“Do what?” Her voice shook.
“Teach you to submit.” Slade’s voice was husky as he bent to whisper in her ear.
“To us. Open your eyes, darlin’.” The deep drawl she knew well wound through Dex’s words, but there was an underlying note of command she’d never heard him use before.
Shivering, Hannah did. She couldn’t ignore that voice. But when she looked into Dex’s dark eyes, the gravity there terrified her.
“Please don’t do this to me. I’m not like the other girls. I have…feelings for you. I couldn’t handle being your plaything.” Her breath hitched, and she tried to control her tears.
Hannah had stupidly fallen in love with the three of them, but she wasn’t naïve. They never kept a lover for long. If she gave into her desires, she would have a few days of sex-soaked bliss with them before they left her behind for their next willing female. That would break her heart into a million tiny pieces.
Then she would definitely have to leave her job—maybe even leave the city. Because no way could she be close to them every day, knowing they’d found another lover and were lavishing all their attention on her.
But maybe if she held them off now, she could move on one day, find some nice guy and have a decent life. She would never let that nice guy know she longed for these three men. Hell, she could never let them know how much she truly loved them.
Dex and Slade shared a glance before the middle brother caressed her thigh. “Thank you for that, Hannah.”
For admitting that she was a lovesick idiot? “Please let me up, Slade.”
“I won’t do that, baby.” He sounded as tortured as she felt. “I can’t.” Dex leaned in, his face inches from hers. “Hannah, we know you’re not like the others. We knew it the minute we met you. Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to wait for you to get to know us? But that’s over now, especially since we know how you feel.” Behind her, Slade pushed her skirt up to her waist. She felt the cool air on her backside and she shrieked.
“Just because I care about you doesn’t mean I’ll be your plaything.” Dex’s jaw firmed, but he cupped her face tenderly. “Relax, darlin’, and listen to me. You’re not our plaything. But don’t think for a second that you’re not ours, Hannah. You are.” Ours? They couldn’t possibly mean in any other way except to toy with and use. They would discard her when the fun and games were over because that’s what they did with every woman.
Hannah wanted to believe that she was different, but she’d be kidding herself.
She wriggled, trying desperately to force Slade to release her. “Let me go. Take me home. I swear I’ll tell you if this stalker contacts me again. Just…don’t do this.”
“Calm down,” Slade demanded. “There is no going back, baby. We’re going to keep you in Alaska until you agree to be ours.”
“Marry us, darlin’. That’s what he means.”
Marry? Her head was whirling. They wanted her to marry them? How was that supposed to work? Or was this “proposal” just one way more they played with a woman’s heart? If so, she already couldn’t take it. The yearning was too deep and haunting. Their leaving would create scars she’d never heal from. “Please, don’t.”
“Hannah, baby…”
“Stop talking, Slade,” Dex snapped. “She’s not listening.”
“You’re right. We just need to move forward.”
Relief poured through Hannah—along with crushing despair. They’d release her, and she could go back to her old life, minus the job she loved. She’d carry on somehow. But since they hadn’t really touched her, she’d get over her broken heart someday. Maybe.
Instead of letting her go, Slade pulled her underwear down around her thighs. Hannah gasped. Her bare bottom was on full display.
Dex stood over her, leaving her to stare at the blue industrial carpet. “Look at that beautiful ass.”
“I told you it was gorgeous under all that crap she wears. Her breasts are going to be spectacular.” Slade ran a palm over her backside.
Tingles danced everywhere he touched. Were they really talking about her sexually?
“The only thing that would make this gorgeous bottom look better is a nice shade of pink.
How many?”
Slade continued his perusal of her ass. Hannah could feel the heat of his stare. “I think her offense was pretty damn grave, but she’s a novice. She didn’t understand the rules. I say twenty-five.”
Hannah brought her head up. “Twenty-five? You—you’re going to spank me twenty-five times? You can’t…”