by Leah Brooke
And she was wide awake.
He wouldn’t just be her lover. She would belong to him.
When he’d kidnapped her, she’d been too bombarded with other people’s thoughts and shaken by her response to his touch to pay attention to anything more.
Now, she couldn’t avoid it.
She would love him.
So stunned she couldn’t move, she gasped when Alastair took her hand.
“Serena! What is it?” The concern in his sharp tone snapped her back to the present.
Shoving their hands away, she jumped to her feet and backed away, struggling to keep her shock hidden from them.
Dear God, she would fall madly in love with both of them! They would both become as vital to her as breathing.
Shaken to the core, she straightened and lifted her chin, facing them both squarely. She had to get out of here and back to her home before it happened.
Loving two men, brothers, was nothing more than a recipe for heartbreak.
Shaking her head, she turned to look out the window, surprised to see that the dogs stood there waiting for her. At least they wouldn’t hinder her escape.
“Nothing. Everything’s fine.”
Nothing would ever be fine again.
Fate had played a cruel trick on her.
Because she was destined to love both of them, she wouldn’t be able to have either.
Fate, though, could never be denied.
* * * *
Ian could only stare at her, so shocked at his reaction to touching her that he forgot what he’d been about to say.
He’d never felt anything like it before. It was as if they’d…connected.
More than just chemistry, he found himself possessive of her, a possessiveness that bordered on obsession.
His awareness of her grew even stronger, the feel of her satiny skin against him making him desperate to have her. His palms itched to cup her full breasts, to know the weight of them, the texture. He craved the feel of her pebbled nipple against his palm, the sounds she made in passion.
He wanted to taste her—to run his tongue over every inch of her and feast on her.
She was a beautiful woman, but he’d been with beautiful women before, and never felt anything remotely like this.
He studied her, the woman whose very essence pulled at something inside him until he couldn’t think about anything except having her.
Serena seemed remarkably secure in her beauty. She didn’t play with her hair, or pose, or any of the other things women did to get a man to focus on them.
Somehow, though, dressed in jeans and a plain cotton shirt, her face devoid of makeup, she outshone every other woman he’d ever met. Doing nothing to draw attention to herself, she somehow managed to draw the most attention.
Her eyes fluttered closed, those magnificent lashes dark against her skin, her face flushing the most breathtaking shade of pink. The catch in her breath had him hard as a rock in an instant, his cock throbbing with the need to sink into her.
He wanted to learn her with his lips, with his tongue, to run his hands over her until he memorized each curve and valley of her body and knew where and how to caress her to bring her the most pleasure.
He wanted to see those impossibly beautiful eyes darken with need as she reached for him.
Something about her drew her like no woman ever had and he knew he couldn’t just let her go. A connection existed between them, a connection so strong that he felt her pain.
It made him wonder if he would also be able to feel her pleasure. The thought of it aroused him even more, until the hunger inside him became nearly unbearable.
Her carefully schooled features couldn’t hide the glimmer of fear he’d seen in her eyes before she closed them.
When she opened them again, it was gone.
Something had frightened her, making him wonder if she’d felt the same thing he had.
Her eyes opened slowly, the dark violet depths swimming with unshed tears, and at that moment he knew he would die for her. “Please understand. I can’t stay here. I need to go home.”
Ian moved closer and cupped her jaw before she could stop him—before he could stop himself. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip, mesmerized by its soft fullness. He wanted to sip at it, to crush it beneath his lips and take her mouth in a scorching kiss she would never forget. Once he took her, she’d be more docile and easier to control, making it easier for him to keep her safe. He would see to it. He couldn’t let her go and would die himself if anything happened to her.
Holding her gaze with his, he kept his voice low, hoping to soothe her, to seduce her. “What were you thinking about just now?”
She jerked away from his touch, her cheeks turning a fiery red. “My thoughts are my own.”
Ian couldn’t help but smile. “A strange sentiment coming from you.”
Alastair took a sip if his coffee and sat back in his chair, looking decidedly shaken. “What if we made a deal with you?”
Serena glanced at each of them, her eyes narrowed and full of wariness. When she picked up her cup again, Ian couldn’t help but notice that her hands shook. “What do you mean, a deal? What kind of deal?”
Ian sat back and sipped his coffee, content to watch her while Alastair laid out their plan. He had to be patient, not one of his strong suits, at least until they convinced her to stay with them.
The idea of tying her to the bed if she refused caused another surge of lust, one that made sitting now impossible. With a low curse, he moved to the counter to pour himself another cup of coffee, unsurprised to see that his hands shook. Turning, he watched, poised to run after her if she bolted.
Alastair reached out to take her hand, frowning when she pulled hers away. “We’ll set up a place here for you to paint if you’ll stay with us a while.”
“I’d rather go home.”
“We can’t protect you if you’re not with us.”
She shook her head before he’d even finished. “I don’t need protection. My cousin’s new husband has no reason to harm me.”
Alastair’s eyes hardened. “Serena, he’ll see you as a threat because he thinks you know things about him he’d rather not have made public.”
