Free Destined to Be Three by Mia Ashlinn Page B

salivated at the prospect and grew hungry. Feed me, baby.
    A giggle bubbled up in the back of Jaycee’s throat, and she tried in vain to conceal it. Before she realized what was happening, she had stopped beating his ass to cover her mouth as hysterical laughter overcame her.
    Cade snarled, firmly swatting her ass. “Darlin’, there isn’t anything funny about this situation.”
    His brusque statement only heightened her amusement. “Oh yes, Cade. It’s very funny,” Jaycee managed between cackles. “Your ass reminds me of apples, and you know how much I adore apples.”
    Gray snorted audibly.
    Cade stopped dead in his tracks. “Gray, what in the hell is she talking about?”
    When he responded, Gray’s voice was filled with mirth. “Buddy, I think she is complimenting you, in her own twisted way.”
    Cade propelled himself forward at a near run, bouncing her up and down until she felt like an upside-down bobblehead.
    The truck door opened, and Cade flipped Jaycee right-side up. The blood rushed away from her head, leaving her feeling drunk and disoriented. Before she could regain her bearings, Cade shoved her into the truck.
    “Buckle her up,” Gray commanded from the driver’s side as he joined them inside the cab.
    Cade wrenched the lap belt out of its holder and across her lower abdomen roughly, leaning across her to reach the buckle. Jaycee used his position to her advantage, angling herself to where she could inhale his masculine scent. His signature spicy aroma danced in her nose. She closed her eyes with a sappy smile plastered on her face and let his yummy smell intoxicate her.
    “Just what we needed,” Gray commented, sounding extremely pissed off.
    Jaycee’s eyes snapped open as Cade cursed. “Fuck.”
    “Oh my God,” Jaycee yelped. Her three very burly, irritatingly overprotective brothers barreled toward them in their pickup truck at breakneck speed. This had disaster written all over it.
    “It’s okay, Gray,” Cade soothed. “They’re our friends. It’ll be fine.”
    “Yeah, right,” Gray replied sarcastically, reaching for something behind her. “Cade, I am not convinced Jared, Drew, or Randy are going to approve of us kidnapping their baby sister, friends or not.”
    “I’m going to untie you. Do not make me regret it.” Gray unknotted the rope and thrust a flannel shirt at her. “Put this on, sweetheart.” Jaycee grabbed the shirt and threw it on gratefully. No woman wanted her brothers to see her bare breasts.
    Her mind whirled, her heart raced, and her palms sweated. She wasn’t sure what she hoped would happen. Her mind screamed for her brothers to save her. Her body prayed that Gray and Cade could persuade them to not interfere. Her heart was trapped somewhere in between.
    “They would do the same thing with Shannon if they had half the chance.” Cade spoke, rationally and calmly, in an even tone.
    “All is fair in love and war, excluding a man’s sister,” Gray informed Cade wryly.
    Jaycee remained silent with her hands folded in her lap, not wanting to provoke or interfere.
    “I’m not worried. We can take them.” Cade sounded far too enthusiastic about the prospect of beating up her brothers.
    “Idiots,” she muttered under her breath, hoping neither man heard her.
    Jaycee’s hopes died when Gray shot her a truly sinister smile. “Sweetheart, you are going to pay for that comment later.”
    “A girl can dream,” she retorted tartly.
    Gray reached toward her, his thumb stroking her bottom lip and promised, “Not a dream, a fact.”
    Jaycee shrugged nonchalantly, as though she couldn’t care less if he punished her or not, but mentally she crossed her fingers and her toes.
    “Come on, Cade,” Gray instructed.
    Both men hopped out of the truck and slammed the doors behind them. Gray flung the door open only a second after it shut. “Sweetheart, you keep your ass glued to that seat. If you get out of this truck for any reason, you will pay dearly. Got