STORY EXCERPT

Maverick was so flustered that he wished he had duct tape in his hands right now. Panahasi had talked him into letting the keeper of the underworld place spells around the Den to warn him when anyone was popping in or out. Maverick had agreed, and was thankful for that decision because Melonee had set off the alarm more times than he could count.

It seemed lately that every time he turned around she was trying to shimmer out to go meet…that…that…fucking fey. Maverick clenched his jaw so hard he swore he heard his back molars cracking. Call him an overprotective asshole, but he wasn’t ready to let his adopted daughter go, especially not to that…that…fucking fey.

He wasn’t ready to let her be the grown woman that she was, and he damn sure wasn’t ready to accept the fact that she was…mated to that asshole.

He knew pack law prohibited him from interfering in any kind of mating—but this was Melonee, his little girl. Let anyone stand in his way, and he was going to crush their bones to a fine powder.

Maybe he could duct tape her to his office chair.

“You are being so unreasonable!” Melonee shouted as she paced his office, her hands balled into fists and a look on her face that should have killed Maverick on the spot. “I’m a grown woman, Dad. You can’t keep me locked up!”

“Watch me,” Maverick countered. He wasn’t ready to let his daughter mate. He wasn’t ready to acknowledge that she was a full-grown woman. He wasn’t ready…period.

And Ruttford? Really? Why in the hell did she want to mate that havoc-causing dipshit? Maverick only wanted to kick Ruttford’s ass from one end of the Den to the other. He could envision his hands wrapping around the fey’s neck as he slowly squeezed the life out of—

“You’re doing it again,” Cecil warned as he smacked Maverick’s arm. “Stop looking as though you are dreaming of gutting the man.”

“I am,” Maverick admitted through clenched teeth. “If he touches one hair on her body I’m going to make him—”

“Oh, stop it,” Melonee said with a growl. Maverick had taught her well. Too well. “If you hurt him, I’ll never forgive you.”

“I can live with that,” Maverick admitted. He couldn’t help being a prick. He still saw Melonee as the sweet little five-year-old girl who had stolen his heart on sight. And now she had a mate? No fucking way. Nope. Not a chance in hell Maverick was allowing her to run to Rutt-fucking-ford.

Just the thought of Ruttford touching her—okay, he was officially going to turn the bastard into a eunuch. Then Melonee could see him all she wanted. Hell, he would even let them be alone together after he took care of that little problem.

“Maverick,” Cecil said in warning as he patted Maverick’s chest. “Breathe.”

“I. Am. Breathing.”

“Fire from your nostrils!” Melonee shouted as she stopped pacing and gave him her full glare. “Face it, Dad. I’m a grown woman, and I have a mate. He’s going to claim me whether you like it or not.”

“Don’t use that word when talking about Rutt—” Gods, he couldn’t even say the man’s name out loud without seeing red.

“Ruttford,” Melonee finished for him. “Ruttford. Ruttford. Ruttford.”

“Oh, jeez.” Cecil rolled his eyes. “Are you trying to piss Maverick off so he will kill your mate?”

“Cecil!” Maverick growled.

“Sorry,” Cecil said as he dropped onto the leather sofa in Maverick’s office. “I forgot you refuse to let her grow up.”

Maverick loved his mate more than his own life, but between Cecil and Melonee, he was dangerously close to tying them both up and tucking them in a closet…for the next hundred years or so. “You’re not leaving the Den,” he commanded as the anger boiled up and flowed over.

“Watch me!” Melonee shouted as she spun around and stormed out of Maverick’s office, slamming the door behind her so violently, the walls shook.

“I’ll be watching you, all right!” he shouted at the closed door. “Watching you do nothing!”

“Very smooth,” Cecil said as he sat back on the sofa and tossed an arm over the back. “I feel goose bumps running up my arm from your threat.”

Maverick growled at his mate. “Not you, too.”

Cecil threw his hands up in front of him. “I’m staying neutral. She’s our daughter, but sooner or later you are going to have to let her go. She is a grown woman with a mate who has patiently waited for your approval. But I have a feeling he is at the end of his waiting with you.”

“That’s not staying neutral.” Maverick slumped back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose as he blew out a long breath. Why did he go nuts every time he thought of his little girl and Ruttford—“Damn it!”

Cecil stood and strode over to him, sliding into Maverick’s lap and pulling at his chin until Maverick looked Cecil in his beautiful amethyst eyes. “Face it, babe. She’s all grown up now. You have to let her go and let her live her own life. If you don’t, she will grow to resent you. What would you do if someone tried to keep me from you?”

Maverick hated when Cecil tried to talk sense to him. He didn’t want to be sensible right now. He wanted to be a raving lunatic who kept his little girl from leaving him. Maverick laid his forehead against Cecil’s and sighed, feeling as though he were fighting a losing battle.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want his little angel to be happy. It was just that letting go was one of the hardest things he ever had to do. What father thought any man was good enough for his daughter? And Ruttford of all men? It was going to take a miracle for Maverick to see him as anything other than an immature fuckup.

