“I’ve got a couple more things to do here and then I’ll come home,” he said, not looking at her. Violet knew he was lying. He’d said the same thing every time she asked before this. It was his standard response.
“I went and saw Kelly today,” she said, changing the subject. Sasha turned and looked at her, concerned. “Have you been having nightmares again?” Violet frowned at him. It was one of the first real emotions she’d seen from him in months. She didn’t want to worry him over something she wasn’t sure about, so she replied. “No, not really. We talked about other things.”
“You know you can come talk to me. I would have listened.”
“I know, but sometimes a woman needs another woman’s perspective,” she smiled, shrugging her shoulders. She didn’t want to upset him anymore than she already had, but she needed to keep him informed of what she was doing in her life. She figured the more she told him, he would be less inclined to stay at his club. She wanted him to want to participate in her life again. However, it was looking like no matter what she did or said, he wasn’t going to. He was slowly slipping away from her. “You promise?”
“Yeah, sure,” Sasha barely said as he sat back at his desk, going over papers. Violet wondered if he even heard her. Of course, she already knew the answer to that. There was a time that he would listen to her for hours, or just sit and watch her, now he barely looked at her. Getting to her feet, she walked over to the desk and kissed the top of his head. He didn’t even respond. Sighing, she grabbed her purse and left him to whatever it was he was doing.
Leaving him and their situation the way it was damn near killed her. She wanted so much to walk back into his office and demand he tell her what was going on. She had the sinking feeling it had something to do with her. That she had done something wrong and he didn’t know how to tell her that their relationship was over.
A short while later, Violet entered her home to find it empty. She should have known, should have expected it. Sasha refused to leave his club and Tristan was in high demand with what was going on in town. Trying to get them alone was frustrating and damn near impossible. Laying her purse on a side table near the door, she dropped her keys in a bowl and went upstairs.
The silence of the large house surrounded her. It was ominous and eerie. Not even the clock hanging on the wall made noise. It was like she was in a space of nothingness, with only her breathing to keep her company.
Walking into the master bedroom, she stopped dead in her tracks. There, on the bed, were three suitcases. Two were closed and one was still opened. It contained her clothes.
Her heart fell.
They didn’t want her anymore. Her relationship with Tristan and Sasha was over. She wondered if that’s why Sasha lied to her about coming home, why she and Tristan hadn’t been spending any time together. Her heart felt as if it were about to shatter. If a heart could shatter. The pain she felt sure made it seem as if it could.
She should have known this day would come. She wasn’t like other women. She still harbored nightmarish dreams of her former life. Certain things still set her off and she still had a hard time being in a crowd of people. Tristan and Sasha were such outgoing men with charismatic demeanors. With them, no one looked at her. She blended perfectly into the background.
“Hey beautiful,” Tristan said, coming out of the bathroom carrying her toiletry bag. She thought it kind of cruel for him to use such an endearment when he was getting ready to ask her to leave, but she said nothing. Tristan was always extremely polite with her and never said anything harsh.
“What are you doing?” she asked, because she wasn’t ready to hear him say their relationship was over. He looked downright giddy over the fact. It pained her to see that his happiness returned, with the fact she was being kicked to the curb.
“I’m packing for you.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can do it myself.”
“But I want to.” Tristan smiled.
“Why?” she asked, unable to take the rejection anymore. She just wanted to leave. Maybe she should call Gabriel and Alex? No, they’d only get into a fight with Tristan. She should call Hazel. Hazel would come get her and not cause a scene. Okay, maybe that wasn’t entirely correct. If Hazel showed up and saw her crying, Hazel would blow a fuse, which would piss off Steven and Neil and then all hell would break loose. Nope, calling Hazel wasn’t an option either.
“Violet?” Tristan muttered, walking over to her. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to cry.”
“I don’t want to go,” she whispered softly. She was being honest with him. She never lied and refused to start now. He may not want to hear it and she didn’t want to make him feel guilty, but she couldn’t lie about how she was feeling. She hated that they were washing their hands of her, and if it angered them, then so be it.
“It will be fun,” Tristan coaxed, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “Like an adventure.”
“My life’s been an adventure. I want normal. Plain Jane normal.”
“Violet,” Tristan said, hugging her. “You’ve never had a normal life.”
Breaking out of his embrace, she shouted at him, “But I deserve one! I need one!”
Clamping her hand over her mouth, she felt horrible for her outburst. She’d never lost her temper before. In a way it felt liberating to release all the anger and pent-up frustration she’d had over the last few months, yet she felt sad and ashamed at the same time.
“Violet, if you don’t want to go on vacation, you don’t have to.”
“Vacation?”
“Yes,” Tristan said with a confused look on his face. “I wanted to take you away for a week or so.”
“You don’t want me to leave?”
“Leave?” Tristan questioned. “Who said anything about you leaving? Baby, why do you think I want you to leave? I love you.”
