by Janie Marie
“There’s my girl,” he said, pecking her again. “Told you I’d come for you. Always with you, babe.”
She sniffled, nodding as Kingston cleared his throat. Ryder didn’t let her turn just yet. He kissed her firmly on the lips then nuzzled her nose.
“Sit,” Kingston ordered, but the bite from before was gone. “Please.”
Jane watched Ryder smile. He’d done magic, she knew it.
He lowered her to her feet but took her hand and led her to the sofa. When he spotted Sylvia standing in the hall, he nodded. “David sends his love.”
Sylvia smiled, taking in the way Ryder held onto her. “I suppose he did.”
Kingston walked over to her, kissing her head. “Mom, I need to speak to them privately.”
“Be nice, son.” She patted Kingston’s cheek. “She’s the daughter you always wanted, remember? You threw her to the wolves today.”
While Kingston’s back was to them, Ryder kissed Jane’s head. “Everything is going to work out, angel.”
She clutched his hand as she searched his face. “What did you do?”
“You’ll see.” He kissed her forehead and nodded as Kingston returned.
Her stepdad exhaled loudly as he sat in the big chair that was beside the one his mother sat in. Grandpa Leodegrance’s chair. He leaned forward, resting his weight on his forearms. “Ryder and I had a long chat.” He scowled a bit at Ryder. “Not only did he reveal his long-standing feelings for you, but he let me in on the way David has tried to suppress his own for you.”
Ryder smirked at Kingston. “And I told him you made the moves on me.”
Jane nervously laughed as she met Kingston’s disapproving glare. “Yeah, I kinda did.”
“He also said you’ve been in love with David, and David had revealed his love at the same time.” Kingston shook his head. “I had no idea, Jane. You two had been so close growing up, but I never imagined you as anything other than the daughter I never had. When you grew apart, I saw it as simply the two of you growing up, and I was counting the days until this one would knock on our door and ask permission to date you.”
“Date?” Ryder scoffed. “Old man, I told you. She’s wifey.”
Jane covered her face. “Ryder.”
“You mean, husband, hun.” He chuckled, raising their joined hands to kiss her fingers. “I told him about Luc as well. How neither David or I knew Luc had an interest in you, and the fucker took advantage of you trying to make things ‘wrong’ between us by making yourself a lonely spinster.”
She lowered her arm, smiling. He was so silly; she never would’ve imagined Ryder doing this.
He grinned at her. “I told him I’m almost positive Tercero is in love with you.”
Her smile fell, and she worriedly darted her gaze to Kingston. He was frowning but not blowing up. More than anything, he looked puzzled and probably didn’t know which one was Tercero.
Ryder squeezed her hand. “He knows you can’t make up your mind, and he knows I was fine with letting you take time to decide. And by taking time, I mean, you’re my girl but you’re exploring your relationships with them. If you decide just me, or one of them, fine. None of us are going to fight. If you decide all of us, that’s fine too.”
She stared wide-eyed at him before watching Kingston.
His face was red. “Obviously, I’m not going to allow this, Jane. But, as he pointed out, you are almost eighteen. I won’t be able to stop you from making choices forever. So, what I am going to propose is this: You may date Ryder, Tercero, or Luc.” She went to open her mouth, and he held up a hand. “Wait. I can’t stop you from loving David, but I have to do my duty as a father. While you are underage, I will make rules, and my rule is you do not subject yourself to the chaos that will ensue if you publicly date your stepbrother.”
“But I’m not ready to let David go,” she whispered. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be.”
Ryder sighed. “Babe, all he’s saying is you have permission to have a boyfriend. When you turn eighteen, he will give you a choice.”
Kingston nodded. “Until your birthday, Ryder . . . or one of his brothers will be allowed to see you. Supervised. If you choose Ryder, you may tutor him, as you had originally planned.”
“He means we have to keep the door open, and I can’t feel you up.”
“Jesus Christ,” Kingston muttered, rubbing his forehead.
Ryder grinned at her. “He’s way off.”
