Jessie's Jewels [Submissive Sirens 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (18 page)

The ride back to the manor was uneventful, and Jessie giggled as she dismounted from Aphrodite. She staggered as her feet hit the floor and she laughed outright as Liam caught her, pulling her close and wrapping his arms protectively around her.

“What, did she have a flask of something hidden in her pocket?” Gabriel sounded lazily amused.

Liam pinched her bottom, causing Jessie to yelp and jump away from him. “Aye, did you have a wee nip of something on the way back?”

Jessie purred as Liam wrapped her back in his embrace. “I’m drunk with pleasure.” Jessie felt Gabriel approach and arched her back like a cat as he stroked her just above her bottom.

“You’re a cheap date then, My Lady.”

Jessie turned slightly, regarding Gabriel with eyes narrowed. “Did you just call me cheap?”

Gabriel swatted her ass, making Jessie squeak. In fairness, she was a tad tender. “No, not cheap. Thrifty perhaps, but never cheap.” That said, he swept her out of Liam’s arms and into his own, wrapping her in the dark warmth of his embrace. Jessie burrowed into his massive chest, inhaling his rich scent and basking in the heat pouring off of him.

“Go upstairs to your bathroom, Lady. Liam and I will see to the horses, and when we arrive we expect to find you naked in a tub of bubbles.”

Jessie shivered deliciously at the thought. Her achy muscles would definitely benefit from a hot soak, and she bet her men would make it even hotter. Eager to comply, Jessie turned her face up for Gabriel’s kiss before wrapping an arm around Liam’s neck and tugging his face down to hers. She sighed as he broke the kiss, smiled at his sweet face, and turned to make her way to the manor.

As Jessie walked, her mind reeled. She couldn’t believe how much she cared for both men, and especially how strong her feelings had grown in such a short time. She found herself daydreaming more and more about a future she never would have envisioned for herself, and she could feel the vestiges of her family’s influence slipping away. It had been so long since she’d thought about her future with anything but grim determination, and she really did have Gabriel and Liam to thank for that. Now, instead of defending herself against her mother’s bitter comments, she could feel herself coming alive under the frank appreciation of her men. And rather than the horror she’d felt at the cesspool her brother had dragged her into, she was looking at the world through eyes softened by the kernel of hope taking root inside of her.

As she climbed the stairs to her bedroom she rolled her eyes at herself, startled to find herself immersed in a daydream about getting married. She’d never imagined she would, especially after what had happened with Edward. Now that she was growing more secure in her feelings for Liam and Gabriel, she supposed that anything was possible.

Jessie’s feelings for Gabriel still took her breath away. She smiled wryly to herself as she thought about how much he used to drive her crazy, remembering all the times she’d chafed under his control. Who would have thought that she’d come to crave his dominance? Sure, it was one thing to submit in the bedroom, but outside of their sexual relationship Gabriel made her feel safe. He made the shit storm of her life seem far behind her as he ploughed through all her defenses, paving the way for her to start looking forward instead of always looking behind her.

On that hopeful thought, Jessie opened the door to her bedroom, already pulling her shirt over her head as she anticipated the deliciousness of the hot, scented water caressing her skin. She pulled the shirt free of her long hair and made to toss it toward her hamper, but goose bumps exploded on her skin and her heart froze as she looked around the room.

It had been ransacked.

Jessie leaned against the doorframe, her shirt clutched in her lifeless hands as she surveyed the wreckage of her beautiful bedroom. All the drawers of the dresser were open, and some of them had been pulled clear out of the piece of furniture and sat overturned on the floor. There was clothing everywhere. Her wardrobe doors had been wrenched right off and her jewelry case had been smashed. There were long slits in her mattress, and the luxurious pillows Gabriel had bought for her looked like a flock of murdered geese, white feathers resting on every possible surface.

Jessie moved like a robot. She put the shirt back on over her head and mechanically turned away from the room and went back down the stairs. She figured the men would be in the kitchen, and she found herself there without knowing how she had arrived.

Sure enough, Liam was fixing something on the stove that looked like hot cocoa, and Gabriel leaned against the countertop, watching Liam work. Neither of the men was facing her, and she’d approached so silently that they didn’t notice her arrival. Jessie could feel herself starting to shiver, and her sluggish brain wondered how to tell them that someone had torn her room apart.

