Page 15

A different way to be together, maybe?

Seth was pressed against Kal’s side while he stared at his tablet that showed the feed of their baby as we sat in their room.

He’d invited me over before they went to their hand-to-hand combat class; I imagined Seth only went there to drool over his husband.

Kal and I were making no effort to speak, and we silently glared at each other.

Seth either didn’t notice the strain or he’d decided not to comment on it.

I assumed the latter, honestly. He wasn’t unaware of our mutual hatred, though he was clueless as to the reason why.

Part of me wanted to get to know Kal because Seth wished for it, and I had a hard time denying him anything, especially after so long.

Besides, being friends, or at least on speaking terms, with his husband would make my friendship with Seth easier.

I didn’t want to give him up this time, but as far as romance went, I was fighting an uphill battle that I was pretty sure I would lose, for all my bluster and confidence.

My gaze ran over Kal, trying to find what Seth liked about him so much.

He was attractive. I was a strong enough person to admit it.

His silvery-blue hair was long and silky.

His scales were steel-blue with purple and neon blue glimpses of skin around them.

He was broad and tall, but not humongous like some of the other drakcol—Don and Caleb mainly.

His full lips, wide forehead, and tapered ears were all lovely.

He wore a ridiculous amount of jewelry in my opinion, but it worked on him.

All of it was silver, except for a gold chain with a raw amethyst that matched his eyes and the slim gold band on his left ring finger.

So he was hot. Seth liked attractive guys. Who didn’t? I enjoyed a pretty face and a nice ass as much as the next person, but that didn’t constitute a relationship.

“The baby’s doing well,” Seth said, putting the tablet down on the backless couch next to him.

“How much longer?” I asked.

He shrugged. “No idea. The doctors at the nesting facility don’t know either. This is the first drakcol/human baby.”

“Well, they will get more with Mindy and Teddy if they want kids.”

“Yeah. Mindy strikes me as someone who wants kids, but I don’t know. Have you talked to Teddy much?”

“About kids? No,” I replied. The thought of asking if he wanted kids hadn’t even crossed my mind—it probably should have—but we were still in some awkward dance after Xome.

It’s like neither of us knew exactly where we stood anymore.

“We talk every day, though,” I continued, defending him and crossing my arms. “It’s not like he’s too busy for me or something. He’s a good friend.”

“I wasn’t saying that, Vinnie,” Seth said, reaching for me, but I shifted away. He gave me a slight smile. “When we get back, there will be plenty of time for all of us to hang out. I need to get to know Teddy better.”

My heart was like ice in my chest. I was almost positive I wanted to go back to Earth. Not for my family, which made me sound like an ass, but for me. I wanted to forget, and that was a way to do it.

Maybe they would take my memories without me going home, then I could stay.

“We should go,” Kal said, standing. His tail coiled around Seth’s ankle as he held out a hand. Seth interlocked their fingers, and I wanted to growl, but I forced a smug smile to my face while quirking my eyebrow at Kal. I smirked when his expression darkened and a low growl rumbled in his chest.

Oh, he would probably win this confrontation between us, but I wouldn’t make it painless for him. No, there would be poking and prodding until Kal snapped and snarled.

I followed them as we headed to a training room. I guessed the drakcol took physical fitness seriously, which wasn’t surprising, because they all looked like they lived in the gym. I was expecting weights and exercise machines, but that wasn’t what I saw.

On the far wall were targets with bright blue lines, and people fired blasters at them.

In the center were several mats where most of the people were in loose workout clothes.

Seth was dressed similarly to Kal—both in black sweats and loose tunics.

Kal’s were much tighter, letting me see his strong muscles.

“Where do we sit?” I asked Seth, annoyed. Kal was too attractive. I’d never been muscular. No desire to work out in a gym or hike. I preferred to look pretty rather than sweat. I accomplished that easily enough, thank you very much.

“You can sit over there. I have class. You can participate too if you want. Learn to fight. Protect yourself.”

“Wait,” I said, taking a step after him, hand up. “You fight?”

