Chapter 31

Chapter

Thirty-One

HARPER

M uch like the first time I came to a party here with the guys, I wander around in the fading light while they set up. I tried to help, but they insisted they were good. Now I find myself back in the ruins of what was once a sanctuary.

The altar draws me near, I’ve never seen anything like it. Completely carved out of granite, it has withstood the test of time. Some might even go as far as to say it’s a metaphor for the eternal love of God. I wouldn’t know.

My father’s church didn’t have an altar, he stood in the middle of a large stage with a screen at his back. Stage lights would shine down on him, so hot that he’d finish his sermons and have to dab sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief. The juxtaposition of my experience and the quiet serenity of this place leave me with an overwhelming sense of sadness.

How different would things be if I had grown up in an environment of beauty and love instead of garish wealth and fear? There’s no point in entertaining these thoughts and questions. It won’t change my circumstances, and as I turn and watch the guys laughing together, I’m not sure I’d change anything anyway. Being welcomed into their lives makes me feel incredibly lucky.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a short burst of light from the trees. I cross the room to investigate but don’t pay close enough attention to where I’m stepping, and my foot slips into a hole. I cry out in pain as a broken board cuts open the skin just above my knee.

Before I can even pull myself up, I feel two hands lifting me from under my arms. Emerson scoops me up like I weigh nothing and sets me on one of the pews lining the crumbling walls. He kneels down in front of me and pushes my dress up my thigh to get a better look.

“It’s just a scratch,” I say as I watch him run his finger under the cut. “I’m such a klutz.”

Cy jogs up behind him with a small first aid kit, followed closely by Declan.

“This place is dangerous if you take a wrong step.” Emerson grabs the kit and searches through it. “When was your last tetanus shot?”

“I have no idea.”

His lips flatten into a line. “We’ll take you to get one tomorrow, but I’ll clean this up the best I can here.” He opens an alcohol wipe and gently runs it over the wound.

I hiss through my teeth at the sting while he dabs it clean. With one hand he presses a little bit of gauze over the cut while the fingertips of his other hand trace tiny circles on my inner thigh. I don’t know if he knows what he’s doing to me or not, but he shifts to drop the gauze in a little trash bag, and the hand that’s caressing me slips higher under my skirt.

It takes all my willpower to not let my legs fall open in invitation. I haven’t felt his touch in any more than a friendly manner, but my core immediately starts aching for him. Curiosity and need swirl together while he continues to take care of me, ripping open a bandage with his teeth.

I look up and find both Cy and Declan with their eyes locked on my face. By the looks on their faces, I know that they know I’m turned on. Cy bends down and whispers something in Emerson’s ear that makes him go still.

Mischief shines in his eyes as he lifts his gaze to me. “I think you’ll be fine, but there’s one more thing I can do for you.”

“What?” My eyes lock on his whiskey-colored irises.

“Kiss it better.” His gaze stays locked on my face as he lowers his to my thigh.

Emerson presses his lips to the corner of the bandage. “Any other aches I should know about?” His fingers slowly move up my thigh until his knuckles brush my panties.

I nod my head, afraid my voice won’t work if I try to speak. I drop my head back as he drags his thumb along my slit. His heat seeps through the thin cotton and into my skin. Just as he starts to slip his fingers under the side of my panties, the sound of people entering the clearing brings the moment to a screeching halt.

He pulls his hand from under my dress, but instead of standing and putting space between us, he wraps it around the back of my neck and slides me to the edge of the pew. His lips close over mine in an unexpectedly fierce kiss. But just as soon as it started, he ends it.

“We’re not finished with this,” he says against my lips.

I stay where I’m at while I catch my breath. My nipples strain against the soft fabric of the dress. I thought I’d be okay without a bra tonight because of the way the dress is gathered at the bodice and supports my breasts. Being incredibly turned on wasn’t something I gave a single thought to, though, and now I’m wishing I would have. At least I was smart enough to grab a cardigan.

Declan stays with me as I get myself pulled together and then offers his hand to help me up.

“Thank you,” I say quietly.

“I think I’ll be thanking you by the end of the night.” He smirks at me and then leads me out to where everyone is gathering. “Stay close,” he murmurs in my ear as he steps around me to go greet a few guys from his team.

I nod and walk over to the cooler to grab a drink. I’m not much of a drinker, so I grab a bottle of water and take a seat in one of the chairs we brought and set up by the fire pit. A group of girls walks into the clearing and head straight for Declan and Emerson, immediately gluing themselves to their sides. While it annoys me, I try to hide my feelings by focusing on Cy as he talks animatedly to two guys off to the side of the party.

