The Wanted

by Rory Miles

  He flipped me onto my back, making me squeal in delight. When he pushed into my slick opening, my breath hitched. His lips caught the sounds escaping my mouth. My thighs clenched when he went deep, grinding his hips against mine. His cock pulsed inside me as he hit a spot that made me moan.

  “Harder,” I begged, kissing him fervently.

  My back arched when he pulled out of me, begging for him to come back. Fingers wrapped around my ankles, pulling them up and laying them on his shoulders. The head of his penis pressed in, stretching me. Then, he thrust into me over and over. A wave of pleasure rolled over me; my nails dug into his forearms as he carried me through it, unrelenting. Just as the first wave subsided, another orgasm crashed over me. I cried out, begging for more.

  Bron dropped one of my legs down, adjusting to the new position before he continued to break me. Delicious heat wrapped around my core. Gooseflesh rose on my arms as he brought me to the biggest crescendo yet. My fingers grasped the sheet near my head, my body writhing as he came with me. Slowing his movements and dropping my leg, Bron dropped onto his forearms.

  After taking a steadying breath, he kissed me. My core pulsed around him, thanking him for his service. The sweetest ache filled me when he pulled out ever so slowly. Bron flopped onto his back, giving me a lazy smile. I curled around him, kissing his shoulder and laying my head down.

  A feather-light touch floated up and down my back.

  “I like it when we fight.”

  I shoved him from where I lay. “I’m still mad at you.”

  His fingers stopped moving. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

  “Why did you make me leave?” The vulnerability in my voice killed me. When had I become so soft?

  He sighed. “Kace needed to be dealt with.”

  “What does that mean?” I asked, lifting up and searching his face. He had the beginnings of a bruise on his left cheek. How had I missed that? “Oh.” A frown pulled at my lips. “I don’t want to be the reason you fight.”

  Bron gave me a tight smile. “Kace and I fight for many reasons. Trust me, this isn’t the first time we’ve gotten into it.”

  That may have been true but I still didn’t like that they’d gotten into a fistfight because of me. If being with all of them meant this was the new normal . . . I wasn’t sure I wanted to be in this relationship. For now though, I was more than content to spend the day in bed with Bron.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Finding Ezme, the wanted girl, didn’t take long. To my annoyance, she’d started working at Sammie’s muffin shop. I peered around the large tree trunk, ducking behind it when she left her most recent shift.

  One, two, three.

  When I glanced back around the tree, her flowing brunette hair had disappeared. A frown pulled at my lips as I glanced around her normal route. I let out a frustrated breath. No way did the girl give me the slip. Pivoting and glancing in the other direction, I found her walking toward the heart of the city. There was only one place she could be going to: Forest Institute.

  Why someone on the run wanted to take college classes wasn’t any of my concern, but I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the girl. I mean, really, she wanted to go to college while hiding from a queen who was willing to pay a fortune for her return? Talk about strange priorities. My hair swayed as I rushed to catch up and my legs protested, still sore from the day I’d spent with Bron. The man sure knew how to get in a workout.

  Whatever Ezme’s reason for enrolling in classes, the institute would provide the perfect cover for me to do some reconnaissance. Trailing behind her without being noticed wasn’t hard. She either didn’t know someone was after her or didn’t care. The adviser—bless her heart—listed off Ezme’s classes: Defensive Combat, Practical Magic Application, and Comprehensive Histories of the Lands and Waters. Now that I knew her full schedule, I could start gathering more information about her while trying to figure out what to do with the bounty. I left the office before Ezme noticed me, heading back to the cottage for my date with Noah.

  Magic domes scattered around the forest floor, providing the couples inside a sheer veil of privacy. With a flick of his wrist, Noah straightened out the red-and-white-checkered blanket. He gestured for me to sit down first, pulling the basket he’d brought into our picnic area before creating a large sheer dome of vibrant red magic.

