Van, Becca - The Love of Three [Elite Dragons 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Becca van

probably because she realized how ungrateful she sounded. She wasn’t usually so whiny and petulant, but the pain in her hand seemed to make her grumpy.
    “Yep, and I don’t want any ifs or buts out of you, little girl. We aren’t going to leave you alone. The last thing we want is for you to hurt yourself.”
    “Okay. But don’t blame me if I wake up on the wrong side of the bed. A girl needs her sleep, you know.”
    “Good, now that that’s settled. We need an early night, too.”
    “What’s going on?” she asked around a yawn.
    “We’re not really sure yet, baby,” Stedman answered.
    “Is it the organ black market again?”
    “We don’t know yet, honey,” Ward replied and began to strip his clothes off.
    Alicia eyed him, and then her gaze went to Stedman and Bronsin as they, too, began to undress.
    “We’re getting ready for bed, darlin’.”
    “Oh, that’s nice.”
    Bronsin smiled as her eyes drifted shut. He wondered what she was going to do and say when they slid into bed beside her. It didn’t take long for her to react. Stedman and Ward got in next to her, and Bronsin crawled in at the bottom.
    She sat bolt upright and eyed them sleepily. “What are you doing?”
    “Getting into bed,” Bronsin answered. “Lie down, darlin’.”
    “This bed isn’t big enough for all of us.”
    “Yes it is, honey,” Ward said and helped her to lie back down.
    “I’m going to end up kicking someone.”
    “You let us worry about that, baby.” Bronsin smirked to himself. He knew they’d be giving her something entirely different to worry about before long.

Chapter Six

    Alicia woke to hands rubbing up and down her body and kisses on her lips. She felt like she had just gone to sleep, so she was decidedly cranky.
    “Go away,” she grumped.
    “Sorry, baby, but it’s time to get up. We have to leave soon, and you need to be over at Coulter’s house.”
    “Time?”
    “It’s 0330 hours, darlin’,” Bronsin replied.
    “Do you have to sound so frickin’ happy about it?”
    “Whoa, you definitely are a grumpy bum, aren’t you, honey.” It sounded like Ward was smiling. “Come on, Alicia. Get dressed. We have coffee waiting.”
    Alicia finally pried her eyes open and squinted at the three men sitting around her on the bed. They were all dressed in black jeans and jackets. She saw bulges beneath their jackets and wondered what they were trying to hide.
    She stared at each of them until the penny finally dropped. Then she jerked upright. “You have weapons on you.”
    “Yes, we do,” Stedman replied. “We’re going out on a mission, baby. We need to be prepared for any eventuality.”
    Dread and nervousness filled her stomach, making her feel queasy. “I don’t want you to go.”
    “We don’t really want to, darlin’, but it’s our job. We have to find those missing women.”
    Alicia covered her mouth in horror. “More women have been kidnapped? Oh God. Do you think it’s the same people?”
    “No, those people are still behind bars.”
    “Then what the hell is going on?”
    “I’m sorry, baby, but we’ve been given orders to keep things quiet.”
    “You don’t trust me?” The pain of rejection pierced her chest.
    Ward reached out for her and pulled her onto his lap. “That is far from the truth. Of course we trust you, honey, but we’ve been given orders, and we have to follow them. Dumbass over there has already said too much.”
    “Here, drink your coffee, and then we have to move.” Stedman picked up a cup from the bedside table and handed it to her. Ward continued to hold her and rub his hands up and down her back. Bronsin moved closer and placed a hand on her thigh, while Stedman just sat staring at her.
    “What are you looking at?”
    “The most beautiful, sexy woman I have ever seen in my life.”
    Tears pricked her eyes and the knot in her chest diminished. How could such a controlling, dominant man turn her into a puddle of jelly? They all took such good care