by Abby Blake
Finally he lifted his mouth away from hers and looked at her. Just looked at her like he was waiting for a sign or permission of some sort. Geez, she couldn’t do this. Nothing had changed. She was still an ambitionless waitress, and his future was bright and shiny. She had no right to be thinking the things she’d been thinking.
“Wow,” she said a little breathlessly as she pushed out of his arms. “That was one hell of a birthday kiss.” He looked surprised and maybe even a little hurt. She reached up and touched his face, whispered “thank you,” and then fled the room.
Chapter Two
Violet let herself into the apartment and stared at the empty sofa. It had been three weeks since her birthday. Three long, boring, tedious weeks since that incredible kiss, and no matter how many times she tried to convince herself it had been wrong, her body heated at the memory.
Maybe she should move out.
She toed off her shoes and sighed quietly. She had no idea what Jayden’s personal financial situation was. If she moved out, would he be able to afford the rent on his own? For that matter, would she? This apartment wasn’t exactly luxurious, but it was in a quiet neighborhood, the rent was reasonable, and it was close to work. Considering that she didn’t have a car and often worked the late shift, being close to work was very important.
She rubbed the seemingly ever-present headache at the base of her skull and tried not to give in to her emotions. She needed to think rationally, she needed to be responsible, and she needed to do the right thing by Jayden.
Still undecided, she downed a couple of painkillers in the hope of getting some relief from the headache, and then wandered listlessly through the apartment. Jayden had obviously spent some time this morning doing his weekly chores. He’d taken it upon himself to clean the apartment top to bottom every Wednesday, and he did it without fail. Considering that her last roommate believed cleaning unnecessary, or at least somebody else’s responsibility, Jayden was also the perfect roommate.
Violet flopped onto the sofa just as there was a knock on the front door. It was probably their next-door neighbor begging for another cup of sugar, or flour, or whatever lame excuse she’d come up with this time. The girl was only nineteen, and it was obvious to everyone, except maybe the man himself, that she really wanted Jayden to notice her.
Violet flung open the door expecting to see Goth-style clothing, black hair, and more piercings than Violet ever wanted to think about. But instead she found herself face-to-face with her ex.
“What do you want?” She would’ve slammed the door in his face except that he’d already stepped into the apartment.
“We need to talk.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s necessary. You made your feelings for me very clear a year ago.”
“But I’ve changed.” He said it with such sincerity that for a moment she wondered if she should hear him out, but then visions of him buried between another woman’s legs flipped through her brain, and she found her resolve. Nobody was perfect, but she knew that she deserved to be treated better than the way this man had treated her.
“That’s good to know,” she said carefully, trying to be diplomatic. “I’ve changed, too.” It was stretching the truth in many ways, but she wasn’t about to admit her failings to this man.
“That’s perfect, because I want you back.” He grinned, and she had the weirdest impression that he expected her to fall gratefully into his arms.
“I can’t,” she said with a shake of her head. “I don’t want to go back.”
The anger on Bruce’s face wasn’t entirely unexpected. He always had a short fuse, but then the memory of Jayden stepping in to stop this man, who professed to love her, from punching her in the head suddenly came in to sharp focus. Shit, she could be in serious trouble here.
“It’s him isn’t it?” Bruce didn’t give her a chance to answer. He stood over her, his fists clenched, his face red and twisted in anger. “You fucking whore,” he screamed in her face.
Her instinct should have been to cower away, but if she’d learned anything about herself in the past year, it was that she would make her own choices. No man—not this one or any other—was going to take away her options.
“No, it’s not Jayden,” she said, feeling that she should at least try not to involve an innocent man in her problems. “But I don’t want you. I don’t want anybody. Please just leave me alone.”
