My Twin Trouble (Middlemarch Shifters Book 15)

by Shelley Munro

  A tear trickled down Maggie’s cheek. “Please listen to me. It took a lot of planning to organize a visit while my husband is away. I might not have another chance.”

  “Oh please,” Kiera said in disgust. “Don’t turn on the waterworks. You’ve got a bloody nerve coming here after all you’ve done to this family.”

  “Joe’s here,” Sly said, hearing the familiar purr of the SUV when it pulled up.

  “Good,” Maggie said with a hostile glower at Kiera. “Maybe he’ll listen to reason.”

  Sly started to move away from Kiera. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt his brother.

  “Don’t move an inch,” Kiera ordered in an undertone. “Joe will understand.”

  Sly swallowed, tension resonating within him. He wasn’t sure his twin would appreciate his mate touching him. Fuck, contact with Kiera was asking for trouble.

  “Joe!” Maggie threw herself at him the instant he stepped into the kitchen. Joe caught her automatically and Kiera growled low in her throat.

  “Easy,” Sly whispered. “Joe’s not interested in her. He’s pushing her away already.”

  Joe removed Maggie’s hands from his body and, when she clung, he shoved to clear space between them. “The way I understood it, Sly isn’t allowed within five hundred meters of you. This is our home. He didn’t invite you, so why the fuck are you here?” Joe’s gaze snapped from Maggie to land on Sly and Kiera. His gaze followed the way Kiera stroked Sly’s skin and he scowled.

  Hell, Sly didn’t want to fight with Joe. He attempted to move, to separate their bodies, but Kiera wouldn’t release him.

  “I want you to give me a baby,” Maggie said in a loud voice.

  Sly blinked then laughed in contempt. “Are you for real?” The woman would probably forget she had a child or leave it with a nanny when she had something better to do. “Why would you think I’d be interested?” Just looking at her made his feline snarl and his gut roil with revulsion.

  “You are out of your freakin’ mind,” Joe snarled. “I wouldn’t trust you with a child.” He circled Maggie carefully, as if she were something noxious, and strode over to join them. He exchanged a hard look with Sly and, for once, Sly couldn’t fathom his twin’s thoughts. Did Joe want to rip him limb from limb? Or did he understand Kiera was only trying to help him—a friendly gesture to a family member?

  Sly edged away, but Kiera grabbed hold of his shirt and held fast. “You’re not going anywhere.”

  “But—” Sly sought aid from Joe.

  Joe wasn’t watching him any longer. All his attention focused on Kiera. Silent messages passed between them, but Sly remained clueless. Finally, Joe reached out and stroked his finger down Kiera’s cheek. Her eyes drifted shut, her lashes dark against her cheek.

  A private moment between two mates.

  Sly felt like a voyeur and he hastily stepped away.

  Stop!

  Sly started at the harsh order. His gaze snapped to Joe and he gulped at what he witnessed in his twin. Acceptance. Understanding. Love.

  Joe shunted Kiera closer to Sly, standing closely behind until they enveloped her between their bigger bodies. On the far side, where Maggie wouldn’t notice, Joe reached for Sly’s hand. The contact sent another electrical charge down Sly’s spine.

  A surprised croak escaped Joe, and Sly realized he’d experienced the same thing when their hands met.

  “Aren’t you going to answer me?” Maggie demanded in a peevish tone.

  “Just go away,” Kiera said. “You’re not wanted here. How many times do we have to tell you?”

  “I lost our baby,” Maggie said. “A few months ago.” A sob burst from her and tears flowed down her face in earnest. “I want to have another baby.”

  “Isn’t that what husbands are for?” Kiera asked.

  “Joe and Sly belong with me.” Maggie’s voice took on an edge of hysteria.

  “You’re lying,” Sly said hoarsely.

  “No, she thinks she can just waltz back into your lives as if nothing has happened,” Kiera said. “Don’t you dare feel sorry for her. She doesn’t deserve it.”

  At one time, the news of a baby would’ve overjoyed him, but now, he doubted her word. The woman always moved to her own agenda, one that benefited her and excluded others. And, once again, she thought she could snap her fingers at them and have him and Joe jump. The woman was delusional and obviously unbalanced.

  “Please,” Maggie said. “You’re the only men I can ask.”

  “We wouldn’t touch you with a barge pole,” Joe snapped.

