by Coralee June
“Next time, I get her. Understand?”
Maverick simply nodded and moved forward, bypassing his brother to kiss me on the forehead, whispering, “Bye, I love you,” before Cyler picked me up to cradle me in his arms. Without a second glance, he started pounding his feet on the wood floor and out the door. The hallways were a blur as Cyler ran. Drunk guards and men in white suits with lipstick stains on the collar were passed out in the halls.
Cyler bypassed the gathering room and carried me to a hidden Walker elevator, putting me down once the doors closed and wrapping me up in another soul-shattering kiss once more.
Nine floors. On the ninth, his hand was up my shirt, caressing my breast. There was an urgency in his touch that made shooting tingles travel up and down my spine. As we passed the eighth floor, he grasped the cheek of my ass, crushing him to me. It felt like several lifetimes had passed in his hold. I was found and claimed again and again. The seventh floor, he bit my lip and tugged. The sixth, he traced the edge of his fingers between my thighs. He thrilled me, hinting at eternity but filling each last second together with his touch. By the fifth floor, he was stroking me. He kissed me like he’d never see me again as he teased. He inhaled my sighs as I gasped for air at the fourth and third floors, moaning into this mouth as he reawakened my sensitive nub with his fingers.
At the second floor, he slammed his palm on the stop button, rubbing more, bringing me closer to the cliff of oblivion as he kissed me. Claimed me.
“Come for me, Ash. We don’t have time, but I need to feel your release on my palm. So later, when I stroke myself thinking of this moment, I’ll have this memory to keep me going.”
He felt so good. He moved like a man determined to be on my mind until I saw him again, and I knew I’d be thinking of this trip in the elevator until my dying day.
His words broke me apart, and I let go of the crushing tidal wave of sensations then. Biting down on his shoulder to stop the screams, the embers within me that had been silent from our distance ignited in a blaze of relief. I burned bright in that elevator. He breathed life back into my soul and made the lingering numbness I’d been clinging to completely disappear.
And when Cyler straightened my shirt, kissing me once more as the doors opened, I let out a hiss of air. The pristine lobby was full of Companions loading onto transports, but I wanted to stay in the elevator.
“Fuck, Cy,” I whispered under my breath. My legs were shaky as he guided me to my transport, where the other Companions were grinning mischievously at us.
“Fuck is right,” he groaned while adjusting himself.
We had almost made it. I had nearly sat down in the transport headed for the Zone, forgetting that I was in Cavil’s home and that we were in danger. Almost. But a slurred voice stopped us in our tracks.
“Cyler Black, is that you?” Cavil’s voice said as he slapped a woman on the ass and stumbled forward. Drool gathered at his lip, and he took another gulp from his flask. Maybe my initial reaction should have been anger or even fear.
But my first thought at seeing Cavil was disgust and wonder. How on earth had this drunk idiot stayed alive? He’d made enough enemies as it was, and in this state, he was incredibly vulnerable. He must have been here escorting Jade to the transport.
“Hello, Commodore,” Cyler growled out. I felt Cy’s hand on my shoulder, pushing me into the transport and out of view.
“How many times do I have to tell you that it’s Emperor, now? Don’t let her go too far. I need to see what pretty little Companion caught your eye. I’ve been throwing girls at you for months!” I stood up, knowing that I had no other option. All I could do now was pray that my disguise was enough.
I looked at Cavil then to the ground. I filtered through what I knew of Companions, and one rule stuck out firmly in my mind: “When all else fails, be submissive.”
“Ah, pretty little thing,” he cooed, lifting my chin with his greasy finger and smiling at me in awe. “I’m so happy to see you’ve moved on, Master Black. You must enjoy life, not spend it pining.”
Cavil rubbed his thumb along my lip where my red lipstick was rubbed off. “It appears as if you enjoyed her company very much.” I breathed in his whiskey scent, coughing when I choked on the strong smell of alcohol and smoke.
“What brothel do you belong to, my dear?” he asked.
Thankfully, it was Jade that answered for me. From within the transport, the Companions were watching, each holding their breath as he gazed at me. “Madam B’s brothel in the Zone, Emperor. She’s with me,” she said. Could he hear how her voice shook?
