by Tara Rose
“Usually the women who come here are unhappy in their lives,” said Colton, gently. “We hear the stories. Divorce, breakups, even the death of a loved one. They’re usually lonely and longing for a transformation.”
She eyed the wine glass, wondering if they’d stop her again. She needed the rest of the bottle right now. Jarrett must have noticed her glance toward it, because he reached over and picked it up, then handed it to her. She drained it. “I was married. It lasted five years. He had a gambling addiction. A big one. He sold almost everything of value I had to feed it, and then when he tried to get his hands on my trust fund, I knew I had no other choice but to end it.”
Colton poured her another glass, and she took a few sips before continuing. “My parents are very wealthy. This place reminds me of their home, although theirs isn’t this grand or elegant. Or as big, of course. But their home is beautiful. One of the most expensive in the city. My parents are all about the money and the prestige. I even had a coming-out ball, for heaven’s sake. Who does that anymore?”
She sipped again. “The first time Clive came to the house to meet them, while we were still dating, I thought it was odd the way he kept asking about every antique in the house. Where they’d purchased it, whether it was handed down, how much it was worth, and on and on. But then I thought he was just being polite, you know? Trying to engage them in conversation about something of interest to them.”
Abigail took a deep breath, compelled to tell them everything now. “He was stealing from them, too, but it took a while before any of us realized that. It was subtle, and they were small things. Items they wouldn’t miss right away. My father actually called the police one time but I was so upset he then refused to press charges. They hated Clive, even when I was dating him. They said he was no good. They could see it, but I couldn’t. They actually wanted him to sign a prenup but I refused to ask him.”
She glanced at each of them. “Do you know what that is?”
They nodded.
“So when he started taking things from me and I finally told them what was going on, that’s when they realized he’d stolen from them as well. I begged them for help. But do you know what they said to me? They said, ‘Abigail, you made your bed, now lie in it.’ That was it. No sympathy. Nothing. I went to support group meetings for people who live with someone who is addicted, and they helped a bit. But honestly…there was no way I was going to keep letting him steal from me or my parents. I mean, who was next? My sister? My coworkers and friends? He made promise after promise to get help, which of course he never got.”
“Promises are very important to you,” said Colton.
“Aren’t they important to everyone? Don’t misunderstand me. I know it’s an addiction he has. I get that. But what was I supposed to do? He would have taken every cent I made if he could have done so. I tried and tried…nothing worked. He never made a move toward help or recovery. A person has to do that. They taught us that in the meetings. A person has to want to find help. They have to want to quit. He didn’t. He only lied to me, time and again. And I had no help from my family. Their solution was to tell me I shouldn’t have married him.”
“We’re sorry,” said Jarrett. “For all of it. That your marriage didn’t work out, and that you had no help from those you loved and depended on.”
“But are you saying if I hadn’t divorced Clive, this wouldn’t have happened to me? I wouldn’t have come here?”
“We don’t know that for certain.”
“Have women who are married or who have children come here?”
“Not that we know of,” said Colton. “Tell us about your job. What kind of work did you do?”
“I’m an analyst in IT. Information technology. You probably don’t know what that is. I work with data from computers. You don’t know those either…”
“We do know what they are,” said Jarrett. “We’ve been told about them from others who have come here.”
She took another sip then eyed them both. “So, tell me the truth, since we’re all spilling our guts here. How many women from my world have you two…you know…taken pleasure from?”
They looked at her like she’d just insulted them in the worst possible way.
“We haven’t had any of them,” said Colton. “And obviously we haven’t made this clear. We chose you, Abigail. The night you crossed over. It was our choice to have you or not, and we wanted you.”
She didn’t know what to say. Maybe they had explained that to her, but she didn’t fully understand it until this second, and it floored her.
“We’ve seen dozens of women cross over in our lifetimes,” said Jarrett. “But you’re the first one we wanted to be with.”
Abigail reached over Jarrett and put the wine glass back on the table where he’d placed it earlier. “I’ve had enough tonight. Thank you for telling me that. And thank you for listening. Both of you. And for answering my questions. I have a lot to think about.”
Jarrett stood. “Yes, you do. Come on.” He held out his hand. “You need to sleep now.”
She stared at his hand. “You’re upset with me.”
“No, not at all.”
Colton took her hand and gently pulled her to her feet. “Just because we’re not taking that pretty dress off you doesn’t mean we’re upset with you. It’s been a difficult evening for all of us. Get some sleep tonight. We’ll begin fresh in the morning.”
“But I slept all day.”
“And you still look tired. In a day or so this will wear off and you’ll feel better. And you need time to come to terms with everything you learned tonight.”
“Thank you. You’re both very understanding, and perfect gentlemen.”
The corners of Colton’s mouth turned up. “Let’s not get carried away. Come on. We’ll find Patricia for you because you can’t get out of that dress or the corset underneath it alone.”
“How do you know what I’m wearing underneath it?”
