by Zoey Marcel
“Okay, this berry limeade or whatever.”
When the server returned and asked Brighton what he wanted, Kale ordered for him. Brighton grew warmer by the minute. His cock throbbed in his pants. He’d never had anyone order food for him before. Kale’s take-charge manner left him hot and bothered and somewhat shaken by his body’s response to the man. Brighton had known for a while that he was bi-curious, but Kale was absolutely killing him. Maybe he should walk away before he ended up begging for a kiss and jeopardizing his entire mission.
“Why are we eating together?” he asked shyly.
What’s wrong with me? I’m not shy. I’m Brighton McAlister, damn it.
Kale focused on him again. “You’re my sugar baby. We’ll be spending plenty of time together.”
Sweet baby Jesus, I’m screwed.
Brighton swallowed, his mouth watering even as his throat felt parched. “You realize I’m a man, don’t you?”
Kale smiled, torturing his poor cock further. “Yes, I’m very aware of that.”
A renewed bout of sass fired his tongue. “You think by spending time with me that you can try to prove me wrong? I know what you’re trying to do. You hope I’ll eventually give up and then we’ll part ways and you’ll secretly look for a female sugar baby, hoping that I’ll think you just wanted company and won’t post this video all over YouTube.” He pointed at the other man. “Don’t underestimate me.”
Kale’s confidence never wavered. “How do I know you aren’t after my money? The women are as guilty of greed as the men are of lust.”
“Exactly.” Brighton stuck his finger in the man’s face.
“Move your finger.”
He flushed and moved his digit, eyes dropping. “Sorry.”
Kale appeared pleased. “You learn fast.”
Oh my God, he’s killing me!
His dick pounded with yearning. Brighton adjusted himself discreetly.
“Is something wrong?”
He blushed. “No. Why would anything be wrong?”
“You’re very twitchy. You seem uncomfortable.”
Damn it! Does he know I’m hard? How could he? He’s straight. At least, I think he is.
Brighton figured any chemistry between them was probably in his head. Kale was hoping for the woman in the picture, Danielle.
“I’m fine.”
“Tell me about yourself, the truth. I want to know how much of your profile was truth and what was fabrication,” Kale said.
“Well, I’m a man, obviously.” God, that smile of his was dark and enthralling. “But everything else was true.”
“Does your fiancée know you’re doing this?”
“Yeah. She doesn’t care. It would be hypocritical of her anyway since I’m sharing her with my brother and Heath.”
Kale’s countenance shadowed and his voice cooled. “Heath Brodie?”
“Yeah, you know him?”
“No.”
Brighton smirked. “I think you do.”
“You share your fiancée with your brother?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you share your woman with them at the same time?”
“Yeah, why?”
Kale’s timbre turned dusky. “Did the other man’s naked body excite you?”
“What?” Brighton blushed hard.
The server set their fried mozzarella sticks and warm pizza sauce down, smiling a little when she overheard.
Kale seemed unfazed by the fact that someone was privy to their private discussion. He thanked the server and waited for her to leave. When she did he turned his attention to him again. “Answer the question.”
His shaft plumped at the firm command. Brighton squirmed in the booth, concerned and elated by the fact that his penis had filled out into a full-blown erection.
“What does that have to do with anything? I share Danielle with Heath because they have feelings for each other. I didn’t do it for naked man-loving time.”
“You’re blushing.”
His cheeks were inflamed as he poked at the fried cheese sticks. “I’m not gay.”
“I know you’re not.”
“Maybe you like the idea of Heath’s naked bod.” Brighton chomped on the appetizer, relishing the crisp fried coating and the gooey, melted center.
Kale’s demeanor became cold again. “I do not like Heath Brodie.”
Something clicked. “Hey, wait a minute. Kale Enos. You’re Heller’s younger brother. You guys moved out of Stone River years ago because of Heath’s big mouth.”
