Page 38

Dom wraps his hand around my leg, drawing it onto his lap, then the other. He leaves his hand loosely cuffing my ankle, and the calluses on his hand burn against my skin.

“You’re wearing my shirt,” Beau repeats, dumbfounded.

I give him a panicked look. “I— Jayk missed a few things, and I just— I’m sorry. I’ll give it back, of course.”

“Now?” Dom asks, dry amusement making cracks in his intensity. He leans back against the swing, stretching his arm over the painted wood as he watches us.

I shoot him a quick scowl. “I... no , I’ll wash it first, then I’ll?—”

A smile breaks over Beau’s face.

“Just keep it, pet.” He laughs.

My stammers die on my tongue, the words lost. He’s been so angry lately—so tense and quick to avoid me. But his smile is beautiful. It’s warm and brimming with a tilted, unexpected affection. It’s nights of aftercare. It’s him kissing my fingertips after I cried.

He finally meets my eyes, sobering.

“Keep it,” he repeats. “It looks better on you, anyway.”

I’m too raw from my conversation with Dom. My fight with Jayk. From Jasper and Lucky trying to pull down Bristlebrook itself to get to me.

Tears sting my eyes, and I blink fast, trying to hold them back.

“Oh no, not those.” Beau’s hand finds the side of my face. His thumb wipes at a tear. “Not those. Not over me.”

I press my cheek into his hand, desperate for the touch, and he doesn’t let me go. Soothing, soft, he just strokes my face until my shaky breaths finally even out and, shyly, I look up at him through my glasses.

“Good morning, darlin’,” he says softly.

This time, my smile up at him is warm and genuine. “Good morning, Beau.”

His eyes search mine, then he finally bends down and gives me a gentle, lingering kiss on my cheek.

Dom watches us like he can’t see anything else, like the sunrise is dirt and this is all he woke up for.

His hand tightens on my ankle. Caught with emotion, my lids slide closed, and I breathe my brutes in—their spicy shampoo and the way they mix together.

If we could just stay like this. We could be so good, all of us.

We just need to stay like this .

Does this mean we’re going to try? I open my eyes again, and Dom is still staring at me.

Does this mean he is?

“Ooh, this is cozy! Scooch. I want in.”

“You sit your ass on me, Lucky, and I’m kicking it off the porch,” Dom warns, and I look up in time to see Lucky jump up —only to skid to a stop in front of us, an affronted pout already forming.

A laugh huffs out of me, my emotions crashing in.

“Mind his back, Dominic. He’s still recovering.” Jasper’s more measured footfalls follow up the newly repaired steps, and he somehow looks icy under the fanning warmth in the sky.

It’s belied by the whimsical yellow flower nestled behind his ear.

“Recovering?” I ask sharply, looking Lucky over in concern.

He winks back, an easy looseness in his colorful shoulders I haven’t seen in weeks. They’re decorated in livid red gashes, and his skin glows— he glows—like they’re some vital medicine for him, and not terrifying strokes of violence.

“On a scale of one to ten, how much detail do you want?” he asks.

“One being like—I just want to know that you’re feeling good enough to tap dance and giggle over daisy chains.

Five being like—he strung me to the ceiling and whipped me till I came on the floor, then fucked me in my mess until I just about passed out. ”

I tilt my head, my blood rushing in horrified, fascinated ways. “What is ten like?”

“I don’t need to hear about ten,” Beau breaks in, rolling his eyes.

Jasper strolls up and leans against the post, adjusting his cuffs. “Ten is if you choose to watch.” His dark eyes find me. “Or participate.”

Ah. Right.

Whipping .

Watching me, Dom snorts, and I frown at him, then smooth down the front of my shirt.

“Thank you for the offer, Jasper. I’ll consider it,” I say, then add pointedly, for Dom’s benefit, “I’ll consider it seriously.”

Lucky laughs, then bends in for a quick, enthusiastic kiss that makes electric sparks shoot down my spine. He snags my mouth, pushing me against Beau as he makes himself welcome with pure, unselfconscious joy—and enough heat that I squirm.

He rubs his nose against mine as he pulls back, then grins.

“Glad to see you made it out of the tower. If he left you in there any longer, I’d have been appropriating some swords and armor from Red Zone so I could start slaying ogres.” His smile sours. “Jayk is the ogre. In case you missed that.”

