’t have a website in your name only?”
“I have a social media site, as we all do, but our readers mainly contact us on our website. We run our blog from there as well.”
“And when was the last time you checked your personal account?”
Shea didn’t immediately answer, and since Gray had yet to really take his eyes off of her, he noticed that she had sat up a little straighter. The cute way she creased her brow was back, indicating she was thinking hard.
“You know, it’s been a week. Which is not like me, but we are under a deadline and I’ve limited my time to playing on the Internet in between making my word count.”
“Gray, do you mind if she checks it from your computer? I’d rather make certain there is nothing there before continuing this investigation.”
Brad stood, indicating that he knew Gray would never say no to one of his requests. If only he knew that it was really Shea that Gray would never say no to, Brad would be laughing. Gray and Ian had given Brad a lot of grief about getting married, although it was all in jest. He rose from the couch, waiting for Shea to do the same. Ian stayed where he was, although he had leaned forward to place his elbows on his knees.
“Go right ahead, Shea. My computer is up and running. Just click on the Internet and type in the site you need.”
“I highly doubt there is anything there,” Shea said, walking around his desk and sitting in front of his computer.
Gray could hear a slight hesitation in her words and knew she was worried about actually finding something. Not wanting her to feel scared, Gray stepped around the desk to stand behind her, leaving Brad to stand in front of the desk. He watched as she placed her right hand on the mouse, making his screen saver disappear. She pulled up the Internet and started clicking away at the keys. Within seconds, she had her personal site up and on the screen. He watched the monitor as she perused through her messages. The tiny wheeze that came from her lips had him leaning over her shoulder and resting his hand over hers, which was still on the mouse. Her hand was cold, and all he wanted to do was make her warm. His anger started to rise as he read what was on her screen.
“Oh my God,” Shea whispered, her hand releasing the mouse. Her movements caused him to let go, but she had twisted her hand to where her fingers entwined with his. Gray doubt she even noticed she had done it, but he was grateful she had.
Son of a bitch. For a brief moment, he saw red. She had a stalker.
Chapter Five
Shea stood in their condo, overlooking the city through the glass windows that served as a wall. The streets below were alive with lights, reminding her of the lightening bugs at home when they played in the fields. She could make out the shadows of the people walking by, and her mind couldn’t help but wonder if the man who was stalking her was one of them. She had her arms wrapped around her middle, but it didn’t suppress the chill that went through her at remembering what his first letter said.
My Dearest Shea,
I have watched you for the past several weeks and you still refuse to acknowledge my presence. What do I have to do to get you to notice me? Those two sluts that you call friends have led you down a bad path, but I am here to save you. I will be your salvation. No one can love you like I can.
You will see me,
Your Beloved
How had she not realized that someone was watching her? She was kicking herself for not having checked her personal site sooner. He had written something every day for a week, including yesterday. And what he mentioned in his letter made her ill to her stomach, because that had to have meant he had been in the coffee shop when she was discussing their new venture.
My Dearest Shea,
It is getting harder and harder to call you that after hearing what you are planning to do. How could you let a reader poison your mind with such trash that you would think it is respectable to start up a dating site that caters to women having sex with two men? I realize you have to make a living, but you are better than those whores. Maybe I have waited too long in claiming what is mine. You are still untainted, and I intend to keep you like that.
You will see me,
Your Devoted Beloved
Officer Foster had her print out all the messages and grilled her for what seemed like hours on who might have been in the coffee shop to overhear their conversation. Did she at any time feel as if she was being watched? Had she met anyone that made her feel uneasy? Had her friends mentioned anything unusual? The questions had seemed endless, although they had triggered the mental picture of the man that had been watching her through her window yesterday as she had been speaking with Gray. Unfortunately, the guy had been too far away for her to get a good look at his appearance. No one had been in the coffee shop besides the two businessmen and the older couple, but there was no way they had overheard their conversation. Shea was getting a headache trying to sort everything out.
“Here.”
Shea turned to see Gray holding two glasses of wine, with one extended to her. She took the glass from him. “Thank you.”
With everything going on, Shea had yet to process what had happened with Gray in the office. When he had kissed her, it was as if time had stood still. The passion and hunger it contained shook her to her core. After the shock wore off, Shea couldn’t help but reciprocate, and she wouldn’t deny that she enjoyed every second of it. What was doubly exciting was knowing Ian was standing behind them watching the whole thing.
