Magical Redemption

by Corinne Davies

  “I hope you like crawfish, Dannika.”

  She blinked, confusion clouding her expression for a moment. “I do. Why?”

  “Because, we have a traditional boil planned for tonight, and I feel like celebrating.”

  “What’s the celebration?” Excitement and curiosity danced like an aura around her body, and Maddoc had a vision of her dancing naked with him and his brother amongst the heathered hills of their home.

  “Your arrival into our lives, of course.” As Gavin moved around the table, Maddoc backed up a step, leading her with him. A breath later she was pressed between the two on them. Maddoc could feel her heartbeat even out, and the nervous anxiety that hovered around her faded away.

  Chapter Eight

  Dani was amazed at what could only be called a feast literally poured out on the table before her. Jilly had Padrig and Connor helped her bring huge stock pots out into the backyard, and they poured onto the paper-lined table. The savory aromas of spice, corn on the cob, potatoes, and crawfish exploded from the massive clouds of steam.

  Dani eyed the table, not entirely certain about the cleanliness of eating off newsprint. “Would you like me to get the cutlery?”

  “Da’lin, this is traditional finger food.” A young man leaned casually against the table across from her. “Pinch the tail and suck the heads—ow!”

  Jilly had smacked the young man on the back of his head and was giving him a dark look. “Show some respect, Owen.”

  “I thought this was a family dinner,” Owen responded, his tone the same as many of the young adults that occupied the university campus where she occasionally lectured. “Katie told me that you managed to get somewhere you shouldn’t be. That makes your appearance here more than a little suspect, ’chere.”

  “I don’t understand what you mean.” Feeling like she was missing out on a vital part of a conversation always put her on edge, and this seemed to be a bit more personal. “Gavin and Maddoc invited me to dinner. I didn’t know it was for family only.”

  “She discovered the quickest way to their heart.” Katie came up next to Owen and wrapped her arm around his slim shoulders.

  Dani had no idea what Katie was saying, but she didn’t want to stay here if she was intruding.

  “I hope everyone is hungry.”

  A calmness washed over Dani’s senses, a feeling she’d started equating with Gavin and Maddoc’s proximity. Gavin wrapped his arm across Dani’s back, resting his hand on her hip.

  Dani looked up at him and smiled. “Gavin.” She didn’t know how she did it, but something deep inside of her always knew who was close. Physically they both looked the same, but Gavin’s energy was spontaneous and electric. On the other hand, Maddoc’s energy felt like it had been a part of her forever. Both of them made her feel safe and secure and loved. Woah! Loved?

  “What’s wrong?” Gavin had cupped her face in his hands, and he looked over it as if he was searching for something.

  “Nothing, nothing, just hungry,” Dani replied as she tried to get her heart rate back to something less than racing.

  “Can she always tell you both apart?” Dani heard Katie’s question, but Gavin didn’t look away from her when he answered.

  “Always.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Let’s get you fed, beautiful.”

  * * * *

  There were twelve people in total at the meal including herself. She’d met Jilly and Duggan already, but everyone else’s names were lost in the jumble of her thoughts. They were all loud and boisterous, including Gavin and Maddoc, as they passed around bottles of beer and ate with their fingers. They all sat at a long picnic table in the backyard, a banquet in front of them. Sitting between them, she didn’t feel as overwhelmed as she normally would have by this point. Truth be told, she was starting to enjoy herself. She’d never eaten like this. Her mother had been a stickler for table manners and using them.

  She was practically waited on hand and foot by her guys. Since when are they mine? They taught her the best way to eat the crawfish and didn’t make fun of her when one slipped out of her fingers and launched into the air. Dani was horrified as it arced in the air and smacked Duggan in the forehead.

  “No food fights,” the old man snapped. Silence crashed over the table, but then a moment later everyone burst out laughing. Duggan chuckled along with everyone else but didn’t look back at her.

