AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jake looked surprised. It was usually him telling bodyguards to stay close to me. The fact I did it let him know how off-balance I felt. Or maybe that I actually listened to his warnings about Hutton.
"I could get Kyle and—" Jake started.
"No need," I said quickly. "Three of us will be enough to keep me safe." I hoped.
"Thank you for trusting me," Cooper said. "I was right, wasn't I?"
Jake gave him a funny look. "About what?"
"That you too needed to fuck it out," Cooper said. "You did, didn't you? I mean, unless Ivory was alone and…"
"We did," I assured him. "Yes, you were right." I patted his chest and let my hand linger there for a moment. Not even all those orgasms could take the edge off how lickable he was.
"So…" Cooper looked awkward. He obviously had something to ask, but didn't know how to ask it. If he was going to hang around with us, he was going to have to learn to dive right in.
"So?" I arched an eyebrow at him.
"So if you and Jake are a thing…" he started tentatively.
Apparently Jake had abandoned all patience today. He said, "Ivory and I are a thing. I think she wants to be a thing with you too. That's fine with me, as long as she is happy and you don't screw with her. Or… screw with her, but don't screw herover."
"Oh." Cooper nodded. "That's fine with me. If that's what Ivory wants."
Did I? My romantic relationships tended to last a week or two. What was I thinking, trying to start up a relationship with not one guy but two? Especially now. I was probably thinking that life was too short and I might as well go for it.
"As long as we can all get along, let's see where this leads," I said. That was about as much commitment as I could give right now. Judging by the looks on their faces, it was enough. For now. I would worry later if they wanted me to choose between them.
In spite of telling Jake I didn't need any more security, Kyle and Layla followed us from the apartment door down to the first floor.
The moment the elevator doors slid open, I knew some shit was going down. Between the angry shouts and the stink of animosity, the mood was obviously ugly.
No prizes for guessing the reason for the mood.
At first no one noticed us entering the bar. I wrinkled my nose at the smell of stale beer and wine. Sometimes I wished I could get drunk, it looked like fun. But the smell…
"He's a traitorous motherfucker," someone shouted. "Get a rope and we'll string up the prick."
"String him up on what?" someone else asked. "Just cut his throat and be done with it."
"Naw, that'll just make a mess and get us all kicked out." At least someone kept their head.
A ripple passed through the crowd as people started to notice I was there. They moved aside like the tide parting. Some of them looked nervous now, others curious. They all knew who I was, what they didn't know was how I would react.
I stepped through the crowd to see a circle of people, all paranormal, standing around Hutton. The wolf shifter looked more resigned than scared.
Did he really think I would let him be killed here in my building? Without my order? Two people would die then, Hutton and whoever killed him. I didn't tolerate that shit on my property. Go and kill people somewhere else, don't do it here.
I glanced at Jake. He looked like he would be happy if someone had taken care of his problem before we got here. Too bad. On the other hand, it did serve to illustrate my point. If Hutton died while we were fucking, that was exactly the kind of thing I was trying to prevent by keeping Jake at arm's length.
Lucky for everyone involved that Hutton was still alive. For now.
Hutton looked very glad to see me. "I waited, like you asked," he said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Your customers aren't very hospitable."
"Not to traitorous assholes like you," a tall man growled. "Your kind aren't welcome here."
I narrowed my eyes at him. Like a typical coward, he looked away quickly.
"Let's grab a seat," I said. I waved toward a table to the side of the room.
