Chapter 76
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
I worry that things will be awkward the next day, so I avoid coming out of my room for as long as possible. Is everything going to be different now? I mean, I’ve fucked both of them. Will they fight each other? Fight me?
Will they coddle me? Treat me like I’m damaged, ask me about Max, or decide I’m too much? I really don’t want to talk about Max. It’s clear they know. I don’t want to relive it.
When I finally come out of the room, Buddy following behind me, Gage and Axel are bickering about what pizza they should order for dinner.
“Ah, good,” Gage motions at his brother. “Tell this idiot that three cheese is too much cheese. Gotta break it up with some pepperoni or something.”
“Too much cheese?” Axel groans, rubbing his forehead. “Do you hear yourself?”
They continue to bicker, tossing insults back and forth, and it makes me relax. I slide into a spot on the loveseat, patting Buddy.
Gage gets up with a dramatic sigh, then comes over to me. “Hey, princess.”
“Hey, don’t–” I cut off as he turns to sit on me.
“Gage!”
Too late, he’s dropped his weight on me and leans back. I grunt, trying to squirm away, but his weight pins me down solidly. His back vibrates as he asks, “I thought Raven came out.”
“Get off!” I half laugh, half cry.
Axel’s voice is muffled. “I didn’t hear her defend cheese. She must not be here.”
“You guys aren’t that blind.”
I continue struggling, and then Gage shifts. “Oh! There you are! Why didn’t you say anything?”
I gasp for air, wiggling my torso around his back. “Get off you fucking… giant… fucking…”
“Hmmm. Not unless you pay the tax.”
My legs are fully pressed into the bottom of the cushion, and they’re getting wet from the last bit of the cleaner that hasn’t dried. “Okay! Fuck, get off!”
“Good.” Suddenly, Gage’s weight is gone. Then, I’m being whisked up and plopped back down in his lap.
Axel watches us with a bored expression.
“Help,” I gasp, trying to claw my way out of Gage’s grip.
Axel winks at me. “Why? Watching you struggle is way more fun.”
I growl, making Gage chuckle behind me. “Okay, time to pay the tax.” He reaches to the side table where the book lies.
“The tax for existing?” I struggle now that he’s only holding me with one arm, but it’s like fighting with a large, meaty seatbelt.
“The tax for having such a sexy voice,” Gage says into my ear.
Heat crawls across my skin, and I huff, but I stop struggling.
“Atta girl.” He drops the book in my lap. “Read.”
I glance at Axel, who just watches with a mildly curious look.
“You deserved the milk in your couch,” I mutter. “You’re insufferable.”
“Milk? In my couch?”
I freeze. Oh fuck. I forgot Axel knew and kinda assumed he told Gage.
“Did you spill something?” Gage asks. He doesn’t sound mad, just curious.
“Yeah. On purpose,” Axel laughs.
When I don’t respond, Gage grips me harder. Then his nose hits my neck, and he pulls in a breath. “Fuck, princess,” he grumbles out in a dark laugh.
I squirm, but it only serves to make me feel just how hard Gage is under me. That sends a rush of blood to my pussy.
“Read,” Gage demands in my ear.
As much as I hate being told what to do, coming from Gage, it doesn’t feel scary. Plus, it’s hard to argue with the seatbelt tucked firmly around my body. So, reluctantly, I start reading.
There’s a comfort that settles into the room. Axel stays even though he must be lost. I read more until my eyes get heavy. A few times, we shuffle around, Gage brings me a blanket, and Axel brings me a drink. I read until I’m pretty sure Axel passes out, and my eyes grow heavy.
Then, I’m woken by a jostle of movement. It’s Gage, lifting me into his arms.
“What are you doing?” I mutter.
“Shhh. Just drool on my shoulder and go back to sleep.”
I should wake up more, but I don’t want to. Instead, I settle into his shoulder. Feeling something drop away, I realize my blanket has fallen off.
Distantly, I hear Gage say, “Ax, bring that?”
Gage is warm. He’s like a furnace. A comfortable, muscly furnace. And when he tries to drop me off in my bed and take that heat away, I reach my arms out.
For a second, I think he’s gonna go, and I wake up a little more, clutching him to me. I don’t want him to go, and I’m afraid he will.
There’s a pause, and then he settles in next to me. I burrow down, creating a new cocoon of warmth.
I feel movement on my other side, and then Gage’s voice says, “Ax is here too. You okay?”
Why the hell is he trying to wake me up? I just mutter. Something tells me I should be scared. That they could hurt me.
But Gage asked if I was okay. I’m in control here. They aren’t doing anything I haven’t asked them not to do.
Then, I shove those thoughts back down. I’m comfortable, and I just want to sleep. Gage and Axel will protect me from anything that wants to hurt me. Oh, and Buddy.
I sit up, trying to look for Buddy.
“She’s here,” Gage says; then I feel something jump up on the bed. It’s her.
With a contented sigh, I settle back down into the warmth. And then I pass out.