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“Didyoulike it?” I ask. Swallowing around the nervous lump in my throat, I fight not to hide my face.
Brushing his lips across mine, he tickles me with his breath as he opens his mouth to reply, “Yeah,chemo sikharulo, I sure as fuck did.” Relief lights up my body. “We’re going downstairs now. You are going to eat what Ana has made for you, and then you’re coming to bed.” My bottom lip pops out. I don’t want to go to bed. Yes, I’ve been exhausted for years, but I’m in a place where I don’t need to constantly be on guard anymore; I can relax. “Tomorrow, we’ll talk about this…us…and then we’ll go shopping because you are escorting us to a large event in a couple of days, and you’ll need to be appropriately dressed.”
Looking from one man to another, I can see in their faces that I have no choice in anything Levan has instructed. As much as I’d like to find out what would happen if I disobeyed them, I’m not ready for that just yet. Soon, maybe, but not tonight.
“Did you really mean I wasn’t going home?” I ask instead. I never want to return there, but thereissomething I want.
“We did,” Zak answers, and I give him my attention.
“I need to, though.” I can feel all of them tense and see they each want to argue, so I’m quick to explain. “I have something there; it’s buried. I need it. It’s important to me.”
“No.” Valerian shakes his head before either of the others can say anything. I expected that from Levan, but he and Zak appear to be a little laxer than Val is.
Being naked and having this argument isn’t ideal, but I’ll do it if I must. “Yes! I have to have those things.”
“What is it?” Zak asks before Valerian can deny me again.
“Items from my mother. Things that can’t be replaced. If my father or uncle find them, they’ll destroy them simply to hurt me.” The lengths those men will go to in order to see me suffer are psychotic.
“One of us will go for them,” Levan offers. Studying their faces, I acknowledge I’ll have to concede to this. They’re far more stubborn than I am and have the ability to get in and out of that hellhole without issues.
“Fine,” I acquiesce. “Can I dress now?” As comfy as they make me feel, I’d feel even better if I had clothes on. Zak gets to his feet and enters the closet before appearing a minute later with a baggie sweater and a pair of women’s pajama pants.
I want to protest. I don’t want to wear another woman’s clothing, but I notice the tag is still on the pants, and the sweater appears to be worn out, so I assume it’s one of theirs. “Thank you.” I accept the items as Zak pulls the tag from the pants, and I slip the clothes on. They’re both soft and warm, exactly what I didn’t realize I needed.
As I step away from the men, I bury my nose in the collar of the sweater and recognize exactly whom it belongs to. It’s sweet and slightly woodsy. “Valerian.” I whisper his name and immediately feel his hands on my hips.
“I didn’t think you’d be able to tell just yet.” I sigh when he nuzzles my neck from behind.
“I know exactly how all of you taste and smell. There is nothing more important to me.” I hadn’t realized how true that was until now. My entire existence has felt like I’ve been waiting for life to happen. For something good to show up in my world. As a young girl, I crushed on all three of these men. They were handsome, dangerous, and moody, but I could decipher who had been in a room by scent alone. These men are in my blood, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
Chapter3
Abilene
Sifting through the beautiful gowns before me, I don’t have a clue which one I’d like to wear to this event. I’ve never had anything so stunning or fancy before. All my clothes have come from the donation bin at the church. I’m poorer than poor. Touching any of these is so foreign that I’m terrified I’ll ruin them.
“I think something that matches the color of your eyes would be stunning,” Gladys, the boutique owner, says as she smiles at me. She’s older, in her forties, maybe, and the kindest woman I’ve ever met. She has had an infinite amount of patience with me as I was first presented with everyday clothes and was happy to pick out a soft robe, then Levan and Val chose the rest, and it took a while to do that.
“I always thought my eyes were kind of drab. Boring, even.” The dark honey color makes them appear dirty and not as warm of a gold as a honeycomb would be.
“Hardly.” She grins and goes to the middle of a rack where a black gown with gold flakes scattered throughout hangs. I had eyed that one up, too, but it seemed too much. “This would be magnificent on you.” She holds the garment up to my body. On one side, there is hardly any material at all—no sleeve, a slit so high it reaches the waist and would leave one leg wholly exposed—and the other side is covered from neck to ankle. It’s both sexy and alluring.
And shows far too much skin.
“I don’t know if I could wear this.” But I want to. I want to have the confidence to put it on and walk out of here. Show off the few curves I have.
“Try it on and see how you feel. I’m betting those men out there waiting on you will choke on their tongues.” I feel the blush scorching my cheeks as she peeks around the curtain that separates the rooms. Gladys kicked them out when it came time to choose my ball gown because she said they needed a little mystery in their lives. I’m not so sure they agreed, but they listened, and it’s been just the two of us in here ever since.
Entering the changing room, I hang the gown on the wall hook and stare at myself in the mirror. I’m wearing the same sweater and pants they gave me yesterday, and as I study the breathtaking garment in comparison to me, I’m more convinced than ever that this is all wrong. They’re all mistaking me for someone I’m not. I don’t belong in these fancy clothes, going to elegant events, and capturing the attention of three very handsome men.
This. Isn’t. Me.
I don’t know whomeis, but this girl looking back at me is so lost. Confused. Broken.
One minute, I’m confessing my sins to Father Marcum, and the next, I’m whisked away by a man I haven’t seen in years but crushed on as a girl. He was my hero then, and he’s my savior now.
The problem is, I don’t think I deserve either.
