by Lynn Stark
Chapter Twelve
Marley all but danced through the next few days. It was like she had been reborn, recreated, into a new and improved version of herself. Whatever had happened, she welcomed it with open arms. It was as if she had finally been freed of the chains holding her back since she had left California.
Every day that passed she found it easier to cope with Callie’s death. She was still sad at times, but the burden she had been carrying was lessening. She would always miss her darling little sister, of course. Callie had been a very important part of her life. Though she had traveled the world as a part of her job as a photojournalist, she had been lucky enough to choose most of her destinations in order to pursue those elusive butterflies for her sister. It had been a passion for them both. It had been butterfly madness, she supposed with a smile, using Roarke’s amusing term for how he felt about the butterflies decorating her body.
With sunshine pouring in the windows of the gallery, Marley decided she would have to add some kind of window treatment to prevent direct light on the paintings. Something which would block UV rays, she decided, but would allow muted light to come through. She put it on her mental list of things to do before the end of the day.
Martha followed her through the gallery. Barney had decided he was going to stay with his best buddy Chug. The two were practically inseparable, which seemed to relieve Bailey. With the new furniture delivered and placed around the gallery, the alarm system in, and the placards in place announcing the showing of Callie’s work, Marley was only left with going over the menu once again with the caterers and finalizing the selection of music with the members of the string quartet playing that evening. They would be in the gallery at the far end of the former department store, which would be rather dramatic as she had lights installed to highlight the stonework alcoves behind it.
Both Roarke and Grayson had been spending a lot of time with her. It seemed a little strange, especially since both men worked, but Marley just put it down to their wanting her to get to know them better. It made her feel very loved and her own love blossomed even more with each passing day.
But as good as she was feeling, there were moments when she felt she was being watched as she went about doing errands. It was both troubling and creepy. The feeling came and went unexpectedly. The hair on the back of her neck would stand up, causing her to look around nervously. She never saw anything unusual. These unsettling feelings were the only things marring otherwise perfect days.
With the calls behind her, Marley was suddenly at loose ends. She decided to walk down to the toy store to visit Roarke, his father Dennis, and his grandfather Roy. The men were so funny together. It was like watching three comedians working in the store. She had met them, as well as Roarke’s mother and grandmother and Grayson’s entire family, at the Walkers’ party. Wanting to continue her mood, she set the alarm and locked the door. Martha waited patiently on the sidewalk.
Marley paused in front of the store long enough to admire the beautiful placard announcing Callie’s show for the following Tuesday evening. The RSVPs were coming in from people who already owned her sister’s magnificent work. No one seemed to have a problem coming to the middle of nowhere to acquire something new, something unique, because there would be no more of it.
Fighting off the sting of tears, she began walking down the sidewalk, once again admiring the charming town. It never ceased to amaze her how beautiful it was, so peaceful and laid-back. She had certainly found the perfect place to heal.
When Martha began growling Marley’s peaceful world came screeching to a dead stop. She froze, the strange sensation of being watched creeping over her again like a cold chill. Never in all the years she’d had the dog had she ever heard Martha growl. And it wasn’t just a growl. It was a threat and a warning. At nearly two hundred pounds Martha could do some damage to someone if she chose to.
Placing her hand on her collar, she looked in the direction Martha was staring. There was a man across the street, standing in the center of the park. He was big and wearing dark clothes. There was nothing extraordinary about him. In fact, he looked quite ordinary, until she got the feeling she had seen him somewhere before.
The club, Marley remembered suddenly. She had seen him at The Silver Edge. He was the man who had hit the woman who was his submissive. Shivering, wondering why he was staring at her, Marley tugged Martha’s collar.
“Martha, come along,” Marley commanded firmly when the huge dog didn’t budge. “Martha, heel,” she said, her voice thinning out and rising an octave as the man began walking in her direction, reaching the sidewalk around the park, where he paused again to stare at her. Her whole body tensed. She looked around frantically. Martha wasn’t going to move. Even trying to drag her would be almost impossible. Obviously the dog thought taking a stand was the thing to do. Stupid dog. She pulled her phone out and punched the speed dial number for Grayson. When he answered, she could have cried out her relief. “That man from the club is here. He’s crossing the street from the park. Martha won’t move. I can’t leave her.”
Grayson’s voice was intense. “Leave her, baby. Just run. Get back in the gallery if you’re close. If not, just get into any store along there and lock the door. Martha will follow you. I’m on my way. Run, baby.”
As much as she loathed leaving her beloved dog behind, Marley listened to Grayson and ran to the nearest store. It was the bakery of all things, operated by two of the sweetest women she had ever met. They were behind the counter in their pink-and-white-striped uniforms, white caps on their heads as they served the customers in line. Their smiles of welcome turned to shock as she rushed in.
When she went to close the door and lock it she saw that Grayson had been right. Martha had followed her. She opened the door, the dog shot in, and then she was slamming and bolting it. She stumbled back as the man reached the door and jerked the handle, trying to get in. Martha jumped up, putting her front feet on the door. She was a good foot taller than he was and stared down at him, every white tooth showing.
