Chapter Fifteen

Amara

A mara hummed to herself as she began the process of closing down the shop. It had been an uneventful day, and even her father had left her to her own devices, which was a nice change. Usually, he was texting her throughout the day, making sure she knew to come home at a decent hour as well as giving her a list of things she had to do once she got there. However, since her run-in with him the morning Knox was still in her house a few days ago, the two of them hadn’t spoken much other than her occasional greeting and his grunt in response.

Because she hadn’t seen either of the guys at all that day either, and because Knox hadn’t even come by the night before, she found that she was feeling a little down. She had even left her front door unlocked for him so that she could avoid having to replace the knob again, only for it to go completely unused.

Their distance had her feeling a little rejected but also a bit relieved because, if they weren’t around, then they weren’t at risk of being caught. But she had gotten so used to being with one or the other all the time now that not seeing them kind of stung. Even though she knew, deep down, that nothing had changed and the bond between the three of them was stronger than ever, it still hurt a little.

Amara didn’t regret her decision to mark Zeke and have him mark her. She had meant what she said about deciding to do what made her happy, and being with the guys made her more than happy. Drake’s aversion to her still sucked, but Zeke had promised that it would work itself out, and she trusted him. So, she also made the decision not to push Drake or even really think too much about him. That would only make his current rejection hurt more, and she figured he would accept her when the time was right. Until then, she was happy with Zeke and Knox.

Throughout the day, she had been tempted to text one or both of them, just to see what they were up to, but she was worried that would make her seem clingy or needy. She didn’t want that, even though that was exactly how she was feeling. She just missed them. She missed their touch, their kisses, their cocks. She missed being around people who actually cared about her.

She shook her head at herself. It had only been a few days, and already, she had it bad. She guessed that was what happened when you found the person – or persons – you were meant to be with. They became the center of your entire world.

As she was closing down the register, her phone chirped in her back pocket. She pulled it out and smiled when she read the text from Zeke.

Z eke: God, you are beautiful.

A mara: You can’t even see me. How do you know I don’t look like a hag today?

H is response was immediate. It was as if he had been waiting for her to message him.

Z eke: Look out your window.

H er head snapped up instantly in the direction of the front window. Zeke was standing across the street, leaning against the building, watching her with his phone in his hand. She laughed.

A mara: Creeper.

S he watched as he laughed at her message and pocketed his phone. Then, he was striding across the street lit only by a single street lamp and toward her door. He walked in as if he owned the place too, going right for her. She met him at the other side of the counter where he folded her into his arms and kissed her, nibbling on her bottom lip before he eventually pulled away.

“You’ve been quiet,” he commented softly.

She pressed her lips together in response. “So have you and Knox. I was beginning to think I did something wrong.”

Zeke’s hand slid up her back and fisted her hair at the base of her neck, tugging her head to the side. “Been busy, but you’ve been on my mind every damn second,” he murmured against the crook of her neck.

She shivered in his arms, her eyes fluttering. “Too busy for me?”

Nipping at the soft flesh of her throat, Zeke pressed his body flush against hers. She could feel his erection pushing against her belly button, which caused the now familiar ache between her legs to return.

“I have no excuse,” he muttered. His accent was thicker now due to his arousal, which only spiked her own. “Let me make it up to you.”

“And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”

She knew what he was implying, but she wasn’t going to give in that easily. He made her wait all day to hear from him, made her worry with her mind going to the worst possible scenarios, and he didn’t even have a good reason why.

She felt him smirk against her skin as his grip tightened on her hair. “I’m going to fuck you. Sink so deep that you’ll be gasping my name.”

His words alone nearly made her moan aloud. She loved it when he talked dirty. Zeke was always such a gentleman until it came to sex. Then, he was just as freaky as Knox was, minus all the pain.

A smile spread across her lips. That was exactly what she needed after missing him. “So, are we going back to your place then?” she whispered breathlessly.

Zeke shook his head as he let go of her hair, claimed her mouth, and then began unbuttoning her jeans. “No. Right here.”

Her hand flew to his wrist, stopping him from shoving her jeans down her legs. “Zeke, the windows,” she reminded him. “People can see.”

While her words said one thing, her body was totally into it. The prospect of getting caught, of being seen, was strangely a turn-on for her even though she didn’t think it would be. It was dark outside, but the lights in her shop illuminated everything. Anyone walking or driving by could see them clear as day, including her father or anyone else in her pack.

“Fuck,” Zeke cursed softly before taking her hand and dragging her back toward the shelves.

Once they were hidden from view, having stepped behind one of the larger shelves, his mouth found hers once more, the kiss desperate as if the entire day apart was too much for him. He shoved her pants down, and she kicked them off the rest of the way while he tugged his own jeans down his thighs. Then, he spun her around roughly and positioned himself.

Amara grabbed onto the shelf as he thrust into her in one smooth motion. They both groaned as her walls pulsated around the sudden intrusion and the delicious stretch. And then, he was moving, grabbing her hips so tightly that it was almost painful. She gasped at how deep he was slamming into her, just as he promised. Without breaking rhythm, his hand snaked under her shirt and up to her bra before his fingers dipped beneath the material and rolled her nipple, making her shudder.

