That pulled something taut in the space between us. Roman’s usual smirk softened; Lev’s hand tightened on my shoulder. Dmitri’s expression didn’t change much, but his eyes did.
He reached out, his fingers brushing along my jaw in the lightest touch. “Then we’ll make sure you never forget how it feels.”
Lev leaned in, his voice low near my ear. “We see you, Kara. Every sharp edge, every soft bit you try to hide.”
Roman stepped closer on my other side, his voice a rough murmur. “And we’re not scared of any of it.”
The words hit deep. No one had ever spoken to me like that, not like I was fragile, not like I was dangerous, but like I was both and they wanted all of me anyway.
Dmitri’s hand slid from my jaw to the back of my neck, his thumb resting just beneath my hairline. “You don’t have to be strong all the time.”
“I don’t know how to be anything else,” I whispered.
He smiled faintly. “Then we’ll teach you what it’s like to let yourself be taken care of, even if just for a little while.”
Lev smoothed his hands over my shoulders and down my arms, grounding me. “You’re stuck with us now.”
Roman grinned, that glint of mischief returning. “She’s probably taking mental notes for her escape plan.”
I laughed, shaking my head.
Roman leaned down and kissed my forehead, lingering for just a heartbeat longer than necessary. “For the record,” he murmured, “I love you, Kara. I’ve probably been halfway in love with you since the second you walked into that bar.”
Lev exhaled, his voice a quiet rumble against my shoulder. “I love you too,” he said simply. “I have for a long, long time, ever since boarding school when you were the one to kiss me first.”
I looked up at him, and the warmth in his eyes undid me completely.
Dmitri didn’t rush to speak. When he finally did, his words were steady and sure. “I don’t fall easily,” he spoke quietly. “I’ve spent my entire life avoiding it. But you… you made it feel inevitable. I love you too, baby girl.”
I swallowed hard, heart hammering. “I don’t know how it happened. I don’t even think I realized it was happening until I realized I didn’t want to stop it. I just… fell for you guys too. I love you too. Allthreeof you.”
I looked at the three of them—at the man who made me laugh when I shouldn’t, at the man who steadied me when I shook, and at the man who saw me when no one else did—and for once, I didn’t feel torn between them.
I felt whole.
“I’m yours,” I whispered.
“Ours,” the three of them echoed together.
Roman moved first. One warm hand cupped my jaw, the rough pad of his thumb tracing the corner of my mouth before he leaned in. His kiss was soft, the kind that made the world narrow to a single heartbeat. When he drew back, his smile was small and genuine, stripped of its usual swagger.
Lev was next. He didn’t say a word. He just moved in front of me and slid his hand around the back of my neck, pressing his forehead to mine for a moment before kissing me. His lips lingered like he was memorizing the feel of me, and when he finally pulled away, the air around us felt different, quieter.
Dmitri stepped in front of me last. He didn’t rush. He touched my chin, tilting my face up until his eyes met mine. “You’re sure about this?” he asked softly.
I nodded, my breath catching. “Completely.”
His mouth brushed mine, a whisper of warmth that deepened just enough to steal my breath. It was controlled—just like everything he did—but beneath that control was something untamed that shook me to my core.
When he released me, he stepped back and all three of them were looking at me like a group of pack of hungry wolves eyeing their prey.
Roman’s lips curved into a slow, wicked grin. “Alright, boys,” he said, his voice an intimately seductive rumble. “Let’s show her just how much we mean that.”
He scooped me up before I could react, lifting me effortlessly into his arms. I let out a startled laugh, my arms wrapping around his neck. “Roman, what are you doing?”
“Taking you to bed, Kara-with-a-K,” he smirked, his eyes dancing with mischief. “Unless, of course, you’d rather go back to the shakshuka.”
Lev followed, his steps silent, but his eyes burned with that possessive heat that made my skin tingle. “I think she’s had enough to eat for now.”