“You do know that you are safe here, right?”
“I haven’t felt safe s
ince I read those messages.” Shea took a sip of the red wine, not really tasting it, but it gave her something to do. She looked down at the city below, but her attention was focused solely on Gray. They had insisted she eat something when they arrived at their condo, so she forced down a few bites of pasta that Gray had made. “I’m not sure why I let you guys talk me into coming back here with you. My…stalker is not your problem. You don’t really know me, and it’s unfair of me to place you in danger.”
“I think you’re lying to yourself,” Gray said softly, standing close to her. He reached up with his hand and tucked the stray strand of hair that kept bothering her all evening behind her ear. The light touch caused her to tremble, but it was his voice that made her stomach flip. “You wanted to come here with us because you feel exactly what we are feeling—an instant attraction. The kiss we shared earlier just solidified that. We have something that should be explored.”
“I’m not into casual sex,” Shea whispered, bringing the glass back up to her lips to give herself something to do. Why was she really standing here, in their condo? She’d asked herself that question numerous times throughout the evening, but found herself reluctant to face the reason. And now, Gray was standing next to her, wanting her to admit to this magnetism between the three of them.
“And you think we are?” Gray asked, taking the back of his hand and using his fingers to stroke the skin of her arm. Goose bumps immediately appeared, and Shea wasn’t sure it had been a good idea to take off her jacket. She wished she had kept it on. “I won’t deny that in our youth we were quite active, but in recent years, we decided that meaningless affairs were just that—meaningless. We’re looking for more, and with a woman who understands why our private life would need to remain private.”
“What do you mean, private?” Shea was trying to come to terms with the fact that she was attracted to them, but now he was throwing something else in the mix. Did he mean that anyone who got involved with them would have to keep their arrangement a secret? Was he ashamed of having a ménage? Was he embarrassed by how he and Ian preferred their women?
“Even though society has come a long way in accepting certain lifestyles, our business would suffer if it ever got out that we liked to share our women. We have been looking for someone who would understand that.”
“Why would you think that would be me? Because I write about ménage relationships?” Shea wasn’t ready to deal with these newfound feelings he was bringing out in her, so she grabbed onto the anger that she knew was misplaced. She shouldn’t judge him without really knowing all the reasons, but it was an excuse to give her more time to think. She took the wineglass and shoved it against his chest, making him reach for it before the wine spilled over the rim. “I’m not in the market for a relationship, let alone one with two men. And if I was, I certainly wouldn’t go around hiding it for the sake of business.”
Shea turned and made it halfway through the living area, which she had to admit was impressive with all the cream-colored furniture with splashes of browns and greens thrown in for good measure, before almost running into Ian. His arms came up to catch her, but she was able to bring herself to a halt before that happened. Her arousal, even in anger, was at an all-time high. She knew that if he touched her, it would cause her to change her mind and she would throw herself into his arms.
“Thank you for letting me stay here this evening,” Shea said, trying to sound like she wasn’t upset. It wouldn’t do anyone any good to wrap Ian up in her and Gray’s conversation. It would most likely be two against one. “I’d like to get an early start home in the morning, so if you’ll just tell me where the guest bedroom is, I think I’ll call it a night.”
Ian stood in front of her, the five-o’clock shadow making him seem more sensual than she could handle. A part of her wanted nothing more than to lean against his body, have him wrap his arms around her, and make the world go away—or better yet, have wild, passionate sex with her until she forgot all her problems. But she knew they came in a package, and if what Gray said was true, he would want to keep any personal relationship a secret. And that was something she couldn’t do. And did it really matter how they wanted to be involved with a woman? She wasn’t in the market, for one thing. And she had other things to worry about, like being targeted by some crazed stalker.
“First door on your right.” Ian was quiet in his answer, his voice deep like his brother’s. His gaze flickered over to where she was sure Gray was watching them, but quickly came back to her. “If you need anything, just knock on one of our doors.”
“Thank you.”
Shea stepped around Ian, making sure they didn’t touch, and quickly made her way down the hallway. Following his directions, she found herself in a warm bedroom with a queen-size bed, an armoire, and a decent-size dresser with a mirror in the center. The wood was dark, with the walls a very deep beige, creating a masculine feel to the room. A brown comforter with cream pillowcases adorned the bed, which had four tall pillars on each corner. A large white T-shirt lay on the edge, which she assumed was left by Ian. That would explain why he had stepped away earlier.
