Finding Nora: A Reverse Harem Romance (The Searchers Book 2) Read online

  Finding Nora

  The Searchers, Book Two

  Ripley Proserpina

  Contents

  1. Dream

  2. First Morning

  3. Scents

  4. Meeting

  5. Decisions

  6. Please Be Done

  7. Making It Up to Apollo

  8. Getting Out

  9. Jealousy

  10. One More Thing to Worry About

  11. No Choice

  12. Honesty

  13. Bliss

  14. Interview

  15. Recognized

  16. Reprieve

  17. Birthday

  About the Author

  Books by Ripley:

  Sneak Peek

  18. Needing Answers

  Copyright 2018 by Ripley Proserpina

  Copyright 2018, Ripley Proserpina

  First electronic publication: 2016

  Ripley Proserpina

  www.ripleyproserpina.com

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the author’s permission.

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. The author does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.

  Published in the United States of America

  Created with Vellum

  Dream

  Nora sat up in bed, gasping for breath, and pressed her palms against her eyes as if she could force the images from her nightmare out of her head.

  In her dream, she perched on the edge of a windowsill, leaning back and staring at the perfect, clear blue sky. She hummed to herself, and rocked from side to side. She arched back and back and back, and then, because she thought the air would cushion her, she let go.

  Her body tumbled away, but the air didn’t catch her. Her stomach dropped and she shut her eyes tight. Wake up, wake up, wake up. Her arms pinwheeled, trying to grasp at something but there was nothing to hold. The ground rushed toward her face, the strength of the air whipping past her body, forcing her eyes open as she watched her inevitable end come closer and closer.

  “Nora!”

  Her boyfriend, Ryan Valore, turned the lamp on next to the bed. She shut her eyes against the sudden brightness. He wrapped her in his arms, pulling her against his t-shirt clad chest and kissed the top of her head.

  “You’re awake,” he whispered. “I’m here. We’re okay.”

  She took a shuddering breath, taking in his unique scent and letting it sit on her tongue.

  He pulled back a little, trying to see her face. “Okay?”

  Nodding, she reached up and rubbed her eyes. “I was dreaming about the girl.”

  “I’m so sorry, Nore.” He rubbed her back in slow, hypnotizing circles. Her eyes closed and her body swayed in time with each circle he made. He pulled away her shirt and then his cool hand was on her bare skin.

  The movement suddenly had the opposite effect on her. Instead of calming her racing heart, his touch made it speed up. His lips touched her temple, ghosting back and forth against her skin.

  “Do you want me to stop?” he whispered, kissing her again before following curve of her face and jaw.

  She shook her head, and when his lips came close to hers, she turned and captured them. His tongue dipped inside her mouth, curling around hers. He stroked it slowly before sucking gently, pulling it into his mouth.

  Nora returned his strokes. His body shifted, his hand going behind her head. He pressed against her, encouraging her to lie back. His hands stayed at her lower back, touching her skin. He was careful to avoid her still-healing wounds, wounds she wouldn’t let herself think about.

  Pulling the t-shirt out and away from her body, he gently lifted it over the gauze on her stomach and sides and then over her head. The way Ryan looked at her made her squirm on the bed.

  “Are you okay,” he asked again. His dark eyes roamed her body, taking in every injury.

  She topped him, putting her hand on his face. “I don’t want to think about what happened. I only want to think about you.”

  He sat back, effectively caging her in with his knees and arms. “Nora.” He shook his head.

  She ran her fingers up and down his arms, letting them trace the muscles standing out as he held himself over her. She lifted herself up, pressing her bare breasts against his chest. Her nipples pebbled at the rasp of his skin against hers. Accidentally, she tugged at the wound in her side, and gasped.

  His eyes opened immediately and he pinned her with a glare. “Mood killer.” She gave him a small guilty smile.

  His smile was returned swiftly, but laced with concern. “Sit up, let me see you.”

  He pulled her up, shifting on the bed again to turn on the other lamp and examine her wounds. Her side pulsed and ached, a tangible reminder of the thing she wanted to forget: she’d been shot.

  A little over three weeks ago, Nora was substitute teaching at the high school when a man carrying a gun entered the cafeteria and killed five students. She was shot as well, and later learned the killer shot dead by police was her foster brother, Reid.

  It was a horrible coincidence, but it was only that. Still, the police went after her, leaning on her heavily. She was overwhelmed with guilt, and for a while, she’d lost part of herself.

  She had tried to help the students escape after she realized the cafeteria couldn’t be secured. Her decision may have helped most of the students make it out alive, but escape was not school protocol and the police were more suspicious of her than before.

  Detective Vance, the lead detective investigating the shooting, believed Reid was motivated to kill by something she had said, or done. The detective even released her name to the press in an attempt to make her confess. All it did was lead to her losing her job, her apartment, and most of her things.