“Yes, yes. Well, as you can tell, I like my guests to be happy. I’m an honorable man. A good leader. Please tell your madam that I’d like you to attend each event I host until we leave at the end of the week.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Cyler’s mouth drop open in shock. “End of the week? I thought we were staying through the month,” he asked.
Cavil finally retracted his hand from my chin and swayed a little before staring at Cyler. I took advantage of his distractedness and settled into the transport with a shaky exhale.
“Yes, well, that was the original plan. But I find myself feeling homesick.”
Cyler nodded his head and flashed his eyes to me. This meant that we didn’t have a month, we only had a week.
“Who knows, Cyler. If you’re a good little boy, maybe I’ll let you take her back with us,” Cavil cackled while stumbling away.
Cyler wasted no time. “Go, I love you,” he said with a frantic intensity that looked eerily like fear. I’d never known Cyler Black to be afraid of anything, but the fire in his shifty eyes had me worried. He shut the transport door, and we were immediately off, but my heart stayed behind at Cavil’s tower.
Chapter Sixteen
As I stared out the window, watching the glimmering buildings fade into the disastrous Zone, I calmed my racing heart. "Well, ladies, it looks like our naïve little Walker isn't so innocent anymore. She practically reeks of sex,” Blythe said with a smirk.
The other girls didn't seem remotely interested in what she had to say. Kaye was drunk and struggling to stay awake, and Lowe was scratching herself, streaks of her rubbed-raw red skin were glaring at us in the dim light of the transport.
I didn't bother denying it; I wasn't embarrassed. I was too shocked at seeing Cavil. If anything, I felt sorry for Blythe. "You going to say anything?" she asked.
"I don't feel like I have anything to say."
Blythe looked around the transport, waiting for someone to speak up, but Jade just coughed and got more comfortable. "It must be nice," Blythe said. "First you're immune, you grew up in the Stonewell Manor. Dormas leaders are eating out of the palm of your hand. And while the rest of us worked, you got to enjoy a little rendezvous with your man."
Once again, I looked out the window, smiling once I saw the brothel in the distance. I was tired, sore, and eager to see Jacob, Patrick, Huxley, and Kemper.
"I'm not going to apologize for having a good life or for things I cannot control," I said to Blythe. "I don't know what I've done to upset you, or if you're just too jealous to see past your prejudice of me, but I'm not one to play games. I'm here to save the men I love, so you can either get on board with that or get out of my way."
Lowe, with her smeared lipstick and crooked smile, started clapping for me. "Well hot damn," she began with a whistle. "Ash loses her virginity and, within the hour, becomes a badass. That must've been some great cock."
I laughed as the transport came to a stop, and when the doors opened, I wasn't surprised to find Huxley standing outside with his arms crossed. The moment my feet hit the ground, he strolled forward and helped me up and out of the transport.
"How did it go?" he asked while placing a hand on my lower back and guiding me up the steps. Behind us, Jade struggled to carry a drunk Kaye inside.
"It went seamlessly," I lied. No use telling Huxley about Cavil catching us until he had calmed down. The brot
hel door opened, and we flooded into the lit entryway, but once Huxley took in my appearance, all hell broke loose.
At first, I was confused by his ferocious face and shaking hands. I inched closer, a concerned dip in my brow as I reached for him.
"What happened to your dress?" Huxley asked. The rest of the girls filed in, and once Blythe heard his question, she started laughing hysterically.
"Your innocent little Walker had her cherry popped," she said while throwing her head back with another laugh.
I immediately realized what Huxley was thinking, and I threw my hands up to capture his face in my hands. Staring in his green eyes, I assured him, "This is Maverick’s shirt. I spent my evening with Maverick."
Slowly, ever so slowly, the light in Huxley's eyes returned as he realized that I was indeed okay. I assumed that he imagined the worst. "I've been pacing the floors all night," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm glad you're okay, but I have to admit that seeing you in Maverick’s shirt has me intrigued."
