Her Two Bears

by T. S. Ryder

  Killian was waiting for him on the half-fixed front porch. Night had deepened to the point where the only light was the splash of Milky Way and connect-the-dots puzzle above them. Ryan shifted back to human form, sitting on the porch next to his partner.

  "Danita?"

  Killian shrugged. "She's sleeping. A little mortified that she would think the worst of us, but I think she'll be okay. The real question is what we do now."

  "I think you mean the real question is how we kill McGrath." Ryan didn't bother to stop the growl in his voice. His hands clenched.

  Killian might still be trying to convince himself that the reason they were drawn to Danita was just because she was a beautiful, sensuous woman that would no doubt give them great pleasure, but Ryan knew the truth. She was their mate. The one that they had been looking for all this time, even if they hadn't realized they had been looking.

  To Ryan's surprise, Killian let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. He felt his hackles rising. His best friend didn't think that McGrath deserved to die over this?

  "We are going to kill him. We're not going to let him abuse and destroy Dani that way. Kelly, don't tell me you're even considering leaving her here."

  "Calm down. Look, I understand how you feel. I do. There is nothing more I want than to see McGrath dead right now, except—"

  Ryan growled warningly.

  "Except for Dani to stay safe." Killian glared at his partner. "Killing McGrath is useless if it gets Dani hurt, or worse. So keep your head on straight, so I don't have to beat you."

  "Like you could." Ryan flexed his muscles, recognizing Killian's attempts to lighten the heaviness between them. It worked, and both shifters relaxed a little. Ryan rolled his shoulders. "So. What do we do, then?"

  "We play this smart. If we decide to kill McGrath, then even if the Leopard doesn't see us coming and kills us, then the Lion will consider us in-house traitors. He'd kill Dani as well as both of us to send a message to the syndicate. We're just a couple of low-level thugs, Rye. McGrath brought us in. We're just lucky he wants to keep us."

  "Excuse me?"

  "If he didn't, he would have killed us already, rather than trying to just isolate Dani."

  "If his game is to force Dani into a situation where she had no choice but to accept his 'offer', then we should be on the lookout for sabotage on the farm." Ryan knew that if he continued to interfere in McGrath's plans it would paint giant bullseyes on his forehead, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to protect Danita. He chewed on his lip as he glanced at his partner. "I'll understand if you decide to go. It's risky—"

  "And leave you to get all of Dani's gratitude? No." Killian knocked his shoulder. "But that does bring me to another point…"

  Ryan nodded, waiting for Killian to continue. After several minutes passed in silence, his brow furrowed. It wasn't like his friend to leave thoughts unfinished.

  Killian shook his head and laughed. "Look at me, acting like that wuss I was when we first decided that we wanted to share women. The point is, Dani's a virgin. We're going to have to adjust our normal game plan for her."

  "Why?"

  Killian rolled his eyes. "Rye, you know that taking us both in can be a strange, sometimes painful sensation for even the most experienced woman. Dani has no experience. If we're not careful, we could really hurt her. That's if she agrees."

  "She'll agree." It was Ryan's turn to roll his eyes. "Haven't you seen the way she looks at us? Smelled her arousal? She wants us as much as we want her. It's only because of McGrath that she’s been hesitant towards our advances."

  "That could be true."

  "Of course it is."

  "Arrogant SOB." Killian gave him a half-smile. "I talked to McGrath while you were gone."

  Ryan snarled.

  Killian clouted him on the back of the head. "Shut up! He would be expecting something from us. And I knew that I couldn't do it when you were back because of that damn temper of yours. This was for Dani, and it had to be done."

  It wasn't enough of an explanation to appease Ryan, but he kept his growls to himself.

  "And what exactly did you tell him?"

  "I thanked him for his 'gift'," Killian said.

  If McGrath was after Danita, then thinking that the Bears had slept with her would only make him angry. Ryan tensed, but Killian continued before he could speak.

  "I told him you looked beautiful in it."

  "Screw you!"

