Page 32 of Room Twenty-Three: Tangled & Teased

But the girl has been hiding in New York, lost among the millions of other inhabitants and the high rises. I suppose it’s the perfect place to hide.

In a couple of days, we’re flying to New York to speak to her. Find out what she knows about Club Sin or anything else that might help us find Bambi Costini.

“We should give Erin what she needs,” Beau says as we pull up outside the home of the girl found in New York.

“Beau!” Jove growls.

I turn to Jove, because I understand what Beau is saying. “He’s right. She doesn’t want more than one-night and if she doesn’t do it with us, she will with someone else. We can’t stop her.”

“Her father...” Jove says, but I interrupt him.

“She is twenty-one years old. She is only with us until she realizes her father does not control her.”

Jove turns and looks at me. “She’s trying to break free.”

I nod. “I think she is.”

“Where is she?” Jove asks.

“I haven’t seen her since earlier. I expect she’s in her room, probably planning her night,” I reply.

Jove growls. He knows he can’t stop her. She’s an adult. Yes, under our protection, but we can’t stop her from exploring. We brought her to New Orleans, thinking it was safe for her. But if she gives herself over to another man for the night, will it be safe for us?

“Okay,” Jove says.

Beau and I stare at him. There’s an unusual swallow rippling down Jove’s neck. Normally, his strict discipline makes him adamant about his choices in life.

“Okay?” I parrot.

Jove nods. “We’ll ask if she’d prefer us to join her.”

The corners of my mouth turn up because I can’t keep them down. “Yes... let’s talk to her.”

Later that day, the three of us stand outside her bedroom door, looking at each other as Beau raises his hand and knocks on the door.

“Yeah,” her sweet voice answers as her feet pad over the wooden flooring before she opens the door. Her mouth is ajar as her eyes flit between the three of us, wondering what we want without asking.

“We have a proposal for you,” Jove says. He is too fucking business minded; he needs to chill a little and let this flow rather than make it out to be something he would agree in a boardroom, not a bedroom.

“Okay.”

Jove nods to her bed. “Sit.”

Erin doesn’t argue with his stern tone. She keeps her eyes on us as she backs to the bed, sits down, and waits.

“We’ll go into the room at Club Sin with you,” Jove says.

“And watch me? No way. That’s perverse. It’s...” she blabbers.

“I mean. We will be the ones who will bind you. The men who give you what you want,” Jove interrupts.

Her mouth opens wide for a moment before it clamps shut. She swallows, before she says, “You’ll tie me up?”

“And more Erin. If we do this, we want more. You need to trust us implicitly, and let go of your power and give yourself to us.”

She chews her lip as she glances between us.

“How much more?” she whispers.

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