Not gonna happen.
Too bad the picture inside that folder was fantastic, a raw expression of all three of their open emotions. She cringed to think about it.
It was also a violation of her privacy, as well as Miles’ and Griffen’s. The men were going to flip.
She was quite certain angry spirits weren’t capable of sending e-mails, no matter what their aim was. And clearly someone or something was trying to get Rebecca’s attention.
For what purpose?
No real harm had been done—if she discounted the fire.
What was the point of shredding her shirt, tossing her apartment, and sending half-naked pictures of her to her boss?
If someone was trying to tell her something, the message was not loud and clear.
The entire day was spent scrambling around in her mind, trying to make sense of the illogical. Someone must have found her relationship distasteful or immoral. Did they intend to get her fired? And how the hell had they found out about her relationship with Miles and Griffen so fast?
Rebecca was lucky Marian was open-minded and didn’t make Rebecca feel judged.
And tossing her apartment and the house? Were they warnings? From humans, shifters, or spirits? Someone wanted to scare her. That was undeniable.
And they’d succeeded.
But why?
Chapter Twenty-One
Griffen glanced at his mate several times on the way back to his apartment that afternoon. He gripped the steering wheel firmly.
Something was wrong.
She was distracted. She said very little and spent most of the ride staring out the window, chewing on her lower lip.
She had something to say. In fact, she’d been preoccupied the entire day. Every time he attempted to communicate with her, she put him off, saying she was busy. But he felt there was more to it. He knew her work was demanding, but he sensed her underlying stress at the same time. Miles did too.
He left her to her thoughts until they were safely ensconced in his apartment. Then he took her purse, set it on the table, and wrapped her in his arms. “Talk to me, baby.” He tipped her head back. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
She shook her head. “I’m just tired. And I need to go for a run.” She wiggled free of him and padded to his bedroom where her belongings were now neatly piled on top of his dresser.
When she saw her clean clothes arranged and folded, she spun around. “You did my laundry.”
He grinned. “Yep. Took me three products to get all the black out of almost everything you owned, but I succeeded.”
Tears filled her eyes, and her lip quivered as she threw herself in his arms and held him tight.
He threaded his fingers in the underside of her braid and held her tight. “Hey. Baby. You okay?”
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as she leaned back, faking a smile. Then she gave up and buried her face in his chest again. And she cried. She cried for so long he grew nervous.
But he didn’t release her. He continued to cradle the back of her head with one hand and stroked up and down her spine with the other.
When she was spent, she hiccupped a few times and then pushed away from him and turned to grab a pile of tissues off the bedside table.
His shirt was soaked with her tears, and he didn’t give two fucks. All he cared about was making sure she was okay. He took her hand and led her to the adjoining bathroom, where he lifted her to set her on the counter and then grabbed a washcloth, wet it, and wiped her face.
She smiled wanly at him when he finished as he pushed her legs apart and settled against the counter between them. “Better?” he asked as he cupped her face and tipped her head back.
She nodded. “Sorry.”
“No need to be sorry. Tell me what this is all about.”
She shrugged. “I’m just overwhelmed, I guess. And stressed.”
“Can’t imagine why?” He grinned huge at his teasing.
She swatted playfully at his arm and closed her eyes as she set her forehead against his chest. “I’m tired. Work was busy. My apartment was burned down. I found out I have not one, but two men who intend to spend the rest of their lives with me. And, as if that isn’t enough, they’re both wolf shifters.”
She lifted her gaze. “Because everyone I know is mated to wolf shifters. It’s the latest rage,” she joked.
“You left out the phantom black shadow that’s out to get us.” He kissed her nose as he teased her again.
“Right. That too. Hell, that’s so out there I can’t even process it.”
“Baby, even I can’t process it. I’m not sure Miles has his head wrapped around it, either.”
“So, what do we do now?”
“We go for that run.” He hugged her tight.
•●•
The idea of the run went off without a hitch. Neither Rebecca nor Griffen had any problem getting changed and putting on running shoes.
However, the second they left the house to start jogging, the shit hit the fan.
Rebecca tipped her head to the previously blue sky and stared at the ominous clouds that had gathered in the last forty seconds. “You have got to be fucking kidding me?” She blew out a breath as she stretched her legs while the first few drops hit her face.
She was so not going to be daunted by a little rain. Let the fucking clouds open up. She didn’t care. A little water wouldn’t hurt her. She was determined.
As she started to jog, Griffen muttered behind her, “Guess we’re running in the rain.”
She smiled. “Wuss,” she shot over her shoulder.
His eyebrows went up, but he simply shook his head and caught up with her.
Was a little storm enough for nature to toss at her? Hell no. Not the new Rebecca Larson. Not the woman who’d had her entire life together just one week ago. Fuck no. This new Rebecca took her punches to the face and then asked for more.
Goddamn hail fell. She shrieked when less than a mile into her run they had to duck under an awning to avoid getting pummeled.
The temperature dropped too. So by the time the hail passed, she was huddled up with Griffen, her teeth chattering, her muscles stiff.
And then it rained harder.
