The Devil's Three-Way (Siren Publishing Ménage and More)

by Louisa Neil

  If the attention was from an unwanted male, she could be curt when called for or sweet and shy if needed. She’d come to learn her life was gifted and cursed at the same time. Knowing strangers’ thoughts at a glance was sometimes overwhelming, and at others, it was priceless. There was no lack of balance in her life. With Donovan, she’d known the moment they met he’d be more than a passing affair. She’d known immediately who he truly was and how he’d influence her future. She’d also known she’d been chosen by Donovan.

  She also knew in some unspeakable, unexplainable way, he was part human and part devil. While she often teased him, wanting to know what he’d done in a past life to enjoy this one so much, she never pushed for a true answer. She knew his background, and if the devilish side of him appeared occasionally, it was almost always with good reason. He called her his angel, and she called him her devil. After getting to know him better, she learned of her own devil side. At first, it was hard to fathom, but with time she realized every person had a bit of each in them. She accepted Donovan’s side as he accepted hers.

  Rhia had come to learn he’d seen her on television and decided he wanted her. That he wanted her for more than a passing week’s trip was a surprise to both of them. When you caught the devil off guard, you stood a chance of having an equal relationship. That was exactly what they both got. Rhiannon Carr had literally danced with the devil and continued to with satisfying results.

  She hated that on one level she had to thank the man who shot her for putting her in the mainstream media for fifteen minutes. The rest of the time, she was quite pleased that she’d put him behind bars for the rest of his days. But that situation had been enough for her to resign her position with the agency. The work was satisfying in the beginning, when she was learning and developing her hidden powers. But as time had gone on, she’d known it wasn’t a job she’d do the rest of her days. Again, she hated the wasted downtime. She was a woman of action, which didn’t meld with the established agency. So now, she aided in cases that interested her and didn’t leave her bleeding on the street. She’d known she’d survive after the shooting, but she’d also known that law enforcement part of her life was behind her.

  In the beginning, she thought the first time she came on this cruise was her idea. After recuperating, she’d been given the gift of a vacation to be pampered. Only meeting Donovan the first time at the evening cocktail party their first night out she realized her life had changed by his hand. With one look, she read his intentions and accepted them. For one week. But when the cruise was over, they were both reluctant to walk away. Ultimately, Donovan had persuaded her to come to Charleston for another week. That turned into a month, and after several, they agreed she’d move in with him. She sublet her town house outside Washington, DC, and never looked back.

  * * * *

  Each time they took this cruise, she used this time to pause and remember her first meeting with Donovan Mackenzie. She’d been released by the doctors and told to rest for another month before resuming her full-time job at the bureau. She’d never told anyone she planned to resign. Taking the trip was a last-minute impulse after she’d wandered her town house for two weeks with nothing to do. The ticket arrived, and after some research, she decided to take the risk. She never regretted her decision.

  Rhia took her time dressing for the evening meal. She chose a black tuxedo-style jacket with satin lapels and a black silk skirt with a handkerchief hem that swayed around her thighs. Black satin pumps with a four-inch heel added to her overall sensual look. She knew the light breezes on deck would have the layers of silk fluttering around her legs. Only she and Donovan would know she wore nothing else under her clothing. By the time she got back to her cabin tonight, her pussy would be wet with anticipation and her body hot for Donovan’s touch.

  Tonight she would have supper with the three men Donovan had chosen, along with two other women who were approximately the same age. As they sat and talked, getting to know each other a bit, she immediately realized the two women were lesbians. While neither had openly admitted it to themselves or anyone else, they would be more than just friends before this cruise was over. She didn’t need to convince them verbally. A few well-placed hints would have them experimenting with each other that very night. Soon, they’d lose the stigma of their situation and accept they belonged together. While she would have liked to watch their initial coupling, she had other business to take care of. Deep down, she knew she wouldn’t have meddled if they were happy as they were, but neither was fulfilled by the men they dated. They just didn’t accept the real reason why.

  She didn’t consider herself a devil on these trips. Rather, she used her insight to help people. She understood the women would contend with trouble at home if they became blatant with their new relationship. But another silent suggestion would have the women realizing they weren’t odd or lewd, just in love with a person of the same sex. They’d resisted each other for so long. It was about time they relented and enjoyed each other as they deserved. Once they left the ship, it would be up to them to follow their own paths.

  The men annoyed her with their attempts to get her attention. Rhia reminded herself she had a great life. She worked when she was in the mood with no set hours, allowing her to live on a virtual vacation most of the time. She and Donovan lived in a lovely home in Charleston, South Carolina, and she, too, now had a stake in the cruise line. While she and Donovan were silent partners, she had named this particular ship the Kione. That meant it came from nowhere and went nowhere. It seemed appropriate for a ship that would perpetually coast the eastern shore of the states. Now she and Donovan rode their ship at their whim.

