by Beck, J. L.
Getting back on the bed, I move between her legs. Her pussy is swollen and dripping with come, my come. Satisfaction, like I’ve never felt before, fills my chest.
“Please. Please, make me come. Don’t tease me, Easton. I’m sorry for what I did. I promise it wasn’t intentional. I didn’t betray you.” I know she means every word she says, and it’s then that I choose to let go of my anger toward her. I want her too much to hold onto that anger.
With two fingers, I enter her swollen cunt, my cock hardening as I feel her muscles flutter and tense around my fingers. Using my other hand, I trail it up her stomach and then her chest, wrapping my fingers around her throat once I reach it. She peers up at me, so innocently, it almost fractures a piece of my black heart.
She lifts her hips and bites her bottom lip as pleasure threatens to swallow her whole. The handcuffs clink together as she tugs on them. Her whole body squirming beneath my touch as she falls off the cliff’s edge, my fingers continue moving in and out of her come-filled pussy.
“I’m coming…” She sighs, confirming what I already knew. Her eyes fall closed, and she shudders and gushes her release on my hand and the sheets. All I can do is smile at the feeling that giving her pleasure brings me. With my fingers wrapped around her throat, I give her a gentle squeeze, forcing her eyes to open.
“Leave us again, and I’ll kill you myself…” I growl, staring deeply into her gray eyes. Gray eyes that have ensnared my black heart. She nods her head in understanding, and I release her. Grabbing the key from the nightstand, I uncuff her quickly. She tugs her hands down and turns onto her side with her eyes closed.
Moving away from the bed. I stare down at her, and all I can think is mine.
All. Fucking. Mine.
* * *
After cleaning her up, Stella falls asleep on the bed. I pull the blanket up and over her body, so she doesn’t get cold before I pull on a pair of boxers and walk out into the kitchen. I find the broom and dustpan and sweep up the broken glass from the kitchen floor. God knows if Cameron walks in the door right now, he’ll think the worst.
Finished with cleaning up, I make sure there aren’t any pieces of glass that linger and then pop a pizza into the oven for Stella and me. Just as I’m pulling it out of the oven, Cam walks through the door. He eyes me cautiously, taking note of my nearly naked body, and it’s obvious who he is looking for.
“Where is she?”
“Handcuffed to the bed,” I grin.
“Easton,” he growls, “you promised you wouldn’t hurt her.” He heads toward my bedroom, and I follow behind him.
“I didn’t, and I was kidding. I uncuffed her before leaving the room,” I say as he pushes the door open. His gaze widens when he finds Stella completely tanked, snoring happily against the sheets.
“You fucked her?” He turns to me, a slight grin on his lips.
“I sure did, and I feel ten times better. I should have just fucked her yesterday, would have saved me a sleepless night.”
“You should have, but your head got in the way. Glad you finally came to your senses.”
“I don’t know if this is having sense. I feel like the opposite like I’ve lost my mind. I can’t really explain it, but she’s got this hold on me. She makes me feel, and I can’t let her go. I just can’t.” Cameron nods his head, and I know he understands. Every day that we surround ourselves with her is another day that we fall deeper into our feelings.
“Do you think it’s possible to love something that was never meant to be yours?” Cam asks as he pulls the door closed.
“You’re wrong. She was always meant to be ours, that much is true.”
58
Stella
The tension between Easton and I seeps away, and I feel closer to both guys, closer than I’ve ever felt. My feelings for them are still hard to digest, and Easton’s confession to me the other day has made them even harder to sink in. Being with them is wrong, but it also feels completely right.
“Leave us again, and I’ll kill you myself…” The words haunt me like a never-ending nightmare. Would he do it? Part of me believes he would since I know how insane he is, but part of me questions his ability to let go of his feelings for me. I know he cares about me. I know our connection is deeper, so I know it wouldn’t be that easy for him to give me up or shut off his emotions. He wants me to believe that he doesn’t want me, but I know better. I might be naive, but I’m not stupid.
