Between a Wolf and a Hard Place: BBW Shifter Menage Read online

  Between a Wolf and a Hard Place

  Episode 1

  Annalise Nixon

  Contents

  Foreword

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Afterword

  Copyright

  Foreword

  One woman

  Iris Zahn’s life is thrown into chaos when she and her sister along with their best friend are kidnapped from their home in Oregon.. When their captors separate the three women, they vow to reunite, no matter the cost.

  Of course, things go from bad to bonkers when she wakes between two of the hottest men she’s ever seen and both want her. Regardless how tempting finding herself the happy filling for a hot man sandwich sounded, Iris refused to abandon her friends.

  Two smoking hot shifters

  Barron Davies and Evan Hearne have always shared everything, including women. Unfortunately, fate had yet to find the perfect mate to make a perfect little family. One evening while out on a run woman in the forest surrounding Barron's home, they discover a battered woman. One look at the curvy tattooed vixen, and they wanted to keep Iris in their bed, and their hearts.

  One shot at love

  The life Barron and Evan dreamed of is within their grasp - if only they could get Iris to trust them with her heart and her secrets.

  www.annalisenixon.com

  Chapter 1

  “Possession is nine-tenths of the law.” Evan Hearne gazed at the woman with the dangerous curves lying in the bed and back up at his friend. “We should keep her.”

  Barron Davies looked at the wolf that’d been his friend since they were rambunctious five-year olds. “She isn’t an abandoned bicycle. You can’t just keep her.”

  “Maybe not, but I sure as hell wouldn’t mind taking her for a ride.”

  “Not going to happen.” The grin on Evan’s face meant trouble would follow, and the last thing they needed was a war with another pack or pride over a female.

  “Why not?” Evan prowled to the wall of windows overlooking the thick redwoods in the California valley and shoved his hands in the pockets of his loose fitting jeans. “She needs our protection even if it’s from herself.” He waved his had in her direction. “What woman takes a stroll through the freaking woods?”

  Barron looked at his friend and shook his head. Evan might be hot tempered; a wee bit selfish and a whole lot of smart-ass, but one thing he’d never do is harm a woman.

  Break her heart?

  Absolutely. And Barron knew better than most since they came to him to find out what went wrong. “Let’s find out what the hell is going on before you pick out matching dog collars.”

  Evan returned to the bed, and their patient. “Come on, you can’t tell me that hasn’t crossed your mind?”

  “Dog collars? Nope, can’t say I have.”

  “Liar.”

  “I can say with all honesty I have not imagined her walking around in a dog collar.” Barron closed his eyes and inhaled the spicy feminine scent that lured him to her in the woods. No collars for him, but covering her in a vat of honey and licking it off?

  Hell yeah. Evan’s low growl interrupted Barron’s honey filled fantasy, and his eyes snapped open. “What?”

  “You’re as turned on as I am.” Evan gave Barron a grin that the bear would love to introduce to his fist.

  He sure as hell couldn’t deny that fact, but she didn’t belong to them – yet.

  “I won’t like it, but if she’s running to someone, we’ll help her get there.” All traces of humor left Evan’s voice. “And if we find the assholes that hurt her?”

  “They’re dead.” Barron made a promise to himself when they found her battered body he vowed to get revenge on her behalf.

  How long would she remain unconscious? They found her last night on their run, and who knows how long she’d been there. “Did you try your cell again?”

  Evan pulled his phone out of his back pocket and frowned at the screen. “No signal. Man you really need to leave these hills so you can communicate with the outside world.”

  “Why?” This is one the few times Barron mourned the loss of dependable technology. In his opinion, society improved once they were all unchained from digital tethers.

  “You should drive down the hill and bring the doc back."

  "You'd love that wouldn't you? If you think I will leave you here with the future mother of my pups, you've lost you hairy bear mind."

  “Pups? Since when have you contemplated starting a family?"

  Evan's gaze darted to the woman. "It's a recent development.”

  "When the last woman we shared asked about mating, you said the last thing on your mind was shackling yourself to a human." Barron loped to the other side of the pine four-poster bed and sat in the oversized armchair. "But it’s what I've always wanted even if she turned out to be human."

  "Screw that. You want to drag the poor woman out here by her hair like a caveman and force her to have honey loving bear cubs."

  “Yeah?" Barron scratched his three-day-old beard and frowned. "So what's the problem?"

  "You’re kidding. Trust me. She wouldn’t walk the Appalachian Trail."

  If Barron could stop looking at her, maybe he could think straight. She was perfect, and her scent alone chipped at the shell of his hard earned self-control. Everything about her pushed his buttons. From the matching cute black-and-white polka dot panties and bra, to the tasteful tattoos adorning her body, she was perfect.

  "If it's a head injury there's not much a doctor would do that we haven’t already done. We could take her to the hospital, but that may not be a great idea if someone is looking for her.

  Evan sat on the side of the bed and inhaled, exhaling slowly like a connoisseur relishing the bouquet of his favorite cabernet.

