His jaw dropped. “And you don’t think the feeling is mutual?”
“I can see it isn’t. You wouldn’t be able to keep your jeans on if you felt half of what I feel. It’s confusing, and I’ve been trying to figure it out all weekend. Finally, it dawned on me. Neither of you feels as strongly as I do. I don’t know what that means in the long run, but it has to mean something.”
Silence stretched for several heartbeats while Reid stared at her, not blinking. His mouth was open, but she didn’t think he was breathing.
Finally, he took a long deep breath and drew her closer, if that were possible. His fingers gripped her neck with so much vehemence. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”
She flinched. That was not the response she expected.
“Adriana, after the past few days, I’m confident I can easily speak for both Nolan and myself when I say you’re mistaken. You’ve misread us.”
She didn’t see how that was possible.
“I have never in my life felt this strongly about anyone. Neither has Nolan.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s enough, Reid. I’m not denying you care about me. I’m simply pointing out you aren’t as drawn to me as I am to you.”
His face tensed. “And I’m pointing out you’re wrong. You’re misinterpreting our actions. You’re my world, Adriana. Nolan’s too. My entire world. Neither of us is capable of grasping how we will go on after this is over and you have chosen.”
She flinched again at the reminder that the entire thing came down to her choice. She alone would be to blame for whatever the outcome was. In fact, maybe she was lying to herself and made up the entire belief that they weren’t interested in her with the same force she felt to avoid having to choose. At least if she chose neither of them, they would both be equally hurt and could remain friends. Any other outcome in her mind ended with a rift between them that could never be repaired.
He gave her another squeeze to get her attention. “I didn’t mean to put more pressure on you. That didn’t come out right. I’m sorry.” He paused. Took a breath. “What I’m trying to say is that everything you feel is mirrored in me, baby.”
She didn’t move.
His voice dipped and softened. “I’ve spent the entire week with a stiff cock. My heart races in your presence. I sometimes find myself speechless while I watch you move around a room. Mesmerized by the way you tuck your hair behind your ear or cut your food or sip a glass of wine or concentrate on your designs. My chest seizes, and I can’t breathe.
“I’ve taken my cock in my hand every single time I’ve been in the shower since I met you. It’s the only way I can dampen the lust consuming me. And it doesn’t even work. If you think the fact that Nolan and I can keep our pants on in front of you is an indication that we aren’t interested, you’re dead wrong. We don’t have a choice here.”
She drew back the centimeter he permitted.
He gave her neck a little shake. “Baby, we made a commitment not to take your virginity. Maybe it would have been different if you’d had other partners, but you haven’t, and we take that seriously. You deserve to belong completely to one man and one man only. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I took that from you. And neither would Nolan. So we haven’t. And I don’t have the self-control to let you see and touch me and then not slide into your warmth.” His voice cracked.
She’d never seen him this emotional.
“So no. You don’t have a monopoly on how intense you feel. It’s mutual. I speak for both of us when I say I know for a fact Nolan would state these same things if he were in the room. Does it suck? Hell, yes. I’ve been in unimaginable turmoil for a week and fourteen hours. So has Nolan. It makes my heart hurt to know I not only can’t control the outcome but that you’re hurting so badly, agonizing over the decision only you can make. I hate that for you. More than I hate to see what the outcome looks like.”
Her mouth was dry. Her heart pounded. She’d been wrong.
He set his forehead against hers. “I will not make things worse for you. Ever. I can and will control my carnal urge to flip you onto your back and claim your body. I don’t have the right. You would never forgive me. I wouldn’t do that to you or to Nolan or to myself. I would hate myself later if I took what doesn’t belong to me from you. Something so precious it deserves to be cherished.
“Maybe we made a mistake this weekend by showing you how good we could make you feel. I’m not sure it was the right choice. We simply didn’t want you to walk on eggshells around us worrying about treating us equally and keeping us at arm’s length when we were all in the same confined space.
