Re-awaken Me

Re-awaken Me Phillip Grovner is obsessed with finding her parents' murderer. She arrives back home to Shelby, Tennessee, to find her childhood crushes are now so much more. Will Mason, Randy, and Chip Sage be able to protect Pip from herself as well as her stalker? Pip is determined to keep her friendship with Mason, Randy, and Chip on a platonic basis and is unaware of the determination of the Sage brothers to realize a lifelong dream of having Pip in their bed. Forever. Will they be able to get through to the real, passionate woman buried under a mountain of pain? Or will the threat to her life end their relationship before it can even begin? Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre Length: 40,707 words

RE-AWAKEN ME

Becca Van

MENAGE EVERLASTING

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer. WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at [email protected]

A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

RE-AWAKEN ME Copyright © 2011 by Becca Van E-book ISBN: 1-61926-036-0 First E-book Publication: December 2011 Cover design by Les Byerley All art and logo copyright © 2011 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 Re-awaken Me by Becca Van 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 Becca Van’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Van’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION To my wonderful husband for all the wonderful work you do on my website. Thanks, honey, you are the best.

RE-AWAKEN ME BECCA VAN Copyright © 2011

Chapter One Pip sat in her car in the driveway of her childhood home. She stared at the house, feeling a chill run up and down her spine. It had been ten years since she had left, and not once had she returned to visit until now. The house looked exactly as she remembered. She wondered who had kept the garden weeded and the lawns mowed. She took a deep breath, opened the door of her car, and climbed out. She walked up the wood steps leading to the deck and the front door. She placed the key in the lock and turned it. The door creaked open, a slight squeak making her jump as the unused hinges protested. She walked into the entryway, stood still, and felt the memories rushing through her brain. There had been so much love in this house, and to have it all cruelly ripped away from her by someone’s random act of violence brought back all the grief she’d felt on that horrible day years before, piercing her heart with a pain so acute she doubled over with it. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks, her breath rasping in and out of her mouth, her sobs loud even to her own ears. Finally, when the storm was over, she stood upright, wiped the tears from her cheeks, pushed her shoulders back, and entered the living room. Everything was still the same. The only difference was the sheets draped over the furniture to keep the dust at bay.

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Memories hit her from that summer long ago. She had spent the day following the Sage brothers around like usual. That was the day her heart was broken irrevocably forever more. She had followed Mason, Randy, and Chip Sage to the local swimming spot, and there she had witnessed her three older neighbors kissing other girls. Her twelve-year-old heart had not been able to take such betrayal, and she had run home sobbing. Her parents were still working at the local newspaper, and she had spent the afternoon on her bed. Pip must have cried herself to sleep, because when she woke, it was totally dark. She crawled from her bed and went in search of her parents. She turned the kitchen light on and saw it was already eight o’clock. Her parents should have been home hours ago. She was about to call her mom and dad at work but replaced the receiver before she could punch in the numbers, when she saw car lights sweep across the kitchen window. She bounded out of the house, ready to greet her parents, but stopped in her tracks. It wasn’t her parents’ car at all. It was the sheriff. Pip heard Sheriff Jackson sigh as he got out of his car, leaving his hat behind, and then he was walking toward her. She knew something bad had happened by the serious look on the sheriff’s face and the sinking feeling in her gut. He took her by the hand and led her into the kitchen. She was aware of the tears flowing down her cheeks before he even spoke to her. He sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, pulled her onto his lap, and held her. She only caught a few of the words Sheriff Jackson spoke, but those words were to change her life forever. “Bomb…Your mom and dad are dead.” Pip didn’t remember much after that. Her eyes saw things, but she didn’t comprehend what she was seeing. Her body did things, but she had no idea what. The pain in her chest, her heart, throat, eyes, and head was unbearable. She lived in a catatonic stupor for months. She pushed those horrid memories to the back of her mind and thought of

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the tasks ahead. She took another deep breath, wandering through the house she once shared with her parents. She had so much work to do. She wondered if her parents’ clothes were still hanging in their closet. She didn’t think she was ready to dispose of them just yet, so she avoided going into the master bedroom. She flicked a light switch on in her old bedroom, relieved to find the electricity company had actually turned the power back on. She had no intention of sleeping in her old room. She didn’t think she could without the memories bombarding her. She went through the house, brought her things into the guest room and unpacked her groceries in the kitchen. It was late Thursday afternoon, and Pip didn’t have to start her new job as a journalist for the Shelby News newspaper until Monday. Little did anyone know, Pip had actually bought the paper but had decided to keep that a secret until she investigated her parents’ murders. She had worked the last two years as an investigative reporter, behind the scenes for a television network, and had earned enough money to buy the small paper, only having to use a portion of the money from her parents’ life insurance policies. She needed to pull the sheets from the furniture and also take the time to go through her parents’ things. She wasn’t looking forward to the task but knew she was going to have to face it eventually. She went to her new room, changed into her favorite pair of old jeans and a large T-shirt, pulled her long hair back into a ponytail, and set to work. Pip removed the sheets from the furniture and cleaned the house from top to bottom. When she finally finished, she went to the kitchen, rinsed then filled the kettle, and plugged it in to boil. The spring light was beginning to wane, making the sky light up with purples, pinks, and blues. She could see white, fluffy clouds drifting across the sky in the distance. She stood, flicked the light on, and made her coffee, sighing with delight after the first sip. She made

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herself an omelet and cleaned up. She had a shower and was just about to crawl into bed naked, when she heard someone pounding on her front door. She froze, wondering who the hell would be visiting at this time of night, and then she became scared, because no one knew she had come back home. Pip pulled her jeans on again, as well as her large shirt, and headed for the door. She could see a tall, large silhouette through the glass panels and debated on whether to admit them entry. The shadow moved again, making her jump as his fist connected with the door once more. “Who is it?” Pip called. “It’s the sheriff. Open up.” Pip sighed with exasperation. The sheriff had obviously seen her car in the front and was checking to make sure she hadn’t broken in, since the house had been empty for so long. “Show me your badge, Sheriff,” Pip demanded through the door. “You’re going to have to open the door to see it,” the sheriff’s deep voice came through the door. Pip bit down on her bottom lip nervously, wondering if she was safe opening up to the man outside. There was something familiar with that voice, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint why she knew it. “I’ll only be a moment. I need to get the keys for the dead bolt,” Pip stated, then headed to the kitchen. She flicked lights on as she went. When she got back to the front door, she turned the hall and outside lights on and unlocked the door. The man standing on the other side of the screen door was breathtaking. He was tall, dark, and handsome from what she could see. She knew even though he was leaning against the doorjamb with a lazy nonchalance that he was coiled, ready to pounce. He was wearing a sheriff’s uniform and hat, which sat low on his head, shielding half of his face. She unlocked the screen door, keeping her eyes on him. The muscles in his biceps rippled beneath his skin as he stood up to his full height. He had to be well over six feet tall, and

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since Pip was so small, she felt totally intimidated. She pushed the screen door open, studied the badge he held out to her, and wished she had asked for some other ID with the man’s name and photo on it. She could feel his eyes on her, making her skin ripple and rise into goose bumps. The sound of his voice breaking the silence made her flinch, as she was startled by the deep cadence. “Pippa, is that you?” Pip looked up and studied the face of the handsome man in front of her. It took her a while, but then she knew without a doubt she was looking at Mason Sage. “Mason,” she croaked. Mason moved into the doorway and scooped her up into his arms, her feet dangling in the air. He hugged her to him tight, squeezing her ribs, making it hard for her to get a breath. She didn’t realize she was crying into his chest until she felt moisture on her cheeks. Her arms were around his neck, just as fierce as his were around her ribs. “My God. I can’t believe it’s you, squirt. You’ve changed so much, but I’ll never forget your little pixie face. Where have you been? What have you been doing? Why didn’t you come to our place? Mom would have loved to have you stay with us,” Mason said. Pip held on to Mason’s arms as he slowly released her, making sure she was steady on her feet before removing his arms from around her body. She felt so tiny next to him. Her head only came to his chest. “I can’t believe you’re here, baby. God, I’ve missed you so much. How about a cup of coffee and we talk over old times? Randy and Chip are not going to believe me when I tell them you’re back. How long are you staying?” “I’m living here now. I have a job at the newspaper that I start on Monday,” Pip replied over her shoulder as she walked toward the kitchen. She filled the kettle with water and set it to boil then got down two mugs. She turned to see Mason studying her, perusing her from head to toe and back again, bringing a flush to her cheeks. “I have to call Randy and Chip to come over. They’ll kill me if I

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don’t,” Mason stated as he unclipped his cell phone from his belt. “You don’t mind, do you, Pip?” “No. I can’t believe you all still live here. The last I remember you were heading off to the Navy, Randy not far behind you. I thought you would spend the rest of your life serving our country.” Mason held up a finger to halt her speech, and then he was speaking into the phone. “Randy, you and Chip need to come over to Pip’s place…Yeah, she’s finally come home…Okay, see ya soon.” Mason ended the call and turned to her. “They should be here in a couple of minutes. Now, tell me all about what’s been going on with you, baby.” “Well, after mom and dad’s funeral, I was sent to live with my dad’s aunt. She took me in. I went to school and college then worked as a journalist for a couple of years, and here I am,” Pip summarized. “What have you been doing?” “Well, I served six years in the Navy and decided I’d had enough traveling, so when my time of service was up, I decided to come back home. Sheriff Jackson had just retired, so I thought about becoming Sheriff and I haven’t looked back since. Randy followed a year later, then a year after that, so did Chip.” “So all three of you were in the Navy?” Pip asked as she made the coffee. “Yeah, and now all three of us are in law. I’m Sheriff and the other two are deputies.” “How’re your mom and dad?” “They’re great. They decided they wanted to travel, sold the house to me, Randy, and Chip, and are having the time of their lives. They come back home every now and then, just to catch up, but they don’t stay long. Oh, oh, here’s trouble. Brace yourself, baby, you’re about to be swept off your feet.” Pip listened as the screen door slammed shut then two sets of feet ran the length of the house and came to a standstill in the doorway of her kitchen.

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“Pippa. My God, you’re a sight for sore eyes, sugar,” Randy rasped out. He moved before she could say anything, and then she was in his arms. She threw her arms around his neck, laughing as he lifted her up to his height, spinning around in a circle. He stopped spinning and gazed deeply into her eyes, and then to her surprise, his mouth was on hers. Pip couldn’t believe Randy was kissing her, and the kiss wasn’t just a friendly greeting. He ravished her mouth with his own, his tongue thrusting between her lips to tangle with hers, nibbling at her lips then tilting his head to the side as he slanted over her lips and mouth again and again. She was too surprised to push him away at first, and then she remembered his brothers were there in her kitchen watching. She placed her hands on his muscular shoulders, feeling his hard muscles rippling beneath her palms as she tried to push him away. She knew her cheeks were red, but she wasn’t sure if it was with arousal or embarrassment, or a combination of both. Randy finally eased his mouth away from hers as she pushed against him persistently. “Damn, sugar. You’re hot,” Randy stated, sliding her down the length of his tall, muscular body. Pip didn’t respond, just swiped her tongue over her tingling bottom lip, moving her eyes from Randy to Mason, then landing on Chip. She grinned as she saw the familiar, cocky half smile tilting the corners of Chip’s mouth. She watched as he leaned against the doorjamb to the kitchen, his eyes wandering over her body. He pinned her in place with his baby blues, stood up straight, and literally stalked toward her. Pippa couldn’t believe how tall they all were. The last time she had seen them they had been tall, but not this tall. Chip was taller than his older brothers by a couple of inches. He had to be at least six foot five. His hair was a dark chocolate color and his eyes a deep navy blue. She remembered how fascinated she had been by his eyes, even

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when she had been a young kid. Pip squeaked as Chip placed his hands on her waist, picking her straight up off the floor with little effort until her eyes were level with his, her feet once again dangling in midair. “What—” Pip began. Her words were muffled as Chip kissed her, too. His kisses were so different from Randy’s. Randy had demanded a response from her, where Chip’s lips and tongue coaxed her into responding. Pip knew she was in trouble. She had loved these three men unequivocally when she was a kid and knew she had not stopped loving them. She didn’t even know them anymore, but her heart and body didn’t seem to care. She felt cream dripping out of her pussy, dampening her panties as Chip kissed her. She had to put a halt to things now, before they got out of hand. She had too much to do and didn’t want to involve her friends in her investigation. She needed to concentrate on finding who had murdered her parents. Nothing and no one was going to get in her way. Pippa pushed on his hard shoulders, feeling his muscles bunch as he removed his mouth from hers and gently placed her back on the floor. She cleared her throat, making sure she wouldn’t squeak when she opened her mouth to talk. “Well, that was some welcome home. Do you guys want coffee?” Pip asked, schooling her features into a blank expression. “Sure, darlin’” Chip answered. “Thanks, sugar,” Randy said. Pip got down more mugs, made the coffee, and placed the cups onto the table in front of the men. She turned to go back for her own coffee, but a large hand clamped around her wrist, pulling her off balance so she landed on Mason’s lap. He shifted her to make her more comfortable, tilted her head to his, and then ravished her mouth with his own. Mason’s kisses were a mixture between Randy’s dominant demands and Chip’s coaxing. It was a heady combination. He had her from simmering to boiling in two seconds flat. Pip became aware that she was making little mewling sounds in the back of her

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throat as she began to kiss him back. Mason weaned his mouth from hers and stared down into her eyes, a look of smug satisfaction flitting across his face before he wiped away all expression. Pip pushed away from his lap and walked over to the counter on wobbly legs, hoping the men watching her couldn’t see the effect they’d had on her. She picked up her mug of coffee and turned to lean against the counter. All three of the Sage brothers were staring at her as if she were their last meal. She tried to ignore them as she sauntered back to the table and sat down. “How long are you staying, sugar?” Randy asked, leaning back in his chair, his legs spread wide, eying her without any expression now. “Well, I start working for the local paper on Monday, so it depends on how things go. I want to stay here, but we’ll see what happens.” “Where did you go when your parents died, darlin’?” Chip asked quietly. “To my dad’s Aunt Penny’s place in Maine. She was such a nice woman. She kept a roof over my head, made sure I finished school, and put money away for me to go to college.” Pip remembered that horrible time and lost herself in memories. It had taken Pip six months to become aware of her surroundings. She’d felt as if she had been living in a dream world, everything around her not real. Everything had felt so surreal. Pip knew she had attended school, but she had no idea what she had learned, if anything. She had woken from her catatonic state gradually. She had begun to come back into the land of the living, under the love and care of her dad’s Aunt Penny. She had begun to make friends again. She’d missed her parents desperately, as well as the three Sage brothers, but there was nothing she could do about it. The years had progressed with speed, and Pip had finally finished school and gone to college. She’d studied journalism, just like both her parents had. She’d had every intention of going back home to Shelby, Tennessee. She had always planned to work for the Shelby

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News, and while she was there, she’d planned to investigate her parents’ murder. The investigation into her parents’ death and the death of two other employees at the paper had been labeled a random act of violence. The older Pip had gotten, the less she had agreed with that scenario. She had often heard her aunt discussing the events leading up to her parents’ death with the investigative officer working for the FBI, as well as Sheriff Jackson. Her Aunt Penny had made sure to never speak of such things around Pip, but being a curious teenager, she had once heard her Aunt talking on the phone about the bombing and made sure to be close by every time the phone rang, when she was not at school. Pip had begun to shun her new friends, eager to get home to her aunt in case anything new had been learned in the investigation. She had been determined to find out who had killed her parents and why. The investigation into her parents’ death had become an obsession by the time Pip reached high school. It had taken the place of her friends and social life. She was too young then to realize she had become totally absorbed with the investigation, trying to fill the empty hole in her heart by being so prolific. “Is she okay with you coming back here to live, baby?” asked Mason, pulling her from her retrospection. “I don’t know really. I suppose she would be. She died just after I graduated college.” “Damn, baby. You’ve had a rough time, haven’t you?” “Nah. I had it a lot better than a lot of others had,” Pip replied, covering her mouth as a yawn caught her unaware. “I think it’s time we left you so you can go to bed. Have you got a cell phone, babe?” Mason asked. “Yeah, hang on, I’ll get it,” Pip replied over her shoulder, already moving. She was back in moments and passed her phone to Mason. He punched in some numbers, and then his phone was ringing. He disconnected the call then punched in his cell phone number, as well

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as his brothers’, putting them on speed dial in her cell phone. “If you ever need us, babe, my number’s on speed dial one, Randy’s on two, and Chip’s on three. Get a good night’s sleep tonight, baby. We’ll see you tomorrow,” Mason stated as he and his brothers headed for the front door. “Lock up after we go, squirt.” “I will. Thanks, guys. Good night,” Pip called, closing and locking the door after them. Pip was shocked at the feelings she had felt surging back to life after seeing the three Sage brothers again. She didn’t want to become involved with them. She had too much she wanted to do. She sighed as she headed toward her bedroom. Shit, she still cared for them but didn’t want them back in her life only to have them leave her like everyone else had done. No, she was not going to allow a childish crush to ruin her plans. She vowed to keep them at arm’s length.

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Chapter Two Pip spent the next day grocery shopping then organizing the kitchen cupboards and setting the house to rights. She unpacked her belongings and put them away in the closet and tallboy. When she was done, she set about making herself a sandwich. She got her laptop out and began to research her parents’ death. She had no idea how long she sat going through all the old newspaper clippings she found on the Internet, but when she finally surfaced she realized it was getting dark. Pip made herself some dinner and ate. She cleaned up and decided she’d had enough of staring at the computer screen for the day. She moved into the living room, turned on the television, and had just started flicking through channels when she heard the sound of a car pulling up into the driveway. She remembered the Sage brothers had said they would be back to see her sometime today, so she didn’t hesitate to answer the door. She opened the door to a complete stranger. “Can I help you?” Pip asked, thankful the screen door was between them and locked. She didn’t want to open the door to the tall man standing on her veranda. She’d never seen him before in her life. “Uh, I live next door. I just wanted to introduce myself to you. I’m Alex White. I’ve lived in the house next door for the last five years. Did you buy this house? It’s been empty since before I came to Shelby.” “This is my home, Mr. White. I’ve only just come back to Shelby. I’m Phillipa Grovner. Pleased to meet you,” Pip replied, keeping the screen door between them closed. She didn’t know what it was, but

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something about him gave her the creeps. Maybe it was his eyes, the way he was staring at her so intently. He was tall, just a couple of inches over six feet, and his build was wiry, but she could see his muscles rippling in his forearms. “Well, nice to meet you, Miss Grovner. I’ll be on my way. Welcome back to Shelby, ma’am,” Alex stated then turned and headed to his car. Pip watched until she could no longer see the taillights on his car. She closed the door, making sure she put the dead bolt in place. A shiver ran the length of her spine as she remembered the way Alex White had stared at her from his piercing hazel eyes. She headed back to the living room, flicking through the channels, not really seeing what was on the screen. Even though she was tired, she was full of restless energy. She pushed the button on the remote, turning the TV off. Maybe a nice hot shower would help to settle her enough so she could actually sleep through the night. Pip had been troubled with dreams of her parents’ death since the day Sheriff Jackson had taken her onto his lap, holding her as he told her about their demise. She had endured the dreams nearly every night since. She hated the thought of going to sleep and reliving those nightmares, but she had learned the hard way that trying to stave off sleep night after night was unhealthy and only made matters worse. She remembered her elderly aunt trying to soothe her when she was younger, but nothing seemed to help. The dream was always the same. Pip headed to the bathroom and showered then turned off the water, dried off, and pulled on her favorite large T-shirt. She slid beneath the covers in the guest room and let her tired, sore eyes drift closed. Pip ran through the streets of Shelby, screaming at the top of her lungs. She knew she didn’t have much time to get to the newspaper office, and the faster she ran, the slower she seemed to move. She could see the doors to the building. They were now no more than ten

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feet in front of her. She could see her mom and dad standing in the window of the second story. She could see someone else in the window, a silhouette of a man, but she couldn’t make out his features. She saw the man hand a small box over to her mom, and she screamed as loud as she could, still running toward the building but not seeming to make any headway. She could feel tears streaming down her face, and her throat was sore and raw from trying to get the attention of her parents, or anyone else who would listen to her frantic pleas for help. She watched in horror as her mother moved in slow motion, taking the proffered package with a smile. One of her hands moved to the top of the small carton, and she used one of her nails to slit the tape holding the box closed. The noise of the explosion was so loud, the detonation so powerful, Pip was flung from her feet, sailing through the air then landing on the hard ground with a bruising thud. The windows in the top floor exploded out, raining glass out into the air and onto the pavement, smoke and fire billowing out of the building. She could hear herself screaming and crying as she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, bile rising in her throat until she knew she was going to be sick. The grief piercing her heart was so profound she thought she was going to die from the pain. She could see the face of evil within the flames on the second story. She had never felt so sick to her stomach, so grief stricken, or so angry in her life. She wanted to go charging into that building to find the cold-blooded murderer and rip him apart with her bare hands, but she was only twelve years old. What the hell could she do? Pip jerked awake. She was sobbing out loud, her sore throat telling her she’d likely been screaming at the top of her lungs. Thank God, she still had another two days before she started working at the newspaper. She was going to need that time to calm herself again. She knew the nightmares would come. Every time she did more research, they seemed to stir up her subconscious mind, making her see what she thought her parents had gone through. She had been horrified at

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the destruction she had seen when Sheriff Jackson had driven her to her parents’ funeral. He hadn’t wanted her to see the building her parents had died in, but there had been no way around it since the main street was the only way to the funeral parlor. It had taken her a long time to remember what she had endured in the days following her parents’ death, and still there were some pieces missing from the first six months after they had died. Pippa slid out of bed, pulling her track pants on beneath her shirt and pulling a sweater on over the top. She slid her feet into her slippers then headed down to the kitchen. She flicked the light on and put the kettle on to make a cup of chamomile tea. She sipped her tea, the hot liquid sliding down her throat, soothing her soreness and dryness away. She heard a car pull into her driveway and glanced at the digital clock on the microwave, surprised to see it was only eleven o’clock at night. She must have only been asleep for the better part of an hour. She jumped at the knock on her front door. She hesitated to answer the door, hoping her creepy neighbor wasn’t back to disturb her again. She took a deep breath, shored up her courage, and headed to the front door. She couldn’t see who was at the door, and when she flicked the outside light on, it didn’t work. “Who is it?” Pip called through the door. “Mason. Open up, baby.” Pippa didn’t hesitate. She threw the bolt, opened the solid wood door, and then released the lock on the screen. She stepped back, giving Mason room to step in the entryway. She saw the shadows of Randy and Chip behind him. “Why didn’t you turn on the porch light? You could have seen it was me if you had,” Mason stated. “I tried. I think the globe must be blown,” Pip replied. She moved back down the hallway toward the kitchen, intent on having another cup of tea. “Are you all right, darlin’?” Chip asked. “Yeah, I’m fine. Would you like a drink?” Pip asked, turning to

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face the three Sage brothers in the bright light of the kitchen. “You’ve been crying. What’s wrong, sugar?” Randy asked, moving toward her. “Nightmare. I’m fine. Do you want tea or coffee?” “Why don’t you sit down, baby? I’ll make the drinks. You don’t look too good,” Mason stated. “I’m fine. I’m used to it,” Pip replied. “What do you mean by that, darlin’?” Chip asked. “I’ve been having nightmares since my parents died. As I said, I’m used to it.” “Well, hell, baby. Have you seen anyone about these nightmares? Have you had any professional help at all?” Mason asked, concern evident in the frown on his face. “Yes. Aunt Penny had me in counseling for twelve months, but nothing seems to help. I’ve just learned to live with them.” Pip gave a shrug of her shoulders. “Here you go, baby,” Mason said as he placed a cup of steaming chamomile tea in front of her. “Thanks.” “Are you sure you’re all right, sugar?” Randy asked. “Yes, thanks.” “Do you want one of us to stay here with you, darlin’?” Chip asked. “No,” Pip replied. “What do you know about Alex White?” “Not that much. Why?” asked Mason. “I don’t know, really. He came over to introduce himself earlier tonight. I don’t know what it is about him, but he gives me the creeps.” “Do you want us to check him out for you?” Randy asked. “No. You can’t do that. I don’t want to get you into trouble. I know very well you can’t go checking into people’s lives unless you have a good reason to. It’s just a feeling. Where does he work?” “The newspaper,” Chip replied.