Keeping to the outskirts of the party gives me the opportunity to people watch. I recognize a few people from being around campus, but most of the faces are entirely new. Emerson told me that Saylor and Lou wouldn’t be here tonight which sucks. I really enjoy the friendship I’m building with them.

The sounds of hoots and cat calls from the opposite side of the clearing grabs my attention. I stand up and look around, trying to find one of the guys. When my eyes land on Declan and he makes eye contact over the shoulder of the guys he’s talking to, I point in the direction I’m planning to go. He nods, which I take as a good sign and start walking along the worn path.

There are only a few lit tiki torches on this side of the party, but I see a circle formed and what looks to be two people fighting. I shoulder my way into the circle and gasp as I watch Cy take a hit to the stomach from a guy with at least six inches of height on him .

My first instinct is to run into the middle of the ring and stop the fight, but a hand around my wrist stops me. I glare over my shoulder at whoever has the audacity to grab me like that when my eyes meet Emerson’s gaze.

“He’s fine. He needs to get this out of his system.”

“He’s bleeding.”

“I’ve seen him in much worse shape.” He steps to my back as his arm snakes around my waist, palm splayed over my belly. “If you go out there to stop them, he’ll just end up getting hurt worse.”

“Why is he doing this?” I watch as Cy takes another hit, the gleam in his eyes is absolutely unhinged.

“He was born into violence. It’s what he knows best.”

I don’t understand. He’s the gentlest man I’ve ever met. The only thing more beautiful than his art is his soul. Then, like a switch that’s flipped, he goes from taking hit after hit to throwing punishing punches.

Blood flies from his opponent's mouth as his head snaps to the side. My breath catches as I feel Emerson’s erection press into my back. I can’t tell if he’s turned on by my proximity or if it’s watching Cy. As much as I don’t want to admit it, there is a beauty to his brutality.

I shift my stance, pressing my back firmly to Emerson’s front. The whispered groan in my ear feeds my ego in a way I’m sure isn’t healthy, but I want more. So much more.

He presses his lips to my ear. “If you keep rubbing on me like this, I’m going to drag you off into the woods and make you beg for my cock.” His other hand grips my hip as he grinds against me. “But I won’t let you cum, not until everyone is gone and I can draw out every single gasp and scream until you’re so hoarse you’ll be sipping honeyed tea for a week to recover.”

As if my arousal is a beacon for Cy, he locks eyes with me. Heat flares in his eyes as he takes in the way Emerson is draped over me. It’s not jealousy, it’s desire. Even in my inexperienced world, I know that.

Unfortunately, the distraction of seeing Emerson and me together gives his opponent the opportunity he needs, and he hits Cy so hard he falls back. Emerson drops his arms and steps in front of me, concern radiating off him until the two of them start wrestling around on the ground. Eventually Cy gets the upper hand again, but I can’t keep watching, so I head back toward the fire.

Another brief flash of light from the woods grabs my attention, so I veer off to see where it’s coming from. As I reach the edge of the forest, I see it again, but this time it’s farther back in the trees. It’s coming from the direction of the jeep, so I’m not worried about getting lost.

As I walk quietly through the woods, I come upon a small building, really barely larger than a closet. I don’t remember seeing it before, but the light flashes from inside. The hair rises on my arms, but I shake off the discomfort and reach for the handle of the door.

As soon as I pull it open, I realize it’s an old outhouse. I’m just about to close the door as there’s no one in there when I feel two hands push me inside. I yelp in surprise just as the door closes behind me.

I’m plunged into darkness. When I turn to open the door, it’s lodged closed. I bang against it once, twice. My heart speeds up, blood roaring in my ears as I realize I’m trapped.

The dank air stifles me as I fall back in time to when I was a little girl and my dad had just found me eating cookies he had forbidden me from having. I still remember the vise-like grip of his cold hands as he dragged me kicking and screaming into his office and tossed me into the closet. I pushed and screamed and kicked at the door, panic drowning me as he quoted the bible and told me I’d be damned to hell for my sins.

I don’t realize it, but I’m banging on the door, screaming, when it suddenly opens in front of me, and I fall into Emerson’s arms. His wild eyes look me over for injuries in the seconds before I launch myself into his arms. My legs lock around his waist just as my arms do around his neck.

He puts his hands under my butt and lifts me higher, whispering comforting words over and over in my ears. I barely notice Cy and Declan telling everyone the party is over and to leave. Emerson walks into the sanctuary and sets me on top of the altar I always find myself drawn to.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” His hands run over my body in the way a doctor would touch a patient. “What were you doing in there?”

