35. Mose

Mose

L evi reaches out to take a donut from the box and I smack the back of his head before taking the box away from him.

“These are for Olivia. You already had your share,” I snap at him because I almost got into an accident while I rushed to the nearest store to get them for her before they closed.

Levi rubs the back of his head. “Considering I’m the one who let you know she likes them, you should let me have as many as I want.”

“And this is why I made sushi for you,” I point out, “as a thank you for your tip.”

Levi pouts but leaves the donuts alone and checks the garlic bread.

I’ve never been the type of guy to want to be in a relationship. Even when I was thinking about having a wife, it was more about the convenience of having someone home, waiting for me, all smiles and happy when I enter through the door. But ever since Olivia gave me that blowjob several days ago, I can’t stop thinking about her. I've had women go down on me before, but Olivia—goddamn, her mouth is fucking magic—sucked the life out of me through my dick.

Olivia can have my life and soul if she sucks me like that once a day. Fuck. She can have my heart, too. Whatever she damn well wants.

I check the sweet and sour chicken, wanting it to be perfect for Olivia.

Damn.

I think I might have a fever or something because I’ve never tried so hard to impress a woman so that I can get another blowjob. On the other hand, Olivia is worth it. Ever since I saw her in bed with Ansel, something clicked inside my head. Even my demon purrs like a fucking cat when she’s around.

Talking about cats.

I look around the kitchen.

I might not be a huge fan of these little fluffy monsters, but I am slowly warming up to Miss Teapot, except for when she uses my legs as a scratching post. She’s not in her basket. Is she still missing? I thought Jasper found her trail in the snow earlier.

Jasper and Ansel are still playing poker even though Isak and Steven went to patrol the farm after I fed them. I don’t want them around here for dinner. No. I want them far away from the house when the food is ready and Olivia is sitting at the table, my face between her legs. Eating pussy is not something I enjoy but when Isak and Steven were still in the kitchen and the discussion revolved around sex, as it usually happens when the twins are present, Ansel casually mentioned that Olivia tastes like cotton candy and Jasper backed him up. How is that even possible? I don’t believe it, I must try it myself. And since Isak and Steven will be sleeping in my room, I have no other choice than to move into Jasper’s room. Poor me.

Three men and one woman sharing the same bed. I’m almost happy Roy put a bomb in the guest house. Of course , I had to get hurt and now have a scar on my cheek, but on the other hand, it forced Rueben to accept Olivia into our house.

The chicken is finally done and I put it on a serving plate.

“Jasper, is your cat still missing?” I ask, not knowing what to do with the treats I made for Miss Teapot.

Jasper’s shoulders drop. “I lost her trail where our neighbor’s land starts. I plan to go there in the morning and ask him if I can look around.”

Diva can have the treats then. “We’ll find her.”

A few minutes later, the food for my blood-brothers and me is finally done. “Ansel, Jasper, take care of the table. Levi, find something else to do.”

Levi chuckles before looking me dead in the eyes. “Hurt Olivia like Rueben and Tyson did and I’ll pull your intestines out of your ass.” Shortly after Tyson and Rueben took Olivia shopping, Levi told us what they did to her. After seeing the camera footage, Jasper went to the shed while Ansel disappeared in Rueben’s room. When they returned with grins on their faces, I knew they did some shit they’re proud of. I didn’t ask what they did because I didn’t want to be involved in this mess in the first place, but I might have put more spice in Rueben and Tyson’s food than usual. Like a lot more. Levi’s attention turns to Ansel. “As her bonded, you should do everything it takes to figure out what happened the night Camila died.” He shakes his head. “Olivia…I’m sure she was framed for Camila’s death, but why isn’t she telling the truth?”

That’s a very good question. But did anyone bother to ask her?

“I don’t know why she isn’t speaking, but,” Ansel puts his cards on the table. “As much as I’d like to tell you to fuck off, that it’s none of your business, I respect that you’ve been her friend for a long time, so I’ll tell you this. I won’t rest until Jason and his friends are dead. I’ll make them pay for what they did to Olivia.”

“That’s not good enough,” Levi says before grabbing his coat and leaving the house.

Jasper puts the cards away. “Is Levi right? Was Olivia framed?” he asks Ansel.

After taking a cigarette out of the pack from the table, Ansel says, “All I know is that we need to take down Senator Deymar no matter what, no matter the cost.”

“But if Olivia was framed,” Jasper insists, “everything Tyson and Rueben did to her was…for nothing.”