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“Well, shit. Looks like I’m going to have to get over whatever it is that makes me so uncomfortable around him,” Pip replied, placing her hands over her face to hide her embarrassment at her outburst and hoping she wasn’t jumping to conclusions. She normally wasn’t embarrassed about her feelings and listened to her intuition all the time. It hadn’t let her down yet, but she felt a little foolish, especially with three sets of eyes staring at her. “Hey, you have nothing to be ashamed of, sugar,” Randy said, taking her hands in his and pulling them down from her face. He didn’t let go. Instead he used them to pull her from her seat and over into his lap. He gently tilted her up head to his. “Never dismiss a gut instinct. Your first instincts are usually correct.” Pip pulled her head to the side, away from Randy’s finger. She could feel her cunt clenching and releasing, juices dripping from her pussy, dampening her panties. She moved slightly then froze as she felt Randy’s cock hardening beneath her, nudging her bottom. She kept her eyelids lowered, not wanting to look into his face, knowing he would see the red hue tingeing her cheeks. She could feel three sets of male eyes on her face and wanted to jump from his lap and hide in her bedroom. She’d never had so much male attention in her life. Sure, she’d had the occasional outing through college, but she’d actually never been out on a date, per se. When she had gone out, it was usually in a group, a mixture of males and females, but never with one male exclusively. “Look at me, baby!” Mason demanded from across the table. Pip finally looked up. The heat she saw in Mason’s eyes could have singed her eyebrows. She slid her eyes from Mason to Chip and couldn’t help the reflexive loud swallow, which she knew they had to have heard. She didn’t dare lift her eyes up to Randy. She could still feel his engorged cock pulsing against her ass. She lowered her eyelashes once more, trying to conceal her reaction to the three sexy men sitting at her dining table. They obviously had other ideas. “Pippa, you can’t hide from what is going on between us, baby.

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We know you feel it the same as we do. Why are you trying to ignore the heat between us?” asked Mason. Pippa gulped again, taking a deep, steadying breath. She wiped all expression from her face then lifted her head to glare at Mason. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Don’t you bullshit me, baby. I’ve know you since you were a baby. I know you feel this thing between the four of us, as well. We won’t let you hide from us, Pip. We are going to explore this thing between all of us, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. We won’t let you.” “Well, who the fuck made you boss?” Pip asked through clenched teeth, pushing up from Randy’s lap and pacing the floor. “I don’t care what you think. You are not going to tell me what to do. Do I make myself clear?” Pip turned to face three tall, determined-looking males as they stood up. They moved with a lithe, loose-limbed grace. The heat in their eyes was enough to give her pause. She backed up around the kitchen counter and across the floor until her back hit the fridge. The three men kept pace with her, taking a step forward to every backward step she made. They surrounded her on all sides. Mason stopped only a couple of feet in front of her. Randy was on her right and Chip to her left. She couldn’t breathe. She felt as if all the oxygen in the room had suddenly dissipated as she tried to gulp in air to fill her lungs. She felt her nipples tingle and then pucker and harden into tight points, rubbing against the cotton of her T-shirt, abrading them. Her pussy was leaking juices again, saturating her panties. She couldn’t take her eyes away from them, and she didn’t know if she wanted to. As if one of them had spoken, the three Sage brothers moved the last step toward her, the length of their bodies plastered along her own. She couldn’t quite contain the whimper of need that rose in her throat, and she gasped against Mason’s mouth as he bent down to her. Pippa felt as if she were on fire. The feel of Mason’s lips slanting over her own made her burn from the inside out. She could feel his

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hard cock against her stomach and couldn’t help the natural inclination of rubbing her body against his. She felt two sets of hands rubbing against her arms, back, and ass and knew Randy and Chip were caressing her, as well. She felt Mason’s hands on her waist, and he picked her up, her feet dangling above the floor as he wrapped one arm around the middle of her body and the palm of his other hand cupped her ass, supporting her weight. She wanted to wrap her legs around his waist, but didn’t want to encourage him further. She was so turned on, yet frightened by her own reactions. She was still a virgin, but they didn’t know that, and she had no intention of telling them. Pippa mewled in the back of her throat as Mason pleasured her with his mouth while his brothers caressed her body anywhere they could reach. His tongue thrust between her lips and teeth, sliding along hers, tangling around her own. He didn’t leave one bit of her mouth unexplored. He ran his tongue over the inside of her cheeks, over her teeth, and tickled the sensitive roof of her mouth. She whimpered and pulled back from Mason, the need for more oxygen a close second to having his mouth on hers. “What are you doing to me?” Pip panted out. “This,” Mason replied, walking out of the kitchen, carrying her to a bedroom. He sat down on the side of the bed, taking her with him so she was straddling his lap. He pulled her tight into his groin, thrusting his hard cock up into the junction of her thighs. “You’re wet for us, baby. I can feel your moisture through your track pants.” “Oh God. Please?” “Please what, sugar?” Chip asked from behind her. “I don’t know,” Pip sobbed out, not really knowing what she wanted, what she was asking for. “We’ll take care of you, darlin’. We know what you need,” Chip whispered into Pippa’s ear. She shivered as his hot, moist breath caressed her ear canal. He moved closer to her side, wrapped an arm around her waist, and slid the palm of his hand up her torso until he palmed her breast.. He gave a growl of appreciation as Pip arched into

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his touch. Pippa couldn’t believe what she was letting her best friends do to her. She wanted to get them naked, wanted to be nude, as well. She wanted to feel their glorious skin sliding over hers, their hands and mouths caressing her body. She cried out with frustration when Chip pulled his hand away from her breast, but then she felt his hands on the hem of her sweater. He pulled it up and off over her head. Then his hands were on her large T-shirt, and he whipped that up and over her head, too. She was totally naked from the waist up. She instinctively raised her hands and arms to cover her naked breasts, only to have her wrists clasped in two large, warm hands. “Never, ever, cover yourself to us, baby. You are so sexy. Your little body is so exquisite,” Mason growled out. Pippa didn’t know what to say, so she didn’t say anything at all. She just stared at him as he stared back at her with hunger in his eyes. Her nipples were hard, pointed tips, reaching out for their hands and mouths. Mason moved his head in toward her and took her mouth with his. The kiss was so carnal she felt her juices dripping from her pussy. She was in way over her head and didn’t know if she wanted to stop.

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Chapter Three Pippa felt as if she were on fire. Liquid heat traveled throughout her blood, making her body and limbs feel heavy, languid. She had to rely on Mason and Chip to keep her from falling to the floor like a blob of jelly. She knew she should stop them before things got totally out of hand, but the pleasure her three friends were giving her was so decadent, so erotically carnal and exquisite, she didn’t know if she had the strength, or even wanted, to call a halt to their lovemaking. She watched through heavy-lidded eyes as Mason moved his head forward. She couldn’t help but cry out with delight as he sucked one of her hard nipples into the warm depths of his mouth. She arched her spine, pushing her breast into his mouth as he suckled and laved her turgid peak. She closed her eyes at the electric shards of pleasure shooting from the tip of her breast down her torso and abdomen to the heat of her cunt. Her pussy pulsed and clenched, her clit an aching throb she needed eased before she went crazy with desire. She could feel her juices slicking her pussy lips with her arousal, making her panties wet with her need. She whimpered in the back of her throat as she felt one of Chip’s hands slide down over her sensitive stomach to beneath the waistband of her sweats. She moaned as she rocked her pelvis, realizing she was asking for more without words. He slid his large fingers through her hot, wet flesh, and she bucked hard, trying to get him to touch her where she needed it the most. The first flick of his warm, callused fingertip sent her flying to the stars. A scream then a primal growl escaped her throat as her body shuddered, her pussy clenching and releasing in an ecstasy so blindingly bright she saw stars.

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“You are so fucking hot, baby.” Mason growled as he shifted her onto the bed and leaned over her supine, satiated body. “I can’t wait to get a taste of that pussy,” Randy stated as he crawled up beside Pip. “I’m gonna make you come so hard you’ll see stars.” “What? Oh my God. What are you doing to me? How did we get in here? Let me up. Oh no, I’m half-naked, for goodness’ sake,” Pip wailed as she scrambled to the other side of the bed, trying to pull the comforter with her to cover her breasts. Pippa froze as she took in the sight of her parents’ bedroom for the second time since she had returned home. Memories slammed into her, knocking the breath out of her lungs as she saw the all-toofamiliar room. She remembered getting into her parents’ bed as a small child, climbing in between them in the morning as she soaked up their love and comfort. She could have sworn the scent of her mom’s perfume and her dad’s cologne still lingered in the air. She could feel the pain and rage of their loss building up in her chest, as if it had been only yesterday Sheriff Jackson had broken the bad news to the twelve-year-old Pip. Her eyes wandered to every surface in the room. Her mom’s jewelry box was still sitting on the wooden dressing table, as if waiting for her to walk back in the room to make a selection. Her mom’s hairbrush was lying beside the jewelry box, strands of hair snared in the bristles. A pair of her dad’s cuff links was sitting on the dresser, as if they had been nonchalantly discarded the previous evening. His comb was beside her mom’s hairbrush. Her eyes stopped on two rings lying side by side, nestled in a padded jewelry case. One of the men moved as if to comfort her. She caught the movement in her peripheral vision and was thankful for the distraction. She faced them then, making sure her face was devoid of all emotion as she held the large comforter in front of her half-naked body. “I don’t know what you think you were trying to prove. I am not someone you can just fuck to relieve your physical needs. I don’t

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want you to think that because I let you kiss me that I am willing to have a relationship with you. I am not into one-night stands or even two-night stands. I am not interested in a relationship with any of you or anyone else, now or in the near future. I came back home to work at the newspaper and am only interested in furthering my career. I would like you all to leave. Now, please.” “Darlin’, we’re not…” Randy began, but hesitated when Pip held up a hand. “I don’t want to hear any excuses. I’m tired and want to crawl into my bed, alone, to sleep. I will always be your friend, but that is all we can ever be. I want you to respect my wishes. Now, please go home so I can go to bed.” Pip watched as the three Sage brothers looked to each other and then to her. She was sure they were communicating with their eyes and had reached some sort of agreement. She could see the concern for her in their eyes, as well as their frustration. What she couldn’t tell was whether their frustration was because they hadn’t gotten their rocks off, or if it was because she had told them she wasn’t interested in a relationship with them. Randy left the room first with Chip close on his heels. Mason was at the door of her parents’ room when he stopped to look back at her over his shoulder. “Don’t forget to lock up, baby,” he stated, and then he was gone. Pip waited until she heard the front door close and the sound of their car engine turning over before she moved to the door. She locked up and stopped in her parent’s bedroom to pick up her discarded clothes. She started the shower and had nearly finished washing, trying to erase their touch from her mind and body, when the first sob hit. How long she stood in the shower sobbing before her legs gave out and she slid to the shower floor, she had no idea. She only became aware of her surroundings when the water in the shower eventually ran cold. She turned off the faucets and stepped out onto the bath mat. Pippa struggled to dry herself off. Her limbs were so heavy and shaky, her head throbbing, her eyes swollen and as red as her nose.

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She felt as if she were more than a century old. She pulled her sleeping shirt back on, brushed her hair and teeth, and then crawled into bed. She stared at the ceiling, too afraid to fall asleep, knowing she would only dream of the horrors of that night so long ago that had been forever etched into her mind. **** Mason sat at the kitchen table drinking beer with Randy and Chip, each silent as they tried to process what had gone wrong, or if they had done something to set her off. They began talking, trying to understand what had sent Pip running scared. “I know our first mistake was taking her into her parents’ room. I caught a look of horror in her eyes when she realized where she was,” Mason stated. “She tried to hide it, but she wasn’t quick enough.” “Fuck. How could we have done that to her? I can still see her eyes glued to her parents’ wedding rings sitting on the dresser. She tried to wipe all expression from her face, but I can still see that haunted look in her eyes. She was so calm and cool when she kicked us out. Determined to keep things on an impersonal level. We really fucked up with Pip. What the hell are we going to do now?” asked Chip. “We ease back and take things slow. We don’t want her running scared again. She’s only just come back home, and there is no way in hell I want to give her a reason to turn tail and run. We keep things on a platonic level. Ease her back into a friendship with us. When she’s comfortable, then we begin to put more pressure on her, but we do it in stages. We already know what a little firecracker she is. We just have to convince her we want her for the long haul. Do you think it was because the three of us were trying to be with her together?” Randy asked. “Could be. She’s probably never even heard the word ménage before. Plus, I think she could still be a virgin,” Mason articulated.

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Mason hid his grin when Chip and Randy groaned out loud. He knew their dicks would be as hard as his. He had just settled down again, and now he was instantly hard, his cock throbbing against the zipper of his jeans. The thought of their little Pip still untouched had him, as well as his younger brothers, gripping the edge of the table to prevent themselves from speeding back over to her house, stripping her naked, and fucking her brains out. Mason and his brothers had only ever shared one woman in their life. It had been such a turn-on that they had discussed the possibility of sharing one special woman for the rest of their lives. He and his brothers had been looking and had gone out a few times singularly to wine and dine candidates, the other two nearby so they could watch and listen. Every one of those women had been vetoed by one or the other. Until now. The moment he had walked into Pippa’s house after so many years of her missing from their lives, he had known, unequivocally, that she was right for all three of them. He knew she was a feisty little thing, had always had a temper on her as a kid. He and his brothers had seen glimpses of the fire she had in that compact, sexy little body of hers and knew, even though she was trying to hide it from them and most likely from herself, she was full of fire and passion, still left untapped. He just had to make her let go of her self-control and reel her in when she did. Because there was no way in hell he was letting anyone else anywhere near her when she finally let go. She was theirs. She just didn’t know it yet.

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Chapter Four Pippa followed the current chief editor, Nate Morgan, around the Shelby News offices. The fiftysomething man showed her where everything was, from the second floor down to the ground floor. The incessant ringing of phones and clacking of nails on keyboards made her relax for the first time since she had arrived back in Shelby. The familiarity of her surroundings was like coming home. She could feel the buzz in the air as reporters wrote articles and secretaries fielded phone calls, and the hum of chatter wound over her like a familiar blanket. Nate Morgan finally led her back to the second floor and showed her where her own cramped work cubicle was located. He introduced her to staff along the way. She tried to remember everyone, but knew she would be asking their names over and over again until they became ingrained in her mind. She glanced up as a familiar face came into view and had to stop herself from physically stepping back into her own personal comfort zone. “This is Philippa Grovner. Philippa, this is Alex White,” Nate Morgan introduced. “We’ve met,” Alex replied, taking a step forward and holding out his hand. “We’re neighbors, actually.” “Alex,” Pip responded, offering her hand politely. She felt a shudder of alarm travel the length of her spine at the contact of Alex’s hand and the unmitigated leer she could see in his eyes. Even the man’s smile was false, but she was going to have to put her personal likes and dislikes aside if she was going to make a name for herself and travel up the so-called corporate ladder while she tried to gather

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information on the death of her parents. “If you’ll follow me, Philippa, I’ll take you to human resources so you can get the paperwork side of things completed,” Nate stated, then led the way down the long length of hallway. Once Pip was finished with the dreaded paperwork, she went back into Nate’s office to find out what her first assignment would be. **** Pip settled into a routine over the next few weeks. It didn’t take her long to find her feet in her new job. The confidence she had in her corporate world kicked in, making the shy, insecure person she really was take a backseat. She saw the Sage brothers at least once a week, but was more than thankful they hadn’t made any more passes together or separately. She loved having them drop in unannounced for a coffee and a chat, as well as the fact they were getting to know each other all over again. She hadn’t brought up that embarrassing night when they had seduced her out of her clothes and was more than grateful they hadn’t either. She pushed it to the back of her mind where it belonged and got on with her career. Pip had been working at the paper for just on three weeks, and after a harrowing day of covering a horrific four-car pileup on a freeway fifty minutes outside of Shelby, she was more than ready to call it a day. She gathered up her purse and keys and headed toward the stairs, feeling excitement for the coming evening. **** He watched the sway of her hips and felt his loins tighten in anticipation. He had planned this out since he was in his early teens. If it hadn’t been for her and her perfect family, he would still have a mother and father. It was all her and her family’s fault he had had to survive the horrors of foster care. He could still remember the

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screams of his mother as his father strangled her, and then the sound of the jail cell slamming shut. That had been the last time he had seen his father. His father had been murdered in his jail cell in prison. He had raged against her family and laughed hysterically when her parents had been killed in a so-called random act of violence. He had made his plans but had not been sure he would ever have the chance to see them come to fruition. Now that she was back, he was going to have some fun with her before he ended everything and got his revenge with his planned finale. **** When Pip arrived home, she headed straight for the shower. As she washed her hair and body, she admitted to herself she was actually happy Mason, Randy, and Chip had invited her over to their ranch for dinner. She was looking forward to having a meal cooked for her rather than a quick snack nuked in the microwave. And if she was honest with herself, she was also looking forward to spending more time with her sexy, hunky friends. She’d learned to keep her emotions hidden from the three hot Sage brothers. She also knew they were totally unaware of the way they made her feel whenever they were around. At least she thought they weren’t aware. She worked hard at keeping her emotions and needs at bay, and not showing on her face. She treated them like she had when she was a child, like the good friends they were. She’d had to teach herself to breathe evenly and deeply, as well as to keep her face a blank mask of indifference. She didn’t have the time or the inclination to get involved with any of the brothers, and she was determined to keep their relationship platonic. Sighing over her unwanted attraction to the three brothers, Pip showered, dressed, and turned off the hairdryer. She held still, tilted her head, and listened intently when she caught an unfamiliar sound. There it was again, a light tapping sound, like the rap of knuckles against a pane of glass. She tried to remember if she had locked the

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back door after she’d closed it behind her. She was pretty sure she had but couldn’t be absolutely certain. She crept along the hallway until she was standing outside the door to the kitchen. She felt goose bumps rise up over her flesh, and a cold sweat coated her body as she listened to the tapping on her kitchen window. She crept closer to the doorjamb, took a deep, steadying breath, and slowly poked her head around the corner. The image would be forever etched into her mind. Pip screamed with fear and ran from the room when she saw her parents’ faces staring at her through the kitchen window. She bent her body over, sobbing as she tried to keep herself from becoming totally hysterical. When she was able to breathe without the lump of fear clogging her throat, her analytical brain kicked into gear. What she had seen had been a photograph of some kind. Pippa pushed her fear to the back of her mind. She stepped into the kitchen and stared at the images of her parents’ faces hanging from some sort of rigging. The two photo frames swung back and forth against her kitchen window in the late-afternoon spring breeze. The photo frames were hanging on thick pieces of rope, but she knew she would have to go outside to see how the rope was secured. Rage bubbled up inside her. The thought that someone had taken the time and effort to scare her made her furious. She grabbed her cell phone from her purse, unlocked the keypad, and held her finger over speed dial number one, ready to call Mason for help if it was needed. She walked around the side of the house and studied the ground, searching for footprints. There was nothing to be seen. Whoever had been at her home knew how to clean up after themselves. A shiver worked its way up and down her spine as she spied the large metal hooks drilled into the side of the rain gutters. They looked quite evil and lethal as the waning sunlight hit the sparkling silver hooks. Pippa was about to push the button on her cell phone to call Mason, but for some reason she was reluctant to call him and his brothers in to investigate a practical joke that could have been done

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by bored adolescents. Besides, if whoever had done this had taken the time to clear away any sign of footprints in the dirt, it was a definite probability they had worn gloves and left no fingerprints. It would be a waste of tax payer’s money and the Sheriff’s department’s precious time. However, she did take the time to snap quite a few pictures with her digital camera. Pip glanced at her watch and saw that she was going to be late. She wasn’t going to have time to remove the photos of her parents swinging in the breeze, and she knew there was no way in hell she would remove them when she got back home from her night out. The last thing she wanted to do was make herself feel vulnerable in her own yard late at night. She was going to have to wait until morning to remove the offensive message. So instead, she went back inside, retrieved her purse, checked she’d locked both doors twice, and left. Pip knew she should have probably saved herself some gas and walked the mile to the Sage brothers’ house, but after the surprise that had been waiting for her when she’d gotten home, she wasn’t stupid enough to take any chances. She sighed with relief as she stopped her car, turned off the ignition, and got out. She’d just put one foot onto the first step leading to the wraparound veranda when the front door to the Sage brothers’ house was pulled open.

