Alpha Thunder [Alpha Protectors 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Lyzie Carlisle

  “While we started our own business flipping houses and learning how to make design changes to homes, we had a little time to continue competing in the rodeo circuit,” Troy explained. “And the award money helped us finance our business at that time.”

  “So it was a good thing and not something that took time away from developing your business,” she said.

  “Yeah,” Doug said. “Eventually, we had enough money saved up to start a secondhand store that became an antique store as well.”

  “We studied the design and construction business and built homes and offices here and there for people,” Troy said. “Eventually, our acquaintances who had made money in their own businesses asked us to design and build their homes and offices. We weren’t completely satisfied though. We wanted something more to do.”

  “We have always taken satisfaction in doing our best for our clients,” Doug added, “better than they expected in some cases. But something was missing. When a couple of our friends asked us to help them fix up their halfway house for a nominal fee, we discovered in working on that project that it gave us the satisfaction we’d been missing.”

  “So now we enjoy taking on projects for the city, and for good causes like the halfway house and your dream of a retirement home. We find great satisfaction in such projects.”

  “We still have some things that worry us, like our relationship with Rex and Austin,” Doug said. “There are some things that even satisfaction with our business can’t take care of.”

  “Like what?” Marcy asked. She couldn’t imagine how anything could be missing from the enjoyment they had in their success.

  “We got in a fight with Austin and Rex last year,” Troy said.

  “Why?” She couldn’t imagine them fighting with those two guys. They seemed like good friends now.

  “We crashed their party at the lake when they were on a date with Cheryl,” Doug said. “It turned into a brawl and we apologized to all three of them later, but we still feel bad about our behavior that night.”

  Marcy could tell from the sound of Doug’s voice that he believed there were still some issues with what happened.

  “We aren’t proud of our behavior that night,” Troy said. “Old habits aren’t easy to break, and we were in competition in rodeos for years with Austin and Rex.”

  Marcy didn’t think it was as complicated a problem to fix as they obviously thought. “Why don’t you talk to them some more about it. I think it’s important to always maintain professional behavior in any business. As we mature, we also do things with more thoughtfulness than we did when we were younger. It would probably be beneficial to talk to Austin and Rex again about that night so you don’t worry about it any longer.”

  Doug reached over and gave her a hug. “You’re incredibly wise, Marcy. What would we do without you?”

  “I agree,” Troy said, as he hugged her and kissed her cheek.

  “I think you guys are pretty amazing yourselves,” she said. “I dream of being successful like you, but I don’t know if I ever could be, although I’d like to.”

  “Would you like to see some of our rodeo ribbons and trophies?” Doug asked.

  “I’d love to,” she said.

  They walked down the hall with Troy in the lead. He opened the door to that room. “After you,” he said and waved her inside with a sweep of one hand.

  She smiled, so glad that they wanted to share their collection with her. She gazed all around the room. There was so much to take in. Ribbons and certificates were hung on the walls, and shiny trophies with cowboys and horses rested on shelves and tables around the sides of the room. Two easy chairs were in front of one wall with side tables around them. On the opposite wall was a beautiful desk for a man. A large photo album rested in the center of the desk top. Behind the desk on the wall were hung photos of three couples. “Who are they?” she asked, keeping her voice soft because this was obviously a special place for Troy and Doug and it deserved her respect.

  Doug pointed to the photo on the left. “This is my mom and dad.”

  Troy pointed to the photo on the right. “That’s my mom and dad. The photo below those two photos is of the couple who were best friends of our families.”

  “Are they the couple that died in the car crash?”

  “Yeah,” Doug said softly, his voice rough.

  She crossed to the nearest of two table-top stands that held large heavy looking squash blossom necklaces made of silver and set with beautiful blue turquoise stones. “These are lovely,” she said, running her fingertips over the polished silver of the two necklaces. “They look heavy to wear.”

  Troy cleared his throat. “Those belonged to our parents. They wore them on special occasions.

  She crossed to the other table to see the two squash blossom necklaces resting there. The room was beautifully arranged for their mementos. She took in the paintings of landscapes and horses hung on the walls around the room, and the sculptures of cowboys and horses and other animals on tables and shelves. “It means more to me than I can say that you have shared all of this with me. I know that you’ve put a lot of care into the things that belonged to your family and mean so much to you. Thank you.”

  She stepped close to hug Doug and then Troy. Tears threatened at the love they must feel for their family and friends. “I can see a lot of love in this room.”

  Doug sighed. “As we grew up we dared to hope that our parents loved us and that they hadn’t abandoned us. There’s always been doubt in our minds though.”

  “Oh, I think they loved you,” Marcy assured them. “If they had to leave you, I believe it was to protect you from something that threatened both your parents and you.”

  Troy hugged her tight. “Thanks for that, babe.”

  Doug shook his head. “I guess it was such a shock to us that we could never understand why they would leave if they loved us. We struggled after they left and then even more when our friends died in that accident. All we had left were these things. We didn’t have the same style of living as when our parents were here with us. We were put in a home for kids who didn’t have parents, and I think no one wanted to adopt us or foster us because we were already in junior high, and also we made a point of not being very loveable when someone inquired about fostering us. The ranch kids we had run around with before didn’t want us around them any longer either.”

