The Inheritance

by Mika Lane

  I couldn’t bear the thought of hurting either of them. Linc, who was so sweet and shy, and Nat, who was trying his hardest to break out of his corporate rut. They treated me like royalty, and I loved them for it.

  Oh, shit. Did I just say love?

  I meant liked. I liked them. A lot.

  Plus, I’d never had sex like that before. Never, ever. And probably never would again.

  My cell rang, and I saw it was Linc. I jumped to answer it, even though I probably shouldn’t have.

  “Hi,” I said.

  “Hey, beautiful. Do you have a few minutes?” he asked.

  “Yeah. The bar doesn’t open for another half hour.”

  “Can I come over to talk?”

  “Of course,” I said, my heart pounding. Was this the day he was going to tell me to take a hike? That he’d had enough drama, and besides wasn’t about to share a woman on an ongoing basis?

  I let him into the Drive By and locked the door so we could talk in peace. There he stood, in all his hunky glory, his gym pants hugging his round ass, his hair scraped back into an unselfconscious ponytail.

  He greeted me with one of his amazing, soft kisses. He was a fucking catch, no doubt about it. All thoughts of marrying Win, Brose, or Nat exited my mind as that familiar throb between my legs said hello.

  “What brings you by?” I asked, continuing to unload beer bottles from their boxes into the cooler behind the bar. If I kept busy, he wouldn’t see what a wreck I was.

  He settled into a stool and watched me work. “Could I get some water?” he asked. Maybe he was nervous?

  I slid him a glass, and, suddenly parched, grabbed one for myself.

  “So,” he started, “the guys and I all met this morning.”

  What? They met? What about? Were they all dumping me? Shit. I knew it. I was going to end up with no one. No guy, no money, and no goddamn future.

  Oh Grandpa, why did you have to mess with me to begin with? My life would have been fine without dangling five million dollars I couldn’t possibly quality for right in front of my face. I was happy in my generally mediocre existence. There was no need to push me into the miserable category.

  I guess my face gave me away. “Wait, wait, Garnet. It’s not like that. We’re not ganging up on you,” Linc said.

  Damn, he really did read my mind. Another reason to love—I mean like—him.

  I was moments from vomiting.

  “We—all four of us—talked for a long time about our arrangement, and what you need to do to inherit Cordy’s estate. You’ve been given the opportunity of a lifetime, and you can’t let this slip through your fingers.”

  “I’m trying not to let it slip through my fingers, Linc, you know that. But maybe it’s just not meant to be. I invited all four of you to move into the house so I could see which guy I was best suited to be with. And…I fell for all of you.”

  “Garnet, you have to choose. Pick one of us. We’ll understand. We all want you to be happy, and we all want you to have the money, the estate, and to be able to realize your dreams. This is your chance to quit living hand to mouth, buried in debt with no way out.”

  His compassion was my undoing. I slammed the cooler door shut as my shoulders heaved and the tears began to flow—again. Really, I was getting tired of crying over this stupid, asinine situation. I didn’t ask for it, and I didn’t need it.

  Linc came around the end of the bar, and I buried my face in his shoulder—so warm and comforting, smelling like—well, him. It was funny. I’d gotten to where I could almost identify all the guys by their scents, all wonderful and different in subtle but unique ways.

  “Don’t be sad, baby. It will work out. We won’t let you down.”

  Well. That just made me cry harder. What had I done to earn the affection of the four most amazing men I’d ever known? Surely, I didn’t deserve a one of them.

  “Baby.” Linc had hooked his finger under my chin and turned my face up toward his. With is broad thumb, he pushed the tears off my face and then lowered his mouth to mine.

  God, how could everything feel almost all right, so damn fast?

  His lips brushed over mine, sweeping away some, if not all, of my anxieties, and when I was ready to respond, I parted my lips so we could taste and explore. I pulled back to face him.

  God, he was gorgeous. I mean, all the guys were, but Linc had this sexy, quiet power about him. It was irresistible.

  He pulled back.

  “You’re worried.”

  “I…yeah, maybe. I mean, I guess so,” I answered.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “I don’t want to hurt anyone. You included.”

  “I think you’re scared,” he said. His eyes blazed into mine, his hands sliding down toward my waist, leaving a trail of fire behind them. “You’re afraid of what you’re feeling. It’s not just the inheritance. We’re all feeling it, too.”

  And who wouldn’t be afraid of having feelings—strong, powerful feelings—for four men who not only knew each other but had also become friends. Practically brothers, really.

  “Garnet, I’m falling for you. We all are, for Christ’s sake,” he said huskily.

  Shit. The second he said that, it was out there. Like something big had just escaped, something big and dangerous, and it could not be recaptured. And he was right.

  It scared the shit out of me. Four amazing, sexy as shit guys falling for me?

  Scary, yeah. But it also sent a thrill through me that made my knees weak. The possibilities were…

  Wait a minute. Choosing one would hurt the remaining three. I couldn’t do it.

  Out of the question.

  I’d go back to my old life, just keeping my head above water.

  No more cute guys. No more hot sex.

