Stanley, Gale - Spitfire [Southwest Shifter 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (6 page)

Brady shrugged his shoulders. “I know her, how she thinks.”

“And I think you’re full of shit.”

Brady got up in Cade’s face until they were nose to nose. “Is that right?”

Cade shoved him away, and without a second thought, Brady hauled off and swung at his face, landing a solid punch. Cade shook his head, and bloody snot flew from his nose. Furious, he started swearing and came back with a vengeance. He had just enough time to blacken Brady’s eye before the other men came running and hustled them out the door.

They stood outside glaring at each other. Cade spit at his feet. “You want her, admit it.”

“Maybe I do. We have something special.”

“The fuck you say!” Cade unleashed his jealousy on a nearby garbage can and kicked it to the curb. “Why don’t we let her choose? When she comes back, we’ll talk to her together.”

Brady didn’t like the idea, but what choice did he have? If she really wanted Cade, she’d turn down his offer anyway. They might as well cut to the chase, and they would, as soon as she came back.

* * * *

Who says wolves can’t fly?
Ayala had a seat on cloud nine. When the Alpha asked to speak to her in private, and escorted her up to his office, she feared he was going to rain on her parade. Instead, he’d offered to help her if she still wanted to leave. She did. More than ever. Both Cade and Brady had looked at her with serious intent in their eyes, and she had no intention of tying herself to either one of them.

The Alpha’s proposal wasn’t without restrictions, but she could deal because it included a one-way ticket to the big city. There was a job waiting for her at the Foundation for Infertility and Reproductive Medicine, the pack-funded facility in Philadelphia. Dr. Roy Granger himself, the head of the FIRM, would be training her. Her Alpha’s words rang in her ears.
Roy is one of us. While you are in Philadelphia, I want you to regard him as your Alpha. He’ll keep you safe.
Ayala promised Alex she would do as he asked, but she had no intention of going from one Alpha to another. Once she stepped foot in the city, all bets were off.

Filled with excitement, she didn’t return to the party. Instead, she went back home to start packing. Dressed in an old, baggy T-shirt and cutoff jeans, she started going through her closet, only packing wasn’t as much fun as she thought it would be. The entire contents of her closet and dresser were strewn over the bed and floor. The open suitcase on her bed remained empty. Nothing in her wardrobe would be appropriate in the city. Jeans and sneaks were okay here, but they would never work in Philadelphia. She would buy new clothes as soon as she settled in.

At the sound of a sharp rap, she threw open the door, surprised to see both Brady and Cade standing there.

“You left so quickly, we were worried—” Brady looked beyond her and his face went dark. “What’s going on?”

Ayala flipped her hair in annoyance and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m cleaning out my closet.”

Brady raised a brow. “Looks like a little more than spring cleaning.”

“What do you want?” she snapped.

“Sorry.” Brady cleared his throat. “Look, can we come in? I… we just want to talk for a few minutes.”

“I’m a little busy—”

“Please,” Cade added.

Amazing how one little word can have so much sway over a person.
Ayala sighed and stepped aside to let them enter. Their bruised faces didn’t go unnoticed. It must have happened after she left the ceremony, but she refused to bring it up and prolong their visit. Hoping to get this over quickly, she didn’t ask them to sit either. Ayala remained standing as well. “So what’s this all about?”

* * * *

Brady looked at Cade. “I—”

Cade looked back at Brady. “We—”

They both started laughing, and then Cade spoke up. “I want to claim you as my mate in a formal union.”

Her jaw dropped in surprise. “I can’t marry you.”

“Ha!” Brady gave a hoot of excitement. He knew she wanted him over Cade. “I want you to be my mate.”

Ayala turned to Brady. “I can’t marry either of you.” She hesitated as if looking for the right words. “I care for both of you. I couldn’t possibly choose one over the other.”

“Mate us both,” Brady blurted out.

Cade narrowed his eyes at Brady, sending him a look that said
what the fuck is wrong with you?
Brady glared right back at him. Maybe Cade didn’t like the idea of sharing her. If that was true, he’d better get over it real quick. They were here to convince Ayala to choose one of them as her mate, and she just admitted she couldn’t choose. A triad was the only answer.

Never before had Brady thought about bringing Cade into the picture, but as soon as the words left his mouth he knew it was the right solution for them. Hell it was more than right, it was perfect. He and Cade had been together since they were kids, orphaned and trying to survive in a world where everything had been taken from them with the strike of a match. Through the years they had become so close a physical relationship was inevitable. They were good together and they’d be good for Ayala as well. Taking mates meant security. She’d never want for a thing and in exchange she would take care of them and hopefully bear their cubs. They wouldn’t be the first to have such an arrangement.
Wade and Noah were happy with their relationship. He and Cade could make it work, too. He knew they could. “Cade and I will take good care of you.” He looked over at Cade, who nodded reluctantly.

“I would do anything for you, Ayala,” Cade said softly. “I know Brady would, too.”

Ayala’s fingers were splayed out in a fan against her breastbone. She looked from one to the other. “You’re really serious about this?”

“Damn right,” Cade answered. “I wanted to talk to you about a mating the other day and then at the party, but you didn’t give me a chance. Maybe that was for the best because now we can work this out between the three of us. ”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes,” Brady told her.

