by Mia Ashlinn
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” she snapped, trying to hold onto a shred of her dignity.
Jared’s blue eyes locked with her hazel ones, and time stood still for a fraction of a second. Then he murmured, “Shut up, Shannon,” and kissed her.
His warm lips brushed back and forth across hers, coaxing her to unlock her lips like a lock to a key. Answering the delicious call between his body and hers, she opened her mouth, silently encouraging him to delve inside.
Jared latched onto her invitation and swooped in. He seized the back of her head, holding her captive as he dominated her mouth. This was a man who had waited patiently for this moment and was going to make up for years in one predatory kiss. He marked his territory, telling everyone that she belonged to him.
His ownership of her mouth should have outraged her. She should be kicking him in the balls rather than grabbing his hips and pulling his crotch tighter to hers. A lusty groan burst free from his mouth, vibrating against her lips, eliciting a groan of her own. Drew’s large, capable hands took hold of her waist, hindering her further.
Distantly, she heard the steady thump of work boots on a hardwood floor. Body heat came into contact with her side as the footsteps halted, and she sighed.
“Munchkin, you want us,” Drew whispered into her ear, his voice sounding low and raspy. “Admit it.”
Before she could blast Drew’s presumptuous conclusion, his true presumptuous conclusion, a merciless bite to her neck stopped her. She jerked at the rush of pleasure caused by Randy’s agonizing bite. Tearing her mouth from Jared’s, despite his possessive clench on her head, she cursed long and loud. “Fuck.”
Drew nipped her ear. “We’re going to have to work on that potty mouth of yours.”
Don’t hold your breath on that one, Studley Do-Right.
“Cocksucker. Motherfucker. Fuck. Bitch. Cunt.” She spoke rapidly, firing off a few of her favorite curse words, knowing she didn’t have long before they would stop her. Just as she’d expected, they quickly united to cut her off. Jared kissed her as Drew cupped her breasts, his thumbs flicking her nipples, and Randy finished her erotic torture with a second wicked bite to her neck.
“You’re mine. And Jared’s. And Randy’s. We—”
Drew’s words drowned out. Her sadistic son-of-a-bitch uncle appeared in front of her open eyes, blinding her from the real world around her. “You’re mine. I will kill them just like I killed your worthless parents, but I won’t go so easy on them.”
Pauley’s vile statement of intent was a blimp overhead, flashing its gaudy lights, mesmerizing and brainwashing her all at once. A cold front moved across her soul, triggering shivers she couldn’t control. Frantically, she screamed, “No! God, no! No! No! You can’t. I can’t. God, please,” as she fought for freedom.
All three men stepped away from her—one in dejection, one in anger, and one in disbelief.
“I’m tired of this bullshit, Shannon,” Drew told her, his voice sounding defeated. “I’ll go if that is what you really want, but keep this in mind. When I walk out of your goddamn door, that’s it. I won’t do this anymore. I’m tired of waiting for you to wake up and see what’s standing right in front of you. I want marriage and kids. If you can’t give me that, then stay the hell away from me.” He walked away from her wearily. He didn’t stalk away. He didn’t run away. He just moved like a man who had given up on every single hope and dream ingrained deep inside him.
She watched him leave with her heart in tatters, the tears simmering just below the surface. Getting a hold on her emotions proved to be more difficult than anticipated, but she had to get them out of here before she completely lost it.
Turning her faux venom on Jared and Randy, she placed her hands on her hips and said, “Finally, one of you gets a damn brain. Do you two need to visit the Wizard of fucking Oz? I can give you directions. Follow the yellow brick road.”
Jared stared right through her, his fury palpable. He shook his head and stalked out her front door without a word, leaving her alone with Randy.
“You might fool those two, but you don’t fool me, Shannon Roberts—not for one second. You’re ours, and I’ll be damned before I give you up,” Randy told her, emphasizing his every word. “If you’re hiding something, tell me. I can help you. Don’t make me find out the big mystery for myself.”
She smoothed her face out as if she had no cares, no secrets, and no worries before boldly lying, “I have nothing to hide.”
