I looked to Mateo next and he cocked his head at me, his expression full of so much darkness, yet so much desire and want and dedication too.
Brutus licked my cheek where a splash of blood was drying against it from Jack’s wound. He was here to stay, just like Jack and Mateo and –
“Niall.” I looked up at him as he moved forward to shadow the sun. My monster of a husband, the one who’d brought us all together. Had he known what he was doing when he’d stitched our souls into one?
“Brooklyn,” he said roughly, pushing his fingers into my hair, petting me like he had Jack, affection rising in his gaze. “I’m going nowhere. And if you want these fuckers too, then they can stay here with their hearts continuing to beat. But they’re on probation, mind. If they prove they’re worthy of you, and that they’ll do anything to please ya and protect ya, then they can stay.” He moved forward, slipping a key from his pocket and unlocking the padlock that was keeping Jack’s collar in place, letting it tumble from his throat and fall to the ground. Jack didn’t move, watching Niall closely like he was trying to understand him better and Mateo knelt up as Niall closed in on him with the keys.
“Don’t do anything foolish, el burro,” Niall warned as Mateo’s upper lip peeled back.
“If any of you die, I’ll die,” I reminded them and Mateo looked my way in fury. “I’ll kill myself, Dead Man. I mean it. I’ll get a noose or a knife or I’ll throw myself in the lake and I won’t use my kickers and flappers to get to the surface. We all live, or I die. And that includes Brutus.” I patted Brutus’s back and he growled at me, making me giggle at his grumpies.
“Wait a minute,” Niall rounded on me, shaking his head. “The dog isn’t in on that part.”
“Dogs don’t live that long, mi sol,” Mateo implored. “And that dog doesn’t look very young.”
“I said what I said,” I insisted, folding my arms and pursing my lips at them. “If one of us dies, I’m dying too. I can’t live without any of you, Brutus included, and that’s that.”
“Spider, for heaven’s sake. That’s insanity,” Niall growled.
“That’s rich coming from you, bastardo loco,” Mateo muttered then turned to me. “Just omit the dog.”
“No,” I said stubbornly and the three men around me exchanged a concerned look. I swear it was the first time they’d ever looked at each other without hate in their eyes, and it made me all squishy inside.
“Fine, fine,” Niall muttered. “We’ll discuss it later.”
He unlocked Mateo’s padlock, freeing him from his collar and Mateo reached up to touch the skin at his throat which was red from his last zappy. His fingers flexed as he gazed up at Niall, like he was working to wrangle the monster in him, but as he looked to me, he sighed and dropped his hands to his sides.
A grin spilled over my face and I leapt to my feet, capturing Jack’s hand and tugging him up after me. “Jack is hurt. We need to get him fixed up.”
“I’ll fix him myself. Come on, get moving.” Niall shoved him along and Jack shoved him back, nearly knocking Niall over from the force he used. Niall spat a snarl, lunging at Jack with his fist raised and I dove into the way, giving him a furious pout until he lowered his arm, a growl rumbling through his chest. I took hold of his hand, keeping hold of Jack’s too and Mateo watched us closely, his jaw grinding as we made it back to the house.
“Come on then, big lad.” Niall steered Jack toward the kitchen as we stepped through the front door. “Sit down and I’ll stitch ya up real nice. Got it?” He spoke loudly, like he didn’t think Jack could understand him and Jack gave him a cool look before following.
Brutus trotted off to go and find his favourite boot and Mateo grabbed me by the waist, yanking me against him and speaking in a low voice. “We can go now, chica loca. You and me. We’ll take a truck and run.”
I laughed, booping him on the nose. “But I like it here, Dead Man. Don’t you?”
“I liked it before it was invaded,” he said coldly, not letting me go as I tried to pull away.
“Is it so bad?” I whispered, my heart tugging at the thought of him hating it here.
He frowned, drawing me closer in his arms as a heavy sigh escaped his chest. His forehead fell to mine and the warmth of his muscular arms folded me into him like we were a little origami swan. “Being with you is a pleasure like nothing I have ever known. Donde sea que estés, quiero estar.”
I smiled at his pretty words, understanding them perfectly. “I like my hair this way too.” I twisted my finger into it. “But do you really want to leave?”
“Te deseo,” he said heavily and I was sure that meant yes please, and a Coca-Cola to go.
I tipped my head down as tears welled in my eyes. I couldn’t keep my Dead Man if he didn’t want to stay. I didn’t want to be the reason he couldn’t go skipping through meadows and picking dandelions on a hillside.
“If you need to go, then…that’s okay. I understand. Everyone leaves in the end. But if this is our end then can I at least have a kiss to remember you by?”
Mateo’s mouth found mine and the roughened stubble on his skin scratched against the softness of my chin, the feeling lighting me up inside. His tongue met mine and I moaned in delight as I tasted him, needing more, always more. I was a selfish, hungry creature who wanted all the love these men could offer me. I wanted to take and take and take, but I wanted to give back too. If only they knew how much.
“I’m not enough, am I? There’s too many of you, and just one of little old me,” I said against his lips, but he kept kissing me between my words, drawing me closer like he was getting drunk on my flesh.
“Mi sol, you are enough for an army of men.”
“Oh my God, that’s a lot of men. A lot of peen too. I’d have to work out an extensive rota. Maybe do it alphabetically, but would I do it by first names or last names? Oh no, I don’t want all those men, Mateo, I’d have to clone my vagina, and I definitely don’t know the science involved for that. I mean, I’m sure there’s glue and a photocopier involved somewhere, but I don’t know where exactly.”
“Just three men then,” Niall said as he returned to the room and I glanced over at him, tasting Mateo on my lips as my husband gave me a heated look. “You can handle three, Spider.”
“At once, or one at a time?” I squeaked.
“Whatever you like,” Niall said, resting his shoulder against the doorway just as Jack appeared at his back, shirtless and looking like a wicked soul given flesh. “Assuming I can cope with that without the urge to kill rising in me.”
He gazed from me to Mateo, not seeming fazed, more curious and I let my fingers roam down Mateo’s chest as I decided what to do.
My pulse starting racing and I looked between them all before returning my gaze to Mateo’s, the energy in the room shifting to something dark and sinful.
Niall moved up behind me, his fingers pushing into my hair before locking around the back of my neck.
“What do you want, little psycho?” he asked as a quake rocked the foundations of my being.