Chapter 84
BELLA
The boys are busy getting ready when Lily texts to tell me she’s here. I’m exhausted. After Rowan snuck into our room, we all didn’t go back to sleep. I can’t get enough of either of them. And they can keep going as long as I need them too.
But oh my god, it’s like I’ve done a full body workout. I can’t sit down and I’m walking a little funny.
I sneak to the front door, where she’s there smiling, holding a bag.
“Conan is not amused,” she half whispers, half giggles.
“But, he’s in?”
There is no way I can pull off my epic idea without him setting it up in Inferno for me and letting me in.
“Hallie had to pull some serious favors. But, yes. He’s doing it now. And he will get them there on time. Here.” She hands me a little black bag.
“Amazing. Thank you. I gotta look the part.”
She giggles. “I’m so excited. You gotta tell me all about it. Their faces will be a picture. And that letter you wrote? Absolute fire.”
I bat my lashes, enjoying the praise.
“I have a way with words. Well, and I used their contract as a guideline. I hope it works.”
A knot forms in my stomach. It has to. This is the only fair way. I can’t pick between them, but I have to marry one of them.
Even if it is just on paper, if I make that choice, it makes one of them feel second best. But if they compete for it?
All is fair in love and war.
But I’m not letting either of them go.
“It will. And even if it doesn’t. You’re going to have one hell of a time.” She winks.
“Fuck, yeah. I’ll give you a text when we’re home so we can go… shopping.”
“Ah. Shopping. Got it. Good cover,” she whispers.
I give her a hug before she goes, and I stash the bag in one of the kitchen cupboards before either of them appears.
I’m pouring a glass of water when I hear the door close.
Rowan is first, coming through the hallway from his place. Backwards hat again. Black jeans and a tight tee. He stalks towards me, his eyes raking over my little pink dress.
“Like what you see, rockstar?” I tease.
When he stops in front of me, I grab his silver chain and yank him down for a kiss.
“Always.”
I lean back, taking him in.
“I’m not sure I can take a guy as hot as you are, in a backwards hat and a slutty chain, into a bookstore.”
“Oh yeah? Why is that?”
I grab his throat.
“Someone might try and steal you from me. Us book girls are thirsty.”
Rowan leans in, grabbing my water from the side.
He tips back his head, drinking most of it. But then he doesn’t swallow the last bit. He taps my lips with a hunger in his dark eyes.
With one hand around my throat, he spits the water into my mouth.
“Thirst quenched?” he asks, his voice rough.
I swallow, a heat burning my cheeks.
“Not even close, rockstar.”
Reggie clears his throat, and I glance over and groan. He’s looking like a damn Greek god too.
“Reggie,” I whine.
“What?”
“You both need to get changed. You’re too sexy to be taking me smutty book shopping. Go put on something that reveals less muscles and tattoos?” I say sweetly.
They both chuckle.
I walk over to Reggie, running my hands through his dark curls.
“I’ll go put on a shorter dress if you don’t.” I bat my lashes at him.
He leans in and kisses me until I can’t breathe.
“I can fight. So you’re safe to wear anything you want, baby. Looks like you’ll have to do the same to protect us, huh?”
I chew on my lip.
“If I get arrested today, it’s on both of you.”
I scan the bookshelf for another one. Rowan suggested we play a game of how many they can hold between the two of them. So far, I’ve got quite the stack. But a girl can always buy more books.
When I look to my left, I see a pretty girl with long dark hair, staring at me.
I pick out a book, still feeling her eyes on me.
“Uh, can I help you?” I ask, turning toward her.
That’s when I realize she’s not looking at me. She’s looking past me. Practically drooling at Reggie and Rowan.
“Wow,” she breathes. “Which one’s yours? Can I get the other one's number?”
My grip on the book tightens. For a second, I actually consider smacking her with it.
Then I glance back, and my pulse steadies.
Reggie and Rowan are both standing there, arms full of books, eyes fixed only on me.
I smile.
No need to hit a bitch in a bookstore. But I did warn them not to look so fucking hot in public. My possessiveness has limits, and they’re testing every single one.
Turning back to her, I keep my tone light. I don’t even blame her. I’d stare too.
“Nope. Sorry, sweetheart. They’re actually both mine.”
