Chapter 34
Ishot upright, shaking off the web of sleep clinging to my thoughts. It took me seconds to recognize Dorian’s bedroom. Everything had been put back in place.
The Ironwyld Pack lay across the bed too, deep asleep. Cade let out a snore, and his arm twitched around my thigh. He was sprawled across my legs, pinning them.
Dorian squeezed the hand he held curled to his chest. I looked over at him, his head on the pillow next to the one I’d been resting on. All the scabs on his knuckles had fallen off, leaving behind faint scars. “We haven’t rested since you left,” he whispered.
I stiffened my lips.
“I’d like to be alone,” I bit out and climbed out of the bed still wearing Dorian’s coat.
Cade groaned and rolled onto his back as he scrubbed his fists against his eyes. I marched over to the door and swung it open and pointed. I could have left to the bedroom I’d been in, but Dorian’s bed was much more comfy.
I raised an eyebrow as they all blinked sleepiness out of their eyes. “Listen, we have a lot to talk about, but right now, I’d like to be alone.”
Rafe was the first on his feet. He yawned and stretched his arms up. I yanked my eyes away from the rippling bronze abs. Rafe stopped right next to me, and he urged my chin higher with a touch of his finger as he lowered his face toward me.
“I love you,” he whispered against my lips, wafting his coffee scent through my senses, and kissed my mouth. Then he left, leaving me reeling.
Rafe made me breathless and off-kilter. Vulnerability made me want to hide even more. Cade was still sitting on the edge of the bed with a smirk on his face. Smug over how Rafe left me speechless. I burst forward and grabbed his arm, then tugged and yanked. Finally, he stood.
I shoved his chest. “Out.”
“Hit me as much as you want. Take your rage out on me,” Cade offered. He invaded my space, and I backed up until I caught myself.
I raised a hand, preparing to swing it with all my might . . . but I stopped.
“Do it.” There was no subterfuge or smugness to be seen, just pure sincerity. He kept still, waiting for my blow. I couldn’t help but respond to his passion—his ache.
I dropped my hand and hugged myself, retreating near the door. “Get out.”
Cade lowered his head and finally nodded, leaving silently.
I grabbed the door as Dorian approached. He’d been studying me the entire time. He was almost out the door when he caught my hand and lifted it to kiss the back.
“Please give us a chance,” Dorian murmured. With that, he dropped my hand and walked out.
My heart shriveled. Their pain was tangible, and it was moving me.
Everything I knew about them had been swirling in my thoughts since they left. They’d grown up at Forest Peak under the control of abusive people who took pleasure in harming them.
Just that thought battered against my will to stay away. And when they looked at me with those sad eyes. I sighed and rubbed my temples.
A gentle tap came from the door.
“Are you hungry?” Cade’s voice. I stayed silent. “We won’t touch you if you don’t want us to.” He sounded so sad. My heart traveled to my throat. “But come out and eat with us. Please,” he tacked on.
My hunger had increased with each hour that passed. It was something I could ignore and survive for the day, but a bigger part of me wanted to see if they kept that promise. If they could and we could discuss the situation we all found ourselves in, maybe then I could make steps toward healing.
Decision made, I stood and with my head raised, walked to the door in Dorian’s too big slippers. I opened it, and Cade’s lips parted and started to form a smile. He quickly stifled it and took a step back to give me space.
“We’ll be in the kitchen,” he said suddenly serious and backed down the hall, pausing to look at me over his shoulder.
I took a deep breath and shuffled after him. All the doors were left wide open. I frowned and peeked in the first one. Their gym. Instead of all the work out machines that had been there before, everything was gone, and the fresh smell of paint infected the hall.
The floors had been redone to a gray wood.
It looked very soft and feminine, especially with the pastel yellow walls.
Even the sex room was open. I hurried to it.
It’d been gutted too; the walls were now white and there was dark wood that matched the hallway.
All of their work out machines were pushed in the middle of the room since their prior gym room had been more spacious than this one.
I kept walking to the next hall to the bedroom I’d stayed in.
No bed, and just as gutted, but not only that, they’d had a larger window installed.
What were they doing with all these rooms?
