by Eve Vaughn
Gavin reached across the table and gave her hand a squeeze. Heath took the other one and Logan stroked the back of her arm. She smiled at them in turn, thankful for their support.
“Over the next year he made me feel like I was nothing and I would never get any better. After a while, I couldn’t take anymore. I tried to break things off with him again. That’s when Dale got physical. I was so ashamed at first, I blamed myself. I had no one to tell because I was no longer in contact with the few friends I’d managed to make in college. Dale had made sure of that. He’d isolated me from everyone. I didn’t feel comfortable going to any of my professors or the authorities. My academic career was almost caput anyway. I was on academic probation for the second time and I knew I couldn’t turn to my parents either. Besides, Dale had family connections and money. No one would believe me if I told them that he abused me. I even contemplated suicide for a while, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
“I think my moment of clarity came when I walked in on Dale having sex with another woman and he laughed at me.
Told me I was pathetic and to get out until he was ready to talk to me again. He and the girl treated me as if I were less than nothing. He’d cheated before, but I’d never caught him in the act so blatantly. This time around, something in me just snapped. I literally couldn’t take it anymore. I told him we were done for good. He stopped laughing at me then, in fact his demeanor changed with a snap and he got really nasty. I walked away, but he followed me. When he tried to grab me, for the first time I fought back. I pushed him away with all my might and ran. I didn’t look back.
“I was really through with him and meant it. I wouldn’t let him sweet talk or bully me into getting back with him. By now, I realized I didn’t want to remain at college, but I wasn’t sure where I could go. I’d had a little money saved away from my work study job. I figured I could get a job somewhere and find a room to rent. Dale apparently wasn’t through with me yet. He stalked me and made obscene phone calls. He showed up at my job and sent me harassing emails. Finally, I’d had enough. I agreed to meet him to talk. I was hoping if I told him to leave me alone, he would.
“I know it sounds crazy, but I was tired of being scared of him, and I wanted to face him and tell him to leave me alone.
We’d agreed to meet at a coffee shop. I arrived there first and waited for him at a table by the window. I saw him when he approached the shop, and immediately I knew something was up. Now mind you, he’s a guy who takes pride in his appearance, but he looked unkempt. His clothes were askew and his eyes were bloodshot. He walked into the shop, spotted me and stopped. He just stared at me for several seconds and I could feel my heart sink because my gut was telling me he didn’t come to listen. He was up to something. I don’t know if it was divine intervention or what, but the barista dropped some dishes. I was so startled, I slid from my chair and that’s when Dale pulled out a gun and opened fire.
A bullet whooshed by my head. And I know with absolute certainty had that person behind me not dropped those dishes, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Logan suddenly pushed away from the table, knocking his chair over. “Mother fucker! Where the hell is he now? I’m going to fucking kill him.”
Zora could see the bear in his eyes. With a quick glance, she noted Gavin and Heath, though not as vocal as their cousin about what she’d just shared, were every bit as angry as he was.
“Please.” Zora stood and placed her hand on Logan’s shoulder to calm him down. “Let me finish. There’s still a little bit left I need to tell you. You guys have to understand where I’m coming from. I promise I’ll answer all your questions when I’m finished.”
Logan’s nostrils flared and Zora could feel his pulse racing beneath her touch. Finally, he nodded and sat back down with crossed arms.
Zora took her seat and continued. “Even though he missed me, he hit another patron, a woman coming out of the bathroom. Thank goodness she made it, but pandemonium broke out in the shop. I think Dale probably would have taken more shots at me had it not been for a couple of rugby players who tackled him to the ground. And the whole time he was on the ground struggling as the men tried to restrain him, he yelled at me that I’d never be rid of him. He said no matter how far I go, he’d find me. I was horrified. The incident was in the papers and made the news. Even as the police took him away, he was still yelling. He’d snapped. I didn’t realize how unhinged he really was until then, but I should have seen the signs. There were little clues to his mental instability from the beginning, but I ignored them.” Zora wrapped her arms around her body, shuddering as she recalled the day that was still deeply etched in her mind.
“Despite it being one of the most horrific experiences of my life, a couple good things came out of it. Dale was locked up, even though his family connections got him a lighter sentence than he deserved. And because of the coverage of the story, Nana found me and invited me to stay with her. I told you about her. For the first time in my life, I felt unconditional love. I was an active part of the community and I adored living in Covington.
“I even went on a few dates, but it never developed into anything serious because I was scared—scared to love and risk my heart again. I was afraid someone would expose my insecurities like Dale had and throw them back in my face.
But I was content to be alone and live happily alongside Nana. The rest I told you about, her illness and having to sell most of our assets to cover medical expenses. What I didn’t tell you was shortly after she passed, I started getting strange phone calls from a voice I couldn’t recognize, but one who would say things that only Dale would know. I think he’s been released and found out where I was. That’s why I had to get out of town. I couldn’t bear another incident like the one in the coffee shop. I couldn’t put my friends in danger.”
“So that’s why you’re on the run?” Gavin asked gently.
