Noble Healing

Nature's Nobles 2

Noble Healing Being born a Noble is something Addison Gray never thought she’d have to deal with, let alone finding out she was the sister of the Noble’s Deity. A misunderstanding changed her life, and Addison made the biggest mistake of her life in not trusting the man she loved. Unfortunately, Addison's lack of faith enabled their enemies to capture and imprison her for almost a year. Even with his special abilities, Cane Latcher couldn’t save Addison from her mistrust, and he unknowingly pushed her into the arms of another man. Shane Sutton is dealing with his own struggles, knowing Addison loves them both. Can Addison’s healing powers be enough to mend three hearts together? Or will it take an ordinary human emotion like love? Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal Length: 40,112 words

NOBLE HEALING Nature’s Nobles 2

Peyton Elizabeth

MENAGE EVERLASTING

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

NOBLE HEALING Copyright © 2012 by Peyton Elizabeth E-book ISBN: 978-1-61926-799-2 First E-book Publication: July 2012 Cover design by Les Byerley All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Noble Healing by Peyton Elizabeth from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Peyton Elizabeth’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Elizabeth’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION To my very dear friends, A & S, who were there for me when I needed them. I miss you more than words can say…

NOBLE HEALING Nature’s Nobles 2 PEYTON ELIZABETH Copyright © 2012

Prologue No one could really know the force of nature, could they? Decades ago, in a small farming community on the outskirts of Montana, a meteor crashed into a field causing mayhem and destruction among the people. Days upon days of smolder and dust rose from the crater and circulated its way through town. The soiled air seeped into the townsfolk’s skin and descended into their lungs with each mouthful they inhaled. Foreign particles traveled through mazes of tissues, merging with cells inside their blood, uniting in a way that would change creation among descendants of this small population—change that ignited fear throughout the world. Each generation became stronger in their newfound powers. From simply being able to see the future or read people’s thoughts, to more complicated abilities such as mind control, these mutated chromosomes shifted the makeup of a new legion and beyond. Opinions of these altered humans varied. The unaffected who feared the transformation quickly united to see these aberrations wiped from existence. Others embraced the deviation, claiming a new revolution was taking place in order to extend human life and help those in need. A civil war started between the divided sides, causing

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the afflicted ones to go into hiding or blend into society to hide their true nature. They called themselves the Nobles.

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Chapter One ...Local News Channel. This just in. We are being told there was an explosion of some sort at a government facility on the outskirts of Billings, Montana. No word on if there were any fatalities or injuries and no official statement has been released. Sympathizers of the Noble race are up in arms alleging the government has been doing illegal testing on the paranormal group and have formed protest assemblies around various sites in the United States. We will keep you up to date as… Cane Latcher reached past the steering wheel and turned off the radio, not wanting to hear anything more about the Sympathizers. Their demonstrations would do nothing but raise public awareness and make it harder for his kind to blend into society. Nobles had enough problems learning to control their powers without having to look over their shoulders for their enemies. Hell, Cane knew the humans meant well, but sometimes, good intentions just weren’t good enough. Concentrating on the icy road in front of him, Cane settled back into the driver’s seat. It was his luck a late-season snowstorm decided to blow through…what state was he in? Oklahoma, that was it. He had been driving for too many weeks to count, with no direction in mind. Cane was alone, just as he liked it. With nothing but time on his hands, Cane let his thoughts drift as his Jeep ate up the miles the highway provided. Having been born a Noble, Cane had learned at an early age to hide what he was—a Tracker with enhanced senses like that of a wild

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animal. By the time he had reached puberty, Cane’s vision was three times as strong as a normal human’s and he was able to see in the dark as well as he could see in the daytime. His sense of smell was so highly developed, he could sense prey more than a mile away when the wind was in his favor, and his range of hearing could well reach over a mile, longer if the pitch was a higher range. As for his touch and taste senses, Cane was very careful about what he consumed and had come to accept a threshold of pain well beyond that of a mere human, while pleasure was increased tenfold. Cane ran a finger down his scar, which marred the skin from his right temple to his lower lip. It wasn’t pretty, and his five o’clock shadow did nothing to it. He knew most people either stared in horror or turned away in disgust, which was fine by him. It was a gift from a fellow Noble turned Rogue, one of their own who killed or captured others in exchange for life immunity from the Fray. Anyone who worked for the Fray, a secret division in the government designed to eradicate the existence of Nobles, was their enemy and deserved to die. Cane remembered his first kill like it was yesterday and felt no remorse. He never felt any guilt when it came to defending his own life or that of fellow Nobles. Cane was even a bit thankful for the disfigurement, as it made people keep their distance. There was only one woman who refused to be intimidated by his looks, and she was confirmation why men like him should be alone. Addison Gray made him want to believe Nobles could live a normal life. She made him desire things he had no right to covet. She was also the cause of the explosion near Billings, Montana, and the reason the Sympathizers were up in arms. Somehow, word must have leaked that they were keeping a Noble at the facility for testing. There was nothing the Sympathizers detested more than a Noble being dissected in a lab against their will. Addison happened to be the lab rat that escaped in the carnage. Addison had the unfortunate luck to be the half sister of the strongest Noble alive, Reese Matthews. The Fray wanted nothing

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more than to get their hands on Reese, better known as the Deity of the Nobles. She could kill by releasing deadly waves of energy from her body and was the perfect specimen to recreate her DNA into an impeccable weapon. The Fray was originally crafted to wipe out their unique race but, in recent years, had decided Noble powers were too valuable. They captured Reese once and locked her away in captivity, until she escaped and went into hiding. The Fray wasn’t going to split hairs though. If they couldn’t have the Deity, they would have the second best thing—her sister. The unsuspecting Addison had had no idea she had Noble blood running through her veins, having lived with her mother and grown up in a normal childhood. She was half human and half Noble, which had made it a little harder to convince Addison that her life was in danger. Cane had admired her strength and resolve during their time on the run, to the point that he had started to wish things were different. He started to wish that he were able to live his life like a human, who had a wife, children, and that white picket fence they craved. Cane wasn’t even sure at what point in his time with Addison he had started to yearn for these things, but it wasn’t acceptable. He was a loner, and he would stay that way. Cane’s scar tingled at the recollection of Addison’s soft fingers tracing the pink, ragged tissue, bringing back memories from their time together and the reason he had tried to save Addison to begin with. It shouldn’t have been complicated. He had the plan in place, and all he wanted to do was pay off the debt he owed Reese from their teenage years. Reese and her Noble friends had given him shelter when he needed it, no questions asked. Cane was far from being a saint, but he always repaid his debts, no matter that more than ten years had passed since then. The goal had been to reach Addison Gray before the Fray captured and studied her for research, or worse, killed her. He accomplished taking her before the Fray did, but wasn’t successful in keeping her safe. They got her within six months and locked her away for almost a year. It took Cane that long to finally

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figure out how to get Addison out of that facility and know Reese Matthews was the key. Cane had done what he had to and handed the information over to those who could save her. The Deity had rescued her sister, and Cane could now walk away with a clear conscience, regardless of what had happened during their time together. Six months, he thought. Cane had given Addison six months of his protection, and what did he get in return? It certainly wasn’t gratefulness or loyalty. It was more along the lines of thankless mistrust. Addison’s lack of faith in him had given the Fray what they needed in order for them to successfully apprehend her. Why hadn’t she just trusted him? It was the first time in Cane’s life that he had failed at something. Never again, Cane thought with disgust. What offended him even more was that just the thought of Addison made him hard, even after all this time. He adjusted his groin beneath the steering wheel, trying to think of anything else. Instead, all he could envision was Addison on all fours, looking at him over her shoulder through her blonde curls and begging him to take her. Cane had managed to keep his hands off of her until that last night. He still remembered her blue eyes sparkling with mischief as she sprayed water from the sink all over his chest. Those blue eyes had certainly darkened with desire when he chased her down and pinned her against the kitchen table. The way her legs wrapped around his waist and her hands slipped into his hair had been his undoing. Damn, it was shit like this that would get him killed. Putting his dark-green Jeep into four-wheel drive to combat the snowy roads, Cane continued to drive through the plains of Oklahoma, putting as much distance between him and Addison Gray as he could. He had no destination in mind and didn’t bother turning on his headlights, seeing just as well through the snow in the darkness as if it were a sunny day. Cane could move on after hearing the radio broadcast, or so he told himself. He now knew the information he had given Reese had panned out and the mission to rescue her sister had

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been accomplished, even if it was a year too late. Cane had paid his debt and could now disappear, leaving Addison Gray in the past where she belonged.

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Chapter Two “It’s been two months. He doesn’t want to be found.” Addison didn’t turn around, not wanting to give Shane Sutton the satisfaction of being right. If Cane didn’t want to be located, he wouldn’t. In her heart, Addison knew that, but it was just too damn hard to accept. She stood in front of the fireplace, watching the flames dance to a silent ballad only they heard. The flares of orange were graceful in their movements until the shift of a log interrupted their sway, carelessly throwing ashes into the air. It took a few moments until the tips of blue found their rhythm again and slowly restarted their cadence. If only it were that easy to get her life back. “Is there a Noble who can find people? I’m not talking about a Tracker like Cane, but someone with the ability to see where another person is?” Addison wrapped both hands around her coffee cup as if the warmth from the mug would seep into her hands and spread throughout her body. “From what you’ve told me about the Noble race, we certainly have a lot of different abilities,” Addison said, trying to keep the sarcasm from coming through. After a year kept in isolation, Addison was having a hard time accepting she was free. It was two months since her rescue, but she might as well have been back in that cold, sterile room. The only person who kept her from going insane was Shane. He had been there to help her escape the nightmare of being held prisoner, and he was there at night to keep the real nightmares at bay. She was becoming accustomed to being around people again, getting to know a sister she hadn’t known she had, meeting other Nobles, and trying her best not to fall in love with Shane. He made it harder every day, with his

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intentional heated stares and light, intimate caresses. It was to the point that one look from his auburn eyes and the heat would start to spread throughout her body, leaving her panties damp and her body aching. Like she didn’t have enough to worry about. On top of her wanting something she couldn’t—shouldn’t—have, she had to figure out a way to adjust and live as a Noble. “Addison, even if we did find him, would it really make a difference? Your life is here now and—” “What life, Shane?” Addison yelled, spinning around to face the second man who wouldn’t let her hide. What was it with men telling her what to do? Addison felt like she was at her breaking point, and Shane kept pushing and pushing her to accept who she was. She almost hated him. He was as bad as Cane, telling her who she was supposed to be. “I didn’t choose this life! Cane took me away from everything I knew and expected me to accept I was some savior of the Noble race. You keep saying it, too! I’m not! I’m a daughter to a wonderful woman who thinks I’m dead, a friend to some great people who think the same thing, and a nurse who happened to be good at her job that she no longer has. I don’t belong in your world, and no matter how many times you say it, you can’t make it true!” The coffee spilled over the rim, burning her hand, causing a hiss of pain to leave her lips. Shane didn’t say a word as he took the mug from her uninjured hand and led her to the kitchen. No matter what she said or did, his patience seemed to know no bounds, and it more than irritated her—it made her downright mad. She’d had numerous outbursts since her rescue, and he would always remain composed and quiet until she calmed down, giving her time to gather her composure, when all she wanted to do was argue. He was the total opposite of Cane. When she wanted to fight about something, Cane would go head to head with her, exchanging heated words until she was exhausted. Not Shane. What she would give to see him lose control. He made her feel things only Cane had, which made her

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resentment worse. How could two men who were so different generate the same feelings? Turning on the tap, Shane brought her hand under the water and let the cool liquid flow over the scalded skin. While his large fingers inspected the damage, Addison couldn’t help but study him and wonder how someone so big could be so gentle. Well over a foot taller than her, Addison guessed Shane was probably an inch or so taller than Cane. And while Cane was flawed, Shane was perfect. His short black hair was never out of place, his classic features contained not one blemish, and his long lashes framed warm auburn eyes that invited her to touch. It was an invitation she couldn’t accept because of her feelings for Cane. What kind of woman was she to love one man and be on the verge of loving another? Her eyes ran down his body anyway, as if they had a will of their own. Shane was the epitome of strength. Where Cane was muscular and lean, Shane was solid muscle with arms bigger than her thighs and hands that could snap her in two. He never once made her feel afraid of his size, though. Shane made her feel safe and protected. Addison’s eyes travelled down his broad chest, skimmed over the area she’d been dreaming about lately, and down his denim-clad legs. The laces of his black boots were untied, having put them on no more than fifteen minutes ago. His feet were well over twice the size of hers, which immediately brought Addison’s gaze to the bulge in his jeans she had originally tried to ignore, comparisons running rampant. “Are you done staring?” Shane asked. Addison jerked her hand away in embarrassment, only to have him snatch it back. “I’m not complaining, mind you.” “I was just comparing you to Cane,” Addison snapped at him, mad at herself for being caught. Seeing Shane’s left eyebrow raise in question, Addison realized what she had confessed and immediately felt guilty. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong. I was just thinking how—”

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“Different we are? And asking yourself how you can be attracted to both of us?” Shane grabbed a towel like he hadn’t just opened a gigantic chasm with his declaration. Addison couldn’t believe he had just said that and was stunned he would bring it up. They had a silent agreement to ignore what they felt, both going through the motions of maintaining a friendship. At least, she thought they had a silent agreement. Men could be downright idiotic. Addison needed him for security while adjusting to normalcy, and he needed…She wasn’t quite sure what he got out of helping her, but he was well aware of her feelings for Cane. Addison ignored the reprimanding voice in the back of her mind shouting repeatedly, Selfish, selfish, selfish! Shutting off the water, he took the dishtowel and dried the remaining droplets from her hand while she struggled for the right words. “You know I need to find Cane,” Addison cautioned. “What I did, well…what I did to Cane was wrong. I put his life in danger by not trusting him, and now he’s got a bounty on his head. The Fray will hunt him down, and he’s not safe out on his own. He should be here with you, Reese, and the others. And just to clarify, I’m not attracted to you,” Addison lied, snatching the towel and her hand from his grasp, ignoring the stab of guilt. Since when had she become a liar? “First of all, Cane is a big boy and can take care of himself. You did what any person would do in that situation.” Shane leaned back against the sink and crossed his arms, making his chest muscles slide against his black T-shirt, not that she noticed. Addison looked away. “Second, you seem to be leaving yourself out of the equation. Your sister and her husbands built this compound for Nobles, and since you are a Noble, this is now your home. Third, you shouldn’t lie to yourself.” Addison wanted to hit him, but knew she would only end up hurting her other hand against his solid chest. With a huff in frustration and a scowl on her face, Addison turned and stomped into the living room. It pissed her off there wasn’t a door to slam. The entire log cabin was an open area with only two doors off on the far

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side, leading to one bathroom and one bedroom. Unless she headed into the bedroom, Addison didn’t have a door to slam shut. And that was the last place she would go, knowing undoubtedly Shane would follow to continue this conversation. She was afraid he would try to initiate something she wasn’t ready for—mentally, that is, because if the throbbing in her pussy was anything to go by, she was physically more than ready. Addison also hadn’t missed how he emphasized husbands. It was her luck to have a sister who thought having two men in her life was a good idea. Shane obviously thought it ran in the family. He was out of luck, and she would never admit the thought of having Shane and Cane, in her bed together, made her panties wet. There were just some things women didn’t divulge. Holding the dishtowel as if it were a lifeline, Addison ignored Shane and walked over to the window. Snow was starting to melt, giving way for the spring grass to grow, provided they didn’t have a late-season snowstorm. Reese’s husbands would start to break ground on the other cabins to house as many Nobles as they could. Addison once asked Reese how the equipment would be brought up to develop their “neighborhood” and was told there was a mine in the mountain they could access. Their compound was located on top of a mountain in the middle of Colorado and was the perfect location to keep them safe. With Reese’s power and other Nobles just as strong in their own way, the Fray would never be able to reach them. “I didn’t choose this home, Shane,” Addison sadly stated, trying hard to explain to Shane where she was coming from. Addison knew she took the coward’s way out, but maybe if she ignored the attraction reference, he would leave it alone. “I just want to find Cane. Have him know he has a safe place to live. It’s my fault he’s running.” “No, it’s not. He took you from your life, your human life, with good intentions. I would have handled the situation the same. Unfortunately, you overheard a conversation and misunderstood what was said, thinking he was turning you and your sister over to the Fray. Anyone, whether Noble or human, would have run. Both of you did

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what you thought you needed to do at the time.” Shane’s voice seemed closer, as he must have walked towards the fireplace, but she didn’t turn around. Addison didn’t want to see the understanding in his eyes. She didn’t want to let go of the guilt quite yet, not until Cane was found. “And this is your life, Addison. You’re the Healer of our generation. You might not want the responsibility, but it was given to you anyway.” Addison gripped the towel until her knuckles turned white. She hated that word. Healer. Addison had known at an early age she was different, but not until she was in nursing school did she realize how different. She remembered the little boy like it was yesterday. She could still see the gurney rushing from the ambulance into the emergency room, blood covering his face while his mother sobbed in the hallway. The paramedics were calling out the boy’s vitals while the doctor was spouting orders and nurses did his bidding. She vaguely remembered hearing them say hit and run, but the ringing in her ears prevented her from listening. When the tingling started in her limbs, Addison thought she was having a stroke, but no words came out of her mouth to ask for help. Instead, instinct took over, and while the ER was in chaos, Addison put her hands on the boy’s head. With so much commotion, no one noticed the air crackle or the extra heat being generated from her hands. She felt the moment his energy met with hers, and knew she was somehow healing his wounds. The boy wouldn’t have died that day, but he would have suffered brain damage if her body had not taken over and restored his health. It was later that she found out the effects of actually saving a person from death—exhaustion, weakness, and emptiness. “I can’t save everyone. It doesn’t work that way,” Addison warned. She caught a glimpse of Reese walking towards the cabin, her long brown hair blowing around her face. Her men were with her, and she noticed how healthy Jagger looked, his skin practically glowing in the morning sun and his black hair being mussed by the wind. Her Noble power had saved his life a couple months back,

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letting everyone here know who she truly was and what she meant to the Noble community. The sting in her hand made her look at the towel she still had over the burn. “I can’t even heal myself. It chooses who to save, not me.” “It is your gift. You were given your gift to offset your sister’s. Call it a balance of nature,” Shane suggested. “Both of you are vitally important to our survival, and Cane knew what he was doing when he tried to protect you.” Addison stiffened when she felt Shane come up behind her, her body involuntarily fighting her response to his and his words. The heat emanating from his chest was inviting, but she fought the instinct to lean against him, not giving in to what her body craved. Everyone thought Addison should just accept who she was and leave her human life behind. What about her mother? What kind of person was she to let her mom think she was abducted and probably dead? She was well aware of the danger she would put her mother in if she contacted her, but Addison couldn’t get rid of the guilt she felt knowing the grief she had caused. Shane had warned her the Fray would have someone watching her childhood home, waiting for Addison to make contact, making it impossible for her to reach out to her mother. Thinking of that brought her thoughts back to Cane, who was in hiding and on the run from the Fray, knowing she hadn’t trusted him. The shame Addison felt for hurting him was just as overwhelming, but her anger at him not trusting her was just as devastating. Cane came across as a loner, keeping everyone at arm’s length, but she had seen the vulnerability in his eyes. He acted all tough and intimidating, but he was like a little boy, needing to be accepted for who he was. Cane thought Addison had turned her back on him, rejecting him. Cane was right, and it was like a knife to her heart. And worse, while he was out there fighting for his life, she was here with Shane, feeling things she shouldn’t and losing her grip on this insatiable need he stirred in her.

