Reborn as Bree [The ShadowDance Club 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 2

  * * * *

  Bree saw the tall man with shaggy jet-black hair moving toward her the minute he came around the corner of the building. Watching him walk with a catlike grace, she couldn’t help but notice how smooth and unhurried his movements were. Every muscle was using the minimum amount of energy to generate the maximum results like a dancer or a predator. Shaking off the images that brought to mind, she refocused on projecting a professional persona and she was doing fine until she looked up into his eyes. As he’d gotten close enough for her to really look into his eyes, she’d been overwhelmed by the feeling that she had just taken a refreshing dive into the Caribbean Sea. He had the most amazingly cerulean eyes she’d ever seen. They were the clearest azure blue imaginable. She just stared at him for what seemed like hours but couldn’t have been more than a few seconds. She saw his mouth moving but couldn’t hear past the roar of the blood rushing in her ears. How am I supposed to have an intelligent conversation with someone when I’m lost in their eyes? Damn, get it together or he’s going to think you’re an idiot!

  Chapter 3

  Creed watched as the woman looked at him with the oddest expression he had ever seen. He had smiled as he’d walked up to her and she had immediately frozen. It wasn’t fear that etched her expression though, it was something deeper that he couldn’t quite identify. It was as if there was a soul-deep recognition but he didn’t recognize her face. He knew immediately she was wearing colored contact lenses and he had to smile to himself because even though they were darker than he’d anticipated, he had been right about her blue eyes. He wondered just for a second what color they were under those contacts but then he redirected his thoughts back to woman in front of him.

  Speaking to her again he asked, “Miss? Are you alright? Are you lost?” When she started to weave he grasped her elbow just before he saw her eyes start to roll back. “Shit! Hey, I’ve got you. Let’s get you inside so you can sit down and warm up. You don’t look all that steady and I’m worried about you out here all alone.” He was tempted to scoop her up in his arms but she had such a stunned deer-in-the-headlights look on her face he decided to try just using an arm around her waist to help her navigate the stone staircase. “What’s your name, sugar?”

  He felt more than saw her tense at his overly familiar tone. The one thing he’d never gotten used to was the need to leave those terms of endearment off the ends of his questions when he wasn’t in the deep South. And God knew the habit had gotten him in butt-loads of trouble with the military brass before he’d finally learned to think before speaking—at least some of the time. It wasn’t ever an issue at ShadowDance. That was just one of the perks of working part-time at a BDSM club where that that sort of speech was the norm, not the exception.

  When they reached the ornately carved wooden doors at the top of the stairs they swung open as if on cue, no doubt thanks to his pal in the Crow’s Nest. The ShadowDance Club’s security control center was known as the “Crow’s Nest” and the staff had all laughed when mail had even begun arriving with that title in the address. Just as he glanced up at the camera in the entryway his earbud popped to life and he heard Jantz’s exaggerated Texas drawl asking, “Who’s the porcelain doll? And can I play?” Rolling his eyes, knowing Ethan loved to kick up the accent when he was playing with a woman, Jamie just gave him a quick hand sign for “front and center” knowing his friend was likely already on his way down the back stairs.

  * * * *

  Bree suddenly realized she was sitting on a leather sofa in front of a beautiful stone fireplace. The fire danced with abandon beneath a hearth that looked like a solid piece of granite. I wonder how heavy that is? Who on earth can afford to do that? There was a small part of her that knew her mind was floating in a haze again but the fire was so warm and inviting and she was so tired and lost that the fog clouding her thoughts just didn’t seem all that important. Knowing that her thoughts were random and rambling didn’t seem to help her focus, but she did a small mental happy dance because at least she hadn’t melted in a puddle while looking at Mr. Blue Eyes.

  She didn’t remember how she’d gotten inside, but then she noticed she was sitting next to him. The very gorgeous, very tall man who had approached her outside was sitting so close that if she took a deep breath they’d be touching. Trying to bring her thoughts back in to some semblance of reason, she remembered him talking to her and how everything had seemed to fade into the background, but after that she didn’t remember anything but fog.

  Cursing herself for not eating, she struggled to form coherent thoughts. Her counselors had warned that her new habit of forgetting to eat was one of the post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms that she needed to focus on dealing with first, but it was a problem she was still struggling to conquer. Sighing to herself, she resolved that she was just going to have to surrender and start setting her phone alarm so she would remember to eat. She slowly began to focus and saw there were actually two gorgeous men staring at her. Oh pickle fudge, where did he come from? Oh hell, maybe these are Catherine’s sons? Dandy impression you are making, Sabrina…oh double hell, Bree! I am Bree now! Oh God, I really am hungry. Looking up at the two men who were watching her so intently she sighed and wondered how she could have messed this day up any more.

  Finally realizing both men were watching her as if she was an escaped mental patient, she straightened and found her voice. “I’m sorry, I guess I should have stopped for a break on the way here. But I’m not really used to mountain driving and well, to be honest, I thought if I stopped I might not be brave enough to start again.” Taking a big breath, she realized she had dropped her gaze to her hands that lay so tightly clasped in her lap that they were beginning to turn white.

