by Cara Adams
Behind the plates was a cardboard box. Hardy was about to shut the doors to the cabinet when he realized a cardboard box was very much out of place here. Everything was very classy. These people wouldn’t store anything in cardboard. Everything was on display to be used. Carefully Hardy pushed the plates to one side and lifted the cardboard box out of the cupboard. It was surprisingly heavy, and his heart began to beat faster. He opened the lid, and there, stored in the box, with pieces of egg carton between them, were the figurines.
He carried the box into the other room and laid it on the floor. His brothers turned to him, smiled, and they began switching the fake ceramics over from their wrappings to the box.
Hardy had just replaced the box in the cabinet, checked he’d arranged the plates exactly as they’d originally been, and walked into the hallway when he heard loud noises at the front of the house.
He looked into the main room. Bram was closing the china cabinet while Saxon was shrugging the backpack straps over his shoulders. Hardy scanned the floor carefully, but they hadn’t dropped anything or left anything behind so he hurried upstairs to the bathroom. Bram ducked head of him and began climbing out the window as the front door opened and a shrill voice screeched, “You raving lunatic. All my hard work. All my efforts to get us accepted and you had to proposition his wife. His wife, you idiot.”
Bram had vanished, and Saxon was out the window. Hardy lowered himself onto Saxon’s shoulders and gently pushed the window closed as Lutterworth said, “How was I supposed to know she was his wife? She looked twenty years younger than him.”
Hardy would have liked to listen to the rest of story, but he jumped to the ground and ran to the fence. His pocket was vibrating, which meant there were no watchers, so he leaped for the top and threw himself over it, sprinting down the road toward their car. He saw Saxon ahead of him turning the corner into the next road and knew they were all safe.
* * * *
After the near-miss at Lutterworth’s house, Bram thought the trip to Detroit was dead boring. Hardy’d gotten his own car back in time for the journey, which was good. The three of them took turns driving and followed the two women all the way to Detroit. They stood in the room as the expert checked the stamp albums, agreed there were several stamps worth a few hundred dollars each, and promised to speak to his buyers immediately.
Bram was proud of Leah when she told the agent they’d photographed every stamp and every page of the albums, but the man simply nodded and said, “Of course, of course.”
As they left the building, he said, “Leah, Maia, please can we take you to lunch now? We need a break before driving back home. It’s a long trip.”
Both the women shook their heads. “We brought sandwiches and water with us. We need to stop for gas though. We’ll wait if you want to go and grab some takeout food for yourselves.”
So that was the end of any hope of holding her hand or touching her over lunch. They followed the women home again, left them at the church parking lot, and headed back toward the warehouse.
“We’re agreed the reverend and his wife know we’re panthers, right?” asked Bram.
“Yes. So what?” asked Hardy in a grumpy tone of voice.
“I want Leah, and I can’t wait much longer to have her. If they know we’re shape-shifters and didn’t try to prevent her being with us, I don’t see why we can’t ask their permission to mate her. We know Leah wants us, and we want her. It’s time to do it.”
“I don’t think so. Remember she said her father would want her to marry only one human, not three panthers,” said Hardy.
“But no human has been dating her. Hell, there are three fucking lovely unattached young women in that family, and none of them have boyfriends. The people attending that church must be blind,” said Bram.
“It’s more than that though. Leah and her sisters are necessary to help make the ministries happen. It’s their free labor that makes it possible. If they married someone and left the area their father’s ministry would fail and none of them would let that happen. Leah said they need to find more sponsors. The whole point about her father selling those stamps he loves is because they don’t have enough money to keep running the programs. We need to help them find sponsors,” said Saxon.
Bram sighed. “I want her. I want her now.”
“We all want her now, but we’ll have to wait until their finances are sorted out,” said Hardy.
“Not necessarily. Let’s think this through. Leah’s mom had ideas of where to look for sponsors, knowledge of people who might be willing to help, but they’re too busy with the day-to-day running of the programs for her to follow up on that. We need to help them out and free Leah and her mom to go out and get sponsors. Or maybe her mom and dad. Whatever,” said Bram.
