“No sex,” January says firmly, pulling her legs from the pool. “Not for anyone.”
“Where are you going,” I ask. “This was just getting interesting.”
“Maybe for you it was. I’m going to get something to eat.”
I smirk. “I could eat.”
She frowns. “You said you wouldn’t hit on me!”
“No, I fucking didn’t.”
She gives me a small smile and leaves. I watch her go, her ass swaying in her tight dress. My anger at her re-abduction is still rippling inside me, a rage and resentment I couldn’t swim off if I stayed in the pool all year but there’s something else too. The knowledge that she’s safe, that she’s mine, that she’s all of ours.
It gives me a weightlessness that has nothing to do with water.
Chapter Eight
January Whitehall
Icheck myteeth in the mirror before I leave for the dining room. I’ve put on dark crimson lipstick, and I want to look pretty for my date—or whatever it is—with Eli. I’m wearing a long gold dress I found in the closet and I’ve piled my hair on top of my head. I’m a little overdone, but Eli told me to ‘dress beautifully’ and I’ve never seen him in anything but a suit, so at least we’ll match.
I tuck Zia’s St. Christopher under my dress strap and make sure it’s firmly in place. When I figure out how to access my savings, I’ll buy a gold chain and wear it around my neck. Eli’s ruby collar sparkles accusingly at me from the top of the dresser. It would look lovely with this dress, but I’m scared that wearing it will send the wrong message while I try to figure out what I’m doing with these four men. I still can’t believe that all of the Velvet House boys want to be with me. That it’s a possibility they would even entertain.
And yet from the start they’ve always felt like a unit to me. Like they belong together. Whether I belong with them, I’m less sure of.
I’m attracted to each of them, but they’ve also hurt me. Badly. And how am I supposed to keep any of these vicious men in line? Although if I didn’t have to choose between them, I suppose they’d keep each other in line. Like Eli does with Doc and Bobby does with Adriano. Maybe it would be easy to have four boyfriends.
You’re so greedy, a voice in my head snarls.You’re a nasty little slut.
It sounds like my stepmother. God, if she knew what I was thinking about… Then again, she gave Mr. Parker my passport. After that kind of betrayal, she shouldn’t be allowed to take up space in my mind. I give my hair a last pat and leave the bedroom. I make my way through the mansion, catching glimpses of my reflection in the darkened windows. I look different. Older and more serious.
I shouldn’t be surprised. The last few weeks have been like an escalator, moving fast and taking me with it. I’ve done nothing but look around and go‘oh no!’but the pressure and new experiences must have changed me all the same. Shaped me into someone I couldn’t have been if I’d stayed in my stepmom’s house.
My palms itch as I enter the dining room and find not only Eli, but Doc and Bobby sitting at the table, deep in conversation. There are laptops and glasses of red wine in front of each of them and I hover in the doorway feeling silly. “Hi, everyone.”
Eli gets to his feet. “January. You’re ready.”
Bobby and Doc stand too. The way they’re looking at me makes me feel like I did my makeup properly.
“You look incredible,” Bobby says.
“Yeah, thirteen out of ten.” Doc jerks his head at Eli. “You sure you wanna go out with this clown?”
“Enough,” Eli says. “This is my time with January. Leave.”
I expect them to refuse, but Doc swaggers out of the room without so much as a snarky comment—although he does wink at me. Bobby lingers over the table packing his laptop into a leather bag. Looking at it, a thought occurs to me. “Bobby, could I maybe borrow a computer?”
Bobby glances at Eli and a look passes between them.
“I won’t talk to anyone if you guys don’t want me to,” I add quickly. “I just want to check my bank account and organize things now I’m… Now things have changed.”
“Sure,” Bobby says carefully. “I’ll have a laptop on your bed when you get home.”
“Great.”
He flashes me a smile. “We’re going on a date tomorrow by the way. Nice and early. You’ll have to wear sneakers and jeans.”
“Oh.” I glance at Eli, who smiles benignly. “You’re not worried are you,bella? I told you we intend to share you.”
