* * * *
“There’s no way she made it home already,” Avery said.
“Look. Is that her car?” Asher asked.
“Damn it, I said I wanted to get her a new one. She’s broken down. Where the hell is she?” Blade asked.
“She must be so scared. Do you think she’s walking ahead?” Asher asked.
“Let’s check the car first,” Cason said, and they stopped by the car. The moment they got out Blade caught sight of Cora’s eyes, wide open and filled with terror. She unlocked the door, shoved it open, and jumped up into Blade’s arms. She wrapped herself around him, straddling his waist tight despite the dress she wore, and sobbed against his chest. He could hear her unsteady breathing and knew she was having a severe attack. He ran his hands along her body, grateful that she was safe and upset with himself for causing her to experience all this terror and pain tonight.
“It’s okay, baby, I’ve got you, honey. I’m so sorry for what I said back at the Inn. I didn’t mean any of it. You’re not some charity case, you’re more than that to all of us.” He wasn’t sure if she heard him since she was gasping for breath, holding him so tight as the others caressed her, whispered to her, calming her down together. She didn’t fully comprehend any of their attempts at soothing her out of the panic attack.
“Cora!” he yelled her name, and he felt her fingers dig into his shoulders.
“Look at me. You look at me now and you stop this,” he said firmly. She eased back, her lips parted, tears rolling down her cheeks, and stared at him in shock. He got her response, her acknowledgement to listen.
“I’m here. We all are for you. Take slow breaths and listen to my voice. Understand that you’re safe.”
Her eyes held his and she started to slow her breathing. She gripped him and then released his shirt. Gripped and then released him until she finally just kept her palms against his shoulders.
“That’s my girl. You got this. We’re here for you. You’re safe.”
She stared at him and then looked at the others.
“Sorry,” she whispered.
“No. This isn’t your fault, it’s ours. We should have talked to you about the guardianship thing and our feelings for you,” Beau told her.
“It was me who fucked it up. I didn’t mean to be so callous and uncaring, baby. I was an asshole,” Blade told her.
“Completely,” she whispered, and her breath hitched in her throat. She was still trying to calm down. He squeezed her to him and pressed her against her car.
“I promise to work on that, if you promise to forgive me.”
“You can let me down now.”
He shook his head.
“No, I can’t. I need to prove to you that what I’m offering, what we all are offering is real, and because we already care for you so much.”
She squinted her eyes at him.
“Since you’re not understanding the meaning of my words, I’ll just show you.”
He leaned forward and kissed her deeply. He explored her mouth, drew in her taste until neither of them could breathe. When he released her lips, he hugged her to him.
“Damn, Cora, Don’t ever run away from me, from us again. I’ll make tonight up to you. I promise,” he told her.
She pulled back, looking calmer and a bit shy as she glanced at the rest of his team, who stood there with their arms crossed and smirking like a bunch of schoolchildren who caught their teacher making out with his girlfriend on school grounds. But Cora was their woman too, and together, Blade felt more confident that he wouldn’t be able to fuck this up and hurt her.
“We’re in this together. We’re your guardians and the kids’, but we want to be your men, your protectors for you and Julia and Liam,” Beau told her.
She swallowed hard and nibbled her bottom lip as she gave the most adorable expression.
“Does this mean you trust me enough and don’t think I’m after your money, Calvin’s, or any other client’s money, and can give me a cell phone now? Because I sure could have used one a little while ago,” she said, and they chuckled. Blade pressed her against the car and cupped her cheeks with his hands.
“Baby, not only are you getting a cell phone, I may even implant a tracking device to ensure you’re safe at all times,” Blade told her, and she smiled.
“I think that may be a bit overboard, Blade. We’ll discuss it on Monday in the office,” she told him.
He shook his head.
“We’ll discuss it over breakfast in the morning. Beau will text Brock and let Arabella know that you’re okay, that your car broke down, and that you won’t be going home tonight. She’ll let your mom know and the kids know that you’re safe,” Blade said as Cora gasped, her mouth opened to protest as Beau dialed Brock.
Before she could say a word, Blade kissed her deeply until she became pliant in his arms and then carried her to the truck.
Tonight was a new beginning for all of them. Tonight, Blade and his team would officially make her their woman.
* * * *
Cora sat on Blade’s lap in the backseat of the truck. She was straddling his waist, staring into his eyes, trying to read him best she could in the dim light. She was battling with herself. Have sex with him, with the five of them, don’t have sex with them yet. She had grown so much in the last six months. More so in the last four after being on the run and worrying about Liam and Julia. She needed to make the right decision here. The one that would most benefit her children, not herself.
“Stop overthinking this. You’re a grown woman. You have desires, needs that are completely normal, just like the rest of us,” Blade told her.
“But I’m not like other women. I’m not in the position, never mind the right frame of mind to take such a huge risk,” she whispered. She felt the hand glide up her thigh and under the hem of her dress. Back and forth, Beau caressed her skin.
“Nothing will happen tonight that you don’t want, or that you’re not ready for,” Beau told her.
Her heart was pounding inside of her chest. She felt exhausted.
