“Revea Monroe,” she reads quietly. She turns it. “Shear Instinct.”
For a second, she doesn’t speak.
Sylvan shifts slightly beside her. “They’re Japanese steel dipped in rose-tinted dye,” he says, like that explains everything. “Hand-forged. I reviewed twelve manufacturersbefore selecting those. The balance should reduce strain over prolonged use.”
Her expression softens, something deeper settling behind her eyes. My hand tightens around her ankle.
“My dad, Shea, bought me my first pair of shears…” she says quietly, and the bond spikes. “It was one of the last things he ever bought me…”
Kaiden looks between us. “We’re sorry, Revea, we didn’t know—”
“No,” she cuts in, raising her shimmering gaze to meet ours. “This is… They’re…”
She studies them again, fingers slipping into the finger holes that seem perfectly moulded for her. I’ve no doubt they are.
Sylvan studies her hands. “Do you want to try them?”
She smiles. “What, right now?”
“You’ve cut Kaiden’s hair,” he continues, like he’s following a perfectly logical thread. “I’ve been growing mine out. So have Luc and Val.”
“Thanks, Syl,” Luc mutters dryly.
Her gaze flicks between us, taking it in properly now. “You’ve all been growing it out? Why? I thought you preferred buzz cuts?”
“We did,” Luc says, with a casual shrug. “Until we realised longer hair means a longer haircut.”
“And more time with your hands on us,” I add in a murmur against her shin.
“You grew your hair out forme?” A quiet laugh slips from her, her head tilting as she looks between us. Her hand lifts, fingers brushing through Luc’s hair as a soft smile forms. “That’s… really sweet.”
He tilts his head into her touch. I find myself shifting up the mattress.
“Okay.” Her fingers slip away. “I’ll cut it, but not in here, not now… After?”
Sylvan nods but his eyes are locked on the hand that just ran through Luc’s hair. Mine too.
“Sí, please,” Luc says, gaze fixed on her face in what I can only describe as admiration.
“After,” I murmur as a steady heat settles in the bond.
Revea’s heat may be over, but she’s accepted our courting gift, and she’s still here, making plans forafter.
She settles back against Kaiden once more, fingers running over the shears while Luciano continues his whispered rendition of the film I haven’t watched in years.
Not since our mamá passed away. But something similar settles in my chest. A feeling of warmth, of safety.
Of home.
Revea
On the seventh day, we finally leave the nest. I try not to make a big deal of it, but an ache blooms in my chest when I step out.
I’m carried straight to the kitchen where Luc’s preparing food, swaying his hips to Spanish music. Sylvan’s checking things on his laptop, and Val’s soon scooping food into my mouth while I’m sitting on Kaiden’s lap.
It’s pretty perfect.
But then the air hums, and all heads turn to… Sylvan.
