“What makes you think I would let you?”
Her quietly uttered words just confirmed that assessment and the brothers grinned at each other. It had been a while since they co-topped anyone, but before Annabel, it had been a regular occurrence. Another thing the bitch had ruined, and Sloan realized with a start how much he had let the past control his life. He ran another hand over his beard-roughened face and frowned. He must look a right state.
Cyrus inclined his head and stepped into the room. Lily paled and followed his progress into the room. When he perched his butt on the desk and smiled at her she drew an audible breath into her lungs and her gaze darted between Cyrus and Sloan repeatedly before she dropped it back down to the envelope that still lay on Sloan’s desk. His fingers itched to rip the fucking thing to shreds. He gripped the wooden arm rests of his chair instead, and focused his attention back on Lily.
“It’s always your choice, of course, Lily,” Cyrus said. “I’m just giving you fair warning that I will do everything in my power to convince you to let me join in. And when I do… well…”
Lily swallowed hard and clasped her hands together in a nervous gesture that made Sloan grin. There wasn’t a sub yet who could resist the Cy/Sloan combo of dominance when they chose to exert it.
“Yes, well, anyway. Like I said he wasn’t all bad, and he did pluck me off the streets. God knows where I might have ended up, and before you go all domly on me again, I know he was an asshole, and I was far too young, and he kinda forced me into this and then dumped me, but at least he made sure I had somewhere to stay, and I don’t want you two to get into trouble over this, so as far as I’m concerned that subject is closed.”
She drew in a much needed breath of air, after that tumble of words and crossed her arms and glared up at them. When neither one of the men said anything she dropped her gaze and fidgeted.
“Anyway, you said you needed to talk to me, so talk… Sir.”
She added the address and peeked up at Sloan from under her lashes, and he smiled.
“Yes, I did, and I won’t bring up your ex-Master again, but just for the record I would gladly rough him up a bit and I’m sure Cyrus would, too.”
“Too damn fucking straight,” Cyrus grumbled. “He might not have technically broken any laws, but that’s just semantics. What he did is wrong, pure and simple, and he needs to be stopped.”
Sloan nodded his agreement and Lily rolled her eyes.
“There you go again with that overprotective macho Dom act. Newsflash, you have no right to act like that, and I’m a big girl and I can fight my own battles, so if that’s the only thing you can come up with, I’ll take my check and I’ll leave, thank you.”
The words were brave, but she couldn’t hide the wobble in her voice, and her body language gave her away. Lily didn’t want to leave and it was up to Sloan to convince her to stay.
“Lily, stay, please. I overreacted and I’m sorry for that. When I saw you lied on your CV I… well, I jumped to conclusions. Not everyone can beat the demons of their past as successfully as you have.”
Lily shrugged her shoulders and Cyrus shook his head.
“Jeez, man, get to the point already. What my dumbass brother is trying to say is that some bitch screwed him over and he’s never quite recovered from that.”
“Cyrus!” Sloan glared at him, but Cy just shrugged his shoulders and grinned.
“What? It’s the truth isn’t it? I leave the country to take care of business, and next thing I know I find my little bro head over heels in love with the queen bitch herself. Oh, I warned him, of course, but does he take any notice of me?” Cyrus got off the desk, clearly warming to his subject, and he started to pace the floor.
Sloan should stop him, he knew that, but Lily hung off his brother’s every word, darting the occasional glance Sloan’s way. It was good to be able to observe her responses, and, besides, Cyrus had always been the one who knew how to talk. Sloan preferred to let his actions speak for him, and he was all too aware that those stunk right now. So he gestured for Cyrus to carry on, content to watch the myriad of emotions playing over Lily’s expressive face.
“No, he was in lurve.” Cyrus spat the word out as though it was the most offensive word in the English language, and Lily frowned.
“There’s nothing wrong with falling in love. Most people would say that’s a good thing.” Her cheeks pinked nicely when Cyrus and Sloan both looked at her, and some of the anger fled Cyrus’s expression. He stopped pacing, hunkered down in front of Lily, and smiled at her.