  Dani wasn’t certain what Duggan’s true feelings were, but she was worried that he thought she did that intentionally. “I’m very sorry, Duggan. I swear it was an accident.”

  As usual, she couldn’t decipher the look the man gave her before nodding curtly at her.

  Maddoc pressed his lips against her temple. “Don’t worry about it, Dannika. He’s not really angry,” he said against her skin.

  Gavin pressed a noisy kiss against her other cheek. “That was an excellent shot.”

  They both laughed and the conversations around the table rose back to their normal levels. The uneasy feeling didn’t leave Dani for the duration of the meal. She knew there was an undercurrent she didn’t understand, and that made her nervous. Maddoc and Gavin seemed oblivious to it all as they kept up a steady stream of stories and jokes. Dani laughed when everyone else did. It was one of the first things she’d learned as a kid.

  As soon as Jilly started to clean up, Dani stood and immediately helped to fold up the newspaper, catching the empty shells in its folds.

  “You don’t have to do that, Dani. Jilly will get one of the youngsters to give her a hand.”

  “That’s nuts. It’s the least I can do.” She searched out the older woman where she was cleaning up at the end of the table. Jilly looked up and gave Dani a big smile.

  “I appreciate the help of such a thoughtful woman. If she’s to be treated like family, then there’s no reason she can’t help get this all back to rights.”

  “Thank you.” It was important to Dani to help out. Her mother had spent so much time doing everything for her, and she suspected that Jilly did the same for this family. Maddoc and Gavin stayed and helped as well, and it was tidied up in no time.

  As the sun set, hundreds of twinkling lights lit up in the trees centered in the backyards. It looked like the stars had come down just to light their celebration. Dani’s glass was never empty, and it didn’t take too long for her to feel the effects. She leaned back against a tree and looked around her, watching the way the family acted with each other. She fingered the cell phones in her pocket, checking them periodically for a reply from Erin. There were innumerable reasons why her friend wouldn’t have replied, and she was grateful that Maddoc told her he didn’t mind her holding onto his phone.

  Her memories swirled remembering the night that Lisette had gone missing. Dani had been so convinced that Lisette should leave her gris-gris bag behind. At the time, Dani hadn’t really believed in the magic that Lisette followed. But after everything she’d experienced, how could she not? The feeling of guilt that she’d somehow betrayed her friend was slowly eating away at her calm.

  As she faded back away from the lights, she almost felt like she was intruding on a family celebration but rationally knew that the brothers wanted her to be there. There had been a couple looks sent her way from different members of their family that Dani couldn’t decipher, but as she usually did in these situations, she ignored them. Either they got over it or someone would come out and finally voice what was bothering them.

  Despite the uneasy feeling that still sat on her shoulders, the music had been upbeat and rowdy, making everyone laugh and sing along. But then it slowed, the ballad changing the mood.

  She blinked in surprise when Maddoc and Gavin appeared in front of her. They’d been standing with Katie and a couple other people and had looked to be in deep discussion. He plucked her glass from her fingers. “Come dance.”

  “I thought you’d forgotten about us,” Gavin said as he wrapped his hand around hers. “Why are you hiding in the shadows?”

 
“I was thinking and didn’t want to spoil anyone’s mood.”

  “What’s bothering you?” Maddoc asked as he turned and caught one of her hands, pressing it up against his chest. Gavin mirrored his move, and she found herself cocooned between the both as they swayed to the music.

  “I’m worried about Erin. I shouldn’t have left her last night. What if something happened to her? I’m dancing with two men contemplating things I shouldn’t when she might need me.”

  “Dani, I promise you first thing tomorrow morning we will find Erin. There are always a lot of people wandering around this time of year, and I’m sure one of your friends would have contacted you if they knew she was hurt.”

  That seemed rational to Dani, although a little farfetched. “I don’t want to be a bad friend again.”

  “Again?” Maddoc lifted her hand to his lips. “What happened last time?”

