by Marie Harte
She could only be thankful neither man could read emotions. She wanted to cry at the beauty of their joining. Sexy, hot, and so loving, they’d given her a treasure she’d never forget. Her twin lovers could only have come straight out of her deepest fantasy. And for just a second, she imagined they loved her as much as she could see herself loving them.
Josh blinked several times, and a wash of psychic energy spilled into the air.
His grin widened until it threatened to split his face. “Well, now.” The room remained quiet. Then Xavier chuckled. “I told you so.”
“I don’t suppose you plan to share?” She sounded as tired as she felt. “Never mind. I’ll bug you about it after my nap.” Before she could help herself, she fell asleep with a smile on her face, tucked between the men she’d fallen hard for, despite herself.
Josh didn’t know what to think. The future with Chloe seemed impossibly bright…if he and Xavier didn’t screw up this time at the cabin. They could have Chloe and a pair of dark-haired, light-eyed twins running rampant at home. Or they could die badly up here, away from family, in the snow, at the hands of vermin like the Werlins. And if that didn’t kill them, any fuckups at home would see one of them dead while a bastard plunged a knife into Chloe in her bedroom, again and again.
“She’s what I want,” Xavier said without a doubt. “She’s right for us. Us, Josh.
Not you, not me. Us.”
He heard what Xavier didn’t need to say. Karen would have come between them, even if she’d stuck around long enough to hear his marriage proposal. Chloe understood them. She had abilities tied to theirs, for Christ’s sake. How much more perfect could she be?
“Yeah, yeah. Us. I hear you.” The smug satisfaction coming from his brother annoyed Josh. “But I found her first.”
“Bullshit. I found her first. It was my voice she heard.”
“But my vision saved her before you warned her.”
Xavier tried but couldn’t come up with anything to best him. Juvenile though Josh knew the discussion to be, he didn’t care. He needed an edge over Xavier, because he had a feeling Xavier and Chloe had already bonded in some way. His brother could talk to her whenever he wanted. A damn bridge, he called himself.
But Josh had to wait to be linked up, and it grated.
The long sigh from his brother drew his attention. “I can read you like a book.
A bad book with a terrible ending. Get off it, bro. She’s not yours or mine. Chloe’s ours, and she’s strong-willed enough to take off and not come back if we screw this up. Man, you’ve been dreaming about her since we were kids. Can you finally accept her? Not for you, but for us?”
“It’s always been an us, hasn’t it?”
Xavier nodded.
“We’re not like other people, Xavier. Not like the twins either.” Their brothers, Justin and Kyle, weren’t so closely tied.
“No. I like to think of us as special. Not short-bus special, but superstar special.” Xavier grinned at him. “And nothing is going to make us happy except the one woman we both love. Don’t bother denying it. She’s been with us for half our lives. Don’t take that away from us. She’s ours. We’re going to have to work together to convince her of that.”
“I never thought we’d have this.” Or at least a shot at it. The chance that it could all blow up in their faces didn’t leave his mind. The Werlins and her crazy stalker were the least of their worries, really. Because Josh had a habit of fucking up at the worst possible times.
“We don’t have it yet. Keep a lid on all your insecurities, numbnuts. Let’s get Chloe to safety; then we’ll deal with our new family. And whatever you do, don’t tell her what to think or how to act. Let her come to it on her own.”
“I’m the easygoing brother, remember? You just keep your temper, and we’ll be fine.”
Xavier snorted and lay down on his back next to Chloe. She turned to face him, and Josh spooned her from behind. “Rest up, Mr. Sensitive, while I take watch. And pray Chloe doesn’t get all embarrassed and back off from us when she wakes, the way she almost did this morning.”
Josh hugged her tighter, content when he felt his brother’s hand graze his before Xavier left the bed. He prayed he could do right by her, by Xavier, and by the future he wanted so badly to come to pass. Then the sleep he hadn’t expected to come overtook him.
