Page 27 of Drowning in Sins
It should’ve been a sign. I guess it sort of was; I just wasn’t sure what kind it was. Was it a sign I didn’t know him enough and that I should? Or that I shouldn’t?
“Hey.” I turned to face Frederick. It was seeing Kai come up behind him that had me stepping back. I wasn’t in the mood to be around both of them at the same time, not when it could cause drama.
“What’s that?” Kai’s brows furrowed.
“The fuck?” Frederick gently grabbed my wrist and pulled my arm up.
“It’s nothing.” I tried to shake him off. “Just drop it.”
“Who. Did. This?” Frederick growled and stepped closer.
I tried to ignore them. I even looked away, but fate decided to let the asshole come too close. His eyes caught mine, and he glared back.
Fuck it.
“I don’t know his name, but he didn’t like the word no.” I swallowed.
The boys turned to see who I was staring at. “He won’t hurt you again,” Kai spoke softly.
“He won’t hurtanyoneagain,” Frederick said even quieter.
If they were going to have a word with him, they didn’t seem to be in a hurry. It was the way they looked at him and he left that made me think they all knew each other. My guess was he was some local who tried to take advantage of tourists.
“Thank you. I’m gonna go get drunk and forget the inn is haunted now.” I spun in the sand and headed toward the coolers.
I grabbed a can of whatever beer was accessible from one of the open coolers, then filled an empty cup from one of the bottles of liquor. In my haste, I didn’t even know which kind I grabbed. I just filled the cup nearly full with a clear liquid and quickly chugged part of it. The cheap liquor burned on the way down, and I quickly chased it with some of the beer I couldn’t stand.
As things grew hazy, I felt myself finally relax. Part of it had to do with the heavy buzz the alcohol brought and the other with the two men who refused to leave my side. In the arms of the brothers was where I wanted to be.
The alcohol allowed the most delicious thoughts to enter and linger in my mind like the drug I knew it could be. That was what they were—my addiction. It wasn’t just the safety and comfort I felt with them. It was every little detail.
If I were living in a romance novel, this was the part of the story where I could admit to them that I wanted them both. How I craved the both of them and wanted them to learn to share. I wasn’t just falling for the brothers; I was wrapped up in their possessive nature. I wanted to be their obsession forever.
I wanted to dance between them and feel both of their hands all over me. It was a forbidden desire that was on the tip of mytongue. I nearly admitted it out loud until I saw the looks they gave each other.
Not in this lifetime.
“I’m ready to leave.” I didn’t want to go back to that haunted inn though.
“Anything you want.” Kai put his arm around my shoulders and led me away from his brother.
My eyes moved to Frederick as I was walked toward the parking lot. We were on the far side when I remembered where I was.
“The inn isn’t far of a walk,” I argued.
“You’ve been drinking.” Kai opened the passenger door for me.
I nodded in agreement. I slid into my seat and rested my head back for a moment. Sleep threatened to take over until a shadow came across my eyes. They flickered open to see Kai reaching over me and clicking my seatbelt in. He gave it a little tug, then pressed a soft kiss to my cheek.
It was sweet, and I couldn’t help the smile that crossed my face as I gazed into his eyes. “Safety first.”
He licked his lips and chuckled. “All right, trouble. Let’s get you tucked in.” He closed the door.
After a couple of minutes, I glanced around to see multiple doors opening and closing. I was surprised to see Frederick slide into the driver seat after Kai had been the one to buckle me in. Then, I turned around to see Kai sitting in the back. Weird.
The short drive to the inn went way too fast, and I groaned at the thought of having to go back inside that place.
“What’s wrong?”
