Robin and Her Merry Men

Warning: For Mature Adult Audiences.
 
Contains language and actions some may deem
offensive.
 
Sexually explicit content.
 
Menage – M/F/M – with M/F scenes.

In book one of Wickedly Ever After:
 
Robin Hoode was born with a silver spoon in
mouth, but never felt comfortable in the life of wealth and privilege.
 
Growing up, she had always been the odd sheep
in the family, taking her over abundance of lunch money and extra food to the
homeless and less fortunate in secrecy.
 
When
the mayor taxes the town’s people out of their homes and out on the streets,
Robin sees an opportunity to take a stand and give back to the very people
whose blood and sweat built their city.
 
Like a thief in the night, Robin Hoode steals from the rich to give to
the poor.

Will Scarlett had a great career, owned his own house, and
lived a comfortable life…until Mayor Nottingham ruined the blue-collar economy
and he lost everything.
 
Forced out of
his home, he joins forces with others like him and takes refuge in Sherwood
Forest, living a life of serene simplicity.
 
When a nosey little journalist starts poking around in their business
threatening their existence with promises of money and supplies, he fights the
undeniable attraction and the ache in his jeans to protect their last resort for
survival.

John Naylor, or Little John as he was known growing up, has
loved Robin as long as he could remember.
 
When she takes notice of him for the first time as the attractive man he
has become, John risks it all to help her on her mission—even at the cost of
family and his position in life.

Come to Sherwood Forest where fairy tales are made and love
has no boundaries.
 
Robin Hoode, one
thief—two men who love her—and a town full of despair.
 

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Books by Willow Brooke

Excerpt from A Dragon’s Heart

Excerpt from Mission: Compromised Submissive

Excerpt from Releasing the Spirit

Robin tore through her dresser, emptying the contents in a heap at her feet. The sun
had set over an hour ago, and s
he was running late for work
...
again.
“Damn! Where is my black
cashmere
sweater?” Item after item flew until she grabbed the wadded garment and grinned.

By day, Robin Hoode was a
well-respected
reporter for the
Seattle Journal
. Her day job gave her the inside scoop and clients to
accommodate
her night job…of a thief. Robin had been raised amongst the rich and elite, being trained in social
etiquette
and
proprieties
that rose above all of the social standards. From the finest boarding schools on to graduating from Brown University, she had been trained for excellence. So, if not for money, why did she dress in black and sulk around in the night, stealing art and jewelry from the rich and famous you ask? It was simple. The economy was tough. Millions of Americans were cast into poverty
, going
without everyday while the rich remained fat sitting on their
pedestals
.
It made her sick. No matter how hard she pushed for fundraisers and donations to help those in need, it stayed the same. The lines of society were etched in stone. Robin may not have the power to change the world, but she could change the lives of a few, one Monet at a time.

Robin strapped on her thigh high boots and secured her tool harness before glancing in the mirror. Perfect. Her long
auburn
hair had been braided into a thick rope and tucked into her hood. “Show time.” She snatched the black backpack and slung it over her shoulder, rushing out the door. Her adrenaline pumped high, coursing through her veins like a drug. She couldn’t help but grin. Tonight she was off to Bernard Vancover III’s summer villa. Bernard had visited her parents on many occasions, gloating his success in the
electronics industries and flashing his wealth every chance he got. It had taken all she had not to vomit on his
four thousand dollar Louis
Vuitton’s
. Sweet karma was about to bite him in the wallet.

Because of Bernard’s need to show off his wealth, he had insisted the news station cover the unveiling
of his newest worldly
possession
—
the Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond is one of the most famous diamonds in the world. At
an impressive 45.52 carats, it
s deep blue color makes it the rarity to be desired. It was
originally
mined in Golconda, India around 1650
and now belonged to the rich scumbag who had it all.

Not for long
.

Robin was determined to take the little jewel off his hands
. She wished she could
sell it to a museum where it belonged
, but it’d only be returned to him. There were people out there
who
would appreciate it for its priceless value instead of using it to show off
. The money earned from the sale would go to benefit local families in the community with food, clothing, and help paying their utility bills. If her calculations were correct, she woul
d be able to assist
hundred
s of
families.
That blue diamond was going to be the biggest heist of her career, and help so many families.

