Shane was the epitome of strength. Where Cane was muscular and lean, Shane was solid muscle with arms bigger than her thighs and hands that could snap her in two. He never once made her feel afraid of his size, though. Shane made her feel safe and protected. Addison’s eyes travelled down his broad chest, skimmed over the area she’d been dreaming about lately, and down his denim-clad legs. The laces of his black boots were untied, having put them on no more than fifteen minutes ago. His feet were well over twice the size of hers, which immediately brought Addison’s gaze to the bulge in his jeans she had originally tried to ignore, comparisons running rampant.
“Are you done staring?” Shane asked. Addison jerked her hand away in embarrassment, only to have him snatch it back. “I’m not complaining, mind you.”
“I was just comparing you to Cane,” Addison snapped at him, mad at herself for being caught. Seeing Shane’s left eyebrow raise in question, Addison realized what she had confessed and immediately felt guilty. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong. I was just thinking how—”
“Different we are? And asking yourself how you can be attracted to both of us?” Shane grabbed a towel like he hadn’t just opened a gigantic chasm with his declaration. Addison couldn’t believe he had just said that and was stunned he would bring it up. They had a silent agreement to ignore what they felt, both going through the motions of maintaining a friendship. At least, she thought they had a silent agreement. Men could be downright idiotic. Addison needed him for security while adjusting to normalcy, and he needed…She wasn’t quite sure what he got out of helping her, but he was well aware of her feelings for Cane. Addison ignored the reprimanding voice in the back of her mind shouting repeatedly, Selfish, selfish, selfish! Shutting off the water, he took the dishtowel and dried the remaining droplets from her hand while she struggled for the right words.
“You know I need to find Cane,” Addison cautioned. “What I did, well…what I did to Cane was wrong. I put his life in danger by not trusting him, and now he’s got a bounty on his head. The Fray will hunt him down, and he’s not safe out on his own. He should be here with you, Reese, and the others. And just to clarify, I’m not attracted to you,” Addison lied, snatching the towel and her hand from his grasp, ignoring the stab of guilt. Since when had she become a liar?
“First of all, Cane is a big boy and can take care of himself. You did what any person would do in that situation.” Shane leaned back against the sink and crossed his arms, making his chest muscles slide against his black T-shirt, not that she noticed. Addison looked away. “Second, you seem to be leaving yourself out of the equation. Your sister and her husbands built this compound for Nobles, and since you are a Noble, this is now your home. Third, you shouldn’t lie to yourself.”
Addison wanted to hit him, but knew she would only end up hurting her other hand against his solid chest. With a huff in frustration and a scowl on her face, Addison turned and stomped into the living room. It pissed her off there wasn’t a door to slam. The entire log cabin was an open area with only two doors off on the far side, leading to one bathroom and one bedroom. Unless she headed into the bedroom, Addison didn’t have a door to slam shut. And that was the last place she would go, knowing undoubtedly Shane would follow to continue this conversation. She was afraid he would try to initiate something she wasn’t ready for—mentally, that is, because if the throbbing in her pussy was anything to go by, she was physically more than ready. Addison also hadn’t missed how he emphasized husbands. It was her luck to have a sister who thought having two men in her life was a good idea. Shane obviously thought it ran in the family. He was out of luck, and she would never admit the thought of having Shane and Cane, in her bed together, made her panties wet. There were just some things women didn’t divulge.
Holding the dishtowel as if it were a lifeline, Addison ignored Shane and walked over to the window. Snow was starting to melt, giving way for the spring grass to grow, provided they didn’t have a late-season snowstorm. Reese’s husbands would start to break ground on the other cabins to house as many Nobles as they could. Addison once asked Reese how the equipment would be brought up to develop their “neighborhood” and was told there was a mine in the mountain they could access. Their compound was located on top of a mountain in the middle of Colorado and was the perfect location to keep them safe. With Reese’s power and other Nobles just as strong in their own way, the Fray would never be able to reach them.
“I didn’t choose this home, Shane,” Addison sadly stated, trying hard to explain to Shane where she was coming from. Addison knew she took the coward’s way out, but maybe if she ignored the attraction reference, he would leave it alone. “I just want to find Cane. Have him know he has a safe place to live. It’s my fault he’s running.”
“No, it’s not. He took you from your life, your human life, with good intentions. I would have handled the situation the same. Unfortunately, you overheard a conversation and misunderstood what was said, thinking he was turning you and your sister over to the Fray. Anyone, whether Noble or human, would have run. Both of you did what you thought you needed to do at the time.” Shane’s voice seemed closer, as he must have walked towards the fireplace, but she didn’t turn around. Addison didn’t want to see the understanding in his eyes. She didn’t want to let go of the guilt quite yet, not until Cane was found. “And this is your life, Addison. You’re the Healer of our generation. You might not want the responsibility, but it was given to you anyway.”
