They don’t move an inch.
“I’m sorry I haven’t always been very… forthcoming. And I’m really sorry you’re having to deal with allthis.”I huff out a quiet laugh. “Remember when I said I was worried you’d affectmybusiness? And now here I am affecting yours.”
Kaiden opens his mouth, but I lift a hand. He stops.
“I just want to say thank you. Truly, thank you.” I look to each of them. “I freaked out, needed a minute to get my head on straight. But now, I’m ready.” I nod.
“And although a trip to Spain sounds incredible…” I nearly groan at the thought. “Maybe not right now? I don’t want people thinking I’m a coward. If I have this power, even for just a small amount of time, I want to use it.”
I managed to keep eye contact throughout, but now it drops to my hands.
“I know I can be difficult. Stubborn. A bit of a bi—”
There’s a hissed Spanish word as Luc leans forward and covers my hand with his.
“Mami, para,” he murmurs as I look at him. “Don’tevercall yourself that again.” His command runs straight through me, not a bark, but that dark expression of his is all I need.
“I’m nearly done, I swear.” I swallow. “You never signed up for this, for what happened to me, but now… I’m here, in your home.”
The nest flashes back into my mind, and my chest tightens.
“My brothers asked me to stay with them, but that’s not happening now people know where they live… And you’ve clearly built this place with a lot of thought and love. I don’t want to risk anyone finding it, so if I could just stay tonight and then tomorrow—”
“Revea, you’re staying,” Kaiden says, almost an order. “This is a secure house. You’ll be safe here for as long as you need.”
I try to smile, but it doesn’t sit right.
They didn’t really choose to bring me here; it was forced upon them. There was nowhere else I could stay. And now I’m here, putting it at risk.
“I was going to ask my brother about a safehouse. I’m sure they have—”
“They’re not safe,” Sylvan interrupts, brows deeply furrowed. “Why don’t you want to stay? I don’t understand. Did we do something wrong?”
I hate the way Sylvan looks right now, like he’s already blaming himself for something.
“No, Sylvan. No. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
He doesn’t believe me, that expression morphing back into masked composure, and my chest aches.
“I found the nest,” I blurt. “I didn’t go inside,” I add in a panic. “I just… looked.”
There’s an incredibly still moment, each man glancing at one another.
For once, Sylvan doesn’t look the most confused.
“And…?” Luc finally says.
“It looked…” I pause. “Untouched.”
Luc frowns, Kaiden’s brows bunch, Val looks to Sylvan, who simply blinks.
One slow breath out. “I’ve practically forced myself on you. You’ve built this gorgeous home with a beautiful nest in the centre—there isn’t even a hint of another scent here besides yours. You were saving this place.”
“You don’t like that the nest is untouched…” Sylvan slowly repeats, ignoring everything else I’ve said.
I sigh. “Yes, Sylvan.”
“I could fuck your scent into that instead of my bed. Would that help?”
