31. Isabel
31
ISABEL
I wake up with a gasp, my body jerking upright as cold sweat clings to my skin. My breath is uneven, my pulse hammering against my ribs. I don’t remember the dream—only the weight of darkness pressing against my chest, the suffocating feeling of fear wrapping around me. It lingers in my bones, in the way my fingers curl into the sheets, grasping at nothing.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to shake off the unease, but it clings to me, refusing to let go.
I don’t want to be alone.
The thought comes before I can stop it, curling inside me like a whisper of weakness.
I hate that I need anything from them, but right now, I do.
I push the blankets off and slip out of bed, my bare feet touching the cold floor as I move toward the door. The wooden floorboards creak softly beneath my weight, and I hesitate.
Fuck . What should I do?
I ease the door open and step into the hallway. My eyes flick to the three doors at the end of the hall. I hesitate again.
I could go to Theodore , but I know what would happen if I did. He wouldn’t turn me away, but the intensity in his eyes, the way he looks at me like he wants to consume me whole—it would be too much right now.
Maxwell ? No . I don’t trust myself with him, not when he gets under my skin so easily, not when he knows exactly how to push me to the edge and make me fall.
That only leaves Julian .
The kindest of the three, who, despite everything, has always been the gentlest with me. The safest.
My decision made, I move toward his door, my steps light as I turn the knob and push it open just enough to slip inside.
The room is dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon filtering through the windows. At first, I don’t see anything but the outline of the bed. Then , my eyes adjust, and I freeze.
Two figures lie curled together in the center of the mattress, still and peaceful.
Maxwell is facing me, and Julian is behind him, one arm draped around his waist, his face relaxed in sleep.
My heart swells.
I’ve never seen them like this—unguarded, unburdened by the weight they carry when they’re awake. Julian’s brow isn’t creased in thought, Maxwell isn’t smirking or teasing. They’re just… them.
A warmth spreads through my chest.
I should turn around and go back to my room. Instead , I take a careful step forward, my heart in my throat as I inch closer. I don’t want to wake them or to break this moment.
Carefully , I lift the edge of the blanket.
I gasp.
Julian’s body is molded perfectly to Maxwell’s back, his face buried against Maxwell’s shoulder, his breathing slow. Their legs are tangled beneath the blankets, Julian’s foot hooked around Maxwell’s ankle, keeping him close even in sleep.
They’re both naked, and when I look closer, I notice Julian’s cock buried deep inside Maxwell as they cuddle.
Oh my God .
The longer I stand there, the harder it is to ignore the way my breath quickens, my lungs working overtime as something dark and visceral stirs inside me.
My pulse throbs.
They look good like this. Too good.
I swallow, but my throat is dry.
The way they’re wrapped around each other sends a sharp pulse of arousal straight through me. My fingers tremble against the fabric of my sleep shirt, my thighs pressing together instinctively.
Shit .
I suck in a breath.
The image of them like this is burned into my brain now, impossible to erase.
Slowly , I slip beneath the blanket, easing myself in front of Maxwell . The bed shifts slightly beneath my weight, and for a second, I hold my breath.
Neither of them stir.
A quiet exhale leaves me as I settle in, pressing my body against Maxwell’s warmth. He’s solid, his scent wrapping around me. His body heat sinks into mine, and before I can stop myself, I press my forehead against his chest.
Julian shifts behind him, his hold tightening just slightly, pulling Maxwell in closer, as if, even in sleep, he doesn’t want to let go.
Maxwell finally stirs.
A twitch of his fingers, an exhale against my hair. Then , his body tenses slightly, his breathing changing. I know the exact moment he wakes up, even before his eyes open.
His body stills, like he’s taking in the situation, registering the extra warmth pressed against his front.
My pulse jumps. I hadn’t thought this through, hadn’t considered what would happen when one of them woke up to find me here.
I brace myself, expecting some sort of remark, maybe even annoyance that I interrupted their moment. Instead , he lets out a slow, sleepy hum, his arm tightening around my waist, pulling me even closer.
Heat blooms across my skin.
I don’t move, barely even breathe as his fingers splay against the small of my back, pressing me flush against him. There’s no hesitation, no sign of him questioning why I’m here.
A drowsy sigh escapes him before I feel a gentle kiss pressed to my forehead.
Something in my chest clenches so tight, it almost hurts.
I don’t know what to do with the way that simple act makes me feel, how easily it threatens to unravel me.
I exhale, letting the tension seep out of me, and snuggle in closer.
