Harrison walked into the room she’d reserved and smiled in approval. It was all going exactly as she’d planned. The only cloud in her perfect sky was Lorie. Conway was in the library, buried in research, determined to find what Lorie had. A clue to where her brother was. He promised to be careful, and that she would be the first to know anything. At least Lorie had given her and her family some peace of mind when he said he couldn’t die. It wasn’t much. But it was enough.
While they waited, Tucker had called in some favors and the Proxenos had agreed to open the Triune club just for her. Just for tonight. And her brothers had helped her devise a way to transport her men to her. “We’re all alone in here. No deejay, no crowd of judgmental single Magians. Just us. But I thought a bed might be more comfortable than your thrown together stair illusion. Don’t you agree?”
She glanced at the bed and bit her lip to hold back her smile. They looked nervous. Actually Ric looked nervous, Jacob was just plain angry. That’s okay. She could work with angry. If he’d been apathetic or disgusted she wouldn’t have been so calm.
She fiddled with the ties of her long jacket and tilted her head, watching them. Her two men. Naked and bound to a magnificent bed that was perfect for what she had planned. She hoped.
Jacob’s dark eyes burned into hers above the magical seal that had found its way onto his mouth the instant she’d pulled him through the portal. She made a face. “Don’t give me that look. You bound my powers and tied me to a bed, isn’t turnabout fair play?”
Ric made a humming noise to get her attention, his mouth free, but his body unable to morph with the specially made bands wrapped around his wrists and ankles. “That situation was slightly different. We only intended to give you pleasure, princess. Not harm you.”
She shrugged. “What makes you think I plan to harm you? Because you took me against my will? Or because you sent me away without giving me a choice?”
His hazel eyes grew wide. “We thought you wanted to go. And Jacob, well he feels responsible for your attack. Both of them. We didn’t see her, but we had both suspected from the start that it was his sister. He thought it was because he’d been away from home for so long. That she wouldn’t hurt you if we returned.”
Jacob’s glare was aimed at Ric, and Harrison felt his agitation as though it were her own.
“Oh, he doesn’t like us talking about him when he can’t join in, does he?” Harrison rubbed her hands together, coming closer to the bed. “Tell me more about how Jacob feels.”
His big, beautiful body jerked against his bonds, muscles flexing as he struggled against his bindings. Ric, on the other hand, looked more relaxed than he had since he’d arrived. He was even smiling.
“He missed you. I know that. We both did.” He frowned, his eyes dimming for a moment. “We had to call in the law. Sara was stripped of her powers and sent to Magian healers. They were good people. Said they’d seen conditions much worse than hers. And once Jacob’s father was released, he sent the queen on holiday. Someplace too cold for anyone but her. I don’t think she’ll be back for a while. Her choice. It’s the only way the higher ups would agree to letting Leah participate in Triune when she comes of age.”
Harrison bit her lip, sitting down on the bed and looking over at Jacob. She thought Esther had gotten off easy, but she knew he must be hurting. “I’m so sorry about Sara. But I know several of the healers. She’ll be well loved there. She’ll get better.”
His eyes glittered and he turned his head, and Harrison’s heart broke a little. She stood up and took a deep, shaky breath. “Maybe this was a mistake. I thought if I could just get you here, tell you that I’d changed my mind…but you’re free now. You don’t have to be in a triad with an heiress. After what you’ve been through you don’t have to do anything.”
She waved her hand, releasing them from their bindings as she walked toward the door. She thought she’d have the stomach for this. That she could make them want her. But she didn’t want just sex. She didn’t want to manipulate them into something they might want with their bodies, but not their hearts. She wanted what Callie and her brothers had. And she wouldn’t settle for anything less.
“Stop.”
The deep baritone stopped her where she stood. Siren magic. She couldn’t take another step. Damn it, she bit the inside of her cheek, she wanted to escape before she started crying like a girl again. “Let me go, Jacob.”
She sensed him behind her, so close she could feel his heat through her jacket. “Did you say you changed your mind?”
He turned her around, but she closed her eyes before she could see the pity in his. Abbott heiress gets dumped. Gets what she deserves for running away in the first place.
“I definitely heard it, Jacob. She said she changed her mind. Women are inclined to do that, as you know. Fickle creatures.”
Harrison frowned and raised one eyelid, looking at the grinning Ric suspiciously. He gestured with his chin toward Jacob, and she grudgingly opened her other eye. And felt the room spin.
She’d thought he was stunning before. Glorious. But now? He was smiling. Beaming. And it was as if she’d seen the sun for the first time. He was happy? Because of her?
“Harrison Jennera Abbott, will you stay with us, love us and share the magic that is all you are with us, from now until the end?”
She spoke without thinking. “I don’t know, will you?”
Jacob threw back his head and laughed. “Stubborn woman. Don’t you know by now?”
Ric motioned with his hand and her jacket disappeared, leaving her in nothing but her heels. He licked his lips. “That’s okay. We’ll have more fun convincing you. You know how Jacob loves a challenge.”
She was on her back in bed before she could respond. And she was fighting back a smile. They wanted her. Not because of obligation or social politics. Not because
she was the Abbott heiress. They wanted her. Harrison. Stubborn warts and all.
They knelt on either side of her, matching expressions of desire on their faces. Jacob bent down until she could feel his breath mingling with hers and looked into her eyes. “Scared, Harrison?”
“Only of you stopping.”