AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter2
Valerian
Ithought they were insane. The first time Zakar approached us with the idea of sharing a woman a couple of years ago, I told him he was nuts. Three alpha males sharing a single woman wouldn’t work. Our jealousy would get in the way, and we’d ruin her.
He spouted some shit about it needing to be the right woman and all would fall into place. When Levan considered it, I said I would as well. We understand that we live dangerous lives and can be taken from this earth at any time, and Zakar reasoned that at least if we all loved and cared for the right woman, then she’d never be left alone. Unprotected.
Until Levan came home from his priestly duties a few months ago, speaking about Abilene and the things she was enduring at home, I never thought we’d find a woman we could love equally. I’m unsure why we all felt she was the one, but the mere mention of her name set my blood on fire.
Holding her tonight, naked and in my arms, I experienced a peacefulness I hadn’t known in far too many years. More years than I’ve been a part of the Brotherhood.
Levan closes the door behind us, staring down while holding the knobs before turning to meet our eyes. “We need to eliminate them.” On that, we have all agreed for a long time.
“We need to wait,” I tell him, and he and Zak both glare at me. “It’s not going to be long before word gets out that she’s here with us. Otar and Paata will make a scene about it, and if they’re taken out before we are settled here, ignoring their objections, we will be the immediate suspects and become completely useless. She’ll be alone and at risk. We must be smart.”
Zakar’s jaw turns to granite as he realizes I’m right. “Why must you be reasonable?”
“Let’s get the word out sooner than later then. The faster they’re dead, the happier we’ll all be.” Levan’s desire to have this taken care of so quickly is a bit more shocking to me. Normally, he thinks things through until he becomes sick of it.
“This is her, then?”Bebia’svoice carries down the hallway. “Abilene Bondar, this is who you three choose as yours?” Levan and Zak haven’t made it a secret about our plans to share a woman; though,Bebiaand Ana have been skeptical about the entire situation.
“If she is?” Levan challenges, raising his chin.
“She comes with baggage. With scars inside and out. You three…” Her weathered finger points between us. “You do not break her. She is the last piece of Yelena that we have, and myshvilishviliwas never a forgiving person when it came to Abi.”
Curious, I ask, “What does that mean?” I get the feeling the women of this house have known or now know far more about the hell Abilene has been through than anyone is letting on.
“She’s fragile,”Bebiaadmits. “Being held together by tape and glue. You break her heart, and she’ll shatter, meeting Yelena in the clouds of freedom.” Silence swallows us asBebiawalks away, heading to wherever she popped out of.
“I’m going to look further into her background,” Zakar says with one last look at the closed doors and walks away.
Levan blows out a strained breath. “I thought he was crazy, sharing a woman. But since hearing Abi’s voice through that lattice partition, it’s all I think about. I know if we want this to work, it will. Are you still on board, Valerian?”
“Yes.” I don’t even need to think about it. Sharing Abilene with the two people I trust most in this world makes sense. No matter how we do it, she’s ours.
“Good.” He nods. “I’ve got a phone call to make with the doctor. I want her here as soon as possible to have a look at Abilene. Once that’s taken care of, we’ll go to a public event together. Make it known we’ve found our fourth, that she’s ours. I want hermamaandbidzadead. An accident. Sooner rather than later.”
Nodding my agreement, he leaves me to watch over Abi alone. Slipping back into the room, the darkness of the stormy day masks my entrance in the shadows so I can gaze upon her without disturbing what little peace she has hopefully found.
Sitting in one of the chairs in the corner, it only takes a minute for me to realize she’s asleep. Curled up in the middle of the bed, blankets piled around her, her face is tranquil as she rests. Far more, I imagine, than it has been in a long time. We don’t know all the details of the abuse she has suffered, nor her living conditions, but from the state of her today, I gather it isn’t good.
She comes from a low-income family, and I doubt they’re able to afford a house spacious enough to have the number of bedrooms they require. After Yelena’s death—a few months after—Zak and I went looking for Abi. It was how we discovered the family had moved. For as long as we’d known her, she’d never had a mother, and her father and uncle gave me a predatorial vibe every time I saw them.
She never said a word, though, so we never investigated. We never looked further into her home life. Now I wish we had. She’s spent years with those two men putting their hands on her, touching her in ways she clearly fought back from, and until now, she never had anyone to protect her.
We’re here.
We’ll take care of her.
Keep her safe.
A whimper escapes her lips, and I have the urge to go to her, slay the demons overtaking her sleep. Dispel her of any worry fraught with tension and pain.
For years, I’ve spent my life following the orders of Levan. I’ve done so without question or complaint. Abilene is a game-changer for all three of us. She will give us the world as we hold her up on a pedestal, protecting her like the queen she will become.
* * *
Levan
