Sanctuary in Submission [Sanctuary, Montana 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Lara Valentine

  Noah nodded and sat down on the couch next to her. “Fine. How about you get me a glass of water?”

  “I know what you’re up to, Noah Andrew McLean.”

  “If you can’t get me a glass of water, then you certainly can’t take care of yourself.”

  She pressed her lips together and pushed to her feet, ignoring the shot of pain that ran from her ankle all the way up her leg. She gritted her teeth as she hobbled toward the kitchen, but a wave of dizziness had her almost face-planting in the middle of the living room. Riley scooped her up and dumped her back on the sofa.

  “You can’t take care of yourself. Now tell me what you need, or I’ll just pack whatever I want.”

  They were right, and she hated that. She really needed their help. If she let Riley pack for her, she’d end up wearing crotchless panties and a silver-sequined tank top for the next few days.

  “I want to help you pack. Carry me into the bedroom.”

  It was Noah who picked her up this time and carried her into the bedroom.

  “Geez, babe, I’ve never known you to be such a slob. There are clothes everywhere. Ever heard of a hamper?”

  “I didn’t leave clothes—” Her eyes widened in shock. The contents of her closet and drawers was strewn everywhere around the room. Not one surface was clean including the bed. Her belly tightened with anger and fear.

  Someone had been in her home.

  “I didn’t leave any clothes out. Don’t touch anything. They’ll need to take fingerprints.” She swallowed hard, her voice wavering. She felt ten kinds of violated. She could see her panties and bras had been pawed through and then thrown across the top of the dresser.

  Her men’s faces went slack. Noah’s arms tightened around her. “Fingerprints? Are you saying someone broke in here?”

  “Yes, don’t touch anything. Take me back out to the living room.”

  Riley already had his phone out and was calling Sheriff Thad Grayson. Aubrey knew him well, and he was going to be livid. He didn’t like trouble in his town.

  Noah carried her back to the living room and set her gently on an overstuffed chair so she could elevate her ankle on the ottoman. He started pacing back and forth, muttering to himself. She watched while he seemed to work something out in his head and then turned to her.

  “You’re sure you didn’t leave those clothes out?”

  She shook her head. “I’m positive. You know how I am, Noah.”

  His lips twisted. “I know, baby. I hate the idea someone was in your home, that’s all.”

  “I don’t like it much more. It’s creepy, honestly. Why would someone pilfer through my closets and drawers? It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “It does if it’s your secret admirer.” Riley shoved his phone back in his pocket. “Thad’s on his way. He was in his car and not far away. He wants to hear all about this admirer guy. He’ll want to talk to your principal as well. See that camera footage.”

  She slumped back in the chair, already exhausted. “I guess Aaron told you behind my back. I’ll have to thank him for that. As for the security footage, I never got a chance to talk to Principal Barker about it. Why would someone who’s left me gifts break into my house and toss clothes all over? That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Leave Aaron out of this. You should have told us yourself. We’ll talk more about this, rest assured.” Noah looked distinctly unhappy. It was a good thing she was injured. If she hadn’t been, she had no doubt she would have been turned over his knee this very minute.

  “Maybe he wasn’t getting enough of your attention? Maybe he wanted a souvenir?” Riley reasoned.

  Aubrey shuddered. “I think I’m going to have to replace all my panties and bras. The thought of someone’s hands pawing through them makes me nauseous. Ewww. If he took something, that’s even more gross.”

  Noah patted her hand, his expression softening. “I’ll take you shopping, sweetheart. We’ll get you all new underwear.”

  Her lip curled. “Can you get me a new bedroom, too? Shit, I feel so violated. Someone was here. In my home. Looking through my things. How did he even get in? The door was locked, right?”

  Noah nodded. “It was. He could have gotten in through the sliders or maybe a window. Let’s face it, babe. You don’t exactly have a state-of-the-art security system in this place.”

  “I live in Sanctuary. Hell, most people don’t even lock their doors. We have a crime rate near zero if you don’t count the petty vandalism around the time of the homecoming football game.”

