~ ~ Beatrix ~ ~

It had been almost forty-eight hours since I'd last seen the Peterson's face to face. Feigning a tummy bug had given me the breathing space I needed to work out a plan of action and check in on Ivy. But since Ivy didn't need me, my plan of action had so far consisted of hiding out and avoiding Cam and Finn's calls as well as bingeing on Netflix's quite aptly named—Schitt's Creek.

And that's exactly how I felt...up shit creek without a paddle!

And to ease some of the stress I'd binged on takeout and countless boxes of cookies. I looked down, brushing away the crumbs.

Thank Christ, no one was here to see me.

Sadie had called in yesterday, but luckily I was in bed trying to catch up on some much needed sleep. Faking it when I'd heard my door squeak open.  She muttered to Miss Purdy about my fridge and twenty minutes later they'd left me in peace.

And now I stood in front of said fridge, staring into the abyss of healthy food options. So goddamn healthy it was actually sickening. And no one person could eat all this?

What? Had they planned I'd be eating for two by the end of the week?

Urgh.

I slammed the door shut, twisting around to lean up against it. My eyes narrowed on the pile of books and supplements left on the counter. Pushing off the fridge, I padded toward them. Ignoring the countless number of vitamin bottles, I spread out the books with one hand.

"What to expect, when you're expecting." How many pregnancy books did a person need? "The Joy of Pregnancy." I rolled my eyes. "Parenting starts at conception."

What the hell!?

Dropping my eyes, I ran a hand over my perfectly flat stomach, honestly not being able to imagine a baby in there. Let alone Sean Peterson's baby in there.

This was getting out of hand—they weren't even trying to be subtle.

Fuming, I threw out so many fucks, cursing the Peterson's. They were both acting like it was a done deal that I would carry the next gen of Peterson. And It would have been a flat-out ... hell no, if Sean hadn't dropped the bombshell that he would do everything in his power to sink Cam's software and sully his name.   Bastard.

Why couldn't things just go smoothly for once?

Argh! Looking around, I grabbed a hand-towel and threw it over the pile of nonsense.

Out of sight—out of mind.

The doorbell rang.

Ah, fuck.  Was it them?

No. It couldn't be Sadie or Sean, they would have let themselves in—knocking wasn't their style.

Walking barefoot, I peeped through the spy-hole. Ivy.

I flung open the door. "What's wrong?" Her eyes were puffy and swollen.

"Nothing—well, apart from my dad being dead," she said flatly.

I pulled her in for a hug. "I could have come to you, you only had to call or text me." When I messaged her this morning she'd insisted she was okay and visiting her great ninety-eight-year-old aunt to tell her about her dad's death.

Ivy breathed warm air across my chest. "Needed to get out of there. I feel like I'm suffocating under everyone's grief."

Grief I understood. Losing both parents had taught me everything I needed to know and avoid with that subject.

Ivy pulled away, blowing out air. "I need a distraction. Please give me something... anything."

"You want something to eat, drink?" I turned on my heels, taking a breath, walking down the hallways to the kitchen. I couldn't lie if I was facing her. "Sorry, nothing's happening here—all good." I did not sound convincing, but I prayed she wouldn't pick up on it.

And she didn't. She really was off her game... I sent a quick thank you to the big man or woman upstairs.

Following closely behind, Ivy diverted and went straight to the fridge, making herself at home. "Jesus, have you been visited by the health food fairy?"

I rolled my eyes, groaning. "No... Sadie."

Ivy's mouth quirked up into a half-smile. "She's flat out saying you've packed on the pounds," she scoffed. "Bitch!"

I laughed, and the tension eased from my shoulders. God, I'd missed Ivy. Her sarcastic repertoire often got me through difficult situations.

"Sorry. Do you want to order in or I could dress and we go out for something?"

"Nah..." She waved off my suggestion. "I'm good."

"Oh, oh. I have some cookies." I hitched my thumb over my shoulder. "Through there."

Wiggling her eyebrows. "Now we're talking. Show me the cookie!"

"Let me just grab us a drink—coffee, OJ... water?"

Shrugging. "Surprise me!"

I grabbed some OJ and poured us two glasses and she followed me through to the open living area.

Ivy crashed on the sofa. "The Peterson's are assholes and all kinds of fucked up, but they sure have good taste in apartments. I missed this place."

I hummed in agreement. When I lived here, it wasn't unusual to come home to find Ivy crashing out in my bed, sprawled out like a starfish, and I'd have to sleep around her.

Sitting myself next to her. "I know you're not okay. Wanna talk about it?"

