Guarded for Pleasure

by Lacey Thorn

  She lifted her right hand to grip his shoulder, and with the other still braced on his knee, she climbed toward orgasm.

  “Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.” She panted the words as she felt her orgasm within reach.

  “You can call me Phil,” he panted between nips of her breasts.

  With a strangled laugh, she came. His hands slid down to grip her hips, and he lifted and lowered her on his cock until he joined her. He shouted her name with his release, and she felt the smile on her lips as she collapsed against his chest. He turned so he lay on his back on the couch with her firmly against him, his spent cock still snug in her pussy.

  “Christ, if there weren’t three of us, I’m not sure we could handle you.” Phil groaned, his hands smoothing up and down her back.

  “Even with three of us, I’m not sure we can handle her,” Rick spoke up.

  “But we’re more than willing to try,” Luke promised.

  “And try, and try, and try,” Rick purred.

  Chapter Nine

  River was pulled from her doze by an incessant beeping sound. Reaching out, she smacked her hand down.

  “Ouch,” Phil grumbled, shifting underneath her.

  That woke her up. Luke was already up and moving toward his computer where the sound seemed to be coming from.

  “You’ve got company,” he mumbled as he brought the screen awake and maximized the camera views of her apartment.

  Rick was up on his feet, reaching for his pants.

  Phil eased up, being careful not to knock her off him. Then with a kiss to her brow, he shifted her from his lap to the couch. He moved toward the computer, snagging his pants along the way.

  “Where’s he at?” Phil wanted to know. His head jerked back from the screen. “Oh,” his startled murmur grabbed her interest even more.

  “What?” She demanded as she headed toward them. “What’s he doing?”

  “Not a he,” Rick said as he took in the screen before she did. “More like she.”

  “They, actually,” Phil said.

  There on the screen, sitting on her couch were none other than Kat and Tara. Kat looked her usual no-nonsense self in jeans and a T-shirt with her long black hair pulled back in a ponytail. Tara wore her usual babydoll style summer dress with kitten heels. Her dark auburn hair was loose around her shoulders.

  River squealed and headed to the door.

  “Whoa, slow down, River,” Phil said, catching her arm and tugging her back to him.

  “But it’s Kat and Tara. I can’t leave them down there.” Her eyes pleaded with them. “You can’t think it won’t be safe for the three of us. I thought we decided Raymond was waiting for me to leave.”

  Phil smiled. “I thought you might want to put some clothes on first.”

  “I mean, we like you naked and all,” Rick purred. “But do you really want to greet your friends in your birthday suit?”

  She glanced down, taking in her nudity and shook her head. “You guys so screw with my head.”

  “Feelings mutual, doll,” Phil assured her. “Go grab some clothes. We’ll straighten up in here.”

  “I’ll go grab some pizza for lunch,” Rick said, grinning at River. “You sure know how to work up a man’s appetite.”

  Luke and Phil nodded their agreement.

  “What do you want on your pie?” Rick directed the question to her retreating, following her.

  “I’ll eat anything,” River yelled over her shoulder as she headed to Phil’s room and her bag.

  “What about your friends?” Rick asked, standing in the door and watching her pull on jeans and a t-shirt and slip into a pair of flip-flops.

  “They’ll eat whatever, too,” she assured him. “If they’re even hungry.”

  She headed back into the living room, intent on getting downstairs to Tara and Kat. It felt like forever. She couldn’t wait to see them, hug them. God, she’d missed them so much.

  “River,” Luke caught her this time. “I know you’re excited, but stay sharp okay.”

  “I will,” she nodded.

  “I’ll head down with you,” Rick said. “Make sure you don’t find any other surprises before I grab the pizza.”

  Sounded like a good idea to her. “Thanks, Rick.”

  Luke lifted her chin up, bringing her eyes back to him. “You are planning on coming back here for the night?”

  She nodded her head.

  “Good.” He whispered the word, letting her know he’d been a bit worried about that. He leaned down and caught her mouth with his. Soft, sweet, yet oh-so-thorough, his kiss rocked her.

