Endurance (The Sin Trilogy 4)

“No Fellowship brother will make an offer for me if they find out what we’re doing behind closed doors. Behind that closed door. In this very bedroom.”

“I was raised by Abram Breckenridge. I learned at a very early age how to manipulate the truth and keep secrets. No one will find out what we’re doing.”

She hesitates and her brow wrinkles as though she’s struggling to come up with another con. She knows I’m having fun with her, I can see it in her eyes. Yes, I want her here with me, but no, her decision won’t be swayed by this game of ours. “Keep ’em coming, baby. I can do this all day long. You won’t win this challenge.”

“Wanna bet?”

“I think we already have.”

“We’ll have a lot of sex.”

I lean in so close our lips are nearly touching. But aren’t. “And you’ll have lots of mind-blowing orgasms.”

“I wasn’t finished.”

“And I was wondering why you were listing that as a con.”

“We’ll have a lot of sex. An unplanned pregnancy is always a risk regardless of how careful we are.”

The little vixen thinks she’s won this pro versus con challenge but her mischievous grin gives her away. She’s trying to trip me up. Not happening.

“Then I guess Lourdes, Liam, and Harrison get a cousin. Actually, a double cousin. How cool would that be?”

“You are so full of shit. We both know a baby is a con you can’t turn into a pro.”

“I believe I just did so I’ve successfully countered every one of your cons. I win so your answer to my proposition is yes. You’re mine.”

“It didn’t matter what I came up with; you were going to counter with a pro. Legit or not.”

“Aye. And I was going to declare myself the winner, no matter what.”

“I was going to say yes anyway.” Thank fuck.

“I know.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“You’re right. I wasn’t sure which way you were leaning but I had every intention of doing whatever was necessary to make you change your mind if you said no.” I move my hand to her bum and pull her against me hard. “My month starts now, right?”

That’s not happiness on her face. “Your month starts now but my monthly started as well.”

“Fuck me.” She’s on her period?

“I’m afraid there’ll be none of that for at least three days.”

I’ve been wanting this woman for months—and I finally get an affirmative to have her—only to find out I have to wait some more.

The gods of shagging hate me. Fucking despise me.

“Three days. I can take that—probably not patiently—but I can handle it.”

“We’ll distract ourselves with the work of establishing the infirmary. That’ll keep us so busy we won’t even think about how we’re not spending our first three days in bed having crazy monkey sex.”

Fuck my life. “I’m going to think about it night and day if for no other reason than you calling it crazy monkey sex.”

Ellison strokes her hand down my cheek. “Oh, Doc. I’ve heard anticipation can be a fantastic form of foreplay.”

“Well, I’ve heard blue balls can kill a man.”

“You’re a doctor and I’m a nurse. I think we’re both well aware it’s been known to cause misery but never death.”

“My headstone will read, ‘Here lies James Conall Breckenridge. Lost to blue balls before his time.’”

“Good Lord. People who call me dramatic should meet you.”

“That’s not drama, Mac. It’s God’s honest truth. Men need women. Often.”

“How long since you’ve had a woman?”

“How long since you’ve had a man?”

“I asked you first.”

“How long have you been in Edinburgh?”

“Nuh-uh. You’re not doing the math and figuring out how long it’s been for me.”

“I’m not asking for you.”

Ellison giggles. “What? Haven’t wanted another woman since you laid eyes on me?”

It’s fucking pathetic—and I definitely wouldn’t tell any of my brothers—but no woman has interested me since Ellison’s arrival. I’ve been obsessed with her like a motherfucker. “I may have become well acquainted with my hand while I held out for you.”

“No way. You’re shitting me.”

“I shite you not, Mac.”

“Then we’ve both gone through a substantial dry spell. I haven’t been with anyone since before I got here nine months ago. But you already knew that, I’m sure.”

“I hoped.” I had no real way of knowing Ellison hadn’t hooked up with a guy on one of her girls’ night outs with Westlyn and Lorna. Westlyn was such a shite every time I asked about Ellison. She wouldn’t tell me a damn thing.

“You should probably talk to Sin tonight about our agreement.”

“Why?”

“You didn’t fool him with the whole I need a nurse right now strategy. He knows you want me living there so we can have . . . crazy monkey sex. He went along with your plan to pacify you.”

Well, fuck. I thought I was cool when I presented my case. Guess he and his sixth sense saw straight through me. “Aye. I should probably go for a visit and smooth that over. I don’t want it to be a problem between us.”

“I don’t think it’s a problem. He seemed on board but even I know it’s probably not the best idea to lie to your Fellowship leader and trick him into getting what you want, even if you are cousins and best friends.”

“I was willing to risk his wrath so we could be together.” Even if only for a brief time.

“Sin is your cousin and my brother-in-law, but I also recall you telling me he was a beast and a ruthless motherfucker. He can never appear weak to The Fellowship. Letting his cousin and best friend bend the rules to have what he wants could be construed as weakness. It’s another reason we have to be super careful. I don’t want this to come down on any of us. It won’t end well.”

“No one but Bleu, Sin, you, and I are going to know about us, Mac. Swear.”

“And Leith and Lorna and Westlyn. We can’t keep this from our best friends.”

“Still having a look around up there?” Ani calls out from downstairs.

We’ve been

up here a long time. I’m sure she’s wondering what’s going on.

“Can we tell her we’re taking it?”

“Aye.”

I kiss her quickly and reach for her hand as we leave the suite. “I think we got carried away discussing how we’ll arrange the furniture.”

“Oh?” The pitch of Ani’s voice rises. “Does that mean you’re taking this one?”

“Yes. My fiancée and I want to move in as soon as possible.”

Ani looks at her watch. “It’s a little late in the workday, but I’ll have my assistant start the paperwork so we can make that happen for you, Dr. and Mrs. Breckenridge.”

Mrs. Breckenridge. I’m surprised by how much I like hearing Ellison called that.

Sin is sitting in his recliner holding one of the boys when I enter his living room. He’s been a father to Lourdes for six months and the twins for three but I’m still not used to seeing him hold a baby. Fellowship men don’t do that kind of stuff.

He’s second-in-command of our brotherhood. He’s supposed to produce sons and then leave them with their mother until they’re old enough to be trained as the next generation of leaders. But Sin has chosen to break Fellowship tradition.

He takes care of the babies nearly as much as Bleu and has vowed to not remove them from her care when they reach leadership training age. Wise choice. I’m certain she would kick his arse if he tried to take her children from her.

“Which one is that?”

“Harrison.”

I stand over Sin’s son studying his face. “Damn. I don’t know how you tell them apart. I swear they’re identical.”

Sin gently presses his son’s cheeks. “Harrison’s face is chubbier than Liam’s.”

“I’m glad you’re able to see the difference because I sure don’t. I’d have them mixed up all the time if they were mine.”

“You wouldn’t. A parent knows.”

Sin and Bleu had in vitro done and she became pregnant with identical twins. Two babies weren’t unexpected but identical ones definitely weren’t anticipated.

“You need one of your own.”

“Maybe one day.”