“How does that get us Leah?” asked Saxon.
“Once the program is better funded, they’ll be more willing to let Leah live with us. Once they get to know us they’ll see how much we love her and know we’ll always put her first. Of course she’ll keep working at the church if that’s what she wants, and we’ll need to get her a car of her own, but she can live with us and spend every night in our bed. Our beautiful mate.”
Bram rested his feet against the back of Saxon’s seat and stretched. Damn it felt great to have solved their problems.
“Get your feet down, Bram. This is the freeway. There’ll be police around,” said Saxon.
“There’s not enough space here in the backseat for these long drives.”
“Which is why we swapped out seats all the way there and back,” said Hardy.
“Getting back to Leah, I can’t see her folks agreeing to her living with us. Living unmated, unmarried, with three men in a panther pack. It’s not going to happen,” said Saxon.
“One of us has to marry her legally, under American law. But the four of us can be mated under shape-shifter law,” said Hardy.
“I want to marry her.” Bram hoped he didn’t sound like the petulant youngest child, but he desperately wanted to be with her.
“We need to decide between us which one marries her. It’s not fair to ask her to choose between us. It’s up to us, as her Masters, to make that decision.”
Bram wanted to beg and plead with his brothers to let it be him, but Saxon was correct. Asking Leah to choose between them would destroy the unity of their family. Their Alpha would conduct a mating ceremony, and all three of them would be mated under shape-shifter law with her. But whose name would be on the human world’s piece of paper? Bram ached for it to be him.
Saxon said, “It means so much to Bram, and I’m okay with being mated under shape-shifter law. Hardy, are you happy with that, or do we need to talk some more?”
Bram held his breath as Hardy negotiated his way through some more traffic and turned off the freeway into the neighborhood near the panthers’ warehouse home.
“Yes, I’m good with that. One of us really does need to be the liaison with the human world since we’re mating a human, and Bram fits in with humans better than you or me, Saxon. Bram can marry her in the church there. We’ll be the best men. And then we’ll come home to the pack and be mated under shape-shifter law, all of us.”
Bram was filled with love for the generosity and thoughtfulness of his brothers. “Thank you both so much. I truly appreciate that. I want her so much. I love her so desperately. And I really will do my best to help them all with the feeding of the homeless. I liked those people and want to help them.”
Saxon turned around in his seat and punched Bram hard on the shoulder. “I knew you were the best man for the job.”
Happiness burst through Bram. They were all organized. All they had to do now was ask Leah. She couldn’t possibly refuse. Or could she?
* * * *
Two nights later, all the men dressed in their best clothes, and Saxon was waiting by the car when Bram and Hardy arrived. He looked them over. All three had chosen to wear black dress shoes and black pants. But while he and ardy were w
earing black button-down shirts, Bram’s was bright red.
Saxon shook his head. “Trust you to be different.”
“Hey, it’s worked out fine. I’m the one proposing. You guys are my cheer squad.”
Saxon wanted to say something about being the fucking squad, but they were out of doors and someone might overhear them. So all he said was, “Let’s go.”
Saxon’s belly was a mass of nerves. He truly was fine with Bram being the one married to Leah under American law. He was a panther. Shape-shifter law was what truly mattered to him, and their Alpha would mate the four of them. Also, being honest, Bram truly did have more people skills and was better at interpersonal relationships than him. But the question was, would Leah herself accept their proposal? They hadn’t really known her all that long but they all wanted her so much. The urge to bite her and mate her was almost intolerable. Would her parents understand that, from the time they’d spent living with shape-shifters? Would Leah herself feel they were moving too fast?
She’d certainly agreed to the sex, but a lifelong commitment was a huge decision to make, and his gut churned with dread at the possibility she might refuse to mate them and live with them.
