Love Shouldn't Hurt Read online

  Chapter 1

  Broaden was in the kitchen making a pot of coffee. His heart was heavy. He absolutely hated leaving Harper during the night. He could tell something was wrong. She wasn’t herself. Seemed a little distant after they all made love to her. She also gave a bit of attitude. Maybe she was tired. She mentioned the long night, hell, week at work. When he thought about it, he realized she really didn’t talk about Harper’s much. Was she hiding something from them? Had she met someone else? Maybe another set of men who lived in Cherry Hill, who could give her what she needed and deserved were making moves on her, getting into her heart? Her bed? The anger filled him so quickly, he clenched his teeth and felt the ache to his head.

  “You look pissed off. What’s the deal?” Snipe asked, walking into the kitchen, cringing and then taking a seat, his face scrunching up. It had been a surprise to Ferrion and Broaden when Snipe and Lextin showed up at Harper’s. They were both in so much pain, looking battered and bruised. Harper was instantly concerned and then closed up, like a good soldier she didn’t ask questions or overdramatize the situation and their injuries. She knew not to. They trained her, ordered her not to. He felt sick to his stomach and looked away.

  “What?” Snipe asked, and Broaden started pouring some coffee into two cups. He brought one over to Snipe.

  “Harper,” he said, and then sat down in the chair across from him. His brother held his gaze and said nothing, yet his eyes told all to him. He was feeling it, too.

  “It was good last night. It had been too long for all of us,” Snipe said, and Broaden didn’t know if he meant missing the sex or missing Harper, or both. He felt annoyed. Was he the only one who felt like shit? Like they made Harper feel like their mistress, a woman good for sex and to make them feel the comfort of her arms, her body between missions? It was growing old fast. He was feeling more and more possessive of her, and the thought that she could see other people, could fuck other men, made him want to kill.

  “Just what I need, coffee. I feel like shit,” Lextin said as he entered the kitchen, rubbing his side then stretching the sore muscles.

  Broaden held Snipe’s gaze.

  “What’s with you two?” Lextin asked.

  “Nothing. Fucking nothing,” Broaden said and stood up.

  “Bullshit nothing,” Lextin said to him.

  He put his coffee cup down and faced them. “You guys are not at all worried about Harper? About her attitude last night, the way she closed up? You don’t think she could be pushing us away? Like maybe she doesn’t want this anymore?” he asked them.

  They were silent. “It’s been fine for a while now,” Lextin said.

  “It’s been two fucking years. Two, with us coming and going. Using her for sex, to feel like we have something, someone to come home to, and to feel like home with, yet we don’t give her anything more. There’s nothing keeping her in this position.”

  “It’s how it needs to be,” Snipe said to him, but he could see it in his brother’s eyes. He didn’t mean that. He wanted more, too. If he didn’t, if they all didn’t, then Broaden didn’t know his brothers like he thought he did.

  “Is it?” Broaden asked.

  “What’s going on?” Ferrion asked, coming into the kitchen. They were all silent. Broaden knew that they would never talk about their emotions, or feeling vulnerable or whatever. They were four huge ass, six feet four of muscles, capabilities, Special Forces military mercenaries, and they didn’t do pussy shit.

  “What?” Ferrion demanded to know in that deep, hard tone of his that instantly got Harper to obey and also come when they made love. It was making love to her, it wasn’t just sex. Not for Broaden. From the first time he made love to her he knew the difference. Lust might have initiated the intimacy, but it exploded into so much more and very quickly.

  “Harper. What are we going to do about Harper?” Broaden asked him.

  Now Snipe and Lextin were straight-faced.

  “What about her?” Ferrion asked, and then poured himself a cup of coffee. He then turned and leaned back against the counter.

  “About how she was last night. How distant she seemed, and upset about the arrangement.”

  “Arrangement?” Ferrion asked, and then took a sip from his cup.

  “Yes, arrangement. I think she’s upset, and I wonder if she’s seeing someone else, or has an interest in other men.”

  “No fucking way,” Ferrion said firmly, and with more confidence than Broaden was feeling.

  “How can you be sure? We were gone for six months. We don’t know what she does besides run Harper’s while we were away.”

  “She was more than satisfied with us last night. Welcomed us with open arms, and the lust, the connection was there and continues to be there. She wouldn’t dare cheat on us. That I know for a fact. Now enough of this bullshit. We have bigger things to deal with. I got some information coming in on a potential mission in a couple of weeks,” Ferrion told them, and then took another sip of coffee and started heading toward the door. “Everyone rest up. We’ll discuss the info in about an hour. Be ready to meet in the meeting room.” He walked out of the room.

  Broaden tossed the rest of his coffee into the sink and stared out of the window. The commander had spoken. Discussion over, time to be soldiers and nothing more.

