Seducing Carma [Passion Peak, Colorado 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Tara Rose

  Blaine laughed. “Holy shit.”

  “According to local legend, they also hid things in the abandoned mine shafts around town. The FBI investigated several of the brothers but could never find any evidence.”

  “Didn’t they look in the freezers or the walls?”

  Mateo shook his head. “No one told the Feds about that, and even if the local police knew, they were on the take.”

  “Do you think that’s what Trace Coleman is after here in Passion Peak?”

  Mateo glanced toward the staircase and lowered his voice. “I’d say so. Do you remember Carma saying that he tried to investigate Rowena’s home when it was being remodeled about three years ago? The home was built in the 1920s by her great uncle Calvin Gallagher. He married Lunette, and when he died, the home went to his wife. She lived there until she died, three years ago, and left the home to Rowena, her favorite grand-niece.”

  “Was Calvin Gallagher involved with Carma’s family?”

  “Tommy hinted that he was, but said we’d have to ask Rowena for more history, if she knows it at all. But he did say that Cal’s brother, William, was a rival of Carma’s great-uncle Battista, who was Dominick’s father. Dominick is the uncle who just died. Battista’s wife, Petronella, is the Aunt Pet Carma refers to.”

  “Does Carma know that you know all this?”

  Mateo shrugged. “It’s easy to find out. They have all this information in the local history section of the library downtown.”

  “What happened to her uncle Dominick? Why did he leave town?”

  “He left town when he met his ex-wife, Shelly, and moved to Lincoln Park, where she lived.”

  Blaine blinked a few times, convinced he’d heard wrong. “Lincoln Park? As in, right next to Lake View? Are you telling me the uncle whose home she was nearly raped in sixteen years ago was only a few miles from where I grew up?”

  Mateo nodded. “Sounds like it to me.”

  “Why didn’t she tell me that?”

  “Blaine, think about it for a second, okay? Why would she want you to know that?”

  Blaine ran a hand over his face. Everything Mateo had just told him rattled around his brain, all mixed up and dark. But he was right. Carma had gone through hell that summer, and she knew he was facing possible incarceration back home. She wouldn’t want to pile more distress on him right now.

  His heart gave a strange lurch at that realization. Was it possible she could love him? Oh, how he wished it was true. But even if it were, what did he have to offer her? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. “So Trace was here years ago, looking for hidden loot in Rowena’s house. But how does that explain why he wants to get inside here now? Or, was that only a decoy? Is his target still Rowena’s house?”

  Mateo shook his head. “Not necessarily. My family was once in debt to the Mandanici brothers. I don’t know this for certain, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn there are things hidden in these walls that belonged to them. Some family secrets were buried with my ancestors.”

  “Then how did Trace dig them up?”

  Mateo shrugged again. “I don’t know that either. But he apparently has a habit of unearthing long-held secrets.”

  “So, what do we do about him?”

  “Nothing. Tommy made me promise to stay out of it until he could talk to his contacts in Denver.”

  “Just as well.” Blaine closed his eyes for a few seconds, summoning up his courage. He had to get this off his chest. He might never have a chance to tell Mateo again. “Mateo, I have to tell you this. Just in case…in case I can’t come back here for a long time.” Or forever.

  “What is it?”

  “I love her. Carma. I’m in love with her. I know you care for her too, and I’m cool with that. I just wanted you to know.”

  Mateo chuckled and shook his head. “How fucked up is this, my friend? You know, I realized earlier today that we never even talked about this. Sharing her, I mean. We just sort of slipped into it, exactly like we’d always talked about in college.”

  Blaine couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, but it’s not like I imagined it would be, you know? Nothing like it at all.”

  Mateo nodded. “I agree. I never pictured myself actually sharing someone, in or out of bed, if you want to know the truth. It was a fun fantasy, but I didn’t think it would ever happen in real life.” Mateo stared at Blaine for so long that Blaine became uncomfortable. “I guess since this is the night for true confessions, you may as well know that I’m in love with her, too.”

