by Leah Brooke
Ian hid a smile at her wide-eyed fascination. She seemed to be incredibly sharp in some areas, and adorably naïve in others. “We can’t very well arrest them and maintain our cover. We collect the evidence, prove that they break the law, and then the proper authorities arrest them, leaving our cover intact. We get rewarded generously for our help.”
Her eyes went wide, sparkling brilliantly. “Really? That’s fascinating. What’s my cousin’s new husband done to break the law?”
Ian paused, picking up his glass again and swirling his drink. “You’re psychic. I figured you would know.”
Her cheeks flushed with anger, making her even more stunning. “I know you don’t believe me, but do you really have to keep making sarcastic remarks? It’s tiring.”
Torn between being insulted and amused, Ian raised a brow.
Alastair shot him a look.
Do you really have to keep antagonizing her?
Ignoring his brother, Ian studied his hostage, noticing that she seemed tired, and continued rubbing her temple where he assumed her headache still lingered.
“Carello’s a two-bit hood with delusions of grandeur. He’s wanted for a lot of things but no one will testify against him. We’ve been trying to get enough proof of his illegal activities to make sure he’s put away for a long time.”
Serena nodded, and looked away. “Well, I wish you luck. He’s a truly evil man. I just hope he doesn’t hurt my cousin.”
Ian narrowed his eyes, watching her closely as she circled around the sofa, using it as a shield. “I crashed his wedding reception to see if I could anger him into making a stupid mistake. He doesn’t care much for me. Instead I see a beautiful woman across the room, and when I walk up to her to introduce myself to her, she blurts out something that she couldn’t possibly know. Now my brother and I have a serious problem.”
Serena stilled, her hands fisting on the back of the sofa. “And I’m that problem?”
Alastair got to his feet and moved to the window in a move that made Ian smile, not allowing Serena to hide behind the sofa.
“No one but you knows that there are two of us.”
At her look of surprise, Ian moved from around the bar and leaned back against it.
“Only Alastair exists. No one knows that there’s an Ian Wyndham. We’ve been very careful to keep it that way. It gives us an edge. Everyone calls us Wyn.”
Relief flashed in her beautiful eyes. “Oh! So that’s the threat. Well, don’t worry about me. I won’t tell anyone.” She moved around the sofa, the gentle sway of her hips making Ian’s hands itch to hold them. Sitting back on the sofa, she curled her feet into the carpet in a gesture he found endearing.
Irritated that he allowed her to get to him, he gave her his most arrogant look, and set his drink aside. “I don’t know you. You don’t expect me to just take your word for it, do you?”
“I’m not a liar!”
She jumped up, crying out when she hit her right shin on the coffee table.
Ian and Alastair both rushed forward, but before he could take a step, a shooting pain shot up Ian’s right shin.
Alastair cursed and caught the edge of the sofa, the look of shock on his face probably mirrored in his own as he grabbed his own leg.
“What the hell?”
Serena looked more than shocked. She looked scared to death, her gaze whipping back between him and his brother. “What’s going on?”
Ian grimaced, the pain in his leg coming from exactly the same spot that she’d hit hers.
How the hell could he could feel her pain?
Suddenly, it hit him that he and his brother had both been rubbing their foreheads in the same place she’d been rubbing hers.
“I have no idea, lady, but something’s going on here and you’re sure as hell not going anywhere until we figure it out.”
Chapter Three
He came toward her with a look of intent and hunger in his eyes, a look that sent her pulse tripping, and made her yearn for him with a hunger that never seemed to wane. Reaching out a hand to her as he approached, he smiled when she placed hers in it without hesitation.
Appreciation shone in his brilliant tawny gaze as it raked over her, along with a promise for pleasure when his eyes held hers again.
And impatience.
He wanted her, and didn’t want to wait any longer.
Her stomach quivered with excitement when he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. The heat and strength of his body against hers never failed to ignite the passion for him that always simmered just below the surface.
Her own need couldn’t be denied anymore.
Bracing herself for the jolt of heat, she looked into his eyes and lifted her face for his kiss.
With a gasp, Serena sat upright, wide awake and aroused, surprised that she’d actually managed to sleep. It was still dark outside, which meant she hadn’t slept long, but she didn’t want to fall asleep again and risk another erotic dream.
Cursing, she threw the bedclothes aside and got up, stopping abruptly when she saw her suitcase just inside the bedroom door.
One of them had gone to get her things and had been in her room, and she hadn’t known it.
No one had ever been able to sneak up on her before. Even in sleep, she’d always had a sort of radar that alerted her to the presence of another.
Shaken that one or both of them had been able to sneak into her room, Serena paused, staring at the suitcase.
It was so normal, like being able to have a conversation with them without a lot of noise drowning it out.
Strange, and something she’d have to think about.
They’d felt her pain, though, something definitely not normal.
Restless now, she wanted some air.
At least she could change out of the sweatpants and T-shirt they’d given her to sleep in, and into one of the pair of jeans she’d brought with her before she went outside.
