MenageaDare

by Frances Stockton

“Dammit, Jax, can’t I have some privacy?” she groused, quickly covering herself up when she saw he was naked.

  “Whoa, didn’t mean to scare you,” Jaxon said, waltzing right into the shower with her. “What’s the matter, baby girl?”

  Oh hell, why did he have to be such a beautiful man when she felt anything but attractive right then? She’d been hit with a triple whammy today, but everything except her health was her primary concern.

  “I had a terrible fight with my father earlier,” she told him, still in denial about what she’d felt in her breast. “But that’s no excuse to snap at you. I’m sorry, Jaxon.”

  Eve was ready to scram when two big hands spanned her waist and drew her back under the water, right up against Jaxon’s chest. His fully erect cock poked her backside, tempting her to melt.

  “It must have been a whopper of an argument to have you hiding in the shower.”

  “I’m not hiding,” she insisted.

  “You’re obviously tense,” he corrected, trying to rub his hands up and down her sides and coming too close to her left breast.

  “I can’t do this right now,” she said in a rush, shifting out of reach and facing him. “In fact, I’m not sure I want to go into your dungeon today. I need to take care of this situation with my father. Please understand.”

  “You don’t have to do anything, love, we’ll wait. Although I think you should tell me about the argument you had with your dad. Maybe I can help.”

  Eve couldn’t deny his simple request, silently appreciating the way he rinsed her off and assisted her out of the stall. It took a second or two for him to reach back in and shut off the shower but by the time he was done, she’d removed a towel from a rack and wrapped it around herself.

  When she was dry and calmer, Jaxon stepped in close, looping his arms around her.

  “Tell me about the phone call, Evelyn,” he urged.

  “He asked a lot of nosy questions, I lost my temper and told him I was in a relationship with you and Remy. He flipped. It was the wrong way to go about it, I know, but I panicked and made the situation worse because he threatened to cut funding to Remy’s show.”

  “Aw, baby girl, sounds as if he was shocked and may have said the wrong thing too,” Jaxon murmured. “I know how pride can get in the way.”

  “I’ve loved Remy for a long time, Jaxon,” she said. “I will not let my father hurt him or his career. I can’t.”

  “I love him too. Between the three of us, we’ll figure out what to do,” Jaxon said, confirming what she’d overheard, her heart clenching some as she anxiously waited to hear Jaxon say he loved her too.

  “There’s more to think about than us. Remy’s team counts on him. In the off season, everyone has second jobs. If they don’t have the show, what will they do for supplementary income?”

  “Are they willing to travel?”

  “Yes, they knew travel was a possibility when Remy and I came to Nevada.”

  “I was thinking about inviting Remy to move his show to Dare. We have our own cable television station, as well as a top-notch news team. I’d be willing to take over as his producer too.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that. Wow, that’d be a great opportunity.”

  “Why don’t we go talk to Remy?”

  “Okay, maybe I’ll give Taylor a call afterward and see if she wants to go to a movie or something. Avery and Hazard left last weekend and I could really use a girlfriend right now.”

  Jaxon gently set her away from him. “Something else is wrong. Come on, what’s really bothering you?”

  She smiled to hide her worry. It was really sweet of him to be so concerned, but she simply wasn’t ready to admit to herself that she’d felt something in her breast seconds before Jaxon walked in.

  “I really appreciate your concern, but this is a girl thing,” she admitted. “Maybe tomorrow you and I can spend time in your dungeon, if you still want me.”

  “I’ll always want you, love.” Jax’s head bent closer, his mouth pressing gently to her lips. After a moment, he drew back. “Just remember you can tell me anything. I’m here for you, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said, inclining her head.

  “Call Taylor,” Jaxon agreed when he freed her.

  “Thank you, Jaxon,” she said, going up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “If I can have a few minutes alone to repair my makeup and fix my hair, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Whatever you need, see you in the kitchen,” he replied, kissing her forehead before walking away.

  She’d just finished brushing her damp hair when Remy walked into the bathroom. He came up behind her, grinning, her heart slamming powerfully when she looked at him through the mirror.

