Eric sighed. That’s how she saw the situation? So maybe they hadn’t exactly communicated their wants and expectations to her. But she also hadn’t tried to meet them at least a little closer to halfway. Either she was getting her revenge or she was terrified. His money was on the latter.
“We can’t leave until we know you’re safe. That’s not open for negotiation,” Eric stated unequivocally.
Tate wouldn’t be able to leave her vulnerable and alone either. Sure, he could threaten to walk away, but he would stay here tonight and every night until he was sure Belle was safe.
It wouldn’t matter that she refused to love them back.
More tears spilled onto her cheeks, and it took everything Eric had not to brush them away. “What do we do, Eric? I don’t want you to leave, but I can’t tell you that I’m ready for anything more than a casual relationship. Maybe you think this is stupid, but I don’t think it’s going to work without Kellan. You three are a team. I’ve watched you for a year. You’re happiest together. You’d resent me if I came between you.”
She looked so miserable, Eric couldn’t stop himself from cupping her cheeks and wiping her tears away. “But you hurt Tate. You have to understand that this isn’t the first time a woman has pushed him out of the relationship.”
“What do you mean?” she frowned.
“We’ve dated women who didn’t want to see Tate outside the bedroom. Once we explained that we wanted a more established relationship, they quickly let us know that Tate could pop in for sex, but they didn’t want to see him socially.”
Belle gasped. “That’s terrible.”
The utter horror in her voice made Eric breathe a little easier. “It’s true, and now he thinks that’s what you’re doing. He’s convinced you prefer Kellan to him, but that you’re willing to fuck him because he’s good in bed.” At Belle’s shocked frown, Eric shrugged. “It’s exactly what our last girlfriend told him.”
“I didn’t mean anything like that. I had no idea anyone had treated him so awfully. I just need time to figure out where this is going, Eric.”
“And for that you want us all to go back to our corners and pretend like last night didn’t happen?” He wasn’t sure he could do it.
“You keep assuming the worst. It’s nothing like that. Whatever time you have, I want to spend it with you, Tate, and Kellan. Honestly, I wasn’t trying to shove anyone out the door. I just can’t give you the assurances you want right this second. I get the feeling you guys have been thinking this out for months. I haven’t, and everything in my life has changed suddenly. Maybe I would feel different if I hadn’t inherited this house, but I did and I already love it here. I’ve been ready for a change. I can’t go back to being just your secretary. Can’t you see that?”
“We’ve been slowly preparing you to be with us for almost a year. We waited until you wouldn’t think we were lecherous bosses like your last one and until you really got to know Tate. We waited for Kell to trust you. But we always had a plan. We might not have been traditionally dating, but we’ve spent every spare second we had with you.”
“While you ‘dated’ other women.” She made air quotes with her fingers.
“What other women? Name one.”
“I know about that skinny paralegal at Johnson and Forbes.”
So she wanted to debate? This was so up his alley…
“That ended about two weeks before you came to work for us. Next?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you going to tell me you don’t go to that club? Or that there are no women there.”
Apparently, Belle was under some very mistaken impressions. He’d be more than happy to correct them. “No, we went because Kellan has been sponsoring our training. But that isn’t what’s bothering you, is it, Belle? You think we were out having a grand old time while you took care of the office. I’d like to know why you think any woman is more important to us than you. We haven’t brought one female to the office who wasn’t there in a professional capacity. We answer your calls at all hours of the day or night and drop anything we’re doing to take care of your needs. One of us takes you to lunch nearly every day and dinner at least once a week. We’ve spent a year taking care of you. What makes you think we were sleeping with other women?”
Her brows rose as her jaw dropped. “Are you trying to tell me you haven’t had sex in a year?”
“I’m telling you I haven’t had sex with anyone but you since the moment I laid eyes on you. Neither has Tate. After his divorce, Kellan fucked everything in sight. But shortly after you came to work for us, he tapered off. He hasn’t slept with anyone else in easily six months. For a guy who used to get a different piece of ass every night, that says a lot. We all knew who we wanted and we were willing to be patient until the time was right.”
“The time was never going to be right.” Tate shoved the door open and stood, his eyes flat.
“I thought you went for a run.” Eric stared at his best friend.
Tate looked dangerous, his eyes predatory, every muscle in his body still as though ready to strike. Suddenly, Eric was worried that Belle was Tate’s prey.
She looked hesitant, but raised her chin and approached him. “Tate, we should talk.”
When she reached for him, he jerked away. “Nothing to say. We’re not going anywhere until we’re sure you’re safe. In the meantime, you want to explore sex? You can do it with us. I was gentle with you last night, but if this is just a fuck, then we’re going to do this my way—hot and dirty.”
Tate didn’t wait for her reply, just swept her in his arms, against his chest, and headed for the stairs.
“Hey,” Eric called, following after them.
Kellan met him in the hall, and Eric wondered if he’d been listening on the other side of the door since he supposedly left. “Don’t. He might be right, and Belle isn’t exactly protesting. Let’s join them and see where this goes.”
“I don’t know. He’s emotional.” When Tate exploded, it could get spectacular.
“In normal circumstances, I’d prevent him from sceneing, but maybe this is what Belle needs. She’s shut down. Make her feel, force her to open up, but you have to break through those walls or you have zero chance.” Kellan stared after Tate and Belle. “I can stay down here, if you’d rather. But you definitely need to get upstairs.”
He slapped Kellan on the back. Maybe they could break down some of his walls, too. “Come on. Help me see if we can save this.”
They walked up the stairs, Eric’s heart pounding.
Chapter Fourteen
Arms hooked around Tate’s neck, Belle looked into his face, her heart softening even as she told herself this was an absolutely terrible idea. He climbed up the stairs two at a time, her weight seemingly not a burden to him at all.
“Tate,” she called softly. “We really should talk. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
He didn’t break stride, didn’t acknowledge that she’d spoken. He just stared straight ahead, his strong face closed off. “Tell me whether or not you want this. That’s the only conversation we need to have.”
Belle bit her lip. She’d done a number on him. She hadn’t realized it at the time, but now she understood that he’d misinterpreted everything she’d said through his own filter. Unwittingly, she’d pushed his buttons. “I don’t even know what this is anymore, Tate.”
“Sex. That’s it.”
No, it wasn’t. He might be angry, but he couldn’t stop caring for her in the blink of an eye any more than she could stop caring for him. He was simply hurt, and she’d have to help him understand that she wasn’t pushing him aside for Eric or Kell.