  Killian laughed and shrugged. "I told him that Dani burned it and won't let us near her. I also told him that we're doing what he wanted us to do, keeping her from running away."

  "Did he buy it?"

  "No."

  "Damn. So should we head for the hills, or kill him?"

  Killian sprang to his feet. "No. Stop right there. I already told you killing him isn't an option. We'd need to pay double Dani's ransom to the Lion in order to keep our heads. So just stop. I've made an agreement to buy her from him."

  "Buy her?" Ryan got to his feet. His hands clenched, and he wondered if a good blow would knock sense into his partner's head or just kill him.

  "He's given me a month to pay her debt and an extra two hundred and fifty thousand. If we can get it to him in that time, he'll leave her alone. Forever."

  "We don't have that sort of money!"

  "You don't. I have seven hundred thousand in a trust fund set up by my family. It's enough to free Dani from McGrath, and a little extra to help the farm get a better foothold. I've already talked to my family's lawyers, and I'm having the money transferred right now."

  Ryan's jaw dropped. All this time, and he hadn't known his best friend was loaded. Maybe there was more to it than what Kelly had just told him, but still. They could have prevented this whole mess from ever starting!

  "Don't ask me about it, Rye. Please." Killian turned away, though the pain was raw in his eyes. "There's a reason I couldn't get it before."

  "You don't get off that easily."

  "Fine," Killian growled. "I couldn't get it until my dad died. And now he's dead. Happy?"

  Ryan grunted. Killian was never close to his family, but it wasn't like the guy was made of stone. "Sorry."

  "Forget it. He was furious when I told him we shared women, and he never could accept me after that. You’re all the family I need. You and…"

  "Dani."

  "Yeah."

  "She's our mate."

  Killian shrugged.

  Ryan gripped his friend's shoulder. At least they had a little hope, now. Perhaps the three-quarter of a million dollars was enough for the Leopard to let go of Danita.

  But it probably wasn't going to be that easy. Clearly, McGrath didn't know about Killian's wealth any more than Ryan did, but once he did, what was to stop him from changing the terms of their deal again?

  We only need a quarter of a million more to pay the Lion for permission to kill McGrath. Ryan set his mouth to a firm line. He'd find a way to get that. One way or another, McGrath was going to die.

  Chapter Five – Danita

  The sun pounding on the back of Danita's neck made her wish that she had an excuse to work inside. But though it was hot out, it was supposed to rain soon, and they had to get the shingling done on the house. There were just too many leaks. The boys had already stopped for lunch. Danita would go in after she got this row done.

  A hand reached out and snatched her hammer away from her.

  "Hey!" She whirled around to see Ryan standing over her. She scrambled to her feet, reaching for her hammer. "I'm working."

  "You're stopping to have lunch. I can hear your stomach growling from inside." Without even waiting for her response, Ryan picked her up. He curled her into a ball under one arm and scrambled down the ladder one-handed. "Your phone keeps ringing, too."

  Danita sighed, but there was no arguing with these two sometimes. She allowed him to carry her into the house, where a tuna sandwich was already waiting for her. Sighing, she grabbed her phone and checked the messages. Ryan
brought her a glass of water before he headed back outside. Amelia had called half a dozen times. It wasn't like her to call so often, so Danita called back right away.

  "Finally!" Amelia sounded stressed when she answered. "I've been trying to get hold of you all day."

  "Is something wrong?"

  "Wrong? No." Amelia suddenly sounded sheepish. "Not really. I just needed to let you know the wedding's been moved up. My Alphas and I are getting married in three months now, rather than five. I know that's really soon and I have a million things to do, but we decided we didn't want to wait any longer. You can still come, right?"

  Danita smiled. "You live only four hours away. Of course I can take a day off and come to your wedding."

  "You won't be too busy?"

  "Actually, I've been having a lot of help lately… remember the two Bear shifters you saw that day when I was showing you around?"

  An excited squeal momentarily deafened Danita. She pulled the phone from her ear, wincing. She chuckled as her foster-sister started demanding when they started helping her, what they were like, and if they had sex yet.