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“He’ll come back when he’s ready. When he can’t stand the thought of being away from you any longer.” “You don’t know that,” Addison whispered, shaking her head, feeling confused that her body was reacting to Shane while they spoke of another man. “You’re right, I don’t. But I know if it were me, I wouldn’t be able to stay away. If he does decide to return, you can tell him you love him then. But you’re going to have to deal with me in the meantime,” Shane murmured in her ear, causing a rush of heat to explode through her skin and slide down her neck. **** Shane felt her tremble. Turning her, he took Addison’s face into his hands, wanting nothing more than to stare into her bright blue eyes and make her forget about her love for Cane. He wanted to use his Noble gift and compel away her guilt over a man who could walk away and leave this amazing woman to a life she didn’t want. But he had promised Addison, like he had promised all his friends, never to use his ability for his own gain. Being a Compeller had its advantages, but this wasn’t one of them. Addison tried to pull away, but Shane was done letting her run away from her feelings. She needed to face who she was and accept another man into her life. “Shane, let go,” Addison pleaded in a low voice, trying to step around him. “What I feel for Cane is none of your business, and I can’t allow myself to—” “Feel something for me? Love me? It is my business, Addison. Everything about you is my business. From the day I walked into that room seeing you scared and alone, I knew you were meant to be mine,” Shane confessed softly, reminding both of them of her release two months ago. Addison laid her hands on his chest to push him away, but Shane inched closer, causing her head to tilt back. Her blonde curls fell behind her shoulders, and he ran his fingers through

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the silky stands, holding her head in place. “I know Cane holds a place in your heart, and I would never disregard your feelings for him, but you need to accept he’s gone. He might not come back. But I am right here in front of you, and nothing you say or do will make me leave.” “It’s not fair to you that I love someone else,” Addison insisted harshly. “What’s not fair is you denying your feelings for me. As I said, I will not diminish what you feel for him, but Cane Latcher is not the one standing in front of you.” The knock on the door couldn’t have come at a worse time, and Shane cursed under his breath. Emotions ran rampant over Addison’s pale face, making her blue eyes shine brighter. He told her the truth, though. Nothing would make him leave her side, and he would do whatever it took to make her believe that. Every minute they had been together, Shane had fallen more in love with her. Her resolve in finding Cane to right a wrong was admirable, even if Shane didn’t agree. And while he knew Addison loved Cane, it didn’t make a bit of difference in his feelings for her. Shane slowly released Addison, regretting the loss of contact. She practically ran for the door, thinking the conversation was over and probably scrambling to come up with ways to make sure it didn’t continue. Shane didn’t have a choice to let her have this reprieve, but the conversation was only postponed until he could get rid of their visitors. Shane watched Reese and her two husbands enter the tiny cabin. Theo McKay and Jagger Malone had become his close friends in a short amount of time, and he had been honored when they invited him to share in their private ceremony last weekend. They had pledged their love in front of their small group of Nobles, including Addison, who was still struggling with the idea of three people in a relationship. Shane knew Reese and Theo from when he was a teenager, but had recently gotten to know Jagger. Both were good men. Theo had

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formed a group of close-knit Nobles years ago and created a “family”. The family also included Cane, although he would differ on that subject. And although Jagger was human, his relationship with Reese and Theo gave him immediate acceptance. Months ago, when everyone thought Cane had gone Rogue, their group rallied around Theo to help him protect the woman he loved. For how aloof Cane was, it wasn’t a stretch that he would be out only for himself. Most of the group had refused to believe Cane was that dishonorable, but they’d still had to play the hand they were dealt and were willing to do anything to keep their Deity safe. In the end, it turned out that Cane was only trying to give Reese information about her unknown sister, which brought about the mission to rescue Addison. Since then, Shane had stayed at their compound and agreed to live there in order to help oversee their haven. Once the cabins were built, they would start moving in the Nobles who had a hard time hiding in society or those that couldn’t hide their power. Jagger provided the land and funds, while the Nobles offered protection of their home and those who lived there. Seeing how Reese, Theo, and Jagger fit together as a unit, Shane felt envious of their love and wanted nothing more than to have that with Addison. He was by no means able to share like they were, but he longed to have that deep connection with Addison one on one. Would Addison ever be able to accept that Cane was gone? “Everything all right?” Theo asked, coming up beside Shane. Shane was grateful that he kept his voice low, so the women wouldn’t overhear. “Addison looks a little unsettled. And you know how protective Reese is becoming over her sister, so if I need to kick your ass now, let me know.” Shane knew Theo was trying to lighten his mood, but couldn’t muster a grin. Not taking his eyes off Addison, who was now making a new pot of coffee for her guests, he admitted, “I’m done waiting. She’s just not happy I’m changing our relationship or the fact we

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can’t find Cane. And as we know, Addison doesn’t deal with change well.” It had taken a while for Addison to open up when they first rescued her. Having been kept in isolation for almost a year, acclimation to people and noise were harder than she thought, and there had been struggles. Shane hadn’t left her side and helped her through the transition as much as he could, even spending his nights on her couch so he could be there in case she woke from bad dreams. Although Addison had been lucky and managed to hide her gift, the scientists the Fray employed still had taken vials of blood and run various tests. Addison said she overheard them say her power could be dormant since she was half human and used that to her advantage for them to maintain that belief. They never did find out she was a Healer. Shane looked at Theo out of the corner of his eye and noticed he wasn’t tying his long blond hair back like he used to. Theo had used his Watcher ability and once heard Reese think to herself that she liked it loose, invading her private thoughts. Theo had let his hair grow longer and let it lay loose around his shoulders. “You would have known what has Addison so riled up if you had used your power.” “Nah, you know our pact. Not allowed to use our abilities for private gain, yada-yada. And Reese was getting pissed at me for listening in. Probably better I pull back before she has me sleeping on the couch.” Theo smiled, flashing his dimple. Jagger rolled his eyes as he came to stand in front of them. “Smart thinking. Although, go right ahead, because I could do with a little alone time,” Jagger goaded, waggling his dark eyebrows. Jagger let the attempt at humor wane after seeing Shane’s body posture and asked, “So why do you and Addison seem so tense?” “He’s trying to lay some ground rules, and she’s not taking too kindly to it,” Theo confided with a wink. Shane had the urge to punch him. Theo had been upbeat since the ceremony, but this lighthearted

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attitude was a little too much to take—especially coming from such a serious man. “I did not say that,” Shane clarified, wanting them to leave already. Addison reached up for the coffee cups in the cupboard, her longsleeved pink shirt riding high on her waist, exposing her lower back. Her fair skin curved with her spine in an enticing shadow that made Shane wonder if she would be sensitive there and question what she would taste like. Would her skin be the flavor of a salty margarita or sweet, like a pina colada? Jagger cleared his throat, bringing Shane’s attention back to the conversation at hand, and he hoped no one noticed him trying to shift into a more comfortable stance. “I’m just tired of seeing her pine away for a man who doesn’t deserve her,” Shane said, switching his weight from one leg to another. His involuntary reaction to Addison was becoming a problem. “I’m sorry.” Theo thumped Shane on the shoulder twice and reached for the mug that Reese brought over to him. Placing a soft kiss on her head, Theo whispered something in her ear that caused a smile to light up her face. She said hello to Shane and then handed Jagger a cup as well, leaning in to kiss his cheek before walking back to where Addison now sat on the stool, her shirt covering up temptation. Apparently, he could get his own coffee. Shane was disgusted at how easy the three of them made things look. Theo took a sip of coffee before continuing, “I shouldn’t make light of the situation. I know you’ve grown to care for Addison, and it must be tough to see her struggling with everything thrown her way.” Reese and Addison settled on the stools and started talking. They might be half sisters, but they were nothing alike. As Shane had told Addison earlier, their powers balanced each other. As for their appearances, Reese was tall with dark hair and quite stunning, while Addison was petite with porcelain skin that emphasized her heart-

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shaped face and kissable lips—no less beautiful, just two distinct lovely women. “She’ll come around, Shane.” Jagger walked over to the couch and settled himself on the end, signaling they were staying for a while. Shane smothered a groan of frustration and accepted defeat. “If you say give her time, I swear I will compel you to leave,” Shane warned, sitting off to the side in the brown chair closest to the fire. He might as well be comfortable and sitting down. Not staring at Addison might give him a reprieve in the groin area. “She’s stronger than she gives herself credit for, and I don’t think accepting her gift is the problem. It’s the fact she was taken from her old life without a chance to really say good-bye. I mean, come on, man, her mother thinks she is lying dead in some field somewhere.” Jagger placed his coffee on the side table and leaned forward, setting his elbows on his knees. Turning to make sure the women were still engrossed in their conversation, Jagger said in a low voice, “So go ahead and ask.” Theo sat on the opposite end of the couch and muttered something about getting to the point and not leaving Shane hanging. What were they up to? Both men knew what was on Shane’s mind, and Theo didn’t even need to read his thoughts. All three knew the risks of bringing Addison’s mother to the compound, which is why Shane had yet to ask his request. The Fray would be watching and waiting for any contact, making it almost impossible to get Cynthia Gray out of her house without alerting their enemy. Why put Nobles’ lives at risk when it wasn’t necessary? But for Addison, Shane would do anything. The other potential problem was maybe Ms. Gray didn’t want to leave her life behind, even if it meant reuniting with her daughter. Because once they told her that Addison was alive and well, she would have no choice but to live at the compound. Hell, either way, the Fray probably would end up killing her. It would be too dangerous to leave her out in society.

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“I’m not asking you for anything other than can we bring her here. I’ll handle getting Ms. Gray to the compound, but I’ll do it my way. I won’t risk anyone’s life but my own.” Jagger was already shaking his head before Shane finished his sentence. “We have no idea who is watching Addison’s mother. For all we know, they could be Rogues with abilities that match our group. And what then?” The group Jagger referred to were the ten Nobles who had been together for years. Each had unique abilities that came in handy during missions, and they were good friends. Shane wouldn’t put their lives on the line for something like this. Addison was his responsibility, even though she would disagree. “And what would Addison do if you did get captured, or worse, killed…all because you were trying to reunite her with her mother? You think the remorse she feels for mistrusting Cane is anything close to the guilt she would feel for your death? She would hold herself responsible. Is that what you want?” Theo asked, keeping his voice just as low so the women wouldn’t hear what they were discussing. “What I want is for her to start living again,” Shane said harshly. “I’m tired of seeing her hole up in this cabin with only her guilt as company.” **** “Spill it, little sister.” Addison had to smile at the way Reese called her little sister. They both had to adjust to having a sibling, especially Reese, who was born a Noble and had never had a normal family. Reese had shared her childhood story, and Addison couldn’t fathom what it had been like to have a mother abandon you while your father tried to sell you to the Fray for immunity and cash. Granted, it was her biological father, too, but at least Addison hadn’t known him growing up and had a mother who was nurturing.

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“It’s nothing. I’m just frustrated we can’t find Cane.” Addison couldn’t tell Reese about her feelings for Shane. It would make it reality, and she was having enough issues in that department. Looking over at the three men, Addison saw Shane sit down on the couch and wondered why he seemed so upset—not with her, but with Theo and Jagger. Shane always ran his hand through his hair when he was frustrated, and she’d seen him do it twice since sitting down. He had also done it last night when he came into her bedroom. Addison had this recurring nightmare of being locked in a white room and trying to find her way out, to no avail. The walls would give way, but the white remained, and no matter how far she walked or ran, nothing existed. She searched endlessly for somebody to help her, screaming and begging for someone to save her. The first month, she woke up screaming Cane’s name. But recently, Addison would wake yelling for Shane. That had to be why Shane brought up their attraction to one another. Last night, when Shane came in and took her in his arms, instead of sitting like he usually did, he stretched out beside her on the bed and held her close. The dream had left her shaken, and Addison had grabbed hold of him like a lifeline. He wore nothing but unbuttoned jeans, his chest sprinkled with dark hair, and she had responded to his virility. Having his body up against hers had awakened feelings she had only ever felt with Cane. Her nipples had turned into hard nubs against the camisole she wore, and whenever she breathed, they would rub against his chest, making their sensitivity heighten. Shane held her so tight, and since his body was so big, her right leg bent up over his thigh, pressing her pussy against his denim-clad leg. No doubt he felt her heat through the thick material, but Addison was able to maintain some semblance of sanity and managed not to thrust her hips against his firm thigh. Even the memory of lying against Shane had her clitoris tingling, and Addison squirmed in her chair to try and get rid of the itch. Reese’s question pulled her attention back.

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“Is it remembering Cane that’s getting you all hot and bothered? Or Shane? Because the way you’re looking at him right now makes me think something happened between the two of you. Am I right?” Addison flushed and grabbed her refilled cup of coffee, more careful this time in keeping the liquid inside and not on her hand. Reese was not someone she could talk to about this. Her sister loved two men and didn’t seem to have any qualms relating to the emotional or physical aspects of it. Addison had enough guilt over not trusting Cane, but to throw in the shame of being sexually attracted to another man was just too much. Addison took a sip of coffee to keep from answering. “Addison, let me be honest with you. You haven’t seen Cane in over a year, and yes,” Reese said, holding up her hand when Addison tried to speak, “I know you developed feelings for him, but let’s face the facts. He left, while Shane rescued you. He hasn’t come back, while Shane has stayed. Shane is the one who helped you adjust, has been the one to hold you when you cry, the one who sleeps on your couch in case you have bad dreams. Shane is the man who’s in the present with you, not the past like Cane. Do you really want to put your life on hold for someone you might never see again?” Tears stung Addison’s eyes, and she looked up at the ceiling to keep them from falling. Hearing the truth sucked. Addison turned her back to where the men sat, not wanting Shane to see her crying. After about a minute, when she managed to blink her tears away, Addison turned her head to see her sister give a small smile in understanding. Reese reached over and grabbed Addison’s hand. “Don’t throw away a chance at happiness because you can’t let go of the past.” **** “We’ll extract Ms. Gray within the week,” Jagger informed him matter-of-factly, as if they were discussing the weather. “She can stay

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in the main house with us, since we have the space until the other cabins are built.” “Then why did we go through this farce if you guys were going in anyway? I’ve been banging my head against the wall for days on how to approach you with this,” Shane spit out, aggravated that his friends would play games with him on something so important. “I wanted to see how far you would go for her. Theo and you have a history. But as much as I value our friendship, Reese comes first, and I want to make sure her sister has a man willing to do what it takes to make her happy. She’s lucky to have you,” Jagger conceded. “She’s in love with Cane,” Shane reminded them, understanding why Jagger handled the situation like he had. “She’s still dealing with residual feelings, and I’m not sure I can stand up against a ghost.” “Let’s get her mother here first, let her handle the emotional aspect of becoming someone else, and then you can deal with her feelings for Cane. Look at me. Do I look like a man who shares?” Jagger asked. “I still haven’t figured it out, not that I’m not happy for the three of you. But it’s not in me to share, especially with someone like Cane Latcher. Doesn’t matter anyway, because we all know he won’t come back. I know Addison’s feelings for him run deep, but I don’t know what she sees in him. He’s a loner, out only for himself. Look how fast he ran after he gave us her information. The door didn’t even have time to hit him in the ass.” Shane stood up, not able to sit still anymore and not having to worry about a hard-on. The conversation about Cane was like having a bucket of cold water hit him right in the face. Shane stood in front of the fireplace and then turned to face his friends, needing to change the subject. “So what’s the plan?” “First, we keep this from Addison. There’s no need to have her worrying over it. I’ve rounded up the group, and they’re already scouting the neighborhood,” Theo answered. “It’s across the state line of Montana, before you hit Buffalo, Wyoming. We’ll join them in a

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couple days to get a layout and then figure out the best way to get her out without causing alarm.” “And if she doesn’t want to give up her life to live here with her daughter?” Shane was prepared to do what he did best. If he needed to compel this woman to be with Addison, then that’s what he would do. He didn’t think it would come down to that, the way Addison described her mother. “You know once we contact her, the Fray won’t stand by and do nothing. They’ll eliminate her just to make a point.” “Then let’s hope she makes the right decision,” Theo said, stopping himself from saying any more when Shane motioned that the women were joining them. “Theo, do you know when Tavia and Kalen are coming to visit?” Reese asked as she walked around the couch to stand in front of them. Addison stood off to the side with her hands in the back pocket of her jeans, not making eye contact with him. “I sent them on that job we spoke about earlier this morning. I thought they would be better than the others in this instance. Why?” Shane saw that Reese understood what Theo was saying in regards to their friends. Reese knew what they had planned regarding Cynthia Gray, but must not have been aware of who Theo and Jagger would send. “Addison and I picked out some furniture for the future guesthouses, and since they are getting first dibs on the cabins, we wanted to see if they liked it.” Reese sat in between Theo and Jagger on the couch, resting a hand on each of them. “I thought I was getting the first completed cabin?” Shane asked, watching Addison’s face as he threw out the question. His stuff was technically in the spare bedroom of the main house, but he spent every night on Addison’s couch. How would she feel if he wasn’t here at night? Addison averted her gaze and sat down on the chair he had just vacated. “I kind of promised it to Tavia,” Reese said sheepishly.

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“That’s okay,” Shane said, letting Reese off the hook. “I was thinking, do you know where Lauren Suval is? You know, the girl that had really black hair with weird eyes.” “She did not have weird eyes. They were silver,” Reese reprimanded, “and it had something to do with the pigment in her irises.” “They were weird,” Theo agreed with Shane, feigning a shiver. “Very eerie, especially when she looked directly at you, because it was like they were translucent.” “Who is she, and why are you asking about her?” Addison asked, curiosity getting the better of her. “You asked earlier if there was a Noble that was able to find people. Well, Lauren’s a Locater. She can find people from an item they owned as long as it contains traces of their energy. We know her from years ago,” Shane explained, watching Addison’s reaction as he gave her the answer to her earlier question. Shane was done waiting. He had told Addison the truth. It was time she dealt with her feelings for him. If finding Cane meant Addison could move on, then that’s what would happen. He didn’t like it, but was aware this is what Addison needed. Cane would only cause Addison heartache, and Shane wanted nothing more than to protect her from that hurt, but some things were unavoidable. A leopard didn’t change his spots, just like Cane couldn’t change what he was—an outsider who would break her heart. “Last I heard she was somewhere in Florida helping on a missing child case,” Theo answered. “Really? She helps police find missing people?” Reese asked. Shane could tell this surprised Reese, as usually Nobles tended to keep their talents hidden. “Yes, under the guise of an investigator who specializes in missing person cases. Lauren has herself quite a reputation,” Theo said, impressed. “Shane—”

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“What, Addison?” Shane asked, not caring if the others saw his irritation. “This is what you’ve wanted since you’ve been here. You want to find Cane? Well, this is the only way because he doesn’t want to be found.” When the silence dragged on a little too long, Theo broke it by saying to Reese, “While we’re away for a few days, why don’t you and Addison try and contact Lauren? I remember her from way back, and she was a class act. I’m sure she would do us a favor.” Shane could tell Addison didn’t know what to do or say. He was changing his tactics, and if that kept Addison off balance, well, so be it. What he told her before their company arrived still rang true. She was meant to be his, and he would do everything in his power to make that happen. “Where are you going?” Addison asked, as if just now realizing what Theo had said, frowning at the news. “Just some Noble business,” Shane answered. “Jagger, how are the plans for the new cabins coming along?” The conversation turned towards other subjects, effectively shutting down any more questions Addison might have had. He bet Reese felt guilty for keeping something so important from her sister, but it was for the best. Shane wanted to fly out now to start the extraction, but would wait until tomorrow. Jagger and Theo could join him in a few days like planned. Shane wanted in on the surveillance and would feel more comfortable assessing the situation with the group. It was time to start rebuilding Addison’s life, piece by piece.

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Chapter Three Cane saw the white van in his rearview mirror. It had turned onto the interstate fifty miles back and stayed relatively far in distance. It could be a coincidence, but Cane was never one to take chances, so he flicked the right blinker on the Jeep and veered the vehicle towards the off-ramp. Slowing his speed, he gradually came to a stop at the intersection, keeping his gaze on the side mirror. The van kept traveling on the interstate, and Cane waited for a minute, glad no one was behind him so he could stay where he was. Something wasn’t right. Cane couldn’t put his finger on it, but his senses were on high alert. They were never wrong. Whether the van ignited a warning or his subconscious was picking up a threat of some kind, Cane had yet to ascertain, but he always trusted his instincts. Cane had been on the road for months, traveling from place to place. His camping equipment was loaded in the back, and he would stay days at a time at various campsites and then move on when he became restless. There were times the urge to drive to Colorado was overwhelming, but then the night Addison left him would resurface and extinguish any impulses that’d surface. If only he could get rid of his permanent hard-on, he’d be making progress. It was very early in the morning, so traffic was light. On the surface, everything appeared normal, but the atmosphere held some type of forewarning, making him uneasy. Pressing the gas pedal, Cane crossed the intersection and resumed his path on the highway, not even certain which state he was in. Rolling down the window, Cane sniffed the air and found what he was looking for. He was being

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hunted. The feeling didn’t sit well with him, and he did the only thing he could. He became the hunter. **** “Why won’t you tell me where you’re going? Does it have something to do with Cane?” Shane looked up to see Addison standing in his bedroom in the main house. She was wearing a white jogging suit with her blond curls pulled back into some type of bun, looking years younger than she was with her face free of makeup. She must have just come back from a run with Reese, the two woman deciding exercise would keep boredom from setting in high up on the mountaintop. “Not everything I do involves Cane, Addison.” Shane turned his attention back to his brown duffel bag and shoved in some extra Tshirts. He walked back towards the bathroom for his toiletries when Addison stepped in front of him, making him either stop or knock her down. Shane gave a sigh, indicating his impatience, and then reminded her, “Aren’t you and Reese contacting Lauren?” “Don’t snap at me,” Addison ordered, her light-brown eyebrows closing in above her button nose in frustration. “You’re never secretive. You’re an open book, but ever since yesterday, you’ve been avoiding me.” “Maybe it’s none of your business. Or maybe I’m just doing what you asked and leaving you alone.” Shane took her shoulders and lifted her carefully, setting her down to the side as if she weighed no more than a feather. “Go talk to Reese about Lauren and let me finish packing. See if she’ll find Cane for you.” “See, there you go again, avoiding the conversation,” Addison pointed out, scrambling to get back in front of him. “You said yourself, I need to accept I’m a Noble. Well, here I am. If it’s Noble business, I should be included.”

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Again, Shane grasped her shoulders and moved her out of the way. Walking into the bathroom, he grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste, along with other miscellaneous items, and put them into a small blue case. “When we need your expertise, we’ll let you know. Otherwise”—Shane paused, coming to an abrupt halt when she blocked the doorway—“stay here and keep Reese company.” “So it’s not dangerous?” Shane studied her while trying to figure out where she was going with this conversation. Yesterday, he’d decided that avoiding her until she found Cane might be the best solution when all he wanted was to push her down and sink balls-deep into her body. He couldn’t take the endless torment of being near her without the right to touch her. Two nights ago, when he lay with her on the bed after one of her nightmares, had almost been his undoing. There was only so much a man could take, and he was seriously getting a case of blue balls. Speaking of blue, her blue eyes stared up at him in concentration, as if she were the Compeller instead of him. That’s when understanding dawned. “Are you worried about me?” “I just think if you guys are doing something dangerous, maybe I should be there.” Addison crossed her arms, making her intent to be involved clear. “Everyone keeps touting I’m a vital piece of the puzzle, so why not bring me along in case I’m needed. What good am I as a Healer if I’m not there to do what I was meant to do?” “Because you’re not needed on this job.” “Fine,” Addison said, clearly miffed at his rejection, only to turn the tables on him. “You said you wanted honesty yesterday, so, here it goes. I don’t want you to go.” Her declaration left him speechless. Just when Shane thought he had her figured out, she changed directions. They stood there staring at one another for what he was sure was minutes, and he watched as Addison bit her lip. She was doing a damn good job of distracting him. Shane loved watching her nibble on the swollen flesh. What

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would her teeth feel like scraping against his skin? He wasn’t referring to his lips either. “You can’t have things both ways, Addison. Yesterday, you told me what you feel for Cane is none of my business. Yet you’re standing in front of me, telling me you don’t want me to leave. You’re not being fair.” “I know,” Addison whispered. “It’s just, Reese said something yesterday. Similar to what you said, but hearing it from her really opened my eyes. I don’t want to be stuck in the past.” Addison drew her lip in further, making his imagination run wild and nowhere near the topic she was aiming for. “I’m giving you fair warning, if you don’t leave right now, I will have you naked and under me within thirty seconds. I’m done pussyfooting around and treating you like you’re this fragile piece of china. We both know the truth, and I told you where I stand. The choice is yours.” Addison was lucky she wasn’t drawing blood she was biting her lip so hard. Her blue eyes clouded with indecision, and Shane decided she had ten seconds. He counted slowly to ten and was surprised she hadn’t bolted immediately. He suppressed the urge to grab her up and throw her on the bed. He reached ten. Fuck it, he thought. The bed was too far away anyway, and the sink was right behind him. The sink it was. **** Addison blinked. How she ended up sitting on the bathroom countertop with Shane between her legs, she would never know. But this was exactly where she wanted to be, and she couldn’t stop a moan from slipping out as she clung to his forearms for balance. Shane’s thighs were so wide that her legs were up high and wrapped around his waist. He tilted her head for better access to her mouth and when their lips connected, Addison knew then she had made the right decision. Her lips parted, and his tongue swept in, dancing with hers.

