Page 72 of Gilded Locks
She lifted a lace garter belt and laughed to herself. “Aren’t they presumptuous?”
The question was, which one did this? Was it a group effort or the doing of one brother? Her money was on Ash. It was time to get some answers.
She paused at the door, only to backtrack to the closet. Flicking on the interior light, she gasped. Rows and rows of designer shoes, all in her size.
There were definitely perks to living with three bearish men. They might act like possessive wild animals, but this was a sign they could be tamed.
Encouraged by their show of acceptance and gesture of good will, she grinned. She’d learn their language, their rules, their games. They wanted to possess her? Fine. But possession ran both ways.
Three dangerous men who thought they’d caught themselves a frightened little rabbit. They had no idea how far she’d go to get the life she deserved. She was done running. Done being prey.
She would mark them as surely as they planned to mark her. Stone with his icy control, Ash with his deceptive gentleness, and even Hunter, with his brutal need, she’d figure them out in time. Solve them like a riddle, until they were as dependent on her as they expected her to be on them.
As she walked down the hall, her mind went to Hunter. He was going to be her biggest challenge. He was too rough. Stone was too cold. And Ash wanted to be just right, but he could be just as aggressive and possessive as the rest of them.
Regardless, they were all hers.
No more cowering. She wasn’t going to wait for them to decide her next move. She was going right into the den.
Chapter 14
Berloga
Ash growled at his brother. “Your plan puts too many people in danger.”
Hunter held up a silencing hand and they stopped arguing. “Someone’s outside the door,” he spoke in thick Russian, eyes set to kill.
Stone stood from the table and yanked open the door, revealing Marigold’s petite form on the other side. “Looking for something?”
She showed no contrition at being caught eavesdropping. On the contrary, she lifted her chin and sauntered into the bear den as if she owned the place.
Hunter scowled. “This is a private meeting.”
“About me and my family. I think I’ll stay.” She dropped into the empty chair Stone had vacated at the foot of the table, meeting Hunter’s challenging glare as he sat opposite her at the head.
Ash sat back and rubbed his jaw. This was an interesting twist he hadn’t seen coming.
Hunter flipped the leather portfolio shut. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing?—”
“I’m getting caught up,” she cut him off.
Stone met Ash’s stare and arched a brow. Folding his arms over his broad chest, he leaned into the wall, close enough to overlook any notes spread across the table—should they come back out. When Hunter glanced at him, he shrugged.
“Do you think you can protect your brother by being here?”
“I have no interest in helping Jordan after what he’s put me through.”
“Why should we believe you?”
Hunter might not be convinced, but after everything she told Ash, he didn’t need further convincing. Jordan Calder was a piece of shit, and that facility he committed her to was its own crime ring. The other’s didn’t realize it yet, but once Jordan was handled, they still had work to do.
He would never understand men who preyed on women and took without consent. The world was an endless playground full of willing victims who got off on power dynamics. The waiting lists for their parties were miles long, and they certainly weren’t the only pleasure club around. But they were the most exclusive and private. Point being, permission came in many forms, so in his mind, stealing it was never okay.
“Will you be so eager to watch when I’m beating your brother to a pulp?” Hunter growled.
Marigold didn’t flinch as she held his stare. “I don’t need to see that, but I also don’t plan to stop you. How you handle him is out of my hands, but that’s not why I’m here.”
“And why are you here?”