Zora shrugged. “I wouldn’t call it on the run exactly, but I didn’t want Dale polluting the good memories I had in Covington by showing up. Like I told you before, I was on my way to my cousin’s and had it not been for the accident, I’d probably be there now.”
“Well, something good did come out of the accident. We found you.” Gavin smiled at her.
Zora’s heart fluttered as she stared at each man. Seeing their looks of concern and understanding gave her the courage to say, “I’m glad I met you guys. I stayed because my heart told me to give you a chance even though my head told me otherwise. I’m glad I listened to my heart. Even though you guys told me I was your mate, part of me believed you guys just wanted a playmate for the month. But you treated me in a way Dale and even some of the guys I dated never had. I realize… I… I love you. I never felt this strongly or deeply for anyone and it’s killing me that this vacation is nearly over because what then? Knowing that Dale is on the loose, I can’t put you three at jeopardy. I couldn’t handle it if something happened to you. I think if the three of you were to die, I would die too.”
“Say that again,” Heath said softly.
Zora bit her bottom lip. It had taken her so much to finally admit what she’d been holding back, but for them, if they needed her to repeat the story, she would. “I said knowing that Dale—”
“No, not that part,” Logan interrupted.
Zora frowned. “Which part?”
“The part where you said you love us.” Gavin stood up.
She ran her tongue over her lips as her men eyed her with a predatory lust that made her pussy throb. “I love you. I love all three of you. With all my heart. I never thought I could love anyone this way because I didn’t think anyone could love me and—”
She didn’t get a chance to finish before Logan pulled her in his arms and covered her mouth with his. Zora didn’t think to resist as she melted into him, returning his kiss with enthusiasm, their tongues mating frantically. Her panties got damp as he ground his cock against the juncture of her thighs.
“Save some for us.” Gavin chuckled, p
ulling Zora out of Logan’s arms to give her a smoldering lip lock of his own.
Just as she became lost in her kiss with Gavin, she was whirled around and pulled into Heath’s arms. They took turns hugging and kissing her until she was breathless.
Zora had to pull away to catch her breath. “Guys.” She chuckled. “Take it easy.”
“Never,” Logan growled. “Besides, if you think we’re going to let you get away from us now that we found you, you’ve got another think coming to you, lady.”
“He’s right, Zora. We’ll work out this Dale situation together,” Heath reassured her. “We’re not going to let some twerp scare us. He thought he could push you around because he’s a weak son of a bitch. But now, he’ll be dealing with three men.”
“And we’re not your run of the mill guys, you have to admit. We can more than handle him,” Gavin pointed out.
Her men were out of the ordinary, but who knew what Dale had in his arsenal. “You guys aren’t impervious to bullets. You admitted yourselves some of your ancestors were killed off by overzealous hunters.”
“Zora, you’re worrying way too much. We can take care of ourselves,” Heath assured her.
“But he’s crazy,” she argued, still worried about putting them in harm’s way.
Gavin caught her face between his hands. “Zora, you belong to us now, and we protect what is ours. Trust us. Can you do that for us, sweetheart?” He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose.
She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. Though it was difficult to give her trust, the looks in their eyes told her what she needed to know. “Yes, I do trust you.”
“Good, then allow us to handle Dale.” Without warning, Gavin scooped her up in his arms, catching Zora off guard.
“Where are you taking me?” She giggled.
Gavin nuzzled her neck. “As if you need to ask.”
Logan and Heath followed close behind and Zora knew she wouldn’t be getting much sleep that night.
Chapter Eleven
It felt like she’d fallen into a fairy tale. Or at least a very sexy fantasy she didn’t want to wake up from. Zora stretched, throwing her arms over her head like a content, well-fed cat.
She reached out to find the spot next to her empty. The other side of her was bare as well. She popped her eyes open and sat up. She was the only one in bed now, even though she’d fallen asleep sandwiched between Logan and Gavin. Heath had opted to sleep in his own bed once playtime was over because he had to get up early for an important meeting and didn’t want to disturb them.
Missing her men, Zora slid out of the custom-made bed that was larger than any she’d ever seen. She yanked the sheet off and wrapped it around her body. She glanced at the clock to see it was nearly noon. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept in so late, but then again, her men had kept her up most of the night, fucking her mercilessly. Most mornings she woke up with a sore throat from screaming their names over and over again. And she loved every second of it. A smile curved her lips as she remembered the activities of the night before. She knew Heath and Logan were probably at work, but she wasn’t sure if Gavin had gone in to his practice yet.
It had been two weeks since they’d left the cabin and she was still adjusting to her new life. While her men had assured her they’d be more than able to provide for her, she was surprised when they brought her to their main residence. The cabin had been rustic and simplistic, but this mansion was something out of the television show, MTV Cribs.
They’d already told her their occupations—Gavin was a physician, Logan ran a small business and Heath worked for a large corporation. What they didn’t tell her was Gavin had his own practice and the small business Logan ran was the flagship shop for one of the largest outdoor retailers in the country. Heath was the CEO of a company which all the cousins apparently owned huge shares in, making them all extremely wealthy. In fact, Zora felt like a fool for not connecting the dots when they’d told her their last names. The Lameres were well-known in the business world, not only for their success, but for the several charitable organizations they headed. Their names had even been mentioned in one of her business classes. They’d started with one small shop, which turned into what it was now. She admired their tenacity and drive, but best of all, even with all their success, they’d stayed humble.
