Is Three A Crowd? (28 page)

“Yeah,” he managed, and slowly started to stretch out his muscles before standing upright. “Who’s bedroom shower?” he asked, tossing his used protection into the flames, too. Grabbing the wine, he following them into the hallway. They proceeded across the entry and up the stairs to the master bedroom.

“Anyone could see us,” she said, glancing around, knowing a servant or Aminta might be anywhere. Nathan reached up and tapped her butt with his palm. “Good, let them see that, too.”

“I’ll get you for that,” she teased.

“And me, too,” Blake added, following up the steps. They used the old master suite, fucking and sucking in the same place she had taken them years before. Exhausted and settled to sleep, she sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the men that wanted to be with her and waited until she found her way home.

The next morning, Nathan brought her clothes up from the library floor where they were tossed last night. She dressed quickly but didn’t put her panties back on. Instead, she pushed them in her jeans pocket and resigned to head back to the stone house to clean up and get fresh clothes.

“Maybe it’s time to move in here with us, then your clothes would be here in the morning.” Blake’s statement was fact, and she glanced to Nathan, who was coming from his bedroom in clean clothes.

“I don’t want to push you, but don’t you think it’s about time you moved in here with us, made us the threesome we’ve become?”

“Is that what you truly want? Both of you?”

Their positive answers came at the same time. Maris laughed and nodded. “All right, I’ll bring in some spare things, but I’m not moving in until we redecorate this room.”

“Well, it’s about time, Maris. You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.” Nathan went to her and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Thank you.”

“What colors do you see?” Blake asked, turning in the space, studying the layout. He moved around the room easily, his nakedness not a factor, even though Maris licked her lips watching his cock jostle with each step.

“Smoky blues and grays. I saw a fabric I’d love to use for the coverlets. It’s a very masculine paisley and stripe print, but the silk is extraordinarily soft and inviting.”

“How about we go today and look for samples? Nathan, can you get away for lunch?” Blake asked.

Maris froze and wondered how he’d react. He glanced to them both and kissed Maris on the lips. “You two go shop and find whatever you need to make this place the master bedroom you dreamed of. Make it so comfortable, you’ll never want to leave it.” He winked and turned to leave. “I have work in the office. Call me if you need anything.” He hesitated in the doorway, turning back. “Blake, you’ll keep her safe,” he said and turned to Maris. “Have a good time, and I’ll see you tonight.”

When he’d left, Blake dropped on the mussed bed. “Wow, I never thought I’d experience that. Nathan is actually letting us alone, without a chaperone.”

“That’s because he trusts us.” She glanced at Blake.

“Yeah, I get it, fair play and all that crap. It doesn’t mean I won’t grab your tit in the store if I get a chance.”

“I’m out of here. Come pick me up in an hour after I’ve changed clothes.”

“Wait and I’ll drive you down.” He finally pushed from the bed.

“No, you take your time. I’ll walk Shin down and clean up.”

“Okay, see you in a bit. I’m going to take a couple of measurements before we go shopping.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Maris enjoyed the cool morning air cleansing her lungs, the temperature just short of taking her breath away. Shin scampered beside her, redirecting to chase a leaf until she called her back, “No excursions today, I have plans.” Reaching the back door of the stone house, she saw Shin’s missing collar hanging on the door handle. “I guess one of the workmen found this,” she said to the dog as she reached down to slip it over the dog’s neck. “There, now you’re perfect again. Well, almost perfect.” Maris opened the back door and Shin ran ahead. The dog started barking before she hit the living room, making a growling noise Maris knew wasn’t her friendly bark.

Hesitating, she reached to the radio in her pocket and switched it on. Cautiously, she headed toward Shin, coming to a halt in the living room doorway. The room had been trashed. Breath caught in her throat, and she quickly hit the call button on the radio, using it as a panic button. She kept pushing it, hoping one of the men would come. From the shadows, she saw a figure come forward. Maris froze, recognizing Robin.

“Oh, my God,” she whispered, her body starting to shake. Shin started to snarl at the woman, and Maris could only watch as she picked up her dog and tossed her out the front door into the yard. Shin continued to bark at the front door, scratching at the wood.

“Don’t panic, Maris. I didn’t do this.”

“Why are you here, how? You’ve been following me.”

“Yes, but not because of why you think.”

“The last time we were together alone, it didn’t end well for me.”

“That’s what we need to talk about. Please Maris, I’m very calm and very serious. This is how I found the house this morning. I came to talk to you, to explain what happened five years ago.”

“You don’t need to explain that you were a crazy jealous bitch who tried to kill me.”

“
No
.” Robin shook her head and stood tall. “Yes, I was a bit crazy and I was a bitch to you, but I didn’t push you into the falls.”

“If you didn’t, then who did?”

“Look, this is all screwed up. Can’t we just sit and talk this through?”

“I’m not your therapist. I’d like you to leave now and never come back.”

“Maris, you know nothing about our family life before you became a part of it.”

“It seems I was always a part, just not acknowledged.”

“I can’t change what my father, my mother, or your mother did. I can tell you I didn’t hurt you.”

“Who, then?” Maris leaned into the doorframe for support, trying to keep Robin talking until one of her men showed up.

“It’s all screwed up, but I wasn’t there, I didn’t push you.”

“But you know who did?”

“Yes, it was Nelson.” Robin let out a defeated sigh and sat on the arm of the sofa. “Look, it’s hard to admit, but I took the blame so Nelson wouldn’t. He couldn’t, don’t you understand? All his life he’s been afraid of small spaces. I couldn’t stand by and have him shut away in a cell for any length of time. He would have gone permanently crazy. As it was, he was a bit off-kilter back then. But, that was because my father used to lock us in the hall closet when we were naughty children.”

