Page 132 of Theirs to Desire (Club M: Boxed Set)

KIERA

A s much as I try not to think of Bianca, and her refusal to see me, it swirls about in my thoughts, as relentless as a powerful whirlpool sucking me down.

Count your blessings, Kiera. You’re alive. Nobody’s chasing you. The two guys you’re crazy about seem to like you back. You’re embarking on an exciting new relationship, the first actual relationship of your life.

Bianca’s alive too. Though, from Caleb and Nolan’s description of her life, I don’t think she’s doing well. What if Luis Martinez hits her? What if he hurts her?

To keep myself from brooding, I pack my schedule with work. I call Henri and ask him to book me on every available shift. He’s only too happy to oblige. I work an eight-hour shift on Monday and a twelve-hour shift on Tuesday.

Nolan calls me Wednesday morning. “Are you busy tonight?”

A smile breaks out on my face. We’ve texted back and forth a few times in the last couple of days, but I haven’t seen either Caleb or Nolan since the weekend. I know it’s ridiculous, but I’ve missed them. “I’m working during the day, but I should be done by five.”

“Want to grab dinner?”

“Sure. Can it be somewhere low-key? There’s a great pizza place in my neighborhood.”

I hold my breath. I don’t want to be in a relationship where the guys make all the decisions. I’ve been on my own for too long; I’ve grown used to being independent and taking care of myself.

Caleb assured me that their dominance was bedroom-only. I’m going to hold them to it.

“Pizza sounds great,” Nolan replies. “What time?”

I release the breath I didn’t know I was holding. “How about seven?”

“Sure. Do you want us to pick you up, or will you meet us there?”

They’ve never been to my apartment. It’s nowhere near as nice as Caleb’s house or Nolan’s Central Park-adjacent condo, but it’s mine, the air-conditioner is working again, and I refuse to be ashamed of it. “Pick me up, please.”

“See you at seven.”

Exactly at seven, there’s a knock on the door. I open it to find Caleb and Nolan there. “Want to come in for a drink?”

Caleb smiles at me. “I’d love to.”

The two of them enter and give me a hug. Nolan brushes a kiss over my lips and then flops onto the couch. Caleb kisses me too. He looks around curiously before sitting down. “I see that you and Nolan have the same decorator,” he quips.

Whatever I thought he was going to say, it isn’t this. I look around my apartment, seeing it with Caleb’s eyes. It’s clean and furnished, but that’s about it. No pictures on the walls, no photos on the side tables.

I’ve been running for so long that it still hasn’t sunk in that I don’t have to run anymore. It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m safe.

“It’s a work in progress,” I tell Caleb loftily. “I’m getting a plant this weekend.”

He laughs. “Good idea,” he agrees. “What are you making?”

It takes me a second to realize he’s talking about the drink I promised him. I move to my tiny home bar. “Rum and coke for you, Nolan?”

Nolan grins up at me. “You remembered.”

“It is my job.” I flutter my eyelashes at Caleb. “What are you in the mood for, Mr. Reeves?”

His eyes darken. “If you keep taking that tone with me, Kiera,” he murmurs. “We’re not going to make it to pizza.”

My insides clench. Desire flares to life. “How about a martini?”

He grins. “Only if you make it dirty.”

There is a jar of olives in the refrigerator. I wink at Caleb. “For you, I’ll make it extra dirty.”