Trace and Colin looked at each other in surprise. “Heard us say what, Lila?” Colin asked.
She wrenched her arm free from Gavin’s hold and wiped her arm across her eyes, cursing the fact that she couldn’t stop crying. “About a week after I got here, I overheard the two of you talking. Both of you agreed that you didn’t want me here, that I would just get in the way and ruin everything. Colin was mad because I was taking up all of Clay’s time and Trace figured I’d just get in the way and that I’d ruin all your fun because I was a kid, and worst of all a girl. I heard Trace say that if Clay had to pick up a stray at least it could have been a boy and Colin agreed and said I was such a baby I’d probably whine all the time and act like a brat.”
“Jesus Christ… Oh, Lila.” Colin reached out to touch her, but she shied back into Gavin.
“So I tried my hardest to fit in with all of you, to not whine or act up or cause any trouble because I knew that one word from you guys and Clay would send me back.”
She sobbed, totally done for. This last week had been an emotional roller-coaster and she was exhausted and so very sad. Not only had she lost Clay but she’d lost the three men she loved as well. Not that she’d ever really had them.
“Lila, what you heard were two teenage brats mouthing off,” Trace told her desperately. “We didn’t mean it. God, we were just two selfish kids who didn’t like change. Within a week after that we both loved you. We would never have sent you away. Hell, I can’t believe you heard that. Clay would have kicked our asses if he knew. Honey, he would never, ever have sent you away. You were his daughter.”
Lila knew deep down that he spoke the truth. She knew they’d just been kids mouthing off. But that little seven-year-old hadn’t known and she’d had a childhood of being disposable. She didn’t want to lose the best thing she’d ever had.
“Damn straight Clay would have kicked your asses. Just like I’m going to do right now.” Gavin’s voice was quiet, so cold and angry that she shivered.
Suddenly Lila found herself in the position of peacekeeper as she stood between a seething Gavin and the objects of his fury who stared back with misery on their faces, their postures ones of acceptance. What the hell? They were going to just let Gavin beat them up?
“Wait, what are you doing?” she squealed.
“I’m going to give them the ass-kicking they deserved years ago,” he told her intently. “Now get your butt inside, Lila, I’ll be in to talk to you soon.”
Did he really expect her to just walk away while they fought in the backyard? He stared down at her, arrogantly raising his eyebrow. “Now, Lila, or that talk will involve my hand on your backside.”
Jesus, now he was threatening her?
“Gavin, be reasonable, they were just kids. They didn’t know I was there. I know they didn’t really mean it.”
“They should have been more careful. And you were the kid, not them. They should have been watching over you; instead you spent your childhood with one foot out the door, expecting to be kicked out at any stage. Doesn’t matter that you’re an adult now. You were hurt; you’re still hurting.”
“He’s right, Lila,” Colin said miserably.
“Go inside now, honey,” Trace added, equally subdued.
Lila placed her hands on her hips and spread her legs. Damn stubborn males.
“No,” she told them all firmly. “I am not leaving until all of you start listening to me. It wasn’t Colin and Trace’s fault that I never truly believed that Clay wanted me—it was mine. It was my shitty childhood. I could have reached out, could have talked to Clay about this, but I didn’t. It’s my fault. Mine.” She tapped her chest. “So if you’re going to take a swing at anyone, Gavin, then it should be me. Go on.” She drew herself up. “Take your best shot.”
Gavin stared at her incredulously. “Do you seriously think I would hit you?”
“No. But I’m not letting you hit your brothers either. Besides, all of you acted like jerks when I left school. Are you going to beat yourself up for that one, Gavin? You all acted like I didn’t even exist. All of you refused to take me fishing, riding or anywhere and then when I decided to leave after college the three of you helped me pack. And now you’re wondering why I thought you didn’t want me here?”
Gavin stepped forward, leaning over her. “Oh, we wanted you here, baby. Ain’t no two ways about that. But we made a promise to Clay to let you experience life away from here before we claimed you. Yeah, we acted like jerks for a while there and I am truly sorry for the hurt and confusion we caused. The reason we tried to keep some distance is because we all knew if we let you close, we’d have you in our bed faster than a jackrabbit on moonshine. So while we didn’t want you to go, we knew we had to let you or you’d have been ours.”
Ours?
“Uhh, what do you mean ours?” she asked nervously as Trace and Colin moved in close behind her. Now she kind of wished she’d gone inside; they seemed to have morphed from angry to, well, intense.
“We, as in the three of us,” Gavin told her. “We want you, Lila, in our bed, in our lives, as our wife.”
Leaning down, Gavin kissed her and fireworks exploded. He pulled back and Trace turned her, taking her into his arms. His kiss was gentler but no less intense. By the time Colin got to her, her head was spinning and she was floating, as though she were on drugs.
Then the world really did shift and turn as Gavin grabbed her, slinging her over his shoulder.
“Hey, wait, what are you doing?” she cried out, wiggling to try to get free.
Smack!
She stilled as a heavy hand landed on her buttocks. Did he seriously just spank her?