Page 210 of Protective Heroes

“And that’s not enough to go on,” Reece threw in like she needed the reminder. He stood and backed off a pace from where she sat next to Caden. He braced his feet apart and crossed his arms.

She inwardly rolled her eyes at his alpha positioning. “So I’m stuck here. Unable to do anything for myself?” She tried to swallow back the panic but her voice cracked and hitched on the last word.

“Is that how you feel, Abigail?” Reece’s expression closed off in the second it would take to snap her fingers. He rocked back on his heels and steadied his dark gaze on her.

“Stuck?” Caden’s broad, muscled chest heaved with a heavy, deep breath as he spit the word out and it hung between them like a live grenade.

Crap. She had stepped in it now. She was pretty sure if she could see her reflection she’d be a pasty white.

She didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. They’d done so much for her already, but to have all control ripped from her grasp—it was like returning to her childhood where control had been a fantasy.

Shame lowered her eyes to her knotted fingers. Her blood thundered in her ears and she inhaled to calm herself jittery nerves before speaking.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that, running off to Mexico seems a little extreme.” How would they understand? They had no clue about her struggles or messed-up life and she didn’t think now was the time for a session of couch therapy.

Reece closed his eyes a moment and a calm settled over his features. He worked the muscles in his massive shoulder in a slow roll, and everything in her reacted with a jolt of unexpected need.

Need to feel his touch on her body.

Need to have his lips on hers.

Need to feel his warmth.

It was pure, torturous pleasure to watch the cotton of his T-shirt outline the body she wanted to get her hands on.

“Abigail,” he drew her name out with a calm drawl, the quiet command pulling her eyes from his mouthwatering broad shoulders and well-formed pecs to meet his gaze. She bit her lower lip to hold back the smile that shined on her lips.

Seven

“Where we’re going Caden and I won’t have to worry about anyone finding you.” He sank to one knee in front of her and pinned her with a serious look, and all her humor dissipated.

“I’m more worried about why you’re trying to ditch us. Let us help you, Abigail. How many times do we have to say it? We’re not going anywhere and we’re sure as hell not going to let anything happen to you.”

Reece and Caden locked their gazes on her in a combination of hellfire and molten lava with ribbons of worry tying them together.

A small gasp escaped her lips and she sat back in her chair. “My knights in shining armor. You’re serious?” Both men rose to their full height, towering over her like two possessive warriors charged with protecting their queen.

The voice in her head roared for her to be serious, but for a fleeting moment she let that fantasy play through her mind and she liked it.

Reece bent, flicked the seatbelt she’d knotted in her hands to the side, palmed a wrist and hauled her to her feet.

“Serious? Baby, we could not be more serious.”

He tucked her into his embrace and slid his hands into her hair.

Abigail looked to him to find the heat burning in the golden specks of his eyes.

“I think it’s about time we show you how serious we are. Don’t you think Caden?”

“Fuck yes.”

Her lips parted and heat coiled low in her belly at their words.

Could she give herself over to two men?

Hell yeah, she could. She was doing this, but when this was all over, would she just as easily walk away?

Abigail took a deep breath. Either way, after today—tonight—nothing would ever be the same again, just like Caden had said.

---