ChaseI wasn't sure what was said. When I reached the door and was about to knock and make her aware that food was ready, I heard her words: talking about losing weight.That threw me. She comes across as so confident. The dress she wore that night we took her was daring and revealing, and she wore it with pride and confidence.Yet, how she said those words was like all that confidence was gone.Keeley sits with her head down like a scolded kitten after her slip-up. Dhalia is staring at her plate and close to having a panic attack, worried we'll ask.We can't. Sure, I want to know the facts, but pushing her into talking won't help her if she isn't ready to accept what happened and unload the feelings as well.I can see Jax is itching to ask her what happened, and Blake is itching to comfort her, which will make this whole thing worse. So, as much as I want to know, I push my feelings aside."So you two knew each other as kids then?" I look at Keeley, and she smiles at me, clearly reli
DhaliaI've enjoyed tonight; Keeley is drunk, maybe too drunk, but the guys are happy about it. I've spent most of my time dancing with Keeley.We should leave soon; she's too far gone right now. Walking to the bar, I ask for a glass of water and hand it to her."Are you saying I'm drunk?" She laughs, almost falling off the chair. I see someone catch her and steady her."Thanks," I smile at the guy, and he nods."Well, it wouldn't look good of me to let your friend fall to the floor before asking if I can buy you a drink, would it?" He smiles and steps around Keeley on the stool until he's between us."I'm good, thank you." Smiling, I raise my glass. It's nearly empty, but I don't want him to buy me a drink."Is that your last one?" He leans closer and my head shakes."Not likely, but I don't need you to pay for my drinks, thank you." I smile and try to look around him to see Keeley.He leans in, his body getting closer to mine. "Then how about a dance?" His head dips slightly, and I
DhaliaThe silence is awful, but at least now they know and can stop pretending like they aren't trying to get me to speak about it all."Dhalia, those men, what they think doesn't matter. People have a preference for what they like, but that doesn't mean those outside of that preference are not nice or are ugly. It's a warped perspective and one that is all wrong and fucked up.""Chase...""No, Dhalia, whatever they said, it's wrong. It's not real and shouldn't be something you even acknowledge."I wait to see if he continues, but he doesn't. "Have you finished your rant?" I say tauntingly, and he laughs."Sorry, but the fact that their words even get a second thought within your mind is fucked up and wrong. That guy tonight liked you but was hurt that you turned him down. His go-to was to talk about you and make you feel as bad as he did."I thought he was done, but apparently not. "Chase, can we stop talking about it, please?" It doesn't help; in fact, it just brings everything bac
Jax POVI heard her. Both me and I heard her. I considered going into his room but realised that was a foolish mistake to make. We were so sure he fucked her, but apparently he hadn't.Despite her taunting words, he held out and didn't, which is impressive. Keeley was useless; she was too drunk to make sense of it. So, we showed her to the room she was sleeping in and gave up on the mission to get the names.Now we have them. I was expecting a few, like five or six, but this is a lot. There are two pages of names. How is this even right?"Those are the ones she knows the names of and remembers. There's more," Chase mutters, and I stare at him."More? How can there be more?" My eyes float over the names. Some of these we know, not well, but we've worked with. Disgust builds within me as I consider the times we've met them. Were they going to her after we met them, or maybe before?"All she told me was I would need days to repay her with an orgasm for every name." Chase sits back."Some
DhaliaWhen I wake, arms are wrapped around me, and my leg is wrapped around someone. Opening my eyes, I stare at Jax. He's asleep, but why is he in here with me? I don't move; I wait and consider this."You know, if you keep staring at me, I might actually fuck you." His words are rough as he rubs his face."One, I'm not staring, and two, why would me staring make you want to fuck me?" It's not like I'm taunting him like I had Chase last night.His eyes open, and he smirks. "You haven't noticed, have you?"Noticed what? "What haven't I noticed?"His head lowers, and his mouth brushes against my neck. He moves, and I feel his cock against my sex. Shit. I was so taken aback by him being in here that I hadn't even realised I was wrapped around him while he was naked.His smirk rises, and I feel his fingers slowly walking down my spine."Why are you in my bed?" I need to break the silence and change the conversation.He laughs, throwing his head back. "You're going to ask that question,
Jax POVOur morning has been spent working, figuring out a way to stop Dhalia's stepfather from ever using her again. Carl is dead, regardless of what happens.It would be easier if we didn't need to kill her stepdad as well, but something tells me he's just as bad as Carl. I've kept my mind focused on the here and now. I am not giving myself a chance to get carried away like I typically would.Stepping into the room, Blake and Chase follow me. Mr Hurst looks at me and smirks."Here I was thinking you had given up on me," he laughs, and I don't respond. I walk in, pick up the dagger, and face him. "Wait, at least tell me what I've done to earn such wonderful hospitality." He chuckles.Moving, I plunge the dagger into his shoulder; he screams and glares at me. "For using her," I growl and pull the dagger out again.His head tilts, and he looks at me, confused."You will survive this, Mr Hurst, but fifty per cent of your businesses will be gone," Chase explains from behind me as I swing
