TRIGGERED: A Romantic Suspense Bundle (5 Books)

by Evie Nichole

  He took her to the library, which also doubled as his office. Vaulted ceilings made Selene feel as if she were in a museum. Barkley took her up the stairs next, offering anecdotes about the renovation history.

  “Do you have control of the third floor here as well?”

  “Not yet. The attic is still being worked on. I hope to have it done someday soon. The third floor actually is an actual floor, and it’s where the Sanders live. They have an apartment up there. So, it technically can be considered a four-story house, if you count the attic.”

  “What about MJ?”

  “He has a home not far from here. He has some teenage children from a previous marriage and wants to stay near to them.”

  Selene soon realized that the home was much larger than what it appeared to be from the outside, and it looked massive from the outside.

  “How many bedrooms are here?”

  “Here as in the second floor?”

  “Umm…ok…yes.”

  “Six on this floor, and two more in the Sanders’ apartment.”

  “Bathrooms?”

  “One on this floor that isn’t attached to a bedroom. There’s one in Betty’s normal room and one in mine. I’ll let you have my room so you can have a private bath. There is a bathroom downstairs, too.”

  “You don’t have to do that, Barkley.”

  “I want to. I want you to be as comfortable as possible.”

  ***

  Selene was surprised when lunch was served in the dining room and all of the servants, including the previously absent Robert, sat at the table with Selene and Barkley. It was a fun lunch that was filled with laughter and talking.

  Afterwards Barkley took Selene by the hand and led her out beautifully ornate French doors onto a deck and down the steps towards the horse barn.

  “Why do you treat your staff like family instead of servants?”

  Barkley squinted into the sun, his face unreadable. “Do you think it’s bad?”

  “I think everything about you when compared to the amount of money you have is odd.”

  They walked along in silence, and Selene wanted to apologize for offending him.

  “I grew up wealthy. Not quite this wealthy, but my father had amassed a fortune before he was thirty, just like his father before him. I watched the cold formal way my parents handled the help, and I hated it. The help was treated like lesser citizens or something when they cared for us better than family could or would.”

  “And you decided you wouldn’t live like that?”

  “Exactly.”

  Selene nodded her understanding. “I think that’s noble.”

  “Noble?” he asked. “No. It’s just right.”

  Barkley stepped to the wooden fencing and whistled loudly. Three horses grazing in the distance lifted their heads simultaneously and began walking towards them. The horse in the lead was by far the largest, a coal black horse with flowing mane and tail.

  “What kind of horse is that?”

  “That’s Leonidas. He’s a Friesian.”

  “He’s big.”

  “Yes, they are considered a draft horse.”

  “Do you ride him?” Selene eyed the horse warily as he came closer, his size seeming to double.

  “Every once in a while. He was rescued. His owner couldn’t care for him properly. Sarah demanded we get him.” Barkley shook his head. “He was skinny and shabby when he first came here.”

  “What about the other two?” Selene watched a brown and black smaller horse begin to trot, leaving the pale cream-colored horse behind.

  “The multi-colored one is a mustang. Her name is Mindy. The other one is Glenda. She’s a quarter horse or something.” He looked at Selene apologetically. “The horses were kind of Sarah’s thing, too.”

  The Friesian approached and began nudging Barkley’s shoulder with a broad nose.

  “Hold on, buddy.” Barkley laughed. He reached in his pocket and pulled several baby carrots out and little sugar cubes. Selene hadn’t even seen him bring them from the house. The horse nibbled at a sugar cube, gracefully removing it from the palm of Barkley’s hand with huge teeth.

  Barkley held a sugar cube out to Selene. “Give one to Mindy.”

  Selene looked into the liquid brown eyes of the horse, as she snorted impatiently. “Oh, I don’t think so.”

  “Don’t be afraid. They don’t bite.”

  Selene refused to look weak or cowardly. She took the sugar cube and held it out as far as her arm would reach, a slight tremor to her hand betraying her bravado. The horse sniffed, bathing Selene’s hand in a warm moist air, before taking the sugar cube as gently as the large stallion had. Selene smiled with relief and held her hand out to Barkley for another one. The cream mare had finally caught up.

