The Twelve Vitali Ch. 34

"Wait! You would expect me? A cousin? To step up to be Oracle if anything happened to Ric?" Thomas was aghast at the idea. "I didn't grow up like you guys knowing I would have to lead, or even be on the table at all. And just to address the elephant in the room, I'm not into the whole ménage thing, no matter how hot your wife is," he spoke directly to Matteo.

"I'm pretty glad to hear that," Matteo chuckled. "That was never on the table, for either of you, and doesn't have to be, according to tradition rather than the law."

"What we want is just an extra meeting or two a week, individually or together. Once all this drama settles down we'll have the time for that," Ricco said.

"What I want is for you two not to run into gunfire anymore and make the whole deal a possibility," Zion said, shaking his head. "I can't even believe we are having this conversation."

"Wasn't much better when Papa started talking about his death to us," Matteo said. "Ricco handled it better than me, but still..." he shrugged.

"Every other table member has a shadow now, with the way our fathers have set it up with all of the cousins. Everyone except Matteo and I, so we are fixing that, plus, we are both planning holidays with Cat, separately from each other, so it will be good to know that people are stepping up if necessary and the table will know who has the right to step up if challenged," Ricco said.

"So, Lucca is fine with it. What about Chase? He's the oldest in my family," Thomas pointed out.

"Do you really think he wants it?" Matteo asked, knowing it would be way out of Chase's comfort zone.

They continued to talk as they ate and drank red wine, teasing and joking as much as talking over the seriousness of the situation that faced their family over the last six months. The evening was growing late when Lisa hurried from the kitchen toward the foyer, startling them as they glimpsed her through the wide passageway.

"I'll go," Thomas said and stood. When he came back, he shrugged. "Just a delivery Lisa had been waiting for. Come on, Zee, I'll give you a lift home. If I sit down I might not ever get up again," he chuckled.

"We haven't had dessert yet, and you don't want to miss one of Lisa's deserts," Zion complained.

"I'll buy you ice cream on the way home," Thomas chuckled, but turned his head away from Matteo and Ricco and looked at Zion meaningfully.

"Please stay for dessert," Cat said, stepping into the room with a shy smile. "It's me who's intruding on your dinner, and I am so tired, I just want to go to bed. I wanted to say hello before I headed that way though."

"Cat!" Zion exclaimed, standing to hug the woman who stood beside him as his brothers gaped at her. "Looks like Thomas is buying me ice cream, we'll catch up once you're settled back in." Before he'd finished speaking Matteo was there, pulling Cat into his arms and crushing her to him.

"Enjoy that Ice cream, Zee," Ricco grinned, as Matteo kissed Cat, uncaring of the other three men in the room. The two men left quietly, and he moved toward where Matteo held Cat and pulled her from his arms to repeat the processes, holding her close and kissing her as well. "You said something about bed?" he asked in a low murmur.

"I also mentioned sleep," she laughed lightly and stepped back. "I'm sorry," she said, reaching up to cup both their cheeks. "I'm sorry it took me so long to remember where I needed to be, where I promised to be," she took a deep breath. "I love you," her eyes travelled over both of them. "I should have been here for you like you have always been for me."

"You were injured and unwell. You were past the point of exhaustion and needed time to recuperate," Matteo gave her all the excuses she needed to justify shutting them out of her life for weeks, at least physically.

"You could have recuperated here with us though. We would have given you time and space just as easily here as there. At least here we would have been able to see you get better instead of worrying if you would return at all," Ricco said gently, but still expressing how hurt he was that she had needed to get away from them so badly that she had shut hem out for days before finally answering their calls.

"I know that now, and I am sorry," she said quietly. "I was always the one who had to handle everything until I met you and your family. I looked after the people I loved, they didn't look after me, not ever. I was looking for a piece of me that I thought was missing, only to find that the piece fit so snugly now I didn't realise I had it all the time. I'm not explaining this very well," she sighed. "I was wrecked, emotionally and physically, and it took a visit from complete strangers to make me understand that I wouldn't recover properly until I came home to the people who love me best."

"I love you best," Matteo said in a voice made gravelly by emotion. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, holding her back to his chest as she faced Ricco. "Ric does too, but he hides it better me."

"I just show it in different ways," Ricco said, his voice still holding an edge. "I want you to promise, no more running away. No matter what happens, you trust us to give you what you need."