"Fuck Trix, all's I do is talk about it. It's driving me nuts." She shook her head. "Don't get me wrong, I love my family but my mom's house is bursting at the seams. There's not a second of quiet where I can think." She let out a sigh, and I reached for her hand, squeezing it.

"Why haven't you called me?"

Her eyes lifted to mine. "I know you hate dealing with death. I didn't want to bring you down."

"You still should have called. I'm here for you, Ivy." I shimmed closer and wrapped my arm around her. "Missed you."

"I'm sorry. I'm a shitty friend. I dragged you here and—"

I stopped her. "Hey. You didn't drag me anywhere. I love you, you're my family and anything you need. I'm there."

"Thanks babe." She leaned into my shoulder, adding, "you're still coming to the funeral...right?"

Like she had to ask. "Of course I'll be there."

We sat in silence for a while before the call of nature had me squirming. "Shift up. I need a pee." I pushed myself up.

Ivy grinned. "I missed this."

"Missed what?"

"You and your peeing and pooping habits and how you have to announce every bodily function."

"I do not."

"Girl, you shit every day at seven on the dot and never fail to tell me."  She stuck out her tongue, grinning. "I'm shocked you haven't messaged me."

I picked up a cushion and threw it at her. "I do not!"

Did I? Hmm, maybe.   "Perhaps I'm waiting for you to offer to wipe my backside."

"Ha... sure princess, bend over." She barked out a laugh.

I picked up another pillow and threw it at her, which just made her laugh more. It was honestly good to hear her laugh and see her smile, and I knew it might be a bumpy road ahead, but she would be okay.

I could still hear her laughing as I closed the bathroom door.

Two minutes later...Ivy screeched.  "What the fuck and all things holy!" I froze in the middle of hand washing.

My spine locked tight. Fuck! I knew she'd seen the books in the kitchen. Stupid idiot. I should have moved them. I closed my eyes, taking a breath before sheepishly making my way to the kitchen.

I hadn't been wrong.

"Do I need to plan a baby shower?" She waved a book in the air, her eyes glued to my tummy.

Fucking Sadie.

"Hell no." My entire body cringed. "You better sit down for this one."

I turned, and she followed. It took seven minutes to unload and remarkably she stayed quiet the whole time, only batting between a frown and utter shock.

"You can blink now."

"Blink, I think you just fried my brain." She sucked in a breath, her entire chest expanding. "I can say this Trix, you sure deliver on distraction."

I half smiled. "Sorry for not telling you sooner. I just didn't want to dump my shit on you."

Ivy sighed, pulling her legs up and propping them underneath her. "Do you believe that she actually can't have kids?"

"What—you think she would lie?"

She reached for a cookie. "I wouldn't put it past them. I mean c'mon can you imagine Miss Freakin' Anal with all her control issues letting her own body get bent out of shape?" Biting off a chunk. "No way is that happening," she said with a mouthful. "Typical of those two. Want something, buy it!"

I hadn't thought of that.

Still chewing. "And I'm thinking here that lover boys know nothing about this?"

I sat up straight. "Christ, no. Can you imagine it? Cam would lose his shit." I grimaced. "I've been avoiding them."

Ivy winced, hissing a breath through her teeth. I knew that look.

"Don't shoot me," she said, casting her puppy-dog eyes my way.

Oh Christ, what had she done? "Spill."

"Finn messaged me asking if I was okay and you know... condolences and all that."

"Okkaaaaay."

"And..." she paused. "They might have said they were thinking of surprising you and coming here to see you."

Shit a brick! I couldn't let them come here. "You talked them out of it ... right?"

She shook her head. "They land today."

I shot up, banging my knee on the small table. "Ouch! Fuck." I rubbed my knee. "When?"

Ivy shrugged and looked at her phone. "If their plane's on time, then you're looking at them arriving pretty soon."

I dropped onto the sofa, letting my head fall back, deflating like a balloon.

"C'mon Trix, you didn't think you could hide this from them?"

Urgh. "I was hoping to find a way out of it and make sure Cam and Finn didn't lose their software or have to fight tooth and nail to keep it out of the courts."

I looked down at what I was wearing. Shit, fuck, shit.   I hadn't changed my clothes since yesterday, and my hair resembled rats tails.

"Christ, I need to shower. You okay if I go make myself look half-human?"

"Yeah, go. I'm just gonna eat all your cookies and think of ways we can murder Sean and Sadie Peterson."

I was already making my way to the bathroom. "I'm open to suggestions."

Ten minutes into my shower, I'd shaved my legs, washed my hair and was now standing, head tilted up as the spray pricked my skin. The tension may have eased from my body, but my mind was running through a hundred workable scenarios.

