Her former mate had thought her having more than one or two changes of clothes for each season was extravagant, and he never wanted to spend money on her. If the clothes were too tight or too loose, she’d had to wear them regardless. She took out several packages of undergarments and gathered them in her arms before she walked to the closet and slid the door open. A dozen hangers held shorts, skirts, tops, and one dress. On the floor, a shoe rack held sandals and tennis shoes.
She picked a navy blue short-sleeved top and a pair of denim shorts and went to the bathroom. A bath sounded heavenly, and she shut the door, put her things down on the counter, and turned on the hot water. Fluffy yellow towels sat on a rack above the toilet. The tub/shower combo was tiled with white, with a pale yellow curtain hanging from a rod. The counter was white marble streaked with gold, and the two sinks were gleaming with silver fixtures. On the counter were hair products and accessories, and the edge of the tub held body wash, shampoo, bar soap, and a small plastic container of something called bath bombs . After reading the directions, she realized that they were for the bath, so she dropped one in that smelled like lilies. As it fizzed and dissolved into the water, she stripped, freezing as she looked at herself in the mirror.
Her hair was limp and dirty-looking. Even though she washed it frequently, the cheap shampoo she’d been forced to use had been hell on her once-lustrous hair. Bruises marred her body, the evidence of the brutal life she’d had for the last six years. Shame pinked her cheeks as she remembered them seeing her so clearly in the cabin the night before, naked and crazed with lust. They’d told her she was beautiful, but she didn’t believe them.
She turned away from the mirror, not wanting to see herself, and stepped into the hot water. She soaked for a long time, her mind drifting. The men were so nice to her. She’d never felt so safe and taken care of before, and she coveted the feeling. She could pretend that they were hers for a little while, anyway. Reality would soon intrude on her bliss.
Shoving the depressing thoughts aside, she shaved her legs and washed her hair several times, rinsing under the shower until her hair was squeaky clean. Her skin was soft and sweet-smelling, and she felt clean for the first time in ages. Drying off with one of the big towels, she plugged in a hair dryer and dried her hair, avoiding looking at her reflection in the mirror. After dressing, she cleaned up her mess in the bathroom and tucked her old dress in the trash, never wanting to see it again.
Opening the bedroom door, she walked quietly down the hallway, following the scent of food. Her stomach rumbled angrily as she entered the spacious kitchen. The three men sat at a kitchen table set for four, smiling when she walked in. They stood, and Orion pulled out the empty chair next to him and gestured for her to sit down.
Crux moved to the oven and used pot holders to pull out several dishes, setting them on trivets on the table.
“You waited for me?” she asked. She didn’t know how long she’d been in the bathroom, but it had been a fairly long time. An hour, perhaps more. Guilt plucked at her. If she’d known that they were waiting for her, she would have hurried. Fear rose up inside her. Fear of angering them, disappointing them, earning their hate.
Sterling’s very large hand grasped hers and she looked into his blue eyes. “We waited for you, Little One, because you are the most important person in this house. We would have gladly sat here all night waiting for you.”
She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Thank you,” she said, smiling at him.
He held her hand a moment longer and then released it. Crux lifted the lids from the dishes and told her what each thing was as he put large portions of
She picked a navy blue short-sleeved top and a pair of denim shorts and went to the bathroom. A bath sounded heavenly, and she shut the door, put her things down on the counter, and turned on the hot water. Fluffy yellow towels sat on a rack above the toilet. The tub/shower combo was tiled with white, with a pale yellow curtain hanging from a rod. The counter was white marble streaked with gold, and the two sinks were gleaming with silver fixtures. On the counter were hair products and accessories, and the edge of the tub held body wash, shampoo, bar soap, and a small plastic container of something called bath bombs . After reading the directions, she realized that they were for the bath, so she dropped one in that smelled like lilies. As it fizzed and dissolved into the water, she stripped, freezing as she looked at herself in the mirror.
Her hair was limp and dirty-looking. Even though she washed it frequently, the cheap shampoo she’d been forced to use had been hell on her once-lustrous hair. Bruises marred her body, the evidence of the brutal life she’d had for the last six years. Shame pinked her cheeks as she remembered them seeing her so clearly in the cabin the night before, naked and crazed with lust. They’d told her she was beautiful, but she didn’t believe them.
She turned away from the mirror, not wanting to see herself, and stepped into the hot water. She soaked for a long time, her mind drifting. The men were so nice to her. She’d never felt so safe and taken care of before, and she coveted the feeling. She could pretend that they were hers for a little while, anyway. Reality would soon intrude on her bliss.
Shoving the depressing thoughts aside, she shaved her legs and washed her hair several times, rinsing under the shower until her hair was squeaky clean. Her skin was soft and sweet-smelling, and she felt clean for the first time in ages. Drying off with one of the big towels, she plugged in a hair dryer and dried her hair, avoiding looking at her reflection in the mirror. After dressing, she cleaned up her mess in the bathroom and tucked her old dress in the trash, never wanting to see it again.
Opening the bedroom door, she walked quietly down the hallway, following the scent of food. Her stomach rumbled angrily as she entered the spacious kitchen. The three men sat at a kitchen table set for four, smiling when she walked in. They stood, and Orion pulled out the empty chair next to him and gestured for her to sit down.
Crux moved to the oven and used pot holders to pull out several dishes, setting them on trivets on the table.
“You waited for me?” she asked. She didn’t know how long she’d been in the bathroom, but it had been a fairly long time. An hour, perhaps more. Guilt plucked at her. If she’d known that they were waiting for her, she would have hurried. Fear rose up inside her. Fear of angering them, disappointing them, earning their hate.
Sterling’s very large hand grasped hers and she looked into his blue eyes. “We waited for you, Little One, because you are the most important person in this house. We would have gladly sat here all night waiting for you.”
She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Thank you,” she said, smiling at him.
He held her hand a moment longer and then released it. Crux lifted the lids from the dishes and told her what each thing was as he put large portions of
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