SizzlingInsanity (10 page)

Cade took over her mouth as Connor suckled on each of her
nipples. Connor kissed his way down her stomach and over her mound.

She moaned, the noise smothered by Cade’s mouth. Connor
settled himself between her legs, and splitting her lower lips wide apart with
his fingers, he licked at her clit delicately.

Cade moved back and she panted, trying to catch her breath.

“Oh, oh,” she cried, thrashing her head from side to side.
Connor just tapped at her clit lightly, never moving faster or harder.

He was driving her insane.

“Connor, more!” she demanded.

“What do you want, baby?” Cade murmured in her ear, plucking
at her nipple with his fingers. “He wants to hear you beg.”

“I need to come, please, more.”

She didn’t care that she was begging them, that they were
holding her against her will. She wanted this, wanted them.

Needed them.

Connor took a long lick of her folds, from the base to the
top.

“Yum, your taste reminds me of the ocean with a hint of
sweetness,” he told her, leaning up a little so he could look at her.

“Are you sure?” she panted. “Maybe you should check again.”

Connor chuckled.

“He’s sure,” Cade answered seriously. “Connor has an
excellent sense of taste.”

Shelby looked up at Cade for a moment before bursting into
giggles. Connor joined her, laughing while Cade just looked at them both.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she told him. “Kiss me. You,” she looked at
Connor, “don’t leave me hanging this time.”

He grinned. “Yes ma’am.”

He only gave in because he wanted to, she knew. They were
most definitely in charge here.

Connor dove back between her legs, this time he didn’t tease
her, he expertly drove her higher and higher, using his fingers and tongue to
drive her up and over into a mind-blowing orgasm. Her whole body trembled as
she arched her head back.

Cade let her mouth go, kissing down her neck as Connor moved
so he was cuddling into the side of her, running his hand up and down her
stomach soothingly as she drew in breath after breath, trying to calm her
racing heartbeat.

He kissed her forehead.

“Was that up to the lady’s expectations?”

“Almost,” she lied.

“Well, I’ll just have to do better next time.”

Oh shit, he’d certainly kill her. But what a way to go.

She had to get out of here.

Shelby prowled through Cade’s and Connor’s bedrooms for the
millionth time, searching for a way to escape. The doors were solid oak. She
could have picked the lock if they had a keyhole, but they were electronically
locked. She’d need one of their security cards to get them open.

Still, she couldn’t give up. She’d been locked in here for
three days now and her body was already becoming accustomed to their touch.
They just had to enter the room and her nipples would harden, her body heating.

They hadn’t fucked her yet, keeping to their promise that
they wouldn’t until she asked them nicely. Christ, there had been a few times
where she’d come very close to doing just that. They were getting under her
skin more each day.

She’d already told them about her mother’s death, her
family, it wouldn’t be long until they caught her in a weak spot and she
revealed everything. Until she gave in and begged them for sex. A number of
times she’d had to bite her lip to stop herself from giving in to the
overwhelming need to have them, to feel them inside her.

This hold they had over her would only be broken with space.

But how was she going to get free?

The door opened and she spun around to see Connor entering
the room, a tray of food in his hands.

He’s vulnerable right now. The door is open, his hands
are full, you could take him. Escape.

Except she couldn’t. Because she might have to harm him and
she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Frustration bit at her, stirring her
temper.

“Got some lunch,” he said cheerfully as he put the tray on
the ground before turning and shutting the door. It locked automatically.

“I’m not hungry,” she growled.

He picked up the tray again and carried it over to the small
table and chairs in the corner of the room.

“You’re always hungry,” he said calmly.

Connor pulled out a chair for her, waiting. She glared at
him and then the chair, but before she could refuse again, her stomach gurgled
and she knew he heard it.

Holding her head up, she moved forward and grabbed the chair
from him.

“I can seat myself.”

“You know, if I hadn’t had you screaming with pleasure in my
arms this morning, I’d think you’d woken up on the wrong side of the bed.” He
sat across from her.

She snorted and dropped her head, hoping to hide her blush.
She grabbed a sandwich and wolfed it down, not really tasting it.

They ate in silence for long moments.

Full, she wiped her mouth on a napkin.

“Where do you put it all?” Connor asked in amusement.

She glanced up and realized she’d eaten the majority of the
sandwiches. She’d acted on automaton, not even really tasting the food.

Shelby shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed. Her cousins had
grown used to how much she ate, but when she was out in public, she usually
tried to hide her unusual appetite. She pushed her plate away and stood up.

“I’m finished now, you can leave.” She stood in front of the
window, looking outside. Even if she could have gotten through the window, there
was a straight drop outside to the ground.

