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Lucas shifts, apparently uncomfortable. "Is this really the time?"
I scowl at him, pulling the blanket tighter around me. I still feel cold, like I'm laying on that concrete floor, chilled to the bone. "If what I've been through has taught me anything, it's that now is always the time."
Antonio sits down next to me and takes my hand in his. "We understand what you're saying," he says, his voice low and gentle. "But we've talked about this before. It's not that simple. We all care for you deeply, but we... have too much history, the three of us."
Lucas, Xavier, and Antonio exchange uncertain glances.
I know he's right, but it still doesn't make things any easier. I bite my lip and stare down at our entwined fingers, the warmth of his touch sending shivers down my spine. I know it's not simple. I know that what I'm suggesting, what I'm feeling, is unrealistic and selfish. But it burns inside of me, the desire for them all. To feel each of their hands on me, to hear each of their voices whispering in my ear.
"I know," I say softly. "But I just can't help how I feel." I turn to Lucas, hoping that he will at least understand me. He's always been the quiet one, the one who observes more than he speaks. "Lucas," I say softly. "What do you think?"
He meets my gaze steadily, his dark eyes unreadable. For a moment, I think he won't answer at all.
And then he says, "I would be lying if I said I didn't want the same thing."
A warm feeling spreads through me at his words, the vulnerability replaced by hope and love.
Antonio looks between us skeptically. "You both can't seriously think this could work."
"Why not?" I ask stubbornly.
Xavier sighs, pinching his nose between his brow. "Darling, we have to be practical about this."
I snatch my hand away from Antonio. "No! You don't!" I exclaim. "I don't care what you have to do, I will have all three of you. So... figure it out!"
The room falls silent, the only sound coming from my heavy breathing. I can't believe I just said that out loud. But it's true – I want them all. And if they truly cared for me, they would find a way to make it work.
Antonio stands up abruptly and starts pacing back and forth in front of the couch. "This isn't something we can just figure out, Mia," he says, frustration laced in his voice.
I stand up as well, my heart pounding in my chest. "You can and you will! I don't care what arrangement the three of you come to, but the three of you will figure it out, damn you, or I swear I'll walk right out that door again!"
The air grows thick with tension as my words hang in the air, daring them to challenge me. I feel the weight of their gaze on me, analyzing me. I refuse to back down, though. The need for them has become too great for me to ignore any longer.
"Do you love me?" I demand of them.
"Of course," Lucas responds immediately.
I stare at the other two.
"You know I love you," Xavier insists deeply.
Antonio sighs, like the words pain him, and says, "Of course I love you, sweetheart."
"Then love me," I beg. "Together."
Xavier's lips quirk upwards, a touch of amusement or perhaps admiration in his gaze. Antonio looks at me like I'm a puzzle he can't quite solve, and Lucas... Lucas is watching me with a burning intensity that sends a shiver down the curve of my spine.
I can feel their hesitation and their fear, their uncertainty about something so unorthodox and unconventional. But my heart beats faster, stronger, with every passing second of their silence. The desire for all of them is a fire in my veins, unquenchable and untamed. I need them, more than I need anything else in this world.
Xavier clears his throat, breaking the silence. "Mia," he begins slowly, his fingers tapping against his knees. "We understand your need for unity. But we also have to think practically about how we can make this work after everything that happened."
My jaw clenches, frustration bubbling beneath my skin like boiling water. "Yes, Lucas is an undercover agent. He infiltrated the family and leaked information. But he also loves me. And you said it yourself: you couldn't have saved me without him." Tears prick at the corner of my eyes. "He's a good man. And yes, Antonio and Xavier are criminals, but they have a capacity for good. You saw that tonight."
I take a step forward, closing the gap between us. "Please," I whisper, looking at each of them in turn. "I need all of you. Can't you see that?"
Silence stretches between us once more, thick with tension and unsaid words. And then Lucas moves, crossing the space between us with a purposeful stride. He cups my face in his hands, his gaze intense and unwavering.
"I'm in," he says firmly.
