Page 10 of My Ex’s Billionaire Brothers (Forbidden Hearts #5)

GAGE

Her mouth is all I can taste, her warm breath mixing with mine, her soft lips urging me closer.

My brain blanks out for a moment, consumed by the heat of her kiss—Anya kisses me with a sort of trembling need that sends a possessive growl up my throat.

My hands find her waist and pull her against me, pressing her back to the motel room’s wall.

She lets out a tiny gasp, and I feel the sound vibrate through my own chest.

This has to end.

It’s too soon for this. She just agreed to consider exploring with us—she hasn’t even had a full day to process. But another voice, the one pulsing lower in my body, insists that time is fleeting, that every second counts. I groan softly, torn between caution and hunger. I know I should stop.

But I can’t.

When she yields to me, her chest rising and falling quickly, it steals the breath right out of my lungs. I deepen the kiss, running a broad palm up her side, feeling her respond with a shiver. The taste of her lips is sweet, the most addictive kind of candy. Fuck, I want to devour her.

Suddenly, the door to the suite’s living area swings open. We spring apart, breathless, as Theo steps in, phone in hand and a teasing smile on his face. “So that’s why you hurried back inside,” he remarks coolly, letting the door click shut behind him. “Must’ve been a very…urgent matter.”

I pull in a steadying breath, trying to will my racing heart to slow. Anya’s cheeks are aflame, her hair mussed from my hands. She looks over at Theo, eyes wide, mortified that we got caught making out like teenagers. “I—um—” she starts, but he simply raises a brow.

“And here I thought the only reason you left me out on that walkway was my spanking,” Theo continues. His gaze flicks briefly over to me. “But it appears Gage was quite the incentive too.”

Anya flushes deeper, sputtering. “Did you have to say it like that? Right in front of him?”

Theo sets his phone on the small table, leaning against the back of a wobbly chair. “We don’t keep secrets, remember?” he says gently. “We agreed we’d share everything. If you were under the impression we’d conceal anything, I apologize. But that’s not how this arrangement works.”

I angle my body toward her, still pinning her lightly against the wall. “So you got a spanking from Theo, hmm?” I murmur, reaching up to cup her chin. “And you left him on the walkway to come kiss me?”

“Not exactly…” She tries to hide her face, but I gently nudge her to look at me.

A spark of arousal flickers in my chest at the thought of spanking her backside. I feel a stab of something almost like envy, but a wave of excitement instantly follows it. “So,” I say, letting my hand drift down her shoulder, “you like spankings, do you?”

She gives a shaky laugh, shifting under my intense gaze. “Maybe. I’m not—I mean, yes,” she admits in a rush. “It was…um, interesting.”

Theo folds his arms, watching us with an assessing look. “Interesting enough for you to want a second demonstration?”

She glances between us, obviously torn. But the desire in her eyes is palpable. She nods without speaking, biting her lip. Heat arcs through me.

I want to see her reaction. I want to make her make that little gasp again.

I press a palm to her lower back and guide her away from the wall, toward the small kitchenette table. “Bend over,” I tell her, my voice low. “Hands flat, legs apart. Just enough so I can get a good angle.”

She hesitates for a breath, then places her palms on the table. Her wavy hair slips over one shoulder, hiding part of her face. She glances up at me, cheeks flushed, body trembling with anticipation. The sight stokes a powerful ache in my chest—and lower.

She’s wearing black leggings that hug her curves, emphasizing the plush roundness of her backside.

My pulse pounds as I plant one hand on her lower back, feeling her press into my touch.

Slowly, I lift my other hand, letting it hover for a moment so she anticipates the impact.

Then, with a fluid motion, I bring my palm down.

It’s not a hard blow—just enough to send a jolt of sensation through her. She gasps, the table rattling as she grips the edge. My hand tingles from the contact, and arousal flares in me.

Once is not enough.

I spank her again, feeling the slight jiggle beneath the cling of her leggings. Her breath escapes in a whimper, half shock, half pleasure. “Keep your hands right there,” I say softly. “Don’t move unless you want me to stop.”

She doesn’t move. Hell, she holds her breath.

Her legs shift, and she arches her back, presenting herself more fully.

The subtle invitation sparks a growl in my throat, and I lay another swat over the same spot.

This time, she muffles a groan, pushing her hips back. My own body tightens in response.

Theo steps closer, resting a hand on the back of a chair. He’s observing every detail, a faintly pleased look in his eyes. “Not too hard,” he cautions quietly, though there’s no real reproach in his tone. He knows I’ll be careful.

I nod, smoothing my palm over the curve of her behind, feeling the residual warmth from the spanks.

She’s breathing fast, body clearly electrified by the experience.

My fingers curl over the top of her thigh, near her hip, just enough to let her feel how close my grip is to certain areas of her body.

Her entire frame shudders, and a moan slips from her mouth.

“You like that?”

