by Treva Harte
He’d disappoint Grey and Mia next.
“If you don’t want to answer that, Rome, you’ll really hate my next question.”
“Oh, goodie.”
“Do you love me, Rome? Grey, yes. I know how much you’re a part of Grey. But I don’t understand why you pulled me into your couple.”
He gave a half-laugh but said nothing. Couldn’t say anything. There it was. The big question all women asked eventually. For some reason he hadn’t seen it coming this time.
He could brush it off. Kiss it away. She’d let him. He could tell she was terrified about asking.
Or he could be honest.
That would hurt.
But this was Mia. She was valiant, even when she was afraid. Especially when she was afraid. And she had offered to give herself up for him and Grey back when she was sure they were going to die. He didn’t know how Grey felt about that, but her offer had damn near made him cry.
He had to be honest with Mia. He’d danced around the problem just now and she didn’t take the hint. Time to stop hinting.
“Couldn’t you tell what was wrong when we all mated? Why I don’t belong?”
“Wrong? What was wrong with that?” Mia stared at him. “I couldn’t tell anything except that I was having enough climaxes to black out. You and Grey had me so keyed up all I could do was feel. That’s usually what I do as a were anyhow. Sense. Feel. I don’t analyze.”
He could leave it at that. Not press into the old hurt and shame threatening to engulf him right now. She really wasn’t getting it. Maybe he’d been a better con artist than he thought.
But this was Mia. He owed her. She was one of the two most important people in his world. All right then. He’d get on with it.
“You had to be able to tell after we changed. I’m not one of you. You and Grey—you’re weres. I’m nothing.”
“Rome—”
“My change doesn’t make me—I’m not were. I’m not human. I don’t fit.” He jumped up and began to pace, avoiding looking at her face. “I’m not asking for pity. That’s just what it is. I’m not meant to be a pack were. And I’m not meant for you or for Grey or anyone, no matter how good the sex is. Not for keeps. You two—I gave you two to each other because you’re right together. You two. Not me.”
She just stared, clearly not understanding. Rome prayed for patience and tried again.
“I remember when the packs used to leave us alone, back when we were kids. No. Not kids. Twelve, thirteen.”
“We were the youngest and the Omegas. Of course we were left alone while the adults were busy.”
“That wasn’t the only reason why.” Rome patted her butt. “They were testing us out. Seeing if there was any potential.”
“Potential—oh. Oh!”
“I was interested.”
“You didn’t act interested.”
“I was too interested to be able to admit how much. Damn, between you and Grey, I was getting really worked up. Seemed like both of you were around all the time but just out of reach. I spent a lot of time fantasizing about one or the other of you. Or both. A lot of time. I bet telling you some of those fantasies would still make you blush.”
“That long ago?” Mia was blushing without him having to say they’d lived out a few of them already.
Sweet. She was sweet enough to eat.
“And then the alone time during visits stopped.”
“I sort of remember that. I was flattered to become part of the adult circle.” She smiled. “I was annoyed you were younger and you were included too.”
“I was fourteen. When I first Changed and they saw I was like my sister. Not quite were enough but not human either.” Rome looked forward. “Dad didn’t give me hints any more about how to lead a pack. My mother dropped those grandchildren hints. I wasn’t the heir to the pack any more. I wasn’t going to have any chance at being Alpha.”
He couldn’t explain any more. It was beyond humiliating to think of how it made him feel once he was old enough to realize what he lacked. How lost he was.
“Hollowness. A gnawing need that will never be filled. Couldn’t be.” Mia said the words in his head, not with pity, but as if she was feeling the same thing. As if she knew right then what he was feeling.
“Oh, Jesus.” Rome stared into her face. She looked as shocked as he felt.
Was she sensing his thoughts and emotions? She wasn’t bonded to him. She couldn’t be. That would mean—he didn’t want to think what that would mean. He’d accepted he was meant to be alone, never to have…
A bondmate. One that knew what you thought, felt what you did.
