“Will you stop!” I snapped. “Dammit Leo! Stop!”
He froze, half-turned, shoulders tense. I glanced at Phoenix, who gave me the faintest nod. I let go of his hand and stormed toward Leo, grabbing his wrist.
“Elle—”
“No. We’re doing this. Now.”
I spun to the others. “All of you—in.”
Slade arched a brow. Phoenix sighed. Leo looked like he might bolt. But they followed.
Inside, I pointed at the bed. “Sit.”
They did. Even Slade.
I looked at Leo.
“Look at me.”
He hesitated—then lifted his eyes. They were glassy.
“You said it was okay for me to love all of you. Do you remember?”
He opened his mouth—then closed it again. “I remember… I just didn’t know it would feel like this.”
“I didn’t know what it would be like either,” I said. “To care like this. About anyone. And, maybe you didn’t either. It’s new for me to feel these things I feel for all of you - to need each of you in different ways. But I do.”
I looked to Phoenix. “I love the way you steady me. The way you make sense of the chaos in my head. When I’m near you, the noise quiets. The world feels safe—Ifeel safe.”
Phoenix smiled, so warm I felt my heart my explode. He reached out, slow and reverent, and kissed the back of my hand.
I turned to Slade. “You protect me. Always. Not just from the world—but frommyself. You stand with me, beside me… even when I push you away. Even when I break.”
My throat tightened. “I know I’m not easy. Iknowthat. But you never leave—not even when part of me believes you should. When I don’t feel like I deserve you.” I drew a breath. “But you stay. Youalwaysstay. You are my constant. My foundation. My rock.”
“Always,” he murmured.
Then to Leo. To the lion who stole my heart before I even knew it was missing.
“And you, Leo. You’re my spark. My joy. My first yes. You made me want—more.More laughter. More touch. More light. Morelife.You reminded me that I could crave, that I could reach, that I wasallowedto feel.”
Tears pooled in the corner of my eyes. “And maybe it’s not fair. It isn’t. Because I’m just me and I don’t know if I will ever be enough for any of you. But I want to try. I want to try - with all of you.”
Phoenix’s voice cut in, low and certain. “You’re more than enough, Elle.”
I swallowed. “I’m not asking any of you to make this easy…or to pretend it doesn’t hurt. But I’m asking you to remember that yousaidit was okay. Because I can’t help how I feel. Gods, I don’t want to. But I know this isn’t up to me, not entirely.”
Leo’s eyes shone with something close to hope—fragile, flickering.
“I’m standing here,” I said softly. “I didn’t run. I never want to run from you again. Doesn’t that count for something?”
“It counts,” Slade murmured.
“Do you really mean all that?” Leo asked, looking more vulnerable than I had ever seen him before.
I knelt in front of him, took his hands—grounding us both.
“I love you, stupid,” I whispered. “I think I’ve loved you for a long time. Even when I didn’t have a name for it. I love all of you.”
