Jupiter's Shadow

by Tl Reeve

  “You’re right. I’d hate leaving you, though,” she whispered.

  “Likewise,” I replied. “But sometimes doing what’s right includes leaving friend’s behind.”

  “Ugh, don’t make it sound like we’d never grab drinks again or whatever.” She gave me a little shove.

  Little did she know, I probably wouldn’t see her when the mating ceremony was over. “Taco Tuesdays.”

  Silvi laughed. “Taco Tuesdays.”

  “Go home. Rest. Prepare for an interview for a job I know you’ll get once you apply for the position. I’ve got this. We’ll call in more officers if needed.” Between police, sheriffs, and troopers, there were plenty of officers to go around. Still, I hated pushing my friend out of the scene, but she had more to be concerned about.

  In truth, I needed the time away from the guys to think, and if Silvi stayed, I’d be more concerned about her than the scene and my own misgivings.

  Perhaps, I’d been looking at this all wrong. Today with Benning brought a fantasy to life for me. I put myself in a world where choosing wasn’t needed. A greedy woman, such as myself, with a poor pack, couldn’t have whatever she wanted. I had to be practical. But no matter how I tried, I couldn’t pick one. I wanted them all.

  When an officer approached, I grabbed him. “Make sure she gets home.” I pointed to Silvi. “She doesn’t need to be stuck out here all night. Then I want a full update with real time data.”

  He nodded. “Right away, ma’am.” He guided my friend to her cruiser, then relayed my instructions to another officer.

  I picked a group of people waiting, most had small bandages applied to them. They were talking and appeared in good spirits considering the situation. The first question I had for them was simple. What happened? The second, not so much. “Did you see anything out of the ordinary?”

  Each person in the group shook their head.

  “No.” A woman with a red and blue belt rash shook her head. Her palms were wrapped, as was her right ankle. Her blue shoe sat beside her on the small wall. “It happened all at once. I was one of the first cars hit.”

  “All at once?”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “Our light changed at the same time the off-ramp light changed. There was nothing any of us could have done. Then, everyone started wrecking on the freeway. The sound was incredible.”

  I imagined it would be. “Anything else?”

  “My poor car, I just paid it off.” She frowned, gazing out over the mangled mess. “I hope you figure out what happened.”

  “I will.”

  Chapter Eight

  The sun grazed the horizon by the time I made it home. Between removing cars from the scene and dealing with closing down the freeway, there’d been paperwork out the ass and evidence to collect. The only thing standing out the most for me was the state’s unofficial report. The switches in the signals hadn’t been touched manually. Which meant our suspect hacked the code.

  For now, until we knew more, we were in limbo. We knew right from the get go we were dealing with the same person, but the why still alluded us—me, more specifically.

  I got out of my car, and headed for the front door. All the lights were off. Silence prevailed. I took a moment to enjoy it. After a night of blaring horns and cries of pain, this soothed me. As I entered my home, memories of the bitter conversation I had with Dax assailed me. I had to remind him I was doing this for all the right reasons, even if they didn’t make sense to him. In the long run, this pack would be mine to care for, and I’d need all the help and strength I could get. I hoped he’d be there, too.

  Darkness blanketed the living room. Each second I stood there, the sun edged over the horizon more, giving off a soft pink hue to the early morning sky. I placed my keys in the dish and hung my jacket on the hook before sitting to take off my boots.

  A moan down the hall caught me off guard, and I shot to my feet. When it didn’t come again, I went back to the task at hand. Probably residuals from working around all those victims. In total, once we had confirmation from the hospital, ten people died. Thirty were critically injured and seventy-five were treated and released with minor injuries. Considering the scene, it could have been worse.

  I padded towards the bathroom, wanting nothing more than a cool shower so I could slip between my sheets and catch a few hours of shuteye. As I grew closer to the door, another moan caught my attention. It was coming from inside the bathroom. Lack of sleep and worry, pushed me. I didn’t knock. I didn’t call out. I acted. Shoving the door open, I stumbled back.

