“Be sure you do. I wouldn’t want anyone to think we didn’t spoil you enough and try to steal you away.”

  When her spine stiffened, Ash sighed. “He didn’t mean it that way, Sera. It was a Sela comment, also urging you to not hesitate to spend credits to fit in. Gods know both Brandt and I have them but this is also our cover. Neither of us thinks you’d leave us for another male with more money.”

  Brandt took her hand and kissed it, and she nodded slightly, her spine loosening a bit.

  She nibbled on a piece of fruit. “There’s no one in this ‘Verse who can compare to you two. Thank the gods because I don’t think I could handle any more of you.” She winked and laughed.

  Calls started coming in shortly after they’d finished eating as the others as other men of powerful Families began to awaken. Brandt and Ash might be posing as indulged sons of powerful Families but the need to constantly network was a reality. And in Nondal, it would be done without females unless the males needed to show off their prowess in some way other than financial.

  Because of how society worked in Nondal, a certified chaperone showed up some hours later to collect Sela for her outing. Someone had come over to do her hair and makeup and she wore some complicated get-up which barely covered her but concealed enough to make a man curious as to what was beneath the fabric.

  She took his credit chip with a wink and Ash pulled her against him, letting her feel just what she did to him. Needing her to know.

  “Mine. Now, buy some pretty wrapping for your pussy. I don’t have to tell you to stay alert but I expect you to be safe today.”

  “Me as well.” Brandt strolled to them and embraced her from behind, kissing her neck.

  “You two will rumple me,” she said without even a small amount of annoyance in her tone.

  “I like you rumpled,” Brandt said as he nipped her earlobe.

  Ash sent a look to the chaperone, who lowered his eyes and she was gone, swallowed up by a bevy of chattering women.

  Sera wanted to die. These women would be the death of her. How they could stand themselves she didn’t know. But one thing she did know was that among Rina’s little group was Giles Standers’ alpha concubine, Delia. Sera figured it would be so and had taken a calculated risk in accepting this particular invitation. Rina’s keeper was a powerful man, not the most obviously so, but the one with the most financial power based on gaming and other gray market areas not so closely regulated by the Federation. They’d move in the same circles and Stander would want his females moving with ones like Rina.

  “You are quite fortunate to have two such gloriously masculine protectors,” Delia said as she tossed an obscenely expensive gown at the clerk.

  Sera smiled serenely as she fingered the undergarments, selecting several things to entice her men with.

  “News travels so fast in Nondal,” Rina said in a voice so low and sensual Sera figured had to be enhanced. “They are very fine looking men. I hear you had a run-in with Walker’s former wife last evening.”

  “News does travel fast.” Sera offered nothing else. She wanted to know what else they’d heard and how.

  “Giles is close with Perry and the she-demon. When they’re together, it’s the only time Giles’ wife ever has the nerve to say anything about all his women on the side.” Delia sniffed as if offended by that. Sera thought Giles’ wife would make a better point with a large, blunt object while her wayward husband slept. Still, Sera did quite enjoy the characterization of Kira as a she-demon.

  “Have you met her?” Sera asked nonchalantly.

  “Of course not. Do you think she’d lower herself to speak to one of us? Is it true they introduced you to her? I would have loved to have seen it with my own eyes.” Delia laughed.

  “She gasped as if she’d been injured and stepped back, hand over her heart when Brandt introduced me. As if being a concubine would be something she could catch.” Venomous, evil, horrid woman.

  “Not so perfect herself. Her or her precious Family.”

  Really now? What did that mean? “This is lovely but this,” Sera held up another gown in a deeper color, “would suit your coloring so much better.”

  Flattered, Delia took it, and in the middle of the boutique, stripped out of the gown she wore and tried on the delicate one Sera had handed her. “You’re right. I’ll wear it tonight I think.”

  Sera waited until they’d entered yet another shop to hedge around the topic again. “I’m just relieved she won’t be at the party this evening.”

