by Jane Jamison
“No. It doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense.”
He had a feeling she meant more than what had happened to Milo and Queen. That she was talking about seeing them in their wolf forms last night. But telling her would have to come later once the danger was over and she was strong again.
“I’m better.” She sat up straighter, lengthening her body, stretching her muscles as though she were trying to cast off any sign of weakness. “I can handle whatever this jerk throws my way.”
She was trying so hard to sound strong, but he wasn’t buying it. “He’s not going to get another chance. I swear it.”
“It’s poor Milo that’s got me upset.”
“He was a good man,” added Jesse.
“You two will handle this.” Ms. Millicent leaned over to put her hand on Carolina’s shoulder. “We will do everything and anything to keep you safe. You have my word as a member of the Sterling family.”
Family. Pack. They were the same thing.
“If you need to talk, please feel free to ask for me.” She squeezed, giving Carolina as much comfort as was possible, then pulled back into her usual regal stance. “I have a feeling you’re stronger than you think you are. Don’t let this bastard control you with fear. Courage is your greatest weapon against him.”
Carolina offered her a weak smile. “You’re right. I’ll do my best.”
“We women are stronger than most men. You know that, don’t you? Perhaps not physically, but in here where it really counts.” She put her fist to her chest. “Be brave, and if you don’t feel it, then act brave until it sinks in and becomes a part of you.”
Something passed between the two women, like recognition of a kindred spirit. He wouldn’t have bet against them. They were two incredible women, and one of them was his mate. He stood taller knowing that.
Ms. Millicent gave Carolina a soft smile. “You can take the time you need to gather yourself, but the quicker you show your attacker that he can’t win, the better it will be.”
“I understand.”
“Good. Then I’ll leave you three alone.” The older woman glided from the room, forever dignified.
Carolina leaned against Jesse. “Will you stay with me?”
“Trust me. We’re not leaving your side for anything.”
“Jesse’s right, babe. Wild horses couldn’t drag us away.”
Her bloodshot eyes met his. “Take me to bed. I need to feel you. I need to touch you. I need to know we’re alive.”
They’d already moved her things into another bedroom on the other side of the house. Along with a few of their favorite items they’d hoped to share with her. Surprise along with another dose of pride brought tears to his eyes. She was stronger than he’d ever imagined.
“Anything you want, sugar.” Jesse got up as she struggled to get on her feet. He bent and pulled her into his arms, lifting her with ease.
Charlie wrapped the cover over her again. “Lead the way, brother.”
“No, wait. Put me down.”
“But you said you wanted to be with us.” Still, he put her on her feet, careful to make sure she was steady. “It’s okay, though, if you’re not sure.”
“I’m sure.” She held her chin high, determination etched on her face. “Ms. Millicent is right. I’m not going to let this asshole keep me from doing the things I want. I can’t let him seep into what we have between us.”
“And you won’t.” He still didn’t get what she wanted. But whatever it was, he’d do his best to make sure he gave it to her.
“The last time we were together, you told me you’d show me off. That we’d have people watch us. I want that now.”
The confusion that tangled in a myriad of questions shone on Jesse’s face, too. “I don’t think I understand. Are you saying you want us to make love to you in front of others? Sugar, don’t you think you need to take it easy? Maybe you need more time to clear your head. We can always do that later. It’s not for everyone and definitely not for the faint of heart.”
“No. I want to do it now. I can take it because I want to. Because I have to. Please. Do this for me. If the killer is here on the ranch like Ms. Millicent thinks, then I want him to know that I’m yours. I don’t know why he’s targeting me, but I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure he knows I’m still strong and not frightened.”
“But, babe, you are frightened. Hell, even I’m a little scared.” He wasn’t too proud to admit it.
“Hang on. So this is kind of like revenge sex?” Jesse frowned. “I’m not sure I like that.”
“No, it’s not that at all. I’m taking back my power and letting whoever it is know that he’s not going to make me hide in fear. I’m taking control by doing what I wanted to do since the last time we were together.” She fisted her hands on her hips. The strength he saw made him admire her that much more. “Are we going to do this or not?”
“Sugar, we’ll do whatever you want to do.”
“Then let’s do it.” Her eyes sparkled with the fire within her.
* * * *
Carolina followed Charlie and Jesse toward the back of the main house. She’d never gone down the long corridor they’d taken. At the end of it was a large carved door.
Jesse turned back to her. “A lot of the others use this room for downtime.” He glanced at his brother, then back to her. “Are you sure you want this to be so public?”
“Are you shy, Jesse?”
She loved the way his mouth curved. “Not in the least.”
“Neither am I. Not anymore. I’ve wanted to do this kind of thing for a long time. And now seems like the best time to do it.”
“If you’re sure,” added Charlie.
“I’m starting to think you two don’t want me anymore.”
Jesse laughed, then turned the knob and threw open the door. He stepped inside and held out a hand. “Come. Let’s show them what you’re made of.”
Charlie’s hand softened on her hip. “And that you’re all ours.”
