Embraced

2

“She has to be the most stubborn, independent, irrational woman I’ve had the misfortune to meet.”

Sax slammed the file drawer in place, ignoring James’ mocking snort behind him as he slapped the file he had pulled out on the desk between them.

He was irritated, horny as hell, and damn if he wasn’t suffering from a guilt trip of major proportions.

No matter how much it hurts me? The words wouldn’t leave his mind, ricocheting in his head as he fought against the pain he had glimpsed in her eyes.

“You act like you’re surprised, buddy,” James laughed as he leaned back in the chair in front of Sax’s desk and watched him with amusement. “You’ve been chasing her for three years and just figured that one out?”

Sax sat down heavily in his own chair and regarded the other man with a frown.

“I don’t appreciate the amusement you’re finding at my expense, James,” he snarled back. “Dammit to hell, she enjoyed every minute of it. Drenched my fingers when she came and still had the nerve to try to guilt me out of her life. I should tie her to the damned bed for a week and fuck her until she’s too tired to guilt or deny me.”

James chuckled at that one, not that Sax could blame him. Sax had been making that same threat for three years now.

“Vince is out on bail,” Sax sighed then, worry and fury clashing at the thought of all the ways he could hurt Marey. “He disappeared within hours. If she doesn’t ease up on the stubbornness, he’s going to kill her.”

It was his worst nightmare, that Vince would attack her again, taking her from him forever. It was hard enough waiting on the sidelines all these years, certain she would give in eventually. But now…Sax knew the waiting was over. The question was would the fragile bonds of emotion between them survive the dominance rising inside him? He was sick of waiting. And he was sure as hell sick of her denying the very thing he knew both of them craved.

“Vince will self-destruct eventually,” James agreed. “All we can do is watch her, Sax. Daniel will look for him, Drew Stanton owns the security agency she’s using—he has priority watch on her. The sheriff will keep a closer eye on the house during his patrols, and when he comes up for trial, Caleb will make certain he spends plenty of time behind bars. The members of The Club won’t desert her. We watch out for our own, you know that.”

Caleb Embers was the prosecuting attorney assigned to the case, and a member of The Club. Sax was well aware of the fact that if Vince made it as far as trial, then Caleb would fry his ass.

“Keeping him the hell away from her until he gets to trial is what worries me,” Sax bit out. “She’s so determined to deny us both that she could end up giving him the opening he needs. I swear to God, James, I can’t understand her. It’s as though she thinks she has to deny herself. As though she’s paying penance for something that only she’s aware of.”

“Or terrified of a pattern repeating itself,” James suggested then. “She put her life on hold for her parents. When they died, she wasn’t a teenager any longer. Loneliness can do strange things to a woman, Sax. She married the first man who offered and learned within weeks the mistake she made. I have a feeling you’re something Marey couldn’t bear losing. So she’s going to fight you harder.”

Which was no more than he expected. But damn if it wasn’t grating on his nerves.

“Tell you what.” James leaned forward in his chair, watching Sax with a knowing glint in his eyes. “Let’s head to the house for dinner. We’ll have a drink and see if Ella has any ideas how to break her friend’s control. She knows Marey better than anyone. If anyone knows how to find her weakness, it’s my wife.”

Sax tapped his fingers against the leather arm of his chair. He was right. And Ella would help too. She was worried as hell over Marey. She would make a great conspirator.

He moved quickly to his feet, ignoring James’ amused laughter as they pulled on their suit jackets and headed for the door.

“So, who’s your third lately?” Sax finally thought to ask his friend as they neared the door.

James snorted. “Ian came out of hiding. I think he’s running though. Damn if he’s not desperate to get as far away from his own house as possible since Dane’s daughter moved in with him. Have you seen her?”

Dane Mattlaw had been Ian’s best friend while he lived abroad in his younger days. The older man had been a steadying influence, while also helping to develop some of Ian’s sexual tastes in the high-class brothels they frequented before Dane’s marriage.

The daughter was a vixen. Not that Ian had introduced any of The Club’s members to her.

“Mattlaw will kill him.” Sax grinned when James’ comment finally registered. “If he’s running from her, then he’s a little too interested.”

“Too interested and denying it too hard,” James laughed as they left the office. “Watching him fall is going to be fun, Sax. He’s a little too superior in his attitude toward the rest of us after our marriages. We’re all cheering for her. She’s going to put a hurting on that boy that will bring him to his knees and make him cry for mercy.”

That reminded Sax much too much of what Marey was doing to him. Damned woman.

“He’s driving me crazy.” Marey stomped into Ella’s house hours after the kitchen interlude, ignoring her grinning friend as she made her way to the kitchen and the wine Ella kept in steady supply.

Hell, she was married to a Trojan, a dominant, woman-sharing, sex-perverted male that likely made Ella as insane as Sax was making her at the moment.

“He’s a sweetheart, Marey,” she laughed as she came behind her, moving to slide two wineglasses from their position under the cabinet and set them on the work island.

A sweetheart. Yeah, he was a sweetheart all right, and he was making her fucking crazy proving it. Keeping an eye on her, checking the house all the time, calling to make certain she was okay. The sound of his voice, that deep baritone, rasping over her senses, had nearly been her undoing several nights in a row.

