Bound to Billionaires [Doms of Destiny, Colorado 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  She came up to the blinking red light strung from two poles on opposite corners of the intersection. There wasn’t another vehicle in sight, so she found it odd to see a traffic signal out here in the middle of nowhere. On one of the corners of the intersection was a large, elk-shaped wooden sign. Painted on it were three arrows, each with directions. The arrow pointing ahead read “The Double L Ranch.” The sign that led drivers right had the words “Stone Ranch.”

  But where she needed to go was left.

  Its arrow had an ominous word that filled her with anxiety. “Destiny.” Seven letters. Most might find the word to be hopeful. Not her. Not after everything that had happened.

  Fate had been ugly to Megan. More than ugly. Before marrying Kip, she believed in possibilities, much like her mother had before she’d died. No more. She flipped on her blinker out of habit more than anything and turned on the road to Destiny. Life had been cruel, but she knew it could turn even darker.

  Coming to the bridge that crossed a wash, she peered at the sign that marked the limits of the town’s border. “Welcome to Destiny, the best-kept secret in Colorado.”

  The first building she drove by was three stories tall with two balconies. The arched windows on the two upper floors, with their wide, white molding, were impressive. The name of the building on the sign that hung from the lower balcony puzzled her. What could Phase Four be?

  It didn’t matter.

  She was due in the Swanson County Courthouse. It was on East Street. She looked at the time on her cell.

  Eleven twenty-nine. Her hearing was set for eleven thirty. One minute later and she would be in contempt of court.

  Her heart sank.

  She turned right onto South Street and saw the park in the center of the city’s square on her left.

  The dragon statues on the square’s corners looked out of place but impressive. The courthouse, now within her view, appeared terrifying and ominous. Like most buildings of its ilk, it was made of stone. A statue of a man holding up a torch, much like the Statue of Liberty, stood before the entrance. Where was Justice with its blindfold and scales? Did the Destiny judicial system have its own way of doing things? She hoped so. Her past dealings with other entities of the law like the FBI and Homeland Security had been less about right and wrong and more about screwing her over and keeping her in the dark.

  Turning left on East Street, she parked her car in one of the spots in front of the courthouse. After she removed the key from the ignition, Granny Gremlin sputtered and coughed for a couple of seconds before finally turning off.

  Taking a deep breath, she turned the rearview mirror so she could get a better look at herself. No time for a redo. After a quick couple of strokes of the brush through her hair, she got out of the car. Across the park, she could see the local inn—the Dream Hotel. It reminded her of a gingerbread house more than anything else. God, how she wished her credit cards still worked. A bath and a bed would be heaven right now. Not happening. Her motel for tonight would be the rest area she’d passed near the Wyoming-Colorado border. Her bed? Granny Gremlin.

  She grabbed the files and headed up the steps past the doomful marble columns. What difference did this hearing make now? Except for her mother’s home and Granny Gremlin, she didn’t have anything. Everything else was gone—even her mother’s diary.

  * * * *

  Eric Knight leaned against the mahogany half wall dividing the courtroom in two. He wasn’t surprised to see so many friends and neighbors in the public gallery. One thing about his hometown, everyone flocked to each other’s sides to help…and to gawk, especially when there was a possible scandal.

  “Looks like all of Destiny is here this afternoon,” Scott said.

  Like Eric, his brother’s cowboy clothes were gone, replaced by a dark gray suit and red tie. The only sign that ranching was in his brother’s DNA were the boots sticking out from the bottom of his pants. Damn. Eric wished he’d thought of that. Instead, he was wearing loafers. At least they were leather and black, appropriate Dom material and color.

  Nodding, he looked over at Scott. “Quite the turnout.”

  “Look over there.” His brother pointed to the Stone brothers and Amber, their new woman. “The playboys of Destiny have been tamed.”

  Eric feigned a mocking frown and hit Scott in the upper arm. “What the fuck do you mean by that? We’re the reigning playboys. Always have been. Not the Stones.”

  He watched Emmett, the eldest of the three, smile and wave.

  “Shit.” Eric waved back. He lowered his voice. “It’s been so long since I’ve been in here I forgot how good the acoustics are.”

