Crossroads 2: Lacey's Last Chance (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “Hey, Lacey.” Sonya said her name and she looked at her.

  “I’m heading to the ladies’ room.”

  “I’ll go, too. Excuse me, Junior.”

  “Of course,” he replied, watching her. She gave a small smile and headed toward the ladies room with Sonya. A quick glance over her shoulder and she saw Junior watching her until Tanner gave his elbow a nudge. Oh yeah, Junior was definitely interested in her, and funny thing was, she wouldn’t mind getting to know him better, but definitely as friends first. Nothing was going to get in the way of her new start, and especially not a man.

  “He is gorgeous, Lacey. I’m so jealous,” Sonya told her as they made their way past the bar and along the set of chairs and picture windows that overlooked the lake down below. There was an amazing stone fireplace to the right of the room, and during the winter, many people gathered around there until late in the evening. Crossroads seemed to always be crowded throughout the year.

  It was a gorgeous night out, too. Warm enough to not even need a light sweater.

  “He was just being friendly. We were only talking.”

  “So? That’s how you get to know a guy, isn’t it? You talk with him, maybe become friends with him. Or become friends with him first. He definitely likes you.”

  “You think so?” she asked as they entered the ladies room.

  “Definitely.”

  “Well, too bad I’ve sworn off men. For the time being, anyway,” Lacey said as she looked into the mirror and checked her lip gloss. She realized in that moment as her eyes swept over her reflection that she looked good. She had good coloring. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks glowed. The last several days she had been pale, had a constant feeling of nausea in her belly, and feared that she would wind up alone and homeless. She was never one to be melodramatic, but she was putting everything on the line for this antique shop.

  She adjusted her breasts in the dress she wore, liking the more conservative attire than what Jeb had insisted she wear. All her life, it seemed she allowed a man to dictate her every move, including her wants and desires. That was changing. This was a new Lacey.

  Sonya returned, washed her hands, then fixed her lip gloss.

  “You look better. A lot happier tonight than earlier today.”

  “Shoot. Earlier today I was trying on dresses while negotiating terms of contract for the storefront. It was so stressful, but to get that call before we headed to the fundraising event was perfect. A little bit less is weighing on my shoulders.”

  “Don’t think of all the stress and the things you have yet to do as weight on your shoulders. Think of them as tiny steps toward achieving your ultimate goal. You’re going to make it. Besides, I hear Junior’s brother Stone is just as damn fine as he is. I bet watching him work in your building will bring a smile to your face,” Sonya said, then winked.

  “Where did you hear that? I mean, about Stone being good-looking?”

  They headed out of the ladies’ room. “From around some of the women. He doesn’t hang out at Crossroads much. Rarely, from what I’ve heard. He’s pretty quiet. The silent, brooding type, like someone else I know,” Sonya said and rolled her eyes. Lacey saw Sonya look toward the bar and right at Big Guns and Jay Bird.

  “You like him, huh?” Lacey asked, giving Sonya a nudge.

  “I guess.”

  “What’s the problem, then? He seems to keep an eye on you at all times.”

  “Liking him isn’t the problem. Fearing him is,” Sonya said and started walking forward. Lacey stopped her by touching her wrist. Sonya turned around to face her.

  “Scared of him? Why? Did he try something or hurt you?” Lacey asked. Like she was one to question that type of fear. She was still trying to figure out how she would hide the bruise on her hipbone tomorrow when they all went out on the boats for the lake party. And it was going to be hot. Wearing a cover-up all day wouldn’t exactly work.

  “No. It’s me. I’m not really experienced when it comes to men and, well, the whole ménage thing freaks me out on top of that.”

  “Ménage thing?”

  “Big Guns, Jay Bird, and Caleb. Roommates, best friends since babies, military buddies, the police academy together, and everything else. They’re six feet three plus, and I’m five feet two, and a pixie. Except for these and, of course, my big ass,” Sonya said and pointed toward her large breasts. She was petite but had a very sexy, curvy body like an hourglass figure.