“I don’t know anything. I can just call him and tell him that.”
Ian couldn’t hold back a laugh. “You’re joking, right? Do you really think he’ll believe that?” He moved forward, grabbing her hand before she could avoid it, desperate to convince her how serious the threat to her was, and to once again touch her. “He’d kill you without blinking. Why do you think he wanted you to stay with him?”
Her eyes widened, her face draining of all color. “No.”
Alastair grabbed her other hand. “If I were him, I’d try to get you to work for me. Knowing things other people don’t know would be invaluable to him. If he couldn’t get you to work for him, he’d kill you so you couldn’t tell anyone else what you know about him.”
Ian stroked her skin, hardly able to believe that the pull had become even stronger. He wanted her so badly that it took every ounce of control he possessed not to strip her and take her right there on the kitchen table.
Jesus! I want her. I’m fucking shaking, for God’s sake!
Ian slid his gaze to his brother’s, unsurprised to see that Alastair’s eyes held a glazed look, a look Ian assumed he also wore.
Staring at his brother, he clenched his jaw. I know the feeling.
Serena pulled her hands from their grasp, standing and moving to the window, the lengthy silence concerning Ian.
She’s scared, Ian.
Good. She needs to be. That’s the only way we’ll be able to convince her to stay.
Do you think she feels it, too?
Ian turned back to Serena and smiled. Yes. That’s why she doesn’t want us to touch her. She’s incredibly aroused, isn’t she?
Serena turned, wrapping her arms around her middle. “You’re serious about this? He’d really kill me?”
&nb
sp; Ian leaned forward, wanting very much to bury his face between Serena’s thighs and turn her into a quivering mass of need.
He had to clear his throat before speaking, striving for a calm steadiness he knew she needed. “Without a qualm. Sit down, Serena. I think we can help each other.”
With a sigh, she came back to sit at the table, again crossing her arms over her chest. “Is this the deal you two are talking about?”
“Yes, it is. You stay here with us and we’ll protect you from Carello. We’ll see what we can do to help you learn how to block some of the noise that’s kept you from living a normal life. We’ll set up a room that you can use for your painting.”
Serena raised a brow, pursing her lips in a way that made Ian want to yank her out of the chair and kiss her senseless. “So what do the two of you expect to get out of this?”
Ian smiled and sat back, intrigued with the possibilities. “Not what you’re thinking, at least not until you’re ready. We’d like to get to know you better, and maybe we can tap some of that gift to use against Carello.”
Serena glared at him. “Unbelievable. You make fun of me and then want to use me. You’re no different from him.” She started to get to her feet, but Alastair grabbed her arm to keep her from leaving. She gasped and pulled away, rubbing her arm, and Ian couldn’t help but notice that her nipples poked against the front of her shirt. “I told you not to touch me.”
Ian smiled coldly. “And I told you to sit down. Can we continue?”
Plopping back in her seat, she crossed her arms over her chest again and said nothing, the frustration in her eyes apparent.
Unfazed, Ian sat back and took another sip of coffee, not bothering to hide his amusement at her belligerent pose.
Her arousal left her shaken, giving him the upper hand, and he needed to take advantage of it while he could.
Trying not to think about how soft and hot her pussy would be clenching on his cock, Ian pushed his coffee cup aside. “Carello will be nervous that you’re staying with us. Nervous people make mistakes. In the meantime, maybe we can use your gift to learn more about him and see if we can set a trap for him. You help us, and we’ll help you.”
The thought of helping her with her arousal made his cock jump.
Serena snorted and glared at him. “According to you, that’s the same offer he was going to make.” She shot to her feet and hurriedly moved to the sink, obviously surprised that neither one of them had made a move to stop her. “Look, I’m going home. I don’t want anything to do with any of this. I should never have left home to begin with. I thought after that dream I had that I was supposed to be here, but I can see that it was a mistake.”
Ian smiled coldly. “One of these days I’m going to find out more about this dream you keep talking about. But, for now, let me ask you something. Do you really think going home is going to change anything? He’ll come after you, and so will we. No, it’s better to stay here where we can see him coming. And we don’t want to use you. In return for your help, we’ll do our best to help you deal with your psychic abilities.”
Serena smiled, her tone laced with sarcasm. “Really? What the hell do you know about psychic abilities? I’ve lived with it all my life and can’t handle it.”
Alastair smiled and leaned forward. “We’ve lived with it all our lives and can handle it.”
The stunned look on her face almost had Ian laughing out loud, but he figured it would only piss her off, so he smothered his laugh. He didn’t fear her temper, but had more important issues to deal with until they talked her into staying.
Alastair shot him a look of amusement, hiding his own laughter, and reached for her hand again. “Ian and I can transmit our thoughts to each other. We’ve always been able to. We’ve learned how to tune in when we need to, and tune out when we don’t. I think we can teach you to do it. I think you could do it if you try. You’ve kept yourself away from others for so long that you haven’t even had a chance to learn how to do it yourself.”