Walking across the landing, she inspected the architecture of the house. The intricate details along the walls like the crown molding and the cathedral ceiling and the little knick-knacks that were strategically placed in each room spoke of great taste and wealth without being ostentatious. When they first gave her the tour of the house, they’d told her what every woman dreamed of hearing—she’d have free reign to redecorate the house as she pleased. She loved what was already done, but there were a few of her own touches she wanted to add.
It was hard to believe how only a month ago, her prospects seemed bleak, but now not only was she living in a beautiful home, she’d found the loves of her life.
As she walked toward the kitchen, she heard Gavin’s voice.
She paused when she heard him speak in a tone she wasn’t used to. She eased closer to the door without making her presence known.
“What the hell do you mean? If it’s not—” He stopped abruptly.
Who was he talking to?
“Dammit, I don’t want to hear any more excuses. Find out for sure and I expect you to report back to me as soon as you know. Do we understand each other?” Another pause. “Good.
See that you do that.”
Even though she’d only known her men for a short time, there was no way Gavin would talk to one of his staff in that manner.
“Zora, you can come on in,” he called out.
She poked her head in the kitchen feeling sheepish. “How did you… ?”
He turned to her, his smile wide. “Honey, I caught your scent the second you started down the stairs. It’s hard for you to sneak up on me.”
She laughed, moving into his outstretched arms. Zora raised her head for his kiss but paused, remembering the phone conversation. “Who were you talking to on the phone?”
For a second she thought she saw his smile falter, but it happened so quickly she could have imagined it. “Oh, nothing important, just handling a little business.”
“So if it wasn’t that important, why were you talking to the person like that? Sounded pretty serious to me.”
“Like I said, it was nothing.” He began to kiss her neck.
A wave of heat seared through her body and she felt her equilibrium slowly slipping away. He was trying to distract her, of that she knew for sure. Using her last bit of will power, Zora pushed away from him. “Gavin, we promised to be honest with each other, remember? If it’s not important, I’m not sure why you can’t tell me who you were on the phone with.”
He sighed, seeming reluctant to answer. “It’s a guy I hired to do some business for me. It’s not working out the way I’d anticipated.”
“What kind of business?”
He caught her face between his hands. “Zora, do you trust me?”
There was something in his eyes that compelled her to let this thing go. “Of course. I’ve told you I do.”
“Then trust that when the time is right, I’ll tell you everything you want to know. Right now, I can’t do that for reasons I don’t want to get into. Can you accept that?”
She wanted to argue, but sometimes one had to pick and choose their battles and this wasn’t one she wanted to fight.
For now, she’d be patient and wait for him to tell her when he was ready. “Can I ask if it was someone from your office?”
“You may, and no, it wasn’t.”
“Good. I’d hate to think you spoke to your staff like that, although I didn’t think you would. You’re way too nice for that.”
He raised a dark brow, his lips curling in amusement.
“Nice, huh?”
“Yes. You’re too much of a sweetheart to be me
an to anyone… except whoever it was on the phone.”
“A sweetheart, huh? Isn’t that what a woman tells a guy when she thinks he’s a pushover?”
“Oh, you’re no pushover, Gavin. But you have to admit, between you and your cousins, you are the most laid back and gentle.”
“Laid back and gentle, hmm?” He fell silent.
“It’s not a bad thing, Gavin.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his jawline.
“And what if I told you right now, seeing you wrapped in that sheet with nothing beneath makes me want to do things to you that are anything but gentle. I smell that sweet cunt of yours and I want to fuck you raw. In fact… ” He yanked Zora off her feet and hauled her against his body as his lips captured hers. His kiss was demanding and dominating, stealing the very breath from her lungs.
He gripped her ass, aligning her now throbbing pussy against his erection. Gavin ground against her as he carried Zora across the length of the kitchen. He slammed her against the wall and bit into her shoulder.
Zora cried out, more in surprise than pain, even though she knew when this was over there would be a mark. Not allowing her to catch her breath, Gavin covered her lips with his, stabbing his tongue into her mouth and conquering every curve and crevice. He devoured her, swallowing her moans.
His body anchored hers against the wall as he ripped the sheet away from her.
His hungry, green gaze slid along her body possessively.
There was nothing gentle or sweet in that stare. Zora’s nipples hardened under his hot scrutiny and she could feel the moisture pooling at the inside of her thighs. No words were exchanged but his look said it all. He would have her and she’d give him anything he wanted.
“Mine,” he growled and lowered his head. He took a nipple in his mouth and sucked deep and hard. Zora dug her fingers through his dark hair, holding his head against her chest. Waves of molten delight coursed through her entire body. Gavin continued to lick and chew on her nipples, taking her to the cusp where pleasure and pain met. “All mine. So fucking hot for you. I’m going to fuck the shit out of you. Right here. Would you like that? My cock pounding into your wet cunt? Fucking you so hard and good and making you scream until your throat is sore?”