  Blaine wasn’t surprised at all. He’d known for some time that Mateo was in love with Carma. It showed in the way he looked at her, and in the little things he did for her each day. “You bought that collar today, along with the earrings, didn’t you?”

  Mateo nodded. “No clue why, either. It was just so damn perfect, you know? But we’ve never discussed it with her. Being our sub, I mean. Shit. We haven’t discussed it with each other. I’m not even a Dom. I sort of fell into the role without talking about it with you, or even asking her if that’s what she wants.”

  “I think she has a long way to go before she can make a decision like that. And, you’re more of a Dominant than you realize, Mateo.”

  “I’m not so sure. I have a lot to learn. Being submissive seems to come naturally to Carma, but it’s a moot point, at any rate. I mean, until you know what’s going to happen in Chicago.”

  Blaine shook his head. “You don’t have to wait for the outcome, Mateo. Run with it.”

  Mateo frowned. “Blaine, I hope you know I’d never do that. We’re both in too deep now to simply walk away from her. You just told me you love her. Do you really think I’d fucking stab you in the back, knowing that?”

  Blaine ran a hand over his face. “No, man. Of course not. That’s not what I meant. Fuck. I don’t know what I meant. I’m scared shitless, Mateo.”

  “I know you are.”

  “What if I never see her again?”

  “That won’t happen. I won’t let that happen.”

  “You have no control over it, Mateo.”

  “Not the court proceedings, no. But if necessary, Carma and I will come to Chicago to see you. You will see her again.”

  Blaine hesitated for only a second, and then he gave Mateo the closest thing to a hug that he’d ever given any man.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Monday afternoon, Mateo checked his text messages when he had a break between chores at the ranch. One was from Blaine, and he’d also sent it to Carma, to let them know he’d arrived in Chicago and was at the courthouse, waiting. The other was from Carma, asking if he was free to have dinner with her.

  He smiled as he texted her back. Blaine had been right. She had a long way to go before she was ready to take on the role of a submissive. But this wasn’t the time to worry about teaching her protocol. Hell, he barely knew what that meant. Part of what he loved about her was her unassuming personality. She never took anything for granted, including the time he and Blaine spent with her.

  Monday after work, he waited inside Doli’s Diner on Pioneer Lane, right down the street from the Nuncio Funeral Home and Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church. The diner had been one of the first businesses in Passion Peak, and Mateo was so used to it that he barely noticed the cracked plastic red-and-white checkered tablecloths or the grease stains on the wall. It was all part of the diner’s charm. The food was incredible, despite the fact that if you had never walked in the place before, your first impression might be to turn right around and walk back out.

  Carma came in, and Mateo’s heart gave a strange lurch as their eyes met. She’d either been crying or was about to. He knew without asking that she was as worried about Blaine as he was. It had been four hours since he’d sent the text message to both of them.

  As Carma took her seat across from Mateo, Jessica Dingo came over to take their orders. Her father, Johnny, was on Van’s crew, and had been the one to drive Larry to and from his physical therapy appointments unt
il Larry had been cleared to drive on his own. Larry had told Mateo over and over again how kind their entire family was to everyone in town.

  “Hi, Jessica,” he said. “Are you ready to go back to school in the fall?” Jessica was earning a nursing degree at the University of Colorado in Aurora.

  “I think so. We start classes in two weeks. I can’t believe the summer is almost over.”

  “What’s good today?”

  “Nothing grilled or fried.” Jessica glanced over her shoulder. “Alan had a fight with his latest girlfriend and keeps leaving the grill unattended to talk to her on the phone. He’s burned everything for the past two hours. I’d stick with soup and cold sandwiches, if I were you.”

  Mateo smiled. It was difficult not to whenever Alan Kirkland and the word “girlfriend” were mentioned in the same sentence. The man collected online girlfriends the way some people collected salt and pepper shakers. The funniest part was that he could never understand why the relationships rarely lasted beyond a few weeks.

