An uneasy feeling knotted my gut. What did the woman want?
Mary glared at me suspiciously, blue eyes like hard cubes of ice.
“Well aren’t you chipper today. Did Jake, your long-distance boyfriend finally come back into town?”
The woman batted fake lashes and put on a Joker-like smile that showed perfect white teeth. So that’s what this was about. She knew Jake was a lie and had decided to call me out on it. Why? Why now of all times? What good was that going to do?
And just like in high school, suddenly, we had an audience. People peered over cubicle walls, putting calls on hold to eavesdrop on our conversation. Eavesdrop wasn’t even the right word. They were watching overtly, whispering behind lifted hands.
My bravado left me just as suddenly as it had appeared. Did they all know? Maybe everyone knew about Jake being fake. But it was fine. It was all fine because I had three men now. Holding my head high, my voice rang clear and true.
“Jake and I broke up last week,” I stated matter of factly. “I’m seeing someone new now.” People rolled their eyes discreetly, like I was lying all over again.
And Mary laughed a high-pitched hyena laugh.
“Is your new guy long distance too?” she thrummed throatily. “Let me guess, this one works in Borneo or somewhere so far away that the only time you guys see each other is over Skype right? This is a Skype relationship?” she sneered.
My fingers itched to slap that witchy grin from her face.
“Actually, if you must know, we just started dating,” I replied stiffly. “We met this weekend at my best friend’s wedding.”
If Mary rolled her eyes any harder they probably would roll right out of her head and out the door. Her laugh this time was laced with malice and venom as she eyed me up and down before speaking.
“Seriously, Katie,” she said condescendingly. “You should just stop telling lies. Just stop. This isn’t seventh grade. Everyone knows that Jake was a figment of your imagination. Everyone in the office feels sorry for you but doesn’t want to call you out. So just stop with this boyfriend shit, okay?”
Was that true?
Did everyone know?
But the thing is, there was truth to my words this time.
But before I could respond, Mary’s words came again.
“Now maybe you’ll stop with all your ridiculous lies. No one would ever be interested in a fat girl like you. Please. We work at a women’s magazine. We know what men want, and it’s definitely not you.”
She stood there preening like a peacock, venom dripping from her lips. I wanted to shoot back with a sharp retort, act smart and sassy, and yet all I could do was stand there with my mouth open, willing the waterworks not to start.
“But … but ….” came my stammer.
Mary twirled a platinum lock around her fingers, already bored.
“Please Katie,” she sighed like a lady in waiting. “Don’t waste our time, okay? You don’t belong here. You only got hired because we needed diversity, and you were the “fat” component. Haven’t you noticed? The rest of us are thin, you’re the only one who’s out of shape.”
And I couldn’t take it anymore. Was there some kind of diversity initiative that included bodies of all types? I’ve heard of gender diversity, racial diversity, even sexual orientation as a guideline. But body shapes? Was I the magazine’s nod to curvy girls?
It was too much. Letting out a choked cry, I ran for the bathroom, slamming the door and burrowing into a stall. And then the waterworks came like a flood. Why were some girls so cruel? Whatever happened to sisterhood? I know we’re not a perfect team, but still, this?
Tearing big gobs of tissue from the toilet paper roll I blotted my face, make-up coming off in smudges. Oh god, oh god. Why was this happening?
But there were no answers. After sobbing some more, I sat limply on the toilet seat. Why had I been humiliated again? Why me? I was twenty-two, and scenes like this were throwbacks to junior high. But not for me.
Snuffling hard, I pulled down my panties with the urge to go. But a weird sticky feeling overcame me then. Oh my god, there was a string of cum connecting my puss to the thin silk, and seeing the wetness made me feel better. It was like Kane, Mason and Tyler were in the stall with me, their big forms reassuring, concrete proof of my desirability.
And in a trance, I did something dirty then. Slowly probing one of the globs with my finger, I raised the digit to my lips to sample their combined spunk, the unique salty-sweet flavor flooding my senses.
