Page 26 of Sinful Seduction

Chapter Eleven

Later that night, thethree sat close together on the sofa, with their feet on the table in front of them, not really talking, just wanting to be close.The flames of the fireplace had their attention most of the time.

Beau stroked his thumb over the back of her hand as he compared the difference in their sizes.“Will you tell us about your childhood, Jayla?”

She sighed.“It was lonely, but I had the best education in one of the best schools in the US, so I can’t complain.”

“I don’t care about your education, sweetness.I want to hear about the emotions.”

Jayla turned her head toward Beau.“What can I say?I was a child without a family or confidence.I was picked on because I didn’t have parents come visit me, and I always had security around me.”

Diego nudged her with his shoulder.“Did you have any friends?”

“Yeah.Tami.”

Diego could tell from the tone of her voice, it made her sad.“What happened?”

“After Christmas break one year, a few men came and packed up all her things.I never saw her again.I asked, wrote, begged for information, but no one would tell me anything.That was the only time I asked the director for help.I pleaded with him to help me find her.The next day, I got a note from him.He had checked on her, and she was doing well but had to go to school overseas.”

“No one told you anything?”Beau asked, angry.

“No.I even asked Finn, the head of my detail, if he could check.He tried but got blocked.I cried for days.Besides Finn, she was the only other person who cared about me.”

“We met Finn,” Diego drawled.

Jayla sat up a bit.“You did?When?”

“The night you got released from the hospital.”

“He was there?”She couldn’t believe it.

“Yes.You didn’t know?”Beau asked.

Jayla shook her head.“No.I wonder what he was doing there?”

“He was there for you,” Beau informed her.

“But why?He has his own life now.He’s with a good woman who hopefully will be able to have kids.I don’t want to mess up his life.I already took fifteen years from him.He was the only one who stayed the whole time.I can’t remember half the others that had been hired.”

Beau tugged on her hair.“Did you ever think he might just love you?”

A line of shock hit her in the chest.Love.She knew he cared, but she thought she was just another job for him.A very long one, but still a responsibility he was getting paid for.“No, I didn’t consider that.”

“I not only think Finn loves you, but I really think Joseph does, too,” Diego murmured with his eyes closed.

“I can’t even think about that.Maybe someday, I’ll feel strong enough to ask questions, but not now.”

“But now you have us,” Beau commented.“Use our strength and know we’ll back you no matter what.”

She tipped her head back to look directly at Beau.“You promise?”

Beau nodded.“Yes, honey.We promise to always be there for you.”

She tried to blink away the tears that stung her eyes and glanced at Diego.Thankfully, his eyes were closed because she didn’t want to get that ridiculous lecture about not crying again right then.

Diego sat up and stretched.The muscles in his back and shoulders flexed, defining his already buff body into someone people would use to sculpt.It was perfectly proportioned and solid.

Beau stood and pulled Jayla up.“Let’s go to bed.I think we’re all pretty beat.”