Chapter 55 #2
Had North really just said that?
Was she really their woman? Their words still rattled around in her head.
North was so difficult to read.
But on the other hand he showed that he cared about her in small ways.
Things she just knew were him.
Like romance books turning up on her bedside table.
The bits and pieces that were added to the playroom or her wardrobe.
Trying to sleep in the bed with them even though he struggled with sleep.
“Am I really yours?” she asked. “Or are you just keeping me with you so I’m safe? I heard you say that you needed to reassess. And that maybe you should have left me where I was.”
“Because you would have been safe with Zander,” North told her. “Not because we don’t want you.”
“I’m not letting you go,” Jared stated. “I have told you this. And when North said we had to reassess, that had to do with how we introduce you to the family while keeping you safe. Because you are ours.”
“Oh. It seems I might have acted a bit hastily.”
North raised an eyebrow. “You think so?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I just overheard you and it brought up all those feelings of being unwanted. Rejected. All my life, all I’ve ever wanted was for someone to call mine.
For them to call me theirs. For them to claim me.
I’ve got Keira, but she’s also got her own family and I don’t feel like I fit in.
With you guys . . . with you guys . . .” She had to pause for a moment and take a breath.
“With you guys I feel like I fit. For the first time in my fucking pitiful life I thought I had a place where I belonged. And I was . . . I think I was falling in love with you. With both of you.” She looked from Jared to North, unsure how North would take this.
“You weren’t,” North said.
Ouch. The rejection started to build in her chest although she should have been prepared for that.
“You already love us,” Jared added. “Just like we love you.”
She shook her head as a sob escaped. “Don’t say that unless you mean it.”
“You don’t seem to have learned much about us,” North commented. “Have you?”
“What do you mean?”
“We don’t say anything we don’t mean,” North explained.
But he still hadn’t said it, had he? Maybe he never would. Did North know what love felt like?
Do you?
It’s not like you had any good role models to teach you.
No, but she’d watched Keira and Zander with each other. The way he took care of her, looked after her, kept her safe. The way she lightened him, the way she stared up at him like he was her entire world and she couldn’t believe she was this lucky.
Yeah.
That’s what she wanted.
“We love you, baby girl. I love you,” Jared told her.
“You . . . you do? You’re sure? You’re not . . .” she trailed off as Jared glared down at her.
“If you ask me if I’m just saying that then as soon as you’re healed I'm going to put you over my knee,” he warned. “On top of your punishment for running off tonight.”
She swallowed heavily. “Right. This is me not saying that.”
“It better not be. I love you. You and North are my whole fucking world and no one is going to come between us, understand? Not the rest of the world. And certainly not you. So the next time you think about running from me, you better think twice. Because I will not take kindly to you leaving me. You are not allowed to leave me. Understand?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Yes, Daddy. I will not leave you.”
“Yes, Daddy, I will not leave you.”
He gave an arrogant nod. “That’s better. Once you’re mine, there is no escape. Is there, North?”
She glanced at North but he had a strange look on his face.
Oh no.
Did he think he had to say that he loved her? She didn’t want him to feel awkward. However, she still had to say something to Jared before she could deal with North.
“I love you too, Jared. I didn’t want to go. Believe me. I . . . I want to stay with you and North forever. Even if you are both bossy and ridiculously overprotective. Plus you both seem to think that everything you say should be obeyed.”
Jared raised an eyebrow. “That’s because it should be. Also, thank fuck you love me because that would have made the rest of our lives fucking awkward if you didn’t.”
She had to laugh and then instantly regretted it.
Fuck, that hurt.
But, damn, did he always have to be so arrogant?
You love him just as he is.
Yes. She did.
Leaning down, he kissed her gently, carefully. She let out a groan of frustration because light and easy wasn’t what she wanted.
She wanted deep and hot.
Hard and sexy.
But he drew away before she could deepen the kiss, staring down at her intently.
Then he smiled. It was a smile she hadn’t seen before. A mix of softness and possessiveness.
It was a smile she’d kill to keep shining on her.
Then he turned to glance up at North and she swallowed heavily.
What about North? How did he feel? Did he really want her in his life for good? North was simply staring down at her, not saying anything.
Worry filled her.
“North might not be able to give you the words, but if you are observant, you’ll see it in the way he watches you or secretly does things for you. Often, he’ll know what you want before you even know it.”
She had noticed that.
“Yes, that is the case,” North told her as he reached out to lightly brush her arm with his hand. “You already know that I find it hard to express any emotion. To recognize and feel anything. But I know that my life is far better with you and Jared in it.”
And that was enough for her. Because she knew that he meant it.
“So is mine,” she told him. “I love you, North. And I’m sorry I ran like that. I know it’s a bad habit of mine that I need to work on.”
“And we need to make sure you feel safe with us. Wanted and loved,” Jared told her.
“I love you, North,” she told him. “It’s all right if you don’t say it back. I know you care about me.”
“I care about you as much as I have about anyone. The two of you.” His gaze narrowed. “That doesn’t mean you’re not getting a spanking for this.”
“Probably two,” Jared said.
Oh, goody.
The door to her room opened and a man stepped through dressed in scrubs and a mask.
Was this her doctor? But why would he be wearing a mask? Jared had been called out to speak to another doctor while North had gone to deal with “the head.”
Ick.
She’d thought Jared was just outside the door, though.
At least that’s where he’d told her that he’d be. They were reluctant to leave her alone. Hadn’t he also said that he had a guard standing outside her door? And another roaming the floor? That they could no longer keep her presence a secret.
“Ahh, good, you’re awake,” he said. “I only have a limited window. Your guard will wake up soon. Not very good, is he?”
“Who . . . who are you?” she asked fearfully.
Was this Beltran? Or someone he’d hired to kill her?
Her heart raced so fast she felt ill.
“I’m insulted. I helped you escape that truly hideous motel with the fleas and set you up in a cute cottage and you don’t even recognize me now?”
Understanding filled her. She didn’t know how she hadn’t recognized his voice.
“Fox?”
He did a small bow. “The one and only. You’re not looking good.”
“I’ve had better days,” she admitted. “What are you doing here?”
“Checking in on you. I didn’t learn until recently that Zander had allowed you to live alone and then you were kidnapped. I must say, I was surprised to learn who took you.
“How did you learn all that?”
“I have my ways. Of course, my informant will need to be spoken to for waiting for so long to let me know what was going on. When I finally got here, I heard some rumors that you were in the hospital.”
How did he know all of this?
“Now, we need to go before anyone comes.”
“I don’t want to leave, though. I want to stay with my guys.”
“Your guys? So you didn’t injure yourself trying to escape?”
“Um. How did you hear that?” she asked.
“I have my ways. I also heard that two severed heads have turned up on Bartolli’s doorstep.”
“Uh, yeah, that’s true.”
“Interesting.”
Interesting? She didn’t think so.
The door slammed open and Jared raced in. Seeing the Fox, he quickly drew his gun.
Uh oh.
This wasn’t going to end well.