Ansel lights his cigarette and takes a few puffs from it. “If that is the case, I don’t want to be in their shoes. But Olivia has a gentle soul. She will forgive them way too easily. Just like she did with me when I broke her ribs.” His expression turns sour. “She is a delicate butterfly who had her wings broken before she could fly. But I’ll lend her mine and teach her how to strike back, quick and fast, just like a cobra.” After a long drag from the cigarette, he adds, “We need to turn our gentle butterfly into a deadly one. So no one will hurt her again. Not even us.”

Jasper clenches his jaw. “Speak for yourself. I never hurt her.”

“You only abandoned her when you learned she can’t have kids,” Ansel points out. He jerks his head in my direction. “Mose might have been indifferent to her until he had his cock down her throat, but he is the only one of us who never made her cry.”

Jasper grabs plates from the cupboard. “I kept her alive when no one around here cared about her. I stopped Rueben from killing her. I might be a piece of shit but I do care about her.”

“More than you care about having kids?” I ask.

Jasper hesitates before saying, “Yeah. I want her more than I want to be a dad. She makes my heart…sing. Even my knee hurts less when I’m around her.”

Ansel nods. “I know the feeling. My…demon is usually quiet, but when Olivia is around, he fucking purrs like a cat.” My demon is not the only one who does that, then. “And since I bonded with her, he sulks if I’m away from her.” Another drag of his cigarette. “He’s obsessed with her. Just like I am.”

“You love her.” It’s not a question but a remark. I can’t help myself from being envious of his feelings. I’ve never felt like that about someone.

Ansel finishes his cigarette. “You think I would have bonded with her if I wasn’t one hundred percent certain she’s the one?”

The one .

But is she though?

“How does it feel to be in love?” I ask.

“To be in love is to be…alive. To wake up in the morning and know your day will be the best because you get to be with the one you dreamed about for years. And when she smiles, when she fucking smiles, she brings you to your knees and you know you’ll do anything to see her smile again.”

I’ve never heard Ansel talk like that about anyone.

“I never saw Olivia smile,” I comment.

“We never gave her any reason to smile. But I know what she needs to be happy again. Soon.” Ansel does sound like he’s obsessed. In a lower tone, he adds, “Soon, her heart will be mine, just like all her smiles.” He looks at me and then at Jasper. “But we are blood-brothers and I’ll share her with you all.”

Jasper snorts. “How generous of you.”

“Generous. Yes, that’s the word,” Ansel agrees. “Especially when it comes to Rueben and Tyson. But I supposed she was engaged to—”

“Olivia was engaged? To whom?” Jasper interrupts Ansel before he can finish his thought.

A crease appears between Ansel’s brows. “I guess it doesn’t matter anymore.” It doesn’t surprise me that Ansel doesn’t reveal more. He’s always been the type of guy you can tell stuff to and know he won’t go running to tell others. If he doesn’t want to speak, then he won’t. Pressuring him won’t work. On the contrary, it will only make him close up even more. “I’ll go wake up Olivia.”

I stop Ansel before he can leave the kitchen. “Actually, I wanted to do a quick check-up to see how she’s doing. While you two finish setting up the table, I’ll take care of Olivia.”

Jasper puts a vase with fresh flowers in the middle of the table. I have no clue what they are called because, except for roses and tulips, I never bothered to learn other types of flowers.

Ansel looks at the vase. “Peonies. Olivia likes them.”

Jasper smiles. “My mama also loved them.”

“Are we courting her?” I can’t help but wonder. It doesn’t really bother me that we are choosing Olivia as our woman. There are better options, for sure, but she feels just…right. Like she belongs here. “Because you know how Rueben and Tyson feel about her.”

“They might be our blood-brothers, but Olivia is my first choice, always,” Ansel says.

Jasper shrugs before telling me, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but as for me, I want to see the stars in her eyes shine again. I want to find out why she is in so much pain.”

Jasper’s words take me aback.

“She didn’t look like she was in pain when she was twirling around here, showing us her new dress,” I say.

“Her pain is internal,” Ansel explains. “Ever since the bond, I can feel it too.”

I never thought about it, but Olivia has suffered a lot. Rueben and Tyson can say what they want, but what sane woman wants to be used as a cum dumpster by the Dukes? Even the pornais at the Blood Lodge are not there by choice. She might have killed Camila, but fuck, I killed more Dukes than I can remember. The fact that Camila was Rueben’s sister is fucked up, not gonna lie, but who’s without sin to throw the first stone. Besides, Olivia was what? Sixteen when she shot Camila? Teens are fucking dramatic. Who knows what the fuck happened that night. A fight over a boy or something like that. No one can pay me enough money to be a teen again. Fuck that. Been there, done that.

Flowers, donuts, good food, and wine might seem too much, but Olivia deserves a little happiness.

“Courting it is,” I say before leaving the kitchen.

