Page 152 of Cruel Pleasures

“It came close to it,” Hurst admits. “But we decided we wanted you more than we wanted to kill each other.”

“And in order you have you, we have to make some sacrifices,” I add. My hand ghosts across her bare thigh and she shudders in response. “But we’re willing to make them if it means we have you.”

“There’ll be growing pains—and we’re still two territorial bastards—but we figure it’s worth the trouble. You’re worth the trouble, minx.”

“You expect me to come with you?” she repeats in a volume a notch above a whisper. She glances at Hurst and then over at me, eyes wide and almost innocent. “You want me to return to the Isle of Hurst to live with you? And this isn’t some kind of joke?”

“We’re serious,” I say.

“The manor’s mine to do what I wish with it,” Hurst explains. “The entire isle and town are. You’ll have all the space you need when you need it. But you’ll also have us around… obsessing over you.”

The corner of her lips spasm as if tempted to smile. “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. You’ll be fine with me never choosing? You’re okay if I don’t pick one over the other?”

“You couldn’t before. So you chose neither. We realized what you were doing so we’ve done so for you. We’re choosing to never to make you choose.”

“I couldn’t. I couldn’t pick,” she whispers. She slumps between us as though exhausted all over again by the prospect. “But I also couldn’t accept what it would mean to take it to that level. Even one of you was too much.”

“We’ll figure it out together, minx.” Hurst eases her into a kiss. “Do you think either of us have any fucking clue what we’re doing? Ryu’s spent the last ten years as a hermit assassin avoiding human contact, and I’m the serial killing son of a deranged bitch who lost her mind over my philandering father. This is uncharted territory for all three of us.”

“We have time,” I agree. “Sometimes your family isn’t the one you’re born with. It’s the one that you make over time.”

I’m waiting to meet Imani as she turns her head toward mine and we solidify our words with a kiss of our own.

It feels strangely natural, having her gravitate between the two of us. Having her indulge in us both in equal but different ways. Where Hurst is impassioned and forceful, I’m patient and attentive but no less intense.

Imani’s coming to the same conclusions as she exhales the soft breath of someone who’s had their worries and fears quelled. She’s already reverting back to the woman she is at her core and not the one wallowing in the misery of recent months.

“When do we leave?” she asks.

“Tonight.” Hurst stands from her bed. “We’ll help you pack.”

I stand too and glance around her room. Though relatively clean and neat, it’s cramped with many possessions collected over time. “Where to begin?”

“If you don’t mind… I want to pack on my own. At least my important things. I just need a moment alone first.”

Hurst folds his arms. “You’re not going to try to dip out on us, are you? We’re prepared to chase you.”

“And tie you up,” I add. “You shouldn’t be surprised to find out I carry rope with me.”

She smirks. “I bet you do. But I’m not going anywhere. I just need a few minutes to get myself together. Did you forget you’ve shown up here out of nowhere?”

“Not exactly nowhere. We’ve been keeping a close eye on you for weeks, minx,” Hurst says. “We couldn’t help ourselves. We knew you needed space, but we also know our limits. So we stayed far enough away to give you that space while we sated ourselves on you.”

“That explains the numerous wet dreams I kept waking up from in the morning. Why am I even surprised?”

“It wasn’t all that. Sometimes, yes. But other times we just… provided a helping hand.”

“The missing wallet?”

“That was me,” I say.

“And I’m guessing you were following me?”

“We have pictures.”

She bursts out into a surprised laugh, then rubs a hand over her hair. “You are both so fucking unbelievable and yet here I am. Completely into it.”

“We knew you would be,” Hurst says, winking at her. “We’ll wait downstairs. Give you a moment.”