Surrendering To Four: A Reverse Harem Story

Chapter 4

ZOE

"I'm not your girl," I snapped at Derek as I stepped away from Lucas's hand despite the reassurance it offered. "Not anymore."

“Working with the enemy now?" Derek's voice stopped me in my tracks. I tried to sidestep him, but he moved closer, blocking my path through the lobby.

"I've been calling you," he said, his cologne, which had once been so appealing to me, was now making my stomach turn. His eyes narrowed as he gave me a once over, taking in my professional outfit with a look that made my skin crawl.

"There's nothing to talk about," I replied. I was still well aware of the four new messages burning in my phone. Each one sent a different kind of heat through my body, but it was the kind of heat I was trying desperately to ignore.

Derek stepped closer. "Three years together and you can't even give me five minutes?" he asked.

"I gave you three years, Derek. That’s more than enough." I held my purse tighter while wishing the elevator would open up and swallow me.

"Is that what this is about? You're working with the Wolves to get back at me?" His voice rose slightly. "That’s really mature, Zoe."

Before I could respond, a strong hand clamped down on Derek's shoulder. The grip looked casual but I could see Derek wince.

"She said there's nothing to talk about."

Lucas was now standing behind Derek, and his gray eyes were filled with something dangerous. Ethan, James, and Alex all surrounded him. Together the four of them were all broad shoulders and stern expressions. For a second, I could have sworn I saw their eyes flash different colors in the lobby, but I immediately dismissed it as a trick of the fluorescent lights.

Derek's posture stiffened. "This doesn't concern you, Stone,” he said coldly.

Lucas's fingers tightened visibly on Derek's shoulder. "Funny, I think it does."

A security approached just then, as he appeared to have noticed the tension. The guard gave Derek a pointed look. "Is everything okay here?"

Derek shrugged off Lucas's hand, though his face was still tense. "Fine. I was just leaving." He gave me one last look before walking away. "This isn't over, Zoe."

Once he was gone, I released the breath I had been holding. "Thanks, but I didn't need rescuing."

"It wasn't rescuing," Ethan said with a smirk that made my stomach flip. "We just felt we had to step in."

I stepped back, maintaining distance between myself and the four men who seemed to radiate heat in the air-conditioned lobby. "I can handle my own problems."

"We never said you couldn't," Lucas replied and moved a step closer to me than was necessary. The scent of his cologne wrapped around me. It smelled woodsy and wild, nothing like Derek's. "But our offer still stands. Let’s have dinner tonight. Just business."

I hesitated, my mind racing through all the reasons I should say no.

James moved forward with a smile that hinted there would be far more than professional conversation going on. "All four of us will be there. There’s safety in numbers, right?" But the way his eyes lingered on my lips suggested that safety was the last thing on his mind.

"Fine," I heard myself say before I could think better of it. "Text me the details."

"We’ll be looking forward to it," Lucas said. His voice dropped to a low note that seemed to vibrate throughout my body.

As they walked away, I couldn't help but notice how they moved in perfect unison, almost like a pack.

***

"Four hot hockey players suddenly interested?" Ashley's eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hairline as I held up another potential outfit. "There's something they're not telling you."

"It's just business," I said, trying to convince myself as much as her.

"Sure, and I'm the Queen of England." She rolled her eyes slightly and collapsed back on my bed. "Wear the black dress."

I eyed the dress she mentioned. It was a simple black dress that hugged every curve on my body. "It's just dinner."

"With four guys who look like they stepped out of a sports calendar,” Ashley replied with a grin. "Wear the black dress. Trust me."

Thirty minutes later, I was zipping up the said dress, while telling myself it was just for confidence. The way it clung to my hips and dipped just low enough across my chest, showing some cleavage was professional with an edge. At least that's what I told myself.

"You know what they say about hockey players," Ashley called out as I grabbed my purse. "They sure know how to handle their sticks."

"You're terrible," I replied with a laugh, but her words followed me down to the Uber.

***

The restaurant was upscale but not so much so. It had warm lighting and intimate booths. I spotted Lucas immediately. He was sitting alone at a corner table, and his broad frame was making the chair look fragile.

Where were the others?

He stood as I approached, and his eyes immediately darkened as they traveled slowly down my body and back up. The heat in his gaze made me feel like I was wearing nothing at all.

"The others got delayed by practice," he explained, pulling out my chair. His fingers brushed my shoulder as I sat, and it left a trail of warmth on my skin. "They'll join us later."

"That’s quite convenient, don’t you think," I muttered, though a part of me was secretly pleased.

"You look beautiful," he said simply.

This was no pickup line, and no game either. Just words that somehow felt more intimate than any compliment Derek had given me in three years.

The waiter appeared with a bottle of red wine that Lucas must have ordered in advance. Lucas's fingers brushed mine as he handed me a glass, and neither of us pretended it was accidental.

"So," I said, taking a sip to calm my nerves, "what exactly does this business dinner entail?"

Lucas watched my mouth as I drank, making me cross and uncross my legs under the table. "We need someone who understands hockey culture for the campaign. Someone who can make it authentic."

"And it has nothing to do with my connection to Derek?" I asked with a raised brow.

Lucas leaned forward, his knee touching mine under the table. Neither of us moved away. "I won't lie to you, Zoe. That's part of it."

"At least you're honest,” I said pointedly.

"Always." Something in the way he said it made me believe him, despite my better judgment.

We ordered food, and the conversation flowed easier than I expected. Lucas was intelligent, funny in a simple way, and he seemed genuinely interested in my opinions about various marketing strategies.

"You know," I said after our plates were cleared, "for someone who orchestrated a four-man ambush in a conference room, you can be surprisingly charming."

His laugh was deep and infectious. "We tend to hunt in packs." He paused, as if catching himself. "Play in packs, I mean. Team mentality."

"Right. Team mentality." I smiled over my wine glass. "Is that why your eyes all seemed to flash with colors when you confronted Derek? Is that some sort of team intimidation technique?"

Something passed across Lucas's face—surprise, maybe—before his normal smile returned. "The lighting in that lobby could be off sometimes."

Before I could press further, he leaned forward. His knee rubbed more firmly against mine now. "There's something you should know about why we really need your help." His voice dropped lower. "It's more complicated than just marketing."

The tension between us shifted, and I found myself leaning in too, drawn in by more than curiosity. "I'm listening,” I said.

"The rivalry between our teams goes deep. Really deep." His eyes held mine, and for a moment, I could have sworn they changed color slightly as a ring of amber appeared around his pupils. "There are things about Thompson and his team that you don't know."

My heart beat faster. "What things?" I asked.