Throwing the covers aside, she got out of bed and headed for the suitcase, hoping that after showering and dressing in her own clothing, she would feel more like herself.
Sitting on the edge of the bed several minutes later, she pulled the soft material of her borrowed pants down, wincing at the size of the dark bruise that marred her shin.
She still didn’t know how both Ian and Alastair had felt it.
Nothing like that had ever happened before and she had no idea what it meant.
After it happened, she’d escaped almost immediately, with Ian and Alastair seemingly eager to let her go. They’d seemed distracted as they showed her to a guest room, and although she’d been exhausted, it had taken her hours to get to sleep.
So many things didn’t make sense and she couldn’t help but feel that she’d been out of touch with others for so long that something had changed about her abilities, but she’d never noticed. She didn’t like the sensation of floundering.
Her abilities had always been difficult to deal with, but at least she’d understood them.
Now, she didn’t, and it shook her—as did the dreams.
She’d thought the dreams would stop now that she’d met them, but apparently not, leaving her more confused than ever.
She’d actually had a vision while she’d been wide awake.
Thinking back, she realized that she’d never have been able to fall asleep with so much adrenaline rushing through her veins.
She realized, also, that in her dreams, and her vision, she couldn’t tell Ian and Alastair apart.
She never knew which one of them made love to her.
It made no sense at all. She should know.
She found herself attracted, irresistibly so, to both of them, and had no idea which one of them fate had decided would be her lover.
She found herself connected to both of them. They’d both felt her pain. She knew things about both of them, things she knew they’d rather keep hidden.
She’d love to have the chance to go back home until she figured everything ou
t, but she knew Ian and Alastair wouldn’t allow it.
She really needed air now. Maybe playing with the dogs would relax her.
* * * *
Showered and dressed, Alastair glanced toward the window of his bedroom just as the sun started to rise. Turning to leave, he glanced at his huge unmade bed, fighting the mental image of Serena lying there naked, her ink-black hair spread across his pillow.
He’d tossed and turned for hours, leaving his bed looking as if he’d spent the night in it with a woman instead of trying to get one out of his head.
After last night, there was no doubt in his mind that Serena would, one day very soon, be sharing that bed with him.
After the incident in the living room, he and his brother had shown Serena the room she would be using and, after he’d gone back and checked her out of the hotel, stayed up until just a few hours ago, talking about what the hell they could do about her.
If she was really psychic, they couldn’t let her go. Carello would kill her for sure.
Damn it to hell. Serena’s outside!
The sense of alarm and urgency coming from his brother had Alastair moving before Ian’s words even registered.
Alastair didn’t even want to think about what kind of damage the dogs could do to that satiny skin.
She was just a little thing and they could knock her down with very little effort at all, leaving her helpless to fight them.
Fear gripped Alastair’s throat as he raced out of his room and down the stairs. Front or back?
Back. Hell, you’ve got to see this.
A little confused at Ian’s amusement, Alastair hurried to the kitchen and out the back door, coming to a halt beside Ian who stood, barefoot on the deck. Following his gaze, he watched in disbelief as the dogs raced playfully around Serena, clamoring for her attention.
Alastair blinked, hardly able to believe his own eyes. “She’s playing with our guard dogs?”
Ian chuckled. “I was already on my way down when I heard her turn off the alarm and open the door. I thought I was going to have a heart attack when she closed the door behind her. I ran the rest of the way, just in time to see her step off the deck and start across the yard. The dogs came from all directions, tongues flopping, tails wagging. I’m wondering if we overpaid the trainer.”
Alastair laughed in relief, his heart still pounding furiously as he stayed braced to go to her if she needed it. “She looks like she’s having a lot of fun, but how the hell did she know the alarm code?”
Ian’s eyes narrowed as he watched Serena, the hunger in them plain to see. “I have a feeling we have a lot to learn about our hostage, and her gift.”
Alastair had a feeling his brother was right, and it made him uneasy as hell. Surprises could be dangerous.
He watched her play with the dogs, struck once again by her incredible beauty. Her smile lit up her entire face. Her long hair moved with her, the dark tresses shining in the morning light.
He watched her run and play, barefoot in the grass, laughing at the dogs’ antics, and tried to think of a single woman he knew who would do such a thing. He couldn’t.
Admiring the way her jeans hugged her rounded bottom, he shifted restlessly at the stirring in his loins.
He seemed to be in a constant state of arousal around her, his body tight with need almost continuously since she’d walked through the door. It made him tense and short-tempered, and seeing that Ian seemed just as fascinated with her did nothing to improve his mood.
Ian never took his eyes from the sight of Serena running around with the dogs. “I wonder what the hell happened when she hit her leg on the coffee table. I’ve never even heard about anything like that happening before. Hell, it’s never even happened to us and we’ve been talking to each other in our heads all our lives.”
Alastair shrugged. “I don’t understand what the hell’s going on either. For some reason, you and I have always been able to communicate without saying a word, and we also know when the other is distressed about something, but that’s as far as it goes. We’ve never read each other’s minds or anyone else’s. I know what you’re thinking because you’re my brother, not because I can read your mind.” His stomach knotted. “I can just imagine how Carello would want to use her if he had the chance. Hell, we want to use her.”
