Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
LILY
Depending on the day of the week and which of the guys ends up staying up the latest determines where I wake up after falling asleep while watching a movie.
Cole’s bed is warm and soft. His arm is draped over me, pulling my back against his chest. I press against his erection, biting my lip as he makes a sound of approval, loving how responsive these men are when I’m around.
He presses into my ass. “Good morning,” he rasps.
“I guess so,” I tease and rock against his length.
“It can be better.” Cole slides his hand beneath my sleep shorts, cupping me and running his lips up my throat. “Fuck, waking up with you in my bed is my new favorite thing.”
“Mmm,” I agree.
He kisses my neck and guides my leg over his, spreading me. “Damn, Red, you’re soaking wet.” He traces one of his fingers over my clit.
I writhe into the touch, sucking in a breath.
“So needy.” He slides two fingers into me. “Perfectly warm and rippled.”
“I’m ready,” I tell him, trying to get out of his hold to get this party started.
“Hmm, I don’t think so.” He tweaks my nipple with one hand, kneading my breast, while he teases and strokes in and out of me with the other. “You’re ready when I say you are.”
“You and Gage are too bossy,” I complain, though I can’t be too upset when my body is buzzing like a live wire.
“Maybe we should join forces sometime. Would you like that?”
Two men at one time? I’ve never considered it or how to manage it, but if Callie can, I know I can figure it out. “Maybe sometime but not right now,” I rasp, rolling my hips to meet his fingers driving into me. “I want you all to myself.”
“Good answer,” he praises, cupping my chin and turning my head so he can capture my lips with his. “This pretty pussy is all mine,” he murmurs into my mouth before deepening the kiss.
Between the kissing and teasing, he manages to tug my shorts all the way off and then slips his boxers down as well. His dick is hard as a rock, and I wait with bated breath as he finds the perfect position and spears into me.
“You feel so fucking perfect, Lily.” He cradles me against him and pumps into me from behind; the position is nice, but not nearly enough for me.
“I want to be on top,” I explain as I extract myself from his hold, turning and helping him lie on his back. Straddling him, I splay my hands on his chest as he lines himself up once again. I slide on with a hiss, nails biting into his pecs.
He’s thick enough and just long enough that there’s a delicious stretch. Gripping my hips with a firm grasp, he helps me ride him, watching me with hooded eyes filled with fire. I’ve never been one to hold eye contact, but I want nothing more than to watch him fall apart while I fuck him.
“That’s right, Cole, eyes on me.”
He smirks. “Now who’s bossy?”
I press my hand over his mouth and lean down, hair cascading around me, holding his gaze as I fuck him slowly. “Whose cock is this?”
“It’s all yours, Red,” he says, gasping as I grind with him deep inside. “Fuuuuck.”
“That’s my good boy,” I murmur, keeping a tight, steady pace, grinding my clit against him while I ride him.
He presses his fingers into my hips and then pumps his own to meet mine.
My breasts sway, and I hum in approval, sitting upright and dropping my head back.
Cole palms my tits, pinching my nipples.
Heat builds between us as I work, swiveling my hips, keeping that same pace that has my mouth parting.
Cole’s thumb rolls over my clit. I’m tempted to shut my eyes, but I force myself to watch him as an orgasm builds faster and faster.
“I’m going to come,” he tells me, jaw clenching as he fights it.
That’s what I wanted to hear. I redouble my efforts, shuddering as he teases my nerves while my walls flutter and clench. Cole’s length pulses, and he drives up into me with a moan, struggling to keep hold of himself.
Not on my watch.
I slam down onto him with a wicked smile, clamp my walls, and watch the man fall to pieces as I force him over the edge.
He whimpers, body twitching beneath me, and the warmth of his cum filling me catapults me into the stratosphere.
I cry out, grasping Cole as pleasure detonates inside me.
He moans again as I come, gasping for breath, and I ride out the orgasm slowly, rocking back and forth until I collapse against him.
Cole’s arms band around me and he kisses my forehead, panting beneath me. “Damn, Red.”
“You’re not so bad yourself,” I say with a laugh, caressing the angry crescent marks on his chest. “I think I drew blood.”
“I can handle a little pain with my pleasure, hellcat,” he murmurs.
Smiling, I bury my head in his neck. “Not another nickname.”
“Not a fan?”
“I prefer Red.”
He smirks and draws my mouth to his. “Okay, Red. I’ll call you whatever you want as long as you fuck me like that again.” His mouth slots over mine, and I guess my only choice is to do as he asks.
Many hours and orgasms later, I emerge from my second shower of the day feeling like a new woman.
