A Fragile Family

by J. J. Massa

  “Shh, son,” Tav nuzzled through the thick fur at his ruff, soothing and offering comfort. “You did help everyone that you could, just by being here. You reassured Ashley and Sherman, even Myles and Jacob. We all take strength from having you around, Aunt Tracey, too. It would mean a lot to know you’re taking strength from those of us who have it to offer, okay?”

  “Yeah,” Rafe nipped at his ear and then licked it. “What he said, jefe.”

  Tayler could hear the smile in Rafe’s voice, even though he referred to him as boss. Rafe called him that as often as little brother and Tayler knew it was said with affection. Sometimes though, he didn’t want to be thought of as a boss, not in any way.

  But Marc and Gandad Mik said that was what being an alpha was, and he was one of them.

  Tayler smiled back at Rafe. “I’m tired,” he admitted, wagging his tail at both of them, so they wouldn’t worry. “Can we go home now?”

  Tav and Rafe rose easily to their feet, both of them helping him to rise. He tried to ignore the quivering in his flanks as he turned and followed them back toward the big house.

  Nothing more was said after Tav wished them goodnight. Rafe quietly helped Tayler dress, his burnt black skin stark against Tayler’s dusky, light coffee-colored flesh.

  But their differences faded away as Rafe lifted him carefully and settled him in bed, climbing in next to him, a healthy wolf protecting his leader.

  Not all Alphas were physically strong; they were simply stronger in many ways than everyone else. Rafe’s love and devotion was a constant reminder to Tayler that his heart was strong, even if his body was weak.

  “I’m here for you, little brother,” Rafe mumbled. “Always.”

  Tayler scooted back against him, cuddling, and drifted off to sleep, safe and loved.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sometime home of Myles Brooks-Montgomery

  Darke Woods Road

  Talking Rock, GA

  Ashley heard Myles come in, moving about, probably checking on Sherman before he came to check on her. She knew that he’d slip back into the other room if she let him, not wanting to impose. There was so much unsaid between them. Maybe it was finally time to change all that.

  “Myles?” she murmured, knowing he could hear her.

  He moved toward her and she pulled the covers back, making room for him beside her. “Princess…” he began. She could tell he’d been upset.

  “Come lay down with me, Myles. We’ve been apart enough.” She remembered vaguely what she’d said to Sherman when he left her at her apartment in Tampa a few days ago. It was certainly time to address that.

  Myles had showered before he’d made his rounds, Ashley could smell the soap.

  Her eyes traveled over his bare torso, taking in his muscular chest, silky thick hair covering his pecs and arrowing down over his abdomen, disappearing under the waist of his snug-fitting sweat pants.

  It seemed like minutes that she’d be staring at him, but she knew it hadn’t been anywhere near that long. Still, she felt her face flush when she looked up at him, moved, as she had always been, by the thought that he was hers and she was his.

  Ashley looked down at her hands. Hers. His. So many years wasted. So much loss.

  “Princess?” Myles moved carefully over to her, sliding onto the bed to sit facing her. Pushing a hand into her thick curtain of hair, he stroked her cheekbone, the top of her ear. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

  “We’ve wasted so much time, Myles. So much…Do you love me?” Her voice broke in desperation, and she knew that’s what it was. Desperation. Ashley knew Myles loved her, had always known that. What had happened between them…they had to work it out, they had to.

  “Of course I love you, Princess, you must know that.” He scooted closer to her, his manner intent, earnest.

  Ashley leaned against him, not really wanting to look at his face while she told him the things in her heart—things she should have told him so long ago.

  “I knew you loved me, Myles, and I knew you had…urges.” Myles cleared his throat, but didn’t say anything. Ashley was grateful for that, forcing herself to keep on talking. “This…all this time, I had urges, too, but I knew I was young. Still, I was mature, wasn’t I?” He opened his mouth to speak and she tapped his chest. “Don’t answer, I’m just telling you what I was thinking right now.”

  Myles cleared his throat. “Um, you’ll tell me when I should answer, yeah?”

