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I swung around on Roark’s lap in a half-straddle with my leg draped over his groin. Hooking an arm around his bare shoulders, I nuzzled his ear and trailed my fingers through his whiskers. I had an ulterior motive for my open display of affection, but the twitch of his cock beneath my leg was a nudging reminder that he was no longer celibate.

His breathing kicked up, and he shifted beneath me, probably wondering what the hell I was doing.

I set my gaze on the three men watching us. “You talked about the glory in children’s songs and bronze statues, but none of you have uttered a word about the one thing I know you all want.”

All three of them looked away, hands curling, jaws flexing.

“I don’t trust people who don’t curse or talk about sex.” I watched their nostrils flare and shoulders tighten. “Everyone has at least a sliver of crudeness that slips out. If you don’t show any vices, I have to wonder what you’re really hiding. My mind immediately jumps to…oh, I don’t know, whips and chains and locked doors in dark basements.”

“Evie…” Jesse said in a scolding tone.

Yeah, I was baiting them, but I wanted to sleep tonight, knowing at least one dirty secret about the men we were rooming with.

“I heard you screaming yesterday.” Hunter looked up at me. “We all did.”

I wasn’t ashamed, but I should’ve felt bad. Really fucking bad. Twenty-one men, men who hadn’t had sex with a woman in over two years, had to listen to me bellow in all my orgasmic wonder.

It worked to my advantage though. If they’d harbored any doubts in my lovers’ abilities to satisfy me, they didn’t now. Maybe they wouldn’t be as eager to step in and try to fulfill that role.

I cleared my throat. “And?”

“I wanted to be in that bathroom with you.” Hunter tucked his hair behind his ear, his eyes on his sneakers. “I wanted to see you while you—” He coughed. “While you made those sounds. I want to know what you taste like, feel li—”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Jesse thrust a finger at him.

Roark put his hand on Jesse’s arm, lowering it. “Let them talk.”

Eddie crossed his arms over his chest. “If we’re speaking candidly…” He arched a blond brow at Roark. “I don’t want a broken nose.”

Roark gave him a nod, but the air on the porch stretched with tension.

Eddie drew a deep breath. “Every man in this house is wondering what he has to do to become one of your— What do you call them? Your guardians? That’s assuming you only let guardians into your bed.”

Jesse’s posture became so rigid he looked like he was seconds from exploding out of his skin. But Eddie and Hunter had given normal responses, the kind I would expect from normal, healthy men. Normal was good. I could deal with that. It made me sympathize with them. They had gone so long without the love of a woman. But they had options now, right upstairs. If they left with me, it was possible I’d be the only woman, so I needed to be very clear.

I reached over and flattened my hand on Jesse’s stone chest. “I only let men I love into my bed, Eddie.”

Eddie grinned. “I’ve got an apple pie recipe that’s left a trail of broken hearts in my wake.”

His teasing tone coaxed me into laughter.

A small smile twitched at the corner of Jesse’s mouth. I moved my hand from his chest, and just as the tension faded from the air, a low growl sounded off the side of the deck.

Darwin sprinted from around the corner, hackles up, ear pinned close to his head, and slowed at the stairs. His body lowered to the ground, slinking forward, his lips drawn back in a snarl. He wasn’t walking toward the surrounding field. No, he crept up the stairs, eyes on the door, tail straight out, his barrel-chested growl reverberating through my bones.

I was already moving, heart racing, bow in hand, but Jesse beat me to the door. I didn’t know what spooked Darwin, and I didn’t question it as the tornado of black fur whipped past us and into the house.

Several men in the front room gave us curious looks as we tumbled in and ran after my dog. Darwin darted straight, then left, his claws scrabbling across the floorboards and toward the interior stairs.

The stairs that were no longer guarded by armed men.

Dread crashed over me, shaking my limbs. Darwin bounded the steps, and my feet slapped against the wood floor to keep up with him and Jesse, and now Roark, who shoved past me.

The sudden scream of a woman rang in my ears and chilled my blood. My eyes darted up the stairs, toward the sound, my legs pumping harder. Then more horrified screams, the cries of several women, followed by footsteps pounding across the ceiling and Link’s enraged shouting.