  “I’ll have the chicken salad then,” said Mateo. “And tomato soup.”

  “That sounds good,” said Carma, snapping shut the menu. “I’ll have the same.”

  “You two are so easy to please. Coming right up.”

  Carma turned her attention toward Mateo. “When was the last time you heard from him? He texted me once. Once, Mateo, and that was hours ago.”

  He took her hands, alarmed to find them so cold. “Me too. All we can do is wait, Carma.”

  “What about his attorney? Sam Morgan, right? Do you have his number?”

  Mateo shook his head. That would have been a good idea. He should have asked Blaine for it, although they could easily look him up.

  “How long does testifying take? He should have been done by now. It’s five o’clock here, so that means it’s six in Chicago.”

  “I’m sure he is done, Carma. He’s probably with Sam. He’ll call when he can.”

  “But what if he can’t? What if they arrested him and he’s in jail right now?”

  Jessica brought their waters and put them down on the table with a bright smile. As soon as she walked away, Mateo took out his phone to check again. No calls or new messages.

  “What did he tell them at work?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. I’m sure he made up some excuse.”

  “He just started this job. What if he loses it?”

  Mateo didn’t answer. There was nothing to say, after all. She was right. He could lose a lot more than his new job.

  “I was going to ask him for Sam’s number and I forgot to.”

  He knew that Carma would be a wreck until they heard something definitive, so while she fidgeted with the paper from her straw, Mateo looked up the names of attorneys in Chicago. He hated seeing her like this, but understood why she was so worried. He was worried too, but he had to stay strong and in control for her sake. If she saw him fall apart, she would, too.

  Just as he found Sam’s number, his phone rang. “Blaine? What happened?”

  “Thank God,” whispered Carma, leaning forward as if in doing so, she could hear his voice better. Mateo put the phone on speaker. No one was sitting close to them, and at this point he didn’t care. He was simply relieved to hear Blaine’s voice.

  “I’m stuck here, maybe for the rest of the week.” His voice shook, as if he was afraid or had been crying. Mateo grabbed Carma’s hand again. “They won’t make a decision for a few days. They’re investigating everything I outlined for them. I was in there for four fucking hours, Mateo.”

  “Carma is here, too, Blaine.”

  “Hey, beautiful. Miss you.”

  “I miss you, too, Blaine. Are you okay? Can we call anyone for you? What did you tell Jay?”

  “That’s all taken care of. I can work on part of the project from here, virtually. He told my team I had a family emergency back home.”

  “That’s good. No one will question that.”

  “What do you want us to do?” asked Mateo.

  “Pray. Light candles. Something. I’m on pins and needles.”

  Mateo glanced around again, just to make sure no one was listening. “Do you think they believed you?”

  “No clue. You know, it’s nothing like it is on TV. They sat there, stone-faced, and all I kept thinking was how my fucking life was in the hands of complete strangers. It’s humbling, man. Totally humbling and scary as shit.”

  “I wish we could be there with you,” said Carma.

  “I do, too, love. I wish that with all my heart.”

  Mateo asked a few more questions, and then gave the phone to Carma so she could ask a dozen more, and tell him how much she missed him. When she finally hung up, he watched her face, and it struck him for the first time that Carma was in love with Blaine. He’d noticed the emotion in her eyes before when she looked at him, but he’d never connected the dots. Or, perhaps he simply hadn’t wanted to?

  Did she love him, too? It was so much to hope for. And, he certainly couldn’t ask her. Especially not now. But he couldn’t help wondering, and was desperate to know. Was it possible to love two people at the same time? Mateo prayed that it was. If he lost her, he didn’t know how he’d handle it.