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Chapter Five Chip leaned against the doorjamb as he watched the sway of Pip’s hips as she walked up the steps toward him. He grinned in response to the nervous smile Pip gave him as he straightened away from the wood frame. “You’re late, darlin’. We were beginning to think you weren’t comin’.” “I had to finish off my report on that car pileup on the freeway. Plus, I wanted to shower before I came over. I always feel decidedly grungy after working outside and then being in the artificial environment of air conditioning.” “You’re looking good, darlin’. Come on in and I’ll get you something to drink,” Chip stated as he stepped aside, holding the door wide for her to enter. “Something smells good,” Pip said. “Wow, this place has definitely changed since I was here last.” “It’s been a long time, sugar,” Randy stated. “Take a load off, Pip. Do you want a beer, or would you prefer a glass of wine?” “Wine, please. Did you guys do this yourself, or did you hire someone in?” “We did it. So what do you think?” Mason asked. “I think you guys are amazing. You’re all so talented. To be able to use your hands and have everything you touch work without having the experience most professionals do, as well as being so sexy. You’re every woman’s dream.” “You think we’re sexy?” Chip asked as he studied her face. “Um, well, sure. But don’t let it go to your head,” Pip stated

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facetiously. Chip saw her glance down at the wine glass on the table in front of her, trying to hide the fact her face was red with embarrassment. “So, how come you’re cooking? I thought you were going to be grilling outside. And whatever it is you’re cooking over there smells really good. I didn’t get to have lunch today, so I can’t wait to taste what it is you’re concocting.” “We remembered how much you used to love our mom’s chicken and dumplings. And since she left us her recipe book and we all know how to cook, since we’ve been on our own for quite a while, we decided to give you a treat as a welcome back to Shelby,” Mason replied. “Wow, you guys can be so sweet, but I promise not to spread it around. I’d hate to ruin your reputations with the ladies. I used to love your mom’s cooking. It was always so much better than my mom’s,” Pip said, then quickly looked back down at her wine glass. Chip saw Pip’s eyes turn misty. She was obviously caught up in memories. He watched her take a sip of wine, heard her draw in a couple of deep breaths, and saw her raise her head again to see that he and his brothers were watching her. She shifted and rose to her feet, walked over to the French doors leading out of the dining room, and stared out into the darkness beyond. It looked like she was trying so hard to keep herself contained and in control, and he and his brothers just wanted their old Pip back. “So, how are you settling in at the paper, baby? Do you like it so far? Are your colleagues nice?” Mason asked. “Everyone seems friendly enough. I guess I’ve settled in okay. And I have a few acquaintances, but it takes time to make friends.” “Well, I’m sure you’ll have a lot a friends before too long, sugar. You never had any trouble making friends when you were a kid,” Randy stated with a grin. “Yeah, I suppose so. But I’d rather concentrate on my career at the moment,” Pip replied. Chip watched as she turned her gaze back out to the darkness beyond the glass doors.

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Chip looked at Mason and Randy and back to the stiff way Pip was holding herself as she gazed out into the night. The way she had her arms wrapped around her waist and the length of her spine ramrod straight were more telling than she was aware. He took in her defensive, protective posture, and he knew there was a lot more to Philippa Grovner than met the eye. She had always been a little spitfire when she was growing up, and even though he had a glimpse of that female from so long ago, he knew she was holding a lot of herself back. It was like she had locked away her real personality and was hiding it from herself just as much as she was hiding it from the rest of the world. Chip wanted to go over to Pip, pick her up, remove her clothes, and ravish the woman standing so aloofly staring out into the night. He wanted to strip away her aloofness and her control with passion, until all the barriers she had erected were exposed. Until the real person he knew was hidden within that sexy, hot, little body broke through the rigidity of control she kept on herself. He wanted to see her lose control as he and his brothers uncovered those mental walls until she became the passionate woman he could see beneath the surface. He glanced at his brothers and knew by the expressions on their faces they were thinking along the same lines. But they were going to have to be patient a little while longer. Pip was a lot more relaxed around them now than she had been in the beginning. And if they wanted to ease her into their lives and their lifestyle without making her run, they were going to have to take things slow and steady. Chip knew the only way for his and his brothers’ control to snap and allow them to loosen the reins would be if Pip ever put herself in danger. He didn’t think she would be so foolhardy. After all, she was an investigative reporter and had seen the results of violence and stupidity from fellow human beings. Chip watched as Mason and Randy served dinner, and they all sat down and chatted about inconsequential things that had cropped up in

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their lives as they ate. He and his brothers answered Pip’s questions about what they had done, and they even reminisced over the first twelve years of Pippa’s life. He and his brothers asked her questions about what she had done over the years, which she answered, no emotion evident in her voice or face. Chip noted the way she would quickly ask one of them a question, turning their attention away from herself, back onto them. He let her think she had succeeded in manipulating them away from answering their questions for the time being. But the stage was drawing near, and it was only a matter of hours or days before they would lay down the rules of the relationship they wanted to have with her. Chip knew she would try to run or avoid them once they told her what they wanted from her, but there was no way in hell they would let her keep them at arm’s length ever again. She was their woman, and he and his brothers wouldn’t be swayed into thinking otherwise. She had been made for them, and he also knew, without a doubt, they had been made for her. It was going to take the three of them to keep up with such a feisty little firecracker once she actually let her true self show again. Chip could see the passion lurking in the depths of her eyes. She had hidden her own personality and fire deep down where she thought no one would be able to see the real person. She had even convinced herself she was a calm, cool, collected career person. She had taught herself to be independent, which was fine with him, as long as that independence was left at the bedroom door. He knew she was full of courage and determination, but he also knew she was a female who would have no compunction whatsoever leaning on the man or, in this case, men in her life when necessary. He also knew that she could be just as strong emotionally as them if necessary. He felt no remorse at all in his and his brothers’ actions of making her comfortable and gaining her trust before they made their move. He wanted her to feel safe and secure in their company. He needed her to become less guarded, more compliant, because he, Mason, and Randy were in this for the long haul.

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Once dinner was over and Chip began to clear away the dishes, Pip rose from her seat to help. Even though Chip and his brothers protested, she didn’t back down, and between herself and him, they set the kitchen to rights quickly. By the time they had finished cleaning up, the coffee had finished brewing, so Pip and Chip poured the coffee and carried the mugs into the living room. Chip saw Mason was sitting in the corner of the leather sofa, and Randy was sitting in one of the large leather armchairs. His brothers both had their eyes on the large TV screen. **** Pip grinned to herself. Some things changed for the better or worse, but some things never changed. She remembered walking into this living room to see the much younger men watching a game of baseball numerous times as a kid. Their father was usually sitting in the middle of the sofa, a bowl of popcorn on his lap as he and his sons yelled and cheered at the TV screen. Pippa had usually spent her time in the kitchen with their mom baking cookies, and when they were done she would take a plateful into the room for them to enjoy. Pip sat down in between Mason and Chip, sipping at her coffee as she stared at the screen. She could never see what was so great about watching baseball, and especially on a TV, but she had never questioned the fascination of the men surrounding her. She used to sit and enjoy the companionship of other people even if she never really noticed what was going on with the game. She used to love sitting here after the cookies had been baked and listening to the members of the Sage family cheer and boo. She had never felt lonely, even if she didn’t really interact or join in the conversation. She had felt content, loved and accepted for who she was, rather than who her parents were. She had been her own person and had never had to put on any airs and graces with the Sage family. Pip was jolted out of her speculation with the sound of her cell

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phone ringing and vibrating in her jeans pocket. Once she had her phone in her hand, she glanced at the screen to see who was calling. The LCD display told her whoever was calling was into privacy, as their number was restricted, no number displayed on the screen. She rose from the sofa, walked into the kitchen so as not to disturb the men as they watched their baseball game, and answered the call. “Hello?” “I have been waiting for you for a long time. Now that you’re back, I will see to it you pay for what you and your family did to mine. Did you like my little surprise?” the low male voice asked. “Who is this? What the hell do you want?” Pip asked angrily. “What I want is you. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll beg me to kill you,” the raspy voice whispered, and then the line went dead. Pip had no idea how long she stood in the kitchen staring at the phone in her hand. It wasn’t until she heard footsteps behind her that she realized she had been standing in shock, scared and dazed by the threatening phone call. She turned as she closed her cell phone, slipping it into her pocket as she faced Mason. “Are you all right, baby? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Mason said. “What? Oh, yeah, sorry. I’m fine. I have to go, though. I just remembered an article I was supposed to have finished by Monday. I’d better get to it before I forget what it was about,” Pip replied. She stepped around Mason and hurried to the doorway to the living room. “Thanks for dinner, guys. I really appreciate it. I have some work to do, so I’ll catch up with you soon.” “Are you sure you have to hurry off, sugar?” Randy asked. “Yes, sorry. Bye, Chip.” “See ya soon, darlin’.” “Thanks for dinner, Mason. I’ll return the favor soon. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Bye,” Pip said as she hurried out the back door.

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**** “What the hell was that all about?” Randy asked. Mason stood on the deck, Chip and Randy joining him as he watched the taillights of Pip’s car disappear down the driveway. “I have no idea, but it had something to do with the phone call on her cell. When I stepped into the kitchen, Pip was as white as a sheet and it looked like she was about to pass out,” Mason replied. “She’s hiding something,” Chip said. Mason stood staring down the driveway. “Yeah, she is. But it’s not just one something. It’s a whole lot of somethings,” Mason stated. “She looked scared to me. In fact, I’d say she looked more than scared. She looked downright fucking terrified,” Chip stated with frustration. “I agree. My gut’s telling me she’s in a whole lot of trouble,” Randy stated. “I think it’s time we started pushing. I know we agreed to take things slow, and I believed that was the best way to go about things at the time, but something’s changed and we need to make our move now. So are we agreed?” Mason asked his brothers. “Yeah,” Chip replied. “Agreed,” answered Randy.

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Chapter Six Pip didn’t have time to remove the hideous message left outside her kitchen window the following Saturday morning. She’d slept in. By the time she’d finally fallen asleep, it had been the wee hours of the morning, and the nightmares had persisted, fast and furious. She felt as if she was a wrung-out dishrag by the time she got to work, but since her career meant more to her than anything else at the moment, she pushed it to the back of her mind. The first thing she did when she arrived at work was get a cup of coffee. After she’d taken a couple of sips, she turned on her computer and got to work. By the time she’d finished writing up the article due on Monday, she was tired, cranky, and very hungry. She saved the file on her computer, made sure she had a copy on her personal USB drive, then shut down the PC, gathered up her things, and left the office for home. She had a load of wash she needed to do, but she was so tired from the sleepless, restless night, she intended to go home and have a nap. Then, just maybe, she would have the energy to tackle the tasks she had waiting for her at home. Pip mounted the first step to the veranda, heading to the back door, and hesitated when she saw the shoe box sitting in front of the step. She berated herself for letting fear get to her, pushed it aside, and picked up the box. She took the lid from the container, screamed, dropped the box, and bolted. She landed in the gravel beside the steps, aware that she’d scraped her knees raw in the process. She retched uncontrollably until there was nothing left in her stomach. Her whole body shook and shuddered as she dry heaved, sobbing every breath she managed to take. She screamed through her heaving when large,

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warm hands gripped her hips. She sagged with relief when she heard the familiar, soothing, masculine voice. She knew they wouldn’t let her get away with her fast exit last night. She knew one or all of the Sage brothers would be on her doorstep sometime today. “Shh, it’s all right, baby. I’ve got you. That’s right, breathe slow and deep, and it’ll pass. Take a deep breath. In and out, slow and deep. Good girl,” Mason crooned. She heard his sigh when she finally slumped against his chest. **** Mason was concerned for her health and frowned as he held her to him, running a hand over her head and down her back. The sound of his brother’s roar of fury made his head snap around toward him. He was about to tell Chip to shut the fuck up because he didn’t want Pip upset when she was already feeling poorly. “What the fuck?” Chip roared, staring at the deck. Mason followed his brother’s line of sight until his gaze landed on the garbage strewn on Pip’s deck. The sight that met his eyes made the fury build from his toes up to the top of his head. He had never felt such rage in his life. He closed his eyes and opened them again, hoping the sight was a figment of his imagination. Unfortunately, it was all too real. There were two charred rats lying on the deck, with small photos of Pippa’s parents tied to the rodents’ faces. But what made his rage boil to a nearly uncontrollable level was the sight of Pip’s photo attached to the dead animal, its throat slit and dried blood coating its white fur. The sound of Randy’s voice coming from around the side of the house made him turn his head in the other direction. **** “Mason, you need to see…” Randy said as he walked around the corner of the house. The sight of Pip shaking against his brother’s

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chest as she leaned on him for support halted him in mid sentence. He moved his eyes to Mason’s, surprised to see barely suppressed fury on his brother’s face. He slid his eyes over to where Chip was staring in disbelief and followed his gaze. The sight stunned him. God knows how long he stood staring at the horror before his eyes. When he finally comprehended he was actually seeing what he thought, a roar of rage built up in his throat until the sound erupted with fury from his mouth. He saw Pip flinch from the corner of his eye and physically struggled to tamp down his fury. He watched Mason pick Pip up into his arms and carry her around to the front of her house. Randy knew Mason was about to get another shock. The roar that he heard from around the corner was no surprise to him, but it obviously was to Chip. He knew his brother had just found the photos of her parents hanging outside the kitchen window. He watched Chip bolt and waited until his brother vented his anger. It didn’t take long, and Randy knew without a doubt their woman was about to move house. There was no way in hell she was staying here alone anymore. She was going to live with them until he and his brothers could work out what the hell was going on. He picked up Pip’s purse and keys, which had been strewn on the gravel, then headed around to the front door. The sight of Pippa’s small body trembling in Mason’s arms as his brother cradled her on his lap made the fury build up in Randy all over again. The fact that their woman was being terrorized was inconceivable. Who the hell would do such a thing? Randy walked over to Mason and Pip, cupped her chin with his palm, and studied her face carefully. The sight of her sheet-white face and pinpoint pupils made him want to kill someone. He tamped down his fury and stroked his fingers over her silky, soft cheek. “We need to get her into the shower, Mason. The warm water will help warm her up and stop her shaking. She’s in shock,” Randy stated. “She needs some of her tea first, with lots of sugar,” Chip said, and Randy saw him place a cup of steaming-hot liquid on the table in

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front of Pip. “Pip, you need to drink your tea, sugar. You’re in shock, and the sugar in the tea will help.” Randy saw Mason bend to the side and down a little so he could see Pip’s white face. She was staring at his brothers with a blank expression. He swore under his breath and watched as Mason picked up the mug of tea, cradled the back of Pip’s head, and held the tea to her lips. He gave a sigh of relief as she sipped the hot liquid automatically. His brother kept the mug close and fed her the tea until half the contents of the mug disappeared. Some of the whiteness left her face, and he knew the sugar was doing its job. He waited as Mason placed an arm beneath Pippa’s knees and one behind her shoulders to support her small, delicate body then stood. His brother moved down the hall toward the bathroom, he and Chip close at Mason’s heels. Mason held Pip while he and Chip stripped the clothes from her body. He gestured to Chip to remove his clothes and get in the shower so he could pass Pip over to him. He and Mason watched as Chip held her head cradled against his chest as he went to work with his free hand and washed Pippa’s body. Once his brother had washed her thoroughly, he wrapped a muscular arm around her waist, tipped her head back, and looked down into her still-too-white face. Randy didn’t like the blank look Pip gave Chip. His brother turned the faucets off, picked her small, wet, naked body up, and stepped out of the shower. “Mason, go pack a bag,” Chip commanded. “Was just thinking the same thing,” Randy replied. Mason left the bathroom, leaving Pip in the capable hands of him and his brother. Randy stepped in and enveloped Pip in a large towel. He pulled another towel from the cupboard and wrapped it around her wet head and hair then removed the towel covering her body. He tried to keep his libido under control as he dried Pippa’s curvy little body, but his cock had a mind of its own. He’d gotten hard the moment they had her naked, and his throbbing cock was demanding release. He ignored

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it. He knew his brothers were in the same boat. It was just plain obvious how hard Pip had made Chip. Randy and his brothers had her clean, packed up, and in their vehicle before she could protest. The drive to their house took less than five minutes. They had her sitting on their sofa, a glass of brandy in her hand, before she began to come back to herself. Pip’s hands were shaking so much she could barely raise the glass to her lips. Randy, seeing her dilemma, scooped her up from the sofa, sat down, and placed her in his lap. He took the glass from her nerveless hands and held it to her lips, crooning nonsensical, soothing noises until he had an empty glass in his hand. He placed the tumbler on the side table, wrapped his arms around her tiny body, and held her close. He didn’t speak, just reveled in the feel of her in his arms. Her shaking gradually subsided until she slumped against him, totally boneless. Randy sat with Pip snuggled up on his lap, just content to hold her until she woke up again. Mason and Chip had gone back over to Pip’s house when she first fell asleep, intent on collecting the evidence from the person who had left the sick, fucked-up message for their woman. He knew they would be back soon and get a meal prepared for dinner if Pip hadn’t woken by the time they returned. He was not surprised to hear the sound of Mason’s vehicle stopping in the driveway as he completed that thought. He just hoped Mason and Chip wouldn’t be too noisy and wake Pip from her much-needed nap. He heard the sound of feet coming in the back door just as Pip began to whimper in her sleep. He gently tilted her back over his arm so he could see her face. He noted the dark, smudged skin beneath her eyes and wanted to curse the person who had been the cause of her insomnia and stress. He could see her eyeballs moving rapidly beneath the delicate skin of her eyelids and knew she was in the deep cycle of REM sleep. Randy looked up when Mason and Chip moved over to where he cradled Pip. He knew the look of concern and tenderness on their

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faces was mirrored on his own. The sound of Pippa’s heart-wrenching scream and sobs as she dreamed had all three Sage brothers tensing. He wanted to kill with his bare hands but knew he was going to have to keep his fury under wraps so he and his brothers could tend their woman. Randy pulled Pip in tighter against his body as Mason and Chip sat down on the sofa on either side of them. Randy began to gently rock Pip in a soothing motion, with Mason and Randy smoothing their hands down her back and arms, trying to gently bring her out of her nightmare. It took him and his brothers at least five minutes to get Pip to wake up, and the sight of her struggling with terror and pain was nearly more than he could stand. He sighed in relief when she finally opened her moisture-filled eyes. “Oh God. I’m sorry…” Pip began. “Don’t even think to be sorry for being human, baby. You have nothing to be sorry for,” Mason stated as he rubbed Pip’s back, his palm making soothing circles. Randy pulled Pip into his body as she closed her eyes and snuggled back up against his chest. “What the hell is going on, darlin’?” Chip asked from beside her. “I don’t know. I just don’t know,” Pip said quietly. **** Mason had had enough. He wanted some answers, and he wanted them now. He scooped Pip up from Randy’s lap and hauled her onto his own until she was straddling his thighs, face to chest with him. He placed a hand into her hair and gently tugged so she was looking him in the eye. “I’m not letting you move until you tell me what’s going on, baby. So you may as well start explaining now,” Mason bit out. “But that’s just it. I don’t know what’s going on. Yesterday when I got home from work, I found the photos of my parents hanging from the eaves of the house. I put it down to some of the local kids playing

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some kind of practical joke.” “Fuck, Pip. I should put you over my knee for not calling us when you found that. And I know as well as you, no damn kid would have done something like that. Tell me the rest. Now.” “The phone call I got last night was scary. He said he’d waited a long time for me to come back home and he was going to make me pay for what my parents had done to his family. He said he wanted me and I would beg to die before he was finished with me,” Pip finished on a sob. Mason clenched his jaw, holding in his fury and helplessness at not knowing who was threatening their woman. He slid a hand down to her ass and pulled her until her crotch was aligned with his then wrapped his arms around her body to hold her close. When he was once more in control and not in danger of losing his temper, he released the tight hold he had on her and leaned down until their eyes met. “And then you came home to that horror left on your doorstep this afternoon. I really want to tan your ass right now, baby. I can’t believe you left the safety of our home last night after getting a threatening phone call. I can’t believe you would be so stupid. You need to learn to lean on us, Pip. From now on, you’re staying here. At least that way we’ll know you’re safe,” Mason stated. “No,” Pippa replied, pushing against Mason’s shoulders. “What do you mean, no?” he asked. “I mean no. I am not staying here with you. I am going to go home and live my life the way I see fit. There is no way in hell I’m going to be answering to you, your brothers, or anyone else,” Pip spat out furiously. “I know we can’t make you stay, but we are going to do everything within our power to keep you safe,” Mason said in a quiet, calm voice. “Let me up,” Pip demanded as she continued to push against his shoulders. “I am not going to let some sick asshole run me out of my

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own home. There is no way I am going to move in here. I don’t belong to you, and I don’t belong to your brothers. I am my own person. I don’t belong to anyone.” “Please, Pip. We are only trying to keep you safe, sugar. We want to be with you, Pip, and we can see by the look in your eyes that you have feelings for us, too. You just need time to get used to it,” Chip stated unequivocally from beside her. “I can’t believe you three. What are we, back in the Dark Ages? What gives you the right to tell me what to do? How to live my own life?” Pip hissed from between clenched teeth. “This does,” Mason stated and slammed his mouth down onto hers.

