Then Dane materializes from nowhere, reaching between us to snatch the toast from the toaster. He takes a huge bite, crumbs falling as he chews slowly.
“Thanks,” he says, his voice flat but his pale eyes knowing.
Diego and I stare at him, then at each other. Diego’s eyes are black with want, his pupils blown so wide there’s barely any irisleft. I can feel his heart hammering against my back, his arousal pressing insistently against my lower back.
I step away from Diego, my legs embarrassingly unsteady. My entire body is still humming with unfulfilled need, the ghost of his hands lingering on my skin.
“I need... coffee,” I manage, moving toward the fancy machine on the counter.
“I’ll make it,” Diego says, his voice still rough. As he passes behind me, he leans in close, his lips barely brushing my ear. “This isn’t over, cariño. Not even close.”
The promise in his voice sends another shiver down my spine. I can feel Dane watching us, his expression unreadable, but his eyes tracking every movement.
“I’ll be in the gym,” Dane says finally, dropping the rest of his toast on a plate. “Some of us need to work off... excess energy.”
His gaze lingers on me for a beat too long before he turns and leaves the kitchen, his broad shoulders tense under his tight t-shirt.
Diego moves around the kitchen, grinding beans and preparing the coffee machine. I watch him, trying to ignore the persistent throb between my thighs and the way my body still yearns for his touch.
“Do you regret it?” he asks suddenly, his back to me as he measures coffee grounds.
“Regret what?”
“The claiming.” He turns to face me, his expression serious now. “The bond.”
I swallow hard, my hand automatically rising to touch the marks on my neck. “I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “It’s all happening so fast.”
He nods, stepping closer again. This time, there’s no heat in his approach, just a gentle concern that makes my chest tighten in a completely different way.
“Too fast,” he agrees softly. “We should have courted you properly. Slowly. Given you time to know us.” His fingers brushmine, just the lightest touch. “But the moment we met you... It wasn’t a choice. It was a recognition.”
I frown. “Recognition of what?”
There’s an unwavering certainty in his eyes as he looks at me. “That you were the missing piece,” he says, his voice a low, rough growl. “The quiet in the noise. The thing our alphas have been hunting for, for years.”
The raw, possessive sincerity in his voice steals my breath.
This isn’t a man talking about a convenient cure for a headache.
This is the language of destiny.
But this was just an arrangement. A temporary situation while I helped them with their static thing, and they protected me from whoever vandalized the gallery.
“Diego...” I start, not sure what I’m going to say.
The coffee machine lets out a loud hiss, cutting me off. Diego smiles, a soft, sad thing that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Saved by the bell again, no?”
He turns back to the machine, and I’m left with the feeling that I’ve somehow disappointed him. That I’ve failed some test I didn’t know I was taking.
The smell of fresh coffee fills the kitchen. Diego grabs a mug from the cabinet and places it on the counter. He fills it with the dark, fragrant coffee and pushes it toward me.
A peace offering. An apology. A silent acknowledgment of the conversation we almost had.
I wrap my hands around the warm ceramic, the gesture feeling strangely intimate. “Thank you,” I whisper.
He just nods, his back still to me as he begins to wipe down the already spotless counter.
I’m just lifting the mug to my lips, the rich aroma filling my senses, when a sharp, insistent buzzing sound cuts through the quiet kitchen.
