“Not closely enough if she can sneak away and break into other people’s houses.” He frowned. Had she done that often? Was she a criminal like her brother? Not that it mattered. She wouldn’t be doing anything remotely dangerous again. He’d surround her in so much protection she wouldn’t be able to use the bathroom without him knowing.
“I don’t like the look of your face,” Garret said.
“What look?”
“You’re smiling,” Joe told him. “Stop it. It’s disturbing.”
He sighed. “We’ll guard her better. Her B&E days are over. Was she there because of him? Did he pressure her into it?”
“She says no. I believe her. But she wouldn’t tell me why she broke in here.”
“Her brother’s a criminal. It’s not hard to believe she could be involved in what he does,” Joe said.
Garret shook his head. “You don’t know as much about him as I do. People talk to me. I hear the stories. And rumor has it she’s guarded like a crown jewel. She’s protected. And probably smothered all at the same time.”
“Then how come he didn’t know what she was up to? How did she manage to get here without him noticing?” Sawyer asked.
“Because only she knew about the tunnels. They were in her mother’s diary.”
Now, that was interesting.
“We don’t need him finding out about them,” Sawyer said. “They’re a security risk.”
“Then you can go through and dynamite them all,” Joe told him. “After we have our mate safely under our roof.”
“Yeah, well, there might be a problem with that. More than just who her brother is,” Garret said with a grimace.
“And what would that be?” Joe asked in a cold voice. “Does this have something to do with why you didn’t bring her back with you?”
“I had to leave before my bear appeared and scared her to death,” Garret told him with a frown.
“How did that happen?” Sawyer asked. “Did something make you angry?”
Garret blew out a breath. “You could say that. I might have told her that I wouldn’t have sex with her until the three of us could take her together. And she might have reacted badly to the idea of the three of us taking her.”
“Jesus, why didn’t you wait until we had her back here to tell her that.” Joe closed his eyes for a moment.
“You were supposed to charm her, not piss her off,” Sawyer snapped. He might have been stuck in his bear form, but he’d still taken everything in.
“I know. But I was more impatient than I thought I’d be. I needed her. Needed to taste her. Give her pleasure. Possess her. Nothing else mattered and my charm seemed to disappear. I could feel the beast pushing at me. It was rolling beneath my skin, and I had to get out quickly before it broke free. That might be why I didn’t guard my words as much as I should have. But, God, if you could have seen her come, heard those noises of pleasure, you’d understand.”
“We might never know, because she’ll probably shoot us on sight,” Joe snapped.
Garret looked worried. “We need to get her out of there. I’ll go back and talk to her.”
“No,” Joe said quickly. “You’re not going this time. I am.”
“You can’t go,” Sawyer said.
“Why not?” Joe’s eyes glowed.
“Because you’re the only one who hasn’t changed. What if it happens to you while you’re around her?”
Joe clenched his teeth together. “I have enough control to hold back the change.”
Garret snorted. “You think you do. But just wait until she is wrapped around you, her nipples pressing into your chest, and her hot little pussy humping your leg.”
“Jesus, Garret, that’s our mate you’re speaking of,” Joe bit out. “Have some respect.”
“What? Just because she’s our mate we can’t talk about how fucking sexy she is? We’re all planning on fucking her, right? And quite often. There’s no way I can keep my hands off her. I know that for sure.”
“I’ll go,” Sawyer interrupted them before they could break out into a full-blown argument. Tempers were high, that was easy to see.
“You?” Joe looked horrified.
Sawyer might have been offended, if he wasn’t surprised by the offer himself. “You can’t go. You might change. And Garret pissed her off, so he can’t go.”
“And you think you won’t piss her off?” Garret asked. “You’re not exactly known for your tact.”
That was an understatement.
“Someone has to go. She needs to know we’re serious. That she’s ours. Besides, I owe her some punishment. Both for breaking in and out of here.” And that thought made the palm of his hand tingle.
Garret smiled. “She’s got a nice little ass for spanking. Round and juicy.”
He gaped at Garret. “You spanked her?”
“She was talking down about herself. She doesn’t think her body is feminine enough. Christ, if she were any hotter, I would have come in my pants like a damn teenager.”
“This is our mate,” Joe told them both. “You shouldn’t be spanking her.”
“And you shouldn’t be putting her up on some pedestal,” Garret snapped back.
“We owe her respect.”
“Yeah, we do. And I respect the hell out of her. I also think she’s hot. And I want to fuck her. So damn much it hurts like you wouldn’t believe. I didn’t know my balls could burn so badly. If I didn’t respect her, don’t you think I would have just taken her last night? I could have. I could have had her with a look. But she’s a virgin. She deserves to be taken in a proper bed with the three of us worshipping her like the goddess she is.”
“That’s better,” Joe growled.
“Still doesn’t mean I don’t have some naughty, school-girl fantasies I want to play out.” Garret grinned. “And she’s no saint. Oh, no, I saw the way her eyes heated up when I smacked her ass. She’s into it. And if you want to keep up with her, Joe, then you better lose than damn stick up your ass. I don’t want you to make her feel ashamed of her own needs.”
