“I can’t stand when he drinks. I hate it. I hate that he can look at other women but the second some guy looks at me and I just smile, Ray loses it.”
“Have you spoken to him about the drinking and the things that upset you?”
She shook her head.
“Maybe if you did, he might change or try harder?”
“No. He doesn’t want to change. He expects me to be at his beck and call. He follows me if I go out with friends or he has someone else follow me.”
“Trust is important in any healthy relationship.”
“He’s just jealous and overprotective. He says it’s because of my body. He doesn’t like me dressing too sexy. It calls attention to me.”
“So guys looking at you is your fault?”
The tears filled Evonna’s eyes, and then they flowed.
“I can’t leave him. He’ll just hunt me down, harass me until I give in. It’s easier this way. I won’t put my uncle and his family in harm’s way.”
Self-sacrifice for loved ones and placing her own life in danger. Another excuse.
“Evonna, your uncle and his family love you and care for you. You need them and they need you. Ray isn’t good for you. It’s not right or normal that Ray hits you, restricts your activities, stalks you, and makes you feel like you can’t do anything right. A healthy relationship involves equal contribution, respect, and love.”
Evonna started sobbing as her cell phone buzzed again.
She reached for it and looked at the text then gasped, covering her mouth.
Suzette reached for the phone and Evonna let her see the text.
You’re mine. You come back to me, or your uncle and his family die. Bitch!
Evonna got hysterical and Suzette pulled her into a hug, and fear brought back memories of her own sister and how she died.
* * * *
Suzette’s heart was heavy as she got out of her car and walked down Main Street to the coffee shop. It was a beautiful Sunday, nearly lunchtime, but Suzette had no appetite. Thoughts of hitting the gym today were long gone. She felt a chill despite the warm weather and decided that a cup of coffee from Penelope’s Sweet Shoppe would hit the spot.
She opened the door and headed inside, her head still in a fog over the morning with Evonna, Roger, and Murphy after the cell phone message from Ray and notifying the police department. Of course it was really terrible to find out that Ray had been released on a bail bond and was nowhere to be found.
“Good morning, Suzette. What can I get for you today?” Penelope asked as the other cashier helped a small group of people with their orders.
“I guess just a hazelnut, skim milk, please,” she stated and then placed the money down on the counter.
“How is everything going? Still helping women like you helped me, I hope?” Penelope asked.
Suzette smiled. Penelope was in a heap of trouble two years ago, and Suzette had been assigned to her family’s case. Now, here she was two years later and the new owner of the Sweet Shoppe.
“Well, trying, I guess. It can be tough sometimes,” Suzette responded.
“Well, you’re good at what you do. People need you, Suzette. I for one wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for you.”
“So not true. Look at you. You’re doing great, and that’s because you’re strong and determined. Keep it up.”
Penelope smiled.
Penelope handed over her coffee, and she paid.
“Have a great day. See you tomorrow.”
Suzette smiled. “Yes, you, too, and see you tomorrow.”
She started to head out when she saw the black Cadillac Escalade pull up in front of the store. It had tinted windows. She couldn’t see who was in there, and she felt a bit panicked. It was that fear, that instinctual emotion that would now remain with her for at minimum the day as thoughts of Ray’s threats pounded in her head. It was hard to separate her work from her personal life. She didn’t stop thinking about her clients, their situations, or means of helping them. She cared so much, and she wanted to make a difference.
She felt so off kilter and decided that remaining in the coffee shop a little longer would help her to get it together.
She remembered the recording on the 911 call from her sister. She heard it months later, and she would never forget it. The fear in her sister’s voice. The fact that the babies were upstairs in the nursery sleeping.
“He’s going to kill me and the babies. Please hurry. He’s on his way and he owns a gun. He’s a cop. Please hurry.”
Suzette felt the tightness in her chest, the memory as vivid and clear over three years later, as it was when she first heard it. Thank God the twins were just infants in their bassinets. Thank God Michael hadn’t killed them, too.
She covered her mouth, felt her hand shake, and glanced back out the window, reassuring herself that she was safe and that trouble wasn’t going to just appear.
The door opened, and as she turned to look, prepared for she didn’t know what, she saw Nikko and Miles.
Instantly relieved and then shocked at how relieved she felt seeing them, she practically collapsed into the chair.
Holy shit. Why did I feel so relieved and instantly protected and safe when they showed up? What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve dealt with situations like today so often. Why is this bothering me so much?
“Suzette?” She heard Nikko’s voice, and it caressed over her skin as her body instantly heated up and warmed all over.
She turned around and oh God, the sight of them, big muscles, tight shirts, black camo shorts.
“Hi,” she whispered, and Nikko’s eyes squinted at her.
He was in front of her, bending down, placing his palm against her cheek, and she closed her eyes, again feeling relief.
“Whoa, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” he asked.
She blinked her eyes open and moved closer to the window as Miles took the seat across from her.
“I’m fine,” she said and then cupped the coffee container with both hands.
Miles covered her hand with his. “You look upset.”
She took a deep breath and released it.
