The Billionaire’s Bride by L. Steele

20

Ava

I walk into the room and their gazes track me. Baron pushes back his chair, then walks over to meet me half way. "How are you doing?" He pinches my chin, turns my face this way, then the other. "The swelling is almost gone."

"It doesn’t hurt anymore," I confirm.

He glances down at the clothes I am carrying, "Do you want those washed?"

I nod. He reaches down to take them from me.

"They’re dirty," I protest.

He shoots me a glance and I shut up. He tugs the clothes from me, shoves the bundle under his arm, then turns and pulls out a chair for me. I slide in and he pushes the chair forward, "I’ll get you coffee." He kisses the top of my head, then heads off for a side door that I assume leads to a laundry room. I turn to find Edward staring at me.

"What?" I murmur.

"You two look good together."

My cheeks heat "Yeah, well…guess we did spend some time together."

"More than what you and I spent together." He nods, then pushes his cup of coffee toward me, "Take a sip."

"Baron’s getting me a fresh cup."

"Go on," he urges me, "you look like you need your dose of caffeine."

I smile my thanks and take a sip of the coffee, then make a face. "It’s black."

"It’s coffee."

"It’s bitter." I grimace

"It’s coffee, woman." He laughs, then takes a sip, "Hot as sin and as black as my heart."

"You don’t have a black heart, Ed."

He peers into the depths of the mug, "Somehow I don’t think the One Above will agree to that."

"Are you upset that you left the Church?"

"No," he says at once, "I don’t regret it one bit. You know, I’d do it all over again if it meant I could have you."

"Oh, Ed." I lean forward, place my hand on his, "I never wanted you to give up what was clearly such a big part of your life."

"You didn’t force me to do anything, Ava." He glances up, meeting my gaze, "It was a long time coming. You were merely the spark that triggered what I should have done a long time ago."

"Were you that unhappy in the priesthood?"

"Not unhappy." He rubs the back of his neck. "Incomplete. Then I saw you and knew my life had changed forever. That I’d never be whole, not until I had you in my life."

I glance away. "Ed, please."

"No pressure, Eve." He chuckles but his voice is serious, "You take your time deciding, honestly."

I peer at him from under my eyelashes, "Are you sure about that, Ed?"

"Of course." He turns his hand face up, so our palms kiss. Goosebumps pop on my skin. Heat radiates out from the point of contact, and arrows straight to the space between my legs. I swallow and my throat feels too dry. He leans froward in his chair and his bare feet brush mine. Heat from his body flows over me, surrounds me, engulfs me. My thighs clench. His amber eyes flare and he closes the distance between us, places his lips right in front of mine. His nose bumps mine and we share breath. I part my lips and he tilts his head. When Baron opens the door that leads in from the laundry room into the kitchen, I spring back, my cheeks heating. I glance at Baron who watches us carefully.

"I didn’t." I swallow. "We didn’t... I mean." I stumble over the words. Oh hell, I didn’t do anything wrong, so why the hell do I feel this guilty? "Baron, it’s not what it seems like," I insist.

"It’s okay, Ava," Baron says, his voice casual, "I understand."

"You do?"

He nods, "We had a talk, Ed and I, when you were asleep."

"You did?" I frown, glance between them. "What did you guys speak about?"

"You," Ed grins back, his tone lazy, “of course.”

"Of course." I fold my arms in my lap, "And what was it that you guys discussed?"

"The terms of how we’re going to stay here."

"Stay here?" I glance around the space, "Not that I have any complaints with it or anything... It’s a nice house, but I need to get back."

"You’re not." Baron pours out a cup of coffee, adds in three spoonfuls of sugar, plops in a drop of milk. He stirs it, then brings it over to me, along with a plate of food which he places in front of me.

I glance at the baked beans, hash browns, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, along with the thick slices of toast. Of course, he remembers that I am vegetarian. He’s always one step ahead of me.

I dig into the food, am half way through the contents of my plate before I look up. Both of them are watching me with varying degrees of amusement.

"What?" I mumble as I chew on the hash browns, which have been cooked perfectly, by the way, something which I’ve never managed to get right. "Why are you two staring?" I scowl.

"You’ve got…something…" Edward leans forward and scoops up some food from the side of my mouth. He brings his finger to his mouth and licks it off.

Heat sears my skin. My toes curl. Shit, one gesture from him and I am putty. I place my fork down, reach for my coffee and take a sip. I can’t stop the smile that curves my lips, "Just how I like it."