Connor stepped up behind her, not touching her, but she
could feel his heat. Immediately, her wolf settled. It was as though her wolf
had trusted them from the start. Both she and the wolf had learned to trust no
one but their cousins. Everyone else was out to hurt them. But there was
something about Connor and Cade that made her wolf feel safe, protected.

“Thinking about escaping, trouble?” he murmured.

“Every minute.”

He brushed her hair to one side and leaning in, kissed her
neck. “Oh, I think there are some moments when you’re not thinking about it.”

Shelby forced herself to step away from him, twisting around
to face him. “I know prisoners get little say in how they’re treated, but I’m
not really in the mood right now, okay?”

Oh what a lie that was, she was always ready.

“Fine. If that’s how you truly feel, I’ll back off.” He
stepped back and she felt a sense of loss. Her wolf pushed at her, growling at
her lies. Her wolf was generally pretty submissive, so Shelby was surprised by
the protest.

Connor walked over and packed up the dishes, leaving without
a word. Shelby sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her aching head. She was
still sitting on the bed when the door opened again and Cade stepped in. He closed
the door, leaning back against it. She glanced up at him briefly, taking in his
tense stance, his serious face.

Shelby had learned a lot about their personalities over
these last few days. Connor was the more socially outgoing, he would tease her,
laugh with her, he was warm and fun but with an inner core of steel. She knew
that if he committed himself to something or someone then he would never let
them down. Part of her almost wished that he felt that sense of loyalty toward
her, that she could rely on him, lean on him.

Cade, on the other hand, was more intense. He took most
things literally. He was extremely smart. He took the safety of those around
him very seriously. She knew she’d never have to worry about someone harming
her with Cade around. If anything he’d be overprotective—if she belonged to
him.

“Is it because of me?” Cade asked her suddenly.

She looked up in surprise, her forehead creasing in
confusion. “Is what because of you?”

“The reason you pushed Connor away? Is it because of me?
I’ll back off if you need me to.”

Shelby gaped at him and for the first time, she realized she
wasn’t the only one who had issues around trust and rejection.

She stood and took a step forward, nearly giving in to the
urge to go to him, comfort him. She managed to stop herself. Barely.

“What are you talking about?”

“Most women don’t want me, beyond the pleasure I can bring
them. I’m weird. I’m not mate material. But Connor is. If you pushed him away
because of me then I’ll leave you alone, you won’t have to deal with me.”

Although he spoke matter-of-factly, she could sense his
pain. The guilt that hit her was a surprise. Hell, she hadn’t meant to hurt
them—she’d been trying to protect herself. But she couldn’t hold herself back
this time. Walking over to him, she poked her finger into his chest.

“You are not weird. Those women were crazy if they couldn’t
see the amazing, sexy man that you are. It’s their loss. Not yours.”

He blinked, his face still hard but she noticed that his
shoulders had relaxed a little. She could happily slap the bitches who’d hurt
him in the past, who had made him doubt himself. Sure, Cade was different. But
she knew that when he loved someone it would be with every fiber of his being.

“I didn’t reject Connor. We’re not dating or in a relationship,
I’m your prisoner. You’ve been trying to use my reaction to you both against
me, haven’t you? You’ve been using my needs to get the answers you want. I’m
merely protecting myself. What happens when you get everything you want from
me? What then? What do the two of you plan to do with me? When are you going to
let me go back to my life?”

“What life? Your pack rejected you. Are you planning on
living with your cousins for the rest of your life?”

Shelby turned her head away, trying to mask the pain his words
had brought. She knew she was holding her cousins back, that they deserved
more.

“I know I’m a burden. Why do you think I’m going to college?
As soon as I have a job, I’ll move out and let my cousins go on with their
lives. Without me around, the pack will take them back in. They can find mates
and finally have real lives.”

Cade growled and she looked up to find him glaring down at
her. “You think you’re a burden to them? That they will just let you go live by
yourself? Your wolf needs a pack.”

“My wolf isn’t like others. I think I’m more human than
wolf. I’ll be fine.”

She spoke with more confidence than she felt. She was pretty
sure she wouldn’t last long by herself.

“You cannot live by yourself. Anything could happen to
you—you wouldn’t have proper protection. What kind of men are your cousins to
allow this?”

“My cousins are wonderful. They have given up everything for
me. They don’t
allow
me to do anything, I can look after myself.”

The door behind Cade rattled and he stepped inside as Connor
walked in, his face still cold.

Great. She was a hit with everyone today. Shelby sat on the
bed, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“What’s going on?”

