“Is the mark painful?”
“No, not that I’ve heard.”
Sarah pulled him back on top of her body, basking in the feel of his skin when there was a knock at the door. They both paused and looked at each other.
“Are you expecting anyone?” Gavin slid his pants on while Sarah threw on her robe.
“No. All my friends are probably out. It’s Saturday night.”
They both entered the living room as a knock sounded so loud Sarah almost screamed. Her door literally shook from the amount of force used.
Gavin held up his hand to make sure she didn’t move and opened the door. She wanted to curse when she saw Devon, but the look on his face quickly made her heart rate escalated. It wasn’t anger, but panic.
“What happened?” Sarah quickly approached the door.
“It’s what’s happening that I don’t like.” The warning in his voice washed away the anxiety replacing it with rage.
A ragged breath came out of her mouth as she wrapped her arms around her waist. “Devon, I really don’t think it’s any of your business what’s going on over here. Gavin is staying. If you don’t like it, then I don’t know what to tell you. Geez, I freaking thought something happened, an emergency.”
“It very well might be. Tell me why you want him to stay. Is it because of what happened between us earlier? You can’t help the way you feel, Sarah. Don’t try to ignore it.”
“Don’t tell me how I fucking feel, Devon. Gavin’s here because I want him here, and he’s not going anywhere. Ever.” There it was. That possessiveness was creeping back in. Screw it. It was the truth. She suddenly didn’t care if he ever left.
“What happened earlier?” Gavin asked, looking toward her.
“It’s nothing,” she said angrily.
Devon laughed. “Oh, I wouldn’t agree. We were meant to be together, Sarah. We always have been. If you fight the pull, it’s only going to get stronger.”
“Impossible,” Gavin whispered. He slowly turned to Devon. “I’m afraid we might have a problem then because she’s meant to be mated to me.”
“What in the hell are you talking about?” Devon snapped his gaze toward Gavin.
“You may have been alpha, but that doesn’t make me stupid. I know what I feel, and she’ll tell you how she feels. The bonding has already started, and it’s getting stronger. I promised I wouldn’t mark her until she’s consented. How long do you think that will take? We already can’t stand to be separated.”
“I told you what I would do if your teeth came anywhere close to her,” Devon said angrily. “I’ve loved her for more years than the hours you’ve known her. If anyone has a right to mark her, it’s me. Besides, you can be separated. If it were impossible, I wouldn’t have been able to leave. It hurts like hell, but you won’t die.” Devon paused, studying Gavin. “At first, I thought you might mark her just to be a prick, but this whole we’re all three bonding just takes the cake. You’re fucking amazing, you know that?”
“Oh, I assure you it’s the truth. For all I know, you’re the liar.”
Both men closed in on each other. From the look of fury clearly expressed by their tense bodies, Sarah had no doubt things were about to get bad. “Stop it, both of you. No one is marking me anytime soon, so there’s no point in arguing.”
Gavin tore his gaze from Devon and surprised Sarah by smiling. His hands cupped her face. “May I kiss you and demonstrate what we share?”
She nodded, feeling extremely uncomfortable. The moment her new lover’s lips brushed hers, she could feel herself pulling his body closer. He broke the kiss breathing heavily and turned to Devon. “Go near her. I want to see just how powerful your pull is. Sarah, is that all right? It’s just a test. You can stop it whenever you want.”
Nervously, she looked back and forth between the two of them. “No, I…can’t.”
Devon took a step toward her. “Sarah, please. Gavin obviously isn’t lying about the two of you. I could feel your connection. But I know I’m not imagining what we share. If the pull isn’t there, then I’ll leave, but I have to know.”
Could she do this? Would getting close to Devon affect her the way Gavin did? She knew it would! But she needed to know just how much. If for some reason it didn’t, maybe they both could move on. And that meant no more interruptions.
He stood there with his hand outstretched. Gavin walked beside her, nodding to her it was okay. Sarah placed her fingers through her ex’s and stepped forward against his body. The tidal wave of emotions left her breathless. She looked into Devon’s gray eyes and saw his head lowering. For the life of her, she couldn’t turn away. She didn’t want to.