  Bree’s attention was drawn immediately to the tall man that stood in front of her when he asked, “When is the last time you ate anything, sweetheart? You look like you are about to drop. And judging by the fit of your clothes I’m going to guess that you forget to eat fairly often.” She couldn’t help the small sound of surprise that escaped her lips. “How’d I do?”

  “Umm…well, pretty good actually. Oh nuts, that was really two questions wasn’t it? Well, I ate, hmmm, let me think.” She didn’t even get to finish when the man standing up flipped open his phone and spoke sweetly to someone named Selita about a food tray. Promising to send someone to pick it up he made another quick call and then flipped the phone closed and returned his attention to her. Watching him warily, she decided action would surely be better than just sitting there like a slug so she started to stand.

  Mr. Blue Eyes settled his hand on her shoulder to keep her from standing up, he was probably worried they’d just have to scoop her up off the floor because it wouldn’t have taken a Mensa candidate to see she was running on fumes. “Why don’t you just stay sitting while we all introduce ourselves. I’m Jamie Creed and the fellow standing so tall in front of you that he’s forcing you to strain your neck to see him is Ethan Jantz.” Ethan must have taken Jamie’s hint because he sat on the coffee table in front of them. Then Mr. Blue Eyes, err, Jamie, slowly trailed his hand from her shoulder all the way to her hand in what could only be called a sensuous caress that made her shiver with desire before he asked, “Now, what’s your name, sweetness?”

  “Bree. Bree Hart. Mrs. Catherine Lamont sent me.” She knew both men were watching her and still she couldn’t stop her eyes from automatically moving to her lap again. She stared at her hands, amazed to see that Jamie had taken them in his and gently unfolded her clenched fingers so that his strong fingers were gently warming hers. Taking a deep breath she continued, “Do you know Mrs. Lamont? She said she would let her sons know I was on my way. Although to be honest she may not have thought I’d drive in this weather.” She shook head and cursed own foolishness before she quietly added, “It was really dumb I know, but pushing through it is the only way I know to conquer the fear.”

  * * * *

  Ethan was sure he would have missed the last of her word
s if he hadn’t been looking right at her, and judging by the look on Creed’s face, he was thinking the same thing. The honesty and courage of her statement nearly flattened him. What on earth could such a beautiful woman have experienced that she’d learned that lesson? Who does she belong to and why the hell wasn’t he taking better care of her?

  Chapter 4

  Jamie had given the tap signal to his earbud when they had first walked through the door so he knew their conversation was being monitored and that whoever Jantz had left watching the feeds would already be calling the mansion to speak with Alex and Zach Lamont so they’d just wait until one or both of their bosses showed up. Hopefully they could get some food in her before the two Doms hit the door.

  Even though Alex Lamont had mellowed a lot since he and his brother had married Katarina and become the parents of triplets, Jamie knew the man would still appear damned intimidating to the timid woman sitting next to him. She was obviously trying to keep still enough as to not draw any attention despite the fact that she fairly well vibrated with anxiety. It was almost as if she was trying to make herself invisible. Adding his observation to the fact that she mentioned Denver and Catherine Lamont, Jamie was seeing red flags. Everyone at ShadowDance knew the Lamont matriarch was dedicated to the women’s shelters and crises intervention centers she and her husband had started after their housekeeper Selita had entered their lives.

  From what Jamie had heard, Daniel and Catherine Lamont had stumbled upon Selita after she’d been badly beaten and left for dead one evening. They’d been leaving a downtown movie theatre and had barely heard her quiet sobs as they’d crossed a dark and filthy alley. The charitable couple had seen to her medical care and then helped her free herself from an abusive marriage. Alex had explained that Selita had been sold into marriage as a payment for her safe passage to the United States when she’d been little more than a young girl. Selita had become the nanny and housekeeper for the Lamont family when all three Lamont children were still very young. And to insinuate that she was anything but a full-fledged member of the family was to invite all hell to rain down on you. The little ball of fire known affectionately as the Honduran Tornado adopted each and every staff member and mothered them just as she did Alex, Zach, and their younger sister Jenna.

  Knowing Selita’s story and having seen instances of domestic violence unfold all around him while growing up, Jamie quickly recognized some of the signs he was seeing in Bree. He gave an internal head shake and wondered why so many men thought it was their right to harm the women in their lives. He’d always seen women as a blessing, a precious gift to be treasured and kept safe, and anything less was unacceptable.

  There was a knock at the door and Jamie watched as Ethan moved quickly to take the tray from one of the security detail that worked in and around The Club. When he set it on the table in front of Bree her eyes widened in surprise. She looked from Jantz to him and then back at the tray before asking, “How did you get food here so quickly? I mean, thank you, but you really didn’t have to do that. I was just planning to speak to Mrs. Lamont’s sons and then drive back to town and get something to eat once I’d settled in a motel.”

