Chapter 20

MARKUS

When Lexie came down the stairs fresh and clean, she was dressed in a pretty top and jeans.

I was in the kitchen, cooking up breakfast. I didn’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen. But I could do eggs and bacon, toast and sausage. Protein, carbs and butter.

“Smells great,” Lexie said with a grin and sat on a bar stool.

I slid some bacon onto a large platter and pushed a plate toward her. “Help yourself.”

Since getting dressed, I’d calmed down enough to focus my nervous energy into cooking. I was starving, and I was sure they were, too.

Ollie came into the kitchen, opened the fridge and started pulling out drinks. Milk. Juice. Iced tea.

I served the last of the eggs and we all sat down at the counter to eat breakfast. The atmosphere was charged but not terrible.

When we were done eating, Ollie cleared away the dishes then indicated the large living room. “Shall we?”

I grabbed a Gatorade from the fridge and went to my usual spot on the couch. I wasn’t entirely sure how this conversation was going to go, but my gut twisted up into knots just thinking about it.

Ollie jumped on the end of the sofa, and Lexie perched in the middle, sitting closer to my brother as if seeking his comfort.

Could she really be pregnant already? Was that even possible?

And had Ollie truly told her that he wanted kids as soon as she could pop one out? I knew he wanted a mate and a family, but that would be one hell of a change from our current lifestyle.

“So,” Lexie began. “How are you feeling about all this, Markus?”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to have to be more specific than that.”

She nodded her head and swallowed awkwardly, her lips pulling a little to the side. “About... me. Us. The whole... perfect pair, Fated mate, triad bond.”

“Well, aren’t you getting up with all the lingo?” I said, shifting to face her properly. “You’ve only known us a few days, and it’s like you’ve talked wolf all your life.”

Her eyes shimmered a little in a vulnerable way before she gulped and said, “Why does that sound like a bad thing when you say it like that?”

Probably because I hadn’t meant it as a compliment.

Lexie continued, “I didn’t want to believe anything Ollie or you said in the beginning. But seeing your reactions to me... our attraction and chemistry... what your mom and Nancy said and how they responded... How could I not believe in you?”

I moved so that I was leaning forward, my elbows resting on my knees. “Believe in me? You didn’t believe me when I told you I didn’t fuck Nancy. You didn’t believe me when I said I didn’t know how I felt about having a mate.”

“I did believe that last part!” Lexie declared. “I know you’re not sure about me and our future. That’s why it was so easy to believe Nancy when she came over and lied about you. And I know she did lie. I know you didn’t go over to have sex with her, even though you did go over there. Which still confuses me.”

I growled and ran a hand through my hair. Part of the anger I was feeling wasn’t directed at Lexie. I knew that. I was angry at myself for being so stupid.

It seemed like I was blaming Lexie one hundred percent, but really, I was angry at me. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have gone over. It was dumb. I didn’t want her. Yet, part of me wanted to know what that felt like.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, still sitting on the edge of the sofa, upright and stiff.

I clenched my jaw tight, working through my own feelings of disappointment around what happened. “I mean... I’ve never felt content. Comfortable. I’ve always been on the lookout for the next woman. But after you and I were together, I didn’t even think about another woman. And when Nancy texted, I wanted to test what my wolf would do. He’s never liked her, not really. So I sat outside her place, laughing at myself. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t even open the door. My whole body locked down. And I... I couldn’t believe it. I realized I’d finally found the one. My mate. When I hadn’t even been looking, I found you. But then Nancy ran outside before I could drive away, and I thought I owed her a face-to-face explanation about the fact that I was now off the market.”

Lexie’s eyes changed, her gaze softening, even asher smile sharpened.

Ollie moved around so that he could look at me, and I could see the surprise in his features.

I sighed. “I’ve never wanted a wife and kids... but I never wanted my own business, and that’s turned out great. I never thought we’d buy a house... and we did. So many things in my life that I never planned—or that I thought I didn’t want—have been awesome. I wanted to believe this might be the same. But I’m not sure I’m the right one.”

“It can be awesome,” Lexie whispered.

I shook my head. “No, I’m not sure it can. What if I am what everyone says? A man who can never be satisfied with one partner.”

Lexie sniffed and shook herself, then slid a little closer. “Can I ask you a question? Were you happy before? You know... with all the different women. Moving from one to another. Always looking.”

I glanced away, ashamed at my answer. “No. There were days I could have walked into traffic and ended it all.”

Ollie’s swift intake of breath had me flinching away, but when I looked up at him, his expression was sad and reflective rather than angry.

I’d never told my brother about the true nature of the depression I fought on an almost daily basis. The alcohol, women and exercise chased the darkness away, but not for long.

