Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
THISTLE
Not that I’d tell him this, but Rogue was extra handsome with cuts and bruises all over his face and torso.
He was rugged enough, but it made him look even more so, and I was giddy with joy now he had a little heart of mine on his skin. And his blood smelled super good.
I wanted to interrogate him until Knox didn’t have a knot no more, and he seemed to be happy to let me.
“Do you think you’d like cuddling me?” I asked.
“Cuddling you?” Rogue cocked his head. “Yeh, I’d like that.”
“What if it was like… lots?” Like… every night?
“I’ll get a harness and strap you to my chest and cuddle you all day every day if you’d like.”
A giggle bubbled up my throat, uncontrolled, and I couldn’t take my eyes from him.
“What about…?” I trailed off, tugging Bunny from where he was perched next to me. “Do you think you’d uh… like me still if I wanted to draw like you do?”
Rogue’s eyes drafted to Knox, then returned to me.
“Would I like you if you wanted to draw?”
“Or just… would you be okay with it? Like you wouldn’t think it was weird if I was interested in something like that?”
Something that wasn’t him… I was supposed to be his Omega, and I had so little going for me, so I really just should be focused on?—
“I’d love it if you drew.”
“You would?” I asked, heart lifting.
“I’d give you a whole room just to draw, and I’d get you every art supply in the world.”
I stared at him, something stuck in my throat. I glanced at Knox, too, feeling his gaze fixed on me intently.
“And I could draw… things that weren’t you?” I asked.
Rogue chuckled, “Anything you want.”
“Even…” I chewed on my lip, not looking away with Rogue as the words tumbled from my mouth. “Could I draw Knox?”
At that, Knox’s caramel gaze slid to me, curiosity breaking the storm of fury.
“Yeh, Kitten. You could draw Knox.” He reached over, flicking Knox in the ear (and received a growl in response). “He’s pretty. I get it.”
“So… we can keep him?”
“Would you like to keep him?” he asked.
I shrank down a little, curling a little closer against Knox’s chest, tapping along the ridges of his abs as I worked through if that was a question to trip me up.
I’d decided that last night, but it was sure gonna be tricky—especially with all those bleeding wounds on his body.
Rogue had said it would be okay if I drew him, though, so… so that was good.
My arms wound around Knox’s chest and I hugged him tight, kinda like I did with Bunny. I didn’t meet his eyes, though— wasn’t none of his business, anyway. This was between me and Rogue.
I peered up into my mates pretty, teal gaze that was still fixed on me with such interest.
“I could use him around, I guess,” I muttered.
“Alright.” He shrugged. “We keep him.”
I narrowed my eyes, so surprised I did peer up at Knox, who was now glaring at the ceiling and refusing to meet either of our eyes. “How’s that gonna work? He’s kinda… rude.”
Rogue let out a snort. “We’ll work out the details later.”
Hmm.
Speaking of… I was feeling a little empty.
I pouted.
Knox’s knot was gone.
“Time’s up,” I sighed.
Rogue grinned, and I found myself fixated on how beautiful it was, even with a split lip and a bit of blood on his teeth. He got to his feet stiffly.
Rogue peered around, then took a few steps from the bed, foot nudging the pile of chains from the night before. Then he leaned down, picking up a little metal object.
He returned to me, sitting at the bedside, and reached for my collar. He fiddled for a moment, and then the chain came free of my neck, leaving just the golden collar.
“I should probably go. Best not be around when he gets free. I’d let him cool off a bit before you release him.”
“Okay…” I was a bit sad he hadn’t touched me, but from how turned on he’d been when I’d climbed onto Knox, I don’t think it was because he didn’t want me.
He reached out, catching a wavering hand just in time before he touched me.
A sad whine slipped from my chest.
I saw his eyes shift to Knox briefly, jaw set. Then, Rogue ducked toward me, fingers curling through my hair as he arched my neck and pressed his lips to mine.
Dangerous.
Daring.
But it filled my soul with so much joy, feeling his claim on me. And I’d left mine on him, too. That perfect little heart.
Good, because I didn’t know when I could get to see him again.
Then the kiss was gone, and so was he.
I turned back to Knox and Bunny, giddy, a smile still lingering on my lips.
I knew Knox was mad, but I was overjoyed.
“I think he likes us,” I whispered, leaning close and nuzzling my cheek up to Knox’s chest. I drew a little heart across his skin. “Did you hear that, Bunny? He said we can all be together.”
So far, every moment of my life had been spent running from monsters, trying to find the thinnest thread to hang onto. Something small, but something good.
This dream, though. It was almost too big to fit—my lungs felt too full even thinking about it.
Problem was… Well, Knox was gonna need a little more work.
But we could get him on board, right?
Hmm.
I peered up at him, but he was still staring at me with fury in his eyes, chains still holding his wrists and neck exactly where he was in bed.
The second I let him go, I was so fucking dead.
I could run and hide for a while. Sometimes Dan’s pack just needed time, and they found somewhere else to put their anger. On the other hand, if they did find me, they were twice as pissed.
But uh, we’d been here before, just the other way around with the whole gun thing.
What had he done after?
I think we can do that, Bunny.
I hurried to the bathroom to get supplies, and the fury in his eyes had been replaced with confusion by the time I returned with a bundle of warm cloths.
I snuggled up next to him, still not brave enough to remove the gag from his mouth, and began gently patting down his face and neck.
He’d been super gentle when he’d done it—and sweet, extra sweet. So, I climbed onto him, running my hands up his chest.
“You did so good, Daddy,” I told him, leaning close and pressing my lips to his collarbone as I ran the warm cloth along his neck.
My hips were currently straddling his mid-waist so I could reach him properly, and I felt his cock twitch beneath my leg.
Great.
I think it was working.
His breathing was loosening with every touch.