  He and Jantz exchanged smiles because they knew Catherine Lamont would not have told her there was a motel in the tiny town of Climax, Colorado, because there never had been. They both knew that if Catherine had sent her to ShadowDance there was at least one damned good reason and likely several. Catherine Lamont had a Mensa-worthy IQ and the drive of a dozen steam engines, and she was loved by everyone who knew her.

  Jamie leaned forward to uncover the tray’s contents. “Well, since it’s here, why don’t you help yourself? I know I’ll feel better knowing we’ve taken care of you and I’m sure Ethan will agree.” He didn’t miss her quick intake of breath when he’d mentioned taking care of her and the sweet flush of pink that washed over her cheeks made her even more beautiful. He watched as she slowly picked up one of the small sandwiches and took a bite then closed her eyes and groaned in appreciation. His mind immediately pictured her with her eyes closed in pleasure, her head thrown back, making that same sound of appreciation while riding his cock. At this rate he was going to have to excuse himself from the room in order to adjust the raging hard-on that seemed determined to burst through the zipper on his fatigues.

  He and Ethan both watched quietly as she ate the better part of the meal Selita had prepared for her before she finally leaned back, looking for all intents and purposes like a well-satisfied cat ready for a nice nap. Jamie smiled to himself thinking the bosses were likely watching the feeds and were simply waiting for her to get fully settled before making themselves known. Both Alex and Zach were skilled interrogators thanks to years of Special Forces training. But everyone knew it was teammate Mitch Grayson who usually got the most valuable information.

  Grayson was a strong empath and his ability to pick up the thoughts and emotions of those around him was often unnervingly accurate. And right on cue, Jamie’s earbud crackled to life and he heard Grayson’s laughing voice. “Aww, that’s so sweet. Thinking about me, Creed?” When Jamie merely glared in the direction of one of the room’s several security cameras, Mitch continued, “She’s hiding something, big Bro, and just FYI the name Bree Hart is so clean it squeaks and shines.”

  Ethan knew immediately his friend was saying it was a created identity. No one’s real identity was that “scrubbed,” so either she worked for one of the government’s alphabet agencies or she was in some sort of witness protection program, and from what he’d observed, his money was on the latter. He leaned forward and moved the tray back enough so Jantz could sit in front of her again. Just as Ethan sat down the door opened and Alex and Zach Lamont strode into the room.

  * * * *

  Bree was getting so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. She couldn’t believe how much she’d eaten, but it had all tasted so wonderful and she’d been so terribly hungry that she felt like she had basically attacked the meal like a starved animal. She felt herself begin to slide into the dark pools of her memories, remembering the unending hunger of her captivity. At first she’d been too repulsed by what they’d brought her to eat and then later she’d been too terrified to eat it for fear it was laced with drugs or worse.

  Finally, deciding that being embarrassed by her fatigue just wasn’t worth the effort, she settled her back against the soft leather of the sofa and let the warmth of the fire wash over her. She was just about to slide off into blissful sleep when she heard the door open. When she managed to open her eyes she was stunned by the men entering the room.

  Bree remembered Catherine mentioning that her sons were twins but her friend hadn’t mentioned how handsome they were or that they were virtual mirror images of one another. And there was no doubt that these were the Lamont brothers, no indeed. After meeting Catherine’s husband, Daniel, Bree would have recognized his sons anywhere. Holy crap! How does anyone tell them apart? The medical professional in her immediately began cataloging details in hopes of figuring out how to tell Alex and Zach Lamont apart. She wondered if their mother’s description of their personalities would help her ask them for their help. And just thinking about the real reason she was here sent shivers through her entire body. Was she brave enough to face her own desires? Taking a deep breath and straightening her spine, she decided it was finally time to find out.

  Chapter 5

  Alex Lamont had just finished speaking with his mother when he’d gotten the call that they had a visitor. He and his brother had watched her for several minutes longer than they’d needed to on the security feeds because it had been very interesting to watch the byplay between Creed and Jantz. He and Zach had discussed their friends recently and wondered how long it would be before they met their own woman, and from all appearances that moment had finally arrived. Stepping forward, he held out his hand and introduced himself. “Hello, Ms. Hart, I’m Alex Lamont. And that fellow standing over there is my much less attractive brother Zach.” He smi
led when his comment seemed to put her more at ease, which had been exactly what he’d hoped it would do.

  When they had first entered the room, she had jumped to her feet and Alex had wondered for just an instant if she was planning to flee, but he had quickly decided it was likely a simple point of etiquette for her. That action alone told him that she was either raised in a very strict military or religious home or that she’d spent a lot of time in European boarding schools. His mother hadn’t given them all the details of her background, choosing instead to focus on what she viewed as the young woman’s “current needs.”

  Zach stepped forward and nodded his head toward her and smiled. Alex was relieved to note that she seemed to relax even further at his brother’s acknowledgement. Everyone knew Zach was the easier of the two of them to approach, so Alex usually greeted people first. They had discovered it kept guests and business associates and particularly women from thinking they could deal exclusively with Zach.