“No. He never hit me or anything,” she said.
“Thank God,” Tag muttered.
“I know I was stupid for falling for him to begin with,” she began, but Zander stopped her from continuing.
“You weren’t stupid, Tessa. Don’t ever say that. You couldn’t have known that he was playing a part to get you to accept him and even fall for him. No one would be able to determine that until he showed his true colors. Unfortunately, by then, you already had feelings for him and wouldn’t have been able to tell what he was doing until it was too late.”
“Men like that know what they are doing. They lure women into a false sense of security, make them dependent on them then trap them. You’re not the first woman this has happened to, baby,” Tag said.
“I should have realized what he was doing,” she insisted.
“You were on your own for the first time in your life with your brother out of touch. I doubt you had many friends at first, either,” Zander began. “Anyone would have welcomed the attention he probably poured on you. Don’t blame yourself for being human. That’s in the past now. Let’s talk about the future.”
Tessa swallowed hard and nodded. It sounded as if Zander at least was still interested in having a relationship with her. She still wasn’t sure she could be what they needed, but now she wanted to try. There was just something about them that not only aroused her to the point of having soaked panties around them but also made her heart skip a beat and her soul quiet.
Tag passed her over to Zander so that now she sat on his lap. She looked up at him, afraid that she’d see disinterest in his eyes now that she’d told them about her past. Why would someone like him, strong and brave, want anything to do with someone like her who’d allowed another person to control her life? But instead of disgust, Tessa saw worry. Why would this mountain of a man be worried? Did he think that he’d be stuck with her if Tag still wanted her though he didn’t? She started to lower her eyes.
“Look at me, Tessa.” Zander’s tone brooked no argument.
When she looked up at him, he smiled. “Nothing in your past matters to us outside of the wish that we’d been there to stop what happened to you.”
“And been there to kick that bastard’s ass,” Tag added under his breath.
“All that matters is the here and now. We will never stop you from having friends. We will never tell you what to wear—”
“As long as it’s not indecent or going to get me into a fight,” Tag grumbled.
“Tag,” Zander warned.
Tess couldn’t help but giggle. “I don’t wear stuff like that, so there’s no point in worrying about it. But I do like to wear shorts sometimes when it’s hot. I don’t mind wearing a T-shirt over my swimming suit if I go swimming.”
“You don’t have to go that far, baby girl. Just no miniskirts that show your ass cheeks in public. At the club, that’s a different story.” Tag brushed the back of his hand over her cheek. “We’d enjoy showing off your gorgeous body when we’re there.”
“I–I don’t know about going to the club. I’m really not into that stuff, guys.” Tessa felt the worry and anxiety from earlier creep back inside.
“Tag, you’re going too fast. Back off, man.” Zander frowned. “Tessa we’ll worry about that later. Once you’ve gotten to know us and are comfortable with us, we’ll talk more about the club and what it means to us. We aren’t sadists. Neither one of us enjoys inflicting pain, but we do like to control things in the bedroom. Let’s just take it one day at a time, okay, kitten?”
Tessa nodded but wasn’t sure if she could really handle the two men no matter how much she wanted a chance with them. She’d known them for nearly a year now and they’d always been polite and courteous to her. Even once they’d made their intentions clear, they’d never gotten rough or insulting.
“What worries you the most about being with us, kitten?” Zander asked.
“I’m not sure. I think I’m still just really uncomfortable with being around men. I don’t trust my own judgment after, um, what happened. I’m scared I’ll make the same mistake and end up just like before. I’d rather die than live like that.” She looked from Zander over to Tag to make sure they both understood how serious she was.
“We will never treat you like that, Tessa,” Tag said. “I’m gruff, I know. I can be an asshole sometimes, but I don’t abuse women and I would never take away your freedom. You will always have the ability and the choice to walk away if you don’t want to be with us.”