JAYDEN

by Becca Fanning

  She’d heard her mother and a friend gossiping about Mr. Rand. They’d said his name was fitting, because he was a randy devil who read dirty magazines online.

  She knew there were things on there. But even when she’d left the Church, she hadn’t dared look.

  Now, this was worse than anything she might have seen on a screen.

  This was real life.

  She gulped as he encouraged her fingers to curl about him.

  “We call this a penis.”

  “I know that. Gosh, Kon, they teach us some things.”

  He snorted. “Not the important stuff, I bet.” Then, he cocked a brow. “Who would you prefer to explain this stuff to you? Me or Jay?”

  She tensed. Jay would tease and flirt. He’d try to make her comfortable, but she’d never be comfortable when this was the topic of conversation.

  Kon’s very matter-of-fact tone was easier for her to get to grips with, even if it was presented with its own difficulties.

  She had a hard time imagining Jay holding her hand hostage as he pressed it to his penis. Instead, he’d make her blush by teasing her. Somehow, she thought she could cope better with a demonstration of a more physical nature than a verbal one.

  A juxtaposition she knew was insanity, but what about her world at the moment wasn’t?

  She gnawed on the inside of her cheek. “You,” she confessed a second later.

  “Thought as much,” he told her, but she’d have had to be deaf to not hear the satisfaction lacing his tone. “Right,” he carried on. “We don’t call it a penis in the bedroom. That’s for biology class and doctor’s surgeries. In bed, it’s a dick. Or a cock.”

  “But they’re bad words!”

  “We’re adults, Leila,” he told her, somehow managing to be patient with her though she knew she was exasperating him. “We can use bad words. We’re not little kids. There are no bad words anymore.”

  He was wrong, of course he was. But she didn’t want his jaw to tense up again, or his teeth to grit, so she stayed quiet.

  When he was all intent on trying to teach her, he was cuter than usual. If he kept on looking annoyed, instead, he appeared constipated.

  Not such a great look.

  The thought had her wanting to break out into a smile, but again, she controlled the urge because he was looking all serious again.

  “My cock will go inside your pussy.” He frowned. “You know what a pussy is?”

  “I can guess,” she said shyly, pointing down to between her legs.

  He nodded. “I’ll fit there. So will Jay.”

  “At the same time?” Her eyes flared at the prospect; and not with delight.

  He chuckled at her astonishment, and she realized it was one of the first honest to goodness laughs she’d heard from him too. Funny how they shared that first during this particular conversation.

  “Some ladies like it,” he informed her.

  Scandalized, she dropped her head and peered at him from under her bangs. “You’ve done it?”

  “No. But it’s been offered to us.”

  He didn’t sound repentant. Did he feel no shame for that? More to the point, didn’t the woman feel ashamed for asking for something from two males who weren’t her husband?

  She frowned at him. “Is that how this will work?” she asked. “You’ll touch me like this; as individuals. Or like that? Together?” Said notion had her heart starting to pound like a sledgehammer in the too small confines of her rib cage.

  “We’ll start off slow,” he told her, his voice more of a croon than anything else. It shouldn’t have worked on her, but it did.

  Of course, she was susceptible to him.

  “Build up to it? Both of you? Down there?” She swallowed hard, then a thought came to her. “I-I suppose babies come from there too, don’t they?”

  His nostrils flared, and she knew, yet again, she’d amused him. “Yes. They do,” he informed her, so utterly grave she felt reassured. “But, I was thinking more of one there and one behind.”

  She looked over her shoulder. “Behind where?”

  The arm about her shoulder dropped down, and he patted the pouting cheeks of her behind which were plumped up thanks to her being seated.

  “There?” But where? Her eyes widened. “That can’t be possible.”

  Could it?

  “It’s very possible.”

  “You’ve done it,” she whispered, seeing the truth written on his face even as he nodded.

  He truly meant it when he said he wouldn’t lie to her.

  At that moment, she wasn’t altogether certain she wanted the truth.

