Chapter 35
Revea
Inever realised how attractive a group of laughs could be.
I brace myself against the wall at the top of the stairs, listening to their rumbling laughter and murmured conversation. I can’t hear exactly what they’re saying from up here, but I smell what they’re doing. Cooking, and Kaiden said it’s for me.
I mean, I’m sure they’re eating too, but the thought still has my omega snarling at me to get down there.
After a deep breath, I take three steps.
“…I’m monitoring it… I know…” I stop, tilting my head to the sound of Sylvan’s voice.
“…hopefully. But I’ve got a few friends in prison…” My eyes widen at Luc’s words.
“Me too,” Val adds as I creep down further.
“…check she’s okay… I’ll call and rearrange that meeting…” The rest of Kaiden’s sentence fades away.
“Do you need help?” Sylvan appears at the bottom of the stairs, and I freeze.
Not because it’s him, or because he’s caught me listening, but because of what he’s wearing.
It’s the same black, tight compression t-shirt they all wear, but without the padded Nexus vest. Which means every single hardened muscle, from pectorals to abs, is on display.
Paired with the most sinful, low-slung grey joggers I’ve ever seen.
Hands tucked casually into the pockets, drawing my attention straight to something large in the middle…
I force my eyes up to his dark auburn hair, brushed back by fingers. Effortlessly styled, holding the type of soft waves I’d need sea-salt spray and a scrunching technique to recreate.
And I still haven’t answered his question or moved.
But Sylvan hasn’t moved either.
His soft blue gaze scales over my body, my leggings, lingering on my bare sliver of stomach and finally back up to my eyes.
“You...” He swallows. “You never dress like this.”
I laugh softly, suddenly feeling a little nervous as I descend the final steps.
“Not at work, no... Why, do you not like it?” I smile, and his mouth parts, but no words come out. “Sylvan…?”
“Do you feel better?” he blurts, sounding a little unhinged.
I frown. “Erm, yes? Why—”
He kisses me so suddenly I stumble back, but his hands find my waist, pulling me to him until the bulge I saw in his joggers is now hot against me.
“I like this. The clothes,” he says, lips brushing mine, fingers grazing my lower spine. “But I prefer you naked.” He smirks.
I try to pretend that didn’t make my stomach flutter, giving him a small smile before I step out of his hold.
“Hmm, I’ll keep that in mind.” I slowly move backwards.
He watches, blue gaze darkening as I thud into a warm, hard chest.
“Please do,” Val murmurs in my ear, his fingers slipping round to reach my stomach.
I turn in his arms, and I’m hit by the same deadly outfit, but with Val’s broad body. His muscles are slightly bigger, more defined, displaying those beautiful black designs that make it hard not to touch him.
My fingers trail over the geometric pattern covering his hard bicep. “Right now?”
“Hmm,” he purrs, that single sound enough to make standing much harder. “If you didn’t need to eat, it wouldn’t even be a question.”
His fingers tighten slightly against my stomach as he steers me with him, like he has no intention of letting me go just yet.
I barely notice where we’re going until the kitchen comes into view, and Luc—
My mouth slowly opens.
A wicked, bright grin spreads over his handsome face. Arms folded over his bare, muscular chest as he leans against the kitchen counter.
“Buenos días, mami.” He winks, and my body forgets this morning’s activities with Kaiden.
She’s ready to go again, with all three, maybe over this large counter...
“I like that look, omega,” Val murmurs against my temple. “But you need food.”
He leads me over to the breakfast bar as I pretend not to eye-fuck his brother, who’s piling food onto five plates.
“You cook?” I ask, thanking Val as he lifts me onto one of the stools definitely made for alphas.
“Sometimes,” Luc says, dishing out the rest of the bacon before hitting me with another devastating smile.
“Rarely,” Sylvan chips in, taking the stool to my left, then grabbing the edge of my seat and dragging it closer to him.
Luc scoffs while Val laughs, taking the seat to my right.
“He did this for you,” Sylvan adds, fingers brushing over my thigh as his other swipes through things on his tablet.
“Is that true, Luciano?” I know what I’m doing by fully naming him, and that smile of his twists into something darker.
He leans over the counter, our elbows nearly touching.
“Yes, Revea.” His gaze drops to my mouth. “You’ve got my alpha desperate to prove himself. I’ll cook for you every morning, if you’ll let me.” He leans even closer. “I’ll do anything you want—”
My stool’s yanked to the right.
“She needs to eat,” Val murmurs, eyes locked on Luc, who just laughs.
