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The smell of breakfast perks me up a bit, though, and I don’t bother worrying about the fact that I’m still in Ari’s shirt—and only Ari’s shirt—as I sit down at the table.
James and Phoenix are both there, and James smirks before he leans in toward Phoenix and whispers in his ear. I see the way Phoenix’s cheeks darken a little, and I know James told him how I look.
“Don’t start with me today,” I tell him savagely as I reach for the plate of bacon. There are croissants next to them, and I grab one, biting into it and glaring at both my lovers with a mouthful of soft breakfast bread. “I had a shitty night.”
“Ari said you had a nightmare about Romano,” Phoenix says bluntly.
I guess it really was too much to hope that even my dreams are private. “It was stupid. It was like one of those nightmares where you walk into class and realize you’re naked.”
James smirks. “Love, those were never mynightmares.”
Rolling my eyes, I tear a piece of bacon with my teeth, and I don’t miss the way James’ eyes darken. It’s odd, the things that turn him on, but I don’t hate it. “You still know what the hell I mean.”
“Kitten has claws this morning,” Phoenix rumbles, and I feel myself getting more irritated, which is…odd. “What happened in the dream that has you this worked up?”
It takes me a second to answer, and the food now feels like a heavy stone in my gut as I force the words past my lips. I don’t really spare any detail, though I carefully avoid telling them how I felt and the rejection that settled in my bones when Ari evicted me from his bed.
It’s ridiculous because I know it’s not his fault, and he was doing it for me, but I still feel uncomfortable all over. “Anyway,” I finish, “it’s dumb. I mean, it’s obviously my subconscious playing games.”
Phoenix is quiet but only for a second. “You know that you’re one of us now, don’t you? We’d pour gas on Romano’s dick and light it on fire before he got close enough to you to put his hands on you.”
And well, okay, if there was a way to settle me down, that would be it. I don’t exactly like thinking about lighting Guido’s dick on fire, but knowing that these men would literally do anything to keep me from him? It’s easy not to feel afraid when it’s morning and they’re right here with me.
“Thanks.”
James scoffs, and then he rises from his chair and drops into the one directly next to me. His hand grips the seat, and he scoots it as close as the legs will allow before taking my chin between his fingers and kissing the taste of butter off my lips. “He’s not lying to you, darling girl. You have no idea the lengths we’d go to to keep you safe.”
I think I do. I think I do because one of the reasons I hated Kane being gone was that I was stuck here unable to do anything about it. I barely know them all, but I already damn well know I’d do anything inmypower to make sure no one ever hurt them again.
And yeah, maybe I do sound like a kitten with claws, but that’s just for now. I won’t be new at this forever. Someday, I’ll have blood on my hands just like the rest of them, and maybe I’m twisted just enough to admit that red is definitely my color.
“Better?” Phoenix asks, running his finger along the rim of his coffee mug.
I don’t say anything, but James smirks. “She looks like she might need some convincing. Maybe we should take her upstairs and—”
He doesn’t finish his words. The swinging door that leads to the dining room opens so hard it crashes against the wall. All three of us startle, and Phoenix looks a little white in the face as his hand reaches down for his waistband.
For his gun.
“Kane,” James growls as the older man stalks closer to the table, leaning hard on his cane, something clenched in his other fist. “What the bloodyhellis your problem?”
He looks furious, and my blood turns to ice. I don’t know what the hell any of us could have done to piss him off. He ignores James when he stands and even elbows him out of the way as he lets the cane drop and curls his fingers into the front of my shirt.
I immediately rise as he yanks me up, pulled onto my toes, and I’m expecting a beating when his lips crash into mine. The kiss is feral. It’s wild and it’s painful, and I think it draws blood. His teeth are sharp, and his tongue is cruel, but I can’t help losing myself in it. I don’t know what the other two are doing, but the room’s deathly quiet as I snake my arms around Kane’s waist and try to pull him closer.
“Why the fuck didn’t you come get me immediately?” he growls against my lips.
My brows furrow. “I did. Ari sent me to your room,” I say, assuming he’s talking about the nightmare. “I slept with you all fucking nigh—”
“Not the nightmare.” His words are dark, his voice trembling, and he slams his hand down on the table. When he pulls it back, I see a familiar white stick sitting there, and suddenly, my knees give out.
James is standing close enough that he can catch me, and between his arm and Kane’s grip, I ease down into a chair before passing out. My breath is hitching in my chest, and I think one of them is barking orders at me to calm down, but I can’t.
“Someone explain right fucking now,” Phoenix says, his voice calm but deadly.
James lets out something like a laugh, though it almost sounds like a sob. “Kane wanted an announcement for the party, and it looks like we’ve got one. He just put Alice’s pregnancy test on the table, and I can’t see it from here, but from his expression, I’d say we have a plus sign.”
Another beat of silence, and I realize I’m holding my breath as I glance over at Phoenix. I can’t read his face. It’s a moment—like a hot glass, then a rush of ice.
