by Cara Adams
Now the basement had a steel door over the opening to the other caves, just in case someone decided to force an entry. The top cave was their dungeon, and the second one was set up as a hurricane shelter. It had been their favorite hangout place as teenagers. Now it was more a storeroom than anything else.
Cayden walked through the living room, the only room on ground level, and down the stairs to his bedroom on the next level. He unlaced his boots and removed them, then padded barefoot down another level to what used to be the kitchen and formal dining room. In his childhood the dining room was almost never used. Now, he and his brothers had pushed the heavy table and chairs against the wall, and had moved several comfy armchairs in here, along with a huge TV and a sound system.
To his surprise both his brothers were home instead of at work. Although there was an enormous bag of munchies on the coffee table between them, they weren’t watching the television, and the music was turned so low he could hardly hear it.
He flopped into a vacant chair and Leo said to him, “Well?”
He had a pretty good idea of what Leo wanted to know but replied out of habit, “Well what?”
* * * *
Leonardo Marshall might have been five years younger than Cayden, but since he’d been big enough, he’d never let either of his older brothers push him around.
“Tell us all about our woman. What’s she like? Do you think she’ll stay and complete her contract?”
That was Leo’s biggest fear. It was better than he’d ever expected to have four eligible women here all at once, and he was thrilled that one had been allocated to them. But his main worry was that she’d change her mind.
“She’s got long black hair, and she was fiddling with it a bit, but she didn’t strike me as being overly nervous,” Cayden said.
“So playing with her hair might be a habit, not a sign of worry?” asked Seb.
Hell, I hope so. But Leo couldn’t stop stressing. “Maybe we should be thinking of ways to reassure her that we’d never do anything she didn’t want?”
“No. The contract is clear. We can’t say or do anything yet,” Cayden argued.
“But what if she decides to go home?”
“That’s her choice. It’s nothing to do with us,” Seb said.
Leo knew the rules and wasn’t suggesting they break them. It was just…“Isn’t there anything we can do right now?”
“Cross your fingers?” Seb suggested and laughed at him.
Leo managed not to punch his brother, but the urge was strong. “Okay, okay. Let’s talk about tomorrow then. We assume she agrees to stay. She might change her mind about one or two of her options, but she has to stay. She’s spent a lot of money to get here, and her friends are here.”
In a voice of doom, designed deliberately to annoy him, Seb said, “Likely they’ll all go home with her first thing tomorrow.”
This time Leo did punch him, although not too hard, on the arm.
“Ouch!”
“Stop acting like juveniles and let’s talk about tomorrow.” Cayden grabbed a handful of Leo’s pretzels, and filled his mouth with them.
Leo knew it wasn’t worth complaining about his snack being stolen. That was an argument none of them would ever win as all household expenses were shared equally and therefore everything belonged to all of them equally. Instead, he said, “Taking her to the beach is obvious. We just need to check and see who else has booked the beach for the times that interest us. Or do we want her there meeting other people, maybe chatting with her friends?”
In the office was a whiteboard with a map of the island drawn on it. People could reserve any area they needed for privacy reasons or for taking a client there. One small beach was only for client use, although anyone could visit it when there were no Caves of Correction customers on the island. Most panthers preferred the large beach by the big house, though, instead of the smaller, more secluded client beach.
Speaking seriously, Seb said, “I prefer the idea of isolating her and keeping her only with us. We need time to demonstrate to her how much we’ll love and care for her, how happy she could be living here with us. If she starts talking to her friends it might set up frameworks in her mind that don’t fit with our plans, leading to disappointment or comparisons. Right now, no one else has begun seducing their woman either, so we’re all on an equal footing. I’d rather we had the freedom to make our own plans and follow them through. We need to learn about our woman and make the program perfect for her and her alone.”
Leo nodded. That made sense. They’d already drafted out some ideas based on the boxes she’d checked on her contract. She might change her mind about some of the things, but Leo sure as hell hoped she didn’t, especially about the sex. She’d agreed to ménage sex and that was so important if she was to be their woman. If she refused, they would still love and cherish her and would obey her choices, but it meant they’d never be genuinely united as a family. Only with all of them inside her together could they ever truly be one family, one unit, one body together.
“I agree. Right now we need to plan where we’ll take her and then I’ll make the bookings so we’re alone with her. We need time to help her feel at ease with us and open up as to what she’s looking for. Only when we understand her needs completely can we fulfill them,” Cayden said.
“We also don’t know how fit she is so we have to ensure we can cut the walk short if she’s getting tired,” Leo added, worrying once again with what might happen if she hated walking. The island tracks were narrow, and they didn’t have a car or a truck to drive her around.
“Remember when Declan broke his arm and a foot, and he couldn’t use crutches. His mother brought him to school in a wheelbarrow for a couple of weeks. That was so funny,” Seb said, grinning.
Leo laughed at the memory. “I’m not sure who was more annoyed. His mom at having to push him around like that or Declan at the embarrassment of being made to turn up to school with a couple of broken bones.”