I have never courted someone before, so I don’t know where to start. The only things I’m good at are food and…bondage. There’s nothing more sexy than having a woman tied up so I can do whatever I want to her. Since Olivia will be my bonded, I’ll have to show her that there are many types of…bonds. Some permanent, others not.

I go to my room to retrieve my medical kit together with some other things I plan to use exclusively on Olivia. Like my new set of ropes.

When I have everything I need, I go to Jasper’s room.

Olivia is sleeping but not peacefully. From the way her eyes move and how she is tossing, it appears she is having a nightmare.

I put my things at the foot of the bed before crawling next to Olivia and stroking her hair.

“Olivia, wake up.” I keep my voice low. When she doesn’t wake up, I gently shake her shoulder. “Dinner is ready.”

She whimpers before kicking the blanket off of her. “No!” she screams before waking up.

My demon growls. It’s a strange thing to hear him making sounds, but I know they are all for Olivia. And right now, I can tell he is upset because she is scared. I might not be able to do something about her nightmare, but I can comfort her.

“It was just a nightmare,” I try to calm her before pulling her into my lap. Her hands grab the front of my hoodie and she buries her face in the hollow of my neck. She is shaking and softly sobbing. I run my palms up and down her back. “Do you want to talk about it?” She quickly denies it with a shake of her head. “It’s all right. You are safe now. Ansel, Jasper, and I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

I shouldn’t make such promises, but it is only logical to say such things to her, especially since I’ll bond with her. Then, I’ll never have to worry that my demon might consume my soul. It’s not the only reason I want to bond with her. I don’t love her yet, but I want to protect her. Strange how quickly my opinion about her has changed. And all because of a damn blowjob. Or maybe it was something else entirely.

It takes a few minutes of me stroking her back before she stops trembling.

“Thank you.” Her voice is raspy.

I love that she doesn’t try to put on a brave face. Some men prefer strong women; nothing wrong with that, but I actually like more delicate women.

My hands frame her face and I kiss the tip of her nose. “You can come to me, always. Let me listen to your lungs before we have dinner.” I put her on the bed and grab my medical bag. “Take off the shirt.”

She might have gone shopping, but she still prefers to sleep in our clothes. It makes me feel like we own her. Or is it the other way around?

When her shirt pools around her waist, her gorgeous boobs on display, I grab the right one. My thumb circles her nipple. My dick gets hard as a fucking rock. She puts her palm on top of my pants.

“How may I please you, my Lord?”

Her soft voice almost has me nut in my pants.

“Later.” My voice is harsh, making me sound like I’m raising my tone at her. She snatches her hand away from me. “I’m not angry, just trying to control myself because the fucking things I want to do to you, Olivia, are not normal.” Knowing how that sounds, I quickly add, “Don’t think that I want to hurt you, just…fuck you until we are both spent.”

“You know I’ll never say no.” She sounds so…defeated.

I lean forward and press my lips to her forehead. “You can always say no to me.”

She keeps quiet. Ansel might be right about Olivia. She needs to learn to fight. I want a vulnerable woman, not a doormat.

I open my medical bag. “After I listen to your lungs and check your ribs and toes, I want to do an exercise with you.”

Olivia nods.

I take out my stethoscope and patiently listen to how her lungs sound. After I instruct her a few times to take deep breaths and she doesn’t cough anymore, I am positive she no longer has pneumonia. Maddox should come in for a final check-up, though.

Next, I look at her toes and lastly, her ribs.

“You are healing faster than I expected. What takes most people months takes your body weeks to do. Fascinating.”

Olivia puts her shirt back on. “A curse, actually. It made Jason hurt me more. He wanted to see how fast I healed before he could bruise me again.”

I pull out a blindfold from my other bag. “Jason will never hurt you again. Now, about our exercise. I’m going to put this around your eyes and I want you to trust me.”

Her amber eyes go wide with fear. “Please don’t,” she whimpers.

I kiss her. “I won’t harm you, Olivia.” Her chin trembles. “You know that I won’t ever hurt you.”

“Please,” she begs when I put the blindfold around her eyes.

I get out of bed and quickly lift her up in my arms. “Listen to me, Beautiful.” She shakes her head. “Listen to the sound of my voice. Jasper and Ansel are waiting for us in the kitchen. We will have a lovely dinner together, just the four of us, then we will come back here and Jasper and I will bond with you.”

“I don’t want this. I don’t want to be bonded to any of you.”

Women would kill to be bonded to Lords. “Why?”

Olivia thinks for what seems like a long time before saying, “Because there is something inside me that’s slowly poisoning my body and soul. I’m trying to fight it but I’m so tired.”

Suddenly, my chest hurts. “What is it?”

“Evil. Pure evil.”

What is that supposed to mean?