It was hard, fast, and rough, exactly what she had needed it to be, and it was clear he had needed it too. It was torture for a shifter to be away from their mate for too long, and it was clear they were both feeling the distance of the day. His fingers were bruising, and she didn’t bother stifling her moans since they were alone in the shop. He nipped at her neck with his sharp teeth, and she reached around to run her fingers through his hair, tugging on it. She wanted him as close as he could possibly get.

A rumble of pleasure worked its way out of his chest, the deep sound fueling her oncoming orgasm. Her nails dug into the wood of the shelf, and her legs started to tremble. A couple of books tumbled off and onto the floor as her moans began to get louder and more frequent. That seemed to fuel Zeke as well, and his thrusts became harder and more frantic, both of them searching for the release they so desperately needed.

She was close. So close that, when Zeke groaned in her ear, the sound alone was enough to send her flying over the edge. She screamed his name as she came, her legs nearly giving out on her. Her pussy clenched around him and it wasn’t long before he followed her over that edge. He cursed loudly and slammed into her a few more times before finally stilling behind her.

Zeke brought her back up to his chest and nibbled on her shoulder until she turned and kissed him hard. Slowly, he pulled out of her, hiked his jeans up over his hips, and buttoned them before heading to the bathroom. He returned a few moments later with some paper towels and cleaned her up before helping her back into her jeans. She couldn’t stop smiling the entire time.

“That’s not how I thought my night was going to end,” she told him once they were both dressed and Zeke had disposed of the paper towels.

He smirked at her and pushed a strand of her now-messy hair back behind her ear. “That’s exactly how I thought my night would end. And it’s not over yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“Close up the shop, Princesa.” His smile grew with his demand.

“Why?” she asked curiously.

“Because we are going back to my place, taking a shower, and then I am hoping you say yes when I ask you to stay the night with me.”

“Okay,” she said without any hesitation, beaming at him. It wasn’t smart, not with her father not knowing about the guys yet, but she didn’t care. The look on his face, the hope in his eyes, were more than she could bear. She didn’t want to be the reason that hope disappeared. “As long as I can borrow a shirt to sleep in.”

He kissed her forehead, his shoulders relaxing with relief. “I have a few.”

It only took her a few minutes to finish closing up the shop, grab her purse, and lock the front door. Once that was done, Zeke took her hand and led her out the back door.

She guessed Knox and Drake were down at the bar because neither one of them was in the apartment when they arrived. Neither one of them mentioned it as Zeke took her down the hall and into his room.

As soon as they reached Zeke’s bathroom, he helped her strip off her clothing before he turned on the water. Once the water was at a comfortable temperature, Zeke pulled off his own clothes and then guided her inside the large, walk-in shower with waterfall faucets that felt like heaven.

Naturally, he only had men's soap, but she wasn’t about to complain. As Zeke showered, the scent of his soap permeated the air around her, making her smile once more. She could get used to this. She really could.

When he finished, she reached for the soap to wash herself. However, Zeke grabbed her wrist, causing her to look up at him questioningly. “Let me,” he murmured.

Nodding, she pulled her hand back, and he gathered soap into his palm as she turned around. He then slowly began washing her, taking his time over every sensitive area on her body, which stirred her arousal once more. It was funny. She had never been this horny before, but she just couldn’t seem to get enough of the guys. One touch was all it took to have her practically panting for more.

She also couldn’t help but think that he was doing it on purpose, and when his cock grew hard again, she knew it to be a fact.

Amara rested her head against Zeke’s shoulder as his soapy hands began kneading and circling her breasts. He pinched her nipples, eliciting a soft gasp from her, as he kissed the side of her neck.

“Zeke?” she heard Knox call from somewhere inside the apartment.

Zeke growled softly, his hand dipping down her stomach to the juncture of her thighs. “A little busy,” he called back to him. “Come back later.”

Just as his fingers began circling her clit, the bathroom door opened and Knox strode right in. “Drake is looking for you.”

“He’s a little busy!” Amara snapped, causing Zeke to chuckle breathily against her skin.

Knox suddenly popped his head into the shower, a grin spreading across his face. “I’ll tell him to fuck right off then,” he stated simply.

Grateful for his understanding, and the fact that she wouldn’t be denied an orgasm, Amara closed her eyes once more as her entire body started to come alive just from Zeke’s hand. Her hips began to move of their own accord, her ass grinding against Zeke’s cock as she rode his hand, hurtling closer and closer to release.

Less than a minute later, another naked body was pressed against her front. She could feel his erection against her thigh as his big hands moved up and down her curves. Her eyes fluttered open to see Knox looking down at her, heat in his eyes.

“Does little bunny need to cum?” he muttered.

Her whimper was her only answer. Between the two men and what they were doing to her, tension was already building in her lower abdomen.

Knox claimed her mouth while Zeke’s teeth nibbled on her neck. Goosebumps rose across her skin, despite the warm temperature of the water. Knox flicked her nipples and pinched them at just the right times while Zeke continued to circle her clit in lazy strokes that matched the strokes of his tongue along her neck.

It was almost too much, but her body had lost all control, and she moaned into Knox’s mouth as she came so hard that her entire body went limp against her men.

Both guys finished cleaning her off before they got out of the shower. Then, Zeke dried her body while Knox worked on her hair. Once the three of them were dried, Zeke headed into the bedroom to pull the covers down on his bed while Knox carried her out of the bathroom and settled her into the middle of the mattress. The guys climbed in after, and they tucked into Amara before almost immediately falling asleep in a tangle of limbs, clothing be damned.