“Was it weird? At first, yes. But we got over it fast. All we cared about was making you feel good and giving you a taste of what’s in store for you for life. No matter who you end up with, I can assure you either of us will do everything in our power to make your body come alive in a way you’ve only seen the fringe of. You’ll be cherished and worshiped and loved until you die, baby. I promise you.”
A tear slid down her cheek. She hadn’t realized her eyes were clouded with moisture.
Reid brushed his thumb up to swipe it away. “Please don’t retreat from us. I don’t want you to feel like you have to bottle up your thoughts and feelings to avoid hurting either of us or keep a confrontation at bay. If you’re hurting, share. Okay?”
“I have been hurting for over seven days, Reid. I can’t possibly share that any more thoroughly.”
He nodded. “I know. And I’m so sorry.” He released her neck finally and wrapped both arms around her to close the few inches between them.
When her chest pressed against his, her nipples tightened further. She wanted his hands on her, cupping her breasts, pinching the tips, making her feel. Taking away the edge of need and pain. But he wouldn’t do it while Nolan wasn’t in the room.
Something had shifted between them. A change. Before the weekend spent in their arms, she’d had fleeting limited contact with both of them on separate occasions. A kiss, some groping. Nothing beyond that. But somehow she knew it wouldn’t happen again. The stakes were too high. Reid was too much of a gentleman to put her in any position that would leave her uncomfortable and force her to keep things from Nolan.
Yep. She’d been wrong. It wasn’t that Nolan and Reid didn’t feel as strongly about her as she did them. Not at all. If anything, they felt even more intensely. They also found a deep strength that allowed them to cherish her in a way most men would never do.
She was falling in love. With two men. It wasn’t getting easier. It was getting worse.
With this knowledge, she let Reid pull her onto his lap and then roll her onto the bed beside him. She allowed him to spoon her against his chest and wrap his arm around her middle. She relaxed as he lifted one leg over both of hers to cocoon her completely.
And she found peace in the way he kissed her neck gently at the very spot where one of them would one day claim her.
She didn’t freak out or fight him. Instead, she fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Twenty
“You’re sure this is going to work?” Joe Stringer looked skeptically at Vinny, his eyes narrowed to mere slits.
“Positive. Trust me.”
The man didn’t waver, but he did lift a hand to run it through his short, thick hair. He was only about thirty-five, but his black hair was graying at the temple. “I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, I don’t know what sort of arrangement you have with Rimouski, but I do know if you fuck this up, your ass will be toast. I’ve put a lot of manpower and financial backing behind your scheme.”
“It’ll work.” Vinny was as confident as he could be. Joe was right. He had no idea what Rimouski knew about Vinny. And he never would. Hopefully, when this was over, and Vinny had proven himself to be a respected, loyal team player, Joe would stop treating him like pond scum.
“You have everyone in place?”
“Yes. Eight men are positioned to move in on Reid Terrance’s co
ndo when I give the word.” Human men. Human men with guns. So far they were awaiting word several blocks away.
Vinny wasn’t about to risk alerting Reid to the scent of unknown people around his home until the last second. Several of the men had approached the condo close enough in the last few hours to get a lay of the land and then retreated. They didn’t understand the need to pull back so far, but at least they’d followed Vinny’s instructions.
“And Osborn?”
“I’m handling Osborn myself.” Vinny turned toward the window and stared out at the twinkling lights of Calgary down below. He would be heading closer to Nolan’s location in a few minutes. Four men were waiting to go with him. Also human. No one besides Vinny was a shifter in this entire operation.
“You aren’t planning to approach him are you?”
When Vinny turned around, he found Joe’s gaze roaming up and down his body.
Vinny fought the urge to snarl. No, he wasn’t the largest man alive, but what Joe didn’t know was Vinny could end Joe’s life in two seconds flat if he wanted to. Nevertheless, he had no intention of taking Nolan out of the picture himself. The men with him had guns. Vinny didn’t need any blood on his hands. Especially not shifter blood. If the Arcadian Council ever found out he’d been involved in the murder of a shifter, his life would be toast.
