by Tl Reeve
“We’re not done talking yet.” Zane grabbed her wrist, stilling her. The subtle pull of magical energy brushed against his wolf.
“I said, no,” she replied. Magic slammed into his chest. If she realized what she'd done, she didn't give any outward acknowledgment.
“Fine, then give me one dance,” he said.
Her brown eyes sizzled with anger. But the scent of curiosity along with the edge of excitement swirling around him mixed with lust and wariness. She sized him up. Her gaze caressed every inch of him, from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.
“One dance,” she said. “Then we'll forget this ever happened, and we’ll go about our normal lives.”
There was nothing normal about their lives. Never would be. But, he relented to her stipulation for the time being. “Whatever you say, Jamie.”
“Fine,” she replied, after letting out a breath. She slid her trembling fingers across his palm. “You should know, I suck at dancing.”
“Don't worry about it. You'll do great. I have faith in you.”
“Yeah, well, I'll probably step on your toes the whole time,” she mumbled.
“Won't bother me none. You can't hurt me.” Zane led her onto the dance floor when the music slowed to a Texas Waltz. “This is simple. Once you know the moves, there's no way to mess it up.”
“Says the man who has no regards for his feet.” She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and glanced down at her feet. “Lead the way.”
Zane wrapped his arm around her waist and a zap of electricity shot through him. Her gasp went straight to his crotch, causing his shaft to twitch. Damn. “Easy, I've got you.”
The country twang filled the bar, and Zane moved. “Forward... two... three. Back... two... three. Spin to the side... two... three. There you go, you've got it.”
He led her around the floor, and when he caught the heated gaze of his lover, he lifted his chin and motioned for him to join them.
“I can't believe I'm doing this.”
Zane chuckled as he twirled her around. When Cian came up behind them, he nodded. “You're doing great. Let's try something a little different.”
“Oh? What?”
“You'll see,” he hedged.
Cian laid his hands on her hips. Her eyes went wide as she whispered, “Zane, who’s touching me?”
“Cian,” he answered. “Go with it. We're having fun.”
“I don't know about this.”
“Don't think, sweetheart,” Cian said. “Enjoy it.”
They swayed together, Cian guiding her hips as the music continued to play. Zane gazed up at his lover whose hooded eyes blazed with lust. Sandwiched with her between them, their scents mingled, becoming a heady mix. It took all of his willpower to not do something stupid. Like strip them bare and stake his claim.
Cian winked at Zane. “You're a quick study, Jamie.”
“Um... thanks, I think.” Her eyes stayed locked on her feet.
“Eyes here,” Zane said, lifting her chin.
She licked her lips as she stared up at him. Desire filled those doe-eyes of hers. A pink blush tinged her cheeks and chest, drawing his attention back to the swells of her breasts peeking out from the vee-neck of her sweater.
Cian leaned forward and brushed his lips over Zane's, and he lost it. Claiming his lover's lips, they stopped in the middle of the dance floor. He skimmed the curve of her ass with his hand, palming the lush flesh. Her startled squeak only amped up the need coursing through him. When he broke the kiss, he looked down at Jamie and grinned. “Your turn, sweetheart.”
Zane bent his head and captured her lips at the same moment Cian pressed his lips to her neck. She tasted of everything right in the world—honey with a kick. Their tongues tangled together. He devoured her, swallowing the soft moan she let loose. His heart pounded. Instead of pulling back, he deepened the kiss, demanding so much more from her than his lover. Cian sucked on her collarbone then ran his tongue up the column of her neck. Fuck, this could get more out of control than he intended, especially in public.
Jamie jerked away from both of them with a startled cry. “This is a mistake. Leave me alone, Zane. This should have never happened.” She pushed past both of them, leaving Zane to stare after her.
“That went well, I'd say,” Cian quipped, adjusting himself.
“Damn it,” Zane cursed. “I'll be right back. She shouldn't be alone.”
