by Day, Vella
She palmed his chest. “I meant after you die.”
“You want to get rid of me that fast?”
“No.” She swatted his chest. “You know what I mean.”
He faced the water again. “Finish washing my back. I like having your hands on me.”
She liked touching his skin, too. Until a few days ago, she never would have believed she was capable of liking two men, let alone enjoy them so much. But here she was. Chalk it up to trauma or her biological clock ticking.
Clay shut off the water. “I think I’m clean enough.” He stepped out, grabbed a towel, and handed one to her.
She stayed in the warm shower enclosure while she dried. He whipped his towel around his body so fast he seemed to be beating himself. As soon as she finished drying, he tossed the towel over the glass door and waved.
“Meet you in the living room.”
Her shoulders drooped. Here she thought he’d invited her into the shower to maybe touch her breasts or rub her naked ass. Dirk would have. Her mouth watered at the thought of sucking on his penis. Now that she’d lost her virginity, her moral compass had tilted.
Maybe he was mad because with her around, his life was in danger, too. Men. She’d never understand them.
#
As soon as Clay returned to his room, he plastered his back against the door. What the fuck had he been thinking asking her to help him wash his back? His wounds had healed, and he didn’t need Elena’s help. But did that stop him from making up this lame excuse to gaze at her naked body?
No.
You’re a jerk.
Seeing her standing before him so willing and vulnerable only made his chronic problem worse. Did he expect her to say, “Fuck me, Clay. I can’t wait to be with two men at once?”
You’re an idiot.
He should have volunteered to find the warehouse and have Dirk take her shopping, but his friend’s plea had gotten to him. Dirk, too, feared he’d want to make love to her again. They were both basket cases. Perhaps he should seek counsel from one of the other men who’d gone through this with their mate. In that last month alone, Trax and Dante, along with Kurt and Drake had found the woman for them. They’d all survived.
Maybe men responded differently. He must have it worse than anyone else. He shook his head and wrenched open his dresser to find something to wear. On top of the dresser sat his phone. He was surprised Dirk hadn’t checked in. Maybe he planned on watching the warehouse all night.
He quickly dressed then dialed Dirk’s number. He didn’t answer and his gut soured.
A knock sounded at the door a second later and the tension released. Dirk was here.
He opened the door, and the hole in Dirk’s shirt, along with the blood told him the observation had gone terribly wrong.
“Tell me.”
“I need to take a shower.”
“Use mine.” He wasn’t ready to tell Dirk, he and Elena had just shared his.
“Grab some clothes for me, will ya?”
“Sure. Does Elena know you’re here?”
“No. I want to clean up first. I don’t want her to worry.”
Unlike himself who foolishly desired her sympathy by pretending to be wounded. Maybe he should move in with Brandon and Sam, two other pack members, for a while.
Clay went in search of clean clothes for Dirk, happy to note Elena was still in her room. The urge to check if she was all right nearly made him give in, but he stayed strong and remained focused on his task. He expected to think about her when she was near. Would he succumb to daydreaming when he was hunting Colters? If so, the distraction could prove deadly.
He gathered the clean clothes for Dirk and returned. His friend was already in the shower. Not wanting to barge in, he set the clothes on the bed.
With his back to the closed door, he telepathed his question to Dirk. You ready to tell me what happened?
It took a second for Dirk to respond. After I found the warehouse, the Russian guard took my photo and was about to send it. I made sure he never made another call.
The situation was already out of control. The Feds must be close. No one could keep a human trafficking scheme quiet for long. You see anything inside the warehouse? Could they get lucky a second time?
Yeah. That made taking the knife in the gut worthwhile. Found two girls.
Satisfaction and elation spiked his blood. Was one Elena’s friend, Cheryl?
No.
The water in the bathroom stopped, and he decided to wait until Dirk came out to finish the conversation face-to-face. The man wasn’t always forthcoming with information and facial clues helped.
The door opened. Dirk strode over to the pile of clothes Clay left on the bed and pulled them on. The skin around the knife wound was red, but the swelling would be gone within an hour.
“You tell the general?” Clay asked.
Dirk threw on his T-shirt. “Yes. In fact, he had me drop the girls off at his house.”
“Good.” The general’s wife would know how to deal with them. She’d been the one to buy Elena’s new clothes.
Once dressed, Dirk sat on the bed, looking tired. “So, now what?”
Clay wasn’t sure if he was referring to their handling of Elena or Hood’s operation. “Damned if I know.”
Before Dirk spoke with Elena, Clay wanted to clear the air. “By the way, Elena showered with me right before you arrived.”
His friend stared at him. “And you’re not nestled in her pussy? Why?”
“Jesus. She needs to rest.” He lowered his voice. “She had sex with you yesterday.”
“Tell me how you two ended up showering. If I recall, shoe shopping was never a turn on.”
He explained about the fight with the two wolves in the mall parking lot. “Since I needed to wash off the blood, I thought I’d take advantage of the situation.”
“You conveniently suggested Elena help?”
“Yes, and she did. Then she stated she didn’t want to have sex with me, so I didn’t push it.”