"No more running away," she said softly, looking into his eyes and seeing the edge of his darkness there. Something she rarely saw without rope nearby, and never in front of Matteo. They both looked tired and drawn. They had been suffering far worse than her. Bradbury had told her what they had both been through since the day they flew into the Kimberley, and she had only added to their worries and workload instead of easing it as she thought she might. "I promise," she said sincerely.

Ricco moved forward, not taking her from his brother's arms but rather sandwiching her between them. He cupped her face, tilting it up to his and kissed her deeply, with a passion he usually reserved for the playroom when he knew she was his to possess and use as he wanted and needed.

"Sleep," he said as he pulled away. "We all need some decent sleep." He took her hand and pulled both Cat and Matteo toward the bedroom. He would let her sleep tonight, but there was nothing he and Matteo couldn't cancel tomorrow in order to spend the day with her and ensure that the changes they had all undergone in the last few weeks were part of their new life together, starting now.

"I missed you so much. I don't know why I stayed there so long. I think I was just avoiding having to deal with hospitals and funerals because I messed up again. I'm so sorry about Vanessa," Cat said quietly once they were in the bedroom.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Matteo said. "You and Theresa are alive because of what you did. You were amazing and brave and..."

"Reckless," Ricco cut him off. "You don't have to sacrifice yourself for anyone," he said, knowing what had gone through her mind as she boarded the plane after talking with Sava, who had warned him of the guilt she would be feeling over the deaths and her own survival. He took her face in his hands and made her look at him. "Don't you understand it would have killed us to have lost you?"

Cat blinked, unable to move from the seriously dark look he gave her. Once again she was struck by the difference in him, as if the lightness he always carried was being overwhelmed by the dark Master within him. He was angry with her, and she felt the heat of it in his gaze.

"We love you, Cat, more than anything. If anything would have happened to you..." Matteo's voice dropped off, but the emotions he felt were obvious; and she pulled her eyes from Ricco's gaze to look at Matteo. Where Ricco's eyes were dark with anger, Matteo's eyes seemed to be dulled with sadness. Guilt wracked Cat, and she stood between them, kissing them alternately and apologising over again.

As she kissed them, she felt their hands start to caress her and her blouse being undone. The intention to only sleep tonight seemingly forgotten as Ricco stepped back and removed his shirt. He undid his belt and slowly pushed down his pants and boxers. At the same time, Matteo had carefully removed her shirt and bra, being careful of the wound on her shoulder. He kissed her neck and shoulders as he did so, making small shivers of delight travel through her while watching the pure naked maleness of Ricco step back toward her again.

Ricco took her in his arms and turned her to face Matteo, encouraging him to undress, and ran his fingers over Cat's shoulder and down her spine to the waistband of her skirt, dipping below to caress the top of the crease of her ass. Cat found her eyes glued to Matteo as the body she knew and loved so well was exposed to her eyes. He was gorgeous, delicious, even, and felt all the sensations of love and lust and need that she had for these men rise within her.

The skirt fell to pool at her feet, and Ricco wasted no time divesting her of the thong she wore beneath it, steadying her as she stepped out of the garment. Then he stood at her back again and reached around to grasp her breasts, one in each hand, as Matteo stood to let her drink him in as he watched the two of them in return. Ricco cupped, kneaded and displayed the globes of flesh that were her breasts for his brother, working his fingers out to the nipples which he pinched hard and pulled away from her body, making her gasp delightfully for him.

Matteo closed the distance in one large step and kissed her hard, trapping Ricco's hands between their bodies, and groaned deeply. Cat ground back against Ricco's hard cock, making him groan in counterpoint, and revelled in the love and lust these two men showered on her, and she felt for them.

Cat felt the pressure of Ricco's hands on her shoulders and slowly sank down to her knees, her lips and tongue immediately finding Matteo's cock. She sucked the head into her mouth, rolling and fluttering her tongue, enjoying the taste and feel of him. Matteo groaned deeply again, and she felt Ricco kneel behind her, one hand sliding between her legs to tease her and force her to widen her legs for him. Matteo's hands tangled in her hair, holding her still as Ricco's other hand came down heavily on her ass, spanking her.

"Fuck!" Matteo growled as the vibration of her stifles scream reverberated through his cock, making him jerk his hips. He began to slowly move in and out of her mouth, his eyes flicking between the beautiful lips wrapped around his cock and his brother who was fucking her with his fingers and spanking her slowly but forcefully. Ricco took the time to rub the reddened skin as he drew his wet fingers from her pussy to lubricate the tight dark star of her ass before repeating the process. "Fuck!" Matteo growled again, as he felt ready to cum, knowing it would only be the first time tonight. They could sleep all day tomorrow, because he needed this. He needed her, and he needed Ricco. He needed his family, the two people he loved most in this world.

