by Davis, Lia;
Nick sat a little straighter. “How accurate is this info?”
“Reese thinks the judge is worried for his own hide and wants her found just as bad as Daniel does.”
Rumors and speculation had a way of snowballing and creating a life of their own in Covington. “In that case, if I bump into her, I’ll offer her my protection.”
He had no reason to bump into her. If Mason spoke true, Celia Goldilocks was probably in WITSEC. Or dead.
Mason snorted. “More like you’ll introduce your dick to her pussy.”
Nick chuckled and picked up a pen to edit the contract. “Not unless Dex approved of her first.”
Even though he and Dex shared a bed, they weren’t mutually exclusive. He enjoyed fucking women with his partner, squishing a woman between them, all soft and sweet smelling, as they pounded into her ass and pussy… Mmm. Got his dick hard just thinking about it, and it’d been a while since they’d indulged that way.
Add Simon to the mix, and shit got even better.
Chapter Three
Dex
Dex Carson lowered his beer bottle and nodded at the T.V. in the break room of Blackclaw Ink, Simon’s tattoo shop. The ink master was an internationally renowned tattooist, and Dex ran a mechanic shop off the other side of the building.
The news went on repeat about the ‘missing heiress’, Celia Goldilocks. Despite the bears’ run-in with her father, he hoped the girl was safe.
Daniel was a real bastard, and Dex wouldn’t put it past him to be involved in her disappearance. After the asshole realized his obscene monetary offer meant nothing to the shifters, Daniel’d resorted to underhanded tactics to steal their land. Poisoning one of their lakes had nearly resulted in Dex taking the fucker’s head off—for real. His bear had taken over, and he’d shifted, intent on bashing Daniel’s head in. And he was the non-violent one of the trio. Nick and Simon had managed to reach his bear and talk him down from that murderous rage.
Probably our twin flame connection.
In the end, Nick had put it to the bastard by stealing fifty acres from Daniel, prime real estate adjacent to their land.
“You think her dad’s involved?” Simon asked as he glanced up from a tattoo sketch he was prepping for an upcoming client.
Nick lowered his legal document. “Rumor has it the reward is a bounty sanctioned by Daniel.”
Simon shook his head, but remained silent as his pencil swished across the sheet of paper.
Dex voiced what he figured everyone was thinking. “He killed his wife. No telling what he’ll do to her.”
“That’s a rumor,” Nick said without looking up from his work.
“Assume it’s true, and it is a bounty. What’d she do to piss him off?” Simon cocked his head and studied Nick as if their alpha held all the answers.
“No one seems to know, except the Feds are involved.”
“Fuck.” Dex rubbed at the twin flame mark on his wrist. A bad habit he had when agitated.
No one but those with similar marks could see the symbol. Soul mates were often mistaken as the one true love of individuals, but that was an erroneous assumption. Legend told twin flames were one soul torn apart, forced to endure numerous reincarnations until they found one another. Oftentimes they rarely met in a lifetime. When they did, the chemistry was explosive. Humans that found their twin flames created great works together. When paranormals found their flame, it wasn’t just magical and cosmic, but prophetic, evidence the world was gearing up for a big change. Best Dex could tell, it was unusual that twin flames came in threes, but not totally unheard of, and almost never without a female pairing.
Simon, Nick, and Dex were twin flames, and the identical mark on their wrists proved it. The three of them had found one another twenty years ago when they’d been brats on the playground. Nick and Simon both came from decent families, and they saw the good in humanity. Dex was a foster kid. He’d learned a long time ago there was little decency left in the world.
Being bisexual, Dex and Nick enjoyed their union, but Simon was a straight bear forced into a male threesome thanks to cosmic intervention. Simon’d suffered the most from their union. Sure, the trio enjoyed women together, but Dex knew Simon craved a woman to call their own, and that longing had grown exponentially in the last few years. Maybe some day they’d find the right woman to meet all their needs. He wanted Simon happy, but not at the expense of disrupting their family unit. And—
“Your mark itching too?” Simon watched him with a cagey stare.
