SizzlingInsanity (15 page)

She knew she sounded bitter, but couldn’t help herself.

“They’d been meeting up at the cabin he’d had built for them
because he was too ashamed of her to meet her out in the open. Then some
asshole convinced her that she wasn’t good enough for Garrison, that she was
holding him back. It tore my mom up and she decided to end things with him.”

“Who convinced her of that?” Connor asked.

Shelby shook her head tiredly. “I don’t know. Someone close
to Garrison, I guess. My mom never wrote his name down. She was devastated, but
she didn’t want to do anything to hurt Garrison. She was in love with him,
after all. So she stayed away, even though it half killed her.”

“How old were you? You must have just been a baby.” Connor
said.

She snorted. “Oh you could say that. Four days later mom
found out that she was pregnant with me.”

“Wait, are you saying that Sam Garrison is your father?”
Connor asked incredulously.

“My mom wasn’t sleeping around,” she said heatedly.

“How could we not have seen the resemblance?” Cade said,
moving forward to stand by Connor. “She’s got his coloring, his eye color.”

“We weren’t looking,” Connor replied.

She scowled at them both, not really liking being compared
to Garrison.

“Sam doesn’t know. She never told him,” Cade said with a
scowl.

“She never got a chance,” Shelby told him fiercely. “She was
alone, pregnant and with no idea what she was going to do. She knew Jack
wouldn’t accept me, so Uncle Colin arranged for her to go and live with some
cousins. She stayed there for two years, but she missed her family and she
missed him,” Shelby spat out with disgust.

“How do you know all this? You were a baby.” Connor leaned
forward in his seat. Her cousins were all sprawled on chairs around her,
remaining quiet, letting her talk.

“My mom kept a diary. My uncle gave it to me a month before
he died. He wanted me to be ready. He trained me to take care of Garrison. It
was my job to make him pay for what he did.”

Sawyer sucked in a breath, looking shocked as he turned to
her. “Is that what Dad told you? That he was training you to become some sort
of killer?”

She glanced around at her cousins, taking in their surprised
expressions. “He told me that I had to be prepared for anything, that he was
tougher on me than you guys because I had a job to fulfill. When he gave me the
diary, it was like he knew he wasn’t going to be here much longer. He told me
it was up to me to avenge my mother, to make sure that Garrison paid.”

“Fucking hell,” Owen swore. “He had no right to say any of that.
He had no right to put that pressure on you.”

“He loved Mom, he just wanted to make sure that Garrison
didn’t go free.”

“So he should have taken care of it himself,” Sawyer said.
“He was wrong to put that on you, Shelby.”

She shook her head. “You know Uncle Colin would never leave
pack grounds. He couldn’t go after Garrison once he’d moved to Washington.
Uncle Colin was a good man and I didn’t tell you this to make you upset with
him. He took me in when many wouldn’t have. It would have been easier to just
make me someone else’s problem and go on with his life. But he loved Mom and he
took care of me. I’m grateful for everything he did for me.”

Jonty hugged her close. “He’s the one who should have been
grateful for you. We would never have forgiven him if he’d rejected you. You’re
family, Shelby.”

She smiled at him, hugging him back.

“So all the information you have comes from this diary?”
Cade asked, drawing her back to what they’d been talking about.

“And what Uncle Colin told me. When my mom returned with me,
she was determined to see Garrison, to tell him about me. She sent him a
letter, asking him to meet with her. He sent her a note back, telling her to
meet him at the cabin. When she didn’t come home or contact him, my uncle went
looking for her. He knew she wouldn’t leave me for that long. He found her dead
in the forest, murdered. He swore that he could smell Garrison.”

Connor sucked in his breath and looked up at Cade.

“Someone has to avenge my mother. He killed her, murdered
her when all she ever did was love him. A few weeks later, he closed up his
house here and moved to Washington. He’s not going to let me live once he knows
about me. I know what he did and I could ruin him. My life is over if you tell
him.”

“No one is going to harm you,” Owen growled, glaring at Cade
and Connor.

“I think we need to see this diary,” Connor said. “Sam has
told us a little bit about your mother, but his story differs greatly from
yours.”

She snorted. “He’s hardly going to tell you the truth, is
he?”

“Trouble is, we didn’t detect a lie and Cade is very good at
telling truth from lies.”