  A pang of longing ran through me as we became encased in magic. I’d been able to do that once. Tears stung my eyes as I looked at all the colors surrounding us. Almost all of the sectors’ colors were here. Most of the domes were brown, which made sense—we were in Forest Sector, after all. One gray for Mountain, a light green dome—magic from the Valley—and two yellow domes fueled by magic from the Plains.

  “So, you are from Desert Sector?” I asked.

  “My parents were from Desert Sector.”

  “Do you see them often?”

  “No.” He shrugged, struggling to keep the easy smile on his face.

  “What are they like?” Trust me, I knew wanting to keep the past in the past more than anyone. I couldn’t believe I’d asked such a probing question.

  “My mom lived in Forest City when she met my dad. They were both going to the institute, and the way my mom told it made it seem like they’d fallen in love the night they met.” His voice thickened with emotion.

  None of the men had talked much about their families. In fact, none of them had ever mentioned friends. Not wanting to pry, I opened the basket and laid out the wrapped-up food, smiling when I saw Sloan’s famous sandwiches. Nothing about these sandwiches was mediocre. Sloan used the finest and thinnest cuts of meat, piling them high with the delicious sauce he made drizzled in between each layer. Fresh tomato, lettuce, and onion rested on the bed of meat, all of it cocooned in the fresh hoagie rolls he made from scratch.

  The corners of my mouth twitched. Maybe they were okay with the dating situation. Why else would Sloan make the food for Noah?

  “That sounds sweet. Do they still live here?”

  His throat bobbed. “They passed away last year.”

  Where was my foot when I needed it?

  “Sorry,” I mumbled, dipping my head in embarrassment.

  He waved it off, dismissing the conversation. “Ready to eat?”

  While the rest of the date was enjoyable, Noah couldn’t seem to shake the sadness that shrouded over him when I asked about his parents. Violet and orange ribbons crawled across the sky. We watched the sun slip beyond the horizon before Noah released the magic holding the dome together. On a whim, I threaded my fingers with his, holding tight as we walked. He smiled at me, the first real smile since we talked about the death of his parents. Night critters began to make noises as darkness bloomed over the sky, crying out in excitement for another night of debauchery.

  “I had a good time.” Strands of black hair fell into my eyes; I pushed them away, grinning at him.

  He squeezed my hand. “I hope my story didn’t ruin it.” He grimaced, looking away from me.

  “Trust me, I completely understand having a troubled past.” The laugh escaping my lips sounded forced.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  I shook my head. The night had been filled with enough sadness. Telling him my parents had ostracized me after I’d been stripped of my magic and taken by the DMC would only make it worse. Not only had I lost my power, I’d also lost my family. The stricken look on my mother’s face still haunted me. The thoughts flitting across her face as she took in my disheveled appearance the night I showed up on her doorstep.

  Her daughter, a latent. The shame.

  No sympathy for what I’d gone through in order to escape the torturous bastards. What good would it do telling him, or any of the guys, about how my family felt about me now? The best thing to do was pretend like it never happened, stay focused on new marks and unravel Ezme’s story.

  Five days had passed and Flynn still didn’t know about Ezme. I’d given him some small
er jobs, hoping he wouldn’t screw up again. So far, he hadn’t. The latest one had given him a nasty shiner on his right eye but he was no worse for the wear. He hissed when I used a cloth soaked in alcohol to clean a scratch on his neck.

  “Who knew you’d be such a baby.”

  He glared down at me. “Just hurry up so they’ll stop looking at me like they want to murder me.”

  I cast a glance over my shoulder, shaking my head. Bron, Corban, and Erik stood with their arms crossed and eyes narrowed at Flynn. Somehow they’d forgotten I had zero interest in him. My guys—yes, I’d decided they were mine—outshone Flynn in every possible way.

  Erik looked less intimidating with a smile threatening to burst across his face. Corban and Bron were ready to knock Flynn out should he try anything funny. They’d practically growled when I told them we were going to be painting Mrs. Draper’s house together. Alone. Did they think because we’d made this group dating arrangement, my vagina would assault any dick that came near me?

