Zoe's Mates Read online

  ZOE’S MATES

  OTHER WORLD AGENCY

  Izzy Szyn

  Copyright © 2017 by Izzy Szyn

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

  without the express written permission of the publisher

  except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing 2017

  ISBN 0-9000000-0-0

  Cover Art:

  Iris Pross

  Editor: Angela Campbell

  WARNING:

  Adult content contained in this manuscript

  Not Recommended for under 18 years old

  “Zoe, your father said that the ribs should be done in about ten minutes,” Zoe Whitaker’s mom told her from the bedroom door. “That dress is gorgeous on you. I should take a picture since seeing you in one is not something that happens very often.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Zoe replied. “I wanted to try it on when I got home, just to make sure it looked okay.”

  “Are you sure that you want to go through with it?” Sandra asked her.

  “No,” admitted Zoe. In less than a week she was going to get engaged to Doctor Derek Barnes. The man who she’d practically been engaged to from the time they were in diapers. But Zoe was never sure if it was something she actually wanted. The more she thought of being married to him, the more nauseous she became.

  Zoe knew that most women in her shoes would be jumping up and down. Derek Barnes was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in Saratoga Falls. Women were always flaunting themselves on him, even when she was out with him.

  Then there were the rumors she’d been hearing. Rumors of him being with other women, when she asked him, he denied it. Said that it was just women wishing they could be her. Then he’d change the subject.

  Derek was the youngest chief of staff in the history of Saratoga Falls General Hospital. His father grooming him from birth on to take his place. Not only did Derek come from one of the richest families in town, he was not hard on the eyes either.

  “Honey, you’re about to become engaged to a man that you will be saddled with for the rest of you your life,” Sandra warned her. “You need to decide what you want. Don’t do something only because it’s expected.”

  “I know Mom,” replied Zoe. “But our lives together have been planned since before we were in kindergarten.”

  “Engagements, or in this case, almost engagements are easier to get out of than marriages,” advised Sandra. “He’s always been very polite to me, and your father. But, every time I’m around him, I feel like it’s all pretend.”

  “Me too,” admitted Zoe.

  “Has something happened that made you reconsider marrying him?” asked Sandra. “Or someone? Seeing the look on Zoe’s face. “There is someone. I knew it. Your mind has been elsewhere lately.”

  Images flashed in her head of them. “Not someone, but two someones,” admitted Zoe, knowing she could tell her mom anything. “Brent Taylor and Liam Barnes”

  “Brent and Liam? I didn’t know they was back in town,” Sandra sounded shocked. “Where did you see them?”

  Brent Taylor and Liam Barnes, left Saratoga Falls years ago under a storm of controversy. The two of them having been discovered in bed together the day of their graduation party by Liam’s father Dr. Derek Barnes, senior.

  Growing up, Zoe and Liam were inseparable. Even though Brent and Liam shared the same womb for nine months, the two of them were the complete opposite. Derek was arrogant, at times to the point that Zoe had the urge to smack him, Liam was fun.

  Derek played football, was president of the student council, Liam played baseball and thought the council was stupid.

  Zoe never understood why their parents wanted her to be with Derek, when she spent more time together with Liam. Things changed in high school when Brent Taylor moved to Saratoga Falls. The minute she saw them together, Zoe knew that her days of hanging with Liam was ending.

  “At Holy Cross Hospital,” answered Zoe. “Cassidy and I had taken a patient there, when Brent walked in the exam room, I about fell on the floor.” Cassidy Morningside was Zoe’s partner and best friend. They worked together as paramedics for the Saratoga Falls Fire Department. She also made it no secret that she hated Derek.

  Zoe also knew that Derek felt the same about Cassidy, at times demanding that she stopped hanging out with Cassidy. Something that Zoe absolutely wouldn’t do.

  “I would have too,” admitted Sandra. “What did he say when he saw you?”

  Just thinking about Brent’s bad boy smile, even his hair tucked into the scrubs hat couldn’t detract from his attraction. It was hard not to rub her thighs together, but there are just some things you don’t do in front of your mom. No matter how cool she was.

  “Zoe?” gasped Brent.

  “Brent?” Zoe couldn’t keep the surprise out of her voice. “What are you doing here?”

  “I was brought in to consult on a case,” Brent stared into her eyes. “Damn, I’ve missed you. I’ve got to go, but promise to meet me after you get off of work?”

  “Okay,” agreed Zoe, silently wondering if he was still with Liam.

  “Wait until I tell Liam,” said Brent. “What time do you get off?”

  “Seven tomorrow morning.”

  “Meet you at eight at the Bakery? Please say yes,” pleaded Brent.

  “Yes,” answered Zoe, flashing a big smile at her, Brent went in the direction of one of the examination rooms.

  “Did he say anything about Liam?” Sandra sounded curious.

  “They’re still together,” answered Zoe. Even though Derek and Liam shared the same womb, that was the only thing they had in common.

  Derek looked like he’d stepped out of Hollywood casting. Being raised to take over for his father, he was arrogant and expected everyone to say how hi, when he said jump. Liam on the other hand, was warm, sweet, had a killer sense of humor. His personality drew people to him without him even trying.

