Babies for Nikki (6 page)

Doc stood then and looked across the bed to Laurie. Laurie’s gaze never left Nikki’s face. Walking around the front of the bed, Doc stood beside Laurie and looked her over from head to toe.

“And what about you, Laurie?” he asked cautiously. “Have you been injured?”

Laurie didn’t answer. She just shook her head and continued to stare at her friend. Her eyes were vacant, and she remained silent.

“Check her right wrist,” Jace told Doc firmly.

“I’m fine,” Laurie finally spoke softly.

“No, baby, you’re not,” Jackson told her soothingly.

Doc hesitated a moment then reached down and gently lifted Laurie’s right hand and turned it gently. There were dark purple bruises in the shape of fingers surrounding her wrist. Laurie didn’t even blink as he gently flexed her wrist.

“It’s not broken,” he said finally. “But you’re going to be pretty sore from these bruises. I would suggest icing it on and off for twenty minutes through the night. A compression bandage would help. I’ll leave one for you and check on you again in the morning.”

Nikki’s moan brought their conversation to a halt. When she opened her eyes and looked up at Laurie, it was the catalyst that broke Laurie’s trance.

“Nikki,” she gasped, unable to stop the tears that finally fell free. “I’m so sorry.” She climbed up to lie beside her friend and held her gently in her arms.

“Oh, stop,” Nikki told her dismissively. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for what Pigface did.” She turned then and faced Alexander and Butler, smiling weakly at their concerned expressions. “I hope you guys kicked his ass.”

Alexander laughed despite his worries, reaching out to touch her cheek gently. “We didn’t have a chance. Our queen took care of him.”

Nikki’s gaze flew back to Laurie, causing her to groan in pain at the sudden movement. “Really?” she asked, stunned. She turned back and saw both Alexander and Butler nodding and smiling. Facing her friend, this time slowly so the room wouldn’t spin, she reached up and pulled at Laurie’s hair gently. “You go, girl.”

Laurie smiled, unable to keep herself from enjoying her friend. “Nikki, I’m so sorry Patrick hurt you. I promise you, you will never have to protect me again.”

Nikki looked at Laurie, her eyes squinting as she tried to understand what her friend was telling her. “I know that,” she said finally. “You have two hotties that can do that now.” She smiled and looked at the two men who stood beside the bed. “Jace and Jackson I presume?”

Alexander and Butler both growled at her words. They did not like the fact that she had called their alpha and beta hotties. And, hell no, she was not going to touch them! She belonged to them.

Jace took Nikki’s outstretched hand, shaking it quickly and allowing Jackson to do the same before they both stepped back and bowed to their lieutenants, respectfully acknowledging their claim on the woman. “We’ll leave you to rest,” Jace told her quietly. “Thank you for helping our mate. Come here, Laurie. Let’s leave Nikki to heal.”

“I’m going to stay with her,” Laurie told him determinedly, her voice steady.

“Someone does need to stay with her through the night,” Doc spoke up. “She should be woken up every hour to make sure she’s lucid. It’s common practice for concussions,” he explained quickly when he saw the panic on Alexander’s and Butler’s faces.

“We’ll be here with her,” Butler spoke up, looking down at the adorable woman he already had a strong connection with.

“Hey, where am I?” Nikki asked groggily, realizing that she didn’t recognize the room.

“You’re in our suite,” Alexander told her, his voice gruff with emotion. “You will stay here with us.”

Nikki smiled and closed her eyes. “Okay,” she whispered as she settled back into the softness of the bed. “But don’t expect anything from me. I have a headache.”

Both men laughed despite their worry. Looking at Laurie, Alexander was relieved to see her smile as she looked down at her friend. Laurie was quiet for a moment then turned to look up at them, her eyes wide with emotion.

“Don’t hurt her, okay?” she whispered. “She’s been through a lot in her life. I don’t think she can handle any more pain.”

