Page 71 of The FBI Agents Who Stole Me

I’m leaning toward option three.

The floorboards creak faintly as she heads for the bathroom. The door clicks shut. A second later, the shower kicks on, water drumming against tile. Only then do I let my eyes open.

Julian’s voice comes low and rough from the other side of the bed. “You up?”

I turn my head on the pillow. He’s on his back, one arm flung above his head, staring at the ceiling.

Morning light leaks through the blinds in thin stripes, catching on his beard that needs a shave. The sheet’s pooled at his waist. It’s still surreal waking up next to a man who loves my girl.

“Yep.” I can’t hide the sleepiness in my voice. “This is fucking weird waking up next to you.”

He rubs his hand across his beard. “It’s not something I ever imagined. Sleeping next to the guy my girl cheated on me with.”

The words land low even though we both know the truth of it. I push up onto one elbow and face him. “I didn’t. You already know that,” I whisper shout. I don’t know why I’m trying to defend myself to him. Maybe I want him to like me at least.

Bending an arm behind his head, he keeps his eyes on the ceiling. “It kind of feels like you have been swooping in since you started as her partner.”

Fuck. He might be right.

“I didn’t mean to fall for her. Or hurt the two of you. She needs you. I told you she was broken without you.”

Julian hums in response like he’s thinking this over. I can almost hear the thoughts turning in his head. The shower keeps running in the background.

Damn. I’m going to have to tell him.

“After I fake broke up with Lee—and I say fake because no part of me ever meant any of the lies I told her—I followed her for days. I followed her to your house. I already had a camera there. No, it wasn’t legal. I only switched it on once. When she came to you.”

His eyes narrow at me. “You’re an asshole. Does anyone else have access?”

I scoff. I’m not an amateur. “Of course not. After that night, I destroyed all recordings. It was a dick move, but I thought she was doing something terrible. Well, she was doing some terrible things.” I exhale. The way she looked at him when she walked through the door on the grainy feed flashes sharp behind my eyes. “I saw her with you. She cried on you, you fucked her, and I saw how devastated you were when she left.”

All of it started with Vine. Every piece of her pain, every choice that led us here. I’m going to fix it. I’ll do whatever it takes.

“I knew she needed you then,” I say. “That’s why I reached out for your help. You love her. It’s different than how I love her, but just as strong.”

He sits for a minute, thinking. I half expect him to lunge across the bed and punch me in the nuts. I shift a few inches away on the mattress, just in case. The sheets still smell like her. It’s warm and sweet. It somehow mixes with us.

“I think she needs you too. I realized that a while ago.”

“Just like that? You forgive me for lusting after our girl? If she would have let me, I would have slept with her while you were together. I’m gone enough for her to admit that I still would. I would sneak behind your back or do anything if only to have her.”

He nods in understanding. “It’s the same for me. There isn’t anything I won’t do to have her. That includes keeping her away from the threats she’s facing. And saving her from herself.”

And drugging her, apparently. Which is a dick move, but so was watching him fuck her on a camera I set up in his apartment. Fuck me.

Julian clears his throat. “I’ve had more time to process this than you have, so I understand if you need time. All three of us need to find out how we work. In my research on polyamorous relationships, it will work better if we get along.”

“Makes sense. What else did you learn?”

“We can’t get jealous of each other. Lee won’t choose one of us. We have to offer ourselves to her. We can make a small team.”

The tension in the room eases. I feel the corner of my mouth twitch. “Is it weird that this conversation isn’t that weird?”

He laughs again then shakes his head.

“But it will be weird when we have to explain our dynamic to outsiders,” he says, the humor fading now. “Will you be able to handle that? I fully intend to marry Lee and fill her with my baby as soon as possible. I want a family.”

“Baby,” I echo. Shit, all the breeding talk from last night was hot. It also gives me the warmest sensation in my chest. I went from being alone and sad to having a poly relationship and, hopefully, a baby. Oh, and having a brother. Or something like that. He’s right though. We can make our own little family. “I want that with her too. You know we’re going to have to talk her into it.”