“Yes,” she manages, inhaling sharply when I rub circles along her ass, not penetrating, just letting her know I could.

This is heady. My entire being vibrates with the urge to push further—see how far she’ll let me go. But the responsible part of me halts all forward momentum like a slammed brake. She’s brand new to this, it reminds me. She needs time to think, to not just be swept away in the moment.

I glance over my shoulder, spotting Hunter leaning in the bedroom doorway.

He’s shirtless, arms folded, a wolfish grin playing on his lips as he watches the scene.

My pulse flares even higher. I like having an audience.

But I steel myself, forcing my hand away from her body. She whimpers at the loss of contact.

“Stand up,” I order, gently patting the side of her hip.

She rises, looking dazed, her eyes half-lidded. Confusion flickers across her face. “What did I do wrong?”

I touch her cheek, guiding her to face me. “Nothing. You were perfect—” I drop my tone. “My perfect pet.” The endearment slips out, and her lips part in a soft exhale. “But we’re not going any further tonight.”

She blinks. “Why not?”

Behind her, I sense Theo and Hunter stepping closer.

I need to shut them down too. “You need to sleep on this. Before we go deeper, I want you to be absolutely sure this is what you want. If we rush into something you’re not ready for, we risk regret tomorrow.

Things are currently complicated enough without adding more into the mix. ”

She looks torn, desire warring with hesitation. Finally, she nods, though a hint of frustration shows in her expression. “Okay,” she whispers. “I—I understand.”

I run my thumb over her lower lip, a silent reassurance. “Go on,” I murmur, stepping aside so she can pass. “Get ready for bed. Tomorrow, if you’re still all in, I promise we’ll show you exactly what your body can handle.”

Her breathing hitches, but she ducks her head and hurries off to the small bedroom that’s hers alone. She disappears behind the door, leaving us with the echo of her soft footfalls.

Hunter exhales, stepping into the living area. “You really had to put the brakes on right there, huh? Looked like the perfect segue.”

Theo touches the table where she was just bent over moments ago. “Perhaps you’re right, though,” he says, his formal tone tempered by the heat in his gaze. “If we go too fast, we’ll risk overwhelming her—give her reason to regret us as much as she regrets Calvin.”

“Exactly.” I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck.

My own desire still rages in my veins, adrenaline pumping, my body screaming at me for stopping.

But my mind knows it was the right call.

“I don’t want her to think we’re jumping on the chance to share her just because we can.

She needs time to accept the idea, to want it wholeheartedly. ”

Hunter nods, leaning against the wall. “Fair enough. Can’t argue with that. She’s been through a lot.”

Theo arches a brow, then shrugs. “You have our support. We’ll follow your lead for now.” He casts another glance at the closed bedroom door, then at the table. “Still, she’s quite receptive. If her face just now was any indication…”

“She’s into it.” My mind flashes with the memory of her parted lips and trembling sighs. “But she’s also riding a wave of impulse. We want her to be sure.”

They both give me a nod, and Theo heads toward our shared room, presumably to get ready for bed. Hunter follows, though he pauses at the threshold to grin back at me. “Don’t stay up too late, big bro. We’ve got a drive tomorrow.”

I wave him off. “Go on.” My voice sounds hoarse, even to my own ears. Once they’re out of sight, I sink onto the lumpy couch in the living area, raking my fingers through my hair.

Reaching for the canvas bag where I stash my knitting, I pull out a half-finished scarf in navy-blue yarn. I cast on a row and start working the needles methodically, letting the repetitive action calm me. My heart gradually slows, but the ache in my chest doesn’t fade.

She’s everything Calvin never deserved, but do we deserve her?

Because it hits me, as I knit in the dim glow of the overhead lamp, that this arrangement—teaching her, guiding her, letting her taste what real freedom feels like—is designed for her to walk out of our lives eventually. I don’t know if I can handle that.

She might find a new path, a new direction, or maybe decide she only wants one of us. The possibility slashes through me like a blade, though I know I have no right to hold on to her. She’s her own person, and this is meant to be temporary, isn’t it?

Will I be able to let her go?

It’s a foolish question to be thinking about so early on, but it’s the one that keeps ringing in my ears all the same.

I stare down at the yarn, forcing my fingers to continue knitting row after row, a mechanical motion that steadies me.

The motel suite is quiet—Hunter and Theo must be settling in, and Anya is behind that door, no doubt as restless as I am. Sleep might elude us all tonight.

I keep at it, soft loops forming under my hands, my thoughts spinning. The memory of her gasping under my palm, of her arching against the table, replays again and again. Desire still pounds in my blood, but I push it aside. Tomorrow might bring clarity, or maybe a spiral of chaos.

Either way, I’ll keep her safe, physically and emotionally. That vow stands above everything else.

So I knit, the gentle clicking of needles my only companion, hoping the slow rhythm will lull me into some sort of peace before dawn. As if any peace could be had tonight.