* * *
When Chloe opened her eyes, the memories of what had happened in this bed came to her in one large, impossible picture. Sex with two incredibly hot, giving men. Strong, powerful, and they wanted her. Xavier had shown her Josh’s vulnerability, a brief mention of his ex, Karen.
Chloe could see his hurt, felt it as if it was her own. She’d never been that close to anyone, but she knew if Xavier and Josh suddenly walked away, she’d feel just as pained. It couldn’t have been easy for Josh to suffer that kind of rejection from someone he thought he loved.
And the way he looked at her, the way he felt… She wanted so badly to believe it was real. An arm tightened around her waist, and then something hard prodded her pussy.
“Hey, Chloe. You awake, finally?” He pushed inside her. On their sides, the positioning was somewhat uncomfortable, but waking to Josh sliding inside her took the awkwardness away. “Hook your leg over mine,” he whispered and tongued the shell of her ear.
She moaned and moved her leg, giving him better access as he thrust into her, pulled out, and thrust again.
“I love fucking you,” he said in a gritty voice, and then his hand moved lower down her belly, past her pelvic bone to her clit. “Your hair is soft, but here, you’re so wet. So sweet.” Josh slid his fingers over her clit and continued to play as he fucked her.
“You feel so big inside me,” she said between breaths. “Oh God. Yes. More.” He had her on the verge of coming. That thick cock inside her, his fingers strumming her nerves until she wanted to fly apart. He kissed her neck and cheek and whispered, “I think I love you.”
And she exploded. She cried out as she came, aware he stilled and moaned as he emptied inside her, jerking and pulling her tight against him.
“Thanks a lot. You two are making a mess out of me,” Xavier sent her, amusement and a lazy satisfaction coloring his words.
“Should have warned Xavier about that, I guess,” Josh murmured. He turned her head and kissed her hard on the mouth. “Christ, Chloe. I feel like I’m a walking hard-on around you.”
She took that as a compliment. “Yeah, well, I’m not exactly frigid around you and your brother either.”
He withdrew and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her tight. “God. This is so perfect. I’m so afraid I’m going to do the wrong thing or say something off, and you’ll leave. Don’t go, baby. Don’t leave now that we’ve finally found you.” She blinked and pulled back to stare at him. Josh’s heartfelt plea struck her, because his sincerity couldn’t be denied.
“Look, you don’t have to say anything.” His gaze traced her features, and she wondered what he saw when he looked at her. “We’ll give you all the time in the world. But Chloe, please, just give us a chance to show you what we could all be, together.”
“Be?”
“As a family. You, me, and Xavier.” His grin turned mischievous, and she saw a side of Josh that captivated her. A carefree, boyish happiness lit him from the inside out. “I’ve seen what our future can hold, Chloe. And it’s nothing short of perfect.”
“What? What did you see?”
His smile faded. “A few things. Some good, some bad. We’ll have to get through the bad to find the good stuff. And you have to take a lot on faith.”
“I have before, and it’s never steered me wrong.” She took his stubbled cheeks in her hands, not surprised to see him so clearly now. The love he felt, she felt as well. But she was scared to tell him, afraid her happiness could be so easily wiped away before she could explore it. She wanted him and Xavier to really know her before she put herself out there. To give them extra time to decide if they wa
nted to go their separate ways.
“Chloe, it won’t work.”
Just what she was afraid of. She cleared her throat. “What won’t work?”
“The silent treatment. This, us, it’s real. It won’t go away. No matter what happens, I’ll always love you.” The truth shone in his dark eyes. “I’ve seen the real you for years. I know you, even though you don’t really know me yet. I can wait. I’ll prove it to you.” He smiled. “You already know I’m a freak, and you haven’t run, so I have hope.”
She laughed. “Yeah, well, I’m not exactly normal.” She blew out a breath. “Sex with two guys. Twins. Oh man. I’m a slut.”
“My slut.”
“Thanks, Josh. I feel so much better now.”
He tickled her, and they laughed together until nature called.
“Oh man, I need to go clean up. I’m a mess.”