For a moment Bruce looked completely stunned by her show of backbone. Even on the night they’d broken up she hadn’t stood up to him. Not really. She’d surprised herself by slapping Bruce’s face, and it had taken months to realize why she’d been brave enough, or maybe stupid enough, to do it. Jayden had been there, and even though she hadn’t known him well at the time, she’d sensed that he would protect her—even if it was from her own stupidity.
But now, she was alone in her apartment with a man who could quite easily hurt her if he wanted. It was also possible that he would feel his actions justified simply because she’d been the first to resort to violence. She sniffed the air, grateful to realize she couldn’t smell alcohol. Hopefully, at least by being sober he wouldn’t resort to using his physical strength against her.
“Vee-vee,” he said softly, using the nickname that she’d always hated. “None of it would have happened if you hadn’t been so frigid in bed.”
“What?” The word came out small and nearly breathless, and she cursed her insecurity even as she gave in to it.
“But I love you anyway, and I’m willing to give you another chance.”
“But…”
“No buts, Vee-vee, pack your stuff. You’re moving in with me.”
Finally she found that backbone she’d been missing a moment ago. “No,” she said very firmly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“The fuck you aren’t,” Bruce said as he grabbed her ponytail and yanked hard. “You’re mine, bitch, and you’ll be mine until I say otherwise.”
“No,” she said, instinctively scrabbling to grab his hand out of her hair. He laughed, twisted her hair tighter, cuffed her hard enough across the side of her head to make her ears ring, and then forced her to her knees. Her vision wavered and she almost fell on her face, only just managing to get her hands beneath her as he pushed her down to the floor. Panic streaked through her as she realized his intention.
But a moment later, with a final harsh tug on her hair, he was gone. She couldn’t quite comprehend how he managed to fly through the air and land in a crumpled heap just outside her front door, but she was very grateful for it.
Shaking in reaction, she barely registered the words she could hear, but then Jayden was there lifting her into his arms.
“Shhh, babe. I’ve got you.”
* * * *
Jayden couldn’t believe what he’d found as he’d opened the door. He’d picked up Bruce’s scent as he’d come into the building, and he and his brothers had run full speed up three flights of stairs. Jayden wasn’t even supposed to be home yet, but he thanked every deity known to man that his brothers had dropped by the coffee shop unexpectedly, and the boss had given Jayden the night off. Otherwise, he’d still be at work, and Violet would be at the mercy of a brutal, dangerous asshole.
She shook so violently in his arms that he considered taking her to the hospital. Jayden had smelt Bruce’s arousal the moment he’d walked in the door and known exactly what the man had been about to do. Adrenaline had spiked through Jayden’s body, and he’d been hard pressed not to shift into his furry alter ego. But he hadn’t suppressed his strength. He’d picked the larger man up and literally thrown him out the door. The guy had hit the floor with a satisfying thud and groan, and then Jayden’s brother, Brandon, had closed the door and locked it.
“I’m s–ssshhorry.”
“Shhh, Violet. Everything’s going to be all right.”
“I’m sh–ssshhhtill sh–ssshhorry.”
A sob tore from her throat, and he could sense her embarrassment. “
It’s okay, babe. He’s gone now. Everything will be fine.”
He glanced at his brothers. He’d been so happy to see them earlier that he hadn’t even gotten around to asking why they’d come so far without telling him, but he was very glad he wasn’t handling this alone. He carried Violet into his room, placed her in the middle of the bed, and then climbed onto the mattress beside her. She seemed drowsy in a drunken way, and he was again considering taking her to the hospital a moment before she passed out and stopped breathing.
Frantically, he called his brothers into the room.
* * * *
Declan felt the woman lose consciousness. His beast growled a distressed sound in his head as he and Brandon ran into the room. All three of them gathered around her, using their healing magic to assess the woman’s condition. They had no idea what had happened before they’d arrived, but considering that there was no external sign of trauma, they were probably dealing with internal injuries.