The first brush of his full lips sent electricity coursing through her body, but she remained still, trying her best to not give in to the temptation. He ran his tongue between her lips, leaving a trail of wetness. A shiver raced through her. Instantly, her body reacted on its own. She could feel her arms wrapping around his neck, pulling him forward. The taste erupted over every inch as her tongued dueled with his. And suddenly, he was gone.
Sarah opened her eyes to see Devon clear across the room. They stood almost in the hallway, and Gavin held her against his body. “All right, so we have a problem,” he was saying, but his words sounded distorted, far away. There was only one thing she knew, and that was that she wanted both of them fucking her senseless, right now.
“Oh shit,” she said breathlessly.
“Yeah, we do have a problem. So, what do we do about it? I can tell you one thing, you’re not staying here,” Devon said, walking forward.
Sarah clutched the arms around her even tighter, afraid she would run back to her ex if he came any closer, but she wasn’t about to let him start giving orders in her house. “Devon, you can’t tell me who stays or who goes. I make the decision, and I don’t want to be alone, so he stays.”
“Well, if he stays, then so do I. No offense, Gavin, but I don’t trust you not marking her. She’s obviously trying to bond to both of us. We’ll just have to figure something out.”
“Ugh, Devon that is so not fair.” Sarah ripped herself away from Gavin and stalked toward him. “Why are you making this hard?”
She stood directly in front of him, breathing heavily. Devon’s face turned from angry to sad within seconds. Seeing him get upset made her clutch her chest from the ache she felt.
“I love you, Sarah. And I know you still love me. Don’t rush into something without searching your true feelings. Take your time to really get to know me and…Gavin. I think you’ll find we’re not the people who you think we are. I’ve changed, and you just met this person. Do you even know what he does for a living? How old is he? What are his favorite things to do? What about favorite foods? Think about it, the bond is blinding you from anything but sexual tendencies.”
Stunned, she turned toward the gorgeous blond. “Oh god, he’s right. I don’t know anything about you. Just like, you don’t know anything about me. Devon…I don’t know what to do. I can’t think.”
Large arms wrapped around her, pulling her close while she tried to clear her head. Maybe it was better if she wasn’t around either one of them.
“Gavin can stay with me. I know how hard it is for everyone involved to be separated. Tomorrow, we’ll all sit down and get to know each other better. Shit, Sarah, I don’t even know what you do for a living.”
Looking up at Devon, she smiled. “I’m a real estate agent, and pretty successful if I do say so myself.”
“Of course you are.” He laughed. “Who wouldn’t want to buy anything you were trying to sell. I think I’d by ten houses just to get your attention.” He paused and then hugged her tightly to him. The nearness made her tense. Sexual tendencies or not, she still wasn’t sure she was okay with Devon being back in her life.
“All right, Gavin. Let’s go back to my place. You can stay until we get this matter resolved.”
Hesitantly, he walked over. Sarah went into his arms while he hugged
and kissed her goodbye. Sadly and utterly confused, she watched them both leave. The depressing silence of her apartment nagged at her. How in the hell did she manage to get herself into this mess? Two men, werewolves at that, were trying to bond with her. Which one would she choose?
She would never have considered herself stupid. She thought back to when Brandon and Stephen approached her about Evelyn. They wanted to know what to do about their situation, and what did she tell them? “Why should she have to choose? Grow up. You two get along and make her happy.” True, she was sure they already thought of that on their own and only wanted her acceptance without her knowing it, but still, it seemed to be working for them.
There was only one problem. Could she forgive the man who’d broken her heart? She’d always dreamed he’d come back. As much anger as she harbored for him, she couldn’t lie to herself and say her love had disappeared. It hadn’t. But would he leave again? Could she trust him? Maybe. Deep down, she knew she wanted to. It was time to get some advice.
