by Tara Rose
Once they were out in the parking lot, Brett pulled her close. “Are you ready to talk to your grandmother?”
“Now that you’ve asked it, no.”
“We need to tell her,” said Mark. “And I don’t want to wait. I think it’s important she know right away that we’re not going to hurt you in that way.”
She pulled out of Brett’s embrace and gave Mark a hug. “You’re right. I know you are. I’m just afraid now that the time is finally here.”
“Don’t be. We’ll be right there with you.”
On the ride back into town, Nita went over several scenarios in her head, and finally decided that it hardly mattered how she told her. The end result was the same. She would know the truth at last, and hopefully she would also know that Brett and Mark were nothing like Keith and Billy.
Her grandmother was on the Internet when the three walked up to the modest apartment above the shop. She turned and smiled. “Didn’t expect you back here tonight. I found me some interesting facts about demons and curses that Alaina might could use.”
“Really?” asked Brett, moving to stand next to her. “What prompted the search?”
“She called me while you three were out. Her friend is halfway through the pages of Shona’s diary she was sent, and the stories in it match up to those in the documents so far.”
“That’s incredible,” said Mark.
Her grandmother made a noise of assent, and then pointed toward the screen. “I found me this list of demons who are known to have cursed people in this region. I gonna send it to Alaina to send to her friend, so she can look for these names.”
“Did Alaina ask you to do this?” asked Mark.
“No, I did this on my own after she mentioned names I didn’t recognize in all the reading I done.”
“New demons?” asked Nita.
“Not new, child. Just rare, but local. Don’t it make sense the people who wanted them men cursed would summon one from their own culture and background?”
“It does. But haven’t Brett’s and Mark’s ancestors explored that option before?”
“Mayhap, but they be a lot of demons out there. They didn’t know where to look. Jan done narrowed the search thanks to Shona’s diary.”
“Did you know Shona when she was alive?” asked Brett, his voice full of awe.
Phyllis’s dark eyes gleamed. “I was wonderin’ when one of you would figure that out. Course I knew her. I done lived here all my life. My husband’s family came here from St. Croix, where Nita and I still have kin. But I was born here, and I knew all your grandmothers and grandfathers. And I remember William, Robert, Iago, and Agapito, although I was only a child when they all passed.”
Nita glanced toward each of them in turn. “It’s so bizarre to realize that diary has been in your family’s possession all this time, and no one thought to use it before now to explore the origins of the curse.”
“No one put the clues together in the same room, so to speak, before,” said Mark. “Crazy, if you think about it. The time we’ve spent researching the curse hasn’t been focused because everyone was hoarding the clues, so we were searching too broadly.”
Phyllis chuckled. “Alaina ain’t a native. That why she came up with the solution.”
“And it’s also why she’ll be head of sales one day,” said Mark.
The defeat in his voice was evident, and Nita caressed his arm. “You don’t know that. And even if that does happen, I’m sure she and Sallyanne both recognize your contribution to the department.”
Mark kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you, hon. That’s sweet. But let’s get to why we came up here, okay?”
She sighed, moving to stand next to her grandmother. “We have something to tell you, but I don’t want to disturb your research.”
Her grandmother closed the browser. “Child, ain’t no hurry on this. What you got to tell me is more important. Let’s go and sit down.”
Once they were seated in the living room, Nita rose again and asked the guys if they wanted anything, but Brett pointed to the spot next to him on the sofa. “Sit. Talk.”
She took her seat again, turning her gaze toward her grandmother. “I know you remember Keith Durante from when I dated him in high school.”
Phyllis nodded.
“What I don’t think you know is how badly he treated me.” She could do this. “He…he persuaded me…no. That isn’t right. He forced me into having sex with him. Three times. I mean he held me down and forced me to.”
Brett stroked her arm. “It’s all right. It wasn’t your fault, Nita. You were young.”
“Young and so damn confused because he was so…popular, and all the girls in my grade fawned over him. I was so naïve. I didn’t want to have sex, but I let him do it three times and didn’t fight hard enough to stop him. But when I finally refused again, he…he called me a lot of names. Worse than that. He spread horrible lies about me. His friend, Billy Raleigh—”
“Paul’s son,” said Phyllis, cutting her off. “I know him, too.”
Her voice was filled with disgust, and for the first time since high school, Nita realized her grandmother didn’t hold all the Raleighs or Durantes in such high regard. That surprising revelation loosened her tongue even more.
“Yes, that’s right. He and Keith were good friends, and after I refused to keep having sex with Keith, he and Billy started a smear campaign that lasted the remainder of my sophomore year. They tried to make everyone believe I went after Keith for his money, and was trying to trick him into marrying me. I never told anyone until I told Brett and Mark that Keith forced me into it. And I’m all confused about it because I thought I had no choice. He’s a Durante and I’m just me. A native. But I shouldn’t have let it happen, and I should have told someone after it did.”
Nita watched the emotions cross her grandmother’s face, and nearly recoiled at the anger in her dark eyes. Rarely did she become angry with anyone.
