Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 45194 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45194 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
She lets me steer her over to one side of the lobby, into an alcove where we'll have privacy. I sit on one side of a velvet-covered bench and urge her to sit too.
"What do you want?" she asks. Her tears have stopped, but her voice quavers.
A million questions crowd my head, all fighting to go first, while I take the opportunity to study her—her fragile features, her beautiful skin, and those eyes—how did I not recognize those eyes? "Why are you here? Why are you doing this?" I ask finally.
Her chin lifts in pride, and those stunning blue eyes go cold. "Why do you think?"
Admittedly, it's a dumb question. What other reason besides money could there be for her to make this sort of arrangement?
"What's happened? Why?" I ask.
"It's not your concern."
My hands ball into fists, and I have to release them intentionally. It kills me to know Honor was desperate enough to come here… to do this… with men she expected to be strangers.
I need to know what led her to such a desperate act, but now isn't the time to push. If I can convince her to stick to the agreement, that will buy me time to talk to her when she isn't so upset.
"It doesn't matter now, anyway," she says.
She's broken but trying so hard to be strong. I have to fight the overwhelming urge to scoop her into my arms and run out of here, to take her away somewhere and make everything alright.
"There's no way I'm going through with this… a whole month…" She moves to get up, but I grab her arm and make her stay, my mind racing.
"What if we shorten the arrangement? Instead of a month, just a week, and you get all of the money."
She looks at where I'm holding her, but I don't release her. Instead, I squeeze her arm gently and caress her skin with my thumb.
I'm not sure what I'm proposing is a good idea. I don't know if I should coerce her to spend more time with us, especially with Kylian, but there's just no way I can let her slip away again.
She's looking up at the ceiling, considering, so I repeat my plea. "Just a week, and you'll have everything you need."
7
NATE
PRETEND YOU HATE IT
"Abso-fucking-lutely not," Kylian growls after Lyle brings Honor back and explains his idea. My older brother is glaring at the girl, but she obviously wants nothing more than to leave and forget this ever happened. Lyle's the one who wants her to stay.
The looks on my brothers' faces make me give up the idea that for just one night, I can cut loose and not be the goddamned peacemaker between them.
"Just hear me out," Lyle says. Has he ever even met Kylian before?
"Let's have a drink and talk this through," I intervene. "After all, this is a business arrangement. We can discuss it like rational people."
"The terms of the agreement have already been set," Kylian snaps.
"Lyle? Can you get us all a glass of Scotch? Or—?" I turn to Honor.
"White wine," she says quietly.
When we have our drinks, Ky settles in the throne-like chair, and Lyle stands behind him. I sit on the bed and pat the spot next to me for Honor. The last thing she needs is to face down all three of us. Contrary to what she may think, it's not us against her right now. Or it shouldn't be.
Kylian downs half his glass and then addresses Honor. "Lyle doesn't have the right to rearrange the terms."
"She was going to walk," Lyle says before Honor can say anything.
"Let's hear him out." The look I give Kylian urges patience. "Maybe we can come to a new agreement that suits all of us."
"I told her a week," Lyle says. "It's better than nothing."
"So we pay for a month and get a week?" Kylian glares at Lyle. "Were you absent the day they taught business in business school?"
Honor takes a sip of her wine as if for courage. "I can't be your—be with you for a month. Or a week. Not now that I know who you are."
"I was under the impression that you needed the money," I say. She actually hasn't told us much about this, but I know her, or I used to. No way would she enter this without a real need.
"I do, but—I just can't."
"The way your hips bucked when you orgasmed before suggests otherwise," Kylian says dryly. "You realize you'll get nothing if you walk."
She gulps. "I know."
Lyle sits on the other side of the bed and pats her knee in what he believes is a comfort. But I notice the widening of Honor's eyes with the two of us on either side of her. Still, she stays put, which I admire. "A week will be over before you know it," Lyle continues. "It might even make it easier that you know who we are."