Maybe they won’t notice, is my hope-filled second thought, which is, of course, ridiculous. The bruise already stings so badly it even pulses some. It has to be big and red and ugly. Archer and the rest are definitely going to notice. So I would just have to hide it from them. I had no idea how I
I frown at him, not at all liking where this conversation is going. “Yeah?” “Do you think they would lend me the money I need? If it would save my life?” They only thing that keeps me from laughing is the fact that this guy might honest to God die. The Hayes brothers? Giving out money? Saving so
“Who did this?” Archer’s voice is like fire and ice water at once, burning with fury but at the same time doused with the chilling promise of vengeance. It’s almost be flattering in a way, except the root of his anger is based strictly on possession. Like a spoiled child annoyed that someone else
I like the way he’s looking at me. I want him to keep looking. “You will stay there until you be a good girl and tell me the truth of what happened to you.” His voice is husky rough. I’d like to think he’s not unaffected by the sight of me like this, but he could just still be angry. “Guess we’l
I’m not sure what I expected when I baited Archer’s anger like that. Perhaps I should have known that he would react as he did. Still, as he dragged me down the hallway by the ribbon that still bound both of my hands, I couldn’t help but wonder if I shouldn’t have been more cautious. In one of t
The room falls quiet a moment. Beau and Archer trade a look I cannot discern. Neil shakes his head. Even Steven sighed, sitting back in his chair. Archer’s fingers dug into my shoulder. “Then you should have let him die.” I knew he would say that, but I still hate the words. “I’m not like you. I
As I stand with the Hayes brothers in our makeshift classroom for that week’s Nanny Lessons, I feel incredibly awkward. This is the absolute last place I want to be. I hoped to avoid the brothers as much as I could, possibly forever, but there is no avoiding this. At least they all showed up, even
I move toward Archer first, since he has been the most combative for the entire lesson and therefore likely wants to leave first. I would have no problem with him leaving after his attempt here. But he looks at Mia and then up to me and says, “No.” Simple. Definite. Infuriating. “I know you
I’m happy because I have four hearts beating alongside mine.“Do you feel it, too?” I ask. “My connection to each of you?”I blink my eyes open once more. I want to see their faces, their reactions.Neil has his hand over his own heart. “It’s strange. It’s like part of you is inside of me.”“Me, too
In the darkness of my mind, I floated, surrounded by the comforting embrace of love. Distantly, I could feel another presence, one that grew stronger and stronger, the more I focused on it: my wolf.As I thought of her, she appeared before me as if I willed her into being. Maybe I did. We are in my
Damn alpha wolves and their heightened senses.“I’ve already made my choice,” I say. “Honestly, I think I made it a long, long time ago.”Archer relaxes marginally. Steven starts to smile.Neil turns to me, worry still on his face. “You say that now, Chloe. But the pull could be strong…”“I don’t ca
The eve of my birthday, I rest in bed and stare at my ceiling. It’s late, near midnight, but I still have my bedside light on.With my feelings shared and grown with Neil, Archer, and Steven, I didn’t expect to spend any night alone, especially the one right before the day that could change everythi
I awake to a sharp knock on my bedroom door. Neil’s arm is still draped over me but some distance had inched between our hot bodies in the night. I’m able to slink out from under his arm without him waking.Naked, I quickly stop by the bathroom to throw on my fluffy bathrobe. Then, after glancing ba
They.Beau glances at me and see my incredulous look. “What do I need to go out every night? Can’t a man just enjoy staying home for a change?”“You can do whatever the hell you want,” I say.“Good, then.” Beau slumps down on the couch. He stretches out, lifting his feet up and into my lap. “Now tel
For the rest of the morning, I desperately try not to think about Neil. Whoever he’s in love with, I won’t be offended by it. The hurt I feel has nothing to do with this new person. She must be great for her to have won Neil’s affections.The hurt is my own loss, my own problem. I let my feelings fo
After Steven and I have cleaned ourselves up with a quick shower, we fall back into bed together, giggling and laughing all the way. My now, Steven has discovered a few of my tickle zones, which he is exploiting. As revenge, I touch the places I now know make him shiver.For a while, nothing seems l
His hands fumbled with the buttons of his own shirt. Such usually steady hands are rendered useless by his nervousness.“Allow me,” I tell him. I lightly bat his hands out of the way before replacing them with mine on his shirt buttons. My times with Neil have served me well. I’m able to undo all th