  “Best to use that to our advantage then, bro.” Scott upped his volume. “I’m thinking we go to Phase Four tonight, Eric.” His brother winked and looked at every unattached woman in the room. “We might need company. What do you think?”

  “I think your cock’s happiness is all you care about.”

  “Come on, Eric. You don’t care about yours? I know better and so do a few of the women in here.

  “Sit down, guys.” Cameron Strange adjusted his tie.

  As their attorney, he’d advised them to wear the corporate drag to court. Eric and Scott had resisted but knew Cameron was right. The Swanson County judge, Ethel O’Leary, was a sweetheart, but when it came to the law and her court, she was a stickler and unbending. Eric remembered the first time he’d been in here with Ethel behind the big desk, high above the rest of the crowd. He and Scott and the other orphan boys had gotten into some mischief. Ethel had handled them all with a heavy hand. Thank God for her.

  Behind them sat Dylan, Cameron’s brother. He wore his characteristic dark suit. Dylan’s shades were tucked away, since they were in a courtroom, but Eric knew they would be on his face the moment he stepped out of here. Courtrooms and churches were the only places he’d ever seen Dylan remove his shades, which were part of the man’s signature look. Dylan was a trusted friend long before being hired to lead TBK’s security arm. He’d singlehandedly discovered the origin of the hack—Megan Lunceford’s home.

  Dylan leaned over the gallery wall. “That’s her.” He pointed to the doors at the back of the courtroom. “That’s Kip’s wife.”

  She looked like a little princess to Eric, not like a fire-breathing dragon about to storm the castle like he’d imagined. How could Kip have landed such a beautiful woman? She bumped into Mitchell Wolfe, the sheriff’s trouble-seeking brother, who was holding a folder. The collision caused his papers to fly in every direction.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said in the sweetest tone he’d ever heard.

  “Wow,” Scott said, mirroring his sentiments exactly.

  Eric stared as Mrs. Lunceford bent down to help Mitchell collect his things. Her white blouse bulged with ample, magnificent breasts. God, what Dom wouldn’t want to cup those mounds in his hands, pinch their twin nipples, and enjoy the sweet moans from those gorgeous lips?

  She wore a skirt, which he liked on women much better than slacks. Her shapely legs made Eric’s cock stir. That bastard Kip may have screwed Scott and him, but he couldn’t help but admire the man’s taste in women. She was curvy in all the right places. God, he would love getting a taste of her delights. Lunceford’s wife was a mouthwatering morsel by any standards, especially his.

  “Damn, who knew?” Scott said beside him.

  “Again, I’m so sorry,” Megan said to Wolfe as she handed him his stack of papers.

  “Don’t give it a thought, miss.” Mitchell’s sudden interest in her didn’t sit well with Eric. Why? He wasn’t sure, but it definitely didn’t. “My brother is sheriff here, and today he’s acting as an officer of the court.” Mitchell pointed to Jason, who was in his uniform with his holstered gun standing next to his deputy, Charlie Blake. Both men were by the door to the judge’s chambers. “His job is to protect the courtroom during the trial.”

  She smiled at Mitchell before turning and walking up the center aisle. Her shoes tapped agai
nst the wooden floor, making Eric’s pulse grow hot with every sweet sway of her hips. She’d fucked TBK over. He’d enjoy fucking her until she couldn’t see straight, much less walk. Not one to take a second look at another man’s wife, he scanned her like an MRI. Kip wasn’t a real man. He was a traitor, not just to TBK or him and Scott, but also to the United States of America.

  Scott leaned in as she took a seat at the table to the side of them facing forward. “Can you imagine how sweet that little vixen would look chained up in our dungeon?”

  Yes, he could. In fact, Eric was imagining it right now. Not a good thing to let his mind wander to such ideas. He needed to stay focused.

  Dylan was certain about his findings. The new project he and Scott were developing for the Pentagon had been attacked several times by a malicious code from Megan’s computer.

  She’s the enemy. Keep your dick in your pants and out of this hearing.

  Easy to say to himself, but much harder to do. Seeing her delicate fingers tremble as she arranged her folders in front of her, it was next to impossible. This wasn’t the way he’d seen the day going.