Both men nodded and watched as Laurie got up from the bed and stood silently beside it, obviously trying to come to a decision. Her gaze went to Alexander and Butler and then back to her friend.

“Laurie?” Nikki whispered, never opening her eyes.

“What, honey?” Laurie asked, kneeling on the bed to lean closer to her friend.

“Do you smell that?”

Laurie hesitated, unable to find the words. “Smell what, Nikki?” she finally whispered, aware that the men in the room became instantly alert.

“I don’t know,” Nikki answered, her voice soft and weak. “I’ve never smelled anything like it before, but it smells wonderful.”

Laurie smiled and looked to Alexander and Butler, noting their wide grins at Nikki’s admission. She found herself relaxing at the thought that Nikki had finally found the two men who would love and cherish her for the rest of her life. “Yes, it does,” Laurie finally whispered. “Get some rest, honey. I’ll come back to check on you later.”

She leaned forward and kissed her friend’s forehead then stepped back, turned, and walked out of the room. Jace and Jackson reached out to shake hands with their lieutenants, congratulating them on finding their third, before leaving to follow their mate.

“Here’s some pain medication,” Doc offered, his hand extended with a vial that contained a small amount of pills. “See if you can get your mate to take one before she falls asleep again.”

Butler took the vial and opened it, taking out one pill and reaching for the bottled water that sat on the nightstand beside the bed. “We’ll make sure she’s comfortable throughout the night, Doc,” he said quietly as he sat down beside Nikki and gently lifted her into his arms so that her back rested against his chest. “Here, sweetness,” he told her gently, reaching up to place the pill against her lips. “Doc said you should take this so you won’t be in pain.”

Nikki opened her mouth, accepting the pill and drinking the water that Butler offered her without hesitation. He smiled and looked at Alexander, loving the fact that their mate did as he asked without thought or protest. His mind went to erotic thoughts of her doing just that in their bed, and his cock hardened instantly.

Alexander looked at him, his nostrils flaring at the scent of his triad partner’s arousal, and quickly found himself in the same condition. They both looked down at the woman that rested trustingly in Butler’s arms and another vision was shared between them. This one was of the three of them in the same position except that they were all naked, and Butler was holding Nikki’s legs open as Alexander slowly seated himself deep within their mate.

Nikki must have shared the vision, because her back arched and a soft moan escaped her as she reached out to Alexander, only calming when she found his hands and pulled him closer to her. Alex’s breathing became heavy as he leaned in toward their mate and settled against her neck, licking it slowly before biting down gently, his canines dropping down immediately. His wolf wanted to claim her right then.

“Careful, Alex,” Butler warned him softly, leaning against the other side of her neck and doing the exact same thing. “She’s not aware and isn’t truly choosing.”

Alexander took a deep breath, loving the scent of their mate. “I know,” he moaned against Nikki’s shoulder, unable to prevent himself from biting down just enough to make a mark without breaking the skin. Nikki’s moan of approval made him smile against the warmth of her skin.

Butler must have done the same to the opposite side of Nikki’s neck, for she moaned once again and reached up to card her fingers through both men’s hair as she held them tightly against her. Her possession of them made them both growl, and they kissed her neck slowly.

“Nice,” Nikki whispered before her hands dropped to her lap and sleep overtook her.

Alexander leaned back, smiling at Butler as he settled back against the headboard, a satisfied expression on his face. Their mate was proving to be a passionate woman even in her sleep. He knew she was going to be perfect for them.

“Be sure to check on her every hour throughout the night,” Doc told them. “She’ll be in pain for at least a day or two, but once you claim her she should heal quickly.”

Alexander looked down at the beautiful woman who lay in their triad bed. It had never been used before, its use waiting for the one woman who would complete his and Butler’s triad. Seeing Nikki lying so comfortably among the blankets, he knew a sense of rightness he had never expected to experience in his life. He was so intent on drinking in the sight of their mate, he barely registered that Doc had left the room.

