Three

"Is this Ghost when she was a puppy?" Danica asks. Ghost jumps up at the mention of her name. Danica is looking at the picture frames in the hallway. 

"Yeah, that's what she looked like when Jay brought her home. She's four now," I nod. Ghost runs down the stairs and starts to bark wanting to go outside. The sound of her bark makes Danica jumpy. Her eyes flare a deep almost red amber. The eyes of a wolf who's familiar with killing. "You'll get used to it," 

"I've never seen her breed all white before," she says as we make our way down. Ghost starts jumping up and down around her as she opens the back sliding door.  

"Yeah, she's pretty rare. Not a lot of people have an albino Weimaraner. Jay likes things not a lot of people have,"  

"He's kind of weird," she says mindlessly as she watches Ghost jump around in the backyard. 

"You can close it. She'll scratch the glass when she's ready to come back in," she shuts it and sits down at the island. "Jay isn't the kind of guy who does normal. He's a lot like my dad. He doesn't have a purpose yet,"

"What do you mean a purpose? Do any of us have a real purpose?" she scoffs. We both glance over at Miles as he walks in to pour himself a glass of orange juice. 

"Good morning, Dagmar," he greets making full eye contact with me.  

 "Good morning, Miles," I return, watching him take a drink from his glass. What is his deal as of late?

"Good morning, Dagmar's new pet. Quite the discussion you two are having," he grins finally breaking away. Danica glares at him. She looks at me as if to ask if it's okay to speak. I give her a nod for now. We'll talk about the rules later. Jay is going to need her to know where we all stand. Especially when the others return. 

"My name is Danica. Let's get one thing straight here," she says taking his glass from his hand to set it down on the counter. "I am no one's pet. It would be in your best interest if you remember that," 

She backs away opening the door for Ghost who is now scratching at the glass. Dan walks out of the kitchen. Ghost stops before following her and growls at Miles who she has hated since she was a pup. I have no idea why. Micca walks in sporting pretty bruising, cuts, and bandaids instead of a t-shirt. He can barely keep his eyes open. 

"Juice," he moans, taking the glass from the table. "Morning," 

"Good morning, Micca," I greet him. He smiles at me and then looks over at his brother. 

"What's up your ass this morning?" 

"Shut up," Miles rolls his eyes.  

"I need you guys," I announce, they both turn to look at me. 

"With what?" they ask at the same time. 

"Danica wants to try and get some of her things from where she was staying. I don't want her to be alone," 

"Trust issues or protectiveness?" Micca asks playfully. 

"Both,"  

"Let me take a quick shower and I'll be right down," he agrees and walks off. 

"What do you want from this girl?" Miles asks, sitting down next to me. 

"To know what she wants from me," I answer truthfully. He reaches in front of me and takes the other half of my bagel. His smell swirls in the air around me and I can't help but take in a deep breath of it. It's oddly alluring. I never noticed that before. 

"Did you just sniff me?" he asks a smirk on his face. 

"I did," I say. I'm not going to deny it. He caught me red-handed. 

"What's the verdict?" he asks. I push my chair out and stand up taking the plate to the sink. I lean into him as I walk by, the way he and his brother have as of late.  

"Mouthwatering," I whisper. I hear him inhale a little too quickly and then choke. I stand in the doorway and look back at him. 

"Did you just flirt back?" he asks in between coughs. 

"Is that what you've been trying to do?" I laugh. 

"Trying?" he swallows hard. 

"Trying, yeah. Your little tricks might work with common thots. You should remember that I am a lady," 

He looks down at the bagel and nods. "We'll see," he says with a smirk. 

"Idiot," I say under my breath. I can't believe he just said that or that I entertained it. 

I go upstairs and knock on Danica's door. She opens it up and I motion her to follow me. We rush down the stairs and into the garage. I open it up and grab the keys to the Jeep. She stares at it like it's the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. 

"What do you think you're doing?" I climb into the Jeep ignoring my brother and start the engine. "Excuse me," 

"I need to borrow your car," I inform him. 

"No," he says. "Get out," 

"Dani wants her things and where do you suggest we put them?" I stop her before she says anything. 

"D. Get out of my Jeep. This isn't a toy," he growls. Danica comes around and climbs into the passenger side. The twins get in the back. Ghost jumps in with them. "No, get the hell out of my car," 

"It's cool bro. I left my car keys in the bowl at the doorway," Miles says as I pull out of the garage. 

 "You better not scratch my Jeep, Dagmar," 

"Or what? I get a matching decor on the other side of my face?" I smirk. He growls at me. "It's not my first time in this thing," 

"You flipped it the last time," 

"You flipped it the last time. You grabbed the wheel while I was driving you psycho," I shout. 

"You were going to hit a tree," 

"I'm not going to argue with you. I'll see you if we make it back," the guys laugh as he tries to go for my door.

"You know people say you don't have a sense of humor," Danica says putting her address into the GPS on the dashboard as we drive down the street. 

"So I've heard," 

"It might be because you never smile or laugh," she adds. "I've never heard you laugh," 

"Coming to think of it. We haven't either. Not since you were like thirteen," Micca says. 

"Leave her alone," Miles says. I hear a smack. 

"I'm just saying," he defends.

I don't respond. That sounds about right. I shut out when my dad died right after my brother detonated. There had been nothing. No anger, no pain, nothing. Just the relief from all the emotions I had once felt before watching my father destroy himself. I stop in front of a mansion where the GPS takes us. The black gate has a massive dragon crest in the middle. 

"Pull in," she instructs. I drive up to the gate and roll my window down. 

"State your business," the box sticking out of the brick calls out. Danica climbs over me, sitting on my lap, sticking half her body out of the window. 

"It's me Jet open up," she comes back in and looks at the gate as it opens up. She doesn't get off my lap until we stop in front of the house. She opens the door and climbs out. 

"I want one of those," Micca says leaning forward. 

"Not with the way you flirt," I scoff.

"Are you saying we should be frigid hard asses?" he laughs. 

"I don't know, do you guys think I'm a frigid hard ass?" 

"Lil Bit," he laughs. 

 "Yes, a lot. Not a little bit," Miles says nodding. 

"You wound me," I sass, climbing out when a guy walks out of the mansion. He has a few duffle bags with him. He sets them in front of her. He doesn't look too happy. 

"They aren't here. I put most of your things in there with interest," he informs her. She smiles at him. I motion the boys to get the bags. 

"D. This is Jet Cutler. He basically raised me after I was brought here," she introduces him. I extend my hand to him. He hesitates but he shakes my hand anyway.

"Firm handshake Jet," I say looking down at his wrist. He has a birthmark there. When our eyes meet again he covers it up. I've seen that before. Somewhere. I can't place it right now, but I know it.