Broderick: A Sabine Valley Novel

by Katee Robert

  “We’re friends.” There’s something strange in Shiloh’s voice, a note that draws my gaze despite my best intention to look everywhere but at her. She’s…blushing?

  I blink. “We’re friends?” I mean it to come out like a statement, but the words tilt up at the end, morphing it into a question. I know how I feel, but Shiloh has never given me the slightest indication that she might feel the same way.

  Monroe snorts. “Okay, let’s try this a different way. Broderick, do you want to strip Shiloh down and do all sorts of filthy things to her?”

  I choke. “What the fuck, Monroe?”

  She laughs and lowers her voice. “That’s a yes, husband.” She focuses on Shiloh. “And you? Do you want to see what kind of heat he’s packing in those fitted pants of his? Maybe try out the thing he does with his fingers?”

  “Monroe.”

  “Also a yes.” She claps her hands together. “So glad we got this out of the way. Let’s get naked.”

  Chapter 15

  Monroe

  There’s a little voice in my head that’s trying very valiantly to remind me that keeping Broderick and Shiloh apart is the best way to torment him. To punish him for thinking he can cage the heir to the Amazon throne. That was the plan from day one, after all.

  I’m tired of it.

  I still don’t like Broderick all that much. He’s stuffy and too concerned with what he should be doing, rather than what he wants to do. Yes, I like the way he fucks when I push him past the edge. And yes, I actually enjoy the act of shoving him right into recklessness. But I don’t like him.

  Shiloh, on the other hand?

  She’s a different story altogether. She was just a pretty girl when I first put my plan together, someone I was attracted to but nothing else. The past three weeks have changed that. Fuck, the past three days have changed that. I like Shiloh. I like her strength, the sense of humor she keeps locked down, how kick-ass she is.

  I also like how sweet she tastes.

  What I’m not too keen on is how she and Broderick are staring at me like I’ve sprouted a second head. “What?”

  “You can’t just say stuff like that,” Shiloh finally manages. She’s bright red and trying her best not to fidget. It’s cute—or it would be if it didn’t signal that tonight isn’t going to go the way I’d like it to. “I know you like being outrageous but—”

  “Shiloh.” I wait for her to look at me. “I like you. You like me. You like Broderick. Broderick likes you. I like to fuck Broderick, and he tells himself he just fucks me because he has to. One plus one plus one equals a triad.”

  “That’s not how math works.” Her eyes are a little too wide.

  Gods, I’ve traumatized my girl.

  I take a breath. It’s okay. She’ll get over it once we wade through this first step. I turn my attention to Broderick. “What we have isn’t working right now.”

  “That doesn’t mean we light the whole fucking thing on fire.” He’s trying to lock down his reaction, but he wants this just as badly as I do. The man exhausts me with his determination to deny himself the things he desires.

  I frown at him. “What’s the holdup? Are you afraid you’re going to bruise little, innocent Shiloh? She can hold her own.”

  “Monroe!” Shiloh slashes a hand through the air. “Broderick is my friend, and that means something. Maybe you fuck your friends—”

  “Sometimes.” I shrug. “Depends on the friend and their preferences.”

  “Oh gods, you’re serious.” Broderick drags his hand through his hair. He hasn’t managed to get it cut since Lammas, and it’s just long enough that it stands on end from the motion. “Not all friendships are like that.”

  They’re both so damn stubborn, we could go around like this all night. It’s late, I’m tired and horny, and I need to have my game face back on in time to return to the Amazon faction in the morning. I sit up and cross my legs, barely managing not to roll my eyes when they both zero in on my hips where the T-shirt bunches. For such noble fools, they’re both so damn lusty. I really don’t understand how they haven’t had sex before now.

  I sigh. “So, let me get this straight. The tension between you that’s so thick, you can cut it with a knife, but instead of fucking your way through it, you’d both rather keep fucking me, separately. And driving each other wild with jealousy while you do? How does that sound like a good time for anyone but me?”

