Wild for Milly [Werewolves of Forever, Texas 9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Jane Jamison

  Keeping her voice low enough that even a werewolf couldn’t hear her, she muttered, “Great. That went well.”

  “Hey, Milly, what happened?” Dan stood at the entrance to the alley as he turned toward the van then back to her.

  She was shit out of luck. Did she tell him the truth, including her not-so-stellar performance with his niece? Or should she let it go, keeping Riley’s confidence and hoping everything turned out for the best?

  * * * *

  The ride home from town had been a silent one. Milly had wanted to tell Dan or Matthew about the teen vampire, and once they’d gotten home, she had. Although she didn’t like the idea of tattling on Riley, she didn’t doubt that she’d want to know if she were her guardian.

  A huge argument had erupted between the men and Riley. Riley’s fury at her was apparent even though the girl didn’t repeat her previous rude outbursts. Instead, she’d clammed up and gone to her room to hide for the rest of the night.

  Milly had no doubt she’d put another nail in the coffin of a possible good relationship with Riley. And she wasn’t sure that the men were too happy with her, either. No matter what the old saying was about not killing the messenger, she felt like their unhappiness at the news was reflected toward her as well. The men had thanked her, but had grown quiet after that.

  Wanting to give them time alone with their niece, she’d retired early. From what she could tell, it hadn’t done much good to give them space. Riley had remained in her room, refusing to talk to either of them.

  Milly had even tried to remain scarce the next day, claiming that she needed to check in at the diner. She’d hoped that, once she was out of the house, Riley would open up to them. The men had understood even though they’d wanted to spend the day getting to know her and learning about Forever. Instead, they’d kissed her good-bye as she gotten in her car. They’d made the best of it, telling her that they planned on taking turns walking around the ranch, spending the time thinking about how to handle Riley.

  Or at least that’s what they’d claimed they were going to do. But Milly had the sneaking suspicion that they’d wanted to look for more signs that the teen vampires had performed rituals near the house.

  Hearing that Riley had met up with the vampire boy had upset Matthew. He’d explained what he’d found the other day when he’d gone hunting for Riley, and Dan had agreed that the situation wasn’t a good one.

  The memory of their strained expressions was still on her mind as she opened the front door and stepped inside. Both Dan and Matthew were in the living room watching a movie, but Riley was nowhere in sight.

  “Hi, guys.”

  One look from them was enough to send her libido into full speed. Dan hopped to his feet and helped her with the bag of groceries. She relaxed a little, sensing that they no longer harbored any ill feelings toward her. In fact, it was just the opposite.

  His fingers skimmed hers as he took the bag. “Hi yourself.”

  “Thanks.” She tossed her purse and the bag containing a few new pieces of clothing that she’d picked up at Dallas Clothing Emporium, one of the small shops in town, onto a nearby side table, then sank onto the couch as Dan carried the groceries to the kitchen. A spark of electricity zapped from Matthew’s arm into hers.

  Take it easy. You can’t jump his bones with Riley in the house. At least not where she can walk in on us.

  “So? Are things any better around here?”

  Matthew brushed her hair behind her ear, but his smile disappeared. “Nope. She’s hung out in her room all day except for one short appearance to grab a sandwich and a bag of chips. If she starts sleeping all day and waking up at night, I’m going to get worried.”

  “Bite your tongue, bro,” added Dan.

  After he finished putting up the food, Dan slid into the chair next to the couch. “I thought I heard her again later, but when I looked, her door was still shut.”

  Milly could barely breathe with all the sexual tension thickening the air between them. But she restrained herself. Still, later, once she was sure Riley was asleep, she planned on visiting the men in the bedroom they shared. It was risky, but if she didn’t get them in bed soon, she’d die from sexual frustration.

  “Milly, you don’t have any kids of your own, do you? I mean, I just assumed you didn’t since you haven’t mentioned any.” Dan took a sip of the beer he’d brought with him. He’d offered to get them one, but she and Matthew had declined.

