Stacey Espino (2 page)

Cassidy slammed her whiny metal door shut and exhaled, and she held the steering wheel in a tight grip.
I can’t believe they’re hiding me away like some dirty little secret.
She knew it was probably her own insecurities surfacing. After living her life as an orphan, it was a godsend to find these five men who claimed to be devoted to her body and soul. But what if she was wrong? She really didn’t know very much about these men at all. Once this female inspector showed up, they might give her the same treatment—the affection, the sex, and devotion.

She bit the inside of her lip.
I’m just overreacting.
It was only business. Garret didn’t want to lose his license and livelihood. A week out of a lifetime was a drop in a bucket. Yes, she’d stop jumping to conclusions and take a day at a time.

There was a knock on the driver’s-side window, startling her. It was Garret, his dark eyes staring through the glass. He was so handsome. After everything they’d all been through lately, she just wanted to enjoy him, fold herself into his arms. But he was sending her away. She cranked down the old manual window.

“Sweetheart, I just wanted to add a little something to everything else I told you.” He braced a hand atop her car. He was so damn sexy, his dark features exotic and tempting. “If you happen to stop by for a visit, I think it’d be best if you didn’t mention there was something going on between us. You know…personally.”

Her heart began to race, adrenaline pumping through her veins. “Right. Great idea, Garret.” She started the car, revving the engine.

“I don’t like you being alone, Cassie. Let Evan drive you to the cottage.”

“No,” she snapped. “I’m an adult. I can drive myself home in the light of day.” She’d learned her lesson about walking alone in the woods. Right now her throat was burning with emotion, her eyes ready to release the floodgates. Cassidy hit the gas and left Garret in her dust as she sped away from the Gregor mine.

I’m such an idiot!
She was so desperate for love and affection, roots in a life with no destination, that she believed every word the men spoke. She’d fallen for their act, given her heart only to have it trampled on.

Cassidy wasn’t stupid. She heard the secret meaning in Garret’s words loud and clear. He wanted to keep his options open, didn’t want Cassidy to ruin his chances with the new woman. She wouldn’t take his sloppy seconds. Climax was off the grid, a world within itself. It had lulled her, changed her way of thinking. Now she realized these men were only so attentive because there were no other options. The few women in town were nothing to be desired, but given fresh meat, they’d fail the test of loyalty. She was sure of that after Garret’s innocent little comment. And the things she let them do to her body.
Bastards!

She pulled into the overgrown lot of her house. It seemed to have been ages since she’d come back here. The men claimed to worry about her living alone, but now she wondered if they cared at all. They probably just wanted a live-in sex toy until they tired of her or something better came along.

Cassidy unlocked the front door, taking a tentative step inside. The air in the house smelled musty. There wasn’t much inside, just a table and single chair. She should have been smart and fixed up the place when she first arrived in Climax. But she’d fallen under the spell of the Gregor miners, believing she’d found her happily ever after.

It was too quiet, making her tense up. She wasn’t used to being alone these days, even though she’d spent the bulk of her life by herself. There was still a glimmer of hope inside her that it was all a misunderstanding. But that glimmer was fading more by the minute.

She brought an emergency blanket from the trunk of her car inside the cabin, along with a crowbar in case the Climax murderer or rabid wolves showed up in the night. The more she thought about the possibilities, the more she realized she’d be up half the night listening for sounds. It was going to be a long road.

“Why’re you here?” asked Evan. She was stretching the blanket out on the hardwood floor, leaning over on her hands and knees. How did he know she was there? Why hadn’t she heard the door or his boots when it was so silent in the house? Hadn’t she locked the door behind her?

She twirled around, landing on her bum. Cassidy looked up at Evan, his body so broad and masculine. She loved looking at him, studying the way his waist tapered in from those massive shoulders. Cassidy shook away her desire, trying to stay focused on the reason she’d come back to her cottage at all.

“It’s my home,” she said, lifting her chin.

“No. Your home is with us.”

“Not anymore.”

He entered the room and squatted down next to her. “What’s going on with you? Did I do something wrong?”

“Garret made his intentions clear. And since he’s your ‘alpha,’ and the lot of you apparently feed off his every word, I’d say his actions reflect on you, too.”

“What did he do now?”

She stood up, embarrassed to even talk about the subject. What if she was wrong?

“He sent me away. Like a discarded old shoe.” She sulked, her shoulders sagging. Cassidy would regret her behavior tomorrow. Today she was feeling sorry for herself.

Evan tilted her chin up. “You know that’s not true. He’s just making sure everything’s perfect for when the inspector shows up. He doesn’t want him finding any excuse to shut us down. You can understand that, right?”

“
Her
,” said Cassidy.

Evan frowned, not catching the meaning.

“The inspector. It’s a woman. It wouldn’t have bothered me so much if Garret hadn’t told me to pretend there’s nothing going on with us. He’s either embarrassed or looking for new action. Either way, I’d rather have no part in it.”

“Garret loves you, Cassidy. Whatever you think he meant, I’m sure you’ve misunderstood. Ask him tonight. At our place.”

“I’m staying here,” she said. If she returned to the cozy little cabin in the woods, the one that smelled of masculine cologne and sex, she’d start the cycle all over again. She’d be unable to resist the men once they turned on the charm.

“No way in hell will I let my woman stay here alone. Especially not now.”

“What’s so special about now?”

“You know there are dangers in Climax. A woman living alone is just asking for trouble. Behave and come with me.”

“Did Garret send you?”

He nodded once. “He just wanted to be sure you got home safely.”

“To protect his insurance policy? Yeah, I’ll pass on that.” She’d hoped Evan had come on his own. At least then she’d have hope that at least one of the men had genuine feelings for her.