“I’m just so tired. Tired of feeling anxious, recovering from these episodes, and feeling like such a misfit. I don’t think I can make a clear decision,” she told them.
Asher reached over and moved her hair off her shoulder and cupped her cheek.
“Baby, you’re not a misfit, and we’re going to take care of you now, fully. No more handling things on your own. No more stresses over the minor things. We’re going to be a team.”
She wanted to believe them. She wanted it to be so simple, but she felt like happiness, true love was only made for fairy tales and for strong, better women like her sister, like Gia and Marianna. Women who faced their demons, their barriers head-on because they were strong.
He leaned over and kissed her lips. She felt Beau’s hand move further up her dress to her groin, and she tightened up and pulled from Asher’s lips.
“Easy, sugar. Just getting you used to our touch. Don’t you feel safer in Blade’s arms, and with each of us surrounding you?” Beau asked.
“I don’t know.” Blade raised one eyebrow at her in that authoritative way that made her shiver with intimidation and arousal combined.
“I mean, yes, of course. You’re all so big, muscular, and capable.”
“But?” Asher pushed.
She didn’t want to say it, but she was sitting here in the backseat of a truck heading toward their home and not to work on documents in the office but to have sex with them. After tonight the office would no longer contain the same atmosphere.
“So was Anthony.” Blade’s hold tightened. Beau’s hand squeezed her thigh a little snugger, and Asher gripped her chin.
“We’re not anything like your ex.”
She gulped. “He did things, said things, and forced stuff on me that has scarred me deeper than anything. I…I don’t know if I can give you the control, the power men want over a woman’s body.”
“Honey, we only want what you feel i
n here,” Blade said and stroked a finger over her chest where her heart was. It tickled her breast and caused her nipple to tighten.
“It sounds like he never really made love to you. That’s the difference,” Blade whispered.
She felt the tears reach her eyes. She had two children with the man, and he never really loved her. How did that make her look in front of these men? The truck came to a stop, and she knew they arrived at their estate.
“You can have your choice of women. Any of you. Why do you want me? Why, when I’m so weak? When I have two children from a man who you know didn’t really love me and abused me, forced me to do things I’m ashamed of? Why do you want someone who isn’t whole? Someone who can’t even function under pressure or I’ll freak out and have an anxiety attack? Why? Tell me why?” she demanded to know.
Blade got out of the car with her still in his arms, straddling his waist. He adjusted her body upward as he planted one hand under her ass, and they all headed inside. She wondered what they were thinking, and if they had a response to her demands.
Blade carried her upstairs with the others on his heels.
“Blade?”
His expression was firm and his lips closed tight.
He brought her into a huge master bedroom that had a king-sized bed covered in a fluffy burgundy comforter and multiple hunter-green throw pillows.
He set her down slowly, and she felt how wobbly her legs were. The others gathered around her.
Talk about intimidation, trepidation, and uncertainty. She felt it all.
Blade looked down into her eyes.
“We’re all scarred men. Some of us have deeper pain, worse experiences and feelings of loss, inadequacy, and anger than others. But I’m only going to speak for me right now, Cora. I swore off women. Not that I’m a saint, but I closed off my heart. I’m thirty-six years old, Cora, had a hell of a lot of my own bad experiences, but you entering my life, our lives, has stirred something in me I’ve got to pursue.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.
When he released her lips, she felt Beau behind her caressing her shoulders, rubbing her arms before he lowered his mouth to her neck.
“I didn’t think I even had a heart. Not until I saw you. Not until you smiled and it touched me deeply.” He kissed her neck, turned her toward him, and kissed her on the mouth.
“Trust us to take care of you and make all those bad memories go away, Cora,” Avery said to her as Beau released her to him. She locked gazes with Avery’s brown eyes and her heart begged her to give them the chance, but her fears were so very strong.
“You’re everything we’ve ever wanted in a woman, a wife. We adored Liam and Julia too. We’re ready to take on the role as fathers, providers for the three of you,” Asher told her, and she smiled, the tears filled her eyes, and then Cason took her hand and brought it to his lips.
“I’ve wanted you since the first time I laid eyes on you while you were sitting in the park with that journal of yours. I knew you were sitting guard. Watching over the kids while they were in school because of the fears you have. I’ve wanted to kiss your lips, and hold you in my arms for so long, Cora. This is not some spur-of-the-moment lustful encounter. This is real. We’ll protect all of you so that you’ll feel safe again. Let us love you, darling.”
The words, the expressions on their faces, and the overall protection and love she felt being surrounded by these five large, capable men had her smiling as a tear escaped her eye.
“I want to. I’ll try. Can you be patient with me?”
Cason smiled and then looked around at the others.
“Of course, baby. Nothing happens tonight that you don’t want to happen. Now give me some lovin’. You look mighty fine in this dress of yours.” Cason pulled her into his arms and kissed her. As he devoured her moans and explored her mouth thoroughly, she felt him lift her up, and she felt the second set of hands on her shoulders and then rubbing her back.