  “Adopt. Go to a sperm donor agency,” Kiera said, her tone impatient and abrupt. “Joe and Sly belong to me. They’re not giving a child to anyone except me.”

  Reaction in Sly was instantaneous. If he didn’t leave, he was gonna do something stupid like lay one on Kiera and kiss her senseless. “I’ve gotta go. Maybe Emily can give us something to serve for dinner.”

  “Make sure you come back. Remember my brothers are visiting,” Kiera said.

  “Great,” Joe said. “Exactly what we need to add to this circus.”

  “Hey,” Kiera said. “Oscar and Tyrone are fine.”

  Sly edged away from Joe and Kiera, but they both grabbed hold and refused to let him leave.

  “Stay,” Joe snapped. “Stop trying to fight us.”

  “What is wrong with you?” Maggie said with a sob. “I came all this way and you’re ignoring me. It’s all her fault!” She flew at them, but before she could touch either him or Joe, Kiera darted between them.

  The two women collided, pushing each other. Shoving. With a loud shriek, Maggie grabbed Kiera’s hair and yanked. Kiera countered with an elbow in the ribs. When Maggie tried to kick, Kiera jabbed her again. Maggie howled in pain, staggering back and rubbing her side. Her face contorted into an ugly mask.

  “Go on,” Kiera taunted. “Try again. I dare you.”

  “Tell your slut to back off,” Maggie snapped.

  Kiera’s face darkened. “Who are you calling a slut?”

  Maggie jumped Kiera then, arms swinging while she screeched abuse. Sly started to intercede, but Joe grabbed his arm.

  “Let Kiera hit her,” Joe murmured. “Maggie deserves a thumping, and we can’t do it.”

  True. If anyone needed a smack in the head it was Maggie. Despite the thought, tension filled Sly as he stood beside his twin. Beside him, Joe was equally edgy.

  But Kiera didn’t hold back. Her fists flew, blocking every attempt Maggie made to hit her. She clipped Maggie on the jaw and sent her flying. Maggie stumbled backward and tripped over a chair. She didn’t move for a couple of seconds, but finally stirred with a pained groan. Blood dripped from a cut on her lip.

  “Damn, that felt good,” Kiera said, her gaze narrowed on Maggie. “Would you like to get up so I can hit you again?”

  “You can’t get away with hitting me,” Maggie said, wiping the blood from her mouth. “I’ll call—”

  Sly straightened. Right. That did it. No way would he let Maggie threaten Kiera. He reached for the phone and hit speed dial for Laura and Jonno. “Laura? Sly here. I have a problem.”

  “Joe! You can’t tell anyone I’m here.”

  Sly ignored her and continued talking. “Maggie Charles has turned up at our house and she refuses to leave. I don’t want to end up hauled away by strange cops again so I’m telling you.”

  “Sly!” Tears trickled down Maggie’s face and she wrung her hands. “Nathaniel doesn’t understand how much I want a baby. I’ve tried talking to him, but he’s not interested. He doesn’t want me and no one else is allowed to have me either.”

  “That’s enough,” Joe said, his tone sharp. “We don’t want to hear your problems. You treated Sly like a criminal. You came with us of your own free-will and lied to save your own skin.”

  “Yeah, because of you Sly has a criminal record. You can’t even tell the twins apart,” Kiera said in disgust.

  Sly put down the phone. “Laura is on the
way.”

  Maggie cried, big, ugly sobs. She crawled to the nearest chair and dragged herself up to sit on it, a dull, red mark on her jaw where Kiera had hit her. Her lip still bled sluggishly. “I can’t believe you’re denying me. It’s a small request.”

  Sly didn’t feel a thing except distaste. She wasn’t the Maggie of his memories, the same Maggie they’d first met and seduced. Sly picked up the phone again. Emily would know what to do.

  “Good idea,” Joe said in a low voice. “Emily might talk sense into her.”

  In uncomfortable silence, broken only by Maggie’s weeping, they waited for Laura and Emily to arrive. Periodically, Maggie sent them a beseeching glance. They ignored her. The three of them maintained physical contact, helping Sly to remain calm.

  “I hope they hurry. I don’t want Matthew to arrive in the middle of this,” Kiera said.

  “God forbid,” Joe said, his tone dry.