“Especially after taking Kaiden’s knot. I’m surprised you’re walking.”
The room descends into silence at Sylvan’s casual remark.
Slowly, he turns to me, noting my expression. “Should I not have said that?”
Luc bursts out laughing, then stabs his fork into some bacon and holds it out to me.
I have absolutely nothing to say, so I just take it.
Sylvan looks to Val next. The air hums, then Sylvan looks away sheepishly.
Oh, I hate that.
I swallow the bacon quickly.
“Hmm… makes you wonder what else I could take,” I murmur.
When Sylvan’s eyes snap back to mine, I make sure my next bite from Luc’s fork is slow, and our gazes stay locked.
“Dios mío…” Luc murmurs.
Then, from the corner, Kaiden emerges.
He’s wearing the same tight t-shirt, but the seams look like they’re fighting for their lives.
The fabric stretches brutally across his broad shoulders and thick arms, pulled taut over a chest that looks like it could split the stitches with one careless movement.
His neck alone probably uses half the material.
With the same low-slung grey joggers as the others, the soft material is a tease, because now I know exactly what’s underneath.
His hand drags through his hair, pushing dark strands back from his face, and all the while, those grey eyes stay fixed on me.
I swallow.
Without breaking stride, he crosses the room and presses a kiss to the top of my head.
I am so glad I’m sitting because my legs become jelly and a shiver skitters through me. Like my body’s remembering the aftershocks of his knot.
“You feeling okay?” he murmurs, chest rumbling against my spine.
I tilt my head back and smile up at him. “Yes, alpha.”
“Dios mío, mujer…” Val utters from the side.
I smirk. I know using his designation so soon after being knotted is walking a very thin line. Part of me hopes he bites, maybe snaps that line by throwing me over his shoulder…
I’m lifted, but sat back down too soon. Now on a very large lap with a strong arm circling my stomach.
“Behave,” he growls in my ear, then kisses my cheek, making me want to do the very opposite.
But Luc’s fork is already back at my lips, and the bacon is pretty good…
Soon, they’re all eating, making light conversation while Luc continues to feed me in between his own bites.
I look between them all with a soft smile. “Do you do this every morning? Have breakfast together?”
“No. We usually go to the gym first,” Sylvan answers.
“Yeah, which one?”
“Here.”
Of course they have their own gym in this mansion. “Have you been today?”
“No.” He frowns hard. “Why would we when you’re here?”
I let out a soft sigh, resting my cheek on my palm to face him. “Sylvan, you are so damn cute.”
His confused expression slips into a soft, uncertain smile.
“But you should go,” I say. “I don’t want to ruin your routine, and I really need to call my brothers.”
I take a sip of the coffee Val poured me, pause at the faint hint of caramel, then take another when I realise they’ve all gone quiet and there’s no movement.
“Go on.” I hop down from Kaiden’s lap, which earns me a disgruntled growl. “No…” I gently chide, hardly stopping the corner of my mouth from twitching.
I actually like the grumbly protectiveness.
“Listen, I’m not going anywhere, but if I don’t call my brothers soon, they’ll probably send a SWAT team.”
“They won’t find you,” Sylvan murmurs.
I decide to ignore it. “Go on. Go to the gym. Got to keep those muscles…” My eyes skim over them. “…big.”
There are a few more disapproving rumbles, but they get the hint as I disappear round the corner back up the stairs.
Although the bedroom I’ve been in is gorgeous, I need a change of scenery, especially when I know my brothers will want to see me. A bedroom is probably not the ideal background.
I’ve situated myself on the large U-shaped sofa, the self-igniting fire roaring before me, surrounded by soft cushions and a thick throw as I charge my dead phone and slip my SIM card back in.
The second it pings on, it doesn’t stop.
Endless notifications.
I swipe them all away, refusing to look, before turning my phone onto silent.
I take a deep breath as I click into the group chat, press the video call button, and wait.
Not for long.
“You have some nerve, Revea Monroe.” Rue’s voice appears before his face, and when it does, he’s frowning.
“It’s been two days since that vague-ass text.
Two days. You can’t even send a fucking text to say you’re alive?
I get a call from my fucking boss to say you’re staying with them?
They won’t even tell me where you are because you told them not to. Like, what the fuck?”
His face moves closer to the screen.
“Where the fuck are you, anyway? Some fancy ass hotel? Those ceilings look high as fuck.”
Then Rowan appears.
I take another deep breath.
“Nice to see you’re alive,” he says, tone sharp.