by K. L. Ramsey
Airiana
It had been two weeks since Holden delivered the news of Cole’s death and Airi felt as though she was going stir crazy. She wanted to get home and get back to her life but every time she brought the subject up with either of the guys, they shot her down, giving her some excuse about business keeping them in Colorado. She knew they were full of shit but she didn’t want to call them on it. Airi appreciated that they wanted to keep her and Milo safe but she was starting to feel like hiding away at their cabin was over kill.
She had called Ivy daily to check in on her and was happy to hear her pregnancy was going well. Airi wished she could be there for her sister but she knew Holden and Slade were taking good care of her. Slade was released after questioning since there was no way he was involved in Cole’s murder.
Her ex’s death was confirmed a homicide and she hated knowing someone took his life. He might not have treated her well. Hell, he was a complete ass but he was still Milo’s father. If it wasn’t for Cole, she wouldn’t have her son and a part of her would always be grateful to him, for that reason alone.
The local authorities had been out to the cabin to question her and the guys, as a formality. They were obviously out of the state when Cole was murdered but the police were looking for any possible leads. She wished she could have been of more help. Airi just wanted to put this whole nightmare behind them so they could go home. She was learning to trust and not fear the future the three of them were building together, and it felt damn good.
Milo seemed to love the guys almost as much as she did, and they couldn’t seem to get enough of her son. Justin and Jarrod took on so many of her daily rituals with Milo, she was starting to feel useless. Watching the three of them at bath time was her favorite. She wasn’t sure who was taking the bath. By the time they finished up in the bathroom all three of her guys were soaked and it always made her giggle. After bath time, the guys would give Milo his bottle and read him bedtime stories until he fell asleep on top of one of them. They always insisted she take some time to herself—read or take a bath and she had to admit, she liked being pampered.
Watching the two of them with Milo made her long for things she knew were too soon for her to hope for. She knew they would be fantastic fathers but she wondered if they wanted that with her. It was easy to love Milo but would they want him or any child, for that matter long term? They hadn’t yet broached the subject of children and why would they? It had only been a few weeks since they had been together. Everything between the three of them was so new, Airi didn’t want to chance asking questions or pushing for answers. She worried she wouldn’t like their answers and that wasn’t something she was ready to face. Sure, when they admitted they were in love with her, she explained she and Milo were a package deal but she still worried the guys would get tired of playing house and then where would she be?
Airi sat on the patio watching the three of them playing in the yard and every time Milo giggled at being chased by either Justin or Jarrod, her heart felt as though it skipped a beat. “Hey,” Justin said. He sat down next to her and pulled her legs across his lap. She loved the way they were both constantly touching her, as if needing the contact.
“Hey yourself,” she sassed.
“We got news today that I need to fly to California on business,” Justin said. His tone was so matter of fact, she worried he was giving her the brush off but Airi knew better. She was still dealing with so many insecurities Cole had instilled in her. She needed to remember Justin and Jarrod were nothing like her ex. But, old habits were hard to break.
“How long will you guys be gone?” she whispered.
“Jarrod’s not going,” Justin said. “He’ll stay here with you and Milo, honey.” Airi knew Jarrod was staying behind for her sake but honestly, there had been no further threats since Cole was found dead and they couldn’t just hide away from life.
“That’s crazy,” she insisted. “You guys always travel together. Now shouldn’t be any different. Milo and I can just catch a plane back home and get settled at your place while you two are in California.”
“No,” Jarrod said, joining them on the patio. “There is no fucking way we are leaving you unprotected, baby.” Airi looked between them at the determined looks on each of their faces and she knew better than to argue her point. They were two of the most stubborn men she had ever met, especially when it came to her and Milo. Still, she needed to try.
“It’s been two weeks since Cole was found dead and nothing has happened. No threats, no one is coming after me. When does this end? When do the four of us get to go back to our lives and stop looking over our backs?” Airi asked. Jarrod looked at his brother and they did the whole talking without talking thing she was starting to hate.
“What?” she asked. “What aren’t the two of you telling me?” She pulled free from Justin, knowing she was sending him a clear message. She needed answers and they were keeping something from her; something she was most likely not going to like hearing.
“We got a call from the private investigator we hired, to get us information on your ex,” Jarrod said.
“But he’s dead, why would you still be investigating him?” Airi asked.
“Let him finish, honey,” Justin whispered. Airi nodded and waited Jarrod out.
“I had him looking into who would want your ex dead, you know besides everyone he hurt in life. My investigator said the police found something on the scene they didn’t bother to mention to us. And well, it involves you, baby.” Jarrod whispered the last part.
Airi gasped, “What does Cole’s death have to do with me?” she asked.
“Holden was right,” Justin said. “Whoever murdered your ex is connected to you in some way. There was a handwritten note found at the crime scene, with your name on it.”
Airi tried to think of people she and Cole had in common and there weren’t many. Cole was a loner and made her live the same way. He insisted she give up friends and even finished destroying her hopes of ever reuniting with her sister. It was one of his ways to keep her under his thumb. Friends would have convinced her to leave him. They would have reported him for physically hurting her and Cole wouldn’t allow that.