Luckily, Liam chose that moment to turn with the pot of cocoa and he caught sight of her in the doorway. “Jessie? Love, what’s the matter?” He set the pot down, moving swiftly toward her and cupping her face in his hands.

“Jesus, Jessie, you’re freezing! What’s happened?” With that, he began to rub her hands briskly between his own, pulling her into the warmth of the kitchen.

Gabriel was now looking very serious, and he moved closer to the couple. “Jessamy? Out with it, we can’t help if we don’t know what’s wrong.”

The combination of Liam’s ministrations and Gabriel’s solid presence snapped Jessie out of the numbness that had taken her over, and she felt a tear roll down her cheek as she looked up at them.

“It’s my room.” Jessie barely whispered the words, and she swallowed, clearing her throat before opening her mouth to try again. “Someone’s been in my room.”

Gabriel’s eyes turned flinty, and without a word, he turned to a drawer in the counter, opening it and pulling a gun out. Jessie stared at it, bemused, wondering if it was standard for Gabriel to keep weapons beside the spoons. She realized she was getting a little hysterical, and she took deep and even breaths in order to try and preserve a little bit of calm.

She watched as Gabriel handed a second gun to Liam, this one taken from the cupboard where the flour was kept, and she saw his lips move before she realized he was speaking.

“Stay here. Shoot anyone who comes through that door who isn’t me.” And with that, he was gone.

Jessie came back to herself as she watched Liam handle the gun Gabriel had given him, checking to see that it was loaded and that for now, the safety was on. She gave her head a shake and reached for the gun. This was her province, not Liam’s, and she’d spent enough time wallowing. She tugged Liam’s hand and without a word led him to the table. They sat down and Jessie trained the gun on the door.

In a little less than ten of the longest minutes of Jessie’s life, she heard footsteps approaching. She raised the barrel of the gun a little higher, sighting along the top of it. She could feel Liam go perfectly still beside her as he held his breath.

Jessie breathed out explosively and felt Liam do the same as Gabriel walked back through the door. His face was grim, and he looked scarier than Jessie could ever remember. Jessie put the gun down on the table and stood up, walking over to him. She needed to hug him, needed to reassure herself that he was okay as much as she needed his reassurance that she was, too.

Gratified when Gabriel’s arms closed around her, Jessie sighed as she dropped her head to his chest. If she could only stay like this, she’d feel safe from everything. She was grateful to Gabriel for indulging her for a moment before he cleared his throat and began to speak.

“They were looking for something.”

Jessie raised her head and looked at him incredulously, her eyes going back and forth between him and Liam. “Looking for something? What on earth could they possibly be looking for?”

Liam was frowning. “Gabriel, there’s nothing here that anyone could want. Sorry, Jessie.” He shrugged at her when she bristled. “I love this place as much as you do, but you can’t deny that there’s nothing here that anyone would want to steal.”

Gabriel watched them both, his eyes hard. “Be that as it may, they smashed her jewelry box but left the jewelry behind. There’s no reason for them to have left her jewels unless they were after something else.”

Jessie felt her eyes become huge. “You mean they might come back?” The night Jessie had been attacked on her way back from Hartley House seemed like a million years ago, and she’d almost persuaded herself that it had been a mistake. Now, with Gabriel’s words, Jessie felt a knot form in her stomach. This was way more serious than she’d thought.

Gabriel nodded his dark head. “Indeed.” He took a deep breath and speared Jessie with his gaze. “And that’s why we’re leaving.”

Jessie looked at Gabriel, too shocked for words. Liam, it seemed, had not been struck dumb the way Jessie had.

“Leaving, Your Grace?”

Gabriel didn’t take his eyes off Jessie as he responded to Liam’s question. “Yes. All three of us will be going to Hartley House. Tonight.”

Jessie felt the blood begin to roar in her ears, and she pulled back from Gabriel, putting distance between them. “Why? Wouldn’t it be better to brazen it out, wait here until we can catch these bastards?”

Gabriel’s jaw clenched. “This is not a discussion, Jessamy. We’re going.”

Jessie felt her anger start to rise. “This is absolutely a discussion, Your Grace. This is my home, and I’m not so inclined to abandon it as you are.”

