Tempted by her Daddies: Chapter 45

A strange feeling started to fill her.

It started low in her gut and moved from there throughout her body.

What was it?

Oh. She thought maybe it was panic.

“I can’t go in there.”

She stopped at the small gate in front of the older home. A number of houses all had the same look on this street, although she noticed how lovely the garden was around the house. Someone took care of the garden here. The grass was kept tidily trimmed and everything looked clean and kind of . . . perfect.

Too perfect for her.

“Why not?” Salem turned to her with a slight frown on his face.

Oh no.

Had she upset him?

Because she couldn’t go into his family home with his family for a family dinner.

Family.

Yikes.

Nope.

“I know it’s not as nice as Roman’s house, but I promise we won’t stay long.” Salem sounded stiff and he had gone all tense.

They all had.

And she didn’t understand why. She wasn’t sure what he was even saying.

“What does Roman’s house have to do with anything?” she asked, her panic growing. She took a step back and banged into something solid.

Turning, she glanced up at Alexei. When the heck had he moved?

And how hadn’t she noticed?

All right. She needed to start paying attention to her surroundings. Anyone could sneak up on them at the moment and hurt one of her men.

And she couldn’t allow that.

It was her job to protect them.

But that’s not strictly true, is it?

Fuck.

Things were getting tricky and she didn’t know what she was supposed to do.

“Hey, darling girl, what’s wrong?” Roman stepped in front of her, his face concerned. “Are you still nervous about meeting Salem’s family?”

“I thought we talked about this,” Salem said. “My mum feels terrible and everyone is going to love you.”

“I know that. Why would I be nervous? I just don’t think I should go in there.”

Turning, she strode off.

There was a shocked silence behind her, then the pounding of footsteps. Someone grabbed her arm and even though she knew it was one of them, she couldn’t help but swing around and slip her arm from their hold before taking a defensive stance.

More shocked silence.

“What the fuck was that?” Alexei demanded.

But he hadn’t been the one to grab her arm. Nope, that was Salem. And he looked absolutely horrified as he gaped down at her.

“Did you . . . did you think I was going to hurt you, baby?” he asked quietly.

He held both of his hands up and she suddenly realized what a stupid move she’d just made.

Because their Tamsyn wouldn’t react like that.

His Tamsyn had been trained to kill first and ask questions later.

“Sorry,” she said, forcing a huff of laughter while hugging herself tight.

Best to act vulnerable . . . pull on their protective instincts.

To her surprise, she didn’t really have to act.

Because she felt really, really vulnerable right now. This was so bizarre. What was wrong with her?

Pull it together, Tamsyn.

This isn’t you.

Or was it? Was it the real her and the other her was the false one?

“Tamsyn?” Roman stepped closer again. “Can you tell us what’s going on?”

“How the hell did she break your hold like that?” Alexei asked.

Shit. Shit.

“I’m so sorry,” she told Roman, focusing in on him. “I want to go.”

“Go?” Salem repeated. “Baby, we can’t go. You have nothing to be scared of.”

She paced back and forth along the pavement. Alexei stood to her left and Roman to her right.

“I still want to know how you broke Salem’s hold like that,” Alexei said.

“I don’t know!” she cried. “I just did.”

Great.

Really eloquent, Tamsyn.

“This is a family dinner. I know nothing about families!”

“Is that why you’re scared to meet them?” Salem asked her quietly as she tried to walk around Alexei. “Because you don’t remember what it’s like to have a family?”

Alexei kept getting in her way. She spun back toward Salem.

“I didn’t say scared. I’m just . . . flummoxed.”

“Flummoxed?” Alexei grumbled. “What kind of word is flummoxed?”

“It means: out of sorts or flustered,” Roman explained.

“I know what it means,” he muttered.

Then why did he ask?

Honestly, sometimes men made no sense.

“I’m not scared of them. I’m just . . . they’re your family.”

“Ah, yes, I know,” Salem said.

“Well, then, you know. I’ll just be going now.” She glanced around. How far away was the nearest tube station?

