Chapter Fifteen

Shelby

The door slammed shut behind me, but there weren't any telltale footfalls to indicate he was giving chase. I was too distraught to really pay attention to where I was going, so I got all sorts of turned around until I literally ran into a hard chest when I rounded a corner.

Firm hands reached out to steady me. “Whoa there, what’s going on?”

The voice was familiar enough that I stopped trying to pull away. I looked up into golden eyes, and then the freak-out came.

“He—he, Blake, h-h-he wants to…” I didn’t know how to explain the situation, nor did I really want to. Finding out that he'd had anything to do with Dirk's whores twisted something ugly in me. River tugged me a few feet to the room he shared with Rain. I’d at least gotten in the vicinity of finding Gavin.

“Wants to, what, firecracker?” Rain asked from over River’s shoulder. He looked past me and narrowed his eyes at the door River had closed.

I just shook my head and let River lead me to one of the king-sized beds. I’d never been in their room and had wondered if they shared a bed or had bunks. The idle thoughts helped calm me some, but the curiosity could only somewhat distract me from the topic at hand. Especially when Rain repeated the question.

“He likes to do things.” Twin sets of brows rose in unison as I peered up at them through wet lashes.

“We all like to do things , Shelby. You need to be a tad bit more specific about what upset you so bad.”

I glared at River, who didn’t even pretend to be contrite, but a hiccup ruined it anyway. I groaned with the jerking of my chest. If they kept on, I’d be even more miserable, and I sure as shit wasn’t going near Blake to get looked at or braving my room for another pill.

“Oh, shit.” Rain’s exclamation drew both our attention. He had his phone out, shock suffusing his normally unflappable manner. His fingers flew over the screen before he stared at me over the top of it. “Our pretty girl here let herself into Blake’s office when he didn’t answer the door.”

For once, River wasn’t in sync with his counterpart. It only lasted a second before his expression cleared of confusion and understanding took its place.

“Got an eyeful, did you?” he asked with no little bit of amusement.

I hiccuped again, then my tears started back up. They were making fun of me. Rising to my feet, I pushed past them, intent on getting away.

“Hey, where are you running off to?” River demanded as he got in my way.

“Leave me alone,” I snarled, then promptly hiccuped. Wiping my nose on my sleeve, I yelled as best I could with my throat still not wanting to cooperate so great. “I’m not here to entertain you. You’re all a bunch of deviants if you think what he does is okay! When were you going to inform me about what all you do? I’m not for sale!”

Brow wrinkled, Rain asked, “Why would you think you’re for sale?” I doubled over with another hiccup. “Hold on, don’t try to take off.” Rain edged around us. I thought about following him when he opened the door, but I needed to sit down.

River echoed my thoughts. “Come sit down for a minute. You’re hurting and upset. Neither is a good place to be.”

I gave up trying to stand and retook my seat, but that wasn’t enough for River. I didn’t bother to argue when he pulled my shoes off before toeing off his own then climbed behind me. With a leg on either side of my hips, he gently shuffled me around until I was resting sideways against his chest and the crook of his arm. The position took the strain off my muscles and still left him able to look down at me. He carefully gauged my reaction as he asked his rather pointed questions.

“You didn’t answer when Rain asked why you thought you would be for sale. Is it because you found out about the escorts?”

I nodded, uncomfortable with his scrutiny and even more uncomfortable with the fucking hiccups that wouldn’t go away.

“I-we, as in all of us, thought you knew at least some of it. We didn’t think Dirk would have hid it, so we didn’t think to explain it. I promise you’re not here to fuck anyone, not unless you want to.” I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but he sounded sorta hopeful about the last part. It brought me right back to the reason I’d ended up in his room to begin with.

“But Blake… He’s Milo’s brother. He likes to hurt women! He told me as much. Milo liked to hurt women. How can I trust any of you when you hide everything from me?”

“Oh, I get what you’re saying, Shelby, but Blake wouldn't hurt you. Not like that piece of shit did. Not unless you asked, and maybe not even then.”

“It would hurt, the stretching…” My face burned with the words, but tucked in as I was, it was like we were in our own little cocoon where nothing could get to us. With a startling realization, I recognized that River’s arms meant safety. I hid my reaction by ducking my head, but River’s chest shook with a laugh.

“Shelby, all men like to see your tight little holes stretch around their dicks. Rack you up like pool balls in a triangle with your feet up by your ears and make you scream while a big fat dick or two leave you boneless and gaping.”

