Chapter 16
Chapter sixteen
Mandie
Istood in front of the mirror, fixing my hair as I finished getting dressed.
I’d pulled on a black tank top, soft from too many washes, and a pair of faded jeans that hugged my hips just right.
They were the clothes I’d been wearing when I first arrived at the Keystone.
Simple. Comfortable. No need to impress anyone here.
I already had too much attention, it seemed.
The truth was, I liked the way Doc’s eyes lingered when I wore things that clung a little too tight.
I liked the way Roger’s hands found excuses to brush against me when I was in something easy to unbutton.
And Donovan? Donovan didn’t need much encouragement.
Just a look, a sigh, the arch of my back when I leaned over the couch, and his fingers would be in my hair, his mouth somewhere warm and eager.
I smirked at my reflection as I smoothed the tank over my stomach.
I had a good thing going here. That’s what this was. No strings, no expectations, just three men who knew exactly how to touch me. Scheduling was the tricky part, but I had a rhythm going.
Morning showers with Sebastian, his body morphed into water, his voice low and intellectual as he used SAT words to call me beautiful while his liquid form trailed down my spine.
Late nights with Roger, his body a furnace against mine, his confidence bleeding into every thrust, every whispered fuck, you’re perfect. We’d fucked on so many ceilings now that the floor seemed boring.
And slow, lazy afternoons with Donovan. His tongue patient, his fingers trembling just enough to remind me he still wasn’t entirely sure he deserved to be there. He did everything and anything I asked. It was a nice change of pace from Sebastian and Roger, who were all alpha and dominant.
I zipped my jeans and ran my hands through my hair. It was still damp, black strands clinging to my temples. No point in drying it. Let it air-dry wild. Let it look like I’d just been fucked.
Because, let’s be honest, I usually had.
The door to my room creaked when I pulled it open. The common area was too quiet. Not the usual hum of the TV or the clatter of dishes. Just… silence. Heavy. Expectant.
I stepped out, bare feet silent, and then I froze.
They were all there.
Sebastian sat on the couch, one ankle crossed over his knee, fingers steepled in front of him like he was about to deliver a lecture.
Roger leaned against the kitchen counter, arms folded, biceps straining the sleeves of his t-shirt.
Donovan was perched on the arm of the couch, long legs drawn up, black-painted nails tapping a restless rhythm against his knee.
All three of them. All three of them looking at me.
I sighed, slow and controlled. "Well. This is new."
Roger’s mouth quirked. Not quite a smile. "Hey, Mandie."
Donovan’s gray eyes flicked to the floor, then back up. "You look… nice."
Sebastian didn’t say anything. Just watched. Analyzed. Like I was a specimen under glass.
I crossed my arms. "Okay, what’s the catch? You three never sit this quietly unless someone’s dead or the world’s ending."
Roger pushed off the counter, unfolding his arms. "No catch. Just… we need to talk."
My stomach dropped. Fuck. That was never a good phrase. That was the kind of phrase that came right before we need to take a break or the team’s been compromised, and we’re all gonna die.
I swallowed. "About what?"
Sebastian finally spoke, voice smooth and measured. "About the fact that we know."
I blinked. "Know what?"
Donovan’s fingers stilled. Roger’s jaw tightened. Sebastian’s brow arched.
"Mandie. We know you’ve been sleeping with all three of us," Roger said.
The air left my lungs in a rush. Oh.
For a second, I just stood there, pulse hammering in my ears. Then I laughed. A sharp, disbelieving sound. "Well. Shit. I did not see that coming."
Roger’s eyebrows shot up. "That's your response?"
I shrugged, letting my arms fall. "What do you want me to say? It’s not like you guys are wrong."
I tilted my head, studying them. Sebastian’s expression was unreadable, but his fingers had stopped tapping. Roger looked… intrigued. Like I’d just handed him a puzzle he was eager to solve. Donovan was biting his lower lip, cheeks flushed. Guilt? Embarrassment?
I stepped further into the room, hips swaying just a little. If they were going to call me out, fine. But I wasn’t going to let them see me squirm.
"So, what now? You gonna fight over me? Draw straws? Flip a coin?"
Sebastian’s lips twitched. Almost a smile. "No, Mandie. We’re not. You are a person, not a prize."
I stopped mid-step. "Great, glad we got that cleared up."
"We aren't mad, if that's what you are thinking," Donovan said softly.
That took me by surprise. "Really?"
Roger chuckled, low and rough. "You heard him. We’re not mad."
Sebastian nodded. "We’re not… upset."
I stared at them. All three of them. Waiting. Expecting. And then, because I couldn’t help myself, I snapped. "Bullshit."
