Page 105 of Death and Donuts

“Your phone’s been making noise for the past thirty minutes,” Cross said.

I made a face, and he kissed my nose.

We both heard the outer door to Shepard’s suite open. Cross' eyes flashed black for half a second before he closed them. The bedroom door banged open a second later, startling me.

I looked up and caught Vena’s angry scowl shift to surprise then delight.

“Shhh. Shepard’s still sleeping,” I said.

“Not anymore,” he said from behind me.

“Girl, I told you to be the cream in their otherworld sandwich, but I didn’t think you’d actually go for it.”

“We were just sleeping, Vena.”

“Sure.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me.

“Is there a reason you barged in here?”

“Oh, yeah. Iwasmad at you. First, you left without me. Then you got kidnapped and didn’t even tell me.”

“You’re upset Everly was kidnapped without you?” Cross asked,

“And…” Vena said loudly as if speaking over Cross, even though he was already done. “Apparently, getting kidnapped isn’t the only secret you’re keeping. You’ve been enjoying this sleep sandwich often, haven’t you? You’re not even blushing or telling me to get out, which means this isn’t your first time.”

“Get out, Vena,” I said without rancor.

“It’s too late to try to hide the truth. It’s out. Anything else out under those covers?”

I knew my friend well enough to understand why Vena broke in as she had and why she wasn’t ranting at me. She was worried.

“I’m okay, Vena. If I was hurt, do you think they’d just be sleeping next to me?”

“If you were fine, they wouldn’t be just sleeping next to you. You’d really be sandwiched. I mean, with the way Shepard’s positioned, you could?—”

“Vena, don’t,” I said, fighting not to flush as I imagined what she was imagining.

“Fine. But no more ‘Vena does this while Everly does that’ bullshit. We stick together.”

“You’re not getting into this bed,” Shepard said, his voice still rough with sleep. “It’s already too crowded.”

Cross chuckled as Shepard drew me closer to him and away from Cross.

“I’m not interested in joining your bed sport,” Vena said. “I want in on the meeting today.”

“Will it get you to leave the room faster?” Shepard asked.

“Yep.”

“Be at the front door by eleven-thirty.”

“You got it, Alpha. Tap that hard, Everly.”

I listened to the sound of the door closing and shook my head.

Cross winked at me. “Neither of us would mind any tapping.”

“Ha. Not happening. My wrists are still sore from yesterday.”

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