Page 2 of Bound by Them (Rose and Dagger #1)

Troy

D ani taps something into her phone. “I’m telling my roommates your name and that I’m going somewhere with you. Safety first.”

“Of course.” Edmund pulls out his wallet. “You’re welcome to take a photo of my license, as well.”

“Sure.” A second later, she gets into the car. She startles when she sees me on the far side of the bench seat. She tucks her hair behind her ears—a nervous gesture. “Oh. Um. Troy, right? I didn’t know you were here, too.”

I don’t know how to make myself smaller. It’s impossible to look less intimidating. So I just nod. “Hey.”

Edmund gets in after her.

She’s sitting between us. By his design, no doubt. We’ve been sharing hook-ups since I followed him to college. It seemed natural. I had to guard him, anyway. He got off on the idea of me watching his hook-ups, then participating occasionally.

But I don’t want to do that with Dani for some reason. At least not tonight. She’s visibly upset. Her eyes and nose are red from crying.

She glances over at Edmund. “Where are we going?”

Edmund says, “We could go back to my place.”

Bad fuckin’ idea. I have my doubts Jon will keep this interlude secret. I flick my gaze toward the rearview.

Edmund notices my caution. “Jon, just drive around. I don’t care where.”

After Jon nods, Edmund raises the privacy screen.

“Fancy.” Dani surveys the roomy interior of the SUV. “You could have a whole party back here.”

“I don’t think you’re in the mood to party, are you?” Edmund gives her a soft smile.

I want to strangle him—he’s coming on too strong.

But Dani just shakes her head. “I don’t want to think about any of that shit. Anything else, seriously. I’m so fucking worried about Leah.”

“She’s in good hands with your brother.” His voice is full of amusement.

Dani squints at him. “Yeah. What are you trying to say?”

“Nothing. Your brother seems to care about her.”

“I care about her, too. I should’ve gone with her instead, but…fuck. I could tell she wanted to be with him. I’m her best friend.”

“But she isn’t fucking you.” Edmund still sounds like he thinks this is funny.

Dani is quiet, but tense. I can practically see her thinking, the way she’s trying—and failing—to sort through her swirling thoughts.

She looks around. “Do you have anything to drink in here?”

“Yeah.” Edmund pulls a flask from his jacket and passes it to her.

“More fancy shit. Just like the car.” She takes a swig and then strokes the engraved silver, the Layton family crest. A crown and dagger.

He shrugs. “It’s the only useful gift I ever got from my dad.”

Danica seems to shrink into herself. I wonder if she’s thinking about her family now.

How her grandfather yelled at her. I’ve always thought of Sergey Aseyev as the enemy.

It was a detached sort of hatred, theoretical.

I hated him because I was paid to. But the way he spoke to Dani made my vision go red.

Edmund turns in his seat to fully face her. “What do you want tonight, Dani? Anything you want, is yours.”

She puts her free hand on his knee. A not-so-subtle invitation. “I want to feel good. I want to forget everything my family just did.”

“I can do that for you.” He grabs her wrist, taking control in the way he likes to do.

She winces and hisses in pain.

“Fuck, that’s the hand you punched your cousin with.” Edmund loosens his grip. “I’ll be more careful.”

“Thanks.” When she lifts the flask to her mouth for another drink, he plucks the flask from her hand, caps it, and puts it back in his jacket.

“What—?”

He smiles. “You can’t be drunk for what I want to do with you.”

* * *

Danica

I don’t know whether I should climb on Edmund’s lap or knee him in the trouble nuggets. But the way he smiled when he talked about what he wants to do with me? Um, that was hot.

Unfortunately, Troy is still in the seat next to us, hulking and sexy and very much a cockblocker. The lights of the city, muted through the car’s tinted windows, flicker over his handsome face.

This is nuts. Getting in Edmund’s car was nuts. I’ve gone home with guys, I’ve had one-night-stands before. It isn’t a big deal. But after everything that happened tonight, shouldn’t I be at home in my room, crying my eyes out?

That’s exactly why I’m not at home in my room. I’m sad and mad and if this rich playboy can help me forget about that for a little while, I’ll take him up on it.

First we have to ditch the friend.

I’m about to open my mouth to say so when Edmund gathers my other wrist in his hand and draws my arms up, over my head. He tugs me against him, so I’m leaning back against his hard body.

Which means I’m facing Troy.

Edmund takes my hands and places them at the back of his neck, further stretching me out, making my back arch and my chest thrust forward. I flex the fingers of my bruised hand. The pain is a nice reminder of how I hit Patrick. He deserved it. I should’ve punched him twenty more times?—

Edmund whispers in my ear, obliterating the anger threatening to rear its ugly head. His words are just loud enough to hear over the rumbling of the car. “I want to touch you, little Dani. Will you allow that?”

My heart pounds out an insistent rhythm. Want…want…want . Forget everything else that happened. But Troy is sitting mere inches away from me. “Um…here? Right now?”

“Is there any reason to wait?”

