Page 26 of Echoes of Desire

Call me a coward, but there is no way I would have been brave enough to say that to their faces. When my phone rings seconds later, I almost die on the spot.

Great.

“Hello?”

“And what is it you think we need, Pet?”

“Jasper,” I whisper, my heart pounding in my chest. “I... I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t upset me, baby,” his voice is calm and steady, but there’s an edge of curiosity in it that makes my stomach twist. “I’m just curious. What is it you think we need?”

I bite my lip, unsure how to answer. “I don’t know, exactly. But... it feels like this world, your world, is so much bigger than me. More than I can handle.”

There’s a pause, and then his voice softens.

“You’re overthinking,” he says, “We don’t need you to handle our world. We need you to be yourself. That’s it.”

“But—”

“No buts,” he interrupts firmly. “We’re not asking you to change, baby. We’re not asking you to be something you’re not. This isn’t about us molding you into what we need. It’s about us showing you that who you already are is more than enough.”

My breath hitches, and I feel tears prickling the corners of my eyes. “You say that now, but what if... what if I can’t give you what you’re looking for? What if I can’t be... enough?”

“Youareenough,” he says without hesitation. “And we’ll spend as much time as it takes proving that to you.”

I don’t know what to say. My throat feels tight, my mind racing with doubts and fears.

“Sweetheart,” Jaxon’s voice cuts in, gentler than Jasper’s but no less insistent. “We’re not here to overwhelm you or rush you into anything. If you need time to figure this out, you’ve got it. No pressure. No expectations. Just us, being here for you.”

“How... how can you be so sure?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper.

“Because we see you, Raven,” Jasper says, his voice low and steady. “Even if you can’t see us. Hell, even if you can’t see yourself, we see you. And we know exactly what we want.”

“And that’s me?” I ask, my voice trembling.

“That’s you,” they answer in unison, their voices perfectly aligned.

For a moment, I’m silent, my mind too jumbled to form a coherent response. But then Jasper speaks again, his tone shifting into something lighter.

“Now, Pet, are you going to argue with me, or are you going to eat the damn breakfast I sent you?”

Despite myself, I laugh softly. “I don’t usually eat breakfast, but I’ll make an exception this time.”

“Good girl,” he says, his words sending an unexpected warmth through me.

“And, sweetheart,” Jaxon adds, his voice carrying a playful lilt. “Maybe next time, consider talking to us before deciding what we do or don’t need.”

“I’ll think about it,” I say, a small smile tugging at my lips.

“Good,” Jasper says, his tone firm but kind. “Now go eat. And we’ll talk later.”

“Okay,” I whisper, feeling oddly lighter as the call ends.

I stare at my phone for a moment, the lingering warmth of their words settling in my chest. Maybe... just maybe, I’m not as out of my depth as I thought.

***

Me:Uhm. I know it’s 1:00, and the club doesn’t open until much later. But I left my bag in your office, and it has my meds in it. Is there someone here that can get it for me?

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