Dhalia POVI stay kneeling, with my hands holding onto him so he can't run. Running isn't an option, and maybe if Chase and Blake stopped letting him run after his episodes, he wouldn't be so bad.Every part of me screamed to walk out after he admitted he was using me. It was like he was confirming Keeley's words, only I saw the truth. I saw how he flinched when I touched him.The same way I would flinch when I felt like I didn't deserve love, but someone tried to get close. I move closer to him, watching him carefully. I know he wouldn't hurt me, not on purpose, but who knows when he gets lost in his mind if he will even see me?"Jax," I whisper and wait, but he avoids looking at me."Why would you stay? I stabbed Blake. Why are you still here?"Has he stabbed Blake? Nearly every part of me is saying run, hide and don't let them in. They are fucked up and crazy. Yet, there is that small part of me that says they are broken and need someone to see the true them beneath the shit.Each
Dhalia POVI watch them, their eyes flickering between each other. Anyone would think I suggested something unknown to them. They seem speechless right now."I don't want to sound blunt or rude, but that can't happen until you're tested." Chase looks at me. "Safety is always our priority regardless of the situation. It's rare we sleep with others or bring others in."Why would his asking that be rude? Especially after what I told him happened to me. Of course, he wants to know I'm clean; I would be worried if he didn't ask about that."I swear this isn't because of what you said Carl does. We ask regardless of the person." Chase looks at me worriedly."Chase, I get it. I didn't take offence, and I understand. Actually, I wouldn't blame you for asking me purely because of the situation I was in before I came here." They need reassurance, and I can't hate them for that. "You have my phone; check my messages. I was tested the day before you kidnapped me, and I haven't been near anyone si
Dhalia POV After shopping today, I felt a sense of relief I hadn’t experienced in what felt like forever. It wasn’t just about the shopping itself, though I did need some new clothes—my body has changed so much in the past year. No, it was more about finally getting out of the house, about reclaiming a little bit of the freedom I’d been missing. The walls of our home, which once felt like a sanctuary, had started to close in on me. Chase and Jax, in their well-meaning but intense desire to protect me and ensure I had time to heal, ended up suffocating me without even realising it. Don’t get me wrong—I love them for how much they care, but I didn’t need to be housebound for months, or placed on bed rest for weeks after giving birth. I know some women would relish the idea of doing nothing but resting and being pampered, but it drove me crazy. That’s why, when Chase casually mentioned going shopping, I jumped at the opportunity. I was out the door and in the car before he could even t
Chase POVI watched Dhalia as she moved through the store, her steps light and full of purpose, and it hit me—I might have gone too far. In our well-intentioned but overzealous efforts to protect her and Jacob, Jax and I had smothered her. When I casually mentioned the idea of going shopping, I expected a discussion, maybe some hesitation. But instead, she practically bolted for the door, grabbing her coat and leaving without a word. That was proof enough. We had suffocated her under the guise of safety and care.Seeing her so happy to be out, to be free to do something as simple as shopping, was a wake-up call. We had reduced her life to the confines of our home, restricting her to the roles of mother and partner, leaving little room for her to just be herself. That’s why I suggested she could return to work if she wanted to. Jax may not like the idea—he’s still riding the wave of his overprotectiveness—but after more than six months of keeping her tethered, it’s time we give her bac
Blake POV The last few months have been a whirlwind, a mental and emotional gauntlet that none of us expected. It wasn’t the physical demands that took their toll on me—it was the psychological strain, the constant push and pull of trying to navigate our lives while Chase and Jax became increasingly overprotective of Dhalia. My attempts to ground them in reality often felt futile, like trying to anchor a ship in the middle of a storm. Dhalia, poor Dhalia, bore the brunt of their overzealous protection. At five months pregnant, they decided it was too dangerous for her to continue working. Mind you, her job was sitting in a cozy little bookstore, reading and managing sales. There wasn’t anything remotely strenuous about it, but they convinced themselves—and her—that it was unsafe. It seemed harmless enough at first, just a precaution. But by the time she hit seven months, their obsession to shield her and the baby from every possible harm became all-consuming. They wouldn’t let her
