Page 59 of Nest Of Lies

I clear my throat. “That I found him hanging from a tree in my favourite park? Fuck no. She doesn’t need the nightmares, Zaden. Besides, it was a long time ago. Ancient history.”

Zaden just holds me tighter. “I love you, Ranger.”

I go still, my breath frozen in my lungs because no matter how many times I hear it, it still stuns me stupid that a man that is as incredible as Zaden could love me.

“You and Ianto are my broken boys. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you anymore.” Zaden pauses, and his scent gets stronger, full of guilt. “I’m sorry you got hurt.”

I squeeze Zaden to me harder. “It wasn’t your fault, Zaden.”

“I looked everywhere for you,” Zaden whispers. “I couldn’t feel you.”

Guilt rises, but I push it down. “I didn’t want you to feel my pain, Zaden. You don’t need that.”

“Damn you, Ranger,” Zaden whispers. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. You share everything. I never want to not feel you in me again. Do you understand me?”

“Even if it hurts?” I whisper, my heart aching.

“Especially if it hurts.”

We stand that way for a long time, just holding each other. Eventually, I tell him everything I found.

Zaden kisses me again, softly, and tells me it will be okay. Then asks me to go find Lia.

I leave him standing in the hallway of the mansion, staring out the window, his whole body illuminated by light. I know if anyone can sort this out, it will be Zaden.

I have faith in him. We all do.

He’s Zaden Mirakill.

Chapter twenty-one

Lia

I pull out topafter top, hunting ruthlessly through the clothes, but nothing feels right. I huff and sit back on my knees, running my fingers down the cable knit black sweater. It’s nice, but the scent is almost gone. I pick it up and inhale deeply but put it down with a disappointed whine.

I grab it and bounce out of the room, pulling the door shut and jogging down the hallway. When I get to the staircase, I sit on the banister and slide down, just like I’ve done a million times. I can hear my mother’s voice telling me to stop that at once.

I don’t quite know how I managed to forget that they are here. But somehow, in my distraction, I have. I land on my feet and freeze. Zaden has a spoon halfway to his mouth and is watching me with wide eyes.

“Morning!” I say chirpily and quickly scurry off in the other direction.

It takes me a moment to make sure I’m not being followed, and then I slip next door and sneak in through the basement. I climb up out of the cellar and pause, listening hard. My goal here is simple. I need more. I can hear someone in the mansion, but there’s not the usual lived-in feel that it has when all the guys are present.

I gently push open the door and look out. Nothing. I don’t know what this driving urge is, but I couldn’t stop myself if I was paid to.

I get upstairs with no incident and sneak into Zaden’s room. They all have rooms, but they all sleep with Zaden. I can smell the intoxicating scents of the pack. Rain for Valen, black tea for Mills. Ianto smells like that incredible and indescribable scent of snuffed candles, while Zaden has a strong eucalyptus, and Ranger is seductive with bergamot.

I pause, staring at the bed I’m kneeling on. I scramble off and look around in panic. How did I know their scents? How did I get on the bed without noticing?

I shake my head and return to the task at hand. There will be something here, in the cupboards and drawers, I search until I find the right one. I change the sweater, but then the scents wrap around me, and I can’t leave. I sink into the cupboard and inhale the clothes, finding the ones that haven’t been washed.

I turn and walk to the bed, leaning down to inhale the scents of the pack.Sniffing their mattress, Lia, what the hell are you doing?

With a whine, I lay on it and roll around. It takes me a long time before my head clears enough to stand up. I feel wobbly, and my body feels heavy and full.

I grab the top I plan to steal but discover I have an entire armful of clothes.

When did I grab those?

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