“What? You don’t like rats.”
He grimaced. “Not particularly. But I suppose I have no real objection to you keeping one.”
“Why, thank you, Your Majesty,” she said mockingly.
“Could you keep it in its cage though?”
“He has a name. Roger. And he doesn’t have a cage. Roger is a free spirit.”
“Wonderful,” he muttered. Then he turned his attention back to her. “So, what do your dreams have to do with breaking into our castle? Is it your life-long dream to become a thief?”
Great. She’d thought Roger had distracted him. But she didn’t have that sort of luck. “Of course not, I’m trying to escape this life.”
“You are? You wish to leave here?”
She sighed. “Look, I love my brother. It would devastate me to leave him. But I have nothing else here. There’s nothing for me here. Carlin is so worried about someone harming me he’s wrapped me up in cotton. He’s smothering me.”
Joe was still for a moment. “His protection isn’t allowing you to breathe.”
“No.” She felt a little relieved that he understood. That she had someone to talk to. “I haven’t got any friends because there’s no one he trusts around me, except for a few of his top men. He won’t let me do anything out of fear. I can’t even buy my own fucking underwear. One of the women here does it. I’m his only family. He feels responsible for me. He loves me.” Even she heard the surprise in her voice. She shook her head. “I know he does. But he shows his love with his protection. I’m the chink in his armor, you see. I could be used against him.”
“And what do you long for? What do you desire?”
“Freedom,” she said simply. “I want to be my own person. I don’t even know what I’m good at because I haven’t been given the chance to try.”
“And what does that have to do with breaking into our home?”
She grimaced. “You won’t be happy.”
“Tell me.”
“Freedom comes at a price.”
He nodded in understanding. “You’ve heard rumors of our gold.”
“I know it’s wrong, obviously. I also know it’s ironic I would commit a crime in order to get away from a life filled with criminals. Not that I’m a criminal exactly. Well, I wasn’t until I broke into your place. But I was desperate. I know the gold rumors aren’t true.”
“Do you, now?”
“I saw your place. I’m guessing it takes a lot of money to keep it going, huh?” She gave him a look of sympathy. “Probably uses every penny you’ve got just to heat the place.”
* * *
She thought they were paupers. Amusement filled him. He was richer than probably any man on the planet. It was just that none of them cared for decorating. They each had their areas—those were all they cared about. But he could see how it would look to someone else.
“So, you see, I can’t go with you. I can’t trade one life of being under someone’s thumb for another.”
“You believe you would be under our thumbs?”
“Look, no offense, but you don’t exactly strike me as the most easy-going of guys. I can tell we’d butt heads a lot. And Sawyer is fanatical about keeping everyone around him safe. I could only imagine how little freedom I’d have with him wanting me under constant guard. And Garret, well, I’m not certain he’d ever let me out of bed.”
No doubt she was right. “It wouldn’t be just Garret keeping you in bed. And it wouldn’t be our thumb you’d be under.”
He loved the flush that filled her face. So innocent. So sweet. And he was so turned on by the thought of her under him, over him, of him inside her that he could barely think.
“We would protect you, that’s true. We would want you near one of us at all times. But I believe we could do it without smothering you. And if things became too much for you, I’m certain you would knock us back into line.”
“You say that, but there are three of you and just one of me. How on earth could I hold my own?”
“Oh, quite easily I would say.” He couldn’t believe he was going to admit this. “Because of all of us you would have the most power.”
She snorted. Looked down at herself. “Yeah, right. I’d need quite a few sessions at the gym to rival even one of you for power.”
“I wasn’t talking about physical power.” He looked her over, found her delightfully pleasing. “And I’m afraid a few sessions at the gym wouldn’t be enough to help you with that.”
She sighed. “No matter how much I eat or workout I can’t seem to gain any weight. I’ll always be too skinny with no curves.”
Oh, no, he couldn’t have that.
He reached out, grabbed hold of her waist and, ignoring her squeal of shock, pulled her against him. He tangled his hand in her hair and tugged her head back. “Listen to me well, Georgina, you are beautiful. Stunning. Sexy. And my brothers and I are not going to tolerate you putting yourself down, understand?”
He leaned in and kissed her. This kiss was harder. Punishing almost. And he felt his need for her rise to an almost explosive level. The bear rolled inside him, and he drove it back, ruthlessly. He needed to keep a calm head.
He pulled back, taking in her dazed eyes, the way her nipples pressed against her T-shirt. Oh, fuck it. He reached down, slipped his hand under the top and cupped her breast. She whimpered as he lightly squeezed. Her nipple pressed against the palm of his hand.
“Oh, yes, you would hold a lot of power.”
“Because the three of you want to fuck me?”
“This isn’t just about sex.” He stared down at her intently. “We want you. But it is more than that. We have waited a long time for you. You would be our everything. The most important person in our world. You would want for nothing.”
“I don’t need someone to take care of me.”