  “Jax said you wanted to go out with Taylor tonight. Is everything okay?” Remy asked, his hands coming to her waist to simply hold her.

  “I had a fight with my dad and I’m feeling homesick. We’re supposed to leave next week but what if I have to leave sooner? Do you think Jaxon will be okay with that or want us to come back? I love Dare. I don’t want to leave until we have to.”

  “You need to have more faith in Jax, sugar. Didn’t he tell you he’s taking some vacation time and coming home with us next week?”

  “What? Since when?” she demanded, sadly knowing she’d been so wrapped up in her own concerns, she hadn’t given Jaxon the chance to tell her anything.

  “Since today,” Remy said. “He’s already talked to his stepfather about it and has Gerald’s blessing to take time off. I assumed you’d agree.”

  “This is huge,” she claimed excitedly. “Yes, yes, of course I want him to come with us.”

  “Awesome, how about we go have lunch with our man?”

  “Can you give me five minutes to join the two of you?”

  “That’ll work.” Remy turned her around, kissing her, his eyes sweeping down her towel-clad figure. “You’re the most amazing woman I know, Eve. I love you.”

  “I love you, Remy, very much. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

  “Careful, you’re about to get something started we can’t finish until you come back from hanging with Taylor. When will you be back?”

  “Not really sure,” she admitted. “If Taylor’s busy this whole conversation could be for naught.”

  Remy kissed her again, leaving her so she could finish her makeup. Back in the bedroom, she found her dress, a clean pair of panties and a strapless bra. Once she was dressed, she didn’t bother with shoes. There was something freeing about prancing around the mountain house barefooted.

  By the time she reached the kitchen, she knew she had to tell Remy and Jaxon about what she’d felt in her breast. But the second she saw the men waiting for her, she was caught up in watching Remy pour three iced teas while Jax laid out the sandwiches she’d made earlier.

  Oh how she wished she could retrace her steps and go back to that clearing where she’d first seen them swinging and kissing in a hammock. If she had stayed instead of freaking out, they could be making love right now.

  Then again, Jaxon’s gaze landed on her, a question lingering there and she couldn’t move much less speak. As Remy turned away to put the pitcher of tea back into the fridge, Jax pointed to the sandwiches and the pantry where she’d stowed the picnic basket.

  He knew! He knew she’d hiked up to talk to them and ran away. About to give an explanation, she was cut off when the kitchen phone rang.

  Jaxon frowned and answered the call. In an instant, Eve knew something was wrong because his face turned pale, his shoulders slumped and his voice became so strained she couldn’t hear him.

  “Oh no,” she whispered, heading straight for him to lend her support. Remy joined her, each laying their hands on Jaxon’s shoulders.

  It seemed as if the call lasted forever. Finally, he hung up, turning to face them.

  “What happened, Jaxon? Is something wrong with your mom?” Remy asked.

  “That was the administrator of home my mother is in. She had some
sort of episode early this morning and shoved Gerald so hard that he fell and hit his head, knocking himself out. When he came to, he discovered Mama had left the apartment. I have to go to Carson City ASAP.”

  “Of course you do,” Eve said. “Instead of calling Taylor, why don’t I call Gabriel and see if he’ll fly you there. It would be much faster than driving, wouldn’t it?”

  “Will you and Remy come with me? I’ve no idea how long it’ll take to find her or what’ll happen next, but I don’t want to be alone.”

  “We love you, Jax. Of course we’ll go with you,” Remy assured.

  “In that case, why don’t you two start packing while I call Gabriel?” Jax suggested. “There’s no telling how long this could take or if my mother will require hospitalization so I don’t know when we’ll come back to Dare, much less if I can travel right now.”

  “Don’t worry about anything other than your mom, Jaxon. We’ll get started,” Eve agreed, taking Remy’s hand and leading him to the back stairway.

  Half an hour later, Eve and Remy finished packing their bags and Jaxon joined them, packing a small suitcase. Not wanting to burden him with her situation, Eve vowed to call her doctor as soon as she had a minute alone.

