14 Months 07: Australia Day

"So, let me see if I understand this correctly," David had said scratching at his cheek thoughtfully. "The girl who helped you at the Jazz club and befriended you here, letting you join her morning boot camps for company, the one girl you said you liked like a little sister wasn't good enough to run with so you gave her no choice but to partner with Layla, who didn't want to run and then took her trainer away from her?" He looked at Stella, who had paled when faced with the information as he had put it. "Then you come to me to complain that Sophie and her trainer, Parker, haven't been at training for the last week and you miss them. How could you possibly miss Sophie if you weren't even training with her?"

"That wasn't what happened, tell them, Sophie. It wasn't like that," Stella implored.

"Sophie is in enough trouble of her own for letting it happen in the first place and not telling her partners how unhappy she was not able to run," Zander cut in before Sophie could answer.

"Wait are you saying you didn't force Sophie to partner with Layla?" David asked, giving Stella every opportunity to make this right and apologise.

"I suggested that it would be easier for her to do that because I am a stronger runner," Stella said quietly. "I never forced her."

"This was before or after you asked me to invite Cloe to run with you because they had left you out of their partnership?" David raised an eyebrow.

"Look, you guys can play all the games you want. These two girls have spoken to us honestly about not wanting to run together and that they felt they were given no choice. Parker is an idiot for taking Darius's money to train Sophie and then running ahead of her to coach Stella, and he is gone. Sophie has a new and exceedingly loyal trainer. Parker won't be back," Zander noted the pained look on Stella's face that she quickly concealed.

"Loyalty means everything to us, and even though this game is a contest, not one of us would sacrifice his brother to get ahead. You, on the other hand, now have a lot to prove. Deny or apologise, it's up to you, but using Darius's injury as a reason to toss Sophie under a bus and steal her trainer is...," Connor shook his head. "Layla will continue to train separately, and that's the reason why, sorry, Dave."

Stella watched as Connor took Layla's hand and clapped David on the back before leaving the room. That was no loss; she consoled herself. Layla was a weak, sad little mouse that wouldn't last much longer in this game anyway. She looked at Sophie and felt regret. She'd manipulated her, but Sophie hadn't seemed to mind that Parker was coaching the stronger runners instead of staying with her while she walked beside Layla. She opened her mouth to say as much, but Zander spoke instead.

"Just so we're clear. Sophie would never have said anything about losing her trainer or being unhappy that she had to walk the course instead of run it, but you and Parker were both stupid enough to do that shit when I was there to train with you girls, and you know what I mean by that," Zander said sternly and was disappointed that the woman didn't even appear embarrassed about flirting with Parker to entice him away from Sophie. "I get it, I do. Where you come from you have to do what you need to do to survive, be careful though, that was Mimi's philosophy too, she just didn't have your subtlety."

"I haven't been here to oversee things as I should have and Zander didn't have the right to act sooner," Darius finally weighed in on the conversation. "It's hard to believe you would take advantage of my absence, but it is what it is. This game is much easier with allies at your side particularly for the team events, and while none of us would ever let our brother down should he need us, you will have a lot to prove before we trust you with our partners again."

"Sophie?" Stella asked, looking at her friend who sat with her head bowed, not wanting the confrontation.

"I didn't complain," Sophie finally raised her head. "When asked directly though I said I wanted to run and Layla doesn't have the stamina or motivation for it. You've been my friend from the first night in the Jazz Club, Stella, that won't change. But I need a new partner, and that means travelling to train with them twice a week and running a different course with Zander and the new trainer on the other days. We'll see each other, just not as often. I'm sorry about Parker, but he wasn't doing his job so I understand why Darius fired him and I can't help you or him with that."

"Sophie tell them that it wasn't how they are saying it was," Stella beseeched. "You know I would never do that to you, right?"

