Rough Exile

Chapter Twenty-Five

Thehousewasmodern and stylish, with clean, elegant lines. It looked nothing like our ramshackle monstrosity on the island. A normal woman would have been envious of this beautiful home, but the landscaping looked like a bitch to maintain. I’d rather have goats than topiaries.

When we went home again next week, Ilya and I planned to ambush Bron with some puppies, too.

I couldn’t believe we were actually here. Ilya’s arm was solid and comforting under my fingers as we walked up the steps to the front door. As we reached it, it swung open.

“Delilah!” Calder exclaimed, a wide grin on his handsome face. He looked more or less the same as when I’d seen him last, but maybe a little more relaxed. It made sense. I don’t think any of us had relaxed much on Prey Island.

“Thank you so much for tracking us down,” I said, grinning. “I didn’t know where to start searching for her. You know Ilya and Bron?”

The men shook hands and there was the obvious air of the three of them sizing each other up. I rolled my eyes.

Of course, my husbands knew I’d slept with Calder and Ajax before I’d even met them. They weren’t jealous, but they also weren’t not jealous if their subtle body language was accurate. I was just happy they were willing to do this with me rather than sending me off on my own or insisting Lane come to us.

After my first phone call with Lanie, I’d discovered Bron had never followed through on making sure she’d been told where I was. Supposedly, he hadn’t realized it was a big deal, but I was still pissed. Poor Lane had gone through months of unnecessary worry because of it.

“No offense, but where is she?”

Calder laughed. “I know, I know. You’re not here to see me. I’ll try my best not to take it personally.”

He led us into the foyer and took our coats. He had tracked us down a couple of months ago, but we’d been in the middle of harvest, so we’d had to delay our visit.

“She’s upstairs. Ajax is fussing with her, and he won’t let her come down until he’s decided she’s ready.”

He had just shown us into a living room the size of a dance hall when Lane came running into the room, cheeks pink and eyes shining.

“Delilah!” She flew at me, and I barely had time to catch her. We almost toppled over together, but Bron steadied me and kept us upright.

I clung to her and found myself crying even though I’d sworn to myself I wouldn’t. Until Calder had tracked me down, I’d started to despair I would never get to see my best friend again. Maybe we hadn’t spent that much time together—it had only been a month—but I’d never clicked with another woman like that before, let alone had time for a friend.

I kissed her cheeks, and she laughed and let me go. She wiped at my tears and then at her own.

She looked radiant. There was a little velvet choker around her neck with a silver bell. It was cute and definitely looked like a collar.

“I’m still mad at you!” she grumbled, pointing at Bron.

“I know.” Bron’s face was solemn but his eyes twinkled. “But I’m a man. Men forget things.”

“You forgot to tell Island management to tell me she wasn’t dead. You owe me like...four months of my life back. You gave me grey hair!”

“I’ll buy you some hair dye. What color would you like?”

“No hair dye,” Ajax interrupted, pulling Lane back so she didn’t actually poke Bron’s chest. “Knowing the brat, it’ll be technicolor by tomorrow.”

She pretended to consider it. Ajax sighed and pulled her in for a kiss before swatting her ass and sending her my way.

“Let’s let the boys make awkward conversation for an hour or so. I’ll show you around so we can have some privacy and talk.”

“Behave yourself, Half-Pint,” Ajax warned, but his mouth twisted wryly.

“What on earth do you think we’re going to do?”

He chuckled, and I noticed both he and Calder ogled her as we walked away. Apparently, they weren’t tired of each other yet either.

The house looked like it belonged on a reality TV show. I couldn’t help but compare it to the small apartment she’d described as where she used to live with her sister and aunt.

“We’re both moving up in the world,” she said with a short laugh.

“When I signed up for that place, finding husbands was the last thing on my mind.”

“You’re really staying married to them after they tricked you?”

I grimaced. “It wasn’t super romantic, but I can’t complain about being married to them.”

“Men.” Lane rolled her eyes. “Originally, mine offered me a contract for a year, but they’ve already thrown that out the window. Ajax already has our vacations booked for the next three years.” Her face was flushed.

“I’m guessing it’s not only future vacation plans between the three of you.”

She sighed, looking amused and embarrassed. She pulled down the neckline of her dress and showed me a little bird-shaped scar over her heart.

“It was supposed to be a fee-for-service arrangement, but apparently now they’re keeping me.” She grinned and waggled her eyebrows. “I’m even allowed to sleep on the bed now.”

“Oh my god, you kinky weirdo. Where the hell did they have you sleeping before that?”

She swung open a door to reveal a large room with the biggest bed I’d ever seen. It was way bigger than a king-size. She swept up the bed skirt to reveal bars that went all the way around the base of the bed.

“They made you sleep under the bed?”

“Hot, right?”