“How are you planning on getting home?” Roman asked.

“I’ll take the underground. Where is the closest station?”

“You are not taking the underground!” Alexei barked.

“Shh,” she told him. “People will hear you.”

“Pretty sure that half the neighborhood is already watching us,” Salem said dryly.

“What? Really?” Were her instincts so off that she hadn’t sensed being watched? And why were people watching? Didn’t they realize that was rude?

She whirled around. “Stop staring!”

“Okay, we really shouldn’t start yelling at the neighbors,” Roman told her gently.

“Why?”

“Because Salem’s parents live here and they don’t want to be gossiped about.”

“Oh.”

See? This was proof that she couldn’t do it! She was already messing it all up and she wasn’t even inside the house.

“All the more reason for me to leave. I don’t know what I’m doing! I don’t do families.”

“You don’t do families?” Roman asked with a slight frown. “Do you mean . . . have you never met a boyfriend’s family before?”

“Exactly! That! Right there.”

So what the heck did she do? How did she act?

“I should have done some research first,” she muttered, not expecting them to hear her.

Alexei snorted. “How would you research that?”

“I don’t know. Movies? Books? Looking it up?”

“I’m sure I can find some tips on what to do the first time you meet your boyfriend’s family.” Roman drew out his phone.

“You don’t need that.” Salem stepped forward and took her hand in his. “And you don’t need to worry. My family is going to love you.”

“Of course they will,” she said. “I’m amazing.”

Alexei made a strange coughing sound and she glanced over at him in alarm. “Are you ill? You can’t go visiting Salem’s parents if you’re ill. What if you give them something? Sickness can be deadly for the elderly.”

Salem cleared his throat. “Uh, first of all, it would probably be wise not to call them elderly.”

“Oh, is that not the correct word to use?” she asked. “Age-challenged? Is that better?”

“Maybe don’t mention their age at all,” Roman said. “And they’re not so old that illness is a great concern.” He glared at Alexei for some reason.

“Why are you glaring at Alexei? It’s not his fault that he’s ill. Although you would have thought that he’d have noticed before we left the house.”

“I’m not ill,” Alexei told her.

“Then why did you cough?”

“Uh, frog in my throat.”

“Are you sure? Because you look a bit off.”

“Off?” he repeated.

“Yeah, kind of pinched in the face or something. Have you been going to the toilet? I hear that constipation can be painful.”

“I am not constipated!” Alexei boomed.

Across the street she saw someone open their window.

“Um, I believe you should be quieter,” she said. “Salem’s parents don’t want to be gossiped about.”

Salem sighed and waved at two people staring out the window of the house closest to them. They both ducked, and then the man stood and waved.

“I’m going to hear about this,” Salem muttered.

What did that mean?

“Darling girl, you don’t need to worry.” Roman took her face between his hands. “Salem’s parents and his brothers and their girlfriends will all love you.”

“But what if they don’t,” she whispered. “What if they don’t like me? I mean, it would be weird, but what if they’re all weird?”

“They are weird,” Salem told her. “But they are still going to love you. I promise. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I thought that anyone was going to be mean to you. I told you that I wouldn’t allow it. Understand?”

“But they are your family? Isn’t your loyalty to them first?”

“I love my family. But that doesn’t mean that I would allow anyone to hurt you,” he told her.

“Oh.”

He stepped forward and cupped her face, leaning down to kiss her forehead. Then her nose. Finally her mouth.

“You go, boy!” someone yelled.

Salem sighed, then smiled. “No privacy on this street, I’m afraid.”

“It’s rude. Someone should teach these people some manners. They wouldn’t like it if someone took away their ability to be nosy.”

“Ahh, but they’d have to do the same to my mum. She’ll complain about all the gossip, but she secretly loves it.”

“Oh. She does?”

Salem nodded. “And she’s looking forward to meeting you. So how about we head inside now.”

“She is? Well, I guess she would be. I am amazing, after all.”

“That you are, baby. Wonderful and amazing and unique.”

“Is unique good?”

“I think it is,” he replied.