“No, there is nothing wrong with falling in love with the right person, sweet girl.” Sloan held his breath as his stoic brother ran a finger over Lily’s jaw and then withdrew with obvious reluctance.
“However, Annabel was not the right person, not least because she was very much married already.”
Lily gasped and shot Sloan a look. The concern in her warm eyes soothed some of that awful churning in his gut.
“Yes, his fiancé turned out to be married to a guy in prison. Not just any guy either. Have you heard of Antonio?” Lily paled and nodded. “I see you have, but then living where you do you would know about him, of course. He used to terrorize those estates, and I dare say his name lives on.
Lily hugged herself and Sloan almost didn’t hear her whispered reply.
“He’s Tyson’s stepfather.”
Cyrus swore.
“That settles it. You’re not going back there. You’re going to stay at my house, and before you both jump down my throat, you know I have the room, Sloan. I’ll keep my hands off her, I promise, but you can’t let her stay on that estate, not with that Tyson sniffing around like her a dog on heat.”
“Tyson does not sniff around me,” Lily said. “And for the hundredth time. You. Do. Not. Tell. Me. Where. To. Live.” She had shot out of her seat and punctuated every word with a jab of her finger into Cyrus’s chest.
The fact that he let her was a minor miracle in itself, and spoke volumes of the depths of his brother’s feelings for Lily.
Hot damn.
“Who the fuck is Tyson?” Sloan asked in an effort to defuse the situation, as much as out of a need to know. He didn’t like where this was going.
Lily turned round to glare at him, too, and the fire in her eyes, just made him want to fuck her. Oh, to have the authority to put her over his knee. Cyrus seemed to have similar thoughts if the way he groaned and adjusted his dick through the tailored trousers he wore, were any indication.
“Tyson is a friend, that’s all.”
“Friend?” Cyrus snorted in disgust and Lily spun round until she was right in his personal space, and glared up at him.
“Yes, friend. He looked out for me when I first moved in, and despite what you might think, he’s never once tried anything. He wouldn’t dare. I’d cut his fucking balls off. Besides, he owes me. I let him stay at mine more than once when things at home went haywire. His mum and him don’t always see eye to eye, and none of this is your business, damn you. I don’t need two overbearing Doms in my life telling me what to do.”
She stomped her foot for good measure and looked so utterly adorable that Sloan couldn’t help himself. He shot out of his seat, grabbed her by the shoulders, spun her around and kissed her.
* * * *
Damn the man. All conscious thought fled Lily’s brain when Sloan grabbed her and kissed her, as though it was his god-given right to do so. She was angry at him, wasn’t she? At both of them, yet her body wasn’t listening. No, her traitorous hormones just screamed their delight and with both of his hands anchored in her hair, he held her still and ran his tongue along the seam of her mouth with breathtaking intensity that meant she opened to him without any conscious effort at all.
Sloan grunted his approval and slipped his tongue into her mouth with devastating results. Surrounded by him, drinking in his scent, the very essence of him as she kissed him back, she fisted her hands in his tee and simply melted into him, while raising her
self on tip toes to get closer. She was dimly aware of a second pair of hands settling on her hips and the heat at her back, as Cyrus stepped so close that she could feel the solid evidence of his erection nudging her ass. Cyrus groaned into her neck, and then her hair fell free around her shoulders, and Sloan released her mouth slowly.
“Look at me, baby.”
Her eyes fluttered open to find him smiling down at her, his oh-so-talented lips a whisper’s breath away from hers.
“I would never tell you how to live your life, but I agree with Cyrus. You don’t have to live on that estate anymore, unless you want to, of course.” She blinked when he released her and Cyrus, too, stepped away. Bereft of their combined body heat, she shivered and rubbed her exposed arms. Her emotions were all over the place and these two confused the hell out of her with their actions.
“I don’t like you living there, pet, that’s all.”