"You’re welcome." Baron smirks.

"Doesn’t change the fact that I need to return to my place. My classes are going to start in…" I glance around, can’t spot a clock that indicates the time, "What time is it?"

Edward glances at his watch, "It’s 10 am."

"In three hours." I take another sip of the coffee, place the cup down. "In fact, I need to be getting back right away."

I stand up, glance between them, "Which of you two gentleman is going to drive me back?"

They glare at each other. A look passes between them, then Baron turns to me, "You’re not going anywhere Ava."

"What do you mean?" I laugh, "Of course, I am."

"Even if one of us were to drive you, which we are not," Edward tips his chin up, "we wouldn’t reach your place in three hours."

"How far can we be from my place?"

"Have you taken a look outside?" Edward nods toward the window.

I walk around the table, to the kitchen window, and peer outside. Greenery stretches out as far as I can see, which is not unusual in London. There are parts of the city in the outer zones which stretch into the country side, unless… "Where are we?" I turn to glance between them, "We’re not in London, are we?"

"Half way to Scotland." Baron replies.

"What?" I blink, "What the hell are you guys talking about?"

"We drove through the night, got here around two in the morning."

"Which is where, exactly?"

"Somewhere in the Lake District," Edward murmurs.

"And you’re not going to tell me exactly where?"

Both men shake their heads.

The beginnings of anger twist my guts. "And why is that?"

They exchange another of those looks that makes me feel like they are in on something…and I am not, which honestly, is damn annoying.

"Well?" I tap my toes on the floor? "Why is it that you won’t tell me where we are?" I prompt.

"So, you don’t call anyone to come get you," Baron finally says.

"Ha!" I blow out a breath, "If you think, that’s going to stop me from getting out of here, you have another think coming."

I march back up to my room, glance around the space, but there’s no sign of my purse with my phone. Heat flushes my skin. What the hell are these two guys playing at? I stomp downstairs, back into the kitchen, to find both of them sitting where I had left them.

"Where are my bag and my phone?"

"Why don’t you sit down first?" Baron gestures to the seat, "And we can talk about our plan."

"I want my phone first, and my things."

"We’ll get you another phone." Edward glances at me.

I firm my lips, "I want my phone."

"It may be bugged." Baron explains.

"Bugged?" I stare. "I don’t understand."

"We figured it’s not a coincidence that you were attacked three times. Each time, you were alone," Edward replies. "The only way they’d have tracked you was if they knew where you were and when you were at the most vulnerable."

"Who do you think is tracking me?" I blink. "Who are you talking about?"

"We think," Baron leans forward in his seat, "the Mafia is tracking you."

"The Mafia?" I open and shut my mouth, "What are you guys talking about?"

"Why don’t you sit down, Eve?" Baron gestures to a chair. "Please, give us a chance to explain things."

I walk over to the chair, sink into it. "The Mafia?" I repeat. "What do I have to do with the Mafia?"

"Nothing," Edward raises his shoulders, "and everything."

"Cut the crap, Ed." I scowl at him. "Seriously, what’s going on here?"

"The Mafia are the ones behind the incident," Baron offers. "They kidnapped us, held us for ransom—"

"Except for Sinclair, that is, whose parents didn’t have much money to begin with," Edward adds.

"They took him by mistake," Baron clarifies, "but that’s beside the point. They abducted us. Our parents paid the ransom, and the cops found us—"

"Though by then, the damage had been done." Edward’s lips twist. "Since then, the Seven of us have tried to track down the perpetrators."

"And apparently, we are getting close, because they are trying to get to you." Baron adds.

"Why would they do that?" I place my elbows on the table. "Why do they want to hurt me?"

"As a means of using you to get to us," Baron points between himself and Edward. "We think they are trying to send us a signal to back off."

"Which only reinforces our suspicion that we are getting close to finding out the real identity of who the kidnapper was," Edward adds.

"How do you know it’s the Mafia who attempted to hurt me?" I frown.

"The man Edward shot; he had tattoos that identified him as one of them," Baron replies, "and the man he tried to kill earlier—"

"Hold on, he tried to kill someone?" I stare at Edward, "You tried to kill someone?"

Edward’s jaw hardens. "He was responsible for getting us kidnapped. When I found that out," he tightens his fingers round the handle of his mug, "I couldn’t hold back. He is responsible for everything that happened to the Seven of us. Do you understand?"

"Still," I swallow, "you tried to kill him, Ed."

"He didn’t die," Baron reasons.