  “Perry will be. She doesn’t know what a beast he is when she’s not around. Wouldn’t be so superior-like if she knew. All she cares about is credits anyway.”

  “I’ve seen Perry. A girl has to get something out of a relationship and since Ash is in my bed, I think credits must mean more to her than sex.” Whoo, way to channel Sela.

  Delia and Rina laughed. “I’ve seen Perry’s cock, it’s nothing to put on a vid and report over. But as long as he’s willing to keep certain people happy and doesn’t have the morals of a speck, she’ll stay with him and the Walkers will be happy.” Delia put yet another pair of shoes on the teetering stack she’d already created. Stander must be operating in the gray in a major way to finance this woman’s shoes alone.

  “Certain people? Should I be worried about Ash ending up in some off ‘Verse brig for dealing with the criminal element?” she asked as she handed a pair of shoes to the clerk with a smile.

  “Doesn’t seem the type to play on the wrong side of the fence,” Rina said. “Oh, I love that bag!”

  Sera let it go for the time being, she couldn’t push too hard about it. Sela wouldn’t care overly much anyway. She’d find ways to bring it up at the party later that evening and whenever she could without looking suspicious. Certainly the comments Delia made didn’t cast Stander in a very good light and the stuff about Perry was worrisome.

  One thing that did bother her was the possible involvement of Kira in the dealings with the Imperialists. Not that she gave a purri seed one way or another about the stupid woman. But she worried for Brandt and Ash, for their feelings and their Families. Sera hoped the things they’d said about credits and that sort of thing just indicated Kira’s nature and not any sort of knowledge of what was going on between Stander and the Imperialists.

  By the time the afternoon was over, she entered the quiet guest house, the shops had sent over her packages and she was halfway to drunk from all the liquor they’d imbibed at each boutique.

  As Ash and Brandt were both gone, she stripped down, got in the large bath and soaked while she tried to figure out just what the hell Kira and Perry had to do with Giles Stander and what she could do to protect her men from whatever trouble might arise.

  “Look what I found in our bed, Ash,” Brandt called back over his shoulder.

  Sera opened her eyes and when she saw him standing there and the smile she gave him pushed all his exhaustion away.

  “I see by the mountain of packages in the common area you had a good time today.” He pulled his shirt off, kicked out of his shoes and pants and got into bed with her. She immediately snuggled into him, warm and sweet smelling.

  “I missed you today.”

  That meant something to him. More than a million credits. “After hours with a bunch of men trying to brag and drink each other to death, I missed you too. Your company is far preferable. Ash had to make a communication to his family. They’ve pinged him several times today.”

  “I learned something today he may want to deal with.”

  “What is it, Sera?” Ash asked through the link.

  She related what she’d heard during her outing with Delia and Rina. “I’m sorry.”

  “Why are you sorry?” Brandt caressed her jawline.

  “I wish it didn’t possibly implicate your sister and Ash’s cousin.”

  “None of that is yours to be sorry for. We’ll see what we can see. I’ll be in momentarily.” Ash broke off and Brandt held her close.

  Brandt didn’t like thinking Kira could be so selfish she’d betray their own people for credits. She wasn’t the most forthright person he knew by any means, but he’d never thought her so very heartless and without even basic values.

  “Did you fetch yourself any finery today?”

  “More than enough.” She licked over his nipple and he shivered at the sensation. “I’ve missed your taste too.”

  He moved, rolling her so that he lay atop her, her softness cradling him. “Well, I’m here to be tasted now.”

  “But you’re on top.”

  In one easy thrust, he filled her totally. “You’re right. You can suck my cock later.”

  He kissed her over and over as he slowly fucked into her body. And she opened for him, opened her cunt, opened her mouth, made a home for him within her body in a way no one else ever had.