  She laughed, using the line men often did. “Not that I know of.”

  “That’s too bad. I was hoping you could tell us if Riley’s behavior is because she’s a young werewolf or because she’s a girl.”

  “Beats the hell out of me. I was a perfect angel at her age.”

  She hadn’t been, of course. She could remember her mother’s frustrated tone as she hoped she had a kid just as wild as her. Milly had to wonder if Riley’s appearance in her life was her mother’s curse come to fruition.

  “Riiight. Something tells me that’s a far cry from the truth.” Dan chuckled then lifted his beer. “But at least that makes me feel a little better. If you were anything like Riley and you turned out as great as you are, then we have hope she’ll do the same.”

  “Amen to that, brother.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine. She just needs time to adjust.” But should she tell them what she really thought? “Although, if you don’t mind my saying so…”

  “What is it?” Matthew leaned closer, shifting in his seat so that his leg brushed over hers. “Tell us what you’re thinking. It’s okay. We’re big boys. We can take it.”

  I’ve taken the first step, so I might as well go the rest of the way.

  “Remember, I’m no expert and I’ve had no experience, but it seems to me that maybe you need to use a firmer approach with her.”

  She couldn’t judge their reactions. Were they okay that she’d spoken her mind?

  “You just said to give her more time.”

  Dan leaned forward, his body stiffening. “Yeah. I’m not getting you, either.”

  She was deep into it and there was no turning back. “And you should. But giving her time to adjust doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect her to have manners. I’ve got to tell you. If my mother had ever heard me talk the way she does sometimes—”

  “Like when she called you a bitch last night?”

  She nodded at Dan, wished she’d left that part out about what had happened last night, and hurried on. “If I’d talked that way around my mom or any other adult, I would’ve been lucky if I could sit down the next day. Not that I’m condoning hitting a child, of course. But maybe she needs a consequence now and then to know where her boundaries are. Discipline lets a kid know that someone cares.”

  “Makes sense.”

  “Yeah,” added Dan. “It’s worth a try anyway.”

  “Milly, maybe later on, after Riley’s asleep…” Matthew gazed down the hallway. “Maybe my brother and I could come and pay you a visit.”

  Her pussy tightened at the thought. “You must be a mind reader because I had a similar idea a few minutes ago.” She gave Matthew a quick kiss, not daring to linger in case it turned into a full-on sexual assault. “Sounds wonderful. I’ll leave my door unlocked like I always do. Hint, hint.”

  “Hey, where’s my kiss?” complained Dan.

  Milly pushed off the couch, reached over, and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Remember. As far as Riley goes, I’m only making a suggestion about the discipline thing. You’re her guardians, so you do whatever you think is best.”

  Scooping up the bag with her purchases along with her purse, she scooted down the hall to her bedroom. Her jaw dropped to the floor when she opened her door.

  Chapter Six

  It was ridiculous, but Milly’s first thought was that an animal had gotten into her closet. Her clothes were strewn over the floor and on top of her bed. Two bras with large holes in the middle of the cups hung from her ceiling fan while her shredded underwea
r decorated the table lamps on either side of her bed.

  She dropped her purse and bag then bent over to snatch up one of her favorite blouses. It was torn, ripped apart as though someone had taken a knife to it and gone wild.

  A knife or maybe a set of sharp fangs.

  She hadn’t seen Riley shift yet and didn’t know if she’d made her first transformation. Most werewolves changed early on in life, but she didn’t want to assume anything as far as Riley was concerned since she was only half-werewolf. That was a topic left for her uncles to handle. But she had no doubt about what had happened to her clothes. Whether Riley had used fangs, a knife or even scissors didn’t really matter. Her clothes were shredded.

  Her first instinct was to knock Riley’s door down and whoop the young girl’s bottom. But common sense prevailed as she stood there, taking deep breaths and fisting her hands so tight that her fingernails dug into her skin.

  In the space of less than a week, I’ve gone from a single woman wanting to meet her mates, to a pseudo stepmom with a problem child. This so sucks.

