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Oh.

We say nothing else until my entire nighttime routine is done. With every step, I relax a little more into his touch. He carefully spreads my moisturizer on my face, making sure to work it into the skin after my serums so it locks the moisture in. Deft fingers wrap my hair in a satin bonnet I’ve never seen, ensuring every curl is tucked in where it belongs. He even puts lotion on my hands and elbows so they don’t get dry.

When it’s over, I thank Connor quietly, scooting forward to get off, but he doesn’t move. If anything, he creeps closer, trapping me where I sit.

“Why would you expect the others to set this up and not me?” he asks carefully.

Because you’re never here.“Do you really need to ask that?”

His whole body moves with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Daph.”

“You say that a lot.” My eyes sting and I force myself to swallow them back.

“I know.” He clears his throat, looking down at where his hands bracket my thighs. “I hope you know I want to be here with you more than anything.”

“How could I when you’ve never said it?”

He doesn’t bother arguing. We both know I’m right. “It has nothing to do with you. I’m working through something, but I swear, it’s important.”

My laugh is as frustrated as I am. “We’re all working through shit, Connor. At least the rest of us are doing it together.”

His scent flares, agony and disappointment twisted into that strange shift from earlier. Con’s long fingers cradle my cheeks, forcing my eyes on him. “How can I fix this?”

“Other than show up?” He nods and I swallow thickly, already knowing what I’m going to say. Do I want to do this? Not really, but something has to change. I can only hope it works out for the best. “I want you in the nest every night.”

“Oh.” Connor blinks. “That’s what you want?”

“It’s what I need, yes.”

“Okay.”

I raise an eyebrow. “That’s it? No arguments?”

“Why would I argue about spending more time with you?” I don’t point out that he’s been absent for most of this courtship because I’m a fucking saint like that, but we both know it’s true. Connor seems to realize this too, sagging until his forehead rests against my shoulder. “I’m really fucking this up, aren’t I?”

“Kind of. Yeah.”

The people pleaser in mehatesadmitting it, but my friends were right. Connor and I have a fundamental inability to communicate. We both bottle shit up until it explodes and incinerates everything in our vicinity. If we keep this going, there’s no chance of having a happy, healthy relationship and despite his issues, I want Connor to be my alpha. I want to love him the way I love his brothers. I want to build a life together because the glimpses of him he lets me see are so fucking beautiful. I just don’t get enough of them.

I know it’ll be hard because of our pasts, but I also know that he’s not the same as my exes. He isn’t ignoring me out of spite or because he thinks it’s his right to. He really believes that putting his focus wherever the hell it is what’s best for us. Now let’s see if he listens when I say it’s not.

Connor kisses my forehead. “I promise, I’m going to be here for you, Daphne.”

My stomach clenches at yet another promise from this man, but I tell it to shut up. I can give him another chance. One more. “That’s all I want.”

After helping me off the counter, we walk out of the bathroom hand in hand to find every eye on us.

“Have we made up?” Mellie asks, decidedly less drunk than before.

Rolling my eyes is practically second nature now. “Yes, mom. We’ve made up.”

“Ew. Don’t even joke about that.” I laugh and she tugs me into a hug. “Now, come enjoy what your alphas did for you.”

For the next few hours, my men dote on us. They bring water and refill what I’m lovingly calling our adult snack packs. They listen to us rant and rave about whatever the hell we want, and when it’s time for bed, all three settle on the floor, knowing I want them close by. I rest on the edge, hand hanging so Connor can hold it while we sleep.

In the morning, not one of them mentions how my awful breath or how knotted my hair is. They give us fluids and make a carb-stacked breakfast to soak up the remaining booze. When my friends thank them on their way out the door, where Nate’s waiting to drive them back to the car, Dez smiles. “Come back anytime.”

Kai quirks an eyebrow. “Might not want to issue an open invitation when you barely know us.”