LET’S MAKE A BET

MELANIE

“I thought you said they’ll be spending the night outside.” I shoot Val an accusatory look.

Was this his plan all along? To have me cornered here?

“Let’s just say our spidey senses began to tingle. Told us something fun was happening, and we…weren’t invited,” Xavier replies.

I can’t help but notice how much he’s grown taller, and bigger, and…hotter.

The length of his blonde hair is in a neat bun behind his head. His ocean blue eyes sparkle with mischief as he walks towards me.

In his bright red shirt and matching suit pants, he stands tall, muscles pleading to be set free.

Unlike Val and Cassian, he is still free of any tattoos. He was always vain about his looks.

Some things never change.

Cassian follows beside him, jet black hair slicked back, green eyes never leaving me—not even for a second.

I’m like a baby lamb surrounded by really hungry wolves.

I swallow hard, slowly moving backwards.

I shouldn’t be here. If anything, this proves to me that I was right; coming back home was an awful idea.

I wriggle free of Val’s hold, my cheeks burning with embarrassment and some other feeling I am far too ashamed to recognize.

I clear my throat.

“I should go to bed.”

I’ve barely taken a step forward when Xavier blocks my path. I do not dare to look up at him, afraid of what I might find.

“Not so fast, sweet cheeks.”

My chest tightens.

His big, warm hands cup the skin of my cheeks, and his eyes narrow into razor thin lines.

His palms are burning into my skin, like one slight touch is enough to brand me. It sends shivers down my spine, hot and cold in all the best ways.

“How would you like his head to be brought to you?”

What?

I blink, visibly shocked.

It’s a joke…right?

I mean, he’s always been the funny one. This has to be one of his lines again.

He actually doesn’t plan to actually give me Brandon’s head.

I chuckle dryly.

“What are we in? Some 16 century dark romance? Game of thrones?”

Xavier’s face contorts into a scowl.

Okay. So he’s not joking.

“You don’t have to do anything, Xavier. I don’t need your help, I’m only here for a short while.”

Cassian snorts, “as if.”

I frown at him, and he returns it with equal intensity.

“I mean it, alright? I do not need you to swoop in and save me or anything like that. I am perfectly content. Right now, my life is going great, and I don’t need you three swooping in and screwing it up.”

It’s a lie. Nothing about my life right now is great. You can tell by just looking at me, but I’ll be damned if I fall deeper into their trap.

Xavier’s eyes darken as he tilts his head to the left, studying me.

“Is that why you had your tongue deep in our brother’s mouth, spitfire?”

I can’t breathe.

He starts to circle around me, walking in slow strides that leave me anxious with every step he takes.

He pauses when he reaches my back. I can feel his stare burn into my skin.

“He hurt you,” Xavier murmurs into my skin.

Cassian and Val are quiet, just looking at us.

I’m naked in front of them. My nipples turn into hard, needy pebbles again. I squeeze my thighs together.

I’m a fucking mess when it comes to them.

Xavier places his fingers on my shoulders, massaging my collarbones.

“We will hurt him in every way and everywhere that he hurt you, and you’re not going to stop us.”

“You can’t…”

“He touched what’s ours,” Cassian cuts in. “He has to pay.”

“I’m not yours.” I fire at him, trying hard to sound defiant even as my voice trembles.

Xavier chuckles, a wickedly amused sound.

Before I can pull away, his hand slides boldly between my thighs, fingers rubbing right over my aching pussy.

“Your wet cunt begs to differ.”

Fuck me.

A shameless moan spills from my lips as heat floods my face.

Cassian and Val watch me with hungry stares, their eyes devouring every twitch my body makes under Xavier’s touch.

I’m exposed, humiliated, and so fucking turned on I can barely breathe without moaning.

Xavier’s words land on my ears like soft touches as he leans into me and whispers, “let’s make a bet, Melanie.”

“What…what bet?” It’s a miracle I still have my voice.

“You say you’re not ours,” Xavier growls, his thick fingers dragging through my slick, swollen folds before plunging deep into my drenched pussy with a filthy, wet sound.

The sudden stretch burns so good, my walls fluttering and clenching greedily around his fingers.

I bite into my lip so hard I can taste my own blood.

“You claim your body doesn’t burn for us the way ours burn for you,” he continues, curling those long fingers hard against my g-spot, stroking it with slow, deliberate pressure while his thumb grinds rough circles over my throbbing clit.

“You have to prove it.”

“How?”

The question comes out as a broken whisper.

He pumps his fingers faster, fucking me with deep, relentless thrusts that make my soaked cunt squeeze around him, the wet heat of my walls sucking him deeper with every stroke.

“Try not to moan, sweet cheeks,” Xavier rasps hot against my ear, his breath scorching my skin as he spreads his fingers wide, stretching me open.

“And if I do?” I choke out, barely holding on.

Xavier smirks against my neck, thrusting harder, deeper, curling relentlessly into my g-spot while more slick drips messily down my thighs.

“You’re ours,” a dark and filthy promise, “and we will do with that bastard as we fucking please.”

He may have hurt me, but he is Pen’s father. She is still innocent, and she loves him.

I will never forgive myself for being the one who hurt him, for putting her in such pain. The guilt will eat me alive.

His karma will surely come to him, but I do not want to be the one to serve it.

I raise my head and shoot Val a glare.

“Fine, do whatever you want. I won’t moan, I won’t move, I’ll be as dead as a log. Trust me, I’ve had a lot of practice.”

Xavier’s free fingers curl around my neck.

“We’ll see about that, sweet cheeks.”

His other fingers curl inside me, and my mouth waters immediately.

Fuck.