He grimaced. “This bed’s a mess. Time to clean up. Or we could leave it and make Xavier sleep in the wet spot.”
“I heard that.”
She shared a grin with Josh, then called dibs and darted to the bathroom.
After a leisurely shower in which Josh showed her how much pleasure could be had under running water, they dried off, dressed, and joined Xavier in the living room.
Unfortunately, Xavier didn’t look happy.
“What? What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Sam called. Apparently Chloe’s boss is less than pleased with her. He said she’s out of a job unless she comes back to town today. And he ordered us—”
“Ordered?” Josh asked.
“Yeah, ordered. The dick said we have to come with her, because some guy named Avery said if we don’t, we’ll… Oh hell. He’s having a vision,” Xavier said to Chloe.
Josh froze by her side. She felt that familiar tingle that told her his precognitive cloud had settled over him.
Then, as if in slow motion, he shoved her to the floor and covered her body with his own while yelling at Xavier to take cover.
An explosion of bullets shook the cabin, and then bone-deep dread settled in her bones. Not a promising start to the rest of her life with the Doublemint twins by her side.
Chapter Seven
Chloe didn’t have to like a situation to know how to deal with it. Fortunately, she’d found men who knew how to handle themselves in a crisis. Xavier crawled to one closet while Josh ordered her to stay still and crawled to another. Stay still?
Yeah, right.
She low-crawled to the front mudroom and found her boots. After shoving her feet into them and lacing up, she backed into Xavier.
“Put this on. Hurry up.”
Xavier threw her coat at her. He’d put his own on and handed one to Josh, who quickly joined them carrying an assortment of weapons.
Chloe buttoned up, glad she’d kept her gloves in her pockets. With no time to find anything more than what they had with them, she followed the men into the kitchen and down, through a hidden trapdoor in the floor under a braided rug.
Once under the house, the guys paused to hand out weapons and regroup.
Chloe tucked a knife away and loaded the gun Josh handed her.
Xavier opened a clear pathway between the three of them. “I don’t think it needs saying, but the Werlins have arrived. Sam also passed word they were seen in Bend a few days ago. Little brother was also more than happy to pass your boss’s info, Chloe. Man, that kid loves to see other people get into trouble.” He sighed.
“Anyway, we have a few options.”
Josh continued for him, and Chloe had a good example of how they acted while under pressure. A seamless team of professionals. Add the danger and meanness flaring from their dark eyes, and she found herself turned on despite her resolve to remain clearheaded. Oh man, I’m such a perv. Maybe I am perfect for them.
“Chloe. Pay attention.” Xavier sent the sharp reprimand.
“Oh right. You’re the hothead.”
Josh grinned.
She poked at Xavier with her mind. “Say all that again. I promise, I’m listening.”
Xavier scowled. He probably wasn’t in the mood to hear it made him look even sexier. She wanted to brush away the hank of hair from his eyes but didn’t.
“We have three options. One, we stay and fight.”
“Too risky.” Josh glanced at Chloe, and she glared back.
“Don’t blame me because you’re scared to fight back.” Xavier rolled his eyes. “So option two is to trek it down the mountain and get help.”
“And three?” she asked.
“We take them on out there, in the snow and woods. Josh and I know this area inside and out. Problem is, you don’t.”
“But I have you to guide me. Let’s go with option three.”
“That was my choice too,” Josh said.
“I figured you’d say that. Okay, Chloe, you stick with me. Josh, you take the southern perimeter. Disable the vehicles.”
“Vehicles?” she asked. “I had to hike it out here. Are you telling me there’s a way to drive up the mountain?”
“Of course. It’s a private way, though, and not many know about it. Do you really think we’d build a cabin carrying lumber in one tree at a time?” Now that she thought about it, that made more sense.
Xavier continued. “Chloe, you and I’ll try to see what we’re dealing with from the north side. Go.”
Josh nodded. Before he left, he kissed Chloe hard. “Don’t get dead, or I’ll be really, really angry. Ask him. I’m not that pleasant.” He slipped away like a ghost.