“It was horrible. Even some of the girls I thought were my friends looked at me differently. I’d open my locker each morning to notes that had been slipped in through the air slots. Everything from some girl calling me a gold digger to guys writing down their phone numbers and telling me I’d have a good time with them. It felt like half the grade thought I was a slut, and the other half believed I was an idiot for letting Keith do what he did.”
Brett moved closer and placed an arm across her shoulder. Nita leaned against his warm body for strength.
“It didn’t back down for close to six months, and by that time, I barely spoke to anyone at school. I felt so used and so…so stupid.”
Phyllis fixed her gaze on Brett and Mark, narrowing her eyes. “Tell me you two didn’t know about this.”
“We didn’t,” said Brett. “Keith and Billy are assholes. We ignored most of what they said then, and we still do.”
“Billy works in sales, with me,” said Mark, “But we didn’t know about this until Nita told us yesterday.”
“And we encouraged her to tell you,” said Brett. “She’s been afraid to, and she’s been afraid all of us are like that. We’re not. We’d never hurt her. Never.”
Her grandmother shook her head, her gaze sympathetic now. “All this time, child…why didn’t you say something?”
“Because I was so ashamed. I was all mixed up about it. I should have said something after the first time but I didn’t. I went out with him again. And then I thought that because I didn’t fight him hard enough, that no one would see it as him forcing me to do it. And because you’ve never spoken ill of any Durante or Raleigh. I was so…humiliated.”
She swiped impatiently at her tears. This wasn’t the time to fall apart. “I was so confused. I didn’t know what to do. How could I fight something like that? Coming from both families?”
“It didn’t come from the families,” said Mark. “Only those two asswipes.”
“He’s right, child. But I understand why you couldn’t tell me.” She held out her arms.
“Come here.”
Nita let her grandmother wrap her thin arms around her, and then closed her eyes against the onslaught of emotions. She was the only parent she’d ever known. She didn’t remember hers. “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
Her grandmother stroked her hair, the way she used to do when Nita was very small. “Hush, child. No need for apologies now. You told me. It’s over. They won’t never hurt you no more. I will make sure of that. And unless I’m mistaken, so will these two fine men here with you now.”
“We will,” said Brett.
“You can bet on it,” said Mark.
“And I think we need to pay Keith and Billy a little visit,” said Brett. “Far away from Phoebe’s Playthings this time.”
“No,” said Phyllis. “Don’t go doin’ that. Violence begets more violence. Let karma catch up to them two. She will.”
Even though Nita agreed with her grandmother, she loved it that Brett and Mark were ready to defend her to that extent. No one had ever done that for her, and it made her believe they’d meant what they said. That they wanted to be her Doms and would never hurt her. For the first time since Saturday afternoon, she believed this was real.
When Nita stood, she glanced over her grandmother’s face with alarm. “You look really tired. Are you feeling okay?”
She waved a hand in the air. “Oh, child. I be fine. Just old. Now you go on with your evening. I’m sure you want to be with these two some more.” She stood. “You sure you don’t want nothin’ to eat or drink? I’m gonna make me a nice cup of tea.”
Nita used her grandmother’s exit from the room to give Mark and Brett each a hug. “That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I feel incredibly foolish for waiting all these years to tell her.”
“Please don’t,” said Brett. “You couldn’t have known how she’d react. And I understand your fear. You assumed both our families were behind Keith and Billy, when I can assure you that if most of them had known, they would have been furious at what those two had done.”
“I was wrong to assume that.”
“You didn’t know that either,” said Mark. “Please stop beating yourself up about this.” He brushed a lock of hair off her face. “It’s over now. They will never hurt you again, just like she said. And we’re here to protect you if they ever try.”
She smiled. “Then you’re truly my heroes.” She glanced toward the kitchen at the sound of soft humming. “I’m worried about her. She looks more tired than usual.”
“She’s not used to being alone,” said Mark gently. “You do everything for her, don’t you?”
Nita nodded. “Yes, I do. That’s true.”
“Do you want to stay here tonight?” asked Brett. “We’d understand.”
Nita bit her lip. She didn’t know what to do.
“And don’t go assuming I said that because we don’t want to hold you and make love to you again. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Heat rushed to her face. “Guess you can read my mind, Brett Durante.”
“Guess I can.” He kissed her softly on the lips. “Why don’t you stay here tonight? You’ve worn us out anyway.”
“I’m pretty sore, too,” she said quietly.
“Complaining?” asked Mark, nuzzling her neck.
Nita moaned. “No. And if you keep that up I’m not staying here tonight.”
“Talk about mixed signals.”
“Yes, Sir. And you’re the two sending them.”
“All right,” said Brett, chuckling. “I’m making an executive decision. Nita is staying here tonight.”
“We can all stay,” said Mark, kissing her collarbone.
“Dude, let her go. We’re all exhausted.”
“Speak for yourself.”
Nita laughed, but all that did was earn her another tight hug from Mark. “Mr. Accountant is right, but I don’t like it.”
Brett moved closer to her, and she inhaled his scent, suddenly wishing she lived with them. Then this conversation wouldn’t be necessary. But she couldn’t leave her grandmother alone like that.
