Her Alpha Saviors [The Hot Millionaires #2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (21 page)

“It’s Peter. He’s bloody obsessed with you,” Annie said savagely. “And I’d had about enough of it.”

“I’ve just realized that, but I can assure you that it’s entirely one-sided. Our relationship is long over, and I have no interest in Peter.”

“I know,” Annie said, shaking her head. “But try telling that to Peter. When we first got together, I thought he’d get over you in time. Then I realized he’d only taken up with me to make you jealous.”

“How did you figure that one out?” Jay asked.

“Because it’s Skye’s name he calls out in bed,” she said, glowering at the far wall as though she bore it a grudge. “Have you any idea how fucking humiliating that is? You go to bed with a guy and he pretends you’re someone else.”

“I’m sorry,” Skye said softly, “but it isn’t my fault.”

“Why stay with him?” Jay asked.

Annie shrugged. “I guess I’m in love with him, more fool me. I’ve got nothing against you, Skye. I actually like you, but women in love are apt to do daft things. When I saw the decline in The Fox
I was glad because I thought it could only be a matter of time before you lost it.”

“Then I came along,” Jay said, conscious of a muscle leaping in his jaw as he endeavoured to remain calm.

“Yes, I just asked Maisie to try and help scare you off. Show what a hopeless cause The Fox
was.”

“Why would she do something like that and risk losing her job?” Skye asked.

“She got behind with her share of the rent.” Annie sighed. “I said I’d let her off if she did that small thing for me.”

“Small thing?” Skye glared at Annie. “Ruin my one chance of keeping my business and you call it a small thing.” She shook her head. “Jesus!”

“And you continued to try and deter me by hurling bricks through windows,” Jay suggested in an icy tone.

“No, that wasn’t us.” Annie paused, as though deciding whether or not to say more. When Jay fixed her with a steely look it appeared to decide her. “It was Peter,” she said, expelling a long breath, almost as though she was relieved to come clean about everything she’d done. “I knew he didn’t want you Americans hanging about, and I was desperate enough to win his approval to tell him what I’d had Maisie do. He was dead chuffed and said that along with the brick business, it ought to do the trick.”

“He actually told you that he did it?”

“Oh yes, he was quite pleased with himself. Said his only regret was that you hadn’t been in the bed when the glass showered all over it.”

“Charming!”

“Why doctor the mayonnaise?” Skye asked Maisie. “Was that Annie’s idea, too?”

“No,” Annie answered for her. “That was Peter. Because I’d stupidly told him what Maisie had done, when you didn’t hightail it out of here, Mr. Blanchard, he said she had to do this as well. He said if she didn’t then he’d tell you I was behind the other thing, which would mean an end to our friendship and the sack for Maisie.”

“You really love this bastard?” Jay asked incredulously.

“I thought I did, but there’s only so much humiliation a girl can take.” Annie spread her hands. “If Maisie had told me what he’d asked her to do, I would have told her not to do it.” She shook her head, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. “Peter and I are history. I’ve had enough of his obsessive behaviour.”

Maisie had yet to speak. She lifted her head and looked directly at Skye. “I’m sorry,” she said, sniffing back her tears. “I assume I’m sacked.”

“No, Maisie. I know now that you were coerced, and I also know that you’re usually a good worker. What I need you to do is apologise to Steve for the accusations you made and to toe the line in future.”

A beautiful smile broke through her tears. “Thanks, Skye. I know I don’t deserve a second chance and won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t.”

Skye and Jay turned to leave. “Come on back with us, Maisie,” Skye said. “We need all hands to the deck today.”

She scampered from her seat, straightened her blouse, and headed for the stairs.

“Skye,” Annie said, touching her arm, “I know we can’t be friends anymore after what I’ve done, but I just want you to know that I’m sorry. I was stupid.”

Skye gave her a brief hug. “No you weren’t. You were in love. Women in love do daft things. You’re still welcome at The Fox
anytime.”

“Well, now we know the identity of our saboteur,” Skye said as they drove back to the pub, Maisie in the backseat.

“Do we?”

Jay would have liked to believe it but feared that this thing was far from over.

* * * *

By eleven forty-five everything was ready for the off. Skye had changed into a simple green sheath dress that finished just above her knees. She’d donned fine black hold-up stockings and wore four-inch heels that she knew would set the guys—her guys—drooling. She brushed her hair loose round her shoulders, donned a light splodge of makeup and lip gloss, and was as ready as she’d ever be.

She walked into the bar and received appreciative whistles from Jay and Luke, as well as from a larger-than-usual smattering of lunchtime regulars, obviously here to watch the show from the comfort of barstools.

Jay wore a lightweight pale-blue suit with a black T-shirt beneath it. She hadn’t seen him in anything other than worn jeans before and was knocked out by his film star appearance. Luke was suited as well. His was fawn coloured, and he wore an open-necked cream silk shirt beneath it. Most men who wore suits without ties merely looked as though they’d removed the tie in an effort to appear trendy. It never worked with politicians who finished just looking uncomfortable. Luke pulled the look off effortlessly. She gave each of them the once-over with her eyes and nodded her approval.

“You both scrub up well,” she remarked laughingly.

Jay took her arm. “We’d best get out there. The first people will be here soon.”

Skye strolled outside, flanked by her two men. She smiled at the sight of the courtyard with its tables covered in crisp linen cloths, a gentle breeze blowing the fronds of the potted palms, the service station manned by waiting staff smartly uniformed in black and red. She glanced upwards. Even the weather was cooperating, and blue bits were breaking out from behind light clouds.

Skye poked her head round the door to the function room. It, too, looked wonderful. Jay had used those old black-and-white shots of The Fox
in its heyday and somehow had them blown up and fixed to the newly painted walls, adding to the sense of history.