The room was huge with several couches positioned in the corners. Potted plants surrounded the couches, giving them the appearance, if not the reality of seclusion. Although the walls were made up of windows that ran from the deep, rich burgundy carpet to the high ceilings, they were covered with a thick drapery that kept the room hidden in shadows. Lights were dimmed, mounted in regular intervals along the wall. A long bar ran across one side of the room with two men bartending to the needs of the crowd. A stage rested in the middle of the room, for bands or other events, she wasn’t certain. Twenty to thirty men and women laughed and talked, but their chatter soon died as they watched Carolina and her men enter the large room.
“Everyone, this is Carolina.” Jesse’s voice boomed around the room, strong and proud. “And she’s ours.”
Carolina thrilled at Jesse’s declaration and gave them what she hoped was a regal smile not too different from Ms. Millicent’s. The older woman wasn’t in the room, but a few of the ranch hands, including those who had seen them in the barn were there. She was surprised that she recognized so many of the women, but Lisa-May wasn’t among them.
“Follow me, sugar.”
She did, with Charlie bringing up the rear as they walked farther into the room. At the stage, Jesse stopped, then held out his hand. She placed her palm in his and let him lead her onto the glossy wooden floor.
“Remember. Anytime you want to stop, just say so.”
“I remember.” She licked her lips, suddenly all too aware that the others were watching her. It was both unnerving and titillating at the same time. Heat flashed through her body, yet she couldn’t hold back the tremble that shuddered through her.
Jesse moved to the side of the stage toward a large box with levers and buttons, a control panel. But for what? He pulled one of the levers. She jerked her head up to see a large chain swaying back and forth as it descended toward the stage.
“Take off your clothes.” Charlie turned to the people watching. “I know so
me of you aren’t into this kind of thing. If not, then you’d better leave now.”
A few of the women left, but all the men stayed. Their expressions ranged from curiosity to lust. Seeing other men look at her that way made her pussy heat, but they weren’t the men she craved. Still, it was an ego boost that she needed.
“I told you to take off your clothes.”
Slowly, she started removing her clothes. With each button, each garment discarded, she felt a strange, new kind of power rushing into her. She was in control, the entertainer snaring her audience with her performance. She was the one they looked up to, the one they’d talk about later. By the time she’d finished disrobing, she’d captured their absolute attention. Exposed more than she’d ever have dreamed possible, she ached for more.
Look all you want, people. This is my power I’m taking back.
Jesse took a leather strap, lined in sheepskin, then came to stand in front of her. “Hold out your hands.” When she did, he put her hands together, palm facing palm, then wrapped the leather strip around her wrists. A metal hook was connected to the leather. Taking hold of the chain that dangled from the ceiling, he nodded at Charlie. His brother strode over to the box and pushed the lever.
She sucked in a breath as he drew her arms over her head. The crowd moved closer, their anticipation making the air around her thicken with an almost tangible sexual need. Heat hit her cheeks, but she wasn’t embarrassed. Instead, her body warmed to the excitement of it all.
“You’re beautiful.”
Jesse’s compliment was the thing that made her blush.
“Not only is your body beautiful, but your spirit is as well.”
She held her head a little higher. “Show me that I’m yours.” She scanned the audience before centering her attention on him again. “Show me that you’re mine.”
The way he and Charlie looked at her was a hundred times hotter than the other’s gazes. Her pussy wept with her need. Were her thighs glistening with her juices? She resisted the urge to look between her legs. She yanked on the chain, knowing that she couldn’t get away. She would, in fact, have been disappointed if she could.
“Open your legs.”
She did, then felt her pussy throb as Jesse went to his knees beside her. He gripped her butt cheek, then used his fingers to spread her pussy lips apart. Appreciative murmurs drifted up to her.
The brush of something light against her buttocks had her pulling at the chain. Charlie chuckled, then pulled the soft leather strips of the flogger over her shoulder, between her breasts then down to flick over her mons.
“Do you like to have people watch you, Carolina?”
“Yes.” She scanned the crowd, wondering if any of her new friends would think less of her for her public exhibition. Yet all she saw were admiring looks. The men wanted her and a few of the women, too. But even those women who didn’t want her sex had expressions that said they liked what she was doing. The idea of so many people watching aroused her even more.
Charlie flicked the flogger against her butt cheek. The sting came and went, leaving behind sensations that trickled through her skin and into her soul.
Slap.
The sting from the flogger raced from her other thigh to join with the slowly ebbing pain of the first whip.
Jesse leaned closer and put his head close to her pussy. “Ah, so sweet.” He turned to the audience. “And believe me, she is.”
She gasped when he pulled her pussy lips apart and snaked his tongue between her folds then up to press against her clit. He sucked her in, and she let out a squeal of delighted surprise.
Charlie put his mouth close to her ear, his warm breath tickling her earlobe. “You can stop any time you want,” he whispered.
She gave him the smallest of smiles. “Keep going.”
She didn’t want to think about her assailant, but the thought came anyway.
Is he watching?
If he was, she’d show him that he couldn’t scare her off. Not now. Not ever.
Charlie flicked the flogger against her butt cheek again, then followed it with his hand. The double strike hurt, leaving her skin heated and tingling from the impact. She moaned, loving the way pain could turn into pleasure so fast.