Pulling her hand from his, she looked away, carefully folding her napkin, only to unfold it again before setting it aside and taking a sip of her tea. She kept her eyes downcast, apparently deep in thought.
Ian shot Alastair a look when he opened his mouth to speak. Wait her out.
At his brother’s faint nod, he looked back at Serena again, waiting impatiently for her answer. She really didn’t have much of a choice, not if she wanted to live, but it seemed the idea of learning how to rein in her powers intrigued her the most.
Finally she looked up, her eyes a stormy violet now instead of clear blue. “For how long?”
Ian shrugged, adjusting the front of his pants where his cock pressed insistently against his zipper. “Until we get Carello. Once he’s in jail, and we’re sure there’s no threat to you, you can go.”
He lied with no hesitation, not planning to let her go until he was damned good and ready, which he had a feeling would be a very long time.
She started playing with her napkin again. “Okay, I’ll stay for a little while and see how it goes, but if you start trying to make me do something I’m not comfortable with or if you don’t keep up your end of the bargain, I’m leaving.”
Alastair stood and went back to the coffeepot to refill his cup. “Fair enough. I can see by the way you’re dressed that you found your things in your room. What you brought with you won’t be enough though. We’ll have to go shopping.”
Serena shook her head and leaned back. “I shop online. I don’t go to stores any more than I have to. I even get my groceries and paint supplies delivered.”
Ian stood and placed his cup in the sink. “Then this should be a good chance for Alastair to work with you. I’ve got some work to do.” He started out of the room, pausing when Serena held out a hand as though she would touch his arm, but jerking it back at the last second.
“Wait a minute. Can you read my mind?”
Ian grinned, amused. “No, that would have been too easy. I felt your pain though, last night, which is something I want to explore. I’m curious to see if I would also feel your pleasure when I make you come.” He turned and left the room, smiling at her outraged shriek and the faint echo of surprise and anger going through his own body. Yes, he figured the next several weeks should be very interesting.
He had the feeling that bedding her once wouldn’t be enough. The innocence in her eyes caused a raging hunger inside him to fuck her soon and fuck her often.
Yeah, the next few weeks should indeed be very interesting.
If the frustration and hunger for her didn’t kill him.
Chapter Four
Serena shook with nerves as Alastair pulled into a mall parking lot, her head already pounding furiously at the thought of being around a lot of people again. Thoughts and emotions, along with snippets of information, battered her from all directions, like hundreds of voices talking all at once in her head.
Shaking her head, she gripped the dashboard, her voice shaky. “I don’t want to go in. I have a few things in my suitcase. I won’t be here long enough to need clothes. Please. I can’t.”
Alastair threw the car in park and turned off the ignition, cursing soundly. “I can’t stand seeing you like this. We’ve got to figure out a way for you to control this, or you’re going to be in torment the rest of your life. Let me help you, Serena. Please. Let’s try. We’ve got to do something.”
Looking around, Serena winced. “Do you see how many cars are here? This place is too crowded. Do you know how hard it was to ride on the plane? To get through the airport? To be at the wedding reception? I can’t even function here. Please, take me back to the house. I’ll just wear the things that I have.”
Alastair grinned and patted her hand, his eyes full of concern. “This time you have me with you. I’ll take care of you. Just relax. We can’t do this unless we try, darling.” Even through her nerves, the touch of his hand on hers had a calming effect, every stroke of his hand easing the pressure inside her b
y slow increments.
Warmth flowed over her, much as it had when Ian closed in on her at the reception. The comfort and security accompanying it allowed her to relax, especially when the noise around her began to dim.
She wanted to believe that she could learn to function in the real world, but after experiencing the overwhelming intensity of her abilities, abilities that had apparently grown stronger over the years, she was scared to try.
“I can’t do it, damn you. Just take me back to the house.” She pulled her hand away, looking out the side window at the people that walked past Alastair’s car.
The fear returned, washing over her again as the noise got louder and pounded at her from all sides.
Closing her eyes against it, she somehow found herself on Alastair’s lap, his low curses ringing in her ears.
“Easy, honey. Deep breaths. Just concentrate on breathing. Don’t think about anything else. Just listen to yourself breathe.”
Warmed even more by his breath against her ear, and the feel of his firm hands running up and down her arms, Serena listened to his breaths instead. Little by little, she began to relax as the voices faded again.
Without warning, one of the voices began to penetrate, and she found herself focusing on it without meaning to, stunned when it became crystal clear.
Opening her eyes, she spotted a man she’d inadvertently focused on, knowing without a doubt that it was him. Hardly daring to breathe, she kept her voice at a whisper, clenching her hands in stunned amazement. “Do you see that man there?”
Wrapping his arms around her, Alastair propped his head on her shoulder and looked where she pointed. “Of course. What about him?”
Shaken by his nearness, and the amazingly warm rush of desire that washed over her, Serena struggled to keep her voice steady. “What can you tell by looking at him?” Turning toward him, she sucked in a breath at his nearness.
Her breasts felt hot and swollen inside her cotton shirt, her nipples beaded tight and aching for his touch. She arched her back slightly, unable to stop herself.
