Duke nodded as he turned back to watch the guy toss and turn in his sleep. Kaine had erected a primitive but useful barrier spell around the room. Almost like a cone of silence except it only worked one way. The eteri couldn’t hear anything in the house but they could hear him. Not that he’d said anything, apparently.
“You think Nic’s up to doing some digging, see if he can find out who this guy is?” Kyle asked.
Duke nodded. “Yeah, he’ll do it.” Nic needed a distraction and this would be a good one. Especially when Tira left.
And she would leave.
His hands tightened into fists at his sides and he forced them to relax only through sheer willpower as he turned for the back door.
Gods damn, he wanted her to stay. Wanted her to be with them. He’d gladly take any little part of her she gave to him.
“Duke, wait. How’s everything going over there?”
Duke paused to snort before he continued to walk to the back door. As he shed the jeans and sweatshirt he stored here and set them in the cabinet by the door, he shook his head. “You know that Greek tragedy you got brewing here? Well, our fat lady’s already singing.”
* * * * *
Tira lay sprawled over Nic in his huge bed, wrapped as closely around him as she could possibly get.
Their legs tangled together, the warmth of his body seeped into hers as Nic slid his hands up and down her back in a gentle caress.
She felt like a lazy, satisfied cat. Sleep hovered around the edges of her awareness but while she closed her eyes, she fought to stay awake. She refused to waste one minute of their day unconsciousness.
She would demand they stay naked all day, preferably in bed, and eat only when they absolutely had to. Sleep was the enemy.
If she fell asleep, she wouldn’t hear Duke when he came home. And she needed to intercept him before he had a chance to see her and Nic in bed and decide he wasn’t needed. Or wanted.
As much as she loved Nic, she loved Duke equally. They completed her in a way she had never expected.
Sure, it wasn’t the norm, but she’d known how much these men meant to her since she was fifteen. She’d expected to grow up and make them both hers.
Of course, that’d been before she’d seen Nic’s death.
“Hey, babe. I can hear you thinking.” Nic’s voice held a sexy, satisfied tone she never thought she’d hear. “Shut it off for now.” He paused, his hands stilling. “Or do you want to talk about it?”
She had to laugh at the trepidation in his voice. No way did he want to talk. Not now. But guys did need a certain amount of downtime between sex. Although…
“Talk about what?” She let the hand resting on his shoulder begin a slow caress of his pec. Lightly dusted with dark brown hair, she combed her fingers through the silky fuzz to tweak his nipple.
His sharp, indrawn breath sounded like a hiss to her ears and his hands latched on to her waist.
And beneath her thigh, draped over his lap, she felt his cock twitch and stir.
“Ti—” He froze as her thigh shifted, rubbing against his balls. “Sweetheart. Wait a sec.”
“Why?” She moved just enough to be able to lick the nipple just under her cheek then bit it lightly. He rewarded her with a groan and slid one hand into her hair to hold her to him.
“Because we should probably talk…about…”
She continued to ply his nipple with her tongue as her hand began a slow descent. Over his ribs to his abs, the muscles taut and well-defined. She found the thin line of hair that led from his navel to his groin and let her index finger follow the trail.
His groan vibrated through her lips, making her sex tighten with desire. She wanted to fill it right now, to lift herself onto him and take him inside. But she also wanted to play. Needed that lightness, the simple joy of it.
“There’ll be time for talk later. Right now, I just want to be loved.”
Both hands now slid into her hair and tugged until she had to release his nipple or hurt him. She didn’t make it easy for him, though. She let her teeth graze the skin for a second, instinctively knowing he’d love it.
And if his indrawn breath was any indication, he did.
“And I will, baby, I swear,” he said. “Just…” He paused and his head cocked, as if something had caught his ear.
His darkened green gaze caught and held hers.
And she knew Duke had returned.
Nic nodded as if she’d asked a question. “Go,” he said. “He’s gonna fight you. Just don’t take no for an answer.”
Her breath caught in her chest as she slid off the bed. She didn’t bother with clothes. The air in the house was warm, her body temperature even warmer. Hurrying into the living room, she slid to a stop before the front door just as it opened.
Duke stepped through, naked and oh so beautiful. He had his clothes clenched in one hand and when he caught sight of her, his gaze devoured her in seconds. From the tips of her toes to the top of her head, he let his eyes caress her, her body temperature rising even more.
Then she watched as he realized what her nudity meant. Watched him take a deep breath, smell the scent of Nic on her skin.
So many emotions crossed his expression, she couldn’t decipher them all. Only his longing and desire registered. And those were all that mattered right now.
Anything else could wait. During these stolen hours, only those were important.
He had to understand that or this would never work.
“Don’t say anything,” she said as she held her hand out to him, waiting for him to take it. “Don’t ask any questions. Just come with me. I need you too. Please.”
He didn’t move and pain began to beat in her chest, sending little frissons radiating out and making it increasingly hard for her to breathe. She knew he saw what happened, knew he’d caused this pain and some dark emotion flashed through those brown eyes as his mouth flattened into a tight slash.
