Passion, Victoria 5: Nikki's Awakening (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  “I’m fine thanks, James. I had a little accident on my way back from lunch and these three men kindly stepped in to help. James this is Bear, Tony, and Colt Spencer. Tony, Colt, and Bear, this is my assistant, James Crawley.”

  “Pleased to meet you.” James shook the hands of all three men. He wiggled his fingers surreptitiously after the handshakes where done, as if his hand was hurting. “Do you want me to call a doctor or something, Nikki?”

  “No thanks, James. I’ll be fine.”

  “You should put some ice on that ankle, little girl,” Tony said and Nikki hoped he hadn’t seen her mouth tighten with pain.

  James immediately headed out of the room and was back moments later with a dishtowel filled with ice. Tony took the pack from James hands, bent down, gently took Nikki’s foot in his large palm, and lifted her foot up onto the desk. He placed the ice pack on her ankle and held it there as she winced.

  “Do you have any painkillers around, baby?” Bear asked.

  “Uh yeah I have some in my purse,” Nikki replied as she went to move.

  “No you don’t, sweetheart, stay there. I’ll get your purse.” Colt went to retrieve it.

  James didn’t need to be asked. Her efficient assistant took off to the kitchen out back and when he returned he was holding a glass full of water. He placed it on the desk in front of Nikki. Colt popped two painkillers into the palm of her hand and watched as she swallowed them down with the water.

  “Well this is certainly going to put your plans into turmoil, boss,” James said as he eyed her ankle.

  Nikki sighed as she thought about the showing she was supposed to do tonight. It wasn’t going to be as big as Tasha’s but she still had a hell of a lot of things to do to prepare for the event. Thank God she’d called in caterers and wouldn’t have to worry about food or drink. It was going to be really hard to mingle on a bum ankle, but she wasn’t about to let that stop her. She was going to be showcasing a local sculpture artist and even though she’d only had about fifty acceptances to the invitations she’d sent out, it was her job to make sure everything ran smoothly. If James hadn’t starting working for her, she would be screwed.

  “What do you mean, James?” Tony asked curiously.

  “He doesn’t mean anything. Thank you so much for your help, but I can take it from here,” Nikki said in a firm voice, lifted her chin slightly, and looked at the three large men.

  “You can fight it all you want, little girl, but we will win in the end.” Tony grinned at her.

  “I don’t know, and I really don’t want to know, what you’re talking about. I’m sure you have more important things to do than to hang around here. There is nothing else you can do, but thanks anyway.”

  “We’ll be back soon, baby. Count on it,” Bear said emphatically.

  Nikki and James watched as the three large men sauntered to the door and left without looking back. Oh God was she in big trouble. The saying was that trouble always happened in threes, but usually it was one after the other not all at once.

  “Well that was interesting.” James turned away from the window to look at her.

  “No it wasn’t, it was bloody infuriating,” Nikki said acerbically.

  James gave her a wicked grin as if he knew she was lying to herself.

  Nikki picked up the box of tissues on her desk and threw it at James.

  James caught the box and took off to the back room with a loud guffaw.

  Chapter Two

  Six Weeks Later

  Thanks to her diligent employee James, the sculpture showing had been a success and Nikki’s ankle had healed, but she was more thankful she hadn’t seen anything of the three Spencer brothers in at least two weeks. She was relieved they hadn’t decided to bother her anymore but for some reason she couldn’t stop thinking about them.

  They were her first thoughts in the morning and she often caught herself daydreaming about them in the quiet moments of her working day. She thought of them as she drifted to sleep nearly every night and she dreamed of them. Goodness did she dream of them. She would wake up in the middle of erotic dreams right on the edge of release only to drift back to sleep so sexually frustrated she was becoming downright bitchy. Even her friend Tasha had noticed she was snapping more than usual.

  Just as she finished that thought, the bell over the door buzzed and she looked up to see the three Spencer brothers walking in.

  Shit. I can’t handle this right now. What the hell are they doing here?

  Nikki couldn’t help but drool as she watched them moving toward her. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to seeing such big men move with a natural, loose-limbed grace. Without thinking about what she was doing, she put her fingers to her lips and ran the tips over them. When she saw the three men zero in on her mouth she quickly dropped her hand and scowled at them.

  “Hi, baby, how are you?” Brandon asked as he stopped right in front of her desk.

  “Fine,” she snapped.

  “You certainly are,” Tony eyed her up and down and grinned.

  “Is there something you wanted? As you can see…” she didn’t get to finish her sentence because Colt interrupted her.

  “Oh yeah, there is something we want very much indeed.” She nearly gulped when she saw the heat in his eyes but she wasn’t about to let her guard down.

  “I’m very busy,” Nikki continued on as if she hadn’t been interrupted. “If you’re not here to look at the artwork then you know where the door is.”

  “What are you so afraid of, Nikki?” Tony was frowning at her and looking at her so intently she felt like he could see into her soul.

  “I’m not afraid of anything.”

