Page 132

“Good.” I lean in and capture her mouth, kissing her thoroughly. My cock buried deep inside her. This is where she belongs. Bound to me. Always.

I pull away and look into her lust-glazed eyes. “Why do you want to be punished, kitten?”

Her mouth opens and closes. Jack walks out of the bathroom, capturing my attention. The cuts on his neck are uncovered. The bandages weren’t doing much but getting in the way. Is that it? All Harper has right now are Jack’s memories.

She can’t remember anything of what she was feeling to process it. She doesn’t remember any of her fears or the decisions she made. She can’t judge herself or her actions because there are no memories or emotions there to balance them. All she knows is the actions she took. The actions that ended with her drugged and running from that house.

“Harper.” I rest my forehead against hers. “You’re not to blame.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t⁠—”

“You’re not to blame.” My voice is firm. “None of us are. What happened was because of Zach and Tanner.” I lift my head and look at Caden, Luke, and Jack. “None of us is to blame for any of this. We did everything we could. And because of that, we got everyone back whole.”

I reach out and swipe away the tear rolling down her cheek with my thumb. Her eyes shimmer with more tears, but she holds them back. What else is she holding back?

“You don’t need to be punished, kitten. You need to be loved. So let us love you the best way we know how.” I release my breath. The image of her curled on that hospital bed is burned in my memory. Trying to protect herself and keep herself warm.

I didn’t know then how we could have lost her if we hadn’t gotten her to the hospital in time. Nothing mattered except I knew she needed me and I wanted to be whatever she needed. If she needed a fucking blanket, I’d be her fucking blanket. Anything.

When they took her, my heart felt ripped from my chest. I never want to feel that again.

“I love you more than anything else in this world, Harper.”

Her eyes well with more tears.

“Fuck, maybe this is the best way to say it with my cock hard and buried inside you because we’re all a little fucked up.”

She shifts on my lap. My cock pulses inside her and she releases a little breath against my lips.

“We’re stronger with you than we ever were without you. I don’t want to lose you.” I drag in another breath. “Not to death. Not to anything that might try to tear us apart. Without you, I’d be empty.”

I lift my gaze to Luke, Caden, and Jack.

“Fuck, I wish Nico was here,” I say. “Is it safe to video again? Because I’m sick of being separated. Of not being able to speak freely. Of any of us being injured. It’s all bullshit, and I know we just need to get through it. I fucking love all of you and if I’d lost any of you, I would have been lost.”

“Do you want me to call Nico and let him know you love him?” Jack scratches behind his ear with a crooked smile. “Or do you think a text would do? I’m not sure how declarations of love are supposed to be delivered.”

A laugh bursts from me. “Fuck off.”

“I would.” Jack smirks. “But there seems to be a line forming and someone is taking his dear sweet time declaring his undying love for his brothers while buried deep inside the love of our lives.”

He gestures for me to get on with it. I just shake my head.

“Get in touch with your feelings, fucker,” I say, knowing how ridiculous that is since Jack is better at feelings than any of the rest of us.

Harper kisses my jaw, drawing my attention back to the girl on my lap. Her shoulder jerks. “Can you untie me?”

I nod to Luke, and he unties her wrists, dropping the tie on the bed beside us. Harper brings her hands to my face and cradles my jaw.

“I love you so fucking much, Eli.” A tear slips down her cheek. “I never want to leave you. There’s a part of me that feels empty. Like they took more from me than they did because I don’t remember, and it’s frustrating. I’m not here looking for punishment.”

I arch an eyebrow.

She smiles through her tears. “I’m not. Honest. Yes, I feel guilty for part of it, but that’s what therapy is for. We’ll work through it. Together. All of us, including Nico. But I need this.”

Her pussy clenches around my cock, making me groan.

“I need us to be okay. To not worry about how much more we can break, because we’re not broken together. We’re whole. I love you and you’re right. We’re through it. We’re together still. Shaken, but never broken.”