Page 63

Eden

Consider your cheese vs man ratio carefully.

We approach the makeshift archery range the civilians set up beside the apple tree to practice.

Only Dom and Beau are still out here, fumbling with their bows under the searing, final light of day.

And Jayk, wonderfully, is buried in a crawlspace somewhere, fixing something or other that I hope is really, really broken.

I’m taking my opportunities where I can get them.

“No. No, why are you gripping it there?” Sloane shouts down at Dom and Beau.

Her rifle is still on her lap, and there are a few others scattered on the defensive platforms, but their attention to the Reapers is inattentive at best. “Dom, get him to lift his.. . No ! Keep your feet planted. Jesus, Beau. You think you can hop your way to a bullseye? No, I said lift your chest .”

She sighs, massaging her eyes with tattooed fingers as Dom snorts a laugh.

“Please don’t make me come down there again; I really can’t be fucked.” Sloane sighs.

My palms grow sweaty—well, sweati er —on the tray.

I feel like I haven’t seen them properly in days, and it’s days too long.

I pause on the sidelines as Beau finally lets an arrow fly toward the target. Despite Sloane’s scathing commentary, it does actually arc up quite nicely.

Right before it thuds into one of the stacked bridges, about eighty yards toward the moat, and far to the left of the archery area. Nowhere near his own target—but close enough to where Jennifer and Sawyer are sitting that they both startle, swiveling to look.

“What the fuck, Beau?” Jennifer calls, and Beau winces.

“Sorry!” He lowers the bow, and his bare, slick chest glistens as he twists to look at the arrow. “Huh. Didn’t realize they could shoot that far.”

“Gets pretty fucking hard to be accurate after about fifty or sixty yards. Thirty for most people here,” Sloane tells him lazily, then she eyes the arrow. “Ten for you.”

He examines his bow, a grin edging his mouth as he draws back again. “Give me three days, and I bet I outshoot you.”

Sloane snorts. “Put meds on it and deal.”

After Beau’s next shot goes just as wide in the opposite direction, Dom claps him on the back, muttering something amused and caustic that I can’t make out.

My gaze is stuck to Beau’s abs. I don’t care where the arrow went. Right at this moment, I’m fairly sure he’s the best bow-person I’ve ever seen. A drop of sweat drips down the ridges of his abs, and my brain fuzzes out.

Archer, that’s the word.

Sure, it’s only been a few days, but it’s been a few days of Jayk wrapping his naked body around me and being none too careful about where he rests his hands.

Plus, I’m fairly sure I’m ovulating.

This is not my fault, is my point.

“Well, hi there, darlin’.”

Dom turns sharply, his smirk falling away as he takes me in—and just as quickly searches behind me.

Looking for a barging, possessive caveman on my heels, I assume.

“You know,” Sloane says lazily, looking down at me like a warrior queen. Or a Domme. “I’m under orders to let Jayk know when you try to talk to them.” Her gaze flicks over to Ava. “So are you.”

Ava grins. “She made it worth my while. She had cheese .”

“Well, well, well.”

Panicked, I stare between them. “It’s everything I have!”

Sitting back appreciatively, Sloane grins too. Waiting.

I look at Dom and Beau, watching me curiously, bows in hand. Dom tugs something off his fingers, and his gaze trails over my tray. I look back over my shoulder at Bristlebrook, but there’s still no sign of Jayk. This could be my only shot.

Oh, damn it. Fine .

“Right pocket,” I grit out between clenched teeth, and Ava laughs, yanking it out.

Mournfully, I watch her hand over the last of the precious, precious contraband that Lucky had smuggled me, and I question all my choices.

I have five men and no cheese.

She has no men but lots of cheese.

I have regrets.

“Satisfied?” I ask as Sloane flips open the wrapping to check it.

She bites her full lip hard with a dark, satisfied sound, then looks down at me dubiously. “Are you ?” Shaking her head, she doesn’t wait for an answer as she stands and stretches. “I’m heading to platform three. I bet my rations on these two getting past Jayk anyway.”

Outraged, I wheel around. “Then give me back my cheese!”

Sloane snorts. She climbs down from the platform, then joins Ava as they leave me, finally, alone with Dom and Beau.

“For the record, I’m the one getting past Jayk, not them,” I call after Sloane.

“Well, we helped. Those wires didn’t cut themselves,” Dom says dryly from very close behind me, and I jump, jostling the tray.

God, he’s sneaky!

Beau comes up beside him, wiping his forehead with a laugh. “Lucky pulled through. Here’s hoping Jayk didn’t kill him for it.”