“Heath outed my brother’s bisexuality.”
“Yeah, that’s right. I don’t know why I didn’t put two and two together.”
Brighton froze when he suddenly remembered that Kale was rumored to be bi. His profile had said he’d been looking for a female sugar baby, so Brighton doubted the man wanted sex from him. Kale was probably just trying to get him off his back about posting the footage of his sugar daddy business all over the Internet.
“You’re Brighton McAlister?” Kale asked.
“Yeah. You’ve heard of me, huh?”
“I heard you were a prankster and something of a spoiled brat.”
Brighton grinned. “Hey, I’m the youngest in a rich family. What did you expect? I didn’t do this for money. My daddy’s loaded. I don’t need money. I’m out to prove a point. Just admit your horny ways about wanting to do a woman and I’ll be on my way.”
“I’m making you my sugar baby so we can spend time together.”
“What?” His head flew up and he met Kale’s electric gaze. “You’re gonna carry on this charade even though I’m not a woman? You actually want to spend time with a man to cover up your perverted nature?”
Kale’s slow smile did things to him. The intensity in his stare turned Brighton on more than he thought possible. “Yes, Brighton, I want you.”
Chapter Two
Danielle Hartwell flipped through a bridal catalog, ooing and aahing over all the pretty shinies. “What are you looking at?”
Her older brother, Dominic, sat across the table from her, poring over files. “Just police work. Trying to make sense of it.”
“They didn’t run it by you at the academy, huh?”
“Very funny. It’s just this case I’m working on. There’s a serial killer running around stabbing people, among other things. Some of the killings seem ritualistic.”
She glanced up from her open magazine, feeling her features twist in concern. “Really?”
“Yeah, it’s gruesome stuff. Don’t go anywhere alone.”
“I’ll be all right.”
“I mean it, Danielle. Whoever this bastard is, he’s sick. Have a look at this.”
She peeked over at the photo he held up. “Ew! I didn’t want to see that.”
“Good. That’ll keep you cautious and safe.”
She shook her head and turned the page, admiring pictures of pastel blooms tucked into white roses and lush green ferns. “What makes you think the killer is a man?”
“Well, the semen found on some of the bodies kind of gave it away.”
Her mood became dejected. “He’s one of those creeps?”
“I honestly don’t know what his game is. He doesn’t rape all of his victims. Most he kills in a sacrificial ritual. To whom or what, we’re not sure yet. But it’s weird. He doesn’t touch those ones. On the occasion that he does assault a victim, he stabs them in the same way to kill them, but there’s no evidence of any kind of sacrifice with those ones. The method of murder is the same, but what transpires beforehand isn’t always.”
“Is he sacrificing virgins?”
“No. We looked into that. None of them was a virgin and it’s not just women he’s pinching off either. He’s killed a couple of men, too. They were both sacrificed. Most of the women were, but not all.” Dominic rubbed his neck while staring down at the scattered pictures. “Somewhere there’s a pattern that we’re missing. The victims were all abducted from different towns, but in t
he western half of this state. Makes it hard to locate him, but at least we know he’s probably still in South Dakota since that’s the only place these homicides keep happening.”
“At least he hasn’t fled. I really hope you guys catch him soon.”
“Yeah, I do, too.”
A knock at the door sent a glowing smile to Danielle’s face. “That’s probably Heath.”
She hopped up and went to let him in.
Heath Brodie entered. “Hey, sugar.”
“Hi, you. Come here.”
She pecked a delicate kiss on his lips and then led him by the hand into the dining room where her sibling was. “Dominic, this is Heath. He’s the man I’ve been seeing.”
Dominic looked up, throwing her a teasing smirk. “One of them.”
She grimaced, noticing the way Heath’s lips dipped briefly in displeasure before he forced a smile. She really hoped she could somehow talk him into staying with her long term. Her cowboy had said that he would be willing to share her temporarily with David and Brighton McAlister, but not permanently. She couldn’t lose any of her men. She loved the McAlisters dearly and had strong feelings for Heath as well.