"But you did. You didn't give Layla or me any choice when you announced you asked David to call Chloe to be your partner. Darius wasn't here for me to talk to about another partner and Layla was, well, she was trying her best with a challenge she wasn't equipped for, and I was trying to support her. We probably could have used Parker's help, but that wasn't an option for me either. So now it is what it is. I will thank you for one thing though, Layla is uber-smart, and once she starts talking, she has the keenest insights into things. She sees everything, like at the ball..." Sophie waved her hand, "I'll let her tell you her theories if you ever stop ignoring her, but I wouldn't have gotten to know her as well as I do now if you hadn't forced us together into a team, so there's that." By the look on their faces, she had surprised everyone with her comments about Layla and the dig at Stella she had thrown in.

"Well, that answers that question," David sighed. "I can't believe you asked me to talk to Darius about Sophie leaving you out of training, when you haven't been training with her or missing her at all, only Parker." He turned to face his brothers. "I'm sorry, Darius. I didn't realise..." The door opened, and Asher and Jayce walked in.

"Are we interrupting?" Jayce asked, raising an eyebrow at the serious faces in the room. "We saw Connor outside he said the meeting was done already."

"We're done," Zander agreed.

"Why don't you fill us in any way," Asher suggested in his usually cheery mood and approached the couch where Sophie sat with Darius and picked her up before sitting back down with her in his lap. "Are you in trouble again, Cookie?" he asked.

"Always," Sophie rolled her eyes. "I can't catch a break with your brothers. I think I have changed my mind about that kidnapping slash abduction." Sophie grinned, but before Asher could say another word, Zander walked over and plucked Sophie from Asher's lap placing her in Darius's arms before walking toward David.

"Not your fault, Dave. It's not you who should apologise for calling this meeting," he set his dark scowl on Stella as he clapped his brother on the back and left the room in search of Connor and Layla. He wasn't sure Connor knew that it was Layla who had first realised that Victoria was the sixth girl the council had an interest in and how observant and insightful she truly was. Zander intended to let him know what Sophie had said about his girl and how much he admired her strength and intelligence as well.

*****

Darius stirred to wakefulness as Zander climbed from the bed they now shared with Sophie. True to their agreement, both men had kept sex out of the bedroom although to Darius's knowledge Zander hadn't yet fucked the girl he had demanded rights to over a week ago. He was affectionate with her, they kissed, cuddled and held hands but never took things further. Darius frowned as he heard the shower start in the next room as he wondered at his brother's reasoning that he was giving them all time to get used to the new dynamic between them. When Sophie had signed the contract with him, he couldn't have waited another minute to take her and enjoy her tight, sexy little body and he couldn't imagine why Zander continued to hold back.

For space rather than preference Zander had kept his clothes in the spare room on the other side of the bathroom even after the bed issue had been arranged and he had begun sleeping with the couple. When Darius heard the water turn off and knew Zander was dressing, he got up and after visiting the bathroom himself made his way downstairs to have coffee with Zander before he left.

"Hey," Darius greeted Zander as he entered the kitchen just after him dressed in a suit for work.

"Mornin'" Zander replied and took the mug of coffee Darius scooted toward him. "What's up?"

"You trying to kill yourself with the schedule you're trying to keep or just keeping busy to avoid the relationship we're building here?" Darius asked conversationally.

"Just picking up the slack for both of us where I can," he shrugged. "I'm out running most mornings with Sophie, and you're only doing half days at work. Ash is great at covering, but he's only one man and the others all have their own shit going on at work and with the game. You want to talk to someone about burning the candle talk to Jayce," Zander shrugged.

"What's keeping him so busy?" Darius frowned. "He's neck-deep in investigating what is going on with the girls, the family and the council. He's also throwing up a few red herrings for the family to follow. To date, I believe Sophie has been sighted in the club here, the New Year's ball, and three other public events in different cities around the country. The family are jumping at anyone who looks like her now and eventually they will realise that she's not who they thought she was even if she is," Zander chuckled.

"Interesting game plan. What else don't I know since I've been relegated to only need to know information?" Darius grumbled.

"You know what I know, Jayce wasn't even sure his red herring idea would work until yesterday when he got a call from a contact saying she'd been seen on the other side of the country," Zander shrugged. "It's about keeping all the girls safe now, not just Sophie although she's the most recognisable which is why she and the stylist will be coming with me to White Cliffs tomorrow to make sure she is practically unrecognisable in her costume for the fun run."