A smile formed across her face. Sarah didn’t waste any time as she ran to her phone. It was time she made a call to someone with experience in this situation, someone who had their own paranormal relationship in full swing.
Chapter 8
Sarah looked at the clock and cringed. It was a little after ten. She prayed Evelyn was either getting ready to go out or was awake. The thought that she was waking anyone up didn’t sit well with her. Of course, if she knew those guys, they were far from being asleep.
“Hello?” Evelyn said, a little out of breath.
“Please tell me you’re not doing what I think you’re doing.”
“No.” She laughed. “We’re watching movies over here at Nicole’s. I almost didn’t get to my phone in time. What’s up?”
Sarah sighed, relieved. “I have a problem, and you’re the only one who can help me.”
“What’s wrong? Hold on. Let me go outside so I can hear you. The sound of rustling and noise quickly turned to silence. “Okay, now what’s going on?”
“Devon and Gavin. Need I say more? I left with Gavin, the blond from last night and something happened between us. Oh god, Evelyn he’s wonderful. I haven’t felt this good in years.” Sarah quickly got control over her softening voice. “But that’s not the problem, Devon and I also have this pull and….oh wait, I forgot the major thing. Yeah, they’re werewolves. Thanks for giving me a heads-up that they even exist, Ev!”
“Oh, shit. I can’t tell you those sorts of things, Sarah. But now that you know, you say you’re pulling to both of them? Like, really pulling to bond or just attraction? How strong is the pull?”
“Let’s just say after everything Devon and I have been through, I was still ready to throw myself at him the moment his lips touched mine. I’ve never felt anything like this before. And, with Gavin, it’s just as strong. We can’t be apart from each other for very long without us both feeling it. And truthfully, I don’t ever want to let him go. The thought is inconceivable.”
“Well, shit, I’m with a vampire and a werewolf so I don’t know much, but hold on. I know someone who is bonded to two werewolves.” The sound of the door opening was quickly followed by the shout for Nicole.
Sarah listened to Evelyn relay over the information. A soft voice got on the phone. “Hello, this is Nicole.”
“Hi, I’m Sarah. I think we’ve met a time or two. What do I do about my situation? I feel lost. There are so many problems between the three of us, and I don’t know where to start.”
“Well, take it from me, when you’re feeling the pull there is nothing you can do to prevent it. It’ll always be there, so I’d advise you to just go with it. I know Devon. We met when he first arrived in town. Since he was alpha in Waco, he had to clear things with Ayden and promise not to try to take over for this area. I immediately liked him. He seems like a good guy. Now Gavin, on the other hand, I’ve only met briefly, but I liked him, too.”
“So, you’re telling me if I’m pulling to both of them, the feeling is never going to go away?”
“Exactly. If I were you, I’d start making them get along or else you’re in for a bumpy ride. Face it, Sarah, you’re in the same boat as Ev and I. Might as well grab your men and come eat popcorn and watch a movie with us. Welcome to the club.”
Evelyn’s laugh echoed through the phone as she got back on. “Yay for Sarah! Well, now that you have two boyfriends, too, I guess we’ll be hanging out more. No more Bets for you.”
Sarah took a deep breath. “So how do I get them to get along? Gavin’s already spending the night at Devon’s, three damn doors down from my apartment. Devon doesn’t trust him not to mark me, so they’re shacked up.”
“Leave them there together for as long as you can. I noticed the more time Brandon and Stephen hung out together, the more they got along. Now, don’t separate them. The bond the three of you will grow will be impenetrable. You’ll see. I’ve never been happier.”
“Thanks, Ev. I don’t think we’re quite ready for movie night at Club Ménage, but give it a few weeks and I’m sure we’ll fit right in.”
“Club Ménage, I like that. Brandon will, too. Okay, take care, sweetie. If you need anything, let me know.”
“Will do, love you, Ev.”
Sarah tossed the phone on the bedside table the moment she walked into the room. So, the key was to leave them alone. Great, what did that do for her? How would she manage?