Blessed Goddess, please don’t let him say no. He can’t say no.
“What did you do, Tira?” He shook his head as if trying to make facts fall into place for him. “How—”
She didn’t want to explain, not now. Her body was awash in conflicting emotion—desire, despair, longing and heartbreak.
She wanted him to take her hand and let her lead him into the bedroom. She wanted him to give in to her. But she didn’t want to beg. She shouldn’t have to beg.
“We have less than twenty-four hours,” she said. “Do you want to waste it asking questions? Or do you want me?”
He hesitated and she thought the pain in her gut might make her cry. He was going to reject her. He was going to turn around and walk away.
No. He couldn’t do that to her. He couldn’t.
Tears welled but she blinked them away. She refused to guilt him into anything. If he truly didn’t want her like this—
“Vaffanculo, Tira, don’t look at me like that.” The tone of his voice was harsh, almost angry but the underlying emotion tugged at her heart.
“Then come with me.” She swallowed back the tears. “Come join us. Please.”
He shook his head and she could practically hear him gritting his teeth. “You think I don’t want to? That this isn’t what I’ve been dreaming about for almost a decade? But whatever you did, you did for him, Ti. Go be with him. I’ll be around. Later.”
Her mouth opened but nothing came out.
Idiot. He was a first-class idiot. Her brain practically stuttered in her amazement.
Duke had convinced himself she only wanted Nic. How could the man be so stupid as to not realize what she wanted was both of them? Equally.
She would beat him for this. Later.
Now she let her anger flare, giving the desire flowing through her body a run for its money. She didn’t have time to temper her words. Didn’t care how he took them. “Are you really this completely clueless? Or do you have to work at it?”
It was his turn to look dumbfounded. His mouth opened as i
f to say something but nothing came out. She didn’t think she could have stopped anyway.
“Do you honestly, honestly, think I begged Nortia to take my Gift for the day so I could spend the day fucking Nic and shutting you out? Is that what you think of me? Do you think I want to stand here arguing with you when I could be in bed enjoying the two men I have loved since I was fifteen?”
She paused to take a breath and, in the space of a heartbeat, he closed the distance between them. With no time to breathe much less speak, she could only gasp when he tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold and stomped into the bedroom.
She had no time to wonder about the indignity of her position before she was flying through the air to land on her back on the bed beside Nic.
“Duke—” she managed to say before he crowded onto the bed next to her and silenced her by putting his mouth over hers.
The roughness of his kiss stole her breath and fired every nerve ending in her body. She felt the heat of Duke’s body press against her front as he crowded onto the bed beside her. Turning her body into his, seeking more of his heat, she pressed herself to him, arching her back for more contact.
Duke ravaged her mouth, his hands framing her face to hold her steady for his onslaught. The intensity of his passion consumed her, lit sparks in her blood that heated and pooled low in her body.
Her sex clenched and ached as he fit his cock into the notch of her thighs, the length hard, firm and hot. They were both naked and the heat of their bodies fused them together.
Her arms wound around his neck, her fingers digging into the flesh of his back, entranced with the flex and play of his muscles. As his tongue dueled with hers, she wriggled her hips into position, lifting her leg over his thigh to open herself to him.
She needed Duke to fill her, needed the friction—
Another hot male body conformed to her back. Another hard cock pressed against her ass.
She began to drown in sensation as Nic put his lips against her left shoulder and sucked on her skin, drawing it into his mouth before he bit her. Hard enough that it could mark her skin.
Her body bucked against Duke’s, making him groan as his cock pressed against her throbbing clit. But Nic’s hands on her hips held her in place as he began to rub the tip of his shaft between the cheeks of her ass.
Duke’s mouth released hers and she was able to draw in a breath before she had it stolen again as he lifted her higher on the bed, just enough that he could get his mouth on her breasts.
Nic followed, his mouth moving to her nape, where he bit and licked, inciting her nerves to dance and flame.
Conscious thought fled as she became a creature of pure sensation. She wanted to drown between them, let them take her under and never come back up for air.
Duke’s lips covered her nipple with uncharacteristic gentleness, almost too meek for her mood. She wanted him to devour her. But he refused to take the hint. He laved the taut tip with his tongue, one hand cupping her breast, kneading her with a gentle motion that made her squirm and beg for more.
“Please. Please.”
She kept repeating the word, the necessary language escaping her. She wanted to arch her back and force him to suck her hard, bite her, to ease the building wave of tension in her body.
Between them, Nic and Duke held her almost immobile. Their hands played her body with competing caresses, her mind not knowing which one to respond to.
“Ti, baby, don’t fight it.” Nic’s voice cut through the arousal even as he rubbed his cock against her, mimicking the motions of sex. “Just give in. Just feel.”
She wanted to. But how was she supposed to do that? She wanted to memorize each touch, each caress. The slightly rougher texture of Duke’s hands as he kneaded her breast. Nic’s almost painful bites that were sure to leave marks. The feel of Duke’s cock lying heavily but still against her thigh as Nic stroked his against the sensitive skin between her ass cheeks.
Her entire body felt as if it were engulfed in flames, her sex weeping with moisture, flowing down to wet her thighs.
