“You’re not pissed at her, are you?”
“I was, but then Seno went to go see her last night at work. We didn’t want her walking out on her own so late at night.”
“And?” Vin asked, leaning back in his chair.
“Seno was upset when he got home last night. It seems that Ellie’s ex started texting and calling her. She was supposed to stop in here this morning to fill out some paperwork for an order of protection.”
Vin sat forward in his seat. “No way. Shit, that’s scary.”
“You’re telling me. Whatever happened between her and this ex must have really been terrible. It’s why she’s resistant to us.”
“It’s why she’s been resistant to dating anyone, Justice,” Vin said and then looked away from him.
Justice knew that look. Vin knew something.
“Okay, what do you know?”
“Me?” Vin pointed to his own chest.
“Yes, you. I know that look. Did Moira confide in you?”
“Hey, I can’t divulge any information Moira may or may not have shared with me in confidence about the woman you and your brothers have your hearts set on bedding.”
“Hey, first of all, this is more than just about ‘bedding,’ Ellie. You know that, so don’t even go there.”
“How do I know that?”
“Because you and your brothers have been our best friends for years. When have you ever seen the four of us so in tune and interested in the same woman?”
Vin stared at Justice. “Okay, never.”
“I rest my case.”
“I’m still not going to break a promise.”
“Why, because you’re afraid Moira will stop sleeping with you and your brothers?”
“First of all, we haven’t taken our relationship to that level yet.”
Justice raised his eyebrows at Vin. “The three of you have not taken her to bed yet?”
“No, and to be honest, without breaking any sort of confidentiality clause between myself and Moira, she is hesitant to take our relationship to that level yet because of what happened to Ellie.”
Justice ground hid teeth and sat forward in his seat. He looked around them to be sure no one could hear.
“It’s that bad?”
“Listen, I didn’t get the details, just bits and pieces from Moira that indicate the situation was intense and very scary for all of them. I do know that Ellie wound up in the hospital for weeks. She was in counseling up to a month ago. Moira, Donella, and Jessie needed to talk to someone, too. Those four women are close.”
Justice rubbed his chin and whispered to Vin. “What do my brothers and I do to help her to see that we would never hurt her, and that she can trust us?”
Vin took a deep breath and then released it.
“I guess all you can do is be patient. If you really care about her, that trust will come. The desire and attraction will be so strong, none of the other stuff will be as powerful.”
“God, I want to know what happened to her.” He glanced at the computer screen.
Vin sat forward. “Don’t do it. Don’t look up the case, or Ellie will find out, and that trust you’re trying so hard to build will explode in your face.”