With Easton at class, Cameron and I have the entire house to ourselves. We spend most of the morning in bed, cuddling, which is a nice change. Having two men care for you is the best of both worlds. One is kind, sweet, and completely swoonworthy, while the other makes your pulse pound. Easton is demanding, possessive, and alpha as fuck. Where Cam gives, Easton takes, and I’m simply stuck in the middle of their insane push and pull.
“What are you thinking about?” Cam asks as he traces his fingers over my skin. It’s nearly one, and I haven’t managed to do a single thing today. It’s nice, but I feel guilty because I’m here enjoying a day of peace while Grams is still in that damn hospital.
I consider lying to him, but I know he’ll know if I lie. There’s this strange connection between the three of us, and sometimes I think they know me better than I know myself.
“Grams. I miss her,” I reply honestly.
“It’s been a couple of days since you saw her last, maybe you should go and visit her?” I pull away to look at his face, just to make sure I’m hearing him clearly.
“Did you just offer to let me leave?” I can’t stop my lips from turning up into a grin.
“Believe it or not, I do trust you. I believed you when you told me you only left to help Grams. I’m not Easton. I’m possessive, and you’re mine, but I don’t want to dull out your light or break you, Stella.”
And Easton does? I want to ask but don’t.
“Are you sure he won’t get mad that you let me leave? You’re a team.”
Cam’s face turns serious, and he cups me by the cheek, his touch so gentle, it’s almost strange to want that kindness.
“Make no mistake of who we are together. We make decisions as a team, and we share you completely in every way. Easton’s opinion matters, but letting you see your grams isn’t going to hurt us. You haven’t told anyone or caused any real trouble, so you deserve a reward. This is my gift to you.”
Without thinking, I lean into him and press my lips against his firm full ones. His eyes light up, and he seems just as shocked by the kiss as I am. I’ve never gone out of my way to kiss either of them, but as my feelings change, my need for them deepens. I never used to need their touch, their words, or to be possessed by them, but now it feels like a part of me dies when they aren’t there.
“Thank you,” I whisper against his lips as I pull away.
“You’re welcome, now leave before I change my mind and take you into my bed and ravage you until neither of us can do anything but breathe.”
The thought sends goosebumps across my skin but seeing Grams outweighs my ever-growing arousal. I dig through the box of clothes Easton had someone bring for me. He said her name is Willow and that she goes to school with the guys. I can’t help but wonder if that’s the same Willow I met in the cafeteria.
He emphasized her not being one of his ex-girlfriends, which, of course, was my first thought. All the clothes in here are very nice and very expensive looking, which I am definitely not used to, but I won’t lie and say I’m not excited about wearing them.
“We’ll take you shopping this weekend so you can pick out your own clothes,” Cameron says from the bed, watching me get dressed.
“This is like the nicest stuff I’ve ever worn, so I am perfectly fine with these,” I admit and motion to the box. Cam’s smile fades a little bit, almost like he is sad for me. What he doesn’t understand is that I never really cared about having money for clothes, all I wanted was for Grams to be safe and happy.
I move away from him and head for the
foyer. I’ve only made it a couple feet when he comes up behind me.
“Be back by eight, and I mean it. I don’t want to have to go out and find you, and you definitely don’t want Easton to have to find you.” He winks, but the thought makes me shiver.
“Got it,” I reply, the heaviness in my chest lifting a little. Cameron is giving me a slice of freedom, and I won’t let him down. I’ll be good.
With a kiss to the forehead, he lets me leave, and I all but skip from the house. I take the short bus ride to the hospital downtown, my new jacket keeping me warm as I walk from the bus to the hospital entrance.
Just like last time, I wait up front for someone to come and get me. When the same guy from last time greets me, I can’t help but frown, even though he smiles.
“Good to see you, your grandma is doing so much better now,” he explains, and my mood brightens up in seconds.
“She is?” I ask, almost scared he is just being a sarcastic asshole.
