Page 66 of Scapegoat

“That right?”

The door was shoved open and there were my brothers. Atlas looked smug and Xavier looked pissed.

“Yeah, it’s right and there’s only room for one other body in this bed.” I rolled off Kai and into the space beside her, then pulled her into my arms. “And I’ve claimed it tonight. You two dickheads can sleep out in the tray in the swags.”

“Or we could bring all the swags in and set them up in the lounge room,” Atlas said, shouldering forward. “Then we could sleep together as a pack.”

“Jay—”

I could hear the change in her tune, the way my fucking brother was seducing my girl away from me again, but I hauled her closer, locking her down in my arms.

“I don’t think I feel like sharing you with those two fucks tonight.”

Kai turned then, her eyes searching my face, doing the thing everyone always did. Is Jay joking or is he being serious? And the answer was both. I’d wanted to claim Kai that night after the party, but Atlas had got there first. I’d wanted to claim her last night, yesterday, but Xavier had got involved. I let out a low growl of frustration at all the stupid fucking obstacles that kept getting in the way when…

I blinked. Kai twisted her neck then, baring the other smooth slope, the one unmarked by my brothers. The invitation was obvious. Wolves never bared their throats to another, not unless they were being forced to submit.

Or chose to.

She gifted me this sight right now to placate me, sure, but more than that. She’d never have invited me to bite her, not unless she wanted it. She’d be tied to me forever if I took advantage of that, something that the wolf pacing back and forth inside me knew and was willing to take as her gift to me. Her body trembled, her hands going to my chest as I leaned over, my brothers making small sounds in the backs of their throats, right up until I pressed a kiss there, rather than a bite.

“Soon,” I promised her. “Actually, make that tomorrow night. After work is done, you come with me and only me, yeah?”

“Fuck, Jay—” Xavier spluttered but Kai held up an imperious little hand.

“Just you and me,” she agreed with a quick nod.

“Good.”

I was placated somewhat now, so I snuggled down with her in her bed, feeling like I was drowning in her scent and not once did I want to push my head up above the waterline. I spiralled down, down, down into her, my eyes closing as I just luxuriated in the feel of her in my arms, my nose burrowing into her hair.

“But tonight we sleep together,” Kai said.

“Nooo…” I groaned, like I’d done when I was a kid and Mum was waking me up for school. “I licked you, so you’re mine for the rest of the night. Them’s the rules.”

“I can be yours in your swag,” she said in a persuasive little voice. “I can sleep by your side and your brothers will have to sleep behind you.”

“Fucking great…” Atlas grumbled.

“Promise?” I cracked open an eye to peer at her.

“Promise.” She turned around in my arms and pressed a kiss to my forehead and right then I’d do anything for her. And she fucking knew it. With a low grumble I got out of bed, smirking when she squeaked as I picked her up in my arms and then laid her down in the swags the other guys brought in.

My brothers had words to say, complaints fermenting, but I’d worked out now that this was a dog-eat-dog situation. All of us were fighting over Kai like she was a juicy bone and right now she was mine, just mine. They’d have to wait their fucking turn to get close to her.

After I’d claimed her as mine.

I snuggled down into the swag, holding my girl close as I dropped off into dreams of just how I’d do it.

Chapter 39

“Those boys…” It was the next morning and we’d stumbled out of bed and got dressed for work, turning up at the main house to be on time for breakfast. She’d asked me to come into the kitchen and give her a hand. I had a platter of eggs and bacon in one hand and one of those multipacks of different cereal in the other as Vicki stared at me, then looked through the door into the dining room. “They’re not just old school friends to you.”

“Ah…” How did I explain to my landlady what this was? Those keen eyes of her narrowed slightly, as if daring me to lie. “No,” I admitted, “they’re not.”

“They’re special to you.” She was growing bolder now, walking over with a bunch of coffee mugs dangling from each hand to take out to the dining room. “Very special.” I just nodded in response. “All of them?”

“Um… things happen a bit differently where we come from,” I replied lamely, not able to think of another way to put it.

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