Chapter 5

Five

B ride? Claim and mark her? What was she? Their property?

The nerve of those two. Worse, the lack of her nerve.

She sighed, heavy frustration pouring out. The second Riley shoved the truck into park, she bounded out and plucked every flower she could hold to keep her hands busy. Otherwise, they'd both be nursing a good old-fashioned knuckle sandwich right in the perfect lines of those perfect chiseled jaws.

Damn her weakness for cleft chins and dark eyes. She knew exactly why she didn't nail her door shut. It had everything to do with a fast exit and nothing to do with her desire for them to stop her.

Zahara's head spun and her stomach bubbled with unease. She pressed a hand to squelch the queasiness.

"Come. We want to show you something before ravishing you until you can't think straight."

They had always been straight talkers with her, but they really were not holding anything back now. All the dirty talk left her insides on fire and her pussy drenching her panties. At this rate, she'd need a change of clothing before noon.

Riley tangled his fingers with hers and gave a slight tug. The path broadened just ahead and he helped her over a felled tree from one side while Holden balanced what looked like a picnic on the other. Beneath their feet, small pine needles and twigs snapped as gnarled roots lay ready to trip her up. Birds hopped from branch to branch overhead, chirping their morning serenade. A sudden peace settled over her despite wanting to be mad as hell.

"Would it matter if I said I don't want to be here?"

Holden took her chin in hand, lifted. Her body tingled from the soft look in his eyes. "We'd never hurt you. Or do anything you ultimately do not want. Give the word and we will take you back right now." Holden spoke up beside her.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I don't mean to sound so, I don't know. I don't feel so well." And it was the truth. The last few days the room tended to spin a little too fast when she stood abruptly and coffee didn't seem to have the same appeal as it usually did.

Shadows combed through the low hanging branches as though clinging to the early morning for a bit longer. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the sunlight playing over Holden's hard body. It danced along the contours and raised edges here and there. Riley, on her other side just as handsome. Scars marred his side and right arm, snagging the sunlight on their slightly raised edges. His body was otherwise perfectly flawless. Sculpted and deeply tanned.

One night when she found enough courage to ask about the scars, he'd told her his father believed in the old ways. That beating a child into submission was the only way to raise a good leader and leaving scars was only a reminder. She had a hard time with anyone beating a child. Her mother had her faults, but raising a hand to her and her sister wasn't one of them.

Zahara had spent the rest of the night making sure Riley had new memories.

As her eyes trailed over Riley and Holden she couldn't help but wonder what kind of fathers they would be. Patient, caring and loving for sure.

Smooth, corded bodies she tried not to notice glided with a masculine grace beside her. Since they had their sunglasses slid in place, she could only go by the easy way they walked that both men enjoyed her company. Low-slung cargo shorts hugged their hips, the material outlining every impressive inch south of the treasure trails that led below the beltline.

Holden growled long and hard as he leaned in. "You moan like that again and we won't be responsible for taking you here and now against whatever surface we find."

She froze, torn between his dark promise and the glimpse of what she caught between the thinning trees.

She pushed around the massive trunk of one tree, the gnarled roots an obstacle course. Thick woods surrounded the hidden section of the lake, hugging the small body of water like a lover's embrace. Massive rocks lined the edges of water where they stood while cascading water burbled in the distance to create a soothing aquatic symphony.

The natural force churned a hypnotic pattern in the water, but where they stood lazy waves lapped at the edges of the bank, beckoning her closer. Through the low-hanging branches, large patches of sunshine poured through to glitter over the water's surface. How did they know she couldn't resist such an invitation?

A riot of sensations tore through her as ripples of awe fanned across her senses. She smiled and looked between both men. "This is in your back yard? And you're not here every day?"

"Come. Let's have some fun then we can sunbathe over there." Holden pointed to the flat slabs of rock she eyed hugging the waterfall. It looked divine soaked in so much warm light and a perfect way to spend her last day with them.

She angled her head to the side and perched a hand on her hip. "I didn't exactly bring a bathing suit unless you snagged that from my apartment too."

