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M aggie tightened her hold on Ian’s hand as he led them out onto the tarmac.

She’d expected to feel overwhelmed and anxious. While flying didn’t normally didn’t bother her, she had to do a lot of traveling with Uncle Willy, she was feeling pretty delicate at the moment.

Although she felt better every day, every so often something about the kidnapping would come back to her.

Shattering any illusion that she was all right.

Last night she’d had a nightmare and woken up screaming. Ian and Jack had managed to calm her down, but she’d slept fitfully after that.

So this morning, she was tired and in a fog. If she’d had to organize anything, she might have fallen apart.

Luckily for her, the guys had done it all. She hadn’t even had to pack her own bag.

All she’d grabbed was her handbag and Ziggy. Jack had even turned up with a new cell phone for her with all their numbers in it already. She’d put Indie’s number in and sent her a text to tell her that she was coming.

As they were moving across the tarmac, a car started to approach. Jack moved in front of her, but Ian touched his back.

“It’s one of the palace cars,” Ian said.

She glanced over in surprise to find that Jameson had also stepped up beside her as well.

She was surrounded on three sides. She was so glad Jameson was coming with them. Having the three of them with her felt so right.

A window wound down as the car stopped. She peered around Jack, shock filling her as she saw Pippa.

“I’m so sorry, I know it’s rude, but can I talk to Maggie? I’m not allowed out of the car.”

“Of course,” Maggie said.

Jack didn’t move and she had to prod him. Sheesh, talking to Pippa was the least she could do, considering the royal family was loaning them their jet.

Also, she liked Pippa.

Jack grunted and let her pass. But he hovered close by and Ian didn’t let go of her hand.

Pippa stared up at her worriedly. “Are you all right, Maggie?”

“I’m feeling better. Thank you. Are you all right? I’m sorry your wedding plans were interrupted.”

“Don’t worry about that. It wasn’t like I was enjoying any of that anyway. And the truth is . . . Kassim is making arrangements for our honeymoon.”

Confusion filled her. Wouldn’t they just postpone the honeymoon until after . . . oh.

“Are you saying that you guys got married?” she asked.

Pippa held her finger to her lips, but her eyes danced. “It was much more what I wanted. Just us and our friends. Isobelle wasn’t pleased, but Kassim put down his foot. And his dads backed him up.”

“I’m so happy for you.”

“I’m so sorry you couldn’t be there. And for everything that’s happened.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Maggie managed a small smile. None of it was Pippa’s fault.

“I hope you’re going to come back here. That what happened hasn’t put you off Escana.”

“I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to see what’s happening with Uncle Willy and my friend.”

Sympathy filled Pippa’s face. “About your uncle, Isobelle is really worried. And so are the kings. They want you to know that if you need their help, they’re here for you. And that there’s always a home here for your uncle. And for you.”

“Thank you.” That was really kind.

“Bye!” Pippa waved wildly and not at all like she imagined a royal might wave as the car drove off.

“Come on, Little girl. Time to leave.” She let Ian lead her inside the jet. He helped her into a really comfortable seat before taking one across the aisle. Jack sat in front of her. Jameson in front of Ian.

Then they were off. Ian kept hold of her hand the entire time. When they leveled off, Ian let go of her before standing and undoing her seatbelt. She looked up at him in question.

“Nap time.”

“I just woke up!” she protested, but she let him pick her up.

“And you barely slept. You’re still exhausted.” He carried her into the back room which was a bedroom.

This was the same jet that had flown her and Uncle Willy here.

She was so worried about him. What if he was still in the hospital? What if he wasn’t? Where would he be?

Why hadn’t she asked for the truth about him earlier? Guilt ate at her insides.

She’d accessed the work emails and sent him a message. She’d tried calling him as well. She had his number memorised. But he wasn’t answering. So she was stuck until she got a hold of her mum.

“I can hear you thinking,” Ian told her.

“You can’t hear someone think. That’s silly,” she said as he laid her down on the bed.

Jack walked in and handed her Ziggy. He set down a small bag down by the bed.

She grabbed hold of Ziggy, giving Jack a grateful smile. He winked at her. “Sleep tight, baby girl. I’m sure if you can’t go off to sleep, that Ian will help you out.”

What did that mean?

Ian just shook his head and searched through the bag, pulling out the dummy and bottle from yesterday. Ooh. She hadn’t tried the dummy yet.

He grabbed a bottled protein drink from the small fridge and poured it into the baby’s bottle.

“I could just drink from the other bottle, Daddy,” she told him.

“No, I think this will help you sleep. And besides, I like doing this for you.”

She liked it too.

Ian shook the baby bottle and put it and the dummy on the side table.

“Let’s get you more comfortable.” Ian drew out her favorite pajamas, which were the ones he’d bought for her. He stripped her naked except for her knickers. When she tried to help, he gave her hand a light smack.