Gabriel directed his next words to Liam. “Pack whatever you’ll need for an extended stay. We’ll buy the rest. Be ready in an hour.” With that, Gabriel turned to leave the room, presumably to pack his own items.

Jessie was having none of it. She ran around him, stopping in the doorway and effectively blocking the exit. “Gabriel, I am not going! You will not dictate to me what I will do or where I will go!” Jessie could feel a wave of panic threatening to overwhelm her. Her house was the only thing she’d managed to hang onto, and it represented her independence. She couldn’t believe Gabriel was asking—no,
ordering
—her to leave it behind. Gabriel’s face appeared to be carved from stone, and he didn’t bother to reply. He just stood there, glaring at her.

Jessie turned to Liam, since arguing with Gabriel wasn’t getting her anywhere. She figured there would be strength in numbers. “Liam, you can’t seriously mean to go to Hartley House. This is your home, too!”

Liam sighed, his beautiful face twisted in sympathy. “Jessie,” he said gently, “we can’t stay here. We need to go with Gabriel.”

Jessie froze. Liam was siding with Gabriel. He was choosing the duke over her. All the sweetness of the previous months vanished in that moment. Jessie felt her blood start to boil as she saw what was happening around her. She’d traded the captivity of her family for the captivity of the duke, and while his chains gave her pleasure, they were chains nonetheless. “Fine! Go then, the two of you.” Jessie sneered at them. “Go back to your precious Hartley House, Gabriel, and take Liam with you. I won’t live my life like a little girl, always being dictated to by jerks like you!”

Jessie spun around, beginning to stalk away, but was stopped in her tracks as Gabriel’s voice cracked like a whip around her.

“Jessamy!” His tone brooked no refusal, and Jessie reluctantly turned to face him. She deliberately met his gaze. She wouldn’t submit to him in this.

“You will be ready to leave in one hour. If you are so foolish as to disobey me, I will put you over my shoulder and pack you into the car myself. One hour.” With that, Gabriel stalked past her, making Jessie dance out of his way. She was stuck looking after him until she heard Liam sigh behind her.

“Do you want me to help you pack, love?”

“Don’t call me that,” Jessie spat, turning on her heel. “And no, I don’t need you to help me pack for prison.”

Jessie walked regally back to her destroyed bedroom, angrily dashing away the tears that threatened. She didn’t want to go with Gabriel, but she didn’t see a way out of it. She knew he really would pick her up and pack her up, and she wanted to preserve as much of her dignity as she could.

She closed the door of her bedroom behind her, sagging against it now that she was alone. She felt utterly betrayed. She was furious with Gabriel for being so high-handed with her, commanding her to leave her childhood home and moving her into his own house, where he made the rules and she’d have to comply. She’d always known he was a true Dom, but she hadn’t ever thought he’d want to lock her into a gilded cage where he decided everything for her.

She was devastated that Liam had sided with Gabriel. That one hurt even more. She felt like Liam had chosen Gabriel over her, and more than that, she felt like he’d chosen the life that Gabriel offered. Jessie knew she couldn’t give Liam all the things she wanted to, she knew she’d spend years recovering from the amount of her family’s fortune her brother had squandered. But despite that, she’d thought Liam had been happy with her. She couldn’t really blame Liam for wanting the luxuries Gabriel offered, but it still hurt like hell that he’d choose those luxuries over her.

But above all of that, Jessie was honest enough with herself to admit she was angrier with herself than with either man. She’d worked for her whole adult life to achieve the freedom she’d finally obtained, and she couldn’t believe she’d thrown that away for some hot sex. She berated herself, knowing she’d gotten herself into this situation and having no idea how to get herself out. She sighed. For now, she probably had forty-five minutes left before Gabriel carried her bodily out of her house, and she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction.

Jessie squared her shoulders. She surveyed her mess of a room and located her overnight bag. She gritted her teeth and started to pack.

Jessie was miserable. She sat on the exquisite chaise longue in her perfect room at Hartley House, and she moped.

It had been a week since Gabriel had, as Jessie thought of it, abducted her. A week since she’d said good-bye to the familiar nooks and crannies, the imperfect but totally perfect house that had been her home forever. She’d thought ruefully about how much she’d wanted to leave the manor, but now when she was forced to do so it was under extreme duress.