The phone buzzes almost instantly in her hand with his reply. I glance down and, sure enough, a message from Ronan:All good. I’m fine. Just need some space.
It grates on me more than I want to admit that he’s leaving me on read but answering her in seconds. I’ve texted him a dozen times tonight. Not a single reply. But for her? Instant. Still, I push it down. At least he’s talking to someone.
She types again, eyes narrowed. “I’m video calling him soon. He better answer.” She threatens as she types those words.
A salute emoji comes through in response, and she laughs. That quiet, breathy giggle that makes my chest ache in the best way.
“I’m glad he’s got you,” I say before I can stop myself. “When he can’t come to us... at least he’s got you.”
She blushes, ducking her head just enough to hide behind that fall of hair, but I see the smile tug at her lips. “Thanks, Ro.”
I tilt her chin up, coaxing her eyes to meet mine. There’s something about the way she looks at me—steady, soft, but strong—that always hits me like a punch to the chest. “I mean it, Berk,” I whisper, my voice rough with sincerity. “Reign and I might share blood with Ronan—we’re part of his triplet, bound by biology—but you...” I pause, making sure she’s really hearing me. “You have a part of him no one else does. Something untouchable. And I’m more than thankful you know how to handle him in that special Ronan way.” A smile teases at the corner of my lips, and I chuckle, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She always smells of something soft—vanilla, maybe—and warmth. Familiar and comforting in a way nothing else in my life is. I lean in, slow and deliberate, brushing my lips against hers.
Her hands slide up my chest, fingers curling lightly in my shirt like she doesn’t want to let go. I catch them, holding them between us for a heartbeat before letting mine drift into her hair, threading through those strands like they’re made just for me. I deepen the kiss, not rushed, just present—like we’ve got all the time in the world.
She lets out the sweetest sigh, the kind that makes my stomach flip in the best way, and gently steps back. Her lips are pink, slightly swollen from our kiss, and her smile is enough to undo me all over again.
“I was just about to cook something for dinner,” she says, her voice light but inviting. “You hungry? Want to join me?”
“Only if I get to help,” I murmur, still close enough to feel her breath.
She gives me an evil smirk. “It has to be edible,” she warns, because I can’t cook to save my life.
We settle on tacos for dinner—easy, delicious, and messy enough to distract us from heavier thoughts. Berk pulls out ingredients while I handle the stove, and before long, the kitchen smells like sizzling meat and seasoned perfection. She hums while she preps, occasionally bumping into me on purpose just to steal a kiss or swipe a tortilla. I let her get away with both.
Once we’ve eaten our fill and cleaned up, we collapse onto the couch, her tucked under my arm like she’s always belonged there. The movie plays in the background—something light we won’t get too invested in—but she keeps glancing at her phone, biting her lip.
She doesn’t say it, but I know she’s worried about Ronan.
So, when she finally taps the screen and calls him, I don’t protest.
He answers after a couple of rings, and his face fills the screen. Well, not his face exactly—mostly darkness and chaos. The background’s pitch black, and I can hear muffled noises behind him. Voices, maybe. Movement. Whatever he’s doing, it’s definitely not chilling at home watching a movie.
Berk shifts so I can see over her shoulder, and my eyes narrow as I study the screen.Where are you?I don’t ask it outloud, but the question’s written all over my face. My glare is sharp, cutting, a silent message: You’re not hiding anything from me, brother. I know your tricks.
Ronan must feel it, because he shifts the camera just slightly, angling it more toward his face. His expression is wide-eyed and innocent—if you’d believe it. Which I don’t. Not for a fucking second. But Berk... she softens.
“You good?” she asks gently, concern in every word.
“I’m fine,” he says, brushing it off with a grunt. “Just pissed. Needed to blow off some steam.”
His tone’s clipped but calm enough to satisfy her. She sighs, nods, and tells him to be safe. He gives her a salute and a half-smile that’s meant to reassure.
I keep my mouth shut, even though every instinct in me is screaming that he’s up to something.
But I let it slide. Not because I believe him—but because she does. And right now, that’s what matters. Her trust. His space.
I pull her in tighter, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as I murmur toward the screen, “Let me know when you get home tonight, alright?”
He nods, and the call ends—but I already know the truth. I’ll be checking anyway.
Berk’s fingers thread between mine as the call ends. Her forehead rests against my shoulder for a beat, her voice quiet and full of that soft kind of worry for him. “I’m really worried abouthim,” she whispers. “Promise me you’ll look out for him when he gets home tonight?”
I nod without hesitation, the weight of her words settling deep in my chest. “Promise,” I say, tilting her chin until our eyes lock. “I’d do anything for Ronan—you know that. He’s my brother. My blood.” I pause, letting my thumb brush her jaw, voice dropping lower. “But becauseyou’rethe one asking?” I shake my head softly. “That makes it a vow. I’ll look after him, Berk. No matter what.”
Her breath catches just a little—barely enough to notice, but I feel it. Like a ripple in still water. I kiss her then, slow and tender, but there’s a need, something deeper clawing to the surface. My hands slide to her hips, fingers tightening just enough to pull her flush against me.
Her softness settles against me as if we were shaped to fit together, like she’s the part of me I’ve always been missing. My pulse pounds as her lips part under mine, her sigh feathering against my mouth, sending heat straight through my chest. I deepen the kiss, one hand rising to cradle the back of her neck while the other keeps her close, unable to let go.
