Because I’m that twisted apparently. Two brothers and their best friend. All of them are lethal and tangled up in a family mafia. Don’t I know how to pick them?
My phone buzzes again and there’s a text from Lief.
LIEF: You look bothered, pet.
VALERIE: It’s stupid for you to keep watching me like this.
LIEF: If I come over there, I won’t be focused.
He says that like it’s a bad thing. But I get it. I don’t know if I can possibly be in the same room as him and not be against him, on him, under him, or some combination of that. So I start homework. I can’t let my grades drop because of some almost-relationship drama.
The next few days pass like that. I exchange steamy texts with all three of my men and panic Thursday afternoon.
I have no idea what Chase is going to do for our date, but I have a feeling he’s going to pull out everything he can. He’s not expecting to steal me all weekend, is he? That’s a no-go. I need some boundaries right?
Because if I don’t have them, if I don’t have something of my own, space, distance, time, I’m going to end up wrapped up in them, and then their life is going to start feeling normal. The chaos, the bloodshed, the family business, and I won’t throw myself back into a life of violence when I fought tooth and nail to escape it the first time.
There’s a knock on my door and I open it slightly, leaving the chain on before I see Hunter.
“It’s after business hours,” I warn him.
He shows me flowers, then a curtain rod with a stuffed bag in his other hand. I unlock the door and let him in. He kisses my cheek and hands me the flowers. “I’m just here as a handyman.”
“Mad that Lief’s been watching?” I guess.
Hunter pauses in his steps as I shut the door and sets the bags on the floor before facing me. There’s something dark in his eyes. “It’s for your safety, sweetheart.”
“Yeah, if something is happening in my apartment, then we’re already past the danger zone.”
But Hunter stalks closer. His big body, hot, dark eyes, and the hungry way he approaches me makes the hair rise on the back of my neck, and need pulses deep inside me. I should be terrified, but I’m turned on.
He cups the back of my neck and pulls me close. “You’re not going to be in trouble again. We’re going to make sure of it.”
“Boundaries,” I remind him.
“Give me one,” He challenges, nose brushing mine as his gaze scorches through me. I swear, I can feel an electric current spread from just his touch. “Because right now, I’m determined to work on this stupid boundary you’ve set. Fucking curtains.”
“I need privacy to function.”
“So you don’t enjoy surprise visits?” He cocks an eyebrow up as his fingers push into my hair. “Don’t like having three men willing to die or kill to keep you safe? Three men who love satisfying you every chance they get?”
Fighting with him won’t do anything. I know that. Because he has the damn high ground after they got me into this situation. And I do like having them around, like their touches, their attention, all of it.
“No sex today,” I say instead.
Hunter’s lips turn up at the corner and he presses his lips to my ear. “Why do I feel like I’m going to have to make you beg to have me again?”
“One round of begging is all you get,” I argue.
“You’ve begged twice, sweetheart. For me, then for all three of us.” He kisses the hollow under my ear.
Just when I’m sure he’s going to kiss me, his lips nearly brushing mine as his breath fans over my face, he draws back. “Lucky for you, I have a meeting soon, so I can’t spend an hour working you up until you admit you want my cock buried inside you while you scream my name.”
Just that has me wet. I squirm and try to work on an essay as he hangs the curtains. But he has to drill the rods into place, which apparently means taking off his shirt so I have to withstand his sexy muscular body teasing me. Easier said than done.
I’ve written the same sentence three times by the time he’s hung the curtains. He pushes them open, and I try to focusagain.
I can do this. I just need to put on my big girl pants. And to get some space, maybe I’ll just stop shaving my legs after my date with Chase. If I’m prickly they might leave me alone. Then I can think instead of being wrapped up in my fantasies.