She had two weeks to scout out the property and find the holes in hi
s security before the ceremony. Sure, she could wait until after he showed it off to the world
—
but where was the fun in that? Robin wanted to add salt to the wound by swiping the treasure just before the curtain came off in front of the crowd of spectators and live cameras. Bernard Vancover III needed a lesson in humility, and she was just the one to give it.
Robin checked her
surveillance
gear one last time and headed out the door, walking with purpose.

Before she ventured into the less than legal way of creating equality, Robin had been lost in life. From birth, she had everything handed to her, never knowing the true pain of doing without. One night
,
after a long evening of dancing in a sea of name brand designers and
corporate assholes,
she had been mugged. The
man was shaking like a leaf holding her at
gunpoint
,
with
what was
an obvious BB gun. Robin talked him
down and found that he
was desperate,
only wanting to put food on the
table for his
four kids and wife. He had been laid off due to cutbacks at a company whose owner she had seen at the party just m
oments before.
Gregory
Naylor
had been boasting all evening about the new improvements he had made in his company, including the machines that replaced thousands of people. With technology on the
rise
, jobs were being cut. For the first time, Robin got a glimpse at the
ugly
world around her. She had given the man over six grand
out of her wallet,
and promised to get him a job at her father
’
s company.

Right then, sh
e knew
her path
. There were so many who were in the same or worse
predicaments
as that man. Robin began to notice the depth of poverty around her and vowed to change as many lives as she could. What better way than to take from the very people who put them there? Robin pulled out of the drive and headed toward her destination with a grin. The smug bastard wouldn’t know what hit him.

*****

Twenty minutes later,
Robin crept around the side of the gates to a secluded spot in the trees. Security was tight, but fortunately they didn’t venture outside of the property. She propped up against the tree and pulled her night vision goggles out, doing a scan of the area. Four guards. Like
clockwork
, they made their rounds of the grounds. Three laser ala
rms were set to exactly ten p.m., and there were six video cameras.
Piece of cake
. She watched on for another hour or so, getting an idea on the layout of the house and estimate of people coming and going. Tonight she might not have walked away with the prize, but she did get the satis
faction of knowing what time Mr. Vancover III’s mistress came and went
—
just an added bonus of information she would put to good use when the time was right.

“Well now, I think I have more than enough information for tonight…tim
e for a quick pit stop. It
is shaping up to be yet another productive night spent bettering the world
—
one rich bastard at a time.” Robin packed up her gear and quietly made her way back to her car. The drive to her next stop was short, and if things kept going on track, the heist would be too.

Robin stepped out into the
cool night air and gulped in a deep cleansing breath.
Ah
,
the sweet scent of wealth
. Good ol’ G
r
eg
ory
was past due for a generous donation to the poor, and she was here to collect. Tuesday nights both he and his wife attended the country club for cocktails, overpriced prime rib, and social gossip. Th
e only one left at home was
sweet Ellie. Ellie was the family’s
S
hih
Tzu
. One belly rub and a hot dog she was sure had never been brought through the doors later and Ellie was her best friend.

She effortlessly jumped over the back fence, landing both feet on the ground with a
quiet thud
,
and headed to the trellis
. She had discovered earlier during one of her first ‘collection visits’ that the office window lock was broken. Now, it was her door in and out. As she scaled up the side of the house, noise from inside caught her attention.
Shit! Their cars are gone. Did they have guests?
Hoping that a television had been carelessly left on she continued up and in through the small window.

Once inside, she knew her worst fears were correct. Except, by the sound of things, the question as to who was home still remained. Keeping a low profile
,
she crouched down and remained in the shadows to get a better look through the cracked door. A man she had never seen before paced up and down the hall with his cell phone attached to his ear, his voice loud and angry.
The shadows kept her from getting a good look, but his broad muscular shoulders and enormous arms made her feel sorry for whoever was on the other end of that phone.

“Don’t mind me.
I just dropped in
to pick up a few things
,
”
Robin whispered to herself
.
She could have said it out loud and chances of being herd were next to none going by the one
-
sided heated argument she was witnessing.

