Jaded Hearts
Chapter 3

Matt

There is nothing more painful than watching the person you love most in the world shrink away from you like you are the devil.

When Taylor saw my face, she saw evil. She saw someone out to hurt her, and I’ve never been more upset in my life. Sending Alaia in was my last-ditch effort to salvage whatever I could. I hoped she would at least let me see her as friends. If not, I didn’t know how I would survive.

I sat in the common room and just waited. And waited. And waited some more.

“Matt? How are you holding up?” Alaia asked as she stepped into the room. I stood up and rushed to her side.

“Is she alright? Please, just tell me she’s not still terrified on the floor. She doesn’t deserve that.”

“She’s fine, Matt. She’s a little confused. I hit her with a lot of information in a short period of time, but she’s strong. I can see that much.”

I beamed with pride. She was strong, and I was happy that others noticed it. “I love her, Bean. Do you think I can fix this?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, so there’s nothing to fix. You just need to give her time to absorb it all.”

“You think I can go in and see her?” It was all I wanted right now.

“Alexi’s talking with her. She wanted to get another human’s take on all this, and he was the best we had. Let’s just wait for them to finish, okay?”

I threw myself on the couch and pulled a pillow down over my face. I wanted to scream or yell, anything to try and relieve some of the stress weighing me down. Five minutes, which felt like hours, passed before Alexi linked me.

Hey, Matt, she’s ready to talk to you. Come on up, but stay calm, alright?

Okay, thank you. I’ll be right there.

“She wants to talk, Bean. I’ve got to go. And thank you so much for this.”

I gave Alaia a quick peck on the top of her head before I rushed up to the third floor and to my room. I stood outside for a minute, unable to move. I could smell Taylor inside, and I desperately wanted that scent to stay here forever.

I couldn’t mess this up. I took a deep breath, then opened the door and walked in.

She was now sitting cross-legged on the bed. Someone must have gone through my closet to get her clothes to wear because her skirt and top were gone. Now, Taylor was just wearing my favorite old T-shirt, which reached down past her knees.

I made an effort to walk to the opposite corner of the room to give her as much space as she needed. I would go at whatever pace she wanted.

“Hey, Matt. So, Taylor and I have been talking, and I think I’ve done a pretty good job explaining the human/wolf thing. But you two still need to discuss the details,” Alexi stated before turning back to Taylor. “Taylor, do you want me to stay in here with you, or are you okay if I leave you two alone?”

Logan growled at the idea that we couldn’t be left alone with our mate, but I immediately stopped him.

We can’t scare her now. We have to do what makes her comfortable.

She finally looked up at Alexi and gave a small smile. “You can go. I’m sure you have better things to do than babysitting me. Thank you for your time.”

“You’re very welcome. Us humans have got to stick together.” He smiled at both of us before he got up and left, leaving a heavy silence behind as he shut the door.

I couldn’t take it. My knees gave out, and I slid to the floor. I couldn’t be strong right now, not when my mate was so terrified of me. “Tesoro, I’m so sorry. I never meant to scare you or make you question your safety around me. I’ve wanted to tell you what I was for months, but I was selfish. I knew it was a possibility that you wouldn’t handle it well, and I could lose you. And I couldn’t lose you when I had just found you. But please don’t reject me …”

She scooted to the edge of the bed and let her feet dangle over. Even her feet were perfect.

“Matt? Would you stand up for me, please?”

I didn’t know why she wanted me to stand, but I did as she asked. I stood up and pressed my back to the wall, still wanting to give her all the space I could. She slowly walked over, and when she was a few inches in front of me, she wrapped her arms around my midsection and laid her cheek against my chest.

I froze for a moment, not believing that this was actually happening. She was touching me, and she wasn’t afraid. My arms came up, and I pulled her as tight as I could against my body. I had never been happier in my life, and I’m sure it showed.

“Now I understand how you broke that guy’s hand in the club so easily. Wolves are strong as hell. Can you loosen it up just a bit, though, handsome? My lungs need to expand.”

“Damn! I’m sorry, princess. I was just happy and forgot for a moment. Are you alright?”

She looked up at me. “I will be. Ummmm, I was wondering …”

I could see that she wanted something, but she was too afraid to say it. She’d learn sooner or later that I’d give her the world without a second thought. “Whatever it is, Taylor, I’ll do it. Just ask me.”

She steeled herself before she finally let it out. “I want to meet your wolf. I hurt his feelings last night, I know I did, and I hate that. He is a part of you, and I never want to hurt you. So, can I please meet him so I can apologize?”

Wow. This was not what I was expecting. Logan was dancing around like an excited puppy in my mind. Since Taylor had no wolf of her own, she was Logan’s just as much as she was mine.

Logan, chill out! I can’t think with you doing all that prancing around.

What’s to think about? Just shift. She wants me, not you.

I’m not shifting. It’s too soon. We’ll have to share my body for this. That’s the best you’re going to get.

I didn’t wait for a response. I’m the one in control anyway, so he just had to deal with it.

“Listen, tesoro. I won’t shift into Logan right now,” I started. Her face fell, and a small pout formed on her lips. She was so cute it was killing me. I lifted her face back to mine.

“Don’t do that, beautiful. Let me finish what I was saying first, okay?”

“Okay.”

“I won’t shift fully because I know it’s a lot for you to handle, and Logan may get too excited if I do. I’ll just bring him forth, in my own body.”

She looked confused, so I explained. “I’ll still look like me. I’ll be a man, not a wolf. But my eyes will change, and my voice will change. They’ll be Logan’s, not mine. You’ll be talking to him, but it will be in a more controlled environment. Would that be alright?”

She thought about it before she finally agreed. “Yes, I’d like that. It sounds perfect, actually.”