Jane was obviously going to take this, but she didn’t believe it was real. “So, I can come home? David can come home?”
Kingston shook his head. “David isn’t speaking to me, and I have to work things out with your mother.” He winced. “I’ll be here with you, and you’ll stay enrolled at Helldonna until we move home. Ryder has managed to make arrangements to skip practices for the next two weeks to get his grade up. He’ll pick you up from school if you want, but you are to come straight home. If I get one call about you two getting into trouble, he’s no longer allowed, and you’ll be enrolled in an all-girls academy on the other side of the country.”
Ryder rolled his eyes. “I already told you; I’ll only kiss her in the car.”
“And in this house, there will be no kissing.” Kingston sent them both a dark look. “Respect my father’s house. You get to know each other, not just sex.”
Jane’s face burned. He did not just say that.
“Fine, old man,” Ryder said, his smile deadly. “You know she’s having my babies, right?”
Kingston had been taking a bite out of a cookie, and now he was spitting it across the room as he tried to roar, “You’re pregnant?”
Ryder’s smug smile widened. “Well, I don’t know about now, but she will be. Told you—wifey.”
“I’m on my period,” Jane blurted.
Kingston breathed heavily, his blazing eyes on Ryder. His head was going to explode, for sure.
“Yeah, I told him I was with you,” Ryder said, his tanned cheeks pinking. “That you’re the only girl I’ve been with.”
Kingston pinched the bridge of his nose, just like David did when he was frustrated. “Do I need to get you a pregnancy test, Jane?”
“No.” She held a hand over her warm cheek.
“Are you on birth control?”
Ryder snickered, kissing her head. “Old man, she’s fine. I’ll follow your rules. Now can we let her tell me if I’m the one, or if I need to call one of my brothers?”
Kingston glared at her. “Please tell me I don’t have to go through this again. He’s bad enough for all of them.”
Jane got up and went to Kingston, throwing her arms around his neck to kiss his cheek. “He’s the one.”
It wasn’t long before Kingston was hugging her tightly. His body trembled as he clutched her to him. “I love you,” he whispered into her hair.
“I love you,” she said, wiping her eyes as she smiled over his shoulder. Sylvia was watching from the kitchen.
“Just promise you’ll tell me if you decide to see the others,” he said, holding her at arms’ length. “You tell me before you sneak off with David.”
She nodded. “I love him, Kingston. I’ve always loved him.”
He sighed; his sad smile almost broke her. “I should’ve seen it because I see it now. I’m sorry.”
Her whole body hurt, but she was so relieved. She didn’t even know she needed this with him.
Kingston nodded to Ryder, and her boy was there, lifting her away and hugging her. “You be good to her,” he told Ryder. “I’m not past tying you up and throwing you down a hole.”
She thought Ryder would say something snarky, but he surprised her.
“Nothing would make me hurt my girl.” He grabbed her hand. “I’m going to let her call my brothers. Mind if I take her outside? I didn’t bring a car, so you know I’m not going to steal her.”
A real smile spread over Kingston’s face. “Stay on the porch. No making out because it’s still considered the house.”<
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Ryder muttered a curse. “I’m kissing her,” he said, pulling her behind him.
“Keep it respectful, boy,” Kingston yelled after them.
“Yeah, yeah.” Ryder opened the door and immediately lifted her up, hugging her tightly. “Fuck, how am I going to stay respectful around you?”
She tightened her arms around his neck, and she bawled.
He chuckled, kissing her cheek. “Ah, my baby figured out how to keep me in check.”
“I’m sorry,” she croaked pitifully. “I’m just so happy you’re here. I didn’t know if I’d really see you again.”
“You doubt me too often, babe.” He pecked her lips and carried her toward the porch swing. As he sat, he arranged her on his lap and put a hand over his spot. “Did you keep me?”
Tingles. She covered his hand, nodding. “But I kissed Tercero today.”
His smile fell, and he searched her face. “When the fuck did you see him?”
“Lunch.” She waited for him to get angry.
