Repose? Yes, that was the right word. She was slumped on the corner shower seat, letting the warm water wash over her as her mind wandered where it willed.
How was it possible that she could love so many boys at once? Did it make her a slut? She certainly had slept with all of them, most times, more than one at once.
The kids had seemed surprised. That was natural. What Tess and her boyfriends were doing was different.
Polyamorous.
This wasn't some religious excuse for child brides and cultish harems run by men that used made-up rules to circumvent the law.
Tess was in a relationship with multiple guys. Openly.
Swingers came closer to what she was doing, definitely with the sex implied by that label. Except there was more heart and commitment to their relationships than those that practiced polyamory solely to try out new bed partners.
It was only as the temperature dropped a few degrees that she became aware of her surroundings again, the change in warmth barely noticeable, except Bastion had set it almost scalding hot when they had started the shower.
She let routine ground her. Wet her hair, shampoo, rinse, squeeze the excess water, conditioner, rinse again, and a final squeeze after she had turned off the taps.
It wasn't as big of a surprise to see the new, clean clothes laid out for her on Bastion’s bed. She hoped that it had been him to do the simple chore for her instead of a servant. The last thing she wanted was for Ruby to hear of such blatant evidence of infidelity when Tess was supposedly dating her son with Mr. Stewart’s approval.
Tess didn't know how War was going to explain any of this to Ruby.
She hurriedly got dressed. She had lost track of time in the shower. Everyone was probably waiting for her downstairs.
Did they all know that she had been taking a shower in Bastion's room?
It wasn't as if she was hiding her relationships with all of the guys any longer. War might appreciate having more time to break the news to Ruby first before it was thrown in her face.
Would Ruby kick Tess and the kids out?
Someone knocked on the bedroom door.
When fate comes knocking, answer.
“Who’s there?” Tess asked, timidly.
“Orange,” answered War’s voice.
Ah, anyone could recognize the start to a knock-knock joke. She decided to play along, with a stupid grin on her face.
“Orange, who?” Tess asked, walking closer to the door.
She made her voice suspicious this time. Rattled the door knob a few times before swinging it widely open.
“Orange you glad to see me?” War finished.
He had a smile on his face to rival hers. This was his house, so he must not have felt as out of place as the rest of them, stepping right into the room. He wrapped her into a warm hug.
“Bastion’s waiting for his turn to talk downstairs. The twins are almost finished. Bastion mentioned that you were having a shower and getting changed. I want to show you something. Come with me?”
“Where?” she asked, curious.
War had the look of someone with a good secret, one that he was eager to share.
“Your bedroom, uh, here. I had Jacobson set-up your bathroom with some girly stuff, in case you needed something. I know we didn't let you pack properly before you went to the island. We can get you anything you need.”
The guest room she’d been shown to change the toy out earlier wasn’t where she was supposed to stay if they slept over?
It had seemed nice enough.
“Come on, then,” War said to her silence as he tugged her out of the room.
“I thought we hadn't decided on whether the kids and I were going to stay overnight with you or go back to our own house?” Tess asked.
“You have a room here. May as well check it out,” War said, non-committedly.
Hadn’t this had all been temporary?
She had her stuff back in the basement of the townhouse. No need for War to be setting up a room for her if she was only here for a day. She might not even sleep in the bed. It was wasteful when all she needed was the futon and being close enough to the kids to watch over them.
Although it would be a bit more crowded once Mom came home. They’d make do. The basement was fine.
Home is where the heart is.
Who was she kidding? She’d moved into the basement barely a couple weeks ago. It wasn’t all that comfortable. She hadn't had a chance yet to leave her mark on the room, make it hers. The dorms she’d come from had never been hers. She’d been one student of many, four years maximum.
Her room. Hers.
War was gifting her something special. It didn’t matter if she used the room. Just seeing it once, knowing he’d set it up specifically for her, was a gift.
He made it feel like she’d always have a place with him.
She belonged.
“Luce,” she said to get his attention.
He stopped walking and turned to face her, although he kept a hold of her hand.
“When did you pick out a room for me?” she asked.
War ran a hand over his short, curly hair. “Uh, I asked Mum the first day I met you.”
What?
“How come? I... what would Ruby have thought? We had just met!”
“Mum knew you and the kids were alone. We thought... I asked if you all could stay with us. In case it was lonely. Our house also gets lonely, just the two of us and Jacobson. Mum works late too, sometimes.”
Like a move-in family. It was sweet and sad at the same time. War had a big family, but he and Ruby were separated from them.
They were such kind people.
“Okay, show me my room, please,” Tess said, deciding that no matter what it looked like, she was going to make sure to show War how much she appreciated his thoughtfulness.
He grinned and tugged her forward once more.
The room he brought her into was easily the nicest bedroom she had ever seen. Although the size wasn't the biggest—Bastion had a bigger room at his house—it was decorated with someone just like her in mind.