“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t want a relationship.”

Well, fuck me! Am I hearing right?
Brady couldn’t believe his ears. Lycan women were passionate and hot blooded. They all wanted mates who would take care of them and protect them. Didn’t they?

Chapter Six

Trying to let the men down easy had backfired. Instead of being put off, they’d suggested a triad. Truth be told, the idea of a ménage a trois made her wolf sit up and beg. It gave her pause for all of thirty seconds.

What the hell am I thinking?
Brady and Cade wanted more than just an occasional threesome. They wanted to leash her. Being under the thumb of one wolf was bad enough. Two would be unbearable. If they wanted unconditional obedience and unfailing nurturance, they were barking up the wrong tree. How could she make them understand that she didn’t want to take care of a man, or men, and be taken care of in return? She needed to be her own person, not an extension of some
testosterone-fueled, overprotective wolf.

“I’m leaving here.” She winced at the expression in their eyes. “I want to see some of the world outside the pack, get a job—”

“A job?” Brady looked at her like she had an extra head on her shoulders. “You have a job here.”

She glared at him. “Sex slave doesn’t qualify.”

“The Alpha will never let you go,” Cade stated firmly.

“That’s what you think.” She huffed. “He’s already given me his blessing.”

“Son of a bitch.” Brady started pacing furiously. “He’s letting you go off by yourself?”

“Where?” Cade asked. “It’s too dangerous. I’ll go with you.”

Ayala rolled her eyes at his oh-so-wolfish attitude.
Why do they all prefer women who are useless? Is it an ego thing?
“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Besides, I have a job and a place to stay waiting for me in Philadelphia. I’ll be fine.”

Cade stood in front of her. He lifted her chin with a finger. “You really want to leave?”

“Yes.” She felt Brady at her back, his hard erection pressed against her ass. Lycan men thought they could solve everything with sex. Brady cupped her breasts and squeezed. They meant to sway her to their will by fucking her. It wouldn’t work.

Of course she wanted them. Four hands, two mouths, and two hard cocks ready and willing to pleasure her was her ultimate fantasy. Even more exciting was the thought of seeing these two hot men pleasure each other. Already her pussy throbbed, and her shorts were damp at the thought of having both of them in her bed. Her Lycan genes screamed, “go for it,” but just because her extremely sexual nature was inherent in every bit of her genetic makeup didn’t mean she needed or wanted a permanent relationship. She would enjoy them now, but when it came time to leave, she’d have no problem saying good-bye.

Cade’s eyes burned into hers, but instead of the kiss she expected, his mouth sought Brady’s over her shoulder ,and the two men shared a deep kiss that both surprised and thrilled her. Everyone knew the men engaged in sex with each other, but she’d never witnessed it for herself, and the sight of their open mouths and searching tongues took her arousal up another notch.

When the men finally broke apart, Cade pinned her with dark, lust-filled eyes and a thrill of anticipation raised goose bumps on her flesh. Brady pressed closer, pushing her into Cade and she let out a needy whimper.

“Do you want us, sweetheart?” Brady murmured against her hair. “Both of us?”

“Yes,” she hissed. There was no denying it. They could smell arousal all over her.

Brady grabbed the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head while Cade unzipped her shorts and shoved them over her hips. Having two gorgeous men undress her was sexier than she thought possible.

In one fluid movement, Brady scooped her up and set her on the bed, and then he and Cade removed their own clothes and tossed them on the floor.

The mattress dipped as both men climbed on the bed, Brady on her right side, Cade on her left. A moment of doubt cast a shadow over her pleasure when she saw the predatory looks on their faces. Then two heads bent over her, each man sucking a nipple into the wet heat of his mouth and she forgot everything else. Ayala cried out and arched her back as they tongued her nipple rings and took possession of her full, achy breasts.

Cade released her breast with a soft pop and lifted his head. Tenderly, he traced his fingers over her lips, her jaw, her cheek. He let out an audible sigh, and his lips parted, but whatever he was about to say was lost as Brady came up for air, and claimed her mouth. They shared a wild, hungry kiss as Cade settled between her thighs and spread them.

A rough, sandpaper tongue swiped her cleft in one long stroke. She gasped against Brady’s lips and squirmed against Cade’s mouth, trying for more contact. Groaning, Cade separated her labia with his thumbs and plunged his tongue deep inside her cunt.

“Fuck!” Brady bolted up, a hand over his mouth. “What the fuck did you do to her? She bit me!” Brady stuck out a bloody tongue.

Cade looked up, all innocent, his face covered in her cream. “Let me kiss it and make it better.” He reached up, grasped Brady’s neck, and pulled his head down, sucking on his tongue long after it was necessary to stop the flow of blood.

They were hot as hell. She could get off watching them fuck each other, but what fun would that be? “Hey.” She pulled on Cade’s hair. “Did you forget someone?”

The men broke apart laughing, and Cade climbed up her body and rolled them onto their sides. “I didn’t forget anyone. Did you, Brady?”

“Hell no.” Brady snuggled up behind her, his cock nestled in the crease of her ass.