Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
I didn’t speak as he headed southeast. My skin was still flushed, my mind racing. I couldn’t look at him, his intensity was off the charts, it was almost overwhelming. Thankfully, he was focused on the road and the police scanner kept it from being completely silent.
I wanted to talk about what just happened, to understand his feelings and what this all meant for us, if it meant anything. Was that ‘I love you’ just a post-nut confession, or did he really mean it?
When we pulled into the club, I decided we needed to have a serious conversation, but it had to be with both of them. Too much had happened in a small span of time.
Leslie jumped out first. I thought he was leaving me there to fend for myself when he came around and opened my door. He helped me out, and I followed him back inside.
“Leslie—” I started as we got to the entrance of the club, which had a few people gathered already, most of whom were Gemini members. Leo and Miranda saw us walking in and waved.
Dom was typing on his phone. When the pair shouted, he looked around at us.
I quickly pulled my hand away from Leslie’s.
There was no way he couldn’t tell we had been together.
Guilt crawled through me as he glared at us.
He nodded to his brother who went over and gripped his shoulder in greeting.
Leslie spoke to him, but I couldn’t hear his words over the music.
Dom texted a reply and Leslie nodded. As if in sync, they walked back over to me.
“Shit’s good,” Lez said.
“What is?”
“Dom traced the vehicle outside our warehouse. He found the guy,” Leslie explained. “He cornered him and got the guy to talk.”
Dom showed me his screen. “Didn’t take much to get him to tell us where Jasper was,” he’d typed. “Just a few well-placed threats.”
“So…we got him?”
“Almost,” Lez replied. “Dom sent out a couple of guys to spy on the location and make sure the lead was legit. They should be getting back to us soon.”
“Where is he?”
As Dom texted a response, Leslie went over to the bar to get a drink. I didn’t like how casual he was being now that we were back, as if nothing had happened. How could he say all those things at the drive-in and act so carefree?
I stared at his back when Dom touched my shoulder. I looked over and he showed me his phone.
“He’s at an address that leads to a house on the outskirts of the city. It looks to be a private gentlemen’s club.”
“Gentlemen’s club? Or sex club?”
“Both,” he typed. “But according to the guy I interrogated, Jasper goes alone once a week, and he’s meant to be there tonight. If I hear back from my team, we’ll know for sure.”
I crossed my arms, feeling a little queasy for some reason. “How did you get the guy to talk?”
Dom hesitated before typing. “Didn’t beat him. He wasn’t too scared for his own life, which tracks for most gang members. But when we started threatening his family…”
My eyes widened. “You didn’t.”
He typed quickly. “I would never harm innocent people, but I needed him to know how serious we were. Thankfully, he bought it.”
Leslie came over with drinks, handing each of us a bottle. I took mine gladly and immediately drained half of it.
“Jeez, baby, what’s your rush?” Leslie said.
Unlatching the bottle from my lips, I exhaled. Dom had an odd look on his face as he studied me.
I needed to tell him. He had a right to know. We needed to clear the air or it was only going to get more complicated.
“We need to talk. In private. Just us three.”
The twins glanced at each other. Dom started moving toward the exit and I followed with Leslie close behind me.
The garage was empty except for a couple of vehicles no one was working on.
One side was left open, the rain creating a small waterfall at the top.
Dom set his beer down on a tool cart and lit up a joint.
He took a hit then offered to Leslie who took a drag next before offering to me. I shook my head.
“What’s on your mind?” Leslie asked.
I set my drink on a table full of screws and manuals, wiping the condensation off on my shirt. I stared at the liquid, considering my words. “I think we need to be clear…on what’s going on between the three of us.”
They were silent for a moment as Leslie took a drink and Dom took another hit from his joint. I watched them both, trying to read them but finding that impossible. “Do you understand what I’m talking about?” I asked.
Dom looked at Leslie. His brother glanced back at him but didn’t look guilty. He actually smirked at him. Dom signed something to him and Leslie nodded. Dom let out a sigh of relief and signed again. This time I caught what he signed.
Finally.
I glared. “Finally what?” I said, a little too loudly.
They wouldn’t look at me.
“Nothing,” Leslie said. “We get what you’re talking about.”
My eyes flicked between them, my hands clenched into fists. Suddenly, I understood. “You both have been keeping tabs on what you’ve done to me, haven’t you?”