A healthy blush covered my cheeks as I looked down at the floor. Although we established back in Ethros that my relationship with all of them was mutual, it was still embarrassing to say out loud with an audience listening in.
Huxley scratched the back of his neck then looked at the Walker Companions still standing in the entryway, staring at us. They were watching our exchange with rapt attention, and I felt even more insecure under their scrutiny.
Huxley wrapped his big hand around my wrist and pulled me upstairs, not giving the others a second glance as we escaped their curious stares. In Dormas, sharing a woman might be typical, but to the rest of the world, it was an unusual arrangement. And although a Companion might understand our dynamic more than others, there was still a judgmental way they viewed my relationship with my guys. I'm sure they thought I was just a glorified version of them, and no matter what I said, they wouldn't believe that there was more to this relationship than what the guys could offer me.
At the top of the stairs, Kemper, Patrick, and Jacob were waiting. But Huxley didn't give me the chance to see them, he yanked me by, grumbling a "she's fine" before dragging me into his room and shutting the door.
I wasn't sure what this was, but I didn't argue. "I promise I'm okay," I said once more.
Huxley wrapped me in a big hug, squeezing me until I coughed. "I know I'm selfish right now. I'm not jealous. Well, I am."
The door opened and in poured Kemper, Patrick, and Jacob. I should've known that they wouldn’t allow Huxley to hoard me to himself. My shirt had risen some, revealing my long legs and butt to them all.
"What happened?" Kemper choked out. Huxley let go, and I turned around, adjusting my shirt. He was wearing pajama pants, hung low on his hips, and his light blond hair was wet as if he'd just showered.
"I saw Cyler and Maverick, then spent the evening with Maverick," I rushed out, hoping they wouldn’t make me explain much further. Cyler once told me that the only way this would work was if we didn't keep secrets from one another. I knew that by diving into the deep end of my physical relationship with Maverick, I would have to be open to letting the others know.
My eyes flashed to Patrick who was grinning at my disheveled appearance. "Did you and Maverick have a nice little reunion?" he teased. Huxley looked up at the ceiling then glared at his twin. Patrick strolled towards me, and once we were toe to toe, he gripped the collar of Maverick’s shirt and pulled me towards him, launching a kiss upon my lips with a groan.
I melted. I was nothing but loose limbs and racing heartbeats. Patrick was delicious. I savored every touch until he pulled away abruptly. My mouth dropped open in surprise as I stared at Patrick. He bit his bottom lip and leaned in close for one additional peck upon my lips. "Look so good," he said. "I hope he treasured you."
It was unlike Patrick to be so intense. But I liked that side of him. I looked behind him at Jacob, Kemper, and a broody Huxley. "I'm now more determined than ever." My voice wasn't shaky. There was nothing tentative about my thoughts and my desires to save Cyler and Maverick. Seeing them once again fueled my need to bring them home.
Kemper looked like he was itching to ask me questions, so I wasn't surprised when he said, "Did Maverick say anything about what Cavil has him doing? I know he's looking for the cure still. Did he say how close he was?"
I blushed, unsure of how to tell Kemper that there wasn't much talking that happened between Maverick and me. Our reunion was purely physical. We connected on an emotional level long before we were separated.
"By her expression, I’m guessing they didn’t do much talking," a monotone mindspeak said for Jacob. He gave me an impish smile before the voice then said, "That lucky bastard! I get this nasty scar and lose my ability to speak; he gets the girl and the glory."
Jacob didn't even try to get the mindspeak out of his ear. I was laughing at his thoughts but also felt bad. I squeezed Patrick's hands and walked up to Jacob, feeling brazen. "Don't you know?" I asked. I trailed my nail down Jacob's forearm and watched as goosebumps pebbled up on his skin. "You all get the girl." Standing as tall as I could, I placed a chaste kiss on Jacob's lips, but when I tried to pull away, he cupped my cheek and kept me firmly against him.
"God, she feels so good," the mindspeak said. The monotone voice should have jarred me out of the sensation of our kiss, but it nearly spurred me forward. I wanted to know what he thought. "If she doesn't stop kissing me, I'm going to have a very embarrassing situation."