  Phil pulled her over to him. “We’ll have the cameras on,” he informed her. “Just in case.”

  “Okay,” she agreed. “But no volume, right?”

  “No,” Luke told her. “We’re not going to listen in on your conversation with your friends. Just keep an eye out.” He shrugged his shoulders.

  “Thank you,” she said with a smile. She was so lucky to have met them. Even luckier to be given the chance to get to know them better. The sex was incredible, but the more she learned about them, the more she was falling. No matter how bad an idea she knew it was, she couldn’t stop herself.

  Phil cleared his throat, bringing her attention back to him. “Make sure you let us know when you’re ready to come back up. I don’t want to take any chances with you.”

  He made it sound like she meant something to him. It had her heart beating a little faster. He searched her eyes then dropped his mouth to her ear, hugging her tight against him. “I want you safe. I want…” He broke off, not finishing his thought and she really, really wanted him to. What did he want?

  He nibbled a path down her jaw then slanted over to her lips. He nipped her bottom lip, licked over it and at her moan, dipped inside. His tongue dueled with hers. She went up on her toes, her arms wrapping around his neck to curl in his dark hair. Her nipples were hard points, and her pussy clenched with need. Sex should be the last thing on her mind. With what they’d shared only hours before and the fact that her two best friends were waiting downstairs for her. But damned if she wasn’t horny all over again.

  He released her slowly. At some point his hands had cupped her ass, and he gave it a pat before stepping back from her. Was it possible he was feeling something more for her, too? She glanced toward Luke, then Rick. She could never choose between the three of them. It was all of them or none of them. The thought almost broke her heart. It shouldn’t be possible for people to come to mean so much in a short amount of time. Maybe it was the fact they were helping her, protecting her. Maybe it was the sex. She’d never been good at separating sex from emotion.

  “I’ll be back later,” she promised and took the hand Rick held out to her.

  “Want to talk?” he asked as soon as the elevator doors closed them in.

  “About what?”

  “You seem to have some weighty worries swimming behind those gorgeous eyes.” Rick was far too observant. “I’ve been told I’m a pretty good listener.”

  “No.” She shook her head.

  He gave her a quiet look, searching her eyes. “You know we’ve been interested in you since you moved here. All three of us have gone out of our way to run into you, to flirt in the hopes of getting you to show interest. I know we can be a lot to take. Three men. It can’t be easy for a woman to handle all of us. I also know it’s not typical, what we’ve brought you into. We like to share. You’ve experienced how incredible the sex is, how intense. It’s like that for us, too. Watching your face, knowing how much pleasure you’re feeling. That’s not going to change, River.” He shook his head as the doors opened. “I wanted you to be aware of that.”

  She nodded while a thousand questions fought to explode off her tongue. Was he saying she would never have to choose? That the four of them would keep doing what they were doing? That was if it lasted longer than it took to find and deal with Raymond. Could she take a chance like that? Would they? And how exactly would that work?


  “River?” Rick’s voice broke through her thoughts as he led her onto her floor. “You okay?”

  “Just excited to see my friends again,” she assured him. True, but not the whole truth.

  He nodded, stopping at her door. He bent and kissed her softly on the lips. “I’ll be back in a bit with food. Don’t leave before I get here.”

  “I won’t,” she told him.

  “Good.” He flicked his finger over the tip of her nose, making her grin. “Open the door, River. I’m betting they’re excited to see you, too.”

  With a nod, she put her key in and opened the door. She would have to yell at Kat about picking locks. Taking a deep breath, she stepped in and shut the door behind her. Her friends stood less than a foot from her, watching, seeming unsure for a moment.

  “About time you got your sorry ass here,” Kat said.

  As if that was all it took to unfreeze them, they all squealed at once and ran to each other. Hugging, laughing, talking over one another, they made it back to the living room and fell in a pile on the couch.

  “God, I missed you guys so much,” River admitted.

  Kat smacked her.

  “Ouch!”

  “That’s for being stupid enough to take off in the first place.”