  There, Bowie and Scout were wrapped in a lover’s embrace. It didn’t make sense. They were twins…supposed to be anyway, yet, instinctively, I realized they’d been lying from the start. It was why I stared at them like I did. Tried to find a familial scent. Similar features. Sure, they smelled alike, duh, they were lovers, not twins. Their big bodies rocked together. If I thought my intrusion would have stopped them, it hadn’t. Bowie wrapped his arm around Scout’s, and fisted the man’s cock, with each thrust, he stroked. Their movements became unhinged. Animalistic.

  I gasped. Arousal surged through my system, waking me. A desperate throbbing ache began between my legs. My nipples hardened, and my heart raced. How was this possible, I thought they were here for me, and not themselves? I didn’t understand what I witnessed or maybe it was my sluggish brain not wanting to process it. Nonetheless, it angered me while also turning me on to the point of pain.

  The strangled sound cutting through the air emanated from me, and it must have been loud enough both men stopped. Their wide-eyed, shocked-filled stares did little to cool the rage and betrayal sliding through me, masking the desire for them both. Bowie withdrew and stumbled towards me. The hard, thick length of his cock, jerked with each step he took, closing the distance between us.

  I didn’t need to stick around to hear what he had to say. I didn’t want to. Holding up my hand to stop him, I thought of a million things to say, instead I left. A shower would have to wait. Sleep would also elude me. Going for a run seemed impossible. The muscles in my body were too exhausted to even accept the change. Still, I entered my room and shut the door. I needed peace. I needed silence, even though it seemed a futile pipe dream.

  The soft knock accompanying Bowie’s voice, only set me on edge more so. “Jupiter, you have to let us explain.”

  I didn’t have to do anything.

  “Please,” Scout murmured. “We didn’t want you to find out this way.”

  I snorted. No, they hoped I’d never figure it out. I should have known. When I first met them, there wasn’t a familial scent about them, only lust and desperation. I realized what I caught a hint of was their desires for each other and not me. I had more questions than answers at the moment, like first and foremost, did either of them have a twin or was this some sick game they liked to play?

  “Long day. Longer night. Need sleep.” Okay, so I sounded like a caveman, but their duplicity hit me hard.

  On one hand, watching them together had shot an indescribable amount of heat and pleasure through me. I shook, even now, from it. I felt like a junkie needing a fix. But on the other hand, they hurt me. How hard would it have been after I laid everything out for them to pull me aside and tell me the truth? I’d been honest with everyone in my house currently. It seemed some weren’t reciprocating.

  Then it dawned on me.

  Dax might have been trying to warn me. My heart sank. A miserable cow is what you are, Jupiter. I admonished myself for being so fucking hard on the one person I trusted more than my next breath. I should have gotten up and gone to him to apologize, yet as I sat on my bed, sleep seemed as if it were clawing at me. Demanding I rest. It had been almost twenty-four hours with no sleep, after all.

  I stripped out of my clothes, blocking out the soft pleadings of Bowie and Scout to open the door and let them in. Not in a million years. Perhaps after I’d slept or when hell froze over. As it stood, I couldn’t think anymore. I burned myself out and I
needed a recharge. Defeat and sadness filled me as I pulled the covers over my body and closed my eyes.

  If only they’d been honest.

  If only they’d trusted me with their secret.

  If only I’d listened to Dax.

  * * *

  The midday sun woke me from a dreamless sleep. At least one thing had been peaceful. I stumbled out of bed when I saw the time. Two o’clock. How the hell I slept so long, I didn’t know. Surely, someone from the sheriff’s department should have called to give me updates. When I glanced at my nightstand, I groaned. Either I’d left my phone in the living room or in my car. Either way, it was probably dead.

  “Shit.”

  Scrubbing my face, I ambled into my bathroom for a quick shower. Like when I came home, the house was silent. I must have been the only one there. Good, I needed to wrap my mind around what I’d seen earlier. The rawness of the scene caught me off guard.

