Page 17 of Bonds of Obsession

Killian nods slowly, his fingers tracing gentle patterns on my skin. It’s such a difference from the roughness from earlier, butI’m taking the same sort of comfort from this lighter, gentler touch.

“I think I understand.” He looks thoughtful for a moment, as if he’s weighing each word before it comes out. “We all have our demons, don’t we?”

I feel movement on my other side and find myself smiling at the feel of Nico’s warm, solid body resting against me. They’re both naked, just like me, but there’s nothing sexual about it for the time being. What they’re giving me now is pure comfort, a physical reminder that I’m not alone.

Killian and Nico exchange a look over my shoulder, some unspoken communication passing between them. Then, as if they’d planned it, they both pull me close and sandwich me between their hard bodies.

I let out a shaky breath, feeling safe and grounded in a way I haven’t in far too long. Killian’s arms hug my waist while Nico’s wrap around my shoulders. Their touches are gentle, careful, as if they’re handling something precious.

The quiet stretches on for a while, but it’s not uncomfortable. Then Killian’s deep voice breaks the silence.

“I told you about how I killed my mom,” he says, his words low but clear. “After that, I was on the streets. For years, I did whatever I had to do to survive. Lying, stealing, fighting… it didn’t matter. I didn’t care about anyone or anything except staying alive.”

His voice takes on a distant tone, as if he’s reliving those rough memories. I reach out and place my hand over his.

“I didn’t know what family meant. Didn’t understand the concept of having people who cared about you, who’d have your back no matter what. It was just me against the world.”

He pauses, and I feel Nico shift his weight so he can make full eye contact with Killian. Even silently, I know they support each other a hundred percent.

“Then I met Nico and Atlas,” Killian continues. “They… they changed everything. For the first time in my life, I had people who gave a damn about me. Who saw me as more than just a means to an end.”

I feel his chest rise and fall with a deep breath.

“They showed me what it meant to have a family. To belong somewhere. To have people you’d do anything for, and who’d do the same for you. It wasn’t easy at first. I didn’t trust it, didn’t know how to handle it. But they were patient. They taught me what it meant to care about more than just saving my own ass.”

My heart tightens painfully in my chest as I take in everything he’s just said.

“You asked me once,” he says, “if I knew what it was like to love someone enough to miss them when they’re gone.”

I nod, a lump forming in my throat as the conversation comes back to me.

“I obviously didn’t have that with my mother. Never knew my father. For most of my life, I didn’t know what that kind of love felt like.” He pauses, his grip on me tightening slightly. “But now? Losing Atlas would kill me.”

The simple honesty in his voice makes my breath catch.

“I get it,” I whisper. “I don’t think any of us would survive losing him.”

Nico’s arms tighten around me, and I feel him nod against my shoulder.

It’s a strange comfort, knowing that we’re all equally invested and equally at risk. We’ve all given pieces of ourselves to Atlas, just like we have to each other. The thought of losing any part of this unconventional family we’ve built is… unbearable.

I wake up slowly,giving my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the morning light before I open them completely. I’m disoriented for a moment, but then I feel the warmth of two hard, muscular bodies on either side of me.

Killian and Nico.

As I blink away the last traces of sleep, I’m hit by a wave of emotions. Gratitude, affection, and a rush of protectiveness wash over me as I look at their handsome, rugged faces.

Last night’s conversation replays in my mind, reminding me that it’s not just about the physical attraction or the thrill of danger anymore. We’ve become a unit, a sort of family, bound together by something a hell of a lot stronger than I ever imagined possible.

But as I lie here, sandwiched between these two incredible men, I can’t ignore the glaring absence. Atlas. The missing piece of our puzzle. The thought of him out there, tortured and probably near death, sends a jolt of determination through me.

I’m going to get Atlas back in one piece. That much I know for sure. It’s a vow I’m making to myself, and I intend to keep it.

Carefully, I pull myself up from between Killian and Nico. I’m trying not to wake them, but I should know better by now. They stir immediately as I slip out of bed, their eyes blinking open before my feet even hit the floor.

“Morning,” I offer, slipping on a long t-shirt to cover my naked body. “I’m gonna make some coffee, and then we need to talk.”

Killian sits up first, rubbing his face. “What’s on your mind?”

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