What are the odds that by some wicked chance the Alphas claiming Jackson are the very ones that had claimed me all those years ago?
They do have this habit of thinking that everything fucking belongs to them.
The mere thought of having to face them sends my stomach curling. Yet, lingering just underneath the surface is a sea of emotion that I thought I had long forgotten. There is no denying that behind this façade, the wall that I had built is slowly crumbling.
And before that happens, I need to decide…
I am either all Liam or no man at all.
I owe it to him and moreover, I owe it to myself.
The Xavier brothers are destroying me all over again and I am giving them the power.
It will not fucking happen.
Not again!
So, as I glance over to the only man that should be wandering through my mind, I lay my hand gently on his arm, “Why don’t we book into the hotel before we go over to my mom?”
With nothing but a hint of lust filling those eyes, he cocks his head, and brings the car to a screeching halt. “Why are we not staying at your mom’s?”
“You know she will not let us share a room if we do,” with a little smile growing at the corners of my mouth, I lean closer, laying my lips against the tip of his ear, I softly whisper, “And I would like you to show me this naughty dream that you had.”
Turning his head only but an inch, his mouth claims mine, “Where is this hotel?” Not waiting for me to answer, he slides his tongue through, forcing my lips to part. “But I can always show you now.”
“Liam,” I gasp as his hands find their way underneath my blouse. “By the time you undo these buttons, the news would have gotten to my mother that her daughter is making out with some boy in the front seat of a car, smack in the middle of town.”
Crawling his fingers between my cleavage, he only but growls, “Am I only some boy?”
As he glides his hands over the contours of my breast, I cannot help but clench my thighs, “I will call you anything you want, just get me to that hotel.”
For a moment he lingers the tip of his fingers, waiting to hear me beg for his touch. Yet he taunts and he teases, drawing an agonizing path down my belly. With each breath he takes, I can hear him strain underneath his rising passion. Twisting his finger in the edges of my red lace panties, he slides them under for only a fraction.
“Fuck, Liam,” my breathing hitches, “What exactly did you dream about?”
His wicked smile grows by inches, “Exactly this…”
But before he can slip his hands to my ever-clenching thighs, I hear a gentle knock against my window…
“Fuck.”
I snap my head, only to see Olivia standing on the other side. That heat that was once crawling its way to my core now makes way for an iciness that settles over my spine. With legs not near able to find their strength, I open the door slowly and step around to take her into my arms.
Yet as she fights the tears, she cannot help but smile, “I see you are still all for public display.” Glancing over my shoulder at a man still raging with lust, she softly chuckles, “I guess this must be Liam?”
“We were just about to find the hotel.”
She bursts out in a rumble, “I bet you were. But how about you join us instead?”
“Us? Are you with mom and dad?”
Not saying a word, she pulls me by the arm, “Come, we are just up here at our old spot.”
For a brief moment, as our eyes lock, I can see her fighting those tears again. She always used to be so much better at hiding her emotions, but she can barely hold it together now. There is something that she is not telling me.
“Olivia, stop!”
Ignoring my please, she continues to pull me towards the entrance. This used to be our local hangout. Anybody that was someone used to find themselves here drinking and dancing the night away until the early hours of the morning.
I have so many fond memories here.
And most of those… Well, let us just say it was with them…
So, it is no surprise the second I step inside; that I am ripped right back into the past.
But just as the memories come back flooding, I feel a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist. “Don’t go running off without me,” Liam pulls me deeper into his side, full and well aware that every head in the pub has turned in my direction. And as I glance over the peering eyes, I am amazed to see those of so many that I use to spend those very late hours here with. Though I cannot help but sigh as I do not for a single second see the infamous brothers between them…
It seems that they must have left town after all.
There is a wave of relief that washes over me, sending a once tense body, to relax. Though as we take our seats at a far corner table, I cannot shake this feeling that somebody is watching me.
This does not go unnoticed by Liam, that pulls my chair right up to his, then from underneath the thumping of the live music, he speaks, yet it is more a warning, “You are mine.”
Placing a kiss on his lips for all to see, I call the waiter over and order a much-needed drink. Then I turn my attention to Olivia, “What is going on? How is mom?”
“Avy,” her eyes near begging. “I have had a rough day; can we not just celebrate you being home?”
Seeing the pain creep to the surface of those eyes, I raise my glass, “Let us celebrate then.”
Liam looks at me rather suspiciously, “I can see trouble coming.”
I only but wave him off, throwing back another whiskey, I continue to order round after round of tequila shots. The music growing louder by the second, and the day fast turning into night. Liam not taking his hands nor his eyes from me for a moment.
