Being around money hadn’t sapped Leo and Spencer of their human empathy yet. But Dom pulled the pursestrings. And it had gone to her head, just like every other rich asshole I’d met in my life.
Sick of pacing, I plopped down on the bed, pulling the heavy down duvet over my shoulders as I rolled onto my side. My heart was still thundering in my chest, my limbs weighted with residual adrenaline — but as uneasy as I felt, it still beat being trapped in Gabriel’s sterile, modern high-rise.
Gabe.
My body tensed at the thought of him and what he might be doing right now, of the punishment awaiting me when I finally saw him again.
But I couldn’t deal with the consequences of this night before it had even ended. Now, I needed rest. Regret — a plan — would have to wait until the morning.
Still, as I closed my eyes to the dark room, it was hard to imagine what the bright light of day would look like. Maybe it was presumptive to think I’d even see it. After all, I still didn’t know my “saviors.”
Had they really rescued me out of the goodness of their hearts, or did they, like seemingly everyone else in my life, have more nefarious intentions than I could see?
8
KIERA
Despite how difficultit was to fall asleep staring up at the vaulted ceilings of this massive bedroom, I managed to sleep well. The room was pitch black at night, and the sound of late-fall crickets crept in through the old windows like a familiar lullaby.
But as I looked around the room, I realized in the light of day just how insane this room was. Despite the delicious grilled cheese and the sobering motorcycle ride the night before, I’d still been out of it by the time I was crawling into this plush bed. So out of it, in fact, that I’d fallen asleep in my clothes.
Yawning, I tossed my legs over the side of the bed and rose from the mattress. It felt like staying in a luxury hotel. The sheets had been made perfectly, the corners tucked in like the room had been turned over just hours before I arrived.
Like they knew I was coming.
Shaking my head, I looked around the room. On the dresser by the door, my eyes caught on a stack of folded clothes.
Muttering to myself, I stepped closer. “What the fuck.”
I reached into the pile, unfolding the tannish-green t-shirt on top. It was oversized: just the way I liked. I threw it on after Istripped off my sheer, black button up from the night before. A waft of warm wood, leather, and tobacco rushed to my nose.
Then I grabbed the pair of jeans underneath. Checking the tag, my brows furrowed as I read the sizing.
Spot on.
I guess these women have good eyes for bodies.
I felt my chest tighten at the thought, the idea that they’d been observing my hips making my face flush. A part of me was a little surprised they had clothes my size. It wasn’t everyday that I could walk into a friend’s closet and borrow their stuff. But then again, they were built and, from the looks of it, mostly shopped in the men's section.
But these clothes hadn’t been here when I’d fallen asleep. Which meant someone had snuck inside and placed them there.
And why did these three strangers have a supply of extra clothes for guests when the nasty one — Dom, was it? — seemed to keep the place shuttered to new arrivals? A part of me wished that I’d bitten back, that I’d put her in her place before she ever got the idea that I could be walked all over.
But if I’d learned anything from being around Gabe and the rich assholes my mother had dated, it was that theyhatedbeing put in their place. At least in front of other people.
And frankly, I needed this halfway house. Even if I hated the owner.
Dressed, I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and turned off Do Not Disturb, allowing a tidal wave of texts and missed calls to bombard my home screen.
Over a dozen calls from Mom: her boyfriend must’ve been busy.
“Ugh.” I tucked the phone into my pocket and looked out the window onto the manicured lawns outside. In broad daylight, the property was even more impressive. The distraction ofconsidering how high their landscaping bill must be only helped for a moment.
Gabe had gotten to my mother already, must’ve called her when I didn’t come back to his place last night.
I’d already been dodging her calls, trying desperately not to meet her new boyfriend. She claimed he was a real gem, a nice guy who wanted to take care of her. But after years of complete and utter duds, I knew better than to trust her taste.
Still, Gabe knew how to needle a weak spot. And despite my best efforts to cut off my mother, I still cared about her. At least most days I did.