  In Sera Ayers, he’d found something he realized he’d never known he was missing. Sanctuary. He loved her, he realized. It’d gone far beyond a depth of affection. Beyond wanting something lasting. The exact moment he didn’t know, but he’d do anything to keep her, even deal with her wounds and prove to her he was real and his feelings were true.

  Their fingers intertwined, gazes locked, he made love to her like nothing and no one else mattered.

  * * *

  Sera was unsettled by the way Brandt touched her, by the tenderness he showed her. Much like the hand massage Ash had given her back on the transport, that gentle touch was her undoing. To be in the hands of men who could easily break her in half but who instead touched her with reverence was her downfall.

  She’d given herself to him. Body and soul. And heart. Too late to panic, although beyond a doubt she was scared. She believed they cared about her. They’d shown her quite clearly. Believed what she felt when they touched her. Yes they were undercover but there were things she knew they weren’t faking.

  But that was also part of the problem. She couldn’t really process all of what was happening because she needed to wear Sela all the time. She couldn’t think with them in her head. She needed the emotional space to work through it with them instead of having them inside her brain when they discussed things.

  And ultimately, despite knowing they cared about her, she was scared. Scared of ever feeling what she had ten years before when she’d had to leave Ash. The desolation had made her into a different person, had darkened and broken a part of her she couldn’t quite ever put back together. It had taken everything she had to recover, she didn’t have it in her to do it again. So even though she could admit she loved both men, she wasn’t sure if she could trust herself to believe it all the way just yet.

  “Please don’t look at me with fear in your eyes. Do you think I could ever bear to hurt you?” Brandt’s voice whispered through the link as his cock continued to invade and retreat.

  “Not with your hands.”

  He leaned down and kissed her face. Gently, softly. “I love you, Sera. You’re meant for me.”

  She closed her eyes but he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “You’re beautiful and it’s inevitable. Give in and love me.”

  “I do,” she said back, the tears bleeding into her voice.

  The bed dipped as Ash got in with them. But he did nothing more than lay there, one hand stroking over Brandt’s back and down his thigh before moving to Sera.

  “Does his cock feel good inside you?” Ash asked, a fingertip circling her nipple.

  “Yes,” she sighed.

  “Good. I’m next.” The hand he’d been using on her nipple slipped down her belly until his fingertips dipped into her pussy, bringing her honey up to slick over her clit.

  “Gods, when you touch her clit her cunt ripples around me like liquid heat.” Brandt’s voice was pleasure-taut. “Make her come, Ash. All over my cock.”

  Ash’s chuckle tightened things low in her gut as he danced the pad of his middle finger over her clit, drawing the pleasure from her, pulling her climax closer and closer.

  She wanted to lose herself in the oblivion of climax but more than that, these men looked at her and knew her. It made her want to weep and also laugh. Instead, she shrugged it aside and grabbed her orgasm, forcing it through her system as it took over in a rush.

  A surprised groan came from Brandt as she felt his cock jerk inside her, unleashing his climax, filling her with his come. He leaned down and licked across her collarbone and then moved to her lips.

  “Believe it. Believe in it.”

  “I don’t know if I can.” She wasn’t able to mask the fear in her voice.

  “On your belly. I’ll make a believer out of you yet,” Ash said teasingly as Brandt rolled off and pressed a kiss on her hip.

  Ash sipped his drink and waited with Brandt as Sera finished her preparations for that evening’s dinner party. His muscles were pleasantly loose after the extremely satisfying sex the three of them had shared.

  “So, what’d your father have to say?” Brandt asked casually.

  “The usual. Kira must have run back from drinks last night to call your mother. Who in turn called Perry’s mother and you know how that all works. Somehow it’s turned into a scenario wherein Kira has been humiliated when she’s been remarried for seven years and she’s the one who left me.”

  They both watched the door, not wanting a repeat of the day before when Sera had caught only part of the conversation.

