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“If you don’t want to...” I whisper against her lips. There’s something soft and vulnerable about her even now after she’s told us she’s not broken. At some level, I know she’s broken. I don’t want to be the person that breaks her more. Maybe at the beginning of our relationship I wanted to push past that point, but now I want our girl whole and sound.

Her lips smile against mine. She lifts her hips and notches me at her entrance before sinking down. Part of me sighs with relief. I’ll never get tired of that feeling.

She takes a deep breath and lies down on top of me. Her hand reaches out to Jack and he takes it, drawing it onto his chest over his heart. Her gaze stays on him with her brow furrowed.

Fuck. As much as I want this, he’s slept curled around her protectively the past few nights. Like he can’t help himself. I don’t want to leave him hurting. And while I need her and crave to feel her with me, what they went through needs to heal.

“We don’t have to. What you two went through...” I swallow because I want this. Part of me needs this connection to her, but Jack didn’t just imagine what the two of them were going through like I did. He lived it. His scars are so much deeper.

“It’s okay. This is good.” Jack closes his eyes.

I rub my hand down Harper’s back. My cock twitches inside her. This is where I belong, but maybe I can make it so all of us are taken care of.

Leaning up, I kiss the top of Harper’s head. “Slight shift, princess.”

She lifts her head, meeting my eyes with a confused look. “But⁠—”

“I’m taking my prize, don’t worry.” I lift her off me and turn her toward Jack. “Snuggle up.”

Jack chuckles. “Never thought I’d hear Death say snuggle up.”

The jokes are a defense mechanism. We all know that and allow it because he needs time, but if he doesn’t open up about his trauma to the therapist, we’re going to have issues.

Harper shifts her leg over Jack’s and wraps her arm around his center before resting her head on his shoulder. I line up behind her and ease back into her pussy. She moans softly against him.

The tension leaves Jack’s shoulders as I curl up behind Harper.

“You aren’t just mine, princess.” I brush her hair away from her face. “And we’re all spiraling. But you’re here and safe. Both of you. And that’s what matters right now. I love you, Harper.”

“I love you, Luke,” she says. Her words soft as she’s falling asleep. “Thank you.”

“Always, princess.”

Jack turns his head toward me and opens his eyes. “Thank you.”

I nod, seeing the pain in his eyes. “We’re family. I love you too, brother.”

His hand slides over Harper’s arm and he closes his eyes. I thought I didn’t understand family, but I’ve always had my brothers. We’ve always had each other’s backs. But it took Harper to make us a family bonded together tighter than before.

Eli and Caden climb into the bed around us and for a second everything is right. The only thing missing is Nico. I make a mental note to make sure he knows we missed him tonight.

He needs to heal so we can all be together again. So we can spend weekends tangled together in bed, taking care of our girl.

“Tell me something good,” Harper whispers.

My cock twitches inside her as she wiggles back against me, getting comfortable. The words are from a night long ago when I watched her sleeping and tried to process what this girl was doing to me.

My heart skips a beat. “You, princess. You’re always my something good.”

CHAPTER 46

Return to Active Duty

Eli

It took everyone a little longer to get ready, but it’s Tuesday morning and we’re back at school. Even though we offered to stay home with her, Harper decided to not call in absent.

Caden tipped up her chin in the shower. “If you want to go home, tell me and we’ll go. No questions asked.”