“Don’t you dare lie to me,” he yelled angrily, the bluish veins bulging out of his neck. “I know that you love us as much as we love you. Why do you keep pushing us away? Jared and Drew are serious. They are going to move on, without you, even if it kills them. Tell me that it won’t kill you, too.”
Her response stuck in her throat, and she couldn’t look at him a second longer. She peered over his shoulder, locking onto a photo of her, Jaycee, and Katie-Anne at the beach thirteen years ago.
“That’s answer enough for me. Come on, I’ll walk you back to the café.” He grabbed her elbow, guiding her out of the apartment. “Maybe my sister and Katie-Anne can talk some sense into you before it’s too late to undo the damage.”
She wanted to rip her elbow away from him. The heat of his hand on her skin sent tingles up her arm, heading straight to her heart. Her breath stalled in her hollow chest, and she discovered what a heart breaking felt like.
How will I ever survive this? The debilitating pain raging inside her hurt far worse than anything she’d ever experienced before. It agonized her, making her desperate to seek a hole somewhere to crawl into and let the misery have her. But she wasn’t that lucky.
Damn Pauley. His final threat had brought out her protective instincts. She’d known she would do anything to protect the triplets—even at her own expense. “Little Shannon, I know about those brothers you lust after. They aren’t the men for you. You’re mine. I will kill the depraved bastards just like I killed your worthless parents, but I won’t go so easy on them. If you push me to it, I have years to plan the perfect revenge since I’m going away until things calm down around here. Just remember that I will be back for you when the time is right.”
She and Randy walked back to the café in strained silence. Unable to even look at his sinfully sexy face, her sneakers became the object of her focus until they reached Lou’s Café.
She and Randy stopped just outside the door. He brushed her face yearningly with the back of his hand. “Don’t push this, Shannon. Let us in.”
She didn’t speak. She couldn’t. Instead, she turned and fled, darting into Lou’s without once looking back.
Chapter 3
Saturday night in early November, present day…
Shannon’s blast from the past faded away, and her mind returned to a packed Dolce Serenità. The screech of silverware scraping fine dishes assaulted her ears, and she cringed. She felt her stomach somersault as the aroma of Italian food and a wood-burning stove wafted under her nose. Someone, please, kill me now.
“What could have happened that was so irreparable you four can’t work things out?” Katie-Anne asked, cocking her head to the side and scrutinizing Shannon.
Shannon fidgeted nervously. She despised being the center of attention, and, at this moment, she was the freak show. “They gave me an ultimatum.”
“What kind of ultimatum?” Jaycee inquired with too much knowledge for Shannon’s comfort.
“Come on, J. You know what happened,” Katie-Anne jumped in before Shannon could answer. “They told her it was now or never. She told them ‘never,’ and now she is suffering the consequences of her own stupidity or pride or whatever it was that caused her to refuse them—again.”
“Yep,” Shannon concurred in defeat. “That pretty much sums it up.”
Still watching her with probing eyes, Katie-Anne crossed her arms. “I am calling bullshit on this one, Shan. They would take you back—”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Katie-Anne,
” Jaycee opposed, cutting Katie-Anne off midsentence. “Jared and Drew aren’t quitters. If they felt they’d reached that point, they’re not likely to give her a second chance, especially Drew. He’s an unforgiving bastard and prideful to a fault. Jared is only slightly better.”
“Randy hasn’t given up.” Katie-Anne’s positivity was unfounded, and they all knew it.
Jaycee smiled, but it didn’t reach her blue eyes. “He’s the only one.”
The words stole Shannon’s breath. Pain and regret pumped through the chambers of her heart and migrated outward before returning to torment her once more. She gave in and rubbed her throbbing temples, making an effort to alleviate even a tiny portion of the severe pounding inside.
Miss Positivity raged on, acting as if she could come up with the answer to all of Shannon’s problems, “Then she can have Randy. Better to have one, without the other two, than none at all. It’s much less testosterone, anyway.”
Jaycee snorted. “Would you have Shane without Landon?”
Katie-Anne’s face colored a pinkish-red that flattered only her but gave no response.