  Sly didn’t say anything, merely concentrating on his breathing and trying to push down the sexual arousal stalking his mind and body. He didn’t want to do anything stupid. He didn’t want to fall out with Joe and Kiera.

  Finally, Laura arrived, and Emily and Saber turned up not long afterward.

  Emily took one look at Maggie and hustled her into the den, shutting the door after her.

  “Thanks for coming, Laura,” Sly said. “I don’t want to end up in jail again.”

  “What happened? Did you arrange a visit?” Laura asked.

  “Fuck no!” Sly said. “I’m not that stupid. She turned up and walked into our house as if she had every right. I thought it was Kiera arriving home.”

  “There’s something wrong with her.” Joe tapped his forehead. “Mentally, I mean. She’s not behaving rationally. She practically begged us for our sperm.”

  Kiera snorted. “As if I’d agree to that! She’s a manipulative bitch.”

  “Do you want to press charges?” Laura asked.

  “No, I want her to leave and never come back,” Sly said.

  Emily reappeared, a frown creasing her brow. “I’m going to drive Maggie to her mother’s house. She’s in no condition to drive.”

  “I’ll follow you in our car.” Saber turned to Sly and Joe. “I’ll ring you later once we get home.”

  Sly nodded.

  “See you, Saber,” Kiera said.

  “Thanks,” Joe said.

  Laura waited until they’d gone before saying Jonno was cooking dinner and she needed to get going.

  Sly sighed once she departed. He turned to Kiera and Joe, ready to apologize. “I don’t know about you but I could do with a drink. And I don’t ever want to get on the wrong side of you, lady. Joe, did you know she could punch like that?”

  “Nope. Should I worry about the way you were cozying up to my mate?”

  “Joe!” Kiera smacked him on the arm.

  “Kiera was… We weren’t doing anything. She was helping me convince Maggie of my lack of interest.”

  “Then why did you have a hard-on?”

  Sly swallowed and decided on honesty. “Have you seen Kiera recently? I’m a male. There’d be something wrong if I didn’t get a hard-on when she was running her hands over me.”

  Kiera hit Joe again. “Stop giving Sly a hard time. I know you experienced the same thing as me.”

  Sly’s head jerked up. He scanned their faces. They’d felt the surge of desire? Both of them?

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Joe said.

  “Right,” Kiera said. “I need to conduct an experiment.” She shrugged free of Joe’s hands and headed in Sly’s direction.

  Sly backed up abruptly, and Joe chortled. “Are you afraid of Kiera?”

  With the kitchen counter at his back, he had nowhere left to retreat. Kiera kept coming, obvious intent shining on her face. “Make her stop, Joe. Dammit, she’s your mate. She—”

  Kiera stopped his panicked babble with her mouth. She leaned in to him, plastering her curves against his harder body while her lips moved over his with devastating effect. He moaned as she traced her tongue along the seam, instinctively opening to her. She took the kiss deeper, sliding her tongue against his, making him wish for things he’d never have. His heart pounded and his hands crept from the counter to circle her neck.

  He forgot about his brother and the fact he was kissing the hell out of his brother’s mate until Joe moved up behind Kiera.

  Sly jerked up his head, breaking the kiss and stared at Joe in trepidation. “I’m sorry. I have no idea what came over me. I’ll go. Emily won’t mind if I stay the night again.”

  “Kiss her again,” Joe ordered.

  Shocked, Sly stared at him.

  “Kiss me,” Kiera seconded her mate.

  Sly let his gaze wander to Kiera’s mouth. Her lips were pink and swollen from their previous kiss. The end of her tongue darted out to moisten them and he was lost. He lowered his head and laid one on her. Tongues. Teeth. His entire repertoire.

  Joe grasped Kiera’s shoulder, one of his hands holding Sly’s in place. A jolt of pleasure struck Sly like a bolt from the heavens. A dark moan filled his ears, echoing his own. Only too aware Kiera would feel his erection, he attempted to shove her away, but Joe held them both in place.

  Kiera trembled violently and the scent of arousal drifted into Sly’s awareness.

  Joe sent Sly a hard look, one Sly had difficulty understanding. He didn’t know his twin anymore. He didn’t understand why Joe had made Kiera kiss him or why Kiera had followed his order.

  Hell, if his mate was even half as sexy as Kiera, he wouldn’t let her out of the bedroom. Barefoot and pregnant totally worked for him.