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So this is what he tasted like, she thought. Mint, coffee, and a sweet flavor all blended together in an enticing concoction. Cupping her face, Shane sensually slid his tongue over her lower lip and then dipped back in to give her another taste. She couldn’t get enough. Cane would forever be a part of her heart, but Shane was the one here, standing in front of her in the flesh. He was the one offering his heart and soul while she’d been in denial. And although she had kept him at arm’s length and refuted his affection, Shane still stayed. He always stayed, just like he said he would. It had taken the jarring awareness that wherever he was going, danger awaited, for her to realize that she could lose him forever. Addison lifted her hands over his broad shoulders and up through his short, silky black hair. Addison relaxed into his hard body and savored his warmth, letting him take over. For once, she just wanted to feel and not think. No worries, just pleasure. Addison let him have full access to her tongue, opening her mouth even more and feeling him suck hers gently into his mouth. For every pull, the suckling motion shot straight to her pussy, like a tug of a rope. He pulled slightly away and soothed her bottom lip, his teeth biting it gently. Nibbling her jaw line, Shane unzipped her jacket, sliding her arms out of the sleeves and throwing it on the ground behind him. “Last chance, Addison,” Shane murmured against her cheek, fluttering light kisses over her eyelids and nose. He confiscated her shirt and then slipped off her pants, pulling them over her knees at his waist and letting them fall to the floor, too. “Once I taste you, there’s no going back.” Addison yelped at the shocking chill of the sink against her butt, letting her know her panties had slipped off, too, and the only piece of clothing left was her white sports bra. For being so tiny, Addison was a full-sized C cup, which Shane seemed to appreciate by the growl he emitted upon removal of the material. Desire flooded her senses at his reaction, and suddenly, Addison needed to touch him. Almost desperately, she reached for the bottom of his gray T-shirt and yanked

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it up over his chest. God, he was beautiful. His nipples were a light russet color with a spattering of dark hair, and she laid her palms flat in the middle of his chest, enjoying the heat his body generated. Slowly, Addison skimmed across his contours and lowered her lips to his nipple, surprised at how soft his skin was. She closed her mouth over his tight bud, and his hands flew to her head, pulling her back before she really got to taste him. Looking up, Addison saw how deep the color in his auburn eyes had become and was stunned at the need that burned within them. It matched her own. “I don’t want to go back. I want to move forward,” Addison whispered, digging her fingers into the muscles of his chest, feeling them tighten underneath her touch. Shane’s breath came out as a hiss, and he tilted her head up, claiming ownership of her lips once more with a hunger that astounded her. The movement brought her nipples in contact with his skin, and the roughness of his chest hair caused them to coil into hard pebbles. Shane finally released her mouth and feathered light touches of his lips against her flesh until he reached what his eyes were focused on. Taking a breast in each hand, he brushed his thumbs over her nipples, sending delicious tingles dancing down her spine. Addison held her breath when his head leaned down to taste her, craving the contact of his wet tongue. Upon inhalation, the scent of his hair teased her senses. When his mouth closed over one nipple, he rolled the other between his thumb and index finger, sending waves of pleasure to her core by doubling the titillation. He murmured something about margaritas, but her hips involuntarily jerked forward when his tongue laved her nipple, causing her to forget to ask what he meant. She swiveled her groin to try and hit that spot between her pussy lips that had been pulsating for too long without any attention. Her slit tried to cover the bulge that was formed by his manhood, but the material of the denim prevented that from happening. Addison pushed his waist away to attack the button and zipper, her hands trembling with carnal need.

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Shane grabbed her hands, stopping her from unwrapping the one thing she wanted and making her glance up. His eyes smoldered with lust, and his lips were swollen from their previous assault, giving him an untamed appearance. Shane stepped back and popped the button on his jeans, drawing her eyes to his hands as he slowly lowered his zipper. Pulling his jeans down his legs along with his white briefs, he stood back up and took hold of his bobbing shaft. Wrapping his right hand around his solid organ, Addison drank in the site of him. His dick was thick, smooth, and the tip glittered with pre-cum. She unconsciously licked her lips, causing Shane to step forward and release his cock. As if knowing she couldn’t take any more, he grabbed both of her ankles and spread her legs farther apart, baring her pussy. A random thought that she was glad she had trimmed this morning ran through her mind, but immediately disappeared when Shane dropped to his knees on the rug. He grabbed her hips and yanked her until she teetered on the edge of the beige granite. Starting at her ankle, Shane used the tip of his tongue and left a trail of wetness as he made his way towards her dripping folds. Using his lips, he sucked the sensitive skin along her inner thigh and left a mark before blowing across her pink flesh to do the same on the other side. “I’ve waited so long to taste you,” Shane murmured against her mound, his breath caressing the delicate skin. Shane’s hands held her legs wide while he used his tongue to separate her folds, and she could do nothing but lean back and support herself with her hands. Being so exposed to him brought about a vulnerability she didn’t expect, but in a confusing way, it incited her need for more. She felt more nectar leak out, but Shane was there to lap it up. There was something about an intense, masculine man on his knees between her legs that made her lightheaded. Shane slid a finger into her moist channel as he drew on the rigid pearl. The suction was so intense, she couldn’t help but cry out. Sensations were now traveling throughout her lower body, and her skin felt like it was vibrating. When he added

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a second finger, her muscles clamped down in acceptance. Addison felt her body go rigid at his tenacious administrations, astonished at how quickly he took her over the edge with two pumps and the rasp of his tongue. She couldn’t prevent the scream she released. He didn’t stop until her contractions eased into sporadic throbbing and her limbs were left weak. It was almost painful, the way he dragged out her orgasm, but in a good way. Having no strength, Addison let Shane guide her down off the sink and turn her around until she was facing the mirror, her pelvis in line with the edge of the sink. “You’re addicting, you know that? I want to hear you scream again.” Their eyes met in the mirror as he opened a drawer to grab a condom. Addison tried to catch her breath at his words. His auburn eyes glowed with hunger, and she couldn’t wait to see what they looked like when he came inside of her. He quickly sheathed his cock and placed his blunt end at her entrance. Shane leaned down and whispered, “Look at yourself. Do you see what I see?” Addison switched her eyes from Shane to herself in the mirror. Her blonde curls were tousled around her face, her cheeks were flushed, her lips were swollen like his, and she glowed. She never thought of herself as beautiful, but this was how Shane saw her. Looking back at Shane, she said, “You make me this way.” Instead of the deep thrust she expected, Shane gradually made his way inside, stretching her until a burn settled in the already-swollen tissue. The throbbing returned, only this time, it was in need and not satisfaction. Her juices bathed his cock as he stopped midstroke, giving her time to get used to his size. When Shane murmured, “Halfway there, Addison. Relax and let me in,” Addison thought she’d come on the spot. Hearing a man talk during sex was a weakness she hadn’t known she had until she made love to Cane. Now, hearing Shane mutter similar words made her knees weak. It was a good thing the sink was keeping her from sliding to the floor. “Open for me.”

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The mirror showed just how massive Shane was compared to her tiny frame, making her feel feminine and needy. Addison raised her ass to give him better access, taking his advice and knowing when she raised herself up on her tiptoes, he’d have full access. Pulling out when she shifted, Shane surged back in with one powerful stroke, lifting her feet off the ground. Addison shouted out. He was fully seated inside her, and she had to grab hold of the spigot for leverage, placing her forehead against the back of her hands. He felt so good, being so deep, and her sheath contracted around his shaft as he held still. His hands wouldn’t allow her to move until she got used to his invasion, and he used the time to scatter kisses along her spine. “Look at me, Addison. Watch me take you,” Shane said hoarsely. Lifting her head and seeing his auburn eyes filled with love was her undoing. “Shane, please.” Addison had no idea what she was asking, but received an answer when he moved. She thought he would move slowly, seeing how he entered her, but Shane pulled out and slammed back in. With every controlling thrust, her feet left the ground, and Addison could do nothing but feel the pressure build. Their eyes stayed connected and created an intimacy so poignant, it brought tears to her eyes. He pounded into her unmercifully, although the rhythm was graceful. Her hands gripped the faucet until she was afraid it would pull out, and her hips would probably have bruises from hitting the counter, but it was all worth it to see the allconsuming need in his eyes. She felt more than saw his right hand leave her hip and make its way toward her clit. “Come for me, Addison. Let me hear you.” Between the pounding of his cock and friction of his rough fingers, Addison lost control of her body, and she screamed her release, just like he wanted. Convulsions continued to wrack her as his left hand grabbed a hold of her derriere muscle, his thumb caressing her dark rose petal. The combination of being filled, her clit being manipulated, and the touch on her unused passage carried out her orgasm until Shane’s momentum became unrelenting, and eventually, his rhythm broke.

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Keeping her eyes on his, Addison saw his face redden with exertion, and he shook from the strenuous force of his orgasm. She’d never seen, felt, or heard anything so gratifying as when he shouted his climax. **** “I have to head out soon,” Shane whispered against her hair, pulling her tighter against him, stroking his thumb across the back of her neck. “I’ll be back within four or five days.” Addison lifted her head off of his shoulder. “Then let me come with you.” He loved her blue eyes, how they had deepened into a darker color when she had found her release earlier in the bathroom. Nothing else compared to her in the throes of passion, with those sounds coming from her mouth. Shane brushed her bangs away, bringing his palm down to cup her flushed cheek. “Not this time. But, if you’re really good, I’ll bring back a surprise for you,” Shane teased. Addison laughed, really laughed, and Shane smiled in return. He had never heard such a beautiful sound. To say he was shocked how the day turned out was an understatement. Whatever had made Addison change her mind and accept him into her bed, whether it was his words or Reese’s, Shane would forever be grateful. She scooted up until her elbow was above his forearm and brought her head to rest in her hand so she could look down at him. “What kind of surprise?” “Hmmm, I’ll think of something.” Shane had never seen her so relaxed. Since her rescue, Addison always remained reserved, and he knew that was due to Cane. Now, it was like a flick of a switch. She was lazily stretched out over him, comfortable in her nudity and his, and seemed to not have a care in the world—well, except him leaving her for a few days. Shane couldn’t help but ask the foremost question in his mind. “What happens if he comes back?”

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Addison’s smile slipped from her face, and Shane almost regretted bringing Cane up at a time like this, but it was something he needed to know. If Cane showed up, would she leave Shane to take up where she and Cane left off? Would his feelings for her become nothing more than a fill-in for what she was really waiting on? “You said something yesterday, something that really made me see how I was living in the past. You said it was you who was standing in front of me.” Addison placed her hand over top where his heart lay. “In the flesh. I know it’s time I let go of the past.” “But what happens if he becomes our present?” Shane placed his hand on top of hers. “I need to know that you chose me for me, not a stand-in for a man you loved a year ago.” “Oh, Shane,” Addison whispered, crawling on top of him until her legs straddled his hips and she was above him. “It took me a while to figure out that what I feel for you is totally separate from Cane. I won’t lie to you. I loved him. A part of me still loves him, and I can’t shut that side off.” Shane reached up and tucked her curls behind her ears. “And what do you feel for me?” he asked, needing to know. “Love, need, desire. I do love you, Shane.” Addison’s blue eyes sparkled as tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill over. “You are so different from Cane, but I love you just the same. I love the little things you do, like the way you run your hand through your hair when you’re frustrated. The way you let me vent when I’m angry and let me say mean and horrible things until I run out of energy without getting upset at me. Or when you make me a cup of tea in the middle of the night because I can’t fall back to sleep after having a nightmare. I love you.” Shane would have returned the words if Addison hadn’t cut him off. Her lips met his, and he tangled his fingers in her hair, loving the feel of the curls wrapping around his knuckles. He would never get enough of her. Tightening his grip, Addison moaned into his mouth and their tongues dueled for dominance. He won, sucking hers into

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his mouth. Shane pulled away and nipped her bottom lip, loving how it swelled at his attentions. Addison tore her mouth away and kissed his neck, licking the skin until she reached his nipples. Shane hadn’t known his nipples were sensitive until she had drawn one into her mouth earlier. No other woman had ever really paid them any attention, but Addison seemed to like biting his tip. He felt the jolt all the way to the end of his dick, making his cock pound in answer to her ministrations. Since both were naked and her head was even with his chest, her pussy was in direct contact with his dick. Her slit seemed to suck at his length, creating a firm, wet seal. Shane rocked his hips up, causing his cock to slide against her cream. Addison finished teasing his nipples and moved down to his abdomen, leaving his dick to feel the loss of her heat, replaced by the coolness of the air. That made him only harder. Her light kisses reigned down his skin, her tongue dipping into his belly button, bringing out a laugh he hadn’t expected. “Ticklish, huh?” Addison asked against his skin. “I’m liking this. What else can I find out about you?” Addison moved lower and situated herself between his legs. When she closed her fingers around his dick, Shane thought he would blow his load right then and there. Holding his breath, Shane held himself still. Addison lifted his cock until it stood straight up, pre-cum dripping down the side. Shane grabbed the pillow and brought his head up, helpless not to look at the vision before him. On her knees, Addison knelt between his legs, holding his cock upright, using her tongue to trace the path of cum up to his crown. Gently, she slipped her tongue into his slit, causing his hips to jerk upwards. Addison smiled and shook her curls away from her face. “See, I knew there were other sensitive places. What about this?” Addison licked back down his shaft until her hot air warmed his sac. Nothing had ever felt so good. “God, yes. Take them in your mouth.”

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Addison sucked one ball into her mouth and rolled it on her tongue, making Shane clench his teeth at the intensity of sensations. More pre-cum dripped out, and she used her thumb to smear it over the top, lubricating his shaft so her pumping movements were smooth. Addison kept drawing on his skin, until his entire sac was in her mouth. The heat of her mouth immediately made his sac draw up. She was still able to manipulate his balls until they felt ready to explode, and he squeezed the pillow with his fists, fighting off his impending release. Addison finally let them go one by one and moved back up to his tip, which was now purple with need. Her mouth enclosed his gland and slowly drew him in. Just the visualization was enough to finish him off, and he curled his toes, hoping to stretch this out for a few more seconds. Watching his dick disappear into her mouth was pure sexual torture, and he gave a strangled groan. Addison’s blue eyes gazed up at him through her lashes, and they glittered with lust. Finally giving mercy, Addison pulled her cheeks in, and the suction created a tight closure on his rigid staff that tore a harsh cry from his lips. “All of me, Addison. Take all of me.” Addison took him into her mouth as far as she could until he hit the back of her throat. Over and over she worked him until he finally felt her muscles relax and he slid farther back. When he felt her mouth fill with saliva and she swallowed, Shane’s sac tightened, ready to release his stream of cum. “Addison,” Shane hissed, “if you don’t want a mouthful, let go now.” Her answer was to swallow again, causing him to grimace in sheer elation and feel his hot seed shoot into her mouth. With every rope of cum, Shane was helpless in his thrusts, and his hips bucked up jerkily each time she closed her throat muscles. Addison didn’t stop until she milked every drop from him and left him lying in a heap beneath her. Addison crawled up his body and snuggled against his neck, smiling if the feel of her lips against his skin was anything to go by.

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“Do you enjoy leaving me a helpless bag of bones, or is this your way of making sure I don’t have enough energy to leave?” Shane asked, barely getting the words out through his gasps of air. “Just trying to point out that whatever happens in the future, whether Cane comes back or not, my love for you will never change. It took me a while to figure it out, but I like making up for lost time. I—” Rap, rap, rap. “Speaking of time, it looks like mine’s up.” Shane absorbed her warmth when Addison tightened her grip, her way of letting him know she didn’t want him to leave. “Be out in five,” Shane yelled out to whoever was at the door. “Didn’t work, huh?” Addison asked. “Nope. Nice try, though,” Shane complimented, rubbing her back and loving the feel of her satiny skin. “I’ll let you try to keep me from doing something else when I get back.” Addison’s laughter filled the air, and Shane finally let himself believe that this could work. They could work, regardless if Cane returned. After having finally loved her and Addison saying those three words, Shane could deal with anything. “I love you, too, Addison.”

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Chapter Four “What the fuck are you doing here, man?” Shane couldn’t believe his bad luck. He’d returned to help his group clean up from extracting Ms. Gray and found Cane standing in the doorway of the rental house the Rogues had been using to keep tabs on Addison’s mother. So many things ran through Shane’s head, but the one that stood out the most was how Addison was going to react. They’d finally consummated their feelings, and now Cane was back to ruin everything. It felt like a kick in the ass. “Hunting. Same as you.” Cane turned to face Shane on the porch, light glinting off his scar from the street light through his long black hair. His customary five-o’clock shadow did nothing to hide it. Cane was dressed in his usual black attire and armed with his favorite knife, sheathed on his hip. “I take it you got Ms. Gray to safety?” “Yes, not that it’s any of your concern. You walked away, remember?” Shane heard Jagger walk up behind him on the porch steps, preventing him from compelling Cane to leave. Not that he would have done it, but Shane wouldn’t deny it had crossed his mind. “Shane’s right. We gave you every opportunity to stay, Cane. So what are you doing here and how did you even know we were coming?” Jagger fell into place beside him, for which Shane was very grateful. Jagger would understand what Shane was going through at this precise time, because it was Jagger who had knocked on his door five days ago when he was making love to Addison, or more accurately, when Addison was giving him the best blowjob he’d ever experienced.

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“I ran into some Fray who thought they were better at hunting than I was. After my interrogation, they kindly told me that Addison’s mother was being watched and had an expiration date of one more month.” Cane leaned up against the doorframe, crossing his legs. “You’re not still mad at me for blowing up parts of your mountain, are you?” Shane figured Jagger was still pissed, but Jagger ignored the bait that Cane was placing in front of him. When Cane had supplied the information to rescue Addison from the Fray’s facility, he had needed access to Jagger’s compound. The way he went about it was unorthodox and almost got a lot of people killed, but Cane liked to do things his way. Since Addison was safely tucked away at home, Shane could care less how it had happened. “How did they find you?” Jagger asked, not replying to Cane’s question. “And where were you? We’ve sent out feelers through various contacts seeing if you’d shown up anywhere. You went off the radar.” “I told you I was disappearing. As to how they found me, I’m not quite sure, but I plan to find out.” Cane looked at both men before asking, “Why were you—” “Let’s finish what we started,” Shane interrupted, directing his statement towards Jagger. Shane didn’t want Cane to know that it was Addison who had requested they search for him. “Jagger, all I need is a few minutes with the Rogues, and then we can head out.” “The team is pretty much finished wiping everything down,” Jagger informed. “Once you compel them with the story we came up with, I’ll notify our group to clear the area.” Shane walked to where Cane stood, staring at him until he moved off to the side. When he went to cross the threshold, Cane grabbed his arm. “Is she okay?” “You lost the right to ask that question when you walked away months ago.” Shane jerked his arm away and continued into the house to do his job. “Leave her to me. She’s better off.”

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Shane walked through the sparse house to the back bedroom, where Tavia had two Rogues and one human contained. Tavia was the group’s Sadist, able to inflict agonizing pain on her victims. Her short spiky red hair fit her personality, and she was leaning up against the far wall with a devilish smile on her face. “About time you showed up. So which one do you want to compel first?” Shane looked at the three men. Two were on the floor holding their heads, pleading with Tavia to stop the pain. One was hunched over a desk, banging his head against the wood. He was the human. “I’ll do the human first.” Walking over, Shane indicated to Tavia to let up on her power so the man could concentrate on what Shane was about to say. Right when her hold of him released, the man slumped with relief and didn’t have time to recover before Shane grabbed his sweaty face and looked directly into his eyes. “You will not move until I say you can. You will answer my questions truthfully.” Shane waited until he saw the man’s pupils dilate in answer to his compulsion. The human was short with brown hair and a wiry frame. Sweat trickled down his face from the pain Tavia had inflicted, and Shane was disgusted that this good for nothing asshole would have executed a defenseless woman all because she was the mother to a half Noble. “Who gave you orders to watch Cynthia Gray?” “I don’t know. We got our orders by phone.” The man’s voice was monotonous from Shane’s compulsion, answering like a robot. “How long were you supposed to keep up your surveillance?” “Three months.” “And at the end of three months, what were your instructions?” “Execute the target.” “Is it just the three of you?” Their intel had shown only three, but that didn’t mean anything. The two Rogues still lying on the floor were weak. Whatever their power, the three of them were just patsies. “No. We have another colleague with us.”