He was lucky the council hadn’t bothered to hunt him down the last time he’d been involved in a borderline illegal scheme. If he killed a man, the council would hunt him to the ends of the earth and never let him get away.
Nope. He’d leave that messy task to the humans. But damn, he couldn’t wait to watch.
“Vinny?” Joe prompted.
He realized he hadn’t answered the question. “No. Of course not. Just gonna supervise.” He shoved away from the window. “Gotta go. I’ll text you when it’s done.”
»»•««
Nolan was in bed, but he wasn’t asleep. He’d been tossing around for over an hour when the hair on his arms suddenly stood on end. There was no explanation for the intense feeling of unease except intuition. Sure, several humans were nearby. It was a hotel. People were staying on both sides of him and occasionally wandering the hallway.
But something was off. He swung his legs around, grabbed his jeans, and shrugged into them. As he was zipping them up, a loud knock sounded on his door. Four quick raps that made him race forward. They ended just as quickly, and although he sensed the presence of a human in the hallway, he didn’t know the scent, and it was moving away so fast he couldn’t get to the door to open it before it was gone.
And he didn’t need to. Whoever it was had slid something under the door. A piece of paper folded in half.
Nolan wouldn’t have opened the door anyway. Too risky.
He flipped on the light and bent to pick up the paper. When he read the words, he froze. “Fuck.”
If you ever want to see your friends alive again, you’ll do as instructed. Be at the park two blocks south of your hotel in fifteen minutes. The orange slide. If you fail to show, they’re both dead. If you call for help, they’re both dead.
Under those words was a URL.
“Fuck,” He muttered as he lowered into the chair at the small desk in his hotel room and powered up his laptop. He had no doubt he was not going to like whatever the fuck he was about to see. “Please God. Please.” He tapped his fingers on the table as he waited for the computer to boot up. It seemed to take a decade.
Visions of Reid and Adriana held hostage somewhere raced through his mind. Where would these fuckers take them? He worried whoever had them would kill them anyway even if Nolan gave himself up. While the computer powered up, Nolan shoved from the table to grab his cell phone from the bedside table. He palmed it and then set it on the desk next to his mouse as he resumed his seat.
Finally, the screen came into view. He entered his password and opened the internet. It took another thirty seconds to type in the URL with shaky hands and wait. He was shocked by what he saw. Not Reid and Adriana somewhere unknown, but the two of them asleep in Reid’s bed. Neither was moving. Reid was curled around their woman, holding her tight.
It took him a moment to realize it was a still shot. The picture was blurry. Whoever took the photo did so from a distance through the bedroom window. And then the photo disappeared and left him watching live video from outside Reid’s condo. The camera panned around the area to show several men dressed in black inching toward the home. They had guns. He wasn’t sure yet how many there were before he grabbed his phone.
All Nolan could do was pray no one noticed Reid reaching out for his phone. Although in truth, whoever wanted Nolan dead had to realize there wasn’t a chance in hell Nolan wouldn’t warn his friends. There apparently wasn’t a video camera positioned on the bedroom—neither inside or outside—just the long-distance blurry shot taken from south of the window.
How the hell had someone found him? And more importantly, how had they made a connection to Reid and Adriana?
Nolan had no choice but to alert his friends. It was time to put an end to the charade. In a few minutes, Adriana would be lost to him forever.
»»•««
The sound of an incoming text drew Reid from his sleep. He was aware he had only recently managed to doze off, so he was alert enough to know an incoming text at this hour was not a good sign. He lifted the hand holding Adriana to his chest and snaked it out to snag the phone from the bedside table.
His heart raced as he saw the message from Nolan.
Don’t move. You’re being watched. Rope.
