Empowered [Sexual Magic 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (16 page)

“What happened?” she asked.

“I can’t—” Another broken sob and the crying started again, turning the girl into a wailing mass of tears and snot.

“We need to leave. Now.”

Noah’s voice was heavy with stark command. She looked up and found his face a frightening mask of chilled fury. Beside him, Gabriel looked just as grim. She struggled to her feet and tried to pull Winslet with her.

When the girl resisted, Noah reached down and lifted her to her feet. She swayed and clung to him, burying her face into his chest.

Madelyn’s eyes narrowed for an instant. “What’s going on?”

A sharp whistle pierced the air and several men in blue shorts, white shirts, and blue caps burst onto the beach.

She caught the gleaming shine of brass on their shirts. “The police?
Mon Dieu,
Noah, what is wrong?”

He flicked a glance at Gabriel, who nodded and stepped close, pulling her in his arms.

She didn’t struggle, her heart filled with dread, and the roar in her ears had nothing to do with the crash of waves on the beach.

“It’s a body,” Noah said.

There was more, she could tell. “Who?”

“Fuck, Madelyn, let’s just get back to the hotel, okay? I’ll explain then.”

Winslet whimpered.

“No,” Madelyn said. “Tell me now.”

His jaw clenched and he looked over his shoulder at the now-dispersing crowd. When he turned his green gaze back on her, pain and anger raged. “It’s Oscar.”

She swayed, one hand flying to her mouth. “Krista?”

His mouth set in grim lines, he nodded.

Gabriel tightened his hold and smoothed a hand down her hair. “We don’t know for sure.”

“Of course it’s that bitch,” Noah bit out. “That fucking psycho bitch finally killed someone.”

Winslet pulled away, her wild eyes darting from one to the other. “No, you’re wrong! Mistress wouldn’t do that. Some maniac is loose. He’s the one who killed Oscar.”

“Hush, girl, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Noah snapped with none of his usual diplomacy.

The blonde backed farther out of their circle, head shaking. “No, it’s not true.”

She spun and ran down the length of the beach, disappearing between two umbrellas and out of sight.

“That went well,” Gabriel said drily.

Noah’s set expression didn’t change and a chill wrapped through Madelyn. Pulling free of Gabriel’s arms, she went to Noah and cuddled against his shoulder.

His arms wrapped round her and held her tight. He brushed a kiss along the top of her head, and she felt him tremble.

“It is okay,
mon coeur
,” she soothed. “It might not be her.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Bishop?”

They turned as one and found a pair of police officers heading their direction. Two others shooed the crowd away and began to set up perimeter tape.

Madelyn caught her first glimpse of Oscar’s body, and she gasped then buried her head into Noah’s shoulder.

She could not as easily dislodge the vision of his splayed and bloody body from her mind.

It looked like he’d been beaten to death with instruments of their trade. Madelyn thought she recognized the weals and welts left by some of the heavier, more-punishing whips, though it could be just her mind playing tricks.

Nausea rose within her.

“Yes, I’m Bishop.”

“I am Constable Ralston, head of the island’s security force.” The policeman’s face was grim but nonthreatening. Madelyn scooted closer to Noah.

“Is he…?” She couldn’t finish the sentence and hoped the man would understand.

He did. “Yes, miss. He is dead.” The dark-brown eyes encompassed all three of them. “I understand you have a theory, Mr. Bishop. Would you and your friends be available to chat with us?”

Hysteria burbled at the back of her throat. Chat. How civilized. How very formal and polite.

“Yes, of course, we want to aid you however we can. Shall we come to your office?” Noah asked.

The policeman shook his head. “The hotel lobby is fine, thank you. I will meet you there in five minutes or so. Please do not leave should I be late.”

“We’ll be waiting.”

He shook the man’s hand then palmed her back, his touch soothing and commanding.

Madelyn trembled the entire way back to the hotel.

“Have a seat, I’m going to find the manager on duty,” Gabriel said.

“Why?” she asked.

“To alert him to not allow Krista to leave.”

“No, don’t do that,” Noah ordered.

“Why not?”