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Shane shared a look with Tavia. This was new. Nothing they heard or saw indicated a fourth person. “Where is this colleague?” “In the woods behind the target’s house.” “I’ll take care of him. He’s got to be a Tracker, if he’s more comfortable hanging out with nature then staying inside.” Shane turned to see Cane standing in the hallway. He hadn’t heard Cane walk into the house, but since he was the best Tracker of the Noble species, that was not unexpected. “Bring him to me. I’ll compel him with—” Shane cussed aloud when Cane left before he could finish his sentence. “Shit. He’s going to kill the guy, and then the Fray will know we were the ones to take Ms. Gray. Only a Tracker can hunt and kill one of their own.” “Cane was always the black sheep,” Tavia said, shaking her head. “Compel these three anyway. Let the Fray go on a wild goose chase for a while.” Shane completed his mission, and when he and Tavia walked onto the porch, Jagger was waiting for them. “Tavia, go wait in the car. I need to talk to Shane.” They both watched as Tavia made her way to the black SUV parked in front of the house. When the door closed behind her, the only sound came from the wind kissing the branches of the trees. The houses on the street were dark except for the occasional porch light that was forgotten. It was a quiet neighborhood that had no idea the havoc that was prevented tonight. Unfortunately for him, Shane’s life was about to experience what they had averted. He knew what Jagger was going to tell him. “He’s coming with us?” “Yes. Are you okay with this?” “Do I have a choice?” Shane ran his fingers through his hair, wishing Cane hadn’t shown up. He wanted more time with Addison before they had to face the past. Her past. He wanted to hear her laughter again. He wanted to see Addison’s expression when she was

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reunited with her mother. What he didn’t want was to see her face when she saw Cane. **** Addison heard the plane land. She and Reese had gotten up early, knowing their men were returning home. For the last five days, Addison had thought of nothing but Shane. Remembering the way he cried out when she took him in her mouth made her cream instantly, and Addison couldn’t wait to do it again. She hadn’t felt this alive in way too long and was excited at the prospect of keeping Shane in bed for the foreseeable future. Addison was a little apprehensive, though, because Shane hadn’t called her last night. Instead, Theo had phoned Reese late yesterday regarding their plans and what time they would be returning home this morning. Shane called her every night, so why hadn’t he last night? Was he regretting being with her? “Reese, are you sure Shane is okay? Theo didn’t say anything on the phone?” “Shane is fine. Whatever they were doing last night ran a little late.” Addison couldn’t help but notice that Reese was a little tense walking outside. Addison shrugged into a green jacket from the coat rack in Reese’s kitchen, not caring whose it was. It hung down her arms and fell to her sides, so Addison assumed it was either Theo’s or Jagger’s. Addison followed Reese, and they both came to wait just inside the compound gate. The airstrip was located on the outer perimeter. They both watched as the plane’s propellers winded down and the door folded out. Theo was first, followed by Jagger. Then Addison had to blink to clear her eyes, because the third person off the plane looked exactly like her mother. The guards up on the tower must have

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remotely opened the gate, because the wrought iron silently started to separate. Addison felt Reese’s arm go around her in support. “Is that really—” “Yes, Addison. It’s your mother.” Addison looked at Reese, who wiped a tear from her cheek. “Go to her.” Addison looked back at her mother. At fifty-three years old, Cynthia Gray looked magnificent. It had been almost two years since she’d seen her mother. Her light hair was cut shorter, and she had a few more lines around her eyes and mouth, but her mom had never looked so beautiful. Addison ran through the gates, and both women grabbed each other, crying and laughing. She held on tight to her mother, savoring the security she felt in her arms. There was nothing like a mother’s love. Pulling away, she looked at the woman who had given birth to her. She was elegant and graceful, even in the emotional state she was in. “Mom, I’ve missed you so much. I have so many things to tell you.” “Oh, honey, I’ve missed you, too,” Cynthia cried. “I thought you were gone. I thought I would never see you again, and then this charming man knocked on my door telling me you were alive and well. I couldn’t stop hugging him.” “I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Mom. But you’re here now and we’ll get you settled in. I want to tell you everything,” Addison said, emotion clogging her voice. Addison saw Shane exit the plane, having to duck down not to hit his head on the cabin door. Shane had brought her mother to her—this was her surprise. Shane knew what it meant to her and risked his life anyway. He didn’t look her way, and at first, hurt started to bloom in her chest until she saw who was behind him. Time stood still. Her mother immediately noticed Addison’s attention on the men by the plane and stepped aside. Cane’s dark gaze met hers, and Addison felt that instant connection, like the fourteen months of separation hadn’t taken place. God, he was stunning. Looking dangerous as he always

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did, he stood beside Shane with his arms hanging by his sides and his feet slightly parted. Her lungs started to hurt from lack of oxygen, and she inhaled involuntarily. No wonder Shane didn’t call her last night, knowing Cane was coming to the compound. Addison’s legs moved of their own volition, and before she realized what she was doing, she launched herself right into Shane’s arms. He caught her and held her tight, burying his face in her neck. They didn’t say anything for a moment, Addison just welcoming his embrace and happy that he was safe. When Shane whispered “thank you,” she understood how much it cost him to have Cane here. She was beginning to comprehend what it meant to love two men, and now the time had come when she would have to deal with it. “No, Shane. Thank you. For coming back. You said you would always come back to me and you did.” Addison pulled away and looked into his auburn eyes, now burning with desire. Tears were now flowing freely, and she didn’t care. “Thank you for bringing my mother to me.” Addison was well aware that Shane’s mother died in childbirth and although he was raised by a loving father, it didn’t take away what was missing. A mother’s love was something that couldn’t be replaced. He unfortunately lost his father when Shane was a teenager, so having both parents gone must have been hell. The fact that he risked his life to make sure she had her mother showed how much he did care for her. “I would do anything for you, Addison,” Shane confessed, still holding her off the ground. He gave a small smile before saying, “Although it wasn’t my intention to bring Cane.” “I’m going to have to talk with him, Shane. But please don’t lose faith in what we have,” Addison pleaded, knowing how hard this must be on him. She would never have been able to share him with another woman. The same with Cane. Addison was a selfish woman when it came to her men, and yes, it smacked of hypocrisy, but she didn’t care.

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“Go be with your mother first. She needs you. We’ll sort everything else out later,” Shane promised. Addison kissed Shane and gave him another quick squeeze, waiting for him to set her down. She would have to get used to his muscular frame lifting her body a foot off the ground, but Addison didn’t mind. He made her feel feminine and cherished. As Addison turned, she couldn’t bring herself to look at Cane, instead staring ahead at her mother. After all the waiting and wanting, finally having Cane here set her off balance. She was afraid of what the outcome would be. So Addison did the only thing she could. She walked straight back to her mother and lead the way to the main house. **** Hours later, Addison and her mother sat in Reese’s living room by the fire. The room was attached to her kitchen, where Reese was now brewing tea for them. Both women sat on the couch, facing each other, still holding hands. Her mother was such a wonderful woman and embraced the idea of living at the compound, already offering her ideas on the future cabins. Cynthia and Reese also discussed their biological father and had common ground in agreeing that he was a selfish bastard, only out for himself. “Now that we’ve gotten caught up and I’m all cried out, are you going to tell me about those two men?” Cynthia asked, her eyes crinkling with her smile. “Oh, Mom. I don’t even know where to start,” Addison answered, blowing her bangs in frustration. “The beginning is always good,” Cynthia returned, giving her hand a squeeze. “You make it sound so simple.” Addison looked over at Reese, who was pouring hot water into three mugs. “Reese makes it look easy, too. But its not.”

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“That’s because you’re two different women with two different needs.” For a traditional woman, Cynthia had handled the explanation of Reese’s relationship with her men in stride, saying love came in many different ways and one needed to embrace it however it came. “Well, I told you how I ended up leaving to begin with. Cane convinced me my life was in danger, and I went into hiding with him. I wanted to call you, but Cane stressed how dangerous it was to contact you.” “Thank God you did go into hiding,” Cynthia voiced. “Can you imagine if these Fray people had gotten to you before Cane explained who you were? You did the right thing. If I had known your father was a Noble, I would have been more careful with you. I would have tried to protect you, maybe raised you in the country away from regular people.” “We are regular people, Mom.” “I’m sorry, honey. That didn’t come out right,” Cynthia said, looking embarrassed. “It’s okay. I know what you meant,” Addison reassured her mother. “Cane did tell me who I was and that I even had a sister. But everything happened so fast. One day, I was living my life, and the next, I was on the run with some guy I didn’t even know. We were together for months, and the more I got to know Cane, the more I realized he was just as vulnerable and lonely as I was.” “And you fell in love with him.” Cynthia worded it as a statement, not a question, but Addison nodded anyway. “Yes. He’s not an easy man to love, not like Shane. Cane is defensive and guarded. He can be ruthless when he needs to be.” “Did something happen between you two?” “The night we made love, he got a call. Cane got up from the bed and took the phone into the bathroom. I heard him talking about Reese and how much cash he would get to bring her in. I thought—” Addison choked on the words, her eyes filling with more tears. She thought she’d cried enough for the day, but her emotions didn’t agree.

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“She thought what any woman would have thought in that situation,” Reese cut in, bringing their tea on a tray and setting it on the leather ottoman. “You thought he was betraying you,” Cynthia finished. “I agree with Reese, honey. You were thrown into a terrible situation, and your life was turned upside down.” “That’s the thing, Mom. It wasn’t that terrible. I fell in love with Cane and then in one moment, made a decision that would get me kidnapped by his enemies. Our enemies.” Addison let go of her mother’s hand and pulled her feet up on the couch, grabbing hold of her knees. “Cane kept a gun by the nightstand, and when he came out, I grabbed it. I pointed the gun directly at him, accusing him of using me to get to Reese.” “Oh, Addison,” Reese said sadly. “Why didn’t you tell me this before? No wonder you’ve been so turned upside with guilt.” “The look on his face,” Addison continued, her mind in the past, not hearing Reese talk. “I dropped the gun and ran. I grabbed the keys and drove to the airport. That’s where they got me.” “And you don’t think Cane has a share of the blame?” Reese asked. “He should have told you what was going on.” “Yes, Cane is just as guilty as I am of not trusting. But he didn’t pull a gun on me.” Addison finally let go of her knees and accepted her tea from her mother. “We all make mistakes. But when you love someone, doesn’t forgiveness come into play?” Reese took a sip of tea, giving Addison that knowing look over the rim. “If Cane loves you half as much as you love him, he’ll suck it up and get over it. Men are worse than woman when it comes to relationships. They can be such wussies.” “And where does Shane come into this?” Cynthia asked over Addison choking on her tea at Reese’s comment about Cane. Addison smiled once she was able to swallow. “Shane has been my rock, my salvation. Being kept in isolation and then suddenly being around people, Shane helped me adjust. He hasn’t left my side,

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even when I’ve said some hurtful things in anger. We’ve gotten to know each other in the barest sense, and I love him for who he is.” “You mean he forgives you for your mistakes,” Cynthia clarified. Addison shrugged. “I never looked at it like that. But yes, Shane would forgive me anything.” “I know my relationship with Theo and Jagger is unconventional, but it works,” Reese shared, setting her cup back on the tray. “We live a different life than humans. Your mother is right in a way. We aren’t regular people, Addison. We’re special, and we have to adjust to a new way of living.” “But what if we can’t adjust? What if Cane and Shane don’t want to?” Addison wasn’t going to pretend the thought hadn’t crossed her mind every time she saw Theo and Jagger around Reese. The way they both protected and loved her was precious, but could she live that way? Did she want to live that way? “Do you?” Reese asked, echoing her question. “I don’t know,” Addison whispered. **** Shane was standing at the window of Jagger’s office, replaying the vision of Addison jumping into his arms this morning. She actually walked right by Cane and chose him. Well, at least that’s how it felt at the time. In reality, he knew Addison still loved Cane and they would have to deal with it sooner or later. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Shane hadn’t heard Cane enter the office and turned at the sound of his question, guessing the time had come sooner. Jagger had been sitting at his desk, but stood when Cane entered the room. If he were Jagger, he’d leave, too. “If you need me, I’ll be out with the women.” Cane stepped into the office after Jagger left and closed the door. “So? You had a whole plane ride to tell me you were in love with her. Is there a reason you didn’t share the news?” Facing Shane, he leaned

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back against the wood as if having another man love your woman was an everyday occurrence. “What Addison and I feel for each other is not your concern. You chose to walk away when we gave you every chance to help rescue her. You left of your own volition.” Shane was not one to rile easily, but Cane seemed to be that one in a million that could make it happen. “Whatever happened between the two of you is in the past.” “Is it?” Cane cocked his head to the side. “And what would happen if I say I want her back?” For a split second, Shane thought of nothing but compelling him to leave. It was either that, or beat the shit out of him. But Shane knew Cane as well as anybody could. He was hurt Addison hadn’t acknowledge him and lashing out at him for being the reason. Shane would have felt the same way in his shoes, but Cane had brought all this on himself by not sticking around to face Addison when things got tough. “I would say go ahead and try.” “You’re awfully confident for being a rebound.” Okay, Shane thought. Maybe compelling Cane would be the way to go. “Don’t diminish what we have, man. I’m trying my best to have a reasonable conversation with you.” “Really? And here I thought we were talking about you standing aside while I fu—” Thud. Shane’s knuckles ached from the punch to Cane’s jaw. Damn, that hurt. Shane shook his hand out, trying to get rid of the pain. Cane’s head had snapped back into the door, but he hadn’t move out of position. Blood dripped from the split in his lip. He used the back of his hand to wipe it away. “Guess I deserved that.” “You deserve a lot more for walking out on her,” Shane said, backing up a few steps to give them much-needed space. “She needed you.” “Just for the record, she walked out on me. Using a gun, no less.” Cane finally moved away from the door and walked around Jagger’s

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desk to take a seat in the leather office chair. Leaning back, Cane set his feet on the desk and crossed his legs. “When a woman points a gun to your chest, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where you stand. And she obviously didn’t need me after you got her out of there. She had you.” Shane suddenly felt the toll of the last few days and sank tiredly into the chair across from the desk. Getting Cynthia out had been no stroll on the beach, and having to ride back with Cane had been worse. Having him anywhere near Addison was brutal. “Why are you here?” “Because someone knew where I was. I need to find out how.” Cane looked away, which was a rare thing. He didn’t have it in him to show weakness. “I need to make sure they can’t find her.” “You still love her.” “We fucked.” Cane raised both hands as if surrendering, which was ludicrous, even if he was mocking the situation. “If she thought it was more, well, nothing I can do about that. But I always finish what I start.” “That’s bullshit,” Shane spit out. “You handed over her information and then left. You didn’t finish anything. I did.” “I spent a year obtaining that information and knew only your team could get her out. I finished my end of the deal.” “You’re delusional.” Shane looked down at his knuckles. Opening and closing his fingers only made the ache worse. Cane was lucky his jaw wasn’t broken. “Think what you want. Bottom line is this, when they found me in Timbuk-fucking-tu with two Fray agents who weren’t even Rogue, I knew we had a problem.” “And your first thought was to come here, where Addison is? Where our group is going to be living?” Shane asked incredulously. “I think your senses may have been warped.”

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“What I think, make that know…what I know is that I’m the best Tracker alive. If someone has been on this mountain, I’ll be the first to know.” “Modest, aren’t we?” “I’ll head out at first light tomorrow,” Cane said, ignoring Shane’s taunt. “I just want to verify the mountain hasn’t been breached.” Cane let his boots fall with a thump and then stood up, pushing the chair back with legs. “And then what?” **** “That’s a good question,” Addison said as she swung open the office door. There was no way Cane hadn’t known she was on the other side. She knew firsthand how good his hearing was and was confident he knew the minute she left the living room to walk down the hall towards the office. Cane wanted her to hear him say those hurtful things, trying to minimize what they shared to hurt her, the way she had hurt him. “If I was just a quick fuck, then why did it matter if they found me?” Shane rose from the chair. Addison glanced down to see his knuckles red and swollen. Without a word, she walked to where he stood and reached for his hand. When he tried to resist her efforts, Addison whispered, “It’s okay. It doesn’t take a lot of energy to heal this type of injury. And my gift is telling me it’s acceptable to help you.” Addison brought his hand up and then opened his fist to see the damage. Placing her hand above his, separated by an inch, Addison felt the pin pricks start in her fingers and toes and work their way to her core. The pain usually associated with healing a person only became unbearable when it was life threatening. With this type of injury, the sharp tingles felt more like her entire body had fallen asleep and was fighting to awaken. The air around their hands made a

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popping sound, and the heat generated from her hands enveloped Shane’s until his knuckles resumed their normal shape and color. “See? All better.” Addison ran her thumb over the healed area and remembered how Shane’s hands had touched her. The memory caused her stomach to flutter, and a part of her was self-conscious at having such a reaction in front of another man, even one she loved, no matter what he thought of her. “And me? I don’t get that same treatment?” Cane strolled around the desk until he placed himself in front of it, sitting back on the surface and crossing his black boots in front of him. “Oh, wait. No, I don’t. You’d rather shoot me.” “Cane, I—” “Water under the bridge, Addison.” Cane waved a hand, dismissing whatever she was going to say. “I’m not here to rehash the past. I’ll be gone by tomorrow.” Addison felt a rise of fury that only Cane could bring out. “You son of a bitch! Water under the bridge? Seriously?” Shane grabbed Addison before she could reach Cane, and no amount of shrugging him off would get Shane to let her go. “You tell me, Cane, what was I supposed to think when you get a phone call after we made love and all but announce to the world that you’d hunt Reese down for cash?” Cane’s scar went from a light pink to a bright red, and his brown eyes darkened until they were black. This was the man Addison could fight with. This was the man who showed his passion instead of false bravado. “What any woman would have thought after having spent six months with a man who would lay down his life for her! You were supposed to trust me!” Cane yelled, his black hair flying into his face. “Trust you? You went into the bathroom and told me it was a ‘private’ call! It never crossed your mind to say, ‘Hey, I’m trying to throw the Fray off of our trail?’ Or give me some type of signal that what you were about to say was a lie?” Addison finally got Shane to let go, and while he stepped back to let them argue, she was grateful

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for his silence and thankful that he understood she needed to say these things. “This coming from the woman who not an hour before that phone call screamed I love you during an orgasm? If you loved me, like you claimed, you would have trusted me!” “I am not your mother! I am not the one who left her little boy to fend for himself!” Addison knew it was a low blow, especially bringing up his past in front of Shane. Cane had shared his childhood with her when she had trouble accepting her biological father who was no better than the dirt on her shoe. But she didn’t know how else to make Cane realize that he was the one with trust issues, not her. “You should have trusted me with the truth. How do you think I felt when you agreed to hunt down Reese?” “You pulled a fucking gun on me, Addison! Don’t stand there, all high and mighty, like I wasn’t the one looking down a barrel with a bullet in the chamber. At least my mother had the decency to not threaten my life!” By this time, Addison was toe to toe with Cane, her head tilted back in order to look him in the eyes. Seeing Cane with so much fury and pain emanating from him was almost her undoing. Tears filled her eyes at the pain she caused him, and although Addison would never let him off the hook for not telling her the truth about the call, it hurt her to know he thought she would actually have shot him. “I would never have pulled the trigger, Cane,” Addison whispered, not caring her tears fell down her cheeks for him to see. “I panicked, and it was the first weapon I saw. But I dropped the gun, not caring if you worked for the Fray. At that moment, I didn’t care if you were going to kill me and then go after Reese. Because I loved you.” The room became silent, ragged breathing the only sound reaching her ears. Addison waited for Cane to say something, but eventually, he just turned and walked out, slamming the office door behind him. Addison stared at the wall behind the desk, afraid to turn and face Shane. What would he think of her? How could he stand to

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love a woman who had confessed her love to another man? When she felt Shane wrap his arms around her, Addison broke down. He picked her up and sat both of them down in the chair, rocking her and murmuring soft words of comfort. She tried to tell him she was sorry. She tried to tell him she loved him. Addison tried to form a lot of words, but couldn’t manage around the sobs tearing from her chest.

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Chapter Five Shane sat on the step of Addison’s log cabin, staring into the blackness of the trees, ignoring the blanket of stars above him. The night was clear, although the temperature had dropped significantly. Shane ignored the cold air while contemplating where they should go from here. He knew what he was getting himself into when he let himself fall for Addison, and he still had no intention of leaving her. But he also knew part of her heart belonged to Cane, and now he was dealing with the fallout. “You can always hope a black bear takes him out tomorrow,” Jagger’s voice cut through the wind. Shane looked to where the walkway was from the main house to see Jagger wearing an old FBI sweatshirt, courtesy from his old days working for the government. In his hands were two jackets. Throwing one to Shane before shrugging his way into the other, Jagger said, “Will be a tight fit, but it’s better than nothing.” Shane caught the coat, setting it down next to him, not bothering to put it on. “A black bear wouldn’t do a good enough job. It still leaves Addison loving someone else.” “You knew that going into it.” Jagger shoved his hands inside the coat pockets, his breath creating a cloud of mist. “You were deluding yourself if you thought it might not come down to this. And you might sit there and say that having a ménage is out of the question, but we both know you’ll try anything if it means keeping Addison. And in all likelihood, that seems to be the only viable option.” “How do you stand it? How do you stand another man touching Reese?” Shane hung his head into both of his hands and rigorously

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rubbed his hair. “I mean, I see red at the thought that Cane touched her in the past, let alone thinking he might touch her in the future. And that’s just the physical aspect of it. That I had to watch her cry herself to sleep over that dickhead because he’s too caught up having some trust issue tore me to pieces.” “Having a ménage isn’t easy, Shane. We still have our issues. But I know that Theo would lay his life down for Reese. I see the love in his eyes whenever she walks into a room, and yes, I see her love for him as well. And I’m okay with that. Because she loves me for me.” Jagger moved closer and leaned against the wooden pillar by the steps. His words made Shane think back last week when Addison had said something similar. “As for arguments, Theo and Reese fight more than I argue with Reese. Those two can go at it for hours, usually because he’s done something stupid,” Jagger laughed. “But the three of us have learned that if something is between the two of us, the third needs to stay out of it. Hell, sometimes Theo and I get into fights and Reese is the one on the outside, just being there to listen to both of us when we want to talk about it.” “The first time I saw the three of you, I was awed. But I also knew it wasn’t for me.” Shane ran his hands down his faded jeans, the cold finally settling in. “Now, I love her so much, I’d consider anything just to see her happy.” “Before you go deciding something that will drastically change your life, understand that you’re not only entering into a relationship with Addison, but also Cane,” Jagger warned. “Having a third, they’re just as important as the two of you.” “And you didn’t have a problem with Theo?” Shane asked. “Well, our situation was a little different,” Jagger explained. “Theo had always been a part of Reese’s life. He’s loved her from the time they were teenagers. When Reese went into hiding, Theo and I worked on building this compound and formed a friendship out of our love for her. We both agreed to this life with Reese. It was more of us convincing Reese it could work. You three,” Jagger said, giving a

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wave of his hand to indicate Cane and Addison as well, “are all struggling with the idea of it.” “Cane doesn’t know what he wants,” Shane said, placing his elbows on his knees. “In fairness to Cane, he was blindsided today. Regardless of why he walked away, I can guarantee it was like a punch in the gut finding out you and Addison are together.” Shane nodded his understanding and suddenly felt the need to be with Addison. Rising from the step, he picked up the jacket Jagger had thrown him and tossed it back. “Thanks for the advice. You’ve given me a lot to think about.” **** Cane lurked on the outside of the compound, knowing Shane was talking with Jagger but purposefully ignoring what they were saying. Instead, he focused on the surrounding trees and the wind flowing through their branches, listening for anything that didn’t belong. Cane also knew that Theo had left the house the same time Jagger had and was seeking him out. “You know, Jagger would be the first to know if someone breached the mountainside,” Theo informed him, walking closer to the edge of the trees. “He’s got enough security equipment to rival the White House.” “Is this the new divide-and-conquer plan?” Cane asked. “Nah”—Theo shook his head—“just two friends trying to help out. And before you say you don’t have any friends, cut the bullshit. We’ve known each other for ten years.” “And you know I like to keep to myself,” Cane reminded him. “Which brings us to the reason I’m really here. Someone found me. That should have been impossible.”