Xavier nodded. “He’s not pleasant when he’s pissed. True. Now come on.” Then he leaned down, his kiss loving and tender. “I love you too. And I’m not about to lose you to these assholes. Let’s nail ’em.”
“My kind of guy.” She lifted her glove to his cheek, wanting badly but not ready to say the words. She wished she knew what still held her back, but then the urgency of their situation overtook everything.
She followed Xavier’s mental directions without a hitch. They moved through the small tunnel and popped up several feet from the cabin, deep in the woods. The hollow tree stump through which they exited blended into the wood line. She would never have thought to look twice for another way into the cabin.
“Nice camouflage.”
“We try.” He moved with her back toward the cabin, where she could see four men positioned at the front of the building. “Damn. Werlin has more than I’d thought. Otis is the old man, his brothers Clay and Arlo are with him, I’m sure.
Those four I don’t recognize. But their guns don’t lie.” The men wore black and carried small arms. Pistols and what looked like grenades—one exploded in the house.
“Yep. Grenades,” she said.
“Shit. Dad is going to blame me for this. I just know it.”
“How is this your fault?”
“Wait until you meet him. He’s kind of a hard-ass. A lot like Josh.” Chloe didn’t see Josh like that at all. “O-kay.”
“We should have taken them out right away instead of playing house. That’s what my dad will say.” Xavier smiled at her. “But once he takes a good look at you, I think he’ll understand.”
She blushed. “Xavier.”
“Hey. I’m in love. Not my fault I can’t think straight.” He sobered as the bastards threw another grenade inside before the four at the front broke through the door and entered, guns drawn.
“And now it’s gonna get really ugly.” He tugged her down into the snow and covered her with his body.
She would have asked him why, but the sudden detonation answered her question. She glanced up to see wood and brick flying everywhere.
“Josh?” Xavier asked, keeping the communication open for the three of them.
“I see Otis’s brothers at the mouth of the drive. No sign of Otis, but I guarantee he’s out here somewhere. I disabled three SUVs.”
“Four men bit it in the cabin.”
“Figure we have at least another four, maybe
more out here. Want me to take out the brothers?”
“Do it.”
Her adrenaline rush demanded action. Xavier must have felt the same, because his eyes were overly bright when he looked at her. “Now it’s our turn. You ready?”
She gave him a look and held up her gun.
“Right. Sorry I asked. Okay, I’m going this way. You go that way. We’ll meet up with Josh and hopefully find the other bastards hiding out, waiting for us.” She nodded, kept her mind open, and circled east, on the lookout for anyone not familiar. She didn’t exactly want to kill anyone, but Chloe had no intention of leaving these bastards able to hurt Josh or Xavier.
She spied the first one wearing dark clothes, a ski mask over his features, and a rifle aimed at the house. She looked but saw no one around the debris by the cabin. “Josh, you okay?”
“Fine. I got one of Otis’s brothers. Now I’m on to Arlo. Keep safe, Chloe.” The man in black tensed and sighted in on something. Chloe didn’t hesitate.
She shot him twice. Once in the chest, once in the thigh; in case he had body armor, the thigh wound would slow him.
Checking him after he fell, she scooped up his rifle and learned he didn’t, in fact, wear Kevlar.
She continued slowly, looking for more of the enemy.
Xavier signaled. “I found two waiting for me. They’re down. Josh?”
“I can’t find Arlo or Otis. The vehicles aren’t going anywhere, though.”
“Good.”
Tuned in to their conversation, she didn’t notice the man in front of her until he knocked her down. Another body landed on top of her and stripped her gun.
She didn’t call out, didn’t want Xavier or Josh to know she’d been distracted when she should have been paying attention.
The man on top of her narrowed his eyes behind the ski mask and drew back to slam his fist into her face.
“Big mistake. You should have killed me,” she whispered while she reached for the knife tucked into her jeans. She pulled it out and shoved it into him while dodging the fist that would have knocked her out.