Page 65 of The Burnt Heart

“Fill this out, Miss Orazio, and I’ll have you feeling relaxed before you know it.” I clutched at it, blank faced. I knew my guys could see the shock.

“You organized this for me?” I waved my hand feebly.

“You’ll push yourself until you break. That’s what makes you so special. But we can see the toll it’s taking on you. So, us boys are going out and you’ll have the whole place to yourself, quiet, relaxing and hopefully rejuvenating.” Logan said with a boyish grin he couldn’t mask. Giddy like they had missed tending to me. I linked my fingers behind my back to hide their trembling. My heart thumped painfully in my chest. This was what I wanted. There was no more dwelling, no more talking to be done. It was up to them to show me they could be better, and they had learned from their mistakes. They had told me this, they were coming at me with everything, and I welcomed it, the bitter part of me dared them to try. Desperately I wanted their efforts, even if I wouldn’t admit it out loud. But this? It was hitting me in my weak spots.

“I’ve made you lasagna and a garden salad. It’s in the fridge when you’re done, and you want dinner.” Jesse hooked his thumbs in his pocket, rocking on his heels.

“I’ve set up that reality show you love, the one with the multiple wives, so you can watch it after if you feel like it,” Briar added, flinching like he’d considered reaching out but reconsidered. My skin ached, feeling the desire like a caress. Was there anything better than carbs and mind-numbing reality TV?

“I—uh—” My eyes bounced between them “Thank you, that’s… thoughtful.” I cleared my throat, dazed.

Logan stepped up to me and framed my face with his hands. “Anything for you, my siren.” His lips took mine. I knew he was taking advantage of Jonah being in the room, and I couldn’t even hate him for it. Devious, tricky men, planning this for me. I kissed him back, surprising myself with how needy it was. I had to break it off before I embarrassed myself, peeling away with a pant. Briar took his place, kissing my cheeks, forehead, nose with tender promises until I turned my lips up for him to press a soft kiss on those too. His lips were warm velvet, soft enough to make shivers cascade through me. I was stunned when he stepped away. The ease of being close to him was natural. Jesse didn’t kiss me at all, just nuzzled and wrapped me in a snug embrace. His teeth scraped down the column of my neck. I stumbled back, my ass hitting the massage table, and they didn’t wait for me to say anything more. They were halfway across the room before I called out.

“Where are you going?” I asked, curiosity wrenching control of my tongue.

“Therapy, princess,” Jesse admitted, all hints of mirth gone from his face. “Have been for the past month. Being apart from you was the wake up call we all needed to sort out the shit in our heads, we want to be better. Growing up the way wedid has messed us all up, and if we're ever going to make this work we need to face our past.” He flicked a meaningful look at Jonah, changing his words to make it seem like I reconciled. But I knew what he meant. My throat closed, imagining my three guys digging through all the painful parts of themselves. For me. What would a therapist say if I went? I shuddered, not brave enough to even think about it. Yet they had, so I wanted to know more.

“Maybe you can tell me more about it later?” I asked, slipping out of my shoes. They looked stunned but their words of agreement tumbled over each other. I don’t know why I said it, but it was too late to take it back.

“You know I’ll never turn down a chance to talk to you, Adelaide," Briar said. I had to look away. He kept his face so open and vulnerable it destroyed me. I banished Jonah from the room and stripped down for the best massage of my life. Ninety minutes of pure bliss where my muscles converted into jelly. I thanked Olivia profusely, my words slightly slurred, folding onto the couch. Jonah brought me over the lasagna, a plate of his own in his hand. Jesse had set aside something for him to eat as well.

“He’s an excellent cook,” Jonah grunted as I flicked on the TV. Trashy reality blared out, and I sighed, tugging a rug up over my knees.

“I could eat a whole one of these,” I agreed. I inhaled the meal, pouting a little when I was done. Jonah took my plate with an eye roll and returned with a bowl of sticky date pudding, butterscotch sauce, and ice cream. I groaned. Jesse was pulling out all my favorites.

“Did you speak to Lara today?” I smirked as Jonah’s head whipped toward me from my side eye. “Did she tell you where she’s staying?”

Her secrecy might have stung if I had time to contemplate it. Lara insisted she was safe. That was the main thing. Jonahscraped his spoon on the bowl, scooping up a drop of ice cream. He let the white liquid plop back into the bowl with an almost resigned sigh.

“She told me,” he admitted with a roughened voice. She was finding her heart in these men. I should be happy for her, and I was. But when my life was in limbo, I was greedy for her. She had always been mine. Now she belonged to someone else. I raised an eyebrow at him, waving my hand.

“Not happening,” he grunted.

“I’m your boss. You’re required to share these things with me. Right?” My lips curled. He scrubbed his hand over his face, a beleaguered action he repeated often in my presence.

“If that’s true, are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Jonah probed gently; eyes pinned to the TV. The flicker of the scenes reflected in his unblinking stare.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I stuffed my mouth with dessert. But the taste was too cloying, like the lies I’d been forced to surround myself with. I wanted to spit them out, to let myself lean on his silent invitation.

“I’ve been by your side for years. Watched you with your guys a million times. Even when you were bad, it wasn’t like it is now.”

“Things change,” I evaded, miffed that he’d noticed a difference and his lips quirked up.

“I haven’t had to stuff my ears with earplugs since you ‘reconciled’ and ‘eloped’, so I don’t think I’m wrong. You’re up to something and they’re so desperate to prove their love they’ll dance any tune you ask them to.”

I gagged, dropping the spoon in my bowl.

“Please tell me you didn’t just allude to my sex life?”

“What sex life?” He grinned, still watching the television. My quiet guard lifted one shoulder, but it was stiff.

“This is very unprofessional,” I sniffed. Reaching over to snatch at the bowl in his hand. “No pudding for you.”

Jonah muscled it away from me and shook his head. When he finally looked at me, I could see the raw hurt that ticked through his jaw, hooded his eyes.

“Forget that. Just keep me in the loop. You know me, boss, you can trust me.”

I ground my teeth, hesitating too long. Trust was hard at this moment. This was my life on the line, and I couldn’t let anything slip until I knew the truth. He shook his head, clearly frustrated with me.

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