Page 47 of Gilded Caresses

Spread between all three I feel wanted. Welcomed. Even sought after.

“We never thought we could fall for a Constantine, but here you are and I can’t get enough of you in our arms.”

I hear their unspoken words as well. I think I’m falling too. Not just in lust, but in love.

“I had no idea you even knew I existed before The Society.”

“We noticed. We just had to wait until the time was right.”

It’s surreal to think about. Our attraction started two years ago and now I’m having the enemy’s baby.

“Take me to bed.”

I’m in their arms and we move through Gregor’s condo. Tonight is about us. No goal. Just learning each other’s wants and desires and right now I desire nothing more than to be here with them.

Tomorrow’s problems can be for tomorrow.

Fourteen

Sapphire

The last two days have been a whirlwind of passion and fire. I don’t know how long we just stayed in bed. They’d make love to me until we fell into a heap of exhaustion. Sometimes all three of them or sometimes just one while the others watched.

It was a dream.

But now it is over and I need to face the consequences of my actions.

I pace in front of the window. First left then right. The plush carpet softens my footfalls. I have no nails left to bite and if I have to spend another day in an oversized T-shirt, I will lose my cool with these men.

I need to reach out before Harlon sends runners for me. I’ve hidden long enough. They’ll think I’ve run off with Riot’s money before too long. What if they didn’t find my note?

I lean my forehead against the window. One long breath in, and then out. In all the ruckus I dropped my phone and all access to reaching out.

All the men are in Elyah’s penthouse with Elyah his father. Something they do daily at this time. I’ve asked to join but I don’t think they’ve filled him in on my bloodline or our agreement, so that makes me a pregnant kidnapped dirty secret they don’t want anyone to know about yet.

Before they snatched me off the streets and brought me to their side of the city, I didn’t have time to process a lot of information. Like the fact they had a fourth friend I didn’t learn about until last night over pizza. When I asked, I got the abridged version of a deeper story I got the sense none of them wanted to share.

There are pictures of him on a few tables. Handsome with black hair and the bluest eyes. Almost the same shade as mine. I pick up a silver frame from a small table at the end of the sofa. He has to be in his early thirties. His arms are slung over Gregor and Lev’s shoulders with Elyah being the one to hold up the phone for the picture at the end of the group.

Big badass mafia men taking a moment for a selfie. I can’t imagine many people getting to see the non-scary human side of the Southern Alliance.

I’ve tried getting them to talk to me about the scars but I think the three of them think they’ll be weak if they share. Maybe in time. I can see Lev’s resolve weakening.

I take the same path I traveled yesterday. I start in the living room and make my way through the kitchen. This time when I get to Gregor’s bedroom I slip into my laundered clothes.

I fall onto the sofa and press my hands over my face. I’m not a prisoner. They made that clear. But Elyah wants me to give him a few days to reach out to the men of Genesis. I know he’s trying to do the right thing, but it won’t work. I know my cousin. He won’t listen. Not unless it comes from me.

I flick on the TV to help drown out my rambling thoughts. Usually, I click past the evening news, but I stop cold when I see my face on the large screen.

“...missing for nearly three days. If anyone has seen this woman, please alert local authorities.”

I drown out the rest of the broadcast. What I am seeing is because of Belle. Harlon handles everything in-house while Belle prefers to do things legally when she can. It’s one of their ongoing arguments. She’s gone to the police and Harlon will order a contract out for me.

I am pushing the down button on the elevator before I can talk myself out of what I have to do. This has gone on long enough and I am not about to let anyone get hurt because of me. They are probably upstairs right now sharing a bottle of vodka and talking over strategy.

It won’t work. On the flip side, Harlon has every right to think the worst of me. The knot in my stomach grows bigger making me feel ill.

As soon as the elevator dings, I head straight to the counter. “Excuse me, would you call me a cab please?”

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