Page 91 of Barbed Wire Hearts

“What do you all think?” he asks Wiley and Levi. “Does our little city girl deserve some punishment?”

“She does,” Levi answers immediately, a bit of betrayal in his eyes, but not as much as I expect. I realize he probably knew I was gonna run, knew from the moment he loaded up my things and brought them over here. He expected it, was probably even the one who warned Dakota.

I glance at Wiley from the corner of my eyes as he slowly stalks over. Sweet Wiley, the one I can always count on to have my back. He leans in so I can meet his eyes, his expression as bright as it always is. I expect him to deny Dakota the satisfaction of agreeing with him.

“Wiley?” I say, my gaze on him as he seems to debate.

He smiles, and I relax. He’s gonna say no. Of course he is.

“I think she does,” he says, and my eyes widen. “You cut me real deep, Katie Cat. You were just gonna go and leave us, after everything?” He shakes his head. “I think you need a reminder why you’d wanna stay. If Dakota calls that punishment, then so be it, but I think you’ll enjoy it more than you think.”

“This is bullshit,” I snarl, jerking at Dakota’s hold. “Fuck all of you!”

“Oh, you will,” Dakota promises. He releases his hold on my hair just long enough to hoist me up and throw me over his shoulders like a fucking bag of horse feed.

“Put me down!” I shout, beating at his back with my fists “Put me the fuck down!”

His hand comes down hard on my ass and a moan slips out without my control. My face flames at the knowledge that I’m completely flooded, that they’re going to know how turned on I am right now. Fuck! I don’t wanna give them that satisfaction. Bastards!

“Wiley! You’re supposed to be on my side!”

He shrugs as he follows along behind us. “I am, Kate. We’re all on your side.”

“It certainly doesn’t feel like it,” I snarl, beating at Dakota harder, but his hold never loosens. In fact, I think it tightens to make sure I don’t fall off accidently. “Where the fuck are we going?”

None of them answer, but they don’t need to. Within minutes I realize our destination is the barn. Dakota strolls inside, a few of the horses sticking their noses out to see what we’re doing. They duck their heads back inside when they realize we’re all friends, going back to sleep. Dakota stalks to the end of the barn toward the empty stalls and slides open the last door on the right to a large one. The hay is clean in here, pristine, and there’s a table set up with silk rope against the wall.

My heart squeezes. He’d fucking prepared it and everything.

Dakota lifts me from his shoulder and sets me on my feet before backing away. Levi comes in last and closes the stall door, leaving the four of us locked in together. I eye each of them, trying to figure out exactly what’s happening.

Dakota begins to stalk around me. “Are you wet right now, Kate?”

“No,” I answer too quickly.

He smiles, as if this is all a game. “Then take off your clothes and prove it.”

I scowl. “I have nothing to prove to you.”

“Maybe not,” he says, coming up behind me. He runs his hands up along my hips, up to my ribs, before coming around to cup my breasts through my clothing. I find myself leaning back against him as he leans down, his lips tracing the shell of my ear. “But we have something to prove to you.”

“And what’s that?” I ask as Wiley steps forward and presses himself against my front.

“That you belong here,” he says, his hand coming up to stroke my stomach. “That you belong with us.”

My thighs clench, and it pisses me off. They’re probably right. I’ve never been somewhere that feels as perfect as it does when I’m with them. But terror stops me from agreeing with them.

“You could get hurt,” I rasp as Dakota traces his teeth along my neck.

“Ain’t nothing more dangerous than we’ve faced before,” Levi declares where he leans back against the wall. “Every day, we could get hurt.”

“Yes, but this would be my fault,” I gasp as Wiley begins to trace his tongue along the other side of my neck, tasting me, kissing me.

Levi shrugs. “It’s your fault we’re invested.” He straightens and grabs the length of rope sitting on the table. “You stole these old, barbed wire hearts and wrapped them tight. You took ‘em whether we wanted you to or not.” He steps closer. “You looked at these scars and didn’t run, so now, we won’t let you run from yours. We’ll face them with you.”

Tears spring to my eyes and everyone pauses, immediately zeroing in on the moisture that suddenly drips from the corner of my eyes.

“No, don’t cry,” Wiley rasps. “We don’t wanna make you sad, Katie Cat.”

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