“You should know,” Marey finally snorted mockingly. “Wasn’t he James’ little buddy that first time?”

Ella cleared her throat, a light flush working over her cheeks at Marey’s reply.

“If I had known you—”

“Oh, shut up.” Marey waved the small guilt-ridden sentence away. “I don’t have a problem with it. I just need solutions here. How do I get rid of him?”

She poured a half glass of wine, considered the amount then filled the glass. She needed definite liquid courage here. She smacked the bottle to the counter, lifted the glass and took a healthy swallow. She needed the strength right now, not to mention the balm to her nerves. The balm to her nerves was a definite must-have.

“Wine is for sipping, whisky is for swilling,” Ella said mildly, watching her warily. “So why don’t you care if I fucked Sax?”

Marey was in the process of sitting her glass back down. She paused, glanced at her friend and lifted it for another healthy swallow. Ella’s timing sucked.

“Just don’t let it happen again,” she muttered as she refilled the glass moments later. “I might not be so forgiving now.”

That was an understatement. She would be damned pissed, but she knew that Ella would never consider it after suspecting the feelings Marey had for him. Marey could confidently pat herself on the back that she had hidden her feelings for the man from even her closest friends. Ella had no idea until several weeks after she returned from her honeymoon. During one of Marey’s late-night let’s-consume-a-bottle-of-wine visits, Ella had revealed that Sax had been the third in the Trojan ménage James had set up.

Marey flushed uncomfortably at the memory of what she said in reply.

Touch him again and I’ll rip your tonsils out! she had informed her friend haughtily. James wouldn’t find you near as attractive then.

She sighed wearily. She had fucked herself there. Ella had tried to throw her in Sax’s company ever since.

“But you don’t want him?” Ella lifted a perfectly shaped brow with mocking inquiry.

“Don’t start lecturing me, Ella,” she snapped, pushing her fingers restlessly through her hair and wishing she had taken the time to confine the long, blonde strands to a braid or something. Anything to keep it out of her face. It was aggravating her, and she didn’t need the additional frustration.

“Who’s lecturing you?” Ella shrugged as she poured a half glass of wine, refilled Marey’s then picked up her glass and gestured to the living room. “Let’s at least argue in comfort. Why do you always have to come here looking for a fight? I have better things to do than fight with my friends.”

Yeah. Like fuck James Wyman with Saxon Brogan as a third in a ménage that made Marey crazy to think about. Not that the past exploits bothered her. Ella was her friend—more like a sister—and really, if she had to share a man in such a situation, then it would be Ella she would choose, she thought whimsically.

Damn, that wine must strong.

Sighing, she plopped down in her favorite leather chair, wiggled a bit and then cast Ella an accusing stare.

“James has been sitting in my chair,” she sniped. “He’s messing it up.”

She watched Ella smother her chuckle. No one was taking her seriously anymore.

“Well, sometimes, we share it.” Ella wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as Marey gaped back at her.

“Eww.” She jumped from the chair. “You fucked in my chair?”

“Well, I cleaned it later.” Ella was definitely laughing now. “Don’t worry, there’s no evidence left of the event.”

Marey shuddered and moved to the less comfortable recliner. “Have you fucked here too?”

“Honey, every square inch of this house has seen action this year.” Ella leaned back in her chair, her eyes sparkling with laughter as Marey grimaced in distaste.

“I guess even the floor is grotty,” she sighed as she collapsed back in her favorite chair. Dammit, she didn’t want to think about sex right now. Didn’t want to hear about it or know about it.

“Yup, even the floor is grotty,” Ella laughed at the description. “Now tell me, why would it bother you if I fucked Sax now, if it didn’t bother you before?”

Marey shot her an evil look. She deserved it. She was so damned confident and sexually wicked now that she should be burned at the stake.

“Women like you were stoned a hundred years ago, Ella,” she reminded her with aloof distain.

“That was two hundred years ago, dear,” Ella pointed out, toasting her with her glass. “Aren’t you glad we were born during a much more sexually aware time?”

“You do not want me to answer that right now,” she sighed wearily, staring back at her friend with a mixture of irritation and fondness.

“Answer me, Marey,” Ella demanded softly. “I won’t leave you alone until you do.”

Marey sighed in resignation. “Hell, I don’t know. Maybe I’m just as perverted as the rest of you.” Ella shot her a disapproving look. One Marey ignored, just as she always had.

What the hell was she supposed to say? That jealousy just didn’t come into it? She was smarter than that. Friends lasted forever, men didn’t. Besides, she knew that Ella would have never let Saxon touch her if she had known Marey was even the least bit interested in him. Being angry over it now was nothing short of ludicrous.

“Then what is your problem?” Ella lifted her glass, sipping at her wine as she watched her with those probing blue eyes of hers.

Ella had always seen too much. She had known when Vince was abusing her, when she had taken enough and was preparing to leave, when she began to fear for her safety because of his threats. They had known each other for years, their parents had been best friends, and despite their age difference, they had always been close. That bond of friendship had only strengthened as they became adults.