As Olivia sees my irritation at his clinginess increase with each ticking second, so she pulls me from my seat and leads to me the dance floor.
I cannot help but giggle as I grab the bottle of tequila and take one big gulp, “Thank god, I was starting to feel trapped.”
“He is awfully clingy; does he know about…”
Not wanting her to even dare and mention the words, I shove the bottle back into her hands and announce, “We need more drinks. I am going to the bar.”
With a glance over at our table, I see Liam engulfed in a deep conversation with one of the other guys, not looking in my direction at all. I cannot help but sigh in relief, “Thank fuck for that.”
The bartender winks and hands me another tot of god knows what, “It looks like you need this.”
Before I can even stop myself, I utter, “I need a whole lot more than this.”
Just then the band starts to play one of my favorite songs. The music takes control of my body, and as I close my eyes, I start to sway my hips to the rhythm. With each beat, it sweeps me away to another dimension, and I start swaying seductively from side to side, dropping to the floor as the thumping grows.
As rise and lift my hands above my head, I feel a pair of hands make their way down my waist, lingering over my hips before it settles firmly on my thighs. “Liam,” I cannot help but tremble. His mere touch is setting me alight, there is a burning edging its way to the surface, and it sparks my arousal in an instant.
Wrapping my hands around his waist, I pull him tightly up against my back. Feeling his breath fall hot upon the bare of my neck, I throw my head against his chest and allow him to devour my flesh. As his cologne tingles at my senses, I turn my head to find his lips…
But as I open my eyes…
“What the fuck!”
I can barely take my eyes off his parted lips as he does nothing but smile down at me, “Avyanna…”
“Kage…”
“I see you still don’t know how to be with one man.”
“I thought you were…”
But I am not able to utter a single syllable…
Next, I have Kage pushing me back down a corridor… With each step, he is devouring my lips to utmost torment. Nipping and biting, he is making goddamn sure he is getting a good taste.
Then as he stops for but a breath, “Did you miss me?” Bursting through the back door, he pushes me up against the wall, locking my legs around his waist, “I sure as fuck missed this.”
“Kage…” Nothing but a whimper leaves my lips as he continues to rage a battle inside of my mouth. “Kage…” This time I am nearly begging.
“Fuck, Avyanna…” He drops me to the floor, and as his fingers wrap around the buttons of my blouse, I can hear the very distinct noise of a door opening behind us…
Then yet another familiar voice comes creeping through the alley, “What the fuck is going on here?”
…THEN…“Kage…”His eyes are smoldering, and with every goddamn bone in my body, I am praying that it is from his arousal, yet he is nothing but raging mad.“Get out!”“Kage…” With his grip tightening around my wrists, he is pushing me down the stairs. “Kage, please wait! I can explain.”His voice grows louder as he bursts out in a rumble of laughter, “Please tell me how you can explain my goddamn brother all over you?”“Kage…” The tears rolling like thundering clouds down my face, “He caught me by surprise. I promise you nothing happened.”For a fraction of a second, his breathing stops, and he spits out in disgust, “The same way that Slater was feeling you up in the kitchen?”“How…”He brings the tips of his finger to my lips, “How? Is that what you want to know?” Pushing me up against the very next wall presenting itself, he continues to pin my hands above my head, “Is this the way you like it?”“Kage, please…”Stepping through the dining room, he clears the table of its very conten
…KAGE POV…Moving with pure elegance, I watch her sway those goddamn hips with utmost tormented purpose. Flicking them from side to side, that skirt flares just enough to give me a full view of her tight ass. Every emotion that was ever filled with rage, is set on fire…That fire that once burned for her ignites right the fuck alight.And in a mere than the blink of an eye, my only desire is to taste Avyanna Tate…It takes me less than two strides, and I burst through the back door only to catch a glimpse of her as she disappears around the corner. With a nothing but smirk and the hint of a growl, I adjust my growing erection, “Not so fast, my little wolf.” Then from underneath my breath, I whisper, “I am not done with you yet.”But as I take that corner, sneaking up from the side, I see her toy boy pushing his way through the door, short on the heels of my prize, into the lady’s bathroom.Picking up the pace, I slip in behind just as the door is about to close, then with nothing but
…NIKO POV…“You still believe that she belongs to you? To you and you alone?”I watch Kage as his eyes grow wide with rage, “You are damn fucking right about that. Now, do I need to repeat myself?”I cannot help but spit back at him in utter fury, “If you have not noticed, she is with someone else.”“And if you have forgotten, she is back in town because I wanted her to be here.”The mere thought of the lengths this man would go to get what he wants sets every emotion racing. He was the one that did everything in his power to get Anna out of town, and now, after all these years, he wants her back.Yes, Kage has come under fire for not having marked Anna when he had the chance, but what he has done now…It is fucking insane.Yet, he would be wise to remember that our dear Anna does not like to be told what to do and let alone be pushed into a corner.So, as I slowly rise from my chair, I give Kage a once-over, “You are playing a dangerous game. You think you lost her ten years ago, wai
