by Violet Paige
She noticed how his neck tensed. The easy smile he had faded.
She nodded, yet she didn’t completely believe him. Why else would they want her to stay with them?
“Dinner is at six o’clock,” Lee explained. “We will see you then.”
“Are you dismissing me?”
“Did you need something else?” he asked.
“Where are we?” She didn’t like how small her voice sounded.
Tyler smiled. “This is our retreat.”
“You two are in hiding, aren’t you?”
Lee’s smile turned angry. “We aren’t hiding.”
She shook her head. She had heard rumors and read a few things online. There was a possible takeover at StarCon. It had been splashed all over the business news. The co-CEOs had left town to supposedly build their portfolio, but this confirmed what Brooke had thought from the beginning. They were hiding. They were using the retreat for some kind of master comeback.
“You want me to trust you two, yet you won’t tell me where we are and why you’re up here. I know we’re far from the city. I might have been in the back of a trunk for hours, but I have eyes.” She pointed to the window. “Nothing but snow and trees.”
Lee sighed. She didn’t want to admit how insanely sexy his beard was. For a quick flash of a second she wondered what it would feel like on her tender skin. She shook her head. No, she scorned herself.
“She’s right, Ty.” Lee stared at his business partner. He turned to her. “We’re taking some time off out of the city. We’re unplugging. Ok? Does that answer your question?”
“No it doesn’t. But I guess we have time for me to figure you two out.” She twisted her lips together.
Lee winked. “Perfect. You’ll find everything you need upstairs in your room. We will see you at dinner.”
Brooke rose from the chair in disbelief. “I’m taking the wine with me.” She clutched the wine and marched out of the office. She had no idea what in the hell had just happened.
Six
Tyler
As soon as the doors closed behind Brooke, he spun around to face Lee. He didn’t know if he had the words to describe what just happened. Shit like that didn’t happen to him. Never.
“Fuck, did you see her?”
Lee shook his head. “Yeah, I saw her.”
“She hates us, doesn’t she?”
“What did you think would happen? You bought her in a poker game. Why couldn’t you stick with gambling for cars or horses? Cash? Why her, Tyler. Why?”
Tyler pushed off the couch and paced around the room. “Damn. She’s perfect. More than perfect.” He hung his head. “She is incredible.” He’d never seen more beautiful lips on a woman. Her hair was golden—it almost shimmered as if she were an angel. “This isn’t going to be easy.”
“You wanted an empress.”
“Instead I got a caged panther.”
Lee stood next to him. “I’d say back out of the deal, but…”
He cut him off. “No. We can’t let her go. And I’m not sending her out in that snowstorm.”
“You sent James out in it.”
He glared. “What the fuck do I care about James? She’s different. We can’t let her go.”
Lee shook his head. “No. We can’t. On this, I actually agree with you for once. Even if I completely disagree with how she came to us.”
“Are you ever going to stop giving me shit about it?”
He knew he gambled too much. He knew sometimes it got out of hand, but this was the one time it had paid off. His bet brought the most amazing woman into their lives. A sassy spitfire with gorgeous tits and an ass that was round and soft. And there was an entirely unexpected side—she was an artist.
It was a part of his life he had never been able to share with anyone before. He had collected for years. Toured the world, visiting the most prestigious collections he could find.
“She isn’t going to go for this, Tyler.”
“Then, we do it the old-fashioned way,” he decided.
“Old fashioned way?” Lee questioned.
“We seduce her with everything we have. We will be relentless. Put everything on the table. Everything.”
“I don’t know that Brooke is the kind of girl who is going to fall for that. You saw that look. It’s clear Niall McIntosh isn’t her favorite person, and I’m certain she has added our names to that list.”
“That may be so. But we have sixty days to make her ours. And I plan on using every second we have to make sure that happens.”
It took everything he had not to kiss her when she was here. He had taken one look at her and wanted to know what those plump lips would taste like. What kinds of sounds she would make when he kissed her. How her eyes would light when he touched her.
“Are you with me?” he asked his friend.
Lee ran his fingers through his hair. “For a chance with her? Yes, I am. I’m all in, if we can make this work.”
“Being trapped in a cabin in the woods is going to be everything she needs.”
“Let’s just get through dinner first.”
Seven
Brooke
It didn’t matter that the drapes were made from imported silk or that she had her own fireplace. Brooke didn’t care that there was a closet full of designer gowns, and more high heels than she had seen in a department store.
These walls were her prison. A beautiful expensive prison. And she hated it.
She turned on the TV and sank onto the pile of pillows. She scowled, despising how comfortable the bed was. It would make it easier if they gave her a bed of thorns to sleep on—not luxurious linens.
Who did these assholes think they were? There was nothing about them that seemed like the thugs Niall usually did business with. They were refined. Polished. And they had money. They weren’t trying to hide how rich they were. She doubted they had made a single deal in the back of an ally or resorted to petty theft to pay bills.
