Page 103 of Stolen Voices

Jace rushes over and pulls Rylann from me. “Sunshine, give her a minute. She’s still hurt.” He wraps his thick arms around her, placing his hands on her swollen belly again like he can’t keep them off her.

It’s a painfully beautiful sight to see. Their affection reminds me so much of my mom and dad. A pang of grief hits me in the chest, but it passes quickly as Rylann claps her hands in glee.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I’m just so excited Eli’s brought someone home. It’s a miracle. He’s been married to his work for far too long.”

“Jesus fuck, Ry,” Eli grunts, embarrassed by the slip of information.

Mason and Jace bark a laugh, and it’s an eerily similar sound.

“Freaky, isn’t it?” Emery says with a chuckle. “They all laugh like that.”

“A little,” I admit, looking over at Eli. He’s standing there, watching me take it all in. “They really all laugh the same?” I ask her, my curiosity for information about Eli growing.

“Laugh and look the same. Wait until all four of them and their dad get together. Hotness overload.” She fans her face, and Rylann chuckles.

“Behave, baby doll,” Mason growls.

Emery sticks her tongue out at Mason, but the way her face lights up, this is foreplay for them. I can’t tear my eyes away from the way Mason leans in and whispers something into her ear. Her eyes glaze over, and she bites her red-painted lip.

Holy shit. Is it hot in here?

The temptation to fan my face at all that hotness is high, but I’m stopped when a broad chest blocks my view. I look up to find Eli shaking his head at me. He points two fingers to his eyes and then at me, and whispers, “Eyes up here, princess.”

“Sorry, but that was hot.”

“Yeah, well, keep your eyes here.” He points at himself. “Never there.” He thumbs over my shoulder.

I bite back a laugh. I don’t know when Eli turned into this man—all possessive and sexy—but I am totally here for it. Whatever this thing is growing between me and him, I don’t want it to end. “Are you jealous of your very married brother?”

Eli scoffs. “No.”

“Seems like you are.”

“I’m not.”

“If you say so, old man,” I tease.

He lowers his voice so only I can hear him, and I swear it wouldn’t even matter. The entire world melts away when Eli looks at me with that fire in his eyes. It’s the kind of fire that I want to reach out and touch, no matter if I get burned. It would be worth it.

“Woman, if your ass wasn’t bruised, I’d bend you over and spank you for the ‘old man’ comment.”

“I like that you’re an old man.”

“I like that you have a smart little mouth, and I can’t wait to stuff it full to shut you up.” Eli doesn’t outright say what he wants to stuff my mouth with, but my eyes give away my thoughts when they bounce to his dick and linger.

“Fuck.” He grumbles under his breath, tilting my chin up. He shakes his head at me. “Stop. Please. You’re killing me.”

“Sorry.”

“No, you’re not.” Eli brushes a curl off my face and tucks it behind my ear, leaning forward.

I lift onto my tiptoes, drawing our faces closer. “You’re right. I’m not sorry.”

“Ugh, not you too.” Rhys groans, popping my and Eli’s bubble.

Eli mumbles, “Cockblocker,” under his breath before taking another step back.

I peek over Eli’s shoulder to find Mason and Jace, as well as their wives, watching us with knowing smiles on their faces.