Chapter 87

—Would you rather I left them thinking you slept in the hallway or something all night?

"I should have fucking done it," I fume.

"But then we wouldn't have been able to have fun," Jeremiah says in an overly suggestive voice.

"We won't have any more fun," I snapped. "So keep it in your memory fondly."

"You're lying," Ezequiel says as he stands up.

\-Excuse me?-

—I said you're lying.—

\-And what the hell makes you think that?

He leans against the door frame, making me step back to put some space between us.

Because you haven't even bothered to cover yourself, which tells me you're inviting us to fuck you again. And since you haven't covered yourself, I can see how hard your nipples are and how you're starting to rub your thighs together as we keep talking. You're trying to convince yourself there won't be another round with us, but your body is telling me something completely different.

I open my mouth, intending to let the words spill out, but none come out. My treacherous brain has chosen this moment to empty itself of all thoughts, except, of course, the memories of last night.

There's a knock at the door, and Ezequiel turns to look at her. "It's Jackson with your card."

I quickly take a step back, ignoring the laughter I hear from both of them as I close the door.

"I have to get out of here," I mutter to myself.

What the hell was I thinking, talking to them, walking naked toward the door? I was just asking for trouble. I want that trouble badly. I hear voices talking outside my door as I search for my dress, only to remember it's on the floor... in the living room, for Jackson to see. I groan as I close my eyes and shake my head.

I open my eyes when I hear the door close again, and then there's a knock on my door. I squint, because I don't know how, but even the knock is like a damn smirk. It must be fucking Jeremiah. I, at least, have the sense to wrap a sheet around myself before opening the door this time. And when I do, it's to find Jeremiah standing there, holding my clothes in a neat pile in one of his hands. Dress on the bottom, panties on the top. On purpose, I'm sure. His eyes flick down to the sheet wrapped around my breasts and he clicks his tongue.

—It's a shame to cover up such a beautiful body.—

I completely ignore the heat that runs through me and ask, “Where is my card?”

He nods behind him. “Zek’s got it.”

—Of course. They're always playing some kind of game.—

He frowns, his expression becoming more sincere. "What are we playing at with you?"

—How many times can we get her into bed?—

He shakes his head. "I don't know why you think that. We've been trying to get you to stay in a room with us for more than three minutes for months."

Their words confuse me immensely, yet they make me want more. It's easier for me to assume they just want sex, so I can pretend the same. I take off their clothes and close the door in their faces. I try to compose myself as I quickly dress. I need my card and leave. I need to get out of this room that smells like them and away from their smiles and laughter.

I almost throw open the door and ignore them, sitting there, watching me put on my shoes. I put them on, grab my bag from next to them, and look at Ezekiel.

—Card, please.—

—Give me a kiss for it.—

My face wrinkles. “I haven’t even brushed my teeth.”

He chuckles. “Fine. A kiss anytime then, and the card’s yours.”

I walk over to him, taking the top of the card in my hand, but he doesn't let go.

"Whenever I come to claim my kiss, you have to give it to me," he insists. "It doesn't matter where we are or who's around."

I frown as I look between him and Jeremiah, trying to figure out if he's serious.

\-GOOD.-

He drops the card and I head for the door without another word. But, of course, before leaving, Jeremiah has to say one last word.

—See you at the pool, beautiful.—

Crossing the hall takes forever, and it takes me three attempts to insert the card correctly. I run into my room and close the door, turning my back on him as I take a deep breath.

—Fuck—, I snort.

I screwed up. I shouldn't have spent the night with them. And I certainly shouldn't want to do it again.

I step into the shower, hoping the scalding water will soothe me a little, but it does nothing, especially when I look down and see their marks. Their sensual marks, which make me want to go back across the hall and beg them for more. I order breakfast to my room and wait until the last minute to go down to the pool, hoping not to run into Ezekiel and Jeremiah when they leave the room. The elevator ride seems to end all too soon, and the doors open.

I walk through the lobby, to where I see the wedding guests gathered around the pool. The waiters are already serving the dishes, so I hurry over to where Sarah and Law, Kamila, Jackson, and Shawn are sitting on their left. Those smug kids are on their right. And, of course, my seat is right between them. I'm starting to feel cheated.