Lily’s stomach hollowed out hearing that term and the wave of longing that shook her took her breath away. If only she was his, both of theirs. It would feel so good to not have to worry constantly, to know there was someone there to take care of her, to catch her when she fell. Old demons were hard to shake off, however, and she shook her head.
“I can take care of myself,” she said and Sloan sighed.
“Of course you can, but why not let us make it easier for you? No demands, no strings, just—”
“Just two Doms showing you what it really should be like.” Cyrus cut in, and Lily sat down with a thump as her legs gave up the fight to support her. That sounded way too tempting.
“Both of you, as in together?” Lily was well aware that her voice had risen to an almost hysterical shriek, but she couldn’t seem to help herself.
Cyrus’s hands settled on her shoulder and Sloan got to his haunches in front of her and cupped her face in one of his large hands.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying, if you’re willing to take a chance on us. I realize I’ve been a right ass over this, but I promise I’ll do better. Your job is still yours, of course. I don’t want to lose you either way. Even if you reject me or Cyrus, or both of us, your job is safe.”
Tears filled Lily’s eyes and she hastily blinked them away.
“But you said—”
“Forget what I said, please. It was a stupid knee-jerk reaction. You’re nothing like Annabel. You’re sweet and kind, and I drove myself round the fucking bend last night with that thought that I would never see you again, or worse, that you’d go off with Cy and I’d completely blown things between us. Forgive me, please.”
He smiled at her, and Lily couldn’t help but smile back at him.
“There’s nothing to forgive, Sir, not really.”
Sloan blew out a breath and kissed her nose.
“Right, well, now that’s cleared up, I suggest you get your sweet little tush back out front and help Martha. She’s on her own and I know she needs to leave early again to see her daughter at the hospital.”
The abrupt change in his demeanor made Lily blink and when he straightened back up again her mouth went dry at seeing the bulge in his jeans. Sloan laughed and cupped her chin to make her look up at him.
“Don’t you worry about that. I meant what I said. Neither Cy or I will force you into anything.”
Cyrus swore behind her as though he didn’t agree with this plan at all, and Lily had to smile. “Think about it, and let us know what you decide, pet.”
Warmth suffused her when he added that last word, and Sloan ran his thumb over her kiss-swollen lips. His blue eyes darkened and Lily knew her panties would be soaked through by now. God, if they chose to fuck her right here, right now, she wouldn’t object, far from it, but Sloan was right. She needed to think this through properly, and she couldn’t think straight when she was this close to both of them. They stole her air and her very will to be anything other than what they wanted her to be.
It took her right back to the days when Master had been pleased her with her and she had existed solely for his will. There was such peace in that act, she hadn’t realized how much she had missed it, craved it even, deep down in her psyche, and these two could give her that.
No, she didn’t want the overwhelming intensity of what she had experienced under Master. She never, ever wanted to lose herself so completely again, but to let go for just a few precious hours was oh so tempting.
On jelly-like legs, she struggled to her feet and nodded her agreement.
“I best get back to work then.”
Sloan nodded his approval and Cyrus stopped her with her fingers on the door handle.
“Don’t take too long to give us that answer, girl. I’m not as patient as him.”
* * * *
The door shut behind Lily and Cyrus glared at his brother.
“What the fuck was that all about, and why did you let her walk away? What if her answer is no, dammit?”
Much to his annoyance Sloan laughed and tore the envelope on his desk up into little pieces.
“Then we’ll have to convince her, won’t we, but I’ll not have her forced into this. Besides, for all I know you’ll take off again tomorrow and we won’t see you for months. Then, where would that leave Lily?”
Cyrus shifted on his feet and ignored that little niggling voice that told him Sloan was right. The nature of his business meant he traveled frequently and at a moment’s notice. It was the price you paid for being the troubleshooter of the company.
“We need to get her out of that shithole, bro. It’s worse than the place we grew up in, and that’s saying something and I really don’t like the look of that Tyson.”