Dirk held up his index finger. “When did you become such a woos?”
“A woos?” That hurt.
“Let me see.” Dirk scratched his chin. “Between the two of us, who is the dominant one in the bedroom?”
“I’ll play along. Me.”
“And which one likes to tie a woman up and spank her ass?”
He didn’t like the way this conversation was headed. “Under normal circumstances if I see something I want, I take it. But, Elena is different. She’s our mate.”
Dirk stood and moved close. Too close. “If you believe that then why did you reject her?”
Dirk was close to crossing the line of friendship. “I never rejected her.”
He stepped back. “Did you touch her tits?”
“No.”
Waving a hand, Dirk dropped back on the bed, crossed his ankles, and folded his hands behind his head. “What do you think she’s telling herself right now?” He held up a palm. “You were in the shower with a hot woman, make that a hot naked woman, and you did nothing.”
“She said no sex.”
Dirk shook his head. “I don’t know who you are. I agree it was too soon to actually have sex with her, but you could have shown her you liked her.”
“You’re right. I fucked up.”
“You can say that again.”
He leaned against his dresser. “I honestly thought she wasn’t ready for another man in her life.”
“Let her decide. Take her out. Have a good time. I’m betting with a little encouragement, she’ll take the initiative.”
His style wasn’t to let a woman lead, but with her it could work. At least he wouldn’t feel guilty if she asked him to make love to her. “I will.”
“Just make sure you don’t waste the opportunity the next time you get her naked.”
Chapter Eight
Elena paced the living room. It shouldn’t take Clay that long to dress. She decided to knock on his door to see if
something had happened. Her hand was in mid-air when she heard voices. One sounded like Dirk’s, and she let out a breath, relieved he’d returned.
Not wanting to disturb them, she retreated to the living room and waited on the sofa. Now that Dirk was home, it was going to be more difficult than ever to be in the same room with both men. Clay said there were no secrets between them. A twinge of guilt sliced through her for almost seducing him.
Too bad. Loving Dirk had not been wrong. Lusting after Clay? Now that might have been a different matter.
She closed her eyes to remember what it was like with each man. Her body reacted to them in different ways. With Dirk, it was a safe relationship, one that could grow with each passing month. Clay was the volatile one. She could almost see him being the type to hold her hands in one of his. His need for her would be so great he’d be unable to take his time.
The door opened and both men appeared looking refreshed. Her traitorous body lit up, and her nerves jumbled in excitement.
She stood. “Did everything go okay at the warehouse?” That was a safe topic.
Dirk smiled. “Yes. In fact, when I snuck into the warehouse, I found two girls, both caged.”
Her breath lodged in her throat and she made the sign of the cross. “Thank God, you found them. How are they?”
He explained their condition and how they were now taken care of. “Neither one was your friend, Cheryl.”
Her heart ached for her. “There’s no way to find her?”
“We’re trying. We have two of our best men on the case.”
Clay’s phone rang and her heart jumped.
“Demmers. Yeah. Maybe. When? I’ll let you know. And thanks, Trax.”
She waited for him to tell her. Perhaps Hood had slipped up. “Anything important?”
Clay walked over to the fridge and grabbed a beer. “We’ve been invited to a party.”
A party? “Why?” With all that had gone down, she didn’t expect anyone to be in a festive mood, but then again, only the three of them had been involved in the human trafficking tragedy.
The more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed to her. Not only would it give her a chance to get out, but she’d learn who Clay and Dirk hung out with.
“It’s just a get together.” Clay laughed and the tension rolled out of her. “Trax Field, and his brother, Dante, are our Pack surveillance experts. They’re the ones who saved the girl who approached you.”
“What was her name?”
“Liz Wharton.”
“Did Couch hurt her, too?”
They gave her a short version of what went down. She suspected a lot more had happened but didn’t ask. Right now, she really didn’t want to learn more about these terrible Colters.
“When is the party?” She could use some post-holiday cheer.
“Tomorrow night. You up for it?”
“Sure.” She wouldn’t have the killer outfit she’d like to wear, but Dirk seemed to like her no matter what she wore.
#
The next day, Clay agreed to drive her to the drugstore to pick up some makeup since he didn’t want her driving herself. He explained how many werewolves had ordinary jobs, and she wouldn’t know which teller or salesperson was one. So, the less exposure the better.
After he told her that, she might never feel safe in Gulfside again.
As she put on the finishing touches to her eye makeup she’d purchased, a knock sounded on her bedroom door.
“Sugar, you ready?”
She hadn’t been that long. Apparently, their idea of a few minutes to get ready didn’t match hers. “Coming.”
In a way, she was pleased it didn’t appear they’d ever lived with a woman before. She took one last look in the mirror. Given someone else purchased her clothes, she looked pretty darn good. If Clay hadn’t left the boxes in the parking lot, she would have had her heels to wear. Oh, well. Sneakers with yoga pants went together. Her outfit just wasn’t as fancy as she’d have liked.
She pulled open the door.
Clay whistled. “You look hot.”
Her whole body flushed. “Thanks.”
