“All better,” Garrett said, his voice gruff.
“Thank you.” She spoke softly, glad for the draw back to reality. It wouldn’t serve her to live in a fantasy world.
“You’re very welcome,” Ryker offered for the both of them, waiting for Cammy to get up from the bed and turn around to face them before stepping down from the small mattress.
Garrett followed him, his twisted leg buckling beneath him. Were it not for the way both Ryker and Cammy reached for him, he would have landed on the floor on his ass. He was mortified that he had shown his weakness in front of Cammy, but froze when he realized that in reaching for him, Cammy had released her death grip on the blanket. She held him against her with nothing between them but her white lace bra.
“Are you okay?” she asked, not concerned about anything but Garrett’s well-being.
“I’m better now that you are standing before me like that,” Garrett answered, unable to hide the humor in his voice as he looked at the beauty of her near nakedness.
Cammy gasped but never released her hold on Garrett. Her embarrassment would have to wait. It was more important that she help him right then.
“Stop teasing me,” she warned him, stepping back once she had seen that he was steady on his feet. She pulled the blanket around her and gave in to the full body blush that raced through her.
“Teasing you?” Garrett asked, disappointed when the lushness of her body was hidden from him. ‘Why would I tease you?”
Cammy snorted. Turning away, she unzipped one of the suitcases and pulled her navy sweatshirt from it then headed back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She dropped the blanket and pulled the warm sweatshirt on quickly as she thought about the way both men had looked at her.
Grabbing for the blanket and the soiled blouse, she pulled open the bathroom door and headed back into the bedroom. Both men were standing beside the bed waiting for her.
“Is your leg okay?” she asked Garrett, seeing how the man favored it as he stood with his legs braced as he held onto the footboard of her bed.
“I was born with a twisted right leg,” Garrett told her honestly. “I was the runt of the litter.”
Cammy laughed as she walked toward him. “You’re the biggest and strongest runt I’ve ever seen,” she told him, taking in the wide expanse of his chest and the muscles that bulged beneath his shirt. “You look like you could snap me like a twig. I don’t see anything weak about you, Garrett. You should really re-evaluate your understanding of what a runt is.”
Garrett looked at Ryker in shock. Cammy really found nothing lacking in him. How was that possible?
“You haven’t made him feel that way, have you?” she asked Ryker, tucking the blanket and shirt into her suitcase then stepping forward and pointing her index finger to jab him in the chest.
“I have not,” Ryker said, shaking his head just once. “Garrett is my triad partner. We’re best friends.”
“Cammy, Ryker has come to my aid many times since we’ve been children,” Garrett told her firmly. “He’s often risked his life to help me. He has lost the eyesight in his right eye because of me.”
Cammy looked up and touched Ryker’s face, now aware of the difference in the color of his eyes. The brown of his eye was nearly gone because of the dilated pupil in his right eye.
“Garrett has done the same for me more times that I can count over the years,” Ryker said gruffly, unused to the tenderness that Cammy was giving him.
“Such kind, brave men,” Cammy whispered, leaning in and hugging Ryker before turning and doing the same to Garrett. “And then you come here to rescue me. I think I have my own knights in shining armor.”
She leaned forward and kissed each of their cheeks lightly before stepping back and looking at the shocked expressions on their faces. Yeah, well, she was pretty shocked by her actions, too, but she couldn’t have stopped showing them that gentle kindness even if she had wanted to. They deserved her thanks, and she wanted to give them that little bit of tenderness. It’s not like it was anything more than a kiss of thanks. She was glad she had stolen the kisses. It made something in her ease as she felt the warmth of their skin beneath her lips. She wished things would be different. It would be nice to have them in her life. They were nice guys. She could use some niceness in her crazy life. Except for Kaley and Meeka, she had never really had anyone be nice to her.
“You don’t happen to have white horses outside to whisk us away from here, do you?” The teasing in her voice made both men smile, which lifted her spirits considerably.
