“I don’t know or care.”
“What if they come?”
“You should’ve thought about that before you played the chivalrous moron.”
“Did you not hear what he said?”
Bones held his mouth shut. He did hear, and the first instinct that hit him had been the same as Reginald’s. But not for the same reason. He despised bastards that took advantage of weak people, no matter how pathetic and stupid they were, or deserving. “We’ll figure that out when and if we cross that bridge.”
“I admit, I wasn’t thinking,” Reginald said, barely touching the painful spots on their face, then wincing. “Was pretty stupid.”
“It was,” Bones said. “You knocked that dirty sack of shit out cold on the first throw.”
“I did,” Reginald said, smiling a little.
“Felt good?” Bones had to know if he shared in Bones' favorite thing he never got to do.
“It... did,” Reginald said after thinking a moment, nodding and grinning more. “It really did. That hairy one was a job.”
“I thought we were going to die for a split second,” Bones said, making Reginald chuckle.
“I knew better.”
“You wouldn’t let anybody hurt me.”
“Well I’m glad to know you have such confidence in me, Reggie. But what if I couldn’t stop him?”
“You would’ve found a way,” he said, factually. But Bones wasn’t so sure about that. Regardless, it made him feel good that Reginald trusted him. Felt safe with him.
“How are you going to explain this to her?” Bones asked as they pulled up at the graveyard.
“Shit,” Reginald whispered, clearly not thinking of that.
“Shit,” Bones muttered at a barefoot Winter, stalking down the sidewalk toward them.
“Shit!” Reginald hissed, panicked.
They got out of the truck and she came to a halt, her fury morphing into wide-eyed fear. “Oh my God! What happened?” She raced forward and carefully touched his face. Bones tried to pull away as Reginald fought to feel her.
“I was minutes from walking home and never coming back,” she whispered. “What happened? Were you in a wreck?”
What do we say? Reginald begged.
Lie.
“I got in a small fight,” Reginald said.
She frowned a little. “Why is Bones rolling his eyes?”
“How do you know it was me?” Bones said.
More confusion puckered her forehead. “Oh… well I figured—”
“It was Bones,” Reginald said taking her arm. “You’re freezing out here, let’s get you inside.”
She hesitated then leaned up, hesitated again, then planted a quick peck on his cheek. Bones wondered over the odd behavior and tried not to feel the warmth lingering on their cheek or the way her hand felt in his.
This was going to be real torture.
“Where are you going?” they asked when she aimed for the front porch of the house instead of the shed.
“I cooked supper in there. Sorry, but I was losing my mind in that basement. I can’t see anything and when you didn’t come back, I was about ready to leave.” She opened the door and walked right in.
“Yes, you may come in,” Bones muttered.
“Of course she can, I live here,” Reginald said, shutting and locking the door.
“So do I.”
“Oh, stop it,” she scolded lightly. “Not like I… snooped around or anything.”
That sounded like a lie, Bones said.
No it didn’t. You’re paranoid. If she said she didn’t why not believe her?
She should’ve asked. Or waited to ask. The fuck she do in here, use a gallon of bleach?
“So, I cooked,” she said, spinning and hurrying to the kitchen. “And cleaned a little. Found some bleach in the laundry room, hope you don’t mind.”
We should’ve locked her in the shed. Bones followed her to the kitchen, their stomach growling with ravenous curiosity.
“What is that amazing smell?” Reginald asked, entering to find their normally quiet kitchen in full use. And a mess.
“Sit your sorry self down,” she said softly as she busied herself at the counter.
Selves Bones silently corrected.
They both watched her, but Bones gave control to Reginald, not wanting to be more involved in this human connection process than he had to be. “I waited all day, lunch has long gone and everything’s cold.” Reginald angled his head when she reached into the cabinet, making the hem of her already short dress raise right to the edge of her ass. A painful throb yanked their dick to life.