  Harper caught sight of the truck down the block from her home as she arrived after work. Her heart began to pound inside of her chest. All week long the men came and went, leaving her alone before the sun rose and anyone could see their presence. She felt her nipples harden, her pussy throb with need. She was glad she wore the sleeveless dress to work, and would look good when she arrived home. Back at the office, she had some things in her bathroom to freshen up, so she was ready if the Dortry men surprised her. It seemed they hardly made it to the bedroom before one of them was thrusting their cock into her body or she was naked and sucking on one of their cocks. She loved them so much, and all day when they were apart, she wondered if she should end things with them so she could move on and have more. Then came the guilty feelings. A roller coaster of emotions of feeling like she deserved more, wanted more, yet had accepted them as lovers for two years, no strings attached, and perhaps she had become more of a convenience to them and nothing more. How long would it last? Was she wasting her time, her emotions, her love and her body on a dead-end road?

  She pushed the thoughts away and parked her car, got out, locked it up, and then went to her door. She unlocked it and walked into her home to find all four men waiting for her. Ferrion grabbed her by the material on her dress and pulled her against his chest. His hand went to her ass and he squeezed her hard. “What took you so fucking long?” he demanded to know, but before she could answer him, he kissed her hard on the mouth, plunged his tongue in and explored her with vigor and need. She felt the second set of hands on her shoulders and then lips against her neck as the zipper to her dress lowered.

  “This dress is too fucking sexy. How many men hit on you tonight, Harper?” Broaden asked.

  Ferrion released her lips. Her heart raced at his words and show of care, jealousy that fed her need to believe that there was more here than just sex.

  “What does it matter, she’s here with us. She’s ours,” Snipe said, and then her dress fell to the rug. All four men eyed her over, and Ferrion and Broaden caressed her skin, removed her bra and her panties, and then Ferrion lifted her up over his shoulder and carried her to the bedroom. Her back hit the fluffy comforter and he fell between her legs and feasted on her cunt. She cried out as he nipped her clit, and Broaden raised her arms above her head and then kissed her mouth.

  Lextin and Snipe joined in, cupping her breast and nipping on them at the same time. It was sensitivity overload and she couldn’t believe how much she was coming.

  “I need in now,” Ferrion said, and Lextin and Snipe released her nipples. Broaden still held her hands above her head until Ferrion slid between her thighs, aligned his cock with her pussy, and took over rest
raining her as he plunged right into her cunt. She tilted her chest forward and Ferrion grunted as he held his cock in her cunt, then leaned down and licked her nipples. He was relentless with his strokes.

  “I love this body. Love how your big, full tits bob and sway while I fuck this sweet, wet cunt over and over again.”

  He slid his hands from her arms to her armpits and stroked into her deeper. She moaned and cried out her release. He then moved his hands to her hips and then thrust into her hard, fast, his eyes on her breasts as they bounced.

  She reached for him and he shook his head. “You keep those arms above your head, Harper. You obey my orders,” he said to her, and she felt her cunt leak more cream as Ferrion thrust and stroked into her pussy until he roared and came. He eased out, kissed her belly, and Snipe was there to take her next. He didn’t hesitate. He aligned his cock with her pussy and shoved right into her. He gripped her armpits and arms and ground his hips slowly, deeply as he stared into her eyes.

  “So fucking good. You feel perfect, baby. So wet and ready for your men. You make us happy, Harper,” he said to her, and she felt a little off, like she wanted deeper emotions from Snipe, but this was all she was getting. He continued to thrust into her and then lowered down, gripped her thighs higher and pounded into her cunt. He came with a roar and then eased out. Lextin gripped her hips, lowered down and kissed her deeply. He then ran his mouth along her collarbone, down over her breasts, and then to her belly. He nipped her clit and licked and lifted her thighs over his shoulders and feasted on her, then ran a tongue along her asshole.

  She moaned. “Lextin.” She said his name and reached down, but then Broaden gripped her hands and pulled them above her head. She felt the wet digit to her asshole and he slid it into her.

  “Fuck, look at her. Look at her asshole and cunt. So accepting to my touch. She’s fucking hot. Fuck,” Lextin said, and then eased his fingers out and aligned his cock with her cunt, thrusting right into her. Broaden released her hands and she gripped Lextin’s shoulders, moaning at the invasion of his relentless strokes. She gasped as he pulled out and flipped her onto her belly, then aligned his cock with her pussy from behind and thrust back into her. She gasped for breath against the comforter as she felt his large, warm hands caressing her shoulders then gripping them as he thrust and ground into her pussy from behind, then came with a roar.

  “Me,” Broaden said, and Lextin eased out of her.

  Smack. He spanked her ass. She gasped, shocked at the move and the sensations it caused, and then moaned as Broaden didn’t hesitate to slide his cock right into her pussy from behind. He thrust and stroked slowly, deeply, taking his time, trying to enjoy the strokes. She moaned and then felt him pull her arm back, restraining her as he thrust into her pussy. He kept her wrists held with one hand right above her ass. His other hand was on her ass, and then eased between the crack.

