by Susan Hayes
When the boredom grew unbearable, she gave up and got out of bed. A new dressing gown of pale ivory silk hung off the one of the corner posts of her oversized bed, and she drew it on, covering up the sinfully soft teddy of red lace that Colin had managed to sneak into the bags of clothing they’d bought. The man would have made a decent thief, because she didn’t catch him once, but when they got home she discovered a number of items that she had no part in selecting.
He’d added everything from body lotions to lingerie, and as they’d been leaving she’d overheard a partial conversation about coming back again soon so Alayna could try on some dresses. Alayna had never worn a dress in her life, and when she’d pointed that out to Colin, he’d given her one of his cocky grins and told her that as the chosen of two generals, there were going to be times she was going to have dress the part. The smug bastard had even included a couple of pairs of high-heeled shoes in her size.
In the course of a single afternoon, Nik and Colin had provided her with more material possessions than she had owned in her entire life. Not that she’d ever been truly poor, but there wasn’t much point in owning more than she could fit in a backpack when she lived her life as a nomad, moving from town to town and target to target.
Everything she had taken from the Alliance had been given to people who needed it. Now, they’d need to find another way to get by. Alayna already missed it. The sense of being needed, the fulfillment that came with helping others. She let her hand glide over the smooth silk of her robe as she admitted that what she’d miss most of all was the thrill of danger. Her new life was like her new clothes, soft and luxurious. If she didn’t find something to do with her time, she’d quickly get bored of it all. What place was there for her in the Alliance? She didn’t have a clue, but whatever it was, it would have to be more than being a cosseted treasure.
Knowing that she would never get to sleep with her thoughts tumbling around inside her head like a bunch of playful puppies, Alayna headed downstairs. Both men had left their doors ajar, so she moved as silently as she could, not wanting to wake them. Just because she was having trouble sleeping was no reason to wake up anyone else.
Wandering without any real destination in mind, Alayna found herself in the sunken living room, standing near the large bay window, staring up into the night sky. She’d grown up knowing that mankind travelled between the stars. She knew there were ships and stations and even colonies out there, but there was a great deal of difference between knowing something was true, and actually spending time with someone who had been off-world. What was it like out there, beyond the protective shield that surrounded Earth? Someday soon, she’d ask them.
Feeling whimsical, she picked a star at random and began to whisper an old ditty that Sam had taught her. “Starry night, star so bright, be you sun or satellite, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.”
“Funny thing about wishes, sometimes you don’t recognize them when they finally come true,” Colin said, his voice barely louder than a whisper. Alayna heart skipped a beat as she spun around to find her lover standing only a few feet away, wearing nothing but a cocky grin.
How the hell did he get so close without me hearing him?
“He’s as silent as a fucking ghost, isn’t he? I swear I’m going to hang bells on both of you,” Nik said from his vantage point at the top of the stairs that lead down to the living room.
“I thought you were both sleeping. What are you doing down here? And why aren’t either of you dressed?” she demanded, trying to keep herself from staring.
Nikolai knew better than to confess he hadn’t been able to sleep because of his perpetual hard-on. He and Colin might have agreed to give their chosen her space, but that didn’t mean his cock was keen on the idea. Knowing that she was lying in bed only a few feet away had made sleeping damned near impossible, and that was before he’d known what she was wearing to bed. Alayna looked like a wet dream come to life standing in their living room. The pale gleam of the setting moon was barely enough to illuminate her silk-draped curves and show a teasing hint of lace across the rise of her breasts.
“You weren’t the only one who couldn’t sleep tonight,” Nikolai said as he walked down the stairs. “I happened to see you go by my bedroom door, which was creepy as hell considering I didn’t hear you at all. Goddamned phantoms, the pair of you.”
“So you saw me go by and decided to follow me?”
“Nope. I saw you go by and decided to wake up Colin, then follow you,” he said, well aware he was baiting her yet again. Nikolai could already tell this was going to be a lifelong habit.
Alayna crossed her arms over her chest and he felt his cock twitch as the movement shifted her robe, revealing more lace. “Why? Don’t you trust me?”
Nikolai laughed and moved up beside Colin. “Trust you? Might I point out that the last time we saw you creeping around in the dark, you were trying to rob us?”
“That was then. If I stole from you tonight, I’d only be stealing from myself, right?”
“Right,” Colin agreed.
“Great, so now we’ve established that you two sleep naked and I’m not stealing anything, any chance of you going back to bed and leaving me alone?”
Nikolai caught the edge to her words and took a good look at her, forcing himself to look past the allure of lace and silk. What he saw didn’t please him. Their minx was exhausted. Even in the soft light of the moon he could see the dark smudges under her eyes and the thin lines around her mouth. He moved closer, drawing her into his arms and was surprised to feel how cool her skin was. Everywhere his hands touched he found knots of tension and taut muscles. “How long has it been since you had a real rest?”
She looked up at him, her lips slightly parted as if she was about to speak, but no words came. Her dark brows furrowed and he had to tamp down the urge to chuckle. He’d actually managed to make her speechless, if only for a few moments.