“Yes, that’s what I think too.” She followed him up the footpath. The door swung open before they reached it.

“What on earth is going on?” Salem’s mum stated as she glared up at them all. “Why are you all pacing up and down the footpath and yelling? Half the neighborhood can hear you!”

“Hmm, and the other half just opened their windows so they didn’t miss out,” Alexei said.

The woman turned her frown on Alexei. “Yes! And now they will all be gossiping with each other about my son and his friends who were . . . well, what were you doing?”

“Having a conversation, Mum.” Salem stepped closer, taking her with him. Placing a hand on his mother’s shoulder, he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

“What kind of conversation?” she asked.

“I was unsure if your family would love me,” Tamsyn told the other woman. “The guys told me that you all would.”

“Oh.” His mum looked up at her, then a smile broke across her face. “I’m sure we will. Again, I apologize for the other day.”

“It was my fault as well. I should have explained myself better, I just wasn’t sure what Salem wanted me to say. He has assured me that I’m to tell everyone that I belong to him.”

“Is that so?” his mum said.

Tamsyn moved forward and hugged the other woman. Salem didn’t let go of her hand for a start, so it was a rather awkward hug.

And then he drew her back. Which was even worse because she wasn’t finished giving his mum a hug. It had been rather nice.

“Oh, uh, right,” his mum said.

Obviously, she was overcome by what a great hug she’d just given her.

Tamsyn gave herself a small pat on the back as Roman helped Salem’s mum inside. Why he’d been standing behind Salem’s mum, Tamsyn didn’t know.

Alexei leaned into her. “You just patted yourself on the back for a job well done, didn’t you?”

Oh, drat.

He’d seen that?

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean, Bunny,” he replied. “And I still want to know how you learned to break a hold.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” She smiled up at him even as her insides died a bit more at her lies. “I think that Salem was holding onto me quite loosely.”

“I guess he must have been.”

“Come on, you two,” Salem said.

“Shall I hug her again?” she asked as he took her hand once more to lead her into the warm house. They stopped in the small foyer and Salem removed Tamsyn’s hat, scarf, and gloves before taking off her coat and hanging it up.

Finally!

She felt like she couldn’t move with all those clothes on.

“Uh, no. I don’t think that’s necessary,” Salem said, giving her a curious look. “Strange, I didn’t take you for the hugging type.”

“I thought it was appropriate. Was it not? Oh no, I’ve messed up already, haven’t I? Shall I take it back?”

“How do you take back a hug?”

“I don’t know! Has anyone created time travel yet? Where’s Roman? He can look it up.” Her breathing was growing faster, and she twisted her hands in the nice, plain top that Salem had bought for her for tonight. His parents must like plain, boring clothes.

“Calm down.” Salem placed one hand around the back of her neck and squeezed.

It calmed her immediately.

She didn’t know how he did that. How could he calm her so easily? Of course, she’d never really gotten this worked up before she’d met them, so . . .

“Take a deep breath in and let it out slowly. And again. Good girl. That’s it. Nice, slow breaths.”

“We should go in,” she said. Would his family be wondering what they were doing?

“We’ll go when I think you’re ready and not before,” he told her sternly. “Now, I didn’t say talk. I said, breathe.”

Yikes.

So commanding.

And so arousing.

She pressed her thighs together.

“Our girl likes that,” Alexei said in a husky voice. “She likes being told what to do.”

She did.

And she was starting to think it was because she really didn’t know what she was doing most of the time. Give her a job and she was good. Tell her to infiltrate a gang and she was on it.

Take her home to meet the family.

No. Fucking. Clue.

“She does. But this isn’t about pleasure. This is about keeping her happy and calm and feeling secure. We are here with you, all right? You’re not alone. We are here. We’re not leaving you alone.”

“What if I do something inappropriate? Was hugging your mother wrong?”

“Of course not. Unexpected, but not wrong.”

“Although you might want to remember she’s five-foot nothing next time and not lean all your weight on her,” Roman said, walking back up to them. “I had to quickly catch her before you both toppled to the floor.”