“Thank you,” Skye said, impulsively squeezing Jay’s arm. “Even if this doesn’t work, you’ve shown me that I can still make it here at The Fox.”

“You can thank us both later,” he said, returning the pressure of her hand.

“You still thinking about how we fucked you last night?” Luke asked in an undertone so the waiting staff wouldn’t have a fit and resign en masse.

“All the time,” she said, squeezing her arms against the sides of her breasts and grinning. “You two studs give great service.”

“I suppose you’re creaming your panties again,” Jay said, rolling his eyes.

She fluttered her lashes at him. “What makes you think I’m wearing any?”

Both men guffawed with laughter. “Well, I guess one of us is just going to have to find out for himself before this reception’s over.”

“You wouldn’t!”

Jay tweaked her nose. “Oh, wouldn’t I? You obviously don’t know me very well yet.”

Voices heralded the arrival of the first guests and brought their flirting to an end.

I love them both.
Skye watched with admiration as they mingled with the rapidly increasing flow of people, charming the women and chatting with the men in such a way that they soon put them at their ease. It was true. It wasn’t just her newly awakened need for sex that drew her to them. Her feelings went deeper than that. Far, far deeper. But she couldn’t let them know that, or they’d run a mile. She had a feeling that women clung to them wherever they went. Skye wasn’t about to make the same mistake, and when the time came she’d let them go with a smile on her face.

Briefly alone, she watched the constantly changing stream of people walking across the courtyard, a blaze of different colours, making complimentary comments about its enhanced condition. She heard several women make wistful remarks about Jay and Luke and had to stop herself from telling them to keep their hands off. In a daydream, she cursed when she realized that Peter had caught her alone.

“You look lovely.”

“Go away!”

“Congratulations,” he said stiffly, ignoring the hostility in her tone. “You appear to have pulled it off.”

“No thanks to you,” she hissed furiously. “That stunt with the mayonnaise was beneath even you, and I still haven’t decided whether or not to involve the police over the brick business.”

Peter looked taken aback to have been rumbled. “You can’t prove it was me.”

“Maybe not but if the police pull you in for questioning, it won’t look too good for your career.”

“I was only trying to help you.”

“By poisoning my guests?”

“It wouldn’t have poisoned them, but it might have brought you to your senses.”

“Just keep out of my way, Peter,” she said, brushing past him. “I can’t stand to even look at you.”

He actually remained where he was, too stunned by her acerbic tone to move a muscle. Skye knew that situation wouldn’t last and quickly increased the space between them, only to find Luke at her side. One of them always seemed to know when she needed their support. How did they do that?

“Okay?”

“Yes.” Skye let out a long breath. “I don’t know why I let him get to me.”

“Forget about him. He won’t try anything else, and this is going really well.”

“Is the bank manager here yet?” Jay asked, joining them as well.

“Over there, talking to Patrick.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d invited Patrick.”

“I didn’t but he’s a member of the Chamber of Commerce, so I guess they gave him one of their invites.”

“Okay, let’s meet the money man.”

Skye led them over, accepted a kiss from Patrick, and shook Mr. Mason’s hand. She then introduced the guys, and Mason was all over them like a rash. Skye tried not to be offended, but it reached the point when her smile was in danger of cracking her face. Mason could obviously smell money at twenty paces and was doing everything he could to cultivate Jay’s good opinion.
Talk about umbrellas on a sunny day.

“This is very impressive, Skye,” he said in a condescending tone that made her want to thump him.

“Thanks,” she said, gritting her teeth and stretching her already-forced smile a little wider.

“Skye has a few ideas for the future of The Fox
that might interest you,” Jay remarked.

“Well by all means, come and see me next week.” Mason accepted another glass of fizz from a passing waiter and downed half of it in one swallow. “I really would like to help resolve your problems here, and now that you have some solid investors behind you, I’m sure we can work something out.”

“Well, actually I don’t have—”

“She’ll be there,” Jay said, leading her away.

“I don’t want to give him the wrong impression,” she said. “About you being investors, I mean.”

“Shush, let him think that for now.” Jay glanced round the crowded courtyard and frowned. “Come with me.”

Without giving her a chance to object, he led her to a deserted area behind the reception room and pressed her against the wall.

“What are you doing?” she asked, squirming against the erection she felt pressing into her stomach.

“Making good on my promise.” His hand drifted below the hem of her dress. “Never tell me I wouldn’t dare to do something,” he advised, his hand creeping higher.

Skye had a hundred people on the other side of this wall. Any one of them could drift round the corner at any moment and find them here. If they did, her chances of saving The Fox
would be a pipe dream, but she simply didn’t care. The magic of Jay’s touch on her inner thigh, the overwhelming need she felt for him, sent shivers down her spine and was all she cared about. Sensible, down-to-earth Skye Harrison appeared to have mutated into a raving sex maniac and was loving every minute of it.

She parted her legs and allowed Jay easier access to her shaved, naked pussy.

“Hmm, naughty girl.” He slid a couple of fingers into her slick cunt. “I’ve a mind to fuck you right now against this wall, just to teach you a lesson,” he whispered in her ear.

Skye believed him. “What lesson would that be, master?”

“Not to walk about a party without panties unless I say you can.” He grasped her face between his two hands and devoured her features with his eyes. “You’re ours, Skye,” he said passionately. “Luke’s and mine. If you forget that then I’ll make you wear your collar in public. You’d do it, too. I know you would because you can’t get enough of us, can you? You love the feel of our cocks when we fuck you, and you can’t think about anything else.”

“I’ll do anything you want me to, Jay. Anything at all.”