Authors: Lynnette Bernard
“Mia?” she asked, her voice rough with sleep. “Where are you?”
Jace nuzzled against her neck, his hand resting possessively on her breast, loving the feel of her taut nipple under the palm of his hand. He remained still as she spoke on the phone, enjoying the closeness of her.
“Okay, honey, I’ll be out front waiting for you.”
She closed the phone and smiled at the men who were looking at her so calmly. Reaching out and touching their faces gently, she couldn’t help but blush as she remembered what they had just done.
“So are the men soothed?” she asked quietly.
Jackson laughed and leaned down to kiss her lips gently. “Yes, baby,” he whispered against her lips, kissing her once more before leaning back so Jace could kiss her as well.
“How are you feeling?” Jace asked her, his concern evident on his face.
“I’m good,” she whispered, stretching and arching her back as total satisfaction raced through her body. “I’m not really sore, just tired.”
“We took care of you while you were sleeping,” Jackson told her, reaching down to gently cup her mound and pet her carefully.
“You did?”
Jace nodded and nuzzled his face against her neck. “We used the healing salve Martha gave us after we licked your sweet pussy,” he told her.
Laurie’s intake of breath caused both men to pull back and look down at her. What they saw surprised them. There were tears in her eyes as she looked up at them.
“Baby?” Jackson asked her carefully. “What’s wrong?”
Laurie couldn’t even speak. Their concern for her was overwhelming. The fact that they had taken care of her while she was sleeping proved how much they truly did care about her. She didn’t feel uncomfortable with their treatment of her while she was asleep. She felt cherished, protected, and loved.
Unable to put into words how much their care meant to her, she opened her heart to them through their link and surrounded them in warmth and love so deep they looked down at her with awe and happiness. They couldn’t help but return the feeling, and Laurie felt bathed in their love.
“The kids will be here in about twenty minutes,” she told them lazily, stroking her hands down their backs as she held them in her arms.
Jace pulled out of her embrace, kissing her sweetly before leaving the bed. “I’ll make sure our pack is ready to meet us outside to help unload the cars.”
Jackson left her side, kissing her quickly before going to the doorway to retrieve Laurie’s clothes. He walked back toward her, extending his hand to offer them to her. Laurie smiled and watched Jace’s hot ass as he walked toward his clothes. Jackson’s equally hot ass turned, and she saw his erect cock standing proudly as he faced her. A man had no right to look that good. Jace turned back toward her and smiled. Jackson chuckled quietly, and he winked at her. She blushed deeply when she realized that she had let them hear her thoughts.
“God, this is so embarrassing,” Laurie muttered, pulling the sheet over her head.
She felt the bed dip with the weight of her men as they climbed up beside her. She felt her hands being covered as the sheet was drawn down, and she looked up to face two very handsome and happy faces.
“We feel the same way about you, Laurie,” Jace told her, his voice deep with emotion, kissing her nose lightly before getting off the bed. He dressed quickly and walked toward the bedroom door. “I’ll be in the front of the lodge with the pack. Come down when you’re ready.” He opened the door, turning to wink at her before leaving and closing the door behind him.
Laurie turned to face Jackson. He was smiling down at her, his eyes sparkling with happiness.
“I’ll help you get dressed,” he told her as he helped her get out of bed.
“I can dress myself, Jackson,” she told him, exasperated.
“Now what fun is that?” he teased, reaching out to cover her left breast with his hand and caress it lovingly.
Laurie laughed and reached for her clothes, laying them on the bed and reaching out to pick up her underwear. Despite her determination to dress herself, she had to admit that she enjoyed Jackson’s help. She especially enjoyed the kisses he lavished on her body before he covered her with the articles of clothing. Once they were both dressed, Laurie made a quick stop in the bathroom and walked out to step into Jackson’s waiting arms.
Jackson smiled and pulled her toward the doorway. “Come on, baby,” he told her, laughing. “Our kids are waiting for us to help them.”
Laurie’s eyes filled with tears at his easy acceptance that her children belonged to them, too. She pulled at his hand to stop him, and he turned to face her with confusion.
“Laurie?”
“Our kids?” she whispered.
His face softened with understanding. “Yes, our kids,” he told her sincerely. “Your children belong to me and Jace now. Are you okay with that?”
Laurie nodded and reached to wrap her arms around his waist. “You have no idea how much I wish they really were your babies,” she whispered against his chest.
Jackson reached up and stroked the back of her head gently, his heart pounding with love at her words. “Would you have liked it if Jace and my babies were growing inside of you?” It was as close as he could get to finding out if she might be accepting of her pregnancy.
“Do you mean if I would like it if Mia and Dean came from you and Jace?” she asked, looking up at him in confusion.
Jackson nodded, waiting patiently, but inside his brain was running wild with the thoughts of Laurie in her final stages of pregnancy. Pure joy rushed through him at the vision of her standing before him, her belly filled with their child. Picturing the way he and Jace held her between them, laying their hands on her swollen stomach to feel their baby moving, made him feel deeply happy and content. He knew that Laurie had seen his vision when she gasped and looked up at him in surprise.
