2. Harper #2
Hearing his words made me shiver with pleasure and anticipation, somehow knowing he was dead serious as he said that.
Everything about these men was batshit-crazy level stalking, and I think I’d only scratched the surface of knowing what they had done when it came to me.
How could these men be so sure I was meant for them?
Dax and I had always joked that one man would never be enough for her, and now she was apparently seeing six men.
I’d joked with her about finding my own men, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would even have three men feel about me the way these men were talking.
Quickly, I sorted through the wardrobe, and all I could find were dresses and bikinis, so I slipped on a simple emerald bikini and pulled a silk kimono dressing gown over it that tied at the waist and billowed around me in a soft floral pattern.
It was one of my favorites, and I had three of them at home just in case anything happened to one.
I proceeded into the rest of the house, wandering from space to space, taking in everything. The house frame was wooden with polished concrete floors. Even the furniture was made from natural materials like wicker, wood, and cloth, making it appear clean and pure.
The constant breeze helped combat the humidity that seemed to come along with the warmth.
Slipping the hair tie from my wrist, I pulled my hair into a messy bun as I stepped out into the backyard.
There was a concrete patio with lounge chairs on one side and a patio table on the other.
The main focus was the infinity pool made from stone that shimmered in the sunlight, making it so tempting.
Past the pool, I could see out into what looked like grassy meadows of some kind, but none I’d ever seen before.
Trees outlined the property, giving us privacy, and with the fields past that, I couldn’t see a house for miles.
Nothing gave me a clue as to where I was, but I had a solid guess it wasn’t in the US.
Somehow, they’d managed to get me drugged from LA to wherever this was, and I hadn’t woken up once.
That must be some drug, but in a way, I’m glad they did it.
If not, I would have fought them the entire way here, and Dax was right that I shouldn’t be around while she was dealing with so much already.
They were using me to get to her, and I knew that was killing her.
This didn’t mean I forgave her for lying to me all these years, but now seeing the results firsthand, I could see her position.
“Beautiful,” Ghost murmured behind me.
I let out a yelp of surprise and turned to see him far closer than I’d expected. “You almost gave me a heart attack. Think you could stomp your feet or something to let me know you’re there next time?” I chided, my hands on my hips.
He grinned and held out a cup of coffee. “Should be just how you like it.”
Slowly, I reached out to take it, giving him a speculative look, and took a sip. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as I moaned. “Oh God, how on earth did you even know to put cinnamon in it?”
“Already told you, we’ve been keeping an eye on you,” he answered, coming to stand beside me, looking out at the nature around us. “I hope you don’t get upset about the fact we can’t tell you where we are. It’s to keep you safe. If you don’t know, then you can’t say anything no matter who asks.”
“Worried I’ll tell Dax, and she’ll come skin you alive?” I teased.
“Among other things,” he answered cryptically. “Come on, Magnus almost has breakfast ready. It’s simple, but it will taste amazing on an empty stomach.”
I didn’t move to follow him, so he paused to look back at me. “So that’s it, I’m stuck here with the three of you in an unknown location until you feel it’s safe for me to go back? I simply have to give up my whole life because you say so?”
Ghost fully turned to face me, crossing his arms over his chest, a frown on his lips.
“Other than Dax and your shop, what life are you talking about? You blame Dax for lying to you and keeping you in a protected bubble, but if we’re being honest, you did that all to yourself.
I’ve never seen you with a serious boyfriend, only one-night stands or weekend flings to fill your needs.
You might not be the ruler of a criminal empire like Dax, but the two of you are more similar than you like to admit.
You’re scared to live life. Instead of looking at this experience as us trapping you here, why don’t you consider it a vacation from life and actually live a little?
But what the hell do I know about you, right? ” Done with me, he headed back inside.
It would seem I’d offended the most careful of my hosts.
Well done, Harper. Looking down at my coffee, I couldn’t help but smile at the fact they’d gone the extra mile to ensure I had what I needed.
None of this made any sense, but what if Ghost was right?
What if I’ve been so afraid to make a real life for myself?
Dax now had her men, and I could only imagine how much work dealing with six men could be. She wouldn’t have much time for me.
Glancing up, I could see the three of them in the kitchen moving about. Would there be a better time than now to throw caution to the wind and just live?
By the looks of it, I had three men more than willing to show me what that could look like. All I had to do was take them up on the offer.