“Slick fucker. That’s where the phone came from . . .” He put a hand over her tummy. “No fucking? I’ll have to beat his ass if he fucked you while I was crying about not seeing you.”
She laughed sadly, shaking her head. “Your friends kinda scared him away. I felt bad.”
His eyes flashed. “Well, you’re gonna have to tell him to keep his distance for the next couple weeks. I’m fighting all of them if they fuck this up for us.” He began sliding his hand across her stomach. “You’re really on your period? I thought David was with you?”
Gosh, she wasn’t sure he would be okay with this, but lying to Ryder wasn’t going to happen. “He was.”
Ryder’s hand stilled. “Babe, you let him when you were hurting? Are you okay?”
Cutest boy in the whole world. Jane cupped his cheeks and kissed him long and hard. “I really fucking love you, Ryder Godson.”
Pure beauty when he smiled down at her. “And I really, really fucking love you, Jane Mortaime.”
Twenty
Jane’s heart cracked as she stared at Tercero through her phone. Ryder was gone; Kingston had taken him to retrieve his car, and though he’d called the others about the arrangement, she wanted to talk to them privately.
“You’re sad,” Tercero said, his dark eyes swallowing her.
She nodded. “I didn’t mean to humiliate you today. I just panicked after I realized they didn’t know about how we were doing things. They were the only people nice to me, and then I found out they’re friends with Ryder. I didn’t know how to be around his friends, and I didn’t want to lose the only people being kind.”
“No one is friends with Ryder,” he said, chuckling. “They’re afraid of him. That is why they reacted badly. And their kindness likely has little to do with Ryder.” He smiled at her. “You didn’t humiliate me, tesoro. I should not have put you on the spot.”
“But you’re not a secret,” she told him.
“I know.” He tilted, causing his long hair to slip over his eyes. He pushed it back, his eyes on her. “But that doesn’t change your first choice is Ryder, and he should be respected. I knew my brother was trying to get to you, and for once, he did things properly. I risked exposing you to more mistreatment. Not to mention, if Kingston had known I was there, you might be sent elsewhere. This is why it is best Ryder is your boyfriend. We’ll have time together. I promise.”
That promise made her squeeze her legs together, and he obviously knew it.
One side of his mouth lifted, and he shook his head. “You act as if my lips and tongue are still worshipping you.”
“It feels like it,” she whispered, becoming infatuated with the faint smile he always teased her with.
“Does it?” His voice dropped to the sensual tone that sent heat between her legs. She could tell he had leaned back, lying flat on something; he was sitting outside somewhere. One of his hands came to rest on the side of his head, and he pushed his hair back.
“Yes,” she breathed, entranced by his stare.
“Hm.” He kept watching her. “I would tell you to satisfy yourself on the phone with me—to let me watch you shatter with just my voice guiding your fingers, but you are quite vocal, cara. I don’t want to frighten the grandmother.”
Thankful he reminded her Sylvia was just two doors away, Jane said, “I have to ask you something.”
“I’m waiting.” He plucked something from behind his head. Grass—he was lying under the stars and moon.
“Why wouldn’t you let me try?” She felt silly asking, but she didn’t understand why he refused to let her give him a blowjob. “I barely got to touch you.”
He smirked, tugging down his shirt to show her the hickey at the base of his throat. “You left your mark. And you know why I didn’t let you.”
A lump rose in her throat. “Because you knew I’d be bad at it.”
“Jane,” he said, sitting up effortlessly. The pool lights were in the distance behind him. “You are inexperienced—not incapable of fulfilling every fantasy I’ve had about you.”
Her breath hitched. “You’ve fantasized about me?”
“Quite often,” he said instantly. “But you were nervous. Frightened. I don’t want you pleasing me when you feel that way.”
That made sense, but she couldn’t shake the embarrassment. He knew she was inexperienced, and he knew she was nervous about messing up.
“I believe Luc desires to talk to you,” he said, staring off in the distance. “Will you call me after Ryder leaves you tomorrow?”
