Chapter 32
S lade looked around the café with a frown.
How the fuck had he let her talk him into this?
He glanced over at Rock who was staring at everyone suspiciously. As though he thought one of them was going to get up and attack their girl.
Yeah. They should never have agreed to this. But Slade was struggling to deny Indie anything at the moment. She could have asked him for his share in their businesses and his car and he’d have handed both over without a word.
But he had to temper his need to make her smile with her health and safety.
Which is why they wouldn’t be staying long. Just long enough for her to tell her boss in person that she wouldn’t be back and then they were leaving.
She should still be in bed. She was pale and moving slowly. And she looked even tinier than usual in Spencer’s coat with the scarf Quaid had bought her wrapped around her neck.
When they’d discovered that she didn’t actually have a winter coat, he’d nearly lost it. The only coat she’d owned had been destroyed by Billy .
Quaid and Shepherd needed to hurry the fuck up and find that bastard. Slade didn’t want him breathing the same air as their girl.
They needed to get her a whole new wardrobe. That’s what Spencer was doing back at the penthouse. They should have realized she’d be worried about money and how she was going to pay for everything for the baby. And they’d have to sort out a nursery.
And a playroom for their girl.
Slade understood that she couldn’t trust them with her Little yet. They had her in their home and under their protection. Safe from Billy.
That was the most important thing.
Everything else would come eventually.
He just had to be patient. Something he wasn’t very good at.
“Indie!” A good-looking guy stepped out of the kitchens and walked toward their girl with his arms spread wide.
Without a noise, Rock stepped between the two of them, protecting their girl.
Satisfaction filled Slade. When he was younger, he never would have contemplated sharing a girl with his friends. He’d have been too jealous.
He’d been furious when he’d learned that they all liked her. Mostly because he’d thought he would never be able to make a move. That whole stepbrother-stepsister taboo thing.
But after they’d all cooled off, it had been Quaid who had suggested sharing her. He’d pointed out to Slade that they’d already been teenagers when they met. That being attracted to his stepsister didn’t mean he was a degenerate.
Still, he wasn’t sure he would have been comfortable making a move until his father and her mother had decided to separate.
That cleared the path.
He wasn’t going to let her get away.
The guy, who he assumed was her boss, came to a sudden stop, giving Rock a confused look. That confusion soon turned into a deep, dark rage. Suddenly, he burst out into Italian. Everyone turned to stare as he exploded, his arms firing into the air, his face turning red.
“Uh-oh,” Indie said.
Slade moved up behind her, wrapping an arm around her gently as he tugged her back several steps.
He needed to get her away from the crazy guy.
Suddenly the guy stopped. He stepped around Rock so he could stare at where Slade held Indie.
“Let her go.”
Slade raised his eyebrows. “Nope.”
“Oh God,” Indie muttered.
The guy stepped forward and Rock held a hand up, catching him in the middle of his chest.
“Let her go right now!” he demanded.
“Why would I do that?” Slade drawled. “When she belongs to me.”
“Oh hell,” Indie muttered.
Fuck.
He probably shouldn’t be egging this guy on when it was likely causing Indie stress.
“Are you the one that beat her?” the guy roared.
The whole room was silent, waiting for Slade’s reply. Anger filled him, taking him over. He’d always been like this. Quick to anger.
Then Indie placed her hand on his arm and the anger started to fade.
“Breathe,” she told him. “He doesn’t mean any insult. He’s just looking out for me.”
Yeah? Where was he when Billy was fucking beating her?
Where were you?
Fuck you, inner voice.
This was more than just him looking out for her.
This guy was into her. Yet he’d let her work on her feet all day long while she was pregnant. He’d only given her enough food for one meal. He must have seen her splitting it and taking the rest home, right?
Surely, he’d noticed her threadbare shoes and worn clothes? How pale and tired she was.
If he liked her, then he should have been taking care of her.
And you should have been here for her. You should have known what she was going through.
Yeah.
He should have.
“I think we should all go into the staff room,” Indie said hastily. “Let all of these people finish their food in peace and quiet.”
The guy heaved for breath, then he gave a quick nod and turned, walking away.
Indie turned, and reaching up, cupped Slade’s face between her hands. “Please stay calm. He’s just worried about me. When I tell him who you are, he’ll calm down. Okay?”
Slade just nodded and glanced over at Rock who didn’t look any happier than he was.
