“That’s okay, Ms. Goode. I think I’ll just head to dinner later and see if I can borrow someone else’s. You have a nice evening.”
“You, too, dear.”
Elise walked back upstairs. She was heading down the hallway to her room when a dark figure came out of nowhere and shoved her against the wall. The back of her head hit the wood. Before she could scream, the man’s arm pressed against her throat, preventing any sound from escaping.
“Leave town tonight.”
Elise struggled for air. She stared into dark eyes, while the rest of his face was covered with black knit cloth. His hot, rancid breath hit her face. His arm pressed tighter against her trachea, essentially blocking all oxygen from reaching her lungs. Within seconds, black dots began floating in her vision.
“You won’t like what happens if you don’t.”
Right when Elise thought she was going to pass out and die, the man released her. She dropped like a stone. Her knees hit the carpet, and she started sucking in air. For the second time that day, tears filled her eyes as she struggled to breathe. She had no idea how long she was in that position, on her hands and knees with her head bent. Elise had always assumed that if she was attacked, she would be strong and be able to fight back. The reality of the situation was totally different and very sobering.
Elise heard footsteps running down the hallway. Afraid the man was returning, she tried to stand. Four hands stopped her, setting her gently back down. She looked up, knowing from their touch that it was Dakota and Chad, but their faces were blurred and she couldn’t get her eyes to adjust. That was when she realized her glasses must have fallen off.
“Elise, what happened?” Dakota’s voice was deep and laced with concern. Suddenly, he was clear. She realized he had placed her glasses snugly on her nose. “When we came up the stairs, you were on your hands and knees. Did you fall?”
“No,” Elise said, her voice cracking. It was hard to talk. “Someone attacked me.”
“What?”
Chad ran down to her room. She saw that her door was open and couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen that earlier. Maybe if she had been paying closer attention, she would have known someone had broken in and was heading in her direction. Dakota’s hand slipped under her chin and lifted her face up.
“Your skin is already turning red, sweetheart. Start from the beginning.”
Elise saw that Chad had returned and was standing behind Dakota, who was on his knees in front of her. She saw the worry in their faces and fought the urge to cry. Besides Shea and Cyn, no one really cared what happened to her.
“My phone wasn’t working, so I went downstairs to see if I could use Ms. Goode’s phone. When I came back up, some man in a ski mask pushed me up against the wall. He used his arm to press against my throat to keep me from screaming for help.”
“Did he say anything?”
“He wanted me to leave town.”
“Sweetheart, Chad’s going to sit with you,” Dakota said, releasing her. His blue eyes had turned a cobalt color, and the anger she saw in them was staggering.
“I’m going to get ahold of the sheriff and be right back.”
Before Dakota left, Chad leaned in and whispered something to him. Whatever it was had him clenching his hands into fists. Not looking back down at her, Dakota stalked down the hallway and disappeared down the stairs.
“Is he mad at me?” Elise couldn’t imagine what she could have done to have made him angry, but why else would he be acting that way?
“No, honey, he’s not mad at you.” Chad sat down beside her and pulled her close. “Dakota’s feeling guilty that he wasn’t here to protect you.”
“He couldn’t have known this would happen though.” Elise relished the heat that his body was emitting. Her teeth started to chatter. She was cold and couldn’t seem to get close enough to Chad. “W-what did you s-say to him?”
“Honey, we need to take you downstairs and wrap you in a blanket. I think you’re going into shock.”
“Why n-not just go into m-my room?” Elise didn’t think she was going into shock, so much as the relief of being safe was overwhelming.
“Sheriff Whittington is going to want to speak with you. I think you’ll feel more comfortable on the couch downstairs.”
Chad stood up, and when she would have done the same, he leaned down and swept her up into his arms. She didn’t know how, but Elise sensed that Chad was keeping something from her. Her mind was so cluttered with everything that just happened, she was having trouble concentrating. What could have happened that would have made Dakota angry?
Elise was too cold and tired to do anything but let Chad carry her down the stairway. Kathy had been halfway up when she saw them and scurried back to the main level and across the floor. She came back and handed them a brown throw blanket. Kathy stood back and kept wringing her hands.
“Ms. Goode, I’m all right.” Elise had stopped shaking and her teeth had stopped chattering since Chad had picked her up. His warmth seemed to soak into her body. “Really, I’m fine.”
“I just can’t believe this happened!” Kathy started to pace back and forth on the large, red oval rug that was situated in front of the brown leather couch. “We live in Triple. Nothing happens in Triple!”
“Ms. Goode, would you please get Elise a glass of water? I think it will help her throat.”
“Oh, my goodness, yes!”
Chad sat on the couch, bringing Elise with him. Instead of seating her alongside of him, he situated her directly on his lap. She was grateful and, even though she knew it couldn’t last, snuggled her face into his chest. Elise would take his comfort now, knowing that she would have to face this situation alone in the end. She always took care of herself and never relied on others to do things for her. Her parents had taught her that lesson early on.