  “I didn’t believe that magic existed, and I think that got Lisette killed.”

  “And you believe in magic now?” Gavin brushed his lips against the fingers of her other hand.

  “I can’t very well deny it in light of everything that has happened to me in the last twenty-four hours.” She couldn’t have hidden the dark truth of the words if she tried. It felt like she was wrapped in a warm, safe blanket. The riot of emotions and thoughts that usually bombarded her were subdued—still there but not as overwhelming.

  “Then would you believe me when I say I’m sure Erin is all right?”

  Dani looked up at Maddoc. “How do you know?”

  He shrugged. “It’s a kind of magic.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to argue his logic. She wanted cold, hard proof. But if I believe him then that would mean I believe in magic as well. The music in the air changed, hauntingly beautiful and enticing as it wrapped around her. “Tomorrow morning, you promise?”

  “We swear.” He and Gavin both spoke at the same time, and she felt the truth of their words in her soul. The negative feeling of guilt and anxiety faded into the background, quickly replaced with a nervous energy of another kind. Both Maddoc and Gavin looked at her with identical expressions on their faces that her mind might not be able to decipher as clearly as her body did.

  She could feel the moisture pooling between her legs and the tingling in her breasts as her nipples tightened and pressed against her bra. Maddoc’s gaze flicked down, and she knew the evidence was pressing against her tight top.

  “Tonight is for us, Dannika.” Maddoc slid his hand down her back in a seductive caress, his hand curling over her ass. His fingers flexed against her ass cheek, squeezing her as he rocked his cock against her hip. Gavin moved the same way, and what was a seductive dance quickly morphed into so much more. Each man still held one of her hands against their chests so she was unable to do anything aside from feeling the sensations of moving between their bodies.

  “I love the way you feel.” Gavin slipped his free hand under her top, caressing her spine and lower back. “Like the softest silk. You were created just for us, Dani. Everything we ever wanted in a woman, you are the embodiment of.”

  “You said you always share.”

  “Always, but it’s never felt this natural before.” Maddoc leaned down and kissed the end of her nose. “Gavin and I have always known we’d share a woman, and I’d be lying if I said you were the first. But, Dannika, you are the first woman where we don’t have to choreograph our plans. Since the moment we saw you, we’ve acted on instinct and it’s been bang on.”

  “I know the two of you have been very generous and patient with me. I don’t mind reciprocating.” That’s an understatement. Dani was dying to get her hands on their bodies and experience more of them both.

  “We’re not looking for reciprocation, Dani.” Gavin’s hand flexed on her back. She’d forgotten that he’d reached under her shirt and was touching her skin. “There’s no keeping score, or making certain that everything is equal. That leads to jealously and retribution.”

  “I think we can avoid jealously over one night.” Dani didn’t want to make presumptions or assume that they were looking for anything more than one night. What man doesn’t keep track of what he’s owed?

  “You’re under the misapprehension that we are only interested in one night. This type of connection is lifelong, Dannika,” Maddoc answered. “Like we told you earlier, this is forever.”

  “I would have remembered if you said that. You both said we can’t do anything more until I know the truth. Do you have more to tell me?”

  “That we believe with the certainty of the stars in the sky that you were meant for us.” Gavin slid his hand along her skin, scattering her thoughts like the dry leaves that always covered her mom’s lawn this time of year.

  “You sound like a romantic.” Dani hadn’t much experience with men. Usually those who talked in pretty verses just wanted a quick fuck and that was it. But so far they have made me feel more than I ever have before and never asked for anything back.

  The truth was Dani wanted to feel them under her and over her, and behind and in front, and any other way that she could be. Despite her earlier comment, she didn’t feel as if she “owed” them, but she wanted to try to make them feel as amazing as they had her.

  “We are romantics, Dani. We’ll shower you with gifts and flowers and make a regular nuisance of ourselves.”

  “That’s not what I want.”

