I’m not a confrontational kind of person, but it doesn’t seem Stefan has a problem throwing his massive weight around.

“The lady is dancing with me.” He reaches around and grips Thacker’s fingers, crushing the bones against that gaudy ring of his. I take just a little pleasure in seeing the wince of pain shoot across his contrite expression.

“You should ask before touching,” Stefan warns.

Thacker jerks his hand free, shaking his fingers. “I’m not talking to you, piece of trash. Move out of my way. You’re nothing here. Why don’t you crawl back to your shadows and stick to the filthy streets where you belong? Otherwise, I’ll ruin you all. All I have to do is snap my fingers. Now step away from my woman.”

My brows rise. “Your woman? Thacker, what has gotten into you?”

And just like that my stealthy panther transforms into the hulking beast I first met.

Stefan pulls me behind him and in the next second, I feel Maksym and Tomas come up behind me. The three of them sandwich me between them and I know one more word from Thacker and it might be his last.

In front of me, Stefan’s shoulders rise and fall with his heavy breathing.

“You don’t want this. Take a breather, my friend. Walk away while you can. No harm done.”

Tomas speaks up from behind me and Maksym places a protective hand on the dip of my waist. “Believe me when I say nothing will make me feel better than to polish the scuff marks off the marble with your pussy face. Don’t push us.”

The men’s warning turns lethal and despite trying, Thacker can’t work his level of intimidation to match my three.

“Another time perhaps.” Thacker turns his attention to me. “I’ll be seeing you, India. We have business to discuss. Alone. Until then.” He fixes me with a dark look that has my skin crawling.

Stefan moves behind me and places a gentle hand on my back. The gesture is soothing, but I can’t take my eyes off the scene in front of me.

When Thacker melts into the crowd and everyone returns to their drinks and low whispering, all eyes on us, I take several steps backward. Thacker needed someone to stand up to him and it did my soul good to hear and see it for myself.

I inject levity into my words I don’t feel in the slightest. “I need some air. All the alpha posturing is clogging the throat.” I turn to head down a hidden exit that leads to the back of the house and the farthest from the guests.

Maksym gives me a quick nod of understanding. “Sounds good to us.”

Their proximity is more potent by the minute and I’m having a hard time remembering why I thought falling into their arms and bed was a bad idea.

All three follow me from the ballroom and I duck into a small study on the opposite side of the house from the downstairs library. It’s also the side of the house closest to the street.

“Is there a back way out of here?” Tomas asks.

“Follow me.” I take them through a hidden door made to appear as part of the wall. It swings open and when we are all through, soft dome lights flicker on. “This leads to the underground parking garage and where the valet no doubt has your car. It’s how my father sneaks out for a round of golf or two when my mother wants to go antique shopping.”

Stefan wraps his arm around my waist and I fall in step beside him. “Remember how I said we would get you alone sooner rather than later?”

“I remember the words ‘one more night’ were used.” I find Maksym’s gaze over my shoulder as I speak. His tender smile defies his hard edges and shadowed expression.

“Yes,” they say in unison.

“And what is your answer?” Maksym asks in a hushed tone. He strokes a finger down my cheek.

Is it too woo-woo to believe some outside force has brought us together? Math and science are my languages so I’m completely out of my depth.

That doesn’t stop me from feeling though. I have a good handle on how well they can play my body with a caress of a finger here and a look there. I absorb their presence and let their words from our shared dance replay in my mind. The emotions they stir in me and the need to feel each and every one of them under their touch.

We hurry down the back stairs and make our way through the seas of black Caddies and SUVs when we come to an abrupt stop beside a polished limo.

Stefan holds the door and I pause.

“Yes. My answer is yes,” I state confidently. And to be honest, it surprises the hell out of me.

Before I can question my actions, I follow Maksym and Tomas inside and Stefan quickly slides in behind me. He closes the door behind us and a pang of something to come hits me. A change.