Two Times the Trouble

by Mellanie Szereto

  No matter what happens. Did she expect him to abandon her if her family tried to force Ivan to return to the outside world? Kazmer had already tried to kill them. There was no going outside the protective spell surrounding the estate for any of them.

  Liam stepped into a pair of jeans, sliding his feet into his running shoes as he buttoned and zipped the pants. He added a T-shirt to his attire and waited for Ivan to come out of hiding.

  Exiting the bathroom empty-handed but dressed, Ivan pushed past his brother, not wanting to drag out his good-byes. “You know what? Forget the clothes. I can buy new stuff when I get home.”

  Ivan kept his gaze on the door to the sitting room, unwilling to let his eyes soak up one last long look at Jolán. Giving in to the urge wouldn’t change his status as her temporary lover. After five days of scorching, unprotected sex, she wasn’t pregnant by him, only Liam. The rejection might not have been intentional, but it was a rejection all the same.

  Aiming for escape from the apartment, Ivan strode past the bed. The sound of his brother’s footsteps chased him into the hall leading to the main staircase. A hand clasped his shoulder.

  “Ivan, we need to talk to Romána. You belong with Jolán, same as I do, but something’s gone wrong. Fight for her.”

  Rounding on Liam at the top of the steps, Ivan glared at him. “With what? Telling her family how I feel about her won’t make her pregnant. You expect me to stand by and watch while the two of you have babies and live happily ever after? No thanks.”

  The smug look on his brother’s face had Ivan flexing his fist. “So, you’re finally admitting you love her. Why didn’t you tell her? She’s hurting just like you are.”

  Except she’d think he didn’t reciprocate her feelings, and she’d get over him a lot faster not knowing the truth. Except that Liam had insisted Ivan tell her that he loved her. Which brother did she believe?

  “A Macska witch never heals from a heart broken by her true mate, young man.” Romána’s solemn statement made Ivan jump. How had she managed to steal up the stairs without him noticing?

  He sucked in a fortifying breath, letting it out with a slow exhale. “I’m not Jolán’s true mate.”

  “Perhaps. Perhaps not. Without honesty, one cannot be true. Have you been honest with her? With yourself?” She studied him until he couldn’t hold her knowing stare any longer.

  The old woman seemed capable of more than simple vision. She also proved the adage that with age came wisdom. Her words suggested he couldn’t be Jolán’s mate unless he offered her his heart to do with as she pleased.

  He shook his head and waited to be chastised for letting his past dictate his future, but she only raised her eyebrows. Her silent prodding sent him scuttling down the steps past her.

  “Another fracture in the protection spell was discovered this morning, Ivan. It is most likely only from the aftershocks of the earthquake since I cannot sense the evil of the Black Triad’s presence. Even so, no one may enter or exit until I am certain the charm will hold.”

  So much for his escape plan. Her arbitrary time frame could be indefinite—from hours to weeks. His insides cramping, he nodded and continued to the first floor. He followed the south corridor past the library and the study, finally stopping at the first empty room.

  Thinking required quiet solitude. Damn, I have some serious thinking to do. After a lifetime of watching his mother dive headlong into marriage within a few weeks or months of meeting her newest conquest, he’d resolved to take things slow once he chose a woman to commit to.

  He raked his fingers through his hair. Jolán was nothing like his mom, and she’d given him no reason to think she’d dump him two or three years from now. Did he love her enough to trust her? She’d trusted him enough to tell him she loved him.

  A gentle tug on the pocket doors helped them tap together, ensuring privacy while he made the most important decision of his life.

  * * * *

  Breakfast and lunch in bed, a bubble bath, and an attentive Liam obviously trying to compensate for Ivan’s desertion did nothing to ease the hole in Jolán’s soul. Hours had passed since her playful, dark-haired lover had walked away, leaving her to wonder how she’d survive with half a heart. If he’d said the words she’d longed to hear and demanded her family accept him, she might’ve been able to get through the day after he was forced to leave.

  Instead, he’d left on his own. He hadn’t returned the emotions churning inside her, even if his aura had altered from pale gray-blue to almost black in the blink of an eye. A blow to his ego would have the same effect as a wounded heart. He’d decided she wasn’t worth fighting for. As much as she loved Liam, joining with him and not Ivan as well seemed wrong.

  Her lungs seized as another thought occurred to her. What if Kazmer discovered that Ivan was outside the protective spell of the estate? Would the shifter go after him? Not will he. When was the more accurate question.

  A knock at the outer door brought Liam from his chair by the fireplace. “I’ll get it.”

  She frowned when he hurried from the bedroom. That he missed his brother was clear—meaning she had one option at the joining ceremony tomorrow. She would always have a part of Liam in her child, but the brothers needed each other more than her. A refusal was the only way. With their minds wiped clean, Kazmer would have no reason to assault them.