  They would choose their men in advance and use them until the cruise was over. Most would be stunned at the sexual things they did together, or not admit they’d done them before. When the cruise was ending, she would send them off without pleasantries or promises never to be kept. She was never afraid of any retaliation, for they would come to realize she and Donovan were a couple, not to be toyed with beyond their own choices. They would leave the ship with memories of an amazing vacation, but they would be blurry on the details of who she and Donovan were. They were always vague about their identities.

  Donovan was there, socializing at a separate table. She knew he could hold anyone’s attention and felt a twinge of regret that she wasn’t included in their good time. But she had work of her own to do right now. In this game, they pulled strings in people’s lives to their advantage. Rhia liked to be in charge. Her intuition of understanding their motives gave her insight into what they really wanted to experience. Donovan often told her that her power of reading people’s body language was her devil power.

  At times, she had to acknowledge that one day she’d have to pay a devil of her own making. What or who that turned out to be was undetermined at this point. Until then, she’d enjoy everything she could and go willingly to the devil and pay his price. She was having the time of her life and would pay her penance, but until then, she planned on playing out her life to the fullest, as long as Donovan was beside her.

  Tonight, as the meal progressed, she noted the women relaxing before her. They touched differently, without checking to see who was watching. They laughed and smiled at secret jokes as lovers did. By the end of the night, they’d truly be lovers. That left her with her three chosen men to decide which would become their toy for the trip. There really was no choice to be made this time. What looked good on paper didn’t always turn out to be right in person.

  Their first choice was George. While currently jobless, she realized he’d done a lot of jobs for short periods of time, not excelling at any of them. In his younger days, he got by on his looks and his family supporting him. He thought he won his trip from a raffle at his local bar. He’d never considered that he didn’t remember any raffle, only that the trip was a good deal and free. As the night progressed, she accepted he drank too much, and his photos must have been very old. His appearance was bloated a
nd his face perpetually red. While he liked to talk about all his triumphs, in reality, he’d made no real contribution to society except to be a leech. She left him with a suggestion that when the cruise ended, he had to find a job and keep it, even if he didn’t like working. She also gave him a suggestion that he’d contracted a stomach virus that would keep him in his cabin most of the time.

  Their second choice was Calvin. He, too, was jobless but not as pathetic. She read him as sappy and emotional. He was coming off a broken engagement and hadn’t come to terms with the woman being right about them not being compatible. While he spoke a big game of being the playboy personified, she knew deep down he wanted a home, family, and security in his relationship. Rhia decided he deserved a second chance, and before the trip was over, she would introduce him to Kate Lynn, the piano player with the shipboard band. They were a match, though neither would know why until they got to know each other better. Kate Lynn pretended she didn’t need a man in her life, only her piano. It was a good line, if only she believed it. What it did do was keep the passengers from hitting on her. From past cruises, Rhia knew she’d been applying to schools to become a music teacher. Unfortunately, with the economy being what it was, those positions were few to find. Soon, she’d take a job teaching music at a high school. Donovan had arranged her interview for next week. She was a shoo-in to get it.

  Calvin would move to be with her and eventually open a small luncheonette in their new hometown. During their meal, she realized he was enamored with food and its preparation. “You should open your own restaurant,” she’d mentioned. When Calvin started spouting costs, she knew she had hit his private dream. “Why not start small, maybe breakfast and lunch to start. You know, you only need a few amazing items on the menu and a good downtown location to have a thriving coffee shop or luncheonette.”

  “I’ve never thought of a luncheonette,” he’d said, preoccupied by the idea she’d planted. They’d never be rich, but they’d be happy together. Rhia was happy with her practical suggestions. She was more relieved for Kate Lynn.

  That left her with only one option, Jack Montgomery. He was handsome and funny, when not trying to put on a show for a woman. He’d recently been downsized from his job, but she knew he had potential to get another. He’d had several long-term relationships, but none ever progressed to marriage. Jack was a man who didn’t know what he wanted in a partner, just that he hadn’t found the right woman yet. Before coffee and dessert, she danced with him. Holding him to her, she sensed he was thinking he was the luckiest guy on the boat. Little did he know how accurate his thoughts would turn out to be.

  “What made you decide to come on this cruise? A long awaited vacation?”

  Jack had the decency to blush slightly. Even in the muted lighting, she watched a red blush work its way up his neck to his cheeks. “To be honest, I’m not sure how I really got here.”

  Rhia wrapped her hand around his neck, letting her fingers sift through his hair. “What do you mean?”

  “I got a letter telling me I’d won the cruise from a raffle.” He hesitated and stared at her. “The thing is, I don’t remember entering any raffle. When I called the ship lines, I was told I’d won the trip, all expenses paid. They said I’d entered it months before. I guess I just forgot buying a ticket.”

  “Lucky you,” she teased.

  “Now I feel lucky. Up until tonight I kept wondering if someone was going to want my credit card to pay for this.”

  “And nobody’s asked you for any money. That should be a good thing.”

  “It is, but I was leery about the whole thing.” He glanced away and lowered his voice. “Now that I’ve met you, I don’t care about how I got here, I’m just glad I did or I never would have met you.”