“Maybe not, but I’m not so certain. You don’t seem to make the best decisions regarding your safety. However, we’ll take care of you no matter what. That isn’t about dominating you or smothering you. It’s about loving you.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes were wide, shocked.
He sighed. “My brothers didn’t tell you that part?”
She shook her head.
“Idiots. They got straight to the pleasure part, didn’t they?” Not that he could blame them. He wouldn’t mind having a taste of her. In fact, it was becoming increasingly hard to resist. He lightly pinched her nipple between his finger and thumb. Her eyelids drooped, and her head dropped back.
“Like that, do you? We’re going to find all your pleasure spots, you can be sure of that. There isn’t an inch of your body we won’t know.”
“Oh, God,” she whimpered. “Please, Joe.”
And he knew he wasn’t going to be able to resist. But first he had to make this point.
“Look at me. Look at me.” He firmed his voice, waiting until she stared up at him. “Your power over us comes from our love for you. We only want you to be happy. If that means you finding out who you are, then we will do whatever needs doing to ensure you figure it out.”
“How?”
“By giving you whatever you need. If you want to learn something, I will hire the best teachers I can find to show you and guide you. I only want to give you what you need.”
“And what if what I need is to do it on my own two feet? Alone?”
“I can’t give you that. And I don’t believe it’s what you need. You just think you do.”
“So, you think you know what’s best for me, just like my brother.”
“It’s not the same at all. I will do whatever I can to make you happy. To support you in what you wish to do. But I cannot let you go. Not when you mean everything to us.”
He slid his hand beneath the waistband of her boxers. She gasped but instead of trying to push him away, she widened her thighs allowing him access. He cupped her.
“We hardly know each other.”
“Do you think we would react this way
to each other in such a short amount of time if we weren’t meant to be together?”
She shook her head. “It’s all so crazy. I don’t know how to deal with any of you.”
He ran his finger along her lips then pressed the tip of his finger against her clit.
“You’ll figure it out. I have no doubt of that. But you can’t convince me you don’t feel it. This pull. We’re meant to be together, Georgina.”
Then he flicked his finger against her clit. He had to hear her cries of pleasure, wanted to feel her come apart in his arms. Little cries of need came from her mouth, she buried her face against his chest and clung to him as she shook, shattered, came apart in his arms. He stood there, his hand cupping her mound once more, feeling her tremble, acknowledging how badly he wished to press her back on the bed and take her.
Finally, he forced himself to step away. He pulled his hand free of her boxers, brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked them clean. “Garret was right, you taste like peaches.”
She looked a little appalled then she shook her head. “You guys are insane. You can’t share me.”
“We can.”
“And what if you get jealous? What if you come to hate each other?”
“We won’t. And if we did have problems, they wouldn’t touch you.”
“Sure, they wouldn’t.”
“They won’t. I promise you that.”
She just stared at him. “You’re a convincing man. You’re used to getting your way.”
“Yes.”
“So’s my brother.”
Anger stirred. He pushed it back. “I am not like your brother.”
She sighed, sat on the bed and put her head in her hands. “I don’t know what to do.”
Sympathy stirred in him. He could keep pushing. Wanted to. But he’d overwhelmed her enough for one evening. As crazy as it was for him to believe, he knew he was leaving without her tonight.
“Lay back, you’re tired.”
“What?” She looked up at him.
He pushed lightly on her shoulders. Then he pulled up the covers and tucked her in. “Close your eyes. You keep squinting and rubbing your head. Do you have a headache?”
“Just a little one.”
“Little, my ass. Where is it?”
“Temples,” she muttered. He started to lightly massage her head, and she let out a sigh of pleasure. “What? You’re not going to keep on with the sales pitch?”
“Not tonight,” he told her.
“You don’t seem the type to give up easily.”
“Oh, I’m not. You can bet you’re going to see a lot of me and my brothers until you agree.”
She let out a sound that was halfway between a sigh and a laugh. “Yeah, I bet.”
12
They were wearing her down.
She paced back and forth across her bedroom floor. Each night one of them came to her, pleasured her and sometimes sleeping with her before sneaking away in the dark. She kept expecting them to try to force her to come with them. But it seemed they’d decided to embark on another plan. One much sneakier and much more effective.
They were getting to her with orgasms.
It had gotten to the point where she was craving their touch. She started to get antsy if they were late in coming to her. Right now, her body was on fire, and her skin itched. She was getting desperate to have one of them inside her.
One of them? Hell, all of them.
They were working on that too. Whispering to her about what life with them would be like. How they would cherish her, support her, and give her whatever her heart desired. How they’d live for her, for her pleasure and laughter. They’d be whatever she needed. When they left, all she did was dream about that life.
She chewed at her lip. They made it sound so appealing. So amazing. But it couldn’t be real, could it?
Yet, they were so united in this idea of sharing her. She wiped her hand across her brow and realized she was sweating. Her body was doing strange things. It wasn’t just lust. It was more than that. Like she had to join with them or she’d be forever in this state of need. She took in a shuddering breath. What would happen if she did sleep with them? This wasn’t just sex to them. They wanted everything. She’d have to give up her dream of freedom. She’d be tied to three men. Funny, how that no longer made her feel claustrophobic or panicky. Was she really considering it?
