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I shrugged. “Fine, I think. I’m sore from sleeping in the same position, and I feel pretty weak, but that’s it.”
The four of them relaxed at once.
“The healer cleared you? There’s no curse left?” Sai sat down on the couch and tugged me down next to him. Theo came down too, sandwiching me between them.
“No curse. They still don’t know what it was or who cast it though.” That was what bothered me most. Nine days, and we didn’t have any hints or leads?
“We missed you, Saige.” Kaden sat on the coffee table in front of me. “It’s been weird.”
I leaned forward and held out my hands, and he clung to them. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine how strange and hard this has been for you. I wasn’t here for your first week. I feel terrible.”
He shook his head. “Don’t do that. It wasn’t like you blew us off. There was nothing you, or any of us for that matter, could have done. I’m just so grateful you’re back.”
His eyes held so much truth and vulnerability. I couldn’t fight the urge to climb over to him, wrap my arms around him, and drop my head on his broad shoulder.
His grip started soft, but the longer I stayed still, the more he dug in his fingers, holding me to him. “I don’t ever want to go that long without talking again.”
I nodded against his skin. I hated it as much as he did. We sometimes went weeks without him visiting in my dreams, but it was different now. Knowing him, touching him, hearing his low, rich voice meant everything to me.
“You’re hogging her,” Theo protested.
“Shut it.” Niall’s gravelly voice made me pull back from Kaden.
I nearly gasped at the pain in his eyes. He looked ready to crumble, and I couldn’t get to him fast enough. I pushed away from Kaden and practically leaped over his and Sai’s legs to reach Niall.
He caught me as I fell into him, one hand on my lower back and the other cradling my head to his chest. I had to blink back tears at the most honest display of caring he ever showed.
I felt his heart race against my cheek and his ragged breathing. He was close to losing it, and so was I.
No amount of blinking was enough to hold back the tears as I let this moment sink in. Nine days. I missed nine of the eleven days we’d been bonded. Precious time I needed with each of them.
I balled my fists into his black shirt and held on with all I had.
This felt right. It felt like coming home, and for the first time, I didn’t feel guilty about that.
It was okay to expand my family and open my heart to the four of them. Bonding with them wasn’t a betrayal to my parents or siblings. I had enough room in my life for all of them.
I couldn’t bear the thought of losing them. Ever. But I couldn't shake the feeling this was only the beginning of our fight. Whoever did this was still out there. Their mission failed. I was back with the guys—for now.