  Two toned, muscular bodies were tangled together. Sweat had gathered on Bowie’s chest and his sides while a passion-filled blush covered the back of Scout’s shoulders and neck. The flex of Bowie’s hips. The way his ass clenched with each thrust had my heart rate dialing up a notch. Already I grew wet just thinking about them.

  Every inch of me came to life. My mouth watered at the thought of what could have been, if I’d waltzed into the bathroom, went to my knees, and sucked Scout’s dick. Lust slammed into me. My pussy clenched. A moan built in the back of my throat.

  “No!” I wouldn’t allow my body to betray my heart.

  Nevertheless, the scene played over in my mind. Both men fucking. Rutting until they reached the peak of their lovemaking. Had I waited one more second, I could have witnessed them taking their pleasure.

  I flipped on the shower and let out a roughened growl of irritation. With everything happening right now, I didn’t have time for their bullshit, too. A knock came at the door, and I closed my eyes. I didn’t have time for this.

  “Pip, it’s Mace.” No shit. I’d never mistake his gravelly toned voice for anyone other than him. “Can I come in?”

  I’d have laughed if I had the ability. “Sure. Why not.”

  He hesitated. I thought he’d left, so I decided to call him back, when the door opened, and all six foot five inches of his muscular form filled the space. He overwhelmed me. Crowded me in the tight space. Yet, I also felt safe with him near.

  “Hey.” His gaze caressed my body.

  “Hi.” A niggle of bashfulness had my cheeks warming.

  He licked his lips, taking a step towards me. “We wanted you to sleep as long as possible. Silvi called and told Benning how long you worked yesterday.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome,” he grunted.

  “I’m going to get a shower now.” I pointed over my shoulder.

  He seemed to consider his words for a moment before saying, “Can I join you?”

  For all his hard edges and caustic tone, he had a softness to him. I grinned. “Sure.”

  I eased into the water while he undressed. The warmth of the spray relaxed the knotted muscles in my shoulders and neck. I let out a sigh of relief. I’d been so wound up about the case and what I’d seen, my body had taken the brunt of it. The water cascaded over me, washing away the disturbing images replaying in my head from the accident scene.

  “You’re beautiful,” Mace muttered. “I can see why Benning devoured you in the forest yesterday. I’d have done the same.”

  It seemed so long ago since then. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  Big, meaty muscles covered his body. His barrel chest and pronounced abs caused my insides to warm and my sex to soften. When I glanced down, his erection curled upwards towards his belly. The swollen purple helmet of his cock leaked precum and dribbled down the sides.

  I bit my lip. A flush stole over my cheeks and neck. My nipples became two hard points. My belly quivered with anticipation. Without regard for myself or him, I went to my knees before him.

  “Jupiter?” His hoarse tone did nothing to deter me. If anything, it demanded I show him my appreciation for allowing me to sleep.

  “Allow me, big guy.” I wrapped my hand around the thick base of his dick and stroked upwards, twisting my palm when I got to the tip.

  The harsh curse falling from his lips, spurred me on. While I worked his length with one hand, the other cupped his sac. Mace spread his legs, allowing me full access to his body. I caressed and teased the sensitive flesh behind his balls, then massaged the globes in my hand.

  When I finally took him into my mouth, his hips flexed, and his hand fisted my hair, holding me still as he filled my mouth. “Fuck, Pip. I can’t last like this.”

  I didn’t want him to.

  I hummed along his length while bobbing my head. Each thrust had a grunt of pleasure falling from him. His eyes were closed. His face relaxed. The serenity of the moment infused my tattered soul. I’d give anything to these men as long as they accepted it.

  “Pip, Pip, Pip…” My name became his mantra as he slipped between my lips, over and over again. The tension in his huge body increased by the second.

  I swirled my tongue around his tip before taking him to the back of my throat. When I swallowed, he came. I waited for his roar, as I drank down his load. Instead, he murmured the sweetest words to me while rubbing my cheek with the pad of his thumb.

  The total devotion in his gaze, undid me. I closed my eyes, to blink back the tears threatening to slide down my cheeks. How could this big, dangerous man feel such a depth of emotion? The juxtaposition astounded me. Endeared me to him.

