Page 57 of My Ex-Best Men (Ex Marks the Spot #4)

***Claire***

“ P huck eww!” I growled out the muffled words around the actual gag one of them had put in my mouth during takeoff.

Apparently my shouting was worrying some of Anthony’s staff and he didn’t want them bothered.

So they’d fucking gagged me with a cloth napkin that probably cost more than all of my bedding together.

I wanted to scream and stomp. They’d used who knew what to tie me to my chair with my hands bound by Anthony’s tie.

I could tell that the three of them had thrown caution and common sense out the window by that point.

They were kidnapping me. I knew crossing state lines during a kidnapping was a big deal but they’d crossed the fucking ocean!

As angry as I was, there was a part of me, a part of me that I wanted to kick, that was thrilled at the way they’d tied me up. The weight of their desire to keep me was almost intoxicating. Not that I’d ever admit it.

Anthony’s flight attendant came down the aisle with a bottle of water and a pair of scissors. “Sir.”

Anthony grabbed the two things and gently pulled the gag from my mouth. “Before you start screaming, take a drink of water.”

I wanted to headbutt him. Instead, I lifted my mouth to the water he offered and gulped it down. As soon as my mouth wasn’t a desert, I turned my head from him and huffed. “Leave me alone.”

He made quick work of cutting through my bindings and tossing everything away from me. Kneeling in front of me, he was tall enough that we were still almost eye to eye. “I’m sorry for that. If we’d hit turbulence and you weren’t in your seat, buckled in, you could’ve been hurt.”

“Can we talk now, Claire?” Will sat across from me in an identical oversized, cream leather chair. He’d looked like a kicked puppy the entire time and I wanted to actually kick him for it.

I crossed my arms and stared out the window on my right. “What’s there to talk about? Why are you even here? Shouldn’t you be wrapped up with Madeline by now?”

“Tell me what all she told you.” He took a deep breath. “Please.”

I took an identical deep breath and blew it out slowly.

It was going to be a long flight, no matter what.

With the ache in my chest worsening with each repeated word, I told him everything she’d said.

I couldn’t help watching his face as I did and the horror I saw there felt real.

The anger that came next was definitely real.

I’d never seen Will’s face contort with so much rage. He was normally a laid back guy.

“I’ve never fucking touched Madeline a day in my life.

Not one time, Claire. She was a friend and I treated her like one, with respect.

What you saw today was me hugging her because I was under the impression that her grandma died.

I was blind before. I should’ve drawn clearer boundaries with her but I didn’t think I had to.

We’ve always just been friends. Now I know that I was wrong. She’s a fucking asshole.”

“And the bet? Is she still the fucking asshole when you three are the ones who made the bet?”

He winced and looked away. “No. That was all us.”

Zane sat next to me and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

“It was just the three of us. Madeline is full of shit. She wasn’t there and it wasn’t anything like she made it seem.

Not to say that it wasn’t stupid, because it was, but it wasn’t quite as awful as she made it sound.

We were drunk, arguing about which one of us was going to win you over, and it was me who suggested the bet.

It was one of the few times I’ve allowed myself to consume alcohol recently and it took over the dumb alpha part of my brain that wanted to prove that I was a better mate to claim you then them.

I’m sorry. I’m stupid. You have to know that it wasn’t meant to be hurtful.

It was just the three of us trying to deal with our competing feelings for you. ”

I looked back at Will. “You told Madeline about it.”

He ran his hands over his hair. “I thought I was talking to my friend. I was telling her about things being good with you and how I thought you might be coming back to the island. I mentioned that even if you didn’t want to move back home, I’d quit my job and move to London to be with you.

I mentioned that I had the money from the bet so I’d be able to support myself until I found a job I’d like.

It wasn’t a brag or anything, Claire. And I’m going to rip up those damn checks as soon as I get back.

I just said too much without thinking about it.

But the bet wasn’t meant to be anything gross.

I think it was the three of us just trying to come to terms with all of us wanting you and knowing it. It was strange at first.”

“Claire, look at us. We flew to a different country to kidnap you and bring you back home to us. If this thing between us was just about some stupid fucking bet, do you think we’d risk kidnapping charges for you?

” Anthony gripped my knees. “Each of us loved you in our own way in the past. Now… We love you in our own way but also…together. We love you enough to share you, enough to make sure you’re getting everything you want and deserve.

We messed up. God knows Will fucked up more than a few times.

Is that enough to ignore the love we’re trying to give you? ”

I blinked away tears and looked out the window again.

I wasn’t sure what to say. My heart was racing.

They were saying everything I wanted to hear but I was still scared.

They’d walked away from me before. How was I supposed to believe they wouldn’t again?

How could I trust their maturity and loyalty after something like this?

It was like Will could read my mind. “I’m sorry, Claire.

I’m horrified that I allowed Madeline to hurt you.

I’m horrified that I hurt you. I’m not walking away, though.

I let you go once before and I lost a decade of time with you.

I’m not asshole enough to think I deserve you but I’m fucking taking you anyway. I’m not losing you again.”

A thrill went down my spine at the way his face shifted through his speech. By the end it was a mask of furious determination. Gone was the kicked puppy.

Zane reached over and gripped my chin to turn my face to his.

“Will’s right. None of us are walking away.

This is not the life I expected, I’ll say that much, but it’s the life I’m demanding now.

It’s the four of us against the world, or whatever.

So…be mad but eventually you’re going to have to forgive us for being stupid and accept that you belong with us. ”

I sighed and rubbed my temples. I was so tired and, more than that, I was worn out.

It’d been just over a week since I left London the first time and I felt like I’d lived a lifetime in that week.

So much had changed, even down to the things I wanted in my career.

Spending the last sixteen hours or so mourning my heart hadn’t helped.

“There’s a bedroom in the back of the plane. Why don’t you go lay down?” Anthony sighed and stood up. “We’ve got the rest of our lives for you to forgive us. A nap won’t kill us.”

I looked over my shoulder towards the door that was apparently hiding a bedroom. A nap sounded like exactly what I needed. I looked back at the three of them and blew out a deep breath. “Just a small nap…”

“Go on. We’ll be out here if you need us.”

I stood on shaky legs and edged past Anthony. Looking at them for a few more seconds, I wondered if I wasn’t making a mistake in not immediately forgiving them. Because I already knew I was going to. I just needed a nap first.