He changed the subject. “What have you got there, vacation pictures?”
Dominic scoffed. “That’d be one hell of a vacation. These are pictures of the victims of some ritualistic serial killer.”
“Ah. Recent?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Don’t let Danielle out of your sight.”
“I’ll protect her.” Heath draped an arm over her shoulder and tugged her into his side.
Dominic scooped the pictures up and tucked them away in his folder. “You guys shouldn’t see these. It’s privileged information. So where are you taking my sister?”
“We were gonna head over to the McAlisters’ for the day.”
“Have fun. Make sure she stays a virgin until her wedding day.”
Danielle rolled her eyes, managing a smile.
Heath grinned. “Sure, whatever you say.”
Dominic crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. “I’ll allow hand-holding and flirting since I’m so liberal, but no playing suck face.”
“Oh my God!” she exclaimed.
Heath’s lips tilted and he blushed a little as he led her toward the door. “Okay, then. We’re gonna go now.”
Dominic laughed and reopened his file. “Have fun, children.”
She shook her head on her way out with Heath. “He enjoys being the older brother too much.”
“That’s okay. I’m the youngest in my family, so I can see why he’d enjoy the power trip.”
“Yeah, but the baby in the family gets spoiled.”
Heath snorted. “Not when I was growing up. My father was strict with both me and my brother.”
“That’s because your dad is a preacher. You still managed to turn out pretty wayward.”
He helped her up into his truck. “I’m the good one.”
“Yeah, I’m not buying it.”
He tickled her, seeming amused by her girlish squeals before shutting the door. After he got in and stuck his key in the ignition, he paused when she said his name.
“David and Brighton were hoping to have a four-way with us again.”
Heath didn’t say anything for a minute as he homed in on the windshield.
“We don’t have to, but you said it would be okay and that you had fun the last time we did it.”
“I also said I would only have foursomes with you and them if we did it at my apartment or anywhere else. Not at their house.”
She didn’t get it. What was wrong with getting it on at the McAlisters’?
“Why are you so dead set against getting freaky there? Their father is away right now and the servants wouldn’t be in the room watching us or anything.”
“I said no.” He looked right at her, speaking firmly.
She stopped talking and her gaze fell to her lap.
He sighed and caressed her thigh. “I’m sorry. I’d just feel more comfortable doing it at my place.”
“It would be nice if you opened up to me more.”
“It would be nice if it was just the two of us.” He moved his hand and started the engine.
She felt bad. It would make this a lot easier if she didn’t have feelings for several men, but she couldn’t choose between them, and Heath wasn’t obligated to stick around. She really hoped he did, though. Despite their torrid, newfound relationship, she really liked him.
* * * *
Heath Brodie didn’t necessarily hate the McAlister sons of bitches and he certainly wasn’t envious of their annoyingly opulent house full of bullshit luxury. He just didn’t want to be a mere number to his Sugar.
But there were much darker reasons not to linger in that household.
Talking and visiting with the two hosts, who lacked the asshole qualities that would have made it easier to snatch Danielle away from them, went fine.
It was the heart-stopping moment when a few of their servants walked into the living room that left Heath on edge, and not in a good way.
“We’re being rude,” David said. “We should introduce our guests.”
Brighton flashed the two men by the fireplace a teasing smirk. “They’re servants. They don’t need introductions. Just do whatever I tell you to.”
Both men shook their heads, smiling stoically.
“I’m just kidding. That’s Chuck, the yard pimper, and Siegfried, the door opener,” Brighton said.
Danielle laughed lightly.
David’s eyebrows furrowed and he gave his brother an “Okay, then” look.
Chuck snickered. “Would you have hired me if I’d worded it that way on my resume?”
“I so would have,” Brighton replied.
Siegfried shook his head, lips twitching. “You’re aware that I do more than open doors all day?”
