Page 122 of My Undead Love Life

KEITH

“Itold you,” I murmured against her lips.

Her breath was warm despite the cold air, and I felt a tiny tremble that moved through her as I held her face between my hands. I had dreamed about touching her again so many times that actually doing it made my chest hurt.

After weeks of following scraps of hope through frozen streets, blood trails, abandoned buildings, and claw marks left in metal, I had her back in my arms.

She blinked up at me, her cute nose crinkling with confusion. “What⁠—”

“I told you not to torture yourself.”

Her brows pinched together, and I brushed my thumb along her cheek. Her eyes were such a beautiful brown.

“Sit around waiting for me,” I clarified. The words hurt coming out, but I meant them. I had meant them when I’d told her before everything went to hell. I meant them now, even with my hands shaking against her face and my heart trying to crawl out of my chest just to get closer to her.

“I wanted you to find something. Someone.” My voice caught for half a second. I swallowed it down and smiled at her because if I didn’t, I might break down. “I just didn’t think I’d get lucky enough to still be here for it. I’m just so fucking happy I still get to love you, wildflower.”

Her eyes filled with tears again.

Behind us, I heard a subtle exhale from the others.

I glanced over my girl’s shoulder at them, taking in the three men who had clearly become more than strangers to her. The blond one with the shovel looked like he was trying very hard to disappear into the wall. The one with the cane sword watched me with sharp green eyes and a tension in his jaw that told me he was ready for this to go badly. The big one with the axe stood there staring at me like he thought I’d take her away.

Mad, Oxi, and Luck. I was going to have to get used to their names.

Then, my gaze shifted past them toward the door. Outside the door were the bodies of two others who had been attacked by an undead leopard. I hadn’t known them, but I had heard enough in the panicked aftermath to understand they had been with Spencer’s group. They had followed them here.

I was so fucking thankful I arrived in time to save Spencer.

“So,” I murmured, keeping my voice careful. “How close are the four of you?”

“Oh my God,” the blond, Luck, muttered under his breath.

Mad dragged his free hand down his face. “Here we go.”

Spencer winced but didn’t look away from me. “I’m not going to lie to you.”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “I’d rather you didn’t.”

Her throat bobbed. “We’ve been…physical.”

The words landed exactly how I expected them to and still knocked the air around inside my ribs.

Physical.

I glanced at the three of them again. The blond looked like he wanted to apologize and combust at the same time. Oxi’s mouth had gone flat. Mad just stood there with his arms crossed, face unreadable except for the tightness around his eyes.

“Physical,” I repeated, trying to imagine it. “All of you?”

Oxi coughed awkwardly into his hand. Luck shrugged, looking down at the floor. Mad tossed his axe down within reach and crossed his arms tighter.

My eyes narrowed slightly. I wasn’t angry. I had no right to be angry that she’d survived grief in whatever way she could. I had told her not to wait for me. But knowing something in theory was a hell of a lot easier than standing in a freezing warehouse after almost watching an undead leopard tear her apart and realizing three men had touched the woman I loved while I was clawing my way back to her.

“Okay,” I said slowly. “Follow-up question. Did you use protection?”

Spencer’s lips parted.

A pause.