Colin moved in behind her, and Nikolai lifted a hand from Alayna’s shoulder, inviting Colin to place his hand there so he could understand Nikolai’s concern. The moment Colin’s hand touched the knotted line of muscle along her shoulder he frowned and then nodded to Nikolai. Now he got it.
“I don’t sleep much,” said at last, her shoulders lifting in a simple shrug that made the tendons under his hand creak slightly.
“That wasn’t what I asked you. I asked you when you last got some rest. Real rest, and last night doesn’t count.” Nikolai would bet a month’s pay that she couldn’t answer that question.
“Last month, maybe. I’m not sure. Why does it matter?” she demanded, her frown deepening.
“Because, princess, you matter.”
“Exactly. And right now, we can see that you’re exhausted and tense.”
“Well, yeah. Tension is a pretty normal fucking side effect of having your entire life thrown for a loop all because you fell asleep at a bad time,” she grumbled and then moaned softly as Nikolai started to slowly massage a knotted muscle just beneath her shoulder blade.
“Stubborn little minx. Will you let us help you relax?”
She snorted with laughter at that. “Is that man code for ‘let us fuck you senseless so you can sleep?’ because if it is, I’m going to decline. I need a little more recovery time before our next sexual marathon, thanks.”
“Sexual marathon, huh?” Colin grinned and nuzzled her ear. “I like the way that sounds, but that’s not what we’re offering. Well, not tonight anyway. Trust us a little, and let us take care of you. Can you do that?”
Nikolai watched wariness fill her lovely eyes, and it made his heart ache. What kind of life had their little vorovka been leading that a simple act of kindness made her uneasy? He stroked his fingertip across her brow, gently smoothing away the furrows. “You’re our chosen. I think it’s time we show you what that truly means.”
“Okay,” she murmured, gifting him with a small smile that made him feel like he’d won a major offensive.
He leaned down to feather his lips over hers. “Thank you.”
Alayna had no idea what she’d let herself in for, but there was not a chance in hell of her resisting them. Not when she was caught between two hot, sexy naked men who were offering to help her relax. She’d used up all her willpower when she’d declined the first time. Once they started being so sweet, she was done for.
Nikolai took a step back and Colin slid his hands to her waist, turning her around so she was facing him.
“Thank you for trusting us,” he said and kissed her just as gently as Nik had done. The next thing she knew, he was scooping her into his arms and the three of them were headed for the stairs with Nikolai in the lead, which gave her an excellent opportunity to admire his delectable, naked ass.
“I see what you’re doing, brat. Hey, Griz, our girl is really enjoying the view you’re currently giving her. Me, not so much.”
“Jealous?”
“More like nauseous.”
Nikolai stopped at the top of the stairs and deliberately stretched, flexing every muscle in the process. She might be tired, but she’d have to be three days dead and gone not to react to that kind of display. As her nipples hardened and her pussy grew slick, Colin sighed.
“Stars, are you really going to encourage him, princess? He’s hard enough to live with already.”
“Sorry,” she said, turning her head to press a kiss the corner of Colin’s mouth.
“If you’re done preening, mind moving this along? We’re supposed to be taking care of Alayna, remember?”
“On it,” Nik called back and jogged down the hall, heading for her room. By the time Colin carried her past the threshold, Nikolai had turned down her comforter and was actually fluffing her pillows.
“You’re going to tuck me in and read me a bedtime story?” she quipped.
“That’s not quite what we had in mind.”
“This will be much better, I promise,” Nik said as he stepped away from the bed and then headed to her bathroom. She couldn’t follow what Nik was doing, because Colin chose that moment to lower her to the ground. The second she was standing on her own two feet he let go of her to start working loose the knot she’d tied in the belt of her robe.
“Fucking hell, I’m buying you more of these,” Colin said as he opened the dressing gown and stared at the red lace teddy he’d bought for her earlier in the day.
“One in every color would be a good start,” Nikolai commented from the bathroom door, his gaze hot and hungry as he stared at her. “Nice choice, Ghost.”
“You are so damned lovely, Alayna.” Colin breathed the words softly, his fingers tracing across the scalloped line of crimson lace that covered her breasts. Neither man was bothering to try and hide their arousal, and Alayna’s blood was starting to heat at the sight of their thick cocks standing erect and eager to please.
Nikolai could feel Alayna’s gaze flow over him like molten steel. When the pink tip of her tongue appeared to trace over her lower lip, it was all he could do not to charge across the room, throw her down on the bed and fuck her until she screamed his name. He wouldn’t, because she was their chosen and he was going to show some damned restraint. He forced himself to take slow, measured steps as he crossed the room, never once looking away from the stunning woman he and Colin had claimed for their own.
She was a vision in silk and lace, her sun-kissed skin looking even darker against the cream folds of her robe. The lace beneath was sheer enough that he could make out the darker skin of her nipples and showed him ever swell and curve of her body. Her build was leaner than most women who had undergone enhancement, but Nikolai suspected that would change now that she had been claimed. A few weeks of proper meals and sleep was all it would take, and then he and Colin would be the ones not getting any sleep. Just the thought of another man looking at his chosen made his jaw tighten and his hands itch to hit something, or someone.