“She can’t leave the island without a lot of advance notice. They have to get transportation gassed and prepped. It would take at least an hour. This way she won’t know Oscar’s body was found.”

Gabriel raked a hand through his hair and stared at Noah like he was nuts. “It’s been a hell of a lot longer than an hour, Noah. She could be long gone by now.”

“She’s not,” he said grimly.

“How do you know?” Madelyn shivered again, the look in his face truly terrifying. “Why wouldn’t she have left yet, Noah?”

He looked down and stroked her cheek. “Because she wants you.”

“I want to go upstairs,” Madelyn said after Constable Ralston left them.

Polite and considerate to a fault, he’d assured them he’d take their concerns to his chief and explore every possibility. In the meantime, though they were not considered suspects, no one was allowed to leave the island.

Word of the forced stay spread through the guests, and the mood grew ugly and loud. She wanted to go upstairs to their comfortable, safe suite and relax.

She stood and tugged at her dress. Gabriel’s eyes followed the swing of her hem, and he smiled.

An answering smile lifted her lips, and she edged the dress upward, thrusting out a leg. “Like what you see?”

Falling back into the norm the usual made her feel better right away. Flirting was easy and nonthreatening.

“Absolutely,” he said and cupped her thigh, just behind the knee.

She shivered again, this time from the rush of heat and excitement his touch afforded her.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Noah said. “In fact, I think we should go upstairs and distract ourselves from this damnable mess.”

Gabriel’s head snapped as he rose, eagerness on his face. “Fine, but this time I want a piece of the action.” He winked at Madelyn. “That is, if you think I’m ready to tan your sweet hide.”

Her pussy moistened, and she licked her lips, swaying against his hard chest. She rubbed her breasts along the knit of his T-shirt, pleased when his nipples tightened beneath the blue cotton.

“I think you’re more than ready, Sir.”

His cock reared against her leg in response, and she chuckled. Turning, Madelyn held her hand out to Noah. “Don’t you agree he’s ready, my love?”

Tight lines bracketed his mouth and eyes, and she caught a glint of gray in his hair which startled her. She’d not noticed so much when they first arrived on the island. Had she been looking, though?

Had the events of recent years begun to take their toll physically on her lover? Her heart stopped then sped up with fear, and she leaned in to kiss him gently. “Come,
mon coeur
, I want you two to take me upstairs and treat me like a naughty little slut.”

She was gratified her sultry, whispered words caused
his
cock to react, too.

“Brat,” was all he said and pulled her toward the elevator bank.

She grinned because she knew she was. They’d often discussed the thin line of difference between a brat and a SAM. While she was definitely a smart-ass and a masochist, she didn’t back down when ruffling her Dom’s feathers. Didn’t apologize and stammer when threatened with punishment for her outrageous, often audacious behaviors. No indeed, she relished the whippings, the sensual tortures inflicted on her, and did all she could to incite those retributions.

The gleaming brass doors slid open as they approached, and she looked up at the floor indicator, checking the direction of the car. Then she felt silly because the lobby was on the ground floor and they couldn’t go farther unless a restricted employee key was used to go to the basement.

As she watched, a large crowd pushed its way into the car, filling it up almost immediately.

Gabriel pulled back on her arm and shared a look with Noah. “We’ll wait,” he said firmly.

She hid her smile and nodded docilely. He was already acting like a Dom. Sort of. She planned to be quite the feisty brat when they returned to their room. The morning’s events had her on edge with a rising fury of need she briefly thought about battling, then decided to hell with it.

She would let them whip it out of her.

Already, she felt better. And wet. Her pussy practically dripped with the anticipation of being on her knees and submitting to these two men.

Another elevator arrived and they moved into it, followed by six other people. Gabriel and Noah set their backs against the rear of the car and pulled her between them. She huffed air at her bangs and eyed each man quizzically but neither looked down. Instead, they eyed the people surrounding them.

The
men
surrounding them, she realized.

Oh, for heaven’s sake
.

“Knock it off,” she muttered to Noah.

He didn’t budge nor did the stony set of his jaw ease one iota.

