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They look around my bare room as I take a seat on the floor. I gesture for them to join me. “Sorry, my room isn't quite finished yet.”
“No apologies necessary,” Aurora speaks up, taking a seat next to me on the carpet. Aisling joins her. “Lennon pulled the same crap with me. My guess is that you're not quite behaving yourself yet. Am I right?”
“If you're referring to submitting, then you'd be correct.” I laugh.
“Yeah, I got minimum clothes other than joggers in the beginning, and I was confined to my room until he knew he could trust me not to run off. He had his men abduct me.” She laughs as she shares the memory of how things started with her and Lennon.
“I came on my own,” I admit, which is sort of true. I had begrudgingly agreed to this arrangement. Kai just rescued and took me a day early. I had to endure a few days in a shitty warehouse cell, but I don't disclose those details. “But I can't say that I'm happy about it. Sorry, Aisling, but your brother is kind of a dominating asshole.”
“No offense taken. I'm well aware. You should try growing up with them. They're overprotective, but they mean well,” Aisling says.
“I agree. Once Lennon was able to let me in and see me as more than some obligation or arrangement, things between us really soared. He's both loving and protective. I get to experience a side of him that he rarely shows the rest of the world,” Aurora shares.
As much as I try to mask it, I'm envious of the love that Aurora has found with Lennon. I can't imagine being in love, especially not with someone like Kai. But then again, I don't really know him yet. Maybe there's more to him than the cold and ruthless man who calls me aninvestment.
Aisling notices the shift in my mood and reaches out to gently pat my arm. “Don't worry, Kai may seem intimidating at first, but he's a good man. He'll come around, but that will require you to let him in. You two will get past this challenging phase.”
“I hope so,” I say with a small smile, though deep down I'm not so sure.
“I know so,” Aurora chimes in, her own smile wide and genuine. “But enough about the men. Let's talk about us girls. Tell us about your family and what you like to do for fun... well before now.”
And with that simple prompt, we begin to bond over our varying interests and aspirations. For a moment, I forget all about the complicated situation I find myself in and just enjoy the company of these two women who have gone out of their way to reassure me and make me feel like one of them.
As the day wears on, we continue to chat comfortably on my bedroom floor. Aurora and Aisling are so easy to talk to that I find myself opening up, sharing more about myself than I thought I would. I talk about how my mother died when I was eight and how my brothers and father essentially raised me. I share that I’m interested in studying law, and they don't ridicule me for it. They share some book titles of some spicy romance books that I may want to try, and I'm intrigued. I learn that Aisling has taken over their family restaurant and that Aurora is helping to add some modern flair without extinguishing the traditions that make it unique.
As we chat, I start to feel more at ease around them. They don't judge me or make me feel like an outsider. They treat me as if we're already friends, not just some girl who's been thrust into this complicated situation with their brother and brother-in-law.
Eventually, the conversation does turn back to Kai and Lennon. Aurora looks at me curiously and asks, “So what do you think of Kai so far, other than he's a dominating asshole? Are you at least attracted to him?”
I take a deep breath before answering. “Honestly, I don't really know yet,” I say with a shrug. “He's definitely insanely hot, but he’s also intimidating. There's something intriguing about him. I think he has a lot of layers that I haven't uncovered yet, but I'm just not sure if he'll let me uncover them.”
Aurora nods in agreement. “That's exactly how I felt about Lennon when we first met. He was so closed off and hard to read, but once he started to trust me, he revealed so much more of himself. My heart never stood a chance with him.”
She leans forward, her expression serious. “Just be careful, okay? These men can be protective and caring, but they don't make it easy to access that part of them. You have to have blind faith here and submit. If you insist on fighting Kai at every turn, it will be just that much longer for the two of you to get to a better place. If Kai is anything like Lennon, he’s stubborn and will get his way in the end.”
I nod in agreement, silently thanking her for the advice. It’s just easier said than done.
The door to my room abruptly opens, and Kai strides in. Those whiskey-colored eyes immediately find mine, narrowing slightly at the sight of me sitting on the floor with Aurora and Aisling. He stands there looking just as imposing as ever. But there's something different about him too, something softer in his expression that catches me off guard.
“Lennon told me that you guys came straight here from the plane. Figured you may want to get some rest and then freshen up before dinner later,” he says to the two women. “Samuel can show you to the guest rooms if you ladies are done chatting.”
“Doesn't sound like a bad idea,” Aisling agrees. “I could use a short nap.”
“Same,” Aurora says as she stands up and helps Aisling up.
“Lennon has already beat you to it,” Kai informs Aurora. “He just went to lie down a few minutes ago. We went to join you ladies in the solarium, but Samuel informed us that the two of you were here in Vasilisa’s room, so we decided to let you be.”
“It was nice meeting you both,” I say as they prepare to leave. “Thank you for coming by my room to chat.”
Kai turns to me. “This isn't goodbye. You'll see them again later. We're heading out to dinner tonight, so be ready to go by seven sharp. Andrea will bring by something for you to wear.”
My mind drifts to the last dinner outing, but I simply nod. As the door closes behind them, I'm left alone with Kai. The room feels suddenly smaller, and my heart beats faster in anticipation. I'm not sure what to expect from him, especially after our last encounter.
“Come with me,” he says, his voice low and commanding.
Without a word, I stand and follow him out of the room. We walk down the long hallway in silence, but the tension between us is palpable. Finally, we reach what I'm guessing is his room, and he opens the door. He gestures for me to enter.
I step inside and take a quick scan of the room. It's much larger than my own, with expensive-looking furnishings and decorations that scream luxury. But despite the opulence of it all, there's a raw masculinity to it that makes me feel both excited and uneasy at the same time.