“No. Little girls don’t help.” After dressing her in the silky pajamas, he drew back the covers.

To her surprise, he climbed in next to her. Then, sitting against the headboard, he drew her in against him and pressed the nipple of the bottle to her lips.

She opened her lips and started to suck. As the seconds ticked by, she could feel herself getting sleepy.

The nipple disappeared only to be replaced by the dummy. She let out a noise of discontent, pulling it out and replacing it with her thumb as he carefully laid her down.

“No, take your dummy,” he told her.

“No.” She pushed her thumb back into her mouth.

“Little girl, you’re going to be in so much trouble once you’re healthy enough to be punished again.”

Yeah. That sounded like a problem for future-Maggie.

Maggie came to a stop in the doorway. At least they’d given Indie a private room, which wasn’t a given in a public hospital. It was crowded, and it smelled like bleach and anti-septic.

She hated hospitals.

But she hated Indie being in one even more.

“Baby girl,” Jack said from behind her. “Are we going in?”

She nodded, stepping in as Indie turned her head to look at her. “Hey, Maggie-May.”

“Hey, Indie-Loo.”

She saw the flash of vulnerability in her best friend’s face. But she knew if she made a fuss over her right now, she’d break.

So, instead, she brushed away her horror and pulled up some attitude.

“You know, if you wanted me to come home sooner, there are less dramatic ways to do it.”

“As if I’d want you to come home. Now, I’ll be tripping over your shoes every time I come through the door and having to listen to teeny-bopper music.”

“It is not teeny-bopper music!”

“I agree with the girl in the hospital bed,” Jack said, walking in behind her. “It’s teeny-bopper music.”

Indie stiffened as she saw Jack. Maggie had texted to warn her that she was coming home with three guys. She’d already told Indie about Jack and Ian. But she hadn’t really mentioned Jameson.

“It is not! And you were singing to it, so you know the words!” she said to him.

“I’m not sure I’d call what he was doing singing,” Ian said dryly as he entered the room, followed by Jameson.

She’d tried to talk them all into staying out of the room. But they weren’t about to let her go in alone. In the end, she’d thought maybe it was best for Indie to meet them all at once. And Jameson might be able to assess how she was doing.

“Rude,” Jack muttered. “I’m a great singer.”

“Uh, Indie. This is Jack. The frowning one is Ian. And that is Jameson. Guys, this is my best friend, Indie.”

Jack sat down on a chair by the bed and lifted the lid on a tray of food. “Gross, what is this shit?”

“I’m not sure it has an identity,” Indie said as Maggie grew close and took her hand.

Indie held on tight which was at odds with the relaxed look on her face.

“Did you eat any of it?” Jameson asked, walking over.

“No,” Indie croaked out. “It all tastes like paste.”

“How do you know what paste tastes like? Oh my God! You used to eat it at kindy, didn’t you?” Maggie shook her head at her best friend and tried to hide the fact that her heart was breaking over how bad Indie looked.

There was a huge bruise on her chin and more around her neck. She was pale and looked so fragile.

Indie studied her back. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed. Maggie had applied concealer on her face, where some bruising remained. And the pain in her ribs was much more manageable. She thought she’d be able to hide it from her.

Indie turned her furious gaze on the men. “Which one of you arseholes touched my best friend? I’m going to fucking castrate you.”

Oh fuck.

“You know how to castrate someone?” Jack asked. “It’s a good skill to have. I should teach you, baby girl.”

“Jack,” Maggie groaned, giving him an exasperated look. Then she turned to her friend. “None of these guys would ever lay a hand on me.”

“Well, other than to spank her,” Jack pointed out. “But Maggie wouldn’t like it if we stopped doing that.”

Maggie closed her eyes. Why? Why her? Opening her eyes, she glared at Jack. “I don’t think I need a lesson on how to castrate someone.” She’d give it a damn good go.

Jack just grinned back at her. He was crazy. And she loved him.

“Maggie?” Indie asked, looking confused.

“Can you guys give us some privacy?”

“Nope,” Jack replied.

“Sure,” Jameson said.

Ian frowned. “We can wait right outside, but no further.”

She nodded. That would be all right.

“I want to stay,” Jack countered. “They’re going to talk about who dared to touch Indie and I want a name.”

Jameson and Ian both nodded.

Maggie sighed. “I know who it was.” She ignored the intent looks on their faces. She knew she should have told them earlier, but she just needed to get here. “I’ll tell you everything soon. Just please?”

Ian herded Jack out, although he was pouting. Jameson nodded to them both. “Fifteen minutes.”

“Are . . . are all three of them yours?” Indie asked when they were alone.

“Two of them are. Jameson is . . . well, we’re getting to know each other.”

“But you’re blushing,” Indie said. “And he’s looking at you like you’re his favorite dessert. Although he looks more like an after-dinner drink man.”

“Definitely,” she breathed out.