I continued on to the kitchen. Nothing beyond the rooms was different. All of them sat at the kitchen table, none of the food on their plates touched. I plopped onto the empty seat at the end of the table.
Dorian sat on one side and Cade on the other, while Rafe was on his other side. They continued watching me, and it clicked what they wanted. I grabbed my fork, then they all did the same, settling in to eat. I moved around the tortellini.
“What happened to the rooms?”
“One is your art room. The other is your nest,” Rafe said while the other two chewed.
Cade nodded as he swallowed. “I read artists like a lot of natural sunlight.” Not for digital art, but the sentiment chipped at the ice around my heart.
I was still stunned, unable to spit words out.
“Do you like the color I chose?” Dorian finally added.
“Y—yes,” I said and cleared my throat. “Did you paint it too?”
“Me,” Rafe grunted.
“He studied architecture for a year before he dropped out,” Cade offered.
“I liked working with my hands more.” Rafe shrugged.
“What do you do?” I turned to Cade.
“I help Dorian with different things. PR shit and the like for HeatLink.” Cade shrugged.
“Oh.”
“We’ve been discussing. We understand you’re angry with us,” Dorian started. I started to say something. “Rightfully so,” he interrupted, and I closed my mouth. “You can set up your nest and room here. We won’t bother you until you’ve forgiven us.”
I eyed him and the other two who didn’t seem to be breathing.
“And the only stipulation is that I remain here? As your prisoner?” I raised an eyebrow.
“No,” Dorian insisted. “No to the second part. You’re free to go as you please.”
“But always return,” Cade added.
A thud sounded, and Cade hissed a breath out. Rafe’s glare at Cade told me he was the one who kicked him.
My lips twitched. Damn them for being cute. I couldn’t hold off what I really wanted to ask anymore, and my smile melted away.
“What happened with Susanna?”
Dorian slowly set down his fork. “Nothing happened with her.”
“Other than we almost killed her.” Cade grinned smugly. My eyes bugged out.
“I know you believe we don’t truly want you, but Eva.” Dorian turned his torso toward me, giving me his undivided attention. “She was never for us. Even with her, we weren’t happy.” He shook his head. “We would have been miserable if you hadn’t saved us from the mistake.”
My anger melted the rest of the way, and emotion swelled. Sincerity was clear in their features. I met each of their gazes, and the plea in all of them matched. Denying them . . . I didn’t think I could do it.
“Guys?” a female voice called, then Deborah rounded into the kitchen.
She came in like she belonged. My jaw locked, and I stood. Rafe was already on his feet, protectively hovering next to me, gripping my shoulder and forcing me to sit back down. Cade grabbed my hand, and Dorian was on his feet so quickly, the chair slammed on the floor with a loud bang.
“How the fuck did you get in?” Cade hissed.
Deborah’s eyebrows raised and pinned where he held my hand. I clenched it, tugging it, but Cade didn’t let me go.
“You weren’t answering my calls . . . I saw you put a key under the mat one time . . .” Deborah kept blinking. “Why are you glaring at me?” I followed her gaze to Cade’s sneer.
“Out!” Dorian roared, a crippling amount of dominance coming from him.
Deborah choked, and her legs gave out. She kept her eyes lowered, her mouth flapping open and closed.
“No one gave you the authority to enter.”
“I-I was knocking and Cade wasn’t answering me. I was worried,” she cried out, tears spilling from the corner of her eyes.
“Get the fuck out.” Cade shoved to his feet, sneering at her. His irises expanded making his eyes seem black. “Or you’ll conveniently disappear.” She flinched and scooted back, scrambling to her feet.
His threat sent chills down my spine. Deborah finally retreated, running out of the house.
“Fucking annoying,” Cade huffed. I couldn’t make myself not be stiff. Keeping my jaw locked tight, I stared at my food. “Eva,” he whispered, voice miles different from what it had been moments ago.
He caught my hand. I didn’t say anything and picked up my fork to stab it into the spinach salad. He’d made it clear that the night they brought her here, they hadn’t fucked her, but seeing her was a stab to my already punctured heart.
I shoved the forkful of spinach into my mouth and chewed.
I didn’t look at them the rest of dinner, and they kept their word, giving me space, while watching my every move like I was about to vanish.