Their Virgin Mistress (Masters of Ménage #7)(85)

       
        

Piper shook her head. "That's not what I said."

Rory ignored her. "Why? I told her what we wanted last night. I made it very clear."

"I told her I loved her." Callum looked back at him. "She didn't say it back. I thought she was simply being shy."

This couldn't be happening. Rory stumbled back, the moment smacking him in the face. He felt sick. "Something's wrong here. I made it plain to her that if she came to the suite last night with us, we were starting a relationship. I told her I love her, too. I explained that we wouldn't settle for less than marriage."

Had she not believed him? Somehow misunderstood him?

Oliver sighed as though Rory's naiveté was too sad to contemplate. "And she took what she desired anyway. She wanted us physically. Obviously, Tori never sought more than sex. Just because she was a virgin doesn't mean she's incapable of lying to get the orgasms she wanted."

"But I love her." Callum seemed caught, all that confidence from the night before dissolving in the face of the truth.

"I told her we had marriage in mind," Rory insisted.

"We don't always get what we want, brother." Oliver stepped toward the door, his shoulders slumping. "You've led a charmed existence, so maybe you weren't aware. Welcome to what the rest of the world knows. Just because we love someone doesn't mean they'll love us back. Does the fact that Tori doesn't want three broken bastards really surprise you?" He scoffed. "When does our flight leave?"

"Our flight?" Rory hadn't arranged the return trip.

"I'm almost certain we've worn out our welcome here." Oliver glanced back at the al Mussads. "You've readied our plane to whisk the unwanted lovers away, correct?"

Rafe's lips pursed in a tight frown. "Your jet will be fueled and ready for you this afternoon. We ask that you stay in your rooms until then to avoid any uncomfortable situations."

"She's kicking us out of her bed after one night?" Callum dropped into a chair, his expression incredulous.

"They've been explaining that in some detail, yes. She's had what she wants from us and she's done," Oliver explained. He turned back to the guards. "Could you escort me to my rooms? I need to pack."

"Oliver?" Piper began.

His oldest brother held out a hand. "No need to explain, Your Highness. I wish you luck with the rest of your life. You'll understand if I don't see you again. I'm afraid your family has done enough to me. I'll stay away from now on." 

Cooper looked to Kade, who nodded. The sentry escorted Oliver out.

The guards really were barring them from seeing Tori. She really didn't want them anymore.

"This makes no sense," Rory argued. "She's not a selfish girl. Something's scared her. Piper, I have to talk to her." He refused to let them end this way. If he could sit down with her, he could talk some sense into her. He could figure out what she was really afraid of.

"I'm sorry," Piper said as she clutched Rafe's hand. "She's overwhelmed now and not terribly rational. I think maybe if this whole thing with the tabloids hadn't gone wrong, you might have been able to get through to her. But as it stands, this is too much for her to deal with. I think she's hidden it well until now, but she's damaged, too."

"Damaged how?"

"Our parents … they were madly in love. Then my mom died, and everything went to hell. Tori was a kid. She didn't understand how many wonderful years came before the tragedy. She only knew that one day everything was perfect and the next her world crumbled. Our dad took it particularly hard. Tori saw him fading. Then he was killed in a car accident. She never had the chance to see him embrace life again. In her mind, love leaves people an empty shell. It's something to avoid at all costs."

In other words, anything resembling love would threaten her, and she would run. Like she had. She was putting up wall after wall between them, locking doors and protecting herself with guards because she cared too much.

The chemistry between them had always been undeniable. During their months together in London, their friendship and respect had blossomed into so much more. She'd known how he felt when she'd taken his hand last night. He suspected she'd known quite well what was in her own heart, too.

A hot dose of anger surged through his system. "So she was never going to give us a real chance. Why would she go to bed with us when she knew what we wanted and that she would never give it to us?"

"Because I think deep down she wanted to try. She loves you. I think she didn't want to go through the rest of her life not knowing what it meant to be yours, even if it was only for a night," Piper said. "She's had a shock. If you give her time, she'll recover. I'll talk to Talib and ensure that you have an invitation to come back in a few weeks for Sabir's birthday. I believe she'll attend. Once the tabloids have calmed down, I also think she'll be able to see reason and will come around."