…SLATER POV…Staring at Kage, still burning white-hot with fury, it brings back all those nights. Nights when I was so angry at him, and myself for the part we both played in chasing Avy away. The plan never was to get her to leave town, we were trying to teach her a lesson for playing us all.But Kage had a temper, and he felt betrayed.There was no way that he was going to let Avy make him look like a fool. So he pushed her as far as he could, so far that she eventually left.And it broke me.It splintered my heart into so many goddamn pieces, I could not find anything that would put it back together again.But now, she is back.And all those feelings, those emotions, they have been pulled from the grave that has been my heart.I know I should not.But I feel alive again for the first time in years.Though this thing with Kage and Niko, I need them to stop because if they don’t, it will push Avy away again. Yes, I am the last one that approves of what Kage did to get her here, but s
If my life was not a mess before, then it is now nothing but a fuck up. I have not been in this town for a goddamn hour and I have had all three Xavier brothers doing what they do best…Claiming what they think is theirs.And did I stop them?Not the least fucking bit.I need to get as far away from the three of them, but what my head tells me is not what my body wants. My body has done nothing but betray me with each encounter I have had. It seems that not only did these boys do some growing up, but the addiction they bring, has me craving them stronger than any drug.Stronger than ever before.With each whispered breath, they have by their heated touch set my body completely alight. I am so near damn close to exploding, if one of them edges their way over my lace panties, I might just erupt.Standing here with Slater as he pulls me back closer to him, there is nothing that I want more than to give in. Seeing him bulging in those skinny jeans, has me wanting the one thing that I cann
The very words send a chill to my spine.How can my father possibly be in trouble with the Xavier brothers?What I have learned only but an hour ago from Slater is that they own this pub. But my father is not a drinker and even less is my mother. The possibility of them causing trouble here is more like slim to nothing. So how has my father gotten himself mixed up with the brothers?Do I even want to know?Guess I will have to find out.So very reluctantly and shit scared to learn the truth, I push Olivia for the answers, “How is dad mixed up with the Xavier brothers?She only but stares at me, and from the terrified look on her face, she is not willing to go into detail. Judging from her reluctance, it must be bad.But still…How is the Xavier brother involved in this?I need to know what the fuck is going on here.“Olivia, if this is the reason you dragged my ass back home, then at least give me a fucking explanation.”“It… was…” I watch as she hesitates. Something has her spooked,
…KAGE POV…The way she is making my cock feel as she pouts those lips in utter frustration makes me want to pin her to that fucking couch and let my hands explore every inch of her body. The mere thought of how they will feel wrapped around my head is driving me crazy. The only desire consuming me is to taste every curve that is Avyanna Tate.I am trying to remain the level-headed businessman that I should be, but trying to remember the feeling of her bare naked skin far out ways any business I feel like discussing. The only thing that should be moving is our lips in perfect precision, and our bodies falling in harmony as I take her to the edge and drop her down into a pool of ecstasy.To think there was a time that I hated this woman, and now all I can think of is having her back between my sheets. Seeing that wet…“Wipe that stupid grin off your face and tell me what you want, Kage.”What do I want?You… Naked… Spread open… On that table…“Kage!”“Patience, Avyanna, we have all day.
“Is that a yes, Avyanna?”I watch him as the impatience seems to grow with each ticking second. This Kage is a far cry from the one I knew ten years ago. He is determined to get what it is that he wants. But my question begs, what is it exactly that he is trying to achieve with this seemingly innocent business proposal?One thing that will never change about this man…You cannot trust him.“What happens if I say no?”For a brief moment, I see his eyes grow wider than my fucking hoop earrings. Something gives me the idea that he believes that I will just give in without any question. I mean, how bad can my dad’s debt be?“How much does my dad owe you?”Throwing his head back, he bursts out in a fit of laughter again, “That little modeling salary of yours will not even make a dent in it.”“How much, Kage?”Standing from the couch, he walks over to his desk and continues to retrieve a blue folder. Then, as he comes back to take his seat again, he slowly slides it over to me. With rather