From their expensive suits to the custom details in the cabin. They were loaded. Their reputations as Denver’s infamous bachelors were hard to miss. They were splashed on social media. There were even blogs about Tyler and Lee. The last article she read put together a bracket list on which Denver socialites would be able to snag the duo. She wondered what the world would think if they knew this is what they did.
She wasn’t going to get caught up in the riches. Brooke knew money was fleeting. She had learned that the hard way. She had seen her family’s fortune go up in flames when her father lost everything in a real estate deal. They lost it all: the cars, the land, her mother’s jewelry, and their house.
It wasn’t long after his financial ruin that her father learned he was sick. Life went from bad to worse. Money meant nothing and everything at the same time.
Brooke wandered to the window and stared out at the mountains. There was something alluring and peaceful about being here. But she shivered. She felt alone.
She would do anything to trade the money to have her father back.
There was a knock on the door.
“Yes?” she called.
The door cracked open and Tyler walked in. “How are your rooms?” he asked.
She felt the tension in her neck and shoulders when she saw him. “Fine for a jail cell.”
He chuckled. “Don’t be dramatic. You’re sleeping like a princess in the wilderness.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Why did you stop by?”
“We’re looking forward to dinner. It’s casual. Don’t worry about the gowns. Those are just gifts for you.”
“Gifts? Why would give me gifts?” she asked.
“To make you feel more comfortable. To let you know we’re glad you’re here. And to spoil you rotten.” He grinned devilishly. “We want you to feel good.”
“I’d feel a lot better if I could leave.”
“We haven’t even had dinner. Give us a chance, Brooke. Come on.”
She scowled. “I’d rather n
ot.”
“There’s a pair of jeans and a sweater I think you should try. And some heels.” He pointed to the closet.
“Is that an order or a request?” She tilted her head.
“I told you. There are no orders here.” He placed his hand on the door. “See you at dinner.” It closed behind him and she walked to the closet.
She picked up the pair of skin tight jeans. They felt like the softest silk in her hands. She’d never felt denim this soft before. She reached for the sweater on the hanger next to the jeans. The V in the front was a deep cut and she realized the sweater was cropped. They’d both get an eyeful of her navel. The heels were incredible. She picked up the stilettos and turned them in her hand.
She sighed.
She didn’t have a choice. She thought about her options. There were none. She had to put on the skimpy designer clothes and march down the stairs like the piece of property she was. For the next sixty days Lee and Tyler owned her. There was no way around that unless she could prove herself through her art.
For sixty days she had to survive in this golden log castle. Endure the loneliness. Bear the brunt of what they expected. Her stomach rolled. She had no doubt what she was expected to do. They might have acted like gentlemen. They might disguise their motives with lavish gifts. They might try to hide behind a job offer at StarCon Global. But she knew. It was an elaborate sham.
They bought her.
They owned her.
And the price was expected to pay was with sex.
Eight
Brooke
Brooke had to hold the banister to keep from tripping over the high heels. If she tipped forward, there was a chance she would tumble down the winding staircase.
The black sweater cut in a low V almost to her navel and draped gracefully off her shoulders. It was hard to deny how elegant and sexy she looked. It seemed ridiculous to wear this to dinner in the dining room, but she did as she was told. She wasn’t interested in testing Tyler or Lee.
When she reached the bottom of the staircase she peered around the corner looking for the dining room. The house was eerily dark and quiet.
She didn’t know what it would be like living with two bachelors. Whether they would have sports blaring on the TV at all times. If they would smoke cigars or walk around in their underwear. These two men didn’t seem like other bachelors. They were different.
She listened for the sound of Tyler and Lee talking and walked toward the front entrance of the cabin. An overpowering chandelier constructed from antlers hung in the foyer. In front of her was the front door. She didn’t know how the design could be rustic and elegant at the same time.
There was no one here. No one to see her. No one to stop her.
She slowly picked up her pace. Was she actually considering making a run for it? Could she run through the front door to her freedom? How long would it take for them to notice she was gone?
There was no way she would make it far in these heels. She looked to her right. Then her left. The house was quiet. She slid off her shoes, feeling tiny without them to give her extra height. She tiptoed toward the massive set of doors.
She didn’t know where she would go on the other side. With each step she took she tried to think of how this could pan out. Would Niall track her down? Would he punish her for ruining his payment plan? What if Tyler and Lee had an angry side she hadn’t picked up on? Would she have to serve a longer term if they caught her?
And then there was the snow. It covered everything. She didn’t have a coat, gloves, or a hat. With this crop top, she’d freeze in under an hour.
There wasn’t time to hash out every scenario. It was now or never. Frostbite or freedom.
She reached the handle. It was embellished and carved. Her fingers rested on the design. On the other side was the dark night. Night that offered a chance to run. A chance to escape. Night that held more fear. Held retaliation. A life that would never be certain. She pressed her forehead into the planes of the door.
