“Dare! What the fuck? Actually, Kai is on the line, so either of you could answer why you’re in my house!”
“It’s Kai’s day,” Darius says, not seeing what the issue is. “And I was okay with that, but the chopper thing got me. Then I find out that Ram might be getting to meet Allan, which if you think about it, it’s not exactly fair. Like Kai and I didn’t even get to put our hand up to go with you to meet him. It’s not really how it should work. All opportunities and time with you should be even.”
“Kai?” The phone is quiet because he’s hung up. I’d put money on him knocking on my door in under a minute.
I throw both my hands up this time. “You guys are clearly having a hard time remembering I didn’t want to see you. I’m going to shower. Sort this shit out!”
In my mind, storming away makes a tonne of sense. And it’s a crap load easier than arguing with these two, soon to be three. My shower is quick, getting dressed seems to happen just as fast and I’m finishing tying my hair back when I open the door to where I left the triplets.
They jump to their feet. And damn them again, they’re all dressed in black dress pants and shirts like they did when they made my star-filled night back at their house. Darius breaks out of the mould by wearing a pair of Vans, but the other two are near perfect replicas of each other.
But the shower gave me the chance to remove more of the emotion and confusion of not knowing what to do. Some of it, not all of it.
“I don’t really have time for this,” I start, keeping my voice nice and mellow before I share with them my truth. “I don’t know how to do this.”
They all take a step forward, but seeing each other do it, they stop. It’s endearing and overwhelming. They don’t put the brakes on their scent, each of them using their perfume as a way to reach and comfort me. And I let it.
“Do what?” Kai says, taking the lead. His eyes are full of concern and compassion, and he’s not being hesitant, only stopping when he’s in front of me looking ready to cuddle.
“Us,” I say quietly defeated, walking into his arms.
Sometimes all you need is a hug. Or a knife. But as angry as I am with them, I’m ninety-nine percent sure I’d never do anything to actually hurt them.
“We were being pushy, so push back,” Darius says, interrupting my internal thoughts. He says it like it’s simple to understand, and I open my eyes and twist my head to look at him as I stay in Kai’s reassuring hug.
“How do we do this? Allan is only part of it. How do we do us if there is an us in the real world?”
Ramses steps into view next to Darius. “We can use the guise of Pack Alastor if needed.”
“I don’t want to lie to Allan, either! What about my Scorned Girls? I couldn’t do that to them.”
“Fine, then you choose who gets to meet all of us,” Darius says again. “Same as who you tell we’re a part of The Phoenix Group, Heidi. It’s inevitable some people know, and we’ll be fine. I promise.”
“Dare, the real world has an issue with triplets. And what about when people find out who you’re related to? And when I say people, I obviously mean the people on the Board or the shareholders. Any of those people will parade you around as my big bad before they use anything related to you as a way to remove me from Verdune. And then everything I want is gone!”
All the noise in the room vacuums out.
Before Darius breaks it. “Halle-fucking-lujah, little moon! You finally admitted you still want us.” He finishes off with a triumphant purr, his eyes glittering iridescent to match his happiness.
“Don’t push me, Darius,” I growl, laugh, scowl… before turning away from looking at him. A flood of all the same emotions he’s feeling rushes through my system.
Kai does a great job of steering me back from another emotional cliff plunge. “How often does your dad come visiting?”
“Never. He does his thing, I do mine. There’s nothing wrong between us, it’s just the way we’ve always been,” I say, sinking into a calmer place in his arms, letting his scent do its magic too.
“So for him to be here, perhaps it’s something big,” he says, turning my head gently so he can see me.
“Probably.”
Kai’s thumb rubs over what I assume is a giant puffy bag under my eye, and I pull away from his touch. “I just missed you. You look perfect by the way.”
Before I can say a word, he spins us so we’re both facing his brothers again.
Darius is still smiling like he won the lotto, while Ramses is pacing. “Back to Allan visiting. He’s either here because of your announcement you’re packing Pack Lowly? Or could it be do with your appearance at Verdune?”
“Probably. Or my dismissal of my old security team. Or… “
Darius interrupts, still refusing to move past what he perceives to be the issue. “All that aside, if we hadn’t been complete assholes and fucked up, would you want us to meet him?”
