Theirs to Claim | 18+

C h a p t e r 49

For a second, I feared my disgust of him was shown too clearly on my face, but I only found him watching me with a tilted head and a smile formed across his mouth.

"I know why you're here, and for the singular reason you've got the balls to speak to me like that knowing damn well who I am, I'll let you steal these men away early."

I picked up on the slight warning in his voice, though, proving that I had indeed offended him and dented his precious male ego.

Good.

I saw through the corner of my eye all three men rise from their seats without another thought, looking at me in a silent plea to follow them.

They were the whole reason I came here, but I also hadn't eaten once today and was absolutely starving.

Reaching into the woven basket filled with buns, I grabbed a buttered dinner roll and took it with me as I stood, my dress falling gently against my ankles and ever so slightly across the floor.

Alec offered his hand out to me as I moved around the table, but I didn't take it, brushing past him and telling myself I shouldn't feel bad about the hurt that crossed his features by my action.

I can't touch any one of them though, because it was either this or crying, and I really didn't want to cry again.

So, instead, I chose to keep my hands busy by pulling off a piece of the bread before lifting it to my watering mouth.

Thankfully, not another word from Vincent was spoken as I walked out, following a stone cold Xavier down the hall.

The second that monster of a man was out of sight, I finally felt my muscles loosen up slightly and a steady breath to fall past my lips.

This was debatably worse, though, because now I was alone with the very people all I wanted to do was hold but couldn't bring myself to do so.

It soon didn't matter, however.

Before I knew it, Caleb and Alec had moved to my side, Xavier leading us down the hallway and opening the same door to the room we signed our contract in.

I couldn't tell whether or not that was an intentional move on his part, but it still caused my eyes to shut for just a second, pretending that none of this was real and I could go back to the teasing, happy way things were this morning.

Unfortunately, reality soon reared its demanding head, my feet carrying me to the long table and turning so I could sit on it.

My dress neatly tucked beneath my body, my hands wrapping around the edge of the wood and bracing them on either side of my legs.

My heart pounded as the following footsteps sounded.

Caleb was the last inside and was also the one to close the office door, his blue eyes on me the entire time.

I finally allowed myself to look at them, but I didn't like what I saw.

Things were very much off between us and the unspoken words hanging in the air left nothing but nervousness and sadness to fill me.

I watched as Alec moved to take a step towards me, but I instinctively held up a hand.

I couldn't let him—any of them touch me.

Alec instantly stopped at the gesture, his arms folding around each other as he instead leaned beside the doorway.

Caleb ended up on his left, Xavier on his right.

"I don't want an apology, I want an explanation." I say with a surprisingly steady voice, but even as a tear threatens to fall against my cheek, all I want is to be held by them.