by Katee Robert
Good.
Except it doesn’t really feel like a plot coming together as we stare at each other. I wasn’t thinking about anything but making her come…and now I want to do it again as soon as humanly possible.
Patience. I can exhibit some patience. In theory.
So, instead, of kissing Shiloh again, I reach around her body and pull the door open. “Let’s go.”
I wasn’t thinking beyond getting into her pants after that second shot. I really wasn’t. But when we walk out of the bathroom, the first thing I see is Broderick fucking Paine standing at the bar. His gaze swings to us, jumping from my mouth to Shiloh’s and then to her neck. The control in his expression flickers, and the true fury he directs my way makes my pussy clench.
“Oh fuck,” Shiloh whispers.
Chapter 6
Broderick
I’m going to kill her.
I still can barely believe my eyes, but the signs don’t lie. That’s Monroe’s lipstick on Shiloh’s mouth, hastily cleaned up. And her neck. Their clothes might not be out of place, but from their tangled hair and flushed skin, they were just fucking in the bathroom.
Jealousy, hot and scalding, nearly takes me out. Easier to focus on the anger. Easier to let rage flow through me than to examine the fact that I’m not entirely jealous of just Monroe. Did Shiloh take off Monroe’s ridiculous pants and eat her pussy? Did Monroe slip her hand into Shiloh’s jeans and finger her clit?
No. Damn it. No.
This is all Monroe. She’s pissed I’ve been avoiding her, so she decided to get my attention. To mess with Shiloh to get to me. I know Shiloh is capable and independent, but obviously Monroe’s pulled some particularly shady moves because they were obviously up close and personal just now. I will not go down this rabbit hole. Except, it’s too late, I’m already there and nothing makes sense, and I barely understand my own reactions to it.
Shiloh won’t look at me as they head in my direction, but Monroe puts a swing in her step. “Hello, husband.”
“I’m not your husband.”
“Well, I’m your Bride, so calling you Groom is a little stiff.” She flicks a glance at the front of my pants, where the fit is feeling a little tight right now. “Since when do you play chauffeur?”
“Since it was you two who needed the ride.” I tried to avoid it, but Maddox overrode my excuses. I glance at Shiloh. “Are you okay?” She seems okay, but if I misread this and Monroe held her down and smeared her lipstick all over Shiloh’s skin…
Fuck, I really don’t want to think about my reaction to that, either.
That gets her to look at me, but it takes me several long beats to recognize her expression. She’s…angry. She pulls her hair tie out and drags her hand through her hair. “Contrary to what some people think, I’m more than capable of taking care of myself—and making my own decisions.” She strides out of the bar without looking back.
Monroe’s throaty laugh has been haunting my dreams. Even so, the memory doesn’t come close to living up to reality. “Wow. You managed to stick your foot in your mouth within thirty seconds without any help from me. Impressive.”
“I just want her safe. That’s not a bad thing.” I don’t mean to say it, but of course she capitalizes on it the second I do.
She laughs again. “You really are a fool when it comes to her. It would be irritating if it weren’t so useful.”
I spin on her, backing her against the bar and planting my hands on either side of her body. As much as I hate to admit it, she looks good. The overwhelming desire to shred her clothes with my bare hands and bend her over the bar nearly takes my breath away. What the fuck is wrong with me? This woman is a poison in my blood, and now she’s expanding that to my friendship with Shiloh, too. We were already on rocky ground without Monroe swinging in on a wrecking ball to shatter us irreparably.
Except…maybe this isn’t Monroe at all. Nothing’s been the same since coming back to Sabine Valley. Monroe might drive me up the wall, but I’ve been on edge since we put this plan into motion. She’s just savvy enough to identify my fault lines and drive a semi-truck right through it.
None of that means I’m going to let her run roughshod over one of the people I care about most in this world. “Stay away from her.”