Taking the shirt in hand, Shea sat down and stared at the bright material. Her day had started out just as dazzling, and she couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to make it turn so quickly. One minute, she was content with her life and her career. The next, she found herself contemplating what it would be like to make love with two men—a very specific pair. And now, her life was in danger by a psychopath. Shea let herself fall back against the mattress. She must have really pissed off karma.
* * * *
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Ian couldn’t believe what he had heard upon entering the room. His brother certainly knew how to screw up any chance they may have had with Shea. Gray had blatantly just told her they wanted to have sex with her, but keep her hidden. He would have explained Gray’s comments, but he could see she had had enough for one day and probably wouldn’t listen to reason right now. Ian would clear up any misunderstandings with her tomorrow. Right now, he needed to set some things straight with the man standing in front of him.
“She’s attracted to both of us, Ian. There’s nothing wrong with informing her that we would like something more.” Gray walked past him to the kitchen, placing Shea’s wine glass on the counter. “And with someone after her, I think it would be beneficial to keep her here with us.”
“And you think she’s going to want to stay based on what you just said?” Ian knew his brother viewed life differently than he did, but there was no way he could be obtuse. “You just told her that we wanted to have sex with her, but not let anyone know she’s involved with us. How do you think that makes her feel, Gray?”
“I wasn’t referring to just sex, and you know it. So does she.” Gray laid his glass down beside hers and placed both hands on the counter. “I made it abundantly clear that what we wanted was a serious relationship.”
“And you think she believed you? We’ve known her for one day.” Ian pulled out the stool with his foot and took a seat. “So you kissed her earlier—that doesn’t automatically mean she wants something more. One day doesn’t make a relationship.”
“It’s long enough for me to know she’s the one. I knew it when I heard her voice last night. And I’m not saying we would keep her in hiding. One of us would be able to claim her in public, while the other held back. In private, we could maintain the relationship we wanted.”
“Do you know how archaic you sound right now?” Ian leaned forward, hoping his brother would understand where he was coming from. “It doesn’t matter how you spin this, Gray. You basically want to hide our true selves, along with her. She deserves better than that, and so do I.”
“You’re twisting this to sound as if I wouldn’t be proud to have her in our life, and that’s not true. It took years for us to build our business, away from Dad. We spent eighteen-hour days doing what needed to be done, making contacts with the rig
ht people, and maintaining a clientele that relies on our ethics.”
“So because we could love the same woman, that means we have no ethics? Do you realize how absurd that sounds?” Ian couldn’t sit still any longer. Standing up, he walked over to the window and looked down at the city. “The one thing Dad taught us was to never let business interfere with our personal life. And yet, here you stand, doing the exact opposite.”
“Dad and Mom had a traditional marriage. You know for a fact that it makes all the difference in the world.”
“What I know is that Shea deserves better than to be tucked away somewhere like we are ashamed of what relationship we could develop with her.” Ian looked up and met Gray’s eyes in the reflection of the window. “Her life is more important than money. I want this bastard caught. And after that, you need to get your head out of your ass, or we’re going to lose her.”
Chapter Six
Shea looked at the bedside table for the umpteenth time. It still read one seventeen in the morning. She was resigned to the fact that she wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight. Between visions of being taken by some deranged psycho and then saved by Gray and Ian, her creative side was in overdrive. There was always a silver lining though, and hers was that she would one day be able to use all these feelings and create a wonderful story. Although it all depended on if she lived through this ordeal.
She had spoken to Cyn before crawling into bed. Part of the conversation centered on the fact that she had a stalker. Shea warned her to be very careful on her trip to Indiana. Even though the man after her was likely still here in Chicago, Shea was worried that he would go after her friends. Of course, when Cyn had found out that she was staying with Gray and Ian, the discussion turned to the fact that Shea should take advantage of the situation and finally enjoy herself. What Cyn didn’t understand was that Shea knew deep down that getting involved with Gray and Ian wouldn’t be something casual, and she wasn’t sure that she wanted something serious—especially when one of the men would want to hide her. Knowing their chat wasn’t going to solve anything, Shea ended it with having Cyn promise her she would keep her eyes open for anything suspicious.
Original Match [Ménage.com 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 5