  Some other woman had given them what they needed, but their mate, the woman created for them, didn’t have a clue as to how she could accept something so bizarre.

  Did these things really happen? Or was it this Clan? Had she escaped one ultra-religious cult only to fall head first into another where sex was up for exploration rather than constricted?

  Kon sighed. “All will be well, Leila. I promise.”

  “How can it? I’m not ready for anything you’ve just said. I’ve only known you a day!”

  Another sigh. “I know. And we’ll be patient.”

  Somehow, that didn’t reassure her. What had he said? Need would overcome them all and they’d have to cede to their wants and desires.

  That sounded like there’d be no choice. Like choice would be taken from all their hands.

  Whoever had come up with the phrase “ignorance is bliss” truly knew what they were talking about.

  Chapter 5

  When Jay saw Kon and Leila exiting their bedroom, he joined up with them.

  Leila looked a bizarre mixture of pale and flushed. Kon was looking stoic. Like he was in pain too but for her sake, he was willing to ride it out.

  Jay guessed the text he’d received thirty minutes ago made sense.

  BUY A VIBRATOR IF YOU’RE STILL IN THE CITY.

  He’d not been particularly happy at receiving such a message, mostly because he’d thought that meant his twin and Leila were getting down and dirty when they should most definitely have been waiting for him. But he should have known better.

  Not only because Kon would never betray him, but also because if anyone screamed virgin, it was their mate.

  The vibrator made sense, Jay guessed. He wanted either his or his twin’s cocks to be the first dicks inside her, not some silicone replica, but he guessed that wasn’t putting her needs first.

  And that was right where her needs belonged. Well ahead of his and Kon’s.

  If she needed time, they’d give her as much as they physically could—it was well known in the Clan that his mother and father had had to wait three weeks thanks to Mundo being in jail at the time. The aftermath was infamous.

  That tale was telling in that it lent credence to the fact there was no waiting around when it came to the mate bond. Jay could already feel the ties between them. The knots tightening, the distance shortening.

  The only place he wanted to be was by her side. Nowhere else. Never anywhere else.

  With a grin, he asked, “Where are we going?”

  “Ava’s room.” Kon shot him a pained look, but his brow cocked in what could only be a silent question.

  He nodded, then to Leila, murmured, “That’s good news about Kiko, right, babe?”

  Leila had the look about her as someone with shell shock had. She was a bit dazed, a lot lost, and if he wasn’t mistaken, a teeny-weeny bit horny.

  The latter was probably what distressed her most of all.

  If, after he and Kon had discussed it, their fears were real, then Leila’s knowledge of sex wouldn’t be just basic. It might be non-existent.

  And sex with two guys was definitely college level coitus, not high school fooling around.

  Getting her accustomed to what they’d need to fulfil the mate bond was going to be beyond a nightmare.

  The Clan already had a triad living within it. Two Council members, Graver and
Justiss, and the doctor, Toni, who was trained to treat Shifters with medicinal techniques, not goddess granted ones like Pip.

  It hadn’t been easy for the three of them to get together, as far as he was aware. Mostly because of a rebellion and a mutiny within the MC. But Toni was a normal woman and had met her men at a decent age where most females had already explored their sexuality.

  He and Kon were faced with a virgin.

  A virgin.

  It was like inviting a nun to a party at a brothel.

  Taking it slow was sure to kill the pair of them. Either that or be a perfect lesson in strengthening their control.

  He nudged his mate who had failed to answer his question. “Leila? Aren’t you glad about what Kiko wants?”

  She licked her lips. Nodded, hesitantly. “It sounds great.”

  Her voice was weak, troubled.

  She was as concerned as they were.

  It was shitty timing, but Ava’s door was right ahead. Rather than drag this out, he knocked on the door, and called out, “Ava, it’s the twins.”

  Mumbled huffs could be heard coming from the bedroom, then he heard the key turn in the door.

  “What?”