  As the judge entered from her chambers, the bailiff spoke. “All rise. The Swanson County Court for the District of Northern Colorado is in session, the Honorable Judge Ethel O’Leary presiding. All having business before this court draw near, give attention, and you shall be heard. You may be seated.”

  Ethel was in her black robe, which accentuated her silver locks beautifully. Hard to believe she had turned seventy-nine last March. She was the wife of Patrick and Sam O’Leary, descendants of the founders of Destiny, and next-door neighbors of Scott and him.

  Ethel pounded her gavel. “This court is now in session. I have before me the case of TBK versus Megan Lunceford. Are all parties and their attorneys present?” She gazed at Kip’s wife.

  “Yes, Your Honor,” Cameron said on Eric and Scott’s behalf. “Two Black Knights Enterprises are here.”

  Ethel turned her stare to their table. “And TBK’s copresidents, too. Eric, you look good in a suit.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  Ethel smiled at Eric like a proud parent before turning to his brother. “Scott, you look uncomfortable to me.”

  “You’re right about that,” his brother answered.

  “Do you all know each other?” Megan asked meekly.

  “Destiny is a small town, miss.” Ethel leaned forward. “Trust me, young lady, this court will be impartial and fair. Mr. Strange, you are acting legal counsel for the plaintiffs, correct?”

  “Yes, Judge,” Cam answered.

  The judge’s eyes narrowed. “Just one attorney? I would think a billion-dollar company like Two Black Knights would have a sea of lawyers at their disposal. Why just one?”

  Cam bristled. “I assure the court that we are more than prepared to present our case.”

  Ethel waved him off and turned to the beautiful defendant. “And I assume you are…” She looked down at a paper in front of her. “…Megan Lunceford. Is that correct?” The judge looked back at her.

  She blinked. “Yes, Your Honor.”

  Ethel leaned forward slightly. “Are you an attorney, Mrs. Lunceford?”

  Megan shook her head. “No, ma’am.”

  A murmur went through the crowd. What was going on here? Was Megan going to represent herself in court?

  Ethel frowned. “What is your profession?”

  “I was a secretary for three years.”

  “Was?” Ethel asked. “And now?”

  “I’m currently looking for work, Your Honor.” Megan lowered her eyes as if embarrassed by the admission.

  The more the little vixen talked, the more he wanted to get closer to her. But she was the enemy, right? She was the one mucking up the code, right?

  Eric turned to Cam and Scott, his voice low. “Secretary, my ass. She’s got to have hacking skills that would make Google, Yahoo, and all the rest weep.”

  “Or she’s in touch with Kip, which would be my guess,” his brother offered. “Look at her, guys. She doesn’t look like a criminal mastermind to me.”

  She didn’t look that way to him either. In fact, she looked more subbie than anything else, which made his lust boil hot in his veins.

  “Either way,” Cam said. “She’s going to pay.”

  Ethel put on some glasses and read the papers in front of her.

  Eric had never seen her wear them outside the courtroom. It made the grand lady judge look even more stately, if that was even possible.

  “That’s our sweetheart,” Patrick whispered from a couple of rows behind.

  “Ours indeed,” Sam, his brother, answered. The O’Leary brothers were both in their mid-eighties. Patrick and Sam were highly decorated vets. They’d both served in the Korean War, and between them they’d earned three Purple Hearts and two Congressional Medals of Honor, among other notable accolades.

  “Order in the court.” Ethel pounded her gavel twice. “I will clear the courtroom if those in the gallery continue talking.”

  She sent a harsh stare past Eric to where her husbands sat, but then followed it up with a cute little nod. Those three were so in love even after decades of being together. They were the A-list family in Destiny. Patrick, a retired physician, earned his first million in the mid-sixties in the import business. He and Sam, the current town shrink, pooled their resources in ’72 and built O’Leary Global. The two old corporate giants still ran the company and had been early advisors, though not investors, in TBK. Their knowledge had helped rocket the venture into the stratosphere. Eric and Scott had a long way to go to catch up with Patrick and Sam, whose company was currently valued at twenty-seven billion. TBK had only entered the billion-dollar club seven months ago, but if the new venture panned out, it would triple its profits in less than eighteen months, increasing the company’s worth by leaps and bounds.