“Yes, follow me. She has been asking about you non-stop.” He leads me to the closed wing, and I follow eagerly. We head the same way as last time, but when we get to the room Grams was in, he continues walking.
“She got moved,” he explains before I can ask the question out loud.
“Where to?”
“A nicer room,” is all he offers in response. My heart skips a beat, Cameron kept his word, he must have done something to have her moved.
We turn the corner and walk through another door into a different corridor, and immediately I notice the difference between the two halls. The walls are painted a nice pastel color instead of the dreadful hospital white. There are pictures hanging on the walls, and even the doors and floors are nicer. In fact, the place feels and starts to look more homey.
“Right here, this one,” he stops and opens a door for me, and as soon as I stick my head inside, I see Grams. She is sitting on a rocking chair by the window, knitting something. She looks up at me, and her whole face lights up. Instantly, I’m reminded of home, of how things used to be, and I wish I could turn back the clock and be there that day, instead of out job searching.
“Stella, there you are.” She smiles widely.
I all but run to her, closing the distance between us in three long strides. Wrapping my arms around her, I bury my face into the crook of her neck. Even in this place, her scent hasn’t changed. She still smells like lilacs, like my Grams. Her slender arms come around me, and she pats me gently on the back. When I pull away, I study her face to see if she’s fully here this time.
“I missed you, Grams,” I tell her wholeheartedly.
“No reason to miss me, child. I’m right here,” she smiles, all the heartache from last time I was here forgotten. The image of Grams tied to the bed is banished from my mind for good. I refuse to think about her in that situation.
We spend the next hour simply sitting together, enjoying each other’s company. We talk a little, but most of the time, I just watch her knit. It seems to be therapeutic for both of us. I’m so relaxed and zoned out I almost don’t notice when my phone starts buzzing in my pocket.
I pull it out and read the text that appears on the screen.
Katie: Want to meet up for coffee and catch up?
Staring at the screen for a long second, I contemplated my response. The idea of hanging out with someone other than Easton, Cam, or even Grams is tempting. I haven’t had a friend to talk to in a long time, and god knows I could use one now.
My fingers hover over the buttons as I imagine myself typing out a yes response. Cam and Easton wouldn’t mind, would they? It’s just coffee, and we are over the whole trust issue, right?
“What’s eating you?” Grams asks out of nowhere, not even looking up from her knitting.
“Oh, nothing, just worried about you. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to visit much.”
“You can stay, sweetie, you don’t have to go to school today, right?” Once again, I’m reminded that Grams is still lost in the past, and I’ll never be able to reach her there. I’m moving forward, and she’s forever stuck in the past.
“I have to go, but I’ll be back soon. I promise.” Grams doesn’t even frown, in fact, she smiles. Before I give her a hug, I type out a response to Katie, asking if she wants to meet up at the coffee place around the corner.
Giving Grams a hug, I shove my phone back into my pocket and give her a tiny wave. As I walk out of the hospital, I realize that for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel guilty leaving Grams alone. Because she isn’t alone. She is taken care of now, and that alone is a huge burden off my chest. I hate thinking about it that way because she isn’t supposed to be a burden, and she isn’t.
It’s just the responsibility that always weighs down on me. The need to keep her safe, the worry that something might happen to her because I wasn’t there. This feeling is absent now, and I know who I have to thank for that. Thinking about them, I know I have to make sure they know where I am. Pulling out my phone, I pull up Cam’s number and send him a text telling him where I’m going and that I am still going to be home at eight as promised.
I walk into the coffee shop and get in line at the counter. Overwhelmed by the oversized menu, I’m not sure what to order, so I end up getting a coffee with cream and sugar. I dig around my wallet to find my emergency five dollar bill stuffed behind my ID. I usually don’t touch that unless it’s a true emergency, but lately, I’m in a constant state of emergency anyway, so I think a coffee will be just fine.
As I’m sitting down at a table near the window, Katie walks in. She waves at me and gets her own drink at the counter before coming to sit by me.
