Lindsey's Rescue: A World Beyond Book 3

by Michelle Howard

  She stood a moment longer, enjoying a cooling breeze as it wafted over her skin. Garulax had two definitive seasons year round. Falta which included a bit of rare snowfall when cold enough and Sies which included biting heat and torrential rain storms. Lindsey looked forward to experiencing both to the fullest. She skipped up the white stone, front steps and knocked on the door. It jerked open.

  “I see you’re late once more. Is it a habit of yours?”

  The gruff question came from the reserved husband as she’d designated him. Zadal.

  “I’m not late, it’s only a little after five.”

  Zadal stepped back from the door, allowing her to enter. “Twenty after and Baruk stated five.”

  New husband, new life. Be nice, she cautioned. “You’re right but hopefully it hasn’t disrupted things too much.”

  Zadal’s mouth twisted, his blond brows an annoyed slash across his face. “On the contrary, I’m now needed on an important call.”

  “Welcome, Lindsey.” Baruk walked in from one of the many rooms off the foyer of the entryway. “Is Zadal keeping you from entering?”

  The wry amusement in his tone relaxed her. A little. Zadal huffed and stormed down a never ending hall and around a corner, obscuring his tall frame from her gaze.

  Lindsey peeked up at her second husband, breath held. “Hi.”

  Baruk touched a strand of her loosened blonde hair. “Welcome to your new home, wife.”

  Ping. Lindsey sighed in homecoming. This husband she was going to love right away. “So, do I get the nickel tour?”

  His mouth tipped up on the side and his blue eyes twinkled down at her. “If that’s Earth currency then the tour I will give is by far of higher value.”

  Then he waved his hand before him for her to proceed. “Allow me to show you the liko tour. Garulax currency is worth five times your home worlds.”

  “Great.” She blew out a breath, swinging her bag. “Show me all.”

  ***

  Bemusement kept Baruk off balance as he observed his new wife. Lindsey’s eyes widened with each room he showed her, starting with the rooms on the upper level and ending with the one he assigned as her bedroom. He’d given her the tower room, thinking the circular balcony off the sitting room would appeal to the glimpse of whimsy he’d sensed as she begged so prettily to form a Triad with him.

  “This is freaking amazing. Off the charts like a castle.” She pushed back the sheer white curtains over the double-glass doors and opened them to the patio inlaid with bronze and gold stones from the Zorona Mining sites. His best friend, Riun, had been all too eager to have his family provide the stone work for the renovations Baruk made some years ago. Not to mention the project added a nice bit of liko to the Paer family coffers.

  The tiny balcony only had room for a small table and chair set, which he thought Lindsey would approve of. Her squeal of delight had him biting back a smile. She hurried back into the room, leaving the doors open behind her and dove onto the bed which dominated the room. The white sheets and covers consisted of the highest quality fibers.

  Her arms and legs spread as she swished them about though he couldn’t fathom the reason for her gyrations. She leaped to her feet before he could blink and opened the closet doors and gasped.

  “Holy fuck!” She peered over her shoulder. “Do you say fuck here?”

  Baruk pursed his lips, holding back another smile. “We say fuck. Although I reserve the use of it for behind closed doors.”

  Color splashed on her cheeks and she quickly turned away to enter a closet easily the size of the smallest room in his home. Baruk leaned a shoulder against the wall in the outer bedroom. “Someone will be here tomorrow to take measurements and order your clothes.”

  Women liked clothes and if her dress the other night was any indication or the weird blue pants she now wore, his Triad wife would need all the help possible in the selection process.

  Lindsey’s head poked around the closet door. “Take measurements? Don’t you shop?”

  His brow creased. “It depends on your definition. My measurements are on file with the clothing providers here in Teeve. When I’m in need I make the necessary selections online and they arrive custom fit.”

  She re-entered the bedroom and unlike the balcony doors, closed the closet doors behind her and leaned against them. “Custom?”

  Her voice squeaked and what should have been an annoying sound, intrigued him. Tugged at his heart strings actually. Baruk straightened. Falling for his wife this soon wasn’t in the plan but Lindsey of Earth might break through his carefree façade sooner than he expected.

