Three Made in Heaven [Made in Heaven] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (14 page)

“All joking aside,” Charlie said, “that was the hottest thing I have ever seen, baby. When I am an old man, I will still remember your beautiful rapturous face as you came for us, and then I am going grab my cane and hobble on over to you and plow you from behind.”

This time Maddie smacked his arm and the three of them gave in to a fit of laughter. After the laughter subsided, they talked a little more before settling into a comfortable silence. Eventually, a dreamless, peaceful sleep took over.

Monday was turning out to be the worst day ever. Parting with Charlie in the morning was even harder than Maddie could have possibly imagined, especially after what the three of them had shared Sunday night. She welcomed the touch of soreness in the morning, if only to remind her that what they shared was real and only further solidified them as a unit.

She practically attacked Charlie in the morning after the alarm went off, batting away his concern for her soreness. She needed to feel him inside her one last time before he flew thousands of miles away from her. She straddled Charlie, kissed him senseless, and then impaled herself on his hardened length and rode him to a screaming orgasm. Cole just lay on his side watching, allowing Maddie and Charlie to have their own little good-bye.

Later on, Maddie got all teary eyed watching her men warmly embrace. “Be safe, Charlie, and call as soon as your plane lands,” Cole had said.

Cole kept reassuring Maddie that when Charlie returned, it would be forever. She knew though that Cole was just as anxious about the separation from Charlie as she was and wouldn’t even allow herself to think about how hard it would be when it was Cole’s turn to fly out. Cole’s separation would be even longer.

When Maddie and Cole arrived at the studio after Charlie had left for the airport, Angela profusely apologized for what had happened at her housewarming on Saturday.

“Ang, please don’t worry about it anymore. It’s done,” Maddie said when she and Angela were out in the main room. Cole was in their office going over the offers made on his house. “I know you and Kellan feel bad, but it’s not your fault that Declan’s a douche!”

“The douchiest,” Angela replied with a bright smile. “And he’s not invited out with us anywhere ever again.”

“Good.” Maddie smiled back at Angela. “Here’s to never seeing that jackass again.”

As part of Maddie’s terrible Monday, said jackass strolled into the studio in the late afternoon like he owned the place. He walked right up to the counter—Maddie was behind it—with a comfortable swagger and a smirk. Unfortunately for Maddie, Angela was doing inventory and Cole was still buried in paperwork. Only a few customers milled about the main room.

“Hello, Maddie,” Declan practically crooned. “I just came by to offer my sincerest apology about what happened Saturday night.”

Sincere my ass. There is absolutely nothing sincere about this asshole.

“Please let me make it up to you,” he continued. His smug smile faltered a bit when Maddie remained silent. She knew he didn’t want to make anything up to her. He just wanted to fuck her, and apparently he wasn’t used to the idea of a woman not fawning all over him. “I’d like to take you to dinner if you’ll let me.”

Maddie could not believe his arrogance. Despite what he may think about her non-conventional relationship, he knew she was in a relationship nonetheless. Did he actually think that she would say yes?

“Declan,” Maddie snapped and then quickly reined in her temper. “I am sure you are aware that I am in a relationship. Going out with you would be very inappropriate.”

“Yes, I am very well aware of your
relationship
,” he said with a wide smile. Maddie did not miss the hint of venom mixed with lascivious intent in his tone. “Somehow I don’t think they would mind,” he added. “What’s one more?”

Maddie was fuming. “How dare you!” she shrieked. Her palm tingled with the need to slap him. She lowered her voice quickly when the customers in the store turned to look at them. With gritted teeth and as much of her own venom she could infuse, she said, “Don’t you dare make assumptions about me! Your apology is not accepted. Now get the fuck out of my store.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such language, Maddie. It’s very unbecoming of a lady.”

Cole and Angela were suddenly beside her and they were both furious.

“You have exactly ten seconds to get the fuck out of here,” Cole warned, “or I won’t be held accountable for my actions. If I ever see you harassing Maddie again, I will have you brought up on charges. Do I make myself clear, Declan?”

“You are lucky there are ladies present,” Declan sneered.

