A glint of light shines in my eyes from below, and I turn my head to search. “Is that a gun?”
Luke glances down as if he forgot he’s holding a loaded weapon. “Yeah,” he answers composed.
“Did you expect us to show up without some kind of protection?” Hunter asks with a hint of humor in his tone.
“I didn’t expect you to show up at all,” I grumble, “and I never thought I’d see a computer nerd carry a gun.” My comment is out of place, but I need some light amidst all this dark chaos.
Luke leans over and pinches my butt.
“Ouch!” I level him with a harsh glare.
“Brat,” he growls back.
As the elevator doors slide apart, the revealed grandeur makes my jaw drop. The high ceilings, the marble floors, the luxurious furnishings, and the floor-to-ceiling windows. The kitchen sink alone is worth more than everything in my apartment combined.
Wandering in ahead of Hunter, Rory, and Luke, I run my hand over the smooth countertops in the kitchen, admire the view of Manhattan from the window, and gawk at the hot tub on the terrace. I’m afraid to do more because everything looks so clean. I feel as if I touch the white couch, I’ll somehow spread dirt all over the fabric.
I shouldn’t be here. I don’t belong here.
Withdrawing my hand, I turn to face them. “This is too much.”
Rory shrugs. “I was going to say that it’s not enough.”
Reminding them as if they forgot, I say, “I’m your employee. I don’t know of another boss who would do this for someone who works for them.”
Hunter steps forward. “You’re much more than that, Heartbreaker, and you know it.”
There’s a shift happening, one that I’ve been ignoring. Change is supposed to be a good thing. So why do I feel like my stomach is twisted in knots?
My brows furrow, masking my nausea. “Do I?”
“If you don’t by now, then we haven’t done a good job of showing you what you mean to us.” Luke crosses his arms.
My eyes bounce around, studying each of their faces. I expect to see a hint of doubt or regret, but there’s none. Instead, I find resolution.
“This will never work.” I shake my head, taking a step back.
They seem to be done with the small distance between us as they rush to surround me.
Hunter stands in front of me. “You won’t know unless you try.”
I hate that he’s right.
Am I willing to try? I guess. But I know that I can’t walk away. There’s something about these men that makes it impossible for me to resist them.
With a heavy sigh, I nod my head.
Rory lights up next to me. “Is that a yes?”
I nod my head again, a slight curve of my lips. “I don’t know if this means I’m crazy or you three are the ones who are out of their minds.”
“Would it be so bad if we all were?” Luke speaks up on my other side, tilting his head.
Rory takes my hand, guiding me up the simple yet elegant staircase. Luke and Hunter follow behind.
Rory’s so giddy that I wouldn’t be surprised if he floated away on a cloud. “We’ll give you the grand tour after you get some sleep. For now, let me show you to your room.”
Oh, yeah. A bed. I may have agreed to see if this thing between us will work, but I’m not ready to take that step.