  "It's not like that," Danita protested. "We're not in a relationship together."

  "Why not?"

  Well, because they were sent by the loan shark to keep an eye on me, holding me hostage on my own land.

  Yeah, that would go over well. Danita hesitated. They had been sent by McGrath. But they had given her money to buy herself time to get the farm up and running, not to mention helping her out so much. And McGrath's response? Try to split them up. So they weren't exactly his toadies.

  Was McGrath sending them to keep an eye on her still a reason not to go for it? Were they even sticking around for him by this time, or for her?

  "Dani? Hello? Is it you or them stopping it from going to the next level?" Amelia's voice was heavily amused.

  Danita sighed. "Me. They've made it obvious that they want to… well, they want more than just to have me, Amelia. They want to share me. At the same time. I just don't know if it's a relationship thing, or if they just want sex."

  "How much are you paying them to help around the farm?"

  "Nothing."

  Amelia laughed. "That's not behavior of men who are looking for a one-night stand, or they would have left already. Shifters aren't like us, Dani. For them, more often than not, they see their forever mate and just stay with them, waiting for the pieces to fall into place."

  "But… even if that is true… how can it work? The three of us? I know the mechanics, at least I think I do… but what if I don't want…" Danita felt her face heating. It wasn't like she hadn't been imagining what it might be like between the three of them, but there was one thing that made her hesitant.

  "Remember what Tori used to say? If you can't say it, you're not old enough for it?"

  Danita had to laugh at the reminder of their shared foster mother. "Fine. What if I don't want anal sex? What if it hurts?"

  "It doesn't when it's done right. And trust me, when it's done right it feels good." Amelia giggled, no doubt at her own memories. "Just make sure you use lots of lube. I have to go, Dani. Wedding, three months. Be there or face my wrath. And good luck with your Bears!"

  "Thanks."

  Danita hung up the phone. She ate the sandwich slowly, considering what Amelia had told her. Not just about the sex, but about why the boys were helping her out. Could it be true that they had decided that she was their mate? Danita didn't know much about how shifters worked, but if she was their mate…

  And even if she wasn't, why do all this if they were just going to abandon her?

  There was still McGrath to worry about. The boys were convinced he wanted her, and the thought that the Leopard might be watching made her shiver. If McGrath wanted to sell her virginity—

  "It's mine," she said aloud. "My body to do with what I please."

  She wasn't going to let fear of McGrath rule her life. She wasn't going to deny herself what she wanted because of what he may or may not want. Besides, whatever fears she had had before were gone.

  Whatever fear she felt towards Ryan and Killian at first had all but vanished, leaving only desire behind. They were exactly what she wanted, and she was going to have what she wanted.

  Her mind made up and heart hammering with excitement, Danita abandoned her sandwich and ran outside to find them. They were in the barn, sweeping up a pile of loose hay. Danita grinned. What luck that they were both together. She stopped before them and put her hands on her hips

  "I have a question for you two." She looked between them, unable to stop her grin from widening even further. "Who do I kiss first?"

  The two Bears stopped their work. They both stared at her for a moment before glancing at each other. Identical grins blossomed over their faces. They tossed their brooms away. Ryan stalked towards her, causing her heart to beat a strange tempo, while Killian disappeared behind the pile of hay bales.

  "Where is he going?"

  Ryan picked her up by the thighs, hefting her to his waist easily. "To get the blanket."

  Danita opened her mouth to ask what blanket, but Ryan kissed her hard. It was unlike any kiss she had had before: fiery and demanding but at the same time tender. He held her tightly. Danita gasped in surprise but quickly relaxed, immersing herself in his passion, throwing her arms around his head, wanting to be closer. All too soon, he broke the kiss. A second pair of arms wrapped around her and she found herself being handed to Killian. His kiss was just as demanding as Ryan's had been.