"That’s not the point." I take in Edward’s features, his amber eyes currently filled with an emotion that I can’t quite place, those high cheekbones, the pouty lower lip… So familiar, and yet, not. He’s changed so much since I met him. He’s the same, and yet... He’s not. I am not sure what to make of him. A dull pounding starts at my temples. My face feels numb. Maybe I’m not over last night’s attack either. I mean, a girl can only take so much.

"So basically, you guys brought me here to ensure that you could watch over me, keep me safe until you know the danger has been averted?"

Baron and Edward stare at each other, then at me.

"Yes," Edward says, "We thought it best to get you here right away. We didn’t want to risk going to your place, in case it tipped off anyone."

"My classes—?"

"I’ve arranged to email the students that you are taking a temporary leave of absence." Baron explains.

And when I get back, I’ll have to likely start from square one, because, well, students of dance are not necessarily the most loyal. My shoulders slump. "And my clothes—?"

"I’ve asked Archer to arrange for a few changes of clothing to be delivered here." Edward replies.

"A few changes?" I tip up my chin, "Exactly how long do you expect us to stay here?"

"Until the danger blows over." Edward tilts his head.

"And both of you will stay here with me?"

They both nod.

"Also," Edward folds his arms across his chest, "you can fuck either one of us, at any time."

I choke on my sip of coffee. "Wha—" I gape at him. "Excuse me?" I sputter, "Wha...what do you mean by that?"

"Exactly that," Baron murmurs. "We realized it's not right to put you under any more constraints, especially after everything that you have been through."

"We thought it best to keep things simple, so if you want shag either one of us, you can do so," Edward adds.

"So, let me get this right." I narrow my gaze on Ed. "If I sleep with Baron, you'll be fine?'

Edward's jaw hardens, but he nods.

I turn to Baron, "And if I slept with Ed, you'd be okay?"

A vein pops at Baron's temple, "I have to be." He squares his shoulders, "It's the best way for us to see this thing through."

"And neither of you thought of asking me how I felt about it?"

Edward shuffles his feet, "Look, Ava, all we're saying is, we’ll just act normal and if, at any point, you feel the desire to...shag one of us, the other one won't get in the way."

"How generous of you." I roll my eyes. "So, what you're saying is, if I get an itch, I should not hold back?"

Baron's jaw tics. "Let's just keep things natural, and allow them to progress organically." He rubs the back of his neck. "I realize how strange all of this sounds, but we’ve discussed it and believe that this is the best way forward.”

We’ve discussed it. I stare between them and bite back the multiple sarcastic responses that stampede through my head.

Edward continues, “This way, there is no pressure on you, and there are no artificial conditions imposed on the situation. At the same time, if the situation arises where you want to sleep with one of us, then you can do so with a clear conscience."

I am literally speechless.This situation is completely insane. Seriously, the two of them talking about how we are going to stay in this place as fuck buddies, then negotiating the terms of how I am supposed to sleep with either of them if...when I feel like it...? Shit, this is going to be one cozy party… Not. Tiredness drags at my limbs. The headache at my temples intensifies. "I am not feeling well," I murmur. "I rise to my feet and both men get up as well."

"I am fine." I wave them off, "Really, I think I just need some rest."

"You need to finish your breakfast." Edward frowns.

My stomach churns. "No more food," I whisper.

I turn and my knees threaten to give way, but Baron is already there. He scoops me up in his arms.

"I can walk," I protest.

"I am taking you to bed." I sense him exchange a glance with Edward, who doesn’t say anything. Turning, Baron walks out of the kitchen and up to my bedroom. He places me on the floor next to the bed. I shrug off the bathrobe, and Baron averts his eyes. I blink. Whoa, what the—? Did he just glance away to give me some privacy since I am not wearing anything under the bathrobe? That is some un-Baron-like behavior.

I slide under the covers. He tucks me in, then bends to kiss my forehead. I tip up my chin so our lips almost brush. At the last second, he turns his head and kisses my cheek.

"Wha—?" I frown, "Why did you do that?"

"You need to sleep, babe." His lips quirk, but his eyes are serious, "Get some rest; we’ll talk when you feel better."

He turns to leave and my eyelids flutter down. Sleep pulls me under.