  Tara laughed. “We missed you, too. It’s not the same without you.”

  And didn’t that open up another can of worms in her mind.

  “How did you know where I was?”

  “Traced the call,” Tara said unapologetically.

  “Wasn’t like you were telling us where you were,” Kat muttered.

  “I’m sorry.” River could see how much her leaving had affected them. Tara looked thinner, almost fragile. Kat just looked her usual pissed off self.

  “We were hurt, but we understood why you would do it,” Tara said.

  River grasped her hand and held it tightly. “How did you know this was my apartment?”

  “You forget we helped set up the alias you’re using?” Kat asked with a scowl.

  “You used the location from the trace and did a search.”

  “Of course we did,” Tara admitted with a shrug. “We knew what name you were using. Once we knew where you were, it was easy. We decided to head your way as soon as you hung up.”

  “We could hear something in your voice. Hoped it meant you were tired of letting that prick make you run and hide. He won’t get away with harassing you anymore,” Kat spoke adamantly. “Those days are long gone now.” She threw a look toward Tara that had River looking more closely at her friend.

  “Why? What exactly happened? What are you not telling me?”

  “Raymond wasn’t happy with any of us when you left,” Kat informed her. “You were the bitch that decided to leave him, and we were the bitches who helped you.”

  “Oh, my God, please tell me he didn’t do anything to you.”

  Tara looked away. Kat sighed.

  “Of course he fucked with us,” Kat finally replied. “We were there. We had to know where you were, had to have helped you.”

  “What did he do? Tara? Tara?” Her friend wouldn’t look at her. “Kat? Someone tell me what happened!”

  “I’ll tell you what happened,” Kat finally blurted.

  “Kat, don’t,” Tara whispered.

  “Then you tell her,” Kat almost yelled. “I’m so tired of both of you playing the martyr. Maybe if we’d stuck together and communicated…” She let that thought die off as something caught her attention in the hall.

  “Divide and conquer,” Raymond said, entering the living room with a gun held comfortably in his hand. “It’s worked since the beginning of time.”

  River tensed, and she saw Tara do the same. She’d been in such a hurry to see her friends she’d forgotten to lock the door behind her. She’d been too comfortable knowing that Luke and Phil would be watching. They were watching! Where was the camera in this room? She had to think of the view she’d seen and look in that direction. But she couldn’t let anyone know what she was doing.

  Raymond looked strung out. His perfect appearance seemed to be a thing of the past. His clothes were rumpled and baggy as if he’d slept in them. He’d lost weight. His eyes were sunken, and there were deep, dark circles underneath.

  “Raymond,” River spoke his name, hoping the guys were picking up on the tension in the room. Raymond was still around the corner, and there was no camera there. “What are you doing here?”

  Would Luke be reading her lips? Would Phil? Or would they be ignoring that in favor of giving her privacy?

  “I only wanted to take care of you, you know,” he murmured, not moving any closer. “You were the best I ever had. Such beauty, poise. And so incredible in bed, like a well taught whore.”

  River shuddered. She didn’t want to be reminded of the things they’d done together before he’d spiraled out of control.

  “You ran from me,” he said with a glare. “No one leaves me, River. Ever.” His gaze turned to Tara and lingered on her before skating over to Kat. “And your friends protected you. No matter how much I threatened, what I did, they wouldn’t break and tell me where you were.”

  “What did you do?” River whispered.

  “She didn’t tell you?” He laughed, and the harsh sound sent tremors down her spine. “I broke in and found your friend asleep. Tsk, tsk, Tara. You shouldn’t sleep on the job.”

  Tara shuddered, and River automatically took her friends hand again.

  “You sick fucking bastard,” Kat screamed. “Leave her the fuck alone.”

  “Ahhh, are you jealous little kitty Kat? Did I not give you enough attention? We have time. I can remedy that.”

  “Fuck you.”

  He leered, letting his eyes skim Kat from head to toe. “Maybe.”

  “Did you miss me, River?” he crooned the question.

