Page 3 of Monsters (Vengeance #3)

“I am being selfish right now, I know.” He began to run his thumbs over my cheekbones, meeting my eyes with a glittering onyx gaze. “I wish I cared more.”

“You should, you bastard,” Athens murmured, but all of them stayed where they were.

Neo and I had a special relationship. It possessed a more serious tone and not because we’d slept together. His shadows caressed me gently, reminding me of that small detail. My skin shivered with pleasure.

No. We shared a non-physical connection.

Neo understood pain, one I was intimately familiar with.

Despite Colliard’s betrayal, I was glad the bastard was gone.

I didn’t want Neo to have to see his abuser every single fucking day.

I would go crazy if I ever had to see… them .

My adopted elven parents had abused me for the majority of my childhood until I killed them.

I know. Peachy, right?

I shook my head and as if he knew, Neo gently lifted a hand.

After my nod began, he gently ran his fingers across my upper back where scars marred it.

The boys tried to be careful around my shoulders and back but I was becoming far more comfortable with it.

I wanted to trust them with my physicality and its flaws.

Neo had shown me that nothing bad would happen if I did.

When his lips trailed my crescent-shaped scar that marred my cheekbone, I tilted my head to the side. A low growl caught in his throat because I was all but exposing my throat to him. Despite not being a shifter, Neo had a raw power that sometimes felt very animalistic. I liked it. A lot.

Neo, much like his twin brother, was a bulk of muscles at 6’4”. His voice gave it a nice contrast with its smooth, gentle cadence. He had a quiet disposition that I’d foolishly mistaken for shy and a penchant for doling out punishments, mostly to me.

I really should do more bad shit.

His eyebrow piercing glinted like the rest of his obsidian skin and if I didn’t know him so well I’d say his tattoo form was a bit scary. It was, but in a good way, you know? In a 'I want to be all over that sexy monster' kind of way.

What? You don’t have those thoughts? Right. Okay.

“Hey, Gray?” Neo spoke softly while a thoughtful look passed over his face.

“Yeah?” I snuggled closer.

“I know Thanksgiving was just going to be our small group but would you mind if I invited my mother?” His words were hushed as my heart squeezed.

I knew how big of a deal it was that he wanted his mom at our celebration.

While a kingdom-wide festival would occur, we were also holding a private dinner with just our little family.

“Absolutely,” I nodded. “You should invite her.”

His lips quirked up as a flash of perfect white teeth nearly blinded me. The alchemy mage kissed my forehead and departed, striding across the lawn towards the castle.

“Where is he going?” Athens called out.

“He’s inviting your mom to our dinner,” I chirped with a big smile.

The angels began to sing as Athens graced the world with one of the most charming and beautiful smiles I’d ever seen. I wanted to pepper him with kisses. Truly.

I also wanted to fuck him. Two drastically different vibes.

“Gray?” Athens whisked me up so that I was eye level with him. “Thank you.”

I tilted my head. “For what?”

“For mending my family,” he whispered softly.

Oh, shit. Fucker was going to make me all emotional.

“Athens,” I whispered. “You know how much I care about you, right? Both you and your brother mean so much to me. I will always do anything I can to show that.”

His eyes rounded as the silver melted into something more possessive.

The metal mage pressed me against one of the closest trees in a second flat to afford us some privacy.

Oddly I wasn’t nervous about my words despite how lighthearted I usually kept things.

I had only known him for two months but I knew in my heart that I loved Athens.

I also loved Neo. I just didn’t think they were ready to hear that yet and didn’t want to rush things.

I know I sound probably crazy but what can I say? I’m a tough cookie to break but then every crumb is yours.

I knew that in some ways Athens required more words than his brother.

Neo’s pain lay in his father’s abuse and I could understand that.

I could help him heal as I healed. Athens had a different kind of pain.

When his father had chosen to abuse his brother over him, despite the pain Neo faced Athens felt as though he wasn’t good enough for his attention.

It's messed up. Despite knowing it wasn't true, I could still feel the pain lurking right under the surface.

His eyes trailed over my face as if searching for any lies. Any hesitancy. There was nothing to see but affection. It was so easy to care about Athens. He was playful and optimistic. I felt lucky to have someone like him in my life.

“Gray,” he swallowed. Words seemed right on the tip of his tongue but then my eyes closed as our lips melded together. The metallic ringing of his power wrapped around me. His kiss was playful and teasing, but there was a depth to it. An emotion fueling his lighthearted attitude.

Love.

It was love making us so happy.

Now, how in the heck did I tell him that?