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The thought made my heart ricochet in my chest, and I flashed Tonya a blinding smile to put her at ease.

However, she wasn’t looking at me. Her long, nimble fingers were once more fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

“It’s about Tommy and Nikolai,” she said softly. Panic churned in my stomach instantly, and I found myself taking a trembling step towards her.

“What’s wrong? Are they okay? Where are they?” I fired off in rapid succession. My turbulent, panicky thoughts were only soothed by a tiny smile pulling up Tonya’s lips. Surely, she wouldn’t have smiled if something had happened, right?

“They’re fine. Safe. Sleepy.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I just...I need to address something with you.”

I wait with bated breath.

“They love you dearly. Anyone with eyes can see that. They think the world of you, and I know you think that of them.” I could tell there was a “but” coming with that. Tonya took a shuddering breath, turning her back towards me and placing her hands on the counter. “I’ve gotten to know them the last few months. Care for them. I may not be their mother or their sister, but I do want to remain a part of their lives.”

Her words were...not what I expected.

Spinning towards me once more, I was shocked to see unshed tears glimmering in her eyes.

“I lost my child, my little girl, when this whole shit show started. She was with the babysitter while I was at work. A nurse. And...look...I know those boys aren’t my baby, but I love them. I’m going to stay in their lives whether you want me to or not. I mean, I know I’m nothing special to them and-”

I cut off her ramblings by placing my hand on her arm.

“You don’t have to apologize, and you don’t need to ask for my permission to remain in their lives. That’s their choice. But...I see the way they look at you. They love you, and I would never say no to more people loving my family.” I paused, considering my words. “Unless you’re talking about loving my guys, then we’ll have a problem.”

Her eyes sparkled when she smiled, and I was struck by how beautiful she actually was with her curly black hair and brown skin.

“I have one man to deal with. I don’t need more.” She leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially. “But seriously, six? How do you keep them all straight? I would be forgetting their names. And they’re all okay with it? And stay exclusive to you?”

I smiled, popping my hip against the low kitchen table.

Finally, we could begin the much needed girl talk.

* * *

When I arrived backin my room, I was disappointed to see all my men already asleep. Tamson and Ryder shared my bed, an Addie-sized space between their two muscular bodies.

In the cover of darkness, I shimmied out of my shorts but left my shirt on.

Crawling across the mattress, I settled between the two warm bodies, Tam’s arm immediately encircling my waist.

I snuggled against him, my back to his front, and sighed in contentment.

Dark eyes, barely visible in the scarcely lit room, stared back at me.

“You’re still awake?” I questioned Ryder, reaching a hand out to intertwine our fingers.

“How was girl talk?”

“Good.” I smiled. “Once we got the hang of it, I told her about all my orgasms.”

His chuckle was dark, delicious. Sinful.

“I’m glad. They seem like good people.”

“They are. I’m happy Nik and Tommy have them.” I shifted closer, still keeping my body against Tam’s. “But...why are you guys asleep?”

“We waited up for you, but you took too long,” he responded with another low, sultry chuckle. I pouted. “Another day, Kitten.”

“So...have you ever, like, kissed a guy before? One of them?” The thought made my heart pound, my breath catch, and heat pool between my thighs. I couldn’t deny that the visual was enticing, mouth-watering even.