“Good guess,” Ian stated, grinned. “We admitted we were bisexual.”
“That’s not what I mean,” I told him. “I deduced it based on the way you interact with them.”
“Quite perceptive considering it’s only been what? A couple of hours?” Isaac commented.
“Time is irrelevant. I see the way you look at them. Like you want them to strip naked and kneel at your feet.” I felt the heat wash over me. While I was trying to keep this light, it was affecting me in a way I didn’t expect. “So, I’d say you’re Dominants who’ve always wanted to have two submissives who you could share between you. A male and a female.” I met Ian’s gaze. “Am I close?”
“Close,” he acknowledged.
“Where’d I miss the mark?”
“What about you?” Isaac asked, redirecting before his twin could respond.
“What about me?”
“You seem to have left yourself out of this story. How do you fit?”
I waved him off with my fork. “I’m just a fifth wheel. Not even necessary.”
It was clear he didn’t like my response, but I blew right on by, pretending not to notice.
“I’m not a submissive,” I told him. “Plus, I’m bisexual, curious, and only recently single, so sowing my wild oats is about all I’m good for these days.”
“You seem rather focused on Dominants and submissives,” Isaac stated.
“They’ve told me all about it.”
“And it doesn’t intrigue you at all?” Ian questioned before he took a long pull on his beer.
I watched his throat work, admired the column of his neck. He was ridiculously attractive, there was no denying that. But I figured that was the wild oats speaking.
“I didn’t say that,” I admitted, feeling the need to tell him the truth, though why that was, I didn’t know. “Based on what they’ve told me, I find it fascinating. How one person could possibly want to be owned by another.”
“It’s a little more complex than that,” Isaac noted, his distaste for my response evident.
“What does that mean?” I put my fork down.
He took a swig from his beer. “We can discuss later.”
Was that a threat or a promise? And why did he care what I thought about his lifestyle? It wasn’t like he was going to ask me to join in their little orgy, was he?
Wow. Heat bloomed in my core.
Wait.
No.
That wasn’t why I was here. These two belonged to Everly. The last thing I would ever do was overstep like that. She was my friend. And though she spent more time with Dante than I did, I considered him a friend, too.
“What’s wrong?” Everly asked, her pretty eyes locked on me.
“Nothing.” I shrugged it off. “I just…” I glanced at my plate. “I think I’ll get seconds.”
I launched to my feet, grabbed my plate, and made a beeline for the kitchen. I was piling on more noodles when I heard footsteps behind me.
I knew without looking that it was Ian.
Warm hands curled over my shoulders. “Are you okay?”
I relaxed a little but subtly sidestepped his touch. “Yeah. I’m just an idiot.”
He took the plate, set it aside before turning me to face him. I had to tilt my head back to see his face, and when our eyes met, I noticed the lust burning in his gaze.
“Why’re you an idiot?”
I laughed, but it wasn’t funny. “I really am the third wheel,” I told him. “Fifth in this case. But I’ve gotten used to that. I’m always the outsider, the one tagging along.”
His eyes narrowed, his hand curling over my cheek. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s no inside or outside here.”
“Really?” Was he blind? “I’ve seen the way you look at Everly. I know she’s the one you and your brother want. And Dante…” I threw up my hands but, due to our proximity, ended up swiping across his chest. “Sorry.”
Ian took my wrists, held my hands to his chest. “What about Dante?”
I could hardly breathe with him touching me like that. The way his thumb brushed over my pulse point, it had my body heating and my knees turning to Jell-O.
“I was right, wasn’t I?” I asked, my voice far softer than I intended it to be.
“About?”
“You and your brother. You want two submissives to share.”
“You’re right, yes.”
“And now you’ve found them.”
“Have we?” His eyes implored me, urged me to continue.
I could hardly swallow past the lump in my throat, much less form words, so I continued to stare at him, not sure where this was going.
“How about I tell you how I see this situation?” he prompted.
“Okay.”
“Isaac and I invited the three of you here so we can keep you safe, figure out who’s after you, who attacked Everly and why.” He shifted his head, studying me as he spoke. “There’s no plan here, Heaven. We haven’t abducted you, brought you back here so we can have our wicked way with the three of you.”