  It was always a given that Zoe would marry Derek. Their parents often talking about their future wedding, even though she was with Liam more than Derek. That didn’t stop Derek’s parents from pushing for it.

  Zoe started to spend more time with Derek, as Liam and Brent’s relationship changed. Openly bisexual, Liam was often told by his parents that he would go to hell if he didn’t ignore his attraction to those of the same sex.

  When rumors started to circulate around school about Brent and Liam’s relationship, when she mentioned it to Derek, he told her to ignore it. That Liam knew the ramifications if word got out he was involved with someone that was not female.

  Zoe discovered the rumors were true when walking across the football field, Zoe heard a noise. Going to investigate, Zoe was first stunned, then spell bound when she saw Brent balls deep inside of Liam. She tried to leave, she really did, to give them some privacy, but she couldn’t stop watching.

  Watching them, Zoe had to wonder how could something so beautiful be wrong? If she were honest with herself, Zoe knew she was in love with Liam and had a crush on Brent. After that afternoon, Zoe returned every day to watch them.

  Watching them made Zoe ache in places she didn’t know could ache. Her clit would throb, and her panties became wet. Her mother and father had been open enough about sex that Zoe knew she was turned on.

  She started to have dreams then, dreams of her with both Liam and Brent. Zoe knew it was crazy, people didn’t have sex with more than one person at a time. Did they? Searching the Internet one day, she learned it wasn’t as uncommon as she thought.

  She stopped spying on them, when Zoe saw a third person with them. Somehow, she fe
lt cheated on. Even though there was nothing between them, other than friendship, she was heartbroken. If they wanted a third, why didn’t they ask her?

  Swallowing her hurt, Zoe started to spend more time with Derek. Spending less time, with Liam and Brent. She tried to feel something, anything, for Derek other than friendship, but nothing happened. It wasn’t bad when she kissed Derek when she imagined it was Liam she was with instead.

  It was the night of her senior prom, that Zoe lost her virginity to Derek. When it was over, she wondered what the fuss was all about. She started to wonder if the people who loved it so much were lying. How can something so painful and uncomfortable could be fun?

  When Derek asked her if she liked it, she lied and said yes. But it never got any better. She never felt with him what she felt just watching Liam and Brent. She wondered if there was something wrong with her.

  Curious, she went back to the internet, and watched some online porn. She started to wonder if it was Derek that was the problem. When she asked Derek about some of the things guys did with girls, he told her only sluts behaved that way. Zoe wasn’t a slut, she was the woman that was going to be his wife.

  “What are you thinking about?” Sandra asked.

  “My nonexistent sex life with Derek,” admitted Zoe.

  “Tell me, have you ever drifted off while he you know,” asked her mom.

  “Oh my god,” Zoe rolled her eyes, laughing her ass off. “Mom.”

  “Seriously, he is about as interesting as watching grass grow,” Sandra commented. “He was boring before, but ever since Liam left, he’s become even worse. With Liam, your eyes always sparkled. When Brent came to town, I watched as the sparkle faded. I was tempted to kick his ass.”

  “The graduation party was something that I’ve never forgotten,” admitted Zoe.

  “I still cannot get over what they did to him,” Sandra told her. “He was in bed with a boy, it wasn’t like he had severed heads in the closet or anything.”

  “I think they would have preferred the severed heads,” said Zoe.

  “Everyone in Saratoga Hills still talk about what happened,” Sandra replied. “I still can’t get past the fact they tossed their son out like he was nothing. You’re supposed to love your child unconditionally. When I said something to them, they told me to mind my own business. I swear, if it wasn’t for you and Derek, I wouldn’t give them the time of day.”

  “I don’t think they ever accepted Brent to begin with,” answered Zoe.

  “Brent was the type of guy that mothers warned their daughters about when I was younger,” Sandra commented. “How did he look?”

  “He’s even hotter now,” replied Zoe.

  “Figures,” said her mom. “I know a few friends of mine that used to try to get him in bed with them. Not that I can blame them.”

  “Mom,” laughed Zoe, although she agreed with her.

  “Hey just because I’m, married to your father doesn’t mean I can’t look,” Sandra defended herself. “What happened after you each got over the shock of seeing each other?”

  “He asked me to meet him at the bakery around the corner from the hospital after I got off work,” Zoe answered.

  “I guess that was an offer you didn’t want to refuse?” questioned Sandra.

  “Yep,” agreed Zoe.

  “What happened, when you met with him?” asked Sandra.

  “Ummm,” Zoe wasn’t sure how much to tell, her face becoming heated, as well as the rest of her.

  “Spill it Zoe,” ordered her mother. “You’re driving me nuts.”

  “Liam was with him,” answered Zoe.

  “What did they want?” Her mother asked.

  “Me.”

  “About fucking time,” Sandra swore.

  “MOM,” Zoe yelled.

  “Sweetheart whenever I ran into them at the store or a restaurant or something, they always asked about you. I always told them that if they were interested they should ask you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. I think that they wanted you back then, but it wasn’t the thing to do back then. Two guys with one girl? Even now the town busybodies would get their smelling salts out,” Sandra told her.