Dex nodded and tossed his beer bottle in the trash.
“Every time I look at her photo”—Simon indicated Celia Goldilocks—“my mark itches.”
Nick set his file aside. “Mine too.”
“You think that means she’s ours?” The hopeful look on Simon’s face crushed Dex. While a twin flame threesome was rare, he’d bet hoping for a foursome set Simon up for disappointment, but Dex kept that to himself. Having the enemy’s daughter join their cosmic union could end in disaster, and their ruin, thanks to her parentage. No, if he had his pick of women to join their union, it would not be a Goldilocks.
Judging by the headshot on the television, she’d grown into a real beauty. Olive complexion, black hair, and pale blue eyes, and the prettiest red, plump mouth he’d ever seen beckoned to him. Dex would delight in watching his dick thrust between those lips.
Given her heiress status, he bet she’d be as thin as a young boy. Not their type. That’s what society demanded of her, a reedy-thin frame with little to no extra weight, ruining all possibilities of a voluptuous figure. A damn shame. He preferred curves on his women. And with three bears sharing her, she’d have to be tough enough to endure a foursome.
“We don’t even know where she is to put the theory to a test.” Dex snagged another beer from the fridge. Possible heartache, and even ruin, aside they couldn’t not investigate the likelihood. One thing was certain… If her dad gets her first, we’ll never find out.
“I’ll call in some favors. See what I can find out.” Nick picked up his cell, his fingers flying across the screen. If anyone could get to her before her dad, Nick’s contacts stood the better chance. As their alpha, a council member on the Blackclaw Matos board, and a well-established attorney in the state, he had connections high up.
Nick and Dex’s gazes met. A hint of hope sparkled in Nick’s eyes. Seemed he hoped right along with Simon. If Celia Goldilocks were theirs, Simon would truly become a part of their union. They both wanted that, and not in the sexual sense, but mentally and spiritually.
“I have a few notorious clients that might could help.” Simon ditched his sketchpad in favor of his phone.
With a groan, Dex retrieved his cell. As one of the few foreign mechanics in the southern part of Bama, he knew almost every-fucking-body in a hundred mile radius. “Yeah, I’m on it too.”
Chapter Four
Celia
After being locked in her former childhood bedroom, Celia had managed to escape out the three-story window using bed linens and curtains tied together. It’d worked better than she’d predicted. She’d made it all the way to the bus stop before her father’s henchmen showed up. Thinking on her feet and hoping to mislead them, she’d stuffed her cell into a luggage pocket, praying the goons tracking her would think she hopped on the bus, and would follow her GPS. At least a couple had initially followed her into the forest.
The crunch of what she’d believed to be footsteps had ended when she entered bear territory. Exhausted, Celia stumbled in the dark, shivering as the temperatures plummeted after sundown, wishing she could find a safe haven but afraid to give up her flight for fear her father’s men would catch her.
If they don’t find me, the bears might. At the moment she couldn’t decide which outcome would be worse. Best to get off their land before I stop moving.
Thunder rumbled, and lightning lit up the sky, showing the outline of a house in the distance. Celia rubbed her prickly arms and damned her bad luck
at the approaching storm. Thanks to the weather, she picked up her speed, groaning at the protest of her aching muscles. This was more exercise than she’d participated in all last year combined.
Praying she’d lucked up and strayed outside bear territory, she stumbled up the steps of the cabin. Celia cupped her hands around her eyes and attempted to peer through the home’s windows. With no lights on inside the house, she could make out nothing, not even furniture. She banged on the door and when no one answered, she slid to the porch with her back to the door. Drawing her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her forehead on her knees, seeking a little warmth. Maybe someone would return soon.
Maybe they won’t eat me when they find me huddled in their entryway.
The night grew longer, and her teeth began to chatter. Deciding she couldn’t tolerate the cold any longer, she’d risk being eaten by a pissed off werebear for breaking and entering. Before smashing in the window, she tested to see if it was locked, thanking her good fortune when it slid up. Breaking the glass would’ve just been another way to tick off the bear that owned the cabin.
Guess bears don’t worry about intruders.
