Dual Threat

by Zwaduk, Wendi

  “You got it.” Sonya adjusted Kaia’s straps. “The boys want you. Focus on their energy and how much you want them too. You’ll get through this.”

  Thank God for her best friends—all of them. Kaia strode up the steps and into the small circle. Seven windows surrounded her. She turned the chair around and then hooked one leg over the curved back. Head down, she waited for the spotlight to center on her and the music to blast.

  “Time to be sexy.” Kaia flipped her hair over her shoulder and kicked her leg up high to the music, giving the clients a generous view of her thong panties. By one thirty in the morning, most of the clients just wanted to see boobs and bare ass. They didn’t give a shit if the music repeated or the light got stuck. If she showed skin, they paid up.

  She rolled her hips and swayed. Instead of thinking about the people watching her, she wondered about Ian and Evan Davis and what Sonya had told her. A sizzle started low in her belly. Twin tiger shifters, both filled out with tons of muscle. She imagined Ian sitting in one of the booths, running his hand through his wheat colored hair, a tiny smile playing on his lips. He’d be sitting back in his chair, one ankle resting on his other leg. Would he be turned on by her? Would he turn her away if she ran her hands over his chest and learned the peaks and valleys of him?

  Or would Evan watch her? A quarter of an inch shorter than Ian, Evan laughed more. He made conversation easier and always kissed her on the cheek. Would he be touching himself? Or would he break the glass to get to her? The heat in her body kicked up another notch. The vision of Evan in the circle with her, rubbing his cock over her ass and cupping her breasts as they danced, came to mind. She twisted and removed her tank top and then trailed her fingers down her throat.

  Another wild fantasy popped into her head. Ian and Evan both in the circle with her. Her pussy creamed. She yearned to be the center of an Ian and Evan sandwich, tucked between them as both men touched every part of her being. She rubbed her thighs together. She’d never been with two men before, but the very thought of sharing her bed with both of them made her nipples ache. The bra straps slipped off her shoulders, so she cupped her breasts and popped the snap. The garment opened and she dropped it onto the mirrored floor. She pinched her pierced nipples and then moved her hands.

  Someone clapped and another client whistled. She gyrated to the music, giving equal attention to the clients behind each window. Kaia hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her panties and tugged. The flimsy piece of material fell away from her body, with only the c-string covering the last bit of her modesty. When she glanced at the windows, two went dark. The spotlight doused, leaving her in the pale light of the rope lights around the bottom of the stage. She grabbed her clothing from the floor and hurried down the steps.

  She picked up her phone to call her ride. Instead another message from Dade flashed on the screen.

  I won’t be ignored

  “Yes, you will,” she muttered and deleted the text. She logged into her account and blocked his new number. He’d bothered her for long enough. No more. Kaia slipped the phone into her bag. No more living in the past and letting Dade run her life. If Ian and Evan wanted to give her a ride home, then she’d make it worth their while. Maybe she’d even find what her heart desired—both of them.

  *

  “You think this is the night?” Evan picked at the upholstery on the door of the truck. “I’m tired of waiting. My tiger is tired of waiting. She’s the one.”

  “She’s ready.” Ian pulled to a stop behind the Glass Martini. “But if we move too fast, we’ll freak her the hell out.” He turned off the engine, rolled the windows down, and then settled in his seat. A warm April breeze curled through the cab of the truck.

  Evan didn’t need the command to know what Ian wanted him to do. He nodded once to his twin and then climbed out of the truck. His tiger paced and growled. “I know,” Evan murmured. He wanted her too. Part of him wished Kaia didn’t have to work at the Glass Martini. Sure, the place was the least disgusting gentlemen’s club in Belden Valley—compared to the other clubs—but he’d rather have her home for their use. Just the mere thought of her sent his senses reeling. He’d fallen in love with her the moment he met her, but bided his time.

  Kaia Martin. The bad girl of his dreams. He palmed his cock before he made his way into the foyer of the club. If he showed up with a hard-on, she’d either freak or laugh—unless she wanted him as much as he guessed. He sniffed the air. Her aroma wafted on the stale breeze of cigarette smoke and the tropical perfume used in the fog machines. His tiger perked up. She was ready.