“I’d kill them.”

“Exactly,” Cecil replied as he smoothed his hands up Maverick’s chest. “You can’t hold on to her forever.”

Watch me.

ADULT EXCERPT

Adam turned, laying Melonee down as he moved from the bed and undressed. Ruttford stretched out beside Melonee, watching his handsome mate bare his body to them. His hands played at Melonee’s shirt, and then he pulled it over her head. Her lush breasts were exposed to him, cupped in a pretty purple lace bra.

“So nice,” he said as he mouthed her breast.

Melonee’s hand slid through his hair, grabbing the strands as he pulled the lace aside and sucked one taut nipple into his mouth.

“I could watch you two all day,” Adam said as he tossed his underwear aside. He crawled into the bed, taking the other nipple into his mouth as Ruttford moved back, slid from the bed, and undressed.

He helped Melonee out of her jeans, and then slid her matching panties down her body, groaning as he saw how wet she was. He wanted to bury his cock deep inside of her. But first he wanted to feel Adam’s lips wrapped around his erection.

Ruttford palmed his cock as he slipped back onto the bed, moving closer to his handsome mate. The first tentative kiss was gentle, sweet, and almost chaste. The second was anything but, hard, wet and demanding. The two men almost devoured each other as their hands reached to touch and then hold tight. Ruttford’s tongue licked purposefully at the upper lip and was granted entry to the warm, wet cavern. Ruttford felt Adam open to him, and he swept his tongue inside to subdue the shyer muscle, sucking it slowly. Ruttford’s tongue slid over satiny inner cheeks, strong, even teeth, and danced languidly with Adam’s. Their moans and groans echoed through the room as their tongues dueled and tasted each other.

Ruttford pulled away and watched as Adam slowly lowered in front of him and enveloped the hard flesh as he began to suck earnestly. Adam sucked hard and fast, making Ruttford feel the beginning of his orgasm. Pleasure pooled at Ruttford’s spine and tingled along his nerves.

Using his tongue, Adam laved the tender depression beneath the swollen crown and then tongue-fucked the tiny slit, licking away the salty taste of Ruttford’s desires. He thrust his hips toward Adam’s mouth, pumping furiously with short, even strokes. He held Adam in place as Ruttford rolled his hips backward and pulled his dick from Adam’s mouth with a damp pop.

“Not yet.” Ruttford blew out a deep breath, bringing his body back under control. Goddamn, the man could suck dick.

Turning onto his back, Ruttford grabbed Melonee and draped her over his chest. “Time to ride me, beautiful.” He brushed his knuckles over her cheek as she straddled his waist. Melonee was so damn stunning sitting on top of him, gazing down at Ruttford heatedly, her eyes glittering with lust and love.

Melonee was vibrant. The feel of her soaked through Ruttford’s fingertips and into his blood. She crushed her chest to his, her nipples feeling like cut diamonds as she slowly impaled her body on his cock. Reaching for her, Ruttford slanted his open mouth across Melonee’s. Heat and womanly spice, the taste of her flooded his mouth.

“Oh, god,” Melonee moaned. Ruttford looked to the side to see Adam behind her. He knew exactly what the man was doing. Adam was readying Melonee to take her anally. The thought of both of them having her at the same time sent a spike of pleasure through Ruttford.

“Just relax, beautiful.” Ruttford reached behind Melonee with one arm, curved it around her neck, then turned and pulled her in close for a kiss filled with heat and intense passion. He wanted to distract her from what Adam was doing, to make her forget for the moment until there was nothing but pleasure between them.

Ruttford raised Melonee’s head, kissing each eyelid as he felt Adam begin to move behind them. Melonee stiffened, but Ruttford bit her shoulder with his blunt teeth, bringing her attention back to him.

“So intense,” she whispered to him.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” Adam said from behind her. His voice was a fierce whisper as he ran his hands over her sides, reached under, and cupped her breasts, palming them, massaging the small mounds.

Melonee’s fingernails dug into Ruttford’s chest. He would take the pain, knowing the pleasure she was going to experience.

Ruttford began to move, grabbing her hips and thrusting up into her hot pussy as she moaned and tilted her head back. His cock swelled and pulsed at the sight of Adam behind her, knowing the man was lost in her as well.

They set up a rhythm, their thrusts matching as Melonee fell apart between them. The pulse of pleasure was overtaking Ruttford’s mind. It wrapped over the head of his erection like tiny fingers of paradise as Melonee’s body impaled his cock over and over again.

“It’s too much,” Melonee said as she panted. “I can’t handle you both.”

“Yes,” Ruttford said with a growl, “you can.”