by Unknown
Suddenly, the world tilted and in seconds, Jolie was trapped beneath his strong, muscular body.
Where she would willingly let him take what he wanted, she knew the ramifications. There was his heart to worry about and of course Jacques. Her detective was an honorable man, and he would view this as forcefully taking what wasn’t his.
It would damage him further.
Jacques, she wasn’t too sure about. He was a master of keeping his feelings to himself, but she did know that if she let this continue, there’d be trouble.
One way or another.
Just as his hands slid to the front of her shirt and pulled, popping buttons and sending them flying, Jolie did the unthinkable.
She stopped him. It wasn’t easy, since she was craving his touch.
Yeah, she was crazy.
Here was an insanely sexy man, and she was halting the fun.
“Flynn, you need to stop!” she urged forcefully, as his mouth left hers to begin the descent lower.
A second passed, and it was evident that the words finally registered.
The room went silent.
There was breathing, and then Flynn’s blue lust-filled eyes focused on her.
Jolie watched reality slide back into place as the panic settled into in his heart.
The need to comfort overcame her, as she reached for his face. It hurt her, when he moved away as if burned.
“Oh my God! Shit!” He jumped away from her as realization of what he just done dawned on him.
“I am so sorry, Jolie.”
“Flynn,” she began.
He backed away from her and started for the bedroom door. “I have to get out of here and away from this!”
“Flynn, wait!” called Jolie. She turned to see Jacques enter into the room. All she could hope was that it wasn’t about to escalate into a battle.
“Flynn,” Jacques called calmly. “Please return to bed.”
That was the last place he wanted to be, especially after what he had just done.
“I can’t breathe. I need to get out of here.” He slammed the door before racing to his rarely used quarters. He had lost total control and almost forcibly took Jolie.
What the hell happened to him?
He must just be tired.
That’s it.
Oh shit!
Jacques was going to kill him. It was one thing to tease him, but to actually throw his mate down and climb all over her in their bed.
“Shit, shit, shit,” he repeated over and over again, as he climbed into his shower.
Taking a deep breath, he hit the spray and faced the music. As ice cold water pelted him, he sucked it up. It nearly took him to his knees.
This was punishment, except he didn't believe that it fit the crime.
He deserved so much more.
In his heart, he knew he wasn’t worthy of his family. Some guardian he was.
He couldn’t keep Jolie safe.
From himself…
∞ Chapter Four ∞
Her world appeared to be falling apart.
Everything around her was slowly crumbling into pieces. In Jolie’s heart, she wanted to reach out for both men, but she was trapped in the middle. If she went to Flynn, it would risk Jacques’s heart. By staying here, it may break Flynn’s.
This was a horrible place to be.
Deep down, she knew that as her guardian, he was entitled to share the mistress’s body. It was their people’s law, and yet there were circumstances which weighted heavily on all of them. This was new territory. For centuries, Jacques had been the only vampyre she’d had sex with, even before he was her mate. Now, there was a human she was attracted to, even loved.
How would Jacques overlook that?
She knew him very well, and this had the potential to explode around them. Jacques was territorial to a fault, and Jolie was his mate. While they both were attached to their human, Flynn was an unexpected twist in life.
Oh hell!
What was she supposed to do?
Jolie sat on the bed, unsure what to say. From across the room, Jacques looked as calm as usual, and that was disturbing. From past experiences, Jolie knew that he had the ability to block her out, all the while staying calm on the outside. In that heated moment, Jolie wasn’t sure what he was feeling, and it was maddening.
“I feel bad for him,” she admitted, preparing to justify it to her mate. Maybe if she softened the entire situation, he’d stay calm.
Still Jacques remained blank.
“He didn’t mean anything by it, Jacques,” she offered, glancing down at her shirt, agape from his wild hands.
The predator in the room didn't flinch.
Jolie was waiting for him to reassure her, and it was obvious that she was out of luck. The man in the room with her was a killer. He’d spent centuries taking out the obstacles in their way. Now, she could only hope he didn't view Detective Brogan as one of them.
“I’ll go and put him to sleep,” said Jacques, walking toward the bedroom door.
Her face must have shown her fear.
“Relax, Jolie. I won’t fault him for something he can’t control.”
“I’m sorry, Jacques.” What more could she say?
He looked over at her and nodded before he left the room.
Jolie’s heart ached for both of them. “Damn it! This is a disaster.”
∞ ∞ ∞
Brogan stood under the ice-cold water, trying to think of anything but Jolie. Unfortunately, her scent was on his skin, her laughter was in his mind, and he could still feel her against him. It looked like he was going to have to bring out the big guns on this one.
He began picturing Jacques ripping his arms off.
“Okay, that works,” he mumbled to himself.
Immediately, the need receded, and he was able to once more find that elusive control.
Reaching for his towel, Brogan noticed it was missing. It didn't take long to realize what was going on, because he could sense that he wasn’t alone.
Yeah, he was a dead man. The reaper had come to end his life.
“You’re standing right there, aren’t you, Jacques?”