  “Sly, can you take care of dinner?” Joe asked.

  “I bought stuff for a barbecue. I figured that would work with my brothers turning up,” Kiera said.

  They were heading to their bedroom to fuck. And why wouldn’t they? They were mates. Physicality was what mates did. Hell, he’d watched the rest of his brothers and some of his friends when they found the right woman. He had no right to get in the way.

  “No problem.” Sly reached for the box of groceries, unsurprised to witness the tremor of his hands.

  Joe took Kiera’s hand and dragged her away.

  Sly waited until they walked out of sight to rearrange his cock through the stiff denim of his jeans. He winced at the flood of sensation his touch unleashed and abruptly removed his hand. He’d been so close to coming it wasn’t funny, and from a few caresses and kisses.

  His pacing led him to the fridge, and he opened it to grab another beer. He wasn’t sure whether to drink it or hold the icy can against his groin to relieve the swelling.

  In the end, he drank the beer, downing the contents before he tried to focus on dinner preparations. Although he hadn’t taken to Matthew and didn’t like the way he’d tried to order Kiera around, he was glad of her family’s visit. He needed the diversion.

  * * * * *

  “We need to talk,” Kiera said the instant the bedroom door shut behind them.

  “Later,” Joe said. The urge to make love with his mate simmered like a nagging toothache. From the moment he’d stepped into the kitchen and seen Sly with Kiera. “Strip. Now.”

  “Joe, we—”

  “Kiera.” He rapped out her name in a no-nonsense manner and she froze, her eyes widening at his tone. Their gazes met and held before she moved again. Her fingers went to the hem of her T-shirt. In a distinct tease, she lifted the hem to reveal her belly one inch at a time. Joe narrowed his eyes. “Kiera.”

  Thankfully, she obeyed the order. The clothes practically melted from her body and soon she stood naked in front of him. They stared at each other before she lowered her gaze, the tension fading from her shoulders.

  Her trust brought a surge of protectiveness. His woman. His mate. He visually traced across her breasts before focusing on her mark. Unbidden his fingers rose to his own marking spot. They stroked back and forth on the raised bite. The wound
had healed rapidly but remained tender to touch, pushing a jolt of sexual awareness through him with each stroke.

  “On the bed. Hands and knees. Close your eyes.”

  Kiera obeyed this time without objection. His gut twisted, his cock lengthened.

  Joe approached the bed, his yearning to sink into her hot pussy grabbing him by the scruff of the neck. Contrarily, he made himself wait. He grasped her shoulder to ground her.

  “Did you like Sly caressing you? Kissing you?” Joe kept his voice level but couldn’t halt the surge of jealousy. She’d touched Sly with his blessing, yet the idea of his brother fucking her made him crazy.

  “Do you want the truth?”

  His gut bucked with fear, which was stupid. Kiera loved him and would never betray him. “Of course.”

  “The contact with Sly felt right. When I touched both of you, the sensations were extraordinary.”

  Yeah, that’s what he’d learned from the little scenario in the kitchen, which begged the question—what did they do now?

  Joe ran his hand down her back, bringing his fingers to rest on her butt. She quivered beneath his touch. God, he loved her.

  “Are your eyes still shut?”

  “Aye, aye, Captain.”

  Joe barked out a laugh and swatted her butt. “Smart-arse.”

  And just like that, his jealousy faded. He’d think about what Sly meant to them later. Right now only two of them inhabited this bedroom. He ripped off his clothes and crawled onto the mattress, covering her from behind. Already her arousal scented the room. He guided his shaft into position. One shove and he was fully seated, her wet, hot flesh clinging to him. He curled over her back, his mouth working her mark while he pistoned into her welcoming body with rapid thrusts.

  His muscles flexed, giving no quarter. Thankfully, she seemed to be of a like mind, her low moan of surrender echoing within the walls. He reached between her legs, finessing her clit until she shuddered, her snug channel tightening on his cock. Joe sucked on her mark at the same time, holding back his orgasm by a gossamer string.

  “Joe.” She cried out and his belly clenched, the electrical feeling of climax shooting from his balls and up his cock.

  One last ruthless thrust and he stilled, his semen pumping from him while her sheath twitched around his dick. They fell to the bed together in a sweaty heap, both breathing rapidly.