Neil, Louisa - One Queen with Two Kings (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (2 page)

Chapter One

Thea Wainwright-Norden stood poised at the window
,
waiting for her father and brother
,
Alex
,
to come to her. Her fingers felt for the chain she wore around her neck, the chain she couldn’t bring herself to take off this morning. She heard the familiar light tap against the door and knew she had to stop this before it went any further.

Her father, Alistair
,
was still tall
,
with a straight back and clear eyes. She smiled to him, noticing the extra gray at his temples. Her brother entered and let out a low wolf whistle, his sign of approval. Unconsciously, she smoothed the ivory linen dress around her hips and took a deep breath.

“Thank you both for coming,” she managed to whisper.

“Thea, that sounded like my tax attorney does when he has bad news. What’s wrong, honey, are you having a case of the jitters?” Alistair Wainwright plastered a weary smile on his lips and sat on the small couch in the dressing room.

Thea glanced at her older brother. Only three years separated them
,
yet he was her best friend and had his mother’s fair skin and hair, her trademark aqua
-
blue eyes. As tall as their father, he had yet to find his someone special and settle down.

“Dad, Alex, I have something to say to you, and I hope you’ll both let me say this before taking issue with me, all right?” She glanced out the window to see the early
-
morning golfers on the course. By all rights, her father should be on the back nine right about now. Instead, he was dressed in a tuxedo
,
waiting to escort her down the aisle of the country club banquet room to marry Lloyd Jenkins.

“Dad, I know these last two years have been hard on you, and you, too, Alex. I understand that I didn’t accept Dexter’s death well. And I know you both feel this marriage to Lloyd is the best thing that could happen to me, but…”

Both men straightened as she spoke and were quiet, waiting for her to continue. “Dad, I know what the doctors said, and don’t try to tell me they’re wrong. I know you have lots of good years ahead of you and this marriage will allow you to retire and enjoy that time, but, Dad, I can’t marry Lloyd, today or any other day.”

Both men stood and started talking at the same time. She let them go on for a moment before moving to her father’s side. Taking her hands in his, she pulled him to her.

“Dad, I love you and Alex more than anything else in the world, but please understand this is wrong. I don’t love Lloyd
,
and I don’t even really like him. To be married to him would suffocate me. I’ll take over whatever workload you had designated to Lloyd, I promise I won’t disappoint you, but you have to know I can’t be his wife.”

Again both men started to interrupt her, and she gave them both her silencing look. It was a look both of them recognized. “I should have spoken up sooner, I know that, all the expense and inconvenience. I’m sorry. Daddy, please, whatever it takes to make you well, I’ll do, but marrying Lloyd isn’t one of them.” Thea had said her piece and finally relaxed.

She was now staring at odd looks on both their faces. Alex went to the telephone and ordered a bottle of champagne to be brought to them while Alistair sat and waited. Not one of them said a word until the discre
et
knock on the door was answered and the tray placed on the low table before them.

“Thea, honey, I love you beyond reason, but where in the hell did you get the idea that I was sick, and who told you I was going to turn over the company to Lloyd?”

Alex’s sinister laugh surprised her. “Really, Thea, we’ve all been worried about you these last years, but this thing with Lloyd was enough to push us over the edge. Actually, we wondered if you hadn’t lost your lust for life!”

“Alex! How could you say that? Dad, doesn’t he know about your heart?”

All three of them studied each other quietly before Alistair finally spoke.
“
My children, I think I smell a rat! And it smells like Lloyd Jenkins. Alex, lock the door and pour the champagne.” He patted the seat beside him, and Thea moved toward him. She hesitated to sit, not wanting to crease her wedding gown. Then she remembered she wasn’t getting married
,
and relief washed over her. She sat with a sigh in the deep couch, her head coming to rest against her father’s shoulder. They both accepted the glasses of cold champagne Alex offered and waited for his toast.

“To Thea, for realizing she was about to make the mistake of her life and correcting it in time.”

“Here, here,” her father added.

She was totally confused but drank anyway. “Dad, should you be drinking with your medications?”

“Thea, who told you I have a heart problem?”

“Dad, please don’t pretend. I’m thirty-three years old, and I can accept the truth. We’ll get you the best care.”

Alistair pulled from beside her, standing quickly and turning to his son. “Damn it!” he whispered almost to himself
,
then let loose with a string of more appropriate curse words that ran together more like a monologue than a few choice words. “Thea, what exactly have you been told
,
and by whom?”

“Lloyd told me four months ago you were having problems with your heart and not telling Alex or me. He said Dr. Lancing had confided to him on the golf course one morning that you weren’t as fit as you wanted everyone to believe.”

“And you accepted this information without questioning the doctor?”

“Lloyd said it would undermine his doctor-patient confidentiality if I started questioning what he’d been told. The only way to help you was to elevate some of your stress. That if I was settled and happily married
,
you wouldn’t worry so much about me.” Thea stood and started to throw the glass at the door in anger
,
then decided to drink it instead.

