Game On (The Morgan Brothers Book 4) (20 page)

Mitch knew the
moment Aspen surrendered because her entire body seemed to sag with relief. He loved that moment with subs. It was always special, but the first time they experienced it was usually something they never forgot. Hell, he didn’t even regret the fact they were in a fucking pick-up driving up a mountain road in darkness so intense it felt like nothing existed outside the truck. Perhaps the intimacy was enhanced because of their close proximity? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was how beautiful Aspen looked as she let him lead her to a whole new place where nothing mattered but pleasure.

When she slumped back in the seat, gasping for breath, he couldn’t resist releasing her seat belt and pulling her onto his lap. They were only a mile from the ranch’s main house and they both needed a moment to get themselves together before facing whatever chaos was currently taking place inside the Morgan Mansion.

He’d been an only child, and he’d longed for entertainment siblings would have provided. Perhaps that was why Mitch loved visiting the Morgans? Hell, there was always
something
happening, and often it was full-blown pandemonium. With so many people living on the property and nearby, somebody was always around whether you were looking for conversation or a co-conspirator. The main house was massive, but he’d been impressed by how homey the space felt.

One wing served as a home for Sage, Coral, and their three toddlers. Faith, Hope, and Charity Morgan were already
large and in-charge
as their mama described them. Mitch wondered how much more bedlam would ensue when they were teens. And what sort of influence would those three hellions have on the cousins who were sure to join the Morgan family soon? Suppressing the full body shudder threatening to surface, he considered the population explosion he was sure was lurking just around the corner. Mitch pushed aside his current train of thought.

The front door opened, as they parked in front of the house and Mitch wasn’t surprised to see Sage Morgan descending the wide stone steps. Nodding to Aspen, Sage shook his head when she offered her hand. Tensing beside her, Mitch had a split second of panic before Sage pulled Aspen into a crushing hug. “I want to thank you for looking out for my little brother, Aspen. It’s a damned big job watching out for the four of them, and I’m grateful for your help—hell, I want to kiss the ground Josie and Joelle walk on most days.”

Mitch could hear the emotion in the man’s voice even though he was trying to make light of the situation. One thing he knew about the Morgans—they were often each other’s most vocal critics, but they were also their strongest supporters. Phoenix punched his brother in the arm and growled, “You’ve already got a woman, leave ours alone.”

Sage grinned at Aspen when he released her. “You’ve got your work cut out for you, Captain.” Aspen’s eyes sparked with recognition and Mitch grinned. Evidently, Brandt’s pet name for her was going to stick. “Come on inside, let’s get you out of the night air.” Sage froze for a minute and then shook his head laughing. “Holy hell, I sound like Dad. Damn, I wasn’t expecting that to happen for a few years yet.”

Since the eldest Morgan sibling hadn’t released Aspen, Mitch and Phoenix trailed behind. Phoenix’s muttered, “It’s not a surprise to anybody else, he’s thought he was our second dad ever since I can remember.” Aspen’s giggle let them know she and Sage hadn’t missed Phoenix’s snarky remark.

“Careful Geek-Boy or I’ll tell Coral you graciously volunteered to babysit this weekend to give us a weekend off. She’s been hinting about a shopping trip to Denver, but with Mom and Dad back down south, and Josie on tour, our usual back-up team isn’t available.” Mitch had seen then havoc three toddlers could wreck and could well imagine it taking four adults to keep up with them.

“Not happening, brother. I’m going to be busy.” The grin on Phoenix’s face made Mitch laugh out loud.

Mitch nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Romeo, you’re on your own this weekend and probably next weekend as well.” Personally, Mitch couldn’t imagine giving up time in Aspen’s bed to chase after the girls—at least not in the near future.
Maybe when they are all potty trained…no, by then they’ll probably have learned how to open doors and who knows what sort of mischief they’d get into then. Face it, those girls are going to be a challenge for years.

Phoenix hadn’t said
anything to Aspen, but while she’d been enjoying Mitch’s aftercare in the truck, his phone had been lighting up like the fucking Fourth of July with alerts as they drove through the gates to the ranch. The security system he’d installed included a state of the art system designed to identify and block any monitoring device.

His business was so competitive; Phoenix simply could not risk anyone spying—either intentionally or unintentionally. More than once, he’d discovered
bugs
in the purses and bags of friends and family he knew were completely unaware. The technology was so sophisticated and the devices so small, they could easily be slipped in without the owners’ knowledge. Hell, his own mom’s purse had been bugged several times.

It was going to be interesting to see who’d been so interested in where Aspen was headed they’d taken the chance of putting a tracker in her purse or luggage. There was always a chance it was an agency device, but Phoenix doubted it. He’d put enough tagged word searches in her agency’s system, he’d know before she did if he was being spied on. But, he had to admit it chapped his ass that she’d known he was being stalked in his own games, and he’d been clueless.
Maybe if I hadn’t been so focused on finding her, I’d have noticed.

Phoenix listened as she and Sage made small talk while his oldest brother made them all something to drink. He fought back his frustration—fucking hell, he didn’t want to sit down here chit-chatting with his damned brother. He wanted to be in his suite with Aspen naked and screaming his name.

When Mitch started playing with her in the truck, Phoenix had nearly driven off the road more than once. The scent of her arousal filled the truck’s cab, and his cock responded with the most painful erection of his life. The only way the torture could have been worse would have been if he’d been forced to watch without being able to participate. Hell, listening had been almost enough to have him coming in his jeans like a damned teenager.

