The Hudson House Three (Siren Publishing Ménage and More)

by Louisa Neil

  “Tension,” Alice said with a nod. “She never understood our relationship or how we could work together without sex. Naomi is a jealous bitch. I can say that now, but I’ve felt it for as long as I’ve known her.” She studied Jeff for a few moments. “Besides, what woman describes herself as Gilda! It would be different if someone said it to her, but she was always bringing it up, how similar they were. Frankly, I always thought it was an insult to Rita Hayworth.”

  “I get it. You two didn’t get along.”

  “It wasn’t for a lack of us trying,” Mason said. “I always felt she was only polite to us because she had to be. In the beginning, Alice and I both made attempts to befriend her and include her. I always felt she was counting the seconds until she was free of us. When you weren’t around, well, let’s just say her attitude changed.”

  “She would drive me crazy, tapping her foot at us like we were petulant children.” Alice didn’t try to disguise the disgust in her tone.

  “Why didn’t either of you say something? Why did you let me get engaged if you felt that way?”

  “Mainly because it wasn’t up to us to kill your love life.” Alice slid down from her perch on the desk. She walked to Jeff and kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry you loved her and she used you until a better situation came along.” Alice walked back to her work station, effectively tuning the men out, having summed it up succinctly.

  “Want to go get drunk?” Mason asked with an impish smile on his lips.

  “No. I feel like I already dodged a bullet. I guess deep down I’m not that upset. Actually, I’m relieved. Now I won’t have to worry about Cook and Marilyn leaving because of Naomi.”

  “What can I do to help?”

  “I’ll let you know when I’m ready to drown my sorrows. For now, I think I’m better off just getting back to work.”

  Mason nodded his agreement and wandered back to his computer. Jeff sat in front of his but couldn’t concentrate on anything, staring at the screen. All he felt was relief.

  * * * *

  Mason knew immediately the dynamics of their situation had drastically changed with the telegram. He was relieved he wouldn’t have to tolerate Naomi’s caustic comments about him being gay. When he first met her, she’d teased him about his feminine side. In the beginning he’d bantered back to her that it was because he excelled in areas she didn’t. He could cook, knew wines, and did his own laundry and housework. All those things she hired people to do for her. He never forgot the looks she’d give him when he answered her taunts. He could still feel the cold chill that would run through him at one of Naomi’s piercing looks.

  He’d realized early on not to argue with her. It would only reinforce her feelings, so he’d laughed at her rude jokes and made a point of spending as much time away from her as he could. When they were thrown together in social situations, he kept his distance. While he never told Jeff his true feelings about Naomi, he had thought long and hard about the move before accepting the life change. He also wondered if Jeff had ever consciously realized the tense relationship they’d formed.

  He liked working with Jeff. They understood how the other’s mind worked. He especially liked working with Alice. She was the medium that kept their business together. She was the one who remembered to return calls, and who made sure contracts were completed on time, and when necessary, would rein both men back to the job at hand instead of the random ideas they often worked on.

  Alice knew in his past he’d had bisexual experiences and didn’t care. She’d never made any comments about his sexuality or used him as the butt of a joke. She, too, had been the subject of many of Naomi’s cutting comments. But Alice hadn’t tried to befriend Naomi after her first attempts were shut down by biting remarks and hateful looks. Instead, she understood Naomi would never be a friend or even polite toward her. She’d won in the end, because her complete indifference to Naomi had driven the woman crazy. Naomi was not a woman who was used to being ignored, something Alice did with ease.

  That was when Mason noticed Naomi wasn’t coming to their new business offices as often as she did in the beginning. When the business was started, Naomi had taken to using the space as her private office as needed. She’d often stormed into the lab and demanded Jeff stop what he was doing to give her attention. Mostly, in the end, Jeff would take a break, soothe her ego, and come back to work. When Alice refused to be baited into confrontations that Naomi masterminded, she took a different tack.