Jaycee pushed forward. “Do you think that I would have had Gray without Cade a second time around?”
“Maybe not,” Katie-Anne acquiesced resentfully.
Jaycee’s voice rose a full octave. “Hello? Earth to Katie-Anne! I ran for three goddamn years for that very reason.”
“Looks to me like it worked out for you,” Katie-Anne reminded Jaycee. Shannon couldn’t tell if Katie-Anne meant her statement to be cruel or kind.
Taking her words for face value or plainly disregarding her, Jaycee asked the million-dollar question, “After how long? How long must she suffer before she can move on? How long until she can fucking live?”
The shrill tone of Mary’s voice interrupted them, keeping Katie-Anne and Shannon from responding to Jaycee. “Good evening, darlings. I thought it was you, but it was hard to see from over there behind those two giant hulks of men of mine.”
Perfect. This was fucking perfect.
* * * *
Drew Dalton watched his date glide across the restaurant, the click of her stilettos on the marble floor dwindling as she moved further away. Boredom swept over him, and he sighed. He picked up his drink, tossing back the remnants of his snifter filled with bourbon, then slapped it back on top of the table.
“Stop it, Drew,” Jared snapped.
“No.” Drew refused his older brother’s order. “You stop it, Jared.”
“If you don’t quit, you’re going to break something or take a chunk out of the table with your hand. I’m not going to help bandage you up, either.”
Drew didn’t give a damn. He refused to loosen his grip on the solid hardwood table. Maybe if his hand hurt, the pain inside of his chest would diminish.
Mentally, Drew snorted. If only it were that easy.
He plastered a self-satisfied smirk on his face that wouldn’t have fooled a kindergartener and replied, “No worries, big brother. That’s what I have Mary for. She’ll take mighty fine care of me.”
Jared laughed. It was the first laugh he had heard from either of his brothers in two months. “Bullshit. You’ve got Mary for one reason and one reason alone, just like I do.”
Drew scowled and crossed his arms, letting his fury be known.
“Don’t you want me to tell you what the reason is?” Jared asked, his laughs still coming.
Drew rolled his eyes as he shook his head. He had no doubt as to what his brother was referring to. But he didn’t want to go down that road, not with the five-foot-four-inch, redheaded, curvaceous siren causing all of this insanity sitting across the room with Jaycee and Katie-Anne.
“No,” Jared said arrogantly, with way too much knowledge, as he flung his napkin onto the table forcefully. “You don’t need me to tell you, do you?”
And still, Drew didn’t say anything. He stared his brother down, warning him to shut the hell up before the brawling began in the middle of Dolce Serenità. The owner, Stellina Belluci, would probably get pretty pissed if they tore up her pride and joy in a fit of temper.
“Well, I will tell you, dear brother,” Jared spat. “You are dating her to forget the woman you can’t have, but it isn’t working, is it? No matter what you do or how hard you try, it doesn’t change a fucking thing. The anger and pain is eating you alive, just like it is me. Talk about it, damn it.”
Drew’s fist came down on the table, making the table shake violently. “You are not a shrink, and I’m not your fucking patient. Back the fuck off before I break your goddamn nose. Maybe, then, you will stop sticking it where it doesn’t belong.”
Breathing erratically, Drew did his best to collect himself. It wouldn’t serve him well to show the world the truth—that he wasn’t over her, that he needed her and loved her, that he wanted her and he would do anything to have her.
It didn’t matter that he hadn’t spoken to her in months, and it didn’t matter that neither of them would acknowledge the other. Hell, it didn’t even matter that she didn’t want him, and he didn’t want to want her. She was it for him, and he knew it. But he refused to spend his whole life begging for a crumb from her.
Jared clapped his hands. “Bravo, Drew. Bravo”
I have to get away from here.
“Don’t you fucking think about it,” Jared commanded, his expression turning thunderous. If he was a lesser man, Drew would be shaking in his cowboy boots, but this was his brother, and he wouldn’t allow Jared to dictate him.
“Don’t you fucking tell me what to do, Jared. I’m over this.”