Tamsyn groaned and leaned forward, placing her forehead on Salem’s chest. See? This is why she didn’t want to come in.

“Roman, I nearly had her calmed down,” Salem scolded.

“Oh. Sorry. I thought she was wanting feedback.”

“I was. I am. I’m sorry. Should I apologize?” she asked.

Salem rubbed his hand up and down her back. “Definitely not. I’m sure my mum loved that hug. It was enthusiastic and real. I’m sure she appreciated that.”

Right. Yeah. She wasn’t sure that his mum had really appreciated nearly being pushed over from a stranger’s hug.

This right here is why she needed to do some research first.

You’re an idiot.

“What are the four of you doing in here? First, you stand on the pavement giving the neighbors a show, now you’re all crowded into the entrance, surrounding that poor girl. She probably can’t even breathe. Big brutes are taking up all of her air. Come here, dear. Come with me and meet my husband, Salem’s father.”

“Oh, thank you.” She stared down at the hand that his mum held out. Was it all right to take it? What if she hurt her?

“You can take it,” Salem whispered to her.

All right.

His mum wrapped her hand around Tamsyn’s. Her hand was warm and dry. It was strange. The only hands she could ever recall holding were these three guys.

Salem’s mum led her through a well-worn but homey house. All of the walls of the hallway were covered in photos. The carpet was worn and looked like it had once been a deep red but was now faded.

It was so welcoming that she could spend hours just in this room. But then they came out into a living room. There were two men who looked a bit like Salem. Both of them were sitting on the couch. Two women were sitting on armchairs across from them, talking to each other. And an older man was seated in a recliner. It was the older man who looked up first.

He stared at her from eyes that were so like Salem’s that they held her frozen for a moment. He ran his gaze over her.

Did he . . . was there something wrong? Had she spilled something on her? Or not worn something appropriate?

Salem had dressed her, though, so it was his fault if she was.

“If I’m dressed wrong, it’s his fault.” She pointed at Salem. “He chose everything I’m wearing.”

There was silence.

That didn’t seem to be a good sign. What had she said wrong?

“He chose everything?” one of the women asked.

That was the problem? Was he not allowed to choose what she wore?

“Uh, yes. Salem bought them all for me. Is something wrong with them?”

She had a limited wardrobe of her own. None of which she’d actually chosen herself. When on a job she simply wore what blended in and what was comfortable. She glanced down at her comfortable fitted black pants and cropped white sweater with the gold buttons.

“Look, I know it’s a bit boring and staid, but he did his best and I don’t think we should be mean to him just because he got it a bit wrong. Yeah?”

Now they were all staring at her with wide eyes, their mouths slightly open.

Alexei started to cough again and she whirled on him. “You are sick! I’m not sure you should be here.” She turned back to Salem’s mum. “I’m so sorry, I would never have let him come if I knew he was ill.”

“I, well, um . . .” The older woman turned to look at Alexei. “Are you ill, Alexei?”

“No. I just, uh, frog in my throat.” He was actually starting to turn red.

“He keeps saying that, but I’m not sure I believe him.” She frowned at Alexei.

“I think he really does just have a frog in his throat,” Salem said gently as he stepped forward and took hold of her arm. “Why don’t we sit down and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

“I guess so. I really do think this outfit is nice and I’m sure you’ll do even better next time. Maybe a bit of color would be good.”

“Thank you,” Salem told her, obviously grateful for her feedback.

She sat on the free sofa and Salem and Roman flanked her while Alexei stood behind them. She turned to look up at him and he winked at her.

“Are you sure you feel all right? That you don’t need to go home?”

“Never better, Bunny. And I wouldn’t leave now if you paid me.”

Well, she wouldn’t be doing that since she had no money. When she turned back around, both of the younger women were staring at her.

That was odd.

Was it her outfit?

“He really did try his best,” she defended Salem.

Weren’t these people his family? They could be a bit nicer.

“Did he really buy it for you?” the dark-haired one asked. She glared over at Salem’s brothers. “Con, how come you never buy me clothes? Huh? Look what Salem bought for his girl. And it’s designer!”

