"Like you and Sinclair?"
She smiles and her eyes gleam. "I'll tell you a secret."
"Oh?"
She leans forward, as do the other women.
"These men," she tilts her head, "the trick to managing them is to let them show you their worst side; let them rage and rant. And then, when they think they have you cornered, you pull the rug out from under their feet."
I frown. O-k-a-y.
"You get what I'm saying?" She peers into my face.
No. Yes. "I...think so."
"Good." She grins. "I think you'll be fine."
"So, you don't mind that I'm hoping to get together with someone else, so soon after your father's death?"
She slashes the air with her hand. "It’s unusual, but I wasn’t close to Adam. He didn’t deserve to die that early, and while I forgive him for abandoning me and Karma to the foster system in the UK… Well, I do believe that he had our best interests at heart and…" her lips firm, "that’s what counts."
Right.
I peruse her features, then reach over and grasp her hand, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For welcoming me into your home, into your circle… For not being…"
"A bitch?" She chuckles.
"Yeah." That too.
"I leave that up to my sister Karma." Her brow furrows, "Wish she was here today."
"Where is she?"
She taps her fingers on the carpet, "Off on holiday in Sicily with some hottie she hooked up with."
"Oh?" My heart begins to race. It’s only a coincidence. It doesn’t mean anything. Lots of people go to Sicily on holiday with a man… "So, it’s new love, huh?"
Summer flips her hair over her shoulder, "That’s the thing. I’ve never met him. It was all so sudden. One minute she was calling me to spend the night with her—which is not Karma at all either, by the way—the next she’s texting me to say she’s jetting off on an Italian holiday."
"Sicilian."
"That’s what I said." Summer frowns.
"Not the same thing—" I bite my lips. Shit, shouldn’t have said that. I widen my gaze, "I’m sure she’s having a great time. Everyone deserves at least one dirty holiday with an alpha male of their dreams, huh?"
"Is that why you chose Saint?"
I wince. "
"But that's not the only reason, right?" Amelie inches closer. "You want the security that Saint's money can provide, and the chemistry between the two of you makes for an interesting starting point."
"I..."
She waves a hand in the air, "Hey, I'm the last to judge. I mean, relationships have been built on far less. Besides you're one of us, and Saint clearly needs you in his life."
"He does?" My head whirls.
She nods. "He just doesn't know it yet."
Oh, man, I can't keep up.
"You do realize that he's among the most twisted of the Seven?" Amelie's gaze narrows.
Interesting. Behind that overeager, always ready to please façade, is a sharp brain. And I should be the last to judge a woman by her looks.
"I am aware that he has certain hidden proclivities," I venture.
"He’s a dominant?" Isla frowns.
"They all are." Summer waves her hand in the air.
Amelie turns on her, "Even Weston?"
I glance at her features. Her lips are parted, eyes slightly dilated. Is that how I looked when I walked in on Saint?
She jerks her head to me, and I glance back at Summer.
"All of the Seven will stop at nothing to get their own way." Summer holds my gaze. "These men are bloody arresting, right?"
None more so than Saint.
I want to tame him, while simultaneously throwing myself down at his feet and begging him to take me—is what I want to say. But I'd already pushed it with the TGIF comment, and I don't want these women to think I'm weird. Besides I need them on my side... fast. I nod my head. "You can say that again." I mumble.
Summer chuckles. Isla snorts.
"You thought he wouldn't be able to say no to you, that you'd make an offer he couldn't refuse?" Amelie cuts in.
I blink. Am I that transparent, or are these women unusually perceptive?
"You did, didn't you?" Amelie crawls close to me, her gaze wide. I glance at her. Her cheeks flush. "Go on, give." She scans my features, her expression expectant.
"Yep."
"Wait, what did I miss?" Summer glances between us.
"I believe step-mama here asked Saint to become her dominant."
Summer laughs. "No, you didn’t."
"Yes." I tuck my hair behind my ears. "Though trust me, there’s no," I make air quotes, "’asking’ the man for anything. He wants, he takes," I mutter. "End of story."
"You’re right about that. Bet that made for an interesting conversation, huh?" Isla nods.
"You have no idea." I reach for my drink.
"He turned you down?" Amelia wiggles her legs, her gaze arrested.
My shoulders sag.
"How dare he?" Summer grabs a cushion and punches it.
"Yeah." Isla sits up. "We need to teach him a lesson. You’re beautiful...gorgeous. You're exactly the kind of challenge he needs."
"Bet he knows it too." Summer looks me up and down. "Maybe that’s why he did an about-turn? He knew if he took you on, he risked getting involved."
I shake my head. "You should have seen him, when I walked in on him. He was…"
"Angry?"
"Turned on?"
"Ready to throw you down and shag you?"
I circle the rim of my glass with my forefinger, "Distracted."
"What?" Amelie frowns.
"He was busy," I reply.
"All an act." She huffs.
Summer raises an eyebrow, then nods. “I think I’m familiar with that act. He didn’t want you to see how much you affect him." Her lips curve, "Trust me. I saw the way he was eating you up with his eyes at my wedding."
"Perhaps he was interested, but he sure as hell disguised it well," I mutter.
"Only one way to find out." Amelie taps her finger to her cheek.
I glance at her warily. "Why do I have the feeling you are the last one I should be taking advice from?"
"Aww… Come on, V," she pouts, "you don’t mean that."
I draw in a breath, "I guess not. After all, I get by with a little help from my friends."
"Did
