Chapter Thirty-Two
Kairo
Between tour rehearsals, meetings with Rosalie’s record label, and Charlie and Elijah constantly tweaking the musicians’ schedule to fit charity work into her busy lifestyle, Thorn has been extremely preoccupied.
We’ve been keeping up with her constantly and have seen the burnout firsthand.
Rosalie will never admit to it, but she’s working herself to the bone.
“Okay,” Charlie claps her hands as she leans over her planner at the kitchen table. “You have a meeting with New Beginnings set up, but it conflicts with a signing at—”
“Cancel the signing,” Rosalie says.
Charlie sighs. “You’re overworking yourself…”
Thorn’s lips thin. “You know charity work comes first. The signings will always be there.”
The manager nods as she scratches out the signing. “Okay, I can get something else set up for a future date.” Her eyes flicker to us. It’s a silent push—talk to her.
Roman’s phone chimes with the telltale sign that Thorn’s sugar is low, and he gives her a scolding look from his propped position against the island. “When was the last time you ate?”
Since Thorn’s scare, we’ve all convinced her to link us to the app her monitor uses.
Now, we can check her blood sugar at any time, and Roman uses it daily to keep tabs on her.
When he isn’t grumbling over gossip columns or headlines that try to demonize Rosalie, he keeps the glucose monitoring app open so we can all see what’s going on with her.
He’s probably the strictest when it comes to her eating habits and keeping glucose-friendly foods around the house. Maddox takes a quieter approach, keeping track of her levels while she sleeps and using her monitor to prick her finger whenever she needs it.
Her head tilts as she looks at her phone. “An hour ago?”
Roman gives her a stern expression. “What did you have?”
She rolls her eyes. “I had some eggs.”
“That’s not enough,” he decides before making her a quick snack. He slides a bowl of Greek yogurt and berries in front of her, handing her a spoon as she stares down at it with a curled lip.
“Can I have something else?” She asks, batting her eyelashes innocently.
“No.” Roman turns his back on her, walking back to the kitchen as Rosalie sticks her tongue out at him. His sixth sense must kick in, because he whips around right after she tucks her tongue back into her mouth, and pretends to eat.
I have something tucked into my back pocket, but I wait for Roman to be distracted to slide the bar of dark chocolate to Thorn. I give her a wink as she smiles brightly and tucks it into her lap.
This has been our little secret. While she appreciates Roman’s doting, she also likes the occasional sweet treat.
Too much could send her blood sugar skyrocketing, which is why I did my research.
Dark chocolate is the better choice as long as it’s eaten in smaller amounts.
Thorn deserves more than just plain yogurt and berries for a snack.
She’s been working hard, and sometimes it feels good to be seen. I’m always thinking of her, and this is my way of showing it.
She’s stealthy as she rips into the candy bar, her eyes flickering up to Roman as he moves around the kitchen. She hesitantly breaks off a piece, handing me a square before she shoves one past her lips.
Charlie watches us with amusement as she packs up her bag. “I’ll leave you to it. If I need anything, I’ll text you.”
“Okay,” Thorn says past a mouthful of chocolate.
Roman whips around to us, his eyes narrowing as we both freeze.
“Busted,” I whisper.
She shoves the candy bar back into my hands, making my mouth fall open at her betrayal as she points at me. “He made me do it!”
“You little fucking…” I shake my head as she scoots her chair out and practically bolts for her studio. She giggles, sounding carefree and happy, and for a moment, I ignore the primal urge to run after her. Hearing that twinkling sound of her joy is better than any chocolate.
“Seriously?” Roman sneers.
I shrug. “What? It’s dark chocolate.”
He points an accusing finger at me. “If her blood sugar goes up, I’m beating your ass.”
Charlie glances between us, her brows drawing. “You four seem…close. I take it Rose isn’t angry anymore.”
“I apologized and spoke with her,” Roman says.
The manager nods. “Good. I’m not going to comment on what I think is going on, but don’t hurt my best friend.”
We all go quiet, our eyes darting to each other as the manager slings her bag over her shoulder and waves to us.
Once it’s just us, we all relax. Charlie is astute, and we figured she was already onto the dynamic that’s forming.
She may not say it, but we aren’t quiet about the affections we’re forming for the woman we tormented in high school.
Part of me thinks that’s what it always was—infatuation. We didn’t go about it the right way because we were stupid teenagers, but we’re smarter now. And we’re all attached at the hip to Thorn.
