Gale, Avery - Jenna's Submission [The ShadowDance Club 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (20 page)

Mitch’s smile was warm, but Jenna could sense a steely ice in his manner, and she could sense the undercurrent of anger coursing through him and asked, “Did I do something wrong? Why are you so angry?” Her soft words caused his expression to soften immediately.

“Oh, sweetness, I’m not angry with you. I just saw your expression and knew you were uncomfortable with James, and I don’t like anyone having that effect on you. I’d be just as annoyed if it was Katarina or Selita or Ris—” Mitch cut himself off before continuing. “Let’s have a seat and enjoy the company of your family and all our friends, what do you say?”

The men were careful to position her between them and down far enough that Theodore James didn’t have a clear line of sight to her. Jenna began to relax, at least until both men reached for the knee closest to them and pulled her legs so far apart she felt a cool breeze brush over her exposed sex. Colt leaned close and reminded her to hook her feet around the legs of her chair and to keep herself spread open for his pleasure. She heard her own gasp as he leisurely moved his long, callused fingertips through her wet folds. When she opened her eyes and looked at Kat, she noticed her friend’s eyes were closed and she was biting her lower lip as if trying to keep from crying out. Jenna knew from the small smile on Zach’s face exactly what he was up to. Kat’s small shudder was the only outside sign that she had climaxed right at the table surrounded by more than twenty people. When Alex leaned over and whispered in Kat’s ear, her eyes found Jenna’s and she flushed a deep scarlet. Jenna marveled at the look on her big brothers’ faces. She wasn’t surprised at Zach’s captivation with Kat, she’d always known he would “love large and deeply.” But Alex had always had a much harsher edge. Jenna had always worried that he wouldn’t be able to let go enough to love completely, oh how wrong she’d been. The look of adoration he showered on his wife made Jenna’s breath catch.

“Are you all right, pet?” Colt’s concerned voice brought Jenna back from her thoughts.

“Oh, um, yes, sorry, I was just watching Alex with Kat, and I’m so happy to see how much he loves her, and that he’s unafraid to let everyone see it. It is what I’d always hoped for with him, but had worried he wouldn’t allow to happen.” Jenna smiled at Colt, hoping she hadn’t said too much, knowing how macho the team members all liked to consider themselves.

Colt smiled at her. “I understand completely, and I can fully identify with your concern. And don’t worry about voicing it to me. You weren’t the only one who had voiced those same thoughts about Alex. Katarina has brought a lot of light into both Alex’s and Zach’s lives. Hell, she mothers every person who works at ShadowDance. That baby is going to be one lucky little boy or girl.”

“Both,” Grayson added offhandedly.

Jenna turned to him, startled. “What did you say?

“Oh, sorry, probably should have waited, but I think she’s going to have multiples, at least one of each gender. Please don’t tell anyone. Let’s just wait and see if I’m right.” Smiling, Mitch went back to eating. Jenna narrowed her eyes at them both. She knew there was something she wasn’t being told, but she also knew this wasn’t the time to pursue it. But she wasn’t going to let it go, she had questions for these two later.

By the end of dinner, Jenna was so aroused, all she cared about was getting someplace alone with Colt and finding some relief, but it seemed everyone in the room wanted to chat. Colt was standing on her left and had his fingers laced through hers. She was almost bouncing up and down with excess sexual energy. She was so distracted she didn’t even notice Theodore James walk up beside her. He paused briefly before walking on.
How odd, it was like he just wanted to make sure I knew he could get close to me.
She had no more than let the thought skate through her mind when Mitch closed in on her right side, standing so close their arms were brushing each other’s. “Did he say anything to you, sweetness?” Mitch’s words were soft, but his voice held an edge that screamed protector.

“No, it was very odd. He just came up from behind me and paused before moving on. I don’t know. It was just like he was letting me know he
could
. I know that sounds very strange, but that was the feeling I got.” Jenna shuddered, and Colt turned immediately to look at her. She barely caught Mitch’s small sideways nod, and they both started moving her from the room without stopping to talk to those who tried to get their attention. They’d merely nod and move along. They must have drawn her brothers’ notice, as they’d flanked Kat and were hurrying her from the room at the same time.

