Chapter 46
Conceding
Luke
“You want to be alone, princess?” Rage courses through me.
She wants Caden. She can fucking have him.
I wait for her answer. Her face goes pale, and she sinks into her chair. Her eyes never leave me, but there’s a distant look in them, like she’s already retreating into herself.
Fuck. That dull look comes over her like she’s already gone, and something inside me cracks.
“Enough.” Eli leans forward. “You two need a few hours alone in a closet together. You’ll either fuck it out or yell at each other to spite yourselves.”
I keep my eyes trained on her as I lean back in my chair and fold my hands in front of my lips. He’s not wrong. She drives me insane. I’m not built like the others. I normally don’t share. Never was good at it. Not toys. Not women.
Everything in me wants to claim Harper as mine. Only mine.
We agreed to share her, but fuck it’s hard. I can share her, but on my terms.
“This works if Harper belongs to us all equally.” Eli taps his pen on his desk. “We all have healthy sexual appetites. We have one woman to share for the duration of the year.”
I’m going to be a problem. But we might all be a powder keg waiting to explode. This is the deal we agreed to. What we agreed to put Harper through. She just gave us her virginity and she’s had sex eight times today.
Most women wouldn’t put up with that.
“No more punishing her by ostracizing her.” Caden draws her onto his lap and holds her against him, rubbing her arms like she’s cold. “We banished her from living her life for years. It’s cruel.”
“She decides.” Jack leans forward. “Yes, we all get her, but she gets to decide when she needs a break.”
Her dark eyes meet mine. She usually seems so strong, but on Caden’s lap she seems small. Do I do that to her? Do I make her feel small? Why the fuck does my chest ache?
“Your mom works nights all week?” Nico asks.
“Yes.” Even her voice is small.
I swallow my fucking pride.
“Caden and I have the most flexibility to stay with her.” As long as I stick to facts, I should be fine. But I know I have to be more open with them. More open with her. Because I’m not giving her up. Not without a fight, even if I have to fight her. “What about you guys?”
Jack shakes his head. “Lucy would riot if I’m not home for bedtime kisses. And Dad doesn’t want me out on school nights.”
“Lucy?” Curiosity heightens Harper’s voice.
“My eight-year-old sister.” Jack grins. As far as big brothers go, Lucy hit the lottery with Jack. “You should meet her. She’s a character.”
She smiles a little. “I’d like that.”
“My parents are making a habit of family dinners.” Eli pushes his hand through his hair. “Their new tactic is to get involved with me. Senior night is going to be a fucking tug of war.”
Harper’s eyes go soft with concern when she looks at Eli. He needs to let loose on someone, and that someone will be Harper this year. Holding her down while he fucks her is only the beginning. Tying her up and controlling who fucks her was just a hint of what he wants. What he needs.
“My parents are going to be all over me this week.” Nico looks disappointed. “Sorry, sunshine, I’d love to stay with you, but they want to make sure I transition smoothly.”
I breathe out. Harper’s eyes flick to me. She’s still on Caden’s lap. Part of me wants to rage while another part of me is glad he’s there to comfort her.
“Harper?” Eli sighs as his eyes flick back and forth between us. He knows I want to dictate this, but she’s a part of us now. I need to learn to trust her to include me. “How do you want to do this?”
“What?” She’s startled, probably thinking we would make the decision for her.
“We’ll all see you after practice most nights, but someone needs to stay with you, kitten. You can be an independent woman who can stand on her own next year at college.” Eli rubs the back of his neck. “We have enemies.”
“Like Tanner. Guys who would do anything to get back at us,” Jack fills in. “You being alone at night is an opening most won’t resist.”
“You’re our weak link, princess. We’ve never claimed a girl before. The knocking and the tire are just the beginning.” I hope I’m wrong, but we’ve never had a vulnerability. “We can’t let someone use you to hurt us. We can’t let someone hurt you.”