I’m still blinking up at him, taken aback by the ease with which he kissed me in front of everyone. Comfortable. Like this is fine with him, and he expects it to be fine with everyone else. Bewildered, I glance around.

And no one is acting like it isn’t fine.

Elation, bursting bright and sweet, almost makes me laugh, and I beam at him.

Lucky blinks. Eyeing me warily, he starts touching his face.

“What, do I have something? Can’t be food. Not like I’ve eaten.” He considers that, glancing at Jasper. “Well. I’ve snacked.”

I shake my head, my throat sticking with bittersweet happiness, and I lean back into Beau’s chest, allowing myself to enjoy his warmth. The smell of Dom’s shampoo on his skin. Cautiously, Beau’s hand brushes over my hair.

Jasper hasn’t taken his eyes from my face, and they’re unusually kind.

“You’re quite all right, Lucien. You did well,” he murmurs. “Very well.”

Lucky’s gaze slips between us, baffled, and he scratches the back of his neck. “Uh, good, I guess?”

Dom picks up his half-empty cup of slop from beside the swing. “Here. Eden made breakfast.”

I frown. That was his cup. He should drink the whole thing.

My empty mug rests beside him too, and my morning slop assuaged my hunger more than my last week of rations put together. The thick, gelatinous goop has a way of sticking against my insides like it’s growing in my gut, filling me more by the moment.

Lucky perks up, swiping the mug. I try to stop him, but Dom still has me chained at the ankle, and Beau at my waist.

“Oh, but it won’t be hot,” I protest.

“Don’t care. I’m so hungry I could eat the ass out of a skunk.”

Dear God .

Lucky slugs back the slop like it’s a straight shot—and spits it out just as fast. He hacks like a cat with a hairball, then turns, bending over the side of the porch like he’s going to throw up.

“Whoa, easy, Lucky!” Beau calls, and his tentative hold grows more sure as he’s distracted, fitting under my breasts more naturally. “Breathe. Through your nose.”

“It’s in my nose!” Lucky retches again, and Jasper touches his shoulders, bemused.

Dom’s shoulders start shaking, and I glare at him. Then at Lucky’s back.

“It is not that bad!” I insist.

Lucky coughs, then gives me a watery-eyed look over his shoulder. “Is it poison? Is this what you gave the Sinners? Why are we letting Eden cook?”

Dom’s silent shaking breaks into loud, snorting laughter, and he leans forward, like he needs to brace himself.

I glower at him, but the tension between us seems to have dissolved somewhere between Lucky’s gags and his giggles .

I nudge him with my foot. “You drank it! It was fine .”

Dom’s thumb presses into the hollow behind my ankle.

“Baby cakes, I’m not being dramatic when I say I wish it was skunk anus,” Lucky replies, straight-faced.

This, from the man who I saw drinking from a sweaty boot at the bond-fire.

“Okay, hand it over, Lucky. I need to try this,” Beau decides, reaching out a tanned arm. “Jasper? You game?”

Jasper eyes the mug, then glances at me. I look at him hopefully.

“I...” he begins, his voice strained, but Lucky covers the top.

“No way . It’s nuclear waste—and you owe me so many more orgasms before you die. I won’t let you.” He drops it into Beau’s waiting hand. “You have fun though, Beau.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Jasper rubs his mouth, hiding a smile behind his hand as Beau pulls the mug closer to examine it.

“Do you drink it or eat it?” Beau asks dubiously.

“You want me to get you a spoon?” Dom replies, dry as dust.

Lucky bends over the mug. “I think it would melt the spoon.”

My indignation releases in a reluctant giggle, and I give up, relaxing back against Beau as he sniffs it.

They start bickering, and I tuck my chin in, smiling as I settle back to watch—and I’m suddenly warm, all the way through.

It’s not just Lucky who seems freer this morning.

Jasper isn’t masking quite so carefully today, and his quiet pleasure reaches out to me as much as mine seems to be reaching him.

I can’t even find a hint of jealousy in me about it.

I want him to have endless nights with Lucky.

With me. Endless days just like this, all of us laughing and together.

Across the porch, Jasper gives me a gentle smile back, so much knowing in his eyes. And I know he sees it—how impossibly lovely this moment is to me.

He sees so much, from his quiet shadows.

The morning’s peace might have been broken, but it’s been mended into something far more beautiful.

Right now, I’m just . . . happy.

“Oh, fuck this ,” someone snarls.