“Sorry,” Reginald said when she hurried to the table and set a plate before them. Bones picked up the fork while Reginald’s gaze lingered at her breasts.
Hungry here, Bones muttered. Gonna need my eyes for that.
“Me too,” he whispered when she spun around to the fridge.
“You too what?” she wondered when she returned to sit. Her bright green eyes pinned him as she pushed hair behind an ear. They both studied her now. Her, sitting across from them. In their kitchen. Like… she did it every day for as long as they both could remember. Do you see it Bones? The life in her eyes? The love?
Not really.
Do you think… that’s because of me?
Her eyes lowered but her smile remained. “You’re staring,” she whispered, sounding pained. “I don’t have any make-up on and I probably look—”
“Beautiful.”
She raised her gaze to theirs and tears suddenly brightened them. She looked down again. “Really?” she barely whispered, her lashes fluttering. When she looked at him again, her smile trembled until she had to hold her lips tightly, making her chin dimple. “I-I’m not used to being told…” Her voice strained and she stood, turning to the counter.
Reginald moved to go to her but Bones held him down. Leave her a moment, please. He wasn’t ready to be mushy.
She needs me.
Bones closed their eyes. She’s got you.
She suddenly turned and sat back at the table. “We’re going to have that meal together,” she said softly, not meeting his gaze as she picked up her fork. “After that, I’ll have to see what kind of damage you’ve done to yourself.”
Reginald watched in hungry fascination as she put the first bite in her mouth.
You’re going to make her self-conscious. Can we eat?
Reginald lowered his gaze to the plate and Bones made quick work of their food. He was starving. Reginald probably helped him hurry so he could get to the nursing part of the meal. And Bones wouldn’t lie, just the mention of it produced images of what else they might do.
“So how does a grown man like you get into fist fights? Unless you do that for a living.”
Reginald shook his head. “No. God, no, I hate fighting.”
“I can’t tell by looking at you.”
“Should see the other guy,” Bones said.
“Wait now,” she said, curious. “Which of you was fighting?”
They gave each other’s name at the same time.
“Both of you?” she double-checked.
“Why would you lie now?” Bones said, setting his fork down.
“Lie, don’t lie,” Winter said. “Are you lying?”
“I was…”
“Lying,” Bones muttered, getting back to eating.
Reginald forced the fork down. “I’m trying to talk and it’s hard while you’re shoveling food in my mouth.”
“Fine,” Bones said, chewing while staring at Winter. “Food’s good,” he remembered to say, nodding.
“Which… of you is talking,” she wondered. “Sometimes I can’t tell for some things.”
“I just said that. Bones,” he muttered.
“Oh… thank you. I took my time and did it right.”
“So,” Reginald said. “Reginald talking now. I said Bones was fighting but was about to say and me, but Bones said it before I could.”
&n
bsp; “So, you were both fighting,” she said.
“Right,” Reginald nodded.
“Reginald started it.”
“No. Bushy did,” Reginald said.
“Bushy?”
“Just somebody at George’s Services who is covered in hair,” Reginald said. “We overheard him talking about you and I didn’t like what I heard.”
“Oh God,” she mumbled, putting a hand at her brow then standing, taking her plate to the counter. “I don’t even want to know.”
“You’ll be happy to know that Reginald knocked the owner of the station out cold. One lick, bam. On his ass and down for the count. God that was fucking good. Can I finish eating?” he asked Reginald.
Reginald looked at their plate, allowing Bones to finish. “And he deserved more.”
“I wished you’d left him alone, he’s bad news,” Winter said, pacing next to the table and eyeing his plate like she wanted to get to the clean-up.
“He was defending your honor,” Bones said. “Damn near got us killed, too.”
“I hope he doesn’t come over here,” she mumbled, sounding worried.