“As lovely as that bit of lace is, I think it’s time it came off,” he said. If she didn’t get it off fast enough, he’d be tempted to tear it off and buy her three more to replace it.
“I have to be naked to get relaxed?” She cocked a brow at him in challenge and he couldn’t help but grin. He loved it when she got sassy with him.
“Well, we were planning on giving you a massage. Those tend to work better when the recipient has their clothes off, minx.”
“I wouldn’t know, I’ve never had one,” she said as Colin started easing the robe off her shoulders and she shrugged out of it, revealing the rest of her lace-covered body.
For a second Nikolai’s brain was so foggy with lust he didn’t register what Alayna had said, but when it finally sunk in, he was stunned.
“You’ve never had a massage?” He knew he sounded like a brain damaged parrot but he was too surprised to say much else. Who the hell went through their entire life without enjoying at least one massage? From a friend, a lover, someone? Stars, his family had a trained masseur on staff. He caught Colin’s gaze and the two of them nodded to each other in understanding. It was time to show their chosen another of the perks that were part of her new life.
Alayna just laughed, shaking her head as she stripped off her lingerie. “I’ve never had a massage, or lived in a place that stocked real coffee. I’ve never owned anything made of lace before either. Or silk for that matter. You don’t find many luxuries out in the badlands. In fact, you don’t even find the things the Alliance promises to send, like food or medicine. Someday, I want to take you out there and show you. Then maybe you’ll understand, Nik. And Colin, maybe you’ll remember.”
“Any time you want to take us there, we’ll go. We’re under orders to fix what’s broken with the distribution system. I think you’re the best guide we could have,” Nikolai said and was pleased when her mouth softened into a smile.
“You’d really let me take you out there and show you everything?”
“We really would. Griz is right. You’re the best guide we could possibly have. If we can figure out how best to help everyone, then maybe we can put that bastard Wraith out of business.”
It was the smallest of changes, but Nikolai caught it. The moment Colin spoke the name of the area’s most notorious thief, Alayna’s smile flickered and the light in her eyes dimmed. It was only for a split second, but it was enough. Their little thief had some connection to the man whose career they had been ordered to end, by any means necessary.
Well, isn’t this fucking perfect.
He shook off the storm of dark thoughts that threatened to ruin this moment and put the matter aside for now. Right now, they needed to focus on making Alayna happy. She’d tell them the truth when she was ready. At least, he hoped she would. “Hop up on the bed, face down. It’s time to show you what you’ve been missing.”
She climbed into bed and Nikolai followed her, settling himself at her feet as Colin claimed a spot on the other side, near her shoulders. Nik produced the bottle of body lotion he’d snagged from her bathroom counter, and the two men got to work.
Alayna had never been so pampered in her life. Colin had started by giving her a slow, gentle scalp massage while Nik had taken one of her feet in his big hands and began working his way up her body, starting at her toes. It felt deliciously decadent to have the attentions of both men focused entirely on her. It didn’t take long for the tension to start falling away, and soon her muscles were looser and her limbs heavy, like her entire body was slowly being filled with warm sand.
She was almost asleep when they finished, both of them working together to massage the last spots of tension out of her lower back. “Thank you,” she mumbled, not even bothering to lift her head from the pillow.
“You’re very welcome,” Nikolai told her.
“Would you like us to leave you alone now? Or will you let us stay with you for the rest of the night?”
Warm, contented and on the verge of sleep, Alayna couldn’t muster the will to send away the two men who had just made her fee
l so incredibly good. “Stay with me.”
She heard both men rumble in pleasure at her words, and within a few minutes she was nestled between their two big bodies. Nik’s hand was on her thigh, Colin had his arm draped over her stomach as she tumbled into sleep at last, safe between her bonded.
***
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It had taken a bit of creative juggling, but Colin had found a way to rework their schedules so that he and Nikolai could spend time with Alayna, while still managing to keep the base running smoothly. It was common for newly bonded trios to have time off from work at the beginning of their new relationship, but the two of them were new to their duties, so that wasn’t entirely possible.
Still, they’d managed to stretch out their weekend by another two days, giving themselves a bit more time with Alayna before they had gone back to work. They would both work through the morning, and then each afternoon one of them would head home so that Alayna wouldn’t be left alone all day while she was adjusting to her new life.
Today was Colin’s turn to work a full day, and he was wading through a digital sea of documents, inventories, bills of lading, and other data looking for some hint as to where in the goddamned galaxy their inventory was disappearing to. There had been another theft reported this morning. This time it was immunity boosters that were slated for transport to a village in the badlands. They were worth a small fortune on the black market, but why the hell would Wraith steal something that was supposed to be going to the people he was supposed to be protecting? It didn’t make any sense. Fuck, none of it did.
There was no sign of anyone on the surveillance tapes, but the goods were gone. That was the pattern. Inventory came in, got unloaded, and then vanished. When a transport was hit by thieves or rebels, the loss was easy to track, but one of the first things he and Griz had done when they had taken over was to order a complete inventory review. The numbers were staggering. It didn’t seem possible that one thief could have stolen it all. The whole mess was giving him a headache.