“From the photo in the newspaper,” Mason rumbles, stepping forwards. Those blue eyes are fierce, boring holes in my soul.
“Mona, how could you?” Gray growls from behind him.
“What the fuck?” Mason rasps. “These are our boys,” he states, eyes challenging me, as if daring me to deny it.
And hastily, I turn to Rachel.
“Rach, can you please see that Magnus and Roman are okay?” come my quick words. “They’re sleeping right now.”
The poor girl nods, blinking silently. And then she disappears down the hallway, leaving me alone with these two magnificent monsters.
Because that’s what they are. These two alphas mistreated me. They made me feel ashamed of loving them, as if my emotions were crazy and unfounded. But I know better now. Love is love, no matter it’s form, and taking a deep breath, I look up at the two men.
God.
They’re so handsome still, and my heart beats fast.
Both Mason and Gray are staring fiercely in my direction, two sets of blue eyes burning. I can feel their anger. The tension is so thick you could cut the air with a butcher’s knife.
Mason shakes his head while wiping the brow of his left eye. Something on his hand sparkles and gleams in the light – a diamond band, securely wrapped around his ring finger.
Oh god. My heart drops to the floor, a lump rising in my throat.
He’s married. Of course. I shouldn’t feel this way. Disappointment doesn’t have a place after three years, and yet I can’t help it. Because the men have moved on, meeting other women and tying the knot.
Oh god.
And the nightmare becomes worse because when my eyes shoot over to Gray, he too is wearing a wedding ring. The realization fills me with incredible sadness. Clearly, I was nothing but a blip on their radar years ago. Nothing more than a distraction before they got on with their real lives.
But the two alphas have come to say their piece.
“Those are our boys,” Gray growls, eyes intent. He steps closer, trying to intimidate me.
Swallowing hard, I nod. “Yeah. They are.” It’s lame, but it’s all I can manage. “Those are your sons. Magnus and Roman. I didn’t know that I was pregnant when I left. It was a surprise, most of all for me.”
Gray glares at Mason before returning his attention to me.
But my words rush on, tumbling over one another.
“I know what I was to you two – young and naïve, just another lost girl. Perhaps you enjoyed my innocence, but a lot has happened since then. You’ve obviously both moved on and found wives. That’s okay. I’m happy for you. But I won’t let you take my boys from me,” are my fierce words. “Never. They’re the blood of my blood, and I’ll fight you tooth and nail.”
Because one of my greatest fears has been Mason and Gray finding me and taking my boys away. They have everything: money, power, influence, and magnificent, six-bedroom homes.
By contrast, I’m a poor girl, scraping by month to month. But I’m their mother, and these babies are the loves of my life. So I’m not giving up with a fight, even it wrecks my very soul.
But Mason and Gray share a long look then. There’s something there that I can’t put my finger on, mysterious and elusive. What could it be?
Mason swings bright blue eyes to me then, that gaze filled with compassion. What in the world?
“Sweetheart, you’ve got it all wrong,” he rasps, one hand grasping mine as he closes the gap between us.
Gray follows swiftly behind him, holding his left hand in the air to display his ring.
“Again, it’s not what you think, Mona. We’ve been broken without you. Show her your ring again, Mason.”
And this time, Mason lifts his hand as well, positioning it alongside Gray’s fist. Holy cow. The two circlets match, identical platinum bands with one small diamond in the center. What does this mean?
Mason continues slowly.
“Even the best private investigators couldn’t find you, baby. Until that picture popped up in the paper, we had no clue where you’d gone,” are his words.
My nose scrunches up as an impossible dream seeps into my head. After all this time, they’ve actually been looking for me? It’s crazy – not to mention unbelievable.
“No,” I say. Tears are coming to my eyes and the last thing I want is to cry in front of Mason and Gray. “It’s been three years. That’s not true.”
But Gray nods slowly again.
