No. She would not let him exploit the small-town girl he’d sworn wasn’t good enough for him.
But as his body swayed with the music, he clenched his jaw furiously. With one hand playing the next series of notes, the other reached for the bottle. He took a long, deep swallow.
Gavin looked…tormented. Had she done that to him?
The playing stopped suddenly with an abrupt clash of keys, and he straddled the piano bench, his gray eyes red rimmed, almost accusing. She doubted he’d slept much last night. “Hannah.
Just who I wanted to see.”
There was a little slur in his angry voice that made her wince.
“I’m sorry to disturb you. I’ll go.” She began to back out of the room, but his voice held her.
“Bullshit. You’ll never go away, my pretty little Hannah. That’s the problem. You don’t even go away when I sleep. You’re always there. And now it will be so much worse because you’ll be near, but with Slade and Dex. I’ll have to hear them f**k you every damn night, listen to your whimpers of pleasure. Now, I won’t ever be rid of you.”
Tears started to blur her eyes. It was worse than she thought. Never mind that he didn’t want her. He didn’t even like her. If he had this much contempt for her because she wasn’t good enough for him, he probably felt the same about her relationship with his brothers. No doubt, he wished they’d settle down with some well-bred society women.
As much as she’d loved last night, Gavin’s words proved that staying with Slade and Dex would tear apart their family and shred their brotherly rapport. And they’d end up hating her for it. She couldn’t risk that. She had to put their needs beyond her own.
“You will, Mr. James. I know you need your brothers. So I won’t be the wedge that drives you apart. I love them too much for that. And I know you don’t feel the same way, but I care about you, too.”
He rose from the piano bench slowly, his every move predatory. His stormy eyes pinned her in place. Even from across the room, she sensed the menace in him. “You care about me?” Hannah’s breath hitched. Fight or flight? She had to decide. Everything about Gavin, from the set of his broad, naked shoulders to the dangerous gleam in his eyes, told Hannah that something nasty brewed inside him. Definitely, she should run. Yet she couldn’t make her feet move.
Fight it was.
“Yes, Mr. James. I care about you.” She took a step toward the angry, inebriated male.
At six feet three inches, Gavin towered over her. She should definitely run from the room, screaming. Yet all she could think about was taking him in her arms and soothing his hurt. This was her last chance to fight for the future she wanted, to try to heal this proud, strong man. If she couldn’t somehow stop him from drowning in his own pain, then she feared all was lost. If she failed, at least she would have the comfort of knowing that she’d given it her all.
“And you don’t want to come between me and my brothers?” He stalked toward her. He didn’t wobble or hesitate, merely strode forward with dangerous grace.
“I don’t.”
Brow raised sardonically, he moved closer. Hannah fought the urge to back up and stood her ground. He needed to stop lying to himself and understand that she was right for all of them.
Gavin invaded her space. This close, she could feel the heat of his body, smell the vodka on his breath. She knew it should turn her off, but her body was singing.
“I think you’re a little liar, Hannah. I think that being between me and my brothers is exactly where you want to be. I heard you last night. I heard your every cry and moan. You liked being between Dex and Slade. Tell me something, Hannah, did they f**k your pu**y? Did they shove their cocks into that tight, virgin cunt?”
His challenge, his language, his aggression—none of that should turn her on. But it did.
“Yes.” She hated the breathless way the word came out, sounding not strong, but submissive.
“Did you like the way it felt? Did they hold you down, make you take every inch? Pound you?
She nodded as her pulse leapt. Her breathing turned unsteady. She didn’t trust her own voice.
He moved closer, his body a wall of warm, muscular flesh. “And did my brothers f**k your ass, too, Hannah? Did one of them tunnel into your tiny hole back there and make you howl?”
“No. They said I needed to be prepared.”
His eyes flared. His hands twitched at his side, coming out as though he wanted to touch her, but he forced them to behave. In the end, he lost. He grabbed her arm and dragged her against his body, her chest against his. Her head snapped back, and she looked directly into his eyes, gleaming with unslaked desire.
“I know my brothers, Hannah. Did they shove a plug up your pretty virgin ass?” Hannah looked away, feeling a flush crawl up her face. God, she could feel the plug even now, and Gavin’s words made her so aware of her body. Slade had promised her the pink plug was small, but it felt huge. She clenched around it again, as she had all day, lighting up nerves she didn’t know she had.
Gavin took her chin in his hand and forced her to look up at him again. “Tell me what my brothers did to you, Hannah. Don’t be shy. Tell me how it felt when they pushed that plug against your ass for the first time. Did you shiver when you felt the cold lube against your warm, puckered skin?”
She fought her embarrassment, wanted to look away. Gavin wasn’t going to let her. And this was too important to simply give up. Gavin wasn’t acting like a man who didn’t care. He might not like the fact that he cared, but he wanted her. She could feel it. If details would bring him to his knees, she would give them.