  He laid her down on the pile of hay, covered by a blanket now. For a brief moment Dani found it odd that they had prepared for this already, but then they were laying on either side of her, both kissing her neck as their hands roamed her body, unclasping buttons, undoing zippers, easing her clothing from her body.

  Danita didn't even care that she hadn't so much as kissed them before. She wanted this, she wanted them to find parts of her where no one had ever gone before, and she wanted it now.

  "What do I do?" she blurted, pupils dilating with desire but not wanting to embarrass herself by doing something wrong. The boys clearly knew what they were doing, and she didn't have any experience in these matters…

  "Let us worship your body. You'll get the hang of it quickly, but this time is all about us giving you pleasure." Ryan kissed her forehead. "Just relax. We'll take care of you."

  She gripped his arms as he buried his face into her neck, making her skin tingle all over her body. Her eyes slid shut with ecstasy, smiling. Killian's hands stroked her thighs. Her core tightened when he pushed them apart, brushing his fingers against her. With Ryan's hands on her breasts and Killian's breath on her thighs, her heart was going so fast she thought she might have a heart attack. An exquisite tight tingling feeling build inside her, starting in her stomach and shooting through her arms and legs.

  "You are so beautiful," Ryan whispered, half laying over her body as she fought to keep from writhing under Killian's touch. "So very, very beautiful. We're the luckiest men on the planet that you decided to share yourself with us."

  "No, I'm lucky."

  Danita clung to him, crying out as Killian built the pressure inside her tighter. It felt so good, far better than anything she had been giving herself. Just when she was at her breaking point, Killian stopped.

  "Why?" she asked breathlessly.

  A chuckle and the sound of a zipper coming undone answered her. Danita's heart rate spiked as she realized Killian was undressing. When his hand brushed her thigh, she planted her feet on the floor and rolled her hips upwards.

  "Patience, sweetheart," Killian said. "We have to take this slow or it could hurt you."

  She bit her lip and giggled with excitement as Ryan shifted his weight off her. She felt a rush of heat to her skin as she gazed at her boys undressing, their gazed locked on her. There had been times in the past that she thought she had waited too long for her first time, but right now she knew–she had waited just the right length of time.
>
  She had waited for her boys, even if she didn't know she had been waiting for them.

  "Let's get this right." Ryan lifted Danita from the hay pile, beating it flat while she clung to his warmth. Killian moved up behind her and kissed the back of her neck gently.

  "This is right," she sighed. "This is perfect."

  Killian laughed, tugging her away from Ryan to lay her back down on the hay. He spread out over her, slipping his tongue into her mouth. She could feel him against her and sighed in delight. It turned into a yelp as he rolled over so she was on top. Ryan draped himself over her, kissing the back of her neck as he caged them both with his huge body.

  "Wait, wait." Danita swiped her hair out of her eyes. She wanted this so bad, but there was still a little fear. "I don't know if I can take you both at once."

  "Not right away, no," Killian said. "Which is why Ryan gets you first. Then I get you."

  "How did you decide that?"

  "Rock, paper, scissors. Best twenty-nine out of thirty." He brushed the hair from her face. "Do you trust us?"

  Danita sucked her lip between her teeth. Of course she did. But this was so new to her… she knew it would hurt but didn't know how much. But if anybody could take care of her, it was her boys. Her body relaxed against Killian's. She nodded.

  With Killian's hands stroking her back and his mouth on hers, she shivered. His hips were firm between her thighs, Ryan's body solid behind her as he eased himself in, oh so very slowly. Almost too slowly. Her heart was going wild with delight, her nerve endings setting fire as she stretched to take him in. Twice he stopped and worked her a little before continuing.

  Danita groaned. It felt so very good. She could hear Ryan grunting with effort as she started a slow, steady rhythm.

  "Does that hurt?"

  She shook her head. It stung a little, but there was far too much pleasure for her to risk this ending. Ryan picked up his pace, grunting. Killian's arms were firm around her waist, his mouth on hers, and the intensity of her feelings nearly drowned her. Killian caught her cries in his mouth.