The Pain Of The Pleasure

FORTY - RYTH

"YOU KNOW," Nick muttered, shoveling a mess of bacon and eggs into his mouth, then stabbing the air with his fork. "This is probably your best, little brother. I'm impressed," he said, giving me a wink. Tobias stood there, scowling at his brother's plate still piled high, then looked at mine, sitting empty. "I didn't fucking cook them for you." "I know...which makes this the best," Nick smiled, triggering a growl from his brother.

I looked from one to the other as Caleb strode into the kitchen, yanking on a soft black t-shirt, oblivious to the fight about to break out. "Better eat, princess," he suggested. "Before Tobias has a damn fit." I dragged the plate toward me and slid an egg and two pieces of bacon onto the plate, earning a sideways glance from Nick. "Are you gonna eat all that?" Tobias started around the island as Nick let out a bark of laughter and threw his hands in the air. "It was a joke." But Tobias wasn't playing, lunging to grab him around the collar as Caleb casually poured his coffee, then lifted his cup to his lips. Violence followed as the two men wrestled and swore.

Nick laughed harder, which only incited Tobias even more...and I just ate my damn breakfast. "Sunday," Caleb murmured, closing his eyes and enjoying his coffee. "How I love thee. What's the plan today, princess?" I just shrugged, wincing as the squall of possessive idiots went to the floor, throwing each other around. "Assignments, I guess. I have plenty to —" Caleb snapped his eyes open. The fight stopped behind me in an instant.

The hairs on my arms stood on end. I swallowed a mouthful of food as Caleb shoved away from the island and strode toward me. "I don't think so, Ryth. It's our first day together. We're going out." "To the beach?" Tobias asked as he shoved upwards. "So I can finish kicking Nick's ass in the water." "To the gym," Nick recommended.

But Caleb glared at the two men as they pushed to stand, their hard breaths surrounding me. "What do you want to do, Ryth?" My two stepbrothers looked my way, wincing, both dragging fingers through their hair. "Yeah," Tobias muttered. "Anything you want, little mouse." I'd hardly been out...like at all. Ever since I'd moved in with them, it'd been rushing to get enrolled at school, and then the wedding...yeah, the wedding. I'd almost forgotten all about that.

I stared at Caleb, knowing right now, in this minute, we were kin. "You're my brother" I whispered. "Stepbrother," he corrected. My breaths came hard and fast. I knew that...I understood that. But it hadn't hit home until just this moment. "Princess," Nick started, coming closer. "Easy." "We can take care of you," Tobias reassured, a little quieter. "Better than anyone else can." "Take care of me?" I repeated, meeting his gaze. He nodded. I thought about the breakfast on the table, the way they stopped on a dime when I needed something.

"No one will dare touch you, not with us at your back," Tobias added. "Not now that you're a Banks." I was a Banks. "Jesus," I whispered. "You all must think I'm sick." "Sick?" Caleb placed his cup on the counter and came around to me. "No sicker than we are. You want this, right?" A cold ripple of fear came from behind me. Nick flinched and jerked his gaze from Caleb to me. "Little mouse?" Tobias murmured, so damn quiet.

And the entire time, that voice in my head howled what I'd always known. "I want...." I turned to glance at all three of them. "I want to go to the damn mall." Tobias let out a groan and turned away. "I fucking knew it." Caleb's lips curled into a slow, careful smile. "Then the mall it is." It was under protest, I knew that. Which made it all the more enjoyable. I let out a squeal, slid off the chair, and lunged for the stairs, until I stopped and turned back, rushed to Tobias to wrap my arms around him and stare into his eyes.

"Thank you for breakfast. It was my second favorite thing this morning." I kissed him, tasting the salty bacon on his pouty lips. His arms went around me, pulling me hard against him. He was already fucking horny, already hard, the bulge rising as I deepened the kiss, then broke away. "I'm so fucking excited." It was every woman's dream. Three hunky guys at my side, even if they didn't enjoy themselves as much as I did.