The sound of footsteps grows closer. I glance over my shoulder, but there’s no one there. I increase my pace, reach the entrance to the subway, and hesitate. Do I want to walk in there? It’s so dark. Just then, thunder flashes overhead, followed closely behind by raindrops. Within moments, they plaster my clothes to my shoulders. Shit. I step inside the subway and the rain cuts out. Cold grips me and I shiver. Goosebumps pop on my skin. I walk into the narrow passageway. The darkness deepens. I half turn, hesitate, then push forward, increasing my pace. I continue walking. Footsteps sound again behind me. I turn and cry out. There’s a man silhouetted at the entrance. His shoulders fill the space. No, no, no. I turn, race for the exit. Another man steps up to block the way. He’s so tall, so big. He widens his stance, slaps his palms on his hips. My heart begins to race, my pulse pounding at my temples. Sweat beads my palms and I wipe them on my dress. Behind me, the footsteps grow closer. I turn to find the first man is closer. Fear bubbles up; my arms and legs tremble. I turn away, only to find the second man is moving toward me. "No, please, no." My voice echoes in the space. I stumble back, trying to put space between me and the two men who walk toward me. My back hits the wall. The first man moves closer.

"What’s wrong, Ava?" Baron frowns. "We won’t hurt you."

"Baron?" I swallow, "Is it really you?"

"Of course, Sweetheart, who else would it be?"

"Don’t call her, Sweetheart," The second man draws abreast. His golden eyes glow, almost cat-like in the darkness. "She’s not yours; she’s mine."

Baron’s jaw hardens. He pivots, grabs Edward by the shoulder, "She was never yours to begin with. She belongs to me, you hear me?" Baron throws a punch.

"She’s mine," Edward blocks him.

"Mine," Baron growls. He raises his fist, sinks it in Edward’s side.

"Mine." Edward lurches back, shaking his head to clear it. "I am going to rearrange your face." He leans forward on the balls of his feet, when I step between them.

"Stop it, you two!" I yell. "Stop."

I turn on Ed just as he throws a punch. My head snaps back as pain explodes in my head. I snap my eyes open, breath heaving, pulse pounding at my temples. A dream; it was only a dream.

Sweat drips down my back.

I sit up, shove the covers off and swing my legs over the side of the bed. Reach for the half-full glass of water and down the rest of it. At least, I don’t have a headache anymore. Jeez, what was that dream? It seemed so real. Guess the incident from last night traumatized me in more ways than I realized. I need to put an end to this. But how? I glance toward the window, but it’s already dark outside. How long did I sleep?

I take another quick shower, then slip into the bathrobe. My clothes must be dry by now. Guess I’d better go get them from the dryer.

I walk into the kitchen and spot a covered plate on the dining table. I walk toward it, find a note:

Eat!

That’s all the note says. One word, written in a bossy-ass handwriting, which could belong to either of them. Of course, it’s meant for me… They wouldn’t dare talk to each other in such an over-the-top, demanding manner. Gah! I uncover the plate, take in the rice and curry on the plate. Whoa, how did they guess I like Indian food? More to the point, how did they manage to procure it here? Does one of them know how to cook? Or did they order it in? The spicy scent teases my nostrils and my stomach rumbles. I walk over to the microwave, heat up the food, then sit down at the dining table and inhale it. Yum. Washing the plate and cutlery, I stow them away, then head through the adjoining door into the laundry room. I pull my clothes from the dryer, glance at the dress, then grimace. It’s clean, but torn. Guess I am not going to be able to wear it again. I fold it and place it aside, then walk back through the kitchen.

It’s so quiet. I peer up the darkened corridor and see the outline of a closed door at the end, light peeking around the edges, giving it a foreboding air. I guess one of the guys is using it? I turn the other way, head toward a closed door that seems to promise solitude. I push it open, flip on the light beside the door, and gasp.

OMG, it’s a studio. An honest-to-god, beautiful studio, with wooden floors, and a mirror that runs the entire length of one wall. The lights in the ceiling emit golden rays that bathe the space. I walk toward my reflection, trail my fingers across the barre in front of the mirror. I glance around, find a table at the far end with a tablet on it. I swipe the surface, and it reveals a playlist… The tracks are all dance songs—dance songs by my favorite artists. Yep, they are all here. The tunes I love dancing to. Who programmed this? And why does Edward have a studio in this place?

I take in the wood on the floor, which is marked from use. Clearly, someone used this studio before…but the playlist… That was programmed for me. The door on the far side rattles. I walk toward it, and find it unlocked. I push it open, step out onto the landing. In the gathering darkness, the countryside stretches out. Lush green and quiet.

"Feeling better?"

I half-scream, turning in the direction of the voice.