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Chapter Seven Pippa whimpered at the aggressive way Mason brought his lips down on hers. She didn’t want this, didn’t need this complication. She didn’t want her world turned upside down by the Sage brothers. Did she? Yet she couldn’t prevent the moan that escaped from her mouth to be swallowed down into Mason’s as his lips slid over hers. He thrust his tongue between her lips and teeth, tangling it with hers, demanding a response. Then all of a sudden, his aggression changed and his mouth began to coax, rather than demand. Pip knew she was lost. If he had kept the kiss aggressive, she may have had a chance of being able to pull back from him, but now she was so intent on the feelings coursing through her, she didn’t want to stop. Pippa was so lost in the carnality of the kiss, she didn’t even realize Mason had picked her up and was striding down the hallway to the bedroom. He took her down onto the bed, him on his back with Pip lying supine over his big, hard body as he continued to devour her mouth. When she finally became aware of the fact she was laying on top of Mason, she pulled her mouth from his, her breathing ragged as she tried to separate their bodies. “We know you want this as much as we do, Pip. We’ve waited for you long enough and so have you,” he gasped out, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her tight into his body. “Mason, I don’t know if I can do this. Please, try to understand, we have been apart for years. I don’t know you anymore, and you don’t know me.” “Yes, we know you, Pip, and if you’re honest with yourself, you know us, too. We’re not letting you out of sight again. You’re ours,”

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Mason rumbled then gently grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back down to his. She didn’t understand why she was fighting her attraction to them. He moved between aggression and coaxing, drowning her in the heat of desire. And when she felt two other pairs of hands tugging at her clothes, she knew she wanted them to love her and didn’t protest. By the time Mason pulled his mouth from hers, her shirt and bra had been removed from her upper body. Randy and Chip were in the process of pulling her jeans and panties over her feet, leaving her totally naked to their avid gazes. Pippa gasped as her world went topsy-turvy, and she wound up on her back on the bed, Mason’s large body looming over her. “You are so sexy, baby. You try so hard to hold yourself back from the world, but you forget we know you, squirt. We know you are full of the passion you try to hide from yourself,” Mason declared. “You think we don’t know you’re full of fire, don’t ya, sugar? Well, from now on, it’s going to be our pleasure to tap into that passion. You need to listen up, sugar. We have rules, and if you don’t abide by our rules, you will be punished,” Randy avowed firmly. “If you are in danger or are threatened in any way, you will call us. If you don’t, one of us will tan your ass until it’s pink. If you get any more messages left at your home, or any more phone calls and you don’t tell us, we will spank your bottom. If you need help of any kind or just need someone to talk to, you will come to one of us or you will be punished. Do I make myself clear?” Chip bit out. “Fuck you.” Pip whimpered with pleasure at the thought of being spanked. “Oh, we intend to, baby. This is your first and last warning. You won’t be cussing anymore either, because if you do, I will put you over my knee,” Mason pronounced in a steely voice. Pip couldn’t believe they had the audacity to tell her how she would live her life, but she was also afraid they could be right. She did have feelings for them, but she didn’t want to. So she decided not

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to say anything at all. The thought of them spanking her and then making love to her made her so hot. She wanted their mouths and hands touching all over her body. So she stubbornly closed her eyes and kept her lips clamped tightly together. It took all her self-control not to open her eyes when Mason moved up off of her. Then the mattress was dipping on either side of her, and she knew Randy and Chip were right beside her. “Please,” Pip whimpered. “Please what, baby?” Mason asked. “Please touch me?” she sobbed with desperation. Pippa felt large, warm hands smooth up over her shins and thighs. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, hoping they didn’t hear her breathing for control. When she felt a large hand on one of her nipples, pinching it into a taut peak, she couldn’t contain the slight mewling sound. Then a hot, wet mouth was latching onto her other nipple, making goose bumps erupt all over her skin. Teeth gently scraped over the turgid peak, and she couldn’t contain the sob escaping her lips. Pip felt Mason’s hands smooth down over her legs and then back up the inside of her thighs until they were mere inches away from her throbbing pussy. Then his fingers were gently sliding through her dewy, wet folds. His fingers skirted around the small bundle of nerves, the place she ached most to be touched. It took all of her willpower not to arch her body up into his touch and beg him to relieve her ache. She thought she may have dreamed the butterfly-soft touch that finally wisped over her throbbing clit, but then she sobbed out loud as he tapped the pad of his finger onto the small nub, sending her into the stratosphere. She had never experienced the pleasure these three men were bestowing on her until the night nearly three weeks ago. She didn’t know if she would be able to survive any more pleasure, and she knew they had only just begun. They weren’t even naked yet, for goodness’ sake. “Oh yeah, baby. I love it when you come for me. I can’t wait to

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get a taste of that cream flowing from your sexy little cunt,” Mason murmured just before he bent his head. Pip tried to keep her thighs together but was fighting a losing battle. She wanted, needed their touch, but she also wanted them to work for her affection. He wrapped his arms around her legs and pried her thighs up and apart, spreading her wide for his own viewing pleasure. She knew her cheeks must already be tinged pink from her recent orgasm, but to see the heated look in Mason’s eyes when she finally opened hers was beyond her comprehension. The raw hunger she saw as he stared at her pussy made her cheeks burn even brighter. Then she watched as he bent his head down to her wet cunt and licked her from ass to clit. **** Mason growled in the back of his throat at the first taste of their woman’s pussy. He couldn’t get enough of her taste. He wanted her creaming into his mouth. He flicked his tongue over her sensitive clit and relished the way she bucked her hips up into his mouth. He reveled in the knowledge she was offering herself to him. He was totally unaware of anything but the pleasure he was bestowing on her. He set about sending her to the edge of the cliff over and over again, before allowing her to fall over the edge once more. He licked, laved, nibbled, and flicked through her folds and over her protruding little clit again and again. He raised his eyelids to see Chip lean down and devour her mouth with his, while Randy pinched one nipple between his finger and thumb while suckling on the other. When Pip mewled in the back of her throat and arched her body into his touch, Mason’s cock began to throb, begging to be released from the confines of the tight denim. Mason slowly began to penetrate her pussy with the tip of his index finger, all the while sucking and nibbling on her clitoris. When he was in her body up to the second knuckle, he slowly searched out that special magic spot all women had hidden away internally. When he hit on his mark, he growled out his satisfaction

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and placed his free hand low on her abdomen over her pubis. He splayed his fingers wide and gently pushed down on her pubic bone as he slid his digit back and forth, the pad of his index finger massaging the spongy, distended flesh inside her body. He crooked his finger, all the while massaging her sensitive clit with the tip of his tongue. The feel of her internal walls clenching and releasing around his digit was enough to make him want to rip his jeans off his body and plunge his hard cock into her hot, wet core. But he tightened the leash on his own desires as he set about sending her into orbit again. He began to pump his finger in and out of her body, making sure to massage over her sweet spot. When he had her writhing and sobbing out her pleasure, he added another finger, hooked both of them, and increased the pace. It took only a few more strokes until he felt her muscles clamp down on his fingers as he sucked her clit into his mouth. As her body shuddered and convulsed with her orgasm, he moved his mouth down to her opening and slurped her liquid release into his mouth, relishing the taste of her cum as he swallowed it down. He kept his fingers pumping in and out of her cunt, letting her get all the sensations of pleasure she could, until her muscles and body finally went lax upon the bed. Mason slowly sat up on the bed, and he could barely keep control of his heated body when he saw Pip’s red cheeks and heard her harsh breathing. He stood quickly and stripped off his clothing while Randy and Chip kept her occupied. Randy was sipping at her mouth, and Chip was smoothing his hands over her breasts, ribs, and stomach. When Mason was finally naked, he crawled back up onto the bed and leaned over her body until he could reach her mouth. He nudged Randy out of the way, lay down on top of Pip, careful not to put his whole weight on her by leaning on his arms, then kissed her mouth with carnality and hunger. As he concentrated on heating her blood once more, he felt his brothers move off the bed to strip their own clothes from their bodies. Mason and his brothers had every intention of loving their

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woman. They were going to fill all her holes at once, but first they would make sure she was so hot with passion she would be begging them. They had already planned out who was going first and which part of Pippa’s body they intended to love. They were going to have to keep her on the edge and not let her orgasm again until all three of them were comfortably embedded in her body.

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Chapter Eight Randy watched Mason sit on his haunches between Pip’s splayed thighs, slide his hands up beneath her back until he reached her shoulder blades, and lift her up to him. His brother pulled her body in tightly to his, all the while keeping their mouths connected. His brother lay down onto his back on the mattress, taking her with him until she was draped over him like a blanket. He saw Mason make sure his legs were between hers, and when she stopped wriggling, he spread his thighs wide. Randy crawled up onto the bed, a tube of lube in his hand. He coated his fingers with lube, discarded the tube on the bed, and moved in between Mason’s and Pip’s spread legs. He touched the pad of his lubed fingers to the little pucker of her ass and began to massage the sensitive flesh. He watched as Mason clamped his arms around Pip’s waist and held her close. He heard her sob something out to Mason but couldn’t make out what she was saying. She seemed to be totally incoherent. Randy didn’t let up. He kept massaging Pip’s asshole until the muscles of her dark entrance began to relax. He gave a growl of appreciation as he slowly pushed one fingertip into her tight little hole, Mason once more devouring her mouth. He nearly lost his load when Pippa’s muscles clamped down on his finger, his cock pulsing and bobbing with his racing heartbeat. As her muscles relaxed even more, he added another finger, slowly pumping them in and out of her hole until he had them fully embedded in her ass. He spread his fingers wide, withdrew them, and then pushed back in to the hilt once more. He kept up the slow, easy pace, scissoring his fingers until her

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muscles totally relaxed. He withdrew his fingers from her ass, grabbed some more lube, rolled on a prophylactic, and coated his latex-covered cock with a generous amount of gel. He moved in close to Pip again, placed his hands on the soft, fleshy globes of her ass, and spread her cheeks wide. He aligned his cock with her back entrance and began to push his way into her body. Randy groaned as her body enveloped the crown of his cock, her muscles pulsing around his hard, sensitive flesh. He held still, allowing her body to adjust to the penetration, and when she began to wiggle, he couldn’t stop himself from pushing farther into her body. She tried to buck up into him, but with his hands on her hips and Mason’s clamped around her waist she couldn’t.…She was trying to get all of him buried in her ass. “Are you all right, sugar?” Randy asked. “Yes, Randy, fuck me,” Pip yelled. He didn’t stop until he was fully embedded in her ass, but he made sure he hadn’t given her any pain besides what was natural the first time having a cock shoved up her ass. He released her hips just as Mason pulled his arms from around her waist, and then Randy wrapped his own arms around her from behind. He gently laid down onto his back, taking Pip with him so she was lying with her back to his front, his cock still stuck up her ass. Randy heard her sob out a cry of pleasure/pain as his cock gained another inch in her bottom. “Oh my God. What the hell are you doing to me?” “We’re loving you, sugar. Just lay back and relax. You have to keep still so Mason can get his cock into your pretty little cunt,” Randy soothed. **** Pip turned her head from the side, her eyes freezing on Mason’s naked body as he moved up closer to her. She let her eyes peruse the length of his wide, muscular shoulders, bulging biceps, down over his

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pecs and ripped abs until she got to his groin. She knew her mouth gaped open when she saw his large, angry-looking cock but couldn’t seem to pry her eyes away. There was no way in hell that was going to fit in her body. “Don’t worry, baby, it’ll fit. Randy’s bigger and longer than I am, and you had no trouble taking him in that sweet ass of yours,” Mason said and gave her a wicked grin. Pip watched as Mason put on a condom and covered the sheath with lubricant, and then he was kneeling between her spread thighs. She watched as he took hold of the base of his cock and thrust his hips forward until his hard flesh was kissing her hole. She opened her mouth to speak, but the touch of Chip’s hand on her cheek, urging her to turn her head toward him, made her loose her train of thought. She swallowed hard and loudly at the sight that met her eyes. He was much wider and longer than Mason was, and since she already had an inkling of what he wanted from her, she groaned with need. Pippa felt Mason begin to push his large, distended cock into her wet hole and couldn’t prevent the whimper from escaping her throat. He was only half-embedded in her when she felt a twinge of pain. She must have grimaced, because Mason halted his slow forward momentum, cupped her cheek, and turned her face up to his. “Look at me, baby,” Mason commanded and waited until Pip was looking at him. “You’re a virgin, aren’t you, sweetheart?” He didn’t wait for an answer to his rhetorical question. “It might hurt a little, baby, but I’ll try to be as gentle as possible. Let me know if it hurts too much.” Pippa couldn’t have answered if her life had depended on it, so instead she gave a nod of her head and closed her eyes. “No, Pippa. Don’t close your eyes. Keep your eyes on me, baby girl. I need to see your face. God, you’re a sexy little thing. I can feel your cunt gripping my cock, trying to pull me in more. You’ve got a greedy little pussy, Pip, but you’re not getting all of it at once. We are going to take this slow and steady,” Mason panted out.

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Pip moaned as he withdrew a couple of inches. He shuttled his cock in and out of her wet sheath until she felt her internal muscles finally relax. He then withdrew once more and pushed his way into her body, surging forward until he was buried in her body balls-deep. She was thankful when he held still, trying to give her body time to adjust to his penetration. She closed her eyes and savored feeling so full. “Are you okay, darlin’?” Chip asked from beside her. Pippa breathed in and out of her mouth rapidly until the slight pain had faded away to nothing. She turned her head, opened her eyes, and gave Chip a nod of affirmation. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are, Pip?” Chip asked. She saw him reach for two pillows and put them down on the bed beside her. He then lay on his side with his hip resting on top of the pillows, and she wondered what he was doing. He smoothed his fingers down over her cheeks, wiping away the moisture her tears had left behind, and she smiled at him. “We are going to make you feel so good, darlin’. I want you to open that sweet mouth of yours wide for me. I am going to fuck that sexy little mouth. Come on, darlin’, open up,” he said, tapping the head of his cock to the seam of her lips. Pip groaned as she opened her mouth and sucked the head of his dick in through her lips. He grabbed a handful of hair at the back of her head to hold her steady, also supporting her neck as he began to fuck her mouth. He went slow and steady, being careful not to push too hard or too fast, giving her time to get acquainted with his size and taste. Chip eased in and out of her mouth, his hips rocking in a slow, lazy, forward-and-backward motion. She was grateful when he stopped when he had his cock halfway into her mouth, giving her time to taste his flavor and to get used to having her jaw stretched wide. She heard him growl with pleasure when she twirled her tongue around the corona then flicked and laved the sensitive underside of his cock. She sucked and slurped on him, loving the feel and taste of him.

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She held her jaw open as he increased his pace and began to rock in and out of her mouth until the tip of his cock was touching the back of her throat. He held still for a moment and then withdrew from her mouth completely. She sobbed out her frustration and glared at him. Pip felt Mason grasp her by the ribs and pull her up into a sitting position until she was straddling his lap. Randy followed, being careful not to dislodge his cock from her ass. Chip got up on his knees beside them, turned her head toward him, and pushed his cock back into her mouth, past her lips and teeth. Pip felt Mason and Randy begin to move within her body. She felt so stretched and full, hot and wet, as her internal muscles clenched and released around the two cocks easing in and out of her body. She gasped and sobbed, the sound muffled around Chip’s cock. The pleasure from the hard cocks sliding in and out of her pussy and ass was exquisite. She had never felt anything like it in her life. If anyone could die from too much pleasure, it was a wonder she could still breathe. “You look so sexy sucking on Chip’s cock, baby. You’re ours now, and we’re not letting you hide from us anymore. Yeah, that’s it, sweetheart. Grip our cocks with those little muscles of yours. You feel so good, baby,” Mason growled out. Pip whimpered as they all increased the pace of their thrusting hips. Mason and Randy were slamming in and out of her pussy and ass. The sound of their bodies slapping together increased her arousal until she was frantic with it. She was teetering on the edge of climax from the sounds Chip made as he shuttled in and out of her mouth. “I’m gonna come, darlin’. Swallow every drop, Pip. Oh yeah. Oh, oh, ah. Fuck,” Chip roared. Pip cleaned every drop of cum from his cock then slowly withdrew her mouth and smiled with satisfaction as he slumped down onto the mattress beside her. Her attention was drawn away from him a second later. Pip whimpered when Randy pinched her turgid nipples between his fingers and thumbs as he pummeled her ass. Mason slid his hand

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down over her belly until he reached the top of her slit. He slid the pad of his finger down a little more and began to massage her clit. She couldn’t catch her breath, and the sound of their three bodies slapping together as they fucked her was too much. She threw her head back and screamed at the top of her lungs as her body tightened, held on the precipice of something too big for her to comprehend. She tried to fight it off, but they wouldn’t let her. Mason increased the speed of his massaging finger, and then all of a sudden, she was flying. She jetted up into space, stars exploding behind her closed eyelids as her body shook, shuddered, and convulsed. Liquid gushed from her pussy as intense pleasure consumed her body. She couldn’t seem to stop the flow as Mason rapidly massaged her clitoris. She knew she must have wet him, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. She was vaguely aware of Mason and Randy roaring out their own pleasure as her shaking, boneless body slumped down onto Mason’s chest. Then she drifted into a light doze, her body needing to recuperate from something so monumental. Pippa jerked upright as she felt Mason and Randy slip out of her body. She scrambled from the bed. She staggered as her wobbly legs threatened to give out, dashed into the adjoining bathroom, and then slammed and locked the door behind her. She turned on the shower, stepped beneath the hot spray, and sobbed in humiliation. She couldn’t believe she had wet herself and Mason. She had never been so embarrassed in her life. She didn’t think she would be able to face them ever again.

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Chapter Nine “What the fuck is that about?” Randy asked with concern as the bathroom door slammed, and he heard the click as the lock was engaged. “I have no idea, but if she isn’t out here in five minutes, I’ll be breaking the door down to find out,” Mason replied. “Can you believe how responsive our little woman is? And to think she hasn’t let go of all her control yet. She tried to fight you and Randy at the end. She was scared of what you made her feel,” Chip stated. “Yeah, I know. She was fighting not to come, but she didn’t stand a chance when I started massaging that sweet little clit of hers. She came so hard, she sprayed me with her cum,” Mason said with a chuckle. “Shit. That’s what scared her, Mason,” Randy suggested. “What do you mean?” “She was a virgin, for Christ’s sake. She had never been with one man before, let alone three, and you made her squirt. Think about it, man, she probably thinks she wet herself,” Randy bit out. “I don’t know. I made her come like that before we fucked her,” Mason replied. “Yeah, okay, but how much ejaculate came out of her the first time, compared to the second? We know it gets better for a woman every time we make her come like that, but Pip has no idea. I think that’s why she was upset. She’s probably embarrassed and feeling ashamed, thinking she wet herself,” Randy stated. “Well, shit. I hadn’t even thought about it. We are going to have to

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get her out of there so we can talk to her. We need to let her know she didn’t wet herself at all.” “I think we should give her a moment to herself before we go barging in there,” Chip said. “Let her gather herself before you talk to her.” “I would if it was anybody else, Chip. But we all know she is going to use every excuse available to her on why we shouldn’t have a relationship. We don’t want her building up those walls higher than they were. We still have a long way to go at demolishing those walls, getting her comfortable with us. We need to talk to her, and I think we should do it now,” Mason suggested. “Yeah, okay. So who’s going to knock on the door? You or me?” asked Chip. “I’ll do it,” Mason said as he walked toward the door. He knocked and waited. Nothing happened. He knocked louder and waited again. Still nothing. He pounded on the door and knew damn well she could hear him, but she continued to ignore his summons. He put his ear to the panel and listened. When he heard the water still running, he knew Pip would not be near the door. He raised his leg and planted his foot right next to the lock and handle. The door flew open with a satisfying crack then bang as it hit the wall. He put his hand up, caught the door as it swung back toward him, and entered the steamy bathroom. Mason saw Pip’s eyes widen as he walked into the bathroom. She tried to cover her nakedness from his view, but he wasn’t perturbed. He knew she watched from beneath her lashes and could see she had been crying. “Have you finished your shower, baby?” asked Mason. “Yes,” Pip answered quietly. “Good,” Mason replied and opened the door to the shower cubicle. He reached in and turned off the faucets then clasped his hand around her wrist and pulled her from the shower. “What are you doing? Why the hell did you break down the door?” Pip asked.