“That only means she’ll have to work extra hard next time we’re together to make her Doms happy.”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered as shivers ran down her spine at Brett’s words. The expression on his face nearly made her come. How was this possible? All this time both men had been right there, and she’d never known them. She’d never known it was possible for a Durante or a Raleigh to be charming without also being cruel, or charismatic without having a hidden agenda.
“We’re holding you to that,” he said, kissing her on the lips. “Until tomorrow then.”
“Until tomorrow.”
Once they were out the door, Nita went into the kitchen and sat next to her grandmother. “Are you upset with me?”
“Child, course not. But you shoulda gone home with them. You don’t have to stay here with me.”
“I’m tired.”
Her grandmother chuckled. “Mayhap I’d be tired, too, if I had two handsome men in my bed. Now, what we gonna do here on a Sunday night?”
“I want to hear one of the stories about your childhood.”
Phyllis smiled and then patted her hand. “Just like old times.”
Chapter Sixteen
Brett and Mark stayed awake Sunday night until nearly midnight, talking about everything from Nita living with her grandmother above their shop to what Jan had discovered hidden inside the stories in Shona’s diary. They debated how quickly they were moving with Nita, and at the end of the conversation, both men concluded it didn’t feel too fast to them.
“This is so odd,” said Brett. “If this were a spreadsheet, I’d say someone had transposed numbers. Nothing adds up.”
“Good thing Nita isn’t a spreadsheet.”
“You know what I mean.” They sat outside on the deck at Mark’s house, overlooking the lake that separated Phoebe’s Playthings from the hospital across it. There were no sailboats out tonight. The evening air was cold, but neither man cared about that.
Brett took another sip of his beer. “I mean, this makes no sense. We’ve known her all our lives but not really, you know? And yet here we are, talking about being her Doms and trying to figure out which of us would sell his house so she can live with us. Hell, I’ll sell mine in a heartbeat. It’s too big for me.”
“It’s not nearly as large as most of them.”
“I know, but I’d be just as happy in a condo like the one Estevan had, you know?”
“I hear you. I’d sell mine, too.” Mark chuckled. “Maybe we should rent an apartment downtown? The hell with the houses. Nita can’t quit the shop, because Phyllis has no help.”
“You’re assuming she wants to quit.”
“Good point. She’s never really said that, has she? She loves what she does.”
“True. She’s happy. But what if we found someone to help Phyllis? Even part-time? Then Nita wouldn’t feel so obligated to be there all the time.”
“I don’t think it’s only the issue of help in the shop. Phyllis is seventy years old. She knows she won’t live forever. I imagine she intends to simply pass on the shop to Nita.”
“And Nita won’t leave her to live alone.”
Mark shook his head. “No, she won’t. And we can’t ask her to do that.”
“So are you suggesting we find another voodoo priestess to take over the shop one day so Nita can spend less time there now, but still be close to Phyllis?”
“They have family on St. Croix. Isn’t that what Nita and Phyllis both told us?”
Brett nodded. “Yes, but it doesn’t mean one of them would come live here and take over the shop.”
“It might.” Mark sat forward now, his eyes alive with excitement. “Don’t you remember she mentioned her cousin Petra who just left her boyfriend? Maybe she’d like a fresh start right here on Sybaris Cove?”
Brett laughed. “Dude, if you’d told me all this a week ago, I’d have told you to quit smok
ing whatever it is you started smoking. But tonight, it’s not crazy. It makes perfect sense. So how do we tell them we’ve just planned the rest of their lives for them?”
Mark snorted. “Yeah. You’re right. Our plans sound pretentious as hell. But the thing is, I don’t want to be without her. I hated leaving her tonight.”
Brett stared up at the cool, starlit night. “Yeah, me, too. I don’t want to be without her either.” And he knew it was true. He knew it as certainly as he knew his own name.
* * * *
The remainder of the week passed by in a blur for Nita. The guys came over for dinner each night, and even when all she made them were cheeseburgers, they raved about the food and spent the time talking to her and Phyllis. They appeared genuinely interested in everything her grandmother had to say, and Nita kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. How could these two be real?
She spent each night in one of their homes, alternating between the two. On Monday they told her they had a special surprise planned for her that Friday night, and consequently there was only minimal play when she stayed with them, but their lovemaking was as exciting and passionate as it had been Saturday.
By Thursday, Nita was dying for more play because she couldn’t get enough of Brett and Mark. She’d never believed she’d have sex again, or that she would enjoy it, let alone this. They’d not only proven both assumptions wrong, over and over, but they’d awoken a side of Nita she never knew existed.
And it wasn’t only the sex. Every afternoon they sent her roses of all colors, and each time they included a note, telling her they knew how much she loved them, and how they couldn’t wait to see her again. No one had ever sent her flowers before, and Nita almost cried each time the next box was delivered. The shop and apartment were filled with the scent by the end of the week.
The men texted her all day long, and she’d easily fallen into the routine of addressing them each as Sir, even in text messages. When she sent them a selfie of her naked and kneeling on Tuesday afternoon, along with a short poem she wrote about offering her submission to them, they asked her to pledge her submission every morning, in person. They in turn offered their protection and guidance to her.