“Anytime, bro…” Cole returned. “Any. Fucking. Time. We can see how tough you are without a gun and badge to hide behind.”

“Declan, just leave.” Angela intervened before things got really ugly. “Quit being such an asshole.”

Declan gave them all a dirty look before turning on his heel and heading for the door. He pulled open the door and paused, turning to face them one last time. “It’s really too bad, Maddie. With me, you wouldn’t need
two
men to fulfill your needs.” With that, he strode off.

Maddie had to keep her hand on Cole’s arm to keep him from lunging after Declan. She felt the anger rolling off of him in waves. The customers were polite enough to turn their heads and continue browsing, and for that at least, Maddie was very grateful.

“He’s not worth it, babe,” Maddie soothed.

“What did he say to you before? I only caught the tail end.” Cole placed his hand on Maddie’s cheek.

She was so angry. She felt the sting of tears but refused to let them flow. It would only add more fuel to Cole’s fiery rage. What was worse was that she had felt tiny pinpricks on the back of her neck while Declan was in the studio—she felt them still. This was the exact same sensation she felt in her nightmare before turning to face the shooter.

It didn’t make any sense though. Why would Declan come after her with a gun? He was a cop. Granted he was a major asshole, but nonetheless, he was still an officer of the law. And by the looks of his date on Saturday and what Angela had told her about his dating habits in general, he had no shortage of women. Would he actually come after her with a gun? She recalled the sheer terror she felt running through a vacant parking lot and wondered if that hooded man could actually be Declan.

“The parking lot!” Maddie gasped. She was about to tell Cole what Declan had said to her before he got there when the significance of the lot from her nightmare dawned on her.

Angela and Cole both looked confused.

“What parking lot, sweetheart?”

“Mads, are you okay? You look white as a— hey, what the fuck!” Angela never finished her sentence. Instead, she practically sprinted out of the front door, but ran back inside less than a minute later. She came back inside just as Maddie and Cole reached the front. They were about to go after her.

“That asshole stole something,” Angela panted. She explained that while they were talking, she noticed a customer—a twenty-something guy with jet-black hair and baggy clothing—surreptitiously putting a few items in his jacket pockets. Angela said that she recalled seeing him in the studio a few times in the last week and thought he looked a bit shady.

“And you thought it was a good idea to chase after him?” Cole reprimanded. “Why didn’t you tell me? He could have hurt you.”

“I don’t know. I just reacted,” Angela explained. She still hadn’t fully caught her breath. “Don’t tell Kellan. He’ll tan my hide.”

Cole stared open-mouthed at Angela’s bluntness while Maddie snickered. She knew Angela and Kellan liked a little kink with their sex.

“Hey don’t knock it. I am sure Maddie would benefit from a few good spanks.”

“And if Madeline ever pulls a stunt like you just did, I will most certainly deliver them.” Maddie snorted and rolled her eyes at Cole, but the intensity of Cole’s stare proved that he wasn’t joking. She knew Cole would sooner cut off his right arm before he’d ever hurt her, but the prospect of his kind of discipline sent shivers up and down her spine. Her panties were suddenly very damp, and for a moment, the entire ordeal with Declan and the shoplifter was forgotten.

Maddie audibly gulped, and Angela cleared her throat before announcing, “I’m just going to go to the office and call Kellan to let him know what happened. Oh yeah, Maddie, he’s been bugging me to talk to you about installing some cameras here. I think he’s going to get adamant about them now.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” Cole said. Maddie agreed.

“Also, I will tell him to have a talk with our Officer Declan,” Angela added before leaving the room.

* * * *

Declan was pissed. His fists were itching to imbed themselves in various parts of Cole’s body, particularly his face. Though he had to admit to himself that he was more than a little frightened of the guy and was glad he had his gun as backup. The murderous glare Cole shot toward him during both of their confrontations had him thinking that the man could do some serious damage. He seemed so completely overprotective and possessive over Maddie. He looked almost feral trying to defend her.

