Chapter 47
Forty-Seven
DARIA
Thanks to a quick text from Kai on the way home, Vic and Lincoln have a spare room ready by the time we arrive. Marco is still upset, so I take him into the room without pausing for introductions. When I close the door, he releases a harsh exhale.
“Who are these guys?” His muscles are stiff, trepidation filling his gaze as he studies the room.
No sense in lying to him. He’ll figure it out one way or the other. “They’re my scent matches.”
Marco’s red-rimmed eyes widen, and he brushes tears from his cheeks, sniffing hard. “Really?”
“Uh, yeah.” I nod and tuck my lip between my teeth. “We work together, so my marks are covered, but we’ve bonded. We’re a pack.”
It’s so nice to say that out loud.
“That’s great, Daria,” he says with a shaky smile. Shock from what happened still trembles through his form. “That’s really great.”
“I’m happy,” I confess, features softening as I take him in. Marco is taller than me, but he still has that gawky teenager build, still yet to fill out and bulk up. He’s weak in comparison to adults. Perfect to take advantage of. “Are you okay?” My throat constricts on the last word.
Marco turns away. “I’m fine. It’s not a big deal.” But his words are punctuated by a hard sniff as his shoulders start to shake with a repressed sob.
“Oh, honey.” I hug him and he cries again. All I can do is hold him, tell him he deserves the world. Tell him he’s safe. And I hope he’ll believe me. I hope I can keep the promises I’m making. I hope the pack will forgive me for bursting our little bubble of happiness with the damage from my family.
Eventually, Marco falls asleep, exhausted from crying and the adrenaline. I smooth my hand over his hair and drop a kiss on his head before carefully slipping out of the room.
The guys are waiting for me in the kitchen, a soft conversation flowing between them, looks ranging from pissed to full of rage. My shoulders try to slump. I force them back and clear my throat, padding into the room. All eyes fall on me.
“How is he?” Concern creases Kai’s brow.
“Sleeping.” I slide my gaze from one mate to the next. My marks are still bright red and pink on their skin. They’re my mates. If they’re serious about me, they’ll have to accept Marco too. I won’t leave him to fend for himself. As I square my shoulders to prepare for the fight, they all exchange looks.
Vic speaks first. “Your brother is welcome to stay as long as he needs.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll take him shopping,” Linc offers. “Kai said you weren’t able to get his things. He’ll need clothes.”
“And if he wants to stay at his school, I’m happy to drive him every morning, or we can get you a new car, and you can take him,” Kai says quickly. “We’ve been meaning to discuss the car situation, and now is as good a time as any.”
Moisture pricks my eyes. “You guys aren’t mad?”
Linc sighs and stares at the countertop. “My son was an asshole, wasn’t he?”
“Not just him,” I say, hoping it’ll make him feel a little better. Swiping at my cheeks, I add, “Sorry.”
Vic shakes his head. “Little doe. Why are you sorry?”
I sniff. “I keep expecting the worst, and you guys keep proving me wrong. I’m sorry I keep comparing you to those in my past.”
“Babe.” Kai walks to me and wraps me in his arms. “It’s okay. You’re allowed to be wary. It’s your brother.”
Nestling against his chest, I breathe him in and pinch my eyes closed. “You guys have been so amazing, but part of me keeps waiting for you to change. I know it’s not fair. I’m trying really hard to let the past go, but it’s hard. There’s still this stupid voice telling me that maybe you guys will leave me too.”
Confessing all of this might freak them out, but it’s the truth. All the years of rejection have caused more damage than I originally thought.
Kai smooths his hand down my spine. “Can I handle this?” he asks the guys.
They must agree because Kai scoops me up and carries me to his room, plopping me onto the bed. I swipe my cheeks again and blink up at him. His hand cups my jaw. Those amber eyes bore into me, saying more than words ever could, and when he steps away and his hand falls away from my skin, I’m left longing for his touch. He backs all the way up to the chair notched in the corner of his room and he drops into it, watching me all the while.
I shift on the bed.
He leans forward, resting his hands on his thighs. “You don’t think we want you?”
Biting my cheek, I duck my head and lift one shoulder. I know they want me. They claimed me. That should say enough, but my heart’s bruised and battered, and I’m not sure how to stop the doubt.
“Look at me.” His tone brooks no argument.
I slowly lift my eyes, and when my gaze collides with his, my breath catches in my throat. Kai’s always been steady. Constant. Comforting. But there’s a smolder in his irises, and the way he’s watching me tells me he wants me to burn. He slowly moves his attention over every inch of my face and down the curved lines of my body before his eyes drag back up, snaring me once again in the heat that’s meant all for me.
“You’re ours, mine , and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you understand how much you consume my thoughts.” His focus strays down to my blouse that’s stretched tight across my breasts. “Unbutton it.”
“Kai.” I breathe his name, and as those eyes snap to meet mine again, any argument I might have dies at the sight of his hunger. Licking my lips, I move my fingers to my top and begin the process of unbuttoning it, watching him watch me, memorizing the way he curses when I slip the sleeves off, revealing the lacy bra that’s doing its best to keep my breasts contained.
“All of it, off,” he says, voice hoarse.
I reach back and undo the strap. As the bra drops to the mattress, the soft hum of approval keeps me moving. I lift my hips, unzip my skirt, and shimmy out of it and my thong, tucking my legs beneath me and resting my hands on my thighs. Desire, slick and ready, slips down my thighs.