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“Keep fooling yourself, but if you want to talk about that, it’s not Lauren. She’s in Florida, where she’s always been. Hiding in plain sight.” “I’m sure she’s not the only Locator,” Cane said. Walking back towards the gate, Theo fell into step beside him. “Can Jagger call anyone in the bureau? One of the Sympathizers who likes to feed him information? Maybe they’ll have some about a new Noble being taken.” “I’ll ask,” Theo promised. “But if that’s the case and they do have a Locator, they would have plenty of items of Addison’s to lead them here first. And there’s been no indication of strangers coming into town below the mountainside, and we’ve had no one in the air zone but our pilot.” “Satellite?” Theo smiled, his left dimple showing. “Jagger’s got some new technology that he’s playing with. Covers the compound and interferes with any satellite reading.” Cane shot a sideways glance towards Theo. He couldn’t be talking about the device he stole from the Fray’s facility to shut down Reese’s ability a while back, could he? “Why waste a good invention?” Cane smirked, causing his lip to split back open. The sting brought his mind back to Addison and Shane, who were in the middle of a major sex session, if the sounds he was hearing were any indication. His smirk turned to a sneer, but Theo wouldn’t know what brought about his change of attitude. When Addison had claimed she would rather die at his hands than kill him, nothing could have shocked him more. Admitting he was wrong was very hard for Cane to do, but seeing things from Addison’s point of view, he could concede he probably should have handled things differently back when they were in hiding. Addison’s life had been turned upside down, and the last thing he had wanted to do was add to her stress. Was he wrong about trying to protect her

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feelings back then? Maybe. Probably. Definitely. Seeing Addison cry this afternoon had him feeling like scum. He knew he wasn’t “relationship” material. This just proved it. Not wanting to deal with Theo any longer, Cane said dismissively, “See you in the morning.” “We have more than enough space, Cane. Take a spare bedroom,” Theo offered. “No need to camp out when it’s this cold.” “Appreciate it, but no thanks.” Cane left Theo at the front gate and kept walking to where he set up camp. “And before you think of following me, don’t. I’m not the conversationalist Shane is.” “You might not be,” Theo said, purposefully not taking the hint and leaving, “but the one thing you two have in common is Addison. Stop being selfish and put her first.” “I’m not being selfish. If I were selfish, I’d be having sex with her now instead of Shane.” Cane stood in front of the fire pit he had created earlier and reached down to add another log. “That was a little too much information,” Theo reprimanded, taking an unoffered seat on the ground. “I sometimes forget you have hearing like a wild animal.” Cane didn’t say anything, hoping Theo would leave. He would do the most unselfish thing tomorrow and leave after knowing the mountain hadn’t been breached. He could see how much Addison loved Shane. Cane would step aside and let them live their lives. “And you think that’s the best thing for Addison?” Theo asked, putting his hands out to seek the warmth from the fire. “Stop that shit,” Cane ordered. “What I think is my business, so get out of my head.” “Then stop being an ass. Addison is Reese’s sister, so I’m doing the good brother-in-law thing.” “No, you’re meddling in something that’s not your concern. And yes, I do think it’s best for Addison if I leave. I’m not made for the white picket fence and happily ever after crap.” Cane sat down, irritated that he even had to explain himself. Leaning back on one

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hand, Cane rested his arm on one of his knees. “Shane can give her what she wants.” “What if she wants both of you?” Theo asked. “Being a Watcher is going to get you killed one of these days. What, you’re no longer keeping the group pact by minding your own business?” Cane asked, when what he really wanted to do was find out if Theo was telling the truth. Did Addison want both of them? A part of him immediately wanted to dismiss the idea as ludicrous. He wasn’t a gentle lover and certainly had never shared a woman before, but that was why a part of him actually contemplated what sharing would be like. Would Shane be the balance? Is that how Theo and Jagger were with Reese? Did they all even out the relationship? Cane gave himself a mental kick in the ass. He was not thinking about this. He was leaving tomorrow, end of story. “I’ve done my duty,” Theo announced as he pushed himself off the ground, visibly proud to have put these unwanted thoughts into Cane’s brain. He watched as Theo wiped the dirt off from the back of his jeans. “And if you didn’t blare your thoughts like a C-4 explosion, maybe I wouldn’t hear them.” “Fuck you, McKay.” **** Shane had been nibbling every square inch of Addison’s body for the last thirty minutes and found more erogenous zones than she knew existed. Behind her knee, the small of her back, the middle of her palm—the list goes on, but right now, Shane was concentrating on the back of her neck. “See, you have sensitive places, too. I just needed to find them.” Shane placed another kiss along her neck, heating the skin beneath his lips and slipping his tongue out to taste her margarita flavor, as he put it. She squirmed her intent to roll over, but Shane placed a hand

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between her shoulder blades preventing her from turning. “I’m not done yet. I have lots more places to investigate.” “Shane, please. I can’t take anymore,” Addison pleaded, feeling like she was going to come unhinged if he kept up this slow pace. “I like having you at my mercy.” Shane turned to his left side, bringing Addison with him. Her back to his chest, he placed one arm under her neck and used his right hand to explore. Addison felt his fingers lightly brush the underside of her breast, just enough pressure to feel his caress and make her writhe in need. Her movements made his cock slide against her ass, perfectly placed between both cheeks, reminding her of when he had used his finger to stroke that forbidden area. He answered by grinding against her, but still wouldn’t touch her where she wanted. Addison grabbed his wrist and tried to force his hand to cover her breast and knead them, but his strength far outweighed hers. “Uh-uh. Relax, Addison. Let me give you pleasure.” Again, Shane trickled around and around the swell of her breast, circling closer to her peaked nipple, which had hardened in anticipation. When he finally reached her tip, Shane feathered it with his middle finger until she literally felt like a fire started at the center and worked its way into the tissue of her breast. Not able to take anymore, Addison begged. “Harder, Shane. Squeeze me. Do something!” Shane’s answer was taking her nipple in between his thumb and index finger and gently rolling it back and forth. On occasion, he would slightly lift upwards, creating a direct connection to her clit, which had now started to pulsate in neglect. Shane must have kept this up for five minutes before switching to the other breast. Her cream leaked out onto her thighs, and Addison was pretty sure if he kept up his administrations, she was going to come. “Lift your leg over mine,” Shane ordered in a strained voice.

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“What?” Addison was lost in a place that was hard to describe. All she could feel was Shane’s touch, and it was if nothing else existed. Her body even started to crave his gentle strokes. “Lift your leg up over mine and bend it backwards a bit. I’m going to slide into you.” Addison did as she was told and lifted her right leg over his right leg and bent her knee. His legs were so large that in this position, she was wide open. More juices ran down the front of her thigh. His hand ran down her abdomen and traced the outline of her ribs, and then he brought his hand closer to his hip to rub the small dip of her ass cheek. “I wish we had a mirror. Then I could see those beautiful petals opening to take me in. Your hair is so fine and light here that it’s like an illusion of coverage. I can still see everything.” Shane adjusted himself until his cock was even with her slit. She hadn’t even noticed when he slid a condom on—that’s how far gone she was. “Feel how wet you are. Soaking wet. Touch yourself.” Addison automatically reached down to her wet folds, through her damp curls. The thought of denying Shane never crossed her mind, and when she touched herself, while his dick slid back and forth between her dewy lips, an electrifying feeling ran through her. She gathered some cream and smeared it on her clitoris, using harder strokes to ease the ache. “I can’t wait any longer,” Shane murmured. Right when Shane breached her entrance, Addison opened her eyes to see Cane standing in the doorway. She jerked her hand away and would have jumped from the bed, had Shane not held her in place. “Let him watch, Addison.” “But—” “Don’t tell me you haven’t thought of this,” Shane whispered roughly in her ear. “Let’s see if it’s something we can live with.” Addison never broke eye contact with Cane’s intense gaze, and when Shane arched his hips and inched into her a little further, her

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mouth opened to moan. Stopping herself, Addison bit her lip to keep from making a sound. Did she want Cane to know how good Shane felt? Was it a terrible thing that just having Cane watch inflamed her insatiable hunger? Who would have known she had a voyeurism fetish? “Don’t hold back, Addison. Let Cane hear how much you enjoy being filled.” Not holding back anymore, Shane impaled her with one thrust. “Ahhhhhhh…” “That’s right, Addison. Let it out,” Shane struggled to say, pounding unrelentingly into her cunt, taking over stroking her clit. Higher and higher she climbed, waiting for something, anything to send her over. Cane’s dark eyes smoldered with need and suffering, hands turning into fists at his sides. Because he was angry another man touched her or because he wanted to join in? His scar seemed more prominent in the light coming from the bedside table, and when his mouth moved under his five-o’clock shadow to form the word come, Addison’s insides tightened with the inevitable explosion, clamping down on Shane’s inflexible rod. Addison instinctively closed her eyes, riding out the storm with Shane. He finally removed his hand from her sensitive clit, making her jolt at the removal. When Addison had the energy to look, Cane was gone. **** “Go to him.” “Shane, it’s one in the morning,” Addison grumbled, still not knowing how to act after what had happened. “And you can’t sleep,” Shane said, as if she didn’t already know that. “What happened was a big step for all of us.”

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“So what are you saying? None of us are like Reese, Theo, and Jagger.” Addison rolled onto her back. “You said so yourself.” Shane lifted up on an elbow and looked down at her with a serious expression. “Things change. People change. I’m not saying this will be easy, but I do know that you won’t be truly happy if Cane is out of your life.” “But I love you,” Addison whispered, pulling the comforter tighter around her chest. Reese made it seem so easy, loving two men. Wasn’t she ever afraid her love of the one would drive the other away? Addison felt torn and was terrified she would lose both men in the end. “And I love you. Which is why it’s becoming easier for me to accept your love for Cane. I saw the anguish in his face, and although you might feel he was rejecting you, he’s scared. I don’t agree with how you two are handling things, especially Cane.” Shane fanned her curls out on the pillow. “But I was given some good advice earlier and know this is something that you and Cane need to work out. I will be here for you, though.” Addison placed both hands on his face and pulled him in for a kiss. She meant the gesture as a thank you, but as usual, anytime her lips met his, she felt the immediate craving for more. Turning her head for a better angle, Addison pulled the back of his head to where she wanted him. His lips were so full and soft, she couldn’t help but bite his lower one. “You’re insatiable,” Shane murmured, pulling his lip away from her teeth. “Go, before I change my mind and decide I need to keep you for myself.” **** “You shouldn’t be here.” Cane walked towards his campsite, seeing Addison waiting by his tent. He had heard her leave her cabin and knew she was seeking him out, but Cane wasn’t ready to deal

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with her—with them. He should have kept walking. “Nothing’s changed. Go back to Shane.” “You think you know it all, don’t you?” Shane must have bundled her up against the cold night air, because she had on a white parka that had enough insulation for an Eskimo. Her white hat came down to cover her ears but let her blonde curls puff out around her neck for the wind to catch. What was it about this woman that was going to be his undoing? Cane could feel his hold on his old life slipping out of his hands, and no matter how tightly he tried to keep it in his grasp, one look from Addison made him lose another inch. “I made a mistake, Cane,” Addison said a little desperately. “But so did you. Trust goes both ways, and for you to punish me is wrong. I already paid the price. I don’t need you adding on to it.” Cane felt that jab all the way to his heart. He knew the last year had been hell on her, but to hear her say it aloud was like a knife going through his chest. The last thing he ever wanted was for her to go through something like that, and it was total anguish to know it was his fault. “I’m not trying to add on to it, Addison,” Cane defended. “My God, do you know I’ve died a thousand deaths over the fact that it was my fault they got you? You are better off with someone like Shane.” “Your fault? And how do you figure that?” Addison came closer, refusing to back down. “I was the one who ran, Cane.” “Because of me. I realize that now,” Cane conceded. “Which is why someone like Shane is perfect for you. He would never lie, deceive or hurt you. It’s not in him.” “Stop it!” Addison beseeched. “Just stop it. You would never hurt me on purpose, no matter what you say. Your ways are unorthodox, but you are an honorable man, Cane. You wasted a lot of time trying to find where the Fray had taken me and, when you couldn’t get to me, made sure that Reese could.” “Don’t paint me a hero, Addison.”

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“What about a man who loves me? Am I allowed to say that?” “We’re done here,” Cane declared, turning to walk away. He’d do another perimeter check, because he sure as hell wasn’t going to sleep this night. Taking a step, he heard Addison rush to get in front of him and stopped before he ran into her. “I love you.” “You just got done fucking another man,” Cane growled. “I think it’s a little inappropriate to be declaring your love for me, don’t you?” In his twisted mind, Cane thought if he verbally put distance between them, walking away would be easier. She was better off with Shane. Cane braced himself when he saw Addison’s hands come up. Her tiny form shoved his chest with all her might, anger burning in her blue eyes. “And who watched, huh? Who stood in the doorway and watched?” Addison yelled. “What I feel for the two of you may be unconventional, but it doesn’t make it less true. No matter what hurtful words you throw my way, it doesn’t change the fact that I love you. I love you both. Deal with it!” Addison gave another shove to his chest and grunted at the effort, her breath misting in the air. Cheeks red from exertion, Addison turned to walk back to the gate then stopped. “If you leave tomorrow, know this,” Addison voiced. “You made the decision to cut and run this time. Not me.” Cane reached her in a second flat, spinning her around and claiming her mouth. Consequences be damned. Crushing her lips, Cane took everything she gave and more. Not relenting, he tasted every crevice of her mouth and finally tore away to say, “Damn you. Why do you love me?” Their lovemaking wasn’t pretty. It was wild, brutal, and perfect. He had her in the tent with her bottom half naked and his black cargo pants around his ankles in no time flat. Sitting on the sleeping bag, he impaled her with one thrust while Addison straddled him. They had no condom, and he was taking her bare, but he’d deal with the

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consequences later. Her hat long gone, Cane fisted her curls and devoured her mouth, catching her scream at his invasion. Addison tried to grind her hips, seeking pressure from his groin on her clit, but Cane couldn’t stop bucking into her tight sheath, reveling in her heat. His senses were so overloaded, his dick felt like she was singeing off the skin, making his balls draw up. The line between pleasure and pain were mingled, his sense of touch magnified. He slammed Addison down on him repeatedly, aiming for that sweet spot inside her. Cane knew from experience she could come from that alone, with no outside stimulation. But he wanted more, he wanted her to come undone. He moved his hand down to where they were joined and gathered her cream on his fingers. Reaching around and using his middle finger, Cane circled her puckered opening and felt her body go stiff, tearing her mouth from his. “Oh, Cane! What are—” “Just feel, Addison. I don’t want to think anymore,” Cane said harshly. “Bear down.” Burrowing as deep as he could, Cane felt Addison do as he commanded, and when he felt her muscle push out, he slowly inserted his middle finger into her heated passage. Feeling her muscle give way and hearing Addison whimper at the invasion, Cane stopped at his knuckle and then pulled back out. “Cane, do something!” Mercilessly, Cane plunged in and out, using his body to answer her plea while he continued to stroke her anus. Surprisingly, he felt her tighten back there first, and his middle finger could hardly pull out from the tight constriction. He groaned at the thought of taking her back passage with his cock and couldn’t imagine what it would feel like. Then suddenly, instead of feeling contractions on his dick, her pussy felt like a vice squeezing his cum out in spasms. Cane didn’t stop there and kept driving into her, until Addison collapsed in his arms.

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Chapter Six “What do you mean, he’s missing?” Cane shouted into the phone. “Just one man? Was the kidnapper armed? Do you have a description?” “What’s going on?” Addison asked, walking into Reese’s kitchen with Shane by her side. Addison hadn’t known what to expect this morning, after her night with Cane, but walking into Reese’s and seeing him yelling into a phone wasn’t it. Neither had really spoken about what happened, but had lain in the tent for hours, just holding each other. It was rare Cane ever lay still for extended periods of time, and Addison relished the time they had, not knowing how long it might last. Addison had pretty much said what needed to be said, and it was up to Cane to see where things went. She couldn’t force him to stay or to participate in a three-way relationship. But she wouldn’t compromise on this. She loved both of them and had finally found the courage not to settle for less. Shane had been waiting for her when she returned to the cabin. He didn’t ask a thing, instead made both of them coffee and snuggled with her in front of the fire he had made. His understanding was more than she could ever imagine, and she had no way of expressing her gratitude. Saying “I love you” just didn’t seem to cut it. It meant so much more than that. “Lauren’s brother is missing,” Theo divulged, glancing at Shane with a knowing look. “What’s that look for? What aren’t you telling me?” Addison walked over to her mother, who was at the island having breakfast with Reese. “Hi, Mom. Is the guest bedroom working out?”

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“Yes, dear. It’s fine,” Cynthia answered, giving Addison a hug. “I’m more worried about you. Do you know who this Lauren is?” “Yes, she’s a Locater. Someone who can find people.” “You mean like Cane?” “No, Mom. Lauren isn’t a Tracker. Lauren can find people with an item they owned or have touched. She uses their energy to see where they are located.” Addison turned back to Theo. “You never answered me. Why were you looking at Shane that way?” “Because her brother is also a Locater, although not as good.” “Does this mean the Fray know about Lauren?” Addison returned to Shane, who wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “No. Lauren lives her life in public, hiding the fact she’s a Noble. She separated her life from her sibling years ago, and they have kept their relationship a secret. If someone took him, it wasn’t because of Lauren. Which means someone ratted him out for his own ability. His name is Max Baker, and he was in hiding with his girlfriend. The girlfriend panicked and called Lauren earlier this morning,” Theo said, “informing her Max was abducted.” “But if Max is a Locator, then that means they know where we are!” Addison cried out. “Shane, we have to leave the mountain! Everyone has to leave!” “No,” Jagger ordered, walking into the room. “That’s why Cane is on the phone with Lauren. We don’t think the Fray has him. My contacts in the government are hearing nothing like this. Whoever has Baker is obviously using him to find Cane, otherwise they would have already tried to enter the compound. It sounds personal.” “Does Lauren have any other information to help us figure out who is after him?” Shane asked. Addison observed Cane pacing by the living room area, off of the kitchen. This was not how she pictured this morning happening. After last night, Addison knew the three of them needed to talk and, hopefully, figure out where their relationship was headed. She knew there would also be tension between Shane and Cane, but was willing

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to do whatever necessary to mend any hurts involved. Shane was willing to try. “That’s what Cane’s trying to ascertain,” Theo interjected. “He called Lauren back and is trying to get as much information as he can.” “Jagger, I need your plane, now,” Cane thundered, heading for the door. “Make sure your security measures are in place. I’m going to draw this bastard out.” “Let us come with—” “No.” Cane slammed out of the house without a backward glance. Shane kissed Addison on the head and hurried after Cane. Addison dodged past Theo when he went to grab her but managed to slip by and out the door behind Shane. She heard Shane shout for Cane to wait up. She was running so fast, Addison barreled right into Shane’s massive back and would have fallen if Shane hadn’t reached back in time. “Go back to the house,” Shane prodded. “I’ll go with Cane.” “Neither of you are coming,” Cane glowered, his whiskers making his expression cruel. “This coward wants me. Stay here and keep her safe. I’ll make sure he hasn’t turned any information over to the Fray.” “Then you know who it is and it is personal. Don’t be an ass and try to do this on your own,” Shane bellowed at Cane’s retreating back. “Think about Addison for once.” Cane came to an abrupt stop. Addison thought for sure he would keep on walking, but Cane slowly pivoted and faced both of them, looking every bit as lethal as he was. “Every second of every day, I think about Addison,” Cane professed. “I don’t know what you want me to say. I don’t know where we go from here. But we can’t move forward until this threat is exterminated.” “Then let me go with you,” Shane demanded. “If you think there is any chance we can make Addison happy together, then let me help you.”