“No. No horses,” Garrett said, smiling widely, his heart light for the first time—ever. “We have an SUV outside.”
“Good enough,” Cammy said, turning and making her way out of her bedroom. She pulled on her boots, grabbed for her coat and hat then opened the front door of her father’s home. “Let’s get out of here. I want to go to my new home.”
Both men quickly pulled on their boots and coats, picking up her suitcases and following her outside. They shut the door behind them and guided her to the parked SUV. Once she was seated in the front seat, they loaded her suitcases into the back. Ryker climbed into the driver’s seat and started the vehicle. Garrett sat behind Cammy, reaching out and touching her hair gently and smiling when she turned around to look at him.
“Don’t worry,” he told her firmly. “You’re going to like your new home.”
As they pulled away from the place of her abuse, both men couldn’t help but allow that little bit of hope that was banging on their hearts to enter. Maybe they were deserving of such a wonderful mate after all.
The living room in Kaley’s apartment was a mass of inflatable air mattresses and beds from the two couches that opened to reveal small but comfortable beds. Kaley and Cammy were on the mattress on the floor between the two couches. The men were sharing the remaining beds. Kaley couldn’t help but laugh as she saw how Nathaniel and Brett were hanging off the mattress that they were sharing, their frames way too broad and too long to fit on them comfortably.
“Are you laughing at us, woman?” Nathaniel grumbled, glaring down at her.
“Yes.”
Nathaniel smiled instantly. “You’re asking for it,” he threatened.
“Oh, yeah. I’m really scared,” Kaley said quickly, snorting as she batted Nathaniel’s hand away as he reached for her. “Keep your hands to yourself, wolf boy.”
“She’s got you there, Nathaniel,” Brett said, laughing. He eased his body up in order to look down at Kaley, happiness filling him as he saw her. “I think we should come down there and share that mattress with you. It looks a lot more comfortable and a little bit bigger than this contraption.”
“You can switch with us,” Kaley offered. “Cammy and I will sleep on the pull-out couch. You two can have the inflatable mattress.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Brett groused.
“I know what you meant,” Kaley said softly. “Go to sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow.”
“Demanding little thing, isn’t she, Brett?” Nathaniel asked, secretly loving every minute of Kaley’s attitude.
“Deal with it,” Kaley muttered, turning over and snuggling under the blankets.
Cammy smiled and turned over, looking up at the couch that was open next to her and seeing the two men who slept sideways to fit better on the small, thin mattress. Garrett lifted his head to look at her, his blue eyes flashing golden and a soft growl rumbling from him.
“I’m okay,” Cammy whispered. “Calm down.”
Ryker reached down and took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips to kiss her knuckles tenderly. “We’re right here, Cammy,” he whispered. “No one will ever hurt you again.”
Cammy squeezed his fingers before pulling her hand free. “I believe you,” she said softly, her heart light when she saw the soft smile he gave her. Like Garrett, Ryker’s eyes flashed golden as he looked down at her. She was going to have to ask about that in the morning. Closing her e
yes, she concentrated on taking deep, even breaths. It had been a difficult day for her and she needed to sleep.
“Cammy, you can come up here with us if it will make you feel more secure,” Garrett called to her softly.
“No, I’m good right where I am,” Cammy answered, fear spiking within her.
“You’ll sleep better between us,” Ryker told her. “It’s a mate thing.”
“What?”
“Come here, baby,” Garrett encouraged her.
“I can’t,” Cammy whispered. “You don’t understand.”
“Yes, we do,” Garrett told her, reaching down and taking her hand in his to squeeze it lightly. “Close your eyes and concentrate on us. You’ll be okay. You’re safe, sweetheart.”
Cammy nodded, slowly tugging her hand from his. She turned over and pulled the blankets tighter around her. Reaching up, she touched Kaley’s shoulder lightly.
“Kaley,” she whispered.
“What?”
