We didn’t see Abbot again until Monday morning when he showed up dressed for work with coffees in a tray and pastries in a bag.

“Thought you two might be hungry after your fuckfest,” he said, dropping the bag on the kitchen table. I grinned and glanced at Kristian who dove right in. There was no point in pretending to be modest, I supposed.

“I got you a pack of smokes too.” Abbot reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of the same brand he smoked, along with a pink lighter with cute little flowers on the side.

“This is really great, thank you,” I said, holding up the lighter.

“Whatever,” he said. “Just let me know when you’re low and I’ll get you more.”

Emotion surged inside me as I looked at the gift in my hands. It was probably the nicest thing anyone had done for me in a really long time, and I was pretty sure Abbot didn’t even like me. Shit.

“Oh fuck. Don’t start cryin’ on me. It’s just smokes. I’m only being nice as a favour to him.”

“I know,” I said, feeling annoyed at myself for losing control. “I just can’t handle people being nice to me at all. It’s weird, and I’m too tired to pretend to be cool.”

His gaze shifted to Kristian. “Bro, what the hell did you do? You fucked her so hard you broke her. She’s got emotions and shit now.”

I punched him in the arm. “Shut up, fucker. I still hate you.”

Abbot grinned. “Yeah, I still hate you too. But he’s into you, so I have to try and be OK.”

“Hence the peace offerings,” I stated, oddly feeling better that this was all a display for Kristian’s sake.

He nodded. “Hence the peace offerings. And as long as you two keep your shit contained to this house, you won’t get any trouble from me.” He looked at Kristian. “Sound fair, brother?”

Kristian nodded once then turned his attention to me. “Eat,” he ordered, holding an apple danish out to me. I took it then the coffee he gave me, right before he slapped me on the arse. I let out a yelp. “Now go sit outside while we talk a bit.”

With a smile, I saluted him and sauntered out into the yard, eating, drinking, and smoking as I bathed in the morning sunlight. This is the life. Although, I wasn’t too sure about the ‘keeping our shit in the house’ comment because it reminded me how temporary all this was, but for now, I was OK. And who knew, if this thing between Kristian and me didn’t die down by the time I’d worked off my debt, maybe he’d want to keep me around. And if not, maybe Toby actually would help me out. I felt like I finally had some options in this world.

Snippets of conversation flowed out of the house and into the yard. I needed to remember what a trumpet that house seemed to be, because private conversations weren’t really that private at all. There was something said about a job to help Nate that was high-risk. I strained my ears, hoping for more details, but they’d obviously lowered their voices and I got nothing.

What kind of job would they consider high-risk? My mind automatically went to something nefarious, but that could have just been my own experience talking. There was a high possibility that these guys really were legitimate businessmen. I’d known a lot of crooks over the years and none of them ran a legitimate business and lived in a house by the sea. But then, they’d had the power to block Johno’s illegal activities after our first run-in. Did that mean they were into their own illegal shit, or that they were just rich enough to pay people to do the things they wanted?

I didn’t know. And honestly, I didn’t want to find out. I liked the idea of being involved with a stand-up guy. This past week had been a window into what seemed like a normal life. But I knew in my gut that wasn’t the case. The business, the house, the way they spoke… I knew a criminal when I saw one. Hell, the fact I was even attracted to Kristian told me he wasn’t a good guy. I had never fallen for a guy with a clean rap sheet. There was no way they were legit; that was just my sex hormones romanticising shit.

“You ready?” Kristian said as he and Abbot strode outside.

I stood and brushed the crumbs from my leggings. “Sure am, bosses.” I smiled, heading toward the Ute.

“She is way too happy today. She’s freaking me out,” Abbot said once we were all inside.

“What can I say, mate? I possess the wand of happiness between my legs. I can give you some tips if your women aren’t smiling when they walk out the door.”

Abbot cocked an eyebrow. “She’s your woman, now?”

Kristian met my eyes in the rear-view mirror and smiled. “Well, I don’t hate her.”

For the rest of the week, I didn’t spot a single thing about the way the brothers did business that confirmed my suspicions that they were up to something illegal. It was really messing with my head, because I knew something was going on, but they were good, and I couldn’t spot any cracks in their façade.

Kristian and I fell into an easy kind of peace treaty. We spent our days mowing and gardening then we dropped Abbot off at that big house before returning to the beach shack to spend our nights fucking out all that excess energy. Maybe it was hate fucking, maybe it was something else, but damn, it felt good.