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“We need to talk, baby. Let me help you dry off so we can sit in the bedroom,” Mason stated. “Why couldn’t you have waited for me to finish?” Pip asked acerbically. “You and I damn well know you would have hidden in here, waiting until we left the bedroom. There is no way in hell I’m letting you hide or run from us, baby,” Mason said with quiet determination. Mason knew Pippa didn’t want to talk and was trying to think up an excuse to refuse. He could see the cogs turning in her mind, but she kept getting distracted, her eyes wandering as she raked them over his naked body. He reached for a towel, and when she held out her hand, expecting him to pass it to her, he did the complete opposite. He could tell by her widened eyes that he had surprised her when he ignored her outstretched hand and began to rub her dry himself. Once he was done, he dropped the towel on the floor, scooped her up into his arms, and carried her back into the bedroom where Chip and Randy were waiting for them. He saw her relief when she saw her clothes, and she dressed. Mason didn’t want Pip feeling at a disadvantage, feeling naked and vulnerable while they talked. He wanted her full attention. Mason pulled on his own jeans, and when they were all dressed, he saw Chip place a hand at Pip’s lower back and guide her over to the bed, pushing lightly on her shoulders until she sat down. “Look at us, darlin’,” Chip demanded. Mason waited patiently for Pip to raise her eyes. When she didn’t immediately comply, Chip looked to him and Randy, asking them for help with the raise of an eyebrow. “Sugar, you can’t hide from us forever, and we will stay here in this bedroom all night if we have to. So I suggest you look at us and listen carefully,” Randy stated. Mason saw Randy walk up closer to Pip and gently raise her head by cupping her chin. The embarrassment he saw in her eyes was nearly his undoing. Mason knew his brothers would be feeling the

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same emotions he was without even having to look at them. They were all so similar in their way of thinking, even if their personalities were different. “When we made love to you, we wanted you to feel the most explosive orgasm a woman could feel. We were determined to give you as much pleasure as we could. I’m sorry if we made you feel ashamed or embarrassed, baby. We should have explained what we were going to do to you before we did it. You did not wet yourself, Pip. A woman can ejaculate similar to a man when she comes. We wanted you to experience so much pleasure we didn’t stop to think about how it would affect you. We should have known better. We’re sorry, Pip. I hope you can forgive us for making you feel humiliated. It was certainly not our intention,” Mason explained. **** Pip didn’t know what to say. She was still embarrassed, but the explanation Mason had given her began to sink in, making her curious, as well. She must have had a puzzled look on her face, because Randy eased his big body down into a squat in front of her, his big hands stroking her thighs in a soothing motion as he looked at her with concern. “How can…I don’t think…Are you sure?” Pip stuttered, her cheeks heating. “Yes, baby. It was such a turn-on, I lost control and ended up climaxing way before I wanted to.” “You did?” Pip asked with astonishment. “Yeah, baby. You did that to me. The feel of your pretty little cunt gushing all over me, your internal muscles gripping and releasing around me, milked the cum right out of my balls,” Mason replied with a shit-eating grin. Pip still looked at them with uncertainty, but she did feel better about the fact that she hadn’t wet herself. She was still a little

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embarrassed, but since the three men standing before her all had lascivious grins on their faces, she decided to take what they said as fact. But when she got home, she would definitely be doing some research on the Internet. She just had to make sure what they said was really true. Then she would be able to look at them without feeling so shy and embarrassed. Pippa stood up and headed toward the bedroom door. She stopped in the kitchen, grabbed her purse and car keys from the counter, and turned to toward the three now-scowling, angry faces of the Sage brothers. “Where do you think you’re going?” Mason bit out. “Home,” Pip answered, backing toward the sliding glass doors off the dining room. “Pip, we don’t want you going back home and putting yourself in jeopardy. Do you think we are going to allow you to put yourself in danger? There is a sicko running around out there, determined to scare the wits out of you at the least. God knows what would happen if he gets his hands on you. We want you to stay here. Please?” Randy asked. “No. I am going home, and there is not a thing you can do about it. Look, it’s probably just some kids trying to get their kicks by scaring me. I won’t let anyone drive me from my home again. I am not staying here. I have too much I have to do. I can’t let you or your brothers dictate how I run my life. If you don’t like that, then you are just going to have to deal with it. You can pick up the truck tomorrow. I’ll leave the keys on top of the rear wheel,” Pip said. She spun around and stormed through the glass doors, slamming it shut. She winced as she heard the glass rattle in the door behind her but didn’t stop until she was in the borrowed vehicle. She moved the seat forward, turned the ignition on, slammed the stick into drive, and planted her foot on the accelerator. She hardly dared to breathe until she was back in her own home with the doors securely locked behind her. She had been expecting one or all of the Sage brothers to stop her

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from leaving. When she had gotten in the truck and was on her way home, she had kept looking in the rearview mirror to see if they were following her. Pippa breathed a sigh of relief as she put the kettle on to boil. She leaned against the kitchen counter while she waited for the water. The last thing she needed was three arrogant, dominating men trying to run her life. She had too much she had to do before she could even think about getting involved in a relationship. So why the hell had she let them make love to her? She had totally lost her mind. She was going to have to be very wary around the three Sage brothers. It seemed they were able to knock down her emotional walls with the slide of their lips over hers. She was going to have to work twice as hard to keep them at arm’s length from now on. The only problem was, she didn’t know if she could do it where those three were concerned. One look from them was enough to have her in a puddle at their feet. Maybe she would just work at avoiding them instead. Pip sighed as she poured the hot water over the chamomile tea bag. She was halfway down the hall when she froze in her tracks. She could have sworn she heard someone knocking on the kitchen window. She was probably just being paranoid. She looked over her shoulder and debated whether she should go back to the kitchen to investigate. No, she’d had enough giving in to fear over the last couple of days. It was just those damn kids trying to scare her again. She walked into her bedroom, headed to the window, and closed the heavy drapes without turning the lights on. She’d taken a quick peek out the window and sighed with relief when she saw nothing. Maybe she was just letting her imagination run away with her. Pip lay in her bed staring at the ceiling well into the early hours of the morning. Every noise and creak sounded like a gunshot echoing throughout the house. Thank God it was Sunday. She would catch up on her sleep during the day if she had to. Her mind wouldn’t let her rest. There was someone in this town who was not happy about her returning home. And even though she was afraid, there was no way in

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hell she was going to let them run her out of her own home. She was here to stay and find out what happened to her parents if it was the last thing she did.

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Chapter Ten Pip whimpered with fear as the noises outside her house got louder and louder. The tapping on the kitchen window had started three nights ago, but she was too afraid to investigate. She wanted to call Mason, Randy, and Chip but knew they would railroad her to stay at their house, and she didn’t want that. She needed time to process the fact she had become a lover to three men, and she still wasn’t sure how to deal with that. She was so tired the dark smudges beneath her eyes were now a permanent fixture, one the makeup concealer could no longer hide. She must have drifted off eventually because she woke up to the blaring of her alarm. She got up, moving sluggishly since she was so tired, and headed for the shower. Pippa hadn’t seen or heard from the three Sage brothers over the last few days. She was glad they had decided to back off. She had too much she wanted to achieve in her career, as well as the continuing investigation into her parents’ murder. She was already beginning to make a name for herself at the paper. She had been promoted and was now in charge of the two crime reporters, and she had only been there for a month. She knew Alex White wasn’t happy about her being promoted above him. She could see it in his eyes. Oh, he was pleasant enough and hadn’t done anything to make her wary of him, but whenever he smiled at her, it was false. The smiles he bestowed on her never quite reached his eyes, and the way he looked at her gave her the creeps. It was like he could see straight through her clothes to her naked body. But since he hadn’t done or said anything untoward to her, there was nothing she could do about the way he looked at her. So she determined to just ignore him as much as possible. She would

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often only relax totally when she sent him out to investigate a story or an accident, which she did as much as possible. And if it was not possible, she made sure she was out and about so she wouldn’t have to listen to him on the other side of the portable cubicle walls separating their desks. Pip gave a sigh as she gathered up her purse and keys. It was Wednesday, thank goodness. She always seemed to find herself in a better mood once hump day was over and done with. She was about to head out to lunch when she heard Nate call out her name. She stopped and waited for him to reach her. “I’m glad I caught you, Philippa. I’ve just had a tip that there is a holdup at a bank in the next town over. I want you and Alex to go over to Germantown to give a report. It seems there are hostages involved.” Pip wasn’t happy about having to go with Alex, but since she had no argument to the contrary, she was going to have to suck it up and put up with Nate’s command. She glanced behind her when she felt the hair on her nape stand on end and saw Alex smiling at Nate, digital camera in hand. He glanced down at Pip then back to Nate once more. “Come on then, we’d better move ass,” Pip stated as she smiled at Nate then headed to the stairs. Pip was glad Alex had volunteered to drive the company van with the newspaper logo plastered on the sides of it. At least she didn’t have to worry about him leering at her the whole time like he would have if she had been driving. She relaxed back in the passenger seat to watch the beautiful countryside pass by. She was thankful Alex had turned on the radio to listen to the news broadcasts updated every quarter of an hour. It gave her time to relax before having to fight through the frenzy of the media once they arrived at the bank holdup site. It took them a little over an hour to arrive in Germantown, and then they had the trouble of finding a place to park. The whole block the bank was in had been cordoned off by the police. Once the van

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was parked, Pip and Alex hurried to the outside of the bank. They couldn’t get as close as they wanted to but had to make do and stand on the outskirts of the police tape with the other members of the media. It had been a while since Pip had been in the thick of things as a reporter. The feel of her heart pounding the blood through her ears, her hands shaking, and a cold sweat breaking out over her body was something she hadn’t really missed. Sometimes the adrenaline and the anxiety of a situation she was to report on was nearly too much to bear. She breathed in and out, counting to three as she tried to control her anxiety. She had just about succeeded when a young woman raced out of the bank doors, sobbing and stumbling, then fell into the arms of a policeman who had run to meet her. Pip wished she could get closer to hear what the woman was saying but knew she didn’t stand a chance. She kept her eyes glued on the woman and the male officer, the sound of the digital camera in Alex’s hands continuously clicking and whirring as he snapped pictures. Pip began to move through the crowd, elbowing her way around the excited frenzy of the media. She got close to the woman released from the bank as the police officer led her over to the waiting paramedics. He helped to seat the young woman on the back edge of ambulance as the medical officer gave her a once-over. Pip took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her anxiety easing to a manageable level. The roaring of the blood in her ears lessened, and she was able to hear what the woman was saying. “Three men, they all have guns. They shot the bank manager in the foot when he refused to open the safe. One of them looks like he has dynamite wrapped around his waist. They let me go to pass on a message. If you don’t let them leave they are going to blow everyone inside up with the dynamite. It looks like a bomb. Oh God, you have to do something. My mom’s in there.” Pippa didn’t hear anymore. Her body was so cold. She had never been so freezing in her life. The shock seemed to permeate her body

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to the depth of her bones. She was shaking uncontrollably, and her vision began to dim. She sucked in a deep breath as spots began to form before her eyes. She stumbled back away from the crowd, not sure where she was going, only knowing she had to get away. Her body felt as if it were separated from her mind. She had no idea how she was moving and knew she probably looked drunk as she stumbled through the crowd. She reached the corner of a walkway, stumbled around, and sank down to the ground. She rested her head back against the brick wall she was leaning on as she tried to control her fear and angst. She closed her eyes and counted as she went through the breathing exercises she had learned from the psychologist she had seen as a young girl. She was totally unaware of her surroundings, and even though she knew as a reporter she was putting herself in danger, she knew she had to keep herself tuned in to her body, concentrating on lowering her rapid heartbeat and her escalated breathing so she could gain control over her panic attack. She was just grateful no one was around to see her fall apart. Pip had no idea how long she sat on the sidewalk but was relieved Alex was too wrapped up taking photos to take any notice of her. Once she had a semblance of control over her wayward body, she picked herself up off the sidewalk and headed back over to Alex. “Where did you go?” Alex asked, glancing her way then back through the camera viewfinder. “I–I got close to the young woman who came stumbling out of the bank. It seems the bank manager has been shot in the foot and one of the perps is rigged with a bomb.” “Shit, that can’t be good,” Alex replied. “No. I heard the woman say her mom is still in the bank,” Pip stated unemotionally. “I’ve heard the FBI and SWAT have been called in.” “I would have thought they would already be here. What the hell took the cops so long to call for help? They have a hostage and bomb situation, for God’s sake,” Pip stated with ire.

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Alex turned to her once more and smiled. He didn’t answer her but just stood staring at her with his evil smile and cold, calculating eyes. He must have seen something in her face and eyes, because he turned away from her quickly without answering and gave a negligible shrug of his shoulders. Pip wanted nothing more than to run back to the safe sanctuary of her childhood home but knew it just wasn’t possible. She and Alex could be here for quite some time. Until the bank siege was over, she was stuck with her strange work colleague. **** Pip and Alex sighed with relief as they walked toward the parked van. It was finally over. Apparently two of the hostages had been detectives and had been waiting for the opportunity to take the perpetrators down. It was a little after midnight when they arrived back at the newspaper offices. Pip was totally exhausted and wanted nothing more than to drive home and crawl into bed. She rolled her tense, tired shoulders and tried to stretch the muscles in her neck as she followed Alex up the stairs to their desks. They had at least a couple of hours of work to get through before they could even think about going home. Nate had left them a text message on their cell phones advising them he had saved the front page for their report on the bank siege. Pip dumped her purse and keys on her desk, turned on her computer, and made her way to the lunch room. She made herself a much-needed cup of coffee, double her usual strength, knowing she would need it to get her through the next couple of hours. She took her steaming cup of coffee back to her desk with her and got to work. Once done, she shut down her computer and left for home. By the time Pip crawled into bed, she was so tired her whole body ached. Her eyes were sore from lack of sleep, and she knew without looking at herself in a mirror they would be bloodshot. She had been

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awake for more than twenty-four hours, and her body was beginning to protest. Her head felt as if it had a thousand drums pounding behind her skull, and she felt the hot pain stabbing into her right eyeball from behind, warning her of the impending migraine. She knew she should get up and get her medication out of her bathroom, but she just didn’t seem to have the energy. She hoped sleep would be enough to counteract the pain of her pounding head. Thank goodness Nate had given her and Alex Thursday off to recuperate. That was her last thought as exhaustion pulled her down to the bliss of slumber.

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Chapter Eleven Pip was aware of the pounding on her front and back doors, but she was in too much pain to see who it was. She had her head buried beneath her pillow, and the only sound she could hear now was the pounding in her head. Her room was in total darkness, but that didn’t stop the lights from flashing behind her closed eyelids, an effect from her migraine, or the drumming in her own skull. She felt sick to her stomach and knew she needed her migraine medication, but the thought of the pain exploding in her brain as she stumbled her way through the house with closed eyes was too much to face. The churning in her stomach was a warning of things to come. She knew losing the contents of her stomach was as inevitable as the sun rising in the east. Her whole body was a mass of aching, throbbing pain. She didn’t usually suffer from migraines often, but when she did, it usually took her a couple of days to recover. She was going to walk around like she had a hangover for up to thirty-six hours after the symptoms of her migraine subsided. But that she could deal with after experiencing such excruciating pain. What puzzled her most was the way her whole body was aching. Migraines usually only affected her head, neck, and shoulders, not her whole body. Pip whimpered as she realized she was going to have to get to the bathroom fast. She shoved the pillow and comforter aside and stumbled quickly from her room and down the hall. Her body was a whole mass of excruciating pain. She could feel herself shaking as she tried to get to the bathroom. A cold sweat broke out over her skin, her head exploding with pain that made her feel dizzy and uncoordinated. She fell to her knees at the edge of the tiled bathroom floor as she lost

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the fight with her stomach then consciousness. **** “Can you hear anything, Randy, Chip?” Mason asked worriedly. He had called the newspaper asking for Pip and found out she had the day off. Her car was parked out back near the steps leading to the deck. “No,” his brothers replied as they came back to stand next to him at Pip’s back door. “I don’t like this. My gut is telling me something’s dreadfully wrong. I think we should break the door down,” Mason stated, looking at his brothers, awaiting their opinion. “Yeah, I don’t like it either. I mean, her car’s here. The light is on in the kitchen even though it’s midmorning. There is no need for the light to be on. The sun’s streaming through the window, lighting up the room. Something is just not right. Break it down, Mason,” Chip commanded. Mason didn’t bother to wait for Randy’s opinion. He lifted his foot, aimed beside the lock on the door, and kicked hard. The sound of wood cracking as the lock gave way under the force of his foot was a relief. He was through the door and searching the house before the door had a chance to bounce back. He knew Randy and Chip were right behind him. “Fuck. Call 9-1-1. We need the paramedics here now,” Chip yelled. Mason ran toward Chip’s voice with Randy at his side. Randy had pulled out his cell phone and was talking to dispatch and asking for the paramedics to be sent. Chip was carefully moving Pip away from the mess on the floor. He laid her on her side as Mason went into the bathroom for some washcloths and towels. The three brothers worked together cleaning their woman up and getting her into a clean shirt and sweatpants. When they had her clean and covered with a blanket,

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they cleaned the mess on the floor. “I want to take a sample from her stomach to be tested. Just to be safe. Get a sealing container from the kitchen, and then we can clean up the rest. I don’t like this one bit. It could be that our woman is just sick, but I want to be safe rather than sorry. I’ve never seen her look so parchment white before, and her breathing is way too fast. Her heartbeat is elevated, and her skin feels hot enough to fry an egg on,” Mason stated. Mason and his brothers kept their eyes on Pip, watching to see if she would be sick again. Mason cussed the paramedics for taking too long but knew it was just out of frustration and concern. Mason sighed in relief as he heard the screech of the paramedics’ siren in the distance. Mason ran out the front door, waiting to direct the paramedics into the house. The hardest thing he had to do was sit back and watch as two strange men assessed their woman. The paramedics kept their opinions to themselves as they did a preliminary medical assessment and then set up a saline drip. He cursed silently when the needle penetrated the back of Pip’s delicate hand and was taped to her skin. The paramedics lifted Pip onto the gurney and guided it out into the front yard then into the back of the van. Mason jumped into the back of the van after the paramedic who would be keeping an eye on his woman, closed the door, and kept out of the medic’s way. He didn’t even flinch when the paramedic stared at him, and Mason knew he was about to be told to get out. He didn’t say a word, just drew his sheriff’s badge from his pocket and held it up. Seconds later, they were flying down the road with sirens blaring. **** Mason was pacing the waiting room in the hospital when Randy and Chip rushed to his side. Instead of letting his brothers bombard him with questions he didn’t have answers to, he held up his hand and

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spoke. “I don’t know anything yet. As far as I know, the doctors are still assessing her. All we can do is wait it out,” Mason stated. He ran the palm of his hand over his face and gave a loud sigh. He wanted to go barging into the emergency room and demand answers but knew it wouldn’t get him anywhere and he would end up pitting the medical staff against him. That was the last thing he needed right now. It seemed as if Pip had been behind those closed doors for hours. Mason turned at the sound of the double doors of the emergency room as a male doctor walked out. “I’m Doctor Scott Preston. Are you with Philippa Grovner?” “Yeah. I’m Sheriff Mason Sage, and these are my brothers and deputies, Randy and Chip,” Mason introduced as he shook the doc’s proffered hand. “Gentlemen, Miss Grovner has ingested poison somehow and is very ill. We think it may have been some sort of rodent poison, but we are still doing tests on the sample you gave to the paramedics, Sheriff. We’ve had to pump her stomach, and she will be on a drip for at least the next twenty-four hours. We need to keep her hydrated, but it’s going to be a while before she shows any sign of recovery. We’ll have her up in the intensive care unit within the next hour or so. She won’t be working for quite a while, so I would appreciate it if you could notify her employers and also any family she has. I would also like a thorough search of her home done, just to be on the safe side. Here is my cell phone number. You can contact me and let me know what you find.” “Thanks, doc. Now, I need you to know I want a guard on Pip around the clock. I don’t know if this was an accident or not, but I’m not willing to take any chances. She’s already had some sicko leaving little messages for her at home,” Mason said. “No problem, Sheriff. As long as the guards don’t interfere with the medical staff, there won’t be a problem. If you have any questions about Miss Grovner’s condition, call me.”

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“Thanks, doc.” The next twenty-four hours were the longest Mason and his brothers had ever lived through. Mason organized for Randy and Chip to take turns keeping vigil in Pip’s hospital room as she lay unconscious, hooked up to drips, heart monitors, and other various medical paraphernalia. Mason was thankful when Saturday arrived. He had arranged for a deputy from an adjoining town to fill in for him and his brothers so they could spend time with Pip in the hospital without having to worry about work. Mason arrived at the hospital with Randy early that Saturday morning to find Chip asleep in the chair beside Pip’s hospital bed, his head and shoulders resting on the bedside with Pippa’s fingers tangled in his hair. Mason moved into the room, Randy behind him, until they stood on the opposite side of the bed from Chip. Mason looked down to see Pip’s gorgeous eyes looking up at him. She smiled, removed her hand from Chip’s hair, and tried to sit up. Mason gently helped her into a sitting position while Randy adjusted the pillows behind her. When Pip sank back down onto the pillows with Mason’s help, he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “How are you feeling, baby?” “A little tired, but other than that, I feel fine.” “You scared the hell out of us, sugar. I think the sight of you collapsed on the floor is going to give me nightmares for months,” Randy stated then leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you all. I should have taken my migraine pills before it got so bad. I won’t be doing that again. As soon as I feel a migraine coming on, I’ll take the damn pills.” “You haven’t seen the doctor yet, have you, darlin’?” Chip rasped out in a sleep-roughened voice. ****

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“No. Why am I in the hospital, anyway?” Pip asked, waiting with trepidation as the three brothers looked at each other. “Baby, you may have had a migraine, but you were also poisoned,” Mason said quietly. Mason was holding her hand in his own hand, offering her comfort. Pip was almost too afraid to ask the questions in her mind. “W–what? Poisoned? Who…how…Shit.” Pip watched the three men surround her, each of them touching her as they tried to keep her calm. “Baby, it’s not safe for you to be living alone right now. We’ve packed up your clothes and taken them to our house,” Mason said quietly. When Mason held up his hand when she would have interrupted, she hesitated. “I don’t want any arguments, Pip. You will do what we say, or I will have to take you into protective custody twenty-four-seven until we’ve caught the cowardly bastard trying to hurt you. From now on, at least one of us will be with you at all times. We will drive you to and from work. We have spoken to your boss, Nate, and he is not going to let you out of his sight either. Until we know what’s going on with this sicko, who they are, why they’re terrorizing you, and we have him in a cell, you will not be able to come and go as you please. We don’t give a shit about how much that is going to piss you off, as long as we know you are safe.” Pip looked from one man to the other. She knew she didn’t have a chance of swaying their minds on this by the gleam of determination in each of their eyes. “Okay.” Pip sighed with acquiescence. “Darlin’, we only want to make sure you’re safe. Now, the doc was in last night and said since all your vital signs were good, you could go home this afternoon. I got Randy to bring you a change of clothes. We’re just waiting on the paperwork to be finalized and to have one of the nurses unhook you from all this stuff.” Chip indicated the medical equipment with a sweep of his hand. “I’ll bet you’re just itching to get out of here, aren’t you, sugar? When you get home, you can have a nice hot bath and just lay around

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resting. You’re not allowed to go back to work next week, and we’ve already notified Nate. He told you to get better and to take as much time as you need. He said you’re not to worry about your job. It will be waiting for you when you’re ready to return to work,” Randy stated. Pip could feel tears pricking at the back of her eyes. She had loved these three men for so long, and now to have them here for her when she needed them most, offering her comfort and help, was nearly her undoing. She lowered her eyes, hoping they hadn’t seen her emotional state, and gave a sigh of relief when a nurse bustled into the room. “Okay, gentlemen, I need you to step outside so I can tend to the patient. The paperwork for Miss Grovner’s release has been completed, and Doctor Preston has said you can take her home as soon as she’s ready. I’ll have her unhooked and dressed in no time,” the nurse stated as she flitted around efficiently, waiting for the men to exit the room. “Now, let’s see about getting you out of here, honey.” Pip was unhooked from the machines in a matter of moments. The nice nurse helped her to dress in jeans, a T-shirt, and a light cardigan. Once done, she opened the door and let the men back in, advising them she would just get a wheelchair for the patient. “Oh, don’t bother, ma’am. I’ll carry her out,” Chip explained as he scooped Pip up from the bed and into his arms, giving the nurse a flirtatious wink. Pip had to bite her lip to consciously stop herself from rolling her eyes in exasperation.