“Done to you?”
“Do I really need to spell it out?” My throat felt tight, a dull pain sinking into my stomach. “Dom fingering me the first night I stayed. Are you honestly going to tell me you didn’t know?”
Leslie’s expression darkened. “Yeah, I knew.”
“And let me guess,” I said, looking at Dom. “Leslie told you he hopped into bed with me that night I thought it was you, didn’t he?”
Dom shifted on his feet. “He told me.”
I rubbed a hand against my mouth, feeling humiliated. “Leslie just fucked me in the back of his van. And all you can say is finally?” I whispered.
He stepped toward me, and I shot back. “I didn’t want to come between you two.
I was going to apologize for—for letting this happen with you both.
But fuck me, I guess, because you were both playing me, huh?
Thought it was a fun little game? See how much you can fuck Lena while you have her, when she’s vulnerable and begging for it. ”
“That’s not it—” Leslie started.
“Then what?” I practically shouted. “What is this?” When they didn’t say anything, I shook my head, turning on Leslie.
“You said you loved me in the van. I heard you. You said that and then you acted like nothing happened. We got here and it was just all back to normal like those words just slipped out of your mouth accidently and now we just pretend like you didn’t say it. ”
“I’m not pretending,” he said in a low, dangerous voice. “I would never say that unless I meant it.” He set his drink down next to Dom’s. “And Dom knows everything because he’s my brother. I don’t keep things from him. And vice versa. We knew what was going on.”
I stared at them, biting my lip to stop it from trembling. “But you couldn’t tell me. You couldn’t talk to me before—”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Like you said, you were vulnerable. You needed someone to be there for you, take care of you. You didn’t want it to be me at first, don’t deny it, so it was up to Dom.
You wanted comfort and if I couldn’t give it to you, then Dom would.
It wasn’t going to be anyone else. If Dom told you I knew what was going on, we didn’t know how you’d take it.
We needed you to trust one of us at least.”
I looked at Dom and his expression was dark like his brother’s. “Is that true? Is that what you decided?” I asked him.
Dom nodded. He signed at Leslie, asking him to translate.
“Dom says he cares about you a lot. He didn’t mind being with you like that. In fact, it made him happy. It was never a game for him. But…” Leslie hesitated to say the rest.
“Say it.” Dom signed.
Leslie let out a slow breath. “But he knew I was in love with you and his feelings were minuscule to what I felt. Only if you were going to prefer him over me, then he damn well was going to keep you with us, because—” He turned to me and the glare he gave me was possessive in every sense. “Because you’re ours.”
I almost couldn’t comprehend what I was hearing. “Yours?”
“That’s right.”
The shock of those words nearly made me stumble back, like being hit in the gut all over again. “And that’s what you’ve thought the whole time?”
“Yes.”
“Before or after you left me at the church?”
That got him quiet for a moment. He lifted his head as he stared back at me and said, “Before.”
I let out a shaky laugh. “That’s bullshit and I don’t believe you.”
“I told you about how I felt that night. You seriously think I didn’t contemplate dragging you away with us?
But you hated me, and I didn’t want your hate and your tears.
I didn’t want to hurt you more and take you from everything you knew only to hide you away somewhere.
But I sure as hell wasn’t going to leave you out of my sight. ”
I gaped at him. “Those unknown texts from months ago were from you, weren’t they?”
“You got it.”
My face twisted as I tried to keep my emotions in check.
“Why should I believe you? You practically said at the church that you didn’t trust me.
You said I wasn’t one of you because it was true, I’m not.
I was an outsider. I’m just a sad, silly girl who got caught in your crosshairs. Go ahead and say it.”
“You were an outsider,” Leslie said quietly.
“There’s no denying that.” He took a careful step toward me.
“But you kept our secret after everything. You helped us even when we threatened you. You gained Dom’s trust. And you had mine at the end too.
Even if it was too late. You didn’t go through hell like we did.
But you still got a taste, and you know more than almost everyone.
That makes you one of us. And family needs to stick together.
So, yes, you are ours. You’re one of us.
And this time we aren’t letting you go. So if you try to run, we will give chase, Lena. ”
Hearing him say my name made my heart flip. I noticed Dom watching me. He didn’t have to say anything for me to understand he agreed with everything Leslie was saying.