Page 9

Landon

Something’s up with Kerrington. I can tell he’s holding something back and I want to know what it is. My attempt at reassuring him we’re solid in our relationship did nothing to cut the fear radiating from him. So, I’m going to take this night in a more fun direction instead.

Look, I don’t mean to be a fucknut, and I definitely do not want Nicole miserable, but I am thrilled she’s with us. A week isn’t long, but it’ll give us time to convince her she should be with us permanently. I’d love nothing more than to wake up with both of them every goddamn morning.

Does that make me a selfish prick? I don’t care. I want that life. I’ll do anything to make it happen too. My feelings for Nicole are deeper than a fun fuck. She brings out a side of me I rarely get to indulge in. With Kerrington, I’m a bratty sub, but I ache to have someone I can dominate, and that will never be him. He’s perfect as is.

We’re the opposites attract trope to the max. Kerr’s a broody, strict control freak. I’m wild with no fucks to give about anything other than having a good time, being there for my friends, and making as much money as possible.

My life goal is to own an island one day.

Tonight, however, my only priority is to make Nicole feel safe and give her whatever she needs to heal. I’ve known Nicole for almost as long as I’ve been best friends with Mason, Kerrington, and Gage. At first, she put me off because she was such a raging bitch, but it didn’t take long to see it was an act.

She pretends to hate Mason, but deep down, she values his friendship more than anything. I think the reason they were so volatile over the years was because of the arranged marriage thing. Thank God Mason took care of that before it turned into a nightmare for them both.

And I’ve always noticed the way Kerrington stares at her. We’ve never discussed it, but he has big feelings for her. I can tell. I just wish he’d say what’s in his heart, so I know my place in it.

“You hungry?” Kerrington asks Nicole from the back seat. She’s up front with me this time, making me feel all kinds of special.

“Not really. No.”

“You need to eat more, Duchess. We’ll pick up some pizzas on the way back and order room service.” I place my hand on her thigh. She’s cold to the touch, so I turn the heat on in the car for her. She should have put on leggings under the shirt dress. Kerrington’s right, it’s too cold for her chosen outfit. I should have told her what to wear. Fuck . I’m botching my role already. Guess I’m a little rusty. Cranking the heat to the max, I aim the vents in her direction.

“I think I’d like to set some boundaries,” she says, staring out the window.

I glance at Kerrington in my rearview mirror, and we both nod. “Absolutely.”

Nicole clears her throat, and I swear she goes into business mode on us with how her tone and posture change. “I don’t want to think. I don’t want to decide. I don’t want to work. I need to check out and just…” Her voice fades and she crosses her arms, hugging herself.

“And just what, Duchess?” Kerrington presses.

She shrugs and leans her head against the window, going radio silent on us.

“Be our toy?” The question flies out of my mouth before I can filter it. Jesus, I’m an asshole for saying that.

“Yes,” she whispers.

Ex-squeeze me? Did she just say yes to that?

Kerrington and I look at each other in the mirror again, and the shock on his face almost makes me laugh.

“You want to be our fucktoy, Nicole?” He leans forward and cups her chin, forcing her to make eye contact with him.

I almost rear-end the person in front of me because I’m too caught up in their connection and not paying enough attention to the road. “Shit! Sorry.”

“Answer me, Duchess.” Kerrington keeps his focus on her while mine is on the traffic light.

Calling her Duchess must trigger the response that Nicole wouldn’t otherwise give. “Yes.”

My stomach drops and leaps at the same time, which makes me dizzy. Having a bombshell like Nicole be our fucktoy is a goddamn wet dream come true. But I don’t want her used like that all the time. She’s not a flesh light, she’s the woman I lo—

Like a whole lot.

Yup, I like her. Have for a while. Like is the word, right? That means you think about them all the time, light up on the inside when you see them, worry for them, crave them, are in awe of them, can’t stop looking at them, stalk them on social media and get all butt hurt when they ghost you after the most passionate night of your life.

What I feel for Kerrington is different.

He’s home to me. We’re not perfect, but it doesn’t matter because to me, what we have is better than perfect. I’ve never told him that, though. I don’t think he’s ready to hear my confession, just like Nicole wasn’t ready to hear how I felt that night six months ago when I finally got her in our bed.

“—out for a few days. Then things can go back to normal.”

Shit, my thoughts got too loud, and I missed what she said. “Say that again, please?”

“I said I want to check out for a few days. Then things can go back to normal.”

“Why does it feel like we’re the toys in this situation?” Kerrington asks with a twinge of humor.

“I suppose maybe you are.” Nicole’s smile cracks across her face and I suddenly don’t care who’s playing with who.

“Define going back to normal,” Kerrington says cautiously.

“I’ll go back to New York and you guys can go back to California.”

I feel sick again. Does she think we can walk away from her so easily? I know she certainly doesn’t have a problem running from us, but damn, this hurts.

“Bold of you to assume you’re going to get away from us again, Duchess.” Kerrington leans back and smirks. “If we have to, we’ll put a short leash on your sweet ass. Ghosting us again is not an option.”

My throat tightens. “He’s right. If you want to do this, you can’t run again when you’re forced to face us in the morning.”

“I’m already agreeing to be with you for a week. That’s commitment enough.”

I pull into a parking lot and cut the engine. “Not for me. ”

The look on her face is half fear, half I don’t even know what. Relief maybe?

“You’re right.” I clear my throat. “We need boundaries before we do anything else.”

Because I have a horrible feeling all three of us will get hurt if we aren’t careful and I’ll do anything to protect the ones I love.