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Chapter Twelve Mason pulled his dual-cab utility truck up close to the front steps of their house. He didn’t want Pip having to walk a long way to the front door if she put up a fight about being carried into their home. But Chip was full of surprises and took the matter into his hands, so to speak. Mason watched as Chip scooped Pip up into his arms, mounted the steps to the wraparound deck that led to the front door, then walked straight down the long hallway toward the bathroom. Since Randy had been holding the door open for Chip, he was right behind them, with Mason following at the rear. Mason entered the large en suite bathroom off the master bedroom just in time to hear Pip’s question echo in the expanse of the room. “What are you doing? I can undress myself, thank you very much,” Pip stated, slapping at Chip’s hands as he tried to remove her clothes. “Pippa.” Mason commanded her attention. “You will let Chip help you undress and bathe. You have just gotten out of the hospital, and as much as we know you value your independence, you will allow Chip to help you. You aren’t up to sparring with us right now, baby. We’ll win in the long run, and you can’t hide your exhaustion from us. We know you too well.” “Look. I know you mean well, but I am perfectly able to bathe myself. I have been doing it for years.” Mason moved up close to her, towering above where she was seated on the rim of the large spa bath, and glared down at her. He crowded into her personal space, making sure his legs connected with her knees.

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“I don’t give a shit about what you have been doing for yourself over the years, little girl. You will not be left alone while you are bathing. Now, just let Chip help you. Randy, come and give me a hand in the kitchen. Breakfast will be ready by the time you’re done,” Mason threw over his shoulder as he exited the bathroom, Randy at his heels. **** “Save me from macho assholes,” Pip muttered under her breath. “What was that, darlin’?” Chip asked, amusement a twinkle in his eyes as he reached for the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head. “Nothing,” Pip replied, glaring at Chip. Pip refused to say another word as Chip stripped her down then helped her into the filling tub. She knew her cheeks were tinged with a red hue of embarrassment, and knowing Chip’s eyes perused her naked body raised her libido. If it wasn’t for the fact she was still too weak, she would jump their bones. When Chip ran a sudsy cloth over her body, she brought her eyes up to meet his. She looked away quickly when she saw the heated hunger in his eyes. When he ran the cloth over her breasts, her nipples became hard, reaching out to the pleasurable sensation. She squeezed her thighs together to relieve the throbbing ache of her clit and weeping pussy. When she gathered her courage to meet Chip’s eyes again, she was thankful to see an expressionless mask on his face. Her muscles relaxed once more as she leaned back against the tub to enjoy being pampered. Her muscles tensed again when the washcloth slid down over her lower belly and the top of her mound. Pip grasped his wrist in her small hand, halting the track of his much larger one. She took the cloth from his hand, gave her most intimate feminine parts a quick wash, then looked him in the eye, her chin thrusting up, daring him to protest.

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“Okay, time to get out, darlin’. Breakfast should be on the table by the time you’re dressed,” Chip said, placing his hands beneath her armpits and hauling her from the tub. Pip let Chip dry her off, and then he began to dress her. She could feel what strength she had waning and knew she didn’t really have the energy to protest. Once she was dressed, Chip lifted her into his arms, heading for the kitchen. He placed her into an empty chair then took the seat beside her. Once they were all seated around the table, the sound of utensils clicking on plates filled in the quiet. Pip picked at her food, not really hungry but knowing she needed to eat so her body could recover from illness. She ate half a piece of toast and a small amount of eggs but couldn’t face touching the greasy bacon. She picked up her coffee cup and wrapped her hands around it, staring into space. The fraught silence in the room penetrated her subconscious, and she finally lifted her head to see three pairs of male eyes staring at her. “What are you thinking about, baby?” Mason asked. “Nothing really. I’m just so tired all of the sudden. My mind has completely shut down. I think I’d like to go and lay down for a while.” “Do you want to lie on the sofa, or would you rather go to bed, sugar?” Randy asked. “I’d rather just lie on the sofa. Maybe I could put a movie on to distract me for a while.” “Sure thing, darlin’. What do you want to watch?” Randy asked. “I don’t know really. I just want to lay and vegetate for a while. I don’t want to think about anything. I’m sure once I’m not feeling so tired, my mind is going to inundate me with thoughts on who wants to harm me, but for now, I just want to rest. “Okay, baby. Come on, I’ll get you settled and put a movie on for you. I need to make a few phone calls after that, but I’ll be back to sit beside you and watch the movie with you,” Mason stated. “You don’t have to treat me like a child, Mason. I’m safe enough

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here in your home. If you and your brothers have things to do, don’t let my presence stop you.” “You mean more to us than anything, baby. You best get used to that right now. You come first. You always have and you always will. Now, come on and let’s pick out a movie,” Mason suggested, helping her from her chair, taking her hand in his, and leading her to the living room. Mason settled Pip onto the sofa, then took a stack of movies from the cupboard and brought them over to her to choose from. Since Pip wasn’t in the mood for thinking too much, she picked an actionpacked, shoot-’em-up guys’ flick. Once the movie was on, Mason leaned down, placed a kiss at her temple, and strolled from the room. Pip could hear Randy and Chip cleaning up the kitchen, the deep rumble of their low voices comforting over the low volume of the movie playing. She snuggled down into the sofa, pulling the blanket up to her chin, and stared unseeingly at the TV screen. Her eyelids became too heavy to keep open, so she gave up the fight and drifted into sleep. Pip was running toward the newspaper offices, her breath rasping painfully in and out of her lungs. She could see her mom and dad standing in one of the second-story windows, a small box in her mom’s hand. Her father leaned over and kissed her mom, then stood back and watched her open the box. The sound of the explosion was so loud the whole ground shook as the bomb detonated. The heat from the fire was nearly too much for her to bear. She felt as if her eyelashes and brows were being singed from her face. She screamed loud and long, the pain and grief of seeing her parents die too much to comprehend. She couldn’t cope with the reality of it. Her knees gave out, and she landed on the ground, her agony acute as she sobbed, screamed, and rocked herself. No matter how hard she tried, she was never fast enough. She’d tried time and again to reach her parents before her mom opened the box containing the bomb, but she was never able to prevent the atrocity of losing her parents, over and

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over again. The sound of her name being yelled penetrated her subconscious, jerking her into an upright position. **** “Pippa, wake up, damn it,” Mason yelled. He had run into the living room as soon as he had heard her first scream. He now sat with her on his lap as she screamed and sobbed, calling for her parents. When she jerked up in his arms, hitting his chin with the top of her head, he knew she was finally out of her interminable nightmare. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight against his body as she sobbed into his chest. He ran his hand up and down her back in a soothing motion. Chip and Randy were standing beside them, worry etched into their features. “Do you want to talk about your nightmare, sugar?” Randy asked, squatting down next to her and rubbing a hand up and down her arm, trying to offer comfort. Pip shuddered into Mason’s chest one last time then lifted her head and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Mason watched as she noticed Randy and Chip for the first time since she had awoken. “No. I’m okay. Sorry.” “Fuck, darlin’. Don’t you dare apologize! You have nothing to be sorry for,” Chip stated. Mason saw Chip run his fingers through his hair in frustration. He could tell Chip wanted to take Pip out of his arms and hold her tight. But he knew the last thing she needed was for it to seem as if they were fighting over her attention, which was far from the case. He wanted to place her in their bed, with him and his brothers surrounding her, offering her comfort and protection. “I think you need to talk about your nightmares, sugar. You’ve kept them bottled up inside you for so long. It’s not healthy to keep so much inside. You’ll end up making yourself ill,” Randy stated.

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“I don’t know if I can talk about it anymore, Randy. I spent the first year after their deaths doing nothing but talking about it. It didn’t help then, and I don’t see how it could do much good now.” “Baby, you can’t keep going on like this. You have dark smudges under your eyes. You’re totally exhausted. You’ve got some sick bastard playing with your mind, and it looks like he’s not going to stop until he gets to you. He’s already managed to poison you. You need help, Pip. You need our protection, but you need us, too. Don’t forget we know you, sweetheart. You may have convinced yourself you don’t need or want help, but we know different. You have to let out whatever it is tormenting you, baby,” Mason stated as he pulled her in tighter to his body. He moved along the sofa until he was sitting in the middle, giving Randy and Chip room to sit down on either side of Pip. When they were all comfortable, he maneuvered Pip on his lap until she was straddling his thighs and they could all see her face. “Tell us about your nightmare, baby.” Mason cupped her chin to prevent her from looking away. Mason stared into Pip’s eyes for an indeterminable amount of time. He heard her take a deep breath, lick her lips, and then she began to talk. **** Pip told them about her recurring nightmare and how she always saw her parents’ death but could never save them in time. “Oh God. Why didn’t I die with them? Why did they have to leave me all alone? Why? Tell me why.” Pip sobbed as she beat on Mason’s chest. She had so much pain stored up inside her. The wrenching pain in her chest as she sobbed in the arms of one of the men she had loved since she was a child was almost more than she could stand. Once she started crying, she couldn’t seem to stop. Her whole body shook as she released years of pain. She slumped against Mason’s body, too tired to hold herself up, the sound of her mournful wailing loud to her

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own ears as her grief was finally expelled after years of suppression. She was aware of nothing around her, nothing except the agony of grief, until she finally fell into a restless sleep as her exhausted body shut down.

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Chapter Thirteen Pip felt as if her body were wrapped in an electric blanket when she woke surrounded by heat. It was dark, and the total silence of the house seemed to echo loudly. She shifted slightly, her body brushing against two warm, hard male forms. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness surrounding her but didn’t really need to see to know Mason and Randy were in bed on either side of her. She stretched her body cautiously and lifted her head from the pillow it was resting on to see Chip at the end of the bed. He was leaning on the palm of his hand, his arm bent at the elbow, resting on the mattress watching her. “Are you all right, darlin’?” Chip asked, his voice rough from sleep. “Yeah, just a bit thirsty. What time is it?” “It’s just past three. Stay where you are, darlin’. I’ll get you a drink,” he said quietly as he climbed from the bed. “No, that’s okay. I’ll get it. Why don’t you try and go back to sleep. I didn’t want to disturb any of you. And since I feel like I’ve slept for hours, I don’t think I’ll be getting any more sleep tonight.” Pushing the comforter out of her way, she crawled over the top of it and down the length of the bed. Chip stood, ready for her, his arm outstretched, offering to help her from the bed. She took his hand, and once her feet were on the floor, she slipped a robe on and followed Chip from the room. Chip indicated for Pip to take a seat as he got her a glass of water then filled the kettle and put it on. Pip watched Chip make their hot drinks then head over to the dining table to sit down next to her. His bare chest was such a distraction. She couldn’t prevent her eyes from

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wandering over his rippling pectorals and abs as he moved. All of the three Sage brothers were handsome in their own right, and they all had bodies any woman would have trouble not ogling. Pip felt her clit begin to ache and her pussy muscles clench. She slid her eyes up over his lower abdomen, chest, arms, and shoulders until her eyes met his heated stare. She quickly lowered her eyes to her mug and wrapped her hands around it for something to occupy herself with. “You look better, Pip. Those dark smudges beneath your eyes are beginning to dissipate, the color in your cheeks is better, and you don’t look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders anymore. Do you want to talk about what’s been going on in that hard head of yours?” “No, thanks anyway. I think I’m all talked out at the moment. But you’re right. I do feel a lot better,” she said and looked up to see Mason entering the kitchen and Randy following. “You’ve got to stop keeping things bottled up, baby,” Mason stated as he walked into the room. “It’s not good for your health to live like that. I want you to come to one or all of us if you have a problem, Pip. We’re here for you whenever you need us.” “I know. I don’t mean to keep things inside. It’s just…I didn’t feel I could really talk to my aunt. She had enough on her plate looking after a teenager, let alone trying to help deal with my problems. She did try, though. She sent me to counseling. I think it just became a habit over the years, to keep things to myself.” “Well, let’s try and change that habit to sharing with people who care about you, sugar,” Randy said as he walked over to the kettle and made himself a cup of coffee. He sat at the table across from Pip, scrutinizing her as he sipped his coffee. “Look, I know you guys mean well, but I’m not the type of person to air my emotions to all and sundry,” Pip replied. “That’s not what we’re asking of you, sugar,” Randy replied, giving her a hard stare. “You have been hiding your true nature from yourself and

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everyone around you for far too long, baby. We grew up with you, Pip. You are such a passionate woman. Why are you trying to hide that?” Mason asked. “I am not the same child you knew. I’ve matured, grown up since you knew me. How can you sit there and judge me? I am who I am, and if you don’t like that, too bad. I think I should just get my things and go back home,” Pip shot out. Rising from her seat, she headed down the hall to the master bedroom. She heard the scrape of chairs then footsteps as the three men followed her down the hall. Pip had just grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt to pull on but ended up giving a squeak of surprise as a warm, steel band wrapped around her waist. She let out an “oomph” when she landed on the bed, Mason following her down and pinning her to the mattress with his big, muscular body. “You can leave if you really want to, Pip, but if you stay here, you abide by our rules. From now on, you will follow all our rules or we’ll punish you. We haven’t started on keeping you to our rules yet, because we didn’t want to hurt you emotionally. All bets are off now, baby. You are being warned. We’re not letting you hide your true nature from yourself or us anymore. We’ve waited years for you, Pip. You’d better get used to having us beside you. We can’t let you go again, baby,” Mason stated, staring into her eyes. Then he leaned forward and took her mouth with his own. Pip tried to keep her mouth closed against the onslaught of Mason’s lips. She was succeeding until she felt his tongue skim across the seam of her lips, asking, coaxing her into letting herself go and responding. She couldn’t fight them off anymore. She’d loved them for so long, and she didn’t want to fight her feelings a moment longer. She gave a low moan and opened her lips to Mason’s questing, delving tongue as she clung to his hard, muscular, broad shoulders. She was vaguely aware of the bed dipping on either side of her, and she knew Randy and Chip were on the bed with her and Mason. Pip moaned as Mason tangled his tongue with hers before drawing

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hers into his mouth so he could suckle on her wayward muscle. She arched her chest up into Mason, wanting, needing to feel the heat of his naked chest against her own. She groaned with frustration as her cloth-covered nipples came into contact with his chest. She wanted to feel her naked skin touching, sliding over his warm flesh. She pulled her tongue from Mason’s mouth, intent on removing her body from against his so she could take off the robe, T-shirt, and panties covering her skin, but Mason wouldn’t release her mouth from his. He grasped a handful of her hair at her nape and moved forward as she moved back, until his whole body was blanketing hers. Then she was drowning in sensation after sensation. Pippa mewled in the back of her throat as Mason nipped and licked over her lips, only to once again plunge his tongue into the depths of her mouth. Pip felt as if her whole body was about to combust. Fire was licking its way from her mouth down over her chest and torso, where it pooled with liquid heat in her lower abdomen. She couldn’t get close enough to him but was now too intent on the pleasure being bestowed on her to stop. She opened her eyes and moaned with frustration as Mason pulled his mouth then body back away from hers. She nearly climaxed at the sight that met her eyes, and none of her men had even penetrated body yet. Randy and Chip were lying totally naked on either side of her, and what made her shiver even more was the sight of them both stroking their cocks as they looked at her, the heat of their stares making her squirm. She could see drops of clear pre-cum on the tips of Randy’s and Chip’s cocks, making her want to taste their elemental essences. She sat up and maneuvered into a better position so she could take one cock then the other into her mouth but was stopped by two large, gentle hands against her waist. Pip looked up into Mason’s heated stare as he untied the knot in the borrowed robe and pulled it from her body. Once that was done, the three sets of hands were quick and deft at removing the rest of her clothes. Even though they had seen her naked before, she felt more

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vulnerable this time around. It was as if by stripping her clothes away, they were also stripping away the walls of protectiveness she had installed around her heart over the years. She tried to move an arm across her chest and the other down to her pussy so she could conceal her most private places from their penetrating stares. She didn’t get the chance. Randy and Chip each wrapped their hands around her wrists and gently pushed on her shoulders. She was once more lying down on the bed. They stretched her arms up beside and above her head where they held her, gently manacled. “Don’t ever hide yourself from us, baby. If you keep that up, I might just have to get my handcuffs out,” Mason rumbled out, crawling back onto the bed. He spread her legs gently apart until he could sit between her splayed thighs. He ran his hands up and down the inside of her legs, starting from her ankles, slowly working his way up the inside. Pip couldn’t help the moan or instinctive reaction of thrusting her hips up, hoping to gain the contact of his hand on her pussy. Her whole body was one large pool of liquid, molten lava, and she knew the three men on the bed with her were the only ones who could put out that fire. She whimpered with frustration because Randy and Chip were using the tips of their fingers to massage her breasts, moving in slowly in smaller, concentric circles but not touching her throbbing, jutting nipples. Her whole body was taut with need, the need to be touched, tasted, and petted until nothing else existed except the pleasure being bestowed on her. Pip couldn’t help the scream of pleasure as Randy and Chip finally thumbed her nipples. The feel of the slightly abrasive skin on their thumbs scraping over her sensitive, engorged nipples was enough to send her into the throes of a mini orgasm. Her hips bucked up and her chest thrust forward as her pussy muscles clenched and released, begging to be filled and taken over and over again. “Fuck yeah,” Randy growled. “See how passionate you are, baby? You can’t hide from us

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anymore. We’re not letting up until you give us what we want,” Mason declared in a deep, husky cadence. Pip opened her eyes at the sound of Mason’s voice, but for the life of her, she couldn’t make out what he was saying. Her body was taking over, shutting her mind down, and every word the three Sage brothers spoke seemed totally incoherent to her ears. She watched Mason move up between her thighs until he was leaning over her, bracketing her with his large, muscular body. He leaned down, taking her mouth with a kiss so carnal it superseded anything she had experienced previously. He literally ate at her mouth, their teeth clashing and noses bumping as he turned his head this way and that, tangling his tongue with hers, sucking her full lower lip into his mouth, nipping on it then plunging his tongue in again. Mason’s cock nudged the entrance to her cunt, and Pip sobbed and bucked her hips up to get his hot steel rod to penetrate her body. But it seemed he was determined to torment her first. He pulled his mouth from hers, held her gaze for an interminable moment, and then thrust his hips forward in one powerful surge. Pippa screamed as the forceful intrusion of his cock sent electric currents of never-ending pleasure throughout her body, her nervous system going off like a rocket, sending her into the stratosphere of orgasmic bliss. Pip slowly came back down to earth, realizing Mason was not moving as her cunt muscles slowly ebbed back to a more relaxed state. She tried to move her hips up, wanting to feel the pleasure only he could give her, but Mason slowly eased back until he was sitting between her thighs, his cock still embedded to the hilt. “You don’t control the pleasure we give you, baby. In the bedroom, you do what we want you to do, not the other way around,” Mason rasped out, his voice rough with desire. Pip saw him glance at his brothers. He must have given them some unspoken command, because she found herself being moved up into a sitting position. Three sets of male hands maneuvered her as if she was as light as a feather, until she found herself sitting astride

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Mason’s thighs, his cock so deep inside her body she could feel it nudging her cervix. Mason pulled Pip in tight against his body, her nipples rasping against his skin, sending tingles of pleasure straight down to her achy pussy. She tried to wiggle, needing to feel the pleasurable friction of his cock sliding along the internal walls of her vagina, but Mason stopped her by grasping hold of her hips and holding her firmly. Pip screeched with shock as she felt moist heat slide over the sensitive nerves of her anus and whipped around to see Chip’s head down at her ass. “What are you doing?” she asked, shocked that anyone would want to do what Chip was doing. “Does it feel good, darlin’? Do you like the feel of my tongue running over your pretty little asshole?” Chip asked before going back to his task. “You shouldn’t be doing that. It’s not right,” Pip panted out. Even though she loved the feel of his tongue on her sensitive ass, she couldn’t get her head around the action being a bit dirty. “We only want to give you pleasure, sugar. Nothing is more pleasurable than having your ass played with. What we do isn’t wrong, Pip. If we want to do something and you like it, what’s the problem? We’re all consenting adults, sugar. What we do is no one else’s business. Just sit back and enjoy, Pip,” Randy said, then leaned in and took her mouth ravenously. Pip was still a little uncertain about what Chip was doing to her back entrance, but the pleasure was so unimaginable, she didn’t think she wanted to protest again. By the time Randy weaned his mouth from hers, she felt as if she was on the verge of another climax. She couldn’t believe how sensitive her ass was, and she actually whimpered with protestation when Chip pulled away from her back hole. “A little cold, darlin’,” Chip warned then massaged two lubecovered fingers over the skin of her little pucker.

