"Is that even possible?" I whisper.
"I don't know," he answers honestly. "But I know that what I feel for you is too important to let fear dictate my actions anymore. And what I feel for them, my brothers, is too deep to sacrifice for anything."
He kisses me again, slower this time, deeper. When we part, he rests his forehead against mine. "We'll figure it out. Together."
As I curl against him, his heartbeat strong and steady beneath my ear, I feel something unfamiliar unfurling inside me. Not just desire or affection, but hope. Real, fragile, beautiful hope.
For the first time in longer than I can remember, I allow myself to believe that maybe, just maybe, I can have what I truly want. Not a piece of a life, but the whole. Not fragments of love, but its entirety.
No more hiding. No more secrets. No more fear.
Tonight, wrapped in Ethan's arms, I feel safer than I've ever been. And as sleep claims me, one last thought drifts through my mind: I'm falling in love with him. And I think, just maybe, he's falling for me too.
28
JADE
The soft click of my camera's memory card sliding into the reader is oddly satisfying. Small, tangible, certain. Unlike everything else in my life right now.
Morning light streams through the high windows of my studio, casting golden rectangles across the polished concrete floor. I sip my coffee, watching as the photos from Skid Row begin to populate my editing software. Maria's weathered face. Walter with his dog. Beth's dignified stare directly into the lens.
But my mind isn't on the images. It's on last night.
Ethan.
I close my eyes, letting the memories wash over me. His hands on my skin. His mouth finding places I didn't know could feel such pleasure. The way he'd looked at me afterward, like I was something precious, something worth protecting not because it was his job but because he couldn't bear the thought of a world without me in it.
I'd woken this morning still wrapped in his arms, his chest warm against my back, his breath stirring my hair. When he felt me stir, his arms tightened, and he pressed his lips to my shoulder.
"Morning," he'd murmured, his voice rough with sleep.
I'd turned in his embrace, finding his mouth with mine. What followed was slower than the night before. Gentler. No less intense, but with a tenderness that had brought tears to my eyes.
Afterward, as we lay tangled together, his phone buzzed. The detective handling my case, wanting to meet to tie up loose ends. Ethan had been reluctant to leave, but duty called. Always duty.
"I'll be back soon, we'll talk then," he'd promised, pressing one last kiss to my forehead before dressing and slipping out.
Now, hours later, I'm still floating in the aftermath, both physically and emotionally. But questions circle like vultures at the edges of my contentment.
What happens next? Where do we go from here?
And what about Declan and Mateo?
The thought of them brings a fresh wave of confusion. What I feel for Ethan is real, powerful. But it doesn't diminish what I feel for the others. Different, yes. Each connection is as unique as the men themselves, but no less real. No lesspowerful.
A knock at the studio door pulls me from my thoughts. Three sharp raps. Decisive. Unmistakable.
"Come in," I call, spinning my chair away from the computer.
Declan fills the doorway, his massive frame seeming almost too large for the space. He's dressed casually today. Worn jeans and a simple gray t-shirt that stretches across his broad shoulders. His expression is its usual stoic mask, but there's something in his eyes. Something I can't quite read.
"Morning," he says, the single word carrying the weight of his deep voice.
"Morning." I smile, hoping the heat I feel in my cheeks isn't visible. Does he know about Ethan and me? Has Ethan told him? The thought sends panic fluttering through my chest.
He shifts his weight, and I realize he's nervous. The knowledge is startling. I've seen Declan face down would-be attackers without flinching. What could possibly make him nervous around me?
"I wanted to talk to you about something," he says, his eyes meeting mine briefly before sliding away. "Now that the threat has been neutralized, there's still one thing you need to do to feel safe again."