Kai leans back in the chair, inhaling, eyes flashing with need, but he stays where he is. “You’re gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” I say with a smile, floating one hand up to cup my breasts, which are dying for his attention.
Chuckling, Kai watches me pinch my nipple before he says, “Crawl to me.”
“What?”
He smirks, and his darkened gaze meets mine. “Crawl, on your knees.”
Before I can think too hard about it, I slip off the bed, the plush carpet cushioning my skin. My palms press into the floor, and I look at him, moving one hand and one leg, inching closer. A deep purr rumbles in his chest as his eyes track from the sway of my ass and hips, up to my face, and down my body once more.
Lust, hot and wet, pools inside of me.
“Slower,” he says as I approach, and while I feel a little silly, I do as he asks, watching the way his eyes flash in triumph as my hips glide to the left. Spreading his legs wide, he makes room for me, and I make my way between them, stopping when my face is right in front of his crotch. The carpet smooths over my palm as my nails dig into the soft strands.
This vantage gives me a close-up of how his cock strains against his pants. My mouth waters, and when I look at him through my eyelashes, his dark chuckle brushes down my spine.
“I see you,” he says, smoothing his thumb over my lip and gripping my jaw. “I know your hunger. I see your heart. I taste your desire in the air.” He smirks. “But what I don’t know is how well that pretty mouth can warm my cock.”
My eyebrows pinch together. I don’t know what he means. “I’ve had you in my mouth before,” I say, remembering a flash of him thrusting between my lips during my heat.
He nods. “That’s different.” Moving his hand from my jaw, he rests his arms on the chair and searches my face. Kai studies so intently, it’s as though he truly can see through me, stripping away the confidence I usually wear like armor and down to the woman who’s had too many nos. Who’s been told you’re not enough too many times. Slowly, his gaze moves from my face to his erection. “Take it out.”
Steadying myself on my knees, I reach for his pants and quickly undo them, freeing his hardened length. Kai’s cock is thick and beautiful. A bead of precum glistens, and I lap it up, taking him into my mouth, but his hand catches my hair at the base of my neck, firm enough to hold me still but not enough to hurt.
My eyes fly to his, and his jaw clenches. “No.”
I raise an eyebrow in question.
“Keep my cock warm, baby, but don’t suck it. Not yet.”
Blinking in understanding, I rest my cheek against his leg, his pulsing cock filling my mouth, my saliva dribbling down his shaft, and gaze up at him.
“Good,” he says, running his hand over my cheek. “That’s really good, baby.”
I hum, and his dick jerks in my mouth. I’m tempted to disobey, but something about the way he’s watching me, like I’m something special and precious, keeps me frozen.
“Relax your jaw.”
Breathing out, I feel the tension bleed from my jaw and the side of my head. I swallow the spit that’s gathered, and Kai grunts as my mouth works around him.
His thumb strokes along my cheek, brushing over the bulge of his cock in my mouth, and he smirks to himself. “You know what I love most about you?”
My heart clenches. Love?
The question must flash across my face.
“Yes, Daria. Love.”
“I love your heart. You’re kind.” His thumb swipes low, gathering some of my saliva on the pad of his finger so he can paint my top lip with it. “No matter how shitty the world has treated you, you still have love left to give. You love Vic. You love Linc.” He rests his palm over my cheek, holding my gaze. “And you love me, too, don’t you, baby?”
Swallowing, I say yes around his cock, earning a deep purr. I repeat the word again, but a soft tug on my ear tells me not to break the rules. Grumbling, I narrow my eyes on Kai.
“Not yet,” he says, the picture of patience. “I need you to know how much you mean to me.”
So, I gently suckle his length, waiting for him to grow soft, waiting for him to get bored, but he never does. Kai strokes my cheek, smooths his palm over my hair, whispers praise after praise until all I can hear is how much I mean to him. How much I’ve changed his life, the pack’s life. How he’ll do whatever he can to keep me safe. How much he loves me.
And, eventually, his words sink into my heart, and I know I can trust them.
As if he can see the shift inside of me, a slow, smug smirk works across his face. “That’s right, baby. You understand now, don’t you?”
When I nod, he thrusts lightly into my mouth, and I breathe a sigh of relief, wrapping my lips tightly around him and hollowing my cheeks, eager to taste him on my tongue. Kai allows me to play for a minute before he grabs my hips and lifts me onto his lap, thrusting into my dripping center and burying himself deep inside of me.
“Yesss,” I rasp as his lips close around my nipple, sucking hard and flicking it with his tongue as I roll my hips.
“That’s it, baby, fuck me,” he murmurs against my breasts, both his hands gripping my ass and helping me move up and down his length.
Wrapping my arms around his head, I cradle him against me, thighs burning as I move faster, slamming my hips down harder and harder, taking him deeper and deeper until his name tumbles from my lips and his cock jerks and pulses inside of me, until he’s buried deep, his words and praise and caresses sinking into my heart.
Until his lips crash into mine, swallowing my whimpers and screams as he takes control, thrusting wildly and moaning into my mouth as his hot cum coats my walls and I forget every doubt I’ve ever had.
Because this pack is mine.
And I’m done letting doubt lead the way.