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Pip couldn’t help the jolt of her hips as Chip began to push first one lubed finger, then the other, into the channel of her ass. The small pinching, burning pain only seemed to enhance her arousal, making her groan in the back of her throat as he slowly pumped his fingers in and out of her anus. She felt the burning sensation intensify as he spread his fingers apart, stretching her flesh and muscles. “Fuck, she’s tight, and you only have your fingers in her ass. It’s gonna take all of my control to stop from shooting off when you work your way into her ass,” Mason said, his voice a lower timbre than usual. “I want you to breathe in and out a few times, darlin’. When I start to push in, I want you to push out. Tell me if it’s too much and I’ll stop,” Chip stated, moving in close to Pip. Pip mewled when Chip’s blunt cockhead pushed into her ass. The burn she’d felt when he pushed his fingers up her ass was nothing compared to the pinching burn of him pushing his cock into her back entrance. She could literally feel the flesh and muscles of her anus stretching wide to accommodate Chip’s thick steel rod. She didn’t think she was going to be able to take him in and was about to ask him to stop when Randy moved in close to her side. “Take a few deep breaths, sugar. That’s it. In and out, good girl. Now, use those muscles and push out. You’re so sexy, Pip. I can’t wait to have those lips wrapped around my cock while Chip and Mason fuck your ass and cunt. You are going to come so good, Pip, and when we’re done, we are going to get cleaned up and start all over again. We are each going to take turns in every pretty little orifice your body has to offer. I can’t wait to fuck that pretty little pussy. We are gonna make sure you scream over and over again, sugar,” Randy whispered in Pip’s ear. Pip didn’t bother trying to retaliate. She was already in nirvana, with Chip finally buried balls-deep in her ass and Mason likewise in her pussy. Her muscles were spasmodically clenching and releasing around the two cocks in her body, making her want to scream at them

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to move. She opened her mouth to do just that, but Randy turned her head and shoved the crown of his dick into her mouth. She mumbled around the tasty, hot flesh then mewled with delight at his unique flavor. She closed her lips around his hot, hard flesh, laving the underside with her tongue then sliding it over the weeping eye, tasting his salty essence. She wrapped her lips around his flesh once more, hollowed her cheeks, and sucked him down to the back of her throat. “Ah, fuck yeah, sugar. Just like that. Slide those lips, cheeks, and tongue along my cock. God, yeah, Pip. Your mouth is so good, sugar.” Randy panted, his hips rocking in a slight forward-and-backward motion. Just as Pip got into a rhythm both she and Randy were happy with, she faltered a little as Mason withdrew his cock to the entrance of her cunt then surged back into her depths. As Mason thrust forward, Chip pulled back to the entrance of her ass, making her moan as pleasure slid along every nerve ending in her body. The two men in her pussy and ass picked up the pace of their pumping hips in slow increments, until the sound of their flesh slapping against hers echoed throughout the room, enhancing her pleasure. Pip kept her head bobbing up and down, sliding her warm, wet mouth over Randy’s cock in time with the thrusting rhythm of his brothers. Saliva was pooling in her mouth, and Pip knew if she didn’t swallow she would end up with drool running down her chin. She swallowed just as Randy’s cock hit the back of her throat, making him roar with pleasure. “Yeah, Pip. Swallow on my cock. That feels fucking fantastic. Do it again, sugar,” Randy commanded gently. Pip was beyond thinking as the nerves connected to her pleasure center sent electrical pulses up and down her whole body. She obeyed Randy’s request, making sure she swallowed around the tip of his cock every time he touched the back of her throat. She could feel liquid dripping out of her pussy, the muscles gaining momentum as they coiled tighter and tighter, ready to snap with pleasure overload.

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The buildup was even stronger than the last time she’d had sex with these three men, the intensity of it scaring the hell out of her. The sound of Randy roaring out his release was enough to give her something else to focus on. She felt his cock expand in her mouth, and then he was shooting his load down the back of her throat. She swallowed fast and continuously, making sure she took every last drop of his cum down her throat. She didn’t relent until Randy pulled his cock from her mouth and collapsed on the bed beside her, his breath rasping heavily in and out of his lungs. “Randy, she’s fighting it. Help her over, man,” Mason gasped. Pip heard what Mason said but was too busy concentrating on fighting the feeling of the tsunamic pleasure gathering in her taut body. Her muscles were quivering in her efforts to stave off the feeling too big for her to comprehend, making her whole body shake. She felt Randy sit up and move in close to her side then slide his hand down over her lower abdomen between her and Mason. He gathered some of the juices leaking copiously from her body, being careful not to touch his brother, then slid his finger up to her clit. She tried to grasp his hand and pull it away, but Chip was having none of that. “No fucking way, darlin’. Let go, damn you,” Chip yelled, punctuating his demand with a hard thrust of his hips. Pip knew she was lost. The feel of Randy massaging then pinching her clit was enough to tip her over the edge. Her body snapped taut, the muscles of her cunt and ass clamping down hard on the two cocks buried in her. She screamed long and loud, her whole body convulsing as wave after wave of pleasure sent her shooting to the stars. Her vision dimmed, pinpricks of black spots forming before her eyes, her pussy convulsing and gushing as she climaxed. She was vaguely aware of Mason and Chip roaring with their own releases as she slumped against Mason’s chest then into oblivion, and she knew no more. Pip came to as she was eased into the large spa bath adjoining the master bedroom. Her body was so lax, she felt as if she been ripped

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apart and put back together. She opened her eyes to see Randy staring down at her as she lay supine over his lap. She turned her head to find Mason and Chip sitting in the large bath across from her. She quickly looked away, feeling more vulnerable and exposed than she had ever felt in her entire life. “Why, baby? Why are you trying to fight us?” Mason asked, leaning forward and grasping her chin gently so she couldn’t look away. “Fight what? This is just sex. There is nothing to fight,” replied Pip. “That’s just fucking bullshit, baby, and you know it. This has never been about just sex. Why are you trying to hide your feelings from us, as well as yourself? We’re not going to let you go, baby. So you may as well give up,” Mason stated. He moved in quickly, grasping her around the waist and pulling her astride his lap. “You love us, baby. You have loved us since you were a little girl. Why are you fighting that?” “I don’t love…Let me go, Mason. I need to go home. There are things I need to do,” Pip stuttered out. “What things do you need to do, Pip? We’re not letting you go until you answer satisfactorily,” Mason stated, wrapping his arms around her waist, bringing her up tight against his body. “Just things,” Pip replied. “I love you, Pip. I never thought I’d be able to say that to you, baby. When you left, it was like you ripped out a piece of my heart and took it with you. It was the same for Randy and Chip. How can you say we only have sex between us, now? We can see the love you have for us in your eyes every time you look at us, baby. Why do you want to hide the way you feel from us, but most especially yourself? Why, Pippa?” Mason asked, his voice rough with emotion. Mason tilted his head back to look deep into her eyes, letting her see all the love he had for her. “I can’t, Mason. Don’t you understand? Every person I have ever

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loved has left me. I don’t think I can stand to go through that again. It would kill me if something happened to any of you. I can’t let you matter to me beyond what we have. Sex is all it can ever be between us.” Pip sobbed and felt tears streaming down her cheeks. “You’re wrong, sugar. We already have so much more than sex. You just don’t want to admit it, but that’s all right. We know how much you love us, even if you can’t say the words. I love you, Pip. I have loved you since we were all kids,” Randy stated, placing a kiss on her temple. “I love you, too, darlin’. We’ll wait for you to say the words back to us. We don’t need to hear them when we can already see them in your eyes,” Chip said, kissing her shoulder. Pip didn’t know what to say, so she buried her face against Mason’s chest, luxuriating in the scent and feel of the men she loved surrounding her. She was going to make sure she remembered every single thing they did together. Every word, touch, taste, and sound was a precious memory she would have in the reserve of her mind. Something she would be able to take out and that would give her comfort when all was lost. She knew deep down she was in serious trouble. Someone was stalking her, intent on killing her, and she didn’t want to be the cause of heartache if the sick bastard after her succeeded. In her illogical emotional state, she had convinced herself the three men she loved with her whole heart wouldn’t hurt as much if she didn’t reciprocate those three little words.

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Chapter Fourteen Pip spent most of the next couple of days on the sofa in the living room, watching movies and napping. The brothers took turns staying home with her. She knew she needed a babysitter and was glad they were being so diligent in their protection of her. No one knew she was at their house, so there was no way the bastard after her could get to her. She felt so safe. Pip knew something was going on, because if the men were talking and she entered the room, all conversation would abruptly cease. One or all of them would help her get whatever she needed then lead her back to the living room. Her investigative instincts were on high alert, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get any information out of them. Pip had been at the house for five days now and was beginning to get restless. Her body had recuperated from being poisoned, and she was getting cabin fever. She was itching to get back to work and had every intention of informing her men that night at dinner. She glanced at the clock and realized it was later than she thought. She got up from the sofa and headed for the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. She was rummaging through the refrigerator and didn’t hear Chip enter the kitchen. She gave a squeal and jumped when a slap landed on her ass. “Whatcha doing, darlin’?” Chip asked, moving back to give her room to turn and face him. “I’m looking to see what to prepare for dinner. Why?” “No reason. I just couldn’t resist giving that sweet little ass a tap,” Chip replied, waggling his eyebrows lasciviously.

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Pip rolled her eyes and bent back to the fridge. “What time do you think Randy and Mason will be home? I don’t want to prepare dinner too early and have it dry out.” “What are you thinkin’ of making, darlin’?” “Hm, I thought we could have burritos tonight. I know how you guys love your Mexican food.” “Oh, darlin’, we’d be your slaves for life if you made us Mexican food regularly. If you’d like, I can give Mason a call to find out.” “Please.” Chip dug into his pocket, pulled out his cell phone, and pressed speed dial. Pip watched the expression on Chip’s face change from lighthearted and sexy to dark and grim. She wondered what was being said on the other end, because as of yet, Chip hadn’t spoken a word. The more he listened, the darker the expression on his face got. Pip began to feel nervous and more than a little apprehensive. She knew something was terribly wrong. “I’m on it,” Chip stated then ended the call. “Get some clothes packed, darlin’. We’re heading out of here for a while.” “What? What the hell is going on, Chip? I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s happening,” Pip stated, folding her arms belligerently over her chest as she stared him down. “We have to get going now, Pip. I’ll tell you on the way. Now get your ass into that room and pack, or I’ll do it for you. And I don’t give a shit what I pack, just as long as you have clothes covering that sexy little body so no one else can see it.” Pip took in the resoluteness of Chip’s body language and knew she wouldn’t win this fight. She turned on her heels and stomped from the room. Pip was used to packing in a hurry and was thankful she didn’t really have to concentrate on what she was packing. Five minutes later, she hauled her large travel bag down the hall into the kitchen. Chip was just entering from the other side. He gave her a quick once-over, took her bag from her hand, and headed toward the

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back door. He stopped before opening the door, turning toward her. “Stay here, I’ll be back for you in a couple of seconds, darlin’.” Pip stood near the closed back door waiting for Chip to come back for her. The couple of seconds turned into minutes. She bit on her lower lip, her agitation increasing with every second she awaited Chip’s return. She was just about at the end of her tether and was trying to decide whether to go outside instead of waiting when she heard footsteps on the deck. She flung the door open, about to give Chip a mouthful for having worried her, but froze with her mouth open as she faced Alex White. “Hi, Alex, what are you doing here?” Pip asked, backing away from the door. There was still something about him that gave her the creeps. She was about to slam the door closed as Alex’s expression changed from congenial to furious. Alex dove for the door, pushing his way through the entry and knocking Pip to the floor with his forward momentum. She hit the floor hard, her head connecting with the hard surface making her see stars. She panted as she scrabbled along, trying to put as much distance between her and Alex as possible. She wasn’t fast enough. Alex grabbed her by the hair and hauled her to her feet, dragging her out the back door. Pip swung at him with her fists, hitting anywhere she could, trying to get away from him, but her efforts didn’t seem to slow him down any. “Alex, what the hell are you doing?” Pip screamed, digging her heels into the dirt. She grasped his wrist and dug her nails into his skin, trying to make him release her. When that didn’t work, she surged forward until she was level with him, pushed one of her legs between his, and tripped him. She went down with Alex, his grip on her hair firm. She ended up on her back in the dirt, and Alex’s large body slammed into her much smaller one, pushing all the air from her lungs as one of his shoulders hit her solar plexus. The pain was tolerable, but not being able to draw a breath of air into her lungs was not. Tears ran down her cheeks, and if she didn’t know she was

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winded, she would have sworn she was about to die. Finally, her organs relented and she was able to take great gulping gasps of air to fill her depleted lungs. Alex moved off Pip and hauled her to her feet by her hair once more. The look in his eyes made her shiver in fear. His face was full of fury as he stared at her with pure malevolence. “You are going to pay for what your family did to my parents, you little bitch. If it wasn’t for you and your parents, mine would still be alive. I can’t let you get away with what you did to my family,” Alex screamed at her, spittle flying from his mouth in his insanity. “What the hell are you talking about, Alex? I don’t even know your parents. What have you done to Chip?” Pip asked, her eyes scanning the yard for her man. “Oh, don’t you worry about him. He won’t be helping you out anytime soon,” Alex replied with a sinister laugh. “Your parents killed mine. You have to pay for what they did to my family.” “Alex, that’s not true. My parents would never hurt anyone.” “That’s what you think. God, you are so naive. Your father had my father arrested. He was heading to jail, and he knew he wouldn’t get out for five long years and snapped. So do you know what he did? He came home, and strangled my mother until she was dead. He was sentenced to life in prison, but he was murdered in his cell the first week he was incarcerated. I was fifteen years old. The rumors around town about my father stealing money from your father’s precious newspaper were more than he could stand. Your father had my father charged with embezzlement. So instead of fighting your father for impugning his character, my father killed my mother and he was killed in prison.” Alex laughed without humor. “But I had the last laugh. Oh, yes I did. It was your father’s fault I ended up in foster care. Do you know what it’s like to be beaten and raped just because you exist? No, I bet you don’t. Well, I do. If it hadn’t been for your precious father, my parents would still be alive.” “Wh–what do you mean you had the last laugh?” Pip asked

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uncertainly, dreading the answer to her question. “I studied for days before I could put my plan into action. It was so easy. Do you know how much information you can find on the Internet? Well, that’s what I did. I looked up how to make a bomb using everyday items so I wouldn’t create any suspicion. I made sure I used gloves and always wore a hat so none of my DNA could be found. I sent your parents a little package in the mail,” Alex said. He laughed diabolically then continued with his explanation. “You should have seen the explosion. It was like the Fourth of July. It was a sight to behold.” “Oh my God. You killed my parents? How could you do such a thing? You were only a kid. How could you have even thought about killing someone, let alone going ahead and doing it?” Pip asked, totally beyond bewilderment. “How can you ask me that? It was because of your father my whole life changed. I was left with nothing. Sent to a foster home and raped over and over again. All because of your precious father. Well, you need to pay for the sins of your father. I can’t let you get away with living after what your family did to mine.” “Alex, I had nothing to do with any of this. I had no idea what had even happened. I was a child, for God’s sake. How can you blame me for something I knew nothing about? Maybe you should look into what your father did. Did you ever stop and think that what happened was all your father’s fault? If he hadn’t embezzled funds from the newspaper, this would never have happened,” Pip stated, her eyes still frantically searching for any sign of Chip. She squinted into the twilight sunshine when she caught movement near the large garden shed from the corner of her eye. She had to find a way to get away from Alex. He was totally deranged. Not that she blamed him after everything he had been through, but she wasn’t going to let him hurt her, let alone the men she loved with her whole heart, for something she’d had no control over. She wished now, when the situation she was in was so dire, she had told her men she loved them, too. She was

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glad that they knew how she felt without her ever having said the words, but she wanted the opportunity to tell them face-to-face. God, why had she been so stubborn and illogical? She should have told them she loved them as soon as they were back in her life. Hindsight was such a wonderful thing. Especially when you didn’t know the outcome. The unexpected blow that landed across Pip’s cheek made her ears ring. She stumbled to the ground, landing heavily on her knees. She kept her head down, using her hair as a shield as she scanned the area. She caught a glimpse of Chip’s head as he ducked back around the corner of the shed and out of sight. She had glimpsed a line of blood streaming from his temple and down over his cheek. She felt anger rising in her body, directed toward Alex for hurting one of the men she loved. Alex yanked on her hair, pulling her to her feet yet again. The pain at her scalp made her furious, and she built up on that emotion until she was so angry she was shaking with it. As she regained her footing, she spread her legs shoulder-width apart and bent her knees, relaxing her stance in preparation. Pip watched Alex from beneath her lowered eyelashes. He drew his arm back, the muscles in his shoulder bunching, his hand forming a fist as he prepared to knock her senseless. His blow never landed. As his arm began its forward motion, Pip drew her knee up and slammed as hard as she could into Alex’s groin. He released her hair, bending over with pain. Pip raised her arms, clasped her hands into his hair on either side of his head, and using his own motion against him, she raised her leg and slammed his face and head into her knee. The sound of bone crunching as she connected with Alex’s face made her stomach roil in protest. She let go of his hair, did a quick side step, and watched as Alex dropped surreally to the ground, totally motionless. She took a couple more steps away from Alex, leaned over, and retched. Pip finally realized Chip was behind her, holding her up, trying to soothe her until her stomach finally settled. She didn’t realize how

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hard she was shaking until her body was up against Chip’s stable frame. He wrapped his arms around her, turned her into his body, and held on to her tight. “It’s all right, darlin’. It’s all over now. He can’t hurt you again, Pip,” Chip said, running a soothing hand over her hair and then down her back. She had no idea how long she had stood in Chip’s arms, but she knew it had to have been quite a while. The sound of a siren in the distance seemed to echo in the now-dark, clear night.

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Chapter Fifteen “We have to tie him up, Chip. Please, help me. I can’t let him hurt anyone. I love you too much to let him hurt you or your brothers. Where are your handcuffs? Give them to me and I’ll put them on him. Oh God. He killed my parents. Can you believe that? A fifteen-yearold, insane boy killed my parents. All because his dad got caught embezzling money from the newspaper. Alex blamed my dad for his father killing his mother and his murder while in prison. How could he blame me? I was only a kid. I didn’t even know about it. How could he blame me for his parents’ deaths? Chip, you have to help me. Please,” Pip babbled, words tumbling from her mouth faster and faster the closer the sirens from his brother’s vehicle got. Chip gently eased the front of Pip’s shaking body against the warmth of his once more. He made sure she couldn’t see Alex lying on the ground, his eyes open, staring blankly at the night sky. He picked her shaking body up into his arms, tucking her head against his shoulder and heading into the house. He had to get Pip into a hot shower. She was shaking and freezing cold from shock and an adrenaline crash. Her mind might not be ready to deal with Alex, but her body knew what she’d had to do to protect herself and the men she loved. He had them both stripped down to the skin and under the steady, hot spray of the shower in moments. The convulsing spasms of Pip’s body lessened, the heat of the water finally beginning to penetrate her bone-deep cold. He heard his brothers burst into the bathroom but shook his head, letting them know now was not the time for any questions. He watched Mason and Randy retreat and knew they were studying the crime scene, as well as contacting the coroner

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to remove Alex’s body. He knew the force of Pip’s blow had pushed the bone and cartilage into Alex’s brain, killing him instantly. He and Pip were going to have to explain what had happened, and he only hoped their woman was strong enough to go through the events of the night again. He was determined to cover for her if it seemed she wasn’t able to cope with the necessary procedures. He knew his brothers wouldn’t question him, but he also knew they would have ascertained the circumstances leading up to Alex’s death before he had Pip dried and dressed again. Chip turned off the faucets when the hot water began to run out. He quickly and efficiently dried Pip off and dressed her in clean clothes before seeing to himself. When he was dried and dressed, he picked Pip up into his arms and carried her out to the kitchen. He placed her on a chair, making sure she was steady with a hand on her shoulder, and then drew a bottle of whiskey and two glasses from the cupboards. He poured liberal amounts of alcohol into the glasses, put them on the table, picked Pip up, and sat down with her safely ensconced on his lap. He picked up one glass and gently began feeding sips of the liquor to the small, precious bundle in his arms. When she’d drank half the glass, he set her glass on the table, picked up the other one, and downed the contents. The familiar burn of the warming alcohol made him gasp for breath, but it eased the tightness in his chest. He knew he was probably going to get hell from the doc for drinking before his head injury was seen to, but he didn’t care. Chip had just tilted Pip’s face up to inspect her bruised cheek when the sound of footsteps sounded on the deck. Mason and Randy entered the kitchen, the doctor on their heels. He stared into his brothers’ eyes, knowing they would understand what he wanted without having to speak the words aloud. Mason, Randy, and the doctor took a seat at the table, waiting to see if Pip would be able to go through with the next part of the inevitable procedure just yet. The silence must have gotten to the doctor, because he moved his chair around next to Chip and Pip, gently lifting her face to his so he could

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inspect her bruised, swollen cheek. “Hey there, little lady. I’m Doctor Toby Crane. I’ve known these three since they were boys. Just call me Toby, like these three do. I’m just looking to make sure your injury isn’t too bad. You may want to put some ice on that cheek to stop the swelling. I’m afraid that’s about all I can do for you, Phillipa. The sting should be gone by morning,” the doctor said. He then looked up at the cut on Chip’s face and frowned. “Butterflies will be enough, Toby. It’s not that bad,” Chip stated, glaring at the doc, daring him to contradict him in front of his fragile bundle. “Yep, those little butterfly bandages are pretty damn good. If you have any problems, you come and see me, young man. And I know I don’t need to tell you, you shouldn’t be drinking alcohol,” Toby said. The doctor cleaned the cut skin on Chip’s face with an alcohol wipe. He winced as the doc drew the skin together and placed the adhesive bandages over the wound, making sure they were secure. When he was finished, Toby turned to Mason. “Well, boy, get the bottle from the cupboard and some more glasses. I think we could all use a little drink right about now.” Mason rose from his seat and retrieved the bottle of whiskey and three more glasses. Now that he and Randy were officially off the clock, they could imbibe a much-needed finger or two of the liquor. Chip sat in companionable silence, watching his bothers and the doctor as they sipped their drinks, knowing they needed the alcohol as much as he had. The sight of Pippa’s bruised, swollen cheek and her winces as she sipped the rest of her drink was nearly more than Chip could stand. He could tell his brothers were as worried about her as he was. She hadn’t said a word since they had been in the kitchen, and he wasn’t sure how to go about asking her questions or if he should just let her begin talking in her own good time. He turned his head and looked down into Pip’s face at the sound of a giggle and a delicate sniff.

