I throw a few more punches and a couple of quick kicks. Mia coos loudly like she’s cheering me on. Or she wants attention. Or both. I lower myself down onto the ground and pull her into my lap. “Someday, I’ll be strong enough to protect you too, Mia.” But first, perhaps one of my greater c
Mia sits on the ground, clapping her hands together as I walk one direction, stop, turn, and then head in the other direction. I’ve paced the room so long my hip joints are starting to ache, but I can’t convince myself to sit still. Beau said whatever is happening to Neil at the hands of his fathe
I feed Mia a little more. Steven finishes his noodles but makes no move to leave. He’s building up to something. I can tell from his constipated look. “Out with it then,” I say. “Oh.” He drops his head a little, like he’s embarrassed I called him out. “I was just thinking…” He clears his throa
“Stay out of this, Wyatt,” I snap. “It’s not my fault if you can’t handle the truth. You are a slut, plain and simple. Everyone knows you are attempting to seduce the brothers one by one.” “That’s not true.” Any relations I have had with the brothers have been mutually consensual. No one is sedu
“Come inside, Chloe,” Neil says. He’s not looking at me. It isn’t until he says my name that I realize he’s addressing me at all. I jump to follow the order, eager to get away from Wyatt. This feels something like a rescue, and I’m not about to look that gift horse in the mouth. I duck into Neil
I am struck speechless by the sheer amount of bruises covering Neil’s bare chest. His usual attractive physique is hidden behind splotches of red and purple. Angry, swelling marks and cuts with drops of blood. “This is a lesson?” I ask. Outrage swirls inside of me, making my gut clench uncomfortab
I melt into the kiss. Neil doesn’t break it, even as he rises from his chair and wraps his arms around me. He pulls me into him. When my hands touch his bandaged chest, I pause. I break the kiss enough to say, “I don’t want to hurt you.” “You won’t,” Neil says into my mouth, and closes the dista
He pulls my pants down the rest of the way, then removes them totally from my body. Then his fingers hook over the waistband of my panties. My breath catches as he slowly tugs my panties down. With those out of the way, joining my pants behind Neil on the bathroom floor, my clit and core or expo