She heard footsteps behind her and jumped. She quickly maneuvered away from the door.
“Going somewhere?”
It was Lee.
She plastered a smile on her face and turned to face him. “I-I had a cramp in my foot from the shoes,” she lied. “I was walking it out in the foyer. The wooden surface is cool on my feet.”
He bent toward the floor and retrieved her heels. They looked tiny in his hands.
“Let me help.”
He strolled toward her and knelt at her feet. Brooke felt her throat tighten. She fought back the tears. The regret sank into her shoulders and worked through her body. Tonight’s freedom was gone. She waited too long and let the obstacles paralyze her instead of taking a chance. It was her own fault. She blinked back the first tear.
Lee touched her ankle, raising it from the floor. “How is this?” He slid it into the shoe and then assisted her other foot while she used his shoulder as a balance barre.
She nodded. “I think it’s fine now.”
He grinned, rising slowly from the marble. “You look stunning, Brooke.” There was something dark in him, but eerily calm and peaceful. She was intrigued even though she didn’t want to be. She blamed his damn sexy beard.
It happened involuntarily, but she shivered. It was the good kind. It felt tingly and electric. She wanted to slap herself. That wasn’t supposed to happen. He was her warden, not some kind of prince.
“Thank you.” Her eyes darted away from him, but landed on Tyler strolling toward them.
He was drop-dead gorgeous in a fitted suit. She inhaled sharply as his eyes caught hers.
“You are sexy as sin, sweetheart.” He reached for her hand, drawing her wrist toward his face. She blushed when he turned her hand over and kissed the inside of her palm. She was worried this time they both saw her shiver.
“Shall we?” Lee offered his arm. Tyler was quick to follow on her other side.
Brooke let them lead her to the dining room, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that they eyed her as if they wished she was tonight’s dessert.
Nine
Brooke
She didn’t know if she could eat. The only thing that made any sense was to douse the night in alcohol. Lots of it.
Lee sat on one side of her and Tyler on the other. They acted as if this a normal dinner. There was nothing normal about it. Brooke was determined they wouldn’t forget it. They could try to pretend, but she wasn’t going to let them. She wasn’t going down without a fight.
She wasn’t here voluntarily. Only moments ago she was scouting a way out of this palace prison. The hand-laid stone and the imported glass didn’t make it a home.
“Do you like your room?” Lee asked.
Brooke pushed her salad around on her plate.
“It will be fine.”
Tyler’s eyes bore into hers. “Would you like to look at another suite? You could move. You can take your pick.”
“It won’t make a difference.”
“If you don’t like it, you can move, Brooke.”
“Can I? Really? How generous of you both.” She glared at them. “Is sleeping in my own bed an option?”
“While you are staying here, this is your home. You can choose any room you like. There are several that might make you feel more comfortable.” Lee didn’t take her bait. He was calm. His voice almost too cool.
She dropped her fork on the plate with a clatter. “Nothing you can do other than letting me go with my full freedom is going to make me feel comfortable.”
Tyler pressed his lips together. “We can’t let you go, Brooke.”
She reached for the wine, eager to feel the numbness take over her thoughts. “I figured. Why would you?”
“Exactly. Why would we?” Tyler seemed satisfied with his rhetorical response. There was something about him that exuded masculinity. He was broad chested. His shoulders expansive. The suit seemed to stretch at the seams to accommodate him.
“I think if you give t
his situation time, you’ll enjoy living here. You can have anything you want.” Lee tried to make the situation better. His eyes were softer than Tyler’s. He had long lashes that were hard to ignore.
“The only thing I want is my freedom, but that’s not an option.”
“No. It’s not.” Tyler refilled her glass. “You might as well drink up and enjoy the night.”
“But not too much,” Lee warned. “If you want to take on the assignment for us, you’ll want a clear head.”
Work. Again, he tried to make something surreal sound normal.
“I’m not sure I completely understand what you expect me to do for StarCon Global. Maybe you could fill me in.” Brooke sat in her chair and waited for a response. “You have to realize it’s strange since you’re both hours from the city and your offices.”
Tyler leaned forward on his elbows. “I’d much rather get to know you. We can talk work tomorrow.”
“I think it’s a fair question.” Lee lifted a beer pilsner from the table. “She has a right to know what we’re considering.”
“All right. Go ahead, break the rules.” He looked at Lee.
“I don’t think we should talk about breaking rules,” he growled.”
“Fine.”
Brooke wanted to pry. There was tension between them.
Lee continued, “We could use a talented artist. I’m hoping that’s you. We have a huge project planned in two months. We need the perfect artist to pull it off for us.”
Brooke twisted her lips together. “I’d like to propose a deal of my own.”
Tyler’s eyebrows rose. “Really? Like what?”
“If you like my designs for StarCon Global, you’ll let me go early.”
The men looked at each other.
“I’m serious,” she broke the silence in the dining room. “If my logo is the one that is chosen for the series, you let me go. I think it’s fair.”
