Breanna (19 page)

Four figures jerked upright, two in chairs, two lying alongside the slender woman on the bed. Hannah rushed to touch her, listen to her murmuring.

“She’s not as cold,” Jase pushed the words through his teeth. Teeth that still showed the edge of his canines. He was furious when they suddenly woke at her side.

Without her presence.

“I don’t think she fought him,” Nick commented, his fingers twined with the palm on his side of Brea. “If she only used that shield thing she does….”

“Wade told me how to not shoot all my heat out at once,” Brea murmured, sighing and snuggling on her side.

“Why did you send us back?” Jase growled, losing the little control he had left.

“Because in case I was wrong, I couldn’t let you be hurt,” she said simply, her voice soft and a little sing-song.

“I should blister your ass for that trick.” A little giggle broke free. “My parents are going to think we’re kinky….” Nick lowered his head, the laughter about to break free edging the fear away.

Barely.

“I’m so tired.”

“She’s not used to it yet,” Hannah slumped back against her husband. “She’ll sleep the night now. We….we’ll leave you.” 240

“Thank you, Hannah,” Jase pushed off the bed, throwing his shirt to the chair when the door closed. “I have to run, Nick.”

“Do you want company?”

“No…..stay with her. If I stay…..”

“I’ll watch her,” Nick promised, nodding in silent understanding. He got up when they were alone, changing quickly to a pair of cotton shorts before stretching out on the bed, pulling her against him and brushing her head with his lips.

He knew what Jase was feeling. It was impossible not to feel it but he didn’t know how to pull the urge to keep her from harm, to keep herself from…..herself. He wasn’t sure they had the right any more than her parents had. Brea wanted to live, wanted life. Not to be shielded and protected. He knew it wasn’t a need they could break.

Brea felt the hard chest beneath her cheek, lashes fluttering as she stretched. It was dark.

She sat up in the middle of the huge bed, blinking drowsily. She found the dark eyes watching her, partly leaning against the headboard of the large sleigh bed.

“Where’s Jase?”

“He needed to run.”

Brea sighed. “He’s angry with me.”

“Livid is a good word, Brea. Scared to death are a couple more good words,” Nick exhaled slowly as she nodded.

“I’m sorry. I can’t live and pretend he’s not out there. I have to find out why or 241

what he wants from me.”

“Most of me understands that, Brea,” Nick sat up, his palm up and stroking down her arm. “The other part of me agrees with Jase and your ass should be punished for taking the choice away from us,” he saw her wince, that pert nose wrinkled. “I still blame the caffeine.”

Brea laughed softly, her head shaking. “You’re so mean to him.”

“Sometimes…” he admitted, leaning back and pulling her over him. His hands slid beneath the satiny top, stroking along the narrow spine and onto her hips.

“My parents?”

“In my room. Concerned. Relieved when you came back. I think Jase hung my clothes in the other side of your closet,” Nick said, marveling at how their conversation sounded decidedly normal. “You frighten us, Brea. We’re supposed to be taking care of our mate. Keeping her safe and out of danger.”

“Maybe I’m not a real good mate,” she sighed, laying her head on his chest. Her tongue flicked out, tasting him, licking over his chest to his shoulder. “Why does protection only go in one direction? Why am I not permitted to protect you both?”

“That…is what I’ve been arguing inside my head for the last thirty minutes,” Nick groaned when her teeth nipped along his chest.

“You two keep telling me I have the power and get pissy when I use it,” Brea peeked up at him through her lashes, straightening at his side and pulling the top over her head. “I’m getting confused.”

“The hell you are,” Nick laughed, his palms pressing along her ribs to circle each 242

breast, thumbs teasing her nipples until they wrinkled nicely beneath his touch. A satisfied groan broke from his lips when she arched against his palms, her hands on the elastic of his pants. “I think if we’re not careful, you’ll have us wrapped so tight around those little fingers, we won’t know which way is up.”

“I shall try not to abuse my power,” she whispered, sliding along his chest and covering his mouth, her tongue sweeping through to stroke and tease his.

Nick let the sweet sensations crash over him. Her breasts lay against him, solid hard little nipples that almost distracted him when her hands shoved his shorts out of the way. He watched her shimmy, watched the black satin disappear over the side of the bed before she moved to lay along him, their legs tangled and lips drinking hungrily from each other.

Brea shifted slightly, breathing raggedly as she straddled him, rose above him.

She raked her nails down his chest, her hips stroking, rotating along the length of him, hard and pulsing.

Nick felt her moisture, felt the heat of her searing him as she stroked. He was so hard it hurt not to be inside her. His breath caught when she wrapped her fingers around his cock, guiding him, stroking and toying with him before trapping him at the entrance that felt so small, so hot and hungry.

