by Tl Reeve
“Guess who I ran into while getting the pizzas?”
When he didn’t answer, she continued.
“Laney. She had something extremely interesting to show me. As a matter of fact, that little bitch brimmed with excitement at showing me pictures of you kissing another woman! How could you?”
He cringed. The sensation of being watched had spurred him into action. He thought by leaving the park, whoever watched them wouldn’t follow. How naïve of him to believe that shit. Leave it to Laney to make an opportunity out of his meeting with Aislinn.
“Let him explain. Trust me on this, Bell. You have every right to be upset, even disappointed with him. But not angry. If you continue down this road, you might say something you will regret.”
“Do you know?”
“He just informed me. Although he didn’t mention a kiss. But—” He glanced at Christoph.
“So, he lied to you, too?” she snapped.
“I didn’t lie!” he snarled. “Laney will do anything in her power to goad you. If you’re not going to believe me, think about everything she’s done to you this semester.” He slowly pulled her into his arms. For the first time in several days, he felt all the tension and angst leave his body. “Did she have long black hair?”
“Yes.” Her words, spoken against his massive chest, sounded muffled.
“Short in stature with her head barely coming up to here?” Placing his hand in front of him to indicate where he meant.
Bell nodded.
“And I kissed her forehead. Not her lips.”
“Yes.”
“That’s Aislinn. For the record, Aislinn is sixteen years old. Do I look like I would have any type of sexual relationship with a sixteen-year-old?”
“Sixteen?”
“Yup. Sixteen.” He pushed her sweatshirt out of the way and wrapped both hands around her small waist.
“She can’t consent to this. Tell me you have a plan.”
“I do. But, I need your dad’s help.”
“My dad?”
“Yes. Your dad. He’s involved in what I’m about to tell you. So, if you have any doubts or think I’m lying, your dad can reassure you.”
Again, Rapier stepped onto the deck. “She calm?”
“Yes, Daddy. I’m calm!” She rolled her eyes.
“I didn’t ask you, princess. I asked them.”
“She’s calm enough.” The tension seeped from her body, and she relaxed against him. Thank God.
Rapier ambled down the steps. “I thought I told you to tell her the other day.”
“I got distracted,” he admitted, with a shrug.
“It seems to be happening more and more,” Bell interjected.
“He has a reason to be.” Rapier narrowed his eyes.
Finally, a sense of relief filled Christoph, and, without any reservation, he told Bell and Jackson everything. He told them about Laney’s blackmail. About his parents and Aislinn’s. He told them about his pride and what helping this…child would do to him. When he finished talking, he waited.
And then, the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders, and he found peace.
Chapter Eight
Bell stepped inside Jackson’s home and glanced around. The place had been built like a giant birdcage. High, rounded ceilings framed with windows—not a stitch of solid wall surrounded her. At night, she could lie on the floor and watch the stars—if she ever wanted to. To the right sat a staircase leading to a giant bed built into an even larger bookcase against one of the only solid walls in the house. It reminded her of a Victorian library of sorts, with its ornate carvings and cupboards with wrought iron lattice-work doors. A wooden dragon sat on an orb, overlooking the occupants in the bed below, perhaps a bit of curiosity in his or her eyes.
She let out a wistful sigh, stepping deeper into his home. After Christoph explained the situation with Aislinn, she concluded some shifters were assholes, and they created kids like Laney. Or they abused good, happy-natured, or she should say would-be happy-natured kids, and crushed their spirits. For a moment, she wondered how Christoph and Jackson had turned out to be such strong alpha men, with good moral compasses.
She spun in a small circle and came face-to-face with both of her mates. Their open, desire-filled expressions startled her. “I like your place.”
Jackson’s chest puffed out. “Thank you.”
She licked her lips and pointed to the glass. “Why?”
He took a step toward her. “Do you really want to know?”
She swallowed hard. “Yes.”
