Goddess of Pain

by Katie May

  As I move down the hall, I see Helio and Tate talking quietly in the kitchen, pouring themselves steaming cups of coffee. My breath catches as I stare at my two sexy-as-sin men.

  Tate wears the police uniform as if it was made for him. It conforms to his shapely legs and muscular torso, and if I didn’t have somewhere I had to be, I would jump his fine ass. His hair is now styled slightly to one side, due to a prank that Desmond played on him that resulted in a section of his hair being burned away. As you can probably guess, Sin helped.

  Helio wears a tight, black shirt that appears slightly too small on his larger-than-life frame. His bulging muscles flex as he brings his coffee mug to his lips and takes a slow, seductive sip. Honestly, I’m not even sure he realizes what he’s doing to me. Everything about Helio is just so fucking attractive. I smile slightly when I see the Goddess Security logo on the upper right corner of his shirt. Yeah, my man named his company after me. What has yours done, Karen?

  Both men pause their conversation when they catch sight of me.

  “Did you remember your pepper spray?” Tate demands immediately, folding his arms over his chest. I just barely resist the urge to roll my eyes.

  “Yes, Dad,” I taunt, and he grunts.

  “Shut up.”

  “Make me,” I retort immediately.

  “I can think of a few things you can use your naughty mouth for.” His eyes glimmer as he considers me from head to toe, stopping when they rest on my slightly bulging belly. I’m hoping this pregnancy will go better than the last one. That one involved a lot of crying, eating, and vomiting. Speaking of…

  The baby monitor releases a wail as our infant daughter, Holly, wakes up from her nap.

  Tate sighs and sets his mug of coffee down. “I got her.” He tries to sound grumpy, but there’s a light in his eyes that hadn’t been there prior. Tate is fucking obsessed with his kids, and he’s a pretty damn good dad. All of my husbands are. I’m so incredibly lucky I have them.

  As he passes me, he stops, kisses my lips harshly, and whispers, “Stay safe.”

  “I’m going to see my brothers and Rebecca. The worst thing that could happen is Gemma getting a papercut,” I drawl sarcastically, and Tate’s eyes actually widen in horror, as if the thought of such a menial thing happening to our daughter fills him with mind-numbing terror. Hoping to set him at ease, I kiss him once more. “I’ll be safe. Cross my heart and hope to—well, not die, obviously. Hope to live?”

  He rolls his eyes at me, but my words seem to settle him. After one more kiss, he stalks down the hall towards Holly’s nursery, leaving me alone with my sexy God of Karma.

  He eyes me over the rim of his cup. “So about that pepper spray…?”

  “You guys are ridiculous!” I huff, throwing my hands in the air. “Yes, I have the damn pepper spray!”

  “Uh oh. Mommy just said a naughty word,” Desmond jests from behind me, and I turn to see him holding hands with Gemma. His eyes sparkling with mirth, he leans forward to whisper, “Do I have to spank you later as punishment?”

  “Stop it,” I warn, swatting at his arm as a blush heats my cheeks. I don’t think that’ll ever go away. Even after all these years, even after centuries, my men have a tendency to make me blush like a schoolgirl.

  “Tell the guys and Rebecca I said hello,” Helio says pleasantly, pecking my lips. His beard scratches my skin, and my face heats even more at the memory of that same beard rubbing against the inside of my thighs the night before. One benefit of having multiple, devoted husbands—childcare. While you get your sexy on with one or two of them, the others will be on kid duty.

  “Love you!” I grip Gemma’s other hand as I rush from the kitchen. Raising my voice, so my other men can hear me, I add, “I love you all!”

  A chorus of I love yous flow down to me, and my heart swells with love. This right here is what I always wanted. I thought I would be happy with my castle and the power I wielded as queen, but that was fake compared to this. Superficial.

  “You ready?” Desmond asks, his gorgeous brown eyes shimmering in the artificial lights. I smile first at him and then at Gemma, who’s bouncing from foot to foot.

  Right here, with all of them, is exactly where I’m supposed to be.

  “Always,” I answer.