  “All done.” Wiping my hands on the damp cloth and scooting back, I appraised Flynn’s black eye, turning his head to one side. “What will Mrs. Draper think of your pretty face now?”

  He snorted. “It’s not her I’m worried about.”

  I let go of his jaw, and furrowed my brow at him. “What?”

  “Nothing,” he mumbled. “I should go. See you tomorrow?”

  “I’ll bring my painting shoes.”

  He smirked, glancing at Bron before saying, “Just shoes?”

  I slapped my hand on Bron’s chest before he could throttle him.

  “Down, boy. He’s joking.”

  Flynn winked at me before he left. The man had a death wish. Crossing my arms and rounding on Bron, I glared up at him like the two hundred pounds of solid muscle he sported didn’t scare me.

  “What do you think you are doing?” Though I sounded upset, I couldn’t help but be a bit turned on by how possessive they were all acting.

  Bron leaned down, coming mere inches from my face. “Protecting what’s mine.”

  Gooseflesh raised on my arms and my thighs clenched, remembering how he’d worshiped my body the other day.

  “Ours,” Corban corrected with an angry huff. “We are protecting what’s ours.”

  Bron straightened, giving him a scathing look.

  Erik quirked a brow at him. “We are still sharing, right?”

  I sighed when Bron growled something unintelligible at him. The sound made him glance back at me, eyes softening when he saw the lines of frustration on my face.

  “Yes. We’re still sharing.” He gave me a long, heated look, eyes slowly tracing the lines of my body.

  My fingers ached to reach out to him, wanting to pull him closer. Corban came over, clapping Bron on the back and effectively killing the moment. The stiffening of Bron’s shoulders didn’t escape my notice. He had agreed to share, but I wasn’t sure his instincts would let him. He wanted someone he could keep to himself.

  Corban raised an eyebrow at me. “Good news, babe. Our date is in three days.”

  Erik dropped a kiss on my cheek while Bron watched. When he moved to cover my lips with his, my eyes fluttered closed, the kiss taking hold and possessing my every thought. Despite the waves of discomfort and anger rolling off of him, Bron didn’t say anything.

  “I’ll come visit you tonight,” Erik whispered in my ear.

  The edges of my lips tilted up, remembering his earlier promise.

  “She needs sleep, Erik. Don’t keep her up all night.” Corban pulled me to him, lifting me out of Erik’s arms and kissed me just as deeply. The moisture between my thighs doubled when he bit my neck. “Don’t forget who your favorite is.”

  I narrowed my eyes, pushing on his chest. Favorites wasn’t a game I would play with Bron present. Especially not while he watched me with slitted eyes, face turning red with barely restrained jealousy. Corban glanced over his shoulder, scoffing and placing me back on the floor.

  “If you’re going to share you need to relax.”

  My breath hissed between my teeth. Even I knew you should never tell an angry person to relax. Perhaps it was Corban who had the death wish. Bron spun, leaving the cottage and slamming the front door closed.

  “Why did you do that?” Corban stumbled when I pushed him away.

  “Because Bron needs to come to terms with this. If he can’t do this,” he pointed between me, him and Erik, “we have a problem.”

  Erik grunted in agreement, a grimace lining his normally cheery face.

  “Part of the agreement was no fighting. With the way he is acting now, it’s only a matter of time before he picks a fight with someone.”

  Corban’s words rang true. Bron had been so angry, on the verge of losing control. Erik and Corban didn’t mind that I’d kissed them both in a matter of moments. Noah and Sloan didn’t project those emotions either when we were all together. As much as it bothered me to admit, Bron needed to work on controlling himself. If he couldn’t learn to share without starting fights, he wouldn’t get to be a part of this. But then again, if he wasn’t a part of the relationship, would it even feel right? They all made me feel special in their own unique way, but even I couldn’t ignore how much I craved Bron—his spirit, smoldering looks, and the way he kissed. Goddess, the idea of dating five men at once had sounded great. Now it just felt like too much responsibility. How could I manage a life with the five of them when I had a hard enough time managing life on my own?