“Everybody please go to the back,” Marley ordered shakily. “Grayson’s on his way. I don’t know what this man wants, but it can’t be good.”
She went with them, leaving Martha again, as she and the others left the sales area and closed the door. Sirens could be heard and relief swept through her. She didn’t know what the man wanted from her. Why would he focus his attention on her? She didn’t even know him. When she’d moved from California she had hoped she had left the scary people behind.
With her heart pounding in her chest, Marley unlocked the door and peeked out. She could see Grayson and two other deputies, Tim Macon and Cherry Preston. She had met both at the Walker party, which she had gone to with her men.
They were wrestling the man into handcuffs. A large black German shepherd, which was snarling and snapping, was making him cooperate a little more than he had the last time. But not by much. Obviously he wasn’t easily intimidated.
When Marley saw Roarke she left the room and joined a barking Martha at the front door. She unlocked it and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist.
“What’s going on?” she cried, her whole body shaking with both fear and relief. “I don’t even know that man. Why was he coming after me?”
There was a moment when Roarke seemed to decide whether he should tell her or not. A sigh escaped him even as he hugged her tight.
“He escaped from the jail the other night. He picked the locks and got out during the shift change. When he was being booked he made threats, saying he was going to pay Gray back by going after you.”
Anger flared. She pulled back so she could stare at him. “And no one thought to share this with me? How long has he been out?”
“Since the morning after he was arrested, after Gray left for work. He’s had a lot of experience in jails and prisons. He knows a few tricks and that helped him escape.” She slid down his body, her feet touching the sidewalk. “He’s wanted in seve
ral states, but someone is coming from Arizona to get him. He’s wanted there for murder. He won’t be getting out again. Then he’ll have bigger problems than worrying about a little payback.”
Marley pulled away to stare hard at him. Her heart was still pounding in her chest, fear taking its time in receding. “I’m still not happy. In fact, I’m pretty pissed right now. I know you guys were just trying to keep me from being afraid, but it would have been good information to have. I didn’t lock the gallery door this morning after you left. I mean, why would I? I didn’t know I had a madman after me. He could have come in.”
Though she tried not let the emotion out, she hiccupped a small sob and pushed her face against his shoulder. Roarke’s strong arms held her close, stroking her hair. It was a soothing gesture she appreciated. Her men were always very gentle, very tender with her. It didn’t do much to lessen the terror she had just experienced. Nor did it do anything to ease her anger. How could they not tell her about this guy?
Marley pulled away and wiped the tears off her face. If she was to be fair, and she always tried to be, it wasn’t just this lack of information which was upsetting her. The past few days had been frustrating for her, despite the deep feeling of happiness she was experiencing.
They hadn’t had sex since the day they’d played the “game.” She likened it to getting really great presents for her birthday, then having them all taken away. Now this. Frustration, fear, anger, just wasn’t making her a sweet woman at that moment. It was going to take them some doing to make up to her for this.
“I’m sorry, baby. Gray and the deputies have been patrolling all day. We thought you would be safe in the gallery with Martha, and in broad daylight.” He kissed her forehead, a gesture he was fond of doing and she was fond of accepting, though she was trying to maintain a severe expression. She could feel her resolve wavering even more. How could she remain angry with men who were so damned sweet and were only thinking of her? They’d had the best of intentions, after all, misguided as they had been. “We were wrong. Please don’t be too hard on Gray. He’ll do that all by himself. He wanted to tell you, but I talked him out of it. We figured with all the stuff you were going through you didn’t need the extra stress.”
Pulling away, Marley looked up at him. “I can understand why you did it, but I’m not ready to forgive just yet. I don’t want you guys to hide anything from me again. I’m a big girl. I can take anything you have to tell me.”
Martha leaned on Marley, nearly toppling her over. Roarke reached out and caught her, laughing as he did so. “You’re a good girl, aren’t you, Martha?” He scratched the dog behind the ear.
“I was shocked when she growled. I’ve never heard her do it before.”
They started walking back to the gallery. She suspected they would wait there for Grayson. She couldn’t wait to see him. Not because she wanted to chew him out, but because she wanted to hug him and make sure he was safe after having to deal with that creep again. The bruising around his eyes was finally starting to fade, which was a good thing. The poor man had to put up with a lot of teasing from the townspeople. Though he was loved and respected, it didn’t prevent good-natured ribbing.
Going inside, Roarke looked around, just as he had that morning. “This place looks fantastic. When will you start hanging your sister’s artwork?”
“I’ll do it this weekend.”
“That’s cool. Gray and I have the weekend off. We’ll help.”
Now just that morning the men had been discussing how they both had to work the weekend. They had apologized, telling her they would make it up to her. They didn’t, however, tell her how they were going to do that, though she had all but begged for details.
After sampling so many forbidden delights with the two men, Marley was now hardwired for kinky sex. She had enjoyed it. No, she had more than enjoyed it. She’d fucking loved every sizzling moment of it from beginning to end. She wanted more. A lot more and in any and every way imaginable, which was quite extensive now that she’d discovered this new side of herself.
