What’s New Pussycat(23)

Martine laughed, relaxing a little and tucking the collar of Derrick’s shirt tighter around her neck. “You have to admit, this is a little out of the ordinary.”

“Oh, you’ll get no argument from me. Makes me damn glad I’m not a male Adams,” Nat teased.

JC laughed, too, her red lips turning upward in a wide grin. “Aw, c’mon. I don’t see the crazy in a man telling you he has to mate with you or he’ll die. Doesn’t that happen all the time to you two?”

Martine instantly warmed and found herself sinking into the chair opposite the couch, tucking her legs beneath her. “It’s certainly a jaw-dropper.”

Nat leaned forward, eyeing Martine, a smile on her lips. “Okay, so first, let’s get this all out in the open. You’re here because Derrick has to have sex with you. No point in pussyfooting around about it. No pun intended. You get all that, right?”

Martine’s cheeks went red. Red. Her cheeks. This from a woman who had no remorse when she hit the man buffet in order to feed her very active libido. Not a shred. She wasn’t afraid of her sexuality—she enjoyed it. But to have it on display like this…was awkward. “I get it,” she finally managed.

Nat grinned. “Good. So how are you? I mean, really? Don’t stiff-upper-lip this either. Forget Derrick and death and all the other stuff. This puts you in a ridiculous position, Martine. It’s unfair and archaic and as much as I love my brother, I’d get it if you wanted to run as fast and as far away as you can. Not one of us would blame you.”

“The truth,” JC chimed in, pulling some of the clothes from the bag she’d brought.

Martine shrugged her shoulders. Despite the fact that her life back in New York was in ruins, and she was caught up in this mate drama, she was all right. Really all right. She wasn’t in Escobar’s clutches anymore, and that was more than all right.

“So this will probably sound crazy under the circumstances, but I’m okay. Derrick’s been very nice, and so have all of you.”

Nat’s pretty face shadowed with concern. “So how did this all happen? Derrick says he found you at a 7-Eleven? Did someone kidnap you right from your own home and stuff you in a cat carrier? That’s some nutty shit.”

Yeah. A little. Again, the problem was, she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten into that cat carrier and who had dropped her off at the 7-Eleven in the first place. Not to mention, she was going to have to lie to these people who were only trying to be nice to her about how she’d been kidnapped.

“I don’t remember much, to be honest. One minute I was asleep. The next I was in your brother’s truck.”

“And your family?” JC asked, her eyes full of warmth. “Have you contacted them to let them know you’re okay? I have a cell, if you need it.” She began to dig through her purse, but Martine stopped her.

Her throat threatened to tighten up, but she managed, “No family.”

“Friends? The people you work with?” JC prodded, her smooth brow furrowing.

Keeping her eyes focused on the clothes JC set on the coffee table, she prepared another lie. “I lost my job just before this…this all happened, and I was new to Manhattan. So no one’s looking for me.” More lies. Well, technically, no one cared where she was. They only cared about where their money was.

Nat exhaled, her expression full of sorrow. “I’m so sorry.”

JC reached out a hand and patted Martine’s knee. “Me too.”

Martine shook her head and forced a sunny smile. “Please, don’t be. I’m a bit of a loner anyway.” And she was. If she was truthful about anything with them, that was her biggest truth.

Nat rose and held up a red shirt, shaking it out. “Well, not anymore. Now, like it or not, you have all of us nosy, interfering, pain-in-the-ass Adamses to drive you right out of your pretty mind. You’ll never be alone again. That’s a promise.”

Martine’s chest began to tighten. They thought she was in it for the long haul. Obviously, Derrick hadn’t told them about their deal. But that wasn’t the entire reason she was feeling overwhelmed.

Being alone all these years meant she didn’t owe anyone anything. You couldn’t be held accountable for anyone else’s emotions if you didn’t allow yourself to become wrapped up in them. Safe distances were her bread and butter.

But she couldn’t say that. Not when everyone was welcoming her with open arms like she was going to be their newest addition to the family. “Good to know,” she responded.

Nat flapped her hands. “Anyway, we brought you some clothes. Most of them are JC’s. When Derrick described you, he said you were curvier like J.”