Sebastian’s brow furrowed. "Excuse me?"
I threw my hands up. "You’re not upset? You’re all just… fine with me fucking you behind each other’s backs?" I scoffed. "Then why do I feel like I am being lectured?"
"The only one lecturing you is yourself," Sebastian said, standing up.
"Well, Donovan, I believe you, because you are sweet. But Roger, you are always bragging about how in control you are and how I belong to you. And you—" I rounded on Sebastian. "You act the same way, but you also act like you’ve got the moral high ground on everything. So don’t sit there and tell me you’re fine with this. "
"I am fine with this," Sebastian said, voice calm and firm.
I wanted to scream.
Roger held up his hands. "Whoa. I said we’re not mad, not that we’re saints. But come on, Mandie. You really think we didn’t notice?"
I faltered. "Notice what?"
Donovan’s voice was softer now. "That you smell like Sebastian’s cologne after your ‘showers.’ That your sheets smell like Roger the morning after he takes off. That I…" He swallowed.
Heat flooded my face. Fuck. I hadn’t thought they’d compare notes. Men like them didn’t talk. They postured. They competed. They didn’t sit in a circle and dissect my scent.
Sebastian leaned forward. "The question isn’t why we aren't upset, Mandie. It’s why you kept it a secret."
I barked out a laugh. "Maybe it is because you all are keeping secrets from me. I know you are aware of why these villains are after me. Yet, not a single one of you will tell me what that is."
"It is for your safety," Roger said automatically.
"As I’ve heard a million times. Point is, you’re all hiding shit. You can say that I am just trying to fit in around here."
The room went still. Roger’s smile vanished. Sebastian’s face was carefully blank. Donovan’s hands were clenched in his lap.
Then Roger exhaled, long and slow. "Fair."
Sebastian inclined his head. "A valid point."
Donovan’s voice was quiet. "Yeah."
I crossed my arms, suddenly cold. "So. What now?"
"We need to talk this out," Sebastian said. "Is it just the three of us or..."
"I haven't slept with Johnny or Matt. Well, I have been sleeping with Matt but not sleeping with him."
"I don't get it," Roger said.
"It helps with his night terrors if I lie with him."
"That is interesting," Sebastian mused. "That explains why he is doing so much better."
Roger clapped his hands together. "Okay. So, the four of us know, and we don't tell anyone. Not Johnny, not Matt, and definitely not the boss."
"Fuck, I forgot about him," Donovan choked out.
"You guys are insane. How can you all take this so well?" I asked.
"You have no idea how hard it is to date as a superhero," Roger said. "If we date someone, they become an immediate target. That is why we are all single."
"Exactly. Even if we can protect a loved one often, we can't protect them every minute of the day," Donovan added.
Sebastian walked towards me. "Logically, it makes sense. If we are all dating the same woman, we can take turns protecting her. Just like we have been."
I should’ve argued. Should’ve told them they were crazy. But the truth was, I’d been sharing them for weeks. And they’d known. They’d let me.
Roger took a step forward. Close enough that I could see the blue of his irises.
"You wanna know why I’m not mad, Mandie?" His voice was rough. "Because thinking of you with them?" He reached out, fingers brushing the tattoo on my arm. "It’s the hottest fucking thing I could imagine."
My pulse spiked. "Roger—"
His other hand cupped my jaw. "I wanna watch you come apart on Donovan’s tongue while Doc washes over you. I wanna hear you scream my name when I take you from behind." His breath was warm against my ear. "I wanna share you, Mandie. Not fight over you."
I should’ve pushed him away. But my body betrayed me, leaning into his touch.
Sebastian’s voice cut through the haze. "The question is, Mandie, do you want that?"
I turned my head. His dark eyes were burning, composure cracking to let the hunger show through. Donovan was coiled tight on the couch, fingers digging into the fabric.
I swallowed. "You’re serious."
Donovan’s voice was a whisper. "Dead serious."
I looked between them. Three men. Three heroes. Three sets of hands that knew my body better than I knew myself.
And not one of them was walking away.
I exhaled, slow and shaky. Then I smiled. "Well. Shit."
Roger’s grin was triumphant. "Is that a yes?"
I reached up, gripping the front of his shirt, yanking him down until our lips were a breath apart. "That’s a fuck yes."
I should’ve been nervous. Should’ve overthought it. But as Doc's fingers twined with mine, pulling me toward his room, and Roger’s hand settled on the small of my back, guiding me forward, and Donovan's heat pressed against my side, I realized something:
I wasn’t just content anymore.
I was free.