  “Hey, big brother.” Sonya threw her arms around Evan. “Kaia’s showering off. Seems she got a tad worked up during her last dance.”

  Evan grinned at his baby sister. “Don’t shit me, Sonya. I’m on a hair-trigger, and the tiger’s ready to pounce. Tommy’s still here, right?”

  “Yes. He’s become extra-protective since we became exclusive. It’s nice. But we’re talking about Kaia.” She swatted his arm. “Be careful. Dade fucked her up, and he’s been leaving her messages tonight. I don’t know how he got her number this time, but she’s scared. She wants love and protection. Show her you both respect her, and then let the tigers take over. She’s got a massive crush on the both of you. Just don’t blow it because the tigers want their mate.”

  The tips of his ears burned, but Evan knew exactly what his sister meant. He’d met Tommy and Dade over the summer. He had liked Tommy, but not Dade. The moment he laid eyes on the beefcake blond, heavy on muscle and light on brains, he knew damn well what Dade would do. The man screamed jealousy and mistrust. Evan could only guess what Kaia saw in him at the time. His tiger growled again and then sniffed.

  Kaia appeared from behind the curtain, a duffle bag slung over her shoulder and her massive purse dangling from the crook of her arm. She’d pulled her hair back in an elastic band. Glitter still shone on her skin, and despite washing most of her makeup off, she still knocked him for a loop.

  “Sorry.” A blush swept over her cheeks. “Had to grab a few things and shower off.” She opened her free arm and hugged Sonya. “Thanks, hon.” Then she turned to Evan. “Ready when you are. I assume Ian’s in the car?”

  “You assume right.” Evan lifted the duffle bag from her shoulder. “A gentleman never lets a lady carry the heavy stuff.” He gripped the bag tight in his hand and then wrapped his free arm around Kaia. “Now we can go. It’s nice and warm for mid-April. Good weather to leave the windows open at night.”

  Her perfume, something flowery, danced around him. His cock thickened behind his zipper, and he shifted his hips. He groaned and his tiger growled again. Soon.

  “Ready, babe?”

  “Yeah,” she murmured. Although she hesitated for a moment, she softened to him once they reached the door.

  Tommy pushed the curtain aside and dipped his head once. “Hey, man.”

  “Have a good night!!” Sonya snuggled up to Tommy and waved.

  Kaia didn’t say anything until they stepped out into the night. “What all are you planning tonight?” She kept her head low. “Sonya mentioned something about a date. Oh, wow.” She stopped before she reached the sleek, black truck and whistled. “She never said anything about riding in the truck.”

  “We like to treat our ladies with care.” Evan opened the truck door. “And you’re our lady.” He placed her bag under the hard cover over the bed of the truck and then waved his hand. “Slide in.” His tiger paced again and rumbled. The animal didn’t want to wait or finesse—it wanted its mate. Now.

  Kaia glanced up at him from under her lashes and then climbed into the truck. Goddess, he’d never seen a more beautiful woman. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders, and her brown eyes sparkled. She complained about the fullness of her hips, but he didn’t care. He loved healthy women—women who wouldn’t break in the heat of sex. A woman who begged to be claimed in every way. Evan closed his eyes for a moment and begged his tiger to calm. If they pushed her,
she’d run. Besides, she held all the cards. Just because the tiger wanted her didn’t mean she’d agree to be their mate.

  “Get in here,” Kaia called.

  “Coming.” Evan slid in beside her. “Ready.” Now he could only hope she was too.

  Chapter 3

  “Are we picking up someone else?” Kaia shifted her gaze between Evan and Ian. “I’m assuming one of you has someone they’re dating. We’ll be doubling?” In her heart she hoped to be wrong. Then again, she didn’t want to be the third wheel, either. “Guys?”

  “We’re going home,” Ian said in a low voice. He didn’t look in her direction, but he flexed his hands on the steering wheel. Home sounded good to her. She turned over in her mind whether or not to question him further.

