For a moment, her eyes widened as if shocked he found the drawing, before sharpening with accusation. “A picture you snooped to find,” she jabbed a finger into his sweater with each syllable.
Pleased that her spunk returned, Reid grabbed her offending hand and kissed the accosting finger. The fiery spirit that lit her eyes mollified at his touch, instinctively warming to pools of desire.
“After seeing that, I thought you would love this place as much as we do,” he waited expectantly, doing his best to read the emotions behind the contrary look she struggled to maintain. Clutching her tighter, he continued, “If you want we could live in the city and just board this place up. As long as I have you, my sweet Everly, I don’t care where…”
“No!” She exclaimed, cutting him off. Both fists now, grabbed at his shirt as if to stop him. “No, I don’t mean that I don’t want you to do that. This place is beautiful, I just didn’t…,” Trailing off, Reid could see her struggle to find the words that matched her thoughts.
Rubbing his hand up and down her thigh, Reid used the other around her waist to pull her closer. “I know you’re worried, I know you don’t want to be trapped ever again.” Tilting her chin up, he leaned closer until he could feel her small puffs of breath against his lips. “And believe me when I say I understand that better than most.” Leaning his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes as he recalled the painful memories. “I used to beg our dad to take us with him to wherever he would run off to weeks at a time. I would yell, cry, throw things—just lose it— when I woke up and realize he left us alone to fend for ourselves again.” Her breath hitched, and he opened his eyes. The sadness sparkled in her eyes with unshed tears, sympathy, and understanding shining back at him. Cupping her face, he used one hand to stroke the base of her scalp, just anything to touch her to somehow wordlessly convey he was grateful she cared. “Trust me, my love, I swear our lives together will be nothing like that. I know and love that you want to travel and experience the world. Hell I want to be the one that makes that happen!” Holding her tighter he held her gaze. “You have two men that fly and own their own planes, trust me, we will go anywhere you want. Just give this a chance.”
Quietly, she bowed her head and sat back a little in his lap, putting distance between them. The tightening grip that snaked around his heart compounded with the pain that rushed him. Reid could feel his expression hardening as his body tensed until it felt like plated metal. Everything inside of him bellowed to pull her to him whether she wanted him or not, to lay her flat on this couch and kiss her until she complied. He wanted to bury himself into her wet warmth while he whispered promises of a golden future to her unborn child. But he didn’t, he wouldn’t do any of that. Reid knew he could make her respond through carnal means, even make her say she wanted him but it was no longer enough. Greedily his mind evolved from that once euphoric triumph of her submission, he wanted more now—he wanted it all.
He wanted her to choose him without coercion.
Slowly, like a shy doe, she turned back to face him, her eyes taking in every detail. She watched as his chest expanded with each tense breath as he waited, she noticed the thick veins in the column of his neck palpitate in harmony with the hammering of his nervous heart. Did she even know that his blood pumped for her alone when she even so much as glanced at him? Could she even comprehend that his soul belonged to her now? This obsession was unhealthy he knew, it was deep-rooted and overwhelming, but he didn’t give a shit. This was a firestorm, and he was happy to burn.
Her hand settled on his chest, splaying across the hard muscle beneath, and like rain to a desert, she graced him with her kiss.
Reid had to suppress the animalistic growl that threatened to escape as he let her lead the soft, timid kiss. So gentle, her shy explorations of his mouth made him want to die and come alive at the same time.
The tiny moan she emitted shattered his resolve.
Reid ignored the sound of the laptop sliding to the floor as he pulled her flat against him. Swallowing her cry of surprise, he held the back of her head as he slanted his mouth over hers, drinking her in. Relentlessly he pushed further, needing more. Fisting her hair, he pulled her head back listening to her surprised gasp. Eyeing the beautiful curve of her vulnerable throat, he traced the arch with his tongue until he was suckling on the pulse at the base of her neck.
The long need filled moan was all he needed to hear, turning on the couch with her still in his lap, Reid began to lay her down on the expanse of the couch beside him.
The office door swung open. “I know what else I can cook! A panini…Oh…” Zane stopped midstep and gave them a wide grin. “Am I interrupting?”
The bastard knew damn well he was!
Pulling his hand from beneath her shirt, Reid pulled her back up straight and sat back. Everly averted her gaze in embarrassment as she tried to straighten her rumpled sweater.
“What do you want Zane?” Reid made sure to imbue his tone with every bit of the frustrated anger he was feeling.
Everly stiffened at his tone. The hand he kept at her waist slid to her stomach in a tender caress, wordlessly letting her know it was okay. His heart swelled at her instant relaxation, but his eyes stayed focused on the intruding asshole at the door.
Not bothering to look at him, Zane just grinned lazily at Everly. “I wanted to see if my Everly was hungry and if so, do you want a panini?”
Pausing, Everly looked at Zane before turning to look at Reid. “I am a little hungry,” she admitted.
Reluctantly, Reid let his hands fall from her warm body and gave her an encouraging smile. “Go ahead love, go eat. We can continue this later.”