  “Sera, we’re having a talk out here regarding what Ash spoke to his father about. I don’t want you to hear only part of a conversation and get hurt,” Brandt said through the link. Her distinctive snort of derision came back through.

  They looked at one another and laughed.

  “I simply reiterated, again and again, that my life was my own. What about you?” He’d been beyond irritated at having his ex-wife interfere in such a ridiculous way. Ash didn’t know what she thought she’d gain other than to be troublesome.

  Brandt sighed. “I only texted my father back to say hello and ask him to trust my judgment. My sister manipulates men quite well, but my father isn’t as easy as most men.”

  Sera swept into the room and their conversation halted. Her gown was high necked and the sleeves touched the tip of her fingers. Her hair twisted in a long braid down her back where one swath of bare skin showed at her tailbone and nowhere else. The deep purple shot with threads of gold brought out her coloring, enhanced by a dusting of gold powder on her cheekbones.

  As she moved, the dress swirled around her ankles, the soft fabric clung to every curve so that even though she wasn’t as exposed as she’d been so far, every outline of her body showed. Her nipples pressed through, swaying sensually, even the dip of her belly button appeared when she moved a certain way.

  By covering up what others had so blatantly shown off, she’d made it taboo, and thus created a heady sexuality in doing so. Ash had no idea if she’d done it on purpose or not, but it was brilliant. He admired her tactical skill as well as her skill as a woman.

  “My, don’t you look incredible.” Brandt bowed low from the waist as he took her hand.

  When he kissed it, he slipped on a bracelet they’d seen earlier that day. Pale purple stones from Ravena, their home ‘Verse.

  “Ash and I thought this would look lovely on you and look, it does. Later, I think it might be lovely to drape these over your nipples. They stand up so nicely when anything touches them.”

  “Stop that, darling. You’ll make me all moist before we even leave.” She examined the bracelet, her eyes bright with pleasure. “This is quite beautiful. Thank you both.”

  Ash held his arms open and she slid into them a moment, kissing him.

  “We need to get started or I’m heading back to the bed.” Ash groaned at the feel of her against him.

  “You say that as if it’s preferable to be out and about all night than alone here with me. Naked and thanking you for this bracelet.” She arched one eyebrow

  Ash laughed. “Quit it.” He swatted her ass, loving how toned and muscular she was.

  As they walked through the evening, people stopped and admired them and the picture they made. Brandt with his long dark hair and nearly pretty face, Ash with his tall, broad and fierce handsomeness and in between them, Sela, a beautiful, sexy woman who held them in the palm of her hand.

  “I doubt you’ll be able to get near their network hub tonight, Sera. Although, looking the way you do, no one can refuse you anything you ask,” Brandt said.

  “I think so too. Last night I was lucky but this house, this group is different. But Stander will be there. I’m curious to see what he’ll be like in person. I do have the feeling he’ll be drunk with his own perception of power. He’s seen it all. So I’ll dazzle him a bit. It’s going to take a different approach to see what we can see.”

  “No, Sera. You won’t seduce him into telling you anything.”

  She sent him a withering look before rolling her eyes. “Ash Walker, I need not shove my cunt in his face to get information from him. That’s clumsy and beneath me. And such an accusation is beneath you. Not too long ago you were happy to have me shove my cunt in Brandt’s or your face to help get this information from Stander. Remember?”

  “Me and Brandt…that’s different. I’m happy to have your cunt in my face anytime. But you don’t need to whore yourself. You’re worth more than anyone ever asking.”

  “Ash! That’s absurd. I appreciate your saying so, but in truth, of course I’m not. I’m one person exchanging part of my physical self to get information that could save tens of thousands of lives. If not more. But I have no intention of fucking Giles Stander.”

  “Ah, I believe this is the home,” Brandt broke in.

  Ash kissed her and she allowed it, she even tugged his earlobe playfully. She did pinch the lobe tight though, to make her point.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Every eye was on her as they entered. The women ranged from admiration to outrage, the men, just admiring.