Page 17 of Melissa's Mates (Blissful Bets)

“Channing, you both are not living here.”

They just smiled at her. Smiled! Melissa smiled back and reached for her phone. “Excuse me, gentlemen.” Dialing Stephen’s number, she waited until he answered it.

“Hello?” The sleep edging his voice instantly made guilt wash through her.

“I’m sorry to wake you, but when you get up, I have two men who say they’re moving in, and I want them to leave my house. I don’t care if you have to arrest them. I want them out.”

Stephen yawned into the phone. “No can do, Red. Ayden’s orders. They have to stay.”

“Bullshit, I’ll call the chief.”

“Who also has the same orders. It’s pointless, Mel. You need to just accept this and get to know them.”

“I will not! Is Ev awake?”

“No, and I’m not waking her. She got up at five with morning sickness again. We thought it was finally gone, but I guess not. Anyways, I’m going back to bed. Have fun with those two.” Stephen laughed and hung up, and all Melissa scould do is stare at the phone, shocked.

“So, you never answered Connor. Do you want breakfast?”

Melissa threw her phone at Channing and charged. She wasn’t sure why, he just asked a question, and it wasn’t even laced with attitude, but she felt trapped. Connor grabbed her around the waist before she could reach him.

“Whoa there, honey. What’s wrong? We’re not here to make you angry.”

Sobs broke though Melissa’s throat as she saw her world closing in on her. She was used to making the rules. Without the ability to do so, she felt panicked.

“Shh, baby, listen.” He pulled her into his lap and sat on the couch, cradling her fighting body. “This is going to be hard, but please just give it a try. I know you don’t know either one of us, but we’re not terrible people, trust me. I didn’t like Channing that much at first, either, but he’s not so bad.”

Melissa laughed past her sob and buried her face deeper into his chest. Something about him holding her made her feel safer, at peace, like with the ocean. Heat fluttered in her chest, and she let the feeling overpower her. Maybe Connor wasn’t so bad. She hadn’t thought so when they were standing at the ocean.

“Thanks a lot,” Channing muttered from the sofa. Melissa wasn’t sure why, but she wiggled from his arms and crawled to the other man. Guilt. Damn, she hated knowing she’d reacted that way.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thrown the phone. You were trying to be nice and I–I apologize. But you have to know that what you’re both doing isn’t right. It’s unfair to me, and it’s wrong.”

“It would be unfair to you if we let you go through pain. That’s why Ayden wants us here. Until you’re marked, the bond is going to grow stronger and more painful. The need to be with us at all times will overpower you. If you distance yourself too far, it could be agonizing. Please understand we’re not here to make your life harder. We want to make it easier. We want you to choose us.”

Shaking her head back and forth, Melissa couldn’t understand. Hadn’t she been trying to figure out this whole ménage thing since Evelyn got together with Stephen and Brandon? “Please tell me how you’re both okay with this? It doesn’t make sense to me. You both want to be with me but are willing to overlook the fact that you’ll never be able to have me for yourself. You’ll have to share me with each other. How are you okay with that?”

Connor pulled her back in his lap, nuzzling his face in her neck. She tried to ignore how unbelievably natural the gesture felt. This man was a complete stranger, yet she could swear some part of her knew him. They kept talking about bonds and ties. She wasn’t sure exactly what they were, but the link was obviously there. It tugged at her heart, sending tingling all throughout her body.

“Some things are more important than greed. I’d rather have half of you than nothing at all. Melissa, it might sound impossible to understand, but the bond is designed to make the people involved fall indefinitely in love with each other. This love will never die, never waver. It’ll last until one of us is no longer here.”

Melissa sighed, staring deeply into his eyes. “That sounds so romantic. And too good to be true.” She wiggled from his arms and stood. “Listen, there’s somewhere I need to go. Are you both going to be following me, or can I go on my own?”

“You’re free to do as you wish.”

She looked at Channing and nodded despite the fact that she didn’t feel like she comforted him enough after her outburst with the phone. This wasn’t right. Melissa didn’t even change. Grabbing her truck keys, she ran outside and jumped in the cab, slamming the truck into drive. She needed to see Devon and apologize. She wasn’t sure what this feeling was, but she knew it was connected to what they were. Fuck. She’d been such a bitch to him.

Devon’s new house was located not two miles from her. Before the song playing could finish, she pulled into the long paved drive. Jumping out, Melissa ran as fast as she could. Her long, loose curls fanned around her as she slid to a stop. Gavin opened the door holding a bowl of cereal and looking around alarmed.

“Mel, what’s wrong?”

No words would come to describe the endless list. Instead, she lifted her hair and showed him the puncture wounds on her neck.

“Oh shit. Were you attacked?”

He led her through the entryway into a large living room. Sarah and Devon walked out of a hallway laughing and stopped when they saw her. Melissa burst into tears, running to her friend. “I’m so sorry, Sarah. I was so mean to your mates. But I didn’t know. God, please forgive me. I’m sorry.”

Sobs wracked her chest as she could feel her legs growing weak. Sarah held her tightly while leading her to the couch. “Mel, you said mates.”

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