  Mace slipped from my mouth and lifted me to my feet. His mouth slanted over mine, uncaring his release still lay on my tongue. A spark of pure joy bloomed in my heart and traveled outward. He pulled back to stare at me. I wished I could have read his mind.

  In the next second, he spun me, bracing me against the wall. “My turn to take care of you.” His teeth rasped over the sensitive skin at my neck and I shivered in response.

  He cupped my sex, his middle finger surging upwards into me. I sucked in a breath, surprised by the spark of pleasure it created. His pace was leisurely as he fucked me with the appendage. With each thrust and withdrawal, he circled my clit with his thumb. He tempted me. Teased me. Took me to the edge only to stop and pull back. I rode his hand like a wanton hussy, trying to get out off without his assistance.

  Instead, he retreated. “My pace not yours,” he admonished.

  Hurry up, sat on the tip of my tongue. I needed him. Yet, he seemed more content to drive me insane. I acquiesced. Allowing him to dictate this. He grunted his approval, and this time I was rewarded with him filling me with his cock.

  Short, deliberate thrust, built the burning desire. He slid out to the tip, then pushed himself halfway in. I groaned, shaking in his arms. Not only did he stretch me, he filled me to the point of the most delicious pain I’d ever experienced. When he retreated again, I whimpered. I had to have him.

  “Mace,” I whined.

  “I know what you need.” He slammed back into me, grinding his pelvis against mine.

  My mouth fell open as I went to my tiptoes. Everything inside me narrowed to where we were connected, then exploded. My pussy constricted around him and the growl of approval he gifted me only increased the bliss flowing through me.

  He fucked like he worked. Hard, fast, and unrelenting. His middle finger rubbed my clit, with each thrust. I grabbed onto his forearm seeking purchase to keep me upright, to ground me as he continued his tenacious pace.

  “So good,” I sobbed.

  “Give it to me, Jupiter,” he murmured against the shell of my ear. “I want to feel your pussy milk my dick.”

  Holy shit. The tingle in my belly spread as everything coalesced to where we were connected. He thrust again and added pressure to the hard bundle of nerves between my legs. I tensed with expectation and when his teeth locked onto my neck, I lost it.

  I thought the whole whi
te light and colors thing was a myth until the moment when everything around us disappeared into this massive ball of white light. Pure warm energy bathed our bodies as Mace stilled behind me and grunted through his release. I don’t know how long we stayed there swaying together while his release filled me.

  “I don’t care what the others do, but you’re mine, Pip. I’m okay with this.” He placed a kiss to the mark he’d left as he slipped from me.

  “This?” I glanced back at him, still trying to catch my breath.

  “The whole situation. I realized yesterday, you can’t choose and forcing you to would be detrimental to all of us, including your pack.”

  Had he talked to Benning? “Thank you.”

  “Silvi also said when you wake up, to call her. Something about preparing for an interview for a captain’s position?”

  I laughed. For the first time since I left the house yesterday, I laughed. I was at peace. “I guess I should finish up here.” I grabbed the shampoo and handed it to him. “Want to help me out, big guy?”

  “My pleasure, mate.”

  Chapter Nine

  I couldn’t choose. I wouldn’t. Being with Mace solidified my position. I strode from my bedroom, heading straight for my phone. I had to call Silvi. Even though she wanted me to sleep, she shouldn’t have to do all the paperwork on her own. Plus, I wanted to ask her about this interview.

  Instead of finding it in the usual spot where I left it, someone had set it on the kitchen island to charge. Mace. I unhooked it, and scrolled through the recent calls. Tapping Silvi’s name, I waited for her to answer.

  “Please tell me the guy who answered was the hunk from the other day.” No hi, how are you. No did you sleep well? Not my friend. She wanted details.

  “It is,” I said. “How are you feeling?”

  “Great. Perfect even. You?”

  “Well rested,” I replied. “What’s going on?”

  “I bet you are,” she teased. “Well, we found the code signature the hacker used to get into the lights. It’s a match. Also, he left a little message hidden in the code.”