“I’m okay. So what are you two up to?” she asked, trying to change the subject, and forced a smile to her lips.
Nikko stood up. His size and height were so intimidating, yet attractive. She couldn’t even imagine what it would feel like to be hugged by a man like Nikko, or Miles. But women probably said things like that to them all the time. How many women had they shared? Why the hell am I thinking that? She lifted her coffee to her lips and took a sip.
“We texted and called you earlier,” Miles told her, holding her gaze as he leaned back into the chair. As his hands flexed and his arm moved over the top of the chair to rest there, she saw the deep definition in his arm. Damn, he was so good-looking and had such an amazing body.
“Suzette?” He said her name again, and she realized that she was staring at him. She prayed that she wasn’t drooling. How embarrassing.
Nikko straddled a seat as he pulled it to the table. He crossed his arms over it and watched her.
“I’m sorry. What did you ask me?”
“All right. What’s going on? We texted and called you. You never replied or answered, and then you show up here. We texted and said that we would meet you here, if you wanted to.”
“Oh, I didn’t receive your text. I’m sorry. I was caught up with work this morning.”
“Work? On a Sunday?” Miles asked her.
“Yes.” She looked out toward the window, feeling so anxious and nervous for Evonna, Roger, and Murphy.
“A friend needed some help,” she added and then looked back toward them.
Miles stuck his tongue out to lick his lower lip. His gaze swept over her chest, and she realized that her blouse had parted and a bit more cleavage than she usually liked to show was in plain sight. She shifted and nonchalantly pulled it closed as she released the coffee container and looked toward Nikko.
“How about y
ou guys? What are you up to today?”
Nikko held her gaze with an unreadable expression.
“Well, we were hoping to spend some time with you. How about lunch and dinner? Something casual. Something around here, maybe walking distance?”
She felt her belly tighten. He is so good-looking, and big. But he was also so capable. What if they weren’t really as nice and sincere as they appeared? What if she fell for their good looks and charms and then they turned out to be batterers? Could I not tell? After all the cases, the personal problems with my own sister and family, could I not identify an abusive man, a power-hungry, controlling man? She felt her eyes well up with tears.
Then she felt the gentle stroke against her skin. Looking down, she saw that it was Nikko’s thumb caressing over her hand and that small sensitive space between her thumb and pointer. It felt good. It felt right. Her body reacted immediately and wanted more. But she pulled back, the fear and uncertainty as overwhelming as her attraction to both men.
“I’m not sure, Nikko.” She swallowed hard.
“Suzette, look at me.” The sound of Miles’s firm, deep, sexy voice attacked her senses. She immediately looked up toward him. That crew cut hair, those bold, dark eyes.
“You’re shaking. Now I don’t know if it’s because you seem scared or unsure about us, or if something happened this morning to upset you. But you’re on edge. I’m concerned. Talk to us. Ask us anything you want and we’ll tell you.”
She felt so stupid. She was freaking out and being a wuss. She was letting other people’s circumstances influence her today.
She took a deep breath and made a leap of faith as she looked toward Nikko, gave a small smile, and then looked toward Miles.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. All of it. I had an upsetting meeting this morning. Circumstances relating to a client got to me. Although I deal with this type of thing on a regular basis, sometimes it just hits me harder than others.”
She looked up at Nikko, and he reached over and covered her hand with his.
“We have days like that, too. Moments when we can feel frustrated about the evil that human beings are capable of,” Miles said.
“Moments when we wonder why there have to be people like that in the world, and why we couldn’t stop them sooner or have found help for them before they got to such an explosive level,” Nikko added.
Nikko gently used one finger to stroke her skin on her forearm. She smiled softly at him and then moved her arm and covered his hand with her own. They clasped fingers. Both men had a hold of her hands, and instantly a hold of her heart.
“I have to be honest with both of you. You’re big,” she said and then chuckled. They squeezed her hands gently.
“Don’t let our size, our profession, intimidate you. We’re good, respectful men. We know how to treat a lady,” Miles said and then released her hand, reached the short distance across the table, and stroked his thumb over her chin and jaw.
She felt aroused and needy and so damn attracted to them, she wasn’t sure she would be able to deny these emotions.
“Trust us. Take a chance,” Nikko whispered, squeezing her hand.
“I want to. I just need for things to go slowly. To be sure about you, and this type of relationship. I mean if there was to be a relationship. I don’t sleep around,” she added nervously and then felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment. She lowered her head, and both men chuckled.
Nikko leaned closer and whispered next to her neck and ear.
“I’m glad to hear that you don’t sleep around. You’re sweet and you’re beautiful.” He kissed her cheek softly, letting his warm lips take their time touching her skin before moving away.
He stood up.
“I’ll grab us coffees, and how about a walk down by the lake?” Nikko suggested.
She smiled.
“Sure.”
As he walked away, Suzette couldn’t help but admire his ass and his muscular legs as he approached the counter. Other women looked at him, including Penelope. Suzette’s stomach tightened until Miles stood up and reached his hand out to her.