Drew got up to leave, but Jared clamped his hand around Drew’s wrist, freezing his departure. “She is watching you. Do you want to give her the satisfaction of knowing she’s getting to you?” Jared wrenched his wrist painfully before yanking him back into his chair. “Sit your ass down and don’t fucking move, not even an inch.”
“She isn’t watching us.”
Jared rolled his eyes. “Of course she is, Drew. That woman is eating us up with her eyes when she thinks we can’t see her. She’s got it as bad as we do. She’s just scared, and we’re tired of waiting. It doesn’t mix well.”
As inconspicuously as possible, Drew shot a look in her direction. She was lashing out at Mary, but, in between words, she looked over at them. Her pale, freckled face alternated between fury and anguish. Yeah, she has it as bad as we do.
“What a goddamn disaster.” Drew pushed his fingers through his dirty blond hair. “We’re fucked, aren’t we?”
Jared’s nostrils flared. “I honestly don’t know. Just because we can’t have the woman we want doesn’t mean that we can’t move on with someone else. Right?”
“I feel like an asshole for settling. Is it fair to us or the woman? What about Randy? He is never going to give up on her.”
Jared exhaled audibly, giving the answer Drew expected. “I wish I had the answers, but I don’t. I guess we let him follow his heart. I just don’t believe I can follow mine anymore and neither can you. We have to keep trying to move on and hope that we all eventually find our own way.”
“Can you actually do that?” Drew stared down at the napkin Jared had thrown with unseeing eyes. The future he’d never wanted flashed before his eyes, a life without his woman and one of his brothers. Can I do it?
Jared stared off into space, as well. “I don’t know, but I have to try.”
A yell rang out from across the room, garnering the attention of everyone in the restaurant, and they were no exception.
Chapter 4
“You filthy, good-for-nothing, cum-dumping troll!” Shannon’s chair fell over as she vaulted out of it, not that she gave it a thought. She didn’t exactly give a damn that they were in a restaurant or that they were surrounded by people. Hell, she didn’t even care that she sounded bitchy and jealous. “Do you seriously want to die, Mary?”
Shannon puffed out her chest then moved into Mary’s personal space, not touching but not g
iving her any room for escape, either. “The cum-dumping remark was not a compliment, just so you know,” she smarted off. “By the way, did you buy that thesaurus we suggested? I’m not in the mood for you to call me the same shit. Whore and slut get old after awhile.”
Mary didn’t respond to Shannon’s backhanded reminder of the fight they’d had a few months ago at Lou’s Café. Instead, she gasped, “Oh,” and feigned shock. She placed her hand in front of her mouth like she had divulged some great secret. “I just figured that since they wouldn’t fuck your slutty ass, you would want the dirty details. You know how we girls are.” She smirked. “We love to kiss and tell.”
Katie-Anne spoke rationally. “Shannon, she’s just trying to get a rise out of you, and she’s succeeding.”
Shannon flipped her friend the bird and snarled, “I don’t give a fuck, Katie-Anne. The slutbag deserves to get the ass-whipping of her life.”
“You wouldn’t hurt anyone, Shan, not even gutter slime like her,” Jaycee reminded Shannon of her shortcomings.
Going to kill Jaycee later.
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Shannon snapped. Her hands shook violently as she fought off her temperamental nature, the one she kept contained—most of the time. Even her friends held the preposterous belief that she was a pacifist. If only they knew she had the anti-violence rule in place to keep her temper as repressed as possible.
“Yeah, Shan, you’re all talk. You are as likely to kick her ass as you would be to go skydiving. Not happening, sister.”
Going to kill Katie-Anne, too.
“Whatever. We’re not going to get into this,” Shannon said sharply. “I’m busy right now.”
Mary leaned forward, whispering with enough volume for the three of them to hear. “You should have taken them up on their pity fuck. They are to die for in the bedroom.”
I need to abolish my stupid anti-violence rule so I won’t feel so bad for breaking it in a couple of minutes. Boiling inside, Shannon sneered, “That’s good to hear because you may die for touching my men.”