There were tears in her eyes when she looked up at him. “That was a beautiful vision, Jackson. Thank you.” Jackson smiled down at her, not speaking. “I wish it were true. I wish you both helped me to make my children. You would have loved them and protected them as they deserved. It wasn’t right that they had to grow up thinking they weren’t good enough for their father.”
She pulled away from him then, sorrow surrounding her as she walked away from him and made her way to the front of the lodge. Jackson hesitated a moment, knowing only time would help Laurie and her children,
their
children, know that they belonged with the pack and would be cherished and loved. And so would the baby she was carrying and the babies she would be carrying.
There was a definite jaunty spring to his step as he followed their mate outside. The thought of her being pregnant, getting pregnant again, and he and Jace getting her pregnant made him deliriously happy. And horny.
Chapter 21
Laurie stood on the front steps of the main lodge, barely containing her nervousness as she watched her son’s car pull into the long driveway that led to the ranch entrance. Jace stood to her right, and Jackson walked over and stood to her left, waiting beside her. Jackson smiled over at Jace as he watched Laurie twist her hands nervously.
Look how cute our mate is when she’s nervous, Jace.
“Shush!” Laurie whispered, elbowing him quickly before she made her way down the stairs to stand at the bottom to wait for Dean’s car to come to a complete stop before her.
Jace laughed and looked at Jackson.
She heard you.
Jackson nodded, winking at Laurie as she turned around and glared at them both. “Stop teasing,” she whispered, “and come here please.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jace drawled, stepping down to stand beside her, joy filling him that she was open to their thoughts and feelings again.
He watched as the car came to a halt and the engine was turned off. The driver’s side door opened, and a young man stepped out, walking around the front of the car to kiss Laurie’s cheek quickly before continuing around to open the passenger side door and reach in to help a young girl out.
Jace looked at Jackson, and he saw the same concern in his face as they watched the young girl accept the young man’s help. He pulled her carefully and slowly out of the car. Once she was standing a moment and had achieved her footing, the young man stepped away and waited until she was clear of the car before shutting the door behind her.
Laurie went to the girl immediately and carefully embraced her. “How are you feeling, Mia?” she asked worriedly.
“I’m okay,” Mia answered quickly. “Just stiff from sitting in the car for so long. I’ll be fine once I move around.”
Laurie took Mia’s hand in hers as she led them to the steps of the lodge, reaching out to take hold of Dean’s hand as they stood before Jace and Jackson.
“Jace, Jackson, this is my daughter Mia and my son Dean,” Laurie introduced them proudly.
Looking at the three of them as they stood before him, Jace felt everything settle into place. Both children looked like their mother. He could feel the goodness in them. He could scent their honesty and caring. And, if he was not mistaken, a bit of hostility, too.
I feel it, too, Jace.
Jackson was careful not to project his thoughts to Laurie.
“Welcome to the Circle Three Ranch,” Jace greeted them. “And welcome to the family.”
He reached out and offered his hand first to Mia and then to Dean, smiling inside when he saw their hesitance at accepting it, and feeling the rightness of it when they finally did. Jackson offered his hand and waited for them to do the same with him.
Both children stepped back, and Dean assumed a pose that showed both men that he was not a pushover. Crossing his arms across his broad chest, his biceps bulging as he fought to control his anger, he looked both men up and down.
“Just so you know,” Mia began, stepping forward, her eyes firing with a warning as she looked both men over with a seriousness that would make any alpha proud. “We’ll give you both a chance because we love our mother. But if you disrespect her in any way, or if you hurt her, there won’t be a place in this world that you’ll be able to hide from us. We’ll hunt you down and make sure you never hurt another living soul again.”
Dean took a step forward to shield both his sister and his mother from both men. “You don’t want to mess with us,” he told them quietly. “No one is ever going to cause one moment of pain in our mother’s life again.”
As much as Laurie was stunned by her children’s comments, she was proud that they were strong enough to face Jace and Jackson without hesitation. She remained silent, waiting for her mates’ reactions. She hoped they would respect the strength of character that her children showed. She was so proud of them for protecting her. But she really didn’t need it. Not with these men.
“Since you want to talk about this out here, right now, we’ll accommodate you.” Jace nodded to both Mia and Dean. “Your mother is our mate. We couldn’t hurt her. We cherish her. And you don’t have to worry about having to deal with us if we mess up. I’m sure your mother won’t let us get away with anything. And that’s just the way we want it.”
“Our lives are complete now that she’s here with us,” Jackson finally spoke up. “And we’re glad you’ll both be staying here as part of our family.”
“If you have a problem with us, or with your life here, we expect you to come and talk to us about it,” Jace added, his tone sure, his authority evident. “We work together for the good of everyone, and we expect any issues to be brought forward immediately.”
He waited silently as both kids looked them over, then turned to each other and came to an unspoken agreement. Nodding, they turned as one and faced the two men who professed to care about their mother.
“Okay,” Mia answered seriously, speaking for them both. Reaching out to hold onto Dean’s arm, she finally gave in to her exhaustion. “I really need to lie down.”