  “You underestimate yourself,” Broderick mutters.

  “On that, we can agree,” Shiloh says.

  I want to shake them. Instead, I just wait. Despite what everyone believes, I can be patient on occasion. In theory. Under normal circumstances, at least.

  This situation has been stressing me the fuck out. Not just Broderick and Shiloh, but the whole Bride situation. No matter how intensely I try to distract myself, the truth is that even my mother is looking at me differently now that I’m a Bride to a Paine. To a Raider. She’s trying very hard not to, but she also hasn’t so much as attempted to plan something with me since I struck the deal to be able to return to working. That speaks volumes even more than the reassurances she’s given me.

  My mother doesn’t trust me anymore.

  Why am I thinking about this now, when I’m faced with two very gorgeous people who have both proven they know how to make me orgasm fast and hard?

  I rub my face. I’m tired. That’s all it is. This has been an incredibly long day, and it’s wearing me down. “Okay, fine. If we’re not going to have a sexy triad, can we wrap this up? I need my beauty rest.”

  Something flickers over Shiloh’s face, and if I were a romantic person, I’d accuse her of worrying about me. That’s silly, though. I’m bulletproof. Everyone knows it. Knock me down and I come back up swinging without hesitation, ready to do double the damage in half the time.

  So why does my chest feel so tight?

  I’m a shark. Keep swimming or drown.

  Just have to keep moving.

  “There’s something else.” Broderick’s tone has the small hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. The fact he won’t meet my gaze only has my internal alarms blaring louder. He curses. “We have to figure our shit out, and we have to do it now.”

  “Why? We’re functioning just fine by avoiding each other.” Obviously I’m aware of the message that sends to people both inside and outside of the compound, but that’s Broderick’s problem, not mine.

  “If we don’t find a happy medium, I don’t know if you’ll survive the month.”

  I blink, letting the words roll over me. Letting my brain process. “You’re the one who’s been avoiding me.” But of course, that doesn’t matter what the cause is, only the perception of those around us. If I were in Abel’s position, I wouldn’t have let it go on this long. Broderick avoiding his Bride sends a clear message about the power dynamics between us—that they aren’t in his favor. The stunt Abel pulled on Lammas means all of Sabine Valley has its gaze turned in our direction. They can’t afford to falter now, to show the least bit of weakness, or the rest of the city will fall on them like rabid dogs.

  My chest goes tight, but I muscle past the physical response and paste a smile on my face. “So Abel’s going to clean up your mess.” My laugh sounds a little hysterical, but I can’t help that. “Will it be poison, or will he shove me out a window? I’m assuming violence is out, because my mother would raze this fucking faction to the ground if she could prove you’d murdered me.”

  Which means Winry would take over as heir.

  The thought makes me sick. My little sister is brilliant and kind and loving, but she would wither away as the Amazon queen, having to sacrifice piece after piece of herself until she became just as cold and ruthless as our mother and I are. I don’t want that for her. She doesn’t want the role, either.

  Shiloh spins to stare at Broderick. “He wouldn’t.”

  “You know better. Abel only cares about establishing us here as securely as possible and the safety of our pe
ople. Monroe isn’t one of ours.”

  “I can hear you.” I mean for it to come out jokingly, but the words fall flatly between us.

  Shiloh clenches her fists. “No. Absolutely not. We might kill when we have to, but we don’t just murder people.” She narrows her eyes. “Especially when you’re choosing to avoid her. It’s not like she’s barricaded the door against you.”

  “Still sitting right here,” I say.

  Shiloh advances on Broderick, and I have to give him credit for holding his ground. I might even take a step back if she came at me with that look on her face. She pokes his chest. “Fix this right fucking now, Broderick.”

  “That’s what I’m trying to do.” He exhales roughly. “It’s why I’m here. Why we’re having this conversation right now.”

  Do either of them notice how close they are right now? His gaze drops to her mouth before he forcibly jerks it back to her eyes. Their determination to ignore the chemistry flaring hotly between them would make me laugh if I didn’t feel so sick to my stomach over the topic of this conversation.