Sawyer was surprised by Garret’s words. He’d never heard him sound so passionate about something. Not even those damn sweet treats he was so fond of. He could see Joe felt the same. Their oldest brother nodded. “All right. I hear you.” He turned to Sawyer. “You really think you can get her to come back with you? To convince her that we all need to talk to her?”
“I can damn well try.”
9
Okay, this was getting old. She pulled the curtains open with an irritated yank. She was already in a pissy mood. She hadn’t slept last night. Then she couldn’t even catch a nap today because she was too worked up over that bastard’s parting words.
If Garret thought he and his brothers were going to tag team her, he had another thought coming.
Yeah? Then how come when you fell asleep just now you were plagued with dreams of doing just that. And you liked it?
Because there was something wrong with her. There had to be something defective inside her to be attracted to three guys.
Idiot.
She opened the window and glared down at Sawyer. She supposed she could be grateful it wasn’t Garret. But she wasn’t. And she wasn’t exactly quiet when she spoke.
“Fuck off and don’t come back. Any of you.”
He stared up at her. “I’m not leaving.”
“Yes. You are. And if you don’t, I’m going to start screaming.”
“No, you’re not.”
“No? And why is that?”
“Because you don’t want your brother and his men,” there was a sneer as he said that word, “to get hurt.”
She raised her eyebrows at his arrogance. “And what makes you think you won’t be the one to get hurt?”
“There are things about me you don’t know. Throw the rope down.”
“I got rid of it.”
“I don’t like being lied to, little girl. Throw it down. Now.”
She ground her teeth toge
ther. She hated being condescended to. But he spoke the truth, damn him. And the truth was she didn’t want anyone getting hurt on her behalf. Him included. So, she threw the rope down. She didn’t watch him climb up, though. Instead she moved to her wardrobe and pulled out some sweats, hastily pulling them on. When he was inside, he pulled up the rope and closed the window, turning to her.
His mouth turned up at the edges. “Think that’s going to help you?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Sugar, the more layers you put on, the more I have to pull off. And I’ve always enjoyed unwrapping presents.”
She watched him warily, trying to keep a healthy distance as he stalked towards her. There was hunger in his eyes, and a bit of that wildness. She knew he’d never be tame. Would never bow to pressure. Or do what was expected of him unless he wanted to. He was a lot more dangerous than his brother. At least Garret was fairly easy to understand. He was governed by lust. Joe by control. But Sawyer, she wasn’t certain what drove him.
Although she was having to reassess her view of Garret after last night. He hadn’t taken her. And he could have.
“What are you doing here, Sawyer?”
“I came to talk to you.”
“Just talk?” she asked sceptically. She could see the look in his eyes. That wasn’t the look of a man who just wanted to talk.
“We can do more than that if you want. Much more. My brother says you taste like peaches. I think I might like to find that out for myself.”
Her breath caught, her pulse raced, and she grew wet. He did not just say that. And she did not just react with lust.
“Of course, I plan on doing a bit more than that. I owe you a punishment.”
“A punishment?”
“You were naughty, Gigi.”
Shit, she liked hearing her name from his lips just a bit too much.
“I’m not a child.”
He ran his gaze over her. “No, you certainly aren’t. And those ugly sweats, which I intend to let my brother burn as soon as I get you home, can’t disguise how much of a woman you are.”
He moved his eyes to hers. They caught. She just stared, unable to look away. He had power over her. And they both knew it. But as his eyes flickered, she thought she held some power too.
Damned if she knew what to do with it, though. And that was the crux of the problem. She had no idea how to handle any of this. Exhaustion flowed through her and a headache pounded into her with vicious strikes. “What do you want, Sawyer? If you’re here to tell me that you and your brothers are intending to claim me in some sort of weird love triangle then you can just save your breath. I’m not interested.”
“A triangle has three sides.”
“What?” she looked at him in bafflement.
“A triangle has three sides. There are four of us. This would be a square or rectangle.”
“Anyone ever told you that you’re very strange?”
“My brothers tell me all the time.”
“I’m not doing whatever this weird thing is the three of you have planned. I’ve got enough shit to contend with. I don’t need this as well.”
“What shit?”
“Huh?” She wished she’d gotten some sleep. She wasn’t up to sparring with him. She swayed slightly, reached out a hand to steady herself, and he grabbed hold of her, tucking her in close.
“Damn it. Did Garret keep you awake all night? What was he thinking?”
He swung her up into his arms, and she gasped, grabbing hold of his shoulders. “What are you doing?”
“Taking you to bed.”
She stiffened. “I told you, I’m not doing that.”
“Hush. I didn’t say I was going to fuck you. But you need rest. You have a headache.”
Give the man a star. But she didn’t say that out loud since he was being quite nice. And she would have sounded like a complete bitch.
She rubbed at her temples. “Yeah.” He laid her on the bed.
“Have you got any pain killers?”
