Page 77 of Overexposed

“What the fuck?” I glanced at Snow. “Does this have anything to do with that prick…?”

“Maybe, but Gem doesn’t think so.” She shuddered. “Even though he was lurking nearby to gloat about it.”

I wrapped her up, sharing body heat, and she didn’t pull away.

“One of the dirtier tabloid sites got your name and address somehow and published it online.” Seven actually sounded disturbed as he scrolled angrily through his phone. “Fuck.”

He locked gazes with his twin, but it wasn’t one of their usual silent battles. If anything, it only lasted a beat of time before he shifted his attention to Stella.

“You need to stay here,” he said, shocking the shit out of me, and if Gem’s little jerk was any indication, him too. “We’ll get you set up and I’ll replace anything destroyed.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she said, sounding so weary, it made my bones ache. “Really, I can go stay with my dad. It’s not ideal, but I need to check on him too.”

“As much as I’d like to say that would be fine, if they found your apartment, how long will it take them to track you to your father’s place? Someone probablygavethem your info, and who’s to say they won’t hand over your dad’s address too?”

Instead of answering, Stella banged her head lightly against my chest. I only knew a little about her dad, but what I knew was he was sick and took a lot of care. “We have security here,” I said. “You even heard it, remember? You staying here is totally reasonable, especially for selling the dating story.”

“Though we may want to get you two broken up sooner,” Gem said, “rather than later. Might take the target off her.”

Could be. It would also clear the way for me to officially date her. I could keep her shielded, then we’d have all the time we wanted.

“You can definitely stay with me,” I said. “It’d be a fun sleepover, and I have plenty of room for you.”

“She’s sleeping with me, dickhead,” Gem informed me. The coffee was ready and he poured her some. I nudged her over to the counter, so she could drink it. “Already decided that before we came back.”

“Fine, you can swap back and forth.” I was willing to make that concession. “It’ll be no trouble at all.”

“Excuse me,” Seven interjected into the silence. “Is Stella staying here as a guest to be protected or just a bedwarmer and fuck buddy for you two assholes?”

I frowned and I wasn’t alone.

“Hey,” Gem said. “I would never treat Slick like some one-night stand or easy lay.”

“Good, then we’ll set her up in her own room and suite. It’s not like we don’t have the space. Then if she doesn’t want to fuck one of you two losers, she can say no and not have to worry about where she sleeps.”

Yeah, it might not be Gem who punched Seven at this rate.

Stella cleared her throat, pulling all our gazes like a magnet. “Look, I don’t want to be any trouble or cause for strife…”

“Stray, shut it. You’re here now. Gem was right to make you come back. We should probably make arrangements to get your car and anything else salvageable.”

“She’s already here,” Gem said. “I brought her bike, and she drove her car. They’re both in the garage. I’ll get a ride back for my car later.”

“Fine, then let’s get the green room ready.”

“Green room?” She was still way paler than I cared for, but she seemed to be rallying.

“It’s the color palette for the room. Our decorator decided to do the rooms in color themes because, and I quote, ‘we are impossible to work for and don’t seem to know what we want.’” The woman had been very talented but not remotely patient.

Seven shrugged. “It works. Anyway, come on. Bring the coffee with you if you want.”

I don’t know who was more surprised by the active role Seven took in leading Stella upstairs to the guest room with us trailing after. Having her own room was nice, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t sleep in one of ours or I couldn’t go sleep with her. Right?

Gem had gotten a night with her sleeping in his bed already. That meant I had dibs on next.

The green room was not on the same side where my room or Gem’s was. Seven’s room was closer, but at least it wasn’t in the same hall.

She put her coffee cup down as she turned in a slow circle. “This seems like a little too much and…”

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