“Why weren’t we told about the note? If it had my name on it, why wasn’t it given to me?” Airi asked.
“It’s evidence, honey,” Justin said. She could tell he wanted to pull her back down on his lap but he was giving her space to process this new information. Jarrod stood by her side but gave her the same space. She loved how they were so protective but she needed to work this out on her own. Still, it felt good to have them surrounding her with their silent support.
“We have been able to find out what the letter said,” Jarrod offered.
“Tell me,” she ordered.
“It simply said, ‘You’re next.’ and we can’t let that happen,” Jarrod murmured. “God baby, we just found you. We can’t lose you now.” Jarrod didn’t stop himself this time, he pulled her into his body and wrapped her tightly in his arms. Justin stood behind her, framing her completely with their bodies.
“Who would want to kill both you and your ex, honey?” Justin asked. Airi shook her head, not knowing the answer to his question. She looked out into the yard to where Milo was playing with a ball the guys got for him. The thought of leaving him made her feel physically ill. She had grown up without parents and the idea of leaving her baby to fend for himself gutted her.
“I can’t think of a single person who would want us both dead. Cole wasn’t the nicest person but who would want to go as far as to murder him?” Airi questioned.
Jarrod chuckled. “Well, you’re looking at two of those people now, baby,” he said. “After what he did to you, I know I’d want at least five minutes in a room with the guy.”
“Same, honey,” Justin said from behind her. “He treated you like shit and that is unacceptable. But, you’re right in wondering who would go as far as to murder him and want to come after you. There isn’t a singl
e person who comes to mind?” Justin asked.
“No,” she sobbed. “What happens to Milo if this person catches up to me and makes good on their promise?” She really didn’t mean to ask her question aloud but she had and judging by the murderous expressions on her guy’s faces, they didn’t like the idea either.
“That won’t fucking happen,” Jarrod yelled. Milo looked up from where he was playing to see what all the commotion was about and Jarrod swore. “Sorry, baby. I won’t ever let anyone get close enough to hurt you or Milo.” Jarrod turned away from her to scoop up Milo as he ran to them. Her son had stopped to pick a buttercup and he handed it to her, smiling. Airi wiped at her tears and giggled at the way he kept trying to put it under her nose for her to smell.
“Thank you, baby,” she gushed, taking the tiny yellow flower from his pudgy hand. Milo wrapped his arms around Jarrod’s neck and Airi watched as he kissed the toddler’s cheek, loving the bond that had formed between her guys in just a few short weeks.
“This is what happens to Milo, honey,” Justin said. “We love him as if he’s our own and we’d never let anything bad happen to him—to either of you. That is why I’m going away on business by myself. You and Milo need one of us with you right now.”
“I hate that I’m making your lives more difficult,” she admitted. “You two didn’t sign up for someone with so much baggage.”
“We signed up to be with you, Airiana,” Jarrod whispered. “We got exactly what we wanted and I, for one, wouldn’t change one thing about us.” Jarrod pulled her up his body, kissing her mouth and Milo seemed to like all the hugging and kissing going around. He framed her face with his tiny hand and leaned in to kiss Airi’s nose, causing them all to laugh.
“So, when do you have to leave?” she asked Justin. She knew she would have to resign herself to the fact that they were going to do exactly what they pleased, especially when it came to her.
“Tonight,” he said. “Want to help me pack?” He pulled her back against his body and Airi knew he had more than just packing in mind. They had never really discussed one-on-one time between her and the guys and she wondered just how this was going to work.
“Um,” she looked up at Jarrod, who was still holding Milo, hoping he’d give her some guidance.
He chuckled and bent to gently kiss her mouth. “It’s fine, Airiana. I’ll hang out here with Milo and you go help my brother pack. We are going to both have our private time with you and we are fine with that. My brother and I share but we also know we need to build our individual relationships with you. It will only make us a stronger threesome if we do.”
“Besides,” Justin added, “You and Jarrod will have the next few days together, just the two of you, and I will want to play catch up when I get back from California.” He bobbed his eyebrows at her, causing her to giggle. Airi enthusiastically nodded, liking the idea of spending alone time with each of her guys. It would give her and Jarrod a chance to get to know each other a little better. She and Justin seemed to have a head start in that department, and some one-on-one time with Jarrod might be exactly what they both needed.
Justin left for his trip, promising to be a quick as possible and a part of Airi felt an inexplicable sadness he wasn’t going to be around. She felt greedy for wanting them both with her all the time but was also realistic enough to know that couldn’t be a reality.
Jarrod had taken Milo for his bath as he usually did but he seemed a little off without Justin being around. Airi chalked it up to the two of them doing everything together and Jarrod feeling a little lost without his brother around. But a part of her wondered if he was nervous about the two of them being alone together.
