It was harder to accept that finally, after all these years, she was free of the hunt, that she could actually live without the fear that the moment she let her guard down she would find herself right back in the facility she'd escaped from so long ago.
That afternoon, Jessie took her out to their place in the countryside where they'd removed her animals. She discovered they'd not only removed them, they'd removed everything she owned, storing it in a portable storage building. Surprise and pleasure filled her at their thoughtfulness. She'd found many of her belongings in Dante's room, but she'd thought they'd only grabbed what they'd thought were essentials she'd need.
Jessie didn't bring up their earlier discussion, but it weighed heavily on her while she wrestled with everything she'd discovered. She supposed he was right about her in a way. She didn't fully understand their bonding, not the way Jessie had described it, and yet she had felt it in the way they behaved toward her—with a mixture of emotions, granted, but she'd felt it.
Dante and Maurice had both told her she didn't have to worry about anything anymore. She'd wanted to believe them, but she hadn't. The confirmation by way of the news story added a little more weight—and yet doubt still plagued her. It was hard to decide whether she did believe or just wanted to. The possibility of being totally free was seductive.
The possibility of being able to actually choose to stay was even more appealing. As far as she was concerned, whether the bonding Jessie and the others had spoken of had actually formed in the way they meant or not was questionable. She loved them. She hadn't considered the possible cost to herself when she'd confronted the Feds. The only thing of any importance to her at that moment was making sure they weren't hurt and that hadn't been because she was worried about guilt. It wasn't just because it was wrong to let someone else suffer because of her. It was because she cared about them.
She finally discovered what the renovation was all about when the men came in from work and began to move beds and dressers into the room. She was barred from entrance until they'd finished and didn't know whether to be more amused or horrified when she discovered it had undergone a transformation from den to grand master bedroom for the pack. There'd already been a small bath just off the room. A second, larger one, complete with a huge whirlpool bath had been added. At the other end, a wall had been built to create a huge walk-in closet. In the main room, two king sized beds had been shoved together in the center of the room.
Shilo covered her mouth with one hand as she looked it over, trying to suppress the urge to laugh.
Dante plunked his hands on his hips and glared at her. “What?"
Shilo shook her head. Tamping her amusement, which was obviously not appreciated, she toured the suite and gave it her approval. “Nice. Very nice.” She cleared her throat. “We're all going to share the room?"
The men exchanged glances. “We're already sharing the same room,” Dante pointed out.
"This is true. This will be a lot more comfortable for everyone. Now you and Maurice won't have to sleep on the floor."
"Exactly,” Dante confirmed, “or Jessie and Kane when they're off."
A flicker of annoyance went through her at still more evidence that Dante had arranged all. She shook it off. Dante was always going to be managing everything, she reflected. She was either going to have to get used to it, or follow plan B—ignore the pull to stay with them and do what her conscience demanded to ensure the lycan community didn't pay for sheltering her.
She supposed the bonding hadn't ‘taken', not completely anyway. She had gotten used to being around all of them all of the time when they'd stayed with her at her place. She still hadn't completely adjusted to sleeping with all of them, together, in one room. She took a rather kinky, exhibitionist pleasure in having sex with one while the others watched, or listened, though.
Except for the time she'd watched Maurice while Dante made love to her, she didn't know for certain that they did, but she thought they did. It would've been difficult for them to ignore because she enjoyed herself thoroughly, and they held nothing back.
She was almost surprised when she went in to get ready for bed that night and Jessie joined her in the shower. After what he'd said, despite the fact that he'd told her he was prepared to bond with her regardless of his doubts, she really hadn't expected him to want to. Without the bonding, he knew he couldn't trust that she would honor it, and from what she'd finally begun to understand, when
they
bonded they mated for life. If she broke that bond, they would be without a mate forever more, unable to form anything even close again.
That thought gave her pause. What she'd done before had been unwitting. She'd misunderstood the situation, had thought it was only casual sex with them. Hungry for male companionship, she'd been willing enough to go along with that, even when she'd worried that she could easily grow very attached to Dante, because she'd known then she didn't have the option of anything more permanent regardless of how she felt.
