“And if they don’t tell us?”
“They’ll tell us,” Dane assured him as he scooped up his wallet and keys from the dresser. “They will tell us.”
* * * *
Jenna loved Sundays. Taurus closed Esoteria Saturday nights so she could fall into bed and sleep as late as she wanted. The phones were turned off, and Taurus knew his life was in danger if he disturbed her. Sundays were her time to unwind and simply be. Though she loved being his mistress, even Antony understood that on Sundays, Jenna needed loving care with no demands.
Sunday rituals involved sleeping until noon and then watching the women’s channel or the classic movie network while curled up on the couch or on the bed. She didn’t dress, she didn’t shower, and she didn’t care.
When the pounding came at the front door, punctuated by the piercing ringing of the doorbell, Jenna frowned. Who the hell had the balls to bother her before noon on a Sunday?
“Shall I answer it?” Antony asked as he headed toward the foyer, picking up the bath towel kept draped over the coat closet doorknob for just such occasions.
“You’d better. Sounds like they’ll be breaking it down in a minute. If Taurus ran out of coffee, you have my permission to kick him anywhere it will hurt the most.” Jenna turned toward the closet to find a robe.
She returned to find three large men in the foyer with Antony. “Taurus, what’s the meaning of this?” she asked her cousin who looked rather amused.
“These two woke me up demanding information about Sloan.”
“Oh? And why is that?” Jenna crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the closet door.
She forced down a smile when Dane growled and took a step in her direction. “She’s ours, and we want her back.”
“So what’s stopping you?”
Merlin stepped in front of his partner before the bigger man tore the Domme in two out of frustration. “She never told us her last name. All we know is that she works at home and at a coffee shop downtown and writes under a pen name.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want you to find her.” Jenna straightened from the wall. She read the love shining from both men’s eyes but did not want to make it too easy for them. After all, they had disturbed her on her day off.
That statement had the two men exchange a glance before turning back to her.
“Then she needs to tell us that. We need to see her, talk to her, tell her things we didn’t tell her before we dropped her off here last week,” Dane said.
“Like you love her?” Taurus asked. “Or do you just want her as a subbie for another weekend? Someone for pet here to play with once in a while? If that’s the case, I’ll make it so you never find her.”
This time Merlin growled. “What we feel for Sloan is between us and her. Please, just tell us how to find her. Give us her last name, phone number, address, something so we can see her, talk to her.”
Jenna saw the love shining through his anguish and pain. A glance into Dane’s bright blue eyes showed he felt the same way. After a look toward Taurus, who nodded, she sighed. Pushing from the wall, she crossed to her antique secretary’s desk. Taking one of her business cards, she jotted down the name of the coffee shop where Sloan worked. Slipping the card into an envelope, she sealed it and returned to the foyer.
“Here. Don’t open it until you’re outside. And if you ever disturb me on a Sunday again, I promise someone will need first aid.”
Merlin accepted the envelope then leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”
Dane kissed her other cheek. “We’ll treat her right.”
“Make sure you do, or I’ll sic Taurus on you.” She nodded for Antony to show them out.
* * * *
As soon as the elevator doors closed, Dane snatched the envelope from Merlin’s hand and tore it open. He ignored Taurus’ amused expression.
“She said to wait until we were outside.”
“We are. Outside her apartment,” Dane said as he pulled the business card from the envelope. He shoved the envelope in his pocket as he flipped the card over then turned it so he could read the back. “The Java Stop?”
He looked at Taurus whose smile broadened as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. “Might I suggest you go and have a cup of coffee?”
Gritting his teeth to keep from punching the other Dom in the nose, Dane nodded. With a low, throated growl, he left the elevator and stalked to the service entrance where they’d come in. He didn’t look to see if Merlin followed. He didn’t have to. His pet would be two feet back and just to his right, where he always walked, until Dane pulled him up to walk beside him.
As they crossed the parking lot, he pulled out his cell and called information. His dark mood deepened once he heard the address of The Java Stop. Why was Sloan working in one of the roughest neighborhoods in town?
“I’ve never heard of The Java Stop,” Merlin said as Dane drove.
“That’s because you live in the nice part of town.”
Chapter 12
Twenty minutes later, Dane parked and turned off the engine. The two men looked across the street, then at each other.
“No way,” Merlin whispered.
The only thing that identified the coffee shop was the metal sign hanging drunkenly above the entrance. That was all that was left of The Java Stop. The walls and sidewalk were still wet from where the fire had been put out. No fire trucks, police, or other public services workers remained. Yellow crime tape had been strung across the front of the building. Except for the brick walls, the building had been consumed by fire. Thankfully, the fire had not spread to the businesses on either side of it, or the entire