  That was when she’d started telling Jeff she didn’t want him working with the college slut student who’d slept with him for grades. Mason still wasn’t sure how she’d found out. Alice and Jeff didn’t lie about their pasts together, but he knew Alice wouldn’t have told Naomi and he doubted Jeff had. Her tone had been loud and meant to be heard. It was the only time Mason ever saw Alice lose her cool. After several similar comments in the offices one afternoon, Alice stood her ground. He’d watched her slowly and methodically shut down her computer, take off her lab coat, and hang it up before walking to the far end of the lab where Jeff’s workstation was situated. Mason had rolled back from his computer and scooted the office chair a few feet closer to watch was going to happen. He hadn’t been able to see Alice’s expressions, but he could hear her and see Naomi’s face.

  Alice approached Naomi, stopping only inches from the other woman. “For the future of our new business, I will say this once and never discuss it again.” Mason watched Alice fist her hands at her sides. “Yes, I did have a sexual relationship with Jeff six years ago for a very short period of time. I was never his student. He was teaching when we met, but he was never my professor. Are you so insecure in your relationship with Jeff that you feel you have to destroy this company? Think about who you will ultimately hurt.” Alice had waited a beat and continued. “Yourself. If Jeff’s business doesn’t prosper, your future won’t be as financially prosperous as you’re hoping it will become. So for all our futures, I will be polite when it’s unavoidable in public. But here in our lab, you have no place.” She’d let out a huffing breath and taken a short step closer to Naomi. While Naomi was the same height, in her heels, it didn’t matter to Alice. “Stay out of my way, bitch. Here and in my private life.” She spun on her heel to walk away, but Naomi had grabbed her shoulder, stopping her.

  “You’re the bitch. I don’t want you working here. You’re fired.” Naomi had let out a haughty laugh. That was when Jeff stepped between them.

  “No, Naomi. You can’t fire Alice. She is a partner in the firm.”

  “But Jeff, I don’t want to have to run into her every time I come to see you.” Mason watched her lips twist into a decisive pout.

  “Naomi, you have your own offices to work from. While I love you, I won’t let you interfere in my business. I think it’s best that you and I continue meeting for dates as we did before, after working hours.”

  “You’re taking her side over mine.” Mason was surprised she hadn’t stamped her foot.

  “If you want to continue to visit me here, you have to realize Alice is my business partner, and she belongs here. She has every right to be here day or night.”

  Mason saw her hand drop from Alice’s shoulder as if Jeff’s words had burnt her. Alice turned and walked directly out of the office. They didn’t see her the rest of the day. Naomi, on the other hand, persuaded Jeff to take her to lunch, and by the time he got back, it was obvious to Mason they’d smoothed things over, probably with sex rather than food. After that day, Naomi kept clear of the lab. When there were social events they all had to attend, Jeff and Naomi would stay on one side of the party while he and Alice would work the other side.

  Alice had never made him feel self-conscious about his sexuality. Instead, she understood the angst he sometimes felt. He rarely dated people of either sex. It was just easier to be on his own, especially now that they’d all made this life change. Mason was a firm believer that when the right partner came along, he’d know it.

  The three of them had
several long conversations about the move when the opportunity came up. They all agreed they didn’t want to dissolve the company. But could Alice and Mason live on the same property, in the same house even, without World War Three starting? Jeff promised he’d keep Naomi out of the lab. And since Jeff and Naomi’s master suite was on the second floor of the east wing, and his and Alice’s suites were at the other end of the house with the grand staircase and several guest rooms separating them, they decided it would work. And if it didn’t, Jeff promised to renovate the guest quarters over the six-car garage for private quarters for both of them.

  Now it seemed that wouldn’t have to happen. Mason had known Naomi was using Jeff until someone better came along. He’d had several conversations with Jeff when they first started dating, hoping to make him see she was a user. He was in love and didn’t want to hear any criticism of Naomi. Jeff claimed he knew and would deal with it.

