Strength In Numbers 1: Double Jeopardy

by Rachel Bo

Kendall woke up the next morning physically exhausted. She’d never realized until Josh and Sutter how much of the body orgasms utilized—seemingly every muscle, as they now ached, and much of her energy. But as she lay there and watched her husbands sleep, a slow smile spread across her face.

  Kendall immersed herself in the bond and began exploring, sending little tendrils of thought-sensation out. Even in sleep, their bodies responded and Kendall was able to learn what she needed. When Kendall felt she was ready, she began working on them in earnest. Shortly, their eyes flew open and they gasped in unison as semen spewed from their cocks, Kendall watching with a satisfied smile. When it had passed, they wrapped their arms around her and covered her in kisses. “That wasn’t fair,” Josh murmured.

  Unfortunately, it wasn’t physiologically possible for Kendall to repeat the process only seconds later the way they could with her. However, they were vigorous and in their prime, and there were certain things that could make them hard again in a relatively short amount of time. Reaching out, she found their cocks and feathered her fingers over them lightly. When they moaned, she urged them to face one other, their bodies nearly touching, and rubbed their cocks against each other. Sutter especially found this very erotic. Within minutes, he was hard again, and Kendall was sending electric pulses of pleasure through his cock, his anus, his nipples—as they had done to her. He groaned as another orgasm shivered through his body. Josh’s shaft burgeoned as he watched, and moments later Kendall had him arching against the floor as well. Kendall sat back. “Take a rest, boys. But not too long.” She grinned wickedly. “I’m not done with you yet.”

  They spent the rest of that day naked. Every time they became aroused, Kendall used her new-found abilities to make them come as they had her, until late that evening they fell into a deep sleep on the living .room rug, limp and exhausted.

  On Sunday, Kendall woke ravenous. They had eaten nothing since Friday night but sandwiches around noon the day before. She put together a big breakfast, enjoying the experience of cooking in the nude. The guys wandered in eventually, and Kendall sat between them, toying with their cocks while they ate their fill. By the time they were done, she had them rock-hard. Kendall took their hands and pulled them back into the living room, back to the rug. She had driven them crazy the day before, making them come over and over again without touching them. But she had also driven herself mad, denying herself their touch. She craved physical contact.

  Josh’s eyes were dark with passion as she lay back on the floor and spread her legs for him. He eased into her slowly, relishing the feel of her warm, wet flesh on his cock. Kendall sighed with contentment.

  “Sutter.” Josh sent a thought, and the other man grinned. Sutter grabbed the lubricant. Positioning himself between their legs, he found Josh’s anus with his finger, then sprinkled his cock with the oil and guided it in. “Oh, yeah,” Josh murmured.

  Kendall wrapped her arms around Josh’s neck and her legs around them both, bringing Sutter in tight against Josh. Sutter moaned and began stroking in and out, pushing himself deeper and deeper into the narrow canal. His breathing quickened in time with Josh and Kendall’s. Kendall closed her eyes. She reached under her hips with her hands. Sutter’s pace increased—deep, powerful thrusts that drove Josh into her. Using her elbows as additional support, she pushed her hips up, meeting each plunge with a thrust of her own. “Oh, God!” Sutter’s world narrowed to the place where their hips met. Heat rising, hips melding, becoming one—he roared as their triple orgasms flooded the bond.

  When he came to himself again, his first sight was Kendall staring to the right of his shoulder with a horrified expression on her face. Turning his head, Sutter saw his father. Fists clenched. Red-faced and trembling.

  “How the hell did you get in?” Sutter asked.

  Josh raised his head at the remark and started involuntarily at the sight of Sutter’s father standing over them.

  Kendall stared at Sutter in amazement. When she had opened her eyes and seen David Campbell standing there, her first thought had been that Sutter would be a stammering fool when he realized. He felt the thought and favored her with an irritated glance.

  David’s reply was harsh through tight lips. “I have a key, remember?”