“Someone pushed me in there.”

“Did you see who?” Declan asks as he comes storming in.

“No. I just saw a flash of light in the trees and went to investigate.”

“That was dumb,” Declan says before I can finish.

“Dec.” Emerson’s voice is sharp as a knife's edge as he swings his gaze over his shoulder.

Declan lifts his hands in surrender, but I don’t miss the way his jaw tenses.

“I had actually seen the light earlier tonight, it’s what I was looking at when I stepped in the hole. I just wanted to figure out who or what it was coming from.”

Cy comes in, blood trickling from a cut on his cheekbone and the skin around his eye already purpling. “Everyone’s gone.”

“Good.” Emerson stands. “Come with me, we’re going to walk around the perimeter.” He grabs Cy’s shoulder and starts walking away. Then he stops and looks back at Declan. “Be fucking nice.”

My gaze drops to my hands, which are shaking even as they rest on my thighs. The adrenaline from the fright is still pumping through my veins. I wish I could kneel at Banks’s feet right now. To feel the weight of his hand as it runs through my hair and I set aside all my fears to just be safe and cared for.

Declan’s feet enter my field of view, and then he cups my cheeks, tilting my head back until we make eye contact. “What do you need?” His eyes search mine like he’ll find an answer lurking in their depths.

I shrug, too scared to give him that vulnerability.

“Bullshit. You know what you need right now.” He pulls out his phone and then swears. “If I had service, I’d call Banks. Just tell me, Angel.”

I can’t tell him about kneeling for Banks, but I give us a bit of reprieve. “Just hold me. I need the grounding touch.”

His arms immediately wrap around me, pulling me close as he leans down and presses his lips to the spot in my neck where my pulse still hammers away. He runs his hands up and down my spine, digging his fingers into my flesh and helping the tense muscles relax. As I begin to soften under his ministrations, his lips move from my neck up to my lips.

I open for him, ready to give whatever he wants. His tongue slides against mine in a slow dance of seduction. He runs his hands down my thighs to my knees and pushes them apart, so he can step between them. With each brush of his lips against mine and each glide of his fingers over my skin I relax back into the present.

I whimper when he takes a step away from me, looking over my shoulder as Emerson and Cy come back to us. “Find anything? ”

“No,” Emerson growls with frustration.

“But everyone is gone. It’s just us now.”

My skin heats when all three of them turn their attention to me. Each wears the same look, desire, just in a different font from the other two. Need radiates from Emerson, a look of desire in his eyes that burns with how visceral it is. Warmth emanates from Cy as he looks at me like I hung the moon and stars just for him. Declan looks at me like I could be his salvation. It’s heady to be the focus of these three men.

I want it.

I want them.

“I think it’s time we made you ours.” Cyrus steps between my thighs and pulls me to the edge of the altar.

Heat unfurls in my belly as his hands glide up my thighs, taking my dress with them. I look into the black pools of his eyes. Desire swirls in their depths as he pushes my dress up to my hips and hooks his fingers into my panties.

“Here?” I ask.

“Yes. Lift your hips .”

I do as he asks and gasp at the cold granite beneath my heated skin when I set myself back down. Emerson and Declan both sport visible erections under their jeans. They watch with rapt attention as Cy grabs the tie at the top of my dress and pulls it free. He pulls my breasts over the material until they are fully exposed to the cool night air.

“Look at how beautiful she is in the moonlight.” He steps back so they all can see every exposed inch of me. “A thousand canvases wouldn’t do you justice, asteraki mu .”

“Taste her,” Declan commands Emerson.

He doesn’t hesitate, just drops to his knees in front of me. Need pounds deep within me when he uses his thumbs to spread me open. I feel the groan he makes as he presses his lips to my soft center. His tongue laps at my clit as my eyes flutter closed. My back arches pressing my hips closer to his mouth. I brace my body with one hand, and suddenly I feel Declan’s lips against mine. I open for him to plunder my mouth, using my free hand to run through his hair.

Cy pulls my cardigan off as his lips close over one of my exposed nipples. I moan into Declan’s mouth as Cy circles my tip with his tongue ring while his other hand pulls the strap of my dress down. He switches to the other side, and Declan skims his lips down my neck.

Having all three of their mouths on me at the same time overwhelms my senses. Emerson slides two fingers inside me and angles them up while he sucks my clit sending pleasure racing through my veins. Each brush of lips drags me closer to the edge. I can’t focus on just one sensation when they all work in symphony with one another.