Her jaw drops.
“What? How does that even work?”
I lean closer, smiling sweetly. “We’ve got more than one hole, haven’t we?”
Then I turn on my heel and walk toward my men with an extra sway in my hips and a book in my hand.
Rowan’s leaning against the shelf, that slow grin spreading across his face, like he already knows exactly what I said.
Reggie’s gaze drags down my body. I can practically see him calculating how many punishments each of those books just earned me.
Everyone here has been staring at them. But, they’re gigantic. Gorgeous. Complete with Irish accents and armfuls of spicy books—it’s unfair, really.
“Another one, Princess?” Reggie asks, as I drop my latest find onto his pile. “Don’t you think you’ve got enough to read for the year?”
“You’re holding thirty books,” I deadpan. “That’s a month.”
He blinks. “A month? A book a day, Bella? Jesus.”
I shrug. “I wasn’t getting any, and the smut helped. I guess now I won’t need as much. Maybe one every two days—depending on how busy you two keep me.”
Rowan pushes off the shelf, his smirk wicked. “Load me up, precious. But I have a new rule—whatever you read, we recreate. So pick wisely.”
Heat crawls up my neck. He’s holding way less than Reggie, which means… I can get away with more.
I trail my finger along the spine of one of Reggie’s books. “Well, this one… the guy eats her out against the bookshelf.”
Reggie clears his throat. “And in this one, she’s about to get bent over the table and spanked in front of everyone.”
Rowan grins, teeth flashing. “That’s fine. I’ll eat you out while he’s doing it, baby. We’ll make it a team effort.”
Reggie shoots him a glare.
“Okay,” I cut in quickly, fighting a smile. “Five more books. But this time—you two can help me pick them.”
Reggie steps closer, his presence swallowing the space between us. “Five more books, huh?” His voice drops, low enough to make my knees weak. “You really want to test me in public, Princess?”
I tilt my chin up, matching his tone. “You offered to bring me here to pick out books. I’m just following orders. The next five, Rowan can hold.”
His mouth twitches. “That’s funny. You only follow orders when it suits you.”
Rowan moves behind me, his breath ghosting my ear. “She follows mine just fine,” he murmurs, dragging a fingertip down the curve of my spine until I shiver. “Don’t you, sweetheart?”
The sound that escapes me isn’t a word; it’s a soft, involuntary noise that earns a satisfied hum from him.
Reggie’s eyes darken, that sharp possessiveness flashing hot. “You really want to play that game here?”
Rowan’s grin widens. “I don’t mind if the audience learns a few new kinks. They’ve been watching us long enough already.”
“Boys,” I whisper, my voice catching. “We’re in a bookstore.”
Reggie leans in until his lips brush my ear. “And that’s the only reason your ass isn’t already red.”
The threat hits like a live wire. My breath stutters, thighs pressing together.
Rowan laughs under his breath. “Guess we’ll save it for later, then. Hope you remember which shelf that book came from, sweetheart. Wouldn’t want to lose our place.”
I grab another novel just to steady my shaking hands, pretending to read the back cover while my pulse races. I really need to compose myself.
Rowan plucks it from me and tosses it onto his pile.
“Fine,” Reggie says. “That’s your first one. But when we get back, you’re reading the first chapter out loud. Both of us listening. And whatever scene you hit first…”
He lets the words trail off, a promise steeped in sin.
Rowan smirks. “Looks like story time just got a whole lot more interesting.”
And the worst—or maybe the best—part?
I already can’t wait to find out which scene it’ll be.
I grab hold of Reggie’s tense bicep, biting my lip. “Turns out having two muscly boyfriends is even better for book shopping,” I tease, earning matching low chuckles from both of them.
By the time we reach the cashier, they’re right behind me. I pull my card from my purse as Reggie sets his pile on the counter.
He catches the card in my hand and frowns. “Put it away. This is on us. We aren’t just muscle, we’re also the bank.”
He flashes the cashier a killer grin and hands over his black Amex.
“I can pay for these,” I whisper. “I don’t expect you to buy all my stuff.”
Rowan slides an arm around my waist. “We want to spoil you. And I think these books might work in our favor.”
I giggle, resting my head against him. “I can live with that deal.”