Jesse slipped a hand between her legs, then added two fingers to her pussy. She spread her legs even wider, giving him a silent message to add more fingers. Or better yet his mouth or cock.
The temperature of the room warped higher, accentuating the aromas of alcohol, food, and arousal. She sniffed, drawing in the scents of her two men. They smelled alike, but each had an underlying unique aroma. She couldn’t tell if it was aftershave, but she recognized that she’d smelled it every time she’d gotten near them. Was it pheromones? Arousal?
Jesse finger-fucked her, driving into her with a rhythmic intensity. His finger grazed over the sensitive patch of skin inside, daring her to cry out an orgasm. She held on, loving the way he caressed her other leg, then pressed soft kisses on her mound. When he pulled his fingers away, she let out a curse.
Her nipples, already hard, seemed to grow larger, aching to be touched. Her pussy was wetter and her clit throbbed. “Fuck me.”
She didn’t care if anyone was there any longer. Although she enjoyed being watched, and was determined to show her attacker that she didn’t fear him, her prime objective was to please her men as they’d please her.
Another whack came against her butt cheek. She turned to Charlie and ground out her words. “Fuck me, damn it.”
He laughed. “Remember, babe, we call the shots in sex. But if you want to stop…”
“No, don’t you dare stop. But I can’t stand much more. I want more.”
“We haven’t done much.”
“Don’t you get it, Charlie? She’s turned on by everyone watching.”
Charlie took her by the chin, then swept his tongue along the seam of her mouth. It wasn’t a kiss. Instead, it was a possession, a way to show her that she was his. She trembled at his slight touch and yanked on the chain.
Whack.
Jesse’s slap to her other butt cheek sent tingling warmth into her body. More of her juices sprang free.
She couldn’t stand it any longer. They controlled her, but she could control them, too. She gazed out over the onlookers, then narrowed her eyes at Charlie.
In a whisper that was filled with intensity, she said, “Fuck my pussy, Charlie. Show me what you’ve got.” She’d thrown down the gauntlet. If he refused to pick it up, she’d be devastated.
Charlie’s eyes flashed with bits of amber, and for a moment, just a moment, she was truly afraid. Were those fangs peeking out from between his lips? She shivered, not from being nude, but from being totally vulnerable.
Charlie threw down the flogger, then grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off her feet. He clutched her butt as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Wrestling with his jeans, he hurried to free his cock. Her arms strained against the chain as he brought a nipple to his mouth and sucked it in between his teeth.
She cried out as he entered her, hard and fast. His cock filled her as she laid back her head, her hair cascading behind her. The crowd erupted, their voices filling the air as they let out a cheer. But she didn’t care what they thought. She thrust her body against him, pushing her hips as hard as she could toward him.
He bucked against her, bouncing her as he plunged time and again into her pussy. He played with her tits, jumping from one to the other as though giving them equal time. Her pussy contracted, then released, then took him again. She was his woman and he was one of her men. By taking him in front of the others, she was laying her claim to him. Cream flowed from her, wetting her thighs.
“Good, babe. Fuck me hard.”
He was balls-deep and going for an impossible deeper penetration. She cried out each time he rammed into her.
When she felt Jesse come up behind her, she shouted his name, letting him know she was ready for him. He caressed her anus with a cool
substance.
“Take me, too, sugar.” His fingers worked their magic on her tight muscles and she felt her body loosen, ready to accept him. It was fast, maybe because others watched, but all she knew was that she had to have both of them inside her.
“Are you ready for me?”
She couldn’t have responded. It was hard enough to breathe, much less answer.
Jesse slid into her anus, filling her from behind. The noise of the crowd grew louder, whether in complaint or in acceptance, she didn’t know or care. The reason for their act of exhibitionism was gone, replaced by a more important reason.
Love.
Charlie grabbed her hair and pulled her mouth to his. His kiss was passionate and desperate, calling every ounce of her desire to the surface. She matched her tongue to his, a battle of lust that both would win.
They moved together, their soft moans and the sound of the jangling chain drowning out the noise of the people watching. Carolina tensed, her body preparing for the ultimate climax. They pounded into her, claiming her as she claimed them, proving once again that they were the men for her.
“Say you’re mine. Both of you. Say it.” Where the words had come from didn’t matter. She’d meant them.
Charlie growled, his voice dropping to a lower tone. “I’m yours.”
Jesse moaned, the sound changing into his own kind of growl. “I’m yours.”
She turned her head to the side and saw the rest of them. Amber flakes sparkled in their eyes. “I’m Charlie’s and Jesse’s. And not anything or anyone is ever going to change that.”
Then, before she could stop it, the spinning convulsion of lust that had grown steadily since they’d walked into the room, whipped into a higher frenzy, higher than she’d have thought humanly possible.
One minute, she was trying to hold on, grabbing onto the chain as if that would keep her body from exploding. In the next, she was flying, lightning shocks of white striking behind her closed eyes as she screamed out her release. Her muscles rippled from the effort, then gathered again as more of the storm hit, stronger than before. The cream rushed out of her as her body shook, then paused, only to shake harder. She tensed and screamed.