  And we’ve only just begun the beginning of the rest of our lives.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  As always, it took a team to put this book together. First, I would like to thank my family (as usual). You guys are so incredibly supportive and encouraging. I’m so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you.

  Next, I would like to thank my alphas, Ash and Kelly, and my betas, Katie, Rachel, Kerry, Haley, Angie, and Nina. This book wouldn’t be where it is today without your support and wisdom. Thank you for picking apart my book baby to make it better.

  And of course, I’ll like to thank my gang. You guys are some of the most incredible, supportive readers out there, and I’m so grateful for you guys. Seriously, your support means the world to me. I apologize in advance for my over-posting haha.

  And last but not least, I’ll like to thank you (the one currently reading this). I’m honestly not sure if anyone reads that acknowledgments, so maybe you can give me a thumbs up?

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Katie May is a reverse harem author, a KDP All-Star winner, and an internal bestselling author. She lives in West Michigan with her family and cat. When not writing, she could be found reading a good book, listening to broadway musicals, or playing games. Join Katie’s Gang to stay updated on all her releases!

  ALSO BY KATIE MAY

  Together We Fall (Apocalyptic Reverse Harem, COMPLETED)

  1. The Darkness We Crave

  2. The Light We Seek

  3. The Storm We Face

  4. The Monsters We Hunt

  Beyond the Shadows (Horror Reverse Harem, COMPLETED)

  1. Gangs and Ghosts

  2. Guns and Graveyards

  3. Gallows and Ghouls

  The Damning (Fantasy Paranormal Reverse Harem)

  1. Greed

  2. Envy

  3. Gluttony

  Prodigium Academy (Horror Comedy Academy Reverse Harem)

  1. Monsters

  2. Roaring

  Tory’s School for the Trouble (Bully Horror Academy Reverse Harem)

  1. Between

  2. Beyond (Coming Winter 2020)

  Supernaturalette (Interactive Reverse Harem)

  1. Introductions

  2. First Dates

  3. Group Outing

  CO-WRITES

  Afterworld Academy with Loxley Savage (Academy Fantasy Reverse Harem)

  1. Dearly Departed

  2. Darkness Deceives

  Her Immortal Legacy with Elena Lawson (Time Travel Paranormal Reverse Harem)

  1. Chasing Time

  STAND-ALONES

  Toxicity (Contemporary Reverse Harem)

  Blindly Indicted (Prison Reverse Harem)

  Not All Heroes Wear Capes (Just Dresses) (Short Comedic Reverse Harem)

  Charming Devils (Bully/Revenge Reverse Harem)

  CHARMING DEVILS

  Sneak Peek of Charming Devils, coming this Halloween!

  Blurb:

  Five years ago, they made my life a living hell. They teased me, abused me, and called me a witch.

  Little did they know…

  Now, I’m back for my senior year of high school. New hair, new style, new personality. I’ll no longer be the weird girl hiding in the shadows. Instead, I’ll embrace all of my darkness.

  The goal?

  Revenge on the boys—the men—who bullied me. The football star, the musician, the bad boy, and the class president. I’ll make them pay for what they did to me.

  One spell at a time.

  Buckle up, boys and girls. You’re not going to like me by the time this book ends. I never said I’m the hero of the story, did I? I’m just a crazy bitch with a voodoo doll.

  Pre-order here!r />
  SNEAK PEEK

  There’s a distinct difference between the California air and Michigan’s. For one, it’s not nearly as humid, despite being the end of August. For two, it feels almost...cleaner. Less industrialized.

  I stare out my window at the busy tourist town. Behind sun-kissed stands, Lake Michigan spreads as far as the eye can see. The sunlight glimmers on the serene surface, making it appear as if it’s constructed out of thousands of diamonds. Families are happily playing in the water, sunbathing on the land, and moving from food stand to food stand. The entire atmosphere evokes feelings of love and joy.

  “I’ve forgotten how beautiful this place is,” I whisper, pressing my face against the car window.

  “Just wait until it snows,” my driver, Charles, exclaims with a snort. “It won’t be beautiful then.”

