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“So the next step is seeing what the Underground leader has to say, and hoping they’re not a swinging dick,” I mutter, drinking more coffee.

Grayson looks amused as he pours syrup on my breakfast as he places it in front of me.

“Gods, sometimes I don’t realize how hungry I am until I’m starving,” I complain, cutting a square of French toast off.

“It happened to me for like a month after getting out of the dungeon,” Isaac shares as he leans on the island to watch me take a bite. I would usually be really self-conscious about this, but I’m not in the castle any more.

Wrapping my lips around the fork, I pull it off slowly. Holy shit. The flavors burst across my taste buds, making me moan as my eyes half close.

“Everyone in this room now has popped a boner,” Andrya giggles as she makes her appearance for the morning. “Your food moans should be illegal, Baby.”

Blushing, I take another bite after swallowing the first. “Grayson is amazing,” I mumble. “Mmm, so good.”

“Why is that so hot?” Sidney asks, snorting. “I’d tell anyone else to chew with their mouth closed.”

Sliding into a chair next to me, Ayden starts on the food Grayson sits on the other side of me. I’m happily sandwiched by my men. “Silla’s just that cute.”

Andrya gives me a hug and a light kiss on the cheek before sitting down across from me with her coffee. “So it’s you and me today, Silla, unless these possessive men decide that we need a guard dog.”

“Reporting for duty,” Isaac says slyly, surprising me. “I’m at a standstill on my information gathering for a bit, but I want to hack into the bank camera that’s across from the castle to see if there’s been anything interesting happening when we get back.”

“Lucky bastard,” Ayden mutters. “Can I send my list of preferred dress colors with you, Andrya?”

Lips pressed inward to hide her smile, she nods. “Yes, you can. Text them to me.”

“Yes!” Ayden fist pumps the air, making my heart happy. It’s just all so, I don’t know… normal?

I haven’t had normal in a long damn time. Finishing the rest of my breakfast, I smile.

“Let’s get the day started then,” I tell them as I start to pick up my dishes. Everyone else is in various stages of eating, but I need to use the pain lotion that Sidney left on the bathroom counter for me before I get dressed.

“I got the dishes, Dangerous girl,” Grayson insists, pulling the plate and coffee cup from me.

“Nah, Ayden and I have the dishes,” Isaac grins. “You cooked, Gray, don’t put up a fuss.”

Shrugging, Gray tucks into his food resignedly. “Let me get your back for you,” Sidney insists, taking a big last bite. Humming appreciatively, he gives the chef a thumbs up as he stands.

I love the little family that they’ve made in my absence. I should feel resentful, but I don’t. As I walk through the kitchen, arms snag me around the waist for a kiss or a hug, until I’ve properly met the morning with each of them. Damn, I could really get used to this.

Arm loosely slung around my waist, Sidney walks with me to the bedroom.

“What’s going on in your mind?” he asks, kissing my forehead.

“You all are so close, and today feels so normal. I’m just basking in the joy of it, storing the memories of it,” I explain as we get to the bedroom we’ve all been sharing.

“Wait a second, why not get used to it? We’re not going anywhere,” he says, his eyes crinkling with concern.

“I may not be around to enjoy it forever, the way I want to,” I tell him truthfully as I walk to the bathroom to grab the cream.

Pulling off my shirt, I distract Sidney from my words for the next four minutes. I’m not ready to face the truth of it. Cinder is never going to let me go, not unless she’s dead and gone.

ANDRYA

Silla is quieter when she walks back into the living room once she’s dressed. Sidney keeps giving her furtive glances, and I wonder what they talked about. I’m not going to press the issue right now and ruin our day, though.

We all dressed by using the other bathrooms or bedrooms. There’s not enough closet space in the bedroom that we’re currently in, so we have clothing in the unused rooms.

“Ready?” I offer lightly, and Silla nods. Isaac grabs his coat, offering another to her. She’s dressed in another navy blue dress that skims her curves. If Cinder was trying to hide her sister’s beauty, she failed miserably. Silla could wear a potato sack and still be beautiful.