His grin widened. “I’ve never shied away from competition.”
Relief slid through the room like an exhale at his tone. Not possessive—not like before—and not a line in the sand. Despite the teasing, there was something else underneath it. Acceptance.
Kieran, pink-cheeked, pressed a hand to her face, though her eyes were still dancing. “Okay, come on now,” she groaned, “that’s seriously?—”
“Gentlemen,” Bastian announced, throwing himself into a chair at the dining table, “purely for administrative purposes—is there a sign-up sheet to add our cum to this allegedly contested zone, or are we going old-school? Firstcome, first served?”
“Bash,” Kieran groaned, mortified now, which only seemed to amuse him.
“Darling, I just think being organized as a family is important,” he said, perfectly serious in the way only Bastian could be.
I couldn’t help but smirk. Much like the old system of organizing who slept with Kieran each night, it wasn’t the worst idea?—
What the fuck was I even saying?
Except that I was already imagining burying myself between her long legs.
Gabe drew a hand down his face with a chuckle. “If anyone even starts putting together a calendar, I’m burning it.”
“And democracy dies under Gabe’s boot,” Bastian sighed in disappointment. “Think about the bedroom rotation!”
“Democracy,” I said drily, sliding the vegetables into a pan on the stove top, “was never going to survive this house.”
Because in my mind, what Kieran wantedwasthe plan. Even if I had to remind her to eat, to rest, to breathe—she led, and the rest of us followed. Even if they were slow to admit it.
“Okay,” she huffed finally, planting her hands on her hips—and drawing my attention straight to her waist and the way her shirt rode up slightly. “We arenotmaking a sign-up sheet for anything. I amnota community project.”
Bastian lifted a finger. “Counterpoint: community projects have budgets, and I would like funds allocated to spoiling you?—”
“Bash,” I interrupted, letting my laugh break loose.
“Well, that isn’t the worst idea,” Niz reasoned, and Gabe nodded his agreement. Even Steele looked mildly intrigued by the concept, which said a lot about how far we’d come. I couldn’t believe this was an actual conversation we were having.
Bastian was still talking, but my attention had already drifted back to Kieran. She let out a soft, happy sound, her gaze sweeping over all of us—so full of quiet affection and love it left me stunned. It wasn’t just visible; I couldfeelit rolling off her, warm and steady.
And then something shifted.
The hairs on my arms lifted. Every instinct in me went still. Something sharp and powerful rippled through the room, lashing out like threads of light snapping into place.
“This could be forever.”
Kieran’s voice echoed in my head, clear and bright. I froze, looking down at her as her eyes went wide in realization. Her hand flew to her sternum in shock.
“Oh,” she whispered. “Oh, shit.”
“There’s no way.”
Her voice wasn’t just a sound. It bloomed right in my head, intimate and undeniable, as natural as breathing.
The spatula I’d been holding clattered to the counter as I stared at her, trying to process what was happening. “Am I losing it, or am I actually hearing you in my head, Beauty?”
She blinked, startled. “No. I mean that isn’t possible?—”
Every man in the room had gone silent, eyes locked on her in stunned disbelief.
“Is it possible? My parents had the ability, of course…”Kieran’s words slipped between thought and speech, the bond too new to control, as if she couldn’t help testing its limits. This time, her voice brushed through my mind, as clearly as if she’d spoken aloud.
Gabe stood abruptly, looking surprised, but also intrigued. “I don’t understand. Why would this just start now?”