“I don’t understand any of this,” she said quietly.
“I know, honey. Don’t worry about it,” Kaley told her calmly. “I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.” She reached up and touched Cammy’s badly shorn locks and smiled sadly. “You couldn’t be safer, Cammy. There are six men in this apartment who are here to make sure that no one will hurt any of us ever again. You don’t have to understand it. Just accept it.”
Cammy nodded, allowing Kaley’s words to soothe her. She closed her eyes and was finally able to settle, knowing she had nothing to worry about. As she slipped into slumber, the light blue of Garrett’s eyes and the deep brown of Ryker’s eyes looked down at her in her dreams, and she sighed.
Chapter 30
Meeka woke up slowly, trying to concentrate on the warmth that was surrounding her. Eric was spread out over her chest, his nose deep into the crease of her neck. She couldn’t help but smile as she realized that her son always felt better when he was breathing in her scent. She knew exactly how he felt. Since Wade and Reece had arrived, their scents had soothed her considerably.
Moving Eric off of her body to place him gently to the right of her, she smiled as he automatically snuggled against Reece and Reece rubbed his cheek over the top of their son’s head. Eric let out the cutest little growl and Reece responded with one of his own. It was adorable. When Wade growled from his spot beside her, she had to force herself to remain silent. She pushed down the laughter that was bubbling up within her. It had been a long time since she had felt so happy.
Smiling, she tried to ease up so she could get out of bed and found herself being pressed back into the mattress as both men tightened their hold around her waist and held her in place. The way they automatically covered her belly with their hands made her happy.
“Where are you going, Meeka?” Reece whispered.
“Don’t leave us, baby,” Wade mumbled.
“Your daughter is pressing on my bladder,” she whispered back, laughing quietly when both men growled softly and kissed her temples lightly.
They reluctantly released their hold on her and she scooted across the bed, climbing over Wade and kissing his lips quickly as she rushed from the bed. She yelped when he lightly tapped her on her ass.
“Oh, you’re going to be sorry you did that, Mr. Garner,” she threatened him, rushing into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
After relieving herself, she stood at the sink washing her hands and looked up at herself in the mirror above it. She liked what she saw. For the past few weeks she had seen a sad, pale face looking back at her. Today, there was happiness and excitement that sparkled in her brown eyes. There was color in her cheeks, and a smile on her face.
Brushing her teeth quickly, she picked up the washcloth on the counter, wet it with warm water, and wiped at her eyes and face. She felt completely refreshed. She was about to turn to go back into the bedroom when a wave of nausea rolled over her. She quickly covered her mouth as a groan escaped her. Rushing over to the toilet, she tried to take in deep breaths to calm herself. She hated throwing up.
“Little one, open the door,” Reece called to her, his voice filled with concern.
“I can’t,” Meeka said weakly, her knees suddenly buckling beneath her. Her entire body began shaking violently.
The door opened quickly. Reece strode inside, and he reached out to gather Meeka into his arms, making sure to settle her face against his neck. The nausea immediately disappeared as Reece’s scent filled her.
“Thank you,” she whispered as she eased back and looked up at him. She saw the sparkling blue of his eyes flash golden and was grateful for her wolf who had come to help her.
“Are you feeling better, baby?” Wade asked from his place just outside the bathroom door.
Meeka looked at him and smiled at the adorable sight that greeted her. Wade stood there with Eric cuddled against his chest, her little boy rubbing against Wade’s neck instinctively.
Meeka smiled and reached out, waiting for Wade to come closer so she could wrap her arm around his back and hug him. When he leaned toward her and she was able to kiss his neck, breathing in his calming scent deeply, she felt completely relaxed and well.
“I feel so much better,” Meeka said, sighing. “Thank you.”
“Have you been feeling sick, Meeka?” Reece asked her as he carried her out of the bathroom and settled her carefully in the middle of the bed.