“He’s a politician—he’s well adept at telling lies and
making them seem like the truth.”

Connor sighed, looking tired. “Maybe. I don’t know. What I
do know is that we need to see that diary and then we need to talk to Sam.”

She swallowed heavily. “You’ll tell him about me.”

Cade stared at her sternly. “You are going to trust us in
this. We will not allow anyone to harm you, no matter who they are, understand
me? If Sam did this, if he killed your mother, then we will take care of
matters. As your mates it is our right to ensure your safety.”

“But you’re not my mates.”

“Not yet,” he said with promise deep in his voice.

Cade set aside the diary and sat back. Connor paced back and
forth through the living room. They could hear Shelby in the kitchen, talking
with one of her cousins.

“What do you think?” Connor asked him.

“I think that I have a number of unanswered questions and
the only people who can answer them are Annabeth and her murderer.”

“You think Sam is capable of this? Of murder?”

Cade tapped his fingers against the arm of the chair. “You
know that anyone is capable of murder in the right circumstances. Do I believe
he did this? I don’t know. But we do need to talk to him.”

Connor nodded. “I don’t want to leave Shelby here, but we
can’t take her with us.”

“We need to bind her to us,” Cade said.

“She doesn’t trust us fully.”

“She will once she’s our mate,” he said with conviction. “We
need to do it soon, before we both go insane.”

Connor nodded.

They both looked up as soft footfalls approached and Shelby
appeared.

“Well?” she said, unable to hide her nervousness. “What do
you think?”

“I think that we’ve got a lot of questions we need to get
some answers to,” Cade told her.

“You’re going to go talk to him. You’re going to tell him
about me.”

Fuck, he hated how terrified she was. Didn’t she know they
would protect her with every breath in their bodies?

Well, she’d be under no illusions once they’d claimed her
properly.

Connor drew her close, holding her against his body. Cade
moved up behind her. He drew her hair to one side, exposing her neck. Leaning
in, he kissed the soft skin of her neck. Gradually, she relaxed in their
embrace.

“Is there someplace we can go that’s private?” Connor asked
her.

“Umm, the barn? My cousins should be going into work in a
few hours, although I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them stays behind.”

Cade knew that they couldn’t blame her cousins for not
trusting them with her. But nothing would come between him and his mate, not
even her family.

“Meet us in the barn in ten,” Cade told her. “Don’t keep us
waiting.”

* * * * *

Connor paced up and down the floor of the barn. Cade sat,
watching him.

“You’re giving me a crick in my neck.”

“So don’t watch me,” Connor snapped back. “She’s late.”

“She’ll come,” Cade said confidently.

Before Connor could reply, Shelby stepped inside. She
stopped and just stared at them for a long moment.

“You wanted to talk in private?”

Connor’s nerves disappeared as soon as he saw her. He
crooked a finger at her.

She glared back at him, then mimicked his gesture.

Connor shrugged with a grin and stepped forward. “If you
insist.”

A look of alarm crossed her face as he strode toward her and
he noticed that she swallowed heavily. He cupped her shoulders, dragging her
toward him.

“I thought you wanted to talk,” she said.

“First, I need to kiss you.”

Leaning in, he took her mouth with his. The tight knot in
his stomach that had formed when they’d realized she was gone finally started
to unravel. He ran his hands over her back then down to her ass, cupping it.

Lifting her, he brought her up until she wrapped her legs
around his waist. Her hot pussy was pressed against his stomach. He turned so
her back was resting against a wall.

“Damn, you taste good,” he told her, before nibbling his way
along her jaw and down her neck.

She whimpered. “I came here to talk.”

“We’ll talk,” he promised her. “Right after we teach you not
to run from us ever again.”

Cade stepped up beside him. “Damn straight.”

“Damn, I cannot wait to fuck that sexy ass,” Connor said.

Her eyes widened and he would have worried that they’d
scared her if the smell of her arousal hadn’t grown stronger.

“You were holding me as your prisoner. I can’t believe that
you’re upset I escaped. I don’t deserve any punishment.”

“Maybe not, but you’re still getting disciplined,” Connor
told her with a wolfish grin as he turned and headed to the ladder leading to
the loft area of the barn. They’d prepared it for what they needed, stealing a
couple of blankets and some cooking oil from the house.