  “It’s beyond simple, Mason. Even if you don’t see it or understand it, I love her. Case closed.” Jeff had walked away and was engaged two weeks later.

  Mason never broached the subject again. As for Alice, after her confrontation with Naomi in the beginning, she simply kept to her daily life as if Naomi didn’t exist. He shook his head and realized the knot in his stomach was easing. Naomi wasn’t going to move there, marry Jeff, and ruin the lives they were all building. He wanted to celebrate but figured that would be crass, so he went back to his computer and his work, his head and stomach feeling better.

  * * * *

  Alice remained tight-lipped on the subject of Naomi to both men. There was no need to throw the breakup in Jeff’s face. She liked him as a person, and he was an amazing business partner. She still loved him as she had all those years ago, albeit with a refined edge. She’d known she wasn’t Jeff’s type of woman from the start, but felt when they were sleeping together he didn’t care if she wore makeup or dressed like a model. Back then, he was fine with her as she was. They’d stopped sleeping together when she finished graduate school and moved to take a job near Silicon Valley.

  That was where she’d met Mason. Their chemistry had been instant, both personally and professionally. While she didn’t call what they did actual dating, they fucked with abandon when they could find time to get away from the offices. She focused on the screen before her but wasn’t seeing anything but a blur of black and white.

  Mason was an amazing lover, conscious of her needs as well as his own. His cock was long and thick, and she felt a shiver run through her as she remembered how her body would stretch around him, accommodating his thrusts. She’d known back then in his younger college days he’d experimented with men and women. He liked being dominant, and because she trusted him, she could take the passive role and enjoy it. He was the only man she’d ever let bind her hands behind her back or blindfold her.

  On occasion she would turn the tables and take the leading role. Those times he would close his eyes and let her have free rein over his body. She also knew he stopped seeing men casually, afraid it would reflect on his work situation.

  So when they could mutually find time off from work and when they were of the same mind, they’d find a few hours to fuck with abandon. She missed those times and missed the sated feelings that came with his touch. In reality, she’d learned he preferred women, but on occasion wasn’t averse to taking toys up his butt. He’d once told her that was the best of both worlds for him, to have her to make love to and fuck without embarrassment if he wanted to use toys.

  Months later, Jeff contacted her with his idea of starting their own company. It was her suggestion that Jeff consider Mason as a member of the new team. While they were six years older than her, she never felt out of place with them. Her familiarity with both men, personally and professionally, had led her to accept Jeff’s proposal and leave her steady job. So now she’d become their partner in all ways. The three of them were equals in the business and the work. When Naomi came into the picture, she seriously considered leaving and going out on her own. It was Jeff who made her reconsider, promising Naomi wasn’t going to be a fixture in the lab.

  Mason had also asked her to reconsider leaving. He teased that if she left, he’d have to deal with Naomi on his own. While it was only a joke, she realized leaving would only give the other woman what she wanted. So Alice stayed with the company and did her job, one she loved with friends and partners she respected.

  Now, thankfully, even though it hurt Jeff, she was free of the overbearing woman who tried to make her life miserable on any level she could. Alice almost hadn’t made the move, citing Naomi as her main reason. Again, Jeff promised he’d keep her away from the business. Alice had thought long and hard before making her final decision. What had finally pushed her over was remembering the house on the Hudson that Jeff wanted them to relocate to.

  She and Mason had traveled with Jeff and Naomi to his cousin Theo’s funeral. Again, she’d made a point of keeping her distance from Naomi, and so did Mason. They’d taken long walks along the estate and both fell in love with it. At that time, it was just a dream that one day they’d find a place similar to this on the West Coast to relocate to. Alice realized Naomi was impressed with the estate more than she was with Jeff, but if he came with the house, she’d take both.

