“You’re not the boss,” I bite back, pointing at Sparrow. “Is he? Scout, are you the boss?”
“Honey,” Sully starts, his voice soft like he’s trying to calm me.
“I’m not your honey! I’m your stupid toy!” I yell in a mocking tone. “Take your turns! Use me up! Come on, Scout. It’s our turn to fuck!”
Push. Push. Push.
I crave to push all three of them right off the edge.
Scout’s stare burns a hole into me.
“You have a death wish, prickly princess.”
There’s one triplet I’ve pushed a little too far. Exhilaration skitters through me. I’m not afraid but am eagerly anticipating whatever happens next.
“No,” I argue. “I just want to know what the rules are.” I bark out a harsh laugh. “Maybe I should make the rules.”
Scout rises from his seat at the table, looming over us, his darkness shrouding like a thundercloud. Sparrow starts to stand too, but Scout gives him a sharp shake of his head.
I’m thankful Della can’t hear this ridiculous conversation. Hell, that no one but us hears for that matter. It’s insane.
And I’ve lost my mind.
They’ve driven me to madness.
“Come on,” Scout says, holding his hand out for me. “Time for bed.”
“Landry,” Sparrow mutters. “You don’t have to do this.”
“No one is forcing me to do anything,” I state in my sweetest, fakest voice I can muster. “I’m done following rules. I’m making them now. I’m calling the shots here.”
He fists his hands like he wants to pummel his brother.
“Seven days a week. Hmm.” I tap my chin. “I guess that’s two days each.”
“And we share the seventh day?” Scout asks, a spark of amusement glinting in his dark eyes.
“The seventh day we rest,” I hiss. “Let’s go.”
“We’ll look after Della,” Sully assures me. “You know I really didn’t mean what I said, honey.”
I relax a bit knowing I at least didn’t screw things up for Della. “I know. Thank you.”
After bidding Della goodnight, I avoid Sparrow’s glowering and take Scout’s hand. It’s strong and hot wrapped around mine. He’s the perpetrator of all of this, but I find myself clinging to him right now. Sparrow can eat a dick for all I care.
“Landry, goddammit,” Sparrow calls after me, venom dripping from his words. “Don’t you dare sleep with him.”
Oh, look, there’s another one I’ve pushed off the edge.
Have fun falling, fucker.
A shiver makes its way down my spine, rattling through every bone in my body, but it’s not from fear. It’s from the uncertainty of what he’ll do. Will he fight his brothers for me? I pretend I don’t even hear Sparrow and refuse to look at him. Like the dummy I am, I let Scout, the most terrifying of the triplets, take me to his bedroom.
After I’ve provoked him.
After I’ve made a mess of things.
Because I want to. Because I chose this.
I’m not scared of him.
I’m not scared of any of them.
He smells like smoke and violence and barely contained rage, yet I willingly follow him. The door closes behind us, sealing us in his room.
Scout releases my hand and steps until our chests are touching. He peers down at me, an unreadable expression on his handsome face. A startled gasp escapes me when he dips down to my neck and inhales me.
“You smell like him.”
I shudder at the deep accusation. “I showered and I told you what we did. You can’t punish me for coming clean.”
He toys with a strand of my hair, curling and uncurling it around his finger. “Who said I wanted to punish you?”
“You’re pissed. I can see it in your eyes. I’m pretty good at reading emotions.”
He pulls back, his dark eyes searching my face. “Because of your dad. You behaved accordingly to his moods.”
There’s no sense hiding from the truth now. He knows my deepest secrets.
“Yes,” I whisper.
“I’m not angry with you,” he says, surprising the hell out of me. “And I can’t ever stay mad at my brothers.”
“What, then?”
“Sharing is difficult when you really, really want something all to yourself.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be shared,” I challenge. My body prickles with heat, arguing that statement immediately.
“You want to be Sparrow’s only?”
“No,” I say too quickly. “He’s bullheaded and thinks with his dick.”
A wolfish grin stretches out over Scout’s handsome face. “Sully? Me?”
“No one. I just want to be on my own. With Della. Far, far away from here.”
His lips brush over my cheek, so soft it tickles me. Hot breath finds my ear as he says, “That’s not going to happen. Ever. So who do you choose?”
Swallowing hard, I wonder if forced to give an answer, could I?
“I said no one.”
“Until you choose, the answer is all three.” He steps back, raking his gaze over my face. “Take off your clothes.”
My eyes widen at his words. “W-what? No.”
“What did my brother do to get you to undress for him, hmm? Plead sweetly? Promise you gifts?”