  He rolled his eyes. “I never realized you were so rude until recently, Ava. Jesus, you make Jessie look like the queen of politeness.”

  “Have you come here for a reason or just to insult me?” came the sweet retort. Jessie and Ava had an uncomfortable relationship that was mostly difficult to fathom out.

  Love-hate was the easiest way to describe it, but hatred was a little over the top.

  They pissed each other off, and no mistaking that.

  “For a reason. We didn’t just come along to see your ugly mug,” he retorted easily, watching her lips twitch then quickly firm as she hid her smile.

  He had no idea why she always wanted to look prim and humorless, but she’d done a good job of convincing half the Clan she was. And the other half just thought she was a math freak who they avoided because she was mated to a member of the Council and her father was the Prez.

  Huh, maybe he’d answered his own question.

  Ava’s gaze drifted over Leila who, between the two of them, and standing opposite Ava, looked even tinier than usual.

  He had to admit, he loved how small she was. It would probably piss him off in eighty years’ time, when he kept getting neck ache from having to fucking bend at the waist to kiss her on the lips, but goddess, at the moment, he loved it.

  He didn’t think she’d fit in his pocket, but he’d try if she was game.

  He started to grin, but Ava spoke, and he focused on her words. “You’re to be my assistant, I’ve heard.”

  Leila nodded.

  “It was quite clever how you sneaked into the bank, by the way. I followed your trail, not that you left much behind.” She leaned a shoulder against the door jamb. “I only managed to find even a sniff of breadcrumbs down to good luck on my part, bad on yours.

  “I regretted telling Kiko about you when I realized why you had stolen the funds, but now you’re here, I regret it because you’re stuck with these two pains in the asses.”

  Leila’s lips twitched. “I quite like them.”

  “Good job. You’re stuck with them,” Ava retorted, then asked, “You in the loop as to what we’re focusing on at the moment?”

  “Yeah. Well, I don’t have a lot of details. If you fill me in, I’ll catch up quick. I learn fast.”

  Ava nodded. “Come on in. We’ll get started.” When he and Kon made to step in with her, Ava barged in front and asked, sweet as saccharine, “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Jay grimaced. “Come on, Ava. We only just found her. It’s hard as fuck letting her out of our sight.”

  “Tough shit,” Ava retorted. “You’ll just have to deal. I want to talk to her in private without worrying all the information I’m sharing with her is going in one ear and out of the other because you’re too busy making moon eyes at her, and she can’t stop gawking at you.” She sniffed. “I’m newly mated myself, remember? I know how this shit goes.”

  Kon heaved out a sigh. “I don’t remember you being this sensible before.”

  “I mated,” she retorted. “I’m certain you’ll change soon too.”

  Kon huffed. “Can’t wait. Be careful with her, Ava,” he said softly, lowering his voice so Leila couldn’t hear. And no amount of trying would enable it either.

  Kon spoke low enough for a Shifter to hear, not a human.

  When Ava simply cocked a brow at him, he growled under his breath.

  “Aren’t you coming in?” Leila asked, popping around Ava to ask them.

  Their cousin shook her head. “No, Leila. I’d prefer it if we spoke by ourselves.”

  She blinked, and though he could sense her unease, she simply murmured, “Of course.” Leila cleared her throat, shot them a look so convoluted it had him scratching his head as she walked into Ava’s quarters.

  It was a mixture of longing and fear, need and confusion. On top of that, he sensed a desire that fell bone deep, but more than that he knew she didn’t want to be parted from them either.

  And if that didn’t put a spring in his step, Jay had no fucking idea what would.

  “What happened?”

  Kon wriggled his shoulders. “Too much and not a lot.”

  “That’s not a fucking answer,” Jay spat, feeling agitated and not entirely sure why.

  Kon huffed. “What do you want me to say?”

  “Just tell me what happened while you were alone together.”

  “If you think we got up to something then you’re crazier…”

  Jay held up a hand. “Of course, I don’t think that.”