“Everything’s been so crazy around here lately. You work all the time and we never see Sasha anymore. The constant fighting with Gabriel and the town, I just can’t take it anymore. I’m tired of being in this big house all day by myself. I thought you both were getting tired of me, that’s why you been staying away. Sasha barely says anything anymore, and you…”
“Keep dumping all of my Gabriel issues on you,” Tristan muttered, finishing her thought. Violet nodded, tears slowly trickling down her face as she looked away. Before she could blink them back, she found herself in Tristan’s arms. “God, baby, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think. Well, that’s not true. I did, but I thought since you were back in Treasure Cove and around your family and friends, that you wouldn’t feel alone so much.”
“They may be my family, but I barely know them, minus Gabriel, and sometimes I still get uncomfortable around him. I never really had friends. I may know people, but I don’t trust any of them. I trust you and Sasha.”
“Violet, you know that everyone in this town would bend over backward for you. You’re safe here, that’s one of the main reasons Sasha and I built this house here for you. We wanted you to feel safe at all times. Look, I know that things have gotten out of control lately and I will fess up to my part of it, but, baby, you have to learn to get out of this house. It’s not healthy for you to be cooped up here all day.”
“I don’t have anywhere to go.”
“What about finding a part-time job? Volunteering at the community center? Helping Janie at the new library or Macie at the restaurant? I’m sure there must be something that interests you.”
“I never finished school, Tristan. I don’t even have my high school diploma. Who would want to hire me?”
“I would, but then I’d never get any work done,” he said, grabbing her ass as he kissed her neck. Violet giggled, pushing him away. “Please be serious. I’m a high school dropout. No one will give me a job. I’m not qualified to do anything.”
“Then go back to school.”
“What?” Violet questioned. Could it be that simple? She never thought about going back. She wanted
to, yes, but at her age, she didn’t think she could. She knew she’d never get her high school days back, but if she could get her high school diploma then maybe she wouldn’t feel like such a loser sometimes.
“When we get back from vacation, go see Janie. I’m sure there are online classes you can take to get your high school diploma. She might be able to help you. I know there are evening classes at the community center for adults to get their GED. Just figure out what you want, baby, and then go after it. I will support you in anything you decide.”
“You mean that?” she asked, hope rising within her. The thought of going back to school and completing one of the many dreams she had was exciting. She’d loved school at one time and always regretted not being able to finish.
“Yep.”
“I’d like to have my high school diploma,” she whispered, smiling.
Tristan took her in his arms and hugged her. “Then go get it.”
Chapter Five
“Damn it!” Sasha roared, throwing his glass of whiskey across the room. This was not happening. He thought everything was taken care of. Ms. Grey was the best at what she did, and if she said the anonymous sender of that e-mail had been found and taken care of, then he believed her. But that was not the case.
When Ms. Grey got the first e-mail, she immediately called him, tearing apart his wonderful life and future. Since then, Sasha had been living in a world of shadows and regret, always looking over his shoulder, in fear that his sins would come to pass.
His life was over. It was only a matter of time. He knew it, and God bless her, so did Ms. Grey. They’d stemmed off the inevitable for as long as they could and now the day of reckoning was at hand.
He had received another e-mail.
Unlike the first one, which was only simple threats, the one in his inbox was not only a threat, but it was backed up with a signed document with his name on it, the proof needed to destroy him.
For most of his life, he lived as he wanted and regretted nothing. He never gave a second thought to how his actions would have consequences. Everything was about making money and keeping his customers happy. He was a procurer, and one of the best. However, it was what he procured that was causing him trouble. He never thought when he started that his life would turn out the way it had. Before, he was content and somewhat happy. That was until his sister’s accident. That’s when everything changed for him. He took a second look at his life and realized that he needed a change. He accepted that and started making choices that would set his life straight. He wasn’t the poster boy for all that was good in the world, but he strived to be.
His life was dark, mysterious, and sometimes dangerous, but he changed all that when he received the call from his sister’s landlord. That day, he forgot about his past and only concerned himself with his future. He should have known that those who forget the past were doomed to repeat it. And his was about to bite him in the ass…big time.
“You need help, Sasha.” He heard her voice through his haze of fear and anguish. She was right. He was going to need help, but who to trust with this information, he didn’t know. As it was, only three people knew, and two of them were in his office. “You need to tell Tristan.”
“No,” he growled. Telling Tristan would sever their relationship forever. Tristan Wallace Summerfield may be a good friend and a savvy businessman, but he would never align himself with a man of Sasha’s past. Doing so would cause repercussions even Tristan wouldn’t be able to avoid. It was bad enough that Tristan would be guilty by association and the fallout was going to cause him enough heartache. It would likely bankrupt him.
“Then you have to call you know who,” she advised, and Sasha grimaced.
“He already hates me.”
“Well then, this will just be the icing on the cake, Sasha. You don’t have a choice anymore. This isn’t about you two liking each other. This is about her. You need help and you know damn well that if anyone can help, it’s him. He has the resources available and the ability to put an end to all of this. How you ever got so lucky to know a man like him, I will never know, but you are out of options. That e-mail will go viral in twenty-four hours, unless you do as it demanded, and you can’t do that. You either call him or I will.”
