“No, he won’t. He’ll understand once he realizes we’re in love with you,” Gage says.
The word love echoes around the room. Ace and Cash don’t correct him, and Gage doesn’t clarify. Does that mean that they love me? I have to admit, I’m falling for them all. I’ve fallen hard, and if I’m honest with myself, I think I love them too.
However, while I hold that word deep inside me like a pearl, I’m not ready to say it back out loud. No one says anything about it, letting it linger in the cool night air.
Love.
I’m in love with three men. And I think they might love me.
Chapter 19
Naomi
The rapping of knuckles on Cash’s bedroom door rouses us from our sleep. Cash’s arm is slung over me, his leg peeking out from the covers, revealing his firm ass. He groans in annoyance at being woken and rolls over to look at the time on his phone. “Dude, it’s way too early for this shit,” he grumbles as Ace walks in.
“Maybe he needs help with his morning glory,” I giggle, still on a high from last night. But when I see his serious expression, the smile drops from my face. “What’s wrong?” I ask, sitting up.
“It’s the clubhouse. The Rusted Scythes have trashed it,” Ace says. His expression is stricken. That clubhouse is like a family member to them. It’s more than just a building. It’s their home.
“What?” Cash says, leaping out of bed.
“Was anyone hurt?” I say, hand clutched to my chest in shock.
“Thankfully, no. But they’ve ransacked the place, especially the office. I think they were looking for Eli’s information, but I don’t know what else they’ve taken. We need to go there now to find out what’s missing and assess the damage.” Ace is dressed and ready to go; I assume Gage is also getting dressed or will be told next. Cash is already up and pulling on clothes.
“Give me five minutes,” I say, getting up too.
Ace holds up a hand. “No. You and Eli are gonna stay here.”
“What? Why? No. I want to help,” I say.
Ace shakes his head. “You’re not coming, Naomi. Please, for once, don’t fight me on this. The Rusted Scythes could be planning to strike again. It’s not safe. Taking you and Eli there would be reckless. It could be a trap designed to draw you both out. I can’t risk it. I won’t risk it.”
While I don’t like it, I understand. “Okay,” I agree reluctantly.
Relief washes over his face, and he strides over to kiss me, holding my chin in both hands. “Thank you.”
I rush to my room and throw on some pajamas, hoping that Eli may not have heard anything last night and that I can pretend I just woke up in my own bed. The guys said they told Eli I felt sick last night, which is why I left early. So I’m better off going downstairs in my pajamas to attempt to keep up the ruse.
I follow the guys down the stairs, my slippered feet quiet in contrast to the thud of their boots. Eli is awake and waiting for us. He doesn’t look like he slept much with big bags under his eyes. He’s pacing at the bottom of the stairs. His hair stands up on end as if he’s been running his hands through it.
“Sorry, Eli, we’ve got to go. There’s an emergency at the club. You and Naomi need to stay here and don’t go anywhere,” Ace says as he reaches the bottom, cutting Eli off before he can utter a word.
Eli squares his shoulders and tilts his chin up to meet Ace’s eye, trying to be brave, but his voice quavers as he speaks. “No. Naomi and I are going home. You expect us to stay here after what I heard last night? You bought my sister to rape and abuse. I heard her muffled screams. You lied, you said she was safe!”
Oh shit. This is far worse than what I expected. Eli thinks the guys are doing this to me against my will. “No. Eli, you’ve got it all wrong. Yes, I was with the guys last night, but it was consensual,” I say.
“How can you consent when they bought you? You don’t need to feel like you owe them for saving us, no matter what they tell you,” Eli insists, shooting filthy glances at the men.
Ace squares up to Eli, and Eli shrinks a little. He’s no match for Ace’s size and bulk. “Say that again, I dare you,” Ace hisses.
I jump in between them, placing my hand on Ace’s chest. “Eli’s being an idiot, but he’s trying to protect me.”
“If he was really trying to protect you and believed we were hurting you last night, why didn’t he jump to help you then?” Gage asks coolly.
Eli looks at the floor, ashamed. “Because I’m a pathetic coward who keeps failing to protect my sister, but I won’t anymore.”
Cash weighs in, the calm voice of reason. “Eli, trying to protect your sister is admirable. But you’ve got the situation all wrong. We would never hurt Naomi. We love her, and we want to be with her.”