Suddenly it all made sense to her. Lloyd’s insistence that she not talk to the doctor or her father about it. That Alex already had more than his share of responsibility, that her marriage to him ensured the family company’s future.

“Son of a bitch!” Thea rounded on the two men
,
who stood quite shocked at her revelation.

“Thea, tell me how bad the addiction is. Please be honest, honey. We just want to help.”

“What addiction? Are you crazy too, Alex?”

“No, I’m not, but I’m beginning to get a bad feeling about all this. Thea, sit. Dad, you, too.” When they were all settled and calmly talking openly amongst themselves, it all seemed so simple.

“But he kept telling me you were both so busy, that socializing with you only took your precious time,” Thea added, realizing the diabolical plan Lloyd had put together.

“Yes, but how did he think he’d gain control of the company by marrying you?”

“Don’t you see, Dad?” Alex interjected. “For months he’s been dropping hints Thea had a substance abuse problem. Last week he mentioned to me that when they got home from the honeymoon
,
he had a wonderful new doctor to take her to.”

Thea stood, anger seeping from her pores. She paced the small room several times, seeing the pieces fit together. “If he could convince you and Alex to leave me alone, he’d isolate me enough to somehow take control of my shares. This new doctor of his probably wasn’t even a doctor at all, and if he is, well…”

“Dad,” Alex added, “their prenuptial agreement. In the event of sickness
,
the spouse automatically gets control until the other is well. Once he had control, he’d never let Thea be well enough to take back control.”

There was a loud knock on the door, and all three of them simultaneously yelled back, “Go away!” Whoever was on the other side didn’t bother them again.

“Daddy, does this mean you’re not sick? Please tell me the truth.”

“Thea, if I was ill, I’m smart enough to take care of myself. Alex, do me a favor. Dr. Lancing is among the guests, go and get him, will you?” Alistair asked.

“Quietly,” Thea added. “Everyone in that room probably thinks I need a sedative to get through the ceremony.” Alex nodded but hesitated before leaving, going to his sister and folding her into a bear hug. She held on to him as a lifeline, the one she missed for these last months. “Alex, I’m sorry I distanced myself from you and from Dad. Lloyd made me believe it was my only choice.”

His finger came to her cheek and wiped away a stray tear. In an act of understanding, he pulled the hidden chain from under her dress and placed it on the outside, his hand taking hers and placing it on the ring that rested on the gold.

“Never again, Thea. We’ll deal with this.” He slipped from the room, returning minutes later with their trusted friend and family doctor beside him.

While the four of them had a quiet talk, wedding guests were taking their seats before the decorated fireplace that was to serve as a backdrop for the ceremony. Plans were made hastily, and by ten minutes to twelve, Thea was ready. The doctor had slipped back amongst the crowd, and she confidently walked into the room that was to serve as her wedding chapel.

Lloyd Jenkins’s facial expression was worth the hell she’d gone through. Surprise didn’t start to describe it. He stood with a haughty flair that suggested he was too good to be approached. It was a stance she’d taken a step back from several times, and she understood his subtle manipulations over the last months. He was good-looking, almost too good to be true
,
she decided last night. No man should spend more time on his hair and skin than she. Even his nails were in better condition than hers. His black hair and eyes gave him a dark quality most women found exciting and most men intimidating. Not to Thea Wainwright
-
Norden, not anymore.

Today
,
she’d found herself again. She’d healed in a matter of minutes when she realized how close she’d come to losing herself to someone like Lloyd Jenkins. And for what, money, power, and position. All the things she’d been born with, he coveted. All the things that mattered little to her were his goals in life, and obtaining her gave him his wish.

Thea had long ago come to accept she was blessed by virtue of her birth into a loving and caring family. Her mother’s death years earlier had made her realize what was truly important to her. Her Ivy League education, European travels, wealth and power meant only as much as how she wielded them. None of it meant anything once a person
’
s heart was broken. And hers had been broken twice
,
by the deaths of her mother and her husband. An instant visual of Dexter’s face appeared in front of her, his crooked smile warming her as she remembered him. It was energizing to feel again.

She stopped and greeted some of the guests on her way toward Lloyd, a sly grin on her lips.

“Good afternoon, everyone. Could I have you attention for a moment, please?”

Lloyd moved beside her, clasping her upper arm tightly. “Thea, it’s not the way we rehearsed this last night. The groom isn’t supposed to see the bride before the ceremony.” His fingers bit into her flesh, and she tugged away, knowing her skin would be bruised from his crushing strength.

“Everyone, if you’ll all be patient for a few minutes, there are a few details that must be seen to before we can continue. Lloyd, I’d like to see you in the office, please.” She turned to walk from the room, but his hand held her in place.