3. Aisling
Chapter three
Aisling
The door clicks shut behind me, a soft snick in the quiet of the suite. I’m barely through when I catch Luka and Oberon camped out on the sleek leather couch, eyes flicking from the TV to land on me like dual spotlights. The screen flickers, some late-night show casting erratic shadows across their faces.
“Hey,” I say, dropping my keycard into the bowl by the door. “How’s the night treating you two?”
Luka’s laugh is a low rumble, an easy sound that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. He leans forward, elbows resting on his knees, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. “Like we could sleep with you out and about.”
Oberon doesn’t bother with subtlety, his blunt words slicing through the air as he turns to me, his expression unreadable. “So, Aisling, how was your little rendezvous? Rook didn’t want to come back with you?”
His question hangs between us, laden with unspoken implications, and I fight the urge to squirm under their combined scrutiny. Oberon has been eager for Rook to join us for weeks, and Luka seems just as intrigued. It’s clear they’ve been waiting up for more than just a goodnight; they’re hungry for details, prowling around the edges of my evening like it’s their territory too.
And maybe it is, in a way that’s both unsettling and intoxicating.
“Maybe Rook figured he’d get the third degree from you two,” I quip, shrugging off my jacket. “Thought maybe you’d have the decency to hit the sack and give us a scrap of privacy.”
Their smiles are knowing, shared in some silent alpha communion that excludes me, yet envelops me all at once. The air is heavy with their mingled scents, a tangible cloak that drapes over my shoulders and seeps into my bones.
I don’t think I’ll ever stop wanting them.
Oberon rises from his seat, a fluid motion that belies the predator within. He crosses the room, his steps measured, purposeful. Before I can brace myself, he’s behind me, his hands finding my waist with proprietary ease.
“Privacy?” Oberon’s voice is a low hum against my ear, vibrating through me. His grip tightens ever so slightly, a solid affirmation of his presence. “With Rook’s scent all over you?”
He buries his face in the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply. It’s a gesture so intimate, so instinctual, it sends a jolt through me, a primal recognition that he’s right.
“His scent’s been on you for weeks,” Oberon murmurs, lips brushing my hairline. “Might as well be pack after all this time living under the same roof.”
There’s no accusation in his tone, just a statement of fact. And yet, it sends a ripple of something dangerous and thrilling through me. We’ve been dancing around the idea, skirting the edges of what it could mean for all of us. But now, with Oberon’s breath warm against my skin and Luka’s gaze tracking every subtle shift between us, there’s no more room for pretense.
“Does that mean you’ve got a thing for Rook?” My voice is playful, but there’s an undercurrent of curiosity that I can’t quite mask. The air between us feels charged, and I’m hyper-aware of every point where Oberon’s body touches mine.
He chuckles, a low sound that resonates through his chest and into my back. “Aisling,” he says, his breath hot on my neck as he angles his head to press a kiss just below my earlobe. “I like whatever you like. And yes, I’ve thought about it—Rook joining us.”
It’s said with such casual confidence that it sparks a wildfire inside me. The idea isn’t new—we’ve all toyed with the notion in hushed tones and stolen glances. But hearing Oberon admit it so openly, so directly, it’s like a key turning in a lock. A hidden door swinging wide open.
The room around us fades into the background as I focus on the sensation of his lips against my skin, the implicit permission in his words. It’s an invitation and a challenge rolled into one, and my heart races at the possibilities.
I tear my gaze from Oberon’s deep eyes, the ones that always seem to understand too much, and find Luka. His lean form is draped across an armchair with the ease of a man who has navigated countless storms—a stark reminder of the complexity of our entwined lives. He watches us, his expression unreadable for a moment before it melts into a knowing smile.
“Any burning questions about tonight, Luka?” I ask, raising an eyebrow in challenge, still caught in the gravity of Oberon’s proximity.
Luka shakes his head, the corner of his mouth twitching with restrained amusement. He leans back, arms crossing over his chest as he tips his head, regarding me with a smirk that suggests mischief or mayhem—or both.
“Not really…but back when we were both playing the field back in Pacific City, I heard he screwed better than any alpha,” he says, voice casual as if commenting on the weather. “Seems you might’ve missed out.”
“Missed out?” I let the words hang in the air, my smile widening. I step away from Oberon’s embrace and saunter toward Luka, feeling their gazes follow me like twin spotlights. “Oh, we’ve got another date lined up…and I don’t plan on missing out next time.”
Oberon’s low chuckle rumbles behind me, but it’s Luka’s response I’m angling for. His eyes glint with a mix of surprise and something darker, something promising.
“Can I watch?” Luka asks.
My breath hitches, my pulse quickening at the suggestion. Luka’s smile holds a thousand unspoken promises, each one laced with desire and a hint of mischief. His gaze feels like a physical touch, trailing over me with an intensity that leaves me breathless.
I turn to face him fully, the air crackling with anticipation. “You can do more than watch if you play your cards right,” I reply, my voice low and laced with a challenge.
Oberon’s presence looms behind me, a steady warmth that bolsters my confidence. I can feel the tension in the room, thick with unspoken desires and possibilities that hang in the air like ripe fruit waiting to be plucked.
Luka rises from his seat, his movements fluid and deliberate as he closes the distance between us. His hand reaches out, fingers grazing my cheek with featherlight touches that send shivers down my spine.
“How about we start right now?” he murmurs.
And I know that, even if Rook didn’t want to come in with me, I’ll still be satisfied tonight.