When the surf was decent, we hit the waves either in the morning or after work. More often than not, the call of the sea took a back step while we opted to answer the call of our bodies. It was early days, but I couldn’t stop wanting him.

“I’m gonna come,” I gasped, my hands on his chest as I rode his cock, my movements getting faster the closer I drew to my conclusion.

“Wait for me, doll. I wanna come with you.” Kristian held me at my hips, guiding me along his shaft and slamming against me to deepen each thrust.

Was it possible to have sex that was too good? If there was, I was definitely having it. I was going to die from too much pleasure.

“Oh God. I can’t. I can’t. I’m so close, so close.”

“Now,” he grunted, grinding his cock deep inside me as he held me still. I threw my head back and called out to the gods who made orgasms a thing.

“Holy fuckballs,” I gasped, running my hands through my hair as we finished. I was buzzing all over.

Kristian cupped my breasts and chuckled. “Fuckballs?”

I rocked a little over him, still feeling the last waves of my orgasm receding. “Mmm, holy fuckballs.”

“What does that even mean?”

I laughed. “I have no idea.”

Grabbing me around the waist, he lifted me off him and rolled us until he was holding himself over me. He sucked slowly on one of my nipples, forcing it to a peak. “You think it means being balls deep in a tight little pussy?” He shifted and moved to the other nipple, giving it the same attention.

I moaned lightly, becoming aroused all over again. “It could also mean putting your balls inside someone while you fuck.”

“Hmm, that would take talent. I don’t think it would work to tuck your balls in with your dick.”

I reached between us and took a hold of his shaft. It was semi hard, but he had fantastic recovery time, so I knew he’d be fully erect in no time. “We could try it out.”

“Or we could not.” He laughed, nuzzling my neck. “I think I’d rather bend you over and pull your hair while I fuck you from behind.”

“I think I’d prefer that too.”

“Roll over.”

“Holy fuckballs, no!” Abbot yelled, suddenly bursting through the bedroom door.

“What the fuck?” Kristian yelled, pulling the blankets over us both to block Abbot’s view. “Get out.”

“We don’t have time for you two to be so close and come together all over again. It’s romantic as fuck, but I’m not sitting out there and listening to it a second time.” He was out there the whole time? We had no idea.

Abbot stopped then pointed with his thumb over his shoulder, looking directly at his brother. “Did you have any idea how thin the walls are through here? I could hear every slap of skin.”

Kristian lifted a brow as he took in the information. “Did you jack off to it?”

Abbot tilted his head a little. “I thought about it, but no, that would be weird.” Then he picked up the clothes on the floor and started throwing them at us. “Now get up, get dressed, Jazz is expecting us. And I don’t think you should be bringing your pet with you. Family only.”

I sat up, holding the sheet to my chest. “His pet?”

Abbot stopped. “What else are you? His girlfriend? Sorry, sweetheart. You’re nothing but a distraction.”

Kristian sat up and pulled some briefs on to cover his manhood. “Shut your fucking mouth, brother. You don’t get to talk to her like that.”

“Seriously? Last week you wouldn’t piss on her if she was on fire. Now you’re fucking her and suddenly she gets my respect? No. It doesn’t work like that. You need to get her out of your system and move the fuck on, because we have work to do. And she can’t be here.” The level of his voice rose with each word. I hid behind the sheet, knowing not to interfere with family. I’d only lose.

Kristian stepped towards him and stood to his full height, a tiny bit taller than Abbot. “Get the fuck out of here, Abbot, before you say something you’ll regret. We’ll meet you there.”

“We?”

“We.”

“You know Jazz is gonna flip if you show up with her.”

“She can hang out with Holland. It’s not a fucking problem.”

“It’s a huge fucking problem. Put your pet on a leash and tell her to stay put like a good little dog. Let’s fucking go.”

Kristian launched himself across the room before I even had a chance to react. “Apologise to her,” he growled, grabbing his twin by the front of his shirt and almost lifting him off his feet.

Abbot laughed. “You know that’s never gonna fuckin’ happen.”

“Then get out of my sight. I don’t wanna explain why I was forced to break your face.” He released his hold and Abbot tightened his jaw while he straightened up his shirt. Explain to who? Their mother?

“You’re thinking with the wrong head here, brother. I’m trying to stop you from making a gigantic mistake.”

“I don’t need you making decisions for me. Get the fuck out. Fuck off. Leave.”