“What? Why are you telling me this?”

“Because Nelson has had a setback. He thinks it’s five years ago and wants to hurt you.”

“Oh, please, what do they call this, transference?”

“I know this all sounds crazy, but when we found out about your existence, my mother became jaded. She hated our father for his affair and for fathering you. She hated that you existed. However, she refused to divorce him. It was her way of punishing him. And since our family money was from her side, my father didn’t have the guts to leave.”

Maris put her hand to her temple, the dull ache getting worse. “But your red nails?” The radio squawked in her pocket and jolted them. Robin stood tall at the intrusion as Maris continued to hit the call button. From behind, she heard a noise, and was relieved that someone had come, until she glanced behind her and saw her half brother, Nelson, standing behind her, a glassy look to his eyes.

“Inside,” he said and motioned with his right hand, a hand that held a small revolver.

“What, you’re both in on this?” Maris backed into the living room, not taking her eyes off the gun. She stumbled on an overturned chair and finally righted her balance.

“Nelson, I…”

“I don’t care, bitch. Before we heard of you, our life was normal. As soon as mother found out about you and your witch of a mother, our lives changed. There was nothing but hate around us.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know, but I’m not responsible.”

“You’re the only one left. Once you’re dead, Robin will go back to the sanitarium for a few years, and I’ll be free.”

“No, you’ll be in prison.” Maris knew it wasn’t a smart idea to taunt the man with the gun, but the words slipped out.

“No, they’ll find your body, and Robin will cover for me. Won’t you, sis? You always did before. Once she’s gone we’ll start over.”

“Nelson, I covered for you once and lost four years of my life. I won’t do it again. Don’t hurt her, do you understand me, I won’t do it again.”

“Yes, you will, I know you, you don’t have the courage to stand up to me. Besides, who will believe you? You’ve already confessed to pushing her into the Falls. They’ll believe me when I say I found you here. That you shot Maris and we struggled with the gun.” A strange, self-satisfied smile crossed his lips. “Since you won’t cover for me, I suppose it will have to have gone off!” His glare turned menacing and Maris was truly afraid for herself and for the half sister who’d protected her brother.

“Nelson, we can—”

The back door was pushed inward and slammed against the jamb with a loud thud. Maris caught a glimpse of Nathan as Shin ran past, nipping at Nelson’s ankles. He kicked the dog away, and she went skidding on the tile floor into the cabinet. Maris used the diversion to take the few steps back into the kitchen. She dropped to her knees and crawled to the animal, holding her tight so she didn’t attack again.

“That’s enough, Nelson. The police are on the way. Put down the gun, and we won’t hurt you.” Nathan’s glare was hard and adamant.

Maris realized Blake was behind him, pushing his way in. She prayed they could talk him out of shooting anyone. At that second, all her memories came flooding back
—
her childhood, their life as a family, her time with her men. It seemed to be a fast-paced movie fluttering before her eyes, one she couldn’t stop or block out.

The three men were arguing but she was frozen with images, good bad, and mundane. Glancing up, she saw Nelson raise his right hand and aim at Blake. Nathan took a step forward to block Blake and reached for the gun. It went off, and Nathan went down to the floor. Blake tackled Nelson, and they scrambled, a second shot reverberating through the house.

The front door was slammed inward, and Maris heard another shot, much louder this time. From her position, she couldn’t see who entered, only that Aminta’s voice was calling to her.

“Look out, Nelson has a gun. He shot Nat and Blake.”

“Shut up, bitch.” Nelson turned and pointed the gun directly at her. Maris decided she wouldn’t die cowering on the kitchen floor. She stood on shaky legs, using the counter to help her up.

“You’ve already shot the two men I care about most. There is no way you’ll get out of here, Nelson. Not this time. There are too many witnesses.” In the background, they could hear the drone of sirens getting closer. Aminta moved to the kitchen and held the huge shotgun directly to Nelson’s heart.

“I will kill you, make no mistake.” For whatever reason, Nelson lowered his hand, but didn’t drop the gun. Robin came forward and slipped it from his lax fingers.

Maris watched his expression change to that of a child. “Now your prints are on it, shoot him and her and we’ll both be free.”

“No, Nelson, no more killing. I never should have let you get away with poisoning mother. That was my mistake, too. But I won’t do this again. I deserve a life.”

Maris held back a gasp at the new information but decided her men needed help now. Later she could reflect. Grabbing the towel from the counter, she slowly moved to Nathan. His shoulder was bleeding, but he seemed alert. He took the cloth from her and pressed it to his shoulder.

“Take my belt and snug it above the wound on Blake’s thigh, or he’ll bleed out.” Maris glanced to Blake, where a large puddle of blood was collecting under his leg. She tugged Nat’s belt from his pants and wound it around Blake’s upper thigh.

“Hold on, Blake, help’s here, just hang on.” She cradled his head to her chest and reached to Nathan. He tried to reach to her, but the compress fell, and she scooted beside him, dragging Blake with her to put pressure back his wound.

“Aminta, don’t take your eyes off him.”

“Of course not, Miss.” The siren’s blare was just outside, and in the blink of an eye, more men were in the small kitchen than she imagined would fit. One police officer sized up the situation and immediately went to put cuffs on Nelson. Another went to Blake and started barking out orders to a second man. Aminta finally lowered his shotgun and stood it in a corner. He moved to Nathan, helping him to first stand and then sit at the table. One of the medics came to access Nathan, tearing his shirt out of the way. Another went to aid Blake.