When Jenna and Kat were both safely ensconced in Alex and Zach’s office, Mitch and Colt left to find Rissa, who had also been enjoying the after-dinner socializing. Jenna turned to Alex and bristled when he tried to act engrossed in a paper on his desk. “Oh no you don’t, big brother, you’re not going all ‘big bad Dom has important shit to do’ on me…I have some questions for you.” Jenna had marched herself right over in front of his desk and was standing with her hands on her hips ready to do battle when the office door swung open and Rissa was hustled in to join them. Colt looked at Jenna and burst out laughing. “And what do you think you are laughing at, Colt Matthews?” Jenna had turned to look at him, eyes narrowed and lips thinned in frustration.

“Well, sorry, darlin’, but you look like a warrior pixie, all tough-girl stance taking on her bigger, hell, much bigger brother. And I have to say, he doesn’t look any too anxious to tangle with you either.” Colt’s chuckle brought a smile to everyone’s face, and even Jenna had to admit it had probably made for a pretty funny picture. She had never shied away from confronting her brothers, holy hell if she ever had even blinked they would have steamrolled her even more than they already had her entire life.

“I’m wanting some answers about that yo-yo at dinner. You guys know more than you’re telling, now out with it, or I’m calling for backup.” She eyed both of her brothers speculatively. Yes indeed, they knew exactly who she’d call. She saw them both pale a bit, oh the power of a threat to call Catherine Lamont. Smiling to herself, she just stood with her arms crossed under her breasts and waited. She knew they’d fold. It was just a matter of waiting for them to note her resolve.

Zach had been the one to step forward to try and talk his sister down. “Damn it, Jenna, you know we have enough on our plates right now, we don’t need Mom coming in here guns blazing. If we’re busy answering to her, we can’t do our jobs this weekend. And right now keeping you three off James’s radar and getting Melita back is taking just about every bit of focus and manpower we can pull together.” He had always had more luck distracting her than Alex. Everybody in the room knew throwing Alex at a flaming Jenna was like dousing a fire with gasoline expecting to put it out.

Batting her eyes at him, oozing fake sweetness, Jenna spoke from under her lashes “Well then, big brother, perhaps you should try leveling with me instead of blowing smoke up my dress, eh?” She was working up to a real good mad, and every man in the room knew it, hell, even Rissa and Kat had taken steps back. When she noticed Colt start to step forward, she halted him with a hand. “Don’t. Just don’t get into this. This is between my adoring brothers and me.” She turned back to Alex and Zach. “So, what’s it gonna be, you two knuckleheads? I’ll call her, you know I will, and hell hath no fury like Catherine Lamont when she thinks her sons are getting too big for their britches. And a few well-timed tears from me and Dad will be standing by to finish off anything left after Mom is done with the two of you.” She had them by the short and curlies, and everyone in the room knew it.

Sighing, Alex sat down hard in his seat and looked to Mitch Grayson. “You know we can’t do this without your permission, right?” Damn, but Alex hated putting his friend in this position, especially with the woman he’d been trying to get into his bed for over a year standing at the other side of the room. Alex had no idea how Rissa would deal with the news of Grayson’s gifts. Mitch had often said that most women who even suspected it were more than a little unnerved by the thought of a man hearing their thoughts. Jenna looked to Mitch, confusion written on her face, and then suddenly she looked as if a light had just shown her the answer to a question she’d been puzzling over.

“You’re gifted, aren’t you?” Jenna’s question was directed at Mitch, her focus having shifted the moment Alex had sought his permission. “You’re an empath, right? Oh shit, that explains so much.” She hadn’t even waited for his response, but stood looking at him with a mixture of wonder and amusement. “Holy shit, that is amazing. Tell me everything.” She was like a kid with a new piece of a mystery, and she wanted to know it all.

Kat finally found her voice. “Hold up here, somebody want to catch me up? I’m not tracking this very well. Gifted? Explain that to me. Exactly what does that mean?”

