*Isabella's POV*
We snapped apart like we'd been electrocuted, the intimate bubble he'd just created bursting in an instant. We both turned to the door, and there he was. Jacob. Leaning against the doorframe like he owned the fucking place. But there was a slight glare on his face, a darkness in his eyes that was aimed right at Damien. It was there and gone in a flash, masked by a cool, neutral expression, but I saw it. What the hell was that? Was he angry? Jealous? The thought sent a jolt of something—fear, maybe, or a sick thrill—right through me.
"I hate to interrupt you guys," he said, his voice tight, strained. "When you're done, let's talk in the living room." He didn't wait for an answer, just turned to leave, his movements stiff and abrupt.
"Wait, Jacob," I called out, my voice smaller than I wanted it to be. "Are you mad or something?" The words just tumbled out, stopping him in his tracks.
He paused, his back to us for a long second. When he turned around, his face was a perfect, unreadable mask. "No, I'm sorry. Take your time," he said, but the words were hollow, clipped. He gave a short, sharp nod before making his way out, leaving a heavy, suffocating silence in his wake.
The hot water, which had felt so fucking amazing moments ago, suddenly felt oppressive. I looked over at Damien, my mind racing. "Do you know what that was about?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Damien let out a long, slow sigh, running a hand through his wet hair. He looked tired, like he'd been expecting this. "I think I do," he said, his voice low and serious. "Let's just... let's all talk together."
And that was it. The mood was completely fucking shattered. We stepped out of the hot tub, the sudden chill of the air raising goosebumps on my skin. We walked to our separate rooms in silence, the tension so thick you could fucking choke on it. I quickly dried off and pulled on some clothes, my hands trembling slightly. This was it. We were all going to meet in the living room. And I had a terrible, terrible feeling that this was going to be one hell of a talk.
"Okay, so how many living rooms does this fucking house have?" I said, sinking down onto the pristine white sofa of yet another ridiculously opulent room Damien had led me to. I mean, for fuck's sake, how many places does one person need to sit?
Damien just laughed, a deep, warm sound that seemed to chase away the last of the lingering tension from the hot tub.
Jacob, who was leaning against a doorframe across the room, replied, "I don't think even Damien knows that." He said it with a straight face, but I could see the amusement in his eyes.
"Well, you've been used to the media area," Damien countered, a hint of playful defensiveness in his tone. "This is the sitting room."
"A sitting room with a piano," I retorted, gesturing to the glossy black grand piano tucked into the corner like it was just another piece of furniture. Who the fuck just has a piano?
Jacob pushed himself off the doorframe and walked further into the room, a slow, lazy smirk spreading across his face. "It's all part of the 'I hate people and like living alone' project," he teased, his voice a low, conspiratorial drawl. "You know, the one where you buy a big house for nothing."
A real, genuine smile broke across my face. This was their version of normal, and fuck if I wasn't starting to get used to it.
After a beat of silence that felt like a fucking eternity, Jacob finally spoke. "Okay, so..." he began, his voice serious, all traces of his earlier smirk gone.
"Again with the 'so'," I teased, forcing a laugh, trying to cut through the sudden tension. To my relief, Damien chuckled along with me, a low, warm sound that made my shoulders relax just a fraction.
Jacob rolled his eyes, a familiar gesture that was both annoying and endearing. "I understand you two need some alone time," he said, his tone measured. "And I won't comment on that matter because we had plenty of it while Damien was away." He paused, his eyes flicking between me and his brother. "For now. But we need to discuss the rules. If we're in this... relationship, we need some ground rules."
The word "relationship" hit me like a splash of cold water.
"Relationship?" I asked, my voice smaller than I intended. "What do you mean?"
"You're ours now," Damien simply retorted, his voice flat, like he was stating the goddamn weather. No question, no room for argument. Just a fact. Holy fuck.
Jacob sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Forgive my brother," he said, giving Damien a look. "He's a caveman. He never had a clear divide between the bedroom and the real world." He turned back to me, his expression softening into something more earnest, more vulnerable. "What he's trying to say is... do you want to be our girlfriend?"
I really shouldn't be taken aback by Jacob's straightforwardness by now. That's just who he is. He sees a path and he takes it, no bullshit. But this... this? To be the girlfriend of two men at once? Two brothers? I can't help but feel a little off about it, a dizzying sense of unreality washing over me. How the fuck would that even work? Is that a real thing people do? Or are we just inventing a new kind of train wreck?
But then again... my mind, started whirring, tallying up the pros. And holy shit, the pros were... fucking spectacular. I don't think I've ever had a dominant, possessive beast like Damien and a gentle, worshipful lover like Jacob in my bed, not separately, and certainly not at the same time. It's a fantasy I couldn't even dream up. And the two of them, together... they hadn't just rocked my world, they'd fucking shattered it and remade it in their image.
And to live in this... this mansion. With a spa that had a hot tub and a massage table, and god knows what else. A wine cellar. A sitting room with a fucking piano. Mama ain't raise no fool. I knew a good deal when I saw one, even if it was the most insane, complicated, and probably dangerous deal of my entire life.
So, I took a breath. And I met his gaze.
"Okay," I said. The word was quiet, but it felt solid, final.
"Okay what?" Jacob asked, leaning forward slightly, his eyes searching mine, needing to hear more.
I let a small, slow smile touch my lips. "I'll be your girlfriend."