  Linc continued, “It’s funny, because the four of us are all pretty different. In most cases, we’d probably want different types of women. But it seems like you are our type.”

  Ugh. Why did he have to make this so hard?

  He cupped my face with his hands. “So we all agreed that I’d talk to you.”

  “How’d they choose you?” I asked.

  “They thought I’d be the calmest and coolest.”

  They had a point.

  He took my hand and led me over to a booth, where he slid in next to me. He pulled me to him.

  “We’re all cool with you choosing one. You are more important to us than anything. There will be no jealousy, no resentment. And we’ll always love you.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t choose.”

  “You have to.”

  The gravity of what he was saying washed over me. It was so goddamn zero-sum. And so goddamn unfair. The naughty thrill of multiple lovers was coming to a screeching halt, just as I’d known it eventually would.

  I just didn’t know it would hurt so much.

  He slid out of the booth and stood.

  “You have to open the bar, and I have to get back to the gym. Meet us at the mansion tonight. We’ll all be there, and we’ll help you figure this thing out.”

  I watched him leave the Drive By, the sunlight flashed through the open door, and then disappeared, leaving me sitting in the dim bar alone.

  * * *

  “Matty,” I said over my cell during the drive back to the mansion. “You busy?”

  “Hey, sweetie. No, I’m not busy. I’m never busy. I don’t believe in working hard. Actually, I don’t believe in working at all, if one can help it.”

  It was true. He didn’t.

  “So, how are things with the guys? I’m still green with envy that you’ve got a fivesome going on.”

  “Well, it was awesome while it lasted.”

  He gasped. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s coming to a close, is what I mean. It’s gone too far. And I can’t play with people’s lives like this.”

  I may not have been able to see him, but I knew he was giving me his best eye-roll. “C’mon. Don’t you think you’re being a
bit dramatic? You sound like someone’s going to die.”

  I felt a little bit like I might…

  “We’re meeting tonight to figure things out. But I’ve decided what I’m going to do,” I said.

  “Garnet, do not be foolish. I’m begging you. Think this through.”

  I had been thinking it through. That was the problem.

  Chapter 26

  Baldwin “Win”

  I poured myself a scotch while I waited for the rest of the guys and Garnet. I wasn’t sure what was going to go down, and I was nervous as hell. Nervous for her, for the other three guys, and for myself. Hell, I’d be lying if I said it would be easy to say goodbye to the mansion, even if it had been home for only a little more than a week.

  Cordy, Cordy, Cordy.

  What had he done to all of us?

  ‘Course, he couldn’t have known how his little plan was going to throw five people into a state of discomfort and confusion.

  “Hey,” Brose said, rushing into the room, still wet from his shower. He looked around.

  “I thought I was going to be late. Where are the other guys?” He topped off my scotch and poured himself one.

  “Not here yet.” I glanced at the antique clock on the study’s wall. “But I’m sure they’ll be soon.”

  “So are we gonna end up with our Garnet, or is she gonna give us the heave-ho?”

  There were loud steps in the hallway, and Nat and Linc joined us.

  “Hey,” Nat said.

  “Hi guys,” Linc added.

  “So where’s the lady of the house?” I asked.

  “Right here.” Garnet sauntered in, wearing a silky red wrap dress and some out of control fuck-me heels.

  Dayum as they say.

  She paused and looked at each of us for a moment, smiling. Still, there was something a little sad behind her eyes. Had something happened at work? Or maybe to her mother?

  “Look at you, beautiful girl,” Brose said with a huge grin. He walked over to her and planted a big kiss on her cheek.

  Not to be outdone, I popped up from my chair and kissed her other cheek. Goddamn, she smelled good. Just sweet, clean, woman.

  Before I was back in my seat, Linc had pulled her close and kissed her forehead. He stepped aside for Nat, whose mouth landed on hers with a rage that left her teetering in her heels.

  I had to say, seeing her marked by my buddies and I like that was pretty fucking hot. My growing cock noticed, too.

  Garnet raised her hands up in the stop signal.

  “Okay guys, okay.” Her face was a bright shade of pink. “I know you all wanted to meet with me tonight, but I wanted to say something first.”

  We four looked at each other. What was she up to?

  She swallowed hard, like she didn’t know how to begin.

  Looking at the floor, she cleared her throat. “I know I haven’t known any of you all that long, but…getting to know you has been probably the best experience of my life. These past days have been so happy for me,” she said, wringing her hands.

  “Garnet, we—” Nat started to say. But she cut him off.

  “Wait. Let me say what I have to. This has been really hard, but I’ve made a decision. I know what I have to do.”

  The sadness that had been there before, that I wasn’t sure about? Yup, it was real now. I wasn’t a sentimental guy, but I could see she was troubled. And I didn’t like that. I fought the urge to grab her and tell her everything was going to be all right. It was clear she was working through whatever was going on, in her own way. We had to let her do that.

  “As you know, Grandpa—I mean, Cordy—stipulated in his will that I get his estate if I’m married within thirty days. But, I can only marry one of you. Because of that…”

  I looked around the room, which felt like the air was being sucked out of it.

  “…I’m choosing no one.”

  She searched our faces for reaction, but we all looked at each other.