  But it also led to Ryan.

  He was the law student intern who accompanied her Legal Aid lawyer to the hospital, and since the moment they met, her life had changed.

  She nuzzled his shoulder as he lifted the bandages and checked each healing wound on her side.

  “I think we can probably leave these off,” he said. She could see the relief in his face. He could finally see evidence she was healing.

  A quick, muted knock at the door startled them, and he sighed, kissing her head. “I think they heard us.”

  Nora grabbed her t-shirt and threw it over her head before smiling and calling out, “Come in!”

  The door opened and Apollo Morris, six foot two, and 225 pounds of love and muscle walked in. He closed the door behind him and walked swiftly to the bed. He squatted by the side, eyes on her side.

  “Did you hurt yourself?” he asked, his voice betraying his worry.

  “Zinged it,” she whispered.

  He let out a long sigh, glancing over at Ryan. She could see how torn he was, Apollo didn’t want to leave her, but he wanted to give her time with Ryan.

  She mentally cleared her throat. This was the other result of the shooting: A
pollo.

  And Matisse.

  And Seok.

  And Cai.

  Nora had fallen in love with five guys, who for some reason, wanted her.

  Seok owned the house where all the guys lived. It wasn’t an easy initiation into their firmly established friendship. Initially, she was an intruder.

  Ryan, protector and caretaker, was her advocate from the moment he met her. Apollo, who was really a giant love, a marshmallow in a fighter’s body, took one look at her, and went about healing her wounded spirit. He was the first to kiss her, the first to push Nora to recognize it was possible to feel more than survivor’s guilt.

  She fell for Matisse next. He was there when she was cornered by a reporter, and the details of her past, her life in foster care and with her biological mother, were flung at her like knives. He hid his heart behind his joking and devil-may-care attitude, but he’d shown it to her. And she loved it.

  Cai and Seok.

  She shivered when she thought of them. She never believed they held anything except disdain for her. The moments they shared were brief, but it was enough to show them what was possible. They hid their feelings behind their disdain, shocking her when they admitted falling for her.

  This was new to them. Only tonight had the guys put their feelings on the table, presenting her with what they wanted.

  She’d been shocked. A relationship with five very different guys. Two of whom, until hours ago, she thought hated her, but they wouldn’t let her disregard them, or their feelings. They’d asked her to trust them. Trust them to be honest.

  Trust them to know what they wanted.

  And they wanted her.

  Until these guys, she didn’t believe she’d fall in love. And she certainly never let herself believe she’d deserve their love, or growing love, or potential love.

  But here they were.

  Apollo brought her back to the present as his fingers gently pulled the bandages away from her skin. “I think they need some air,” he said in a confident tone.

  Ryan huffed. “That’s what Ryan said, too,” she told Apollo, smiling.

  “Let me get some ointment.” he grinned, dimples appearing in both of his cheeks. He stood before she could respond, sneaking out of the room and down the hall.

  “Everything okay?”

  The other guys waited at the door. Cai’s arms were crossed and he leaned against the door jam, his blonde hair disheveled. Seok Jheon, who’d recently dyed his hair a bright, royal blue, held onto the doorknob, and stepped inside. His eyes traveled along her exposed skin, and she suddenly realized most of her was exposed since the sheet was pushed to the end of the bed.

  “Move,” Apollo said, playfully nudging them out of the way. They used it as their excuse to come into the bedroom, perching on Ryan’s desk, on the end of the bed, or like Apollo, squatting next to the bed.

  Matisse lingered in the hallway. She smiled when she caught his eye. “I’m okay,” she told him. “I pulled one of the scrapes.”

  He walked inside, his lanky frame graceful. Leaning over Apollo, he tipped her head toward him, and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Need anything?’

  Her eyes closed when he kissed her and when she opened them, she met his full-out smug and self-satisfied grin. Her face heated and Matisse chuckled.

  “You’re welcome,” he husked.

  She laughed, and then winced. “Ouch.”

  “Move it,” Apollo told him. “Your armpit is over my head. Gross.”

  She giggled again as Apollo swept the last of the ointment over the graze. Matisse stepped back and Apollo stood.

  “Get some rest, okay?” he told her. He glanced at Ryan briefly, and then away. “I’ll see you in the morning.” He kissed her on the cheek. “I don’t trust myself to stop after one,” he whispered.

  She sighed, and then Cai was there, cupping her face in his hands and pressing a firm kiss against her mouth. “Goodnight, Nora.” He followed Apollo into the darkened hallway.

  Seok leaned over from his perch at the end of the bed. He swept her hair back from her face. He kissed to the side of her lips, first the left, then the right, before kissing the tip of her nose.

  “No more nightmares,” he told her. His voice was low and commanding, and she nodded, like she had control over her dreams and had no choice but to obey.