Jax POVAs I sit on the couch, the book resting on my lap, I find myself absorbed not so much in the story itself but in the little marks I’ve made throughout its pages. These marks have become something of an obsession for me. They’re the places where I’ve seen Dhalia react—whether it’s a quiet gasp, a tear rolling down her cheek, or that subtle squirm of excitement that she can’t quite hide. Whenever she reads with me in the room, and I catch one of those reactions, I make sure to mark the page number. Later, when she’s done, I go back and read those specific sections, trying to decode what it is about these words that stirs something inside her.It all started small. At first, I only marked the pages that elicited a blush or a quiet moan—scenes of sex that clearly struck a chord. It didn’t take long to realise that it wasn’t just those moments that mattered to her. She would also react to the tender, the heartbreaking, and the unexpectedly sweet moments with an equal, if not more p
Dhalia’s POVMy eyes are glued to the door. In front of me are three small boxes, one for each of them. They are late, though. They promised to be back by four, and now it’s a quarter past. I’m trying to be patient, but it’s harder than I’d like to admit.Two months ago, I opened my bookstore, and it’s been incredible. Twice a week, we host book clubs, and I’ve made it a point to bring one of the guys with me to each session. It’s hilarious watching their faces as we dive into the discussions. The women seem to enjoy it too—something about discussing steamy romance scenes with a bit of eye candy in the room.The door finally creaks open, and I sit up straighter as they walk in.“You’re late,” I say, trying to keep a straight face.“By fifteen minutes, Angel. Cut us some slack.” Blake winks, leaning down to kiss me. His hand reaches for one of the boxes, but I slap it away.“Don’t touch.”He chuckles, rolling his eyes.“Why do I get the feeling we’re in trouble, Sweetness?” Jax asks as
Chase POVI stay stood in this room, shocked by what she's done. She went above and beyond, I was expecting a small, shop, nothing big. This though, is huge. We made sure that everyone knew not to mention anything to us about it.They weren't allowed to mention the location, the colour of the store, nothing. We wanted her to be in control and do it all alone without our input and she has."I've got something to show you," she grips my hand and guides me back through to the book store part, walking through she stops by some books, and hands me one.There, on the cover is a pink fucking unicorn. She found one? I stare at her and she laughs."Pink unicorn," she smiles up at me."You're fucking crazy, you read it?" I stare in amazement as she nods."I did and I'll admit I didn't enjoy it a single bit, but I had to get it, read it because that's the next book you're reading."My head tilts. "Please say you're joking?" She has to be. Her head shakes, and she places the book back."No, you m
Jax POVI watch as she walks towards us, the dress is stunning, long and golden. She stops in front of me and smiles."If they don't hurry, we will be late," she glares towards the door."Leave them alone Sweetness, they were having some fun before getting ready." We both laugh and I wrap my arms around her. A lot has changed in the past three months, a lot of her stepdads businesses are now fully hers. Although we take care of a lot of them.She wasn't comfortable taking over the strip clubs, bars, and such. So we sort a lot of it out for her. She straightens my tie and I chuckle. Her arms wrap around my neck and she reaches on her toes to kiss my lips."I love you Sweetness," I whisper as I wrap my arms around her and pull her closer. My mind goes back, and I begin to wonder if we would ever have found her had Carl not set her up? It's scary to consider that, to consider where she would have been.Justin's plan was to do what Carl had once she returned to him, so would she still be
Dhalia POV His words float around in my mind. He should have told Jax and Blake, then maybe they would understand the whole issue he has. Something tells me after he does something with them, it brings back what happened with his father. I fight to figure out what to say to him, other than he should tell Jax and Blake. “Do they know any truth in what happened?” I stroke along the scar. “No, I thought them believing it sent me over the edge would stop them from doing anything. It did, but part of me still craved them. Which of course Jax noticed, and made it happen.” “You need to tell Jax the truth.” After everything, he still believes that Chase runs because he’s repulsed. “Jax can’t know. He will blame himself for what my father did.” He’s not wrong, Jax will blame himself to some degree. “What happens if he finds out the truth, Chase? Then how will he feel? Knowing that you kept on lying to him?” “He can’t find out, only we know.” I laugh. “So every man there that day is dea
Dhalia POV After eating, I found myself with more energy than before. Which sucks as I was ready to go to bed. Jax and Blake are currently messing around. I say, messing around, but Blake is more taunting him to get a punishment. It’s nice to see, and it reminds me of at the start. “I’m going to finish my book,” I jump up and walk off. I could have fallen asleep earlier, now though? I’ve got too much energy. Grabbing the book I sit down and begin reading it. About ten minutes later, the movement of the door has me turning to it. Chase walks in with a smile. “So, I found a book.” Really? “You found a smut book that involves a frickin unicorn?” He nods. “I did very well, thank you.” Wait, no! “Pink unicorn, it has to be a pink unicorn.” I watch as he sighs and sits beside me. “Pink is impossible! I have searched and I can’t find it!” His outburst has me laughing. “How about a human-unicorn that’s pink? I found one of them.” “No, it’s a pink unicorn, not half and half Chase. So y