  “Oh, sure,” she agreed, forging ahead before she lost her nerve. “So there I was, getting kinda mad that you were having sex with other women when you were supposed to be my mate!” Myles shifted uneasily, his face flushing a deep pink. Ashley sighed. “I know I was like seventeen or something, but still, I was only human…and very hormonal. And before you say anything, I know men have needs. Women have needs, too.” Myles sighed gustily. “Yeah,” Ashley went on sheepishly, “Even seventeen-year-old virgins have needs—and raging hormones, and romantic daydreams that get more…detailed, every single time.” She huffed a little snort. “Okay, you can speak now…for a second,” she decreed.

  “I don’t want to try to defend my actions, Princess,” Myles started. Another snort proclaimed Ashley’s disbelief. “Well, not much…But you…” he ducked his head in what could only be described as embarrassed, boyish cuteness, Ashley was sure. If he didn’t get on with it, she would probably jump him before he explained himself.

  “Myles?” she encouraged, nudging his chest with her shoulder before snuggling back in.

  He blew out a frustrated breath. “Princess…you were hot,” he growled. Ashley arched a brow. “When you were twelve, eleven—it was easy. You were a child.” He pulled back and looked down at her, his eyes blazing. “Suddenly, blimey! I woke up on your thirteenth birthday and you were…there were Bristols everywhere,” he cupped his hands in the universal sign for large breasts. “I wanted you so bad, Princess…and you were so bleedin’ young…” He groaned. “I guess I just trained myself a little too well to keep my hands off you,” he mumbled ruefully, no doubt reliving the scene that had defined the last five years of their lives.

  Ashley leaned heavily against him. “You really hurt me, Myles,” she said quietly.

  She felt Myles nod behind her. “I really hurt us both, Princess. Did I…was it permanent?” he asked carefully.

  Tilting her head back to look up at him, Ashley considered carefully before she answered. This was important. She had to be totally honest with him.

  “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t think so…” she started. Myles stayed tense, holding her, looking down. “I mean,” she struggled to explain. “I trust you in a lot of ways. And I still love you—I always have loved you.” She looked into his eyes. He nodded, knowing there was more. “I’m hurt Myles. A lot of different kinds of hurt, I guess. I didn’t know— don’t know—how bad, really. Sometimes right now, I don’t even know what I’m doing, what’s going on. You’re the most solid thing, the most real, you and Sherman…but I’m…and then, what are we going to do about Sherman?”

  Myles smiled almost indulgently before his expression evened out to thoughtful.

  “I know you’re hurt—blown off course. I’m going to help you. I’m going to help you and Sherman both, in every way that I can,” he assured her, not looking away. “I want you to trust me again, to let me be your mate, your family, your husband, after all this time.”

  “I want that, too, Myles, as best as we can. I…” she bit her lip, forcing herself to go on. “I’m not right. I know it. I want us to work, but I don’t know…”

  “Princess,” he murmured, leaning in to plant a kiss on her nose. “One day at a time, hmm? We have to start somewhere. I’m very pleased to take it slowly, to accept whatever you have to give, all right?”

  “Uh,” she shifted uneasily. “About Sherman?” He nodded. “We’re not talking some weird sex thing are we? Because you know…” Myles threw back his head and laughed out loud, causing Ashl
ey to chuckle lightly. “Well, I mean…he’s a real good-looking guy and all. And…”

  Myles brought himself under control after a little more laughter. “Princess, my princess. Only you,” he snickered. “No, I’m not interested in men at all, sexually speaking,” he winked. “But Sherman…he’s become mine, in a way. My family—a son, a brother, nephew, I don’t know. Part of my pack, like you…only not just like you.” He huffed impatiently. “What I’m saying is, I’m going to take care of him, make him better, get him help, like with you. Only, I want to hold you, make love with you, sleep with you in my arms. Him…a hug should do it—not a leg over.”

  Ashley turned in his arms, facing him. Hands on his chest, she began pushing steadily against him with serious intent. Finally, she had him flat on his back.

  “I’m interested in the making love right now. Think we can start there?” She leaned over him, shimmying up a little. “That’s something I have to give right now.”