Come on, Sarah. You’ve been alone for how long now? It’s time you got back on your usual schedule. You’ve never needed a man to feel complete. Don’t start now.
Crawling into bed after what she just experienced with both of the men made her feel even more alone, but she closed her eyes and willed herself to fall asleep. It wasn’t long before unconsciousness took over, and she was out.
* * * *
Gavin grabbed his bag out of his car and followed Devon inside. Uncomfortable, didn’t even begin to describe the way he felt. The sound of his bags falling to the floor was the only thing that broke the silence.
Slowly, he walked forward, taking in all of the pictures. The state of his emotions flared as he looked around. So many memories covered the walls. They shared so much pain and pleasure, and all he had was a few amazing hours with Sarah. How in the hell could he compete?
“I knew you loved her, but I didn’t know you loved her this much.”
Devon laughed from behind him. “I’ve always felt that way for her, from the moment I heard her laugh coming down the school hallway. My first day didn’t go so well at the new school, but when I found her, nothing else matter. We were inseparable from our freshman year until I had to leave. I’ve never felt pain like losing Sarah…or the baby.”
“I don’t want to lose her either. I know you share a lot, but I just can’t imagine being away from her for long. Can I ask you a question, Devon?”
Devon sat down on the couch. “It depends. What do you want to know?”
“Why didn’t you mark her when you were together before?”
Devon put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. “I just thought it was something I would share with her when we got married. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to, badly, but it didn’t seem right at the time. Maybe I knew something big was about to happen. I don’t know.”
Gavin nodded, walking over to a bookshelf full of pictures. One hid behind the others. He pulled it out, examining the small five-by-seven picture. Sarah stood there, smiling, molding her light blue T-shirt to her stomach. The signs of her pregnancy weren’t really evident, but he had no doubt that she was carrying Devon’s child. The heartache coming directly from behind him caused Gavin to stiffen. He never even heard Devon move in to look.
The picture disappeared from his hands. “Why don’t you take your things to the room?” Devon placed the picture back and walked into the kitchen. Gavin wasn’t about to argue with the alpha, he complied.
* * * *
Devon fought the pain racing through his che
st. Why had coming back made everything so much more intense? In Waco it hurt, but it was manageable. Here, so close to Sarah, he could feel the pull down to his toes. The urge to knock on her door and beg her forgiveness ate away at his insides.
The love they once shared never wavered on his end. He loved her so much more than he did when he left this place to begin with. What could he do to make her love him back, to forgive him for what he’d done?
And what about this new guy? He couldn’t just let the guy go through the rest of his life in pain for not having his mate. Devon was alpha, meant to protect and take care of pack, and even though he wasn’t in charge of this territory, he still felt the need to protect Gavin from the pain. He hated feeling compassion for the same man who wanted Sarah. But ultimately, he couldn’t help it.
Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he stared out the kitchen window into the lit up parking lot. This was so different than the ranch. It would take a while to get used to the noise and the lights, but he’d do it again. Sarah was worth any cost. He just regretted not being able to come back sooner.
Waco, of course, had been out of the question for her. He couldn’t have been by her side at all times, and that’s what it would have taken. With the way those wolves were, they wouldn’t have thought twice to use her as a way to get back at him. Even up until the day he left things were chaotic. It was a pure miracle that he’d found the new alpha when he did.
The sound of footsteps echoed behind him. Slowly, he turned to look at Gavin’s face from across the room. Damn, this was going to be hard. Too many conflicting emotions ran through him. Did he offer the guy the bed, or did he beat the crap out of him to prove who the better man for Sarah was? Sometimes being an alpha wasn’t anything but trouble.
“I’m not really tired. Why don’t you take the bed tonight? I’m going to sit up and watch TV for a while.”
Gavin gave him a half smile. “I’m not tired, either.”
Devon sat on one side of the couch while Gavin sat at the other. Turning on ESPN, both remained quiet for a long time. The first mention of baseball, and Devon almost forgot about the other man sitting on his sofa.
Saving Sarah Page 5