When she relived the moments in her mind her nipples would get hard, and her pussy would prepare itself with creamy juices.
“I thought you had to work. It’s what you said this morning.”
“Yeah, well, plans have changed. With my granddad here, they’ve taken over the store.” He laughed ruefully. “They always do it and I don’t bother arguing with them. They love the place. Besides, my mom and grandmother will bake all kinds of stuff for me for letting them hang out at the store and keeping them from getting in the way at home while they visit.”
“I like your family. They’re all very nice.”
Roarke hugged her close, his gray eyes warm with emotion. “They like you, too. Granddad says you’re a keeper.”
Marley wrinkled her nose at him. “He makes me sound like a fish you just caught.”
“Nah, you’re our butterfly.” He bent and kissed her warmly on the mouth, skimming just inside of her lips with the tip of his tongue. It was something which always sent a thrill through her body. “And I think you’re a keeper, too.”
Grayson arrived at that moment, his handsome face filled with concern as she looked at him. “You okay, baby?” he asked, taking her from Roarke so he could pull her close to his hard body. “I thought my heart was going to stop when you called to say Duncan was in the park.”
“Well, my heart wasn’t doing so well itself. Next time, though I hope there is never another time like this, don’t keep it from me. Please. I need to know. Promise me.”
There was a brief nod. It was obvious that both men wanted nothing more than to protect her from the evils of the world. It warmed her heart. But she couldn’t go around thinking everything was all peachy keen when it wasn’t anything of the sort.
“I promise I won’t keep anything like this from you again,” Grayson told her quietly, regret in his eyes. “Hopefully nothing like this will ever happen again.”
Roarke nodded. “I promise, too. I was wrong.”
It was a good start. Marley had expressed her anger and her disappointment. She wasn’t going to harp on it forever.
Smiling at them, she invited, “Come on, guys. I’ll buy you a sarsaparilla.”
“Now how can we turn that down?”
The men had their arms wrapped around her as they walked down the sidewalk toward the drugstore, which still served things like sarsaparilla, root beer floats, malted milk, and her personal favorite, banana splits that all but ran over the sides of the frosted glass boats they were served in. They were big enough for three people. Maybe they’d be able to walk into town after supper and get one to share. She smiled as they reached the quaint store, realizing she was beginning to plan, make assumptions, and have a few hopes for a future with Grayson and Roarke.
As they walked together she suddenly realized how the odd relationships in town worked. It was the bonding. It didn’t matter if it was two people or six, men with men, women with women, or a combination of both. Once the bond was made, they became a cohesive, functioning unit, a family.
Her men were evil, Marley decided when they ordered what was called “The Chocolate Monster,” but was essentially a huge hot fudge sundae buried in whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chopped pecans. Well, so much for her idea of walking into town to get an ice cream with the guys later that evening.
As she jammed her spoon deep into the concoction, Gray leaned close and nuzzled her ear, sending a shiver of pleasure over her skin. “What are you going to do for the chocolate, Marley?”
With an evil side of her own rising up, she leaned close and whispered her answer. She grinned as the man nearly fell off the spinning stool when he processed what she told him. Roarke looked at their lover while she scooped a mouthful of ice cream and hot fudge into her mouth, enjoying it with indescribable pleasure and completely without guilt. She loved chocolate. She hadn’t been lying about that. It was no exaggeration. And if the men kept teasing and tempting
her with it, she really would begin to pack on the pounds.
“What’s wrong with you?” Roarke asked, picking up his own spoon. Charlie, the soda jerk who’d worked in the store for almost sixty years, smiled knowingly and walked away to wipe invisible grime off the far end of the counter. “What did she say?”
“Nothing I can repeat in here. Just eat up. We’ve got to leave.”
“I can’t go home now,” Marley stated calmly, laughing inside. She would make them wait. They had been torturing her for days. “Someone is coming to measure the windows in the gallery for blinds. They’ve promised to do a rush job for me.”
Grayson wasn’t going to be put off for long. “How long will that take?”
“Well, I have to be back at the gallery by two. Then I have to go see Colt about the house. He has the papers for me to sign.”
“You’re still buying a house? Even though you know we want you to live with us?”
Marley nodded. “I have to. It’s perfect for what I have in mind.”
Should she tell them her plans? It would be mean not to, considering how much they did want her to live with them, to start their future together. Since she had all but moved in with them, not having spent another night at the Redford mansion, they probably thought she was there for good. It was something she wanted, too. Yes, she wanted to share what she had in mind. That would put their fears to rest.
Grayson, however, wasn’t going to wait around, not giving her a chance to tell them her plans. He snatched his white straw hat up suddenly and shoved it on his head. It fit much better now that he didn’t have a goose egg in the center of his forehead.
“Let me know when you decide we’re important enough for you to include in your plans.”
With that he was gone, leaving her gaping in shock after him. The bell on the store’s door jangled, echoing his emotions. Roarke stood up more slowly, a look of disappointment on his handsome face.
He was going to follow his longtime lover, leaving her behind. “I really thought you could see how much we love you. I guess not.”