“Ms. Sinclair? I’m Sheriff Whittington.” Elise looked up to see an older gentleman with white hair and a white mustache. He was in a brown uniform, with a silver star on his left side. “Dakota explained that you were attacked. Do you think you are up to telling the story again?”
“Yes, sir.” Elise went to move off of Chad’s lap, but his arms were like steel bands around her upper body. She looked up into his face and saw that he was shaking his head. She caved, hoping she didn’t regret making that decision later on. But what could it hurt to lean on him for a few minutes more?
Elise reiterated what had taken place and how the man had attacked her. All the while, Chad stroked her arms and Dakota remained standing away from them. He was leaning up against the desk, staring at her with those cobalt-blue eyes of his. Dakota’s arms were crossed and his hair was mussed, as if he had been running his fingers through it.
“Did you get a look at his eyes?”
“Yes, they were brown. But the ski mask prevented me from seeing anything else. Oh, and he had really bad breath.”
“Could you see his eyebrows?” Sheriff Whittington asked. Elise shook her head. “What about his height?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t think he was as tall as Chad or Dakota.”
“Okay. That should do it for now. These boys are going to take you home, and I’ll be in touch tomorrow. Triple is a small town, Miss Sinclair. If this man who attacked you is from here, I will know shortly. No one can keep a secret in Triple.”
Elise only really heard the part where the sheriff said Chad and Dakota were taking her home with them. That was ridiculous. She was not going home with them. She was a grown woman and more than capable of taking care of herself. She felt her spunk coming back and sat up straighter.
“Sheriff, there’s no need for me to stay with Chad and Dakota. I have my room and—”
“Miss Sinclair, you can’t stay in that room. Not with what is in there. I need to take pictures and process the scene. I realize we are a small town, but I came from a big city. I know what I’m doing.”
“I’m not questioning your ability, Sheriff Whittington. But what do you mean you have
to process my room?”
“Didn’t these boys tell you what they found?”
When Elise looked over at Dakota, he stared her down. Obviously, he refused to tell her, so she turned her head and looked up into Chad’s eyes. They were clearly troubled. She remembered that it was Chad who had entered her room after they had found her on the floor. He had whispered something to Dakota, who had then left to get the sheriff. What could have happened to her room that they would want to take her home with them?
“Chad, tell me,” Elise whispered. “What did you find?”
Chapter Four
Chad stood looking out the window of their apartment above the bar. No one was outside on the main street that he could see, but that didn’t mean whoever was after Elise didn’t know where she was. The streetlamps were on, highlighting the various bugs swirling underneath their beams. No other life-form seemed to exist this late at night. The light streamed down on the road below, making the shadows in between the other buildings seem ominous. He didn’t like not knowing what was lurking in the dark. Taking one more look and having to be satisfied that nothing seemed off-kilter, he turned around to see Dakota making Elise a cup of hot tea.
Seeing his brother all domestic was something Chad wasn’t used to, but he also had never seen Dakota so furious. When Chad had mentioned that the words Whore and Slut were written in red lipstick on her bathroom mirror, along with a warning to leave town, he had thought Dakota was going to lose it. Whether Elise liked it or not, she had found a way into their hearts, and the thought of her being hurt was just too much for them to take.
Chad wished they had been able to take her to their dream home on the outskirts of town, but since it was still under construction, their apartment would have to do. It was convenient for them, seeing as it was above the bar. It was also suitable for this situation, as Chad and Dakota had the downstairs outfitted with a state-of-the-art security system. Triple wasn’t exactly a hotspot for crime, but they weren’t taking any chances when it came to their livelihood.
The two-bedroom apartment had a simple floor plan. The kitchen and living room area were open, while the two bedrooms were on the far side of the wall, connected by a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. Their decorating skills left much to be desired, the area having basic white walls and little color. Chad briefly wondered about Elise’s style of decorating and decided that as long as she was with them, he couldn’t care less what she did with their new home—if they could convince her to stay and have a future with them.
“This will help your throat,” Dakota informed Elise, setting the hot mug in front of her at the kitchen table. “I’m sure that when you swallow, it’s sore.”
“Thank you,” Elise responded, taking the cup in between her hands. “I don’t know anyone in town. Why would anyone want me gone?”
“We’ll find out, don’t worry.” Dakota took a seat at the kitchen table.
The confidence showing on his brother’s face was more than what Chad felt. There was something wrong with this scenario, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Elise hadn’t been in town long enough to make any enemies. Had someone followed her here? What would be the benefit of having her leave town? Would it give them easier access to her? So many questions ran through his mind, but there were no answers forthcoming.
“Honey, I know the sheriff asked if you had any idea of who it could be. You mentioned your friend Shea having trouble with a stalker because of her books. Do you think you could have the same problem? Are you sure this guy was arrested?”
“Yes, I’m positive,” Elise answered. She paused to take a sip, and Chad could see her throat muscles as she swallowed the liquid. He winced, knowing the scratchy sensation she must be feeling. “Right before I dropped my phone, I was leaving Shea a message because I had spoken to Cyn this morning. She told me that the man who had been stalking Shea was able to physically get a hold of her, but that the men she was with helped her get away. The police arrested him, and he is in custody as we speak.”
