Pop! Pop!

  I dropped and rolled, firing off another two shots towards the guard who’d taken position on one of the balconies. As if in slow motion, his body pitched forward, tumbling over the wooden railing. Cristiano had taken out a second man at the entrance.

  The wind was whipping through the trees, the storm turning violent. There’d been tornado warnings, the lake churning to the point flooding had begun from the torrential downpour. And the fucking lightning refused to give up, the air full of electricity.

  “This is getting bad,” Hunter said as he crouched beside me.

  “The storm or the round of sabotage?”

  “Both. Like that night.”

  He didn’t need to remind me of the storm in Kentucky.

  Hissing, I glared at one of my fallen soldiers, the close shot nearly ripping off his face. Goddamn it. How had I allowed this to happen?

  The one lesson that my father had tried to teach me was that when emotion was involved, mistakes were made. He’d known my entire life how emotional I was. No matter how many times he’d tried to beat it out of me, it had always returned.

  He’d counted on the fact, knowing my lust for vengeance would cloud my judgment. Now, I risked losing the only thing that mattered to me.

  Not business. Not money. No building could ever matter.

  Only the single woman I’d been in love with my entire adult life.

  “Are we going in?” he asked.

  “Is there any other choice? Whatever happens, Sage comes out of this alive.”

  Hunter yanked out another magazine, replacing the one in his Beretta. “I’ll protect her with my life.”

  I heard another round of gunfire, but I continued heading to the front door. My father didn’t want me killed. He wanted me to suffer first. The three of us wanted it over.

  Still, I held the weapon in both hands, knowing what I’d find in the living room.

  Cristiano and Hunter moved beside me as we entered the room, both men pointing their weapons at my father.

  As anticipated, he sat in one of the leather chairs with Sage in his lap, the barrel of his weapon pointed at her throat.

  I casually glanced around the room, noticing Marty was leaning against the set of French doors, a smug look on his face. He’d incriminated his fellow soldier. I would enjoy keeping him on ice for a lengthy period of time, cutting off one extremity at a time until he bled out.

  There was nothing worse than traitors in your own midst.

  When I returned my full attention to my father, the same angst that I’d always felt crowded my system.

  “You had Dayton killed.” I said the words in a matter-of-fact way, devoid of all emotion. I could tell I’d surprised him.

  “He was a bad seed, although not nearly as much as you are. White trash.”

  He was only trying to rile me. “I guess that doesn’t matter any longer. Does it?”

  As he stroked Sage’s hair, she kept her eyes locked on mine. “You know. I was curious as to why you found this little bitch so tempting, enough to derail your life, but now I understand.”

  She jerked her head away and he wrapped his other hand around her throat, squeezing just like he used to do with my mother. He’d almost strangled the life out of her several times.

  I tensed, then felt Cristiano’s hand on my shoulder. If I didn’t control my emotions and my anger now, Sage would be the first victim in the room.

  “This is between you and me,” I told him, although I knew that would only make him laugh.

  He grinned, acting as if my house and everything inside belonged to him. “Did your mother ever tell you the truth?”

  “That you were a pig?”

  His laughter was the same as I remembered. He’d grown older, his white hair thinning, but he was still a powerful man. Yes, a true psychopath. “That you were a bastard child.”

  The words were tossed out, but I sensed truth in them. “Is that so?”

  “She had an affair with a fucking guard. A stupid fucking soldier. She didn’t think I knew. I tolerated you because that’s what she begged me to do. Then my real son tried to have me killed. Imagine that. My own flesh and blood wanting me dead while I was required to care for a worthless bastard.”

  I sensed Hunter shifting, moving to the side a few inches at a time. My father wasn’t paying any attention. He was enjoying being in a position to gloat. I couldn’t wait to carve out his heart before putting a bullet in his head. Maybe he thought I’d be upset by the news. Instead, it was a welcome relief.

  My child wouldn’t be subject to the bad blood I thought I’d been born into. I caught the look in Sage’s eyes and growled. She was terrified.

  “This worthless bastard is going to enjoy redefining my legacy and this beautiful woman is going to help me do it. She will bear my children, my heirs.”

  “Fuck you,” she managed.

  “That’s exactly what we’re going to do, bitch.”