  Low murmurs drew her attention to the doorway, but she couldn’t see into the sitting room to identify the visitor. A silhouette appeared on the wall, and her breath caught in her throat. “Ivan?”

  Her pulse skipped a beat when he stood framed by the opening. “May I come in?”

  Too choked up to answer, she nodded. Goddess, please let him be here to say he changed his mind.

  He took a couple steps toward the bed. Clasping his hands behind his back, he seemed to hesitate. Half a minute later, words tumbled from his mouth. “I’m sorry, Jolán. Can you forgive me? I love you, and I’d like the chance to prove I’m your mate. We have until tomorrow evening. Please.”

  Were her ears playing tricks on her? Was she dreaming? She reached for him, hoping the pleading expression on his handsome face was real. Liam grinned at her from over Ivan’s shoulder.

  Crawling onto the bed, Ivan linked his fingers with hers and leaned in to press a light kiss to her lips. “I love you, Jolán. I promise I do.”

  Tears blurred her vision, and she blinked, sending them rolling down her cheeks. “I love you, Ivan. Baby or not, I know you’re my mate.”

  Liam climbed in, easing her forward to settle her back against his chest. His hands slipped under her tank top to cup her unbound breasts. “Let’s do something about making sure no one has any argument against our joining. I’ll entertain myself with these gorgeous tits while you two fuck.”

  His thumbs tweaking her nipples, the blunt language, and the desire in Ivan’s eyes sent her hormones spiraling. She arched upward to nip at his chin. “Take off your clothes. I want you naked in our bed, and I want your cock inside me.”

  He yanked his shirt over his head and then closed in on her, his tongue thrusting between her teeth to plunder her mouth as his fingers threaded through her hair. Every rough caress sparked another fire in her veins. A forceful stroke along the roof of her mouth. The slight sting on her scalp. Even his throaty growls stoked the embers.

  Warm breath teased her neck, and Liam nibbled a tingly path from her ear to her shoulder. “Is your pussy wet for him, Jolán? I bet his dick’s hard and ready to pound inside you and make you both come.”

  Her abdominals contracted at the image the words inspired, and she groaned. Her cunt was drenched and dying to be filled.

  Ivan pulled away from the kiss far too quickly, panting as he struggled out of his jeans. The mattress bounced when he kicked them off his feet. He dragged her panties down her legs and tossed them to the floor. In one smooth movement, he wrapped her thighs around his hips and sank inside her. “I was an idiot to think I could live without you. We were made
for each other. I love you, honey, so damn much.”

  His proclamation sent a ripple of orgasm spreading through her body, and she rocked her hips upward to take him deeper. The pressure of the head of his cock against her G-spot set off a series of tiny tremors. “Then show me, my love.”

  “Fuck her hard and fast.” Behind her, Liam’s heartbeat thumped through her spine, and his erection pressed into her lower back.

  Ivan eased most of the way out of her pussy before jerking forward. He slid in deep, and then a quick slide out. In until his balls slapped at her ass and then out. His irregular movement stole her breath and led her to the fringes of release. The volume of his moans rose with every shuddering advance.

  A squeeze of her nipple shoved her past the point of no return, and she gave in to the scream tickling her throat. A second later, Ivan stiffened, yelling as his cum warmed her pulsing cunt.

  Liam’s panting and sudden grunt triggered another wave of contractions. He rested his cheek against hers. “Damn, watching my brother screw you is hot.”

  Turning toward him, she brushed her lips over his. His acceptance of sharing her with Ivan had surprised her, but it had made all the difference in convincing her she could have them both. Since their liaison in the rubble of the collapsed wing, he hadn’t doubted that she was destined to love them both. He’d encouraged her.

  Why had she given up so easily at the first sign of trouble? Hadn’t Lujza demanded the right to keep Amalric and Ranulf as her mates when she’d thought she wasn’t pregnant? Ivan and Liam were Jolán’s life-mates, and she wasn’t surrendering either one.

  She smiled at the man still connected to her, his affection for her shining in his sated gaze. “You are mine, and I am yours. We will all be joined tomorrow evening, whether my family approves or not.”

  Chapter 13

  “Are you sure we shouldn’t be wearing suits? Or at the very least, ties?”

  Straightening the collar of Liam’s button-down shirt, Jolán rose on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Casual is fine. You’ll be comfortable, and I can ogle your muscular biceps and legs. Besides, why would anyone want to wear long sleeves in the summer?”

  His brother’s snort made her laugh.

  She turned to face him. “I promise to study your strong calves and broad shoulders too, Ivan. My men are wonderful specimens.”

  He skimmed his palms down her naked arms, sending a shiver to her breasts. “How long is the ceremony? I’m ready for the honeymoon.”

  Butterflies fluttered in her belly, but she covered her nervousness by winking at him. “The joining only takes a few minutes, and we can return to our apartment after everyone has offered their blessings to us.”