“Yeah, I’m kind of interested in that answer myself. And I notice that none of the men seem particularly confused by this.” Rissa’s raised eyebrow let them know she wasn’t really enjoying being out of the loop.

Mitch Grayson dropped his chin to his chest and shook his head.
Talk about your total clusterfuck, damn.
He hadn’t even picked up on Jenna’s gifts until now. While she clearly wasn’t as gifted as he was, she wasn’t without some abilities of her own. Mitch had met many people of the years that he’d recognized as gifted. He’d always marveled at their ability to chalk those gifts up to “common sense” or just knowing what “any reasonable person would know.” Shit, no wonder she’d know exactly what James had been up to when he’d approached her a few minutes ago. Wouldn’t be any getting out of this one unscathed, might as well just walk into the fire like a man and cope with the burns later. Looking up at Alex, he just nodded his okay and let the other man take the lead and tell Mitch’s story.

Chapter 26

Jenna lay in bed gazing out the window next to her bed thinking about how much everything had changed in the past week. Her life had been so filled with career goals for the past seven to eight years, and she knew her own identity had certainly taken a backseat. And maybe that had been her saving grace, if she had been focused on what had happened to her the night her innocence had been stolen and hadn’t been able to talk with anyone about it, she’d have certainly been a prime candidate for the cracker factory. Smiling to herself, she remembered that phrase had always been one of Selita’s favorites. It had been years before Jenna and Kat had figured out that Selita had somehow gotten the expression “going crackers” changed into “going to the cracker factory.” Rolling over to her back, Jenna thought about all the things that had been revealed last night and the look of horror on Rissa’s face when she’d discovered Mitch was often able to hear the thoughts of people he was near. She didn’t know much about Rissa’s background, but there was clearly something there she was terrified Mitch might hear.

Jenna vowed that if Colt wanted her to stay at ShadowDance long enough, she’d try to help Rissa work through whatever it was she’d survived. After all the trauma she’d had to endure at Ted Scott’s hands, Jenna felt she’d likely have a unique perspective and could always at the very least lend a shoulder to cry on. And wondering, not for the first time, if it wasn’t time for a change of her personal direction, she let her mind wonder to the possibilities before her. Maybe it was time to stop doing a job she had only kept because she seemed to be fairly good at it. Maybe it was time to do something she actually felt passionate about. She’d send that idea out to the Universe and see what came back. She had long believed that God put people in the right place at the right time if they were just willing to open their hearts and listen, well that and follow directions. Laughing to herself, she decided it was time to get up and make some phone calls. Perhaps if things started falling into place, she’d know she was on the right track. And besides, if she was going to be going to The Club tonight, she needed to do some major primping. It was time to call in the big guns, and fortunately, she had Kat and Rissa on speed dial.

* * * *

Theodore James had been frustrated by the men’s quick hustle of the women out of the dining room last night, fucking hell, he still hadn’t figured out exactly what had set that off. Earlier today he’d been sitting in a small, shaded alcove in the gardens watching the house when Jenna and Katarina had been escorted to The Club right after lunch. He had wondered what they could possibly have been up to until he’d returned to the guesthouse and checked out The ShadowDance Club website and noted the property had an on-site spa called Rissa’s. Evidently the third woman they had hurried out last night was the spa’s only technician. It appeared the clientele of The ShadowDance Club didn’t want the pampering related to their peculiar predilections being broadcast throughout their small community. “You want your sub’s pussy bald as a billiard ball?” No need to advertise that preference with the local gossips. James was sure the Lamonts’ notorious BDSM club had an ironclad nondisclosure agreement that ensured what happened inside its walls stayed right there. Which had also meant Jenna Lamont was right at this moment probably lying stark naked having hot wax smeared on her teasing little slut cunt and having the hair yanked out by the roots.
Damn, bitch, I’d have been happy to provide that pain free of charge, all you’d have to do was ask. I’m all about getting another chance to make you scream, baby. You think your nightmare ended when Ted Scott was lost in that fucking explosion, don’t you? That’s one body those bastards who’d called themselves teammates are going to wish like hell they’d tried to recover.