I pretend to be washing my hair, not wanting to engage with him. I wish I was as good a liar as they are and I can just act normal.
When his hands land on my bare skin, I freeze.
“What’s wrong, baby?” He nuzzles his face in my neck, kissing my shoulder, his hard cock poking into my ass telling me exactly what he has in mind. Fucker. He’s lying to me, and he just got found out, and instead of running to me and begging for my forgiveness, telling me all the truths like his sister told him to, he’s going to act like nothing happened and screw me.
Sickness churns in my stomach. “Nothing,” I lie. “You took a while, I’m ready to get out.” I turn and rinse off the conditioner. “Guess I will leave you to it,” I mutter, stepping out of the shower, trying my best not to give away the pain I’m in.
He gives me a funny look then captures my wrist, tugging me back under the spray with him. “Stay a little longer. I’ll make it worth your while.” He presses me into the cold tile wall, his body impossibly close.
I can’t look him in the eyes or I’ll crumble, so I fix my gaze on the water streaming from the showerhead. “I have some work I need to get done for Sloane,” I whisper, so damn close to tears it causes pain to choke up my throat.
His hold on me tightens. “You’re lying to me, something’s up.”
My heart constricts. How can he read me so well when I clearly have no clue about him? “Maybe it’s you who’s lying to me, acting like you’re into me,” I throw right back at him, so close to giving my snooping away. I know I need to escape his clutches before I screw myself over.
His head tilts, and his tongue runs over his lip piercing. “Someone feeling a little insecure this morning? Does my baby need me to show her how into her I am?”
“No, Cruz, I need some space.” I shove past him and grab a towel. When I hear the water shut off, I make a quick shuffle for my room, drying myself off and throwing on a bra and dress in record time, before heading into my walk-in closet for some panties.
Cruz cuts me off. “What’s the rush, little darlin’?”
“I have shit to do, Cruz.” I stare up at him, not sure how to get out of this mess. They all read me too well. I can’t hide my emotions from them, but I have to dig down deep and try. Because if I don’t get to talk to Sloane and find out what the hell is really going on here, I’m screwed. Her threat of two days to tell me isn’t going to do shit. They just don’t care. They have me where they want me, trapped with them.
His hand skates under my skirt, feeling my bare ass cheek.
I suck in a deep breath, trying with everything I have not to push him away and start screaming at him. If they know I heard it all, they will be likely to lock me up in this place, then I’m never going to free myself from this shit. I need to get out of here, someplace where they could be distracted and I could slip away. Like tonight’s club opening party.
He squeezes my ass, and I know he’s trying to read me. Trying to get some sort of reaction.
I lean into him, inhaling deeply to find my calm. Why does he smell like home and not deceit? Is my gut really that off that I can’t see the truth right in front of my face? “I’m sorry I was pushing you away, I’m just stressed. Sloane needs some last-minute things done for the game event tonight at the opening of their new club, and I don’t want to mess it up. It’s just so hard to do it all from here. I wish I could be at the club, you know. I just miss it, and it really would make things easier.” I bat my eyelashes just to sweeten the deal.
His lips drop to my neck, and he nips his way down to my shoulder. “Come back to the shower with me and I will see what I can do about getting you some time down at the club today.”
I push back from him a little. “Really?” I force a smile, nearly laughing out loud at myself. This is how they do it, lie through their teeth. I’m really becoming one of them.
He shrugs. “I’m sure Asher wants to be part of it as well. He lives for that place.” Both his hands slide under my ass, and he collects me up, walking through to the bathroom with me. “There will be some way we can get you there for opening night.”
“Jagger will never go for it,” I mutter, glad I had that conversation with Asher this morning.
He lifts me and impales me with his cock, pressing me into the tile wall. “You leave Jagger to me.”
He screws me like he always does, making me feel so damn close to him it kills me. How can I be in love with three men who are using me? How could I be this stupid?
Chapter 26
The Show Must Go On
IguessCruzhasmore sway with his brother than I realized because it’s opening night of Sloane and Romeo’s club and the four of us are dolled up and hanging out in a glass VIP sky box at the back of the club with champagne flutes in our hands. I have on a vintage black lace dress with corset-style top that cinches my waist and makes my boobs look massive. Jagger seemed todisapprove of it as soon as I plucked it out of my closet. I have been waiting for something worth wearing it to, and tonight seemed like the perfect event. Piss him off and look sexy as all hell in the process, that’s a small win I will take. I hate to say it, but all three bothers look undeniably edible. Shame they’re made of poison and would kill me should I take a bite.
This sky box Sloane organized for us has the perfect bird’s-eye view of the stage and offers the security Jagger required to let me out of the house. Below, the club is a buzz of excited energy. When I convinced Cruz we should be here tonight, it was my genius plan to escape them, but unfortunately for me, I’m more trapped than ever. This room has two security guards on the door and no other way out. The boys have been attached to me everywhere I go, flanking me at both sides with Jagger following behind. I can’t move without bumping into one of them and am starting to feel like all the air in the room is thinning. To top it off, it’s like Sloane is avoiding me. I mean, I know she’s busy and all organizing with all the last-minute things she needs to do, but every time I tried to grab five seconds with her, she told me “later, sis,” and I know it’s more than her being busy.
Asher takes my hand running his finger over his ring before he tugs me away from the view onto his lap. “Sit down and relax with me, princess. Looks like Sloane has it all under control. You can stop your stressing on her behalf. I know that’s what you’re doing.”
Cruz plonks down into the leather seat beside us, handing me a fresh flute of champagne. I almost cringe as I take it, a flashback of Valentine doing exactly that flashing into my mind. He tilts his glass to meet mine. “Looks like your hard work marketing this event paid off, this place is packed.”
“Romeo is singing your praises, and there’s talk of hiring you permanently to run their marketing,” Asher agrees.
I fake a smile. The idea should excite me, but it doesn’t because I feel like I’m falling further down the rabbit hole with no way out. I glance at Jagger; he’s on a call, pacing the other end of the rather large booth. Every so often he runs his fingers through his hair, looking agitated. The way his eyes flick to me tells me I have something to do with his frustrations or it’s that he’s scared to take his eyes off me for fear that I might escape his clutches. Fat chance in that happening. He’s probably on the phone to Alex Moretti working out how else he can use me to get what he wants. Fuck him. Fuck all of them. I’ve had enough of this shit.