  “We have crime,” Noah retorted. “You’ve simply never had to deal with it.”

  A rap on the door drew her attention, and Thad Grayson walked in with a grim expression. He was a huge man with wide shoulders who could easily intimidate a wayward criminal, but Aubrey knew him as a gentle man who liked to raise horses and dogs.

  “I hear we have a problem, Aubrey.”

  She pointed back to her bedroom. “Someone was in my house while I was in the hospital. They went through my clothes.”

  She shuddered again at the visual.

  “The front door was locked when I brought her home, Thad,” Noah offered. “They didn’t come in that way.”

  Thad pulled out a small notebook and pencil from his pocket. “First things first. Let’s get your statement, and then I’ll take a look. Start at the beginning. Riley says you have a secret admirer?”

  Aubrey took a deep breath. Her men were going to hear every detail.

  “It started about two months ago. Someone left a gift on my car. I didn’t think it was a big deal, honestly.”

  Thad shook his head. “They never do. Tell me more.”

  She recounted her tale, her men’s expressions growing darker by the minute. By the time she finished, all the men were scowling.

  “You say Martin Barker was going to check the security tapes? What did he see?” Thad asked.

  Aubrey’s face grew warm. “Well, he never said, and I didn’t check back with him.”

  Thad snapped his notebook shut. “I’ll talk to him. In the meantime, I’ll check your bedroom. I’ll need your help to see if there is anything the intruder took with him.”

  She winced. The idea of going through her things was not one she relished. “Okay. I guess you need to know that.”

  Thad nodded. “I do. You can stay out here while I check on windows and doors. I’ll call you when I need you.”

  Thad headed back to her room, and her men stepped forward looking none too happy.

  “You are in so much trouble, babe.” Riley frowned. “You’re lucky you’re in a state where we can’t punish you. I can’t believe you kept this from us. This guy could have come after you and hurt you.”

  She tried to wave away their concerns. “I’m fine. This guy is obviously a big pussy coming here when I’m in the hospital. It’s no big deal.”

  Noah looked like he wanted to smash something. He leaned forward until he was in her face, his anger a palpable thing. “I am beyond pissed, Aubrey. Do not push me. Do not say it’s no big deal. Don’t. You are everything to us. Do you understand me? I’m about to go crazy about you being hurt the other night and then this? Don’t you ever fucking keep something from us like this again. I mean it. Don’t play with us.”

  Noah’s eyes were the darkest blue she’d ever seen. “You weren’t around. You were always partying with your friends. I didn’t think you’d care.”

  As soon as she said the words, she knew it was a mistake. She’d known they would care, and she hadn’t told them anyway. She was in the wrong here.

  He straightened, his shoulders tense, his lips pressed together. “As guilty as we are of not being grown-ups in this relationship, you are just as guilty at holding us at arm’s length. I can’t believe you said we wouldn’t care. That’s not true.” He turned away from her and walked to the window. “That hurts, babe.”

  She tried to push to her feet, but Riley pressed her back into the chair. “You shouldn’t be on t
hat ankle. Sit down.”

  Riley patted her shoulder, before leaning down to whisper in her ear.

  “It’ll be okay, honey. We’ll take you home and you can make up with Noah. I understand why you did it. He’ll understand, too, in time.”

  How could Riley understand it when she barely did herself? She was ashamed of her behavior. It was as if she’d kept the truth from them as a sort of spite thing.

  Fuck, it was in spite.

  It wasn’t a very attractive picture of herself. It was petty and mean and childish. She couldn’t very well tell Riley and Noah they were childish when she’d acted the same way. She didn’t want to wait to apologize.

  “I’m sorry, Noah. I know you would care. It was a shitty thing to do, not telling you.”

  He turned around then, his eyes filled with anguish. “Why did you do it?”

  Tears welled up behind her eyes. “It just hurt so much.” Her voice broke on a sob. “You both hurt me so much. Always breaking your word and breaking dates. Fighting, drinking, gambling. I wanted to hurt you, I guess. I wanted to show you I didn’t need you. I could take care of myself.”