Addison gripped the towel until her knuckles turned white. She hated that word. Healer. Addison had known at an early age she was different, but not until she was in nursing school did she realize how different. She remembered the little boy like it was yesterday. She could still see the gurney rushing from the ambulance into the emergency room, blood covering his face while his mother sobbed in the hallway. The paramedics were calling out the boy’s vitals while the doctor was spouting orders and nurses did his bidding. She vaguely remembered hearing them say hit and run, but the ringing in her ears prevented her from listening. When the tingling started in her limbs, Addison thought she was having a stroke, but no words came out of her mouth to ask for help. Instead, instinct took over, and while the ER was in chaos, Addison put her hands on the boy’s head. With so much commotion, no one noticed the air crackle or the extra heat being generated from her hands. She felt the moment his energy met with hers, and knew she was somehow healing his wounds. The boy wouldn’t have died that day, but he would have suffered brain damage if her body had not taken over and restored his health. It was later that she found out the effects of actually saving a person from death—exhaustion, weakness, and emptiness.
“I can’t save everyone. It doesn’t work that way,” Addison warned. She caught a glimpse of Reese walking towards the cabin, her long brown hair blowing around her face. Her men were with her, and she noticed how healthy Jagger looked, his skin practically glowing in the morning sun and his black hair being mussed by the wind. Her Noble power had saved his life a couple months back, letting everyone here know who she truly was and what she meant to the Noble community. The sting in her hand made her look at the towel she still had over the burn. “I can’t even heal myself. It chooses who to save, not me.”
“It is your gift. You were given your gift to offset your sister’s. Call it a balance of nature,” Shane suggested. “Both of you are vitally important to our survival, and Cane knew what he was doing when he tried to protect you.”
Addison stiffened when she felt Shane come up behind her, her body involuntarily fighting her response to his and his words. The heat emanating from his chest was inviting, but she fought the instinct to lean against him, not giving in to what her body craved.
Everyone thought Addison should just accept who she was and leave her human life behind. What about her mother? What kind of person was she to let her mom think she was abducted and probably dead? She was well aware of the danger she would put her mother in if she contacted her, but Addison
couldn’t get rid of the guilt she felt knowing the grief she had caused. Shane had warned her the Fray would have someone watching her childhood home, waiting for Addison to make contact, making it impossible for her to reach out to her mother.
Thinking of that brought her thoughts back to Cane, who was in hiding and on the run from the Fray, knowing she hadn’t trusted him. The shame Addison felt for hurting him was just as overwhelming, but her anger at him not trusting her was just as devastating. Cane came across as a loner, keeping everyone at arm’s length, but she had seen the vulnerability in his eyes. He acted all tough and intimidating, but he was like a little boy, needing to be accepted for who he was. Cane thought Addison had turned her back on him, rejecting him. Cane was right, and it was like a knife to her heart. And worse, while he was out there fighting for his life, she was here with Shane, feeling things she shouldn’t and losing her grip on this insatiable need he stirred in her.
“He’ll come back when he’s ready. When he can’t stand the thought of being away from you any longer.”
“You don’t know that,” Addison whispered, shaking her head, feeling confused that her body was reacting to Shane while they spoke of another man.
“You’re right, I don’t. But I know if it were me, I wouldn’t be able to stay away. If he does decide to return, you can tell him you love him then. But you’re going to have to deal with me in the meantime,” Shane murmured in her ear, causing a rush of heat to explode through her skin and slide down her neck.
* * * *
Shane felt her tremble. Turning her, he took Addison’s face into his hands, wanting nothing more than to stare into her bright blue eyes and make her forget about her love for Cane. He wanted to use his Noble gift and compel away her guilt over a man who could walk away and leave this amazing woman to a life she didn’t want. But he had promised Addison, like he had promised all his friends, never to use his ability for his own gain. Being a Compeller had its advantages, but this wasn’t one of them. Addison tried to pull away, but Shane was done letting her run away from her feelings. She needed to face who she was and accept another man into her life.
“Shane, let go,” Addison pleaded in a low voice, trying to step around him. “What I feel for Cane is none of your business, and I can’t allow myself to—”
“Feel something for me? Love me? It is my business, Addison. Everything about you is my business. From the day I walked into that room seeing you scared and alone, I knew you were meant to be mine,” Shane confessed softly, reminding both of them of her release two months ago. Addison laid her hands on his chest to push him away, but Shane inched closer, causing her head to tilt back. Her blonde curls fell behind her shoulders, and he ran his fingers through the silky stands, holding her head in place. “I know Cane holds a place in your heart, and I would never disregard your feelings for him, but you need to accept he’s gone. He might not come back. But I am right here in front of you, and nothing you say or do will make me leave.”
“It’s not fair to you that I love someone else,” Addison insisted harshly.
“What’s not fair is you denying your feelings for me. As I said, I will not diminish what you feel for him, but Cane Latcher is not the one standing in front of you.”
The knock on the door couldn’t have come at a worse time, and Shane cursed under his breath. Emotions ran rampant over Addison’s pale face, making her blue eyes shine brighter. He told her the truth, though. Nothing would make him leave her side, and he would do whatever it took to make her believe that. Every minute they had been together, Shane had fallen more in love with her. Her resolve in finding Cane to right a wrong was admirable, even if Shane didn’t agree. And while he knew Addison loved Cane, it didn’t make a bit of difference in his feelings for her.