“I’ve been shaky since I left Colorado,” Meeka admitted. “The nausea is new.” She looked at both men and smiled. “Then again, so is the baby.”
Wade smiled as he carefully settled Eric between them, watching him as their cub immediately returned to slumber. Wade reached out to touch Meeka’s belly gently, covering their daughter protectively.
“Yes, she is,” he said quietly. “You’ve been feeling sick because of the pregnancy, but there’s more to it than that, baby.”
“What do you mean?”
“Being separated from your mates so early in the bonding process is a dangerous thing, little one,” Reece explained softly. “Wade and I have been experiencing the shakiness and the sickness because you weren’t with us.”
“I’m sorry,” Meeka whispered.
“It’s our fault, Meeka,” Wade said, stopping her. “We’re to blame for you leaving. We should have told you what we were worried about. We should have taken you with us to talk to Drew together and figured everything out as a triad should have.”
Meeka nodded, glad that they had accepted responsibility for what had happened. She wasn’t free from blame. She knew that she had a part in it as well. She should have confronted them and stood her ground. But she knew that because of her wounded heart, and the fear she had that they would ask her to get rid of the baby she was carrying, she had felt that she had no other choice but to leave.
“I’m glad you came here to find me,” she said finally, reaching out and touching both men’s faces to run the back of her index fingers across the scruff of their morning beards. “So sexy.”
“You test my control,” Reece said, growling softly.
“Sorry,” Meeka said, smiling at him before she leaned toward him and took his lips in a slow, gentle kiss that she hoped would convey the way she had missed him and the bond she had with her mates.
Reece’s lips were gentle as he returned her kiss, his tongue licking at the seam of her mouth before plunging inside the moment she opened to him.
I’ve missed you, Meeka, he whispered through their bond. I love you, Mate.
We need to claim you again, Wade added, sending her his feelings of love. We need to reclaim you soon.
Meeka laughed and hugged both of them. I want that, too, but we don’t exactly have privacy to make love.
“We need to find the privacy,” Reece said firmly. “If we don’t continue to strengthen the bond, you’ll continue to feel shaky.”
“Claiming you will also help eliminate any sickness that you’re feeling because of the pregnancy,” Wade told her.
<
br /> Meeka laughed and tugged at both men’s hair. “That may be true, but that’s not why I want you to claim me again.”
She looked at the two men who owned her heart. How could she tell them just how much she loved them? How could she put into words how much having them as her mates made her happy? She wanted them to know how important they were to her and how much she valued their love and their friendship. She wanted them to understand that she considered herself a very lucky woman to have been given such a wonderful gift as having them in her life as her mates.
“We know, baby,” Wade whispered. “We can feel what you’re feeling and hear what you’re thinking.”
“Good,” Meeka whispered.
“Yes, it’s very good,” Reece told her.
Walking into the kitchen an hour later, Meeka froze in shock at the sight that greeted her. Cammy sat at the table with a towel wrapped around her shoulders. Garrett stood behind her, carefully cutting her hair with a pair of scissors.
“You needed a haircut, Cammy?” she asked, surprised that the shy woman was trusting Garrett to touch her.
“My father hacked off my hair yesterday,” Cammy said, her voice a combination of embarrassment and disgust. “Garrett offered to trim it.” She looked up at Garrett and smiled shyly. “I appreciate it, Garrett.”
Garrett smiled as he nodded, reaching out to take her head between his hands and turn her face away so he could continue his job. He looked at Ryker as his partner sat beside Cammy with his arms folded against his chest. He looked completely calm and at ease, but Garrett knew better. His triad partner was just as wired as he was. Being this close to Cammy, touching her, and smelling her delicious scent was calling to their wolves. Their mate was before them. And neither man knew what the hell to do about it.
“He’s doing a good job, Cammy,” Ryker assured her, drawing Garrett out of his internal musings. “You don’t have to worry.”
Meeka's Reluctant Mates [Beckett's Wolf Pack, Triad Mates 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) Page 27