Reassurance overcame over my form then, like a warm liquid shoring up my soul. This is real. They are real. I didn’t make this up. I, Katie Evans, have three alpha billionaires interested in me. Kane, Tyler and Mason think I’m sexy and beautiful, full stop. We’ve done crazy things, all because they find me irresistible.
So yeah, the cum in my panties was concrete proof. Despite how Mary wanted to make me feel, she couldn’t take that away. She couldn’t take away what I’d shared with them, the loving so hot and strong. Every word, every touch from the men made me feel cherished. Being around them was like soaring to a higher plane, my senses magnified, the world in a rainbow of color instead of gray and black.
Suddenly, a thought struck my mind. What was all this about rainbows and soaring to higher planes? Was I insane? Was I headed to the loony bin? Because this was the talk of love, and yet we’d never discussed anything like that. We’d never discussed a relationship, or really anything beyond sightseeing this weekend. Was I crazy, a girl projecting years ahead, when all I had was a few days?
But it couldn’t be denied because the truth was crystal clear, a dagger to my soul. I wanted more time with them. I wanted to get to know them, to establish a loving relationship. I wanted to be their girlfriend, to do something long-term. My heart told me yes. And my head couldn’t deny it any longer.
With that newfound revelation, I cleaned myself up and returned to the office with my chin held high, making an executive decision to take the rest of the day off. And thankfully, no one spoke a word or looked in my direction as I retrieved my purse from my bottom desk drawer and strode from the office. It was embarrassing, two spots of color high on my cheeks, but totally necessary. After all, no one cares about me … except for Mason, Kane and Tyler.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Mason
Over the past couple days, Katie’s continued to play tour guide, showing us around Knox. We hit the zoo, some old historical cemetery on the outskirts of town and a tannery that boasted a hundred year old history. A tannery’s pretty off-putting, if you ask me. I’m not squeamish, not by a long shot, but why the fuck would you have this kind of business in town? It’s where they treat animal hides on their way to becoming leather. Better to have a federal prison instead. I’d prefer felons over vats of chemicals.
But hey, this is Knox. And we weren’t really trying to see the sights. We were trying to get to know our best girl better, both physically and emotionally, so whatever Katie wanted to see, we were game.
Thankfully, tonight there was no touring. The brunette was coming over for some food, so there wasn’t gonna be any pretend interest in this or that. A professional chef was available through the hotel, but you know what? We wanted it to be special. So yeah, Kane, Tyler and I are making the dinner ourselves. Don’t laugh. Alpha males can cook, it’s a hidden talent.
And as we diced and sautéed in preparation, it was clear the three of us were on the same page.
“Spending time with the brunette has been fucking amazing,” I growled while chopping cucumbers. “I mean it. I’ve never met anyone like this, and I’ve seen a lot.”
The guys grinned, their own kitchen implements a blur.
“Yeah, she’s gorgeous. That body always has my cock going,” rumbled Kane. “It’s a real problem.”
Tyler stirred something in the pot then.
“It’s more than that though,” he said thoughtfully. Holy shitballs! Tyler, Mr. Nasty, saying it’s more than a
flash in the pan? But the alpha male nodded, continuing. “You guys know how many women we’ve been with in New York. And none of them compare to the one we have here. She’s amazing, hands down,” he said simply. “We’d be a fool to let her go.”
The mood in the kitchen turned reflective.
“That’s true,” I said slowly. “I mean the women we saw in New York were whores, let’s face it. And not in a good way. A bad way. The kind of woman who’s out for your money and nothing more.”
Because I’ve blown six figures on some of those ladies, they want jewels, dresses, nights out on town that cost an arm and a leg. By contrast, we hadn’t spent a penny on Katie. As backwards as this sounds, she’s been paying for admission tickets, using her city ID to get discounts at various historical sites. Shit, were we fools or what? The little girl was generous and giving, paying for us when we could have bought this place ten times over.
The silence grew heavy, our hands still busy.
“So what now?” growled Kane, paused while slicing carrots. “What do we do now?”