  “What do you want, Dannika.” Maddoc slid his hand along her jaw and gently turned her face so she was looking at him. The three of them still moved together with the music, but it was a distant noise.

  Her initial instinct was to tell him she wanted them both to be naked and let her touch them wherever she wanted, but there was more to it than that. Her habitual blunt honestly won out as it usually did. “I want someone to want me for more than a convenient fuck, for someone to love me for me and not expect me to change.”

  She’d expected Maddoc to start promising her that and the stars, but he didn’t. Instead he nodded and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Only time will show you the truth, Dannika. Those are promises I can’t prove to you in the next three minutes or days. What you need to ask yourself is, are you willing to give us the time to prove to you that Gavin and I want the same?”

  Dani didn’t know how, but deep down she knew he was telling the truth. She’d never been proficient at reading facial expressions or understanding nonverbal clues, but with Maddoc and Gavin, she felt the truth.

  “I’d love to tell you the truth right now, but you’re not ready to hear it.” Gavin whispered in her ear. “Let us show you instead.”

  “As long as I get to touch you, as well.” Dani blinked in surprise when she found herself at the back door of their house. She hadn’t even realized that they’d brought her away from the family and the ongoing party.

  Gavin opened the door, but before Dani could take a step, Maddoc scooped her up and carried her in. His lips found hers and she sank against his chest, kissing him back with every meager bit of experience she had. There was a spiciness to his lips that had so much more to do with him and not the dinner they’d eaten.

  Maddoc shifted her in his arms, his strength preventing her from being afraid of being dropped. A hard surface pressed against her back as she wrapped her legs around his hips. He grasped her hands from his neck and pressed them back on either side of her head.

  “God, that’s hot Maddoc, but let’s try to get to our room.”

  Maddoc broke off the kiss, and that is when Dani realized she was pinned against the wall at the bottom of the stairs. The incredible pressure between her legs was from Maddoc’s pelvis holding her up as she clenched her legs and rubbed herself against the hard ridge his cock made through his pants. Gavin sat on the stairs, one hand rhythmically rubbing himself through his jeans as he watched. “Or not. It’s up to you, but I’m not having sex on the stairs. Dani and I will be up in our comfortable bed.”

  “Right now I don’t care.” Dani tugged a
gainst Maddoc’s grip, but he wasn’t ready to let her go. Instead he pressed his forehead against her and kissed the end of her nose.

  “You make me forget myself, Dannika. I vote for the soft bed, too.”

  “Good, we’ll christen the stairs tomorrow.” Gavin bounced up to his feet and Maddoc pulled her closer to him.

  Dani’s thoughts were caught up in the mechanics of sex in the stairwell between the three of them and missed actual trip up them. This time the firmness against her back was a mattress as Maddoc laid her back on their bed. “You have on entirely too many clothes.” His voice was like a purr against her throat, and she leaned back enough for her to unbutton her jeans.

  “You’re welcome to fix that.”

  “I plan to,” he responded as he hooked his fingers in the waistband and dragged the material down her legs. Catching her panties at the same time, she felt him slowly bare her legs, pressing a kiss on her inner thigh and knee as he lowered them.

  Emotions fought for supremacy in her head. Part of her felt embarrassed to be sitting here naked from the waist down. It was a vulnerable position, but that was quickly banished when Maddoc traced a pattern up her inner thighs. Gavin settled in behind her and reached under her top, undoing the hook of her bra before sliding his hands around her rib cage, pushing the cups out of the way.

  “I—aaahhhh.” She couldn’t seem to keep a coherent thought in her head as they stroked and caressed her. Gavin weighed her breasts in his palms but didn’t touch her nipples while Maddoc shouldered his way between her thighs, teasing and caressing her pussy lips but not touching her clit.

  Dani felt like she was waiting in line for a roller coaster, the anticipation building inside of her, waiting until they all crested the first hill. “Touch me.”