Brea lifted herself up, positioned him and let go. She was wet. They seemed to have that effect on her without her realizing it. Her addiction, she mused, rocking her hips and taking him slowly. His hands went to her hips, stopping her from moving too fast, taking too much before she was ready. He felt the reluctance of her body, felt the 243

inner muscles and swollen petals quivering, spreading for him.

But she was hot. And Christ, she was wet! He could feel it spreading, smell her need as keenly as his own.

Brea closed her eyes, savoring the sensations, the rush of fire through her when she took his hands and placed them on her breasts. She let her body rock once, twice before she thrust hard, taking him inside her in a long, fast glide.

“Nick!”

A savage growl was pulled from inside him when she rose and thrust back down, his fingers teasing, pinching and stroking her breasts as she took him.

Then the need in him spiraled. Her sex closed tightly around him. Gripped him hotly and pulsed. He felt the silken insides begin to quiver. They began to close even more snugly around him, gripping him, squeezing him. He leaned up, thrusting with his hips at the same time his mouth caught one of her nipples and bit down, just enough of an edge to send her body into those sweet convulsions.

Brea sunk her hands against his scalp, twined in the short dark hair and holding on. Holding him against her breast; crushing his cock with her muscles and wanting more. She thrust against him, meeting his moves until his hands wrapped completely around her, his mouth on her throat, on the bite he’d mated her with.

Stars burst out brilliantly in her mind, her breath ragged as she clung to him. She felt him inside her, exploding deep and shaking from the power of it all. He climaxed in a long, hot rush of need and pleasure but neither of them broke their hold, each clinging, each holding as the waves of pleasure kept sweeping through them.

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The soft cry of her pleasure still echoed in his head when they lay against the bed, her body curled against his. His lips brushed her forehead, his gaze taking in the freshly showered Jase as he stretched out on her other side, his palm up and stroking over her head, fingers tangling in her hair.

Brea moved a little when the bed shifted, her hand out and closing around Jase’s.

“I’m sorry you’re angry,” Brea whispered drowsily.

“Shhh…..I’ll get over it,” Jase kissed her gently. “Go to sleep, Brea.” Jase was relieved she followed some orders well, her steady breathing almost like a soothing drug to his system. He and Nick had argued but he knew they simply didn’t know how to keep her safe. She was more powerful than both of them put together.

Brea shifted on the bed, her lithe and very naked form cuddling against him with a little sigh. She was safe for now, he thought, letting himself drift to sleep finally.

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“There’s got to be a fucking way to keep her in bed past six AM that doesn’t include murder,” Jase mumbled into his pillow.

“I’m used to opening my shop at six,” she whispered hoarsely, tugging her jeans on and dropping a colorful tee shirt over her head. “I didn’t ask you to wake up. So shut up and go back to sleep.”

They heard the door close.

“Guess she told you,” Nick rolled to his stomach and decided another hour wouldn’t hurt a thing.

Brea walked on bare feet through the house, opening windows and letting the cool spring morning inside. Thankfully, the bedrooms were at the far end of the house and she was in the kitchen and on her laptop in between cooking and baking.

She was bored.

She was anxious.

She wanted her shop back!

Okay, calm and breathing exercises, she told herself, letting her head fall slightly forward and her eyes close. It was after seven when the smells began to invade the house and the sleeping dreams of the rest of the house. Cinnamon and other spices; chocolate and sausage and eggs; toast and coffee and tea.

They never stood a chance.

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Maybe they could go shopping later. Find furniture and get it into the really big apartment above the garage.

“We are rebuilding your shop if I have to fucking finance the whole thing on my own,” Jase growled, his mouth down hard on hers, his tongue thrusting inside and softening as his mood improved.

“I made you coffee,” Brea whispered when his mouth lifted. She could hear her heart hammering, barely pulling enough air into her chest.

“That’s a good bribe,” he sighed, tugged on the ponytail and took the large mug she offered. “What have you been doing in here?” Brea shrugged. “Cooking stuff.” She went for another mug when Nick came around the corner.

“Morning, beautiful,” he came to her side, his palm running over her behind.

“Checking to see if you’ve been blistered yet,” he said with a teasing wink.

Brea shoved her elbow back and walked toward the laptop on the table. They’d almost finished breakfast when the front gate beeps began. She had to tell herself that a demon wouldn’t be coming in the mail gate and they had their shield in place.

“It’s probably Mrs. Aimes,” Jase yawned and took his coffee to his desk. He opened the front door and held the glass door for the older woman. “Morning, Mrs.