Declan’s mouth overtakes mine again when my walls begin to tremble around Emerson’s fingers. My toes curl as my knees fall open wide. My orgasm rushes through me like a hot tidal wave when Emerson presses down on my mound with the heel of his palm. My back bows off the stone beneath me as I cry out.

Either Declan or Cy takes over stroking me through the aftershocks because I watch as Emerson rises from between my thighs and leans over my body. My desire wets his lips and chin as he takes my mouth with his. The kiss is wet and filthy, and, god help me, I cannot get enough.

He kisses me until we’re both out of breath. His hand cups my breast as he grinds his hard length between my thighs. I’m so tender and sensitive that it almost hurts, but I don’t want him to stop.

I don’t want any of them to stop.

I want more.

I lie there on the slab of granite while they trade places, and Cy pulls his cock out. He drags his tip through the wet mess between my legs, hissing as Emerson pushes him down over me.

“Should I take his ass while he fucks you, Harper?” he asks me. “You want me to set the pace for your pleasure?”

I didn’t even know that was possible. “Yes.”

“Fuck,” Cy says with anticipation.

Emerson pulls out a packet of lube and tears it open with his teeth. I can’t see what he’s doing, but I feel Cy’s quick intake of breath. He looks up into my eyes.

“You ready?” Cy asks as his cock pulses at my entrance.

I nod. “Yes. Please.” I babble some more, begging for them to start because all I want is to be filled with them.

“Fuck, you’re so wet baby.” He glides inside of me, his piercing running along my front wall in the most incredible way.

“Oh.” I gasp at the pleasure. “Oh goodness.”

Emerson reaches around between us and plays with my clit. “Relax, Cy. Take it like a good boy.”

“It’s hard to relax when her cunt is squeezing my cock like her life depends on it. ”

The sound of a palm smacking flesh rings out over our panted breaths.

“Relax.” The command comes from Emerson one more time, and I feel Cy slowly unclenching his muscles over me.

I look over and see Declan at my right, his cock heavy in his hand as he watches us. I’m at the perfect height to take him in my mouth if he steps closer.

“Declan,” I look pointedly from his cock to his face. “I want you in my mouth.”

“What part of me?” He gives me the smirk that I loathe and love equally.

“Your cock.” There’s no hesitancy in saying that word anymore. “Fuck my face while they fuck my pussy.”

Surprise, followed quickly by lust, clouds his eyes as he steps toward me, settling his tip at my lips. I sneak my tongue out and lick the drop of pre-cum gathered on the tiny slit of his crown. All three of them groan in unison at that, and then I feel Emerson and Cy begin to fuck each other and me. They sync their movements while I lick and suck Declan.

It’s sloppy and wet and dirty. The four of us find pleasure in each other’s bodies with no shame. This altar once used to worship God is now where we worship each other instead.

I come first, the pleasure from Cy’s piercing and Emerson’s fingers on my clit proving too much to withstand. Cy quickly follows, shooting hot ropes of cum deep inside me. The thought of that alone brings me right to the edge of a third orgasm. Why is it so sexy to think about being filled with their cum?

I need more so I turn my attention to Declan who has been taking it way too easy on me. I turn over to get a better angle, moving to my elbows and knees, so he can fuck my throat the way he needs. I hear Cy groan behind me and feel someone’s fingers as they gather the cum leaking from me and push it back inside where it belongs.

Declan cups either side of my head, holding me still while he begins to rut into my mouth. I make sure to relax my jaw and open for him. I gag with each thrust but then remember a tip my cousin gave me, and as he presses deep, I swallow around him.

“Fuck,” he cries out. “Fuck.” His head falls back as he twitches in my mouth.

I do it again, and he cums. I swallow everything he gives me until he stops twitching. He pulls out of my mouth and bends to kiss me, long and thorough and deep. The sound of skin slapping skin pulls us apart.

I look over and see Cyrus bent over the altar with his eyes squeezed shut in ecstasy while Emerson thrusts into him from behind with a ferocity that’s completely unexpected. The vein in Emerson’s forehead pulses as he pours every drop he has into Cy. It’s deeply masculine, and the most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed.

Emerson’s rhythm becomes erratic as does his breathing. His fingers dig into Cy’s hips until they’re white. On his last thrust they both moan in pleasure. He collapses on top of Cy’s back as he slides out of him.

We all lie there, draped in various positions over the altar, spent from pleasure. It occurs to me how blasphemous this is. Fornicating in a former church. On the altar. As a group. The giggles begin, and when all three of them look at me questioningly, I just laugh even harder.