Chapter Thirteen — Trinity #2
“No.” The word was faster than a bullet. “No, that’s okay. I’m sure I can stay with Isolde or Ocean. They’re just busy right now, so they weren’t answering. I’ll be all right.”
“We have room.” The low, rough voice told me it was Bastian.
“Yes. We have a few extra rooms that aren’t being used,” Theo said. “A couple of them, actually. It’s close to the magazine, and I promise no one is going through the four of us.”
I blinked, staring at them.
“Oh, that’s a wonderful idea,” Liz said. “Then you definitely won’t be worried.”
About a break-in. There were plenty of other things to worry about in that scenario.
“I don’t want to impose.”
“You’re not,” Theo said.
Logan and I hadn’t had a chance to finish our conversation, and we couldn’t finish it and talk about all the ways this was a terrible idea in front of our parents. I looked at him, hoping he’d have an idea of what I was thinking.
“Why don’t you come over and see it? Then you can decide if you absolutely hate it. If you do, we’ll help make sure everything gets to your friend’s house.”
Val entered the kitchen and solidified my choice. I didn’t want there to be any mention of me staying here while she was in the room. “Okay.”
Val froze. “What’s happening in here?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly. “We’re leaving.”
Dad frowned. “You don’t have to leave right this second. Stay for dinner.”
My hand flew to my stomach. “I don’t think I’m very hungry, but thank you.”
“We’ll make sure she eats something.” Brooks leaned through all the bodies to grab my hand and tug me off the stool.
Dad still frowned as he hugged me. “If you’re sure.”
“Yeah.”
He smiled. “That’s settled then.”
Part of me wished he would push harder. I didn’t want to sleep here, but I wanted him to care. And I knew he did, just…
I shook my head to clear it. No point in going down that thought path right now.
Theo pulled me aside. “This is our address, but you can follow us. Are you okay to drive?”
“I’ll be fine.”
The looks they all gave me told me they knew I was lying through my teeth, but that was a problem for the Trinity who would soon be in their apartment. Not me. I could make it.
Still, I followed their SUV, making sure I stayed within sight of the car the entire time we drove. I blinked when we were suddenly in the middle of downtown Clarity.
The city itself was sprawling without many skyscrapers, but the couple we did have were here. They pulled into the parking garage under one of the tallest buildings we had.
I found a spot not too far from them, and by the time I was opening my door, Bastian was there with me, helping me out of the car and placing a hand on my lower back.
I did feel more at ease with them.
The silence in the elevator was thick as we soared to the top of the building. “Are you guys the penthouse?”
“No,” Theo said. “Not quite. But we do have two floors.”
I nodded.
The elevator opened into a short hallway that went directly to a door, and after that…
This was beautiful. Like a masculine high-rise straight out of one of those decorating magazines. There were signs of it being lived in, which I liked. I was never able to keep my space pristine, and it didn’t bother me.
Logan stepped in front of me, blocking my view of the apartment. Now, without his mask, I could get a true and proper look at him. At the pool on Saturday I hadn’t wanted to seem too interested.
He was as gorgeous as I’d guessed beneath the mask, and there were still those warm brown eyes. “Can we touch you?”
I noticed it was we instead of I, and I didn’t care. “Yes.”
The next breath he pulled me close and into his arms, wrapping me up so tightly and so safely that I froze in shock. What was it about these men that made me melt in their presence? Logan’s purr rumbled beneath my ear, making my mind go blissfully blank.
Sharp almond surrounded me as Logan shifted me into Theo’s arms. I hadn’t really touched anyone else at the club. “You’re the almond one.”
A rich, dark chuckle. “Is that bad?”
I shook my head into his shirt. “My dad and I used to make these sugar cookies with almond frosting, and they’re the best. I love it.”
A new set of hands landed on my hips, pulling back before one hand snaked up and around my throat. I knew it was Bastian before his darker scent wrapped around me. The hand on my hip slid across my body so I was pressed back against him.
The kiss on my neck was hot, soft, slow, and needed no words. I might as well have been on the drop of a roller coaster the way my stomach swooped. Brooks stepped in, pinning me between them. “Fuck.” It was a quiet, desperate whisper. “Touching you is all any of us have been able to think about.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Combine that with finding out your apartment was broken into, and you have four Alphas that are on the edge of feral.”
“I wasn’t sure you’d want more. It was just one night, and with my dad and Liz…”
Logan’s voice came from outside my twin Alpha sandwich. “Do you want to talk about this before the tour or after?”
Normally I would say something sassy, but I didn’t have it in me. “Before, I guess.”
Bastian let me go, but kept a hand on my lower back once again as he guided me to a comfy living room, complete with giant television and gaming system, as I would expect from a pack full of men. The couches were soft and comfortable. I sank into the seat I chose, but wasn’t swallowed.
Bastian pulled me across the couch to him, effortlessly draping my legs across his, just like Logan had.
“What you said,” I looked at Logan, “about asking for my number. I was going to do the same thing before I found my apartment.”
He frowned. “But—
“I lost your number. I had it in my hand when I got into Cade’s car, but when I got home, I couldn’t find it. I’m sorry.”
Theo blew out a breath and smiled. “Honestly, I’m glad it was that and not the fact that you never wanted to see us again.”
I shook my head. “No. Though I can’t say that this will be easy. You guys are… okay with it?”
“I’m fine with it,” Logan said. “I get why it’s weird, but I don’t see a problem.”
“Fine with me,” Bastian said beside me, voice low and rough, just as I remembered.
Brooks grinned. “Me too. I mean, I’m sure that conversation is going to be interesting, but I’m not worried about it. Hell, I think Mama Hart will lose her mind in a good way.”
I smiled at that. From what I knew of her, Liz was a kind woman. Even today, when she took me out of the overwhelm she saw creeping in. Hopefully they were right.
“And in case it wasn’t already clear,” Logan said, “we don’t want to forget about what happened, and we very much want you.”
A sweet starburst of longing and terror popped in my chest. I did want that. No matter if I pretended I didn’t or was nervous that I’d be left with nothing if it went wrong, nothing had ever felt like that night, and I wanted to see if there was more.
I bit my lip, fighting the heat that rose whenever I thought about their hands on me, and feeling normal for the first time since discovering the break-in. “I want you too. More than I probably should.”
Bastian’s fingers curled around my hip and tugged me close enough to speak in my ear. “There’s no such thing.”
“Let’s give you that tour.” Brooks stole me from his brother and pulled me deeper into the apartment. He looked back and smirked. “After that? We’ll see.”