Easing himself out from behind her, Butler leaned forward and carefully straightened the pillow beneath Nikki’s head, making sure that the covered ice pack remained snugly against her bruised face. He was unable to keep the growl from rumbling out of him as Nikki turned toward his hand and nuzzled contentedly against him. He froze all movement as she rubbed her scent against his arm, smiling at the natural way she was reacting to them both.

“Nikki, we’re going to take off your shoes and try to make you more comfortable,” Butler told her softly, waiting for her permission before moving.

“Okay,” she whispered, obviously fighting to pull herself from the lethargy of the concussion. “My head and my back hurt,” she told them quietly, moaning slightly as she tried to turn onto her side.

Alexander reached for her immediately, his large hands moving to her hips to halt her movement. Her soft curves under his touch caused a rush of desire to flash through him, and he cursed his cock for its instant reaction. He was ashamed that he couldn’t control his desire when their mate was obviously in pain. Looking to Butler, he grimaced at the shame he felt.

“I’m sorry,” he told his triad partner softly. “I can’t help how my body is reacting to her.”

Butler nodded and smiled at his best friend’s obvious discomfort. “I’m hard as steel too, Alex,” he admitted without embarrassment. “Her scent is intoxicating.”

Alex nodded and leaned forward to help Butler remove Nikki’s shoes. Very slowly, he helped turn her onto her side, careful to bend her leg and place a pillow between her knees to support her back as she rested. At her moan of pain he looked at Butler and couldn’t prevent the anguish from showing on his face.

“What should we do? I can’t stand that she’s in pain.”

Butler nodded and reached forward to gently pull the comforter and sheets from beneath her. Standing, he bent to untie his work boots and tug them from his feet. Alexander waited until Butler stripped down to his boxer briefs and climbed into bed beside Nikki. He supported her body against his, allowing Alex to release his hold on her to stand beside the bed and quickly stripped until he was also down to his boxer briefs before carefully climbing in beside her, settling against her back to support her body.

Nikki molded herself to him slowly, groaning in pain as her twisted back muscles protested the movement. Alexander reached around her, held her at her waist, and pulled her toward his body more securely. Butler slid closer to her, lining his body snugly against hers from neck to knee so that she couldn’t move and cause herself any more pain.

Butler’s left arm settled around her waist, supporting her lower back as Alexander moved closer still until his chest was flush against her back and his thighs framed her backside and legs. Very slowly, Alex pulled the ice pack from beneath Nikki’s head and dropped it to the floor behind him. He pulled her gently against him until her head was tucked under his chin and was flush against Butler’s neck. Alex settled his right arm around her, and he knew instant paradise as his hand found its home molded against her breast.

Butler carefully pulled the sheet and comforter over them all and settled himself into the cocoon they had created. He worried that they were crowding her but he couldn’t have moved away from her at that moment if his life had depended on in. Nikki’s soft sigh brought smiles to them both as they looked over the top of her head to look at each other.

“I like this,” Nikki mumbled, slowly snuggling against them. “Closer, please,” she whispered, her voice filled with need.

They obliged her gladly, leaning against her and surrounding her with their arms and legs until they were practically on top of her.

“Are we hurting you, darlin’?” Alex whispered, worried that they were suffocating her.

Instead of answering, Nikki reached out to take hold of their hands and brought them to her chest. “Stay with me,” she finally told them, her plea breaking their hearts at the want in her voice as she slowly slid into slumber.

“Forever,” Butler whispered, his heart filled with hope as he kissed her forehead gently.

Alexander kissed the top of her head and sighed contentedly. He was finally at peace and at home within their mate’s embrace.

And she is going to stay right where she is for the rest of our lives, damn it!

Butler chuckled, drawing Alex’s attention.

“Did you hear that?” Alex asked him quietly.

“It was like a soft whisper, but I heard it,” Butler told him, his voice filled with awe at this beginning miracle. “And I agree.” His eyes sparkled with happiness. “Damn it!”