The delicious heat that was growing inside of her stoppedcold. Jerking her head back, she looked at Reid.
Nodding, he reached up and ran a hand through her long hair,letting his fingers trail the strands to the very end. “Our sadistic bastard ofa father forced her to give birth in the backwoods of Ontario, hours away fromhelp.”
Putting her hand over her mouth, Everly felt her heart acheat the thought of that poor woman. This was what Reid meant when he mentionednot having the luxury of a mom. Did that mean they grew up all alone away fromsociety with no mom? How did they escape? She had so many questions, but whenher eyes met Zane’s she couldn’t bear to voice them. Pain and guilt laced hisusually bright eyes, and again he reminded her of a little boy who neededcomfort. Reaching up with both hands, Zane instinctively latched onto thesilent invitation and let her pull his head down to her breast. Like a greatrumbling beast, Zane groaned into her embrace wrapping his body around hers.
Meeting Reid’s eyes, Everly stroked Zane’s golden hair asZane nuzzled deeper into her breast. “Will you tell me a little more aboutyourselves?”
“Of course, my love,” Reid replied.
That night, Reid cradled her against his chest, as sheleaned back, seated between his long legs on the couch. On the other end, Zaneheld her feet across his lap lazily stroking her legs as Reid answered all herquestions. Like her, they grew up utterly isolated from society. Their father,a deranged sounding man, was a criminal and a man who didn’t take kindly of anykind of government involvement in his life. Hunting, farming, and trapping,Reid explained to her how they were often left to fend for themselves whiletheir father would go away for long periods of time. Growing up with noneighbors, no family, the brothers only had each other in those woods. Zanestroked her feet softly as she cried, while Reid recounted the winter they ranout of food and desperately walked until they found the main highway.
Reid’s hands cupped her stomach tightly as he told her howthey were eventually picked up and taken to the police. They became wards ofthe Crown and were eventually separated. Neither one of them did well separated.Fights, tantrums, and a few juvenile arrests finally made someone notice thatthe two brothers needed each other. Four years, they made it four years beingpassed around to different care facilities until they were eventually oldenough to join the military. Everly felt her heartbeat finally temper as herecounted the happier yet thrillingly dangerous times they experienced in themilitary as paratroopers. She could feel Reid’s steady heartbeat against herback, and his relaxed hands cupping her stomach and knew he, too, was relievedto be on a lighter subject.
The dying firelight cast a low glow across the couch,partially illuminating Zane’s face. He had not said anything this whole time.The heavy toll the past brought up was too much. When Reid’s words finally cameto a close, there were only five beats of silence before Zane turned to herwith a dark hooded look. She didn’t startle when he grabbed the hem of herpants, yanking them and her underwear down in one vicious pull. She didn’tfight as Reid pulled off her sweater and unclasped her bra. She simply compliedas she felt Zane grab her knees and pull her down the couch until she was flaton her back, naked for them.
She knew what they wanted, she knew what they needed, andshe knew what they would take.
Chapter 13
It was happening, it was actually happening.
Little by little, her defenses were falling, and she wassoftening in their arms. Zane wanted to shout with joy, to punch the air withunbridled enthusiasm, to just fall to his knees and howl at the moon. Instead,he just pulled the sleeping woman closer, watching her nuzzle deeper into thewarmth of his bare chest. Letting his hand rub her back soothingly, Zane turnedhis head to look out the bright windows. Reid had left the bed an hour ago,leaving Zane to his customary morning time with Everly. Zane couldn’t help thesmile that spread across his lips, she was perfect. Just like he knew it would,it was starting to work between the three of them. The fucked-up cult she grewup in opened her mind to the concept of both of them, it allowed her tounderstand what they needed. When they reached for her, the resistance she putup was based on her pride alone, not repulsion. On some deeper level, sheunderstood them, even if she wasn’t prepared to admit that.
Placing tiny kisses on the bit of flesh that peaked out fromher pajamas Zane watched her face for signs of waking. Putting his chin on topof her head, Zane absently let himself focus on the soft pressure of herbreasts pressing into him with each gentle breath, as his thoughts recountedlast night.
Reid’s account of their past hardly scratched the surface ofthe hell they endured as kids. The beatings, the isolation, the hunger— it wastoo soon to go into the depths of those gritty details. That trauma left longindelible scars, and those scars, had consequences or rather conditions thathad to meet. They tried living apart, they tried having separate normalrelationships, but it was impossible. How do you explain to someone that youneed your sibling in your everyday life like a ship needs an anchor? Thatwithout them you felt lost and aimless.
Back in that run-down shack, Reid was everything to Zane.Reid was a father figure that patiently taught him how to tie his shoes, aswell as the best friend that would stare up at the clouds with him and dream ofthe world beyond. That winter when their food ran out, and there was nothing tohunt, Reid was the one who made the decision to leave, he was the one whopractically carried Zane down the mountain when he got too cold to move.Pressing his nose into the soft black curls, Zane smiled when he recalled himand Reid meeting girls their age for the first time. Everything they learned,fought, and conquered they did together.
The idea of sharing a woman had always been a running jokereally. A grim hollow laugh that always followed after commiserating over oneof their tried but failed relationships. Manifesting into something deeper, thejoke somehow evolved into a fantasy, a hopeful dream they figured would neverhappen. The island cabin was just the foundation for their shared dream.Because Zane couldn’t stop thinking about it. Because what if their crazy dreamcame true, what if they found someone that would understand them? Shouldn’tthey have the perfect home prepared as well?
A small grunt vibrated on his chest, looking down he watchedas Everly slowly opened her eyes.
“Zane,” she whispered, not at all surprised by his proximityjust acknowledging his presence.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” he gave her a wide smile as helet her sit back and stretch. “Do you want to take a shower?”
She gave him a suspicious look. Laughing Zane rolled out ofbed and stretched as well, not missing her widening gaze at his nudity. Her shysexual responses made his blood roar. Kneeling onto the bed, he slid his armsunderneath her. Ignoring her surprised yelp of protest, he carried her into thebathroom. Setting her down in front of the shower, Zane began unbuttoning herlong shirt.
Her hands wrapped around his wrists stopping him. Looking upat him she gave him a tired smile. “Please Zane, I’m really tired, I know Ijust woke up but I’m so sore and…”
“Ssshh baby, don’t worry,” her exhausted plea made his hearttighten. Pulling her close he hugged her tight, kissing the top of her headuntil he felt her body relax. They were rough last night, maybe too rough.Guilty, Zane thought of her tired, spent body sagging like a doll in Reid’sarms as he carried her to bed last night. The dredged memories of theirfather’s abandonment and torturous childhood took a high toll. The anger, theshame, the hurt, all of it dissipated when Everly opened her arms to him. Shewas his cure.
Pulling her back he met her large gaze. “Just a shower, Ipromise.”
Biting her lip, Zane could feel her skin heat under hishands as she looked pointedly down between them and backed up with a waryskepticism.
Laughing he turned her into the shower after pushing off hershirt. “Just ignore my raging hard-on, sweetheart, we’re just going to getcleaned up.”
“Is it painful?” She asked over her shoulder.
Very much so, he thought. Grabbing the loofah, he poured hersoap onto the fluffy material. “Not so much painful, rather…uncomfortable,” helied.
“Mmm,” she half acknowledged as he began to wash her.Closing her eyes, she leaned into him letting him fully take over.
His dick felt like iron.
“Did you want me to wash you?” She whispered, the shyness inher eyes plain to see as she avoided his gaze. “Or wash your hair maybe?”