  “Custom,” he confirmed.

  She dropped her brown luggage to the floor then crawled on her knees to tuck it under the bed. If she kept twitching her bottom and bending over, he wouldn’t be able to resist a touch. Sex would come later. He wanted her settled in the house first. The marriage contract stipulated both husbands’ presence on their wedding night. Standard language Baruk didn’t bother questioning.

  Sharing her with Zadal wasn’t going to be difficult. Another person in the bed would enhance Lindsey’s pleasure and ensure she achieved as much satisfaction as they could give her.

  Lindsey hopped to her feet. “A girl might get used to all this luxury.”

  What she took for luxury, Baruk took for granted. His entire life was filled with the finest things from as far back as his childhood memories could recall. Wealth surrounded him at every angle and he thought no more of it than he thought of what he ate at each meal.

  Suddenly uncomfortable with the thoughts she pulled forth, he sharpened his tone. “Come. There’s still the lower levels.”

  Undaunted, she skipped behind him, her strange shoes with the stripes tapping on the floor behind him. Did she ever simply walk?

  At this time of day, most of his household servants settled in to their own suites off the main building of his estate. Those remaining worked in the kitchen for meal preparation and clean up. Baruk showed her the kitchen area with its bevy of helpers and cooks.

  His chief cook used a towel to wipe at the sweat on his brow, flustered at Baruk’s unplanned presence. “Master Baruk, we weren’t expecting you.”

  No doubt the man wanted to die in his tracks since they had an unspoken agreement that Baruk wouldn’t enter his domain.

  “Chief Everly, this is my Triad wife, Lindsey. Lindsey, Everly heads the team who prepare the morning, noon and evening meals.”

  All of the cooks came to a halt. They knew he sought a Triad marriage. Expected a spouse partner and wife to join the household but probably not this soon. He wondered how Zadal would handle things once he settled. So far his spouse partner had arrived in a rush, set up his office, then closeted himself away with his first assistant, Zumei.

  Everly and the others bowed toward Lindsey in respect. “Let me know if you have any special request, Lady Lindsey.”

  “Master Baruk? Lady Lindsey?” She snickered in a whisper, then gave his servants a bright grin and wiggled her fingers. “Hi, everyone.”

  Shock dropped their mouths open and silence reigned, broken only by the hiss and sizzle of food in mid-prep.

  Everly recovered his senses first, brown eyes hesitant. “You’re not from Garulax?”

  Her shoulders shrugged, drawing Baruk’s gaze to her bountiful breasts beneath the shirt she wore. “No, from Earth.”

  Frowns crossed several faces. Everly cleared his throat. “I see.”

  But he didn’t. Others would have similar reactions to his wife and partner. Let them ponder. Baruk had every intention of enjoying himself at their expense.

  Chapter 8

  Lindsey poked her head in each room as she trailed behind her new husband. Baruk gave a one or two word description on what the room was for or what it was called. Like the Blue room. She peered around the partially opened door and not one thing in blue. Not the curtains in the floor to ceiling windows, not the two uncomfortable looking chairs and lounger set and most d
efinitely not the huge wall sectioned off with a mounted screen of some sort suspended from the ceiling.

  “For holos,” he said and a hint of red spotted his cheeks. “When I’m not catching up on various news and proposals, I like to sit and view music performances.”

  Who knew she’d find common ground in an interest similar to the Earth equivalent of concerts. Excited, Lindsey bounced on her toes and nodded. “I love music. All types. Maybe you can share your favorites with me one day.”

  He smiled and closed the door. “I’d like that, Lindsey.”

  Her heart clenched from Baruk’s pleasant demeanor. The pings still came but relief at knowing he seemed genuinely interested in her as a person eased some of her fear.

  The next door he led her to was easy to discern as his office space. Papers in neat stacks covered a long black desk with a fancy mesh-back chair pushed against it. Two holo screens hovered side by side over the surface, floating above a wireless keyboard. Shelves built into the walls held small potted plants, thick green leaves spilling over the lips of the dun-colored containers. Several glass blocked windows along one wall let in rich sunlight.