“There was nothing wrong with you during The Change. You smelled right. You felt right. Very right.” Mia moved closer, held him. “What else does a were need?”
How could you resist Mia? She warmed the coldness inside him with more than words. She used her own body. He could sense little prickles of warmth flowing from her to him as she pressed against him. Gradually Rome relaxed. His body fitted against hers. He brushed his lips over her hair. “How do you do that?”
“What?” Mia’s fingers were already burrowing under the loose shirt he wore, ready to strip him out of his clothing.
“Make the impossible sound easy.” He nipped her earlobe.
He wanted to bite her hard. To mark her. Claim her. He kept his grip gentle, though. He’d be gentle even though he shook with the need to possess her.
No. No. Now wasn’t the time for something he wouldn’t be around to finish.
“Oh. I suppose I learned from you and everyone else around me when they convinced me to join you. This whole situation should be impossible, but somehow we’re here.”
The gentle heat turned up to boiling. She brushed her tongue against one of his nipples and his lips curled back at the sensation. He bared his teeth, all of them, wolf-style. His cock was harder than he could ever remember.
Sex. He could definitely start and finish that with her. Uncomplicated, beautiful, hot sex. His balls drew up tight as he smelled her arousal. The ache was almost a pain.
“Damn straight. And I think we should take advantage of it.” He picked her up, tilted her against the wall, and buried his face between her breasts.
Heaven. The smell of woman. Of Mia. The musky scent of arousal and what must be her monthly change. Weres—at least this were—reacted to that new difference as if she was in heat.
Damn. He’d wanted her back in high school bad enough to hurt. She’d been dangled in front of him and then taken away and he’d wanted her—everything—back.
Of course he’d wanted anything he could screw back then. But he wasn’t a high school kid any more. He’d like to think he’d gotten a little more selective about who he laid nowadays—then again it was easy to be picky about partners when you had the exact ones you wanted.
Still his little head had been smarter than usual when it first took notice of the only available were female in town. Now that he knew Mia, he realized she was even sexier, sweeter, better than he’d fantasized during class.
“But I’m—you know. Not exactly up for sex.” Mia looked completely embarrassed. “I suppose those were hormones of yours don’t want to pay attention to that.”
OK. She wasn’t a fantasy. He could live with it.
“No, they want you especially because of that. But if you’re saying no to straight up fucking, we’ll manage something, babe.”
“All right.” She curled against him willingly, even though her voice was uncertain. “I guess my hormones don’t want to pay attention, either.”
Weird. He wanted her. His body sang with want. It would be good, whatever they did, and he wanted it like he wanted to breathe. But sex felt…incomplete without Grey. Was she feeling the same thing?
“You’re in my own room and you started without me? Haven’t you ever heard about waiting for your host?” Grey’s graveled voice was the answer to everything uncertain still swirling around inside Rome. Trust Grey to know when to
make an appearance.
Steadied, Rome waved at their partner. He didn’t want to think about how right it was to have Grey with them.
“Hurry up, old man, or we’ll finish without you, too.”
Grey’s eyes narrowed and then he began to unbuckle his belt. “Wouldn’t like to see you try it.”
Rome wasn’t sure if that was a statement of fact or a threat. It didn’t matter. When Grey’s jeans hit the ground, it was clear from his stiff cock that no one would have to wait for long.
Better yet, Grey didn’t seem to still have a mad on.
Rome turned Mia over, flipped up her skirt and slapped one butt cheek, pausing to admire the rosy glow.
“This way will work for all of us. Damn, I like Mia’s ass.”
“I like yours. You want a spanking, too?” Grey was already circling the rim of Rome’s hole, spreading it with cool lube and hard fingers. Grey shoved two digits down together with no more preliminaries. Rome swallowed and tried to keep his legs steady. He rubbed his back against the pelt on Grey’s chest until his breathing slowed down some. Damn, he liked the feel of Grey—fingers, hairy hide, everything.