Reid didn’t miss the flustered heat that bloomed in the depths of her eyes and was pleased she understood his meaning. Sitting back on the sofa, Reid watched Zane happily sling a possessive arm over her shoulders and lead her out of the room.
Watching the door close behind them Reid let out a groan, rubbing his eyebrows he let his thoughts turn to his idiotic brother.
For the past few days, Zane’s childish jealousy had been increasing. At first, it started small, with occasional frowns of displeasure or bouts of silence whenever Everly’s attention was turned away from him. This was something Reid should’ve expected. Zane was used to getting what he wanted, especially by women. The good-looking idiot was accustomed to being the center of a woman’s attention without having to put any real effort into it. With Everly, however, everything was different. Zane’s charms and good looks did nothing to sway her heart, a fact that pleased Reid far too much to admit. No, with Everly, their sweet innocent, wide-eyed captive, it took more to capture her heart. So much in fact, even Reid found himself stooping to Zane’s childish level at times.
Every day the bonds they created with her strengthened, while their own relationship teetered on the brink of explosion. If Zane wasn’t walking in on him and Everly doing anything from talking to kissing, Reid was the one walking in on them. Naturally, patience was starting to wear thin, and possessiveness was beginning to take root. Both of their time was spent secretly carving out time away from the other, to steal her attention, so she was only focused on them. It was as if they were drunk off of her and they could not get enough. They were no better than children fighting over a parent’s affection.
Reid told himself he should be the bigger man, he should stop this dangerous game, but dear God, her smile. She was actually smiling at them now, what man could resist that treasured gift? What red-blooded male didn’t want to hoard that smile for himself? Although to be honest the situation was already getting out of hand, Reid could feel his discipline slip each day as he reacted more and more to Zane’s childish baiting.
The call he got from Zane yesterday only ignited his own latent jealousy.
That morning, Reid left early, early enough where the sky was still black, and the other two occupants of the house were still sleeping deeply. He had a meeting with some suppliers in Toronto at noon, and Reid had n
o desire to spend the evening there. The nightly dinners with Everly quickly became the highlight of his days. Flying into the small executive airport, Reid caught a cab and made it to the meeting location just as the other party arrived. Securing the deal and wrapping up the details, Reid was sitting in his idling plane by three thirty waiting for the sensors to warm up and give him the go-ahead when he got the call.
Seeing that the call was from Zane, he answered. “What is it?”
There was no reply, but the line wasn’t dead either. Reid’s stomach clenched, and his spine tingled as he listened to the familiar cry over the line. Sitting very still as the aircraft rumbled around him ready for takeoff, Reid listened with a hardened expression as Everly cried out Zane’s name. Even over the phone, Reid could hear the wet noises of her sex mingling in with her escalating cries.
Disconnecting the line, Reid shoved his phone in his pocket before wrenching the takeoff lever back, propelling the plane forward.
The raw, undiluted anger felt foreign and potentially cataclysmic. Reid’s hands shook with the power of his rage. Clenching his fist to steady himself, Reid counted to ten. One, he would not murder his brother when he got home. Two, he would not break Zane’s jaw. Three, Reid would go home and bury himself balls deep into that beautiful woman of his, until she could think of no one else but him.
Feeling the wheels leave the ground, Reid rubbed his brow in frustration, counting was not working. The problem was clear to see, they were utterly desperate for her love. Two emotionally scarred bastards who were bordering on obsessive with her newfound joy.
Regardless, they were going to have to work through this or Reid was pretty sure he was going to toss Zane into the fucking lake.
Chapter 15
The light, feminine laughter that echoed from the kitchen bristled at Zane’s nerves.
Walking from the bedroom to the office, Zane kept his face neutral as he spied the two from his peripheral. Leaning on the counter, Reid forked chunks of pineapples one by one into Everly’s mouth. Pushing down the violent urge that reacted within him from the scene, Zane walked into the office.
Right now, there was a war being waged, and each side was landing deep eviscerating cuts.
For days now, the tension between him and his brother grew thick. Tit for tat, they pulled and tugged at her attention like greedy boys. It was a game that could not last much longer. The hostility between them was growing out of proportion, and Zane didn’t miss Everly’s occasional worried glances.
But the fucker was trying his patience.
Even this morning, Reid could not resist paying him back for that phone call. Normally, Zane was the one who reserved the privilege of waking up their pregnant angel each morning, kissing her growing belly until those burnished gold eyes fluttered open. The fear that was once in her eyes weeks ago was gone, replaced by a feminine curiosity that made his balls ache. To spite him, however, Reid encroached on his morning routine for the past two days stealing her undivided attention away from Zane.
Sitting down at his desk, Zane pulled out his phone, he needed to make sure all of the tile for their upcoming project was still on track for delivery. The sultry feminine moan gave him pause. Looking up his eyes narrowed like lasers at the open office doorway as his heart froze. Perfectly silent, Zane sat without so much as an intake of breath as he heard the delicate cry. Carefully, Zane stood up from his chair, his throat constricting as he walked without a sound across the room, each step filling him with bitter dread. Stepping into the shadow of the doorway, Zane’s eyes followed the increasing sounds.
