Page 83 of Wonder

“If we get out of this,” I whisper. “I think I’m ready to go home, Chess.”

His face… it crumples. He hides it, hides his expression in my neck, the edge of his stubble brushing against my skin, his cock buried inside me.

“About fucking time.”

***

"So…,” I murmur. Chess holds up a shirt, and I pause. “Is that fresh?”

“They’re giving us the good stuff.” He tosses it to me and I hold it against my naked body. “You’re not putting it on?”

He catches my glance toward the door before I can stop it. His eyebrows flick up.

“I’m going to hate every second of this,” he mutters. “Every damn second.”

I stop. “Do you… mean that?”

We stare at each other.

“If I asked you… not to.” He clears his throat. “Would you still?”

I think about it. “The Chess that I love wouldn’t force a decision like that on me. He’d want me to make it for myself. No matter what it was.”

His eyes narrow. “Sneaky. But true.” He sighs. “I’ll behave myself. Mostly. Hatter seems… decent enough.”

My stomach flips. “He does.”

“Buck too.” Chess reaches up to scratch against his bare shoulder. My teeth marks are barely visible. “I’m withholding judgment on the twins, though. I haven’t seen enough of them yet.”

I linger, still clutching the shirt. “Is this my group oryours?”

He half-smiles. “So itisa group? It’s yours. But you know I’m not gonna change, Lyss. You’re always gonna be my priority, no matter who I’m sharing your bed with.”

My cheeks flush scarlet, warmth settling over my skin. “I don’t want you to change.”

He’s close behind me as I pull the door open and walk out.

The low hum of conversation trails into silence.

I clear my throat. Then I stare down at the shirt, still against my chest.

I definitely should’ve gotten dressed for this conversation.

“Trouble.” Buck’s voice sounds strangled. “What are you doing?”

The twins sit up in unison, flowing off the bed. Neither of them are wearing shirts.

Hatter… his eyes move over my skin, trailing heat in his wake.

“I have decided,” I say awkwardly. “That there… there might be… um. The possibility of a group. And… vacancies?”

Silence. Aiden begins to grin.

“In the future,” I blurt. “If we… you know. Survive. Which feels quite unlikely. But… yeah.”

Cheeks burning, I flick out the shirt and shrug into it. “I’m not sure why I had to say that naked. Sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize,” Aiden murmurs.