“Shelby was telling me about her future plans. Apparently,
her cousins find her a burden and she’s planning on living alone, without a
pack.”

Connor frowned as he sat on a chair and pulled off his
shoes. “Your wolf won’t survive that.”

“My wolf is fine. She doesn’t need other wolves around her.”
Liar. She often longed for her own pack. Her cousins were her family and she loved
them, but she’d always felt like an obligation to them.

Cade shook his head. “No way am I ever going to allow you to
live alone.”

“You have no say in what I do, Cade. As soon as you get what
you want, you’ll be gone and I can do what I like.”

“What makes you think we’ll ever allow you to leave us?”

Her eyes widened as she stared at them both. Connor now sat
back in the armchair, his eyes closed, looking exhausted.

“You’re going to kill me?” she asked.

“What?” Cade said. “No. We’re keeping you.”

She jumped to her feet, shaking her head. “What did you
say?”

“I said we’re keeping you. We’re not letting you go.”

“Cade,” Connor said on a long sigh, opening his eyes to
stare at his brother. “If she doesn’t want us, we’re not keeping her here
against her will.”

Cade stared at him stubbornly. “I offered to step aside. If
it’s me she can’t handle, I’ll leave the two of you to it.”

Connor turned to stare at her accusingly. “What did you say
to him?”

“What? Nothing! I—”

“Cade is different, but you’ll never find someone more loyal
or protective,” Connor interrupted her. “You have no reason to reject him.”

“I’m not…what…urgh!” She ran her hands through her hair.
“You two are driving me nuts! I don’t even understand what has happened to this
conversation!”

She’d gone from attempting to protect herself by pushing
them away, to having to reassure them both that she wanted them. What? She felt
like she was in the
Twilight Zone
.

She rubbed her forehead again.

“Do you have a headache?” Cade asked.

“What?”

“You keep rubbing your head. Is it aching?”

“No, I’m fine.”

He growled and stepped toward her. “If you weren’t already
hurting, I’d turn you over my knee for your continued lying. If you’re in pain
or danger, we need to know. You need to start being honest with us.”

He sat on the bed and pulled her over to sit between his
spread legs. Shelby was about to pull away when he started massaging her
shoulders.

“Oh God, that feels good.”

“You’re too tense. No wonder you’re in pain. You need to
relax.”

She snorted. “Bit hard to do that.”

“I know one cure.”

She stiffened, but he kept rubbing, easing her tense
muscles.

“We care about you, Shelby,” Cade told her, surprising her.
“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but we’re doing our best to protect you while
still doing our jobs. We’ve been charged with protecting Garrison. Any other
threat to him would have been dealt with far more harshly. I just wish you
would confide in us, let us help you. Then we could get on with our lives.”

Planting a kiss on the top of her head, Cade moved away. She
grabbed his hand.

“Our lives?” she queried.

He stared down at her.

“Yes, ours. I know you probably won’t believe us, but we’re
supposed to be together. I know it, my wolf knows it, and I think your wolf
does too.”

Her wolf damn near howled in agreement.

“Us? All of us?” She didn’t dare look over at Connor.

“All of us,” Connor confirmed. “But we can’t move on with
things until we fix this. Until you’re completely honest.”

“How do I know you’re not lying to get what you want?”

“Look at me,” Cade said firmly.

She stared up into his gray eyes.

“Am I lying to you?”

Shelby took a deep breath, hearing the truth in his words.
“No,” she whispered. “But what if you don’t believe me? What if what I have to
say turns your wonderful senator into the bad guy?”

They both stared at her, long and hard.

“Tell the truth and we’ll believe you,” Connor said. “No
matter what that truth is.”

She thought it over in her head. There were dozens of
reasons not to trust them and yet her instincts told her to take that chance.

Connor’s phone rang before she could say anything. He
answered it, his face growing tense as he walked from the room. Cade followed
him out. She sat there for a moment, hearing the murmur of voices from the
hallway, feeling a little hurt that they didn’t feel they could talk in front
of her.

Connor rushed back in and headed to his closet, grabbing a
bag. He shoved some clothes and toiletries into it.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

Connor turned and looked at her, his gaze narrowing. “Sam
needs us. Cade and I are flying out there now. Dylan will stay here to watch
over you.”

“What happened? Is he hurt?”

“Nothing for you to concern yourself with,” Connor replied.
“We’ll be back within forty-eight hours.”

Connor turned away.

“Connor, wait,” she said.

“What?” he asked impatiently, turning back.

“Be careful. Both of you.”

She didn’t really know why she’d said it, but she couldn’t
let him just leave without saying anything.

He nodded. “Behave.”

* * * * *