  She swiped at the tears running down her cheeks, but Riley was already dabbing at them with a handkerchief. She always teased him about the old-fashioned habit of carrying a hanky. “There, there, pretty girl. We deserved it. We’re all even now, okay? We’ve all three hurt each other, and we all need to grow the fuck up and start acting like we’re in love.”

  “Is that what you want?” She hiccupped.

  He pushed her hair back from her face tenderly. “Aw, hell yes, babe. I love you. Can we put the past behind us and start again? A real fresh start this time? Not like last time.”

  She nodded, wanting that more than anything. She looked up and Noah was kneeling next to her, stroking the skin on her arms.

  “Riley’s right. We need a real fresh start. I think we should court you.”

  That made her smile. “Court me? We’ve been dating for ten years.”

  Noah shook his head. “But you didn’t get courted in the beginning. We’re doing it a little backward, but better late than never. Aubrey Maxwell, will you consent to be courted by myself and my brother, Riley?”

  She threw her arms around him, feeling the solidness of his body against her own. “Yes, I will. I’d love to be courted by you.”

  “Ahem. Excuse me, Aubrey. That sounds like a good plan and long past due, but can you come in here for a moment? I’d like to show you how they got in.”

  Thad was standing there with a smile on his face and red streaks high on his cheeks. She giggled and scrubbed at her wet cheeks.

  “We’ll be right there. It’s okay if all three of us come in there, right? We’re a package deal.”

  The smiles on Riley’s and Noah’s face made her heart squeeze in her chest. It was really going to be a new beginning with her men. No more being resentful or petty. They were going to court her like gentlemen.

  She couldn’t wait.

  * * * *

  “Were you able to get the security footage from the cameras in the parking lot, Principal Barker?” Sheriff Grayson asked.

  Thad Grayson, Principal Barker, and Noah and Riley sat in the principal’s office at Aubrey’s school. Even now, Noah hated being in that office. It reminded him of the many times he and Riley had sat in this very room. It had been another principal and different chairs, but the sounds and smells of school hadn’t changed. He and Riley had probably sent that principal into early retirement.

  Principal Barker didn’t seem surprised to see them, which Noah thought was strange. They’d found Barker getting out of his car, coming back from a meeting with the head of the school board. Barker had simply smiled and invited them into his office. Noah was determined to find out who this admirer was before Aubrey returned to school.

  And she would return to school. She’d told Noah in no uncertain terms she wanted to return to teaching the very next day. Noah had argued she needed a few days of rest, but his woman was stubborn and determined.

  Barker sat back in his chair and fiddled with his pen. Martin Barker was a nice enough man, although a little soft around the middle. He hadn’t lived in Sanctuary all that long but seemed decent and hardworking. Noah had heard good things about him from a few friends on the school board.

  “I’m afraid not. Unfortunately, the video isn’t kept very long. Just a few days.”

  Thad frowned. “That’s not very long.”

  The principal shrugged. “We don’t have the funds to keep and store much more. Schools operate on a shoestring, Sheriff.”

  Thad looked as frustrated as Noah felt. He had pinned his hopes on the security cameras picking up a picture of whoever was doing this.

  “How is Aubrey doing? Please let her know she can take as much time as she needs,” Barker said.

  Noah laughed. “If she had her way, she’d be back tomorrow. We’re going to try and keep her home one more day. Her head still hurts and her ankle keeps her from being able to get around easily.”

  Principal Barker nodded. “She should rest.” He turned to the Sheriff. “Was anything taken from her home?”

  Thad’s eyes narrowed. “How did you know her home had been broken into?”

  The principal chuckled. “It’s a small town. I think the whole school knows. One of the students told me. They’re all very concerned for Aubrey. She’s one of the most popular teachers here.”

  Noah looked over his shoulder at the sound of a knock and some shuffling. A thin young man with thick glasses and a face full of acne pushed open the door. He looked nervous and his eyes darted around the room. When they settled on the sheriff, his skin went ghostly white.

  “Um, Principal Barker? Ms. Baldwin told me to come to your office.”