  Shortly, the men carried everything down and stowed the suitcases in the truck bed. Eve followed, letting them assist her into the truck and buckle the seatbelt for her.

  On either side of her, Remy behind the wheel and Jaxon to her right, she glanced back at the mountain house as they drove away, wondering when she’d see it again. She was sad, a lot was in flux, but more than anything she prayed for Saraphina Wynter.

  Ten minutes later they arrived at Dare Municipal Airport. It wasn’t very big, in fact, it had a small rectangle-shaped terminal and runway as it catered namely to private jets and small aircraft.

  An impressive passenger jet with Gabriel Krystiyan’s name emblazoned across the sides sat idling off to the side of the runway. Gabriel and two men were busy getting it ready for a flight.

  “Whoa, that’s quite a plane,” Remy said.

  “It’s great,” Jaxon said. “You’re not worried about the flight, are you?”

  “No, Jax, I just want to get to Carson City quickly.”

  “We’ll get there in plenty of time. If all turns out well with Mama, we’ll return to my house in a few days.”

  “She’ll be fine. Have faith, Jaxon,” Eve said.

  Jaxon took her into arms, crushing her some. It didn’t hurt, but she’d shifted on instinct when he pressed against her left side. She needed some Advil or something to relieve the swelling.

  “Eve? Are you okay?” Jaxon asked when she drew back. “Every time I’ve touched you in the last hour or so, you withdraw as if I hurt you.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s been a weird day,” she said, saved as a Camaro came roaring up to the airport, stopping in a spray of gravel and sand. Taylor popped out of the driver’s seat, charging toward them.

  “Taylor, what are you doing here?” Eve asked.

  “Jax called and said I should join you on the flight to Carson City. Is that okay?”

  “You bet. Thank you for coming.”

  Eve glanced back at Jaxon, bowing her head in thank you. He nodded, something in his eyes warning her that he hadn’t forgotten about the picnic basket and she wasn’t off the hook yet.

  At last, Jaxon backed up, giving way for Taylor and Eve to climb up the stairs to the jet. The inside was sleek and opulent with eight leather passenger seats, a lounge area with a sofa, recliner, a mini-bar and a small kitchen. A sign overhead pointed the way to a bedroom and a bathroom.

  Taking seats next to each other, Eve and Taylor fastened their seatbelts as the men came in. Gabriel inclined his head, said they’d be in the air soon and disappeared into the cockpit. Remy and Jaxon sat side by side, holding hands. They really did look good together.

  Praying silently, Eve laid her head back as the jet taxied down the runaway, gaining speed as they went airborne in a gradual incline. There was much to do, so much to take care of in such a short time, she wasn’t sure what to think other than Jaxon’s mother came first and she needed to call her doctor.

  About a half an hour later the jet banked and Gabriel radioed to the cabin that they were set to land at a small municipal airport outside of Carson City. A few minutes later, they touched down, slowing to a halt at their designated gate.

  With the airport ground crew’s assisting, they all disembarked and piled into a limo that’d been parked next to their gate. As soon as she, Remy, Jaxon, Taylor and Gabriel were set to go, the driver pulled away, following exit signs.

  When they arrived at Gerald and Saraphina’s apartment within the senior living facility, they discovered the front door was open. Inside, a team of medical personnel and security staff swamped the small family room.

  Gerald, a six foot man with gray hair and a trim figure, sat on a pretty sofa, his head wrapped in a bandage. In an armchair, a petite woman with silvery-white hair and glazed eyes spoke with a nurse who was checking her pulse.

  Saraphina had been found and appeared unharmed. The relief that stole through Eve right then was as powerful as watching Jaxon break away from her and Remy to kneel at his mother’s small, slipper-clad feet.

  “Mama, it’s me, Jaxon,” he said softly, perhaps to avoid frightening her.

  “Jaxon, what are you doing home from school?” she asked.

  “I’m not in school anymore, Mama.”

  “Impossible, you’re my son. If the kids are picking on you again, I’ll call Principal Latimer.”

  “It’s been years since anyone bullied me. No need to call him.”

  “Where’s your friend, the big one, Trevor? I like him very much. He’s very talented on the football field.”