  Ethel’s voice brought him back to the present. “Mrs. Lunceford, have you brought the documents this court ordered for this hearing?”

  “I have, Your Honor.” Megan stood, scooping up the folders into a single pile. “Whom do I give them to?”

  “The bailiff will take them, young lady.” Ethel’s tone was softer than Eric had ever heard it when she was wearing the black robe, more like when she was serving pancakes to the morning crowd during Dragon Week. Not good. She was taking a shine to Megan Lunceford. That wasn’t good for TBK or for him.

  Megan stood and handed the files to the bailiff, who then handed them to the judge.

  “Miss, have you at least consulted an attorney for this case?”

  The beauty turned to him. Eric got a clear view of her green eyes. The golden flecks made her look like some kind of gentle angelic creature. He could look at those eyes until the end of time.

  She blinked and turned her attention back to the judge. “No, Your Honor.”

  Ethel rifled through several of the papers. “And the reason appears to be a lack of funds according to these records you’ve brought, am I right?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “When a person represents themselves in court without the assistance of an attorney, whether as the defendant or the plaintiff, and whether or not the issue before the court is criminal or civil, she is operating pro se, which in Latin means ‘for oneself.’ This right for a member of the public to represent himself, or in this case herself, predates even the US Constitution. In Colorado, as in all fifty states, it is generally considered a protected right. Did you know that?”

  “No, Your Honor.” Her feminine timbre was like gasoline on Eric’s already-too-hot lust, searing his insides. Was this an act of hers, a way for her to get what she wanted?

  “Mrs. Lunceford, most legal professionals consider a person going to court without the aid of an attorney to be a really bad idea. I agree with that assessment.” Ethel looked at Cam and then back at another paper on her desk. “Ten million dollars is what TBK is seeking from this woman, correct?”

  “Yes, Your H
onor.” Cam stood. “We will prove—”

  Ethel held up her hand. “Hold your horses, Mr. Strange. This is my courtroom, not yours.”

  Cam nodded. “Yes, Your Honor.”

  “Mrs. Lunceford, have you had a chance to read the docket?”

  “Yes.” Megan looked nervous.

  “Did you know that they are seeking this kind of settlement from you?” the judge asked.

  She nodded. “But as you can see, I don’t have any money.”

  “That’s true, but should they prevail in this case, it won’t be just your bank account they empty.” Ethel grabbed a piece of paper. “This house in Dallas will be seized and sold to apply to damages.”

  “Not my mother’s house.” Megan’s hands went up to her mouth.

  Ethel scanned the papers in front of her. “It says here you inherited the house after your mother’s death. Is that right?”

  Tears pooled in Megan’s eyes. “That’s all I have, Your Honor. After the FBI and Homeland Security came after my husband, they took—”

  “Objection,” Cam barked.

  “Sustained. Mrs. Lunceford, we’ll be hearing your testimony about the events later.” Ethel tapped the desktop with her fingers.

  Even though Cam had kept Megan from continuing the tale of events about Kip’s arrest and eventual conviction, Eric knew them like the back of his hand. He and Scott had hired Lunceford early on as their first batch of employees. Five total. Vicky, Felix, Norman, Lucy, and Kip. TBK had been tight and agile. They’d landed several consulting contracts in those first few years, and the employee roster had grown to what it was today, six hundred and thirty-three. Of the first five, only Vicky Bates and Felix Averson remained, and they had both been flown in from TBK’s main offices in Dallas for today as witnesses for their side. Tonight, the two would be flying back.

  Eric turned his head and saw them sitting together in the back row. Felix’s hair had thinned and his gut had expanded over the years. He wore a crumpled gray suit with a navy tie. Vicky was dressed in a sharp business suit. Her makeup was impeccable and her hair was fixed perfectly—like always. Vicky was a classy lady. They were his and Scott’s right and left hand, with Vicky in the role of Executive Vice President and Felix in the role of Assistant Vice President. Lucy and Norman had married and left to follow their dream of opening up a gourmet burger joint. Lucy’s Burgers was still the best place to get a hamburger in Destiny.