by Tara Rose
He unlocked the box with a key from the same ring, and then took out the pouch Phyllis had given him for the amulet. She said it would protect its magick. When he took out the amulet and held it up, Giselle gasped.
“I know what that is. Phyllis showed me one once. It’s for protection, right?”
“That’s right. It’s made from Ouanga, and even though that’s a poison for an enemy, if mixed with the right herbs, it becomes a charm of protection.”
“How is this connected to the curse?”
“It belonged to Javel, one of Iago’s sons. Phyllis said it has powerful magick, but she couldn’t tell where it came from originally, or who had made it. She thinks Javel might have had it made to try and protect himself from the curse.”
Giselle’s eyes widened. “Did he die while trying to leave the island, too?”
Kade smiled. “No. He died of old age. But he never did try to leave, at least not that I heard.”
“Are there other clues to the curse besides this one and the one Taj has?”
“There might be. We’re very secretive, you know.” After he put it away, Giselle said she didn’t want to go back outside, so he and Elliot brought in the rest of their lunch and they sat at the kitchen counter to finish it. Kade asked Giselle if she needed to go home for anything, and she said not unless she was staying a third night.
“Don’t leave at all,” said Elliot. “Let’s just move you into our homes right now.”
She laughed, but he saw deep in her eyes that she would do it, just like that. Elliot made a joke out of what he’d just said, but Kade thought it was more to keep her from feeling awkward than because he’d actually been fooling around. He’d meant it. Kade knew that. And Giselle did, too.
But they needed to be careful. If they moved too quickly, they might scare her off. They’d both spent so much time worshipping her from afar. Now that she was here…and it was real…Kade still found it difficult to believe. He didn’t want her to leave his house. Hell. He’d move in with Elliot so all three of them could live there instead. What did it matter? They were together all the time anyway. As long as he could hold Giselle in his arms, and look into her beautiful eyes as he made love to her, he was good to go.
When the clouds thickened as they did on summer afternoons and more rain threatened, they decided to go over to Elliot’s house and play pool, since she’d mentioned playing so well.
Kade had the music studio but his friend had built a room that looked like the inside of a sports bar. It had an oblong light over the pool table, and a smaller one over the wet bar. The wood was dark and the floor was made of planks. In addition to a pool table, Elliot had brought in a card table for poker, a dartboard, and he’d even installed a big-screen TV.
Giselle lined up a shot and Kade was too busy watching her ass to realize she was about to sink a ball that would give her a huge advantage in this particular game. He had no idea where she’d learned to play or when, but she was good. “You could have one heck of a party in this room.”
She sunk the ball, and Elliot swore under his breath. She laughed, so he smacked her ass with the pool cue while she pretended to dance out of his reach. “You want a party? How about we tie you to the card table and beat you with pool cues?”
She laughed, and Kade’s dick was rock hard again. He hadn’t been this horny for such an extended length of time since high school. Images of paddling her with the damn pool cues danced through his head. She’d probably let them do it, which made the idea all the more enticing. Maybe he should approach Asa with the idea for a new product?
“Or we could simply use canes.” Elliot glanced toward Kade. “We have a few of those in the company catalog, don’t we?”
“Quite a few. Should I go and find them?”
Elliot leaned over the table to line up a shot. “Let me shorten her lead a bit first.”
Giselle laughed. “I don’t think you’re going to win this game.”
She was right. Elliot and Kade both lost to her, and then she beat them at a second game. “Where did you learn to play so well?” asked Kade.
“Believe it or not, from my sisters. They used to hang out at The Pit before it burned down.”
Kade frowned. “That place drew a rough crowd.”
She shrugged. “You know those two. They’re idiots. But they did teach me to play.”
“We must remember to thank them.” He and Giselle both laughed at the sarcasm in Elliot’s voice.
They sat down to watch TV, and Kade wasn’t surprised when all three of them kept falling asleep. “I think we should get some rest.” He winked at Giselle. “Otherwise you really will have to stand up to work tomorrow, and then the rumors will fly for sure.”
“You two won’t be upset?”
He pulled her close and chuckled. “Don’t be silly. Elliot and I are exhausted.”
“That’s true,” said Elliot. “But once we recover, look out, beautiful.”
Kade swore he felt her shiver. “I can’t wait,” she whispered. As the three made their way out to Kade’s Jeep so they could take Giselle home, he wished she really did live here with them. But they would see her again. And maybe one day they’d move her out of her apartment for good. He had to relax and let this run its course. But now that they’d shared this weekend with her, he also knew there was no way he could ever give her up.
* * * *
Monday morning, Elliot spent more time watching Giselle work than doing anything else. It was close to ten in the morning before he settled in to search for more information on Gregory Flores and Staci Wanamaker. He found the same marriage license from 1996 but could not find a divorce decree. That didn’t mean they were still married, however. Not all states and counties had those records online yet. But he knew they were still in contact because their names kept coming up jointly in searches after their marriage date.
