She blinked.
“Eric is a special member of our pack. His father is a werewolf but his mother is human. He got some of the abilities of a shifter but not all of them. He can’t shift all the way and he doesn’t suffer from mating heat but he has the strength of a full shifter. He’s unique that way.”
Mika frowned. “Okay. Thanks for sharing that. What does this have to do with us?”
“Eric and I grew up together and we’re best friends. I explained to him what is going on and my fear of hurting you.”
“And he had some good advice?”
Grady hesitated. “No. I just told him what I needed. He agreed with me that it was a good idea.”
She frowned. “What do you need? What is a good idea?” Grady leaned against the doorway. “I don’t trust myself with you. I really am afraid I’ll hurt you, Mika. I’m afraid I’ll lose control totally one of these times. I don’t want to be mated to you and I’m sure you feel the same way on the mating issue. I could kill you by accident or cause you serious harm. I was too rough with you earlier. Next 81
Laurann Dohner
time…” He clenched his teeth. “Next time I could really do damage to you and I won’t allow that to happen. Omar trusts me not to hurt you. I couldn’t live with myself if I ended up doing something bad to you.”
“I appreciate that but you’re making too much out of this. You didn’t hurt me, Grady. I’m fine.” The front door slammed again. “I thought your friend left before.”
“He did.” Grady walked into the bedroom. “He went outside to make some calls but now he’s back.” Grady turned to face Mika again. “He’s going to be staying here with us until mating heat ends.”
“What?”
Grady slowly nodded, staring at her. “He can make sure I don’t hurt you. He won’t suffer mating heat so he can keep a clear head and he’s strong enough to stop me if I get out of hand. Because we’re best friends and we’ve dated some of the same women in the past, I know he won’t hurt you.”
Mika was swamped by confusion as she let everything he said sink in. “You want him to stay here while we…” She swallowed. “He’d hear us, Grady. He’d be in the damn house with us.”
Eric walked into the bedroom. Mika shot the man a frown and then turned her full attention back to Grady. Eric stood just inside the bedroom door. Grady walked closer, to stand in front of her. He crouched down and put his hands on the bed so her legs were between his body and his arms. A few feet separated them as he stared at her with a very serious expression.
“I don’t think you understand, babe.” Grady’s voice softened. “I don’t just want Eric in the same house with us. I want him with us. He’ll be right here on hand to protect you if I get out of control. He needs to be in the same room so he knows if I lose control. When I said we dated a few of the same women, I don’t mean we just saw the same ones at different times. We shared them. Together.” Mika’s heart nearly stopped and then it started to pound. Emotions slammed her in a jumble she couldn’t even sort out. “What?” She barely got the word out.
Grady lifted his hands and gripped her knees. “Have you ever fantasized about a threesome?”
Mika reacted as though he’d physically slapped her when pain shot through her at his words. Her horrified stare flew to Eric. He was smiling at her. Her attention jerked back to Grady. He was watching her face closely. She didn’t think about it but just did it. She lifted her foot and planted it on Grady’s chest. She kicked him away from her hard enough to knock him on his ass.
She stood as Grady hit the floor on his back, hard enough to make him grunt in surprise. She moved away from him, inching toward the bathroom. Tears burned behind her eyes and she blinked them back. Grady looked shocked as he sat up. She didn’t even bother to glance at his friend Eric. Grady frowned, staring at Mika, as he got to his feet.
82
Mate Set
“Get out of my house,” Mika said softly. “Both of you get the fuck out of my house.”
Grady looked confused. “Babe―”
“Don’t!” she yelled at him, cutting him off.
She moved toward the bathroom slowly. She wanted a place to run to if Grady tried to touch her. Her heart was breaking. She knew he would hurt her when it was time to go home. She expected that kind of pain when it came time to tell him goodbye. She never thought he’d pull something as agonizing as this.
“Get the hell out of my house now. Don’t come back, Grady. I mean it. Don’t ever come back. Take your damn friend with you.” Her voice shook.
