Chapter Eleven

 

Vincent Vanderwall

Ivan and I listened to Edlyn pouring her soul out to us, and I felt sick. I never realized she had gone through so much, or continued to do so. I wanted nothing more than to take her in my arms and tell her that nothing would ever touch her again, but I realized while she was talking that while she had ghosts of her past driving her, she also did this because she felt she had to. I got it, I really did, but I refused for her to put herself in danger again. I knew that Ivan would feel the same thing, too.

Unable to stop myself, I reached out for Edlyn and pulled her close to both myself and Ivan. I tipped her head up so that she was looking at us and smiled when she did. My thumb brushed away a tear that lingered on her cheeks and I felt her sigh, a look of utter pleasure seeming to fill her entire being so much that I could see it in her eyes.

“Now it’s time for you to listen, little one.” I leaned in to brush my lips over hers. I had to do it. I needed to feel her lips against mine even if it were for only a moment. “I am fine with you finding the little ones and bringing them home. However, I’m not fine with your lack of care for your own wellbeing. Ivan and I will discuss how to best protect you when you go to find the lost ones, but know this.” I paused and held her tighter. “We won’t lose you. We’ve had to wait for you. I’ve been fucking stupid and waited far longer than I should have, but now I see that it was simply fate waiting for Ivan to come along. You are too precious, Edlyn. You are ours, and you will never be in the same situations again. We will do whatever we have to in order to make certain that you are forever protected.” I saw her about to speak and shook my head. “No, you will listen now.” I knew that I had to be firm with her or she would try to find a way out of the relationship that we wanted with her, and that simply wasn’t going to work for me and I knew that it wouldn’t work for Ivan either.

“You are our woman. You will be my wife.” I hadn’t asked her, but I wasn’t going to give her a way or reason to back out of this relationship. “Ivan will take you as his in a binding ceremony that will be for us and our closest friends only. You will be cherished and protected, so you need to accept that now. You have men that would kill for you, hell, die for you, and we won’t let you go.” I saw the stubborn streak in her tilt of her chin, but there was more in her eyes. Hope, desire, and something else. I didn’t continue to pick at the worry of emotions because I knew that no matter what she would tell us one day soon how she felt as well. She wouldn’t have told us everything if not for how she felt for us.

“And if I say no?” She had a smile that turned the corners of her lips up. It was breathtaking, but her sass was what had me harder than I could recall being in far too long.

I watched her carefully, and then Ivan and I shared a look. I knew that he was feeling the same way that I was by that simple glance. I paused and approached. I hoped that I had a blank look on my face. I needed her to think that I was upset with her, and it looked as if Ivan was doing the same thing, which I found a bit amusing. Ivan was pressed against her back. I was against her front and leaned down so that my lips hovered just slightly over hers. I could smell the fresh mint of her toothpaste, and it made me hard again.

I watched her carefully and waited for her to look up at me. Seeing her gorgeous green eyes widen I knew I had her where I needed her, wanted her. “Tomorrow we will go ring shopping,” I said quietly, my nose brushing against hers and then pulling back. I could tell she was frustrated by the soft whimper she let out. When I saw Ivan’s head dip to her neck and her head tilting slightly to the side but still watching me I realized just how fucking lucky not only I was, but Ivan, too. This incredible, sexy, and delicious woman wanted us. She wanted us for today, tomorrow, and every day of the rest of her life, I was certain of it.

“Say it.” I demanded of her, my teeth grabbing her lower lip and nibbling for a moment before releasing it.

“Yes.” She relented finally, one of her hands reaching back and circling Ivan’s head to hold him close to her neck and her other hand reaching for me. Leaning in, I closed the space between us and began to kiss her the way that I wanted to. I had to touch her, feel her, kiss her and ensure that she knew just how much she was loved.

I had my hand on her neck, my thumb stroking her cheek while I kissed her. I had to touch her, I needed to because everything about her was perfect in my eyes. She was our woman; she was ours.

I felt Ivan’s hands moving to Edlyn’s stomach and smiled when she gasped, a sound that was pleasure not pain. Part of me wondered just what he was doing to her but then I knew by the way that her breathing increased to a near pant, her body moved closer and her hand tightened on my head. God, I loved this woman more than I could ever possibly express to her.

When I pulled back from Edlyn I saw her licking her lips and brushed my nose to hers again. I couldn’t seem to help myself from trying to touch her every single second. I shared another look with Ivan, and then I began to ensure that Edlyn was divested of every single article of her clothing. Together Ivan and I worked on getting her naked, kissing every inch of her skin that we revealed without moving between her legs, yet.

Finally, I looked from Ivan to Edlyn and let out a low whistle. She was perfect. Yes, she had scars on her body, but for fuck’s sake so did Ivan and I, so we would never let that affect how we thought she looked to us.

I moved away from Edlyn and reached for her, I was determined to get her into bed. I wanted to sink deep into her heat and lose myself, if only for a little while.