“Well, I should certainly hope so.”
David faced Heath and Danielle. “Anyway, you’ve met Trudy, the cook.”
The plump, older woman waved at them. “Hello.”
Danielle smiled at her. “Yes, we’ve met.”
Heath gave her an acknowledging wave, wishing more than anything that David hadn’t introduced him to one of the men by the fireplace. They already knew each other and that was the last thing he wanted to be reminded of.
“That’s Heath,” David said.
Heath nodded at them, withholding eye contact from that one man as much as possible.
Danielle was her friendly, bubbly self and engaged all three servants in conversation. She was a real sweetheart.
Heath felt that man’s eyes on him, sharp blue eyes, cold and calculating. He could put on a damned good front. Heath supposed it was possible for a person to change, or for an isolated incident to occur. Regardless, he didn’t want to know.
“Yeah, okay. That’s enough of that crap,” Brighton said loud enough so everyone turned and looked at him. “You guys get out of here. We’re gonna mess around now.”
Trudy appeared excited. “I’ll just be in the kitchen baking for you.”
Brighton laughed. “Like hell you will. You guys go somewhere for an hour or two. When you get back, you can bake us something.”
Trudy frowned. “I suspect I won’t care to without background noise.”
She and Brighton shared a laugh.
Heath gathered that Trudy had been with the McAlisters the longest and was treated more as family than a staff member.
“How about you make me blondies because I’m adorable and I’ll tell you some stuff?” Brighton bargained.
Danielle gasped. “I don’t think so, mister. You’re not telling anyone about our private business.”
He flashed her a sheepish grin. “But blondies, baby.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
Heath wasn’t used to this “Let’s all fucking talk about our sex lives with everyone” crap. He’d grown up in a religious household and while he was no stranger to naughty ro
mps, he wasn’t one to broadcast the fact that he’d gotten laid or was about to.
Fucking animals.
He really wished Brighton would shut up about it so that man wouldn’t hear.
Trudy sighed dreamily. “Well, boys, you heard the demanding young man. It appears we must go.”
“If we must,” Siegfried said with faux resignation. Maybe it was real.
Chuck looked around the room, a dirty grin crawling up his face. “Have a good time.”
Jesus.
David blushed. “Everybody out. Brighton, what the hell is wrong with you?”
Brighton let out a shameless chuckle as the servants left. “What? Dad called me a demanding, bossy little putz, so I’ve been chilling with the servants and trying to make them feel more like friends.”
“By telling them about our sex life?” David asked with a wrinkled nose.
“Yeah, man, they love it.”
“And that disturbs me even more.”
Heath’s stomach turned and he grabbed his white Stetson. He just couldn’t.
Danielle noticed him leaving and he sensed her following him. “Heath?”
Once outside, he pivoted, feeling his throat clog with regret when he looked into the dazzling innocence of brown eyes. “I can’t do this.”
Her countenance dimmed. “The ménage, or ...”
“Any of it. I’m sorry. Have fun. I’ll come back later to pick you up.”
“Heath.” She tugged his arm to stop him from walking away. “Please don’t go. I’ll tell them no. Just please don’t leave me. I don’t want to lose you.”
“I’m not a poly kind of guy. It’s not gonna work. They’re willing to share you. I’m not. The choice should be obvious if you like living it up with a different guy every night.”
“Excuse me?” Her jaw set. “I do not like living it up with a different guy every night. I happen to love them and I care about you a lot. I want you to stay.”
He stepped back when she reached for him, gut roiling when he saw that man walking in the garden with the other two servants he’d just met.
Danielle looked hurt by his rejection.
Heath scrubbed his hand over his face. “I truly am sorry. I just... I can’t.”
“Heath,” she said in a feeble tone. “If you want to get involved with David and Brighton, too, or with another man, that’s fine. I don’t mind sharing you with another man, just no women.”
