Chapter 16
Ezra
We rumbled through Edinburgh’s cobbled streets at night, forty people and five wagons that were loud enough to wake the dead. Every family watched—I could feel it. After Xan had cleared Erick’s loyalists and the Prophet’s fall spread, we were a parade no one could ignore.
Not an easy target, but tempting enough. Every shadow made me pull Quinn closer.
When one of the Lawsons’ post chaises hit a rut and cracked an axle, my gut said ambush. I redeployed enforcers, shoved Xan to the rear, and braced for the strike. But no one came. Just a broken part, fixed quickly with their runes.
It should’ve calmed me. It didn’t. Easy always meant worse was waiting.
At St. Giles Cathedral, we dropped the Lawsons. My lover was clever. Restoring the ruined church would keep them busy, maybe even let them scrape beauty out of the Prophet’s lies. I left a few guards and pressed on.
At the castle gates, we dismounted. Rowan and Cayden tried to box Quinn between them as though they were her shields. I stepped in, clamped a hand on her waist, and put her where she belonged, between Xan and me.
Cayden’s glare promised blood. He only eased when he looked at Quinn. “I’ll find you tomorrow.”
Rowan clapped his shoulder. “Don’t have too much fun, Q-tip.”
Quinn flushed. I fucking loved it. By the time we got her home, the twenty hours awake hit hard. I managed to get her between us in bed before sleep crushed me.
Sunlight dragged me awake. Too late for my body clock, too early to want to move. Coffee called, but the sight in front of me pinned me in place.
Quinn slept with my lover’s arms around her.
Her head rested on his bicep, and her back molded to his chest. His other hand draped across her hip and rested against her abdomen, just below her belly button ring, peeking out of the little white undershirt she’d slept in.
Blankets twisted around their legs. A ray of sun hit her sparkling hair, and rainbows danced around them.
I memorized it. Every breath, every curve. Sex with her would be fire—I didn’t doubt it. But this? This was what I fought for.
Xan’s eyes opened, blinking at me. ‘All good?’' he asked silently.
‘Yeah.’
My chest swelled so fast it hurt. I wanted to run. I wanted to stay forever.
Quinn stirred, wiggling deeper into him. His hand drifted lower. He’d probably been hard against her all night, as I lay here, behaving like a saint while staring like a creeper. Torture didn’t begin to cover it.
‘Should we go to the kitchen?’ I offered out of pure habit.
We locked gazes. Habit. Quinn was right to be upset. We’d been so busy keeping her “choice” clean, we hadn’t considered her feelings once.
‘Explore her.’
Xan obeyed instantly, sliding his hand beneath her underwear, kissing into her messy hair. I shoved the blankets down, making sure my abs were on display.
Quinn moaned, eyes blinking open, catching the light. As I’d hoped, her gaze landed on me and heated.
My lover ran his hand up her body and moved her hair so he could kiss her neck, only to trace the outline of her breasts and pull down her undergarments enough that I could see his fingers twisting the mess of dark curls.
My innocent kitten disappeared. Her nipples hard against her shirt, her thighs pressing together, as Xan ground his cock into her ass.
Quinn looked at me. “Are you joining us?”
God, yes. But not yet. She was in our bed, eyes hazy with lust, and I wanted her when she chose it, and after I’d earned it.
I smirked. “Sit on Xan’s face.”
Quinn blinked.
I shifted to my knees and pulled a hair tie off my wrist. The muscles in my arms flexed as I reached above me to pull my hair back. My lover—and who I wanted to be my lover—drooled.
My hair tie snapped into place. Three moves later, Xan was flat, Quinn’s pussy hovering over his mouth, facing me. I left her shirt on, nipples straining against the fabric.
“You picked that shirt for us,” I muttered, kissing each tight peak. “Keep it.”
She gasped, but before she could talk, Xan grabbed her hips and pulled her down. Her jaw dropped, a blush running wild across her cheeks. Her hands hovered, lost.
Not good enough.
I slid down my lover’s body, freeing his cock. Quinn’s gaze followed me and heated as I swallowed him deep. My eyes locked with hers.
