The Six: Genesis | A Reverse Harem Novel

Fifty-Three

"Why are you limping?"

Ryker's question freezes me in place. Reflexively, I turn in Charlie's direction, but I keep my eyes elsewhere. The last thing I want to do is tell my father I'm fucking not one, but two men.

At the same time.

And to add to it, that one of them fucked me so hard I could barely stand upright. Chris' promising glare when we'd left the shower earlier consumed my thoughts.

Tonight, when it's dark and Ryker sleeps, I know we won't be. I'll be lucky to get an ounce of mercy out of them.

Chris, Charlie, and Michael stand several feet away from us facing different directions, eyes weathered on the horizon. Yellow sunlight catches the snow, but the temperature barely notched upward today. The fresh scent of pine and frost wafts over me, and my memories turn bleak.

I miss this with my mother and father. Those memories, though precious, still sting. Blinking away tears, I glance back at Ryker and jerk when I find him staring at me.

"Did you hurt yourself?" His eyebrows pinch together and his frown turns murderous. "Were you attacked?"

"Dad, I..." Heat infuses my cheeks.

How do I explain I'm fine, just sore, without breaking down how it happened? The longer I wait to answer, the redder his face becomes. He's nearly bursting at the seams when I finally stutter out a half-assed response.

"I fell?" It sounds more like a question than a statement and he centers in on the response quickly.

His mouth opens and closes, fishing as if he's struggling to find the correct words to say. Instead, he simply sighs and shoves his hand through his hair. It rips the thick white beanie and goggles he's wearing off, knocking them into the snowbank at our feet.

An hour ago, Ryker showed up at the cabin with Michael in tow. With a single look from the burly redhead, I was flushed and horny all over again. And those green eyes... as green as the rolling hills of Veracon Valley... smoldered.

For once, I was happy to have Ryker standing by. If he hadn't been, I'm not sure Michael would've held his tongue. Since he saw all of me, he's been... different.

There's a speculative... almost measuring... gleam in his eyes when we lock gazes. I'm desperate to ask if he liked what he saw, but if Charlie and Chris' reaction to a man simply hitting on me was any indication of a possibility of a foursome in my future, hell would freeze over first. I'm sure they'd kill him.

"You fell?" He parroted, blinking owlishly. "Try again, Blue."

"I fell..." I swallowed, offering a nervous smile. "Hard?"

"Blue... I'd appreciate honesty as my patience is wearing out. If you were injured while in the car of your guards, I will personally put a bullet in their brains." He closed the distance between us as he spoke, crunching the snow under his booted feet with determined steps. "Now, once more, what happened? Why are you limping?"

Sighing, I let my shoulders droop and crease my hands together. His annoyed expression drops and grows concerned, dark eyes climbing my features. Tension leaks off of him in waves, relaxing the rigid set of his shoulders.

"Blue, what happened?"

"Dad, please..." I whimper, sliding my eyes toward the guys. "It's embarrassing."

Frowning, he lifts his gaze over my head to find them all staring at us in varying amounts of interest. Chris and Charlie can clearly hear us, and they're doing their best to keep a straight face. Humor tugs our link.