“Yes, well, we don’t even own a wheelbarrow, so that isn’t going to work,” Cayden said.
“Spoilsport. We could borrow one and fill it with pillows and blankets to give her a comfortable ride,” Seb argued.
Leo laughed, but he didn’t think their woman would be too keen on being taken around in a wheelbarrow. “It would be much better to plan a schedule where she’s happy walking.”
“Let’s do it.” Cayden reached over and grabbed the last of Leo’s pretzels.
Leo opened his mouth to complain and then shut it. Right now he needed to focus on the woman who might turn out to be their mate. He could get even with Cayden any time.
* * * *
Sebastian Marshall had arranged for one of the women on the island to provide supper and breakfast for Aria Taverner last night and this morning. He and his brothers had agreed the impact of there being three of them would be much better if she met him and Leo together.
Of course Cayden, who she’d already seen, could have taken her meals to her, but it was better that she not have the opportunity to form a link with any of them until all three were present.
It might be slightly illogical thinking, but it was something they all felt and had all agreed on. They’d also, at last, finalized a route to follow today, with plenty of stops in case she wasn’t used to walking, and Cayden had made the various reservations on the whiteboard for them.
If they saw people along the pathways as they walked, it’d be easy enough to simply say hi without stopping. Likely the other hosts would be eager for the women not to have a long conversation with each other just yet anyway.
He and his brothers had argued for hours about the right time to arrive and take her out for her walk this morning. They’d also argued about collecting her signed contract after midnight. Finally his insistence had swayed his brothers. “She might stay awake deliberately to see who comes and collects it. It’s much better to get the person who brings her breakfast to pick up the contract and to tell her what
time to be ready for us. That way she doesn’t learn anything more about us, but she’ll still be prepared and ready for our walk.”
“But we won’t know if she’s changed her mind about anything on the contract,” Leo wailed.
“Stop being such a baby, Leo. None of us will know, so we’re all in the same position. Besides, we’ve planned everything as far as we can, and we’ll have all of today to think and adapt our plans while we’re with her, learning more about her tastes.”
“Seb’s right, Leo. The more we know about what she likes and what interests her, the better we can plan our first scene with her,” Cayden added.
Seb just hoped that first scene would be tonight. He didn’t think he could wait much longer, especially after spending the entire day with her. But he really would pay attention to Aria. He wanted this to be a success, and it would only be done right if they could judge her tastes. Planning a BDSM scene for a client was a hell of a lot more difficult without knowing the person it was designed to please. The more they could find out about her during the day, the better they could target the scene to her needs and desires.
Seb wondered what she looked like. Long black hair was hardly much of a description. He kept his own brown hair military short because he hated the fact that it curled. Neither of his brothers seemed to care about the curls in their hair, but it’d always annoyed him. So much so that he was surprised Leo left his hair to grow longish for a man. Cayden’s was normal length but the ends still curled. Ugh. No thanks. Ultrashort suited him just fine.
After a lot of discussion he and his brothers had chosen seven a.m. to have Aria’s breakfast delivered and eight for her to be ready for them to show her around the island. Seb wondered if she’d be ready. He’d heard many stories of women who spent hours every morning doing their hair and makeup.
All the panther kids were homeschooled on the island for elementary and middle school. Once they reached high school, they stayed on the mainland during the week, going to the mainland by boat early Monday mornings and returning to the island after school Friday nights. So he’d known plenty of human girls and their habits, despite growing up in a male-dominated society.
The teenagers all lived together with some of the retired panthers on the mainland, so were well cared for, but very few went away to college. Most studied for college online and then worked online. The island was part of their heritage. The need to run and be free was as much part of their genetics as their ability to transform. This place was home, and very few ever wanted to leave.
But he wanted a mate, craved the woman who would complete their family and make them more than a trio of lonely brothers growing old together. A woman who would bring light and life to their home and happiness and a future for them all. Aria. That was a beautiful name and a fitting name for the woman who might become their mate.
Long before eight he was dressed and ready to go, having packed a thick, navy blue Caves of Correction towel for her to sit on while they ate, bottles of water for them all, and a light lunch of fruit and raw vegetables, all fresh from the panthers’ gardens on the island. Of course, he had no idea what foods she liked, but her original contract had said she wasn’t allergic to anything, so he had to hope she liked at least some of the food he’d chosen.
Their home was quite a distance from the cave that had been assigned to Aria. Their cottage was one of the original ones, built over an entire cave system. Hers was only a couple of generations-old, build over a single small cave. However, that had made it ideal to convert into a guest cave because it was centrally located. In Aria’s cottage, the living room had become the bedroom, the bedroom was turned into a much larger bathroom, and the cave itself had become pure dungeon instead of a combined kitchen, bathroom, and all-purpose room.
But she hadn’t seen the dungeon yet. They’d deliberately locked it so that if the abduction scene she’d requested went ahead, they could take her there and she wouldn’t recognize it. Damn. His cock swelled at the thought of an abduction fantasy. That’s what she’d asked for on her contract, and he and his brothers had so many ideas to make it wonderful for her. But they couldn’t do anything until after midnight. Well, midnight was more than seven hours ago and very soon they’d know whether or not Aria had changed her mind.
