Eden's POVRyder leaves bed first, surprisingly, and I snuggle into Dante's side for a few extra minutes of peaceful sleep. After our heated moment in the middle of the night, the last thing I want to do now is to go back to our terrifying reality.My life is worth three million dollars now.Seems like a lot, especially for a woman who was just an ordinary bank supervisor two months ago, but everything has shifted since then. I'm now a woman who turns over in bed when one of my bank-robbing lovers wakes up, hoping the other one is tired enough to stay with me.Dante disappoints me shortly after, though. He kisses my forehead and leaves bed next, my body curled up under the heavy blankets while my pajamas are in tattered scraps all over the floor.The bedroom door creaks open. Mason speaks softly into the room, "I've got the plane ready for you both to go. Are you sure you should go alone? Should I tell Felix about this?""He wants us to sell the flash drive, so we will," Da
Eden's POVOrange roofs, white rock buildings, and cliffside beaches.This life the Golden brothers live is so foreign to me, but I think I could get used to it. We're staying at a villa on the water, a little hut on the sand with wood plank boardwalk as it overlooks the seaside of Croatia.The weather is warm, the coffee is strong, the ocean is clear as crystal, and my favorite brothers spare no expense in fulfilling their promise to spoil me.Dante leaves early in the morning, and later that day, Ryder finds me in the pool, my arms resting on the ledge of the room that overlooks the sunrise on the cliffs. I've never even been outside of New York, let alone somewhere as gorgeous as here.Ryder slides a tray over and kneels down, meeting my lips in a brief, tender kiss. "Order room service for lunch, baby. I'm going to go meet Dante for a meeting. I think we will sell this thing off once and for all."Although thrilled with the idea of getting rid of this device, I still fe
Eden's POVThe Golden brothers tie up their deal.I nurse my third drink in nervous anticipation of tonight. I've slept with them both plenty of times by now, but it never gets any less nerve-wracking knowing it's going to happen. They shake the hands of the men who finally accept the deal to buy off the software under the clause they'll never sell it again.Hopefully, we're too far away from Erik Donahue for him to ever find that software.And maybe, just maybe, the Golden brothers and I can sail off into the sunset without trouble downwind.Dante makes it to me first, throwing a large bill on the bar top while he snakes his arm around my back and pulls me from my chair. I giggle in delirium and drunkenness, only staying upright by my arms around his shoulders.He kisses me deeply, my back tipping in an arch to accommodate his towering height and thick strength. How could I be mad at them? I just want them to be safe, and hopefully now that the deal has been made, the veng
Eden's POVI throw Asher back with my forearms, breaking the kiss at once.How could he show up here in Croatia and kiss me like nothing has happened!?"What are you doing?" I bark, slapping him across the face when he steps back toward me, intending to kiss me some more. "Asher! Stop! I don't want to kiss you!"He shakes his head in dismissal. "That's not what I felt. You kissed me back, Eden Smith.""I did not," I bite out, trying to push past him, but he stops me with a grip on my wrist, pulling me into his unwarranted embrace. His lips brush mine again, and I lean far back in his hold, preventing another kiss. "Stop it, dammit! The Golden brothers are right next door and—""And if I have them killed, you can bet that my father will release the bounty over you," Asher snaps.He releases me at last, and I stumble back a few paces, my heart settling in my stomach where it ultimately falls. I've chosen the Golden brothers over him time and again, but he persists in makin
Eden's POVThe brothers don't sleep, and I don't blame them. They pack up our bags in absolute silence, moving fluidly through the small, beachside hut while I watch on in downtrodden exhaustion. Part of me knows I should have answered Ryder's question, but the other part of me is so upset that they would even think to ask such a thing of me! They should know by now that Asher Donahue means nothing to me, and they're my entire world.But after the gunfight in the club tonight, it made me too terrified to even think straight.How could they not believe my actions?I still hear the gunshots in my head, pushing out the glass doors and sinking my feet into the sand, I force myself to accept reality while my mind just wants to whisk me away to nowhere. I don't want to go home, I don't want to be accused of loving a man I don't, and I don't want to leave this beach.Sitting in the sand, I think of my last foster family.I'm sure Patrick is out there somewhere, leaning over a
Eden's POVIf the taxi ride to the airport wasn't terrible enough, the drive from the airport to the Golden Estate is even worse. They're not just upset with my words now, they've been wounded by what I've said about them, and what they think I feel toward them. I've f*cked it all up now.I'm the last one inside the house, my bare feet sink into the lawn while I think about how horrible everything has become. I've messed up my one true purpose in getting close to these brothers.I never ever wanted to hurt them.I scan the darkness of New York, the evening just beginning here after the time change. I miss the sun, and I can't sleep even if I want to, but going inside doesn't seem to be the best idea either.Mason stands in the front doorway, his brows furrowed as he looks at my odd, unmoving spot in the front yard. "Eden, come on. It's getting cold outside."I didn't even notice the dropping temperatures, feeling so hot with frustration that I guess it doesn't matter. My he
Eden's POVDante pulls me into the shower before the sun even rises. Even though we were naked all night, the wounds and the adrenaline from the day before had caused too much tension for anything fun to happen. I'm okay with it though.For once, our serene silence was enough for me to feel secure between them both.Dante takes over the task of washing my hair while Ryder sleeps in, per usual. He finally stalks out of bed, wearing a pair of pajama pants that hang just under the muscles that carve a trail right toward his arousal. My heart sputters in my chest.Having Dante press into my back as he draws soapy hands down my sides doesn't help. His erection is sputtering as well, brushing against my lower back.They're both smiling and relaxed. I am pleased with their delight after having such tension between us for so long. For once, maybe just this time, our blissful streak will carry on uninterrupted.Ryder comes close, ready to yank free of his clothes and join us, but hi
Eden's POVSomeone cuts my wrists free, and I feel a little relieved at first. I thought it would bring back the memory of the heist, but in reality, the brothers work at securing my hands behind my back, and another plastic tie loops around my wrists again.My eyes go wide behind the tie."Can't have you doing anything rash," Dante teases.Ryder joins in the snickering banter, "We know how you like to move the blindfold off your eyes."And thank god I had. Without doing that, I would have been kicked to the curb after the robbery at Grand Dominion Bank. I would have resorted back to my old, miserable life with Jack Ward. Taking that blindfold off in the car was the best decision of my life.And they're right—I'd do it again if not for them beating me to the punch and restraining my arms behind my back. I inhale sharply, the little tatters of clothing being picked off my body, piece by piece. They admire my white lingerie, pulling and adjusting and caressing my body in the