“Oui.”
“Oh shit. Just kill me and get it over with,” he said blinking, as the water dripped into his eyes. “I did something so horrible that I won’t even fight you. Just do it.”
The tone of helplessness in his voice brought back many memories from his life before becoming Jolie’s mate. “I’m not here to kill you, Flynn,” stated Jacques, handing him a towel, as he leaned against the tiled wall.
“Good, but I may still have to hurt myself,” he said, wiping the water droplets from his face and shoulders. “I wish I had an excuse, but I don’t. I just want her. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help it. I’m obviously flawed.” He wrapped the towel around his waist. When the vampyre in the room said nothing, as he headed toward the bedroom, Flynn became even more nervous. “If you aren’t going to kill me, then why are you here?”
“To put you to sleep,” he said calmly.
He didn’t know what else to say to the man he called friend. “I’m sorry just doesn’t seem to be enough for what I’ve done. Will you forgive me?”
Jacques understood why Flynn and Jolie were so upset, and it bothered him. Neither trusted him to understand and sympathize. If he was going to be angry, that was why.
Didn’t they know him better than this?
Or maybe that was the problem. They knew him too well.
“I’m aware of that, Flynn, but you aren’t to blame,” answered Jacques, taking a seat on the couch that faced him.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re not to blame in all of this. I don’t think it’s fair that you’re thinking about hurting yourself.”
Brogan was confused. Jacques looked relaxed, and it was that scary calm before someone snapped, killing everyone around them. He had seen the look on his face before. Usually, someone ended up heartless and in a pile of ashes i
n the end.
“I don’t understand,” he said, and then panic set in at the only other option. “You aren’t going to hurt Jolie, are you?” He started pacing and stopped. “Don’t.”
He lifted a brow at Flynn’s words. Again, he was irritated that they didn't understand him better. Granted, this might all be his fault.
“Please take it out on me instead. Beat me up, toss me around, but don’t blame her. It’s my fault. I’ve had a long day and let my control slip. I’m weak and human. I’m the damaged one, and Jolie was the victim in all this. Thankfully, she was able to stop me.”
He waited until the man had finished.
“Why do you defend her?” Curiosity kicked in, and he wanted an answer to see why this man would risk his wrath over passing it off on Jolie. Bravery or stupidity, he still needed to know. Flynn Brogan was still an enigma to him, and as of yet, he wasn’t sure how to view him. He wanted to like the man and accept him as family, but humans had one major flaw.
They liked to betray.
This was his family, and his obligation was to keep them safe. Granted, the man had protected them, but still… betrayal could get them killed.
“Because I’m the weak one, and she has never been more than kind to me. Please don’t be angry with her. She loves you more than anything in this world, and you’d be a fool to doubt that.”
“I’m very aware of her feelings for me, Flynn. I don’t think that this has made me doubt what we have.” In fact, it had made them stronger. He knew that Jolie loved the man before him, yet she had sacrificed that moment with Flynn for him. They both were trying to protect his heart.
It had to mean something, right?
“So, you won’t harm her?”
He was appalled. That emotion was clearly evident on his face. “There is nothing in this universe that would make me hurt her. She’s my heart.”
At his words, Brogan sat and relaxed.
“Again, I’ll ask. Why do you choose to defend her?”
Flynn’s back was against the wall. Here, he’d just manhandled Jacques’s woman. He at least owed him an explanation.
“Is this only between you and me?”
“If that’s what you wish, but she can read my memories and is usually in my mind,” he replied, leaning forward. Jacques knew that he wouldn’t keep secrets from his mate, unless it wasn’t pertinent for her to know.
Brogan nodded, making up his mind. “At first, it was just sexual, but it’s more. I think that in the process of being bonded to the both of you, I’ve picked up some of your emotions.”
This was curious. The human was going to open up, or at least try.
“Which ones?” he asked, already knowing the answer to his question, but Jacques wanted to hear it from the man before him. If they were going to be a family, Flynn needed to be completely honest with him.
It was the only way.
“Passion.”
Jacques wasn’t going to let him off the hook so easily. “Detective, I’ve lived a very long time. You may think that holding back is better, but in the end, the truth always comes out. Isn't it best to be honest from the start?”
Brogan closed his eyes. Jacques had a point. If he was going to get murdered, it might as well be for telling the truth.
“Love.”
Jacques said nothing. It was what he wanted, and now he needed to face the reality of it. There were two options on the table. Jacques could fight this tooth and nail. He’d likely win, but that would hurt Jolie and Flynn in the end, or he could trust the man in front of him. Brogan saved them, and he would swallow a little uneasiness to make them all a happy family.
It was the right thing to do, and his heart didn't disagree.
“I think I love her, Jacques, but I’m not sure they’re my feelings, or if I’m experiencing your love for her. It’s confusing.” He stopped, waiting for the ax to drop. He wouldn’t even try to get to his gun to try and save himself. After all, he deserved it. Flynn Brogan was coveting a vampyre’s mate.
This was the end of his life.