“It is?” She stared down at the cardigan.

“Yeah, that top is worth, like⁠—”

Salem cleared his throat, interrupting the woman. “That’s enough, Erica.”

“Salem, it’s kind of rude to interrupt someone,” she said quietly. “And are you feeling all right? You don’t have Alexei’s frog in your throat, do you?”

“No, I’m fine. And it’s not nice to talk about the value of a gift.” He shot Erica a look.

“No, it’s not,” his father agreed. He leaned forward with a kind smile. “I think you look lovely, dear. I’m Jad, Salem’s dad. And this is his mother, Sara.”

“Hi, nice to meet you both. I’m Tamsyn.”

“Welcome to our house. These are my other sons, David and his girlfriend, Charlene. And Con and his girlfriend, Erica.”

“Salem really bought you those clothes?” Erica asked with a sigh. “They’re so nice. Con never buys me clothes.”

“Hey, I bought you a jacket the other day,” Con complained.

“It was a rain poncho and it cost you a pound,” Erica replied. “That cardigan is epic. Bloody hell, Salem, I never knew you had such good taste. I need you to get me for Secret Santa.”

“Secret Santa?” she asked, feeling confused as Salem’s mum disappeared.

“It’s what we do at Christmas,” Salem explained. “We each draw out a name and that’s who we have to buy for.”

“That sounds fun. Can we do that?” she asked.

Where would you find the money for a gift?

Hmm. She could steal something.

But she was hardly likely to be around at Christmas.

“Perhaps if I get you, I could give you this cardigan.”

More silence.

“Oh! Sorry, you probably wouldn’t want something I’d worn.”

She was messing everything up.

“No, no, I totally would. It’s just . . . you can’t give me something that nice.”

“Why not? You obviously love it. Here.” She attempted to take it off.

“Wait!” Erica cried

“Tamsyn,” Roman said, laying his hand over hers.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Malyshka,” Alexei added, placing his hands over her shoulders.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Charlene mused. “Are the three of you . . . you are, aren’t you? The three of you are together! Like Alina and the princes! Oh my God.”

More staring.

Did these people not know it was rude? She was starting to feel self-conscious and she didn’t know why.

Maybe it was just that she wanted everything to go well, and it felt like nothing was going how it should. She slid back in her seat, trying to disappear behind Salem’s shoulder.

“Darling girl? Are you all right?” Roman asked quietly as Salem attempted to explain their relationship.

Charlene and Erica were asking lots of loud questions and she started to feel overwhelmed.

“All of you, quiet.”

To her surprise, it was Jad that spoke. Huh, seemed that might be where Salem got his quiet dominance from. Because Jad didn’t even need to raise his voice and everyone shut up.

“You are being rude to Tamsyn. And Salem, Alexei, and Roman. Their relationship is not our business.”

She peeked up at Jad and saw him give her a quick, warm look. She smiled at him, feeling relieved and . . . and welcomed.

The tension started to leave her.

“What is this about your relationship? What relationship?” Sara demanded as she walked in, carrying a wooden board filled with cheese and crackers, dips, and fruit.

It looked absolutely delicious and her mouth watered.

“They’re all in a relationship like Alina,” Con said.

Salem’s mother froze. The tray in her hand wobbled.

“Mum, watch out!” David yelled.

Salem quickly stood and took the tray from her hands, setting it down on the coffee table.

“Mum? Are you all right? Mum?” He took her hands in his and led her to the free recliner. They had fit a lot of furniture into a small space. “Mum?”

“Um, what?” The older woman gaped at him.

“Sorry, this wasn’t the way I was going to tell you. But, yes, Tamsyn is also Alexei and Roman’s girlfriend.”

There was silence, everyone was staring at Salem’s mum. So she stared too. What was wrong? Didn’t she like that Salem was in a relationship with her?

Oh no.

Did she see that Tamsyn wasn’t worthy of him? Tamsyn understood.

Maybe it was time she left. She tried to scoot to the edge of the sofa to get up, but Alexei pressed his hands down on her shoulders.