  “I love the snow.” Absently, I lift my finger and trace the outline of a happy family relaxing beneath an umbrella. The wife is sunbathing, a paperback forgotten on her chest. The husband is building sandcastles with two little girls, their faces alight with happiness.

  What must it be like to be that carefree? That happy? To know you are loved? Sure, this family probably has some demons—as we all do—but I can’t ignore the pang of jealousy that spears me as I watch them.

  It isn’t long until they’re completely out of sight.

  I can tell when we leave the tourist hotspot. The once congregated buildings begin to space out until we’re surrounded completely by fields. Interspersed are magnificent country ranches.

  “Has Mother called yet?” I ask, turning away from the rolling landscape to face Charles completely. In the rearview mirror, I see his face pinch and eyes shadow over. I know what he’s going to say even before he says it.

  “No. I’m sorry, Miss Peony.”

  I swallow down the bitter disappointment, focusing once more on the landscape. We drive through what appears to be a downtown area with cobblestone streets, quaint shops and restaurants, and numerous benches.

  “You can’t run from me forever,” a cold voice shouted as my footsteps pounded against the asphalt of the street. Up above, I spotted the bright lights of Mama’s House, the local diner.

  Just a little farther…

  “Found you,” he whispered in my ear.

  I pull myself out of the memories that threaten to drag me under and consume me. Vigorously shaking my head, I shove them in a steel casket and bury it miles beneath the surface, never to be seen or heard from again.

  As we drive out of town, I begin paying closer attention to my surroundings. The family-owned grocery store in desperate need of repair. The dog park with rusted fences and precariously tilting steel benches.

  High Groves Middle School.

  My eyes narrow at the unassuming brick building as the car passes it. I know, logically, that I’ll now be attending the high school across town, but I can’t stop the stab of hate and anger that bombards me.

  “Your nana is expecting you,” Charles says conversationally. “She set up a room for you in the attic.”

  “She didn’t have to do that,” I murmur awkwardly, anxiously chewing on my lower lip. I haven’t seen Nana in years, and I can’t deny the flicker of self-consciousness that reverberates through me.

  We pull up in front of wrought iron gates, and Charles steps out of the car to manually open them. I attempt to peer around the boughs of trees, desperate to catch a glimpse of my childhood home.

  It’s only when Charles enters the car once more and begins to drive up the curving driveway, do I see the gothic mansion nestled snugly in the middle of a secluded forest.

  It’s four stories high with numerous gables and turrets. Two gargoyles perch on the roof, their stone faces sending pinpricks of fear racing down my spine. The brown paint on the walls is faded in some spots, though I can’t decide if it’s from inconsistent weather or vandalism. Leaves cover the front steps and porch, already turning hues of orange and brown.

  My memories of this place depict it as being grand and elegant, plucked straight out of a fairytale. Was I really that blind to the desolate home towering before me?

  “Can I help you with your bags?” Charles asks, already hurrying around the car to open my door for me. His face is weathered by age, deep lines down both his cheeks and around his eyes. When he walks, his back bunches over, almost as if there’s a weight pressing down on the middle of his spine.

  “I got it,” I say immediately. “Thank you, Charles.” He smiles, showcasing his crooked teeth, and I feel my own lips curve upwards instinctively. Charles has quickly become a fixture in my life. It’s going to be hell saying goodbye to him.

  I grab my single duffel bag and sling it over my shoulder. The rest of my belongings had been sent over earlier.

  The pathway leading up to the house is bogged down with weeds, and the air smells like grass and garbage.

  Still, there’s a skip to my step that hadn’t been there prior as I rap my knuckles against the front door. Charles steps up beside me and offers me a reassuring smile. I relish in the wrinkled curve of his lips and the sparkle in his eyes—it makes me feel braver, stronger, capable of doing what I’d set out to do in the first place.

  Taking another deep, ragged breath, I pound on the door a second time. After a moment of prolonged silence, I hear the patter of footsteps and the jangle of bracelets.

  “Peony!” a raspy voice says, even before the door is fully opened. “I wasn’t expecting you for at least a couple more hours.”

  “Mom decided to send me off earlier,” I reply dryly. Correction: she had practically thrown me out of the house.