  “They had plenty of chances,” Zoe told her. “I wouldn’t have said no.” Her mind flashing back to when she saw them with that girl under the bleachers. It still hurt after all this time.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Sandra squeezed her hand.

  “You do?” asked Zoe.

  “You’re remembering when you saw them under the bleachers with that other girl?” questioned Sandra.

  “Yeah.”

  “Sweetheart, I don’t think they thought of those girls as permanent,” guessed Sandra. “You on the other hand? If they had you, the three of you would still be together. Neither one of you would have gotten the education you needed. What happened at the bakery?”

  The minute they walked in the bakery, Zoe knew what was missing in her life. Them. It took a second for Zoe to realize that Liam was with Brent. Inside she was jumping up and down, her head reminding her that they left without even saying goodbye. But her heart didn’t care.

  “Liam?” It wasn’t fair, thought Zoe, that he looked even better than he did before. “What are you doing here?” A sexual hunger started to awaken inside her. Her pulse started to race, which was stupid. They probably just wanted to catch up.

  “As soon as you left the hospital, I called him,” Brent admitted.

  “I couldn’t stay away,” Liam admitted. Opening his arms, “Come here.”

  Zoe could hear people talking around her. She didn’t care, she was home, in Liam’s arms. The only thing missing was Brent’s arms.

  “Quit hogging her,” protested Brent.

  “If you’d really missed me then you would’ve contacted me,” Zoe refused to let them off easily. When they left Saratoga Falls, they’d taken a part of her with them. A part that had been empty until now. “When did you get back to town?”

  “A few days ago,” answered Brent.

  “You said that you were working on a case?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” replied Liam. “We were on our way here, when the call came through. It seemed as if it was a sign.”

  “You were coming here?” asked Bella. “Are you moving back?”

  “No, Saratoga Falls is no longer my home,” Liam answered. “But there was something we needed to get.”

  “Not something, someone,” corrected Brent.

  “Who?” questioned Zoe.

  “You,” they said together.

  “That’s not funny,” Zoe felt sick.

  “Do we look like we’re joking?” asked Liam.

  “But I’m with Derek,” she reminded them. “We’re about to become engaged.”

  “He can’t have you,” stated Brent.

  “But I’m supposed to be getting engaged to Derek,” she told them.

  “Why?” they asked together.

  “Is it because you love him? Or is it because it’s expected?” questioned Liam.

  “Why does it matter?” she asked them.

  “Because, you belong to us,” Brent stated. “You always did. Even now, your eyes are turning a smoky grey. I can sense that you want us. As much as we want you. As much as we’ve always wanted you.”

  “Bullshit,” she replied. “The two of you must think I’m stupid to believe that you always wanted me. If you had why didn’t you act on it sooner?’

  “Neither one of us were ready for that type of commitment,” Brent told her.

  “It didn’t stop the two of you,” Zoe pointed out. “The two of you left town without even saying goodbye. I was the one you trusted with your relationship, even though a blind person would be able to see that the two of you were together.”

  “After the party, we had no choice but to leave,” Brent told her. “The plan was to stay here through college, but Liam’s life was in danger.”

  “In danger, how?” asked Zoe.r />
  “My parents were going to send me to a place called Recalibration,” explained Liam. “They arrived at Brent’s house the next day. They had some people with them. If it wasn’t for Brent’s two dads than I wouldn’t have been safe.”

  “What’s Recalibration?”

  “It’s a place that recalibrates the brain to conform to normal society,” answered Brent. “People go in, but don’t come out.”

  “Why would parents do that to their children?” Zoe wondered.

  “As soon as they left our house, we left town,” said Brent. “I took him home. But we always knew that we were coming back for you. In between classes, we created our home, with you in mind.”

  Zoe wasn’t sure what to say. They created a home for her? “You could have called or something.”

  “Not from where we went,” answered Liam.

  “What, did you guys go to another planet?”

  “Something like that,” replied Brent. “It’s a place no one here has ever heard of,” Brent answered. “Liam and I lived with my two dads while we attended med school and built our house.”

  “Where is this supposed home located?” Zoe refused to admit that her heart melted at the idea of them building a house for the three of them to live in. “What makes you think I will drop everything to be with the two of you? You broke my heart when you left without even saying goodbye.”

  “The hardest part of leaving Saratoga Falls, was leaving you behind,” said Liam. “But it wouldn’t have been fair to you. You’re our mate, we needed to make sure that we could take care of you in the way you deserved. Our home is beautiful, if I say so myself. Once you go there, you’ll never want to leave.”

  “Where is this supposed home located?” Zoe refused to give into the warmth spreading through her that they built a home for her to live in. Nobody did that sort of thing. But it was sweet to think about it.

  “A place called Ravana,” replied Liam.

  “Zoe? Will you come with us?” asked Brent. “We’ll explain everything.” Seeing the look in his eyes sent shivers down her spine.

  “Please, Zoe?” Liam pleaded. Looking in his eyes, Zoe knew she was a goner. She’d never been able to resist it in the past. Why should the present be any different? “Please? I promise we’ll answer everything.”