  A young man jumped to his feet at their entrance. His gold eyes tilted up in the corners and his cheekbones slanted along angular features reminiscent of an Asian-European blend. A wide smile bloomed on his face as he ran a hand through the reddish-blond waves flopping over his forehead.

  “Senate Leader Baruk, I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “Not a problem, Kimsha. I’ll only be a moment but wanted to introduce you to my wife, Lindsey formerly of Earth.”

  The young man bowed low, arms behind his back. When he straightened, red strands fell over his brow again.

  “Lindsey, this is my second assistant, Kimsha. He handles my personal affairs.” Baruk shrugged. “This weekend however he’s covering duties for my first assistant, Mala.”

  “Wait. Senate Leader Baruk?” She asked.

  Baruk frowned. “Of course. Zadal and I work together.”

  Strike one.

  Lindsey felt faint. She thought only Zadal claimed the title. She’d married two politicians? “I see. I didn’t know.”

  Baruk shrugged powerful shoulders. “You’ll catch on soon, I’m sure. As our wife you’ll be expected to entertain the other wives and host events of your own. Kimsha can help until you’re familiar with what constitutes a proper guest list. It’s part of his job as second assistant.”

  Lindsey didn’t have a political bone in her body nor did her work history include party planner anywhere. Waitress- yes. Cook- yes. Hostess- big fat no.

  “First assistant and second?” The terms were unfamiliar to her.

  “Assistants help a Senate Leader stay on top of his duties. They’re usually two. One for professional needs and one who handles personal.”

  Whoa. Would she need to work with four people? “Zadal has two as well?”

  “Unfortunately, Zadal only has first assistant, Zumei, who moved in with him today. He hasn’t secured a second yet.”

  Baruk placed a large hand on Lindsey’s shoulder and guided her from the room. The intimacy of the touch spiked her pulse. She barely got out a goodbye to Kimsha before they were striding across another vast foyer. Beads of sweat popped on her upper lip the moment they entered the next room. Greenery, plants and bushes covered every surface, including the floor. More were suspended from the glass ceiling in twining arcs of unrecognizable buds.

  “An indoor garden?” Lindsey touched a deep blue bell shaped flower.

  “Of a sorts.” Baruk rearranged a set of tools she hadn’t noticed on a wooden table.

  The humidity caused his midnight dark hair to wave and curl, giving him a little boy appeal directly at odds with his masculine features and solid build. Not as tall as Zadal but a large man nonetheless. After another look around, they left the steamy room behind and headed for huge double-glass doors at the end of the tiled hallway.

  Lindsey decided to dub this the east wing. Baruk’s house was a veritable mansion times two.

  Baruk pulled the gold latch handles and shoved the doors wide. Beautiful grey stone work covered in veins of gold lined a path into heavy foliage.

  “Follow me.”

  Watching her step, Lindsey kept pace with Baruk until they ended at a tranquil oasis. Water trickled across a stone bridge, funneling into a small pond at the center of the grotto. Vines with heart-shaped flowers dangled over an arched trellis. Beneath it stone benches formed a circle where another profusion of flowers bloomed in every color imaginable.

  “So let me get this straight,” Lindsey giggled. “You have two gardens. One for outside flowers and one for inside?”

  “Yes.”

  Lindsey laughed, checking to see if he was serious.

  Baruk wasn’t laughing with her

  Um. Right. Lindsey fingered dark vibrant red petals. “What are these?”

  “Sofilia” Baruk’s gentle answer drew her attention.

  A smile creased his stern features. The flowers looked like a cross between a rose and hydrangea. It should have looked odd but the profusion of petals and the heavy musk scenting the air gave it an otherworld beauty.

  “My mother Sofia bred them,” Baruk continued. “She is one of Teeve’s finest botanist.”

  Lindsey mentally sighed. Strike two.

  Not only did Lindsey lack savvy in the inner workings of politics but she’d been known to kill a cacti or two and those didn’t require much care. “Great.”

  Baruk stepped back. “There’s one last room to show you today and we can do the rest of the house another time.”

