Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Were they going to ask her to give up Nate?
What would she do if they told her she had to choose? Should she choose momentary joy over her lifelong family? When Nate eventually decided she was too much trouble, who would she have?
She’d only spent a single night with the man. The best night. The hours she’d spent with him had made her happier than she’d ever been, made her feel more than she’d thought she could, and it hadn’t all been about sex. He’d talked to her, opened up to her, and it had been everything.
But if it hurt her father, did she have any right to momentary pleasure?
“Avery, you don’t understand,” her da argued.
Her mother stood and started for the door. “Oh, I understand. I understand what you’ve done to our girl. Daisy, I want you to know how much I love you and how proud I am of you. I’m going to have a discussion with your father and he’s going to stay out of your relationship with Nate. I’ll send over supper for both of you tonight, and I hope you have a lovely time. You should try the privacy rooms. They’re a lot of fun.”
“You shouldn’t…” her da began but her mom was already walking out of the conference room. Her da followed behind. “Avery, slow down.”
The door closed behind them.
“Dais,” her brother began.
“So, all those times I worked up the courage to ask someone to play with me, you knew they never would?” It felt like a betrayal.
Her brother’s face fell. “It wasn’t like that. I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”
“And yet you did a fabulous job.” Carys stared at her fiancé like she didn’t know him. “I can’t believe you did this.”
Aidan leaned her way, an earnest expression on his face. “Why is it wrong to protect my sister?”
“You’re protecting her from what, Aidan? From enjoying her life? From having good sex? From finding someone who she can love? You damn straight didn’t protect her from feeling like no one wanted her,” Carys pointed out.
It was good to know Carys hadn’t realized what was happening. Another woman being in on it would have hurt far worse. “So my friends didn’t know?”
Carys shook her head. “Absolutely not. I’m shocked no one talked, and now I’m worried the guys are being assholes and have some sort of pact to protect the little women. Are the other guys in on it? TJ? Tristan?”
“TJ doesn’t have anything to do with it. Tris is looking out for his sister like I’m looking out for mine. When we started the club, Da was worried,” Aidan began.
The door came open and Nate strode in, carrying the bags of sandwiches her mom had sent with Da this morning. Food was her mother’s love language, but she didn’t feel much like eating now.
“Are your parents okay?” Nate asked, setting the bag down. He also had a green can he handed to her. “You still like lemon lime? It’s all you used to drink as a kid.”
She loved it. “You remembered?”
His expression softened. “I remember a lot, love.”
The way he was looking at her…like she was precious. Like she was the whole world.
“My parents aren’t okay.” Aidan reminded her he was still here.
“Neither are we,” Carys said. “Nate, did he try to warn you off Daisy and Brianna? Any other young virgins who need to be protected at all costs?”
Nate whistled and started unpacking the food. “So, I was right and that’s why all the Doms freaked out when they realized it was Daisy.” He sat down beside her. “I watched you from the lounge. You should understand there wasn’t an eye not on you last night. Every Dom in the club wanted you the minute you stepped out because you were the most gorgeous sub on the floor. It was only after they realized it was you that they started acting like you had an infectious disease or something.”
Every word was a balm to her soul. “Well, I’m kind of glad now because I think it worked out for me.”
He shook his head and took her hand in both of his. “I would have come after you. I knew what I wanted, and even if you’d started playing with someone else, I would have made a move.”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, sending a thrill of arousal through her.
“Is that what you wanted to protect her from?” Carys asked quietly.
Aidan’s eyes closed, and he took a long breath. When he opened them again, there was regret in his gaze. “From the moment you were born, Da told me it was up to me to protect you. It’s always been my job. I honestly wasn’t trying to hurt you. I want the best for you, and I know that’s you finding someone who loves you and having a great…sex life, but you’re still my kid sister. The one I’m supposed to protect from everything.”