Her bestie was like a dog with a bone. "It does. You're hurt. You've been crying. Do you think I can't tell? I want to know what happened."
Kinley would twist her arm until she confessed. "They wanted someone with more experience."
"More experience doing what exactly? Sex isn't rocket science or brain surgery."
"They just didn't like that I was a virgin." There. She couldn't be freaking plainer.
The puppy's tail thumped along her leg in time to the stroke of her hand petting its back. She found the rhythm soothing, enjoyed her connection to the little furry creature. Besides Kinley, she had no one else anymore.
"Unbelievable." Kinley heaved a deep sigh. "God, sweetie. I'm so sorry. It's inconceivable to me that they would be such assholes. But they're men."
A deep sense of weariness invaded her veins. They weren't assholes, really. They were just men looking for something she didn't have. "It's fine. It was a mistake to think it could work anyway. The problem now is, what to do about the fact that I almost slept with my bosses."
Almost, but not quite. God, she could still feel the heat of their bodies as they'd surrounded her. The pleasure of their touch had almost been too much to take. She'd been a different person when she'd lain across Kellan's lap, offering herself up to all three of them, to their vision, their sensuality, their desire.
In the end, they hadn't wanted what little she had to offer, so now she had to figure out where to go and what to do next.
Kinley stood and paced the room. "I just don't understand."
Of course she didn't. She had three men who were crazy about her, who didn't give a crap about anything except that she loved them. "It doesn't matter. Just … please have my back when I say I can't work there anymore."
Her friend froze, her brows forming a confused V. "Of course you can't work there anymore." Her eyes narrowed, and Belle knew from experience that meant her friend was plotting something evil. "Unless you intend to very cleverly kill all three of them off. Again, I-with Law's assistance-will totally help you."
Annabelle couldn't not laugh, and something deep inside her eased. Her best friend wouldn't abandon her, no matter what. "I'll be fine, hon. I'll figure everything out. Shouldn't you be with your husbands for your big 'wedding' night?"
"Not when you need me. They remember how you helped me." Kinley glided across the room and dropped a gentle touch on her shoulder, her face soft with understanding. "Belle, you're part of our family. We love you."
Stupid tears. They were right there on the edge of her eyes again. "I love you all, too."
They had been smart enough to love Kinley, to save her from a potentially murderous marriage. Belle had loathed Greg, Kinley's fiancé. Dominic, Law, and Riley had stepped up to protect Kinley. So when Kellan, Eric, and Tate had formed a shield around Belle at the same time during all the danger, it had given her hope. They hadn't allowed her to see or even talk to her friend while the threat was imminent. Kellan had put his whole career at risk to save Kinley, and it couldn't be because he was such good friends with the Anders brothers and Dominic Anthony. So why had he gone out on such a limb?
God, she was so confused. She only knew one thing: Whatever his reasons, whatever his feelings, she couldn't face those three in the morning. Despite her parting words to them, she just couldn't sit down at that meeting beside them and pretend nothing had changed. Or return to Chicago and watch them work-or date-without her anywhere in the picture. She definitely couldn't stay and see them fight again. They were closer than brothers, and she'd ruined that. No matter how she tried to block the vision, every time she closed her eyes, she could still see Kellan straddling Tate, pummeling his face with punches. She'd caused that, and the guilt was eating her alive.
Kinley took a deep breath and wagged a finger at her. "You're going to stay here in Dallas with me."
Oh, she was so not going to do that. That finger usually said that Kinley meant business, but the only thing worse than going back to Chicago would be staying here with her newlywed friend and becoming the pathetic, can't-get-a-man houseguest. Not happening. "I'm going to New Orleans."
"What? Why would you do that? Mardi Gras is months away."
She snorted. "Like I'd be in the mood to show off my boobs in exchange for some beads? No. Remember, I told you about six weeks ago that my grandma died?"
Kinley nodded. "Yes, I was sorry to hear about it, but I don't remember you being close to her. This was your dad's mom, right?"
"Right. And I barely knew her. Even when Dad was alive, he wasn't close to her-at least from what I recall. I remember Mom and Dad arguing about her once." It was one of her earliest memories. Her mom thought her dad should forgive the woman in New Orleans. She'd said something about her grandmother doing the best she could, but her dad had just shaken his head implacably and vowed that he wouldn't let that life taint his little girl. To this day, Belle had no idea what her father meant. And now that both he and his mother were gone, she'd probably never know.