“Mmm.” She trails a single finger down the center of my chest. “Even if I were inclined to do that—and I’m not—who’s going to tell Shiloh to stay away from me?” She hooks that wandering finger in the band of my pants and tugs. The tiniest of sensations, but I’m instantly hard as a rock. “Want to go a round, Broderick Paine? Your girl is sexy as hell when she comes, but she’s a selfish little thing.”
The fondness in her voice makes my blood pressure rise. It’s an act. It has to be. She’s just doing this to punish me. She’s willing to hurt Shiloh to fuck with me. “I’ll get her taken off your guard duty.”
Monroe smiles, slow and sure. “Might want to ask her what she thinks before you charge in all high-handed to save her.”
“I’m not going to let you fuck around with Shiloh in some misguided attempt to hurt me.” Shiloh’s only in Sabine Valley—in danger—because of her association with me and my family. It’s all too easy to draw the parallels between Shiloh and the people who died the night we were exiled. Just like that, the scent of smoke scorches my nose. So many fucking people died and their only crime was being associated with the Paine family.
Just like Shiloh is.
“I will not let you hurt her,” I repeat.
“Hurt her?” She raises her brows. “Silly man. Who said this had anything to do with you? I’m a woman with needs, and right now those needs include getting Shiloh naked and coming on my tongue. You don’t enter into the equation. Neither does hurting her—unless she’s into that sort of thing.”
“Liar.”
“You think so little of her that you really believe she’s not attractive enough to pull me? I can’t decide if that’s a compliment or an insult.” She tilts her head to the side. “I think it’s both—to both of us.”
“Listen to me, Monroe, because I will only say this once.” My voice is so low and rough, I hardly sound like myself. No, I sound like my brother Cohen right before he does something violent. The thought nearly shocks me back to myself. Or it would if Monroe weren’t so damned close. She’s still tugging on the band of my pants, and I wouldn’t put it past her to undo them right here.
I can picture it as clearly as I pictured fucking her over the bar earlier. Digging my hand into that mass of blond hair and driving her to her knees. Of finding the single way to keep her silent—by fucking that wicked mouth.
Damn it.
I’m out of control.
How does she do this? No one gets under my skin so thoroughly, let alone in seconds. “Stay the fuck away from Shiloh,” I repeat.
“You don’t get to make that decision.” The voice comes from behind me, light and clear and angry enough to singe.
The victorious smile on Monroe’s face is a perfect match to the sinking in my chest. Shit. I release the bar and take one long step from her, disengaging her hand from my pants. My cock is hard, but there’s not a lot I can do about it. Just another way I’ve lost control in the last few minutes. I turn to find Shiloh standing in the doorway. She looks angrier than I’ve ever seen her.
Gods, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her angry.
Normally she’s so easy to be around. Chill and constantly rolling with the punches that came from our group never being able to settle in one place. Her parents were nightmares, and she’s ended up on the exact opposite of that spectrum, choosing never to make waves.
I can’t remember a single time we’ve actually fought. I hold up my hands, trying to think past the swirling of sex and smoke and loss in my thoughts.
“Shiloh—”
“No.” She shakes her head. “You do not get to say my name in that tone of voice like I’m the one out of line. Are you and your Bride in a monogamous relationship?”<
br />
I clench my jaw. “That’s not the point. I’m only trying—”
“I asked you a question, Broderick Paine,” she snaps. “Are you and your Bride in a monogamous relationship?”
I take a step forward. Surely she, of all people, understands how dangerous this dance is? Monroe isn’t a normal woman. Yes, I’d feel jealous to see Shiloh starting something with someone else, but ultimately that’s not my call to make. We’re friends. But Monroe isn’t just someone else. She’s the enemy. She will use Shiloh and discard her the moment Monroe’s finished with her. I wouldn’t be a good friend if I just stood back and let it happen. Especially since the danger is my Bride. “Can’t you see that you’re falling right into her trap? This is her way of getting back at me.”
Shiloh’s tone goes absolutely frigid. “Because that’s the only way someone could want me. As a path to get to you.”
Too late, I realize my mistake. “That’s not what I meant.”