  “Then what do you think?” Kon rolled his eyes.

  “Why did she look scared?”

  “We talked about sex.”

  “Well, I’d gathered that from your fucking SOS text.” As they strode back toward their bedroom, Jay was sure to keep his voice low, but when the door closed behind him, he demanded, “I just don’t get why she’d look like that when Ava closed herself in like that.”

  “She’s not a people person,” Kon murmured easily, striding over to his side of the bed—he was always on the right. He laid down and crossed his feet at the ankle. “Haven’t you realized that yet?”

  Jay frowned. “What makes you think that?”

  “Aside from the fact she just told me, you mean?”

  “Yes, dammit. We both know you’d have realized that within ten fucking seconds of meeting her.” It was Jay’s turn to roll his eyes, but the truth was, Kon rarely missed a damn thing. It was why the two of them together were invincible.

  Well, apart from being attacked by deadly protrusions from rust bucket trucks that only belonged at the scrap yard.

  That didn’t count though, did it?

  “She’s quiet. Reserved. Pensive. Thinks before she speaks. Plus, there’s what we knew of her hacking skills. Hackers aren’t exactly sociable creatures.”

  “She’s like Ava then.”

  “Exactly. But Ava’s problem is people who don’t get her. She’ll like Leila because they’re on the same wavelength. Notice how Ava dragged Leila inside. Not vice versa.

  “Even though Leila knows what Ava can do, she doesn’t particularly want to be alone with her. Plus, we’re the only bit of stability she has in the world right now. And we’re pretty unstable in her eyes, too! She’s just unsettled. That’s all.”

  “You’re sure she didn’t look petrified because of the sex?”

  That was what concerned him.

  Kon snorted. “Of course, that had something to do with it.”

  Jay gawked at him. “How can you find this funny?”

  Though his brother hadn’t laughed, he knew him well enough to realize Kon was amused.

  The fucking dickwad.

  “Because it is.” He folded his arms under his head and stared up at the ceiling. “If you’d seen her face when we starte
d talking about sex…”

  “I don’t even know how you got onto the subject. I figured she’d change it as soon as she could.”

  “She tried but I steered the topic to the one at hand. Asked her if she’d prefer to have that particular conversation with me or you.”

  “She picked you?” He scowled. “Why do the chicks always think I’m gonna be a dick?”

  “Usually because you are. You speak before you think, Jay.”

  “Whereas you analyze every fucking word that passes your lips.” He huffed. “It’s so unfair.”

  “Let’s just be grateful she felt confident in me, eh? Other chicks in the past don’t matter worth a damn now.”

  “I’m not saying they do,” Jay growled, disliking the fact Kon was suggesting otherwise. “I’m saying that the fact it’s happened several times tells me it’s how women react to me. She’s the only female that matters, and it’s upsetting to think I can’t be that person for her.”

  Kon shrugged. “That’s what I’m here for.”

  Jay frowned. “It’s not the same. We shouldn’t be each other’s compliment. We’re individuals with her.”

  “Funny you should say that,” Kon remarked. “She can tell the difference between us.”

  “Of course, she can, she’s our mate,” he scoffed at the ludicrous idea of the alternative—that she’d be like every fucker else; find it impossible to know which brother was which even though they had completely different temperaments.

  If ever he needed proof that the human race, with Shifter blood or not, was blind, he received it every single time some dick called them the wrong name.

  And yes, he included his father on that list.

  His family was pretty good at picking between them now, but it happened from time to time.

  Jay rubbed his hand over his jaw. “Is she a virgin?”

  “Yeah.” Kon grimaced. “I shouldn’t be so happy about that, but I really fucking am.”

  “I know. It’s hard not to be. I guess it’s in our nature.”

  “We have to make it good for her, Jay. If we don’t, she won’t understand what the fuss is about, and she’ll retreat again. She’s already confused about sex. I don’t want to add to that. Not when there are two of us. That’s got to be a lot to process for someone like her.”