Their Virgin Princess (Masters of Ménage #4)(88)

Only Landon had been spared since he didn't have family, but that wouldn't last. The hotel had proven that. They would be all over him, and he wouldn't be able to handle the unrelenting pressure.

None of them should have to.

"How was the flight back?" Piper asked, walking up beside her. "I was worried that it would be hard on you."

Her men had done everything they could to make it safe. They really were the best. "It was fine. Mr. Anders is an excellent pilot."

Alea turned slightly and saw that all three of them were watching her even as they talked to her cousins. This was going to be so hard, but she had to do it. Their time on the island was over, and Brittany Hahn had been right about one thing. She really hadn't done anything to help those other girls. She should have fought harder, found a way out, but no, she'd given into the drugs they'd put her on. She'd closed her eyes and just prayed to die.

She didn't deserve the heroes who claimed to love her, and they definitely didn't deserve this pain. But it seemed like pain and heartache was all she was capable of giving them.

"Tal, can I speak with you privately?"

Piper frowned, obviously upset, but Alea was resolute. After this was done, she was going to lock herself away and just try to stay out of the public eye.

Tal's eyes narrowed. "Of course. Brothers, Piper, if you wouldn't mind."

"I'll go and get everything ready in the board room," Rafe said. "Dominic Anthony is scheduled to arrive in the next hour."

"I'll help," Kade offered. They took Piper's hands and led her out.

Dane, Lan, and Cooper stayed right where they were.

"I would really like to speak to Tal alone, please." She would explain her position to Talib. He would understand. He, more than the others, knew what it meant to be in the public spotlight.

"Lan, Coop," Dane began. "Why don't you go and find the Anders brothers and get things set up. I want to get a full update as soon as Dominic lands."

They nodded reluctantly and left. Then she stood alone with Tal and Dane.

"Please, Talib. Completely alone."

Tal shook his head. "No, Lea. At least for now, you won't be alone. At least one of your guards must be with you, even in your locked rooms."

"That won't be a problem, sheikh." Dane stepped forward, his expression a bit grim as though he knew he was about to go into battle. "We'll be moving into the princess's suite this evening. She won't ever be alone."

"Excellent," Tal said, and there was no way to mask his sigh of relief. "I'll call the contractors tomorrow. Her suite is too small for all four of you. We'll start the expansion plans as soon as possible."

She was rapidly losing control. "No, Tal. They can't move in with me."

The room got very quiet as both men turned to her. It was obvious she had their full attention.

"Alea, where did you think we would stay?" Dane asked quietly, his voice icy cold. "Did you think we would go back to our own rooms? Just meet in the middle for a little rendezvous?"

"Explain yourself, cousin. The way I heard it, you've settled your relationship with your men. Are you telling me you haven't?" Tal asked.

"They're not moving in with me. It's not a good idea." She couldn't quite meet Dane's eyes.

"Really? So yesterday in the shower was good-bye, was it, Lea?" Dane asked.

"Could you be a little more discreet?" She couldn't help how her face flushed.

Dane towered over her. "Not a chance, and it's going to get uglier. If you had wanted to keep this between the four of us, you shouldn't have brought your cousin into it."



       
         
       
        

"He's the head of my family." And she was counting on the way things worked here in Bezakistan. They might be modern, but when it came right down to it, Tal made the decisions. If she could get him on her side, she would be home free and there was nothing any of the guys could do.

Dane seemed to grow a couple of inches as he watched her, his whole body going into battle mode. "Is he? Let me tell you something, Alea, because I apparently wasn't clear. I am the head of this family since you seem determined to go old school with this. I've been extremely patient so far, but you need to think about what you're doing and stop. Nothing has changed. We're together, and we will get through all of this together. As a family. Making decisions together. If you continue down the path I think you're taking, you're going to put me in a corner and you won't like how I fight my way out of it."

Tal had stepped back, frowning as he watched them.