Fuck. I hope she hasn’t. Most of all I hope she hasn’t changed her mind about the ménage sex.
Chapter Two
Aria had soaked in the tub for a long time, before climbing out and getting dressed again. She’d half expected someone to come and take her to wherever the restaurant was here for dinner before her hair was dry and braided, but she was ready and wandering around the room, wondering why there were no windows, when the knock had come on the door.
Instead of a guide directing her to the restaurant, an older woman held out a tray of food that smelled mouthwatering. The tray held fresh, battered, succulent fish, with a salad, and fries, homemade bread, a slice of chocolate cheesecake, and an insulated mug of hot coffee. It was all totally delicious, but Aria felt strange to be eating alone at a resort.
Because she had nothing else to do, she read her contract again, for perhaps the dozenth time, but she remained happy with her choices and had no intention of changing anything, so she left it on the table beside her empty plates, cleaned her teeth, and went to bed.
It was a huge bed, soft and comfortable with thick, fleecy navy-blue blankets and matching sheets and pillowcases. The blankets, like the towels in the bathroom, were embroidered with the “Caves of Correction” logo in white.
Thinking about her ride in the helicopter and what she’d seen so far of the island, Aria expected to lie awake for a long time, but instead, she fell instantly into a sound sleep, not waking until it was almost seven. Then she had to rush to be dressed and ready for breakfast, which the lady had told her would be at seven.
The same woman gave her a tray of food and collected her last night’s tray and her contract. “You’ll be collected at eight, dear. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes to walk in and bring a sunhat.”
“Thank you.”
The woman gently nudged the door and Aria stepped back inside her room as the door was closed and locked behind her. That was weird. But likely she still might get lost without a guide, even though it was daylight.
Aria was surprised that she felt hungry already, but the homemade porridge topped with honey, apple, banana, and raisins was too delicious to ignore. As she ate, she thought about what to wear. She was already dressed in jeans and a shirt, so she thought that would be appropriate. But perhaps she ought to wear her running shoes instead of sandals. She hadn’t brought hiking boots with her. Only being allowed a carry-on case, not a proper suitcase, had meant leaving at home all sorts of things she might ordinarily have packed for a vacation.
Aria laid her sunhat ready on the bed, although unless it was really hot, she’d likely tan anyway. She also took out her bikini, sarong, and flip-flops and rolled them in a spare towel she collected from the bathroom. This was an island. Surely they’d stop at the beach or a swimming pool on their tour. She planned to swim every day if she possibly could. This was her vacation after all.
She stared at her few clothes in the closet, but decided she was ready. Aria opened her purse, slid her cell phone in her back pocket, and then pulled it out to check for messages. She hadn’t touched it since she’d arrived. Likely all her friends had texted her, and she hadn’t once thought of checking her Facebook or anything.
It wasn’t until she saw the “no signal” message that she remembered the Caves of Correction website had said telecommunications on the island were unreliable. Oh well, maybe some parts of the island would have better reception than inside her room. She slid the cell phone back into her pocket and shut her purse into the closet.
Aria wandered around the room again. She was still surprised there were no windows and was determined to ask why. She was just trying the handle to the locked internal door when there was a knock on her door and it o
pened. She half-expected it to be the lady back for the tray but instead it was the man who’d escorted her here.
“Cayden Marshall,” she said.
“Yes, indeed, and these are my brothers Sebastian, and Leonardo.”
“Seb,” the one with military-short hair said, stepping forward and shaking her hand.
“Leo,” the other one with slightly long, curly brown hair added, peeking over his brother’s shoulder.
She picked up her sunhat and the roll of swimming things. Leo took the bundle from her and pushed it through the straps of a backpack Seb was carrying.
“Are you used to walking?” Cayden asked her. He led the way down the path back toward the helicopter.
“I’m happy to walk. I don’t go mountain climbing for fun or anything like that, but I don’t mind walking a few blocks instead of catching the bus.”
“So a couple of miles would be okay?”
She thought Leo looked a bit worried and supposed he was afraid he might end up carrying her if she couldn’t make it home again so she smiled. “Of course, but not a marathon.”
He gave her a dazzling smile. “That’s good because we want to show you the lake as well as the beach, and they’re not side by side.”
She laughed. “I guess not. Is the lake saltwater or freshwater?”
“Freshwater. It’s in the hilly area whereas the beach, well, that’s down the bottom of the hills obviously.”
Leo was laughing along with her, and Aria already knew he’d be fun to talk to.
She followed Cayden, who set a reasonable pace. He seemed to glance over his shoulder at her a lot, so she supposed he was checking he wasn’t going too fast for her, but the walk was lovely. There were a lot of trees and all sorts of shrubs and bushes along the tiny, narrow trails that meandered around, but gradually they were led up to a gap between higher points. There was the lake, surprisingly large for such a small island, but serenely beautiful resting under the bright blue sky and surrounded by tall trees that looked old and solid.