Chapter Twelve
––––––––
Adalynn
––––––––
I have no idea how I made it back to the party. Well, I do—shakily, holding onto the walls wherever I could, and walking awkwardly without my panties. I have never in all my life not worn panties. I didn’t realize they would be my literal safeguard in these billionaires’ presence.
And worse, they reach for me again throughout the night, planting kisses on neck, holding me against them.
They don’t allow me to go to the bathroom to clean up, keeping me close to their side and feeding me tiny sips of only water.
If I force another fake smile, my face will stay in that contorted shape forever.
I need a bottle of champagne. No. Six.
“We want you clear-headed, Adalynn. No champagne for you,” Tylan says huskily into my ear and again takes the glass I snatched from table.
Confused and turned on seems to be my new mode.
What does that even mean? They want me clear-headed. I’m clear-headed now, and I still don’t know what their game plan is.
But I don’t get to ponder much since it’s already gift-giving time. No one is more shocked than I am when I realize they brought me gifts.
They brought me gifts.
Am I dreaming?
“I didn’t get you anything,” I whisper frantically, embarrassed. “Put that away. This isn’t real.”
It’s not looking good for me. Why would it? I didn’t bother to get them anything because, oh right, they weren’t supposed to be here. They were only supposed to exist in my head. And my family who thought I was engaged to them.
“Go on. Open your gifts, Adalynn,” everyone cheers me on.
Oh, I may not know them, but I’m going to kill them.
My hands shaking, I unwrap the very expensively wrapped gifts.
Inside the first box is a beautiful diamond and emerald necklace.
I make jewelry. Yes, I use imitation gems for my costume jewelry, but I know real gems when I see them.
My gaze whips up to Tylan. He’s the one who handed that box to me. I can’t accept this.
I shake my head. He leans in and whispers in my ear.
“It’s going to look stunning on you.”
Cove hands me the next box, but my eyes are still trained on Tylan, filled with questions.
Inside Cove’s box is a jewel-encrusted... purse? It’s long and cylindrical in shape, and there’s a clasp around it. What an odd-looking purse.
Rafe is last, and inside the box he hands me is a beautiful bottle of perfume in an extraordinary shape. The bottle itself is adorned with gold and rubies, while both ends have smooth glass-shaped domes—one bigger than the other.
All three gifts are unusual, unique, and cost the price of three islands; there’s no mistaking it. I’m so confused by these extravagant presents that I don’t even hear everyone oohing and aahing over them.
I don’t know what to make of them, and for the rest of the evening, my thoughts are a jumbled mess.
They’re playing with me, but to what end?
By the time everyone goes to bed, after cleaning up, I go to my mom’s room, take a shower, and change into my pajamas—really just track pants and a long-sleeve t-shirt—and then I head to the blue room to confront them.
Do they have any idea how much outside of my comfort zone this is? I don’t do confrontations.
But I desperately I want to know what’s going on.
I take a deep breath and open the door.
But holy crap, there’s no denying they’re even better in person. My gaze, of its own accord, glides over their features and slides down their tall bodies before I snap myself out of it.
They’ve showered too, their hair damp. The scent of their shampoo and cologne fills the air. Dressed only in track bottoms every inch of their muscular bodies is on display. My mouth waters for a moment, and I swallow hard.
We stand off for a few minutes, no one making a move to explain the other’s motives, plans, or whatever the heck is going on. But they’re grinning at me. As if I passed a test or something.
I’m going to get no encouragement from them, clearly, and I’m intimidated enough as it is by their presence, so I have to go first. Why are they so tall, strong, and powerful anyway? And hot. Sexy. Mesmerizing. Scary because I don’t know what I’m capable of doing in front of them.
Get out of your head and spew the facts. But that is hard to do when they’re standing like gods before me.