With a shrug she waited until his back was turned and crept down the hall into the master bedroom. Mrs.
Naylor
’s jewelry was kept in an unlocked chest on her dresser, and always was a quick grab when she was in a crunch. Each time her collection grew, usually from the guilt of Mr.
Naylor
’s extra
-
marital activities.

Tonight was no different except he must h
ave been a very bad bad boy. The jewelry case
was stocked with new and bigger bling than most rap stars ever saw in their lifetime. Huge precious stones and gems set in the most
exquisite
settings lined the velvet interior in neat little rows. “No time to window shop today, I’ll take one of everything please.” She dumped the contents in her bag and hurried back the way she came, hoping to make it out before the angry man wasn’t distracted. She neatly put everything back in place and eased out of the room to her exit. Just as she slipped in the office door, Mr. tall, mysterious, and sexy turned around.
Shit! Did he see me?
She darted toward
the window just as he came
barreling
into the room. Their eyes locked in an intensity that had her heart pounding through her chest.
His dark blue eyes held her hypnotized.
Robin flashed him a seductive smile, hooking her
repelling
cable to the frame and jumped down the two stories in one bounce. She had already unhooked and was out of sight when he peered out, laughing.

**
***

“Laughing? Like a full blown laugh or just a snicker or chuckle?” Mary asked, overly amused. Mary had been Robin’s best friend from birth. They had attended the same private schools together, got caught sneaking into the champagne during a meet and greet when they were thirteen, and shared everything. Even now that they were grown, Mary was the on
ly person Robin had confided to about her side job. Mary had insisted on helping whenever she could, finding out information and doing the research on specialty cases. Like every other Friday night, Mary had showed up with her weekend bag and bottle of wine. Their tradition had started after both had endured one bad relationship after another. Now, their weekends were once again anticipated all week long.

“It might have been a chuckle. There was definite stomach tightening going on. The weird part? I don’t think he called the cops. I got back to the car
,
changed
,
and headed home, but nothing came over the police scanner. If he did call and make a report, it was to a private security company.”

“Maybe he wanted to stay out of jail. If your description is right, it is a damn crime to be that hot.” Mary giggled, tipping up her glass of wine.

“Oh, I’m sure I
didn’t do him justice. The man is a walking orgasm. I had to repel down the building with a party going on in my pants.”

Mary swatted at her playfully. “You’re horrible. Only you could be robbing a joint and take the time to flirt with
the very people you are stealing blind
. You should have exchange
d numbers—
maybe set up a dinner date.”

“Maybe next time. I wouldn’t want to give the wrong imp
ression.” Robin smirked saucily.

“Oh no
,
we can’t have you getting a bad rep.
It might hurt your career,
” Mary
said, dripping sarcasm.

“That’s right.
I am an honorable thief,” Robin
giggled so hard she snorted, erupting more gut clenching laughter.

“So, what now? Do you have anything big coming
up?”

“I have a little somethin’ somethin’ coming up…let’s just say there are going to be a lot of happy families soon. Plus, I get to check a douchehole in the process. He is as arrogant as they come. It’s going to be epic.” Robin leaned back and kicked her feet up on the coffee table, taking a swig of her wine.

“Does this something have anything to do with the hottie?”

“No, unfortunately not. Mr. Vancover III is anything but hot.”

“Oh my God! You are hitting the Vancover mansion? Are you insane? That place is crawling with security. You’ll never get in and out without getting caught.”

“It’s not as hard as you think. Plus, I have a great decoy.” Robin kept her eyes down, waiting for Mary to put two and two together.

“Decoy? What kind of decoy
,
Robin.” Mary’s voice dropped, already full of disapproval.

“A sexy, fun, intelligent, amazing girl I know is going to be captivating the crowd and aweing them with her wit and charm while I sneak in f
rom the back and swipe the Hope Diamond.”

Mary jumped up and backwards, both of her hands flying over her mouth. “No freaking way! Robin!
The
Hope Diamond? That thing is a priceless artifact! There were bids soaring in the billions!”