I took her hand and walked back to the bed. When I sat down, I reached out for her as she, without hesitation, came and settled herself in my lap.

“Okay, I’m going to bring him out now. Remember, he’s an animal, so he may be a little rougher than I am. When you’re ready, just ask to have me back, and we’ll switch places again. Got it?”

“Got it!”

She looked so excited. Like a child getting ready to open a Christmas gift or something. It was really relieving seeing her like this. Maybe she could accept me after all. I shut my eyes and focused on Logan.

Alright, man, come on out.

I felt the shift in control, and when it was his, our eyes snapped open, and he looked at Taylor’s incredible face.

“Mine!”

***

Taylor

Not too sure why, but the idea of meeting Matt’s wolf was exciting. Crazy exciting. He had terrified me last night, but after talking with Alaia and Alexi—who were goals, by the way—I wasn’t as afraid anymore.

Matt closed his baby blue eyes, and when they opened again, they were pitch black with streaks of green.

“Mine!” he growled out while gripping my h**s and turning me to straddle his lap.

“Holy s**t!” I yelled out. Matt said Logan was a little rough, but he definitely shocked me. He leaned forward and buried his face in my neck, inhaling my scent. “My mate, you smell like the sweetest treat. I just want to eat you.”

In any other circumstance, a wolf telling me he wanted to eat me would make me run away screaming. But not this. This just made me wet.

I was only wearing a small thong and a T-shirt, so I was basically exposed down below, and the feeling of his bulge in his thin sweatpants wasn’t helping the situation at all.

When he growled, I felt it start low in his chest and work its way up. I couldn’t control the m**n that slipped past my lips. Damn, he was sexy.

“Are you excited to see me, my treasure? It smells like you are.”

“Uhmm. H-hi Logan. It’s nice to meet you again … sort of.”

He pulled me closer to his body and slid his hands under the T-shirt. He then began to skim his fingers up and down my bare back, sending chills and sparks shooting up my spine. Everything he did made my body weep for him, and that just pushed him further. We were feeding off one another, which was not what I had planned.

“L-Logan? Wait a minute. I really want to talk to you.”

“Then talk, beautiful. I love the sound of your voice.” Now he was grinding my h**s down on his, making me weaker and weaker.

“But I need you to listen, and I don’t think you’re listening right now.”

He stopped what he was doing and opened his eyes again. “I apologize, I got carried away. You have my full attention now.”

He didn’t release the grip he had on my h**s, and I could still feel him pressing up against me, but I didn’t mind too much, so I let to go.

“I need to apologize to you for how I reacted last night. I ever expected Matt to reveal that he was part wolf, and for someone who had never seen anything like that, it was just too much. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I think you’re a beautiful wolf, and I’m no longer afraid of you.”

“Thank you, and you’re a beautiful woman. And you are mine.”

And back to the grinding. He really had a one-track mind. “Wait! I’m not done yet.”

“Yes, my love?”

“I’ve had bad experiences with men in the past. Like really bad. I’ve been hurt too many times to count.”

His grip tightened, and a loud, angry growl escaped past his teeth. “Who hurt you?! I will kill them. No one hurts my mate!”

This was scary, but I wasn’t scared for myself. I was afraid for my ex if Matt or Logan ever found out who he was. I moved my hands from his shoulders to his face and gently stroked his cheeks. “It’s alright now; I’m okay. It was all in the past.”

He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch. I could feel him calming down, so I continued. “I just need you to tell me something. Can I trust him? Can I trust Matt with my heart? I’d guess that you would know him the best out of anyone, so tell me the truth.”

Logan seems surprised by my question. He wasn’t expecting it at all. “Matt would die for you, and he would kill for you without hesitation. You are his air, and he needs you. You can trust him, lovely. And just know that if he ever does anything to make you sad, he’ll have to deal with me, okay?” He seemed sincere in his answer.

“Thank you, Logan. I really appreciate you.”

He placed his face on my neck again before running his tongue along the edge of my jaw. “You taste as good as you smell, princess. I can’t wait to finally feel you wrapped around me. Squeezing me, milking me …”

Oh. My. God. Clearly, Matt had all the control in this pairing. Logan knew what he wanted, and he wasn’t shy about telling me. But I couldn’t do this. I had saved myself for a reason, and I know that reason was I hadn’t met Matt yet. My body belonged to him.

“Logan, can I have Matt back, please?”

“Are you not enjoying my company?” The smirk on his face told me he already knew the answer to that.

“Of course, I am, but I really need Matt now. Please?”

“Sure. Stop by and talk whenever you want. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know about us.” He closed his eyes for a minute, and when they reopened, it was Matt’s blue ones looking back at me.

“Did you two have a nice talk?”

“We did, and you were right. He’s definitely rough, but he’s also sweet and dangerously sexy. I like him.”

“Sexy?! What makes you think that? What did he—”

He sniffed the air and let off a low growl. “He has no self-control, but he’s mine, so I deal with him. I’m glad you like him because he loves you.”

“Well, my heart belongs to you, but I’m sure I can make space for him eventually.”

When he heard what I said, Matt’s head snapped up. He held on to my face and looked deep in my eyes. “What did you just say?”

“I love you, Matthew Stone. Mind, body, and soul. I am yours if you’ll still have me.”

He pulled my face forward and gave me the softest, most gentle k**s of my life. He was so tender and sweet that it almost brought tears to my eyes. “Of course, I’ll have you. For as long as I breathe, I’ll have you.”

I pulled him into a hug, which he happily returned.

“Tesoro?”

“Yeah?”

“Just curious, and not at all complaining, but when exactly did you straddle me? This was not how we were when I left you and Logan alone.”

I laughed while burying my face in his neck. “Logan felt this position was more conducive to a good conversation. A very good conversation.”

“f*****g Logan….”