Rick’s lips quirked as he fought his smile. He stared down at her, fighting his smile, but a measure of respect flared in his eyes.
“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded tightly. “I’ll get right on that.”
She turned to the men on the other side of the room as Rick and Tara left. Cade was watching her with a frown, his eyes glittering with dark, suppressed emotion.
“I’m not a robot you can order to perform,” she told him harshly as she walked over to him. “I belong to you, and in some part to Sam and Brock as well, and I can accept that. The rest, you can ease me into, or you can kiss my ass and put up with me hounding you. But I will not be forced into a choice I’m not ready for. It’s my choice, Cade, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to be pushed into anything before I’m ready for it. Now, big boys, you strip. Let’s see how you like being ordered around for a change.”
“You’ll be punished for this, Marly.” There was laughter and a spark of desire unlike anything she had ever seen in his eyes.
“Yeah well, you get punished first.” She gripped the middle of his shirt and jerked. Buttons went flying a second before he jerked her to him and ground his mouth down on hers.
She went on her toes, fighting to get closer to him, aware that she had inflamed all three men to a point of no return. Their hands were on her as Cade kissed her hard and deep, pulling her clothes from her body, fingers and lips roving over her nakedness, invading tight channels, groaning out at the slick liquid that eased their ways.
She was turned, Cade undressing quickly as Brock pushed her to the floor, his mouth going between her thighs, dining on her sweetness, moaning into her flesh. Sam’s mouth attacked her breasts, and Cade knelt beside the small raised bed, pushing his cock into her mouth as she moaned in rising pleasure.
These men, they were hers. Cade held her heart the most, but the others had their little part as well. And they would share her body, her passion, because it was her choice, and because it brought her pleasure.
Orgasm after orgasm ripped over her as the moans in the room rose in volume. One after the other moved between her thighs, the soft, slurping sounds of thrust after thrust of eager tongues rising around them, Marly’s cries echoing heatedly. And still it went on.
Finally, Cade lifted her above him, holding onto her weary body as he impaled her on his rising flesh.
“Rest, darlin’. We’ll take care of you.” He moaned as he pressed her sweat-damp head to his chest.
She felt Brock, or was it Sam behind her. Heat flared through her body as she felt the cool sensation of a thick lubrication as he slowly prepared her for his invasion. Minutes later, the thick head of his erection nudged the soft pucker of her anus. She relaxed for him, loosening her body, hearing his harsh groan as he slid deep inside her. Marly couldn’t halt her cry of lust, or of pleasure so exquisite she felt seared.
Then another erection, hard and hot was being pushed past her lips as someone raised her head. Hard hands held her body steady, her eyes closed. She didn’t care whose cock invaded her where. She was spiraling out of control, enclosed in a place where only heated moans, hard thrusts, and fiery desire ruled the moment. She arched, she cried around the thrusting flesh between her lips, and orgasm after orgasm tore through her body until finally, mercifully, she felt their last hot ejaculations into her, and collapsed wearily against Cade’s chest.
Sleep rather than unconsciousness claimed her now. It no longer frightened her. She didn’t have to hide. Not from these men, the ones who loved her best. There was no reason to hide, to escape. She was safe, well pleasured, and so tired she refused to move on her own.
* * * * *
Cade watched as Brock lifted a sleeping Marly tenderly from his body. He rose, sitting up as his brother carried her to the couch, laying her down on it as he breathed out wearily, staring down at her.
He knew what the other two were slowly realizing. Climaxing in Marly’s body was more satisfaction than he had ever known, had ever believed possible. Sam was lying on the other couch, fighting to catch his own breath, and Brock finally collapsed at the end of Marly’s couch.
“Son of a damned bitch,” he breathed out heavily, his eyes meeting Cade’s. “If I had known that, she would have never started college to begin with.”
Known her passion, her strength of will, her acceptance of them. It was what Cade had feared, that she would be unable to accept total surrender to the three of them.
