Her Alpha Saviors [The Hot Millionaires #2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (22 page)

“Oh, I know you will.” His smile was smugly complacent. “Why didn’t you wear any panties today?”

“Because I’m a freshly liberated woman,” she said, trying to sound mature but spoiling it by panting when she felt a third finger slide into her. “It’s wonderful to feel the fresh air on my pussy as I walk around making polite conversation with all these stuffed shirts. What would they do if they knew?”

Jay roared with laughter, found her clit, and brought her to a knee-trembling climax in seconds, placing a hand over her mouth to prevent her from making any noise.

“Come on,” he said, kissing her softly. “We’d best get back.”

“I’m not sure I can walk right now.”

He chuckled. “Sure you can.”

They rejoined the party, and no one appeared to have noticed their absence.

“Who’s that chatting so intently with your Patrick?” Jay asked.

Skye shrugged. “Not sure. A member of the local council, I think.”

* * * *

Skye got called away by someone, and Jay worked his way over to Luke, who was deep in conversation with a couple of pretty young things. Jay rolled his eyes.
Trust Luke to find the only two females apart from Skye under the age of forty in the entire place.
He eventually managed to separate Luke from his enthralled audience and took him aside.

“Anything untoward?” he asked.

“Nope, and that kinda worries me.”

“That guy chatting to Patrick,” Jay said. “They’ve been talking for a while and Skye thinks—”

“Where is Skye?”

Jay grinned. “Now? Now she’s over there. Previously we were having a private exchange of views about her choice of underwear.”

“Let me guess. She really isn’t wearing any.”

“Nope, and she’s red hot for us again already.”

Luke flashed a cocky grin. “Glad to hear it.”

“Anyway,” Jay said, steering the conversation back to his more immediate concerns. “The guy with Patrick is a councillor, but I don’t know his name.”

“You want me to find out who he is?”

“Yeah, it’s the only odd thing that I’ve seen. Could be perfectly innocent, of course, but I have a feeling about her friend Patrick.”

“Consider it done,” Luke said, sauntering off.

Proceedings trailed off after a couple of hours, and Jay could see that Skye was flagging. Hardly surprising, given how little sleep she’d had the night before. He was looking forward to playing with her again but wondered if they ought to give her a night’s recovery time. The decision was made for him an hour later when his phone rang. He frowned when he saw who was calling him. What could be wrong this time?

He took the call and then went in search of Luke, telling him that he needed to go to London straightaway.

“Need me to come?”

“No, stay here. I ought to be back in the morning.”

“You wanna tell me what’s going on?” Luke rubbed the back of his neck. “All these mysterious trips you keep making to London. It’s not like we have any secrets.”

“I will tell you everything when I get back. It’s high time that I did. In the meantime I think Skye needs a rest tonight.”

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing. She looks beat.”

“She won’t like it, but I’ll leave you to smooth those particular turbulent waters.”

Luke grinned. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll think of a carrot or two that I can dangle.”

Jay slapped his shoulder and chuckled. “Never doubted it for a moment.” He checked his watch. “Look, I need to get going. Call me if you need me, and don’t forget to check out that councillor.”

“Already on it. His name’s Talbot, but that’s all I know so far.”

Jay dashed toward his car, confident that his buddy would know a great deal more than that by the time he got back.

“That’s it.” A burly guy shoved a clipboard and pen beneath Skye’s nose. “Sign here please, love.”

Skye scribbled her signature and watched the men drive off with the hired furniture and space heaters stowed in the back of a large van. The potted plants remained in solitary splendour, waiting for someone else to collect them. She wandered round the now-quiet courtyard, all traces of the reception eradicated with swift efficiency by the people Jay had hired.

The event had been a huge success. Skye already had several enquiries and two firm bookings for events. She ought to feel elated. Instead she felt let down because Jay had disappeared without bothering to tell her where he’d gone. Worse, Luke flat-out refused to come to the loft that night.

“You’re beat,” he said, kissing her almost chastely. “Get a good night’s sleep. Jay’ll be back tomorrow, and normal service will be resumed.”

“We could just cuddle up.”
God, how desperate did that sound?

Luke chuckled. “Babe, the moment I touched you, I’d want to do a damned sight more than cuddle.”

Skye pouted. “You’re no fun.”

She got through the evening somehow, pleased that the bar was again busy, completely ignoring Peter. Luke was in and out all the evening, often on his phone and hardly taking any notice of her. When she got back to the loft she half expected him to be there.

He wasn’t.

In a right old funk, Skye was convinced she wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink.

She fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillows and woke up seven hours later feeling rejuvenated and ready for whatever the day threw at her. Even so, she refused to accept that the guys had been right about the need to recharge her batteries.

Luke’s expression when she met him for breakfast told her that he already knew.

“Stop looking so pleased with yourself,” she grumbled.

“Just thinking ahead to tonight,” he said glibly.

So was she.

He sought her out later in her office. She was wielding a thick red marker pen, making posters for the notice board in the bar’s foyer advertising all the new facilities The Fox
had to offer.

“I intend to get them printed up properly,” she told Luke as he glanced over her shoulder, “but this ought to grab attention in the meantime.”

“It sure will. You’re quite an artist. I had no idea.”

She flashed a saucy grin. “I have lots of talents you know nothing about.”

“Hmm, I’ll just bet you do.”

One hand drifted over her shoulder and cupped a breast. She inhaled sharply, capped the marker pen, thrust it into the pocket of her jeans and stood to lean back against him. If Luke was ready for a little fun, who was she to complain? His other hand joined the first, and both breasts were now receiving his undivided attention.