Colton stared at her cleavage. “Because as delectable as those are without one, it’s obvious when they’ve been pushed up to an unnatural height with one.”
She would have laughed at his description if she wasn’t slightly drunk and still in shock from what they’d told her earlier. “Makes sense. But we don’t need Patricia. Can’t one of you unlace them for me?”
This time, they both chuckled. Jarrett brushed a finger along her arm, sending shivers down her spine. “Abigail, if we unlace your dress and your corset, you won’t get any sleep tonight. Now stop tempting us beyond all human reason and get into your room.”
He gave her a playful slap on her ass as she walked toward the door to her bedroom. She bit back a smile. It had been a terrible blow to find out she was stuck here, but all these two had to do was suggest having sex with her, and her pussy was soaked. No one had ever affected her this way.
But at the same time, she had a lot to digest and try to make sense of. She wouldn’t be able to do that if she was rolling around in bed with them again, so she turned once to say good night, then went into her room to ring for Patricia.
Long after her dress and corset were off and she’d donned a nightgown and crawled into bed, Abigail still lay awake. Her body was so tired, but her mind wouldn’t stop replaying the conversation this evening over and over.
She was here permanently. She could never go home. And there was no way to let her family know she was all right. That was the worst part. Knowing they’d never find her or be able to figure out that she wasn’t dead. Maybe there was a way to get a message to them? She’d have to ask Jarrett and Colton in the morning if that was possible.
Abigail turned over and stared into the darkness. Jarrett and Colton…she was theirs. They’d claimed her. They’d chosen her. That’s the word they’d used, and there was a difference between the two. They’d wanted her. It hadn’t merely been an instance of being there when she crossed over and snatching her up before someone else did. That wasn’t how they’d made it sound tonight, but i
t was how she’d interpreted what had happened that first night.
She was wrong, and she realized that now. They talked about their birthright but what they’d told her tonight implied they could have rejected her. They could have handed her over to two other men. Did they always do this in pairs? She hadn’t clarified that point, either.
But regardless, they wanted to be with her. They’d chosen to be. So what did that mean in the long run? Was this her life now? To be their sex toy and nothing else? They were in there, those two rooms to the left and the right. Were they sleeping by now, or were they lying awake, thinking about her?
Even with all the confusing thoughts racing around her mind, the compulsion to go to them was strong. She shook her head and readjusted her body once more, trying to get comfortable enough to drift off to sleep. How was any of this possible? And yet, here she was. It was real. And as difficult as this was to admit, her attraction to them was also quite real.
And Abigail had no clue how to make sense of that.
* * * *
Jarrett couldn’t sleep. It should have been easy since he’d had a long day and was both mentally and physically exhausted, but all he wanted to do was sneak into Abigail’s room and crawl under the covers with her. He wasn’t upset by her outburst earlier, although at the time he had been. Hearing her describe her ex-husband and the loneliness and helplessness she’d felt at his addition tore at Jarrett’s heart.
While he could understand her parents’ anger at Clive, what he’d never understand was their unwillingness to support their daughter. No matter how many boneheaded things he or Jaxon had done in their youth, and still did today, their parents would never turn their backs on either son.
From what she’d said, it sounded as though she’d done all she could do in her marriage. Clive hadn’t wanted help, and there’s nothing a person can do in a situation like that. She had tried to support him, but that first step was his to take, not hers.
He only wished there was a way she could contact her family because even though she hadn’t said it, he’d bet anything that was foremost on her mind right now. How to let them know she was all right. Jarrett knew of no way to do that, but just the same he’d consult with a stargazer in the morning. That way he could tell her he’d tried in case she asked.
But for now, he had to find a way to get some sleep. Because if he got out of this bed and walked into her room, neither of them would get any tonight.
Chapter Eleven
Jarrett was awake again before the sun rose, and he made sure that Jon let Patricia know he and Colton wanted Abigail to have breakfast with them. But this time, they decided to have it in the solarium on the northern side of the castle, where she could see the Great Lake. He thought she might enjoy that, even though it was still winter and the trees hadn’t yet begun to bloom.
Perhaps seeing the majesty of the water would lift her spirits. All she’d seen since arriving were stone walls and dim corridors. He wasn’t even sure she knew there were windows in her room since she’d slept yesterday during the daylight hours.
She wore a simple dress, but once again the color set off her blue eyes. This one had a bodice that untied, and Jarrett fought hard to keep from staring at it. Because she had to walk through corridors with Patricia to reach this room, she had on a corset again. He longed to take it off and reveal her ripe body.
As soon as Patricia retreated to the outside of the room, Jarrett pulled out a chair for Abigail and she took a seat. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did, eventually.”
Jarrett thought she still looked too tired. “I had trouble sleeping as well.”
“I kept wanting to come into one of your rooms.”
He took a seat quickly so she wouldn’t notice his dick spring to attention at her words. “Why didn’t you?”
