by Elle Rease
She gave him a quick summary just before dinner started, and then they conversed with their parents and friends. Loraine and James were on a healthy diet and exercise plan, and it showed. Mysie and Reade had recently returned from a bike trip to their mountain cabin, so they had a tan. Teagan and Piper were still madly in love, kissing whenever they thought no one was looking.
Cinnia saw everything. With so much happiness around her, it was difficult to stay angry at God.
As she’d suspected, Haye broadcast that Dawn was expecting once everyone dug into dessert. The table of people—except for those who already knew—gasped collectively. Dawn’s parents jumped to their feet to congratulate her, and Haye received a handshake from his father and an exuberant hug from his mother.
Cinnia ignored the concerned glances she was getting from her family. Her smile stretched to its limit and she avoided Byron’s gaze, knowing that the understanding in his dark brown eyes will be her undoing.
Brennan touched her leg. “I’m here.”
Courage flowed through her veins. She was unstoppable, as long as he was in her life, that she knew for sure. Eventually, the excitement died down and they could enjoy their final course in peace. She helped the women clean up while the men went outside for a drink. Byron stuck with a bottle of water.
Loraine dragged her daughter to the laundry room and shut the door. “Cin,” she whispered, wrapping her daughter in her arms. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” It was hard to control her emotions. So far, she was winning. “Mom, really, I’m okay.”
“It’s not fair.”
“Stop it.”
Loraine let go and kissed her daughter’s cheek. “I’m here if you need me.”
“I know,” Cinnia sniffed, “but I’m okay. Really. It’s awesome that Dawn’s pregnant again.”
“More playmates for your babies.”
She laughed. “Gosh, mom, I’ll only have one.”
“Don’t be so sure.” Loraine’s eyes were kind. “I’m proud of you. You’re handling this so well, all things considered.”
“You didn’t raise a coward.”
“That’s true.” Loraine linked her arm with Cinnia’s and, together, they went back to the rest of the female group. “So, what’s the plan?”
“Right now?” Cinnia asked, letting out a short laugh. “I’m not planning anything. I’m taking a break from plans.”
Loraine shook her head with a smile. “I’m the proudest mom in the world. You don’t even need my advice anymore.”
“I’ll always need your advice, mom.”
They all gushed over Dawn, which Cinnia found quite easy to do. Despite her own misfortune, she wanted other women to be happy and healthy, especially her close friends. If she never had children, at least there will be many kids for her to look after in the MC.
She would really love it if there was a mini-Brennan running around, though.
“Cin, can I speak to you about something?”
She snapped out of her reverie and frowned at Mysie. “Sure, what’s up?” Brennan’s mother led her outside, back to the koi pond where she’d had her breakdown earlier. “You’re scaring me.”
“I just want to tell you a story.”
“Okay…”
Mysie rolled her eyes. “It’ll only take a minute, drama queen.”
Cinnia grinned. “That’s much better. Your tone was worrying me.”
“Shut up,” Mysie said good-naturedly. “So, you’re having trouble with surrogates.”
“Yes.”
“Bren’s told me why.”
“And you think I’m stupid.”
“No, I think you’re right.” Mysie chuckled at Cinnia’s stunned facial expression. “And Bren’s stupid if he believes your argument isn’t valid. Women are fucking vindictive and will do anything to land the man they want.”
Cinnia’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re speaking from experience.”
“Aye,” Mysie muttered, rubbing her hands together. “I nearly lost Reade, before Bren was born.”
Her brain shut down for a few seconds after that statement. Those two were so perfect together, it was impossible to picture them at the brink of a breakup. “What? How?”
“We’d just started going steady. I was nuts about him, still am.” Mysie pushed her greying hair back and sighed. “About three months in, his ex showed up. From what I understood, she’d left him, hooking up with the Jackals’ VP. It broke Reade’s heart, but she was his weakness, so whenever she wanted a quickie, he’d give in. Then he met me, and swore that he changed his ways.”
“I can’t imagine that Reade would ever lie.”
“Aye, he’s much too honorable, but she made me question his words.” There was a haunting glimmer in her eyes. “She nearly broke us. She caused so much shite.”
“What happened?”
“She showed up, pretending to be pregnant with his kid. Our relationship was still new, see, so it wasn’t difficult for that bitch to make me feel as if Reade was cheating on me. She had a bit of a bump and looked like she could be anywhere between two and four months pregnant. Reade fell for her lie and said he would never abandon his child. He wanted to be at the birth and support the kid for the rest of its life.”
“You said she pretended.”
“She did. Reade insisted on an ultra sound and, of course, that proved that she was lying. Before that, though, Reade and I nearly broke up. I was so in love with him that I was willing to support him through it all. He insisted that his relationship with her was finished, and I believed him… But she made me doubt everything.”
Cinnia picked at her nails, enthralled. Mysie didn’t often speak of her history but, when she did, there was usually a lesson that could help Cinnia. “What’s your point, mom?”
