Page 119 of Deceit

“What happened?”

“What’s going on?”

“Shut the fuck up!” Ronan practically snarls as he holds me tighter.

“Eyes on me, Siren. Two things you can feel,” Vincent says, reaching out to rest his hand on my cheek again.

I feel my eyes close, sinking into his touch.

“Y-your hand and…and…Ronan’s-s arms wrapped around me-e,” I say, only having a few stutters this time.

“That’s so good. Almost there. One thing you can smell.”

I try to inhale through my nose as best as I can.

“Ronan’s cologne,” I answer.

Earning a tighter squeeze from Ronan and an encouraging nod from Vincent. He doesn’t smile but he rarely does so that’s no surprise. His hand does cup my face tenderly though, his thumb rubbing against my cheek as he presses his lips to my forehead.

“You did so good, Siren. I love you so much, don’t ever scare me like that again, okay?”

I hear Maggie softly ‘aw’ in the background, but I ignore her and everyone else around us.

“I… I love you too.” I say, thankfully not stuttering for lack of oxygen, but out of shock. I don’t know. I had hoped he loved me, but it feels…different to hear him say it out loud. Reassuring.

Vincent leans forward, capturing my lips with his as rustling happens over my shoulder. He can tell the moment I hear it because I tense up at the reminder. He deepens the kiss, allowing his tongue to tangle with mine as his arm makes some kind of motion. I feel the air shift like people have stepped out, but I’m too wrapped up in this kiss to care.

When he pulls away I feel a tug come from my jaw, my head tilted back for Ronan who bends down to meet me. The kiss is so vastly different from Vincent’s or even Liam’s, but it’s addicting all the same.

As we break apart, Ronan smiles down at me lovingly and it forces a smile out of me as well.

“There’s my beautiful baby’s smile.”

I smile wider as I feel Vincent’s hand in my hair, slowly massaging my head as Ronan’s fingers dance along my jawline .

“Okay, you guys are so cute I want to barf. I’m also seriously considering switching teams, because I want someone to look at me like that,” Maggie says from the corner. Ronan and Vincent both shoot her irritated looks, but that doesn’t stop her. “Seriously babe, you’ve gotta be able to spare a boyfriend or two for a night, right? Think any of them will let me peg them?”

A laugh bubbles out of me. “Probably Liam,” I say.

“I heard my name,” my adorable goof says, with a smile as he pops his head in the door.

“Maggie asked if any of my boyfriend’s would like to get pegged and I said probably you.”

“Fuck yes,” he smirks, “but only by my girl, sorry, Bartlett.”

Maggie gives him an exaggerated ‘oh shoot’ snap as she shakes her head.

“Dang, almost had you too.”

The air in the room lifts lightly, for a moment I forget about the stalker, the pictures, and everything to focus on the most important piece of information. Liam would want me to peg him? I don’t know how I feel about that…it could be pretty hot, I guess. Nope, scratch that. I think it would be really hot. Shit. Maybe one day.

Liam comes to crouch beside me, taking one of my hands into his as he gives me a concerned smile.

“You okay, babygirl?”

Having all three of their hands on me is like the best kind of drug. It numbs and soothes me simultaneously. My body instantly relaxes, melting into all of their touch as I nod my head softly.

“I’m sorry.”

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