  "Is that your excuse?" Barron teased. When he saw Evan's frown he sobered. “I'm serious, we can't just sit here." Neither of them wanted to leave the other alone with the woman. The thought chilled Barron while his bear grew restless. Holy shit, sharing had never been a problem for them before, but this time felt different. "It would be easier she was one of us, at least we might force her to shift, or something."

  Evan's head snapped in Barron's direction. “Perhaps we can help her."

  "I'm listening." Barron leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. He needed her to wake up, and soon His bear wouldn’t think twice about marking her while she slept. Too bad the man agreed.

  "Tell me you don't feel it?" Evan looked at him with fierceness reserved for battle. "This might be our mate."

  The little human may be sexy as hell, but she'd always be just that, a human. "That will not happen."

  "How do you know? How do any of us?" Evan brushed the hair off her forehead with tenderness that rocked Barron. “She might be the one the seer told us about, the woman made just for us.”

  The hope on his friend’s face was something Barron had never seen on the man he’d known his entire life. Barron understood, but gave up on that dream years ago.

  Evan unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it on the leather armchair next to Barron. “But we have to try.

  Barron sat frozen as he watched his friend removed his pants. "What if she wakes? She will think we're freaks."

  "We are." Evan bit his bottom lip.

  “Are you suggesting we have sex with an unconscious woman?” He knew that wasn’t what his friend meant, but Evan’s horrified expression lightened the moment.

  “Mind out of the gutter G
riz,” Evan slid beneath the covers and ran his fingers through his short blond hair. “I only want to share our energy with her, and it still might not work.”

  “Not thinking climbing in the bed with an unconscious woman is one of your better ideas.” Barron pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor.

  “Then drive to my pack and get the doc.”

  Like that would happen. “If this goes wrong, this shit is on you.” Barron’s jeans hit the floor, and he looked down remembering nothing came between him and his Levi’s.

  “And if it goes right?” Evan watched Barron take his place on the woman’s other side.

  He didn’t want to answer that question, didn’t want hope to bloom in his empty heart. As far as he was concerned, she could stay in his arms and home forever.

  “Come on bro, what’s the worst that can happen?”

  Chapter 2

  Certain things in life a girl can't resist. For Iris Zahn, setting her free in a shoe store with unlimited cash would cause bodily harm to the poor soul in her way.

  Of course, there's chocolate, and anything sweet. Hell, a good look at the junk in her trunk screamed that not so small fact.

  Yummier than shoes or even chocolate, would be a hot man or two to perform a grand romantic gesture. Something other than, "hey babe, let's hook-up?" Did men still believe in chivalry?

  They did, just not for girls like her.

  Sure, Iris knew she wasn't butt ugly, and on a good day in the right lighting, she might be considered hot by some men. It sucked to admit, but even now in a world suffering a woman shortage getting a date still sucked.

  Most women got dinner and if they were fortunate, a movie. All Iris got was old-fashioned abduction and death.

  She must be dead.

  Iris knew this because instead of afraid, alone, and on her way to become an offering in twisted sexual sacrifice, Iris felt cocooned in a muscular wall of safety and concern.

  At least that’s what she chose to believe, since it was a lot better than the alternative.

  There's always that moment in every horror movie when the hapless heroine turns around to see what's chasing her. Right now Iris was that girl.

  Bad luck chased her like a relentless hound dog the last few months. So the outcome of this predicament would end one of two ways.

  She'd either wake between two men more horrendous than the beasts that kidnapped her, or even worse, men that might found her hot forty pounds ago.

  Fate is the cruelest of bitches, so she expected the latter.

  The brush of hair against her chest made Iris bite the inside of her cheek to refrain from moaning. With her eyes still squeezed shut, Iris threw her arm around him and prayed her fingers didn't meet a back with hair so long it could be braided. Instead, smooth taut skin and rippling muscles met her touch.

  Thank God.

  Iris might be drugged up, delusional, or even dead, but this was her fantasy, damn it. She planned to enjoy every sizzling second.

  She nuzzled her nose against that soft hair and inhaled deep enough to imprint that yummy woodsy, sweet scent in her olfactory memory bank. If he looked half as good as he smelled this would be a dream for the record books.

  Then, a hard smooth body moved against her back. "She awake?"

  Wow, this had to be the realest dream ever. The warm whispering breath against the back of her neck made goose bumps ride up her arms, and nipples hardened against the chest in front of her.

  "She hasn't opened her eyes." The deep voice in front her was a rich sexy baritone. One of those voices you wanted to whisper naughty words in your ear as he fucked you into sexual oblivion.

  Moving forward with her freaky fantasy, Iris's hand dipped between them and circled the hardness pressing against her stomach.

  Holy crap.

  Her fingers barely met around his girth. The man could damage a girl with that thing.

  The long thick cock pulsed against her palm, and he let out a low hiss. "Shit." His hand touched her fingers to pry them loose.

  No way Jose, was she releasing her trophy. Iris tightened her grip and trailed her thumb over the bulbous head and he responded with a full-body shiver.