  “Maybe we can ride tomorrow after I come back.”

  “Maybe.” Selene ran a hand over the mustang’s long nose. The hair around its muzzle felt like velvet. “You have your meetings tomorrow?”

  “Yes, I have some prep work to do tonight, but you can hang out in the library with me if you want.”

  “You really don’t want me out of your sight, do you?” Selene only half teased.

  “No, I don’t.”

  Selene looked at him from the corner of her eye. His words were matter of fact, with little to no warmth behind them. She had to give him one thing for sure; he was honest. Her thoughts went back to the pictures she had discovered in Robert’s room the day before. Was that the one big lie he had told? Had he found out about his wife and butler’s affair? Had he taken the picture? If so, had he kept Robert on as a way to help prove his innocence? The questions were heavy and caused Selene’s head to ache. She rubbed at her temples.

  “Headache?”

  “Just a little one. No big deal.”

  Barkley took her hand again and started leading her away from the horses. “Let’s find some aspirin or something.”

  “It’s not a big deal, Barkley. Maybe my body is rejecting all of this fresh air.” She laughed weakly.

  “I doubt it.”

  Selene noticed a figure move from the back of the house and begin walking towards the tree line on the other side of the barn.

  “I wonder where she’s going.” Selene asked aloud, as she followed Betty’s slow progression with her eyes.

  “She’s been taking walks every time we are here. She’s trying to get healthier or something.”

  Selene didn’t think so. Betty’s steps were purposed and her face determined. She didn’t have the movements of someone on a leisurely stroll. She moved like someone who had a destination to get to.

  “Back to the health thing,” Selene said absently, throwing a hand in the air to wave. Betty either hadn’t seen them, or chose to pretend she hadn’t.

  “Yes, back to the health thing,” Barkley mused.

  ***

  The day stretched out and Selene found it was not as boring as she had feared. Once Robert left to go back to the city, the household settled into, what she assumed, was its normal rhythm.

  Selene sat in a winged-backed chair in the library, her legs dangling over one of the armrests, reading while Barkley worked. He had an odd set up, two laptops open before him and a gaming controller in his hands, fingers and thumb deftly working the controls. Selene had only glanced up once when he pulled out a head set and placed it over his ears. She was engrossed with the slim volume in her hands. It wasn’t the type of book she was normally drawn to. It was the story of a young boy stranded in the wilderness. It was about his survival. It was a story meant for adolescent boys, but Selene was pulled into the story from the first sentence.

  A phone rang somewhere in the house. Moments later a knock sounded at the door just before Betty opened it and entered.

  “Barkley?”

  Barkley continued working the little knobs and buttons of the controller, his face a mask of concentration.

  “Barkley!” Betty yelled.

  He moved, jerking the headset from his
head, his eyes slightly glazed. “What? Sorry, Betty. What do you need?”

  “Tim Stevens is on the phone.”

  Barkley opened a desk drawer and pulled a cordless phone out of it. “It’s not like I won’t see him tomorrow,” he grumbled.

  Betty looked at him amusedly. “I see you are still keeping it in the drawer, with the volume all the way down, I presume?”

  “You know it. I’ll take it in here.” Barkley pushed a button on the phone and leaned back in his chair with an arm resting over the top of his head. “Tim? Hey, what can I do for you?”

  Selene laid the book on the floor and stretched cat like. She stopped when she saw Barkley staring at her, his face holding the same blank stare he had given her the day before when she had tried to excuse herself so Barkley could talk with his mother. Selene felt something still within her. The magnetism was back, the demanding look was in his eyes again that dared her to defy or deny him anything.

  “What? Yes, sorry…That will be fine, Tim.” Barkley’s eyes remained on her. “Sure, sounds good.” He ended the call and continued to stare.

  Selene began to fidget. The scrutiny was odd, like she was under a microscope.

  “Come here,” Barkley said quietly.