There was a beautiful corner nook right beside a bowed-out picture window with a bench. It overlooked the gardens at the back with a tall oak tree standing proudly by the side of the window to provide shade in the summer, the oak bearing a few green Spring buds right now.
It was a place to read for hours. Definitely, that had been the decorator’s intention. Most of the walls were lined with bookcases, brimming with books. Every genre seem to be represented. Tess could see some of her old favourites and new books that she couldn’t wait to read.
The bed hadn’t drawn her attention at first, but as she tore her eyes from the books, spinning the room, she saw that it also deserved accolades. Big, both wide enough for all of her guys and tall enough to need steps. It was an oasis with gauzy bed curtains that would make the bed inhabitants mysterious without completely hiding them. The covers were plump and soft and warm. An overhead fan made with big, natural-wood appearing blades was still, but could obviously be turned on for comfort.
A girl and her harem could spend many sultry nights in that bed.
“Wow,” Tess said.
It was inadequate. She tried again.
“I love books. And the bed is way better than my futon.”
“But it’s not home?” War said, coming up from behind her to wrap his arms around her.
He rested his chin on the top of her head while he waited for her to respond.
“Is that a terrible thing to think? I really appreciate you showing me this room, but I want...?”
“To be home with the kids and your mother. Your family.”
“I might have trouble getting Ashley to go home if this is the kind of room she was given,” Tess teased, trying to keep herself from crying.
No crying.
She sniffled instead. War hugged her tighter.
“The best thing about this room is that it’s yours. Nobody is going to ch
ange it. You can go home and come back here. This will be your space. I told the kids the same about their rooms. I’m not trying to pressure you to stay. I want you to feel safe and comfortable.”
Tess heaved out a big breath. “Thanks.”
“Want to try out the bed or the reading nook first?” War asked.
She surprised herself by answering ‘bed’ even though she’d just finished showering after making love with Bastion.
Guess she wanted to cuddle more with War, even if she hadn’t realized it herself.
“May I carry you?” War asked.
Tess wiggled in his arms. Was he still coddling her after hearing her sniffle? She didn’t want to only cuddle in bed.
“I can walk. You don’t have to carry me like a child,” she whined.
“Tess-girl,” War rumbled out. “I planned on throwing you over my shoulder and then tossing you on the bed for a proper ravishing. I even wanted to be wearing my kilt, but it’s dry-clean only and Jacobson already took it for cleaning.”
Tess burst out laughing. “Dry clean? They have a lot of those in ancient Scotland?”
“I dinna know, lass. I’m no so old as my Da. Dinna favour the smell of warrior sweat in anything but my game sweater, though I canna wear that now your sweet scent is carried on it.”
She had to listen hard to get all of that, especially as War was playing hard on his accent. Or was that better said, not trying hard to hide it?
He was doing it to amuse her, which he’d easily accomplished.
“Fine, heave me over your shoulder and set about to swive me good, highlander,” she teased.
“That’s the spirit, Tess-girl,” War said, turning her and putting her over his shoulder with no hesitation. “There’s a whole shelf of Scottish romances that I personally picked out for you, by the way.”
Of course he did.
She would read every one of them.
The twins walked through the door as she was getting carried to bed. She got one quick glimpse at them before War pivoted to see who’d interrupted their play.
Now her upturned ass over War’s shoulder was greeting them.
“Haven’t you two heard of knocking?” War complained. He ignored her wiggles to get down. “This is Tess’s room. Knock first. Wait to be invited in.”
“We’re already here,” Keir pointed out.
“Let me down, Luce,” she muttered. “War’s right. You guys have no concept of privacy. Do you share a room?”
“Nope. Nice jeans, Pumpkin,” Kade told Tess.
“Are you going to invite us in?” Keir asked.
He walked over to her bed, sitting down on it.
Kade made his way to a bookshelf, browsing while they waited to see what she would say. They were making themselves at home already without the invitation.
“Are you guys even going to leave if I ask?” Tess wondered out loud.
“We would be all alone downstairs as everyone else is busy, but yes,” Keir answered.
In direct opposition to that statement, he lay back on the bed, feet dangling.
“You have your twin. How can you be alone when you’re together?” she asked, exasperated.
War gave her bottom a pat, proving he was well aware she was still in this embarrassing position for this ridiculous conversation. He had enough muscles to carry her all day long.
“What a paradox,” Kade commented. “Do you have books on paradoxes here?”
“Do I?” Tess asked War.
“Do you want to talk about paradoxes or go over to your bed and figure out how many it holds?” War asked.
Kade walked away from the bookshelf to the bed. Keir sat back up.
“Make your bed and lie in it,” Kade said.
Tess smiled. “The bed’s already made by someone else, but I still have to lie in it?” she teased back.
“Well, Princess Pumpkin. We need someone to tell us if there are any peas under the mattress,” Keir said, playing along.
“‘Princess Pumpkin’ is ridiculous,” she said.
War carried her over to the bed, tossing her onto the mattress with a bounce.
“You guys are lucky that Tess hasn’t read the shelf of Scottish romances yet, else she would have booted you out,” War predicted.
