“Last night was incredible, amazing, and the best fucking night I’ve ever had. Rome told you not to read into the others not being here. Give them time to process what they’re feeling, okay? We run a multitude of businesses as well and it takes up a lot of our time,” Remo said to her.
“I have a bunch of things to do, too. I need to deposit the check from last night. I have a bunch of overdue bills to pay, and even food shopping to do. This money I made last night was a life saver. So maybe it’s best if I leave now and give your brothers time to process their emotions.”
“You’re not leaving. Tell me how last night was a life saver,” Rome said to her and continued to caress her thigh.
She took a deep breath and released it.
“Things haven’t been great for me, but now I have some money and can take care of myself better.”
Rylan reached over and grasped her chin. “You weren’t taking care of yourself?”
“I was struggling but now I’m not. Everyone has tough times.”
“We could help you with whatever you need,” Rylan said to her.
“No. No, definitely not and I don’t need anything.” She stood up and turned away from them.
“How bad were things for you, Rose?” Rome asked.
“I’m not discussing this with you guys. I can take care of myself, and have been for quite some time.”
“You weren’t doing a very good job of that at all,” Mercury said, joining the conversation with Falco and Slade. All three men looked serious and also gorgeous at the same time. She had it so bad for these men. It was terrible to have her emotions all twisted up. Did they want her here or not? She felt nervous, unsure, and even needy to be with them and absorb their masculinity and the safety she felt having them around. Even though they seemed distant, it was like her gut told her to trust them but her emotions and feelings of insult were making her resist her gut instincts. She wished they would resolve this and reassure her. Maybe they weren’t good with women and relationships after all.
“What do you mean, Merk?” Rome asked.
“She is thirty thousand in debt, plus behind in her rent. Landlord said you owe three months,” Mercury told her.
“Wait, how do you know that?” she asked and then she felt her face heat up and then anger filtered through her body. “You investigated me?”
“Protocol,” Slade said, arms crossed.
She was shocked.
“You made a few comments that had me concerned and the others, too. Mercury looked into your background for a few reasons,” Rylan said to her.
“What reasons besides lack of trust?” she asked and crossed her arms in front of her chest. It was difficult to act tough and unintimidated when six large men surrounded her and she wasn’t wearing any panties. She swallowed hard.
“That’s a good enough reason in itself,” Mercury said firmly, with his eyes narrowed and a look of superiority. Even dressed casually in a button-down blue polo shirt and black pants, the man looked like a shrewd businessman. A man capable of anything. She knew he was older, seasoned in many ways, but she felt insulted.
“Seriously? Meanwhile last night you ask me to trust you, to accept the strong feelings we had and then you do this? You go behind my back and start thinking the worst and what I may be after from you and you get a hold of my financials, my personal life? God damn it, Mercury, you’re just some rich asshole who needs control over everyone and everything.”
She started to storm off when Mercury raised his voice.
“Stop right there,” he said and Slade and Falco blocked her from leaving. She took a step back and stared at Mercury with daggers in her eyes. He was so distrusting. They all were. My God, how embarrassing. They know how much money I owe and that I’m behind on rent. None of it matters because I have the money now.
“I don’t need to tell you anything to make you understand that accepting our control, our rules are necessary, and we will take the time to make you understand. We have concerns that were recently brought to our attention, which is why we are just joining you now. The men you were keeping company with last night are trouble. Specifically Molokai Volupus and Weiller Onsanna. We were just talking to Graham and then a few of our associates. Molokai has connections to the men responsible for shooting Roman,” Mercury told her and then looked at Roman.