“It is true. We’ve been looking for you, but you disappeared off the face of the Earth. You must be the only twenty-one year-old girl who doesn’t have Facebook.”
I let out a choked laugh.
“But what about those rings? What do they mean? Who are your wives?” Because I still can’t believe it.
The two men share another look, blue melding with blue. And then Gray turns to me and clears his throat.
“These rings are a dedication to you, sweetheart. Don’t you understand? We didn’t want to be with anyone else after you left. We dedicated ourselves to finding you and wear these rings to show our commitment. We love you, Mona. Both of us.”
My head swims with shock, eyes wide and disbelieving.
“But what about Kathy?” is my ragged whisper. “I thought you were with her.”
The thought of my mother makes the air seize in my chest. Because how does she fit into all of this? What is her nefarious role?
But Gray shakes his head.
“I was only flattering your mother to get rid of her, Mona. Think about it. I’m actually in love with my wife’s daughter. Kathy would cause hell if she knew and make everything ten times more difficult, including the divorce. So I did the opposite. I let her think she won.”
Gray got rid of Kathy? But how? That woman is a leech.
The big man nodded, reading my mind.
“Sweetheart, what does Kathy want most in the world?”
I shook my head mutely. Honestly, I had no idea. The blonde had everything and yet walked away.
Gray nodded, understanding.
“She wants what she can’t have. Don’t you get it? Once Kathy sinks her claws into something, then it’s not good enough anymore. She’s got to move on to the next thing.”
I nod dumbly.
“But what does that mean for us? I don’t get it,” my voice ends in a choked cry.
Gray and Mason share another look.
“This is where it gets fucked up, honey. Because to get a divorce, we set up Kathy with Earl Warren IV. You ever heard of him? Eighty year-old billionaire who’s been married five times?”
The blood drained from my face. Of course I’ve heard of Earl Warren. He’s a plastics magnate, as famous for his rotating cast of wives as his enormous fortune. Despite the man’s advanced age, women still threw themselves at him in the hopes of snagging a nice payout.
“So, Kathy’s married to Earl Warren now?” I asked in a slow voice.
Gray and Mason laughed then, cocking their heads to one side.
“Naw, honey. They’re not married. Remember? The minute she gets something, the woman just wants better. So old Earl is still married to his fifth wife, and seeing Kathy on the side. Leave it to that guy,” Mason says with some admiration in his voice. “He’ll dangle her along for the rest of her life. Earl’s got it under control.”
I shake my head, unable to process this.
“So you’re still married to Kathy? Or not?” I ask Gray, heart in my throat.
And the big man throws his head back, laughing.
“Naw honey, we got rid of her. Once she thought Earl was interested, we got divorced pronto. I’m a free man, sweetheart. Free for you. For him as well,” he said, turning towards Mason.
And taking a deep breath, I turn towards Mason and Gray once more, trying to process.
“So what you’re saying is that you’re back,” are my slow words. “But what does that mean?”
And Mason and Gray are by my side in an instant, taking my hands in theirs. My palms are lim
p but the two men grip tight, looking straight into my eyes.
“What it means, sweetheart,” Gray begins.
“Is that we’ll always love you. We are in love with you,” growls Mason, eyes fierce. “And we’ll never let you go again.”
But I don’t understand. There are two boys now, two babies with their coloring who need me.
“Are you going to take my children from me?” is my low voice, a pleading edge entering the tone. “Please, I beg you. Don’t do it.”
But the two alphas are harsh, blue eyes gleaming.
“Yes, we are taking them,” Mason is bold and unapologetic in his answer.
“Absolutely,” reiterates Gray. “But you’re coming with us too, sweetheart. Because don’t you see? This is the only way this can work. You’re the linchpin that holds us together. The tie that binds. The center of our hearts. This can only work with you.”
And suddenly, the sun appears from behind the clouds. Because this has been so sudden that I didn’t understand.
“We’re a family,” I say slowly, realization dawning. “All five of us are moving together.”
