The Alpha's Secret, An MMF Erotic Romance (The Stonewall Pack Alpha Series) (3 page)

"He can't," Liam said, voice clipped.

Liam was a good friend of Fiona's. Gavin might protect her out of loyalty to his client, but Liam protected her out of love.

Jake's eyes moved between the two of them. "Should I be worried?"

Chapter 3

"No, I don't think there's anything to worry about," Gavin said. "Just hold tight."

"I want to know soon," Jake said. "Talk to your client."

There was no doubt Jake thought he was top wolf. Unfortunately for Jake, Gavin might be as strong—no way to know without a fight—and he didn't like being ordered around by a man who had no authority over him. But Jake was his new brother-in-law. So he had to keep his temper.

Apparently his long pause was enough to let Jake know how he felt about the order. And after all, Gavin was Jake's new brother-in-law, too. "Please," Jake bit out.

Gavin met him halfway. "I will." He'd call Fiona tonight.

***

When the meal ended, Liam was ready. Bridget would try to bolt, and he and Gavin needed to stop her. Not to trap her or anything. Just to get her to talk to them for a few minutes.

Everyone rose and put on their coats. Everyone except the three of them. When Bridget tried to rise, Liam put his hand on her thigh and Gavin put his arm across the back of her chair.

"Wait a few minutes," Liam said.

Her lips parted slightly as she looked at him. "I don't see how we can figure this out."

Liam squeezed her leg. "We can at least give it a try."

They didn't say anything else until her family had not only cleared the restaurant doorway, but also couldn't be heard—meaning her family couldn't hear them either.

Gavin shifted in his chair so he faced her, his arm still on her chair. "Tell us what it is you're afraid of. Whatever it is, we'll fix it."

She gave him a disgusted look. "Typical man, thinking everything can be 'fixed.' What if you can't fix it?"

"Tell us what it is," Liam said.

She rounded on him, enunciating every word. "I don't know what it is."

Liam sat back in his chair. "Then what—"

She stood, the chair legs screeching, and made a cutting motion with her hands. "I just feel scared, okay? You're both more dominant than me. Everyone's more dominant than me. You're going to steamroll right over me until nothing's left." Her face turned angry. "And that's if you don't turn mean after we've mated and start beating me."

"Beating you," Gavin echoed, his voice hollow.

It didn't make sense. "What makes you think male mates beat their female mates?" Liam said. He'd never heard of such a thing. Females were to be cherished and protected.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I just know it happens."

Gavin sat forward. "Did you see it?"

"I don't know." She sat down again, not looking at either of them. "I've always felt this way."

Liam met Gavin's eyes, and immediately knew what he was thinking. There was a story here. A mystery. And who better than two PIs to figure it out. She might think they couldn't fix it, but she was wrong.

In the meantime, there were other approaches they could take. "What if you get to know us before we take things further?" Liam said. "If you find out we're good guys, will that make a difference?"

"Maybe," she said softly.

"Then give us a chance." Liam slipped his hand into hers. "Date us. In public, with plenty of people around. Let us show you."

She squeezed his hand. "Okay." She let out a little huff of breath. "I feel so scared. At the same time, I feel like…"

"Like you trust us?" Gavin said.

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. "Like I want to lick every inch of your bodies."

Gavin made a choking sound, and Liam could barely keep from jumping her. As it was, his hand spasmed around hers. And she squeezed right back.

"It's awful," she said.

"Sounds pretty damn good to me." Gavin leaned forward. "And I bet we can arrange it pretty damn fast."

Bridget blushed. It was the prettiest thing Liam had ever seen.

"We'll be gentle, sweetie." Liam leaned closer to her. All three of them were within inches of each other.

Bridget's face and neck turned a deeper red. "What if I don't want you to be gentle?"

A low rumble came from Gavin's chest as he leaned even closer and kissed Bridget's neck. "Mine."

She started. "That's just what I mean." Bridget stood. Before either man could stop her, she squeezed behind Gavin and out from behind the table. Liam expected her to keep running, but instead she stopped. "Mine. Like you own me."

"Mine, like you're my mate, the mate I never thought I'd have." Gavin's voice sounded tight.

"You're our mate," Liam said. "But we're also yours. If we belong to each other, if you can even use that language, then we belong to you as much as you belong to us."

