Clay eased closer. “Come sit with us and tell us what’s on your mind. I’m sure all of us can figure out a solution.”
She drew in her bottom lip and Dirk’s cock hardened. Fucking body. After the incredibly amazing sex, he should be less susceptible to shifting. Where Elena was concerned, he wasn’t sure he’d ever be immune.
Clay led her over to the chair. Dirk sat on the sofa across from her and shot Clay a death stare. Sit next to me and don’t antagonize her, asshole.
Maybe he had reacted rather strongly, but Christ. An hour ago, all three of them were soaring high above the earth.
“I spoke with my mom and told her what happened.”
Let me. Dirk was fine with Clay doing the talking. If he spoke, he’d just mess it up.
“Your mom was happy you were safe, right?”
“Yes, but if I stay with you two, maybe someday we’ll permanently want to be together and how would I explain to my Catholic mother I want to be with two men?”
Dirk’s gut nearly exploded. We can’t compete with a mother’s love.
We’ll see about that.
“Why don’t you take some time to think this through, sugar? I bet, in a few days, we’ll be able to figure something out.”
She knitted her fingers together as tears streamed down her face. The urge to cuddle her and soothe all her aches blasted him, but she wasn’t ready. He should have seen that. They’d rushed her. Damn. They were idiots.
She wiped the tears with the back of her hand. “Will you drive me to my storage unit?”
“Sure,” Clay said with amazing calm. “What do you need?”
She glanced to the side. “My computer and some clothes. My friend, Janice, said I could stay at her house until I find another apartment.” She glanced up but didn’t make eye contact with him. “Okay?”
Clay stood. “We’ll do whatever you want.”
Hood is still out there. Dirk would go ballistic if anyone harmed her.
We’ll see he doesn’t make trouble.
“Can we go, now?”
At her anxiety, Dirk’s heart broke. She seemed torn between wanting to stay with them and doing what she thought was the right thing. The old adage, “blood is thicker than water,” was never more true case.
Dirk got up. “I’ll drive.”
Elena drew in half her bottom lip, and his fangs nearly poked out.
“Do you have a suitcase I can put my clothes in?”
Clay stepped toward the hallway. “I have one.”
As she waited for Clay to return, Dirk’s tongue wouldn’t work. He sucked at saying the right thing. “You want something to drink? Water, maybe?”
“No, thank you.”
Where had his wonderful Elena gone? There had to be something he could do. He didn’t have the chance to ponder his options before Clay returned with a suitcase and handed it to her.
She stood. “Give me a sec.”
When she closed her bedroom door, rage raced through his veins. He charged up to Clay. “We’re just going to let her go?”
“For now. She needs time to process what happened. You know as well as I do we can’t force our mate to accept us.”
That was true, but it didn’t mean he had to like it.
#
This was terrible. Elena almost vomited. She wanted to be with her men, but being in a ménage was considered a mortal sin or, at least, a venial sin. Right now, her brain was too scrambled to think straight. Clay was right. A few days without them around might help her figure out the best plan.
It didn’t take long to gather her things. She drew in a deep breath and walked out, not even taking one last look at the nicest bedroom she’d ever had.
“I’m ready.”
Clay took her suitcase, and she followed them to the garage. Dirk slid into the driver’s seat and Clay sat in back. She chose to sit in front, partly because Dirk’s jaw hadn’t unclenched since she told them she needed to leave. His father had abandoned him, and his mom, and now, she was doing the same thing. But she wasn’t ready to stay.
“The storage unit is on Houston and Humphrey Street.”
Dirk’s jaw tightened even more. Great.
Within ten minutes, they were parked in front of her storage unit. Both men got out, but only Dirk escorted her to the locker. Clay stayed by the car, as if he sensed someone was near. Goose bumps tripped up her arm.
She leaned close to Dirk. “Does he think someone’s here?” Clay’s hands might have been down by his side, but his stiff shoulders didn’t bode well for them being alone.
“Don’t worry. Just hurry.”
She punched in the number and let Dirk open the garage bay. The box of her clothes she needed, as well as a bin of her shoes sat just inside the doorway. “The computer’s over there.”