She didn’t get it for a minute, so I kept right on spanking as she wiggled and fought. Her ass was a fiery shade of pink, but I didn’t—and wouldn’t—spank hard enough to bruise or mar. Just sting for a little while. Then, all at once, she relaxed. Slumped onto my lap and cried.
Glancing at T, I gave her one last gentle swat, then stopped, ran my palm over her heated flesh.
“Shh, that’s it. Cry,” I crooned. I lifted her up, tucked her into my lap and I stroked my hand up and down her back as she let it all out. “We’re big enough to carry your burdens.”
And that made her cry even harder, my chest getting damp, but I didn’t give a shit.
I had to wonder if our tough as nails woman ever cried.
AVA
* * *
I had no idea how long I was snuggled up on Colton’s lap. All I knew was that they were talking to me and I couldn’t understand a thing they were saying. I was crying too hard. But then, it stopped. I’d let all the anger and frustration, the sadness at having parents who didn’t even really care about me, out. Oh, I’d known pretty much my whole life I was just a thing to them. Of course they’d have a child. But what they did with the child, other than to pose with in a few family photos for public relation pieces and holiday cards, no one cared about. I wasn’t neglected. Far from it. But my life had never been my own, not until I’d finally said enough.
And then, it was completely mine. It was all or nothing with my parents. After hoping I was something, they’d proved I was nothing to them.
That hurt. I just kept it bottled up, glad to just be free. Content in that alone. But it had festered. Obviously. I was a blubbering mess. My ass stung.
“I’m sorry,” I said, sniffing.
Tucker tilted my chin up so I met his gaze. He offered me a soft smile that shone in his eyes. This wasn’t the heated look of a lover. No, it was the tender offering of a man who considered me his.
“It’s okay for my tiger to be a kitten sometimes,” he replied. “You’re ours now, which means you have to share.”
I nodded, glanced up at Colton. He kissed my forehead. “Tell us, baby.”
I sighed and did just that. Told him about growing up. Being molded to run the company. To be paired off with Perry as business leaders and in marriage. How I didn’t want Perry, all of it.
“Your parents cut you out of their life because you wouldn’t take the job or the husband they assigned you?” Colton asked.
I shrugged, remembered I was still in his lap and tried to wiggle out. He tightened his hold, having none of it, so I relented.
“Pretty much.”
“And he cut you off for months, then started calling?”
“Yes.”
“He wants something from you.”
I agreed again. This time, when I wanted to get up, Colton let me. I paced in front of them as I thought. “I have a small trust fund from my grandmother which my parents can’t touch. It’s not a lot of money—at least by their standards—so it was never an issue. I used
a little of it for the down payment for the Seed and Feed, but it’s been sitting there, untouched otherwise. He can’t want that. I have nothing else of value to him. He doesn’t want the store, that’s for sure.”
“You’re what he wants, baby,” Tucker replied. “You have value to him. You always did. Perhaps that’s why he threatened you with being disowned so you’d stay, do what he’s always planned for you.”
I laughed, thinking of Perry. “Yeah, that’s not happening. I’m not marrying Perry.”
“I want to punch this Perry guy,” Colton said. “I can see why he’d go along with what your father wants because hell, he’d get you out of the deal. But a guy who needs a fucking deal to get a wife?”
“Total douche,” Tucker added. “He’s a non-issue. What I’m worried about is what you said on your call.”
I frowned, thinking about the short, one-sided conversation. They’d heard even less of it than me. “What?”
“He knew you were fucking us,” Colton answered.
I stilled, stared at the carpet, then looked to them.