“Then we need to go upstairs.” He held his hand out to her. “You’re in control here, Bell. Whatever you want to happen or need to have happen here, you only have to ask.”
She slipped her hand into his and then Christoph’s when he came up beside her. “No more second-guessing. You’re ours.”
Her heart fluttered. Her pulse raced. “I’m afraid.” Her words had barely been above a whisper as she followed them up the stairs.
“Nothing to be afraid of.” Jackson cupped her cheek while he bent his head to kiss her. “When this night is over, we will be one.”
“I’ve never…you know. An-and-and two at one time.” She gave a nervous chuckle before clearing her throat.
“One step at a time, beautiful.” Christoph crowded into her side, connecting all three of them. “If you’re not ready for everything we’re offering you tonight, then we’ll go slow. That is my vow to you.”
“All for me?”
Both men nodded. They were so…sure. Pillars of confidence. Pillars? Really. You’re standing in front of two of the sexiest men alive, and you call then pillars? Her hands trembled when she pressed her palms to their chests. Their hearts pounded. From excitement? Fear? Both?
Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her chin and began climbing the stairs to the four-poster bed surrounded by books, under a clear night sky. Her feet carried her to where she wanted to be. She realized, standing in her yard listening to what happened to the poor girl in the hotel, she had to make it all right. She had to cement their relationship, so no one could tear them apart. Leaving the mating open like they had gave Christoph’s father and Aislinn’s father the ability to dictate what happened.
Well, not anymore.
She couldn’t allow either of them to wonder day after day if she would accept them. She wouldn’t allow someone else to rule their lives. She had to confront the fear which stopped her from taking both and face it head-on. She walked into this wide-eyed. From the moment she caught the hint of sweet grass and brimstone, there’d be no turning away. But, moving to this point had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. Maybe it was the expectations of her family—father. Or, perhaps she worried about what they would think of her after she mated them. She’d realized she wasted time.
Her father would be more pissed at her for not grabbing ahold of her destiny and claiming it than getting down and dirty with two guys.
When she reached the top, she looked out over the house. It reminded her more of an aviary than a house. Just how many dragons are on the school campus for him to need a space like this? Then she mentally kicked herself for getting distracted. Who gave a shit how many people lived in the house? She hadn’t been there for them, but for the two men joining her.
“What’s going on in that sweet little head of yours?” Jackson reached her first. He pushed the material of her shirt out of the way and skimmed her sides with his fingertips. The jolt of power humming through her startled her.
“I’m giving myself a pep talk.” Her voice wobbled, giving away the anxiousness coursing through her. “Do you know I asked Hayden what it’s like?”
“To fuck?” Christoph, for all his refined, polished, uppitiness, he had a crass edge to him.
Her cheeks heated, and she tingled from head to toe. “Yes.” She bit her lip and gazed up at him through her lashes. “It’s silly, really. We’ve waited a lon
g time for them to finally do it, I— Well, I wanted every detail perfect.”
Christoph gripped her hip. The heat radiating from him washed over her like a thick blanket on a cold winter’s day. It also ratcheted up the pulse-pounding excitement shooting through her system. “Will you tell them about us?” He leaned down and brushed his lips over the shell of her ear. “About how you mated the king of the jungle and the heir-apparent to a clan?”
She licked her bottom lip. “No.”
He gave a breathy chuckle before drawing the lobe of her ear into his mouth. “Why not?”
“It’s personal. Between us.”
Jackson slipped his hand beneath the hem of her skirt and squeezed her rear. “You should be aware of something.”
She snapped her head up. “What?”
“Dragons are voyeurs. We like to watch and be watched.” He licked the side of her neck. “This little arrangement is perfect. Touch us, Bell. Don’t be afraid. Be bold. Be adventurous. Love us.” There was a thread of absoluteness in his voice along with a hint of pleading.
“Yes.” She turned to him. “Show me.”
