The Gallery (Contemporary Reverse Harem 4)

d.

“Okay. I was getting ready for bed, but I’ll wait up.”

Not ten minutes later, I was riding the elevator up to Avril’s apartment. It was an incredible building where she lived, but I doubted she’d be staying there for much longer, with her ex on his way to prison.

Yes, that was conjecture on my part, but it wasn’t looking good for the man. And that made me immensely happy.

Anyone who hurt my Avril, not to mention the hundreds of people her ex directly and indirectly stole from, would never be a friend of mine.

Avril was standing in her doorway when I turned the corner. She was beautiful in a plushy pink robe, but her eyes were red, and she had a hanky in her hand.

“My poor bambina. Looking at you so sad is making my heart break right in two.”

She threw herself into my arms, shaking lightly as I hoped she was releasing the last of her tears.

“Come in,” she said, sniffling.

I followed her to the sofa, where she sat down and put her head in her hands.

“I don’t know, Gio. I don’t know how I got into this mess.”

“I don’t see a mess. I see a bellissima woman who has some decisions to make about what her life should look like going forward. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

She raised her head and looked at me. “What do you mean? What did you want to talk to me about?”

“The guys and I were talking. We have a couple things we want you to know,” I said.

She gave a small laugh. “I bet you have a couple things to talk to me about. Like how I am such a bitch for getting involved with all of you.”

“No, that is not true. You’ve got it wrong.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “What? What do I have wrong?”

I held out my hand for hers, and she grasped mine back. “I wanted to tell you two things on behalf of the four of us guys.”

She nodded for me to go ahead.

“One, we all care about you very much. You know that. And our top priority is ensuring you are happy and living the best life you can. We want that for you whether we see you every day for the rest of our lives, or never see you again.”

She nodded, too emotional to form words.

“The next thing is that you don’t have to choose one of us. And we mean that. We are committed to sharing you. We love you and all want to share our lives with you.”

She brought my hand up to her lips and pressed hard.

My heart nearly stopped while I waited for her response. I wasn’t hopeful. She was a strong woman and would never be persuaded to do something she didn’t want to.

“Okay.”

“What was that, cara?”

“I say okay.”

Well, English was my second language and I occasionally had trouble understanding people. So I asked again. “I’m sorry, but what do you mean by okay?”

She pushed her hair back, behind her shoulders and straightened up. With her dark eyes gazing defiantly at me, she explained. “Gio, I will be with you. I will be with all you guys. I want to make a go of it. Okay?”

“Okay!” I said.