Page 177 of Filthy Rich Santas

I blink, my brain trying to come back online.

He smirks when he sees my confusion. “Did you forget where we are?”

“Oh god. My parents’ house.”

Where they’re still downstairs preparing for the party tonight.

“You were loud enough on your own,” Tristan teases me, a gleam in his eyes. “We’d definitely get caught if we fucked you the way we want to right now.”

“But—”

He shakes his head, stopping my argument with a finger to my lips. “But we’ll make it up to you tonight. Promise.”

Ryder nods, and Beckett gives me a smile that makes my stomach flip.

“We’ll be back in this room after everyone’s asleep, little menace. Leave the door unlocked, and we’ll make sure to take care of you.”

I nod, my heart racing at the thought.

Ryder leans in to plant a kiss against my forehead, then gently cups my face. “You should rest. At least take a nap before the party tonight.”

The moment he says it, I can feel fatigue pulling on me again. But the reality is that here in my parents’ house, I have obligations.

I shake my head. “I can’t. My mother will be expecting me to finish helping with preparations.”

“No,” Beckett says, crossing his arms over his chest.

I blink at him. “But?—”

Tristan smiles at me. “We’ll cover for you, freckles. Your mom won’t even notice you’re gone. I promise.”

“Andyoupromised you’d take better care of yourself,” Beckett reminds me, a fondly stern look on his face.

“If you’re sure…”

“We’ve got this handled,” Ryder says, grinning. “But Beckett’s right. You need to rest up. We’re not fucking around with the lupus anymore, right?”

“Right,” I murmur, my heart swelling at their insistence. It really is about more than sex with them. They care about me.Allof me.

I’ve never felt so cherished, so protected, and without thinking, I reach up and pull Ryder into a soft kiss. When I break away, I turn to Tristan, pressing my lips to his. Then finally, I kiss Beckett, pouring all my gratitude and affection into it.

“Thank you,” I murmur before the three of them slip out of my room, each giving me a final lingering look before disappearing through the door.

As it clicks shut behind them, I find myself staring at the space they just occupied, a light feeling of happiness filling my chest, even as fatigue tugs at me.

I sink back onto the bed, closing my eyes. I still don’t know exactly how a relationship with all four of us will work, but I know I want it.

And even better, they want it too.

41

LANA

I wakefrom my nap feeling refreshed, a smile playing on my lips that I can’t quite contain. The memory of three sets of hands on my skin, the taste of their kisses, and the whispered promises of more to come—it all feels like a dream.

But it’s real.We’rereal.

With a contented sigh, I drag myself out of bed and into the shower. As the hot water cascades over me, I actually start to look forward to my parents’ Christmas Eve party. Normally, it feels like a performative obligation, but I do love the holiday, and I just feel hopeful about everything now.

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