gonna give a shit now?”
Throwing her fork on the table, Amy pushed her chair back as she stood. She would have left the room if Adam hadn’t grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back against him.
“The difference is, little bit,” he said softly into her ear, “we’re involved now, and whether or not you believe it, we will protect you, even if it means going to the state police and hiring extra security.”
Jordan came and stood in front of her and lifted her face so that he could look in her eyes. “Sheriff Danvers may not have done anything the last time, but he knows that you’re under our protection, and he’s not a stupid man. He is well aware that facing off against us is not in his best interest, either as sheriff or as a resident of the town of Kinsey.”
Shaking her head, Amy sighed and leaned back against Adam.
“All this trouble I’ve brought you, it isn’t your fight.”
* * * *
Ethan was starting to understand why she was so reluctant for them to get involved and why she was so sure that they would end up just walking away from her.
She had never had anyone to rely on or to fight for her before now. From what they had gleaned from their cousins, Amy had not had a great childhood. Her mom was more interested in raising her status in society than she was in spending time with her daughter. And her father was so far in the bottle that he wouldn’t have been much good to her anyway. Her mother had been the one to encourage the relationship between Jasper and Amy, and when it was obvious that he was abusing her, instead of getting her away from him, her mother blamed Amy for not being a better woman.
“Baby girl,” Ethan said to her as he pulled her out of his brothers’ arms and back onto his lap. God, she feels so good on my lap . “I want you to think about something for me. I don’t want an answer now, but I really want you to think about it.”
Turning to look at him, Amy sighed, “Think about what?”
“If Adam, Jordon, and I didn’t have really strong feelings for you, and if we didn’t know our own minds, would we have spent every free night that we had at the club, watching over you, our cocks so hard that it became painful to walk sometimes? Since the first moment we saw you, none of us has been able to take another sub. It’s not like we haven’t been asked, but we can’t do it. You are the only one that we want, and we will do anything, go through anyone, and spend any amount of money it takes to make sure that you are safe and happy.”
She leaned her forehead against his, tears threatening to fall. “I wouldn’t survive if anything happened to any of you because of me,” she whispered shyly.
Ethan quickly dug his hand into her hair and pulled her head back so that he could look into her eyes. “Remember who you belong to, baby girl. We’re not boys. We are grown men who know how to take care of what is ours. We all have military backgrounds, and should it become necessary, we can have backup within minutes. Ryder, Sam, and Dan are more than willing to help if we need them.” His kiss was not a tender one, it was one of possession. Forcing her lips open, his tongue speared into her mouth and sought out hers, his one free hand holding hers on her lap.
* * * *
Amy wanted to touch him. She wanted to run her hands over his hard muscles and feel them move against her body, but as much as she struggled, Ethan wouldn’t release her hands. Breathing heavily, she pulled back from his kiss.
“Ethan, sir, let me touch you,” she moaned, still trying to free her hands from his grip.
“No, baby girl. If you touch me, I’m going to take you upstairs and fuck your brains out, and you’re not ready for that yet. You need to learn to trust us. You need to let us show you that you can count on us to protect you and love you. And you are still being punished for throwing our gifts at us last night.”
Amy sighed and leaned her head on his