  “We bonded even closer because of that,” Troy said. “From what I’ve learned over the past years, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s hard to maintain friendships with people in a different social strata. Money has a lot to do with that. Some of the guys we didn’t get along with growing up have come to us to design expensive-looking homes and offices for them after they’ve seen what we’ve done to Mike’s home.”

  “So we decided to be successful businessmen,” Doug said, smiling at her. “We’ve made plenty of money and found success at what we do, but real friendships are hard to come by. I wish we had known our parents better than we did when they left. We were still too involved in what we were doing at that age.”

  Marcy could see from what they’d both said that they still had doubts about their parents’ love for them. She knew that they respected Mike and what he thought. “What has Mike had to say about what happened to your parents and their friends?”

  Doug and Troy gave each other a look. Troy said, “Mike has always held that our parents loved us so much that they left us with their friends in order to protect us from danger.”

  “I think Mike is right,” Marcy said. “You both need to start believing that, and never stop.”

  Doug and Troy hugged her between them. “You ready for bed?” Doug asked her.

  She grinned at him. “Yes, I think I am.”

  “Good,” Troy said. “I’m definitely ready.”

  They left the room and Troy closed the door. Doug kept his arm around her and Troy followed them down the hall to Doug’s bedroom.

  Her guys left her side and began to und
ress. Soon all of their clothing had been tossed in piles near the dresser. They stood naked smiling at her. “So you two always sleep in the buff?” she asked, smiling back at them.

  “Yeah, I do,” Doug said.

  “I do, too,” Troy said. “It feels good not to wear any clothing.”

  “It’s freeing,” Doug said. “Want to try it?”

  Marcy wanted to have a good look at those scars on their legs and hips. Maybe this would be her chance. “I’ll undress and sleep naked with you guys if you’ll let me have a look at those scars on your back sides.

  They gave each other a look.

  “Okay,” Troy said slowly.

  “That’s all right with me,” Doug said.

  “We’d best get a couple of condoms,” Troy said softly.

  “Good idea,” Doug agreed. The two of them ducked into the adjoining bathroom, and Marcy removed her clothing and put her clothes on a nearby armchair.

  When they rejoined her, she was as naked as they were. She couldn’t help taking both of them in, since from top to bottom they were so perfectly sculpted. She wanted to slide her hands over every square inch of them and feel the textures of their skin and the muscles underneath.

  First of all, she’d better ask to see those scars, or she doubted she’d get the opportunity tonight. “Turn around and face the foot of the bed, both of you.” They did as she directed. Their back sides were as magnificent as their fronts. The light coming from overhead and from the doorway to the bright bathroom revealed those awful scars on their buttocks and thighs below.

  She dropped to her knees and placed her hands on both of the guys she loved. She could feel the ridges of the scars with her palms and fingers. How they had kept from being badly injured she had no clue. The scars were long and zigzagged across their skin. She traced the raised edges with her fingertips, gently and lightly.

  The extent of the cuts made by the metal rods that they’d mentioned were used to beat them, when they were barely teenagers yet, became forever engraved in her mind. She leaned forward and pressed her lips gently to each scar on them, working upward along their thighs, first Troy and then Doug, back and forth. She moved upward and continued pressing kisses to each scar, over their buttocks and the sides of their hips. She kept a hand gently on the hip of each of her guys, until she had touched every scar with her lips.

  “I’m so thankful you survived that night,” she said, her voice rough with emotion. “I love you both, so much.”

  They turned toward her at the same time and taking her hands, lifted her to her feet. She saw they were aroused, their cocks jutting high. Troy knelt in front of her and pressed warm kisses down her belly, spreading her folds with gentle fingers and licking her clit with the tip of his tongue. Doug covered her breasts with his warm hands and flicked and squeezed her nipples, sending heat plunging to her lower belly. Troy slid a finger between her swollen folds and caressed the opening to her vagina. His finger slid slowly inside her passage, deeper and deeper, caressing the inside walls. She inhaled swiftly.

  Doug caressed her breasts, sending shocks of electric waves to her labia, making her burn and ache with need. “You’re so beautiful, babe.” His voice sounded soft as he gently tilted her head back to rest on his shoulder. His fingers caressed her neck as he covered her lips with his and delved inside her mouth with his tantalizing tongue.

  She moaned from the pleasurable sensations and tangled her tongue with his while he caressed her breasts and played with her nipples.

  Troy pulled his finger slowly from her passage. He pressed a kiss to her folds and she heard him moving to his feet. He smoothed a hand down the back of her thigh and lifted her leg. Moving close, he pressed the blunt tip of his penis against her hole and slid his hard cock into her passage, ever so gently. She moaned again with the sensory overload. As Doug ravaged her mouth with his tongue and lips, Troy moved in and out of her passage, circling her clit with his fingers, his other hand cupping her hip and delving between her butt cheeks, caressing her sensitive flesh and circling her tight hole.