Jayden had his hands on her head when he quietly informed them of what he’d found. The tone of his voice suggested that he was using his training as a doctor to stay calm, but Declan could feel his terror. This woman meant the world to Jayden, and losing her would devastate him. But with human medicine, even if she survived the wait for an ambulance, the trip to the hospital, and the surgery to repair the damage a hard blow had caused, it was still very likely the brain tumor Jayden had just found would kill her eventually.
Declan glanced at Brandon, who nodded in agreement. As bear-shifters they had the ability to heal her completely, but using that much magic would mean making her one of them. They had no idea what this woman would decide if given the choice, but they had no way to ask her now.
“Please,” Jayden said to both of his older brothers. He managed to keep his hands steady and his eyes dry, but it was obvious to the brothers who knew him better than he knew himself that he needed this woman in his life.
“Okay,” Declan said with a nod.
* * * *
Jayden held her close as the mixture of his and his brothers’ magic healed her injuries and her disease and returned her back to health. She woke slowly, obviously embarrassed to find herself lying on a bed surrounded by three men, two of them strangers. She tried to sit up, but Jayden held her in his arms a moment longer, unwilling to let her go. She looked slightly confused, but then memories of what had happened with Bruce must have filled her mind, and her hand immediately touched the part of her skull that had most likely taken the brunt of Bruce’s furious blow.
“It’s okay,” Jayden said, pulling her hand away from the now uninjured area.
“Did I pass out?” she asked tiredly, unable to hold his gaze as she blushed, and embarrassment overtook her once more.
He held her in his lap, wrapping himself around her so that she was cocooned in his warmth. He felt her begin to shake violently as she obviously remembered the details of everything that had happened. Jayden rocked her gently as his brothers tucked a soft blanket around her, and stayed close as Violet went into shock. He lost track of time as he held her in his arms, but slowly the shaking subsided and eventually she lay tiredly in his embrace.
“I’m sorry,” she said in a husky voice.
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Don’t be. You did nothing wrong. Sleep, babe. You’re safe now.”
* * * *
Brandon watched his brother hold the woman and couldn’t believe the jealousy running through him. Violet was a complete stranger to him. They hadn’t met before tonight, and considering the fact that she probably didn’t even know that Jayden’s brothers were even here, tonight didn’t count.
But his bear knew who she was—his mate.
Trying to control his need to tear the woman from his brother’s arms, Brandon glanced around the room and wondered what the hell to do now. Grinding his teeth, he tilted his head, indicating for Declan to follow, and then left the room quietly.
“We have a problem,” Declan whispered as they stepped into the kitchen. Stunned to hear the words he’d been about to say come from his brother’s mouth, Brandon just tilted his head and waited for Declan to elaborate. “I think she’s my mate.”
“Mine, too,” Brandon said as he ran a hand down his face. “And if what my gut tells me is right, she’s Jayden’s mate, as well.”
“Three mates? What the hell?”
Despite the pain tearing his gut in half, Brandon had to smile. Until a few months ago, he would have reacted in exactly the same manner, but with Louise and her friend, Andrea, both having three mates each, he was starting to see a pattern. Fuck. Maybe there really was something in the water back home.
“Look, I think we should head home.” Declan looked angry enough to beat him to a pulp, so Brandon hurried to explain his reasoning. “It’s obvious that Jayden loves her. We both think she’s our mate, but what if we’re wrong? What if we get home and realize it was just a reaction to healing her, that she isn’t actually our mate, and we’re just feeling an echo of Jayden’s feelings for her?”
Declan nodded his head slowly, obviously trying to reconcile his emotions with his logic. Neither of them wanted to hurt their youngest brother, so they needed to step back, take some time, and at least make certain of their own emotions before disrupting all their lives.
“Fine,” Declan said tiredly. “We’ll head home and get some perspective, but if we’re right…” He didn’t need to finish the rest of his thoughts out loud. It was pretty obvious to Brandon that Declan had every intention of coming back and claiming his mate if it turned out to be true.