Lexie’s hand cupped my face and gently pulled me around until I was facing her again.

She lifted her other hand so that she was soon holding me close. “Then don’t you think it’s possible that you weren’t meant to play the role you fell into? That maybe you’ve been looking for me, just as Ollie was? Just as I’ve been looking for you both?”

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat choking me. “You want a good guy, and I’m not that guy.”

She came closer, until she was a hair’s breadth away, then she kissed me gently.

I held perfectly still, my wolf howling in my head. He wanted me to grab her and make her mine. Pull her under my body and mate with her.

Here and now.

When she pulled back, she was still smiling. “Did you go down to the diner to sort out my wages?”

I frowned at her. “How do you know about that?”

“Did you stand up to your mother about me and tell her that she was wrong about me not being good enough for you and Ollie?”

I nodded. “Yeah... but what’s that got to do with anything?”

She laughed, louder this time. “Markus, you are the good guy. You’re the action guy. You’re my pillar of strength. Why would I ever want you to change?”

I blinked in confusion. “You like that about me?”

“Of course, I do! You defended me! Stood up for me. Protected me. What else could I possibly want?”

I glanced over at my brother, who was smiling softly. “What about Ollie?” I asked.

“What about him?” She looked back at him, then turned her attention to me. “Wasn’t the whole point of the perfect pairs to have two perfect guys?”

“I’m not perfect.”

“Yes, you are,” Lexie said, pressing her hand against my chest, close to my heart. “You’re perfect for me. I wouldn’t change a thing about you, and I am so, so sorry for believing Nancy over you, even for that brief time. It will never happen again. I can promise you that.”

Ollie cleared his throat. “Me too, bro,” he said softly. “I should have believed you, Markus. I’m sorry.”

I stared at them both. They were apologizing to me?

Happiness welled up, along with a sizeable boost of desire that I’d been trying to keep tamped down since Lexie joined me in the shower.

I grabbed her around the waist and hauled her over until she was sitting on my lap and had her arms around my waist. “So... Mate. You wanna have our babies, do you?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “I do. As long as you two are okay about the fact that I bring nothing to the table. No money. No family. No—”

“Nothing but your own perfection?” I interjected, nuzzling her neck. “Remember that Fate is never wrong about us being perfect for each other.”

She gasped and shifted on my lap, rubbing her pussy against my rapidly hardening cock. “Then the answer is definitely yes. I couldn’t imagine a better way to begin our lives together.”

I moved my hand up under her top, searching for her hot flesh. “Then lots of amazing sex is on the menu. We’ll get you pregnant and start our family. Right, Ollie?”

Ollie got up and walked over to the front door, clicking the lock into place and pulling the blinds. “You’re right about us needing a new house, Markus. Something a bit further out, maybe? Big and sprawling. Privacy and space.”

I pulled Lexie’s top over her head and unclipped her bra, her beautiful breasts spilling out, ready for my eager lips. “Yes, brother. I think we’re going to need the privacy.”

I turned my mate around and lay her down on the soft carpet, too impatient to take her all the way upstairs to my bedroom.

Ollie walked over, lust darkening his expression. “You guys wanna take this upstairs?”

“Not really.” I grinned up at him. I wanted Lexie here and now.

One side of his mouth quirked up in a smile. “I was thinking we could try taking her together. I’d rather have a mattress under her for that.”

Interesting.

I stared down at Lexie’s gorgeous face, her hair spread out around her like a cloud. “What do you think, sweetheart? Want both of us inside you at once?”

Would she take double penetration tonight? Or would that be something she’d need to work up to?

From the way her eyes widened, I had to assume that was something we’d need to slide into more slowly, sometime in the future.

She swallowed, then said, “I think a bed would be good. Especially after last night on the floor of the cave.”

I jumped to my feet, held out my hand and pulled her up. “You’re right. Let’s go.”

I pinched Lexie’s luscious ass, making her squeal and giggle, and chased her up the stairs and into my bedroom. The sheets and blankets were rumpled, and I frowned at the mess. “Did you guys sleep in here the other night?”

Lexie nodded, stripping off the rest of her clothes and exposing her gorgeous body to my view. “Yeah... I wanted to be here in case you came home.”

I stared at her and couldn’t stop the words as they tripped from my lips. I found that I didn’t want to stop them. “I love you, Lexie.”

She rushed forward, grabbed my arms and tilted her head up for a kiss. “Oh... I love you too, Markus. So much.”

I crushed her to me, wrapping my arms around her back and tasting her lips in the sweetest kiss I’d ever experienced.