  “Look how fucking hot she looks. Holy fuck, I’m hard again,” Snipe said, and he caressed her back, and then over her restrained wrists and to her ass.

  “Look at this,” Broaden said, and she didn’t know what he meant until she felt his fingers slide into her asshole.

  “Broaden!” she exclaimed, and her heart raced, and her body convulsed as she came, and then he thrust and stroked so hard and fast into her that Broaden came next. He eased his finger and cock from her body, released her wrists, and kissed her everywhere his lips could reach.

  “Our woman is fucking hot,” Broaden said, and then she lay there a moment trying to catch her breath.

  Ferrion came out of her bathroom with a washcloth and towel to clean her up and dry her off. He stroked his cock after she lay on the bed looking at him. She knew what he wanted, what he was ready for. She eased over him, took his cock into her mouth, and the next round of lovemaking started all over again. She wished for time to slow down or even freeze so she would have longer with her men. But as the days passed, and their lack of further commitment hounded her mind, she wondered each time they made love if this would be their last time making love.

  Broaden held Harper against his side as they lay on the couch in the living room. He was the last man here and would need to go soon. The sun would be rising shortly.

  “Things are getting a little crazy with work. We may not be able to come by for a few nights. We have these phone conferences and stuff to do,” he told her, and stroked her ribs. She turned slightly, and in doing so, he saw the dip in her T-shirt, and the swell of her full breasts and deep cleavage. He stroked her nipple and it hardened instantly.

  “I’m busy with work, too. I’ll need some sleep once you leave and then I have to go to Harper’s and work on orders for supplies.”

  “We could be leaving again soon.”

  She lifted up and turned in his arms. “Already?” she asked. He nodded. She went to get up and he pulled her back and onto his lap. He stared at her and so badly he wanted to tell her that he wished he could give her more. To commit to her more but he couldn’t. Ferrion warned him that they needed to keep things the way they were, and that maybe as the years went on, they could do more for Harper.

  “You know how this works, baby. We’ve been doing it for the past two years.” He stroked her cheek, saw the emotion in her eyes and his heart hurt, but he was a soldier and he got his orders from the commander, and his brother, the leader of all of them.

  “You don’t need to remind me about the rules every time. Besides, Ferrion reminded me earlier this evening about my position in this relationship.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Broaden asked.

  “Being accessible to you and your brothers, your team, when you’re in town and in need. I get it.”

  He wanted to roar in anger. To tell her that was fucking bullshit, but he couldn’t. She got up, then looked at him and cupped his cheek. “I’m a big girl, Broaden. I understand the orders and I chose to abide by them. For now,” she said, and it shocked him as she walked over to the kitchen, just wearing a t-shirt and nothing else. He felt his cock tighten and he glanced at his watch. She caught him.

  “You can go,” she said, and looked toward the window.

  “The sun will come up soon and that’s not good. Someone might see you. Wouldn’t want to ruin our reputations,” she said with attitude.

  He got up and walked over to her. She tried to turn away, but he grabbed her. She was feminine, light as a feather, yet firm, sexy, built to please any man. He felt possessive and he had to hide it. He slid his palm up under her shirt to her ass. “We’ll be back when we can.”

  “Got it,” she whispered, and he pressed his lips to hers, meaning to make it quick, but it wasn’t quick, it grew deeper faster. He wanted nothing more than to seal his intentions with another round of lovemaking right here in her kitchen, cock buried deep in her cunt, but he couldn’t. It was time to go.” He cupped her breast, tweaked he nipple, and then eased his mouth from hers. “Be good.”

  “What fun would that be?” she countered, and it wasn’t like her.

  He felt uneasy as he walked to the door and looked around, then eased into the darkness. He was cutting it close. Ferrion would be pissed off. As he walked down the street, no lights were on in anyone’s house. He got to the truck, felt the hairs on the back of his neck stick up, making him worry. But then he blew it off as his concern grew over the reprimanding Ferrion would be giving him when he walked in the door fifteen minutes from now, and with the rising sun.

  Harper was doing her rounds and making sure the patrons were happy at Harper’s. York walked up next to her and fixed her collar. She reached up and squinted at York.

  “Think you need a little more cover up, Harper,” she teased and winked.

  Harper felt her cheeks flush. So York could see the love bite from Broaden, even though she put cover up on it and wore a high collared blouse that was a bit fancy for the bar. It was raspberry, and went great with the short, black skirt and heeled boots. She gave her a sassy look. “Don’t know what you’re tal
king about.”

  “Yeah, right,” York said, and then leaned in closer and whispered, “How long will they be around this time? I think you’ll need a bulk supply of cover up and high collared blouses.”