Aspen kept glancing at him while she feigned listening to Sage babble about his upcoming trip to Texas. Evidently, his brother assumed Aspen would be interested since she’d grown up in the Lone Star state. What the hell was wrong with Sage? Was he so desperate to talk to a woman he was willing to talk endlessly to the woman Phoenix was currently fantasizing about bending over the coffee table so he could fuck her until they were both mindless? Hell, in another minute or two he wouldn’t care if his entire family watched. They could call out suggestions or throw money if it made them happy, he wouldn’t care.

“He’s only talking her up because he’s enjoying watching the steam come out your ears. If you’d stop growling at him, Sage would go back upstairs. I’m sure your sister-in-law would thank you. The last time she looked over the bannister, I swore she was going to throw what I suspect was a rancid diaper. Considering how FUBAR tonight has become, I’m sure one of us would most certainly get nailed.”

“She wouldn’t dare. I swear I’d paddle her ass myself.”

“You could try.” Coral’s amused voice came from behind him, and Phoenix glared at Mitch who was trying valiantly to hold back his laughter.

“You’re a real ass, you know that, Mitch? First, that little show in the truck and now this? Are you deliberately trying to provoke me?” Phoenix was already picturing their next sparring session in the gym. Phoenix might not have been in the Special Forces, but having three older brothers was training enough for what he had in mind for his best friend.

“I don’t know, Mitch, I’ve seen that look before, and it usually proceeds somebody getting their ass handed to them in the ring. You don’t have a gym session planned in the near future, do you? Because I’m pretty sure you should probably consider rescheduling it if you do.” When Phoenix turned with slow deliberation to face Coral she glanced nervously up at him. “Hey, I was just kidding, you know that, right?”

Phoenix narrowed his eyes at her and took a menacing step forward. “Big brother, your cheeky sub seems to have forgotten she lives in a house with more than one Dom.”

“Is that so? Well, you know I’ve always told you guys not to wait for me to handle disrespectful behavior.” The underlying tone of amusement broke through Phoenix’s haze of frustration, and he watched as Coral visibly paled. “It takes a village to raise a child, and it seems that same axiom also applies to keeping a submissive in line.”

Phoenix had never spanked his beloved sister-in-law for misbehaving, and he wasn’t about to delay his own plans with Aspen to give Coral the punishment she deserved. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t enjoying the wide-eyed look she was giving him.

“Look, think about this for a minute. Who would take care of the girls if I was too sore to sit down and rock them to back to sleep? Joelle is trying to make a baby of her own, and Mom Morgan is probably sipping wine and watching the waves crash ashore someplace warm…the traitor. Josie is wrapping up another tour, and we all know what that means…they’ll lock themselves in a ritzy suite in Hawaii and nobody will see them for a week. And you haven’t even introduced me to Aspen yet, so it seems cruel to hand off the Morgan Menaces to someone unsuspecting.”

Her voice was raising in pitch the longer she spoke, her nervousness growing exponentially.
Good.
He’d help Sage scene with Coral a few times in their basement dungeon, but he’d always refused to mete out any punishment—a decision he might need to revisit. “Perhaps I’ll just tell Brandt you’ve spilled the beans about them starting a family.”

Everyone knew how notoriously private the middle Morgan brother was, knowing Joelle had shared something so personal with Coral—who’d then blurted it out to save her own sweet ass would get both subs in hot water. “Oh shit…umm, I mean, don’t do that…it wouldn’t be fair to Joelle. You know how Brandt is…”

“Oh, indeed I do. But I have to admit, I’m looking forward to being an uncle again, so I’m not particularly inclined to stall their progress. But, then again, you do both need to learn to stop gossiping.” Like that was ever going to happen, the three Morgan wives were as thick as thieves, and their husbands wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sage moved in front of his lovely wife, arms crossed over his chest and gave her a look Phoenix recognized well. The last time she’d elicited that particular look from her Dom, he’d flogged her on the cross to the precipice of orgasm time and time again until she’d finally broken down and sobbed for relief. The rest of the play party had broken up by the time he’d finally let her come, but Sage swore Coral’s scream had broken the sound barrier.

“I swear, I don’t know what I’m going to do with you, pet, but I’m up to the challenge. You better start thinking of ways to keep from waking those girls up until I’m finished reminding you of the rules.” He’d already thrown her over his shoulder before turning to give Aspen a playful wink. Phoenix saw her shoulders drop as she relaxed. He hadn’t considered she’d think Coral was really in trouble.

Sage swatted Coral’s ass as he bounded up the stairs, but they could still hear her surprised shriek. “Quiet, wench, you don’t want the children to witness your punishment, do you?” They disappeared down the hall.

Aspen stared at the top of the stair for several seconds before turning her wide green eyes to him. “Is she going to be okay? I can’t believe you got her in trouble.” Mitch chuckled beside her, and she turned her piercing look on him. “And you didn’t do a thing to help her, either. What the hell? I thought Doms were supposed to be super protective? Geez, I’ve heard Tobi and Gracie complain endlessly about how over-protective all the Doms at Prairie Winds are…maybe I should go back to Texas where Doms…” Phoenix cut off her tirade when he landed a swat on her barely covered ass that he knew left fire behind because his damned palm felt like it had been kissed by the same flame. “Hey! What the hell?”