  Broderick looks at me. “Starting tonight, I’ll be staying here. That’s the first step, probably the most important. We’ll figure out the rest tomorrow.”

  “One problem with that brilliant plan of yours.” I hold up a finger. “Shiloh also sleeps here.” She hadn’t been sharing a bed with me, preferring to sleep on the horribly uncomfortable-looking couch tucked up against the wall, but I was hoping tonight that would change. “You aren’t planning to kick her out just because you made an executive decision without speaking with either of us, were you?”

  He opens his mouth, looks at me and then at Shiloh, and hesitates. Finally, Broderick says stiffly, “Do you have an alternate option?”

  Yeah, that all three of us sleep in that massive bed together. I start to suggest exactly that, but Shiloh speaks first. “If you’re here, I don’t have to be. I’ll sleep in the barracks and circle back in the morning.” She starts for the door.

  Yeah, I don’t think so.

  “Shiloh.” I put enough snap in my tone to stop her in her tracks. She slowly turns to face me, and the redness spreading from her face down her neck is all the confirmation I need. She was just about to run from me. From us. I hold her gaze. “That is not a good solution, and you know it. All your stuff is here. It’s late, and mid-shift at that. Are you going to take someone away from their job to help you haul your shit to the barracks just because you’re scared of a little conversation between friends?”

  She glares. “That’s not it.”

  “Then stay the night, and we’ll discuss options in the morning at a reasonable hour.” A plan starts to come to life in the back of my mind, a wonderful, devious plan that will get all three of us exactly what we want.

  For a moment, I think she’ll argue, but she finally nods. “Only for one night.”

  Fuck that. I want them both, but if I have to choose right now, I choose her. “The couch is only big enough for one, so one of you will have to be in the bed with me.” I tug on the hem of my shirt as I consider options. For once, I’m not sure the best way to play this. If my ultimate goal is to seduce both of them into being a throuple, would it be better if Shiloh or Broderick shared the bed with me tonight? Since I don’t know, I can’t help poking them a little. “I could take the couch, of course. Since you’re so friendly, you shouldn’t have a problem sleeping together.”

  “I’ll take the couch.” Broderick offers it without hesitation, barely letting me finish before he’s throwing himself on the first sword available on Shiloh’s behalf.

  From the look on her face, she isn’t pleased with either of us. “I will take the couch. If you really want to prove you’re ready to start treating Monroe like a Bride, this is a good place to start.”

  He hesitates but finally nods. “I’m going to get a few of my things. I’ll be right back.”

  Shiloh’s shoulders slump a little as he leaves the room. They’re so fucking transparent, it irritates me. I flip my hair off my shoulder. No time like the present to put my plan into motion. “So, you and Broderick are just friends.”

  “Yes.” She sounds so wary, I almost smile. She’s smart enough to sense a trap, but I’m not going to give her a chance to avoid it.

  “Are you sure?” I give her a concerned look. “He’s really sexy. You haven’t even thought about it? Felt a spark? Anything?”

  “No,” she says firmly. Too firmly to be anything but a lie.

  Gotcha. I finally allow myself to smile. “In that case, you won’t mind if I fuck him tonight. Since I’m his Bride and all.” I lean forward and lick my lips. “I promise to make it up to you in the morning. I’ve been dying for another taste of your pretty pussy.”

  Shiloh won’t look at me, but she’s turned a darling shade of red. When she finally manages to speak, her voice is too high. “Of course I don’t care if you fuck him. You’re his Bride, and we might be intimate, but we’re not exclusive. Do what you want.”

  I want to drag her down onto the bed and kiss that lying mouth. “It won’t make you uncomfortable? You know I’m not quiet.”

  She’s blushing so hard, she’s practically purple. “Why would it make me uncomfortable? I don’t see Broderick like that.”

  Yes, she does. She really, really does. “You see me like that.”

