by Katie May
“We’ll figure it out, baby,” Helio assures me, and the certainty in his voice soothes my jagged nerves.
A roar erupts from Avery’s bedroom, and a furious Sin emerges, his hands entirely engulfed by flames. When his head swings my way, I see fire dancing in his eyes, almost as if I’m staring into hell itself. The red bleeds into the inky darkness of his pupils, swirling like tendrils of smoke.
“Who the fuck are Colton, Ray, and Henry?” he bellows. “I thought you said you haven’t been with any other men!”
Avery appears behind him a moment later, ducking his head sheepishly when he catches sight of my flabbergasted expression.
“I tried to explain—” he begins, but Sin cuts him off with another anguished roar.
“Sin,” I soothe, jumping to my feet and walking towards him. Ignoring the flames, the heat, the impending pain, I cup his cheeks in both of my hands. Instantly, my skin feels as if thousands of fire ants are crawling along the surface, and I resist the urge to moan in bliss. “They’re my brothers.”
“Your…what?” Confusion dances in his eyes.
“My brothers.” I kiss first one cheek and then the next.
Abruptly, Sin grabs my waist, his hands burning away my shirt and searing my flesh. He pulls me flush against him and tilts my head back to stare into his eyes.
“You’re ours,” he vows. “Mine and my brothers.”
“Yours,” I agree immediately, and I hear Helio’s rumble of approval from behind me.
Sin claims my lips in a bruising, possessive kiss before stepping away, the original insanity I saw in his gaze steadily retreating. His smile could almost be described now as bashful as he ducks his head.
“I’ll try not to burn them alive,” he mumbles.
“You won’t burn my brothers alive.” When he refuses to lift his head, I grip his chin, my fingernails digging into his flesh. He releases a pained whimper that quickly turns into a sated moan. “Sin…”
“Fine.” He narrows his eyes once before a large smile cleaves his face in two. It’s a strange combination of merriment and maliciousness. “But if we discover that they’re behind this, brothers or not, I won’t hesitate to do what needs to be done.”
CHAPTER 17
The house is exactly as I remember it.
While I chose to move away for college—and consequently, rent an apartment with Avery—my brothers decided to remain in our family home. The cute, two-story farmhouse rests in a field of perfectly manicured grass. A single tree stands in the front entrance, a wooden swing hanging from one of its highest branches. I remember sitting on that exact swing while Henry would push me, usually grumbling under his breath. Ray and Colton would tackle each other in the front yard, each attempting to get an upper hand, while I would scream my support to whoever wasn’t annoying the shit out of me that day.
As I step up the front steps, the ambient glow of the porch lights illuminating the yard in shades of silver and gold, my heart begins to race in trepidation.
“You okay, baby?” Avery asks tentatively, giving my shoulder a squeeze.
“She’s fine,” Tate scoffs, and I flip him off over my shoulder.
My men are all dressed to the nines today, and my mouth waters at the exquisite sight before me. Every muscle is on display through their white shirts bunched up at the elbow. With their hair meticulously groomed and facial hair trimmed, they’re a sight to behold. And they’re mine.
But I can’t let my brothers know that.
“Don’t forget.” I level them all with a warning look. “We are not dating. You are not my boyfriends. You guys are friends of Avery, who we’ve been hanging out with the last few weeks.”
“Not dating,” Sin repeats with a manic glint in his eyes that bodes trouble for me. “Got it.”
“Arsin, I’m serious,” I warn. “You cannot tell them that you guys are my…err…boyfriends.” That is what we are, right? Every other term feels far too insignificant. But how can I tell my human brothers that these men are the loves of my existence, my soulmates, a serrated puzzle piece that fits perfectly in my soul? No doubt, they would laugh at me or call me insane. Ray would probably grab the shotgun they always keep over the mantle, and Henry would go eerily silent as he plans their murder.
Taking a deep, calming breath, I rap my knuckles against the wooden door. We have a doorbell, but the last time I was here, it was broken. I pushed that sucker for ten minutes before realizing that my idiotic brothers couldn’t hear it.
