12. Chapter 12

“So, what, you’re all just one big happy family?” Drake’s snide comment goes unanswered as Pete undoes the leather cord I’d used to tie up my hair. When he’s done with that, his hands move around my front and slowly unlace my vest while I undo the hooks on my breaches.

Our lack of reaction annoys the grumpy pirate because he lets out a huff of air before turning to the door.

“You can leave now,” I say as Pete pushes my breaches to the floor. “But then you won’t be welcome in here again. Or,” I pause and turn to face him, nearly naked except for the unbuttoned blouse hanging on my shoulders. “You can stay and see where it goes.”

He harrumphs, and I’m confident he’s about to walk out the door, but instead, he takes in my state of undress with the look of a hungry man.

“What then, Vixen?” He asks, his tone much less put out. Dare I say he sounds slightly curious?

“I don’t know, Drake. I don’t have all the answers. But I don’t know how long I’m here for, and I plan to enjoy every moment I have on this ship.”

Jack and Pete’s faces frown at my words, and I wish I had said nothing to upset them, but it’s nothing if not the truth.

“What in blazes does that mean?” Drake asks incredulously.

“It means that I can wake up at any minute, and I don’t want to miss out on anything.” I step out of my discarded clothing and slowly climb into the iron tub. “Now, are you going to come wash all this blood off me, or will I get one of the others to do it for me?”

I can tell he’s not satisfied with my response, and I can’t really blame him. My non-answer gives him no clue what is happening, but his need overpowers his thirst for knowledge because he walks back deeper into the cabin toward me.

“Poseidon knows I’ll probably regret this,” he mutters as he brushes past Pete to take the hand I hold out for him. His tone is gruff, and his words leave something to be desired, but his actions? Holy fucking shit, his actions speak way louder than words.

Drake ‘Killer’ Packard takes that hand and gives it a tender kiss before resting his cheek on it. Without a single word said, he takes the rough sponge I didn’t see lying on the side and soaps it up with some sweet-smelling liquid. His tender care to rid my body of the grime and filth of the battle takes my breath away. It’s such a contrast to the dark, grumpy asshole I’d written him to be, but I shouldn’t be surprised. Deep inside each grump lives the softest, gooiest marshmallow after all.

Once the water in the small tub underneath my feet has run cold and pink with the blood of our enemies, he slowly lifts me out of the water and places me on the bed. I am so lost in Drake and everything he’s been doing to me that I lose track of Pete and Jack, but the second my naked body hits the mattress, they move into my peripheral vision. Both men no longer wear any clothes, and their straining erections practically scream at me. They’re both clean, their hair wet, so Bella must have brought in some water jugs for them to get cleaned up, too.

My entire body is a mess of emotions and sensations. Yes, my muscles are delightfully fatigued after the workout both of them gave me before the battle. Add to that the battle itself and I’ll probably be feeling it for a few days. But nothing is going to stop me from enjoying them again. Pain is but a fleeting concept.

“Now, you’re going to lie there like the good girl you are while I get cleaned up,” Drake orders, and my breath hitches at his no-nonsense tone. “Obviously, I have no control over those scoundrels you call your bed partners, but mark my words, Vixen, if you move an inch, your ass will pay for it.”

My suddenly soaked pussy contracts around empty nothingness. It”s unfair that he pulls out that unmistakable Dom voice on me. I nod my consent, and a devilish smile lights up his face.

“Who knew? All I need to do to get you to listen to me is get you naked and bathe you.”

“Don’t push it,” Jack warns, and I indulgently smile at my giant.

“Thanks, big guy,” I whisper but remain still on the bed for fear of retribution. I have no aversion to getting my ass spanked by a dominant man, but I’m curious to see how far Drake will take this. Lucky for me, Jack indulges me by bringing his lips down on mine.

The soft, sweet kiss is exactly what I expect from him, and the calloused hands cupping my breasts are no surprise. When Jack pulls away from our kiss, I look to my left to Pete, who’s teasing my nipples to stiff peaks.

“I’m not going to lie, temptress, but I’ve been picturing this. You submitting to Killer. You two were made for each other,” he says to me before bending over my body and sucking a hard bud into his mouth. It’s a struggle not to arch my back off the bed, and I look across the room for Drake to see how far he is from joining us.

The damn asshole is still undressing, taking his time while watching the men slowly turn my body into a puddle of goo.

Then Pete’s words register, and I shake my head to clear the fog of lust it’s currently lounging in.

“No, honey. No. Not just Drake and me.”

Pete looks up at me from where he is sucking a love bite onto the underside of my breast.

“You’re just as good a match for me as he is. Jack, too. I couldn’t have done a better job at creating the perfect men for me.”

My charming jokester blushes at my words before returning to his mission. I have no clue if my words truly penetrated, and I make a mental note to remind him after all the sex games. Right now, I’m too distracted by his mouth travelling down my stomach, and Jack’s hard rooster steadily grinds against my hip, reminding me of what is to come.

Well, hopefully, I will be. And soon, too.

Pete’s warm mouth finally reaches its destination, and I’m hard-pressed to look away from him. Softly, he blows on the plumped lips of my sex, and a soft moan escapes me.

“Look at us as you plunder her depths,” Jack orders and I whimper at the implication of his words. It seems to have the same effect on Pete because he’s humping the bed now. But he follows Jack’s orders, bringing his gaze up to swing between us.

The hunger and need in his eyes match my own.

“You’re going to make our heart come. You’re going to drink up all her precious nectar. But you won’t be allowed to succumb to your own pleasure.”

Pete’s face falls in abject horror at Jack’s words, and I wonder if he’ll do as he’s told.

“This is your punishment, Grin. You’ll follow my orders, or I’ll be forced to make you pay another way.”

That was probably not the right thing to say to our risk-taker. Pete’s eyes light up with delight, and I know he will challenge Jack to see where it takes them.

I can’t wait.