And sadly, not one of them seems promising.

I never heard a thing, but I felt a cold draft whisper across my skin. A pair of warm hands slid across my waist and warm lips pressed against my shoulder, ghosting up toward my ear, whispering. "Just how I like you, naked and wet."

I smiled but kept my eyes closed as another set of hands swept across my hips and they stole the water spray from me.

They'd arrived... and amongst the nerves and the excitement of them being here, I let out a soft sigh. Having them here felt like coming home.

They were my home. Both of them.

I opened my eyes to stare into familiar greys. Cam's hand cupped my neck, his fingers curling around it, strong and broad, even hotter than the water.

I heard Finn groan behind me as he bit into my shoulder and Cam lowered his head. His teeth caught my lower lip as his tongue rasped against it and I relaxed against Finn's chest.

"Fuck, I've missed you." he muttered and then swallowed my reply.

I heard Finn whisper the same in my ear as his hands moved up to cup my breasts and Cam's hand went lower.

A girl could never have enough hands.

And then I was turned as they moved in sync without words and Finn's lips were now on mine. It's a harsh, needy kiss as my hand slipped around his neck and I sank my nails pulling him closer and Cam's closed any space between us, leaving me sandwiched as his hand wrapped around my throat and he pulled me free of Finn's kiss and bit my ear.

"We've both missed you and neither of us will wait our turn." He licked over where he'd just bitten. "Can you handle us both Bea, both of us inside of you?" He hummed. "Fucking you slow and deep?"

Christ, I missed his dirty talk. I'd missed them. And It wouldn't be the first time I'd been filled, fit to bursting although only one dick had been flesh and blood, the other was courtesy of a Sadie strapping a Phat Boys 9 incher.

Hmm... my nerve ends hummed in anticipation, dancing on my fingertips and curling my toes.

I was so ready. I didn't want to think—just feel.

Finn dragged a thumb over my bottom lip. "That breathy little sound you just made when straight to my cock."

"Mnhmm."

Finn trapped his bottom lip between his teeth. "Dirty girl." His hand slipped down and zeroed in on my clit as I moved my hands down, digging my fingers into his arms.

Cam nipped at my earlobe. "I want to watch you slide that sweet cunt down onto his cock before I sink myself inside your tight arse."

Fuck, I bit back a moan. Cam groaned. "Tell me you want that, Bea?"

Hell yeah. "Yes... yes. I want that." I muttered breathlessly, barely focusing with Finn's finger tracing delirious circles and pressing harder as I rocked into his hand.

"Come for us first...here Bea," Cam's voice deepened, hardly recognizable. His hands moved to cup my tits, mashing them together, plucking my nipples, adding that tiny bite of pain.

Fuck yes. My eyelids fluttered, and it hit all at once, hard and fast as a cry ripped from my mouth, panting, dropping my head to fall onto Finn's shoulder.

"That's one," Finn chuckled as I heard him sucking his finger and he shifted closer to dig his erection into my stomach. Cam's erection slid between my arse cheeks as he sucked on the sensitive skin between my neck and shoulder.

"Bed?" asked Finn, but he wasn't talking to me.

"Better," replied Cam.

"Lift gorgeous." Feeling a little light heated and still riding that sweet wave, Finn's hands were on my arse, lifting me. "Wrap your legs around me."

Cam was already out of the shower, snatching a towel as he headed out the steam-filled room. Finn followed, carrying me like I weighed next to nothing. I only heard the wet slaps of his bare feet on the tiled floor.

Shit. Ivy.

My head lifted. "What about Ivy—Ivy's here?" I whispered, shouted but also pondered asking her to join us, that would sure be a distraction.

"Gone. Said she'd be back later with humble pie or some shit like that," said Finn.

"Bea?" Looking over Finn's shoulder... Cam stood looking delicious, dripping on my floor with his dick saluting me. "Bedroom?"

...Ah, yeah, bedroom.

"Second door on your left," about to tell Cam to strip off the thick duvet, he opened the door and disappeared inside. I didn't want it soaked, but any worries went poof as Finn captured my mouth and stripped my thoughts...well, clean ones, anyway.

"Fuck."

I heard Cam curse as Finn laid me down and climbed over me.

"Lube?" He asked.

Lube. Oh...

"Wallet, Jacket," muttered Finn and I didn't even try to think why he had lube in his wallet.

Cam vanished, and I squirmed as Finn kissed down my neck, telling me how hot I was and how much he'd missed me.

A zing of heat ran right through me as he sucked a nipple into his mouth.