  * * * *

  Jessica brought their food, and Carma picked at hers until Mateo begged her to eat it. She’d completely lost her appetite, but forced the food down to please Mateo. It had been on the tip of her tongue to tell Blaine that she loved him, but if she’d done that, she would have then told Mateo the same thing. This wasn’t the time or place to have that conversation, and she certainly wasn’t going to say it to Blaine for the first time on the phone.

  She’d never told a man she loved him. And no man had ever told her that. How did you say it? Did you just blurt it out, like in the movies? The romance writers always got it right. There were candles, or a huge emotional upheaval, or some really black moment where you were convinced the two would never get together, and then bam! They finally said it.

  Would it be like that when she finally got up the courage to tell them? Would she ever reach that point? What if she never had the chance to talk to Blaine again unless it was through a piece of bulletproof glass, holding a phone receiver as a uniformed guard watched and listened? What if that had been her chance to tell him and she’d just thrown it away?

  Carma pushed away her plate. If she ate one more bite she’d puke. “I’m done.”

  Mateo grabbed the check off the table and stood up. “Do you want to go back to my place and watch TV?”

  Carma stood, but she didn’t answer him yet. She knew what she wanted to do, but would he agree to it? Once they were outside and walking toward his ranch, she swallowed hard and just let the words come out. “Mateo, I want to go to Chicago. We should be with Blaine. I can reschedule my appointments for the rest of the week. Everyone will understand. I’ve never done that, so it’s not like it’s a habit. It’s a seventeen-hour drive, but I’ve driven further. The drive to Annalise’s house took almost twenty-four hours. I like to drive long distances, and I could make the trip to Chicago in two days. I don’t want to go alone, but I will if I have to. I can’t just sit here and wait like this. He needs us.”

  He didn’t say anything. He merely looked stunned, but Carma finished before she lost her nerve. “Can you take time off from the ranch that long? Would it hurt business if you did? What do you say? Let’s go and be with Blaine. He said he’d know by the end of the week, but it’s only Monday. He shouldn’t be going through this alone.”

  Mateo pulled her close and hugged so tightly she found it difficult to take a full breath. Was that good or bad? She had no clue. She only knew that no matter what he said, she was driving to Chicago, even if she had to go alone. But she’d rather have Mateo with her.

  * * * *

  Three hours later, after she had called Jocelyn and given her excuse, Mateo eased his truck onto I-70 east, toward Denver. The sun hadn’t quite set, and their plan was to make it as far
as where I-70 intersected with I-80, which they would then take into Chicago. They’d spend the night near Big Springs, Nebraska, and then finish their journey the next day.

  They’d called Blaine to find out what hotel he was staying at, and when they told him they were on their way, Carma’s heart had fluttered at the relief in his voice. She’d been right. He wanted them there with him.

  She swiveled in her seat to face Mateo. “Why isn’t he staying with family?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t ask him.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

  He smiled, even though that had been at least the tenth time she’d asked him. “Yes. It’s the perfect idea, Carma.”

  “And you’re okay to drive?”

  He picked up his Starbucks and took a sip. “With this, I’m fine.”

  She faced the front again and tried to enjoy the beautiful gold and purple sky as the sun set behind them, but her mind was racing with a million questions. Mateo played with the satellite radio until he found an eighties station, and she listened to Pat Benatar sing about love being a battlefield. That was the truth. “My sister Coco loved this song. Used to sing it all the time. Drove me nuts.”

  “Want me to change the station?”

  She smiled. “No. It’s okay.”

  He gave her a quick, thoughtful glance. “You haven’t mentioned your family in a while. How are things?”

  “Well, Aunt Pet still calls me every day to ask what I’m going to do with all that money.” Carma snorted. “I’m inclined to give it to her. I don’t want it.”

  “Money?”

  She glanced at him, realizing she’d never told him or Blaine how much money she’d inherited. “Oh, shit. I never told either of you.” Carma outlined how much money each of her relatives had received and the various properties they’d been deeded, and then she told him how much money Uncle Dominick had left her.