I laughed and took a step back, taking a moment to stare at Jacob’s chest as it heaved. Licking my lips, I forced myself to calm down and remember once more that there was something important we’d learned tonight.
“I do have some bad news,” I said with a shaky exhale. “I saw Cavil.” Each of my guys tensed and stared at me with frowns. “He didn’t recognize me,” I quickly added, “but I’m expected there the rest of the week. Cavil isn’t staying through the end of the month; he’s leaving in three days. I guess the party will be the night before he leaves.”
Kemper let out a curse and said, “I’ll be right back. I’m going to let Louis know.”
“So we only have three days?” Patrick said. I nodded with a frown.
“Fuck,” Huxley growled out. And as if on cue, he then said, “I don’t like this.”
I immediately felt the room grow heavy with concern for what was to come. Tomorrow, we’d have to figure out what we were doing, but tonight? Tonight, I needed peace and comfort. "Stay with me?" I asked.
"Of course," Kemper said while reentering the room with a half smile. I could sense that he too was worried about the new timeline.
"I want to be held. I want all of you here. I know that as we continue to learn how to navigate our relationships that it's unreasonable for us to have sleepovers every night. But I'm in a new place, and I'm finally starting to feel like myself again. I just…"
"I'm more than happy to hold you, little Walker. But if one of these assholes tries to spoon me, we're gonna have an issue," Huxley said.
Jacob must've forgotten that he had his mindspeak in because he then thought, "I'm going to spoon Huxley just to fuck with him."
We all laughed and settled into the tiny bed. Patrick and Huxley opted to sleep on the floor and sofa. We said our good nights, Jacob made sure to kiss me thoroughly, and we fell asleep. As I lay there listening to the steady noise of their breathing, I took inventory of myself. I felt...different.
I'd always thought that losing my virginity would awaken me as a woman. But instead, it merely bridged me back to the girl I was before everything went to hell in Ethros. I felt hope for the first time in months. I felt joy. I felt a little less like Shade, the Companion, and a lot more like Ash, the fearless Dormas woman, hopelessly in love with six men.
Chapter Seventeen
When I woke up the next morning, I wasn't expecting to see Kemper's blue eyes staring back at me. I had such a restful sleep that it felt like I was in Dormas again. It wasn't until I felt Jacob's hand o
n my hip that I remembered where we were. And although I'd give anything to be back at the Black home, I had to admit that this was a pleasant way to wake up.
"Were you watching me?" I asked Kemper in a teasing tone. His face flushed, and I liked that I had that effect on him. Kemper was such a contradiction. He’d blush one moment then whisper sweet, dirty, little secrets that had me panting the next.
"I can't help myself,” he said.
Not caring about my morning breath or how I looked, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his in a brief yet intoxicating kiss. "I like knowing that you can't help but look at me, Kemp,” I said in a low, husky tone while settling deeper under the covers. I wasn’t ready to start the day. I would have been happy to stay here for a month, reconnecting with my men and finding myself in their arms. I moved some, surprised and pleased by the ache within me.
“I have a surprise for you later,” Kemper whispered over my skin, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“What is it?”
Instead of answering, Kemper kissed me softly again, making sure to stroke his tongue against mine. “If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”
“Tease,” I whispered.
I put the eye-color changing drops back in my eyes and got ready for the day, adjusting the dummy fetter on my wrist before slipping into one of the other dresses Jules picked out for me. It was white, a common theme I found the Companions wore. This one was shorter than I preferred, but I swallowed back my insecurities. It was crazy to think about how I went from the compulsive modesty Linda Stonewell forced upon me when I lived in her home to this. The dress hit mid thigh, and the strappy fabric showed off my slender frame. My stomach was bare, the material covering my hips and chest.
The guys met me downstairs, and I was about to sit at the lavish table laid out for us when a siren blasted through the home, jolting us. Madam B speed-walked through the kitchen doors to the dining room, looking at each of us with a fearful expression. “Quickly, get your things. Men, wear your hoods,” she ordered. Still waking up from our late night, the Companions stumbled down the stairs, adjusting their white robes and putting on slippers.