Devoured by Doms (Doms of Destiny, Colorado 4)

“Go on,” his brother said in his typical guarded fashion. “You’re the one who wanted the microphone here, not me.”

“I will go on. You think you don’t deserve her. You might be right about that. No man deserves someone as wonderful as her. Our job will be to do our best to make her happy her whole life. Maybe at the end of our days we might scratch the surface of earning her love. But whether we do or not, she’s in love with us. I know it. I’m in love with her. You know that. I also know you’re in love with her, too.”

“You use that word pretty casually, bro. It’s not like a chip you can pull out of a bag any time you feel like it. That word means something.” Dylan set his cup down. His tone softened. “You care for her, and yes, maybe you even love her. I hope you do. She might feel the same for you, too. Again, I pray she does. Me? I’m not part of that picture, bro. I can’t be.”

“Why? She needs us. Can’t you feel it?”

“I’m about facts, Cam. You know that, too. What I see in front of me is a man ready to take the plunge into something more permanent. That’s just not where I am. Erica deserves you, not me.”

Cam realized the last words that Dylan had just spoken were the most revealing. Erica deserves you, not me. “What happened at the Agency that changed you so much? You’re not the same.”

“Don’t go there,” Dylan said, his tone sharpening. “I’ve been out for four years now. It’s in the past. Besides, I couldn’t tell you anything about it. It’s classified.”

“But something did happen, didn’t it? That’s what this is about. You think Erica is beyond you. That what you bring to the table isn’t going to work for her.”

“For her and for you, bro. I’ve got more baggage than you can even dream about. I want you to be happy. Both of you. I know it’s not how we grew up, but you and Erica can build a lovely family together.”

“That might be true, but it isn’t what I want. I don’t think it’s what she wants either. Dylan, we’re just at the beginning of this. There’s a lot of ground to still cover. Sure, we’ve known Erica all her life, but there’s more to know, to learn, to discover. She’s worth it. You just have to get over your crap. Besides, it’s not just how we grew up. It’s not just the kind of family we want. Erica came from the same kind of upbringing as us. She lost her parents in the plane crash. Ask her what she wants? I dare you. I bet she’ll tell you that she wants to be adored and shared by more than one man.”

“You can make her happy, bro. I know you can.”

Cam felt for his brother. The pain he carried was buried very deep. Cam had sensed it a few times, but it was closer to the surface than ever right now. Being with Erica had to be the cause. She was impacting Dylan on every level, just like he was with her. He had to shake the crazy out of Dylan. The only way he knew how to do that was to push him.

“Suit yourself. I’m sure we could find one or two other guys to build a family with. Phong’s son comes to mind. Or maybe Doc Ryder and his brothers. That would give Erica four men to be with, counting me.”

Dylan’s fists came down on the table, disturbing his coffee and Cam’s milk shake. “Don’t you fucking dare do that to me.”

“I knew it. You’re into her bad.”

“Yes. But I can’t go there.”

“Don’t be a chickenshit. She’s hurting. Take it one step at a time. Another date. A proper date. That’s all I’m asking.”

“Strange men don’t just date, and you know that, too, Cam.”

“I sure do. But that’s the deal. I can’t do this alone. My whole life I knew that you and I would share a woman. I’d thought it might be Erica for some time. Now, I know she’s the one. One date. Do it for me, for us? She deserves that from you at least.”

“So if I don’t go on a proper date, as you put it, you’ll bring in another man.”

He nodded, putting on his best poker face. Of course he would never bring in anyone else. Dylan was the only person he could possibly share her with.

“Fine. I’ll go. You’re buying though. I’m not making any promises, Cam.” Dylan took off his glasses. “You make me a promise.”

“Okay.”

Dylan put his shades back on. “When I tell you I can’t keep going down the path—and trust me, that’s where I see this going—you will agree to stop pushing this and to keep caring for her.”

“Okay,” Cam lied. Like it or not, Dylan was going to get on board with pursuing Erica. He would make sure of that no matter what he had to do to achieve it. She needed them both. He knew in his gut that Dylan had the same wish as he did. A life with the woman of their dreams—Erica Coleman.

Chapter Eight

Erica stared at the monitor with her fingertips hovering above the keyboard. This was her fourth day back at work, but it still hadn’t fixed things, fixed her.

Cam and Dylan had been great to her these last few days. Except for the time she spent in the TBK offices, one of them was always with her. They’d escorted her to and from work every day. Cam had spent every night with her, making love to her gently and holding her as she slept. She’d missed having Dylan there those nights, but was so grateful for Cam. Still, her mind kept snapping back to the horrors of the past, especially with the two Russians who had meant to rape her.

I’ve got to stop this. What’s wrong with me? But she knew. Everyone in town knew. She’d been a mess after the shooting up here a few months ago. With her recent kidnapping piled on top of that, she was on the brink of going completely bonkers.

I must get a grip on myself. She tried to recall one of her mother’s many mantras, but none came through yet. Instead, all she could see in the back of her mind were Humpty’s and Dumpty’s evil leers.