Cade went up the ladder before them.

Connor placed her on her feet and turned her to face the
ladder. He gave her hair a tug to get her moving. “Asshole,” she muttered.

She hardly ever swore now, not like she had when they’d
first captured her, meaning she was coming to trust them even though she might
protest otherwise.

“Why are we going up here?”

“Because we don’t want your cousins interrupting us,” Connor
replied.

“They’ll come looking for me soon.”

“Maybe. But you’re eating into it with every moment you
procrastinate, so I suggest you get your cute little ass up that ladder and
take what’s coming to you.”

She sighed but made her way up the ladder. When she got to
the top, she came to a stop.

“Go ahead and make yourselves at home,” she said dryly.
“What part of ‘talk’ did you not understand?”

Connor stepped up behind her, cupping her hips as he pressed
his erection against her. “We’ll talk after.”

“Do you believe me? About my mother’s murder?” she asked in
a small voice.

“I believe that’s the truth as you know it,” he said
carefully. “I also think there may be more to it than we know.”

“So you believe him? You’ll side with him?”

“We are always going to be on your side,” he told her as
Cade walked toward them. He’d stripped his shirt off. The loft area was mainly
used for storage but they’d placed a couple of blankets on the floor to make a
cozier area.

Cade reached for the bottom of her T-shirt, tugging it up
and over her head. “Whoever killed your mother will die, we promise you that,”
Cade told her, cupping her cheeks. “We won’t rest until the truth comes out.
But right now, it’s time for your punishment.”

Shelby’s breath caught in her throat. She knew she should
protest how high-handed they were being. She should have just hidden in her
room, or stuck close to one of her cousins, but that wasn’t what she wanted.

She wanted to be here with them. Since leaving them, she’d
had to fight the urge to return to them, her every instinct had screamed that
she belonged with them.

Even if she knew she didn’t deserve them.

Cade undid the front clasp on her bra, pulling it off.
Leaning down, he took one nipple into his mouth, sucking strongly.

Shelby moaned, arching, pushing her breast into his mouth.
Connor slipped his hands around her, undoing her jeans and pushing them and her
panties down. Cade moved to her other breast, giving it the same treatment.

Connor pulled her up, holding her under her legs. “Cade,
take her shoes and jeans off.”

Cade made quick work of ridding her of the rest of her
clothes then he knelt so his head was placed perfectly in front of her exposed
pussy.

“She’s wet,” he said, parting her lips. “So pink and
swollen. Did all this talk of discipline turn you on, darlin’?”

“No,” she groaned as Connor guided her legs over Cade’s wide
shoulders. He steadied her, holding her back against his chest as he reached
around and cupped her breasts.

“Hmm, you wouldn’t be lying would you, trouble?” Connor
murmured in her ear as he tugged at her nipples. “Maybe we should check.”

Cade leaned in and sucked on her clit. Shelby threw her head
back on a long groan as he licked at her. He placed a finger inside her,
thrusting it in and out. Shelby shuddered, needing more.

“So wet, so hot,” Cade whispered before standing and moving
toward the blankets that were laid out on the floor. He lay down on his back.

Connor picked her up in his arms and followed. He sat them
both down on the blankets.

“On your hands and knees, straddle Cade,” he commanded.

She knelt over Cade and he pulled her down for a deep kiss
as Connor positioned himself on his knees behind her. Cade pulled back from the
kiss then drew her up his body so he could reach her breasts. He drew one
nipple into his mouth, tonguing it slowly, driving her wild.

Connor placed a finger deep inside her, swirling it around.
He joined it with another finger, drawing them in and out. Shelby wiggled her
hips, wanting more.

“Stay still,” he growled.

“I need more. Fuck me.”

“Impatient little thing, isn’t she, brother?” Connor said to
Cade.

“Hmm,” Cade agreed. He moved to her other breast, licking at
her nipple as though it was the sweetest of lollipops.

Connor pulled his fingers from her pussy and drew them up to
her swollen clit, playing with her until she shook with the need to come.

“Please, please,” she begged. Connor kept strumming her clit
until she was right on the edge then he drew back.

“No!” she yelled. “What are you doing?” She glared at him
over her shoulder.

He just raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think naughty girls
deserve to come, do you, Cade?”