“Women will do whatever they can to land the man they want,” Mysie said again, her blue eyes boring into Cinnia’s. “Don’t ever, ever doubt your gut where females are involved. If it’s telling you that the surrogate isn’t the right fit, that she’s going to try fuck things up for you and Bren, then don’t sign the papers, no matter how badly you want that baby. Do you hear me, Cin?”
Cinnia nodded, thankful that someone was making her feel less crazy.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m so happy you’re not an idiot, that you’re back and that you’ve married my boy. He really couldn’t have done any better, Cin.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“I don’t think anymore, Cinnia, I know.” Mysie smiled, taking her daughter-in-law’s hands in her own. “And I’m telling you this with the most sincerity I can muster: you will have your baby and it’ll be a boy. I have a feeling, and my feelings are never wrong.”
“What if it’s a girl?” Cinnia teased.
Mysie’s face was solemn. “I’m not messing around, Cin. We can put money on it. That way, you’ll have a nice little nest egg for his tuition.”
“Is that how much you’re willing to bet?”
“It’s not a bet if it’s true.”
Cinnia’s heart squeezed. “A boy?”
“I swear to the gods.”
She hugged Brennan’s mother. “I love you.”
“I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, mom.”
Mysie winked and stretched her legs out. “Why do you think Haye spends so much money on these stupid, ugly fish?”
Laughing at Mysie’s change of subject, Cinnia indulged her mother-in-law, contemplating the few advantages to having koi. Eventually, the rest of the party found them outside, and they all stared at the night sky. With Brennan’s arm around her shoulders, Cinnia thought she’d hallucinated the shooting star.
“Did you see that?” he murmured, nibbling on an earlobe.
“It was real?”
“As real as I am. Make a wish.”
“We all know what it is.”
Brennan kissed her. “Then I’ll make it come true.”
What a
man, she swooned, closing her eyes. I wish he would.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Hey, Cin.”
She glanced over her shoulder, her breath hitching at the sight of Byron. He was wearing a tuxedo and looked quite dapper. His brown eyes had a soft glow, as if there were burning embers behind the pupils, and his hair was ruffled.
She slowly became aware of their surroundings: they were in a huge ballroom, which had three massive crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. The mahogany floor was polished to perfection, and the paneled walls decorated with stunning pieces of Renaissance art. She heard a string quartet playing one of her favorite classical songs, but couldn’t determine where they were.
This room was a place more fitting for an eighteenth-century romance novel.
“You look beautiful.”
Looking down at her outfit, she was stunned to find that she was wearing a green gown. First of all, it was unlike her to dress in something so girly. Secondly, she was almost certain the shimmering jewels on the edges of the lace that covered the bodice were emeralds. She reached up to touch her hair, confused that it was in a similar style to what she’d had done for her wedding.
“Why’d you bring me here?” he asked, coming to a standstill in front of her.
Her heart was pounding fast, causing her palms to become clammy. She wiped them on her dress and cleared her throat. “I’m not sure,” she admitted breathily. “I don’t know what’s going on.”
He smiled and inclined his head. “Do you want to dance while you figure it out?”
Her reply wasn’t verbal. She accepted his hand and went into his arms. There was a respectable distance between their bodies, although she sensed his warmth against her front. The quartet was playing louder now, as if they were right next to her but, whenever she searched for them, she was reminded that she was here with Byron.
Alone.
She became aware of his fluid movements. It was as if he’s had lessons. How odd! She never would’ve pinned him down as a trained dancer!
This isn’t real, Cinnia.
Jumping at the sound of the voice, her gaze raked over the bare room. Where had that come from? Was she imagining things?
“Why am I here, Cin?” Byron tried again, moving an inch closer.
“I don’t know.”
He spun her this way and that, guiding her over the wide expanse of the floor as if he was in complete control of their dance. He lifted and dipped her with ease. It made her feel light and small, almost fragile, the way that—
“Cin, why am I here?”
Their eyes connected as the song changed. The unmistakable tone of an accordion joined the string section, and the melody morphed from a waltz to a sensual tango. Byron’s posture and hands shifted to accommodate their new movement.
The hem of her dress was shorter, barely covering her ass. She knew this, because their legs were tangling and untangling with unbelievable precision. She could feel a powerful heat building in her core, while sweat trickled between her breasts.
“Can I cut in?”
Relief washed over her as Brennan appeared. He had donned his Drummond kilt—complete with knee-high socks and appropriate shoes—and a white collared shirt, the latter translucent enough to hint at the tattoos hidden underneath. His auburn hair was tied at the nape of his neck. He looked breathtaking.
“Of course, Bren,” Byron conceded, stepping away.
Her eyes darted between the two of them, adding to how torn she was feeling. She’d quite enjoyed the dance with Byron, after all… On the other hand, she looked forward to the moment Brennan would spin her around the room.
She melted in his arms, instantly becoming pliable. He led her across the floor, each move seeming more impossibly arousing than the previous. She had a moment to think how strange it must appear, seeing a man in Scottish attire dancing the tango, but his sensuous style soon wiped those musings away.
“Why is he here, Cin?” Brennan queried lightly. He pushed her back, her spine bowing over his forearm, and ran the fingers of his free hand over a breast. With a start, she realized her dress had disappeared, leaving her in lacy undergarments. “Do you want to dance with him?”