“That’s what you said,” Monroe supplies from behind me.
“Stay out of it, witch.”
“You sweet talker, you.”
Shiloh closes the distance between us and pokes my chest. “Answer the damned question. Now.”
“No,” I bite out. “We’re not monogamous.”
“Have you had any negotiations about having a say in each other’s love lives?”
“No,” I repeat.
“Yeah, I didn’t think so.” She glares up at me. “And, as you are my friend and nothing more, you certainly don’t get a say on who I let into my bed. Fuck off, Broderick.” She spins on her heels, flips me the bird, and is gone.
The sound of slow clapping fills the room.
I turn to find Monroe practically giddy with amusement. “Wow. You really fucked that up all on your own. I barely had to help.”
“You are such a bitch.”
“Takes one to know one.” She starts for the door.
It’s as if my brain skips. One moment, I’m ready to tear into her for pulling such an underhanded move. The next, I’m watching my hand reach out and snag her wrist. All thought and reason take a back seat as I drag her behind me to the door she and Shiloh emerged from. One blink and we’re inside. Another and I have Monroe pressed against the closed door. “Did you have her just like this?” I wedge my thigh between her legs.
She lifts her brows, completely unbothered by the manhandling. But then, of course she is. She got off on it last time, too. “Yes, actually.”
“Such a smart mouth on you, Monroe. I ought to shove my cock in it and shut you up.”
“Not interested.” She laughs. “I already played the saint and kept my hands off your little girlfriend’s pussy.” She arches against me. “Make me come, Broderick. You want to use your cock to punish me? I’m ready and willing.”
“Ready and willing,” I repeat.
“Mmm.” She runs her hands up my chest and leans forward until her lips brush my ear. “Getting Shiloh off got me so fucking wet. She’s so pretty when she orgasms, husband. I’ll have to show you sometime.”
“Stop calling me that,” I grind out.
I can hear her smile. “Make me.”
Those two little words snap the last bit of leash holding me back. I pull away from her and yank her to bend over the sink. I undo her pants and shove them to the floor. I don’t care if they get dirty. I don’t give a damn about anything but fucking her until I expel some of the frustration turning me into a goddamned monster. “I ought to have bent you over the bar and fucked you right there.”
“Better have charged for it, then.”
“Always a snappy comeback.” I grip the front of her shirt and jerk it down, baring her breasts. With only the little top thing around her hips, she looks like a sex goddess. It doesn’t matter if we’re in a dingy bar bathroom. Monroe owns this space just like she owns every space she occupies. I can’t blame Shiloh for being drawn to her. I’m right here, in the exact same spot, acting outside of my best interests because of this woman, too.
I grab the back of her neck and bend her forward. She spreads her legs even wider. I can see how wet she is, her pussy pink and glistening. Gods, it’s like she was built to tempt me. It doesn’t matter what I think of this woman. It doesn’t matter that she’s the enemy and I resent this handfasting binding us together
All that matters is that I need to get inside her right this fucking second or I might die.
I wrap a fist around my cock but manage to stop myself. “I don’t have a condom.”
“You’re cute when you’re trying to put your leash back on.” She laughs. “I told you already—I’ve been tested, and I have an IUD. You can do anything you want to me, Broderick Paine. No brakes. No consequences.” She presses against my hold so she can meet my gaze in the mirror. “That scares you shitless, doesn’t it? Nothing holding you to that honorable mask you wear. You can be just as feral as the rest of us.”
“Shut up.”
“Prove me wrong.”
Proving her wrong means crossing half a dozen lines I’ve drawn for myself. Lines I crossed on Lammas night. I’ve been avoiding her solely to resist doing what I’m doing right now. I meet Monroe’s gaze in the mirror, and the victorious expression on her pretty face feels like a bucket of cold water dumped over my head.
I’m playing right into her hands.