Jane saw the text from Luc Godson: I’ve grown tired of waiting for him to finish talking to you. She smiled, focusing on Tercero again. “I’ll call,” she said. “I promise I’ll be good with Ryder.”
“You two are incapable of being good together.” He tilted his head, observing. Always observing. “Don’t feel you have to restrict yourself with him. I want him to love you as much as I wish to. I’ll get my turn, and I hope for the same. But do be mindful of Kingston’s rules. I will challenge my brother if he does anything that risks us all losing you.”
“I don’t think Ryder will take any risks,” she said, loving and frustrated at the thought.
Tercero’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “You miss the bad boy very much. You’re dying to get caught with him, and I worry you’ll push him. Worried more that he’ll let you get your way.”
Jane tried to hide her smile. “I kinda have this fantasy my mom will walk in when I’m with all of you.”
He didn’t look surprised. “That will be interesting. Though I do not look forward to interruptions.”
Her jaw was on the floor. “You want to be with me altogether?”
“Isn’t that what you said you desire?” That adorable yet sexy tilt of his head made hair fall over his face. “I admit, I prefer you alone, but every once in a while . . .”
Fire. Her entire body was on fire.
He smiled sexily. “We’ll talk about this later. Sweet dreams, tesoro.” Then he was gone.
Jane blew out a breath and fanned her hot cheeks. That boy did so many things to her. She was still red in the face when she Facetimed Luc.
He didn’t say anything when he answered; he simply stared at her flushed face and sighed.
“Hi,” she said, suddenly shy.
“If I were a boy, I would be upset with the fact that my girlfriend”—he gave her a pointed look—“did not only rush off and get herself in danger, but she also proceeded to fuck my younger brother while I was downstairs in our home then her stepbrother, all before ever calling me to inform me she was okay.”
Now, she felt horrible. She hadn’t even said anything to Luc about the two of them when she saw him last. She’d told him to tell Ryder to give up on her, totally ignoring Luc’s feelings. “I’m sorry.”
It was like she hadn’t even spoken. “As it happens,” he said, “I am not a boy, Jane.” His emotionless gaze softened as it fell over her. “Are you well?”
Just like that, he was back to making her like him. “I’m better now. Thank you.”
He sighed, though that blank expression returned. “Your stepfather missed my appointment because my brother snuck in.”
She grinned; he was pouting. “I think Ryder just showed up.”
“He did.” Luc shook his head. “I’m sure he knew I’d arranged to be there, and he made sure they were gone before I arrived.”
Jane absolutely adored everything Ryder had done, and she knew it made her bad boy feel good he’d outmaneuvered his clever brother. “What were you going to tell Kingston?”
“It no longer matters,” he said quietly. “The new arrangement is one you’ve agreed to. I’m sure you will enjoy dating my little brother while the rest of us sit here.”
“Oh, don’t be a baby.” She couldn’t contain her laughter now. “I love him. I’m going to be happy to see him. You have no idea how rough it was at this new school. But that doesn’t mean I forget about any of you.”
“No, I know you won’t forget,” he said quietly. “Though you are easily intoxicated by us, especially Ryder. He gave himself the advantage, and I am certain David wishes he were suddenly the one failing.”
“I don’t get drunk on Ryder. You’re more the drug than any of you.”
His eyes flashed on her. “Elaborate.”
She freaking loved his way of speaking. “I mean your touch, presence, is like a drug. I feel numb, almost. I could forget everyone if you really worked your charm on me, but I’d fight to remember them. But you’d suppress his magic.” A flutter of tingles blossomed at Ryder’s spot. “I know to keep my guard up around you.”
“Yet, you are foolish enough to expose your weakness and give me power.” He smirked as his gray eyes darkened like the pits of hell.
Jane sighed and snuggled under her blanket. “You wouldn’t use your power against me.”
“Foolish girl.” There was a fondness in the way he said it, and she smiled.
“Damon told me he works for you, that he’d switch his loyalty to me.”
“He has a weakness for bright souls.” He chuckled. “It’s not something to brag about.”