  The principal sighed. “What did you do this time?”

  The boy’s face turned from white to bright red. “I borrowed some of the music and recording equipment to make a video for YouTube.”

  “Borrowed? Isn’t the equipment behind a locked door?”

  The young man kept looking at the Sheriff. “Two, actually. The locks are pretty flimsy. I didn’t hurt anything.”

  Martin pointed to the outer office. “Wait out there. We’ll talk more about this. Right now, I’m talking to the Sheriff about Ms. Maxwell.”

  The boy’s eyes went wide. “Is she okay? We’re all worried about her.”

  Riley stood up. “She’s going to be fine. Do you know anyone who has a crush on Aubrey? Maybe a student who really likes her?”

  The boy swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “All the guys think she’s hot.”

  Noah hid his chuckle. If he’d had a teacher in school who looked like Aubrey he wouldn’t have done much studying. He’d have been too busy fantasizing about the red-haired goddess at the front of the classroom.

  “Any guys in particular?” Thad asked.

  The boy shrugged. “I don’t know. Tommy Sayler says he wants to hit it. Is that what you mean?”

  Noah didn’t like his woman being spoken about that way, but this wasn’t the time to deal with it. He’d talk to Aubrey later about maybe wearing clothes several sizes too large from now on.

  Thad rolled his eyes. “Kind of. Maybe I should talk with Tommy Sayler.”

  Principal Barker punched something into the computer. “He’s in biology right now. Should I call him down?”

  Thad nodded. “Wouldn’t hurt. See what he has to say. He may be able to tell us some other boys we should talk to.”

  Martin walked out to the outer office with the teenager. Noah turned to Thad. “You look for this guy, and we’ll keep our eyes on Aubrey. If there’s some weirdo out there, I don’t want her to be out and about by herself.”

  “Wise,” Thad answered. “But she’s going to hate you for it.”

  Riley laughed. “Hell, she’s already mad at us. Can’t get much worse. I’m not going to let her temper keep me from keeping her safe.”

&n
bsp; Thad pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “I’m going to call the office and see if they have anything on those fingerprints. I want to catch this guy. Aubrey was really upset when she realized he’d taken some of her unmentionables.”

  Noah wasn’t too fucking happy about it himself. What kind of pervert stole a woman’s lingerie?

  One sick fuck.

  Riley slapped Noah on the back. “Let’s head back to the house. I don’t want to leave Aubrey alone too long.”

  They’d fed her and then made her take a pain pill. She should be sleeping peacefully at the moment, but Riley was right. Until this guy was behind bars, Aubrey was going to have company as much as possible.

  They bid their good-byes to Thad and Principal Barker and headed out to Noah’s truck.

  Noah started the ignition. “We need to talk to Aaron about calling that forensic investigator or whatever he called them. I don’t even know where to begin, but he seemed to.”

  “I’m still not sure it’s a good idea, but I see what we’re trying to do. This could end up blowing up all around us, bro.”

  “It could,” Noah agreed. “But we need something big to show Aubrey we’re serious. We’ve fucked up way too many times.”

  Riley chuckled. “We’re going to fuck up in the future. The making up is fun though.”

  Noah pulled out of the parking lot. “Let’s stop at the cafe and pick up some of their lemon chicken soup. Aubrey loves it, and it will be easy on her stomach.”

  “Good idea. Anything we can do to get on her good side.”

  By the time they returned to the house, there were two unfamiliar cars in the driveway. Riley gave him a quizzical look.

  “Aubrey should be sleeping. What are people doing here?”

  Noah pushed open the door with one hand while he juggled the takeout bag with the other. They’d ended up with more food than just soup, since they didn’t know what Aubrey would be in the mood for and they were pretty hungry themselves.

  Loud voices stopped him in his tracks then propelled him forward. Aubrey was supposed to be resting, not arguing with anyone. His mouth hung open at the sight before him—Aubrey, Aubrey’s mother, and Aubrey’s father and stepmother. He was pretty sure Aubrey’s parents hadn’t been in the same room for more than a decade.