We all go quiet, our eyes darting to each other as the manager slings her bag over her shoulder and waves to us. Once it’s just us, we all relax. Charlie is astute, and we figured she was already onto the dynamic that’s forming. She may not say it, but we aren’t quiet about the affections we’re forming for the woman we tormented in high school.
Part of me thinks that’s what it always was—infatuation. We didn’t go about it the right way because we were stupid teenagers, but we’re smarter now. And we’re all attached at the hip to Thorn.
We’ve always had relationship troubles. It’s hard to find someone who can handle all three of us. There’s always some sort of conflict—she may not be into polyamory. Our configuration is often referred to as a V. We aren’t romanticallyinvolved with each other, but we have no qualms about sharing a partner. This usually scares our love interests away. Especially when she finds out about what all of us are into.
But if Rosalie can handle Maddox…
The thought has the gears turning in my head. My own plan is concocted before my very eyes, and I smirk.
Roman will be harder to crack on his own, but this new Rosalie seems to love testing the waters when it comes to his patience. She’ll break him down on her own, and I don’t doubt he’s already weakening as the weeks progress. I give it a few more days before he caves.
As for me…
“I’m off duty,” I announce.
Roman nods as he fixes breakfast. “No shit. I’m still looking into Rosalie’s dad. As of now, there are no last known residences besides the prison he was incarcerated at.”
That’s not good.
It means he could be anywhere, camping out and waiting.
“Have you checked into his friends?” I ask.
Maddox looks up, his gaze flickering to Roman.
Our leader sighs. “I made a few calls, but they’re locked up tight. No one is saying anything.”
“Maybe we should try to lure him out?” I suggest. “If he were paying off her other guards, then we should start there.”
Roman nods as he flips some eggs. “I’ll get in touch to see if I can figure out their connection. I may pay a friendly visit to one of her previous guards.”
Maddox pushes his chair out. “I’ll come with you.”
I clap my hands. “And while you two handle that, I’ll handle Thorn.”
Roman snorts. “I bet you will.”
“Jealousy looks good on you, Ro. Rosalie eats it up.” I quip.
He shakes his head as Maddox flags me down before I can dip out of the kitchen. “Her glucose monitor is upstairs on her bedside table. Be gentle with her.”
I spread my hands cockily. “Oh, I fully plan to wreck her. There’s nothing better than morning sex.”
“Don’t fuck this up!” Roman shouts after me as I leave them to it.
I don’t have anything to worry about. Thorn fucking loves my goading. If anyone would fuck this up, it would be Roman, but even he’s becoming putty in her perfect little hands.
No, my interests lie elsewhere. I want to see for myself if Rosalie can handle all of us. Once it’s proven, Roman will have no choice but to pursue this. He can try to be as aloof and curt as he pleases, but it won’t stop the steadily growing connection between us.
I round into the recording studio, momentarily struck by Thorn as she relaxes back in a chair with a notebook open on her lap. She’s still dressed in that sexy nightie she claims is strictly for sleeping, but as my eyes rake over miles of pale skin and her perfect hips, I don’t think she realized just how tantalizing her nightwear is.
She brushes her hair away from her neck, exposing the column of her slender throat as she stares at her notepad. Every move she makes is eye-catching and delicate. She has no idea the things I want to do to her—how dark and depraved my thoughts are.
She glances up through her thick lashes, bright green eyes pegging me instantly. “I didn’t mean to throw you under the bus…”
There’s a teasing note to her tone, and I fucking feed off of it. I love a woman who can give one-hundred percent back of what I dish out. She’s fucking hysterical, and that’s my number one trait—someone who can make me laugh. Thorn isn’t short of disobedience and playfulness.
She’s fucking perfect.