She took it, stood up, and realized just how tall and big Miles was. With dark crew cut hair, toned facial muscles, and dark-brown eyes, he was a good-looking man. A powerful leader. When she looked at him, he appeared so serious and in control. Like he could analyze a situation and sum up whether or not there was danger or a chance of danger. Hell, she was totally letting her attraction to them turn her into some giddy woman with a crush on two SWAT guys. There was just such control and magnitude about him. She knew he was a lieutenant and the team leader. The man was charismatic.
He wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her close against his chest, right into a warm embrace. “I’m sorry that you got upset this morning. Let’s put it behind you and focus on getting to know one another and having some relaxing time.”
The smell of his cologne and the feel of his chest muscles beneath her cheek were instantly healing. She hugged him tight and then stepped back.
Tilting her head up toward him, she smiled.
“Thanks, Miles. I needed that.”
He winked at her, securing her heart in adoration for this man and his brother a little more.
“Okay. I have the coffees. Let’s go,” Nikko said, and she grabbed her purse and her coffee and they headed out of the shop, all eyes upon them, and she didn’t mind one bit at all.
Chapter 5
“I appreciate you going over there to help out Murphy and to talk with his brother’s niece. I can’t believe that the boyfriend was released and now no one knows where he is,” Ned said as Suzette sat in the chair across from his desk.
“I know. My heart was heavy all weekend, especially after being with her when she received that threatening text. But you know what? I think she realizes that this is a bad situation that can only get worse for her and her family if she goes back with Ray.”
“Murphy said that your talk helped and that she admitted to wanting to protect her uncle and the family. I hope she sticks to her guns.”
“Me, too. I’m planning on going over there today, in the afternoon. I have to leave in about fifteen minutes to check on a few other clients. Murphy is supposed to call me in an hour.”
“Great. Keep me posted,” he said as he pulled an envelope off his desk.
“Oh, I wanted to show you this. It’s a thank-you note from the Hendersons. Jacob got his second-quarter report card. Here, take a look,” Ned said with a smile.
Suzette took the paper from his hand, along with the attached photo of twelve-year-old Jacob. He was a handsome kid, living with his aunt and uncle after his mom lost custody of him due to drug abuse. She had been in one abusive relationship after the next and Jacob had nearly been beaten by one of his mother’s steady boyfriends. That was over a year ago. With family counseling and assistance from his family and Suzette, Jacob was living a better life, in a secure, loving environment. His mom was in recovery and getting better. Their hope was for Jacob and his mom to reunite soon. But for now, Suzette’s focus was on Jacob and his shot at a good life, not one of violence and neglect.
She scanned the paper. “He made honor roll?”
“Yep. Isn’t that great? Look, they even placed an invite with the school and time of the celebration breakfast. They want you to attend.”
She felt her eyes well up with tears. Ned smiled.
“It’s wonderful when everything falls into place and the help we provide makes all the difference in the world. Hold onto that emotion and feeling. It doesn’t always work out this way.”
“I know. God, how I know that,” she said and then stood up.
“Touch base with me on the meetings and then the one with Evonna.”
“Okay. I will.”
Suzette walked out of Ned’s office and over toward her desk. She started to gather her things, including the files on the cases she was working on, a new one on Evonna, and her cell phone. As she reached for the cell, she saw
she had missed a call and two text messages.
Glancing at the words, she smiled to herself.
Enjoyed our day together. Can’t wait to see you again. Miles
The next message was from Nikko.
How are you?
She had to laugh. Nikko was such a quiet man who didn’t like to talk a whole lot or show emotion. A few times during their day together yesterday, she caught him staring at her. It was unnerving because it made her feel so self-conscious. He and Miles were very attractive. People looked at them. They were so physically appealing. And then, when she caught him staring, he would take her hand into his own and caress it gently. It had shocked her. Not just because of how attracted she was to him and Miles, but because everything about him was extra large, including the feeling it gave her when he held her much-smaller hand in his and she felt so feminine. Maybe subconsciously she thought he couldn’t be so gentle.
Suzette never analyzed two people as much as she had done all last night and this morning over Miles and Nikko. She liked them. A lot. She found two perfect men. Thank goodness they were into sharing, because there was no way she could choose between them. She shook her head as the thoughts invaded her mind, as well as the warm feeling that consumed her body from her own thoughts. So much had changed in a matter of days. Never had she even considered dating two men. She supposed that a lot of women fantasized about such scenarios. But she wasn’t that type of woman. Perhaps if she didn’t have the personal and professional experiences she did, she would view dating, sexual flings, and ménages as part of single life, but again, that wasn’t her.
Her main focus after her sister’s death was work, work, and save, save, save so that Tommy and Lilly would be provided for and have a family to love them and protect them.
She missed Nikko and Miles. Miles was very dominant and also used to being in charge. He led the way, made the decisions on the plans, and whenever he felt like kissing her or holding her hand, he just did it.
She quickly glanced down at her phone and took a moment to text them back. She told them she would be busy all day with appointments and clients, that she missed them, too, and that she looked forward to seeing them again. Just thinking about that made her stomach twist up in knots.
Crossroads: Leap of Faith [Siren APP Exclusive] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 4