  The door opens the rest of the way, and I get my first good look at Nana—otherwise known as Cardinal Simone. Her naturally gray hair has been dyed a bright violet, the curls cascading to the middle of her back. Despite her age, she has no wrinkles on her face. The only indication that she’s above forty is the wisdom emanating from her muddy brown eyes. She wears a silky floral robe over a translucent nightgown, and I quickly look away before I can see something I’ll never be able to unsee.

  “Nana…” I murmur just as footsteps resonate from behind her. A moment later, three handsome young men—triplets, more than likely—begin pawing at my grandmother. One of them kisses her neck while the other cups her breasts. The final one tilts her chin to the side to kiss her lips. All of them are heavily muscular with chestnut brown hair and emerald green eyes. They look to be in their mid-twenties, younger than Nana by over forty years.

  And they’re also butt ass naked.

  “Not now, my pets,” Nana coos, slapping one of them on the ass. “I have my granddaughter over to visit me.”

  “For fuck’s sake…” I curse, diverting my attention towards a hanging plant. Charles’s face is beet red as he focuses on his feet.

  “I’ll just be...um...going...Miss Peony,” he stutters, finally raising his head to meet my gaze. There’s a question emitting in his eyes, one he doesn’t dare say out loud.

  “I’ll be fine,” I assure him softly, pulling him into a tight embrace. Fuck, I’m going to miss the old man. A lot. I might actually cry—which is an oddity by itself, considering the fact I haven’t cried since middle school.

  “Call me if you need anything,” he whispers in my ear. “Anything at all. Someone to talk to. Someone to listen to you. Even just someone to raise your spirits.”

  “I will,” I promise, rubbing his back.

  With great reluctance, I force myself to step away from the man who has been more like a father to me than my own has. I’m stunned to see tears in his eyes, but he blinks them away before I can comment.

  “I need to go back to your mother,” he announces, already turning back towards the sleek car still idling in the driveway. “Call me when you settle in.”

  “Will do.” I lift my hand in a cheery wave as he begins to back out of the driveway. “Be safe!”

  I watch him until he disappears in the twisting landscape of maples an
d oaks. The farther away he gets, the more it feels as if my heart is physically crumbling into thousands of pieces.

  “I always liked Charles,” Nana says, seemingly oblivious to the men lathering her body with attention. With a roll of her eyes, she grips the hair of one of the men and pushes him away. He collapses onto his ass, eyes blinking rapidly as if coming out of a daze. “Enough. This isn’t appropriate behavior for my granddaughter to see.”

  “You don’t fucking say,” I mumble.

  “Ignore them,” Nana whispers conspiratorially. “They’re just a bunch of horny dogs.” Despite her crude words, she stares at them fondly, almost reverently. “That’s Polo, Christian, and Gabriel,” she introduces, gesturing to each one.

  “Um...hi?” Because, really, how else am I supposed to greet my grandmother’s much younger boyfriends?

  “Pleasure to meet you!” The one she introduced as Christian exclaims, extending a hand. All I can do is eye the proffered limb warily. Heaven only knows what he used it for.

  “Peony,” I answer, lifting my suitcase helplessly in the air as an excuse not to shake his hand.

  Polo, standing beside Christian, smiles warmly and offers me a nod, but Gabriel merely glares and grunts. Oh, boy.

  “Let me show you your room.” Nana—in her usual dramatic fashion—sashays away from her lovers and towards a grand staircase situated in the center of the parlor. She pauses abruptly and raises one gray brow. “Are you coming?”

  With a huff, I begin to trudge after her—ignoring Christian’s offer to carry my suitcase—and my eyes devour the ostentatious interior greedily.

  The walls display a hint of color, now faded with time—ghostly mosaics and shredded paintings propped over the pale, orchid-colored walls. Tall marble vases dot the ceramic-tiled floor, each holding clenched buds withering in their bug-riddled refuse and overgrown grass. A five-tiered chandelier hangs from the ceiling, covered in a fine layer of dust. From what I can see, there are no televisions or any modern electronic appliances.