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Addison was afraid if she said anything, Cane would walk away, so she stood there waiting for his answer. Cane never took his eyes off Shane. She knew her cheeks had whisker burn and her lips were still swollen from his onslaught last night. Maybe seeing her made him regret what had happened, but Addison didn’t think so. Going to Cane might have been the best thing she ever did. As much as their relationship was unusual, it felt right. Cane gave a quick nod in acceptance and turned away, still not acknowledging her. It hurt, but Shane turned to face her and picked her up around the waist, making her reach out for his shoulders. “Everything will work out, I promise. Just stay here, and I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.” “Please be careful, Shane. I love you both.” Shane closed his eyes at her words, but when he opened them, acceptance shined through, giving her a spark of hope. **** “You want to tell me who’s after you and why they don’t work for the Fray?” Shane inquired, walking side by side with Cane through the streets of downtown Aspen. It was a quaint town, with tree-lined streets and occasional hanging baskets filled with flowers from the storefronts. The tourists and locals were taking advantage of this sunny spring day, dashing into the shops located in historical Victorian buildings. The air was warmer here than on their mountaintop, at least one hundred miles away, and Cane stood out like a sore thumb. Wearing his usual black cargo pants with a longsleeved black T-shirt, his black hair hanging loosely to his shoulders and whiskers not doing enough to cover the scar on his right cheek, he came off as a thug. The knife sitting on his hip didn’t help any either. Shane’s presence at his side dressed in faded denim and a buttondown white shirt should have offset Cane’s image, but Shane’s

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physical size did the opposite. Shane was pretty sure the locals and tourists saw two dangerous men and kept their distance. “He used to work for the them. A couple months back, when the Fray believed I was working for them, I sent one of their teams on a suicide mission. He was one of the men.” Cane continued to walk, his eyes taking in every nuance of the picturesque area. This downtown area seemed to be a world of its own. If the locals knew what was about to take place in their safe environment, they would be screaming from the rooftops. “His name is John Rafuse.” “You thought he was dead?” Shane asked, scanning the sidewalks, seeing if he could spot the thirty-something white male with a tattoo of barbed wire around his neck Cane had described on their way here. “Do I even want to know what kind of mission? And what does Max look like?” “Remember when I was trying to find Reese months ago to let her know about Addison? Well, I did what I had to do and sent a team in to surround the cabin she was using as a safe house,” Cane explained. “You are one callous son of a bitch. You knew Reese would kill anyone who came for her,” Shane said accusingly. “They deserved to die. Those so-called soldiers worked for the Fray, and the only goal they have on their mind is to kill any Noble they can get their hands on. Don’t expect sympathy from me.” “Never thought of you as sympathetic. And you never answered my question. What does Max Baker look like?” “Unfortunately, Max is your average blond dude with no specific distinctions to help us separate him from any other man out here.” Cane stepped into a nearby tourist store. Shane knew Cane wanted to use the window to get a better view of the people outside, but stayed where he was and leaned against the bricks. Looking around as well, Shane saw nothing out of the ordinary. “The two Fray agents that found me a couple days ago said they were sent to scout the area, which means Rafuse wasn’t sure if Max was leading him on a wild

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goose chase. Now that he knows it wasn’t, Rafuse will come himself,” Cane continued as he stepped out of the store. “Do I want to know how Rafuse knows they actually found you?” “I left their bodies in plain site. And don’t give me that condescending look,” Cane accused, looking both ways before crossing the street. “I don’t kill innocents, but when someone threatens me, all bets are off.” “We’ve got to work on your killing instinct,” Shane said, following Cane into a small deli. “There are subtle ways to take care of threats, you know.” The waitress sat them next to the window facing the street per Cane’s request and handed them menus with a nervous smile. Cane’s scar tended to get that reaction a lot. Once their drink orders were given, the waitress left the table, a relieved look on her face. “Before you open your mouth, I’m telling you now. I don’t want to talk about it,” Cane warned, referring to Addison. He slapped the menu on the table without having looked it over. They weren’t there to eat anyway. “You’re going to have to talk about it sometime if you want anything to do with Addison’s life, so it might as well be now, while we have the time to kill. No pun intended,” Shane quipped, leaning back into his seat, which was not designed to accommodate a man his size. Stretching out his denim-clad legs, Shane twisted sideways in the chair to give him some more legroom. “What’s there to say? I know the deal, Shane. I either share her with you or I leave. Pretty simple choice, if you ask me.” “Simple, huh?” Shane looked out the window when he saw a beige car slide into an open spot a few feet away. He watched as an older man stepped out and went around the side to open his wife’s door. Shane turned his attention back to Cane. “I think you want to make it simple, but it’s not. Let’s set aside Addison for a second, although I’m going on record that wherever she goes, I go. Theo and Jagger are creating a safe haven for Nobles who can’t blend into society or who just want a home to call their own without fear of

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being outed. The more abilities they have at the compound, the safer they’ll be. Now I know you’d rather be out there in the world on your own, but some of us don’t have senses to keep us safe like you do. Take Kalen Murray. He can sense people’s emotions, but is his gift going to be able to save his life? You and I both know some of them need protecting, and if Theo and Jagger are willing to provide the opportunity for them, wouldn’t it be selfish of us to just walk away?” The waitress returning with their drinks interrupted Cane’s response, and when she asked if they were ready to order, Cane waved her away with his hand. The young girl scurried away, while Cane sipped his coffee. “Selfish? Really? Cut the bullshit. You and I both know I’m the most selfish bastard out there. How do you think I’ve survived this long? I have a bounty on my head and every Fray agent looking to collect. And with this”—Cane gestured to his face— “I’m not easy to miss.” “And Addison loves you anyway, faults and all. Is that the real problem?” Shane would have laughed at how Cane fidgeted in his seat if the topic of conversation wasn’t so serious. The minute the L word was mentioned, Cane couldn’t wait to escape. Out of the corner of his eye, Shane noticed a woman and her child cross the street and three teenage girls giggling over some boy who was passing by. There was nothing out of the ordinary so far, so Shane turned his attention back to Cane. “Why are you pushing this? Didn’t I just say I didn’t want to talk about this shit?” Cane glowered, setting his cup down with a thud. “I don’t care what you want. I care about what Addison wants. And what makes her happy is you. Us,” Shane divulged, as if Cane didn’t already know that. “Fine. You want to get into this now, so be it,” Cane conceded, anger making his scar a little darker. “Can you sit there and honestly tell me you even remotely like me? And don’t say it doesn’t matter, because it does. Do you think Addison can be happy knowing you’re

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not? You keep saying this is all for Addison, but the bottom line is if we aren’t satisfied with how things are going, life will be miserable for all of us. And what the hell are you smiling at?” Shane couldn’t have stopped the smile growing on his face if John Rafuse walked in the restaurant right now and tried to take them out. Cane could deny it all he wanted, but for him to have the insight on what it took to make a ménage work, he was already halfway there. And the shocker was, Cane was spot-on. “You’re right.” “I’m always right,” Cane grumbled, lifting his mug again. “That’s why we need to date,” Shane declared, laughing out loud when Cane choked on his coffee. “I meant all three of us, you dickhead.” “In case you didn’t get the memo, I’m not the dating kind,” Cane stressed, grabbing the napkin and wiping his hands from the coffee that spilled over the rim. “Fine. Then we spend time together, the three of us. Look, it’s not that I dislike you. You just aren’t the type to get to know easily, and we’re very different from each other. Given time, I think we can make this work.” “How can you be so cavalier about this? Doesn’t it bother you that Addison came to me last night after you and she—” “We really need to work on your language, man,” Shane censored, knowing what word was about to spill from Cane’s mouth but still grinning from his earlier insight. “I’ll admit, I thought it would really bother me. If it were anyone else, I’d probably kill him. But I know how much you mean to her, and seeing how much pleasure you brought to her just by watching was…well, hot. Just think what it would be like with both of us touching her, bringing her to that place, man. Don’t tell me you didn’t get hard watching us last night.” By Cane not saying anything, he answered Shane’s question. Shane was about to continue when he noticed Cane go still. Cane lifted his head and looked across the street. Shane followed his gaze. Sure enough, John Rafuse stood on the opposite side, hard not to

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notice with his tattoo. He was staring directly at Cane with hatred that distorted his face into something hideous. “Let’s get this over with,” Cane said, standing and throwing a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “Not on a public street, Cane. Too many innocents,” Shane warned, scrambling to catch up with Cane, who was already at the door. “Cane, did you hear me? Not here!” **** “Something’s wrong. We need to follow them, Theo,” Addison pleaded, walking behind him as he headed to Jagger’s office. Her body was extremely tense for someone who had had multiple orgasms the night before, but the thought of her men out there with no backup was too stressful for her body to take. The differences between the ways Shane and Cane made love to her was astounding, and she wanted more. Addison needed more from them, and she wasn’t about to let one of them lose their life over their pride at going at it alone. “That’s why Jagger and I have called the pilot back,” Theo explained. “The pilot said he flew them into Aspen.” “When do we leave? How long until the pilot gets here?” They walked into the office to see Jagger loading a clip into a handgun. Different types of weapons were laid out on his desk, and Addison watched as Theo walked over to pick one out. Addison was relieved that they were arming themselves, especially since Shane had left empty-handed. Cane always carried his knife around, but would that be enough against whatever they were facing? “Addison, you’re not going,” Theo clarified. “Jagger and I will be their backup if anything goes wrong. The pilot overheard pieces of their conversation, and it seems some guy wants revenge for something Cane did. We know the Fray aren’t involved.” “We don’t know that for a fact! What if this lunatic called them? What if it’s some type of ambush?” Addison’s voice rose with each

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question, and she was seriously thinking of picking up a weapon. “You men can be so dense at times, I swear!” “If the Fray were involved, I would know,” Jagger explained calmly, which just irked Addison even more. “More and more people join the Sympathizers everyday. The agency is full of them and it’s only a matter of time before the Fray is shut down.” “Fine,” Addison fumed, “but that doesn’t mean this crazy person is by himself. He could have people working for him, too. What then? You have Reese, who is the perfect weapon, and we don’t even use her power! And shouldn’t I be there as well? I mean, come on, what good is being a Healer if I’m not allowed to heal anyone!” “First of all, if Reese used her power in the middle of Aspen, that would bring every Fray agent around to the area. That is the last thing we want,” Theo replied. “Her ability is just way too strong for something like this. Do you remember what happened when we rescued you? Reese pretty much destroyed an entire building with her energy. If we are in an all-out war, then yes, we would let Reese do what she needed to do.” “That doesn’t explain why I can’t go, damn it!” “Because you can’t heal yourself. If we take you and you end up hurt while someone else is injured, or worse, dying, you’d be useless. Is that what you want?” Theo asked. “Addison, we know you want to help, but going into a battle when we don’t know what we’re facing is a bad decision. It could get us all killed,” Jagger stated, sympathy shining in his eyes. “Then let me come, and I’ll stay on the plane,” Addison implored, not caring if she had to get on her knees and beg. They weren’t leaving here without her. “She’s right.” Addison turned to see Reese standing in the doorway. “I get why me using my power in the middle of a town might not be such a good idea, but even you two would have to agree I’ve gotten better on my control. I can now release little increments of energy without destroying an entire area.”

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“Reese, there’s no reason for you to go when we’ve got the situation under—” “Theo, stop,” Reese ordered, stepping into the room and standing next to Addison. “This isn’t just about us. We’re Nobles. You said so yourself, that we’re at war for our freedom. Is it right for me, the Deity of our generation, to stand back and not help? Is it right to keep our Healer secluded when there are Nobles that would benefit from her hands? Yes, we have a home and a safe haven to protect us. But we can’t hide our heads in the sand either and pretend our powers don’t exist. I know you love me, as I love both of you. But it’s time for us to fight back. And we’re part of that fight, whether you like it or not.” Reese reached out for her hand, and Addison was never more thankful to have a sister than she was at this moment. They might have missed out on their childhood together, but their bond was growing, and knowing she would always have her sister’s support meant the world to Addison. Theo and Jagger shared a defeated look, and Addison would have giggled if the situation weren’t so dire. “Fine,” a subdued Theo said, no sign of his dimple showing through the serious expression on his face. “But Addison stays on the plane and you two listen to every word we say, got it?”

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Chapter Seven “I don’t like this, Cane.” “He’s a coward. This will be a piece of cake.” Cane followed behind their target, who was leading them away from downtown. Rafuse seemed a little paranoid, looking around the area constantly. How dense could this guy be? An irrational human bent on revenge thought he could take on a Noble with paranormal abilities. If all Rafuse wanted was to kill Cane, he could have opened fire on the streets in Aspen and taken his chances of getting away by running. Why lead them to an isolated area? “What about Max Baker? Rafuse could have him anywhere,” Shane stated, looking around as their target kept walking on Main Street before veering off into a wooded area behind some residential neighborhood. Maybe Rafuse thought he could use Baker as a hostage. If so, Rafuse didn’t know Cane as well as he thought he did. Cane wasn’t one to worry about collateral damage. “Baker is the last thing on my mind, Sutton,” Cane confirmed exactly what Shane had been thinking. They slowed down and let Rafuse edge a little farther away. Shane fell into step and shortened his stride to match Cane’s. This was Cane’s forte, and Shane would follow his lead. “Didn’t you just get done saying that you don’t kill innocents? We have no idea where he’s keeping Baker. Well, if you kill Rafuse, Baker is as good as dead,” Shane stated, not liking that Cane was only thinking of killing his prey regardless of any other casualties. The man certainly knew how to make a person nervous. “What would Addison say about that?”

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“Damn you, Sutton,” Cane cursed, stopping and turning to face him. “This is why I work alone. I don’t need you talking over my shoulder like you’re my fucking conscience.” “You need someone propped up there, man,” Shane said. They came to the outline of trees at the edge of N. Main Street. Rafuse had entered not thirty seconds ago, but Cane kept walking alongside the road without veering off. Looking into the forest, Shane could see nothing but knew that didn’t make a bit of difference. Whatever kept Cane from following was good enough for him. Keeping to his left, Shane let Cane be the one closer to the trees, knowing he needed the visual. “Well, what do you know? Looks like you get your wish to be a savior after all. That should make Addison happy,” Cane said, finally turning into the woods with a determined stride. “What’s that mean?” “It means that Rafuse brought along his Locator, and they are both waiting for us,” Cane explained. ”Let’s hope, for Baker’s sake, that he didn’t switch sides and he truly is a victim in all this.” They both entered the forest, with Cane leading the way. It was obvious to Shane that Cane wanted to catch Rafuse off guard, and when they circled the area twice, impatience started to set in. Shane wanted Cane to confront this guy, and then maybe he could get close enough to compel Rafuse into dropping whatever vendetta he had against Cane. He just wanted this all to be over so he could get back to Addison. “Latcher, I know you’re out there. Show your face, you coward!” “Sounds like he’s a little pissed at you,” Shane provoked, wanting Cane to finish this already. A man who had nothing to lose was too unpredictable for Shane’s taste. Rafuse was liable to just shoot them and run, although seeing as how he hadn’t already done that, that scenario was unlikely. “That he does,” Cane agreed. “Go around again and come up from behind. I’ll confront him and draw his attention towards me. If you

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have a chance to compel Rafuse, do it,” Cane ordered, then gave Shane a sideways glance. “And don’t look so surprised.” “I’m just happy to see you turning over a new leaf over.” Shane smiled. “Addison will be happy to know that you’re adjusting your ways and trying new things. Like not killing people outright.” “Shut up, Sutton. I want to make absolutely sure he didn’t rat me out to the Fray. And we also need to figure out how he found Max. Someone spilled their guts about Max’s abilities, and if they gave it up for money, the Fray won’t be far behind.” “Just do me a favor,” Shane requested. “Don’t get us killed.” Shane did as Cane asked and started to walk around the perimeter again. For Cane being such a pessimistic kind of guy, he was certainly being optimistic in his hope that Shane could get close enough to compel Rafuse. He heard Cane announce his presence, which made it easier for Shane to pinpoint where he needed to be. Shane listened to what Rafuse had to say as he worked his way around. “What gives you the right to send us in on a mission after the Deity when you knew we were going to die!” Rafuse screamed. “Isn’t that what you signed up for when you went to work for the Fray?” Cane asked calmly, his voice low. “I joined the Fray to get rid of shit like you! I don’t care if the Fray wants you alive,” Rafuse raged. “They want to run tests on you and set you up in some damn facility while you eat their food and sleep in a bed you don’t deserve. You know what? Ain’t gonna happen!” “So, what, you think you’re going to kill me?” Shane finally worked his way into position and could now see the three men. Rafuse had his back towards Shane, his barbed-wire tattoo showing above his olive-green, ratty T-shirt. His camouflage pants weren’t in any better condition, with pockets torn and mud streaks running down the side. He was pointing a gun at Cane, who now gave a slight nod of his head in acknowledgement of noticing where Shane was positioned. Max Baker was standing off to the side, facing both

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Cane and Rafuse. He, too, saw Shane coming up from behind and started to look a little nervous. “I’m going to make you suffer first,” Rafuse taunted, a hint of pride in his voice that made Shane wary. Shane stopped his advance upon hearing what spilled out of Rafuse’s mouth. “You thought I was stupid, but I saw you sniffing around the labs like you were looking for someone. I tried to warn them, but they wouldn’t listen. Said you were the best Tracker to find the Deity. It wasn’t until the explosion near Billings that I put two and two together. You wanted the Deity’s sister.” This wasn’t good. Shane stood a few feet behind Rafuse, who was too caught up with adrenaline to even notice him. Cane now had his hand resting on the handle of his knife, and Baker looked guilty as hell. Rafuse had figured out that Cane had something to do with Addison’s rescue and assumed that going after Addison would torture Cane. Rafuse was spot-on. Too bad for him he hadn’t banked on there being two men who would lay down their lives for her, though. “So let me get the facts straight,” Cane said, buying them the time they needed for Shane to take those last few steps. “One, you’ve got a grudge against me for sending you on a mission the Fray hired you to do in the first place. Two, you find a Locator and keep his existence hidden from the Fray. Three, instead of telling the Fray you found me, and possibly the Deity’s sister, you’re going to kill both of us. Do I have those facts straight? Because it sounds to me like you’re signing your own death warrant with the Fray. Guess I’ll have to take care of that for you.” Shane figured he had two seconds in which to tackle Rafuse from behind and wrestle his gun away. He should have known that wasn’t what Cane had in mind, though. At the last word in his sentence, Cane’s hand whipped his knife out of the sheath and threw it with such precision, the impact into Rafuse’s shoulder had him flying back into Shane. Within seconds, Shane took his gun and laid Rafuse on the ground, who was now crying out in pain.

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“Shut him up, will you?” Cane ordered, before walking over to where Max stood frozen, staring at Rafuse writhing on the ground. “Did you tell him where Addison is? Focus, Baker.” Cane snapped his fingers in front of Max’s face to grab his attention. “Does he know where the Deity’s sister is?” “H-he gave me a watch that a woman had w-worn,” Max stuttered, most likely afraid that Cane was going to kill him. “I sswear, I didn’t know she was the Deity’s sister! I had no choice! He was going to kill my girlfriend.” “I’ll repeat the question. Does he know where she is?” “Yes! She’s at some private airstrip. It’s—” “You’re too late, Latcher.” Rafuse laughed through the pain, only caring that he got to Cane. “She’s as good as dead.” Cane would have killed Rafuse if Shane hadn’t stepped in front of him. The last thing they needed was for Cane to let his emotions rule the situation. Shane had to get control and find the answers they needed. Why was Addison at the airstrip and not on the mountain? Jagger and Theo would never have let her come alone. Did she talk them into bringing her here? If so, Addison had walked them right into a trap and they needed to get to her immediately. Shane grabbed Cane’s arm and brought him close. “Get a hold of Addison on the cell phone, Cane. Better yet, call Theo or Jagger and see where they are. Tell them to keep her inside that plane,” Shane murmured to Cane before releasing him. “Baker, is someone else working with Rafuse?” Shane asked, tucking the gun he had confiscated in the waistband of his jeans. Shane did his best to compartmentalize the situation and not go rushing out of here. Right now, his first instinct was to get to Addison as fast as he could, but he knew that wasn’t what would help her in the end. They needed to obtain as much information as they could. “He made a call not thirty minutes ago telling someone where she was. I don’t know anything else, I swear.”

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Shane knelt on one knee and grabbed Rafuse’s T-shirt in his fist, pulling him upwards, not caring that he screamed out in pain. Cane’s knife still stuck out of his shoulder, blood dripping down his arm. Shane stared into his eyes and pulled energy into his to compel the answers they needed. “You will stop screaming. You will answer our questions truthfully, do you understand?” Rafuse’s pupils dilated until his dull hazel irises couldn’t be seen and then shrunk back to a normal size, indicating to Shane he was underneath his compulsion. “Yes.” Shane’s victims mostly answered in one-syllable words, which made his task of obtaining information easier under these circumstances. He gave a sideways glance to see Cane pull his cell phone out to dial. Turning back to Rafuse, Shane concentrated on getting the answers they needed. “Is the Fray, in any way, aware of your actions?” “No.” “Did you call someone to go to the airstrip?” “Yes.” “Who did you call?” Shane asked, searching Rafuse’s pockets for his cell phone. Finding it in a leg pouch, Shane released Rafuse and let him fall to the ground. Hitting a button, the screen lit up, and Shane searched for recent outgoing calls. He ignored the shaking in his hands. Highlighting the last number entered, Shane hit redial. “Friend.” “What were your instructions?” Shane listened to the other end of the line. It rang and rang, but the receiver wasn’t answering. “To kill whoever was on the plane.” “Theo, don’t get off the plane,” Cane instructed, yelling into the phone after having finally having reached one of the guys. “Do you hear me? It’s an ambush. Rafuse has someone waiting to—” Shane saw the shock come over Cane’s face and knew whatever Theo was saying wasn’t good. He hurriedly leaned down and said,

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“Leave here. Forget this ever happened. Go to the Fray and tell them you heard underground chatter than Cane Latcher died at the hands of the Deity for his betrayal to the Noble race.” When Shane was satisfied Rafuse would do as he was instructed, he turned just in time to hear Cane lose it. “Get back to the plane! Do you hear me? Get back to that fucking plane and make sure she’s safe!” Cane leaned down and yanked his knife from Rafuse’s shoulder, ignoring his shriek of pain. He took off running, not bothering to see if Shane followed, which he did. Shane couldn’t stop the panic from building in his chest at the thought of Addison being hurt. She might be the Healer of their generation, but it meant crap if she couldn’t heal herself. “Baker, get out of here. We’ll be in touch,” Shane yelled over his shoulder. “Cane,” Shane called ahead, trying to get his attention. “Cane, stop the first person you see!” They broke out of the woods at a fast pace, and Shane saw Cane step in the middle of the road with no fear of being hit, his thoughts on getting to Addison. The wheels of a white car screeched a hideous sound as its brakes were applied to prevent hitting Cane. The car came to a stop inches from where he stood. Shane ran around the side of the car before the driver could put the gear in reverse and opened the door. Leaning in and seeing a scared teenage boy, Shane compelled him to get out of the car and not call the police for an hour to report his car stolen. The kid got out of the car, and Cane slipped around Shane to slide behind the steering wheel. Shane had no choice but to run around and get into the passenger side, cursing at Cane’s need to be in control. Cane sped away, throwing Shane his cell phone. Shane lifted it up to his ear and heard Theo talking to Jagger about making it back to the airstrip. Cane took a sharp left, leaving downtown Aspen behind. “Theo, can you hear me? Cane and I are maybe eight minutes out. Rafuse hired some guy to take all of you out if he could, so be careful

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going back. Can you radio the pilot and tell him to keep Addison on board?” “What the hell were they thinking, bringing Addison here?” Cane yelled as he pushed the car past eighty miles per hour in a forty-fivemile-per-hour zone. “I told them I had everything taken care of!” Shane ignored Cane’s outburst, instead listening to Theo explain that they were entering the parking lot. They saw nothing out of the ordinary, but Theo handed Jagger the phone so he could see if he could catch any thoughts the killer might be projecting. “Jagger, do you have the plane in your sight? Can you see it?” Shane looked over at the speedometer. They were now breaking ninety-five miles per hour, and Shane braced his hand on the dashboard. Shane had no doubt they would reach the airstrip in under five minutes, but would they make it there in time to save Addison? **** Addison couldn’t take the waiting. The plane had landed twenty minutes ago, and while Theo, Jagger, and Reese had left immediately, she was told to stay on the plane. Part of her understood, as her power was of no help out in the “field” as Jagger put it. But waiting here twiddling her thumbs was getting the best of her, and she couldn’t help getting out of her seat and inching past the six beige leather chairs to where Steve, Jagger’s on-call pilot, sat in front of the control panel. If she weren’t so anxious, Addison would have enjoyed the luxury this midsize plane afforded. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, and all Addison wanted to do was find Shane and Cane. Theo, Jagger, and Reese had no idea where they were, going off of what Steve had overheard on the initial flight. Cane had spoken of going into downtown Aspen and letting Max Baker locate him, leading some guy by the name of John Rafuse right to them. They could be anywhere.