  Sutter backed out of Josh and rose, standing casually. “Actually, no. I had forgotten.” He held out his hand. “Do you mind?”

  David opened and closed his mouth several times, shaking with fury. Finally, he dropped the key into Sutter’s hand.

  “Thanks.”

  Josh and Kendall shared delighted glances. They couldn’t believe how confident Sutter was—unintimidated, finally, by his father.

  Sutter raised his eyebrows. “Did you need something?”

  David stared at his son in disbelief. “Is that all you have to say?”

  Sutter’s voice remained light. “Dad. This is our home. You invaded our privacy. I’m sorry if what you saw shocked you, but I don’t owe you any apologies.”

  David’s lips were pressed together so tightly they were white. Josh rolled off of Kendall and the two of them lay there watching. David’s glance drifted their way, dripping daggers at them. “That’s it,” he said. He looked back at Sutter, speaking through clenched teeth. “We’re through. I don’t ever want to hear from you again.”

  Kendall started to protest, but closed her mouth at a calm, silencing thought from Sutter.

  “If that’s the way you want it.”

  David couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This—he searched for a word. Defiant. This defiant man wasn’t his son. Even in the past few months, his son had stood up to him only passively, through Kendall. He glanced at the floor again, at the woman who was watching Sutter with pride. Curse the day she had ever entered their lives. He could have brought Sutter around eventually, if it hadn’t been for her. His gaze narrowed. Well. His fury was fading, replaced with cold calculation. Seems like a change of plans is in order.

  Without another word, he swept past Sutter and out the door.

  Josh stood up and wrapped Sutter in a bear hug. “I can’t believe you did that, man.”

  Sutter trapped his face between his hands and kissed him lingeringly. “I love you, Josh. I’m not ashamed of that any more.” He turned to Kendall, holding out his hand to help her up and pull her into their embrace. “Kendall was right. We have to be true to ourselves. Since I started doing that, I’ve never been happier.”

  Kendall’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m so proud of you, but—what about your dad?”

  Sutter shrugged. “He’ll get over it. He’s been fighting this relationship for years. He’s got to realize eventually that he can’t change anything. Once he comes to terms with it, he’ll be back.”

  Kendall nodded, but as Sutter embraced them both again, she and Josh shared a concerned glance. She, for one, wasn’t convinced.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Revisiting the Past

  It was three months later, the first week in November, and Kendall was singing along with the radio, getting ready to open the shop. Every time she thought she was as happy as she could possibly be, something happened that made life even better. The day before, Sutter had made his first huge sale. There had been an anxious time before he built up an inventory and garnered a reputation, when Josh and Kendall had to talk him out of giving up nearly every day. But he had finally made a small profit in September and a significantly larger one in October. Then on Thursday, two clients had gone into a bidding war over a fresco he had done of the Three Fates. The final bid had been for seventy-five hundred dollars. The future looked promising.

  Kendall sighed and frowned. The only thing marring that future was David Campbell. He and Sutter were no longer talking. He had spoken to Sutter once after their confrontation to let him know that he had written him out of his will. Kendall had suspected that might happen, but she wished things could have been different. Especially with the holidays approaching. As confident and self-reliant as Sutter had be
come, she knew that he loved his father, and for his sake she would have liked for the man to be a part of their lives despite his flaws. But there was nothing Kendall could do, so she pushed the thought away and began humming cheerfully again.

  Mid-morning, she was in the midst of placing an order when she felt a sharp pang of anxiety. What the HECK? She went on with her conversation, making sure the vendor she was speaking with had her order for framing parts correct. After she hung up, she sat nibbling at her lip. She sent out her mind, testing her links with Sutter and Josh. They both seemed all right.

  She began working on the necklace she had been piecing together, twisting thin silver wire into a filigree cage for a garnet she wanted to attach. She continued to feel uneasy, and tested the bond a second time. Sutter was fine, but Josh seemed agitated, though she couldn’t get a feel for what was wrong. She sensed he was hiding something from her. What was it?