  "We need to wake her." The man behind her brushed a piece of hair off her forehead. "She seems too enamored of that monster cock of yours."

  "I should have drowned you that summer after kindergarten." The owner of the monster cock grumbled.

  Iris moved her neck and the uncomfortable cramp, confirmed she probably wasn't dead. God wouldn't let you die and still make you hurt would she?

  Tired of playing possum, Iris opened her eyes. The next twinge was much lower and had nothing to do with pain when she stared into the kindest amber eyes she'd ever seen.

  "Hey, glad to see you awake."

  Oh. My. God. This fantasy looked hotter than she could have ever imagined. Not only because he was naked, well-endowed and lying next to her. Okay, it may have had something to do with it, but Iris would never admit it.

  "Am I dead?" He grinned at her, exposing a flash of straight white teeth. "I must be dead."

  "Not quite, but I'll be more than happy to get rid of the ugly one for you." The strong hand resting on her stomach moved to her waist guided her body until she rested on her back.

  Iris couldn't help herself, and a gasp escaped her lips as an equally handsome face smiled down at her. Her two dream guys were opposites. Where the other was dark and gentle, this new face was blond devilish perfection.

  She looked back and forth between the two men. One wary but jubilant for her to keep her fingers around a cock that felt even harder, and the other teasing but ready to offer darker earthier things.

  However hard she tried, Iris couldn’t produce a rational reason not to take these men up on their offer.

  Especially since the possibility of this little fantasy being real was nil, Iris released the dark one's cock, turned her back, and gave it a new home.

  Cradled right against her ass.

  Hey if meat is for the man. Iris planned to learn how manly these two were.

  Chapter 3

  Evan couldn’t speak. The glib words he usually had in abundance took a vacation.

  She was hot pressed between them like a curvy tattooed Sleeping Beauty. Once those vivid blue green eyes with flecks of brown captured his, Evan realized was a goner.

  The only thing that mattered was how soon she’d be theirs. Any male that allowed this woman slip from his grasp didn’t deserve her.

  Sometimes you knew before you ever interacted with someone they would be impressive, and this little one may as well have fun filled challenge etched atop that sweet ass.

  "If it's heaven you want to go to, baby I’ll be more than happy to take you."

  The beauty grinned, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled his head toward her when a sharp slap against the back of his head halted Evan’s mission.

  "What the hell you doing?" Barron asked.

  "You know I have a difficult time saying no to a woman this delicious." And naked.

  Her breaths grew quick and shallow as her gaze darted back and forth between Evan and Barron.

  Not good.

  Evan brushed a lock of dark hair off her forehead and used the voice reserved for frightened animals. “Hey, it’s okay.”

  Reluctantly, Evan pulled his hand away. The sight of her backing up against Barron for protection made him gape. What the hell?

  Evan held his hands up in surrender. "Whoa, I don't know what's going on in that beautiful head of yours, but I can assure you it’s wrong."

  She peeked beneath the sheet and jerked it up to tuck beneath her chin. "I think this is exactly like what it looks like." Looking over her shoulder at Barron and the scent of her fear ebbed. "Please tell me he didn't remove my clothes."

  "Are you kidding?" Evan leaped of bed and stared at the crazy woman. He wanted to rap his knuckles against her forehead, but that will go over well, especially with a potential concuss
ion.

  Evan pointed at his black boxer briefs with both index fingers. “Hello? Of the two men in that bed, I’m the one wearing underwear and you’re looking at me as if I’m a deviant?”

  Was that smirk on Barron's face? Evan would kick his bear ass.

  "Hey, you never answered my question, how are you?" Barron asked. As annoying as Evan found it, the sound of Barron’s voice calmed her.

  "Confused.” She gripped the covers tighter and glared at Evan. “And naked.”

  "I'm Barron, and he’s unimportant. How the hell did you get out here?"

  Sleeping Beauty looked back and forth between Evan and Barron, and Evan smelled the lie before the words fell from her lips. "Don't bother lying. Why don’t we start with something easier? What's your name?”

  "Iris,” she whispered. “My name Iris." She glanced at Barron again and edged away. Not in fear, but more like she realized she was lying in bed with a naked stranger.

  "How are you feeling? Can you at least tell us the truth about that?" Evan snapped.

  Barron bared his teeth at Evan, and this time it wasn't a shit-eating grin. "What the hell?" Barron sat up, leaning against one of the large rough hewn posts, calming his features when his gaze returned to Iris. "You were in bad shape when we found you."

  Evan’s wolf paced and snarled, wanting to be released and challenge the bear for his woman. The thought of fighting the man closer than a brother unsettled the man and stilled the wolf.

  Since childhood, they'd shared everything toys, lunches, and especially fights. Not much changed as they became adults and realized they also shared taste in women.

  Of the two them, Barron was more laid back, quiet, and definitely a loner. Barron’s calm demeanor fascinated and challenged women.

  If he took into account that whole tall, dark, and rugged thing, then perhaps Evan could understand. Not that he was jealous. Or at least not that he’d ever admit.