“How about reverse-harem? Did you buy those manga I recommended?” Keir asked. He crawled over her and bussed her forehead. “Especially the ones with twins.”
“Yes, I did,” War admitted.
Tess was tempted to ask what shelf. It would be rude to ignore all the hot guys in her bed to read a book or two, right?
War had already tempted her mightily to move in here. This room was made for her, and she was beginning to suspect, quite deliberately.
Had he done it after he saw her basement quarters? The townhouse really didn’t have any extra space.
“This is the most comfortable bed I’ve ever been on,” Tess said, stretching herself out. “The books are such a sweet gesture. I promise, I’m going to read them all and I won’t read any of them outside of this room. That reading nook is perfect.”
War kneeled on the bed, one knee between her thighs. He leaned down and kissed her, slow and thoroughly. Their company was silent witness. Nobody and nothing was going to rush War once he started kissing her.
She cupped his shoulders, letting him take the lead. His muscles shifted under her hands moments before he rolled, taking her with him. Their lips didn’t part until she was rubbing herself against him, moaning into his mouth.
Once he had her desperate for more is when he decided she’d had enough.
“Verra nice bed,” War rumbled from underneath her.
Boy, did that tickle her in a nice way. Her nipples were sticking out through her bra, poking at the chest that vibrated with War’s deep, accented voice.
Who knew a voice could be a sexual touch?
“I’d say it’s kind of hard and lumpy myself,” she teased, rubbing more against him.
She reached down to gauge his interest. His arousal was pushed up between the vee of her thighs as he rolled his hips to keep her hand away as she teased and rubbed him toward her destination.
“Take her, else I’m going to test out the bed the way I initially planned, kilt or no,” War said to the twins.
Keir wrapped his hands around her body, grabbing just under her breasts. She knew it was him as he bent his head and sucked on her ear lobe.
No piercing, just the sharp nip of his teeth and then he suckled the hurt.
The surprising part was when he didn’t pull her all the way off of War. The twins rarely hesitated to get her between them and to themselves.
“Let’s move up to the head of the bed and all lie down together,” Keir suggested.
It was a lot of wiggling, but they did exactly that, Tess lying back down on top of War. Her head was on his chest, one ear to hear every beat of his heart.
She faced Kade. He reached over an arm and rested it on her back. Keir had a leg overtop hers and War’s legs.
“This is nice,” Tess admitted.
“Bastion would be up here, too, but he has to discuss the drugs with security. It’s why he went last. The cold, hard evidence of wrongdoing we didn’t commit has to be gotten rid of smartly,” Kade said.
“His plan to throw it in a body of water seemed to have merit except cocaine is water insoluble,” Tess said.
She hadn’t really thought about it until later. They’d discussed so much that she got overwhelmed in retrospect.
“Chemistry geek,” Kade teased.
“One of the security guys knew about the water insolubility of cocaine and is talking about alternative disposal with Bastion,” War explained.
“What did you guys talk about with them? Uh, if you want to tell me, that is,” Tess said.
“Everything we already told you, including Jensen’s brand,” Kade answered.
“We brought up our dad,” Keir added.
Tess knew that must have been difficult. T
he twins couldn’t completely trust their dad, but he was also a constant in their lives when everything else was changing. She knew they questioned if their father had anything to do with their mother’s death.
Even the hint of a connection must break their hearts.
Revealing that kind of hurt to strangers was braver than anything Tess had said about her broken family. She’d learned to accept what she’d lost and treasure what she had left. The twins didn’t know if they were able to believe in their father.
Better the devil you know.
Tess would never mistake her father for a loving dad, but she understood what motivated him and that was enough to guard her heart.
“Have you ever talked to your dad about that night?” Tess asked into the silence that followed Keir’s disclosure.
“I tried,” Keir said. “He was drinking, not really hearing me. I barely got started when he interrupted and told me Mom got the last word during their fight. It had been for him to stop being such a dull, cheap prick. He passed out, snoring in at his desk not long after. I didn't try again.”
“Our dad never drinks,” Kade said, explaining the significance of what Keir was telling them.
“Cause mom sometimes did too much when she gambled. She liked to smoke cigars just to piss him off. Would come home reeking of them. I saw her choke and cough, lighting one up for a few puffs and then tossing it to the ground,” Keir said.
Obviously, there had been disharmony in their parent’s relationship. But murder?
Tess highly doubted it. Even as abusive and devious as her father had been to get his way around Maddy when they were married, he’d never crossed the line where her mother had to fear for her life.
She didn’t think that kind of callous disregard was something anyone could hide from family. The twins would have known.
Tess still didn’t know their father well enough to reassure them. That was something they could only do for themselves.
“You should talk to him,” she suggested. “I know it will be hard, but you thought it was worth trying once. Maybe approach him together?”
“Tess is right. Your father could be a significant help if he understood more of what is going on,” War said.
Duplicity (Victory Lap Book 2) Page 31