  “Trevor’s fine, Mama, he’s getting married soon. I’ll be his best man. He’ll come visit you the next time he’s in town and tell you all about his wedding plans.”

  “Goodness…I hope it’s for love. If he got a girl in trouble, I shall have to speak to him about his responsibilities.”

  “It’s for love, Mama. It is. You’ll like his fiancée when you meet her.”

  Jaxon melted right there, his tears very real as he lowered his head to his mother’s blanketed lap, her frail hand stroking his long pale-blond hair. Eve turned her face into Remy’s shoulder, letting him wrap her up and shed her tears on his shoulder, his muscle and the soft fabric of his shirt muffling the sound.

  Right then she knew she couldn’t ask Jaxon to leave his mother in a week’s time or burden him with whether he loved her or not. She had to believe in the strength of his feelings for her or else she’d lose both of her men.

  Additionally, she needed to call her doctor and see if she should go to an ER or a clinic in Dare or wait until she and Remy drove back to Salem. Logically, she knew she couldn’t ignore any health concerns, even if it turned out she was making a mountain out of a molehill.

  Carefully extricating herself from Remy’s arms, she motioned to Taylor who followed her down the hall to the bathroom. They entered, closed and locked the door.

  “What’s wrong, Eve? Jaxon indicated you were upset even before this happened with his mom.”

  “I’m scared and I don’t want Remy or Jaxon to worry until I know if there’s reason to worry.”

  “Are you sick?” Taylor asked gently.

  Eve took Taylor’s hand and laid it over her left breast. She didn’t want to give voice to her fears. She wanted to shove them to the back of her mind and pretend everything was as wonderful as it’d been when she woke up this morning in bed with the men she loved.

  “A couple weeks ago I felt what I’d thought was a bruise in my breast. I had PMS at the time so I took Midol until my period was over and the pain eased,” she explained, unaware that her hand had gone slack as her body folded downward, caught by Taylor’s quick reflexes.

  “Go on,” Taylor coaxed. “Take your time.”

  “I’d gotten wr
apped up in the newness of my relationship with Jaxon and Remy, with work, research, a whole lot of things, but earlier today I was in the shower and examined myself again. The bruise I’d felt before had grown.”

  “Oh, Eve, try not to think the worst until you know what it is,” Taylor advised.

  “It’s may be absolutely nothing other than a cyst or a deep bruise but given my mother had breast cancer, I can’t ignore it. What do I do?”

  “The first thing you have to do is tell Jax and Remy. They’ll want to help you, no matter the outcome. They love you.”

  “Remy does. I’m not so sure of Jaxon.”

  “Stop it,” Taylor corrected sharply. “He loves you too. I’ve never seen him react to a woman the way he does with you.”

  “Maybe you’re right and I’m feeling sorry for myself at the wrong time. I overheard them today, Taylor. They admitted they loved each other. It was beautiful and yet I haven’t heard those words from Jaxon. Am I selfish for wanting that?”

  “No, every woman wants to hear that. To be honest, Eve, I think you’re using your doubts as a way to avoid dealing with what you found in your breast.”

  That made a whole lot of sense although Eve wished she could have a redo of the whole afternoon, starting with when she packed a picnic basket and going from there.

  “Honey, I’ve dealt with skin cancer. It was minor and treatable with surgery, but still scary.” Taylor helped her lean back against the walk-in bathtub. “The one thing my doctor told me was to have even the smallest thing checked right away. I can call mine for you.”

  “What I really need is to go home, sleep in my bed, cry under my covers and eat a gallon of vanilla fudge ice cream before seeing Dr. Martin as soon as I can. She understands me, Taylor.”

  “Maybe you should go home then,” Taylor suggested. “We can talk to Gabriel. I’m sure he’d be willing to fly you to New England as soon as tomorrow if necessary.”

  “I can’t leave Jax and Remy yet.”

  “You can’t ignore this either. As your friend, I won’t let you. What if Remy stayed here with Jaxon while you see your doctor and get some answers?”

  Eve’s eyes popped open. She hadn’t realized she’d closed them.