“She’s going to kill us, if we keep up like this,” Sam muttered. “Damn, did we ever have a woman that could take each of us, then all of us again?”
They hadn’t. They had been forced, the few times it had happened, to space the passion to allow for the women and their lack of ability to endure their passion.
“So what now?” Brock asked, his head resting on the back of the couch. “What do we do when they find Jennings?”
Cade looked at him in some surprise. “I marry her. She’s not leaving, Brock. She made the choice, she won’t back away from it now.”
Brock grinned. “Well hell, she’ll keep us busy if nothing else. Maybe we need to hire more cowboys. I don’t think I want to ride fences anymore.”
Cade chuckled. He moved over to his woman, seeing the flush of satisfaction on her face, her body marred with moisture and their combined releases. She was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.
“Come on, you two can help me get her bathed and into bed. I don’t think she’s willing to wake up for it.”
He rose, bent and lifted her into his arms. She grumbled tiredly, grimacing at being disturbed then settling against Cade’s chest with a sigh. He felt his heart swell. Not his cock, he thought, his heart. She filled him in ways he could not have believed possible.
With Sam and Brock following him quickly, he strode upstairs. He wanted her to rest, and he knew she wouldn’t do so as the sweat began to dry on her body. She would bitch about the bath, maybe, but when her head hit the pillows, she would sleep, as she never had. And Cade knew, he would as well.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
All her jeans were gone, as were her shorts. There was nothing in her closet, or Cade’s, except her dresses. She tore one of the longer, full-skirted sundresses from a hanger and dragged it over her head. Her bras were missing too; thankfully, her breasts were full and firm, and looked good without one. It was the principal of the matter, though.
For the past week, Cade had kept her to himself, both in bed and out of it. He hadn’t shared her with Brock and Sam, or made any strange demands on her. His passion was still hot and drove her crazy as he pushed her past peak after peak. It was as though that night in the family room was a dream. At least it was until this morning.
Before leaving their room Cade had laid out the plug, and the lubricating jelly, giving her a hard, speaking glance before leaving. She knew well that he meant for her to use it.
Gritting her teeth in irritation at his highhandedness, even as her vagina wept in excitement, she completed dressing, hastily braided her hair and slipped into a pair of strappy sandals.
“Marly, are you coming down sometime today?” Cade called from downstairs, his voice raised, imperious as he urged her to hurry.
Shaking her head, she adjusted the dress, then hurriedly left the bedroom.
“Cade August, I want my blue jeans back,” she bit out as she went as fast as the device up her rear would allow. “I need them.”
Then she came to a stuttering halt. Cade stood with his back to the opposite wall, his hand raised above his head as he faced the demon from Marly’s past.
Jack Jennings stood there, too real, too dangerous to accept. The threat they had fought through the long days of the past weeks could no longer be avoided. Marly’s heart jumped in terror, her throat closing, making her breath heave through her chest.
He was tall, in reasonably good shape, and watching Marly with a flushed, hollow-eyed expression that terrified her. It reminded her of the night her mother had run with her, and ho
w much she had hurt from his touch. As rough as Cade had been with her several times, he had never hurt her, not really. This man, Marly knew, would kill her.
“There’s my little girl,” Jack Jennings sneered as Marly stared at him in horror. “Bout time you got down here to greet your daddy.”
Marly felt her body chill. He looked insane, his brown eyes as maniacal as ever as he watched her now. She could smell the stench of his evil as his body shifted, bringing him closer to her.
“Why are you here?” Marly clutched the banister desperately, feeling fear and fury overwhelming her.
He laughed low, like a monster ready to destroy.
“Why, I’ve come for what’s mine of course,” he bit out, reaching out and gripping her arm as he dragged her to his chest. “You should have known I’d be here after that little show your lover put on last week, Marly.”
She felt her knees weaken, remembering Cade’s deliberate taunting of him.
“How pretty you were, all bent over while he shoved that thing up your ass.” He gripped her breast, causing her to cry out hoarsely. “Got you all nice and ready for me, little girl.”