My head came up, and my eyes rounded more and more while he went on. I had to look like an owl when he was finished. I couldn’t string two words together to even begin to sort it out. As for River, he just looked at me with that quirky grin and a challenge in his golden gaze. Thankfully, I was saved from having to reply by Rain coming back in.

“Alright, I have the mother of all hiccup cures right here—” He cut off with the quirk of a brow as he took in our position, but then he zeroed in on River, pausing long enough I figured they were doing that mind magic they seemed to share. “What were we discussing while I was gone that has our pretty girl all red in the face, cousin?”

River filled him in without batting an eye. “So she’s a little shell shocked, I think. Why don’t you give her the glass before she cracks her ribs again? It’ll help her cool off a bit, too. Those poor cheeks are blazing.”

Their teasing didn’t feel like they were making fun of me anymore so much as attempting, in their odd way, to put me at ease. I gave the cup and paper towel in Rain’s hands a dubious glance, but I’d give anything a go to stop the intermittent jerk of my chest.

“So, here’s the deal,” he said as he handed me the full glass of water. “You don’t drink until the paper towel is over it. I’ll fold it in half. Thicker is better.” He winked, letting me know his word choice was on purpose. They usually were, their word choices, but they could be backwards-sounding nonetheless. “Hold it tight and suck the water through it until it’s all down.”

I blushed scarlet but did as he instructed, though I nearly choked when River added his two cents.

“Good thing she doesn’t have a dentist appointment coming up. They’d be thinking she was sucking down something other than water from the mark that’s gonna leave in there.”

Miraculously, when the water was gone, so were my hiccups. I sighed in relief then sighed again with exhaustion. I didn’t argue when, a few minutes later, I found myself under the blankets sans pants, pressed between the two of them who did have pants on, or shorts anyway. They even kept their shirts on, though I wouldn’t have admitted that somewhere in the back of my head I’d have liked them better without.

“Alright, so back to the matter that sent you running for us,” Rain started out.

“Gavin,” I admitted, then felt them stiffen on either side of me. Before I could ask what was wrong, they did that creepy thing like when we’d met.

“And thy name…” River intoned.

“Was Jealousy,” Rain finished off for him.

“You’re jealous of Gavin ?” I asked incredulously.

Their answering grunts were so in sync I nearly thought they were one.

I wasn’t sure what to say but settled on, “You guys are weird.”

“But are we your favorites?” River retorted.

“Yes, firecracker, do you like us or Gavin better?” Rain chimed in.

It felt like the whole room was holding its breath until I answered. “Well, if those are my options, you two, of course.”

They instantly relaxed against me again. The predatory glint bled out of River’s golden gaze, and I assumed it was much the same for Rain behind me, though I couldn’t tell for sure unless I moved off of my side to look. I wasn’t about to risk twisting my shirt up since it already barely covered me to my thighs.

“Good, we’d hate to have to take drastic measures to rectify the situation if we weren’t your favorites.” River’s too-wide mouth kicked up in a self-satisfied smirk. I wasn’t touching that statement with a ten-foot pole, so I deftly changed the subject.

“Did either of you have sex with Sasha and Marigold, or was that just Blake?” The tension was immediately back in the room. For once, they were as uncomfortable as I usually was.

“River?” Rain asked, leaning up over me.

“Yes, Rain?” he answered, focusing on his cousin behind me, ignoring me like I was part of the furniture. I’d well and truly put a hitch in their stride.

“I think we might not be her favorites if we lie.” Rain’s voice held a world of regret. River just looked constipated, his straight nose all wrinkled up, and I struggled to hide my hurt. Why didn’t they tell me? I didn’t like that they’d omitted knowing the women. It left me wondering what else they’d conveniently left out.

“I suppose you’re right. Think Gavin might win this round since he wouldn’t have touched either of them. He never does, the smug fuck.” River finally looked at me, lips parting as if he planned to apologize, but Rain propped himself up on an elbow, bringing his upper body above mine, and used his free hand to cup my face. Callouses rasped against my skin when he gently urged me to turn my face toward him.

“We’re sorry, Shelby. We weren’t hiding it. It just didn’t come up.”

I glared at him, not caring a bit for the excuse. “Really? You were fine to point out you wouldn’t fuck Sherry, so what’s the difference?” I didn’t give him a chance to answer. It was easier to be mad than hurt over it. “Did you do it before or after you found out what they did to me?” My whole world narrowed, waiting on the answer. If it was after… Well, I’d be taking my chances with hitchhiking my way out of wherever I was.