  “Don’t you have work to do?”

  “Come here,” he repeated.

  Selene stood, obeying like a robot.

  Barkley pushed back from his desk, legs open, and patted one thigh. Selene sat on his lap, stiff and unsure until his arms came around her and gently forced her body to rest against his.

  Barkley breathed in deeply. “You always smell like apples.”

  “It’s my shampoo. It’s green apple scent.”

  “Why does your skin smell like it, too?”

  “I don’t know.” She relaxed further, her head resting in the crook of his neck,

  “I could sit with you like this all day.”

  Selene nuzzled further, enjoying the warmth of his skin and his barely deciphered pulse. She wanted to taste him, just a small one, nothing over the top. What could it hurt? Selene moved before her mind could begin a mantra of why it was a bad idea. She kissed his neck on the exact spot where she could feel his heart beat. Her skin flushed and her body gave a knee-jerk reaction. That one taste wasn’t enough. One taste of this man would never be enough. She kissed him again, harder, allowing her teeth to graze him.

  Barkley moved her easily in his arms, tasting her neck as a return favor, but he didn’t stop there. His mouth moved to her jaw line, then to her lips. Teeth and tongue exploring. His arms drawing her in, encircling her with a gentle strength. Selene knew she would never feel safer anywhere else.

  A knock sounded at the door again. Selene jumped and tried to move off of him, her breath tight.

  “No.” Barkley smoothed her hair. “Come in,” he called out.

  Mary Sanders walked in, her face expanding into a look of shock. She lowered her eyes, obviously embarrassed.

  “I’m sorry…I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Bailey.”

  “It’s fine, Mary. What do you need?” Barkley’s grip tightened on Selene’s hip as she tried to move off of him again.

  “I started a pot roast after lunch, but it’s going to be at least another hour and a half, and since it’s already four thirty…”

  “It’s fine. Actually that’s better. I just spoke to Tim Stevens, and he will be joining us for dinner.”

  “Oh that’s fine. There’s plenty. And a cake for dessert.”

  “Perfect.” Barkley smiled. I’m sure it will all be wonderful.”

  Mary nodded, a small smile on her face, giving them a quick curious glance before leaving the room again.

  “Now where were we?”

  “Nowhere.” Selene snapped pushing at his chest.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Selene whirled on him. “That was embarrassing!”

  “Why? They all think we’re romantically involved. We are romantically involved, aren’t we? Who cares?”

  “I care!” Selene grabbed the book she had been reading from the floor and marched to the door. “I’ll be upstairs.”

  ***

  Selene sat on Barkley’s burgundy and gold bedspread fighting tears. She had been embarrassed, but it was much more complicated than just that. She had fallen hard for him. She wanted nothing more than to stay with him all the time, just like he wanted anyway. She was living a lie, and once the truth came out, there would be no fixing it. She was sure of it. She wiped angrily at a tear. She had to tell him the truth. Even if it meant blowing the case and pissing off Lucas Mitchell. He wasn’t exactly the best choice for an enemy. Another tear fell, and she groaned in frustration.

  A light tapping hit her door. She had no doubts who it was.

  “This is not a good time,” she called out weakly.

  “Please…Gisele…just let me talk to you for a minute.” Barkley’s voice broke past the heavy wooden door. It crackled with vulnerability.

  Selene threw her hands in the air. “It’s not locked.”

  Barkley opened the door, his eyes sad and laced with concern. He took a seat on the edge of bed, careful to not touch her where she sat in the center with her legs folded Indian-style in front of her.

  “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

  “I know you didn’t.”

  “Oh my God, are you crying?” He reached for her, but thought better of it. He shook his head. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s fine, Barkley.”

  “Is there something else? Do you want to go home?”

  No. Selene shook her head. “Barkley…I need to tell you something, but I don’t know how you’re going to react.”

  Barkley’s face went pale. “You are married, aren’t you?”

  “No! That’s not it.”

  “Then what? You can tell me anything…I won’t care.”

  Oh, you’ll care.