That’s when I feel his unmistakably hard cock against my stomach.
My lips part slightly as my entire body goes rigid for half a second before my thighs clench in response.
Maxwell shifts, and I swear I feel him smirk against my hair. His arm tightens around me, fingers grazing over my spine in a slow, idle pattern.
The way he touches me is unhurried, as if he has all the time in the world to explore. His palm drifts from my lower back, down the curve of my hip, then back up again, settling in the dip of my waist.
His other hand finds my hair, his fingers weaving through the strands, gathering them lazily before twisting a few locks between his fingers. He gives a slight tug, and my face jerks up.
I suck in a breath.
He hums at the sound.
Our lips are now mere inches apart.
He slides his hand lower, grabbing my ass then subtly grazes his fingers over my exposed heat. I never wear underwear to sleep, and for this, I’m suddenly thankful.
I don’t know who moves first. Maybe it’s him. Maybe it’s me. But before I can think better of it, our mouths meet.
The kiss is slow, unhurried, just like his touch. His lips move against mine lazily, teasing, coaxing. He nips at my bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth before soothing the bite with his tongue.
Heat curls in my stomach, sharp and dizzying.
Maxwell smiles, dragging his thumb across my swollen lips like he’s memorizing the feel of them. “ Could get used to this,” he murmurs.
His other hand—still lingering between my legs—slinks its way between my lower lips, touching my clit in a soft stroke. I let out a sharp exhale.
When Maxwell sets his fingers at my entrance, I feel a tingle shoot down my spine.
Slowly , he eases them inside, and I immediately tighten around him, a throaty moan spilling from my mouth.
This isn’t what I expected when I crept into Julian’s room. Whatever haunted me in my nightmares is nothing but a distant memory now.
I move in sync with his fingers, matching the slow pace.
Julian is still asleep, blissfully unaware of what’s happening just inches away, and the thought of him waking up to this excites me.
I kiss Maxwell again, and a low sound rumbles from his chest. He deepens our kiss, tilting his head, pressing me closer. His free hand tangles in my hair, his body flush against mine, and I feel everything .
Julian lets out a gravelly hum from his throat as he wakes. His body shifts behind Maxwell , his fingers flexing in the blanket before reaching out blindly.
When his hand finds me, his touch is warm, trailing along my waist.
He’s still half asleep, but it’s as if his body remembers exactly where he is, exactly what he was doing before he drifted off. He exhales against Maxwell’s shoulder as he shifts, rolling his hips forward in a slow thrust.
Maxwell jolts slightly, a gasp cutting through his lips, but he doesn’t stop kissing me. If anything, the kiss grows more desperate.
A shudder wracks through him as Julian moves again.
I feel every tremor of pleasure ripple through Maxwell , his body tensing, his grip tightening on my waist like he needs something to ground him.
I moan softly into Maxwell’s mouth, needing more. His fingers are still expertly working inside me, curling, stroking, coaxing me closer to the edge.
A tidal wave threatens to pull me under, and I can do nothing but surrender to it.
Maxwell lets out a choked sound against my lips, his body trembling against mine as Julian moves.
I can’t stop the memory flashing in my mind: Julian and Maxwell together, their bodies slick with sweat, their movements raw and desperate as they fuck on top of me. The thought has been a slow-burning ember in my chest since it happened.
Now , I’m right here with them, tangled in the heat of it, drowning in them.
And I’m so close.
My hands seeks Maxwell out, needing to feel him, to return the intensity he’s pouring into me. My fingers brush over his stomach, feeling the way his muscles clench under my touch. I grab onto his hard cock, fingers curling around him as I stroke him. My touch slows just enough for my fingers to toy with the piercing at his tip.
Maxwell lets out a strangled sound against my lips, his forehead dropping to mine. “ Fuck , Starling ,” he rasps, voice rough with pleasure. “ That mouth, those hands. That pussy. You’re fucking soaked.”
Julian’s lips graze the back of Maxwell’s neck. “ Look at her. I bet she’s been dreaming about us.”
Maxwell chuckles darkly, his grip tightening at my waist as he rocks into my hand. “ Bet she has,” he agrees, voice wrecked. “ Bet she thinks about us filling her up, taking her any way we want. You like that, don’t you, Starling ? You want to be passed between us, made to take whatever we give you?”
A choked moan escapes my lips, and Julian groans at the sound.