He didn’t think he could live without her. She meant so much to him. He’d never wanted a woman the way he wanted her. She was beautiful, smart, committed, determined. All the things he’d never even known he respected and craved in his woman. And sexy. Incredibly sexy. No one had ever made his dick rise as fast as she could do with a single smile.
Saxon just hoped his faith in Bram was going to pay off and that Bram would do this right. Of course, he and Hardy would be there, as always, to pull Bram’s idiot ass out of the fire if it became necessary, but life would be so much better if this went well.
Saxon took a deep breath as he got out of the car in the church parking lot. This place was starting to feel like home to him. He even looked around to see if it needed sweeping again before he metaphorically shook his head at himself.
The back door of the parsonage was unlocked as it always was, and the entire family was in the kitchen.
Damn, Leah looked lovely. She was wearing the same red silk shirt she’d worn once before. He wondered if Bram had worn red deliberately to match her. With it, she had an ankle-length denim skirt with a deep fringe around the hem. He’d have preferred to see her naked legs, but she was so beautiful he didn’t care what she wore really.
Bram walked straight across to Leah, took both her hands in his, and kneeled at her feet. “I love you, Leah. You mean everything in the whole wide world to me. I can’t bear to think of being without you by my side every day for the rest of my life. Marry me please and come and live with my brothers and me. Please?”
Saxon let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. His faith in Bram had been rewarded. Bram had stated everything perfectly, including him and Hardy in it, without actually saying so.
Leah’s big brown eyes were glistening with unshed tears as she looked down at Bram and then across to him and Hardy. She gave them both a small nod, telling him more clearly than words that she’d understood.
“I love to you, too, Bram, and I’d like very much to spend the rest of my life with you and your brothers. Thank you for the great honor you’ve done me in proposing.”
“I hope that means yes,” said Bram, jumping to his feet and kissing her on the lips.
“Yes.” Leah giggled a little, and Saxon crossed the room to kiss Leah on the cheek. Hardy held her head lightly and kissed her temple.
Leah’s sisters raced forward and hugged and kissed her as well until her father cleared his throat loudly. “In my day, a young man asked a girl’s father’s permission before kissing her.”
Bram smiled and went across to Mr. and Mrs. Crawford. Saxon’s stomach lurched again, and he began to wonder if the parents were going to forbid her marriage to a panther. He knew Leah wouldn’t want to cut herself off from her family and the work she’d been part of all her life.
Ah fuck. His stomach churned again, and Saxon swallowed hard.
“Sir, please may I marry your daughter, Leah? She has agreed and your blessing and approval on the marriage would make us both very happy.”
Saxon looked down. Oh nicely done, brother. That’s covered all the bases very neatly.
Saxon looked up just in time to see the reverend’s lips twitch as he shook Bram’s hand. “Welcome to the family, boy. I assume you and she will be living at your pack headquarters with your brothers.”
This time Saxon didn’t attempt to hide his smile. Score a home run for the preacher. He knew exactly what was about to happen.
“Yes, sir. That’s the plan. I haven’t discussed the details with my Alpha or Leah yet, of course.”
“There’s plenty of time for that. Well, you have a nice time out tonight, Leah. Where are you going?”
Bram answered immediately. “Last time we went to Sam’s Steakhouse. If Leah is happy with that, I thought we’d go back there.”
Leah’s mom cast a searching glance at Leah and then at Bram, Hardy, and himself. “Sam’s Steakhouse. That’s in Hanson Mall, isn’t it? The shopping mall run by Cadfael Hanson and his pack?”
“Yes, ma’am,” answered Saxon, as everyone else in the room was stunned into silence. How did she know about the werewolves? It was beginning to appear as if Leah’s family knew a hell of a lot more about shape-shifters than just working among them once many years ago.
They said their good-byes and went out to the car. Hardy drove with Saxon riding shotgun so Bram and Leah could hold hands in the backseat.
Once they’d left the parking lot, Leah said, “Don’t bother going to the mall. Take me straight home to bed. I want you three to fuck me properly.”