  “What did you do to Tara?” She yelled the question, all thoughts of staying calm gone as she felt the harsh trembles of her friend.

  “I didn’t rape her, if that’s what you’re afraid of, River. I want you, only you. But she wouldn’t talk, no matter what I threatened. So I had to teach her a lesson.”

  “The sorry bastard tied her up, easy thing to do when you catch a woman sleeping. Then when she was awake, he tried to interrogate her. When that didn’t work…” Kat swallowed, her eyes closing for a brief moment.

  “He beat me,” Tara’s tortured whisper informed her. “With his belt, his hands.” She shuddered. “Pinching, touching, covering me with his filth. And the only reason you didn’t rape me, you sick bastard, is because my neighbor heard the commotion and called for help.”

  “Jesus!” River felt the tears spilling down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Tara. I’m so sorry.”

  “Why? You didn’t do it, and no matter the weight of guilt you feel, you didn’t cause it. This is all on Raymond.” River met Tara’s eyes and saw that she meant what she said. But wasn’t that just like a friend not to blame you.

  “If I’d been there…”

  “You’d probably be dead by now,” Kat yelled. “Turns out Raymond’s been losing it for a while, and Daddy knew it. Didn’t he, Raymond?” She taunted him. “Daddy knew you were crazy. Be a good boy, Raymond. Do the right thing, Raymond. Think of the family.”

  “Shut the fuck up!” he screamed, and spittle sprayed from his mouth. His free hand went up to hold his head while the gun hand shook and bounced between them.

  “What will Daddy say about this, Raymond?” Kat kept going. “He’s not going to be happy with you. He’s not asking your brother or brother-in-law to clean up your messes anymore.”

  “Shut up, you fucking bitch!” The gun jerked toward Kat and stayed trained on her. “I hate you three. All of you fucked up my life. You planned it, didn’t you? Planned to bring me down.”

  “Of course, we did,” Kat kept taunting. “Let’s get golden boy and watch him fall. And you were too weak to see.”

  “Stop it!” His hand steadied. �
��I’m going to fucking kill you. All of you. But you, you I’m going to shoot first. Maybe take your knee out, or a shoulder, so you have to listen to me kill your friends. Then when you can hear them dying, when you know I’ve won, I’m going to gut you like a fish.”

  “I wouldn’t do that, Raymond.” Tara’s words had him glancing toward her. His eyes flared as he took in the gun in her hand. River wasn’t sure where she’d pulled it from. One moment Tara had squeezed and released her hand. The next she had a gun in it. But then River’s eyes had been focused on Raymond and Kat, who was working hard at getting herself shot.

  “It’s me you want, Raymond.” River tried to draw his rage from Kat to her. “Me, remember. I did this. I left you.”

  “You left me,” he agreed with a nod, but his gaze and the damn gun stayed pointed on Kat.

  “I’m sorry about that,” River said. She licked her lips nervously. “I want to apologize. Will you let me do that? Maybe we could go somewhere, the two of us?”

  “Fuck that!” Kat yelled. “No one wants you now, Raymond.”

  “Shut the fuck up, or I swear I’m going to blow your fucking brains out!”

  “Don’t do that,” Tara warned. Her gun was steady and pointed right at Raymond’s chest.

  “Are you going to shoot me?” He laughed. “I bet I fill your dreams at night, don’t I? My hands on your breasts. My fingers. The slap of my palm on you. You liked what I did. You were hungry for what I was giving you.”

  Tara never wavered. Her hand remained steady, but River could see the shadows in her eyes.

  “Please. Tara and I laughed when she told me what you did.” Kat started up with the taunts again. “Sweaty hands, stale breath, and a tiny little dick.” She snickered. “We figured it must have been pity that had River staying with you, and disappointment that had her finally leaving.”

  “You fucking cunt!”

  River screamed as gunfire exploded in the apartment. Kat went down with a cry and then Raymond was the one falling. He never screamed. His eyes widened with surprise. He jerked once, twice, three times and staggered back against the wall, slowly sinking to the floor. Blood bloomed over his chest.