Aimes. I want you to meet Brea.”

Her hair was cut in a short cap of silver and gold streaks; her eyes alert and instantly aware of the protective nature in the pair of men she’d worked for over the last four years.

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“Very nice to meet you, Brea,” the smaller woman offered her palm to Brea.

“She’ll be living here and you probably won’t have to worry about cooking or shopping,” Jase said with a half-smile. “I’m pretty sure they can smell the food all the way in town.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Aimes,” Brea took her hand and immediately felt warmth and kindness. She smiled. “Don’t mind them. I love to cook and shop.” The shorter woman looked her over and nodded, her smile welcoming.

Accepting. “Then you’ll fit in perfectly because they do like to eat.” Brea guessed she was barely fifty, lean and fit and happy. She leaned into Jase and kissed his cheek. “I’m going shopping with my mother. We promise to be careful.”

“Your dad?”

“In the apartment. Nick was talking to him earlier and gave him keys and a remote. I think they were discussing the security system. There’s all kinds of food in the kitchen. I left it out to cool on the table. And I will clean it up when I get back,” she said firmly. “If you get sick, it’s not my fault.”

“Compassion,” Jase murmured. “Compassion and temptation.”

“Nick said you both had work to do, so don’t worry about the kitchen. I’ll take care of it when I get back,” Brea smiled at Mrs. Aimes as they wandered into the kitchen. “It was nice meeting you. I’ve got to go find my shoes.” Marion Aimes watched the young woman go down the hall and saw the look in her employers’ eyes.

“Your salary won’t change, Mrs. Aimes. And you might even pick up another 248

client,” Jase met her smile. “Brea will be working on restocking a new coffee shop. I’ll see if Brea’s parents are interested and let you know. They’re both teachers and probably wouldn’t mind the cleaning services you have.” Nick sunk into his desk chair an hour later, a plate at his side and cup of tea on the other side when he began opening files and checking status reports on people they had in the field.

“Does he still look like our kid brother?” Jase glanced up from the finances records he was going through.

“Yeah…..that’s taking some getting used to,” Nick nodded absently. “I’m not sure he’s quite reconciled to the arrangement, though.” Jase just sighed and kept working, filing the necessary paperwork for people to be paid.

“Do you think we’re crazy to try and make it work?” He asked after an hour of working, eating and drinking coffee.

“I’m the eternally optimistic one, remember?” Nick offered up a crooked grin.

“Brea believes it will work, how can either of us fight that? And why the hell would we want to?”

“It all feels so fucking right,” Jase declared vehemently, the thought of walking away from either of them sending his blood boiling.

“What popped up the question? Her parents?” Nick met the answer in his friend’s gaze. “Did you miss the adamant and passionate defense our princess put up? I’m pretty sure she’s not the type to be cowed or told what to do. At least not without a 249

fight.”

“I’ve been thinking about that too….” He wasn’t ready for the hearty laughter from the other side of the office. “What?”

“You start pretending to be anyone but you, and Brea will think you’re sick,” Nick shook his head. “In case you missed it, she fell for us as we are. Faults and all.”

“Did we give her a choice?”

“Wow….you have been doing a lot of introspective,” Nick kicked back in his chair, exhaling slowly and studying his long-time friend. “We’ll talk to her tonight. I don’t think we should have these conversations alone.”

“I am spending money. I need shoes. I need….” Brea looked up from the little purse she carried. She could feel a palpable tension in the room. “What’s wrong? You both look so serious.”

She looked curiously from one to the other and walked behind Jase, her hands on his shoulders. She leaned against him from behind, her arms circling his shoulders with a tight hug.

“And you look the most serious. I’m not supposed to be messing with your work day,” she said firmly. “Is it something I can help with?”

“I think you already have, princess,” Nick grinned at her. “But we’ll talk about it tonight when we’re alone.”

“Are you sure?” She leaned over his shoulders, hugging him and kissing him before he could move.

“Positive,” Jase answered honestly, the intense warmth flooding through him 250

with the positive feelings generating from her.

“Hmm…..it’s not my father, is it?” She whispered, glancing around her. “He’s really nice and will come around, I promise.”

“He did mention that you could be creatively manipulative when you really wanted something,” Nick told her, winking at Jase and joining his laughter when she straightened up and scowled.

“I’m going out now, and I have the keys to the SUV. I am using my own money and we are shopping,” She leaned in, kissing Nick and striding to the back of the house where her mother was working with her father on cleaning up the apartment.

“Still got those doubts?”

“Shut up and work,” Jase growled, chuckling as he went to work making phone calls.

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