“Hey, girl, I’ve been worried about you,” is the first thing out of her mouth. I try and hide my puzzled expression from her.
“Hey. Why have you been worried?” I ask as she settles into the seat across from me.
She shrugs. “You left so suddenly the other night, and we didn’t hear from you again. Plus, you left with Cameron and Easton, and those two are known to be trouble.”
“Oh, really?” I pretend like I don’t have a clue what she’s talking about. “As you can see, I’m fine. Sorry to have worried you.”
“Are you still staying in that motel?”
“No… I’m staying… uhhh, somewhere else now.”
Katie nods, and purses her lips, “As long as it’s not with Cameron and Easton, I’ll be happy for you.”
A mixture of jealousy and anger swirls around in my stomach. Jealousy because Katie knows them, and I’m guessing it’s from the strip club and anger because of the way she talks about them. In my head, I know she is right, Cam and Easton are trouble, big huge trouble. Still, I know she’s just being a good friend and watching out for me, but I can’t help but feel protective about them, which is ridiculous if I think about it.
“So, where are you staying now?” She questions, and for some reason, it feels like I’m being interrogated. Why does she care so much about where I’m staying? Or if I’m hanging out with Cameron and Easton. It’s none of her business.
“Oh no, you are staying with them.” Horror fills her features.
“I am,” I admit, feeling ashamed, even though I shouldn’t. I don’t owe her an excuse.
“Why? How do you even know them?” My mouth pops open at her question. Crap, what am I going to tell her? I watched them kill someone in the alley behind the cafeteria? Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to fly.
“She used to work on campus,” a familiar voice interrupts, making my head snap up. My tongue feels heavy in my mouth when I see that Cameron is standing behind me, an angry scowl painted on his handsome face. Right now, he looks like the devil, and I’m seconds away from being banished to hell.
“Oh, hey, Cam,” Katie smiles, fakeness oozing from every pore on her body. “Are you going to join us for a coffee?”
“No, thanks. We’re leaving, now.” His words are clipped, and I don’t understand why he is so mad. I told him where I w
as going. Granted, I didn’t tell him who I was seeing, I don’t think that matters, so long as I’m not with any other men. “Come on, Stella.” He grabs me by the arm and pulls me up and onto my feet.
Confusion morphs into anger, and I feel like a small child being scolded. I chew the inside of my cheek to stop myself from lashing out. Without saying another word, he drags me out of the coffee shop and down the sidewalk.
The wind whips through my hair, and I dig my feet into the concrete in an effort to slow him down. I’ve never seen him so angry. His grasp tightens, and I wince, my wrist throbbing where he holds it.
“I didn’t do anything,” I growl once we finally reach the car. I’m still shocked to see him so angry. I don’t understand what I’ve done, and I’m tired of being quiet.
“Right now, would be a good fucking time for you to keep your mouth shut.” His tone of voice is frightening as he releases me and opens the door. His brown eyes which are usually filled with mischief or joy brim with burning rage.
Why is he so mad?
I want to push him, beg him to tell me why, but I’m afraid that if I stick my neck out on the chopping block, he’ll cut it off.
“Get in the car, Stella, because if I have to put you in it, it isn’t going to be a good experience for you.” Impatience drips from his lips, and against my better judgment, I climb into the car. I mean, where the hell would I go anyway? How would I pay for Grams to stay in the hospital? It’s a lose, lose situation for me. I was damned from the very beginning.
The entire drive home Cam white knuckles the steering wheel, his impeccable jaw is clenched so tight, I can practically see his control slipping. I huddle against the door of the car, anger, and fear pumping through my veins at an accelerated rate. It feels like I’m on the edge of a cliff, hanging on by the tips of my fingers.
We drive in silence until we pull up to the house. When I see Easton’s car in the driveway, I start to get really worried. If Cam is this mad, how mad is Easton going to be? A knot forms in my stomach, and my throat closes up, making it hard to swallow.