"She wants to go," Silver says. "We're not forcing her; we didn't suggest this. It's her own doing. You want her in your life, you need to accept that she's going to be a part of all of it. You can't pick and choose."
"He has a point," I throw out. "Look what happened to June when the guys tried to keep things from her."
"Whatever," Miller huffs and reaches for an open box of fried rice. "If this goes south, it's on you two."
"It won't go south," Silver reassures him.
"And you..." Miller turns to me. "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"
"No, not really," I admit. "But it won't stop me from coming, either. Cora's a part of my life, and you're a part of hers. So, I guess that means we're stuck together unless she chooses one of us."
"That isn't going to happen," Silver is the first to say. "And I'm not going to be the one to force her hand."
"I'm not either," I tell them.
Silver and I both settle our sights on Miller, the last one in question.
"Don't look at me," Miller says and shoves a heaping pile of rice in his mouth.
It isn't exactly an answer, but it isn't a declaration that he's going to be the cause of trouble in our sort of complicated relationship we have going between us.
The conversation dies down and the three of us eat our food in silence. I glance up at them here and there and wonder if I should say something, make awkward small talk or try to learn about their lives. If we aren't going to fight to the death over Cora and agree with the dynamic we have going on, shouldn't we try to get to know each other a little bit better? Or maybe I'm massively overthinking this and should just keep my mouth shut.
Luckily, Cora returns, drawing every single set of eyes in this room.
"Fuck," I mutter as I take her in.
Skintight black pants hug her body in all the right places and her top exposes the greater part of her stomach, showing off a bit of her bruised ribs. The top is sheer, showing her lacey black bra through it, but not excessively, just subtly. She's wearing boots although I could totally imagine her wearing this same outfit with a pair of heels on one of those nights that she goes out with June.
My heart stutters as she approaches, and I ignore the way my cock twitches in my jeans.
"Does this look okay?" Cora motions to her body and continues toward us.
Miller coughs, and when I turn toward him, he's pounding on his chest like he's choking. His eyes water and he drinks his water before saying, "Okay is an understatement."
Cora grins and does a little spin.
"We should go before I get any ideas." Silver reaches for a napkin and wipes his face.
Were his ideas the same ones that crossed my mind?
* * *
After we clean up the kitchen together, Silver drives us across town to a warehouse I've been to in the past, a place I’ve driven June's men on occasion.
The vehicle creeps to a stop, and I sort of wish that Cora and I were waiting in here while they went and did their thing. Not because I wasn't prepared for whatever gore they had in mind, but because I'm dying for some alone time with her. We spent the ride with her hand on my thigh, my arm thrown over the seat behind her as she leaned into me, her warmth making my mind run wild with desire.
Not just sexually, either. I'd be thrilled with lying down on this back seat and holding her in my arms while we both drifted to sleep. Anything to be near her would be enough for me.
But, if life has taught me anything, it's that we don't always get what we want, and right now is no exception to the rule—I'm just grateful for what I can get.
The four of us climb out of each side of the vehicle and meet around the front, Miller and Silver are obviously in charge of what's going on, even if Cora is the boss of both of them.
"At any given time," Miller starts. "If the two of you need to leave, return to the car and lock yourselves in."
Silver hands me the keys. "It's perfectly normal to get uncomfortable with what we're about to do."
I slide the keys into my pocket and imagine the things he could be referring to. Obviously, they're here to torture someone, it's not like I'm expecting rainbows and butterflies. I've accepted that they're going to hurt this man, otherwise, I wouldn't have come.