We’ve always had relationship troubles. It’s hard to find someone who can handle all three of us.
There’s always some sort of conflict—she may not be into polyamory.
Our configuration is often referred to as a V.
We aren’t romantically involved with each other, but we have no qualms about sharing a partner.
This usually scares our love interests away.
Especially when she finds out about what all of us are into.
But if Rosalie can handle Maddox…
The thought has the gears turning in my head. My own plan is concocted before my very eyes, and I smirk.
Roman will be harder to crack on his own, but this new Rosalie seems to love testing the waters when it comes to his patience. She’ll break him down on her own, and I don’t doubt he’s already weakening as the weeks progress. I give it a few more days before he caves.
As for me…
“I’m off duty,” I announce.
Roman nods as he fixes breakfast. “No shit. I’m still looking into Rosalie’s dad. As of now, there are no last known residences besides the prison he was incarcerated at.”
That’s not good.
It means he could be anywhere, camping out and waiting.
“Have you checked into his friends?” I ask.
Maddox looks up, his gaze flickering to Roman.
Our leader sighs. “I made a few calls, but they’re locked up tight. No one is saying anything.”
“Maybe we should try to lure him out?” I suggest. “If he were paying off her other guards, then we should start there.”
Roman nods as he flips some eggs. “I’ll get in touch to see if I can figure out their connection. I may pay a friendly visit to one of her previous guards.”
Maddox pushes his chair out. “I’ll come with you.”
I clap my hands. “And while you two handle that, I’ll handle Thorn.”
Roman snorts. “I bet you will.”
“Jealousy looks good on you, Ro. Rosalie eats it up.” I quip.
He shakes his head as Maddox flags me down before I can dip out of the kitchen. “Her glucose monitor is upstairs on her bedside table. Be gentle with her.”
I spread my hands cockily. “Oh, I fully plan to wreck her. There’s nothing better than morning sex.”
“Don’t fuck this up!” Roman shouts after me as I leave them to it.
I don’t have anything to worry about. Thorn fucking loves my goading. If anyone would fuck this up, it would be Roman, but even he’s becoming putty in her perfect little hands.
No, my interests lie elsewhere. I want to see for myself if Rosalie can handle all of us. Once it’s proven, Roman will have no choice but to pursue this. He can try to be as aloof and curt as he pleases, but it won’t stop the steadily growing connection between us.
I round into the recording studio, momentarily struck by Thorn as she relaxes back in a chair with a notebook open on her lap.
She’s still dressed in that sexy nightie she claims is strictly for sleeping, but as my eyes rake over miles of pale skin and her perfect hips, I don’t think she realized just how tantalizing her nightwear is.
She brushes her hair away from her neck, exposing the column of her slender throat as she stares at her notepad. Every move she makes is eye-catching and delicate. She has no idea the things I want to do to her—how dark and depraved my thoughts are.
She glances up through her thick lashes, bright green eyes pegging me instantly. “I didn’t mean to throw you under the bus…”
There’s a teasing note to her tone, and I fucking feed off of it. I love a woman who can give one-hundred percent back of what I dish out. She’s fucking hysterical, and that’s my number one trait—someone who can make me laugh. Thorn isn’t short of disobedience and playfulness.
She’s fucking perfect.
I prop my hip against the doorway, crossing my ankles as I fold my arms over my chest. “Oh, really?”
A pretty little blush forms over the apples of her cheeks as she looks down at the songbook propped on her knees. “It was either you or me. I chose you.”
I chuckle, the sound dark. “I see. What was it that Roman said? Everything has a price…”
Her eyes shoot up to me, her throat working in a swallow. “If I play, can I have more chocolate?”
Oh, I like the sound of that.
“Depends on if I catch you,” The timber of my voice darkens as I leer at her through half-lidded eyes.
She sets her notebook aside, gently folding her hands over her lap. “Do I get a head start?”
I push up from my post, posturing until I take up the doorway.
“I’m going to tell you how this is going to go.
I’ll give you a head start, but you don’t leave this house.
Do you understand?” She nods, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
That little move has my cock swelling against my leg, need swarming my reason as I fight to continue laying out the ground rules of our little game.
“If I catch you, I fuck you. If you can take my dick like a good girl, then you can have some more chocolate.”
Her eyes roll up to me, innocence mixing with curiosity. “If you find me.”