“Why can’t it be both?” asked Jacques quietly. “Maybe you’re in love with her and sharing my feelings.”
Brogan sat up and looked at the man in front of him. “Excuse me?” He stared in shock, assuming that he had misheard him.
“This is new territory for me too, Detective. I’ve never been bonded with anyone before now. I sometimes get your emotions and cravings, so maybe it’s both?”
“You do?”
He tried to reassure him. “I wanted beer and wings the other day. I know that’s definitely not me, and somehow I doubt that Jolie has decided to go all redneck on me.”
Brogan found that funny, but he wasn’t sure that it would be a wise thing to laugh. This could be a trap.
“See what I mean?”
“I don’t even know where to take this. Are you telling me that you’re okay with me having feelings for her?” He looked confused. “I just told you that I’m in love with Jolie.”
“Flynn, I love her more than anything in this world, and I understand your frustration. Being near her every day and not being able to have her is pure hell. I guarded her for six centuries, fed her, and even had sex with her, but I wasn’t permitted to openly love her. I, of all people, understand your pain. They were the longest centuries of my existence. In fact, they were bleak until she broke the rules and loved me back.”
Brogan just nodded.
“She isn't going to pursue you, Flynn. Jolie wants you to move at your own pace.”
Flynn nearly fell over. “Why are you telling me this? I’m sure she’d be upset if she knew.”
He shrugged. “Sometimes, you have to make a sacrifice for your family. I’ll handle the fallout if it means we have a strong foundation.”
It was like the entire world shifted upside down and was now discombobulated. “I don’t know what to say.”
“We can discuss this later. Let me help you rest. Jolie will be upset if she knows you aren’t getting some sleep.”
Brogan got into bed, but his body was still full of tension. “By put to sleep, you do mean able to wake up again, right?” he asked nervously.
“Flynn, it’s fine to love her,” said Jacques, touching the man on the shoulder. “Next time, instead of avoiding your feelings, you can come to me and trust me.”
Brogan stared up into his eyes.
“It won’t change the way I feel about you.”
“Jacques?” He had so much to say.
“Go to sleep, Flynn, and know that we’ll be here with you.” Jacques put his hand on the man’s chest and forced him to slip into the dark dreamless sleep.
He struggled to stay awake, but the warm pool beckoned him. Once his eyes closed, everything around him went black.
Jacques sat there for a while, watching him sleep. It was hard not to ponder the dilemma facing them all. How much of a right did he have to keep Jolie from loving other people when they truly loved her too? Here lay a man who had risked his life, sacrificed his humanity, and willingly shared his soul with them both.
He was prepared to make the detective’s life easier and his life harder.
Ah, the things you did for love...
∞ ∞ ∞
Jolie paced back and forth in her room, waiting for her mate to return to her. It didn't take long for her to feel the detective slip into sleep. Now, it was all about anxiously waiting for Jacques to come back to the room to discuss everything.
It was hard not to be nervous. After all, she easily recalled his silence as he followed Flynn from their chambers. The need to be near Jacques filled her, and she closed her eyes to seek him out.
His sadness beat through her.
Focusing on him, Jolie figured out where he was hiding. He had chosen the solarium in the back of the house as his retreat. That hurt her. They were partners, mates, and a couple. He shouldn’t be hiding from her.
Something needed to be done.
“This is ridiculou
s.” It was time to heal the man who was suffering, all while patching up their union.
On her way to the solarium, she could hear it. There was music. No, that didn't describe it enough-it was a hauntingly beautiful melody. The soft cords were being played on the grand piano, and it called to her. Jolie was mesmerized by the magnificence of it.
It was hard not to notice that it was filled with sorrow and pain.
“Oh, Jacques,” she whispered, as she found him behind the keys, playing for no one in particular. Jolie was enthralled as she watching his fingers glide gracefully over the ivory.
This was a first.
Never in all their centuries together did she know that he was capable of such magnificence. This was something he had never shared with her before, and that was sad.
Then again, this was likely something that he kept locked away from the whole world, not just her.
He played a little longer as she watched, and then suddenly stopped.
“Jolie,” he said, acknowledging her presence. He waited for her to answer but when she didn’t, he turned to find her standing not far from him.
There were tears slowly sliding down her cheeks as her eyes never left his. His heart ached at the sadness, and he knew that he needed to go to her.
To offer love.
Comfort.
Peace.
“Bébé, please don’t cry. I didn’t know you were listening.” He swung her up in his arms before crossing to the couch. Taking a seat, they faced their garden together. As he held her pressed to his chest, his heart quivered. Here was his mate, and he was dangerously close to losing her.
“Please, mon amour.”
She needed to know. “Jacques, why didn't you tell me that something so beautiful lived in you?”
He shrugged. “I was just playing to clear my mind. When I need to think, I let myself play”
“You’re hurting. I can feel it. Why are you trying to hide from me? From us?”
What could he possibly say to her? That he was trying to weigh the options of being selfish versus gallant? How he knew their family and their future, lay in his palm, and he was callous enough to want to steal her away for only himself?