  As the day wore on, her anxiety grew. When Brandy showed up a few minutes late for work, Kendall jumped on her verbally until Brandy’s wide eyes and open mouth registered and Kendall stopped abruptly. “Brandy. I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I just did that.”

  Brandy shrugged it off. “I knew you didn’t mean it. What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know.” Kendall fidgeted nervously with the pencil she was holding. “I’ve just had this strange feeling all day long. I think something’s wrong with Josh, but I can’t tell what it is. He’s cluttering the bond so Sutter and I can’t see.” She and Sutter had eaten lunch together, his worry seeping into her through the bond, disturbed to know that neither one of them could break through.

  “Do you want to leave?”

  Kendall glanced at her watch. It was only three-fifteen. “Wouldn’t do any good. He’s still at work. I can’t go up there, how would that look? I’m sure it’s nothing too serious. Probably just something he’d rather wait and tell us about this evening.” She turned and headed back to the register. “I think I’m just over-reacting because he’s making us wait.”

  Brandy nodded thoughtfully. “Well, if you want to go ahead and leave at five, that’s fine with me.”

  Kendall smiled at her friend. “Thanks, Brandy.”

  * * * * *

  She knew something was wrong even before she pulled into the driveway. Sutter’s car was there—he had stopped by around four o’clock to let her know he was closing shop early and heading home. But Josh’s car was missing, and during the drive out Kendall had felt Sutter close his thoughts to her abruptly. The bond hummed with tension. She jumped out of the car quickly and nearly ran to the front door. When she opened it, she found Sutter sitting in the living room in the dark. She flipped on the light. “What’s wrong?”

  Sutter looked up, his face red with anger. “Josh is in jail.”

  Kendall stared at him blankly. “What?”

  “In jail,” he repeated. “I called my father, but he wouldn’t even speak to me.” He looked ragged. “We have to find a lawyer, Kendall. Get him out of there.”

  Kendall walked over and collapsed onto the sofa. “What for? What happened?”

  Sutter shook his head and jumped up, pacing the floor like an angry tiger. “Embezzlement. They say he’s stolen money from the company accounts and the accounts of several of the partners.” He met Kendall’s gaze, his pupils dilated with worry. “Electronically.” He finally let go of his barrier and his thoughts came rushing in—memories of the prank they had played on his father.

  “Oh, no.” Kendall dropped her head back against the cushion, then sat up. “Wait. They can’t use that against him. Josh was a juvenile then. Juvenile records are closed, aren’t they?”

  “Supposedly.” Sutter continued pacing. “What are we going to do?”

  Kendall’s gaze narrowed. “First we find a lawyer. Then there’s someone I want to talk to.”

  * * * * *

  Kendall waited impatiently in the anteroom of David Campbell’s office. She had been surprised when his secretary had said he’d be glad to see her, but he was making her wait, and her fury was mounting. Finding a lawyer on a Friday night had been a difficult task, and though they had finally acquired one, Josh was still in jail. Apparently, they would hold him until the bail hearing. And unfortunately, the lawyer had informed them that Josh’s juvenile conviction could be used against him after all. It seemed that juvenile records were not automatically sealed, as she’d always thought. After an individual turned eighteen, they had to go to court and specifically request that the record be closed. Then, depending on the nature of the crime (or crimes) and the judge, they could still refuse to seal the records. Of course, Josh had never even thought about it.

  The door to David’s office finally opened. “Sorry that took so long, Kendall,” David said, his tone falsely apologetic. “Business.” He ushered her in and closed the door behind her. Kendall took a seat in one of the richly appointed leather chairs in front of his desk as he sat down and looked at her with feigned sympathy. He rested his elbows on the blotter and brought his hands together. “Now. What can I do for you?”

  “I know you did this,” Kendall said quietly.

  David leaned forward, resting his chin on his steepled hands. “I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about, Kendall.”

  Kendall met his gaze calmly. “Josh didn’t steal that money,” she said. “But you know who did.” She leaned back into the chair, trying to appear at ease. “I think you hired someone to do this. To frame Josh and get him out of Sutter’s life.”