“Mika,” Grady growled. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“What is wrong with me? Get the fuck out of my house, Grady. If either one of you touches me, I swear to God, I’ll have my uncle kill you both. Do you hear me? Get out!”
“Why are you reacting this way?” Grady was staring at her as though she’d lost her mind. “I’m trying to protect you.”
She stared in horror at Grady. “Is that what you call this? Protecting me? I realize that you weren’t happy about the whole forced-to-mark-me thing. You and everyone else has made it very clear to me that I’m just a mere human and how you only think werewolf bitches are good enough for you. I’m sorry that you had it rough growing up the way you did. I get why you don’t want to hook up with a human after the treatment you got since you’re not of pure blood.”
Grady paled at her words and then his mouth tensed into a firm line as he stared at her. He didn’t cut her off though or move. He just stood there listening to her.
“Even knowing how you felt about me being human I at least figured you had to feel something for me. Even just a little something. I will not be passed between you and your friend like a twenty-dollar whore. Being tag teamed by two men is not a fantasy of mine. It’s insulting that you care so damn little about me that you’d even want to see another guy fuck me. Maybe my saying I don’t share was too mild of a hint to someone like you that I’m totally into monogamy. Get out of my house now and take your damn friend with you.”
“That’s not how it is,” Grady growled.“Fuck you. Get out. I mean it, Grady. Get out of my house and don’t ever come near me again.”
A snarl tore from Grady. “You’re marked by me. You can’t just throw me out. I’ll go insane and hunt you. I’m in mating heat.”
She jerked her chin up and glared at him. She held onto her anger so she didn’t totally fall apart in tears from her broken heart. “Then I’ll buy a big damn gun and shoot your ass if you come after me. Get out. I never want to see you again.” Her voice broke.
Grady growled again. He jerked his head to Eric. “Go.” 83
Laurann Dohner
Eric left the bedroom. Grady’s head snapped in Mika’s direction, eyes gleaming black in a way she’d never seen before. “I don’t know why you’re so damn angry. Most women would have jumped at the offer. Eric is very popular with women. Most women would jump at the chance of having two men in their bed.” She blinked back tears. “I’m not most women. Leave, Grady.” He shook his head. “I won’t do that. Tell me why you are pissed off at me.” Her anger slipped away and pain took its place. “I’m not pissed.” Grady frowned. “You’re scenting of anger.”
“Then take a bigger damn whiff, asshole. Inhale my pain.” Grady sniffed and she saw confusion on his face again.
“For a man so concerned about not hurting me you just did the one thing that hurt me the most,” she said softly. “I could have chalked up you not wanting a relationship with me to your childhood and the rejection of your human side you must have suffered from your stepmother. I could overlook and forgive you for making it damn clear that I’d never be enough for you because I understand how important it is for you to want a werewolf to mate with so you get acceptance from the pack as an adult.” Hot tears fell down her face. Grady took a step toward her. Mika shook her head at him and threw up her hand to stop him and he stopped advancing on her. Mika wiped at her tears and backed up so she was in the bathroom.
“Don’t ever come near me again, Grady. You didn’t need to protect me from you physically. You needed to protect me from you hurting me inside. I can’t believe I gave a shit about you. I can’t believe— Just get out.” She slammed the bathroom door and locked it.
“Babe?” Grady was on the other side of the door. “Open the door.”
“Don’t ever call me babe again. You lost that right. You lost all of your rights.
Goodbye, Grady.” She closed her eyes and didn’t bother to stop the hot tears falling down her face.
“Son of a bitch,” Grady roared from the other side of the door. “I thought you’d be excited about the idea.”
“I’m taking a shower,” she lied. “You made me feel dirty.” That part wasn’t a lie.
She turned on the water and then ran to the window. She unlocked it and carefully slid it open, praying the sound would be covered by the loud water pouring from her showerhead. Mika was out her window in seconds. She ran around the house and that’s when she saw Eric.