  “I suppose I can survive that long.” Enclosing her hand with his, Ivan aimed for the exit. “Five ’til seven. Let’s go before Romána sends a search party.”

  The padding of their bare feet as they descended the front stairs was the only sound in the house, warning Jolán that her family had gathered outside for the third-quarter moon ritual. Cutting through the main parlor, they walked out onto the north patio bathed in evening sun. She spotted the circle of her relatives near the herb garden. Her cousin Ilona stood at the narrow break in the arc of circle closest to the path from the mansion, her hands outstretched as if she held something.

  Jolán worked to put confidence and self-assurance in her step to cover the concern that niggled at her mind. As she neared Ilona, her cousin smiled and lifted a circlet woven from jasmine, placing it on Jolán’s head.

  The sweet scent made her stomach pitch. Jasmine for love. White flowers for peace. Green foliage for fertility. The reminder that she hadn’t visited Lujza since the initial diagnosis of a single pregnancy wasn’t necessary. Jolán had placed her faith in the Fates’ hands, hoping no one questioned the joining. Ivan was true mate. She loved him, and he loved her. She didn’t need a baby for proof.

  “Come forward, children.” Great Grandmother’s gentle chiding brought Jolán’s focus back on the ceremony.

  Three more strides took her and her men past Lujza into the ring. A light brush against her shoulder almost made Jolán turn around as she stopped in front of the matriarch of the family. Had Lujza touched her as they passed?

  I’m sure Ivan is my mate. He is mine.

  Great Grandmother nodded once.

  Whether in greeting or acknowledgement of Lujza’s verdict, Jolán couldn’t say. Nor did she wish to know.

  “We gather to bestow the blessings upon these lovers as they join in love, loyalty, and life. Jolán, my daughter, do you declare Liam Pattison and Ivan Janokov as your life-mates?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “You are aware that each mate must produce a child to carry on the legacy of the Macska witches?”

  Jolán nodded, grateful for the simple yes or no question. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “And you are certain you will bear the offspring of both men in the spring?” Romána’s gaze gave no indication she doubted Jolán’s word.

  “Liam and Ivan are my true mates, and I will bear their children. Of this I am sure, Grandmother.” I trust in my love for them. I do not doubt it.

  Shifting her attention to Liam, she seemed to study him. “Do you wish to become mated to Jolán in the ways of the Macska tradition, pledging your love to her and your loyalty to those who would be your new family?”

  Liam gave Jolán’s hand a slight squeeze. “Yes, I do. She is my true mate.”

  Her thoughtful look toward Ivan had Jolán biting the inside of her cheek. “Ivan Janokov, do you believe my granddaughter to be your one true love?”

  He smiled. “She is, and I do.”

  “Do you promise your heart to her and your loyalty to her family?”

  “I promise those things.” Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed Jolán’s fingers.

  Great Grandmother placed her palms over the clasped hands of Jolán and each of her mates. “May the blessings of the Goddess bring you joy in your life together. Live happily, my children, and allow no uncertainty to weaken your bond.”

  Relief flooded Jolán’s soul at the final declaration, and she shared a quick kiss with her men before they were surrounded by well-wishers. A half-heard whisper in her ear had her pivoting to see who had spoken.

  Lujza raised her eyebrows. “Well, do you want to know?”

  Jolán shrugged. She had no doubts. “I don’t need you to tell me. I already know. I’ve found my true mates. Both of them.”

  THE END

  WWW.MELLANIESZERETO.COM

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  When her fingers aren’t attached to her keyboard, Mellanie Szereto enjoys hiking, Pilates, cooking, gardening, and researching for her stories. Many times, the research partners with her other hobbies, taking her from the Hocking Hills region in Ohio to the Colorado Rockies and the Adirondacks of New York. Sometimes, the trip is no farther than her garden for ingredients and her kitchen to test recipes for her latest steamy tale. Mellanie makes her home in rural Indiana with her husband of twenty-five years and their two children, one dog, and three cats. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Indiana Romance Writers of America.

  Also by Mellanie Szereto

  Ménage Amour: Bewitching Desires 1: Two if by Sea

  Ménage Amour: Bewitching Desires 2: Two Knights of Passion

  Ménage Amour: Bewitching Desires 3: Two Fated for One

  Ménage Amour: Bewitching Desires 4: Two Pirates to Treasure

  Ménage Amour: A Toy Story:

  The Sextet Presents… Playing in the Raine

  Also by The Sextet

  Ménage Everlasting: The Sextet Anthology, Volume 1: Sharing

  Ménage Everlasting: The Sextet Anthology, Volume 2: Dirty Dancing

  Ménage Everlasting: The Sextet Anthology, Volume 3:

  Occupational Hazards

  Ménage Everlasting: The Sextet Anthology 4: Entanglements

  Ménage Everlasting: The Sextet Anthology 5: Mistleto
e & Ménage

  Available at

  BOOKSTRAND.COM

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com