Paxton rolls out of the bed and claps Gray on the shoulder. “Take over for me, yeah? All the weight falls on her shoulders, so nighttime is reserved for relaxing. She likes this.” He does the tickly tease to Gray’s arm.
Gray opens his mouth but then shuts it, nodding. Instead of moving to the bed, he grips Paxton in a hug that warms me down to my toes. “I’m sorry, brother. I’m sorry you thought I deserted you. I’m back, and I’m not leaving. I’m here now. I won’t do that again.” Then he holds Paxton’s face, pressing their foreheads together. “This is my pack.”
Paxton smooches Gray’s closed lips, his fingers bunching in Gray’s wet tresses. “Glad to hear it.”
Paxton moves out the door and down the steps, leaving Gray and me in the bedroom, bathed in lamplight.
Gray’s steps are careful as he limps toward me. His gaze is hesitant, like a nervous animal waiting for permission before he jumps on the bed.
All it takes is me flipping down the comforter to invite him in for him to take the spot he never should have left vacant. He moves to the mattress and lays down on his back, letting out a groan that tugs at my heart.
“Have you been sleeping on the ground?”
Gray turns his chin toward me. “Yeah. Rafe would love it, but a shifter sleeping in fae territory as his animal out in the open isn’t exactly safe. Hunters and whatnot. Plus, Rafe doesn’t exactly blend in.”
I want to stay mad at him, and part of me probably still is, but he’s so forlorn and repentant that I can’t maintain my anger. “Baby,” I coo, then run my hand down his cheek.
I’m surprised to find a solitary tear there.
The moment I touch on his raw emotion, he turns toward me and lets loose a defeated sob. I gather him into my arms because that’s where he belongs. His face buries itself in the crook of my neck while silent grief shudders through his body.
“Everything’s all wrong!” he cries quietly while my fingers find their way into his hair. “I wanted to make a place for us, but I failed.”
I kiss his forehead. “We never needed that. We’re a family here, all on our own. All we’ve been missing is you.”
Gray cries softly, trusting me with the grief of defeat. “I wanted a safe life for you. A pack life is the only way I know to do that.”
He’s so tired. He never gets this overwhelmed.
“Pumpkin,” I whisper. “It’s going to be okay.”
“How? I can’t see it.”
The last of my coldness melts away as I bring the comforter up to his shoulder and rub my hand up and down his side. “You watched out for me in the prison. Now it’s my turn to protect our family. Trust me to look after you, Gray. Trust me to give you a safe place to rest your head.”
He kisses me once—a connection we both desperately need. Then he looks around the room with a frown. “Where’s my dog?”
“My dog,” I correct him.
“We’ll see about that.” Gray lets loose a short whistle, and Everly Ann trots in. Gray scoops her up and sets her on the bed on his other side. “That’s better. Now I’ve got my girls.”
His lips find mine to bless me with a solitary kiss before he rolls me onto my side away from him, spooning me so he can trill his fingers up and down my bare arm.
The message that passes unspoken between us is clear: I will keep us safe, and he will keep me calm.
I like this, and when Paxton comes back into the room with dinner for both Gray and me, I realize wholeheartedly that I deeply and truly love us.
Safety and Scandal
Arlanna
Morning finds me finally well-rested. I’m usually up with the dawn, but sandwiched between the men I love, I’m finally able to sleep in a whole hour past the sunrise.
Paxton kisses my lips lightly. “It’s so peaceful, watching you rest.”
His whisper isn’t meant to wake Gray, but it does anyway. My shifter stretches against me, letting me appreciate the full breadth of his hard body. “What do we have this morning?”
I roll onto my back, so I can easily look at both of them. “You’re sticking around today?”
Gray kisses me. “Today. Every day. I didn’t know the fae relationship rules before. But if this is going to be my pack, then I’m going to help fortify it. Make it safe for you.”
I’m fairly certain my smile is the brightest its been in weeks. Emotion jerks moisture to my eyes and catches in my throat. “Really? You’re putting down roots here?”
His hand finds my waist under the covers and gives my naked stomach a little squeeze. “Right here. Only here. Exactly here.” He kisses me again. “You stay in bed. Let me get some breakfast for us.”
“Really?”
“Don’t act like I’m doing something nice for you. It’s clear my motives are completely selfish, right? Keeping you in bed puts you exactly where I want you.” Gray gives us a villainous laugh, which is just about the best sound in the world. Then he exits, leaving Paxton beside me in the bed.
Both of us are mildly surprised that Gray has taken to life here easily, now that the expectations have been laid out. Though, as he’s not lived a full day here yet, we’re not celebrating prematurely.
“Mind if I get some fresh air in here?” Paxton rolls out of bed and throws open the curtains. He pops open the window, letting the sting of the chilly morning air into the room. This whole place needs a freshening, starting with the air.
I make myself at home in our bed, scooting down in the lavender sheets that match the painted walls of our bedroom. I remember being meticulous about the curtains, insisting on cream, gauzy material that Sloan ruled was useless in keeping out light, which was the main function of curtains. As it turns out, he was right, but as I enjoy sleeping with a bit of light in my room, that didn’t deter me from selecting the curtains I wanted.
Sloan still narrows his eyes at them every time he sees them, which gives me great amounts of pleasure. We compromised on the curtains for the rest of the house. I get to have my bedroom my way.
I stand and stretch my arms over my head, smiling up at the ceiling because finally, I’ve got the men I adore with me. The day feels bursting with possibilities. The to-do list I feared now seems like a fun race, rather than a drudgery.
“I’m going downstairs to get some water. You want?”
He slides a t-shirt over his head. “I want.” Paxton’s fingers lace through mine. We walk together down the steps.
I know I’m officially horrid at relaxing. Waiting for breakfast in bed was too difficult for me to master. Apparently, we’re all in the middle of a learning curve.
I set down two glasses on the counter and fill them with cold water from my fist, greeting Everly Ann with a kiss. “I still love using my magic. Feels like a scandal.”
Paxton stands behind me, tracing the curve of my bare hip while I take a drink. “Dressed in this, everything about you is a scandal.” Then he greets my dog, as if she’s an esteemed guest. “Good morning, Miss Everly Ann. I trust you slept well?”
She barks twice, and then snorts, as if to let him know she does not appreciate waiting to be fed her breakfast.