"No need. It's only us here."

Holden pulled her around to face him and slowly worked the hem of her shirt up while Riley slid the button of her shorts loose. "You guys are taking a lot for granted, don't you think?"

"I'd say yes, but the way you're stroking my shoulder and hugging up close to Riley I'd say the attention is welcomed."

Cocksure. Holden meant trouble for her if she didn't watch herself.

Fighting both of them proved to be a losing battle. The only thing she could do was hold on and pray she had the willpower to resist them a while longer. Holden had an uncanny way of seeing past her shield, and Riley had the patience of a freaking, hell, she didn't know anyone with the amount of patience that man operated with. Whittle it down to the bare essentials and both were pure trouble. It was too late to do anything about the broken heart coming her way like a bullet with her name written all over the front in bright red spray paint.

Riley turned her around and looked down his chest at her with a mixture of lust and, she wanted to say anger. "You started something last night." He took a step forward and she mirrored his action, only in reverse. "Why did you hesitate about coming to us? It's not like the family doesn't know about us." He thumbed toward Holden.

"Yeah, but still. Everyone had eyeballs on us." She fibbed.

"Liar," he tossed back at her as though she'd nailed him with a live grenade.

What? Could he smell deception?

"We know it wasn't the family. Not after the show you put on."

Riley on one side, Holden on the other and water at her back. How fast could she swim to the other side? She dashed the thought away before it could take root.

She swallowed, cornered in nothing but a scrap of lace for panties and a bra. She could probably get up to her knees before the burly mountain men had her pinned between them.

"What's running through that pretty little mind of yours, sweetheart? You can trust us with the truth." Despite the whiskey smoothness to his words, Riley shifted as if he followed her train of thought. Could she outrun them? Would they hunt her down?

If she answered his question they would peel away the last shield she had against their wickedness and she'd be left with nothing but her dimming willpower to protect her against the knotted desire that tightened in her womb. With a flick of her shoulder she looked anywhere but those mesmerizing eyes of theirs.

She straightened and dug in her heels. "Sorry, boys, there's nothing really to say."

"Have it your way. We'll get you to talk, one way or another." Holden bent and scooped her up for the second time today. The man needed a good lesson in manners and a good kick in the shins. In that order.

Swirling water licked at her toes then quickly swallowed her up to the neck as he lifted her to straddle his waist and glided out to the middle of the inlet. She tightened her hold around his neck.

"Easy, baby." Suddenly his voice went darker, smoother. "I've got you. I've always got you." Strong arms held her steady as she took in the rush of cool water over her heated skin.

She nailed Holden in the chest. "But who has you? Because you're earning a good ass-kicking, Savage."

A low chuckle tickled her ears. "Might want to take it easy on the Tarzan act, buddy." Riley lifted her from Holden's grip and glided them both out until the water hit his chin.

"Now that I have you alone, tell me what's scaring you?" She didn't believe for a second Holden couldn't hear them from where he now stood on the bank spreading out the blanket for them and situating towels for easy access. They had a plan and she walked into it blindly.

A lump formed in her throat. Riley always had a way of opening the tightest of closed doors. She scanned the small ripples in the water but she knew no answers would come popping out at her.

Deep wounds threatened to burst open, but this wasn't the time for her haunting past. Besides, how did she tell them she didn't trust anyone no matter how hard she tried? And she cried herself to sleep almost every night when they left her? How could she trust them when they so easily walked away? All she wanted was to wake up in someone's arms, feeling loved. Who was she kidding—she wanted to wake up in their arms. She was the kind of little girl who dreamed of her future wedding as a child. When her mom sent her and Ivy to the store for the rare piece of candy while she got her drug fix, Zahara took five extra minutes to peek at the frilly white dresses in the magazines.

Looking back, maybe that was why she fell so hard for her first husband and why she'd missed all the signs. She dreamed too big and wanted what fate never intended for her.

What happened yesterday with the Ashwood Sr. only served as a cold reminder of the past.