  Once she’d regained her composure, she leaned her head around the edge of her doorframe. “Guys, could you please come to my room?”

  It didn’t take Dan and Matthew two seconds before they were striding toward her. Matthew’s grin couldn’t have been any bigger. “Did you change your mind about waiting until—”

  He stopped alongside his brother and gaped at the mess. “Damn, baby. No offense, but you’re a real pig.”

  Dan bumped against him. “Look again, lug head. This isn’t her doing.”

  She turned to close her door behind them for privacy then thought she saw Riley’s door ease closed.

  That’s okay, Riley. You’re probably giggling right now and having a high time thinking about what you’ve done, but that’s going to change soon enough.

  Dan’s face was a mirror reflection of Matthew’s hardened one. “Riley did this.”

  “That’s my guess.”

  Matthew thumbed one of the shredded bits left over from one of her lacy panties. “I can’t believe she’d do something like this. Riley may be rude and all, but she’s never gotten destructive.”

  “Naw, she hasn’t. But she’s gone too far now.” Dan whirled on his heel, slung her door wide, and pounded on Riley’s. “Riley Carpenter, you open this damn door this second or I’ll tear if off the hinges.”

  Matthew was behind him as Milly waited. “Please don’t break the door. Remember, this isn’t my home.”

  She wasn’t sure if the men paid any attention to her, but thankfully, Riley opened the door after Dan pounded on it again.

  Her expression was confused yet pure, as though she was the most innocent person in the world. “Yes, Uncle Dan?”

  The girl should be an actress.

  “Don’t ‘Uncle Dan’ me.” Dan took her arm and pulled her into Milly’s bedroom. “Why the hell would you do this? What’s wrong with you?”

  The pretense was over. Riley didn’t even bother trying to yank her arm away. Instead, she scowled at him and thrust out her chin in defiance. “I don’t care what you do to me. She deserved it. She’s not my mother and she can’t tell me what to do.”

  Dan took her by both arms, hard enough to get her attention but not enough to really hurt her. “You listen to me, young lady. You’re going to clean up every bit of this mess. Then, once you’re done, you’re going to sit down and handwrite a letter of apology to Milly. Do I make myself clear?”

  Milly couldn’t argue with the punishment. She deserved that and more. Still, she couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the girl whose life was getting turned over yet again. “Dan, as long as she cleans it up, I’m okay.”

  But Matthew wasn’t. “No, Milly, you were right. We need to give her more discipline. Maybe if we had, she wouldn’t have done this.”

  Riley’s anger flared even higher. “You’re listening to her now?”

  Riley jerked her arm, but Dan held on. “Leave Milly out of this. We’re handling you.”

  Hatred seared out of her young eyes. “You’re choosing her over me, aren’t you? You’re going to mate her and then send me away.”

  Milly could see that the accusation stunned Matthew. “No. We’d never send you away. You’re our niece and we love you. Even when we don’t love what you’ve done.”

  The struggle to lighten his mood and ease her pain showed in his furrowed brow. “But come on. As a soon-to-be full-grown woman, don’t you think what you did is sinking too low? I mean, it’s her, you know, girlie things.”

  Matthew’s attempt to ease the tension didn’t work. Riley wasn’t convinced, her pain searing through the anger as Milly watched and wished she hadn’t said anything about more discipline.

  Tears streamed down Riley’s face. “Just go ahead. Take her side. Everyone I love leaves me sooner or later! And now you’re leaving me, too!”

  Dan tried to stop her as she spun around and darted toward her room. “We’re not going anywhere, Riley, not now and not ever.”

  Riley turned as she made it to her door and craned her red, tear-streaked face toward him. “Then promise me. Promise me you’ll choose me over her.”

  Milly sucked in a breath. She’d never wanted it to come to that horrible choice. As the shocked men stood there, trying to find the right words, she made it easier for them.

