“I’m sorry for coming here uninvited. I’ve learned my lesson.” Considering I feel like I just got the workout of my life, even if it was thebestworkout of my life, I don’t plan on coming back uninvited anytime soon. “It was nice to meet the ladies.”
“This is not what I meant,” Mr. Volkov growls. “You know when I say to take care of someone-”
“Listen here,” I hiss. “You don’t like me, fine. I’m not in the business of being liked. But if you keep insulting Hunter and Chase … If you keep making them feel like they’re not good enough, we’re going to have a problem.”
Lief reins me in, pulling me behind him almost casually. I hear footsteps on the stairs as Mr. Volkov turns a worrying shade of purple. My free hand is taken and Lief lets up just for Hunter to twirl me into his brother.
“Father.”
“You bring trash into my house and-”
“Valerie is twice the person some of your grunts are. She’s bruised Lief, considering he’s training her personally, and she knows how to handle herself … usually.” Hunter gives me that look that says our conversation about obedience isn’t over. “She’s also going to help us bring Stefan to heel.”
Okay, new twist. Not sure I’m lovingthatbit of information when shared now.
“No one can get in a person’s head like Valerie. How do you think she managed to survive Sven?” Chase agrees.
Mr. Volkov looks at me with pure frustration, but he doesn’t say anything. Apparently, four on one are damn good odds. I look between my men and feel my stomach do an uncomfortable summersault.
They walk me to a garage and we get in their car. My heart is racing in my chest and I feel kind of gooey. That’s just from really good group sex right? That’s not anything more than infatuation, maybe a little affection, maybe because I care about them. It’s not … it can’t be more.
“We’re trusting you with this, Valerie. We’re going to be meeting Stefan Friday and I need to know that you are going to behave,” Hunter says, gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles are white.
“I’ll be good.”
“No, you have to be perfect, baby doll,” Chase says from the passenger seat. “Get in his head, but be careful. He goes nowhere without backup and has a quick temper. You saw what he did to Hunter.”
My hands curl into fists.
“No retribution for that, sweetheart,” Hunter says, eyes cutting to me in the mirror. “Hands to yourself unless they’re soft.”
“I’m not flirting with the asshole that hit you,” I snarl.
Lief rubs my knee. I notice he’s not wearing his seatbelt when he slides across the backseat to wrap his arm over my shoulder and stroke my collarbone.
“I’ll behave. Just because I escaped house arrest and had a fun game of poker doesn’t mean I can’t do this or that you shouldn’t trust me.”
The guys are quiet for a while. Chase and Hunter start speaking Russian which gets under my skin quickly, especially when they get more heated. Lief shakes his head and kisses my temple before whispering in my ear.
“They’re arguing about whether you should wear a wig or something else to protect your job prospects. Hunter thinks you should, Chase says Stefan already knows what you look like and that he can protect your online presence just fine.”
I hadn’t even thought of that. But of course, Hunter did. He’s as invested in my future as I am. Chase wanting to protect me from the paparazzi without making me compromise who I am. Lief translating for me so I’m in the loop. My whole chest squeezes and I fight to catch my breath. When did they get to know me so well? How did they somehow become this … amazing outside of the bedroom too?
“Pet?” Lief asks, turning my chin to face him.
I don’t have the words, not the right ones anyway, so I kiss him, slowly and softly. Lief answers with his tongue and I feel a little better. This kind of melting is normal.
When we get home, I go to the bedroom and say I need a minute to myself. I’m tempted to call Sophie, to try and figure out what I’m feeling, but I have a sneaking suspicion I know exactly what it is.
And if I’m right, I’m going to have to do more than fight for my freedom, I’ll have to fight myself. Because even though I complained about being on house arrest, I’ve kind of loved it. I’ve loved having all my men around me. I’ve loved the stolen moments where we’ve just lounged around together in pajamas, cuddling and kissing. I’ve loved playing around with them – using nerf guns just to throw a curve ball at them.
After that first week, it stopped feeling like a punishment and it stopped feeling like captivity. It felt like … a future I want just as much as I want to be a counselor. Which is terrifying. A career is reliable, people aren’t.
I think myself in circles, nearly text Sophie seven times, then get up and look in the mirror. I don’t look any different, maybe a little more flushed than normal. Maybe I have a kind of glow, and maybe … just maybe, I’m happier with more than just a promising career.
I text my brother instead of Sophie. I tell him I’m in a “Sophie situation”. I give him their first names. But I don’t even think, let alone text that damn four-letter word that’s teasing my mind right now. It’s flimsy, passing, and maybe it’s just because today’s been so action-packed.
Sleep is all I need, then I’ll be back to normal.