Page 87 of Tangled Lies

“Wait? What?” Margaux had that cute little dazed look she’d had in the shower.

I’d been telling myself that any woman would do, but then why hadn’t I gone and found any woman? It wasn’t just the way she felt under me, although I couldn’t stop that little movie from playing. I also couldn’t stop thinking about the way she’d looked almost insane the second someone had hurt Talon.

“You know what, Talon, fuck off and heal.”

I grabbed Margaux’s hand and started to pull her. Her bare feet made it far too easy to win.

“Wait, but Talon. He needs me.”

I stopped and turned to her.

“Is he the only man in your life?” I stopped myself and tried to think of a way to reword that. “Fuck. I mean… no, I mean that. You’re my fiancée, Margaux. My name is the one that will protect you. My name will be the one that keeps you from having to marry that fucking limp-dick Carrow. So right now, I need you.”

My heart was fucking racing. Why was I so worked up?

“Princess, I think your fiancée needs some validation. I’ll be right here when you’re done.”

“Validation? What the fuck does that mean?” I asked.

Margaux took a step closer to me, reducing the tension in my grip of her arm.

“Ronan, didn’t you say there was no just you? That you were all a package deal?”

Fuck. She was right. I glanced at her hand and saw red.

“Where the hell is the ring?”

I’d already talked to the others, and they were working on bands that would go around the engagement ring. One for each of them because as much as none of us were talking about feelings, there were. No one minded it. Talon and Jett were already done. Knox was the hold out. Me?

“It’s right here,” she said and reached toward the nightstand next to Talon’s bed.

Fine. She knew where it was. She’d been sleeping in Talon’s room since he got home, and I was done being ignored.

“Talon isn’t the only one here. And that ring tells the world you’re ours. Keep it on.”

I braced for a fight. I knew those words would piss her off just like she’d pissed me off.

“Yours? Really? Why don’t you assholes just tattoo your names on my ass for crap’s sake? This is a mutually beneficial agreement, Ronan. I give you my trust fund, and I get protection. I guess the sex is a nice bonus.”

She looked over at Talon, and he winked. What the hell did that mean?

“You can’t touch him until the doctor clears him. Talon, you better fucking listen. We can’t?—”

She put her finger over my mouth. She had a habit of shutting us up like that was her right.

“Ronan, calm down. Let’s go.”

Why was I being irrational?

I’d never been one to be controlled by emotions. Hell, sex was just a way to blow off steam. So if that’s all this was, being sex-deprived, why hadn’t I just gone and found someone else?

I blindly followed the little tug on my arm. What the hell was wrong with me? It didn’t matter. The second we were in my room, I pressed her against the wall, inhaling her scent like she was the fix I'd needed.

“Ronan, did you miss me?”

There was no humor in her voice, but I didn’t want to answer a serious question. Instead I kissed her, letting that tell her what I felt because even I didn’t understand; this was all just a transaction. I unfastened her shorts and shoved at her panties, pushing them down her thighs. I slipped my hand between her legs and ran a finger through her folds, finding the little bud on my way.

She pushed her hips into my hand. I couldn’t explain why it mattered that she would enjoy this, but it did. I needed her to come all over my hand before I’d sink myself into her sweet pussy.