  She refused to dance with George, but she danced Calvin over to Kate Lynn’s piano and introduced them. From the sparkle in Calvin’s eye, she knew she’d been right. When the meal was over, most guests broke into their own groups. Some danced, some watched the night sky, and others retired to their cabins. She stayed on deck until Jack approached her. Their small talk was just that, insignificant and benign. But as midnight approached, she let him kiss her. Rhia liked the way he kissed her. There was no slobbering or forced tongue. That was her deciding factor. He would be their toy for the week. She invited him to join her for supper the next night, and he readily agreed. When he suggested they spend the next day together, too, she gave him an excuse about finishing work before she could relax and party. Tomorrow night would be soon enough. His sandy-brown hair and brown eyes completed his full package. He was only a few inches taller than her, but for a week, it didn’t matter. He reminded her of Ryan Seacrest with darker hair and eyes. He was trim and anxious to please her.

  But she needed to let him know she was in charge. Taking his hand, she drew him toward the stern of the boat. It was dark, quiet, and deserted. That was where she truly kissed him, testing how he touched her. His kiss was hot and horny, and she felt his erection grow against her belly. Rhia continued the kisses, letting her hand drop to his crotch. She wrapped her hand around his cloth-covered hard-on and stroked him a few times.

  Jack moaned with pleasure, and with a few more pumps of her fingers, he groaned as his body shook. He’d come in his pants from her touch. “My, you were excited. Did just kissing you make you come?” He looked away, embarrassed as a dark stain spread across his pants. “We’ll have to work on your timing,” she teased, lifting up to nip at his earlobe.

  “That’s the first time in years…I mean, I can usually control myself.” She read his mind. He was mortified that a few strokes of her hand while kissing him made him come in his pants like a teenager.

  “Tomorrow, we’ll take our time. I’m sure things will last a lot longer.”

  “I hope so,” he whispered. “Do you still want to have supper with me tomorrow, after this?”

  “Of course. Tomorrow night we’ll explore what gets you hot and what gets me off.”

  “We already know what gets me off.”

  Rhia grasped his hand and pulled it to cup her breast. “Tomorrow we’ll take our time.” With one last kiss to his lips, she left him alone on the deck. She knew she left him with a memory he’d never forget.

  Slipping from his side, she was anxious to get to Donovan, who would be waiting in their cabin. She was ready for anything he wanted from her, as long as they both came.

  Chapter Four

  As expected, Donovan was waiting for Rhia in their cabin. He’d turned the lights down and left only the balcony lights on for atmosphere. She was excited, anticipating all evening what kind of mood he’d be in and how he’d use her tonight. That had become their routine. Their first night out, Donovan had complete control over her. For the rest of the cruise, she was in charge of final decisions regarding their sex life. Each time they took this vacation, he’d come up with something different. Tonight, she hoped to be his submissive. He was waiting by the balcony door, stripped down to his boxers. She saw a black silk scarf lying on the foot of the bed and held back a smile.

  “God, you are one handsome man, Donovan.” She tossed her purse on the bureau. “What would you like tonight?” As she approached, she reached forward and ran her finger down his abs. Dropping her hand lower, she grasped his erection through the silky boxers and slid it up and back several times. He was already hard and wore a guarded look on his face, one she was familiar with, dominance.

  “Are you trying to make me come in my pants, too?”

  “You saw that. He’s a bit quick on the trigger, but with a little time I’m sure we can get him to slow down.” They shared a conspirator’s laugh.

  “Let’s hope so, or we’ll have short evenings with Jack.” She watched Donovan hold back a smile. “You were flirting outrageously tonight with all three men.”

  “I had to get to know them, didn’t I?” Rhia pulled back her true personality and bowed her head. “Isn’t that what you wanted of me…Sir?” As soon as she said the wo
rd sir, Donovan’s expression changed. He stood taller and gazed at her from head to foot. It was a look that sent an erotic chill through her. She was horny, and most of all, she wanted to please Donovan any way he wanted.

  Sometimes they reversed roles, she being the aggressor and he the submissive, but tonight she knew Donovan wanted to be in charge. That was fine with her. She’d been hoping to find him in this kind of a mood. And she knew deep down he was right. She had flirted with the three men, more than was actually needed for her purposes of choosing one. But she knew Donovan was watching from the distance. She wanted him to see her behavior and to punish her for being too bold with their candidates.

  He’ll get his control. Tonight I caught him by surprise. She smiled demurely at Donovan. “What else do you remember about the evening? Were the ladies acceptable? Did they swoon at your attention?”

  “They swooned, but I wasn’t interested. I was watching you seduce the men at your table.”

  “As I watched you seduce and flirt with the women at yours.”

  “Did you enjoy dancing with strangers, letting them ogle your breasts?” He reached to her and grasped her breasts through the material, both of his hands twisting them through the cloth. She closed her eyes and just felt his touch. “You’re enjoying this too much.”