  There was a moment where I was able to see into my father’s mind and knew exactly what he had planned. In a split second, he aimed his weapon at my chest just as Sage thrust her elbow into his chest.

  Pop!

  As the bullet slammed into my shoulder, I was pitched backward. Marty reacted instantly, but Hunter was too quick, unloading several shots into the man.

  Sage screamed, trying to get away from my father’s tight hold.

  Seconds later, the house went dark, another series of lightning bolts flashing across the sky.

  I lunged forward, trying to get her into my arms, but my father’s hold remained. Scrambling closer, I threw myself on top of her, fighting my father’s hold on the weapon. He still had his hand wrapped around her throat. Anger unlike anything I’d ever experienced rushed into me. I grabbed my father’s arm and without hesitation, snapped his wrist. The cracking sound as bones were broken was followed by his angry howl.

  “Take her!” I yelled as Cristiano appeared at my side.

  He gathered her into his arms, dragging her away.

  “No. No!” Her cries of anguish weren’t lost on me.

  I punched my father several times. Then we pitched and rolled, both fighting for control. I bashed the weapon against his face, but he held on, our bodies twisting and turning.

  Then…

  Pop!

  Five months later

  Sage

  “How exciting. It looks like Rose Sandler is exiting the limousine. Let me make certain. Yes, it’s Rose from Halo!”

  I heard the reporter’s voice as Hunter wrapped his fingers around mine, pulling me onto the red carpet leading to the auditorium. The number of photographers snapping pictures was overwhelming. In all the years of attending awards ceremonies, the reception this year was even more glamorous. I’d been coined the ‘It’ girl of the Grammys, Halo the band to beat for the major awards. We were up for seven of them, which continued to shock me.

  I waved at the crowd, taking it all in as both Cristiano and Cain took their positions beside me. They’d become celebrities as well, People Magazine calling our unusual relationship ‘Caustic Evocative Evolution’.

  My hunks had rolled their eyes reading the article while I’d sipped champagne, dancing around our house in Key West in a bikini. They’d stayed true to their word, allowing me to pick out the various houses we owned.

  As the crowd swarmed around us, Cain took my other arm. Always the most protective, his dark eyes sweeping the crowd as if anticipating his father would come back to life.

  We’d been lucky, his shoulder injury healing within a few weeks.

  But the house had never felt the same, getting sold weeks later.

  They’d saved my life as they’d promised to do, but I think I managed to save their souls. They were entirely different than they’d been before, the huge weight of the past finally releasing its claws.

  While Cain had yet to find out the identity of his real father, it didn’t seem to bother him. He was content in the fact that if we were lucky enough to have children, then his blood wouldn’t taint the child.

  “Rose. Can I ask you a few questions?” The reporter was one I knew, adamant that he speak with me.

  When Cristiano started to step in, I pressed my hand against his chest, rising onto my tiptoes and kissing him on the lips. The gesture was caught by at least fifteen photographers. Not to be outdone, Hunter grabbed me for a passionate embrace, driving his tongue inside my mouth while every woman swooned.

  They looked delicious in their tuxes, good enough to eat. Which I planned on doing later.

  Or perhaps they’d devour me.

  The thought sent a thrill all the way to my overheated core.

  Cain pulled me away, doing nothing more than drinking in my perfume, rolling his knuckles down my cheek in a sign of possession. As always, I trembled from his touch. His dark eyes bore into mine, but there was a look of mischief that I wasn’t used to seeing.

  “This is your night until we’re on the jet.” His words were whispered.

  Heat crested across my jaw, and I was happy that the lights likely hadn’t caught my flustered look.

  “Hi, Steve. I’d be happy to answer a few questions.” I waved to the crowd again, smiling from the cheers.

  “How does it feel to be expected to win every major award tonight?”

  “It feels fantastic, but I couldn’t have done it without my band. They are the best in the world. Aren’t they?” I jazzed the crowd until the cheers drowned out every other noise.

  Steve shook his head, waiting as the virulent applause and loud catcalls died down. “There’s a sense that your music has taken a new path. Even Rolling Stone mentioned there’s a significant increase in passion to your words and to the sound itself. What would you attribute that to?”

  I took a deep breath. “To the three men I’ve fallen madly in love with.”

  The crowd went wild.