Abbot shook his head and looked my way. “You’re a smart girl, Ronnie. Don’t let him bring you. It won’t end well. I promise you that.”

I had two problems with what was going on. Firstly, I didn’t like being told what to do. Kristian did it all the time, but that was different because I got off on his bossiness. But Abbot had no right to tell me to do anything. On top of that, he’d called me a dog. As far as I was concerned, he could go fuck himself.

I lifted my chin in defiance. “Tell your mum to set an extra place for lunch.”

Abbot pressed his mouth into a tight line and shook his head. Then Kristian shoved him out the door and locked it behind him. “Fuck,” he said, running his hands through his hair. I sat and watched as he paced back and forth. This was it. This was the moment where I knew all my suspicions were correct. Abbot was trying to keep me from learning anything about the nature of the family’s true business, and Kristian was railing against them. Why, I didn’t really understand. I just knew he felt disquiet deep inside him, and something about what was going on between us was helping him deal with that.

“Why did you do that?” I asked, shaking a little from the whole altercation. “Why are you fighting with your brother?” It wasn’t the first time I’d seen him and Abbot put their hands on each other, or argue for that matter. They wrestled and argued all the time at work, but it was different this time because it was about me. He’d just gotten physical with his twin over a girl he was just meant to be fucking. That meant something.

“Because I don’t think I can get you out of my system. Now, get dressed,” he commanded, tension in his shoulders as he stood in the centre of the room. “I need to try and figure this out.”

Getting up, I dug through my bags, trying to find something suitable—and clean—to wear while I mulled over his words. This thing between us was intense, that was sure, but was it worth fighting his family for? Was I worth that? I pulled on a pair of cotton panties before I found my black Roxy dress with the flyaway design that hung loose to my mid thigh and had thin straps that criss-crossed down the open back. Too sexy. I dropped it on the bed and hunted through for something else.

Kristian stopped pacing for a moment and picked it up and held it in front of him. “You wear a bra with this thing?”

I glanced over my shoulder at him, noticing that he’d already pulled on a pair of jeans, but had yet to add a shirt.

“No,” I said, grabbing it from his hands, about to stuff it back into my bag.

“Put it on.”

I stopped and turned to face him. “To go and see your family?”

He nodded. “And lose the panties.”

I clutched the dress against my chest, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. “No.”

Moving closer, he held my chin so I couldn’t look away. “Who are you dressing for? Them or me?”

I snatched my chin away. “Me.”

He pulled the dress from my hands. “Wrong answer.” He held it up like he was going to force it over my head.

“Don’t you dare.” I held up my finger to stop him. “I’m not your whore.”

“No. But you’re the woman I like to fuck.” He dropped it over my head, putting my arms through the straps like I was a child. “And I want you as naked as possible at all times.” I stood there and let him do it, feeling confused and a little numb. He’d just fought with his brother, told me he couldn’t get me out of his system, and now he was labelling me as ‘the woman he liked to fuck’. What the hell? My head was spinning from all the back and forth. We’d had a great week, we’d laughed and enjoyed every moment together. Then suddenly, he was being an arsehole again. Typical. I never was a good judge of men.

Once my dress was on, he dropped to his knees and pulled my panties down my legs with excruciatingly slow movements. There must be something wrong with me, because I was kinda turned on, his touch forcing a light whimper to burst from my lips. When my underwear was gone, his hand slid up under my dress, cupping my breast and rolling my already erect nipple between his fingers.

“I hate you again,” I whispered as my eyes fluttered closed and his tongue swept between my thighs. My entire body shuddered. My knees went weak.

“No. You don’t,” he said, lowering me so I was lying back on the bed. He pushed his fingers inside me, massaging my walls as he looked into my eyes. “In fact, I’m willing to bet that you like me a hell of a lot.”

“I don’t,” I gasped, causing him to chuckle before he brought his mouth to mine while his fingers worked their magic inside me. I couldn’t take it anymore, coming on his hand and groaning into his mouth. When he tore his lips away, he looked down at me, grinning and triumphant.

“You were saying?”

“I really don’t like you at all,” I whispered.

He laughed. “Liar.”

I shook my head. Then he fucked me until I agreed. It took almost an hour for me to admit I liked him, and we arrived late to his mother’s house, but I didn’t really think he cared. Why? Because he won. I was wearing the dress and nothing else. Well, I won too. Three orgasms wasn’t anything to shrug at. I just wasn’t going to tell him that since he seemed so pleased with himself. Men.