They bought a home together in Wappinger Falls, New York two years after they were married, and recently purchased one in New Orleans as well. He couldn’t find any evidence that the home in New York had been sold, which meant it was possible they still owned two homes together. That took a lot of income, especially with them being in separate states.
He had just begun to look for information on Paolo Greco’s name linked with Staci’s when Asa strolled into his office. Elliot didn’t close the windows on his computer screen, but he did turn around.
“Heard a rumor,” said Asa.
“What a coincidence. So did I.”
Asa frowned, clearly confused. “This one concerns you and Kade.”
Elliot smiled. “Oh. That one. You go first then.”
Asa perched on the edge of Elliot’s desk. “You were spotted having dinner with one of your employees. Both of you.”
Elliot nodded. “Yes, that’s right. Giselle Macey. You know her parents quite well, from what I hear.”
“Cut the crap, Elliot. You know how I feel about mixing business with pleasure.”
Elliot rose and closed the door to his office, then stood and faced Asa. “I respect you and Tim because you both run this company. You know that. But I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t lecture me or Kade on mixing business with pleasure.”
Asa had the grace to almost look embarrassed. “All right. Point taken. But do you think it’s wise to choose her, of all people?”
“What does that mean, exactly? You and Tim are friends with her parents. Why would you object to their daughter?”
Asa looked really uncomfortable now and the hair on the back of Elliot’s neck prickled. What the fuck was going on? “I don’t object to her. I just want you two to be careful.”
“We will be. But I need to change the subject, and not because I’m not hearing what you’re saying. I have some disturbing news to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Elliot told Asa about spotting Paolo and Staci all cozy at the snack bar Saturday, and then he showed him what he’d found online so far. “I’m looking for a connection b
etween Staci and Paolo next.”
“Son of a bitch.” Asa sat down at Elliot’s desk and brought up a website that Elliot had never seen before. “This is the parent company for What’s Your Pleasure.”
“They have a parent company?”
“Yeah. I was a bit surprised, too, since they claim to be independent. But Tim checked this out for me and said it’s legit.” Asa turned to face Elliot. “Would you mind digging a bit deeper? I can’t tackle this right now. See if you can find a connection between them and Pony Tails, Staci, Paolo or Dean Weller. I’m wishing I’d taken the time to do this on my own before I okayed their visit.”
“It wasn’t you who checked them out, then?”
“No. It was not.”
“Do you think Tim missed something?”
Asa gave Elliot a dark look. “I’m hoping that’s all it was.”
“What? Are you saying you think Tim kept something from you on purpose?”
“Would that really shock you, Elliot?”
The two men stared at each other, and Elliot had to admit it wouldn’t shock him at all. It was no secret that Asa didn’t completely trust Tim. And after the recent fiasco with Sallyanne and Alex Nesfield, Asa trusted him even less now.
“I guess not. Okay. Will do. I’ll start searching now.”
Asa rose. “If you find anything, you can tell Kade, but no one else except me. Understood?”
“Yep. Got it.”
“And think about what I said. Giselle isn’t the right woman for you two to become involved with.”
Elliot stared at Asa’s retreating back. There was obviously more to his friendship with Giselle’s parents than either he or Kade knew, and now Elliot was determined to unearth that secret as well. He wasn’t going to give Giselle up. Not now. Not after everything they’d shared this weekend. He and Kade had waited most of their lives for this opportunity. He wasn’t going to cave to Asa’s request without a damn good reason.
* * * *
Giselle couldn’t stop humming under her breath Monday as she worked, nor could she get the music she’d heard this weekend out of her head. But that was fine with her. It brought back delicious memories, and her entire body broke out in goose bumps each time she allowed those images to wash over her.
Every so often, she’d glance up at the offices perched above the work floor to find Kade or Elliot watching her. And each time she’d smile, but take care not to let her gaze linger, in case Norm or someone else was watching too closely.
It wasn’t that she was ashamed of what they’d done together. Far from it. But she didn’t want to cause trouble for them. They’d said they didn’t care what anyone thought, but now in the harsh light of day, she wasn’t so sure she could be as nonchalant about it as they were. She loved this job and didn’t want to lose it. Plus, her parents had a great relationship with Tim and Asa, and Giselle would die before she’d ruin that for them.
Not even Norm could spoil her mood today, but she did notice how much he walked down her aisle. Had he always done that? Yes. Now that Elliot and Kade had pointed it out to her, she couldn’t unsee it, and that unnerved her. She also caught herself thinking about what Elliot had seen at the snack bar, and the fact that Norm had been in Lady of The Night with Staci months ago.
Was he still in touch with her? Did he know that she and Paolo had been at the concert Saturday? Were they still on the island? Had Kade or Elliot been able to find out anything further on the pair? And worse, what if Norm were somehow still involved? What if he was feeding company secrets to Staci or Paolo?
Each glance he gave her now was suspect. Every time he passed close to her she pulled away slightly in revulsion. She’d barely tolerated him before. Now, she found herself wanting to blurt out the questions or rain down accusations on him. She needed to get a grip and concentrate on her job. Kade and Elliot weren’t idiots. They’d find the connections.
