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Axel wheeled toward me with narrow, displeased eyes, then his gaze involuntarily dipped from my covered breasts to my bare legs.
“You tried what, Cookie?” he demanded. “You should know better than to try anything with the death demigod.”
“It’s none of your business who I touch,” I said, my free hand bracing on my hip to show some attitude.
At the same time, Axel had turned to Héctor with a curse. “How dare you put my Cookie in danger!”
Héctor moved, faster than a flash. Before I could blink, he’d reached my other side and pulled me into his arms, away from Axel.
His lips kissed the crown of my head, which was still wet. But he didn’t seem to mind.
Axel’s amber eyes rounded at the evidence that I could live through Héctor’s touch.
Héctor’s smile was as broad as it was smug when he declared. “Marigold is my mate!”
Violence glinted in Axel’s eyes, like he was about to shove Héctor away and take me into his embrace.
“Don’t fight again, please,” I said and glared at Axel. “And I’m still mad at you. Don’t make me madder.”
Zak also joined their rank, crowding me.
“You have every reason to hate us, Rosebud,” Zak said. “We didn’t protect you. We let you down, but it won’t happen again. We’re here now, and we’ll make it up to you.”
I gave them a weary look.
I couldn’t stay mad at them forever. And it wasn’t a good strategic move to push them into siding with the Demigod of Sea. Héctor and I might lose if it was the two of us against the three of them. I didn’t want Héctor to face foes all around.
To stomp down Paxton, I’d need all three demigods on my side. Besides, Zak and Axel hadn’t passed the point of no return. Despite their flaws and overbearing manners, they cared about me.
“Now, must you give me a nickname, too?” I stared hard at Zak. “I’m nothing like a rosebud. I’m not a tiny bud. I’m five feet seven inches, which is an average height.”
“You’re my Rosebud,” he said, regarding Héctor and me entwined together. “Héctor can touch Marigold, which only confirms that she’s the one and she’s all ours.”
“I saw her first,” Axel said, his jaw clenched and eyes flashing darkly. “I discovered her and brought her—” He stopped and darted me a sheepish look, remembering that was exactly why I held a grudge against him.
The hangdog expression vanished from his handsome face in a heartbeat, and he pressed against me, sandwiching me between himself and Héctor.
As if it weren’t crowded enough, Zak managed to get his hand into the narrow space and stroked the side of my neck, probably to show that he was part of the group too.
It was awkward and uncomfortable for me to be pressed from all sides while I endeavored to hang onto a towel that threatened to drop at any time.
I twisted my torso amongst them with effort, then I shoved and elbowed them away from me.
“Lamb, did they upset you? I can get rid of them.”
“Cookie, is Héctor too much for you? He’s too needy.”
“Rosebud, do you want to talk? Lay out your worries. Let us share your burden.”
“Give me some breathing room, dudes,” I said. “I’m not some bone or new toy you’re fighting over.”
My elbow slamming into them couldn’t hurt any of them since they were demigods, who were built of muscles hard as steel, but they stepped back a couple of inches, which was the widest berth they seemed willing to give me.
I sighed, because part of me didn’t like the idea of having empty space between us either.
“You aren’t a bone,” Héctor clarified. “You’re the treasure I’ve been seeking for an eon.”
“Our treasure!” Axel hissed. “Don’t forget we have a pact. Even you must honor it.”