"That's only a week away now, how's the training going?" Darius asked as if he hadn't asked every night when they sat for dinner.

"Same as yesterday when we talked. Something you want to spit out D.?" Zander asked with a chuckle.

"I'm confused," Darius admitted.

"About?" Zander cocked an eyebrow his lip lifting with the hint of a smile.

"When Sophie signed the contract with me, I didn't wait an extra minute to take her. Its been over a week and you... Well if you were giving me time, or her time, I appreciate, but I don't get it," he finally said. "You wanted everything and now..."

Zander sat and ran a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words to say what he needed without causing an argument between himself and Darius. He looked at his brother for another minute in silence before answering.

"Don't take what I am going to say the wrong way, just hear what I am saying about me first then get angry if you want," he began as Darius sat up becoming stiff at his words but only nodding his acceptance. "I hated that she called herself a whore and expected us to treat her like one because of the contract wording. I'm not saying you do that, but that's not what I want. So, I'm taking my time letting her get to know me while I get to know her better. I doubt I will hold out much longer anyway," he shrugged. "She's so fucking hot in those little running shorts and tank. I can't even imagine what was going through Parker's head when he chose Stella over her."

"Don't remind me," Darius groaned. "Do you know how hard it is to watch her leave with you dressed like that?"

"Yep, every morning when I leave you snuggled up with her in bed," Zander admitted.

"It'll get easier, right?" Darius asked.

"I sure as shit hope so. I didn't sign up to torture myself like this," he chuckled.

"Look, I'm not pushing this. I get that you have your way of handling things, but I know Sophie is as confused as I am by how you're acting. Why don't you book a place to stay at White Cliffs for the night? We can organise some extra security to watch the hotel for the night to be sure you don't run into anyone or will come to the rescue if you do," Darius offered feeling generous and wanting to show he was serious about letting Zander into his relationship with Sophie when he had been doing the same thing all week. "Better yet, stay with Jack."

"Do I look like a guy who needs rescuing from a two-bit family thug?" Zander scoffed.

"I never thought you would be excited about playing dress-up for a fun-run either and look at you now," Darius teased.

"When you see us, you'll understand," Zander teased back. "That my friend is why it is such a big secret and why you can't see our costumes until race day morning!"

"I'll talk to you later about staying at White Cliffs, not sure if it's a great idea or not yet," Zander said rinsing out his mug and picking up his wallet and phone from the bench. "Tell Sophie I'll see her at training." He said grinning at Darius then left for work.

The bedroom was still dark when Darius arrived back to be with Sophie. He sat close to her propped up on pillows with his digital notebook, considering what Zander had said about her perception of who she was to them. It was true they paid her to be here, but it was also true she wouldn't have stayed without that incentive no matter whether he would have taken her in the same way if they had been regular people and he had met her socially. What she had been before didn't matter to him, and it pained him to think that she still considered him a client to be satisfied, a job to be completed. He preferred to believe it was just the barrier she put between them to hold back what she felt and what she knew he felt for her.

He reached out and stroked her back. He wanted to talk to her, to make love to her, to hold her in his arms and keep her safe from everything that conspired against her. He wanted her to open her beautiful green eyes and look at him the way she had before the incidents at the New Years Ball had fucked everything up so badly. He smiled sadly as she began to stir and rolled to face him looking up with bleary eyes.

"Why are you awake? What time is it?" she asked in a croaky sleep laden voice.

"It's early, Zander just left for work," Darius said in a quiet voice.

"He goes to work in the dark? Does he sleep at all?" Sophie asked in a plaintive voice. "I worry about him sometimes," she murmured blinking her eyes to try and wake properly as they spoke.

"You and me both," Darius chuckled. "I suggested you two stay overnight when you go to White Cliffs tomorrow for the final costume fittings. Make him take a break from work and everything."