Zane followed behind her, making sure to keep some distance between them. No use spooking her more than she already seemed to be. Jamie pushed through the main front doors of the bar and stumbled. The cool night air rushed into the smoky, warm bar. He could only imagine what she thought at the moment, especially since he had kissed Cian and then, they had kissed her together. He’d pushed her too hard. Dammit, he wanted both of his mates something fierce.
My mates.
She would complete the Trinity, he had no doubt about it. He gave a quick nod to a couple of his pack members as he exited the bar. Zane scanned the area for Jamie and found her almost immediately. She was bracing that sweet ass of hers against the brick wall of the bar taking slow even breaths. He smelled her fear first. Then her confusion, and still, a hint of her arousal. Shit. When he decided to take a step farther than he should, he hadn't been thinking. Well... he had been thinking, just not with his brain.
“Jamie?” He eased towards her, holding out his hands in surrender. The urge to wrap her in his arms overwhelmed him when her panicked-filled gaze met his. “Are you okay? Talk to me.”
“N-n-no.” Jamie pushed away from her resting place. Her hand shook as she pushed her hair out of her face.
A range of emotions flashed across her face. Fear, panic, desire, but no disgust at what she had witnessed in the bar. He wondered if she was even aware of how she displayed her emotions so openly. “I think we should talk.”
Power radiated from her, especially when the three of them were connected. Zane felt the spark that flowed through his body and knew their little mate would rival all the witches in the coven they protected.
“Jamie?” Zane couldn’t allow her to retreat anymore, the wolf within him growled, demanding she stay put. It was dark and late, and it appeared after the kind of day he’d had, there was a murderer on the loose.
“I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that—” Jamie gestured toward the door of the bar. “Was borderline molestation.” A slight groan escaped her lips, and her cheeks flushed red.
“Nah, I’d call it dancing.” Thankfully, he had been successful at pushing back his wolf. Jamie gave a very unladylike snort while peering around him. He suspected she was looking for Cian. “Cian stayed inside. It's just me.”
“I believe your version of dancing and mine differ.” She pushed off the brick wall and attempted to dart past him, but Zane captured her upper arm in a firm, yet gentle grip. He'd say his piece and then allow her to go on her way—with additional protection. But, for that moment, she didn't need to know it.
“Let me go. Please.” Her voice wobbled, and her gaze fell to her feet.
Zane loosened his grip but didn't let go of her. “Eyes on me.” He used a tone he’d saved for the wayward wolves of his pack. “I only need a second to explain.” Zane struggled to soften his tone this time, something he wasn't used to doing. As Alpha, his word was law within the pack and coven. He'd never had to temper his voice or his responses before, but he did now. For her. “You need to be careful, especially alone at night. It's not safe, someone has been hunting witches.”
“Witches?” Confusion laced her voice. “What are you talking about? Witches don't exist. They are pure folklore.” Jamie surprised him when she jerked her arm out of his grip and scurried past him. She waved at one of the waiting cabs then opened the door. In less than a minute, she was gone.
Zane shook his head; this mating shit was turning out to be harder then he thought. He grabbed his phone out of his back pocket then scrolled through the contacts until he found Blake, one of
his deputies. He hit the green button and waited. When the guy answered, Zane, explained the situation.
“Shit, boss,” Blake muttered. “What’s her address, and I’ll go sit on her.”
Zane breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks.” He gave Blake her address plus all the pertinent information.
“Got it. I’ll check in when I arrive on scene.”
“I appreciate it.” Zane hung up his phone then strode back into the bar. The night wasn’t even a quarter of the way over, and Cian would need his help—and his attention.
Thankfully, the cab ride home took less than ten minutes. After paying the driver, Jamie slammed the cab door a little harder than necessary and took off for the front steps of her apartment. She ignored her ringing cell phone for the fifth time, not caring if it went to voicemail. She should have turned the damn thing off. But, by the time she got into the taxi, all she'd been able to do was close her eyes. She was at her wit’s end with the people in this forsaken town—more specifically Zane and his matchmaking sister, Ava.
