Sophie Oak: Siren in the City

Jack dragged air into his lungs and shook the thought off. When had he started thinking of Sam in those terms? Sam had always been the follower to Jack’s leader, but getting married had changed something in Jack. In fact, a lot of things had changed.

He turned away from the bedroom and forced himself to walk down the hall. He could still hear Sam and Abby’s lovemaking. He wanted to join them, but his control was shot as it was. He would burst in and start making demands and take over, just the way he always did. He was a selfish bastard, and he knew it. It was better to let them have their fun.

Sam practically bounced out of the room. Jack’s heart seized a little at the sight of his oldest friend in nothing but a pair of blue jeans. Sam’s head was turned as he shut the door. “I’ll be back, baby.” He stopped and stared at Jack. “Hey. Abby needs some water.”

Jack nodded and turned away. It was easy for Sam to be happy. He didn’t have all the responsibility in the world on his shoulders. Jack wanted the responsibility. He needed it, craved it, but sometimes it was hard to make the decisions. It was hard to shoulder everything alone, but he couldn’t, wouldn’t burden Sam and Abby with his problems. “Then you should take care of her. Is she feeling better?”

Sam’s hand came up and almost made it to Jack’s shoulder before he pulled it back down. Playful Sam seemed almost subdued. He shook his head, and there was a sunny smile on his face again. “She’s fine, Jack. Hell, she’s downright frisky. Come join us. You know it takes more than just me to keep that woman satisfied.”

Jack’s hand was on the door. Damn it, he couldn’t. His control was shot as it was after nights with no sleep. He would take over and possibly hurt his wife. At the very least, his demanding behavior would drive their wife away eventually. He had to remember how fragile she was. There was a popping sound as Benita slammed the door to the kitchen. That door needed fixing, and Jack knew it, but it didn’t stop him from jumping. Every time he heard a sound like that, he saw the gun in Ruby Echols’s hand and felt the bullet slam into his chest.

“Come on, Jack, let’s have some fun,” Sam cajoled.

“No, damn it.” The words came out far harsher than he intended, but he was sweating now, his panic close to the surface. He needed to be alone, to calm down, to figure how he was going to gently make love to his wife. He had to ignore this craving to utterly dominate her. “Some of us have work to do.”

Sam’s mouth closed to a stubborn line. “Well, we wouldn’t want to keep you from your precious work. I’ll just take care of Abby. It’s all I seem to be able to do these days.”

“See that you do.” Jack escaped into his office. He hated himself for the look on Sam’s face, but he couldn’t call him back.

His office was cool and dark. He didn’t bother to open the curtains. Jack sat down at his desk and pulled out his cell phone. He needed to think about something other than how pissed off Sam must be. His jaw tightened. Maybe he was the one who should be pissed. While Sam rolled around with their wife, Jack was the one who couldn’t fucking sleep at night. While Sam got Abby’s kisses, Jack got her worried glances. Anger felt better than the pity party playing in his head. He punched in the number on speed dial while thinking about the message Julian Lodge had left on his voice mail. It had been cryptic with no greeting other than, “Call me yesterday, Jackson.” Julian’s voice had been terse and tight with irritation. On the edge.

Julian Lodge had been the man to pull Jack Barnes off the street. He’d been introduced to the wealthy club owner through a lover who appreciated Jack’s control. She thought he would fit right in at the underground establishment known only as The Club. Julian brought Jack in as one of the resident Doms. He’d quickly become a leader in the place. The Club catered to a clientele dedicated to the D/s lifestyle and ménage. Jack learned everything he knew about how to pleasure a lover from years of working there. He’d gained more than just sexual knowledge. Though Julian was only a few years older than Jack, Julian had been a mentor to him. Julian had shown him how to handle himself. He’d taken a rough street kid and taught him that ruthlessness involved far more than one’s fists. From Julian, Jack had learned the fine art of revenge.

His father had been the first recipient of Jack’s newly acquired knowledge. Julian had aided the young Jack in finding the biological father who knowingly left him to the wolves of foster care at age six. Senator Allen Cameron had a bright political future, and a love child who worked in a sex club could ruin everything. Jack had promptly found himself the satisfied owner of five million dollars in exchange for signing away any rights to future inheritance. He’d taken Sam to small-town Willow Fork, Texas, and bought his spread. Ten years and a whole bunch of natural gas reserve later, Jack was a very wealthy man.

“This is Lodge.” A tense voice interrupted Jack’s thoughts. Just the fact that Julian’s usually smooth voice was rough gave Jack pause. “Is that you, Jackson?”

“Yes, Julian,” Jack replied calmly. “I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. I was on the range. I had to get back to the house before I could call. What can I help you with? It sounded urgent.”

“You can get your ass up here and handle your business, Jackson. I need you here tomorrow.” There was no mistaking the fine edge of Julian’s temper.

Jack found himself sitting up straight. He didn’t like anyone, including his old mentor, speaking to him in such a fashion. It brought out the Alpha in him. He ruthlessly shoved the irritation down. “Would you like to explain yourself, Julian?”

There was silence and then a short laugh from the other end of the line. “Yes, that should do it. Just use that exact tone on the little asshole, and it should have him crapping his pants.”

Jack took a deep breath. “Which little asshole might you be referring to?”

“His name is Lucas Cameron,” Julian said with a sigh. “Jackson, he’s your brother, and he is intent on blackmailing all of us.”

Sam leaned in to hear Abby talk over the sounds of diners at Christa’s Café. The clatter of dishes and people talking made it hard to have an intimate conversation.

“What do you mean he left a note?” Abby asked a second time.

Sam shrugged, wondering exactly what to say to her. He should have known something was up with Jack. He’d been preoccupied the night before. Now that Sam really thought about it, Jack had acted pretty odd. He hadn’t listened to anything Abby had said and barely touched his supper. This morning Jack had skipped breakfast. When Sam asked him about it, he’d been evasive. Then Sam had found that damn note.

Sam looked at Abby from his place across the booth. All around them the lunch crowd at Christa’s Café was moving and talking. Sam ignored them all. He knew the town still loved to gossip about him, but he had bigger things to worry about now. This was what he’d been worried about ever since he found the short missive Jack had left for them. If it had just been him, Sam would have shrugged it all off as Jack brooding. Abby deserved more from Jack. “He left a note. I was working in the barn, and when I got back to remind him we were meeting you in town for lunch, the truck was gone. He left this note on the refrigerator.”

Sam passed it across the table to their wife. He watched her hazel eyes widen as she read the terse little note Jack had left behind. It was on the ranch’s stationary, but at least it was handwritten. Sam knew exactly what it said.