“I have no idea,” grunted Mason, scooping up some diced garlic and throwing it into a pan, a sizzle rising from the hot oil. “No fucking clue.”
But I put my brain cells on it. grabbing a beer, I lifted the bottle to my lips, taking a long, cool swallow. What would make our girl happy? What would shoot her to the moon, never to come down again? She hated her job as a copy editor at that women’s magazine, calling it “repetitive” and “dull.” We could help her form a non-profit instead to start living her dream.
Shit, even this realization made me shake my head. Because where other women wanted cash and jewels, Katie only wanted things for other people. How did we get so lucky?
Clearing my throat, I growled.
“Let’s give her what she wants,” came my low rasp. “She wants a non-profit. Let’s give it to her.”
“Right on,” rasped Kane.
“Absolutely,” said Tyler, and the three of us clinked beer bottles.
“Yeah, it’ll be perfect,” I mused, hands busy on the chopping board once again. “Our lawyers will take care of the paperwork, deal with all the red tape setting something like this up. Plus, there’s the money, I’ll put my banker on that. And taxes, shit, there’ll be taxes in a while. We gotta get that under control.”
But I’m not the only one with experience running an empire. Kane and Tyler jumped in as well.
“And she won’t have to fundraise,” growled Kane. “Let’s give her plenty of working capital to get a staff up and onboard immediately. No need to go begging for cash.”
“Plus, I saw a great piece of real estate on our way to the zoo the other day,” growled Tyler. “Would make a great location. Prime spot, strong financials, and all that.”
I nodded in agreement.
“Let’s make it happen, gentlemen. Let’s make this sweet girl happy because she deserves it.”
And like maniacs, the food practically began to prepare itself. Why were we acting like eager puppies, tumbling over one another to please our woman? Who knows?
But hey, everything in its own time. Preparation done, we parted ways, heading to separate bedrooms to get ready. Katie would be here soon enough, and it was important to look our best.
Fresh from my shower and still sporting damp hair, I did a walk-through of the living area to make sure the place was spic and span. Of course it was. This place is a five-star hotel, the cleaning service comes through every day. And just as my examination ended, the doorbell chimed musically. Kane and Tyler were still in their bedrooms so I let Katie in.
My breath stopped as the door opened.
Because the girl was gorgeous.
Absolutely captivating.
The brunette stood before me in a billowy, off-the-shoulder summer dress that was a perfect mixture of innocent and sexy. It was hard not to imagine removing that outfit and sliding between her creamy thighs right then and there. How ripe would she be? How willing?
But a melodic tune shook me from my sordid thoughts.
“Mmm, it smells wonderful in here,” she murmured teasingly. “What’s for dinner, Mason?”
I closed the door and followed the brunette, unable to stop staring as her rump swayed. She was such a beautiful woman, absolutely mouth-watering.
But right. Katie was looking at me knowingly, a smile playing at her lips. I snapped to attention.
“It’s Tyler’s specialty, coq au vin.”
Those beautiful lips quirked again.
“I’ve never had that before,” she murmured suggestively. “Sounds good.”
“Looks like you’ve been enjoying a lot of firsts with us, sweetheart,” came my low growl. “You’ll love it, I promise.”
The girl blushed then, and it was a gorgeous thing. Pinkness crept down her throat, slowly sweeping over the tops of her breasts, turning those creamy mounds rose.
“Mason,” she scolded playfully, a sparkle in those big brown eyes. “You always do this to me.”
But before I could steal a kiss, my bros made an appearance. Fuckers. Damn.
“Sweetheart, it’s good to see you,” rasped Tyler. He and Kane both came over, embracing that curvy form.
“Why don’t we all move into the dining room so we can have dinner?” ground out Kane. Escorting the female to a seat at the head of the table, we took chairs on either side.
“Honey, a drink?” asked Mason, pouring wine into goblets. “You good to go?”
The girl flushed a little, biting her lip.
“Yes please,” she murmured. “Just a little, thank you.”