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“You need to stop worrying,” Steve said, turning at an angle in the pilot’s seat to address her. “I’ve been with Jagger for over a year now, and let me tell you, the guy knows his stuff. And that’s without having Theo and Reese for backup.” “But they don’t even know where to look,” Addison reminded Steve, taking the copilot seat next to him. She liked Steve. He was a middle-aged African-American human with the kindest smile she’d ever seen. “And what good am I here if something goes wrong out there?” Addison pointed out. Addison noticed Steve’s eyebrows crease down in bewilderment and looked out the window to see what he was staring at. From where the plane was situated, they had a clear view of the hangar. Jagger was sprinting, closing the distance with his gun drawn, and waving frantically to grab their attention. Addison and Steve both stood to see what he was pointing at when they noticed Reese running behind him. The gunshot exploded, causing a high pitch to ring in Addison’s ears. She squinted her eyes at the sound and covered her ears, spinning around to see who pulled the trigger. Steve shoved her into the seat right before the windows cracked. Addison felt a warmth surround them when a painful wail cut through the ringing. Reese must have used her power to take out the shooter. Addison vaguely heard Jagger talking and yelling, coming from outside. She was too busy trying to figure out why her vision was blurring and why Steve was staring at her in horror. Addison struggled to her feet, pushing Steve away from her. Her hearing still had not fully recovered, so between that and blinking rapidly, Addison felt out of sorts. She looked past him to see a body lying in the aisle. Reese was the first one to walk through the cabin door, almost tripping over the man who lay dead. Not having the room to maneuver, Reese climbed over the one seat in her way and reached for Addison. She couldn’t bring Reese into focus but felt her hands go around her waist. Looking down, Addison saw why Steve had been so

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upset. The left side of her white sweatshirt was red. Blood was quickly seeping into the fabric, spreading a large stain. As Addison’s knees buckled, Reese held on and helped her sit back down into the copilot chair. She’d been shot. Addison’s breathing became shallow, and she knew it was a matter of time before she lost consciousness. How could this happen when she finally had a chance at happiness? “Addison, stay with me,” Reese ordered, ripping her jacket off and placing it against her side. Shouldn’t it hurt? Addison tried to tell her it would be okay, but she couldn’t form the words. Would she be okay? Addison thought of Shane and how gentle he could be, always her rock. She didn’t want to die now and not experience a lifetime of memories with him. Pictures of what he would be like with their children flashed through Addison’s mind. She saw him holding their daughter’s hand while she learned to walk or teaching their son to throw a football. “Look at me! Don’t close your eyes!” Reese stressed as she kept the pressure on Addison’s wound. Addison couldn’t help but do the exact opposite of what Reese wanted her to do. She was so sleepy. Cane’s face appeared to her, so intense and vulnerable. Her death would send him running again, just when he was within her grasp. What she would give to live her life loving both men. If she had the energy, Addison would have cried at the agony she felt that it might not happen. It was unfair to not experience being surrounded by such powerful, amazing, sweet love. Addison slipped into unconsciousness right when she heard Cane and Shane screaming her name.

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Chapter Eight They had been at the hospital for hours. Theo, Jagger, and Reese were in the waiting room on the fourth floor, and Cane had disappeared a few minutes ago. The nurse was nice enough to give updates on Addison’s surgery every fifteen minutes, but that was probably more so due to the fact Cane made her nervous. Shane went looking for Cane, knowing he wouldn’t go far. Jagger had had to pull out some old contacts from his days with the agency to obtain their help. The police were now involved and asking questions about why someone would want to shoot Addison, who had been listed as a missing person almost two years ago. The Fray had to know they were in Aspen by now, which caused another layer of concern. The entire situation had turned into a clusterfuck, and Shane hoped Jagger would be able to call in some old debts to get them out of it. First, they needed Addison to pull through. The last few hours had truly been hell. When he and Cane had run through the cabin door of the plane to see Reese standing over Addison with blood smeared everywhere, Shane thought it was over. Addison’s face was drained of any color, as were her lips. The sound that came out of Cane’s throat was something Shane never wanted to hear again. How a sound could mirror the exact feeling Shane had in his chest, he didn’t know. The emotion couldn’t be described in words, but Cane’s tortured cry had summed it up pretty damn well. Shane stepped into the hall and looked down by the nurses’ station to see them staring back at him. Cane definitely wouldn’t have headed that way, so Shane turned left and kept walking, finally spotting Cane looking out the window at the end of the hall. His feet were parted,

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and his back was to Shane, but it was noticeable that his arms were across his chest, and his shoulders had a slight defeated slump to them. “She’ll pull through,” Shane said, not knowing whom he was trying to convince, Cane or himself. “And have you thought about the fact that she might not?” Cane asked remotely, still staring out the window, probably not even noticing that dusk was settling. “Because I have.” “Cane—” “When she was taken by the Fray, I spent an entire year trying to figure out how to get her out of there,” Cane continued as if Shane hadn’t spoken. “Once I had the information and passed it along to you guys, I knew she was safe. We weren’t together, and I was miles away, but I knew she was safe. I could live with that. But knowing she could die…” Cane let the sentence slide away, his jaw tightening at the emotional pain. “It’s like I can’t breathe.” Shane didn’t comment, just stood by Cane’s side looking outside as night descended. Shane knew it was rare that Cane expressed his emotions like this and let the man say what he needed to. They both knew how the other felt, and if given a chance, they would make things between the three of them work. It was just left unspoken. Shane wished it hadn’t taken Addison getting shot to make things seem so simple. “What was she like when you rescued her?” Cane asked, his tone so low it was as if he were afraid to hear the answer. “Cane, there’s no reason to—” “I want to know,” Cane said harshly. “Was she scared? Did they run tests on her? Did they make her suffer?” “You’ve got to stop, man. She never revealed her ability to them,” Shane assured him. “And really, all that matters is that we got her out of there. Which wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you.” “If it weren’t for me, Addison wouldn’t have been in there to begin with.”

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“There is only one thing to blame for Addison being taken, and that’s the Fray. Not you. Not her. It’s a waste of time to rehash the past when we can’t change it.” It was dark enough outside that Shane could see their reflections in the window. Cane stared back at him. “We can have a future, though, with Addison. If you can stop being an asshole, that is.” It was rare, but Shane managed to get Cane to lift the side of his mouth in what he thought might be a smirk. And that was the moment when Shane felt that things were going to be okay. They would get through this. Addison would come through the surgery fine, and they would figure out how to make a relationship like this work. Shane’s momentary high was deflated when he saw a surgeon in blue scrubs walking down the hallway behind them. Cane must have seen him, too, because Cane’s body became rigid and he stopped breathing. Both men turned as one to face the doctor while Theo, Jagger, and Reese hurried out of the waiting room behind him. The surgeon waited until all of them were by the window before giving them the news. “Addison made it through surgery,” the surgeon disclosed, not prolonging their agony. “The bullet missed all vital organs, and we were able to retrieve the fragments with no trouble. She’s being moved to a private room, as you requested, on the fifth floor. The nurses will let you know the room number and when it is all right to visit her. Any questions?” Reese ran through a list of questions Shane would never have thought of. After she was done, the doctor gave a nod and disappeared around a corner of the hallway. Shane didn’t care that his bedside manner left a lot to be desired, as long as he saved Addison’s life. Everyone sagged with relief, Jagger pulling Reese in to hold her while she cried tears of joy. “Jagger, did you say you can rent a plane until yours is fixed?” Shane was blown away by Cane’s question. They just found out Addison was going to live and he was leaving? Shane refused to

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believe Cane would walk away from Addison now, so he had to be doing something that was important. But what could be more important than Addison seeing both their faces when she woke up? “Cane, don’t do this,” Shane begged. “Nothing is more important than Addison.” “Jagger, can you make the call or not?” Cane asked, not bothering to acknowledge Shane’s plea. “Yes.” “Shane, can I speak with you in private?” Shane followed Cane into the waiting room and shut the door, but not before seeing the police descend on Jagger. Hopefully, Jagger’s old friends from law enforcement had some influence to bury a gunshot report. The last thing they needed right now was to deal with the police. With Cane running off again, Shane had enough to handle. But was he really running? “I’m doing this for Addison,” Cane explained, once Shane turned to face him. “I didn’t do things right with Addison before, but I’m trying to now, and I’ll start with you. Please trust me when I say I have to take care of something. It’s for our future.” Knowing how much it must have cost Cane to ask for his trust, Shane stuck out his hand. Cane took it, and Shane brought him close enough that he slapped Cane’s back with his other hand, their shoulders touching. “I’ll take care of her. Just hurry back, because when she’s on her feet, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop her from going after you.” **** “I love you,” Addison said sluggishly, the pain medicine helping the pain in her side diminish to a pounding feeling. It wasn’t enough to stop the pain in her chest at the fact that Cane wasn’t here with her. “Why did he leave?”

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“He’s coming back, Addison.” Shane took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips. “Cane asked that we trust him. Whatever he’s doing involves us and our future. My bet, he’ll be back by tonight, sitting here holding your other hand.” Addison didn’t feel very forgiving at the moment. She had woken up briefly last night, Shane assuring her everyone was by her side. Addison had let the drugs do their thing and woke up this morning feeling anything but good. She hurt, she was cranky, and she wanted Cane here with them now—not tonight, now! It wasn’t asking for much. She’d been shot, for crying out loud. Didn’t that mean she deserved to have the men she loved sitting by her side? “Wipe that look off your face,” Shane teased. “The nurse is going to think I’m making you upset and ask me to leave.” “Didn’t she already do that and you compelled her to think it was better to have you stay with me?” “Would I do that?” Shane asked, feigning innocence. “If I remember correctly, Nurse Betty asked Reese, Theo, and Jagger to leave. Me, well, she has a crush on me. Thought I better take advantage.” Addison grabbed her side when a giggle burst through her lips. She loved this man so much. She loved both her men and was finally coming to accept their differences. Shane was her big gentle giant while Cane was her warrior. It didn’t mean that Cane was off the hook or that she wouldn’t give him a piece of her mind about him not being here, but Addison now knew that Cane trusted Shane enough to take care of her. “You know, I can take away your pain,” Shane offered, wincing in sympathy. Addison was already shaking her head before he finished the sentence. “The pain medicine is working, and I don’t want you compelling me not to feel something. Good or bad. It freaks me out,” Addison admitted, pulling the hospital sheet up a little higher.

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“Well, you better get over it,” Shane said, wiggling his eyebrows, “because I’ve got a list a mile long of things I’d like to compel you to do.” “I don’t think you’d need to compel me to do anything.” Addison played along, trying her best to keep her eyes open. She was just so tired. “I’m pretty willing when it comes to you.” “And what about Cane and I together, huh? No need to compel you to take on both of us, letting us bring you more pleasure than you could ever imagine?” Shane reached up and started to run his fingers through her hair. She loved when he did that. Her eyes closed at the relaxing touch, and she turned her head in search of more strokes. “What do you think I dream about at night? Reese gave me tons of pointers,” Addison whispered, right before sleep floated her away. **** “I think we need to straighten some things out, don’t you?” Cane stood leaning up against the wall behind Richard Howell’s office door, giving the distinct impression of a man who was ready to kill. The overweight man spun around, a brief look of panic crossing his face before he managed to hide it. Not that it mattered, because Cane could smell the fear rolling off of his skin. Howell looked quickly around the office, probably to ascertain there was no one else on the premises, but he was out of luck. Cane didn’t need backup on this mission. The residence was in an older neighborhood and the birds had begun singing hours ago, but Cane had counted on Howell to enter his home office before leaving for work. Cane could hear his wife in the kitchen, and no one else was living on the premises. “I got a call from John Rafuse yesterday, saying you were dead,” Howell said, trying to maintain a casual air as he walked around his desk, probably trying to grab the gun that used to be in the top drawer.

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“Really? Seems like you need better employees.” Cane pushed off the wall and slowly made his way to stand in front of the desk. “We’re finding out more and more about your kind, Latcher. The different abilities you all seem to have. It’s a shame to let them go to waste when we can put them to good use.” Cane pretended not to notice as Howell discreetly opened the drawer in front of him. “You mean that you could put them to good use? Because from my understanding, your little Fray division is about to be shut down.” Cane took satisfaction in seeing Howell’s mask slip a bit. “Seems your superiors aren’t so bent on the way you’re going about things. By the way, is this what you’re looking for?” Cane took Howell’s weapon from the back of his waistband and held it up for him to see. He placed it in the middle of the desk, daring Howell to reach for it. The coward wouldn’t take the bait, so Cane leaned back on his heels and crossed his arms across his chest. “This is how things are going to play out, Howell,” Cane said, done pussyfooting around. “Your little project will be shut down by the end of the day. Since the Fray has been kept from the public, it won’t make a big splash in the media. But you know what will? The President will be giving a press conference giving equal rights to our race and expressing his gratitude, along with the country’s, at our assistance in keeping our Homeland secure against our enemies.” “What the hell are you talking about?” Howell’s face turned red with rage, and Cane waited to see if that would spur him into reaching for his gun. Howell was now too curious to think about reaching out for the weapon, prompting Cane to smile. His face felt tight from the effort. “You’re out of a job, Howell. I just came from speaking with the Secretary of Defense, offering our services to our country. Seems like they’ve been misinformed for quite some many years by your division and aren’t taking kindly to the misconceptions.” When Howell went to interrupt, Cane leaned further in his personal space over the desk, slamming his hands down around the gun. “Now I know what you’re

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about to say. Half of the politicians are in your back pocket and would like nothing more than to see our kind destroyed. But when the President speaks to the media today, those politicians will be switching sides faster than you can reach for that gun. You see, I spent the night contacting close to a hundred Nobles and gathering as many abilities as I could to propose a deal of a lifetime. At least, the greatest deal of this presidential term. The President will go down in history as the man who found a way to keep his nation safe from terrorists. Your division is done. You’re finished.” Cane let Howell reach for the gun and again gave him a rare smile as Howell held it with shaking hands. Sweat started to bead on the sides of his face, and his ragged breaths were struggling to cross his chapped lips. Trembling hands had the gun pointing in a not-so-steady path, so Cane leaned back to give Howell some room. “What? Are you going to shoot me with your wife in the next room?” “I’ll claim self-defense,” Howell said, spittle flying out of his mouth. He really was an ugly son of a bitch. Pit stains were starting to form under his arms, and the stench of fear was being replaced with rage. “One call from me and the President will know you’re a liar. He won’t stand for this! I’ll tell him that you came after me in my own home and tried to kill me like the piece of scum you are!” “What happened that has you hating us so bad?” Cane asked, turning to walk towards the solid oak door. “Whatever it is, I suggest you give up your vendetta once I walk out this door.” “Don’t you walk away from me!” Cane put his hand on the doorknob when he heard the click of the gun. He looked behind him to see the frenzy in Howell’s eyes. The trigger made a second click, followed by another. Cane knew having the Fray shut down was not going to stop people like Howell from coming after them. They would have to deal with their enemies one by one, but this time, they would have justice on their side. At least, his fellow Nobles would. Cane couldn’t change who he was and

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would still do things his way. He couldn’t stop the grin that formed when Shane’s face appeared over his shoulder, shaking his head in disapproval. Cane turned slightly until he could stare Howell in the eyes. “I’m going to say this once, Howell, so listen carefully. If you so much as blink at a Noble, I will hunt you down and skin you myself.” With that, Cane walked out the office door and straight past Howell’s wife, who stood in the kitchen doorway with an apron around her waist, a spatula in her hand, and her mouth hanging open. Giving a nod in acknowledgement, Cane tossed his long black hair out of his eyes and continued out the front door, ignoring the scream that tore from her lips. He mentally shrugged, guessing she didn’t like his looks.

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Chapter Nine Addison shifted in the bed, wanting nothing more than to be able to lie on her side but knowing it would hurt to move. The nurse was probably due to bring in some more pain meds, but Addison hated the feeling of being drugged. The pain was easing while her body was healing, and Shane’s irritation at not being allowed to compel her pain away was finally lessening. Each day she would get better, and the doctor even mentioned releasing her the day after tomorrow. Shane’s light snore came from across the room, where he was spread out in a very uncomfortable-looking chair. Addison wasn’t sure what time it was, but knew by her pain level it had to be closing in on two in the morning. It was only a slight ache compared to this morning, for which she was grateful. She knew it wasn’t the pain that was causing her touchiness, but the fact that Cane hadn’t returned. Shane repeatedly told her throughout the day that Cane was coming back, but he never walked through the door. Couldn’t he have just called her? Was this how it would always be, with Cane running away and leaving when things got tough? Shane had assured her that wasn’t the case and that Cane was willing to try and see if they could make a relationship work. Addison was doubtful. Yes, she and Cane had made love before things went to hell, but he never said a word about anything long-term, let alone sharing her with Shane. “If you think any harder, Theo’s going to hear your thoughts at the hotel across the street.” Addison jumped and then groaned as the ache in her side became sharp. Cane took her hand, leaning his elbows on the bed. “Sorry,” Cane whispered, “didn’t mean to startle you. How are you feeling?”

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Cane’s right hand took hers, although it was his left hand stroking her arm that was a foreign feeling. Gentleness wasn’t Cane’s thing, and usually when he was touching her, it was in the heat of passion. Addison looked at her warrior, trying to see his features in the dark. Cane reached down with his left hand and hit a button on her bedside remote, turning the fluorescent light on behind her bed. She always forgot how good his eyesight was in the dark. It was the lowest setting, but enough light for her to finally see a different Cane sitting beside her. This Cane had his wild raven-dark hair tucked behind his ears while a calmness shown in his eyes that had never been there before. Whatever anger she felt in the last twenty-four hours went by the wayside, and her eyes filled with tears. “Now, now. Don’t go crying on me,” Cane said in a low voice. “You know I don’t handle that very well. Plus, we don’t want Shane to wake up. Well, at least I don’t. I’d like a chance to have you to myself for a while.” Addison smiled through the tears. This was the Cane she remembered from before. The Cane that would sit and talk for hours about mundane stuff and let her laugh when she wanted to laugh or cry when she wanted to cry. Although whenever she cried before, he would just hand her a tissue, hold her, and mumble under his breath about women and their emotions. She tightened her grip on his hand and reached up with her other to touch his cheek. She ran her palm down his scar, and he turned his head to place a kiss right in the middle, leaving a tingling sensation to run down her arm. “I’m really mad at you.” “You have a right to be mad at me,” Cane confessed, bringing the hand he was holding to tuck it underneath his chin, his whiskers prickling the sensitive skin on her knuckles. “I’m not very good at apologizing. I’ve wasted a lot of time running and thinking I was better off without you and vice versa.” “Well, in your defense, I was kidnapped for a year and you did figure out how to get me out of there,” Addison said, using her thumb

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to stroke his chin. “The only wasted time was these past couple months.” “Which you used to fall in love with someone else,” Cane said, but his tone lacked the accusation she expected to hear. “I’m glad he was the one to take care of you after your rescue. I’m glad you had someone to rely on and hold you tight. In hindsight, it should have been me, but out of all the Nobles I know, I’m glad it was Shane.” “I do love him, Cane,” Addison admitted, although she knew he was already aware of her feelings. She just needed to clarify and make her feelings known for both of them. This was the pivotal moment that she would forever remember, as it was her first step forward to grab hold of love with both hands. “Just like I love you. The thought of living without one of you is worse than actually being shot, and I figured out that I’m a very selfish woman. I want you both. I want what my sister has. I want it all.” “I’m not an easy man to live with, Addison. I’ve got a lot of baggage, and I’m used to being alone. Part of me knows this and realizes it’s not fair to you and Shane.” Cane reached over with his free hand, as he had yet to let go of her right, and brushed her hair away from her face. “And the other part?” Addison asked hesitantly, almost afraid he would say they would be better off without him. “The other part of me is too greedy to let you go. I know I haven’t said the words and my actions certainly don’t do you justice, but know this, Addison Gray,” Cane whispered, leaning down until they were nose to nose. “I love you, and everything I do will be to cherish and protect you for the rest of your life.” “Is that a marriage proposal?” Shane interrupted, obviously having been awake for most of the conversation. “Man, you’ve got to learn to talk things over with me. I know we’re new to this three-way stuff, but I’m enrolling us in class.” “Class?” Addison asked, giggling when Cane handed her a tissue to wipe the tears that were now freely flowing down her cheeks. He

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stood up, letting go of her hand, and put down the rail along the side of the bed. As he crawled in, Addison had to hold her side while he got situated and then pulled her close to his body, fitting her securely against his side. She almost forgot what they were talking about in her astonishment at Cane snuggling. Cane Latcher was actually cuddling with her. She was speechless. “I’m learning, so not one word out of you or I’ll hop out and let Shane take over,” Cane murmured against her ear, his right arm bringing her closer so her cheek could rest on his chest. His body was so warm, and when she finally got into a comfortable position that didn’t hurt her side, she nestled her knee in between his, causing a part of her body to awaken she never would have thought could in this situation. Addison was grateful she had underwear on because her pussy started to leak, and she rubbed her wet folds against Cane’s leg to try and relieve the itch. She felt the vibrations of his growl and immediately went still. “Yeah, classes from Theo and Jagger,” Shane continued as if he hadn’t seen what she was doing, although the knowing raise of his eyebrow had her stifling another giggle. She couldn’t stop the high she was on, and it wasn’t from any pain medication, since that had worn off a while ago. She was high on love and never wanted to come down. “We need advice from the experts.” “Shane, what are you doing by the door?” Cane asked, rubbing his hand down to catch Addison’s leg from moving again. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, “You’re hurt, baby. Don’t entice me when all I want to do is sink balls-deep in your hot little cunt. It’s taking everything I got to just lay here without touching you.” His words were like an automatic switch, and heat blossomed throughout her body, the ache in her side disappearing while her panties flooded. This was her Cane, the untamed Noble with his wicked words. “Waiting for the nurse to walk in. Because when she does and finds you in bed with her patient, all hell is going to break loose,”

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Shane said, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. “And as usual, I’m the one who has to cover your ass.” Cane chuckled and gave Addison a slight tap on her ass cheek when she tried to move again. Addison groaned in frustration and wondered how long it would be before one of her men took pity on her and let her have some relief. She hoped they wouldn’t baby her because of her injury. Cane finally held her leg still, and Addison playfully bit him on his shoulder, causing another rumble to emit from his throat. “I could get used to you having my back. Frees me up to do other stuff, if you get my drift.” “Don’t get too comfortable over there, nature boy,” Shane said, crossing his legs as well. “I’m giving you five minutes with our girl and then it’s my turn.” “Hey,” Addison interjected, lifting her head off of Cane’s shoulder, suddenly remembering to ask Cane what had been on her mind. “Where were you? What was so important that you couldn’t be here when I woke up?” Cane shot a quizzical look over at Shane. “You didn’t watch the press conference?” Shane was already shaking his head, a smile forming on his lips. “She was sleeping, and I thought you’d want to break the good news to her. Jagger’s already heading back to the compound, while Theo and Reese stay here until Addison’s released. The government’s issued a formal apology for the Fray’s role in his abandoning his position due to extreme circumstances. They’ve granted him a full pardon and offered him the job of overseeing any missions we get contracted our way.” “Wait,” Addison said, trying unsuccessfully to sit up. Cane wouldn’t release her, and she finally gave up, settling back against his shoulder. “Jagger is free? He’s no longer wanted as a traitor to our government? How did this happen? What press conference?” After Shane compelled the nurse to let the two of them stay with her and Addison was given more pain medication regardless of her

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objections, Cane explained what and why things had taken place in the last twenty-four hours. They talked until the narcotics took effect and Addison couldn’t keep her eyes open. She was amazed at how Cane was able to gain access to the Secretary of Defense and then the President, and dumbfounded at the results. Nobles were technically free to embrace society, but Addison knew society might not do so with open arms. Sure, the Sympathizers would definitely try and make their lives easier, but there would always be those who let fear of the unknown rule their thoughts and emotions. One thing she was confident in knowing before drifting off to sleep was she wouldn’t have to face her future as a Noble alone. **** “Seriously?” Cane asked, agitation evident as his scar turned a dark red. He was walking alongside her wheelchair, heading for the SUV Theo had brought around from the parking garage. “You’re recovering from a gunshot. That was the last thing you should have done.” Addison resisted a smile, knowing it would only set Cane off again, seeing as he hadn’t stopped complaining for the last hour. She leaned her head back to look up at Shane, who was shaking his head, too, while pushing her chair down the hallway. Upon her release papers being signed, Addison’s gift had started in her hands and the tingling hadn’t gone away until she had healed those patients whose fate granted them restoration. Over Cane and Shane’s concerns, Addison had made her way throughout the hospital, and while her energy was zapped, she was learning better control of her power and the amount of energy needed for each of the wounded. Addison looked forward to the revolving doors and saw Reese step out of the SUV, going to stand beside Theo while they waited for them to exit the hospital. Their lives were about to change, but Addison had requested the three of them take a couple weeks before

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any assignments came their way. Addison stood her ground in saying that whatever jobs were handed out to them, she would be part of the team. Shane was more agreeable under certain circumstances, while Cane…Well, she would have to work on Cane. Visions of how she could do that danced in her head, and she finally gave in to the smile she was holding back. “Wipe that smile off your face,” Cane grumbled, sidestepping the rotating door and holding open the stationary one meant for wheelchairs. “You have Shane wrapped around your little finger. Don’t think once we get settled it’ll always be like that.” Addison threw her head back and laughed, glancing up to see Shane smirking. Could life get any better than this?