The door swings open, and Colton’s smiling face appears in my field of vision. Ignoring Sin’s growl, I lunge forward and wrap my arms around my brother’s waist.
“Hey, ugly.” His arms are familiar around me. Comforting. This relationship between us can’t be fake, can it? A part of me would shrivel and die if I discover that the foundation of our love has been built on a landscape of lies and deceit.
“Hey, stupid,” I reply back, pulling away just in time to see his smile disappear. It’s replaced by a scowl that instantly has me on edge.
“Who the fuck are they?” he demands, grabbing my wrist and all but dragging me behind him. Helio narrows his eyes at Colton’s hand around my wrist, nostrils flaring as he struggles to maintain control of his temper.
“Hey, man!” Avery breaks through the throng of men with a cheery smile. It’s one he perfected, one designed to instantly put people at ease. I wonder if it’s the same smile he uses just before he kills someone.
That thought twists my insides into dozens of intricate, tight knots.
“Avery,” Colton says stiffly, never peeling his eyes away from the newcomers.
“What’s taking you assholes so long?” Ray calls from the kitchen. He appears around the corner, wiping his hands on a dish towel. Henry is only a step behind him, his eyes narrowed curiously. Both of my brothers freeze when they spot my mates, and Ray immediately moves to stand beside his twin. “Who are they?”
“They’re my—” I begin, but a grinning Sin cuts me off before I can finish.
“Husbands,” he announces proudly, and Tate’s lips twitch from the other side of him. Desmond throws his head back in laughter and clasps Sin on the shoulder.
“Fuck, man.” He brushes away the stray tears cascading down his eyes. “Have a little tact.”
“You put a tack in the wall to hold things up,” Sin deadpans as he removes a cigarette from his jacket pocket. “I suppose we can consider my cock a—”
“He’s joking!” I interrupt, voice nearing a screech. “They’re just some of Avery’s friends.”
Sin’s expression turns positively murderous, as if he’s peeved that I didn’t accept his proposal of marriage, and he practically shoves the cigarette into his mouth with a disgruntled huff.
“Guys, this is Colton, Ray, and Henry,” I introduce, pointing to each man in turn.
“Hi, I’m Desmond!” He swaggers forward with his hand extended. “God of Combat.”
For the love of…
When he catches my incredulous stare, Desmond merely winks, a shit-eating grin pasted firmly in place. He knows exactly what he's doing, and he’s reveling in the chaos his words create. Sometimes, I wonder if he was misclassified. He should’ve been labeled the God of Mayhem—he’s a beautiful tornado rushing through a house, destroying everything in its wake. You can’t help but stare up at the swirling storm of dirt, wondering if this is it. If this is the moment you lose yourself to the winds.
“The big, ugly bastard over there is Helio.” Desmond points to the man in question, who merely grunts, folding his meaty arms over his chest. Unlike the others, his dark beard is in desperate need of a trim, and I can’t help but wonder what it would feel like against my thighs. Totally inappropriate time to think about that, considering my brothers are less than a foot away from me, regarding my mates with barely veiled disdain. “He’s the God of Karma.”
“Des,” I warn in a low, dangerous voice. I won’t hesitate to take my trusty baseball bat and destroy h
is nuts. I rather like his nuts, for your information, but I’ll break them all if he doesn’t shut the fuck up.
“I’m Arsin,” the God of Flames says with a bright smile. He extends the hand now holding his still lit cigarette. “I like setting things on fire. But that wasn’t what I got arrested for. Apparently, you need to be more careful in this realm not to leave trace evidence of your bomb when you kill someone.” He chuckles giddily, as if the memory is immensely amusing. “Who knew?”
I swear my brothers are seconds away from going into cardiac arrest. If my boyfriends give my brothers heart attacks, I’ll never forgive them.
“I’m Tate.” The last man shoves his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and rocks on his heels. When he catches my stare, he glares, baring his teeth like a feral animal. Asshole.