A groan of frustration passed her lips. Her damn keys were in her purse, and for the life of her, she couldn’t find them. Which universal deity did I piss off, to have this shitty of a day? ‘All of them’ had to be the correct answer. Finally. She wrapped her fingers around the cool metal. Jamie retrieved the keys from her bag then unlocked the door. She hadn't realized how hard she was shaking until the jangle of metal hitting metal caught her attention. Why or what from, she couldn’t say with certainty, other than kissing Zane—seeing Zane kiss Cian, had been extremely erotic and turned her on.
Every ounce of her wanted what Zane and Cian offered. The idea of being so vulnerable with both men scared the shit out of her. It also felt, right. Like she was finally home. Being in their arms settled a part of her broken, well, everything. Heart. Soul. It didn’t matter. Then, he ripped all possibility away from her when he spoke of witchcraft and her being a witch.
Did she have ‘I’m an easy target,’ tattooed on her forehead and she didn’t know it? Jamie closed the door behind her and sank to the floor. Tonight, had been a mistake. She should have brushed Ava off like always and stayed in.
“Witches, my ass,” she grumbled. “There are no such things.”
Her phone rang again, and she had every intention of ignoring it. When it stopped once more, she stood. She could spend the rest of the night sitting with her back to the door acting like a mopey ass, or she could do something else, like sleep. As she gathered her things, the annoying ringtone she’d assigned for Ava began. Damn it, is no one going to leave me alone?
Jamie slid her finger across the screen. “What?”
“Where did you go?” Trepidation filled Ava’s voice. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Home.” Jamie pushed back the guilt nipping at her sub-conscience.
“Home? But why? It took me weeks to get you to come with me, then you ditch me in under an hour.”
“I'm sorry. It got a little...” Intense? Sexual? What could she actually tell Ava? “Too much for me.” Not exactly a lie. The combination of having Zane pressed to the front of her body and Cian pressed against her back, was in fact too much for her to handle. “I'll make it up to you. We'll go someplace else. Just not Mass Hysteria.”
“Why not Mass Hysteria?” Ava prodded.
“It makes me a little mass hysterical,” Jamie muttered.
Ava’s laugher surprised her, and she couldn't stop the smile that formed on her lips. “It’s my brother, right?” She sighed. “I should have been a better friend. Let’s get together for lunch, and this time we’ll stay away from the bar. Okay?”
“Perfect.” The more distance Jamie put between her, Zane and Cian, the better. “I'm really tired, Ava. I need to go to bed.”
“I understand.” When Ava didn’t say anything else, Jamie pulled the phone away from her ear. “Wait, James!”
“Yeah?” She narrowed her eyes.
“Whatever my brother said to you tonight, don’t... you know, be too hard on him.”
Jamie scrunched up her face. “Uh... sure, whatever you say, Ava. Night.” Before her friend could say anymore, she hung up. Don’t be too hard on him? What in the world?
Not tonight, Jamie. You need to sleep this one off and start fresh tomorrow. Besides, tomorrow is shopping day. Instead of the usual excitement she experienced, dread filled her. What if she ran into Zane or worse, Cian?
Stop torturing yourself.
Still easier said than done.
She climbed into bed after changing into her favorite pajamas then went through her nightly routine. Even though it was only nine and she had a stack of books on her bedside table she could read to occupy her time, she didn’t choose one. Her brain had only one mode for the foreseeable future—sleep.
Unfortunately, sleep didn't come as quickly as she hoped it would have. Instead, she tossed and turned while images of shared kisses between her, Cian, and Zane played through her head over and over again. Watching Cian and Zane had been thrilling. It had both scared her and excited her at the same time. Her sex ached. Her nipples were hard, and a tingle of powerful arousal zinged through her body. She’d never experienced anything like it before. The surge of electricity that went through her body when Zane's lips touched hers had been the tip of the orgasmic ice burg. She’d melted into both men’s arms the minute Cian sucked on the sensitive flesh of her neck then scored it with his teeth.
Jamie shifted on the bed yet again. She clenched her thighs together, trying without success to ease the throbbing need building within her. It was going to be a long night, no doubt. Why did Zane have to ruin it with his crazy talk? Why did she have to run away?