She smiled, and his heart gave a strange lurch. That was better than an exasperated look or a frown, surely. And it meant her mood was lighter this morning, for which he was grateful. “Because I wasn’t in the right frame of mind last night. I had to process everything you both had told me.” She glanced around the room. “Where is Colton?”
“He’ll be along in a moment. More Council business.”
“Yes, he mentioned that last evening. That you both were busy with it all day. What is the Council?”
“They are our governing body. Our King, my father, has the power to veto what they put into law, much like your President. But the Council also provides a system of checks and balances, similar in a few ways to your Congress and Senate. Of course the system doesn’t totally parallel yours, but that’s the best way I can explain it.”
She looked mildly relieved. “Thank you for that. For not telling me I wouldn’t understand or assuming I wouldn’t care.”
“Colton and I heard everything you said last evening. We also talked about it, and we will try to remember to include you in discussions unless there’s a reason we cannot.”
“I really appreciate that. Thank you. Who is on the Council besides Sedgewick?”
“Various people. The positions aren’t appointed by vote. The King chooses them, and often they’re simply passed down from father to son. So there is some bias, of course, on what they decide is law.”
“I see. And what about the peasants I’ve heard you both talk about? Are they the workers of the kingdom? I mean, do they farm, or build things, or…” Her voice trailed off as though she wasn’t sure what to say, or thought she’d asked something she shouldn’t have.
“They do everything from grow our food to keep the electricity running. We call them peasants but their lives are not what you’re imagining, based on your world’s history and definition of the word. They have comfortable lives with good wages, plenty of food, and a reasonable work schedule. Everyone has a job to do in our kingdom. No one is unemployed. And our children, from those in the castle to the peasants, receive an education.”
She smiled again. “Including the girls?”
He chuckled. “Yes, including them.”
“Can you come home with me and teach our government how to do that? How to employ everyone and ensure they have access to school?”
Jarrett laughed. “I would if I could.”
“And what about the women who cross over? What employment do you give them?”
He was about to answer when Colton walked in, followed by servants who brought food and coffee on carts.
“Sorry I’m late. They wouldn’t stop talking this morning.”
Once they all had coffee and food, Jarrett asked the servants to wait outside. Then he summarized the conversation Colton had missed and told Abigail again he wished he could honor her request and come home with her, but there was no way to do it. “And while we’re on the subject,” he continued, “I did ask a stargazer this morning if he knew of a way to contact your family to let them know you’re safe, but he did not.”
She sighed softly. “I understand. Thank you for asking.”
He pointed toward the expanse of windows. “Isn’t this beautiful? We thought you’d enjoy a different view this morning.”
“It really is. It looks like the ocean. How large is the lake?”
“Approximately fifty miles to the other side, and four times that from end to end.”
“What’s across it? Another kingdom?”
“Yes, but we don’t have dealings with them. They’re not outright hostile, but neither are they interested in trading goods with us.”
“What about with Enfield?”
Colton snorted. “Maybe we should put Abigail on the Council? I’ve been suggesting the same thing for months now, but they all tell me it’s impossible.”
“Why is it impossible? I assume you have ships, which means you can cross it, and so can they.”
“Exactly. We all have similar riverboats that are more than capable of crossing the lake.”
“Which kingdom does the lake belong to? Or do you share it?”
“We share it,” said
Jarrett. “Enfield, Wythmail, and Ashdown each own a portion on this shore, and our northern neighbors own the entire shore along their borders. The water serves as an effective barrier, and there are markers set out on it where the kingdoms change.”
“But are there border guards on the lake itself?” she asked.
“Yes. They live in lighthouses and a ship takes supplies to them three times a week.”
“It still sounds tenuous for you. You’re surrounded by potential enemies.”
As she sipped her coffee and ate, Jarrett couldn’t help but admire her. She had a way of taking an issue down to its base elements and seeing past all the politics crowding it. What she’d just stated was the absolute truth. They were surrounded by kingdoms that would love to see them fail and would take full advantage of it.
He didn’t need to be the son of a king, or have a father who sat on the Council to know that it was time for all of them to get their heads out of their asses and take their neighbors more seriously.
* * * *
Abigail walked hand in hand with Jarrett on one side and Colton on the other as they led her through the castle. She knew she’d never remember where anything was, but it was nice to see some of it and glance out the windows every now and then. It gave her a better sense of what was around it. Even the entourage following them didn’t bother her this morning. She imagined she’d get used to it, although their presence did keep her from saying anything too personal to either man.
Instead, they talked about things like what kind of food was grown in this area, and how they obtained the coffee beans for their coffee. That turned out to be a complicated system of bartering it through contacts in the Wastelands, who first obtained it from southern kingdoms where the beans were grown.
“I was told no one has contact with the people who live in the Wastelands.”
“We don’t,” said Colton. “I mean those of us who live in the castle don’t have contact with them. Our Council are the ones who put them there. But our farmers and importers have contact with them. Otherwise we’d have fewer goods than we do, and no one here wants to give up their coffee.”
