I nodded. I did. I still loved Brax. And I loved Trist. This was… well, I’d thought it impossible. But this was my nirvana. Heaven. A dream I’d never dared have imagined for myself. “Yes.”
He stared into my eyes for long se
conds and I didn’t hide anything from him. Not my need, my emotions or my fears—fears that he’d say no, that Brax would leave again, that somehow, I would be hurt. Either way, I could be hurt.
Trist turned his head and looked at Brax, who’d taken a step forward. “You will follow me to our quarters, Doctor. There, we will satisfy my mate together. But you are not my second. You will need to prove yourself worthy, and not just in my mate’s bed. Do you understand?”
Brax nodded. “Yes.”
I thought Trist was finished, but he added one more warning. “If you hurt her again, I will end you. Do you understand that?”
“I won’t. I give you my word.” Brax set his hand over his heart.
With Brax’s agreement, Trist turned back to me. “I will accept him into our bed for you, mate. Even if he pleases you well, he will have to prove himself to me in battle. Do you understand? He must prove he can protect you as well as pleasure you to be worthy.”
I nodded. I understood. This might be a one-time thing. Trist would choose his second. Trist would decide whether or not Brax had proven himself worthy.
And I was fine with that. Trist was my world now, he defined the safe space I reveled in. I surrendered to him in that way, and I was content. “Yes, mate. Thank you. I don’t trust myself when it comes to him.”
Brax started to protest, but one sharp look from Trist ended it before he got a word out. “You will not speak to her of claiming. Do you understand. She is mine. You will either prove your worth to me, or you will return to Trion.”
11
Miranda
* * *
This was insane. This was my dream. This was… reality? Brax really did want me. Enough to come after me halfway across the galaxy. And Trist, he wanted me, too. I’d never been fought over before and while it was completely ridiculous, it was hot as hell. Two guys staking their claim, beating their chests. My ovaries didn’t stand a chance. And my vagina?
The way they were both looking at me with heated gazes full of blatant intent, it didn’t stand a chance either.
“I brought something for you,” Brax said with his deep master voice. I’d called him that before because I had considered him one. But that had been when we were doing the friends with benefits thing. But now, calling him master meant something different. Something… more. I wasn’t ready to call him that yet, for I didn’t completely trust him. With my body, yes, but my heart?
He’d have to prove himself.
Reaching into Trion uniform pants, he retrieved something, then held out his palm so I could see. I recognized the green gems instantly.
My pussy clenched remembering how they’d bitten into my tender flesh, the sharp feeling morphing into a burst of heat. Morphing into an orgasm so painfully sweet…
Trist growled and stalked over to the wall, leaned against it and crossed his arms. I felt his rage, his possessiveness. He didn’t want to share me with Brax, but he would. If he were human, he’d probably hate the knowledge that Brax had been with me first. That we’d had sex for months, that I’d liked it.
But Trist wasn’t human. It was in his nature to share a woman. It was an honor to do so. He’d been the one to use that word when he’d spoken of the second he’d had, who’d gone off to join another family.
He wanted me to be with another man. He’d watch me. They’d even take me together. And that made me shiver. That made me hot.
Trist growled again, his glare now filled with heat. His cock was hard in his pants, thick and bulging, not something he intended to hide.
He wanted me. He wanted me hot. And if Brax got me hot, then he’d allow it.
And from where he’d moved, he intended to watch. Close enough to have his own porno, close enough to save me if I needed it, but far enough away to give Brax the room to do what he wanted.
And I wanted. I rubbed my thighs together in anticipation.
Brax grinned. It was the sure, quick smile I was used to with him. Panty melting. Flirtatious. Trist wasn’t easygoing enough to offer me a look like that, but it also came with a price. Easygoing in nature and easygoing in a relationship. Or so I’d thought.
“See the chain? It’s the one I brought for you, to claim you.”
Trist growled a third time.