Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“Reggie, you know I love you. You too, Vicky,” she said to her big brother, who seemed to be taking this the best of everyone. He walked over with the first aid kit, handing it to Nico, who immediately started cleaning up her arms.
“We know, darling,” Regent said.
“Liam.” She turned her head to look at him. “I love you too.”
Satisfaction filled his face. “I know.”
“Liam,” Nico growled.
She just glared. She knew Liam wasn’t always an overly demonstrative guy, but he had to say it. He surprised her by chuckling. “That look on your face. And I used to think you were so meek and mild.”
“Liam,” she growled. “What do you have to say to me?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure.”
“Are you overly fond of your balls? Because Nico and I were thinking of taking up tennis.”
“Great idea, pretty girl,” Nico said. “But maybe we should play golf. I don’t think his balls would bounce enough for tennis.”
“True.”
“Neither of you are getting hold of my balls. Brats.”
She caught sight of her brothers, both of them were staring at her like they’d never seen her before.
Then Liam grasped her chin and tilted her face back. “I love you too, Charlotte Rosa Malone.”
Then he kissed her. It wasn’t quick and it wasn’t light. She could practically feel the testosterone amassing in the room as he drew back.
“You fucker,” Regent spat out.
Liam met his gaze, his face growing cold. “Mine.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
She sighed. “Both of you stop. You’re both acting like I can’t make up my own mind. I’m not a child, as Nico pointed out.”
“Hear, hear,” Nico cheered.
“As I was saying. I love everyone in this room. And none of you are going to hurt each other. Not because you think you know what’s best for me. I know what’s best for me.”
“Lottie,” Regent said, with doubt in his voice. It hurt, even though she told herself she only had herself to blame.
“I get it,” she told him gently. “For so long, you’ve taken care of me. Made all the decisions. And I’ve needed that. But I’m growing stronger, Regent. Don’t you want that? For me to be stronger?”
“Of course, I do. But you don’t have to be with the two of them to do that.”
“I’m not with them to feel stronger. But I do feel better with their support. They stand with me, help me.”
“You barely know them,” Victor pointed out.
“I’ve known them for years. It’s just . . . I didn’t realize I felt this way toward them until lately.”
“I don’t know how you can love them in such a short time. How do you know you do? How do you know it’s not just something else, something that you’re mistaking for love?” Regent asked.
“Like lust?” she asked.
Regent grimaced.
“All right,” she conceded. “So we’ll just have to spend more time together to know for sure.” There, she had him.
“Fuck,” Regent said. “I don’t want them here with you.”
“Then I’ll have to go with them,” she told them.
They all gaped at her. Her pulse sped up, her palms growing sweaty at the thought.
“No,” Regent said.
“I need to do this, Regent. I need them. If you can’t handle this happening, then we’ll have to go elsewhere. It’s not an ultimatum. I understand it. I’m your little sister. You’ve protected me for so long. I don’t want to upset you.”
“Fuck. Fuck.” Regent leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling.
“This is your home,” Victor finally said. “You’ll stay here. Where you feel safest.”
“And Liam and Nico?”
Regent groaned. Lifted his head to look at them all. “They can stay.”
“And you won’t do anything to them,” she pressed.
“Of course not.”
“Promise,” she pressed.
“I promise.” The words were wrested from him, but she knew he meant them.
It wasn’t acceptance. And their friendship was likely ruined. But it was enough. For now.
“Now that that’s settled,” Victor moved his gaze to Liam, “I want to hear about how you ended up with my sister the night she was rescued. And why we’ve never heard about this until now.”
Right. That. She was dying to know about that as well.
“I always thought it was a weird dream,” she said before Liam could speak. “That for some reason, I kept planting you into my nightmares. I could never work out why my brain was putting the guy I was attracted to into my nightmare.”
“Well, if that’s what it was doing, I’d be there too, right?” Nico joked. Or tried to joke because she thought she saw a flash of hurt in his gaze.
He hid it behind a smile and a smart mouth, but she knew she saw it.
“Which is exactly why I couldn’t understand it,” she said, climbing over into his lap.
Regent grunted. “Two guys. Seriously. What is happening? Is it something in the water? First Jardin, now Lottie. If you tell me you have two women locked up in a dungeon somewhere, I’m going to lose my mind.” That last part was directed at Victor who just stared back at him.