  “Honey, you have a great body. Guys especially like curves they can hold onto in bed at night.”

  Sonya widened her eyes and her face turned bright red. It hit Lacey immediately.

  “You’ve never had sex before, have you?” she whispered.

  Sonya looked around her and as she pulled her lip between her teeth, she shook her head.

  Lacey gripped her shoulders.

  “You make them work for it. You make sure it’s you who decides when to have sex for the first time. Make sure that it’s meaningful and special and not just a means to get it over with or pretend there’s more there than there is. Men try to trick you and tell you what they think you need and want to hear. Be smart and be in control. Take it from me. The guy I gave my virginity to, I never should have. I’ll regret that mistake forever. So be smart. Make sure you care for them so you’ll have no regrets.”

  Sonya smiled.

  “Thanks, Lacey.”

  They hugged one another and then headed back toward the bar, but not before Lacey heard her name. She turned to the right and there were Jeb and his buddies. She didn’t like the way he looked at her. It was different. He looked at her as if he owned her body and her soul. It gave her the chills and an unexpected feeling of being violated. She turned away and headed back to the bar and her friends she knew she was safe with.

  Chapter 5

  “Oh God! Oh yes, yes!” Suzette cried out as Miles and Nikko came inside of her again. Nikko thrust one more time. His thick, hard cock felt so deep in her ass. Miles thrust upward, holding her hips, clenching his teeth as he came in her pussy. She rocked her hips between them and heard them both moan. Nikko grabbed her hips to hold her steady.

  “Fuck, baby, you can’t do that. Too fucking sensitive,” he complained.

  She chuckled as she calmed her breathing. They had made love several times since they all arrived at her apartment from Crossroads last night. She ran her hands along Miles’s hard muscles on his chest, then leaned down to kiss his lips as he smiled at her. She loved being in their arms. She loved them touching her, caressing her, and oh, yes, fucking her. Why had she pushed them away all week? Why had she freaked out? This was perfect.

  The sound of her phone buzzing again brought their attention to her.

  “Who the hell is texting you this early?” Miles asked, peeking over to the bedside table. Nikko eased out of her ass, kissing each cheek, caressing the globes, then giving her right ass cheek a smack.

  “Hey,” she reprimanded, and Nikko pointed at her with one of his eyebrows raised up in warning. She blushed. They had been so protective last night, and when they’d gotten to her apartment, they warned her to never wear such a sexy dress again unless they were with her at all times. Her heart warmed, remembering how they slowly peeled the dress from her body and immediately made love to her together. The first time of the evening was fast and wild. She’d moaned and orgasmed multiple times, they had her so aroused and turned-on. But the next time was slow and gentle. Their passion and love for her came out stronger and stronger every time they made love.

  She eased her body off of Miles, who moaned softly but rolled with her so he could caress her ass and kiss her spine as she reached for the cell phone.

  She closed her eyes and relished the feel of his lips against her skin and the way his masculine hands moved her hair from her neck and his strong fingers tickled her skin. She popped her eyes open, her smile full and to the depth of her heart when she read the text from Lacey.

  Her heart sank. Concern filled her
gut. She isn’t coming?

  Suzette sat up. She placed her feet on the floor as Nikko returned from the bathroom with a washcloth in hand.

  “What’s wrong?” Miles asked, and immediately Nikko had a concerned expression. She looked at both of them.

  “Lacey texted me that she isn’t coming today.”

  “Why?” Nikko asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Maybe she doesn’t want to face Jeb and his friends. You know they’ll be out there, and by the way he was acting last night, he’d make a point of bumping into her,” Miles said as he moved into position next to her on the bed. He caressed her hand.

  “That’s not right. I have to call her.” She stood up, grabbing Nikko’s T-shirt from the floor and throwing it on. It reached her knees and Nikko chuckled as he pulled her close.