  Myles looked up at her, his smile blooming slow and sexy across the angular planes of his face.

  ****

  One delicate hand trailed down his cheek, tickling his throat, over his collarbone, until he felt her teasing fingertips at his nipple. Myles caught his breath with a groan.

  Ashley’s expression became sweetly naughty as she lightly raked a fingernail back and forth across his tight little nub.

  “Oh, god, Princess,” he groaned, his hips flexing up involuntarily. A thought occurred to him and he caught her shoulders in his hands, holding her still. “You seem to know exactly…” he swallowed, hating the thought. Where had she learned how to tease like that?

  “Don’t worry, Myles,” she cooed sweetly. “I’ve only ever wanted to do things to you…lots of things.” Her loving smile turned a little bit wicked. “Now it’s time for you to help me live out all of those fantasies I told you I was having back when I was seventeen…”

  Myles rolled his eyes in mock fear. “Remember, I’m well past seventeen, Princess…” The age difference had never really bothered her before. After all they’d been through he wasn’t going to let it become a real issue now. They had enough of those already.

  “Thank heavens for werewolf stamina, then,” Ashley purred, leaning down to nip and mouth her way across his clavicle and down, taking his other nipple between her teeth.

  Myles arched under her again, coming out of the semi-stupor her boldness had caused. Rolling, he brought her under him, dislodging her mouth from his aching nipple.

  Flashing her wicked grin of his own, Myles skimmed up her body, pushing the light t-shirt she wore, one of his, up and over her head, baring her to him.

  She was so beautiful to him. With an uncontrollable growl-groan, he covered her mouth with his, her lips warm satin under his hungry onslaught.

  “This is exactly how I fanaticized,” she breathed against his mouth, her arms slipping around his shoulders, hands clutching at his back as she arched into him. She pulled back again, breaking the kiss. “Except…”

  With a grunting heave, she pushed against him. Startled, he allowed it, collapsing onto his back once again. She rose above him, a brow arched as she hooked her fingertips in the waist of his pants.

  He chuckled lightly, lifting his hips in answer. Edging back, her full, beautifully firm breasts bouncing as she moved, Ashley pulled the sweatpants down and off.

  “Now…where was I?” she murmured. Myles hoped the question was rhetorical.

  Situated between his legs, she leaned above him, finding his ear and mouthing his sensitive lobe. Moving to the tender place below, her tongue trailed along the curve of his jaw, blunt teeth nipping at his throat until her busy mouth found his shoulder.

  From there, her nipping mouth blazed a moist trail to his sensitive, aching nipple.

  “Ahh, yes,” she murmured, “this is where I was.”

  Her tongue swirled around the little point before she bit at it gently, soothing it with her warm and clever tongue.

  Myles’ hips flexed up, heat flashing through him, as one hand made its tortuous way down, wrapping around his straining erection. Feather light, her fine fingers stroked up and down his throbbing cock as she moved back and forth, from one nipple to the other.

  After endless, delicious torment, and without slowing her lightly taunting strokes, Ashley kissed down the tight muscles of his stomach and then over. Following the slightly prominent edge of his hipbone, she nipped and nibbled her way down, obviously delighting in the havoc she was wreaking on his control.

  After sensually torturing him that way for longer than he’d ever thought he could stand it, she kissed her way down his leg. He couldn’t contain his strangled moans as she tugged at the short hair of his thigh, sucked lightly at the inside of his knee, and then switched legs.

  Moving to his left ankle, she sucked at the round joint there, rubbing her face in the soft hair covering his shin. As satin lips made their way up the bulge of his calf, then to his knee, Myles gave in.

  “Please, Princess, please,” he begged, reaching for her, his hand grazing her shoulder before she jerked away.

  “Uh, uh,” she denied, not even looking up at him before resuming her sensuous persecution. Kissing over the heavy muscles of his thigh, she found the crease between hip and groin, and ran her tongue along it, still stroking him firmly, lightly.