It was difficult to answer when she could so clearly feel his erection pressing against her core.
Pulling her up with just the right amount of force, Brennan executed a few moves that had her gasping for air. He twirled her around and, when he gathered her to his chest again, she gleefully noted that he was no longer wearing the shirt.
With her hands pressed to his stomach, she stared into his blue eyes.
“Do you want to dance with both of us?”
She closed her eyes. “Yes.”
Brennan guided her hands back to their starting positions: one on his shoulder while the other was held in his. She shivered once she felt Byron behind her. He covered her hands with his and, as one, the three of them began dancing.
This isn’t real.
There it was again! Who was this voice, fighting to break her concentration and pull her to a different, less appealing reality?
She had no idea who was dominating their trio. She was passed from one man to the other, swiveling until she was lightheaded and breathless. Sometimes, they would move so close to her that she was aware of their arousal; at other times, she would long for their touch.
When someone lifted her into his arms and closed a mouth over a nipple, she lazily took note that she was now entirely in the nude. She wrapped her legs around his hips and arched back, her head leaning against the other’s shoulder. With two pairs of hands on her body, she didn’t even bother to keep track of who was caressing which part of her. Why did any of that matter, anyway? She was in heaven.
This isn’t real! the voice insisted. Snap out of it, Cinnia!
Her eyes flipped open and struggled to focus. Slowly, reality set in. That was her bedroom ceiling. Those were her books on the nightstand. According to the clock, she had another forty-seven minutes to go before her alarm would ring.
Also, she was extremely hot under the duvet, which could only mean…
It was a sex dream.
Letting out a short breath, she became aware that she’d been touching herself. Her fingers were as wet as her nether lips. Her clit pulsed, reminding her that she needed release. She cupped her breasts, clenching her jaw once she felt how sensitive her nipples were.
Brennan was in a deep sleep next to her.
Well, he’s gonna have to deal with a horny wife this morning, she decided, throwing the duvet aside and getting on his lap. Rubbing her drenched core over his penis, she grabbed his hands and helped him to grip her tits with the urgency she craved.
His fingers twitched as he slowly regained consciousness. Satisfied that his dick was now rock hard, she impaled herself on his length, just as he woke.
“Cin?” he groaned.
“Shh.”
She rode him hard, her mind filled with fantasies that she’d never entertained for longer than a few seconds before. Having just had that dream, though, it was difficult to keep a lid on her desire to be ravished by the two men in her life. She’ll go to her shrink for an emergency session to figure out why she had these feelings for Byron but, until then, she needed several orgasms to burn off this lust.
This was real. Brennan was real.
He clutched her ass, prodding her to go faster. When she tumbled over the edge, he flipped her around and entered her from behind. She gritted her teeth at his relentless pace and held on to the wrought-iron railing for support. She got chills from the angle, turning her head to gaze at him and biting her shoulder to suppress her moans.
Brennan licked two fingers and ran the tips over her crack.
She collapsed forward as another orgasm crashed over her. She’d woken up Brennan’s inner animal, so she wasn’t surprised when he used her natural lubricant to prepare her back door. She cried out when his fingers tested her readiness, shivering uncontrollably.
> He stretched her and, with his other hand, slid his cock back into her swollen channel. He fucked her ass with his fingers while his dick rammed into her. His knees spread her legs further apart, giving her less control over their pace.
She’d barely recovered from her third orgasm when he replaced his fingers with his cock. Clearly, he was intent on finishing there, which was a common theme when he wasn’t wearing protection. She was yelling his name, unable to help herself even though she wished she could be quieter. Byron might be moving out today, but he was currently still under this roof and deserved some consideration at this early hour.
“Ah, fuck!” Brennan exclaimed.
That was the only warning she had before she felt his release spurting into her ass. She had a smaller, yet fulfilling, orgasm, and flinched when he pulled out. Breathing laboriously, they both collapsed: him on his back, and her on her stomach.
The alarm went off. She was giggling as Brennan leaned over and smacked it, killing the screeching sound. It almost felt like the clock had timed their session.
“Where did that come from?” he panted.
“I dreamt about you.” That wasn’t a lie, at least. “When I woke up, I had to have your cock in me.”
“Lucky me.” He spanked her ass. “Wish you’d do that more often.”
“Yeah.” She sat up slowly, pushing her hair out of her face and glancing at him. “I’m going to take a shower.”
He frowned. “Do you need to be somewhere?”
“I’d like to swing by Dr. McKauley’s for an emergency session,” she replied. “There’s something I need to discuss with her.”
“Is it about Byron?”
She shrugged, avoiding his gaze. “Partly.”
“Lass, I get it.” He rested his hand on her thigh, silently willing her to look at him. “You two have been through a lot together. It’s only natural that you want him to stay.”
He was so understanding. If only he knew about her confusing thoughts and dreams… He wouldn’t allow Byron to leave here with his life. Brennan was good at plenty of things, but sharing wasn’t one of them, especially when it came to her.