“Five,” repeats Gray solemnly. “That sounds right.”
And Mason nods, those blue eyes seizing my heart.
“Sweetheart,” he rasps. “Don’t make us beg. We love you. We’ve been looking for you for three years now. And to find that you’ve had our children,” his voice stumbles, barely able to say the word. But then he lifts his head, blue eyes piercing my heart once more.
“You’ve had our children,” he continues, voice choked with emotion. “And you are the answer to our future. All five of us,” he emphasizes.
My heart seizes once then, hard. Oh god, do they mean it? Have my long lost lovers been desperate to find me all this time? And are they truly grateful that we have kids now, two boys who look just like these alpha men?
But something lingers in the back of my mind.
“But Mason,” are my slow words, looking down at our tangled fingers. “Why were you so cruel to me that last time in your office? Why did you make like you didn’t care?”
The blonde man flushes then, harsh streaks appearing across his cheeks.
“Sweetheart, I’m ashamed,” he says in a low voice. “It shouldn’t have happened.”
“But why?” I press. “Why did you act like that?”
He looks away, that gaze pained. But then the alpha turns back to me.
“Because I wanted what’s best for you sweetheart. Back then, I was operating under the assumption that you were better off without us. Without two much-older assholes who used and abused that sweet, virginal body. Who ate your innocence like ravenous dogs. I thought you deserved better,” he says fiercely. “The husband, the kids, the white picket fence. I wanted you to have that.”
My breathing is shallow, chest rising and falling with labored breaths.
“So you wanted to drive me away?” I ask slowly. “You said all that to make me leave?”
Mason drops his head again. But before he can answer Gray intercedes.
“Yes,” the dark man states in the affirmative, challenging Mace to speak again. “Yes. We made decisions for you, thinking you were too young to make them for yourself. But we were wrong, because we should have given you the option to decide for yourself. We’ll never do that again, sweetheart,” he says, voice rough. “Never, I promise.”
And taking a deep breath, I nod. Because it makes some sort of weird sense. Our situation was bizarre for sure. Two alphas and a sweet young virgin? How does that happen? With my stepdad and therapist, no less?
But the thing is that it did. And not just that, but I got pregnant by both men. So reality is strange, for sure, throwing you for a loop just when the situation couldn’t be more bizarre.
But this time, I’m not going to say that there’s no choice. I’m not going to say that I was forced to do anything against my will. Because that’s never been true. I always wanted it, my feelings sincere and genuine, and with a deep breath, we took our first step into the future together.
“I love you,” are my fierce words. “I love you both. I want us to be a family, come hell or high water. We’ve already been through so much, and this is right.”
Blue eyes blazing, Mason and Gray seized my hands once more, our circle complete for the first time.
“Yes,” growls Mason. “Yes, sweetheart. This is what we want as well.”
“Absolutely,” rasps Gray. “And we have something for you honey.”
Suddenly, both men drop to bended knee right there in my tiny foyer.
“What are you doing?” I gasp. “What is this?”
But the men won’t let go of my hands. Gray fishes in his pocket, and out comes a band that matches their own. Slimmer, made for a woman, but the same style. Platinum with a diamond in the center.
The air leaves my lungs then, my eyes wide. Can this really be happening?
“Marry us,” rasps Gray, his expression fierce even as he slides the ring onto my finger. “Please sweetheart.”
And Mason bends that blonde head, pressing his lips to the ring.
“You belong to us,” he says simply, warm breath skimming across my skin. “We’ll never let you go now.”
And for the first time in a long time, my heart soars, knowing no bounds. Because these men have been waiting and looking for me for three years. And instead of being disgusted or horrified by our children, they’re elated. They want nothing more than to make things permanent. To move me and the boys into their home for a lifetime of love and joy together.
And this time, I’m not going to mess it up. I’m not going to run. I’m not going to duck my head in shame, and disappear in the middle of the night. I’m not going to let Kathy, Earl Warren, or anybody else get in the way.