She sinks into Caden’s embrace as she taps her lip. Her eyes never leave me. I’m not the easiest horseman, but there’s something real between us. I know she feels it too.
She leans forward. “You’re by yourself in your house?”
I almost laugh. This softness in her is her vulnerability, but it also works to all of our benefit. She can think we’re her broken little toys for the year if that’s what it takes for her to let me in. “Yeah, princess. Just me.”
She glances at Caden. Her two strays she can’t help but claim. Neither of us are really loved. We’re obligations to our parents. They hope one day we’ll fill the role of taking over their businesses, but right now, we’re still being molded and shaped into what they want.
Caden runs his hand over her arm, and a little shiver works through her.
“My bed isn’t that big,” she leads with, but when her eyes find me, that softness is in them. “But—”
“Sunshine, you can’t keep every stray you find.” Nico gives her a knowing smile. “When we were young, she would bring home kittens and dogs and hurt things for her mom to fix. How many scratches and bite marks did you get trying to help?”
I raise an eyebrow. Does Nico think I’m some feral animal? Maybe with Harper I am. Is this his way of protecting her from me? Fuck that.
“If you don’t mind sharing, I’m okay with anyone staying.” She doesn’t look me in the eyes, and she doesn’t say she wants me to stay. She left it open on purpose. I don’t need to be her fucking charity case.
Technically she would be fine with Caden there. Probably fit better in her bed too. I narrow my eyes on her. I’ll be damned if I cave first.
Harper
Luke can go fuck himself if he thinks I’m going to invite him to come sleep with me after he went possessive caveman on me. But I also know how lonely it can be in a house by yourself. My heart is torn.
Nico’s right. I have this thing about strays. Especially the ones that are all snarly on the outside like Luke. And like Caden.
I rest my head back on Caden’s shoulder. He’s being possessive but not snarly.
“Looks like you’re all set for tonight then.” Luke’s a feral animal that would bite off his own paw to escape. “Are we staying logged in?”
Jack talks briefly about staying logged in and finding a way to disable the cameras in case someone else is in the room for the future. It would probably be easier to set up a separate chat.
My phone buzzes with a notification. I lean forward and pick it up.
Pestilence (Eli):
Kitten you know he won’t cave
Me:
Why should I care?
Pestilence (Eli):
Because you do
He’s not wrong. That muscle ticks in Luke’s jaw as he listens. Everything is so fucking easy for him. He decides to claim me for all of them and then wants to monopolize me. He can’t have it both ways.
Pestilence (Eli):
You’ve met his dad
I release a breath, and my eyes return to Luke. Yes, I met his dad. If I thought Luke was cold, his father is frigid. Luke is prideful and stubborn. He’ll never admit a weakness.
He helped me explore my desires. He spoke for me when I couldn’t. Instead of taking control, he let me control my first time with him. My pussy clenches remembering how good he felt inside me.
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I shouldn’t be rewarding his bad temper. I shouldn’t care he’s all alone in that big house every fucking night. He should be used to it. He deserves it.
His gaze lands on mine. For a second, I see the guy who dragged me back into his arms in the center of my bed and held me when I was afraid. The guy who shared me with his four friends, but helped me through the process without making me feel bad. Giving in to my desire on my terms.
Fuck.
“Luke, would you come stay with me?” The words are easier to say than I thought they would be.
His eyes widen for just a second before he masks his emotions. “Caden’s already there.”
Caden squeezes my hip. The others have fallen silent.
I’d roll my eyes if it wouldn’t make him even more stubborn. “I like sleeping between two of you.”
It’s not a lie. There’s something about having hard, warm walls of man on either side of me that makes me sleep easier. I know Caden will do anything to protect me, but so would Luke. Neither of them have to be alone while they have me. Just like I don’t have to be alone since I have them.
“If I wouldn’t get in trouble, I’d go.” Eli scoffs. “Don’t be an ass.”
Luke stands and walks off the screen. Did I make him angry? What new nightmare level of punishment will be waiting for me at school tomorrow?
