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CELIA GULPED AT THE intent in the black-haired one’s promise to eat her. No wet-behind-the-ear, virgin schoolgirl, she couldn’t pretend the sexual heat in his gaze was anything but carnal intention. His size frightened her just a little though. Easily, he was the biggest man she’d ever encountered.
But his gaze... gawd. She gulped, but couldn’t look away. Passionate failed to accurately describe the hunger in his eyes. Moisture surged from her core, and she worried she left evidence of her arousal on the sheets. Uninvited and caught in their bed, leaking fluids on their linens wouldn’t do.
She picked that moment to remember all her clothes were balled up on the chair in the corner.
I slept through their arrival. Normally a light sleeper, she should’ve heard their entrance. Hell, she hadn’t planned to sleep at all. Could she not catch a break?
“I’m Dex Carson.” The one who’d promised to devour her introduced himself wearing a shit-eating grin. His black, wavy hair fell past his shoulders, and his eyes were so dark she couldn’t discern his pupils from his irises. The biggest of the three, he had to be at least six-six, and he sported muscles all the way up his neck. He was so well cut, she bet his muscles had muscles and those muscles even had muscles. Yeah, his physique was that insane.
Celia licked her lips and glanced at the one who stood beside Dex. Green eyes returned her scrutiny. Tall and bulky, maybe an inch or two shorter than Dex and not as large either, but he was no less intimidating. He wore the ‘don’t fuck with me’ vibe like it was a life motto tattooed on his forehead.
As if her stare prompted an introduction he said, “Nick Matos.”
Matos... That meant he was an offspring of a founding clan member.
His dark-brown hair glinted in the dim lighting, and his haircut fit his neat, professional style, nothing at all like the wild mane of his counterpart. The white dress shirt, red tie, and slacks he wore lent him a civilized appearance, but she could sense the wild beast beneath his cultured bearing.
“I’m Simon Blackclaw.” The man standing next to her was the shortest of the trio, but she bet he still stood a good six-one or six-two, and judging by his surname was also the offspring of a founding clan member. Wiry-framed instead of muscled, she sensed his strength nonetheless. His piercing blue eyes, clear as a spring pond, held her regard. Simon’s dirty-blond, straight hair hung to his shoulders, and he possessed a well-groomed beard. Normally she would’ve turned her nose up at facial hair, but on him it was sexy. Tattoos covered both his arms and burst from the neckline of his T-shirt. L-O-V-E and L-I-V-E were tatted on his knuckles, along with flower-type designs on the backs of both hands, with an eye in the center of one of them.
How much more of his skin is tattooed?
She jerked her gaze away.
I don’t want to know.
“Sorry I invaded your space, I—”
“It’s your space now too.” Dex sat on the bed near her feet.
Celia pulled her legs toward her body and tried not to note the way Dex’s black shirt stretched across his wide chest. “Pardon?”
“This”—he turned his wrist toward her and tapped at the weird mark on his skin—“makes you ours, and us yours.”
Confused, she frowned before realizing she rubbed at something stinging the flesh of her wrist. She lifted her thumb and gasped at the identical mark etched onto her skin.
“MIGHT’VE BEEN BETTER not to lead with that.” Nick glared at Dex, but the larger man gave him a lopsided grin without a stitch of remorse. Celia held her breath as Nick released the buttons on his shirtsleeve and rolled his sleeve back to show her an identical design on his wrist.
Simon held his arm out, and sure enough he also bore the symbol. On him, a detailed tattoo encircled the mark, as if to highlight the unique pattern.
“You tattooed me without my permission?” How had she slept through that?
“No.” As she rubbed her temples, Nick attempted to explain a confusing story about twin flames and cosmic destiny.
By the time he finished his tall tale she gawked at him. The crazy talk scared her more than calmed her. And they stared at her like they expected something from her. Surely not excitement because—wait, if she was one part of a cosmic four, did that mean... “Does that mean you think I’m part of a foursome?”
“You are.” Dex shrugged. “We can take shit slow, as long as you need until you wrap your head around it.”
“Means you’re our mate.” Nick rolled his shirtsleeve back down and buttoned the material encircling his wrist.
“I’m human. We don’t have animalistic matings.”
Simon snorted, a sound that came across as a half-laugh-half-choke. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Human or not, that mark proves you’re ours.”
Celia laughed, but it was a cynical laugh rather than one of humor. Life was obviously fucking with her. She wanted to run as fast, and as far away, as she could. What the hell had she stumbled into? “This is a twisted bear prank, right? Because I invaded your space without your permission?”
That was the only logical answer. She’d done two guys at once, but never three. Holy shit! Given their size, three at once scared her, seemed complicated too, and downright implausible. And they acted like that twin flame story was normal, everyday knowledge.
“Sorry, love, but this isn’t a joking matter.” Simon sat beside her on the bed, causing the blankets to tighten about her and the mattress to dip in his direction. He tucked hair behind her ear, and she resisted the sudden urge to lean into him. She made the mistake of breathing in his scent.
Nirvana in the air and it matched the scent of the sheets.
The bear smelled better than candy tasted. And she was an enormous junk-food fan.
She met his blue eyes and swore they glowed for a heartbeat, a well-timed reminder bears probably played with their food before they consumed it. “I think it’s time I left.”
“You’re free to leave any time you want, Celia.” Nick’s gaze pinned her in place. From the corner of her eye she caught Dex’s scowl in his direction. The lumberjack bear did not agree with Nick. “We can’t guarantee your safety if you leave.”
Her breath caught in her chest. She hadn’t identified herself, but they knew who she was. That proved their bogus intentions. Perhaps they toyed with her because they reviled her father. He’s my enemy too. But they didn’t know that. And what better way to get back at him than to go for his ‘beloved’ daughter? It was a sound move. Too bad Daniel would probably give them the five-million-reward even though he hated them.
He hates me more.