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She accepted it with a smile and took a small sip. I watched her out of the corner of my eye as a light entered her eyes.
Relief. Followed by acceptance.
Then, finally, desire.
The intoxicating scent of her slick filled the air as she turned to Xavier and framed his face in her small hands. “You smell even better,” she rasped, her voice husky with desire.
I don’t know what caused the change in her, but damn, I liked it.
Xavier looked ready to pounce, his dark eyes glowing in the dim light above the island. His low growl filled the room, and it surprised me that he hadn’t thrown her over his shoulder and ran upstairs.
“Xavier, no,” Elias rumbled, his alpha stronger than ours, and he showed it as the air pulsed with his power. “She needs to eat first. We all do, so sit your ass back on your stool and stay there until we’re finished eating.”
His nose furrowing in frustration, Xavier let out a huff of annoyance and pulled away from Alena.
“Baby girl, does this mean you still want to invite us into your nest after we eat?” Julian ran his nose along her neck.
I groaned in frustration, turning back to cooking. “You guys need to cool it with getting her all hot and bothered if you’d actually like me to prepare a meal.”
“I think Alena needs her own stool.” Elias rose and lifted her from Julian’s arms before settling her down in his vacated seat. “There. Hands to yourself, gentlemen.”
“Speak for yourself,” Xavier grumbled, looking pointedly as Elias’s hands lingering on Alena’s shoulders.
“Everyone, over there.” Alena giggled as she shooed them away from her.
“Good girl,” I winked at her over my shoulder and enjoyed the blush that crept up her face.
* * *
ALENA
Good Gods above, I didn’t know how much more I could take from these guys. They made me feel safe and secure. Loved. They made me laugh and forget all the troubles of the world.
When they started bantering as I sat on Julian’s lap, something clicked together in my brain. They weren’t going anywhere. They wouldn’t have let me go back to that nasty hotel room after they swooped me away from there.
And they sure as hell wouldn’t let anyone from my past come and take me away.
When I finally made sense of it, a sense of peace washed over me. It would still take time to get over everything that had happened to me, but we could do anything together.
“What’s going through that head of yours?” Julian leaned forward with his chin on his palm. His other hand was clenched into a fist that rested on top of his thigh. Almost as if he were fighting the urge to reach out and touch me.
“Nothing.” I smiled, keeping my thoughts to myself for the time being. I wanted to show them tonight that I was ready to take the next step in our relationship. We’d been messing around, but tonight, I wanted them inside me. I wanted everything they could give me.
“If you think we don’t know what’s going through your head right now, you should think again. Your scent gives you away.” Xavier tapped his nose as he licked his lips. He was a predator, with darkness oozing from every pore, yet, I saw beneath the shadows he used as a shield.
“You’re not as tough as you make people think you are.” I closed my eyes and bit my lip, not intending for that random thought to come out.
Elias, Simon, and Julian burst into laughter. “This is why you’re perfect for us, Alena.” Julian’s eyes sparkled as he grasped my hand and brushed his lips over my knuckles.
His words made heat instantly rush to my cheeks. “Why is that?”
“Because you see Xavier as he really is, not the mask that he puts on to show the world.” Elias’s words were haunted, sadness lingering in the way he spoke.
Xavier ran his fingers through his hair and remained silent. I watched him as he watched me. “I love that you can see me for me, Princess. It doesn’t mean the darkness isn’t still there, but it’s not fully consumed me, thanks to these three assholes. And now, I have even more reason to stay in the light.”
The way his gaze never strayed from mine told me that reason was me.
“Okay, okay, enough with some of the sappy talk. It’s time to eat.” Simon placed a plate in front of me piled high with vegetables, noodles, and chicken. I practically drooled as I leaned forward to inhale the aroma of the delicious food.