“In my top drawer.”
He opened her drawer and pulled the bottle out. “These are shit. Can’t your brother get you better?”
“They’re standard issue.” She stared up at him, surprised by the venom in his voice. The disapproval.
“Got any water?”
“There’s a glass in the bathroom.”
He disappeared and returned to hand her two pills. But instead of handing over the water, he helped her sit and held the water to her lips.
“I can do that myself.”
“I am well aware of that fact. Just because I intend to spank your ass doesn’t mean I see you as a child.”
“You’re a weirdo.”
There was a flicker in his eyes. Had she hurt him?
“I am well aware of that fact.”
She took hold of his hand as he attempted to turn away. And she realized that this man, despite his toughness, could be hurt badly by thoughtless words.
“I’m sorry, Sawyer. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Especially not when he was being so kind. That made her feel low.
“I don’t always pick up on social cues,” he told her. “I’m not very good at figuring out emotions. But I know how to protect. I know how to be loyal. And I will damn sure work out how to love.”
Her jaw dropped open. “Are you? Is that . . . what?”
“I know Garret handled things badly. I’m not exactly a good choice to try and explain this but Joe . . . we couldn’t let Joe come.”
“Is he all right?” The words were out before she could pull them back, and she cursed herself for them. For finding herself concerned about Joe.
“He will be. With you.”
She shook her head then winced. The pain killers hadn’t settled in. “I’m not . . . you can’t just claim me. I’m a person, damn it.”
“You are.” He nodded. “I get it if you don’t want me. I’m difficult. I have darker urges than my brothers.”
Darker urges? Well that should have put her on alert as much as anything else. So why did she want to prod him about these darker urges? Did he mean the penchant he had for wanting to spank her or something more?
“Garret hides behind his smile and charm. Joe behind his OCD tendencies and his belief in what is the proper way to behave.” He smiled. “And me? I have a need to keep everyone safe. To protect. To control. My control is different than Joe’s though.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “Some bad things happened in my past. I had a best friend who died when we were taken prisoner by the enemy.”
“You were in the armed forces.”
His gaze grew distant. “A long time ago.”
Considering he looked about thirty, it couldn’t have been that long ago. “I could hear his screams, you know. As they tortured him. And there was nothing I could do to help him. I just stood there in that cell, helpless. Unable to do a damn fucking thing.”
She couldn’t even imagine. “I’m so sorry, Sawyer. Really.” The words were useless, she knew. But he turned his gaze back to her. “It’s a part of my life I try to forget. I never could get over the feelings of helplessness though.”
It explained his need for control. And the deep desire he had to protect his brothers.
“I wouldn’t be easy to live with. I’d want to control your every movement. I’d demand to know where you were at all times. I’d be a pain in the ass.”
“Yeah, I figured that.”
“It would take a strong woman to put up with that. Maybe learn when to push back and when to give in.”
“And you think I’m strong?”
“Oh, I think you’re very strong.”
“Then why do you keep threatening to punish me? Is it because you want to take away my strength?”
“Oh, no, baby.” He ran that finger along her lips. “I’d never want to do that. It’s your very strength that draws me to you. A weaker woman would bow under me. Wouldn’t fight back. Wouldn’t push me to be better. She’d let me run
all over her, and I don’t want that.”
“You want to fight with me?”
“I don’t call it fighting so much as foreplay.”
It was crazy. Insane. He was insane. And yet she felt like laughing.
“I really don’t understand this. How can you think the three of you will share me? That stuff only happens in books and movies.”
“Not true,” he replied. “Our fathers shared our mother.”
She gaped at him for a moment. “So, this is a family thing?”
“Sort of.” His gaze flicked away. He wasn’t as guarded in his answers as Garret. Not used to talking to other people, she guessed. Garret seemed the most socialised of the three of them.
“Something is going on here that I don’t understand. It’s not normal to want to share someone, especially someone you hardly know. Forty-eight hours ago, you were going to torture me for answers.”
He shook his head. “I would never do that. I would never torture a woman.”
“But you’d spank them.”
He smiled. “Now, that’s a whole different kettle of fish.”
She snorted.
“And if it makes you feel better, you are the only female I ever intend to spank again.”
“Oh, that makes me feel loads better,” she told him.
“Good.” He smiled.
Note to self: Understanding sarcasm is not Sawyer’s strong suit.
“I have never felt for anyone what I feel for you, little one.”
Her heart skipped as he ran a finger down her neck. The painkiller was starting to kick in, but it was making her feel sluggish. Slow. He smiled down at her.
“You’re so gorgeous.”
He chuckled. “Those pills have hit you hard, huh?”
“I usually only take a half one. I’m little. It doesn’t take much to knock me out.”
“I’ll make a note of that for next time.” He frowned slightly. “Perhaps you don’t eat enough. I’ll watch that too.”
She tried to roll her eyes, but the room kind of spun, making her feel sick. She yawned.
“You need to sleep.”
“Can’t sleep while you’re here.”
Golden Binds Page 11