She looked back around at Cade, pleading with him silently.

Cade grinned. “Not without some torture,” he replied.
“You’re too sore for a spanking, Shelby. So we’re going to punish you with
pleasure instead.”

She groaned. She’d rather have the spanking.

Cade grabbed her hips, holding her steady. “Kiss me,” he
ordered.

Shelby was only too pleased to obey him. She heard Connor
moving behind her, then suddenly her hips were pulled down and her clit was
enveloped in warmth. Pulling back from Cade, she groaned. Connor toyed with her
clit, flicking it, running his tongue around it, then sucking strongly.

Shelby needed to come. She shook with pleasure. So close. So
close. Connor drew back and she let out a tortured moan.

“No, no, no. Stop being so cruel, you bastard!”

“Hmm, I don’t think you’ve been punished quite enough,” he
replied before returning to her pussy.

This time, he slowly licked his way from the bottom of her
pussy to the top, over and over again. Then he thrust two fingers deep inside
her as he lapped at her clit with fast, hard flicks of his tongue.

“Please, please, please,” she begged. All she wanted was to
come.

Instead of sending her over the edge, Connor moved away. He
was a dead man. She’d kill him. Slowly. She sent him a menacing look as he
knelt behind her.

He merely smiled.

“Put Cade inside you, trouble,” Connor ordered. “Then stay
very, very still.”

Reaching down, she grabbed Cade’s cock then lowered herself
until she was completely impaled on his cock.

Both of them moaned. Although Connor had ordered her to
remain still, she couldn’t help but move her hips back then thrust them forward
again.

“Naughty girl,” Connor said as he grabbed her hips and held
them still.

“No, just let me move, just a little bit.”

Connor just chuckled. “It doesn’t work that way, I’m afraid,
trouble. Hold her cheeks open, Cade. I need to get her ready.”

“With pleasure,” Cade replied, reaching down and pulling her
ass cheeks apart.

“What are you doing?” she asked, gasping as Connor dripped
something wet between the cheeks of her bottom. He rimmed her asshole before
pushing one finger deep inside her.

She leaned her head against Cade’s shoulder as Connor added
another finger, sending sparks of heady delight through her body.

She was on fire. She needed them both.

“More, more,” she groaned, trying to move her hips.

“Shh,” Cade told her. “We have to prepare you. The last
thing we want is to hurt you.”

“You won’t, unless I die from need.”

“I don’t think anyone has ever died of that,” Cade said.

Connor slipped another finger into her asshole. He thrust in
and out, slowly then built up to a faster pace.

“Please,” she cried. “Please.”

“I can’t last much longer,” Cade said, sounding strained.
“She’s clenched around me so tight.”

“All right. Just relax, Shelby. We’re going to take this
nice and slow. If you need me to stop, just say.”

He pushed the head of his cock against the tight ring of her
asshole.

“Take in a deep breath then let it out slowly,” Cade told
her. She did, focusing on relaxing as Connor pushed his way inside her.

The original burning soon disappeared and a feeling of
rightness overtook her. She was full, almost too full but there was no way she
would give up this feeling. Connor moved slowly, while Cade whispered words of praise
in her ear. Her eyes filled with tears at their caring.

“Such a good girl,” Connor told her as Cade drew his hands
away from her ass to rub along her back. “God, you feel so good.”

“Please,” she cried. “Please, I need to come.”

“You can come whenever you like.” Cade reached between their
bodies to play with her clit. They thrust in tandem, keeping her right on the
edge, her orgasm growing until she couldn’t hold back. It washed over her,
increasing in intensity until she was crying with pleasure.

Beneath her Cade gave his shout of pleasure as Connor drove
inside her a few more times before moaning as he came.

Suddenly she was floating, her soul separating from her body
as she slumped between them, her whole body collapsing.

Everything went black.

* * * * *

Shelby opened her eyes, wondering why she was lying bare-ass
naked in her cousins’ barn. There was a wet cloth on her forehead.

“Shelby? Are you okay? Connor, she’s awake.” Cade appeared
beside her, his face worried.

Connor soon joined them.

“What happened?” she asked.

“We had sex then you passed out,” Cade told her. Her memory
drifted back, both of them inside her, filling her and then she’d felt really
weird.

Then nothing.

“I fainted?”