I soaked up Yve’s words. It just meant I had more . . .

“But you were a badass bitch from day one. The fact that Lucas got through your walls was a freaking miracle.” This came from Charlie.

“I’ve never been a badass bitch,” I said without thinking. “I’ve never had the chance. I’ve been shielded from everything, and this was my one chance to experience life without watching it go by while someone stood in front of me to protect me from it.” As soon as the words were out, I knew they were a mistake. All the women looked at me.

“You want to elaborate on that?” Delilah asked.

Charlie shook her head. “You don’t have to.”

I chose my next words much more carefully. “Do you know what it’s like to live in a protective bubble?”

Charlie, Vanessa, and Valentina all nodded.

“Then you get that when you’re in the bubble, all you want is to get out. I can’t go back in the bubble. I need freedom.”

“Then tell him,” Valentina said. “Tell him exactly what you need, and if he can’t give it to you, then you know you’ve got a choice.”

Delilah kept quiet through this exchange, until she said, “He wants to keep you safe, and he’s got reasons, but there’s no way he’d want you to be unhappy. There’s gotta be balance.”

She was right. Balance was what I needed and hadn’t found.

“So, what do I do?”

“Talk to him.” This came as a chorus from the women.

“But before that, we all need coffee,” Yve said.

I laughed and nodded. “Deal. Give me your orders and I’ll get them going.”

CON CAME OUT OF THE back room as I sent my client on his way. “Van come back with my coffee yet?”

“She was here?”

“Nah, she went next door with the women to talk to Eden, but she was supposed to bring me back coffee when they were done.”

“What do you mean, they went next door to talk to Eden?”

“They were worried about her after last night. Wanted to make sure she wasn’t freaking about what happened.”

“I took care of it.”

Con shrugged. “You know women. They gotta do things their own way. Your girl has been adopted into the crew whether you like it or not.”

I did like it, actually. The more ties Eden had holding her here, the less likely she was to leave. Even though I hadn’t pushed it lately, it drove me fucking nuts that she didn’t have any kind of long-term plan. I had lived that life. Staying in a place for as long as it worked, and then moving on when it didn’t.

With no ties, it was easy. I didn’t want leaving to be easy for Eden.

“So, basically, they’re over there meddling.”

“Basically. On the upside, you might learn something from it.”

“Oh yeah, like what?”

“Like why she was so fucking unconcerned about the idea of being dragged off into a back room at a casino. I know she’s naive and shit, but that should’ve scared the hell out of her.”

I’d been stewing over that all day. Eden wasn’t stupid. She could recognize when she was in over her head, even if she was hell-bent on pretending she could get out of it herself.

“I don’t have an answer for that.”

“You want me to call my people and start digging around to see what we can find out about her?”

The offer hung between us, and even though I wanted to say yes, I was waiting for Eden to come clean with whatever it was she was running from by herself. I wanted that. I needed that from her.

“Not yet. I’m gonna give it some more time.”

Con shrugged. “Offer’s on the table if you want it.”

“Thanks, man.”

The front door whooshed open and Delilah and Vanessa came inside, each carrying two cups of coffee. “Charlie said hi, but she was catching a ride with Elle, Yve, and Valentina, so she couldn’t deliver that herself.”

“You really did interrogate her with the whole crew, huh?” I asked, my gaze on Vanessa and Delilah, wondering who was the instigator behind this.

“We just wanted to make sure she was okay. She is.”

“And?”

“And nothing.”

“Bullshit, princess. We all know you got way more than that out of her.” Con raised an eyebrow at his woman, and I turned the same look on my sister.

“You’re gonna have to talk to her.”

“Thanks for the inside scoop, ladies.”

Con laughed. “Stubborn, both of you.” He accepted the coffee that Vanessa finally handed over and sipped. “But you got me the good shit, so I’m not complaining right now.”

“You better not complain. You like me stubborn.” She smiled up at him, and I wanted the easiness they shared.

Someday, I’d have that with Eden, but we had a hell of a lot to air out before we got there. It was kind of hard to push forward when we were both keeping so many fucking secrets.

I almost told her everything last night. I came close. But my secrets were tied up with the shame I carried. I hated that I’d been such a fucking selfish punk kid who thought he knew every goddamned thing. And then the fact that I’d run from it? Not exactly something I was proud of.

It occurred to me, while Vanessa and Con and Delilah shot the shit, that maybe whatever Eden wasn’t saying was the shit she wasn’t proud of. I wandered back to my room and pulled out equipment to sterilize before my next appointment.

Before Con and Vanessa left, Vanessa stuck her head in. “I’m not saying anything you probably don’t already know, but I think Eden’s dying to stretch her wings, and if you don’t give her that chance, she’s going to be miserable.”

“I got that from her last night.”

“I’m not trying to get in the middle of it, but I get where she’s coming from. You can give her a world she never knew existed and still keep her safe while you do it.”

I nodded. “She say anything else I need to know?”

Vanessa smiled. “You’ll figure it out.”

“Come on, princess,” Con called. “Let’s get out of here before the rain comes and we both get soaked on that bike.”

“See you around, Bish. Good luck.” She winked at me.