Page 70 of Gilded Locks

“Away from you.” She tugged on her sweater. “Do me a favor, next time you want to fuck me, just do it. Leave out all the emotional bullshit, because it’s giving me a migraine.”

“I’ve been nothing but upfront with you, Zayka.”

“And stop calling me that. I’m not a little fucking bunny or whatever the hell that means.”

“Rabbit.”

“Whatever.” She snatched the ribbon that had fallen out of her hair and tied back her curls. “I’m not some skittish little animal who runs and hides and I’m not some helpless princess waiting to be rescued.”

“I never said you were.”

“Yes, you did.” She crossed the library and yanked open the door.

“Do you always get hysterical after sex?” he yelled.

“Go to hell.” She stepped into the hall and let the door slam, but when she abruptly turned, she crashed head-on into Stone’s granite chest.

“Well, well, well.” He steadied her. “Where are you running off to?” Bending closer, he stiffened her neck. “Smelling like sex.”

She swatted him away. “Get away from me.”

“Doesn’t work that way.” He crowded her towards the wall. “Ash has been hogging you.”

Her pulse leapt when he tugged playfully at a long curl.

“Cracked you open like an egg,” he continued, his gaze tracing attentively down to the toe of her suede boot. “He’s good like that. Knows how to get the difficult ones to open up.”

Ones? “He’s not as smooth as he thinks.”

Stone laughed and glanced back at the library door. “Lover’s quarrel?”

“Something like that.”

He moved closer, barely touching her but caging her in with his body all the same. “Part of you is enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“No.”

“Lying little thief. I think?—”

“Stone.” Marigold’s spine stiffened at the unexpected lash of Hunter’s voice.

Stone scowled back at his intrusive brother, who appeared at the end of the hall, but quickly returned his focus to her. “I’m busy.”

Hunter didn’t seem to care. “Meet me in the berloga. Bring Ash.” He walked away, and Stone sighed.

“We’ll finish this later.”

Once again, she questioned if Hunter was some sort of alpha or leader to them. Why did he have such command over them?

Stone backed away and thumped his fist on the library door twice. “Hunter wants us in the berloga.”

Ash opened the door, appearing surprised to find her standing there with Stone. He met her stare but said nothing as he exited the library and moved in the direction Hunter headed. Stone followed. Once again, abandoning her and leaving her utterly alone.

This time, she planned to make good use of their absence and use her unchaperoned time wisely. She rushed into the library, searching the shelves until she found the book she spotted earlier.

It was a small, cloth-bound English/Russian dictionary, worn from use but stiff from sitting. The spine creaked as she forced it open to the B’s. Turning the thin pages quickly, she searched down the double columns with her finger for the word berloga.

“Berloga, berloga—Ah.” She frowned as she read the definition. “Bear den.” She glanced back to the door and frowned. “Bear den?”