“Yeah. I’m not great at it, but I’m getting better. Wyn and Monty are teaching me. Kal can’t.”

“Not a good fighter?” I asked, smirking. Something, finally, the asshole wasn’t perfect at.

“No, he’s great. He just freaks out when he thinks I’m in trouble. This class will be interesting, to say the least.” Seth laughed and walked over to his husband, slinging an arm around his waist.

Someone sidled up next to me, and I glanced toward them. Don watched Kal and Seth, obviously reading my jealousy. I practically dared him to call me out on it, crossing my arms and cocking an eyebrow, and while his lips quirked, he didn’t remark.

“If you would like to learn to fight,” he eventually said, “I’ll teach you.”

“I bet you’re the best because of the mind-reading thing.”

“It can be helpful, but it’s not perfect.”

“You beat everyone, don’t you?” I asked, imagining him pummeling Kal.

“I would never hurt my younger brother, even for you, Little Warrior,” he said as he faced me, leaning against the wall.

His long purple hair was tied in a messy knot, and I had to say I dug it.

I liked dudes with long hair. Sue me. He smiled again.

“I cannot beat Kalvoxrencol. I haven’t been able to in years. ”

“Really?”

“Yes. He’s the best fighter. No one who has tried has beaten him. When we fight, his brain shuts off and it’s all instinct. Something he taught himself, to beat me. Creative soul he might be, but Kalvoxrencol forged himself into a weapon.”

“Why?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“He has troubles as anyone does.” He pushed away from the wall and left me to stew.

Ass , I thought at his back.

His tail twitched, and he flashed me the barest grin.

As people paired off, I sat against the wall.

Caleb joined me and stared unabashedly at his husband with basically hearts in his eyes.

Teddy also came, but he was a little less obvious in his ogling, simply following Mindy’s movements with a bland expression.

Teddy tried to talk to me, and I managed a few words here and there, but I couldn’t tear my eyes from Seth.

He wasn’t anyone’s equal here—they all beat him time and time again—but he would get back up and square off.

Against taller and stronger foes, Seth could hold his own.

It was amazing, and my heart warmed as I watched him fight and laugh.

No one would ever hurt him again, or if they did, they wouldn’t come away unscathed.

Kal, though. God, he was fury on two legs. The dude moved faster than anyone. He knocked everyone who challenged him to the floor. His only weakness was when Seth was in a bout, he couldn’t fight. He stared and growled at Seth’s opponents, then fussed over Seth afterward.

I watched as Kal straightened Seth’s clothes and tutted over him.

Kal was a mother hen. Who would’ve guessed?

I lingered on his long fingers and claws before running my eyes over his form, then looking back at Seth, who blushed profusely but didn’t move away from his husband.

Seth wasn’t going to leave Kal, especially with their baby on the way.

But perhaps we could be together still?

Polyamory had never been something that was for me.

I was too possessive. I would even say I was unhealthy in how possessive I was, but I could share Seth, couldn’t I?

I would rather have part of him, then none of him.

If Seth was the hinge, I could bear it. But what if they wanted an equal relationship?

My gaze returned to Kal. Could I let him fuck me if it meant having Seth?

A slam went through the room, and I jolted, pulse spiking.

Don landed on the mat with a low groan. Caleb was half up, whereas Fyn, Mindy, and Kal rushed toward their fallen brother, Seth two steps behind them.

Don was holding his stomach, and the other drakcol said, “I thought he saw the kick.”

“It was my mistake,” Don said with a pained grimace.

Fury ripped through me. I wanted to rip the other drakcol with golden scales apart. I took a step toward Don to comfort him, but Caleb rested his hand on my arm, stopping me. I yanked away, heart pounding, and fear slid like ice through my veins.

Don growled, and I looked at him. He was staring at Caleb, snarling, but he quickly averted his gaze.

Caleb appeared nonplussed. “Don doesn’t usually get knocked down, except when he and Kal fight. Weird.”

Teddy grunted. His usual reply. My Teddy wasn’t much of a talker, at least that hadn’t changed.

Don waved off his brothers and walked toward the door, leaving without even sparing a glance toward me.