Page 21 of Captive of Outlaws
I try, one last desperate, time. “Please. If you just—”
“Maren.” Rob’s voice is hard and sharp, so unlike what I’ve seen of him so far that I’m stunned into silence. “When I say leave it, I mean leave it. We’re keeping you here, with us. You were trespassing on my land, and I don’t take kindly to trespassers. But fortunately for you—to hear you tell it, anyway—there’s plenty of somebodies out there who want you back safe and sound. And we’re not monsters. We’ll oblige, in time. Until then, all your needs will be met and you will be safe.Wewill keep you safe. Do you understand?”
Something curls in my stomach, a warm, not unpleasant feeling.
We will keep you safe.
“Do you understand?” he asks again, barely any gentler.
The warm feeling unfurls fully, and I let it, careful not to let my expression change.
Because no one’s ever actually said that to me.
No one’s ever cared whether I’m safe or not.
Not since my parents died.
“I understand,” I say.
“Good.” Rob relaxes his posture just a touch. “Now—”
“Wait,” I cut him off. “What will I do in return?”
Rob pauses, considering. “What do you mean?”
My mind is spinning out a million miles an hour. But if there’s one truth that I took from my dad before he died, one unshakeable reality about the world, is that you can’t get something for nothing.
And if they’re going to put me up, give me food and shelter, then I want to be the one setting the terms of my end of the bargain.
Because I’m a young woman on her own out here and these are four guys—criminals. There’s one big use I can see them getting out of me and I do not want that to happen.
“In return?” Rob asks.
“For staying here,” I explain.
“You can’t mean you’re going to pay us rent, greasemonkey,” Will says, amused. “With what money?”
Not my college fund, I think. Not yet, anyway.
“No,” I say. “But I’m not just going to let four strange men keep me in their house for free. I just don’t want any...misunderstandings about what I’m doing here, or anything like that.”
“Misunderstandings?” Rob says, rubbing his jaw. Now he sounds amused, too. “Like what?”
“Well...you know.” I shuffle my feet from side to side, suddenly self-conscious, even though I think it should beobviouswhat I’m alluding to. “I’m not going to be your, um, housekeeper or anything.”
“No,” Rob agrees. “Because we already have one.” He takes a few slow, careful steps around me, circling me like I’m prey he’s stalking. “Or anything?” he prompts.
A few paces away, Will chuckles.
“You know,” I say again. “Like...like a sex thing.”
There. I said it. And for some stupid goddamn reason, my face flames hotter than a furnace when the words tumble off my lips.
“Oh, really?” Rob clicks his tongue. “More’s the pity, then.”
“As if you could handle us,” Will mutters.
Us.Something about the plural there sends a hot shimmer straight to the core of me. I swallow hard and stand up straight.
