“What’s sleep play?” I ask.
Kane freezes mid-stride, then his black gaze meets mine.
“You couldn’t control him for five minutes?”Kane’s still looking at me, but he fires that at the three men behind him.
Zeek pinches the bridge of his nose.“I’m considering having a charmed muzzle purpose-made for him.”
Sai’s laugh is low, eager.“A muzzle? You say that like it’s a punishment, but now you’re giving me all sorts of ideas...”
“Should I not ask that?”I say only to Kane.“I know you struggle with sleep, so I just wondered if you need it—”
When Kane suddenly moves closer, lowering himself onto the balls of his feet right in front of me, I warily drop my gaze, feeling nervous.
Wisps of his shadows dance along my skin, over my arms, up to my chin, softly tilting it until my eyes meet his.“Sai was being… crude,”he explains.
My brows dart up, then drop.“Oh.”I scrunch my nose, open my mouth, close it.“I still don’t understand…”
“Do you want me to explain now, or after?”His voice is so soft. There’s no mockery, no dismissing my question.
“After.”I decide, and Kane dips his head in a subtle acknowledgement.
“Now, I need you to smile.”
“Why?”And just like that, my lips kick up into one.
“Because it’ll make Sai mad.”Then Kane honours me with one of his rare, genuine smiles where the edge of his top teeth show.
“We can make him madder.”I laugh, one quick burst.
A crackle of lightning sparks above our heads, and Sai’s sharp glare becomes fixed on Kane’s back. That only makes me laugh again.
But when Kane’s attempt escapes, a soft rumble emerging deep from his chest, I’m suddenly feeling a very different emotion.
He starts to rise, and I can’t help feeling… disappointment? Loss? But as he moves to his brother’s desk, his shadows stay with me.
“What did he say, Red?” Sai moves closer, his eyes switching between me and Kane’s back.
The brothers start talking, as Sai tries again,“Come on, baby, tell me what Daddy Darkness said.”
I cant my head.“You have a thing for saying nicknames you shouldn’t.”
The grin slides off his face, the soft glint of his eyes dulling.“Sorry. You’re right. You asked me not to call you that.”
Oh fuck. That feels… horrid.
A hollow pit forms in my stomach as Sai steps back to the glass wall, and his markings lose their colour.
Julien frowns, peering down at his friend.
“Well,”I say, needing to rectify this feeling, immediately,“maybe I’ve changed my mind about the nickname.”
His markings reignite, a smirk beginning to spread.
“Don’t get too excited. It’s just a nickname.”
“You know it’s more than that, baby,”he purrs, and damn it, I squirm a little. His eyes clock the action, darkening into an indigo storm. “If you’ve changed your mind about that...”His voice drops, a rasp curling at the edges.“Maybe I can change your mind about a few other things.”
I quirk a brow.“Like sleep play?”
