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“We just have to work at it,” Beck said. “Show her how much she means to us. And open up to her so she does the same.”
“She opened up today,” Hux pointed out. “We learned a lot about her past.”
And none of it had been good.
It had all made him feel ill. His childhood had been shitty, but at least he’d been safe physically. He’d been well fed, had everything he needed except a parent who loved him.
But who had Chloe had?
A narcissistic asshole who thought she was his property.
“We show her everything we can give her and then she’ll want to stay with us,” Judd said.
Hux shared a look at Beck. “Uh, man, I don’t think she cares about any of this.”
“She needs to know we can provide for her,” Judd said.
“No,” Beck said quietly. “Chloe isn’t Ester. What Chloe needs is to feel safe in our relationship. To know we’re on her side.”
“I let her punish me. You should do the same.”
The statement from Owen had them all gaping at him.
“What?” Hux asked. “You let her spank you? Damn, I would have paid good money to see that. Do you think she’ll do it again? And let me video?”
“She didn’t spank me, you idiot,” Owen told him. “I gave her an orgasm, and she didn’t let me come. I now have a serious case of blue balls.”
“Are you serious?” Hux asked, cupping himself. “Ouch.”
“All right, so we’re all in agreement,” Judd said. “We each spend time with her. Make her feel safe. Prove to her that we can take care of her. And let her punish us.”
Hux pouted. “I don’t want blue balls, though. I’d rather take the spanking.”
Dinner had been a disaster.
They’d ordered all this food, and she hadn’t been able to eat any of it. Her stomach was tied in knots.
She felt like she was disappointing them.
So she’d retreated to her bedroom again like a coward. And now she was lying here wide-awake.
This won’t work if you’re going to hide all the time.
The door to her suite opened and the covers shifted as he climbed in behind her, curling his body around hers possessively.
Owen nuzzled her neck. “You’re pulling away from us. I’m not the most aware person and even I see that.”
She sucked in a breath. “I just . . . I don’t know what you all want from me. I don’t know how to make this better. I feel mad and guilty all at the same time.”
“You need to tell them what you want.”
“Them? Not you?”
He rolled her, moving over her and caging her under his body. His legs were between hers and she felt her breath hitch.
“Not me. I know what you want. Me.”
She rolled her eyes at him. He didn’t lack for self-confidence, that was sure.
“Now, let’s see how loud I can make you scream my name. We’ll make them aware of what they’re missing out on.”
Dear Lord.
Help her.
52
Chloe tiptoed through the hotel room, feeling silly. She was actually shocked that she’d managed to sneak out of bed without waking Owen. But he hadn’t stirred.
And she desperately needed to run. Ants were racing across her skin, making it impossible to sleep. Her brain was overloaded and there was only one way she knew to clear it.
“Going somewhere?”
She let out a small cry and turned to where Judd was sitting on the sofa. How the heck had she not seen him?
“I . . . um . . .” Guilt filled her. “I wasn’t leaving or anything.”
He rose. “You need to go for a run.”
“Yes.”
She waited for him to scold her, tell her that there was no way she was going running. That it was dark, that it wasn’t safe.
But all he did was nod.
Was he going to just let her leave?
“You’re not going on your own.”
“I . . . I’m not?”
“No. Wait for me here.”
Relief flooded her as he moved toward the bedroom he shared with the guys. When he came out a few minutes later, he was in his workout gear. He sat on the sofa and did up his shoes.
“I’m sorry to make you go running so early,” she said as he got up. Guilt filled her. “I can wait.”
“I’m ready now.”
“Right. Sure.” She turned to the door.
He sighed. “Chloe.”
“Yes?”
“I could use the run too. And I wasn’t sleeping. Okay?”
“Okay.” Her tension eased.
They stepped out of the room. “Stay close to me.”
She nodded, not put off by his terse tone. This was Judd. Warm and fuzzy wasn’t his thing. As they got into the elevator, he pressed the button for the basement level.
“Can we get out that way?”
“No. This level has the gym. We’re not running outside. It’s dark and dangerous.” He eyed her. “You shouldn’t have been going out alone.”
“I just need to run.”
He grunted. “Next time, you wake one of us.”
