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Roman held her steady, rolling her nipple beneath his palm while he kissed his way up and down her neck.

Kirill licked her again, then spread her with his fingers and closed his lips around her clit.

Anika cried out and gripped Roman’s thigh, her other hand reaching toward me.

“Not yet.” I wrapped my fist around my cock but stayed beyond her reach.

Her eyes narrowed with enough heat to make me throb. “I told you to watch until I said otherwise. Follow the rules, Maksim.”

“Him? Never.” Kirill moved his mouth long enough to grin, earning a sharp tug on his hair before he returned to her with greater enthusiasm.

Roman slid two fingers inside her as Kirill sucked harder. Anika’s thighs trembled, and Roman tightened his hold when her body twisted against him. Her orgasm came with a series of gasps broken by our names, her hips bucking over Kirill’s mouth while I pumped my cock hard enough to hurt.

“Now, Maksim. Right fucking now.” Her fists curled in the sheets, and Kirill rolled to the side, leaving her open for me. Roman moved as well, leaving just the two of us.

I settled between her legs, raking a rabid gaze over her flushed, wet pussy still pulsing and clenching when I pushed the head of my cock inside her.

“More.” She locked her legs around my hips and pulled. I complied, bottoming out in one hard stroke that left her gasping, her nails biting into my shoulders while her body adjusted around me.

Control had protected us for decades. With her, it was a barrier I no longer wanted, so I gave her what she demanded. I fucked her deep enough to push her up the bed, my cock aching with every thrust as her walls fluttered and squeezed. “You wanted us close.” I braced one hand beside her head and changed the angle until her mouth fell open. “This is what close means.”

Roman and Kirill settled on either side of us, and she wrapped her hands around their cocks, stroking them in the same rhythm I used to fuck her. “Then get closer.” She tightened both fists and rolled her hips into mine.

Kirill cursed and covered her hand, increasing the pressure. Roman lasted longer, jaw locked and chest rising hard until Anika rubbed her thumb beneath the head of his cock.

His control disappeared with a rough sound, his release streaking hot across her breast and stomach. Kirill followed seconds later, spilling over her other side while she continued stroking them through every pulse.

The sight pushed me past my limit. I caught her hips and drove into her once more. Her pussy clamped around me as she came again, her orgasm rolling through her body and going straight into mine. I emptied myself deep inside her, holding her while the pleasure tore through us, my orgasm hitting so hard my toes curled in the sheets and black edged my vision.

Roman kissed her, murmuring sweet declarations I wasn’t sure she understood against her lips. Kirill pressed his cheek against her shoulder, his body curled over hers in a protective gesture. I remained between her legs until my arms stopped shaking. Then I cleaned her with a warm cloth, Roman brought water, and Kirill gathered her damp hair off her neck. Only after she emptied the glass did we draw the blanket over all four of us.

Anika rested her head against my shoulder while Roman lay behind her and Kirill stretched across our feet like an oversized guard dog. A tired smile pulled at her mouth. “You were jealous when I reached for Kirill.”

“Yes.” Lying would insult what she'd offered us, and the three of us had always tried to be honest with each other. We faced enough lying, traitorous bastards in our day to day life that we refused to carry that into our friendship. Roman traced one finger down her arm and acknowledged the same with a nod.

“I am and always will be the obvious first choice.” Kirill kissed her ankle when she nudged him. “They'll adjust.”

“I don't want jealousy becoming some ridiculous competition where I have to prove I want everyone equally.” Anika laced her fingers through mine.

“We want to matter equally.” I brought her hand to my mouth. “We don't expect you to measure every touch.”

Her expression softened before exhaustion closed her eyes. “Good, because I'm terrible at math.”

She slept for less than twenty minutes. I felt the moment she woke because her pinky traced distracted circles over my chest. The box remained on the dresser, and her attention returned to it every few seconds.

“Something's bothering you.” I covered her hand.

“The cards were packed too close to the lid.” She sat up and reached for the robe. “The box should've had more room.”

Roman was awake before she could even attempt to move past him. He carried the box to the bed while Kirill turned on the lamp. Anika lifted the cards in small groups, checking each envelope before placing it beside her.

A folded document lay flat beneath the final card. She opened it and stopped breathing.

The raised seal identified it as a certificate of live birth. Nora's first and middle names appeared in the correct fields, but the last name read Belova instead of Petrova. Anika's name had been typed beneath Mother, but the signature crossing the bottom wasn't hers.

“Alina signed this.” She ran one finger beneath the jagged imitation of her name. “She always made the A too sharp when she pretended to be me.”

Another deception involving Nora. Anger rose, sweeping through me with enough savage heat to make my skin burn. Alina had created an identity she could use to remove the child from Anika's life, and she'd hidden the proof among cards designed to demonstrate love.