What Jessie had told her changed everything.
....And nothing.
He gave her a moment to decide, no more, and she was still too confused about her feelings and the situation to make a clear headed decision.
Whether he saw the indecision or not, he saw she didn't mean to object and he pulled her flush against his body, kissing her until her mind was too full of him to spare the room for anything else.
As drunk with desire as she was before many moments had passed, she was still stunned when he grasped her around the waist lifted her straight up. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, opening her body to him. Bracing her back against the shower wall, he breached the mouth of her sex and thrust into her with a frantic, shaking need that drove her over the top within moments.
They leaned together weakly in the aftermath for many moments before Jessie finally disengaged their bodies and allowed her to slide to the floor until her feet were under her. Holding her close, he nuzzled his face against her damp throat. “I'm your man,
chère,"
he murmured.
Shilo felt her throat close with emotion. Tears blurred her eyes as he lifted his head to study her face.
Consternation twisted his features. “I didn't you,
chère
?” he asked uneasily.
She shook her head. “Don't give up on me, Jessie,” she managed to say finally.
He studied her a long moment and finally smiled. “I'm not much for givin’ up on somethin’ I want,
chère."
* * * *
Plan B had never been terribly appealing to Shilo and as one day slipped into another and she kept putting off getting around to actually formulating plan B, she finally accepted that she'd never really meant to execute plan B.
Jessie might doubt that she'd formed the bond he'd spoken of and maybe he was right. Maybe she didn't even really know how to love at all because she'd never known what it was, never experienced it, but she had certainly formed
a
bond with them. As far as she was concerned, she loved them, and that was all that really mattered, regardless of who defined it.
It wasn't easy living with four men, but they were easy the eyes, fabulous in bed, and she discovered she had very little to complain about. They never lost their temper with her—sometimes with each other, but never with her. They never left the house without grabbing her for a quick kiss, or a hug, or just holding her and nuzzling her, and they always greeted her on their return the same way. They weren't slobs. They picked up after themselves. They shared the kitchen duties. They took care of the yard, and when they went for groceries, they usually
all
went for groceries and each of them grabbed a separate buggy to fill.
When Dante decided she was looking a little worn down and piqued in spite of the fact that they shouldered the bulk of the work in the household, he demanded flat out to know why.
Shilo gave him an irritated look. “Because I'm pregnant,” she growled, “
and
I have sex twice a day with two different men! I'm exhausted from having so much fun!"
His dark brows rose almost to his hair line. “Why didn't you say so?” he demanded irritably. “I would've adjusted the schedule."
She narrowed her eyes him, wrestled with her temper, and finally decided that telling him to shove his schedule up his ass didn't actually constitute communication. “I need more rest,” she said instead, daring him to comment on the fact that she generally took a nap in the afternoon.
He disappeared into his home office and returned a few minutes later with a calendar. “How many nights a month were you thinking?"
She studied him a long moment. “I was thinking more in terms of every other night."
He frowned, doodled on the calendar for several moments, performed some mental calculations and then looked up at her. “I don't know, baby. That throws us off."
Resisting the urge to throw something at him, Shilo got off the couch and moved to the chair where he was sitting. Pulling the calendar from his hands, she tossed it over her shoulder, climbed into his lap, and then looped her arms around his shoulders.
He studied her face warily.
"Every other night, Dante,” she said firmly.
"The pack is going to be disappointed,” he pointed out.
"Not nearly as disappointed as they would be with one time per week per pack brother. Just consider yourselves fortunate that I love you, and I'm a good hearted woman, and I'm dedicated to taking care of my men's needs."
Dante smiled faintly. “Your men—I like the sound of that."
Shilo smiled back him. “I do, too.” Scooting down, she nestled her head on his shoulder. “There hasn't been any sign of the Feds?” she asked tentatively.
His arms tightened around her. “No. I told you not to worry about that anymore. We'll take care of you.” He settled a hand on her belly, which had only just begun to take on a slight roundness. Stoking it lightly, he lifted his head to meet her gaze. “You're our woman now and nobody messes with our woman."
The End
Erotica/Romance. 74621 words long.
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