Overwhelmed and on the verge of cumming Cat felt Matteo grip her hair, tightly holding her in place, and his cock swell as Ricco's hand landed again, making her cry out a moment before Matteo came, filling her mouth and pushing her over the edge with him. She felt Ricco steady her as he continued to use his hand on her, forcing a thick finger into her ass. She swallowed, making strange whimpering noises as she shook and spasmed between her lovers.

Matteo staggered back toward the bed and Ricco scooped Cat up into his arms, carrying her to the bed. He sat with his back against the headboard and pulled her between his legs, gently encouraging her to move down his body. He wanted her submission, not just for himself but for Matteo as well. He would have liked her to kneel before him, but there would be plenty of time for that in the future. For now, he was content to control what happened between the three of them tonight. Matteo was intuitive and would know what to do once he caught his breath.

A deep groan escaped Ricco as Cat practically devoured his cock, sucking him hard and deep, immediately one hand come up to clutch his balls firmly. He watched as Matteo moved behind Cat and raised her hips without disturbing the suctioning mouth that held his cock captive. He saw Matteo follow his lead, mirroring how he had teased and spanked Cat while she sucked his cock only minutes ago. His fingers, though, concentrated on her ass, delving deeply and easing the tight muscle open further and further for him between sharp slaps to the cheeks of her ass, keeping them red and heated.

Cat floated in the heady mix of pain and pleasure, her whole body singing for the men who knew it, knew her, so well. Waves of searing heat and pure pleasure rolled through her, making her shudder and jerk, as Ricco grunted loudly and began to take control of her head, forcing it up and down his cock in rapid motion until he came, shouting out his orgasm to the room. She came again with him, Matteo driving her to the edge and pushing her over with his hands and fingers.

Ricco held her in place, fighting through the excruciating sensations, ensuring her mouth kept his cock hard and ready to fuck as her eyes glazed over and she sagged over him, despite Matteo's hold on her hips. It took him only a few minutes to recover, and holding Cat to him he moved down the bed and lifted her to settle over his cock, sliding into her hot wet depths easily, feeling her tighten around him as he moved, bucking his hips slowly to thrust all of his cock into her. Matteo helped to ensure she was comfortable with her injured shoulder before kneeling behind her between Ricco's widely spread legs.

With his fingers tangled once again into her hair, Ricco lifted her head so he could look into her beautiful face and see the painful pleasure written there as Matteo slowly forced his big cock into her ass. Ricco delighted in the grimace and gasps she made, and she whined throughout the painful intrusion and slowly settled into an acceptance of the hot hard flesh searing her into her ass. Finally, he heard her breathing change and the sounds she made become more heated. She was fucking amazing, so sexy and hot and willing, he loved her for so many reasons, not the least of which were moments like this.

"Fuck!" he growled and pumped his hips upwards toward where his brother's cock lay, and they slowly got into a rhythm, fucking the woman they loved simultaneously. After what seemed an age, Matteo pulled out of Cat, laying on the bed beside Ricco, lifting his arms toward Cat. Ricco passed her to his brother and keenly watched the point of impact as Matteo drove roughly up inside her, burying himself deeply and fucking her until Ricco moved into position behind her.

Once flat against Matteo's chest, Cat braced herself for what she knew was coming. Ricco gripped her ass cheeks tightly and drove himself forward, grunting with the force as he slammed into her, making her cry out. After several minutes of slow movement, the brothers once again got into a rhythm and fucked Cat hard, Matteo torturing her sensitive nipples as Ricco alternately slapped her thighs and cheeks of her ass.

Cat felt her mind melting away on pure sensation as the men she loved reclaimed her in the most physical way. She repeatedly came for them, and, as if not fully within her body, saw, rather then felt them stiffen and cry out in their orgasms almost simultaneously.

Not one of the trio felt the need to get up and clean up, instead they fell asleep in a tangled heap, each touching the other as if needing the connection. Cat faded into sleep quickly, feeling like her world had altered immeasurably but unable to understand how. Her mind wandered, filling her dreams full of twisted images of the men she loved in dark places, such as dungeons or prison cells. That disturbed her and made her feel even more guilty for staying away as long as she did.

*****