After climbing in through the window, she flicked the light switch near the door, and light flooded the space. Since the electricity worked, did that mean this was no summer cabin?
Bread spied on the counter in the kitchen verified the owners would return soon-ish so she quickly made a PBJ sandwich, two of them, and scarfed both down. She filled a glass with tap water and guzzled it, chasing down the food, while pondering if she had time for a shower or not. It’d be the fastest way to heat her blood and stop her teeth from chattering, but she didn’t want to get caught naked.
Plundering the domain for a weapon, all she located was the knives in the kitchen. It’d do, better than nothing, but she decided to scope out the rest of the house just in case.
The first room she entered was a bedroom with an attached bathroom. With her teeth still knocking together, the white-tiled shower was too much to pass up. While the water heated, she quickly disrobed and then stepped into the stall. Sighing at the blissful heat, she gave herself just a moment before she went to work scrubbing twigs, leaves, and dirt from her hair. By the time she exited the bath, her prior exhaustion had returned.
If only I had an hour to rest. A catnap would rejuvenate her, but she didn’t dare risk the time. The cabin’s owner could show up at any minute.
After drying off, she grimaced at her dirty clothes. She tiptoed into the bedroom and listened at the door for the resident’s occupants.
Deciding they’d probably have approached her had they returned home while she showered, she closed the door and eyed the dresser. Eyes heavy, she opened one of the drawers, found a white T-shirt, and pulled it over her head. Catching her reflection in the mirror, she noted the way her nipples pebbled beneath the fabric, highlighting the tight buds.
She covered a yawn with her palm and decided she’d rest on the bed for just a moment to catch her breath. Maybe drum up a little energy too. The food in her belly had helped, but her feet and legs ached so bad she dreaded the idea of squeezing her feet back into the knee-high, five-inch boots. Thanks to the charley horse she’d experienced in her butt cheek, her ass hurt too.
One minute. That was all she’d give herself before getting dressed and running again.
Celia rested her head on the pillow and buried her nose into the feathery softness. She didn’t know who owned this place, but the scent clinging to the fabric was divine.
Chapter Five
Simon
Worn out from a long night hunched over, inking a tattoo, Simon Blackclaw rubbed the tense muscles on the back of his neck. Locking the door after his client departed, he turned to face Dex and Nick. They sat together on the sofa chatting, their fingers laced together. He’d tried getting them to leave earlier for home, but they refused, and Simon liked the sound of their voices anyway. Having them near always settled him, and after seeing Celia Goldilocks on the news today, his bear paced inside his head, antsy to locate what it’d already dubbed his mate.
Yeah, he wanted a woman to join their relationship, but he hadn’t held any great hope it’d happen. By choice, he wasn’t a part of Dex and Nick’s intimate partnership, but he loved them both like brothers. That’d been enough until the last couple of years.
“Let’s head home.” Simon glanced at his watch. Three in the morning. Thankfully the weekend was ahead of them, but he had another long night tomorrow, and he planned to sleep until noon.
“Don’t want to find a girl for us to fuck?” Dex ran his palm along Nick’s thigh. “Or at least for you to fuck while I do him?”
Simon couldn’t get Celia off his mind long enough to contemplate another woman. “Nah. I’m beat.”
“Your loss,” Nick said as he rose from the sofa.
Sometimes their sexual relationship rankled Simon because he craved the connection the twin flame gave them. He didn’t want it enough to become bi, no matter how much he wished he shared their intimacy.
Straddling his bike, he fired up the engine and took off without securing his helmet in place. Tonight he needed the wind in his hair, along with nature’s musty scent the earlier rainstorm had left behind. The elements would give him some clarity.
He parked his motorcycle in the garage behind the cabin and killed the engine. The headlights of Nick’s Escalade blinded Simon before the vehicle swung into its spot. Simon watched them exit the vehicle as he brushed his fingers through his chilly hair, detangling the locks. As they strode toward the cabin, he palmed his beard, smoothing the coarse strands.
Once inside, he ignored the unsure glances his twin flames sent him. He didn’t need a connection to know they worried about him and his yearning for a mate.