“And nothing strange has happened to you lately? No phone calls or e-mails? What about seeing something that seemed odd on your trip down here?”
Elise shook her head. “No, nothing that I can think of.”
Chad walked across the room. Leaning down, he knew he took her by surprise when he kissed her on top of the head. He needed to touch her in some way, to reassure himself that she was physically okay. Emotionally was something that he and Dakota could make sure of. He inhaled, the fragrance of lilacs coming from her hair. She held herself still, almost as if she was afraid he would take his affection one step further.
“I’m going to go run you a bath,” Chad said, stepping away and grabbing her suitcase by the front door. Dakota had brought it up, along with her laptop case. “Finish up your tea and then come on in to the bathroom.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Elise said, attempting to stand up.
Dakota placed his hand on top of her arm, preventing her from pushing her chair back. It was obvious to both of them, and according to the various times she had said it, that she wasn’t used to being doted on. She was about to find out what it was like to be taken care of by a man. And she had two at her disposal right now.
* * * *
Dakota observed the way Elise watched Chad as he walked into the bathroom. Even after all she’d been through that day, she couldn’t hide her reaction to them. The hunger in her eyes was evident, and he wished like hell that they could satisfy that need tonight. But he knew the gentlemanly thing to do would be to bathe her, dry her, dress her for bed, and tuck her in with a kiss on the forehead.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Dakota said. “Take those last sips and then we’ll follow Chad into the bathroom.”
“You are not following me anywhere,” Elise argued, although she did finish her tea. Standing, she walked over to the kitchen counter and placed her empty mug inside the sink. “And Chad is not staying in there while I take my bath. I appreciate you letting me stay here this evening, but in the morning, I will finish up what I need to do and, once Elliot has my car fixed, head out of town.”
“You aren’t going anywhere until this guy is caught,” Dakota stated, not liking that she was making foolish decisions without thinking them through. “What if you get ten miles out of town, and he decides to come after you again? What if that’s what he’s wanted all along? To get you away from people?”
“Then he would have found a way to get me before I ever arrived in Triple.” Elise turned to face him, her nose scrunched up in frustration. “You and Chad are not responsible for me. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times. I can take care of myself.”
“Why do you think you have to?” Dakota moved the chair back and stood facing her, his hands on his hips. “What about your parents? Or your friends? I get why you don’t trust us yet, but we couldn’t have stated our interest in you plainer if we tried. For whatever reason, you won’t give us a chance.”
“My parents?” Elise’s eyes were wide in disbelief behind her glasses. “Are you serious? You haven’t made the connection yet?”
Dakota shook his head, confused as to what she meant by that. What connection was she referring to? That’s when it hit him. Her last name was Sinclair, and she said she was from Illinois. Shit, she was the daughter of Senator Malcolm Sinclair and his wife, Judy, who happened to be a circuit judge. The only reason he knew that was because Senator Sinclair was considering throwing his hat in the ring for President in the next election, according to the news.
“Okay, your father is Senator Sinclair and your mother is Judge Judy Sinclair. Please tell me what that has to do with you taking care of yourself. No matter their professions, I’m sure they love you very much.”
“They love their power,” Elise said, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’m the rebellious daughter who decided to forgo medical school to become a writer. And the funny thing is, they have no idea what I truly write. If they did, they would say I chose
the erotic genre just to get their attention and ruin their lives.”
“I don’t believe that for a second,” Dakota exclaimed, walking over to where she stood. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “I’m sure they love you very much.”
“Dakota, my father is thinking of running for President of the United States. How do you think it will sound on the news when they discover that his only daughter is an author of the ménage lifestyle? Yes, I write under a pen name, but I have to tell them soon, before it hits the media. I was just waiting on his decision, hoping I wouldn’t have to say anything. And to answer your previous question, my parents are too caught up in their own lives to help me with mine. I’ve always taken care of myself, and having friends doesn’t change that. Sure, they are there if I need to talk out my problems. But as far as taking responsibility for my life, I’m the only one I trust.”
Elise shook his hands off and started toward the bathroom. Dakota was finally starting to see a clearer picture. Needing to know one more thing, he took a couple steps and grabbed ahold of her upper arm. Turning her so that she was facing him, he asked, “Do they love each other?”
Elise gave him a sad smile and shook her head. “If they don’t have time for me, do you really think they have time for one another? They have a marriage of convenience, to help each other reach the height of their careers. And growing up in the circles that I grew up in—trust me when I tell you that I have not witnessed a marriage based on love. And do you know why? Because it doesn’t exist. People use other people for their own gain. It’s as simple as that, Dakota.”
Shrugging off his hold, Elise disappeared into the bathroom. Dakota ran his hand through his hair in frustration. How were they ever going to convince her to give them a chance if she didn’t believe that any relationship could work? Getting her to stay in town, protecting her from whatever threat was out there, was their number one priority. But Dakota knew they had to use their time wisely and get her to see that true love did exist, and he knew just who to contact.
Perfect Match [Ménage.com 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 3