She shook her head. "I wish I could believe that." Grabbing her coat, she headed quickly for the door.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Gavin called. After she'd passed through the doorway, he said to Liam, "One way or another."

"I think it's time to track down that lead."

Gavin raised an eyebrow. "Lead?"

"Don't give me that. You heard her. She 'just knows' that some females get beaten. She's 'always felt that way.' Bullshit. She saw something or experienced something when she was young and she doesn't remember it but it's still affecting her."

Smiling, Gavin clapped his hand on Liam's shoulder and left it there. "We just need to find out what it was and show it to her. I heard her. But you're really cute when you're like this."

"Cute?"

"For a buff, bad-ass military man, yeah. Cute. Want to go back to the hotel room?"

Liam's stomach clenched, but it wasn't from nerves. "Yeah. Hell yeah."

***

In the car on the way to the hotel, Liam said, "This might be a good time to call Fiona. Once we get there, I'm not going to want to wait."

"Me, either," Gavin said. Hell, he didn't want to wait now. It was all he could do to keep from pulling the car over and marking Liam in the back seat. "You dial then put it on speaker. I'll do the talking."

After Fiona came on the line, Gavin said, "We've tracked down your family. I'm quite certain it's them. Not only do all the facts match up, but the three women all resemble you."

There was a short pause. "You've met them all?"

"Yes. We—well." Gavin glanced at Liam. "Liam and I found our mate. She's one of your sisters. So we got invited to a big family dinner. And that's part of the problem—they're putting pressure on us to explain the investigation. We didn't tell them anything, but one of your sisters is mated to the pack Alpha and he's not going to wait long before he starts digging himself."

"That's fine. There's no need to keep it from them if you're sure," Fiona said.

"So I can tell them?" Gavin said. "Everything?"

"Yes, go ahead," Fiona said. "And tell them I'd like to meet them the next time I'm in the U.S."

"Any idea when that will be?" Liam said.

"I'm scheduled for leave late next month," she said. "Are they nice?"

"Yeah, they're good people," Gavin said. No need to mention Bridget's issues. "The whole thing with the old Alpha is messed up, though."

"But he's gone," she said.

"Yeah, he's gone." Gavin turned into the hotel parking lot. "Banished."

"So…" Fiona dragged out the word. "You and Liam are mates. I never would have seen that coming."

Gavin looked at Liam, who smiled. "I think it's a good match."

"I agree," said Liam.

"What about your third?" Fiona said. "Is she a good match, to?"

Gavin again felt reluctant to tell Fiona about their troubles. Although Bridget's entire family now knew every sordid detail, so maybe it didn't matter. "She's great."

"Then congratulations," she said. "To all three of you. And tell her, too, after you tell them about me. Now, tell me all the details about dinner and about my sisters."

Gavin met Liam's eyes. They'd just parked the car. In a few short minutes, they could be naked. Now wasn't the time to get into a long discussion.

"We're going to have to go soon," Liam said. "First night as mates and all."

Fiona laughed.

"But we'll tell you as much as we can in the next five minutes." Liam opened his car door while Gavin grabbed his cell.

As they walked to the room, Gavin quickly gave her an overview of her sisters and their mates. "I think you'll like them," he said as they reached the door. "But now we've got to go."

"Have a good night," Fiona said, laughter in her voice.

Liam unlocked the door while Gavin signed off. Then Gavin pushed Liam through the door, kicking it shut behind him. He shoved Liam against the wall in the tiny foyer and slammed his mouth over Liam's.

Liam groaned as he grabbed Gavin and pulled him tight against him. Gavin could feel every inch of his mate's muscled body pressing against his own. His cock was harder than it had ever been before. Bridget didn't know what she was missing.

Their hands roamed over each other's bodies, gripping and rubbing in a way he'd never experienced with women. Women always had to be handled gently, even when they said they wanted it rough. He had to court and tease and coax a woman. But not Liam.

Liam put his hand over Gavin's cock and squeezed it through his jeans.

Women were amazing. So was Liam.

Gavin stepped back, shucking his jacket and tossing it on the floor. He walked slowly toward the bed, shedding clothes along the way. Liam stalked him, ripping his own clothes off. First, he revealed his muscled torso, then his ripped abs and his rippling arms. Then his shapely thighs and calves and the jutting proof of his arousal.