As he neared his bedroom, a delightful aroma hit his nostrils. He sniffed the air, a wild and tangy smell, with a hint of honey and raspberries. Beneath the surface of his skin, his bear awoke and prowled. The fragrance must’ve caught his brothers’ attention too because they strolled behind him into Simon’s bedroom.
Curled up on his bed, buried beneath his covers, with her head resting on his pillow, lay the missing Goldilocks heiress.
“Goldilocks and the three bears.” Dex’s amusement teased a grin from both Simon and Nick.
“The fairytale comes to life.” Nick stared at her. “Ironic.”
The fairytale of it all is that she’s our mate. His bear reacted with a violent lurch forward, while the sizzle along his twin flame mark alerted him to the greatest truth of them all…
“She’s our twin flame.” Simon walked straight to the bed and swiped a black lock of hair off her cheek. In person, she appeared younger than on the wanted headshot. Pink streaks feathered throughout her hair, a color that hadn’t been in her photo on the news.
A rebel judging by her hair and the tattoo sleeve on her right arm. Our kind of girl.
Celia jolted awake. “Oh, shit.” Sitting straight up, she rubbed her thumb along her wrist as she gaped wide-eyed at them. “Please don’t eat me.”
Simon grinned, and Nick chuckled.
Dex’s bear glowed in his eyes, verifying to Simon that his brother recognized her significance to them too. Deadpan, Dex said, “We’re damn sure gonna eat you, sweetheart. You smell too sweet not to devour.”
Chapter Six
Celia
Celia gulped at the intent in the black haired one’s promise to eat her. No wet-behind-the-ear, virgin schoolgirl, she couldn’t pretend the sexual heat in his gaze was anything but carnal intention. His size frightened her just a little though. Easily, he was the biggest man she’d ever encountered.
But his gaze… gawd. She gulped, but couldn’t look away. Passionate failed to accurately describe the hunger in his eyes. Moisture surged from her core, and she worried she left evidence of her arousal on the sheets. Uninvited and caught in their bed, leaking fluids on their linens wouldn’t do.
She picked that moment to remember all her clothes were balled up on the chair in the corner.
I slept through their arrival. Normally a light sleeper, she should’ve heard their entrance. Hell, she hadn’t planned to sleep at all. Could she not catch a break?
“I’m Dex Carson.” The one who’d promised to devour her introduced himself wearing a shit-eating grin. His black, wavy hair fell past his shoulders, and his eyes were so dark she couldn’t discern his pupils from his irises. The biggest of the three, he had to be at least six-six, and he sported muscles all the way up his neck. He was so well cut, she bet his muscles had muscles and those muscles even had muscles. Yeah, his physique was that insane.
Celia licked her lips and glanced at the one who stood beside Dex. Green eyes returned her scrutiny. Tall and bulky, maybe an inch or two shorter than Dex and not as large either, but he was no less intimidating. He wore the ‘don’t fuck with me’ vibe like it was a life motto tattooed on his forehead.
As if her stare prompted an introduction he said, “Nick Matos.”
Matos… That meant he was an offspring of a founding clan member.
His dark brown hair glinted in the dim lighting, and his haircut fit his neat, professional style, nothing at all like the wild mane of his counterpart. The white dress shirt, red tie, and slacks he wore lent him a civilized appearance, but she could sense the wild beast beneath his cultured bearing.
“I’m Simon Blackclaw.” The man standing next to her was the shortest of the trio, but she bet he still stood a good six-one or six-two, and judging by his surname was also the offspring of a founding clan member. Wiry-framed instead of muscled, she sensed his strength nonetheless. His piercing blue eyes, clear as a spring pond, held her regard. Simon’s dirty-blond, straight hair hung to his shoulders, and he possessed a well-groomed beard. Normally she would’ve turned her nose up at facial hair, but on him it was sexy. Tattoos covered both his arms and burst from the neckline of his T-shirt. L-O-V-E and L-I-V-E were tatted on his knuckles, along with flower-type designs on the backs of both hands, with an eye in the center of one of them.