Page 166 of Release

“Are you two gonna talk this earlyeveryfricking morning?” George mumbles from behind me.

“Just doing some housekeeping, big guy,” I tell him. “Setting up a little protection for the boy.”

George sighs. “Thank you.” His arm tightens around me in a hug before relaxing again. “How bad is it?”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” I tell him. “But when you leave the hotel tomorrow morning, you’re going straight to the office. Dec and I will head home and drive in. We’ll leave before you do. Hopefully, we won’t pick up any press.”

“You mean Istillhave to come in?” Dec jokes. “Rats.”

“Well, you need to clean out your office, doofus. I’m not doing that for you. And you have to hand stuff off to your successor.”

“Darn,” Declan says. “No more naughty office sex.”

“Not until y’all are legally married,” I tease.

Who am I kidding? Declan’s still going to be a valuable part of my office life, just in an unofficial and off-the-books capacity. I’m still going to be discussing work with him every night.

Although I will miss being able to walk down the hall to his office to talk to him.

George is already asleep again. Declan sets his coffee aside and cuddles in close. “What if the law office doesn’t want me anymore, Ma’am?”

I stroke his hair. “No chance of that. Between me and George, and now the juice you’ll be perceived as having? Not to mention your legitimate political chops.” I smile. “Remember, I told you I’d make you a political wunderkind.”

“Yeah, you did.” He tips his head back and stares into my eyes. When he speaks, it’s not in the voice of boy. It’s still Alpha Declan in the house. “Everynight, Case. Unless we’re on the road or something and can’t be together. I won’t accept anything less than that from you.”

I don’t need a roadmap to follow his train of thought. “Can’t we take this one step at a time?”

“Uh, you knew he was going to do that last night in front of everyone, sono. You’re in this with us. It’ll suck bad enough pretending in public that you’re not in a relationship with us. I refuse to accept anything less than you living with us. We’re going to move you in with us, clothes and all. Keep your house for now. Butboyisn’t coming back full-time until you’ve finally released your fear. You want him back? Give me this.”

Then he plays dirty. “Youknowthis is what she’d want—for you to be with us, all three of us happy and taking care of each other.”

Dammit.

He’s absolutely right.

“Since when did you get so sneaky?”

He smiles. “I had two damned good mentors.”

* * * *

Once George is conscious, we order breakfast via room service and believe it or not, we spend the day talking.

A little crying, too. Mostly me.

The three of us make love that afternoon, but it’s not Sir or Ma’am or boy or even Alpha Declan.

It’s just the three of us.

And it feels…fantastic.

Chase and Tyson and the kids all come back that evening to hang with us at the hotel, eat pizza and Chinese takeout, and watch TV. We talk about Ellen, we share memories, and we laugh.

We also tell all of them about the three of us. Admit the full truth to them. Well, Aussie and Ashleigh already knew. I mean, not theabsolutetruth, but that that three of us are romantically involved with each other, even though George and Declan will be the public face, and why.

I hate the disappointment Chase wears and tries to hide after that revelation. I know he might have been hoping for more between us now that George’s future has solidified.

Ashleigh and Aussie help us out by bringing us Declan’s Jag from George’s garage. He and I will use that on Monday morning to go home first, once George has left the hotel to go to work. Then we’ll drive in separately.