  Myles strained upward into her hand, desperate for friction, needing the pressure, only to be denied as she deliberately loosened her already slack hold, her teasing glide almost a tickle now.

  Landing one hand on his shifting hip, Ashley bent over his cock, her long dark hair teasing the sensitive nerves begging to be touched. She paused, one fingertip gently tracing the flared head, finding the first slippery drops of pre-come and carrying them to her mouth. He couldn’t contain a strangled moan at her innocent, wanton actions, his weeping cock a testament to how hungry he was for her.

  With a Mona Lisa smile, she lowered her head over him. Myles thought he would burst on the spot. Her mouth felt warm around his taut length, and her wandering tongue sliding up and around, gliding down, wrapping its wet heat around him. He was shaking, trying to hang on.

  “Princess…Ashley,” he ground out. “You…I…” his tone was rough gravel, he wouldn’t last much longer.

  She played with his balls, cuddling them in her small palm, squeezing gently as her lips and tongue blazed incessantly over his needy length. She tangled her fingers in the thick curls at the base of his hard-on, tugging upward along the heated shaft as she licked and suckled his slit.

  She was relentless, stroking, licking, sucking; he would explode any minute now unless he stopped her. Finally, seconds from his breaking point he caught her shoulders, pulling her up, her wet lips dragging satin heat along his thigh, telling him how very ready she was for him.

  His hands slid down to cup her buttocks, pulling her firmly against his body, a fingertip slipping forward, sinking into the satiny center of her and out.

  “Are you ready for me, Princess?” he managed, his voice thick and husky with need.

  “Uh, huh,” she squeaked, attempting to spread her legs, to open for him.

  He pulled back, shifting slightly, his hungry length nudging at her opening.

  Nipping at the mate-marks on her shoulder, he groaned, gathering her up, and with a grunt, he surged forward, hilting deep inside her tight, wet heat.

  “Mine,” he growled, pulling out, plunging in again, mouthing and then biting at her shoulder. “Mine,” he rumbled again, closing his teeth over the evidence of his claim, not breaking the skin, but holding her there as he pumped into her. Her legs wrapped around his waist as she held on, mewling against him as she attempted to meet every thrust.

  Explosion was imminent, fire and hunger built in him taking him higher, taking her with him as he felt her body tighten around him.

  “Myles!” she choked, gripping him tightly, nails digging deep as she clutched at him, her body quaking.

  “Mine!” he
roared, his head snapping back as his climax rolled over him like a seismic wave.

  Ashley’s sheath tightened impossibly around him, her entire body convulsing, clamping down hard as she answered his roar of completion with a strangled cry, her juices gushing over him, mingling with his own.

  The echo of their cries seemed to ring in the silent house as the two collapsed boneless onto the mattress. Legs tangled, both panting, Myles continued to lick at Ashley’s shoulder, working hard at trying to breathe normally again.

  A noise caught his attention mingling with their muted gasping, and Myles struggled to identify the rhythmic sound. Turning his head, his eyes locked on Ashley’s—she’d heard it, too.

  His forehead wrinkled as he tried to place it. Ashley’s body shaking in his arms as she snickered drew his attention back to her.

  “That’s Sherman,” she giggled. “Isn’t it great that he snores?”

  Myles flopped back on the bed, laughing, and pulled her firmly against his chest.

  “It’s jolly good,” he chuckled, holding her close. “Smashing, in fact,” he grinned.

  He could still feel the smile on his face as he drifted to sleep with Ashley in his arms. Sometimes things did go his way. Absolutely jammy, this was…yes, absolutely.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Don’s Bar

  West End Area

  Atlanta, GA

  Don’s Bar was nondescript, unless seedy could be called a decorating theme.

  There were two pool tables in the back and that was as far as the establishment went toward catering to proactive entertainment. When a man came to Don’s, he either needed a drink or he needed to talk to someone. Whichever reason sent him there, everyone knew to keep it down. Women didn’t go there at all. Ever.

  Loud noises were not encouraged—even the pool games managed to remain muted. It wasn’t the place to go for a good time. It was the perfect place to meet with men who could be paid to kill.