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Vex is pacing next to the blanket. His back is to us, and his hands are running through his hair. He’s obviously stressing about something. I take a guess that we’re late to whatever this is meant to be

“He is very bad at wooing.” Rallan leans down so he can whisper in my ear so we don’t interrupt Vex doing whatever it is he’s doing. “How did he convince you to mate with him the first time? I could not imagine this worked on you?”

I roll my eyes, knowing Rallan loves teasing me for mating Vex. He’s been doing it more and more since we moved back to the tribe. I figure it’s because he’s grown closer to him and no longer sees him as public enemy number one. Back before he ever talked to Vex, he’d never bring him up unless it was to tell me I was too good for him.

“I already told you he saved my life. That’s how I fell for him,” I answer just as quietly as Rallan.

“I saved your life, and all I have gotten is grief,” Rallan huffs, but I can tell he’s still joking. I’m about to tell him he just got a lot more than grief from our little—or long—make-out sessionthat made us late to this picnic. Instead, Rallan stands to his full height again and drags me by my hand toward Vex.

“Sorry we are late,” Rallan calls out, causing Vex to startle and whip around. His eyes fall on me, narrow on my lips, and then he casts an accusatory look at Rallan. “We were late because our mate decided she was done fighting her need to sate her female desires with my body.”

“That’s not—“ I object, my eyes wide, hand yanking from Rallan’s grasp.

“It is what happened. Do not listen to her. She is being combative today. You know how it is.”

Rallan turns to face me. There’s a wicked gleam in his eyes that tells me he’s gotten everything he wants out of what’s happened so far. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he had this all planned out. There’s no way he could’ve known I’d kiss him, though. Unless he’s been inside my mind and realized just how low my defenses have gotten because of how much he cares about me.

Oh, he’s good. Good and horrible all at the same time.

“I am curious as to how she would use you to sate her needs, though.” Rallan casts a glance at Vex, who’s clenching his fits down by his sides. He’s obviously not in the know about Rallan’s scheming. “Maybe you should show me.”

One second, Vex is standing by the picnic blanket. The next, he’s standing in front of me, a determined shine in his slightly glowing eyes as he cups my face and brings my lips to his.

His kiss isn’t like Rallan’s, where I was allowed to do whatever I wanted. This is a claiming. Whether it’s him reclaiming me or him showing Rallan which of them I mated first, I don’t know.

“This wasn’t the plan,” Vex says as he leans back just enough to give us both room to breathe. His eyes don’t leave mine as his fingers move from my cheeks to around my head and neck, holding me close to him.

“This was always my plan.” Rallan shrugs. He walks over to the blanket and sits down, watching to see what Vex and I will do. “I knew you would not agree to it because you think to woo her with your actions and your words. Both of which you are bad at.”

Rallan shakes his head, looking like he wants to add more about how bad Vex is at wooing me when compared to him. In all honesty, Vex was always bad at saying the right thing or doing what I wanted without me having to ask.

His mind just works different because of what he is. Caring about someone else’s feelings and wanting to make them happy was a foreign concept until he saw me for the first time. He’d do anything for me, or at least I thought he would before he broke up with me. Everything else we were figuring out through trial and error and a ton of talking.

“Explain this plan to me,” I say just loud enough for Rallan to hear. I don’t want to leave Vex right now, not when this is the closest we’ve been since we broke up. It’s not that I want to forgive him right this instant, but my body’s begging me to forgive him for about the next fifteen minutes. Then I can go back to being mad at him.

“Easy,” Rallan says. “My plan is to seduce you, make Vex mad because he still struggles with the idea of sharing, and then watch him make love to you.”

I make a choking sound. Not only is Rallan’s plan ridiculous, but it’s also kind of working. He realizes this, too, because he’s leaning back on the blanket, grabbing a couple of pillows, and tossing them next to him.

“You think I’m going to fuck him in front of you?” I try to sound incredulous, but it comes across as more hopeful. Not that what Vex and I are able to do is considered sex in the way Rallan’s used to.

I want to whack my head against a tree trunk. I’m not supposed to be playing into this plan. I’m supposed to beoutraged and upset and a little bit sexy while I throw a fit about them trying to get in my pants.

“You liked grinding on me while we made out. Just do that. Let’s do that. I need to know you’re mine.” Vex reminds me of how much I enjoyed being with him, and the need in his voice only makes me want to concede.

I whine low in my throat at how desperate I am for his attention, how badly I want to do exactly what he’s said. “Vex.”

“I know,” he says, his lips finding mine for one searing kiss. “I know you’re mad. You have every right to be. I want to explain it all, but your mate is an asshole. He knows how upset I get when I think of you with him.”

I nod, hoping to convey to Vex that I want him—even if a part of me wants to deny it all day long. I push him back toward the blanket, and his body relaxes with so much relief that I can practically feel the tension around us soften.

He gives me a shy smile before wrapping his fingers in mine and pulling me toward the blanket where Rallan has made himself nice and comfortable. The demon looks so smug and proud of himself, and I can’t say that I blame him when he successfully orchestrated this.

“How do you want me?” Vex asks, his eyes taking on a paler appearance, the glow behind them growing. I don’t know how long he’ll be able to keep up the human skin he wears before he lets it fall and shows me his true self. It’s the version of him I always got in the bedroom because he couldn’t concentrate hard enough on keeping the human skin in place when we were physical.

“On your back, Vex,” I murmur.

I place my hands on his shoulders and push him down. He follows my directions, maneuvering one of the pillows Rallan set out so he can get comfortable. Vex shoots Rallan an ‘I’mwinning’ glare that Rallan matches because, as far as he’s concerned, they’re both winners in this situation.