“I’m so sorry,” I tell them both. “If you like, I can suggest I go back with him.”
Ava shoots me a look. “Absolutely not, you’re staying right here where I can protect you. If they have to be in the house, too, so be it.”
“I can’t believe your father is alive,” Jenny whispers, sitting on the end of the bed.
“I was shocked, too.”
“And he’s dealing with criminals, that makes it so much worse.”
I nod. “I know.”
We all sit on the bed, and I take their hands. “I know this situation is less than ideal, but until this is over, they’re the best people to take care of us. We just have to trust what they say. I know that’s hard, but they’re not here to hurt us.”
“Because they took such good care of you,” Ava mutters.
“Ava, I know it looks bad, but we have to trust them. We’re not safe anywhere else. Jenny, if you feel safer staying away until this is dealt with, that is your choice.”
Jenny shakes her head. “I can deal with Backstreet Boy number one following me around, but there is no way I’m staying away from you. I thought you were dead. I’m not letting that happen again.”
I laugh. “Backstreet Boy ...”
She grins. “They’re pretty hot, aren’t they?”
“Hot assholes,” I mutter.
“So, is Jagger his real name?” Ava asks, crossing her ankle over her knee.
“No, it’s Johnny. Jagger is the club name so to speak—Johnny, Aiden, George, Greg, Eddie, and Rusty. They all go by nicknames, though, so you won’t hear anyone call them by their real names.”
“Oh ...” Jenny says, nodding. “That’s confusing.”
“It is,” I agree. “Just stick to Angel and Ace for now and you’ll be fine.”
“So that’s it, we’re now living with three hot, angry men?” Ava asks.
I nod, exhaling.
It’s going to be an interesting few weeks.
“SERIOUSLY, JAGGER, sleep on the floor,” I growl, tossing a pillow and blanket onto the floor.
Jenny wanted to stay tonight, so she’s sleeping with Ava, which left me no option but to sleep in my own bed with the man I’m trying so very hard to keep my distance from. He is refusing to leave my room, and considering there is no where else for him to sleep, I’m running out of options.
“I’m not sleeping on the fuckin’ floor,” he growls, taking his shirt off and tossing it on the ground.
I force myself to look away while muttering, “You wanted to come here.”
“So?”
“So, you sleep on the floor.”
“We fucked tonight, or did you just forget that?”
I smirk. “While that was a rather enjoyable experience, it still doesn’t change my mind.”
“Too bad.”
He reaches down, picking up the pillow and blanket, then gets on the bed and slides in. I reach over and shove at his chest but he won’t move.
“You’re an asshole.”
He shrugs, and I roll to my side, shoving a pillow between us. When the light is flicked off, I lie staring into the darkness for a long while. Just as I think he’s asleep, he rolls and leans over me, whispering in my ear. “You don’t really mind me being in your bed.”
“I mind,” I hiss.
“Bark at me all you want, act like you hate me, we both know you don’t.”
“I certainly don’t like you,” I point out.
“You wanted to come home. You chose that.”
His words anger me, mostly because he’s right, but also because I thought he might just stop me from doing so.
“You kidnapped me. You took me from my life. You confused my fucking brain. Then you just let me go. Don’t come at me and twist things further.”
“You could have spoken up,” he growls.
“I’m going to sleep.”
I roll over, and the room falls silent. It takes me hours to fall into a restless sleep, only to wake in the middle of a nightmare about Manchez. The dream is so real, I wake up screaming and thrashing, trying to escape the clutches of a man I don’t even know. It has become somewhat of a fear lately, a fear of someone I’ve never even seen. Jagger has told me over and over how dangerous he is.
“Hey ...”
A hard body is suddenly pressed against mine, big arms going around me until my face is crushed into a chest I’ve tried so very hard to forget.
“It was just a dream,” he murmurs, groggily.
I reach for him, desperation taking over. I need comfort, I want comfort. I know how fucked up my mind is, but this man is consuming me, and I don’t want to fight it any longer. I find his lips and desperately pull him to me. With a groan he slides his tongue into my mouth to dance with mine. We kiss until I’m panting and his body is heating against my own, his flesh alight with our desire. I move quickly, until I’m straddling his hips. His hard erection presses into my core, causing me to shiver.