Unfortunately, so did Brandon.
* * * *
When Violet woke, it was full dark outside. Disoriented to find herself in Jayden’s bed, she glanced around the room as she tried to remember how she’d gotten here. The digital clock showed it was nearly two in the morning.
She was lying on her side with Jayden spooned behind, his heavy arm wrapped around her middle, holding her close. She couldn’t suppress a happy sigh as he pulled her even closer. He was so warm, warmer than any person she’d ever met, and she took a moment to call herself all sorts of unflattering names for giving in to her need to be held by him.
But then memories of what had happened before Jayden arrived home assaulted her brain, and her vision blurred. God, if Jayden hadn’t gotten home early Bruce would have… She left the thought unfinished, wiping angrily at the tears that fell down her cheeks. It didn’t happen. Jayden had saved her. She was safe in his arms.
Violet gulped air, trying to get her emotions under control. So many of her fantasies revolved around Jayden, but being held while she cried over Bruce—again—was not one of them.
She wriggled in his hold and managed to sort of roll over, but he didn’t let her go. She pressed her lips to his, intending to kiss him lightly before denying her need for him and crawling out of his embrace. But, just like the time they’d kissed on her birthday, Jayden deepened the kiss, winding his tongue into her mouth and lazily exploring. She gasped, but kissed him back, desperately needing the reassurance the passionate contact gave her.
Bruce had stolen that confidence in herself as a woman with only a few damning words. And her actions of the last twelve months made her wonder at how accurate he might be. She hadn’t had sex since before breaking their engagement. Hell, she hadn’t even felt the need to masturbate. Even if fantasies of Jayden had left her aching and unfulfilled, she hadn’t really considered doing anything about it. Maybe she really was frigid.
After many moments of introspection, she finally realized the unfairness of leaning on Jayden like this, and she tried to pull away. She used every decision she’d ever made regarding this man to remind herself of why sleeping with him would be a very bad idea. He was a good friend. He was younger. He had a future. He was a nice guy. He deserved better.
“I’m going to make love to you now,” he said quietly, derailing all of her good intentions. She nearly melted into his hold. S
he knew he wasn’t asking. Somehow she understood that he had every intention of doing exactly what he said, but she also knew that if she protested, he’d simply hold her and continue to offer comfort.
But she wanted this. It was selfish, and Violet knew he deserved so much more than a sad, lonely waitress nearly five years older than him, but there was no way she would say no to Jayden.
He rolled her onto her back and unzipped the front of her waitress uniform, the sound barely registering in her mind as she tried to slow her breathing. God, the look, the way he made her feel, the raw, primal pull she felt toward this man was exactly the way she’d dreamt it would be.
He helped her to a sitting position and lifted the dress over her head as she wriggled to get herself out of it. She glanced at her plain cotton underwear and wanted to crawl under the blankets from embarrassment, but his warm hand against her breast stilled the urge to hide.
“I like this,” he said as he played with her stiff nipple through the soft cotton.
She made a noise somewhere between a groan and a guffaw, but she couldn’t quite force words to her lips. He must’ve understood her disbelief because he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I like this, but it needs to come off.” He deepened the kiss, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and running his tongue over the soft flesh. “I love these, too,” he said as his hand smoothed down her stomach to play with the plain cotton of her panties, “but they also need to come off.”
She nodded. He smiled, pressed another devastating kiss to her mouth, and somehow dragged her panties down her legs at the same time. She bent her knees upward, helping him to untangle the plain cotton. He lifted her slightly, unclipped her bra, and pulled it away.
Completely naked, shaking with need, and feeling like she’d explode if he didn’t touch her right now, Violet lifted up and pressed a hard kiss against his mouth. She ran her hand through his short, brown hair, dragging him closer. Fully clothed, he covered her body with his own, caging her in his embrace, trapping her in his hold. But instead of the fear she probably should have suffered, she merely felt surrounded and protected and owned.