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Of course. I owe them at least that much. I might be tired and cranky, but they don’t deserve my crappy mood.
I return to the living room, where I curl up into a huge chair. With my arms crossed and my legs tucked under me, I feel like a turtle in her shell, as safe as I can make myself from danger.
But the truth is, I’m just as vulnerable as I’ve ever been. Sergey may be gone, but there’s always another one like him right around the corner.
And as if he’s reading my mind, Artem addresses my concerns.
“You are safe as long as you are with us, Lily. I know that might not be the news you want to hear. But your old life is a thing of the past.”
A lump builds in my throat, but why? It’s not like Artem is telling me anything I don’t already know.
And why exactly would I want to go back to my old life? All I did was work. Watch other people have fun. I am the very definition of a wallflower.
So. Freaking. Pathetic.
Why have I been satisfied with that for so long? How could I be? Life was happening all around me. I was being left behind.
Maybe what I had was enough at the time, because I was finally free of my toxic father, who’s been telling me for as long as I can remember that I’m lazy and dumb and will never amount to anything. Is that why I’ve lived the way I have? To prove to him or myself that Icando something, and do it well?
“I… I know yousayI’m safe,” I blurt out in a trembling voice. “At least for the time being. But the question is, what will things look like for me going forward?”
I’m not sure anyone can answer that. But I’ve got to ask.
“We don’t know that yet. No one does. But whatever you decide to do, Lily, we will offer you protection. You will need it. But we do hope,” Valentin pauses, looking at his brother and Artem, “that you’ll consider staying with us.”
“Stay?”
I’m not sure what that means.
Actually, I’m not sure of anything at the moment. It’s late, I’m exhausted, and no surprise, I’ve got a massive headache looming.
“Yeah. Stay,” Grisha repeats.
I can’t lie. I do feel something for these guys, and it goes beyond the crazy passion I have for them. But do theyreallywant me? Or am I just their project of the month?
Grisha beckons me over, and I settle into his lap with my head against his chest. God, it feels good. It feels like where Ibelong.
I think these guys do want me. I can feel it. I am important to them.
But that doesn’t mean everything’s settled. I need more than that.
“I… care for you. All of you.”Care. What an inadequate word. “Probably more than you know, and probably more than I want to admit to myself. But I can’t hide out in this house for the rest of my life and be happy. I want to work. I want to have a life. Go places, experience things.”
And have the love of three wonderful men. But I wasn’t ready to say that. It was much too scary. Risky.
Grisha strokes my hair, long since having fallen out of the neat bun I’d twisted it into earlier that day.
“You can do that, baby. You aren’t trapped in this house or anywhere else. You’ll just need a bodyguard. Someone discreet, who no one will notice. In fact, most of the time, you won’t even know he’s there.”
I perk up. “That’s possible?”
He laughs and looks at the guys. “Anything is possible with us, Lily. Haven’t you learned yet that we just make shit happen?”
It’s true. They seem to be able to pull just about anything off. But this—my being with them—that’s next-level stuff.
“I… I don’t know what to say.” I kiss him on the lips and next thing I know, Valentin and Artem are guiding me to the sofa. While I’m still standing, they unzip the back of my dress, and it slips to the floor. I wasn’t wearing a bra since the dress exposed my shoulders, so all I’m left in are my tiny thong panty and high heels.
And I have to admit, in spite of all that had just happened, I feel sexy as hell. Grisha sits on the sofa in front of where I stand and reaches for my breasts by palming one and pulling the other into his mouth. His tongue on my nipple sends sparks straight through to my core, and my eyes fall closed so I can savor the sensation and let it take me away from the night’s events.