  “You don’t have to worry, Riley. I’ll never take them away from you, and I’ll never make them have to choose.” Holding her head high, she walked past them, determined not to let them see the tears that stung her eyes.

  * * * *

  After Riley’s outburst, Milly took a long walk, going nowhere in particular, but giving her space to breathe and time for the men to talk to Riley. After a few minutes, she hid her clothes behind a bush and went for a run. Running as hard as she could until her legs were trembling had always brought her relief from stress. Often an answer to whatever problem plagued her would hit her. But not tonight.

  What could she do? Riley saw her as a threat and wasn’t budging. Not only would Riley not accept Milly as their mate, she was determined to keep from letting them have any relationship with her. As she’d told the young girl, she’d never put them into the position of having to choose. Their obligation, their promise to Riley, came first.

  It was in the early morning hours before dawn when she opened the back door and slipped into the house. The lights were out as she snuck past the two bedrooms and into hers. Someone had cleaned up her room and hung up the clothes she’d purchased earlier that day. She hadn’t gotten many new clothes, but they’d get her through a few days until she could pick up more items. For the time being, she’d have only the bra and panties she had on.

  “Looks like I’m going to have to wash these out.” She did so, hoping they’d dry fast.

  A quick glance in her sleepwear drawer told her that Riley had been very thorough. However, one of the men had left a T-shirt for her to use. She fingered it, picking up Dan’s scent. But she couldn’t put it on. Just thinking about Matthew and Dan made her physically ache. She couldn’t wear the shirt and have Dan’s aroma surrounding her. It would make her too sad, and she was already fighting back the tears.

  Besides, it wasn’t like she hadn’t slept in the buff before.

  She slid into bed and stared at the ceiling. It was very dark in her room, the way she preferred it. She could barely see the popcorn finish on the ceiling.

  I need to tell Jackson to get rid of that old style of ceiling. In fact, I could suggest a lot of improvements to the house.

  But why would she? She had no idea what her future held. Now that she’d found her mates, and possibly lost them, would she remain in Forever? She no longer had a reason to leave, but staying didn’t hold the attraction it once had. Maybe starting over somewhere else would help her forget about Dan and Matthew.

  I could go to the moon and back and never forget them.

  After waiting, longing for the men who were her intended mat
es, she’d never thought she might lose them to another female. Especially not a teenage girl. She chuckled, yet the sound had no mirth in it.

  Pulling the covers to her chin, she waited for sleep to take her. Or would she stay up, thinking about them, until the sun rose?

  Several minutes later, she felt the fatigue of her exhausting run wash over her. She closed her eyes, welcoming the blissful release of sleep.

  Someone touched her hand, bringing her awake in an instant. She started to sit up, but a hand covered her mouth, keeping her on her back.

  “Shh, Milly. It’s okay. It’s me.”

  She blinked, bringing out her werewolf eyesight to see Dan’s handsome face over hers. Her heart beat faster as the heat from his touch spread outward into her arm and more.

  He lifted his hand from her mouth. “Be quiet. We wouldn’t want Riley to hear us.”

  A creaking noise had her turning to find Matthew climbing on the large bigger-than-a-king-size bed. He put his finger to his mouth then grinned at her.

  “I hope you don’t mind, baby. We had to see you. And don’t worry. I locked the bedroom door so there won’t be another surprise. At least not the kind Riley gave us.”

  She didn’t care what had happened earlier. The only thing she could think about was having them near her. If it was for the last time before they left with Riley or for the first time of the rest of their lives together, she didn’t want to know.

  She threw the covers aside, exposing her body. Their gazes raced from her face downward, lingering over her breasts and the strip of hair between her legs.

  Matthew grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to face him as he lay down in front of her. Dan’s grumbled complaint lasted only a moment before he slid in behind her.

  Matthew cupped a breast as he feathered her face with kisses. “Damn, but I’ve missed you. Can’t you tell?” He pulled her leg over his and pressed his cock to her pussy.

  She giggled, happiness ridding her of her earlier gloomy mood. “For a second, I thought you were robbing me.”