Shane slowly released Addison, regretting the loss of contact. She practically ran for the door, thinking the conversation was over and probably scrambling to come up with ways to make sure it didn’t continue. Shane didn’t have a choice to let her have this reprieve, but the conversation was only postponed until he could get rid of their visitors.
Shane watched Reese and her two husbands enter the tiny cabin. Theo McKay and Jagger Malone had become his close friends in a short amount of time, and he had been honored when they invited him to share in their private ceremony last weekend. They had pledged their love in front of their small group of Nobles, including Addison, who was still struggling with the idea of three people in a relationship.
Shane knew Reese and Theo from when he was a teenager, but had recently gotten to know Jagger. Both were good men. Theo had formed a group of close-knit Nobles years ago and created a “family”. The family also included Cane, although he would differ on that subject. And although Jagger was human, his relationship with Reese and Theo gave him immediate acceptance.
Months ago, when everyone thought Cane had gone Rogue, their group rallied around Theo to help him protect the woman he loved. For how aloof Cane was, it wasn’t a stretch that he would be out only for himself. Most of the group had refused to believe Cane was that dishonorable, but they’d still had to play the hand they were dealt and were willing to do anything to keep their Deity safe. In the end, it turned out that Cane was only trying to give Reese information about her unknown sister, which brought about the mission to rescue Addison. Since then, Shane had stayed at their compound and agreed to live there in order to help oversee their haven. Once the cabins were built, they would start moving in the Nobles who had a hard time hiding in society or those that couldn’t hide their power. Jagger provided the land and funds, while the Nobles offered protection of their home and those who lived there.
Seeing how Reese, Theo, and Jagger fit together as a unit, Shane felt envious of their love and wanted nothing more than to have that with Addison. He was by no means able to share like they were, but he longed to have that deep connection with Addison one on one. Would Addison ever be able to accept that Cane was gone?
“Everything all right?” Theo asked, coming up beside Shane. Shane was grateful that he kept his voice low, so the women wouldn’t overhear. “Addison looks a little unsettled. And you know how protective Reese is becoming over her sister, so if I need to kick your ass now, let me know.”
Shane knew Theo was trying to lighten his mood, but couldn’t muster a grin. Not taking his eyes off Addison, who was now making a new pot of coffee for her guests, he admitted, “I’m done waiting. She’s just not happy I’m changing our relationship or the fact we can’t find Cane. And as we know, Addison doesn’t deal with change well.”
It had taken a while for Addison to open up when they first rescued her. Having been kept in isolation for almost a year, acclimation to people and noise were harder than she thought, and there had been struggles. Shane hadn’t left her side and helped her through the transition as much as he could, even spending his nights on her couch so he could be there in case she woke from bad dreams. Although Addison had been lucky and managed to hide her gift, the scientists the Fray employed still had taken vials of blood and run various tests. Addison said she overheard them say her power could be dormant since she was half human and used that to her advantage for them to maintain that belief. They never did find out she was a Healer.
Shane looked at Theo out of the corner of his eye and noticed he wasn’t tying his long blond hair back like he used to. Theo had used his Watcher ability and once heard Reese think to herself that she liked it loose, invading her private thoughts. Theo had let his hair grow longer and let it lay loose around his shoulders. “You would have known what has Addison so riled up if you had used your power.”
“Nah, you know our pact. Not allowed to use our abilities for private gain, yada-yada. And Reese was getting pissed at me for listening in. Probably better I pull back before she has me sleeping on the couch.” Theo smiled, flashing his dimple. Jagger rolled his eyes as he came to stand in front of them.
“Smart thinking. Although, go right ahead, because I could do with a li
ttle alone time,” Jagger goaded, waggling his dark eyebrows. Jagger let the attempt at humor wane after seeing Shane’s body posture and asked, “So why do you and Addison seem so tense?”
“He’s trying to lay some ground rules, and she’s not taking too kindly to it,” Theo confided with a wink. Shane had the urge to punch him. Theo had been upbeat since the ceremony, but this lighthearted attitude was a little too much to take—especially coming from such a serious man.
“I did not say that,” Shane clarified, wanting them to leave already.
Addison reached up for the coffee cups in the cupboard, her long-sleeved pink shirt riding high on her waist, exposing her lower back. Her fair skin curved with her spine in an enticing shadow that made Shane wonder if she would be sensitive there and question what she would taste like. Would her skin be the flavor of a salty margarita or sweet, like a pina colada? Jagger cleared his throat, bringing Shane’s attention back to the conversation at hand, and he hoped no one noticed him trying to shift into a more comfortable stance.
“I’m just tired of seeing her pine away for a man who doesn’t deserve her,” Shane said, switching his weight from one leg to another. His involuntary reaction to Addison was becoming a problem.
“I’m sorry.” Theo thumped Shane on the shoulder twice and reached for the mug that Reese brought over to him. Placing a soft kiss on her head, Theo whispered something in her ear that caused a smile to light up her face. She said hello to Shane and then handed Jagger a cup as well, leaning in to kiss his cheek before walking back to where Addison now sat on the stool, her shirt covering up temptation.
Elizabeth, Peyton - Noble Healing [Nature's Nobles 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 2