Evan dropped down to support his weight on his arms and crawled over her until she was forced to her back. As he stared down at her, she felt that familiar thrill in her cunt. Evan was the largest male in the group. He never disappointed.

“You’ll be coming with me one way or another.” He took a deep breath after leaning in close. “You’re lucky I have good self-control or else you’d be marked and fucked two minutes ago.”

She couldn’t respond because the so-called threat turned her on to the point of near orgasm. Cassidy loved when the men dominated her body, even when they got rough and carried away. The animalistic side to the men brought her sexual satisfaction to a new level.

“I’m starting to think this marking thing is a bunch of bullshit. You all keep talking about it, but Garret refuses to do it. Sounds to me like he’s afraid of commitment.” She reached up and ran her palm along the stubble at his jawline. “Maybe you should take things into your own hands.”

Just for once she’d love for Evan to make a decision without consulting his boss. Didn’t he have enough passion to just act without thinking things through? Without needing permission?

“I want to. Gods know I want to.” He ran his tongue over his teeth. “But loyalty can’t just be turned on and off.”

“What about loyalty to me? Garret made a lot of promises…now I’m not so sure of anything.”

“Know he loves you. Don’t question his devotion, Cassidy.” He spoke so confidently that she wondered what she’d been thinking to lose faith in Garret in the first place. She had to believe everything would be fine—it was all she had.

She wiggled away on her rear and elbows, but he grabbed her ankle and jerked her back down below his body. His strength made her heart race and pussy beat to an urgent rhythm. “What about
your
devotion, Evan?”

“I’m yours. There’s no question as to my devotion.” He kissed her neck, the heat and tenderness soothing her all the way to her marrow. “Do I have to prove it to you?”

Cassidy wanted to say yes. She loved Evan, loved all five of her miners. But should she agree?

“It’s just you and me, little human.” He lowered himself into a push-up, his muscles bulging. Evan nipped her jawline and then suckled her earlobe. “Say yes.”

She could scarcely breathe, her eyes closed as a heavy lust settled over them. His thick lips and tongue were magic. With her recent bout of insecurity, she needed him, needed to feel connected to one of her men.

“Yes,” she said.

Evan growled, immediately removing her shirt. He was untamed, sparing no time in stripping her and then himself. With his cock ramrod hard, she was glad she’d spread out a blanket before he showed up. If not, she had no doubt he would have fucked her on the cold wooden floor.

“I love your body,” he said, tending her breasts and trailing kisses down her stomach. She savored the scruff on his face as he descended toward her pussy. Cassidy was already burning from the inside out, ready to take Evan without any playing. But her men were always thorough.

“I’m not coming with you,” she managed to say.

He didn’t even look up, now trailing his tongue along her inner thigh. “I’m taking you home where you belong. As soon as we’re finished.”

“I’ll be bored to tears trapped in that cabin for a week.”

Evan delved in, suckling her sensitive clit. Her words faded into a low gasp, and she thrust up her hips, seeking more of his wicked mouth. “We won’t leave you unattended.” He worked his magic, licking, sucking, and fucking her with his tongue. She began to spiral in a haze of heat and waves of raw torment. It was beautiful, but she needed to peak, needed the pressure to ease.

“Evan…” She was so close. Cassidy savored every second as she floated above the floor. She could stay in the unadulterated blissful state for the rest of her life. But she also craved the orgasm that would follow.

He rolled her over, pulling up her waist until she was on her knees and elbows. Her ass was fully exposed, and she hoped he planned to fuck her. “Such a cute little ass, Cassidy.” He kissed her flesh. One palm kept her back pinned, and the other smoothed over one cheek. She could feel the moisture trickling down her inner thigh. Should she beg?

She wiggled her rear, but it only earned her a smack on the ass.

“I’ll teach you about devotion.” He kissed her again, inching closer to her pussy. It was an odd angle, and she was tempted to roll over to her back to give him better access. When his tongue tickled her asshole, her breath hitched. He had her exactly where he wanted her.

“What’re you doing?” Cassidy felt embarrassed with the new intimacy. She feared the fact that his tongue on her ass felt like heaven, like being hit with undiluted erotic pleasure in its rawest form.

“Loving you. Every part, every inch.” He kept her ass suspended in the air, his big hands supporting her weight. He used his tongue to rim her ass in quick strokes. She loved when her men would double-team her, but this was different. It was electric, and her cells in the forbidden area were sinfully responsive.

Cassidy let out a moan, her eyes lolling back in her head.

“Relax, baby. You’re too tense.”

“But—”

“This ain’t the city. Men from Climax aren’t afraid to give their woman every kind of pleasure. Don’t you like it?”

“Y–Yes, but…”

“Relax.” He delved back in and sucked on her clit with those thick lips before returning to her ass. He kissed and licked, using his tongue as an instrument of sexual torture. She wanted to come, but never wanted him to stop.

Before she could finally leap over the edge, he pulled his head back and flipped her over. It was as if he knew the moment she’d come and purposely left her hanging. He licked his lips, his eyes narrowed. When she tried to touch herself, he grabbed her wrist. The slightest pressure would bring her relief now, unleashing the orgasm desperate to be freed. But Evan seemed intent on torturing her, showing her these new and delicious acts just to leave her unsettled.

“I was almost there. Why’d you stop?” She’d told the men several times about not liking to be rushed when they went down on her. They never had a problem with it. She wondered if it was true, if all her men would be comfortable playing with her ass. Patrick could live between her legs and never complain but hadn’t attempted anything like this. It was naughty, dirty, and she couldn’t get enough. But now Evan stopped short of her getting the satisfaction she yearned for?

“That was just to get you primed. What I want is to feel your pussy squeezing my cock. I want to look into your pretty blue eyes while I fuck you.”