* * *
Joe looked around her bedroom with interest. Garret was right. It was bare. Utilitarian.
He wondered if this was by choice or not. When he looked at her, he saw her draped in beautiful material. Surrounded by soft things. Not in this drab room.
He would see to it. He would see to everything. She would want for nothing.
“What were you doing? You could have been caught!” She turned to him, her eyebrows drawn together in a fierce scowl.
He felt slightly amused. Was she worried about him? “They never saw me.”
“They could have! You three have got to stop coming here. If Carlin finds out he’ll kill you!”
“I am not afraid of your brother.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course not. He’s only the most powerful and feared man in the city, but the three of you aren’t scared of him.”
“He is not that powerful.” He narrowed his gaze. “And no, we are not scared.”
She ran her hand over her face. “I don’t know why I feel like I have to protect you guys. It’s madness.”
“Yes, it is. It is our job to protect you.”
“No. It isn’t. Because I’m nothing to you.”
He rocked back on his heels. He knew there would be resistance. That was why he was here. To answer any concerns she might have and then take her home—where she was supposed to be.
“You are our mate.”
“Look.” It was obvious she was striving for patience. “I know you think that. Although I’m not sure why. Or what makes us ‘mates’. People have girlfriends or wives or casual fucks, not mates. The thing you guys don’t seem to be getting is that I don’t want to be anything to any of you.” She couldn’t meet his gaze as she said that.
“That’s a lie. You’ve already given yourself to my brothers.”
“I didn’t give myself to them!”
“They took from you?” He raised his eyebrows. “Without permission?” He knew that wasn’t the case. He knew his brothers almost as well as he knew himself.
“No, I don’t mean that. I just meant . . .” She let out a shaky breath. “Don’t use my words against me. We didn’t have sex.”
“It meant nothing to you?”
“No, it’s not that.” She narrowed her gaze. “I’m not playing word games with you. You obviously know what happened. That doesn’t mean it means anything. It was just some fun.”
“You feel nothing for us. Yet you seek to protect us.”
She threw her hands up into the air. “I told you, I don’t know why! It’s crazy. I should hate your guts, I shouldn’t be attar—” she cut herself off.
“Attracted to us. You’re drawn to us and you don’t know why. You seek to take care of us, don’t like the idea of us being harmed, and you think it shouldn’t be that way. Your body heats for us and grows wet in anticipation of us taking you and that baffles you.” As he spoke, he stepped closer. She backed into the wall behind her.
“Yes. No.” She ran her hands through her hair. “This is so confusing.”
“No, it’s not. It’s actually very simple. Once you know everything.”
“And I don’t know everything?”
He placed his hands on the wall behind her, trapping her between his arms. Her breathing quickened, color filling her bright face, her eyes sparkling.
Better, he thought. He hadn’t liked the gray tinge to her skin. The black marks under her eyes were obscene to him. She needed tender care and attention. And he was just the man to see to it.