“I need…” Hell, she couldn’t articulate what she needed. She only knew she couldn’t stand much more teasing.
Pressing back against Nic, she felt the loss of pressure on her mound. She needed to be filled.
Opening her eyes, she glanced down. Duke’s dark hair looked inky next to her skin but the sight of his lips on her breast made her lungs nearly collapse in on themselves with lust. He suckled her with such care, careful to keep his teeth from hurting her.
Deliberately tormenting her because she wanted him to bite her, mark her.
Sliding her hands around his head, grabbing the long strands and yanking, she pushed his head away from her until he was forced to release her breast or hurt her. He released her and lifted his eyes up to meet hers.
“Now,” she said, wanting absolutely no misunderstandings. “I want you both now.”
She saw something flitter through Duke’s gaze. “I— We don’t want to hurt you, baby. We’ve never done this. Just give us time. You need—”
Her breath caught in her chest and her eyes actually teared up. She was the first woman they’d shared. She knew they’d been with other women as she’d had other lovers. But to know this was special, this was unique, it made it clear she was special to them.
“Ti, what’s wrong?” Duke’s voice held a hint of panic in it, probably because of her tears. Nic stilled behind her at Duke’s question, his entire body tensed.
“Nothing’s wrong. Absolutely nothing’s wrong. There’s nothing to figure out. This is what is meant to be for us. Take me. Please. I can’t wait any longer.”
“You heard the lady, Duke. Hang on, babe.”
Nic shifted away from her but just as she was about to protest again, he pulled her along with him.
Duke moved too, just enough that he wasn’t hanging over the side of the bed when he lay flat. As soon as his back hit the sheets, he reached for her waist, just as Nic rose to his knees and helped maneuver her over Duke’s body.
Her legs fell on either side of his, the sensitive skin of her thighs brushing against his hard muscles. The position opened her, cool air brushing against the lips of her sex and making her gasp with the sensation.
She needed more, needed to be filled but she didn’t have time to complain because her men knew exactly what she wanted. Before her knees even touched the sheets, Duke had one hand wrapped around his erection, holding himself steady for her descent. Nic wouldn’t let her move as fast as she wanted, though.
He held her just above the tip of Duke’s cock, his arms wrapped under breasts, controlling her movements.
She wanted to sink down onto Duke, to ease at least some of the ache, but Nic refused her.
“Please,” she begged.
“Shh, Ti. It’s okay,” Nic whispered in her ear then bit the lobe. “Anticipation makes everything better.”
Beneath her, Duke let his cock brush against her labia, smoothing the moisture leaking from her over him. She watched him watch her, saw raw desire burning in his gaze, felt the heat of his body pull at her. At her side, Nic’s body gave off a similar heat, wrapping her in lust.
But Nic’s arms held her tight, refusing to let her do this her way. She was at their complete mercy.
“Slow and easy, baby.” Nic bit the thundering pulse in her neck. “There’ll be time for fast and hard soon enough.”
Her gasping breaths sounded almost like sobs as Duke nudged her clit with the head of his shaft. Her body tightened, her muscles clenching, waiting, only to burn in desire when he moved again.
But this time, she had some relief. He lodged the thick head between her lower lips, so he was embedded into her by only centimeters.
Biting her tongue to keep from crying out, she arched as much as she could and was rewarded by another inch of penetration.
“Fuck, you are so fucking tight.” Duke’s rough words sizzled along her skin, igniting a tiny waterfall of ripples
in her sex. He thrust up, burying himself even deeper. Nic held her steady as Duke continued to work his shaft into her, filling her.
She moaned as she slowly sank down, each inch of his thick cock bringing the impending orgasm just a little closer. And Duke’s expression when he finally seated himself deep within her nearly pushed her over the edge.
He was gritting his teeth, as if he could barely restrain himself. The muscles in his arms jumped and flexed as his fingers dug into her hips.
“Does he feel good, Ti?” Nic’s voice, unexpected and oozing sex, washed over her, making her shudder. “Is he thick and hard inside you? Do you think you’re stretched as far as you can be? Think how much better you’re going to feel when I’m in you too. It’s going to be amazing, baby.”
Rational thought fled and only the need to orgasm remained.
She couldn’t speak, could only trust her men to take care of her.
“Lie forward, sweetheart,” Nic said. “Let Duke hold you, baby.”
Listening to the command in Nic’s voice, she let herself be lowered onto Duke’s chest. Let him tip her chin up to capture her mouth and kiss her while he remained unmoving within her. She didn’t fight him to give her friction. She knew… She knew…
Nic moved and shifted as she lay against Duke, feeling his heart thunder against her chest as his tongue wrapped around hers, flirting and licking.
Then more shifting as Nic moved behind her. She felt one hand spread her even more then cool liquid dripped between her cheeks. The lubrication made her buck and Duke groaned into her mouth before pulling way.
He wound one hand into her hair and forced her to look into his eyes. “I’ve got you, baby.”
She knew he did and she knew when Nic finally made her his as well, she might not ever want to leave this bed.
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