Chapter 10
“Everything hurts,” I moaned.
Dash moved in behind me and scooped me up into his arms. “I think you’ve earned some rest.”
I wasn’t even going to argue. We’d been working on my magic for hours. So far, I’d had a variety of gifts pop up. Fire, obviously. Flight. Super speed, thanks to Colt. And manipulating plants, thanks to Dash. One side of the lawn was now about twelve inches tall. Whoops.
Saoirse gave me a wink and a wave. “Enjoy your men. We’ll practice again soon. Just remember, you’re in control.”
My stomach bottomed out at that. I wasn’t. Not really. But I was getting a better feel for things.
I let my head rest against Dash’s chest as he carried me into the house. “You’re cozy,” I mumbled.
He chuckled, the warm vibrations spreading through me. “Glad to hear it.”
“I could be cozy,” Trace grumbled as he followed behind us.
Ronan arched a brow in his direction. “Torture is your favorite hobby. Pretty sure cozy isn’t a word to describe you.”
Trace scowled at him. “I can torture and cuddle. They aren’t mutually exclusive.”
Declan snorted. “Okay, so his two favorite hobbies are torture and cuddling. He’s a man of diverse talents.”
Colt grinned and smacked Declan on the shoulder. “Just imagine his dating profile.”
“Hey,” I snapped. “There are no dating profiles happening in this house.”
Colt’s grin spread into a full smile as Dash set me on the couch in the lounge. Colt took the seat next to me and brushed his lips across mine. “Never. Unless you need us to make a list of our selling points for you.”
I snuggled into his side as the other guys took seats around us. “I’m pretty sure you’ve done that already.”
Colt dropped a kiss to the top of my head. “Good to know.”
I pulled back, searching his face for any hints of pain. “How are you feeling?”
Colt’s expression softened. “I’m fine, LeeLee. I swear.” He rotated his shoulder to prove his point. “Super healing, remember?”
My lips pulled down in a frown. “You shouldn’t need it.”
Colt tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and let his fingers trail down my neck. “You’re just starting to learn. You’ve already made great progress.”
I huffed out a breath. “I nearly went running into the ocean without meaning to and pitched Declan on his ass.”
Ronan chuckled. “It’s good for Dec to be knocked down a few pegs.”
Declan sent him a mock glare. “Don’t forget, your ass almost got fried last night.”
My chest warmed at the two of them playfully jibing, but there was still worry rooted deep. Fear that I would truly hurt one of them, or worse.
Dash squeezed my thigh. “You’re doing great. We’ll be there to help you every step of the way.”
I hated that they had to. That I’d been robbed of learning about my lineage and fostering my gifts. The thought had anger at Maryanne surging to the surface, but it vanished just as quickly at the reminder of what I was capable of. Maryanne was dead. Because of me. I had that capability within me.
“What’s wrong?” Trace clipped, his expression going hard.
“Nothing,” I said quickly.
“Bullshit,” he argued. “You just went deathly pale.”
I was quiet for a moment. “I killed someone.”
“LeeLee,” Colt said, pulling me close. “You defended yourself.”
It wasn’t that I regretted ending the woman who was supposed to be my mother. It was the knowledge that I had that within me. “What if I really hurt one of you? Someone else? An innocent bystander?”
“We’re going to stick close,” Ronan assured me. “We’ll make sure nothing happens that shouldn’t.”
I took comfort in that. I knew that these guys would have my back, no matter what. I nodded slowly. “Thanks. I want to work some more on my control later.”
Colt’s grip on my shoulder tightened. “Just don’t push it too hard. You need to rest first.”
“You need to eat,” Trace commanded. He pushed to his feet. “I’m going to get you some food.”
He sounded completely grumpy about it, but I couldn’t help but smile. Even in his curmudgeonly way, he was taking care of me.
“What’s that smile about?” Declan asked as Trace disappeared.
“I love his grumpy ass,” I said with a shrug.
The guys around me erupted into laughter.
My lips twitched. “It’s like he’s so unbelievably annoyed that he cares about me, but he can’t help himself.”
Dash’s thumb stroked across my thigh. “It’s good for him.”
Ronan nodded. “He’s been different since you arrived. There’ve been struggles for sure, but he’s not closing himself off from emotion anymore.”
My chest squeezed. I hated that Trace had ever shut himself off from the world. That he’d ever numbed himself to the point of feeling nothing at all. “He has to forgive himself,” I said quietly.
“I think he will,” Colt said. “He just needs time.”
Footsteps sounded in the hall. “How do we feel about a charcuterie board for lunch?”
My eyes practically bugged out of my head as I took in the massive display in Baldwin’s hands.
The elaborate board was full of everything you could imagine.
Salamis, prosciutto, and other meats. Cheeses of every variety.
Crackers, sliced breads, and cheese crisps of some sort.
Grapes, apples, and berries. Marcona almonds, pistachios, and a nut I didn’t recognize.
There was hummus and an array of other dips, along with more veggies than I could count.
My stomach rumbled. “This is amazing. How did you pull it together so fast?”
Baldwin placed it on the coffee table and booped my nose. “I was way ahead of you. I knew you’d be working up an appetite with all your practice.”
“Thank you so much. This is my favorite way to eat. A little bit of everything.”
“Glad to hear it. Just holler if you need anything else,” Baldwin said as he headed out the door.
Trace appeared with an ice chest full of sodas. He set it next to the coffee table, glancing at me. “Root beer, orange soda, Coke, or iced tea?”
“Orange soda, please,” I answered.
Trace grabbed one from the ice and popped the tab. The letters across his knuckles twisted and flexed as he moved. Love. Hate. I so badly wanted Trace to live in the first word. Wanted to give him so much of it he was drowning.
As Trace reached the soda out to me, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him down. My lips met his, my tongue stroking inside. He met me, his own tongue tangling with mine. I poured everything I felt for him into the kiss.
When Trace pulled back, his eyes glowed that vibrant purple. “What was that for, Little Bird?”
I shrugged. “I love you.”
A mixture of pleasure and pain danced across his expression. “I love you, too.”
I grabbed the proffered soda and took a sip. As I did, I caught Dash’s eyes on me. There was sheer joy there.
I’d wondered how this could possibly work, six people in a single relationship. But I saw it in Dash’s expression. How sincerely happy he was for Trace. How he needed me to love Trace just as much as he needed me to love him.
I leaned over and brushed my lips across his. “Love you.”
“More than you’ll ever know, Mon Coeur.”
Rapid footsteps sounded in the hall again and Baldwin reappeared. But there was no smile on his face this time.
“What happened?” Colt demanded.
Baldwin wrung his hands. “The police are here. They found Maryanne’s body.”