Rain’s eyes widened while his high, sharp cheekbones darkened with his emotions. It was River, though, who about knocked heads with him when he jerked up to stare down at me, the anger in his eyes leaving matching flags of color on his cheeks. “We didn’t know what they were doing until after, and we only screwed them during their initiations. Well, around that time, and back then, they weren't ‘Sasha and Marigold.’ Dirk, or maybe Milo, picked those names.” He shook his head. “They thought they were hot shit and wanted everyone to use their new names. It didn't take long to find out they'd drawn the short straws, but by then, it was too late. Anyway, we don’t usually go back for seconds, but we like to party occasionally and let off some steam. If Car—if they were alive, we’d have already ended them for what they did to you.”

I was somewhat taken aback by his vehemence, but while I was hung up on what I was sure was a mention of Carter, River’s deadly assurance they would’ve killed the women on my behalf gave me butterflies. Did I like that? Really, Shelby? I thought I might.

“I’ve never done that except Carter,” I whispered. Their brows drew down in confusion, so I elaborated. “A one-night stand.”

“Just because it was only one time doesn’t mean it was a one-night stand, Shelby. Those are consensual,” Rain said gently, unblinking golden eyes fixed on me.

It took me a second to realize we were talking about different things. Now, I was regretting having brought it up, embarrassed and not knowing what had prompted me to share, but there wasn’t anything for it but to brazen through.

“No, I mean the night we met. Before I was ever with Dirk, not the time he hurt me back there.”

Rain sucked in a breath, and even though I could fairly feel his need to speak, he held his tongue.

“Wait,” River started, reaching out a finger to draw a wayward lock of hair off my cheek. “How long ago did you meet Carter?” His eyes were narrowed with suspicion and more than a hint of anger.

Nervously, I fidgeted. It wasn’t like I really had room to move, and they were a good deal more than intent to hear my reply. “A few years now, I guess. He stopped some guy from stealing my purse at the fair. We hit it off, and, well, you can fill in the rest I’m sure.”

They continued to stare at me until I was uncomfortable enough to think about trying to get up. When I was about to do more than think about it, they shared a look. River must have been nominated to speak, though he did it slowly, as if he was reluctant to do so. “Did Dirk know you’d been with Carter?”

I snorted and hurt my throat in the process. “At first, no, but he wasn’t happy to find out I wasn’t as virginal as he’d expected. He… Well, he was Winston when he found out exactly who I'd been with my first time.” I couldn't bring myself to explain further. Either they knew the significance between ‘Dirk’ and ‘Winston,’ or they didn’t, but I wasn’t about to spell it out.

“Carter?” River asked for clarification, skipping right over the ‘Winston’ comment.

I nodded, trying to find the simplest way to assuage their curiosity and end the conversation. Speaking on it dredged up memories which were already at the edges of my consciousness all the time. It didn’t take much to end up in a memory I’d rather have scrubbed from my psyche.

“I knew what he was capable of by then. It was after he’d taken me to the room the first time, when I tried to run, when I met Sasha and Marigold. He tried to quit seeing them, but he was taking drugs, maybe to stop the urge that made him like he was? I'm not sure. I don't think he'd been doing that before, or not that I noticed, but the day he found out about Carter, he was high and his father had demoted him.

“He was so angry. He tried to control it, had only come up to tell me he was sorry, but he needed to go away. I figured out what he meant, and I was glad for it, but upset too, not that I told him that.” Dirk finding the phone, then the picture and Winston slapping me, it all played out until I snapped back into the room nearly feeling smothered by the crowding men. I hurried on in a whisper, my voice gaining strength as I finished. “I’d forgotten I had a picture of me and Carter from that night. After Mama kicked me out, I just grabbed all my keepsake stuff when Dirk took me to collect it. I didn’t know Carter worked for the Hamiltons, and I didn't think anything of the picture, forgot really, but after Dirk found it… It got real bad from then on, and Sasha and Marigold…” I shook my head, still at a loss as to why they were so horrid. “They were just cruel. I don't wanna talk about it anymore, please.”

I focused my eyes on a spot on the bedspread to avoid their concerned gazes. My breath was choppy, and if I didn't get a hold of myself, I'd be in a full-blown panic attack.

“It’s okay, pretty girl,” River crooned. “You don’t have to talk about it anymore.”

“Why don’t you get a nap in?” Rain suggested as they settled back down so they were snuggling me like bookends instead of looming over me.

I wasn’t sure I’d be able to sleep between them, but letting my mind go quiet for a bit sounded great.