  It wasn’t until after that trip when Jeff got the news that the estate would be his. While there was legal wrangling to be dealt with, ultimately it was established he was the sole heir and rightful owner. Now her ultimate fantasy had come true. Naomi wasn’t going to move in with them and wasn’t going to make her life miserable on a daily basis. Alice was so relieved, she had to school her expressions when Jeff was around. It wouldn’t do to let him see her celebrating the demise of his engagement. She’d said the right words when the telegram came. “I’m so sorry,” and, “Whatever you need me to do to make your life easier, just let me know.” For the rest of the week, she made sure to give Jeff plenty of personal space. Mainly, she was afraid he’d see her joy and relief at his situation, and that would be cruel.

  She knew Jeff and Mason had several long talks, but after a few days she realized Jeff didn’t seem as upset as she anticipated. It was a total relief to go back to work without censoring her words.

  Chapter Five

  Alice knocked on Jeff’s door using the toe of her slipper. She heard him yell, “Come in,” and she laughed.

  “Actually, I can’t without help.” She was still laughing when he pulled the door inward. She stared at him for several seconds. She was glad she decided to pull on clean sweatpants and a hoodie after her shower. Her concession was to let her hair air dry, leaving damp splotches on her shoulders. The silver tray she was holding was heavy, and she shifted the weight of it between her hands. “Can I come in?”

  “Oh, yeah,” he said, taking a step back to let her pass.

  Alice paused and laughed. “It would be polite if you could take this heavy tray.”

  Jeff seemed a hundred miles away, she thought, and then changed her mind. He seemed three thousand miles away, to be exact. For the first days after he received the telegram, he seemed fine. Too fine, she decided. Only in the last few days he seemed preoccupied, as if he’d receded into his private thoughts and was becoming depressed. While she hated to see him this forlorn, she understood everyone dealt with loss in their own way. Maybe the reality of losing his fiancée had finally struck home. She hated what Naomi had done to him, but on another level she was relieved for her own personal state of mind. If she’d had misgivings about moving in the beginning, since the telegram arrived, she felt as if life was wonderful. Not the nicest thing to feel when your best friend was bereft, but it fit her personally.

  Finally, he seemed to come out of his fog and took the tray from her hands. He wandered into the room and stood in the center as if he wasn’t sure where to put it.

  “Why not put it on the table near the turret window,” she suggested, walking ahead of him and taking the stack of books resting there. She put t
he pile under the table and waited until Jeff put the tray down.

  “I brought you some hot chocolate,” she began. She lifted the silver pot and filled two of the three china mugs waiting. The scent wafted up to her, and she was glad she thought of this. Handing Jeff one of the mugs, he brought it to his lips and almost sipped. “Be careful,” she told him, finally getting his attention. “It’s hot. I just warmed it up.”

  “Oh,” he said and wandered to the fireplace. He put the mug on the mantel and stared into the flames.

  “It’s real hot chocolate, Jeff, not the instant stuff. I asked Cook to make it before she left. All I did was warm it up and pour it in the pot. It’s safe to drink.” She laughed at him when he turned. “It’s all right, I know my cooking talents are nil.” She dropped into one of the arm chairs beside the table and tucked her feet up under her. The chocolate smelt wonderful and she brought her mug to her lips, blowing on it before attempting to taste it. “The only thing I added was a shot of peppermint schnapps.”

  Jeff turned to her and back to his mug. He reached for it and brought it to his lips. After a tentative sip, he glanced to her. “A shot?”

  “Maybe a few shots,” she teased. “I remembered how you used to like hot chocolate with schnapps. I figured this was a good night for it.”

  “Thanks.” He turned back to watch the flames.

  “Look, I understand you’re upset. You’re allowed to be. You should be. If you weren’t, I’d be concerned. I’m not here to tell you what I think of her. I’m here to offer moral support. I understand this is upsetting, and in our case, an awkward time. But as a friend and business partner, I couldn’t just leave you alone tonight.”