"I don't think he will want to do that. He barely touches me since making such a big deal out of not wanting to be a third wheel or sleep alone," Sophie indicated the bigger custom bed.

"I know for a fact that's not true," Darius cupped her face ensuring she was looking at him. "The contract is there for the challenges so that you turn up with us as a couple, a partnership or in our case from now on as a trio. The desire and need we have to touch and taste and feel you, that's not part of the contract, that's our own attraction. When you all but called us clients you would fuck because of the contract and the money you would receive for competing in the game made him feel like you would only be going through the motions for him. Like you would see the men at Michelle's club when he had genuinely come to care for you, almost as much as I do."

"It is what it..." she began to say but was cut off by a finger to her lips so in her head she finished, "is."

"Shh," Darius crooned and slid down to be face to face with her. "I know you don't believe that any more than I do now, only I want you so badly that I will take you however I can. Zander needs more." He kissed her gently and pulled back the blanket to expose her exquisite body to his eyes and brought his hand up to cup her breast. Even through the cotton of her camisole, he could feel her nipple harden at his touch. "He doesn't want to be thought of as just another John to please, and if I am honest, I don't either, buts it's not enough to stop my desire to touch, and taste and feel you wrapped around me."

Darius kissed her then deepening the kiss and groaning softly when her hand wound around his neck, and she pressed into him as needy for the contact as he was. No matter what her words said, her body told a different story in his mind. His hands roamed, helping her to remove the camisole while continuing to kiss her and nibble at her neck and ear. Taking her hands, he raised them above her head and curled them around the small rounded posts of the bedhead.

"Keep them there," he growled huskily as he kissed her again before moving down her neck to her breasts and taking a nipple between his lips and moving over her.

Sophie lifted her knees slightly making more room for his wide hips as he nestled between her legs while giving tingle and quiver inducing attention to her breasts. He moved his lower torso against her ensuring she could feel everything he needed her to and then shifted a little to the side allowing him to lower one hand to stroke at her pussy delving in to lightly flick over her clit making her gasp and jerk below him.

"Hmm, so responsive this morning," he smiled. "Very nice, but breathe and relax, Angel. We don't have to rush it this morning."

"No?" she asked.

"No," he confirmed and sat back on his heels between her legs and ran both of his hands over her breasts and down her belly to her pussy. Keeping his eyes on the path of his hands, he watched as his fingers pressed her pussy lips open exposing her clit to him before using his index finger to rub little circles around the bundle of nerves. He stifled a chuckle as her hips rose to meet it then rolled to force more pressure and make contact with the bud itself.

"Fuck," Sophie groaned. What he was doing was pure torture. She needed him to press harder, go faster, move inside her anything but this slow tantalising tease he was making her endure. She was beside herself when the teasing finger slid lower but rather than enter her; he circled the hot wet entrance without showing any sign that he intended to penetrate her. She let out a low plaintive whimpering groan, and her body shuddered in need.

"Shh, Angel. I know what you need, trust me," he crooned and just when he thought she would scream in frustration he pressed a long finger inside her and was rewarded by a long shaky sigh of pleasure. "It feels good doesn't it, to be desired and touched and tasted," he brought the finger from her pussy to his mouth knowing she was watching him. He started rolling his thumb over her clit, and two fingers from that hand entered her.

Sophie let out a garbled sound of agreement as words seemed to have failed her when he curled those fingers up against her G-spot. Her hips rocked up at his hand wanting more than the slow, languid movements he was allowing her, but even that was stifled as his free hand left his mouth to rest low on her belly and still her movements.

"Be still, Angel. Show me what a good girl you can be," he crooned leaning over her again to kiss her and hold her in place as his free hand reached for her breast and began to massage it and tease the nipple pinching it and giving it little twists to give her the small burst of pain she enjoyed without it being too much. "Good girl he crooned and slid back down a little to take the neglected nipple between his teeth.

Sophie mewled loudly as the movements of his fingers and hand sped up, and his teeth bit into her swollen, sensitive nipple. Her body wanted to arch as she drew closer to her climax, but his weight held her pinned.