“You’re crazy,” she gasped, her heart wild with terror as he wrapped his arm around her, jerking her close to his body.
“That’s not nice, Marly,” he whined low against her ear, his hot breath making her stomach heave with fear. “I’ll make you pay for that later. When my dick is ramming down your throat, you’ll beg to take that back.”
She would die first. Marly knew she would die before she could ever bear to let this man take her. If he didn’t kill her, then she would kill him.
Marly shook her head desperately, tears filling her eyes as she watched Cade’s tormented expression. She had to do something. He had that gun at her head now, knowing Cade wouldn’t make a move against him if it meant her life. She met his gaze, saw his fury and denial a second before she moved.
She screamed out, ducking and ramming her hip into Jack’s crotch as she turned sideways, falling to the floor and rolling against his legs as he caught to keep hold of her. But it was too late. Cade was on him like a madman, then Rick, Brock and Tara were rushing into the house.
Rick jerked her out of the way, pushing her to Tara as he joined Cade and Brock in restraining the more than surprised Jack Jennings. He was cursing; vowing vengeance, but a fist to his jaw shut him up quickly as Rick grew tired of listening to it.
“Son of a bitch.” Cade stared at Marly in amazement.
“I took a class at college.” She shrugged uncomfortably, not daring to believe it was really over. “Cade, I really need a drink if you don’t care. I don’t feel so good.”
Adrenaline crashed around her. The edges of the room rolled and grayed, leaving her lightheaded as Cade swung her up in his arms.
“Honey, you can have the whole damned bottle,” he promised her, carrying her into the study.
She heard Rick talking to the sheriff on the phone; the cowboys’ excited voices as they realized something had happened as well and rushed into the house. Cade propped her carefully on the couch, then rushed to the bar. He mixed her drink, barely daring to take his eyes off her as he did so.
“I can’t believe I did that.” She shook her head as Tara sat down beside her, watching her in concern.
“It’s all over, Marly,” she promised as Cade helped Marly hold her drink while she sipped desperately from it. “You’re safe now. How does it feel?”
“Like it never happened.” She shook her head. “This is going to hit me later, isn’t it?”
“Most likely.” Tara grinned, rising to mix her own drink now. “I think it will take a while for it to hit any of us. You did what none of us could do, caught the bastard off guard.”
“She’s good at doing that to everyone.” Cade shook his head, his surprise and pleasure still glowing in his eyes. “Bastard got right into the house before we knew it. Twenty-five men looking for him, and Marly took him down. Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“She’s an amazing woman,” Tara agreed with him as she swallowed a large measure of whisky. “Better keep her, Cade. You won’t find another like her.”
“Oh, definitely.” He stared into Marly’s eyes. “Forever. Right, Marly?”
Marly breathed out in surprise at what she read in his face.
“Forever?” she asked him hesitantly, her lips parting in hope and fear.
“Definitely forever, baby.” He leaned forward, kissing her parted lips softly. “Marry me, Marly?”
“What?” She whispered as he dragged her dress desperately over her thighs, pulling her to the edge of the couch as the other hand tore at the fastening of his slacks.
She felt her drink leave her hand, only vaguely aware that Tara had rescued it as Cade spread her thighs and after hurriedly testing her readiness, thrust his cock deep and hard into her hot channel. Gripping her hips, he began to fuck her in slow, consuming thrusts that had her crying out for release. Her legs wrapped around his hips, her hips lifting to him as her pushed into her over and over again. Gasping, fighting for breath, she met each thrust of his thick shaft into her body.
“I love you, Marly,” he groaned, his voice strangled as he jerked her forward, taking her lips in a kiss that touched her very soul.
His tongue speared into her mouth, tangling with hers as he felt between her thighs and slowly pulled the plug free of her rear. Marly arched, cried out, and climaxed with a shattered cry, before he pulled her to the floor, bent her over the couch and pushed into that tighter, hotter entrance.