  “Does it have something to do with the man we saw at the market?” His eyes betrayed a hope that it was just that simple.

  “No.” She lifted her face to him. “For starters, my name isn’t Gisele Velasquez. It’s Selene Velasquez.”

  “I see.” He looked confused, and Selene felt guilty for putting him through this. “Why did you say it was Gisele?”

  Selene sighed and slumped her shoulders. “Because I’ve been undercover. I’m a private investigator. Lucas Mitchell hired me.”

  Barkley’s eyes narrowed to slits. “What?” he whispered.

  “Your father-in-law doesn’t believe you’re innocent. He still thinks you had something to do with your wife’s disappearance.”

  Barkley moved from the edge of the bed and began a slow pace of the room.

  “I’m sorry, Barkley,” she whispered.

  He stopped and looked at her hard. “I guess this was just a game for you, watching me fall for you so hard…so fast.”

  Selene’s eyes widened. “No.”

  “So, what do you think, Miss PI? Do you think I’m guilty?” She hated the hard glint in his beautiful eyes. She hated it more because she was the cause of it.

  “I don’t. I haven’t from the start.”

  Barkley’s shoulders relaxed a miniscule amount. “So, why tell me now? Why didn’t you just keep investigating?”

  “Because…”

  He moved fast, grabbing her by the shoulders and yanking her off the bed to her feet.

  “Because why?” he yelled.

  “Because I didn’t want to keep lying to you. Because I do care about you.” She frantically searched his angry face.

  “Did you know that I’m falling in love with you? Did you know that I could have a dozen beautiful women fall at my feet with the snap of my fingers?”

  “I’m sure you could, Barkley.”

  “I don’t want that.” His grip tightened on the meat of her upper arms. “I want something good. Something with meaning. After I saw you, all I wanted was you.”

  Wanted. Was. Past tense. Selene’s eyes wel
led with tears. She had been right; it wouldn’t be able to be fixed.

  “But not now, right?” She choked.

  “Was everything you told me a lie?” The anger was fading, a weariness creeping in to replace it. “The Marines, your brother?”

  “No, just my name and my profession. Everything else was the truth.”

  Barkley nodded, his lips twisted. “I really don’t know what to say.”

  “I am sorry.” Selene backed away. “Can MJ or Mr. Sanders take me to your house to get my car?”

  Barkley crossed the space she had just created, grabbing the sides of her face with both hands. He kissed her hard, a punishing kiss, which brought every inch of Selene’s body to life. He began kissing her forehead, her neck, her hair; words began falling like music to her ears.

  “I don’t want you to go. I get it. I understand. Don’t go, please, don’t go.”

  Selene reached up and encircled his neck. “I won’t go. We’ll figure it out. I’ll help you figure it out.”

  They fell onto the bed, a tangle of arms and legs; each fighting with the other to remove clothes. They knew time was short, someone would call for dinner. Tim Stevens would soon arrive. Any number of interruptions might happen.

  Barkley freed her small breasts from the confines of her lacy white bra, lowering his head to each one, but not lingering long as his mouth attempted to taste every inch of her at once.

  Selene tugged at his boxers until they were half way off of his hips and she could grab him with both hands. Barkley threw his head back, fighting the need to cry out as she stroked and cupped him.

  “I didn’t want the first time to be like this,” Barkley apologized, giving a halfhearted attempt to pull away from her.

  “I don’t care.” Selene breathed. “I just don’t care.”

  It was the only invitation Barkley needed, and he entered her with one hard thrust.

  ***

  Barkley ran a hand down Selene’s back, his fingers leaving a brief trail before more hot water moved down her spine. Selene smiled over her shoulder at him.

  “I have to go down,” he said regretfully. “You’ll have to tell me about all of those scars later tonight, ok?”

  Selene’s smile faded. “Sure.”

  “Look,” Barkley began as he pulled jeans up over his hips, “you will remain Gisele here. No one knows where my wife is. I want you to continue with this case. I’ll be the only one who knows the truth.”