Page 48 of The Players

She closed her eyes and braced herself, holding back the tears. Bile rose up her throat and she stilled. What was she doing here? It was wrong; so, so wrong.

“Open your eyes.”

When she didn’t comply fast enough, Vince grabbed her chin. “Tell me what just happened.”

Sy pulled his fingers out of her, making her feel rejected and cold. But that was okay. It was what she deserved.

“Please, I want to leave.”

“What just happened, Carmen?” Vince’s voice was soft, and reminded her of that time she fell off the swing and he’d helped her up. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

Sy pulled her on his lap, his big arms keeping her warm. Vince got down to his knees, his eyes pinning her in place. He obviously wasn’t going to let this go. Fine, then. He wanted to open that can of worms? She’d give him what he asked for.

“I heard Franco’s voice in my head.” That should be enough to warn him not to go there.

“What did it say?”

“He called me a slut. And if you’re going to ask how that makes me feel, I’m going to hurt you.”

“No need to ask, it’s obvious. I’m curious though. What triggered that memory?”

Her eyes went to the trio. The woman was face down on the bed, with one of the men drilling her from behind. Her face was ecstatic though, even serene in a way. The other man was brushing her hair with his hand in a soothing manner.

Carmen swallowed. “She’s enjoying this.”

“That’s what sex is supposed to do,” Sy said. “If you’re not enjoying it, you’re doing it wrong.”

“Not in my experience,” she admitted. Franco had believed she was just there to please him. Not once had he asked about how she felt or what she wanted. Just like everything else in his life, she was a puppet, a prized possession in his collection he took out to play with when he desired. And had it only been that, she could have lived with it. But then he brought others into play.

A shiver took control of her body, but was soon dampened by Sy’s hot frame still cocooning her.

“Tell me about your visit to a club.”

She frowned at Vince. “Why can’t you just let this go?”

“Because whatever the hell happened there, it made you fear sex, intimacy. You were chalk white when we walked in. For a second there, I thought you were going to pass out.”

“That’s not true,” she objected and grabbed his hand. She wasn’t sure which of them was more surprised. All she knew was she had done it, reached out to Vince, even when she’d sworn never to do that again. There was no self-loathing or regret because she needed him, craved his touch just as much as she did Sy’s. It was amazing how freeing that thought felt, as if an invisible chain had broken, filling her lungs with more air to breathe.

In the wordless stare between them, she could see a myriad of questions in Vince’s eyes. Most of all though, she saw longing. It reminded her of the boy she had once been in love with. Or maybe she was just lying to herself. Maybe she had never stopped loving him in the first place.

She immediately shook that thought out of her head. This was not the time for a soul-searching mission. There was only one objective she had right now, and that was to feel good. Feel like a woman who was desired by these strong men, who, for some reason, had chosen her to be with. Tomorrow, and the possible regrets, would come soon enough. Tonight, she would just enjoy them. But not without giving Vince a piece of her mind.

Come what may.

“Did I not already make it clear that I want more?” Her eyes went to Vince’s crotch, where his pants were tenting. “Maybe it’syouwho’s feeling insecure and inadequate.”

That was a mistake.

Vince didn’t say a word. He just lifted her from Sy’s lap and hauled her over his shoulder.

She sighed as she hung over his back, viewing his tight ass. “Pulling a caveman move? Really?”

He didn’t deign that with an answer. Moving through halls and corridors unknown to her, he opened a door into a dim-lit room.

Sy was right on their heels, sporting a grin as she was dropped onto a king-size bed.

She crawled onto her knees, taking in the room and the two men who were getting undressed. Her mouth went dry as they sat next to her on the bed.

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