Then I felt it, a shift in the air.
I opened my eyes and turned to the right.
Holding a thick blanket as well as two robes folded over his forearm, Reo headed in and his entrance was quiet.
Hiro stepped in next.
Huh?
I raised my eyebrows.
What happened?
Today, they wore all black—heavy boots laced tight, tactical pants with reinforced knees, and long-sleeve shirts.
I looked back at the boots and tensed.
A single white petal clung to the toe of Reo's boot. My chest seized as I stared at it. The petal was small and curved. It could have come from any flower on the island. However, my body didn't care as it remembered the dream.
No. That’s nothing.
I looked at my brother.
Hiro had a lollipop in his mouth, the stick tilted between his lips.
My hands went still.
Soon, they stopped by us.
Reo immediately covered my Tiger with a blanket, although not before Hiro got a quick glance at her bare ass.
Careful, brother.
Hiro smirked and pulled out the lollipop. It was black.
Fuck.
Nyomi stirred against my chest. Then her fingers flexed on my ribs and went still. I felt the shift in her breathing. She was waking up, but she wasn't moving yet. She was listening.
Smart.
I kept my eyes on Reo's face. His expression looked carved from stone, but I could see the tightness around his mouth. The way his jaw worked like he was biting back words.
He was definitely upset.
While he’d known I had talked to Hiroko, he never knew what the surprise was going to deal with.
Reo took in the space. The stone slab. The equipment in the corner. The scent of smoke and sex. His hand closed into a fist at his side. Then opened. I watched him swallow whatever he wanted to say.
The line of his jaw twitched.
I yawned and then kissed my Tiger’s forehead. “Wake up, Tora. We have company.”
She stirred a little and then lifted her head. Her thick braids slid across my shoulder as she looked at Reo, then Hiro, and then back to me. Her body tensed against mine. She was reading their posture, assessing their hands, and taking in the combat gear.
As always, my Tiger is smart.
Pride moved through my chest. She was definitely learning our world.
