Patrick's Heart

by Stacey Espino

  “Yes. We’ll teach you never to doubt us—the hard way or the fun way.” Travis brushed her hair to one side and kissed her exposed neck. She closed her eyes, savoring the dual attention. She needed this, needed them. The past couple days had played a number on her nerves and emotions. She did require the reassurance they offered but felt compelled to refuse. Why should she garner pleasure after hurting Patrick enough to drive him away?

  “I have to wait for Patrick,” she murmured.

  Matthew suckled her breast, the jolt of intense pleasure racing straight down to her cunt. “I promise he can join in once he gets back.” He continued his wicked assault on her body, joined by Travis. They had her sandwiched between their bodies, touching, kissing, tasting.

  “Just because something’s different, doesn’t make it bad,” said Travis. “Remember that, Cassidy.” He must have been referring to Patrick’s ability to shift into an animal. She supposed judging him was no different than stereotyping any minority. The problem usually resided in the person doing the judging, which would make Patrick the victim. She felt like a royal piece of shit.

  “I know,” she said, becoming lost to their erotic ministrations. Sitting between Travis’s legs, her body hot and naked, she was ready to take this sex party as far as her men were willing. Perhaps it would bring her nerves down a few notches, help numb the shock of discovering fairy-tale creatures did exist.

  “Close your eyes. Relax.” Matthew spread her legs apart, tugging her so she lay flatter. The first swipe of his tongue up her moist folds made her gasp aloud. She felt the trickle of fluid escape as her body ignited. When he settled over her clit, it was a mix of relaxation and pressure building in her pussy. She knew any one of her men would stay with her until she orgasmed, never leaving her unsatisfied. There was no need for her to feel rushed or anxious. All she had to do was drift away and enjoy every skilled movement of Matthew’s tongue.

  “What if he doesn’t come back?” She didn’t know how she could remember her own name, never mind her current predicament. Patrick just weighed so heavily on her mind.

  “Garret will make sure he does.”

  Evan and some of the others may hang off every word Garret uttered, but Travis and Patrick had always been ones to turn a deaf ear. What if Patrick refused to return? She should have talked with him about her fears and doubts rather than waiting until he was gone. Cassidy imagined he’d have some of his own insecurities. It would be difficult fitting into regular society when he was something that shouldn’t exist in the civilized world. If she claimed to care so much about him, she should be by his side through any trial.

  “But—”

  Travis cupped her breasts from behind, rolling the pads of his thumbs over her beaded nipples. The combined stimulation was enough to shut her up for the time being. Her men always seemed to work some magical spell over her, making her insatiable. They were so good to look at, rough and ready, all brawn and muscle.

  “You smell like sex,” said Travis. “I thought you were afraid of Patrick.”

  “I–I was. I mean, I am. No, I’m not.”

  Matthew never stopped suckling her, bringing her higher and higher. She didn’t want to talk or think, not now. Even if she was fully cognizant, her own feelings were a mystery to her. Patrick was a werewolf. How could she digest that in one day?

  “Did he fuck you harder? Was there a difference in his cock?”

  “What?”

  “He’s not fully human. You must have noticed a difference,” said Travis.

  “No, he hasn’t changed.”

  Her declaration made her think. Maybe her ménage relationship could work, including Patrick. Maybe being part wolf wasn’t much more outlandish than being a citizen of Climax. Rules of the norm didn’t seem to apply here.

  “Good girl. Don’t forget it.” Travis reached down to free his cock, thrusting her up for a moment. Matthew rose to his knees, his eyes glazed over, his lips swollen. He looked hungry, reminding her of a wolf. She shook her head, dismissing her obsessive thoughts.

  “Fuck me,” she said. Her men had her body thrumming with need. A steady pulse beat deep within her walls. She yearned to be filled, to be fucked by two cocks at once. Cassidy knew she was addicted to being double-teamed. There was nothing quite like it. She yearned for the sensation of being full to overflowing, every cell stimulated at once, with two powerful men sharing her body.