  “Did you see that metal band’s reaction when Halo won for Album of the Year?” Hunter asked as he refilled my champagne glass. I was sitting on Cristiano’s lap, bouncing to the music, still holding one of my awards. His cock was already throbbing, and I couldn’t help but shift back and forth, teasing him relentlessly.

  “I thought they were going to storm the stage,” Cristiano said, laughing.

  “I almost beat the crap out of the lead singer.” Cain grinned after making the statement, but I knew he would have given the chance.

  Hunter rolled his eyes and flopped down in one of the seats. The evening had been everything I’d ever wanted, a dream come true. Mostly because I’d been able to share it with the three men who’d stolen my heart.

  However, Cain had been moody for the past two days, as if he had something on his mind. He’d pulled away more than once, needing time alone. I was certain he was going to leave our foursome, which would break my heart.

  When he suddenly jerked up out of his chair, walking towards the bar, I quickly gave Hunter a look. He shrugged, but I could tell he knew what was going on.

  I eased off Cristiano’s lap, placing my champagne glass on the table and walking towards Cain. When I placed my hand on his shoulder, he tensed. “What’s wrong?”

  He took several deep breaths, remaining quiet. “I can’t do this any longer, Sage. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

  Instantly, tears drifted into my eyes. “I don’t know what to say. You don’t love me any longer, or you just can’t handle sharing?”

  He shrugged and didn’t give me a response.

  “Look, the only thing I asked out of this relationship was that you tell me the truth at all times. What is going on?”

  The brooding man continued to remain silent. Now, I was getting angry.

  “I demand you tell me what is happening. Is there another woman? You waited until this night to tell me this? What is wrong with you?”

  Cain finally spun around, barely able to keep the look of amusement off his face. He thought this was funny? I reacted without thinking, returning to my champagne and tossing the entire glass in his face. Then I gasped when I saw his expression. He was truly shocked.

  When the other two started laughing, I realized I’d misread what he was doing.

  “Oops,” I said quietly, backing away from Cain and directly against the two beefy hunks I shared a bed with.

  As Cain dragged his tongue across his lips, I chewed on my lower one, uncertain what his reaction would be.

  “It seems our little pet needs another lesson in not jumping to conclusions,” Cristiano said from behind me.

  They were as dominating as I thought they’d be, keeping me in line with rules and delicious punishments. They’d also introduced me to their darker cravings, aspects of BDSM that left me breathless.

  “Yes, it does,” Hunter said before smacking my bottom once.

  “Ouch!”

  “There’s more where that came from.”

  Cain held up his index finger, shaking his head. Champagne glistened on his chin, and I wanted to lick off every drop. “Our beautiful lamb will get her punishment after I’m finished.”

  I folded my arms, waiting to see what he’d have to say. When he dropped to one knee, I couldn’t have been more shocked. After pulling a small box from his pocket and opening it to allow me to see the stunning ring inside, he lifted his gaze. I could swear there were tears in his eyes.

  “As I said before. I can’t do it any longer, not unless you become our wife.”

  I turned around towards the others, gasping for air as I fanned my face. Tears were definitely in my eyes, the joy of realizing that after everything we’d been through, we were very much in love overwhelming.

  I’d been scarred from an event that I’d had no control over. Maybe I should have tried to shove them out of my life, but the thought hadn’t entered my mind.

  Fleeting visions of the past, the stormy night over ten years before floated into the forefront of my mind. Unlike before, this time I was able to shut them down, putting them in their padlocked place. The past couldn’t hold me prisoner any longer. There was only the future in a house full of love and laughter.

  “Yes.” The word came easily, my heart skipping several beats as Cain slipped the ring on my finger. As they wrapped their arms around me, I’d never felt so much love.

  That was good since I had a little secret they wouldn’t hear until the right time. It didn’t matter who was the biological father. There would never be any tests, no challenge in court. As far as I was concerned, he or she had three daddies.

  And I had the loves of my life.

  All because fate had intervened, allowing our hearts and souls to heal.

  “Now, about that spanking,” Cain said as he lifted his head, winking at the others.

  “I’m a good girl!”

  “That’s what we keep hearing,” Hunter growled.

  As Cristiano sat down, yanking me over his lap, all I could do was smile.

  Who knew a girl would find not just one but three perfect Prince Charmings?

  Now, onto the happily ever after.

  The End

  AFTERWORD

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