“If you’re ready, we can go.”
Dirk was in the kitchen with two six-packs of beer, one in each hand. He grinned and her heart sputtered. She glanced between them and loved how well they got along for being two such different men.
The car was parked in the garage. Since she didn’t have to go outside to leave the house, the men deemed it safe. They’d assured her the windows were bulletproof, so she needn’t worry about an attack. Their heavy tint helped, too.
“Is your life always this violent?” That might not be the right word, but in the short time she’d been there, Clay had already fought.
He was driving and he looked over at her. “No. The Colters go through spurts of activity. Recently, however, the violence has picked up. That probably means we’re getting close.”
She hoped so. “Not that I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but do you think I could apply for a passport? My grandmother is ill, and my parents moved to Costa Rica to be with her.” They probably didn’t need to know all that information, but she wanted them to understand the urgency.
At some point, she’d have to call home. She usually called at least every other week. Clay told her the general had called her parents and explained about the abduction and that she was safe. Elena was sure her mom needed to hear her voice.
He smiled. “Sure. We’ll take care of it right away.”
That was easy. “And I’ll need a driver’s license, too. I can’t get a passport without ID.” Those bastards had stolen her purse.
“I’ll be happy to do what I can.” Dirk was in the back and kept quiet, but Clay really seemed interested in helping her.
Within ten minutes, they pulled down a back alley. Her body tensed. This place looked almost as bad as the warehouse district. “Are you sure this is a good area for a party?”
“Sugar, trust me. The Fields run a tight ship. There won’t be any trouble at their place tonight.”
Dirk leaned forward and rubbed her shoulder. “Or ever. It’s tighter than Fort Knox.”
She leaned her head back against the seat. “You mean I don’t have to be on my guard?”
Clay chuckled. “We want you to let loose, baby.”
She couldn’t wait.
Dirk helped her out. The hard part was gaining entrance. The eye scan was cool, but that was only for the owners.
“Tell me their names again besides Liz Wharton and Trax and Dante Field.”
“I’m not positive who all will be here, but I’m betting Kurt Wendlick and his partner Drake Stanton were invited. They both work for the Pack. Their mate is Chelsea Wilson.”
That made two ménage couples attending. She was highly curious how the threesomes would interact. Jealousy between the men seemed the biggest issue. Her mind still couldn’t cope with what it would be like to have two men with her in bed—not that she had any plans of finding out first hand. Liar.
When they arrived, the party seemed to be in full swing. She leaned close to Clay who’d walked her upstairs. “Wow. This place is awesome.” The brick walls, hardwood floors, and granite countertops screamed money.
“Elena.” The woman, Liz, who’d approached her in front of her office rushed over to her. She clasped her hand. “I’m so sorry about what happened. I never should have asked you to leave your job.”
“You offered me money to leave something I hated.” She assumed Liz knew what had happened. “You weren’t responsible for those men taking me. They targeted me and could just as easily have abducted me after work.”
“I still feel guilty.”
She placed a hand on Liz’s arm. “Don’t worry. In the end, it kind of worked out.” Even without spelling out what had happened, her face grew hot. Both Clay and Dirk were speaking with two other men. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. Anything.”
This was h
arder than she thought. “It’s kind of personal.”
Liz’s mouth gaped open then quickly shut. “You want to know what it’s like being with two men.”
She hadn’t expected Liz to be so open. “Yes.”
Her new friend guided her over to the sofa. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
“I’m fine.”
Liz sat next to her. “I never imagined dating two guys at once, let alone sleeping with one after the other.”
She did understand. “Me, either.” Her mother’s wagging finger appeared in her mind’s eye. “What does your mother think about you being with both men?”
Liz’s cheer dimmed. “She’s not with us anymore.”
“I’m so sorry.” Elena never was good with spouting platitudes about another person’s grief.
Suddenly, another girl plopped down next to her on the couch and Liz brightened. “Elena, this is my good friend, Chelsea Wilson.”
They shook hands. Clay had mentioned Chelsea was the realtor who’d stumbled across a dead body. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’d spotted the killer running away. Unfortunately, for her, he decided she shouldn’t live.
Elena wanted to pick their brains. “Can I ask you both something?” Her gaze snapped between the two.
Chelsea leaned in closer. “If it’s about being with two amazingly hot men at once, go for it.”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s about how you handle being with men in such dangerous jobs.”
Chelsea glanced at Liz then back at her. “Did your men tell you about the poison bullets?”
“No.” It was quite clear she didn’t know all that much about them. Between Liz and Chelsea, she got quite the history lesson about werewolves.
Chelsea was the chatterbox. “The Pack needs to stop the Colters because they are so hard to kill. If the FBI or the police ever got involved, a lot of human lives would be lost.”
“That makes me feel better.” Both Clay and Dirk had been in near death skirmishes, yet an hour later, they hardly had a scratch on them. It was only after the fact that Dirk told her about the attack on the guard.
Clay sauntered over with a deviled egg in his hand. “There you are. Come meet some of my cohorts.”
Both of her new friends stood. “We’ll introduce you to our men, too.”