I tucked my hand into his, trying not to notice Toby’s closed bedroom door as I passed it, and pulled X down the hallway.
Even though there was no need to, I closed the door out of habit and then drew back the covers on the neatly made bed. I wondered if it had been Levi or Whip who’d made it up with fresh sheets after our group sexy times on it.
I went to slip into it, when X cleared his throat from the other side of the bed. “Take those sweats off first.”
I nodded. “You’re right. I should find some pajamas. It’s gross to sleep in clothes I’ve been wearing for hours.”
But he shook his head. “Not asking you to put on pajamas, Violet. Asking you to wear nothing.”
My breath hitched at the gleam in his eyes. “Are you saying…”
“Am I saying I don’t want any barriers to me fucking you in the middle of the night while you’re sleeping? Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m saying.” His gaze drifted over my body, like he could already see what was beneath my clothes.
I took off my hoodie and then my sweats. Everything else was soggy and wet in the garbage bag we’d brought back from Dax’s shop.
I stood in front of him, completely naked, the overhead light on, showing off every dimple and curve and fat roll on my body.
Yet he gazed at me like I was only going to be asleep for a minute before he pounced. He stripped off his clothes as well, and both of us got into bed. He pulled up the covers and fit himself in behind me, his dick hard, but him ignoring it between us. “Go to sleep, Violet.”
I snuggled into him, enjoying the feel of his arms around me and his warmth radiating through my back. Despite the anticipation of waking up with him inside me, I was suddenly exhausted, my body registering a safe space to finally rest, and the adrenaline high of the last twelve hours finally ebbing away enough that I could fully relax.
My eyelashes fluttered involuntarily, my blinks becoming slow.
“You haven’t been calling me Omelet,” I said sleepily.
“It’s hard to call you Omelet when I just want to call you mine.” He shifted behind me, pressing a gentle kiss to my shoulder. “I love you. Violet.”
A soft smile spread across my lips. But I was asleep, dragged under by exhaustion and emotions too big for my body before I could respond.
7
X
Ididn’t sleep. Just held her while her breathing evened out into slower, deeper breaths that misted her plump lips. I held her as her body slowly warmed mine. My brain whirred, trying to process the last twelve hours and the numbness that followed.
At some point, I realized the hole I’d pierced in my nose throbbed. It was more of a minor irritation than a true pain, but it was pain my brain registered, nonetheless. The heat of Violet’s body became more and more noticeable, until she was too warm and I had to throw the covers off us.
But I didn’t let her go.
She was mine.
I could be okay with sharing her with Whip and Levi. I saw the way they loved her. Saw the way she needed that sort of love from them. Saw they could give her something I couldn’t, and I wanted her to have everything she needed.
She deserved that.
They weren’t trying to take her from me.
But last night, up on the bluffs, somebody had.
It could have been her who had gone down with that cliff face. I didn’t know how I’d walked away from that with nothing more than lungs full of water, but I had.
And now I was here in bed with a woman I didn’t deserve but wasn’t willing to give up.
She’d given me full rights to her body.
I’d wanted to let her sleep. She needed the rest. But fuck, I needed to be inside her. I needed to be selfish.
I brushed her hair away from her neck and kissed her there.