Sloan nodded and rubbed his jaw again.
“And no offence bro, but you look like shit. Go home, have a shower and shave, and catch some shut eye. You look as though you slept here.”
When Sloan merely smiled, Cyrus swore under his breath.
“You did, didn’t you?”
“So what if I did? I was too wound up to go home and no, I didn’t sleep. Every time I shut my eyes I saw you fucking my girl. Doesn’t do for a lot of rest, that image.”
Cyrus laughed and punched Sloan’s shoulder.
“No, I dare say it wouldn’t, but she wouldn’t let me and believe me, I tried. Instead, she went down on me to get rid of me.”
Sloan pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
“And you think I need to hear this why? Fuck, Cy, do you want me to re-arrange your nose?”
Sloan glared at him but there was no real malice behind those words, just a quiet and resigned acceptance of the situation and both men lapsed into silence.
“What the fuck are we going to about this?” Cyrus finally asked. “I know you saw her first, but I can’t let her go. I won’t.”
Sloan nodded and sighed.
“I know, and neither can I. If sharing her with you means that’s the only way I can keep her close to me, then that’s what we’re going to have to do. It’s not as though we haven’t got practice at this.” Sloan gave him a grim smile and Cyrus knew just how he felt.
“None of those other birds were Lily, and it’s been a while, bro,” he said instead, and Sloan threw a stapler at him. He ducked and the thing missed him and embedded itself into the wall instead.
“State the fucking obvious, why don’t you, Cy, but we gotta try. Just know this. You break her heart, and I’ll fucking kill you.”
It was Cy’s turn to laugh.
“Likewise, bro.”
Sloan’s eyes widened in understanding and Cyrus shook his head at himself. Where was the crushing panic that usually descended on him at the mere thought of settling down? Let alone with a woman who he would have to share with his brother?
He was in a fuckload of trouble here, and the most worrying thing of all was the fact that it didn’t bother him. He looked forward to the challenge instead.
Chapter Seven
The next couple of weeks passed in a busy blur for Lily. The extra lunchtime
help that usually came in fell ill with the flu, which meant they were busier than ever, and she barely had a chance to catch her breath, let alone think about her situation—too much.
True to his word, Cyrus stuck around. He was a seeming constant presence in the background, sat as he was in one of the corner booths, and even though he had his laptop propped open all the time, Lily could still feel his heated gaze on her ass whenever she moved around the diner serving folks.
Sloan wasn’t much better. Due to their situation he helped out behind the counter, and Lily had lost count of the number of oh so accidental touches she’d received from him. Innocent ones for sure, yet they still robbed her of her equilibrium, and she had dropped far too many glasses lately, much to Martha’s quiet amusement
By the time the diner finally emptied out Saturday evening, Lily’s feet were killing her, and she accepted the muffin and coffee Martha sat in front of her with a thankful grin.
“Well, that was an interesting day. We could have done without that coach party, really.”
“It keeps business rolling in, I guess,” Lily said and moaned around her mouthful of muffin. “These are delicious.”
Martha nodded and grinned.
“Yes, the new cook is working out well. I’m sure that’s half the reason why we’re getting busier and busier. Cyrus’s recommendation, I understand.”
They both glanced across to where Sloan’s brother was sitting. For once he didn’t notice Lily gawping at him. Whenever she glanced across at him, usually, he caught her doing so, and that sinful mouth of his went up in a panties-melting smirk. Today, he looked far from happy as he sat talking to someone on the phone, completely engrossed in his work. Lily couldn’t hear the words, but the clipped cadence of his words sent shivers of unease down her spine. Even the tap on the keyboard sounded angry.
“He won’t stick around for long, you know.” The curious undertone to Martha’s voice made Lily turn her attention back to the older woman, and her cheeks heated under her silent regard. “He never does. Always off wheeling and dealing, that one. I know that look on his face. Mark my words, he’ll jump on the next plane out of here.”
Let's Get It On (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 6