  David nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t doubt that you want to believe that. However—” He spread his hands and shrugged. “I had nothing to do with this.” He shook his head. “I won’t deny that the prospect of Josh being out of the picture suits me just fine.” He watched Kendall shrewdly. “Perhaps now, you and Sutter will quit playing at this alternative lifestyle and settle down. Raise a family.” He stood and came around, leaning against the front of his desk, arms crossed before him. “He can go back to school. I doubt that I can get him into Harvard again, but there are other—”

  “That’s not going to happen.” Kendall was glad that her voice did not betray her strain—the words unhurried, delivered casually—though she was seething inside. “Sutter isn’t a lawyer, and he doesn’t want to be one. He’s a very good artist. An artist with a wife and a husband, however much you dislike that. And we’ll both be waiting for Josh when he comes home, if you somehow manage to get away with this.” She smiled, a surprisingly difficult thing to do when her stomach was churning. She was putting on the performance of her life. “But I’m not going to let that happen.”

  David raised his eyebrows. “Really.”

  Kendall nodded.

  His gaze narrowed. “He’s done this before, you know. He did it to me.”

  Kendall smiled again. This time it was easier. “So. You do know the details.”

  David shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m a lawyer, Kendall. We talk.”

  “He was just a boy then, David. And he and Sutter were angry.”

  David pushed himself away from the desk and leaned over Kendall, resting his hands on the arms of her chair. His face was only inches from hers. “He’s still a boy, Kendall.” He moved until their lips were nearly touching. “They both are.” His gaze traveled over her hair, her face, her body. “You need a man.” He waited, expecting to have thrown her off balance.

  “Like you, David?” Kendall murmured seductively, allowing her lips to graze his as she spoke.

  Astonished, but not necessarily displeased, David shivered. What an interesting new development! “Yes,” he whispered.

  Kendall burst out laughing. David stepped back, face flushed. Kendall shook her head as her laughter trailed away. “What bothers you more, David?” She stood and put her purse over her shoulder. “The image of Sutter and Josh having sex, or the fact that Sutter is happy in a way you’ve never experienced?”

  Something flashed in the depths of his eyes. Kendall caught the b
riefest flicker of some deep emotion. Then it was gone. “I think it’s time for you to go, Kendall.” He spoke in a bland, measured tone, but his hands were clenched at his sides, their knuckles white. God, the woman infuriated him! He had tried to throw her off-balance, and she had somehow turned it all around. He began to understand why Sutter loved her. She was a force of nature. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of loss. He could have had something like this, years ago—he pushed away the thought.

  “Yes, it is,” Kendall was saying. She tilted her head and looked him in the eye. “It’s been a pleasure, David. Really.” And she meant it. She had cracked David Campbell’s façade, and there was something lurking underneath. Something she might be able to use. She smiled, and this time it was completely genuine. “But I’ll be back.” She brushed imaginary dust from his shoulder with one hand. “Trust me on that.” She turned and sauntered from the room.

  In her car, she pondered David’s reaction to her question. What had she seen in his eyes? Not anger. Not fear. Not jealousy. Not any of the things she would have expected. Kendall chewed at her bottom lip. What was it? Then it came to her. Guilt. Why guilt? She knew instinctively that he had no qualms whatsoever about setting up Josh. And she was now more convinced than ever that he was behind it.

  Shaking her head, she started the car and backed out, heading toward the shop. She needed to talk to Brandy. Brainstorm. David Campbell felt guilty about something, and Kendall was determined to figure out what.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Best Laid Plans

  Kendall sat in her old apartment, sipping the hot chocolate Brandy had given to her. She had related to her best friend everything that had taken place in David’s office. Brandy was now staring thoughtfully into the fire.

  “Refresh my memory,” she said. “Josh and Sutter pulled the hacking prank when?”

  “The summer they were fifteen,” Kendall answered.