Robin smiled bi
gger and winked. “I know. It’
s
going to be my ticket to help so many
,
Mary. Do you know how far that much will go? I’m talking housing, food, clothing,
the works. We are finally going to make a difference. The Vancover’s have so much money
that
they blow it on frivolous things just because they have everything they could ever
want
. Now, others will have things they
need
. It’
s
ludicrous
owning one gem that’
s worth that much money. It belongs in a museum, not in a jewelry box.”

“I agree, but damn
,
girl. Do you really think you can pull it off? This will go down as one of the biggest heists in history. If you get caught…
I can’t even think of what
’d happen
,
hun.”

“Then don’t. I promise I won’t go in without being prepared. There is always
a
risk, but one I’m willing to take. This is bigger than us
,
Mary. I have to at least try.” Robin refilled their glasses and grabbed a hand full of popcorn.

Mary sighed and plopped back down on the couch with a huff. “I know. I don’t have to like it though. I do have a new outfit that would be perfect!
The
little silver dress we saw at the mall last week. They marked them down fifty percent off! I got that, a pair of pumps, and a clutch for less than the original sticker price.”

“Oh
,
you bitch! I love that dress! I get to borrow it soon.”

“I figured as much. I hate to point out the obvious, but you need somewhere to wear it first.
Casing out your next clueless victim doesn’t count. So, either you get a date, or learn to envy it from afar
,
darlin’.” Mary’s grin was full of snark and taunt.

“Evil. Pure evil! How do you live with yourself? Forcing me into going on a date with some poor sap who won’t stand a c
hance.
It is always the same. Dinner full of awkward silence and generic small talk
,
followed by drinks or something lame in attempts to pretend a shred of
romance, which
will only disappear by date three or four. Then there is the kiss goodnight. Nine times out of ten
,
they either suck your face off or make you gag at their lack of skill. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find someone who can actually kiss?”

“It can’t be that bad, drama queen. Most men can kiss.”

“No, I’m not talking about lips together and tongue in your mouth. I mean the curl
-
your
-
toes, butterflies
-
in
-
yo
ur
-
tummy, fire
-
down
-
below, fuck-me—
now kissing. It is an almost extinct quality
,
” Robin sighed. The truth hurt. She hadn’t been in a relationship since the courting her father had forced her into a few weeks after she had graduated high school. George Filbin II was the son of a billionaire architect whose company was set to merge with her father
’
s.
Like most rich aristocrats, the name was handed down to show power and lineage. Surprisingly, George was good looking, with prominent features and a physique
most men would be envious about. His personality
,
on the other hand
,
was worse than a wet mop. Add his lack of a sense of humor and the overly anal need to be proper every second of every day, was enough to make anyone want to hang themselves. George and Robin
were supposed to seal the deal like in some nineteenth century arranged marriage.
Like most
,
w
hen Robin
packed up and ran
th
e night before their wedding
, the deal h
ad gone south and the full blame went on her from her father’s point of view
. It
took over a year for
him
to s
peak to her, and longer for
him
to give her financial support. Even now, her inheritance wasn’t set in stone. He hung it over her head to
get his way any chance he got.

Since then, she had made
a vow
never to
let anyone delegate her future. Robin was a strong independent woman who knew what she wanted in life and refused to settle for less, which was intimidating to all of the guys she had went out with. By date two, she knew there would be no phone call and didn’t expect there to be.
It had beco
me a ritual that after any date that made it to the second, she would immediately call Mary who would show up with Ben and Jerry’s Banana Split ice cream and a stack of chick flicks to commemorate the last time Robin would see or hear from
the guy. It was always a special occasion, since most didn’t make it through the first date let alone survive an entire second. With a deep huff of accepting the inevitable, Robin frowned. “Why would I waste a dress like that on a man who won’t notice? We both know that by the time we get to the
restaurant
, the only thing the poor sap will be thinking is how to get rid of me.”

Mary nodded. “True. But, unless you try, you’ll never find the ‘one’. There is some man out there searching for a beauty with brains who can think for herself. You just need to keep an open mind and give them a chance
,
Robin.”

“Or, there are twenty plus cats who are searching for a pathetic old spinster to come along and become their crazy cat lady. Maybe I should be
window
shopping
for moo
moos
instead of hot dresses. It would be a lot more reasonable.” Her little nose squished up at the visions that floated through her mind.