He comes back on screen with his backpack on his shoulder. He meets my eyes before he shuts his computer. Awareness makes the hairs on my arms stand on end.
Luke is coming here.
“Do we need to talk about him?” Nico runs a hand through his hair. “I get not wanting to share Harper, but is he going to be a problem?”
“He never participated when we played with the same girl.” Caden draws me against his warm chest. “It always turned into a competition to him. His number is low for a reason.”
Twelve, was it? While the others are in the twenties. It surprised me when he said it. Honestly their numbers are all lower than I thought they would be. As much as everyone claims to have fucked a horseman, I would think their numbers would be in the triple digits by now.
“He’s fine using girls’ mouths though,” Jack points out helpfully. I don’t want to think about them with other girls. “He wants girls who keep themselves for him. Like Sidney always did.”
Heat churns in my gut thinking of Sidney and Luke.
Caden gives a little shudder. “Fuck, if he’s used to Sidney, no wonder he’s possessive of Harper. Sid gives a technically great blow job, but it’s a fucking job to her.”
“Most girls only do it because they know we like it.” Jack rubs the back of his head and winks. Just thinking about giving them head makes me a little wet.
“Luke will figure it out.” Eli stretches. “Don’t worry, kitten, I’m sure he won’t take it out on you.”
I scoff. “Sure.”
Caden rubs my thigh. “I need to run home and grab things for tomorrow.”
I tip my chin up to look back at him. “You’re leaving?”
He smiles. “Not until Luke gets here.”
“Wait, you’re leaving me alone with Luke?” I straighten. He’s in a dark mood. Who knows what he’ll do?
“He won’t hurt you, Harper.” Caden kisses my head. “The good thing about Luke is while he’s possessive as fuck about them, he doesn’t break his toys.”
I arch an eyebrow. That doesn’t sound too reassuring.
“We’ll be here with you, kitten.” Eli stands with his laptop and moves to his bed.
“We never finished what we started earlier.” Jack wiggles his eyebrows.
“I think I’m tapped out for the night.” I glance up at Caden, who gives me a wicked smile. Sparks race through my bloodstream. Yeah, my body is way too interested in them. “Maybe I should make up the guest bed for you and Luke.”
I go to stand, but he holds me fast to him.
“You’re good, little nympho. I’m not the horseman you need to worry about tonight.” He nuzzles into my neck, scraping my neck with his scruff, making me squeal a little.
“We should plan for a round of seven minutes in heaven at Caden’s tomorrow night.” Jack rubs his cock below the screen. “I’m sure it will be even more exciting now.”
I squeeze my thighs together. “I think I’m going to need a longer break than that.”
“Hmm.” Eli contemplates me. “Maybe we can play a different game.”
I’m not sure I like the little smile on his lips. My insides burn though, craving whatever he’ll give me.
“Wear your collar tomorrow, kitten.” Eli takes his shirt off and slides off his jeans, leaving his boxers on. Fuck, his body distracts me. He climbs onto his bed and picks up the tattered book from his nightstand.
Tugging my laptop over, I make sure I got all my homework turned in, while Caden’s fingers skate down my back. I shiver a little, loving the warm feeling flooding me.
A knock sounds at my door, and my entire body tenses, preparing for Luke’s arrival. Caden chuckles as he sets me on my chair and goes to the door. He glances out the window before unlocking it.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as Luke steps in. I keep my face turned to my computer, finishing one last thing.
“I have to grab a change of clothes for the morning.” Caden’s tone seems calm, but there’s an underlying tension. Is he checking to see what Luke plans to do to me before he leaves?
Caden disappears upstairs to grab his pants. Hopefully he doesn’t need his shirt back yet.
Luke’s heat and soft, seductive scent wash over me. My insides grow warm as need swells inside me. Fuck, does this thing have an off switch?
“Princess.” His hand slides over my hair, practically petting me.
I turn in my chair and meet his gaze. I gave in this time, inviting him over. How many more times will I give in to him? “Death.”