Reid yanked the phone under the covers, hoping to avoid anyone detecting the glare of the screen while assuming it was probably too late. The last word made him stop breathing. If Nolan was using their agreed-upon code word, something serious had happened.
The moment he pulled it out of sight, with his body fully alert, it rang. Nolan.
He clicked the screen beneath the covers and pulled it to his ear. Before he could answer, Nolan was speaking. “Camera is on you from outside, aimed through the shutters. Not a video. Still shots. But don’t take any chances. I have no idea how fast that camera is clicking.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.”
At his expletive, Adriana stirred. “Reid?” she whispered, attempting to twist in his arms.
He held her tight. “Stay still, baby.”
“Give me a sec to reach out to my dad,” Nolan stated.
Adriana stiffened. “Is everything okay?”
“No, hon. It’s not. Don’t move.” He waited for Nolan to come back on the line.
“Okay. I’m back. My dad will get the Arcadian Council moving. He’s also calling the police.”
“Talk to me,” Reid gripped the phone.
“Got a note under my door. They want me to meet them. I get to choose—me or you two.”
“Don’t you fucking meet them.”
“Oh, believe me, I’m clear on that. But they obviously know where I am and you too. It’s time, Reid. Do it.”
Reid’s hands were shaking so badly he had trouble holding the phone.
Adriana’s adrenaline was racing also. She didn’t try to move away from him—thankfully obeying his demand—but that also meant she could hear Nolan clear as day with her head so close to Reid’s.
“Do what?” she asked tentatively.
Reid squeezed his eyes shut and held her so tight it had to hurt. He didn’t want to do it. It wasn’t fair. “Nolan…”
“You promised.”
“Only to placate you,” Reid retorted, frustration building.
“Don’t you fucking renege on me, Reid. Not tonight. Her life is at stake. So is yours.” Nolan’s voice was louder.
Adriana’s voice shook when she spoke again. “Reid? What did you promise?”
Reid leaned his head toward her and nuzzled her neck. “Dammit.”
She jerked in his arms.
He drew her so close he could feel every inch of her sweet body t
ensing. “How do you know it’s not just a cameraman?” He closed his eyes and inhaled long and slow, cursing under his breath at the exhale.
“There’s a live video feed I’m watching. Men are surrounding you. Black clothes. Guns at their sides. I can’t identify them. Can you scent them?”
“Yes.” He inhaled again. So did Adriana. Reid continued to speak. “There are a lot of people in the vicinity. It’s hard to say which ones don’t belong, but I’m going to guess about eight. Human.”
“Not a single shifter?” Nolan asked.
“Not that I can detect.”
“The man who left the note was human also. Let’s hope no shifter is involved. That will give us leverage.”
“Marginally,” Reid responded, not feeling all that hopeful. Eight humans with guns could do a fuck lot of damage if they wanted. Even shifters couldn’t live through fatal gunshot wounds.
“Please tell me you have a weapon.”
“Of course I do.” It wasn’t legal, but Reid had one. He was a bodyguard. Granted, he was a legit bodyguard who didn’t carry a weapon as far as his clients were concerned. But he wasn’t stupid.
There was a moment of silence. “Reid…” Nolan’s voice was calmer, but the urgency was there.
“I know.”
“They aren’t there to kill anyone.”
“I know,” he repeated. Those men wanted hostages. Leverage.
“You can’t leave her unprotected.”
“I know that, too.” Reid blew out a breath.
Adriana gasped, squirming in his arms. “No,” she stated emphatically the instant she must have realized what Nolan and Reid had agreed upon.
“Baby…” Reid grasped her wrist with his free hand and held it between her breasts. “Calm down.”
“No. We can’t.” She sobbed.
“Let me talk to her,” Nolan stated calmly.
Reid pulled the phone from his ear and held it to hers. He could hear every word Nolan said just as she obviously had.
Grizzly Perfection: A Paranormal Shifter Menage Romance (Arcadian Bears Book 6) Page 21