  She shook as her whole body tightened with the onslaught of her climax. A cry escaped her throat and rose ever higher until her climax slammed through her, rocking her with whip-like action. Doug pinched a nipple gently and her hips bucked against Troy as he held her tightly. She reached down and grasped Doug’s cock in her hand, his tight thick member hard as a rock in her fist. He lifted his mouth from hers, his head tilted back and he shouted his climax. Troy pounded against her passage, once, twice, and she felt his climax as he pumped his semen. She could feel the force of it through the condom he wore. She heard their low growls, and basked in their pleasure and hers.

  “You’re amazing,” Doug rasped. “I love you.”

  “You’re beautiful, and I love you,” Troy said.

  “I love you guys too,” she said. She smiled at each one of them. “You’re amazing.”

  “Shall we hit the rack?” Doug asked.

  “I think we’d better,” she agreed. “We have lots to do tomorrow.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Troy said.

  She climbed onto the big bed while Troy and Doug dispensed with their condoms.

  Soon they joined her and wrapped her in their strong arms. She fell asleep in their warmth.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The following morning at the store, they received a call from Mike that the sculptures they had picked out and delivered to his home were perfect. He could hardly wait to put them in the places he had in mind for them in his house.

  “Another successful job done,” Doug said, as the three of them sat at the desk in Doug’s office so they could listen in on the call from Mike.

  “This calls for a celebration,” Troy said. “How about a steak lunch?”

  “That sounds perfect,” Marcy said.

  “I’d go for that,” Doug agreed.

  “I just need to make a phone call, and I’ll be ready,” Troy said.

  “I’ll be ready in a few minutes,” Marcy said, and headed down the hall.

  “I think we need to tell her,” Doug said. “It’s not fair to her to lead her on, believing we’re normal people.”

  “I agree,” Troy said. “She deserves to know the truth. She’s too fine a person not to be told exactly what we are. And honestly, I’m so crazy about her that I want to live forever with her. I doubt that she’ll have us though after we tell her.”

  “We’ll never know if we don’t tell her,” Doug said. “I never want to see her go. I love her so much, I feel like she’s part of me. She’s so generous and giving, it’s only fair to tell her before this goes on any longer. It would be dishonest of us to continue hiding the truth of our reality from her. We may never find anyone else to love us, if she turns from us and leaves, but it’s only right to tell her and let her make her own choice before things go too far and she’s badly hurt. As it is, the truth could affect her the rest of her life. I hate that knowing what we are could hurt her.”

  “We have to tell her today,” Troy said. Maybe after lunch we can take her by the house to see the gift we’ve had delivered. We could tell her then. Maybe the gift will soften the truth of what we have to tell her.”

  “I hope so,” Doug said. “Here she comes.” At the sound of her footsteps returning down the hall to the office, they both rose and crossed the room to meet her. “Ready?”

  “Yes, I’m ready now,” she said, and smiled at both of them.

  They escorted her out of the store and Doug helped her into the front seat of the pickup since Troy was driving.

  When they reached the steakhouse, Troy stopped in front and Doug handed Marcy down to the front sidewalk. As he closed the door and Troy drove toward the parking area, Marcy hurried up the walk and ran up the few steps to the landing. Doug couldn’t help smiling as he watched her pretty red hair bouncing, her curves moving with each step she took. He joined her as two older women already at the door opened it and walked inside.

  Marcy turned
to Doug, a big grin on her face. “Those two women were talking about having heard that someone they know had seen werewolves near the backyard at dusk. Can you believe that? Their friend must have seen some of those wolves you told me have been around the lake.”

  Doug was too surprised to say anything in reply. An older man came out of the steakhouse and stopped in front of them. He stared at Marcy. What the hell? Who was this guy and why was he staring at Marcy? He looked like an old cowboy who knew her.

  The old man took hold of her arm.

  “Hey!” Doug warned him.

  Marcy jerked out of his grasp before Doug could push him away.

  “You’ll be sorry,” the man said, his voice loud and gruff. “You should have listened to me when I called about your father wanting to talk to you. No one treats me with disrespect.”

  Doug had heard that threat before. He knew who this guy was. He was Wra, dressed like a cowboy to hide his true identity. It had been only recently that they had battled him and his goons when Cheryl and Rex and Austin needed help. What the hell was he doing here? “Get the hell away from her,” Doug warned, his voice growling with the rage inside him ready to explode.

  “Do you know what he is?” Wra asked as he pointed at Doug. “He’s the same as I am. Watch me and remember my words.”

  Doug reached for him, but before Doug could get hold of him, Wra jumped from the landing and started running toward the thick trees. He morphed to his shifter side as he ran. Doug heard Marcy’s gasp. Too late, Doug realized he should have shielded her from Wra’s dirty trick.

  She looked at Doug with disbelief, her eyes huge. “What—how did he do that? What in the world? He looked like a fur-covered animal when he ran into the cover of the trees. How could that happen? He said you were the same. What did he mean by that? Doug, what just happened? Am I going crazy?” She grasped his arm, the look in her eyes had turned to horror.

  “No, you’re not going crazy,” Doug said and took hold of her arms in case she started to faint.