"What am I going to do with you?" Gavin rumbled.

Liam got a mischievous look in his eye. "Whatever you want." He pushed Gavin back onto the bed and crawled on top of him.

Gavin immediately rolled him over. He liked to be in charge. Holding Liam's head in both his hands, his weight resting on his elbows, Gavin kissed his mate. This time the kiss turned slow, almost lazy, gentle and exploring. Their bodies writhed against each other, but still with the same languid feel as their kiss. Their legs tangled in each other's while Liam's hands roamed over Gavin's back.

They finally pulled apart, though not far. "I want to taste you," Liam said. "You ready for that?"

Gavin's cock jumped. Was he ready for that? Hell, yes. "I think I can handle it." Then, nervous but still excited, he decided to take a chance. "How about sixty-nine?"

A grin spread across Liam's face. "Absolutely. Just don't mark me on my thigh. I want my marks where everyone can see them."

An involuntary growl rumbled through Gavin's chest. Damn straight he wanted everyone to see Liam belonged to him. And he belonged to Liam. "Me too."

After a final hard kiss, Gavin rearranged himself into a sixty-nine position. They ended up lying on their sides, top leg bent. Gavin had never seen a man's cock so close up before. Liam's cock looked hard as granite, but when Gavin touched it, the skin felt soft and pliable. He stroked it a couple of times with his hand, trying to get up enough guts to take it into his mouth.

Liam didn't seem to be having the same problem. Gavin let out a shuddery moan when Liam's mouth engulfed his cock. He pumped it in and out of his mouth in a quick dirty rhythm that felt exactly the way Gavin had always wanted a blowjob to feel.

Gavin found his face buried in the crook of Liam's leg as he rode the wave of sensation. Time for him to get in the game. Not letting himself overthink it any more, he opened his mouth and took Liam's cock inside.

The sound of Liam moaning as Gavin sucked him was almost as intoxicating as was Liam's mouth was doing to his cock. Gavin had always kind of thought he wouldn't like doing this. When he'd thought about having mates, he'd wondered if he'd hate this part of things—sucking another man's cock. Licking a woman's pussy was an entirely different thing. But this?

And now he knew how wrong he was. The distinctive taste of his mate, the feel of Liam's cock jerking in his mouth in response to what Gavin was doing to him, just made Gavin want more. It wasn't just the taste and scent and feel of his mate, it was knowing he could give him this much pleasure, and in a backwards way, have this much control. Liam was putty in his hands.

But it swung both ways. Because with the way Liam sucked him, Liam had just as much control over Gavin as Gavin had over him.

Gavin didn't care.

He leaned on his left arm, the other hand gripping Liam's cock around the base. Now he wanted to try something a little different, so he slid his left hand under Liam's thigh and, still leaning his weight on it, positioned his hand so it could squeeze and roll Liam's balls.

Liam's legs curled up as soon as Gavin's touched him, a loud groan reverberating around Gavin's cock. Shit, that felt good.

Liam pulled back enough to say, "Can't last much longer. But I don't want to stop."

"I can't last much longer either." Gavin's eyes met Liam's. "We've got all night. How many times you think we can do this?"

Liam grinned. "Let's find out."

Both men immediately dove back in. Gavin felt the pressure building, the urge to come getting harder and harder to resist. But he couldn't.

"Stop," he said. He pulled away from Liam, one of the hardest things he'd ever done. But if he didn't, their marks would end up on their thighs. Gavin clambered around so they lay face to face again. Without a word, they took each other's cocks in hand, stroking them hard and quick.

Both of them breathed heavily. Liam's eyes strayed to Gavin's shoulder. "I want to mark you."

"Soon."

"You care which shoulder?"

That was about the last thing he cared about right then. "No."

Liam inched closer to him, his eyelids half-closed. "Have to mark you." His voice had the growl of the wolf in it. He leaned forward and closed his mouth over Gavin's shoulder. He didn't bite down yet, just held his teeth against Gavin's skin, his warm breath heating Gavin's flesh.

Pressure, more pressure. Gavin couldn't hold back. He lunged forward and sunk his teeth into Liam's shoulder, immediately feeling Liam's bite break through his skin. Then he knew nothing, just felt wave after wave of sensation as the most explosive orgasm of his life wracked through his body leaving nothing but shaking muscles in its wake.