"Hi," Sarah smiles. "We were wondering if you'd make it. I heard you had a rough night."

My eyes widen and I look at Ezequiel and Jeremiah. Jeremiah is choking on his damn drink, and Ezequiel is trying, unsuccessfully, to contain his laughter.

“I heard you lost your card,” Sarah continues, making it clear she didn’t mean to be so blunt.

"Oh, yeah. Everything went well," I mutter, unsure if he'll hear me as I cross in front of Ezekiel to sit on the pillow separating him from his brother. The two assholes approach me at the same time. I glare at Jeremiah, but he just smirks.

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

"It depends on what's on the menu," I said angrily.

"What exactly do you expect to be there?" Ezequiel asks in a deep voice, so low that only I can hear him.

I turn my head to look at him. "Not because of anything on your body."

—That's not what you were saying last night.—

The waiter places our plates on the low table in front of us, and I take advantage of this distraction to pretend neither of them is next to me. Then, we all start chatting quietly, and I feel a little more at ease, as if we're back to how we were before. Once we're done eating, I hurry into the pool to be alone, away from the brothers who are taking up too much space in my head today. Well, even before today.

I reach the deepest part, where the water brushes my chin, and then I lean back, floating with my eyes closed. Suddenly, I feel hands on my shoulders and my eyes fly open. Before I even notice who's next to me, I feel hands on my calves.

“What the hell is…?” I start to stammer, but then a giggle I know all too well silences me.

Jeremiah's laughter rises above me. I blink against the sun and look up at him. Oh my God, how handsome is this man!

—Thank you.— He smiles.

I freeze, realizing that somehow my thought was allowed to leave my mouth instead of staying trapped in my mind. Why does that always seem to happen with them?

"I told you I was the hottest brother from the start," Jeremiah jokes, looking down at his brother.

I raise my head to look at Ezekiel. Shirtless, muscles exposed, almost drooling. I swallow just so I can think of something to say.

"Why are you bothering me?" I ask. "Of course I went to the limit to be alone."

“Maybe we just wanted to swim,” Jeremiah suggests.

I raise an eyebrow. “Then go swim there.”

"The view from here is much better," says Ezequiel.

I lean forward, planting my feet on the pool floor, but I don't get very far before Ezequiel is standing in front of me.

—I would have thought we'd be done running after last night.

"I'm not running away, Ezequiel. I just don't see the point in pretending something's changed when it hasn't. We had fun last night." I ignore his mocking smile and continue, "But last night was last night. Today we're in the same place we were yesterday, before we went to bed."

“Fucked,” Jeremiah’s voice booms behind me. “We’re fucked.”

I have to fight very hard to suppress the shiver that tries to run through my body.

"Whatever you want to call it." I shrug with a casualness I wish I felt. "But I still don't want any more, so we can't do this anymore."

Ezequiel lets out a dark chuckle. “You say that as if we’ve already done everything we wanted with you.”

This time I can't hide it, the way my eyes widen and my mouth falls open in desire.

“You keep pushing us away because you don’t want more,” Jeremiah states. “But we’ve never asked for more than your body. And your body clearly loves what we do to it, so why not keep it that way? Your body between ours. That’s it. No need to complicate everything. We’ll see each other, and Zek and I will give you what you need.”

“Don’t you think that’s flirting with danger?” I ask, but my mind is already demanding that I accept his offer.

"Danger of what?" Ezequiel asks immediately.

I decide to simply tell them what my fear is, desperate for them to say some words that will calm this uncertainty in me, so I can say yes.

—Of feelings involved. Of hearts involved. Of things that grow beyond the bedroom and ruin everything.—

“Would that be so horrible, Laury?” Jeremiah asks.

—Yes. I have no desire to love you two.—

I didn't expect Ezekiel to narrow his eyes or frown. "Because what would people think, right? That you're with two men?"

My head snaps back, startled by his words. "What? That's not what I meant."

"Zek," Jeremiah murmurs.

Ezequiel looks at his brother over my head, and anything that happens between them makes Ezequiel's shoulders relax, his chest rising and falling with a deep breath. What the hell was that all about?

"Well, there's no chance of feelings arising," Ezequiel says. "Does that mean you'll be home this weekend?"