“You stay next to me and Rock at all times,” he said. “You’re not alone with this guy and he doesn’t touch you.”
“Benito would never harm me,” she said.
“Those are the conditions.” Slade stared at her sternly.
“Urgh, you really are a bossy bastard,” she grumbled at him. “Fine.”
Reaching out, Rock took her hand in his and led her toward the back. Slade didn’t try to touch her again. Probably best to let her cool off.
He preferred that his balls remain attached to his body and not halfway up his throat.
Indie hadn’t realized how exhausting this would be. It was ridiculous, really.
It wasn’t like she’d done anything except walk from the car to the café .
Hide it.
If the guys realized how tired she was, they’d insist on carrying her back to the car and taking her home to bed.
And as much as she liked the idea of that, she had to talk to Benito. Plus, she wanted to convince the guys to let her do some shopping after this.
She couldn’t wear Spencer’s coat for the rest of winter. She had a bit of cash tucked away. If they took her to a charity shop she would surely be able to get a coat. Maybe she could go to a budget shop for some more panties and cheap makeup.
As she walked into the staff room, she saw Benito pacing up and down the room. He was going to give himself a heart attack at this rate.
“Benito, I’d like you to meet Rock and Slade,” she said. “These guys are . . . old friends. They aren’t my ex.”
He stilled and stared at her. “They did not do this.” He waved a hand at her appearance.
“No.”
“They didn’t leave you to work and support yourself while pregnant?”
She sighed. “A lot of women are pregnant and on their own, you know.”
“They shouldn’t be,” Benito said. “All women should have someone to take care of them.”
Lord, he was old-fashioned.
Then she noticed that Rock and Slade were nodding.
Seriously? They agreed with him?
What was happening right now?
“Right, you guys need to step out of the Stone Age. I was taking care of myself just fine until Billy found me.”
Total and utter lie. But she still felt like she needed to stick up for women in general. And she wasn’t helpless.
Everything had just been stacked against her.
“Billy,” Benito spat out his name. “That is the name of the stronzo who did this to you? ”
“Um, yeah. My ex.”
“We’re taking care of her,” Slade said. “Because she’s ours.”
Indie sucked in a breath and turned to glare at him. Why did he keep making it sound like they were all an item? Benito was going to get the wrong idea.
“Yeah?” Benito said.
“Yeah,” Slade replied.
“That’s what you want, Indie?” Benito asked.
Why was he acting like this? He’d always been a bit over-the-top. But this seemed nuts even for him.
“Yes. The guys are taking good care of me. They let me move in with them and they’re trying to find Billy since the cops aren’t having much luck. I’m safe with them.”
“I want to talk to you alone,” Benito stated.
Slade let out a huff of unamused laughter. “Not happening.”
Benito crossed his arms over his chest. “Why? Because you say so?”
“Yep, exactly,” Slade replied.
“What are you so afraid of?” Benito goaded him. “That I might steal her away?”
Slade laughed again, this time it sounded more genuine.
“Nope. Not worried about that. But you don’t deserve to speak to her alone.
You let her work long days on her feet knowing she was pregnant and ill.
You fed her once a day. She often had to take some of that home with her so she’d eat at night.
No, you don’t deserve any time with our girl. ”
Oh hell.
Benito grew pale. “She always said she was fine. I could have given you more food, bellissima .”
Slade stiffened.
Oh heck.
Indie was beginning to see that this was a really bad idea. How had she thought it wouldn’t be?
“No one calls her beautiful but us,” Slade stated as he and Rock flanked her .
Benito’s eyes narrowed. “Us? Two men, bellissima ?”
Oh hell.
Why was he trying to provoke them?
Men.
They could be so freaking annoying.
“We should go,” she said, without answering his question.
Because she wasn’t actually theirs. They were just acting this way because .
. . well, because they were possessive assholes.
“I just wanted to let you know in person that I was all right. And I’m not going to be able to work anymore, I’m sorry.
You should find someone else. It’s just not safe with Billy, my ex who did this to me, still out there. ”
“Plus, we won’t allow her to be on her feet for hours on end,” Slade spat out.
Yep.
They needed to get out of here.
With a quick goodbye, she rushed them out of there.
“Was that really necessary?” she asked, glaring up at Slade who was walking beside her.
For some reason, Rock was walking behind them and she had to turn to glare at him.
“It was,” Slade replied. “That guy wants you.”
“He is my boss!”
“Was your boss. And he definitely wants you.”