I tighten my grip ever so slightly, and she shivers. No matter what else is true, she’s as affected as I am by this thing between us. I can use that. I have to use that. “It’s a shame Shiloh didn’t make you come.” Saying Shiloh’s name nearly trips me up, but I force myself to continue. “Because I’m not going to, either.”
The shock on her face is nearly as good as sinking into her tight cunt would be. Or that’s what I tell myself as I release her and step back. “Put yourself back together.”
Monroe turns around and leans against the sink. She doesn’t seem bothered by her nakedness, but why would she be? She’s perfect; at least physically. It takes everything I have to keep my attention on her face as she slowly fixes her top and then pulls up her pants. She runs her fingers through her now-messy blond hair. “You’ve really fucked things up with Shiloh.”
I suspect she’s right, but I’ll never admit as much aloud. “Stay out of it.”
“No, I don’t think I will.” She fixes her hair. Her expression goes predatory. “After all, I’m your Bride. Your business is my business.”
“Monroe.”
“Yes, husband?” She must see me clenching my jaw hard enough to shatter teeth, because she grins. “Don’t worry, Broderick. I’ll get really up close and personal with Shiloh and save your friendship.”
“By save, you mean destroy.”
She shrugs a single shoulder. “It’s not my fault you can’t get out of your own way.”
“Leave her alone.”
She pulls the door open, forcing me to move back to avoid touching her. “Fine.”
I blink. “Fine?”
“Yes, fine.” Monroe stops and looks over her shoulder. “I’ll leave your precious best friend alone.”
My feet feel like they’ve grown roots. I was so braced for a fight, I’m not sure how to react to her easy capitulation. “Oh.” I clear my throat. “Good.”
“That’s not the thing you should be focusing on, husband.”
I don’t want to ask; I already know I won’t like the answer. “What should I be focusing on?” I follow her out of the bathroom, pausing to shut the door behind me. She doesn’t answer until we’re out on the street. Shiloh is nowhere in evidence, and I’d worry about her, but she’s more than capable of taking care of herself and getting back to the compound on her own. Monroe and I fall into step through the crowd.
She gives me a sweet smile. “The fact that Shiloh is not going to leave me alone.”
I shake my head. She’s baiting me. She must be. “She won’t touch you without some meddling on your part.” Shiloh’s too good, too focused. How could she b
e drawn to someone like Monroe, with venom in her very blood?
How could I be drawn to Monroe?
I shove the thought away. “It won’t happen.”
“Would you like to bet on it?”
Sheer rage has me saying, “Of course.”
“If I’m correct, and Shiloh comes to me without any manipulations on my part, then you’re mine for a week.”
I stop short. “What?”
Monroe stops, too. “A week, husband, where you stop pretending you’re a good man and do what you really want.” She steps closer. Though she doesn’t touch me, the phantom memory of her nails skating up my chest has me fighting back a shiver. “Where you take what you really want.”
I’d be a fool a thousand times over to make a bet with this woman. No matter what she promises, she will cheat, lie, and steal to win. That’s just the kind of person Monroe is; she fights dirty. I open my mouth to tell her to fuck off, but that’s not what comes out. “You have yourself a deal.”
Chapter 7
Shiloh
I’m so furious, I can barely see straight. The walk back to the compound takes half the time it should. The entire time, all I can focus on is how unbelievably over-bearing Broderick has become. He’s always been over-protective, but never once in the last seven years has he tried to steamroll me. Not about my ability to do my job. Not about my dating life.
Sure, there hasn’t been much of a dating life to speak of, but ultimately that changes nothing. The man was making decrees about me as if I’m a child to be controlled.
I am not a child.
I’m a fucking adult, and he can choke on his decrees for all I care.
I shove through the front doors of the main house so hard, they bounce off the wall. A small voice inside me warns that I need to give myself time to cool off before doing anything else, but for once in my life I’m too angry to listen. There’s no room for caution here, no space to be rational.
Gabriel Paine, the youngest of the Paine brothers, jumps in surprise at my entrance. “Shiloh?” He narrows his eyes. “Is everything okay?”