Because somehow, this worked out. Me, my stepdad and my therapist entered into a steamy triangle, but somehow that triangle morphed into love. And despite all the trials and tribulations we’ve been through, it’s worth giving my heart to these men once more because the truth is, they’ve always had it.
And bringing Mason and Gray to their feet, I gaze up into those bright blue eyes.
“Yes,” is my soft word. “Yes, Mason and Gray. Yes yes yes.”
And just like that, our marriage is sealed in our hearts, our minds, and our bodies in one go. Because we’ve walked the fire of separation, misunderstanding, and a taboo beginning. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and with these men by my side, I will survive and thrive, living life to the fullest with joy in our hearts and love on our minds … always.
Epilogue
Gray
Six months later …
Standing outside her flower shop, watching her though the glass window, I think about how much Mona has grown. She’s talking with a vendor from Brazil, discussing the freshness of some exotic flower.
Because Mona’s arrangements have become the talk of the city ever since she moved back.
It was no easy fight getting her to give up her peaceful country lifestyle. The brunette had grown accustomed to living with less, but Mason and I were both determined to spoil her with more luxury than she could fathom. We’ve done nothing short of dazzle her, a way of thanking her for compromising with us.
And in the end, our boys were what won her over. The closest school to her in the country was an hour away, and it was terrible. Horrific reading scores, even worse math scores. Our sons deserved better than that.
Even Mona had to admit the city would give the boys a better start in life, and acceptance at a prestigious pre-school sealed the deal. So in a month, the woman moved into a penthouse with Mason and me on the Upper East Side, running her floral business while being a loving mother to Roman and Magnus, as well as an insatiable, sexy, passionate lover to Mason and me.
Our love life is still hot as fire, each of us still finding new ways to turn each other on, pushing each other’s buttons until we all lose control, over and over again.
But things are different now. Because instead of being a naïve, innocent virgin, Mona is a true woman now. No longer an eighteen year-old naïf, the woman has blossomed into a curvy, assertive female, and we love her more for it.
For one, she’s dealt with Kathy beautifully.
“I see you’re back,” the blonde woman said, disdainfully eyeing her daughter. “You know Earl? Earl, say hello.”
The eighty year old man nodded, eyes halfway closed. Because shit, this man has one foot in the grave, but what do I care? He’s keeping Kathy out of our hair. We owe him big time.
And Mona took a deep breath, looking her mother full in the eye.
“Hello Kathy,” she said in a steady voice. “It’s nice to see you again.”
The skinny blonde sniffed.
“I hear you have two boys?” she asked, nose in the air. “With these men?”
Mona nodded slowly but held her ground. Because it was the talk of the town at first. Fraternal twins with two different males? One woman dating two powerful alphas at that? The gossip hounds could barely keep up. But sure enough, the talk died after a while, moving onto the next salacious item.
And Mona took a deep breath, looking her mother in the eye.
“Yes, Magnus and Roman are our sons,” she said clearly, including Mason and I in the conversation. “And we love them dearly. You should come visit sometime.”
Kathy literally shuddered, that narrow frame recoiling.
“Oh sure,” she hissed. “Absolutely, I will.”
But we knew it was a lie because Kathy’s had more plastic surgery lately. That forehead’s so smooth it’s frozen, and her lips pucker like a blowfish trying to reclaim the fountain of youth. So the thought of being a grandma was absolutely anathema, and there was no way she wanted to acknowledge her grandsons.
But we’re okay with that. After all, our family dynamic isn’t exactly traditional, so to say. And now, our motto is to roll with the punches and see how the land lies. After all, nothing is impossible when you’ve got love on your side as strong as ours.
And speaking of which, tonight we’re meeting Mason for dinner at a new hotspot. All the better to show off our beautiful wife. Because yes, we’re married now. Down at City Hall, only one man could sign the certificate, but it’s all good. The other stood as witness, bound just as tight into our circle of love.
Their Secret Page 16