  “She learns fast. We didn’t even need to spank her,” said Matthew. He rose to his feet to collect the salve they kept in the cabin. Just knowing it would be used to prepare a cock to breach her ass sent her spiraling toward a spontaneous orgasm. She clamped down hard, feeling empty and anxious.

  “Not yet,” said Travis. “She may give us trouble yet.”

  Matthew handed him the small jar. Travis shifted her to the side as he lubed up his hefty cock. In a minute she’d be sitting on it and couldn’t wait.

  “I want it,” she whined.

  “You’re right,” said Matthew. “She’s trouble.”

  “Up.” Travis helped her rise up high enough to fit over his erection. As he lowered her down, his hands supporting her weight, she reached down and helped guide his lubed cock into her asshole. He was so slippery, and he could easily slip into her pussy, but that entrance was reserved for Matthew. He’d done an amazing job readying her, helping her forget her worries and just enjoy the moment.

  She moaned as she exhaled—a deep, satisfied sound that filled the small cabin. There was nothing quite like having her ass filled, thousands of unique cells sparking to life.

  “Nice. You can take my whole cock nicely now, sugar.” Travis held her close, her back to his chest. He gave her time to adjust once she was fully seated. Every second that passed brought her closer and closer to a new realm, one where nothing mattered but fucking.

  “I like it.” She wriggled slightly, needing to feel all those thick inches rub against the inside of her ass. After the ordeal she’d endured, she wanted it hard, rough, and dirty. Exactly the kind of sex her Gregor miners were capable of giving her.

  “Do you want more, Cassidy? Can you handle two of us?”

  Even though she’d recently had sex with Patrick, she was ready for more. She nodded, licking her lips in invitation. Matthew leaned forward and kissed her lips. He dominated her mouth, his tongue delving in, playing with hers. Her ass began to spasm around Travis’s cock as her excitement increased.

  Matthew impaled her pussy with two fingers. She was tight, Travis’s cock taking up so much room inside her. He managed to hit her G-spot effortlessly, making her completely wanton.

  “Oh God, just give it to me. The real thing.”

  “Sorry, I’m not sure what you want.” Matthew continued to finger-fuck her, Travis’s cock swelling inside her ass. She was going to lose it any minute if they didn’t help her reach her peak.

  “Your cock! I want it inside me.”

  “Where do you want it?” He trailed those searing kisses down the side of her neck.

  “My cunt.”

  “That’s right,” he said. “I love my dirty girl.”

  Travis rolled them to their sides on the hardwood floor, his cock still embedded deep. The floor was cool but soothing when her entire body was overheated. Matthew joined them, lying alongside her, face-to-face. She was cocooned within so much hard muscle and virile cock she was nearly delirious with desire.

  Matthew lifted her thigh to rest over his hip and fucked her pussy with his cock, thrusting through the tight entrance created by the first erection.

  She gasped, nearly gagging from the erotic fullness. It was incomparable, filthy and perfect.

  “Do we feel the same, too, Cassidy?” asked Travis. They began to pump in and out of her, their stamina unparalleled.

  “Yes.”

  “Do we feel like animals to you?”

  She ignored his ranting, too interested in the orgasm building in strength. “More,” she demanded instead.

  Matthe
w and her cowboy slid their thick cocks in and out of her body, their hands roaming over her slick skin. They kissed her, loved her, fucked her. It was just as it had always been and hopefully always would be.

  She hoped Patrick would walk in and see the three of them fucking on the cabin floor. Cassidy would eagerly suck his cock until one of the other men had their fill. But as her orgasm began to swell, he never showed up.

  “It’s coming,” she said, her breathing rapid. Matthew kissed her lips, stealing the last of her air. She dug her nails into Matthew’s shoulders as Travis secured her hip from behind. The desperate sexual cramping in her lower stomach eased as her core blossomed. She savored the peace radiating out to all her extremities, the beautiful calm where all sounds and sights were secondary to the pure energy growing inside her. If only that pre-orgasmic bliss could last forever.

