Chapter Four

 

Edlyn Carter

I felt the cold wash of old fear flow over me when Vinny demanded to know what had happened to me. I wasn’t going to give in to them, but their clever hands and mouths had me giving up and letting my guard down. It wasn’t until Vinny bared my back that I remembered just exactly why I had wanted to leave before anyone could possibly see the truths that I kept hidden. Fortunately, the ring of my phone jarred me from the intimate ministrations that I was falling for.

I picked up the phone and knew that I was breathless when I answered it. I heard Breaker on the phone and felt immediate relief and thanked heaven in my mind for thinking ahead and arranging the phone call to get me out of my childhood home. “Hello, Boss.” I heard his laugh and knew he would have gotten a kick out of that.

“Ms. Langley, we need you to come back tonight instead of tomorrow. We have a new case coming up that we need to cover for press.”

I had to keep from snickering. If only people knew what I really did in my life. I wasn’t the eco-warrior that everyone thought I was.

“Sure enough. I will get on a flight now.” I clicked off the phone and looked at the two huge men in my room, both looking very unhappy at the call that I had just taken.

“Sorry, guys, however it’s time for me to leave. I will have to raincheck what we started.” I couldn’t lie to myself, looking at Vincent and Ivan standing there, side by side, each so contrasting yet so similar that it made my womb clench in desire and need. I ached to feel their touch. My whole body melted just thinking of having their hands on me again, but that wasn’t going to happen. Not now, not ever. The men were glorious. Ivan, with his olive complexion and dark and brooding looks, made me whimper in need, but it was Vincent who had my heart tied in knots. I looked into his clear blue eyes and had to close my teeth over my lower lip to keep from going back to his arms. Everything about him drew me in and always had.

“No, you can stay here and explain.” Vincent had that stubborn look on his face. I knew that it was going to be hard to get out of this one, but I could.

“No, I can’t.” I wasn’t going to allow these men to talk me out of what I knew I needed to do. I needed to get away from them or they would find out the secrets that I had kept hidden for far longer than I cared to think about. I couldn’t explain anything to Vinny because that would open wounds that I needed to keep healed, even if it cost me my very soul.

“You can. You just refuse to,” Ivan replied and moved to the door so that he could lean against it. “You really should talk to us, Edlyn. I doubt that we will be leaving you until you at least tell us who it was that dared to hurt you as they did.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I told the brooding Russian. He was simply beautiful. He had dark hair and green eyes. His tattoos went from his neck to his pants and I was certain even farther down, but he still had his slacks on so I couldn’t honestly say, which made the need to leave even harder.

“You want to tell us, so why not tell us?” Vinny had stepped closer to me, his hands moving up and down my arms. His every touch had me biting my lower lip in need. Vincent was powerful. His blond hair and blue eyes had always made me swoon, but now having him so close to me, touching me, and looking at me, had me wanting to tell him everything. Fortunately, I had gotten a text from Breaker at just that moment with a reminder to get my ass in gear.

“Sorry, I have to go.” I turned to look at Ivan. “Both of you, get out. Please.” I felt Vincent at my back and wanted to turn so that I was in his arms again, but I had far too many secrets to protect. “Please, Vincent,” I whispered with my head bowed. I couldn’t look at him as he left. I needed to make this as clean a break as possible.

“Fine, but you are going to explain all of this to us.” Vincent’s voice was hard when he spoke to me, and I hated that. I hated that I hurt him. However, it was for my own sanity and to keep my secrets.