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He needed to find out without scaring her off. She’d already turned away and was moving around nervously when just before she’d been relaxed and smiling.
Patience.
Liam could be far more patient than Nico was, however, he wouldn’t like her keeping things from them either. But they couldn’t expect her to just divulge her secrets to them, particularly when she had no idea what they wanted from her.
He wanted to tell her. The words burned on his tongue, but he held them back.
Instead, he stretched. Her gaze once again traveled to his bared stomach.
Sitting, he took the plate she offered, noting that hers barely held any food.
Shit.
This was going to be more complicated than he’d first envisioned. That wouldn’t stop him, though. He wasn’t looking for easy.
Lottie was it for both of them. He just had to work on getting her to open up.
“Is Liam going to be gone all day?”
“I think he’s coming back later this afternoon.”
“Oh, right.”
Was she almost disappointed by that? He couldn’t quite tell.
“You don’t have to be nervous around him,” he told her quietly. “What I told you earlier is true, he’d never harm you.”
She gave him a false smile. “I know.”
“No, you think he won’t hurt you because of your brothers,” he countered.
Her eyes widened. She seemed surprised at his words and that he was arguing with her. Did no one ever challenge her? Argue with her? Push her?
That could be his job.
He wanted to fix her. To help, to guide. But he also knew that what she really needed was someone to support her while she found her own way.
Something Liam would struggle with. When they’d first gotten together, Liam had expected Nico to come to him with every issue he had and let him fix them. But Nico didn’t need that. He just wanted someone to listen. Not to take over. His submissiveness was tied in with pleasure and play. Not everyday life.
He wondered about Lottie. He had a feeling she’d need more from them, at least in the beginning. But once she got that confidence back, well, they’d see. Because he didn’t intend to go anywhere.
Lottie was biting her lip, obviously thinking about what he’d said.
“Is it just Liam you fear hurting you? Or all men?”
She paled, and he worried he’d pushed too hard.
Idiot.
He should be sticking to lighter conversation. Making her smile. Not pushing her about her fears.
“I don’t think all men are going to hurt me. I know there are good men out there.”
That answer was both good and bad.
“So just Liam?”
She sucked in a breath. “No, not Liam.”