All right.

“Mum?”

“That . . . that’s wonderful!” She smiled.

“Mum? What?” Salem asked.

“Sara,” Jad said.

Oh, she’d heard that tone from Salem before. That was kind of strange.

“What? I’m not allowed to be happy that my oldest is finally interested in something other than his dangerous job? You’ll have to give that up now, of course. All three of you, I guess.”

“Why would they give up their jobs?” she asked, confused about what one thing had to do with the other.

Sara blinked at her. “Because it would put you in danger, love.”

“Me? Oh, I’m in no danger. I can take care of myself.” She suddenly realized that she probably shouldn’t sound so nonchalant. “I mean, I’m sure that nothing will happen so I’ll be fine.”

Yeah, good save.

Her acting skills needed some work.

“I feel like we need a bit of a chat, Bunny,” Alexei murmured to her.

“I’m not giving up my job, Mum,” Salem told his mother. “It doesn’t worry you that we’re all in a relationship with Tamsyn?”

“No, no, why would that worry me? Alina has all her men. That works well for her.”

“She needs them to take care of her,” Jad said. “It’s good that all of you will take care of Tamsyn.”

Well, she could take care of herself . . . although it was nice when she got to let go of the world with Salem. Or lose herself in a book with Roman. Or work out with Alexei.

When she could let her Little side take over . . . she wouldn’t be able to do that without them.

“But you have to give up your job! It’s too dangerous!”

“Mum, I’m fine. I’m careful. I promise.” Salem kissed his mother’s forehead, then stood and made his way back to sit next to Tamsyn. “Everything will be all right.”

His mother looked upset. Was she worried about him? His job did hold some danger. She knew that better than most.

“I can’t believe this!” Sara cried. “Twenty-three hours, I was in labor with you and you can’t do this one thing for me.”

“Sara,” Jad said sternly. “Leave the lad alone. He’s doing what he needs to do.”

Twenty-three hours?

Yikes.

“I don’t like this. I don’t like it at all,” his mum said.

Tamsyn leaned into him. “You should do what your mother wants.”

“I should?” He stared down at her with one eyebrow raised.

“Yes.”

“And why is that?” he asked.

Oh. She wasn’t expecting follow-up questions.

“Because she is your mother. She spent twenty-three hours giving birth to you. That sounds very painful. So you should give her this.”

“See, Tamsyn understands!” Sara said, smiling at her.

“Tamsyn doesn’t get to decide this,” Salem said firmly.

“But surely she gets a say,” Erica said. “Since she’s your girlfriend now. I mean, I wouldn’t want my Con risking his life every day.”

Con glanced up. He looked a bit like an overstuffed chipmunk with his full cheeks. He also had a smudge of dip at the corner of his mouth. He hastily tried to swallow and started coughing.

Oh no!

She jumped to her feet when no one seemed inclined to help him, rushing over to pat him on the back. He coughed a few more times, then swallowed. Turning, he gazed back at her as she went to give him a last whack.

Just to be sure he was okay.

“I’m all right!” he cried, holding his hands up. “All good now.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Uh-huh. Yep. You, um, you’ve got quite an arm on you,” he told her.

“I do?”

“She lifts weights with me,” Alexei said. “Come back here, Bunny, before Con gets scared that you’ll hit him again.”

“I was just trying to help him breathe. He seemed like he was choking.”

“Oh, he does that all the time,” Erica said, waving a hand dismissively.

“I don’t think you have to worry about him joining, um . . . joining the army anytime soon,” David said, looking flustered. Had he meant to say something else? “Pretty sure they like recruits who know how to swallow their food.”

Con gave his brother the middle finger.

That seemed a bit rude.

“Asshole,” Con muttered.

“Both of you, remember we have a guest,” Jad said sternly. “And if Con didn’t put so much food in his mouth at once, he’d be fine. Not to mention that he shouldn’t be eating before our guest.”

Con, who had been reaching for more food, drew his hand back.

Jad turned toward them and stared expectantly at her. “Would you like something to eat, Tamsyn?”

