The Brothers Rule - Carolyn Faulkner Page 0,70

been planned for a month later, in the interests of expediency—she came home in the middle of the afternoon to find Jace, Adam, and Ryan waiting for her. Her valise was by the door, and she'd no sooner come through it than the latter two looped their arms through hers, turned her around, and installed her in Ryan's car, while Jace stowed her stuff in the back, where the rest of their luggage already resided.

"What's happening?" Laurie looked around at them curiously.

"Never you mind," Adam said with a wink. "We're just conducting a little kidnapping."

Laurie wasn't much concerned to hear that. "Lovely. The cop's in on a kidnapping. Great," she teased.

"I hadn't thought about that!" Ryan giggled, which she loved, because it was such a strange sound coming from such a big, tough man.

"We're taking you somewhere nice. Because you deserve it," Jace filled in from behind her.

"Okay."

The guys all chuckled at that.

"So that's all you need to know?" Adam asked.

Laurie's brows went up as she looked back at him where he was sitting next to Jace. "I should be suspicious of the three men—my Doms, I might add—who all purport to love me, when they say they're taking me someplace nice?"

"She's got you there, bud."

They went to New York City, because she mentioned she'd never been there before, and stayed at one of the nicest hotels in the whole town. She had a suite of her own with a big king-sized bed.

They had rented another room that was nice, but more utilitarian, with two queen beds. One of them would be with her at night, so they figured they only needed two other places to sleep.

The room was incredibly beautiful, with views of the city, a full living room, and an enormous bouquet—it must've been three dozen at least—of lavender roses.

They had left her there for a short time to settle into their room after kissing her goodbye, and seconds later, she heard a knock on the door.

Laurie figured it was one of them come back for a quick snog, but instead, it was someone from the hotel, with a good-sized pink wrapped box. She offered a tip, but he told her that he had already been taken care of and wished her well.

The note with it was written in no handwriting that she recognized.

"Put this on, and you'll be even more lovely than you always are. We'll be up shortly."

When she opened it, it was a gorgeous dress—nicer than any other she'd ever owned. It had a strapless bodice, with a flouncy skirt. It made her feel like Audrey Hepburn when she put it on. And it was in a beautiful shade of rose pink that just matched the shoes and clutch she already owned that they'd kindly packed for her.

When they came in the door—since they had the keys—they caught her admiring herself in the mirror, and all stood behind her to do the same.

"You're gorgeous, you know, Laur."

"Pretty as a picture, darlin'."

"Good enough to eat, hon."

They were all in beautifully tailored, obviously expensive suits. "You guys don't look half bad, yourselves," she complimented. "You're all incredibly handsome." She loved to see them blush—Jace always worse than either of the other two, for some reason.

Adam and Ryan offered their arms to her, and Jace opened the door. They switched off at various times, until she was outside, standing in front of a limo.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Right there," they all pointed.

"A limo? Really?"

"Nothing's too good for our girl," Jace complimented, handing her in then taking a seat next to her.

They went to a very swanky restaurant, and she walked proudly in on the arms of Jace and Adam, with Ryan walking behind, happy to take in the stunned look on the usually blasé city dwellers' faces. But it wasn't often that one beautiful woman was surrounded by so much male attention, and theirs was wholly focused on her for the entire night.

Jace handed her a menu, and she took it, but he held onto it and gave her a look. "You are to order anything you want, soup to nuts, without thought to the cost, Miss Laurie, starting with a drink. G & T?" he asked.

The rest of them gave her the same look.

She put her hands up. "All right, all right! Far be it from me to argue with you guys."

That had them all snorting loudly.

Laurie ignored them and said to Jace, "Yes, please."

Their waiter arrived, and they all ordered drinks—he ordered for her.

And he