When we broke apart I took the opportunity to get rid of my clothes. I saw that Ollie had already done the same and judging by the state of his erection, he was ready and waiting for Lexie.

But before that happened, I needed her. I needed her so fucking bad. The flame of our desire burned between us.

I flipped onto my back, keeping my legs off the end of the bed so that Lexie would be positioned for Ollie to take her ass if she allowed it.

But first... “Come up here and sit on my face, beautiful. I wanna eat your pussy.”

She blushed a dark pink, but willingly crawled up my body and threw a leg over my face, kneeling each side of my head and holding onto the headboard to steady herself.

She was amazing, so beautiful and slick, and the delicious scent of her arousal invaded my nostrils. I licked right up her crevice, delighting in the taste, then flicked my tongue over her clit. She bucked and cried out, grabbing onto my hair with one hand and riding my face as I grabbed her ass and buried myself in her pussy.

Damn, she tasted good. So fucking good. My cock throbbed. My need ratcheted up the ladder rungs until I was practically soaring into the clouds.

When she jerked back, gasping and red-faced, I growled at her. “Get on my cock.”

She scrambled to do as I demanded, sliding her wet pussy down my belly. Her movements were chaotic, her breathing ragged and indicative of how close she was to losing control.

I grabbed her waist and helped direct her, until she hovered over my ready cock with that wet, slick and oh-so-gorgeous pussy.

“Take me inside you, Mate,” I growled, and she let out a groan.

“Oh my God, yes, Markus. Yes!”

She slid straight down onto my ready flesh releasing a whimper as my cock filled her to the brim.

My cock was in heaven. Literal... heaven. Her pussy was wet yet tight, and her channel walls wrapped around me like she had been made just for me. Which, of course, she had been. That fact had never been more apparent than in this moment.

“Oh, Markus, that feels so... good.” She moaned and moved a little, undulating her body back and forth, and I almost lost my load right then and there.

“Fuck, I love you, babe,” I whispered, shocked at the hoarse sound of my voice. That was what she did to me. Brought me undone. Fully, completely, undone.

My perfect mate.

My Fated love.

The thought gave my heart wings as I reached to cup her face and urge her down to me for a kiss.

Ollie moved in behind her.

“Can you take me here, beautiful?” he asked, and Lexie stilled on top of me.

She turned and looked over her shoulder, before nodding. “I think so. I want to. I want you both.”

She turned back to me, leaning over to kiss me again and I clung tightly to her, feeling the rightness of this moment.

Lexie. Alexandria... my queen.

***

LEXIE

Ollie poured some kind of soothing lotion into my seam, before pushing his thumb into my ass, stretching me as I rocked on Markus’s cock.

I took his thumb over and over, the soft pain at the start dulling until a strange sense of bliss began to flood over me. I concentrated on Markus beneath me. His strong hands on my waist, his thick cock deep inside of me, his beautiful lips pressed against mine every time I bent forward to reach him.

I put all of my love into the kisses I laid on him. I wanted him to know how much I wanted him. Not just Ollie, but him as well.

Ollie removed his thumb and a strange sense of emptiness filled me. Which was crazy, given Markus filled me with his ready flesh.

But something in me knew, I needed them both. The empty sensation didn’t last long. Ollie pressed his lubed cock to my ass and rocked his hips, pushing into me an inch at a time.

It burned, but I wanted it. The pressure. The possession.

I needed both of my mates. Right now.

I began to rock back and forth, up and down on Markus’s cock, the movement taking more and more of Ollie until he was fully seated just like Markus.

I was so full and yet, I wanted more. I needed more. I needed everything they had.

“Move,” I gasped. “Please.”

Markus grabbed my hips, steadying himself and me, and began to thrust frantically up into my pussy, hitting every pleasure point and making stars explode inside my head.

Ollie pulled back and thrust in, over and over, his cock tag-teaming with Markus until I couldn’t hold on any longer. I cried out as my orgasm slammed into me, making my belly convulse and my pussy tighten around the cocks inside of me.

Ollie growled and yelled, thrusting once more before filling me with heat.

Markus rode through my orgasm to the other side, then he too met us in perfect bliss, yelling in a strangled tone and coming inside me also in a rush of warmth.

I collapsed on top of Markus as Ollie withdrew and dropped down to the mattress beside us. He reached out a hand and clasped my fingers with his. “I love you, beautiful girl.”

“I love you, Ollie,” I managed to whisper, though I could barely keep my eyes open. “You too, Markus.”

Markus’s heart pounded like a drum beneath my ear and I vaguely felt his fingers stroking my cheek, pushing strands of damp hair out of my eyes and caressing my scalp. All I could think was that we were finally together, forging our new future as the perfect pair triad we were always meant to be.