Page 77 of Four Times Taken

The guys stepped forward. Eric hugged her from the back, Ryan brushed a brief kiss across her lips, and Matt kissed her cheek.

"You kidding me? It'd be a dream come true." Eric nuzzled her neck, and she smiled from the tickle of his beard.

"So, it's decided then? The answer is yes?" I looked over her shoulders at her father, ready to tell him to burn in hell and take her and her mother back to the Airbnb tonight until we found somewhere big enough for all of us.

But she pulled her hands from mine and tugged Eric's hand from around her waist, stepping out from the collective embrace. The smile fell away and made way for forehead creases and pale cheeks. I could see her preparing herself to say no, and I cut her off before she could speak.

"Okay. Okay. I know I'm probably getting ahead of myself here. I mean, of course you're not sure. Maybe asking you to move in with all of us so soon is too much. What if I just get you an apartment?" I rambled in desperation.

Her eyes grew even wider, and she stepped into me, grabbing my arm and lowering her voice to a whisper. "I can't accept that." She gasped. "You guys have already done too much for me."

"Lily," I hissed. "Stop being stubborn. Let me help you."

Lily

His offer was tempting. More so, the part about moving in with them. Of course it's too soon. I'm flattered, sure. But we don't all know each other well enough yet.

They've been generous from the start; I don't know why I'm surprised. The sex was amazing, but good enough to begin our lives together as a five-some?

Their offer comes from pity, like all their offers so far. That's all I've been since they met me, one big charity case. A pitiful being whose life is in desperate and constant need of repair. This isn't romantic. Soon, it'll get tiresome, and when the sex isn't so new and exciting anymore, they'll realize they made a mistake. They're thinking with their dicks and their big, stupid generous hearts.

It's nothing for them to offer money. If things don't work out between us, they'll be fine. But where will I be? Left with nothing because I let myself rely on them. No, this is all moving too fast with them. It's supposed to be fun, but how can it be fun if they're constantly saving me? I'm not even sure I want to move in with Eric yet, let alone everyone else.

I don't want them to view me as a burden. My chest tightened at the thought, and I almost choked on my breath, searching for a reasonable way to reject their offer, even if they're offering me the only security I have left.

"It's the principle," I sputtered. "I can't just leave the house to him. It's not his. He's taken enough from my mother already. This is all she has left; he's not taking this too." I spun around, rage deepening my voice as I spat fire at Terri Thornbread. "You have to leave!"

"Fuuuuuck!" He jumped up from the sofa. "Your voice, it just goes and goes and never shuts up! You keep saying the same old shit, you and your bitch-ass men. I'"I'd rather fucking walk into a truck than stay in this dump, anyway!" He storms toward the door, and I froze in disbelief.

"You're leaving?" I gasped, wondering how on earth that happened so fucking easily.

"Yeah. I'm fucking leaving. I'd rather beg my missus to take me back and put up with her mouth than stay here. At least she gives me some pussy every now and then. Fuck!" He slammed the door, and I remained unable to move.

That was too easy.

"Well, shit. All bark, no bite. Guess he wised up and saw that he didn't stand a chance against all of us." Matt exhaled.

My chest hurt from the force of my heartbeat.

"Yeah, well, just to be on the safe side, maybe you should stay at the Airbnb for the night, just to make sure he doesn't come back and try anything." Ryan rubbed my arm as Eric led me to the sofa to sit. The cigarette smoke still lingered, and I hated that he'd ruined this couch for me.

"You're shaking, Lily. Say something." Ethan crouched before me.

My shoulders fell forward with heaviness and from nowhere, a spring of tears rushed down my face. He still had access to this house and access to my freedom. I could only hope he meant what he said and stayed away for as long as possible. Until when though?

"I need to change the locks." That's all I managed to say.

"Lily," Ethan hissed. "So I'm guessing that's a no on the apartment and moving in with us? Or at the very least staying the night at our Airbnb?"

"Don't push it." Eric raised his hand, gesturing to his friend. "We'll call a locksmith first thing tomorrow morning. But for tonight, why don't we get the security cameras up and running and connect them to all our devices, so we can all be alert, huh?"

I gasped and turned around. As if reading my thoughts, he continued, "Don't worry. I'm not leaving you alone in the house with that unpredictable psycho running around."

"Yeah, me too," Ryan and Matt chimed in.

Ethan stared at me with tight lips before letting a breath escape him. "I still think you should consider leaving the house..." He paused. "But I guess if you won't, I have no choice but to stay."

"I agree with Ethan though. Eventually, you're going to have to consider a longer-term solution. This man knows where you live. Even if you change the locks..." Matt started.

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