“Care to have lunch with us?”
She whirled around at the sound of Kade’s voice. It was difficult to maintain a neutral face as she stared into his eyes. No one had heard him. He’d practically whispered. But she was suddenly certain everyone was watching them, even though a quick glance around told her no one was paying any attention. “Really?”
He smiled. “Yes, really. Meet us in the hallway outside our offices in ten minutes.”
How could a girl refuse an invitation like that?
Chapter Twelve
Giselle had brought her lunch that day as always, but she usually ate outside with several coworkers. It felt odd to be slinking around the offices upstairs, and she kept waiting for someone to ask her why she was there. But her fears proved groundless when Elliot and Kade met her in the hallway and took her into Kade’s office.
The blinds on the windows that overlooked the floor where she worked were closed, giving the space a cool, secretive aura. Elliot closed and locked the door as Kade pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Her body couldn’t help but respond, but the kiss was cut too short.
“I wish we could,” he said, nuzzling her neck. “I really do, but it’s far too risky.”
Elliot moved behind her and caressed her ass cheeks. “However…I do believe we promised you fun with canes later.”
She giggled as fresh desire coursed through her body. “Did you? I can’t seem to remember that.”
He smacked her ass cheeks and she moaned softly. “All right, smart-ass. That comment will earn you a red ass for sure.”
“Promises, promises.”
Both men groaned. Kade released the embrace and pulled over three chairs so the three could sit at a small round table to eat. “She’s going to kill us with sex.”
Elliot kissed her hair before taking his seat. “But what a way to go.”
Giselle sat down and took out her sandwich and apple. “This is nice. Thank you.”
“We didn’t want to wait until tonight to see you again.”
“So, why the closed blinds and locked door, then? Did someone say something?” It had been her greatest fear all morning.
“Asa did. But I told him to mind his own business.”
She stopped with her sandwich halfway to her mouth. “What?”
Elliot and Kade exchanged a quick glance, then Elliot focused his attention on her. “Don’t you worry about Asa, okay? He’s just posturing. Plus, like I said, he has no room to talk.”
“But this is exactly what I was afraid of. That you two being with me would cause trouble.”
Elliot scooted his chair closer and took the sandwich out of her hands, then grasped them. “Please don’t do this. You are not trouble. We’re with you because we want to be.”
“I could transfer to another department. That way no one can accuse you of being involved with a direct employee.”
“No way. Not happening. We’ll never find anyone who can make a custom flogger like you can.”
Kade stroked her arm. “He’s right. Everything is fine. We promise.”
They both sounded and looked so sincere that she went back to eating her lunch, praying this didn’t blow up in their faces. But she spent the rest of the afternoon watching Norm and her coworkers more closely than she ever had before, looking for subtle clues to what, she had no idea.
By the time her shift ended and she met Kade and Elliot in the parking lot, next to Kade’s Jeep, she was mentally exhausted. Kade gave her a long, searching look. “You look tired.”
“I am.” She forced a smile to her face. “You two wore me out.”
“Would you rather just have dinner and then go home and get some sleep?”
He’d given her the perfect out, but she didn’t want them to think she was trying to get out of spending time with them. “What do you two want me to do?”
He shook his head. “No. That’s not the way it works, sweetheart. We’ve already told you that if we had our way, you’d be living with us by now.”
She didn’t want to spend another night alone in her apartment, with only her para
noia for company. They’d told her all was well, and it was time she stopped acting like a damn fool and believe them. “I want to be with you two tonight.”
* * * *
After work, Kade took Giselle to her apartment so she could get enough clothes and personal items to spend the rest of the week with them. Elliot made excuses about having to finish up some work he didn’t want to leave until morning, and if Kade knew he was lying, he gave no indication of it.
He’d started digging around earlier based on Asa’s suggestions, but had been interrupted by his actual job too many times. Now, he brought up the searches he’d started on Floremaker Corporation, the parent company Asa had told him about, on his own computer and found where he’d left off earlier while still at the plant.
It was a private company that had gone to great lengths to hide its true identity and owners, but Elliot had managed to find an obscure link to an old networking site, listing Staci, Dean, and Gregory as the original owners.
He then looked for a connection between Floremaker and either What’s Your Pleasure or Pony Tails, and just as he thought he’d found something promising, Kade and Giselle returned. The three grilled grouper and veggies outside, and judging by the steady stream of chatter and laughter that Giselle kept up, her earlier fears had disappeared.
Elliot couldn’t be happier about that, but he wondered how he was going to find time to investigate all these loose ends. Asa wasn’t a patient man. Now that Elliot had planted the seed in his brain, he’d want the truth, and he’d want it quickly.
Kade said something about the three of them going to Lady of The Night this weekend, and then asked if Giselle’s parents would expect her to work.
“Well, they were rather surprised when I wasn’t there the entire weekend.”
That snapped Elliot out of his reverie. “I guess we need to talk to them. If you spend your weekends working for them, we’ll never get to spend them with you.”
“Can they spare you?” asked Kade.