“That would be his dire misfortune if he did,” Bones muttered.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Winter was confused about how to behave and act, as she led them to the bathroom. Now that she knew both Bones and Reginald were in the same space, it was more awkward than ever. She wanted to touch Reginald and kiss him, but with Bones talking, it was like having him staring her in the face while she did. And it was damn weird and creeping her out especially with him hating her guts! What if Reginald sensed her awkwardness and misread it? He was very intuitive to her. So was Bones. Maybe even more so. They might notice and ask, and Bones wouldn’t leave it, either.
“You sure know your way around.”
She was sure that was Bones. He had a distinct tenor to his voice but sometimes Reginald could match it. “It’s a house, not hotel Transylvania. You just have a bathroom, bedroom, an office, and laundry.” She opened the bathroom door and went in, hoping she sounded like she’d not just lied. “You act like you’re hiding dead bodies. Which would be kind of silly with a whole graveyard to put them in.” The chuckle he gave had to be Reginald’s, he seemed to appreciate her sense of humor.
She went straight to the tub and turned on the water.
“Oh… we don’t do baths.”
Winter straightened and looked at them, sure it was Reginald who had spoken. “I cleaned the whole bathroom with bleach,” she assured.
“I’m sorry, it’s not that. We just prefer showers.”
“A hot soak would—”
“We don’t do baths!” Bones said impatiently.
“Bones…” Reginald muttered with his eyes closed before saying sweetly, “If you don’t mind. We have to do showers.”
“Okay,” she said nodding. “We all have our things. Mine is no showers, funny that.”
“Funny that indeed.”
She glanced back wondering which one had said that. The tone was Reginald’s but the words Bones’. He gave her a smile. Reginald, she assumed.
“What’s wrong?”
She stared at him, wondering again who was asking. God this was becoming a problem. “I’m sorry… I’m having a hard time with knowing who’s talking.”
“Oh…” Reginald said. At least she thought it was him. “Maybe I can signal when I’m talking. Like a thumbs up. Or a snap. I can say a word, like a code word,” he went on, determined to find something. She guessed Bones didn’t approve with the eye roll he managed to get in. “You have any better ideas?” Reginald snapped. “Talking to Bones,” he said to Winter.
“Maybe pull on your ear lobe?” she suggested.
“That’s stupid.” Definitely Bones.
“No, that’s actually good.” Definitely Reginald.
“If Bones ever becomes nice,” Winter said, “I’ll never tell the two of you apart. Right now, he’s marked by his pissy attitude.” She stifled a giggle at the squinty look he gave her. “I’m kidding. Kind of. So pull on the earlobe it is?”
“Yes.” He pulled on his ear.
“How about we nickname her? I’ll call her Sin, you can call her whatever you want.”
“Sin?” she wondered, confused.
“Cinnamon Wrolls?” Bones reminded.
“Ugh.” She didn’t like that name now. Her whore name.
“I like it.” He pulled his ear. “I like the idea I mean. If you don’t like the name, Bones can find one you’re happy with.”
“What about what I’m happy with?”
“I’m sure we can compromise,” Winter said.
“How about if I need to address you, I call you Trouble. Because that’s what you are to me. Trouble. A lot of trouble.”
“Bones,” Reginald pulled his ear. “Do you have to be a dick?”
“I think he does. But I’m okay with Trouble. I’ve been called much worse things.”
“He’s not calling you Trouble.”
She gestured to the shower. “You two can fight about it later, but now, we need to get you cleaned up. See what kind of damage you’ve done.”
“Okay.” The worried look on their face almost made her smile. Reginald tugged his ear and glanced at the shower.
“Undress,” she instructed.
Her heart hammered at the bold instructions and the way he didn’t hesitate. He paused with the shirt halfway over his head, wincing then moving slower. Winter put a hand on the lavatory, her legs going weak at seeing his beautiful body. So many muscles. Those tattoos were beautiful.
“Now you’re staring.”
His tone stole her breath, and it occurred to her. She didn’t need him to tug his ear when he was aroused. She knew his voice then. “I am,” she admitted, meeting his burning dark gaze.
“It’s too bad you don’t do showers.”