  “Bullshit.” Tony skirted her desk until he was standing over her. Nikki wanted to get up out of her chair and run upstairs to her apartment and lock the door behind her, but if she did then they would all know just how scared she was. It wasn’t that she was really frightened that they would hurt her physically, but the fact that she was so attracted to them and was dreaming about them. Nikki had goals in place and she didn’t want to change them just because she had the hots for the Spencer brothers. She’d already learned it was better to stay single and concentrate on her career. There was no way in hell she was ready for a relationship with one man let alone three. She had way too much to do to want to accommodate any man.

  Yeah, right! That’s why you wake up every night with their names on your lips.

  Tony squatted down next to her and she was a little in awe that he was still taller than her. He reached out and gripped her chin, making her look at him. “Prove it.”

  “What?” Nikki’s mind went blank as his warm callused fingers brushed over her skin. It took her a moment to remember what they were talking about. “I don’t have to prove anything to you.”

  Tony sighed and stood up and she relaxed when he moved back around to the front of her desk. Just as she began to calm down, Colt planted his hands on the surface of her desk and leaned forward. He was so close she could see little flecks of gold in his hazel eyes.

  “You’re right you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.” Colt’s tone was soft and cajoling and she didn’t think he was usually like that. She could see the steel and determination in his eyes and wondered if he was trying to keep her off balance. “Come out to dinner with us.”

  Nikki bristled because he had demanded and not asked. She’d bet her last dollar that Colt never asked for anything but commanded until he got what he wanted, but she wasn’t about to let him dictate to her.

  “No.” She thought about making up an excuse about previous plans but decided not to bother. It was better to be as direct as he was.

  “We’re not going to give up.” Colt pushed off her desk, stood up straight and looked at both of his brothers. She was just starting to loosen up again when his eyes locked to hers once more. “You can fight this attraction all you want, Nikki, but don’t think for one minute we are going to leave you alone.”

 
Geez, just what I need.

  “I’ll get a restraining order.” The silence in the room after her statement was so deafening it seemed to echo around the room.

  Bear reached out across her desk and took her fisted hand into his. She couldn’t help but watch as his long, thick, tanned fingers gently pried her fingers open and when her palm was exposed she could see the deep grooves her nails had made in her skin.

  “You have no grounds on which to do that, baby.” Brandon spoke to her softly as if he was worried his deep loud voice would startle her. “We’ve kept away from you. We’ve given you time to come to terms with what we want, Nikki. Do you think we don’t know when a woman is attracted to us like we are attracted to you? There is something there that we want to explore with you. Don’t you dare deny you don’t feel those sparks, too!”

  For such a big man, Brandon was very gentle with her. He was right. She did feel the sparks zinging from them to her and back again but she wasn’t willing to put aside her goals and mess up her plans, but there was no way she was telling them that.

  All three of them were big and handsome and had different personalities. Tony and Colt were more alike in demeanor and Brandon was an enigma compared to his brothers. Maybe his size had made him aware of his strength but he seemed to be more compassionate than his siblings. But she’d bet her next cup of coffee if he was pushed he could be just as tenacious and domineering as his brothers and that was one characteristic she didn’t want to prove herself right over.

  Nikki had no idea how to respond to Bear’s last statement so she decided that silence would be her best defense, but she found herself shaking her head and refuting his claim.

  “God, you’re obstinate.” Tony sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face.

  She wasn’t sure if that action was a sign of frustration or resignation. Nikki hoped it was the latter. She needed to get them out of here or she was going to end up accepting their offer of going out with them. Even though she would never let them see that her resolve was crumbling, if she didn’t get them to leave and soon, she was going to end up caving in. Her body was doing a happy dance on the inside and was begging her to agree to what they wanted. She couldn’t do that. She’d only just begun to get some of her self-worth back and she wasn’t about to let them take that away. No man was going to make her feel helpless and unworthy ever again.

  Her business was the love of her life and she wasn’t about to change that just because of a physical attraction.

  The next statement out of Tony’s mouth made her wonder if he could read her mind.

  “This place is great, Nikki. What made you open up a gallery?”

  “I love art and thought this was a great way to be able to indulge my passion.”

  “You’ve done a great job. We heard all about the success you made of Tasha’s showing.” Colt leaned against her desk.

  “Tasha is very talented. She would have been a success without me.”

  “You don’t know that.” Brandon smiled. “You’re too unpretentious for your own good, baby.”

  Nikki shrugged but glanced away when her cheeks heated. Pride surged into her heart and she felt a little more of the ice encasing that organ melt. These three men were dangerous but not in the physical aspect. They were dangerous to her emotions, to her heart.

  “You should be very proud of what you’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time.” Colt cupped her face and drew her gaze again. “You are one talented and very smart lady, Nikki Sprite.”

  Nikki felt like her head was spinning. They had changed the subject so quickly she was left reeling and speechless. All three of the men stood up straight and when she looked at them and saw the hunger in their eyes, she glanced away again. She was confused when they began walking toward the door.

  Colt had his hand on the door handle but he stopped and looked back at her over his shoulder. Tony and Brandon turned around completely so that they were facing her once more, albeit from a distance. A shudder worked its way up her spine and her flesh rose in goose bumps. Nikki was damn glad they weren’t close enough to see her reaction to them. Talking about her work and passion may have been a ploy to get closer to her and even though she’d never admit it, the ploy had worked. Dammit!