She and Justin had formed a bond, even a friendship, since she had started working for Grayson Industries. They had even been out on a few dates to eat but she didn’t realize that was what they were at the time. She naively believed Justin was just being kind to her but now she saw he was trying to get to know her. Jarrod never let his personal life mingle with his private one and that meant keeping Airi at arm’s length. They had never really shared any alone time on a personal level, just the two of them. Their time alone usually involved her being called into his office and him going over what he needed from her work wise. Sure, she had fantasized he’d call her into his office to demand things from her personally but that never happened. Not until his hand was forced by finding her on the jet after Justin had insisted she tag along on their trip.
Justin seemed to be the glue that held them all together. He was the one who had a relationship with each of them. Justin was the one insisting they spend time together and he was right. It would only make them a stronger unit if they did.
“He’s asleep,” Jarrod whispered from the doorway to their bedroom. Airi had decided to use her free time to take a bath and to slip into some sexy lingerie. The guys had done some shopping for her and Milo since they were spending more time than anticipated in Colorado. She had drawers full of sexy scraps of lace and she was sure both of her men would permanently keep her in a constant state of undress if it wasn’t for Milo and work getting in the way of their plans.
She wasn’t sure if she had chosen to wear something Jarrod would approve of until she saw the way his eyes flared when he looked her up and down. “What’s all this?” he asked. She loved how he was almost shy around her. Jarrod was usually so in control—her Dom but tonight he was shy and almost seemed nervous.
“It’s just me,” she whispered to him, reaching her hand out, hoping he’d take her offer.
“I know Airi but I just feel somewhat out of sorts, with it being just the two of us. I’m used to having Justin around.” He reached for her outstretched hand and pulled her closer. Airi willingly let him wrap her in his arms, hoping she could give him some reassurances that she wanted him, even needed him, just as much as she did Justin. She knew Jarrod had issues with his role in their relationship and that was the last thing she wanted resurfacing.
“Have you ever had a relationship without Justin?” she questioned. Airi worried she was being too pushy, asking such a personal question but she had been an open book for them both. She knew the guys had shared women, they admitted that freely but she wondered just how many one-on-one relationships either of them had had.
“I’ve been on a few solo dates but never a relationship, per say.” Hearing Jarrod admit he had never had a solo relationship did strange things to her heart.
“I’ll be your first then,” she said.
“Yes,” he breathed against her skin, burying his head against her neck. “You okay with that, Airiana?” he asked, seeming to be unsure of himself again. She had to admit this new, shy Jarrod melted her defenses. Airi liked his dominant side but the way he seemed to follow her lead now turned her on. It gave her a new boldness she had never had. Jarrod made her feel sexy and wanted and even self-assured and it was all new for her.
“I’m more than okay with it, Jarrod. I like that I’m your first solo relationship. I like that I’m the first woman you and Justin have shared in your home. I’m the first woman you have both chosen to live with and build a life with.” she said.
Jarrod kissed his way down her neck, “You’re the first woman we’ve fallen in love with,” Jarrod whispered against her skin.
“Yes, she breathed. “You both are the first men I’ve ever loved,” she admitted. She was being completely honest. Airi had never been in love with Cole. Sure, she thought she was in love with him at the time but she was wrong. Being with Jarrod and Justin taught her just what love was supposed to look like. Now that she knew the real thing, Airi could confidently say she never loved Cole. She’d forever love the child they created together but that was the only kind thought she could muster for her ex.
“You never loved him?” Jarrod asked, as if being able to read her thoughts.
“No,” she whispered. “I thought I did at the time but loving you and Justin now, it’s not the same.” Jarrod smiled against her sensitive skin and g
ently bit down, causing her to yelp.
“I like being in your list of firsts, Airiana,” he whispered. “I can’t speak for Justin but I plan on being your last love too. I want you, Airiana,” he said. Jarrod kissed his way back down her neck, leaving gentle little bite marks on her skin as he went. It always turned Airi on the way he wasn’t very gentle with her. She was finding she liked things a little rough and Jarrod never disappointed her.
“Then take me,” she whispered. Jarrod didn’t seem to need any further invitation. He pulled the scraps of fabric from her body with ease, leaving her completely bare to his gaze. Every inch of her body that his eyes roamed felt as though he had personally touched her there. Her whole body heated and she was literally panting with anticipation.
“There’s my beautiful girl,” Jarrod soothed. It sounded as though he was talking to a wild animal and hell, maybe that was exactly what she looked like. But, she didn’t care. She wanted him with everything she had.
“I’m going to tie you down to our bed and eat that sweet pussy of mine, until you can’t remember your own name, Airiana,” he purred. Words seemed to fail her, all she could do was nod her head, giving her agreement. This Jarrod, the Dom who like to control her body, mind and spirit, was her favorite.
“The words, Airiana,” he ordered, causing her to jump. “I need the words.”
Airi smiled up at him, “Yes, Jarrod. I want for you to tie me to our bed and help me to forget my name,” she sassed. He swatted her ass on his way to the nightstand to get the hand cuffs. Jarrod ordered her up onto their bed and she quickly complied. She wanted so badly to please him, to show him she was just as much his as she was both of theirs. She had spent the morning alone with Justin helping him to pack and obeying his every command in bed. Now, it was Jarrod’s turn and she planned on wiping every stitch of uncertainty from his mind about how much she wanted him.