"Fritz," I warned.
"What? I'm not jealous. Much."
Minutes later, Presley, came back on the screen.
"How did our Frenchman treat you last night. Did he take good care of you?" Fritz asked.
"Oh my God," Presley's voice was muffled. "Can we not talk about this?"
"We absolutely can talk about this," Fritz said. "I need details. Was he gentle? Thorough? Did he—"
"Fritz.” My temperature was hitting boiling point. I was about to explode.
He held up his hands in surrender, but he was still grinning.
I forced my attention back to Presley. She was back sitting on Etienne's lap, her face still flushed, but there was something else in her eyes now. Vulnerability. Uncertainty.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Fine!" Her voice pitched too high. "Great! Everything's good!"
Etienne's hand moved in slow circles on her hip. His eyes, though, were assessing. "I think her heat might slow now she's been knotted. Sometimes that happens."
"Sometimes," I agreed. But not always. And if it didn't slow, if it accelerated instead—
I pushed the thought away.
"Leave her alone now, Etienne," I said. "Don't wear her out."
"We're just cooking," Etienne protested. "See? Food." He gestured at the kitchen behind them, at the pots on the stove and the vegetables on the cutting board. "Very innocent."
"With you, nothing is innocent."
"Fair point."
Presley shifted on his lap, and I watched her wince slightly. Etienne noticed too. His hand tightened on her hip, steadying her.
Something in my chest tightened.
"Presley," I said, waiting until she looked at me again. "If your heat kicks in before we get back, remember something for me."
"What?"
"You're not just a vessel. You're not just an arrangement." The words felt strange, but I forced them out anyway. "You're ours. And we take care of what's ours. All of us. That means Etienne will look after you until Fritz and I get home. And then we all will. Together."
Her eyes widened. Her lips parted like she wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
I'd surprised her. Hell, I'd surprised myself.
Fritz's hand landed on my shoulder, a silent acknowledgment that he agreed.
"We'll be home soon," I added, gentler now. "Just hold on a little longer."
She nodded, her throat working.
I disconnected the call before I could say something else I wasn't ready to say.
The screen went dark.