“Ella, you have to make James talk to him.” Marey finished off her wine before leaning forward and extending the glass for Ella to refill. “He’s making me insane. He calls. Checks the house every night. And this morning, he had the nerve to show up demanding breakfast. He’s trying to take over.”

“I see…” Ella nodded somberly. “This would be a problem.”

“It’s horrible,” Marey snapped, furious at the gleam of laughter in Ella’s eyes. “I don’t want him there. James is going to have to talk to him.”

“Vince made bail the other day, didn’t he, Marey?” Ella said then, her voice gentle, but knowing.

Marey leaned back in her chair, lowering her head to stare into the pale liquid that filled her glass.

Yes, Vince had made bail.

“That has nothing to do with it,” she whispered. “I’m not a coward, Ella.”

But she was. She could feel that knowledge crawling through her mind, mocking her with the sterile, lonely life she led.

“I never thought you were a coward, honey,” Ella sighed. “Just frightened. And I never blamed you for that. But you have to fight back sometime.”

Marey avoided her gaze, shaking her head as she swallowed past the lump in her throat.

“He would go after Sax,” she finally whispered. “Not me.”

And she couldn’t bear the thought of that.

“And Sax is man enough to rip his face off,” Ella snorted. “Come on, Marey. Vince only whips on people who are smaller than he is and you know it. Sax would grind that little bastard into dust.”

“Or Vince would hurt someone else, and frame him again,” Marey snapped. “Or do something to cause his brakes to fail, or any number of things that could end up destroying him. Dammit, Ella.” She stared back at her miserably. “I can’t let that happen. Can’t you see that?”

“Vince is out on bail. Once he goes to trial, he’ll go to jail,” Ella pointed out.

“For how long?” Marey sneered then. “A year? Two?”

She sat the glass of wine on the table that separated their chairs as she rose to her feet. Crossing her arms over her chest she paced to one of the wide windows on the other side of the room before turning back to face her friend.

“I’ve grown used to being alone—”

“You’re full of shit,” Ella snapped. “You’ve grown used to hiding, Marey. Risking nothing and having nothing, and letting Vince terrify you. I won’t have James talk to Sax.” She lifted her chin stubbornly. “I think he’s doing the right thing, and I think he’s the right man for you. So forget it.”

“You’re such a bitch!” Marey snarled.

“Takes one to know one,” Ella snapped back childishly, frowning back at her mulishly. “Maybe you’ll get lucky and Sax will spank it out of you. Oh, but you might enjoy that. I’ll tell him to hold off on it for a while.”

Marey narrowed her eyes warningly. Ella’s response was a cool little smile as she moved to her feet, facing her defiantly.

“That’s low,” Marey growled furiously.

“No, dear, low is telling you what a magical tongue he has,” she sighed mockingly. “And how much he fairly loves to eat pussy. The man is a connoisseur. He can go at it for hours, and leave you screaming for more.”

Oh, she didn’t need to hear that. Her pussy flooded, her juices easing from her vagina to coat the bare, waxed folds beyond as she remembered just how good his tongue was.

Ella’s expression was mockingly ecstatic, her eyes gleaming in confrontation, her lips curved into a satisfied little smile.

“And he has stamina…” She drew the word out pleasurably as Marey breathed in slowly, reining in her response. “His cock stretches you, makes you burn, makes you beg…” She closed her eyes dreamily. “He’s almost as good as James.”

“Glad to know I rate in there somewhere.”

The sound of James’ amused, deep voice had both of them jumping in startled awareness as they turned to stare at the door.

He lounged against the doorframe, incredibly handsome, sinfully sexy. Marey well understood why her friend had been so besotted with him for so many years.

“This is a private conversation.” Despite her furious blushes, Ella drew herself up haughtily and faced her husband. Though Marey had no problem seeing the arousal that flared in her eyes.

“So I heard.” His lips curved in a smile, his eyes gleaming with laughter. “Very interesting one as well,” he mused as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Should I let Sax know you’re up for a visit?”

“No!” Marey’s furious exclamation joined Ella’s as they both faced him now.

He chuckled in response.

“Go play or something, James.” Ella waved her hand at him dismissively. “This is girl talk.”

“So I heard,” he drawled. “But maybe you would both like to know that Sax is due here in about ten minutes to go over a new product that’s in design at the moment and to share a beer while he bemoans a certain woman’s stubbornness. Marey might want to run while she has the chance. He’s just waiting to catch her out of that fortress she owns, and she looks pretty primed right now.”

He glanced to her breasts and Marey’s gaze dropped to the royal blue silk covering the full mounds. Her nipples were poking against it like a four alarm signal for an all-night fuck.

Her gaze flew to Ella’s in horror.

“This is your fault,” she snapped. “I didn’t need to hear any of that.”

“But you still love me.” Ella grinned.

“Bitch,” Marey snarled again. “And yes, I still love you. But I am gone like the wind.”

And she wasted no time in running. Sax was on a very, very short leash right now, and she knew it. As much as she loved Ella, there wasn’t a chance in hell she was sticking around to see him. Because her own desires were on an even shorter leash, and growing fiercer by the day.