And they’re off cutting wires now? I bite my tongue in exasperation.

That’s not why I’m here.

As if sensing my nervousness, Dom’s gaze drops to everything I’ve brought. Unlike Beau, he’s in a loose shirt, but the column of his throat is still damp with sweat.

“You brought this for us?”

His tone is unreadable, but there’s something taut in his expression—like the bow he has in his hand. Nerves quiver in my stomach as I try to remember what I rehearsed.

“Y-yes, I...” I make the mistake of looking up into Beau’s intent multi-hued eyes, and I dampen my lips.

“I know you were... hesitant... about me submitting to you, Dom.” His name feels uncomfortable in my mouth, but I force myself to use it.

“But I prepared just a few small things. I’d really like to share them with you while I.

.. I have a few things to say. If that’s okay,” I add hastily.

Beau’s brows twitch up, and they exchange a slow look I can’t parse out.

Sweat drips down my neck.

“Of course, darlin’. Whatever you want,” Beau says.

Blowing out a breath, I work up a smile and gesture toward the apple tree for them to sit. The lights strung through it are off, but the day is glowing gently, like a candle sinking low at the end of its wick.

They lean their bows up against the trunk, which is finally starting to show signs of new growth, and they stretch out on the ground between its roots. I’m not sure they even notice how they arrange their long limbs in precisely the same way.

I place the tray on the ground and carefully pour out two cups of icy cold water.

I try to hide how much my hands are shaking.

“The first thing I wanted to share is that ... I miss you both. This game is starting to frustrate me. A lot.” I hand off their cups, and duck their surprised expressions.

“I do really appreciate you all supporting Jayk with everything else though. It’s made a difference in him.

” I shake my head. “I don’t know, maybe even this silly game has made a difference.

I don’t think he’s hurting quite so much, and.

.. well, that means everything.” I try to remember my notes.

“I have more, just... give me a moment?”

I pick up one of the cool, scented towels and unroll it. I look between them. “May I?”

Dom doesn’t look at the towel. His eyes don’t leave my face. “What are you doing, pet?”

Color stings my cheeks, though I knew this was coming.

“I— Lucky and I thought, maybe this could be one way for us to start. If I could come to you every day, maybe I could help you get ready, or take a moment to relax. It doesn’t have to be long.

But I would promise to always show up, and to always share something.

” I bite my lip. “And I’d like you to listen without judgment. ”

Beau drags in a breath through his nose, nodding like that one stung a little, and my heart tugs. I don’t want to hurt him—it’s not meant as a slight. It’s just what I need.

“A ritual,” he says. “Just for us.”

It’s not a question, but I nod anyway. Whether Jasper intended for me to find it so or not, the research for my outstanding essay has been fascinating.

Jasper’s books had a wealth of interesting concepts.

This was one I enjoyed. The structure of it, but also the reverence.

The grace. It has an orderliness I could find romantic.

“Is that all you want from this?” Dom asks.

He’s potent in front of me. Large and powerful... and contained . Cool water squeezes between my fingers, and I realize I’m gripping the damp towel too tightly.

“If... if you’re comfortable, I’d like you both to lead this. Tell me what you want.” Before they can say anything, I add in a rush, “It doesn’t have to be anything sexual, Dom. And of course, if you don’t want to do this at all, that is fine , I swear.”

Beau’s lips quirk up. His eyes travel over my face with so much banked heat that I’m left in no doubt about how he feels.

“You can call me sir , Eden,” Dom says softly, and I bend my head over the tray, my lids fluttering closed.

Relief slides into me like a knife.

“Thank you.” I look up at him through my lashes, my heart pounding. “Sir.”

I realize Dom is holding himself very still.

When he doesn’t say anything else, Beau instructs in a lazy, pleased drawl, “Cool us down, darlin’.”

I shiver at the order, the easy bite of firmness to it. I love everything Jayk does to me, with me, but he’s not as big on ordering me around. He tends to just put me where he wants me.

I’ve missed this, even as small as it is. Even if I shouldn’t.

The more independence I get at Bristlebrook—Jayk’s war notwithstanding—the more desperately I’ve craved to give it up elsewhere.

I walk around to Dom, and I hesitate, remembering their words the other day. Awkwardly, I crouch beside him.

His voice is low and rough when he says, “Get on your knees, pet.”

A throb starts up low in my abdomen, my breathing shallowing.

I glance around, suddenly feeling vulnerable, wondering if it’s inappropriate to have done this outside where anyone can see.

Civilians are scattered over the defenses, their rifles loosely in hand.

The Reapers are wandering around, going about their business.