  “Kaia.” Evan curled his arm around her shoulders. “Consider this a night of pampering and whatever you want.” He touched her cheek with his free hand, tipping her gaze to his. “We’re focused on you.”

  Heat surged in her veins. Focused on her? We? “I see,” she murmured and licked her bottom lip. “Like a day at the spa kind of pampering, or something else?” She stared into the depths of his eyes. Despite the dim light, flecks of gold and brown shimmered in the blue. Damn, did this night have to end?

  Evan rubbed her nose with his and then pressed his lips to hers. Her heart leapt. The moment she’d waited for since she met Evan finally came true. She clutched his shirt and inched closer to him. Evan grabbed control of the kiss and swiped his tongue across the seam of her mouth. The bit of scruff on his cheeks abraded her skin in a delicious scrape. When she opened to him, he sucked on her tongue. All the way down to her pussy, she tingled. Cream slicked her panties, and her breasts ached for his touch.

  Another hand squeezed her thigh. She jerked away from Evan for a moment, but he only smiled and then cupped her jaw again. His eyes flashed a deeper green. From her head to her toes, her nerve endings sizzled. No other men affected her like Evan did. Would she feel the same with Ian?

  Ian gripped her leg, massaging the muscle and touching closer to her pussy. Kaia opened her legs and stretched to give both men access. Ian trailed his fingers up under her skirt and shoved the material out of the way. Warm air from the heater kissed her drenched cleft.

  How in the hell was he able to pay attention to where they were? She backed away from Evan long enough to catch her breath and glance around. Instead of being on the highway or one of the city streets of Cleveland heading toward another club, Ian had pulled the truck into a garage. She recognized the tools on the walls and the black Chevy truck in the other bay. They really were home. Another thought crossed her mind. Home meant the night had started and started meant there would be an ending. The word temporary flashed in her brain. For a girl who didn’t deal in messy attachments, she sure didn’t want to end whatever she’d started with Evan and Ian.

  “Let’s go inside.” Ian opened his truck door first, but sat still in his seat. “Getting chilly.”

  Kaia hunkered down on her seat between Ian and Evan. Moments before, they’d been touching and fondling. She watched Evan out of her peripheral vision. He unbuckled his seat belt and opened his truck door.

  “It’s crazy.” She fumbled with her buckle. “I don’t know what you two have planned, but I’m scared and excited.”

  Evan left the door open, but didn’t leave. “Why? Afraid we’ll bite?”

  “I’m not worried about the biting.” She chuckled. “You’re tigers. Biting has to factor in somewhere.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “Our friendship. I know what I want to do tonight, and once we cross that threshold, there’s no going back. Are we sure we want to take whatever we’ve got between us to the next level?”

  “Lines are meant to be crossed.” Evan tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. He grazed the barbell in her cartilage, and a jolt of pleasure went through her. “Second thoughts? You can always say no. We respect you no matter what you decide.”

  “I’m not one of you.” Her thoughts swirled in a million directions, but the one thing she kept coming back to, she voiced aloud. No amount of play, or sex, or even good times would happen for the long run. She wasn’t a tiger shifter. They’d find their mate, and she’d be left alone. She wanted them to be happy, but damn it, she wanted to fit into that happiness somewhere.

  “What are you saying?” Evan tipped his head.

  Kaia took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m not a tigress. Tigers only have other tigers as mates, and I don’t want to be just another good time.”

  *

  I knew this was coming. Ian scrubbed his hand across his mouth. Finding one’s mate wasn’t exactly easy. Having a twin meant being a matched set before the mate entered into the equation, and so they had to find someone who could handle both him and Evan. The moment she walked into the club, he knew she belonged to them. She walked with a grace rarely seen in full-blooded humans. She reminded him of the tigresses he’d known while he trained as a security specialist. But she didn’t come with the bullshit many women brought into relationships. Kaia spoke her mind and did what she wanted, even if others were hurt in the process. Seeing her upset and acting unlike herself cut him deep.

  “Let’s go inside.” Ian placed his hand on hers. “We can talk there.” His larger hand dwarfed her smaller one.

  “He’s right.” Evan stepped out of the truck. “I need to start the water.” Without another word, he hurried into the house.