“I didn’t mean that I never take them. I just prefer a hot soak.”
“Really?”
She nodded at his hopeful tone, her heart racing. “But I’ve already had my bath.”
“Oh…”
She lowered her gaze to where he slowly unbuttoned his pants. Her lips parted when he unzipped them, making her breathless. He pushed down the denim next, his pace slow or maybe testing. To see if it was okay, like maybe he thought she’d stop him. And even though she could feel the burn of his stare on her, she couldn’t turn away. The clear bulge he’d just revealed beneath the tight black cotton... mother of sweet mercy, it had her terrified and desperate. She never remembered being terrified and wanting all at once. She wanted him so badly, it terrified her. It was the kind of need that had to be met or else. Or else you might die. And she didn’t want to die anymore, she wanted this. Her and him.
He lowered just the very front of his briefs over his erection. As if knowing she wanted that. Her gaze rose, taking in the beauty of his body. But nothing was more stunning than meeting him eye to eye and being slammed against an invisible wall with his desire, his need and especially the certainty of meeting all of them.
A flash of Bones crossed his face and shot fear through her. Oh God. Was he there? Watching? Reginald said he’d not be there. She’d wanted to double check that with him but wasn’t sure how to bring it up and now…
“What’s wrong?”
Her mouth opened as she struggled to answer the worry in his tone. How did she tell him she’d developed a case of nerves with his other half who’d strangled her? She realized then that he hadn’t pulled his ear. “Reginald?”
“Yes, it’s me,” he hurried, closing the space between them.
His body connected with hers and she shut her eyes with erratic breaths. “I’m sorry I’m so nervous. I want you, I do...”
The slide of his finger along her jaw, his warm breaths at her mouth reminded her of the first day she’d met him in the hotel room, blindfolded and only able to feel him, smell him, taste him “You want me?” he whispered at her lips, his chest pressing in. She held on
to the sink much like she’d gripped the chair that day as the heat of muscle brushed her aching nipples.
Strained whimpers escaped her, non-stop now.
“I’m here. Just me.” His soft, full lips nibbled along her lower one, imprisoning in fire. He made his way along her top lip, delicately tracing a finger along the outer swell of her breast. She’d left off the bra in hopes of enticing him. The deep moans he made as he discovered her hard nipples with his thumbs said she’d over achieved.
The fire in them grew with each sensual glide over the tips, each breath coming and going burned hotter and faster until they moved to its frantic hunger.
His tongue thrust deeper, forcing her head against the mirror, forcing her gasps faster. She clasped his face when his mouth turned savage. He no longer kissed her, he sucked, devoured and bit, growling as he went.
“Reginald,” she cried weakly when he gripped her breasts in hungry hands, squeezing hard as he sucked down her neck with a dizzying force. The ragged rasp of his breaths made her desperate for what was coming.
His hungry hand reached beneath her dress and found her other secret. No panties. The groan he gave said it slammed him with a painful desire. “Your pussy is fucking naked,” he said, his breaths blasting.
“Yes,” she cried, lifting her leg onto the lavatory, wanting him to have every bit of it.
“This what you want?” He dropped to his knees and pushed her legs wider, his fingers biting as his mouth turned into that growling storm again, tongue plunging inside, lips sucking every inch. “Fucking delicious, God you’re fucking beautiful.”
His hands shot up and vice-gripped her breasts before capturing her nipples between his thumbs and finger, rolling then pinching as he fluttered the tip of his tongue on her clit.
She grabbed his head, her moans turning sharper as she raked her nails on his scalp.
“Make me suck it,” he whispered between licking her all over. “Make me suck it.”
The growled words held such ferocity. Reginald liked commanding, but the tone was all Bones she thought. She forced his head tighter to her, and he moaned, making her clit hammer with a pulsing heat. She flicked her hips, moving his head just right, pressing him more. He gave another painful groan as he pinched her nipples and sucked her clit into his mouth.