Mary couldn’t help but laugh. There was no way in hell a woman as gorg
eous as Robin would ever fall to that level. For one, she was just too damn stubborn. “You’re such a dork.
If you ask me, Mr.
G
iggles seems like he might have a thing for you. Maybe you stole his heart while you were robbing them blind.” Her corny comment threw them both into laughter so hard they had tears.

“I’m the dork? With lines like that
,
I can’t imagine why you aren’t married off. How do you keep the guys from begging at your feet?”

“Ah, my witty charm is frowned upon by the upper class gentlemen. You know as well as I do that none of them have a sense of humor. I’m branded as unladylike and
a harlot. So, I’m now broadening my prospects to all types. I have a date tonight with
an oil field worker…
or whatever they call themselves.”

“You naughty girl! Spill it! Where the he
c
k would you even find someone like that?” Robin propped her chin on her fist eagerly waiting for the scoop. Mary had a new hot date every weekend, and despite Robin’s lack of intimacy, she got to live vicariously through her best friend. Some of her wild stories were hotter than the erotic romance books she escaped into every night.

Mary pulled her feet up under her, crossing them Indian style and grinned. “Okay, well, it all started about a week ago when I stopped in to get my morning
Venti
Carmel Mocha
Frappe with a double shot of espresso. There I was, standing in line
,
when this hot hunk of muscles came walking through the door in tight Levi’s and a plain black t
-
shirt. God
,
Robin
, I
couldn’t help but stare! He has
t
he bluest eyes I have ever seen. Me, being the
klutz
that I am, made it a whole three steps before I tripped and fell, spilling my coffee all over him. Thank goodness I had decided on a frozen
caffeine
fix instead of my normal lat
t
e or cappuccino, because he would have needed medical attention. It literally shot up in the air and all over his face and chest. After he helped me to my feet and I proceeded to grovel in apology, he took his shirt off and let me clean him up with paper towels. Every woman in there wanted to be me. When I asked him if I could just lick it off, he laughed and asked for my number. We are going out tomorrow to some steakhouse on the outskirts of the city.”

“How did you end up with a date after drenching him? I swear you have all the luck. I can’t believe you offered to lick him clean! Oh my gosh
,
Mary
,
I
swear. Totally epic. I bet your parents would be so proud,” she said, letting her last words drip with snarkiness.

“Ah, yes. Mommy dearest had to go lie down because she felt faint after I told her. I got out of cocktail hour after dinner even. Best family dinner night ever,
” Mary
giggled.

The rest of the evening the girls chattered between episodes of their favorite shows, catching up like they did every Friday night. After the third bottle of wine was emptied, they called it a night and Mary took her normal spot on the sofa while Robin went to bed. Tomorrow was going to be hard, and she needed this little fun night to make it through.

Two days prior, she had learned of a group of people who ha
d been cast out
of their
home
in the suburbs and
had been
laid off from their jobs, forced to make
camp in the woods. With the economy plummeting, more and more
people
w
ere
seeking refuge
at the camp.
Women and children alike were forced to live off the land, making their home in the trees of Sherwood
Forest
. It was surreal to imagine being tossed back in time where there was no electric, modern technology, or running water for that matter. Hell, Robin freaked if her cable or
Internet
went out for longer than an hour or two. She had only been camping a few times in her life, which had been in a motor
home
the size of her apartment. Her
parents’
idea of roughing it meant not having the maid or other servants around to tend to everything. Those were the only times she could remember her mother ever cooking or cleaning. Fetching water to cook and bathe with was almost unfathomable. If her apartment had been bigger, or her father would allow her access to her inheritance, she would move them all in with her or pay for housing for them without blinking an eye.
Which
was probably why he didn’t and had forced her to work to pay her own way. He still gave her an allowance, which she used to help at the soup kitchens and the elderly that couldn’t afford their medications. So far, he hadn’t found out. She had to be careful or risk loosing that as well. Tomorrow, she would go and visit them and see what she could do to help. Snuggled between her Egyptian cotton sheets and down comforter, Robin couldn’t help but feel guilty for having so much when they had so little.