“ Is that what you want, corazón?” Julian hums, his fingers brushing against my chin, tilting my face so he can see me fully. His eyes are hooded, heavy with lust, and I can feel the way he drinks in every inch of me. “ You want to be taken and claimed, don’t you? Does it make you wet knowing we won’t stop until we’ve ruined you completely?”
Julian leans over Maxwell and captures my lips in a kiss that’s all heat and possession, like he’s been waiting for the chance to taste me. His tongue teases mine, coaxing a breathy moan from deep in my throat.
When he finally pulls back, a needy whimper escapes me, my grip on Maxwell tightening involuntarily. He groans.
The coil inside me clenches, and I know I won’t last much longer.
“ Jueputa ... eres perfecta, mi amor,” Julian mutters.
Maxwell’s fingers keep working me relentlessly, knowing exactly how to keep me there, to hold me in that unbearable place between pleasure and ruin. Julian watches me, his gaze like a fire licking over my skin, burning me alive.
“ That’s it, Starling ,” Maxwell murmurs against my lips. “ Come for me. Show us how much of a desperate slut you are when you break.”
I cry out, my entire body tensing before I shatter. The pleasure crashes over me in waves, stealing my breath, my thoughts—everything.
My back arches, my nails digging into Maxwell’s skin as I cling to him, gasping his name.
Maxwell groans against my throat, his lips hot as he trails kisses over my skin, murmuring praises I can barely hear over the rush in my ears. My body pulses, still caught in the aftershocks.
But I don’t let go of my grip on his cock.
“ Fuck ,” Maxwell groans, his hips jerking instinctively into my touch. “ You’re gonna make me lose it.”
Julian’s movements behind him grow more erratic, his pace no longer controlled, instead driven by pure, unrelenting need. His fingers dig into Maxwell’s hips, holding him in place as he buries himself deep.
Maxwell lets out a strangled sound, his head tipping back, exposing the length of his throat. His breath hitches as Julian thrusts harder, faster.
“ That’s it,” Julian grits out to Maxwell . “ Take it. Just like that. My . Good . Fucking . Boy .”
Oh , fuck.
Seeing them like this has my breath coming in short pants.
Maxwell is barely holding on, his body caught between Julian’s frantic rhythm and the relentless strokes of my hand. He looks at me, his eyes wild, mouth parted, as though he wants to say something but can’t find the words.
“ Come for me, baby,” I whisper, stroking him with purpose now, watching him fall apart.
A desperate cry rips from his throat, his entire body shuddering as pleasure overtakes him. His hands claw at the sheets, his breath breaking apart into uneven gasps as he spills into my hand, his release warm against my skin.
The sight of him unraveling completely—so raw, so beautifully undone—sends Julian over the edge with him. A guttural moan tears from Julian’s lips as he thrusts deep one last time, his whole body seizing as he spills inside Maxwell . His forehead presses against Maxwell’s shoulder, his breath hot and uneven against his skin.
For a long moment, all I can hear is the sound of our breathing, all tangled together.
Maxwell collapses against me, his body boneless as he catches his breath. Julian leans into him from behind, pressing a lingering kiss to the back of his neck.
Then , Julian exhales deeply, running a hand through his hair before leaning over to grab some towels from his nightstand. He hands one to me first, his fingers brushing mine in a way that feels almost reverent, and then he passes another to Maxwell , who groans in exhaustion but takes it, nonetheless.
We clean up in comfortable silence. The frantic energy of before has simmered into something more tender.
Once we’re done, Julian tosses his towel aside and stretches before slipping back under the covers. Maxwell does the same, his body boneless as he drapes an arm over me, pulling me against his chest like it’s second nature.
This time, when the three of us settle, it isn’t just about need. It’s restful.
Maxwell’s breathing evens out first, his fingers still lazily tracing patterns on my skin even as sleep claims him. Julian follows soon after, the rise and fall of his chest against Maxwell’s back lulling me into something dangerously close to peace.
I should go back to my own room, put space between us before I sink any deeper into this.
But I don’t.
I’m slowly coming apart.
Each of them has claimed a different part of me, carved their names into my soul in ways I never saw coming. Theodore , with his intensity, the sharp edges that cut, and the unwavering strength that holds me steady. Julian , with his warmth, his gentle hands, the way he sees me even when I try to make myself invisible. And Maxwell —wild, reckless, a storm I never wanted to be caught in, yet here I am, willingly drowning.
I told myself I would fight them, that I would never give in. But what started as resistance has turned into something else entirely.
The truth is, I don’t know who I am without them anymore.
As I let my eyes slip shut, I make a silent oath.
I am theirs. Always .