“I need to call Violet,” Sasha whispered, picking up his desk phone. Ms. Grey stood and grabbed the receiver out of his hand. “And say what, Sasha? Are you going to tell her the truth? Are you ready to break her heart? I like Violet. She’s a sweet woman, but she’s been through enough shit already. If you tell her now, you will destroy her. I’m not saying don’t tell her eventually, but if we can stem off the inevitable then just maybe there’s a slim chance, she may never need to know. This shit storm is just beginning. Tristan is taking her on vacation for the next few weeks. She won’t be around to see the fallout in case this shit goes bad. Now is the perfect time to call him.”
“Call who?” Gabriel Sexton asked, standing in the doorway and everything in Sasha stilled…his day of reckoning had arrived.
Gabriel had promised Tristan that he would try one more time to get to the bottom of the “Sasha issue,” whatever that might be. It was bad enough these two idiots were seeing his baby sister, now he was being reduced to a guidance counselor. All because Sasha was acting like a child. Why couldn’t Sasha just act his age and talk it out like an adult? Gabriel really didn’t have time for this shit. He had enough crap on his plate with the town’s reconstruction and the memorial business, which was now interfering with his playtime with his wife. He loved his playtime. He scheduled his day around it and never missed an opportunity to spank his lovely wife’s ass. And instead of doing that now, he was staring at one of the men who had become the biggest headache in Treasure Cove. It wasn’t easy watching Tristan and Sasha, sashay their way into town, wreak havoc, and then have to side with them because going against them would hurt his baby sister. His life was a mess and it was all their fault.
He missed the good ole days. When someone interfered with his life, all he had to do was run them out of town. Those days were easy. Now, he found himself shackled to a town, because the alternative was never going to happen. He didn’t want the mayoral job, but for some reason, no one wanted it either, and letting Tristan Wallace Summerfield win by default wasn’t an option. So, the founding families and some of the residents persuaded him to run. Well, it was more like they persuaded his wife to entice him into the job. Oh, he tried to tell her no, but when she sweetly told him to run against Tristan or she, his brother, and daughter would be moving to the Hicks Ranch until he got the broom out of his ass, well, he knew he wasn’t going to win.
Gabriel had to give Antoinette credit. His beautiful wife didn’t mince words, and she never made idle threats. She was still as stubborn as they came and more determined than ever to have her way. God, she was the perfect woman for him.
Still, instead of being with her at this very moment, he was staring at Sasha and his assistant Ms. Grey. Neither had said a single word since he made his presence known, and by the look on Sasha’s face, Gabriel was betting Sasha was wondering what all he had heard. “Shall I ask in, crayon? Call whom, Sasha?”
“What are you doing here, Gabriel?”
“I am doing as requested,” Gabriel replied, sitting in a chair in front of Sasha’s desk. After a few seconds of picking a piece of imaginary lint off his beautifully tailored suit, Gabriel smiled. “So what kind of trouble are you in and how much is it going to cost me?”
“Go away, Gabriel. I don’t need your help.”
“Yes, you do!” Ms. Grey shouted, then sighed in frustration. “Sasha, enough is enough. This isn’t going away. Tell him now while you still can.”
Gabriel didn’t know what the hell was going on, but whatever it was seemed to be worrying Ms. Grey, and that was something he’d never seen before. Gabriel had known Ms. Grey for years. A highly qualified woman with the means and intelligence to get anything done. She was a master at her craft and never gave away he
r trade secrets. She was diligent, resourceful, and a woman to be reckoned with when she was on a dither. So, to see her worried was something new, and Gabriel knew that whatever was going on wasn’t good. Because if Ms. Grey couldn’t make it go away, then no one could. “Sasha, just answer me this. Is my sister involved?”
When Sasha didn’t utter a single word, Gabriel knew the answer. Taking his phone out of his jacket, he called Alex. When his brother answered, Gabriel simply said, “I need you over at Sasha’s club. No, this isn’t a joke. Tell Antoinette I’m sorry, but this was unavoidable, and Alex, call the Prescott brothers and have them meet us here. I have a feeling we’re going to need their unconventional help.” After hanging up the phone, Gabriel got up and walked over to the makeshift bar Sasha had set up and poured himself a double bourbon. After downing it quickly, he poured himself another, then turned to face Sasha. “Tell me everything.”
Gabriel knew he was born to be a ruthless bastard the second he went to live with his grandfather. Getting his own way and living as he wanted was just par for the course. He made no excuses for himself or the choice of lifestyle he lived. During his earlier years, he himself had done things he was now not proud of, but never in his life could he have imagined what he just heard. To make matter worse, his intuition was right. He knew Sasha Merrick was not good for his sister. Sasha admitted it, and now Gabriel had the proof he needed to release his sister from the future of hell he was sure she would be in. The only problem was that his sister loved the son of Satan, and he refused to be the one to break her heart.
Oh, it would be simpler to just whisk her away and make sure both men never found her, but he couldn’t do that and not incur the wrath of several women in the community. Nope, he had to find another way, because after what he just heard there was no way in hell he was letting Sasha near his sister again.
“I could kill you right now, you know that?” Gabriel seethed, staring at the cause of all of this. “I should turn your ass over to the authorities and be done with you.”
The Reluctant Submissive: Accepting the Change [The Men of Treasure Cove 15] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 6