Ian sighed, silent as he watched Serena for another minute or two. He glanced at Alastair, and turned back to watch Serena again. “We’ll be honest with her about it. If she helps us put Carello away, she’ll be safer. We’ll keep her with us, and keep her safe until we figure out what plans Anthony Carello has for her.”
“In the meantime, maybe we can help her.”
“With what?”
“She says she can’t stand to be around other people because of all the noise, the noise that has to be coming from those around her. Let’s see if we can help her with that.”
Ian turned to him, scowling. “What the hell makes you think we can do anything to help her?”
Alastair caught Serena’s eye and waved her over, unwilling to leave her out here with the dogs while he went in to make breakfast. “We’ve been able to shut each other out when it suits us. We have some sort of connection with her, Ian, and you know it. After what happened last night—”
Ian’s face hardened. “I don’t know what the hell happened last night, and neither do you. Until we figure her out, we’re going to have to keep a close eye on her.”
Jealous of the way Ian eyed Serena, Alastair stiffened. “You don’t seem to be having any trouble with that at all.”
Ian half turned, his expression hard. “I want her every bit as much as you do. I’ll have her, Alastair.”
Serena laughed as she waved the dogs away and came up the stairs, her smile falling as she looked from one to the other. “Is something wrong? You aren’t mad because I played with the dogs, are you?”
Smiling to ease the trepidation on her face, Alastair automatically reached for her hand, frowning when she tucked it behind her back. “I know you’re not used to touching, but neither one of us will hurt you.”
He’d let her have her distance for now, but he had every intention of touching her the first chance he got.
“Come on inside. I’ll fix you something to eat.” When she stepped closer, he drew in her scent, finding it just as intoxicating as he’d found it last night. Sweet. Fresh. Seductive.
The wary look in her eyes made him want to hug her. “Then are you going to let me leave?”
Ian opened the back door and gestured inside. “No.”
Serena bit her lip. “I want to go home.”
Alastair frowned at Ian, silently warning him to back off and followed her inside. “That isn’t possible right now, but we’ll talk after we have some coffee. Would you like some?”
Serena shook her head and sighed. “Do you have tea?”
“Sure. Have a seat.”
* * * *
Serena sat stiffly, nervous as she watched both of them move around the kitchen. She’d hoped that after a good night’s sleep and hours away from the crowds she would have a clear head and be able to know what they planned for her.
She still didn’t have a clue, and it had really begun to worry her.
The way they looked at each other gave her the feeling that there was some kind of communication between them that she had no hope of understanding. She just knew that she was in way over her head, and her best course of action would be to go back home, and with no interference, sort it all out in her own mind.
“I know you said you don’t trust me, but I can’t believe you would think I would be working with someone like Carello. I promise you, I’m not, and I’m no threat to you.”
Alastair frowned. “We believe everything you said, but there are a lot of things to consider before we let you leave.”
Serena added sugar to the tea Alastair brought over. “Like what? I want to go home and you have no right to keep me here. Anthony Carello’s no threat to me. Why would
he be? We don’t even know each other and I don’t know a damned thing about him except that he married my cousin and he’s evil all the way to the bone. I don’t believe for one minute that he would really kill me. People go to jail for stuff like that, and I can’t imagine he’d want to go to jail.”
Ian paused in the act of raising his mug to his lips, his eyes narrowing as he lowered it again. “What do you mean, he’s evil? You keep saying that, but what do you know that makes you think that?”
Serena shuddered in remembered revulsion. “I told you last night—I felt it. He touched my hand. It made me cold all the way through. Freezing. I had to yank my hand out of his. It actually hurt when he touched me.”
Alastair glanced at Ian, and another one of those silent communications passed between them before he turned back. “Did Carello notice your reaction?”
Setting her tea down, Serena shrugged. “Probably. I didn’t really pay attention, but he made me nauseous. When I finally got away from him, I saw Ian. If my cousin’s husband hadn’t spooked me so much I probably wouldn’t have gone with him no matter what I knew from the dreams.”
She hurriedly looked away, her face burning at what she’d revealed. Unused to being around others, she’d apparently lost the ability to censor her thoughts before she blurted them out. She picked up her tea, shaking so hard she would have spilled it if Ian hadn’t snatched her cup from her hand.
“Careful.”
Alastair slid onto the seat next to her. “Dreams? What dreams are you talking about?”
Hell.
She snatched the cup from Ian and took a sip of her tea to ease the sudden dryness in her throat. “Just dreams I had about meeting you. I see things that way. Look, I really have to go home. I have a lot of painting to do. I’ve answered your questions. I promise I won’t say a word about Ian to anyone. You really can’t keep me here against my will.”
Standing across the table from her, Ian bent and reached for her, gripping her chin before she could prevent it.
“Yes, I can—and I will.”
Need shot through her like lightning, her eyes fluttering closed as erotic images raced through her mind. Visions.