She blew out a breath. It seemed she was. And the idea was becoming all too appealing.
She’d need to sneak out. Carlin still hadn’t relented on letting her out of her room. Ass. Maybe that was part of her problem. She was getting cabin fever.
She looked over at the rope and smiled. She had a way out. Maybe it was time she took charge of things. Maybe it was time she had what she wanted.
And, right now, she wanted the three of them.
* * *
Garret looked up at the dark window with a frown. She always left a light on. He was a little late getting here tonight. There was a full moon out, and it seemed the streets were filled with thugs and lowlifes looking for a quick fix. He’d had to knock out one guy who’d tried to rob him at knifepoint. Idiot.
Is she grumpy because I’m late?
Then he took a good look. The window was open, and was that a loop of rope hanging from it?
She wouldn’t.
But he knew she would.
A tendril of panic unfurled in his chest. Why would she go out the window? Why wouldn’t she just walk out the door? Unless she didn’t want her brother to know where she was going? Was she running off? Then another thought occurred to him. No, she’d known he was coming. She wouldn’t be so foolish as to attempt to come to them.
He sniffed the air and caught her scent. Wherever she’d gone, he would find her. Then he was going to give her the scolding of a lifetime for making him worry. Then he might just turn her over to Sawyer.
Yep, she was going to be sorry for pulling this stunt.
* * *
Oh, God. She was sorry she’d ever left the safety of her room. Of her brother’s protection.
Stupid, stupid idiot.
She’d thought she’d be safe. Thought she was clever with her ability to avoid her brother’s guards’ detection. She’d been cocky. Too sure of herself.
And that overconfidence just might get her killed.
“Well, well, well, look who we have here.”
She glanced up, trying to hide her fear as Marcus Gio walked into the small, windowless room she’d been locked in. Her cheek throbbed from where one of his men had back-handed her, her left eye was already swollen shut and she was pretty certain she had a couple of cracked ribs. But she had to push past the pain. She had to figure out how to get out of here, before they did worse. Or before her brother found out where she was.
“Mr. Gio,” she said calmly. “You’ll have to excuse my state of dress. Your goons have no manners.”
He sat on the chair one of those goons bought in. The rest of the room was bare. Bleak. Gray walls, gray floor, and a few flickering florescent lights. Two of his men stood behind him. Both of them watched her with hungry eyes. One licked his lips and grinned. He was the one who’d hit her in the face. She glared back at him.
“Now, now, if you hadn’t fought them, they wouldn’t have had to get rough with you, would they?” Gio spoke in a condescending tone. He looked to be in his sixties. The years hadn’t been kind to him. Unlike her brother, who kept himself fit, hard, Gio looked like he was one piece of bacon away from a heart attack. His stomach stretched the shirt he wore, making the buttons cling on for life. His face was jowly, the loose skin of his chins wobbled as he spoke. His beady eyes watched her with a lasciviousness that made her shudder. She had to force herself to meet his gaze. His dark hair was slicked back, probably in an effort to cover his bald spot.
And he scared the bejesus out of her. Why hadn’t she been more careful? Well, she was going to pay now. That was for sure.
“What do you want?”
He smiled, showing off his yellowed teeth. Gross.
“Oh, I think we both know what I want. I want this town. I want your brother to hand over all his territory to me.”
“Carlin is never going to agree to that.”
He raised his busy eyebrows. “I think he will. Once he learns that I have his precious baby sister.”
“I’m not that important to him.”
He laughed until he started wheezing and his face turned bright red.
“Careful now, we wouldn’t want you to die of a heart attack.” She smiled widely at him.
He narrowed his gaze at her then drew out a cloth to mop at the sweat on his face. “You wouldn’t. Considering I’m the only person standing between you and them.” He pointed back at his goons. “One word from me and their leashes come off. And, believe me, they’ve been dying to get a piece of your ass.”
She gave him a withering look, hoping it covered the fear that shivered through her. “And I should believe you’re better than them?”
“I have no designs on your body.” He sneered at her. “Unless it gets me what I want. I think a video of you being raped by Matt here might get your brother in a giving sort of mood, don’t you?”
The one who’d licked his lips was practically drooling. Matt, huh? She’d kind of expected something more impressive, like Bulldog or Vicious.
She stiffened. “My brother won’t give his territory to you. No matter what you do to me.”
“Really? Well, we’re going to send him a little vid right now and we shall see what he does.”
Oh, shit.
* * *
Carlin Blake stared at the video. He worked hard to keep from showing a reaction, aware four of his enforcers, his top men, were standing on the other side of his desk, watching him.
But the rage was deep. It was all-encompassing.
Someone would pay for every mark. For every moment of fear. Blood would run through the streets by the time he was finished.
He looked up at his men. “This was delivered? In person?”
Golden Binds Page 15