  “Bon soir, chère,” Matisse whispered when Seok left, giving her a lingering kiss.

  “Okay, Matisse,” Ryan huffed. “It’s my night.”

  “Sorry, friend,” he chuckled.

  Then they were alone, but Nora was suddenly exhausted. Easing his arm around her shoulders, Ryan urged her to lie back in the cradle of his arm. With his free hand, he ran the back of his hand up and down her arm. “Shirt,” he directed and she gave up tugging the shirt over the ointment. He brought it over her head and tossed it to the end of the bed, dragging the sheet over their bodies.

  He kissed her temple. “No more nightmares, Nore,” he whispered. “Not while I’m here.”

  She sighed, snuggling into him. Exhaustion overtook her and she fell asleep, safe, happy, and nightmare-free.

  First Morning

  Nora woke up before Ryan. He was perfectly still. The boy didn’t snore, he didn’t toss and turn. He was beautiful in sleep.

  Putting her hand up to her head, she realized her hair was wild. With her luck, she probably had crease marks on her face from her pillow. She rubbed her hands across her face and winced as her fingers touched a sore spot on her chin. She pressed against it, realizing what it was.

  No. She could not have a zit when she was faced with perfect/sleeping/angel/prince/model man.

  She got out of bed as quickly and as silently as she could. She opened and closed the door to his bedroom, careful to latch it closed quietly and turned to rush to the bathroom.

  “Morning.”

  She yelped and turned, holding her hand over her mouth.

  Apollo smiled at her. “I’ve been up ages, waiting for you.” He moved in to kiss her, but drew back when she kept her hand over her mouth.

  “What’s the matter?”

  She slowly withdrew her hand from her face, waiting to see if his eyes zoomed in on what was probably the largest zit ever known. He didn’t even glance down. His eyes stayed on hers and he pressed his mouth against hers. He made a little sound of happiness, and she giggled. She loved the way he made her forget about everything except being happy.

  “I need to run to the bathroom,” she said when he pulled away.

  He made a grand sweeping gesture. “I’ll be in the kitchen. Want a smoothie?”

  “Without the green stuff, please.”

  “The green stuff is good for you. You won’t even notice it.”

  She narrowed her eyes, but Apollo just smiled. “Trust me.”

  Sighing, she couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips. “Okay.”

  “Hurry up.” He did a little bounce on his toes, and then made a motion toward the bathroom.

  Nora turned around. “Okay, okay.”

  He thumped down the steps as she closed bathroom door. She flicked on the light and lifted herself up onto the bathroom counter so she could examine her face. The mass she was sure was her zit was actually only a tiny red spot near the bottom of her chin. She sighed in relief, running her fingers over it. It still hurt, but she was relieved it wasn’t as humungous she expected. She could go on with her day now, and didn’t have to hide in the shadows, hissing at anyone who tried to bring her into the sunlight.

  She snickered at the image, but then bit her lip as the previous day’s events and last night’s nightmare flooded her.

  How could she care about a zit when she’d seen a girl die yesterday?

  Brushing her teeth, she thought about the girl she’d seen throw herself out of the fifth story window at Brownington College’s psychology building. She’d met the girl in the stairwell after leaving Dr. Daniel Murray’s office. The girl was running from someone, scared out of her mind.
She hadn’t struck Nora as sane, and she hadn’t made sense when she begged her to help her.

  But Nora hadn’t cared if she was sane, and she agreed to help the frantic, helpless girl. They’d barely left the building to find a police office when the guys found them.

  They’d been searching for Nora, and when they saw her, ran toward them, frightening off the girl. A few moments later, she got herself onto the ledge of a window, swayed, and let go, plunging to the ground.

  She dabbed at her face with the hand towel and sighed. Apollo waited for her in the kitchen, she couldn’t hide in the bathroom all day. When she left, no one else seemed to be awake. Their bedroom doors were closed, and the house was quiet.

  Apollo handed her a blender bottle with a pink shake when she got downstairs. She examined it for tell-tale green bits before taking a tentative sip. Over the rim of her cup, she caught Apollo staring at her. His eyes crinkled the way they did when he was smiling as he watched for her reaction.

  Of course it was delicious.

  “Thank you,” she said after swallowing.

  His eyes moved to her lips, and he reached out, putting his shake on the counter before taking hers. Then he kissed her.

  He kissed her like he was starved for her, groaning against her mouth. He was usually so gentle with her, so careful. But not with this kiss. This was the kiss of a man who wasn’t sure he’d ever kiss her again.

  Her hands reached for his head. His hair was shorn short at the nape of his neck, his close-cropped tightly spiraled curls a little bit longer at the top. She reached up as far as she could, letting her fingers run over the top of his head and then back down to his neck.