“Feel what I have for you, baby,” he said, thrusting his erection against her ass.

“Now?” she asked expectantly.

“Later.” He sounded as regretful as she felt. “I have to go out for a couple of hours. Few things I need to look into for Jay. Can I borrow your car?”

She threw him the keys. “You’re such a tease.”

Luke roared with laughter. “And you’re completely shameless.”

She grinned over her shoulder at him. “I know, and it’s rather liberating.” His fingers pinched her nipples through the fabric of her top and bra, causing her to groan. “Don’t start what you don’t intend to finish, big boy.”

“No, you’re right.” His hands fell away. “But later on, we’ll have a surprise for you.”

She touched his bulging cock through his jeans. “Not such a surprise anymore.”

“Ah, you need to think laterally.” He winked as he headed for the door. “I’ll be back at lunchtime. Jay will be, too. He just called.”

Skye resumed her seat, trying not to feel resentful that Jay hadn’t called her as well, trying not to feel jealous of his closeness to Luke.

“Get used to it,” she said aloud. “You ain’t part of his life in the way that Luke is and never will be.”

Before Skye could return her attention to her artwork, her phone rang.

“Hey, Skye.”

It was Patrick’s voice, and Skye quelled her disappointment. Of course Jay wouldn’t call her. Anyway, he’d be back soon.

“Patrick, what can I do for you?”

“Er, don’t want to worry you, but Rio took a knock to her hock in the paddock yesterday and doesn’t seem too happy about it.”

“Oh no, is she lame?”

“No, but the hock’s a little bit warm. Not sure if you want to call the vet.”

“I’ll come right now and take a look.”

“Okay, I’ll be here.”

Skye cut the connection and dashed from the pub, calling out to Hannah as she passed her, telling her where she was going. Anxiety to ensure that her beloved mare wasn’t badly hurt lent additional speed to her limbs, and she made it to the yard in double-quick time. It wasn’t like Patrick to panic. He was an intuitive horseman and usually dealt with any minor ailments the equines under his care contracted without bothering their owners. Since he’d phoned Skye, it was obviously worse than he’d let on, and she needed to check it out for herself. Patrick knew she was hard up and could do without a hefty vet’s bill, which was presumably why he wanted her to make the decision.

When she got there she found Rio tethered outside her box and Patrick bathing her hock.

“How is she?”

“Sorry to have worried you, Skye,” he said, looking up at her. “I shouldn’t have called. It doesn’t seem as bad as I first thought.”

“Let me see.”

Skye placed her hand on Rio’s hock and was immediately reassured. There was a small cut where she’d either knocked it or received a kick from one of the other horses, but it didn’t feel hot or swollen. That could be because Patrick had just bathed it in cold water, of course, but Skye’s instincts told her it wasn’t serious.

“Trot her up and we’ll get a better idea,” Patrick said.

Skye untied Rio’s lead rope, patted her neck, and ran down the yard so that Rio was obliged to trot to keep up. Patrick watched the mare’s action, rubbing his chin in his cupped hand as he did so.

“I think she’s okay. Best thing you can do, since you’re here, is take her out for half an hour, just to make sure.”

“Yes, why not?”

“I’ll come with you, just in case all isn’t well.”

Skye’s expression probably reflected her surprise. Patrick was a busy man and seldom rode out just for the pleasure of it. “Are you sure you can spare the time?”

He grinned at her. “After that great party you put on yesterday, nothing’s too much trouble for you.”

“Glad you enjoyed it.”

She headed for the tack room, grateful for a displacement activity to take her mind off Jay and Luke. A short time later she and Patrick rode out of the yard together. Patrick was riding Satan, the same gelding that Jay had tried out a few days ago. Skye suppressed a smile as she remembered how they’d behaved on that particular hack.

“How does she feel?” Patrick asked.

“Perfectly sound, I’m glad to say.”

“Sorry to have troubled you then. I just thought you’d—”

“No, I’m glad you did. Rio’s pretty fresh,” she added when her mare almost tugged the reins out of her hand. “Might as well give her a good run now I’m out. Don’t mind if you want to get back.”

“No, let’s get some air.”

He took the left-hand track that led to the gallops, and Skye steered Rio in the same direction.

“Take the lead,” Patrick said when they neared the start of the safe galloping ground. “If she doesn’t feel right, you can stop straightaway. If I’m ahead of you, I won’t know that you have.”

“Makes sense.” Skye grinned at her old friend. “Ready?”

“Willing and able,” he quipped.

Skye gave Rio her head, expecting her to put in a frolicking buck—a bit like her, she supposed, giggling—pleased when the mare obliged. There couldn’t be much wrong with her if she still wanted to kick her heels up. She leaned forward, but Rio required little encouragement, her flying hooves eating up the ground at breakneck speed.

Skye reined in when she reached the same spot she’d stopped at with Jay and Luke. Both she and Rio were breathing heavily.

“Perfect,” she said, flashing a satisfied smile at Patrick.

He slipped to the ground. “Let’s spell them.”

Skye also dismounted, secured Rio’s stirrups and reins, and let her go free. Patrick did the same with Satan, stretched his arms above his head, and then brought one of them down across Skye’s neck so fast that she had no time to react.

“What the—”

She couldn’t speak. He was holding her so tightly that he was cutting off her airway. Panic trickled through her as she realized there never had been anything seriously wrong with Rio. Patrick had used her knock as an excuse to get her out here alone. She couldn’t move her head, but she lifted her eyes and the chillingly resolute expression on his face caused her legs to buckle.

“You really are one stubborn bitch,” he said, pushing her roughly toward the edge of the precipice.