He gripped the steering wheel to the point where his knuckles looked strained and white from the effort. Cars honked at him as he blew through several stop signs. Being a cop certainly had its advantages. He was driving home in his own car now, but he wasn’t worried. Traffic had better part for him when he was in one of his bad moods.

The lousy piece of ass wasn’t worth this much trouble. That was becoming very clear to him. He could get much finer girls than her, ones who were eager and willing and ones who came without two overbearing assholes as boyfriends. The other one was even taller and broader and looked just as crazy.
And who the fuck agrees to share a woman? I wonder if she takes it up the ass!

Declan needed to put a halt on his musing. He narrowly escaped a sexual harassment charge from a female officer in his former precinct in the Bronx and needed to be on his best behavior. He knew that Kellan was a damn good cop who did not tolerate shit from anyone. Maddie was his girl’s best friend and therefore now completely off-limits if he knew what was good for him.

“Ah fuck! Speak of the Devil.” Declan glanced down at his phone and saw that it was Kellan calling. Well that didn’t take long, he thought. He prepared himself for the ass ripping he was about to receive.

* * * *

Later that evening, while Maddie was taking a shower, Cole was having a meltdown on the phone with Charlie. He regretted not joining Maddie, but he needed to get a handle on his emotions and fill Charlie in on all the happenings of the day. Maddie and Cole both only briefly spoke to Charlie earlier after his plane had landed.

He filled Charlie in on what happened with Declan and the theft incident. Cole actually managed a smile when Charlie told him that he should have tattled on Angela for her stunt. “Kellan needs to make sure she doesn’t sit down for a week after that.”

Cole then proceeded to fill Charlie in on the rest. Maddie had finally explained what she meant about the “parking lot” comment she made after Declan left. She realized that the parking lot the would-be assassin pursued her through was the one her store was attached to. She was always too focused on the hooded man to pay much attention to her surroundings, but today at the store the details finally registered.

Worse still was when Maddie told him about the prickly feeling she got in the back of her neck. Cole had the same prickly feeling when he entered the main room and found Declan harassing her. He ignored it at first, but when Maddie told him she felt it, too, he nearly lost it.

He had gone back and forth with Maddie and now with Charlie, wondering how rejection would turn into an outright murder attempt. It seemed that Declan was far more pissed to be challenged by Cole…twice, than be rejected by a woman. It would make more sense for Declan to abuse his power of authority and come after Cole.

“I don’t give a fuck if it makes sense or not, Cole. First sign of him anywhere near Maddie, you call the cops. Now that we know where her nightmare takes place, beat his ass first if you have to, ask questions later, but he doesn’t go anywhere near her again.”

Cole was quiet for a moment. He could sense that Charlie was going out of his mind being away from Maddie, especially after everything that happened. He could hear the strain in Charlie’s voice. He felt helpless enough at the moment as it was and could only imagine that Charlie felt even more so by being nearly three thousand miles away. Cole would be familiar with that feeling very soon when it was his turn to fly home. He was actually contemplating postponing his trip, but who knew exactly when Maddie would be targeted. The sooner he left, the sooner he’d be back, and neither he nor Charlie would rest until the threat to Maddie was resolved.

“It’s going to be okay,” Charlie whispered. Cole didn’t know if Charlie said it for his benefit or his own. “It has to be.”

A few minutes later, Maddie strolled into the bedroom looking like a siren about to beckon him into following her to the depths of the ocean where he would gladly meet his death. Her long wet locks flowed freely down her back and left a path of droplets as she sauntered over to the bed with a devilish gleam in her eyes. Her face was slightly flushed, from the steaminess of her shower, no doubt. She was clad in a pale blue silk robe that reached just above her knees. Cole just sat against the headboard with his long legs stretched out, eyeing her like a starving man. He watched as her nipples puckered, straining through the silky fabric, and wondered if perhaps she neglected to put on panties as well. She climbed up onto the bed and sat facing him.

“Is that Charlie on the phone?” She reached for the phone just as he nodded.

Maddie was all smiles while talking to Charlie, and Cole could only assume that Charlie reined in his emotions for Maddie’s sake.

“What did Charlie say?” Cole asked after Maddie hung up.