Page 129 of Blood and Trouble

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Alright, fine. You caught me. Let’s say…hypothetically…I got back together with a much older officer who may or may not have been injured in Europe.”

I listened as she vented her romantic troubles, swearing not to tell anyone, especially not her brother. She was my sister-in-law as well as my best friend, maybe my only friend. So I kept her secret and gave her the best advice I could.

“If this is what you really want, don’t run from it,” I told her. “Trust yourself.”

She nodded and hugged me. Lycan would probably lose his mind when he found out his baby sister was fucking Serpent, and would probably tear the guy’s throat out before making him swear to treat her with the utmost respect. But I had to admire her courage. I just hoped it didn’t come back to bite her in the ass one day.

After that, I went to Lycan’s cabin, now officially my home. Ava and I moved our stuff in a few days ago after spending most of our time here nursing Lycan back to health. This close to the full moon, he was nearly at full strength again and would be after the change.

I grinned as the scent of coconut and cedar filled my nose, wafting onto the porch from under the door. Ava’s sweet slick hit me next, followed by Lycan’s pheromones and a sizzle of heat echoing through the bond. I smothered a small flame of jealousy in my ribs, an annoying flicker that might never go away. I loved watching them together. I loved that they loved each other as much as I loved them. Each of us had our own relationships with the others that complemented the one we had together, but it still twinged when I couldn’t be with them like this, when they took from each other while I was otherwise occupied. That did not diminish my anticipation for what awaited me once I went inside.

I opened the door and swallowed the taste of them on the air, letting it fill my lungs and stomach. My cock kicked into action, already hard behind my jeans, as I kicked off my boots and walked down the hallway to the primary bedroom at the back of the cabin. I leaned against the doorjamb and crossed my arms, taking in the feast for the senses in front of me.

Lycan sat on the two-seater sofa opposite the bed, holding a book open with one hand, his elbow on the armrest. Ava, completely naked, sat in his lap, her knees on either side of his hips, a cellphone to her ear.

“I understand you were waiting to see how the market went,” she said, “but we’ve already hit our capacity limit, and we don’t have capital to spare.”

Whoever was on the other line continued their argument, but Ava shifted her gaze to me and smiled. The salty, sweet aroma of her wet cunt gave her away, drifting through the air to wrap its delicate tendrils around my self-control.

“This looks fun,” I whispered.

“Welcome home,” Lycan murmured with a smile, closing his book to rest it on the couch next to him. “How was your debrief with Kodiak?”

“Fine,” I said.

“McAlister, I have to go,” Ava concluded. “I’ll consider your proposal, but don’t get your hopes up.”

“How was your afternoon?” I stuck my tongue in my cheek, amused. “Feeling better?”

“Much.” Lycan grinned and brushed his fingers through Ava’s hair as she pressed end on the call and tossed her phone aside. “Come on, pet. Time to play.”

She moaned and put her hands on his shoulders, rocking her hips.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Lycan said. “None of that. You’re a cock warmer, not a cock grinder.”

“Please,” she whined. “It’s been so long.”

Lycan laughed. “It’s only been twenty minutes.”

“That’s forever.” She leaned up to kiss him before turning to face me. “Your mate’s being a bully.”

I laughed and pushed off the wall to walk closer so I could press a kiss to her temple. “Careful. He’ll make you pay for that.”

Lycan hummed. “Her cunt’s very distracting. Couldn’t even make it through a whole chapter.”

“Oh, you poor thing,” I teased.

He grabbed the back of my head and brought me closer so he could claim my mouth in a desperate, hungry kiss.

“Good thing you’re here now.” He pulled away and nodded to the bed. “Clothes off. On the bed. It’s your turn.”

I straightened, trying to decide if I would play the pliant submissive or the argumentative brat tonight. Sure, it was easier to do what he wanted, maybe even more efficient. It got me what I wanted faster, and I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t good to both of us. But our sex had been remarkably gentle in the weeks since London, mostly Ava and I fooling around while he watched and let us suck him off. Now that I sensed his strength returning, his dominance fully restored, I wanted the old dynamic back. I wanted him to fight me for it, to make me submit, to beat me at his own game.

“Hmm.” I narrowed my eyes and took a step back. “Why the hell would I do that? You worked her up. You get her off.”

Lycan raised his brows and grinned, running his tongue over a canine. I felt him check the bond for my mood, seeming to reassure himself that this was part of the scene, that I wasn’t drawing a line. When he found what he was looking for, he grabbed Ava around the hips and stood, keeping his cock firmly buried inside her.

She squealed and wrapped her legs around his hips, holding on to his shoulders for support. His display of power made my cock jerk, and I swallowed, licking my lips as he moved closer.