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“How did he poison me?” Pip slurred out her question. “We found traces of rat poison in the coffee at the newspaper. You must have only gotten a tiny amount in your system. Otherwise it would have affected you a lot sooner than it did. He had thrown away the rest of the coffee mixed with the poison, so no one else would get sick. He wasn’t as thorough as he thought. He forgot to empty the trash can in the Dumpster out back, and he left fingerprints on the box of poison,” Mason explained. “Randy and I had a hunch it was someone you knew, and the only place we could think to start investigating was the newspaper. We were lucky the cleaning staff put the trash in one of five Dumpsters and only one per week is emptied. We found the poison in the trash.” “Did you know what his father had done?” “Yes, baby. I wasn’t leaving anything to chance. After he left that first message, I contacted Nate and got a list of every employee at the paper. Everyone was clean, but Alex was my main suspect.” “Why didn’t you tell me, Mason? I could have been more prepared, more alert,” Pip said, her glassy eyes peering at him. “We couldn’t do anything until we had evidence against him, baby. We had no DNA to place him at the scene. I only just got back the fingerprint analysis this afternoon. Obviously, that information was too little, too late.” “He was insane, wasn’t he?” “Yes, sugar,” Randy replied. “I killed him, didn’t I?” Pip asked in an emotionless voice. “You did what you had to, baby. It was either him or you, and I, for one, am glad you are the one still standing,” Mason said. “I love you, Pippa, and the thought that it could have been you out there laying motionless tears me apart. We should have protected you better. We should have taken you away, until we could find out who it was terrorizing you. Goddamn it. You could have been killed,” he yelled, slamming his fist onto the table. “I killed Alex White. Oh my God. I killed a man.”

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Pip jumped up from Chip’s lap and ran out of the room and down the hallway to the bathroom. Chip raced from the room after Pip, his brothers and the doc on his heels. He heard the loud retching as Pip lost the drink which had not been in her stomach long. After she finished being ill, the sound of her screaming and whimpering broke his heart. He saw her cover her ears with her hands, trying to drown out the sound of her own screams. It wasn’t until he picked her up that she stopped screaming. She didn’t stir as he and his brothers undressed her and placed her beneath the covers into bed, or as he kissed her on the cheek, told her he loved her, and left the room. **** Mason saw Toby was waiting in the kitchen for him and his brothers to return. He was glad the doc had taken it upon himself to pour another finger of whiskey for each of them and was waiting for them to settle into their seats. “I want you to get that girl some counseling. She’s going to need it to get through the deeds from this night. You’re going to have to ease off of her. I don’t want you pushing her too hard too fast, or she just may break. Randy, make up a bed in the spare room. I’m staying here tonight,” Toby stated, leaning back in his chair. “No problem, Doc. The spare bed is already made up,” Randy answered. Mason, his brothers, and the doc sat around the dining table well into the hours of the night. The three brothers kept taking turns to check on their woman. The last thing any of them wanted was for Pip to wake up alone in the dark. It was early morning when the men finally took to their beds. The doc went to the spare guest room for the night, and Randy, Chip, and Mason all crawled into the master bedroom bed. They stripped down to their boxers and slid into bed, surrounding their woman with their heat and comfort. It seemed the three men had just drifted off to sleep when the sound of chirping

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birds and the sun streaming through the gaps in the curtains pulled them to consciousness. Mason was the first of them to surface and open his eyes and was surprised to see Pip had left the bed. He listened for the sound of running water, but there was only the sound of his own breathing, as well as the deep, even breathing of his brothers. He pushed the covers aside, pulled on his jeans, and headed out. Mason leaned against the doorjamb to the kitchen, watching as Pip went about preparing a full breakfast of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and toast. The sound of her humming as she worked was a delight he hadn’t thought to hear so soon after the previous night’s events. He must have made a sound, or maybe she was more attuned to him than he thought, because she turned around, smiled at him, and pointed to the coffee brewing. “Grab a coffee. Breakfast is almost done,” Pip said with a smile, turning back to the stove. Mason did as Pip suggested then took his coffee to the table, content to watch her bustle around his kitchen. She looked so right standing in the rays of the sun shining through the kitchen window. She looked liked a sprite of an angel, the sun creating a halo over the strands of blonde hair on her head. “Morning,” Toby greeted as he headed to the coffeepot. He poured himself a mug of coffee, and Mason saw him sniffing the air appreciatively as he eyed the breakfast Pip was preparing. “Something smells good. I haven’t had a breakfast like that in I don’t know how long. How are you doing, little lady?” “I’m good, Toby. Thanks for asking.” “How did you sleep, Phillipa?” Doc asked once he was seated across the room. “At first like a baby, thanks to whatever you gave me. I woke up just as these three were getting into bed and couldn’t get back to sleep.” She began placing platters of food on the table, and Mason saw her smile at Chip and Randy as they entered the room. “I kept

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going over in my head what happened last night, and though I will always feel sick at the thought of what I did to Alex, I know deep down in my psyche, it was either him or me. I have been obsessed with finding out who killed my parents since the age of twelve. I let that obsession grow until I had nothing and no one else. I think in the beginning I used the obsession to circumvent the pain of losing my parents in such a horrific, violent way, but then it just became a habit. The confrontation with Alex and his death, I think, was as horrific, but also cathartic. I don’t know why, but I think, as much as it pains me to say so, that confrontation was just what I needed to bring me back into the land of the living. Do you think I’m crazy for saying that, Toby?” Pip asked as she sat down at the table. “No. No, not at all, little lady. What you say makes total sense to me. I think you’re going to be just fine, Phillipa Grovner. Yes indeedy, just fine,” the doctor answered. Mason noted the atmosphere over breakfast had lightened considerably since Pip had spoken to Toby and sat down enjoying a meal with them all—the first meal she looked to be actually enjoying since she had arrived back home. Mason knew then that everything was going to be all right. Pip was coming back to them.

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Chapter Sixteen Pip and Chip cleaned the remnants of breakfast away as Randy and Mason saw Toby to his car. She could see her men shaking the doctor’s hand and wondered if they would be as solicitous as Doc was as they aged. She and Chip had just finished cleaning up as Randy and Mason walked back inside. “You’re not going in to work today,” Pip stated rather than asked. “No, baby. We’re staying here with you today,” Mason replied as he stalked toward her. Pip gasped as he pinned her where she stood with the heat of his stare, the sight of his tall, muscular body moving, his muscles rippling beneath his white T-shirt, making her panties damp with need. “How are you really feeling, baby?” Pip gasped as Mason stopped when the tips of her breasts brushed against his chest. “Horny,” Pip replied. **** Mason threw his head back and laughed at her bluntness. When he lowered his head once more, he could see the desire she felt for him and his brothers, but he could also see the mischievousness, as well as her passion for life, back in her eyes. Their little woman was well on the road to recovery. Sure, he knew things couldn’t be roses all the time. What relationship didn’t have its ups and downs from time to time? But he knew it would only make their relationship grow stronger over the years. If only they could get her to admit she loved them, wanted to be with them. They were going to have to convince

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her they were worth fighting for. The three brothers had planned to ask Pip to marry them today, and they had all been adamant that the only answer they would accept would be an affirmative. Pip surprised him by taking his hand in her own, leading him to the living room sofa. She placed the palm of her hand against his chest and pushed him down. Mason saw her turn toward Randy and Chip and raise an eyebrow at them in a silent demand to take a seat, stepping away from the sofa so they could. Once Mason and his brothers were seated and she had their avid attention, she took a few deep breaths and began to speak. “I know you all heard what I said to Toby this morning. I think as a twelve-year-old, I was just too young to cope with the loss of my parents in such a violent way.” Pip paused, took another deep breath, and then continued on. “I haven’t been really living my life as I should have, and to have to face you three as soon as I came back home was a shock to my system. You began to chip away at the protective walls I had placed around my heart and mind, without even realizing what you were doing. You made me begin to feel again, and it was nearly more than I could bear. So I fought you. Not that it did me any good. You used my body, showing me I could feel again without the excruciating pain I had endured when I lost my parents. You showed me what it was to feel and love again. I thought I would never feel love from anyone ever again.” Pip paused, wiping away the tears from her cheeks. She held up her hand, palm facing Chip as he made to rise from the sofa. “I haven’t finished yet. Please, I need to get this out. I want, no, I need, to try and explain to you what I was going through. I also never thought I would be brave enough to love anyone after the pain I experienced when I lost my parents. I love you all so much.” Pip stopped to take another deep breath as her voice hitched with emotion. “I have loved you three since the time I knew what love was. That love was of an innocent child, who knew nothing about the depths of true love between a man, or men, and a woman. I will love

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you all until the day I draw my last breath. Life is too precious to hold yourself back, afraid of what might come in the future. I love you all so much, my heart is so full of love, it’s almost too painful trying to contain the love I feel for you.” Pip paused again. She slowly knelt down in front of the three men, staring at them with moisture-filled eyes. “I thank each and every one of you for waking me up inside. For breaking down the walls I had built up around myself. Mason, Randy, Chip, will you marry me?” Pip asked. **** Pip didn’t know what to expect, but to be swept into a hug, all her men surrounding her body, touching and kissing her as tears of joy ran down their own cheeks, was not it. She had never felt so secure and loved in her whole life. And she was determined to enjoy and relish every single moment with the loves of her life. She didn’t know whose arms scooped her up until the other two men moved back, allowing their brother to carry her down the hallway to the master bedroom. Chip placed Pip almost reverently on the mattress and followed her down, covering her body with his own as he took her mouth with a kiss so gentle and full of love, more tears coursed down her cheeks. Chip weaned his mouth from hers. She watched as he moved away and began stripping his clothes from his tall, muscular body. Her pussy clenched with unrequited desire as he revealed himself to her. Her eyes moved to the side, and her breath rasped out of her mouth when she saw that Randy and Mason were totally naked. “We love you more than anything or anyone else on this earth. Yes, we will marry you, baby. We want to spend the rest of our lives living with you, fighting with you, loving you, and making babies with you. I love you, squirt,” Mason stated then took her mouth with a ravenous hunger. He finally withdrew his mouth from hers. Pip saw

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Mason move to her side, giving Randy a chance to get close to her. “I love you so much, sugar. More than I can ever put into words. It would have killed me if you had walked away from what we could have between us. I can’t wait to begin the rest of our live together,” Randy stated, moisture in his eyes as he stared into hers. She leaned up as he leaned down and gently took her mouth, thrusting his tongue between her lips and teeth, building the fire that had slowly been burning between them all since they had entered the bedroom. He slowly wound the kiss down until he was sipping at her lips and then finally withdrew. He moved to her other side, leaving room for Chip to lean over her body. “I have never been in love with anyone in my whole life. Until you. I loved you as a pesky kid, one I loved to tease and torment. But the day you walked back into our lives will be forever in my memory. I will love you beyond my last breath. I never want to let you out of my sight again. Seeing Alex hitting you, hurting you, was like someone stabbing a knife into my heart. I will never, ever let anyone else hurt you if it’s within my power. I love you more than words can ever express. I will look forward to each and every day we get to spend together for the rest of our lives,” Chip stated. Pip sighed as Chip leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her waist and drawing her body up against his. He slid his lips over hers, slipping his tongue into the depths of her mouth, sparking her embers of desire. He pulled back from her, removed her clothes, and ran his hands over the length of her back and hips and then slid one arm around to her front. He cupped the weight of one of her breasts in the palm of his hand, and she delighted in the feel of his slightly rough skin against her own. He kneaded one mound and then the other. He slowly left her breasts and smoothed the palm of his hand over her torso and belly until he reached her naked mound. He moved that fraction of an inch lower, lightly touching the pad of his finger over the sensitive, protruding bundle of nerves at the top of her slit. He slid his finger down to her creaming hole, gathering some of her juices,

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then back up to her clit. He gently swirled the pad of his finger over her clit, enhancing her pleasure. **** Chip felt Pip thrust her hips into his finger and smiled against her neck. He licked his way up and down her throat, paying particular attention to the sensitive spot just beneath her earlobe, as well as the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Her moans of pleasure filled his heart with more love than he thought possible. He set about showing Pip how much he cherished and loved her with his touches and body. His brothers joined him in pleasuring their woman. When they had stroked her body to within an inch of her life and they had her on the brink of orgasm, Chip couldn’t stand waiting any longer. He grasped her about the waist and gently lifted her over his lap and rigid cock. He stared into the depths of her eyes as he slowly lowered her onto his hard dick. He joined her moan of pleasure as he filled her depths, her body gloving his rock-hard cock perfectly. He held her still, pulling her hips down with his hands, staring intently into her eyes as Mason prepared her ass for his own penetration. He watched her pupils dilate to their full extent as Mason began to push his hard cock into Pip’s ass. He and his brother held still, giving their woman time to adjust to being shoved so full of cock. When she began to rotate her hips, trying to get them to move, Chip knew she was ready for more. He placed a light kiss on her lips then gently turned her face to the side, where Randy was waiting patiently for Pip to be ready for more of their loving. He nearly burst out laughing with joy and love when their woman eagerly lowered her head and sucked his brother’s cock into her mouth. He watched as she got into a rhythm of lowering her head then sucking her cheeks in tight as she slid back up the length of Randy’s cock. When Randy gave him the silent signal, Chip looked over Pip’s shoulder to Mason.

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The sight of his brother’s face twisted as if he were being tortured was the catalyst to unleash his control. The last straw was when Pip clenched her pelvic-floor muscles, squeezing his cock in a firm, hard ripple. He was totally lost. He pulled out and thrust back into Pip’s body, his balls slapping at her ass as the flesh of his abdomen hit against her mound and lower belly. The resonance of their woman moaning out her pleasure around his brother’s cock was the sweetest sound he had ever heard. He and Mason picked up the pace of their pumping hips, their harsh breathing broken by Pip’s mewling and slurping as she sucked Randy’s cock. “Pip, I’m gonna come, sugar. If you don’t want a mouthful, pull off now,” Randy rasped out in a gravelly voice. Chip couldn’t help but give a chuckle as he watched Randy’s eyes roll back in his head. He knew just what their woman’s sexy little mouth could do to his control. His chuckle turned to a groan as Pip clenched her pelvic floors once more, and Randy’s roar of release drowned out the sound. He knew their woman was close to the edge of her own release, and she was trying to take him and Mason with her. Well, this time he and Mason were with her all the way. Her pussy rippled along the length of his cock, like small waves intent on reaching the shore, each wave larger and stronger than the last. “That’s it, darlin’. You’re so close, aren’t ya? I love the feel of your muscles rippling and milking along the length of my cock. Your sweet little cunt is so wet. I can feel your juices dripping onto my balls. Give it all to me, Pip. I want you to come on my cock and drench me with your juices. Oh yeah, darlin’. Give it to me. We’ve got you, we’ll keep you safe. Come for me, darlin’. Now, Pip.” His eyes locked to hers as her internal muscles clamped down hard, released, and clamped again as the wave of her climax shook her body, taking him into the shore with her. He yelled her name as he pushed his cock into the depths of her pussy one last time as the climax washed over him, knowing his brother was with them all the way.

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Pip slumped on him, and Mason leaned on Pip in a tangle of satiated bodies and limbs. He didn’t want to move, and since Mason was so still, he guessed his brother felt the same way. He had a lifetime of loving to look forward to, and he knew the honeymoon part of their relationship would never wane. There was too much love and desire between all of them for the passion to ever diminish.

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Epilogue Pippa sat down on the swinging bench seat on the back deck, breathing in the clean, crisp, country autumn air. She watched Chip and Randy working on the extension to the house, their torsos naked for her visual delectation, making her cream her panties. She relaxed for a moment, drinking in the sight of her husbands, their muscles rippling as they worked on putting the finishing touches to the wood cladding on the outside of the extension. If she had her way, she would have unbuttoned her blouse to entice her men into giving her a little loving. But it was not to be. Someone else had other plans for her today, and she had no say in what she wanted. Pip let her mind drift back over the last year of her life. She had never been so happy. She’d sold the Shelby News to Nate. Now that she’d been brought back into the land of the living, kicking and screaming, she knew her heart just wasn’t into being the boss of a newspaper. Nate had, of course, been delighted in taking over ownership. A month after the sale of the paper, she had stood up in front of a minister in church and married Chip on paper. Later that evening, she had married her other husbands, pledging her heart and soul to all three of her men, in her estimation in the eyes of God. Their private ceremony had meant just as much to Pippa if not more than the ceremony in the church. The love she had felt had not only been from the men surrounding her. She felt as if the hand of God himself, as well as her parents, had approved of the unconventional relationship the four of them shared together. Pip had never felt so full of joy, hope, love, and peace. She knew it was what was meant to be. She never knew a heart could feel as if it were overflowing with such

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an abundance of love, and it was still just the beginning. Pip shifted on the seat, grimacing. She was having a damn hard time getting comfortable right now and knew she would have to say something soon, but she didn’t want to disturb the peace, harmony, and love filling her at that moment. Pip didn’t know if she’d made a sound or if her men had seen her grimace, but all of a sudden, they were both by her side, their hands stroking over her arms and her burgeoning stomach. “Are you all right, Pip?” Randy asked with concern. “Are you in pain, darlin’? Do you want me to rub your feet, or maybe your back?” Chip asked as he scooped her up into his arms. “Well, that would be nice, but I don’t think any amount of massaging is going to help this time,” Pip stated then tried hard not to laugh when the looks of sheer panic flitted across her husbands’ faces. “Randy, call Mason then grab Pip’s bag from the closet. I’ll bring the car up close, and then we can get her settled and be on our way,” Chip stated then took off at a jog, not letting her say anything. Pip serenely waited until her husbands finished their tasks and had her safely and comfortably reclining on the backseat of the vehicle before she spoke. “As much as I like ogling my husbands’ rippling muscles, don’t you think you should pull on a shirt so the hospital staff can do their jobs without being distracted by such handsome, hot male flesh?” “Shit, get me a shirt, too, Randy,” Chip yelled as Randy leapt from the vehicle. Randy was back in moments, flinging a shirt into the front of the vehicle for his brother. He lifted Pip’s legs and feet and slid them onto his lap. He pulled her slip-on shoes from her feet and began to massage her arch. Pip wasn’t sure if the massage was supposed to be soothing her or Randy, but the contractions she had been hiding from her men all day were now too intense for her to keep to herself. She groaned as her enlarged uterus contracted, pain shooting into her back and stomach.

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She knew she had probably waited a bit longer than she should have to inform her husbands of her labor, but she knew what big marshmallows they all were, so had kept her condition to herself until the last possible moment. Pip wasn’t surprised to see Mason at the hospital entrance, waiting for them with a contingency of medical staff at the ready. If she hadn’t been in so much pain, she would have laughed. Mason had the midwife and nurses looking like they were waiting for trauma victims rather than a pregnant woman about to give birth. Mason leapt to the back door, opened it, and had her seated in the wheelchair before she had a chance to speak. He wheeled Pip down the hallway to the delivery suite, Randy’s and Chip’s footsteps following closely behind. As much as Pippa wasn’t looking forward to enduring more of the escalating pain, she couldn’t wait to bring her baby daughter into the world and hold her in her arms. They had a lifetime to nurture and love the little girl about to enter the world, and Pip knew their baby girl would have her fathers wrapped around her tiny fingers the moment she was born. The entourage arrived at the door of the delivery suite, and the medical staff entered the room first, holding the door open for Mason to wheel Pip through. The midwife turned to Mason, a smile on her face as she spoke for the first time since Pip had arrived at the hospital. “Who is the husband staying to help Mrs. Sage through the birth?” “We are,” Pip’s men answered together. Pippa couldn’t stifle her giggle at the look of confusion on the midwife’s face. She decided she would be the one to clear up the confusion, once the latest contraction eased up enough to let her speak. “They are all my husbands and the fathers of my child,” Pip stated firmly, her chin held high, as she expected recriminations and intimate questions. She watched as the midwife and nurse looked from one of her husbands to the other, and then both their gazes landed on her. She

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expelled the breath she didn’t even realize she had been holding when they both smiled at her. “You are one lucky woman, Mrs. Sage,” the midwife stated as she bustled around the room, making sure Pip was comfortable. “You have no idea,” Pip replied with a smile as she looked at her husbands. Pip gave birth to a seven-pound baby girl an hour later. Her men were the best support a laboring woman could have asked for until they held their baby daughter in their arms. Pip sighed and drifted off to sleep. The sight of her husbands melting like marshmallows over an open fire, gazing down at their daughter in their arms, was one of the memories she would cherish for the rest of her life.

THE END WWW.BECCAVAN-EROTICROMANCE.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR My name is Becca Van. I live in Australia with my wonderful hubby of many years, as well as my children, a pigeon pair, (a girl and a boy). I have always wanted to write and last year decided to do just that. I didn’t want to stay in the mainstream of a boring nine-to-five job, so I quit, fulfilling my passion for writing. I decided to utilize my time with something I knew I would enjoy and had always wanted to do. I submitted my first manuscript to Siren-BookStrand a couple of months ago, and much to my excited delight, I got a reply saying they would love to publish my story. I literally jump out of bed with excitement each day and can’t wait for my laptop to power up so I can get to work

Also by Becca Van Ménage Everlasting: Slick Rock 1: Slick Rock Cowboys Ménage Everlasting: Slick Rock 2: Double E Ranch Ménage Everlasting: Slick Rock 3: Her Ex-Marines Ménage Everlasting: Terra-form 1: Alpha Panthers Ménage Everlasting: Help Me Fly Again Available at BOOKSTRAND.COM

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com