A cocky grin spread across his face. “I’m going to do more than show you.” The heat of his body in front of her, mingled with the heat of Christoph’s behind her. Both men sandwiched her between them, giving her scant amount of room to move.
Before she could ask what next, Jackson wrapped his hand around the nape of Christoph’s neck and pulled him in. Surprise registered on her lion’s face seconds before Jackson covered Christoph’s mouth with his. Both men grunted. At first, it was a tentative affair. Then, something clicked. She witnessed it in their bodies first. The rigidness in Christoph’s lumbering frame bled out. His hand came up and mimicked Jackson’s, and then they groaned.
Watching them had a full-body flush consuming her. Never had she seen anything so spectacular, or carnal or erotic before in her life. Oh sure, she’d seen Jace kiss Blake, but not with such passion. She feared she’d combust before they turned their attention to her. A whimper of longing fell from her, and they finally broke the kiss. Both men panted for breath.
“What the fuck?” Christoph’s cheeks flushed, his eyes glazed with desire, and if the thickness of his erection brushing against her butt was any indication of how much he enjoyed the lip-lock…oh boy.
Jackson gave a playful lift of his shoulder. “Dragons are amorous during mating. We like to sample and try everything. It’s what connects us.”
“Well, stay away from my ass. If anyone is topping anyone in this relationship, it’s me topping you.”
He laughed. “Not a problem. But, admit it, you liked the kiss.”
Christoph flipped him off. “I like hers better.” He spun her around. “They’re softer.” Palming her ass, he pressed her against him and captured her lips. He didn’t take his time, instead devoured her with his mouth and tongue until she didn’t know which way was up. She sank into it, wrapping her arms around his neck. He consumed her without even trying. When he broke the kiss, his eyes were hooded. The pink tinge to his cheeks had darkened, and his lips parted. Arousal glittered his gaze. “Mine first.”
“O-okay.” She held onto his biceps for dear life while he carried her to the bed and laid her out.
“Pull off my shirt.”
“You sure you wouldn’t like Jackson to do the honors?” she teased him.
The bark of laughter from Jackson had him growling. “Good one, blondie.”
Christoph curled his lip and grave a low yowl of warning. “Take off my shirt, Bell.”
She did what he asked, exposing each and every muscular plane and ridge of his body. In an instant, she became the awkward, bashful girl she’d always been whenever seeing a boy naked from the waist up. She dipped her chin and turned her gaze from him.
“No, you don’t.” He lifted her chin so they looked at each other. “My body is yours. You don’t have to be timid around us because I guarantee we’ll be staring at your tits, your ass, and everything in between.”
“He’s right.” Jackson sauntered to the bed. Already he had his belt undone on his pants and the first few buttons were open, exposing the tan, hairless flesh of the upper part of his groin. The hard V-muscle…groove…whatever it was called, tempted her beyond reason. She wanted to trace each vein with the tip of her tongue. If she pushed it down a little bit, she’d see the top of his penis.
She bit her lip as he slid into bed, and Christoph hovered over her. “What do I do?”
“You’re going to open my pants and pull out my dick.”
“Why am I still clothed?”
“I can help you there, blondie.” Jackson grabbed the zipper on the side of her skirt then proceeded to pull it down. Each tooth being released sounded like a mini-explosion. Her heart pounded, and her breath came in shallow pants. He groaned when her pale flesh was exposed to his perusal. “Don’t move, blondie. I can’t wait.” He slipped his hand beneath the band of her panties. He used only the tips of his fingers, sliding them through her already-slick and aching flesh. “Damn, Bell. Why didn’t you say something?” He eased into the opening of her fold and continued to rub her.
The pounding of her heart increased. No one had ever touched her intimately there. Sure, she’d experimented, but it hadn’t felt half as good as this. “Jackson,” she moaned his name, lifting her hips when he swiped her clit.