Her back bowed, a cry strangling in her throat as she felt him fill her once again. Then he was pushing into her hard and fast, driving them as their senses exploded as swiftly as their bodies, leaving them gasping in the aftermath of a release so vicious it still shuddered through their bodies minutes later.
Cade held her close, tight, his body still a part of hers. The heat and hardness that was always a part of him heated her to her soul. His breathing was rough, matching the jerky rhythm of hers.
“Mine,” he whispered at her neck, his lips caressing the damp skin there.
“Mine.” She smiled, knowing that finally it was true.
If she worried that the threat against her seemed conquered so easily, then she refused to allow it to mar this moment of happiness that she knew Cade needed so desperately. If she feared the choice she had made had done little to still his demons, then she assured herself that her love would at least ease the way. He loved her. She knew that now, and she prayed that together they would defeat the demons of his past, and problems that could arise in their future.
Epilogue
Brock was a man driven. A man who had reached the end of his fragile control. He stalked through the gym, bypassing the curious looks, the worried frowns and headed for the back corner where a male worked out among the heavy weights under the lustful eye of the young woman cooing over his bulging muscles.
Rage surged through his veins, pounding with a rhythm of fury that he found hard pressed to control. When he reached the man, he jerked the weights out of his hands and threw them to the floor. The resulting thunder of the action had the cavernous room going deathly silent.
“Hey, are you crazy?” Mark Tate bit out, then gasped as he was grabbed by the front of his thin muscle shirt and thrown heavily against the wall.
Brock didn’t give him time to retaliate. In a quick move, he had his hand wrapped around Mark’s throat, leaving only meager room for the man to breathe. Desperate hands gripped at his wrist, but Brock only tightened the hold.
“Divorce her,” he growled furiously, a killing rage surging through him as he glanced at the scantily clad ‘other woman’ that always seemed to shadow Mark. “Sign the papers or I’ll make you wish you had. You understand me?”
Mark knew exactly who and what Brock meant. He had been warned. Brock had made certain of that when he learned Sarah had been asking for one.
“My wife,” Mark gasped.
/> Brock tightened his hold, watching dispassionately as the other man paled.
“My woman,” Brock amended. “Mine. And I mean to have her.”
Mark nodded with a jerky movement. Brock eased the pressure on his throat.
“Whose woman is she, Mark?” he asked him coldly.
“Yours,” Mark gasped.
“Sign the papers,” he ordered him again. “You have until tomorrow evening to get it done. If you don’t, and I find you again, I promise, I’ll hurt you.”
Mark nodded. A stilted, painful movement against Brock’s hand. Slowly, Brock released him.
“Don’t make me kill you, Mark.” He leaned close to whisper the words. “This time, I promise, I will.”
Unnoticed, quiet and hidden, the watcher observed the confrontation. It had been by luck alone that he was there when Brock stalked in, that he was close enough to hear all but the last, whispered words.
It was the woman. It was always a woman. His fists clenched in fury. Hatred, dark and all consuming, surged through him. First Cade, victorious in claiming his Marly, and now Brock, thinking he could do the same. If it were allowed to continue, then Sam would seek his happiness. Sam could not be allowed to believe he could seek his happiness. But if Brock, the oldest twin succeeded, then Sam would believe he could as well.
The watcher contained his smile, as he contained his rage. He would take care of Sarah before she could be claimed. Before she was taken to the ranch, before she was given as a sacrifice to the past, he would take care of her. Enough sacrifices, and the demons of pain could be assuaged. He couldn’t allow the demons to quiet. Never to quiet. It was the demons and their whispered voices that led him, planned with him, assured him of the betrayer’s downfall. The demons needed blood. And blood they must have. The blood of innocence to pay for the blood of death.
He watched Brock stalk out of the gym, then looked to Mark. Good ole Mark. He sneered remembering how easily he was to manipulate. How easy it was to guide him. Yes, just as with Jack, Mark would work out fine. The demons would never be silenced.