“Did you slip?”
“No, I’m planning to rebel with shampoo bottles.” I roll my eyes.
The door opens and I see Chase’s silhouette on my shower curtain. He doesn’t open it, but I hear his knees crack as he sits down. “Thinking in circles?”
“Something like that.” I sigh. “How did you deal with this when you found out?”
“Not as well as you, I think. I actually fought Hunter. Told my dad he was nothing to me, had everything ready to leave the country … but I just … I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Hunter’s been the one consistent thing in my life for as long as I can remember. He always made sure I ate, even if he didn’t. Helped me with problems I had with friends, made sure to spare me from hell for as long as he could. I couldn’t turn my back on him.”
I rub my legs.
“You don’t owe us anything, but I’m going to be honest, we’re still going to be around each other. We’ve done everything we can to keep your name away from the organization, but …”
“But.” I nod. “My butt has gotten me into plenty of trouble.”
“I thought it was mine that you kept complimenting when you dragged me up to your hotel room.” He chuckles.
I smile briefly, then rub my forehead.
“I know you want to think, but thinking in circles won’t accomplish shit and you know that too. Hell, I’m not sure what youdon’tknow at this point.” He sighs.
“Tell me something real. Something to make this all okay. Something that will erase tonight from my memories.”
“Impossible, baby doll.” He says.
Just that nickname heats my skin as memories from the yacht cloud my head. How tender he was with me, even when we were fucking hard, round after round. There was always a gentle edge. Proof he didn’t want to hurt me, would give me endless pleasure, but never pain.
Tears well up in my eyes again and I sniff. “Tell me something.”
“I always wanted to be a superhero growing up. Like Batman. He didn’t have powers, but he had money, and I knew we had that to some degree. I wanted to help people, to protect them. To save someone and know that they’d have a good life.”
“Well of course, then the mafia is the first choice.”
Chase chuckles. “Obviously.”
I pull the curtain back a little. “What?”
Chase pushes my damp hair from my face. “Try a few more counseling sessions with Hunter and you’ll find out plenty I’m sure.” He takes my hand. “You don’t owe us shit, Valerie. But I hope that you’ll at least keep counseling. I hope you know we’ll all come to save you, even if you can save yourself.”
With that, he leaves me with my thoughts.
I groan. Why am I denying them again? Maybe we could just be friends with benefits? I meant what I said to the asshole who took me. I want to help people. And people are messy. Aren’t they just a consequence of life? And if we were thrown together … well I’m not saying I believe in the universe doing any kind of plotting, but maybe were meant to be around each other on some level?
It’s too much to think about and my mind is already so fucking cluttered.
I stay in the shower until the water is cold, then I wrap up in a robe and lay down in bed. I know Chase is on my computer, and I don’t really care. I just tell him not to delete anything and try to find a dreamless sleep.
But I dream about my men, about them coming to my rescue dressed up as different superheroes. Then it takes on an erotic twist. The “thank you” becomes more than a kiss. I pull at their suits, wanting to expose them, to touch them, to memorize their faces.
“Let her sleep,” One says.
Which doesn’t make any sense considering Hunter’s cock is in my mouth and his brother is licking my pussy like he needs it to live while Lief watches, palming his cock and waiting for his turn to join in.
A more intense touch rocks through me and breaks the dream up slightly. I blink and my men are here, none of them naked, none of them superheroes in disguise, just here and mine. Hunter runs his fingers through my hair again.