“So if they didn’t hurt you, then who?” Indie demanded.

She told her friend everything that had happened. By the end, Indie looked like she didn’t know whether to cry or murder someone.

“Maggie,” she whispered.

“I know. I know. But Ian and Jack . . . they’re helping me. They love me and I love them.”

“God, I love that you have that. And they’re Daddy Doms?”

“Jack and Ian are. Jameson used to be, until his bitch of an ex humiliated him.”

“And now he’s . . . not?” Indie asked.

“Ah. Yeah. I mean, I think he’s not.”

“Whatever. He totally is. He has Doctor Daddy written all over him. He just needs a push.”

Maggie shook her head. She couldn’t push him. “He’s a friend.”

“Uh-huh. And I’m a princess.” Indie turned pensive. “What about William? You haven’t found out where he is?”

“I have to go home and talk to my mum about him.”

“Urgh, gross.” Indie wrinkled her nose.

She snorted. “I know. They’re going to be mad about the tabloid photos of me with Ian and Jack.”

“So? Screw them! And you were fucking kidnapped. Why didn’t they try to get a hold of anyone in Escana to see how you were?”

She hadn’t thought of that.

“They wouldn’t have known who to talk to . . .”

“Girl, when those photos came out, I was calling you every five minutes. And I tried to call William, but his phone must have been off. I don’t know what I would have done next, but I would have figured it out. Unfortunately, that’s when Billy paid a visit.”

“I can’t believe that fucker found you.” Maggie started pacing.

“I know. I don’t know what to do now. I’m scared he’s going to come after me here. I can’t go back to our apartment, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be fired once I get out of here. What . . . what will I do?”

“What will we do? And we’ll figure it out, like always. We can go back to Escana. You can come with me.”

“I don’t know,” Indie whispered. “I’m scared.”

“We’ll work it out. Have you spoken to Slade?” she asked.

Indie turned her head away. “No. The hospital asked if there was anyone they could call. You’re listed as my next-of-kin; however they couldn’t get hold of you. But I told them there was no one else.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to take the call. That I haven’t been here for you.”

“Shut up, you daft cow. You send me every spare dollar you have. You’ve been there for me when no one else has. Don’t apologize. What would you have done? Asked your kidnappers to let you call me?”

Maggie still felt terrible, though. “I’m not leaving you again. I’m back now.”

“Yeah, right. No way I’m letting you break things off with those sex on legs.”

“Who said I had to break things off?” She grinned.

Indie’s eyes widened. “They’d move here?”

“Yeah. They would. What did the doctors say about Button?” Maggie asked, worried about the baby.

“That we were both lucky. Button is fine.” She patted her belly. “He or she is well protected. But they are worried about my blood pressure and stress.”

“All right. We’ll sort all of this. I promise.”

Maggie looked so stressed as she walked out of the hospital room that Jameson wanted to bundle her up and insist that she give everything to him.

That she let him solve all of her problems.

But he didn’t have that right. Not yet.

Ian and Jack surrounded her, giving her soft words and touches. He could see she was close to breaking. That she needed someone to step in.

But she threw back her shoulders, determination filling her face.

Brave Little subbie.

She deserved a reward later.

“Come on, let’s go get you a cup of tea and you can tell us what’s going on,” Ian said.

“I don’t have time,” she said. “I need to find Uncle Willy, which means going to my parents’ place. And I have to swing by our apartment and see what can be salvaged after Billy’s rampage and bring some things back to Indie.”

“Billy?” Jack drawled. “That’s the name of the guy who beat her?”

She nodded tiredly. “Her ex. He’s a complete prick, but he hides it well. He’s a lawyer with family money behind him and some dodgy underground connections. People are scared to cross him.”

“Indie left him. And you were helping to hide her?” Jameson guessed.

She nodded. “I rented us an apartment under Uncle Willy’s name. I moved in with Indie to help her with bills and things since she didn’t have any money after running away from Billy. He lives in Birmingham. We’ve been saving pretty much all of our money for when the baby comes so that she can take some time off work. I can’t believe he found her when I wasn’t here to help her. If that neighbor hadn’t called the police . . . ”

God. What would have happened if she’d been here with Indie?

He wanted to tell her that she was a brave, selfless girl, right before he took her over his knee for being so careless with her own safety.

And she’d been giving all of her money to Indie for the baby?

“That . . . that fucking spiderass-micropenis-bumsnake!” she said, fury filling her face.

“Let it all out, Little Misfit.” Ian hugged her, looking down at her like she was adorable and precious.

Which she was.

“I don’t think you should go back to your apartment,” Jameson said, garnering her attention. “What if he’s there? Watching for Indie?”

“Ooh I hope he is there,” Jack said.

“I have to go back,” she said. “There were things for the baby there. And photos and stuff that we might need.”

“We’ll sort that later,” Jack said. “For now, let’s go deal with your family.”