My skin still tingles from Cole’s hands, and I can’t stop the ridiculous grin spreading across my face as I rush through my routine and get ready.
I love when my day starts well after lunch, and today all my appointments are in the late afternoon or early evening.
I’m almost tempted to stay longer, but responsibility and all that.
My cheeks hurt by the time I zip up my lunch box.
Happiness like this should be bottled up and sold.
Hudson gets up from where he was eating at the table.
“You don’t have to walk me out.” I grab my purse and keys.
“Of course I do.” He opens the front door for me.
My heart flutters. God, these men are everything.
The cool mid-November wraps around me. The closer Thanksgiving gets, the colder everything is.
I’m glad I grabbed my cardigan before I left my room, but it’s probably time to dig out my heavier coat.
Hudson falls into step beside me, his presence solid and reassuring.
We walk in comfortable silence, the sort that comes from being completely at peace in a relationship, and I’m not keen to break it. It’s nice, sweet and I—
I stumbled to a stop, mouth falling open as I take in the massacre on my hood.
A dead rabbit is spread out like some kind of offering, its neck hanging at an unnatural angle, white fur matted with dark stains.
But that’s not the worst part. Pinned through its chest with a kitchen knife is a piece of paper, the edges fluttering in the morning breeze.
“What the fuck?” Hudson’s voice is low and dangerous as he steps in front of me.
My hand flies to my mouth, bile rising in my throat. The metallic smell of blood mingles with the crisp fall air. I have to swallow hard to keep from throwing up all over the driveway.
Hudson moves forward with careful steps, like he’s approaching a bomb.
He covers his hand with his sleeve and pulls the knife from the rabbit’s chest, tugging it free with a sickening squelch.
The world tilts on its axis, and I fight to keep my morning muffin down as he unfolds the blood-stained note.
His jaw ticks as he reads, eyes growing darker with each word. When he looks at me, anger flickers behind his usual calm demeanor, and I already know who it’s from. The same person who’s been texting me.
“‘You know who you belong to,’” he reads aloud, his voice rough. “‘I’m tired of waiting for you to make the right decision. Stop playing games, Lily. Next time won’t be so gentle.’”
The world sways again. “It’s escalating,” I whisper, my hand still pressed to my mouth.
“Escalating?” His frown deepens. “This has happened before?”
I want to lie. To pretend this is some random psycho, but the look on Hudson’s face tells me he’ll see right through any bullshit I try to feed him. I can’t keep lying to myself. This is far beyond simple harassment.
“Nothing like this,” I say quickly, gesturing at the horror show on my hood. “But there have been other things.”
Hudson pulls his phone from his pocket, fingers flying over the screen. “Hold that thought. Gage and Cole need to be here.”
Moments after he sends the text, the front door slams open and Cole comes jogging down the driveway, Gage close behind. Cole’s features twist when he sees my car.
“Holy shit.” Gage stops dead in his tracks. “Is that—”
“A dead rabbit with a threatening note,” Hudson finishes. “Lily said it’s not the only thing though.”
All three of them look at me expectantly, and I suddenly feel like I’m under a spotlight. I wrap my arms around myself, the afternoon chill seeping through my cardigan.
“It started a few weeks ago,” I begin, my voice trembling slightly. “Pictures in my paperwork.”
Hudson’s hands clench into fists at his sides.
I swallow. “Then the texts started.” I pull out my phone with shaking fingers, scrolling through the messages I should have deleted but kept as evidence. “Pictures of me in your house, pictures of us together.” I chew on my cheek and hand them the phone so they can see and read the texts.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Cole scowls at the screen.
“Why didn’t you call the police?” Gage asks, his voice gentle but concerned.
“And tell them what? Someone’s sending me creepy texts and taking pictures of me? Half the guys in this town have probably done that at some point.” I laugh, but it comes out hollow. “I thought it would stop.”
“We’re calling the cops.” Cole is already pulling out his phone.
I don’t fight him on it. This has gone too far. The blood dripping down my hood has finally driven home how serious this is. As Cole dials 911, all I can think about is how this psycho knows where we all sleep here.
What’s to stop him from coming back?
I glance around, stomach turning and blood chilling. “What if he comes after you guys?” The words tumble out. “What if being around me puts you in danger?”
Hudson steps closer. “Hey. Look at me.”
I meet his eyes, seeing nothing but fierce determination there.
“We can handle ourselves,” he says simply. “We’ll keep you safe.”
“Maybe you guys should—”
“We’re not going anywhere,” he says firmly, pulling me against his chest.
Nodding, I lean into his touch, a lump lodged in my throat, but as I hear Cole explain what happened to the dispatcher, as the scent of copper fills the crisp air, I’m terrified I’ll lose them.