“So, what’s for dinner?” Sin continues, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I smell tacos.”
IT’S NOT, in fact, tacos that my brothers have prepared.
How Sin confuses homemade pizzas with tacos is beyond me, but soon, we find ourselves settling around the large dining room table. It had only been set for five, and a very reluctant and grumbling Ray was forced to grab extra chairs from the garage. It’s a tight squeeze, and I find myself nestled between Desmond and Tate. Tate is shifted as far away from me as possible, his ass dangling off the wooden seat. But the former’s knee, however, is flush against mine. Apparently, my words from earlier today penetrated that thick head of his. He’s been more touchy-feely than ever before, now that we’ve cleared the air.
But anger still thrums in the deepest pit of my stomach at the thought of Rebecca, my best friend, laying her fingers on my man.
If my memory serves me correctly, she knew exactly how much I loved each of them. She never looked at them in a way that made me think she had feelings for them. If anything, she seemed slightly annoyed and irritated whenever they were in the vicinity. On more than one occasion, she called them animals. Had I just been blind? Oblivious? Stupid? All of the above?
Her betrayal causes a lump to form in my throat, making it impossible to swallow.
“So,” Henry begins, drumming his fingers on the table. He hasn’t even picked up his slice of pizza yet, too busy glaring daggers at each of my “husbands.”
I’m so going to spank the shit out of Arsin when this is over.
“What sort of business do you do?” he queries, and I can read the question for what it is—getting more information on the men that have infiltrated his little sister’s life. Surely, if he was behind this attack, he wouldn’t be curious about something as mundane as their day jobs, right?
Fuck, I’m going to drive myself insane with the incessant questions.
“I’m a combat instructor,” Desmond replies easily, his hand dropping to my upper thigh and giving it a squeeze. I’m wearing a gorgeous red dress today, one that hangs just above my knee, so it will take very little for Desmond to push the fabric away and—
What the fuck am I doing? My brothers are mere inches from us.
Try telling that to my raging libido.
His thumb absently strokes the swath of bare skin exposed, and I can’t stop the involuntary shiver from hitting me full force.
“What does that entail?” Ray questions, finally sounding engaged with the conversation. All of my brothers are obsessed with self-defense, combat, hunting—pretty much anything that involves violence.
“I have a company I opened up a few years ago,” he answers, and the news causes my eyes to widen. How did I not know about this?
But then again, I don’t know a lot about who the guys are now. I’m assuming they retain some of the traits from the gods I met and fell in love with in the Realm of the Gods, but who did this world shape them to be? Do they have lives? Jobs outside of killing people?
“I have a few classes every day,” he continues, oblivious to the turmoil of my thoughts. “But I took an extended absence when I met Emily.” His hand squeezes on my thigh, emphasizing his thoughts. Slowly, maintaining that cocksure smile on his full lips, he pushes the dress up until he’s able to touch the edge of my panties.
“So you guys are…dating?” Colton makes a face, as if that word physically pains him, and I swear Ray is going to vomit on his pizza.
“Did you hear the husband and wife thing?” Sin drawls, annoyed. He downs his glass of bourbon before immediately pouring himself another.
“We’re not married,” I protest immediately, knowing an argument would brew if he’s able to convince my brothers otherwise.
The look Sin levels at me is dark and dangerous, like a hunter that has finally found its prey and is preparing to eat it whole. “You’re mine,” he vows, no hint of teasing in his voice. “Don’t you ever forget that.”
Oh yeah. Now, my brothers are definitely concerned. I wouldn’t be surprised if they grab the shotgun and shoot—
I release a muffled squeal, barely contained with my hand, when Desmond pulls away my panties and begins to rub circles against my clit.
“Are you okay?” Henry asks instantly, breaking the staring match he had with Sin. Avery is quick to pull the twins into a conversation about the upcoming football game, so that just leaves my eldest brother to deal with.