“Rome knows you like his ass. Everyone knows.” Mia sounded amused as she arched forward, giving Rome easier access to her own sweet butt. “I suppose I should be honored you sometimes notice mine instead.”
“I’ll get to your ass soon,” Grey growled at her, but Rome heard the humor lurking there. Grey never yelled at Mia. Then again, that would be difficult to do. Especially when you were about to have sex like this.
Perfect. The words sang inside Rome. No one ever got perfect but this was…
Hot. Tight. So fucking right. It almost hurt, it was so good.
It was like hearing Grey’s words in his head. Or maybe hearing his own thoughts in Grey’s. Except that the inner voice sounded like Mia. Rome’s hands stopped tracing the pretty blue veins in Mia’s legs.
“What the hell—”
“Don’t. Ask,” Mia said aloud, her voice thin. “I’m just…I feel like a telephone wire or something. What’s going on in your brain is spilling out and over.”
It wasn’t just his brain, though. She’d heard Grey.
“Can we think about it later?” Grey asked aloud. “You all are distracting me from what’s important here.”
He couldn’t be bonded to Grey and Mia. Weres couldn’t bond more than once even at the best of times. But Mia was hearing them. Their thoughts. And he felt so…so…
Connected.
Then again, Grey could be right. If they thought too hard, they might stop screwing. Grey’s cock was so close—
Jesus, Grey was huge but he hadn’t grown a few inches overnight, had he? Grey’s entrance made him feel full, damn full. The pressure almost hurt. But Rome didn’t wait too long for things to ease up. He moved against Grey’s cock fast, savoring the length and breadth of Grey in his ass, wanting the pleasure enough to endure the sting. Everything fit together soon enough and he didn’t want to stop for thinking or foreplay any more than Grey did. Any more than Mia did, either, judging from the impatient little twitches and murmurs underneath him.
Grey hit the right spot, the one that made Rome moan every time.
Rome moved over Mia, resting his head against her shoulder. She had her arms draped over Grey’s bed, bracing herself for the two men pumping against her. Which was going to start just about now. Rome thrust forward gently. Home.
Mia whimpered and pushed back, just like he had for Grey.
And they stayed, unmoving, for a long, impossibly long moment just like that first time.
Mia and Grey. They were slick against him. Soft and hard. Soft cries of delight and rough cursing. Surrounding him. Enveloping him in sweat and heat and strength and gentleness. Sensation layered over sensation. Differences that combined into one.
Then, like before, like always, they all moved in a sudden burst of energy and lust, matching each other stroke for stroke. More. He wanted more. Rome found himself holding Mia’s breasts, her soft nipples hardening in his hands as she squirmed against him. Grey was holding Rome’s hips, not letting him move while Grey pounded hard inside him, just the way Rome wanted to do to Mia. Instead Rome waited, half in warm female flesh, dying to get further in.
Mia moaned, clamped down on what was in there already. Rome shook with wanting more. Damn that Gray.
Gray hit the perfect spot again with one sure stroke and Rome shook with satisfaction. All right. He wouldn’t damn Gray yet.
It seemed like forever, posed midway between satisfaction and torture before Grey let him free. Instantly Rome pumped himself inside Mia, hating to pull out but making up for it with the fast slide back in.
Damn it, they all wanted more. Nastier. Harder.
I want to be between you and Grey next time. It’s like being between two explosions waiting to happen. So powerful. I love being with you both.
Mia moaned again, shuddering, fitting him like a tight fist.
Rome shook his head, but Mia’s words echoed there, heightening the edgy need. Knowing what she wanted from her thoughts, hearing Grey’s gasp against his back—he felt the rush of his come surging up from his balls. This wasn’t just sex. It was better than sex.
But the sex was fucking good. Oh, yeah!
Rome gave in as the pleasure and heat lanced through him. He came first, hard, long. Forever.
He wanted it to be forever.