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Chapter Ten “Oh my God.” It was two weeks later, and Addison had realized life could get better, but in a delicious, salivating, tantalizing kind of way. Wiggling her bare ass in the air, Addison pleaded, “Shane, please, touch me.” Shane’s naked form leaned on the bed, his knee dipping the mattress with his heavy weight. Running a callused hand down her back, Addison tried to arch into Shane’s touch, but the pull on the silk ropes that tied her wrists to the headboard of their new bed was too taut. Shane had ordered it to be installed before their arrival from the hospital fourteen days ago. It was the largest bed she’d ever seen and took up most of the bedroom, leaving little space for any other furniture. They had plans to make their cabin bigger, but right now, that was the last thing on Addison’s mind. After complaining for the last week about her men not touching her because they wanted to make sure she was healed, they finally caved under the pressure and gave her what she wanted. Only, this wasn’t exactly how she’d had things worked out in her head. She had wanted to seduce both of them at night, with candles lit everywhere, soft music playing in the background, and her wearing black lacey lingerie. But did that happen? Noooo—her men had to do it their way, in broad daylight with the sunlight streaming through the window shades and her tied up on her knees with her butt in the air. She would give them credit, though. They had given her over an hour of foreplay before tying her to the bed, and she was dripping wet, her juices leaking down her inner thighs. Unfortunately, Cane had left and she was left unsatisfied.

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The past two weeks had been both heaven and hell, with the three of them adjusting to life together. They had to make many adjustments, especially Cane, learning to live as three and getting to know each other on an emotional level. Not easy for someone like Cane, who had spent the majority of his life on his own. The three of them were learning to compromise, which is why Addison hadn’t shared her news yet. She wanted them to have time to adapt before telling them life-altering information. Addison was pretty sure her mother was aware of her secret, but had yet to say a word or ask her questions. She was happy to see her mom settling in and had to laugh, because she was becoming a mother hen over all the Nobles who stopped in at the compound between missions. “Impatient, are we?” Shane said, leaning down to run his tongue over her shoulder blade and reaching under her to roll a nipple between his fingers, bringing her attention back to the moment. Addison touched her breasts to the covers in hopes of trapping Shane’s talented fingers against her nipple, but his hand slipped out from her twisting maneuver, leaving her wanting. “Is she still complaining?” Cane questioned as he walked through their bedroom door. Addison looked back to see him throw a bag to Shane and grab his shirt in both hands, yanking it up over his head, his hair flying around his face. Boots and socks came next, and then he placed his fingers on the waistband of his black cargo pants and went to work, shedding them in two seconds flat. His dark eyes landed on her ass, and her cheeks clenched at the reason why. Since they’d been home, both men talked about how tiny she was and how if she wanted both of them to love her, they would have to get her ready for them. Just talking about it had her pussy clenching. “She is, but I’ll let you calm her down while I take care of these,” Shane said, holding up the brown paper bag. “It’s about time the supply plane arrived. I was ready to fly that thing myself.”

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“What’s in there?” Addison sucked in a breath when Cane crawled up from the bottom of the bed to kneel behind her. His rough hands taking hold of her hips on either side, Cane leaned down to brush his lips across her buttocks, his hair falling down and feeling like silk as he moved from cheek to cheek. “We told you we need to get you ready if you want both of us. It’s just a little something to help.” Cane used the tip of his warm tongue to lick up and down and then across her lower back, letting the air touch her wet skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps. Reaching down, his long fingers delved into her wet channel, and he used two to mimic what she wanted him to do with his dick. “Shane, throw the lube out here.” Addison heard the running water shut off and Shane walk through the doorway, saying, “Here you go. Get her ready. I just need to dry the plug off.” “Plug?” Addison screeched, not too sure of their plans to stretch her. Cane removed his fingers, leaving her wanting and squirming for something more. “Why can’t you just use your fingers?” “Because my fingers are nowhere near the size of my dick, and we’re not going to hurt you by not preparing you first.” Addison heard the cap pop open and then felt a coolness drip down her crack, into her puckered hole, causing her to jerk. “I’m not sure about this.” Addison’s squeal turned into a moan when Cane’s fingers started to twirl around the sensitive dark ring, bringing that area alive with awareness. He kept up the ministrations until she felt herself relax into his massage, actually starting to move her hips in time with his movements. When one of his fingers breached her anus, the fullness overwhelmed her and she couldn’t help the throaty moan that escaped. “That’s right, baby. Loosen up for me.” Shane had made his way from the bathroom to the bed and moved his massive frame onto the mattress and stretched out beside her. Gently reaching for her wrists, he untied the knots and then

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soothingly feathered kisses across the skin, though they weren’t even red from where the ropes held her. What Cane was doing felt so good Addison had to drop her head on her forearms, leaving her arms where they were. Shane brushed her blonde curls away from her cheek, making her turn to look into his auburn eyes. “Is he making you feel good?” Shane tucked a curl behind her ear and used a finger to trace down her chin, her shoulder, and then underneath to the sensitive swell of her breast. Leaning to the side, she maneuvered her breast into the palm of his hand. He tenderly kneaded her before letting his fingers skim to her sensitive nipple, pinching it lightly. “You’ll feel even better when he fills you with your new toy.” “Oh, God,” Addison breathed, her body trembling with anticipation and need. “Let’s make you feel better than good,” Cane said, right before adding another finger to the fullness, making her grab the white sheets under her hands. Her lower body instinctively moved forward, then back, needing him to move his fingers in and out. “That’s right, take what you want, Addison.” “Do something!” Addison cried out, needing something to carry her to that place. She felt as if she was stuck on a precipice and her body didn’t know which way to go. Cane’s fingers plunged deeper into her while Shane focused his attention on her sensitive nipples, creating a need so fierce her body shook uncontrollably. “Ease back, Shane. Let’s get her stretched and then see about giving our Healer what she needs.” Addison heard Cane flick the cap on the tube again, and it wasn’t long before she felt something smooth and cool take the place of Cane’s fingers. Slowly, he worked the plug past the tight ring of muscle, stretching it wider than before and creating an erotic burn that sent more moisture dripping down her thighs. Addison found the strength to reach beneath her, wanting to ease the ache in her clit, but Shane grabbed her hand and put it back above

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her head near the slats in the headboard. “I’ll take care of you, Addison,” Shane whispered in her ear. “No work for you…only pleasure.” In the time they had spent together, both her men had figured out that talking to her about what they wanted to do when she was healed turned her on. They’d said they had to wait for the doctor’s approval before touching her in such an intimate way, but Addison was just too impatient and had kept pushing the boundaries. She would tease them by rubbing up against them whenever she could, walking naked around the bedroom when they were getting dressed, or placing her head in their lap when they were watching TV and turning to place her mouth directly where she wanted her lips to be. After a while, the men had started telling her in vivid details what they would do to her when she received medical clearance, and that left her in a sexually frustrated state. How they had used it against her… Shane reached under with his right hand to stroke her neglected clit while catching her nipple in his mouth. Cane pushed more of the plug inside her, and having Shane pay attention to two more places on her body overloaded her senses and she felt the tingling start in her toes, similar to when her power was hinting it needed to do its job. Only this time, her body was telling her to fall of a cliff and trust Cane and Shane to catch her. “That’s right, Addison. Come for us.” Cane used the plug to fuck her ass, going deeper with each thrust. Shane’s drenched finger worked her clit, never letting up on the bundle of nerves, and when his teeth gently bit down on her nipple and her tight muscle popped around the groove at the base of the plug, the tingles that had started in her toes worked their way through her body, tightening muscles everywhere, and in a dazzling spark sent her flying. Addison screamed her release, and Shane continued to stroke her, slowly bringing her back to reality. “Please, take me. I want to feel both of you inside me,” Addison whispered, astounded that even after having such a mind-blowing

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orgasm, she wanted more. The carnal need to feel both men inside her was just too much, and she craved it more than anything. Love was pouring from every square inch of her body, and the only way she knew to express it was to give herself to them completely. “Addison, we should let you get used to the plug for a few days. Both of us together might be a little too much,” Shane said, lying on his back with his face turned to her and using a hand to keep her hair from blocking her view. Cane was stroking her buttocks, using a finger to trace where the plug sat securely nestled in her cheeks. “I just…need you both.” The raw honestly that fell from her lips had her voice cracking and tears filling her eyes. How does a woman so deeply in love express how she feels with words? Addison couldn’t, but by giving her body to these two caring and wonderful men, she was placing her soul in their hands to cherish for the rest of their lives. “Oh, baby, come here,” Shane said, pulling her over on top of him and bringing her lips down to meet his in a searing kiss. His mouth possessed hers, his tongue sweeping past her lips and delving into the recesses of her mouth. She felt Cane press down on her hips until her pussy came in contact with Shane’s cock. Shane broke away, his breathing ragged, and asked Cane for a condom. Addison didn’t want to ruin the moment by telling him he didn’t need one, so she brought her bottom back in the air to let him sheath his shaft and leaned in to lick the salty essence from his neck. Once he was covered, Addison lowered herself back down, Shane holding his cock straight up for her to take him. Having the plug inserted in her bottom made it harder to impale herself on his staff and she had to slowly take him inch by inch, her pussy stretching to accept him. Shane grabbed her waist and thrust his hips up in one plunge, seating himself fully in her heat. The fullness of both the plug and Shane’s cock was almost too much to bear, and she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. Shane held still to let her become accustomed to the fullness.

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“None of that, Addison,” Shane reprimanded in a strained voice. “We want to hear you. Cane, I can only hold out for so long.” Cane chuckled, the deep sound sending shivers down Addison’s spine. She would never get used to Cane’s laughter, so raw and sincere. But right now, she wanted more than anything to hear him cry out her name when he found his release. She felt him take a hold of the plug and twist it slowly, reawakening the nerves, making her juices flood Shane’s cock. “Let me make sure she’s ready.” Cane slowly pulled the plug until her ring slid out from the groove and up around the rubber, causing her muscle to widen. Addison tried to move, but Shane had a strong hold of her waist, holding her still for Cane’s ministrations. Her pussy clamped down on Shane, triggering a rumble to travel through his broad chest. “I’m ready, for God’s sake! Take it out and just fuck me already.” “Now there’s the impatient little Healer I know so well,” Cane crooned, still taking his time and pushing the plug back in to the widest point on the plug. “Cane, you’re killing me here,” Shane cried out, throwing his head back on the bed. “She’s so tight, man, it’s pure torture.” Finally, Addison felt the plug slide from her anus and be replaced by Cane’s cock. He must have put on a condom and lubed himself up pretty good, because she could feel the extra lube slide down to where her pussy wrapped around the base of Shane’s shaft. Placing a hand in the middle of her back, Cane held her in place, and the anticipation was so overwhelming, Addison bit Shane on the neck, causing him to cry out. “Nice and easy, Addison. Relax that little rosebud.” Cane started to burrow the tip of his dick inside her dark passage. The more he progressed, the tighter she felt, and the burning intensified to the point that she bit Shane a little harder. “That’s right, baby. Bite me as hard as you want,” Shane struggled to get out, his fingers tightening on her hips. “Lift your ass up and let him slide into you.”

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Addison fought the urge to clamp down and, taking a deep breath, lifted up and felt Cane slide past her sphincter and sink home. The fullness of having both men seated in her stole the air right out of her lungs, and she could only squeeze her eyes shut at the unfamiliar feeling. “It’s too much,” she whispered. “It feels too good.” “You haven’t felt anything yet,” Cane warned, leaning down and using his tongue to catch the sweat that dripped down her spine. “Let us do the work. Just feel.” Setting up a rhythm, Cane and Shane started with short strokes, and Addison shuddered at the foreign sensation. An overpowering need to move with them washed over her, and the slow movements suddenly weren’t enough. She needed something…more. Determined to get something she couldn’t even name, Addison bucked, and the movement caused all three to groan. Pleasure swarmed her body, and she felt herself reaching for that pinnacle, almost sobbing at the feeling of surrender. “Fuck,” Cane screamed out, forcing his rigid length deeper inside her. “So fucking tight, it hurts.” Addison always forgot that Cane felt pleasure that was deeper than anything she or Shane would ever feel. Knowing it was her that caused him to feel something so darkly erotic spurred her on, and Addison clamped down on Shane’s unrelenting rod, causing her sphincter to close around Cane’s cock. His hoarse shout echoed through the room and joined Shane’s, and their rhythm broke. The burning spread out from where both men now pounded ruthlessly in and out of her, sending Addison reeling until she froze, her orgasm so strong she had to squeeze her eyes shut to stop the room from spinning. Shane grunted as he spurted his seed into the condom and now gripped her hips so hard, she knew she’d have bruises. Cane drove in one last deep plunge before holding himself still, emitting a fierce growl that sounded like a wild animal finding release with its mate.

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They stayed inside her while their breathing returned to normal and Shane’s hold gradually loosened enough so that his hands could slide up into her hair and tangle with her curls. Addison smiled against his neck, knowing he loved to feel her hair against his skin. Her smile fell when Cane slipped from her ass and rolled to his side, not releasing contact with her back, stroking her skin with his callused hand. She moaned in protest at the empty feeling. Addison had no clue how long they lay there, just soaking in the warmth of each other’s bodies. Cane was the first to move and went to the bathroom to clean up. Upon returning, he used a warm washcloth to clean her up, and Addison gave another grumble at losing contact with Shane. He rolled out from beneath her and followed Cane’s previous footsteps into the bathroom. Once Cane had her cleaned, he tossed the washcloth on the floor and climbed in bed. Pulling her into him, Cane held her tight and rested his chin on top of her head, giving off a contented sigh. “Are you happy?” Addison asked, running her fingertips across his chest in tiny circles. “Very,” Cane said, the vibrations of his voice ticking her cheek. “I’m going to have to suck it up and apologize to Theo and Jagger.” “Why?” Addison chuckled at the indignation of his tone. Cane so hated to be wrong, but he was man enough to admit when he was, and Shane was man enough not to rub it in. She still woke in the middle of the night from an occasional bad dream, but now it was to two men who consoled her with light touches and deep kisses. “A long time ago, I teased them about sharing Reese,” Cane confessed. “Had I known what I was missing, I wouldn’t have opened my mouth.” “I remember that,” Shane said, coming back from the bathroom and snuggling next to her on the other side of the bed. “You do tend to voice your opinions loudly.” “Speaking of opinions,” Addison inserted, changing the subject, knowing her men loved to banter with each other and wanting to steer

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the conversation to a better topic, “I heard Jagger asking what you two thought of working together for Senator Brock. What would you be doing?” “There are threats on his children’s lives, and he requested help in sniffing the suspect out,” Cane explained, letting her roll onto her back so she could see both of them. They turned to their sides, both leaning up on their elbows to see her. God, they were beautiful men. Reaching up, she tucked Cane’s hair behind his ear. “No pun intended,” Shane quipped, laughing when Cane shoved his shoulder. Turning serious, Shane ran his hand through his hair and said, “He’s supporting the Nobles’ right to live openly in society and give our services to whatever agency needs our help. There will always be people who hate what we can do and fear our abilities. We’ll do what we can to carve out a place for ourselves and protect the innocent. There’s a reason we were born with our gifts, and we need to use them accordingly.” “What about the Rogues? The ones that are only out for themselves and use their power for self-gain?” Addison asked, knowing that was a growing problem among the Nobles. Every race or breed had those who brought down shame among their kind. “They will be treated just like any other criminal in the justice system,” Cane explained. “Better precautions must be taken, though, and the President is creating a counsel to oversee the handling of Rogues with extreme powers that disregard the justice system. I’m a special case, and they’re going to let me roam free.” Cane laughed when Shane pointed to his eyes, suggesting he’d had to compel them. “Can we stop talking business, please?” Shane asked, leaning in to rub his face against her neck, causing Addison to shiver in response. “I think we need to tend to more personal stuff.” “How old are his children?” Addison tried to focus on what she wanted to tell them, but Shane’s lips and Cane’s roaming hands were making it very hard.

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“What does that have to do with anything?” Shane said, now making his way down her shoulder and to the swell of her breast. Cane’s finger teased her other nipple, tugging and pinching it until it tightened in response. “I can just imagine how fearful he is that something might happen to his children.” Lust was starting to consume Addison, and she arched into Shane’s mouth when he opened his lips to cover her nipple. Grabbing the back of his head, she managed to say, “It’s a good thing our child has you two as his fathers to protect him.” All touching stopped, and Addison almost regretted telling them because of the loss of their hands and mouths, but seeing the shock on their faces as they shot straight up in bed was worth it. Addison laughed as Shane did a fist pump and gave a jubilant shout while Cane’s face lost all color, even his scar. She knew Cane was well aware the child was his and would share that with Shane as well, knowing he would not have a problem with whoever the biological father was. This child belonged to the three of them and would be raised with love. She knew without a doubt that they would eventually have another child. Shane would contribute biologically to the next and that child would be all three of theirs as well. “Cane, look at me,” Addison said in a stern voice, sitting up. She could see the panic starting to take hold and wanted to ease his worry about fatherhood. Shane and Addison both knew his fears stemmed from being abandoned at such a young age, and they had reassured Cane that when the time came, he would make an excellent father. Cane would likely go overboard and smother their child with love and spoil him or her rotten. God help them if they had a girl…Cane would never let her leave the house. “We’re in this together. I know it’s not the ideal time with all the changes coming our way, but our child will know only love. He or she will never want for anything as long as we are together.” Cane tried to speak, but she noticed the words got stuck. Shane finally took pity, and while he pulled Addison back against his chest,

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he reached over for Cane. Pulling him close, Shane slapped him on the back in only the way another man could, and held him close with Addison between them. She clung to Cane as tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over. Love poured from all three of them, and she couldn’t help but cry in happiness at having these two men in her life. Shane kissed the top of her head before saying to Cane, “I’ve got your back, man, and won’t let you down. Just do the same for me and we’ll be damn good fathers. He already has the best mother in the world.” Cane buried his face in her neck and took a deep, ragged breath. Addison tightened her arms around him. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Cane raised his head, tears brimming in his dark eyes, and mouthed thank you to Shane behind her shoulder. These two men were hers, and she never knew loving could make her chest physically hurt, but she welcomed the deep ache with open arms. Shane gave another whoop of joy, making Cane finally crack a smile, and color flushed his face. Happiness was starting to suit him, and Shane’s exhilaration was contagious, making them both laugh through their tears. Addison couldn’t help but tease both men by saying, “He could be a she.” Both men became like statues, holding still while her declaration sunk in. Addison’s laughter filled the air when they both threw her back on the bed in retaliation. Life couldn’t get any better than this, she thought, her merriment turning to lust with the flicks of their tongues against her overly sensitive nipples. She changed her mind on that sentiment when Shane trailed his wicked tongue down to her dripping folds and Cane came up to devour her mouth and swallow her scream. Life could get better.

THE END WWW.PEYTONELIZABETHAUTHOR.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR I currently live in the Midwest with my wonderful son and too many animals to count. I have a very supportive family, which came in handy when I decided to switch my financial career of seventeen years to writing. As most authors, I have been an avid reader all my life and have dabbled in writing since my early teens. We all have those times when reality becomes too much and we need something to lighten our hearts. The passing of my husband happened way before it should have and I live to write the happy ending I didn’t get to have. Here’s to lightening our hearts!

Also by Peyton Elizabeth Ménage Everlasting: Not So Common Ménage Everlasting: Nature’s Nobles 1: Noble Desire

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