Our scents coated the room: Chocolate and sugar cookies. A perfect combination. Each of my movements required crazy effort, but there was something I had to do before I let myself pass out.
I hadn’t claimed Sinclair.
Enough time had passed and as much as he tried to hide it, he struggled. I rolled onto my knees and hoisted myself upright.
“I’ll be back,” Kyan mumbled, dragging himself off the bed. Sinclair tossed his arms out, his chest heaving and a blankettangled with his legs. Elias lay on his back across the other edge of the mattress.
The sound of the shower turned on.
Slowly, I crawled between Sinclair’s legs and dropped on his chest. He kept his eyes closed, but a smile spread on his mouth.
“Gimme a moment, sweets, and I’ll be ready for you,” he mumbled.
I snorted. “I really doubt that.”
His smile widened.
I ran my hands over his hard chest and lowered my cheek, rubbing against his silky skin. A rumbling purr vibrated his chest and butterflies exploded in my stomach. I inched higher, nuzzling into his skin until I kissed the little divot between his neck and shoulder.
Not letting myself think about it longer, I sank my teeth in, claiming him back.
Sinclair gasped, the line of his body going taut. I bit down harder and blood coated my tongue. The final layer of warmth flooded outward from my chest. An intangible binding to each of them. Slowly, I retreated and kissed the spot.
The restless sensation in my gut finally settled. Everything was complete and right.
Elias exhaled in a rush. I hadn’t realized their pack bond was also feeling the effect.
Sinclair’s breathing had become jagged and disjointed. “Thank you,” he whispered. He clasped my head and littered kisses all over my face. “I love you.” Kiss. “So bloody much.” Another kiss.
His arms wound around my back, squeezing me tight in his arms. Exhaling, he shuddered.
I stifled a yawn against his chest.
“Get some rest, sweets,” he murmured gruffly, rubbing my bare back in soothing caresses.
I lay on his chest, dozing. The shower shut off and Kyan padded back into the room. So much had happened to me. To them. All around it had been a shit show to bring us to here, but experiences made them who they were. There had been small hints of their past, but there were a few pieces that were still confusing to me.
“Can I ask a few questions . . . about Jennifer?”
He stopped breathing, and a spike of fear slid through the bond. I smoothed my hand on his chest, dragging them to his sternum. I lifted my head to prop my chin on top.
“Ask your questions,” he muttered gruffly.
I was well aware that Elias and Kyan were listening.
“This . . . Jennifer, took you in after your parents died. Where does Elias come in? Does that mean it was just you and Kyan?”
“It was just Kyan and me with her for a few years before she adopted Elias.”
“So before you arrived, it was just Kyan?”
Sinclair’s breathing bounced me on his chest.
“Yes.”
“Kyan, did she hurt you?” I didn’t have the strength to look at him. I hoped he’d say no, that it only began with Sinclair.
The bed dipped and I forced myself to push out of Sinclair’s embrace. I sat on my ass and tugged a pillow to my chest as I leaned back against Sinclair’s thigh so I could see Kyan and Elias better.