  “But you’ll end up with—” Brose started to say.

  “No one, and nothing. I’ll end up right where I was before all this started. But it’s okay. I’ve made my peace with it.”

  “Darlin’, don’t you think you’re being a bit hasty? I mean, it seems like there are other options,” I said.

  “I can’t choose from among the four of you. I’m not going to do it. I just can’t do it.” She held her head up, pretending to be pleased with her decision. But she couldn’t fool me. She couldn’t fool any of us. There was a heaviness behind her eyes that made even my hard heart break a little.

  “I’m giving up the four of you and the money. This has been a wonderful adventure, and I thank each of you for joining me on it. I’m moving out of the house. You can stay here as long as the attorney will let you.” Tears welled in her eyes, and I knew it was just a matter of time before they started sliding down her pretty face. Her bottom lip began to shake.

  Nat stood from his chair. “Okay. Wait a minute. Garnet, Linc told you we four guys had gotten together and talked the situation through. We’d like to share our thoughts.”

  Sniffling, she said, “I really need to be going.” She took a step toward the door.

  “We deserve to say our piece, too,” Nat said after her.

  That stopped her. She turned around and took another deep breath. Coming back into the room, she took a seat in a cushy armchair and crossed her legs. I know I was supposed to focus on our meeting, but her damn legs were so long and beautiful.

  Fuck.

  Nat remained standing and turned toward her. “I think I can speak for everyone here.” He looked around the room, and we nodded back at him.

  “First, we all respect your decision and will support you regardless of what happens. But I think we might have a solution that leaves us all in a better position than what you propose.”

  She looked puzzled. But she needn’t be. We were pretty sure we’d come up with something that would make us all happy.

  “We want for the five of us to stay together.”

  She shook her head slowly.

  “Don’t worry about the money. None of us cares about that,” he said. “Well, I wouldn’t say we didn’t care, but it’s not the most important thing here.” More nods.

  “Garnet, we want to all live together and share you. We’ll find an apartment or something in the city that’s big enough for us all. We think it will be the perfect arrangement. You don’t have to give any of us up. There won’t be any inheritance, but we’ll be together.”

  All eyes were on her as silence filled the room. It seemed to go on for an eternity, at least to me, until she finally spoke. I won’t deny it, I was nervous as hell that she was going to shut us down.

  “I…I don’t know,” she said slowly. “I don’t know how that would work. I mean, you would share me?”

  Brose leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Garnet, I know this is an unconventional arrangement, but Win and I have done this before. You can love more than one person. And you can make a life with more than one person.”

  “And Garnet, while Nat and I have not done this before,” Linc said, “we think it’s a great idea. Speaking for myself, I’m totally psyched. It’s fucking hot sharing you, and a relief to me that the other guys will look out for you when I’m on the road for work. Which, as you know, is a lot.”

  “Yeah, baby, you know I have long, long hours at the gym. I’d feel so much better knowing you weren’t being left alone.”

  The conversation had gotten so heavy, I was determined to lighten things up. “And think of all the fucking you’ll get.”

  That got everyone laughing. Tension. Broken.

  Garnet opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. It was just as well. I was across the room like a bolt of lightning, running kisses up her lush thighs.

  Chapter 27

  Garnet

  Well, I wasn’t expecting that.

  I’d come to the mansion to pack my things, say my goodbyes, and
head back to my crappy apartment in the city. I was ending the arrangement and cutting myself off from the guys.

  And it felt like I was cutting off my arm.

  So when they proposed we all stay together, and to hell with the money, I was shocked. I mean, did they really want to share a woman? Did they want to share me?

  Apparently, yes.

  Hot damn!

  And before I could say anything, Win was on me with his lips, pushing my dress up so he could get at the soft flesh of my thighs.

  My nipples jumped to attention and my heart pounded so hard I couldn’t hear.

  Was I about to have all four guys? Like at once?

  Yeah, I was nervous. But I was also ready. I wanted them, all of them, right then and there. More than anything I’d ever wanted.

  Before I knew it, I was standing so my dress could be pulled over my head, and my lingerie pulled off, leaving me in nothing but my high heels. They led me to a big, soft rug in front of the fireplace. I kissed one guy, and then another. I heard buckles and zippers being opened and a variety of clothing hitting the floor as my red-hot boys tore their clothes off. My head spun as I looked up at the Adonises above me, each beautiful in his own way, and each loving me in his own way. Nat with his chiseled jaw and model looks, Win with his wind-swept hair and tan skin, Linc with his broad chest and giant biceps, and Brose with his sexy pierced nipples and neck tattoos—each of them turning me on in a different way. And taking away my breath in a different way.

  And it was all for me.

  Fuck the money. Thanks but no thanks, Grandpa. What I had found was way better.

  Brose leaned over me, and I stroked his brown, bald head. His hands wandered up to my breasts until he cupped my face. Someone teased my thighs, and in the background—I couldn’t be sure who—stroked his own very lovely cock.

  “What do you say, beautiful?” Brose asked. “I know we’ve got you at a sort of disadvantage.” He looked around at the other guys, and they chuckled.