Christoph pressed her hands to the crotch of his pants, urging her to continue to comply with his instructions. She did so readily, opening his jeans, and fisting his long, thick erection. She gasped at his size. “You’re huge.”
“I’m average for a lion.” He winked at her and grabbed her hand. “I like it like this.” He grunted, helping her tighten her grip then showed her the pace he enjoyed. “Yes…fuck. How does she feel, Jackson?”
“Heaven. So wet. She’s already coating my fingers with her juices. I think she got off on our kiss.” He flicked her clit then filled her with his fingers.
She clenched around him. Her eyes went wide. “Jackson.”
“What do you need, Bell?” He continued to manipulate the small bundle of nerves while fingering her.
“I don’t know.” Her thighs quivered. Her lower belly coiled with this overwhelming intense pleasure.
He whispered against the shell of her ear. “Yes, you do.” He nipped her then soothed it with a lick of his tongue. “You’re ready to come. You’re clenching around my fingers, and your pussy is sucking on them. Don’t force it, blondie. Go with it.”
She humped his hand. It felt too good not to. The pressure grew more powerful in her lower belly until she made the most unladylike noises. She cried out as everything around her melted away and her orgasm rushed through her. Jackson caressed her through her release, whispering sweet words while she drifted back to the world around her.
“Beautiful.” Christoph grabbed the edge of her skirt and removed it along with her panties. At some point during her haze, he’d gotten naked. He loomed over her with his massive, thickly corded body, before slipping between her legs. Jackson removed her shirt, leaving her completely open to their penetrating gazes. “You’re spectacular, Bell. I can’t believe you’re ours.” He kissed her, while running his hand along her side.
“So are you.” She trailed her fingers over his chest then his stomach, and lower to the trimmed thatch of pubic hair. His heavy sac hung below his hard cock, and she cupped the spheres, rolling them between her fingers. He let out a painful yelp and closed his eyes, causing her to automatically let go. “Sorry.”
“Don’t stop. Felt good. Just got me too worked up.” He pinched the base of his erection and sighed.
She took him into her hand and manipulated the rough flesh of his sac. Christoph rolled his hips, pushing his dick along her lower belly. The tension between them ratcheted up a notch. She flexed her hips in time with him, not knowing what she was doing, only that it excited her. “Please.”
�
�Shh, I’ve got you.” He placed the tip of his shaft at her entrance and bent his head. He latched onto her nipple only to have Jackson stop him.
“Dude, condoms. Even though I don’t mind foregoing protection with our mate, we don’t need to knock her up the first time out of the gate.” He reached up into the drawer above their heads and pulled out two foil disks. “If we need more, I have them.”
Embarrassment hit her hard. How could she not remember the basics? Her parents had always been open and honest with them about protecting themselves and going by the moon cycles, but it didn’t mean shit didn’t happen. They’d learned that firsthand with Alex. She loved her baby brother to pieces, but he’d been a giant surprise for the whole family. “I should have been more prepared.”
Christoph laughed while he rolled the latex barrier onto his dick. “No way a mating allows time for preparing. I was ready to get deep inside you without hesitation. At least one of us has our wits about us.”
“I’m thinking about her and wanting this to be perfect.” Jackson shrugged then slid over, giving them room. He wrapped his hand around his cock and began to pump his hard flesh. “Carry on.”
Christoph positioned himself once more while drawing her hard nipple into his mouth. He pushed forward, not stopping his thrust. He sucked and nibbled on the taut pebble in his mouth, and she arched to him, the pain and pleasure mixing and warring within her.
“Easy, beautiful. I got you.” His voice strained from exertion. “Won’t stop till I’m all the way in.”
He stretched her unbearably so and to the point she thought she split in two. Then he stopped. She pulsed around him, stretching to accommodate his girth. For long moments, he stroked her flesh, and when he began to move, she gasped at the blissful tingles skirting along her skin. She clung to him, meeting him with each stroke. To be told about it and to experience it were two totally different things.