  Cassidy screamed when her body finally burst in a shower of light and color. The power of her orgasm was staggering, stealing every last shred of strength she possessed. Her body went limp as both men calmed their assault, each meeting their own peaks. She was so exhausted that she began to fall asleep, enveloped between her men. The gentle rise and fall of their chests, the sound of their breathing, and heat of their skin were all comforts lulling her into unconsciousness.

  Chapter Five

  Patrick wasn’t a show-wolf. He could survive, fight, and track. And he was good at it. He bounded through the forest on all fours, trying to pick up the outsider’s scent. He prayed to the gods it was Cassidy’s long-lost half brother because it would mean certain redemption for him. She may have shared her body with him after the fact, but she’d made her true feelings clear when he was out of earshot. He wanted to feel her adoration the same as the day she’d met his wolf. The red wolf and Patrick were one and the same. How could she not understand that?

  There was more at stake than losing a potential mate. He could lose his pack. Cassidy thought he was the only shape-shifter amongst the men, leaving him the odd man out if she refused him. He needed the pack. They were his family and he’d be lost on his own.

  Morning light tried to filter down through the forest canopy, the soft glow highlighting his path through the brushwood. He’d picked up the trail a couple times, only to lose it. As he neared Gregor Mining, miles from Garret’s cabin, the scent was potent. He tested the air, standing at the edge of the mining property. The workers wouldn’t show up to work for another couple hours. Yet the inspector was present. He could smell her perfume, the sweet scent overpowering his senses. She’d expect everything to be business as usual come opening hour, and he wasn’t sure how he’d be able to function normally knowing Cassidy wanted nothing to do with him.

  He enjoyed visiting her in the office more than he realized. It took losing her to understand how important she actually was to him…and his wolf. He shifted into his skin, stretching out his muscles before heading for the entrance. Why was the stranger’s scent here at the mine? If he knew Cassidy worked at Gregor, why not show up before? After slipping in undetected through the damaged front gate, he went straight for the construction trailer where they kept a bin full of spare jeans and T-shirts for just such an emergency. He tugged on a pair of worn Wranglers and a construction-orange shirt. After fitting on a pair of old boots that were sitting beside the outside steps, he began to scour the area. His sense of smell wasn’t nearly as strong in his human form, but it was still highly developed.

  The trail led him straight to Garret’s personal trailer where the inspector was staying during her brief visit. Patrick didn’t like outsiders and wanted Ms. Tanner gone as soon as possible. There was only room for one woman at Gregor, the only one that knew his true identity. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing yet or not, but so far it proved to be a major headache.

  He dared to knock on the door, certain someone else had to be in the trailer with Ms. Tanner.

  The door eased open. The inspector was scantily clad, not yet dressed for the day. Not many people were up at such an early hour, but he couldn’t wait a minute longer. “Patrick? Awfully early to start work, isn’t it?”

  “I thought someone else may be on the property. I wanted to be sure you were okay.” There were strict protocols for outsiders in a working mine, and he didn’t need her slamming them if someone slipped in undetected. Garret had told him to fix the gate, so he’d likely be to blame. He tried to peer past her, but the woman seemed insistent that he should only stare at her cleavage. He had no interest in her curves.

  “Actually I did let someone on the property late last night. He said he knew a person who worked at the mine, and he had no place to stay until morning. I hope you don’t mind, but he bunked on the sofa.”

  Patrick imagined she’d let anything with two legs and a dick bunk with her. The thought nauseated him. It was one thing to visit a fickle woman in the city on his own time but to have one responsible for the fate of Gregor Mining was too much.

  “That could have been a dangerous move for you, Ms. Tanner. Or haven’t you heard about the disappearances in Climax?” Although Patrick and his pack knew the real reason for the disappearances, the general populace did not. The less people venturing into Climax, the better, in his opinion.

  She shrugged, disinterested in his warning. “Call me Sam.” She tilted her head seductively, allowing the side of her lace nightgown to slide down one shoulder.