  “I’m so glad we’ll be spending the entire day together.” He kissed her softly and she smiled.

  “Me, too.” But as he raised one of his eyebrows at her, she knew he could tell she was still thinking of Lacey with concern.

  He winked and gave her ass a tap.

  “Go call Lacey and get her to come along with us.”

  “Yeah, the best thing she can do is to put that dick behind her. There are plenty of other guys, better guys than him.”

  “Like Junior,” Nikko teased.

  “What? He likes her?” she asked.

  Miles interrupted.

  “Go call her. We’ll shower and then get ready to pick up the stuff for the boat.”

  She walked away, wondering if Junior had said something to them about Lacey. He had been giving her his full attention last night. His brother would be working for her at the new store. Could this turn into something? God, she hoped they weren’t like Jeb. She hoped Lacey could find true love. But first, she needed to get her to come on this boat trip.

  * * * *

  Lacey wasn’t too sure about Suzette’s idea, but it was beautiful out. The sun was shining, the sky a gorgeous blue as they all made their way down the dock and toward the boats. Suzette gave her a reassuring smile, although her first reaction to seeing Lacey’s bruised hip, finger marks and all, had really upset her. Suzette swore to not tell Nikko and Miles. They were already taking on a caring role, watching out for her. Suzette told Lacey that she would also wear the light muscle tank top all day just like Lacey, so no one would question why Lacey was staying covered up. Suzette understood her concern. These guys were mostly law enforcement and good guys. They wouldn’t take a liking to seeing the hand and finger marks on Lacey, despite them happening before Lacey broke things off with Jeb. Suzette understood. She was her best friend and she loved her so much for being this supportive.

  As they approached the dock, she caught sight of Junior and some other guy next to him, both gorgeous and both shirtless. She nearly tripped from the sight of them.

  “Junior, how the hell did you get your brother Louie to ditch his workshop on a Saturday?” Miles teased.

  “I promised him gorgeous views and a fun time on the lake,” Junior said as he eyed Lacey over and smiled.

  “Hi, Lacey,” Junior welcomed her first, taking her hand to assist her onto the boat.

  Louie looked at her and didn’t seem to react at all.

  “This is my brother, Louie. Louie, meet Lacey. She and I hung out a bit last night at Crossroads.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Louie said with a nod, and then went to work helping Nikko and Miles load the boat up with some food supplies and beer. Junior then introduced Louie to Suzette.

  The ride out of the marina and to the lake where everyone was meeting was amazing. It was damn hot, though, and Lacey looked at Suzette, worried that they may have no choice but to remove the tank tops. Her belly twisted, but Suzette shook her head, as if saying she wasn’t going to take it off unless Lacey did. Lacey pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, then stared out at the water with Suzette right nearby. The lake looked so gorgeous. It went on and on for miles and miles.

  “God, I love all those gorgeous houses along the water. Some of them have been here forever,” Suzette said, pointing toward a set of larger homes that looked like multiple additions had been added to them. There were even homes with their own private docks and boat houses.

  “I love the way the colors coordinate. I mean, look at the boat houses. They completely match the main house and look like miniature identical homes. The trim, the paint and stone work. God, I would love to see what some of those places look like inside,” Lacey said aloud.

  “That one right there you’re admiring belongs to Hershey York. He owns four of the five marinas near us. His family has been here for generations,” Junior told them as he joined them up in front of the boat.

  “That’s impressive. I never even considered that one person would own all the marinas. I thought they were each private and run by different individuals,” Lacey replied.

  “No. There are a lot of multimillionaires on the island. Some own the restaurant strip and stores on the main beach area, others own real estate,” Louie added to the conversation. She looked at him but couldn’t see his eyes because of the sunglasses he wore. She wondered if he was checking her out, and she shyly turned away.

  “Damn, it’s hot out here. We’re going to be doing a lot of swimming today,” Miles stated as he drove the boat and Nikko talked on the CB radio.