Saxon’s dick, always half hard and needy around Leah, stretched and grew so hard he wanted to unzip his pants and stroke it.
“Are you sure? Aren’t you hungry?” asked Hardy.
“Yes, I’m sure, and I’m much hungrier for you three than for a steak.”
The moment they arrived in the dungeon, Saxon walked across to the counter and opened a container he had ready. “I made this just an hour ago with you in mind, Leah. Have you ever heard of figging?”
He held the ginger root on the flat on his hand and showed it to her. “I carved this end like this. That goes inside your ass, and this bulge becomes the butt plug. Once the finger is inside your ass, the juices will begin to seep out and heat you up on the inside. Then you’ll be ready for Bram to fuck your ass.”
Quickly they undressed her, and Saxon grinned when he saw she was wearing the red lace panties Hardy had bought her. But right now, naked was much better.
She lay on her front on the bed, and Bram massaged around the tight muscle ring of her ass with gel until Saxon was sure she was ready, and then he inserted the ginger deep into her ass. Hardy turned her onto her back.
“Now we get to entertain you while the ginger starts to work. Has anyone ever fisted you before?” asked Saxon.
“No. But isn’t that rather extreme? A man’s hand is very big.”
“If you aren’t ready for it, we won’t do it. We’ll never do anything you don’t agree to. But remember, a baby comes out of a woman’s cunt. A hand is a lot smaller than a baby, and the whole point of it being extreme is that the pleasure is also extreme,” explained Saxon.
He wanted Hardy to fist her. Hardy needed to be the first to possess in her one way, and this was the perfect method to achieve that while sending Leah into an intense orgasm as the ginger began to drive her crazy with need.
“I trust you all. I agree to the fisting. And when we fuck, I agree to you biting me so we’re mated in your panther way as well as being married in my human way.”
Saxon’s dick almost drilled its way out of his pants at her words. He wanted that so much but hadn’t dared ask for it yet.
“Are you sure, sweetheart?” asked Hardy.
Leah grinned and nodded. “Extreme plea
sure sounds good to me.”
Hardy picked up the jar of gel and spread it thickly over her pussy lips and cunt entry and then even more thickly over his entire hand and wrist. He folded his thumb and fingers together, showing Leah how small he could make his hand, and then Bram and Saxon bent over her and began to arouse her.
Bram sat on the bed beside her head, kissing her eyelids, her temple, biting the shells of her ears, and tongue fucking her mouth.
Saxon moved a little lower down and concentrated on her breasts. Damn, they were adorable. Big, berry-brown nipples that tasted so delicious to suck and soft round mounds he licked and petted as he played with her nipples. His dick was so ready to explode he longed to undress, but it wasn’t time yet. They’d all fuck her together in a little while. And then bite her. Fuck yes, he wanted that. But right now, his task was to arouse her so much that the gradual stretching of her cunt was enjoyable and that she was begging for the fisting.
The ginger would be seeping into her ass tissues by now, heating her from the inside as well. She was certainly enjoying what they were doing, pushing her breasts up into his hands and murmuring into Bram’s mouth. Her hips were moving, too, as Hardy gradually worked his hand inside her delicious cunt.
She gasped. “Oh! My ass! The heat.”
Saxon looked at Hardy and nodded. Now was the correct time. The ginger root was at its hottest right now. Therefore, her need for them was at its peak. Hardy forced his hand deeper into Leah’s cunt. It stretched wider, and soon his entire hand was inside her to the wrist. Hardy’s arm moved this way and that, and Saxon knew he’d be touching her delicate, sensitive cunt walls, pressing and teasing and finding her G-spot, ready to send her into orgasm.
Bram was tongue-fucking her in earnest now, so Saxon bent over her breasts again, rolling and teasing the nipples. Her body thrashed wildly underneath them, and he bit her nipple hard. There was a muffled scream, and he knew she’d come, so he sucked the tiny bud to soothe it.
Then at last they could get undressed and mate her properly.