Theirs to Keep (Tangled Hearts Trilogy #1)(25)

A curse blew past Merrick’s lips. He closed his hand over hers but didn’t take the card. In the background, Cade rose and walked over to where Elle and Merrick stood. His expression wasn’t any happier than Merrick’s.

“You have every right,” Merrick bit out. “Elle, you belong to us. It’s our job to take care of you and your needs. We took that on willingly. We don’t regret that for a minute. Part of seeing to your needs is providing you the means to buy whatever it is you need. Like clothing. Food. Whatever makes you happy.”

“You were happy when you left here,” Cade interjected quietly. “You were excited and looking forward to going out on your own. What happened?”

She threw up her hands in frustration. “I freaked out. I just started thinking that none of this is mine. I have no money. No identity. I’m a complete burden to both of you. And then when I was driving home, I saw a cop, and I had a panic attack right then and there. I mean, when does it end? I can’t go on like this. How can you even stand to be around me? I’m a hot mess. A complete head case.”

Merrick reached out, put his arm around her neck and pulled her against his chest until her face rested over his heartbeat. He kissed the top of her head, but then what he did next completely shocked her.

As he pulled her away, he leaned down, palmed the back of her head and pressed his lips to hers in a hot, hungry kiss. He didn’t try to overpower her. In fact, he was extremely gentle. But she was overpowered from the first moment their lips met.

Her knees went weak, and heat pooled in her belly, rushing rapidly through her veins.

This time when he pulled away, his eyes were flush with desire, and he stared at her like…like she was something special. Someone he cherished. She stared back, mystified, and then her gaze skirted to Cade because she found herself suddenly dreading his reaction. She didn’t like the feeling that she had just in some way betrayed Cade. It was a stupid thought because they were nothing to her, and she was nothing to them. Was she? But then why had Merrick kissed her? Why had he looked at her with warm possessiveness that made her shiver in delight?

What came next was even more baffling because Cade stepped forward, circled her wrist with gentle fingers, and then he pulled her to him. He cupped one cheek in his palm, gently caressing her as he lowered his mouth to hers in a sensual, passionate kiss.

She was too stunned to react. She went rigid, wondering what kind of mess she’d gotten herself into. They’d both kissed her. One after the other.

She pulled abruptly away from Cade and glanced nervously back at Merrick to gauge his reaction. But there was no anger in his expression. There was nothing at all to denote he wasn’t happy with Cade kissing her.

When she looked back at Cade, she saw the same calmness in his eyes, and her head started to spin.

This was crazy. The pieces just wouldn’t come together.

They’d made it clear she belonged to them, but she’d never really given it any deep thought. She just considered them two knights in shining armor who’d gone above and beyond for a woman they didn’t know.

That was it. Eventually she was sure they’d want to move her out or that they were just waiting for her memory to return so they could push her on her merry way back to whatever life she’d lived before.

But then there were all the comments about them being with her for the long term. About being there to help her even once her memory returned.

What did it all mean?

“I think we need to talk,” she said faintly.

“What happened with the groceries?” Cade asked.

She blinked in surprise at the abrupt change in topic. For a moment, she couldn’t remember what she’d done with the groceries. They were the very last thing on her mind. The minute the two men had kissed her, thoughts of anything else had fled.

“I, uh, left them at the store. The cashier said they’d keep them there in the cart if I wanted to go back for them, but they wouldn’t hold them for long because they didn’t want anything to spoil. I’m sure she thought I was a complete moron. They’ve probably already put everything back.”

Cade reached for the keys she held in her other hand. “Okay, I’m going to go see about the groceries, and when I get back, we’ll have that talk. You’re right. It’s time. There are some things we need to get out in the open.”

She swallowed nervously, but then Cade leaned in, kissed her hard and then was gone in the next second.

Chapter Fifteen

ELLE TOOK REFUGE IN THE bathroom as soon as Cade left. She stared at herself in the mirror and thought she looked scared and off balance.

She frowned. Damn but she was tired of being afraid. She wanted her life back but not in the sense that she wanted whatever she’d come from before. She wanted a normal life now. Right where she was. She wanted the reassurance of knowing who she was and that she had a place in this world. But she didn’t want that knowledge to change a single thing about her life now. She just wanted…peace. And to be able to offer Cade and Merrick something more than a helpless, dependent freak who didn’t even remember her past.

Her biggest fear was that when her memory came back it would destroy her present, which was laughable given she didn’t have a present.

She had nothing.

She was surrounded by people who gave her the hope of having this life, and yet she was living a farce. This wasn’t hers. But she wanted it to be. She wanted to go with Merrick to his title fight. Wanted to be there when he won and to join in the celebration. She wanted to have a role in Cade’s business, be instrumental in his work on a daily basis.