  “They’re all gathered another mile up. They said the first cove is packed.”

  “Shit. This event gets bigger and bigger every year. There are only three coves close together with enough land on them to run the grills and host this. It’s only nine in the morning. You’d think it wouldn’t get crowded until noon time,” Louie stated.

  “Are you kidding? Everyone wants to get a spot, so we have to come here earlier and earlier,” Suzette added.

  “It doesn’t help that some of the out-of-towners, non-residents, have pushed their way into joining this local event,” Junior said with attitude.

  Lacey looked at Suzette and Suzette gave her a small smile. She leaned closer.

  “Don’t think about him. Don’t let him ruin this time. Besides, the likelihood that he is even near the area is slim. His boat is too big to dock closer, and maybe he’ll be at one of the other coves.”

  “I don’t think I have that kind of good luck. Do you?” Lacey asked, then shrugged her shoulders.

  Lacey felt the wind begin to slow down as the boat slowed. The instant it was at a slower speed, she felt the blazing sun. She was not going to be able to keep this tank top on all day. Besides getting some awkward tan lines, she would pass out. This was just her luck. Even now, Jeb wins. He still had a power over her, making her feel used and abused. Her gut clenched and she felt the tears hit her eyes. Thank God she was wearing sunglasses.

  * * * *

  Louie watched Lacey. He could tell that his brother Junior was attracted to the woman. Hell, he felt attracted to her, too, and it was more than just her gorgeous smile and sexy body, a body she seemed to be trying to cover up with the white tank top she wore. He could still see how well-endowed she was and that she definitely worked out. She didn’t seem high maintenance, as their brother Stone had indicated yesterday when Louie asked him about meeting her, but Stone hadn’t been right since losing Eliza. None of them had, but it seemed like Stone had taken it the worst. He had never even dated another woman since her, and didn’t share any indication that he even hooked up with any women. They had started to fall in love with Eliza, but she had driven drunk, something they never expected from her. Perhaps it was one time, one mistake? That’s all it took to lose her forever.

  He cleared his mind of Eliza and focused on Lacey as she and Suzette lay on the edge of the beach near the water along with their friends. They heard the jet skis getting closer and then a group of guys, three he didn’t recognize, slowly made their way closer to the shoreline. The set of about ten women in bikinis sunbathing started screaming the second the guys revved the engines, turned the
jet skis around, and shot them all with water that shot from the back of the jet skis as they took off.

  Everyone started laughing, especially the guys, as the women stood up and began to squeeze out their hair. He watched as Lacey and Suzette went into the water and the guys joined them.

  He grabbed Junior and then reached into the cooler for three beers.

  “Let’s join them and bring this beer to Lacey.”

  His brother nodded and they headed into the water.

  “Lacey,” Louie called to her, and she turned toward him as she swam in the water. They got closer, watching as Miles grabbed Suzette and pulled her between him and Nikko and started kissing her. Lacey smiled, then closed her eyes and leaned back, slightly floating in the water. He could see her gorgeous breasts, full and sexy, peeking out from behind a very sexy hot-pink bikini top. The bottoms looked black but had pink on them, too.

  He passed her a beer and she stood up straighter, but couldn’t touch the bottom.

  “I need to move closer to the shore. It’s deep over here.”

  He realized how much bigger they were than her as he reached out and took her hand. He pulled her closer and their eyes locked.

  “I’ve got you.”

  They moved closer and he pulled her onto his thigh until she could stand without assistance. The waves from the jet skis and now the one boat heading out were rocking the three of them together.

  Junior bumped into her and placed a hand on her waist. She was between them and he felt that spark of excitement and desire shoot through him. Louie was shocked. He hadn’t felt such a strong and instant attraction to any woman in quite some time.

  “So, the food was great. You guys like to cook out a lot?” she asked, then pulled away to stand on her own. Louie couldn’t help but feel the loss. She smelled like suntan lotion, coconut, and shampoo.