Sitting on the kitchen island counter with her back towards him, Everly sat with her dress pulled up around her waist and her thighs spread. Standing between her legs, Reid had his face buried into the crook of her shoulder as he continuously rocked forward, eliciting louder cries from her with each thrust.
Zane felt like all his muscles had tightened and locked into place. He should join them, he should be happy she was accepting them like this, he should be anything but devastated the way he was right now. Why did seeing them like this, make him feel so alone?
Looking back up, Zane’s rage ran cold when he caught his brother’s eye. With no remorse, no ounce of shame, Reid increased his pace biting into her shoulder, ignoring Zane entirely as he fucked the love of Zane’s life right in front of him.
Stumbling back from the door, Zane ground his jaw tight to suppress the growl of fury.
The message was clear, Reid wasn’t going to back down.
Planting his fist on his desk, Zane took steadying breaths. The time for talking and working this out civilly had passed. Zane was going to kill him.
±
Cold, the bed felt cold.
Opening her eyes, Everly noticed the empty spot beside her, Zane wasn’t there. Turning to her right, she was surprised to find Reid’s side empty as well. What was going on? Pushing herself to her elbows, Everly squinted at the red digital numbers at the bedside clock. It was three in the morning.
Getting out of bed, she didn’t bother looking for her slippers, and padded barefoot across the room. The foyer was dark and quiet. With her hand on the wall, Everly stood silently with a frown scanning the darkness for signs of life. The whole house felt desolate and empty. Not sure where to look next, she was prepared to turn back and check the bathroom when she heard the muffled sounds.
Looking to the front of the foyer, she noticed the front door slightly ajar. Silently she stepped closer, holding her breath for unknown reasons as she opened the door to the increasing shouts. The ice-cold wind tore through her thin satin nightgown as she stepped onto the porch. Yards away both men faced each other in unyielding stances. Although the words being flung heatedly at each other were foreign, Everly couldn’t miss the rage that laced their tones. Her heart jumped when Zane took a threatening step forward.
They were going to fight, she was sure of it.
Seeing Reid’s fist clench in reaction, Everly shouted. “No! Stop!”
The brothers froze. Reid’s look of shock instantly disappeared as he watched her step barefoot down the steps onto the cold earth. Casting his brother one last furious look, Reid set off towards her with angry determination.
“Reid what’s going on? You two were about to… Reid!” She squealed. Hoisting her up into his arms, Reid carried her back up the stairs.
“You shouldn’t be out here,” he growled, stomping back into the bedroom. “You’re barefoot and have on a thin nightgown. It’s freezing Everly!” His tone was condemning, but she didn’t let herself take it to heart.
Looking up at his rigid profile she knew he was angrier at himself or even Zane, more so than her.
Ignoring his anger, she let him set her on the bed as he grabbed a towel to clean her feet.
“Why were you two fighting? What’s going on?” Even as she asked the question, she knew what was happening.
The pressure between the two for the past few days was practically unbreathable. The jealous behavior was nothing new to her, growing up she watched her “mothers” desperately vie for her father’s affection. Everly had seen every desperate, needy antic the women did to one another just to feel valued in her father’s cruel eyes. Everly hated how he made the women feel, she hated how he did nothing to intervene or reassure the women, he just watched and enjoyed the sad acts. Was that what was going on now? Panic blossomed in her heart as she watched Reid tenderly clean her feet. Was she making them feel this way?
Looking up, Reid must have noticed the panic in her eyes shining back. Rubbing the cool skin on her arms, Reid kissed her softly. “I love you baby, Zane loves you. You have done nothing wrong at all.” He reassured her by kissing her again, as he lifted her legs and tucked them under the covers. Leaning over her with one arm braced on either side of her, Reid gave her a penetrating look. “We’re just…we’re just out of sync right now, and we’re too prideful of bastards to work this out like normal people.”
Reaching out of the
cocoon he created for her, Everly cupped his face letting his short, dark whiskers glide over her fingers. “What can I do?”
Groaning, Reid let his face drop to her breast, nuzzling the soft globes through the thin gown. “Nothing baby, nothing but rest and don’t worry. You and the baby are the most important factors in our life.” As if to prove his words, Reid peeled back the covers and placed small kisses on her growing stomach.
Running her hands through his hair, she fought the wave of desire and stayed focused on the topic. “Please Reid, I can’t sleep knowing…”
“Please my love, we will talk in the morning,” though his words sounded like a plea for her to consider, Everly didn’t miss the finality in his tone.
“You swear?” She breathed.
“I swear.”
±
Everly would be lying if she didn’t admit she was disappointed when she woke up alone in bed that morning. She was hoping she would at least see Zane smiling down at her like usual, so she could see for herself that everything was all right. Instead of the two hulking males next to her, she woke up to see a wooden tray on the nightstand filled with food.
Back to Black: A captive ménage romance Page 17
