Chapter 40
"This is kidnapping, you know," Xanthe said, glancing between us, her fury making her even more breathtaking. Wade and I had essentially barricaded her in the car, blocking any escape.
"So be it," Wade growled.
Xanthe fell back against the seat, huffing, and I had to fight the urge to reach out and touch her. Just having her with us filled every hollow space in my lifeless heart.
"Why did I ever think it was a good idea to tell you?" she muttered under her breath.
Both Wade and I watched her intently—thankfully, I wasn't the one driving, or I might have run us off the road just from being unable to look away.
"It was a good idea to tell us."
"You're basically taking me to your place without my permission," she pointed out.
"You gave permission when you told us what you're dealing with. We're here to help," I said.
"I don't even need the help," she argued.
"The problem is still there," Wade retorted, her tone dark, "and we're helping."
I couldn't help but smile, savoring the warmth of her skin pressed against mine.
"Just so you know, I don't plan on staying long," she murmured.
"Of course, Snow Angel. You're staying forever," Wade replied smoothly, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.
"What I mean—" she started, but Wade silenced her with a deep, lingering kiss. Smirking, I leaned in, my lips grazing her ear.
"You're staying forever," I whispered, trailing soft kisses along her jaw. "We need you in our lives."
Wade pulled back, and I captured her swollen lips, savoring the way they parted under mine. Her cheeks flushed, and I could feel her heartbeat—steady, yet with a thrill that betrayed her. She was exactly where she wanted to be, no matter what she said.
Wade lifted Xanthe's arms, kissing up her forearm with a reverence that made her gasp. Her face softened with pleasure, a look we could never tire of.
"I don't want to stay forever," she whispered, lips trembling slightly.
"Why not?" Wade murmured, finding a spot along her side that made her squirm. I smirked, letting my mouth drift to just below her collarbone, and she squealed, clutching me closer.
"I like being independent," she managed.
"But wouldn't it be nice to let someone else take care of you?" I coaxed, trailing my fingers gently down her side. "You could leave everything to us."
"I'd rather not," she replied, though her voice was laced with a hint of resistance that only made her desire clearer.
"Nothing good ever comes from it," she murmured.
"We won't hurt you," I promised.
"That's easy for your kind to say."
"Stop judging us," Wade said softly, "and let us in."
"I just can't." She gently pushed us back, adjusting her clothes. "I can't just sit by and let you or anyone—human or vamp—take care of me. Kem was supposed to be that one person for me, and now she's gone."
Wade lifted her face, meeting her gaze. "We want to take care of you, and you can take care of us too."
"I have my plans, and I don't want them derailed, only to end up somewhere I didn't choose."
"We want you. No one but you," I whispered. But I could see words alone weren't convincing her.
"I'll stay and go along with what you want, but when it's time for me to leave, I need to be able to go," she said, her voice resolute.
Wade and I didn't respond right away. We had no intention of forcing her, but we both knew she wouldn't be leaving. She'd come around; she just needed time to ease into this. I'd much prefer to make my point physically, but it was more than that—she needed to feel no pressure from us.
I gave Wade a subtle signal, and she took the hint, backing up to the door. I did the same, giving her the space she needed.
"You can stay with us and take all the space you need," I said gently. "But know that we'll always have you covered."
She rolled her eyes with a hint of disregard. "I don't need to be covered... I just need to survive. So, I'll stay. I just don't want love to be part of this."
"Too late," Wade interjected.
Xanthe shot her a look, while I held back, knowing Wade wouldn't stop until Xanthe understood she was ours. I could wait patiently for her to find herself in our web, but Wade? She was the spider ready to pounce.
"You're not in love," Xanthe scoffed. "You just want to use me. Fine. I'm here for it. You get what you want, I get what I need. I'll take your money and give you sex and services."
"That's not how this works," Wade replied.
"Wasn't that the deal from the start?" she challenged. "You tipped me, and I... 'served' you."
"We're here to please you and support you," Wade corrected. "When we're with you, it's to give you pleasure, not to take anything."
"And you don't get pleasure from it?" she challenged.
"We do," Wade replied, "but nothing we do is just for our own benefit."
"I'm not here to be used up," she warned. "I'll only tolerate so much."
Wade nodded, staying silent. We both knew the truth—we weren't letting her go.
Jager led me to my temporary room. Their penthouse was even more extravagant than I'd realized; my last visit had only taken me through a hallway and into the bedroom.
"This is Wade's room," Jager explained.
I paused, feeling a pang of guilt. "Where will she sleep?"
"We have another room, but she'd rather you have the larger space."
"Oh. Thanks," I replied, though my gratitude felt small. The uneasy feeling of intruding on their lives started to settle in, even though I'd barely been here a few minutes.
"I can take the smaller room," I offered. "I mean...I'm not paying rent or anything."
Jager placed a gentle hand on my back, silencing my protests. I looked up at her, caught off guard by how mesmerizing she was. How could stunning creatures like them care for someone like me? I was leagues away from their world and always would be.
"You need to stop overthinking," she said softly. "You need to realize that all of this...it's yours too."
"It's not mine," I whispered, though there was no tension between us—just a calm, steady stillness. My heart should have been racing, but with them, I felt at ease.
"It's yours. Forever."
That word—forever—didn't sit right with me. I pictured my life differently: a small house, a vegetable garden, the simplicity of a human existence.
"We want you to be comfortable," Jager said gently. "But it's up to you."
She leaned down to kiss me softly, and I gripped the edge of her jacket, drawing her closer for a deeper kiss. They gave me these perfect, distracting touches, and I gave them something back; that's how I preferred it.
"I like what we have, Jager," I murmured. "I give you both something, and I get something in return."
"I know that's how the world has framed things for you," she replied, brushing her lips against mine. "But that's not what we want this to be. We need you, Xanthe."