I manage a dazed nod, still floating in the haze of aftershocks. My voice is a rasp when I tease, "Remind me to be more careful about what I ask for next time."
Asher smirks, that quiet pride in his eyes. "You ask. We deliver."
Kayden lets out a low chuckle. "Don't betoocareful, though. I want to walk you down the darkest paths you imagine in that pretty head of yours."
The promise sends a shiver through me, even though I'm too spent to answer. I melt deeper into them, letting the words linger.
They move with a gentleness that makes me ache in a whole new way—lifting me, carrying me to the bathroom. The water is warm, the touches slow and unhurried. They wash me together,hands careful, turning the act into something that feels more like ritual than routine. Every stroke of cloth against my skin grounds and soothes me.
By the time they carry me back to bed, I'm barely conscious. I sink into the sheets, weightless, with Kayden curling against my back and Asher pressing close at my front. The world narrows to their warmth, their scent, the steady beat of their hearts against me.
I don't remember closing my eyes, only the sense of being held and safe as sleep pulls me under.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sage
I know it's going to be a storm before I ask.
Kayden freezes mid-step, hair a tousled mess, sweats hanging loose on his hips, bare chest still carrying the heat of sleep. The classic morning Kayden, except now his eyes narrow.
"I hope you're joking. I really do, wifey."
I set down my coffee mug, steadying my breath, and look at both of them. "I mean it."
Asher's hand tightens around the pan as he slides scrambled eggs onto my plate. He's dressed neat as always, but his jaw ticks hard.
"Look," I say carefully, "I can't stay cooped up here for however long this lasts. Darius is playing a long game, cozying up to the town. He's not going to risk everything by snatching me fromCole's. You can take me there yourselves, bring me back safe."
Kayden barks a laugh sharp enough to cut. "Safe? Sure. Sure. Totally appropriate to serve yourself up on a silver platter to Darius and his merry band of sadists. For what? A couple bucks in tips? To prove you're some independent woman who doesn't need us? What the fuck is this about, Sage?"
I keep calm. I'd braced for this.
Asher sets the pan down, his voice cool. "Bar's public. Too many angles of attack. All he needs is one opening—when you go to the back for supplies, or step outside—and you're gone. Darius has resources to take you anywhere in the world. We won't know where to look."
I meet his eyes. "It's not about money. Or independence. It's about showing we're not cowering. Not afraid."
"There's bravado," Kayden snaps, "and then there's just being stupid."
"You'd know," I mutter, stabbing my fork into the eggs harder than necessary.
Kayden lets out a harsh laugh, but his voice softens when he adds, "Exactly. I know. I'm the king of stupid. I get staked, shot, blown to hell. That's me. But I don't want that happening to you."
"Why, Sage?" Asher's voice cuts in, quieter, but heavier. His arms fold across his chest as he plants himself behind the counter, shoulder to shoulder with his brother. "Why is it so important?"
I rub my temples, my frustration simmering. "Because I don't want to be some princess locked in a castle. I told you. Maybe it isn't safe, but it's not unreasonable either. I can't live the rest of my life staring at four walls. I need a little piece of normality. Winston and Jace will be there. They'll keep an eye on me."
"They can't protect you," Asher says, final and immovable.
The words hang heavy between us, and I feel the guilt curl tighter in my stomach. He's not wrong. He never is when it comes to strategy. And Kayden, beneath all the sharp edges and snarling, isn't wrong either. They want me safe. They'd burn the whole damn world to keep me that way.
But they don't know what I promised Darius. What I'm planning.
I force myself to meet their eyes even as the lie presses heavy against my chest. "I'm not saying I'll be careless. I just can't keep hiding here."
Kayden throws his hands up, pacing. "Hiding? You call this hiding? You've got two vampires at your side twenty-four-seven, sunshine. Tending to your every need. We've got a nature barrier, the safest house in this fucking town. That's not hiding, that's basically a honeymoon resort."
My fork scrapes against the plate. "I know. I appreciate everything you do for me, but it's starting to feel suffocating."