She was going to let these men make love to her. Would she regret it in the morning? Would they? Suddenly it didn’t seem so hard to say no. She wanted them, and she wanted what no man ever gave her, their hearts.
* * * *
Beau slowly pulled down the zipper of Cora’s dress, causing the material to fall from her body. He kissed her shoulders, her spine, and then lower as the dress fell to the floor. He was pleasantly surprised to find her wearing only panties and no bra. The black thong was sexy and so minuscule he wondered why she even bothered to wear them.
He leaned forward to kiss her shoulder and then trail more kisses down her back as he held her hips and rolled his tongue along a pathway against her skin. She was petite, feminine, and an overwhelming sense of protectiveness had him squeezing her hips as he pressed his mouth against her spine. She moaned and covered his hands with her soft fingers. He thought she might stop him, but then she began to caress his hands where he held her. Beau licked along her ass cheeks, then to the thin material of her thong. She shivered in front of him.
“Your skin is soft and you smell edible,” he told her, taking time to inhale against her lower back.
“I know I can’t wait to taste her,” Cason said. Her hands moved from over Beau’s hands to grab Cason’s head and hair as he suckled her breast.
Beau stood up, slid his hands over her hips to her mound, pressing fingers gently under the thin material of her thong.
“Oh God, Cason. Cason,” she moaned. The suckling sound filled the room, giving it such an erotic feel his cock hardened and Cora gasped, pulling slightly away, only for him to pull her back hard against him.
“That’s for you, Cora. This is what you do to me, baby,” Beau whispered against her earlobe before nibbling the sensitive flesh. She shivered.
* * * *
Cora was so aroused it was difficult to stay focused on each sensation. Her fears were just lingering below the surface, and she hoped she could do this and not panic. Every touch, every sweet word of endearment, desire seemed to ease her mind, and the anxiety she felt. She didn’t think she would ever be able to let another man touch her so intimately, but here she was with five.
Cason released her breast as he pushed the material of her panties down and off of her. Beau took that moment to press fingers to her cunt ever so slowly. It was torture, but it seemed he knew she needed slow, and she was grateful as her mind fought against the bad memories of the last time a man touched her there and the demands he made on her body. Liam was only born the week before. The doctors told her no sex until her checkup, but Anthony didn’t want to hear any of that. He hurt her that night. He forced fingers upon her and then his cock and the pain sent her into a fit of vomiting, never mind nearly hemorrhaging.
She squeezed her eyes tight, felt herself tense, and Beau’s fingers left her pussy, smoothed up her belly to her throat in a possessive, arousing manner. He whispered next her ear.
“Focus on my touch, on my voice, and know that I care for you deeply. I will never hurt you the way he hurt you. You will always come first, Cora. Always.”
She willed the tears away and demanded herself to believe Beau’s words and actions. These are good men. Anthony is in the past. This was her future, her children’s future right here.
He sat down on the bed as Cason lifted her up and cupped her cheeks. Beau maneuvered her body back to his front, her thighs over his thighs, using his palms to spread her open to their viewing. Her heart pounded inside of her chest, being exposed like this. That’s when she realized the others weren’t right there. She panicked as Cason held her face and stared down into her eyes.
“Focus on us, on the way we make you feel. You’re gorgeous, baby. You’re sexy, smart, an incredible woman, and Beau and I are going to show you how much we care about you.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips. His kiss was slow. He took his time tasting her lips as she felt Beau’s fingers return to her pussy and press up into her just as Cason thrust his tongue into her mouth. She felt needy, desirable, and sexy. They did this
to her. They eased her mind of the past and her fears and gave her the time she needed to adjust and to let go.
Cason trailed kisses from her mouth to her neck, and she found herself reaching out to him despite the fears. Her hands collided with his waist and the muscles beneath the dress shirt he wore. Beau pumped his fingers a little faster and her cunt spasmed, releasing her cream, making her moan.
“Take off my shirt, Cora. Undress me. Show me that you want me too,” Cason whispered and then leaned forward to lick across her nipple then pull at the tiny bud. She gasped.
Beau’s strokes slowed, she felt the roughness of his dress pants and the hard ridge of his cock beneath her bottom, and she wiggled.
“Take off his clothes, Cora. Touch him, take from him, from whatever you want and need. We’re all yours,” Beau said and curled his fingers as he stroked her pussy, making her cream again.
She was so incredibly aroused, and with shaking fingers, she undid the buttons on Cason’s shirt. He removed it and threw it to the floor. She reached for his belt but fumbled with the strap of leather as Beau pumped fingers in and out of her pussy.
Cason smirked knowingly as he assisted, removed his clothes, and stood there in all his naked glory.
“Oh, Cason,” she whispered locking her eyes onto the long, thick cock before her and licking her lips.
“That’s right, baby. You do this to me.”
He stroked his cock, and then he reached forward and spread her thighs wider over Beau’s thighs.
“Oh God, Cason.”
“That’s one sexy tattoo you got there, baby,” Cason said trailing a finger along the tattoo and across her groin where Beau pumped his fingers.
Soldiers of Pearl 2: Healing Souls (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 13