"Fuck you're perfect. I've missed these too." He squeezed my other breast.

"Bea," said Cam, but his tone was different...off.

My eyes opened, and I saw Cam, still wet and naked, standing in the doorway. His eyebrows scrunched together.

And I could see what he was holding in each hand.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuuuuck!

He marched toward the bed. "What the fuck are you doing with pre-natal supplements and books on pregnancy? And not just one—a shitload of them!?"

I repeated my earlier thought... why hadn't I binned the lot of them?

Finn's head lifted sharply, twisting to see what Cam was talking about.

Two beats later, his eyes were back on mine. And I had two pairs of eyes looking at me, just a tad freaked out.

"Anyone up for a baby?" Yeah, not the best time to joke as I nervously laughed, and I watched Cam's erection deflate before my eyes.

Guess being fucked senseless was off the menu.

"Are y-you pregnant?" stuttered Finn.

"No."

Relief washed through both their faces. "But we need to talk."

"Damn straight," said Cam, as my eyes darted to Finn. I couldn't read his expression, but he pushed back up to rest of his calves and his hands settled on his thighs as his erection jerked in protest.

A chill ran over me and I pushed myself up and rested against the headboard, pulling a damp sheet over me.

I started at the beginning and ten minutes later Finn hadn't moved, but his jaw ticked and his nostrils flared. Cam, butt naked, had his hand scrubbing the back of his neck as he paced back and forth at the foot of the bed.

"Talk to me Cam," his hands dropped, sanding them together, slowly, obviously thinking.

"I need to think."

It drew Finn's eyebrows that tight, his jaw still twitching like a motherfucker. "I need a drink," he finally said and moved, climbing from the bed. "You want anything?" His eyes shot between me and Cam as we both shook our heads.

This wasn't good.

Left alone, Cam's face reddened, no doubt with thunderous thoughts of what I'd just told him. He was quiet—to fucking quiet. "Cam—"

He held out his hand to stop me. His voice deepened. "I knew that fucker was up to something—wanted you."

I swallowed, but kept quiet.

He stopped pacing, spinning to face me. "Please tell me you haven't agreed to this—any of this shit?" Both hands flew up in the air. "A. Fucking. Baby, Bea!?"

"No." I tilted my chin up in defiance.

"Then what's with all that?" He pointed to the book and supplement he'd planted at the end of the bed.

"Sadie dropped them off."

"And you just let her—you didn't put her straight?"

I could see why he was angry. "I was in bed faking a tummy bug." Christ, I sounded pathetic.

His frown deepened, but gave a quick nod and went back to pacing. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Finn came back into the room wearing only his jeans, partly fastened with a bottled water in his hand.

His eyes were back on me. I shrugged. "I wanted to fix it without worrying you both."

"Fuck Trix, this involves not just you. It's the three of us, and we sort it together." I could hear the hurt in Finn's voice.

My shoulders sagged and my stomach twisted uncomfortably. He was right. It was a dumb idea to hide it from them.

"And how were you planning on sorting it?" asked Cam.

"I don't know." His steps stalled, turning toward me. "But I can't let him steal your software. All your hard work pissed down the drain because my ex sex-buddies are fucking crazy and think they can blackmail me to get what they want!"

Cam came around the side of the bed and sat down, taking my hand in his. "Fuck, Bea, I don't give a shit about the software." His head snapped around to look at Finn. "Do you give a shit about it?"

"What? No!" Finn came closer. "If I had to choose, it's a no brainer. We can think of another idea—something else."

My mouth dropped open. They must both be crazy. "I can't let you do that." I blew out a frustrated sigh. "And I know he won't hesitate to blacklist you with any other publishing house. They won't touch you with a barge-pole."

My words fell on deaf ears.

"Fuck him. Let him try." He went quiet, his hand fisted, relaxed, then repeated. "But first, me and Mr fucking Peterson are gonna have a little chat."

I sat up straight. "No Cam. Please don't make this any worse."

His eyebrows shot through the roof... and stayed there. "What's worse than losing you or him dragging me through the courts if I fight him on this?" he scoffed.

I guess he had a point.

Finn popped his water on the bedside table and then climbed on the bed, sitting himself beside me. He took my other hand and then held his other out toward Cam. And it surprised me when Cam threaded his fingers with Finn's without pause.

"Don't even think we're letting you go—never. Not fucking happening, Trix." He looked at Cam, who nodded his agreement. "Lets just pack up whatever you need, get our stuff and get the fuck out of here."

Cam grunted his agreement.

Could we do that—just leave? And hope for the best?

Well, it couldn't make it any worse—surely?