Good girl. Our female is no drunk, she’s able to control what she imbibes. Meanwhile, Tyler poured wine into delicate glasses, the red fluid swirling graciously as Kane served the meal. Once the chicken slid before her, Katie leaned over and inhaled the aroma, shutting her eyes and savoring the scent.
“It smells divine,” she breathed before opening her eyes and smiling at us.
“Have as much as you want,” I rumbled. “Seconds, thirds, even fourths. Don’t hold back.”
Because it’s nice to see a woman enjoy her food and not be worried about what was in it or what it would do to her figure. It’s nice to see a woman eat, instead of picking at a piece of lettuce while downing wine like it’s water.
So we all dug in, and for a minute, only the sound of cutlery hitting china could be heard. But after a few moments, Kane broke the silence.
“So tell us more about you, honey,” he invited. “I know these fuckers real well,” he said, jerking his chin at us. “No need to hear them talk. We want to know about you.”
“Yeah, spill it,” I grinned at her, setting aside my knife and fork to give her my undivided attention. “Tell us all the nasty details, juicy parts that you’ve never shared.”
Katie giggled.
“I don’t think there are any ‘juicy parts,’ or at least not what you’re looking for,” she laughed. “But I’ll try. Let’s see, where to start? I’m an only child for one thing.” She paused, trying to figure out where to go next.
“I bet you were a cute kid,” was Kane’s remark. “Real cute.”
That comment made her blush while shaking her head.
“Hardly. More like I was awkward and unfortunate-looking. In school I was picked on and bullied all the time. But,” she said taking a deep breath. “All that’s over now. I hope, at least. I’m an adult, it’s in the past.”
Somehow, I wasn’t so sure. The girl’s pretty face still had some shadows, but I wasn’t going to push.
“If we’d been there, we’d have made sure no one ever made you feel bad, sweetheart,” I growled reassuringly.
“We would have been your knights in shining armor,” added Kane, half in jest, but half-serious too.
“Trust me,” rumbled Tyler. “My bros and I would have whipped all those fucking punks into shape.”
Katie smiled a little, taking a deep breath, boobs rising up and out.
&nb
sp; “Thank you guys for saying that. I appreciate it. Because Elaine was actually the one who became my defender, my bodyguard. I know you think she’s crazy, but she’s stepped up more than once. That crazy blonde kept the kids from going to hard on me.”
Our expressions were probably priceless. Really, Bridezilla did all that? No way. It seemed impossible. Elaine was all about her, and no one else.
But the brunette nodded slowly, confirming the incredible.
“Yes, Elaine is a good person once you get to know her. I agree, the wedding wasn’t her best moment,” she said wryly. “Even I wanted to strangle her that day, but trust me. She has her moments, and she’s been a good friend for years.”
If Katie felt that way about her pal, then maybe, and it was a big maybe, we needed to give the girl a chance. Maybe Bobby wasn’t doomed after all to a life of screeching invective and ear-splitting complaints.
But Katie wanted to know about us too.
“What about you guys, what were you like growing up? I’m sure you weren’t just born billionaires, charismatic and commanding. Once upon a time, there were three little boys up to no good.”
A shout of laughter rose from the table.
“You’re right on the money, sweetheart. We were a bunch of fucking troublemakers growing up,” grunts Tyler. “This fucker,” he says, nodding at me, “practically went to juvie but dodged it at the last minute. And this fucker,” he says, nodding at Kane, “was cited for drunk driving, but got off scot free. Wonder how that happened,” he drawls.
The three of us shared a look. Clearly, the female police officer left happy as a clam, her lady parts sated once Kane worked his magic.
But then the mood turned serious.
“But we went to college and got straightened out. College does that to you, you know?”
“Oh really?” asked Katie curiously, small chin resting on her fist. “How did that happen? My college years were boring,” she admitted. “I didn’t do much but study,” she said with a blush.
Of course. Katie never would have looked at us back then, we were wild animals roving on campus, banging girls left and right. This sweetness wouldn’t have touched us with a ten-foot pole.
Taken by the Dom: A Light BDSM Bad Boy Romance Page 64