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“We’ll talk about the arrangements so you feel comfortable.”
“What’s there to talk about, Mercury? You made the decisions for me.”
“We can discuss it.”
“I’m not living here,” she stated.
His eyes narrowed.
“You’re not living in that crime infested complex with those men standing around looking to watch you, talk to you and try something,” Rylan added now.
“They don’t bother me. They know I know cops.”
“That won’t stop them when you look like you do,” Rome said.
They were all ganging up on her now. Was this how a ménage relationship was? Were they even starting a relationship or was she being forced into some deal? She had to hold her ground and gain some sort of control here while she processed her thoughts. If they were in danger and were concerned she had to respect that and realize these were precautions. They weren’t leaving her out of it, they were pulling her closer to protect her, or at least she hoped so. She really cared about each of them already, and having to walk away from them scared her and made her heart ache.
“I’m not moving in. This isn’t even normal, the whole way this is happening. You didn’t ask me first, you just ordered. I’m not going to move in with six men I hardly know and who may or may not want to give a relationship a try.”
“A relationship a try? What the fuck did we start last night?” Slade asked her.
“Apparently she thinks we just wanted to have sex with her and nothing more,” Remo told them. She gave him a look and he raised his eyebrows up at her in challenge.
“Why would you think that?” Falco asked.
“Well, you all weren’t there when I woke up and you’ve been avoiding me all morning, making me feel awkward and like you regretted last night.”
“We don’t regret last night, do you?” Slade pushed.
“Last night was incredible. This whole instant taking control of my life thing, not so incredible,” she told them.
“This is not a normal relationship and we are not your typical men. Our business involves some dangers. We have to protect what is ours and what is most important to us. We can’t do that if you aren’t here,” Falco told her.
“I’m not moving in here with you. We need time to get to know one another or this could be disastrous.”
“How about a compromise?” Falco stated.
“What type of compromise?” Mercury asked.
“She can live in the cottage, and decide when she wants to sleep over, when she wants her alone time and private time, but can still be protected and watched over. Just until she’s more comfortable and doesn’t feel forced to move in with us,” Rylan suggested.
“I don’t believe this,” Mercury said.
He looked at his brothers, then back at her, still caging her in on the counter, his nostrils flaring and a look that warned her she tried his patience and challenged his control. They all waited like he had the final say and was their leader, the head of the family. She was impressed with that and thought it was a special bond, something she didn’t really have. Not with her parents, just with her sister Georgia. The sound of his cell phone ringing pulled his attention away. He glanced at it.
“Work it out, but she stays where we can keep a close eye on her. That’s my compromise.” Mercury walked out of the room.
She was pissed off still but her gut clenched and she knew that Mercury was taking precautions. He was probably still nervous about Roman being shot.
* * * *
Falco watched Rose take in the view of the ocean from the cottage down behind the house. It was a short walk along a pathway and gardens but it was still not in their house, in their beds. That bothered him because he wanted her close.
He stared at her body while Slade stood beside her on the porch. He couldn’t help but feel concerned about her well-being. From the information they found out and what her condo looked like, she had no food in the refrigerator, hardly any belongings, but a lot of bills. She didn’t just give up her art studio as she had told them. She lost it because she couldn’t keep up with the rent. He imagined her falling behind, hoping that her paintings would sell and then digging herself deeper and deeper. Mercury mentioned how she snagged food from the buffet when she was bartending a party he was at and how she made a napkin full to take with her. Was that all she ate that night? His gut clenched. Then he thought about how she accepted the modeling job without any confirmation of attire, who Mulgoff was, and only the pay she would receive, and last night she begged for them to let her have dinner and get her pay. Now they all knew it was much more than just selling her paintings, it was money to pay her debt and buy food so she would stop going hungry.