  Shiloh clears her throat. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

  I grab her hand and tug her closer to the bed. She comes without hesitation, and I waste no time leaning forward and nuzzling her breasts. “Shiloh?”

  “Yes?”

  “Promise me something.”

  “What?” She looks like she’s staring down a tiger, but she digs her hands into my hair and arches her back a little, guiding my mouth to one nipple. Her bra is so thin, it’s nothing at all to nip and suck her until first one nipple and then the other are hard points against the fabric.

  I palm her pussy through her jeans. “Promise me that if you feel even the tiniest bit turned on, you’ll take care of your pretty pussy the way I would. Properly. Until you come enough times that you’re sated.”

  She’s breathing hard and rocking her hips against my palm, ever so slightly. “That won’t be a problem. I’m not going to be turned on if you have sex with Broderick while I’m in the room.”

  Liar. “Then you should have no issue promising me.”

  Another hesitation, longer this time. “I promise.”

  I pull her down to straddle me and speak the next words against her lips. “I take my promises very seriously, love. You can lie as much as you like about other things, but not about this. Got it?”

  “Yes.” And then she’s kissing me, bearing me down to the bed and taking my mouth as if she’ll find her next breath on the other side. I could pretend this lust is all for me, but I know better. There’s nothing that burns as hot as thwarted desire, and both Shiloh and Broderick have that in spades. As much as I want to roll her over and play with her until she comes half a dozen times, I don’t want her the least bit sated before we turn off the lights and do things in the dark.

  Better to focus on getting both Broderick and Shiloh into my bed than the alternative.

  I’ll have to deal with all of it soon—Abel’s threat, my mother’s distance, the future that used to feel so concrete but has somehow gone liquid in the last few weeks. But not tonight.

  Tonight, I’m going to start the next stage of my seduction.

  Chapter 16

  Shiloh

  Making that promise to Monroe seemed like the simplest thing in the world. Of course I don’t desire Broderick. That would be ridiculous…

  I’m a fucking liar.

  He’s my friend. My best friend. Nothing is worth endangering that relationship, not even my own lust. Especially now that it looks like we might be on the path to mending what we’ve spent breaking since arriving in Sabine Valley. It doesn’t matter that what’s between us could be more than lust. I wasn’t willing to risk making a mo
ve even before he took Monroe as his Bride. Now? Now, things are infinitely more complicated.

  But, as I lay on the uncomfortable couch and listen to them shift on the bed, I have to admit that I’ve made a gross miscalculation. Especially when Monroe gives that throaty laugh, the one I like so much.

  Despite my best efforts, I can’t help turning onto my side to face the bed. The moonlight from the narrow window seems designed specifically to highlight the mattress…the people on the mattress. Monroe murmurs something, too low for me to hear, and Broderick responds at the same volume. What are they talking about? He doesn’t sound happy, but his curse turns into a groan as the sheets shift, and I catch sight of a distinctive motion. She’s…jacking him. Another murmured exchange and Monroe slips beneath the sheets. I watch her form move, watch her settle between his thighs.

  Holy shit, she wasn’t kidding about that promise.

  Still, I don’t know if it’s desire I’m feeling right now. It’s too hot, too painful. It’s a whole lot like jealousy. I don’t even know who I’m jealous of. Monroe, currently sucking Broderick’s cock and making his body tense as he tries to keep quiet? Broderick, for having Monroe’s clever mouth bringing him pleasure?

  Both.

  The answer is both.

  Fuck.

  I shift. My leggings and shirt feel too tight on my body, for all that they were both more than comfortable a few minutes ago. I should turn away, should put my pillow over my head, should do anything but watch avidly as Monroe seduces Broderick.

  She emerges from the sheets, climbing up his body to take his mouth. If Broderick was simply allowing her to do her worst before, he’s actively encouraging her now. He sinks his big hands into her hair, and he kisses her hard and furious.

  My breath catches as he drags his hands down her back to her hips, jerking her forward a few inches. The slightest hesitation, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that he’s working his cock into her pussy.