Oh. Her? Was that okay? She turned to Salem, who gave her a small smile. “Go for it, baby. Just remember to save some room for dinner.”

“This isn’t dinner?” she asked, amazed.

“No, this is an appetizer, a starter,” Roman explained.

All right. She reached over and grabbed a cracker. Roman kneeled on the floor next to the coffee table and cut off a piece of cheese, then placed it on her cracker.

“Try this. Delicious.”

She was aware that everyone was staring at her again. So she tried to hide behind Salem once more. She wasn’t sure what she was doing that was drawing all of their attention. If she knew, she’d stop.

She ate the cheese and cracker. Yum.

“Can I have more?” she asked Salem quietly as everyone picked up some food and ate it. “Or is that rude?”

“Of course you can,” Salem replied. “Would you like me to get it for you?”

She nodded. This time he grabbed a cracker with dip. And instead of holding it out for her to take, he held it up to her mouth. His free hand was cupped under her mouth to catch any stray pieces. Which she appreciated since her top was white. She didn’t want to get any stains on it.

“Ohh, look at that. Con, why aren’t you ever that romantic?” Erica asked. “You never feed me.”

“What?” Con asked with a full mouth again.

“You should be more like Salem,” Erica scolded.

Salem sighed.

“If you wanted Salem, you should be dating him,” Con huffed.

“You cannot have Salem. He’s mine and I’ll fight you to the death to keep him,” Tamsyn stated.

Erica gaped at her for a moment, then she grinned. “It’s all right, I don’t really want Salem.”

“Oh, good. I really didn’t want to have to fight you. It would have gotten messy and I don’t think you’d be much of a fighter.”

“Um,” Erica said.

“Again. We really need that chat, Bunny,” Alexei warned.

“I can do romantic things,” Con huffed.

Everyone stared at Con. The poor guy started to grow red. “Salem was a bedwetter until he was seven!”

Salem groaned.

“What?” she asked. “Why did he come out with that random piece of information?”

“Because he’s being a jerk,” Salem said.

“Do not speak of your brother’s bedwetting,” Salem’s mum called out from the doorway. “Or I will show everyone your baby photos. There’s that one in the bath . . .”

“Fine, fine!” Con said. “I’ll just come help you in the kitchen, Mum.”

“Aww, I like that photo of you in the bath,” Erica said, following him.

“I don’t understand. Why did she threaten to show a photo of him in the bath?” she asked.

“To embarrass him for embarrassing me,” Salem said. “It’s a family thing.”

“You don’t have any siblings, Tamsyn?” Jad asked.

“Ah, no.”

Please don’t ask too many questions.

It was growing increasingly harder and harder to lie to these people. And she didn’t want to do it anymore.

But if they knew the truth about you, then none of them would even want to be near you, let alone speak to you.

“My mum died when I was around ten and I was raised by my grandpa.”

Sympathy filled everyone’s faces and she hated it.

“I hear that your daughter is engaged. Congratulations,” she said, wanting to change the subject.

She really didn’t want their sympathy for a false story.

Jad gave a slight nod. “Yes. It is very good.”

Salem sighed as she glanced up at him. He shook his head with a wink.

Drat.

She’d messed up again.

“Dinner! Come sit at the table,” his mum called out.

Everyone got up and left, but she stayed sitting, her men with her.

“I keep messing up and saying the wrong thing,” she muttered.

Alexei walked in front of her and held out his hand. She slid her hand into his, letting him pull her up. To her surprise, he drew her close to him.

“No, you’re not messing up anything. You’re just being your beautiful, crazy self and they already like you. But every family has . . . quirks.”

“My mum doesn’t want my sister to get married in Escana,” Salem explained.

“Oh, why not? It’s beautiful.” Shoot. “From what I’ve heard, I mean.”

Because you haven’t been there, you idiot.

“It is, but my mum hasn’t left the UK since she immigrated here as a baby,” Salem replied. “Anyway, I’ll work on convincing her. Come on, let’s go eat before Con gets to it all.”