  Kaia kept her head low and didn’t move.

  He needed to tell her something. Anything. Ian turned in his seat and placed his other hand on hers. “Shifters are funny animals. We turn into something else and have the senses of both critters. I’ve got a twin, so I can feel what he feels and understand what he’s thinking. All that doesn’t mean I have to be with one certain individual. Tigers are even stranger. Yes, we’re meant to be with other tigers, but sometimes rules are meant to be broken and sorted out in a different way.” He tugged her into his lap. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t fight him.

  “Kaia, I want you.” He held her jaw in both hands. “Evan wants you. We’re going to show you men aren’t assholes. We’ll do whatever you want us to do. If that sounds crazy, well, then crazy is true.” He slid one hand down her neck, past her collarbone to scrape over her breast. Her sharp intake of breath and subsequent moan resonated in his brain. He inched forward and tasted her. Like an explosion of cherry and mint, he feasted on her bottom lip.

  Kaia pressed against him and rubbed her chest on his. Her nipples pebbled, despite the clothing between them, and she groaned into his mouth.

  “That’s my girl,” he said between kisses. Ian palmed her breast, taking care with her nipple. He never noticed the piercing before, but the moment he touched it, he craved tasting it—tasting her. His tiger roared and paced. Soon, he reminded himself. Soon. His jeans stretched tight over his erection. God, he’d imagined having her in his arms so many times, but the real moment trumped any vision.

  “Want you stretched across my bed, open to me. Begging for me.” He threaded his hand into her hair and tugged. “Open for us.”

  Kaia nodded and writhed on his jean-covered dick. “Yes.”

  “Want to see those sweet little piercings. Taste them. Fuck.” If he shoved her panties aside and unleashed his cock, he’d be inside her in a heartbeat. He held back. Not without Evan. His tiger panted and hissed, not wanting to be refused.

  “You never wanted to kiss me before.” Kaia splayed her hands on his chest. “I’m glad you did.”

  “Me too.” He swatted her butt, thrilled when she yelped and her eyes glittered. “We should include Evan next time.”

  “We should.” Kaia scooted off his lap and out of the truck. “You mean you’d do anything with me I wanted?” She touched her lips with the pads of her fingers. “Anything?”

  “Whatever you’d like. You’re in control.” He shut the truck door and followed her into the house. “Evan?”
<
br />   “Right here.” Evan strolled into the kitchen, a glass of wine in one hand and a robe slung over his arm. “Kaia,” he offered the robe and wine, “for you. Ian, the steaks are on the counter, ready for your magic touch.”

  “Perfect.” Ian gave her another swat. “Evan will show you where the bath is. Go ahead and soak. He’ll join you in a moment.”

  When she and Evan disappeared down the hallway, Ian leaned on the counter. Who knew romancing a woman would be so hard? He raked his fingers through his hair. His tiger continued to pace and grunt. Not until they claimed her would his tiger ease off.

  “You okay?” Evan twisted the knobs on the stove top grill. “You look like you’ve gone ten rounds with a lion.”

  “I’m worried.” Ian folded his arms. “She’s not warming to us the way I expected.”

  “I don’t know.” Evan placed one of the steaks on the cutting board. “She’s cool with us being shifters and more than happy to grace our bed.” He forked the second steak and placed it beside the first one. “Each time we touched or kissed her, she responded. Hell, I wanted to fuck her right there in the truck. That’s not my style.”

  “I know.” Ian sprinkled seasoning onto the first two steaks and then added the third piece of meat to the board. “It’s the love part. We’re all good friends, but I’m not sure she wants to take things to the next level. She voiced her doubts. Maybe we are moving too fast.”

  “Odd.” Evan turned the first steak. “You’re always so sure. She’s really under your skin, isn’t she? She is for me.”

  “She’s the one I can’t seem to figure out, you’re right.”

  “Makes two of us.” Evan grinned and handed the tongs to Ian. “So we do what we were born to do. She’s our mate, right? We show her the kind of love she deserves. We can’t make her stay, but we can be what we were meant to be.”

  “Hers.” Ian nodded. “Think she likes rare steak for breakfast?”