  He had no time for games when his entire future was at stake. “Where’s he at?”

  She scowled for a moment and then pushed the door fully open so he could enter. It was warm in the trailer compared to the sharp chill of the early-morning air. The scent of arousal was nearly as strong as Ms. Tanner’s irritating perfume. A brown-haired male sat on the sofa, looking up at him. He had blue eyes, but other than that he saw no resemblance to Cassidy. Patrick reminded himself they were only half siblings, and looks didn’t necessarily mean anything.

  “Good morning,” said the man. “My name’s Scott.”

  He tested the air, confident he’d found the man who’d visited Cassidy’s house. The one he’d tracked all the way back to the mine. His hackles went up.

  “Who are you looking for here? Climax isn’t exactly on the tourist map.” He didn’t disguise the irritation in his voice. Gregor Mining wasn’t a hotel. If this guy wasn’t related to Cassidy, he had to go. Patrick was exhausted, frustrated, and heartbroken—and he needed answers.

  “I was looking for my sister, Cassidy Lyons. I heard she got a job up here at one of the mines. I’ve been looking for her for weeks.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. Brother or not, knowing a male was looking for Cassidy made his possessive instincts soar. “You leave a note on her door a while back?”

  The smaller man frowned, appearing perplexed. “I don’t even know where she lives.”

  Great. More questions left unanswered. And lies. Scott had to have known it was Cassidy’s house he’d recently visited. It would be too much of a coincidence for her brother to show up at her place. Why deny it?

  “She was looking for you, but you just disappeared. She thought maybe the wolves got to you.”

  “I gave up and returned south a couple times. But I never planned to just give up on her.” He dug in his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He flashed a picture of Cassidy in a skirt suit. “It’s the only picture of her I have. A relative gave it to me.”

  Patrick snatched the wallet from his hand and took a good look at the photo. She didn’t look much younger than she was now, and Cassidy said she’d never met any of her blood relatives. Who could have given him a photo of her? His hackles continued to rise.

  “What relative?”

  “An–an aunt. I didn’t ask questions. I was just happy knowing I had a half sister out there somewhere.”

  “And what made you look in Climax?”

  “I found out where she worked in the city, but she had already quit. They told me to look at one of the mines around here—something about a rich rela
tive dying and leaving her his estate.”

  So that was his angle. He wanted Cassidy’s money…or the money he thought she had. The truth was that Cassidy’s inheritance was more a burden than a fortune. It consisted of a run-down shack and a bunch of overgrown weeds. The kid’s story wasn’t adding up, and it was seriously pissing off Patrick’s wolf, that sensed layers of deception from the stranger.

  “She does work here.”

  “What?” asked the inspector. “I wasn’t aware you had another woman on your staff list. Are you talking about that girl in training?”

  He didn’t like the condescending way she referred to Cassidy. “That’s her.” He returned his attention to the male. “If you’re really her brother, I’d be happy to introduce the two of you. Just know I’m very protective of her so I hope your intentions are honorable.” For your sake.

  “Interesting,” said Ms. Tanner. “It sounds like you know this girl personally, Patrick.”

  Garret wanted them to keep any personal relationship with Cassidy under the carpet until the inspector left. His alpha didn’t want any reason to get a failing grade, and he wasn’t sure if mixing business and pleasure would get a negative review from the inspector. Patrick couldn’t give a shit.

  “Yeah, she’s my girlfriend.” The word sounded so shallow, a human title that held little significance in his world. He was already beginning to consider Cassidy his mate, which carried the weight of the world in meaning. Girlfriend, fiancée, wife—they meant nothing in comparison.

  “What?” The man stood up, a look of shock souring his features. “You and her?”

  At least Patrick had only implicated himself. He was good at that lately. “That’s right. You may just be looking at your future brother-in-law.” One of them.

  The man practically growled before storming out of the trailer.

  “Scott, wait!” called Ms. Tanner, rushing to the doorway.

  He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. “So, you have a little something burning for Scotty? You moonlight with many random strangers?”