It would be a long time before I was old enough for him. I was only twelve, and he would be nineteen in a few months. Our fathers would forbid it, and I was sure Angel thought I was just a dumb kid. I made it to my bedroom and immediately noticed my favorite lime green sheets had been replaced with crisp white sheets. I stood frozen just inside the door until understanding dawn and dread seeped inside.

There must have been blood.

He must have seen it and changed the sheets.

Oh, God.

Could this get any more embarrassing?

“Here.”

I inhaled until my lungs were full and pivoted, feeling my heart race. He stood beyond the door holding a napkin and tall glass of water. He shoved it toward me and ordered me with his eyes to take it, so I did and found two pills inside the fold of the napkin. “What’s this for?”

“For the pain.”

I fingered the pills from the napkin and swallowed them down with half the glass of water. “Did Trinity tell you this?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” I felt awkward.

He eyed me, and I could tell he was annoyed when he said, “Problem?”

“You didn’t have to do all this,” I said even though I knew if he hadn’t, I’d still be in a ball on the bathroom floor.

“It was nothing.” He noticed me staring and added, “So don’t make it into anything.”

“You’re so confusing.”

“How so?”

I shrugged and looked down at my feet. “You’re just…”A walking, talking contradiction.“Not easy,” I finished lamely.

“Then why are you still here?”

“It’s not like I have a choice.”

“You don’t believe that so why do you expect me to?”

“Why would I lie?”

“Because you and I both know if you told your daddy hownot easyI am, he wouldn’t hesitate to bend to your will, would he, princess?”

“What do you have against my father?”

“It’s not your father I have a problem with.” He stepped closer and his eyes darkened. Suddenly, I wasveryaware of my nakedness beneath the towel. “But I do have a problem with the way you look at him.”

“H—how do I look at him?”

“Like he’s the only man in the world.” I took a step back to escape the heat in his eyes, but he only followed me step for step. “One day, it won’t be your father you’ll look at that way. One day, it won’t be him you belong to.”

“I—I don’t understand.”God, stop stuttering!

Suddenly, the brakes were pressed. He stared down at me as if he was finally seeing me, and I watched as the wildness in his eyes dimmed. He started to back up, but I couldn’t let him go. I needed to know what tamed him. I started to follow, but the tick in his jaw froze me. He left, and I stood in the same spot long after the front door slammed.

Why did it feel as if he’d just made a promise?Chapter Twenty-OneWhile Angel’s away, his friends will play.

MIAN

Present“Rise, princess.”

I grumbled and fought to stay under. Consciousness chased the friendly voice, but my sore ass begged for me not to trust it.

“And shine, pretty girl.” The presence of a second voice rang alarms, and when I felt fingertips trail my spine, they began to blare. I peeked cautiously with one eye open.

Strong legs covered in black denim greeted me. I had both eyes open when I scrambled to sit up, and I very clearly saw Lucas sitting on the windowsill and Z standing by my bedside sporting a grin.

“What are you two doing in here?”

“We need you,” Lucas answered. His gaze dropped to my chest, reminding me I was naked. I shivered and told myself it was because I slept in the cold without so much as a sheet or a pillow to keep me warm.

“Why?” I asked warily. His voice had been far too seductive when he expressed hisneedfor me.

“It’s time for breakfast,” Z answered cheerily.

“I’m not hungry.”

“But we are.” Lucas moved from the window to stand on the side of the bed opposite Z.

“You’re grown men. I’m sure you know what you need to do when you’re hungry.”

“You have a mean mouth for someone so tiny,” Lucas said. His gaze pinned me to the center of the bed. “I look forward to putting it to better use.”

“Excuse me?”

“Mian,” Z interrupted gently. I couldn’t tear my glare away from Lucas. “Mian,” he repeated, this time with a hand on my chin. Gently, he turned my face up until I had no choice but to meet his gaze. “If you want this to go smoothly, you might consider hearing us out. You deny us as if you have power here.”

“I’m not having sex with you,” I blurted. His smile was bright as the pad of his thumb caressed my chin softly.

“Let’s just have breakfast first, and then we’ll talk about it.”

Was he not hearing me? What part of me not wanting our genitals to meet needed discussion?