“Don’t even fucking say it.” Cyrus interrupted his brother and he could see his own terror reflected in his brother’s eyes. As it was it had been a matter of minutes before the brothers had been reunited with an unconscious Lily in the parking lot. The asshole master, or Head Teacher Sean Bensin of Hawnton High School, as was his official title, had already been apprehended by the cops and was being bundled into the back of a waiting police car. Still his taunts rang in the air, and Cyrus wanted to pummel the man.
Clearly O’Hara had anticipated this, too, because that cop car had sped off with Bensin inside. Lily had been far too pale, and the ugly bruise that had already formed on her delicate face had felt like a punch to his own gut.
It felt like ages before the ambulance arrived, by which time their girl had been struggling to breathe.
“You can come in now.” Elena, the nurse in charge of Lily, broke him out of reliving the nightmare, and Sloan beat him through the door by a hair’s breadth. Lily had a private side room, thanks to the brothers’ paying for it. It meant they could stay on the ward without too much hassle from the staff, and weren’t relegated to visiting hours. No chance in hell were they leaving Lily there on her own.
Sloan perched one side of her bed, taking one of Lily’s hands, and Cyrus took the other side.
Her consultant scribbled something in her notes and then smiled at them both.
“She’s sleeping soundly now. When she wakes up, she should be right as rain. No ill effects, bar the bruising to her ribs. Fortunately, they are not broken, and she will heal.”
“Thank god.” Sloan carefully lifted Lily’s hand to drop a kiss on the bit not covered by the tape holding in her cannula that delivered her drip, and Cyrus could have sworn there was some rather suspicious moisture lurking in his brother’s eyes. Mind you, he seemed to be suffering from the same affliction, and he had to blink several times to clear his vision.
Lily’s consultant cleared his throat and continued.
“From what I understand the culprit has been apprehended by the police?”
Cyrus nodded, not taking his eyes off Lily’s face.
“Good. Fortunately, he seemed to have good knowledge of the poison he was using.”
“He would have. The bastard is a science teacher as well as the head. Fucking ass clearly wanted her to stay alive a while to do… fuck.”
“Quite so.” Mr. Anders put Lily’s folder at the bottom of her bed, and smiled again. “There is no point in dwelling on the what if’s, however. Lily is healthy and strong, and I can see she will be well looked after by you two gentlemen, so I shall leave you three to it.” He looked as though he was going to say something else, but adjusted his glasses instead and left the room.
Neither one of the brothers said anything. There was no need to, after all. Eventually Lily stirred and struggled against the oxygen mask she was still wearing.
“Here, my sweet, let me. It’s okay, we’ve got you. You’re safe.” Cyrus pulled the mask down and, acting on instinct, pressed a kiss to Lily’s lips. She gasped and responded with a desperate need that tore at his insides. He forced himself to pull away, mindful of Sloan busting a gut next to him, and no sooner had he released her, then Sloan swept in. The gentleness with which his brother delivered butterfly kisses all over Lily’s face and neck meant Cyrus had to blink again. There was clearly something in the air that did not agree with his eyes, dammit.
“Is it really over?” Lily whispered, and she looked so utterly hopeful Cyrus swiped that fucking moisture off his face.
Lily grinned when she noticed.
Sloan didn’t even try to hide the fact he was crying, and Lily giggled.
“Goodness, is this where you’re telling me I’m dying or something?”
“No.”
“Fuck no.”
They both spoke in unison and Lily shook her head.
“Well, something must be up for my Sirs to both be crying,” she said and Cyrus laughed.
“Watch it, girl. Now that we know you’re going to be ok, that sort of sass will get your sweet tush spanked.”
Heat colored Lily’s cheeks and she stuck her tongue out at him.
“Oh, I sure hope so, Sir. I’m hoping there’ll be many spanking sessions in my future.”
“Count on it, pet,” Sloan said. “Far too many to count, because you’re ours now and always, aren’t you?”
Cyrus held his breath when Lily seemed to consider this for a moment, and then smiled.
“I’m yours, Sirs, always.”
Epilogue
Six months later
Lily switched the news off with a sigh and arranged herself more comfortably on the floor. Naked as the day she was born, she waited for her Sirs to come home. They had specifically told her not to switch on the telly, but she hadn’t been able to resist the temptation.
Today was the day of the inquest into the death of Bensin while in police custody. The whole thing still left a sour taste in her mouth. The bastard had been too much of a coward to face up to what he had done. He had been found in his locked cell two weeks after his arrest, with his wrists cut. Somehow he had managed to get hold of a knife and taken his own life. Suspicion was rife that the kitchen staff had slipped it to him. No one liked a pedophile and that was exactly what Bensin had been.
Highly respected in his community, no one had suspected that he led a double life. When police searched his house, they had found a thirteen-year-old girl drugged and chained in his basement and his computer full of indecent images of underage porn. It was enough to make Lily feel sick even now. Clearly, after he let go of her, he had decided to pick younger and younger slaves for his perverted pleasures. No wonder the man had freaked and had gone after her when she started a relationship with Sloan and Cyrus. He must have known that they would dig until they found out the truth about her past with him.
Lily took in a deep breath and held it just like the counsellor had taught her. She had been Cyrus’s and Sloan’s suggestion, and while Lily didn’t believe in any of this shite, she had to admit it had been helpful to talk to someone completely professionally detached from the situation. It meant that, six months on, her nightmares had lessened and they even had a couple of successful trips to the club. Not to play, just to observe, but the fact that Lily could do so now without wanting to throw up was a huge improvement. And she had become godmother to Ursula’s baby girl. Martha’s foster daughter had given birth to an adorably tiny 4.5 lbs baby girl the day after Lily had left the hospital, and everyone had instantly fallen in love with the little mite. Motherhood suited Ursula. The unruly teenager had calmed down and she was even going back to college. What’s more, seeing both of her men interact with little Hope had made Lily realize what good fathers they would make one day.
Life was good and could only get better.
A key went in the front door and male laughter reached her.
Lily smiled and allowed herself to sink deeper into her submissive space by fingering the permanent collar both men had put her on a month ago. Her wedding to Sloan was planned for late spring. Officially she could only marry one of her men, but they all knew that she would be making vows to both of them, their futures forever intertwined together.
“Now, isn’t that a pretty sight, bro.” Cyrus’s deep voice rolled over her and she smiled at Sloan’s exaggerated wolf whistle.
“Indeed, Cy. We best not keep our little subbie waiting then.”
THE END
WWW.DORISOCONNOR.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Glutton for punishment would be a good description for Doris…at least that’s what she hears on an almost daily basis when people find out that she has a brood of nine children, ranging from adult to toddler, and lives happily in a far-too-small house, cluttered with children, pets, dust bunnies, and one very understanding and supportive husband. Domestic goddess she is not.
There is always something better to do, after all, like working on the latest manuscript and tryin
g not to scare the locals even more than usual by talking out loud to the voices in her head. Her characters tend to be pretty insistent to get their stories told, and you will find Doris burning the midnight oil on a regular basis. Only time to get any peace and quiet, and besides, sleep is for wimps.
She likes to spin sensual, sassy, and sexy tales involving alpha heroes to die for, and heroines who give as good as they get. From contemporary to paranormal, BDSM to F/F and Ménage, haunting love stories are guaranteed.
For all titles by Doris O’Connor, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/doris-oconnor
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Let's Get It On (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 17