Page 70 of The Rogues

“If you don’t mind,” I respond without thinking.

Lennon’s hand comes around my waist and squeezes reassuringly. “We don’t mind one bit.”

He guides me into the living space where the rest of the guys are lounging after their day out. When they see me, their eyes light up.

“You’re still here?” Jamie asks.

“Did you two eat all of the Wellington? I want some,” Malaki gripes, but then laughs when Lennon flashes him the finger.

I look at Remi, and his eyes are already on me, his lips turned up in a confident smirk. “Hi, Josie. Did you have a good date?”

My stomach flutters from his use of the word date and his sexy accent and the way his scent caramelizes at the edges.

“I did. Did you guys have a good city excursion?”

“It was rainy, but it was nice.” He looks over at the spot beside him. “Would you like to sit?”

Jamie stands and makes his way over before I can respond. His crop top sits right above his belly button, and his rose tattoo peeks out right below the waistband of his jeans. I feel hot all over as I look at him, the memory of our night together shooting to the forefront.

He slides some loose hair behind my ear and smiles, his teeth white and eyes crinkling. “We were going to watch a movie until we have to be at the arena. Do you like scary movies?”

“Real ones or the parodies?”

“Either.”

His orchid scent furrows around me, my arms blanketed by its warm presence. “I love thrillers.”

“We have the perfect one,” Malaki states from the couch as he picks up the remote and turns the TV on.

I let Jamie lead me over, and then I’m sitting between all of them, completely enveloped in their gorgeous scents.

My omega beams, and I find myself relaxing.

“Before we get started, I feel like we need to have a candid conversation,” Cyrus says at the end of the couch, but he doesn’t feel far away. He sits on the edge, his elbows resting on his knees as he looks at me intently.

Fuck, I was naive to think I could get away from this conversation.

“Yeah, we should,” I agree, sitting back up. “I know I have a lot I should say, the first being that I’m sorry⁠—”

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Remi cuts in, his hand going to my bicep in a feather-like touch. The others feel on guard, too.

“No, we completely understand,” Cyrus says, his dominance cutting the tension that was starting to build in the room. “But I think we should be transparent about what’s going on here from this point forward. I feel like we’ve been dancing around the fact that your boundary is no longer fully in place. We will go at your pace, always, and I just wanted to make sure none of us have done anything to push past that boundary you placed in Tucson.”

I blink at him. He thinks they did something wrong?

Fuck. I don’t deserve these men. They are angels in dark clothing, saints who play rock ’n’ roll. They are a dime a dozen.

“I really haven’t been honest enough then, if that’s what you think,” I say as seriously as I can. “I changed my mind, a while ago actually. I realized that I made a mistake. I should have been completely forthcoming about that, but I want to reassure all of you that no boundaries of mine have been crossed. I would have spoken up if I felt like they had.”

There’s a general sense of relief that courses through the room, and then Remi is holding my hand, his touch a grounding anchor that sends goosebumps up my arm.

“Good,” Malaki sighs. “That’s so good. I knew our date went well, but I wasn’t sure if everything was going a bit too fast for you⁠—”

“No, not one bit,” I tell him. “And I kissed you that first time. I needed you, you followed your instincts, and I finally let my own take over. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Malaki is usually so unserious, so silly, so to see his entire body release its tension at my words is concerning. I turn toward him fully. “Please speak to me if you ever feel like that again. I had no idea that you were holding onto that.”

He shakes his head. “I promise you, I will. I didn’t really know I felt that way until just now.”