* * * *
Rome woke up first, as always. Once his eyes got used to the dark, he focused on the two people toppled on the bed near him. Mia had one hand resting on his arm and another on Grey’s chest. Grey was snoring lightly. Rome lay there for a moment more, listening to them. Looking at them. A tendril of Mia’s blonde hair was caught between her lips. Grey’s face was relaxed in his sleep, the way it never relaxed while he was awake and watchful.
Rome blinked.
Easing his arm away from Mia’s hand, he got off the bed. The other two slept, curled together, like the dead—or people who had fucked themselves to sleep. Rome stood, picking up his boots and clothing en route to the door.
Mia made one muffled sound, almost like a protest and Rome stopped moving until the sound eased back into peaceful breathing. Only then did he open the door and slip outside without looking back.
They were the two people he cared about most in the world. He hoped they’d understand when they woke up and found him gone.
Chapter Seven
Too bad Mia wasn’t here—No. That wasn’t what he meant. Too bad he wasn’t Mia. She’d have disengaged the damn security system in less than the half hour it took him. But he did it. There was no sound as he slipped through the window.
Time to go hunting.
Once inside, he scented his prey. He’d gotten only the faintest whiff the day of the fire, before the smoke clogged his nostrils. But he knew that smell. That was the one who’d been in the house just before all hell broke loose.
The scent was stronger. Right there. Rome opened the door.
Two men sat there. They turned, as if they had been waiting, to stare at him.
“You think you should be here alone?” The smaller man looked faintly amused when Rome walked in. “Considering what you know we can do?”
Rome froze. He felt cold metal against his ear. There was the distinct click of a safety being unlatched on the gun that rested against his neck.
Hell. So much for caution. And giving warnings.
Another safety clicked.
“Who said he was alone?” That was Dek’s voice.
Dad? Double hell.
“Boy, you keep forgetting about the part where even when it looks safe, you keep your eyes open. Makes me wonder sometimes.” And Grey. Of course. He’d have to be there to watch Rome fuck up big time.
“And you never knew that you always check for a backup silent alarm. I cut that off first thing.”
Mia, too?
Rome fought his emotions and won. He managed to sound
measured instead of strangled. “Shit. Bad enough you have to tag along. But you can’t keep your mouths shut after you do. Folks, we don’t have time for a long chat. Everyone needs to get out. Now.”
“Or?” The strange were, the one who had tried to kill them, didn’t move while he asked.
“Or you’ll blow up along with your fucking house in seven minutes. Did all of you really think I was stupid enough to—never mind. Get out.” Not that he was going to move while that gun was still against his neck. Dying in seven minutes rather than right now seemed like a better idea. “Grey, get Mia the fuck away.”
He heard movement and then the sounds of footsteps. Rome almost relaxed. If the strange pack didn’t get to them first, Grey would get Mia out.
If.
His temporary captor looked over at the were who hadn’t spoken yet. “Hunt? Boss? Dunno if it’s true or not but seven minutes—”
“Six minutes thirty seconds—” Rome interrupted.
“Why don’t we all just put down our weapons, get out, and figure out what else to do later?” Dek said, very calmly. “Rossi, you first, of course. Or I’ll blast a hole in your head. I’d rather rip your throat out, but human weapons are faster and we’re a little pressed for time.”
It had been a long time but he should have known Rossi’s smell. Maybe it was all Rossi’s sweat and adrenaline that had interfered with Rome recognizing him. Too bad it was Rossi holding the weapon. The idiot might shake too hard and set things off.
“Rossi, if you keep that gun at my head much longer, I’ll be close enough to give you a big sloppy kiss good-bye before we head off to hell,” Rome said.
“Dunne? What are we gonna do?” Rossi’s distinctive whine was the same. And his stupidity. It was all coming back to him now. Even as an adolescent he’d known why the pack was glad to see the last of Rossi.
“If we don’t leave, we’ll all be done.” Damned if he wasn’t feeling a little sweaty himself. But charged. Rome had never felt so charged in his life.
“All right.” The man who was boss finally spoke. He stared hard at Rome. It wasn’t a friendly look, but Rome hadn’t expected a buddy. “Let’s go.”
* * * *
