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Alarm flashes through me. I bolt upright. Messy hair falls around my shoulders. “Clothes.” My eyes dart around the large room. Hmm. Nice. A large couch by the wall of glass. To watch the snow? At least my father can’t sneak up on us. Lamps, throw pillows and a nice plaid blanket. But no clothes. Of course not. They kidnapped me out of a back alley, shoved me on a plane and here I am withnada.
I peel myself out of the bed. I can feel the three of them track me across the room and then back to the end of the bed. “Why are you just telling me? What am I going to wear?” I don’t mean to sound freaked out but I am.
“You just asked, so we just answered. Of course he’s coming.”
Darius is off the bed and moving toward me with a wicked smile pasted on his face.
I spin, looking for options. A walk-in closet is opposite the bed. But I can’t put on their clothes and say to my father what I need to say. I’ve put him through so much. He deserves better.
Darius comes up behind me, wraps his arms around my middle and rests his chin on the top of my head. “I don’t see how his presence changes anything. Unless you are ashamed?”
I turn in his arms and raise my eyes to his. His brows pinch together and there’s a glimmer of hurt in his eyes. For a man who commits crimes for a living he sure has a way of showing his emotions.
I feel the heat wash over my face just as my stomach swirls with worry.
I’m wondering if I’m once again screwing up my life.
CHAPTERTEN
BAILEY
Ithrow open drawers and start looking for something to put on. A shirt would be nice. Then a comb. I’d rather take a shower and wash the smell of sex off, but I don’t know how much time I have. Parents can sense that sort of thing on their child. Right? I have no idea.
I don’t stop looking for a shirt until Victor is in front of me, Augustine comes up on my left and Darius boxes me in on my right. Each of them hold various items I need.
I stop moving, defeated. “I’m not ashamed. I’m nervous. I haven’t seen my father in a year. I’ve done so much. Gone through so much. I don’t want to look like a failure in front of him.”
Darius takes me into his arms. “How about we get dressed, clean up this mess and then talk about what you want to say to your father? If you don’t want us in the room and rather we make ourselves disappear for a while, that can be arranged too.”
I turn in his arms. “No,” I blurt out. “That is not what I want. I just… he already thinks I’m a failure. Will seeing me with you make him turn around and walk off?” I look at Vi and Augustine. “I need you to believe me. I need you all to believe me. I will not hide from what we just shared. What we could possibly share in the years to come.” I settle a hand over my midriff and look at each of them in turn, letting them feel the power of my words. “But at the same token I’m scared.”
Augustine runs the tips of his fingers over the slope of my cheek. “We believe you and it’s okay to be scared, but you’re not alone. Not anymore.”
Not alone.
Those words set something free inside me. Dead weight, I realize. I’ve been tied down by fear in all its ugly forms for so long and they have freed me. “How can this be? I have so much trust in your words and I’ve barely had a day with you?”
“Nearly getting killed and then climaxing as hard as you did has a tendency to seal fates together.”
“Augustine,” I softly admonish. “You know what I mean.”
“I do, precious.”
His soft laughter makes my world complete. “And you trust me?”
“Darius wasn’t lying when he said your emotions live in your eyes.”
“Vi?” I turn from Augustine to look into my other lover's eyes and what I see there makes my heart whole.
He takes me from the other two and pulls me into his chest. The steady thump of his heart calms my nerves. “I’m here. The only thing that matters is what you think. He will pass judgment or not. It’s out of your control.”
I lean and look up at him. “You’re right.”
“You have my heart and everything else I have to give. Just tell me what you need. You never have to be scared again.”
“There’s something else I want you all to know.” I take a moment and slide from their cocoon of warmth and move to the mirror standing in the corner of the room. I slip out my contacts, dispose of them and slowly make my way back.
“Green is much better.” Darius’ smile is languid and genuine. He opens his arms and I step into his embrace, placing my head on his chest.