  “This isn’t over,” Colt said before he opened the door and walked away.

  “You haven’t seen the last of us, Nikki.” Tony followed his brother out the door.

  “You can run but you can’t hide, baby.” Brandon grinned, winked, and then he, too, was gone.

  “Yes, I can,” Nikki muttered and even though she wanted them to leave her alone, the thought of never seeing them again caused an ache to settle in her chest. There was no way she was giving in and ending up hurt again. She was stronger than that.

  Aren’t I?

  It took her half an hour to settle after the impromptu visit from the Spencer men and was glad when she finally lost herself in work again. The phone rang and after hanging up she felt a little better.

  Nikki was thankful when she got a call from Tasha asking her to go out with her and Tasha’s friend, Beth, for a few drinks after work. She needed an outlet big time and dancing was a fun way to relax and enjoy herself. They arranged to meet at eight o’clock at the new club which had been opened by the owners of the Triple R farm, Samson, Connor, and Griffith Ramsay and their new wife Simone. The town had been all agog when the news of their polyandrous relationship had been spread nationwide. It had brought strangers to their little town as people tried to get a peek of the four people involved in the unconventional relationship.

  Nikki remembered the way Simone had stood in the back of the dual-cab ute and mouthed off to the whole damn town. In essence, Simone had told everyone in Passion to mind their own business or to fuck off, because she was in love with the three Ramsey brothers and no one was pushing her out.

  Nikki had applauded with most of the town in approval of Simone standing up for what she wanted. She had told the whole town she loved the three men more than her own life and when her three men had come to a screeching halt in another truck, to the town’s astonishment and approval they had proposed to Simone in public.

  There were now a total of four polyandrous relationships that Nikki knew of in the town of Passion, including her friend Tasha Cameron and her sister, Toni, and now Tasha’s friend, Beth. She had no qualms at all about more than one male in a relationship but knew it was not for her. She had enough in her life with her career and wasn’t interested in a relationship just yet. Maybe in a few years from now she may change her mind, but right now she wanted to concentrate on her gallery.

  Nikki loved to paint but knew she was just not good enough to display or sell any of her paintings. So she had done the next best thing and opened an art gallery. Art was a passion she had and if she wasn’t good enough to paint, she knew her knowledge was good enough to promote and sell other talented artists’ work. It had broken her heart when she realized she would never make it as an artist. In fact, she had started to question whether she was good enough for anything. Her self-confidence had taken a beating in more ways than one, but the gallery was her pride and joy and she would never let anyone take the only enjoyment she had in life away from her.

  Nikki shut down her computer and tidied her desk. Thank goodness she had nothing on this weekend. She had decided to close the gallery for the first time since she had opened it and have a full weekend of total relaxation. She was so tired and knew it was beginning to show on her face. She had dark circles beneath her eyes and it was becoming harder to hide them with makeup concealer. She needed a total break, and going out would help keep her mind off the Spencer brothers. Nikki locked up the gallery and headed upstairs to her apartment for a light meal and a bath before she was to meet the two women at the new club.

  A couple of hours later she walked into the dimly lit bar of the new club. The owners of the Triple R farm had named the place Four Passion, a pretty apt name if you asked her, since the owners were in
a relationship including four people in the town of Passion. She spied Tasha and Beth sitting at a booth near the door and slid in beside Tasha.

  “Hi, Tasha, Beth, thanks for asking me out. You have no idea how much I needed this,” Nikki sighed tiredly.

  “What have you been doing to yourself, girl, you look like shit,” Tasha said as she scrutinized Nikki’s bruised eyes.

  “Thanks a lot,” Nikki sighed. “I know. I haven’t been sleeping properly and I’ve been working at least sixty hours a week. I’ve decided to take the whole weekend off so I can catch up on some housework and then I am going to sleep for at least twenty-four hours.”

  “What do you want to drink, Nikki, it’s my turn to buy,” Beth asked as she slid off the seat.

  “Hmm, I think a Black Russian is in order. Thanks, Beth.”

  “A girl after my own heart.” Tasha laughed as she held up her own glass with a small amount of the same drink left in it.

  Tasha and Nikki chatted about their workweek until Beth slid their drinks on the table and sat back down. The women were having so much fun they decided they should make it a usual occurrence to meet up every Friday night for drinks, unless Nikki had a showing of course. They talked and laughed and even got up to dance.

  Nikki was dancing away with her friends when she felt strong arms encircle her slim waist. She looked over her shoulder and saw the face of a stranger leering down at her. She grabbed his thumb in one of her hands and bent it backward until he let her go with a howl of pain.

  “What did you do that for, you little bitch?” the stranger asked with fury in his eyes.

  “I don’t appreciate being mauled by strangers. So fuck off and leave me alone.” Nikki glared at him angrily and went to turn her back to him again.

  She saw Tasha open her mouth in warning but Nikki was already aware of the movement of the stranger as she’d seen him out of the corner of her eye. She turned around fast, stepped into his body, twisted his arm and flipped the big man over her shoulder. She stood glaring down at him as he lay in astonishment on the dance floor at her feet.