"Let's just enjoy today. Why do we need to talk about anything?" Once she hit cruising altitude tomorrow, everything would come barreling down on her shoulders. For today, though forced on her at first, she rather enjoyed the small gift they'd given her.

Zahara cupped Riley's cheek and leaned in to brush the tip of her nose against his. "Let's just enjoy."

Worry lines along the edges of his eyes deepened, but he didn't say anything as Holden rejoined them. She reclined into his embrace and he took in her lips and her braid wound around her shoulder before answering.

But he didn't answer with words. Eyes bright with a golden flare of hunger, Riley dipped his head and caught her lips with a fiery kiss. Her core tightened, tingled with anticipation. Of what Holden would do to her as he eased up behind her, his chest pressed against her back. But her heart said another minute in their arms spelled her downfall. She'd risk it. Riley tasted too damn sinful to give up.

"Let's get one thing very straight, baby. We're not letting you run." And then they switched. Holden's mouth was on hers and Riley was the one holding her steady.

Deft fingers worked the clasp of her bra and the cool brush of water against her exposed skin sent a flush of heat through her body despite the water. Braced against Holden he took her weight in his arms. Large hands framed the sides of her sensitive breasts as Holden lifted them to reveal her nipples above the waterline.

She gasped and tightened her thighs around Riley's waist, locking him in place. He drew the pebbled tip of her nipple between his teeth and bit down. Not too hard but hard enough her pussy spasmed and the bundle of nerves deep in her core quivered with a need for release. His cock pressed against the confines of his shorts and her panties, teasing her further.

She didn't have to promise forever to enjoy their touch. Her eyelids slipped closed. Did she? Fear clenched deep within and she stiffened.

"What is it, baby?" Holden took in their surroundings with a caution she hadn't seen before.

The dark strands of her hair splayed across the water's surface like swirls of ink. She focused on that instead of Riley. "Your father." The itch to reach for her hair had her gnashing her teeth, but Holden held her steady, his fingers threaded through hers. Tension bunched the corded muscles of Riley's neck, and his body went rigid against hers. She immediately regretted her words.

"We don't have to talk about that now or ever if you don't want." Riley's eyes deepened with pain before returning to their normal state.

"I don't want you to misunderstand what today is about. He spouted a lot of shit last night. Nothing to give much mind to."

"He'd called me your mate." she half muttered, the words hard to say.

"Our soulmate," he confirmed in a gravelly voice.

"You complete us, Zahara."

She flicked her gaze to Holden's and nodded. Out of agreement or just acknowledging he'd spoken she couldn't say.

She froze her throat closing up with so many emotions.

He had called her his soulmate too. And then he'd tried to kill her. Her ex needed to find a black hole and fall in.

"You make me want to kill whoever put that fear into your eyes, baby girl," Riley growled. He moved a swath of hair that had slipped from her braid aside and placed a tender kiss on the side of her cheek. Leaning forward, he rested his forehead against her.

She wished things could be different, that her broken mind didn't hold her back, but to give them false hope of what can't be would be wrong. "You both need to know that it can't happen."

"You don't mix words do you, baby?" Holden spoke up, and she wanted to set the world on fire for breaking her so completely. It all started with her mother's lies and how they destroyed two little girls. That first night in the orphanage, as she lay there awake watching over her baby sister, Zahara had made a promise to herself to never lie. To never do anything that could destroy their tiny family of two. Then she married a man that nearly killed her.

The pain in Holden's words and the fear in Riley's eyes had torn a new hole in her heart and had her wishing she'd taken the flight home today. "This was a mistake."

Holden's fingers tightened around hers. "Sooner or later you have to stop running." His lips a shy glance away from hers.

"Please, Holden. Don't kiss me. Don't make me suffer through that and then walk away knowing I can't have you."

He leaned in; the fine contours of his chest pressed against hers as he lifted her to settle in his strong embrace. "You scared to feel? Scared to love? Or do you just not want two men to love you down to the last drop of blood in our veins?"

She balked, eyes darting between them. "All of it. All of it, damn both of you."