One of the guys in front turned around and smiled at her, then raised his glance to Noah. “She’s beautiful, man.”

Noah remained silent.

The guy didn’t take the hint. “She available? You know, is she a sub you share?”

She didn’t know how Noah managed to stand any stiffer, but he did and his fists clenched at his side.

“No,” Gabriel said, voice silky yet lethal. “She’s not.”

The man, whom Madelyn decided must be drunk, wasted, stupid, or all three, did not quite grasp the response. “I was talking to him.”

My God, how long is this elevator ride?
She frantically stared up at the numbers. Two floors to go. The car shuddered to a stop, and she gasped then nearly wilted with relief as the doors opened and the other five trooped out.

“Deke, come on, let’s go.”

Deke, how charming, didn’t look as if he wanted to go anywhere and certainly not alone.

He leaned a little closer and she caught the sweet scent of marijuana.

Two seconds later, he was sprawled on his ass, staring stupidly at Noah and Gabriel as the doors closed.

They grinned at each other like victorious Neanderthals, and she rolled her eyes then swatted each of them on the butt.

They turned as one, mirrored expressions of annoyance on their faces.

Oh, great. Taunt the tiger, pay the price. But isn’t that what I’m looking for?

The car stopped again, and she pushed past them, stalking down the hall to their suite. Noah was on her heels, his muscled breadth pressing into her back as she came to a stop by their door.

She could feel his steady stare as she waited, foot tapping, for him to fish out the key card and let them in.

Noah’s strong arm snaked around her, brushing roughly along her breast and nipple as he opened the door. “Get in. Strip. Kneel.”

Madelyn pushed past him, tearing her dress from her body as she went. The door clicked behind her, and as her knees met the soft scrub of carpet, she heard the sharp snap of the dead bolt turning.

She’d chosen the spot in the center of the living room where she could look out the large picture window onto the sea.

The view did not calm her at all.

Her emotions roiled and heaved like a boat on a storm-tossed ocean. She was confused and afraid and mad and lustful all at the same time.

“It’s a good thing there are two of you,” she muttered.

Noah, followed closely by Gabriel, moved in front of her. He put his hands on his hips and rocked back on the heels of his loafers. “Why is that?”

She looked up, eyes wide and full of innocence, mouth parted in a perfect O. She knew she looked as sweet as a teaspoon of sugar. She met Gabriel’s gaze head-on.

“Because I need you to spank me, then whip me.” Her glance bounced to Noah. “And you to fuck me like a slut.”

But Noah was shaking his head. “Darlin’, you don’t call the shots, remember? No, I think a little something extra is called for here.”

She went instantly wary. “Like what?”

His grin was just this side of malevolent. “You’ll see.” Then his brow hitched up, emphasizing the humor in his green eyes. “Well, actually, you won’t see.”

Now she got really nervous. “What are you talking about? What is he talking about?” she repeated to Gabriel when Noah didn’t respond.

She twisted to watch him open the top drawer of the dresser in the bedroom but couldn’t see what he pulled out. Moments later he returned and her heart dropped.

In his hands he held a black, matte leather mask. One that covered not only her eyes, but her ears as well, down her neck and up along her chin. There was a strap which dangled from the left side that could come up and over her mouth. Or, if Noah so chose, a rubber ring could be inserted into the strap which forced her mouth wide open. To be used as he saw fit.

Her gaze moved to Gabriel’s prominent bulge, and she licked her lips. How she wanted to be face-fucked by his massive length again. When he’d gone animalistic on her yesterday and shoved his dick into her mouth, wouldn’t let her breathe or pull away, she’d come harder than she’d ever remembered.

But it wasn’t just the length of cock choking her, she’d been mesmerized by the tenderness in his eyes as he gently cajoled her into taking more than she’d ever thought possible.

Brute force coated in sweet words of encouragement.

Her pussy ached and throbbed, her lower lips pounding with lust-laced adrenaline.

“If I refuse?”

Noah’s brow shot upward.

Not surprising, since she
never
refused his requests.

“Why would you?”

The question came from Gabriel.