Page 47 of The Devil's Pair

“– Fallen for the same woman, just as hard as the other?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah, big brother. We have.”

“Goddammit.” Dux sighed, ran a hand over his stubbled chin. “Fuckingnowwhat? I mean, how do we see her again?”

Just then, a taxi pulled up in front of the bar. The back door opened and – to their utter disbelief – out stepped Briley. She was wearing a loose dress and sandals, and her thick blonde hair was all piled up on her head, showing off that delicate neck, and she looked amazing.

“Holy shit,” Drake said in an undertone. “Are you seeing this, man? Am I hallucinating?”

“Did I just conjure her up out of thin air?” Dux added. “Did I like…manifesther?”

Briley took a small suitcase from the driver, gave him a smile, and that was when the twins really got a good look at her.She was pale and seemed to be exhausted, and right away, they felt worry flare up in their broad chests as the shock at seeing her receded. It occurred to them now that, actually, something was quite probably very wrong. Why else would the woman just show up in Denver without so much as a phone call?

“Hey,” Drake said, as he and Dux stepped out into the half-light. “Briley…”

Startled, she gave a small shriek, dropped her suitcase on the driver’s foot. He yelped and jumped, then glared at the twins.

“Shit,” the driver grumbled, gingerly moving his toes. “Don’t just sneak up on folks, you morons. Give us a warning before emerging from the shadows, huh?”

“Sorry,” Dux said and Drake nodded. “Are you OK? Your foot? You want to come inside and put some ice on it?”

“Nah, man. I’m good.” He walked back around the car, gave them a small wave. “Take care now. Have a good night.”

“You too,” Briley said softly. “Thanks.”

He drove off. They watched him go, then as one, they all turned their eyes to each other. They allstared, not believing that they were seeing each other for the first time in months… and just like that, the three of them were back in her kitchen on that sunny late-spring morning. Briley was pressed up with her back against Drake’s chest, his fingers stroking her aching pussy, Dux kissing his way down the front of her body before falling to his knees in front of her. She was begging them not to stop, her knees shaking under her, her hair tumbled over her breasts and shoulders like the wild thing that they always made her into with almost no effort at all.

Theysawit all in each other’s eyes, and expressions;heardit in the way that their collective breaths hitched and deepened. God, they hadn’t eventouchedeach other – and yet they felt like they had, like they were. Like they were all wrapped up around each other, twisting and writhing, driving each other to deeper, darker pleasure.

“Babe,” Dux managed now, his voice guttural with pure arousal, but also tinged with worry. He and Drake moved towards her, reaching for her hands. “What’s wrong? You OK?”

“I’m – well. I’m OK.” Briley gave them a tremulous smile, clutched their hands in hers, and they knew she wasn’t telling them the whole truth. “But I really need to talk to you guys. It’s important.”

“OK, darlin’,” Drake said crisply. “Let’s go to our place. We can talk all night, if you need that.”

“Actually… could I get some water before we go?” Briley asked them. “I’m completely parched from the plane air, and I drank my last bottle of water in the taxi.”

“Yeah, of course. C’mon.” Dux wrenched the heavy wooden door open, ushered her into the bar, and Drake grabbed her suitcase. “Let’s get you into the air-con and served up a cold drink.”

“Great.” She sighed. “I’d appreciate that for a few minutes.”

They walked into Satan’s, and Briley smiled at the memory; she’d spent an hour hanging around here, back when they’d dropped off Elle and Violet from that insane rescue mission. She’d met quite of few of the MC guys, and had found herself really liking every one of them. They were men with an undeniable rough charm, and an odd old-school courtliness that was mixed with an aura of savagery and danger. They were men who would – anddid– kill without batting an eyelid, but who also held doors and made breakfast after ravishing their women four times in one night.

And one of these men was the father of her babies. It was mind boggling to contemplate, but here she was.

“Briley!”Cole was standing at his usual place behind the bar, his dark hair tousled as sexily as ever, with Rebel next him. “What thefuck,girl? Did we summon you?”

“Did you – what?” she asked, following Dux and Drake over to a table. “What do you mean?”

“We were just talking aboutyou,” Rebel chimed in, those astonishing gold eyes sparkling with their usual mischief. “Weren’twe, guys? Weren’t wejusttalking about Briley?”

“Shutit, Rebel,” Drake growled, and Briley blinked a bit at that. “Cole, could you stop fucking talking and get her a glass of cold water?”

“Yeah, sure.” Cole snapped a salute and gave Briley a huge grin. “One water coming up. Then I want to know what you’re doing here, baby, ‘cause this is agreatsurprise.”

Something seemed to have occurred to him because he paused now, taking in Dux and Drake’s hard faces, Briley’s pallor and purple shadows under her eyes. Cole watched them sit her down; he hesitated for a second, then said:

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