Xan groaned into her, his clumsy tongue too eager. Not enough.‘Find the nub. Clit. Focus.’
His hand shifted, thumb circling. The second he hit it, Quinn jerked, and her little cries filled the room.
Her gaze glued to me. An audience I wasn’t used to—one I found I liked.
I took my time with Xan, licking, teasing, dragging it out until frustration tightened every muscle. Then I hollowed my cheeks, drove him to the edge. When he snapped, I pulled back, leaving him spilling across his stomach. Quinn’s eyes went wide. Fascinated. Hungry.
Quinn was only beginning her sexual explorations. I’d make sure it was with us that she experienced as many firsts as possible.
“Xan, baby, what are you doing?” I scolded. “Our girl is on your face, and she’s not moaning. She’s not even rocking.”
‘Eat her ass,’ I commanded my lover.
I crawled forward, careful not to disturb the art I’d left on my lover’s stomach, and wrapped an arm around Quinn’s waist. Slowly, I leaned her back, and my lover's tongue slid down to her backside.
We might not know a lot about women, but my lover knew what to do with a butt when presented.
Without instruction, he played both fields.
Quinn squealed, pink blazing across her skin.
“Do you like it?” I asked, sliding a hand down her stomach, brushing her belly ring before pressing two fingers into her slick folds to find her clit, while my lover destroyed everything below.
Her answer was a moan.
“Please,” she gasped, rocking harder as I worked her. Xan followed my rhythm with everything he had.
“This is so much…” she panted.
“Come for us,” I breathed. “Explode while I make you sing.”
And she did. Screamed once, then shattered, shuddering between us while Xan devoured her.
When she sagged, trembling, I leaned over and stole a kiss from my lover’s slick mouth, tasting her on his tongue.
“You taste amazing.” I licked the corner of my mouth.
“Really?” Quinn whispered, flushed and shy.
“Yes,” we said together.
Quinn bit her lips shut and pulled a sheet over her flushed skin.
As usual, once my lover’s brain returned, he reached for my dick, but I rolled and batted him away. “Coffee, gym, in that order.” Out of habit, I grabbed my TB off my bedside table. The massive tent in my pants pointed the way as I headed for the kitchen.
“Did I do something wrong?” I heard Quinn ask softly as I opened the door.
‘Assure her, now.’ I’d never snapped so hard in my lover's mind before. ‘She’s still here. We are open and taking action. Words will not escape my lips and destroy this moment.’
Xan chuckled. “No. Ezra is a unique cookie.”
I smirked. Witty, light-hearted, and still reassuring. Xan was a legend.
“Oh,” Quinn said as I propped open the kitchen door. “So, making him sleep in the hall wasn’t quite what I thought it was, was it?”
Xan chuckled again. “It served two purposes. Don’t overthink it. Now, I know the last time we had a serious talk in the morning, it didn’t go well…”
I pushed magic into the coffee contraption, straining to hear their conversation over the bubbling water and hissing steam.
My TB buzzed. Once. Twice. On the third time, Xan shoved his head in. “We have a problem.”I clenched my fists. Of course we did.
Xan held up his TB, and I opened my mind. Messages flooded into it. The blood drained out of my face. The families were allying against us.
“The Abernathys as well.” Xan gritted his teeth. “After everything I just did for them, they’re still moving against me.”
I couldn’t feel my lover’s emotions, but I knew his heart bled. Seven years of holding back to gain people’s trust had gone up in smoke. The families didn’t trust us. They never would.
“What’s going on?” Quinn asked, popping into the doorway and pushing herself under Xan’s arm. A pair of yellow sweatpants now covered her lower half. Despite everything, a brief visual of Xan’s face covered in her juices made my cock twitch.
Xan pulled her close. “The families are unhappy. They’re gathered at the base of The Mile.” He leaned down and pressed his lips against her pulse point. “Clean up. Wear something nice. It’s going to be messy.”
‘Did you give her our Intentions?’ I demanded.
He shook his head. ‘Not yet.’