“Fine,” I gasp, taking a sip of my water to hide my reaction. I’m sure my cheeks are on fire as well. “So, are you guys still dating that one girl?”
Desmond’s fingers leisurely rub back and forth across my slit before he adds a second finger. He begins to scissor them in my tight channel as my hand holding the water glass shakes. Instinctively, I place my free hand on Tate’s thigh and hold on for dear fucking life. He stares at the offending limb with distaste before reluctantly lowering his fingers to my wrist and rubbing circles into the skin there.
“Yeah.” Am I mistaken, or is Henry blushing? In all the years I’ve known him, I can’t recall one time I’d ever seen him blush. He’s the more analytical of my brothers, always thinking with his head instead of his head, if you know what I mean. He’s never seemed particularly interested in women, or people in general. For the longest time, I assumed he was gay.
“That’s…” I practically choke on my next sip of water when Desmond presses his entire palm against my aching entrance, the friction causing me to squirm. I can feel myself reaching the precipice, and I bite my lip to contain my moan. “That’s amazing. When do I get to meet the lucky woman?”
Desmond’s tempo increases, his fingers punishing my pussy, and I grip the table as white dots dance across my vision. My orgasm pulses through me like a tsunami, the wave carrying me farther and farther away from shore. All I can do is hold my breath and pray that I’ll survive it.
“Are you okay?” Henry asks, concerned, and his question garners the attention of all the other men at the table. Helio and Avery both have knowing glints in their eyes, while Sin appears put out. When he catches my stare, he offers me a petulant frown, as if pissed that he wasn’t allowed to join in on our illicit activities.
“The pizza went down the wrong pipe,” I wheeze as I take another sip of water, hoping to quell the burning sensation rushing through my body.
Desmond, still maintaining his nonchalant smile, removes his hand from my center, rearranges my panties, and then pulls my dress down to my thighs.
“Are you thirsty, Tate?” he inquires suddenly. Before my brooding lover can reply, Desmond grabs his glass and fills it with bourbon. I can’t help but notice that his fingers—the ones just inside of me—purposefully brush across the rim of the glass, coating it in my arousal.
Tate accepts the glass impassively, but one glance at his crotch confirms he’s not as unaffected as he pretends to be. There’s a distinct bulge in his trousers, one I ache to place my lips around.
Meeting Desmond’s mischievous gaze with an annoyed one of his own, Tate brings the drink to his mouth and slowly, sensually, takes a sip. His tongue licks the side of the glass, tasting me on it, and his eyes practically r
oll into the back of his head before he can conceal his reaction.
“Somebody loves their alcohol,” Colton murmurs to Ray from across the table, and my cheeks instantly burn.
“I-I’m going to…um…go to the bathroom,” I stutter out, pushing away from the table.
“Hurry back!” Desmond calls to my retreating back as I break into a run.
Fuck him and his magical fingers. And fuck my vagina too for being a shameless hussy. She really has no self-respect.
In the bathroom, I use an entire wad of toilet paper to clean my thighs and pussy lips. It’s a miracle none of my brothers saw the liquid dripping down my thighs. Talk about mortifying. God or no god, my brothers would find a way to kill Desmond and all of the other men at the table. They might spare Avery, but that’s only because the four have history. But that doesn’t mean Aves won’t lose a limb in the process.
I wash my hands in the sink and take a deep, fortifying breath.
Only when I’m sure I have my emotions under control, do I leave the bathroom.
The hallway is filled entirely with framed pictures nailed to the wall, and I take a moment to survey each one. There’s one of my father and mother, both of them smiling brightly. And there’s another of my father holding a baby Colton. A few of all three of my brothers throughout the years—smiling, laughing, playing.
But none of me.
My heart begins to hammer in my chest as I stare at each photograph in rapidly growing horror. There’s one that was taken when we went camping, a few years before Dad died. I remember that day vividly. I got into a fight with my brothers over which one of us deserved the biggest tent. They insisted that since there were three of them, they should get it, but I argued that I’m a girl and thus, needed more room.