Now she was pissed. Soaked. Cold. And pissed. “Son of a bitch,” she screamed. “I cannot catch a break.” She stomped her foot as she paced under the tiny storefront. Luckily the little shop didn’t have any patrons inside to watch her tantrum. The only person she spotted through the window was an older woman who was working the afternoon shift at the gift shop.
The woman opened the front door after a while and invited them inside.
Rebecca shook her head. “Thanks, ma’am, but we’re soaked, and I don’t want to trail water all over your store.”
The woman frowned at her. “Okay. Well, if you change your mind.” She let the door close and wandered back to the cash register.
“Baby, I don’t think this is going to happen today,” Griffen hedged.
She glanced at him to see him wince. “It is going to fucking happen. It is.”
“Okay.” He was smart enough not to press her further.
Thank God.
Because her mini-tantrum was about to explode into an all-out rage, the likes of which Griffen had not been subjected to before.
Hell, she hadn’t had such a fit since she was five years old, but she could feel it coming on. There may not have been a dark shadowy presence in front of her to mark the occasion, but it sure as hell felt like it. The cold and annoyance pressed in on her chest until she wanted to scream.
And then she had an idea. The gym. She could at least get on a treadmill. Three hours on a treadmill wasn’t her idea of fun, but it was better than nothing.
“We’re going to the gym,” she shouted over the now pouring rain. She spun on her heel and jogged out onto the sidewalk, not one bit concerned about how wet she was. She was soaked. At this point, who cared?
Downtown Cambridge wasn’t ve
ry big, and there were only two gyms. She belonged to the one closer to her apartment.
Griffen followed about one step behind her and to the right. She didn’t blame him. She wouldn’t want to face her wrath at that moment, either.
Six blocks one way and four blocks another and she reached for the handle to the gym door.
It was locked. Her wet hand slipped through the cold metal handle with a snap, making her fingers sting. She narrowed her gaze and then lowered it when she saw the sign taped to the inside of the glass door.
WE ARE WITHOUT POWER. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. WE WILL REOPEN WHEN THE ELECTRICITY COMES BACK ON.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” She screamed louder.
And then stomped away from the gym, not bothering to keep up the pretext of jogging as she made her way back to Griffen’s apartment.
He didn’t say a word. When they reached his front door, he pulled the key from the pocket inside his shorts and opened the door.
The second they were inside, she screamed again. She turned around, flattened her hands on the door as it shut behind her, and smacked it so hard her palms hurt.
“This is so fucked up.” She spun around, her gaze darting all over the room. Maybe there was something she could do inside. Stairs? He didn’t have any. He didn’t have any machines. Even an elliptical would be better than nothing at this point.
She fisted her hands at her sides.
Griffen stood a foot away from her, letting her rant, which only served to make her feel like a huge idiot.
When she finally glanced at his face, he was smirking.
She narrowed her gaze at him, her face heating to a new level.
“I’m sorry, baby, but you’re so fucking sexy when you have a tantrum.”
“Sexy?” She plucked at her shirt. “This is sexy? I’m soaked and pissed as hell. My hair is matted to my head. My shoes are squishy. You’re warped,” she shouted.
He stepped in front of her. “Yeah, the wet T-shirt does nothing for your breasts. And the cold that’s making your nipples stand at attention isn’t attractive, either.”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what, baby?” The endearment he used for her and the way he spoke so softly only made her angrier.
“Don’t try to make light of this.”
He sobered. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I know you’re frustrated. It’s unnerving. It’s like the forces of nature are against us.”
“Thank you.” At least he was on her side. She slumped against the door, staring down at her soaking shoes that squished when she moved her feet.
Griffen stepped closer. “I can’t explain any of this. All I can do is hold on to you while we wait it out.” He reached out with one finger and brushed a lock of wet hair from her forehead.
Two seconds later she was plastered to the door, her arms pinned over her head and Griffen’s lips devouring her mouth.
Shock kept her from struggling at first. She tugged on her hands, but he was so much stronger that she didn’t have a chance.
“Open for me, baby,” he commanded against her mouth.
She pursed her lips under his kisses.
He grinned against her. “Open, Rebecca.” His voice made her lips vibrate. His breath tasted of Griffen, her Griffen, her wolf.
She couldn’t hold on any longer. She needed to breathe in deeply. When she parted her lips to suck in a breath, he went for the kill. His tongue dove into her mouth. His knee thrust between her legs, and his chest flattened against hers.
Instantly she was aroused. Her energy switched from pissed to needing his cock that fast.
She moaned into his mouth, no longer fighting him as his tongue delved deeper. She ground her pussy against his leg.
“That’s it, baby, transfer the anger,” he muttered into her mouth. He released one wrist to grab it with his other hand so he held both her wrists with one set of long fingers. His free hand snaked down between their bodies and tugged her shirt up over her breasts. He popped the front of her sports bra and wrapped his hand around her globe. His fingers found her nipple and pinched. “See, already stiff for me.”