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Strong arms lifted me off the couch, stirring me from sleep.

  “Rudehmupher,” I mumbled incoherently, wrapping my legs around Erik.

  He said he’d come see me, but I hadn’t expected him to come in the middle of the night, given the others’ warnings about me needing rest. I should have known better, though; Erik didn’t give a fuck what anyone said. With me wrapped around him, he lay back on the couch. My head rested on his shoulder, smiling like a fool despite being woken. He settled on the couch, one hand resting on the small of my back and the other holding my right thigh, keeping me from straightening my legs. Soon I was snoring, not giving a damn that I would be straddling him all night.

  When morning came and I woke, I remembered why I should have changed sleeping positions. Every part of Erik pressed against me, including the very impressive, extremely hard, length of him. My face flushed against his shoulder and I kept my eyes closed while I tried to figure out how to get off of him without waking him.

  “You’re awake,” he said, voice groggy with sleep.

  “So are you,” I teased, trying to ignore how much I liked the way he sounded first thing in the morning. My eyes opened to meet his hungry gaze. Something told me—maybe it was his cock?—that he wasn’t hungry for food.

  His lips quirked up. “Can you blame me?”

  I giggled, resting my head against his chest. The laughter died when he pressed me against him. My head lifted so I could glare at him when he did it again, applying pressure to the sensitive bundle of nerves. His eyes glinted with challenge, daring me to make a move. Before I could, the door to the bedroom opened and feet slapped against the floor.

  Erik closed his eyes, sighing with exasperation. “Fuck me.”

  I leaned closer, brushing my lips against his. “Later,” I promised.

  He smirked.

  “Really? On the couch?” Kace sneered at us.

  I scowled, lifting my hips off of Erik’s to show him we weren’t doing anything. The blanket was still warm as I sat and pulled it around me. He frowned, shaking his head at me before leaving. Sloan followed after him a few minutes later, heading out to do whatever they did.

  My head tilted, smiling sweetly at Erik. “Where are they going?”

  “You know I can’t tell you that.” The pants of his jeans rustled when he pulled them on. His arousal strained against the material when he finished buttoning them. With a gentle touch of a finger, he tilted my chin up, taking in my frown.
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br />   “Why won’t you guys tell me?” The slight whine in my voice bothered me. They knew so much about me, yet I knew so little about them. Other than Noah, none of them had told me about themselves: where they grew up, how they all met. I had so many questions.

  “I don’t like that look.”

  “How did you meet the guys?”

  He looked taken aback. “We were raised together.”

  He said it as though the information was common knowledge and not some closely guarded secret. The skin between my brows pinched together with my frustration.

  “Where?”

  “What’s wrong?”

  A puff of air passed through my lips. “You’ve never told me that. I know nothing about your life. What you all do is this big secret and I’m not allowed to know even though I live here.”

  “Sounds like a pretty heavy conversation.” Shawn’s hip leaned against the back of the couch.

  Taking in his crossed arms and quirked brow, I decided it best not to pursue my line of questioning any further.

  “I’ve got to get ready. Flynn and I are painting Mrs. Draper’s house today.”

  When I stood, Erik stepped aside, letting me go into the bathroom first. Tears stung my eyes. I refused to acknowledge them. Why was I crying? Because I didn’t know enough about them? Knowing what they did for work shouldn’t be such a big deal. They knew what I did. Were they part of some secret organization? I shook my head, pulling on a fresh white tank top. While protective of each other, none of the men struck me as the clandestine-job type.

  Then there was the matter of their collective past. Some things were better left forgotten; I knew that all too well. What sort of history did they share and why couldn’t they tell me when I’d told them about the DMC? Would knowing their past really change things?