Jamie got out of bed early the next morning after a very restless night. She'd gotten a measly three hours of sleep if that much because she’d never been able to get comfortable. She needed a shower and some coffee, in no particular order. After she turned on her coffee maker, she made her way to her bathroom. Her dreams were a jumbled mess of impressions she didn't understand or could make sense of. She figured it had something to do with her riotous emotions and the fact she’d shared an intimate moment with two men she'd been trying to avoid.
She turned on the water then stared her reflection. The purple smudges under her eyes and the dullness in her eyes were common for her since Mary’s death. When she did sleep, it’d been nightmares. But her dreams had shifted, and she didn’t understand. She should have been happy not seeing her friend dead, laying under a yellow tarp several times a night. Jamie blew out a breath and stripped out of her pajamas before stepping under the spray.
The warm water of the spray perked her up slightly. It knocked some of the cobwebs from her addled brain. She washed her hair first then scrubbed herself clean. By the time she got out of the tub, she felt more like herself. After dressing, she made some coffee and checked her emails. She’d signed up for a few newsletters when she went on her expeditions. Salem always had something going on, and with Halloween so close, she couldn’t wait to see all of the activities the town had planned. She sipped on the hot brew while waiting for her laptop to load. It might be old, but it was hers. Today was all about forgetting what happened the night before. She had stores to visit, so she could make her bare apartment a home, and one new historical site to visit as well.
When she was finished her coffee, she shut down her computer. All of the planned activities would begin in a week’s time, and she’d marked several she wanted to experience. On the way out the door, she grabbed her purse and keys. She wouldn’t allow anyone to mess up her day—at least it’d been what she said to herself until she saw the sheriff’s vehicle parked along the curb outside her apartment.
Jamie squared her shoulders and walked right up to the car. “Can I help you?”
“No, ma'am,” the deputy answered.
“Is there an issue at the complex then?” Paranoia filled her.
“No, ma'am,” he replied.
“Then can I ask
what you're doing outside my apartment?” Because it couldn’t be for any other reason. The rational part of her brain had officially gone offline.
“Just following orders, ma'am.”
Orders for what? Jamie supposed she should have left the situation alone. Not everything was about her, but the sinking feeling she’d had the day before, came back with a vengeance. “Whose orders?”
“Sheriff Adock,” the deputy responded. “He said to make sure nothing happened to you since you left in a hurry last night.”
“Zane?” Leaving in a hurry had been an understatement. She supposed she should have been grateful he’d had her followed. She hadn't been in her right mind when she left; however, she couldn't help the feeling of being stalked by the Sheriff.
“Protection,” the deputy replied, as though having a cruiser parked outside her apartment had been a normal everyday occurrence.
Then it hit her. “You’ve been here all night?”
“Yes, Ma'am. Are you going somewhere? I have orders to take you wherever you need to go.”
“Yeah, I'm not going anywhere with you.” Jamie hoisted her bag on her shoulder. “Go home. Your services aren’t required.”
“I'm afraid I can't. I've got orders.” He got out of the vehicle.
“Screw your orders. I'm not going anywhere with you. Just leave!” Jamie stomped her foot in anger. “Now!”
“Ma'am—”
“Call me ‘ma'am’ one more time, and you'll have to arrest me for assaulting an officer of the law.”
The officer’s gaze traveled down her body and stopped at her sneakers. With a resigned sigh, he shook his head and stepped back, allowing her to pass. She’d decided, since the weather had been nice, she’d walk; however, seeing the deputy outside, she changed her mind. Jamie strode over to her beat-up car. It needed a ton of work, none of which she could afford at the moment, so she prayed it would start. After several tries, the car backfired and finally turned over. She cringed in embarrassment. She’d had the jalopy since she was sixteen, and its age was showing. Sooner, rather than later, she’d have to junk it. However, she didn’t have the wherewithal to part with her car. She’d created so many memories driving the vehicle. Most of them with Mary, some of them on her own. Jamie pulled out of her complex, hoping it wouldn’t start sputtering as she drove. When she glanced up in the rearview mirror, she spotted the deputy behind her.