  Months more like. Lindsey counted twenty rooms so far during Baruk’s tour. His steps made short work of the return trip inside. He latched the doors behind them and pointed toward an open door almost hidden beneath the curving stairway he’d shown her earlier. Lindsey crossed the threshold and was immediately assailed with Zadal’s presence.

  “Zadal chose this room for his work space.”

  Weapons lined one wall. Swords, knives and guns unlike any on Earth. New weapons held equal importance among weapons of a time gone past. Some with rusted hinges and broken hilts were mounted on the wall in glass cases. The desk was a huge behemoth centered in the space. Not even a pen graced the surface. A warrior’s office. By contrast Baruk’s office contained visual beauty and the elegance of the man himself. Baruk surrounded himself with the calm fragrance of quiet and Zadal surrounded himself with the loud clash of violence.

  Two very different men but both her husbands.

  “Senate Leader Baruk.”

  Lindsey jerked as a small man pranced toward them. He smiled and bowed in Baruk’s direction, completely ignoring Lindsey.

  “Zumei. I’m not sure if Zadal had time to introduce Lindsey, our wife.”

  Blue eyes slid in her direction. “It is a pleasure, Lady Lindsey.”

  A wave of disquiet rolled down her spine. Lindsey took an immediate dislike to him. Her greeting lacked the bright smile she’d given everyone else. “Hi.”

  “I would be honored to assist you in any way. Senate Leader Zadal has placed me at your disposal.”

  ***

  Zadal joined them as they were leaving his office with only a murmur of acknowledgement then promptly closed the door in their face to spend several hours with his creepy assistant then magically showed in time for dinner. Lindsey wasn’t sure if Baruk gave him the two bit tour earlier but he seemed familiar with the layout of the sprawling mansion while Lindsey was fairly sure she’d get lost a time or two before her poor sense of direction kicked in.

  Dinner proved to be an awkward affair. Baruk leaned back in his chair, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. Zadal sat to his left, face set in grim lines. Lindsey chose a seat far away from both of them, her fingers playing with her silverware as she sipped her wine with anxious glances.

  Baruk’s servants cleared the last of the dinner dishes, leaving them alone. Lindsey tried to be bright and
bubbly throughout the meal. Each man answered in monosyllables, increasing her discomfort. The ease and rapport she thought she’d developed with Baruk fell to the wayside. Tonight was a complete and utter failure. Her heart sagged and she wilted in her chair. One big happy family. Not.

  “Are you done, Lindsey?”

  At Baruk’s question, she dropped her fork in some sort of pudding dish. “Yes.”

  He rose from his seat and came to stand behind her chair. His hands landed on her shoulder, caressing in a circular motion. “I hope the meal was to your liking.”

  Since she wasn’t sure what she’d put in her mouth, Lindsey hummed under breath, every sense alert as his casual strokes spread further and further, slipping down her front. Across the table, Zadal watched, one broad finger tapping the linen.

  Baruk kissed her temple as his hands dipped beneath the collar of her shirt. Zadal’s lids lowered to narrow slits, not missing anything.

  “Lindsey,” Baruk breathed by her ear. “Did you like your meal?”

  She jerked, tipping sideways in her chair. “Fine. Food was fine.”

  Baruk helped settle her back in her seat and Lindsey’s gaze sought Zadal’s. He rubbed his finger over his mouth, the hint of a smile visible.

  “Are you alright?” It was the first direct question Zadal had posed to her all evening.

  Nerves tickled the flesh at her nape. “Just good. Doing good.”

  Baruk chuckled, his hands falling away. Lindsey moaned then bit her lip to silence the needy sound.

  “Don’t worry. We’re just starting.” Baruk’s husky murmur sent heat flooding her mid-section.

  As if the statement was a signal of some sort, Zadal rose from his seat and crossed to their side. Baruk eased her chair back and pulled Lindsey to her feet with a gentle touch of his hands on her arms. Her clammy palms braced on his shirt-covered chest.

  The heat of Zadal’s body pressed against her back. Sandwiched between the two of them, Lindsey lost some of her bravado.

  “Um…yes…maybe this is where I say I’ve never menaged with two guys before.”