Rebecca was lost in sensation as his palm flattened on her belly and made its way down to her shorts. He tugged the wet material over her ass until he had to remove his knee to continue. Without releasing her wrists, he managed to get her shorts off, stepping on them with his feet to free her of the sopping wet Lycra.
She toed off her soaking wet shoes next.
And then his fingers found her center and plunged into her.
She screamed again, this time from need instead of aggravation. Or maybe the emotion wasn’t so distinct.
When his thumb landed on her clit and pressed while he fucked her with his fingers, she shivered from her head to her toes. And not from the cold.
She was burning hot now.
“That’s it, baby. Feel my fingers. Let it go.” He pumped harder until she was so close she could taste it.
Then his hands were both gone.
She teetered forward, her eyes shooting wide open as she gasped. “Griffen. Oh God. Please.”
He yanked her shirt and bra over her head and tossed them aside. He pulled his own shirt off next and then his shorts, kicking off his running shoes as he scrambled to get naked.
He grabbed her wrists again and held them over her head.
Her head rolled back as his hand came between her thighs, and two fingers thrust into her again. She moaned, rocking her hips forward.
“Come for me, baby.” His mouth found hers again, and his tongue danced across her bottom lip before possessing her fully.
She ground her pussy against his hand until her clit rocked into his palm. She needed more pressure, more friction.
“What do you need, baby. Ask for it,” he mumbled against her lips.
An annoyed groan escaped her mouth. “Jesus, Griffen. Please.”
“Ask for it, baby. Tell me what you need.”
All her frustration came flying out of her on a whoosh of lust. “Rub my clit. Please, Griffen. My clit.”
His thumb landed on her swollen nub then, and she shot up onto her toes as the orgasm immediately washed through her body, the pulsing draining the blood from her head and leaving her lightheaded.
Before the waves of bliss subsided, Griffen released her pussy and her wrists. Her eyes shot wide as his palms smoothed under her arms and lifted her off the ground.
Her legs reached out to wrap around his middle as he lowered her onto his cock so fast he knocked the breath out of her. A second orgasm shot through her instantly, causing her legs to grip his waist as she screamed her release, her hands clutching at his shoulders.
“That’s it, baby.” He plunged into her again and again, hard. Fast. So deep.
She hadn’t had sex with just one of her men since they’d met. She let her eyes close as she luxuriated in the feel of Griffen all around her, her nipples rubbing against his pecs, his lips landing on her stretched neck.
Oh yeah.
Pure bliss.
Even sex with just one of them was an inexplicable slice of heaven. Just as steaming hot as when they were all three together.
Chapter Twenty-Two
It was late when Miles made it back to the condo and slipped into bed. He turned his body toward his mate and tucked his arm around her, his fingers grazing Griffen’s side.
“Long day?” Griffen communicated.
“The longest.” He kissed his mate’s shoulder and inhaled deeply of her scent, burying his face in her hair. His eyes slid closed. For the first time all day he finally felt some peace. “How could that many animals go into labor on the same night?”
He’d spent the day doing his normal rounds, trying to make every visit quick and brief, and then just when he was ready to head back to town and join his mates for dinner, everything started to unravel. And it kept coming.
“And then there was the interruption…”
“What interruption was
that?” Griffen asked.
“The one where I had to pull the car over because you were fucking a very, very angry mate of ours against the front door.” He chuckled into Griffen’s head. He wasn’t mad, but it had been difficult to concentrate.
Griffen chuckled back. “You caught that, did you?”
“You did a pretty good job blocking me, though I must say neither of us will probably win any blocking award while our attention is focused on this sexy vixen. But God have mercy, she didn’t keep one single thought to herself the entire time.”
“At least it was quick,” Griffen offered, as if that was any conciliation.
“It was the tail end of about an hour of me watching a ping pong game inside her sweet head. Her emotions were so raw, she was all over the place. When she switched from rage to lust, I almost laughed. Did you do it on purpose?” Miles lifted his head to see Griffen’s expression in the dimly lit room.
Griffen was smiling. “Partly. I’ll admit I hoped I could distract her, but to be honest, she grew sexier by the minute during that tantrum.”
“What was she so pissed about?”
Griffen’s smile fell, and he lifted his head to one side to meet Miles’ gaze. “We had a few road blocks, literally. She didn’t get her workout in. I gotta tell you, man, I didn’t say anything to her, but that shit was freaky weird. I kept glancing around half expecting to see that fucking black shadow following us down the street.”
Miles flopped back down onto his pillow and stared at the ceiling while he continued to mumble into Griffen’s head. “Yeah, I had that feeling several times today too.”
“Also, she was already on edge when I picked her up from work. I couldn’t read her specifically, but something upset her. She wouldn’t talk about it, and I gotta say, she blocked me well. She may have lost her touch when she got angry and then aroused, but she did a fine job during the day. All I caught was her stress.”
•●•
When Rebecca woke up the next morning, she was not alone. She recognized immediately that Miles was spooning her back. Griffen wasn’t in the bed anymore, but she was glad her other mate had eventually returned during the night.
Rebecca's Wolves (Wolf Masters Book 6) Page 17