“Well…yeah.” Ugh, fine. If he’s going to make me state the obvious, I’ll state the obvious. “We aren’t exactly alone.”

“Is being alone a requirement for you? Is it a deal-breaker? Because at the party, you liked being admired by everyone around.”

Oh. Fuck. He wants to fuck around with an audience? I squirm in his hold. Not because I want him to let me go, but because apparently I really like that idea.

“Well?” He slides a hand down my arm, Dirty Dancing style.

I can barely breathe, it feels so good. “Okay.”

“I need to hear a yes , angel. Can I touch you? Everywhere? Even with Troy in the back seat with us?”

“Mm-hmm. Yes.”

“I knew you were brave.” He sounds so smug and satisfied, I almost want to relinquish my permission, just to be contrary. But that would be stupid because then he wouldn’t touch me.

And I really want him to touch me.

Except—

“I don’t want to be naked.”

“Mm, no problem.” He kisses my cheek. “There are all kinds of things I can do for you while you’re wearing this sweet little dress.”

I bite my lip. I can’t look at Troy. Nope. I’ll pretend he isn’t here. “Prove it.”

Edmund chuckles. “Happily. Keep your hands behind my neck.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” I grumble, but there’s no fight in the statement. I’m too curious about what he’s going to do. He seems to think he’s God’s gift to women, so let’s see what he’s capable of?—

Oh. Oh .

He slides his hand under my dress, but he doesn’t go straight for my pussy. Instead he lightly touches my skin, everywhere but my underwear. I tilt my hips, trying to disguise the movements with the subtle shifts and turns of the car, slyly urging him to the sweet spot.

He doesn’t fall for my unspoken directions. In fact, he retreats farther away, stroking the tops of my thighs.

Well, now he’s just being mean.

I make an impatient noise.

He pats my leg. “Everything all right, Dani?”

“Just wondering if all you’re going to do is stroke my skin. I should give you some lotion so we’re at least moisturizing while you’re at it.”

“You have quite the bratty mouth, don’t you?” He continues with his teasing strokes over my thighs.

“You haven’t heard the half of it.”

“Can’t wait.” He leans in close. “Now do me a favor and look at Troy.”

I force my gaze over to Troy. He’s halfway turned in his seat, watching us with interest. There’s an ease to his posture, like this is nothing out of the ordinary.

I wish he was as affected by this as I am, but there’s something extra hot about him just sitting there.

Like Edmund and I are in a nature documentary and Troy is only mildly curious about how our species operates.

However, the glow from outside lights occasionally passes over his lap, and I think I see a hardened bulge there.

Speaking of bulges, I wonder when I get to do something with Edmund’s. I can’t feel it because of the way we’re sitting. If my hands were free, I’d be touching and teasing him like he’s doing to me. I unlink my fingers behind his head and start to move.

“No.” He grabs my wrist and puts my hand back where it was. “Behave, and you’ll be rewarded.”

“Like I’m some kind of puppy?”

“If you want pet play, we can do that.” He says it without any judgment. Like he really would put a leash on me and feed me from a bowl. Not my thing, but his comfort level with it makes me curious about him.

Not curious enough to ask questions, not when he is finally moving his fingers to where I need them. My pulse pounds in anticipation. I feel it everywhere—drumming in my ears, my nipples, and especially my clit.

He slides his fingers over my panties. It’s about fucking time. My hips lift toward the contact, but his pressure remains frustratingly soft.

I can’t take it anymore. “Please?”

“Did you hear that, Troy?”

Troy’s voice is a deep rumble. “Hear what?”

Edmund makes another swipe over the front of my underwear. “Say it again, Dani.”

I turn my head to look at him. “ Please .”

“Ask Troy. He decides. And you better tell him exactly what you want me to do.”

Ho-ly fuck. This is kinky shit.

And I love it.

I look at Troy. “Please—I want Edmund to touch my pussy and make me come.”

Troy’s eyes are dark embers. “Yeah, okay.”

His indifference is embarrassing and it turns me on even more. I don’t get it.

Edmund moves his hand, teasing the waistband of my underwear before dipping inside. When the pads of his fingers brush over my clit, I gasp.

“Yes.” I want to hold his hand there and buck forward against his fingers.

He continues down, hand working in my panties, sliding against my pussy lips until he finds my opening and works a thick finger inside.

“Oh, fucking fuck, right there.” I want to both throw my legs open for him and clench them closed to trap him here.

He kisses my ear. “I love this filthy mouth of yours. So naughty.”

My dress has ridden up almost all the way. I said I wanted to keep my clothes on. Edmund has kept to that, but only by the letter of the law, not the spirit.

With his finger inside, he uses his thumb to brush over my clit, rocking his hand back and forth against me.

I tighten my grip behind his neck, arching forward, moving into his touch.

So good. So fucking amazingly good. Bright lights dance in front of my eyes.

I’m close, nearly there. My entire being is dependent on his touch, on the pleasure he’s giving me.

His voice is low, like he’s speaking directly inside my brain. “Come now, Dani. Come right fucking now while Troy watches.”